With that thought, Regina smirked secretively and pressed her lips to Robin's. She read a question in his eyes right before they kissed and she laughed inside knowing he was wondering what that smile was about. She gently nudged him back and he followed her lead, allowing her to move over him. Regina tangled her hands into his hair and her fingers scratched his scalp teasingly. She felt him shiver and she smiled against his lips.
"R'gina," he mumbled, breaking the kiss to peer into her eyes, a question in his.
A small smile graced her lips and she leaned down to kiss him briefly before answering. "If I can't make love to you, I can at least make out with you," she said throatily and cut off his reply with another kiss, this one slick and rough and breathtaking. She continued her assault on Robin, running one hand up and down his exposed chest, teasing his nipples and learning the feel of him. A gasp sounded from her as his hands grasped and held tight to her waist, pulling her closer to him. Now it was her turn to shiver at the full-body feel of him, a part of him beginning to press insistently against her. Somewhere out there, her heart began to hammer and she could feel the echo of it in her blood, which was pounding insistently and raced faster at the calloused feel of his fingertips tracing her back under the cashmere sweater.
She felt soft and strong and he could feel her muscles contracting and releasing under his touch. Robin's hands skated down her back and along her sides before meeting in the middle and pulling her into him by clenching her ass. He moved insistently against her, letting her feel his cock through his pants and he cursed the fit of his jeans. They did not leave much room for…growth. One hand moved back up and under her sweater, so soft, but there was something even softer at his fingertips and he groaned at the feel of her breast. He felt her whimper against his mouth when he pushed aside the lacy bra and cupped her breast, kneading the silky flesh, stroking the taut tip. He brushed a thumb against her and she shuddered and pressed her lower body against his, began to grind herself rhythmically against him.
Their breathing grew faster, more labored and Regina's hips rocked against his searching for something. She ached, oh, God how she ached. What was she thinking, teasing him like this? It only resulted in teasing herself.
Her hand shook as she removed it from his hair and braced herself against the ground, needing more leverage, more….just more. Robin canted his hips at her, chasing her, meeting her swivel for swivel and she could feel it building, there in her spine, the heat and tingle and intense pleasure until it crested and she came against him, slick and hot and achy. She trembled and cried out and her back bowed.
Robin watched her through labored breaths as she came for him, over him and he had to bite back a growl at the way her hips moved over his jerkily, the arch of her back that thrust her breasts out and put them on prominent display. He was so close to coming, but he didn't want to miss a moment of her reaction – the smoky haze in her eyes, the desire evident, the tremble in her limbs, the heat of her skin, and ultimately, the way she curled herself against him as she came down.
Regina's eyes slowly opened, her limbs obeying her barely, and she chanced a look up. Robin was still staring, his eyes glittering, and she realized he'd not come. He was still hard, aching against her, and a second later a wave of shame overcame her. He hadn't joined her.
"That was….you were….incredible," Robin said at last, his voice hoarse and gravelly from unfulfilled desire. Before Regina could question a thing, he reared up and kissed her hungrily, reigniting fires just barely banked. Her arms came around him and she scored his back with her nails through the open shirt. They kissed for long minutes, barely parting for a breath before coming together again. His fingers tunneled through her hair and anchored her there, held tight to him. Finally, they parted because both began to see stars and feel lightheaded. His gaze was locked on her lips, swollen and bruised from their actions and he nipped the soft curve of her lower lip before soothing it with his tongue. Christ, he'd never get enough of her.
Regina shot him a satisfied and teasing look before lowering a hand down toward the hard bulge in his pants. Robin's hand shot out and manacled hers. "No, you can't touch me there. I'll come like a boy," he said, gravel in his voice, his eyes intent on hers.
"What if I want you to?" she asked throatily and tried to reclaim the upper hand.
He was faster though and he tightened his grip, one side of his face quirking up in a half-smile. "I like the wait…" he murmured against her ear and Regina's eyes almost rolled back into her head. "There's something to be said for delayed gratification," and he nipped her lower lip again before easing her away.
