Naruto 1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Konoha was a small and quaint metropolis with a population of no more than 115,000. The apartment living was expensive with the little city itself being on the upscale side. The air was clean and vegetation was a predominant feature as there were multiple parks paid for by tax dollars. Quaint little shops littered the clean streets and intersections and small mom and pop restaurants drew in hungry customers for some good home-cooked food. Life in the city of Konoha was good…

Apart from one resident in particular who happened to be fuming angrily as she listened to another response of rejection on her answering machine. She had once again been denied a position of management at a locally run business. How was she supposed to pay off her overwhelming amount of college debt if she couldn't even get a decent paying job?!

Her college education had practically sucked the life out of her and what did she currently have to show for it, but a pile of overdue bills and the feeling of inadequacy as she continued to hunt for a job that paid reasonably…

Desperation had never suited Yamanaka Ino, but that didn't stop her from feeling her throat clench as angry tears began to build behind her closed eyelids. Her hands lifted up mindlessly to burry themselves in her long platinum blond hair as the stinging of her eyes persisted. What was she going to do? It had been four months since she had graduated college… four months of job hunting, and resumes, and rejection and it was all beginning to be just a little too much for her. Her self-confidence was being chipped away slowly to leave behind a shadow of her former self…

Going to her family wasn't an option. They lived clear across the country from her, which was how she liked it… She fancied herself a strong and independent woman, and her parents had seen her differently… They had been of the mind that she should settle down and have children with a man that could take care of her and fend for her. It wasn't as if the idea was appalling to her, just that she didn't want to have to rely on anyone…ever…

At this point in her life, though, it would have been nice to feel secure, safe and loved… It would have been nice to breathe a sigh of relief and wake up from a good night's sleep, instead of going to bed every night with a stress headache and feeling the fingers of anxiety clenching at her heart…

College had taken up nearly one third of her life. She had been attending the local university for the past eight years on and off, relying on herself only to pay for her apartment and cost of living. Part time work was all she could afford to do, and that was certainly not even enough to make a dent in the devastating amount of debt she was currently swimming in…

Ino sat down roughly at her little, round kitchen table that seated four. She placed her head in her hand as she could feel the tension in her neck crawling up to the back of her skull in the early signs of a stress headache. There really wasn't much more of an option besides working in fast food…and even that wouldn't save her in time… She had stalled too long, hoping for a management position to just fall into her lap. Who was she kidding? Especially with the way the economy was these days.

Her blue eyes lifted to rest on the pile of mail on her table that mostly consisted of bills… She glared at them hatefully and swiped her hand at them, watching with some minimal amount of satisfaction as they fell to the floor. Left in the wake of her tantrum was the latest month's magazine issue of Forbes.

With her business degree and minor in finance management, she had taken to reading the magazine to help her become more accustom to the world of business. She would read the articles on the start and success of many new companies and imagined her own future success with a smile…

Looking avidly at the front cover, she took notice of a familiar name on the bottom right: Nara… Her eyes grew curious as she flipped open to the page the specific article was on. Her curious look turned into a deep scowl as she read about the success of her former classmate.

"Of all the people…!" she scoffed.

A two page spread was dedicated to the successful Management and Business Strategist known as Nara Shikamaru. It gloated about his humble beginnings as an entrepreneur before he was "discovered" by the Sabaku Company as their top strategist. It spoke of his job and what it entitled. Essentially he was a glorified business consultant, holding the fledged company's hand as its revenues doubled over the past three years, thanks to the guidance of her prior classmate.

What amazed and irritated Ino the most is that this man, back when she knew him, was the laziest SOB she had ever met! He never did a single thing in his life without being promoted to do so. She could even remember his mother asking her to take care of him while they attended school with one another. She took the request to heart and made certain that the slothful degenerate was in all of his classes. That was about all she could do, though, as she would often get frustrated while he either fell asleep during class, hiding behind a text book, or stared languidly out the window at the passing clouds.

Despite his lazy nature he was a brilliant student. His comprehension of human nature and actions was far greater than his minimal amount of years. His grades were unsurpassable by others. He was a regular genius and he didn't even have to try. Ino had found herself irritated and impressed with him on more than one occasion. He didn't let anything bother him and felt that most goal setting was, as he called it, "troublesome".

Several of her friends were close with him. In fact, her family and his were very tight knit along with a few others in the local community. She grew up alongside the boy until they parted ways for college.

It surprised Ino that a man with such little ambition as a child could have come such a long way in life. She wondered what could have possibly changed about him to motivate him to this extent…

Ino found herself setting her jaw tightly as she flipped back to the cover of the magazine. She sighed heavily and rose from her chair to gather up the mail that she had scattered all over the kitchen floor. Sifting through it, she was startled to see a letter from her old high school. Setting the other unopened envelops back onto the table, she tore open the letter and began to read through. It was an invitation to a high school reunion.

'Has it already been 10 years?' Ino thought.

The event was scheduled for the 20th of October. Ino considered the invitation for a moment. The event was all the way back home…such a trip would be expensive, but she hadn't seen her childhood friends in years. She really didn't have the money to be traveling, but she was stressed out and needed a small distraction from her current situation. She would have to see her parents again, but that meant she didn't have to spend money on a hotel room…

Ino found herself sighing again as she tilted her head back to look blankly at the ceiling, as if the answer to her problems would be somewhere up there. Continuing to stare at the ceiling, she headed back into her bedroom. She knew the layout of her apartment better than she knew herself at this point. Her feet shuffled to the base of her bed before she flopped down onto it unceremoniously face first.

"What should I do…?" she whined out to no one.

She really needed a break, and who knew; maybe one of her friends would have connections and could set her up with a half way decent job. Thinking along these lines, Ino made up her mind. She would attend the reunion. If not to get a job, then to relieve some of the tension that had been building on her for the past four months…


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you to those who read through my first chapter, favorited, followed and reviewed. I haven't written in quite a while and I just wanted to try my hand at it again. Working 12 hour shifts on a deployment, one can surprisingly have a lot of downtime to actually write. I have the story mostly plotted out so there should be a steady stream of chapters coming throughout the next 2 ½ months I am out here. Please read and enjoy.

Chapter 2

The flight back home was eventless. Ino had dozed off while watching a movie on the six hour trip and before she knew it she was gazing at signs leading to the exit where her parents would be waiting to pick her up. Her shoulders set into a line as she knew they would ask about her nonexistent job and then look at each other worriedly at hearing her answer. She didn't need their concern…

Waiting patiently at the curb, she turned her cell phone back on and dialed the familiar number. The receiving line rang three times before an excited female voice answered.

"Ino, dear," her mother's voice asked, "where are you?"

"I'm at the Drift Airline pick-up zone, mom," with that Ino began to look around for the familiar black Mercedes.

"Oh, oh I see you! Hi baby!" her mother sounded elated and Ino could feel the headache beginning to creep up the left side of her temple…

It really wasn't that she didn't love her parents…they were just incredibly overbearing and even at some times demeaning. She didn't even believe that they were aware of that fact, but it didn't alleviate the annoyance that she felt when she was around them for long periods of time.

Ino turned her head to the left, looking on with some minimal amount of amusement as her mother waved at her animatedly through the window. The vehicle came to a gradual stop just ahead of her and the trunk popped as the passenger door opened with a flourish. She flung her large duffle and small suitcase into the back and smiled warmly as her mother's arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"Oh Ino! My baby!"

"Mom I would still like to hear when I get back home," she teased and received a light shove.

With her mother at arm's length now she turned to her father who stood a good foot taller than her.

"Hey, daddy," she murmured sweetly. She could see the gentle smile her father gave her before she wrapped her arms around his waist and embraced him.

Her parents were an attractive pair and she herself was a compilation of most of their best physical attributes. She was petite like her mother, no taller than five foot five inches. Her hair was long and platinum blond, reaching down to the small of her back. Her features were soft with an angular chin and round cheeks. Her eyes were also a testament to her mother, being bright, wide and blue. She took after both of her parents in nature as well. She was a doting individual, like her mother, when she cared for someone, but also a hot head like her father. She was also a worry wart like her mother. She was driven and independent like her father, though, and many times she knew that he had wanted otherwise for her. He wanted his daughter to want for nothing and to be spoiled.

Drawing back from her father, she made to get into the vehicle and her parents followed suite. The trip back home was filled with light bickering from her parents that slowly began to increase the intensity of her earlier headache… By the time they arrived she was more than ready to get a little bit of distance between herself and them. She grabbed her luggage and clambered up the stairs hurriedly before shutting the door to her bedroom behind her. Breathing a sigh of relief, she began to unpack her things, hanging up her cocktail dress in the closet half filled with her mother's extra clothes.

It was late in the evening at this point. She called down the stairs to her parents, telling them that she was going to bed and would not be down for dinner.

"Ino, dear," she could hear her mother calling back to her, "it's only seven."

"Jetlag, mom," she explained, "it's ten o'clock back in Konoha."

With a disappointed sound the only acknowledgment she received, Ino turned back to her bedroom for the remainder of the night. Three days here already seemed to be two too many…

* * *

The next morning, Ino arose before the sun. Her jet lag still affecting her, she attempted to sleep a little longer. Dozing in an out, she finally gave up around five. It was the morning before the reunion and she cringed at the thought of having to spend time with her family that day. So she decided to meet up with an old friend that she had gotten in contact with just before her trip out there. It was obviously far too early, so she resigned herself to spending the morning with her parents.

Stretching languidly, Ino scratched at her mess of tangled platinum hair before she moved to perform her usual morning ritual. After a warm shower and a good teeth brushing, she wandered downstairs to see her father sipping on a cup of coffee and reading the local paper. She could smell breakfast casserole cooking, and, knowing that her father couldn't boil a pot of water, she assumed that her mother was awake and bustling about in the kitchen.

Her suspicions were confirmed as she rounded the wall separating the living room from the kitchen and heard her mother's delighted voice.

"Good morning Ino, honey!"

"Morning mom, dad," she greeted casually as she began to prepare herself a cup of coffee as well.

"How did you sleep, sweetie?"

Ino shrugged and practically dumped the entire sugar bowl into her cup, "Ok I guess."

Wandering back to the table at the breakfast nook, she took a seat adjacent to her father at the rectangular table. She warmed up her cold hands on the ceramic of her mug before taking a tentative sip of the hot sweetened liquid.

Her and her father sat in companionable silence before her mother placed plates before them filled with breakfast casserole. She eagerly began to devour her food as she hadn't eaten anything during or after her flight. Her mother joined them a moment later with her own minimal helping and began to eat daintily. She was the epitome of the stay at home wife and mother, and, though that suited the older woman just fine, Ino felt that it would never suit herself.

Her father was the bread winner and had always provided for the family and made sure that they didn't want for anything. It was this way of living that she had grown up with and her parents were surprised when she wanted to strike out on her own and go to college. She had dreams of running her own successful business. A small dream it may have been, but it was hers and she wanted nothing more than to accomplish it. At this rate, it seemed like it would remain a dream and nothing more if she couldn't pay off her debt…

She glanced up at her father as he hid behind his newspaper. Her family was well off…but she was far too proud to ask them for money since they had discouraged her from her dreams since the beginning. She did not want to give them the opportunity to tell her they told her so…

Gazing down at her empty plate in deep thought, Ino was surprised when her father finally asked her the question that she had been dreading.

"So how is the flower shop business?" the question itself almost came out as sarcastic, but Ino knew that he didn't mean it. Nevertheless, she stiffened slightly as she set her jaw.

"There is no business yet dad. I'm trying to get some experience and mentorship right now…"

"Trying…?" her mother asked, "Honey how long have you been out of college?"

Ino found herself inadvertently rolling her eyes, "Four months mom."

"And you haven't found anything yet dear?" her expression became concerned.

"No mom," Ino's response was short, not wanting to linger any further on the topic, but her mother obviously didn't get the point.

"Ino, dear, how have you been paying your bills?" this was another question she was loathing to answer.

"I'm managing mom," she lied…

In fact she had not paid her bills for the past two months… She was even surprised that the water and electric hadn't been shut off yet, but there had been phone messages warning of it possibly occurring soon… Part time work around the local area had usually been reserved for the college students, so after her graduation she had been let go. In a show of bravado, she had not attempted to find more part time work, instead expecting to strike proverbial gold in the business market. No such luck yet…

"Do you need help, Ino?" came her father's voice, the paper he held settling to the table so he could give her a stern look.

"No daddy, I'm fine," she lied again and her throat clenched tightly in anxiousness before her pride bolstered her resolve.

That was the end of the conversation for him as he disappeared behind his newspaper once again. Ino set her shoulders, scowling a little at her mother as she made to continue the conversation. With the stern look present on Ino's face, her mother's response died slowly…

* * *

Ino sighed sharply as she walked along the sidewalk of her closely integrated neighborhood. She waved amicably at frequent familiar passerbys as she headed over to her best girlfriends parent's house. She was in town herself for the reunion and Ino had set up a girl day with her the day before the party. Coming upon the quaint little two story house, she rang the bell and smiled as her friend answered the door eagerly.

"Ino!" she practically cheered as Ino found herself being grabbed up into a big hug.

"Hey forehead, how have you been lately?" the girl shoved her away roughly and gained a pleased look on her face as Ino nearly fell backward off the front porch steps.

Practically guffawing in mirth at her old nick name for her best friend and the reaction she received, Ino wiped a stray tear away as she took in the appearance of her longtime friend and intellectual rival. Haruna Sakura stood before her, arms folded across her chest as she glared halfheartedly at Ino. Her shoulder length cotton candy pink hair was pulled back into a pony tail with multiple strands escaping the elastic and falling down around her aforementioned forehead and cheeks, framing her soft pale face. Her aqua green eyes regarded Ino silently as she waited for a modicum of an apology. The two girls had much the same stature in height and weight and had once been revered as two of the most beautiful girls in high school.

"Oh come on, Sakura! You know I'm only playing with you…" Ino conceded.

"Sure sure big mouth, you haven't matured at all I see," Sakura tossed back.

Reaching behind herself, she closed the door and began to head down the stairs toward her vehicle. Ino followed on silently, smiling to herself as they made their way to a nail salon in town.

"So what have you been up to since high school?" Ino asked, wanting to steer conversation away from her short comings immediately.

"Oh not much. I just finished medical school and am looking to set up my residency. I've been too busy for much else, you know?" Sakura seemed to deflate as she talked about her grueling education.

Ino thought it commendable that anyone attempt to join a career in medicine, "What kind of medicine are you studying?"

"Pediatrics," Sakura answered humbly.

"Wow kids, huh?" Ino laughed as Sakura smiled over at her friend, "I don't know if I could do it. Kids have always been so overwhelming to me."

"Oh kids are great, it doesn't help that I like to baby people and adults don't take too kindly to that," Sakura scoffed.

"Makes sense," Ino agreed, "so what about a boyfriend?" Ino needled, "Snag yourself a man yet?"

Sakura's cheeks turned a pretty pink as she focused once more on the road. The intersection that the salon was located on had come up and she distracted herself with making the left turn across oncoming traffic. Ino waited patiently, knowing that the answer was going to be interesting if Sakura was stalling this much. Parking at the salon, Sakura exited the vehicle and made to enter the establishment, still dwelling on the answer she was going to give Ino.

After receiving their seats as scheduled, Ino could hardly take the suspense anymore, "Oh come on Sakura! It can't be that bad! Whatever happened to Sasuke?"

Sighing in resignation, Sakura answered cryptically, "There isn't a Sasuke and me anymore."

Ino grew irritated and practically yelled out, "Well then who?"

"Lee!" Sakura supplied, the blush on her cheeks darkening as she relinquished the answer.

Ino's eyes grew wide as she stared at her companion quizzically, "Rock Lee?"

Sakura couldn't look at Ino as she nodded resolutely. Well that was a couple for the ages… Ino remembered Rock Lee as a boisterous goodie goodie who was a grade above them back in high school. He also was odd to look at…She remembered him being tall and lean, with a black haired bowl cut and thick bushy eyebrows. He was into martial arts and was a very physically fit person. He had actually perused Sakura in their high school days, professing his undying love to her on more than one occasion. Said girl had cringed away from him, her rejection based completely off of his physical appearance. Apparently, in later years, physical appearance had not mattered to the pink haired girl.

Ino smiled at her friend, "He was always so dedicated to you. You could tell he loved you with all of his heart, even back then. Do you two live together now?" she asked.

Sakura nodded, examining the finished nails on her left hand. Ino was once again surprised. It wasn't like they weren't old enough to live with the opposite sex, but she hadn't even taken the leap to live with someone once out of high school. It really must be a serious relationship.

"What about you?" Ino looked over to Sakura at the vague question, "Do you have yourself a man?" a devilish look appeared on Sakura's face.

Ino looked at her sternly, shaking her head in the negative. No man had ever lived up to her outrageous expectations. She knew what she wanted in a man down to the way he tied his shoe laces in the morning and she wasn't going to budge in that department.

"Well what about Sai?" Sakura had asked, speaking of her onetime crush.

Ino balked at the remembrance of the emotionless individual. She never understood herself why she had fallen for the likes of him. Shikamaru had shown more emotion than Sai had and he was lazy and thought emotions troublesome. Thinking about the stoic individual, she wondered if he would be at the reunion. Maybe she could accost him for a job of some sort…

As if reading her friend's thoughts, Sakura asked, "Well then what about Shikamaru?"

Ino looked over at her friend with a confused expression as the two of them set up underneath a black light to have their nails dry before getting pedicures.

"What about him?"Ino asked back in a guarded tone.

"Oh I guess I just assumed that with how much you nagged at him back then that you had a thing for him," Sakura answered.

Ino found herself bristling irately at the implication. She absolutely did _not_ have a thing for him! He was annoying and juvenile and lazy and aggravating and immature! He had absolutely no redeeming qualities. It didn't matter that he was now filthy rich and successful…

"What are you talking about?" Ino practically screeched, "I absolutely did not have a thing for him! He is the most lazy, irritating, pain in the butt there is out there."

