Getting ready for bed, Kagome sat in front of the vanity and brushed her hair, the thin, white, translucent, spaghetti strap gown as her only coverage. Turning her head for side to side, she knew that she looked older, and her chest had gotten a bit bigger, not to mention her hips had gotten a little wider…would he still like the way she looked? She couldn't lie to herself, having InuYasha here after so long, she was tempted to show him what he'd been missing.

Of course, there were things she missed too, like his perverted jokes, the way he would touch her, those heartfelt moments that he wouldn't even mean to make sweet. Without a doubt, she knew that she would have been engaged or married to him by now, if he hadn't left her.

Hearing a knock on the door, she put her silk robe on, leaving it open, and walked over to answer it.

There he was, the object of her desire, but what could she say to him? Looking her up and down, InuYasha couldn't believe how much she had changed in one year! Her waist, already tiny, looked smaller…or were her hips just wider? Her legs were long and slender, and those breasts looked a bit larger as well. Coming back to reality, he stared into those cerulean eyes and gulped.

"Can we talk?"

Doing her best to keep her cool, she opened the door wider, an invitation to come in. Walking in, he made his way to the bed and sat down, surprised to see Kagome pull her vanity chair over and sit in front of him.

"What did you want to talk about, InuYasha?"

Her voice seemed cold, but he needed her to understand some things.

"I want to tell you why I left."

Lifting a brow, she crossed her arms and legs, "shoot."

Taking a deep breath, he explained everything and watched her face for any difference, but she continued to give him the icy stare. Once he was finished, he waited for her to say something. Kagome had listened and felt her resolve waiver slightly, but she had to appear cold to him, after all, he put her through hell.

"So, you left to stop all the threats towards me, and start a new chapter of your life with no baggage from your past?"

"Pretty much."

She contemplated his story and nodded her head, "it will take me some time to deal with all this. You can't expect me to just forgive and forget so quick."

Standing up, Kagome walked to the door and opened it, "now, please leave. I have a test in the morning."

Getting up, InuYasha walked over to the open door, touched the door, just above her hand that gripped it, and slammed the door shut. Kagome was in shock as he stood with his back to her.

"I've been gone for a whole year, and here I am by divine intervention. So, (he turned around and gave her a heated look) I'm not going anywhere."

"InuYasha? What are you doing?"

He moved towards her and didn't stop until she had backed herself into the bed.

"Being with you again, that was my motivation to get done as soon as I could. And now, after dreaming of this moment for the past twelve months, you will deny me the need to touch you…it's so painful to have you near and not be allowed to feel and taste that sweet skin of yours again."

Moving his hand, he grazed her cheek with his knuckles and saw her mouth part as her breath quickened.

"You still want me, Kagome, and you can't deny it."

Squeezing her eyes shut, she let a few tears fall, "don't. What right do you have to touch me? You broke my heart, and you can't fix it in one night."

Grabbing her by the waist, he crushed her petite frame into his broad chest.

Holding her close, he whispered in her ear, "one night can mend your heart…if you let it."

She hesitated, wanting so badly to give in and start over. Pulling away to look at her, InuYasha could see her inner struggle and cupped her cheek.

"I can promise you, that I am not going anywhere again. In fact, I want to start properly courting you as my Intended."

"What do you mean, Inu?"

His hand on her cheek, slid down her arm, to her hand and clasped it, lifting it up to rest on his heart.

"When a demon starts courtship, one always knows where the other is, and can even tell when the other is in danger. It connects us emotionally, and it's the first step in bonding our souls together."

Gazing deeply into her blue eyes, he smirked, "so, you see, you will always know where I am and I will always know that you are safe."

For some reason, Kagome found this proposal to be more romantic and emotional than when he first told her he loved her. Looking into his golden depths, she allowed herself to finally touch him as one last tear fell.

His cheek was warm, but nothing compared to the way he was looking at her. It wasn't his usual perverted way, it was deeper and more intense than that. All Kagome could do was weep into his chest as he held her close, stroking her hair.

It was painful to see her cry, but she needed this, and he was thankful that she still held onto him like he was her rock.

"I love you so much, Kagome, and I'm willing to take things slow for you."

Lifting her head, she stared at his mouth as she inched closer to it, "I'm not."

Surprising him, Kagome took his mouth, causing his eyes to roll back as the sensation, feel, and her unique scent, combined to create the most addictive drug he could imagine. Without realizing it, Kagome's knees weakened, but Inu caught her, moving them onto the bed, him on top of her.

Moving his mouth to her neck, he kissed and lightly sucked, causing moans of pleasure to escape from her parted lips.

"Let me mark you, Kagome. Let me make you mine."

"You idiot."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, "I've always been yours."

That was all he need to hear as he grazed his fangs over her creamy flesh, eliciting moans and whimpers from her, urging him to continue.

Cupping her breast, he groaned out his satisfaction as he bit into her neck, taken back by the feeling of her dull teeth piercing his own flesh, and the intense pleasure it caused. He felt her quiver beneath him and tried to stay in control as his vision bled into a deep red, a clear sign that his demon side wanted to come out. Could it be that it was excited for InuYasha to finally start the courting rites with Kagome?

'Of course, you idiot!'

He ignored the demon's voice, and focused on Kagome who seemed completely drained of her energy.

"Are you okay?"

Giving him a goofy grin, she stretched in cat-like fashion, and practically purred out her satisfaction, pulling his arms around to cradle her.

"I'm perfectly happy, what about you?"

"Horny as hell, but I'll live."

Giggling, she turned toward him and nestled into his warmth.

"But that's how you always are."

"Correction, that's how I always used to be."

"What do you mean?"

He laid there, playing with tendrils of her hair, "without you around, big Inu was depressed, and the only time he wasn't, was when he thought about you."

"Aww, sounds like big Inu missed me."

Stopping his idle stroking of her hair, InuYasha trailed his hands down to her tiny waist and flared out hips.

"Not just the big Inu, I missed you so bad my chest had a constant ache."

"I can't begin to tell you how much I missed you. It was like a piece of me had been ripped away and I had to live as half a person."

"That sounds like the perfect description of how I felt too."

Turning over, Kagome scooted herself into him, pressing her back and bottom intimately against him.

"We don't have to think about that anymore, so just get some sleep Inu."

Wrapping his arms tightly around her, he decided to ask her about the demon worm charmer situation in the morning, not wanting to ruin such a wonderful night.

"I love you, Kagome…my Intended."

"I love you, Inu."

Cuddled up to each other, it didn't take long before they both drifted to sleep, unaware of the heads peeking through the door. Shutting it, the three men faced each other.

Sesshomaru held his hand out to his father and Kagome's father.

"Alright, give me my money."

InuTaisho and Mr. Higurashi reluctantly gave him fifty each. Kagome's father shook his head, "I can't believe she took him back already!"

InuYasha's father chuckled, "I can't believe you don't know your own daughter better. I only betted with you, because I figured there was no way you would get it wrong."

Sesshomaru raised as brow at them, "turns out that I am the only one that truly knew their relationship to be as strong as it is. You were wrong to bet against me."

The cold figure walked off and joined his warm and bubbly girlfriend in the living room, leaving the two older men to skulk off to their respected rooms.

The slumbering couple had no idea their loved ones made a bet on if Kagome would take InuYasha back that night.