Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any characters associated with it

A One Month Bet

Sakura felt frozen in time. All she could sense around her was the sound of her own rapidly beating heartbeat in her ears, the smell of wet, damp air and sanded wood, and the shine of deep green eyes illuminated only by moonlight. Gaara was staring at her as if he were trying to read her very thoughts, though they wouldn't have made any sense even if he could. Her mind was a blur, remembering every encounter they had shared up into this moment: every snappy retort, every shy smile, the heat of their bodies being so close at once.

You are that someone for me, Sakura.

It was all she could do stay standing upright when she felt like her knees might buckle any moment. Was Subaku no Gaara really saying this to her?

As jumbled as her mind was, she could barely muster the focus to say, "Me?"

Gaara still held her hand in his, and he gave it a squeeze. His heart was beating wildly… he hadn't felt this sort of rush of adrenaline in any battle he'd ever fought. A deep, scorching hunger was starting to creep into senses, one that fed off their proximity. He wanted to touch more of her. He wanted to feel her touch him. The thumb if his hand wiped gently upward, coming to rest on her wrist. He could feel her rapid pulse in line with his own. His eyes lingered on her mouth, pink and slightly parted. He wanted to taste her again.

"Yes, you," he said, his voice slightly deeper than before. The hunger inside him was roaring with impatience. "If you feel the same…" he wavered… what if she said 'no'? "…then I would very much like to kiss you again."

Sakura's breaths were falling in shallow rhythm now. If I feel the same…? She thought. Do I feel the same? This was her moment to choose. What felt like only a simple inclination weeks ago now felt like a surge of conviction. She observed his hair, his lips, the steady rise and fall of his chest as his breathing tickled the hairs on her face. She observed his dark-ringed eyes and how they ached with loneliness. He had shared some of himself with her… his true self… not the side of Gaara that his villagers saw in their Kazekage, but instead the lonely young man who was isolated and sad. A part of her wanted to fill that loneliness. Somehow, maybe it would fill a missing hole within herself, too. Yes, she thought, I do have feelings for you, Gaara. I do feel the same.

The words did not come out, but her chin dipped in an unmistakable nod. It was all Gaara needed.

There was so little space between them now, it took barely nothing to close the rest of it. Gaara leaned heavily into her, and their mouths collided clumsily at first, then with more confidence. For the second time that night, Sakura felt another body press against her. A flicker of fear danced through her consciousness, but it was soon swept away by the comforting scent of Gaara's musk and by the now familiar feeling of his lean, rippled torso. She didn't feel disgusted by this presence—she wanted it. Sakura withdrew her hand from his so that she could hold both sides his face, pulling him desperately to her. Not knowing what else to do with his arms, Gaara made to grasp her body tightly. His long lean fingers splayed wide across her waist and her back as though he wanted to touch as much of her as possible. More than a week's worth of lust and longing seemed to be erupting from both of them as their lips worked greedily at one another. Yes… Gaara's inner beast growled, Yes! Sakura is mine. Mine!

Gaara made a literal growl as he willed his mind to focus. He thought about their lessons on the rooftop, ways to intensify their kiss, ways to recreate that delicious feeling they'd only barely touched on before.

Don't forget to breathe… Sakura's voice wafted through his memory.

He took a breath. It felt like his lungs had been aching for it. But who needed air when he had this? He crashed his lips back down onto Sakura's waiting mouth.

You can put your hand behind her neck…

He let one hand snake its way up Sakura's lovely, slender neck. With a satisfied sigh, Sakura allowed her head to fall into the cradle of his large hand, while his fingers tangled gently into her pearly pink locks.

Another way to deepen a kiss is to use your tongue…

He slipped the edge of his tongue gently across her lip, and Sakura understood. Her lips parted wider, and her own tongue emerged to meet his. They swirled together, mixing their tastes. Yes… Yes! This was the flavor he'd been missing. This was the taste, the heat, the pleasure he'd been so obsessed with feeling again since their time on the roof. And this time, he knew what he was doing. He felt more and more like he was an equal participant this time, not just a student mimicking a teacher. He loved this feeling, and what's more is he wanted Sakura to love it, too. He wanted her to feel as amazing as he felt in this moment.

