A First for Everything

Chapter 19

Blue eyes stared out of the window, tracing the shadows and shapes that formed through the tinted glass of the limousine. People and buildings flashed before her as she scanned them, familiarity of her surroundings escaping her with each passing moment. As they slowed to a stop at a traffic light, she could clearly make out the patrons that waited along side of the car. Their eyes, much like hers, scanned the window, trying desperately to make out the forms that were captured inside the darkened glass. It wasn't too long ago that she was one of them, hoping herself that she would one day be able to have a clam of fame; to be privileged enough to ride in animosity through the crowded streets of Tokyo. But now that her hopes had come, she wished that she was a nameless citizen once again, solely because of the person that rode quietly next to her.

Her body was taut as she pressed herself against the door, her fingers urgently clutching the handle as if to maximize her distance from the other passenger. The silence was painful and obvious, far from companionable. It strained her ears, making each rustle of fabric and gentle breath magnified, pounding in her head like a drum. Although she could not see him, she could sense what he was doing. She could imagine him primly sitting on the leather seats, the emotionless mask countering his features. Sometimes she could even swear that she could hear his eyes glance over at her tense form. The scent of his cologne assaulted her nose, the masculine aroma heightening her discomfort. It made her glaringly recognize their past, as well as the memories of his naked flesh. She vaguely wondered if her perfume had the same effect upon him.

"Unless you intend upon leaving this car, I suggest you relax," a deep voice called out to her.

Her head whipped around from the window to glare at the man that was sitting next to her. Black strands fanned across the space between them, falling behind her and away from their vision. Her stunning blue eyes narrowed in annoyance. 'Has he already forgotten what he has done?' she thought angrily.

Snorting in her displeasure, she retorted haughtily, "Have you forgotten that you were the one that made the decision for me?"

His golden orbs slowly roved over to the feisty woman, glancing her over quickly. A thin eyebrow raised in amusement before he replied. "If I recall correctly, you did not articulate much resentment over the matter, Kagome," the man replied smoothly.

'Damn him.' Huffing, Kagome let go of the door handle in favor of crossing her arms across her chest. Delivering her best death glare to her fellow passenger, she fought back the urge to stick her tongue out at him. 'Why does he have to be so right?' she thought. Carefully, she ran over arguments in her head, looking for one that made the most sense, and would be most likely to make the man be proven wrong. However, her quest was becoming increasingly difficult as she became more and more aware of his constant attention to her.

"That doesn't change the fact that you felt the need to call up and cancel my date. Why did you feel the need to do it?" she asked, pressuring him more with each word. "Why did you pick me, Sesshomaru?"

The silver haired Sesshomaru snorted lightly at her question. His face became placid and bored as he turned back to stare out the window. His body stretched out a little further, obviously making himself as comfortable as possible as well as to let Kagome know that he was unaffected by her drilling comments.

"I simply needed a beautiful and intelligent date," Sesshomaru responded simply.

"And you could find no one else?" Kagome asked in annoyance and anger. Her bright eyes flashed with emotion, desperately seeking why this man felt the need to always interfere with her life.

"I see that you did not appreciate the compliment. I could have found a replacement. However, I did not deem it necessary," Sesshomaru responded, carefully watching her reaction in the reflection of the tinted windows.

"But you found it necessary to cancel my date with Hojo, right?" she asked acidly.

Sesshomaru could not stop the minute widening of his eyes. Kagome was being rather daring, insulting her superior. Has she forgotten that he is in control of her future or does she just no longer care? "No," he replied.

"Well, then why did you?"

"It is none of your concern," Sesshomaru answered in a deadpan voice, clearly stating that he no longer wished to discuss the topic.

"Yes, it is my concern. It was my date, and it should have been my decision to cancel the date or not. You had no right to do what you did," Kagome shouted to the man.

Her arms fell from across her chest, her fingers clenching tightly into fists. She leaned forward to state her point, slamming her small fists into the leather of the seats. The long dark hair slipped forward, falling across her face. The visual, combined with her scowling mouth and slit eyes, almost made her look dangerous…almost. Her chest rose and fell slightly with the effort to keep her rage in check.

