BlueMoon Goddess: Hey guys I'm back with the next chapter! I hope the wait wasn't too long, I've just been busy with school and even though I should be studying, I'm not worried about it since I have all the information down packed. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter so let's get to it!
Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, its characters, or 'Quade's Babies' by Brenda Jackson which this story is based on.
Summary: Inuyasha's one-night affair with Kagome leaves him bewitched, but he never even learned her last name. Almost eleven months later, driven by one incriminating photo, he finally tracks her down. And discovers two little babies who look just like him.
'Evidently there wasa "what else."' Inuyasha thought as he looked at Kagome's face. It looked as if shock had knocked her speechless. But that look wouldn't hinder his plans. He had arrived in Florida earlier that day not knowing what to expect. He had figured he had possibly fathered a child, but he certainly hadn't expected to discover he had fathered two. Now, knowing that he had, there was no way he could walk away. Nor was there any way he couldn't do what was expected of him.
"Is there a problem?" He decided to ask when Kagome continued to stare at him as if he had just provided concrete proof to her that there was life on another planet.
He could actually hear her clench her teeth before she said. "No, there isn't a problem. At least not on my end because I have no intention of marrying you."
"I wouldn't say that if I were you." He cautioned. "You might want to think this through carefully."
She tightened her mouth in a firm line and glared over at him. "There is nothing to think about. I have no plans to get married, especially to you. I don't even know you."
Returning her glare, he crossed the room to stand in front of where she stood. "Then I suggest that you get to know me. Like it or not, I don't intend for you or our children not to carry my name."
She tilted her head and glared up at him. "My babies and I have a name, and it's Higurashi. Thanks for your offer, but we don't need another one. I happen to like the one we have."
Inuyasha stepped closer. "And I happen to like the name Takahashi for you and the twins."
"Too bad." She snapped.
"No, too good."
'And too late.' Kagome thought, when she noticed his gaze had zeroed in on her mouth and that he had taken a step even closer while continuing to hold her gaze. She returned his stare and for the moment she was unable to move. She was transfixed in place. Breathing was even difficult as she remembered that night almost eleven months ago causing heated desire to run up her spine.
Deciding she needed her space she took a step back, but he recovered the distance in record time. "Going somewhere?" He asked, reaching out to place his hands around her waist.
Her entire body reacted to his touch. How in the hell could he get such a reaction from her when she was mad at him? Her body was treacherous when it came to his touch…just like before.
"Don't think you're going to seduce me into anything." Kagome said and then wished she hadn't said it when she saw the flash of challenge that lit his eyes. "I'm used to men like you." She decided to say. "I have a younger brother and went to high school with boys who wouldn't get a clue."
"And?"
"And I know how to handle you."
A smirk touched his lips. "Yea, I'd be the first to say that you do. If my memory serves me correctly, you have the ability to handle me very well." He said, his voice was low and guttural.
She tried to ease back again, but his hand at her waist made it difficult. Instead she continued to stare at him and literally stopped breathing when he began lowering his head toward her. She wanted to resist, to move, to stop the kiss she saw coming. Instead, she braced herself for it and heaven help her, she felt fire surge in the area between her thighs in anticipation of it. All the while she tried convincing herself that this wasn't what she wanted, but another part of her was declaring loud and clear that this was exactly what she needed.
His lips hovered close to her, so close the warmth of his breath moistened her lips. It seemed he was refusing to bring it any further and she couldn't help wondering why he was stalling.
Inuyasha must've read the confusion in her eyes because then he said. "Go ahead and take it."
She stared at him, thinking that he had a lot of nerve. But then a lot could be said for nerves, she thought when she found herself inching her mouth closer to his. Then she quickly made a decision and decided to act on it.
Kagome leaned in closer, latched on to his mouth, clung to it and the moment their lips connected and hers parted, he was there, his tongue invading her mouth and rattling her senses, reminding her of that night. And just like that night, passion, more potent than she remembered, ripped into her and she ensnarled his tongue with hers. Inuyasha was kissing her with a hunger and a desire she only knew with him. It was intoxicating, stimulating, mindboggling. She hadn't expected anything less. And when he tightened his hold around her waist, he brought her body closer to the fit of his. It was then that she felt everything. The feel of her hardened nipples beneath her blouse that was plastered to his chest, the size of his erection that seemed to fit perfectly in the apex of her thighs. Just like before.
And then those memories filled her mind. It was a night that had been like no other. It was a night that had introduced her to lovemaking of the most intense kind. Each of his kisses had left her mouth burning for more, his touches had sent scorching heat through her wherever he stroked…and he had made contact with every inch of her skin. There wasn't an area of her body that Inuyasha hadn't touched or tasted.