Hungry and confident, Gaara took the lead and tried something he hadn't yet. With gentle pressure, he guided Sakura's body backwards, until they bumped into the edge of one of the greenhouse tables. The plants shivered their displeasure at being disturbed, but neither Gaara nor Sakura took notice. Sakura had now placed her hands lower on his body, gripping his shirt as if to pull him closer. But it wasn't close enough. He needed to feel more of her against him. Gaara's hands dropped to where he felt the table behind them. He was now pinning Sakura to it, and it forced him to lean uncomfortably forward to reach her mouth. But he had a better idea.

Between heavy pants and kisses, Gaara growled, "May I?" Sakura was too lost in her own raptures to even know what he was asking. She only wanted this moment to never end. This man wanted her…not someone else… it was as if her darkest kept secret had sprung to life, and she didn't want to interrupt it for anything. "You may," she responded robotically, at that point not even caring what it was Gaara wanted to do, but it still shocked her enough to utter a surprised, "Oh!" as his strong hands settled on her lower hips and lifted her clear off the ground. The curve of her rump rolled awkwardly onto the ledge of the table as Gaara set her down. She might've fallen backwards if it weren't for the desperate grip she held onto his shirt. Big, fat leaves and small skinny ones prickled and fanned across her back, but that didn't occupy her attention as much the fact that their new position saddled her in a way that her legs were now parted, with Gaara's large, lean form settling in between them. When they were on the roof, this sort of motion would have been enough for Sakura to stop their lesson and issue retreat—but this was not a lesson. Not anymore. They were working concurrently now, each of them unable to hold back the desire that had been plaguing them for days. Sakura's initial shock at the new position melted into a sensual sigh, and she flexed her thighs tightly, squeezing Gaara closer as though he were snared by a trap. To her satisfaction, this gesture earned her a muttered growl of enjoyment from her captive.

Gaara loved this new angle. With her lovely backside now lifted higher, he could reach more of her easily. She hadn't objected to his taking the lead, and now he felt more emboldened. He wanted to have more of her—touch more of her—and so he allowed his hands to travel across her back, cradling her head, at the crook of her waist, up and down her strong cream-colored thighs. The only parts of her lovely skin he didn't touch were the few areas covered by those tantalizingly short shorts and her vest, which seemed to tease him with glimpses of her partially covered collarbone. With every graze of his hands, Sakura seemed to lean into his touch like a magnet. The more he touched her, the more a deep, aching heat began to build within him. He felt the pressure of muscles tensing at the junction of their hips. More! His beast screamed. I want MORE!

"Sakura,"

He broke away. His voice was raspier than he'd anticipated, and he was surprisingly out of breath. They both gazed at each other, panting and shimmering with sweat that had only partially to do with the humidity of the green house. Sakura's lips were still moist and wet and looked noticeably puffier from their kissing. Worried something was wrong, she loosened her grasp on his shirt and leaned closer into him. "Yes?"

Gaara wasn't sure what to say. He didn't know how to articulate it. He wanted more. But he didn't know what more looked like. The heat inside him made him feel like he might burst at any moment. He needed more… touch… more skin…just more. His mind drifted back to their time on the roof. What had he said then when he wanted more? It was a lesson, but when he was ready to learn more he had asked…

"What's next?"

Sakura blinked at him, having a difficult time mulling through her foggy, lustful brain. "Next?"

Gaara felt his ache becoming unbearable the longer they were separated from each other. It felt like kissing Sakura was somehow suddenly like breathing air to him. He needed to return to it quickly. He snaked his large, strong hands across her waist and lower back and pulled her closer against him. It sent a ripple of butterflies charging through her stomach. Gaara's eyes were locked on hers. "What comes next after kissing?"

