The next day Regina was a bundle of nerves as she got ready for her dinner date with Robin, she just wanted to get her bracelet back and go home. Whatever this thing that was happening between Robin and her would never go anywhere she felt sure of it. How could it? Yet here she was going to meet up with him, as she got ready she made sure to put on plenty of makeup to help disguise herself from him recognizing her hopefully. She had been so afraid the other day that he had recognized her in the restaurant with Tink. But luckily she had been dressed in her 'boring' clothes. She wore a pair of black skinny pants, with a white blazer that had a black stripe in it, and a pair of black pumps to finish the look. She curled her hair and left it in flowing down pass her shoulders. Looking over at herself in the mirror she quickly grabbed her clutch and headed out before she lost her nerve.
Robin arrived at the club twenty minutes before they were to meet he wanted to be there early in case she was one that liked being early. He was taking no chances in meeting her again. He booked them a table and went out on the patio, thinking how a few short days ago how they had spent some time out here and could not help the smirk that appeared on his face. He took a sip of his whiskey and looked out over the background of the club. One of his hands went into his pocket and he felt the bracelet in his pocket, he let his thoughts roam to the point of he hoped that the bracelet was just from an old flame that she wore because she liked it, not because of who had given it to her. Daniel, well Robin knew if this man was still in Regina's life than he was going to have a fight on his hands with him. Robin had felt something spur to life that night he had met Regina and he was not going to loose his chance upon being the only man in her life. Was that cocky? Sure it was, but Robin also knew Regina had felt this connection between them that night. One last thing crossed Robin's mind and that was he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something familiar about Regina, like he had met her before. But where?
Robin had his back to the french doors of the patio when he heard it open let out the music from the ballroom, before silencing it once again when it closed. He smiled as he knew who was standing there, his Cinderella had returned. It was as if there was something in the air, some hint of perfume on the sultry breeze.
"Is it really you?" Robin whispered as he turned around to see her standing there. His heart was hammering against his ribs, as a firece sense of joy flooded through him. He wasn't crazy, she did exist. "Thank God."
She was as graceful, as lovely, as he remembered. She slowly made her way to where he stood, her hair seemed to be glowing in the evening night. He could tell she was wearing more makeup then the night he had met her, his mystery woman was still being mysterious. But he didn't care. She was back, and that was good enough for now. He sat his drink down on the wall of the patio.
She was small, her pumps giving her several inches, and he now remembered how tiny her waist had felt between his hands as they danced, and how slender her shoulders had looked in the dress. To see her again, to refresh his recollection, was like a drink of cool water on this hot murky night. An unexpected gift.
A part of him, wanted to demand why she's run away, where she'd been and why she hadn't come back to him before this. But he didn't do any of those things. Instead he let his better instincts rule. Without thinking, he bridged the short distance between them and hauled her into his arms.
"I can't believe it," he murmured, pulling her closer still, wrapping himself around her as he lifted her into the air. "You're really here."
Setting her down, he ran his hands over the outline of her hips. She felt warm and alive...and real. Astonishingly real. He'd almost convinced himself she was only a fantasy.
"I need to-" she began, in that hot, husky little voice that unwound whatever good intentions he had left. She took a breath to continue but instead of that she grabbed his shirt and pulled him in for a kiss, Robin instantly responded to her kiss with an intensity to match hers.
She was back in his arms, and he had no intentions of letting her run from him again. Not to this Daniel, not to any other man. He would be all she would ever need, as their kiss continued Robin couldn't help but have thoughts cross his mind. Was he already in love with her? Did he truly believe in love at first sight? If the fast beating of his heart was any indicator then yes, he was falling in love with her.
"Wait, wait," Regina said breathless between kisses. "I didn't come for here for this,"
"Ah, way to break a man's ego." Robin said.
"I hardly think your ego is in any danger of being threatened." Regina shot back. "You said you had my bracelet."
"I did," Robin confirmed with a nod.
"Well? Give it back to me," Regina said as she put her hand out for it.
"All in good time, all in good time." Robin said as he took a few steps to the side of her.
"It's my bracelet, it doesn't belong to you." Regina said.
"I'm no thief, I found it. Be grateful that I did, someone else could have found it and never told you." Robin said.
"Well thank you for finding it, now please give it to me." Regina said.