Sakura chuckled at the vehement rejection of the suggested relationship, "Oh sure I believe that. Amazing how after all of these years you still have the same reaction towards him."

At the allusive remark Ino found herself scowling before she actually analyzed what her friend said. It was true that no other individual man back in high school had ever really even crossed her mind thereafter…but it wasn't like she had been pinning over the stoic genius or anything; she had just happened to see an article about him in a magazine and think that he had done well for himself…that was all…

A/N: I have taken a little liberty with many of the characters, but I have attempted to stay as true to their personalities as possible. I apologize to Sasuke/Sakura pairing lovers, but I personally never really liked him… Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ino found herself gazing up admiringly at the baroque chandelier above her. The intricate crystal facets were catching the light and casting little rainbows all around the great room at the local country club. The room was large and decorated in the era of the year they had graduated, which in itself was a loose concept. The year they had graduated hadn't really found itself one defining trait like the 50's poodle skirt or the 20's flapper dress. Maybe another 40 years down the line there would be more to look upon as the defining trait of the early 21st century, but not as of right now. The music the DJ was playing was a testament to that particular time though as another song by Usher came on.

Ino glanced around the room, noticing a few familiar faces. It was a small turn out to the event; no more than 70-80 people. She figured that it must be due to the time of the year. It would have made more sense to host this event in the summer rather than the fall.

Her gaze landed on the form of her friend Sakura as said girl practically ran to give her an embrace. She was wearing a knee length, blood red dress with an umpire waist and pleating along the top of the A-line ensemble. The dress was sleeveless and had a modest plunge to the top of the umpire waist.

Smiling with the embrace Ino complemented, "You look great, Sakura!"

"Oh thank you, Ino. You look gorgeous," said girl found herself blushing at the complement.

She had found herself wearing a strapless, dark purple, knee length sequin dress with a sweetheart neck line. Her long cascade of hair was pulled back into a French twist to show off the creamy skin of her shoulders, collar bone and neck.

Not wanting to have too much attention placed on her, she asked Sakura, "Is Lee here?"

"Oh no he had to work. Bummer huh?" Sakura pouted slightly before grinning at Ino, "but I know someone who you would be interested to know is here."

"Who?" Ino asked excitedly, glancing around the room.

Her eyes fell onto a familiar form and she felt the center of her chest go numb. She could feel the heat rising in her ears as this very individual was looking back at her unwaveringly with the same bored expression she remembered so well. This very act brought back so many memories…

She remembered he would stare at her when they were younger to irritate her and make her uncomfortable… She had realized this early on and would stare back competitively. She never won these staring matches, because once he realized she was being defiant he would smirk evilly. This very act incited Ino's irritation further to the point that she would go over and yell at him or attempt to ignore him completely…but she always remembered the feeling those unwavering dark eyes gave her…

She could feel a slow tremor make its way through her body as she looked away with a frown. She didn't remember him being so tall… Well it had been ten years since she had seen him last… Her wavering gaze fell upon Sakura's questioning one and she could feel herself begin to blush as her shoulders stiffened. The knowing look in her friend's eyes was unnerving…

"What?!" she practically snapped, glaring at the pink haired girl.

"Nothing, just watching you drool," she teased.

"I was not drooling!" Ino protested vehemently, "Why would I be interest to know that Shikamaru was here anyway?!" she retorted.

"I wasn't referring to Shikamaru, Ino," Sakura corrected, her shrewd smirk growing.

Ino regarded her with a helpless expression as she realized she had been caught. Her cheeks grew hot with dismay as she opened her mouth several times, grasping for a witty retort that never came. Why had she let his very presence stir her up like that? All he had to do was look at her to get a rise out of her and this frustrated Ino beyond all belief. She chalked her dramatic reaction up to unpleasant memories and made to move along with the conversation.

"Well then who are you talking about?"

"Choji," Sakura answered simply, gesturing to the staunch man hovering over the buffet line like his life depended on it.

Ino's expression lightened as she shouted over to the aforementioned man. With a startled expression, he looked back over his shoulder as Ino and Sakura made their way over to him. His narrow eyes brightened as he recognized both girls.

"Ino, how's it going?" Choji asked amicably.

"Good! How are you, Choji?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around his thick neck in a gentle hug.

Choji was one of her best guy friends. He had grown taller and in doing so had evened out from being previously overweight. His hair was a light ruddy brown that matched the color of his eyes. His face had thinned out substantially, but his cheeks still seemed boyishly round. He was tall and she could almost define him as bulky with his broad shoulders and large chest.

"You know, living the dream," he responded nonchalantly to her query.

Ino loved his personality. He was a laid back kind of person and very loyal. He never let anything bother him and Ino wished she could be like him more than once in her twenty-eight years.

* * *

Upon arriving at the party, boredom began to set in as Shikamaru yawned widely. His lackluster expression seemed to ward off any potential conversations as he sauntered around the great room of the local country club. Why he had deigned to attend this monotonous event he did not know… Until his sharp eyes caught sight of something glittering out of the corner of his eye.

His lazy expression turned into that of a confident smirk as he took in the sight of his former class mate. Yamanaka Ino was talking very animatedly with Haruna Sakura and the former woman looked incredible. Her glittering cocktail dress hugged all the right curve and he found himself drinking in her appearance hungrily…

Even at a young age, he had noticed the appeal of the blond. She was vivacious and confident and as she grew older in years her body had filled out to that of a woman's. She also seemed to know the power that she had over men as she selected her would be suitors with a shallow eye. She had only seen it fit to show her affections to those men who she deemed as handsome, which left him out of the running…

But that didn't stop him from torment the girl. He had loved to get under her skin as a kid, ignoring her nagging entirely and doing every possible thing he could think of to get a reaction out of her. It made him happy that the very least he could do was get her to notice him through anger and frustration…

Looking back on it now, it had been juvenile…but he was certain that she hadn't forgotten him as she turned to meet his inquisitive gaze. He could feel a small sense of satisfaction as she looked upon him with wide eyes, her ears notably turning a dark shade of red.

He could feel his heart begin to pound in his chest as her gaze traveled over his form before she looked away abruptly to hiss something at Sakura.

Oh yeah, she remembered him alright. Allowing a pleased smile to pass over his lips, he continued to watch her, remembering the way that she had made him feel back then. He had been infatuated with her and, to some extent, still was today. He was never foolish enough to act on these feelings, though, as he did have some sense of self-preservation back in high school… He would have been the laughingstock of the school if he had asked her out. But now, at his age and with the success that he had made for himself, he was free to peruse and be with any woman that he wanted…and right now he wanted her…

With his mind made up, he took on a lazy expression once more as he noticed the two women approaching one of his good old friends. And after a few more minutes, he wandered over to see how his friend was doing.

* * *

"Hey I'm going to go say hi to Naruto. I'll catch up with you two in a little while, ok?" Sakura offered as she excused herself.

Ino nodded in understanding, continuing her light hearted conversation with Choji before she noticed his eyes looking above her head. She looked back at him curiously before turning slightly to find Shikamaru had come to stand behind her.

She could feel a stalker insult on the tip of her tongue but bit it back. There was just something about his very presence that put her on edge and made her want to be on the defensive. It wasn't necessarily a negative feeling. It was almost like an exciting thrill not knowing what to expect from the lazy, stoic individual.

Most other men were so predictable. They really only wanted three things in life: sex, food and sleep and most of them in that particular order. It seemed, even back then, that Shikamaru had been different. When her friends were all bragging about having sex at the tender age of sixteen or seventeen he was trying to cut class to take a nap outside underneath the football goal.

Ino regarded him silently. He was tall with jet black hair pulled back into a messy pony tail at the crown of his head. His eyes were black as well and always seemed to know more than he let on. Ino had always known him as a guarded individual who never really expressed himself. He was lean in the waist, broad in the shoulders, and narrow in the hips. Ino didn't remember his stature being so appealing back then. He had been a skinny stick from what she had remembered. He was still thin, but he seemed more proportionate.

Her assessment of him took no more than a few seconds and with that she gave him an uninterested look and turned back around to continue her conversation with Choji. Realizing that Choji's attention was no longer completely on her, she grudgingly stepped aside to allow the dark haired man into their conversation.

Ino could feel her insides tremble nervously. Her muscles tensed in expectation as she could feel Shikamaru's eyes on her again… Why wouldn't he stop staring at her…?

"How's it going Shikamaru?" Choji asked amicably.

With that his eyes left her and Ino had to restrain a sigh of relief, "Pretty good, how have you been Choji?"

"Living the dream, like I was telling Ino."

Being drawn into the conversation, Ino smiled cordially at the dark haired man as his eyes fell upon her again. Nervous energy built up within her and she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"I saw that magazine article about you in Forbes," she began, "hope you haven't gotten stuck up now that you're rich and all," she wanted to kick herself for being so blunt.

Shikamaru raised a single brow at her rude comment before smirking down at her, "Well someone out of our class had to be successful. Too bad it didn't happen to be you, huh, Ino?" He jeered back, never missing a beat.

Taking the bate, Ino shifted her weight to face him fully. Her four inch heels assisting in her desire to be insistent as she pressed a finger into his chest, "Who said I wasn't successful?!"

Not intimidated in the slightest he answered back with a smirk, "No one, I just haven't seen any magazine articles about you is all."

Ino's ire was incited as she glared hatefully up at the tall man. Not knowing what to say, her brain finally caught up with her mouth. Understanding dawned on her as she schooled her expression and turned to look at Choji once more. He was trying to get a reaction out of her and he had succeeded, the least she could do was show a little resistance by turning the conversation in her own favor.

"So what have you been up to Choji?"

"Not much. Just been working on my fast food franchising. I got five stores set up along the east coast and I'm looking to open two more by the end of the year."

Ino's heart sank at the mention of his accomplishment. She was happy for her friend, no doubt, but it seemed like she was the only one from their graduating class that hadn't turned out to be a success. Sakura was on the verge of becoming a doctor, Choji was running his own stores, and Shikamaru was a multi-millionaire assisting a company that's net worth was one quarters of a billion dollars. It was a cruel future that she had fought for, and at this very moment she was wondering if her dreams were really worth the short comings she continued to uncover.

Recovering quickly from her short spell of silence and self-loathing, she beamed brightly up at Choji, "That is incredible! I am so happy for you. What chain of restaurants is it?"

"Chick-fil-A," he answered simply, looking back to Shikamaru he asked, "So what's this about you being in Forbes?"

Ino could feel the desire to scowl and did her best to suppress it. She did not want to hear about Shikamaru's success story! So what if the guy was Mr. Money Bags right now…? Despite this feeling she found herself listening intently to his story.

"It's nothing, really. I just started out advising a couple of my father's friends and attended a few parties. I got the attention of a couple of top name companies and now here I am."

He made it seem so simple! Ino found herself trembling again, however it was a much different feeling than before. She was feeling irate and jealous and unaccomplished. She clenched her jaw with an almost audible snap and made to excuse herself from the conversation as she looked around for an escape route. Not finding one at the ready she found herself lying just to get away.

"Oh hey I see Sai! I'll talk to you later Choji," turning to face the dark haired man beside her she noticed an unfamiliar, dark expression upon his face. Choosing to dismiss it, she smiled at him in a sickeningly sweet manner, saying his name in dismissal, "Shikamaru."

With that she restrained herself to a steady, confident strut as she swept by the dark man and headed in the direction of the restrooms.

Shikamaru could feel his irritation rise as he watched the blond stroll off, not giving him a second glance. It felt so similar to their high school days that it almost made him sick. Off she went to go chase after some emotionless jerk that didn't even like her. The guy didn't even know she existed, while he stood by, waiting and hoping that one day she would realize what was right in front of her all along.

Shikamrau had not been the type of person to pine over anyone, but he had infrequent thoughts about the blond during their ten years apart…

His eyes followed her as she brushed by people in a hurry. Suspicion dawned as she did not approach the individual she had mention, instead opting to head in the direction of the restrooms. A calculating look came across his face as he scanned the room for Sai.

Shikamaru smirked as he noticed that said man wasn't even present…

He excused himself from the conversation he was having with Choji to get a breath of fresh air out on the terrace. Ino was avoiding him, but why he didn't know. She seemed agitated in a way that was different from the norm and he wondered what could possibly be wrong with the petite woman.

* * *

Upon reaching the restrooms Ino found herself panting nervously. She entered into a stall, leaning dejectedly against the door as the balls of her hands pressed to her eyelids. She could feel the hot sting of tears and chocked back a sob as she attempted to regain control of herself.

She should have never come to this stupid reunion. All it was doing was reminding her that she could never measure up. She felt inadequate her whole life and fought that feeling with a bravado that was beginning to diminish…

With the previous conversation acting like a cold shower, she recalled the main reason she had chosen to attend the party. She needed to ask someone if they could help her get her foot in the door of some well-paying company…

Sighing in defeat, she steadied her emotions and exited the stall to look at herself in one of the mirrors. She needed to do this. She needed help, pride be damned. She was desperate and she needed to accept the almost certain possibility that she could end up out on the streets. Resigned to her fate, she bolstered her courage and left the restroom in search of more familiar faces.

She only recognized a few people and cursed at the thought that she wasn't social enough in high school. Uzumaki Naruto, a tall blond haired man with bright sky blue eyes, was talking animatedly with Sakura. Beside him stood Hyuuga Hinata, a beautiful, quiet girl with pale grey eyes and a long fall of midnight black hair. She noticed the two of them sporting bands on their left ring fingers and knew that they were out as potential helpers. After paying for a wedding they were most likely in no position to help her and she didn't want to bother the couple with her own personal problems…

Scanning the room further, Ino realized that she didn't recognize anyone else there… Heart sinking, she made her way over to a set of French doors that lead out to the terrace. She needed some fresh air desperately.

The terrace was aglow with fire lit torches, giving the area a mysterious feel. An outdoor fire place was stationed and ignited underneath the pergola that was decorated with shear flowing curtains at each corner. The atmosphere felt secluded and romantic.

With a sigh, Ino glanced through the partitions of the pergola at the star dotted sky. She could begin to feel the onset of a fresh bout of tears as the feeling of defeat settled into the pit of her stomach. Clenching her jaw, she willed the feeling to leave her as she stepped nearer to the glowing fireplace for warmth. The autumn air was brisk and chilly and it set off a tremor throughout her body.

"So if a magazine article was written about you, what would it say?"

Ino jerked at the unexpected voice and glowered as a figure came out from behind the fireplace. It was none other than Shikamaru, and Ino stiffened up minimally, gathering her defenses around her. She watched as his eyes regarded her passively and practically bristled as a slow smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. Another staring contest had begun before Ino lost, looking to her side contemptuously.

"It would say 'Driven Woman Finally Achieves Lifelong Dream'," she lied as her eyes settled onto a set of outdoor wicker chairs.

"Would it now?" Shikamaru asked brazenly as he approached her steadily.

Ino felt as if she was being looked at as prey and averted her eyes to gaze upon Shikamaru steadily. She refused to let him get under her skin and set her shoulders in a straight line while tilting up her chin defiantly.

Shikamaru came to a halt no more than five feet from her and continued to engage Ino with his cool gaze. Ino felt unnerved by his stare and closed her eyes against it.

Taking in a deep breath she confesses, "'Determined Woman Strikes out Once Again'," she realized the double meaning to this and left it to the proposed genius to determine the actual meaning.

Nothing was said after that and the silence became smothering to her. She opened her eyes to discover a minute change to the look in Shikamaru's gaze. It was so minimal that even she wasn't sure that there was a change, but she could swear there was a slight softening at the corners of his eyes. With that she took the dive…

"I was actually wondering if you had a connection that you wouldn't mind setting me up with?"

AN: It was a lot of fun to write for Shikamaru. I love his personality and how cocky he is. Funny though, guys that do that in real life really irritate me…Please review.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Possibilities ran through Shikamaru's mind at the words he heard. Ino needed his help, she needed a connection to get a job, it seemed. She needed him. Maybe not the way that he wanted, but she was willingly asking him for help and he would help here out while helping himself.

He wouldn't make it easy though. Teasing her was just in his blood and it satisfied him to no end to be the one to make her express such intense emotions. There actually wasn't much that he wouldn't do to see her make a face. There were a few that he had been yearning to make her express upon seeing her again after so many years.

Ino found herself regretting the query almost immediately as a full blown smirk came across his dark features. Leave it to Shikamaru to taunt her about her unfortunate circumstances. Not expecting a serious answer from him, she turned to make a hasty retreat back into the bustling great room. She would shield herself away from his scrutiny with the presence of her friends and then head back home with her proverbial tale tucked between her legs to scrounge up whatever money should could.

"How bad is it?" she could hear him calling to her, and found herself stopping as that was not the response she had expected to hear.

"How bad is what? How bad is to eat my words and swallow my pride and ask the likes of you for help?" she retorted bitterly, "It's like swallowing acid!" with that she whirled on him, and set her most hateful glare upon him.

Seemingly un-phased by her tirade, Shikamaru raised a petulant eyebrow at her, "No, how bad is your debt Drama Queen?"

His words were like getting douse with cold water, rousing her from her sleep. She found herself unable to come up with a decent retort so she answered back honestly, "I have college loans to pay back…and rent due…" only after the words came out of her mouth did she immediately regret how weak she sounded.

"Well that's easy enough," Shikamaru conceded in an aloof manner.

Ino could feel her ire rising again and made to turn back around and make good on her attempt at escape until she heard, "I have a job for you."

She halted mid-turn and regarded him out of the corner of her eye, not wanting to let on that she was as interested as she really was. What kind of job could he possibly have for her?

Seeming to take her pause and silence as an incentive to continue he did just that, "I'll pay you to be my girlfriend until the end of January."

The words sank in and Ino had to close her eyes as she began to tremble. Taking a deep steadying breath, she mentally counted to ten before opening them once more. After another second of silence she realized that ten wasn't a high enough number to count to!

