Well dear friends, it has been a long time. If I started my apology/explanation now we would be here all day, so I will skip over that for the meantime and just say: I'm sorry. Somethings happened in my life in the past few months that took me completely out of the writing swing, and quite frankly, doing anything but breathing for a while there was almost impossible. I am back now however, and better, physically and mentally.
A big thank you to ID - she has by far been the one to suffer the most as I left her completely alone in the cold for a while there, and for that I am extremely sorry. Thank you for staying by my side, even though you are thousands of miles away. You really did drag me out of the darkness.
Last, a big thank you to all of you that have sent your comments, messages and tweets filled with praise, hope and love. You really do mean the world to me, I have missed you lots. As an update to those of you that used to follow me on Twitter - No, I will not be resurrecting my account. I have had to make some tough choices in my life as of recently and one of those was to give up social media - I know it may not sound like a life changing decision (nor one of much importance) but for me it had been. I still love you, and I will cherish every kind thing you have said to me! If you want to reach me know that you can through the comments here on FF - other then that, if you are in dire need to talk to me for some reason, well drop me a line and maybe we can figure out a way (:
Love you all lots - now have some OQ smut ya nastys, you deserve it(; p.s. this has not been beta'd, mistakes are mine and my minds(;
"Fuck! Robin!" I yelled, gasping as I felt him bite down on my neck.
His dark chuckle vibrated across my skin, sending shivers down my sides as I felt his toned muscles moving across me as he slid up my body.
His light stubble brushed my ear faintly and I felt my body tremble in anticipation. "What was that M'lady?" he said.
His voice was rich and smokey, as if he was made of pure lust and chocolate and it sent me into hysterics every time I heard it... Ever since I was a teenager I had had a thing for chocolate and older, attractive, British men - thanks a lot Richard Armitage! And now, I had both! Would that be considered having my cake and eating it too? If so then I had no problem with that statement! Bring on the cake! Hell, bring on the whole bakery! A British bakery that is... I opened my mouth to respond to him but my words quickly stopped and turned into a breathy moan as I felt his large hands trailing across my waist and down between my thighs, finding the wetness there. I gasped as he let out a growl, resting them there, and I let out another strangled 'Fuck!'
He laughed, this time full out, his deep voice filling the small bed room with it's warm timbre.
"I do believe that's exactly what I am trying to do M'lady."
I wanted to nod a 'fucking finally, please and thank you, kind sir!' but I didn't seem able to get enough control over my muscles to do so. Apparently my body was having enough trouble performing it's most basic function, breathing, as I just ended up opening my eyes wide and gasping again - but who could blame me? With him, I was surprised I still possessed the ability to convert oxygen into carbon dioxide without dying from hotness overload! He was gorgeous, his perfectly dirty blonde hair and ocean blue eyes could kill. Not to mention the accent. I shuddered thinking about it. He was like an expensive Cuban cigar; perfectly aged, refined, and utterly addicting. Not that I had ever smoked a cigar before, but I could imagine...
When I had first met him I thought I might have been experiencing premature hot flashes, but then I realized that it was just my bodies natural reaction to an extremely hot man in such a close proximity.. all the way across the parking lot.
It was September 3rd, the first day of class for Storybrooke Public Schools.
I had dropped Henry, my son, off at the front doors of Storybrooke Middle School that morning and now it was 2:24pm. I was parked just outside of the main entrance, three cars back from the front. Not so close so that I would get an earful of 'mom you're embarrassing me' from my son on the drive home, but not so far away that he couldn't see me when he came out.
My fingers were tapping mindlessly on the steering wheel as I waited for the school bell to ring, signalling that the day was over and Henry could be released so that I could spend the rest of my day off from being Mayor, talking with my son. I grabbed my coffee from the cup holder, removing the heat stopper and taking a long, deep sip of the warm liquid.
Instantly the caffeine hit me, following through my veins, making its way rapidly through my system. I felt my body beginning to warm up, which was nice considering the fact that it was horribly chilly outside. It was only September for crying out loud! But there was already frost in the corners of the windows of the old school and I could just make out little tendrils of ice trying to circle their way up my side mirrors.
I opened my glove box, finding my favorite pair of leather gloves inside just as the school bell rang. My heart fluttered excitedly. Slipping on the gloves, I re-grabbed my triple shot espresso, making my way out of the car.
The frigid air hit me like an arctic blast, immediately I wished I had remembered to grab my scarf from the back of my door before I had left home an hour before. Walking briskly, I crossed my arms in front of my body, clutching the hot mug as tightly in my hands as I could in the hopes that I could receive some of the heat it contained. I made my way over to the rest of the parents huddled together outside, waiting to collect their kids.
