First off I want to apologize for the absurd amount of typos in Chapter 2. I got interupted mid-proofread and forgot to finish. Sorry.

Secondly, I want to let everyone know that the next update won't be for a few days. I'm gonna try for a week max, but please don't be mad if it takes me longer than that. Anyway, please enjoy the much anticipated lemon scene.

Chapter 3: Learning To Let Go

Hiko pulled his lips away from Kaoru's. He had his hands placed on either side of her head, suspending himself above her. He looked into her eyes, searching. She noticed.

"What are you looking for?"

"Your emotions. I'm not sure if this is the best way for you to heal."

"I just feel that this is something I need to do. I don't know how to explain it."

"Does it have anything to do with my being Kenshin's master?"

"No, I don't think so. I think it has more to do with your being another man. A different kind of man."

"Are you sure you want this?"

Kaoru looked into his eyes, conducting her own search. She saw the need burning in those dark depths. She reached up to run the backs of her fingers across his cheek. "How long has it been since you've felt a woman's touch?"

"Far too long."

"Then why do you refuse me?"

"I haven't refused anything; I don't want you to rush into something you might regret."

Instead of answering him Kaoru ran her hands up his chest to his shoulders where she unfastened the catches that kept his cloak in place. Once undone it slid off his body to land with a thud and pool around his legs.

"I'm not a naïve young girl anymore, Hiko. I'm twenty years old now and I know more than enough about love-making. You may be more than twenty-five years my senior, but the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu style has preserved your body in almost perfection condition."

"I'm not a gentle lover."

"I'm not asking you to be. He was and that's not what I want."

Kaoru blinked and found herself naked beneath the larger man. Hiko's movements had been to fast for her to see as he removed their clothing. Instead of kneeling beside her and leaning over her, he was now holding himself above the length of her body.

Hiko was looking up and down her body, deciding where he should start. He knew after her ordeal with his student he should be gentle, but he didn't want to be. He slowly lowered himself from above her to resting upon her smaller frame. He kept his upper body from crushing her by propping up on his elbows.

As their space between their bodies grew smaller until they were pressed against each other Kaoru felt her body stiffen. It had been so long and no one other than Kenshin had ever touched her this way. She felt him use one hand to brush her hair away from her face, exposing her ear.

"Relax," he whispered in her ear.

Kaoru shuddered as his warm breath blew over her skin and was replaced by his lips. He gently sucked and nibbled on her earlobe before moving down her jaw line. "My body is on fire! I hardly know this man. So why do I feel this way?" One of his hands moved up her stomach to massage her breast as his mouth moved down her neck.

Kaoru's hands were moving up and down Hiko's back, caressing the massive muscles hidden beneath his skin. She let out a low moan as he stopped moving across her neck and became focused on the spot where the base of her throat met her shoulder. She shuddered as he licked and sucked, getting the spot wet, then gently blew across it. Her nails dug fiercely into his shoulder muscles as he bit harshly and sucked hard on that same spot, marking her. Kaoru groaned as his teeth moved against her flesh more urgently. She pressed her body against his as much as possible, wrapping her legs around his waist, and felt his swollen manhood against her for the first time.

Hiko felt her tense as she pressed herself against him—against that part of him that longed for her touch. "Is something wrong?"

"Um . . ." "How do I tell him this? I mean, he so much bigger there. I don't know if this is going to work." "You certainly are . . . larger . . . than he is."

He laughed softly "Is that what you're worried about?"

"It's not funny."

"You're right, it's not."

"You're still smiling."

"Kaoru, I won't tell you that I haven't been with other women because I have. But, I can assure you that none of them has ever had a problem with it." Her body was still rigid underneath him. "Listen, I'm just a larger man than Kenshin. That's just the way it is." He paused to let her think. "Do you want to stop?"

"No. Gomen."

"Don't."

"But—" her protest turned into a moan as his mouth covered one of her swollen nipples. He suckled firmly, causing her back to arch and press herself into his mouth and body. Kaoru's breath caught as he grazed the peak with his teeth. "More . . ." She moaned. He smiled against her skin as his teeth moved over her with new determination.

Kaoru needed to feel more of him. She moved her right hand between their bodies and slid it down his well defined chest and stomach. Down to that part of him that intimidated her as Kenshin's never had. She saw him pull away from her breast and intake a sharp breath as her hand closed around him tightly.

"Kaoru," he said breathily, "please. It's been too long, I can't last."

She smiled mischievously and squeezed as she moved her hand along the length of him. "You don't like it?"

"I didn't say that."

"If you like it why should I stop?"

"Because I won't be able to control myself for much longer."

She moved to his ear and whispered seductively in it, "No one's asking you to keep control." She felt the shudder run through his body and his muscles flexing as he kept himself still. "Just let go." That was all he needed.

