Authors Chat: Just a reminder, the next few installments will be short, partial chapters. I've only got two REAL presentations left to give for classes, three term papers, and three big tests until this semester is over. Pfew! It's still a lot of work though. Anywho. I had a little snag during this second half of the chapter, but it's done now. Enjoy!

That being said, italics text are direct thoughts of characters, text is in quotes, noises are done with asterisks.

DISCLAIMER: Skip Beat! and it's characters are not my original creation, they are owned and created by Nakamura Yoshiki.

Playing With Fire

Act 50b

The look on Kyoko's face made teasing her so very worth it.

"It shouldn't be too hard anyway." Ren's hand slid down the wall beside her as he turned toward one of the chairs in the overly-large-for-a-dressing-room room.

He slumped down in the brown leather chesterfield, his legs extended far in front of him.

It was several seconds more before Kyoko could speak, her words caught in her throat. Her first thought was to claim it was all for him that she was doing this anyway, but that wasn't quite right. She was enjoying trying to find the time to spend with him, and really did want to have a real date herself.

Kyoko let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding, then righted herself and calmly walked over to stand in front of Ren.

He didn't move, but watched her expressions, waiting for her to ask for the key again. What he did NOT expect, was for Kyoko to do her best impersonation of an Oushak rug.

He thought he had broken her of that habit through his constant blocking of her forehead anytime she tried to bow to him. Guess not. He chuckled.

"That isn't quite what I meant Kyoko. Though your backside is very lovely, seeing it isn't going to make me be willing to break into my manager's apartment."

She didn't move.

"Kyoko? Please, stand up. You don't need to do dogeza."

"mrh mfrrmfng"

"What? Say that again?"

Her head shot up, revealing her reddened cheeks. "I said How Embarrassing! I can't believe you said that Ren!"

"Said what?"

"a-about my b-backside!"

He laughed. He hadn't thought anything of it himself, though now that he was forced to think of his words again, he realized his blunder. 'Backside' could also mean 'buttocks'.

"I just meant you did not have to bow your head and beg me. Now please stand up?" Ren leaned forward in the chair and reached down to cup Kyoko's chin as he gently forced her to stand.

Kyoko moved at his will, slowly standing up without conscience. His eyes were mesmerizing, and as he brought her up to her feet, their faces passed very close to each other. Kyoko's pulse sped up when he released her, sliding his fingertips down her neck before dropping to his lap.

"Ky-"

"Okay."

"… okay, what?" Her odd response stopped the words in his throat.

"I.. I'll do it," her determination clearly building.

Ren raised an eyebrow in question. Kyoko lifted her hand to his shoulder and gently pushed him back in the chair. He had moved to the front of the chair when he bent down to her on the floor, so when she pushed him back into the chair, he was lounged, almost lying, back in the soft leather.

Her actions surprised him, but nothing could have prepared him for the sight of her naked knee, pressing down onto the chair beside him as her skirt rose while she straddled his hips and held his eyes with her own.

Her amber eyes held flecks of brown and gold, but the detail was hidden from him as her lids fluttered closed and her lips grazed his own.

She leaned into the kiss, placing one palm against his chest. There was no pressure behind her kiss, just light, delicate, moist, sliding of her lips over his, then a gentle sucking as she pulled his lower lip into her mouth. She nipped his lip then ran her tongue across the same spot, and noticed his hand tighten on the leather of the armrest.

It became a challenge to her to make him react. Make him move.

She did not realize yet how she was already making him react, and he was thankful to be slid down in the chair at that moment. This was FAR beyond what he had expected from her, much much farther than what he would have caved in to give her the key for.

She lifted herself up, pressing against his chest as she slid her body up his just a little for a better angle. Her hand slid up and over his shoulder, up his neck, and into his soft hair. Her gentle kisses became a little firmer, as she sucked and played her tongue across his lips. His breath was heavy against her lips as she began to pull away from his face, but he wouldn't let her. His hand had moved from the armrest and was now sliding up her back, pressing her closer to him.

That was her cue. She kissed the corner of his mouth twice, as she placed her hand on the armrest and jump-forced herself off of his lap.

He looked disheveled, slightly disoriented, and very confused.

Kyoko grinned at him as she stepped back toward the door, then held up the keys that had been hiding in his pocket, turned and ran to the door. As she closed the door, she looked back into the room, and smiled.

"Bye! I'll be back soon." She closed the door as the very stunned Tsuruga Ren felt into his now-empty pocket.

When the hell did she do that!