After reading the first few reviews, I got inspired start another chapter! Go me! Warning: When life gives me lemons, I abused the hell out of those little bitches! Lol. Seriously, I had to stop typing plenty of times and cool off during this chapter… Enjoy!
What the hell was he doing? Why did he think that coming to his assistant's house at 8 o'clock in the morning was a good idea? With a thought process like this, why in the hell did people label him a genius? Why was he still going toward the damn door? To hell with it, he thought to himself. He was going to knock on the door and speak with her.
Shikamaru's clenched fist froze, inches away from Temari's door. What if she was still asleep? What if she had some kind of mood swing and decided she was angry with him? He dropped his hand and shook his head. Man, he must look so uncool in front of her door hesitating at his own stupid questions. Knock on the door, dumbass! She just a damn girl... Quit trying to approach this situation like she's a forbidden jutsu!
Trying not to shut his mind off before it froze him up again; he took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Mission accomplished. He had an urge to check his breath and make sure his silver tie was straight, but he bombed the thought in his head and decided to cross his arms. Then, he waited.
And waited some more. And some more after that. What the hell? Maybe she was still asleep… Or in the shower? Shikamaru tried the doorbell this time and waited again. Then it hit him like a slap in the face: Something wasn't right.
In a mild panic, he walked over and peered inside the window. The curtains were drawn, but a sliver of the living room shown. He didn't need them all the way open to become more suspicious. He knew Temari was here. He saw her laptop on a table charging. She wouldn't go anywhere without it on a work day. Shit.
He walked back over to the door and banged on the door with the side of his fist, then waited a few seconds. It was a quiet morning in Konoha, and he didn't hear footsteps or anything from inside the house. Well, it looks like he was about to give her a reason to be pissed at him. Man, what a drag.
With thought alone, he sent his shadow under and up the door to unlock it. When he heard the click, he went inside and quietly closed the door. Now, where to start?
Glancing around, he didn't see anything that looked suspicious or amiss, so he didn't ponder a break in or anything of the sort. Good.
"Temari!" He called out, and then waited. When he heard glass shatter in a not too far located, he acted swiftly. He swept all the rooms until he came to a very obvious Temari's room. The door was wide open and so was the bathroom door inside the room, where he spotted Temari in the tub. She had her eyes closed and wasn't moving, while the one hand she had over the tub lip was limp and right under her limp hand was the remnants of a shattered wine glass. Shit!
He rushed over to her and felt for a pulse. It was not as strong as he wished it would be, but it was there. The water she was in was cold, so she had to been here all night. Damn. Their conversation took more out of her than he thought.
"Temari!" He tapped her cheek as he spoke with a raised voice. "Wake up!"
She stirred, and his heart stopped pounding against his rib cage. Without waiting for permission, he scooped her up and headed to the bed and placed her on it. When he went back to retrieve a bath towel to dry her hair and body, she seemed to be coming around a bit faster.
"Shika…maru?"
She tried to rise up, be he came in and stopped her. "Yes, it's me. Do you know where you are?"
"I'm at…home, right?" She tried feebly to bat his hands away as he dried her with the towel. "Why are you in my house?"
"I am in your house because it is…" He checked his Rolex. "About half an hour past eight in the morning. That's not the reason I'm here, but, for right now, that's all you need to know. What is your name?"
As he dried her hair, he watched her eyes go from glazed to alert in a few seconds. Impressive. She snatched the blanket onto her naked body and looked up to glare at him. "My name is very fucking pissed right now. What the hell are you doing in my damn house?"
"I came in because I knocked and rang the doorbell and no one answered. I was worried. Then when I saw your laptop on the table in the living room, I decided to come in and make sure you were alright. I know I'm no Zeus or anything, but cut me some slack. It was in your best interest, so don't be troublesome about it."
She snatched the towel away from him and began to dry her own hair. "I recall locking my door when I came home this evening."
"Yeah, well, it's a good thing that I know a little about a lot."
"Does that even make sense?"
"Makes perfect sense to me."
He sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from her and they shared a comfortable silence. He was surprised. He fully expected her to kick him out right about now, but she didn't. She threw the towel across the room at what Shikamaru guessed was the hamper and sighed. Now that the scary part was over and his adrenaline had settled, he tried desperately not to reflect about how her naked body glistened with the droplets of water as he carried her to the bed. Or the way she look—
"Shikamaru?"
He cleared his throat and hoped it had the same effect on his brain. "Yeah?"
"Thank you. For everything… I'm not sure what was going through my head last night, but I could have easily slid under the water if you hadn't come here... Things have been hectic lately and I felt my hard-earned life spiraling out of my control. I felt like the only two choices I had was to relapse or shove pills down my throat."
Relapse? As in trying not to go back to what you're addicted to…Temari wasn't having sex? But why? As he contemplated these inquiries, he couldn't help but notice the relieved sensation he experienced when apprehending she wasn't having sex. But Gaara left only yesterday… Why wasn't she having sex with him? He took a deep breath and turned toward her. He was going to decipher this code right now.
"Do you want me to call Gaara for you?"
She looked up sharply. "What? No! Why the hell would you do that?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I just thought you'd want him to know."
She eyed him suspiciously. "We're close. Not that close though."
Shikamaru yawned and scratched his head. "What sense does that make? You're either close or you're not."
Temari yanked hard on the blanket, and he almost slid off the bed. When he recaptured his balance and looked at her, she glared back. "My relationship with my little brother has nothing to do with you. Didn't you parents teach you to mind your business?"
Her brother! Her younger brother, at that! His heart didn't feel so heavy all of a sudden and for a moment, he almost had the urge to jump for joy. Almost. That would definitely explain their affection toward each other, why he attended the formal gathering and why he was so pissed off at the day he took Temari home. It all made sense now. There was still a chance.
He didn't realize Gaara was so young. Not that he ever asked or wanted to know, but the grim bastard was always so damn…grim! He wondered how that relationship happened anyway, and for once, was glad to be wrong. Temari was still glowering at him, so he refocused his now happier thoughts on her.
"I do mind my own business." He hoisted himself up and stretched. "Go ahead and take the day off. You give the impression that you need some time to reprioritize."
She opened up that pretty mouth of hers to protest, no doubt, but Shikamaru held up his hand. "Don't want to hear it. After work, I'll drop by again to check on you and to help you move into the apartment. Cool?"
Temari reopened her mouth; paused, closed it, smiled, and then nodded. "That'll be fine."
With newfound drive, Shikamaru strolled toward the door with smirk on his face. "Cool. Hey, how about you take today and go to that spa thing? Total waste of time, but women like that kinda stuff, right? And look, you're already dressed for it…"
He heard Temari scramble around and he felt the gust from the throw pillow she heaved at him, but it soared by harmlessly and hit the wall outside her door as Shikamaru twisted just in time. How's that for a cool adult?
