Sasuke was as good as his word...both to Sakura earlier and just as he had said to Naruto before this mission had even begun. Sakura was completely in the lead and he only followed her lead. If she, for some reason, were to back out now, he would not pursue it as hard as it might have been to stop himself. He did not want to hurt her ever again so if they were going to make love for the first time, he wanted to be sure that she would not ever regret it.

It started with a few kisses in the private hot water spring and gradually increased in intensity from there. They already meshed well as far as kissing went; they had gotten to that stage long ago and practice usually makes perfect. Sakura liked how Sasuke's lips felt and tasted...they almost had a masculine musky twinge to them. His tongue was smooth and always warm...and it always seemed to find the right way to ask for entrance into her own mouth. She could never get enough of their tongues dancing around one another.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was also pleasantly surprised by Sakura's kisses. At first they were sweet and chaste, but quickly became desperate as if she could not get enough of him. He always felt like their kisses were in synch and they progressed naturally so that he didn't even have to think about his actions anymore...his mouth and tongue just moved naturally on their own. The best thing was that she had a light strawberry taste to her...no, it wasn't just strawberries, it was lighter than that...almost like strawberries and cream. How could any human on earth taste like strawberries and cream? But she did...and it drove him crazy.

Soon after the kissing started, their hands began to meander to different places on each others' bodies. Sasuke firmly grasped Sakura's thigh while Sakura allowed her hand to gently caress Sasuke's lower back and eventually down to his rear. Having her hand resting on top of his towel wouldn't do for Sasuke, so he used his hand to gently loosen the fastening knot holding his towel together. It gradually loosened with Sakura's movements and soon enough, she was feeling the bare skin of his ass. It must have been a turn-on for her because she let out an unintended low moan.

Sasuke looked into her eyes upon hearing his love make such a sensual sound and she quickly looked away, blushing. He smiled and continued his exploration by allowing his hand to find the opening in her towel leading him to grasp her naked breasts. Sakura stiffened a bit when she felt him grab her in such a private spot, but she soon relaxed once again having felt the gentle, rolling squeezes of Sasuke's hand.

Sakura undid the knot in her towel and instead of letting it float away naturally, physically removed it from around her body and lay it on the side of the pool. This gave Sasuke even better access to her womanly mounds. Upon seeing them exposed for the first time in full daylight, he grasped the other breast with his other hand and moved so that he was facing her. Sakura didn't quite know what he was doing at first, but in no time, he had approached her first nipple with his mouth. Gently, his tongue licked and circled the quickly hardening nipple as Sakura arched her head back and moaned again.

Sasuke turned his attention to the other breast, but listened and felt Sakura's reactions to make sure that what she was feeling was still being accepted without hesitation by the woman he loved in front of him.

"Sasuke...," she muttered lowly in almost a desperate tone.

He didn't answer her figuring it was better to continue what he was doing. It was then that both of them heard a scream. Both immediately sat up and looked in the direction that it came from for some sort of confirmation of a problem.

They heard something similar a second time, but instead of acting, they eased back into what they were doing. The confirmation they heard was not a person in trouble, it was, in fact, a confirmation of pleasure. It would seem that Shikamaru and Temari were engaging in similar acts in their private outdoor hot spring - they were just being a bit louder than Sakura and Sasuke.

Sasuke clamored between Sakura's arms and reached up with his head to kissed her sensually on the mouth once again.

"It sounds like they are having fun," he said quietly to Sakura.

"Hmmmm," she answered while trying to kiss him at the same time.

Sakura noted that Sasuke was beginning to move in a strange rhythmic pattern as he kissed her. She had already felt his erection brush against her under the water several times. But now, it seemed almost like he was...like he was humping her? No, it wasn't quite that, but it seemed to be a subconscious movement that she wasn't even sure he realized he was making.