Thoughts of the latter made her body quiver and the quiver seemed to pass from her to him. She could feel his erection swell even more against her. Kagome whimpered with pleasure when he deepened the kiss, leaning in closer to make her arch her back. It seemed that millions and millions of tiny needles of desire were pricking her skin, spreading heat and she knew he was trying to prove a point. Just like that night, he was claiming her, stamping his possession, leaving his imprint. Proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that she might say one thing, but she meant another.
Kagome didn't like the thought of that and wanted to pull her mouth free, but she found the only thing she could do with her mouth was continue to devour him the same way he was devouring her. Suddenly, he tore his mouth away from hers and placed his forehead against hers in an attempt to catch his breath. She did the same. Sucking in deep breaths of air and feeling tender places in her mouth that his tongue had been. He had been greedy, but so had she. He hadn't just consumed her. They had consumed each other.
Inuyasha pulled back slightly and stared down at with eyes that were filled with desire. She recognized that look in them. "As you can see Kagome, nothing has changed between us. We're as hot for each other as we were before. Do you know how many times over the past eleven months I've awakened during the night, hard as a fucking rock, wanting to give us both pleasure. And how many times I wished you were there in bed with me so I could touch you all over, kiss you all over, just like before. Then there were my dreams that served as a recollection of all those positions we tried…all those I taught you. Although I didn't intend to get you pregnant, it really doesn't surprise me that I did considering everything."
Kagome's mind became fragmented at all the memories he was bringing forth. He was right, considering everything, especially how much they had been into each other that night, although they had tried being careful, it wouldn't surprise her if they had begun getting careless and concentrating on pleasure more than on birth control.
That thought prompted her to say. "We might not have planned for them, but I don't regret them Inuyasha. They are my life." She wanted him to know just how much a part of her they were. They might've come earlier than expected in her life, but she was still happy for them to be in her life now and wouldn't go back time to prevent them from arriving.
"As well as mine."
She reared back, refusing to believe what he was saying. "No." She said sharply, lifting her chin up. "There's no way you can feel anything toward them this soon. You just found out about them today. You just saw them."
Inuyasha reached out and took her stubborn chin between his fingers, caressing the outline of it with his fingertips. "And is that supposed to mean they can't mean something to me? Do you think just because you carried them that I don't also have a connection? Granted, a part of me wished I could've been here to see how your belly swelled each month, but I wasn't. But that doesn't mean their existence means any less to me."
Kagome looked at him, tried to weigh the sincerity in his words. It took more than potent seeds hitting a fertile egg to make a man a father. Maybe she was far too aware of what made a good father because she'd had one. Even if it was for a short period of time. Her dad had adored and cherished her mother and her very much and provided well for them. She just wished she had a longer time to spend with him since he died in a car accident when she was six years old, a few months before her baby brother was born.
"Alright." She said. "You want to be a part of their lives, but that doesn't mean you have to be a part of my life."
He smiled and the way the corners of his lips curved made a wave of desire run through her stomach. She fought hard to downplay the effect. "I think it would be hard separating the three of you." He said. "It's a package deal. I want them and I want you. I claim them and you as well."
Her gaze narrowed. "No. I won't let you. We are Higurashi's."
"Not for long."
She frowned. "Are you threatening me?"
He chuckled and gave her that look she had found endearing the first time she'd seen it. "No. I thought I was asking you to marry me."
"You didn't ask, you all but demanded."
"Then I'll start over. Will you marry me?"
She shook her head. "No."
"Can I ask why?"
"I've told you why, I don't know you." And when he opened his mouth to speak, she quickly added. "Out of bed."
Inuyasha didn't say anything for a minute and then. "All right, then I have a proposition for you."
Something warned her to be cautious. "What kind of proposition?"
"I want to give you the time to get to know me, just like I want to get to know you."
She stared at him. "Why?"
"Because according to you, that's the reason why you won't marry me. My job will be to try to impress you, sweep you off your feet and make you feel comfortable enough to consider the fact that you, me and the twins together as a family is the only way things can be."
Kagome didn't like the sound of that. She was an international model who traveled all over the country. What if he had a problem with her chosen career?
"And if I don't see things your way and agree to your proposition?" She asked, needing to know her options.
"Then I will seek legal counsel to see what rights I have as a father. If the four of us being together as a family isn't an option, I need to make sure I have a legal right to be a part of my children's life. I'd rather not involve an attorney, of course, and prefer that for the sake of the twins we can reach some kind of a reasonable and acceptable resolution. But if not, I won't hesitate to take you to court for shard custody rights."
