Despite her metamorphosis, Hinata had never been able to fully embrace the atmosphere of clubs. Dancing in public wasn't intimidating and she was less introverted than before, but she preferred smaller environments where the mood wasn't so frenzied. But she had promised Anko she would join her and Genma, and "casually" get to know one of Anko's new coworkers.
Hinata had confided to her that she was having doubts about meeting "the special guy" after her disastrous marriage. She enjoyed being sexually liberated but the men she had been with weren't people she saw as anything serious. Even with Sasuke she felt something was off, or missing. The feeling she had felt when she thought she truly loved Naruto hadn't shown up when she was with any of them and there were times that she kind of missed being in a special relationship. Her lovers were all unique and had helped her along her journey, but none felt like "the one."
Her new friend had suggested getting back out in the dating scene and promised her that she would get along with the redhead that had transferred from Suna.
Although she had stopped seeing Genma as a sexual partner, she still couldn't end their friendship. When he started dating Anko, the two seemed perfect for each other and Hinata thought they wouldn't be able to hang out anymore but Anko was incredibly relaxed around her. She enjoyed Anko's company as much as she enjoyed Genma's. She didn't bat an eyelash at the revelation that they used to be intimate and the two women loved to tease Genma a few times, laughing at how flustered he could get.
As Genma and Anko continued dancing, she focused on her drink and wondered if she should just call it a night. The man Anko was hoping to set her up with was late and she was already uninterested in getting to know him if his lack of effort was anything to go by. Unfortunately just as she hopped off her seat, Anko was quickly by her side.
"He's here!" Anko pointed into a large crowd. Genma was already pulling her back but she tried to resist. "Just give him a shot, okay? Sasori's kind of serious but I'm sure you'll hit it off!"
Hinata groaned as Anko disappeared. She didn't get a clear look at the man in a black outfit and was miffed that she was supposed to go find him. Wanting to get it over with, she maneuvered through the large gathering and scanned the crowd for any redheaded men.
She finally spotted someone matching his general description and squeezed her way towards him, getting herded into a pack of other women.
"All right, get in." A large man ushered them past a velvet rope and the women quickly sat next to men on the couches.
Hinata raised an eyebrow but went to the redhead's side. He looked indifferent to her presence. "Um, hi."
"Hello," he replied in a deep voice.
"So… I'm Hinata. Anko's friend."
He cocked an eyebrow. "Okay?"
Hinata pressed her lips together.
"You seem tense," he glanced at her. "Is this your first time?"
"Is it that obvious I'm nervous?" Hinata giggled. "Sorry, I promised her I'd try. I heard you're a nice guy and she said we'd click. So, how do like Konoha compared to Suna? I've never been but I heard it's quite beautiful."
His green eyes stared at her inquisitively. "For an escort, you are quite talkative," he replied.
"Escort?" She tilted her head. "What-?"
"If you expect to get more money by seeming overly friendly, you've chosen the wrong person but I'm sure one of my brother's associates would enjoy your company," he continued. He motioned to the others in his party.
"Excuse me?!"
"It's not that you're unattractive, quite the contrary. But I don't pay for sex."
She felt her face burn with anger and stood up. "Screw you, asshole! I'm not a hooker!"
Her slap was muffled by the loud music but those in the near vicinity were stunned. Hinata pushed past the security guard and stomped out of the club, not noticing Anko frantically trying to wave her over and standing next to a bored looking red-haired man with brown eyes.
x-x
Notepad in hand, Hinata walked briskly to the conference room in the upper floor. She was hoping to arrive before everyone else. Iruka had informed her that another assistant had an emergency and he needed Hinata to fill in for her for the next few meetings. It didn't entail anything unusual, all she had to do was take notes, confirm schedules, and send email the meeting itinerary before the next meeting. The amount of confidence they had in her boosted her self-esteem.
Mr. Ibushi had been very pleased with performance and she hadn't had a complaint from any of their clients. Toneri had been the worst she had dealt with but Hinata managed to find ways to avoid being in his presence for long. Fortunately Iruka had noticed his unwanted advances and advised Mr. Ibushi to reconsider using her as eye candy since it wasn't appropriate. All in all, her career was flourishing despite sometimes having to fill in for the secretary that replaced her when she was promoted.
Hinata walked in and was taken back to see someone was already there. She frowned when she noticed the man typing away on his laptop had auburn hair. After the embarrassing miscommunication last weekend, Hinata still felt her cheeks burn whenever she saw someone with that hair color.
"Hi! My name is Hinata, are you here for the Sabaku meeting?" she asked cheerfully.
He didn't turn around or replied and for a brief second she thought she had entered the wrong room. "Obviously," he finally droned.
Her frown deepened but she quickly changed her expression. "Would you like something to drink while we wait for everyone else?" she asked.
He sighed loudly when she stepped around to face him. He closed his laptop and glared at her. "What I would like is some privacy while I work," he grumbled.
Now facing each other, Hinata felt the blood drain from her face. His green eyes widened, clearly just as shocked as her. She quickly looked away, feeling the weight of his stare.
"I'm g-going to check on...something. Excuse me."
"Wait."
Hinata kept her grip on the door knob.
"Turn around." He leaned back in his chair. "So it is you."
"Sorry." Hinata walked out of the room. She stood outside, praying that another person would arrive soon.
"I take my coffee black."
She turned to see him peer down at her with a bored look. "Have you suddenly become deaf? I thought it was my ears that were left ringing after that vicious assault by you."
"Oh, I'm sorry," she replied and hurried inside, quickly started on his drink.