Θ
Θ Θ Θ
Θ
Temari hurled the pillow at the back of his cranium, and missed by centimeters. Shit! As he disappeared from view, she couldn't help but notice how…neat he looked today. All of his hair was seized in the bind of his ponytail, his tie was done correctly and wasn't askew, and he even had on the blazer that came with the ensemble! She couldn't think of any reason why he would choose to be immaculate today. There weren't any big conferences scheduled, so he must be…
Her mood soured instantly. He must be going to see that girl for lunch or something. She heard the front door close, and sullenly, she rose out of her bed and headed for the bathroom. As she let unplugged the drain to let the old water out, she replayed the diminutive recollections she had in her brain of today.
She remembered becoming somewhat conscious because she thought she heard someone call her name. She listened, and all was silent for a while. She tried hard to wake up fully, but had accomplished doing the opposite. As her lids slowly slid shut, she felt her body relax and her finger let go of something in her hand…
It was the wine glass! Vaguely, she remembered taking a wine glass to the tub with her to swallow down the zombie pills. She stepped inside the shower and turned the dial three-fourths of the way to hot and sighed in bliss, momentarily distracted from her thoughts. As she scrubbed herself, she came to the conclusion that the dose she took was too strong for her and she must've passed out. It probably wasn't a good idea to take the medicine with alcohol, but let's be honest: No one follows that shit.
The wine glass shattering explains how Shikamaru found her. She was too dazed to worry about the fact that he was seeing her naked body. As a matter of fact, he could have done anything to her…
She turned up the hot water and scrubbed harder while cursing herself for succumbing to a moment of stupidity. She worked with Shikamaru for a while now, and she knew that he wasn't that type of man… Not even remotely close. Shikamaru would never do the things that bastard done to her…
Stop it, she scolded herself. She was going to the spa to relax, not cry like a damn baby. As she road-blocked all the bad traffic in her brain, she turned the shower off and stepped out. She had her time of weakness. She took pills to numb herself from the world around her. The time for being weak was over. It was time to recover and start having some fun again.
She wiped the fog from the mirror and stared into her own eyes.
"OK, Temari, it's time for you to suck it up. No more crying and moping around. You're going to go to the spa and clean your pores, get a facial, and all the other shit they do there with a full blown smile and love it. After the spa, we'll see what kind of trouble we can get into tonight! Deal?"
She winked at herself and smiled, her mood elevated. She needed a night on the town, and there was no better time. Just as she finished dressing in her jeans and a tank top, and was fighting to get her hair in the last ponytail, the doorbell rang. Thinking it was Shikamaru—coming back because he couldn't be a responsible adult and not forget things—she swung open the door and had a package shoved toward her.
"Special delivery for a…MsSunaShine, ma'am."
The boy standing in front of her couldn't be more than sixteen, with his brown hair all over the place and his easy smile. She could tell that it wasn't just because he loved his job, because his blue eyes were too busy checking her out. Bold little shit, he is, she thought to herself.
"From who?" She asked as seized the package from the courier and placed it under her arm to sign for the small box. She knew the answer he would give, but she tried anyway.
"I have no idea, ma'am. I just deliver the package," he stated, confirming her thoughts. "It also came with special instructions. I was told by the sender of the package to tell you to answer him soon. Are you single?"
She just smiled at him. "A scrawny punk like you wouldn't know what to do with a woman like me. Thank you."
"Hey!" He called out as she stepped back and began to close the door. "Not even a tip?"
"You want a tip, hmm?" When he nodded eagerly, she couldn't help but smile. "Fine. Don't be so obvious staring down a woman's shirt."
Before he could stutter out a rebuttal in his embarrassed state, Temari closed the door with flair. She wasted no time in ripping the box open. She raised an eyebrow though when she discovered a cell phone. Upon further examination, her mouth dropped open. This was THE cell to have. The iNinja Rank S. The phone that had teenagers and techies creaming all over themselves every time the commercial came on TV. Come to think of it, is the model of the phone even on the market yet?
She finally made it through all the packaging and picked up the phone and turned in on. After the welcoming screen came on and went away, only to be replaced by a short questionnaire—for personalization reasons—she had to go through, the phone fully powered up. As soon the phone acquired a signal, a message came in from PerceptiveShadow. Why was she not surprised? She pressed the little message icon with her fingertip.
10:04 a.m. – PerceptiveShadow: You logged off before I had a chance to respond. That was mean.
Truth be told, she had forgotten the little chat she had with PerceptiveShadow about her condition. Shit. Another moment of weakness she had to make up for. Fumbling around with the gadget, she managed to type out a reply.
10:05 a.m. – MsSunaShine: I told you I was having a bad day. Things got a little out of control, but everything is OK again. How are you this fine morning?
She grabbed her purse and as soon as she was about to head out the door, she had a spark if ingeniousness. Quickly, she added in Sakura's phone number from memory and began texting her.
10:07 a.m. – MsSunaShine: This is Tema. Come with me to the spa. On me. Meet me there?
The phone make a sound strangely resembled a kunai being thrown into a tree. Temari glanced at the phone again and saw that PS had been the first to reply. She touched the icon and their conversation came up.
10:08 a.m. – PerceptiveShadow: Very horny this morning, but I suppose you're going to ignore my hopes and pay no attention that statement. Can't blame a guy for trying, though. On the other side of things, I have much to accomplish this morning, so I'm busy.
10:08 a.m. – MsSunaShine: Ha. I'm not going to ignore it. In fact, I have advice: cold shower. You'll be happy to know that I have decided to go to the spa today. On my way now, to be exact. I will talk to you later.
She stuffed the phone into her pocket and walked out the door. The spa wasn't very far away from her, so she decided to walk. It seemed like it was going to be a beautiful day in Konoha. The kunai in the tree notification sounded out again, and she pulled the phone back out.
10:12 a.m. – Sakura: Ur in luck. I have the day off. B there ASAP. N also, MsSunaShine?
10:12 a.m. – MsSunaShine: Will explain when I see you. Later.
She tossed the phone in her purse and grinned. Sakura was always one for gossip, so she was going to flip her lid when she told her everything that had been going on recently. That and the fact that she was dying to tell someone about this mystery admirer. As she passed the flower shop, one of the cutest little boys she had ever seen held out a flower to her.
"Thank you!" She smiled down at him and ruffled his golden hair. "And what do I owe you for such an amazing gift?"
The little one blushed to the roots of his hair and grinned back shyly. "Momma said that I should stand outside and give flowers to every pretty lady I see!"
"Oh, really? Well you tell your mother that if she keeps a cutie like you out here, she'll sell all the flowers in the shop! As a matter of fact, tell her that she just earned a big customer."
The boy's eyes lit up with joy and he smiled so wide that she was a momentarily afraid for his cheek muscles.
"Thank you! Have a good day!"
"You're welcome. Have a good day yourself."
As he bounced back inside the shop to tell his mother of the little adventure he just had, she straighten up and walked away. Yep, today was going to be a complete 360.