"Word on the street is he rides a Harley," One voice said.
"I heard he was apart of a gang in London. Something to do with Hood's and a town named Sherwood?" Another voice responded.
"I heard he has tattoo's!" A third exclaimed.
I made my way into the throng with raised brows, instantly recognizing a few of the familiar faces amongst the grouping of mostly mom's. There was Ruby Lucas and a very pregnant Belle Gold standing next to Mary Margaret Blanchard and her best friend, Emma Swan. It was only in the corner that I spotted Jefferson Hatter, standing timidly, no doubt praying for this conversation to be over as he waited to pick up his precious daughter Grace - which reminded me, I had to ask Henry how that was going... Apparently over the summer he had finally told Grace how he felt about her, and he had asked her to the movies, but she had turned him down, stating that she just viewed him as a friend. Initially I had wanted to ring that scrawny little girls pale neck but, being the classy woman that I am, I refrained. I still didn't care much for her darling little school girl uniform and long blonde braids...
Removing my eyes from the coward of a man, I let them roam over the rest of the group. Each of the women in the circle I had known since Henry was in preschool. They had each lived in Storybrooke just about as long, if not longer, than I had. I had had their kids over at my house for Henry's birthday parties and I had been at there's for government holidays. We all got along well, each of us having completely different careers and life paths.
Emma was a cop, Mary Margaret a teacher. Ruby was a waitress, Belle was basically the town Librarian/closet genius and Jefferson... Well no one knew what exactly Jefferson did. He was some sort of photographer, it was rare to see him out without a camera or two strapped round his neck. Together, the group had only the freshest gossip from the streets like some glorified soccer mom collective, and they had no qualms when it came to sharing it! Today's topic seemed to be focused on some man.
"Yeah, basically some type of nomadic roustabout." Ruby said, shaking her head, making her long brown and red curls go flying, "All I know is I wouldn't want him teaching my kids English."
There was a collective 'mmhmm' and I decided it was my turn to butt in.
"Who is this we're talking about?" I asked to no one in particular.
"Regina!" came the voice of Mary Margaret, her cherubic face scrunching up, making her apple cheeks appear bright and shunshiny red. Behind her I heard a cordial 'Madame Mayor' from Officer Swan, and a few 'hello's' from the others as the pixie haired woman continued. "Didn't you hear about the new English teacher?"'
"There's a new English teacher?" I asked, "What happen to Mr. Hopper?"
"Went back to school to get a degree in Psychology." Belle filled in.
"Yeah, maybe now the cricket will actually learn what it means to mind his own business." Ruby added with a scoff.
I wasn't sure what exactly it was that Ruby had against the kind elder teacher but ever since I had known her she had always acted like he was a flea in her hair and spoke of him as if he were such.
"Oh," I said, taking in the new knowledge, "So there's a new teacher at SMS?"
"Yes, and have you heard the dirt on him yet?" Ruby asked, her hollow cheekbones suddenly taking a somewhat vulpine appearance as a wry smile twisted on her thin lips, exposing her pearly white canines.
"No, but I get the feeling that I'm about to."
Needless to say each of the women took their turns filling me in quickly on the murmurs about town on Storybrookes first new teacher in over 15 years. Apparently none of them had yet to see the man however, so, after weeding out the obviously made up facts and crude exaggerations about the new English teacher, all I had garnered was that his name was Robin Locksley, a Storybrooke native that had moved away after his father had died in his youth and had spent the majority of his life growing up in London with his mother. He had his degree in Education and a minor in History, and apparently he had a mysterious tattoo on his wrist and was currently living somewhere down in the shanty part of old East Mifflin street.
"That's close to you Regina, isn't in?" Mary Margaret piped up.
"What?" I asked, feeling my eyes being pulled back to the pixie haired woman and away from the schoolhouse doors.
"You still live on Mifflin street, don't you?" The blonde cop next to the Mary Margaret asked.
"Yes," I responded to Emma, hearing a high pitched squeak signalling that the heavy doors of Storybrooke middle school had finally been opened in the background. "East Mifflin's not too far from me."
At first there was only one small uniform clad adolescent making their way out of the metal doors and then, no more than a moment later, they were blasted opened as a rush of mitten clad middleschoolers poured out from the schoolhouse and pooled into the slick frost covered streets of the parking lot.
