Chapter 10:Easy for who?:
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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the original characters.
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AN: Okay, I've finally found the time to sit down and finished the chapter. I apologize for the long wait and I know that many of you PM me over the long months but with school and work, I barely have time to myself. Anyway, I really appreciate the support many of you out there for this story. There are some mistakes in this chapter, hopefully not too many to confuse any of you. Once again, many thanks to all of the readers out there. I love you guys!!
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For a picture of Sakura's dress, please visit this website..shop./S/2976757/02376776237432723743316014187?mediumthumbnailY&origincategory&searchtype&pbo6014187&P3
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The rest of the day progressed as usual. Sakura had put aside her worries and proceeded to continue working as accustomed. Sasuke had promised her that they would get to the bottom of this soon. Sakura was wary from all of this and she would hate to think that her trusted employees had been ripping her off for all of these years.
Kari had retrieved the entire file from the Financial Department quietly, making copies from the original computer and placed it neatly on her desk before going back to work normally. She had kept her part of the bargain and no one except Sasuke, Sakura and Kira knows about the situation. Sakura preferred to keep it that way until further notice. Sasuke had left assuring her that the person he was going to contact was the best in all of Tokyo and Sakura had trust him on it.
Aside from that, she found herself immerse in her work as usual. She had phoned Mizuki a while before confirming the charity event that is going to take place this weekend at the Tokyo Metropolitan Grand Ballroom. Every year, Sakura had encouraged the coordinator, Mizuki, to apply some theme for the event and this time, it was a masquerade with a twist towards the end, which allows single women to be auction on a date for the highest bidder. It sounded unethical at first but Mizuki assured that nothing unscrupulous would happen afterward and Sakura reluctantly agreed. The guests' lists had already been sent out weeks before and Sakura guaranteed that it was going to be another glittering event the paparazzi would go crazy about. She made a mental note to tighten up the securities as well as informing Sasuke about the event. It had totally slipped her mind. Better yet, she should do that now.
Lifting her hand to dial the phone, it rang and Sakura picked it up, marveling at the coincident.
"Sakura Haruno speaking." Sakura said clearly into the receiver.
"Hey babe. What do you say we skip lunch and go straight for dessert?" Sasuke's voice was coated with arrogance as Sakura rolled her eyes and smiled. She was glad that he was not here to see his charms working on her.
"Unless you're talking about vanilla ice cream, no way." Sakura replied as she twirled the cord of the phone around her fingers.
"What if I promise to bring Vanilla Ice cream and whip cream?" he continued boldly.
"Shame on you. What happens to the value speech you told me this morning?"
"It went out the window with my heart." He answered daringly and Sakura held in her laugh. "So what do you say?"
"I'd say I had better get a restraining order against you." She answered wryly.
"Tease." He finally relented with a chuckle.
"So why are you calling?" Sakura asked as she propped her back against the comfortable chair.
"Just want to know what you are doing?" he asked in a dreamy tone that would melt the heart of any women. Too bad Sakura was immune to his charms. Or so she thought.
"Taking my clothes off." She said then paused for a few seconds. "I'm naked." She continued wickedly as she heard Sasuke choked on the other line, coughing madly.
"Fucking hell." He said with a rasp voice when he calmed down. "Can I get a private show?"
"Only if you're here in the next five seconds." She replied with a grin of her own.
"Make it ten and you've got yourself a deal." He said seriously and Sakura burst out laughing.
"You are such a pervert." Sakura said and he laughed too.
"Can't help it if you keep teasing me like this, babe." He remarked casually.
"Change of subject. Sorry to inform you so late, but we have an annual charity event coming up this weekend and everyone in the company is encouraged to attend and that includes you." She said.
"I should be mad that you telling me this now." Sasuke answered.
"Are you?" Sakura asked with a raised brow.
"Yes I am." He replied in a hurt tone.
"Anything I can do to make it better?" she teased and knowing him she would not expect any non-sexual comment that is about to come out of his mouth.
"If not a striptease, can I still get a lap dance?" he asked hopefully.