~oOo~
"Oh, Tema! This facial is just what the doctor ordered! I haven't been to the spa since…well, I'm a little ashamed to admit how long it's been."
"Same here."
Temari had made it to the spa and as soon as she approached the counter, Sakura came in. Both wanted a facial, among other things, and for it to be done by a woman—for different reasons, of course. Sakura was told by Sasuke that if he found out that another man was touching her, he'd kill him. It was a little too much for her tastes, personally, but Sakura loved the fact that he was so possessive over her, so she decided to indulge him. Temari just wanted to have a woman because she actually wanted to relax. She didn't want to chance it if some guy got a whiff of her overabundance of hormones and get all touchy-feely.
"So," Sakura started. "What's with the codename?"
Through their hour and a half massage, Temari rambled on about everything PerceptiveShadow, Shikamaru, her job, and her bad decisions. Surprisingly, Sakura seemed to take it all in stride. She didn't expect her to freak out or anything like that, but she did expect her to scold her on some parts.
"Ah. I see… We'll get to all that other stuff later, but I really want to talk about this PerceptiveShadow guy."
They both took the cucumbers off their eyes and rearranged their towels as the girls left to get their next station set up. They were close enough to reach out and touch each other, if they pleased.
"I know that look." Temari studied her friend's face. "You're worried."
"Well, can you blame me?" She held up a hand to stop Temari's retort. "Think about it. This random 'person' just has access to all things that have to do with you. Your email, your address, your work, and just about everything else," she ticked them off on her fingers. "Don't you think that's just a little creepy?"
"In some ways, I guess I see your point…" Temari actually considered her friend's opinion. "But, at the same time, all that information is not hard to obtain. Let me assure you right now, if you're worried about my safety—as in like the guy trying to break into my house and have his way with me while I'm asleep—I can promise you that I am more than prepared for such a scenario. As a matter of fact, I hope that is what happens. Considering I hadn't had sex in a while, I have a bunch of steam I need to let off."
Temari smirked at her, and against her own will, Sakura laughed. "OK! Maybe I shouldn't worry about that part, but it's still a little unnerving that he does these things for you… The guy even got you a cellphone that's not even on the market yet!"
"Hey, you can't be mad at a guy for working his connections." Temari shrugged. "He's resourceful. I respect that. Believe it or not, I actually don't feel that only thing he wants to gain from this is to get in my pants. I think he genuinely wants to get to know me. My personality and quirks and all that other bullshit that I have yet to experience, you know?"
"I know that he can accomplish that without using aliases…"
Temari frowned at her, and she slumped. "Look. I'm completely ecstatic that you think you've found a guy that might be in it for the long run. You know I want that for you. All I'm saying is if that guy is really into you, then what's with all the smoke screens and cloaks?"
"Don't even talk to me about smoke screens and cloaks." Temari waggled her finger at Sakura. "I seem to remember a time when you and Sasuke decided to role-play a break in…"
"Oh goodness!" Sakura fluttered her eyes and fanned herself with her hand. "Did I tell you how many times I came that night? Can you say best idea ever?"
A lady that hadn't met yet entered the room before Temari could reply. Regrettably, the woman did catch her in mid eye roll. "Your next stations are ready. Unfortunately, due to the amount of customers we are currently serving, I was unable to get you two in one room. To make up for this, we have scheduled you private rooms with masseuse specialists. We have also thrown in a half hour—free of charge, of course. Will that be alright?"
They both assured her that it wasn't a big deal and they parted way, promising each other that they will meet up afterwards to go for lunch. Temari was led into a dim candle-lit room with soft music playing in the background. She liked the atmosphere already.
The masseuse turned from the counter full of candles, oils, and other things that Temari couldn't name unless further inspected. "Good morning. If you'll undo your towel and lay on the table, we'll get started with a regular massage and work our way up to the Hot Stone massage."
Temari did as she was asked and laid flat on the table, face-down with her face in the hole. She saw the masseuse feet come into view. "Is there any problem areas I should get started on now, or do you want me to just do what I do?"
"I'd rather you just do what you do."
"Alright. Now, all you need to do is relax." Temari felt the towel cover her butt. "Don't be afraid to fall asleep if you like. I will wake you when it is over."
Temari fleetingly wondered who feel asleep when a stranger had their hands all over their body, but the though escaped her when the lady began kneading her back. Pretty soon, she forgot how to think. This woman had some gifted hands! She seemed to be able to tell where all the knots were, and just as easily, work them all out. She would definitely have to remember her name for the next time she visited!
"OK. I'm about to start the Hot Stone treatment." She stated after twenty minutes in heaven. "Do you have any concerns about the procedure?"
Temari tried to answer, but it came out in a moan. She figured she got the point, because soon, she felt heat on her back. Was this woman an angel? How was she so extraordinary? She tried with all her might not to do it and embarrass herself, but she held back as long as she could and now she was in a moaning fit.
Her thoughts drifted to nowhere in particular, and she found herself having more hypnic jerks than she bargained for. The last one she had was a few seconds ago, and the masseuse laughed softly. "You're not going to get the full satisfaction from the massage if you fight it. Let your mind drift and your body relax. I promise you that you're in good hands."
The lady walked away and started blowing out candles. She came back and set another candle on the floor, not too far away from my face. "There, that should help you relax a little better."
Temari took a deep breath of it and almost immediately yawned. She could pick out a strong scent of lavender and an underlying scent of vanilla. She didn't have a chance to guess the other fragrances though, because her eyelids were suddenly way too heavy and her body felt like it was filled with cement. She drifted again, and this time, she didn't find her way back.
~oOo~
Temari thoughts floated.
She was groggy—her limbs were weak. She tried. Her fingers twitched. Good.
She breathed deeply. The scent of lavender and vanilla hung in the air—only in traces.
A slight breeze…fainter scents…
Shoes came into view, and slowly, Temari realized that the shoes she was staring down at right now were not the shoes that the masseuse had on. The room started to sway, and she closed her eyes.
"You seem to have a high tolerance for sleep aids. Relax, MsSunaShine…"
The voice hit her ears distorted and indistinguishable, but she could tell that it was a man speaking to her. MsSunaShine… That meant that…
She tried frantically she sharpen her thoughts and her vision, but she must've been squirming, because he laid his hands on her bare shoulders. "I mean you no harm. I just wanted to spend a little…personal time, that's all. We won't do anything you don't want to do…"
His last sentence held a lot of promise, and that scared the shit out of her. That was the same thing that doctor said before he started… But she… So how was he still…?
In full panic now, adrenaline rushed through her system and stomped out anything in her system that wasn't focused on living. Her eyes were still unfocused, but as long as she could still see his silhouette, she could compensate for it. Using the newfound energy, she shrugged his hands away from her and rolled off the table.
"Whoa! Easy." He tried to soothe her as he skirted the table to help her up, but she had already rolled far away enough to get time to stand up. The towel that covered her most intimate parts fluttered to the ground, but she didn't care. If it distracted him, then good! All she needed was a spilt second to kill him.
