Emma arrived at Granny's at exactly 7:00pm. She was sure that Gold would already be inside waiting… the man was prompt and precise about everything. He rose as she approached and waited for her to be seated before he sat again. "Good evening, Miss Swan. You look exceptionally beautiful tonight." She could feel him looking at her appreciatively and as hard as she was trying to control it, once again he made her blush. She had debated what to wear, but knowing that Gold would be impeccably dressed, she had opted to wear a somewhat form-fitting teal dress that enhanced the unique color of her eyes.

"Good evening and thank you." She had to give him one thing – he always made you feel as though you were the only one in the room. But since they weren't, she was also thankful that he had not tried to take her hand or touch her in any way. Maybe this would be alright after all.

"It seems that we are attracting a lot of attention, my dear." Gold tipped his head toward the other diners.

Emma turned her head, almost afraid to look around the room. Granny was behind the counter squinting at them disapprovingly. Dr. Hopper was furtively observing them, no doubt concocting theories as to what would bring them together. Ruby was all giggles and smiles whispering to Leroy who was angrily staring at them. Dr. Whale, sitting at a table across from them, was raising his glass to Gold in approval. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a camera flash blinded Emma. When she could see again, Sydney Glass was standing there obviously pleased with himself for scoring a major scoop.

Emma groaned. "Now we're really going to be the talk of the town for weeks to come. Probably even front page news." This is exactly what Emma had wanted to avoid.

Gold was laughing. "What's so funny, Gold?" Emma was not amused.

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking about the look on Regina's face when she sees our photo."

Emma groaned again. Gold was enjoying this too much. He would love for everyone to think they were dating. He had nothing to lose. She's the one who would have to pay the price… with Henry, with the endless whispers, with Regina, with… with Graham…

"I suppose you're worried about what the sheriff will think?" Gold's eyes were searching hers as he asked the question.

"Why would I care what he thinks?" Emma was taken aback. It was as though Gold had read her mind.

"I see the way he looks at you, Emma. You're two very attractive people who spend every day together. I'd venture to guess that you're attracted to him." Gold continued to hold her eyes.

If she didn't know better she'd think that Gold might be jealous of Graham. "I'll admit that he's very good-looking and very charming." Emma was trying to assess Gold's reaction. "But I don't feel anything when I'm near him – there's no spark between us."

Gold was grinning. Too bad he had promised to be good.

"Now what?" Emma blushed as she realized what Gold was thinking. "Don't even think of saying it, Gold. You promised."

"My lips are sealed." Gold pretended to zip his lips as he continued to grin at her in his smirky knowing way.

"Hi Emma, Mr. Gold". Emma was relieved to be interrupted by Ruby even though she was grinning from ear to ear, looking back and forth from one to the other. She was obviously gleeful about this "date" even though she was not exactly a Gold fan as far as Emma could recall. But who was in this town? Emma allowed herself to be amused by that point.

"I love your dress, Emma. And your hair. Did you add some curls to it?" Emma could feel Gold's eyes on her as Ruby rattled on. "And it's so cute how your dress matches Mr. Gold's tie."

What? Emma's eyes immediately shot to his tie. It was a teal and purple stripe, the exact same shade as her dress. Emma glanced up to see Gold smirking. He was probably already planning on a way to use this to further prove how compatible they were.

"Forgive me for interrupting, Miss Lucas, but Miss Swan and I are famished. Perhaps you can recite the specials to us." Emma was grateful to Gold for steering the conversation back to ordering.

"Oh, of course, Mr. Gold. Tonight we have Sole Florentine and Lasagna on the menu. They're both excellent! Can I get you something to drink while you're deciding?"

"Would you like wine, Miss Swan?" Emma nodded. "Red or white?" "Red," Emma was planning to have the lasagna. She needed comfort food to help her get through the evening.

"A bottle of your Chianti." Gold was not a huge fan of the over-praised lasagna, but it appealed to him tonight and he was sure that Emma was ordering the same.

Ruby returned with the wine and Gold ordered for both of them just as Emma expected he would. He poured the wine and proffered a toast. "To patience."

Emma grimaced. Let him think what he wanted. She was not going to give in to him no matter how much her body said otherwise.

"I'm a big fan of patience, Miss Swan. It has always held me in good stead."

"Good for you Gold. I hope it keeps you warm at night." Emma couldn't help retorting.

Gold smiled. "I find you very entertaining, Miss Swan. You speak your mind and you're not afraid of me. I admire that about you."

Emma smiled back. "You're pretty entertaining yourself, Gold. I can't quite figure you out, but I love a challenge."

The food arrived and the conversation became more general. Emma was amazed at how at ease she was with him. He was witty and made her laugh and the dinner flew by. She had completely forgotten about everyone else in the room until Ruby appeared again.

"Was everything OK? You two seem to be having a very good time." Ruby was all smiles.

"The lasagna was excellent. Let granny know that we enjoyed it." Emma wanted to cut any further conversation short.

"Are you up for dessert, Miss Swan? I know I have a craving for something sweet." Gold's words were completely innocent and yet Emma could feel the heat rising to her face. She just prayed that Ruby didn't notice.

