Ride the wind
Never coming back until I touch the midnight sun
Ride the wind
Never coming back again
Ride the wind
Never coming back until I touch the midnight sun
(Ride the Wind-Poison)
Regina curled her fingers into a ball, holding them tight in front of her in a way that she hoped looked demure and repentant. Her fingernails dug into her palms. She tried her best to remain calm as the woman in front of her continued the nasty tirade.
"The guests are reporting that the rooms are unsatisfactory." Cora's hand came down hard on the big oak desk, shaking the smiling pictures of Cora and her biological daughter with various celebrities. Her eyes blazed at Regina as if the failings of the entire inn and resort were all Regina's fault. "They say that the air conditioning isn't working correctly and no one is doing anything about it."
"I'll have maintenance look into the air conditioning," Regina replied slowly, once she was sure she was supposed to reply at all. She kept her tone calm and respectful. Cora was her stepmother and her boss, after all. "We need new ones. These should have been replaced last year."
"New ones?" Cora squawked, holding a hand to her throat. Two ruby rings sparkled on her bony fingers. "We can't afford new air conditioning units. The ones we have are fine. You just need to have maintenance actually do their jobs."
Regina dug her fingernails a little deeper into her palms. It would help if there wasn't a new maintenance man every other week. Cora refused to pay anyone their worth, so good help was hard to keep. It had been ages since Regina had a decent handyman around to help fix things. Luckily, Regina had put an order for a few new air conditioners, using money she managed to siphon from other parts of the inn. It wasn't enough for the entire inn, but with the cool early summer nights coming up, she was hoping it would be enough. She didn't dare bring up that purchase right now, though. Her stepmother would just rip her another one and find something else to blame on her.
"Of course, Mother. I'll make sure the rest of the housekeeping staff understands as well." Regina tipped her head politely, hoping that this could be the end of the verbal beating for the day. She still had a lot to do to get ready for the guests arriving this evening.
"Stepmother," Cora corrected, hissing slightly. Her narrow mouth pinched tighter. "Don't you forget that. I wouldn't have spawned anything so lazy and ungrateful as you."
Regina kept silent, her head tucked as she stared at the ornate oak desk and bit back the million retorts she had stored for moments like this. She never said them, though. Getting her stepmother angry wouldn't help anything. It would only make things worse.
"That's another thing," Cora said, pulling out the big leather chair and sitting down at the big desk. She crossed her thin legs and glared at Regina. "If everything isn't perfect this weekend, I'm docking your pay."
Regina's head jerked up, eyes flashing. She was paid a pittance as it was, and she needed every penny. "What?"
"I'm glad I have your attention." Cora's eyes sparkled with an evil gleam. She delighted in torturing Regina and they both knew it. Years of hatred flowed in Cora's gaze. "Everything must be perfect. Mistakes like hot rooms can't be made this weekend. The Mills expect billionaire-level service and we are going to give it to them. If you can't handle that, then I see no reason to pay you. Honestly, I should have fired you a long time ago, but you are family."
The word family came off Cora's tongue with a venom that made it clear that the word and the meaning were two very different things. Shoving down the hurt boiling in her stomach, Regina nodded meekly. At least the threat was the usual one. Her stepmother had threatened to throw her out every week since her father died.
"Of course, Stepmother."
Cora watched Regina for a moment through cold, narrowed eyes. Regina stood straight under her glare and dug her fingernails into her palms just a little bit harder, though much more and she'd draw blood. If only her father knew how hard she was trying to keep her promise to him. She would run the inn someday, despite Cora's best attempts to make her quit. She knew she should be used to her stepmother's temper by now, but Cora was in a darker mood than usual.
"You understand just how important this weekend is, don't you, Regina?" Cora's voice was low and dangerous. The last time Regina had heard her voice like this, she had forgotten to rearrange the trash schedule. After that, she wasn't paid for a week.
