Hey All! I hope you are all enjoying the story so far. 1st chapter to bring people in and this chapter...well, I think the title says it all? :)

Oh Yeah! Before I forget, please support me by buying my real published book "A Siren's Call, by Tim B. Wolfe, and tell you you have so that I can HIGHLGHT you.

Shout out to Reviewers Kzzzz and WatStew for being the first reviewers. I hope you all enjoy and read the rest of my story

Glazed Emeralds: A Hallmark Story

Chapter 2: Beautiful Women

"Last stop! Konoha!"

Naruto tiredly stepped out of his seat, grabbing his suitcase from the overhead bin as he quickly made his way to the front of the bus. He wanted off and he needed it immediately. "Thanks." Naruto nodded his head as he reached the driver.

"No problem, sir. Have a wonderful week." The bus driver smiled back as Naruto stepped off. The bus had one other person on board, but they were heading back to the main city. The doors closed as Naruto stepped off and the bus made its way out of the town.

Naruto dropped his suitcase and stretched as best he could to get blood flowing through his body. Damn, that had been a long ride! He had boarded the previous bus out of the city first thing in the morning and stayed on for six hours before he had to then stay overnight at a rural bus terminal for this bus to arrive the following morning. Now it was already afternoon here in this town and he could see people milling around some twenty or so shops on the main street down the road.

'The town looks...nice and serene actually.' Naruto took a deep breath and felt his body relax immediately. 'Damn, so this is fresh air.' The city hustle and bustle and buildings so close together now felt like being suffocated, and this open space, with just two lanes of road, with yards of gap between each person...This was nice.

Naruto looked down the road and spotted a classic water fountain surrounded by a small park at the end of the main street, and smiled. This was a nice mountain town. He kind of liked it already. His eyes looked out to the forest that he had been driven through and felt a wave antsyness wash over him. He wanted to explore a bit already. He wanted to...climb trees and jump through them! As crazy as that sounded, he wanted to look around.

First things first though. Naruto looked ahead to the two story brickwork of the stores and began to sigh. Where was the land office? He couldn't make out the words from this far away. Well, maybe he could head there and-

'Woah!'

Naruto's brain short circuited then and there as a young woman streaked past him on the road, jumping out of the forest as if a ninja poised to kill him. His eyes caught the small dirt path that connected with the road and turned his eyes to see her pink athletic shoes running in place and gazed up as she waited at a small intersection.

He took the chance to gulp as she raised her arms above her head and began to stretch, pulling her arms back and forth as she bent side to side. His eyes skimmed slowly down her long hair pulled back into a soft ponytail, to her porcelain skin that glowed with the sweat of her run around the town. His breath shuttered at the succulent curve of her neck, covered up by the rose-colored outlines of her athletic wear. Naruto's gaze took a slow sweep over the swell of her chest, pressed tight by the black jacket on her front, giving him a wonderful side profile as he could tell that she worked out.

Having finished with her arms, she bent over to stretch her back, and Naruto's throat emitted a soft groan. This girl had the perfect ass; not too big or small, but toned and just set perfectly for her body type. Damn how he wanted to-

'Wait!' Naruto's ogling thoughts halted as he realized happily. 'She must be a local. That means that she can point out where the land office is!' So thinking, Naruto sped over to her, putting his suitcase with him on his back.

"Excuse me miss, can you-"

"Save it!" The woman angrily spit back at him, her voice lashing out at him like cobra venom.

Naruto's eyes widened at the aggressive tone of her voice. Maybe she misheard him. "Wha-"

"Oh save your pathetic attempt to flirt me into your bed tonight!" The girl turned, their eyes blazing with hellfire and annoyance leaking from her lava seared lips.

Naruto's mouth blubbered out as he tried to explain himself. "What-but I just-"

"Oh my God~! I saw you checking out my ass, you perv!" The woman yelled back to him, her accent peeking out.

At that, Naruto blushed at her cursing towards him. He closed his mouth for a few seconds, staying silent. She wasn't wrong after all. He had completely, unequivocally checked her out.

"...I-I was just going to ask about the land office." He muttered, looking down and away from her in embarrassment.

The girl's face settled into a neutral mood, her eyes skimming him from foot to head, her scowl returning with a sourness to it. Naruto stood there nervously as she stayed quiet, but finally he was rewarded as she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Down the block and on the left."

"Than-"

"Stay away from me, City-Boy." The woman scowled and turned back around, continuing her run down through the main lane of the town. Naruto couldn't help himself as he watched her jog away from him, her ass speaking volumes more than she ever would to him.