'Why me?' she thought. The man was handsome but his personality left a lot to be desired. His stare was cold and calculating, he was rude, and she couldn't wait to get the meeting over with.
He stood nearby, giving her instructions on precisely how he preferred his drink. Hinata bit her tongue as she dumped out the second cup he deemed too sweet. He finally seemed satisfied with the taste but didn't thank her. He simply took his seat and tapped his fingers as they both waited in silence for the rest to arrive. Hinata looked down at her hands while he continued to stare at her.
Finally after an excruciating 10 minutes which seemed longer to her, the others started to arrive. Hinata felt fully relaxed when Kakashi walked in; they had also remained on friendly terms. He took a seat next to her and commenced the meeting. It was then that Hinata found out the man's name and unfortunately Gaara Sabaku was the most important person here. They were trying to secure a business deal with his firm.
And Hinata had managed to get off on the wrong foot with him.
She wished she had never caved into Anko's pleads but Hinata was thankful that she would only be filling in for a short time. She would get through this meeting, hand everything over to Aimi, and forget all about the intimidating man that looked like he was in desperate need of sleep.
Hinata quickly jotted down notes, hoping that Kakashi could work his magic and manage to sway them despite her awful first encounter with the head of their company.
"So as you can see from the projected numbers we have here, it would be very beneficial partnership for both companies," Kakashi concluded.
Everyone from the Sabaku Corporation nodded but kept silent. They looked to their boss who had a very good poker face.
"And what do you think?" Gaara asked.
Hinata waited for the person to respond and looked up when Kakashi nudged her with his elbow. "Huh?"
"Why are you here if you aren't paying attention?" Gaara asked with exasperation.
Hinata was confused and gaped at Kakashi as a few people chuckled.
"He's asking what you thought about the pitch," he whispered.
She cleared her throat. "My apologies, I was finishing a few notes and didn't realize you were talking to-"
"I didn't ask for an excuse."
She tried to ignore the heavy feeling on her chest and hoped her face didn't betray her. She plastered a smile on her face. "I think that as Kakashi mentioned, we are hoping to expand our reach in Suna. Establishing a connection with the city through a well- known company such as yours will ensure a smooth transition. And in return we can return that help when you establish a satellite company in Konoha-"
"It's like I'm talking to a parrot…" Gaara exhaled loudly. "If I wanted an echo, I would've simply asked Hatake to repeat what he said."
Hinata clenched her fist as he moved his attention to another member of his team. She knew her ears burned and didn't bother to look up after that. As they wrapped up, Hinata tried to purposely avoid shaking Gaara's hand. She managed to see him smirk as he passed by her and refrained from chucking her water bottle at his head.
"Sorry for that. If it helps, he's an asshole to everyone," Kakashi said.
"It's fine. I'll have this typed up by the end of the day."
Before Hinata had sent the document to Kakashi and Iruka she got an email from the Sabaku Corporation, agreeing to a second meeting. She was filled with dread at the thought of another meeting with the red haired devil when Aimi responded to her inquiry that she still needed some time off.
x-x
Hinata stopped by the Hyuuga offices to get lunch with Neji. Normally she would vent to Hanabi but seeing as the youngest Hyuuga was off at college, Hinata didn't want to bother her. It also allowed her to reestablish her bond with Neji, but she'd keep certain details to herself. It was humiliating that someone confused her for a prostitute.
She was allowed into his office where she sat on a couch, tucking her feet under her. Turning her head to the sound of his door opening, her mood quickly dipped. Standing next to her cousin with a smug look was Gaara.
'What the hell?!'
"Hinata, I'm so sorry. I mean to call earlier," Neji explained. He motioned towards Gaara and an unknown companion. "This is Gaara and Kankuro Sabaku. They are visiting from Suna and are exploring various ventures here in Konoha. We got caught up with all the exciting prospects that time simply flew by. I also suggested going out to lunch, completely forgetting about our appointment."
Hinata smiled back reassuringly. "That's okay."
Kankuro shook her hand and she turned to Gaara, not knowing how to react. With a stoic look on his face, he nodded. "It's nice to meet you."
Hinata stiffly nodded back. She turned to Neji, "We can reschedule."
Neji smiled apologetically at her. "I'm sorry, I promise to make it up to you."
"Why doesn't she just join us?" Kankuro suggested. Gaara looked at Hinata who looked panicked. Their eyes met and she saw him briefly smirk.
"I don't see why not."
"It's really okay!" She insisted. "I don't want to impose-"
Kankuro laughed. "Please, I insist."
Reluctantly Hinata agreed, although she was starting to lose her appetite.
At the restaurant, Hinata was left to either face Gaara directly or sit beside him. Neither prospect was very appealing but she thought it would be more tolerable to bear this lunch without having to stare directly into his smug face.
Surprisingly Kankuro wasn't as serious or aloof as his brother, and Hinata found herself laughing a few times. Apparently they were exploring various ventures and Hinata had connections to two of the companies they were partnering up with. She occupied herself with her food whenever Gaara was controlling the conversation, which her father would've frowned at but she wanted him to know that she didn't care much for him.
Kankuro excused himself after Neji left to take a call from work, leaving them alone. She pulled out her phone and started to slowly ready her emails to have a valid reason to not engage with Gaara.
"I'm sorry for assuming you were an escort," he said bluntly.
Hinata looked around to see if anyone had heard and he chuckled. "Just forget it," she hissed.
"If it's any consolation, you would be well paid. You have this image of innocence that is very tempting," he said. Hinata glared at him. "But you aren't naive, you're quite spirited."
'You're still the asshole from before.'