An actual shiver racked Sakura's body, and even Gaara felt it tremor through her thighs wrapped around him. Sakura didn't know how to respond. What was he implying…? Does he really not know what happens between lovers?

Sakura blushed bright enough to shine out the moon. The thought of 'lovers'—specifically being Gaara's lover—sent a flurry of X-rated images through her mind. Thoughts of naked, tangled bodies and passionate moans made her head feel so warm she thought she might catch fire. "I-I.." her voice was little more than a squeak… "W-well you just kind of follow what… feels good." Why did her tongue suddenly feel so big in her mouth? "If it feels good for both people, then…" she gulped, "Y-you keep going onto the next thing that feels good."

Gaara couldn't stand it any longer. Her words sent electricity through his limbs, and he lurched forward to embrace her in another long, ravening kiss as though he might suffocate without her lips pressed to his. His eagerness made Sakura's toes curl and the heat between them intensified. Infatuated in the moment but still not fully comprehending what his next move should be, Gaara growled between kisses, "But…everything…about you…feels good." He pressed his hard body against hers. "I want more of you."

Sakura thought she might die there on the spot. What. Is. Happening right now!? Sakura felt both incredibly embarrassed but also fluttery with excitement. She had never –never—had a man engage her with such intensity before. It made her feel sort of raunchy…but she also loved it. This man, this incredible, sexy, confusing, heroic, infuriating, amazing man wanted only one thing: her.

Sakura emitted a sound halfway between a gasp and a laugh, but deep within her she felt her own sort of animal was waking up inside. With a gentle firmness, she pushed Gaara away from her, slightly enjoying his innocent look of bewilderment. As he leaned backward to observe her, she slowly let her hands drift to the top clasp of vest, where she allowed her fingers to linger just barely before unclipping it. Sakura chewed her lip nervously, carefully watching Gaara's reaction. She knew this next move would be breaching further than she and Gaara had made it before, and while it wasn't her first time going to this territory with a man, it certainly wasn't an idle choice to make. Gaara, to his credit, didn't seem aware of her worry. He was completely fixated on her every move, his lips still parted and his chest rising and falling in narrow, raspy breaths. Sakura rather enjoyed that she could captivate his attention so fully, and she took her time with every clasp, slowly unbuckling one—then the next—then the next—until finally the vest sat agape. Gaara's hungry eyes trailed down the new pathway illuminated down her middle: below her porcelain collarbone, past a simple cloth banding over her breasts, and down to her perfect, tiny navel.

It was not as though Gaara had never seen this much of a woman's torso before—in the Suna heat, many women in the village wore scant clothing when they weren't in the direct desert sun. However this… was different. This was a part of Sakura's body that she was choosing to share with only him in this moment. Then, as entranced as he was by the small window of flesh than Sakura had revealed, she was suddenly shrugging off the vest to let her full torso stand uncovered in the moonlight. With trembling fingers, she fumbled with the edge of her chest band, taking a breath to calm her nerves. A gentle tug loosened the wrap, and it fell limply to her side, revealing two pale, pink breasts. Her nipples tensed to be bared to the open air, and Sakura felt another shiver rake through her out of sheer exposure.

Gaara felt paralyzed beyond the power of any binding jutsu. She was so fucking beautiful. He gazed upon her womanly features, somehow knowing that this was what was to be expected in seeing a naked woman and yet being wholly unprepared for it at the same time. His eyes traced the gentle curve of her breasts as they created a beautiful V-shape pointing down like an arrow to her navel. Her clean, pale skin was nearly flawless, save for a few dark scar marks – trophies of their dangerous employment as shinobi – but to Gaara it was one of the loveliest sights he'd ever laid eyes on. Sakura, having felt so confident a moment ago, now felt suddenly shy under Gaara's intense gaze. Was he just going to… stare at her?

