A/N: Final chapter! I hope you liked this little short story.
Disclaimer: Naruto and all characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto. Please heed rating.
5.
"Hinata… sweetheart… you up?"
Prying her eyes open with much effort, Hinata lay on her stomach, trying to get her bearings.
Fog. Sex. Being trapped in a hotel room with Gaara. Right.
A pair of warm and soft lips pressed into the small of her back, lingering just above the rise of her bum.
"Wake up, baby."
She squinted against the glare of warm, bright light filtering into the room and stretched slightly, pressing one hand against her mouth to stifle a yawn. It wasn't often that she woke up, naked and tangled up amidst the sheets.
Then again, it wasn't often that she spent the night having wild, passionate sex thrice with a certain redhead.
Who, as it turned out, was hovering over her and stringing slow kisses down her spine.
"Mm. Good morning." She murmured, holding the sheet to her chest and sitting up. Hinata rubbed her eyes, focusing on Gaara who sat next to her on one side of the bed. He was clad only in his sweatpants, his tousled crimson hair damp, a smile curving his mouth.
"Good morning." He leaned forward and kissed her on the mouth. "Feeling sore?"
"A little."
He looked so handsome. Unable to help it, she reached up to touch his lean cheek, feeling a little apprehensive.
Last night, between bouts of sex, they had talked about everything and anything, and cuddled lazily. Now, in the harsh light of the day, she felt embarrassed at how much she had divulged to him about herself.
"What time is it?" She asked cautiously.
"Eight. I ordered breakfast for us."
Her hand flew to her hair. "Oh god. I'm supposed to meet the team at nine."
"You have time. Have some breakfast, then I'll get you a cab."
"Thank you." She hunted for her bathrobe on the bed, but came up empty. Gaara moved to the swivel chair where her white bathrobe lay, and retrieved it for her. He held it open in front of her.
"Thanks." Heat seared her cheeks as she got out of bed naked, turned around and slipped her arms into the sleeves, trying to ignore Gaara's interested stare. He kissed her neck as she looped the belt around her waist.
"I've already seen everything." He said huskily.
"I can't possibly walk around naked." She turned to glance at him over her shoulder.
"Sure you can." He winked. "I wouldn't mind."
She suppressed a smile as she made her way to the bathroom.
"How's the weather?" She asked, after brushing her teeth and settling down next to him at the study desk. She helped herself to the breakfast waiting beneath silver domes on a tray.
"Good." Gaara snapped open the blinds. "Fog's cleared."
She nodded and tightened the belt at her waist. "Wonderful."
After scarfing down poached eggs, toast, sausages and baked beans, Hinata took a quick shower and made herself put on her outfit from the previous night. She felt jittery and guilty, as if she had done something she really shouldn't have.
Like sleeping with Gaara?
"What's your schedule like tonight?" He asked, leaning against the wall and watching as she put on her heels.
Hinata blushed. "I have a working dinner with Kurenai and Asuma. I'll be busy for the next few days till we get back to Konoha."
He nodded and tugged her close, staring down at her with beautiful jade eyes. One hand came up to cup her jaw. He brushed her thumb over her lower lip, and damn near made her knees buckle.
"We'll talk more when we get back to Konoha."
Hinata nodded. "Get well soon," She whispered.
Five days later, Gaara strode out of the lift on the ninth floor, making a beeline for the main office, when he heard Naruto calling out to him.
"Yo G!" Naruto called. Pausing, Gaara tamped down the annoyance that rose in him. He'd meant to seek out Hinata to thrash out business between the two of them.
No thanks to their busy schedules, they barely had time to meet after touching down in Konoha. He had also been busy arranging and planning ahead for more overseas visits the Prime Minister had in the coming year.
Every time they had seen each other, it had been in the company of other people, which gave them little time to talk in private. And when they had been in private, they were busy tearing each other's clothes off to have some serious heart-to-heart exchange.
"Wait up." Naruto jogged over to him. "Were you actually gonna go into the enemy's den alone?"
Gaara fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Since when did that scare you?"
"Just sayin'." Naruto shrugged and fell into step beside him as they passed several empty desks and turned a corner. "Funny how they invited us to the new year's eve party eh?"
"What's so weird about that?" Gaara asked as they neared the staff lounge, where the administrative team was throwing a New Year's Eve party in the afternoon. They had all been given half a day off on New Year's Eve, and Gaara had received an email a few days before, from Kurenai, inviting them to swing by for some food and drinks.
"Dude, we don't gel well with them at all."
Gaara shrugged. "I'm not turning down free food just 'cause I don't like them."
"A very legit point you make, my friend."