"On one condition," Robin said as he turned to look at her with a twinkle in his eyes.
"I'm not going to sleep with you for it," Regina said as she crossed her arms at him.
Robin smiled lightly as he walked up to her slowly, stopping only inches from her face, enough for her to feel his breath on her but not feel. "I'm not asking you to, when we make love it will be of your own free will."
"And what makes you so confident we will?" Regina asked.
"This, this link we have between us." Robin said as Regina just took a deep breath and turned her head from him. Robin brought up one hand and placed it under her chin to get her to look at him. "Deny it all you want, you know this is true."
"I can't deny their is an attraction between us, but that's all there will be." Regina said confidently as she turned from him to walk a few steps.
"And why is that? Because of Daniel?" Robin asked as his words caused her to stop in her tracks and look back at him.
"How do you know about him?" Regina asked, feeling the sharp pain of hearing Daniel's name.
"I can read," Robin said as he pulled out the bracelet. Her bracelet.
"Give it to me, please." Regina said as she came up to him. Robin could see she was obviously upset and he had no desire to upset her any further. He gently placed the bracelet in her open palm, watching as she immediately closed her palm over it.
"Thank you," Regina said as she walked over to the wall and put it on her wrist.
"He means a lot to you doesn't he?" Robin asked as he could tell she feeling a lot of emotions right now.
"He meant everything." Regina said. Robin caught the past tense word she used. Meant, this Daniel was someone from her past, not her present.
"What happened?" Robin asked.
"He died," Regina simply answered.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Robin said truthfully. A part of him was relieved there was no man that held her heart but the other part of him was saddened by her loss.
"You said you wanted something for giving me this back. What was it?" Regina asked.
"A simple dance, after dinner." Robin said as he motioned for them to go indoors to eat. She nodded and they walked inside, Robin with his hand on the small of her back lightly touching her.
Robin pulled out her chair for her to seat, and they looked over the menu before deciding their order for the waiter.
"You look beautiful milady," Robin said as they sipped on their wine.
"You don't look to bad yourself," Regina said.
"I have to, to be beside such a stunning young lady." Robin admitted.
"You ever stop flirting?" Regina asked.
"With you? Never." Robin answered as they started to eat their food. They conversed as they ate, Robin asking her lots of questions and Regina being a little coy on his questions about herself directly.
"Regina, I have to admit to you I feel like I know you already from somewhere." Robin said as they made their way to the patio again.
"Maybe in another lifetime we did." Regina said.
"So you believe in fate milady?" Robin asked.
"I'm not sure yet," Regina answered.
"Then I'll do what I can to change your mind on that." Robin said.
"May I have this dance?" Robin asked as he placed out a hand for her to take, after a few seconds Regina placed her hand in his. Robin smiled as he took her in his arms to start dancing with her.
If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?
If you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?
If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call
If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all
I'll never know what the future brings
But I know you're here with me now
We'll make it through
And I hope you are the one I share my life with
I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand
If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?
If I don't need you then why am I crying on my bed?
If I don't need you then why does your name resound in my head?
If you're not for me then why does this distance maim my life?
If you're not for me then why do I dream of you as my wife?
When the song ended, Regina pulled back slightly from Robin as they stared at one another deeply in the eyes.
"I need to be getting back home," Regina said as she started to leave him.
"Wait," Robin said as he put a hand on her arm, causing her to turn around to him. " When can I see you again?"
"Never," Regina answered.
"I can't accept that. Regina, look me in the eyes and tell me you're not feeling this spark between us." Robin said as he looked down into her beautiful eyes.
"It's complicated." Regina said finally.
"I don't follow." Robin said.
"You have to stop looking for me and everything." Regina said.
"But you know there is something between us, why deny yourself this?" Robin asked.
"Because my heart is dead and buried in the ground." Regina said.
"With Daniel?" Robin prompted.
"Yes, he's the only man I ever trusted and will always be the only one I'll ever trust." Regina said.
"You trusted me enough to kiss me the other night, you trusted me enough to meet me here tonight. Let your heart trust again, I'm not asking you to marry me, not yet. But to give a chance with you, we all get a second chance, let me be yours Regina." Robin said.
"And what if I have a husband back at my home?" Regina asked, knowing how weak it sounded even to her. "Did it occur to you that I might already be taken?"