She found her form moving of its own volition as she came to stand no more than a foot away from him. Her expression was so muddled with the emotions that she was experiencing. She knew Shikamaru must have been unsure of her reaction. Her heart was hammering rapidly in her chest as her ears burned an angry red color.

"I am not joking Shikamaru!" She screamed, not caring as to who could hear her.

She was so overwhelmed with anger and frustration and desperation and for this man to stand before her and tease her was the point where it all just became too much. She wanted to hit him, she wanted to push him and get out her anger someway somehow, because by now she was certain that keeping it bottled up inside like she had been was absolutely doing more harm than good.

Shikamaru had enough sense of self-preservation to take one step back. His expression was that of unease as he held up his hands in an assuaging manner. "Ino, when have you ever known me to joke?" he cajoled.

Trembling and once again on the verge of tears, Ino gathered her wits about her and brushed by him to stand in front of the glowing fireplace once again. True he teased her and messed with her relentlessly, but he was not an individual prone to comedic acts.

'No he just likes to torment people,' Ino thought bitterly.

"Listen," Shikamaru began, "I am a business man. I do what is good for my business so I can reach my goals. My current goal is to retire filthy rich at thirty-five and do nothing for the rest of my life."

Ino snorted at the fact that that sounded like something Shikamaru would say. He really hadn't changed one bit in the past ten years.

Not deterred by her sound of derision, he continued, "As a business man I need to appeal to my clients' sense of trust and comfort. Most business men don't like to do business with a man that doesn't have a wife..." he trailed off at that.

At his pause, Ino turned around to look at him, "You're serious…?"

"That is what I said," Shikamaru responded flippantly.

"Let me get this straight," Ino began, turning to face him, the light of the fireplace hiding her features in silhouette, "you want me to pose as your girlfriend so you can attract clients?"

Shikamaru nodded in confirmation, "You would essentially be a pawn on my chessboard," he smirked.

Ino took the barb and cast her gaze down to the ground. If a smart man like Shikamaru was having trouble gaining clients it made sense that it wasn't because of something that had to do with his way of thinking or his intelligence. He was shrewd even back in his green years and this fact must have only intensified as he grew older.

Who would have thought that the business world these days was so Victorian? But, thinking about it now, it made sense that was one of the reasons Ino still hadn't been able to strike out on her own business ventures, simply because she was a woman. Men were so sexist without even realizing it half of the time. But in this case she had an advantage. Without her, Shikamaru would struggle in reaching his goal. She wasn't foolish enough to think that he would be struggling much. But without her he would have to work a lot harder to achieve his goal and she knew that was something he did not want to do, even now. In this, she wasn't merely a pawn as he had mentioned, but a queen: a glowing figurehead that supported her king, not only for his good, but for her own as well.

Ino tilted her head up regally at the idea, "More like a queen than a pawn," she corrected.

Shikamaru snorted in ridicule, leveling her with a stern gaze, "How do you figure queenie?" he taunted.

"You need me," Ino found herself snapping back indignantly, gesturing at him with an index finger.

"Ha, don't kid yourself," Shikamaru balked as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Don't kid _yourself_, Shikamaru," she tossed back, "we both know that you are way too lazy and self-absorbed to actually go looking for a girlfriend let alone pursue one," she felt a glow of confidence as he had no ready comeback for her knowing statement, "I do have one question though,"

Receiving an inquisitive look she asked, "Why only till the end of January?"

At her query, Shikamaru grinned wickedly, "Why do you asked? Afraid you'll miss me once you have to go back to your normal boring life?"

"Just indulge me," she retorted dully, noticing a momentary light sparking somewhere in his dark gaze.

"From late October to mid-January is the high season for business parties. I need to show you off at these events to gain potential clients," he supplied nonchalantly, his eye beginning a slow trek down her form and back up again.

Ino found herself shivering yet again that night and not from lack of heat. The appraising look he gave her body set off a blaze in the pit of her stomach and she mentally withdrew as if burned by this startling revelation.

"You will live with me for the time being," he stated matter-of-factly. At this the blaze inside of her burned brighter, "if anything, maybe I can set you up in an office in my building and you can get some OJT. Who knows, maybe you can gain some potential clients of your own at one of these parties."

At the mention of a foot in the door to a good paying company, Ino became very hopeful, before reality finally set in, "Wait you don't even know how much money I owe," she said dejectedly.

"It doesn't matter, I can pay it," at the dismissive tone, Ino found herself staring in disbelief.

"Well then, if that's the case…" she rolled her eyes, "Where do you even live?" she asked off handedly.

"Suna," was the simply given answer.

"Wait you live three hours south of Konoha?" her expression was one of disbelief

"Yes," another simple answer.

"Hm, that's convenient," all of this seemed too good to be true.

Ino was almost tempted to pinch herself to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. For such an amazing opportunity like this to fall into her lap she believed that her luck had finally turned around. She wasn't going to fool herself though, knowing Shikamaru there were bound to be plenty of awkward moments and more than enough frustration to last her a lifetime…

"So do we have a deal?" she heard his voice make its way past her pondering and noticed a hand stretched out to hers in askance.

What more could she lose by accepting this agreement? She regarded the earlier feelings that he had elicited inside of her with merely a glance and some off-handed words. Would she be able to keep her emotions in check for the next three months and not let him get underneath her skin? If she needed a break from him all she really needed to do was drive back home for a spell. She knew that if she didn't accept that she would be in far worse shape than if she did.

Nodding resolutely, she took the offered hand and noticed it's warmth with a strange sense of foreboding. She looked up at his visage to find an almost predatory glint in his deep eyes and felt an ensuing dread wash over her. She felt like a mouse that had been ensnared by a cat, and now all she could do was struggle while he toyed with her until the inevitable end.

A/N: Please review and tell me what you think! :D


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorite this story thus far. I hope I can keep your interest through the rest of this story. :)

Chapter 5

The long trip to Shikamaru's humble estate was long and tedious. The length of the trip had given her ample time to really think about what was going to happen. She had agreed to pose as said man's girlfriend. What all did this entail? What was he going to expect of her? Strangely enough, Ino found herself none too concerned with what he would do to her physically and more what he would do to her mentally. Shikamaru was a cunning and manipulative person, it seemed, and she did not want to be played around with no matter how much money was at stake.

Shaking off her unease, Ino made a turn into a nice looking neighborhood. Surprisingly it wasn't littered with giant extravagant mansions. It was charming and off the beaten path, so to speak. As she journeyed further into the subdivision the houses became more infrequent, spread out at great distance.

"This is quaint," Ino murmured to herself as her GPS signaled that she had reached her destination.

She came to a halt outside a humble little two story house. It couldn't possibly have been more than 1600 square feet, she assumed as she placed her car in park and stepped out. The style was almost that of a cottage: rustic yet stylish. The drive way was long, ushering visitors back into the surrounding woods to reach the front door. A wrap around porch housed several wooden rocking chairs and a porch swing. Ino imagined that Shikamaru must love to lay out on that porch swing, gazing up thoughtfully at the clouds before dozing off into a peaceful nap.

The front door was a dusky blue color and the siding was a pristine white. Well-manicured flower beds with vibrant colored perennials drew her in closer to study their species. As a hopeful future flower shop owner she was familiar with most of the breeds. The yard was expansive, lush and green with smatterings of fruit bearing trees in random, but complimentary locations. It was beautiful, nothing like the city she lived in.

* * *

Shikamaru had been lounging, albeit restlessly, on the couch in his living room, staring eagerly at the clock that hung to the side of the fireplace. Ino should have arrived five minutes ago and he was struggling to maintain his stoic demeanor.

He couldn't help himself; he wanted so badly to take advantage of the situation. He wanted to show Ino that he was worth thinking of, more so than any brainless moron who relied completely on their looks to get them through in life.

In aging he had not changed too much, he thought. He was still lazy and self-centered, but in time he realized that to get what you want out of life a modicum of effort needed to be put forth. He still intended to keep the nonchalant persona that he portrayed, using it to his advantage as he progressed leaps and bounds above the over-eager fools that he was beating out. His cool and calm guise was what kept his clients at ease after all.

Knowing who he was as a person also made it easier for him to set goals. He was currently in a good place in his life. He was successful and sought after due to his assistance in the achievements of the Sabaku Company. They now ran a chain of high-end hotels along the east and west coast and were on the verge of going international.

All he wanted now in his life was a companion to share his success with. He may have been a recluse in school, but once again, with age, he realized how truly lonely life was without a family or friends to share it with. He had business friends and such, but he did not fit the mold. He was a young, single man living in a small home out in the country who was reserved and calculating. Not many individuals were necessarily beating down his door to spend free time with him.

Bar hopping had never been his thing, the act of getting drunk and the proceeding hangover the following day was far too troublesome to deal with. He was also too awkward to internet date. He had only realized this after a few years of attempting it. One only needed to go through so many one night stands and clingy money-grubbing girls to take a hint.

The one girl that he wanted was making him wait, was making him work, was making him put forth an effort, and that suited him just fine. Nothing worth having was ever easy to come by.

Rolling his eyes as he glanced at the clock again, he noticed that a single extra minute had passed by. He was edgy and anxious. He wanted her here now before she thought better of their deal.

She seemed so desperate the other night. Anxious about her future, she had reached out to him for help. She was a beautiful, proud woman and he knew this all too well. So for her to ask for his assistance and accept his offering was against her very nature. She probably had decided to forget all about it.

Sighing with resignation, he arose from the couch to travel to the front of the house. Maybe laying out on his porch swing and dozing in the cool autumn breeze would calm his nerves down.

Upon exiting the house, he noticed a silver car parked out on his driveway. Closing the front door without too much noise, he looked around for the intruder and came to find her admiring his lawn...

She was really a different breed of woman. Her hair fell in a wave of platinum blond down the length of her back and he found the urge to run his fingers through it overwhelming. She wore a dark teal shirt-dress-thing that came to mid-thigh with sheer tights and mahogany colored ankle boots. His eyes took her in reverently and he regretted having to pull her out of her wistful looking daydream.

* * *

"What are you looking at?"

Ino was startled out of her revere by Shikamaru's almost accusatory voice. She jerked her head up to the front porch to see him leaning over the railing, observing her in rapt curiosity, much as she had been observing her surroundings.

He wore a half smile on his face as he made to travel down the minimal amount of porch steps to come to stand before her. He wore a loose fitting long sleeve V-neck shirt that showed off a small portion of his smooth bare chest. A pair of sweat pants hung low over his narrow hips and his feet were naked. His shoulder length hair fell loosely around the column of his neck. Ino had never recalled seeing his hair down and she gazed up at him appraisingly.

The smile that Shikamaru wore slowly turned to a cocky smirk as he asked, "See something you like?"

Ino's mood soured almost instantly, "No," she retorted and made to open the trunk of her car, not thinking for the first time that day that this was a bad idea…

"It's ok if you want to admit it muffin. I was admiring you."

The sarcasm was lost on Ino as she blushed furiously at the ridiculous endearment and brazen confession, "Muffin?!"

"Yeah, it is far too cutesy. The clients won't go for it. How about pookie, or pumpkin? Hm…maybe babe…"

"Ino is just fine!" she snapped as she practically hurled her large duffle bag at him.

Receiving a satisfied smirk for her efforts at being aloof and uncaring, Ino sighed and looked at Shikamaru expectantly to lead the way. With a shrug, he did as was expected of him while tossing Ino's duffle over his shoulder to carry.

Upon entering the door, it yielded an open floor concept and Ino was shocked at how well decorated it was. The foyer was short and narrow, but cozy with a set of stairs to the right leading to the next level. Past the foyer and underneath the steps was what Ino assumed to be the coat closet or a half bath. Further back was the breakfast nook that retained a bay window with a built in seat, cushioned with what looked to be some well-worn microfiber. Immediately to the left of the bay window was a door leading out onto an expansive deck which housed much of the same outdoor furniture as the front. To the left was the living room which contained a large wood burning fireplace that was currently lit and stoked to the perfect temperature. There were also built in bookshelves lining the adjacent wall and filled to exploding with numerous books, magazines, and ledgers. To the right was the modest kitchen with oak colored floors and cabinets, two barstools accompanied an island in the middle of the U-shaped kitchen. The barstools were situated to have the occupants facing away from the living room.

"This is it," Shikamaru supplied, shrugging noncommittally.

Ino had to restrain her complements, not wanting to give Shikamaru an even bigger head, "Where will I be staying?" she asked, meeting his neutral gaze.

Without a word, Shikamaru turned to head back toward the front door and Ino followed. Mounting the stairs, she found herself curious to see what his bedroom could possibly look like…before she mentally shooed away the thought. She absolutely did _not_ want to be familiar with the layout of his bedroom… She found herself blushing faintly as they reached the precipice of the stairs.

A minimal amount of railing was present, allowing the viewer to take note of an intricate chandelier and glance down at the front door and foyer. On the opposite side one could view the breakfast nook. To the left of the stairs she noticed two doors and to the right she noticed another two. Shikamaru turned right and gestured to the door to his immediate right.

"This is your room," he mentioned before tilting his head slightly to the left, "that is my room."

Ino bristled slightly as she swore he began to leer at her, "I don't care!" she snapped and was suddenly startled to find herself being backed into the nearest wall…

Her eyes widened minutely as she released the suite case she had been carrying to place a hand against his chest in warning. This gesture did little to dissuade Shikamaru as he dropped her duffle bag to place both hands on the wall to either side of Ino's head, effectively capturing his prey. His eyes gleamed with something that Ino wasn't familiar with as his mouth dipped to be within a breath's distance from her own.

Shikamaru couldn't help himself; the blush that darkened her cheeks as he gestured to his room just did something to him. He found himself wanting her at that very moment more than he had ever. She was in just the perfect position for him to take advantage of her too. Back pressed against the wall, looking at him with startled sky blue eyes.

He was pleased to see that her expression wasn't that of disgust or loathing, she was simply startled and looking up at him expectantly with that small hand of hers pressed to the center of his chest. There was no way she couldn't feel the pounding of his heart, the very thought unnerved him as he made a point to school his features the best that he could.

Ino's heart raced furiously as her body began to tremble uncontrollably; suddenly all of the minute feelings that he had been eliciting from her since the night of the reunion came rushing back to her in full force. A heat ignited in her belly once again as she did everything she could think of to maintain her composure, to include closing her eyes before she realized that he may take that as an invitation and opened them up widely.

Moments passed that seemed to stretch for hours as Shikamaru remained unmoving. His eyes would drift slowly over the contours of her face before journeying back up leisurely to take in her bewildered expression.

Finally, Ino found her voice, "What are you doing?"

She shivered as he licked his lips and the minute tremor was not lost on him.

He was hard pressed to think of a decent excuse at that moment and was pleased when his calculating mind produced one effortlessly, "We need the clients to believe that we are a couple don't we?" he asked cryptically, his eyes boring into hers once more.

"You mean _you_ need them to believe–," Ino was cut off abruptly as Shikamaru slanted his mouth over hers, effectively silencing her comments.

He could finally take no more. She was going to argue with him. She was going to show him her fiery personality that he loved so much.

He pressed his lips to hers hotly and heard the hammering of his heart in his ears as she didn't withdraw from him. She was allowing this to happen and the thought thrilled Shikamaru to his very core. He would show her that he was worthy of her affections if it was the last thing he ever did in his life.

His tongue stroked languidly against the part of her lips and he was rewarded for his efforts as she yielded to him. He found himself taking his time, enjoying the feelings that he was experiencing as he wound his tongue slowly around Ino's

Her hand, held up in defense, now clutched mindlessly at his shirt. Ino found her back stiffening before relaxing almost immediately, the feeling of Shikamaru's mouth upon hers in such an unhurried passionate manner causing a tingle to travel from the center of her chest to the juncture of her legs.

Her ears burned hotly in minimal embarrassment and anger as she made to return the kiss. Two could play at this game…

She let out a soft seductive sigh and pressed herself forward flush against his body, delighting in the startled gasp that came from her tormentor. Her free hand wandered on an unhurried journey up the length of his arm and the column of his neck before tangling gently in his loose hair, gripping gently at the soft strands. This gesture seemed to unleash the animal within as Ino found herself pressed roughly up against the wall with Shikamaru's hands gripping her hips tightly. A strong leg came to press between her thighs and Ino felt an unrestrained moan escape her throat as she broke the kiss to pant restlessly and stare up at the ceiling.

She could feel a tremble run through Shikamaru and before things could get carried away any further she breathed out, "Physical attraction is easy to fake…" her eyes took in his confused expression with a minimal amount of smugness as awareness began to seep into him and he withdrew his body slowly.

Something strange passed through his eyes, but was gone within an instant as he pushed his hands deeply into the pockets of his sweat pants and looked at her with a barley contained look of irritation.

"What we need to work on is our background story…" Ino suggested.

Shikamaru raised a brow at this comment before he huffed out, "You work on the background story. I have more important things to do," with that he turned unhurriedly to enter his room.

"Like what?!" Ino snapped her ire peaked again.

"Like work," Shikamaru supplied flippantly, "one of us has to earn a living," he tossed back over his shoulder as the door shut behind him.

Ino felt like screaming…

* * *

Shikamaru pressed his back against his bedroom door, his heart hammering madly in his chest. She was such a tease! There was no possible way that the kiss they shared had not affected her like it had affected him. Clenching his jaw, a muscle jumping in his cheek, he made his way to the desk that was present in his room. He intended to dive into his work, to get his mind off of the siren on the other side of that wall.

A/N: Alright, onto the next! I hope I got some of you hot and bothered with that. It has been a really long time since I have written a story so please let me know if you think I am doing well. I'm also concerned that I am not expressing their feelings and emotions as well as I once was able to so please let me know if you disagree with me. Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Ino rubbed her hands together nervously as she looked at herself in the full length mirror. She wore a navy blue, floor length, sheath dress with the back cut out down to the small of her spine. A single delicate button at the nape of her neck held up the boat cut neckline and long tight fitting sleeves. Her hair cascaded down over the front of her left shoulder in delicate waves, twisted under from her right ear along the hairline to force it to stay over her should and leave her back bare. Her makeup was natural and almost nonexistent aside from a light smoky eye. Her appearance wasn't making her nervous, but the Halloween party she was to attend with Shikamaru was.