"Get out!" Temari crouched down low and readied herself for a fight. "I don't want you here!"
"Easy… I'm not going to hurt you. I just wa—"
He took a step closer, and that put him in range. She couldn't make out any details in his face, but it didn't stop her from taking a swing at it. He ducked and her fist grazed over his hair, but was otherwise harmless. The momentum threw what was left of her balance off, and she stumbled into the corner.
"Temari! I'm not here to hurt you!"
He started toward her again, and she kicked out at him. He caught her leg and yanked it toward him, causing her to stagger forward into him. He wasted no time in turning her, then wrapping her up in the tight bear hug. She thrashed about pugnaciously, but to no avail. His hold was tight and he was strong. She was still weak and dazed.
"GET OFF M—mmhm mmm!"
"Listen to me!" He slapped his hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming. "You're going to bring attention to me being in here with you, and neither of us want that, trust me. Now, I'm going—"
She threw her head back and caught him square in the nose. She heard a crack, and he immediately let go and stumbled back into the massage table. Thrown off balance again, she fell back into the corner and glared at him. She was almost out of gas and if he didn't decide to give it up soon, she wouldn't be able to hold him off much longer.
Temari watched him closely and tried to get her focus and breathing correct as he cursed and held his nose. The room was still dark, but her vision was clearing up. She couldn't make out his face still, but she could clearly see the blood pouring from it. He took a deep breath, then straightened up from the table and walked over to the cabinet full of the massage supplies. He glanced back at her, opened it, grabbed two towels, covered his nose with one and tossed the other across the room toward her. What the hell?
Wordlessly, he came within ten feet of her and hunched down. "I didn't come to hurt you. You know who I am. I would never do that to you."
He offered his hand, and Temari tried vigilantly to see his face clearly. Frustrated that only parts were coming in clearly and fading away rapidly, she sighed and reached out for his hand. He straightened, closed the distance in between them, and easily hoisted her to her feet. When she wobbled, he swept her up and into his arms.
"You know, it wouldn't kill you to eat a little more… You're as light as a kunai."
He placed her on the table, and hurried over to the cabinet for more towels.
"You're ANBU."
He hesitated, and Temari knew she was right. "That's how you managed to drug me."
"Drug you is…not what I would use." He brought back the towels and instructed her to lie down on the table again, and she did. Immediately, she felt the towels covering her womanly features. "I…utilized a therapeutic technique to assist you in relaxing. All of it was natural. No chemicals needed. Therefore, I did not drug you. How did you guess me being ANBU?"
"The way you fought—or evaded my attacks, rather. It was all very exact, quick, and no energy wasted."
He placed his hands on her shoulders again, and paused. When she didn't move, he proceeded to rub her should blades and neck. "I see… So, how do you know all that about ANBU tactics?"
"Mmhm. Nice try. I'll never tell."
"Be that way. Unfortunately, even if I find it liberating, I have to stop speaking soon. My genjutsu is wearing thin. I don't want you to discover who I am just yet."
"Genjutsu?" Temari stiffened and he stopped rubbing her. "This is an illusion?"
"Not exactly, no. Everything around you is real. The illusion is me. I am here, but all my personal characteristics have been altered. That why when you were trying to look at me, everything was hazy."
Temari relaxed, and started again. She focused on the floor and could clearly see every speck of dirt on it. Shit. She had been tricked, and didn't even realize it! "Ha. Damn, you're good."
"I have very proficient instructors. I have to leave soon. No more talking. Let's just enjoy the moments we have left."
She didn't want to stop talking, but he really started getting into the massaging, and again, she lost her ability to speak. He started from her feet and worked his way to her calf area. When he was satisfied, he move up to her thighs, then her lower back, to her upper back, to her shoulders, and back down again. She felt goose bumps break out all over her body, and she couldn't tell if it was form the temperature in the room or what he was doing to her.
Then, things got a little heated. Like he did the first time, he started at her feet and massaged his way up, but after he got to her thigh he kept travelling up until he reached the crevice of where her thigh met her ass and dip down, just barely missing her other set of lips. And before she could say or do anything, he would start over like nothing happened. Even though he was pretending to be none the wiser, Temari had a feeling it was the exact opposite.
She tried to ignore it. She really did. Everything else felt so good and as soon as he would get close, she would have to mentally and physically force herself to be still and not arch into his hand. She was aroused and she would bet her life that he knew he was making her wet. He barely missed again and Temari bit her lip to stifle the moan while her vaginal muscles clenched impatiently. She couldn't take much more.
She made a movement to get up, but he stopped her and continued working. She tried to look at him, but he very gently stopped her from turning her head toward him. This was turning her on and pissing her off all at the same time.
"OK," she breathed. "You may not understand what you're doing, but—"
He shushed her and kept on going. Sonafabitch! He shushed her! Ready to tell him exactly what she thought about him shushing her, she opened her mouth and…had an orgasm.
Just as soon as the first word readied to launch out of her mouth, he spread her thighs apart, bent down, and blew a steady flow of air on her clit. The surprise of cool air was more than her already overstimulated body could handle. The words on her lips faded into moans of bliss as her body quaked and contracted.
As Temari rode the wave of ecstasy, she heard the sounds of hurried unbuckling and metal being scraped against metal and the shuffling of pants as they dropped to the floor. She felt two strong arms on each side of her as he scrambled on top of the table and straddled her. When his arm went under her belly to help pull her to her knees, she was more than happy to oblige him.
The tabled wobbled, a threat of collapse no doubt, she they didn't care. He bent to rain kisses along her spine while she steadied herself on her hands and knees. She wanted this. Suna help her, she wanted him. She craved him. She needed him now more than she needed to breathe. Their ragged breathing and moans filled the room, and when Temari was sure that if she waited another second she would die from anticipation, she arched her back and rubbed her ass against his rock hard member. He groaned a very sexual primal sound and rubbed himself along her pussy, getting himself prepared for penetration.
There wasn't a need. She was soaked to the point of dripping. Lost in her primitive need, she moaned and grinded against him. Getting the very blatant hint, he grabbed her hips and held on tightly. This was it. The moment that she couldn't do without for another second.
Fleetingly, she remembered that he didn't have on a condom. Just as fast, the thought faded to the back of her cognizance when he positioned himself at her entrance and began to push inside her.
She couldn't explain her emotions at the time. All she knew was that when he pushed past her lower lips and started to sink into her hot desire, she was overwhelmed with the amount of emotions pouring into her. She felt...full. She felt that if there was one more sensation that tried to catch her attention, she would burst. Time came to a standstill, and she had a moment of clarity. This was right. She didn't feel wrong, dirty, or slutty for doing this. For the first time since her sexual life started, she actually wanted to have sex. Sure, physically, she was always rearing to go for it, but never had it been a mental thing as well. To overcome to dwell on that right now, she put herself back in the now moment.
