Hello, it's been awhile. I've been reading all of the comments and it warms my heart that so many of you like this little story of mine. I haven't touched this story since I was twenty-one, and I'm twenty-six now so you can imagine the time it will take me to remember where I originally planned to go when I started writing this.

Also I don't own anything of Inuyasha.

CHAPTER THREE

THE OFFICE, KAGOME'S DECISION

Kagome stepped into Jewel Corp, determined to find Inuyasha and dish out her demands.

She's spent the entire night tossing and turning over rather or not she was going to give in and agree to this silly plan.

It wasn't until this morning, when the sun hit the horizon that she'd made up her mind.

So here she was. Heading to Inuyasha's office, intending to let him know of her choice.

She was scared. Terrified really. But she had little choice in the end if she didn't want to lose her job. This was her way of taking some control back and setting some guidelines for him to abide by.

Kagome hopes this wasn't a mistake. It would be terrible for her in the end if it turned out to be. Inuyasha wouldn't be hurt by it, she was sure. But as for her, her entire life will be ruined. She had to do everything in her power to keep that from happening.

She headed down the hall toward her cubicle, scanning around for any sign of Inuyasha. Not finding him anywhere in sight.

She sat at her desk, tapping a finger on its surface, trying to think of what her next step should be. Her cell buzzed and she pulled it out of her back pocket. It was from Sango.

"Did you tell him yet?"

Kagome's lips pursed. "Not yet. I can't find him. I don't think he's here."

"Seriously? Are you sure?"

"I looked around but I haven't seen him yet."

"He could be in his office?"

Kagome glanced up at the closed office door, and went back to texting.

"Not sure. He could be. Haven't checked."

"You should. Then text me back."

"Okay."

Kagome placed her cell back in her pocket, taking in a breath before she got to her feet and made her way to the closed door. She looked around making sure no one was watching her. When she was positive she was in the clear, she raised her hand and gave the wooden door two knocks then waited.

It didn't take long for her to get a response. A deep, raspy male voice called out to her to "enter" and she immediately reached for the handle.

Kagome took a readying breath, then stepped inside. Inuyasha was seated behind his desk, a sight she was used to seeing. Holding a pen, signing one document after another. Completely oblivious to her presence standing in the doorway.

She cleared her throat when it became obvious that he wasn't going to look up.

His brows rose when he realized it was her. "It's you."

"Yes." Kagome stepped deeper into the room and shut the door.

"I'm guessing you have a reason for coming to my office?"

"I do. And I think you will like my answer." She thought over her words, "well maybe not like but appreciate."

Inuyasha studied her. An unsure expression coating his features. He dropped his pen and sat back, linking his fingers together in front of his face.

"I'm listening."

Kagome nodded and took in another deep breath. "Here goes nothing."

She took a seat in one of the visitor chairs opposite his desk and rubbed her nervous soaked hands over her legs, drying them.

"Well?" Inuyasha said, waiting for her to say something.

"About your proposition to marry you. I'll agree on a few conditions."

His brows rose again. "On what?"

"One," she held up her index finger, "we go out on dates and really get to know each other first. I won't marry you unless I fall in love with you. You'll have a total of six months to win me over."

A grin formed on his lips. It made him look both arrogant and charming at the same time.

"You said 'a few'. What's the other's?"

"The second one," she held up another finger, "is that their is no sex until after the third date."

Inuyasha grumbled at that. "Seriously? The third date? That's far too long for me."

Kagome shrugged. "It's my condition. You can follow it or we can end the deal right here."

Inuyasha sighed. "Alright. Anything else?"

"If I fall in love with you. You can't have any ties to Kikyo. Ever. I won't be put in a situation where I'm wondering if I'm the only woman in your life. I can't deal with that."

She's had enough trauma from that before. She wasn't going to go through that again.

Inuyasha waved a hand in the air. "You don't have to worry about her. Kikyo and our relationship isn't ever going to be an issue. That I promise you."

