I don't own bleach or any of its characters. This is strictly from my imagination. It has a hint of sex in the city all through it. I'm hoping you like it. Please don't take offense to anything said in this fic or to any of the character's personalities. This fic contains provocative language and is NOT suited for kids. I recommend 18+ to only. Thank you.

Update: If you are reading this, you have probably noticed that all chapters except the first chapter are gone. This means that I have deleted them and have decided to recreate the chapters again. I'm not happy with how my few last chaps have come out. My problem is that I couldn't make them longer and I was running out of things to write about but now I have gathered new ideas and I have started again. I also decided to take a look at my summary and that looked funky! So yeah recreation time!

It won't be a COMPLETE recreation but chapters will be longer and hopefully more spark. In this version you'll know more about Ichigo and his past. More love and sex and more drama. I enjoy changing and knocking chaps down and breaking them apart. Older readers don't be mad please! Enjoy!Especially new readers enjoy! Love you guys very much. If you guys didn't read it… I probably wouldn't write. That IS the honest truth.

Strictly Business

A week ago…

Around two am the phone rang. Ichigo frowned turning over once then twice, "Damn it…" finally he gripped the phone near his bedside, "Hello?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki…" An unfamiliar voice crowded the phone.

"Who is this?"

"Are you ever going to follow up on the deal I presented to you…?"

Ichigo rolled over, raising up on his forearms. This fool again and he decides to call at the worst of times. He supposed it was his own fault. Probably Ichigo should have given a clear answer prior to when they talked. He had even forgotten about it. He sighed, "What do you want me to do again…?"

"I've told you— just get hired… I know it will be easy." the man's voice muffled a bit. "The company is hiring and needs help, trust me." Who does this guy think he is anyway? "Her company is working on just one last slit of hope."

Ichigo lit a cigarette and began to puff. He sat up to reach into his night stand bottom drawer. He pulled out pictures with a few articles attached to them. One of them read, Rukia Kuchiki has done it again— sold eighty million magazines in just two months! Ichigo cracked a smile, she was kinda attractive. "…Then you want me to, what? Stalk her— blackmail? I keep sayin you got balls for calling me for shit like that. You should know I don't roll that way."

This fool, on the other line, laughed like it was some joke. "No. No stalking or blackmail. I want you to get hired and learn everything about her." the guy laughed again, "…everything should come naturally. You're bound to get something juicy."

"Come naturally he says… get something juicy… he says. "This sounds like blackmail…" Ichigo grimaced. He had a reputation too and he preferred to not trash it too badly again. He was still recovering from the last situation he was in. He was formal vice president of one of the richest clothing companies in Tokyo, Taylor Yoshino Inc. And well… that company fell easily within a few tricks of his own. A little over a year, Taylor Yoshima was no more. Ichigo expected that he would go down with the company but he never thought he'd get the personal calls to handle others' "dirty work…"

"There are other ways to ruin someone without using blackmail. You of all know that. Besides, blackmail is simply the opposite— I'm not asking you to threaten her so that I will prosper. I'm just asking you to…"

"Spy…" Ichigo took another puff. "Yeah I get it." It still sounded like blackmail. He sighed, lightly aggravated at how stupid this was gonna be if he got caught. But playing the employee, how could he get caught?

The man on the other line spoke again, "Do we have an accord?"

"Eh…"

"I'll promise to pay you when it's all done…" the man urged.

Ichigo puffed again, "I want triple, if something goes wrong and I get caught… is that clear? If not, I ain't doing it and you can kiss your happy go lucky gazette goodbye…"

"Ichigo Kurosaki from Yoshima packs a punch…" There was a heavy grunt. Ichigo must have bargained well. "Alright deal. I want a report every two weeks. I want you to dig and get your hands on every little detail and file on her—

"And then send it to you…" Ichigo sighed, "I got it…"

"No. Call me on this number. It's my personal number."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Aw how sweet."

"And it goes to no one… not even your most trusted right hand man. Ruks's company is call computer operated. Everything— from surveillance cams to every kilobyte of mail that goes through all the computers. They'd know if you sent anything out. So call me on a cell phone or a phone outside of that place so it can't be traced."

