A/N: Once again the title says it all. This was not entirely planned, but the characters (cough, Killian) demanded it. And in the end, he was right. Thank you times a thousand to Yettoseeyoufail for the hours of camaraderie and for being such an excellent sounding board. Several ideas in this chapter can be credited to her! I hope you enjoy ;)

Chapter 8

Unexpected Interlude

As it turned out, my role as Sheriff brought me face-to-face with my romantic pursuant much earlier than we'd planned. After picking up Henry, the two of us had planned on vegging out on the couch and just…being. No curses to break, no villains to fight, no mystery to solve; just a day to relax and breathe.

Of course that was not in the cards. Twenty minutes into our Star Wars marathon, I'd received a call from Leroy who just "wanted to inform me that a certain pirate was currently making a scene down by the docks and shouldn't I better come intervene before things got out of control?" Luckily, David and Mary Margaret arrived back home just as I was hanging up. This was not something I wanted Henry seeing.

I shook my head as I approached the small gathering of people. Leroy met my eyes expectantly from amongst his posse of dwarves. I recognized Anton as well, but most of the people were only vague acquaintances. Looking beyond the assembled mass, I spotted him: Hook. Killian.

Someone had managed to restrain him to a light pole with an extension cord. I had a vivid flashback to the Enchanted Forest and tying him to a tree when I was sure he was not who he claimed to be.

His face was a mask – playful to the onlookers, but I could sense his underlying need. It spoke to me without any words at all, though he still felt it necessary to grace me with his witty repartee; "Well, if it isn't the lovely Sheriff Swan. We've got to stop meeting like this, lass."

I forced myself to maintain steady, measured breaths even though his nearness caused my heartbeat to dance. My fingers actually twitched to touch him. I was mindful of the crowd and adopted my best poker face. Ignoring his opening taunt, I turned to Leroy and asked, "What happened?"

He shrugged with great exaggeration. "We were just walking by when he called out to Anton and told him they had some unfinished business."

"Unfinished business?" I glanced over to the one-time giant. Expecting to see rage, I was confused by the twinge of guilt on his face.

"He actually started with an apology for breaking my golden shackles." I could tell he was just as surprised by that little tidbit as I was, his eyes shifting over my shoulder warily. He broke the shackles? Huh. I'd file that away to think about later.

"And he ended up tied to the pole because?" I lifted my brow.

The giant's guilt morphed into suspicion. "Well, he started asking about my golden harp, the one which plays music so beautiful that it enchants the listener… said he wanted to borrow it."

My neck muscles seized in an attempt not to swing my head toward the idiotic pirate in question. Did he really think that request was going to go over well? And furthermore, why the hell was he interested in a magic harp? My voice was deceptively soft when I asked, "Did he say why?"

"I'm standing right here, love. Might I be allowed to answer in my own defense?"

Ignoring him – which was much more difficult than it should have been – I waited for Anton's answer. When he spoke again, his words expelled in an angry rush. "He didn't have to! He's a pirate, and he was working for Cora and those other bad humans. I wouldn't believe a word out of his mouth, no matter what reason he gave me."

Memories of Killian's few days in Storybrooke before our Neverland adventure flashed through my mind. He'd switched teams with such regularity that it was no wonder he couldn't be trusted. Not to mention – new leaf or not – he had done some pretty dubious things and pissed off quite a few people. We were both more than a little naïve to believe our burgeoning relationship – or whatever this was – would develop without any hiccups.

"Did he threaten you?" I inquired, still trying to figure out how he'd wound up in his current position.

"Well, no, that's the strangest part…" Anton's voice drifted off, the bewilderment clouding his expression once more.

I turned toward the dwarves, directing my silent question to them. Leroy held up his open palms, a look of incredulity on his burly face. "He asked us to do it!"

"He asked you to tie him up?" Leroy nodded. I closed my eyes and mentally counted to ten before turning to face the pirate. A serene little smile which completely contradicted the battling irritation and infatuation inside me appeared on my face. Discretion, Emma! Yes, discretion would be my mantra. "Is it true?"

He beamed at me. "Aye."

"And may I ask why?" The smile on my face was the tight line adults gave to kids when they're trying not to lose their temper.

"Would you believe it was all a terrible misunderstanding?" He asked with a bit too much cheek for someone lashed to a lamp post.

"When it comes to you? Not a chance." I turned back to the crowd. "Okay, I've got this. Thank you for the call. The captain won't be making any more trouble. Will you, Captain?"

A quiver of something dark and seductive – akin to the experience of enjoying a really rich piece of chocolate – shivered across our bond. I had the distinct impression I'd experienced something like this scene before only with Killian restrained to the bed in his cabin rather than a light pole, and wearing far fewer clothes. I shook my head, clearing the misplaced fog of lust. If he felt it too he wisely didn't comment. Maybe he wasn't so idiotic after all.

