Title: Expectations (subtitles Tolerable/Serious)
Summary: Ch 15 - Can a relationship be built on having no expectations? No, but the characters finding that out makes for an interesting story. Minor humor. (Ita/Saku OC) Lots of vignettes of variable genre.

Word Count: ~5,550

Tolerable

She was tolerable. It was why he decided to court her. She loved his little brother; her gaze never moved from Sasuke when in the same room. Her smiles, only for Sasuke. Her expectations, only on Sasuke. She barely knew of his existence, probably wouldn't if Sasuke didn't acknowledge him when he came into the room. She wanted nothing from him, not a thing. Everybody else wanted too much.

So, he'd asked her for a date and when she wanted a reason, he gave her the truth. There'd been no reason to hide his intention.

The jonin had been stunned by the comment. She'd even dropped the kunai she'd been practicing with.

His gaze focused on her lips as they formed a thin line, her facial expressions giving everything away. Her green eyes became slits in anger, and her temple throbbed in annoyance. "You'd find me intolerable within a week or as soon as I fell for you. That's love, that's relationships – you expect things from people."

The smart girl didn't jump to the conclusion he wanted. He pressed his point, "Then don't fall in love with me."

She put a hand to her nose and pinched the bridge to release pressure. She sighed.

He folded his arms, leaned against a tree.

He thought she'd give in eventually, see the reasoning to be sound, but instead she shot him a look of fury.

"I'm not that desperate." She snatched her kunai from the ground and returned to practicing, ignoring his presence entirely for the rest of her session. It was delightful, beyond tolerable even. Nobody ignored him, everybody wanted his attention.

Their interactions returned to the norm. A nod of acknowledgement when in the same room. A hello and goodbye. Small chats when their paths crossed. The complete indifference reassured him that he'd come to the right conclusion of what he needed in life, but he knew that such a relationship wouldn't work for everyone.

For a year and nine months nothing changed, until his little brother announced his engagement to Yua Uchiha, a ninth cousin.

She'd found him in his favorite training ground a day later. She'd not hidden her approach, and her feet thumped loudly making their way to him. She landed several feet from him, tears streamed down her face to the dry thirsty summer soil.

"It has to be the same," she choked out, "You can't expect anything from me either."

He gave a nod, agreeing.

"Don't fall in love with me," she warned.

That had been it.

At first, they grabbed coffee and tea, wandering the village streets and stores. Enough that it got his would-be suitors kept away. And then eventually lunches and dinners. The more time passed, he began to see her as more than just tolerable. Her intelligence was endearing and her smile catchable. But loveable, no, he'd never admit that.

His brother learned of his relationship first in his immediate family, likely from Yua. "Sakura… she—" Sasuke hesitated, searching for words. "I'm not sure she likes you, Itachi. She's not been herself recently. I think she might be using you."

"I'm using her to deflect my suitors, Sasuke. We all use people. And I'm aware of the situation, it's under control. Sakura and I have a deal."

"Love isn't a deal; it isn't a game or business transaction. Don't do this," His brother hadn't quite liked Itachi's response to put it lightly.

That night, over dinner in a small restaurant an hour out of the village, Sakura had confessed to being told the same by Sasuke, that she was using him. She'd stifled her tears until Itachi reminded her, she didn't have to. That he didn't have expectations, and that included how she acted in public.

And then she did cry, all the way until dessert arrived. The chocolate cake had her laughing by the end. Splurging on the fact Itachi really had no expectations of her, she ended up ordering two more desserts, consuming them all in front of him. He opted to splurge for extra dango in return.

Their relationship was in control, at least until the situation came to his mother's attention. First concern, Sakura and Sasuke had dated right? What would people say? Was Sakura just using Itachi as a replacement? Didn't Itachi want an Uchiha bride too, make the clan happy? He'd be the clan leader one day, he needed someone much stronger than Sakura.

Itachi had responded that said woman of discussion could smash boulders with her fist, how much stronger did he need? Where exactly did his mother purpose he get one stronger? Perhaps he should aim for the hokage, regardless of the woman's drinking problem.

That sent his mother into a frenzy to correct her earlier statement, "Strength of character, Itachi, I meant strength in character. She cries at the littlest things. Juno saw her crying outside the hospital the other day. She'd never make it in this clan, let alone survive a dinner."