"Of course I do. We haven't been seeing the usual amount of guests this season and we need some good press to attract more. This wedding between Mary Margaret Blanchard and David Nolan must be perfect. Mary Margaret's billionaire step-brother has paid for perfect. We're counting on the good press of a beautiful, idyllic wedding." Regina countered her stepmother's stare, purposefully leaving out the rest of her thoughts. The decrease in guests had more to do with the insane prices Cora insisted on charging rather than negative press. "The inn needs to be known as a place where billionaires marry."
"I don't care about getting more billionaires here. I care about using the ones we have coming. This is my chance to move up in the world," Cora replied, leaning back in her chair. The sunlight off the graying roots of her dyed red hair. Cora had been beautiful once. That much was easy to see, but years of frustration and struggle had whittled away any of the sweetness she once had. Only bitterness remained.
Regina was glad that in six more months that she wouldn't have to deal with her anymore.
"Yes, ma'am." Regina nodded, waiting for her dismissal. She tried not to look at the papers scattered across Cora's desk. Several letters from the IRS sat unopened. Regina wished her stepmother would let her handle the inn's finances, but that would mean giving up control of the bank accounts. Money was all that mattered to Cora.
The sound of tires on the gravel driveway filled the room and Cora rose from her chair. "Now, if you'll excuse me, the guests of honor have just arrived. Go make yourself scarce. No billionaire wants to see the likes of you."
Regina hurried out of the stuffy office. She grabbed the door, finding that it had once again swung open on its own again. Not much, just a couple of inches. The latch needed to be reset. Regina put it on her mental list of things to fix. Once outside and down the hallway, Regina took in a deep, relaxing breath.
Hopefully, Cora would be busy with schmoozing her wealthy patrons for the next few hours and wouldn't find ways to make Regina's life more of a living hell.
Not that even a billionaire and his sister would be able to stop her, Regina thought bitterly. She shook her head as she walked quickly past the main entrance with the marble entryway that Cora had insisted on and the inn was still paying for. She nearly ran into a man in a black suit with a thin black tie. Regina assumed he was part of the billionaire's security team and simply apologized and kept walking.
As soon as Regina turned twenty-five, her father's will stipulated that the inn would go to Regina as long as she had worked faithfully in service to the inn. There was no doubt in Regina's mind that she had worked her butt off for the inn, so all that remained was time. Six more months and the inn could be rescued from Cora's horrible management. Not only did Cora not have any idea how to run the inn, those IRS letters on her desk gave Regina a bad feeling.
Regina hurried to the side entrance and snuck outside just as three limos, followed by cars with unpronounceable Italian names opened their doors. From the corner of the building, Regina watched as Cora stepped out and greeted the billionaire wedding party.
It was a bitter pill to swallow. Regina had done everything in her power to make this happen, but she was forbidden from the final step. She wasn't even going to be allowed to witness the wedding or the reception. Cora had already informed her being seen at either would result in a serious pay cut.
It had been Regina's idea to send the inn's brochure, along with the extra three photographs, to Mary Margaret Blanchard. It was Regina who had done all the legwork, gotten everything in motion, worked with the wedding planner, and ultimately done all the labor to get to this day. Well, as much work as one could do without ever getting to talk to anyone important. There was no way Cora would let those golden strings attached to important people slip through her fingers. Cora was the voice on the phone while Regina had been the body.
With a frustrated sigh, Regina turned from the entrance and continued along the side path, making her way toward the small barn on the property. Someday, this upstate New York property would be hers. All of it. The beautiful 1920's style mansion nestled against the lake and all the property that came with it would be hers to turn into something people waited months to stay at.
Six more months and her dreams for this place could come true. She'd been saving her paychecks for years now so she could actually hire and retain good workers, as well as replace all the bargain priced junk Cora insisted was quality.