The next moment she was pressed underneath him with the entire length of him buried in her. Kaoru gasped as he filled places inside her that had never been touched. She could feel the heat threatening to engulf her as he pumped himself in and out of her with deep, sure strokes.

Each thrust brought him closer to losing himself as she wrapped her smaller body around his larger one. Kaoru was so lost in the sensations she was experiencing all she could do was right the storm. Hiko wrapped his arms around her torso as his thrusts became increasingly harder and faster.

Within the next minute Kaoru was screaming into the night. Her climax causing her inner muscles to convulse around Hiko, bringing his own. He released himself inside her and collapsed on top of her.

They lay there breathing heavily for several moments. When cool air began affecting their bodies Hiko moved off her and pulled the blanket over them. Kaoru snuggled into his arms for the night, her back pressed against his chest.

The next morning Kaoru woke before Hiko did. She could tell it was still dark outside and she rolled over to face him. "His face is so much more peaceful than Kenshin's ever was. Kenshin would never have left himself so vulnerable." Kaoru reached out to brush some of Hiko's dark hair away from his face. "It's so much softer than Kenshin's. Kenshin. KENSHIN! Oh no! I've been thinking his name and not even realizing it." Kaoru sat up and slowed her breathing. "I didn't even realize I was doing it." She looked around the room, eyeing all the empty spaces that had once held objects that reminded her of him. "Maybe I'm finally to the point where I can move on."

She looked down at Hiko's massive form. "They are so different." That's when Kaoru realized that when she had sat up, the blanket had slid down and was now draped teasingly across Hiko's hip. Kaoru smiled playfully as she slid beneath the covers.

Hiko awoke to some very pleasant attention in his nether-region. He opened his eyes to see what he knew what already happening. What he saw made his erection harden further as Kaoru's head dipped up and down while her mouth surrounded him. He could feel her hand massaging that soft part of his anatomy and growled low in his chest. He spoke in a husky voice, letting her know that she had succeeded in waking him up. "I don't usually like to rise this early."

"Then go back to sleep."

"Not likely. Who knows what I might wake up to next."

"You won't find out if you stay awake."

"I'll take my chances."

Kaoru's mouth resumed her task. She licked and sucked. She used her teeth to tease.

Hiko had no idea how long she had been playing with him, but he was so close he didn't care. He threw his head back and allowed her to pleasure him.

Kaoru looked up at him and noticed how his eyes rolled to the back of his head. She could feel him trying not to buck his hips and let her maintain control. She smiled to herself and picked up the pace.

Within seconds he was gasping for air."I don't want to be mean, Kaoru, but if your body was this maddening to Kenshin, its no wonder he left. It's enough to drive any man to the point of insanity."

Later that morning Kaoru and Hiko were still lying in bed as they had both fallen back asleep after Kaoru's mischief. Kaoru's back was to his chest again and he had one arm out to pillow her head. His other arm was occupied gently rubbing her upper. Hiko was concentrating very hard on the conversation he was about to start.

"Kaoru," he said seriously.

"Hai?"

"You do know that I'm not here to replace Kenshin, right?"

Kaoru sighed. "Hai, I do. I'm not expecting you to either. We both know that that isn't an option."

"I don't want you thinking that I don't care for you, because I do, but I don't love you."

"That's good because I'm not in love with you either." They remained silent for a few minutes, listening to the sounds from outside the room. "Hiko?"

"I do have a name, you know?"

"I know, but Seijuro just sounds so weird."

"It is not that uncommon a name."

"It's not that. It's just, well, you're Hiko. It's what I've called you for three years."

"Understandable." There was another pause. "What did you want to ask me?"

"Um, I forgot."

"Very well then. May I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"When did you lose the baby?" Kaoru stiffened in his arms, not breathing. "Don't try to lie to me."

"How did you know?" she asked quietly.

"I'm the master of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu. I know pretty much everything."

"Seriously."

"Last night you let me far enough inside your barriers to sense that you ki has almost been ripped in two. Kenshin's absence wouldn't have done that. It had to be something deeper. That's the only solution I could come up with."

"Last August."

"How far along were you?"

"Just under four months." She was silent for a moment. "It's the reason Kenshin left."

"I see."

"We got married in February, but decided not to tell anyone. You know, keep it secret. It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"What do you mean?"

"If someone else had known there's no way he would have just left like that. His honor would have been at stake as much as mine."

"His honor was forfeit the moment he decided to leave you alone to deal with that loss."

"I'll go make breakfast."

Later that night Kaoru was lying asleep on her futon when a man stole inside and slipped underneath the blanket with her. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her body close to his. She had not been sleeping deeply and this small movement was enough to rouse her.

"I thought we agreed to sleep in separate rooms tonight?" she muttered sleepily.

"What are you talking about? I've been gone for months, Kaoru-koishii."

Kaoru rolled over to face the one person she never expected nor wanted to see again. "K-Kenshin . . ."

"I'm home."

Cue dramatic music.

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