Author's Notes: Yeah. Sorry about the long update. But I'll try my very best to update until Monday evening. So to make up for the lost time, I typed an eight page chapter, and the next chapter will be longer than this. This story might have a slow progression but I'll try to make it interesting.

And thanks for the numerous alerts and those who added this story on their favorites. So here goes chapter 2.

Disclaimer: Nope, not a chance.

Chapter Two: Meet the Hot Tour Guide

A moment later, Tenten woke to the ring of the telephone. She tried to make sense on the rapid-fire Italian pouring from the phone then, puzzled, peered at the time in the digital display.

Finally, the facts fell into place. Far from having only just fallen asleep, she'd slept right through the night and well into the next day. And rather than running late as she'd expected, her driver was waiting for her outside the hotel. She'd barely hung the phone back on its hook before she'd leapt out of bed and practically ran to the bathroom. With no time to even wash her hair, she scraped it back from her face and hastily put it into two identical buns, a hairstyle she had sported when she was younger. When she had outgrown the childish hairstyle, she'd normally use a hair straightener to counter the natural wave that always reappeared overnight and made her hair unruly at best. She always tells herself that having a straight hair always made her look sophisticated and look much more mature, but for that day, the childish style would have to do.

Back in the bedroom she pulled a simple t-shirt and faded jeans from her suitcase. She'd thought about starting the tour off in a smart looking attire and only return to her standard travelling outfit once they were well away from the city. But obviously, the idea went the way out of the smart hairdo. Speed won out over style.

Neji let out an impatient sigh, checked his watch again and leaned back againsta his Lamborghini Murcielago. His uncle had wanted hin to use the minibus but he'd been adamant. It was bad enough having to act as a tour guide without looking the part too.

Not that there was anything wrong with the minibus his uncle used-for a family man. But obviously, he was not one and clearly had no intention of becoming one. Giving up his car was beyond the limit of what he was prepared to do for this woman.

The hotel door opened and he lifted his head to see a young girl hesitate, look to her left, then right and go back inside. A pretty girl, she reminded him of his younger cousins, Hinata and especially young Hanabi who's currently on a boarding school. He should contact her; it's been a while since he did anyway.

He was still watching the entrance when the girl reappeared, this time with the concierge he'd spoke to earlier. After scanning the parked cars, the concierge pointed at Neji's direction.

Frowning, he always seems to do that more often lately, he saw the girl nod then head towards him, wheeling a large suitcase behind her.

"Um, buon giorno," she said when she stopped in front of him. "Mi chiamo Tenten Asuka."

Neji stared at her.

This was the important visitor his uncle wanted to impress? This was the woman who was going to kick start their push to attract Japanese tourists?

Couldn't be. She was too young. He glanced over her shoulder, half expecting her mother to join them. But she seemed to be alone.

"Tenten Asuka," he repeated. "The travel writer from Japan, right?" he asked in English.

"Yes, that's me." Her broad smile made her look even younger.

"Neji Hyuuga." He held out his hand and watched her face for any recognition. As expected there was none, but there's something else on her face. "You're a Japanese too, aren't you?"

Neji smiled a small one and nodded lightly. "Yeah, but I grew up here." Then he saw her eyes flickered to the car behind him.

"Um...I was given this paperwork that said the tour would be a minibus."

"Normally, yes, but I'm afraid it's unavailable." When she gave the car a doubtful look, he said, "I hope that's not a problem?"

She shrugged. "I guess not. But will there be room for my suitcase?" she asked, peering at the short rear end of the Lamborghini.

"Of course." He took the suitcase from her and went to the front of the car. It was a tight fit with his own bag already there, but he managed to squeeze in her case too. He returned to open the passenger door for grinned.

"The engine's at the back, I hope? It does have one?" He smiled back, nodding. "Oh, yes, it definitely has one."

He'd expected someone rather…different. Older, sophisticated, stylish. But Tenten Asuka was obviously none of those things. As she settled in the low seat, he shook his head. In her blue trainers, faded jeans and loose navy blue shirt, she looked like one of those many backpackers that thronged the piazzas of Rome.

Once inside the car, he removed the baseball cap he'd worn to avoid being recognized in the street and tossed it into space behind the two seats. He wouldn't like to think of either Hinata, though she's already married, and Hanabi travelling overseas alone and unprotected. He had considered them the sisters he never once had, and he totally disagrees with the idea of either of them sharing a car with a total stranger for weeks. What were this young lady's parents thinking of?

It was lucky that he would be around to make sure she was safe for the duration of her stay.

Uncle Hiashi's warning had been unnecessary. Getting involved with someone like Tenten would be completely alien to him. He dated women who knew the rules of the game, who were not expecting anything beyond good time.