Alright sir… Inner Sakura quipped, This isn't a one-woman show. Slinking like a cat, Sakura edged forward and let her fingertips brush lightly on the underside of Gaara's shirt. Gently, she began to lift the fabric upward, revealing lean, rippling muscles and a firm, square chest dusted with fine red hairs. Gaara broke free from his trance and finished the task, pulling the garment the rest of the way off. They now faced each other, chest to chest, exposed in the darkness. Sakura reached out to grab his hands and slowly guided them to her body. What's next? Gaara had asked. At this point, Sakura didn't really know what might happen if they continued this way…

But so far she was enjoying it.

Gaara's hands felt like licks of fire on her bare skin. He started down by her soft belly, feeling the curve of her waistline and fanning his fingers over the cool, bare skin. His hands then traveled north, carefully bumping just the edge her breasts first, and then grasping them entirely. They were so much softer than he'd anticipated. And when he rubbed a thumb over one of the pert, pink nipples he could actually see Sakura's body erupt with goosebumps. His heartbeat sounded like a constant drumming in the back of his consciousness.

In one swift motion, Sakura slipped her arms around Gaara's middle and pressed their bare bodies fully together. Gaara's firm, muscled torso was blazing warm. She felt that she wanted wrap herself entirely in him. Gaara must've enjoyed it, too, because she felt him shiver around her and a low groan threatened to escape him. The beast inside him was in a frenzy, unable to comprehend the sensation he was experiencing at having so much skin-to-skin contact. He hugged her tightly as though he was trying to absorb her body into his. His head tucked into the crook of her shoulder and in inhaled her scent deeply. This… this is what his body had been craving. This was nothing short of incredible.

Gaara was beside himself. Every single nerve was on fire. He was so enveloped by this woman, this beautiful, intelligent, talented woman. He was consumed in how wonderful she made him feel inside… but he wanted to know that she was a satisfied by their union as he was. How could he make sure that he was pleasing her as much as she was doing for him? Just follow what 'feels good'… Sakura had said. Gaara thought hard… Touching Sakura made him feel good, but what made her feel good? How would he know if what he was doing was right? Experimentally, he pulled backward slightly and let his hands trail back to graze over her nipples again. This time, Sakura let out a small hum of satisfaction. Hearing that small, simple sound was enough to make his groin tighten painfully. He wanted to hear more of those lovely sounds. The hungry beast inside him roared its ugly head again… More! It screamed. More kissing! More touching! More NOW!

Sakura's voice drew him back to reality. "Kiss me." Gaara didn't think twice. Lips parted and breath shallow, he leaned eagerly forward only to watch Sakura turn her face away from him at the last moment. "Not my mouth," she said coyly. "Like this."

As much as Sakura had enjoyed Gaara's gentle touch, Inner Sakura was eager and impatient to move forward, and she had been hungrily eyeing Gaara's lean, toned body while he was busy caressing hers. Having now angled her face to the side, she leaned in to plant soft little kisses along Gaara's neck, letting her own hands trace around his pectorals, down his abdomen, and coming to rest teasingly at the top edge of his trousers. She heard him hiss a sharp intake of breath as she licked a clean, clear line from his neck up behind his ear. When she pulled away to inspect his reaction, she felt the charge in the air shift from playful to something much darker. Gaara's black-ringed eyes were lit with a new sort of fire. Whoops… had she gone too far?

Gaara charged forward like a predator pouncing on its prey, unable to hold back his urges. He pressed hard against her, nearly knocking her fully backwards into the plants behind them. Her hips tilted and she could feel it—his erection—pushing through the fabric of their clothing. She would have felt surprised, but her attention was redirected to a hot sensation from the area of her neck. Gaara was, like any good student, doing as he had been instructed, planting hot, slow kisses down her neck and collarbone. Her head was supported by his one hand, while his other arm snaked up under one of her knees to hike it higher on his waist. She squeezed her thighs. He rolled his hips. They both gasped.