Kagome's body relaxed. Unknowing of the tension that had settled over her at the thought of the two of them still being together.

"Good. Then I guess that's all."

"You better be sure. Because once this game begins. I won't let you change up the rules later." Inuyasha's face was completely serious.

Kagome swallowed hard. She wasn't sure of anything right now. In fact she was going strictly on autopilot, but it was a good start.

It also irritated her that he was treating her heart and ideals of love as a game. It was insulting. Then again he's a business man. Everything that involved a challenged is viewed like a game to them.

"I'm sure of everything that I've said." She got to her feet, intending to leave, "now that I've said my piece. I'm going back to work."

"Hang on. I didn't get to state my conditions."

Kagome eyed him warily. Unsure if she wanted to hear them. "Go on."

"One," he held up his own index finger, repeating her action from earlier. "After our dates, I get to kiss you goodnight every time and you don't get to argue or fuss at me for it."

She narrowed her eyes at him. She studied his full lips and let herself imagine what they would feel like pressed against hers, instantly getting warmer the longer she did.

Her cheeks grew hot, and she was positive she was blushing. Kagome mentally shoved those thoughts away and berated herself for thinking it in the first place.

"I think I can manage that." She said.

Inuyasha smirked. "I bet you can."

She huffed out a breath. "What's your other conditions?"

"Since theirs no sex, I get to at least be able to have some kind of fun with you." He shrugged, "as a form of heightening the anticipation for the inevitable for later."

Kagome rolled her eyes. This man. He was to arrogant. But damn her that she didn't think it was sexy. She hated it that she did. But she also couldn't help herself either.

"I'm not sure about that one."

Inuyasha's head tilted. Confusion on his face. "Why not? Afraid you won't be able to resist me?" He ended with a challenging grin.

"Not at all." Kagome gritted her teeth. She was never good at resisting a challenge. And despite her effort to ignore this one she. She knew that in the end, she would have broken eventually.

"Then theirs no reason why we can play around a little." Did he have to make it sound so...erotic?

She should just tell him 'no'. It would be smart of her to do that. If she allowed herself to touch on Inuyasha and let him do the same to her, at some point she could lose her willpower to resist sleeping with him.

After all, this was a game to win and Kagome was determined to best this man and get away before she lost both her heart and her sanity once they reached the finish line.

"Fine. We can. So long as you don't try to push your limits."

Inuyasha's grin widened. He held up his hands. "I'm a gentleman, Kagome. I don't do anything women don't want me too."

She snorted. Inuyasha? A gentleman? She'll believe that when she saw it.

"Is their anything else?"

His expression grew serious once again. "Yes, and this one is very necessary. Our 'dating' must be kept just between us. Until we decide if we are getting engaged. No one in this company must know about this. Understand?"

Kagome's heart pounded. A little too late there. Sango already knows. The only bright side to this is that she didn't work in this company. She worked under Sesshomaru who was a head of a different, far bigger company then this one.

"Alright." She had no intention of keeping this from her best friend. Sango was her saving grace and she was sure that once she asked her to keep it a secret, Sango wouldn't tell a soul.

Well, unless it was to Miroku but he was a special case.

Inuyasha watched her for several moments, reading her expression. His ears twitching as he did. Finally he nodded.

"Good. Then do you agree to my terms?"

Kagome replayed his words, not finding two out of the three overly concerning and nodded.

A wide genuine smile spread over Inuyasha's face, shocking her and sending a bolt of a lightening through her to her chest, reaching her heart.

"Then let's make the best of this shall we?" Inuyasha got to his feet and held out a hand to her, as if he was signing off on a major business deal with a prominent work partner.

Kagome stared at first his hand then up at him and back again. Five seconds ticked by before she clasped her hand with his.

Inuyasha covered her hand with his other free one and gave it a shake. "Let the best one win."