"Sure… sounds good." Emma tried to sound as nonchalant as possible. She could feel Gold's eyes on her and knew that he had noted her response to his statement.

"The brownie sundae and the strawberry shortcake are both to die for. Emma, I know you'd love the sundae." Ruby knew how much she loved ice cream.

"I'm sold. The sundae for me." Emma ordered for herself.

"I'll try the strawberry shortcake." Gold's words brought a smile to Emma's lips as she thought of Gold's pink house.

"Care to share your thoughts, Miss Swan? You look like something's amusing you."

"It's nothing really. But I would like to ask you another personal question if it's OK with you."

"Of course, my dear. What would you like to know?" Gold was intrigued by Emma's curiosity and was anxious to hear tonight's question.

"What's your first name? I've never heard you use it and I've never seen it on any documentation." Emma was truly interested in uncovering this mystery.

"Have you been investigating me, Miss Swan? Anxious to know more about me?" Gold managed to make the question sound suggestive.

"Simple curiosity, Gold. Everybody has a first name." Emma was not going to let him get the upper hand.

"The truth is, Miss Swan, I don't use my given first name. It's an old family name that I prefer to keep private. For business purposes, I use R. Gold if required, the R. standing for Robert." Gold carefully watched Emma's reaction.

"So you won't tell me your real name?" This was evidently a sore point for Gold so she decided to push it further. "What if I try to guess it? Will you tell me if I'm right?"

Gold looked at her with obvious delight, much to Emma's surprise. "I'd love for you to try. I'll even give you a big hint. My real first name begins with an "R"." Gold hesitated. "In fact, why don't we make this into a little game? You can guess 10 names every time we meet. If you guess my name before our deal is up, you can request a favor from me. If you don't guess it, you'll owe me a favor. Deal?"

Emma thought for a moment. How hard could it be to guess? But what if she didn't? "As long as we're not talking about sexual favors, Gold."

"You wound me, Miss Swan. The thought never crossed my mind." He tried to give her an innocent look but couldn't help laughing. "No sexual favors."

"It's a deal, then." Emma held out her hand to him to seal the deal. She immediately felt that spark between them and Gold caught her eye and gave her a knowing nod. When she didn't pull her hand away, he raised it to his lips and kissed the inside of her wrist. His eyes never left hers as he watched her somewhat panicked reaction, as her pulse raced wildly and the heat spread through her body. She prayed that no one was watching because she was sure that they'd all be able to read her thoughts. Gold gently stroked her hand and then thankfully released it back to her.

"Any guesses, Miss Swan? You get 10 tonight." He was staring at her with his dark eyes, eyes that were saying something very different than the question he had just posed.

"One brownie sundae and one strawberry shortcake…". Ruby arrived balancing two huge desserts, both covered with layers of whipped cream.

"Thanks, Ruby. They look great." Emma was happy for this distraction. Things had just veered off in the wrong direction and Emma was happy to get them back on track.

Gold obviously enjoyed dessert as much as she did, since he was already digging in. He smiled at her and winked. "Well?"

"Oh, right." Emma searched through her purse for a pen and scrap of paper. "I'm going to write down the names so that I can keep track of them. "

"Reginald, Raymond, Richard, Rocco, Ryan, Roland, Ramon, Rory, Rene, Reilly". – Gold viewed the list. "Sorry, Miss Swan, I'm afraid you've struck out tonight."

Emma wasn't concerned. She was planning to research some old seldom-used names. She was positive that she would be able to beat him at his own game.

"I suppose I've forfeited my question since I didn't answer yours?" Gold looked at Emma with sad eyes.

"That's right, Gold. No more questions tonight. But I will let you have a bite of my sundae."

They ended the evening with light pleasant conversation and Emma even linked her arm in Gold's as he walked her to her car. She could tell that he wanted to kiss her, but there was no way he was going to even attempt it… after all, he had promised to be good.

"I must thank you again, Miss Swan, for another lovely evening. " She loved the sound of his voice. Without even thinking she stepped closer to him and put her hand on his arm. He put his arm around her and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Kiss me, Gold." He didn't hesitate as his lips met hers and he gently but firmly kissed her with longing. Emma was immediately shocked by her body's reaction as heat surged through her settling in her center. Her whole body responded as he deepened the kiss urging her lips apart with his tongue. His other hand was in her hair and he pulled her body closer to his. Her body thrilled at the contact and she felt herself losing control. Suddenly he stopped and looked at her with dark eyes filled with passion and longing.

"I have to go, Gold." Emma could barely get the words out.

He nodded. "Yes, I thought that might be the case."

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and got in her car. He watched her as she drove away. Things were progressing nicely. Emma was a challenge, but he was a very patient man who was thoroughly enjoying every minute of his time with her.

Emma did not even berate herself this time. She wanted him to kiss her and for once in her life she had not let her better judgment get in the way. Her only problem now was that she didn't know where this was leading. In some ways she wanted to completely let herself go, to give in to her body's demands, to go where her desires lead her. On the other hand, this was Gold she was talking about. Why, of all the men in the world, was she attracted to him? Once again, she was just too tired to think about it any further. She just wanted to go to bed and get a good night's sleep.