Likely losing a patient. Those were the days Sakura ordered take out, cried on his shoulder as he drank tea and read haiku or they'd watch television, not that Itachi would admit to anyone he enjoyed such activities that rotted his brain. Itachi glared, for the first time in a long time at his nosy mother. "My relationship is my own."

He left his full teacup on the table and opted for longer training that evening to avoid coming back to the compound until the woman was in bed.

But he couldn't be so lucky, Mikoto somehow coerced Sakura to come to dinner with Yua and Sasuke present.

Just as they'd set their glasses down on the table after a toast to good health, his mother popped the question. Right in front of Sasuke and Yua. "Have you and Itachi discussed marriage, Sakura?"

A quick solid glance passed between them, both answered in perfect unison. "No."

No awkward fidgeting, no blushing like two lovebirds even considering the possibility. It had only been a fact. They hadn't discussed it, nor foresaw discussing it.

"Itachi, surely, you've given this some thought. You two have been dating awhile, surely you want to talk with Sakura about this?"

Itachi raised a brow at Sakura, he could see Sakura's lips twitched as if to control a smile.

"No, I'm not sure I do."

His mother looked aghast.

Sakura tapped their glasses together in a bit of a cheer and drained her sake. His father looked ashen at the manners, his purple veins pulsing. No doubt he could see an alcoholic rivaling the hokage herself in the making.

Itachi drained his drink as well and then poured more for both. To which they clinked once more and drained again. Only for Itachi to pour once more.

Absolute horror became etched on the other dining participants faces. But at least Fugaku had the sense to take the bottle at this point and place it far out of Sakura's and Itachi's reach.

Watching his parents' faces had been the most amusing thing he'd seen in months. He'd never known family dinners to be so enjoyable. And after they finished dinner and drank more than half a bottle of his father's sake, as Itachi had been able to steal it back when Fugaku had been distracted by a conversation with Sasuke, they took leave. She'd fallen asleep standing at one point and he'd ended up carrying her.

She awoke eventually. "That was the most fun I've ever had at your house."

He finally let out the laugh he'd been holding.

"I was a bit scared," she confessed, "I thought your father might kill me, if your mother didn't get to me first."

He only chuckled, "I would stop them before they got to you."

She went silent then, and he could feel her breath against his back. He thought she had returned to sleep, but then she spoke. "Is that an expectation I should have?"

He was caught off guard and it took him several moments to gather his thoughts. But she didn't shy away and deny, she'd asked. She wanted his answer. Eventually he decided that certain expectations wouldn't be so bad. In fact, if she felt freer to speak openly with his family then even more amusing situations may occur. "Yes, if I am there, none of my family members will reach you with ill intent."

He could feel her smile and a quiet sigh of relief against his neck. "Will expectation number two be that if I get drunk you will take me home?"

At that he gave a huff, "No, incorrect expectation." She squirmed and he let her down on her feet. They'd reached the destination anyways, the top of the monument.

She stared down at the lights with some confusion, as if not knowing where she was.

"I was planning to leave you here," he teased, although he'd been planning the tease the second, he'd caught her leaning on the streetlamp.

She'd swatted him for that.

They ended up sitting and talking there until finally the lights of the homes began turning off. Then they laid on the grass to watch the stars and talk. She fell asleep again. Eventually he did as well.

Waking up, soaked in morning dew, her head on his chest and her soft breaths forming smoke it became clear to Itachi that Sakura Haruno was loveable.

He didn't quite know what he could do though; a deal was a deal.

He stared up at the lighting sky. His mother had probably noticed he hadn't returned to the compound. She would have said such to his father, and his father would have been even more upset. But for some reason it only struck him as amusing. It wasn't so bad to face the world, especially if you were not alone in it.

She'd stirred at his laughter and green eyes had both glared and revealed her curiosity.

"If last night was bad; I can't imagine their expression when they realize I didn't come home last night," he told her.

She laughed then too, and the morning sun had hit her hair, making her glow.

When he had returned, their expressions had been better than he imagined. They didn't know what to say to him; his mother looked close to fainting and his father's vein had throbbed.

"You didn't come home last night," His father commented with a growl.

And he could only reply with the truth, keeping his face straight. "No, I did not."

Another dinner later, Mikoto to avoid another drinking incident refrained from making any comments towards Sakura. Instead, she focused all her motherly intensity on Yua and the upcoming wedding and the preparations for it.