The tip of his cock was throbbing inside her entrance. He had frozen, as if sensing her being a million miles away. She was going to show him that she wanted this. She wanted him. Right now. Closing her eyes, she pushed back on…nothing? What the hell?
Θ
Θ Θ Θ
Θ
Shikamaru strolled down the sidewalk, with his arms folded above his head and looking up, watching the clouds. To many, it would seem like he didn't have a care in the world. He was rich, he was known all over the world, and he had his health, so what was there to complain about?
If life was simple, he'd accept a question like that from someone. But life was far from simple, and you didn't have to be a damn genius to figure that one out. Even Naruto knew that as a kid! Man, why couldn't things be so simple?
Counting his steps, he finally arrived at 8,273 and stopped. Unfolding his armed and leveling his head with his shoulders, he turned to the right and his chest tightened. It did every time he looked at this house, and it probably would never go away. Taking a deep breath, he shuffled up to the door and knocked.
A few seconds later, the door opened and the one person that truly understood his pain smiled at him. Once again, his chest constricted, and then slowly eased up. "Come on in, Shikamaru."
She backed up to let him in and he entered. After he closed the door, he went straight to her and hugged her close.
"Been one of those day for you, has it?"
Like she always did, one arm went around him to return the hug while the other fought to smooth down his disobedient mop of hair. He hugged her tighter and took in the scent of her. "I'm losing my way these days…"
"Hmm. Why would you say that?"
Sighing, Shikamaru reluctantly let her go and headed for the kitchen. "Where's the kid?"
"The Academy. You're stalling."
Shikamaru stayed silent and focused his concentration on finding a soda in the fridge. He finally settled on berry soda and sat down at the kitchen island to enjoy it. When he could stand her eyes on him any longer, he sighed and looked up at her, "You've been crying."
She adverted her eyes and decided that it was best to put her hands to work. Dilly-dallying around the kitchen, Shikamaru managed to get a sandwich of the deal. "Yes. It happens...Now, back to you."
"I don't know what to do anymore. Everything seems…"
"Empty," she finished for him, and he nodded. "You know that—"
"I know. I try, too. But it all seems so damn pointless!"
She quieted, and he cursed again. "I know you didn't mean that. I know you promised—"
"—to be a cool adult... I remember."
"That includes living a life worth living. Otherwise, you're just a waste of space."
Shikamaru took a big gulp of his soda. "That's exactly what I've been lately."
"You just need something…or someone…." Shikamaru didn't mean to flinch, but he did, and it gave him away. Damn. She studied him thoughtfully. "There is someone, isn't there?"
He looked at her, and he felt the need to cry. Before that thought could turn into anything physical, he smashed it into the back of his head. He just nodded. Her eyes lit up, but he shook his head before she could jump to conclusions. "Don't jump to any conclusions. There is someone, but it won't happen. She has…issues."
She laughed lightly. "Don't we all?"
Shikamaru stared back down at the soda can like it had done him wrong, and stayed that way until he heard her walk out of the room. He glanced up sharply, but only caught her shadow going down the hall. Great… Today was just his lucky day, wasn't it? More troublesome females annoyed with him. Just as he was about to get up and apologize for whatever he did wrong, he heard her footsteps coming from down the steps. When she rounded the doorway and Shikamaru saw what she had in her hands, his hearted skidded to a stop. She placed it on the table in front of him, and he immediately stood and moved away from the table, almost knocking over the chair he was sitting in.
She looked at him, and when she spoke, her voice was harsh, but her eyes were filled with sympathy. "Shikamaru, you're being ridiculous. Sit down and play with me."
"That's a shogi board." He stated dumbly. She nodded patiently.
That's…Asuma's shogi board…"
"It is. Sit, Shikamaru."
Feeling numb, he clumsily found his seat and plopped down in it, never taking his eyes off the board and as she set up the board, even. He knew that he wasn't acting like himself at all, but he was helpless to it. He hadn't seen that board since…
"He taught me how to play. Did you know that?" She rambled on as she finished setting up the pieces with her face lowered, no doubt to kill the silence in the air. "He once said that he needed a practice partner to attempt his new tactics on so he could analyze if they would work against you. All that preparation and still, he never beat you. I'll admit, I'm not A…Asu—"
She could hold it no longer. Shikamaru heard it in her voice before it actually happened, but he could find nothing comforting to say to her. As she cried, something inside Shikamaru happened.
Wow, how much of a damn jerk could he be? Here he was, whining about how life sucks when you don't have your old shogi partner to his wife! Dumbass! Man up.
Sighing, he stood and retrieved some tissues for her. "Kurenai, I—"
"Just please! Play with me… Please! I need this."
As she hurried to dry up her tears, he settled back into his chair and proceeded to take off his hisha, kakugyō and the two kyōsha off the board. This caught her attention.
"I'm not that bad at it, Shikamaru. No need to take so many off the board. That's insulting."
He looked at her and raised an eyebrow, then placed both his kyōsha back on the board. "Not to appear arrogant or anything, but there is a reason why Asuma never beat me. I'm ranked pretty high."
Kurenai eyed the two pieces that he hadn't placed on the board. "You're a dan, aren't you?"
"Yeah," he shrugged, nonchalant. "So was Asuma."
"How high are you ranked? Asuma was a 6th dan."
Staring at the board, he shrugged again. "I'm high enough to get paid for playing shogi. No big deal. OK, here we go," he slapped his hands together before she could reply. "You have the handicap, so I go first."
He played Kurenai six times in one hour, and beat her every time. She had potential though, and she learned quickly from her past mistakes. They called each other names and glared at each other, but it was all in good nature. By the time he beat her the last time, he felt much better.
"I hadn't played shogi since he died… You knew that, didn't you?"
Kurenai gathered all the pieces carefully and put the game away. "Yes, I did."
He shook his head. "I don't understand. Why did you—"
"Because Asuma wouldn't want us to stop doing anything we love." She turned toward him, he her eyes were watering up. "You and him would stare at that board for hours, trying to outsmart each other. Of course, I thought it was a waste of time and stupid, but I realized that it was much more to you two than just a game. You bonded through this board… You two carried on conversations about everything—through this exact game—without saying a word."
Shikamaru was beginning to understand. "You were helping me find my way again…"
"Yes!" She wiped angrily at her eyes. "I know Asuma would have done the same if he were here… I think it's time that we…move on. Asuma was never one to wallow in pity—or any emotion, for that matter. It's time to stop mourning…It's time to stop crying…It's time to be free."
Silence followed. She was right, of course. They would never stop missing Asuma, but it was wrong—and disrespectful to live wishing and regretting. It rang true in Shikamaru's spirit. It was time to let go.
He stood up, and Kurenai looked up sharply. He flashed her a smirk, and then stretched and yawned. "Alright. I got it…I got it. Sad to say, I was being a total drag myself, and that can never happen again. Tell the little squirt that I'll be back soon. I got a place I have to go."