"Are you actually going to be able to leave on time today?" Granny asked, falling in-step with Regina and breaking her train of thought. Despite Regina's quick pace, the stout older woman kept up easily, used to hard work. She was one of the few workers at the inn that had stayed after Regina's father died. Almost everyone else had left when Cora refused to pay a decent wage.
"I wish." Regina shook her head. "I'm headed to the barn for a quick break. I still have to finish the linens for tomorrow. And get the rehearsal dinner set up in the dining room."
"And fourteen other things too, I imagine." Granny sighed, shaking her head. "That woman makes you do too much. It's not fair, Regina. You deserve better than what she gives you."
"You tell her that," Regina replied with a shrug. "Cora might actually listen to you."
"Hell no. I'd like to keep living a few more years." Granny shuddered and made the sign of the cross over her chest. "I'm fairly certain the only reason she's still breathing is because the Devil is too scared to come get her."
Regina chuckled. At least she wasn't the only person on the grounds who disliked Cora. She stopped and fixed one of the loose stones on the path, making sure it stayed neat and organized. A decent gardener was on her list of people to hire. "Six months, Granny. Six months and I'm going to run this place. Things will go back to the way they should be."
"I'll be here to help whenever that happens." Granny patted her shoulder, the motion motherly and comforting. It made Regina's heart ache in a way she couldn't describe. Even though she was twenty-four years old, she still felt like a lost child sometimes. Granny was closer to a mother for Regina than Cora ever was. "Don't work too hard, Regina. I'll see you tomorrow."
Regina nodded, watching the older woman turn and head for the employee parking lot hidden behind the inn. She watched for a moment as the rest of the housekeeping day staff laughed and climbed into cars to head home. But not Regina. No, Regina still had more work to do. With a sigh, she kept walking.
The last of the day's warm June sunshine fell on her shoulders, as she stepped nimbly down the carefully tended pathways. Every step reminded her of her father. Henry Mills had loved tending all the gardens surrounding the inn. As a child, the two of them had planted flower after flower in the summers. The annuals they planted were currently in full bloom, making the memories even closer. The two of them had been happy.
She missed him. He had already been dead for five years, but the ache of his loss still hurt. Things had been good when he was home. Even when he decided to marry Cora, things had been pleasant. And then he died and everything had changed.
Regina shook her head and stopped thinking about the past. She paused next to the red barn and looked out at the lake. The lake was what gave The Tavern and Inn Resort its name and beauty. The sun was slowly making her way down to the far edge of the shore, pulling up the water like a blanket and turning the sky from blue to orange and slowly to purple. The lake, calm and clear, reflected every color back up.
A soft snort came from inside the barn. With one last glance at the sky, Regina stepped into the barn. The smells of clean hay and warm leather filled her nose. They were comforting smells and she breathed them in deeply. She was technically on her dinner break, but she wasn't hungry enough to eat. Besides, the horses could use an extra grooming so that they would look their best for the high-profile guests.
She turned on the lights, letting the warm yellow glow wash over the small barn. This was one of the few places that her stepmother hadn't tried to change since her father's death. It didn't make sense to remodel a barn, let alone to make it fancier, so Cora had let it be. It was now Regina's place of refuge. A safe place where she could hide from her stepmother's evil glare and just be herself.
Only two horses currently called the space home, despite there being room for many more. When her father was alive, there had been a full-time stable hand. His name had been Daniel. They had started to get close at one time, but that had ended. There had also been trail horses for guests to ride in addition to the delicate white carriages used for wedding ceremonies. But that was long ago.
Now, Regina was just glad she had managed to convince her stepmother to keep two snow white geldings to pull the last remaining carriage. The fact that her father had already paid for them and that Regina had made a feed deal with a local farmer had helped, but she was still always afraid her stepmother would sell the two horses without telling her. Luckily, the horse-drawn carriage was a big wedding draw, so she had managed to keep the two horses. Regina secretly suspected that Cora just kept them around as a way to threaten Regina into behaving, but she didn't care. It meant they were still here.
