Hallo my friends. I write this short one-shot to go with my ingenious title. It's in no way supposed to be better than any of my other SxS oneshots and it's probably been done a million times over, but... I still toss my line into the sea to see what kind of readers I can fish out. In no way is my boss-secretary one-shot any better than all the rest that are out there including the ones I've already written or started writing. When everything's already been done before it gets kind of old, I guess. I won't promise that I won't try my hand at this kind of plot the next time around. Sometimes my brain pitches me ideas that are said and done. Hope you don't mind and I hope I don't bore you half to death with what I call "all and the same." Please, enjoy and review.

ReDress

By MistyWing

"How's the party?"

"Can you believe him?"

"Cut him some slack. The mess in our Singapore firm was no doozey."

"Don't defend him, Meilin. You're better than that. That is not an excuse for his behavior."

Meilin snorted. "You've had this chip on your shoulder since the first day you started working for him. Sakura, what's the deal?"

Sakura glared at their subject of discussion with stanch disappointment. "There is no deal. He chose to be a mean and obtuse bastard to me and anyone else below his 'standards'."

"Is that what you think?" Meilin asked in a husky whisper.

"He's given me no reason to think otherwise. This is the worse he has ever been."

"You sure are watchful tonight."

"It's my job."

"Your job," Meilin said as she pried the poor wine flute from Sakura's merciless fist, "is to enjoy this dinner party like the rest of the guests and forget about your mean and obtuse bastard boss for a day."

"Can't. I promised his mother I would-"

"Stick around until you got that generous raise she promised by the time you're through with this mean and obtuse bastard boss of yours."

"Just look at him. He makes me sick."

Meilin looked and suppressed a cringe that made her shoulders tremble. Syaoran was sitting on a couch with a slim brunette in a slinky red dress. She was snuggled up close as he whispered things in her ear that made her laugh shrilly in delight. Her dear cousin was apparently drunk and deep in the pits of depression, but his weary face was filled with feigned appreciation every time he heard his sexy companion double up.

"Any closer and they're going to be a nice sandwich," Meilin said in a thoughtful manner.

Sakura crinkled her brow and turned away from the scene to look directly at Meilin. "Sure, she's God's gift to all men. I'm not criticizing the way she acts. It's him that bothers me."

Meilin waved. "Let's move out of the way. Scarlet and Syaoran need a moment. Take a breather and go home when you finally think you're tired enough to sleep well tonight."

Sakura hesitated. Then, she dared to glance over her shoulder at Syaoran. "I guess…"

Meilin prodded some more. "You're an employee. Not a babysitter. Let the spirits take care of him."

Sakura shook her head. "I suppose you're right. This has been a long week. I deserve some down time as much as him."

"Exactly. Where's the friend you said you were going to bring along?"

"Oh, she had a prior engagement and won't make it this time."

Meilin grinned. "Is she the one who's in charge of your wardrobe and what you're wearing tonight?"

"Yes."

"I'd like to meet the creator of such chaos."

Sakura gasped, fluttering her slender hand to her heart under the red material of her splendid cocktail dress. "What's wrong with this dress?"

Meilin's smile faded. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it, but I know someone who is very bothered by it."

"Who?"

Who the hell cared if some people may have already guessed he was substituting her for anything in red? He certainly didn't give a rat's butt what they thought. Let them be surprised. Let them be disgusted. He'd be damned if he allowed anybody's beliefs to best his ego.

By the time it was late enough to call it a night, he felt a shadow fall over his profile as he stood at the bar, rapping his knuckles on the granite top.

"What?" He snapped without turning around.

Sakura approached her boss and stopped just at his elbow. "It's time to go," she spoke quietly and uncertainly.

"I thought you left already." He sounded like he was grinding his teeth, which he was. His tapping picked up in tempo.

Sakura's angry eyes filled with a film of moisture. "I stayed because I thought you might need a ride."

"Meilin's still around."

"I was with her for most of the night. I saw her leave two hours ago."

He continued to ignore her.

"Please, Syaoran. Let me take you home."

"I'm okay," he sighed as he straightened his back and edged away from her.