He headed to the door, and she followed him. As he opened the door to breathe in the fresh air, Kurenai at the bottom of the stair and studied him. "Am I ever going to learn about this 'someone'?"
Shikamaru stepped out the door and glanced back at her. "Soon. I have to get the troublesome woman first."
Θ
Θ Θ Θ
Θ
Damn him. Damn him. Damn him! Why the hell would he bring her to this, only to leave her in this condition? Did she do something wrong? Did he chicken out?
Cursing his alias name with all her might, she hurried over to the door and locked it. She could do this. Today was the day for change. Sitting on the table and trying not to think of what almost happened, she closed her eyes, crossed her legs, and breathed deeply. The hard part was coming up, and she had to prepare for it quickly.
First: the hot flash. Sweat began oozing out of her pores, and her heart began to beat like a snare drum. Still, she stayed focus. This wasn't all. There was more to come, but she would not be deterred. She would not be a slut. Fuck that, and fuck him for making her this way. Fuck her fucked-up childhood, and fuck the memories that haunted her at night. She refused to be his little slut anymore. Without meaning to, she opened Pandora's Box and the memories that poured out rendered her defenseless to the onslaught of malicious recollections.
~oOo~
Run! Her little feet smacked against the hardwood floor as fast as they could carry her as she skidded around the corner. She couldn't think of a place to hide. He always found her. Always.
She reached the end of the hallway and looked around frantically.
Where were her brothers? How did they always seem to disappear when she needed them? She heard heavy and slow footsteps behind her, and her heart skipped a beat. Gaara's room! No one ever went in there without permission.
Just as he began to round the corner behind her, she dashed to the left and floored it to the end of the hallway to her younger brother's room, opened it up, just about dived in, and shut the door behind her as quietly as she could. She was too big to hide under his bed, so she went into his closet and tried to be as still as possible, although she thought for sure that her loud beating heart would give her hiding space away. Breathing deeply to calm down, she waited.
And waited… Her breathing had slowed to normal, and her heart didn't feel like it was trying to break out of her chest anymore. Sighing, she slid down the wall of the closet and tucked her knees under her chin. She was ten years old now. She shouldn't be acting like a baby. But she couldn't help the fact that he was creepy and he scared the crap out of her. She'd just wait here until her brothers came back and then she'd come out. Everything would be alr—
She was snatched up by her hair, and she screamed in pain and surprise. Beyond terrified now, she scratched, kicked, bit, and anything else she could think of, but it only turned out worse for her, because the hold on her hair did not lessen. What it did do was annoy him, because soon she was soaring through the air and crashed head first into the wall. Dark spots clouded her vision, and before she could even think to get up, she was yanked up again by her hair.
"Were you hiding from me, Temari? I know you heard me calling for you!"
"I'm s—s—sorry father!" She wailed out in pain.
"You're damn right you're sorry! Now, you're going to make it up to me…"
The smile on his face sent shivers down her spine. Her body hurt all over. If she ran again, then it would just get worse. He was bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter than she was. There was no escape. It was stupid to run. She would not run anymore. Her heart was still beating, but her insides had turned cold with hopelessness.
She stopped straining against his grip. "Yes, father."
"Good. Now, who loves you?"
"You and only you, father…"
~oOo~
The banging on the door shook her out of her atrocious memory, and she sucked breath into her burning lungs. She hadn't realized she had been holding her breath or the two parallel salt lakes that were streaming down her face. Her whole body shook from her frayed nerves, and all she wanted in the whole world right now was for someone who truly loved her to hold her and help her fight her fears.
"Ma'am! Are you OK in there? Please answer me! Unlock the door so that we can help you."
Her mind, her body, and her emotions all began to go cold. It was always like this. It was like having a faulty wire in the electrical box. Once all the power hit and that wire began to spark, everything began to shut down. She began to shut down. The last bit of rational thought took over for a split second.
"Get Haruno Sakura in here right now. She is here in the spa," Temari's voice was eerily distant. "Hurry, before I do something really stupid."
~oOo~
"Here, drink this." Sakura handed her a cup, and she took it gratefully. "Chai tea. It should help."
"Thank you."
She didn't know if Sakura knew it or not, but she might've saved her life. When she walked in to that private room after literally yanking the handle off the door, she took one look at her face and went straight to business. With her extensive medical knowledge that Temari never even knew about, she was able to get Temari out of the spa and back to her house without any incident.
As soon as the door closed, she went to work on Temari. She released all her chakra pressure points, and then sent a substantial amount of chakra to her brain to help it function at maximum capability. That brought Temari out of her frozen state, and she wept uncontrollably while Sakura stood by and patted and cooed at her as if she were some child.
As embarrassing as it was, Temari couldn't stop it this time and Sakura's comforting techniques were making her feel better. After what seems like hours of held back emotions finally coming out, she dried her tears for the last time and started to regain control of herself. When she stopped sniffling like an idiot, Sakura brought her the tea and sat next to her, waiting patiently.
"I've never seen you like that before…"
"I know. I apologize."
She shook her head. "There isn't a need to apologize. What would you be sorry for? For having a breakdown?"
Temari sipped her tea, and even though it scalded her tongue, she welcomed the warmth it caused in her body. "I was apologizing for ruining our spa day. It wasn't supposed to happen like that."
"Oh." Sakura shed her shoes and curled a leg under her. "Well, it's no big deal. There is always time for that. I'm more worried about your mental health…"
Temari looked at her from the corner of her eyes. "My mental health is fine. Just stress."
"If I didn't know any better, Tems, I'd agree with you. Unfortunately for you, this is my expertise. When I was unblocking your pressure points and sending chakra to help your brain, your hippocampus lit up like a Christmas tree and literally almost sucked me dry. The only time I've witnessed something like that is when I did the same for Sasuke…"
Sakura faded off, and Temari sighed and drained the last of her delicious tea and rubbed her temples. "You know how I am, Saka… Be straight with me. What are you trying to say?"
Temari turned and glared at her, trying to deter her from the conversation, but she was far different from the naïve and easily scared girl she met when she first arrived at Konoha. She fiercely met her jade green eyes with her own green eyes. "I'm saying that something that has happened to you in the past has been mind-fucking you for quite a while."
Surprisingly, Temari was the first to back down and break eye contact. Sakura hit very close to home with her statement, and she realized that she was unleashing her anger on the wrong person. Buying some time to figure out what to say to her, Temari untied her hair and let it fall free.
"I didn't say you have to tell me about it." Sakura's voice was soft as she laid a hand on her shoulder. "I only wanted to let you know that if you needed someone to talk to, I'm here for you. That's all."
Sighing dramatically, she made a show of swinging her own legs onto the couch and laying her head in Sakura's lap while she laughed. "Thank you, but I think I'll share my stories with someone who will help me heal from them."
