To clear things up: Sesshomaru asked Kagome directly to marry him first when she refused that's when he decided to go behind her back and offer Lady Matsamura a large sum of money for her without her knowledge.

Warning! Lemony goodness coming up.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 9 - Ninth

Kagome wanted to just disappear. There she was deep in it again. How did she manage to get herself into these situations?

"Lord Sesshomaru, may I introduce Lady Kikyo." She sounded breathless. Kagome hoped more than anything he hadn't heard what she had just said to Kikyo.

"My lord" she made a little curtsey and fluttered her lashes at him. He was not impressed.

"Lady Kikyo, if you would excuse us." He then turned his full attention to Kagome and said, "We became worried at your delay. So I came in search of you."

"I was just on my way back." Kagome said and hoped he would take it as a hint not to say anything else.

"Goodbye Lady Kikyo, I hope you enjoy the rest of the performance." Kagome said turning. Kikyo was not so easily dismissed.

"Goodnight Miss Higurashi, Lord Sesshomaru I would like to be the first to congratulate you two on your engagement."

Kagome almost fell over. "But we're not….."

"Thank you. " Sesshomaru said quickly.

'What?' Kagome's mind screamed. "I didn't…."

"Please excuse us. My fiancé seems fatigued and at a loss for words. I will escort her back to our box." Sesshomaru took Kagome's arm and looped around his own and led the shock stricken girl away. Kikyo smiled to herself as she watched the pair walk away.

She couldn't breathe. She felt as if the walls were closing in on her. They walked in silence back to the box where Sango and Inuyasha were waiting. Sesshomaru parted the curtains for her to walk through to take their seats. They were surprised to see the box empty. Inuyasha and Sango were not there. 'Where could they be?' Kagome thought.

She took her seat. Sesshomaru sat on the seat facing her and just stared.

"How dare you?" Kagome lost the reins on her temper.

"As I recall I was not the one telling Lady Kikyo of our engagement."

"There is no engagement." She tried to keep her voice low but it was very hard.

"That's not what it sounded like to me." He shot back.

"And how dare you eavesdrop on my conversation? I was not telling her we were engaged," Kagome blushed, "I only said you had asked."

"I didn't hear you say that you refused." He countered.

"I can't believe this. I can't believe this." She rubbed her temples. "This is going to be all over town by tomorrow." She sighed. "Why did you have to say that I was your fiancé?"

He had the gall to wink and smile at her. He was enjoying this, the bastard.

"I think it's time to leave. You are obviously distraught and we should find our companions." He looked out towards a couple of boxes across the theater and he could have been blinded by reflections coming off several opera glasses aimed at them.

"It seems the news is already out." Kagome followed his gaze. She groaned out loud. He grabbed her elbow and guided her to stand. At that moment Inuyasha and Sango appeared. Kagome looked accusingly at them as if to blame them for allowing Sesshomaru to go looking for her, but Sango looked radiant and she was blushing furiously. She had a smile from ear to ear. Kagome couldn't be mad at her. She should only blame herself for opening her big mouth. Inuyasha was probably responsible for putting that smile on her face. Kagome felt a stab of envy.

"We were on our way to look for you." Kagome said.

"We took a walk." Sango answered and gave a mischievous look to Inuyasha, who stood there hands clasped behind his back.

"I've grown bored with this performance we should leave." Sesshomaru said. Inuyasha nodded in agreement. They vacated the box. Inuyasha collected their cloaks and hats, while Sesshomaru went in search of the carriage. The minute they were alone Sango whispered, "What happened?"

"I …don't. I can't. I'll tell you later." Kagome said. What was she going to say to her friend? That she was engaged even though she didn't want to. That if she denied the engagement she would be ruined and all because she let Lady Kikyo bait her. No she couldn't say that to her. Again in less than a week she found herself trying to get out of another bad situation.

A few minutes later, the four of them sat in the carriage that was making its way through the crowded streets. There were dozens of carriages on the streets with people making their way from one ball to another. A trip back to the Matsamura townhouse that would have usually taken 20 minutes was taking forever. No one spoke. Sango and Kagome sat on one side, and Inuyasha and Sesshomaru sat on the other. Kagome was deep in thought.

