Chapter Twenty Two:

Closer

Tea sighed deeply, smiling to herself as she stepped out onto the windy sidewalk.

She stood in front of a tall glass building, clutching a seemingly important letter sized envelope between her both hands.

She looked up at the clouds drifting lazily above her, feeling the excitement flooding her heart.

This was really happening, she had finally done it!

It took her a while to make a decision, but luckily, she was able to find the strength to venture beyond all of her trepidation and self-doubt.

Her courage lifted her spirits and she clung to the happiness she was feeling with every fiber of her being.

Looking back, she would've never predicted that such a day would come knocking on her doorstep again.

Her body was light and she felt as if she could float away.

But reality suddenly kicked into full gear as she glimpsed at her watch, only then realizing that she would be late if she didn't hurry.

Tea stared out the car window, enjoying the way the city started to come to life with the warmth of the evening sunlight.

Two weeks had passed by since she and Kaiba officially started dating.

And now she was on her way to meet him at the same quiet restaurant they had managed to discover about a week ago when they had their second date.

Kaiba had been for the most part pretty preoccupied with work for the better half of the past two weeks, having had the pressure of mending the Kaiba Corp contract with one of their biggest clients.

But now, much to her relief, all the red tape and drama was supposedly over and he finally had the time to spend with her.

They had gotten considerably close over the past two weeks, and through it all, miraculously as it seemed, she finally managed to come to terms with reality.

As the car came to a stop in front of the cozy looking restaurant, she smiled, feeling the welcomed rush of seeing her boyfriend's handsome face again.

"Thanks Roland."

She waved to her newly appointed chauffer, who Kaiba insisted take her anywhere she needed to be.

He smiled back, nodding politely before driving away.

As she stepped onto the pavement, she realized that she was still holding the envelope in her hand. Smiling to herself again, she tucked it safely away inside her purse.

Smoothing the ripples in her skirt and tucking her hair neatly behind her ear, she made her way inside the restaurant.

As she stepped into the entrance hall, she was immediately greeted at the door by one of the attendants.

"Good Afternoon, Miss, please let me take your coat."

Tea nodded politely, still not entirely used to the royal treatment.

The young man, who in Tea's opinion, had perfect posture, gestured for her to follow him, after draping her lilac jacket over his forearm.

The lighting inside the restaurant was romantically dim and the soft Latin music accentuated the mood.

Finally he led her to the dining area.

After visually scanning the room, she finally spotted the man she had been longing to see all day.

Kaiba was sitting at the table next to the large glass window in the corner of the room, looking gorgeous against the scattered city lights beside him.

She smiled to herself in admiration as she indicated to the young attendant that she had spotted her date.

She breathed in deeply, attempting to calm the butterflies in her stomach, walking slowly toward the table.

As she approached, Kaiba's eyes finally met hers as he spotted her walking toward him.

His expression softened immediately as he stood up from his seat to welcome her.

She smiled back at him as she stepped into his waiting arms, hugging him tightly, feeling him do the same, allowing him to greet her with a light kiss on the lips, before separating from her.

She forced herself not to blush, but knew it was probably futile to hope for such a thing.

"Hi, sorry I'm late."

Her voice was soft and tender as she spoke to him, smiling brightly.

"You're not, l only got here five minutes ago."

"Oh, okay, Good, I was worried you might be waiting long."

They both took a seat, across from one another at the small but elegant table for two.

Kaiba kept his eyes on her, admiring how beautiful she looked and how her good mood radiated off of her skin.

He decided to get straight to business.

"Okay… so first things first….."

He stared back at her intensely.

"…How did it go?"

Tea looked back at him, trying not to let her expression betray her excitement.

Kaiba waited patiently, enjoying the way she held him in suspense.

Finally she smiled, ready to respond.

"Well….basically…"

She pressed her lips together pausing for just a second.

Kaiba couldn't help smiling, knowing by the look on her face that good news was about to spill from her lips, but he waited patiently, not wanting to ruin her moment.

He watched as she smiled back at him knowingly.

"…I made it just in time."

Kaiba smiled at her, feeling relieved, glad to see her so happy.

"Not that there was any doubt in my mind but, congratulations."

She breathed out heavily, taking a sip from the glass of water on the table.

"Thanks, I was so nervous; I didn't even realize how much l wanted this."

Kaiba studied her eyes as she spoke to him. They sparkled with every emotion she felt at that moment, and it warmed his heart to see her so genuinely happy.

He couldn't be more grateful for the chance to finally spend some quality time with her.

The entire mess at work was finally over, and everything was back to normal.

Now, he could finally focus on the girl sitting in front of him. She deserved all the attention in the world and he intended to give her just that.

"So when do you start?"

He took a small sip of water himself.

"Well, the first audition is only two weeks away but Miss Reyuna was able to pull some strings, so she enrolled me under the second, which gives me another month to get ready, I start on Monday."

Kaiba nodded, sharing in her excitement.

