Chapter Three

I felt Regina place her head on my chest so I tightened my grip on her waist. We stayed motionless in that embrace for a very blissfully long time. To say that I enjoyed it would be the understatement of the century.

"Hmm," I heard her sigh. "I feel so warm and safe in your arms. How can that be since we've just met?"

"I don't know," I said as I shrugged my shoulders while still holding onto her. "My mother always said never be the first person to let go of a hug so when you feel like it you can let go."

I felt Regina's grip tighten and I was happy about that. I chuckled a little.

After a few more, non-awkward hug moments, she did release me. She walked over to her flowers again and smelled them. "Truly thank you," she whispered.

"I wanted to do it, trust me. I think, and this is just an assumption on my part, that you aren't appreciated for being the woman you are," I said shyly. I didn't want her to be upset again.

"You know, Emma, I think you might be on to something there," Regina said kind of sadly. "I don't get treated fairly, none of us do. Not to toot my own horn, but I think I'm the best dancer in this hell whole. I just needed someone, like you, to show me my real worth. And it's fair more than just being a dancer."

"That's the spirit!" I held up my hand for a high five and she smacked it.

"Wanna get outta here. Maybe grab dinner at a nicer place," Regina asked.

"Lead the way," I said, but before I left with her I grabbed a single rose and gave it to her. "Something for your place to remind you of them."

"I'd lug that vase around if it weren't so heavy…"

"Wait! Idea!"

While I was waiting for her to come back to her room I noticed a large box.

"Do you think they'll fit in this?"

"There's only one way to find out," Regina said as she lifted the vase and the flowers and put them into the box.

"There you go," I exclaimed excitedly as I lifted the box off of her vanity.

"Are you sure it's not too heavy," she asked a little concerned.

"No, but can we take a cab," I asked.

"Of course, we'll drop them off at my apartment and I can change," Regina said with a smile.

"Lead the way," I said as we walked out of the building and into a cab.

XXXX

As the driver drove off to the address I gave him, Emma and I were quiet. Emma had put the box on the floor between us. Our hands were resting on the seat in between us.

Hold her hand!

I tentatively moved my hand closer to hers.

Go for it!

Our pinkies were touching and she looked down at them. I moved my hand to rest on top of hers. She looked at the gesture and then looked shyly up at me. She smiled bashfully.

"Is this okay," I asked cautiously.

"No," she said without any facial expression showing.

"Oh," I said as my hand retreated.

"It's wonderful," she said as she smiled and quickly grabbed my hand. She placed her other hand on top. We looked at each other for a split second and both smiled.

She dropped one of her hands from mine. With my hand still in hers, she massaged my hand with her thumb. With every brush of her finger I felt myself calm down a lot.

"You have a very calming influence on me, Emma…"

"I'm glad," she replied.

The cab pulled up to my apartment building at this time and the hand holding stopped. I paid and got out of the car. Seeing that, Emma was carrying the box, I opened the door on her side.

"Thanks," she said.

I opened all of the remaining doors on our journey from the cab to my apartment.

Once I unlocked and pushed open the final door, I said, "Please put the vase over there on top of the bookshelf."

She did as instructed and when she was finished she wiped her mouth. She thought she got a petal stuck in her lip-gloss.

I noticed and smiled. "I'll be a few minutes. Make yourself at home," I said as I went to my room to change.

I left the door open so we could talk.

"How old are you?" she asked as she looked around at the frames and pictures that were there.

"Umm, I'm 38. My birthday is in July. The 15th, to be exact. You?"

I'm 36. My birthday's April 12th. Are you a big birthday person? Ya know, do you go all out to celebrate?"

"No, not really…I have no one to celebrate with…" I said quietly.

"Oh," I heard as a response. I didn't think too much of it as I finished getting ready. I checked my hair one more time in the mirror and then I timidly walked to the entrance of my room.

Emma was looking around so when I subtly coughed she turned around. Her mouth fell open when she saw me.

"What?" I asked as I nervously checked my dress.

"You look amazing," she said as she really looked at me. "Now I feel underdressed a little."