Kagome stared into his golden gaze, transfixed by the different shades dormant there. Ranging from orange, to yellow and then gold.

She was sure not many people bothered or got the chance to see into his eyes this closely but she was taking full advantage of it.

"I'm sure I'll be the one to win. And when I do. I want your word you'll put an end to this ridiculous idea that I should marry you."

Inuyasha arched a brow. A sly grin lifting at the corners of his mouth. "If I do that. Then it will mean I don't believe I'll ever win your heart. And one thing I'm not Kagome, is a quitter."

He leaned closer, giving her hand a gentle tug to pull her a hairs width away from his mouth. "I intend to catch you, Kagome. So run while you can. Because when I start my hunt. I won't stop until I have you underneath me."

A shiver ran up her spine. She wasn't sure if it was from revulsion or arousal. She didn't want to know.

Stepping back two steps, she tugged on her hand. Inuyasha didn't bother to tighten his grip and let her go. Kagome rushed for the door.

As she made it to the wooden object, Inuyasha yelled a parting warning.

"Don't get to busy, Kagome. I may need you to come in here later." His word leaked with innuendo and curse her for not getting affected by it.

She sent him a glare as she yanked open the door. She rushed out not noticing the man standing on the other side.

Kagome bumped into the man's chest. Her nose smashing flat from the hardened muscles.

"Oof." She covered her nose rubbing at the ache. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." She looked up and her eyes widened.

Inutashio. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father was standing right in front her. And she had just bumped into him.

Fearing she'd just made a grave error, Kagome bowed in apology.

"Mr. Takahashi. I didn't know it was you. Excuse my clumsiness. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and didn't see you."

A large hand patted her shoulder. Inutashio gave her a gentle squeeze. "Worry not. You look like you were in a hurry and I didn't announce myself. Be careful in the future. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

Kagome's cheeks warmed. This time in embarrassment. "Yes." She croaked.

"Will you move now? Some people have important business with Inuyasha. And we don't need you blocking the doorway."

Kikyo stood next to Inutashio, arms crossed and staring down at her nose at her as if she'd smelled something rotten.

Kagome stared at her blankly. This was the woman Inuyasha had made his lover for two years. She was beautiful. Outrageously so. It irked Kagome that she was.

She'd seen glimpses of her from afar during the earlier years of her working here. But Kagome had hoped the woman wouldn't have gotten prettier the closer she got to her.

Now she couldn't use her looks to trump the woman. Kagome did her best not to feel a little inferior to her presence. Kikyo exuded wealth, authority and beauty.

All things Kagome didn't have. Sure, she was cute. Many guys she's dated have told her that over the years. Even Sango complimented her from time to time. But Kikyo's beauty was on another level.

This was a woman that belonged in Inuyasha's world. Once again, Kagome couldn't understand why he was bothering to pursue her and not Kikyo. A woman who was already in his bed and more then willing to please him.

But who knew what went on the minds of the wealthy these days.

"Hello?" Kikyo snapped a fingers twice in front of Kagome's face, "are you deaf? We're trying to get in. Will you get out of the way already?"

Kagome blinked and shook her head, looking at the other woman with a glare, both surprised and irritated at how rude she was being.

Kagome pasted on a cold, but professional smile directed at Kikyo. "Excuse me, ma'am. I didn't see you." She moved to the side. "Please, watch the door handle on your way in. I wouldn't want it to hurt anything it shouldn't."

She stormed away, fuming and glad to be out of there. If she didn't fear repercussions for getting retribution, Kagome would have smacked her.

Too bad the way of the corporate world didn't work that way. She would have loved teaching her some manners.

As she made it to her cubicle, Kagome was reminded yet again, of how different she was from Inuyasha's world.

I hope this updated chapter was to your liking. It's been far too long since I thought about touching this and I'm not sure how often I will be able to stick with it since I'm working on a professional author career. But when ever I have free time, I will continue to try and release a new chapter for this story.