She looked at him feeling so happy she felt her body would burst from the pressure.

"So I guess this means, I won't be your Boss anymore."

"Well, not necessarily, I can always take my classes part time and…"

Kaiba sighed hopelessly.

"You're not taking your classes part time okay."

Tea opened her month to protest.

"But…"

"No Buts, the Audition is only a few weeks away; you need to be ready for it."

Kaiba kept his eyes on hers sternly, so she could understand his resolve.

Tea bit her lip nervously, nodding without complaint, knowing he was right.

"Okay."

She hesitated before going an.

"But… if I won't be working, what am I gonna do about my living expenses?"

"Hmm, that's a good question, if only you were dating someone filthy rich, life just isn't fair sometimes huh."

She laughed quietly.

"No, l didn't mean it like that, I Just…"

Kaiba breathed out heavily, reaching for her hand across the table.

"Tea, I know we only just started out but, I need you to realize that it's ok to depend on me to take care of you."

Tea stared into his eyes, realizing that he was being sincere.

For some reason the moment made her stomach feel all tied up in knots.

She had to literally force her voice to work again.

"I know, and I'm sorry, I'm Just so used to fending for myself."

"I know you are, but it's alright now, I'm here to make sure you're okay remember?"

She nodded; her face warm from blushing.

He let go of her hand, as the waiter approached their table.

They ordered their choices before continuing their conversation.

"You know, things would be a whole lot simpler if you just take me up on my offer and come stay with us at the mansion."

Tea stared at the table, looking pensive.

Kaiba knew staying at the mansion with him and Mokuba was a really big deal for her so he didn't want to put any undue pressure on her shoulders.

He waited patiently for her response.

When she couldn't seem to give him a plausible answer he intervened.

"Guess you still need time to think about it."

She pressed her lips together, nodding, still feeling indecisive.

Kaiba shrugged casually, knowing what had to be done.

"Okay, well, in that case, I'll take full charge of your living expenses for the duration of your classes. We can deal with everything else later on ok."

"…Okay"

Tea was glad Kaiba was able to take charge at times when she obviously couldn't.

As the evening went on they ate in each other's company, enjoying the time they had to spend with each other.

Kaiba found himself at times getting drawn into her eyes as she spoke to him.

Somehow the sound of her voice was making him wish there weren't so many people around them.

He wanted her all to himself.

Because of his busy schedule over the past two weeks, he hadn't been able to find many opportunities to be alone with her.

But now that he had finally managed to clear things up at work, he had every intention to make up for lost time.

And for some reason he didn't like the fact that they were surrounded by so many people.

He made a mental note in his head to rectify that problem as soon as possible.

After they had their full they both headed outside to Kaiba's car which was parked out back.

"So where to next?"

Tea frowned, watching him as he opened the door.

"You mean you're actually free the entire night?"

He shrugged dismissively.

"Yea, like I said, everything's pretty much cleared up so I kind of put everything off until tomorrow, so I can spend more time with you."

Tea blushed as they both got into the car, admiring the way Kaiba never hesitated to say exactly what was on his mind.

As she settled into the front seat, she pulled her seat belt on and waited for Kaiba to start the engine.

When he did, he looked at her.

Unexpectedly, he leaned in closer, claiming her lips without apology or hesitation, jolting her pulse into overdrive.

She allowed herself to enjoy the feel of him, the taste of him. After such a long day, the feel of his lips against hers was heavenly.

She closed her eyes, letting the sensation take over.

When he finally stopped she stared into his deep blue eyes; the same eyes that could somehow blanket her entire body in a sea of warmth.

He spoke to her quietly, so personal and direct it made her weak in the knees.

"How about I take you to the mansion? Since we have the time tonight, I could finally give you the grand tour."

Tea felt her stomach tighten against all the sensations channeling through her body, willing herself to remain calm.

She found her voice among her scattered thoughts, responding shyly and equally soft.

"..Sure….that would be nice."

She smiled as he nodded.

"Okay, Kaiba mansion it is then."

For some reason Tea felt her stomach muscles stiffen even more.

She had never been inside Kaiba's mansion before. All of his work kept him busy over the past two weeks, so they hadn't found the time.

But now, he was finally inviting her into his home, his place of solitude…his world.

The thought of being alone with him at his mansion, scared her.

She had no idea what to expect of him and the uncertainty made her anxious...

As they drove through the parking lot and into the city streets, Tea's worry descended into the deep corners of her mind, her focus on Kaiba and all the looming possibilities that were starting to crop into her imagination.

Kaiba noticed her mood shift and he speculated over what the reason could be.

But he found he already knew…

She was scared to be alone with him.

For some reason, the sentiment made him immensely curious...

If curious was even the right word.

Questions silently scattered his mind.

Questions he never had the time to ponder in detail before.

What would she be like now that they were lovers and there was nothing separating them from their passion for one another?

How will she react? Or even more importantly…how would he?

