The sheer beauty of the brilliant blue, stretching outward seeking the distant skyline, taunted her. Below the surface, there were ugly things. Things that never saw the light, that never disturbed the pristine surface that sparkled in the sun.

When she stopped, her feet sinking into the sand, Sesshomaru's hands closed over her shoulders.

"What's the matter?" he asked in his deep timbre. "You seem sad today."

She turned in his arms, finally finding the courage to face him. "There are things I need to tell you, Sesshomaru."

His expression sobered. "What things?"

She broke away and took a step down the beach before turning again. "The whole reason I planned to travel to Europe this summer was because I thought you would be there."

Confusion clouded his eyes, and he started to open his mouth. She silenced him quickly with an outstretched hand. "Please, don't say anything. Let me finish. There's a lot I need to say, and I won't be able to finish if you start asking questions."

He hesitated and then nodded.

"When I arrived in Japan and learned that you would be remaining there permanently, I changed my plans on the fly, opting to rent an apartment I didn't really want and invented a host of other reasons to throw me into contact with you."

Her hands closed over her arms, and she rubbed up and down despite the heat that prickled over her skin.

"I knew you planned to propose to Sara. I knew you'd planned your life with another woman. I was determined to try and seduce you away from her."

He sucked in his breath and opened his mouth again, but she stared at him so hauntingly that he quieted again. Only the glitter in his eyes gave the impression of what he must be thinking.

"I pursued you relentlessly. I'd even planned to crash your engagement party but arrived too late. That was the reason that Kohaku was in my room. He'd followed me home in the rain when I took off on foot to try and stop your proposal."

His lips thinned, and he turned his face away to stare at the ocean.

"I thought I'd lost you, but then you came to the strip club, and then we made love in my suite. The next day you told me we had to be married, and I knew that you felt you'd dishonored me. I knew you didn't love me, but I was determined to have the chance to make you love me, so I said yes. I let you say all those things. Because in the end I'd have the one thing I wanted most. You."

She found his gaze again even as tears glided down her cheeks. "You see, Sesshomaru, I've loved you since I was a little girl. I thought it was infatuation, that it would go away, but each time I saw you, my love grew until I knew I had to try. I couldn't just live my life standing on the outside of my dream, never giving us a chance."

She took in a deep steadying breath, her quiet sobs shaking her shoulders. "But I was wrong. And I'm sorry. I ruined things for you and Sara."

Quiet lay between them. Sesshomaru stood stock-still, his hands shoved into his pockets.

"You don't love me," she said in a remarkably steady voice.

She hadn't intended it to be a question, but it felt like a plea from the depths of her soul. And then he turned to face her again and her hopes shriveled and died. There were a host of things reflected in

those golden eyes. Confusion, anger, but not love. Never love.

Quickly, before he could react, she stepped forward and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. "I hope someday you can forgive me."

She slid her ring off her finger then slipped her hand inside his. Without another word, she turned and ran back up the path to the house.

"Rin! Rin!" Sesshomaru shouted after her.

She brushed past Inuyasha at the top of the pathway, ignoring his hands as they reached out to steady her.

"Rin!" he called.

She swallowed the sob caught in her throat and ran inside. The helicopter would be here soon. Her bag was where she left it, at the doorway leading out the back of the house, past the pool and to the helipad.

She grabbed it and after a look back at the house, she hurried out to wait on the helicopter.

Sesshomaru stared at the ring resting in his palm then at Rin's retreating back. He simply couldn't comprehend everything she'd admitted. It sounded too far-fetched.

Had she really loved him for so long? It didn't seem possible.

He watched as Inuyasha slowly walked down the path toward him. He came to a stop a few feet in front of Sesshomaru.

"Trouble?" he asked.

"You could say that," Sesshomaru murmured, still trying to come to grips with all she'd told him.

"She seemed pretty upset," Inuyasha said.

Sesshomaru closed his fist around the ring. "She gave me my ring back."

Inuyasha arched an eyebrow in surprise. "Did she say why? It's easy for anyone with half a brain to see she's crazy about you."

Sesshomaru cocked his head then shook it. "She just told me the craziest story. I don't even know what to make of it."