Regina sighed and gingerly sat back down on her butt. Her sex was still very sensitive and slick after her climax. She watched as Robin jumpstarted the fire they'd been neglecting for some time because of their involvement in each other. The flames flickered over his face and she warmed to the heat of the fire. After stoking the fire, he rummaged through the picnic basket and pulled out a small container. She watched as he opened it.
"Dessert?" he offered. Regina glanced in and saw strawberries. How had he known?
"I love strawberries," she told him and reached for a ripe berry. Robin settled back against the log and she followed suit, curling into his arms, the two of them facing the fire. "Who told you I love strawberries?"
He huffed against her head and she felt the whisper of air. "I have my ways. You're lucky I even have any. Roland wanted to eat them all."
"Yet another thing we both have in common," Regina remarked nibbling at the ripe fruit, hugging the arm curled around her middle.
"Yes, he's such a good boy."
"Very sweet."
Robin shifted away from her to look Regina in her eyes. "You've not met," he stated.
Regina evaded his eyes. "Well, no we haven't. But I've seen you with him." What exactly could she say? Yeah, I spied on the two of you, watched you from afar?
"Smitten with me, eh? I knew you were all bark and no bite," he teased.
"Oh, I have plenty of bite," she murmured and arched her neck to nip his with her teeth.
Robin shivered a bit and swallowed hard, their earlier session still very fresh on his mind. "None of that now. Getting back on topic…Roland is the light of my life." He smiled, remembering when the midwife had placed him in his arms.
"And Henry's mine," Regina said softly, thinking of when she'd adopted him, that squalling little thing completely dependent on her, a small smile on her face. "Single parenthood has…"
"…it's ups and downs," he said with a laugh. "I completely understand. Those first few years were brutal and I had help."
"No one to help you when you're at the top," Regina said lightly.
"How exactly…?" Robin's voice trailed off, not wanting to open old wounds, but curious all the same regarding Henry's parentage and Regina's experiences.
"After I cursed everyone….at first it was incredible. Everything I wanted. But then it became boring. Everything was the same day after day and I became aware of this…hole in my heart. The hole I'd created by killing my father to enact the curse. So I adopted Henry. Now I didn't know at the time he was the son of the Savior and that Rumpelstiltskin had a hand in his selection. Things were wonderful for a time, but I began to push him away. He was just a little boy, but at the time I thought I was beginning to care for him more than I could bear. He was becoming more important to me than my father. Than Daniel….and then he took off to find his birth mother, Emma."
Regina continued the story, detailing Emma's entrance into Storybrooke and their fight over Henry, Regina's realization that she loved her son more than she'd thought possible. "More than I wanted to, really," she added. "Emma and I had reached an uneasy truce regarding Henry when Pan tried to take over things and I had to send us all back, undo the curse. And now he doesn't recognize me at all. Now, I'm a stranger," she whispered achingly, because if she tried to speak in a normal tone her voice would break and she couldn't handle that.
Robin listened in silence and at the end of her speech, he tightened his arms around her in consolation, because even though the queen might not want it, the woman inside did. "He'll get his memories back, Regina. Believe in that. Your boy does love you. There's always hope."
She laughed bitterly. "I haven't believed in hope since my mother ripped Daniel's heart out."
"Excuse me?" He did not hear her right. She'd said her mother had killed him, but he'd never imagined it had been that violent.
"Daniel was the stableboy, taking care of the horses. He…we'd known each other since we were children and then one day things changed. He went from friend to something more. He was my first love." Regina explained about Snow and her runaway horse, how Cora had arranged it all to get the king to notice Regina. How she was still in love with Daniel when she became engaged. "We promised to run away together, but Snow overheard us talking and even though I tried to explain my mother to her, to keep the secret, she told. My mother, you see, could be exceedingly manipulative and a child was no match for her. We met in the stables a night later and Mother was there, waiting for us. I tried to get him to leave, but he wouldn't and she ripped out his heart and crushed it in front of me. And that is why I reigned hell on a young woman that had no idea she'd done anything wrong. I ruined so many lives, killed and tortured so many people….