Women, not girls.

Tenten drank in the sights as Neji maneuvered the car out of the traffic-clogged streets of Rome. In most cities, she'd have to go to a museum to see the type of history that people lived with every day.

Crumbling statues, fountains, ancient monuments and ornate churches. Twenty-first century traffic passing by two thousand year old ruins. History, graffiti, advertising and art mixing together madly.

And then there were the beautiful people. Sexy Roman women who all seemed to be dressed in the latest designer fashions. Not that she'd know anything about that, she wouldn't know a Valentino from a Versace and she'd skipped the section in the guide book about shopping. But she could see that they had style, these women. She settled back as they left the city behind and took the autostrada south. So much for her chance to see Rome, but she couldn't complain. She was here to do a job and that was to write about this company's tours of the Amalfi Coast. How could anyone complain about an all-expense paid opportunity to see one of the world's most beautiful stretches of coastline?

Besides, once she'd finished working, she'd have a couple of days in Rome before catching the flight home. It was all good.

Talking of good, she sneaked a glance at her driver. No tour guide she'd ever met before had looked like this. Leaning against the flash car in his charcoal suit—designer made, she assumed—and white shirt, open at the neck, he'd looked more like a model or a movie star than a driver.

Even the baseball cap couldn't spoil the image.

As she'd walked up to the car, unique eyes that were as white as lilies with a little tint of lavender had studied her and she hadn't liked the fluttering feeling that had started up in her stomach in direct response. It had seemed as if he was totally focused on her, and she had had the oddest feeling that she knew him.

She didn't know him, of course. Although…

She sucked on her bottom lip between her teeth. It was ridiculous, but he looked exactly like the fantasy man she'd imagined years ago when she'd first dreamed about travelling to Italy.

Now that he'd lost the cap she could see his long, dark brown hair better, tied at the bottom loosely with a rubber band. And she suddenly had the urge to run her hands through the tresses to see for herself if it really is as soft to the touch as it looks like. Then there was his sharp jaw line and his straight nose, the look caused a quiver of recognition in her stomach.

She turned her gaze out of the window without really seeing the cars wheezing by. It was weird for her to remember such fantasy with as much clarity. She'd been with Shinji for a couple of years and there had been boyfriends before him, but talking about the dream with Sakura and Ino had probably kept the image alive over the years.

She jumped as a car horn blasted right next to her window.

"OK?" She nodded at Neji, who was expertly darting in and out of lanes of traffic. Convinced now that Italian drivers were obsessed with testing the decibel count of their car horns, she was glad the tour company had insisted on collecting her from Rome. If she had to drive south alone, she'd have been a nervous wreck by then.

"Where are we heading?"

"Salerno. We'll eat lunch there."

"Lunch? How long will it take us to get there?"

"Three, maybe three and a half hours."

"Oh boy, that long?" But she was hungry now. That was one thing she'd noticed about being pregnant—the outrageous hunger. Well, that and the tiredness. At least she'd escaped morning sickness. So far, anyway.

"Do you think we could stop somewhere to eat before then? Soon? I didn't have time for breakfast and I'm…" She stopped. There was absolutely no need for him to know about her condition.

"I'm hungry," she finished hurriedly. He shot her a glance.

"You should have said, I'll find a pasticceria, yes?"

"Yes." Oh, yes. That sounded good.

Within minutes, Neji had turned off the autostrada and Tenten had time to look at the scenery, the creamy-colored cows and clusters of terracotta-roofed houses clinging to the sides of hills. He drove into a small town and parked at the end of a higgledy-piggledy line of cars that made Tenten smile. It was just so…Italian. There was no word for it.

Tenten stood in front of the sparkling glass cabinets, pondering her choice with as much awe as if she'd been staring at a Michelangelo sculpture or a fresco by Raphael. The cases were crammed with artistically arranged trays of focaccias, filled Panini and bowls of brightly colored fruit. Finally, she settled on a Panini piled high with ham, salami, mortadella, fontina and pecorino.

They carried their purchases outside to a tiny table in the shade of a striped awning. After a few mouthfuls, Tenten sat back with a contented sigh.

"Better?" Neji asked.

"Much. I'm sorry about the delay. I know you probably have a timetable to keep to."

"No. Not at all. The philosophy of Amalfitori is to be flexible, to fit in with whatever the clients want to do, to create a unique and unforgettable holiday experience for them.

"Nothing about the tours is 'on the shelf'. We aim to satisfy our clients' individual wishes while ensuring total immersion in the life and culture of the area." She chuckled.

"That sounded like a well-practiced sales spiel." Neji broke into a grin that made his eyes sparkle. One cheek dimpled and Tenten suppressed another sigh. He really was exceptionally good looking and if this trip had taken its place, in another life…

But there was no point in letting herself think that way. No point at all.