Naruto finally shook his head and followed after her, turning to the left as she had instructed. It was not the first time he'd been called a pervert, and it certainly would not be the last. Women were his weakness, just as any gentleman would tell you. If they told you anything else, they were lying.

Naruto's thoughts soured as he made his way towards the building in question. After this month, he was getting wealthy from his passed on godfather, a super-pervert and an erotica author of millions. You'd think he'd be used to it having grown up that way, surrounded by those who had dark thoughts and lewd suggestions. He really couldn't argue with what that girl thought of him. Well, he'd be here for a month. If he saw her again, he just hoped to make a better second impression.

He moved onto the covered walkway and reached for the door handle, stepping inside the office. It was very nice and modern to be honest, not like the old western movies that people thought of when the term land office was coined a phrase. It was a simple waiting area and a desk with a bell, so of course, he slapped the bell, as it rang throughout the room.

"Come on up!" A voice replied, and Naruto noticed a set of stairs set off to the side. He shrugged as he made his way up the stairs, quirking his eyes as a door laid open before him, the inside showing a real home, with a nice living room, kitchen and maybe a bedroom further back.

Naruto almost entered when he spotted the sign next to the door with an arrow pointing to the left. His gaze moved over and he smiled as he continued down the burgundy rugged corridor where the land office continued to another nice door. He should have figured that in such a small town, that a person's place of business may also be their residence.

Knocking lightly on the entryway, Naruto poked his head inside and spotted a classic tall backed chair facing away from him, set behind a very rich redwood desk, complete with varnish and pristine as if it was cut just yesterday. Looking around the room, he spotted all along the walls, expensive looking books and pictures of the town's history just reaching out for him to touch and read.

Naruto stalled in place as he caught sight of an old painting that was really well done, where many people in various colors of pink, purple, and orange raced through trees and were attacking some unseen foe below.

"Does it call out to you?" A voice spoke up from the desk.

"I...I feel like I've had dreams of being a fighter like that." Naruto softly chuckled to himself, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Then you'll fit into the town just fine. Everyone here embraces our ancestry of being a ninja village."

"Ninja, eh?" Naruto chuckled as he turned his head. "I would-"

'Wow.' Naruto's mind sparked as he turned his head to see a stunning blonde woman sitting in the expensive chair behind the desk, her dazzling sky blue eyes smiling friendly over at him. Her skin was a pristine white, emanating a glow from the sunlight of the windows behind her, but her outfit of a professional blouse and skirt were also racy, the blouse practically unbuttoned down the middle, her skin only protected by a see through mesh undershirt peeking through, and the skirt riding high to show more leg than what would be professional from her seated position.

The woman smiled salaciously over to him, and Naruto coughed into his hand, clearing his throat and his mind. Damn. There were a lot of beautiful girls in this town. Or maybe he was becoming his godfather, finding beautiful models for his erotica, and he was morphing into a full blown pervert.

"You don't have to hide your appreciation of women here." The woman smiled, coaxing him forward. "I happen to like the gazes of men."

"You look...very alluring."

"Thank you…" She smiled. "Now, how can I help you?"

Naruto breathed in as his eyes scanned her desk. "Yes, I was hoping to talk to you about my- um…" Naruto stalled as he saw the title plate on the front of the desk. A red hue graced his cheeks as he blushed. "I'm sorry. I have the wrong place."

Naruto turned around from whence he came, feeling embarrassed. That girl he'd asked directions from had lied to him! Or he didn't take the right door! Or-

"I'm sure you have the right place, sir." The woman called out to him, making him turn around to blush.

"But your name plate says-"

The woman smiled as she leaned her forearms along the desk, folding her fingers together. "Yes. Welcome to Konoha. My name is Ino Yamanaka, and I am the Mayor, Lawyer, and Trading Post owner, and I also run the Land Office. So...can I help you?"

Naruto stood there stunned. She was...everything?

Ino giggled as she scooted her chair back and gestured before her.. "Please...sit. Can I get you anything? Afraid all I have is ice cold water though."

"Uh...water would be great." Naruto accepted as he watched her stand up and move to the side of the room where indeed an antique silver plate with crystal glasses and jar lay waiting for such an occasion. Naruto smirked. "Are you the receptionist, too?"

Ino laughed heartily as she poured the drinks. "Oh! I think I like you!" She turned and handed him the drink as they both took their seats. "I couldn't turn a profit if I hired a full time employee. No. You'll find that everyone in this town is pretty much self-sufficient in most endeavors. We pitch in to help others out and we ask for it when we need it. What was your name?"