She was thinking of what her options were and she was also determined to completely ignore Lord Sesshomaru. She considered crying off the non-existent engagement. It would ruin her socially, but she was already considered an undesirable. However, Kagome didn't think she could bear the gossip that would ensue. She could remove herself to the country, away from everyone. Go where no one could find her. She would have had to leave sooner or later after Sango married, why not just do it now?

Sango, her friend who's happiness made her ache. She looked at her out of the corner of her eye and saw her looking at the man she was promised to marry. Looking away her eyes met with Sesshomaru's. She lowered her gaze. There was another possibility, she thought. What if she accepted and married this stranger. She stole a glance at him. He was rich, she thought to herself. He was definitely interested in her, even though she had no clue as to why. He was handsome in a dandified sort of way, with an aristocratic nose, and eyes that reminded her of a cat's. He had deep golden eyes that never seemed to give away any hint of emotion. And he seemed very pale in comparison to his friend's golden tan. His hair was cut fashionably down to his shoulders and it was the palest blond she had ever seen. 'Nothing like Inuyasha's silver hair.' Why did she keep comparing the two of them?

She was interrupted from her thoughts when they arrived at the Matsamura townhouse.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha steeped out to escort them back to the house. Sango took Inuyasha's extended hand and they walked to the door. When Sesshomaru did the same Kagome didn't want to take it. But if she was considering marrying this man she would have to be civil.

They said their goodbyes and after they were inside Sango dragged Kagome to the parlor.

"Will you be needing anything ma'am?" asked one of the maids.

"Will you bring us some tea, and I will be retiring shortly. Could you have a bath prepared in my room?" Sango asked as she handed the maid her cloak.

"Yes ma'am."

They sat in silence for a while. Kagome resigned herself. She then proceeded to tell Sango what happened at the theater. After she was done, Sango sipped her tea with this thoughtful look on her face.

"What are you going to do?" she said after a while.

"I don't know. What can I do? I thought about accepting his proposal, but I don't love him. How can I marry someone I don't love?" Kagome said her voice cracking.

"You always were the romantic one. Calm yourself. I will help you. Even though I think you should marry him. It would secure your future. He seems to be a man who always gets what he wants. Why not just give in?"

Kagome started rubbing her temples again. Sango could tell how tense she was.

"Look, you don't have to make a decision right now. Tomorrow we'll see how bad the damage is. Why don't you go upstairs and take a bath? You can use the one I asked for. I'm too tired. I'll just sleep in your room tonight. Ok?"

Kagome thought a nice hot bath sounded like heaven "Ok."

After making the necessary arrangements Kagome dismissed the maid for the night and began to undress. The bath tub had been brought over and filled with steaming buckets of water and another one warmed by the fire. A curtain-like set up was up in order to keep the steam in. She lowered herself in to the warm water and sighed. She could feel the heat soothe her muscles. She had been too tense for too long. She closed her eyes and let her mind wonder. She wasn't going to think about anything now, she will think about everything tomorrow.

Kagome didn't know how long she laid there. She was relaxed and felt better. The water started to cool. She opened her eyes and was debating whether she should get the other bucket or not. Torn, she decided it was time to go to sleep. She stood and wrapped a towel around herself tucking the ends under her arm. She untied her hair and stepped out of the tub. She opened the curtain and stepped onto the carpet. She padded lightly towards the other end of the room where her nightgown lay. She was half way there when suddenly she realized she wasn't alone in the room. Kagome looked around the room, the fire had burned down low and she couldn't see very well. In a shadowed corner of the room she caught a glimpse of silver and she swallowed hard. He emerged from the shadows, slowly. She was shocked into silence. She felt like she couldn't move a muscle as she watched Inuyasha Fleming walk towards her. She managed to pry her mouth open and say

"What are you doing here?" she said, panic creeping into her voice.

"I should ask you the same question." He said so casually, as if he had met her in a ballroom rather than in Sango's bedroom where she was naked for all intents and purposes. The thin towel was of no protection at all. Her legs were in full view and she noticed his attire was definitely different from other occasions she'd seen him. He was only wearing his shirtsleeves and no cravat. She noticed his chest was exposed by the gaping neckline. She suddenly realized that he may have had an assignation to meet Sango. Thoughts of they way they looked earlier in the evening flashed through her mind. Sango flushed and smiling and Inuyasha, well he looked they way he always looked, serious and yet mischievous at the same time. Sango would never have switched rooms with her if that were true.

