Three chapters to go! I can't believe we're nearing the end. I'd like to thank those people who made my story a success & for reaching the 100th review! Anyways, I bet you guys will know what's in this chapter from the title only. I hope you enjoy! Don't forget to review!

Chapter Thirteen: Letting Go

Sora was completely stunned at Mimi's reaction.

"What the hell do you mean, you entered me in the contest?"

"Aw, come on, Mimi. I'm sure you'll win. Who else would make a better Miss Odaiba?"

Mimi saw red. "How about someone who gives a damn?"

Sora looked even more surprised. "Now, don't you think you're overreacting just a little bit? It's all for fun…just like the bachelor auction."

"What bachelor auction?"

"The one that Michael entered Matt in…" Her words faltered as she realized what Mimi's reaction might be to that statement. "But you knew about that, right?"

Mimi's eyes were so wide it looked like a tennis ball. "Michael entered MATT in a bachelor auction? What exactly happens in this auction?"

Sora cleared her throat. "Well, all the local women get to bid on the bachelors for a date…" she grimaced at her own words, "with them. Oh, dear."

Mimi gaped at her. "Women get to bid for a date with Matt? Women like Jun, right?"

"Like I said…oh, dear."

"You're not joking." She thought for a moment, then started to laugh. "Oh, dear, indeed."

Sora placed a hand to the her back & frowned at her mad friend. "What's so funny?"

"He'll hate that so much."

"And you don't have any problems with it, right?"

Mimi was still giggling at the thought of Matt's expression while being 'auctioned'. She then stopped to think of Jun, or any other willing female throwing themselves at him on a date, her laughter turned into a frown. "Oh, dear."

"You could bid on him yourself. It would be really funny."

Mimi grimaced, shaking her head. "Uh-uh."

Sora sat down on a stool. "Oh, the whole Michael thing, right? I take it he still doesn't know?"

"Nope," she glanced at her friend's discomfort. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine. This baby feels like it weighs 5 tons but apart from that, I'm fine."

Mimi moved across the kitchen counter to get some water. Now that Sora was so huge, it was very rare for them to spend a day shopping together. But they managed to go to the mall earlier. It was a carefree day of laughter, but had cost Mimi a blister & Sora even more swollen ankles.

"Here," she handed her a glass of cold water. "Just think how light you'll feel when you have him or her. HIM or HER?"

Sora laughed. "Your guess is as good as mine. We're waiting. Tai wants it to be a surprise."

"I don't know if I could stand the suspense."

"Do you want kids, Mimi?" She watched her friend's reaction over the rim of her glass.

Mimi thought for a moment, staring into space. "I guess so. I haven't really thought much about it. When I was with Michael, we were too young to think about it…well, in the beginning anyway."

"I always thought you two would get married & live happily ever after. Instead here you are with Matt. Life's funny, isn't it?"

"Oh, yeah, really funny."

"I never understood what happened."

Mimi smiled at Sora, then walked over to the counter & pulled herself up onto its warm wooden surface. "I ran thousands of miles to get away. Didn't I mention that?"

"Not really, why?"

"I don't know."

Sora looked surprised, her delicate features forming a frown. "Aw, come on. You must know."

Mimi shrugged. "I loved him…at least I thought I did. We've been together for a long time, & he even wanted to get married. I guess I just felt it wasn't right."

"I didn't know he proposed. And YOU ran."

"Mmm."

"There's more than that though, isn't it?"

Mimi stared at her, pursing her lips. Then she nodded.

"He cheated on you, didn't he?"

She was surprised by Sora's ability to read her mind. "Yeah, he did."

"Bastard."

"Sora! The baby can hear you, you know." Mimi laughed.

Sora shrugged. "I never did like Michael. You deserve someone better. Do you still love him?"

Mimi raised an eyebrow. "I'm not in love with him, but I still care. We were together for a long time before he got wandering eyes. You can't just forget that overnight. The things I felt then are all part of the things that made me who I am now."

"What did Matt say about the cheating subject?'

She dropped her chin. "He kinda doesn't know about it."

"I bet he'd kill Michael if he knew."

"Yeah, well, I just left that bit out. He thinks that it was all my fault & that I broke Michael's heart. I don't want him to lose his friend."

Sora sighed. "Life's full of crap." She took a drink from her water. It was the first time they ever really discussed Mimi's departure since she came home, but it was obvious she had been hiding something back then. Matt had always been secretive, so she never knew what he felt about Mimi & Michael's break up, but she knew that deep down, Matt wasn't that upset. "Are you sure you're not telling Michael about you two because you're still a little bit in love with him?"

"Sora!"