"But with all that….with everything….I wouldn't change a thing. Because if I had, I wouldn't have Henry," she finished. I wouldn't have this chance with you.
"Neither would I," he said quietly, tightening his grip around her. "If you hadn't cast that curse, then what followed wouldn't have happened and we'd never have met. And I quite like having met you." He tilted her face up to his and kissed her softly. She tasted like strawberries and hope, and paradoxically, like innocence. Regina, with all of her many faults, intrigued him to the extreme. This woman was complex and puzzling and quite unlike any woman he'd ever met, Marian included. She had been easy to get along with, open and innocent and Regina was anything but. This woman had layers and he thought he would quite enjoy getting to know Regina Mills.
Regina curled a hand around his neck to support him as they kissed and to also anchor him to her. The kiss was long and languid and savoring, neither in a rush. This is where I belong, a part of her whispered. It felt so right being in his arms. They broke the kiss with a smile and a smirk and she went back to being curled in his embrace.
For a long time they sat in silence, comfortable with the lack of conversation, staring at the fire and just enjoying the moment. Occasionally she reached for a strawberry and he watched the light play over her face as she bit into the succulent fruit and chewed. Innately sensual, he thought, watching as she ate the fruit. She had no idea of the effect she had on him. Swooping down, he finished the last bite of the strawberry, not sure of his willpower if he had to watch her lick her lower lip of juice one last time. After all, he was only a man. Not a saint.
Regina's outraged cry was strangled at the banked desire in his eyes and all thought left her head for a moment. He wrapped his arms around her middle and the jacket he wore rode up, partially exposing the tattoo on his right wrist. "What meaning does this have for you?" she asked, the question bubbling up. Part of her wanted to know the answer and another part of her didn't, wanted to shove the words back inside and pretend she hadn't asked, but she had and he was going to answer and—
"It's a symbol of my allegiance to my king. Loyalty and honor are two ideals I strive to every day," he said, completely unaware of her inner turmoil.
"But you stole from the noblemen…" Regina commented, wanting to understand. How could a person hold loyalty and honor on a pedestal and strive toward them.
"At first, it was to just get by, moment by moment, day by day to feed Roland, myself, and my men. Then it was a way to get back at John for framing me and once I started to distribute the wealth, I could see our actions were making differences in the lives of the people." He remembered those early days, hard and challenging to be responsible for himself and Roland at first, and then even more so when people like Little John had wished to follow him. He'd never thought to the future, just living in the present, and what that had entailed.
"And then you were dubbed Robin Hood, prince of thieves," Regina teased, circling and tracing the lion on his wrist lightly with first her fingers and then her nails.
He could feel her touch and he thought it was almost absent-minded, the way she touched his tattoo, as if she was barely aware of her actions and she was just that comfortable with him. Their first date….and he was more comfortable with her than almost anyone he'd ever known. More than Marian, a voice whispered. This woman with her sharp edges fit him, her curves fit his hollows, and he was beginning to think…no, it was too soon for that.
They'd barely just met.
"Yes, well, after a while, there's something to be said about not having to pay taxes," he joked and got her to laugh for a second. "But it did get rather dicey when my face began to appear right next to Snow's on Wanted posters."
Regina smiled. "There's that audacity again…I'm sure you did something to deserve it. I had people for that. One of my underlings must have wanted your head on a platter."
"Regardless, they never caught me," he teased.
"For which I am very grateful. Because I'd not have been lenient. Your head would have rolled and we'd not be here," she murmured. "I could never have been open to anything other than vengeance during that time. I was so consumed by hatred." Regina remembered how dark those days had been and it seemed like they happened to someone else, that she'd been watching from the outside.
"Everything happens for a reason," Robin consoled.
"So the choices we've made, that I've made, were fated?" Regina asked almost to herself. A part of her was not happy with that idea. She didn't believe in fate, not really. She had always been one to choose her own destiny.
