Notes: Yo! First of all, you guys should know I altered Ch 5 slightly, since it was felt that it was too OOC. :D Which was true...

Anyways, some *warnings* about this chapter.

Firstly, it’s unfinished as my pre-readers(yes, I have pre-readers now! They’re so cool!) haven’t had a chance to go through it yet.

Secondly, it’s a LEMON.

Thirdly, still a cliffhanger. I *honestly* don’t know how this happened... o_O

Well, that’s it I think...

Onwards....

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My mind flashed on scenes from the past, trying to decide what to tell Ranma. I’d been dreading this moment since I’d seen him at that club, but I owed him an explanation. But why would he believe me? He was so angry.

The silence was growing thick with unsaid things. Ranma abruptly pulled notes from his wallet, stood up and left. I watched him go. I signaled the waiter and then walked after him. I caught up with him when he had reached the beach and had walked past the little snack stands to the rock outcroppings where the wind was stronger.

“Ranma...”I called. Reaching him, I put out my hand to touch his shoulder, but he wheeled and grabbed my wrist, and imprisoned me between his body and the rock.

“Tell me that you never slept with him, Akane,” he growled, hurt and suppressed fury emanating from him. “Lie to me.”

I gulped. He’d destroyed any chance of anything I said sounding believable. He stared at me for another frozen second. Then his hands loosened, slid away, and I was free. I was shivering uncontrollably. Watching him stride away, I came to a decision. Something had to be done.

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Ranma was watching the ocean from the window when I finally entered the room.

“You’re still here,” I breathed. I was certain he’d left.

“I’m on a job,” he said, his shoulder stiff, his voice remote. “I don’t just leave.”

I stared at him for another second. I turned and escaped into the bathroom. I needed a hot bath badly. Sitting in the furo, letting the steam caress my face, I thought over my options. They seemed very few. Finally, I was done. I stood and wrapped myself in the pretty kimono provided for such purposes.

Opening the door, I stepped out into the cooler air. Ranma turned to stare at me. He looked like he was gritting his teeth.

“Akane, in that kimono....do you know what you’re asking for?”

“Ranma...”I’ve never been with anybody else, I wanted to say. But I’d just be wasting my breath. I untied the kimono and let it fall.

Ranma stared at me. He stood shocked for a moment. Then he began to walk towards me as though in a trance. His hands came up to clasp my shoulders and he pulled me up against him. His hand came up to cup my head ruthlessly, holding it immobile as his head bent and he kissed me.

My hands had come up automatically to push at him, but I relaxed them and my arms slid around Ranma of their own accord. His mouth was devouring mine as though he would never get enough. His other hand slid up my ribcage and clamped over my breast. I gasped and arched, my head flying back. He kissed his way down the column of my throat and let his teeth grate lightly against my collarbone.

With every kiss, things low in my body tightened and released. The feel of his mouth against my skin made my breath catch. My heart was pounding and I was shaking like a leaf. Ranma didn’t seem to notice. Or care.

He picked me up and stalked to the bed. He placed me on it almost tenderly, but his eyes were hot as they raked me from head to foot.

“I’ve dreamed of this a thousand times, Akane,” he growled. “My one regret over leaving is that I didn‘t stop for a taste of what Kunou got.”

I blinked at him. My mind was drowning in Ranma. I didn’t want to think about Kunou right now. But that’s why I was doing this, wasn’t I? He was at the root of Ranma’s hatred. And Ranma deserved this.

Ranma crawled onto the bed, the blue silk shirt pulling taut over muscles moving like a stalking panther. He moved over me and bent his head to kiss me again. His mouth was melting me, his hands warm against my bare skin. He sat up. I didn’t know what to do with my hands, and I wasn’t used to being naked in front of a guy so I discreetly placed my fists over my breasts and peeked up at Ranma to see what was coming next.

He was staring at me like he’d memorize every dip and curve of my body. He looked up at me but I couldn’t stand his gaze and let my lashes sweep down in concealment.

Suddenly, Ranma reached down and pulled off his shirt. I couldn’t resist a peek. His shoulders had broadened out and his chest had widened and sleek, powerful muscles were sheathed by smooth, pale skin that glowed like white marble.

Before I could speak, Ranma hands clamped my wrists and pulled my fists away, leaving me open to his gaze. Somehow being held down made me feel a lot more naked than taking my robe off.

“Can’t call you flat-chested anymore, can I?” he mused. The dark head dipped down and fastened over my breast, and he began to suck. I thought I had been struck by lightning. It felt like quicksilver ran in lines from his mouth to parts inside me I hadn’t known existed. I cried out and tried to twist away from him. The feeling was unbearably powerful and every atom in my body was suddenly sensitized beyond bearing.

