Author's Note: So sorry for the long delay in updating. I hope everyone is having a good start to the holiday season. Thanks to paradoxalpoised for the quick check before this update went to press.

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Part 8

When Emma felt Regina go boneless and mold lush curves to her body, Emma reluctantly ended the kiss. Regina's look of consternation brought Emma's hand back to cup her cheek as she spoke. "I didn't come here for more," Emma murmured.

"Why would you suggest we have business then?" Regina asked.

"I didn't want Grace to hear what I wanted to discuss with you."

"So reminding her I run a whorehouse was your first thought?"

"Why are you upset? You do run a whorehouse."

"It's not the only thing I do. We do. Here." Regina huffed.

"God damn, woman. I know that. What the hell? I didn't come here - Shit." Emma pulled back, pulling her hand through her own hair. "I was worried. About you."

"You have already expressed yourself on that matter. Several times. I do not need to hear it again. You could always leave. I can take care of myself."

"I can't," Emma replied.

"Can't take care of yourself?"

"Can't leave," Emma corrected.

Regina opened her mouth. Emma didn't want to hear more protest. No more words. She stepped forward, reached out and snagged Regina Mills around the waist, pulling the woman's to her, and melded their lips together.

This time she was uncontent with chaste. With her tongue, she plundered Regina's mouth, extracting a moan that vibrated within the chest pressed against her own. Regina tasted of cider and cinnamon, sweet and spicy, and it caused wetness to pool between Emma's thighs. She groaned into the heat of Regina's mouth, and ground her hips into Regina's.

The motion started to set Regina off-balance and she stepped back. Emma followed and swallowed an "oof" when the brunette's back crashed into a larder door. Regina's hands tangled in Emma's hair, holding their faces together while Emma sucked and pecked at patches of skin, hungry for every taste of the flawless flesh. She palmed a breast, abrading the nipple through the bodice until the motion moved it down and she had a sweet, bountiful mound cupped in her palm. Her thumb teased the stiffening nipple.

Emma lowered her arm from Regina's waist, cupping and lifting the woman's rear and backing her onto the counter. Mouths still locked together, Emma felt Regina's thighs encircle her hips, the skirt of her dress bunching above her knees.

Emma lowered her mouth from Regina's to nip and teethe at the soft underside of the brunette's throat, the loose dark silken hairs of the woman's nape tickling her lips. A soft thud signaled Regina had thrown her head back into a wood cabinet. Emma's hand slipped from breast to thigh, pushing underneath the gown to the warmth of Regina's center. She felt the warmth against her own belly.

Her heart stampeded like a herd of wild horses echoing in her ears. Then it stuttered. A delicate hand had found its way to Emma's clavicle, brushing against the skin, parting the buttons of her flannel shirt.

"Regina," she breathed.

The woman's lips pressed to revealed skin. Then Emma was snared, utterly and completely, by her name in a voice smooth as 30-year-old whiskey.

"Emma."

Emma breathed into the dark hair, soothing her fingers over Regina's neck while the woman's lips continued to press against her own heated flesh. "Your room?"

She heard Regina's breath catch. Then the woman nodded against Emma's belly, taking Emma's hand from her neck as she straightened upright.

Dazed, Emma followed as Regina slid from the counter and led her by the hand to a set of narrow stairs. It was barely wide enough for her, and Emma knew instinctively no man had ever traversed these steps.

Regina's hand grew slightly damp in Emma's palm, conveying her nervousness. Emma squeezed it gently. In the darkness she heard Regina's small inhale.

At the top of the landing, Regina turned to the right and a small doorway opened. Moonlight spilling through a window was the only navigable lighting. Furnishings in silhouette gave shape to a simple room. Within the private space Emma identified the outlines of a dresser, a plain mirror reflecting the moon's beams atop, and a small table beside a box framed bed.

Emma pulled Regina against her before the woman could step further inside. Front to back, she stroked her hands up and down the woman's waist, then upward to part buttons. Emma kissed Regina's throat when the woman's head lolled back against her shoulder. The gown parted and Emma slid it from soft shoulders, palming breasts with both hands. Regina's moan vibrated the skin beneath Emma's lips.

The gown held to hips until Emma pushed the fabric down and it pooled on the floor over their feet. Regina stepped out and turned in Emma's arms, melding their lips together once more.

Then Regina was disrobing Emma. It was all sensation: warmth on her breasts, feather light touches on her hips, hands grasping her legs, and finally strokes between her thighs.

Skin to skin at last, the women fell to the bed, wood frame creaking ominously, barely separating save to assure the other was unhurt.

Fingers caressed skin, chased by soft lips. The moonlight touched them, creating more paths on their bodies to explore. Emma writhed under Regina's attention, only to grasp the woman and turn them over to worship Regina with the fervor of an acolyte to a goddess.

Regina awakened at the sound of feet passing outside her door. She started upward only to be caught by arms squeezing gently. The moon had set. From the shadows depths around the room, Regina knew the sun was about to rise. Reaching out from beneath the warm covers and warmer arm, she lifted her father's pocket watch from the small table beside the bed. She blinked until her eyes adjusted and she could read the hands. The time was just before five. She exhaled, glancing over her shoulder in a quandary.