Shared custody rights. Her heart jumped at the very thought of her babies being separated from her at any time, especially while they were so young. She just couldn't imagine it happening. But then all she had to do was to stare into Inuyasha's face to know that he couldn't imagine it being any other way…other than the option he had given her. The one where the four of them would live together, married, as a family.
She needed to think. She needed to be alone. Basically, what she really needed was him gone. Around him she couldn't completely think straight. "I need time to think about this Inuyasha."
"That's fine." He said. "I'm not proposing that we marry right away. All I'm asking for is time for you to get to know me. However, I want my children to have my name as soon as it can be arranged."
"It's late and like I said, I need to think things through." Kagome said. It was getting late and she really did need some time to think things through.
He nodded. "When are the twins' next feeding times? I'd like to visit when they are awake."
She looked off toward the babies' nursey. "They'll sleep for another couple of hours or so. But I prefer you wait until tomorrow to see them."
"Any reason you're putting me off?"
Kagome looked back at him. "Like I said, I need to think about things, and I think you need to think about things as well."
Inuyasha shook his head. "There's nothing to think about, I want to do the right thing."
She regarded him steadily. "And you think wanting to marry a woman you slept with once and who got pregnant by you is the right thing when there is no love involved?"
From his expression she could tell her question was running through his mind. "First of all." He said quietly. "I slept with you more than once in that single night. And yes, marrying you and giving you and my kids my name is the right thing to do."
"Even when there is no love?"
Inuyasha nodded. "Yes, even when there is no love."
'At least he was being honest with me.' She thought. There would be no love in their marriage. He hadn't come seeking her out because he'd fallen in love with her. He had just admitted that love had nothing to do with it. He was being driven by what he perceived as doing the right thing. "Would you like to come to breakfast?" she decided to ask him.
"Breakfast?"
"Yes breakfast. The twins will definitely be wide awake then." She said, deciding to give him at least that time with them.
A smile tugged at his lips. "Then breakfast it is."
She hadn't for one minute doubted that he would take her up on her offer for breakfast. She could tell he was eager to see the babies he had produced. "I'll walk you to the door."
Kagome had gotten halfway there when she noticed he wasn't following her. She glanced back at him. "Is something wrong?"
"I thought I heard something."
She perked up her ears while glancing at the baby monitor that was sitting on the table. The sound of a whimper followed seconds later by a loud wail.
"Micah is awake." She said, glancing at the clock on the wall.
He raised a brow. "How do you know it's him and not Kairi?"
She couldn't help but smile. "I've gotten used to their various cries. Besides, he's louder than Kairi." She chuckled. "Probably a male thing. If I don't go in and get him, he'll wake up his sister, if he hasn't done so already."
Without saying anything else, Kagome quickly moved toward the nursery and Inuyasha was right on her heels.
Once they entered the nursery, Inuyasha hung back and watched as Kagome went directly to the bed where their son was lying. He swallowed as a scary sensation ripped through him. Hard-core-to-the-bone Inuyasha Takahashi, who could be as tough as nails, suddenly felt as soft as a marshmallow and totally out of his element. He stiffened, not liking the feeling one damn bit. But that feeling of resentment quickly eased away the moment Kagome lifted his son into her arms. Emotions he had never dealt with before rammed through him, nearly taking his breath away and making him weak in the knees all at the same time. Now he knew exactly how some of his friends and colleagues had felt when their kids had been born.
Inuyasha inhaled deeply, quickly deciding that if his friends and colleagues could handle fatherhood, then so could he. There were two newborn Takahashi's who were depending on him and he would not let them down. Whether Kagome liked it or not, he intended to be an essential part of his kids' lives. He decided right then and there that he would be an essential part of Kagome's life as well.
As if she read his mind, Kagome turned and he saw her frown. The frown slowly eased away from her brow, but not before she had scanned the entire length of him with a heated gaze. His body automatically responded and the silence in the room seemed to thicken, lengthen. She may want to deny it, but it was there, the same sexual chemistry, the physical attraction that had held them within its clutches almost a year ago. As far as he was concerned, it was as potent as ever.
Deciding it was time to meet his son, Inuyasha slowly began walking toward her, crossing the room with purposeful steps. Lifting Micah toward her shoulders, Kagome tried concentrating on the baby and not on Inuyasha. But she couldn't stop her gaze from devouring him with every step he took toward her. The man was fine. Every inch, from his muscled shoulders, to his firm stomach, to his tapered hips. And it didn't take much to make her recall having his oh-so-fine male body on her and inside of her.
