A/N: Thank you again to everyone that has reviewed (Akira Red, PoisonedAngelous and stormpiper). It really does make me want to charge forward with the story and get the chapters up as quickly as possible whenever I see a new review/alert or fav! Thank you!


Cloud and Liss didn't say anything to each other after they separated from the kiss in the elevator. Cloud didn't regret the move, but he understood that he might have done damage to a newborn friendship that he was truly beginning to enjoy. They rode on in silence towards 7th Heaven. Once by the back entrance, Liss was standing by Fenrir, shuffling her feet waiting for Cloud to shut the bike down.

"Cloud, I…"

"Liss, I'm…"

"You go first," she said.

Taking a breath, Cloud folded his arms across his chest as he continued to straddle the bike. He thought about what he wanted to say, and nodded to himself when he felt he formed the words he needed.

"I am not sorry I kissed you," he began. "I would never be sorry about kissing a pretty girl. I do apologize though if it offended you." His last words were barely above a whisper.

Liss looked at Cloud for what seemed a lifetime. She knew he was sincere in his words but she wanted him to understand her feelings.

"You didn't offend me, Cloud. It's just…" she held her hands up in surrender. Not knowing how to get her confused thoughts across.

"The wrong guy?" Cloud said with a wry smile crossing his face.

Liss didn't respond. She didn't have too; her blush was all the confirmation Cloud needed. "Look, I'm not really hungry anymore. Mind if I get a rain check on this meal," she asked.

Cloud nodded, but as Liss turned to leave he reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"He's lucky to have you," he said.

Liss smiled ruefully. "Eh. My feelings are dangerous and one-sided Cloud. I'll just learn to live through them. Anyways, I'll give you a call tomorrow." Liss leaned over and gave Cloud a quick peck on the cheek and waved as she walked away.

Cloud watched her walk out of the alley and into the streets of Edge.

"If what I think I saw in his eyes is true, the feelings are not that one-side," he said to the wind.

Liss walked around the streets of Edge, mulling over the thoughts in her head. How strong were her feelings to the President? She would readily admit that she had a crush on the man for the longest time. Well, no she thought. She had a crush on the Rufus Shinra the public knew. The calm and cold demeanor of a man with immense power was very attractive. He was lethal grace wrapped in a stunning package. A package she dreamt of unwrapping every night. What woman wouldn't have a crush on that? He reminded Liss of a lion. Royal and strong. King of all he could see who ruled unquestioningly. He didn't have to demand respect he was given it. But that was Rufus Shinra, the President. She'd gotten to learn about the man in the past month and loved him. Loved? Liss stumbled as the word drifted through her thoughts.

Liss blindly sat down at a park bench as she thought about recent events. She had spent time with Rufus, the man that never bled or cried. He never laughed either, but he did for her, didn't he? But could she have fallen for the man in such a short time? Liss thought that over and remembered that her grandparents had met, fallen in love and married in a matter of three months. So, it was possible. Unfortunately, Liss wasn't lucky like them. If Rufus' display tonight was any indication, the feelings were definitely not mutual. The time in Junon was just that, only in Junon. Rufus was limited in companionship and she was just another person on his payroll.

Swallowing that bitter pill, Liss looked at her watch and rose up from the bench and headed home. He didn't love her, hell, might not even like her at this point but she would still do the best job that she could and if she could just show him some of the love she had in her then that would just have to do.


Rufus really wasn't sure what he was going to do once Liss walked through the door. He was a man that planned everything down to the most minute detail. He didn't have to wait long though. Twenty minutes after he arrived he heard the distinct sound of a lock being unfurled. He sat in the chair with his legs crossed; his elbows were resting on the arms of the old upholstered recliner. His fingers steepled and slightly tapping his pursed lips as he watched her open the door and toss her bag onto the hip-high table that was pushed up against the wall next to the entrance. Quickly she spun around and locked the deadbolt. Rufus quirked an eyebrow as he watched Liss bang her forehead against the door three times.

Liss slowly reached up to rub her forehead. "Idiot," she muttered.

