Hi readers! It's me again, feeling better and ready to write. I hope you like the chapter. I'm sorry it's so short but I have to go out this evening and I have to study before I do. I think it's like 2,500 or something though, the original plan for chapter lengths for now anyway. (Sorry about updating today but I got back late and went straight to sleep)

Excuse any errors and R&R!!!

Chapter 12: Floating

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"You're so lucky this wasn't worse," said Hinata.

Sasuke could only look at her.

"I was only trying to help," she continued, defending herself.

"No more helping!"

"But I want to!"

Stubborn woman. He admired her for it but the pain in his hands made him firm in his ways. It was his turn to sit, grimacing while she removed splinters from his hands- and they were not small either. He glared at her some more.

"No more, Hinata. Do you understand? No more!"

She sat on his desk before him, taking out splinters, wincing as she worked on his hands. "Gomen," she said and sighed. "This is entirely my fault."

Sasuke wasn't about to disagree, but he didn't say anything either. It was clear by her expression that she was guilty enough. He looked at his hands. "You do pretty damn well for a spoiled little rich girl."

Hinata laughed softly, but the self-depreciating tone made him frown.

"You know…" He met his gaze and said. "The simple fact that you've rolled up your sleeves to help is a good deal more than I would have expected."

"I wouldn't call it help-"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Hinata," said Sasuke.

She could not help it. It seemed every time she tried to attempt something, she failed at it. She had thought herself well-schooled because she ran the Hyuuga compound so well. In all honestly, she was afraid to attempt anything more. Only sheer stubborn will made her keep trying. She refused to be defeated by simple tasks. She was determined to be of some help to Sasuke and be a member of his crew, to make up for the damage she had caused. A lot of his research had been ruined and somehow, she had to pay him back for it.

She could maybe try to redo his pictures. She was good at that.

Hinata walked over to the sink and picked up a washcloth and the soap, then tossed them into the small basin she had there and brought them back to his desk, still thinking about his reports. A lot of the papers had survived, as damaged as they were. She could draw and write them over for him.

She soaped up the rag and then lifted it to his hand, cleaning it gently.

"Does it hurt?" she asked him, her voice full of concern.

"Hai!" he cried out uncharacteristically.

"Gomen," she said quickly, she was glad she had used the clear soap.

His drawings had been good enough to give her an idea of the places and weapons he had been to and had collected.

This was all Sasuke's fault. She had never before had so many mishaps and disasters. He was a terrible distraction.

She had lived a very reserved life, never indulging in anything that was not entirely proper. She did not know anything about cooking or cleaning, or any other domestic chores her father hired help for and she had never had to lift a finger to do anything since she accepted to give up the life of being a ninja at a young age. The others always took care of everything. If she fell asleep reading or doing clan notes, they would turn out the lights.

And now that she had the opportunity to finally do things for herself, to prove she didn't need anyone, she was stumbling all over herself and endangering others with her efforts. It made her feel like such a failure that she could not blame Sasuke for forbidding her to help anymore. She really would not blame him if he locked her up in her cabin and took away everything with which she could possibly cause damage. She couldn't even read without putting everyone at risk.

What made her think she could do something as responsible as share in Sasuke's career? She only wished she could have proven herself somehow.

She blinked suddenly, looking at Sasuke and only just realizing what she had been thinking. What made her thing that she could do such a thing as help Sasuke? She swallowed uneasily, quite certain she must be mad to even entertain such a notion.

She brushed the cool, moist cloth over his hands, but his eyes seemed to bore into hers, as thought trying to read what she was thinking and it made Hinata fidget under his gaze.

Did he know what she was thinking? If he could, would he think she was silly?

The intensity of his gaze set her heart pounding.

"I do know something for sure," said Sasuke and Hinata held her breath, afraid that he had been able to tell what she had been thinking. What did he know?

It was said that the eyes were mirrors to the soul and emotion and if that was true, then Hinata's heart was an open book to him. Her father had always told her that he could tell what she was thinking simply by the look in her eyes. Whether he had been telling her the truth or not, he certainly seemed to be able to read her mind.

