The Wedding Date (SwanQueen)

Admiration

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry about the wait! This chapter's short and sweet, I know, but I promise I'm fighting the writer's block and working on longer stuff. Cheers!

After re-joining the party, Kat came searching for Emma again, Neal not far behind.

"Emma! There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you!" Kat said, beaming at Emma like some starstruck toddler. In short, she was sauced.

Emma smiled to the best of her ability. "I needed some air."

Kat winked at her dramatically. "Oh, sure you did Ems."

"So, what do you want Kat?" Emma asked, irritated.

"Well, Kat and I were hoping the both of you would join us for dance lessons." Neal chimed in, trying to break up some of the tension.

"I don't know—"Emma began but Regina interjected.

"What she'd do without them. We'll be there." Regina said with a smirk, earning a glare from Emma.

"Yay!" Kat exclaimed and enveloped them both in an awkward hug. "This is going to be great!"

"Spectacular." Emma said as she pulled away, a tight smile on her face.

Regina noticed and leaned into Emma's ear while Neal distracted Kat momentarily.

"I'll make it worth your while, dear." She whispered, making Emma shiver ever so slightly.

Emma tried in vain to glare at her again, but her smile broke through. "You better."

That evening, after a predictably awkward congratulatory speech from Bunny, a few more drinks, and retiring to her parents quaint home in the city, Emma realized this was the happiest she'd been in months. Despite dealing with all of her familial drama, she was actually happy. Emma glanced at Regina briefly before unfolding a shirt. Would it be so bad to fall for the escort? Emma shook her head and laughed at herself quietly as she unpacked her suitcase.

"What's so funny, Miss Swan?" Emma heard Regina ask from behind her, her voice the epitome of velvet and midnight.

"Nothing really." Emma replied before she turned around to face her.

But as soon as she saw Regina, she froze, her jaw dropping like a star-struck idiot.

Regina was mid-strip, unhooking her bra ever so elegantly. Emma stared for a moment, lost in the sight in front of her, before whipping back around to face the wall.

"Um....why are you naked?" Emma asked, her voice cracked. 

"I'm going to take a shower, dear." Regina said with a dark chuckle. "Nudity is kind of a requirement."

Emma felt Regina's eyes run the length of her back and hot goose bumps followed in their wake. Regina smiled to herself as she rounded the bed in all her glory, and Emma looked down. She just knew she'd turn into a pitiful puddle on the floor if she saw Regina completely naked.

"You paid for the full package, Miss Swan." Regina said as she padded to the bathroom. "Feel free to enjoy the view."

Emma fought the urge to look until she just couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. She ventured a glance at Regina as she stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, singing to herself.

The woman was a goddess. Emma had to remind herself she wasn't hallucinating, and that Regina Mills was in fact a real person. Every single part of her was literally perfect, from her dark hair to her blood red pedicure.

A familiar heat raced up Emma's spine and she squirmed uncomfortably, suddenly set on finding something else to do than ogle her escort.