"Naruto." He gave freely before a question moved out of his face. "Forgive me, Ino, but how are you the mayor?"

Ino smiled coyly as she opened her laptop on the desk. "Are you referring to my age, Naruto or my beautiful physique?"

Naruto blushed as he knew that mayors could be elected at eighteen if they so wanted, but he never heard of them being younger than thirty, even one being beautiful was irrelevant. He stammered as he rushed to collect himself. "Well, it's just that I met this other girl who was my age and I was surprised to see her. S-she nearly bowled me over, jumping out of the trees as she did..."

Ino's eyes lit up at that information, before looking up at the clock. "Other girl? Was she out for a run?"

"Yes."

"Oh I do hope you didn't ogle her as you did me! She's much more defensive. Even aggressively so." Ino laughed as Naruto grinned sheepishly, and sighed back into her chair. "I guess you did see her. Well, anyways this is a small town, so the births all seem to happen at around the same time. Most of my generation is within three years of each other."

"Just Three?"

"Yep. Like our surveyor Neji who is two years older and little Konohamaru who works in our forge. To answer your question though," Ino's eyes gleamed. "In such a small town, it pays to be active in politics."

Naruto nodded along, his eyes distracted as they shot down to her cleavage every few seconds, but Ino didn't seem to mind. In fact, he swore that her chest puffed out more, enjoying the idle attention.

"Forgive me for rambling." Ino frowned a little. "We don't get many visitors this time of year. How can I help you?"

"Oh! Um, I have a claim here?"

Ino queried, her eyes looking him over questionably. "Well, I know that you haven't been here before. What was the number?" She asked as she turned to her computer, the sole electronic device in the room.

"Claim, 70754?"

Ino pulled up the information and leaned back in her chair, sighing happily. "Ah...yes, I remember selling this one a year ago, but the gentleman was much older and pervier than you were."

Naruto gulped as Ino sent him a rather suggestive look as her tongue slid across her lip, her eyes skimming over his face and body. God, she was checking him out so openly! Is this what it felt like being a woman checked out by a man? It was...interesting. "Are you moving here?"

The question made Naruto pause. He wasn't planning on it, but it would be rude to tell this woman an absolute no. He didn't even know the place yet, and he had a job back in the city to get back to after all of this. "Not sure yet. I was thinking that I may stay a bit to see the area and the claim."

"Ah!" Ino leaned forward, her breasts popping out deliciously from between her blouse as she slid her fingers along his forearm. "Looking for a place to crash?"

Naruto blushed bright red at the action, but it was short lived as Ino burst out in tears. "Kidding. I will apologize." Ino covered her mouth. "We don't get boys my age too often, so I am a terrible flirt."

"You flirt often." Naruto spoke up.

"I really do." Ino nodded in agreement, shrugging as she did so. "My best friend always complains I'll get knocked up or something because I flirt too hard. I think about it every time I leave the city on business, which kind of reins me in when I'm in the big city. I guess that was sort of her plan in the end. Anyways, we have a very nice Inn just across the street from the office."

Ino pressed a few more buttons on her computer and soon a few papers printed out and she handed them over to Naruto, her fingers still rubbing softly against his. Naruto smiled. He liked Ino. She was friendly, open, and not predatory like Shion at work. She just liked to flirt and touch.

"Here's the directions to your lot. You may want some hiking material as it's somewhat hidden, but I guarantee that it's one of my best properties. The woman at the Inn can help point out where to go. She knows that area quite well." Ino leaned forward, close to his face.

"Thanks, Ino. I appreciate all the help." Naruto moved to leave, but a soft press of lips traced his cheek and he stumbled out of the room, blushing at the peck from a very attractive mayor.

Ino watched him leave and as he did, she frowned with a worrying face as delicate nails dragged along her cheek. "Yep...she's going to kill me…I never should have sold it."

'What a strange but welcoming place.' Naruto thought as he exited the office and looked across the street. Indeed, just across from the land office was the Konoha Inn, the sign hanging over the front of the building's entrance. Naruto smiled at the simple rustic feel to it, the front with a simple door set into a wooden overhang from the snow of the heavy winter months, but then next to it was a large bay of windows that showed a sit down restaurant. Maybe he could eat there before he headed out on his excursions for the day.