Sakura worried her bottom lip with her teeth. She had her mind set on convincing him to ride with her even if it meant dragging him to the car. She convinced herself that dealing with this obstinate man was equivalent to overcoming any other obstacle she had in her life.

She repeated herself. "Syaoran, it's time to go."

Before he could snap at her for being a pest some guys behind them were hooting in her direction. "Forget him, Babe. You can ride with us. We can show you a good time."

"No, thank you."

Syaoran didn't hear her answer. Their catcalls and howling were still ringing in both his ears. So, stumbling on his feet, he reached over and cupped the back of her small auburn head with his large hand.

This was the first time he ever intentionally touched her and the contact was perfect. The way her head nestled in his big hand was a flawless fit. Also, the way her eyes skittered to focus on his drowsy face was akin to completion. Somewhere and some time along the night he had lost his sense of self. It was her sharp, green eyes that brought back his collection and calm.

He heard her breath catch and the glimmer in her eyes die. Syaoran moved quickly as if he knew this was his once and only chance to catch her off guard… To catch himself off guard.

It was uninhibited bliss for him the moment he bent his head and stole the kiss from her. Although, it was considered unethical for a sober Syaoran to steal a taste of her, the inebriated Syaoran could not resist. It lasted three seconds. His hard mouth felt a slow reaction from a softer and gentler mouth. Of course, he realized her reaction was not based on one of the laws of Physics; that for every action there was always an opposite and equal reaction. With Sakura nothing was ever clear-cut and simple. To verify this fact, she pulled back and woke him with a sounding smack to the cheek.

After that, Syaoran expected her to run out of the place in angry tears. Just as the raised hand had surprised him, her frantic hands sealing around his wrists held the same power to stir. Sakura pulled him along until they reached his parked car.

She muttered things that were not very Sakura-like as she strapped him into the passenger side. Then, under her breath she said, "That's the last straw."

That was the last thing he heard from her before he drifted off to sleep.

The rest of the weekend was torturous. Syaoran could hold his alcohol and then some more. He just could not face what he had done come Monday morning when he had to go back to work.

"That's it, Meilin. You tell him I'm through," said an irate Sakura as she tossed an extra pair of sneakers into one of the boxes on her cleared out desk.

"Maybe we should talk. Did something happen on Friday?" Meilin asked as she followed Sakura out the office and into the parking lot where her ride waited.

"Why don't you ask your dear cousin?" Sakura snapped.

Meilin took on a defensive position as she leaned against the car with her hand pressed to the trunk. "What do you think I did on Saturday and Sunday? I was worried when you didn't leave with me on Friday. You stayed to watch over Syaoran when I warned you not to."

"It was the right thing to do!" Sakura shouted, slamming the box on the back of the car.

None of the girls noticed the driver coming out of the car.

"Use your indoor voice, Sakura."

"We're outside, Meilin! I could scream my frustration for the world to hear if I want."

The person who came out of the driver's side cleared her throat. "Sakura's really angry."

Sakura turned to the driver who had her elbows on the roof of the car as she observed Sakura with glittering violet eyes. Sakura huffed at her, too. "Stay out of this, Tomoyo."

"Really angry," Tomoyo repeated, watching Sakura stomp back into the office building.

Meilin acknowledged the elegant raven head with surprise. "You're-"

"Tomoyo Daidouji." Tomoyo extended her hand in greeting and Meilin took it with enthusiasm.

"It's so great to finally meet you! My name is Meilin Li. Sakura speaks very fondly of you." Meilin looked over her shoulder as she took a breather. "Stay right here. I have to take care of this first."

Tomoyo smiled impishly. "Be my guest."

Sakura heaved a second box out as Meilin followed close behind, her voice mounting from consoling to frantic. "Wait for Syaoran."

"No way!"

"He'll be in soon. Give him a couple of minutes."

"Meilin, the point of showing up an hour early is to get myself the hell out of here without causing a scene."

Meilin grimaced. "Gee… Hasn't that scene already begun?"

Sakura was walking back into the office to grab a third box when she encountered the one person that could make her either freeze or run the other way. She actually held her breath when she saw her boss standing at her desk with a briefcase in his hand. He was intensely scrutinizing the laden boxes that sat in her area.

