The Secrets Her Heart Keeps

Chapter Thirty-Five

"Regina, Hope! I'm home," Emma calls through the mansion, persuading a smirk to tug at the corner of Regina's mouth from the bold declaration.

Regina quickly scoops up Hope and greets Emma at the door just as she is slipping off her snowy boots. "Home, huh?" She teases, leaning forward to press a kiss to her cheek while their daughter bounces in her arms, babbling on and on about, mama.

"It kinda slipped out," Emma sheepishly admits, her cheeks flaring up an even brighter red than the bitter winter has already painted across them.

"It's fine," she waves her off as her girlfriend steals Hope from her arms and sloppily kisses her daughter's cheek. Regina invades her space, her warm breath tickling just below Emma's ear. "I actually like the sound of that," she seductively whispers, causing the startled woman to whip around to face her direction.

"Seriously?" Emma incredulously inquires, those glossy green eyes searching frantically across Regina's face for an explanation.

"You know I love having you and Hope here," she vows, strutting back into the living room to finish with her task, the sheriff following closely behind like a guard dog. "These past two weeks have been wonderful."

"I know, we love being here as well and we love when you come by our house too." Emma abruptly stops dead in her tracks as her eyes take in the twinkling gold lights and the immense amount of red draping every inch of the room. "Jeez Regina, it looks like the Christmas aisle in Macy's threw up all over this room."

"Is it bad?" She nervously asks, her insecurities crawling up her back and prickling against her neck while her eyes search for where she went wrong the decorations.

"No, it's absolutely stunning," Emma gasps, her eyes continuing to sweep over every detail. "It's like a professional came in here to decorate."

"Well, it's the first time, ever, that I'm hosting something in the mansion, and I wanted it to be perfect," she explains, still anxiously twisting her fingers together while she scans the room yet again.

"It's beautiful." Emma places a sweet kiss to the corner of her mouth, melting away the worries in an instant. "Everyone is going to love this."

"I hope so. Everyone should be arriving around five o'clock tomorrow," she mindlessly rambles, neurotically fixing a crooked bow on the Christmas tree, pretending not to notice Emma's skeptical eye on the side of her face.

"I know." And then her cool hand rests upon Regina's fiddling with the bow to desist her action. "Are you nervous about everyone finding out about us?"

She sighs heavily and slowly releases the satin fabric, avoiding her girlfriend's eyes like the plague. "A little," she quietly confesses because she doesn't want to make Emma anxious about the situation as well, it would be nice if one of them was level-headed walking into this.

"I swear there's nothing to worry about. Everyone is going to be so happy that we are together and working on rebuilding our family with Hope. We have a child together, two actually, being a couple will not offend anyone," Emma laughs which encourages their daughter to giggle as well.

Regina smiles instantly from that adorable sound and tickles Hope's tummy just to continue the sweet sound. "She sounds just like you when she laughs."

"You think?" Emma beams, grinning from ear to ear and examines their baby like it's the first time she's seeing her.

"I do," Regina softly concludes, running her fingers through Hope's ever-growing hair and wrapping her finger around one of those bouncing baby curls.