The questions made his curiosity sizzle but he decided that it was useless trying to find any answers to them now…after all…

All the answers he needed were only a few minutes away...

He could be patient just a little while longer...

Finally, after a few minutes of driving through the city, the Kaiba mansion was in full view at last.

They drove straight into the wide, gated entrance and down the spacious driveway.

Tea stared out the window, the sunset almost completely gone, the sky a deep orange, enough to illuminate the beautiful driveway bordered on both sides by a well-kept healthy looking lawn.

They continued driving until finally making a U-turn straight into Kaiba's private garage at the side of the large mansion.

Once inside, tea noticed that there where an assortment of other expensive looking vehicles lined up against the wall, many of which she never even saw him use before.

Her heart was still pounding as he drove to a stop and parked next to a silver Mercedes Benz.

He switched the engine off, and she nervously followed suit as he exited the vehicle.

Tea kept close by his side as she let him lead the way to the elevator ahead of them, which she assumed would take them upstairs.

She took the time to look around.

Inside his garage was spotless and shiny and every one of his cars was pristine and polished to perfection.

She tried to count how many cars were lined up against the wall but gave up after stopping at nine, distracted by Kaiba, who led them inside the elevator before she could continue.

Just how loaded was he anyway?

As the elevator doors closed however, all other thoughts vanished into empty space as the only thing she could focus on was the fact that she and Kaiba were about to be completely and utterly alone.

Kaiba could sense the tension in her body, but he kept his resolve not to say anything about it, not wanting to add any undue heaviness to her already well burdened shoulders.

Finally the doors parted and they both emerged onto the ground floor.

Kaiba took her by the hand and led her through the corridor.

Tea felt her face flush at the feel of his strong hand around hers.

But she followed him silently and without protest, masking her silly excitement as best as she could as they finally stepped into the grand hall.

Tea's eyes widened at the sight of it all; the vast white ceiling, the glossy floors, the exuberant walls, the intricate oil paintings, the shimmering chandelier hanging at the centre of the room and just about everything else that seemed to have been ripped right out of a fortune 500 article.

It was more breathtaking than she ever could have imagined.

She stood there gawking, much to Kaiba's amusement.

He kept hold of her hand as he led her through the massive hall.

"Well, what do you think? Does it meet your over exaggerated expectations?"

All she could do was nod, still staring like an estranged alien from another planet.

"It's so beautiful…I can't believe you actually live here."

Kaiba watched her indulge, amused by her reaction.

"Yep, this is where I lure all my unsuspecting victims."

She smiled as she continued to take it all in.

"Hmm, is that what I am too? An unsuspecting victim?"

"Only if you want to be."

Somehow his tone made her insides cringe.

There was something dangerously suggestive in the way he said it.

She quietly cleared her throat, forcing herself to move on and pretend his words had no effect on her.

"So, um…"

She stepped in further into the room, as he let go of her hand, gazing up at the chandelier.

"…where's Mokuba?...I haven't seen him since the day before."

"He's staying at a friend's house from school, something about a history project, but he should be back tomorrow night."

"…Oh, I see."

For some reason, the fact that Mokuba wasn't there to take some of the pressure off made her want to bail.

But she knew she wasn't being entirely honest with herself.

In truth, she was actually glad for the opportunity to spend time with Kaiba; she couldn't deny that she wanted to be closer to him.

But she was no stranger to what couples usually ended up doing when presented with the opportunity to be alone.

So as not to spontaneously combust at the very thought, she forced herself to stop thinking so hard.

Instead she tried to focus on enjoying his company and getting to know him better.

Everything else would eventually fall into place, whether she drove herself crazy about it or not.

Before she could think any further, she felt his hand around hers again.

"Come on, let me show you around."

Smiling, she nodded, following his lead.

As they maneuvered through the large mansion, it didn't take long for Tea to realize how quiet it seemed. All of the rooms were large and elaborate and way more beautiful and luxurious than any other she'd ever stepped foot in, yet it felt as if something was missing. The entire house seemed way too big for only two people. She suddenly felt a pang of sympathy toward Kaiba.

She wondered if anyone ever told him how incredibly amazing he was. Judging by everything she knew about him, probably not.

Her knowledge of his past was sketchy and he rarely ever talked about his childhood, but she knew that he was forced to grow up much faster than any regular kid his age; and for that reason, he naturally generated a wall of ice around his heart.

But she knew now that everything he ever did was simply to protect his baby brother from the world around them. Her heart swelled inside her chest, feeling grateful that they became what they are now.

He needed someone to be there for him, and she was more than willing to take on the responsibility.

Finally, after a few minutes, they came to a halt at the last stop on the list. Apparently Kaiba kept the master bedroom for last.

"And…here….we have, my room."

Tea stared at the large mahogany door, feeling her throat contracting.

But she nevertheless managed to smile.

"Ok."

He turned the knob and opened the door for her.

He watched as she rather cautiously walked into his bedroom, looking around as though she were stepping into dangerous unknown territory.

