A/N: I want to thank everyone for the words of support and encouragement. This story is turning out a lot better than I imagined it would. I am also working on two other stories at the same time, so submissions might start taking a little longer. I'm almost caught up to my prewritten chapters. So please be patient with me and keep supporting me. I am working on a second ShikaIno story called A True Love Story. I am actually liking it a lot more than I am liking this one, but I will still put forth my 110% for all of my current writings. If you love the ShikaIno pairing, please hop on over to my other story and show me some love. Alright, enough advertising. Please enjoy this next chapter.

Chapter 9

Ino combed her fingers through her hair and sighed as she mounted the stairs to her one bedroom apartment. It had been two weeks since she had been there last as she had been living with Shikamaru. Thinking about the dark haired man, she sighed again, this time in exasperation. The last thing she wanted to think about was Shikamaru, but she just couldn't help it. He was constantly lurking at the back of her thoughts and invading her day dreams.

How was it that in the span of half a month she had developed such a bond with him? Why did it have to feel so good to see him in the morning? Why did she want to be near him and with him at all hours of the day and night? Why couldn't she just stop feeling this way?

She felt so depressed because he hadn't come to her aid. No, that wasn't it. She was depressed because not having come to her aid just proved that she didn't truly matter to him. It proved that their bargain was the only thing that motivated him to put up with her. It meant that he didn't care about her like she cared…

She shook her head violently to resist those thoughts. He had not done one thing to warrant her feeling the way that she did. He had given her neither sign nor indication that he felt the same or even had a romantic interest in her. She was doing this to herself! She always did this to herself! She always imagined and fantasized about the boy that she liked when she was younger. She always projected her feelings onto them, expecting them to be returned eagerly and yet they never were. Why couldn't she just stop doing that?!

Shikamaru would never love her!

Ino could feel tears building up in her eyes and glared at the floor in an attempt to push them back with her anger. She had no one to blame but herself! She understood this. That was the reason for her return; she needed to get her head on straight again. He would never love her, she was just convenient for him at that time, and she was just a pawn on his chess board…

Sure they had kissed, but it was her attempt to taunt him. And in his own retaliation he had teased her back much the same, with sure touches and seductive play. The things that they had done to one another meant nothing romantically. Everything they had expressed toward one another was of a carnal nature and that was all.

Ino inhaled a shuddering breath as she came to a stop at her front door.

'What is tha–?'

Ino's eyes widened in alarm. It was an eviction notice! She snatched it up off of the door and retreated inside before someone could see her. She closed the door roughly before making to turn on the light, but nothing happened. She flicked the switch several more times in an attempt to flood the apartment with light but had little more success than with the first attempt.

"Oh no," she mumbled to herself, realizing that the power had finally been cut off.

Her throat began to clench up uncomfortably as she could feel a fresh surge of tears attempting to come. No one was there though, so she let them out…

"Ino!" Shikamaru called out to the emptiness of his house.

Where was she? She had left work early with some bogus excuse to go shopping for groceries. That had been three hours ago, and logically she should have been home before him. After all it surly wouldn't take three hours to buy some stupid groceries that they really didn't need.

A troublesome thought came to mind that maybe she had left, and he didn't want to admit even to himself that that assumption hurt.

He toed off his shoes and journeyed into his kitchen to grab a snack, all the while desperately attempting to avoid that nagging suspicion that she had in fact left him. He found himself glaring darkly at the contents of his fridge and cabinets before slamming the doors in irritation. He wasn't really all that hungry anyway. He had lost his appetite.

Next, he attempted to read. Picking up a familiar worn book from his shelves, he settled into the bay window cushion and opened it up to the first page. After twenty minutes of not absorbing the meaning of the words, he threw the book across the room in irritation as he drew up his knees to his chest, folded his arms around them and rested his head in the nook the position provided.

Who cared if Ino wasn't there?! He certainly didn't…

Regaining her composure was difficult; she had taken to folding her arms around her bent legs and hiding her face against her knees as she cried softly. Why did life have to be so crue?! Why did Fate insist on giving her a bitch slap of reality so often?! She was going to be homeless. The notice specified that she had three weeks. She had three weeks to pay up or get the hell out.

