Chapter 19: What a day
I could feel something warm draped over me. I rubbed the sleep put out of my eyes. Looking down I waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. I blinked a few times... was that an arm? Familiar magenta stripes adorned the arm. I turned over, coming face to face with Sesshomaru. A half-naked one at that. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I hate that I always got like this around him.
"It is not very polite to stare Higurashi."
"W-what do you think you're doing? What happened to you sleeping on the couch?"
He yawned. "It was uncomfortable."
I moved over. "So you decided to come to cuddle up to me instead? Sexual harassment is clearing something you're fond of"
He propped himself up on his elbows. "Au contraire. Look at what side of the bed you are on. This is a king-sized bed. There's plenty of room. You made your way all the way over here on your own. It's you who cuddled up to me Higurashi."
I looked down, and he was right.
"Well if you weren't in the bed I wouldn't have scootched over to you."
He gave me a sly grin. "It's okay. I can understand the need to be near me. "
I scoffed. "You're so full of yourself."
He smiled at me. "Yet you still deal with me."
I put a pillow between us. "You're enjoying this way too much."
"I'm sharing a bed with a beautiful woman. Why wouldn't I enjoy it?"
I said nothing.
"Speechless are we?"
I shot up ready to give him a piece of my mind. I'd practically headbutt his chest. I sometimes forgot how much taller he was than me. God, could this get any more embarrassing?
I felt his hands slip around my waist. He pulled me into a tight hug.
"Before you say anything, let me just say friends hug all of the time. So, technically I'm not doing anything wrong here."
"You think you're so slick, mister. Okay, that's enough."
"Just a while longer."
I stopped trying to fight him. It was weird being pressed up against him like this, but a part of me didn't mind. This was all so confusing for me. What was I feeling? We'd spent the entire day exploring the hotel, visiting the beach and hanging out. It was if nothing had happened, and I was glad for that time. He poked his usual fun at me. The conversations we had were normal. We were doing things that friends did. It felt like everything was okay; like old times, but I couldn't stop thinking of what had happened earlier. He had confessed his feelings to me. Feelings that I was completely oblivious to before he kissed me. I didn't know how he was acting so nonchalant about all of this. Why was this bothering me so much? Was I overreacting? He'd finally let me go. What was that look in his eyes? Longing?
"I'm sorry. It's kind of difficult for me to not want to do things like touching you. I've been doing it since the first day I've met you, but I can't just do what I want. I have to take your feelings into consideration. So that you can figure out what it is that your feeling. I think I should give you some space."
"I don't want space. I just wish I had the answer."
He ran his fingers through his hair. "I guess I did ruin things."
I shook my head. "You didn't ruin anything. Complicated things? Sure, you always complicate things, but nothing is ruined."
I glanced over at the clock. It was gonna be 6:00 A.M soon.
"Come on we have to get ready. The conference starts at 7:30. We can figure this out later, I promise." I said holding out my pinky.
He covered his mouth trying to hold in a laugh. "Am I supposed to a pinky promise?"
"Yes, you are! They're sacred." I said very seriously.
Hey grabbed my pinky with his own, locking it.
"We have a promise then."
*N*
I had readjusted my hair, tie, blazer, and cufflinks a hundred times over. The conference was in an hour and I had to look appropriate. I had to look the part. I'd be representing her and her company today. I looked in the mirror making sure I was presentable. I smiled to myself when I thought about last night. Did she really think I was going to sleep on the couch last night? I went through all that trouble of booking a room with a single bed. I told her she couldn't run from me even if she wanted to. Now, I just had to make her fall for me, because she was still unsure about what it was that she was feeling. The only problem is I had no idea how to do that. Higurashi wasn't like other women.
"Sesshomaru are you ready!?"
I stepped out of the bathroom, catching a glimpse of her. Her hair was in a low ponytail. She wore pearls in her ears and around her neck. Her blazer in her hand. She had on a plain white dress. Down to the knee with a split off to the right side, but god did it fit her well. Quickly prying my eyes away from her. I went back into the bathroom, trying to think my semi-erection away. I pinched the bridge of my nose. I felt like a teenager who couldn't control his hormones. I looked up at my reflection. This was going to be difficult.
The hotel's banquet hall was flooded with people. Each and every table was filled to the brim. This was the kind of this I had absolutely no interest. Even Higurashi looked like she was about to nod off. We sat at a table with a bunch of old men I had never seen in my life. Apparently there was a last-minute change in the program. There was going to be a special guest speaker.
I leaned over to her. "Hey Higurashi, what exactly are we supposed to be doing here?" I whispered.
"The only reason people attend things like this is to make better connections. All the other companies who aren't as prosperous as the others, flock to these stupid get-togethers. To suck up to the better-performing companies. This is the first one I've attended, so no one knows me yet. You, on the other hand, people have noticed you. They probably think I'm your assistant or something."
I smiled. "I mean it would be nice to have you under me."
Her head snapped in my direction. Her face had turned a dark shade of red.
"Work under me is what I meant," I said giving her a smile.
Before she could quietly rip me a new one, the announcer's voice came on over the speakers.
"Now introducing our special surprise guest speaker. Please welcome Inu Taisho."
My jaw instantly clenched. Claps erupted from around the room. I watched him walk on stage waving to the crowds. Shaking the hands of other CEO's. I felt Higurashi's hand on my own. She was looking ahead, but no doubt it was her way of trying to calm me down. I unclenched, trying my best to relax. He stood behind the podium, and he set his eyes dead on me.
This day just keeps getting better.
