A/N: Sorry it's been awhile since the last update. Finally figured out the direction the story will take next. Thanks again for reading.

Chapter 10

Late Monday morning, Regina sat inside her Mercedes, staring up at her family's office building. Somewhere, lurking inside, was Emma. That both thrilled and terrified her. As much as she wanted to see Emma, the latter prevented her from exiting her vehicle.

During the weekend, spent with Emma, it had been easy. No prying eyes, or nosy busybodies. Only the two of them in their secret world of bliss. Once she stepped inside the office building, that would all change.

Would Emma know to keep what we'd shared just between us? Before she could ponder any further, her thoughts were interrupted by the tap tap tapping of someone at the driver's side window.

"Regina, darling, why are you sitting out here in your car? I'd imagine it's a tad difficult to do your work from here."

Regina breathed out a heavy sigh when she noticed her mother. She is the last person I wanted to see today.

"Is something wrong?" Her mother asked.

The door swung open, and Regina stepped out. "No mother. Nothing's wrong."

"Are you sure?" She over exaggerated looking down at her watch, conveying a silent accusation. "You don't seem your usual self."

"I'm fine."

Once the car was locked up, Regina and her mother began walking toward the building's front entry.

"I did try phoning you several times over the weekend. When you didn't answer or call back, I figured you were busy working. To my surprise, I'd learned you'd left early, for you, on Friday night."

"Every once in a while I do try to have a life. Is something wrong with that?"

"No, dear. Just so unlike you." They walked in silence for a moment before her mother asked, "So, what did you end up doing?"

With a slight shake of her head, Regina thought, There's no way in hell I'd ever tell you about that!

"Well?" Her mother cocked her head to side, appearing impatient for an answer.

"Nothing really."

"That's not what I heard."

Regina's stomach dropped. What the fuck did she know?

A man exited the building and held the door for both of them, giving Regina a small moment of reprieve.

"Your father and I ended up going out to dinner Saturday night. Grady Hanson said you and a blonde woman friend, had dined at his restaurant the night before."

The elevator doors slide open, as if anticipating their arrival. After they stepped inside, Regina pressed the button for her floor, before saying, "And, your point, mother?" Somehow, Regina managed to maintain her cool persona, refusing to be rattled.

"It sounded an awful lot like your new secretary, Emma."

Regina felt her face heat up as her heart rate increased. Panic switched to irritation when she figured out what the old woman was insinuating.

"Something wrong with Emma and I going to dinner?" Before her mother could respond, she added, "And for the record, she's my assistant, not my secretary."

"You know what I mean."

"Do I?"

"People have their places in this life, Regina."

"Why don't you like her?

"I guess the question is, why do you like her all the sudden? We used to be on the same page about this. In fact, I had a bet with you father that you be rid of her before the month was up."

"Maybe you don't know me as well as you think you do."

A ping, and the doors slide open, revealing the floor of Regina's office.

Her mother leaned over and kissed her cheek, "Oh, you know that's not true, my dear." Then she nudged Regina forward. "Have a good day."

Before Regina had a chance to respond, the elevator doors closed and her mother was gone.

As Regina headed toward her office, she stewed about what her mother had said. It was true that Mrs. Cora Mills was a snob, but was she?

"Good morning, Ms. Mills."

Yanked from her thoughts, Regina blinked, then focused on Belle. And now the morning's complete.

"Belle."

"Did you have a nice weekend?"

Reluctant to answer, Regina said, "Adequate. Is there something you needed?"

"Oh no, I-"

"I'm a bit late this morning, Belle. I need to get to my office, so I really don't have much time for small talk."

"Of course. I just..."

Maybe her mother was right. No, Belle irritates the hell out of me. That makes me human, not a snob, Regina reasoned. Then she saw Emma, and her mood brightened. A smile formed on her face before she could stop it.

Belle stopped talking and glanced between both women, before grinning. When Regina noticed, her expression changed. Belle took the hint and left.

As Regina approached Emma's desk, she could see the twinkle in the other woman's eyes. Nervous excitement filled her gut to the point where she considered taking Emma into her arms to kiss her, but she resisted. Not here! As much as I want to, I must keep it together.

"Good morning, Regina."

"Ms. Swan."

Emma's brow crinkled in confusion. Then she smiled and said, "I'll get you some coffee. You look like could use it."

Regina hadn't meant to be so cool with her greeting, but people expected her to behave a certain way at work. She couldn't allow anyone to see that anything had changed between her and Emma. In her mind, it was much better to have the other employees fear her, not give them an excuse to mock her. And if they knew about them, boy would they.

Deciding to set all that aside for the moment, Regina headed inside her office, put her purse away, and prepared to get on with the day, like she typically did. It seemed like the perfect solution until the office door opened to reveal Emma.

After she stepped inside, Emma closed the door behind her and headed for Regina's desk. She set the cup of coffee down next to the computer monitor, and then moved toward Regina, a huge smile plastered on her face.

"I bet I know why you're cranky this morning," Emma said.

"I'm not cranky," Regina denied, and took a step backward.

Undeterred, Emma took the extra step needed to gather Regina up into her arms. Next thing she knew, Emma was kissing her. For the first minute or two, Regina surrendered into the kiss. Then she remembered where they were, and pulled back.

"Ms. Swan, what are you doing?"

She chuckled, and said, "What does it look like, Ms. Mills?"

Leaning forward, Emma prepared to kiss her again. Regina stopped her, inches before their lips met. "The door."

"What about the door?"

A stray hand wandered down Regina's back, stopping when it reached a firm buttock. The hand squeezed, and Regina sucked in a breath, struggling to maintain control.

"W-what if someone comes in?"

"I probably should have locked it, huh?" She teased, and then leaned in again.

"Emma," Regina warned, attempting to wiggle free. "Please. We can't do this here." She could feel her resolve crumbling, replaying everything they'd done to each other over the weekend. For the first time in a long time, she hated Monday.

Mouth close to Regina's ear, Emma's hot breath spilled over tender flesh. "Mm, good. We're back to my first name. Not that it doesn't turn me on when you call me 'Ms. Swan' in that stern sexy voice of yours. Maybe one night, late, when everyone else has gone home, you can bend me over your desk, and-"

They both jumped when someone knocking on the door interrupted them. Regina moved out of their embrace, embarrassed, and feeling painfully aroused.

In a cocky tone, Emma stated, "We'll finish that thought later."

While Regina checked her clothing, making certain she was presentable, Emma walked over to the door as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

When Emma unlocked and pulled back the door, Regina almost fainted when she saw her mother standing on the other side. Her right hand shot up and covered her mouth, still tingling from Emma's kiss, in attempt hide what had happened. Can she tell? No, that would be impossible, right?

"Why on earth was your door locked, Regina?" Cora asked, as she shot a quick look between her and Emma.

Before Regina could say a word, Emma answered, calm and cool, instead, "I must have accidently done it when I brought in her coffee."

Cora acted like she didn't believe her, but changed subjects as soon as Emma had stepped outside of the office, closing the door on her way out.

"Do you have time to do lunch today?"

"Umh," Regina began, trying to unscramble her brain. "I'll need to double check my schedule with Emma, but I think I'm free, why?"

"We've seen so little of each other lately. I thought it would be nice to spend a little mother daughter time together, outside of the office. It's been so long, I can't recall the last time we had lunch together."

"I suppose, but it can't be anything too drawn out. I do have a busy afternoon."

"It won't be, I promise."

"Okay."

Regina stared at her mother a moment, trying to figure out why all the sudden she wanted to go to lunch. What does she want?