'Maybe she forgot' Kagome said to herself.

'Idiot, would you forget?' Her mind answered back.

"Um… Sango is in the other room, through that door." She pointed in the direction of the connecting door. He didn't seem to hear her and he kept coming closer and closer. She looked around frantically for something to cover herself with. Her dressing gown was behind him and she was afraid to even move. He was within arms reach now and he said, "I just wanted a taste." He reached for her. He wrapped his arm around her waist, she held on to her towel for dear life but was so thrilled by his touch she couldn't think.

"You need to leave, you shouldn't be here. It's not right. What about Sango?" She squeaked the protests that she should have shouted and raised the entire household.

But for some perverted irrational, yet primal reason she didn't want to. She liked being held like this by him. He began caressing her back in a soothing up and motion that made her skin burn. She sighed deeply and didn't say another word. He held her still like that for several moments. Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Her hands were trapped between their bodies trying to hold the towel in place.

"I don't want to hurt you." He said in a low voice against her ear. "Do you believe me?"

She nodded since she could not speak. His breath on her ear was sending her out of control. Her body trembled in anticipation. "Let go of the towel." He commanded.

Her fingers went lax and the towel slipped away. He still held her close. "Good girl." After that everything was as if she was someone else. His hands explored her naked body. She arched her back, her breasts asking for attention. He traced circles around her dark peaks and a moan escaped her. He then traced one finger down her stomach, pausing at the belly button. "Do you want me to go on?" He asked, momentarily breaking her delirium. She nodded. "No, tell me you want me to keep going." For some a reason she had never encountered before, the way he was talking to her made the little nubbin of warm sensitive flesh between her thighs to throb even more. She said, "I want you to keep going." Even though she said it and heard her voice say it she couldn't believe this wanton creature was her.

He smiled at the myriad of expressions going across her face. He took his hand and kept tracing until he reached the small patch of hair that kept him from his goal. He lifted her up and carried her towards the bed. He laid her in the middle of the bed. She was fully exposed to him like this.

She tried to cover up, but he stopped her. "It's too late for that. Just relax and open yourself to me." She obeyed. Kagome closed her eyes waiting for him to touch her again, after a few moments she wondered what kept him. She opened her eyes to find him watching her. He had shed his clothes and stood naked before her. Her breath caught at the sight of him. He was magnificent. She had never seen a man naked before, but she knew he was as perfect as a male specimen could be. His shoulders were broad and muscular. She glanced down and she was shocked to see how large his shaft was. She knew enough about the sexual act between men and women to know that he will open her legs and enter her. This thought was thrilling but his engorged shaft was enormous in her eyes. A bit of fear crept into her at the thought.

As if reading her mind, he began caressing her again. She felt his touch ignite her desire anew. She longed for him to touch her were she needed it the most. He leaned down and took one rosy nipple in his mouth and suckled her until her hips began searching for him. He then took the other and sucked and bit gently until her moans threatened to be too loud. He finally silenced her with a kiss. She clung to him and ran her hands through his hair. He broke the kiss to touch her again. This time he traced his tongue down her belly. This thrilled her as nothing else had. When he reached the soft hair that curled wildly at the apex of her legs he could smell her desire. He caressed down her thighs and parted her legs. In the low light he could tell she was drenched in her own juices. She had her eyes closed in anticipation. When he began to caress up the inside of her leg, she thought she would die from the throbbing. Just about when she thought she couldn't take it anymore she felt the tip of his finger part her and rub her in circles that had her on the verge of a scream. It felt so good she thought. She could feel he had two fingers on her now. He was going up and down, bringing her higher and higher to an unknown peak that was driving her mad. Then those two fingers stopped and pushed into her. She could feel as he slowly parted her lips and entered those two wonderful fingers into her. Suddenly a cold chill gripped her. Her eyes snapped open and for a second, she didn't know where she was. The fire in the hearth seemed brighter and she was shivering.

The water in the tub had cooled.

"It was all a dream." She whispered. Realizing what had happened, she quickly got out of the tub.

If only dreams were this good all the time. Reviews I love reviews!