Sora shrugged her shoulders again. "Well, it just occurred to me, & I'm sure Matt feels the same."

"You think I'd go out with Matt while I was still in love with Michael?"

"No, but a man on shaky grounds might think about it. Especially if he didn't know the truth, the whole truth & nothing but the truth."

The porch door opened & a smiling Kynna came in. "Hi, guys, how's it going?"

"Tired," Sora groaned dramatically. "And complete torture watching this one…" she pointed a finger at Mimi, "trying on all those sexy dresses."

Kynna sat down next to Sora, her face animated. "Did you find anything nice?"

Mimi tried to avoid the woman's eyes, guilt eating her for no reason. It wasn't as if she tried to steal her fiancé. But still, she knew Michael was having doubts & Kynna didn't, & that made her feel lower than a snail.

Sora grinned broadly. "The killer dress she got would surely make her win Miss Odaiba."

"Sora," Mimi warned, "I'm not entering that stupid pageant."

"Well, it's tomorrow night, so it's too late to back out. And besides, you probably wouldn't like it if Jun wins the title."

"What's going on here?" Michael joined them, his eyes skimming over Mimi's face. He noted the flush on her cheeks & he quickly looked away.

"Mimi's entering the Miss Odaiba pageant," Kynna gushed at him. "It's tomorrow night."

"What's tomorrow night?"

Mimi groaned & covered her face with her hands. "Great."

Matt smiled at the crowd assembled in his kitchen before launching himself up onto the counter beside Mimi. He nudged Mimi in the ribs then winked. "Anything that makes Mimi this uncomfortable has to be good…right, Michael?"

Mimi raised her face from her hands to glare at him. "That's right, you take THEIR side. I can handle this by myself, oh, mighty protector." She smiled at him, seeing exactly what he was doing.

"Tachikawa, the only think I have to protect you from is you. And your knack of taking things seriously."

Mimi smiled affectionately, nudging him on his side. "Whatever."

Sora smiled at their easy banter, then she realized there are other people in the room. With a quick sideways glance she could see the wheels turning in Kynna's head & a frown appearing in Michael's face. "You two just crack me up. You're always making fun of each other." She smiled at Kynna.

Kynna smiled back. "I think it's cute."

Matt pointed one finger to his mouth, pretending to be sick. "Ughh!"

Mimi poked him on his ribs. "That's what you get for taking their side."

With one raised eyebrow, he came back to the subject earlier. "Oh, what was it you guys were talking about?"

"Sora, with the hormonally wrapped mind of a pregnant lady, decided to enter me in the Miss Odaiba pageant."

Matt grinned broadly. "Good job, Sora."

Mimi laughed as he managed to avoid another poke in the ribs. "I should have known you'd find that funny, you big jerk."

"And you should see the dress she got for it." Sora wiggled her eyebrows at her friends. "That little thing is so hot it'll burn your eyes!"

"Sora!"

"Well, I can't wait." Matt glanced at Mimi again. "Will it make you look more like a girl?"

She looked down at her loose gray sweater & sweatpants, then looked back into his shinning eyes. "Get lost, you jerk!"

Matt's laughter erupted.

Blinking slowly for a moment, a thought came up to her. "We'll jut see how funny tomorrow looks to you when you go under the hammer, my friend."

He frowned in confusion. "All right…you've lost me."

Mimi folded her arms neatly across her chest & smiled at Michael. "Why don't you tell him about it, Michael?"

She tore her eyes away from his cool stare & looked into the warmth of Matt's eyes. "He entered you into the bachelor auction."

She could have sworn he suddenly looked pale.

"No way!"

She nodded. "It's true."

Sora laughed in the background. "I swear, if I go into labor between today & tomorrow, I'm going to cross my legs. I wouldn't miss this for the world."

The knock on her door was so soft she barely heard it. Pulling back the light cover, she walked across the wooden floor on bare feet. Opening her door, she found Matt leaning against her doorframe.

"What are you doing here?" She glanced into the dark hallway while whispering the words at him. "You'll get caught, you idiot!"

He bent down & lifter her into his arms before closing the door softly. "I can't help it," he whispered in her ear. "I missed you."

She smiled at him. "You saw me just twenty minutes ago."

"I know," he laid her down on her bed & laid beside her. "But I still missed you."

"You're sad."

He looked up at her from beneath his dark eyelashes, pouting his sexy pout. "Can I help it if I find you irresistible?"

Mimi laughed softly. "What am I going to do with you?"

"I can thing of a few thing."

"I bet you can."

He moved closer to her, his breath causing goose bumps along her arm. "I've been thinking."