"Goodbye Uchiha." Sakura said dryly as she hung up the phone. Well, that was certainly entertaining while it lasted. Sakura giggled. He never failed to make her smile with his ridiculous comments. At least she succeeded in telling him about the ball. Shaking her head, Sakura goes back to her work.
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Sasuke chuckled when he heard the dial tone from the other line. He found it amusing that she got annoy at him that fast. Usually, women could not get enough of him, not that he was gloating or anything. Shaking his head, he picked the pen that he had tossed onto the pile of documents moments before calling Sakura. In truth, he was worried that she had taken the blame upon herself and probably thinking how this was all her fault. He could understand, really. On the contrary to what she said, he knew the feeling of failure all too well. How many times had be screwed things up the first couple of years as the CEO of one of the most prestigious business in the world. At least Kakashi, his mentor, had been there to support him as well as his father. He was not always this precise and knowledgeable despite what others may have led to believe. He know the feeling more than she gave him credit for, but he was not about to go and have a heart to heart conversation about his past failure, unless he absolutely had too.
The sound of beeping from the office phone interrupted him from his stupor. Leaning over, he tapped the button and Mai's voice rang out.
"General Nara is on line one. Would you like to take the call?" Mai asked.
"Yes please." Sasuke answered as he picked up the receiver and seconds later, Shikamaru's voice greeted him.
"I got your call. Sounds very urgent." Shikamaru said in a lazy voice. Sasuke mused as to how in the world did one of the laziest people he knew became a high rank police officer.
"Seemed like it. I need your help." He replied and proceeded to tell the General what he found out so far. Shikamaru agreed to meet with him and Sakura this evening for dinner before hanging up when the voice of his wife, Ino, shrilling loudly in the background about idiot husband who was so much in love with his job more than his wife. Shikamaru muttered a 'troublesome' remark and Sasuke heard a loud slap from the other line as he held in his laugh.
"Damn woman have no respect. I am the goddamn General, damn it. Show some respect." Shikamaru muttered before mumbled a quick goodbye and hung up.
Sasuke quickly called Sakura again; this time foregoing the teasing he usually banter her with and told her about the appointment with the General this evening.
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Sasuke left the office an hour early today, much to Mai's surprise and made his way down toward the fifty-forth floor. It took him only a minute or so to get to his destination and found Sakura already in her winter apparel and waiting in front of the elevator.
"And here I thought I would surprise you." Sasuke said with a grin as he made room for an amused Sakura.
"All the more reason for me to stay away from you." She replied while taking her cell phone out of her pocket to check for any missed call. Li's number flashed on the screen and Sakura made a mental note to call him as soon as the meeting is over.
"Baby, you just think you need to stay away from me." He lamented playfully and Sakura shook her head.
"You're crazy." She mumbled to no one in particular.
"Crazy for you."
"You're plain crazy. Don't drag me into the picture." She said dryly but tried her hardest to hold in the smile that threatened to surface. Sasuke laughed as the elevator door slipped opened and they both walked out into the lobby. Neither one noticed but they presented a picture of a squabbling married couple with Sasuke making remarks and Sakura replying wryly to whatever before turning her face to the side and laughed. The employees however, did not miss it. There was even a betting pool going on around the company, courtesy of Kakashi, of course.
They exited the building and into the waiting sleek Mercedes. On the ride, Sasuke had filled Sakura in on what was happening as of right now and about Shikamaru. Sakura was a little uneasy and guilty since she had dragged Sasuke into this mess, not that she voice her worry out loud for the egotistical man to hear. The ride to the restaurant was a short one considering that Shikamaru had picked a place of convenience for them all.
They entered the restaurant and instantly the hostess guided them to their table by the window when she recognized the heir to the Uchiha fortune. Sakura tried not to roll her eyes and keep her smile in place when Irena, the hostess was outrageously flirting with Sasuke. The said Uchiha was more than happy to comply with the flirting and Sakura found herself thinking of removing the woman's hand if she did not kept it to herself and off her man.