She was afraid to ask and mentally braced herself for whatever Sasuke had. "Nani?" she asked.

He smiled at her. It was a small one, but a smile nonetheless, his eyes warm and full of humor. "You don't snore," he said with certainty.

For an instant, Hinata was stunned by the information. As far as she knew, it had never been an issue but then she realized that he was trying to make her smile in his own way and she did.

"There was never the question of if I did," she said, trying to keep from laughing. "You rotten person."

"You're not the first woman to tell me that," he told her. "And it's not the first time you told me that either, I think."

"I assure you that it's true."

"Is it?" his eyes twinkled. "You're not exactly a party, Hyuuga-sama."

"If I didn't know better, Uchiha-san, I would think you want to pick a fight with me," Hinata said, playing along.

He looked at her, smirking and looking to boyish and endearing. "Maybe you just don't know better?" he suggested, egging her on, his brow arched.

Hinata had to laugh at his confrontational expression. "I think you must have been a rotten boy when you were younger," she told him, and wished she had known him then.

"Not really," he said. "But then after all that happened, I was."

"I don't doubt that," said Hinata. She wondered how Sasuke made her find strength in herself and lifted her spirits, making her more talkative and bold than she had ever been before.

They shared a moment of comfortable silence and then he glanced down at his hand. "Take it easy on that, will you?"

"Oh!" said Hinata and let go of his hand and dropped the cloth into the basin.

"I'll make you a deal," he started and Hinata waited to hear the rest. "You make sure you keep out of trouble the rest of the trip and I promise you can make our first breakfast when we get off this boat."

Hinata smiled at him, giving her a silent answer, delighted that he was willing to give her a second chance. And then her breath caught in her throat.

He was handsome, really good-looking when he was not scowling at her. She could look into those dark pools for eyes he had forever.

"Deal?"

"Deal."

"You have only a week left. Think you can manage it?" asked Sasuke.

He was playing with her, she realized. "Of course!" she exclaimed, pretending to be offended.

"Starting now," he warned her.

She threw her arms around his neck in gratitude and to make him stop talking. "Shh," she demanded and looked into his eyes. She kissed him quickly on the lips when he tried to speak again. "Arigatou."

He shut up immediately, his smile vanishing, and she suddenly saw what she had done; her heartbeat quickened. She tried to get away but his arm went around her waist, preventing her from moving.

"Don't," he whispered, and Hinata could feel her pulse pounding against her skin as he pulled her against him and her breath left her as he tilted his head to kiss her again.

"Hinata," he whispered hoarsely, as though she could stop him.

She didn't want to.

His eyes closed, and her heart beat against her ribcage as his lips fitted over her own. His mouth was wonderful and Hinata had never wanted anything more. She opened her lips to him, wanting to deepen the kiss and when he did, the brush of his tongue sent shivers through her as she offered hers in return. Without any protest and with total abandon.

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Sasuke had never tasted anything sweeter. No lips had ever trembled against his this way. No tongue had ever caressed his own like this and no embrace had ever been so welcome… this was heaven on earth.

He wanted something he knew he could never have, but he was willing to take what she would give to him. She might not be in love with Kiba but she was still another man's fiancée. Whatever piece of her she gave to him would be gone soon enough and he didn't feel guilty in the least.

Sasuke was not so honorable that he could walk away from the only woman who had ever made his heart beat so fast and made it so hard to breathe when she was around, who could make him smile and feel like he had never felt before.

He pulled away to look at her, wanting to see her icy eyes. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were glistening, dazed with passion. He could take whatever he wanted this moment and she would give it without question; he knew this instinctively. And he would.

Sasuke could pleasure her, and satisfy himself and she could remain virtually untouched… or he could walk away and wonder the rest of his life.

The choice was his; he chose to stay.