"I'm sorry I slapped you but there was a huge misunderstanding. I was meant to meet someone else. Not a client," she added hastily. "I'm not a hooker. It was a blind date."
"Your apology doesn't lessen the sting," he grumbled. "You made me look like a fool. No one's done that before."
Hinata bit back any retort. She had apologized for her behavior but if he didn't accept it then it was his issue. She just wanted to move on and never have to deal with him again.
"You're quite the puzzle," Gaara said. He leaned closer to her. "You were like a scared rabbit at the meeting with Hatake. Why don't you show more of that confidence? I'm sure your spirit would've made the meeting much more entertaining."
"I am confident and professional. Those things aren't mutually exclusive," Hinata replied.
He scoffed. "I'm pleased to see there is more to you that being a yes-man that simply repeats what their boss says. You should be more assertive."
"Or perhaps you'd like me to be arrogant?" Hinata replied. "But we can't all be as forceful as others. Some of us like our jobs and can easily lose them by acting assertive."
"You're worried about that job when you're from the Hyuuga family?" he asked with slight amusement. "Were you disowned? No, you probably wouldn't have been welcomed in the building."
Hinata rolled her eyes. "Not all of us want to rely on our family name and actually want to earn our own success."
"Despite what you may assume, I made my own success." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you know what I think of you?"
"I don't care," Hinata snapped back. She clasped her hands together and rested her chin on top of them. "I don't know why you've taken such a dislike towards me but as long as we can remain professional over where I work, I don't care."
"I don't hate you," Gaara replied. "You're just… amusing."
She looked around for Neji to come back. "Like I said I don't care either way. But you won't have to worry about me for long. I'm only filling in for a short time. Aimi will be back soon and you can deal with her instead. She's incredibly smart and patient."
"And you aren't?"
"It doesn't matter what I am, Mr. Sabaku." The forced smile on her face started to thin. "I hope your stay in Konoha is pleasant, beneficial, and short."
Gaara raised his glass and nodded. "I hope so, too."
x-x
Hinata started to hate every Friday whereas Kakashi and Mr. Ibushi seemed positively delighted because it proved that Sabaku representatives were quickly warming up to the prospect of working together. It was a lucrative deal for them and Hinata would do everything to help the place she worked at, despite her own reservations about the arrogant Sabaku.
Kakashi had picked up on her crankiness right before and after meetings with the Suna reps but no one had raised concerns about any lack of professionalism. Hinata could be thankful that Gaara hadn't threatened her livelihood. But that didn't mean that they had made amends, at least not in Hinata's eyes.
During working hours, Hinata remained polite and accommodating to his every request. Every Friday, she smiled at him and escorted him to the room even though he should've known where the meeting was held since it was always at the same place.
But that attitude was never on display whenever she encountered him at the Hyuuga offices. Hinata ignored his presence when they were in the near vicinity. But as much as she tried, she couldn't ignore the feeling of his eyes on her. Despite herself, she would always look up and see him smirk with victory in return.
It appeared like no matter what she did, she always fell into his games; forced to be polite and acknowledge him at work and failing to remain indifferent the rest of the time. Gaara enjoyed playing and annoying her, and reveled in her reactions.
He even remained amused when he caught her mumbling under her breath about "the psychotic demon from Suna." Hinata's face turned just as red as his hair as he wagged his finger, scolding. "Tsk, tsk. Ms. Hinata, I thought you were professional."
It was so exhausting to refrain from snapping that on Aimi's first day back, Hinata rushed forward and hugged her tightly. "I'm so happy you're back!"
The brunette patted her shoulder awkwardly. "I missed all you guys too. But I can't breathe..."
For the first time on a Friday, Hinata was in a better mood. She hummed as she helped Aimi set up the room for the first meeting she wouldn't be present at. Hinata practically skipped to her desk afterwards, slightly disappointed she wouldn't see the look on Gaara's face when he realized he didn't have his favorite form of entertainment to enjoy.
x-x
"If I want to hide a body, where would be the best place?" Hinata asked nonchalantly. She was over at Anko and Genma's place for dinner.
Genma cocked an eyebrow while Anko grinned at her. "Well, I didn't think the demon had bothered you that much."
Hinata shrugged. "It's just a thought."
"I thought Aimi was back full time," Genma said. "Why are they still straddling you with the Sabaku deal?"
"Because he's the devil," Hinata replied back in a mock whisper.
The couple laughed but Hinata placed her hands flat on the table. "I'm serious! He gets some sadistic pleasure from annoying me at work, knowing I can't say or do anything back. He specifically requested that I still attend the meetings."
"He's not like the Otsutsuki guy, right?" Genma asked. "I'm pretty sure Iruka and Kakashi can do something about him too."
Hinata shook her head. "No, it's nothing like that. He's just… ugh! I want to… to… ugh!" Her hands made a strangling motion.
"Sounds like you just need to fuck him and get it over with," Anko suggested after licking her spoon.
"What?!" Hinata shrieked.
"I'm serious. You won't reschedule a date with Sasori because he sort of looks like him. You won't let me set you up with another guy-"
"Well after the last time-" Hinata snapped back.
"That was kind of funny, though," Genma chortled.
The two glared at him and he stopped laughing. Anko turned back to Hinata with a knowing smirk. "He's got you constantly hot and bothered, always on your mind. I know that feeling. Sometimes you just have to hate fuck a person to get them out of your system," she explained. "Believe me, it works. C'mon, girly. You have sexual tension demanding to be released."
Hinata shook her head. "That's insane. You're out of your mind."
Anko smirked at her. "Yeah, maybe you're right. Maybe you should just kill him and get it over with." She started to gather their now empty plates. "I'll help."
