I was twenty-seven when the twenty-three year old vixen was dragged into my office like a little child, kicking and screaming.

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"I was doing no such thing!"

"Honey, you were a perfect brat and you know it…don't pout.  Do you want me to continue?"

"Humph"

"I'll take that as a yes."

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Like I said, she was kicking and screaming.  To be quite frank—

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"Why do you always say that?  'Be quite frank?'  Who is Frank?  And why does he have a saying?  Was he some honest guy or something? Do you think it originated in 'Poor Richard's Almanac?'  Or what if—"

"Darling, please, no more interruptions."

"I was just curious…"

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Well, to be quite frank, it hurt my ears.  I tried not to grimace, I really did, but the creature would not stop her infernal yelling.

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"Creature?!!!! Creature?"

"That's it…I'm stopping!"

"No, no, I'll be quiet.  I swear."

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However, I was saved from my grimace as the most important man in my life at the moment revealed himself to be the one dragging the vile…girl into my office.  No…he was not my significant other.  I may have given up the pleasures of the flesh—for the time being—but I was still perfectly heterosexual. 

Not that there's anything wrong with that! I just don't…err...swing that way?

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"I don't think that's politically correct."

"Shut up."

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I didn't really understand why he would bring his only daughter with him to a business meeting and why she was so bent on not going.

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"This coming from the guy who gets aroused when we talk about stocks."

"I just didn't understand, okay?  And I do not!"

"That's not what little Sesshie says."

"Okay, woman, I've had it with you!"

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But I was soon to learn why the girl was so determined to leave the meeting.

Or at least I hoped that was going to be the case.

"Kingston, this is my daughter Kagome." 

I smiled pleasantly at her and offered my hand in a friendly shake.  She scowled at me and completely ignored my hand.  So much for being friendly.

"Ignore my daughter's surly behavior.  She is a little upset at the present predicament."

I raised my eyebrow at the older man who I came to think of as a father.  No, not really, but it sounded better when I was planning to merge with his company anyway. 

"And that would be…?"  I really didn't care, but the man was my most important client.  I had to at least act interested.

"Well, you see, there is a bit of a problem with the merger."

He now had my full attention.

"There seems to be a quirk in the deal." 

"A quirk?"  I swear if he was backing out…

"There is a clause that says I cannot give over all its holdings and stocks unless it is to someone that is in my family.  I'm afraid its ironclad.  My father was a bit of an obsessive compulsive…"

"And how does she factor into all this?"

"Well, the clause stipulated family only.  It never said if it had to be family by blood…" and he paused to look at his daughter, "or by marriage."

"I won't do it!  I won't marry a man I don't know or love just for the company!  And I especially won't marry him!"

I was waiting for that.  It didn't hurt in fact it amused me.  Like I wanted to marry her too.  But I couldn't say that in front of the most important man in my life.

"So, you want me to marry your daughter?"  The girl made a disgruntled snort in the background.  I wanted to amplify that sound by a thousand.

"I don't want you to, I expect you to.  If you want my company, that is… However, there is one more thing…"

"Yes?"

"You both must be in love.  I don't want to ruin your lives with this marriage because there is no possibility for divorce."

"I see."  I didn't want to understand, damn it!  Things were perfect until little miss. Arrogant fell into my office!

"If you agree to this it means you both have to try to fall in love.  In public you will be seen as fiancés…you will live together and will not have any other relationships besides each other.  If you fall in love, the company is yours, Kingston."

Miss. Pouty was glaring daggers at me.  But it spoke volumes.  She had to agree to whatever I agreed upon.  I resisted the urge to smile evilly.

I wanted, no needed, this company.  And I was going to get this company, love be damned.  I will get the girl to fall for me and it won't matter if I love her back or not.  After we're married and the contract is signed I will set her up in her own house anywhere she wishes…and get back to business as usual.

It was so simple.

"I agree.  I believe that the possibilities are endless in this situation."  I finally truly glanced at the shocked and annoyed girl.  And for the briefest of moments I forgot which one I truly meant for my last comment: the company, or the girl.

She was beautiful.  Scowling face besides I could actually feel some lust for her starting to boil up from my nether regions.  She had a gorgeous body that curved in all the right places and even in her anger she had a seductive grace that was quite distracting. 

Maybe this whole little game would be fun after all.  Which was an amazing thought since I seemed to be lusting after a woman I didn't really want in my life to begin with.  Perhaps practicing celibacy for an extended period of time was finally taking its toll.

"I'm glad you have conceded.  I have another appointment but I will allow you some time to get to know each other and work out all the pressing issues such as housing.  Goodbye darling." 

And after he had kissed her on the cheek, Mr. Carlton left.

His daughter, on the other hand, still stared at me open-mouthed. So much for seductive, I thought.

"Do stop hanging your mouth open.  It is most unattractive."

That certainly caught her attention, as I knew it would.  I could read her already.  Like taking candy from a—

"And I am expected to believe that you should know about attractive behavior?"

Ouch.  Acidic wit.  Not my favorite in women.  Well, my favorite in women usually tended to be the more demure, I'll-only-open-my-legs-for-you-Sesshomaru kind. That kind was most appealing…

Ah.  Note to self: definitely get some as soon as possible.

"I believe I know a bit about attractive behavior but I'm sorry, if you are asking for lessons I cannot grant them for I am too busy at the moment.  Can you pass me that pen?"

I regretted asking her that when I found the pen was permanently imbedded into my new mahogany desk, right next to my new platinum nameplate.  I had splurged when I thought I was closing the deal with Carlton.  Obviously I celebrated too soon.

However, the vixen wasn't quite done with me yet.  When she shoved the pen into my desk-permanently-she also expressed the wish to do the same with one of my lower extremities.  I'm not quite sure which one, but she won't be getting an opportunity for me to find out any time soon.

When she finally noticed I wasn't paying any attention to her whatsoever she made a great show of looking more angered and trying to leave my office in a huff.

 I again suppressed the urge to smirk. 

When she was almost at the door, I spoke.

"Carlton."

She slowly turned and graced me with a look of unveiled disgust.

"You will be staying at my house since it is so inconvenient for me to move.  Ask my secretary for a key and you can begin moving in today.  See you at dinner…honey."

She was about to respond in kind when I waved her from my office and returned back to my work.  The sound of the door slamming echoed in my ears all afternoon, but it didn't matter because I was in a strangely jovial mood.

Which, to say the least, didn't happen much.

This was going to be fun.