"Kaoru," Kenshin began to shake her. The plane had landed safely within Las Vegas; she had slept the whole trip thanks to the pills the stewardess had given her. Kaoru grumbled a bit and finally opened her eyes. Everything was still foggy, and Kaoru could taste something horrible in her mouth.
"Come Kaoru," Kenshin gently lifted Kaoru to her feet. She replied completely on him for support; she was still groggy from the pills.
"Where are we going?" Kaoru asked, her voice was thick with sleep and confusion.
"We're going to our hotel room," Kenshin spoke softly to her as he led her off the plane. "You can sleep there."
"Our?" Kaoru tore herself away for Kenshin, nearly knocking herself over in the process. "What do you mean by our room?"
"Just what I said," Kenshin struggled to keep his voice calm; his anger was always quick to come.
"We can't sleep in the same room!" Kaoru exclaimed as she tried to walk away from him, swaying back and forth terribly.
"There will be separate beds and the room is quite large," Kenshin reasoned as he followed behind her. "Now please come here, you're too drugged up to tell where you're going!"
"This goes against all my morals," Kaoru moaned. She continued to walk forward and tripped over a chair. Kenshin was quick to catch her, stopping her before she hit the ground.
"I promise I will do nothing that you don't like," Kenshin told her softly as he begun to steer her outside the terminal.
"Where's our luggage?" Kaoru asked, her voice sounded dead in defeat.
"The hotel is picking it up for us," Kenshin told her as he escorted her outside and into their car. "I called ahead and told them you weren't feeling well." Kaoru didn't respond, she just sunk into the leather seats of their taxi and drifted off to sleep. Kenshin glanced over at her. He knew he should have booked two rooms, but he was thrifty. Also, he wanted to get to know his new employee better, she was fascinating already. When they arrived at the hotel, Kenshin tried his best to wake Kaoru from her slumber. She was out like a light, and Kenshin couldn't wake her despite shouting her name and shaking her. When the taxi driver began to grow restless Kenshin finally heaved Kaoru up into his arms and took her into the hotel himself. He felt like a fool, walking into the lobby with a woman who was so deep in sleep she could be dead. Quickly, Kenshin took their room keys and headed upstairs. As promised, their luggage had arrived ahead of them and champagne along with chocolate was set out.
"She'd freak out if she saw the champagne," Kenshin muttered to himself. Gently, Kenshin laid Kaoru on one of the double sized beds. Tucking her in beneath the covers was no easy task, but nonetheless Kenshin got her comfortable. Sighing loudly, Kenshin stretched his back, tuned off the lights, and went to bed himself. Kaoru's quiet breathing reached his ears, and Kenshin soon found sleep was not going to come easily to him.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Breath Kaoru," Kaoru hissed to herself. "You can't throw up all over yourself again; you got here in one piece you'll make it back in one as well." The conference had been uneventful and Kaoru cursed Himura for making her go. Still, Vegas were beautiful. Kenshin had taken her sight seeing, but she couldn't truly enjoy herself around him. The few men she had hung around with during her life had almost all been abusive; from her father to her one boyfriend.
"You look like you're hyperventilating," Kenshin commented as he entered the room. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Kaoru answered between clenched teeth.
"You know," Kenshin approached Kaoru slowly. "Though this trip was only two days long, I've learned to tell when you're lying."
"I don't want to go back on the plane!" Kaoru exclaimed, her eyes wild in both fear and anger. "Happy now?"
"You're not going on a plane," Kenshin raised one fiery eyebrow. "So why are you worried?"
"We're not going on a plane?" Kaoru asked, her voice grew considerably softer.
"No," Kenshin turned to finish packing. "I know how much you hate them now, so I've arrange to drive back."
"You did?" Kaoru looked up at him, her eyes glittering. "But why?"
"I just told you," Kenshin replied. "You hate planes."
"But isn't it cheaper to fly?" Kaoru asked softly.
"Why do you care?" Kenshin's angry words died in his throat as he turned to look at Kaoru. She looked so innocent, her pale face smooth and flawless, her eyes wide and shimmering.
"Thank you," Kaoru took one of Kenshin's hands in hers and squeezed it in gratitude. "Thank you so much."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You've been going up to Kenshin's room a lot lately Missy," Sano remarked one day as Kaoru was getting ready to leave and go just there. It had been a few weeks since the trip and what Sano said was true. Kenshin had been calling her up to his office a lot since the trip.