Genma shook his head. "You two are too much sometimes."
His girlfriend pressed her cheek against Hinata's and purred. "I guess there goes my suggestion for a threesome. But since Genma isn't up for it, how about we just have fun by ourselves? I can see how tense you are and since you aren't getting it from somewhere else, how about I help you out?"
Genma's eyes widened.
Hinata finally cracked a smile as she giggled at his reaction.
x-x
Despite her irritation with Gaara, Hinata didn't want to hurt him. She just wanted him far away from her which was hard to do when they were forced to be in the same place, such as right now during a Hyuuga formal event.
She was here strictly to support her father and Neji. And to be fair, the night started off so wonderful that Hinata started to think that going to more of her family's events wouldn't be so bad. Then he appeared, dapper but with that annoying smirk on his face. Right as he took a few steps in her direction, she rushed away.
It was aggravating that she fled at the mere sight of him but she preferred avoiding him especially since Anko put that ridiculous idea in her head. She would never admit that she had a very disturbing dream involving the red haired demon and couldn't look him in the eye the following day.
But despite not interacting with him, he still managed to raise her blood pressure. Hinata had been talking with one of her cousin's friends when a server tapped her shoulder, offering a platter of crackers. "The gentleman over there sent these over."
Gaara raised his glass of champagne.
'You petty motherfucker.'
She smiled at him and shook her head. Briskly excusing herself, she walked to the balcony to get fresh air. Once outside, she tried to control her breathing. Hinata didn't know what she'd do if she saw him again tonight.
"So this is where you retreated to," his baritone voice mused. "I'm surprised you don't like crackers. I assumed that like all parrots-"
"Fuck you, asshole." She turned to him, fury on her face. "I don't appreciate your little attempts to undermine me or use me as some sick form of entertainment. If your life is so boring and pathetic that you have to resort to messing with me, then I feel sorry for you."
Gaara's grin deepened. "Is that so?"
"Don't you have someone else that you can bother and annoy with your presence? Maybe you should just go and pay someone to entertain you instead. At least they'll get something out of it after dealing with you!"
"But you're so fascinating," he said mockingly.
"And you're a pest!"
"Really? Then why haven't you left already?"
She stammered.
"I think you like this attention."
She gasped. "Don't flatter yourself. I only tolerate your presence because I'm obligated."
"Yet you're still here," he pointed out. Gaara liked how flustered she was becoming. "What are you really thinking, hmm?"
Hinata inhaled sharply when he trapped her against the banister. She held onto him, thinking that she'd take him down with her if he pushed her.
Gaara chuckled. He murmured in her ear, "You might be gorgeous but women like you are like the stars out in the sky, bountiful but rarely significant."
"Ugh, don't flatter yourself. " Hinata pushed him away. "And you don't have to worry about dealing with such an insignificant person any longer. I'll talk to Iruka and someone else can take over. Let them deal with your arrogance because I'm done with you."
x-x
Hinata thought that she had finally put him behind her, and timed her break so that she wouldn't be present when he and his entourage arrived for the meeting. She waited ten minutes after the meeting was supposed to start and walked back to her desk feeling at ease. Iruka had been confused by her request to be excused from any further meetings with the Sabaku Corporation but allowed it. They had already secured the partnership and were simply sorting out logistics.
Just as she was going through some files, her phone rang.
"Hello-"
"Hinata! Get up here now!"
"Kakashi?" she asked. "What's wrong?!"
"For some reason, Gaara won't start the meeting without you present. He's threatening to leave if you're not here in three minutes!" Kakashi frantically replied back. "So hurry up!"
"B-b-but-"
"Please!"
He hung up and Hinata stared at the phone with a dumbfounded look. She grabbed a writing pad and pen and jogged to the escalator. On the ride up, she started to get anxious. As soon as the door opened, she darted out bumping into a hard chest and stumbled on the floor.
"About time you arrive," Gaara grunted as he offered his hand. She scowled at him and stood up without any help. He slightly frowned. "Are you alright?" he awkwardly asked.
"I was told there's supposed to be a meeting, or was I misinformed?" she replied. Hinata fixed her blazer, making a point to avoid his stare.
After some silence, she looked up; Gaara's team was waiting for his response.
"I suppose it'd be unprofessional to cancel the meeting and since we're all here, let's proceed," he finally said.
Everyone's posture relaxed and they headed back to the conference room where Kakashi had looked defeated. He perked up when he saw them return along with Hinata. The meeting proceeded with a hint of awkwardness lingering. She lingered behind; infuriated that he had caused such a hissy fit.
Finally calming down, she exited the room and headed towards the elevator. Gaara stood there, with his arms crossed. Hinata took a deep breath and summoned all her self-control, praying that her hand didn't meet his face again.
They stood side by side and entered the elevator.
"I didn't realize how much I had upset you, I apologize," he said as the doors closed. Hinata started to feel hopeful. "But you shouldn't allow it to disrupt our business dealings. I thought Hyuugas were well versed in proper behavior. You're being irresponsible."
"Are you serious? Your level of childishness still manages to astound me," Hinata said with exasperation.
He glanced at her, suddenly stoic.
"You must be fighting women off with such an alluring personality," she scoffed. "I mean, what kind of woman would lower herself to be with you-"
Gaara turned to her, his eyes full of fury. Hinata gulped but glared right back. He started to loom over her, "Stop talking."
Hinata realized that this was the first time he was getting rattled and pressed on. "Are you sure you haven't paid for sex? Because I don't see how anyone approaches you without some incentive."