"You shouldn't strain yourself like that." She ran his fingers though his hair. "I wouldn't want you to hurt anything."

"Well, I've been thinking that maybe if we slept in the same bed, we would get more sleep than we're getting sleeping on separate rooms."

"How is that?"

He watched his hand as it ran from her hair along the length of her arm. "I can't sleep because all I do is think about touching you."

Mimi watched his face as he watched himself touching her. "Me too."

He smiled. "So, if we sleep together, we could still touch other & get more sleep."

Mimi's heart twisted at the gentleness of his touch. The soft temptation of his words. She realized that he had the power to tug her heartstrings. When did that start? Did he always had that power over her? It was just that while he watched her with great fascination, she was reminded of the teenager she'd known. While at the same time being so easily aroused by the man he'd become. It was a wonderful, magical thing.

"Don't you think we'd sleep even less because we'd be spending the whole night touching each other?"

His body hardened immediately at the suggestion. "That's a chance I'd be willing to take."

His nightly growth of beard grated under fingernails as she caressed his strong jaw. Touching him was her favorite pastime & she just didn't care. How could something that felt this good not be so right?

She slid further down the bed until her face was leveled with his. "You have to promise not to make too much noise." She brushed her lips against his.

He saw the seductive smile that grew across her mouth & he smiled back. "I promise if you promise."

Mimi wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing her body tight against his. "I missed you too, Matt."

He gave a heart-stopping kiss & raised his head to smile. "About this hot dress…"

"Mmm."

"I don't suppose there's any chance of a sneak preview?"

"Uh-uh," her breathing quickened as his fingertips began to explore. "I want it to be a surprise."

"I'll remember that." He took off her nightshirt & kissed her breast while one hand knead the other.

His free hand went down to touch her wet spot & slid two fingers inside. Mimi bit her lips to keep herself from moaning.

Tonight, surely, wouldn't be the night where they get more sleep.

The first time he saw her "hot dress" she was standing on the makeshift stage at Riverside Hotel. Kynna & Sora whisked her off her secret female domain straight after work & Matt hadn't seen her before she left the house. She took his breath away…again.

The ten contestants filed onto the stage while he stood at the bar chatting with Tai. The only time he saw her was when the host made his introduction. Her vivid brown eyes searched him out in the crowd. She smiled when she found him, & his chest threatened to crush all the air out of his lungs.

"Wow."

Her smile widened as she read his lips. When it was her turn to step up to the microphone, her eyes never left his. "Hello, everyone. I'm Mimi Tachikawa. As most of you know, I've come home at last, after a long time away. It's good to be back." She paused while there was a ripple of applause, her eyes seeking out Sora's rounded form. Then she added, "I have to admit a friend entered me in this contest, but I also have to admit to her that it's been great getting dressed up & seeing the look on people's faces. So thanks, Sora, but just remember…you owe me one!"

Matt smiled affectionately at her threat. Those women had done something to her hair. It was piled high on her head with soft curls falling loose to frame her face. It was sexy as hell. But not as sexy as her dress.

It was the softest shade of pink he's ever seen. It had spaghetti straps & a low scooping neckline that shaped the fullness of her breast. And damn, it was short. The woman had long, gorgeous legs & his eyes darkened as he remembered them wrapped around him last night. Yep, he was definitely a legs man.

"She looks amazing."

Matt dragged his eyes away from her when Michael spoke. He looked at his profile & nodded calmly. "Yeah, she does."

In silent agreement they turned to face the bar. Matt ordered two beers & , bottles in hand, they turned back to watch the pageant.

"I'm not blind, Matt, so I'm just going to come out & ask you. How long have you been sleeping with her?"

Matt's jaw tensed. He looked up at Mimi's smiling face while she answered a question from the judge. He wouldn't lie, but… "I don't think that's any of your business."

Michael looked at him from the corner of his eye. "You are sleeping with her, though?"

Ignoring the question, he took a long drink from his bottle. He knew this would be uncomfortable. That's probably the reason why he spent the whole day avoiding Michael. Mimi had been right when she assumed that Michael would eventually come talk to him.

"Look, Matt, I just need to know." Michael turned towards him. "I've been watching you two & it started to click with me that there was something going on."

Matt glared at him. "It's still none of your business whether or not I'm sleeping with her."

"Maybe not."

He laughed sarcastically. "No MAYBE about it."

Michael looked back at the stage. He thought for a moment & then looked back at his friend. "Did she tell you we talked?"

Matt felt anger fill in his stomach & his eyes automatically searched for Mimi's. She was looking from Michael to him & back again, a small frown of concern on her face. When her eyes found his, she raised one eyebrow in question.