The more Sasuke kissed Sakura, the more turned on she became. She knew that today was going to be their first time making love...not only with each other, but the first time ever for each of them. She wasn't having any second thoughts at all, but did know from some of her friends that it was going to hurt. However, not only was she a medical shinobi knowing all about the way a person's body was put together, but she knew that by being any kind of shinobi at all would reduce the pain because the physical barrier that blocked all girls from entering womanhood was most likely gone already due to her fervent exercise and training in the past. She truly hoped that would be the case because for so many women, their first time was not memorable for the right reasons and she had waited so long for Sasuke's return and to fall in love with him again.

Sakura grasped Sasuke's manhood with her hand and began to slowly move it back and forth. Now it was Sasuke's turn to gasp as the sudden sensation of being touched by someone's hand other than his own flooded him. Sakura smiled knowing it was her making him feel this way and she reached down with her other hand and felt the soft sac underneath. Sasuke jumped again and tensed as he closed his eyes. She stopped her first hand from moving back and forth and began to explore the head a little more. She could feel a slightly slippery liquid near the tip.

"You're leaking," she said lightheartedly to Sasuke.

"I'm sure you are, too," he retorted. "I just haven't gotten that far yet."

He stood up and began to exit the spring all the while grasping her hand to make her follow. Soaking wet and completely naked, he made his way inside to the bed and pushed her down on her back.

"Sasuke, we're going to get the bed all wet," she casually mentioned.

He straddled Sakura and kissed her while trying to agree with her by mumbling, "hm-hmm," at the same time. He obviously didn't really care.

He broke the kiss and let his lips trail down to her breasts once again. However, this time, he allowed one of his hands to reach down to Sakura's womanhood and explore.

"Oh, that feels really good," she purred. She lay there jumping whenever Sasuke found a sensitive spot, but otherwise just lay there and enjoyed his exploration of her.

He brought his hand up to look at his wet fingers. "You're leaking," he said to her, trying to make a point. She blushed a little.

He moved up to her mouth again and began to kiss her there once again. "Are you ready?" he whispered.

"Please, go slow," she quietly responded.

He situated himself at her entrance and looked at her face one last time. Although she looked somewhat apprehensive, she nodded her final approval. Sasuke closed his eyes in concentration - not only to not instinctively thrust into her as hard as he could (which would have been fine by him), but also to keep control over his own sensations. It being his first time as well, he was sure it was going to feel sensational...probably one of the best feelings he had ever felt...and he wanted to make sure to it didn't end too quickly.

Sasuke's head entered Sakura and she winced. "Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, just...let me adjust," she requested.

He pulled out and pushed in again and was able to enter just a hair further than the first time. Her juices were starting to coat him making their mating a bit easier. Before long, Sakura was able to release the tension of her muscles and allow him easier entrance. Sasuke looked down and saw just the slightest hint of red on himself.

A few movements later, he gently caressed her face. She opened her eyes to look straight into his. "What?" she asked.

"I'm all the way in," he said to her. The worst was over. "I'm going to move now."

Sakura nodded. As Sasuke began to move, Sakura did feel some pain though it wasn't nearly as bad as she was expecting. He moved extremely slowly at first so she could get used to the feeling. Interestingly enough, the pain all but subsided...then again, did it subside? Or was the feeling of pleasure just becoming more pronounced?

"You can move faster Sasuke," she said to her love.

He started to quicken his movements and noted that she was now starting to move with him just a bit. Her hips had started to meet his every time he pulsed. Sakura then started to exhale loudly which eventually turned to slight moaning. He heard something else...wait, was that him? He was moaning as well. He was paying so much attention to her that he hardly noticed that he too was making rather passionate sounds as well.

"Sasuke...oh!" Sakura finally let out. He had been building to his peak for a while now, but was able to keep it under control. Sakura's sudden outburst, however, sent him over the edge. He thrust a few more really quick times and then pushed into her as hard as he could, yelling while he pumped his fluids inside of her.

Sakura had never seen a man come before, but she instinctively knew Sasuke was finished by his actions and sounds. He gently covered her body with his, his member remaining inside of her, and kissed her on the lips. Both were still breathing heavily and stayed that way for a few moments until they could catch their breath.