Scrunching her nose, Sakura mentally kick herself for thinking of such things. The outrageous man could flirt with whomever he wants and it has nothing to do with her at all. The more she thought about it, the less sense it made, and the more confused she felt, the angrier she got. By the time they were seated with menus in hand, Sakura was all but throwing glares at Sasuke.
"You should try the Salmon Steak. It's the specialty here." Sasuke said with a radiant smile.
"Hn." Sakura replied but made no move to look at him as she kept herself busy by flipping the ten pages of menu over and over.
"But I guess you would want to try their salads as well. They make the best dressings." Sasuke tried again and he narrowed his eyes when Sakura didn't answer.
"The menus aren't going to change no matter how many times you flip through it." He commented in a teasing tone. Sakura just ignored him and acted like she didn't give a damn.
Fed up, Sasuke stifled a sigh and swiftly took the menu from her nimble fingers. He placed it on the side and leaned in closer to her. Despite the fact that he was half way across, his presence was undoubtedly crowded. "Want to tell me why you're ignoring me all of a sudden?" he asked in a calm tone, though his eyes said differently.
Sakura looked him in the eyes and shrugged nonchalantly. She sipped the water and replied, "I'm not ignoring you."
He took her fingers into his hand and held her. Sakura resisted and tried to take her hand back, but he simply didn't let go.
"Don't insult my intelligence, Ms. Haruno." He said quietly and Sakura glared at him viciously.
"Is that what I'm doing? Insulting your intelligence?" she snapped, her eyes spitting fire. "God, you are so full of yourself. Just because everyone else worshipped the ground you walk on, does not mean that I have to do the same."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Sasuke asked, baffled by her outburst.
"You know, you are definitely one of a kind. I have never met someone who is so self-centered and vain like you." Sakura finished before picking up her purse and left the restaurant.
Sasuke sat in the chair absorbing everything that had just happened. Okay, so he got the feeling that she was ticked off at something he did? She had suddenly turned unreasonable and he was the one who had her temper unleashed upon him.
He knew that she was not the unreasonable type. God damn it, what the hell has gotten into her? He scowled. Well, whatever it was, she was not going to get away with it. Rushing out, he spotted her walking briskly down the street. He caught up with her easily with his long stride and in minutes, he snagged her wrist and pulled her into a narrow passageway, away from the public eyes.
"What the hell was that all about?" he hissed angrily at her.
Sakura twisted her wrist trying to free herself but he didn't budge. "Let me go." She snapped at him.
"Not until you tell me why the hell you just walked out on me back there." He said barely containing his own temper.
"I'm going to scream." She warned him and was surprise when he chuckled rather nastily.
"Go ahead and be my guest." He goaded her.
"You have no right to do this." She retaliated still trying to tug her hand free.
"I have every rights, Madam." He remarked. "Now, tell me why you're suddenly so bitchy."
"I'm not bitchy." She snapped angrily at him.
"Gee, so the whole ignoring me and biting my head off must have been my imagination after all." He remarked sarcastically.
"With a woman like her clinging on to you, I doubt you'd noticed anything at all." Sakura spontaneous remark slipped out and Sasuke frowned.
"What woman?" he questioned confusedly.
"God, are you for real? She was all over you. I'm surprise she didn't jump you right then and there."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed when it finally sunk in what had ticked her off. Looking around, he spotted the limousine that had carried them here was still parked on the street. He dragged her towards the parked car and pushed her into the leather interior before commanding out the driver to take a walk. The older man grinned before he complied and left.
Sasuke's eyes were pitched black when he turned to face her. Sakura stood her ground as she glared back at him with all of her might. He looked back at her with those dangerous black eyes. Snagging her wrist again, he pulled her only his lap and held her there.
"You felt that?" he asked huskily as he cupped her neck in his palm and brought her face closer to his. Her breathing was erratic along with her heartbeat. It was jumping crazily inside her but Sakura didn't say a word. He didn't expect her to as he closed the inch gap between them. His lips were like she remembered. Hard and soft, inviting and temptation itself. She expected the jolt, but it was more than a jolt when it knocked her flat. It was more than heat that sizzled through her vein, burning her blood. She tried to resist at first, hell she was all but shut him out. But he was restless and seconds later, accepting the inevitable, she wound her arms around his neck. Still, his mouth did no more than play with hers, tormenting with nibbles, inciting the lazy stroke of his tongue, torturing with gentle nips along the curve of her jaws.