He smiled feeling amused, and knowing exactly what was going through her mind.

He closed the door behind them standing behind her as she oogled his room.

The entire room was gigantic, but in her opinion, still extremely cozy.

"So are you just gonna stand there?"

He stood behind her with his arms folded.

For some reason her body felt frozen, like she could feel the full weight of the situation getting the better of her.

"Oh sorry."

She walked further into the room, still as cautious as ever.

This was the first time since they became a couple that she and Kaiba were completely alone like this.

She had no idea it would be this frightening.

And the fact that they were actually standing in his bedroom didn't really help either.

Kaiba walked further into the fully air conditioned room, trying to rack his brain for a way to put her mind at ease. He knew she was nervous and he needed to find a way to make her relax.

Despite all of her fear, she took the time to marvel at everything around them.

"Wow…your room is even bigger than I imagined.'

"It's ok I guess, I'm hardly ever in here so…it really doesn't matter to me."

She watched as he walked further into the room, removing his watch, putting it on the large dresser in the corner.

She felt her pulse racing a bit.

It was going to take some time to get used to being alone with him like this.

Kaiba saw how tense she was and decided to make it easier on her.

He approached her, gently gripping her by her upper arms.

"Hey, you ok?"

She nodded, trying desperately not to turn red in the face.

'Yeah.'

"If you're uncomfortable here, we can…"

"No, its ok, I'm fine…really."

He seemed satisfied with her answer.

"Okay, then can you stop looking so terrified?"

This time she couldn't stop herself, her face glowed bright red with embarrassment.

"I'll try."

He smiled at her.

'Fair enough."

He kept his eyes locked on hers, feeling his emotion growing.

"I'm glad I could finally have you all to myself."

Tea had to swallow hard, so she could regain her ability to speak.

She whispered back, in a quiet voice.

"…So am I."

She gazed up into his deep ocean blue eyes feeling as if she was being swept away by a strong current.

Kaiba felt his natural instinct starting to take over as he stared down at her.

He was used to having his way with women.

He was used to skipping all the chit chat and getting straight to the point.

But this time, his instincts were somehow working against him.

This time, things were different.

This time there were actual feelings involved.

As pathetic as it sounded, the truth was still there…looming over him.

He had never been in a situation like this before.

Not even once.

What was he supposed to do?

He wanted her so badly, but not just physically.

He felt his indecision threatening to tear his mind to shreds.

Forcing himself to get a grip, he decided that the best course of action would be to put some distance between them.

He knew his body would eventually start to react on its own if he didn't.

And it was pretty obvious by now that she was scared enough as it is.

He decided that being too forward with her would ultimately work against him.

He forced himself to let go of her, swallowing the lump in his throat, as he tried to ignore how dangerously beautiful she looked staring up at him.

Underestimating her effect on him was definitely not a good idea.

Tea watched as he stepped away from her, feeling a breath of relief flow through her body.

Why was she so nervous?

She had feelings for him, he had feelings for her, they were a couple for God's sake.

Get a grip…

She watched as he retreated to his huge walk in closet.

"Well, don't just stand there, if you're staying, at least try to get comfortable."

She was semi grateful that she couldn't see him from where she was standing and vice versa.

"Ok."

In an attempt to calm down she stepped out of her sandals, placing it neatly at the corner of the door.

Maybe if she forced her body to react normally, her emotions would follow suit and she could hopefully start to feel more at ease.

The carpet under her bare feet felt soft and comfortable and she could feel her body slowly letting go of the tension, just as she had hoped.

She cautiously removed her jacket and hung it on the coat rack next to her shoes.

Hugging her arms, and taking the time to settle in, she used her time alone to admire Kaiba's room.

It was neat and organized, just as he was.

She noticed a rack of CDs in the left corner next to a huge stereo system.

She smiled as she dared to walk over to it.

Somehow she couldn't picture Kaiba listening to music. Do workaholics actually have leisure time?

She decided she was just being silly.

Of course they did, they were human beings like everyone else weren't they?

She ran her fingers over the CDs, finding that she recognized most of them.

Just as she had predicted…

Rock and Heavy Metal.

Kaiba changed out of his dress shirt and jacket, wondering what would be the most appropriate thing to wear.

Having a serious girlfriend was definitely harder than he thought.

After only seconds of deliberating he decided to simply change into a regular white T-shirt and slacks.

When he emerged from the closet he smiled to himself as he saw Tea going through his CD collection.

When she saw him, she willed herself not to turn red.

"Sorry, I just really like music."
"Go right ahead, I can't even remember the last time I actually listened to those."

"You actually go out and purchase these?"

"Well, Mokuba usually gets them for me, for birthdays and stuff; I only bought a few of them myself."

Tea smiled feeling all warm inside.

"Really?"
Kaiba saw the disbelief in her eyes and couldn't help his amusement.