Sakura opened her mouth immediately, thought better of it, closed it and nodded. She knew that Temari meant she wanted a relationship like she had with Sasuke. Sure, she made fun of them all the time, but she knew that Sasuke had probably told Sakura more about him than anyone in the world would ever know. Not because he needed to, but because he wanted to, knowing that their past tragedies together would only bring them closer.
Temari rolled her eyes at her own hopeless romantic inside her head looked up at Sakura. "You know, from this angle, you're pretty fucking sexy."
Sakura immediately went up three shades or red and glared down at her. "If you don't want to talk about it, you could just say 'change the subject!'"
"Or," Temari smirked. "I could lay here and figure out why Sasuke wants to bang you into next week every time he's near you. Now, from this angle, your tits look great. Very perky and welcoming."
Another four shades of red. "Temari!"
"What?" she feigned innocence. "Am I not allowed to appreciate the beauty of the same sex?"
Her mouth dropped open. "You never told me that—"
"—That I what, Sakura?" Temari purred her name as she trailed a finger down her cheek. "That I appreciate the beauty of the same sex? Didn't think I needed to."
Sakura was flustered and didn't know how to handle the situation. "A—Are you…coming on t—to me?"
Temari lifted herself off Sakura's lap and got nose to nose with her, speaking barely just above a whisper. She licked her lips slowly and stared into her eyes. "And if I was? What would you do?"
For just a split millisecond, there was a shadow of indecision in Sakura's eyes. So fast, that if Temari wasn't nose to nose with her, she would have missed it. Resolve and her love for Sasuke quickly replaced that second of what-if in her eyes, and she leaned back into the couch and cleared her throat, all business. "I…uh, Tems, you're not realizing what you're doing. You're under your nympho influence."
Having way too much fun with this, Temari decided it was time to end it before things started to get bad. She blinked a few times and shook her head for dramatic effect, then looked around. "Um… What's going on?"
Sakura looked so damn relieved that Temari almost blew her cover and started laughing. She moved away from laying over Sakura instead, and stood up. Sakura did the same, while nervously rearranging her clothes. "You don't remember what just happened?"
"No." She answered simply.
"Well, you were hitting on me."
Temari gasped. "Really? Just now? Saka, I'm so sorry! The last thing I remember is laying my head in your lap… Strange. Blanking out doesn't happen very often."
"Oh no!" Sakura smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about it. It's no big deal. I was in control the whole time. You should know I wouldn't let you do anything that I think you would regret."
"Well, that's good. I'm so glad that you're not offended. Come on; let's go have some more tea in the kitchen. It was so good."
She nodded and followed along behind her, and Temari couldn't take it any longer. "Oh, and by the way, Saka…"
"Hmm?"
"I was just messing with you. That whole thing was a complete mind-fuck, wasn't it? I thought I told you I wasn't into girls…"
Sakura stopped walking, and Temari turned to face her. Uh-oh. She was red again, but not because she was flustered. She was mad as hell now. "I guess this would be a bad time to ask you to help me pack, huh?"
"TEMS!" She raged out and Temari darted into the kitchen, Sakura hot on her heels.
Θ
Θ Θ Θ
Θ
Shikamaru set another box down and groaned. "How does one person accumulate this much junk?"
"It isn't junk! It's my stuff, and if you have a problem with it, then go to hell!" She yelled from somewhere in the upscale apartment. "Besides, it's the last box anyway, so stop complaining."
He couldn't help but smile. His back was killing him and he chose the wrong wardrobe for the occasion. He thought that with her being one person in an apartment, he could go in his normal business attire—which consisted of slacks and a dark red button-down—but no, she had to be the one person in the village to have enough crap for four people. Even through all that, he was enjoying his time with her.
"How do you even manage to wear so many clothes?"
He walked out of the living room and found her in the kitchen, already unloading boxes.
"What the hell kind of question is that?" She mouthed off, still bent over, digging in boxes. Shikamaru enjoyed the view while it lasted. "I manage to wear so many clothes because I dress for the occasion. And if you—"
She straightened up and looked at him and stopped. He raised an eyebrow at her and used a hand gesture to signal he was waiting for the rest. "And if I...?" She glared at him and bent to the boxes again.
"And if you weren't such a lazy jackass, I'd say the hardworking look suits you."
He didn't have a reply for that. Giving himself an once-over, he realized he looked a bit messier than usual. He chucked his tie somewhere. That thing never lasted much with him. It was hot outside, so he'd undone the top two buttons of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves. She must've been trying to be a smart-ass. He looked like a damn lumberjack!
He opened his mouth, and stopped. Something didn't add up… Upon further mental analysis, he realized that she wasn't being a smart-ass at all. It was a genuine compliment. When she looked up at him, she froze and stared at him. She even forgot that she was talking! He was growing on her…
"You're place is a mess, and I'm not helping you clean this up. I said I'd help you move, not help you move and set it up."
Exasperation on her face, she straightened up again and raked her hair out of her face—wait… her hair was down! As she glowered at him, he studied her intently. Man, she was beautiful…
"Then get out, Shikamaru. Thank you for the little help you gave." She put emphasis on little, and Shikamaru smirked. "Well, seeing as you're not going to be done with this anytime soon, how about you come to dinner with me?"
Her eyes narrowed. "You are such a confusing man! Didn't your parents teach you manners?"
"Nah." He shrugged. "My mom yelled a lot, and my dad found constant excuses to leave the house for a break from it."
"I've met your parents." She countered. "They are very civilized people."
"Yeah, well that's what happens with old age. You calm down a bit..." Shikamaru stopped. "How did we go from dinner to my parents? Somehow, I missed the transition…"
Temari shook her head and sighed. "You don't have anything to wear. You can't go in that."
He nodded. "That's true. Mind if I borrow the shower? I found an outfit of mine while putting your stuff up."
"Fine. Dinner it is." She still had a slight confused look on her face. "Technically, it's still yours, so knock yourself out."
Without another word, he turned and strolled to the bathroom in the master bedroom.
Θ
Θ Θ Θ
Θ
Temari watched him go. Why was he being different all of a sudden? She couldn't put her finger on what exactly made him seem different, but she could feel the difference. It was both strange and oddly thrilling. She was trying to ignore it, but she felt his eyes roaming over her body, and face, especially when she was bent over.
He was probably trying to butter her up to do a big time conference by herself or something equal to that. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that it was most likely true. Feeling that she had solved the case, she thought nothing else of it.
Θ
Θ Θ Θ
Θ
As he turned on the hot spray and lathered up, he tried so hard not to wish Temari had followed him. Of course he wanted her to, but the hard part was keeping it a secret. She didn't want to be viewed as an idolized porn star, and he was trying hard to stand by her wishes. Problem was, around her, it was difficult not to think about sexual actions and not make himself into a fucking human jack-in-the-box.