And then there were the kisses. Case in point, like the one they had shared earlier. The one she had started, but that she had eventually become victim to. The hanyou had a way with his tongue and he could use it to nip, stroke and tease her into submission. It was an instrument of pleasure that delivered every time it entered her mouth.
She released a trembling breath thinking, if she didn't develop a backbone, she could become putty in his arms. She was almost already there. She hadn't been firm enough when he had suggested marriage and had even agreed to think about it.
When he came to a stop in front of her, he reached out his hands. "May I?" He asked, surprising her by his request. When it came to babies, most men preferred taking the hands-off approach.
"Sure." She said and slowly, gently eased her son off her shoulders and into his father's outstretched hands. Kagome saw Inuyasha's hands tremble slightly before holding their child in a firm yet gentle grasp. It was at that moment that she saw things clearly. Although he was putting up a brave front, she could tell that he was really at a loss as to what to do now that he had the baby in his arms.
He nervously glanced up at her. "He's tiny."
She couldn't help but smile. "Yes and just think he's the bigger of the two. Just wait until you get a chance to hold his sister."
Kagome could actually see the blood almost drain from his face and somehow managed to keep from laughing out loud. But not before he met her gaze and saw the amusement lighting her eyes.
"Enjoying yourself at my expensive aren't you?" He said, before looking down into his son's face.
Her smile widened. "You did ask to hold him." And it was then she noticed that he seemed to be frozen in place as he stared down at Micah. Following his gaze she saw why. For some reason, Micah was staring back at Inuyasha. Holding his father's gaze with an intensity that seemed strange even to her.
"Does he stare at everybody like this?" He asked her.
Kagome glanced back at Imuyasha. "No." She said honestly. "And it's not because you're the first man he's seen. My brother and grandfather visit often." She shrugged. "I guess there's something about you that fascinates him."
"You think so?"
"Probably. I think it might be because if your ears." She decided not to add that something about him had definitely fascinated her when she'd first set eyes on him, besides his demon features. "I need to check to make sure he's dry." She heard herself say. "Not unless you want to take a whack out of it."
"No, that's okay. You have more experience with that sort of thing." Inuyasha said and then quickly, yet gently shifted Micah from his arms back to Kagome's.
He moved aside when she headed toward the baby's changing table and watched as she went about changing Micah's diaper. She glanced over at Inuyasha. "Just so you know, when it comes to changing a baby boy, you have to use defensive diapering."
He lifted a brow. "Defensive diapering?"
"Yes, or you may get caught. Changing the diaper of a little boy can be like getting shot in the face with a loaded water gun."
When Inuyasha caught on to what Kagome was saying, she heard him laugh. The sound rich, as well as sensual, and did something to her insides. "Okay, laugh if you want, but don't say I didn't warn you."
"Okay, I won't." He said between chuckles. "When is your helper returning?"
She looked over at him. "Helper?"
"Yea, like a nanny or babysitter to help you with the twins."
"I don't have a nanny or babysitter."
He looked taken aback. "You've been handling the babies by yourself?"
"Not completely. My mom has helped a lot, as well as my friends. But I told them that starting today I wanted to handle things on my own."
"But there are two babies." He said as if the very thought of doing such a thing was ridiculous.
Kagome rolled her eyes. He sounded like her friends and brother. "Trust me, I know how many there are. Just like I know I can manage things."
"I see." A few minutes passed and then he asked. "Is that why you don't want me to take responsibility? Because you're trying to prove a point?"
She narrowed her eyes. "No. The reason I don't want you to take responsibility is because for some reason you think taking responsibility means getting married. Shotgun weddings played out years ago. Women get pregnant all the time without getting forced into marriage."
"Yes, but none of those women get pregnant from a Takahashi?"
Kagome picked up Micah and placed him back into her arms, hoisting him to her shoulder and began gently massaging his back. "Are you saying you're the first guy in your family who had a child born out of wedlock?"
"No."
"And all those others ended in marriage?" She asked incredulously.
"Eventually, yes. The men in my family can be a very persuasive group."
She clamped down on her teeth to keep from saying that they sounded like a very arrogant group to her. Instead she crossed the room back to him and said. "Micah's all done. Here, hold him for a second while I check on Kairi."
Again he seemed at a loss as to what he was supposed to do when she placed the baby in his arms. "Kairi's awake?" He asked, glancing over at the other crib.
"Yes, she's been awake. I told you earlier chances were Micah had woken her."
"But she hasn't said anything." Inuyasha said as if amazed.
"Usually she doesn't, unless she's hungry or wet. She's a good baby. Only Micah tries to be difficult. But then, he's a typical male."
