I know it's been forever, and I'm truly sorry. My muse completely abandoned me on this one. But she is back, and started to write the story in my head again. If she doesn't do that I can't get anything on paper. It's just how it works for me.

The scenes for the next chapter are already whirling around in my head, and then there will be a short epilogue. I promise I won't take that long again between updates.

I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 6

He hadn't heard her, and she didn't move. Just watched him as he was leaning against the floor-to-ceiling windows. A constant need pounded through her veins as she let her eyes roam over him. He had thrown his jacket over the chair, but he was still wearing his vest, one hand slipped into the pocket of his pants. He looked like a GQ model.

She would miss him.

She had thought about staying, but she couldn't do this to him. She was a nobody. Damaged goods. He deserved better.

But she couldn't leave him without being with him for at least one night. She wanted to know how it felt like to make love with him. She wanted to give her body over to him without any fear clouding her emotions.

She knew that it would make it harder to leave if she slept with him. But she wanted him too much to turn away. Every fiber in her body longed for him, the need always lingering in her bones, flaming to a roaring fire whenever they were alone.

"Robin?"

He turned around to her slowly, his mouth curling up into a broad smile as he stepped towards her. She closed her fingers around his and walked backwards, pulling him with her towards the bed. His eyebrows shot up as he realized where they were heading, and his eyes snapped to hers.

"You sure?" he asked softly.

"Yes, I'm sure," she whispered, pushing him towards the bed. "Take off your clothes, Robin."

He obeyed her immediately, shed his clothes and laid down on the mattress, watching her while she undressed. His erection became more and more prominent, and her nipples reacted to the sight in front of her.

"You are so beautiful," he rasped, his eyes raking up and down her body, and liquid heat shot straight down to her core, making her throb for him.

She knew she needed to take it slow, to give herself the opportunity to savor his body, to extinguish every last flicker of fear that might still linger inside of her. He would never hurt her. She knew that.

But it had been so long since the last time she'd actually made love. Way back when she'd still hoped for a better life, hoped to spend her life with Daniel. But he'd been ripped away from her, and everything had spiraled out of control from there on.

Somehow being with Robin over the past few months had healed something inside of her; something she'd thought was broken forever.

This night was a present for him, a thank you for everything. And it was a present to herself. For a few hours she would let herself revel in his love. For a few hours she would pretend she was a normal woman who could actually be with him; against all odds.

For a few hours she would just pretend.

It seemed so easy to touch him; easier than she thought. There was no hesitation. No fear. Not anymore. This was another thing she would be forever grateful for; that his gentleness had healed the wounds in her soul and mind.

Lifting her hand, she started to outline his jaw line, skimming her fingers down over his neck, splaying them out over his chest. He didn't move, giving over the reigns completely to her, and she leaned forward, kissing a path down his chest and over his stomach. She relished in the sharp gasp that escaped him as her cheek brushed against his erection, her lips only a few inches away from the tip.

She felt him tremble under her hands, his hips jerking a few inches up from the bed before he forced himself to stay still. She loved him even more for holding back, even when it was obvious how much he wanted to thrust into her mouth. But he kept his word. Let her do whatever she wanted with him.

She didn't let him wait any longer, her mouth closing around the tip of his cock, taking him in deeper, inch by inch. She could see his hands fisting the sheet out of the corner of her eye, her name spilling over his lips in a hoarse croak when she bopped her head up and down.

His whole body was jerking, his hips thrusting upwards once before he restrained himself again. She let his cock slide out of her mouth then to look up at him. She felt powerful as he saw his eyes screwed shut, his breath coming out in harsh pants; a fine shimmer of sweat was coating his face and upper body.

When she didn't take him back into her mouth he opened his eyes slowly, the veins popping in his arms as he struggled for control.

"Regina, please," he whimpered, the muscles in his arms bulging, his knuckles turning white as he stared at her, his cock jumping towards her as she brushed her fingers over it, and a guttural groan rumbled out of his chest, his eyes turning dark with hunger. "Please."

She grabbed a condom and rolled it down over his length, straddling him before she reached for his cock and brushed it over her soaking wet folds, back and forth, coating him in her arousal. His voice broke as he begged her over and over again to put him out of his misery, and let him slide home. But he still didn't move, didn't push his hips up to bury himself inside of her. He still held back, giving her complete control, and her heart shattered in her chest as she realized how much she really loved him.

Before he could see it written all over her face she positioned him at her entrance, and lowered herself slowly onto him. She didn't stop taunting him though, letting him slip out of her almost completely, hovering over him for a few seconds before pushing her hips back down.

"Oh my God, Regina," he groaned. "You feel fantastic."

