Intrigued

Chapter 2

Regina had caught herself staring at Emma constantly throughout dinner. They hadn't shared a word after their brief conversation and now that everyone was finished, Emma helped to clear the table, but hurried off upstairs afterwards.

"Does anyone want to play a boardgame with me? They've got an entire cabinet filled them," Mary Margaret said. Regina looked up from the book she was reading and shared a look with Ingrid, before she nodded.

"Sounds fun," she said and Ingrid nodded agreed. She folded the corner of the page she was reading, reminding herself she desperately needed to get some book marks and got off the couch. "Shall I ask Emma if she wants to join?"

Mary Margaret hesitated for a moment. "You can try," she eventually said. "But don't push her. If she doesn't want to, just let it be."

Regina smiled broadly and hurried upstairs. She'd taken it upon herself to get Emma to find some joy in life, just like everyone in the family was trying to do. She vowed to get Emma to smile genuinely at least once this vacation.

She knocked on the door, while she opened it. She caught Emma covering a book with her duvet, making sure Regina wouldn't catch it. The girl's cheeks were slightly flushed and she looked innocently at Regina.

"Everything okay?" Regina asked and Emma gave her a curt nod. "What were you reading?"

She tried to make eye contact with Emma, but the girl easily avoided her gaze. She glanced through the window and Regina bit her lower lip briefly. She approached Emma's bed and sat down on the edge.

"I adore reading," she said. "May I?" She held her hand up, but Emma shook her head and put her hand protectively on the book underneath the covers.

"Rather not," she replied.

"Okay," Regina said, with a small smile. "We're going to play a boardgame, do you want to join?"

"No, thank you."

"Caught up in your book?" Regina asked. She could see Emma's cheeks turn a slightly darker hue of red and her main guess was that Emma was reading something sexually tinted. She couldn't blame the girl, though. Every teenager had sexual desire from time to time. Well, not every teenager, but quite a lot. "You know, I can tell you're not commiting to them on purpose. I'm just not sure why."

Emma merely shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about." It was an obvious lie, but Regina decided not to press.

"Everyone would really love it if you'd join. I think including you. It's your choice, though," Regina said with a genuine smile and got off the bed.

Emma didn't reply.

"You should know, I'm going to take every opportunity to hold a conversation with you this vacation and I'm going to beg you to join every group activity we do," Regina said smugly and she felt her heart flutter when a genuine chuckle left Emma's lips. That was one thing she'd accomplished today.

"I haven't heard you beg just yet," the blonde said with the corner of her lip curled up into a smile.

Regina raised her eyebrows and went down on her knees. She clasped her hands together and suppressed a smile. It'd been a while since she's last begged a girl for something.

"Emma..." She wanted to address her full name, but she realized that she didn't even know Emma's last name.

"Swan," Emma helped her.

"Emma Swan, I ask, nay, I beg you, I am on my knees to beg you to come play a game with me and Mary Margaret, Ingrid and David," Regina pleaded with a smile and chuckled softly.