topsyturvy-dream I'm sorry for the frustration! Lol it's gonna burn for a bit longer yet but you'll see why. Sorry for being a tease hehe and about Sakura I kind of think that even though she's kind of crazy about him she doesn't really know what to...do with him.

Mai was chatting happily away with the man preparing their smoothies, he was paying her compliment after compliment as the bananas and strawberries were mixed into a light red liquid. Sasuke stood outside the cafe watching her through the window, she had insisted on going in alone and now he knew why- she was getting free smoothies.

"Do you ever pay for anything?" He laughed as she joined him outside and handed him his drink. He'd never had a smoothie before but she had assured him that her favourite flavour smoothie wouldn't disappoint him.

"Don't act like girls don't give you freebies all day long!" She giggled nudging him playfully with her elbow.

He got a lot of attention from girls, he wasn't a stranger to being given free stuff either, whether it was free coffee or an offer of a no strings attached night of passion. He wondered what Mai would be willing to give him all day long.

They began slowly retracing their steps back towards the beach house. Sasuke tried to use the opportunity to find out more about her but somehow she always managed to steer the conversation back to him with clever questions that had him revealing more about himself and their friends. He didn't usually like talking about himself but she was listening so intently to every word that he didn't mind, he even told her a bit about his childhood and that was an area that he tended to avoid.

"So, is that why you joined the police force?"

"Pretty much." He replied, impressed that she had correctly guessed why he had followed in his father's footsteps after only divulging a small amount of information about his upbringing. She seemed to get it, she must have known from experience what it was like to have to constantly strive for a parent's acknowledgment. He wanted to know but he had a feeling she wouldn't tell him if he asked.

"My father is well educated from a very respectable family. He always pushed me into things I didn't want, better education, music lessons all weekend, even choosing which boys I was allowed to date." Sasuke was disappointed when she stopped speaking, she looked as though she had just realised that she had been saying those things out loud.

"What about your mother?"

"Always on his side." She shrugged. "How about yours?"

"The same." He admitted, daring to brush the back of his hand against hers as their arms dangled side by side. Half of him expected her to move her hand out of his reach, the other half was strangely optimistic that she would reciprocate. For once optimism won, not only did her hand remain with his but she went one further and gently brushed her index finger over his palm. It was innocent enough but it sent tingles of excitement through his body. If such a minimal amount of contact could give him such a reaction, he couldn't even begin to imagine what sleeping with her would be like. He probably wouldn't last a minute.

Their shoes left the soft cushioning of the grass as the woodland gave way to the main road. Cars whizzed by them on their way to the beach, which they could already make out and it was pretty packed. They both blamed the weather. A silver car suddenly appeared behind them, loudly beeping its horn.

"You guys have been ages. Come on, get in!" Naruto laughed, sticking his head out of the driver's seat window.

Sasuke opened the door for Mai and tried not to stare when she bent over to climb inside. He had barely pulled the door closed when Naruto sped off, hitting a left turn hard enough to throw Mai into his lap.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata squealed, turning back from the passenger seat to give Mai and Sasuke an apologetic look.

Sasuke definitely didn't need an apology. Mai's hand had touched his crotch as she tried to steady herself and she didn't exactly move it away quickly either.

"Sorry." She giggled, sitting upright and fastening her seat belt.

"I thought we could have breakfast then hit the beach. What do you think?" Naruto beamed to them in the mirror.

"Sounds good." Mai smiled back.

"I'm not digging another hole." Sasuke mumbled.

Both Hinata and Mai looked between the two men, equally curious what Sasuke was referring to.

"Aw come on, Sasuke! You know how many people fell into it that day?"

"I don't care. We're too old for-"

"We are not!" Naruto protested, cutting his friend short. "Hinata, Mai, you'll help me right?"

"Sure, Naruto-kun." Hinata giggled.

"Mai?" They pulled into the beach house driveway, Naruto spun round to face her looking like an excited kid.

"Never dug a hole at the beach before. Sure." She had no idea what she was agreeing to but Naruto's enthusiasm was contagious.

Now he had recruited all but one in the car he turned to Sasuke with a smug grin. "Fine." Sasuke relented, rolling his eyes.

After spotting the car sitting in the large driveway that hadn't been there when she and Sasuke had left that morning, Mai felt her good mood slipping away. She hung back, making sure she was the last one inside so that maybe she could avoid speaking to him.

"There you are!" Ino cried, grabbing hold of Mai and dragging her towards her boyfriend. "Look who finally made it."

Sai was leaning on the kitchen counter showing Kiba and Sakura some of his most recent work in his sketch pad but stepped away from them and his life like art work to greet Mai.

"It's been a while."

He wore an expression that suggested they were nothing more than acquaintances so she did the same. She was not going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her flustered.

"I guess so. How's the art business?"

"I've actually moved into architecture now but I'm still selling art work on the side." Sai replied with his trademark polite smile. Liar, Mai thought.

He slinked his arm around Ino's waist and she lay her head on his shoulder, eyes sparkling with love.

"You've been working so hard recently, I'm so happy you can have at least today off. I'll make sure that you relax." Ino giggled, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

Sitting on one of the bar stools at the kitchen counter, Sasuke was giving the conversation in front of him far more interest than the one he was actually having with Naruto. There was a tension in the air that no one else seemed to be picking up on and he couldn't quite put his finger on why it was there but then Sakura revealed an interesting truth that shed some light on their connection by asking an awkward question.

"Don't you find it weird knowing that your friend and boyfriend have slept together?"

Every single person froze, pastries in hand, spoons full of cereal and stared at Mai, Ino and Sai but the three of them just laughed it off.

"That was like five years ago, ages before I even knew Sai." Ino clearly explained. She didn't have a problem with the past and she didn't want the others thinking badly of Mai.

That's not it, Sasuke thought to himself. There was something else going on, he could feel it in his gut.

"Okay, when you put it like that it's not that shocking." Naruto laughed, placing his hand on Mai's shoulder.

"We all have a past." Temari added.

Lee and Neji exchanges jealous looks. Why had Sai got there first?

"That's true but I don't think I would be able to look at Sasuke the same way if he and Mai had slept together."

Just for a second Mai met Sasuke's gaze but it was long enough to know that she quite liked the idea too. She didn't blush like she probably should have done when her name was included in Sakura's scenario, the only thing that changed about her neutral expression was the slight smile that played on her lips.

"I'm different, it just doesn't bother me. Besides, if I didn't want to be with a guy because he'd slept with Mai, I'd never have a boyfriend." Ino teased Mai, pulling her into a cuddle.

"Hey! I'm not that bad!" Mai laughed.

She disappeared to have a shower minutes after, Sasuke did the same, in his own room though unfortunately. He couldn't get the image of Sai screwing her out of his mind. Not only that but the cop part of him couldn't accept that Sai was exactly who he said he was, there was something about him that made alarm bells ring in Sasuke's mind. There was no logical reason why he should try and find out the truth but he knew he would anyway.

Things get interesting with Sai next chapter! What is he up to?