"Is that so hard to believe? I'm beginning to get the impression that you really do think I'm a robot."
Tea couldn't help laughing.

"Back in high school, maybe, but not anymore."

"So I take it you never even noticed that I actually had a soft spot for you back then."

Tea's eyes widened, as she looked at him, feeling silly for feeling so enthralled by his words.

"What was that? Did I here you right?"
Kaiba knew very well that he had dug himself into a hole he could never climb out of again.

But for some reason he didn't really give a damn.

He was having way too much fun, seeing her squirm.

"So you're telling me you never noticed, not even once? I mean its' not like I wanted you to, but sometimes I made it pretty obvious."

Tea looked like she was digging into the deep corners of her memories.

"Yea but, I always thought it was only cuz I'm a girl."

Kaiba scoffed.

"Gender has no effect on me; if I wanted to tell you off, I would have."

Tea stared at him for a while, like she couldn't wrap her head around the revelation.

"…But we barely even talked in high school."

"I always thought there was something different about you that I couldn't put my finger on…and to be honest, the fact that I felt that way annoyed the heck out of me."

Tea smiled, completely forgetting about the CD in her hand.

"Wow, I never even realized."

"But…"

She watched as he approached her, taking the forgotten CD out of her hands and replacing it on the rack.

"You were the geek squad cheerleader, so I just pretended to ignore you like the rest of them."

Tea couldn't help feeling like butter under his gaze.

She spoke in a quiet voice, trying in vain to hide her infatuation.

"So why are you telling me this now?"

"Cuz I'm glad my instincts were right about you."

Tea smiled up at him, feeling flattered and touched by his words.

Kaiba could see the vulnerability in her eyes and he had to force himself not to take advantage of it.

He kissed her lightly on the lips, knowing if he did anything more, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from being a naughty boy.

"Ok, so how about I let you be the boss tonight, we do whatever you want from this moment on."

"Oh really?"

"Just think of it as my way of saying thanks for tolerating my over booked schedule for the past two weeks."
Tea smiled brightly, completely impressed.

"Ok, hmmm…."

She put her index finger to her lips, pretending to be pensive, looking cute as ever.

"How about….we do something really cliché, like watch a movie together."

Kaiba couldn't help his amusement.

He shrugged casually, keeping his promise.

"…Okay, a cliché night it is…"

Tea was glad he left the decisions to her.

She needed to avoid, thinking about other possibilities as best as she could, despite the fact that it stood over them like a rain cloud waiting to burst.

Sure enough, Kaiba managed to find a channel suitable for them. There was a marathon of Hitchcock movies running all night, back to back. Remembering that Tea was into the scary stuff, he couldn't have asked for anything better.

As the night progressed, Tea had somehow found the courage to sit next to Kaiba on his huge King sized bed, as they indulged in the popcorn he ordered brought up to his room.

They conversed easily over everything and Tea found that she was starting to really enjoy being around her new boyfriend.

The more she talked to him, the more she started to realize that, inside his heart, he was actually nothing at all like his public image.

He was just a regular guy, who was even more caring than most.

She found herself falling even deeper into her web of infatuation.

Finally the first movie was over, and they were left with the ending credits.

And somehow, the cloud descended itself over them again.

Tea decided to plunge them into conversation, in an attempt to keep her butterflies at bay.

"Okay, that was …actually really good. I haven't seen that one before."

Kaiba placed his hands behind his head, leaning against the bed head.

"And you were expecting something that's not? It's Hitchcock; even I know his stuff's the best, unlike the bullshit they pass off as horror flicks nowadays."

She smiled popping the last bit of popcorn into her mouth.

"You're right, how silly of me."

As their attention was no longer on the TV in front of them, Kaiba found that he was starting to gravitate towards her.

Like all he wanted was to be closer, to get inside her head.

"So…what now, do you want me to take you home…or… do you want to stay a little bit longer?'

Tea met his eyes reluctantly, panic building in her stomach.

"Um…I…can probably stay a little longer…I mean, I don't have to work tomorrow."

"Okay.'

She smiled playfully.

"Unless of course you were planning on kicking me out already."

Kaiba kept his eyes on her, knowing he wouldn't be able to contain himself for very much longer.

He sat up and leaned over to her, ignoring the way she retreated in surprise.

He slipped his hand over her face, his eyes intent on hers.

"If it were up to me, I'd never let you leave."

Tea felt her pulse jolt, her heart speeding up; feeling something coming over her, like her body had taken on a mind of its own.

She closed her eyes as he brought his lips to hers.

Kaiba let the sensation of her soft, warm lips envelop him, feeling all of her emotion pouring out of her once again.

He felt her lay back into the soft pillow as he kissed her, feeling her slip her fingers into his hair; a habit of hers he had come to grow immensely fond of.

Slowly, he slipped his hand over the side of her waist, holding her in place, as he caressed her lips with his own.

Tea felt her heart slamming hard against her chest, feeling his kiss become more passionate, more engaging, unlike any other kiss they ever shared before.