"Yes it occurred to me, but you were not wearing a wedding ring the other night, you're not wearing one now." Robin answered confidently.
"I wouldn't have come to the ball, and I wouldn't have kissed you. If I was married or engaged...or anything." Regina said.
Intuitively he'd known that about her, even if he'd doubted his faith on occasion. "I know. Tell me your full name, since you know mine already."
A ghost of a smile played across her lips. "That's not all you want."
"No, it isn't. But it's a start." Robin said. He dipped his mouth to the slope of her neck, nibbling gently, and she trembled in response. She was warming up nicely, leaning into his caress, feeling very pliant and very agreeable. "Trust me."
Her voice was barely a whisper. "No."
"Yes."
She shook her head slightly, but it only lifted her ear closer to his mouth, and her delectable body more firmly into his embrace. He was heating up himself, and he had to slow down or risk loosing control completely. But she was so tempting, so responsive. And for this one moment in time, she was all his. He'd been trying to tantalize her into giving him the information he wanted, but he seriously wondered who was seducing whom here.
"Your name," he coaxed, easing her up against him.
She gave no answer.
"Your name," he repeated, sliding one hand up, ever so gently, to graze the swell of one of her breast, and the other down, ever so slightly, rounding the curve of her beautiful little bottom.
"Your name," he whispered, brushing his thumb over the nipple he could feel rising to greet him through the blazer.
But she didn't answer. All she did was make an incoherent little moan that sent new flames of desire licking over his body. He was already rock hard, and he'd barely touched her. "Tell me your name," he said quietly, trying to rein himself in. But her breast was warm and perfect under his hand, and he couldn't resist teasing that impudent little nipple. Again, it felt more erotic to play the game his way, to take his time, to touch her and taunt her through the fabric.
He knew, from somewhere deep within, what her skin would taste like under his fingers, and what she would taste like when he lowered his head and flicked his tongue...
He groaned. "Please tell me. Please. I have to know."
"No, Robin. I can't tell you," she said again. "I promise you, that if I could, if I did, it would ruin everything. You wouldn't want me anymore."
Robin didn't understand. What she said made no sense to him, as if she were speaking in riddles. "This is nonsense. If there's someone hurting you or holding you back-they will no longer exist. Whatever the problem is, I can fix it."
But she was as stubborn as he. "The problem is me. You can't fix that."
"Let me try." Robin said.
But she shook her head. "If you push me, I will have to leave."
"I don't want you to go." Robin said.
"I don't want to go either. Not yet. Not when things are like this between us." Regina finally admitted to him and to herself.
Robin smiled with the arrogance of a man who knows when a woman is completely his. "Glad to have you admit it finally." And he kissed her, full and deep, branding her with all the frustration. It was hard and hot this time, no meeting of minds, just a clash of wills and violent storm of passion, until finally they had to break away to take in some air.
Breathing raggedly, he clasped her shoulders hard, holding her away. "I still want you, whatever you name is. But I will find out what this game is all about. You know I will."
"This is no game," she returned. And then she kissed him back. She was as brutal and as single-minded as he had been, wrapping her arms around his neck to drag him down to her. As she hit him with everything she had, opening her mouth to him, urging him inside, she also held him so close, fitting her body to his. As he was about to deepen the kiss he heard the sound of her ring tone on her phone. She pulled away from him suddenly, holding onto his arms to steady herself.
"Excuse me," Regina said as she turned and pulled out her phone. "Hello? Hi, yes I can come over, give me about ten minutes. Okay, see you then." She ended the call and turned around to see him wiping her lipstick from his mouth.
"I have to go," Regina said.
"Someone has your attention I see," Robin said as he walked up to her again.
"A friend," Regina said.
"Will you call me again?" Robin asked.
"Robin," Regina said.
"Can't blame a man for trying, but I'll try to put no pressure on you. But please don't just fly out of my life." Robin said.
"I'll call you on your word that you will not follow me tonight," Regina bargained with him.
"Deal," Robin said as he leaned down to kiss her lips once more, a gentle kiss this time as she knew her lips would be swollen in the morning. "Good night Regina,"
"Night, Robin." Regina said as she left him on the patio. Once she was in her car, she looked at herself in the mirro of her car, her lips were already swollen from his kisses. She looked around and saw no sign of him following her, she smiled as she drove away from the club.