And finally, Sakura trembled against him.
His mouth took hers then. Hot and hard, strangling the air in her lungs, misting the reasons still struggling to surface in her brain. With a low purr of pleasure and surrender, she opened her hot cavern for him.
She flooded his senses. Tastes, scents, textures. When his hand fisted in her pink tresses, her head arched back, welcoming him to take them both deeper into the abyss. They met flash for flash now, mouths, bodies, needs fused into one. She strained against him, moved against him, sliding, pressing arousal to arousal.
Sasuke felt himself begin to slip. He heard the animal inside him snarled viciously, commanding him to take what is his. His hand slipped down from her neck, skimming her torso, the side of her breasts, then curved around her hips to bring her impossibly closer to him.
Sakura found that she needed to touch him, to touch his flesh. Her nimble fingers pushing each button of his dress shirt one by one until it opened up to revealed his muscular chest. Her hands roamed free, as if exploring undiscovered artifacts. The hot scorching flesh of his was burning her hands, his skilled mouth was well distracted her from right and wrong. She found that she could not breath and she broke free, but his lips were still trailing from her lips to her cheekbone, down her neck and finally to the juncture where her neck and shoulder met. He bit her there softly, eliciting a deep moan from her.
Sasuke's eyes were swirling with lust as he unbuttoned her crimson silk blouse revealing the black satin bra inside. Her perfect milky breasts were encased within and he was all but ripped the bra way from her body to seek the treasure within. Her skin was so soft and Sasuke barely contained himself from licking every crevice and nook he could find. She was like a nymph put on earth to purely tease him to his knees. Her nipples were hard pebbles as they pressed intimately against his chest. Unable to help himself, he bent down and took one sweet breast into his moist waiting mouth. He was unprepared to hear the sexy mewls escaped from her lips as her hands tightened on his hair. She was grinding her hips against his while he sucked greedily on her breast, leaving tiny love bites along the way.
It was the knocked on the tinted window of the limousine that had them both climbing down from the temporary high. Sasuke growled almost viciously as Sakura tried to control the sob that welled within her. The loss of heat of his mouth left her feeling cold. Cursing softly, Sasuke pulled away from her before switching his attention towards the unwanted person outside the limo. He leaned over with Sakura still on his lap and cracked opened the window a tiny bit enough to yell out his displeasure.
The face of an amuse Shikamaru Nara had Sasuke cursed out again. Sakura didn't know what to do except to bury her face deep into the crook of his neck as she tried to calm herself and her blushing while Sasuke had been sober enough to cover her bare upper body with his Armani jacket that he had left in the backseat of the limo.
"I have a suspicion that you'd be here." Shikamaru said in a lazy tone though his eyes spoke differently as he eyed the head full of pink hair in the crook of Sasuke's shoulder. It took a lot of amuse the Chief of Police and this situation had him full of amusement. He realized that this was the first time that the cold Sasuke Uchiha had mauled a woman in the backseat of a limo which was parked illegally on the curb in the middle of the afternoon. "I've got things under control here with this situation so don't worry about it. I'll contact you if things come up. In the mean time, I'll keep you updated." Shikamaru said in the same bored voice. He didn't give neither of them to speak before he straightened and said, "Oh, and it's nice to meet you too, Haruno san."
Sakura now bared a resemblance of a hot tomato as she lifted her fingers and waved without looking up. The situation was humiliating enough as it was without her having to flash an officer of the law as well. Accidental or not.
Shikamaru nodded and left. He was well out of view before he let a chuckled slipped through.
Sasuke sat back and looked down at the woman still nestled against the crook of his neck and bent down to place a kiss on her pink head.
"Did that ease your mind or do I have to show you more?" he whispered huskily.