"Care to share?"

Sesshomaru opened his hand to see the ring still lying there. It looked all wrong. It should be on Rin's finger. She should be glowing with happiness, not staring at him with tearstained cheeks.

"She said she's been in love with me since she was a girl," Sesshomaru said slowly. "And that her trip to Japan was because I was there." He looked up at his brother. "She said the entire reason she planned to go to Europe was because she thought I'd be there."

Inuyasha smiled. "Sounds like a determined girl."

Sesshomaru nodded. "That's not all. She seduced me."

This time Inuyasha laughed. "Now this I have to hear."

Sesshomaru quickly told Inuyasha everything that had happened since the day Rin had walked into his office, now armed with the knowledge of what she'd really been doing. It all seemed so much clearer now. The sultry teasing, the apartment hunting, the shopping.

Inuyasha remained silent for a moment. "So, are you angry?" he finally asked.

Sesshomaru gave him a strange look. "Angry?"

"You wanted to marry Sara. Rin prevented that."

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Rin didn't prevent that. I did. I didn't propose, and Rin was nowhere near me when that happened."

"Okay, so what are you then?"

"Flattered? Overwhelmed? Completely and utterly gob-smacked?"

Inuyasha grinned. "That about covers it."

"She's so gorgeous. She lights up the entire room when she walks in. She makes me crazy. Absolutely and completely crazy. She could have any man she wanted. And she wants me."

"Enough to drive you to your knees, isn't it? Finding the love of a good woman. They can certainly tie you in knots."

"I love her," Sesshomaru whispered. "All this time, I've been so focused on wanting a wife and children, wanting to settle down with the picture-perfect family, and perfection has been staring me in the face all along."

Inuyasha smiled. "Why are you telling me all this? It would seem you have a very upset young lady who seems determined to do what's best for you, whether you like it or not."

Sesshomaru frowned and clenched his fist around the ring. "Fool-headed, stubborn…" He shook his head and stalked up the pathway, Inuyasha falling in behind him.

They were halfway to the house when Inuyasha stopped. Sesshomaru turned around to see him frown.

"You hear that?" Inuyasha asked.

Sesshomaru strained to hear. In the distance, he heard the unmistakable sound of an approaching helicopter. "Did you call for the helicopter?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "One wasn't scheduled until Miroku's departure tomorrow."

Both men hurried up the pathway then cut left to circle the gardens to take the shorter route to the helipad. Even before the helipad came into view, they saw the chopper descend.

"That's not one of ours," Inuyasha said grimly.

Inuyasha broke into a run, and Sesshomaru followed. If Inuyasha was worried then so was Sesshomaru. But when they rounded the corner and he saw Rin standing as the helicopter door opened, his blood froze.

"Rin!" Sesshomaru shouted.

She didn't even turn around. She wouldn't have heard him over the roar of the blades.

Inuyasha waved frantically to the pilot, and Sesshomaru raced ahead of him, trying to reach Rin in time. He watched helplessly as the door closed behind her, and then, as he reached the edge of the concrete, the helicopter lifted off.

The draft blew his hair and clothing, but he stood, waving his arms in an effort to gain her attention. The helicopter rose higher and then headed in the direction of the mainland.

Inuyasha cursed as Sesshomaru stood there frozen.

"I've got to find out where she's going," Sesshomaru said as he turned back to the house.

Ahead, Kagome and Miroku came out the back door, Kagome in the protective arm of Miroku.

"What's going on?" Miroku shouted.

Sesshomaru strode past him and Kagome while Inuyasha hung back. He tore up the stairs and into Rin's room only to find her things gone. There was no note, no hint of where she'd gone.

He ran back down, finding the others in the living room. Inuyasha was on the phone trying to track down the pilot service and figure out a way to hold Rin when she landed.

Miroku approached him, a grim expression on his face.

"There's something you should know."

Sesshomaru looked sharply at him. "What?"

"This morning, Rin was on the beach early. I found her on the other side of the patio, visibly upset by something she'd overheard in your conversation with Inuyasha and Kagome."

Sesshomaru closed his eyes as he remembered waxing on about what he wanted. When what he wanted had been in front of his nose all along.