Pressing her hands on his chest, she leaned forward, increasing the rocking pace of her hips, her eyes never leaving his. She didn't know what it was about him, but there was not one shred of fear as she rode him, faster and faster. Maybe it was because he was still not touching her. She had to reach down herself to find her clit, shooting herself over the edge, her walls fluttering around him and taking him with her.

She slumped down on his chest, his heart hammering under her ear, his arms moving slowly around her, still giving her the chance to back away if she didn't want him to touch her. But she just turned her head, and pressed her lips against his neck, letting out a soft sigh when he trailed his fingers up and down her spine.

Minutes later she pushed herself up, and slipped down from him, taking care of the condom before she sat down beside him again. He lifted his hand, letting it hover over her thigh, asking her silently for permission, and she nodded. She shuddered slightly when his fingers ghosted over her hips, and his gaze raked over her body, over her breasts, down to her stomach, and lower. His eyes turned even darker as he stared at her folds.

"God, Regina. I want to taste you." His fingers trailed upwards, brushing over her breasts, the contact making her nipples long and aching. "Can I taste you?"

He actually licked his lips, his eyes still glued to her center, and she grew even wetter under his hungry gaze. She croaked out a hoarse 'yes', and his eyes snapped up to hers.

"Come here," he mumbled, wrapping his hands around her waist, and pulling her over him until her core was in his reach.

She let out a moan when his tongue slid through her folds, his fingers flexing against her skin as he devoured her hungrily, licking her clean. His tongue fucked her relentlessly until she screamed his name, her hands holding on to the headboard for support as his tongue found her clit, flicking over it, again and again, before he suddenly sucked it into his mouth, and she careened over the edge, wave after wave crashing down over her, leaving her body limp and exhausted afterwards.

She couldn't even chastise him for the smug grin on his face as he helped her lay down beside him, and she just mumbled 'show-off' against his chest before she curled even closer into his body.

She'd drifted off, and when she woke up again the room was pitch dark, Robin's arm still holding her to his body. She didn't want to wake him, but he already stirred beside her.

"Hello there," he murmured, his lips brushing over hers.

"Hey," she replied softly. Maybe it was the silence of the night, or maybe it was just the need to know more about the man lying beside her. It didn't really matter. This was their last night together, and she wanted to know. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why are you so understanding? I just ... I would like to know what made you the man you are today." She felt him stiffen, and she hurried to add, "Of course you don't have to tell me."

"No, I want you to know. Just ... give me a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay."

He stroked her hair with one hand, the movement almost lulling her back to sleep, but before she could slip away he started to speak.

"My father ... he was abusive when he was drunk. Did beat the shit out of my mother, and I was too small to help her in any way. I think I was about eleven when I found her beaten to a bloody pulp in the bathroom. I couldn't even touch her. She did shrink away from me." His voice was barely above a whisper now, and she craned her head to understand him better. Reaching for his hand, she intertwined her fingers with his, the contact apparently giving him the strength to continue. "I called a friend of my mother. The woman who'd begged her for years to leave my father. I've overheard them talking about it. Carrie came over immediately, called the ambulance, took me home with her. And this time my father had gone too far. My mother had been afraid he would hurt me next. She left him, and for some reason he didn't intervene. He let her go. Maybe he was relieved to get rid of us. I've never heard from him again beside a few postcards now and then. For my birthday, or for Christmas. I guess we should be glad that he wasn't one of those men who wouldn't leave their wives alone, who wanted them to stay with them, even if they beat the crap out of them."

"I'm sorry, Robin," she told him softly, squeezing his hand gently. "So you never saw your father again?"

"No, and I didn't want to," he replied. "He is dead now. He died five years ago when he wrapped his car around a lamppost."

"And your mother?"

"She remarried ten years ago. Harry is very good for her. He adores the ground she is walking on. After all the shit she's been through she deserves everything he can give her."

"You are a very good man yourself, Robin of Locksley," she whispered into the crook of his neck. "A very good man."

"Thank you," he mumbled hoarsely, burying his face in her hair as he pulled her closer against his chest.

A few minutes later she felt his breath even out, his body relaxing against hers. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders, holding her close to him, and she had to bite her tongue to keep the sob that was lodged in her throat from escaping.

He was really a very good man. Definitely too good for her.

-/-

Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked back at him. She didn't deserve him. It was better to just leave him without a word. He wouldn't want her to go, and he might sway her to stay.

But she couldn't.

He would forget her eventually. He thought he loved her, but it was probably only his need to care for people who couldn't protect themselves. It was just who he was.

She loved him. She wanted him to be happy, to have the life he deserved, with a woman who was worth to be loved by him.

She threw a last glance at him before she slipped out the door and shut it behind her, the soft click of the door reverberating through her whole body. Straightening her shoulders, she started to walk away. Leaving her heart behind.