This would be the first event that he would show her off at and despite his flippant remark to come up with a background for the two of them she had not been able to think of much. Her stomach felt heavy with dread as a knock came at her door.

"Are you done yet? We're going to be late at this rate." came the surly voice of her current employer.

Heart pounding, she gathered up her silk clutch and headed for the door, her glittering heels making little sound against the carpet. Gathering up her courage, she opened the door to face Shikamaru and was puzzled by the look on his face. It was as if he did not want to blink for fear that the very sight of her was a figment of his imagination. Gaining a little bit of self-confidence, she sauntered up to him and was pleased as his eyes took her in from head to toe.

Shikamaru could not help but gawk at her. It was all he could do to keep his jaw from dropping as she gazed up at him with her tentative blue eyes. His stomach clenched with something indescribable as he struggled to keep his hands to himself. Her dress clung to her like a second skin and accentuated all of her womanly curves. He was going to have a hard time restraining himself that night, he just knew it…

"See something you like?" she teased, throwing his previous words right back at him.

Not expecting an answer she was startled when she heard, "Yes," murmured gently against her ear as she passed by him.

She turned to regard him with a startled look, her heart hammering somewhere in her throat as a chill ran down her spine. His dark gaze held hers for one more moment before he stepped away and made to place a hand at the small of her back to gently guide her down the stairs. The touch sent a jolt through her body and she found it difficult to not walk stiffly.

The drive to the party was short, quiet and eventless. Not a word was breathed between the two of them and Ino was relieved for this. It felt as if she hadn't had a single moment to relax since she had arrived at Shikamaru's home and she was desperate for a chance to deflate and breathe. Hopefully this shindig had a well-stocked bar because she needed a cocktail!

Upon reaching the venue, she realized that it was an extravagant hotel. Sabaku Suites was emblazoned in red florescent light from the 30th or so story. Pulling up to a side entrance, a valet took away the car they were driving with immediate haste, bowing respectfully at the couple as they walked by.

"It ain't The Ritz, but it'll do," Ino teased as Shikamaru offered her his arm with a grin.

Upon entering the side lobby, there were signs they began to follow leading them into the lavishly extravagant ball room. The era was 18th century Rococo and Ino found herself agape in startled awe. She didn't even know that places like this existed outside of museums and was drawn out of her revere as a pamphlet was placed into her hand along with an ornate ladylike mask.

Shikamaru found himself smiling at Ino's awestruck expression and recovered quickly before anyone could see, hiding it behind a mask of indifference.

"Close your mouth, you look like a fish." Shikamaru teased rudely.

Ino could swear anyone within a five foot radius could hear the sound of her jaws snapping together. She turned her head to glare at him and was only slightly irritated by the expected smirk on his face.

"You watch yourself tonight Shikamaru," she warned, "a handsome, wealthy bachelor might sweep me off my feet and then I would have no need for you."

A twinge of irritation overtook Shikamaru's face as her rounded on Ino, grasping her upper arms none too gently in his hands he seethed at her, "We both know that you aren't in this for a man Ino, so don't fool yourself. I know you're bluffing."

Before she could growl out her response they were accosted by an overly friendly older gentleman, "Hey hey Nara that isn't how you treat a lady. You gotta woo them. That's what they like, right miss?"

Ino was surprised as Shikamaru released her as if burned and folded his arms defiantly across his chest. She turned to take in the older man and smiled at him gently. Behind the plain black eye mask that was tied around his head she could pick out his features. His hair was short, black and swept up with small traces of gel, his eyes were a kind chocolate brown and he wore his facial hair in that of a chin curtain. He was tall and broad and handsome.

Ino smiled as he took her hand in his and bowed low over it. "It is quite a pleasure to meet you young lady. My name is Sarutobi Asuma."

Shikamaru found himself glaring at Asuma. He was flirting with her and although he knew the older man meant no harm he still felt his possessiveness stirring.

Ino found herself attempting an awkward curtsy as she responded in kind, "My name is Yamanaka Ino. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."

A snort could be heard from behind her and Ino found herself glaring over her shoulder at an irritable looking Shikamaru. Moving to stand beside Ino, he placed his hand at the small of her back and Ino could feel her skin begin to tingle pleasantly. It was, after all, a far cry from the nearly painful grasp of his hands on her arms a moment ago.

"What do you want Asuma?" Shikamaru asked abruptly and Ino found herself chiding him.

"That's rude."

A role of the eyes was all Ino got at her response and she was drawn to look back at Asuma as he laughed jovially. "Oh don't worry about it Ino, he has always been a brat."

Shikamaru snorted again as Asuma continued the conversation as if he wasn't there, "What I would like to know, is how an enchanting creature such as yourself came to find herself with a brat like Nara here?"

Ino's earlier trepidation at not having planned a background story returned with a vengeance as she stiffened up minimally. The stroke of a thumb over the small of her spine was all but lost on her as she turned to regard Shikamaru nervously.

He found himself grinning back at her as her eyes implored him for help. He would let her squirm under the inquisition as payback for the previous night.

"Yeah Shika, how did we come to meet?" she stalled, hoping that he may think of something more quickly than her.

"Oh no, you're not getting me to kiss and tell," he grinned evilly, "this is all on you Ino, love."

Blushing darkly at the endearing title, she looked over at Asuma again, who wore an expectant look on his face. Breathing in deeply, she began to explain the beginnings of their turbulent history before a thought crossed her mind. She would just have to tell some embarrassing stories about his childhood.

Shikamaru watched her out of the corner of his eye as a mischievous smile crossed her lips. She was going to do something that he was going to regret, he just knew it. He found himself pressing his thumb into the small of her back in a minimal warning. If she took it as that he didn't know as she began to formulate her story.

"Well Shika and I happened to meet when we were very little. We grew up together. I _never_ liked him back then. He was far too annoying and childish."

Glaring hatefully at her he added, "But this girl here was nothing but a little miss bossy britches."

"Oh was I?" Ino asked sarcastically, "Well it made sense to me back then to wake him up when he fell asleep in class," she continued unfalteringly, "especially when one day he fell into such a deep sleep that he fell out of his chair and hit his poor little head on the floor. He broke two of his baby teeth and lisped until he grew in his permanents."

Ino was pleased to hear a guffaw coming from the older man and flinched away from Shikamaru slightly as he pinched the small of her back covertly. She glared hatefully at him as if to say 'that's what you get'.

Eyes narrowing in disconcertion, he made to give as good as he got, "I'm surprised you remember that Ino, love," he began, his eyes darkened with something that foretold of vengeance.

"Of course I do," Ino laughed, "I called you Thikamaru for a year after that!" she responded with a fake lisp of his name before succumbing to the urge to chuckle louder.

That was the last straw, "No more embarrassing than you to get bubble gum stuck in your hair," he began and Ino's face turned a ghostly white color at the disconcerting memory, "she had to get her head shaved to get rid of all of it. It took three years before it was long enough to put it into a pony tail again. Learned your lesson after that didn't you?"

"Yeah now I don't chew gum anymore."

Asuma's laughter was addictive as she began to giggle slightly to herself, enjoying the scowl that was present on Shikamaru's face.

Calming down from his unrestrained mirth, Asuma wiped a tear that rolled down his cheek, "Oh that is just priceless! But I don't remember having laid eyes on you within the last few years my dear."

Ino floundered around uselessly for an answer, "Well you see…"

Taking advantage of her stammering, Shikamaru answered, "I ran into her again working at Hooters."

The urge to smack him in the arm was for once just too great. She relished in the hiss she heard from him before attempting to recover some dignity for the remainder of the story. "I-I was pretty desperate back then. I had just gotten out of college and was doing everything I could to keep afloat and get myself into the mainstream business world."

Asuma regarded her with interest before she continued. "I basically caught up with Shika that night and he offered me a job to get some experience before I decide that the time is right to open up my own business."

Shikamaru had not known this. He found himself looking at her expectantly and was grateful that Asuma was invested in the conversation enough to ask the question that he was thinking.

"What kind of business are you hoping to start?" Asuma asked.

With this, she could feel both men's eyes trained on her and she blushed, feeling that her goals seemed small now. "A flower shop."

She took note of the softening of Shikamaru's eyes and withdrew, assuming that the expression was that of pity. That was certainly something she didn't need right now.

"That is a great goal, Ino!" she heard Asuma concur and was startled to feel Shikamaru's hand smooth over the small of her back again to rest on her right hip and draw her closer to his side.

The act alone seemed very intimate and Ino blushed as she felt her skin tingle in the wake of his overly familiar touch. She was astounded to discover that she didn't mind it, however and looked over at him to see his eyes studying her intently.

The expression on her face was unreadable and Shikamaru gazed back at her in rapt fascination. This woman that he cared for had a beautiful dream. He had always thought her to be somewhat shallow but this dream of hers unveiled something about her that he thought was dear and precious. It showed him that she wasn't as vain as she portrayed herself to be. Maybe she was hiding behind a mask as well.

"Ah young love," Asuma sighed taking his leave with a wave of his hand and an 'it was very nice to have met you, Ino'.

Either person didn't really acknowledge Asuma's absence as they studied one another. Ino could feel herself becoming uneasy as the silence between them dragged on.

She had never really dated much outside of high school. It was as if once she had gotten her diploma she no longer had time for frivolous things like boys and relationships. But she knew that Shikamaru remembered her as the school flirt. She prided herself on her appearance back then and would chase boys around as if they were water to a deserted individual. Looking back on it now, she cringed. She was boy crazy and racy and reckless with her heart and the hearts of others. After having hers broken so many times she felt she had learned her lesson.

Looking at Shikamaru now, though, with his overwhelming eyes and handsome features, she believed that she would need to be reeducated. The feelings that he had been making her experience were unfamiliar to her now, but she was steadily beginning to recall.

She liked Shikamaru, or at least she liked the way that he made her feel when he complemented her, when he touched her, when he kissed her. The feelings that he elicited inside of her were sensual and primal and she wanted nothing more than to fan the flames of the fire that he had lit inside of her.

But he was only calculating, only analyzing. She knew that he wasn't feeling the same things that she was. He was a strategic person and only looked at things from a win or lose stand point. He was also a very cautious, guarded person. It would take a lot of effort to break through his defenses, and Ino decided that in the long run it wasn't worth it. But that didn't mean that she couldn't enjoy his touch and his words. It simply meant that she needed to guard her heart as well.

Shikamaru watched as Ino seemed to be thinking to herself before her eyes took on a resolute look. He wondered if she had come to some sort of conclusion and was curious to ask what before he was interrupted by his business partner.

"Nara," a soft voice could be heard from behind her and Ino blinked out of her stupor to look behind her at a unique looking man and a beautiful woman standing behind him.

He couldn't be much older than either of them and not much shorter than Shikamaru. His hair was shaggy and red, his eyes were a piercing turquoise color and his skin was pale. His expression was unreadable as Shikamaru came around from behind her to offer a hand to the shorter man.

"Gaara, how are you?" Shikamaru asked amicably as said man took his hand in his for a cordial shake.

Behind Gaara stood a wheat blond haired girl no taller than Ino. Her eyes were a dark forest green and took in her appearance in a cold calculating manner.

'What's this chick's problem?'Ino thought to herself, restraining the defensive scowl she wanted to throw back at the girl, instead settling for a polite smile.

She was a similar stature to Ino, if a little more full in the hips and bust. Her wheat blond hair was bunched up on the top of her head in a messy bun with jagged bangs accenting and framing her eyes. She wore a pale lavender colored strapless evening gown that billowed down to the floor in flowing gauzy strips. A challenge seemed to linger in her forest green eyes and Ino watched as she glanced over to Shikamaru, then back to her suspiciously.

'Oh great a jealous ex-girlfriend.' Ino caught herself as she began to role her eyes.

The silent exchange between the two women went unnoticed as Shikamaru made to introduce his date, "This is my girlfriend Ino," the words came so easily to him and he couldn't help but notice the pretty blush that came to Ino's cheeks.

"It's very nice to meet you," Gaara greeted, his voice bland and almost emotionless.

Ino concurred as she grasped his hand in a firm shake and smiled at him warmly. The smile was not returned however, and this made Ino shift uncomfortably under his scrutinizing gaze. Without so much as a blink he released her hand and turned away, his blond companion trailing behind him.

"Ok, he's weird." Ino comment under her breath as the pair were just out of ear-shot.

"Don't worry about them," Shikamaru murmured back, "they are the family that owns this chain of hotels," he supplied, enjoying the bewildered expression on Ino's face.

"That was Sabaku Gaara?!" she gasped in a surprised manner, "Who was the girl with him?" she asked off-handedly.

"His older sister Temari," Shikamaru's answered simply as he grasped her by the elbow to lead her to a round table with eight chairs stationed around it.

The centerpieces were beautiful and extravagant. Miniature, gnarled, black painted trees were reaching up to the top of the golden ceiling and were surrounded with violet orange and black flowers at the base. Stings of violet colored crystals were dangling haphazardly from the thin limbs and smatterings of cobwebs were wrapped around each chair back.

Ino had never seen anything as extravagant as the event that was occurring. Orchestral music was being played by an actual orchestra in a hidden alcove of the ball room. On the dance floor, couples seemed to waltz elegantly as the music took hold of their senses. Well-dressed people were hobnobbing in small groups scattered throughout the expansive room, wearing eye masks as part of the masquerade that was occurring. Along the furthest wall was a set of tables which held a myriad of dazzling looking items and note cards underneath.

"It's a silent auction for a charity." Shikamaru explained as he noticed the direction of her gaze.

Shikamaru took the eye mask Ino was holding and made to tie it behind her head. Once finished he found himself placed his hands gently upon her shoulders and exhaled a breath along the nape of her neck. He delighted in the shiver that he felt from her.

Without much thought, Ino made to look over her shoulder at him. In doing this, his lips brushed along the curve of her cheek in a chaste gesture.

Shikamaru murmured against her skin, "You are doing well Ino. I almost believe that we are really together, "he could feel his heart hammering in his chest once again as her expression became unreadable.

Her limbs began to tremble uncontrollably as his hands trailed from her shoulders down to her hips, his knuckles brushing the sensitive skin along her spine in a gentle caress. She couldn't help herself, she turned her head just another inch to capture his mouth with hers…


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorite this story! This chapter is a little short and I apologize for that. I wanted to try and show a little more development to the tension in their relationship. Teasing is going to be a common theme. I like the idea of a teasing battle before the two finally just give in to their feelings for one another. Please read and enjoy!

Chapter 7

Shikamaru grumbled irritably as he was dragged out of his pleasant dreams by the now familiar sound of pots and pans being tossed around in his kitchen. Ino had settled into his life easily enough, and had taken to making him breakfast in the morning after she had lived with him for a few days. A week had passed now since the Halloween Fundraiser and he took the noise making as an alarm clock to wake him up. She always seemed to get her way with this simple act.

Shikamaru rolled out of bed, his hair ruffled and messy, as he made his way downstairs, neglecting to put on a shirt as he knew the effect it had on Ino. His eyes took in her appearance as she covertly gazed at him out of the corner of her eye. She wore a pair of yoga pants that hung low on her hips and her lacy tank rode up high on her waist, showing off a pair of dimples above her bottom.

Shikamaru clenched his eyes shut against the tantalizing view as he made to get a cup of coffee. Living with her was sheer torture. She inhabited the bed in the room across from his and his mind toyed with many scenarios. He imagined sneaking in during the middle of the night and watching her sleep before she stirred awake, alarmed to see him but with an anticipatory expression none-the-less. At not being asked to leave immediately he imagined pouncing on her, kissing her breathless and having his wicked way with her. He even imagined the scenario if it were reversed. Admittedly this situation would never happen, but he could dream.

Sitting at the island, he watched Ino move about the kitchen, leering at her as she bent over to take out tomatoes from the ice box in the fridge or arched her back as she made to reach a glass at the top of the cupboards. She was so very tempting, and Shikamaru compared the mornings he spent with Ino as pure agony. Some mornings he just couldn't stand to deal with her, not trusting his self-restrain. He would often prepare for work and leave in a hurry, but not without a glare from her and a snide remark.

Today he felt like drinking in the sight of her.

Ino found herself smiling as she felt Shikamaru's heated gaze on her body. She had found herself thrilling at the way he took in her appearance every morning. His dark calculating gaze dragging down her form and then up again to meet her gaze with a tormented look. She loved the thought that he craved her and the very idea made her stomach clench deliciously.

She had been living with him for just about a week now and had not had much to do during the days as he retreated to work. So she loved the time they spent together in the morning…

She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he sipped his coffee before averting his attention to the newspaper she had laid out for him. He liked to read the business section every morning and paid close attention to the stock market.

Realizing that his attention was no longer going to be completely on her, she pouted as she transferred the contents in the frying pan to the two plates on the countertop. Turning off the stove top burner, she placed the pan on a cool coil before returning to the fridge to grab some orange juice. Pouring the contents of the carton into two glasses, she returned the juice to the fridge before setting a glass in front of Shikamaru and the place that she would occupy beside him. Retrieving the two plates on the counter, she mimicked her earlier actions before sitting next to Shikamaru.

She waited for him to put his paper down before she began to eat. She waited…and waited…

Shiakamaru grinned wickedly behind his newspaper as he could practically feel her irate gaze burning into the side of his head. If she insisted on teasing him in the mornings with her delicious body then he would tease her in other ways.

He began a countdown to Armageddon in his head before her heard, "Aren't you going to eat?"

Peeking out from behind his paper momentarily, he glanced at her then at the plate presented to him, "In a minute," he responded, restraining the mirth that was about to make itself present in his words, "let me finish this article."