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I've always thought it'd be fun to chase after your true love and then confess you undying love for her."

Sesshomaru gave Miroku a not so serious punch.

Rin hadn't considered the repercussions of landing a helicopter on the estate of what appeared to be an extremely wealthy family. As soon as they settled on the ground, they were surrounded by a dozen security guards. All carrying guns.

So maybe this wasn't her best idea.

The door was wrenched open, and she found herself staring into the grim face of one of the gunmen.

"What do you want? Why are you here?" he asked.

She took a deep breath and tried not to stare at the muzzle of the gun which was precariously close to her nose.

"I'm here to see Sara Asano. It's important."

"Your name," he demanded.

"Rin Ieiri."

He lifted a small wire and released a torrent of words into what she assumed was a microphone. A few moments later, he lowered the gun and took a step backward.

"This way please, Ms. Ieiri."

He even reached a hand in to help her down. A few moments later, he escorted her inside the palatial estate that was situated on a cliff overlooking the ocean. In any other circumstance, she would have spared a moment of envy for such a gorgeous place.

"Rin, my dear!" Sandra exclaimed as soon as Rin was inside. She took hold of Rin and kissed her on either cheek. "What on earth are you doing here? And where is Sesshomaru?"

Rin looked down for a moment and then back up at the older woman. "I need to speak with Sara. It's very important."

Sandra frowned slightly, concern filling her eyes. "Of course. Is everything all right?"

Rin offered her a shaky smile. "No, but it will be."

"Wait here. I'll get Sara for you," Sandra said.

Rin walked to the huge glass window that overlooked the steep drop-off to the ocean. Sara even lived in a perfect spot. Close to Inuyasha and Kagome. They could all be one big, happy family after Sara married Sesshomaru.

"Rin?" Sara's soft voice filled the room.

Rin turned to see the other girl staring at her, clear confusion written in her dark eyes.

"Mama said you wanted to see me."

Rin gathered her courage and crossed the room to stand in front of Sara.

"I came to apologize and to right a wrong."

Sara frowned harder. "I don't understand."

Rin took a deep breath. "I set out to break up you and Sesshomaru. I knew he wanted to marry you, but I've been in love with him forever, and I wanted him. I never stopped to think about what he wanted or that I was hurting two people in the process. You and him."

"But—" Sara began.

"He wants to marry you," Rin continued on, cutting her off. "You're who he wants. Go to him, Sara. The helicopter is waiting to take you to the island. He'll be glad to see you. I've ended things with him. I gave him back his ring. Make sure he gives you a different one. You deserve a fresh start. One not tainted by me. Make him do it right, with all the romance and fuss you deserve."

Tears filled Rin's eyes again. "I'm sorry I hurt you," she said. "I hope you'll be happy."

She turned to walk back out of the house.

"Rin, wait," Sara called. "You don't understand."

All Rin understood is that if she didn't get out soon, she was going to come completely unraveled. She just prayed the taxi would be waiting as she'd arranged.

"Please show me out," she choked out to the security guard who'd escorted her inside. "I have a taxi waiting out front."

As soon as the guard opened the front door, Rin hurried down the drive toward the wrought iron gate. They opened automatically as she neared, and to her relief, a taxi waited outside on the street.

"The airport," she said as she climbed in. As she pulled away, she saw Sara waving to her to stop. Rin ignored her, turning away.

No one had ever told her doing the right thing would hurt so much.

"How long can it possibly take for the damn pilot to get out here?" Sesshomaru demanded as he ran his hand through his hair for the tenth time in an hour.

Frustration beat at him. He was stuck here on the island until Inuyasha's pilot could come out. Now, finally, he was supposedly on his way.

Inuyasha put down the phone and turned to Sesshomaru. "Rin's pilot took her to the Asano estate."

Sesshomaru stared at him in utter confusion. "Why on earth would she have gone to see Sara? I had no idea she even knew where she lived."

"She's trying to make things right," Kagome said softly. "First with you and now with Sara."

He dug for his phone to retrieve Sara's number. If he could reach Sara before Rin left then he could have her detained until he could go after her himself.

