Rose: Chapter two already??

Rina: What can I say, ideas are poring out of me for this story!

Rose: Thank me for that!

Rina: I don't own beyblade or 'No Strings Attached' though I wish I did! Again no spellcheck, but I do my best. If you feel like flaming waiting until I get a hoze.

Kai guided his unexpected visitor across the bar's common room, past the swinging doors leading to the kitchen, and into a short hallway toward a door boldly marked: No Admittance Julia raised a brow, glancing from the sign to the blunette standing slightly behind her. He simply rolled his eyes and pressed his hand against the small of her back, forcing her forward, into the room.

Julia's back was really small. The firey brunette may have a big mouth on her, and an attaitude to match, but she was a curvy little thing. It made it hard for him to stay foccussed on the situation at hand.

One thing he knew for sure was that he wasn't going to say yes to whatever cockamamie scheme she'd come here to pitch. If she didn't want him for more than her own self-serving reasons, then screw her. She could handle her little problem at work the best way she knew how... on her own!

Julia may have thought she'd come away from their scavenger-hunt month holding the upper hand, but he'd done his share of scouting, and he knew a thing or two about Julia Fernandez he doubted she knew about herself.

As tough as she seemed, she was appealingly vulnerable. He didn't know why she protected herself with her big bad attitude, but if it made her feel safer, he'd play along... At least until he learned more about what had braught her here, to his bar. He knew damned well she didn't show up out of the blue, looking like a cross between a super model and a soccer mom, without a damn good reason. A better one than needing an escort at least!

His office decor reflected the rest of the bar, which meant Julia would be just as uncomfortable in here as she had been out there. As he watched her take in the long wall covered with pictures of anyone that had been inprotant to him in his twenty years of life, he caught himself wondering what she's look like having worked up a good sweat. He couldn't even imagine, having never seen her with a single two-toned brown strand of hair out of place... unless tousled on purpose for the sake of being sexy, like it was now. He'd seen rational men turned into blubbering idiots by that bedroom hair and those big, emerald-coloured eyes.

Kai chuchled lowly to himself suddenly loving the idea of messing up her hair, and making her scream for him. He also loved the way she looked in that jersey... the way it clung to her hips, catching every curve she had. He shook his head, bringing that train of thought to a quick halt. If she knew how much of an affect she had on him, she'd never let him live it down.

He moved to lean back against the huge wooden desk he'd purchased at a charity event, crossed his arms over his muscular chest and waited. He didn't have a lot of time, Ray would be needing backup soon. But Kai had a feeling that whatever he was waiting for would be worth weathering a rebellion in the ranks.

'Ray Kon, Mariah Wong, Max Tate, (your friends with my boss' son?), Mariam Talbot, Tyson Granger, Tala Ivanno, Monica Moses, Daichi Sumeragi, MingMing Pellow...' Julia named off all the people from his past and present she knew, stopping when she reached one frame set off from the others. She gave Kai the look most gave him when they came across that one. 'Hilary Tatibana?'

Kai lifted a shoulder. 'My ex...'

Julia's only reply was a loud huff. He watched her move cautiously around the office, enjoying the way the demin cupped her backside, they way the jersey molded to her shoulders. Either she'd pumped a lot of iron over the past few months, or he's been as blind as a bat the few times he'd had his hands on her... Especially that time she'd blakmailed him into dancing with her at Hilary and Tyson's housewarming party... the dance that lead to that damned kiss...

Catching him in his intent study of her rear view, Julia suddenly turned and flopped down on his office couch. Middle fingers rubbing at her temple, she closed her eyes and leanred back. 'I really don't know what I'm doing here...'

She simply cocked his head to the side. 'Talk.'

Julia took a deep breath and scooted forward to sit primly on the edge of the couch. 'Here's the thing. I love my career. I really do. I can't think of anything that would make me as happy as I am at gAL-gEAR. I don't want to loose it, I'll do anything not to loose it. I'm not in danger of getting laid off... Jusy would never let the company get that desperate. But she's told me straight up... she's tired of my... habit of dating everyone who asks...'

'And?'

Julia got to her feet, paced to the opposite end of the couch, then back, working her hands as she talked. 'Over the next few months, gAL-gEAR is scheduled to be profiled in several international publications. Judy has her eye on the major big time. She's courting designers, and talked about taking the company public. Which means, we're all living under a magnifying glass. We've been ordered to clean up our acts... especially me. If I bring any bad publisicity to the company now, Judy will blow her top! And then... there's Em.'

Kai quirked a brow. 'Em?'