"Nah, you look good…trust me," I said as I looked at her tight fitted black tee shirt and really tight fitted blue jeans. There was a hole in the pants by her knee, which was always something that turned me on. She wore a red leather jacket to make the ensemble complete.

We stood there looking at each other for a few more minutes. I didn't mind and I don't think she did either.

XXXX

Stop gawking at her. I can't. She like sex on a stick.

I smiled.

"Why you smilin'?"

"Oh, uh, no reason, let's go?"

"Alright Emma," she said and winked as she passed by me to the door.

When she passed I smelled her perfume. It was heavenly.

"Where we going?"

"I think I know just the place," I said as we left her apartment.

We decided to take another cab. "This ride is on me," I sweetly demanded.

She smiled. We got into the car and I gave the driver directions. This time we immediately held hands. And to my utter surprise she moved by me and rested her body against mine.

"This is nice," I noted.

"Yes, it is," she replied with a light sigh.

I grabbed Regina's hand and kissed it.

As Regina looked up, she asked, "Emma, what are we doing?"

Before I had the chance to respond, the cab driver interrupted me by saying, "We're here!"

"Saved by the cab!"

Regina smiled and sat up. She exited the car while I paid the fare.

I saw her wait on the curb for me. As I walked over she extended her hand out and I grabbed it.

We entered the Italian restaurant like this and I think, neither of us, cared about the assumptions that might be made about us.

"Welcome, table for two?"

'Yes, please, somewhere secluded…as much as possible," I asked the maître d.

"Of course, anniversary?" he asked as he walked us to the table.

Regina smiled.

I said, "First…um…'

"First date," Regina said with another smile.

"Splendid, well, enjoy. Your server will be over in a few minutes," he said as he attempted to pull out Regina's chair for her.

"I got it," I said and he backed away.

I held the chair out for her. As she began to sit, I pushed it in. "Thank you," she said.

We looked at the menus and ordered our meals when we ordered our drinks.

"We're hungry," Regina told the waitress when we finished ordering.

"Be out in a little while," she replied and walked away.

When she left, both of our hands lunged at the others so quickly. She smiled shyly and laughed a little.

"So…what is this?" Regina asked she looked into my eyes.

"Well, before I answer that question, I'd like to pose some of my own, if you don't mind."

As she flipped over her hand and moved it in a way that meant to continue, she said, "By all means!"

"Good, um, are you currently seeing anyone?"

"No, I am not. Haven't in some time. My last…"

I interrupted her with, "Don't tell me yet!"

She just smiled. "Are you seeing anyone?"

"No, Regina, I am not. Another question popped into my head. Um, is "Regina" your real name? It's not a stage name, right?"

She tossed her head back and laughed heartily. "No Emma, Regina is my actual name. My last name is Mills…"

"Swan!"

"Excuse me?"

"Swan is my last name. Emma Swan…"

"Who's the dancer now?!" Regina joked as she smirked at me.

"You've never seen me dance," I said.

XXXX

"I look forward to it," I said with a seductive smirk.

She froze. I love when she did that.

"What's the next question?"

"Oh, ok, yeah, are you a lesbian or bi-sexual? I'm a 110%, gold star lesbian."

"Well, I'm not sure. Sorry…"

"Don't apologize…Let's talk this out. Have you slept with men before?"

"You've seen what comes into the club, would you?"

"Eww!" she screamed and shivered.

"I know…before that, I always kept to myself. A late bloomer, you might say. So, yes, I believe I'm a lesbian."

"Ok, moment of truth question…"

"Bring it," I encouraged.

"Please be honest with me. Are you attracted to me, in any way?"

"Honestly?"

"Yes, I will always be honest with you, so…"

"Yes, Emma, I am attractive to you. You're beautiful and from what I've witnessed already, I know you have a heart of gold. Are you, hmm, attracted me?"

"Yess!" She screamed excitedly. People turned around for a second.

"She's excited for her meal," I lied to the tables around us.

Emma's hand flew over her mouth in embarrassment.

