a/n: okay. it's been a LONG time. I understand. but look on the bright side! it's a lemon! so enjoy! and review!

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Chapter 19: Sweet Love

Kaoru woke up oddly warm. She yawned and tried to shift on the couch, but was stopped by Kenshin's arms that were still wrapped tightly around her waist. Her eyes opened slowly and she found herself staring at Kenshin's sleeping face.

She shut her eyes and then opened them again, hoping that he wouldn't be there anymore, but it was in vain because he was still there. She'd cracked last night. The memories were flooding her system and she felt like crying.

She'd confessed. The odd thing was there was a weightless feeling that had settled in her chest last night. It had never left. It was still there. Frowning, she burrowed deeper into Kenshin's warmth and tried to think past where his body was touching her.

It was impossible to deny what was happening no matter how hard she tried. She was experiencing something she never thought she'd experience. It was wonderful and awful at the same time. She was addicted to it and she hated it. She sighed deeply and her breath ruffled Kenshin's tousled hair.

He breathed loudly and shifted ever so slightly underneath her. His arms tightened around her as he slowly woke up. He blinked sleepily, registering the fall of black hair that wasn't his and the warm body he was holding. A smile worked it's way up from his heart to his lips.

"Kaoru," he breathed her name out airily, enjoying the way she moved to meet his gaze.

She returned his smile for she couldn't help but smile in light of his emotions filtering through the air. "Good morning."

He buried his face in her hair. "Mmmm."

His hands began wandering down her sides until they were caressing her hips lovingly. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmm hmm," she answered, kissing his neck gently. "Very well."

He chuckled and nosed his way forward until their lips connected. It was merely a brushing of lips before he pulled away to look at her pouting face.

"Mou, that's not how you say good morning," she chided, her fingers find the back of his head and pulling him down for a better, more satisfying contact.

It was so much easier to concentrate on the feelings he was creating in her body when they were kissing than thinking about it without the distraction.

Their lips melded slowly and ever so sweetly. Her fingers tangled in his hair and she parted her lips for him. He responded in kind, slipping his tongue into her waiting mouth. She eagerly answered, rubbing her tongue against his sensuously.

He moaned softly and his fingers began rubbing patterns into her hips as he settled her more comfortably in his embrace. He was the first to break away reluctantly and he rested his forehead against hers.

"We should get breakfast," he said, bumping noses with her affectionately.

"Yeah," she replied fuzzily, unable to quite move her brain past his fingers at her hips. "But we have to move if we're going to do that."

He laughed. "Unfortunately."

She snuggled down onto him, hiding her face in his chest. "I don't wanna move."

He wrapped his arms around her waist after removing his fingers from under her shirt. "We could wait a little while, I guess."

She giggled. "Yeah. Let's do that." She leaned forward and kissed him again, letting her emotions take over and her reason rest.

His hands slid downwards as he sank into the kiss until they were resting on her bottom ever so carefully. She laughed into the kiss and let her own hands wander down his body until they were resting on his upper arms.

His mouth slid away from hers reluctantly as he smiled up at her. "I love you," he whispered, placing a gently kiss on her cheek.

Her heart skipped a beat before she returned his smile. "Mmm, I love you, too," she answered, snuggling into his embrace.

He held her for a few more moments before sighing. "We really should get up," he pointed out.

She pouted. She didn't want him to move away from her. She was enjoying the feel of his warmth against her and she refused to let him leave. His arms tightened around her waist as she dipped down and kissed him for the third time that morning.

His fingers dug into her hips as she deepened the kiss while pressing against him. This kiss was different from the ones she'd administered earlier. It was more passionate, heated. And it was lighting a fire inside him like none he'd ever felt.

He moaned softly and flipped their positions so that she was underneath him without breaking the contact of their lips. Kaoru's hands found their way to his hair and her fingers twined into his the soft red strands. His own hands were stroking up and down her sides inside her worn sleeping shirt. She guided his head down her neck as their lips parted for breath and he gladly accepted her invitation. His tongue cherished the smooth skin she offered to him so openly.

Her hands left his hair to tug impatiently at his shirt. He nipped at her neck in retaliation as his hands were far too entangled along her hips to pull at her own shirt. Besides, that would mean he had to pull his mouth away from her neck and let her sit up to do that. And he was very much enjoying the taste of her skin on his tongue.

Before he knew it she was making him move his mouth away from her throat so she could pull his shirt up and over his head. He reluctantly pulled away, but only far enough for her to finish her task. He took the chance to slowly start unbuttoning the large shirt she wore, kissing along her flesh as he uncovered more and more of her ivory skin.

"Kenshin," she breathed as the shirt started slipping off her shoulders, leaving her chest bare for his hungry eyes.