"She told me."

"Then you know I want her back."

His eyes stayed on Mimi. She was just so beautiful. He'd never met anyone like Mimi, & he wasn't about to let go. God, he'd been in love with her most of his life. But the damned voice was still there. Mimi & Michael were both his friends. What is they were meant to be? Was he selfish enough to stand in the way of that?

Hell, yes. He wanted to yell it out, but he couldn't. Mimi had unfinished business with Michael & they knew it. "You better discuss that with her, Michael."

He took another long drink of beer & then stepped closer to the smaller man, his voice dangerously low. "I'm telling you now, though. Unless Mimi tells me she needs to give you a second chance, I'm not walking away. And even then, if by some miracle you're lucky enough to get her back, I'll still be here waiting for you to screw up. If for any reason at all it doesn't work out, then I'll do my best to get her back & keep her. You got me, Cooper?"

Michael looked surprised. "I get you."

Matt's smile was cold. "I'm only telling you the fucking facts."

"I have to find out, Matt. I need to know that letting her go wasn't the biggest mistake of my life. Surely you understand that now that you've been with her?" Michael smirked. "And you're never going to be completely sure of her until you find out if she still has feelings for me, are you?"

Matt's focus returned to the stage. Although he had the strongest urge in the world to kick Michael's ass right now, he also knew he was right. But knowing he was right & letting go were two different things. All Matt knew was that he loved Mimi & he wanted what would make her happy. If she still had feelings for Michael then he would have to let go. He only hoped that by letting her go, she'd eventually realized that Michael was wrong for her & that he, Matt, was her Mr. Right after all.

"I've never danced with a beauty queen before."

Mimi raised her chin indignantly. "I am not a beauty queen. I'm Miss Odaiba. There's a difference, you know."

Matt nodded wisely. "Of course there is." He swung her around in wide circles, drawing laughter from her lips. He liked dancing with Mimi. It was the closest thing he could get to making love to her in public. "By the way, did I mention how very hot this dress it?"

She tangled her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. "Not in the last five minutes or so."

"Well, it is, you know."

"Don't you think it shows a little too much leg?"

They both looked down at her legs. Matt seemed to be in deep thought for a moment & then he decided with a sigh, "There is no such thing as too much leg."

"Oh, is that right?" She laughed at his innocent look.

He nodded then grinned. "Ooh, watch out…dip ahead." To her surprise, he leaned forward & dipped her backwards, his face leaning down towards her to grin even more. "Gotta watch out for those dips."

Mimi laughed as he settled her back into an upright position. One hand moved from his neck to smooth down her skirt. "Yeah, I can see how they'd be dangerous."

Matt wiggled his eyebrows. "They're almost illegal in that dress."

The music changed into another slow song & Mimi tilted her chin to look up at him. "Are you ready for the auction?"

"Why? Did you bring you're checkbook?"

"Who said I was bidding?"

He looked hurt. "You'd let me loose among all those scary single women? How could you do that to me?"

"I'd insist on going on the date as your chaperon."

"Phew!" He squeezed her a little tighter. "And there I thought I'd have to leave the country to get away."

That made her laugh. "No, that's my trick."

He smiled softly down at her. "Don't ever do that to me again…you hear, Tachikawa?"

"Wouldn't you come get me this time?"

"If you want, I'll come & get you anytime."

Mimi noted how his eyes moved away from her as he spoke. She frowned at the serious tone in his voice. Serious & something else. Like it was almost sad. But why?

"Don't you think you know me well enough by now to know whether or not I'd want you to come & get me?"

Still he avoided her eyes. "I hope that I did, but it might not be that simple."

"Why not?"

"It might be better for you if I didn't…if I let you come home on your own."

Mimi blinked at him in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"Maybe, like last time, I'd have to step back & wait until you find your answers."

"Answer to what?"

"Tachikawa…"

"Matt," he felt a tap on his shoulder. "We need to get you ready for the auction now."

He released his hold on her, smiling as he walked away. "See you later, Tachikawa."

AN: Okay, which one do you think is worst, Mimi & Michael getting back together? Or Matt letting Mimi go?

twisted words - yes, Michael's trying to get back with Mimi. I still like Chad even though he's married. Janay - it's so nice to hear from you again! If you mean Michael being a player because he cheated on Mimi, then, yeah, he's a playah! PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2 - I was planning to like, use her name if it's okay with her. How old is she anyway? UchihaItachiANBU - wow, I like your name. It's very original. Anyways, this story was actually taken from one of the books I've read before, so it'snot that original...hehehe! You should also check out my other stories, 'The Whole Package' & 'Project: Babysitting'.