He grazed his finger across the screen of his phone, as he opened his contacts and found the newly saved number – it still seemed surreal to him, he knew how people would literally kill to get Temari's personal number.

He hesitated for a while as he walked out of his office building, and dialed.

Beep, beep …. He waited.

"Hello?" It was her alright, he could almost feel her confidence oozing through the speaker of his phone.

"I am off from work, where should I be meeting you?"

"Walk across the road, I am on that dark grey limo." He looked around as she hung up, and there it was, sitting there with dark shaded glass, he approached, ignoring all the curious glances upon him, and proceeded to the vehicle.

Knocking on the glass, the door flung opened.

"Get in," she said, which he duly obliged.

As he settled down and turned around, he found her sitting across, her long legs crossed as they emerged from the split of her dark dress; his gaze moved higher, pass the low cutting collar of her dress, lingering upon her cleavage for a second as he forced himself to pull away. He moved his eyes from there to the elegant curve of her neck and rested upon her beautifully painted face, staring into her shining green eyes.

"You…going somewhere after this?" He moved his gaze away from her proud, red-lipped smile and to the window.

"Well, I was at an event just now," she said, he voice was low and husky, humming in the vicinity of the car. "Don't like what you see?"

Shikamaru glanced at her, and smiled with a shaking head, not saying a word.

"Anyway," Temari frowned, he was strange – she had never been ignored like that, especially when she was dressed like this. "It is sooner or later the paparazzi will find out that you were talking to me."

"I suppose so," he said. "Now that you're actually waiting for me across the street from where I work, wouldn't it make it even more obvious?"

Temari said nothing, as she blinked.

"And your boyfriend probably won't like it too, I reckon," he said, eyeing the entertainment news that was lying next to his seat.

It was a photo of Hidan kissing Temari's hand, with the large highlighted title.

"BAD BOY AND BLONDE GODDESS: New Celebrity Couple in the making"

Temari laughed a little, as she looked into his dark obsidian eyes. "It is all a publicity stunt," she said, but Shikamaru smirked.

"He probably didn't think that way," he said. "I saw on TV, he was staring at your cleavage, in front of tons of cameras, he likes you."

She smiled. "But I don't."

She was staring straight at him with a curved smile; he glanced at her uneasily.

"Well," he gulped. "For damage control, what do you have in mind?"

"The best control is no control, isn't it?" She said, studying him like one would look at an animal through a glass wall in a zoo. "I know you like me, Nara Shikamaru."

"To the contrary, I am afraid," he sighed, shaking his head with a smirk. "You like me, Temari."

"What makes you think that?" She smirked, leaning in front, the glory of her bosom almost popping in front of his eyes. He pulled himself away, and backed himself against a corner of the space in the car.

She crawled forward, as a lioness would; ready to pounce at her prey, she grinned. Her face was inches away from his; he could feel his nostrils filled with the sweetened flavour of her perfume.

"You are interesting," she said. "No man had ever stay so calm and unmoved if I made any advances."

"I am not like most men," he said. "I think with my brain, not my dick."

"Is that so?" She glanced down as her gaze travelled to his crotch; he was praying that he had not reacted.

He had to distract her, or the battle is lost.

"So the great Temari is going to force herself upon me?" It went through his mind and he said it without thinking about it.

Temari paused and slowly retracted herself back to her seat. "Of course not," she said, with a grin. "I am going to make you beg for it."

"I was going to say the same, even though it is a drag, breaking down that cocky attitude of yours might turn out to be quite interesting."

"Are we having a competition now then?" Temari arched an eyebrow. "And see who gives in first?"

"Yeah, sounds like a plan," he shrugged and smirked at her. "I am a very patient man."

"Hmph," she smiled. "It's on then. Go ahead and tell the driver your address, he will take you home."

"It's alright," he moved towards the door. "I have somewhere else to go."

Before Temari could say anything, he walked out of the door and walked away.

She smiled to herself before closing her eyes.

"Take me home," the car then turned and went the other direction.

It was an old hanging out spot for him and the guys. He enjoyed it, back when he was in university, they often stopped by to enjoy a beer and some snacks, watching sports games.

Some of them were already there; a brunette man stood up and waved at him happily with a grin.

"Oi, Shikamaru!" He walked up to the table with a smile and sat down.

His friend Inuzuka Kiba patted on his back as he did. His other friend Chouji and Shino was sitting here. The man with the shades and short dark hair sipped from the beer as Chouji munched his way through a plate of Buffalo wings.

"Naruto and Sasuke probably won't come today," said Shino as he drank from the beer. "That is because they are both very busy…"

Shikamaru uttered a sound in agreement, as he ordered a beer. "How's working so far?"

"Well, you can only guess the number of animals at the clinic today," Kiba sighed softly. "Our life isn't as wonderful as yours, Shikamaru, look at you just showing up on magazine covers and all."

Chouji smiled as he finished another plate of Buffalo wings. "Never expected you to be that active with girls, Shikamaru."

"What a drag," he took his freshly arrived beer and drank a mouthful.

Shino was quietly staring at the television. Kiba turned his gaze towards the screen as he broke into a grin. "Damn, look at this," he said.

Shikamaru turned around and looked.

She was there, smiling at the cameras, and posing gracefully. Beside her was a dark haired young woman, her pale eyes staring around timidly and smiling sweetly. She was like a small delicate flower, standing next to a shinning goddess.

"Temari, stunning as always, hits the red carpet at the grand opening of another flagship store of Hyuga Jewelry. Who is more beautiful – gorgeous Temari in her dark dress or lovely Hinata in her violet gown?"

Shikamaru smiled to himself as he turned around.

"Anyway, any luck with the ladies recently?" Kiba grinned at the boys, only to receive glances and stares.

Shikamaru said nothing, as his phone rang.

Swiftly, he picked it up, and the sound sent a shiver down his spine.

"Hey," she said, he could feel her smiling through the phone.

He stood up and walked out of the bar, standing against the wall, he fished out his cigarettes from the pocket. "What's up?"

"Just trying to keep myself in your mind," he could feel her smirk through the phone. "You know, I will have you begging your way to me."

"You need to stop imagining things," he smiled. "You are sounding desperate now, don't you?"

"Fuck you," she was definitely grinning, he thought to himself.

"Aren't you tired from attending that opening?" He said.

"Now, now, who is paying attention to me?" He shook his head as she asked in a suggestive voice. "But then, I am tired, guess I am going to rest early. Don't miss me too much."

"Alright, good night then," he smiled as she hung up.

As he turned around and walked inside, Chouji looked up and stared at him.

"Why are you staring at me?" He arched an eyebrow as he sat down.

"Shikamaru, you are smiling," he said. "Something's wrong?"

"No," he said, as Kiba looked at him curiously.

"Lady friend?" He asked, nudging him in the ribs with his elbow.

He took another sip from his beer, thinking that it was golden, just like her blonde hair.

"Nah," he smiled. "Just something troublesome."

He knew that she had achieved her goal – she will be on his mind.

But so will he be on hers.

Let the Games Begin.

Author's note:

So the competition begins ... I wonder who is give in first? Will it be smart and sly Shikamaru, or proud and bashful Temari?

Stay tuned!

V.S.V xoxo

P.S. the episode today made me scream with all my Shikatema feels! Too bad there is no baby Shikadai :(

Temari is gorgeous and Shikamaru is just cool! I like the Sai and Ino bit too but I am SCREAMING when Shikamaru asked Temari out AHHHHH :D