Picking up a brush, she opened the stable door to Queen's stall and stepped inside. A soft whinny from the other side of the wall made her smile. "You'll get your turn next, you big baby," Regina called to the other gelding. Outlaw huffed and put his head over the doorway, trying to peer in at her. His insistence made her smile. At least someone was happy to see her.
She started with the curry comb, brushing Queen's muscular shoulders with short, strong circles. Queen closed her big dark eyes and leaned into her, practically purring from the extra attention. She focused her attention on her coat, using the brush as a vent for all her frustration. She lost herself to the motions of the curry comb on Queen's white coat. Here, she could dream and be herself. Here, no one yelled at her or told her that her best wasn't enough.
She was finishing with the curry comb and moving to the hard brush when she noticed Queen's ears perk and her eyes shoot open. She knew that the grooming session wasn't over yet, so the only reason for her to look around was if something interesting was happening.
She looked out the stall door just in time to see someone dart into one of the empty stalls near the doorway. Regina frowned, pushing her hair out of her face with her elbow. People, especially guests, weren't supposed to be in here. Irritation rose in her chest that someone would dare disturb her special place, especially today.
She left Queen in her stall, gripping the hard brush in her hand like a weapon.
"You can't be in here," she growled, putting her hands on her hips and staring at the man hiding in the darkened stall.
"I'm sorry, please-" the man moved slightly and she nearly lost her nerve. He was gorgeous. Perhaps the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. He had defined cheekbones, dark blonde hair, and blue eyes that reminded her of the sky on a calm day. And that was just his face.
"You can't be in here, sir," she amended, remembering that he was probably one of the billionaire's guests and that she should at least be a little polite. He was wearing a very nice, pale blue dress shirt and slacks that probably cost more than she saved in a year.
"Please, don't make me leave." The man's beautiful eyes darted toward the open barn door and he crouched a little lower behind the stall. "I just need five minutes."
"For what?" The words came out sharper than she intended, especially if he was one of the billionaire wedding guests. She couldn't take her frustration with Cora out on them, so she crossed her arms, hoping that the man didn't have some sort of strange horse fetish.
The man blushed slightly, somehow making him more handsome. "I just need them to not find me. Please."
It was the please that did it. That and the eyes. Those blue eyes stared straight into her soul and spoke to her. She'd never seen such eyes as his before.
The sound of women's laughter floated on the evening air into the barn. Something about it set her teeth on edge. It wasn't cruel laughter, but it wasn't exactly friendly either. She moved from the stall door to look out, finding herself facing four extremely attractive women.
"Robin, where are you?" One of them called out with a giggle. She was blonde and wearing the tallest high-heeled shoes Regina had ever seen. The blonde looked like she had just stepped out of a high-fashion photo shoot, rather than someone walking around the lake shore at night.
"Them?" Regina mouthed, glancing back at the man. He nodded. She raised her eyebrows, unsure of why a man would be hiding from four beautiful women. The other three following the blonde were just as incredible. All of them were jaw-dropping stunning, and wearing clothes that screamed dollar signs. In her experience, a man as attractive as he was should be working his game, not hiding in a horse stall.
"Oh, hi." The blonde noticed her and stopped, giving her a once over that left Regina feeling naked and small. "You haven't seen a handsome, soon-to-be-ineligible bachelor anywhere around here have you?"
Regina glanced back into the barn, seeing only the man's blue eyes pleading with her. She sighed, knowing that she was going to rescue him. She always was a sucker for blue eyes and a good rescue.
"Nope," Regina answered with a shrug. "Haven't seen anyone. Besides, guests aren't allowed in here. I'd recommend checking the main gazebo or the lobby bar."
"Damn." The blonde moved her lips into a pout that accentuated how perfect they were. Without another glance or word to Regina, she turned and continued walking. "Okay, girls. Let's go find us a bachelor!"