Ino set her jaw resolutely as she continued to glare at Shikamaru as if the very act would make him concede and do as she wished. No such thing occurred though as he continued to read. Her anger peaked as she grabbed at the newspaper and smiled triumphantly at the resounding rip. Her smile grew to a satisfied smirk as he glowered at her between the two remaining pieces of paper held between his hands.

"Serves you right," she chided "when a lady prepares a meal for you, you eat it up immediately and tell her how incredible it is, even if it isn't."

"Well that's funny," Shikamaru began as a snide smirk came across his features, "as I don't know what lady you could possibly be talking about."

His smirk grew as she swiveled around in her barstool to face him. She was going to continue berating him unless he did something about it and fast. He slid from his stool to stand between her spread thighs grabbing onto her hips he leaned into her with an intimidating glare that stole away her words.

Ino gasped out slightly as she felt his hands come to rest on her hips. He had taken away the fight in her with just a look and a precarious position.

She would not let him get away with that.

Shikamaru felt his eyes widening as she tilted back her chin to kiss along his jaw and up to his mouth. She was a clever one and he gave in to her advances without a second thought. His hands journeyed from her hips to the swell of her bottom, cupping both cheeks in his large hands and scooting her closer to him until he could feel her heat against his lower belly. Her thighs gripped his waist tightly and he felt the urge to thrust up against her before his mind kicked back into gear and he broke away from her as if burned.

A muscle in his jaw jumped as he looked upon her thoroughly debauched form leaning back languidly against the spine of her barstool. She won this battle, he conceded, but she most certainly would not win the war. Taking a steadying breath, he maneuvered around her inviting body to head back up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" he heard her ask huskily as she swiveled around to watch his retreat.

"To work," he answered shortly.

"But what about breakfast?!" he could hear her shout as he retreated into the confines of his bedroom to regroup for the next encounter.

A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed that! Please review and spread the word. :D


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews, follows, and favorites! I think this story is coming along pretty well. If you like this one, then please read my newest ShikaIno story, A True Love Story. It is going to be epic! I am currently writing three stories at the same time so my mind is going all over the place. It's awesome, but it mas it a little difficult to focus. I don't really want to let any of them sit so just be patient with me and keep encouraging me with your awesome words. Please read and enjoy!

Chapter 8

Living with the likes of Shikamaru was more than difficult. Not only was he intentionally difficult, but he was a temptation that she was beginning to find very difficult to deny herself. The way that he looked at her drove her insane and made her body ache deliciously.

So when he allowed her to work in his office it had absolutely not curbed her desires, but it did make it more difficult to act on them. When at his home she could tempt him all she wanted and flirt with him openly. If she did such a thing at the workplace, she would be labeled the office slut, and she did not want that.

Their day to day activities melded into a slow dance of temptation as heated looks were exchanged and innuendos were tossed playfully into conversation. They both knew that nothing serious would come of it though, as after the deal that they had struck would be completed they would both go their separate ways.

Ino didn't quite understand why that very thought incensed her, but she wasn't willing to dwell on it at that moment. She had taken on the job as Shikamaru's temp, with an understanding that this situation was just that, temporary. The position itself was simple enough, organize his files, bring him coffee, keep him on schedule for all of his meetings. She had that office running like a well-greased machine in only a week's time.

At that very moment she was bringing him his coffee. Wearing a skin tight, waist high, black pencil skirt that landed just above the knee and a crisp white button down shirt with just one too many buttons undone from the collar down, she believed herself to be an undeniable temptation. Her hair was pulled up into a loose bun with a pencil sticking out from the tie and a set of horn rimmed glasses perched on the end of her nose. She enjoyed making Shikamaru sweat as she sauntered around the office in her business attire.

Knocking on his office door, she did not wait for a response before she entered. He was leaning back in his large leather swivel chair with a phone pressed to his ear as he typed at his computer. He had long sense removed his suit jacket. The sleeves of his white button down shirt were rolled up to the elbow and his narrow black tie was hanging slightly loose against the single button undone at his throat.

He was certainly a sight to behold as he glanced up at her momentarily and motioned for her to come into the office.

The office itself was a reasonable size with a single wall nothing but a series of floor to ceiling windows. They were up on the twenty eighth floor of the Suna Company's main business building and if someone were prone to vertigo looking down would be a mistake. The carpet was clean and Shikamaru's desk was to the immediate right of the door, allowing him to look out the windows that took up to the opposite wall. He must get a lot of cloud gazing in when he wasn't busy. A leather couch with two accompanying leather chairs and coffee table took up the far right side of the room and along the left wall was a simple end table with a tall lamp and nick knack bowl which held Shikamaru's keys and a pair of shades.

Ino glanced over to him as he motioned her inside. She closed the door behind herself and smiled secretly at him as he continued to speak with his client on the phone. He had learned his lesson the day that he wasn't busy when she came in to deliver his morning coffee. She had taken advantage of the private room to sit on his desk and cross her legs, tempting him as her skirt rode up along her thighs. He had stood up immediately, a frustrated look on his face as he walked around his desk to open the door, ushering her out a moment later. She had pouted cutely at that and assured him that 'this isn't over'.

The door had slammed behind her and she had grinned at his irate expression for the rest of that day. Teasing men was in her nature, but it had never before felt this satisfying. But he was sure to give as good as he got. One day that very same week he had snuck up behind her at her own desk out on the main floor. He had played at the guise that he was assisting her in her work. He had leaned over from behind her, his right arm crossing over her shoulder so he could point at the screen of her monitor. His cheek had come to graze along her ear as he whispered to her in a heated tone.

"Two can play at this game," he tilted his head after that to take in her startled expression and heated blush, "you wait till you get home tonight," he had threatened before withdrawing his hand, absently brushing his fingers along her neck and shoulder, blazing a trail of fire in their wake.

That night nothing had happened. She realized that he had been teasing her with the very thought and the anticipation of what he might do and that had irritated her immensely. Well if two could play at this game then it was her turn to make a move.

She set the cup of coffee on his desk, watching him with entrancing eyes, waiting for him to acknowledge her. She maintained her grip on the base of the cup as she leaned forward, flashing her cleavage at him.

He had still yet to meet her gaze or even look at her as he continued to speak with his client in a calm cool tone. He reached out for his coffee cup and felt resistance as he attempted to lift it to his lips. The minimal struggle splashed a little bit of the coffee over his fingers and he winced softly.

"Oh no, it's dripping," Ino murmured seductively as she grasped his scalded hand and lifted his wet fingers to her mouth to lick them clean.

Shikamaru's words got caught in his throat as he watched Ino clean off his fingers with her mouth. His eyes widened as he could feel himself begin to stiffen…

Ino smiled at him sweetly as his eyes drank her in. His hand had gone limp and his mouth was gaping open at her as she moved her tongue over the tips of his fingers before taking one fully into her mouth.

The sound of his office door opening snapped the two out of their trance and Shikamaru jerked his hand away as if burned. He found himself stumbling to his feet as he panted out softly, a startled if lust filled expression on his face as he glared over at Ino whose expression was smug and satisfied.

She attempted to look innocent as a familiar pair entered into the office.

"Gaara, Temari," Shikamaru greeted with a shaky voice. He took a moment to say goodbye to his client that he had left on the phone before further engaging the pair.

Taking an unsteady breath, he willed his heart to come to a reasonable pace after the heated encounter he just had with Ino. Thinking her name alone brought back the image of her mouth around his fingers and he wondered for a moment what it would feel like if her mouth were somewhere…

He cleared his throat loudly and closed his eyes in an attempt to dispel the thoughts and images. The offender just stood on the opposite side of his desk with a polite smile on her face and her hands clasped behind her back as if nothing had even happened.

'How was she unfazed by that?!'

A curious look passed between the two visitors as Shikamaru reached out to shake Gaara's hand. The redhead withdrew his hand after a momentary grasp, shaking his appendage to remove the coffee that Shikamaru had transferred to him from the touch.

"Oh, whoops, sorry about that," he apologized nervously as he withdrew a handkerchief from his pocket to offer it to the red head.

Gaara accepted it before breaking out into a quiet conversation with the dark haired man.

Ino continued to smile to herself as she watched the conversation between the two men. She was feeling so good about herself. Seeing Shikamaru flounder around awkwardly as he attempted to regain his composure was so very satisfying.

"Don't you have anything else better to do than stand there looking like an idiot?"

"Excuse me?" Ino breathed out, taking in the glare that she received from the woman known as Temari.

"Did I stutter?" Temari asked, looking to Shikamaru as he arched a brow at the two women's conversation.

"Don't look at me, I'm not getting into this," he supplied, motioning for Gaara to follow him over to the leather furniture at the right side of the office.

Ino huffed irately at not being defended by her…what…her friend? No. He was her boss, and she was his temp and the woman standing before her was above her station. She glared angrily over at Shikamaru as he had not come to her defense, but it wasn't his place to. It wasn't like the two of them meant anything to one another. After January, they would go their separate ways, so why would he bother wasting his time on someone like her?

With that thought she turned to look back at Temari as she smirked back smugly. This really was a reality check and an eye opener for Ino. She had lost sight of her goal. With this realization she exited the office and headed back to her desk to pretend to work for the remainder of the day. After work she decided that she would go home for a little while to get her priorities back in order…

A/N: Reality check! Oh this chapter was so fun to write! Shikamaru didn't know what to do with himself he was so flustered. Hahaha! Please review and tell me what you think. I'm going to crank out the next chapter ASAP!


	9. Chapter 9

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

Chapter 9

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

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

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

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

Shikamaru would never love her!

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

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

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

'What is tha–?'

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

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

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

* * *

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

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

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

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

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

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

* * *

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

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

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

'Why can't I just be brave?'

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

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

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

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

* * *

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

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

'Apparently not!' he admitted derisively.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He had almost lost her…

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

She pushed back at his chest with significant effort.

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

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


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I want to thank everyone for all of the wonderful supportive reviews. This story has definitely received a lot more attention than I thought it would. This chapter was fun to write and it takes the story into a direction that I think is good. Please read and enjoy.

Chapter 10

The next few days were spent with the pair doing anything and everything to avoid one another, which happened to be very difficult as they worked and lived together. Shikamaru would wake up and leave the house before Ino. And Ino would drop off his cup of coffee just before his usual early morning meeting let out. He would take lunch out of the office while she filed his paperwork. He would stay late into the evening whereas she would leave early and be fast asleep before he even got home after a long stressful day of work and eluding her.

It really was inevitable that they would run into each other, but Ino had wished that it would have taken longer and been under different circumstances…

She glanced up at the clock above Shikamaru's office door that read twelve o'clock. Five more minutes and he would be heading out the door to get some lunch. She had his schedule plotted out to perfection. After he left, he would be back at quarter till, which would give her just enough time to file the papers he would leave on his desk.

She had cut it a little late the other day and nearly ran into him on her way out of his office. He had been occupied with reading an invoice or letter of some sort as he approached her from the right. Ino had turned left immediately and scuttled out of sight, taking the long way around the office back to her desk as her path had been blocked by Shikamaru's approach.

It was so inconvenient to have to constantly avoid him, but she still had not forgiven him and he honestly didn't even seem to care that he hadn't seen hide or hair of her in the last three days. He just didn't care about her the way that she cared for him. She was certain that he thought she was a nuisance.

Ino couldn't have possibly been more wrong as Shikamaru had taken notice of her absence. He assumed that the games they had been playing must have been over at this point and that she was only interested in a working relationship. Because of this, he didn't see any logical reason why he should put more effort in than necessary. He truly did not want her to think that he cared more than he did. She would laugh at him if she knew just how much he had grown to love her. Her rejection the other night had been a clear enough message and he was unwilling to exacerbate the issue any further. Another two months and the problem would be moot anyways.

Ino peeked over the edge of her cubical as she heard Shikamaru's office door open and close. The dark man's shock of upswept black hair could be seen retreating down the hall a moment later.

'Right on time,' she thought to herself as she arose from her seat quickly to begin her scheduled task.

She entered his office a moment later and spied the usual pile of papers to be filed on the far right edge of his desk. Gathering them up, she flipped through them, taking note of the names and titles present on the papers. She made her way over to the large metal filing cabinet and set about her tedious task as quickly as possible.

Once finished, she moved behind Shikamaru's desk to straighten it up for him, whipping it down with sanitary wipes and repositioning his mouse pad and keyboard. In doing this, his screen came out of its hibernation. She glanced up noncommittally and spied a particular word in the open email that drew her attention.

Marriage.

Ino could feel her blood run cold as she read through the following email.

From: Sabaku, Gaara President &amp; CEO of Sabaku Co.

Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2014 6:52 AM

To: Nara, Shikamaru Financial Advisor

Subject: Marriage

Nara,

Forgive me for the inconvenience of this message, but my sister Temari was rather insistent. I wish to propose to you a joint merger. As of right now, you are still considered an independent financial adviser of the Sabaku Co. and I would ask that you consider a merger of our companies through marriage to my sister. We could then begin to expand our empire more surly and quickly than we previously have. Please consider this message my blessing and contemplate carefully before you make your decision.

Respectfully,

SABAKU N. GAARA

President &amp; CEO of Sabaku Co.

Ino read through the message three times before the words finally began to make sense. Gaara was proposing a marriage between Shikamaru and Temari. Ino released a shuddering breath that she had not realized she had been holding. Straightening her spine, she clenched her jaw angrily at the audacity of that awful woman! She was really a piece of work!

Ino held onto her anger as it was the only thing preventing her from crying in defeat. There was truly no chance for her now. No doubt Shikamaru would accept the offer. He would do anything to retire at thirty-five and be lazy for the rest of his life. Ino knew this, and yet her chest still throbbed with apprehension. Her skin prickled and shivered and she found herself sniffing back an onslaught of tears. She needed to get out of there! She needed to get away from this place.

With a sense of desperation, Ino turned to leave the office. Pausing momentarily at the door, she schooled her expression into one of nonchalance and was surprised as the door opened inward to reveal Shikamaru.

'No,' she thought to herself desperately as she took in his surprised expression.

"Ino, I haven't seen you in a while," he commented, turning to seat himself in his chair and taking little note of the fact that his screen was no longer hibernating.

'Like you haven't been avoiding me intentionally too you jerk!' she thought bitterly before smiling falsely, "I've been around," she answered sweetly.

'I bet you have,' Shikamaru thought rancorously, taking note of the email correspondence with Gaara still present on his screen and still unanswered.

He had no idea what to do with this. He had no romantic interest in Temari whatsoever, but Gara did have a point that it would make both of them even wealthier. But his heart was currently hung up on the beautiful woman before him. What would she think about the merger? Would she encourage it? Would she protest against it and confess her undying love for him? Shikamaru wanted to snort at the unlikeliness of the latter option. But what if she did?

Shikamaru looked at Ino as she turned to leave the office without another word before he stopped her.

"Ino," he called to her, and watched as she practically cringed at the sound of her name, "come back here."

Ino struggled resiliently to keep the scowl from her face and somehow managed to succeed as she turned back and reentered the office to stand before Shikamaru as nonchalantly as she could. She felt awkward in front of him as he looked at her blankly. He was so unreadable and it unnerved her. What did he want?

Shikamaru trained his features to appear bored as he studied Ino's indifferent expression, 'Let's see if you will still be so unfeeling after I tell you about this,' he thought to himself.

Gesturing to his monitor he mentioned, "I got an email from Gaara asking if I would be interested in marrying his sister," his voice was completely neutral and his gaze was sharp and calculating as he took in every minute detail about the Ino's reaction.

He could almost swear that he saw her flinch slightly and breathe in a little too quickly, but he couldn't be completely certain.

Ino clenched her jaw desperately against her anxiety, knowing that he wanted her to react to his words in some way. She would not give in though as she responded a moment later.

"Are you interested?" she asked, believing that to be an answer that anyone would give as a response.

"I'm not sure," he answered, continuing to study her, "he says it would be beneficial to the both of us as far as wealth goes. What do you think?"

He wanted her to shout! He wanted her to scream at him and ask him if he was crazy! He wanted her to cry and beg him not to accept the offer. He wanted her to tell him that she loved him and never to leave her, but she wouldn't.

Ino needed to think quickly; the longer she took to answer him the more suspicious it would seem.

"I think it makes sense," she answered calmly while inside she was writhing with resentment and bitterness.

"Ok, I guess I'll see about taking her on a date then," he mentioned off handedly as he turned to respond to the email all the while thinking, 'I knew Ino wouldn't fight for me.'

Ino turned to leave the room after another moment. Closing the door behind her, she gripped the handle with all the strength she had to keep herself from crying out her dismay.

Shikamaru grit his jaw together as the door closed behind her retreating form. He wanted to hit something! He settled for placing his head on his desk dejectedly as he gripped at his hair sharply with his shaking hands.

'I love you!' but neither of them was brave enough to admit it…

A/N: Wow I felt so many feels when I was writing those last few paragraphs. Please review and let me know if you felt the feels too!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Alright, I have had several requests to post up the next chapter for Valentine's Day so I am going to, even though it is a day later, sorry. But now I am all caught up and it will take a little more time between chapters so please be patient with me. For my Valentine's gift in return I ask that anyone who is reading and following this story to read my A True Love Story fanfiction. It's another ShikaIno fic that I have been working on and it is just as good if not better than this story! Alright everyone, happy Valentine's Day. And just remember when you finished reading this that you asked for it…

Chapter 11

Ino felt like crying. She wanted the ground to just open up and swallow her whole. It was going to happen. Shikamaru was going to take Temari out on a date, that night.

It was a Sunday evening and Shikamaru was fiddling with his tie in front of the foyer mirror. The dimple just wasn't turning out right and he had done it over three times already.

He seemed flustered to Ino and this made her heart ache painfully. He appeared different to her. She couldn't quite place it, but it was enough of a change to draw her attention. His face was harder, his gestures more clipped and withdrawn. He seemed to resent being near her and it hurt her so much.

