Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. The plot is inspired by multiple "rental girlfriend" manga that I read in the past.

Chapter 3: The Patriarch

Handsome is not a fitting description of the man in front of her. Years in the ruthless upper-class world give him a daunting presence and a penetrating gaze. A few times that she gets a glimpse of his body, she can't help but feels jealous. The man is fit. But her favorite anatomy of him is his eyes, dark as a starless night but as intense as a tsunami. Right now, those orbs are giving her their undivided attention.

Knowing what he wants, she wordlessly slips into his lap. Immediately, his arms are around her waist, and his head rests on top of hers. His sigh indicates how tired he is feeling. He seems pleased with their contact, but her experience with the man teaches her that this is not enough. Slowly, as not to alarm him, she puts her hands on his chest and moves her head until her lips rest on the pulse on his neck. Due to their closeness and the silence of the car, she can hear his heartbeat getting louder. She won't kiss him, at least not yet.

One of his hand trails to her thigh and slips under her dress. The other hand moves from her waist and makes it way upward. His hands stop before they reach the places that she is aching to be touched. He won't touch her there, not until he has her permission.

Uchiha-sama is a demanding and complicated man, but in the matter of intimacy, he is satisfied with as much as his partner is willing to give. Such an infuriating gentleman.

Sometimes, she wonders how much he knows about her. He never gives any indication that her background might trouble him. Though there is no reason for any client to feel uncomfortable with spending time with a stranger, her agency takes care of that.

The service recruits the girls once they go through two background checks, and they are only allowed to become "girlfriends" once client confidentiality is drilled into their heads. The agency is very adamant about this policy, so the clients never see the need to investigate themselves. The clients have never had any problem with the girls either. Though, if he wants to investigate her, he would be able to do so, as long as he does not break rule 3.

On one side, she is glad that he respects her. On the other hand, it's frustrating to see such a dominant man acting docile and compliant.

"Maybe I'm the problem for thinking such a thing." She would never tell him her thoughts.

His petting is so soothing that she wants to fall asleep right there. She never did get back all the sleep she lost from last night. She knows that he won't mind. He likes to take care of her. If she does fall asleep, he would just let her rest in one of his apartments and still pay her for the time. It has happened before.

"I feel like our role is reversed when it comes to this man."

No matter how easygoing he is, she has her pride as a working woman, and will not fall into the habit of losing her professionalism. As if sensing her rebellious thought, he starts massaging the knots on her body that further fuel her sleepiness. Devilish infuriating gentleman.

"How long can this drive last?"

The event is unexpectedly tame. There are no seedy ploys, catty remarks, or accidental spilling of wine. These people are here to enjoy the new paintings. Very few business conversations are taking place.

"You look lovely tonight, Mrs. Kuchiki."

"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself, Mrs. Smith. How do you like the paintings?"

"How much does this one cost?"

"Is the artist looking for a sponsor?"

"Impressive, aren't they? The color scheme is amazing."

"I have to disagree with you. The subject matter of this painting is…"

Since Sakura is a private person at heart, she is comfortable with not being the focus of other people. High-profile events like this are usually just another form of networking among the elites. A single slip of the tongue can have financial and political damage, especially when her client is extremely well-known.

"Which one is your favorite?"

The voice of her client brings her attention back to the man. Since they are not in the presence of anyone else, she is aware that he is asking for her personal preference rather than a diplomatic one.

"I'm afraid fine art is not my cup of tea. Though I do admire how attentive the artist is to the color scheme and details."

He gives her a "Hn" and makes no further attempt to carry on the conversation. Shooting him a sweet smile, she decides to save the day again.

"Which one is your favorite, Uchiha-sama?"

If it is even possible, his eyes turn darker at her question. He lowers his head and tilts it to rest his lips next to her ear. He whispers the answer and pretends not to feel the tremor that runs through her body.

"The painting that hung in my private studio."

It takes all her willpower to suppress the blush that threatens to show up on her cheeks. She knows which painting he is talking about. She curses the man for his audacity to bring up such indecent private memory in the middle of a public place.