His eyes darkened. "Like you're one to speak, I know from your father that you aren't seeing anyone. Perhaps you should look at yourself instead of talking about things you don't know."
"Why don't you take your own advice, Mr. Sabaku?" Hinata asked cheekily. "Because it seems to me like you need a reality check on your smug and condescending attitude."
"You're so damn infuriating," he growled. "You're maddening."
Hinata started to enjoy how worked up he was becoming. It felt great to be on this side of the exchange for once. "I feel the same way about you."
Before she realized it, the distance between them began to decrease until her chest was pushed up against him. She placed her hands up to prevent them from getting further compressed.
'He smells good.'
He caged her against the wall and she was stuck between his arms. "There's my scared little rabbit." Hinata gasped when one of his arms lowered and wrapped around her waist, bringing her close to him.
"Why haven't you pushed me away?" he murmured. "C'mon, Bunny. Say something insulting now."
Her eyes lowered to his lips. Neither knew who leaned in first but as soon as their lips touched, it was instantaneous. Both groaned and moaned as their tongues massaged the other. Hinata gripped his jacket when she felt one of his hands cupping and squeezing her ass.
When they broke apart to get some air, they stared at each other in shock. Their breathing was labored and they jumped away from each other when they heard the elevator ding and open its doors. They rushed out, walking in opposite directions. Both still confused and flustered over what happened.
As she left for the day, Genma smirked at her and winked. "Did you get it all out of your system?"
Her eyes widened. "Not a word to Anko!" she hissed.
He made a zipping motion across his mouth and stifled a laugh as she briskly walked out. She was lucky the only one monitoring the cameras was him.
x-x
Gaara had avoided addressing or looking at her during their next few encounters. The air felt thick and Hinata wanted to slap herself for kissing him. Finally after stumbling through a conversation with Neji present, she thought it was better to confront him and explain that it was all a mistake; a weird, totally unintentional mistake.
She hurried after him in the parking garage of the building. It felt like the right time since he had been alone and it was hard to try to speak to him privately any other time.
"Mr. Sabaku."
His back stiffened. Gaara had tried to avoid her at all costs but couldn't exactly compromise the deals he had with the company she worked for or the one her family controlled. He thought that his harmless teasing had nothing to do with his fascination with her, nothing more than to kill boredom until he returned to Suna.
But when he felt her body pressed against his, all self- control started to slip away. Doubts filled his head after he tasted her and he even resorted to masturbating in his office as soon as he arrived after kissing her. He had hoped that he could push her out of his mind but she continued to torment him just as she had when they were reacquainted in the conference room.
His brother and sister sensed his growing irritability and he hated it. Gaara always had control over his emotions and the situations he was in. It hadn't always been the case but he learned from the past and his mistakes. He vowed to never be vulnerable again.
But Hinata was annoying and aggravating. She was tempting and captivating. She was a conundrum and Gaara hated how chaotic she managed to make things. What he wanted was to return things to their proper order. He needed to see her flustered, annoyed, and exasperated with him again. He wanted to be demon she called him and for her to be his feisty little rabbit. Gaara wanted to reassert control over the situation.
But more than that, he wanted her. Gaara relished the memory of her lips, the curves of her body, her expressive eyes.
'I want her stripped and bare under me. Writhing and begging.'
However, he couldn't do much about it and it was maddening. Any other woman wouldn't have been this much of a challenge and her position at Ibushi's wasn't the issue. She was the daughter of the head of a corporation that he needed in order to expand his business. Hiashi was similar to his dead father; calculating, merciless, and ruthless were just a few words used to describe him. Gaara couldn't risk insulting him and losing the progress he made with the Hyuuga. She was unattainable and therefore he couldn't rid himself of this obsession.
So he took a different approach and hoped this infatuation would go away the less he saw of her. But any slight glance of her sent his self-restraint into overdrive.
"What?" he said.
"Look, what happened back there meant nothing." He swiftly turned back watched as she twisted her hands nervously. Gaara also noticed that she wore a dress that hugged her figure and caressed her hips.
"I couldn't agree more."
She smiled gratefully. "Then we're fine. We can stop this weird thing."
"Thing?"
"Yeah, we can go back to… Maybe we can start over," she said.
He slowly nodded, his eyes trailing over her neck which was starting to redden. "I'd like that," he said. Hinata started to relax. "So once you apologize for kissing me, we can move on."
"Are you kidding me?!" Hinata shouted. "It was you who kissed me!"
Gaara crossed his arms and she put her hands on her hips. "That's incorrect."
"Fine. Whatever, we're both sorry for what happened and I can go back to ignoring you for being an asshole and not just a terrible kisser," she snapped back.
In the blink of an eye, Gaara had her pressed against his car. "You're a horrible liar."
He captured her lips in a desperate and hungry manner. Hinata moaned and grasped at his locks. He lifted her up, standing between her legs and that's when she felt it, a hard bulge pressed against her crotch.
"This means nothing," he groaned. "I don't like you."
"Agreed."
Hinata's eyes rolled back as he found the sensitive skin on her neck. Hinata rubbed against his growing arousal. Gaara kept a firm hold around her waist as they grinded against one another.
"And I don't like you either," she whined.
They stopped their actions and a deep growl erupted from his throat.
"Good because this isn't about anything other than physical needs and attraction, Bunny."
Impulsively, he raised his hand to brush her bangs away from her face to get a clearer look at her. Her body slightly stiffened and he could tell she was surprised by his gentle touch. He reinforced his hold on her as he stared back at her lavender eyes that studied his own. They sparkled even in the dim lighting. He had to admit she was stunning.