Those same eyes burned with his desire, especially when she found her hands again and they began sliding up his well toned chest. His lips lead a path of fire down her chest and all the way to her breasts. She moaned and her hands slid to a stop on his shoulders when his lips encircled on of her nipples.

The sensations were driving her to the brink of insanity and she knew it. But she didn't care. She'd never felt so loved in her life. While his actions were passionate, there was an underlying tenderness in them.

Her line of thinking was cut off as his tongue flicked against the nipple in his mouth. She cried out and tugged at his head, intending to keep him there as long as possible. Kenshin smiled against her and she could feel the way his lips were curving along her sensitive skin.

Kaoru was a pile of mush in his hands and there was precious little she could do about it except ride the sensations out and help him along as much as she could. She finally loosened her death grip on his hair and let her hands remember what his skin felt like. This time she led them down towards the waistband of his sleeping pants.

He let out a muted whisper when she started to trace that waist band ever so lightly. His own hands took a trip down her body, pausing to admire her curves before continuing on towards their original goal. The oversized pants did almost all the work for him; he gave them a slight tug and the proceeded to start falling down her hips all of their own accord.

His hands eagerly took to exploring the snow white skin of her thighs causing her to gasp his name breathily. His mouth followed his hands impatiently, wanting to taste her fully at last. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the way his tongue dipped into her naval briefly while his deft hands pulled her panties down her legs and threw them onto the floor.

Her hands had long since forgotten what they'd intended to do and instead ventured up to his head to tangle once again in his long fiery locks.

"Mmm," she moaned as his mouth worked it's way down towards his goal, carefully nipping at her soft skin. "Kenshin…"

He smiled against her thigh before his fingers teased her core, dancing over her heat ever so lightly without ever actually touching it. She writhed underneath him as she struggled to make contact with his fingers. Her body was aching for him. And she couldn't take it anymore.

"Please!" she whimpered.

He merely chuckled at her attempts and continued to trace her core.

She couldn't take it anymore. She freed her hand from his hair and trailed it down her body. She locked gazes with Kenshin as her hand moved closer and closer to her core. His eyes were all molten fire as her intentions became clear. A broad smile spread over his lips.

His fingers finally made real contact and she flattened her hand against her stomach, releasing the breath that she'd been holding in in a small, breathy moan. He bent his head to continue worshiping her body as his tongue joined his fingers.

Kaoru cried out and held his head to her, the sudden onslaught more than she could handle. His tongue circled her clit and she threw her had back. Kenshin continued his work, desperate to please her to the best of his abilities.

Two of his fingers pushed into her and she screamed, her inner muscles tightening. Kenshin lifted his head to watch they way her facial expressions changed with the pleasure he was giving her.

'Mine,' the thought came unbidden, but it was there. He wanted her and she was his. Yes. He was finally going to claim this wonderfully fiery and vibrant woman as his.

The very thought made him push his own sleeping pants down his hips where Kaoru had forgotten about them. Panting, Kaoru attempted to help him anyway she could. She helped him shove them off until they were around his ankles, causing him to get up and kick them off.

His boxers were similarly disposed of. Her hands were seeking out his skin, eager to feel him against her. He groaned and buried his mouth against her creamy white throat. It was too much. Too much…

He grabbed her wrists with his hands before she could do anything more. "Too much, Kaoru," he told her, breathing harshly. "Too much…"

She moaned loudly. "Touch me… Oh, god, touch me…"

Kenshin shuddered at her passionate words and nestled himself in between her thighs. She whimpered and spread her legs open for him. He took her with one fluid thrust, causing both of them to cry out in pleasure.

Her legs wrapped around his hips and her arms came around to cradle his chest to hers. He gave her a moment to adjust, but Kaoru deemed it too long and wriggled her hips to put him in his place. He groaned into the flesh of her neck and pulled out before plunging back in again.

Kaoru's nails dug into his back, leaving red marks as he thrust into her velvety heat. She bit her lips to try and hold back her cries, but she found herself unable. They fell from her lips without her will or permission. She could feel her heat rising until her muscles started to spasm, signaling her impending release.

Kenshin felt it too. He thrust faster, pounding into her harder as she screamed her assent. Finally he felt her muscles tighten around him as she cried out his name. He held onto her waist and thrust harder until he found his own release.

He laid on top of her, panting as they recovered. Kaoru huffed out a laugh while she caressed his chest with the palms of her hands. Kenshin lowered his head until his forehead was resting on hers.

"H-How about that breakfast now?" he asked, smiling.

She laughed as best she could with the little about of breath left in her lungs. "Yeah. Breakfast sounds good."