'A buyer at work. Her name's Emily Tompson. She'd sell her soul to get my job.'

He remained unfazed...

'I have three functions coming up over the next couple of months.' Julia continued. 'Offical buisness functions. I can't get out of any of them and I'll be representing gAL-gEAR while I'm there...'

Now that he knew where this was going, be damned if he was going to fall for anything she was about to offer. 'No.'

'I'm not finished!' She cried, turned on him quickly. 'I need you to be my escort for the publications!'

'Go alone.' Her eyebrown twitched... He knew he was getting to her, and it was amuzing.

'You're not a woman you can't understand! I can't go alone. I have to have a date, and the only date I want is you!'

'Why?'

That did it, she snapped. 'Cause you fucking hot!' She blurted out, clamping her hands over her mouth the moment the words left her lips. Oh Shit...

It was Kai's turn to rub his temple now, as he faught down a blush. Her own face was bright red.

Threads of common sense were unraveling all over the floor. She stepped forward and wrapped her delicate fingers around his forearm. 'Please help me...'

The imprint of her touch remained on his arm long after he'd pushed away from his desk, away from her. 'Kai...'

He sighed, knowing he would regret this. 'Make me a deal.'

She was infront of him now, suddenly, one hundred and twenty bounds of newly formed enthusiasm. 'Anything... as long as it isn't sexual.'

'A double-standard?'

'We have a great friendship, do you honestly want to ruin it with mind banging sex?' The look he gave her made her squirm, but her tongue remained sharp. 'Do you want me that badly?'

He wasn't about to admit what the picture of her tousled hair and quick tongue was doing for his imagination. Just get her out of her shoes and shorts and, yeah, he could Julia Fernandez in his head, wearing nothing but her socks and that jersey hanging over her thights and curvy, bare ass.

'I'll do you three nonsexual favours in return for three dates.' She continued, suddenly aware of the little space between them. 'Do you have a deal?'

He smirked at the though of what he had planned on his calendar before the end of the month. This was going to be amuzing. 'Deal.'

'What's got you so fucking amuzed?' She snapped, suddenly sound like the old Julia he knew and... definately didn't love.

'You'll see.' And with that, he left her standing in his office alone.

Settled into the seat of her exercise bike, Julia wished her legs were longer so she could give herself a good kick in the ass. Instead, she pedaled harder, faster, until her legs screamed in agony. She relased the bike's handlebar just long enough to swipe a towel over her forehead.

Damn the cocky Kai Hiwatari. The guy never said more than a handful of words at once, and still managed to make her look like a fool.

All men were rules by their dicks, every one of them. Kai Hiwatari was no damned exception. Sure she was brunette, she was built, she was sexy, she enjoyed dating, and she had a brain, so why in the hell didn't she use it yesterday??

Because she loved her job. She loved gAL-gEAR, her vice-presidential perks and position, the cyclical industry of fashion and her partners, the five women who'd been her best friends since their days in diapers.

Hell, she ven had a soft spot for Em, though the other woman's ambition irriataed Julia more than a broken underwire on a brand-new bra. Em needed the air released from her inflated self-opinion. She might have 67 IQ points on Julia, but Julia had the heart Ms. Emily Tompson was missing.

The ringing of the phone in her bedroom slowed Julia's pace, but she didn't stop pedaling until the machine picked up and she heard Kai Hiwatari's voice. 'Breakerz', saturday morning nine am. Wear the jersey, don't be late.'

The line went dead, then came the dial tone and Julia's disbelief. That was it? Orders on an answering machine? Like hell she was going to follow those... And what's up with the dress code? He knew she wouldn't wear that damn thing again on a dare. She certainly wouldn't wear it because he demanded she did. Or would she? After all, the three favours in return were her idea.

Suddenly have enough of the bike, she lept from it and bounded to the bathroom, throwing blue Lycra and spandex as she went. Once the hot water started melting her balled up muscles, she was able to think more clearly.

Other than removing sex from the equation, she hadn't set any boundaries for this granting-of-the-three-wishes buisness. She supposed it was a fair enough trade off.

Kai knew he'd be accompanying her to gAL-gEAR buisness affairs. She knew she'd be doing snything Kai wanted her to... except crawling naked into his bed that was.

Julia sighed... why was that one boundary suddenly so disappointing?

DA-DA-DA

SECOND CHAPTER ALREADY!!!!!

I'm home sick from school today, so I typed it up.

This chapter is for Iluvbeyblade because she's just so awesome... and a fellow YTV member XD

Enjoy and Review...pwease?

Dong-Chun-Mei