"You want me and I'll be the honest one here and say I want you too. I want to screw you and then I want to be done with you."
"Then do it," she challenged. Her lips formed into a sly grin.
His eyes darkened. "Eager, are we?"
"Don't flatter yourself. I want to be done with you too," she said as he teasingly caressed her inner thigh.
'One angry fuck is all I need to forget all about this asshole.'
"Bunny, you're full of surprises. What would people think if they saw you now? I can see the scandal now."
Hinata giggled and sighed. The sound was surprisingly disarming. It reminded him of wind chimes.
"Why are we engaging in small talk? Are you always this exciting, Mr. Sabaku?"
Yet there was a rosy hue across her cheeks and he felt the urge to touch her face again. He told himself that he had no real interest in Hinata Hyuuga, just primal lust. He had no desire to romance her or any other woman for the foreseeable future. But Gaara still had needs just like any man.
He slid his hand under her chin and lifted her face to his. Her long lashes and big, lavender eyes suggested innocence and vulnerability but every movement of her body told him that she welcomed his advances.
"Do you really not like me?" she asked.
"I don't like many people," he replied with a scoff. Much to his confusion she continued to smile.
'That's fine,' she decided.
It really was better that way. She wanted his body, not his heart. Hinata wanted to rid herself of this troublesome problem. "I don't care for you either but we both want it. This doesn't have to mean a damn thing," she said. "Just a one- time fuck and we can forget all about each other."
'Do I really want this?' He asked himself. Gaara's hands traveled up and down her curves, cementing his decision. 'I just need to rid myself of this obsession. I just need to do it once.'
Dipping his head near her ear, he picked up the clean scent of her skin with a trace of something flowery. He felt his stomach tighten and a familiar swelling in his slacks.
"Where?" she asked.
"I'm temporarily staying in a condo nearby." Gaara pushed away from her and opened the back seat door. "I doubt you'd like to be seen with me."
Hinata got in and he peeled out of the garage in a hurry. They didn't talk during the ride, the music filling the tense silence. Gaara pulled into his parking spot and hurried out. She barely had stepped out when he started to pull her along, just barely being able to shut the door behind her.
Her black high heels clicked under her as she struggled to catch up with him but his grip was never painful, just firm. Rushing inside his condo, Hinata couldn't take a moment to breathe before Gaara cupped her warm breast, giving it a long squeeze before moving to the other. He found a nipple with his finger. He smirked when he found it to be erect, sending another surge into his uncomfortably restrained cock.
Hinata held his gaze as his other hand examined her ass through the dress. She gripped the molded flesh of his shoulders and slid her hands down the rugged contour of his chest. He released her breast to run his fingers through her hair, clasped the nape of her neck and leaned down to graze her lips with his.
"Stop teasing," she murmured into his mouth. "Or else I might start to think you want to relish this as long as you can, Mr. Sabaku."
Gaara's eyes narrowed. "Just this once, I'll let you call me Gaara. You'll be screaming it soon."
He clamped a hand on the back of her neck. Before she caught her breath, his mouth mashed onto hers. This was not a romantic kiss nor was there anything tender about it. Hinata's dress was bunched around her waist and she hooked her legs below his ass as their mouths tried to devour the other. He offered his tongue and she sucked it hard, feeding off the power and intensity of his assault. Her hands moved frantically over his shoulders and down the deep groove of his back. They writhed and groaned, unable to get enough of each other.
He moved away, enough to unfasten his pants before she took over. Hinata slid her hands over his hips, never taking her eyes from his. He swallowed thickly as his fly was unzipped and the elastic of his boxer briefs pulled away from his skin. Gaara hissed as a cool hand dipped inside the warmth and curled around his erection. His stomach lurched with a jolt.
Hinata's slender fingers took the measure of his cock, methodically moving up and down its length. He felt his cock grow even harder in her grasp. A long growl rose from deep in his chest as she continued to tease him. A familiar pressure had begun to build deep in his abdomen. His balls ached and his heart hammered at his chest. Gaara was desperate to unleash all his frustrations on the source of it; an infuriatingly puzzling woman who confused him more than he'd like to admit.
Her head was settled under his chin, ragged breath heating the skin beneath his shirt. Gaara smelled clean and masculine. Feeling hard muscle beneath the crisp shirt, she felt a rush of adrenaline. Gaara was the epitome of attractive, but his attitude didn't help his charming good looks. She wouldn't have given him a second thought had he not made it his mission to press her buttons. But now she was about to fuck this raw specimen for all he was worth.
Hinata carefully removed her hands.
"Are you finally done being a tease?"
She looked up at hint of gruffness in his already deep voice, a smirk sliding onto her lips. She tossed her long and silky hair over her shoulder. "Don't pout, Gaara," she cooed. "It's so very unbecoming."
Still locked in his arms, she was led to his bedroom. Nothing stood out; simple red and gray color scheme and if she had a chance to really look around she would've noticed the lack of personal touches or photos.
But Gaara didn't give her a reprieve; she was soon pinned to the bed. The edge dug into the back of her knees and Gaara's body was pressed against her. His hands gripped hers, pinning them against the soft sheets. Hinata felt his teeth bite her shoulder right where it met her neck.
"You jerk," she moaned.
He only tightened his grip against her wrists, and pressed more fully against her. Gaara then placed a kiss against the stinging skin. The sudden shift between aggressive and tenderness had her confused but it wasn't unwelcomed. His mouth came down on hers in a blistering hot kiss and slid his tongue inside when she opened her mouth just ever so slightly.