"Good morning." Mary Margaret was eyeing her nervously. "It looks like you and Gold made the front page of the newspaper. It's on the table."

Emma groaned. "I don't understand how two people having a simple dinner together can be front page news." But, as ludicrous as it was, there they were -Gold looking his usual smug self and her looking like a deer caught in the headlights. If the photo wasn't bad enough, the caption under it was more than she could bear: Deputy Sheriff, Emma Swan, enjoys dinner date with one of Storybrooke's most eligible bachelors, Mr. Gold. "Great, just great." Emma wanted to crawl back into bed. She was pretty sure that Gold would be smiling from ear to ear when he saw it. He'd be relishing this while she'd be dealing with the fallout.

"Anything I can do?" Mary Margaret felt helpless. "It's really not that bad, is it?"

"The point is that I don't like the thought of everyone talking behind my back about something that they don't know anything about. Gold and I aren't dating… at least not officially." Emma muttered those last words under her breath.

Mary Margaret looked sharply at her. "Did you just say what I thought you did?"

"I asked him to kiss me last night." Emma was gauging Mary Margaret's reaction. "I don't know why, but there's this crazy attraction between us. I can't stop thinking about him."

Instead of looking stunned, Mary Margaret looked pleased. "I knew it. Didn't I ask you last week if you liked him?"

"I guess you were right. The thing is that I don't want to like him; I don't want to be attracted to him. I've been trying to deny it, but as soon as I'm with him I lose all of my resolve. This is Gold we're talking about, Mary Margaret. Would you want to be attracted to him?"

Mary Margaret looked horrified. "We're very different people, Emma. I'd be intimidated by him. You're not. In fact, I think you're one of the few people I've ever seen stand up to him. I think he likes that about you."

"Yes, he's made that clear."

Mary Margaret cleared her throat. "So how was the kiss?"

"Perfect. Better than I ever imagined it would be."

Mary Margaret sighed. "I think you're in trouble, Emma."

"No kidding. Now I just have to decide what I want to do about it."

Emma saw the gold envelope on her desk as soon as she entered the station. Graham was watching her with a little more interest than usual. She was sure he had seen the newspaper. "Good morning, Graham. What's up?"

"Good morning. Not much. What's up with you?"

Emma had been dreading this moment but she didn't know why. She certainly didn't owe him any explanation for what she did in her free time. "Nothing much. Henry should be coming by around 10:00."

"Mr. Gold stopped by again this morning to leave you another envelope."

Emma could feel Graham observing her as she felt the heat rise to her face. "I see." Emma picked up the envelope and opened it. Her hands were shaking and she almost felt guilty for some unknown reason.

Thank you again for a very memorable evening, Emma.

Please come to my house at 7:00pm on Saturday evening.

Dress casually and be prepared to discuss fairy tales.

P.S. I'm not making any promises this time.

She felt herself smile. The man could be charming when he wanted to be.

Emma turned to face Graham. "I suppose you saw the newspaper?" She decided to confront the issue. She'd learned a long time ago that it was better to be direct if you wanted to be in control of any situation.

"Yes, but that's none of my business. I just hope you understand who you're dealing with."

"I'm fine, Graham. I appreciate your concern, but it's not what you think. " Well, not yet anyway, Emma thought to herself.

"Emma!" Henry literally bounced into the station followed by the clacking of Regina's heels.

"Hey, kid." "Good morning, Regina." Emma tried to sound pleasant.

Regina gave her a withering look. "May I speak to you privately, Miss Swan?" Emma followed her out to the hallway. As Emma had suspected, Regina immediately produced the newspaper pointing accusingly at the photo of her and Gold. "Normally I wouldn't dream of interfering in your private life, Miss Swan, but since you're seeing Henry so frequently, I just want to make sure that you keep Gold away from him."

"What are you trying to say, Regina?" Emma could feel herself getting irritated.

"I don't want Henry to be subjected to a parade of your boyfriends. We both know that you don't have the best track record when it comes to committing to something. I want to make sure that Henry doesn't get hurt in the process."

"Get out!" Emma was doing all she could to keep her voice down. "You have no right to come in here and insult me, Regina. I would never do anything to harm Henry. And for the record, Gold isn't my boyfriend and I haven't dated anyone for over two years." Emma stormed back into the station.

Regina smirked to herself. She didn't think that Gold would get anywhere with Emma, but she had just added a little extra assurance to that assumption.

Henry was sitting at her desk, holding the newspaper. "Are you dating Mr. Gold?"

"No, Henry. I told you I had a business deal with him. Nothing for you to worry about."

"But it says in the paper that you're on a date." Emma felt a pang of guilt at Henry's words.

"Listen, kid, you can't believe everything you read. Mr. Gold and I were simply having dinner together last night. It wasn't a date. It was part of a deal."

"Do you know who he is?" Henry's question confused her. "From the book? Do you know who he is in my book?"

Not that book again. "No, Henry, who is he?" Emma was exasperated.

"I don't know. I was hoping you did." Henry sounded disappointed.

Emma made a mental note to ask Gold on Saturday night. It would be amusing to see how he responded.