Sesshomaru's eyes quickly darted from her glossy reflection to the divider separating them and the limo driver. He could see the separating screen half way down and the driver's brown eyes flickering back to the pair interestedly. At the sound of Sesshomaru's menacing growl, the driver quickly wound up the glass. Now that they were by themselves, Sesshomaru turned his attention back to the woman, scowling at her.

"As I have said before," he stated deeply, "you did not upheaval the decision. I do not care who you date in your free time."

Hissing in frustration, Kagome shook her head at turned back to the window. "I think you are just jealous that someone might legitimately be interested in me," she muttered softly, not expecting Sesshomaru to pick up on the quiet words.

"What did you say?" Sesshomaru asked quickly and urgently.

"That you wouldn't mind if I rescheduled my date with Hojo then, right?" Kagome covered quickly, stiffening somewhat.

Sesshomaru's eyes nearly disappeared as his eyes narrowed in agitation. His mouth was firmly set as he glared at the woman, knowing that she could see him in the reflective glass. What was she trying to do? Did she really think that he was jealous of Hojo? More importantly, was he actually jealous?

"He is nothing more than a bumbling idiot," Sesshomaru snapped before flexing his fingers into a loose fist.

"Oh, really?" Kagome countered. "He must be more than that. After all, he is your CEO."

Sesshomaru scowled heavily as he looked directly into Kagome's eyes. This was not going according to his wishes. "You give the man too much credit. His lack luster personality and lower mental capacity are not to be desired."

Kagome laughed darkly and softly at his comments. It seemed as though she was hitting a sensitive subject matter with the stoic business man. Leaning closer to him, she did not drop his angry gaze as she responded. "And your cold and heartless personality is to be desired?"

It was only when Kagome was pushed flush against the door of the limousine that she knew that she had pushed Sesshomaru too far with her comments. A deep growl rang out and she could feel the vibrations course against her body. Swallowing, she met his gaze, almost gasping when she encountered the raging amber inches from her own blue orbs. His hands were planted beside her, brushing against her sides but never fully touching her body.

"I would watch your step, woman. I knew few employers that would tolerate such comments. Perhaps you should reconsider how heartless I really am," Sesshomaru warned before backing away from her body.

Kagome's heart was pounding recklessly against her chest, but not from fear. No. If she had found his aroma infatuating before, now it was haunting, coursing through her mind and lingering in her blood. She had felt the warmth that was radiating off of his body, cascading over her own body. Still, he had not tried to harm her or persuade her by using his sexuality. Her mouth opened and closed, attempting to voice any sort of retaliation. But she could find nothing to say. Her mind was blank and swarming. What was happening between them?

"Do you have reservations, Sir?"

"Tashio."

"Oh, of course, Sir! All of the other party members have arrived. Please allow me to take you to your table."

With a stern expression and breathless, yet cold eyes, Sesshomaru linked Kagome's arm through his in one swift motion before following the hostess. Kagome peered up at Sesshomaru in puzzlement, surprised that he would want any physical contact while presenting themselves to the dinner party. However, Sesshomaru did not acknowledge her silent question, or even spare her a glance. So she followed quietly, searching through her mind to find some meaning for partner's odd behavior. 'Inuyasha warned me that he was cold, so why didn't he warn me that he was strange?' she thought as she walked beside the tall, god-like man. 'I'll wonder if he was dropped on his head as a child.'

Kagome's attention was drawn to a table looming in front of them. The three other men and two females rose from the table automatically as they approached the table, bowing respectfully as she and Sesshomaru stopped before them. Kagome could not help but be in awe of the respect that these people had for him. It seemed as though they knew that he was more powerful than they would ever be. Perhaps this is what it is like to control half of the corporations in Tokyo. A surge of pride floated through Kagome's body. They were bowing to her as well for she was the chosen one to be presented with such an influential man.

"Good evening," Sesshomaru stated in a voice that demanded respect.

"Good evening," they all chanted back in a submissive tone.

One man quirked an eye at the silent Kagome, glancing over her curves and features before asking curiously, "Who is this lovely woman that you have brought, Mr. Tashio?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes slightly at the man's question, slightly pulling his linked arm closer to his body, drawing Kagome to his side in the process. Snorting, he dared a glance at Kagome before returning his demanding stare back to the curious man.

"Allow me to introduce Kagome Higurashi, a new author in our company," he stated blandly.