In that moment she felt her own feelings for him expanding inside her.

As she kissed him back, her senses were infused with passion; his taste, his scent, the feel of his powerful hands on her skin, the feel of his body heat mingling with her own; everything about him threatened to engulf every inch of her sanity.

Her pulse sped up even more as she suddenly realized what was happening and she knew she was in danger of losing herself completely…

All she could think about was Seto Kaiba and the way he made her blood combust into liquid fire like no other man could.

She wanted him….

She wanted him so badly….

But was she really ready for this?

Yet despite all of the hesitation in her mind, her thoughts were somehow cut off from the rest of body as she felt herself reacting to his touch even more.

She dug her other hand into the front of his T-shirt, gently pulling him down closer, letting him know she didn't want him to stop.

Her reaction only seemed to make him want her even more, drawing himself closer, his upper body leaning over hers, his tongue probing deeper into her mouth, keeping her captivated by his kiss.

Tea felt herself becoming powerless to his advances as he slid his hand under her blouse, his fingers caressing her soft skin, and gliding across her torso and navel, sending ripples of pleasure through her stomach.

This was the first time since they became lovers that he touched her this way.

She felt herself slowly surrendering to him, feeling sedated by the feel of his hands on her body.

In that moment it felt as if everything else had fallen away. He had occupied every solitary space within the corners of her mind and she could think of nothing else.

Kaiba reveled in the feel of her skin, wanting more, needing to have more of her in every way possible.

At the back of his mind, he knew he couldn't risk acting on impulse, he knew he had to be careful with her, that she was still fragile and hurting inside…

But somehow, as he indulged in the feel of her kiss, he couldn't bring himself to stop.

He had wanted her for so long, maybe even longer than he realized.

And now she was finally here, in his arms, under his spell, captivated, just as he always craved she would be.

She had broken into his world without warning and now the desire was too great. He needed her to be his, every inch of her.

He threw caution to the wind, not being able to contain himself any longer.

He slid his hand slowly up her stomach, enjoying the way her body trembled under his touch.

He let his hands splay over her smooth skin stopping as his fingers lightly brushed against the edges of her bra.

Tea felt her body start to yearn for more, but her fear kept her at bay.

Kaiba was unlike anything she could ever imagine. She felt her entire being surrendering to him, like he had somehow stolen every ounce of control and she was powerless to do anything else but comply to his every will.

Kaiba could feel the muscles in her body become tense and he knew how nervous she must be.

But the fact that she was, excited him and it made him want to explore more of her, if only to see how she would react to his touch, to make her surrender even more.

He slid his hand up further, finally sliding it over her bra, feeling the soft swell of her subtle breasts through the delicate fabric, squeezing ever so gently.

He felt her moan into his mouth as he did, the sound muffled by his kiss, igniting his anticipation, enjoying the control he held over her senses.

He felt her entwine her fingers in his hair more urgently, his gesture having exactly the effect he wanted it too.

At this point Tea felt a familiar warmth spreading through her entire body, practically feeling herself pleading for more.

But the question reared its head again…preventing her from losing her senses completely.

Was she really ready for this?...Was this the right time?...

The fear and panic inside her chest made her fall back to earth, the gravity of the situation slamming hard against her.

Yet despite her apprehension her body wouldn't listen. She forced herself to keep calm, shutting her eyes tight against her anxiety and keeping her lips locked on his, as they kissed, hoping that she could somehow mask how scared she was.

For reasons unknown, she had always tried to avoid thinking about the inevitable.

But the taste of his lips and feel of his hands on her body made it impossible for her not to.

Whether she was too scared to think about it or not, she knew that sooner or later she would eventually have to face the issue of having sex with him.

The thought was somehow too much for her brain to take in all at once.

She felt him touching her so intimately, deliberately driving her sanity away from her.

He kissed her deeply, over powering and seductive, knowing exactly where he wanted to take her senses.

Kaiba felt her body become tenser, her delicate flesh under his fingers, driving him further into his desire to have her.

Her hesitation only served to heighten his interest and he showed no sign of stopping.

At this point, he knew that his control had almost slumped to zero, and he wasn't exactly worried that it was.

His feelings only grew inside him with every quiver of her body.

Tea's heart was racing, feeling a mixture of fear and excitement simultaneously overwhelming every inch of her.

He pulled his lips away, trailing his kisses instead along the nape of her neck, needing to taste her body.

He felt her, remove her fingers from his hair, digging them instead into the muscles of his upper back, feeling the intensity of their feelings grow with every passing second.

He removed his hand from under her blouse, gently grabbing hold of her legs, gliding his hand along the length of her smooth skin, her skirt lifting simultaneously as a result.

He heard her suck in a breath as he continued kissing her neck, his hand coming to a stop at her hips, finally feeling his palm slip over the sides of her lacey underwear, the thin fabric only serving as a means to heighten his impending desire.