"Idiot," Kaoru turned and glared at Sano. "It's nothing personal, it's about work!" Kaoru was right; Kenshin never did anything besides work in his office with her. Normally he called her up to discuss new plans, or ask her opinion on a design.
"Sure," Sano grinned. "Kenshin never called anyone else up there so much."
"That's because you're all idiots," Kaoru resolved, grinning to herself. Normally she was not so quick with comebacks. With the odds in her favor, Kaoru quickly left before Sano could add anything else.
"Good day Miss Kaoru," Megumi spoke form her usual position. Ever since Kaoru's outbreak in Himura's office, Megumi had been positively scared of Kaoru.
'Good,' Kaoru told herself. 'That woman needs to get a backbone.' Despite of her thoughts, Kaoru felt guilty for making the woman fear her so. Kaoru knew fear like that all to well. Kaoru entered Himura's office and sure enough, as always, he was sitting in his big, cushy, leather chair.
'How does he stay in shape?' Kaoru asked herself. She had never seen him to any strenuous activities.
"Miss Kaoru," Kenshin looked up upon her arrival. "Come here and tell me what you think of this floor plan. I personally believe there is a lot of wasted space." Kaoru came forward and sat in the chair Kenshin already had pulled up for her.
"You're right," Kaoru spoke, after spending a couple of minutes studying the layouts.
"Great minds think alike," Kenshin grinned at her.
"I'd beg to differ," Kaoru allowed herself to smile back. "Great minds think for themselves."
"Oh, and you know so much I presume," Kenshin leaned back into his chair, still grinning.
"Yes," Kaoru felt her smile grew. She knew he was just teasing her, and it was kind of fun to play along. She was getting paid either way. "Take for instance, the design of this room."
"What's wrong with it?" Kenshin asked; confused on where this was going.
"Look at it," Kaoru got up from her chair and strode around the room. "It was obviously designed so big so it could contain a lot of hot gas. But they're lacking on space because the job is so big."
"Are you saying I'm full of hot gas?" Kenshin got up from his chair and began to walk towards her.
"Yes," Kaoru stopped pacing and waited for him. "I do." Kenshin didn't stop walking until he stood face to face with her. Kaoru suddenly felt her breath catch in her throat. He was so dang close to her, his nose was only a few inches away from hers.
"You know," Kaoru licked her dry lips. "When I first saw you I thought you were an ex-hippy."
"Did you now?" Kenshin's breath wafted over her, drawing her into a sense of lulling peace. Neither of them spoke, they just stood staring. His eyes were so magnificent; they felt like they could suck her into their fiery depths.
'What an odd color,' Kaoru had thought to herself many times. 'I've never met any one with amber eyes.' She could feel them sucking her in; dragging her into a world she had never known before. When Kaoru came back after a moment of drifting she realized Kenshin was kissing her. It wasn't a passionate kiss, or demanding. It was a simple, chaste kiss, yet it was enough to send Kaoru reeling and her very blood to burn. She felt her eyes draw close, felt her fall more and more into the feeling of him being so near her. Kenshin pulled away after a short amount of time, yet it felt like forever to Kaoru.
"I've wanted to do that for so long," Kenshin whispered into her ear, his lips brushing against her ear lobe as he spoke. Kenshin pulled away slightly, staring her in the eye. Then he dipped his head back in, gently brushing his lips against hers again. Kaoru let her eyelids drop. Kenshin began to gently nip at her lips; Kaoru titled her head unknowingly to allow him more room. Kenshin dipped his head lower, trying to break past Kaoru's lips. He was just about through Kaoru's weak barrier when,
"Mir Himura!" Megumi began to rap on the door. Breaking away, Kenshin swore angrily under his breath and buried his head in the cook of Kaoru's neck. Kaoru stood transfixed, running over the event in her mind again.
"Mr. Himura!" Megumi's shrill voice rang through the office again.
"What is it?" Kenshin asked angrily, his voice was muffled from Kaoru's neck. His breath tickled her skin and Kaoru could feel moisture collect on her collarbone.
"A client is here to see you!" Megumi called. "Should I send him in?"