At this point, she no longer had a choice. She couldn't hide away from Shikamaru. She needed the money, but at this point she no longer wanted it. She did not want it if it meant she had to continue pretending. She did not want it if it meant that she would not be with him after all of this was said and done.

Ino sniffed back a fresh onslaught of tears as she whipped away the previous bout.

'Why can't I just be brave?'

The risk of having her heart broken if she chose to tell Shikamaru of her feelings was far too great. So she needed to decide at this point what was worse. Would it be worse to put up with the charade and the teasing and temptation, or would it be worse to be rejected and shunned?

'I just want to be near him,' she thought helplessly as she gazed up at the ceiling.

The decision was then made. Bear the pain, if only for another two months, put up with it to enjoy his company as long as she could.

With her mind made up she packed some additional clothing. The sun was beginning to set, casting eerie, long shadows throughout her apartment, and the increasing darkness reflected her current mood well.

Shikamaru hadn't moved from his previous spot for the last four hours. His mood was sour and irritable still, but he had a little bit more control. He had made this deal with Ino to hopefully get her to see him for who he was. He had taken her into his life and his heart in the hopes that she would realize what she had been missing all of this time, but to no avail. She had left him.

A muscle in his cheek jumped as he clenched his jaw angrily. He should have known better; he was smarter than that, wasn't he?

'Apparently not!' he admitted derisively.

Despite everything he still wanted her; he still wanted her in his life and near him. His sensible mind just could not convince his heart that this was for the best.

The sound of the front door opening sent his heart in a frenzied pace as he looked down the hallway to see Ino entering the house. Her eyes caught and held his and time stretched out for what felt like an eternity.

A startling sense of relief washed over him followed by a more likely sense of anger and frustration. He glared irately at her as she broke the stare to look down at her suitcase and fiddle with the handle. She was avoiding his gaze and this infuriated him!

"Where were you?" he asked in a deceptively calm tone.

"Getting clothes," she answered simply, making to mount the steps and escape his interrogation.

She managed to make it to the top and nearly into her designated room before a hand that was not hers grasped the handle of her door to prevent her from entering. She turned around as best as she could with the close proximity of the dark man behind her and looked into his eyes helplessly.

His eyes were ablaze with anger and his mouth was set into a thin hard line. She wanted to kiss him so badly…

Ino clenched her eyes shut against the impulse and his irate expression, wishing that she could just escape into the comfort of her room. She could not bear to look at him and the resentment he was aiming at her. It was just too painful.

"Next time you feel like going somewhere for seven hours you had better tell me," his tone was low and threatening and she could feel the heat of his breath against her forehead and cheeks, "Or I'll assume that you aren't interested in the money."

Ino looked up at him with a startled expression. Of course all he thought she cared about was the money. Of course he had absolutely no romantic feelings towards her whatsoever. Of course he didn't love her.

Shikamaru watched her intently as she looked at him with an unreadable expression. She was like a stone wall. He just couldn't figure her out! One minute it was as if she was running and now it was as if she wanted nothing more than to continue on as things had been.

'Why can't I figure you out, Ino?!' he thought desperately.

He watched as she licked her lips nervously and he was lost to the temptation. Without a second thought, he pressed her back against the door much as he had the first time. His lips met hers, desperate and hot as he pried open her mouth with his tongue to plunder the warmth within. She pressed back, her hands clasping at his hair desperately as she made a soft noise in the back of her throat. There wasn't enough of her to touch, he decided, as his hands stroked eagerly at her body, and the response was electrifying! She moved against him, her breaths uneven and her arms moving to wrap around his neck.

He had almost lost her…

Ino was lost to the feeling of his hands on her body. She writhed against him as best as she could pressed up against the door as she was. She loved him…she really did…but he would not love her. This was all a game to him; he was showing her who was boss. This was an act of dominance and she was well aware of that, but she wanted so desperately to give in. She was stronger than this!

She pushed back at his chest with significant effort.

Shikamaru gaped at her as she stood before him, her eyes wide and wild as she retreated quickly into the sanctuary of her room. She was in such a hurry that she had abandoned her suit case out in the hall along with a confused and heartbroken Shikamaru.

A/N: Alright next chapter is a tense day at the office and an unexpected proposal. Please review and spread the word!