Near the end, Itachi was starting to get anxious about the plans and he wasn't even involved. Were the flowers really going to arrive on time? Well too late to send out a second order at a different more reliable company.

Sakura spoke up in the poor girl's defense. Complementing the choice in vendors, the kimono Yua had selected was sure to be stunning – the girl had great taste – and the venue was the most desirable in the village.

She'd surprised him. Sakura'd been so jealous of Yua. Itachi had sparred with Sakura on several occasions just so she could let off steam when she heard details about the wedding from Naruto. But she'd shut Mikoto up, and Fugaku regarded Sakura with some respect in his gaze.

That night the two couples walked out together, Yua had turned and hugged Sakura before walking into her house.

"Thank you," Yua said.

Sakura tightened her hold and quietly whispered back advice, which both men overheard. "You need to find your backbone, Yua. She'll walk all over you if not, you've everything to lose."

Sasuke looked between Sakura and Itachi before wishing Yua another goodnight. They parted ways, his younger brother going home.

Sakura didn't think she had anything to lose, which is why she'd spoken up. Itachi wasn't ignorant of the things being said about her or himself. She already lost a great deal at the announcement of their relationship. But he liked the idea of her speaking up.

She made some tea and they sat together on the couch in peaceful silence, both recovering from the stressful night.

When she left to refill the glasses and then returned, he commented on her actions. "What you did for Yua was very kind."

Sakura snorted. "Your mother was starting to bother everyone, even you were getting stressed. I don't like seeing people like that." Her lips pursed in thought before she spoke again, "You can expect that of me. I don't tolerate people being belittled in my presence." She took a sip from her cup and grimaced. "I forgot sugar; I'll be right back."

When she attempted to move away, he grabbed her wrist. Part of him wanted to draw her close, within reach of a kiss, but instead he kept eye contact with her.

"You may modify my first expectation to include anyone, not just my family. You will have my backing on any stance you wish to take while in the presence of others. We can always discuss things in private later."

She leaned in, without his pulling. Her full intent had been to kiss his forehead; but he'd moved to catch her with his own lips. Their first kiss –– quick, and awkward for him because she was standing while he was still sitting.

She'd swatted him, growled at his poor timing to tease her. But when she returned, she sat closer and fell asleep against him. In the morning, when his neck had been kinked beyond repair, he could only think that it had been worth it.

Serious

Sasuke's older brother was serious. Everybody knew him to be a strange genius, but serious above all else. The firm lines on his face were set in stone; like he'd never smiled before. The rumor, which Sasuke affirmed, was that his betrothed had run off with another man many years ago.

He'd always said odd things to her before. For example, he'd made strange comments about styles of shuriken, and which were better at cutting throats with. It had been an unprompted subject change from Hina's baby and the gender reveal earlier that day. Mikoto, who'd been gossiping with Sakura while the boys sat in silence, raised a concerned brow at her eldest.

Sasuke, who looked relieved at the subject change from babies, began describing the style he liked best.

Sakura even once caught him talking to a neighbor cat about types of sardines before noticing her passing, upon which she got included in the conversation as well. Did she know the details of how they canned the fish? No, well now she did. Hard to back away from your boyfriend's brother without looking improper and she'd desperately wanted as a chunin to be the perfect girlfriend.

That along with many other things doomed her relationship with Sasuke Uchiha, if she were honest, and she wouldn't be honest with herself for a very long time.

Two years after the break-up, six months after making jonin, Itachi had found her training. Focusing on her future, trying her hardest to be 'a real ninja', his words had caught her by surprise. She'd not expected for her wound to be ripped open and feel so fresh.

"Why?" Why the hell would the greatest shinobi in the village want her, especially when no one else did?

To say his answer was unsatisfactory – well, that would just be the outer shell of her opinion on the matter. At the time it felt like an insult. She was the only one who didn't care about him, and that's why he wanted to date her? Please. Talk about narcissism.

And her denial put no strain on the non-existent relationship they had as acquaintances. He acted no differently than before. She brushed it off like she brushed off how to can tuna and kept the path. Be the perfect ninja, get her promotion in the hospital, get back together with Sasuke once he dumped the casual fling he was having with some girl named Yua.