"Maybe not fate, but I do believe that the choices we make can lead us down many paths with many intersecting avenues. And that sometimes one right choice can lead you back down the correct path, a path to happiness, even when you've made the wrong choice in every decision previously." Robin felt it in his bones. This right here was right. It was the right path. Every choice he'd made, as scary as it felt, had led him here. But he'd be damned if he let her know that right now. Regina had only ever known heartbreak and this woman could flee. She'd run because it was all she knew. And he'd not let that happen.
A fierce part of him already knew bone deep that if she did run from him, he'd chase and run her to ground. So he'd have to step gently here and avoid the traps in this forest. Take things slow, no matter that she clearly wanted to go faster. He shuddered inside at the memory of her body arched against his just a little over an hour ago. As conflicted as he was on that topic, he would ensure they did take things slow. He'd not been with anyone in a long time. Since Marian really. He'd had a fling with a girl about a year after Marian's death just because he was lonely and missing her, but there'd not been anyone serious in his life. And more importantly, in Roland's.
"Let's have dinner at your house tomorrow. You can meet Roland," he said suddenly, and then internally winced. Wrong thing to say. He was sure she would bolt.
Regina was quiet for a long moment, surprise and apprehension having taken over. Could she really do this? Meeting Roland was a big thing. When she'd been seeing Graham, she'd never introduced Henry to him, because he hadn't mattered to her. Not really. Robin wanted her to meet his son, the most important person in the world to him. "Are you sure?" she asked, a bit tentative.
"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't," he said firmly and owned his statement. He wasn't backing down. He tilted her face up to his to look into her eyes, to show her how serious he was.
"All right. Come over around six. I'll make something Italian," she said after a long moment and instantly had second thoughts. That regret left her head when he dipped his and kissed her.
He combed his fingers into her hair and supported her head as they kissed for a long moment. When they parted, both were somewhat breathless and Regina was feeling exceptionally loose and lightheaded. "We should get going," he murmured against her lips and caught her gaze. "It's late." He could see that she didn't want to leave. Hell, neither did he, but by the light of the moon, it appeared to be nearing 2am and he had to get back to his boy.
Regina moved reluctantly out of his arms and he helped her stand up after he got to his own feet. They gathered up the supplies, doused the fire, and walked back to the bike using the light from Regina's magic. The ride home was quiet, but Regina loved feeling her arms around his waist, tucked close to him as he drove them to her house using the back roads. He smelled like the forest, she thought, inhaling the woodsy and sandalwood scent of him. The strands from his hair tickled her nose and she burrowed her face closer, into his neck, pressing a soft kiss there. One date and everything felt different. Everything felt new and bright and she felt giddy, like a girl again.
When they arrived at her house, he helped her get off and walked her to her front door, the light still on from earlier. "Thank you for a wonderful night," Regina said after unlocking her door and turning back to him. It felt like déjà vu and she was insanely hopeful he wouldn't leave her with his a kiss on her hand. His eyes met hers and they held as he neared closer. Her breath caught as he hovered over her, lips just barely grazing. Finally he closed the distance and slowly, oh so slowly, with all the tenderness and heat inside himself, kissed her. It was slow and deep and languid. Slick and hot and everything she wanted for a good night kiss but she didn't want a good night kiss, not after that kiss. They broke apart and Regina instinctively chased after him, hungry for another taste of him. She hadn't gotten enough. She feared she'd never get enough.
Robin stepped back, everything in him wanting to continue, to accept the invitation in her eyes, but he promised himself that he'd take things slowly, and he valued honesty above all things. "Good night, milady. I'll see you tomorrow eve. May you have sweet dreams." He turned around and walked back toward his bike and was very deliberate in his motions, thinking about each one. Because if he didn't, if he looked back at her, Robin feared he'd lose his resolve and continue what they'd started in the woods.
Regina watched him leave, her lips still tingling, her body in turmoil, and what he'd said finally registered. May you have sweet dreams. That wouldn't be possible, she knew. She'd not be able to sleep at all thinking about him. His eyes. His smile. His body. His hands. His voice. The way he moved….