Keeping his hand there he felt the strong temptation to go even further threatening to overcome him. Yet despite the desire in his body to claim her and allow his simmering lust to take over completely, he knew he couldn't go on, without her full consent.

He hesitantly stopped his kisses, pulling his lips away slightly, resolving finally to look her in the eyes before continuing.

She reluctantly stared back, too scared to say anything, as the reality of what they were about to do, lingered between them.

Kaiba, wanted her more badly than he let it show and it was difficult to stop himself in the midst of his passion, but his feelings for her far outweighed his physical desire. He wanted to be sure that she was okay, that it was okay for him to go on…to make love to her like he needed to so badly.

He spoke to her in a low voice.

'You okay?"

Tea nodded slowly, her eyes reflecting her fear.

Kaiba noticed the reluctance in her expression and as much as it excited him, he knew he couldn't do anything else without her permission.

He asked again.

"Tell me what you're thinking."

Tea kept her voice barely over a whisper as she held onto him, her heart still pounding.

She hesitated, her worry showing in her eyes as she looked at him.

"…I….I want to…but…."

Kaiba gave her time to say what she needed to.

Finally she told him the truth, her voice soft and trembling.

"I'm sorry but…I just…think…maybe it's a little too soon for me."

Kaiba stared into her eyes, seeing how nervous she was, knowing he could never find it in himself to make her do something she wasn't ready for.

He paused, easily slipping his hand to her waist, letting it rest there reassuringly, his eyes never leaving hers, keeping his voice sturdy and equally quiet.

"There's no need to apologize, It's okay, we don't have to do this tonight….whenever you're ready."

He felt her body start to relax as he stroked her soft skin with his thumb.

She nodded shyly.

"Okay."

They gazed into each other's eyes for a moment longer, each accessing the other.

Kaiba forced himself to swallow his own desires, trying to ignore the fact that he was still very much turned on, by the mere fact that she was actually lying in his bed, looking up at him.

Tea struggled to calm herself as well, trying to come to terms with what 'almost' happened.

Despite how nervous she still was, she managed to smile at him.

She gazed into his eyes, whispering softly.

"…Thanks for understanding….Sorry I'm such a dork."

Kaiba couldn't help smiling admiring how cute she looked.

"I told you its ok, stop apologizing, besides …."

Tea noticed the devilish silver glint in his blue eyes, feeling something intense pierce her senses.

"….Delaying the inevitable only makes it all the better."

His voice made her insides turn to mush, and she stared at him in silence, her face flushed.

She felt her heart racing, unable to keep herself from turning red.

Even as she smiled, she felt her voice tremble as she whispered back.

"…You… sound like quite the expert."

He kept his blue eyes intent upon hers, the assuredness in his face never faltering.

"...When the time comes, I'll leave that verdict to you."

She found herself unable to look away, staring at him, feeling the heat creeping into her face and through her entire body, her imagination drifting into territory yet to be explored.

His words aroused her more than she anticipated they would.

Her mind wandered to questions she had been too much of a coward to ponder before.

"…Um…Could you not say things like that…I think I'm nervous enough already."

"Whoops, sorry."

The playful glint in his eyes conveyed that he wasn't, and that he had meant in every way, to stir her curiosity exactly as he did.

A curiosity that made her wonder…

She couldn't help blushing, smiling at him shyly, not knowing what to say.

Finally, she broke their eye contact, looking away, hoping the skin on her face didn't burn off with all the heat seeping through it.

Kaiba reveled in her reluctance to look him in the eye.

This was the reaction he wanted.

Curiosity, in this case, was very good indeed.

He knew she was scared, but he also knew that she wanted him just as badly as he did her.

A hurdle he had a hunch they would unavoidably cross very soon.

He gently slipped his hand along the side of her face, forcing her to look at him again.

"… Tell me what I have to do to make you unafraid to open up to me..."

His fingers caressed her skin, his gaze intense

"…don't you think I'm entitled to know what's going on inside that head of yours?"

Tea felt herself becoming vulnerable as she stared up into his eyes.

It was as if he could see into her very soul.

She knew then that she had to be honest with him. No matter how apprehensive she was to open up.

No matter how hard it was.

She had to tell him what bothered her the most; the thing she was most scared of.

Building her courage she allowed her voice to escape her lips.

"…I know this might…sound a bit…silly to you …and I know its impractical to ask for such a thing but, I think I just need to hear it ok…"

He nodded, giving her time to continue, seeing her emotion drifting through her eyes as she looked at him.

"…you have to promise you won't …hurt me…"

She paused.

"…I don't think …my heart can handle being torn apart again."

Kaiba could feel her sincerity and her fear, seeping into his body from her words and he knew exactly what she meant, what she needed him to say.

He kept his eyes on hers, so she could see the honesty in them, honesty that she craved so badly.

"I'll never hurt you that way Tea, I promise."

She gazed into his eyes, getting lost in his sincerity, believing his words with all her heart.

