First Lines

Thank you for all the kind reviews, alerts, and faves for this story. It makes me feel more confident about starting a new story especially since I'm still in the middle of writing "New Year," so thank you! ^_^

Also, I'm upping the rating to M because of suggestiveness. Then again, the previous chapter was pretty suggestive, too. O_O

Page 8-"It's Just Like Bartering"

"It's just like bartering."

"And how in the world is that supposed to make me feel better?!" Sakura asked, shooting Kakashi an incredulous look.

"Well, at least then you can look at it as just business." Kakashi said while rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"It is just business."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I'm the goods." Sakura said flatly.

"Sakura..." Kakashi said in his sensei voice as he got up from the edge of the bed, walked the few steps towards her, and stood behind her as they both looked at her reflection in the mirror. "You're a kunoichi. This is what kunoichis do. It's not all about chasing after missing nins and kicking ass on the battlefield. Sometimes, you have to use your other assets to get the job done."

"Yeah, well, I think it's degrading." Sakura fumed, shooting daggers at him through the mirror.

"Fine. Then what if I told you that female ninjas aren't the only ones who end up doing this kind of work?"

Sakura turned around to look at him directly.

"Are you serious?"

"Completely."

"Are you including yourself in this?"

The look in Kakashi's eye darkened.

"Yes," he said quietly.

"Oh my God..." Sakura said, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Like I said, Sakura, it's not gender biased."

"So you've done this before...a lot?"

Silence.

Then,

"Yes. I tended to be-" Kakashi coughed. "A favorite for these sorts of missions."

"Oh my God! How many times did you have to do it?" Sakura asked, the double entendre not lost on the both of them.

"Sakura, I don't really want to talk about it."

"C'mon, Kakashi. You're the one who brought it up in the first place! So how many?"

"And just why do you need to know?"

"Because we're dating and I want to know everything about you."

Kakashi let out a deep breath and slumped his shoulders.

"Fine. Men or women?"

"Wait. What? Did you just say men?!" Sakura asked, her eyes lighting up as she started laughing.

"It was a long time ago, Sakura, and nothing happened either way. I usually got the job done before it got too far."

"But still!"

"Sakura, you're losing focus. This isn't about me, this is about you."

"Fine, but this isn't over." Sakura said warningly as she faced forward to look at her reflection again. "We're picking up right where we left off when I get back."

To Sakura's surprise, Kakashi wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her tight against his chest, and murmured in her ear:

"As long as you get back to me safe and sound."

"Right." Sakura said softly. If she didn't want to do this mission before, then she really didn't want to do it now, especially now that they had finally found each other. "Okay," she said, trying to get the conviction back in her voice. "Walk me through this?"

Knowing that she was only trying to stop herself from making a promise that she couldn't keep, Kakashi simply did as she asked.

"They'll ask you to state your business. What do you say?"

"I have a scheduled appointment with Kumori."

"Good. And if they refuse to let you in?"

"Throw in Naibun's name."

"Right. Kumori is notorious for his entertainment and Naibun is in charge of managing them. Once you say his name, they won't question you anymore and they should let you right in. And if not, what do you do then?"

"Come back here so that we can regroup."

"Exactly. If they don't let you in the first time around, we have plenty of time to figure something else out. There's no sense in making this mission more dangerous for you than it already is. But if all goes as planned and they let you in, what's your next move?"

"Seduce. Incapacitate. Get the scroll. Get out."

"Perfect. And if things don't go perfectly?"

"Transport myself the hell out."

"Yes. Now let's do a weapons check because Naibun is sure to do the same thing."

Sakura nodded her head and spread her arms and legs out wide to let Kakashi pat her down, not that there was very much she could hide with what she was wearing.

Still standing behind her, Kakashi started right below her armpits, slowly running his hands down Sakura's silk covered sides, searching for any signs of concealed shurikens, kunais, and senbons. Then, he ran his hands down along her hips, forward around her waist, and up her flat stomach, slowly moving upwards until his hands came to a gentle rest on top of her breasts. There wasn't supposed to be anything sexual about it, yet Sakura couldn't help but sense that Kakashi was spending a great deal more time on cupping and squeezing her breasts. Right when she was about to call him on it, he moved his hands back down and rubbed the palms of his hands against her back instead. No sooner had Sakura let out a sigh of relief were his hands back up on her hips, slowly moving down the outside, then the inside of her thighs and legs. When he finally came back up, Sakura slowly turned around to face him and Kakashi responded by gently caressing her cheek back and forth with his thumb.

"When I get back," Sakura said huskily, "We're picking up right where we left off."

"Just get back to me safe and sound." Kakashi repeated himself.

Wordlessly, they sealed the promise with a heated kiss.

To be continued...