"Okay… fine. It will be done."

"You can take as long as you like… but please don't disappoint me. I'm counting on you Kurosaki…" Click.

Chapter 1 - The Intern

I sauntered down the hall with my eyes on the grand prize, which happened to be the time clock at that split second. I was ready to get the hell out of here. The Wednesday morning rush was a nightmare and I was so looking forward to having lunch with the girls. I smiled at my own perfect little day dream.

…How nice would it be? An hour of stuffing our faces, only pausing to engage in brief sophisticated chats. Mostly about our brilliant financial success, men and sex. I was truly ready for it all, no doubt about it. I finally clocked out and headed towards the door.

"Miss Kuchiki, your cab is here." I heard an assistant of mine say.

"Excellent, thanks." Sure my job was a bitch but it paid well. I jumped into the back of the cab, on my phone as always. "Hey. It's Rukia." I was cut off by Rangiku's loud outburst.

"Where are you? You're late! Don't get mad when we order our food and start eating without you! YOU ALWAYS DO THIS."

I was running thirty minutes late to my luncheon of heaven. I know, I know— how unbelievable inconsiderate. Whatever. "I'm sorry. I'll be there soon. I promise." But I was rewarded with a dial tone. That was normal as usual. Rangiku was bold on the phone but much worse in person. She told us that she had every right to be like that, for, she owned her own lingerie company which became full blown, worldwide in just six months.

Psh.

Well, I'm co-founder and current owner and of a Japanese magazine company called FashionFeverTokyo. I'm quite proud of it. It's one of the top popular magazine companies around Tokyo. But… you don't see me rubbing it in everyone's face. I'm much better than that.

The cab stopped in front of my favorite Italian restaurant, where my friends awaited my late arrival. "On my tab?" I smiled lightly at my driver, in which, he winked back followed by a happy nod. "Thanks." I rushed inside. I found my three friends sitting in the back, as usual. All of them happened to be glaring at me except for Orihime, who was happy to see me. I swore, she had no clue on how to frown whatsoever.

Tatsuki shook her head. "How many does this make?" she thought, turning back at me, "Ten or eleven…"

"Twelve." Rangiku rolled her eyes. "Must be a guy distracting her. It happens much too often now."

I loved their false accusations. "Actually, I had something to do before coming." The real reason was, I had to let go of a couple recruits. Firing always took time from my fun and I hated it. "So what's new? Anything juicy?" I never asked things like that but I wanted to leave the subject of me alone.

"Well." Rangiku smiled, "I met a guy last week in the subway."

"He's cute, huh?" Orihime giggled.

"Very." Rangiku giggled back. "We exchanged numbers and chat every night. This week, our conversations have turned to heated topics." She explained, "You know me. I don't like boring."

"Heated topics like?" I was nosey and just had to know since she was so open about it.

"He wants to be a model for one of my catalogs… only, he wants to beam me a sneak peak back at my apartment really soon." She watched as our faces widened. "What?" she blinked, "I think I just might let him…?"

"You barely know him?" Tatsuki mused lightly.

"So? You only live once, darling." Rangiku winked. "Besides single to mingle is my motto."

"I thought your motto was, nothing says out of sight, out of mind like a married man without his ring on…" Orihime blinked twice.

"What it should be is… Pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake…" I cooed.

Rangiku laughed, whipping her hair back. "Oh please… if I have pissed anyone off, it's cus they have pissed me off… Don't forget that, loves."

"I don't see how girls can do that. Meet up then screw." Tatsuki rolled her eyes, falling back on topic, "Don't you know after the first time, it's just strictly endless sex. Then you guys become fuck buddies. So not cool."

"Heh…" I shrugged. "I guess if both sides are mutual, they could careless and then it doesn't matter."

"Pfft." Rangiku shunned us, shaking her head. "Coming from the lesbian, who dates way more than I do in a six month period." she frowned, flipping her hair. "I suppose she's gonna tell us how it's done, right?"

Tatsuki sighed, "I'm bi," she corrected, "…and I'm not telling you how to do anything." Plus, we all had own our own sex lives. We didn't need to be governed by each other; we were grown and competent enough to know that much at least.