He gazed back at her, feeling them growing closer, a bond developing between them, unspoken and strong.

He lowered his mouth to hers again, kissing her deeply, feeling her respond immediately; like his promise was sealed shut in the unison of their lips. He delighted in the feel of her, captivating all of her emotion. Finally, he drew away before he could be lured into the point of no return again, kissing her lightly on the forehead as she closed her eyes against the warmth of the moment they shared.

This was the first time, Kaiba ever felt so deeply for someone and for the first time he knew he wasn't afraid of it anymore. He was satisfied, knowing it was only a matter of time before they surrender completely to their passion for one another.

Until then, he would be patient with her.

Knowing she belonged to him was already more than enough.

Monday Morning

7:45am

Tea stepped into the large open dance studio for the first time in a year.

The atmosphere was exactly as she remembered.

There were a few girls already there, doing warm ups and routine stretches.

She stepped in cautiously as she felt all of their eyes slowly start to focus on her….The new comer.

She nodded politely, smiling a warm smile, acknowledging them with a certain confidence she had somehow reclaimed over the past few days.

"Hi."

She adjusted the strap of her gym bag over her shoulder, as one the girls, who seemed a bit more friendly than the others approached her.

"Hey, you're the new kid right?"

Tea smiled back.

"Yea."

"…Cool, I'm Rayne, nice to meet you."

"Tea Gardner, it's nice to meet you too."

Tea felt herself becoming more relaxed in her presence. She had a feeling the two of them would get along just fine.

For the next few minutes Rayne took it upon herself to introduce her to the rest of the class.

Besides Tea and Rayne there were ten other dancers; all of which were competing for the chance to graduate into their respective school of choice.

After getting herself acquainted, Tea noticed that most of the girls had already signed on to Julliard and there were only two other girls vouching for Kiryu, like herself.

Tea was glad Rayne was one of them.

"So, how many spots are there?"
Rayne sat next to her on the bench, as she loosened her ankle joints with both hands.

"About five. You might think that's good odds but there are like seven other schools competing along with us….so yea, the competitions kinda stiff."

Tea smiled as she tied her hair into a high pony tail.

"Oh I see."

Rayne smiled warmly at her, resting her hand on her shoulder.

"But don't worry, Miss Rey is one of the best…we'll get in for sure…both of us."

Tea smiled back feeling her sincerity.

She nodded, as the sound of the door closing stole their attention.

Miss Reyuna walked into the room, all smiles and as poised and graceful as ever, her long flowing black hair accentuating her elegant beauty.

"Good day, girls."

Tea smiled as their eyes finally met.

"Oh my, Tea…."

She smiled back, looking over joyed.

"I'm so glad to see you this morning. I hope you're ready to work extra hard…you have a lot of catching up to do.'

Tea nodded.

"Yes Miss Reyuna, I'm ready."

"Splendid…"

She gestured for everyone to listen intently.

"Class…this is miss Tea Gardner, and she'll be joining us from today."

Tea smiled as everyone greeted her with warm smiles of their own once again.

She felt welcomed, and she delighted in the feeling as she prepared herself for the hard work ahead of her.

Afternoon

6:30pm

Tea smiled as Kaiba pulled up at the front of the building.

She felt her cheeks involuntarily turning red as she approached the car.

Settling into the front seat she was greeted by a warm kiss on the lips, sending her heart summersaulting yet again.

When they drove off, Kaiba lowered the volume of the music down so they could talk.

"Well, how was your first day?"

Tea smiled broadly, the events of the day spilling into her memory.

"It was great! Everyone's really nice and I got to work on my new routine for the audition."

Kaiba nodded; glad he could be the one she confided in.

His heart hadn't felt this light in such a long time, and he knew he had no one but Tea to thank for it.

He took pleasure in driving her to her apartment, contented that their relationship was only just beginning.

7:15 pm

Miss Reyuna pulled her keys out of the locked door, finally closing up for the night after having completed some extra paperwork for the schools administration.

As she put her keys into her purse, she was startled by a young man, who seemed to appear out of nowhere. At first she couldn't see his face, but as her eyes adjusted to the light, she was able to recognize him right away.

He smiled at her.

"Closing up for the night?"

Letting her shoulders drop in relief, she smiled back.

"Oh, you startled me."

"Sorry, I was just passing by so I just thought I'd say Goodnight."

He paused before continuing.

"…So, did everything go ok?"

Miss Reyuna nodded, looking pleased.

"Yup, I'll make all the arrangements, don't you worry. And just for the record, I think it's a wonderful idea."

Her comment sparked a smile from him and he blew out a breath of relief.

"Okay, then it's settled, and thanks, this means a lot."

"It's not a problem dear, think nothing of it."

The young man nodded politely as he bid farewell, turning toward his car.

"Good night Miss Reyuna."

She smiled as she headed in the opposite direction, toward her own vehicle which was parked along the sidewalk a few feet away.

"Good night Yami, It was nice seeing you again."