The other three tittered and giggled like some sort of strange bird-creatures as they followed the blonde into the growing dark. Regina stared after them as they continued their search, teetering on their stilt-like heels down the path. She wondered just how far they were going to make it on the cobblestone pathway before they either gave up or broke their necks.
She waited until the four women were safely out of earshot before returning to the stall. "They're gone," she told the man.
Slowly, he stood up from behind the door and Regina nearly lost her breath. In addition to having rescue-worthy blue eyes, he was tall. And built. And handsome. And British. And so many other adjectives that her brain was having a hard time focusing on the English language.
"Thank you," the man said, a soft smile making his features somehow even more attractive. He held out a hand. "I'm Robin."
"Hi, Robin," Regina replied, taking her hand in hers and hoping she didn't sound as breathless as she felt. "I'm Regina."
"It's nice to meet you." His voice was deep and warm, and softened by the smile on his face.
Let go of his hand. Let go of his hand... Regina's mind chanted and she blushed as she finally released him. She needed to get a hold of herself. Handsome guests came and went all the time. He was no different than any other guest. She couldn't afford to let a pretty face distract her from her goals.
"So, who were they, and why were you hiding from them?" Regina asked, turning away and heading back toward Queen's stall to finish brushing her.
"Vultures," Robin replied, making a sour face and glancing at the door. "I really do appreciate you throwing them off my trail."
Regina chuckled. "We're all about customer service here."
"Would you mind if I hid out here for just a little longer?" he asked, his eyes going to hers again and giving her that same lightheaded feeling as before. "Just to make sure they're gone."
"You mean you don't want to hang out with your adoring fans?" Regina teased. She paused, not really wanting to turn him away yet. It was strange, but she wanted him to stay. Maybe it was just because he was incredibly good looking, or maybe it was the way he smiled at her but she wasn't ready for him to leave. "I suppose it's okay. But, if you're in the barn, you have to work."
Regina glanced at the open doorway again. "I'll muck out stalls if that's what it takes."
Regina studied him for a moment, debating the wisdom of letting a guest stay and help in the barn. While the idea of him wearing those designer shoes mucking out the stalls was amusing, there was a reason guests weren't allowed in there, and it wasn't just for liability issues. It was her space. Yet, it would be nice to have some company. Robin, noticing her thinking, fluttered his eyelashes and pouted his lower lip out, looking for the entire world like a helpless puppy. Regina couldn't stop the laugh from escaping her. There was no way to say no to that face.
She grinned and reached over to her tools, handing him the curry comb. "You're in luck. The mucking is done. But the horses do need to be groomed."
Robin grinned, momentarily dazzling her with his smile and those dimples of his as he reached for the comb. His fingers connected with hers and for a moment, the world stopped spinning. Heat sizzled up from her toes, around her spine, and back down again.
Regina blushed, pulling back and pointing to the second stall with a white horse head poking out. "That's Outlaw." She hoped he didn't notice the husky quality her voice had suddenly taken on, or the way her heart was thudding in her chest from their brief contact.
Robin moved easily over to the stall, going inside as if he knew exactly what he was doing. Regina waited at the stall door, watching to make sure the Robin didn't need any help. The last thing she wanted was for Outlaw to misbehave.
Robin paused at the stall door, making sure that Outlaw had ample opportunity to know he was coming. Outlaw's ears flicked back and forth, curious about the man with the brush saying hello. Every inch of Robin exuded confidence and tranquility, as he stepped forward and let the horse smell his hand before gently stroking his neck. Outlaw let out a friendly huff, eagerly presenting himself for a brushing from his new friend.
"Where'd you learn about horses?" Regina asked, intrigued at how easily the man had won over the gelding. Outlaw's eyes were already closed in happy bliss as Robin worked strong circles with the curry comb.
"I played polo as a teenager," Robin replied, his tone light and his eyes focused on Outlaw.