"I can sneak out." Emma's breath was warm against Regina's neck, and she shivered. In that same moment, she changed her mind. She grasped the hand that had fallen back to her hip, and cupped it to her belly. Emma's tiny strokes there made Regina's eyes close oh so gently, absorbing the tenderness.

"Don't go," she whispered, afraid and hopeful at the same time. There was something about Emma Swan that made Regina want to hold her close, and want to be held close.

Emma lifted up, her golden hair, the bright spot in the dim room, fell all around Regina's shoulders as she lowered down. Green eyes became Regina's whole world. Her name was breathed against her lips just before Emma's nose slid alongside her own, and her mouth was teased open with dancing little nips, extracting a helpless moan.

She arched her back, lifting herself into Emma's body. Emma's hands were hot against her, addictive, safe, protective. Emma cupped under her head, pulling her up, before caressing her back as she moved with hot kisses down Regina's torso. Emma spread her thighs with her own body first, then with hands and, finally, claimed her with a caressing tongue.

Regina stroked her hands through Emma's hair, whispering her name over and over again, feeling lighter than air, and yet so secure it felt like she was a baby being rocked to sleep. Then she was releasing with every muscle, her throat opening, and she cried out.

Emma held her, but the sound was still echoing in Regina's ears when rapping sounded against the door. Regina hid her face in Emma's breasts, with Emma's fingers tangling and untangling in her hair.

"Regina!" It was Vivian. The door was opening before either could move.

Light from the hall spilled in a small circle. Regina knew both she and Emma were clearly seen.

Regina shook her head then spoke calmly, but distinctly enough to carry to the door. "Vivian, I'm fine. Please see to everyone's breakfast. I will be down in a few minutes."

"Will you need another place set?" Vivian spoke calm as you please and Regina felt her cheeks heat.

Regina covered Emma's mouth when the blonde chuckled. "Yes, please."

"Right nice of you to stay, Miss Emma. Caroline makes the best flapjacks."

Emma cleared her throat. "I'll be sure to take note."

"You do that. See you downstairs, Miss Regina."

The door snicked quietly back into place, leaving Regina in the darkness with Emma once more.

Emma pulled away from Regina and she closed her hand rather than resort to the reflex grasp she wanted to do. The small lamp on the other bedside suddenly cast the woman in its light, Emma's hand falling away from the pull string.

Back muscles rippled, magnetically pulling Regina's fingers toward them as Emma bent forward to the floor. She trailed down the edge of Emma's shoulder blade, hesitating at a rough patch. A closer look showed it to be a jagged scar. Regina bent forward and kissed it. Emma shifted away under her lips.

"What is your life, Emma Swan?" Regina breathed against the woman's hand when she turned to grasp Regina's hand and caught her face instead.

"When you look at me like that, I feel like I have one," Emma replied. A shadow of pain called to Regina from within green eyes. "You are such a fine woman." Regina leaned into the palm and gratifyingly saw the shadows fall away.

She rested her head on Emma's shoulder, stroking the top of Emma's breast. The moment, which Regina hesitantly was calling romantic in her head, was broken by a rumbling sound. She glanced down and smiled. She glanced up and caught Emma's sheepish smile. "Sounds like Caroline's flapjacks are calling your name."

Emma chuckled. "I'd rather you were calling my name… again." Emma kissed her. "But I guess we'd better step out before someone else comes looking for you."

Following Regina down the back staircase, Emma rolled her lower lip through her teeth nervously. She had been able to chuckle off Vivian finding her with Regina, but there would be the girl, Grace, and Areliz, and the other women of Regina's house. She didn't want to care what they thought of her.

But she did. Deeply. They thought so much of Regina, who was beginning to hold a really big piece of Emma's heart. Emma found herself wanting them to like her, too.

When she turned the corner, those seated around the kitchen table gave Regina a wide smile. One by one their gazes stumbled over Emma. Not one registered surprise, though a few - Grace among them - registered dismay. Vivian dipped her head when Emma caught her eye. Cautious intensity radiated from the gray eyes. Emma nodded back, accepting the unspoken demand.

All the girls and women got to their feet, circling around Regina and offering morning greetings. Emma stood back, watching Regina with each of them, asking about this or the other small thing in each one's life.

"Miss Emma."

She turned to see Grace had come to her shoulder. The girl's gaze was wary. "Yes?"

Emma sensed all eyes turning to her and the girl. "Miss Emma, would you take my seat to break your fast?" The girl blushed and sketched a clumsy curtsy.

Out of the corner of her eye, Emma saw Regina turn. Emma nodded and put her hand on Grace's shoulder. "Only so long as you have finished breaking yours, young lady."

Regina pulled Grace back to the table. Emma followed. The three of them settled, with a woman Emma did not know giving up her seat so that Emma could take it.

A dirtied plate was taken aside and a fresh stack of flapjacks was placed in front of Emma, along with a fresh mug of milk. Regina hugged Grace and smiled over the girl's head to Emma.

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