And despite her opinion about him, it had been a long time since someone had kissed her like this. After her divorce Hinata didn't want to rush into anything prematurely. She was still hurting and confused, which is why she felt haunted by Naruto's spiteful words. More than anything Hinata wanted to be happy and fulfilled. Settling down for the sake of it would only be disastrous, despite what Sasuke tried to tell her. He had been rather temperamental lately and she felt relieved he was off visiting family. So she decided to focus on herself which was starting to work until Gaara Sabaku blazed into her life.
It was so easy to fall back into her ways of finding temporary relief and comfort with sex, which she was telling herself was just once. Letting herself finally have some fun again, her body softened and a tingling sensation spread from her mouth down her neck and into her core.
Suddenly Hinata was flipped around so she was on her stomach. Gaara gripped her hips and nudged her legs open.
"You have a nice ass," he said, sliding one hand along a cheek. "I didn't get a chance to properly appreciate it as you walked away after you slapped me. But to be honest, most of the time I'm too distracted by your chest."
Hinata was already disheveled from their previous heated actions, but he pulled on the dress so that it slid over her ass and bunched around her waist. He gave her ass a light smack before bringing his hand to her still covered pussy. Her body jerked as he rubbed the soft fabric against her sensitive flesh.
"Ah…"
He quickened the pace as he nuzzled his face against her cheek. "Mm, you like that," he murmured. "Don't you?"
"Just do it already!" She cried out with frustration, arching towards him. She needed her release and he was purposely slowing down.
He stroked her face, which felt hot. "You're all red."
"Sabaku!" she snapped. "Are we doing this, or what?"
He had the nerve to laugh. "My Bunny's so anxious…"
Gaara unzipped her dress, and then pulled it down and off her body. He tugged until her panties slid down her legs, leaving her exposed. "So wet," he whispered in a husky voice.
He flipped her on her back and stared in admiration at her. He wasn't lying when he said he was often staring at her breasts, they were impossible to ignore. To be honest, there wasn't anything about her that he didn't find captivating. His gaze hardened.
'But she's just like the rest. There's nothing special, just lust. Just fuck her and be done.'
Gaara watched her watch him; his fingers undoing his shirt. He shrugged it off, smirking at her as she took in his chiseled torso. Her eyes were clouded with hunger as he was down to his last article of clothing. Finally his cock popped out, the heavy weight of it making it bob slightly. As she stared at it, it gave a little jerk. Grabbing his thick cock in his hand, he held it out to her.
She sat up and licked her lips. Hinata knew a power struggle when she saw one, and she was never one to shy away from a challenge. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips against the head, working her way down the underside. His fingers combed through her hair as she kissed and rubbed her lips on his cock. Then she opened her mouth and suck on the head.
"Fuck," he hissed, shoving his hips forward.
But Hinata kept a firm hold of his hips to prevent him from controlling the pace. She slid him in as far as she wanted, then slid back to work the tip. Back down, then up again all the while humming. She played with his balls and Gaara groaned loudly. He was close but Hinata popped him out of her mouth with a mocking smirk.
"There's the fire," he growled. "Show me more of that!"
Gaara leaned down and gripped her hair to kiss her roughly, making her lay down under him. Breathing hard, he let her hair go and slid his hand down to grasp his cock. But she pushed him off.
"I'm on top," she said.
He didn't lay down, merely stared back with a matching heated gaze. Hinata straddled him, one leg on each side of him. She bit her lip as she teasingly hovered over his erect cock, lightly grazing it. Hinata had been in a rush to just fuck him but his previous teasing had her trying to get payback.
His hands circled her waist and rolled his hips. She felt his cock start to slide between her pussy lips. He did it a few times more. There was no mistaking it, there was a blazing fire; one that had been simmering for some time now. Her body, already on fire, heated more, concentrating on her nipples and her pussy.
"I love that look on your face," Gaara murmured. He lifted her up enough to position his hard length at her entrance. She took it from there, sliding down, taking him in, and whimpered as he stretched her so wonderfully. "Shit, you're tight. I can feel you clenching me. Does my cock feel good?"
"As good as my pussy feels to you," she replied then hissed softly as he wrapped her hair around his fist and tugged her backwards slightly. His other hand stayed around her waist, keeping her still for him as his mouth descended on her chest.
He pressed kisses all over a breast, circling towards her nipple, and then switched to the other one and started the process over.
Gaara loved to tease and torture Hinata; he loved seeing the look of desperation and want across her face. He realized that she loved having her breasts played with. Her pussy clenched, and both of them let out low moans and as it did he started pumping into her hard. Slamming up so hard he lifted both of them up, causing her to bounce on him. Her pussy loved the friction. The heat burned inside her in the most incredible way.
"Come on my cock, Bunny," he demanded, drilling into her.
She couldn't respond, too caught up in the sensations he was drawing out of her. She ground against him each time he slammed up. Hinata cried out and clawed at his back, gripping his red locks for dear life. Her shout was like music to his ears as she came hard.
Gaara pumped a few more times, and then flipped them over keeping his cock embedded in her. He slid his arms under her shoulders, gripping them as he started pounding again, rougher than before. She practically sighed at how full she felt with his cock inside her.
'Why does such a wonderful cock have to be attached to such a prick like him?'
Through the haze of pleasure, she saw just how feral he looked; desperate, raw, and wanton. His hips were driving between her legs. In the heat of passion, she heard him muttering but she couldn't even make sense of anything around her anymore.
"Come for me again, Hinata!" He roared.
"Oh God," she whimpered, the orgasm coming fast. Her nails dug into his shoulders, drawing blood.