Inuyasha handed Sesshomaru his phone, and Sesshomaru hastily punched in the numbers. A few seconds later, Sandra answered the phone.

"Sandra, thank goodness. Has RIn been by there? What? She left in a taxi?" Sandra filled him in on where Rin was headed then he hung up and turned to Inuyasha. "Now where is your damn pilot?"

It had been impossible for Rin to purchase a ticket leaving the country anytime soon. All the outgoing flights for the next few hours were booked. In the end, she'd gone to the charter service counter, plunked down her credit card, which she hoped was as platinum as the name stated, and hired a private jet to fly her to Italy.

At least she was on board now, waiting as the jet was fueled and was placed in the queue for takeoff. Exhaustion seeped into her bones. Not sleeping the night before coupled with the emotionally draining day had taken it all out of her.

She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. She heard shuffling in the distance and assumed it was the pilot, but then warm lips pressed gently to hers, and her eyes flew open.

Sesshomaru drew away, cupping her face in his hands as she stared at him in astonishment. He looked…well, he looked bedraggled. His clothing was dusty and rumpled, his hair was in disarray, and his golden eyes burned with feverish intensity.

Before she could say anything, he kissed her again, this time foregoing the gentleness of before. He dragged her to him, kissing her until she was left completely and utterly breathless.

Then he pulled away and uttered a command directed at the cockpit. To her increasing shock, the plane began to move. With Sesshomaru in it.

"Sesshomaru, wait," she protested. "This plane is going to Italy. You can't just leave here. What about Sara? And your family?"

He pulled her out of her seat, maneuvered to the couch, then pulled her down onto his lap.

"Shouldn't we be in our seatbelts for takeoff?" she asked dumbly, still unable to comprehend that he was here.

"I'll catch you if there is any unexpected turbulence," he said silkily. "Now that you can't run anywhere and I have you all to myself, you'll have to listen to every word I'm about to say."

Her eyes rounded, and her mouth fell open. He traced her lips with his finger then pulled her down to replace his finger with his mouth.

"Foolish, impetuous, beautiful, frustrating woman," he murmured. "If you think you're going to get rid of me after you've hooked me and reeled me in, then you have another think coming,."

Hope stuttered and made a soft pitter-patter in her chest. She stared at him unsure of what to say. So many things raced through her mind that she was absolutely speechless.

Then he rotated, sliding her off his lap and onto the seat next to him. He got to the floor on one knee and took her hand in his.

"I love you, my beautiful Rin. I adore you. I can't imagine my life without you. Will you marry me and make me the happiest man alive?"

He slid the ring that she'd given him back on her finger. Then he leaned down and kissed her knuckle.

"This was never another woman's ring. I never gave Sara a ring, and the one I intended for her was replaced by this one. I chose it for you. I never asked her to marry me. I was yours from the day you walked into my office. You turned my world upside down, and it's never been set to rights."

"You didn't propose?" she croaked around the swell of tears knotting her throat.

He looked back at her solemnly. "I would have never made love to you belonging to another woman. I intended to propose the night of the party. I had the ring. The moment was arranged. But all I could see was you. All I wanted was you. The morning after we made love, I went to see Sara. I told her that I was going to marry you."

Rin's face fell. Sesshomaru smiled and touched her cheek. "How tenderhearted you are. Sara isn't in love with me and is in fact, quite anxious for me to find you and put this ring back on your finger."

"She's not? You're not? In love with her, I mean?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head, sure she had to be dreaming.

"I'm in love with you," he said softly. "Only you."

"But I heard what you told Inuyasha, about you wanting what he and Kagome had, a family, a wife. I don't fit into that anywhere," she said bitterly.

"What I want is you," he said simply. "Everything that I ever wanted, what I was so restless for and hoping to find was staring me in the face. I think I knew it that first day you came into my office. I saw that tattoo and it drove me crazy. I wanted to strip every piece of your clothing off so I could see more of it. But I had already started things rolling with Sara. I fought my attraction to you because I was supposed to be acting as your guardian, not trying to think of ways to get you out of your clothing."