Her world collapsed when over ramen, Sasuke broke the news to Team Seven. Yua and he would be married in June. There would be no life with Sasuke. She'd plastered on a fake smile and congratulations acting just like the other members, acting like she and Sasuke had no history. Because that was what was expected of her, because that is what she'd promised Sasuke all those years ago so they could continue to be a team.

It wasn't a fact of whether they'd continue to be a team anymore. Sakura knew women and herself, no way in hell would she let a boyfriend stay on a team with an ex. And even if Yua was somehow some innocent human not capable of jealousy, one day Sasuke would have a kid and go into the police force so he could be closer to home. Time felt short.

Her problems compounded. The next day, a unit of a genin were attacked by missing-nin. She pumped the heart by hand, her chakra flowing through the small body. It wasn't enough. And she didn't have the skill to save them. Apprentice to the hokage herself, and she couldn't save them.

As a doctor, as a medical-nin, she was supposed to be professional. She was supposed to be able to save anyone. Keep a bedside manner, be concerned but not overly emotional. And she'd sobbed in the break room and knew not only had she lost a little boy, just starting a career, but from the looks of tired disgust of the doctors around her; she wasn't the professional everyone expected her to be.

The hard truths she'd been suppressing for years came to the forefront of her mind. How stupid of her to think they'd be a team until the day they retired. How stupid to think she'd outgrown being an emotional mess. What kind of ninja was she? That was kind of the point, she wasn't one. Her day ended with a tea break on the roof, tears continuing to salt the water she drank from. It was from that roof that she watched several ANBU jump into hokage tower.

Her mind jumped to Itachi, and for the first time she understood what his conversation had really been hinting at. What if he was just like her, drowning in expectations of those around him? It seemed like he was an ultimate shinobi, but on the other hand, his quirkiness also made him a pariah.

She hadn't been thinking, her chakra control sloppy from her exhaustion, but she'd found him in the training ground Sasuke told her he used. If what he wanted, he'd offer in return. What, then? Would it free her from the pressure she felt she was drowning in? Well, at the very least, if she were around Itachi, it meant she would see Sasuke again. Even when Team Seven broke up. Because it was going to happen, one day, probably soon.

"It must be the same. You can't expect anything from me."

He gave her a solemn nod. And Itachi was serious, he'd make good on his word. It relieved her.

"Don't fall in love with me." Because Sakura wasn't sure she could ever love again, not even herself.

She didn't think she would ever heal. But Itachi was like a balm to the wounds that had split wide open at her reality. They chatted about random things and browsed the stalls making comments about the price, absurdity of an item or whether it was any good.

And then came the truth. Sasuke's confrontation about her using Itachi to replace him. Dinner that night with Itachi brought back up all her insecurities and her guilt. She confessed her still very real feelings to Sasuke to him; Itachi, of course, was aware of them. And her heart hurt so much she thought it would break in her chest. What the hell had she been thinking?

"You're allowed to cry, Sakura."

Her gaze met his.

"No expectations, you could throw food at the other guests, I won't say a thing. We could leave too. Not even eat the food."

This. This is what she'd been thinking. Itachi wasn't a replacement for Sasuke. No. Itachi was her freedom.

"I'll just cry, thanks," she told him. And boy, did she cry, all over her dinner, while Itachi made small talk about the fermentation process required to make the sake they were drinking. The waitress stopped by several times, with obvious concern, frantic eyes at Itachi and then Sakura, and then at other guests who also looked on with concern. Itachi waved the lady off each time.

"Look sir, she obviously distraught," the waitress eventually said as she brought the cake.

"It's the lamb they were eating," Itachi tilted his head towards the couple that had been watching them all night, leaning to catch even the slightest bit of conversation. Without any tell he continued, "She had a pet lamb as a child. She finds the consumption of baby sheep distressing; I must confess the destruction of innocent lives also disturbs me. Do you by chance know how they slaughter lambs?"

The waitress didn't know. But now, she did.

Needless to say, the couple quickly took their leave, asking for the check when Itachi took a sip of sake to wet his throat. This freed the waitress and rest of the guests from Itachi's overly graphic description of how a butcher could carve a shank out of a carcass.

It had taken Sakura the majority of her cake to realize what Itachi had just done. And she couldn't help but burst into laughter.

When the waitress came back again, directing conversation only at Sakura to avoid Itachi. Sakura asked for two more slices of cake.