Why couldn't she just be brave? Why couldn't she just tell him that she loved him and not to go? Why couldn't he just see how she felt?! He was such a brilliant man in business and he was so well educated and smart! His IQ was off the charts, but he couldn't see how much she loved him! This was ridiculous!

She was relieved as her frustration took over her sadness. She did not want to wallow in self-pity that night and she wouldn't. Ino stood from her seat at the bay window and walked over to Shikamaru as he undid his tie for the fourth time.

"Here," she murmured as she touched a gentle hand to his shoulder to draw his attention, "let me do it."

The simple touch sent fire down Shikamaru's spine and he grit his jaw determinedly against the urge to press her up against the nearest firm surface. She had made it very clear that she was not interested in him romantically, but that did not stop his heart from aching or his body from craving contact with hers.

He muttered something morosely as she flipped up the collar of his button down and flattened out the tie along the back of his neck. His eyes watched her expression intently as she focused her full attention on the task at hand. She was so beautiful. She had a good heart as well and a wonderful dream. She was a driven strong woman and he would never have her…

Ino could feel his eyes on her as she finished her task. The tie now hung evenly down his chest and torso with the proper dimple. She smiled sweetly at her handy works as she lifted her hands up to his neck to fold down his collar once more. Her thumbs grazed across the skin there and her eyes became focused on the pulse along his throat.

Shikamaru did not want to break the silence. She had not withdrawn from him, her eyes were fixed on his neck and he wished that time would just stand still as he savored every moment of this closeness. He wanted this familiarity for the rest of his life. He swallowed thickly against the feeling of frustration.

Ino blinked dazedly as she watched his Adam's apple bob, her trance broken. She met his eyes and smiled softly, "That looks much better."

Shikamaru wanted to pull her back against him even as she stepped away. Why couldn't he just be brave? He loved her so much.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't," Ino teased, her inflection sounding slightly shaky even to herself.

She turned away to retreat back to the bay window seat, scooping up her book that she had been reading and training her eyes on it in an attempt to dismiss Shikamaru and look uninterested at the same time. It worked as Shikamaru turned to leave the house a moment later.

* * *

Picking up Temari at the Sabaku residence had been intimidating to say the least. The palace that the family lived in would have held his own humble residence five times over. He wondered momentarily about what Temari's reaction would be to his own home. He certainly didn't plan on moving out so, if the marriage did happen, she would have to either suck it up or stay at her own mansion. Ino loved his quaint little home.

Thinking about her made him clench his jaw tightly as he exited his vehicle to ring the doorbell. He didn't need to be thinking about the woman that would be leaving him in just under two months' time. A chill ran through his limbs at the thought and he forced it back. He needed to focus on making a good impression with Temari.

The two of them had a history, not at all similar to his and Ino's. He had met the girl in college and she had actually been his connection to Gaara. After establishing a business relationship with the younger Sabaku, he had not really made any further attempts at any kind of relationship with the blond. She was arrogant and overconfident and this did not appeal to Shikamaru.

Ino's personality was far more interesting to him. She was lively and outspoken. She was also confident in herself, but not to the point of being annoying. She put value in other people and was a friendly social person. Despite being the exact opposite of him, he felt so much more comfortable with her. He felt that they could spend all the time in the world together and never get bored.

Temari was too similar to him for Shikamaru to find any interest in her. She was shrewd and calculating and took each event in her life as an opportunity to further herself and her family in the business world. The woman didn't seem to have any emotion or feeling to her.

'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea,' he thought to himself, but it was already too late as a servant opened the front door and ushered him into the foyer.

* * *

Ino worried at her bottom lip, restraining the urge to think about Shikamaru and the date that he was on with that horrid cow of a woman! She had been attempting to read her book and was failing miserably! The thought that Shikamaru was out with that woman was eating away at her.

Her head had begun to throb uncontrollably as her eyes nearly crossed from staring at the words of her book for so long. With an irate shout she threw the paperback across the room and watched with little satisfaction as it fell to the floor.

She folded up her legs to her chest and rested her forehead on her knees as her hands combed roughly through the roots of her hair, 'I can't handle this!' she thought desperately with tears building in her eyes, 'I can't just let her have him!'

But what could she do? She could do something really stupid. She could text him during his date. What would his reaction be? Would he be upset with her? He had withdrawn so much from her since that day at the office. Since the day she had concurred that it would be a good idea for him to marry Temari. What the hell had she been thinking?!

"God, I'm so stupid!" she muttered to herself as she folded her arms over her knees and rested her chin on them.

Her cell phone was just over on the island. All she had to do was get up and text him. That was all she had to do. But why couldn't she move? Because she didn't know what his response would be. She was afraid that if she interrupted him he might be angry with her. But what was worse, feeling the way that she did at that moment, or risking his anger later?

Time passed as she continued to stare at her phone and ponder her options. She knew that she hated feeling this way. She hated the idea of that woman taking Shikamaru away from her. She hated the idea of losing him and of never being with him. But she also hated the idea of him being angry with her. She hated the idea of him resenting her and shunning her immaturity.

"What's worse then?"

She set her jaw and stiffened her back as she arose from the bay window cushion. A few steps and she had her phone clasped within her grip. Swiping the screen to unlock it, she typed in a hurried message and hesitated…

_Can we talk?_

What would she say if he responded? She would probably just hesitate on the other end of the line as he waited impatiently to return to his date. She deleted the message and typed in something else.

_Come home._

That was even worse…

"Ugh!" Ino shouted out in frustration as tears welled up in her eyes and spilled out.

_How's the date going?_

But she couldn't care less about that response! What could she say to make him acknowledge her?! What could she do?!

Her only option right now was to talk to him. Maybe she could tell him there was an emergency of some sort at home. That might work. Or she could just grow a spine and tell him how she felt.

She settled with her first message.

_Can we talk?_

And before she could change her mind she pressed the send button. There, now all she had to do was wait…

* * *

Shikamaru restrained the urge to yawn as he and Tamari waited impatiently for their dinner. The restaurant that they occupied was five star fancy with white tablecloths and candlelight. The atmosphere was intimate and romantic and Shikamaru felt neither for the woman sitting across from him. He was bored out of his mind and thinking about no one but Ino.

What was she doing at that very moment? Had she thought about him at all since he had left? Would she be awake when he got back home so he could talk with her? That was all he wanted to do at that moment. He wanted to talk to her about everything and nothing. He wanted to wake up next to her in the morning, every morning. He wanted to touch her whenever he wanted and not worry about the repercussions. He wanted to be with her now more than he ever had before and being on this date with Temari made him realize that simple truth.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Hu?" Shikamaru asked, his eyes meeting hers with a bored expression.

She just wasn't mentally stimulating enough to him! All she wanted to do was talk about work and he just didn't. She was suggesting production ideas for the next fiscal year, wondering if there was a suitable amount of funding. He would know the answer, being the financial advisor of the company, but he just didn't care!

"Yeah," he answered lamely, noticing the scowl on her face with little concern, "Excuse me for a minute."

Temari sighed dramatically as she glared heatedly at the dark man while he retreated to the back of the restaurant, presumably in search of the restrooms. He was making no effort at all to get to know her as a person and she was getting irritated. Sure he had smiled and nodded enough, but he hadn't contributed anything to the conversation. It was like pulling teeth to get more than a three word repose from him!

She placed her chin in her hand as she glared angrily at the melting candlestick on the table. The evening had been as fun and entertaining as watching paint dry! What was the guy's problem anyway?!

She took notice of his phone as it vibrated several times on the table. An image of the blond woman she had seen at the Halloween Party and at his office popped up before the screen dimmed. What was she doing making contact with her boss this late at night?

Temari looked after where Shikamaru had left, taking note if he were on his way back to the table. Not seeing any sign of the man, she grabbed up his phone and unlocked it.

'What guy doesn't have a password for his phone in this day and age?' she thought flippantly as she opened the received message.

_Can we talk?_

'Um, how 'bout no?' Temari thought as she deleted the message with an evil smirk, 'Too bad girlie; he's mine now.'

She set his phone back in its exact spot just a second before she spied Shikamaru rounding the corner.

* * *

Ino lay in her bed, her cheeks stained with her tears as she stared up listlessly at the ceiling. Shikamaru hadn't messaged her back…

She had sat at the bay window, staring intently at her phone for the first fifteen minutes after she messaged him. After that, she had forced herself to put the thing down and find something else to do. She began her laundry, taking furtive glances at her phone each time she walked by. After the laundry was completed, she had still not received a response.

She began to feel anxious, wondering if he were ignoring her request. Would Shikamaru do something like that to her? Or was he just having such a good time with Temari that he wasn't even paying attention to his phone? Why did this have to hurt so much?! Why did she have to feel so torn and hurt and lonely without him?! It was utter agony as she took to staring at her phone again, praying to anyone that cared to listen for him to just message her back. Even a response of 'later' would have been enough, so long as it was _something_!

But nothing ever came…

An hour and a half after sending the message and he had not responded to her…

The time had gotten late and Ino had resigned herself to falling asleep, but it wouldn't come. She couldn't relax and the tears had overflowed as she thought helplessly about the love that she felt. As she thought about the love that would never be returned no matter how badly she wished it.

Ino took notice at eleven o'clock as she heard the front door being opened. She listened intently as Shikamaru shuffled around downstairs, presumably removing his shoes and placing his keys in the nick knack bowl. The answering sound of the keys ringing in the metal bowl told her that her assumption had been correct. She continued to focus on the sound of Shikamaru's movements as he mounted the steps and reached the top of the landing.

Time seemed to freeze as she heard his motions stop just outside her door. His bedroom was across from hers, so maybe he was trying to be quiet as he entered his room so as not to rouse her from her supposed sleep. But, for several minutes, she heard no more movement. He was standing outside of her door…

Ino could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for him to move, eagerly anticipating his next actions.

'Just come in!' her thoughts cried out.

If he did she would tell him. She would tell him how much she loved him and how much she hated that he went out on that date with Temari. If he came in she would give herself to him completely if he wanted her or not.

'Please,' she thought desperately, the tears coming forth again as she begged him wordlessly.

* * *

Shikamaru sat poised on the other side of her door, his hand hovering undecidedly over the handle. What would she do if he came in? Would she open her arms to him? Would she hold him through the night and be there the following morning?

His expression was somber as he continued to imagine a happy future with Ino. He could imagine them being content together. He could see himself being with her for the rest of his life! But he just couldn't take the fall. He just couldn't be courageous and open the door. He couldn't…

Gritting his jaw, he withdrew his hand and entered into his own empty room.

* * *

Ino let out a soft sob as she heard him enter into his room and close the door behind him. This was her breaking point. She could finally take no more of his rejections. It would be better to not have him at all than to suffer through his negligence!

With her mind made up, she got out of bed and began to pack her things. She was going to return home and never ever come back…

A/N: Oh I cried when I wrote this. They are just so stubborn. I'm sorry if I made any of you upset or cry. It'll get better soon I swear! Please review!

P.S. I also want to give a personal shout out to my Guest reviewer/s, LilyVampire, ShikaIno1, TheBlankWriter, MakeItHayle, and mschweezy. I have consistently gotten enthusiastic reviews from all of you about how much you are enjoying the story, so please keep supporting me. :)


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: This is where things begin to turn around. Something mind jarring finally happens and one of them wakes the hell up to the possibility of being with the other. If not to be with that person forever, then to protect them from the potential of a horribly unsatisfying future. A future with someone who loved you desperately was certainly better than one with someone that only wanted you for their own benefit right?

Chapter 12

Ino decided it was difficult to live in the dark. Power was an essential feature to a home as well as water and both were no longer working. She felt more than a little gross as she rolled out of bed and smacked her parched lips together sleepily. The last time she had showered was the prior morning and she desperately needed to wash away _everything_. She had gotten next to no sleep that night. Her apartment was frigged and it was just too quiet. It felt so empty and hollow and lonely, just like her.

She swallowed thickly against the tears. She had plenty of time the prior night to cry as she drove the three hour trip back to her apartment with her whole life packed in a single suitcase. That was how she would be living soon; out of a suitcase in her car like some sad hobo. Well, hobos didn't always have cars so she figured she was somewhat fortunate.

She had two weeks remaining before her eviction and still yet was expected to endure another two month of Shikamaru's negligence after those weeks. She just couldn't do it. She was resigned to her fate. She would sooner suffer out on the streets than under Shikamaru's roof.

Never had she thought that something like this would happen to her. She was a strong woman and never before had a man taken her apart so fully with such little effort and time. Only a month ago she had fallen into his trap and she was finding it hard to escape. Even now she wanted to be in his presence despite how much she was hurting.

She wondered if he had noticed her absence yet. Would he be upset with her like the last time she had left? That time, she had felt the anger radiating off of him so strongly that she had to flee. How would he react this time, especially now that she wouldn't be coming back…?

Would he chase after her? Why would he? He had no reason to. She meant nothing to him. She was a bauble on his arm. Actually, that hadn't really panned out as she had predicted. He had expected her at his office more than at social gatherings, but then again there had only been the Halloween party so far. Thanksgiving was coming up next week. He would probably take Temari with him to that gathering.

Ino decided to move about and attempt to accomplish something that day. Maybe another desperate attempt to find a job would do to sooth her troubled mind, but where could she shower? Thinking on that current thought, she set about to open the blinds in the apartment to illuminate the area with sunlight. It couldn't possibly be past nine or ten in the morning at that point.

Ino quenched her thirst with a bottle of water and brushed her teeth in the kitchen sink before setting about to get dressed. The gym would have showers that she could use, and luckily for her the membership she had was valid until the end of that year.

"Thank goodness for small miracles," she muttered to herself as she braided her hair quickly before throwing the long plait over her shoulder.

All she had to do now was get her shoes on, gather together her shower items and a spare change of clothes and she could be on her way. However, a knock sounding on the other side of her door drew her attention and accelerated her heartbeat.

"Shikamaru?" she breathed out softly, rushing to the door a little more quickly than she would have liked.

She couldn't help it though, what if it really was him? What if he was waiting on the other side of her door to take her back with him? What if he couldn't live without her like she couldn't live without him? What if…?

Ino's heart was pounding recklessly in her ears as she grasped the doorknob and twisted the handle before yanking open the door quickly to reveal who was on the other side…

* * *

"Ino?" Shikamaru called into the emptiness of the room across from his.

The door was ajar and it didn't seem like the petite blond was present. She seldom woke before him so her lack of presence was unfamiliar. He could understand why though. He hadn't been treating her very well the last few days. Not since she hadn't shown any feeling toward him as he asked her about the situation with Temari. He had withdrawn from her to the point of being belligerent. He hadn't been able to help it, however. He was just so heartbroken. If she was just never going to love him back then he wished she would just leave, instead of tormenting him with her presence. He really had not thought things through before he had staged this intervention.

It looked as if his wishes had been answered. She wasn't present and he didn't know if she would be ever again. So why then did he feel so hollow inside?

Shikamaru clenched his jaw tightly against the urge to rage. What did he care if she wasn't there?! What did he care if he would most likely never see her again?! She made it abundantly clear that she had absolutely no romantic interest in him whatsoever. Why couldn't he just get over her?!

With an enraged growl he slammed his fist through the plaster of the nearest wall, but it didn't make him feel any better as the tears forced themselves down his cheeks against his will.

"Fuck!" he shouted angrily as he hid his face away with the palm of the hand that wasn't still buried in the wall.

This was it; this was all he was going to give her. This was the last time he was going to think about her. If she didn't want him then she didn't want him! There was just nothing that he could do about it. He couldn't force her to love him back no matter how desperately he wanted to. He couldn't hold her against him no matter how much his body craved it. Their past didn't matter and neither did their present because there would simply be no future for the two of them.

Shikamaru crouched down on the floor and covered his mouth with his damaged hand, releasing everything that he had for her and willing the love he felt for her to leave with the sound of his hollow scream.

With a shaking breath, he stood back upright. One last lingering glance at her empty room and he went about the old routine he had established before allowing Ino to come into his life. It was less troublesome to pretend it had just never happened.

* * *

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Ino gave little care to the brazenness of her words as they were directed at the green eyed woman known as Temari. Of all the people to knock on her door this early in the morning, Temari was the last person that she had expected.

The other blond gave no answer as she forced her way into the apartment with an uninterested look. Ino couldn't help but to gawk at her. The audacity of this woman, to come into her apartment, to invade her personal life when she had already staked her claim on the man that she loved, was simply overwhelming. Ino had to restrain herself not to resort to a childish cat fight. The other blond most likely had connection and could see her life more ruined than it already was.

"How did you figure out where I live?" Ino demanded with a startled yet hateful expression.

"You're job application," Temari answered without looking at Ino, her eyes taking in her surroundings with an almost disgusted look.

Ino watched with an expression of reserved hatred as Temari walked about her small apartment with a disdainful look on her face, "I really don't know what he sees in you," she mumbled to herself, "You are just so pathetic."

That was it, "Get the fuck out," Ino snapped, her presence bearing down on the fuller blond as she grabbed onto her arm and yanked her back toward the front door.

"Not until I have made myself completely clear," Temari snapped back, bracing her feet and pulling her arm free of Ino's grasp.

Ino continued to her door and opened it again with an indignant expectant expression. She glared viciously at the other girl as she waited impatiently to slam the door in her face. That was the first thing she should have done upon seeing her, but Ino had just been so stunned.

Temari sauntered up to Ino with an obnoxiously confident smile on her face, "I want you to stay away from Shikamaru," she ordered firmly, completely expecting her wishes to be obeyed.

"You didn't say please," Ino retorted, grinning back smugly as Temari's green eyes sparked angrily.

"Do you want me to make all of this go away for you?" she threatened.

Ino reigned in her next response. Temari didn't need to know that she was already about to lose everything she held dear, including Shikamaru. But what was she really here for? If Shikamaru truly belonged to her, then why did she feel the need to come to Ino's home and threaten her?

Ino's silence was answer enough for Temari as she tilted her head haughtily and proceeded to exit the apartment.