"Hinata," he whispered, and bent to kiss her throat. Her head leaned to the side to allow him access and her scent tempted him beyond any reason, arousing him. His body tightened and hardened. He opened his mouth over her throat and nipped her gently, making her moan softly. Sasuke was filled with satisfaction at her sounds. "I want you," he told her, meaning every word.

A burning sensation ran through him and he gazed at her, wanting her to see every move he made while he was making it. If she wanted him to stop, she would just have to say it and he would.

He kissed her neck again, and then kissed downward on her breast over the cloth of her kimono. When she did not stop him, he closed a palm over one breast and molded his hand to it, craving the feel of her flesh on his lips.

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She cried out in little whimpers, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back, helpless, to let him do what he wanted because she no longer had any control over her body.

He seemed to know where she ached and knew how to touch her and she couldn't stop him even if she wanted to- not like she did. She had wanted this from so long ago without knowing it.

He was kissing her so passionately; biting so softly as though he was treasuring every contact he had with her. He knelt down suddenly, bringing her to him and she gasped when he kissed her breasts and touched them, then he made her breath hitch as he kissed the valley between her breasts, letting his tongue slide down where no man had ever kissed her before. Her skin prickled with pleasure and she lifted her hand to his head to urge him on. She instinctively knew that he would and she wanted it with everything she possessed.

His lips skimmed over her breasts, kissing and nipping, making Hinata's heart and stomach flip. She was vaguely aware that he had lifted the hem of her kimono, his fingers caressing her calf. He continued to lift it as he kissed her belly and moved down to her thigh, aiming for her inner thigh. His tongue caressed the skin there, making Hinata's stomach flutter again. Sasuke's fingers then skimmed the juncture of her thighs and she clamped her legs together quickly. He wiggled his finger, brushing her most secret area.

"A-ah!" she exclaimed, and felt her eyes close with a pleasure so deep it was almost pain. She leaned back on the desk then, bracing herself with trembling arms, in case she should faint. The room went dim, and she was aware only of him so close to her. He looked up at her, his onyx eyes smoldering with hunger.

"Spread your legs for me, Hinata."

Hinata's heart jumped to her throat at the request but she was powerless to him at the moment and she was willing to give him anything he wanted; everything. She swallowed thickly to drown any protest she had. Her legs trembled as she parted her knees and he looked at her with a wickedly pleased smile dazzling Hinata.

"That's it, Flower," he encouraged. "Open for me."

He teased her and Hinata's breath caught at the intensity of sensation that exploded everywhere he touched. "Sasuke," she whispered and looked into his eyes that glittered like jewels as he continued. He kept going, without mercy, his fingers dancing magically over her. Hinata thought she would die from the feeling, sighing Sasuke's name as her legs opened even more on their own accord to him. Her head fell back and her breath faltered as her kimono's hem was raised even higher. And then she felt something so sinful, she thought she would indeed faint in ecstasy.

His mouth replaced his fingers, his tongue moving over her so slowly that Hinata was sure her heart would stop. His tongue danced where his fingers had been and then he suckled, bringing her to cry out. She fell back completely as his finger slipped within her body, gently caressing her bundle of nerves with his thumb to ease the uncomfortable feeling she first felt at having something foreign in her. The sensation was building up so rapidly, she could not stop it and then something within her uncoiled and she released with a cry. She heard his answering gasp and felt his satisfaction as he continued to suckle.

Her cry of release played like an echo in her ear as she lay there on his desk, only aware of two things… well, three.

One, she had never felt so loved in all her life even though she knew it may be an illusion. Two, she seemed to have given him something he'd desperately wanted because he was kissing her sweetly and it didn't seem like he wanted to stop. And three, something was sticking her in her spine; a pen or something… but she'd be damned if she cared if it stabbed her to death.

At that instant, she was floating on clouds.

Hi, I think the little lime/ heavy lime made up for anything to do with updating a day to Reckoning in Death for being my Beta.

If you have never read Hina hime or Hinata the Vamp please do.

Until next update...

Ja ne!

Please review, I love it when you do!