I scanned over the heads of multiple little brunette boys, trying to locate my own sons thick mane with no luck. I spotted the adorable tight curls of Neal Cassidy Blanchard, Mary Margaret's son, and the annoyingly perfect blonde braids of Grace Hatter with ease, but no Henry.
I huffed, feeling the frigid fall air making it's way down my body and underneath my sweater making me shiver. I pulled my coat tighter around my neck to cover the area where my skin was exposed to the elements, internally rolling my eyes. I really wish I had remembered to grab my scarf from the door. My skin was so sensitive. It had always been, but lately even the slightest breeze could send me into a hypothermic-like state.
More kids continued to pour out and I found myself beginning to tap my foot impatiently as my angst to spot my son amongst the crowd grew.
Holding his daughter by the hand, Jefferson walked away from the small group silently, soon followed by Neal, Mary Margaret and Emma leaving only Belle, Ruby and I standing, shivering our butts off in the cold.
"Where's Henry?" Belle asked after a minute.
"I don't know." I responded, my eyes still scanning over the now sparse flow of middleschoolers. "He should be here?"
"Wait," I said again a second later, turning towards the two women next to me, "What are you two even doing here?"
It was common knowledge that the moment Belle had wed the infamous town broker, Robert Gold, three years ago she had had a bun cooking away in her oven every autumn since. Even though they had the beginnings of their own herd, what with three children and a forth on the way, none of their spawn were old enough to attend school just yet. Ruby, on the other hand, had been through every male in town and somehow had no offspring to show for it. She truly was a testament to good birth control. Word was that she and Victor Whale were currently a thing, but no one knew for sure as she was known for changing men just as quickly as a kid selected a new favorite flavor in an ice cream shop.
Neither of them had any nieces or nephews that attended Storybtooke Middle School, nor any family that lived in town - unless of course you counted Ruby's grandmother, Eugenia, the towns well-known late night diner owner - so there was no reason for them to be outside waiting out in front of the school. Unless...
"Wait, are you two-"
"Waiting to get a glimpse of the new teacher? Yeah." Belle finished for me.
"Why?" I asked.
"Heard he's supposed to be really hot," Ruby finished, casting a somewhat predatory wink over her shoulder at me.
I raised a brow. "Belle you're married?" I reminded more then questioned.
"Doesn't mean I can't look," the Australian beauty responded with a nod towards her friend and they shared a laugh.
I rolled my eyes. Of course those two would come to a school, where they had no kids attending, and wait for twenty minutes, outside in the cold, just to get a glimpse of quite possibly the most juicy gossip that Storybrooke had seen in the last 15 years.
"I can't believe you two." I said, shaking my head, trying to hold back a snort, but failing.
Just then the doors to the schoolhouse opened again and I felt my heart leap as I saw my sons unruly mane bobbing up and down as he made his way out of the building.
"Henry!" I yelled before I could stop myself.
I watched as his eyes shot up, finding mine and he waved.
"Hey mom!" He yelled back, jogging the remaining distance between him and me and giving me a tight squeeze once he closed it.
"Belle, Ruby," he said, acknowledging the two women standing there and I felt a surge of motherly pride pulse through me at my little mans manners. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Waiting to catch a glimpse of your new Teach," Ruby responded, her large brown eyes not leaving the main doors.
Belle nodded, adding a polite "Hey Henry, how are you doing?" before going back to staring at the building, as if it was just going to open up, remove all the bricks and let them peer inside.
"You mean Mr. Locksley?" Henry asked, "He's already left."
"What?!" The two women shrieked in unison.
"Yeah, about 5 minutes ago. That's why I was late," he continued, now looking at me, "I stayed back to ask him a few questions about my low grade on my summer homework."
"Oh?" I said, looking down at my son. "And what did he say?"
"He said that my story idea was good, I just need to work a bit on my grammar."
I closed my eyes, biting down hard on my tongue in order to remind me to pause before I said something that I would regret about this 'so-called' new English teacher in front of my son.
Henry had worked tirelessly on his story for summer homework, staying up late most nights, trying to get another page done. Stories came easily for him, he could thank me for his big imagination as I had made sure to read to him every-night before bed as a child, but it was the writing part that he didn't quite grasp. When he had come into my room in the dead of night with tears swimming in his eyes, I had had just about enough of this project. I had taken the next couple of days off of work and had sat up all day and all night, helping him to flesh out his story and get the words that were mixing up in his head out and onto the paper.
It had taken about a solid three days of us mulling over his ideas, taking his plot apart piece by piece and running over his characters with a fine tooth comb, before we had anything substantial.