What made her think that the violent action would help her think anymore clearly? She slowly trudged into her bedroom and changed out of her office attire and into a light blue camisole top and a pair of blue, white and black flannel shorts.

Rufus bit back a groan as he watched Liss reemerge from her bedroom. She was always covered up, she hardly showed any skin, not even the two weeks they were in Junon but now he was able to appreciate her womanly form. She wasn't thin but neither was she plump. Lush. That's the word that came to Rufus, as he looked her over. The bottoms she wore clung to her curves and he never envied a piece of cloth more in his life.

Liss was running her fingers through her now freed hair as her cell phone rang. Heading over to her purse, she quickly dug out the contraption and glanced at the caller ID before answering.

"Hey Reno," she said. "No. No, I'm home. Hm? No, everything's fine. Why?" She paused to listen to what Reno was saying before chuckling at him. "Well, now that you mention it. Not everything is fine." She paused again as she turned around and leaned against the table. Her eyes scanned the dark apartment and rested on the darkest corner.

Rufus head his breath, positive that she noticed him. Liss suddenly headed towards the kitchen as she continued to speak, "I think I'm in love with..."

Rufus strained to hear her words. He thought he heard her say something about love. Rufus sat there as he watched her shadow move against the walls. She was his dammit. He felt it all the want into his soul. He vowed to himself then and there that he would fight and play dirty if he had to but he would make her his. He was Rufus Shinra, former President and CEO of The Shinra Electric Power Company, former President of, well, Gaia and now President of RuSh Enterprise LLC. Deciding that enough was enough, he got up from his seat and walked into the kitchen. He stood there for a few moments just looking at Liss as she listened to Reno speak through the phone. Rufus then leaned against the doorway with his hands in his pant pockets.

"Thanks Ren-M-m-mister Shinra!" she exclaimed as she dropped the phone. "What, what are you doing here? How did you get in here?" The last was said as Liss narrowed her eyes dangerously at the man.

Rufus pushed himself off the doorjamb and slowly stalked his way towards Liss. For every step he took forward, she retreated one back.

"Now, now Ms. Hill," he drawled. "Do not worry yourself with the question of how I got into your home. That is such a trivial matter at this time. You should be more concerned with the question 'why'."

Rufus kept moving forward, consciously angling his prey. He was reward for his efforts with a slight yelp from Liss as her back connected with the front of the refrigerator.

"W-why?" she whispered.

The blonde kept on his slow pace, crowding her until he was standing almost flush against her body. His palms rested against the cold metal of the fridge doors, on either side of her face.

She flushed as she ducked her head and stared down, not being able to see her feet, but seeing where his torso was almost touching hers. Liss couldn't look at him anymore. His eyes were shining with an almost unholy light. She was frightened, yes. But she wasn't frightened because of him or his close proximity. She was scared to death of her response to him. She wanted to reach out and pull him those last few inches.

"Because, Ms. Hill…"

Rufus paused when he saw her body shiver slightly. Slowly, so he didn't startle her, he removed his right hand from the fridge and slowly caressed her cheek until his fingers slightly dug into her jaw line. Using the slightest of pressure he tilted her head back so that he could look directly into her eyes.

"Melissa..."

Liss let her tongue peek out of her mouth, trying to wet her suddenly dry lips. Rufus groaned slightly at the sight of the light pink muscle slipping between dusty rose colored lips.

"I've wanted to do this since the minute you interrupted me at the budget meeting."

Liss stared as Rufus' head started slowly descending towards her. Her breath hitched and she closed her eyes hoping to stave off the rush of excitement.

Then she felt it. The barest of touches as his lips connected with hers. Slowly, Rufus added more pressure; he leaned his frame into her and moved to angle his lips better against hers. When she gasped he seized the moment to gently slide his tongue into her mouth.

It was a sweet and tender kiss. Liss fisted her hands until she couldn't take it anymore. Tentatively she placed her hands on his waist, pushing apart his pristine white overcoat. Even with all the layers he wore, Rufus felt her touch. He felt like the skin was engulfed in an inferno and he growled his response.