Gaara continued his trail of kisses down Sakura's torso, even landing on one of her perfect, perk breasts and carefully kissing and teasing the nipple. Sakura made more little noises of pleasure, but it sounded to Gaara like she was holding back. Gaara continued to trace kisses all along the parts of skin that his mouth could reach, while his hands continued to touch as much of her as he possibly could. Sakura, meanwhile, interlaced her hands and fingers into his mop of deep red hair, letting herself enjoy the sensations that were happening between them.

While Gaara was preoccupied touching every bit of her that he could reach, Sakura could feel his manhood pressing into her. Their precarious position had her set up in such a way that she couldn't ignore it, and the more heated their session became, the more and more she wondered… Is that what's about to happen? Are we going to make it that far? Perhaps she was blinded by the enjoyment of the moment, but she really didn't mind the thought all together. After all, they were already in a compromising position. So, with the confidence of a woman who just found out she was the single desire of Suna's most eligible bachelor, she used Gaara's shoulders as leverage and experimentally rolled her hips against the bulge at Gaara's groin. He stiffened immediately. Sakura had thought she'd pushed the limit too far, but then she felt him press back into her. Even through fabric, the isolated pressure at the junction of her thighs sent shivers through her abdomen. Gaara pulled back just enough so that they could see each other's faces. With a dark intensity in his eyes, he pressed his hardness into her again, this time watching her reaction. Sakura chewed her bottom lip, feeling shy under his mesmerizing gaze, but she pressed forward again, as though they were playing some ridiculous back-and-forth game. Next time, though, when Gaara pushed his erection forward towards her she rolled her hips to meet him, so that with each repeated motion they seemed to fall into a rhythm.

This new addition now had Gaara ready to lose his absolute mind. He had not realized until now how intense these feelings and sensations were. Having never believed he would care about or be interested in the act of sex, how now felt he understood a little better why some people go mad over it. With every roll of their hips together, he felt a jolt of pleasurable ripples throughout his body. The heat inside him was so intense, the only thing that helped quench it was the coolness of Sakura's skin compared to his own. While their rhythm increased, he continued to touch Sakura wherever he could—her neck, her breasts, her back, her legs, her hair. He returned to kissing her mouth, and their grinding became more intentional. Only two small pieces of fabric were separating them from becoming fully one, but the friction and the motion alone was already sending Sakura into a faraway place. She felt a deep, squeezing sensation building in her abdomen. It felt delicious, and she couldn't control herself as a gentle, throaty moan hummed its way into their interlocked kiss. Yes…Yes! Gaara's inner animal purred with realization. That was the sound she made that night... It wasn't a sound of pain or shock. It was a sound of pleasure.

Gaara could barely contain himself. He wanted Sakura to feel that pleasure almost more than he wanted to feel it himself. He wanted to hear that sound again. He wanted to hear it louder.

He slid his hands down Sakura backside, cupping her lovely backside and angling it towards him for better leverage. Sakura broke their kiss and made a surprised gasp, but her gasp turned into something else as Gaara continued to grind into her. He quickened his pace, practically ramming into the greenhouse table below them. Plants shuddered and pots bounced and bumped into each other. Sakura finally let out a true, low moan and let her neck fall backwards as her sharp little nipples traced lines of fire across Gaara's bare chest. He imagined what they might be experiencing if they weren't still clothed from the waist down. He knew the mechanics of sex. He knew the throbbing of his cock would only be satiated by sliding into Sakura's warm, pink womanhood. He'd never seen one before… what would it look like? What would it feel like? What if he freed his erection from its cloth prison and slid into her right now… would Sakura like it? Would she even let him? He didn't know what it would be like, but based on how everything so far had felt, it was all his brain could do to imagine thrusting not into a barrier of simple cloth, but thrusting into her center. What would it feel like to be inside Sakura right at this very—

"Oi!—Who's out there in the greenhouse? I'll give you a whippin', I will!"

Might need a cool glass of water after this chapter.

If you have enjoyed reading our story so far, a review would be very appreciated.

-Olly