"I practiced it especially for you." He said with a wry smile, "for the important travel writer I had to make an effort to impress, but you don't seem very impressed." She shrugged.

"I've heard so many of those speeches and read so many brochures; they all sound the same after while."

"So what does impress you about the places you visit, then? It's important that I know. I need to make sure you don't leave disappointed."

"It's hard to say." She picked at a piece of ham that was falling from the Panini. "Often it's the smallest things. You know, if the waiters in a town or unfriendly, or a hotel's receptionist is helpful—it all influences your opinion. But then, it's important to remember that other travelers might have a very different experience, so you have to try to remain objective when you write the story." Neji nodded, urging her to continue.

"Of course, bigger things can make a difference too. If, say, you visit a town where there's a vibrant festival going on and the whole place is buzzing with excitement, and the next day you visit another where the streets are empty and everyone seems to be asleep, you're going to gain very different impressions of the two towns. But on another day, it might be reversed. You see what I mean?"

"How long have you been doing this for a living?"

"Five years, give or take."

"No. you don't look…"

"Old enough? I know. I'm twenty-seven but I look eighteen, don't I?"

"Well…"

"No. don't bother." She flapped a hand. "There's no correct answer. Actually, I do look older when I've had time to prepare…clothes, make up. But you took me by surprise this morning."

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't apologize. It's good that you were on time. Makes a good impression." Smiling again, he started.

"Well, that's a start. I did something right." Tenten nodded, her mouth full, and Neji waited until she had finished chewing before he spoke again.

"Do you enjoy being a travel writer?"

"I love it. It's the best job in the world."

"And have you been to Italy before?"

"No, actually, this is the first time I've been to Europe. Until now all of my jobs have been nearer to home, you know, like other coutries in Asia, and New Zealand and the Pacific Islands." Neji frowned, a vertical line appearing between his eyebrows.

"Are you saying you travelled Asia on your own?"

"Oh yes, Asia is…"

"But anything could have happened to you." Indignant, Tenten pulled herself up straighter.

"I'm tougher than I look. I'm perfectly capable. I can cope with any unforeseen incidents." He held up his hands in apology.

"I interrupted you. Please, go on." She studied his face for a moment before deciding he was genuinely apologetic, she continued.

"As I was saying, Asia is fantastic, of course, but I've been looking forward to Europe for so long. I'm very fascinated by the history you have all around you here."

"Asia has history."

"Oh, it does, of course, but it's different. I love to hear about the Romans, Greeks, Carthaginians, Trojans."

"Ah, well, I can give you what you want. You should leave here a happy woman."

"I'm sure I will." Tenten didn't flatter herself that there was a double meaning to his words, but even so, warmth in the region of her throat felt suspiciously like the start of a blush. She quickly bent her head to examine the Panini.

"Would you like a coffee before we set off again?"

She would've love one, but since the positive test result, she'd been revolted by the taste. She fervently hoped this was one side effect that would be reversed as soon as the baby was born. She then shook her head.

"Just water for me, thanks."

Moments later, Neji placed a glass of iced water in front of her and a frothy cappuccino on his side of the table. She wasn't turned off by the strong aroma of coffee, just the taste. She inhaled deeply then took a gulp of water and watched enviously as he scooped up froth.

"I thought no self-respecting Italian would drink cappuccino after breakfast."

"It's still early enough to count as breakfast time." He said in a serious tone.

"Right."

"I'd like to think I'm a self-respecting Italian. And besides, I'm really just a Japanese living in the world of Italians." Tenten returned the smile that tugged at his lips and saw the teasing light in his eyes.

"Did you know that the cappuccino was invented by the Capuchin monks?"

"No, I didn't."

"They used coffee to keep them awake through the long nights of religious practice."

"And millions of people are grateful to them." She caught her breath at the sparkle in Neji's eyes as he lifted his cup. It was a good thing she didn't have the slightest interest in him as a man, because he certainly had a lot to be interested in. Just the way his eyes glinted could almost make her forget she was nearly a mother. He'd left the dark suit back in the car and the crisp white shirt showed off his broad shoulders and slim waist. And then, she thought with a silent sigh, there was the way he moved. Without being obvious, she'd watched him go inside earlier and really, he was wasted as a tour guide. With his height and his lean shape he was more suited to…well, anything.

Actually, she suspected he must have a lucrative second source of income to own the type of car he drove. Either that, or being a tour guide paid much more than writing about those same tours.

Not that it was any of her business.

Looks weren't everything, she reminded herself. Neji Hyuuga might turn out to be a bore at best, and she had to spend three weeks with him.

A/N: What do you think? Please don't forget to review:))