She had issues with her condition, and he was researching the topic so he could understand it better. The information he had already learned from it made him understand a whole lot more about Temari. It explained the mood swings, why she was so anti-social after work with the other co-workers, why she'd get upset when the subject of sex got brought into the mix…
His mind wandered back to Gaara, and he shook his head. Her damn brother! All that time working with him, and he never knew Gaara had any relatives. Granted, the guy didn't talk much, except with Naruto, but still. That would explain why he did things that weren't his style. Like almost fighting him over Temari, and going to formal party…
A thumping noise had him poking his head out of the shower. "Yeah?"
"I need to come in there." Temari voice sounded behind the door.
What? There was no way in hell he was letting her in here! His semi hard-on was evidence of that.
"What for?" he called back.
"Because it's my apartment! Also, the fact that you put all my personal care products in this bathroom should be reason enough. Do I need to go on?"
Shikamaru swore. This was going to be bad. Quickly, he hopped out of the shower and looked around. The cold air gave him chill bumps, but did nothing for his hard-on. The arctic designed frosted glass made sure she couldn't see much of him, and with the steam on the inside, it was damn near impossible that she'd notice anything 'jutting out.' Maybe it would be manageable…
"Did you die in there? Come on, don't be such a damn baby! I promise I won't look at your privates." She mocked him, no doubt rolling her eyes. Sighing and giving the 5 o'clock shadow on his face a scrub, he unlocked the door with a soft click and opened the door to step back inside the shower. "It's open."
She came in and from what he could tell, immediately went to work on searching though the boxes littering the floor. "Are you almost done? I need to get in before we leave."
"Why don't you go in the one in the hall?" He questioned, lathering up again.
"Because then I would need to move all the stuff I need into another bathroom when I can just rush you out and get in. Stop asking questions. Just finish up and get out!"
"Fine!" He yelled back. "Give me two minutes, will you? Geez, women are so troublesome. Didn't you go to the spa today, anyway? Your skin should be all exfoliated and whatnot, right?"
She went quiet, and he stopped scrubbing. Something happened at the spa… But what? What could possibly happen at a damn spa?
"I did go to the spa. I still want a shower. Is that such a bad thing, considering I've been busy moving?"
Her tone was flat. She had gone from infuriated to tone-dead in one sentence. Something definitely happened at the spa. Unfortunately, Shikamaru knew better than to ask her right now. Instead, he rinsed off quickly and turned the water off. "Hand me a towel."
A few seconds of rummaging, and then the door cracked open and her hand came through, complete with the towel. Shikamaru's thoughts wandered to yanking her in the stall by that hand and ripping her clothes off. He took a deep breath, took the emerald green towel from her hand, and expertly wrapped it around his waist, then stepped out.
As the steam rushed out with him, Temari turned from the counter and froze.
Θ
Θ Θ Θ
Θ
She turned around and the world stood still. Suna help her... There is no way in hell people can be born to be that damned sexy. She tried to tell her body to close her eyes or turn away, but she was already zeroed in. Might as well enjoy the view while it lasted.
She started at his head. His long black hair was plastered flat and dark around most of his face, excluding his eyes, which gazed back at her with intensity. His torso—she never even thought that he was that built—was like a wall of muscle, skillfully cut in all the right places before dipping down into the unknown—and by that she meant what was under the towel. But, she did know about the unknown, didn't she?
His strong calf muscles flexed as he shifted his weight. She lifted her eyes back to his just in time to watch him run his fingers through his hair to move it out of his vision. Time slowed when he met her eyes, reached out his hand, and said in a low, sexy voice: "You have a hand towel?"
Her sex drive kicked in at high gear. If he touched her or even made a move toward her, she was going to fuck him. Heat rolled from the tips of her toes to the roots of her hair. Her mouth had gone bone dry and she felt the first throb of her genitalia. It was going to be the best mistake in her life, but without a doubt, she was going to have him inside of her.
Θ
Θ Θ Θ
Θ
Shikamaru saw the change in her. Very subtle, at first, but like a sickness, worsened with every second it lived. Shit. This was bad. At first, it nothing more than her eyes widening and her lips parting slightly. No big deal, right? He did just step out of the shower with just a towel, and once again—not to sound like a cocky jackass—but, he was in decent shape and it's in girls hormones to drool over stuff like that.
Thinking that he'd better get her mind out of the gutter before it flooded the basement, he reached out and asked for a towel in a slightly demanding voice. He knew she hated when he acted like a chauvinist slob, and he thought the anger from the demand would counteract the nymphomania.
Nope. He was wrong. Not like two-plus-two-is-six-aww-you're-cute-but-still-stupid wrong. It was the oh-shit-I-just-fucked-up-and-someone-is-going-to-be-pissed wrong. Her eyes glazed over with an impassioned expression. She licked her lips and looked him up and down like she was the huntress, and he was the hunted. The way things were progressing, she would jump him in a few seconds, and he would be helpless to stop her.
Oh, he'd try, but he knew himself well. Just watching her want him was making him hard, and if it was anything like last time in the office bathroom, it wouldn't stop at foreplay. It would be a whole lot more than just foreplay. Shit. Think!
"A towel, Temari. Now!"
She blinked, but took a step toward him. Shit! She only had approximately six more steps to get to him. If he didn't stop her right now, he would have her bent over the counter before he could stop her or himself. There has to be a better way to do this…
She took another step. Five left. He was very much hard now "Look, Temari, listen to me…"
"Yes?" A purr and another step. His cock jumped in anticipation and he fought with his blood flow to make it travel up.
"You're not yourself right now. You don't want this. You don't want me. I'm your boss. We can't do this together."
Yet another step. Not much time now. "My boss… Are you seriously thinking about that when you could be thinking about...?" She looked him directly in the eye, and took another step with a sexy smirk on her face. "I don't know… What we could be doing at this very moment. Need a hint?"
She looked down at the towel, and back up at him, full-fledged grinning now. "Oh no, I think you have all the hints you need."
She was close enough to touch now, and his fingers itched to do so. Damn, it would happen to him that the one girl he didn't find annoying, loud, and intimidating would be the one who offer herself to him and he would be the bastard if he decided to accept her offer. This is why he liked logic so much. Less of a chance to get screwed.
"Temari, please…" He tried again in a last ditch effort. He was literally begging the woman he'd wanted for years now not to come on to him. What kind of sick and twisted world was this?
Another wide step and there was no more distance between them. She laid her hands on his bare chest, and just like that, his resistance was gone. He cursed himself and his lack of control, but there was nothing else he could do. He knew how this would end. The sex would be mind-blowing. They go on for hours and hours, and when Temari broke free of her haze, she'd be appalled. She'd be appalled at the fact that she slept with her boss, appalled at the fact that he didn't have enough control to stop her, knowing her condition. Then, she'd quit. She'd quit and leave town and run to Gaara and he'd never see her again unless he killed Gaara, which was unlikely.
She leaned toward him, and like a magnet, he mirrored her actions. He mentally laughed at the irony. It was almost as if she possessed his shadow jutsu, and was using it to her advantage.
Words couldn't help him now, but he tried one more time. "Please stop."