"Do you want it packaged to go?" She gave a nervous glance at Itachi but quickly stopped eye contact.

Daringly, Sakura squared her shoulders, "No, I'm going to eat them here. Thanks."

Sasuke would have given her a look, a look that said – watch your figure. But, after the waitress left; the words came out of Sakura's mouth, "To hell with Sasuke." And that was it. Her heart still felt heavy at the name, but her infatuation was over.

Itachi tilted his head.

She didn't explain herself. "It's going to take me a while to eat the cake, Itachi, did you want more dango or sake?"

She began testing his boundaries after that. What was he willing to take? And nothing fazed him. Even when she blurted out her hatred of Yua, a woman she'd never met and soon to be in-law of the man before her,. She really wasn't jealous of her relationship with Sasuke anymore, but her wedding plans were on all the gossipers' lips, it would be the most amazing wedding of the century.

Itachi's response, "Do you want to let out some steam with a spar?"

And she did and attempting to land a punch on Itachi proved to be a good coping mechanism.

He was different; their relationship was different. She truly tried to expect nothing of him. She felt refreshed that he, being as serious as he was, would do the same. It was a freedom she'd never experienced before. She didn't need to dress up, although she found herself wanting to; she didn't need to even invite him to go for tea, but she found she enjoyed the company too much to deny it.

Eventually there became an ease between them. Itachi's quirky conversations were not half as quirky when she told him to stop and give her context. They found common ground with word games and would spend hours attempting to beat each other. She proudly won a few.

After a particularly 'heated' match, lasting three hours and the waiter looked ready to throw them through the window, she stuck her nose in the air. "Hah, it's ok Itachi, I'll go easy on you next time." She never would though.

His nose had wrinkled, he gave a snorted noise of mirth. "Is that so, Sakura?" His lips left their flat line and tilted with a smile.

The look, the noise, dumbfounded her. So dumbfounded, the man had ended up paying for the tea and meal. He had to poke her in the forehead to get her to leave with him.

At one point, she ended up inviting him over. And that opened a new avenue she'd never thought possible. Itachi didn't just read haiku, he loved it. In the quick minute it had taken for her to fetch biscuits from the kitchen, he'd snagged three of her books from the shelf and was curled up in the armchair like a content cat. He also would stop his love of reading to watch comedy and action shows with her. And he'd pick up a book the second she turned on a drama or watch a romance. But he never made a comment on any of her choices.

The true turning point in their relationship was when he'd fallen asleep on the couch after coming back from a month-long intensive ANBU mission, his face deep in a cushion with light snores emerging.

"Well," she said quietly, he didn't even move at her voice ", expecting me to just leave you alone is wrong, Itachi. No expectations, remember?" She gently braided his hair, stuck a few flowers in it for good measure and then scribbled nonsense of 'Sakura was here' on the bottom of his barefoot with a permanent marker. She'd picked up a few things from Naruto over the years. Sneaky was one of them.

He'd woken an hour later and realized what she'd done to his hair. Another hour for him to see her foot art. He'd given her a look with a wicked gleam in his eyes, as if she'd started some sort of war. If not for the full smile on his face, she surely would have thought he intended to kill her.

He went out of his way to tease her after that. Because he was always so serious and his tone never betrayed humor, it was hard not to fall for whatever he said. After the fifth time he came in and said they were starting a war with Sand, she almost didn't believe him. Eventually, she started to be able to read him, the small twitch of an eyebrow, the smallest hint of a smile.

Life for Sakura got better. She'd come to accept who she was. Someone who cried when they couldn't save the life before them. She would likely never be revered in the medical field. After expressing this to Itachi, he tilted his head, just a fraction.

"Your skills as a medic-nin are what determine that you're a medic-nin. If you're off the job, who cares if you cry. At least you care enough to."

Things were going well until she got cornered by Mikoto into going to the most awkward dinner of her life.

Sasuke and she were not on talking terms, even on their missions. Not since he'd confronted her about dating Itachi. Sakura had attempted to make small talk with Yua about the wedding. The woman had given very one-word Uchiha answers. It made Sakura realize how quirky Itachi was even amongst his own clan. Thank goodness he could carry a conversation.

They'd all sat down, couples together, in a strange tense atmosphere. The sake helped, just a bit to take the edge off, but the second she put down her glass and finished swallowing her first sip Mikoto struck at the jugular.