"Polo?" Regina repeated. Playing polo meant he came from serious money. She should have guessed, since had to be at the inn for the wedding. Suddenly the very nice shoes and expensive clothes made more sense. It made her shudder a little bit to think of just how much he must have paid for those shoes and how easily he was willing to be around horses in them. Money was of no object to a man like him.
"Yeah. I was never very good, but my mother wanted me to play. Be like the other kids." He paused in his grooming and grinned at her. "I didn't like the game, but I did like the horses."
"You're certainly good with them," Regina replied, watching his hands move across the gelding's coat. His movement was strong and sure, and for a moment, she wondered what it would be like to have his hands on her like that. Touching her skin, her legs, her arms, her back...
Heat rushed through her and she shook her head, trying to clear the thought. The man was a guest. She shouldn't have those kinds of thoughts about a guest, no matter how handsome he was. Business before pleasure.
"What about you?" Robin paused in his brushing once more to look at her, earning him a grumpy foot stomp from Outlaw. He quickly resumed his deep, even strokes. "Where'd you learn about horses?"
"Here." Regina glanced around the barn, remembering countless days spent grooming, mucking, riding, and mending tack. "My family owns the inn, and I basically grew up with Outlaw and Queen."
"Ah, so you're part of the infamous Mills Family." It wasn't a question. It was a judgment.
Regina's hand hovered over Queen's smooth coat. While it was technically true that she was part of the Mills Family, it wasn't something she wanted to be associated with. Cora Mills was her stepmother, not her family. Regina chewed on her lip, hating the way it sounded. Cora was the known gold-digger that had accidentally married a nearly bankrupt man with only an inn to his name. She was a joke, even if Regina didn't find it funny.
"I guess you could say that..." The words were thick on Regina's tongue. How do you explain to a complete stranger that your family is not your family? No one ever remembered that Henry Mills had a daughter, or that she got nothing but a promise when her father died due to the way Cora had restructured the will.
"I apologize," Robin said, stopping his brushing and looking at her. "That was rude of me and I apologize."
"Oh, it's nothing," Regina quickly countered, doing her best to smile and wave it away. "It comes with the territory. Happens all the time."
"It shouldn't. You obviously aren't Cora Mills, and her sins shouldn't pass to you." Robin waited until she nodded before resuming the quiet pattern of his brush. "I, more than anyone, should know that."
Her chest went heavy with emotion. No one ever apologized to her about lumping her with Cora, and it honestly was refreshing to have someone say it out loud. "Thank you," Regina whispered.
"So, you obviously work here," Robin said, trying to change the topic to something easier. He moved around Outlaw, working the brush. Bits of hay stuck to his expensive shirt, but he didn't seem to mind. If anything, he seemed to be relaxing and possibly even enjoying himself. "It must be wonderful to work in a place so beautiful."
"It's my dream to make it even better," she blurted out quickly. The words escaped her mouth before she knew what she was saying. She never told anyone that. Ever. Yet, here with Robin in the barn, a man she'd known for about ten minutes, she had spilled her guts. Shame and regret flooded her stomach. Why in the world had she even let him in the barn? She should have just kicked him out when she had the chance. She waited for the snide laughter that she assumed was coming.
But it never came.
"Even better?" Robin sounded impressed, rather than derisive. "You managed to convince a billionaire family to hold their wedding here. I think you've got a pretty good place."
Regina stared at him for a moment, watching his hands move across Outlaw's white coat as she searched for the words. No one ever told her that she had a good place. Especially not Cora.
"It can be better," she mumbled.
"Better? How?"
"It's nothing big." He had to be leading her on. She'd tell him and he'd laugh at her and tell her how silly it was. A foolish little girl's dream. Impossible. Gripping the brush tight, she focused on Queen's grooming, wishing she had just kept her mouth shut. "It's not important."