The way she fit against him. The ease with which they were able to talk, how she was able to tell him anything.
The door closed behind her and Regina pressed her back against it. Just how was she going to be able to sleep?
With a sigh, she moved into the darkened house, not needing to turn on the lights since she knew every inch of the place by heart. Up the stairs and into her room, tidy and perfect when everything inside of her was a mess. All because of one man.
She smoothly disrobed, set her cell phone on the bedside table, slipped on a satin nightgown, turned back the covers, and slid between the sheets. Regina settled into bed, partly tired, mostly wired because of him. It had started weeks ago, when they first met, the near impalement by arrow, and she knew she had really changed because if something like that had occurred dead before, he'd have been dead within seconds. His eyes, deep and vibrant blue, had captured her attention first, his voice next…..
Regina missed him. They'd just parted, he was in the woods with his boy, and here she was acting like a girl mooning over a date. Even so, her fingers itched to reach for her cell phone and call him. See if he'd made it home all right. What with her witch of a sister out there, who knew what… Decision made, Regina reached for the phone and entered his number without thinking another second, sure she'd talk herself out of it if she thought for too long.
"Milady, couldn't wait to hear my voice?" he teased as Robin came on and Regina could hear the sleepy rasp in his voice. She shivered from the whisky smoothness.
"I needed to," she admitted in the darkened room and immediately regretted it when she could hear the smile over the line. For some reason, the darkness allowed her true thoughts to come out, even if it wasn't what she wanted. "I wanted to make sure my sister hadn't turned you into one of her banana-eating monkeys," she added and congratulated herself on the save.
He chuckled and the sound warmed her in a way she'd not felt in a long time. "Yes, well, as you can tell, I'm back with my men."
"Roland's in bed?" Regina asked a moment later, scrambling for something to say.
"Yes. He awoke when I came back for a few minutes, but was back to sleep quickly. He asked about you." Robin shifted on his bed, searching for a comfortable position.
Regina could hear the rustling and the image in her head of him lying there, possibly barely dressed, caused the breath to catch in her throat and heat began to trickle south. "Really?" she asked huskily and cleared her throat. "You told him we were going on a date?"
He hummed in affirmation. "It's not every day a man goes out with a queen, Your Majesty."
Warmth spread throughout her body. When he said her title, it didn't sound derisive or mocking. He said it with affection. She could hear the reverence in his voice. But, she wondered, was that as a result of time in the Enchanted Forest, before they'd known each other, or now?
"No, no it's not. And it's not every day a queen dates a thief," she teased gently. She heard him smother a yawn and she bit back one too.
"I look forward to tomorrow, Majesty, but if I'm to keep up with your rapier wit, I should get to bed." Regina bit back the request for him to come there and sleep with her, that her bed was significantly nicer than a cot in the cold forest.
"Good night, then," she murmured.
"Good night, my queen. May your dreams be sweet and…" his voice dropped intimately and the tone took a darkly sexual turn. "…if you dreamed of me, that would be acceptable, as I will surely dream of you this night."
A slight moan escaped her and she heard the muffled groan he tried to suppress as well as the expletive before he hung up.
Damn it, calling him had been a mistake because now she was back to being hungry for him and there was no relief in sight. Because she didn't want her own hands and touch. She wanted his. She wanted his body next to hers, curled behind her, safe and warm. So she could turn to him in the night and press herself against him.
She hadn't felt about a man like this since she'd been a girl. Daniel had been more boy than man, though she hadn't realized it then. Though she still ached when she thought of him, it had dulled over the years and mostly she could remember the good times now with fondness. He would always be her first love, the sweet boy who had taught her about love, she thought as she turned to lay on her side and closed her eyes, trying to force herself to sleep, but she was realizing there was a possibility now that he wouldn't be her only love.
Author's Note: As always thanks for reading and please review. I think I'll be writing another one shot, though this did not turn out the way I thought it was. Gotta love the muse, who takes your idea and runs away with it.