She raised a shaking hand to his face and cupped her palm to his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. Then he turned so he could press his lips to her fingers.

"Marry me, Rin."

"You want to marry me even if I don't want children right away?" she challenged.

"I have a feeling you'll keep me far too busy to think of children anytime soon," he said with an amused smile. He leaned in and kissed her again, his lips melting warm and sweet over hers. "We have all the time in the world, my precious love. Just promise me that we'll have it together."

She was sure that her smile lit up the entire universe as she stared back at him in awe.

"I love you, too," she whispered. "So much."

He sobered for a moment as he cupped her face lovingly. His expression serious, he said in a quiet voice, "You could already be pregnant. Will it upset you very much if you are?"

She grinned, her heart lightening with every breath. "I'm not pregnant."

"Oh, then you've already…it's that time of the…"

"No," she said with a slight laugh. "I'm on birth control."

His brows came together in confusion and then he glared at her, but there was no heat in his scowl. "You little minx."

"Are you angry that I didn't tell you when you informed me before that we were to be married?" she asked a little nervously.

"If you can forgive my dimwitted actions and the fact that I didn't give you the most romantic proposal before, then I can forgive you for effectively capturing me, hook, line and sinker."

"Yes," she said as she threw her arms around him.

He laughed. "Yes, what?"

"Yes, I'll marry you. I love you so much."

He stood and swept her into his arms. She blinked in surprise when she realized that she'd completely missed their takeoff.

"Now, if that's settled, why don't you and I go join the mile high club," he said wickedly.

She smiled as he carried her into the small bedroom in the back of the plane, her heart overflowing with sweet, unending joy.

And as they came together in body and soul, they whispered their love again and again.

The bride—and the groom—showed up to their wedding barefooted. Sesshomaru stood on the beach of Taisho Island waiting next to the priest as Inuyasha escorted Rin to him.

She was dressed in a bikini top, and a floral sarong floated delicately down her legs. Her toenails—which Sesshomaru had painted himself in a night full of decadence—shone a bright pink. An ankle bracelet caught the sun and shimmered above her foot, and Sesshomaru knew that it was his name engraved in the small silver band.

His gaze traveled upward to the diamond teardrop belly ring that he too had purchased and delighted in putting on her. But what took his breath away was her radiant smile. Just for him.

She was so beautiful she made his chest ache.

Miroku stood to Sesshomaru's left, having flown in again for the wedding. Sara and Sandra both were standing on the bride's side next to Kagome.

There was a festive air, and everyone wore broad smiles. He could even detect the glimmer of tears in the women's eyes.

And then he reached out and took Rin's hand, pulling her to him. It didn't matter that the vows weren't spoken, or that the priest cleared his throat cautiously. He simply had to kiss her.

Their lips met in a heated rush, soft against hard, sweet against salt. When he finally pulled away to allow the priest to officiate, tears shone in Rin's eyes.

There was an odd catch in Sesshomaru's throat as he recited his vows. The words carried on the breeze, firm and clear.

Finally they were pronounced man and wife, and she became his.

There was much dancing on the beach, and later they moved to the gardens.

Later the helicopter came and whisked Sesshomaru and Rin away to the bridal suite he'd arranged, a cottage on a cliff overlooking the sea.

He carried her to bed, where she whispered she had one last wedding gift for him.

Intrigued, he reared back as she untied the sarong and pulled it from underneath her.

"Do you remember telling me I should get another tattoo?" she asked with a mischievous glint.

His brow furrowed. "You didn't. Rin, tell me you didn't go to some tattoo parlor alone and undergo pain to get another tattoo."

"I didn't go alone. Kagome went with me."

"And does Inuyasha know this?" Sesshomaru asked incredulously.

Rin laughed. "He might have had a thing or two to say when he barged in after us."

Sesshomaru muttered something under his breath as he shook his head.

She hooked her thumbs in her bikini bottom and slowly, sensuously worked it down. There just above the juncture of her legs, right in the center, a straight line down from her belly ring, was an angel holding a pitchfork.

Sesshomaru couldn't contain his chuckle. Then he leaned down and brushed his lips across the design. "My own little demon angel," he said as he worked downward with his mouth.