"Finally!" Meilin shouted from behind.

It was as if Sakura was rooted to the floor whenever he stepped foot into the same room as her. She could hardly remember what she was doing when the shock of seeing him took over her conscious. Sakura snapped out of her stupor by remembering every reason she disliked the man. She was able to brush past him to reach for her next box in line.

"What's going on here?" He questioned slowly as he watched her every move like a wolf hunting a prey.

Meilin sighed. "What does it look like, Syaoran?"

It took a minute before Sakura could find her voice. "Mail the rest of my stuff to me, will you Meilin? I'll see you around sometime."

Syaoran's head snapped back and everyone could see his throat working hard.

"Security, stop her!"

Out of no where, two burly men jumped at Sakura and thus enraging her furthermore.

"Hey, let me go! Tomoyooooo!"

Tomoyo, having somehow followed everyone indoors, flipped her long, dark hair over her shoulder. She just silently watched them take Sakura into a private room.

The door to Syaoran's office stood wide open, so that Tomoyo and Meilin could see the two security guards deposit Sakura in a chair. After the burden was placed, they hustled out and Syaoran on the inside snapped the door shut.

"I'm so very sorry about all this," Meilin apologized, turning to Tomoyo with a worried expression. "I have an idea of what's going on, but with these two anything can happen."

Tomoyo flashed Meilin a radiant smile. "I'm sure."

"This has never happened. I believe the tension has finally escalated to a full blown war."

The smile did not falter. "No worries, I'm sure."

Meilin's tense shoulders drooped. "You don't mind at all?"

"I'm content."

Meilin shrugged. "I just thought you might be a little—"

"Uptight?"

"No, I mean—"

"You look a little snobbish yourself, Meilin."

"Hey!"

Tomoyo tilted her head to the side and regarded Meilin pleasantly. "We should probably spend the time to get to know each other while we wait to see who tears who apart first."

Meilin scowled. "You're right. Let's go to the kitchen for some tea."

Sakura turned herself into stone as she stood from her chair. She fixed her nemesis with her coldest expression. If it were not for the situation, Syaoran would have laughed at her ridiculous look. He had never seen anything look so unpracticed before in his life. Perhaps this was one of her perks that made it so hard for him to let her go. Perhaps this was one of her perks that made it impossible to get her off his mind when he should.

"Now, that I have officially resigned, I can say anything to you."

Syaoran stared at her blankly. "Go ahead."

At first she opened her mouth just to close it again. Then, she raised her pointer finger and began to shake it at him. Soon, she just shook her head and did that irritating, yet fascinating move with her teeth again. Once more, he was mesmerized by how she chewed at her plump bottom lip. Nerves. Just bare nerves around him.

Sakura un-furrowed her brows. "I actually have nothing more to say to you."

"Fine. You can't quit, then."

"You are not keeping me here. I wrote you a letter." She dug through her jeans pocket and took out said letter.

Syaoran received it and tore it in two, right before her eyes.

"Hey!"

Syaoran tossed the pieces over his shoulder. "I said my part." He turned as if to find his chair behind the safety of his desk.

Sakura sidestepped to block his way. "That is the reason I can't stand you! You are cold, heartless, and disrespectful to me. I've always put up with it until I realized how wrong I've been about you."

"Wrong?"

"I've been giving you the benefit of doubt ever since I started working for you. You never ever proved me wrong about what I always believed in; that people can change!"

Syaoran smiled, she thought, crudely. "You've come to such a conclusion after Friday."

She harrumphed. "I didn't know that about you…"

"About me…" There was a bemused expression to replace his usually glowering face.

"You're fetish for sex."

"What?" He snapped, muscle and sinew taut as strained ropes.

"Kissing me out of the blue was the meanest thing you could ever do! I am not some easy floozy for you to conquer."

He relaxed a fraction. "I see. You take me for a womanizer."

She wanted to laugh at how silly the admission sounded coming from him, a man she believed did not feel anything. However, now, was definitely not the time to lose her head. As she leveled a blank stare at him, she said, "that and much more negative stuff."

"What about you? You gallivant around in that form-fitting red piece of cloth you call a cocktail dress and you blame me for being male. You're one to talk."