Stepping into the lounge, which had been decorated with gold tassels, balloons and a happy new year garland, he saw that a good number of the PM's immediate team, including the press secretary, the Admin team, and the members of the Protective Security Division who weren't on duty, were clustered around the long, oval meeting table ladened with food.
Even the Prime Minister herself was in there, holding a glass of champagne and mingling with some of the staff.
After nodding at several of his colleagues, Gaara did a quick scan of the room. He found Hinata with her back to him, talking to several of her colleagues, a glass of champagne in hand.
She looked amazing in a white wrap dress and burgundy heels, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. He had spotted a few guys from the security team eyeing her for quite a bit, which only served to make him more annoyed.
Frustration gnawed at him.
He should have been pleased with the situation. They met with each other regularly for sex, had dinner together at his apartment or hers, and then cuddled after. It was all fine and good, but when they were at work, she behaved like she didn't know him. And it annoyed him supremely.
He understood the need to behave professionally and to compartmentalise their work and personal affairs. Work was work - he couldn't afford to be distracted, and neither could she.
But Gaara wanted more. He wanted the rest to know she was taken. By him.
On the other hand, he had no idea what she wanted.
"I never got to ask you this, but what happened between you and the ice princess when she got stuck in that hotel room with you?" Naruto asked over a plate of food.
He shrugged. "We traded barbs. Had awkward silences. I asked her if there was poison in the gift basket. She told me to find out for myself."
Naruto laughed.
"But truth is, she got that gift basket specially for me." A tender ache filled his chest.
"Man, that is so fucking unbelievable. I can't-"
"Talk to you later, blondie." Seeing Hinata pull away from her colleagues and leaving the lounge - presumably to use the ladies - he seized the chance to excuse himself from Naruto when Shiranui Genma came over to join them.
Exiting the lounge, Gaara followed her down the hallway and called her name.
Hinata paused and turned expectantly. A myriad of emotions flitted across her face when she saw him approaching her. Surprise, pleasure, apprehension and nervousness.
"Agent Sabaku." She said politely. "Do you need something?"
"Actually, I do." He glanced around them to make sure the hallways were empty, then pulled her into a meeting room and locked the door.
"What-"
Turning around to face her, took her into his arms and kissed her without preamble.
She tensed with surprise at first, but he felt the shape of her slow smile against his lips. Hinata's mouth opened beneath his, and she slipped her hands cautiously up his forearms as she returned his kiss with sweet ardour.
"I need you." He muttered, pressing his nose into her neck. "I've been thinking about you all day. All week."
"But we just saw each other yesterday."
"Yeah and you gave me the cold shoulder." He leaned forward and kissed her again, long and deep, loving the feel of her soft, curvy body pressing against his. She broke away and chuckled as he leaned his forehead against hers.
"What are you doing?" She whispered. "They're just a couple of doors away-"
"I miss you." He said, staring down into her small face. The words were out of his mouth before he could reconsider them.
"Oh." She stared up at him, amazed. Her cool hands came up to palm his cheeks.
"I do too," She admitted, blushing. Then, with a slightly playful smile, she reached down and brushed one hand against his hard erection straining against his fly. "I can feel how much you miss me here too."
He half-groaned, half-chuckled and pushed her hand away from his groin.
"Wait. Don't. We need to talk."
"A-about?"
"About us."
"What about us?" She asked, looking apprehensive.
"I want to know if there is an us." He said, tilting her chin up.
"Oh." She swallowed, lashes lowering. "Don't you just want… sex?"
A highly amused smile curved his lips. "No, I don't just want sex. I want us to date exclusively."
"I w-want that too," She gazed at him from beneath her inky lashes. "But I know you. You fly around alot. You're busy, and you have a packed schedule. You're so good-looking, women trip over themselves just to get to you. And we work together. It wouldn't be professional."
"We're already sleeping together. It's too late to go back to the whole we-work-together argument. So let's tackle the other two points. I'll make time for you. We'll video-call, Zoom, have phone sex, whatever."
Her face turned scandalised, and he grinned. "Thanks for the compliment, but no other woman's going to walk that far in her heels just to give me a gift basket when I'm down with dengue, after she got chewed out on my behalf. Agree or disagree?"
She bit her lower lip and tried not to smile, but failed. "I - I suppose."
"Good." Gaara stared down at her wrap dress and fingered the belt at her waist. When he glanced at her, her eyes were slumberous, and she looked turned on. "Now what do you say we celebrate New Year's Eve with champagne at my place?" He shot her a devilish grin. "No clothes allowed. But gift baskets are permitted."
"Gaara," Hinata protested, laughing.
"Think you can manage that?" He asked, kissing her jaw.
Hinata smiled, gazing tenderly into his eyes. "Yes, I do believe I can, Agent Sabaku."
Happy (almost) New Year! :)