Sakura slowly pulled herself up despite her state of undress and looked at him with huge glassy emerald eyes. "Huh?"
He groaned when he caught sight of her enticingly bare breasts. His palms came up and cupped them gently and she arched into him naturally. "I don't want Irena. I don't give a flying damn if she was naked and jiggling her body at me." He continued in the same tone. "I want only you." He whispered hotly against her ear. "And I have more than enough proof." He continued as he pulled her palm down onto his swollen erection.
Sakura could feel her face explode with blush as her fingers came in contact with the rock hard erection. He was huge. If she hadn't noticed it before, she was more than aware of it now. Sakura abruptly changed the direction of her thought. This was entirely inappropriate. She was half naked in the backseat of a parked vehicle on a crowed street for heaven sake! And she was feeling Sasuke's…thing up. Not to mentioned that a police officer of the law was aware of what they were doing also.
"This is so embarrassing." She muttered out at last.
"What is? The fact that you're just molested me or that you enjoyed it more than you wanted to?" he asked slyly causing her to blush even more.
"No. the fact that I'm half naked and sitting on top of you is." She corrected before her features softened. "I'm sorry I jumped down on you like that. I didn't know what came over me."
Sasuke eyes become softer as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I did. Irena has always acted like that and maybe I'm so used to ignoring it before that I didn't realize it offended you."
"It's not your fault. I just overreacted…I mean we're not really anything to each other…so you don't have to feel…guilty…or explain anything…to…me…or…"
Sasuke's eyes darkened again and in a flash, he pinned her down on the seat, his body hovering over hers. "Do you really think that you're nothing to me after what we had just done? Gods, if we really are nothing to each other, would you let other men kiss you like I had? Touch you like I did moments ago?" to implicate his words, he bent down and gave her breasts a long lick.
"N—No." Sakura breathed out raggedly.
"Good." Sasuke replied in a softer tone as he laid his head on her heaving chest.
Sakura bit her lips as she tried to control her breathing. Silence roamed the air and Sakura found herself asking. "Sasuke, what are we?"
He didn't lift his head but she could hear him murmured against her chest. "What do you want us to be, Sakura?"
"I—don't know…" she answered at last.
"I already know what we are, Sakura. It's just a matter of time before you realize it too. Why don't you tell me when you figure it out?" he remarked instead.
"Can't you tell me first?" she complained. "Nudge me in the right direction." She insisted.
He chuckled. "Nope. You've got to do this by yourself. Just remember, you're one hell of a smart female. Probably the smartest I've ever met. You'll figure it out."
Sakura found herself thinking sadly. 'Will you still be here when I finally figure it out?'
Sasuke buried his face in her scent and felt completely at ease. As if he heard her unsure question, he answered, 'I'll always be right here next to you.'
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Sakura busied herself throughout the week with work and more work. It was exhausting of course, but she welcomed the distraction with open arms. It stopped her from thinking over what had transpired between herself and Sasuke. It was mean on her part, that much she had acknowledge. She didn't ignore him for the past days, per se, but she hadn't spend more than five minutes in his presence without getting nervous or act like a completely love struck school girl. It was pathetic, she thought, but even unhealthier. Despite what had happened, she stilled agreed to be his date for the evening of the charity.
Blowing out a sigh, she flicked impatiently at her bangs that were now hanging down smoothly from her temple. Her pink locks had been arranged into an intricate French twist. Her face had transformed from an innocent angel into a seductress from the expert highlighting of make up. Sakura would never admit to anyone, but she had spent more time on picking out her dress than usual and she was glad of the result of it also. The pale champagne colored silk and lace was elegant and simple that it suited her taste perfectly. Since the charity event was something in between the company, she felt that everyone would try their best to outdo one another and she know for sure that she would rather stay in the background this time.
Taking out a simple diamond pendant and a thin silver bracelet, she quickly clasped it in place before taking out a Gucci clutch and waited for Sasuke to show up.