He wanted to give and take so much more but god how he was enjoying the chance to just savor this moment. To drink in her taste.

The kiss was nothing like Cloud's. Where the mercenary's was forceful and brief, Rufus was better than she ever dared to dream. It kindled and stoked a flame of desire deep in her core. Much too soon Rufus pulled away. His hand that had drifted to her neck was gently massaging her, as his thumb twirled in a careless circle over a pulsing vein. He watched as her eyes opened and noted that they weren't focusing.

Liss couldn't think. Did he, Rufus Shinra just kiss her? She wanted to squeal and fist-pump in the air. All that came out though was a barely audible 'gahdamn' right before she unceremoniously passed out.

Rufus couldn't stop the chuckle as he caught Liss before she slammed to the floor. He couldn't believe what happened. Lowering himself further to the ground he hooked his left arm under her legs and wrapped his right around her back. Easing his way through the small opening to the hallway he carried his assistant to what he assumed was her bedroom. Carefully he placed her down on her bed and waited a few moments to see if she would wake up, but he remembered that when she dozed off in Junon, nothing short of a meteor falling would wake her. Leaning over her one final time, he brushed some hair away from her face and placed a slight kiss to her forehead.

"Thank you for the unintentional ego stroke darling."

As Rufus was heading out of the bedroom he started hearing an almost incessant knocking on the front door. Then the voice.

"Boss? Liss? Look don't kill her yo, it's my fault! I take the blame entirely! Just don't hurt her," Reno was hissing.

Rufus opened the door and stepped back just as Reno was about to pound away at it again. Crossing his arms across his chest and fixing his face into his normal bored look, Rufus addressed his employee.

"Something… wrong, Reno?"

"Yo, don't play. Where is she? What did you do?"

"Do? Why, I didn't do anything," the blonde retorted. "Did you… hear something?"

Reno stared at his boss then immediately pushed past him as he roamed through the apartment. Reno entered the kitchen and noticed Liss' cell phone on the floor.

"I was on the phone wit her. I heard her say your name, yo."

Sighing, Rufus took the moment to sweep the hair out of his eyes.

"Yes, well she was startled to see me. But we spoke briefly before she decided she was tired and went to bed."
"Went... to bed?" Reno scratched the back of his head while cocking his head to the side. This was just too strange for him to think about.

"If you would like, you can go check on her. I'm well aware that you know where her bedroom is located," Rufus sneered.

Reno pulled out a cigarette and as he held it between his index and middle finger he used that hand to point at Rufus to get the message across. "Don't start that shit. Ya the one that sent me here in the first place."

Reno quickly walked away from Rufus and went to check out the bedroom. It was under a minute later when he met up with Rufus at the front door.

"Okay, so ya didn't kill her," Reno paused as he studied his boss. Rufus' aloof manner though normal seemed to be forced. "What did ya do to her?"

"That is of no consequence to you," he replied as he walked out of the apartment. "Come Reno, I have much to do tonight and I do not wish to waste anymore time."

Reno shook his head at his boss. The Turk knew what that look and sentiment meant. The little shit was gonna be plottin' things all night. Reno sighed at the thought. In the past, this would be a welcome event, but with the current players being close friends, he wasn't so sure he liked this.

As Rufus sat in the back of the sleek town car, he replayed the events of the evening over and over. He couldn't erase the image of Cloud's oral assault on his woman. But he was thankful that as soon as that thought floated through his mind, it was replaced with the memory of his kiss, and her response. As he pondered that, his more evident physical response wouldn't ease. Shifting in his seat, he failed miserably at attempting to get comfortable. Sighing he leaned his head back against the headrest and focused on his new plan of attack.

First things first, he thought as he fished out his cell phone from his inner coat pocket. Scrolling through the contacts he landed on the one that would serve him well tonight.

The call was answered within two rings.

"Rude, I think our friend needs to have a heart to heart tonight."

Knowing that Rude would understand the message and follow it unquestionably, Rufus felt some of the tension ease. Now, to set the stage to pull his prey in.