"Though it's a shame that the model refuses to let me paint her in such state again," the smirk on his face tells her that he is doing this on purpose, "especially when I have come up with a better formula for the shade of her skin."

If he keeps using that voice with her, she might consider it.

After leaving the museum, the driver takes them to one of his penthouses. Not the one with the studio. This place is close to her apartment, but far enough to make her wonder about how much he knows. The drive is full of light petting and cuddling that leave her hot and bother. On the other hand, he still has that stoic and calm composure as though he is not the one initiating the whole thing.

He leads her into the dining room where there is a table full of food waiting for them. He pulls out the chair for her before taking a seat himself.

"Wine?"

"Just a little, please."

They eat their food in silence except for occasional inquiries about the taste from him. A quick look at her watch shows that she has one hour and a half left. That won't be enough time for his most favorite activity, but more than enough for her to help him relax.

Once she has finished her meal, he takes her hand and leads her to a guest room.

"Come to my room once you are done." He kisses her forehead before making his way to his bedroom.

Not wanting to waste any more precious time, she enters the room and pulls out a comfortable pajama set along with a bralette and panty. This guest room has a bathroom. Inside, she quickly cleans up her makeup, then strips off her clothes for a brisk shower.

Among the apartments that he owns, this penthouse is their most frequent location. She has her bedroom whenever she is in the mood to spend the night. Everything is tailored to her taste, even the toilette. She pays for the clothes in the closet with her own money, so she can wear them home and immediately go to bed. Uchiha-sama wasn't happy when she did that, but he grudgingly let it go after she reminded him of the rule of their service.

After checking in the mirror that she is presentable, she makes her way to his room. She lightly knocks on the door, and in less than five seconds after, the door opens.

The room is dark with the moon as its only source of light. Under the moonlight and in his sleepwear, Uchiha-sama has never looked more beautiful. Gone is the intimidating patriarch, in its place, is a mysterious, alluring, and tired man. As much as she is attracted to the dominant and assertive side that he portraits to the world, she loves the side that he only shows her in private.

At this moment, the patriarch who shoulders all the responsibilities that come with his last name and position no longer exists. There is only a vulnerable and lonely human who can only endure so much before he breaks.

It takes a while for them to get to this point, but she can't imagine how damaged he would have become if they hadn't met.

"Dear, oh dear, what have you done to yourself?"

Wanting to soothe him, she pushes him toward the bed and gently guides him to lay on it. She takes her place on top of him and unbuttons his shirt, eager to feel his bare chest. He puts his arms around her waist to secure her. She lifts her head to look at him, letting him see how much he is affecting her, inviting him to share his pain.

Neither of them says a word, but seeing the same need and desire reflected in his eyes fuels the fire that is burning in her belly. Her hand leaves his chest to caress his cheek. Her thumb plays with his lips, and she marvels at the softness.

He lets out a sigh, closing his eyes to enjoy her touch. His hands unconsciously seek out her skin.

Finally, she leans down and kisses him.

Sakura stayed with him until he fell asleep. Before succumbing to his slumber, he told her about what he did since their last meeting. She listened attentively to his stories without saying a word while absentmindedly playing with his hair.

She would have liked to stay with him considering his state, but she has three consecutive exams tomorrow. Even though she is prepared, she still wants to wake up early and review a little bit.

Rather than going straight to bed, she sits on her desk and pulls out a notebook from one of the drawers. She turns the pages until she reaches the one with the word "The Patriarch" at the center top and adds a line.

Potential change of status.

She sleeps soundlessly that night.

Note: When I plan out the date in this chapter, I expected it to be steamier. However, as I try to write it out, the idea just doesn't feel right, and I struggled to brainstorm another theme. I researched the Uchiha clan to get myself in the mood. Suddenly, it clicked in my head that these people cannot be healthy. There is no way anyone can repress his emotions without developing psychological issues (suicide, depression, PTSD, etc). I remembered a post that I read on FB about why men pay for prostitution. The prostitutes confessed that a lot of men just want someone to talk to. I mean how lonely can you be to pay for a stranger to listen to you. I was so inspired by the post that I went with this theme for Uchiha-sama. At the end of the day, he is only human.

Reviews are much appreciated.