"Just a moment!" Kenshin gritted his teeth so loudly Kaoru could hear them grinding. Kenshin broke all contact from Kaoru and looked her briefly in the eyes before turning away completely.
"You're going to have to go now," Kenshin spoke loudly and firmly. "We'll have to finish the floor plans some other time."
"Yes sir," Kaoru was shocked to say the least. Everything was so fresh in her mind yet it was so foggy. Had her boss, Kenshin Himura, just kissed her? Backing away from him, yet keeping her eyes locked on his figure, Kaoru backed out of the room.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kaoru's hands were shaking slightly. The 'incident' had happened two days ago, and Kenshin hadn't called her back up to his office since. Had she done something wrong, he was the one who kissed her, not the other way around! None of this was her fault! Yet something must have gone wrong, something to make him mad because he was not talking to her since it had happened.
"Did you tick Himura off?" Sano asked. "He never calls anymore."
"No!" Kaoru snapped. "He just doesn't need my opinion at the moment!" Sano really got on Kaoru's nerves sometimes; he was smarter than she thought. He picked up easily that Kenshin had not been needing her help for some time now.
"You need to learn how to breathe Kaoru," Sano remarked. "You're always so tense, like something's going to happen to you at any moment." Kaoru knew Sano was right about that too, Kaoru was always wound up tight like a rubber band. Her life had not been easy, and she was not going to let her guard down. Kaoru could dimly hear the phone ring; she heard Sano pick it up and chat.
"Good news Missy," Sano announced loud enough for the whole department to hear. "The boss isn't mad at you anymore 'cause he wants you up there pronto!"
"Would you shut up Sano?" Kaoru hissed as she began to exit the room.
"I just love to tease you missy," Sano called after Kaoru as she made a hasty retreat. Once she was alone in the hallway, Kaoru slowed down a great deal.
'Great,' Kaoru thought franticly. 'Now he's probably calling me up to fire me, just when I was starting to pay off all my debt too.' Sighing in defeat, Kaoru squared her shoulders and picked up the pace. No use in delaying the inevitable.
"What took you so long?" Megumi asked once Kaoru entered the lobby. "Kenshin was going to make me call down again."
"I took my time," Kaoru admitted as she started towards the large double doors.
"Any slower and you'd be walking backwards!" Megumi called after Kaoru. Once inside, Kaoru stood close to the door.
"Good," Kenshin turned to face her. "You're here." Kenshin stood at the window; he must have been watching the late afternoon rush of traffic.
"Did you need me?" Kaoru asked in a meek voice.
"Yes," Kenshin went to the computer at his desk and began to mess around with something on the screen. "I wanted to know what you were doing this Friday night."
"I beg your pardon?" Kaoru asked, completely off guard.
"Friday night," Kenshin repeated without looking up. "I want to know what you are doing this Friday night."
"Well," Kaoru was confused to say in the least. "Nothing, I suppose."
"Good!" Kenshin clapped his hands together and grinned. "I have reservations at the Glockenspiel and I would like you to come."
"Excuse me?" Kaoru stood transfixed in the large doorway, like a deer in headlights. "I'm afraid I don't completely understand what you're asking of me."
"Isn't it obvious?" Kenshin asked, finally looking at her. "Here I thought you were bright. I want to take you out to eat this Friday."
"Why?" Kaoru eyes grew wide.
"You should be expecting a package before Friday," Kenshin ignored her question. "It's a nice restaurant and I didn't know if you had the proper attire, so I just took the liberty of buying you an outfit suitable for the evening."
"Is this for business?" Kaoru asked, getting a little agitated.
"No," Kenshin replied, typing something into his computer. "It's personal."
"Personal?" Kaoru asked faintly.
"Yes Miss Kamiya," Kenshin responded. "I would like to take you out on a date.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry it took so long, again. It's that stupid Chemistry class, I have a D despite the fact that I am studying all the time! I'm not required to take it (still in high school) but I'm pretty much told that I'll suck at life if I don't. Anyway, thank you so much for your support and for reviewing. I'm kind of new for reviewing and I understand that it's more difficult than it appears; I never want to write anything stupid! So thanks for taking the risk and the time to do so, it means a lot! I would reply personally but I hear somewhere that we are not allowed to write out individual thank you's at the end of your story. If it's any different please tell because would like to thank you all personally instead of in one broad paragraph. Thank you everyone!