Ranma only sucked harder in response. I screamed. I couldn’t help it. His head came up and regarded me through eyes of cobalt blue. For a moment I was frightened. Ranma looked as though he wanted to eat me from the inside out and only the barest shred of control was keeping him leashed.

“Akane.” His voice sounded low and hoarse, and his fingers tightened on my arm to the point of pain, though in my newly throbbing state, even that felt pleasurable.

“Ranma?” I sounded soft and hesitant, but my mouth was too dry to say anything more.

“You’re mine, Akane,” Ranma growled; “No one’s going to take you from me.”

He released my arm and propped me against the pillows. He bent his head to suck at my other breast until I was screaming with need. I wasn’t that naive. I knew what I wanted, and my hand slipped into his jeans to curl around him. My eyes widened. He felt so big and hot and hard. Ranma’s head came up and he gasped something in Chinese.

He looked up at me and smiled a twisted smile. He held me in place with his torso and slid his hand up my leg, brushing the soft skin of my inner thigh and dipping a finger into me. I gasped.

He smiled again. “You’re so wet.” His finger moved. “Ah, you like that.” He added another finger. My body writhed against the satin sheets and Ranma watched as though he could burn my image into his brain.

He sat up. “This might hurt a bit, tomboy.” He eased down his jeans and slid inside me seemingly in one motion. I gasped and arched until my spine was bent like a bow. He felt huge and hot inside me, and as he slid in deeper it began to hurt.

Of course, these days you only had to worry about breaking and entering if you were a sheltered young princess somewhere. Every girl led way too vigorous a life for that. But being a virgin still meant using muscles you’d never used before and it was damn sore.

I had never had a man before but I still hadn’t expected to be so tight. Finally, he was sheathed in me, and we both exhaled. Ranma began to rain soft little kisses on my cheek that made me clutch him. Then he was moving inside me, and although I was still sore it began to feel unbelievably good. There was an immense feeling of completion and I was suddenly stretching towards something I knew was there and coming closer. I strained for it and suddenly a supernova hit me and I burst into a million pieces.

And in the midst of that, my reeling mind managed a coherent thought...did he say...and then all went black.

“Tomboy, wake up.”

Fuzziness. Soft, blurred light. Hands caressing my breasts. My semi conscious body slid into auto programming and a fist shot out to clock a male where males usually feared to read.

A large, warm hand caught my wrist. I opened my eyes. Ranma was smiling down at me. I blinked.

“Oh.” Oh, my. It certainly warranted Kasumi’s exclaimation. Everything came back to me. And I was unbelievably sore.

“Uncute as ever, eh, Akane?” I looked up at Ranma, and tried to hide the raw vulnerability in my eyes. I must have failed, because his eyes grew tender and he tucked me into his arms.

“Was I...was it...”I swallowed. “Was it that bad, Ranma?”

Ranma frowned. “What? No!” He sat up and pulled me into his lap. My arms went around him and he smiled.

“I was referring to your attempt to flatten me just now.” He brushed back the hair from my face. “Akane, you were beautiful. You were incredible.” He looked away. “All those times I imagined it were like shadows compared to that.”

Suddenly, I remembered. “You said...” His silver eyes swung back. I faltered. “You said....”

“Yeah?”

“Ranma, you said...it would hurt.” I couldn’t look at him. In the silence I could hear the clock, ticking quietly.

“I realized you were a virgin halfway through, Akane. It didn’t stop me, I’m afraid. At that point, nothing on earth could have stopped me from having you.” He gave me an intent look. “And if anything had, I would have moved heaven and earth till I finished what I started.”

I blushed. “But...how did you know?”

“It was obvious.” I looked up and his eyes were gray and serious. “You didn’t act like a girl who’s been with a guy before. You were blushing until I thought your hair would catch fire. You didn’t know what to do with your hands. It’s...well, it was obvious to me.”

“And how do you know so much?” I asked, glaring.

He smiled. “After I left you, I went a bit mad. I figured, if you’d been screwing around, why should I miss out? So, I made up for what I thought was the lack.” I couldn‘t say anything. I could hardly blame him. We’d never thought we’d see each other again.

“I calmed down eventually, though. I’ve been celibate for years.”

I shoved at his chest.“What, you?”

He caught my hands, laughing. “Yes, me. Why are you so surprised? If you could, why couldn’t I?” We sobered at that.

“So, tell me. Why did my eyes deceive me then?”

I told him.

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Notes: Sigh. Because I’m spending a Friday night at home, I’m feeling freaky and posted this. Go figure. :)