Before she could make it too far, Ino called out, "Why are you doing this? It's not like he's a major catch or anything," maybe she could figure out what the green-eyed girl's angle was.

"You really don't know anything about him at all do you?" Temari snapped, falling for the bait, "He is the most eligible bachelor to date. Do you know just how wealthy he is? If we were to marry, we would be the power couple of the century. His wealth could help ensure our hotel chain and aid in further developments for my family." Temari looked at her with indifferent resentment.

"So you don't love him?" Ino continued, her resolve firming at Temari's validation.

"Business isn't about love; it's about conquest. But a simple, uneducated person such as yourself wouldn't understand," her last barb rang hollowly throughout Ino's mind as the green-eyed woman left with a dismissive sound.

It didn't take Ino long to decide what to do at this point. She would not let some bitch take away what she held so close to her heart for her own personal gains. It was funny how it took something as jarring as the idea of losing him to a woman that would not truly love him to make her move toward action.

* * *

Surprise didn't begin to describe the way that Shikamaru felt as he walked into his office after lunch to see Ino organizing papers in his filing cabinet. An overwhelming sense of relief washed over him and, with the emotionally taxing morning he had gone through, her presence nearly brought him to his knees. As it stood, he was unable to hide the relieved expression that overtook his features and when she turned to look at him with eyes as blue as the sky his breath caught in his throat.

"You're next meeting is at one thirty?" she informed with an apologetic smile on her lips.

"Cancel it," he said, "go out to lunch with me," it wasn't a request, but Ino took no offense to being ordered around by the dark man before her.

"Didn't you just come back from lunch?" she asked him with a knowing smile.

"Yes, but I'm feeling hungry again for some reason," he said with a come-hither grin, leaving Ino to interpreted the double meaning behind his words.

A/N: All better now! I am feeling satisfied with how this is turning out. I do apologize to the ShikaTema fan base out there. I have never been one to bash other people's ships, but I really don't like her character at all… Did I just make everyone hater her even more? Hahaha! And I fooled all of you! You totally thought that Shika was going to go after her! Well girl power to Ino for sucking up her pride and just doing what her heart tells her is right! The story is beginning to draw to a close. I had never really planned out much more after this point. I suck at making conflict in stories and my plots are always terrible. I really only write most of the time for the love scenes… I think after I finish this I will just write some one-shots for my Naruto OTP. If you got anything interesting that you might like in a one-shot let me know and I may try to write for it. Please review if you love this chapter!


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Man guys I am sorry about the delay. I had a terrible case of writer's block yesterday. I think I might have taken on a little too much with writing three stories at once. It's a good thing that this one is coming to a close soon and one of the other ones isn't really getting many reviews (never thought I would be relieved that no one was liking one of my stories…) I am a little overwhelmed though, so please forgive me for my slow posting. I have another idea for a ShikaIno story that I will start and take my time on! It will most likely be a one shot. If you are interested here is the descriptor: _On a mission to spy against an enemy of Konoha, Shikamaru and Ino manage to get caught in a trap with only two days' worth of food and water. What happens when they realize the end is inevitable? _I think I'll call it Booby-trap, kinky pun intended. Ok well please read and enjoy. Two more chapters after this one and I am calling it quits!

Chapter 13

There seemed to be a tension between them now; something that spoke of their current hardships lingered palpably in the air. Whether it was a sense of betrayal or longing neither could be completely sure, so they treaded lightly, not wanting to risk disturbing the peace again. This silently established harmony was also the only thing that kept either of them from speaking their hearts to the fullest. Better to enjoy the clam before the storm.

However, Ino was made very aware of Shikamaru's presence as they made their way to the nearest deli in the hopes of…what? She didn't know. All she knew was that things seemed to have reverted. They seemed to feel that sexual tension tight between them as if Temari had never made her appearance at all and Ino was relieved. His presence was on the verge of smothering as his hand rested at the small of her back and she could smell his intoxicating cologne. He made her knees so very weak.

If Ino felt that her own presence meant little to Shikamaru, she was decidedly wrong. Having her near him, allowing him to touch her, even if the gesture was a chaste one, made his blood burn through his veins. He had risked losing her too many times so far and he refused to let something come between them again. The only thing holding him back from simply rushing the two of them back home was that he was entirely unsure of Ino's own feelings toward him. He was still too insecure and uncertain, but he was attempting to formulate a plan as to how to express himself toward her without scaring her away again.

As they sat in silence, Ino began to feel uneasy. Shikamaru continued to observe her with an unreadable expression and she needed to finally say something to relieve the tautness building up in her limbs.

"So how did the date go?" she wished she could take it back right away, until she saw him smirk…

"Horrible," he admitted, noticing a slight hint of jealousy in her tone, "Why are you so curious?"

Ino glared at him, "'Cause you never answered my text. I thought maybe it was going amazing or something," she snipped, her eyes trained on the speckled tabletop they sat at.

Shikamaru's expression was confused, but Ino took no notice of it until he asked, "What text?"

Ino's wide blue eyes came to take in his dark gaze. Had he really not received the message?

"I sent you a text that night, asking you if we could talk. You didn't get it?" she was beginning to feel suspicious as her mind began to sift through the puzzle pieces and put everything together.

"No," Shikamaru affirmed, his expression honest and confused.

"That bitch," Ino whispered darkly.

Shikamaru's expression became perplexed and slightly amused. He hadn't heard Ino talk that way since they were in high school together. She looked livid as she glared hatefully at the tabletop.

"Care to tell me what's on your mind?" his grin was enticing and Ino found herself blushing slightly at her little slip up.

"She probably managed to get your phone somehow before you got the message and deleted it. Then she decided to intrude on my privacy and threaten me in my own home!" Ino practically snarled, unable to maintain her composure.

"Wait, what?!" Shikamaru's perplexed expression became alarmed. Just what had Temari done?!

"Yeah," Ino added in a perturbed tone, "she came to my apartment and told me to stay away from you!" she was talking quickly and not really thinking about everything that she was saying, "she told me that she would make me lose my apartment! Too bad for her she didn't know I'm going to be evicted so her threat didn't mean anything to–."

"Wait! You're getting evicted?!" Shikamaru was on an information overload. Just what all had happened in less than a twenty-four hour period?!

Ino's eyes widened considerably as she took in Shikamaru's alarmed expression. She had just spilled the beans, "Uh-oh…"

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to be evicted?!" Shikamaru's expression was livid as he leaned ominously over his side of the table.

Ino gulped audibly as she leaned away from his presence. He seemed very foreboding as he glared at her, as if demanding an answer, and she wasn't prepared to give him one yet. Her mind was in a frenzied blur as she struggled to think of something, anything, to tell him to calm him down and not lead to her confession of love, but she just couldn't come up with anything.

Ino took to looking at the tabletop again as she treaded lightly with her answer, "I didn't want you to think that I was only interested in the money."

Shikamaru's expression changed from one of abject fury to obvious surprise. Did he just hear her right? His heart began to race. Why would she say that? Why would she confess something like that to him? Everything up to this point had always been about the money, hadn't it? Was he reading too far into her words or were his hopes actually conceivable?

The silence was overpowering and Ino could swear she started to sweat underneath his scrutinizing gaze. He hadn't shunned her; he hadn't turned her down or way. That was something to think positively about, but he also hadn't sought to encourage her. Then again, she hadn't made a complete confession either.

This was really getting tiresome! Tiptoeing around one another's feelings, as if they were walking on glass or thin ice, was becoming more than a little irritation for the pair, and something truly needed to be done about it!

Emboldened by his lack of rejection, Ino spoke, "So the date was horrible then?"

Shikamaru lifted an incredulous brow and nodded before elaborating, "Yeah, I really should have known better."

"Why is that?" Ino asked, curious at where this conversation may be heading.

"Because Temari and I never really had any chemistry," he answered simply, taking note as Ino's back straightened indignantly and she pouted while looking off to the side.

Could she possibly be jealous?

"You talk as if you've known her for a while," Ino added in an accusing tone.

"Well, that's because I have," Shikamaru confessed, smirking as Ino couldn't hold back her affronted glare, "She and I attended the same college and much of the same classes. She was my connection to the Sabaku family after all," he explained, noting the darkening color of her eyes.

Well that explained a lot. So the green eyed woman did have a history with him, and she had a good reason for wanting to keep Ino away from him. Well too bad! She wasn't going to be pushed around or walked on by some irritating snobby bitch! She had a history with Shikamaru too and he seemed to actually enjoy her company. The chemistry between the two of them was more than a little evident. All of their little encounters had left them both breathless and frustrated.

"Too bad for her though," Shikamaru began, leaning his cheek against the palm of his left hand as he gazed at Ino with an enticing look, "because she isn't my dream girl."

Ino's countenance became curious, "What would your dream date be like?" she asked with a tentative smile, "With your dream girl?"

Shikamaru's expression became indulgent, "I hate going out on dates," he confessed, "too troublesome; especially taking out a woman to dinner. You have to pick them up and open doors for them and try and seem interested in the conversation when all you're either thinking about is going home or getting them in bed."

Ino blushed hotly at his words. What would he be thinking if he were taking her out to dinner, the former or the latter?

"If I had to pick a suitable date, it would most likely be the movies," he answered simply.

"But that's the worst possible place to take someone on a first date!" Ino chided, of course he would pick something where neither of them had to talk and get to know one another.

"Well you're assuming that my dream girl is someone that I don't already know somewhat," he paused as the look in his eyes became mischievous while raking down her form, "intimately," he finished with a satisfied smirk as he noticed Ino shiver slightly.

There they went again with the double-entendres and the heated looks. It seemed to be a game of subtlety and intimacy that the two knew how to play together surprisingly well. Temptation was always a strong undertone to their relationship and most likely always would be.

"Well then," Ino continued with a perceptive expression, "why the movies with this woman that you already know?"

Shikamaru smirked, the hypothetical-ness of the scenario was highly amusing, "It would have to be a movie that I had already seen," he watched as the look on Ino's face seemed to ask 'why', "because I wouldn't be watching the movie. I would be watching her."

That would be an odd thing to do during a movie.

"I like to watch her expressions," he confessed, admiring the curious appearance of Ino's face at that very moment, "She is a lot more expressive than I am. Each look that she shows is always something new and interesting. I love to watch her beautiful features."

This really did seem to be going somewhere. Ino was certain of it. Now all it was was a matter of just how far they were both willing to take it.

"What is she like?" Ino asked cryptically, already having her suspicious as to who he was talking about, but not wanting to get her hopes up too much.

Shikamaru could see the wheels turning in Ino's head. She was heading in the right direction with the questions that she was asking, and he would continue to answer them cryptically until she either took a hint or it really just became that glaringly obvious.

"She's smart, kind and gentle, beautiful, passionate, exciting and out going," Shikamaru's expression was becoming almost wistful as he described this woman that he loved, "She's everything that's I'm not, pretty much."

"You're smart," she assured with a soft smile.

"Not smart enough to keep her from leaving me," Shikamaru admitted, his countenance becoming regretful and sad.

He couldn't actually be talking about Ino, could he? Her heart began to race and her palms became sweaty as a tingling began to make itself known in the pit of her stomach and between her thighs. This was too good to be true, wasn't it?

"What does she look like?" she asked, her voice a nervous ghost of a whisper.

Was she going too far at this point? Was she hoping for far too much, for this mystery dream woman to be her?

Shikamaru shook his head with a rueful smile playing across his lips, "You just can't take a hint can you, Ino?" he murmured and chuckled lightly at her distraught expression, "The funny thing is," he paused drawing out her suspense and making her scoot to the edge of her seat so she could hear him as he continued in a whisper, "she looks exactly like you."

Ino felt like crying in utter relief as he looked at her with an expression that she could finally define as loving.

"Dummy," Shikamaru added as she finally did cry.

"I'm not the dummy," Ino retorted through light choked sobs, "You are!" she insisted.

"Don't be like that," Shikamaru scolded lightly as his hand came across the small table to stroke at her face while his thumb brushed away the fat salty tears that streamed down her left cheek.

Ino was so utterly relieved and happy. She couldn't control her next actions as she stood from her seat and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck while kissing him over top of the table.

Shikamaru just smiled serenely against her lips and returned her sweet gesture.

A/N: I like how this wraps up everything in one neat little package. Prepare for the smut in the next chapter. Please review!


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Alright everyone! Here is the promised smut. I need to turn this story to mature now, so if you are underage please heed the warning and don't read. I was having the hardest time figuring out the way I wanted this to go, so thank you all for being patient with me. If you like this story and you haven't yet visited my A True Love Story, please do!

Chapter 14

At that particular point in time, clothing couldn't possibly be removed quickly enough. The door to Shikamaru's humble home had come to a certain close and once the sound of the tumblers clicked into place they began to shed their clothing at an eager pace. Openmouthed kisses were placed enthusiastically on what flesh had managed to be bared as the pair trembled with excited energy and impatience. The current moment had been a long time coming and neither wanted to waste another second in denial or pretending.

Ino smiled widely as she nibbled at a particularly sensitive spot on Shikamaru's neck and he let out an enthusiastic gasp before growling dangerously. He was a vocal lover so far, which had been something that she hadn't at all expected. What other secrets could she manage to uncover about this amazing man that was now all hers?

Her black wrap dress with a cleavage revealing keyhole had already made its way to the floor and her undergarments would have been quick to follow if Shikamaru's hands hadn't managed to get caught in his button down shirt cuffs. He struggled blindly with freeing his eager hands as he continued to kiss and lick at Ino's lips and along her bare neck and collarbone. She was so unbelievably exquisite and she was finally going to be his! If he could just manage to free his hands!

Ino chuckled silkily as she noticed Shikamaru's struggling and took that opportune moment to trace the muscles along his stomach and chest with gentle fingers. The answering muffled curses and heated pants spurred her ministrations further as she felt his skin twitch under her touch. He was positively delicious. She had never noticed before just how physically attractive his body was.

He wasn't overly built, but he was lean, tone and lithe. His olive skin was blemish free and stretched tight over the muscles that moved underneath.

"I never knew you looked so good underneath those business suits," Ino commented on a murmur as she nipped gently at the flesh along his exposed throat and jawline.

His answering moan spurred her into further teasing as her palms flattened along his stomach to massage gently.

"I remember you looking completely dorky in baggy t-shirts and high waters. What ever happened to that cute little boy?" she teased with a come-hither grin as he glared at her heatedly.

He knew that she was teasing him intentionally as he continued to struggle against his shirt cuffs. This is what he got for buttoning them up so tightly they nearly cut off his circulation! Now that the majority of the shirt was hanging on the floor in a tangled heap, it would be more of a struggle to put it back over his shoulders and unbutton the damn cuffs. Not that he felt he would be able to unbutton them with how much his hands were shaking with his excitement.

As it was, he had ripped the front of his shirt open, buttons flying in all directions, as Ino had unwrapped her dress like a present and revealed her flawless curvaceous form to him. He had practically lost all semblance of his control and he needed to gain some of it back or risk Ino teasing him mercilessly for the rest of their relationship.

"He grew up," he growled out passionately, restraining a moan as her fingers dipped into the waistband of his slacks, "And if I recall," he added, his voice gaining more control as he continued, "You had to be in the latest fashions and heaven help the brand if it didn't carry the outfit in purple."

Ino laughed at his brashness and took him into her hand from the front of his trousers. She practically purred as he let out an excited curse and pressed himself deeper into her touch, "Mmm, this is more than I expected," she murmured against his jawline as he titled his head back in abandon.

She was really enjoying his incapacitation far too much. He needed to get a hold of the situation fast before he lost what little dominance he had. He was not a submissive man; he was the pleaser and he always made sure to satisfy.

Talking seemed to help him to maintain some modicum of his tenuous control, so he asked, "Why is that?" gulping back thickly as her hand gripped him through his clothing and began to move up and down the fullness of his erect length.

"Oh, I don't know," Ino crooned as she made sure to look into Shikamaru's heavy-lidded eyes as she answered, "Average guy, average cock," her words were intended to incite and tempt him into a sexual agitation, "but I would have to say that you're _slightly_ above average," her grin was enticing and Shikamaru knew he was going to have to give her as good as he got.

Finally, he managed to free his hands at the most opportune moment. With their new found freedom, his hands came to frame Ino's face as he kissed her roughly and to the verge of breathlessness. He was not going to let her get away with messing with him like that.

"You always did talk way too much," he growled roughly against her lips before bending forward to grasp her around the middle and hoist her over his shoulder.

Ino found herself blinking widely as she was hefted over Shikamaru's shoulders. Her initially response was to feel affronted before he smacked her ass with his hand that wasn't bracing her thighs against his strong chest. She then proceeded to laugh excitedly as he moved to mount the stairs.

"I swear," she threatened halfheartedly, her giggles hardly disguised, "if you drop me I will kill you."

"If I drop you then you will most likely not live to kill me," he teased with a wide grin.

"Why do you always have to be so liter–AH!" she cried out heatedly as he smacked her ass again and stoked at the affronted flesh, "Three points of contact while going up–mmm!" she was interrupted once more as two fingers of his free hand stole beneath the fabric of her panties to press deeply inside her.

With her thighs pressed so closely together, it felt as if Shikamaru's fingers were much bigger than they actually were as they moved in and out of her at an unhurried pace. He really did know just what to do with his hands as his fingers pressed down against her front wall and made her practically squirm with pleasure.

"Sit still or you really will fall," he teased with a smug grin that Ino couldn't see from her position.

The trip up to the landing didn't last long enough for Ino's liking as she felt Shikamaru's fingers pull out. He found herself mewling in disappointment before she heard his satisfied moan.

"You taste amazing, Ino," he complimented seductively as he withdrew the fingers that had pressed deeply into her from his savoring mouth.

Ino could feel herself blushing heatedly at the admittance. It wasn't as if a man had never tasted her before, but there was just something about the intimate gesture and the way that Shikamaru spoke of it so appreciatively that made her pussy throb eagerly.

