In The Depths Of Her Soul

Chapter Thirty

Those golden locks are shining brightly tonight beneath the luminous glow of the front porch light. Finally, Emma has taken her time to pay attention to the details of curling the bottom of her hair, just like when she did when they first met. She's hardly wearing any makeup, but it's more than what Regina is accustomed to seeing. Her mascara is increasing the length and width of her already long lashes, bringing out those stunning green irises that Regina loves so very much.

"Hi," Emma shyly mumbles, expressing just how nervous she truly is, ultimately provoking a smug smirk to tug at the corner of Regina's lips.

"Hello," she politely replies, noting just how slick her own hand has become wrapped around the doorknob from her own anxious nerves.

Emma abruptly jabs her hand between their small gap, surprising her with another red rose. "Henry insisted that I bring you another rose. He swore you loved the first one."

Tiny goosebumps spread all across that porcelain flesh and Regina is just realizing that it's the middle of February and Emma is standing outside in a sleeveless dress.

"Come in, you must be freezing," she kindly offers, stepping aside to allow her date some room to enter, but Emma's shaking her head.

"The car is running, so it's nice and warm for us. We don't want to be late."

"Oh, of course not," she says, smiling shyly before reaching for her small clutch and peacoat.

She double checks to make sure her keys are inside the purse and then proceeds to lock the front door.

When she's ready to go, she spins around to find Emma right behind her, still offering the rose that she has yet to accept. She can feel a stupid grin forming and she tries everything in her power to hide the dead giveaway of how much she truly adores the blonde. Her fingertips pinch the stem of the flower before she slowly brings the red petals to her nose. She inhales the wonderful, refreshing scent and smiles sweetly once again at her date.

"This is really sweet. I owe your son an ice cream sundae."

Emma lightly chuckles at the statement. "Well, if you provide him with a sundae, he's yours for the rest of the day. He'll be bouncing off the walls."

"That's alright, I miss him anyways since you two left," she admits, but then she second guesses herself and thinks maybe that's too much for a first date.

"He misses you, too," Emma easily admits, then gestures toward the car and Regina is happily nodding along because the bitter cold is starting to seep into her bones. "I have to say though, I believe he misses Evie more."

"I can accept that, but only because she's my daughter."

Emma smiles from ear to ear as they approach the car. The woman is quick to jump in front of her to open the car door and it takes everything in Regina not to laugh at how nervous she really is.

"Emma?"

The jittery woman holds the door open wide and leans against the metal frame. Her eyes are shifting all around, unsure if she actually wants to meet Regina's gaze.

"Yes?" She softly croaks out, those green irises finally drifting up to meet wholesome brown.

"It's just me," she calmly states, smiling so sweetly before she leans forward to place a gentle kiss to her flushing cheek. "Relax," she husks against her silky flesh, causing the blonde to create an audible gulp from straining to swallow.

Regina brushes passed her and climbs into the seat and watches as Emma gently closes the door and scurries toward the driver's side. She hastily jumps inside, most likely from her frozen limbs and slams her door. Her hands are as white as the pure snow after a storm, untouched, untainted by boots or cars. She places them in front of the vents to speed up the unthawing process and sighs in relief.