A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorite this story! This chapter is a little short and I apologize for that. I wanted to try and show a little more development to the tension in their relationship. Teasing is going to be a common theme. I like the idea of a teasing battle before the two finally just give in to their feelings for one another. Please read and enjoy!

Chapter 7

Shikamaru grumbled irritably as he was dragged out of his pleasant dreams by the now familiar sound of pots and pans being tossed around in his kitchen. Ino had settled into his life easily enough, and had taken to making him breakfast in the morning after she had lived with him for a few days. A week had passed now since the Halloween Fundraiser and he took the noise making as an alarm clock to wake him up. She always seemed to get her way with this simple act.

Shikamaru rolled out of bed, his hair ruffled and messy, as he made his way downstairs, neglecting to put on a shirt as he knew the effect it had on Ino. His eyes took in her appearance as she covertly gazed at him out of the corner of her eye. She wore a pair of yoga pants that hung low on her hips and her lacy tank rode up high on her waist, showing off a pair of dimples above her bottom.

Shikamaru clenched his eyes shut against the tantalizing view as he made to get a cup of coffee. Living with her was sheer torture. She inhabited the bed in the room across from his and his mind toyed with many scenarios. He imagined sneaking in during the middle of the night and watching her sleep before she stirred awake, alarmed to see him but with an anticipatory expression none-the-less. At not being asked to leave immediately he imagined pouncing on her, kissing her breathless and having his wicked way with her. He even imagined the scenario if it were reversed. Admittedly this situation would never happen, but he could dream.

Sitting at the island, he watched Ino move about the kitchen, leering at her as she bent over to take out tomatoes from the ice box in the fridge or arched her back as she made to reach a glass at the top of the cupboards. She was so very tempting, and Shikamaru compared the mornings he spent with Ino as pure agony. Some mornings he just couldn't stand to deal with her, not trusting his self-restrain. He would often prepare for work and leave in a hurry, but not without a glare from her and a snide remark.

Today he felt like drinking in the sight of her.

Ino found herself smiling as she felt Shikamaru's heated gaze on her body. She had found herself thrilling at the way he took in her appearance every morning. His dark calculating gaze dragging down her form and then up again to meet her gaze with a tormented look. She loved the thought that he craved her and the very idea made her stomach clench deliciously.

She had been living with him for just about a week now and had not had much to do during the days as he retreated to work. So she loved the time they spent together in the morning…

She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he sipped his coffee before averting his attention to the newspaper she had laid out for him. He liked to read the business section every morning and paid close attention to the stock market.

Realizing that his attention was no longer going to be completely on her, she pouted as she transferred the contents in the frying pan to the two plates on the countertop. Turning off the stove top burner, she placed the pan on a cool coil before returning to the fridge to grab some orange juice. Pouring the contents of the carton into two glasses, she returned the juice to the fridge before setting a glass in front of Shikamaru and the place that she would occupy beside him. Retrieving the two plates on the counter, she mimicked her earlier actions before sitting next to Shikamaru.

She waited for him to put his paper down before she began to eat. She waited…and waited…

Shiakamaru grinned wickedly behind his newspaper as he could practically feel her irate gaze burning into the side of his head. If she insisted on teasing him in the mornings with her delicious body then he would tease her in other ways.

He began a countdown to Armageddon in his head before her heard, "Aren't you going to eat?"

Peeking out from behind his paper momentarily, he glanced at her then at the plate presented to him, "In a minute," he responded, restraining the mirth that was about to make itself present in his words, "let me finish this article."

Ino set her jaw resolutely as she continued to glare at Shikamaru as if the very act would make him concede and do as she wished. No such thing occurred though as he continued to read. Her anger peaked as she grabbed at the newspaper and smiled triumphantly at the resounding rip. Her smile grew to a satisfied smirk as he glowered at her between the two remaining pieces of paper held between his hands.

"Serves you right," she chided "when a lady prepares a meal for you, you eat it up immediately and tell her how incredible it is, even if it isn't."

"Well that's funny," Shikamaru began as a snide smirk came across his features, "as I don't know what lady you could possibly be talking about."

His smirk grew as she swiveled around in her barstool to face him. She was going to continue berating him unless he did something about it and fast. He slid from his stool to stand between her spread thighs grabbing onto her hips he leaned into her with an intimidating glare that stole away her words.

Ino gasped out slightly as she felt his hands come to rest on her hips. He had taken away the fight in her with just a look and a precarious position.

She would not let him get away with that.

Shikamaru felt his eyes widening as she tilted back her chin to kiss along his jaw and up to his mouth. She was a clever one and he gave in to her advances without a second thought. His hands journeyed from her hips to the swell of her bottom, cupping both cheeks in his large hands and scooting her closer to him until he could feel her heat against his lower belly. Her thighs gripped his waist tightly and he felt the urge to thrust up against her before his mind kicked back into gear and he broke away from her as if burned.

A muscle in his jaw jumped as he looked upon her thoroughly debauched form leaning back languidly against the spine of her barstool. She won this battle, he conceded, but she most certainly would not win the war. Taking a steadying breath, he maneuvered around her inviting body to head back up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" he heard her ask huskily as she swiveled around to watch his retreat.

"To work," he answered shortly.

"But what about breakfast?!" he could hear her shout as he retreated into the confines of his bedroom to regroup for the next encounter.

A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed that! Please review and spread the word. :D