Her orgasm triggered his and she could feel the jets of semen shooting in her. His body locked up, his thrusts becoming erratic and her inner muscles milked him thoroughly. It felt like it took forever to end and to come down from that kind of high. As her body went lax, Gaara absentmindedly started to kiss her neck. He froze when he realized what he was doing and slid his softening cock out. She made a soft noise at that, causing his Adam's apple to bob.
Hinata slowly got up and silently accepted her clothes from his hands. She took a quick look in a nearby mirror. Her makeup was passable although her hair was a mess. She combed through it, and searched for her purse. Gaara was watching her from the bed, silent but with a penetrating stare.
She gave him one last look before hurrying out. The journey back to get her car and get home felt like a blur. Hinata thought about what they had just done and how thoroughly relaxed she currently felt. As much of a pest as Gaara had been, he had at least helped her in this regard. Now she could go back to life before him.
'Anko was right!'
But her pride wouldn't allow her to divulge this information to anyone. She could just imagine the teasing she'd have to endure.
x-x
For the next few days, Hinata felt more productive and happy than ever before. It seemed like she had gotten Gaara out of her mind and system with their fuck session. But it wasn't as simple as that. The moment she saw Gaara, she felt a tingling sensation and blushed in response.
'Are you kidding me?!'
Despite her conflicting emotions, she easily fell into step next to him as they made their way to the conference room. Hinata pressed her legs together throughout the meeting and tried not to notice how aggravated Gaara seemed.
They both seemed to make a conscious effort to be the last ones in the room which wasn't hard seeing as Gaara had sternly ordered his team to get back to their offices. Hinata had expected him to say something but he looked just as conflicted as she felt. Getting frustrated, she got up but he was quicker and she felt herself pressed up against the hardwood table.
"You still want me," she murmured.
He snaked a hand under her skirt, confirming his suspicions. "And so do you."
Gaara had seen her flustered state, how she blushed and tried to avoid looking at him. But feeling how wet she was getting was making him hard.
"But I still don't like you. You're rude, inconsiderate, and unreasonable-"
He silenced her with a rough kiss. When they pulled up for air she pressed her forehead against his, breathing heavily.
"Nothing's changed," Gaara said. "But it seems like we made things even more difficult." He continued to caress her pussy and she arched her back.
"The way I see it, we have some tension between us," he said. "And we can't exactly forget it ever happened as we're bound to keep running into each other."
"So?" she moaned.
"We repeat it as often as we need to until we truly go our separate ways. My stay is only temporary but as long as I'm near you, there's this annoying throb that I need to alleviate. You are both the cause and solution. So what do you say, Bunny?"
Hinata narrowed her eyes at the nickname. "I think that Mr. Sabaku needs to learn to be better behaved if he wants to fuck me."
His smirk deepened when she rubbed his erection through his pants. "But until you run back to Suna, I'm afraid I'll be dealing with an annoyance as well."
"You don't sound too bothered being my bunny," Gaara taunted.
"Are you sure you aren't my toy, Gaara?" Hinata purred. She gripped his cock for emphasis and he tried hard not to lose his composure. "I'm using you just as much as you think you're using me."
He let her push him off since he couldn't exactly take her here; they'd make too much noise.
Hinata tossed her hair over her shoulder and smirked at him. "I have to get back to work, Mr. Sabaku. But if you'd like to continue this conversation, be sure to stop by my desk before you leave. I can give you my contact information and the best times to reach me. Oh and you might want to take care of that down there."
His grin got wider, knowing that she'd need to clean up a bit too. Gaara loved the fact that her pussy was dripping because of him. He'd go to her in a little bit, he had something to fix first.
Gaara had been in similar positions before where he'd get interested in a woman but after one fuck, his fascination would be satisfied and he could move on. It was confusing that he still wasn't content after their first time. Sure he was focused and much more collected in the days afterwards, but the mere prospect of seeing her again had his loins stirring. Perhaps it was the fact that they were bound to keep running into each other. He concluded that if he was to remain in control, he'd need to satisfy his needs.
The plan was that once he was back in Suna, Hinata Hyuuga would be a thing of the past; insignificant and forgettable.
- Guess who's back? This hiatus was desperately needed and I feel energized. Omfg, I had an interesting interaction over on AO3. It's fine now, in the end he realized that he was a horrible POS (his words not mine).
So yeah, we're finally here! I'm warning you already, there will be angst which is why I was debating splitting this mini arc into a separate "story" since the mood would be slightly different from my usual flow of Cheap Thrills. But by a small margin, you guys voted to keep it all together. In total, I estimate it will be either 3 or 4 chapters. This chapter was pretty long but it was to introduce and setting things up, future chapters probably won't be as long.
You will see Shikamaru, Temari, and Sasuke so you know it has to be a bit dramatic but I'm not gonna try too hard. This is still supposed to be fun for me. But I will be exploring a different direction, one where Hinata's emotions will be very much on display and she will struggle. If you think a strong woman can't show her emotions, get out now. Gaara will also be dealing with his own stuff; both have trust issues, getting out of comfort zone, etc.
This keeps being misconstrued, and it bothers me because I've said before and this is the last time you'll hear it from me. *Deep breath* Guys, I don't hate NaruHina. Honest to jebus, I ship it! Cool? Cool. Let's move on.
To Miley: Yeah, Hinata can get her own harem without negative Naruto drama triggering it. Horrible shit doesn't have to happen for her to explore new experiences. It just happened that my specific story required this plot device. However I was thinking that for one of my one-shots Naruto can be a supportive part of it or even instigate it (I already drafted up a few outlines but be patient). I'm flattered you like my writing. Honestly, it's not a gift; it's hard work and practice.