Sakura's gaze had met Itachi's. Marriage, now that was a word riddled with expectations. No way would Itachi touch that with a five-foot stick.

"No." Itachi had answered too.

Mikoto had continued an advance, focusing on Itachi.

Did she really expect to get movement from him on the issue? Sakura could barely contain a laugh.

Itachi's words made Mikoto look like she swallowed something incredibly sour and now wanted to puke it up. Those eyes looked at Sakura. She was the sour thing in Mikoto's mouth for sure.

Sakura couldn't help it; she clinked her glass with Itachi's and then did what her master taught her to do when under stress from social situations. Drink and drink quickly. She was going to need to get drunk fast to deal with this Uchiha Q&A.

Fugaku now looked like he wanted her out of his house, out of his compound and not dating his eldest son.

To Sakura's surprise, Itachi sensed her desire, drained his glass, and then poured her a new one along with himself. She could keep this game going all night long. If he was willing to pour, she'd drink.

She raised her glass, he clinked, and down it went again. Only for him to pour another.

She could have kissed the man but knew that at two shots and no lunch it was probably the alcohol.

Fugaku jailed the bottle on the other side of the table, until Itachi found a way to steal it back. Vast majority of the bottle went to her and Itachi by the end of the night, and Sakura wouldn't apologize for it. Even if she couldn't walk straight by the end and may have closed her eyes against a light pole just for a bit.

The night was a blur of drunken laughter and long chats about nothing as they stared at stars, but she remembered his words with certainty when told her the only expectation she could have of him. She'd never felt so powerful. The greatest shinobi would ensure her safety, at least from his family.

She'd fallen asleep against his chest, and then awoke to his laughter. And before she could catch herself, she knew that she loved him. It wasn't the childish love that made her heart pitter-patter and left butterflies in her stomach. To the contrary of lightness, she felt an encompassing ache of weight. She wanted to be beside him like this forever and eternity. She wanted to protect him, keep him close. She would only expect one thing of him though, she would not burden him with love. So she laughed along with him, kept the mood light and just enjoyed the moment.

And the next team mission, Sasuke apologized. "I was wrong, about you using Itachi as a replacement or something. I just," He dipped his head to her then, "I am sorry Sakura. It was wrong of me and I… I don't even know why I did it. Something just seemed strange, and I didn't realize that maybe half of it was because you were trying to keep the relationship on the down low." He scoffed, "And after dinner with my mother, I'm surprised you even showed. They've higher expectations of Itachi. I'm sorry about my mom too."

Itachi wasn't a replacement, but he was 'something.' For the fact Sasuke recognized the pressure Itachi was under, she forgave him. She poked his forehead, just like Itachi liked to poke her's. "It's fine, Sasuke. Water under the bridge." And it was.

She did become a bit more daring. Knowing Itachi had her back made her a bit less reserved around the Uchiha family. The tension between her and his parents could be cut with a knife, and they'd taken to ignoring her existence entirely.

When Yua had been on the brink of tears, she'd finally cut loose. She'd been furious at how Mikoto had been acting, everybody seemed to be agitated. Itachi had even begun to thrum his fingers upon the table, a tell sign of how stressed he was becoming.

Then that night, things changed. She'd fully intended to just kiss his forehead in camaraderie, but he'd been the one to move. Her heart decided to shoot into her throat, and her face felt inflamed. The teasing smile had been on his face, so she'd smacked him. But perhaps he wasn't as serious as she first thought.

Then came the first time Itachi met Lee. The young man just returned from his yearlong mission and began to loudly confess his love for her and her brilliant youthfulness amid the crowded marketplace.

Itachi had been standing beside her, Lee hadn't even given him a spare thought.

She'd been completely embarrassed and attempted to point out to Lee that she was in a relationship when Itachi spoke.

"Your words may sound like honey, but the frequency at which you spout them makes them empty and insulting."

It was the first time she'd seen Lee speechless.

"Perhaps you should take some time to reflect and leave us in peace."

And the man, after apologizing relentlessly, left them. Itachi stood there, glaring into the place where the man had been, before looking down at her.

He'd raised his brow, "Do you desire loud public proclamations of love?"

"Are you offering?" She teased.

That wicked gleam appeared in his eye, and the twist of his lips became more pronounced in a smile.

She would come to regret being so daring.