The Other Swan Sister: The Sequel

Chapter 18

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were a mermaid." Regina calls out after another few minutes of you being in the water.
"Is that a compliment? I've seen movies of mermaids seducing the pirates to get in the water and then they kill them."
"Delightful as ever, dear." She quips.
"Clearly I'm not a very good mermaid because I couldn't convince you to get in." You pout as you swim back up to Regina's rock.
"You think it's that easy?" She raises an eyebrow.
"You're not exactly a pirate but... I thought I could get close."
"You're closer than you think, dear." She leans down closer to your face.
"I'll drive home. Straight to mine. You can shower and get ready. And I can cook you dinner. No one will know. Come on." You get closer to her face, watching her eyes decide.
"Okay." She grins before kissing you.
Before you can pull away, you grab her upper body and pull her in on top of you.
She shrieks and you can't help the carefree laugh that escapes as you catch her under the water.
"I have all my clothes on." She complains as her blouse sticks to her.
"I'll buy you new ones." You help her undo her blouse as she reveals a simple cami underneath. Classy, as always. "Isn't it worth it?" You smile as she places her hands on your shoulders to steady herself.
"I've never done anything like this in my life." She practically tips her head back, feeling free.
You watch the sight with a swelling heart.
"How do you still look so good after that?" You exclaim, pushing her wet hair back.
She twists her lips as she tries to hide her grin, her hands wrapping around your neck.
You kiss her gently and she pulls herself tighter.
"Please don't go anywhere." She whispers as you both pull away slightly.
You lean back to look at her fully, she looks slightly embarrassed.
"Not whilst you're here." You smile gently. "Why do you think I've stayed?"
Her eyes light up slightly and you enjoy the moment for a quick second before swirling her around the water and dumping both of you under.

You've been sunning yourselves on the warm rocks for a few minutes and after a while you turn your head to look at the brunette woman under the sun.
"Something interesting, dear?" She asks, not once moving.
"Someone." You quip. She tilts her head to look at you, a pleasant smile on her face. You look at each other for a moment. "I could stay here forever." You exhale, relaxed.
She reaches a hand out and brushes some hair behind your ear.
"Me too." She whispers.

"My seats are going to be wet for weeks." She grimaces as she starts up the car.
You just chuckle at the uptight woman.

"Okay, hang on," you begin rusting through your somewhat organised things. "Let me get you a towel."
"You know- you don't have to keep paying to stay here, dear." Regina sympathetically responds.
"That's what my mom said." You finally grab a towel. You fail to notice Regina's posture stiffen at your response. "Is that your attempt at getting me to stay over?" You tease with a grin.
She simply smirks at you, taking the towel in her hands.
"No, that was my attempt to be generous, Miss Swan." She begins strutting to the bathroom and for a moment you lose thought.
"I'm kidding, Regina." You smile at her. "I appreciate it a lot. But let me help you out today, first."
"If you wish." She continues to the bathroom, putting down her towel. Before she shuts the door she looks at you. "Are you going to watch me?"
You immediately close your mouth and try to zap your brain into order.
"No-" you shake your head. "I just- wondered if you needed anything... else."
"Perhaps a change of clothes?" She smirks.
"Right." You immediately get into action and notice she closes the door slightly in the same moment.
You scramble about for something remotely appropriate or at-least something you think she would like.
You settle on a blouse you found, somehow; and the option of trousers or jeans.
Folding it up nicely you turn to place it on the chair outside the door, in doing so you see the breeze from the window has pulled open the door a little more.
Freezing in motion, you step closer and put the clothes down; fighting every instinct in you to look inside or even just join her. You're not at that point yet.
You've only kissed a few times... that's it.
You don't even know where you stand, realistically.
The water then abruptly stops and you internally kick yourself for even considering opening the door.
You step back and try to clean up just in time before an even more beautiful looking Regina opens the door.
"Bathroom's free, dear." She smiles. You try hopelessly to keep your eyes elsewhere but the vision of her in a towel has you daydreaming about domestic life with such a goddess. "Are these for me?"
"Yeah. It's the best I could pick out." You shrug. "Sorry."
"Don't be sorry." She simply states, picking up the clothes and examining them. "Thank you."
You begin to apologise but bite your tongue, fast.
"No problem." You nod before giving her the privacy and entering the bathroom, ready to shower.

Stepping out and into the steamy bathroom, you peak around the door to see Regina, fully dressed and folding up her previous clothes.
"I can get you a bag, for those." You interject.
She jumps slightly. "Sorry."
"Should I expect more creeping up on me, Miss Swan?" She teases.
"I make no promises, Madame Mayor." You quip, stepping into the room and deciding on some clothes. "Everything you might need is on the vanity, help yourself." You add on.
"Thank you." She nods and busies herself with the hairdryer.
Your phone begins to buzz in your pocket and so you grab your clothes and shut yourself in the bathroom.
It's Emma.
"Hello?"
"Where the hell are you? We've been trying to contact you all day."
"Okay, calm down. I went for a walk." You lie, rolling your eyes.
"A walk off the edge of the earth?!" Emma fires back.
"Why does it matter? I'm a grown adult and I have my own space here... I don't want to be coddled every moment."
"That's not what this is." Emma begins. "If you don't tell us where you're going and we can't contact you, Mom and Dad are gonna freak. You know what they're like... and I'm the sherif! I have to make sure you're okay."
"Oh, well I appreciate the concern sherif but it's okay." You sarcastically retort.
"Are you with someone?" She tunes in to the hairdryer in the background.
"No. Goodbye, Em." You hang up abruptly, unwilling to get into that conversation again.

"I've left the hairdryer out for you." The regal brunette announces as you leave the bathroom, a towel squeezing the water out of your hair.
"Oh. Thank you, but- I don't normally dry my hair."
You dressed in the bathroom, all to be done is your hair.
"You don't?" She frowns at you as you brush through it.
"Nope."
"You have to. You'll catch a cold." She perches on the edge of the bed.
"I can never be bothered." You shrug, spraying a little perfume.
"I'll do it for you." Regina stands.
"You really don't have to-"
"Sit." She instructs.
You smile at her through the mirror as you sit in front of her, desperately trying to hide the bliss you feel with her hands in your hair.

"There." She muses at you in the mirror. "Beautiful."
"Thank you." You blush slightly. Gazing at her in the mirror.
You snap back as Regina turns to clear up. "Emma called me." You begin, Regina rolls her eyes. "Asking where I'd been."
"And what did you say, dear?"
"I said I was walking." You chuckle.
"I doubt she believed you." Regina smirks.
"Can I ask you something?" You shift slightly in your seat. The older brunette nods. "Do you really not believe Henry's stories?"
"Is this your way of telling me that you do?" She smirks.
"No." You batt it off. "I just... I think it's a funny coincidence that Henry told me I'd fall for you and-"
"You're falling for me?" Her mouth slightly agape.