"Well anyways… How about you Rukia?" Rangiku glanced at me. "Anything new with you this week?"

I blinked, shifting in my seat. "No. Not really."

"Seriously? How boring!" the lady flipped her hair again. "Sometimes I don't see why you just don't spend the money for a boob job and use those for bait."

"Agreed." Tatsuki nodded.

"Rukia is way too busy for that kind of thing… eh Rukia?" Orihime finally put in her two cents. I kinda wish she didn't. After all, I knew she was just trying to take a load off me. That was her job in the office as my first hand assistant, sadly she made it an everyday hobby. Truth was, my life financially was out of this world, and love life?

…no bueno.

I cleared my throat. "Exactly." I beamed with the little pride I had left. "Guys are a distraction."

"Oh God. Help us all." Rangiku sighed, "I think we have another Tatsuki…"

"Hey I'm serious." I frowned, "Right now I have everything I want and it's all I need." only a third of my heart was in that sentence. "Best believe that."

The remainder lunch consisted of me only drinking lemonade while everyone else did the face - stuffing. I tried not to think of the previous conversation as the rest of them engaged in other things. Soon it was time to go back to the workplace and this time Orihime and I took the cab back together.

"Aw." I heard the big busted woman moan sympathetically. Then I realized she read my pitiful face. "Being single isn't so bad. Look at me."

Reassurance failed. It wasn't the part about being single I was so mad about, it was for the fact that I was single with no guys to lust over or vice versa. My ex walked out on me as well. "Don't do that." I cooed. "I'm not at all worried about being lonely or single." I sighed, "I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me either… If I did, I would have found a one night stand to pour all my feelings to… while drunk."

"Right, sorry…"

"It's okay." I didn't smile or anything. I was actually rethinking what I just said. It actually sounded like a good idea. Gah, stop Rukia… I closed my eyes, trying to scrape that thought from my mind. Gosh, doing one of my employees was even better then what I just said. I wouldn't do it though. Obviously, that would have put me over the top. More than Rangiku's single to mingle motto… more than Tatsuki's countless dates.

The cab stopped right in front of my work. Orihime opened the door for me and we both walked in nonchalantly. There were a lot of hi's and hello's on the way to my main office which scared me. Almost like everyone knew that my love life sucked and just wanted to remind me by killing me with kindness. I said I didn't need pity but…

Never mind… I looked at my door and frowned at the stacks of files. More interns… I automatically assumed. I could just be rude and refuse them all… or…

… Give them the time of day then have Orihime shred them. That way it looked like I cared. I picked up the stack and opened the door.

"Rukia…"

I turned to see my receptionist in my face. "What?"

"Owner of Tokyo Today called, he wants to talk about the fashion show for next Tuesday." Hanataro turned the page to his notes, "Your brother, Byakuya, is asking if you would like to have dinner tonight. And…" he flipped the page again, "You wanted me to remind you of today's meeting at 16:00 or shall I cancel that?"

"Oh my gawd," I groped at my head, "Let me get back to you… on that…" Too bad all that didn't kill me. "Give me a second to get organized." I began ruffling papers.

"Okay?" he stared at me awkwardly for a while then walked off.

Then when I could scrape up enough air to breathe, Orihime came in.

"Rukia?"

"What…" I breathed.

She recognized my irritated tone and swallowed nervously, "Sorry, but your appointment is here…"

"Wa…" I blinked, "Now?" Damn it, I forgot. "Okay um…" I looked at the time, pushing meaningless stuff off my desk. "Send them in…" She gave me one additional file to add to my collection of endless files.

"His name is Ichigo Kurosaki. His major is in Business Management and Advertisement. His last job was vice president of Tokyo's biggest clothing line company."

"Which one?" I raised a brow.

"Not sure." she shrugged. "His resume doesn't say."

"I see." I nodded looking at the file she gave me. Hm, how interesting. I looked down further at his accomplishments. He raised charities, food drives and provided leadership for the comic con held in Tokyo. "Quite impressive…" Which astounding me was hard to do on one of my bad days.

"Thank you."

