Don't own characters and yadda yadda ya.
Jackpot 6
Hinata sampled everything there was. From duck to caviar and salmon wrapped in sweet melon. Unable to resist, Gaara scooped up some stuffed lobster and held the fork to her mouth. Hinata's eyes closed and rubbed her lips gently together. Gaara's blood ran hot. He never met someone so open to sensual pleasure or new to it as was the case of Hinata. He can imagine it clearly that she would react the same way in bed. Little sighs and murmurs. He really should stop thinking of it.
She gave one of those little sighs and her eyes opened dreamily.
"It's wonderful. Everything is wonderful."
Everything was just flowing through her. The food, the lights, the music, the wine and her companion. She found herself leaning forward.
"You're very attractive. Very strong face. I love looking at it."
From another woman it would have been an invitation. From her, Gaara had to remind himself; it was a combination of wine and naïveté.
Gaara arched his brow. Hinata only chuckled.
"Sorry, I have no finesse. When I relax I tend to say things that pop into my head. I'm usually nervous around men. I never know what to say."
This time Gaara cocked his head a bit.
"Obviously I don't make you nervous. That's my ego you hear thudding at your feet."
"Women are always going to fantasize about men like you. But you don't make me nervous, because you don't think of me that way."
"Don't I?"
"Men don't." Hinata gestured with her glass before taking a sip. "Men aren't quickly attracted to women who aren't particularly physically appealing. Willowy blondes," she continued, eyeing his plate and wondering how to ask for another bite. "
"Sultry brunettes, glamorous redheads. Attention focuses on them, it's only natural. And strongly attractive men and strongly attractive women are drawn to each other. At least initially."
"You've given this a lot of thought."
"I like to watch people, and how they circle toward each other."
"Maybe you haven't looked closely enough. I find you very appealing, physically."
He watched her blink in surprise as he slid a little closer. "Fresh," he murmured, giving in the urge to cup a hand at her neck. "And lovely"
Gaara saw her gaze flit down to his lips and back up to his eyes. He felt the little rush of breath from her lips and felt tempted to close that slight distance and complete the circle she spoke about. But she was trembling under his touch.
"There," Gaara said quietly. "That shut you up. Nervous?"
Hinata could only nod her head up and down rapidly. The awareness and panic in her eyes made Gaara give her neck a final squeeze before letting go and easing back.
"Dessert?"
"Dessert?"
"Would you like some?"
"I don't think I could." The muscles in her stomach were full of knots and her fingers were much too unsteady to even hold a fork.
Gaara smiled slowly. "Want to try your luck?" When she swallowed, he added, "At the tables."
"Oh. Yes. I think I would."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Just as they were about to hit the tables for Black Jack, Gaara caught the eye of one of the dealers. A subtle sign that there would be trouble soon. With a squeeze on her shoulder Gaara excused himself from Hinata and went towards trouble.
It wasn't hard to spot the trouble. A man in his forties, a little worse on liquor and a sore loser.
"I can't have only won one hand out of ten! That little bitch of a dealer before and you's no better! I want some action here!
The man thumped his hand on the table.
"Problem?" Gaara stepped up.
"Back off. This is none of your damn business."
"It is my business."
With a subtle sign from before had the floor men stand nearby.
"Sabaku. And this is my place."
"Yeah?" The man lifted his glass and gulped.
"Well, your place is lousy. Your dealers think their slick, but I can spot them." The man slammed his glass down. "Bled me 3 grand already. I know when I'm being taken.
Gaara remained cool. "If you wish to make a complaint then your welcome to do so. In my office."
"The hell with your stinkin' office." With a violent gesture he smashed his glass onto the floor. "I want some satisfaction here!"
Gaara held a hand up to stop the coming security. Gaara's eyes hardened and started to emit a deadly aura.
"I suggest you cash in and take your business elsewhere."
The man standing was tall and burly but the intense fury from Gaara had him trembling. Baring his teeth at the man he took up his chips and glanced disgustingly at Gaara.
"Should've known better than to trust some Suna nobodies dive."
Gaara's hand shot out faster than lightning, grabbing the man from the front of his shirt.
"Stay out. If you come back, be assured that you won't leave here walking. Escort this. …thing to the cashier. Then show him the door."
"Yes, sir."
"Half-breed son of a bitch." The man shouted as he was being led away.
Gaara's head jerked when he felt a hand touched his arm. Hinata instinctively withdrew her hand away when she was faced with such icy fury on his face. The muscles on his arm were like iron when she laid her hand on him so she quickly dropped her hand before touching him again.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. He was dreadful."
"Plenty more where those come from."
"There shouldn't be."
Not knowing what to do at the moment, Hinata stared down at the shards on the floor and without really thinking bent down to start picking up the shards. But Gaara snatched her wrist and tugged her up again.
"What are you doing?"
"I-I was going to pick up-"
"Stop."
His temper was still strained to the brink. "You don't belong here." He muttered, and started to pull her away from the tables and the still gawking crowd.
"It's not all fun and games. It isn't a damn castle. There are people like that in every corner."
"Yes, but-"
He was walking to quickly and she had to trot to keep up.
"You ought to be back in Konoha, tucked away in your library."
"I don't want to go back to Konoha."
Gaara pulled her into the elevator and smashed in his master card to go up to her suite.
"They eat you up in one bite. Damn near did it myself."
"I don't understand-"
"Exactly."
Gaara rounded up on her. Her eyes were wide as saucers and her curved top lip was starting to tremble.
"Exactly." He said again. Composing himself he struggled for inner calm.
"Stay up here."
"But-"
"Stay up here." Gaara then nudged her out of the elevator and into her suite before he did something impulsive. Like clamping his lips onto hers.
"You worry me. You really starting to worry me."
Gaara muttered. They stood staring at each other until the doors closed shut.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Well, what do you know. I still managed to right something for this. Should I start speeding up the plot or does everyone like the pace?