He was right on time, she mused. Eight thirty on the dot and she heard the rap knock on the door. Since she gave the maids a night off because of her outing, it was pretty quiet. As she got closer to the door, her nerves began jumping. Taking a deep breath to calm herself before opening the door, Sakura placed a polite smile upon her face and froze.
He was even more handsome than any other time she'd seen him. Messy onyx hair along with his piercing eyes, his gorgeous body encased in a trim black tuxedo and in his hand was a single red rose.
Sakura almost tear at the cliché. Really, how much more adoring could he possibly be?
"I think I have died and gone to heaven." He said with a pronounced sigh and she couldn't help but laugh at his antic.
"Typical." She replied before taking the red rose he offered to her. She noticed that the thorns were still attached to the stem.
"Thought you might want to take a ride on the dangerous side tonight." He joked but his gaze held hers.
"Hm." She smiled. 'I'm always in danger when I'm next to you.' She thought with a secretive smile before looping her arm through his.
"You look beautiful tonight." He murmured and as much as she might regret her action later on, she blushed anyway.
"Yeah…thanks. So do you." She said before he led her through the garden and into his waiting car.
The ride to the Hiroshima Ballroom was awkward. The easy attitude mere minutes ago had evaporated once Sakura realized how tense she was being alone with him after this afternoon. He didn't say anything which she found grateful. The thoughts that she had stashed away for the past few days regarding their situation had now flashed back to her like lightning. What was her answer? Did he expect an answer in return?
Sakura scrunched her brows. This was why she had avoided men like a plague. Once men were involved with feelings, she was instantly lost in the weird world of dating and relationships and complicated stuff. She had managed to avoid it so far in her past years, so why can't she do it again? It was easy enough, she supposed. Just walk away and never look back. She'd done it with Gregory, her old boyfriend, didn't she? So why was Sasuke any different?
Sakura risked a glance at the man in question. He was perfectly calm as he navigates his way through the traffic with ease. Face impassive, perfect control over his emotions and even more attractive and larger than life, and he was the type that she would go out of her way to avoid at all cost. Yet, here she was with him, had done things that she would never done with anyone.
Gregory had been the opposite of Sasuke. He was absolutely polite and considerate and everything every woman would want in their own Mr. Perfect.
'Except for the fact that he's a lying, cheating scumbag.' Her conscience snorted.
'Yeah, except that.' Sakura agreed as they came to a stop light.
'You know, I always thought there was something wrong with him the way he kept twitching every time you ask him about his so call business trip.'
'He has Epilepsy, a condition that'd not to be taken lightly and the twitching--'
'Was a reaction to every time he lied?' Her conscience finished up. 'For god's sake, even after everything he's done to us, you still defend him?'
'Am not. And he does have Epilepsy.' Sakura maintained stubbornly.
'Whatever. I'm over him and I'm the inner most part of your mind. If I say you're over him then you are. After all, who now you better than yourself?'
'Well, I think I'm going crazy for even talking to my inner annoying self. Maybe I should just take some medication.'
'Nah. You're not the only one. Take your dad's lawyer, Mr. Robinson for example. The man had mumbled to himself for the past years and I heard he even use his dummy as a judge to practice his opening statement to. Does that mean he's insane? Nope. I don't think so.' The conscience said smugly.
'Whatever. Just leave me alone.' Sakura scrunched her eyebrows together and huffed out a breath.
Sasuke tried to hide in his laugh as he sneaked side glances toward the woman sitting besides him. He wondered if she ever realized how her every emotion showed on her face. She was like an open book to him. He could tell when she's angry or sad or confused, and right now she looked agitated and annoyed enough to spit fire. What on earth could she be thinking about?
He stepped on the break of the car when the lights changed. It ran smoothly once more but his mind was on something else. As far as he was concerned, Sakura had never been in any long term relationship before. She was inexperience that much he knew. He was fully aware that she was naïve when it comes to the whole relationship situation and he was being open- minded to let her figure things out by herself. He promised himself that he would not push her into anything she was not ready for, but it was so hard to just remain like this. She was so close yet so far away, but he also knew that this was the best way because he himself had no idea what his feelings were when it comes to the green eyed beauty.