The crowd disassembled begrudgingly. Leroy and Anton were the last to go, an expression which wordlessly asked, "Are you sure you're okay?" clear on their faces. I nodded firmly before stepping closer to Killian. The cord they'd used was knotted tightly behind him. Another surge of what could only be lust attacked me as my hands brushed against his back and his incredible scent invaded my senses. I heard him gasp slightly and smiled to myself, glad I was not alone in my reactions.

"Be glad I was the one on call today. This isn't the way to get into David's good graces," I muttered while working to loosen the knot.

"And here I was under the impression he had already warmed to me," he replied, turning his head to look at me from the side of his eye.

"How did you convince them to tie you up?"

"I may have suggested I was having less than honorable intentions about a fair lass in town, and offered to prove my sincerity in becoming a reformed man by allowing them to restrain me until the urge passed." His eyes darkened in a way I was becoming quite familiar with. "Who was I to know that your world's version of rope would be so…constricting." He struggled against the plastic cords binding his chest, falling slightly forward as I released the last knot.

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"Deadly," he flexed his shoulders and back. "But don't worry; you heard the giant…they don't believe a word I say." He stepped closer to me, his expression stripped of its false 'cheer' now that we were alone.

My heart thudded. "You know, if you wanted to get my attention so badly, there are other ways." I made a mental note to take him to buy a cell phone as soon as possible.

"True, but I wasn't entirely sure where you were and you can't deny that my plan worked most expediently," his voice was lower than usual.

"It's only been a few hours," I expressed, though the link between us had started aching almost as soon as we'd parted.

The wind picked up, blowing my hair across my face. Killian's hand reached out to smooth it away, but I was all too aware of our exposed position and shifted back. His fingers curled into his palm as he lowered his arm. "You didn't seem to mind my attentions last night. Or this morning," he stated, eyebrow arched over his piercing eyes.

"It was just a reflex." The lie tripped off my tongue, but I didn't really expect him to believe it. There was no possible way he couldn't sense the gathering turmoil his presence was causing. If he touched me right now, I was afraid I would be consumed again.

"Let's try that again shall we, love?" He stepped closer, encroaching on my personal space.

I took a tiny step back, a little unsettled by his sudden intensity. "Don't. We're in public."

His jaw clenched. He lifted his hand again, but this time to scratch behind his ear in a motion I was beginning to suspect was a nervous habit. "It appears I am the one struggling for control now," he whispered. I could've sworn he was trembling. His breath exhaled in a rush. "I am having immense difficulty restraining myself."

Now I was the one clenching, only it wasn't my jaw. An icy hot sensation rushed over my skin. "We can't. Not here."

He chuckled mirthlessly. "I know that, lass. I'd hoped just having you nearby would soften the blow, if you catch my meaning."

So not helping! I scanned our surroundings. We were alone for now, but that could change without any warning. His ship was nearby, but I was still clear-headed enough to know it would lead to another encounter outside of our control. It's not an accident if you do it more than once. I spotted the door to the old cannery. As far as I knew, the building was one of Regina's props from the curse rather than an actual business. Making a decision I hoped I wouldn't regret, I made for the door and silently beckoned for him to follow me.

His hand immediately found the back of my head as soon as the door clicked shut and before I knew it, his lips were fused to mine in another bruising kiss. I felt him moving us toward another wall, but I pushed insistently against his chest. "Wait," I breathed out, desperate not to lose myself again.

"I need you, Emma." His eyes were nearly black, the irises I'd come to admire so much swallowed by lust. Only one word could describe the emotion he was projecting: hunger. I would've been a bit fearful if it didn't turn me on so damn much.

I placed my hands on either side of his chest, my thumbs brushing lightly against the dark, curling hair. In my mind, I felt like I was merely treading water when I should have been kicking toward shore for all I was worth. We were standing on a precipice; had been looming over it since the Dark Hollow. I knew I wasn't ready to jump – not yet – but I was beginning to trust that Killian would be there to catch me when I did.

I slipped my hands under the lapels of his coat, pushing it back until it hung off his shoulders. Wordlessly, he let it drop to the ground, his face open in its honest wonder. I moved to the fastenings on his vest, managing to undo two of them before his warm hand stopped me. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"I want to feel you," I whispered before touching my lips to the skin above his heart. My eyes felt too big in my face, and the sound of my blood rushing through my veins filled my head with static, but I realized what I said was the truth. Nothing was making me feel this way except the man before me. I was in control, and I wanted to be needed by him. "Let this be just about you. For now."

He swallowed thickly before answering, "As you wish."

This time, his fingers joined mine and we worked together to loosen his vest and shirt. I traced over the smooth flesh of his chest and abdomen, entranced by the texture of his skin and delighted to finally reveal what I'd been imagining just that morning. He was beyond beautiful. His stomach was perfectly defined and only eclipsed by the cut of his hips above his leather pants. I lifted my lips to meet him in another kiss as I let my hands explore every inch of his exposed body. I could feel his heart beating almost frantically against my palm, and I remembered the desperation I'd felt less than twenty-four hours ago. I gave him a tremendous amount of credit for being able to fight against it.