The average sized, dark haired man smiled widely, his dark eyes finally coming to meet Kagome's eyes. He extended a pale, thin hand to her, before nodding his head slightly, hoping to entice her to take his hand. Kagome hesitated slightly, her blue eyes darting over to Sesshomaru for any signs of approval or warning. But his eyes did not even meet hers. Reaching her hand out, Kagome smiled weakly as her hand touched the man's. She had to fight back the urge to cringe as she felt the sweaty, brittle skin upon her hand.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Higurashi," the man replied happily. He turned her hand over and raising it to his lips. "I am Akito Hemetia."

Kagome was in shock as the man's dry lips fell upon her hand. Her head jerked back slightly as she fought to keep her body in one place; she did not want to offend any of the quests at the table. Thankfully, it was Sesshomaru that came to her rescue. His gold eyes stabbed into the shorter man, clearly stating that his action was not acceptable. Smiling goofily, Akito dropped Kagome's hand, lowering his eyes and moving to sit back in his seat.

Sesshomaru introduced the other patrons that were patiently watching the display. One by one, they were introduced with a distant voice, each bowing their head and shaking Kagome's hand. As they began to sit down, Sesshomaru once again surprised Kagome with shocking actions. Moving behind her, he pulled out her chair, expectantly waiting for her to sit down. His eyes displayed no emotion as he watched her carefully fold her dress under her body as Sesshomaru pushed the chair under her body. When he pulled away from her, his fingers casually brushed over her bare arms, causing the woman to snap her head up and look Sesshomaru in the eyes. He said nothing as he stared back at her for a moment before turning to his own spot next to her.

"So, Miss Higurashi…" began the blonde haired woman across from Kagome.

"Please, just call me Kagome," she softly interrupted with a sweet smile.

Grinning back at Kagome, the woman, identified by Sesshomaru as Mrs. Yishia, nodded her head politely in agreement. "What a charming name, Kagome! So, you are an author? What is your book about?"

Kagome tilted her head slightly to the side, letting her hair fall halfway down her shoulder. Her blue eyes shone brightly as her smile widened even more. She looked Mrs. Yishia directly in the eyes before politely stating, "I am afraid that I cannot tell you the plot, Mrs. Yishia. After all, the best part of reading is discovering what happens on your own, ne?"

Sesshomaru glanced over at the raven haired girl beside him, whose head was now pointed within millimeters of his shoulder. He was surprised even though he refused to show it. Kagome was quite the dinner partner. She was kind and talkative with the guests, yet still knew when to keep business separate. Not many women would have dared respond to Mrs. Yishia, a top model, in such a manner. While he ran his golden eyes over Kagome, he could not help but smirk at her response.

"Well, that's no fun!" Mrs. Yishia said, frowning slightly. "How am I supposed to know if it is any good or not?"

"I can assure you," the deep, baritone voice of Sesshomaru spoke out, "that it is indeed a through and very well written piece of art."

It was Kagome's turn to be in shock. Whirling her head to face the usually impassive, insensitive man, she could not help but let her mouth fall open slightly. Her stunned gaze was met by Sesshomaru's blank glare. Her eyes softened some as she continued to stare into his eyes for what seemed to be hours. Silently, she mouthed a, "Thank you," to him and noticed him minutely tip his head in acknowledgement.

"Megumi," called out the equally light featured Mr. Yishia to his wife. "You shouldn't say such things," he continued while cupping her cheek tenderly. "We will find out soon enough, ne?" he finished while glancing over to Kagome questioningly.

Nodding her head, Kagome replied, "Yes, very soon."

With a smile, Kagome picked up her menu. Opening it up, she hoped that her terror was not obvious. 'Oh, Kami!' she thought, "It's all in French! What the hell am I supposed to do!' Kagome's fear amplified when the waiter arrived in that moment. He began taking the orders, thankfully starting at the opposite side of the table, buying Kagome some much needed time. But it was soon enough that the waiter looked to her, patiently waiting for her order. Her head turned to the waiter, her mind going blank as she stared at the waiter in confusion. Her heart pounded slightly, not wanting to look like a fool in front of these obviously important people.

"Would you like me to order for you?" a deep voice asked softly in her ear.

Nodding her head stiffly, she continued to stare off into space with her fear. She did not hear Sesshomaru eloquently place an order for her or even notice the waiter scurry off to the kitchen.