"I never knew you were so kinky," she purred out as they entered into the mystery of his room.

She recalled how he had teased her early on in their relationship with the prospect that his room was just across the hall and she could most likely come in any time that she wanted, if she were ready for the potential consequences that is. At that moment, she was more than ready for them as Shikamaru dumped her out over his lavish bed unceremoniously. She bit her bottom lip subconsciously as she watched his hands unbuckle his belt with a veritable ease that he displayed in all of his everyday activities. He was so self-assured and confident. His form radiated with it and it was something that Ino never thought that she would find enticing, but she did.

Shikamaru smirked confidently as his slacks felt to pool at the ground. He was very aware of her appreciative gaze and he was having a hard time withholding his own as his eyes raked over the curves of her beautiful body. Her bra and panties were her only armor remaining and he was ready to have them removed.

"There are a lot of things that you don't know about me," he murmured as he knelt on the floor, at the edge of his bed, where Ino's legs dangled over.

Ino watched him move with an enraptured curiosity as his fingers came to caress the insides of her thighs with sure gentle strokes. There was just something about this that seemed so easy, and yet not. Ino couldn't place it. It was as if they had been making love for years already, but that was absolutely not the case. The way they acted and spoke with one another was something decidedly familiar and yet so very new.

"Like what?" she breathed out on a sigh as the tips of his fingers came to the swell of her mound and stroked down firmly.

Her hips jerked forward slightly as it was inevitable that the dragging motion would press intimately against her clit on the downward stroke.

Shikamaru's heated gaze met with hers and held as he repeated the motion again before grasping the scrap of fabric around her hips to remove it. The accommodating lift of Ino's hips to assist him sent a shiver through his limbs and made his cock throb painfully in his boxer briefs. She now sat at the edge of his bed, her thighs spread slightly as he positioned his torso between them, her only remaining burrier her lacy brassier.

He hesitated to answer her as his hands reached out to her from his kneeling position on the floor. She leaned forward slightly and his cheek came to nuzzle at the swell of her breasts while his fingers busied themselves with unhooking the clasps at her back. Once he achieved his goal he pulled back gradually, dragging the last remaining piece of clothing down her pale, bare, slim arms before tossing it over his shoulder with a self-satisfied smile.

Ino watched Shikamaru with an expression that bordered on loving as he smiled contentedly. He was so very handsome and she loved him so very desperately. Her fingers came to stroke at his cheeks and temples before surging back to unbind his hair and allow it to fall loose around his strong broad shoulders. She watched as he rolled his eyes at her actions, but made no protest as her fingers began to run through his shoulder length locks.

"Like the fact that I've pretty much loved you since high school," he finally confessed, unable to hold it back as she gazed down at him lovingly.

He knew that this was right. He knew that they both loved one another and he had nothing to fear and no reason to hide from her any longer. He was going to show her all of him and hope that she returned the gesture in-kind.

Ino could feel herself exhale sharply at his confession. Her eyes widened considerably as she felt a delicious warmth in her chest and a tantalizing throb between her thighs. She never thought that it would come to this so quickly. She almost felt overwhelmed as he gazed up at her reverently.

"I feel guilty," she confessed with a tinge of sadness to her tone, "I think I've only realized within the last month just how much I love you."

Shikamaru chuckled softly, drawing her apologetic gaze back to him, "I'm not keeping score or anything," his grin was smug and alluring as his hands caressed up along her thighs to rest on her hips, "but if you want to make it up to me then lay back and let me have my way with you."

Ino trembled noticeably as his hands at her hips urged her lower half to the edge of the bed. She knew what he intended to do, but that didn't alleviate the pounding of her excited heart. She blushed hotly as his eyes took in the sight of her; his astute, knowing, intense gaze studied her and she fell back against the bed with her arms crossed over her eyes in an attempt to hide her blush.

Shikamaru chuckled softly as he watched her flop back down onto his bed in embarrassment. He knew that she was no virgin, but she certainly was acting like one. She was unbelievably sexy and cute all at once and the sight of her blush pink folds made his stomach clench impatiently. He had wanted to do this to her for so long…

Ino gasped out excitedly as his mouth descended upon her heatedly. His tongue parted her lips before prodding at the hood that covered her timid clit. She moaned out happily as he began to draw slow lazy circles around the small bundle of nerves.

"Ah!" she panted out excitedly, her hands balled into fists in an attempt to maintain her self-control, "I, uh! I didn't expect," she attempted to restrain her next long drawn out moan unsuccessfully, "you to, to be an, ugh! Active participant!"

She could swear that she felt him grin against her folds and dared to glance down at him. His eyes were closed and his features were trained in a happily satisfied expression as he was, in fact, grinning like a fool between her thighs. Ino chuckled out breathlessly before she felt him suck gently at her clit. With that, her fingers shot downward to burry themselves deeply into his hair as she rocked her hips forward into his eager mouth.

"Oh, god!" she cried out, her inner walls clenching eagerly with the nearness of her release.

She had never been the type to receive and not give, so this was something unusual to her. She didn't want to be the only one enjoying herself like she was. Clenching her jaw tightly against her next bout of eager noises, Ino attempted to speak, but Shikamaru beat her to it as he pulled away from her with a thread of moisture connecting his mouth to her folds.

"I'm not lazy when it comes to certain things," he assured her with a grin as he licked his lips to clean them of her flavor.

Ino sat up on her elbows to gaze down at him as she scooted back further onto Shikamaru's bed. She watched as he eyed her with an expression of curiosity.

"I'm not used to just laying back and taking it," she explained with a seductive smile, "Sixty-nine with me?" she suggested with a hopeful expression.

Shikamaru's eyebrows raised in pleasant surprise as he came to a standing position. After shedding his last remaining piece of clothing, he leaned forward to crawl onto the pillow top with Ino.

"Who'd have thought it?" he asked hypothetically with a grin as he laid out on his back and Ino swung her leg over his head to straddle his face, "Ino likes to suck cock," he teased as he smacked at her bare ass with his open palm before caressing out over the abused flesh apologetically.

Ino was too excited and eager to feel affronted as she took in Shikamaru's length from her newfound position on all fours overtop of his tone form, "Definitely above average," she commented while biting her lip subconsciously.

"Quit staring and get to work," Shikamaru insisted and Ino knew that he must be blushing between her thighs.

"What? It's impressive," she teased, grasping him in her right hand and stroking up and down the length lightly, the answering shudder she received encouraged her further.

Shikamaru gulped thickly while rolling her eyes. He didn't need Ino to complement his cock. He knew how to use it right and that was all that mattered. Ignoring her teasing, he grasped at her hips and dragged her down to meet his mouth once again, her thighs splaying wide as his lips met her skin and his tongue took up its lazy pace against her clit.

Ino moaned out excitedly as she rolled her hips down against his tongue. He really knew just what to do to rile her up. She needed to figure out just what to do to return the favor. With little inhibition, she took the tip of his cock into her mouth and sucked eagerly while swirling her tongue around his tip. The answering twitch of hips was a compliment in and of itself as she opened her jaw wider and pushed him as far into her mouth and down her throat as she could.

"Fuck!" she could hear him growl out against her folds as his fingertips pressed roughly into the flesh of her hips.

Served him right for ordering her around. Ino smirked around his flesh and took what she couldn't fit down her throat into her hand as she slowly trailed up the length of his cock and then came back down on him, wet and firm and even paced.

Shikamaru panted out eagerly against her flesh and clenched his jaw against his next moan. She was much better at that than he had anticipated. In an attempt to regain his lost ground, he pressed a pair of fingers inside of her and began to thrust them in deeply and drag them out slowly against her front wall. The feeling of her eager moan vibrating against the flesh of his cock forced out a barley restrained groan of pleasure from his own throat.

After several minutes of giving and taking pleasure, Ino had to withdraw from him to taking in much needed gasps of air. As it stood, each time he dragged his fingers back out against her front wall she felt closer and closer to her orgasm. And, with his cock shoved deep down her throat, she hadn't been able to catch her breath.

"What's the matter, Ino?" she could hear him tease as she stroked at his cock with her hand in an attempt to participate.

Ino could only moan out excitedly as he pressed his fingers against her again and her insides twitched on the very verge of her orgasm.

"Please," she breathed out hastily not expecting the response that she received.

At her wanton plea, Shikamaru moved to come out from underneath her. He couldn't hold out much longer as it was and he wanted to finish deep inside of her tight wet flesh. With sure movements he grasped at the back of her neck and pressed her face down into the mattress in a dominating fashion. There was something about being possessively dominant that always excited Shikamaru. Not many of his partners in the past had appreciated that about him, but Ino just closed in her thighs slightly from their widely spread position to present her ass to him sweetly.

Ino thrust her bottom up into the air in an effort to tempt Shikamaru as her fingers began to twist in the fabric of his bed spread with fervent anticipation. She could feel her heart thrumming in her chest as his hand, not clasped possessively around the back of her neck, stroked appreciatively at the full curve of her bottom before leaving her skin. She didn't want to wait any more to feel him deep inside of her…

Shikamaru stroked appreciatively at the flesh of her bottom before withdrawing to grasp his cock at the base. From his kneeling positon, he pressed his hips forward until the head of his cock grazed tenderly at her wet folds.

"Fuck, you are so wet," he ground out into the emptiness of his room before his hips moved forward slowly to enclose his cock around Ino's tight yet yielding walls.

Ino let out a long heated moan as Shikamaru's hips came to settle against the flesh of her ass. She hadn't been filled like this in what felt like forever and it was an overwhelming yet undeniably welcome sensation.

Once fully submerged in Ino's tightness, Shikamaru's dominating hand around the back of her neck came to rest on her hip with his opposing already at the opposite. His fingertips pressed into the flesh there in an attempt to calm himself, but this was a futile effort as he felt Ino flutter her inner walls around him, gripping him like a vice. He was helpless against his urge to give and take pleasure.

Ino moaned out enthusiastically as she could feel him drawing out of her slowly before slamming back into her brutally. Apparently, Shikamaru was the kind of man to be dominant and demanding of his lover. She wondered momentarily if she could hold herself together as he set up a punishingly eager pace. However, the thought was lost on her as his impatient pace did nothing but cause her insides to quake with delirious pleasure. He was thrusting so deeply and surly that it was inevitable that her first orgasm came with a scream and the irrepressible jerking of her hips.

Shikamaru clenched his jaw tightly as he practically rutted against Ino. He had never before lost so much control of himself and it was exhilarating. Ino took him in eagerly and her moaning and screams were an endless litany of elated encouraging passion.

It was unfortunate that at his accelerated pace he wasn't able to last much longer. With an eager growl, he felt Ino clench around him a second time.

'Just one more!' he thought desperately, as the fingers of his right hand came around her hip to press insistently at her clit.

"Oh, my god!" she screamed out into the comforter as her hips trembled a third time.

She wasn't able to catch her breath! If this went on much longer then she was certain that she would pass out from hyperventilation alone!

"Ah Shika!" she pleaded, "Cum for me!"

Shikamaru grunted out roughly as his hips jerked against her ass; her entreating words were his undoing as he finished deep inside of her before the two collapsed onto the bed in an exhausted heap.

Ino felt as if she was being smothered as his chest had fallen directly atop her sweaty back. She struggled weakly against his substantial weight and finally managed to turn over onto her back. With this newfound position, she cuddled his head against her breast and smiled happily as he practically snored in exhaustion.

Shikamaru blinked tiredly at Ino as his face was cradled against her soft breasts. She was absolutely and irrevocably perfect and she was finally all his. He couldn't possibly be any happier in that very moment as the two fell into a blissful sleep, both completely exhausted.

A/N: Finally! One more chapter. I am sorry about how this story is turning out. It seems lackluster to me, but it was my first attempt at writing after being on hiatus for so many years – six or eight or something. So I am happy to say that I worked out all of the bugs with this story and my other work will be much better. Already, I feel that my A True Love Story has a more structured plot than this story. The conclusion is coming up, so stay tuned! Please review if you like what you read!


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Please enjoy the conclusion of Success Story!

Chapter 15

"Time to get up lazy bones," came the soothing sound of Ino's voice to his half-waking form.

Shikamaru rolled over and cuddled into her pillow in a last ditch effort to avoid waking up for that day, "Go away," he grumbled groggily, clenching his eyes shut as he felt the bed dip down with her slight weight.

A shudder raced up his spine as he felt her settle into the bed behind him and press her chest to his bare back. She knew how to wake him up…

After another month with his beautiful blond, they had settled into a routine of familiarity. Moments of teasing and seduction were interspersed with day to day activates and sessions of bickering and arguments that were usually solved by night as they lay exhausted in one another's arms.

Life couldn't possibly get much sweeter.

"Come on, Shika," she moaned temptingly into his ear, grinning wickedly as he shivered again.

She knew just what to do to get her lover's attention and was not shy about doing it. As it stood, she needed to open up her flower shop, and she needed his help. She had to let her latest employee, Moegi, go after winter break ended and she needed to go back into school. She was undermanned and her simple little flower shop was her new happiness and obsession. All she really needed was for Shikamaru to man the front desk and answer the phone. It was an easy job that even a monkey could do and he was _going_ to be her monkey, he just didn't know it yet.

"What do you want from me now, Ino," he groused, opening up a dark eye to peak over his shoulder at the smiling blond.

"Nothing much," she teased as her right arm wrapped around his waist to flatten her hand out over his abdomen and graze fingertips into the waistband of his boxer briefs, "I just need your help with something," she purred before squealing out excitedly as Shikamaru turned over to press her form into the bed.

He had effectively grasped her wrists in one of his large hands and had them pressed up above her head into the soft mattress. His hips had come to settle between her thighs and his torso pressed her deep into the cushion as he glowered down at her smiling face while she giggled.

"I know what you're up to, and the answer is no," he grumbled, tempted enough to bend his neck and start leaving little nipping kisses along her neck and collar bone.

Ino let out a pleased sigh before lifting her thighs to wrap them around Shikamaru's waist and settle his stiffening cock against her eager heat. Morning sex was always fun, but she was unfortunately running late.

"But Shika," she mewled against his ear, "I _need_ your help," she teased, knowing that he would also take her words sexually.

"No," he growled out heatedly against her neck while pressing his stiff cock against her through their undergarments.

She was wearing too much. He needed to establish a permeant no clothes zone in his room just so he could make love to her more easily. Hell, his whole entire house needed to be a no clothes zone.

"Pretty please, "she begged on a purposeful heated moan before he bit into the skin of her shoulder and drew out an uninhibited one, "Ah, Shika," she struggled against his hold on her wrists, wanting to bury her fingers in his loose hair, "Do you want me to lose business because of you?" she argued almost accusingly.

"I don't care," he growled out, his free hand coming to tear at her panties. He needed to be inside her and he needed it now.

"But, you're the one who paid for it," she reasoned, shivering at the sound of her panties ripping with his impatience, "at this rate I won't be able to pay you back for it."

"You can just pay me with your body then," he insisted, pushing the waistband of his undergarments down just enough to free himself.

Ino inhaled quickly as she felt his stiff flesh surge into her body. With their position, she could feel the base of his cock pressing insistently against her clit with each deep thrust. God, he really knew how to get her going.

Shikamaru knew that this wouldn't distract her enough from her goal to get him to work, but he couldn't help himself. He needed her more badly than he ever had before and now that he was able to have her he would take her as he pleased. Fortunately for him she didn't mind, yet. He hoped that she never would mind as he took full advantage of her beautiful body on a daily basis. As long as he made sure to please her in return he was hopeful that she would stay by his side.

Ino finally managed to free her arms as she wrapped them around Shikamaru's sweaty neck. Her fingers came to claw at the skin of his back as he used her body with a punishing fervor.

The giving and taking in their relationship was of a mutual understanding. As long as he never looked at another woman, and always made certain to satisfy her, she would stay with him and as long as she willingly submitted her body to his desires he would never leave her. She hoped that one day there would be more to it. As of right now, though, this was fine; this was just enough.

Shikamaru finished not long after Ino's screams waivered into exhausted panting. Morning sex was the best. Any sex with Ino was the best, but at that moment morning sex was in first place. He didn't move to withdraw from her. He simply buried his face into the pillows she laid against at the right side of her head. His whole body went limp and this was his last ditch effort to deny her request. But the blond was too tenacious as she began to poke him in the side.

"Alright," she insisted, her throat raw from the eager noises she couldn't restrain, "you've had your fun. Now it's time to go to work."

"Ok, have a good day honey," he dismissed as he rolled off of her and faced away.

He could hear her growl angrily before she smacked him into submission.

* * *

Now, there he sat, at the front desk of the flower shop, looking up through the skylights that let in the sunlight for the hungry plant life that surrounded him. This was his only saving grace as he watched clouds pass by at their leisure.

It wasn't that he minded helping out Ino with her dream. On the contrary, he had helped her to establish it. He had used his own money that he acquired over the years to purchase the shop for her.

He remembered the day that he had surprised her with it fondly. She had been so elated that she had cried for hours. Each time she thought about his kind gesture she broke into a fresh bout of happy tears, giving him salty grateful kisses ever chance she could.

He just hadn't pictured himself being _her_ lackey. She would enlist his help often, sitting him up at the front of the shop like some handsome marketing campaign while she worked diligently in the back with floral arrangements and breeding new species.

He really couldn't complain though. The job was easy, the view was nice, and he got to spend time with the woman that he loved when she wasn't obsessing over the position and fullness of the floral arrangements.

Life was much simpler after he had left the Sabaku Company and he couldn't possibly be any happier about it. His dreams had come true. He retired filthy rich with the one woman that he had always loved and he would continue to love her for forever.

End

A/N: Alright everyone! That is it! I hope the ending was satisfactory! I think this was a good attempt at a story after not having written for so long. Now that my skills are slightly sharper I will continue to write when I am able. If you haven't already taken a look at my A True Love Story, please do now that this one is complete! I think it is much better and has a good plot! Thank you again everyone!


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