In the end it all came together swimingly. It was a great tale about knights and princesses, dragons and faeries. It took place in a mythical land called The Enchanted Forest and there was even a thief that fell in love with a queen somewhere in the end!
It had all the makings of being a bestseller if you asked me, but then there was this grammar issue...
I had taken a few courses in college on advanced writing and though I never pursued it as a major, I've always known that I have a gift when it comes to the written word. Mother always said that I would be a writer if it weren't for the fact that I loved politics so much.
She was probably right too since I seem to find myself writing out my thoughts into one of my many journals whenever life seems to be too much. After Daniel died, when Henry was born, loosing father, rerunning for Mayor. Basically whenever I experienced a major event that I didn't seem to have anyone to talk to about it.
But I shook my head, remembering where I was standing and just who exactly was squeezing my hand trying to get my attention.
"Mom...Mom..."
"Sorry," I said, refocusing on my son in front of me before making a mental note to have a talk with this new English teacher about the way he was handeling my precious kid.
"Can we go now? I'm kinda tired." He said, tugging lightly on my hands.
"Of course Henry," I replied, realizing that he was only holding on to me in order to get me to release my grip on the Starbucks cup inbetween my fingers. "Why don't you head along to the car, I'm just going to say good bye to Ms. Lucas and Mrs. Gold and then I'll meet you over there," I said, handing him my keys and watching him as he runs towards the vehicle, the rest of my coffee now in his hands.
Sneaky, I thought to myself, with a somewhat impressed raise of my brow.
Turning back I rolled my shoulders, inhaling in deeply before opening my eyes and looking at the two women before me.
"Ladies," I said. Both Ruby and Belle snapped, as if they had been in a trance, and stared back at me, "I'm going to bid you adieu now. I trust that since both of your common interest in the schoolhouse has left, you'll both be on your way and I won't have to call Officer Swan over to have you arrested for loitering?"
"Nope! No problems here Madame Mayor, not really interested in hanging out with mangy little kids all day anyway," Ruby responded quickly.
"Hey!" Belle exclaimed from behind the svelte woman.
"Well besides yours," Ruby said back, tossing a smile to her friend from over her shoulder.
I chuckled under my breath, watching the two women as Ruby tried to laugh off her friends glare, and failed. "Have a good day ladies-" I began, but was cut off when an abrupt 'BANG' shot out from behind me.
My heart jumped into my throat as my mind raced to Henry and I turned round quickly, spinning on the edge of my heel to spot my son sitting safely in my car, staring out of the window, and waving at someone adamantly with a smile on his face.
Following his gaze my eye trailed quickly across the parking lot, locking onto the backside of a man, clad in leather boots, dark jeans and currently throwing on a large black leather jacket over the top of what looked like the rest of a business uniform. Said man was turned just enough so that I could make out his rugged profile. He was smiling, waving back at my son, before throwing a helmet on and turning back, returning his hands to the motorcycle in which he was sitting atop of.
With a rev of the engine the motorcycle roared to life, and I swear the sound made the ground underneath my feet shake.
The man spun around quickly, turning the whole bike in one fluid movement beginning to take off.
I stared in awe as the biker made his way through the lot. It was only when he reached the gates where my car sat parked that he looked up, and for a moment I would swear that I saw his hand on the bike falter, for he turned his head and his eyes caught mine.
Blue. That was all I could see.
His eyes were as crystal clear as the ocean and I swear I felt like I was drowning under the intensity of his gaze.
But it was only for a second, because a second later he turned away. There was the sound of the engine roaring again and then he was gone.
And in that moment I realized just how truly lonely I had become because I had only caught a glimpse of a hot man in leather and I was completely turned on.
Fuck.
Ha, so as you can tell, I don't believe this is going to remain a one shot? Do you? Let me know if you think I should continue in the comments! As well, to answer a few questions as I know I am bound to receive them - Yes, I am still working on Warm Hearts, I will not abandon that fic, it means to much to me... and that is partially why it takes me forever to write certain chapters and no time at all to write others! Yes, ID and are are still working on OTO and have plans to finish it, we have been up for the past few days working on it like mad so worry not, that should be coming soon! Yes, I have another chapter for Sir Dimples, I know its been an eternity since I even posted anything about that fic. I love it, it has been sitting on my desktop for a while now waiting to be completed - its all just a matter of priority, as I have a multitude of fics (and more and more ideas each day), so if you'll do me a favor and post in your comments which you would like to see updated next (and I'm referring to next as in within the next week or so!) and I will make that happen! Thank you for reading as always, much love!
PS Nicole... I have a special surprise coming soon just for you!...