I gasped, focusing my eyes on the bright orange hair and earthly brown eyes in front of me. We got us another jerk I'm sure. He was tall, tan and attractive. He walked in so quietly and Orihime left so quickly. I know I must have sound like he scared me in which he did but in the end, I brushed it off. "So you're Ichigo Kurosaki…" he wore a causal suit with his chest out just a little. Still, he kept his whole look business like. Even if what he was wearing wasn't business like, I would say we were both even. How I couldn't pull away from his nicely toned chest, wasn't business like either.

Finally, I blinked again. The man was clearly showing off.

"Yes ma'am." his voice wasn't too deep, nor too high. I gazed upon him with a serious, incisive look. "Rukia Kuchiki, right?" Ichigo asks. "Holy crap she's young… How old is she? Ten?" he blinked.

"Right. A pleasure to meet you…" I held out my hand while sitting down and he returned with a nice, manly firm hand shake then sat down.

"Likewise." he lightly grinned. "She's kinda cute… too cute to ruin… even in bed." Assuming if she was a thirty year old virgin— which she wasn't. Ichigo knew she dated that man— he couldn't think of his name.

I turned in my chair, staring at him. For once, I was speechless. He was truly an angel. One that could fulfill my lustful fantasies any day of the week. But I shook that thought off quickly. Sure he was good-looking but there had to be a catch somewhere. Perhaps he wasn't as competent as he persuaded to be. The man's oh so perfect frown, kept me shifting uncomfortably in my cushioned seat.

…His frown proved to me that he was firm and assertive.

He cleared his throat. "So… about the interview?"

Reality slapped me right in the face, "Right… the interview." I lost my thoughts for a second. Come on, Rukia don't let this guy rule you… picture him in a tutu. That's easy to do right? "It says here, you did leadership?"

Ichigo perked up. "Yes. For the three years."

"Bet you're good at management, huh?"

"…Oh yes, ma'am." He winked.

"Of course." He seemed legit. I gazed at this interview again, "Being a vice president, I'm sure you have a lot of practice with managing."

"I have a copy of my degrees." he pulls out two copies, "I went to the University of Tokyo."

I grab the copies and glance at them, "Well, from what I can see, everything looks good. You do realize you're in for a lot of work… I'm pretty rough on newbies that first get hired."

"I can deal with rough." he smiled, coolly raising a brow.

"In fact," he scooted forward, "I like it real rough…" I could have sworn he licked his lips just then. Or, was it… my imagination?

I could feel my face loosen. "Huh?" I blinked, shaking my head. "You like… rough?"

"What?" he thought, confused, "…Yea, like, rough, as in… hard challenges." he cleared his throat. "She's weird…" He almost seemed freaked out.

Had I just imagined him saying all that? Worst of all, did I just repeat my fantasy conversation to him without knowing? Rukia— quit it now.

"I didn't make myself clear… What I meant was, I yearn for tough challenges…" His brown irises penetrated my soul. I shifted again as he spoke once more. "Do you know what I mean, Miss Kuchiki?" he instinctively raised a brow at me.

"Right, of course." I laughed nervously. I blamed it on his stupid good looks taunting me. This buffoon was doing it on purpose! I breathed. Focus… I frowned upon myself for not paying close attention. "Well like I said, I won't go easy on you… Mister Vice President…" I teased.

"Ha, right." He smiled at my joke, "…fine with me."

I closed his file, sitting back. "Great, you'll start tomorrow, then." I never made the best recruits start that early. So did I want him that soon because he would be good for the company? Or, because I was anxious… I shook my head again.

"Alight." he nodded. "See you tomorrow then, I'm sure it will be too pleasurable…"

"Sure… pleasurable." For you or for me? My eyes widened.

"Huh— Pleasurable? No." he frowned, shaking his head, still confused, "…I said it will be a pleasure. You know, to work with you?" his eyes stared,

"Ah… haha… eh…" I stood up, "Of course!" I'm an idiot! "Well Ichigo, it's nice meeting you… I'll see you tomorrow— 12:00 sharp…"

He raised a brow, his light brown eyes locked with mine before leaving, "Yea. Likewise…" he waves, "…Crazy ten year old woman…"