Disclaimer: I don't own these people

His Bet

Sakura Kinomoto watched Mortimer walk away. "Just because I won't sleep with you, you pig.", she whispered under her breath. Great. Now who was she going to take to Tomoyo's wedding? Her best friend in the whole wide world since first grade was getting married, and had specifically told Sakura to bring a date. Mortimer had already been a prime candidate, having been Sakura's steady boyfriend for a very long two months, but she couldn't help but feel thankful they had broken up. 'The pig,', she thought again.

The guy was an asshole, but how could he leave her dateless just 3 weeks before the wedding?

Now she had no one to take. Sakura thought about all the nagging she would be in for if she dared to turn up without someone, and immediately began to cast her eyes around the bar in mild panic.

Too short, too tall, I'd look like a dwarf, too horny, too ugly, too... whoa.

Across the room, Syaoran Li stood leaning against a banister. He'd spotted a beautiful brunette, and was enjoying himself watching her move. And how she moved. He was beginning to enjoy himself. He hadn't enjoyed himself at a bar for far too long. Meilin had made sure of that. He shouldn't have stayed with her for so long. Still, who could blame him? One look at her perfect body all wrapped up in her perfect clothes like a cute, pink present, any guy would have given her anything her little heart wanted. Too bad she wanted marriage from him. Lucky he had yanked himself from her vice-like arms while he could.

Beside him, he could here the never-ending chatter of Mortimer Davis. If he hadn't been an employee for the company Syaoran would have been thankful not to have known him. The guy was as irritating as he was a dickhead, and Syaoran was tuning him out while checking out the brunette. She really was not bad. Great legs.

Franco Buisette, Syaoran's right-hand man and the reason why he had been whined into coming to this bar in the first place, followed Syaoran's gaze to where the girl stood.

He raised his eyebrow. "Not bad, you should go for it. Be a piece of cake for you, eh? Syao old buddy?"

Syaoran shook his head and took in her yellow dress. It hugged everywhere; it should be illegal to let her wear that thing out. "Nah. I just got out of 6 months of hell. I don't think that's the right direction to turn just right now.".

"What?" Mortimer, annoyed at having been interrupted from what he thought of as his conversation with the boss, turned and saw what both Syaoran and Franco were looking at now. He turned back with a grin. "Yeah. You should go for her. Heard you were a legend, Syaoran," he secretly delighted at calling the boss by his first name. "You should go for her. Tell you what. Business aside, I'll bet you a thousand dollars to bed her. I'll give you... let's say... a month."

Syaoran looked at Mortimer with distaste. "That's a stupid bet. Who'd bet on a thing like that?"

"It's one grand, Syaoran, and besides, don't tell me you think she's too difficult for even you to nail? You're the great Syaoran Li! Tell you what. You take her out today, and you get ten bucks upfront, how 'bout that? Don't tell me you can't even get her to go with you tonight." Mortimer had no idea just how close he was to being fired.

Franco, eager to jump to Syaoran's defense, said "Of course he can take her to dinner. And to bed. Girls do everything he tells them, afterall. No problem."

"What?! No no no, no bet. Mortimer, I think you've had a little too much to drink... is that Meiling?" Syaoran glanced to the right of the brunette to the entrance of the bar, where, sure enough, he saw a flash of shiny black hair.

Franco patted Syaoran's stiff shoulder, and they all waited until, inevitably, Meiling locked eyes on them. Sauntering over, her pink-clad hips swaying seductively, she finally reached the railing of the little alcove of a platform that the regulars laughingly and fondly called a balcony.

She leaned against the railing much like Syaoran was doing, making sure all eyes were on her. "Hello Syaoran, Franco. How've you been?"

Franco was talking again. "So how about it? Just go ask her. I'm sure she'll go with you, man."

Meilin heard and immediately latched onto his wrist. "Her? Is Syaoran seeing anybody?" She pressed her chest into his arm. Feeling the soft flesh give, Syaoran looked down and felt his body reponding. Meilin could always use her body to her advantage. He firmly tugged his arm free and walked off the balcony, saying "Yes, I'm seeing someone.", then went over to the bar where the brunette was standing.

Sakura was busy scolding herself while she nursed the last few drops of beer in her mug. Every woman with working ovaries probably thought the same thing as she had when she set eyes on the brown-haired guy in the black suit. I want him. He really did look like a god. She was sure that thick, messy hair was as naturally chocolate brown as that tanned skin. Having worked in the fashion industry with Tomoyo for years, Sakura knew when a tan was as fake as the light that made it or when hair was colored. The body was first class, too. Lean and tall, filled with subtle muscles.

That man was every inch a superb male specimen. Who probably played with girls as a hobby, she thought in disgust. She had just downed the last bit of beer before getting her purse to leave, but turned into a solid, warm chest. She looked up, and saw the god himself. She nearly melted into a puddle when he smiled a smile so inviting and charming that she was overcome by the need to look away from it to protect herself. This man was a danger to all women.

"Good evening miss. My name is Syaoran Li. May I buy you dinner?"

And that's the first chapter. I'd like any comments, thanks.