Chapter 19: Wine talk
Sesshomaru's car was very expensive looking. Not that I would expect anything less from him. He'd been driving for about fifteen minutes or so and hadn't said a word.
"You're very quiet." he'd finally said.
"Well, it's not every day that I am tricked into going on a date."
He chuckled. "It is not every day that I meet a woman such as yourself."
"What do you mean?"
"Women often throw themselves at me. Nothing has ever been a challenge."
"Oh, so do you see me as something you have to conquer?"
"I would like to conquer you in many ways." He'd said.
By conquering I knew what he'd meant.
"Pervert," I mumbled.
He smiled, baring his fangs. "I am many things, but a pervert is not one of them. I just know what I want, and I go after it, and I do not fail."
"So, you intend to beat out three men for my hand?" I asked.
He gave me a crazy look, as he parked the car. "Three? Who else is there besides Tanaka and the receptionist?"
Could I actually tell him it was Kouga?
"That doesn't matter. I have no interest in him anyway, the receptionist has a name."
He turned off the engine, turning to me. "So, then that's less competition for me. Yes. The receptionist."
I got out of the car trying to put some distance between us. I looked around as I closed the car door behind me. I looked around, it was very quiet in this part of Tokyo for only 7:00.
"Follow me." He said, grabbing my hand.
He pulled me down the street turning into a very small restaurant. We walked in and he stopped in front of the podium. The hostess looked up at him, giving him a sweet smile.
"Your usual table Mr. Taisho?"
He nodded taking the menus from her. He pulled me up three flights of stairs, turning into a small room. A small table sat in the middle of the room. The windows were open and I could see what looked like a small park. There were a few candles spread out around the room. It was a full moon tonight and the moonlight spilled in. The room itself was beautiful. Traditionally Japanese; the kotatsu was carved beautifully. Everything was a shade of ebony. The glow of the candlelight only added to the room's beauty. I could feel him slightly squeezing my hand. I cleared my throat, pulling my hand away from him.
"By the look on your face, I'd say I was doing well," he whispered.
We entered sitting opposite one another. I watched him loosen his tie; removing it. He sighed, unbuttoning a few buttons on his shirt. He slid one of the menus over to me. I skimmed through it, figuring out what I wanted in a matter of minutes.
"So, do you come here often? The woman downstairs said this was your usual table?"
"Yes. I enjoy coming here. It's quiet and the food is quite good for such a small establishment."
"All by yourself?"
He smiled. "Are you worried that I bring many women here? Do not worry. You're the only woman I have brought here, and the only one I plan on bringing back."
"T-that is not what I meant!" I stuttered. "It's bold of you to think there'll be a second date."
He laughed at my embarrassment. The hostess came in, taking our orders; telling us it would be about thirty minutes or so. I had to admit, he did look good sitting there. The moonlight added a kind of shimmer to his skin.
"You're staring." I heard him say.
"Oh... sorry," I said, not really knowing what to say to him.
"No worries. I too enjoy the view in front of me."
I turned away from him trying to hide my blush. I heard scuffling sounds. He made his way around the table, sitting beside me. He held my chin between his fingers.
"You should stop trying to hide such a beautiful face."
His eyes bored into mine. Were his always so intense? I could feel this thumb drag across my bottom lip. Why wasn't I stopping him? He was inching closer. I could feel my breath hitching in my throat. I felt a soft kiss against my jaw.
"The next time I kiss you will be because you asked me to." He whispered in my ear.
He let me go and I stared at my lap until the food had gotten there. I ate quietly trying to calm my heart rate. I was going to let him kiss me. I mentally slapped myself. What was I doing?. I was grateful that he had stayed quiet while we ate. The hostess came by once again to collect our empty play, leaving the wine behind. I watched him pour a glass for himself. Then for me. I took it, taking a sip.
"You know," I heard him say. "I remember the first time that I saw you. I thought what a strange woman. At the time I had thought she plays her role very well. Hiding her pernicious side like that, but I'd found out that that profile was a sham, and just how innocent you really were."
I took a large gulp. I shouldn't have been drinking... I guess I assumed if I kept not drinking I wouldn't have to talk; then I'd realized I had finished the entire glass.
"I'm not that innocent." I quietly said. "Everyone always sees me as a quiet little thing. A mundane woman." I'd said, staring up at the moon.
"Ahh, only those who don't know you would think such a thing. You're loud, opinionated, and sometimes very bossy."
"Hey!" is said finally facing him.
"If I knew to say that would make you look at me, I would have said it a long time ago."
I wasn't sure if it was the wine, but I caught myself undressing him with my eyes.
"Do you like what you see?"
My eyes snapped back up to his face. "I wasn't-"
"No." He'd said. "Don't do that. Don't lie about how you feel about me. I want to be the only man that you have eyes for." He moved closer, resting his forehead on mine. "I want you to keep looking at me like that."
"Why are you doing this?" I whispered.
"So that you can realize that what's between us is not just physical. I want you to wake up tomorrow and remember what you felt for me today, at this very moment."
It was definitely the wine. I wanted him to kiss me, but I couldn't tell him that. He pulled away and I missed how close he was to me. I poured myself another glass of wine. I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but we'd had talked and talked. I wasn't sure why but I didn't want to shut up. Maybe subconsciously I wanted to do whatever I could to keep this going. Our conversation was interrupted, but the hostess.
"I'm sorry, we're closing in ten minutes," she said before leaving.
"It's already past eleven."
He played the money on the table and grabbed his things. I stood almost falling over. Luckily he caught me.
"You probably shouldn't have drunk most of the bottle. It's that night all over again."
I exhaled deeply. "I don't think I can walk straight," I admitted.
He crouched in front of me. "Get on."
I was drunk and did not want to walk. I had no qualms about being carried at this moment. He carried me out to the car, helping me in. I felt like a child, needing help like this. I watched the street light go by as I stared out the window. We'd reached my house in no time. Again, I had to be helped from out of the car to the front door. I fumbled with my keys and he had to help me with that as well. He walked to my room, and I fell slat on the bed, cuddling up to a pillow.
"Did you have a good time tonight?"
He was closer now. My eyes were shut, but I could tell.
I nodded. "Mhm."
"Goodnight Higurashi."
"Not yet." My words were so slurred. "Don't leave. Not yet."
I could feel his hand on mine. "As you wish."