Half an hour later, Inuyasha sat in a chair with a baby resting in his arms, his daughter, while Micah was being breast fed by his mother. Inuyasha tried concentrating on the baby instead of what was going on across the room, but he found it difficult to do so. Kagome had referred to his son as a typical male and true to form, once presented with a breast, Micah had latched on to it with the same greediness that his father had months ago. Inuyasha shifted in his chair, actually envying his son and thinking his daughter would be next. He smiled, wondering if there was a way he could sign up for some breast time.
Trying to get such thoughts out of his mind, he glanced down at his daughter and studied her features. Beautiful, she was beautiful. Less than two months old and she looked like her mother, pretty smooth skin and gorgeous dark eyes were staring at him, but not with the same intensity his son had earlier. The only thing that Kairi inherited from him was the silver hair on top of her head. Though when he took a look at Kagome again, he realized that she looked younger than she did the last time he saw her. He had his doubts that she was younger than she said she was when they first met. Well, only way to find out.
"How old are you?" He asked, holding her gaze.
"What's with the sudden question?"
"Because when we first met you said you were twenty-eight, but today you look a lot younger than that."
She smiled. "How old do you think I am?"
His gaze moved across her features and then said. "Younger. I thought so that night but wasn't sure. But now I'm almost certain you aren't twenty-eight."
Kagome glanced down at her son before looking back at him and responded. "I'm twenty-two. But when we met I was twenty-one."
His gaze sharpened. "Why did you lie about your age?"
He watched as she chewed her bottom lip for a second before saying. "I figured had I told you the truth, you would've left me alone and I had wanted you too much that night to allow that to happen."
He blinked, surprised that her response was so honest. Knowing it was probably best not to make a comment, he tried to ignore the intense stirrings in his body that were the result of her words. Even now he was still amazed as to how they had met and the intensity of their attraction to each other. The room got quiet for a second.
"That's enough for you big guy." Kagome said to the baby and broke the silence when she shifted Micah from her breast to her shoulder for him to burp. The action gave Inuyasha a quick glimpse of her uncovered breast, the whole thing, before she covered it up again. He was blinded by a rush of sensation that nearly shook his body.
"It's Kairi's turn."
Her words reclaimed his attention and he saw she had placed Micah back in his bed. "All right, we're coming to you." He stood with Kairi in his arms and walked over toward Kagome.
When she took Kairi from his arms, their hands brushed and he felt a spark of desire. Their gazes met and he knew she'd felt it as well. He cleared his throat. "Umm, what happens if you run out of milk?" Curiosity had gotten the best of him and he wished he could bite off his tongue after he'd asked the question.
He expected her to come back with some smart response, but instead she smiled and said. "I won't run out. I think my body has adjusted to their demands and has given me an unlimited supply."
"Oh."
She then slipped by him to sit in the rocking chair to nurse Kairi. That left one baby to go and Kairi seemed to be willing to wait. She had yet to put up a fuss like her brother. "How long does it take you to finish feeding them?"
"I can usually wrap things up in about ten minutes." Kagome said, looking at Inuyasha. "Once fed they're off to sleep again, and usually they'll sleep through the night. Overall, they're good babies."
He returned to the chair and the room got silent again. He noted that Kagome hadn't brought up the suggestion that he leave her and the babies. Although she hadn't said otherwise, he had to believe that she appreciated the fact that he was there. She might've been able to handle the three of them, but he was glad to be there to help out. After all, these were his babies.
"It's getting late."
"Yes, it is."
Their gazes met and he figured she was about to ask him to leave. Instead she said. "I have a guest room if you want to crash here for the night. There's no reason for me to send you off to a hotel this late."
Surprised by her offer he said. "Thanks, I appreciate it."
"And I appreciate you for being here. You helped out a lot."
He knew it probably took a lot for her to say that, considering she had wanted to flex her independence and not depend on anyone's help with the babies. "Are you sure I helped or did I get in the way?"
She smiled. "You helped and I would never admit it to my family or I'd never get them to leave me and the twins alone. But I needed you here, especially when Micah woke up Kairi."
Inuyasha chuckled. "Yea, I'm beginning to think he's a little troublemaker."
A short while later, Kagome was placing Kairi back in her crib. She had explained that Kairi was always the one who lacked interest during feeding time and was the one who could benefit the most because of her weight.
"When do they go to the doctor again?" Inuyasha heard himself asking.
"Next week."
He nodded. "I'd like to go with you."
She lifted a brow. "You plan on hanging around that long?"
"Yes, I do."
Kagome opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something and then closed it back. Inuyasha was grateful because he wasn't ready to hear anything she had to say right now, especially if it had anything to do with him not being a permanent fixture in her and their babies' lives.
He intended to change her mind about that and would start working on it. Tonight.