"Regina." The way he said her name made her look up. He was smiling at her, and not in a way that made her feel little or stupid. The way he was looking at her made her feel special. Important. Like maybe her dreams were important. "Tell me. I'm actually interested."
It felt like she could cook eggs on her cheeks they were so hot. Something like hope or pride filled her chest. The words tumbled out, desperate to be heard by someone who might think they were worthwhile.
"I want to make this place the number one hotel in the state. Then, make it best in the region, and then, maybe even in the country. I want to upgrade the restaurant to a five-star rating, and get boats back out on the lake. I want every billionaire wedding to come here, not just one." Flustered and hot, she stopped. There was a reason she stopped telling people this. He was going to think she was silly. He was going to laugh at her.
But he didn't.
"Ambitious," he replied. She looked up to see him thoughtful as he paused in Outlaw's brushing to consider her words. "I like it."
"Seriously?" she asked, honestly surprised. "You aren't going to make fun of me for it? Tell me it's impossible? That it will cost too much or never be worth it?"
"Why would I make fun of you?" he asked. "You have a dream. From what I've seen of this place, it's doable. You have the space and the amenities. It'll be a lot of work, but it's not impossible."
Regina openly stared at him. Her stepmother always ridiculed her plans. The other maids told her she was too ambitious and to aim lower. Zelena, her stepsister, would just sigh and shake her head. No one ever believed she could do it. But Robin did. Robin thought she could.
Hope blossomed in her chest, finally finding a source of encouragement. Regina knew it didn't really mean much. He was just a random wedding guest. What could he actually know about running or managing an inn and resort? Yet, his kind words touched her in a way that few words had.
"Do you have a hard brush? I'm done with the curry comb," Robin announced, stepping back to view his work.
"Of course." Regina picked up the heavy wooden brush and thought about just handing it over iron bars separating the top half of the stalls, but she didn't. Instead, she went to the door and walked around, entering Outlaw's stall with Robin.
She didn't know why she did it. She knew she should keep her distance from this man since he was a guest, but her body moved on its own accord and suddenly, she was standing very close to him. She had meant to say something clever and cute, but now that she was actually within touching distance, her brain went blank. Outlaw stood quietly to the side, watching the two of them with uninterested ease as he waited for the rest of his grooming.
Her mouth went dry. "Here," she said, holding out the brush, her heart pounding for no reason that she could come up with.
He took a step toward her, closing the small distance between them in half a heartbeat. She could smell the soft scent of his aftershave. It was a nice clean scent, something with pleasant cedar notes that reminded her of camping under the stars. It was hard not to get melty when a guy smelled that good.
"Thank you." He was suddenly very, very close. His hand closed around hers and the brush. The first time they'd touched had nothing on this. This time, her entire body tingled and goose bumps spread down her arms. She was sure he could hear the pounding of her heart in her chest.
His eyes were so blue they physically made her ache. The deep blue within them only made her think of sapphires and wonderful secrets, but it was the warmth with which he was looking at her right now that had her gasping for breath.
Outlaw shuffled his feet, unhappy with the lack of brushing. His rump ran directly into Regina's shoulder and knocked her off balance. Her arms flailed as she tumbled toward the ground, but she didn't fall. Robin caught her. As if in slow motion, his hand moved to her waist, pulling her in close to him. His strong body steadied hers, holding her upright and against him. Her hand splayed out on his chest, pressing against the firm muscle under his fine-linen dress shirt.
A tantalizing surge of desire to kiss him welled up inside of her. How would he taste? Her lips needed to know, to reach out and touch him. Somehow, probably instinctively, she knew without a doubt that kissing him would be like tasting heaven.
Regina's brain worked in slow motion, desire warring with reason. She just met this man and he was a guest. She shouldn't be leaning in, rising up on her tiptoes, closing her eyes and holding her breath for him to do the same. Yet, all she wanted in this moment was this kiss. This perfect kiss.
Just one moment.
One kiss...
She was glad she rescued him from the vultures.