"Don't feel bad," a soft, joking voice called out from the opposite side of Sesshomaru. "I have problems deciding what to order as well."

Glancing over at the owner of the voice, Kagome smiled back at the elder man that was smiling sympathetically at her. "It all sounds so delicious," Kagome answered, laughing nervously.

The rest of the dinner flew by smoothly, filled with personal and impersonal chattering. Surprisingly enough, Kagome was included in many of the conversations, even ones instigated by the stoic Sesshomaru Tashio. He had done well when choosing her meal, finding a light chicken dish that seemingly dissolved on her tongue. She was not able to hide her satisfaction as she ate, and she knew that Sesshomaru noticed, taking pride that he had caused her joy. However, Kagome could not ignore the strange looks that were coming from Akito's direction. At one point, he had been staring for so long that Kagome had turned to Sesshomaru with questioning eyes. He had immediately directed Akito's attention to himself with a question about his business. It stunned Kagome to see Sesshomaru behaving in such a gentlemanly fashion. It baffled her mind with each word that he said, but it was not unwelcome. Ultimately, she had decided that his behavior was due to the fact that they remained in public. She would see if his behavior shifted once they were in the limo again.

Rising from the table, Kagome followed Sesshomaru's lead, shaking hands with each party member as they prepared to make their leave from the restaurant. She awaited patiently behind Sesshomaru as he began the goodbyes, only moving to the guest after he had moved on to the next. It was only when she was Akito eagerly awaiting her attention that Kagome began to get nervous. The way that his eyes moved with her and the eerie smile upon his lips caused a fearful shiver to run down her spine. She only hoped that she could quickly flee from his presence.

"Ahh, Kagome," Akito dramatically exclaimed as he grabbed her hand, "I am disappointed to see you go. Your company was quite pleasant."

Smiling weakly, Kagome resisted the urge to tear out from his grasp and run from the restaurant. With faked sweetness, Kagome carefully said, "Please, Akito, the pleasure was all mine."

Akito once again drew her hand up to his lips, pressing the thin appendages upon her skin for longer than was necessary. Kagome cringed, no longer caring if he could see her displeasure. She tugged back on her hand, trying to dislodge him, but was shocked when he tightened his grip and continued to hold her hand.

"Unfortunately, Akito, I must be leaving now. It has been nice…" she responded nervously.

"But do you have to?" Akito interjected urgently. "You could stay with me for a bit longer," he said, using his grip upon her hand to pull her closer to his body.

Kagome leaned her body back in attempts to get away. Her eyes widened in disgust as he gave another tug upon her arm. Her lips parted slightly as she tried to protest, but the words were lodged in her throat. The wretched scent that emitted from him made Kagome reflexively gag. It was when his free hand came up to rest upon her hip that her struggling became obvious. Fortunately, her futile struggles did not last long.

A strong arm wrapped around her waist, shoving the offending man's hand from her hip in the process. She was pulled back as the arm retreated from Akito and dragged against a hard planed body. With a small gasp, she looked up to see who her savior was. It was Sesshomaru that she rested against.

His strong jaw was clenched tight as he gazed sternly into Akito. His arm was still clenched tight around her body while his other arm flexed into a loose fist by his side. Piercing eyes did not waver in their anger as they forced the man to take an involuntary step backwards. His back was straight, making his tall, powerful frame tower over them both. A low growl erupted from his throat as he dragged Kagome back a step with him.

"She is not yours to touch," he growled out almost possessively.

Akito frowned at Sesshomaru, narrowing his eyes at the taller man. "Is that for you to decide?" he asked angrily.

"It does not matter. You will not touch her again," Sesshomaru stated darkly before turning with Kagome in his arms and quickly departing from the group.

Megumi turned to her husband, smiling to him before she quietly said, "Is it just me, or do they seem to be in love?"

Her husband turned to Megumi, looping an arm around her waist before replying, "I think so too. She would be good for him, if he ever lets go of his pride enough to admit it."

TBC…

A/N: Thanks for waiting patiently for this chapter! Sorry that it took so long, but spring semester just started so I had to adjust to my new schedule. Hopefully I will be back on track with updates soon. Until later!

A Single Spark is back up! All of the lemon chapters are available on the site under the name NIVALROSE. Check them out if you are interested.