I sat back in my chair and looked at her. I took her in. She truly was a beautiful woman.

Don't fuck this up!

"What cha thinking about?" Emma's voice brought me out of my mental warning.

"Nothing, just telling myself something," I said.

Our food and drinks arrived. We thanked the waitress and devoured our meals like we hadn't eaten in a month.

As we ate, I asked, "What do you do? Ya know, besides check out the local strip clubs?"

"I'm in college. Community, but it is still college…."

"Studying?"

"Creative writing. Wanna write a book someday. Right now I am a poet. Pretty good, I guess," she said with a small smile.

"I'd love to read some, sometime," I said enthusiastically.

"We'll see," she replied. "Do you have a day job?"

"Um, not really. I always say that I'm going to look, but then I get called in for an early shift and my own and forget about it."

"If you could do anything, what would you do?"

"Well, Emma, I hadn't thought about it. I don't think I'm good enough for anything else, to be honest," I said disappointed in myself.

"But you are…just so you know that!"

"You truly believe that, don't you?"

"Yes, Regina, I do," Emma said as she looked directly into my eyes. The intensity made me blush and look away.

"Ok, ok, when did you get that," she asked as she pointed to my right wrist.

"Oh, this?"

She nodded her head.

"When I was younger. I forget that it's there sometimes. I just wanted to get a tattoo. I got two feathers!"

"Where's the other one?"

"On the back of my neck," I said and tried to turn in my seat to show Emma.

"Don't hurt yourself," she said as I almost fell off the seat. I caught myself in time.

XXXX

"How's your meal?"

"Good, Emma, how's yours?"

"Great…wanna share?" I asked as I held my hand out for her fork. Regina handed it over and I dug out a big heap of angel hair pasta. I quickly gave the fork back so nothing would fall off.

She immediately put the whole forkful into her mouth.

I waited a few minutes before I asked, "How was it?"

"Yummy. Wanna finish the last piece of my rigatoni?"

"No, I'm actually full. You enjoy it."

She finished the last piece, placed her fork on the dish, and wiped her mouth with her napkin.

Just then the waitress walked up and asked, "How was it ladies?"

"Great!" she said.

"Fantastic," I said as I pulled out my iPhone. "With my date's permission, would you please take our photo?"

"Sure," the waitress said.

"Is that okay. Regina," I asked shyly. She got up from her seat and swiftly pulled out mine. She sat sideways on my lap with her hands wrapped around my neck. Our faces were touching.

I was dumbfounded. The waitress took a picture.

"Huh,' I said after the flash went off.

"No, no, that wasn't good. Taking another," the waitress said.

I placed my hands on Regina's thighs and smiled the brightest that I could.

Click!

"Perfect!"

The waitress placed my phone on the table.

"Thank you," I mumbled because I was enthralled in Regina's closeness. She looked deeply into my eyes and smiled.

Kiss her!

I have never wanted to kiss someone so badly than I did in that moment.

XXXX

Kiss me!

I wanted her to so badly. I was too shy to do it myself, but I so wanted to feel her lips on my own.

Oh, is this the moment? Oh, no, what if I tried this…

I moved my head closer to hers. She played with the strands of my black hair.

The waitress walked up again and startled us by saying, "Oppss. Sorry…here's the check." She kinda threw it on the table and scurried away.

I got up from her lap with a loud whine from her that made me happy.

"How do you want to do this?"

"Do what?" she said as she pulled out her credit card.

"Split it?" I asked. Emma slid the card into the black checkbook that restaurants use and held it up for the waitress. She came walking over.

"How do you want the transaction to be made?"

"Put it on that, plus a tip for yourself," Emma said and the waitress did as instructed.

I sat there flabbergasted. "Emma," I pouted.

"Regina!" she pouted back playfully.

"Thank you," I said humbly.

"You're welcome…"

"I don't want this night to end yet," I blurted out.

"Me either," she said.

"Can I take somewhere?"

"Regina, you can take me anywhere you want to," Emma said with a smile.

A few minutes later we collected out belongings and left the restaurant hand-in-hand.