Slowly, I dragged my hand down and cupped him through his pants. He radiated heat and spoke to that decidedly female part of myself that noticed how ridiculously sexy he was. His mouth fell open as I squeezed him lightly. I put a small distance between us as I tugged the lacing free before reaching inside to claim him. "Emma," he breathed.

My fingers wrapped around him, relishing in the contradiction of hot, silky skin over hardness. I stroked him lightly at first, not so much unsure as I was nervous –it had been some time for me, and he was probably much more experienced than I was – but his sudden guttural moan chased any anxiety away. His fingers dug into the skin at my hip before dragging up my body to mold to my breast. He used his other arm to pull me flush against his side as my own fingers found a firm, steady rhythm.

His mouth captured mine again, delving his tongue in and out and sending my thoughts spiraling with possibilities. My grip tightened reflexively as my own noises of pleasure joined his. He broke the kiss as he sucked in a loud gasp of air, squeezing my chest almost to the point of pain. He moved his hand to my upper arm then around my back to cradle the base of my neck. His lips left a trail of kisses down my cheek before attaching to the place where my neck and shoulder met. I felt the sweet pinch of his teeth before he sucked hard on my pulse point. My own ragged breaths preceded a tiny whimper.

"Emma, love," his hot breath fanned over my ear. "I'm almost-" His voice choked off as I increased the speed and pressure of my efforts. I felt him swell within my grasp before he called my name again, his voice laced with passion. His release sent a flood of absolute joy rippling through our link. It nearly took my breath away. When he tucked his face into the curve of my neck, I found myself pressing a tender kiss to his temple.

His arms wrapped around me – pulling me tight to his warm body – and I didn't hesitate to return his embrace. We held each other silently as our breathing returned to normal. After several long moments, he pulled back and reached down to pull a handkerchief from the inside pocket of his coat. He offered it to me first before using it to put himself to rights. I turned away slightly as he worked to refasten the buttons on his shirt and vest, suddenly feeling incredibly shy around him.

"Well, I must say that was unexpected," he nearly purred. He sounded almost drunk. It was absolutely charming.

You're telling me, I thought anxiously.

He stepped closer to me and caressed my cheek before tucking my hair behind my ear. "Alright then, Swan?" He cocked his brow in question.

I blinked. "Yeah, of course, why?"

Hi gifted me with another one of my smiles. "Nothing, love. Nothing at all."

I cleared my throat before making a show out of straightening my clothes. "So, I need to get back. Much as I may enjoy these…encounters…I do have a job, and a family, and responsibilities."

His smile only widened. I was beginning to realize he could spot my bullshit a mile away. "I understand. Besides, we've still our date to look forward to."

Right. Our date. "If you can manage not to get yourself tied up again."

His grin widened. "Well that's not much incentive for me, given the results of that little incident."

My lips twisted wryly. "Yeah, well, you interrupted my day. I should be annoyed at you. I was spending time with Henry."

"My apologies, love. I did not mean to intrude on your time with your boy."

"Henry," I insisted.

That soft smile I was beginning to treasure appeared again. "Henry," he agreed. "So, did you get my letter?" His voice was quiet. He shifted his stance as he measured my expression.

"Yes." I bit the inside of my cheek to stop the bloom ascending to my face, though it was useless. I shoved my hands in my coat pockets, my fingers grazing over the smooth metal of the coin he'd given me. He watched me intently, waiting for me to say more. "It was…pretty intense."

"I meant every word."

"I know." The silence stretched between us. Words I'd rarely said to anyone, let alone meant with such feeling were parading on my tongue, but my lips would not let them escape. Not yet. A calm acceptance shined from within his beautiful eyes, which only made it that much harder to keep quiet. "I've got to go. I'll see you at six?"

He nodded. "Six."

"Should I wear anything in particular?"

"Aye, love, clothes would be advisable, at least until after dinner." He winked.

I'd walked right into that one. I didn't even try to hide my answering grin. "I meant, where are you taking me?"

"Well that is a surprise of course."

"Of course," I rolled my eyes playfully.

"But I believe a very short dress would not be amiss." His expression turned wicked.

I laughed. "I'll see what I can do. And what about you?"

"What about me, love?"

"Well, if you hadn't noticed, most people around here don't go around advertising their alter-egos. Tends to stir up old disputes and rivalries. Maybe you should think about trying to fit in a little more. You know, when in Rome?"

"Actually no, love, I'm not familiar with the sentiment; however, I do believe I catch your meaning." The corner of his mouth twitched up. "Though truthfully I thought you quite fancied my clothing." He turned his back as he reached down to pick up his coat.

"There's a time and a place for everything," I retorted as I opened the door, squinting at the unusually bright day. I moved to walk out, but then paused. "And Hook?" I waited for him to turn around before letting my gaze rake over his body. When our eyes met, the fire we'd just worked to extinguish was kindled once more. "Keep the boots. And the earring."

His quiet shock was priceless.

A/N: Still taking requests for technology you'd like to see Killian attempt to interact with.

Reviews are almost as delicious as Killian's 'sated' voice. Almost ;)