"Well, best get a room for my stay." Naruto pumped himself up and checked both ways before crossing the street. No cars were in either direction, but after living in the hustle and bustle of the city and getting hit almost every day, he wasn't taking any chances. Naruto paused in the middle of the road; the wind in the trees, the smell of the rainfall this morning permeating the grass around the town, the sounds of actual birds singing. This was a nice place to live...it was peaceful.

Making it to the entrance, Naruto stepped inside, pushing the door open and grimaced at the silence. He was kind of hoping to hear a bell announce his presence, like in a nice small town movie. What was around him though made up for that. The entire interior was made of a nice deep redwood color, from floor to ceiling, and to the right was a massive lounging area, decorated with a huge fireplace and lounge chairs around them to draw people in.

Further past that, he could see a second entry door to what he assumed was the sit down restaurant as well. He guessed that it made sense to adjoin them, since no one would want to step outside into the freezing snow in their morning wear for food. Overall, the place gave off a comfortable atmosphere of peace and tranquility. After standing there taking in the sight, he walked forward, the pack on his back finally starting to announce itself as heavy on his shoulder. He passed the doorway for the lounge and approached the long counter that was situated in the back, next to more doorways that he assumed led into the rest of the Inn.

Naruto was about to call out when he spotted a head of a most unique color, his eyes staring at the deep strawberry blonde, pink if he could give it such a color, on a woman who was currently kneeling below the counter, doing what he assumed was inventory.

'She must dye it that way.' Naruto assumed. It must be fake, but it suited her rather well he thought, as he noticed the woman bite the end of her pen, her pearly whites reflecting back at him. Naruto leaned against the counter, taking her in. She looked angelic, with a long skirt down to her knees, flowing freely as she turned this way and that. Her chest was well pronounced; the tight sweetheart neckline plunging down to slide into the waistband of her skirt. If it wasn't for the modest undershirt covering her flesh, he would have been gifted quite an eyeful.

"Excuse me, Miss? Can I get a room?"

"One second, sir." The girl spoke up as she pushed a box back into its square and reached up to grab a ledger book from the shelf she was on, unknowingly lifting her shirt up as he gazed at the skin of her love handle peaking out. "How long will you be staying?" She asked as she did so.

Naruto murmured. "About a month."

"Okay." The girl nodded along as she wrote something down on the ledger without looking at him. Placing the ledger in between her side and her arm, she bent down at her waist, and Naruto gulped as he watched her skirt billow up around her as she grabbed what appeared to be three heavy boxes and brought them over towards the side desk, her face hidden as she moved them, while her body shown from the side caused his pelvis intense pain at her womanly charm.

'Damn!' Naruto groaned in his mind. 'She has a beautiful ass too, and that hair is mesmerizing. Why are there so many beautiful women in this town? Maybe Danzo was right; I need to stay on my guard not to knock one of them up.'

The woman spoke up, as she tried to maneuver the boxes away as she reached for the ledger again. "Is it just you sir, or maybe some company at night?" She asked innocently.

"Oh no, ma'am." Naruto refuted, rubbing his neck as he chuckled morbidly. "I'm not that kind of guy. It'll be just me."

The receptionist nodded along, the top of her head bobbing as she wrote things down in the ledger. She seemed to reach the end of the page and nodded to herself. "You're my only customer this week, so I can give you the best room I have, free of charge for an upgrade."

Naruto responded with a shrug. "You don't have to ma'am. I-"

"Don't worry." The woman cast a brief half smile his way as she closed the ledger and slid it away from her. "It's the off-season so any money is good money for me."

"Well, if you insist." Naruto smiled at the kindness she was showing him. He watched as the woman took the three boxes into her arms again and winced as she began to move towards him. Was she going all the way across the room? He couldn't help himself. "Can I help you with those?" He offered.

Finally a grateful smile graced her lips as the innkeeper turned the boxes towards him. "Oh! What a gentleman!" Naruto reached for the top two boxes and pulled them into his arms. "Thanks."

"No Probl-" Naruto began to speak before his eyes widened in shock. This girl had pink hair, and a nice ass, and now that he saw her face clearly; he could also see her beautiful emerald eyes. But he'd seen them before, glaring at him with fiery embers less than an hour ago. This was the beautiful runner he'd been yelled at for checking her out.

Naruto took a deep breath. Oh boy. He was in for a world of hurt. So much for a second impression, because he saw her glare intensify as his eyes betrayed him once again, ogling downwards as he was , despite his intentions, checking her out.

"YOU/YOU!"

I hope you are all enjoying the drama here :)