Sasuke lifted his head and looked into Sakura's eyes for a few seconds. She looked straight back into his. She had no idea that becoming one with someone you loved could forge such an incredible bond like the one she was currently feeling. She smiled ever so slightly at him. He answered her with a smile of his own.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered. "That was incredible, Sasuke. I had no idea it was going to feel like that."

"I agree that was pretty incredible," he said, starting to pull out of her.

"Can't we just stay like that for a while?" she asked.

"We're a mess. This bed's a mess," he replied.

"So, you aren't planning on doing it again?" she questioned.

"But I thought that...," he started. He was, of course, concerned about her well-being. He thought for sure that she would be sore.

"I'm fine, Sasuke," she emphasized.

"Still, just humor me," he said. "If you are still up for it a little later, we can."

Sasuke ultimately rolled off of Sakura and lay on the bed beside her. She grabbed his hand and held it in hers.

"Sasuke?" Sakura said aloud.

"Hm?" he answered.

"I love you," she said.

Sasuke looked away from Sakura. He mumbled something.

"What was that?" she asked.

He turned his head towards her again. "I love you, too."

OlOlOlOlOlOlO

When Sakura emerged from her and Sasuke's room dressed in her robe, she saw that Temari and Shikamaru were sitting at the table already.

"Hi Sakura," said Shikamaru. Temari nodded, as she was busy taking a bite out of an apple.

"Hi guys," Sakara greeted back. "Sorry to interrupt you. I-I was just a little hungry."

"You're not interrupting...now," said Shikamaru. Temari may have been holding half an apple in her hand, but she still had her other arm to give him a heavy shove to his shoulder when he heard his suggestive comment.

"What?" he asked.

"C'mon Sakura, have a seat," said Temari.

"So where is Sasuke?" asked Shikamaru.

"He told me he was going to rest for a bit," said Sakura.

"I'm surprised you two aren't still in there doing your thing," said Shikamaru.

"Oh! I, um...well," said Sakura suddenly very embarrassed.

"Don't be embarrassed," said Temari. "We already knew you two loved each other."

"It's the natural thing to do," added Shikamaru. "It's not a big deal."

Sakura was definitely blushing. It was her first time and she wasn't used to something like this being common knowledge for others to guess so quickly.

"Are you ok?" asked Temari.

"Of course I am," said Sakura. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're just a little quiet," said Temari. "I wanted to make sure nothing too bad happened in there."

"On the contrary...," she hesitated. "It was like a dream."

"A dream, huh," said Shikamaru. "More like a fantasy."

Temari clubbed him in the shoulder again. "Not everyone is as unemotional about it as you, Shikamaru. Some people are greatly disappointed, or, if they are a woman, are in a lot of pain."

"What a drag," said Shikamaru, no longer finding this conversation enjoyable...or worth his time. "I'm going into the hot spring again." He got up from the table and went into the bedroom to get another towel to wrap around his waist.

Sakura watched Shikamaru leave the room. She poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip before returning the cup to the table. She let out a gigantic exhale, as if a burden had been lifted.

"That good, huh," noted Temari.

With Shikamaru gone, Sakura was a bit more comfortable. "Yeah. I've only wanted to do that for years."

Temari laughed. "That was your first time, right?"

"Uh-huh," answered Sakura, taking another sip of tea.

"Believe me, it only gets better," said Temari.

"So, you and Shikamaru...a few times?" asked Sakura.

"Not very many. We just decided to date a few days ago. But I wasn't a virgin when I met him, either," said Temari.

"Oh, sorry," said Sakura, thinking she may have stepped on a taboo subject.

"Don't be," answered Temari. "Like he said, when you love someone, it's the natural thing to do. Like Shikamaru said, I'm just surprised you aren't still in there with Sasuke."

"He was worried about me," said Sakura. "He thought I might be hurting."

"Sakura, that one just might be a keeper."