"Tomoyo made it for me!"

"You wore it. You wore it to lure those men," he accused.

"I did not!" She fumed, angry tears once again stinging her eyes. "You've always targeted me since I started working for you. Up until Friday, I've always been civil and even nice with you. I put up with the hurtful things you say and kept my foot in my mouth. Why do you always condemn me?"

"I don't condemn you," he said testily.

"Then, it shouldn't matter what I wear."

"It does," he grounded out.

"If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it at all! There's something called discretion, Syaoran."

He clamped his mouth shut; the good and harmless words unspoken.

"Goodbye, Syaoran," she said in despair as she was beginning to walk away from him.

Then, his next words froze her in place.

"What?"

"Please, stay."

Sakura stared at him in bewilderment. "No. Repeat what you said before."

He took in a lungful of air and allowed it to shatter when he released it. "Inside-out… you're beautiful."

It was not high definition clarity, but Sakura caught the drift. Such simple words coming from him did warm her in a soulful way that nothing else could.

"Syaoran, I don't understand why you have to be so defensive about what I wear in the first place," Sakura sighed.

"Because I don't want others to see you…" His face fell into a grim look. "I want you all to myself," he stated stubbornly.

At this new information, Sakura blushed furiously.

"I always wanted you all to myself… Since the first day my mother hired you and brought you to my office."

Sakura gasped. "Am I that resourceful you can't hire somebody else as a replacement?"

Syaoran glanced away and ran trembling hands through his messy hair. "No, I mean it's always been about you."

She shyly looked away. "If I mean so much to you, your behavior Friday night remains inexcusable."

"I'm sorry," he said, painfully.

"Alright, Syaoran. Prove it to me."

"Prove… What?" He asked in earnest.

"Prove that you're really sorry. Prove that you care."

"Okay, but don't hit me."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Why would I—"

Her words fell away as Syaoran's sweet kiss took her by surprise. This time, it was a more tender and indulgent kiss with all the firmness of the first stolen one. What initiated as a chaste touch elevated to a thorough mating rite. Initially, only there lips touched, testing and tasting something profound and novel to the both of them. When Sakura felt the door pressed to her back she was reminded of how close she was to leaving. That thought swiftly fled as she draped her hands around his shoulders and pulled him closer to her, so that their bodies met.

Sakura's eyes snapped open when she felt the weight of his palm come under her shirt and settle on her lower back. Sakura pulled back an inch to stare into his heavy eyes. "That's nice," she said breathlessly.

His fingers stroked the velvety skin at the nape of her neck. "Don't be afraid," he murmured, leaning over her as he palmed the back of her head and pulled her in for a drugging kiss. Sakura's toes curled as Syaoran lifted her and settled her into the couch in the side of the room. He nuzzled her neck sometimes with his nose and lips, but most of the time he spent planting those nice kisses on her pliable lips.

She opened up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She returned kisses for kisses that left them both rattled and unsatisfied.

Time was running out. Syaoran pulled back and helped her tug her clothes back into slight order. She also helped him with his tie, buttons, and jacket.

"Will you stay, now?"

"I don't know. How much work do you think we can actually get done with this between us?" Sakura pointed at him and then at herself. This suspicious glint overtaking her emerald eyes.

"I don't really care," he grunted. "I enjoy this for certain."

"But, it's time for a break," Sakura laughed. She pulled him off the couch and led him to the door.

They walked out of his office holding each other's hands. They were just walking into the kitchen for some coffee when a sight immobilized them and wiped all thoughts of coffee from their minds.

Different shades of red material draped over counter, sink, floor, and table. In the middle of it all, Meilin was standing with her arms spread as Tomoyo took her measurements.

"What in the world…"

"Tomoyo! Meilin! This is not the time and place for this," Sakura scolded.

"But, Sakura! I want a red dress, too," Meilin whined.

Sakura directed the same glare at Tomoyo. Her face was supposed to be accusatory.

"Explanations are unnecessary. We can easily patch things up." Tomoyo winked at Sakura and Syaoran. A pleased smirk took over her pale features. "I am happy to see everything is redressed."