Leading On
By Inusmistress
Chapter Two:
Obnoxious Meets Flirty
At ten-thirty exactly, they were ready to leave. Kagura's hear skipped a beat when she heard her cell phone ring. "Should I pick you up? I can be there in five," a smooth voice asked.
"Sure," she said, her voice as calm as she could muster. "Thanks."
A few minutes later, a black Lexus was parked in front of the hotel, and a gorgeous golden-eyed man got out. Kagome stared into his eyes in awe, wondering why all the men she was meeting that day had such gorgeous eyes. His hair was long and black, and she found herself comparing it to the gorgeous man's hair she'd seen earlier. Sesshomaru's hair was a lot smoother. All of his features were smooth and a little cold…and she found herself thinking that he would make a great couple with Kagura. Too bad they were just friends.
Kagura introduced them all after giving him a kiss on the cheek, and Rin could feel herself swoon when he looked into her eyes. He looked like a god.
"Bonsoir," he said seductively. "Get in."
And they all did, Kagome, Rin and Sango in the back, and Kagura in the front.
The ride was relatively quiet, and only a few minutes later, they were there. The sushi restaurant was crowded, and when Sesshomaru led them to the door, the waiter asked him if he had a reservation.
"Taisho," he answered, his tone a little bored.
"Oh! Mais bien sur!" (2)the waiter rushed to get them a table.
"My idiot of a brother is late," he said as they sat down, his tone apologetic. "He'll be here soon, though. My friend Kouga, too."
He then told them that he, his brother and a few friends were on a trip across Europe. They were taking time off college, like the girls, and they had planned to stay two more weeks in France.
Sesshomaru took the liberty to order them all a few salads that the waiters put in the center of the table. Crab, salmon, tuna – there was everything.
They all helped themselves to one or the other, and silently took their first bites.
"Wow, this is better than my mother's…" Kagome said, the surprise etched in her voice.
"It is," Kagura agreed. "And Kama's cooking is amazing. I think you've chosen well, Sesshomaru," she smiled again.
"Thank you," he answered, glancing at Rin who smiled at him. "What are you studying, Rin?"
"Graphic design," she answered. "I'm passionate about publicity."
He nodded. "I can see you as the artistic type," he said. "Kagura tells me she's switching to marketing," he added, staring at his friend. "I always thought you would be great at that."
Kagura almost blushed. She wouldn't tell him that she'd switched partly because of him.
Their conversation was cut short when Sesshomaru looked up. "Ah, Inuyasha. I'm glad you finally decided to join us," he said coldly. The girls all looked towards the two men that had just walked up next to them. Kagome, Sango and Rin had to turn to see them, while Kagura and Sesshomaru, who were sitting at the opposite side of the table, were already facing them.
Kagome's eyes widened as she stared at the man she'd seen earlier, the man who was obviously Sesshomaru's brother. He had seen her, too, and was grinning at her. "Nice to see you again," he said, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek. 'What was that?' Kagome wondered as he sat next to her. Her heart was already beating a little faster. In front of her sat the other man, whose name was Kouga. He had green eyes, and a very handsome face. A little taller than Inuyasha, he was just as muscular and tan. Sesshomaru introduced everyone.
"Kagome, you have a nice name," Inuyasha told her with a sly grin. "So this was why you had to be back so early."
Kagome blushed profusely, and nodded, trying not to look as embarrassed as she felt.
Sesshomaru stared at them. "Kagome," he asked, "you know the idiot?"
She frowned at his use of words, and Inuyasha answered for her. "We met on the beach earlier when I went for a walk."
"Yasha, how could you not tell us you'd met such a beautiful woman?" Kouga asked, staring right into Kagome's eyes, while Inuyasha served himself a huge pile of crab salad messily. She blushed, and flashed him a little smile, although she didn't appreciate him being so straightforward. "You look great in that dress," he added.
"Thank you."
Inuyasha had had enough of the crab salad then. He was reaching out for the salmon salad, looking really concentrated. Instead of taking some, he abandoned, and looked at her dress, lingering a second too long at her chest.
"Red is my favorite color," he said. Kagome's dress was of two colors. The upper part was red and very tight, and a big white belt right under her chest separated the dress into two parts. The black part was less tight, getting a little flowy at the hips.
She didn't know whether to thank him or not. It was just a statement, not a compliment.
"As usual, Inuyasha just has a way with compliments. Ignore him," Kouga said to Kagome, who giggled nervously. She wasn't liking all this attention.
Sesshomaru resumed his conversation with Rin and Kagura, and Sango joined in, confessing that she loved hotel trade. She had always wanted to work in a luxurious hotel…
"One of my friends owns a hotel in Paris," Inuyasha said. "If you want, I can arrange for you two to meet. The summer's just started, and he's looking for an intern." He wasn't, really, but Inuyasha was sure that he wouldn't say no to a girl this beautiful.
Sango's eyes widened. "Oh!" she said. "I wouldn't want to bother you." But she was secretly hoping she would get it.
"No, it's no problem, really," Inuyasha assured her. They agreed that he would take her phone number later on and call her back after he'd talked to his friend. He felt Kagome staring at him and instantly knew he'd made a good decision asking Sango if she wanted to be an intern. Kagome seemed to be happy for her – and therefore thankful to him.
"What are you interested in, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked her.
"Oh, I'm studying architecture," she said with a smile, and Inuyasha grinned.
"We're a match made in heaven, then," he flirted. "I'm studying engineering."
A chuckle left her lips as she smiled at him. Kouga was eager to regain her attention. "What kind of architecture?" he asked her.
Kagome turned to him. "I'm not sure," she said. "I still have a year before I choose my specialization."
As it turned out, Kouga was going to law school with Sesshomaru, and they both had one last year before getting their PhD's.
The rest of the dinner went fine – Sesshomaru ordered a menu platter of sushi, maki, and sashimi that filled the whole table, and of which his brother ate almost half while Kagome watched, amazed.
"You're really messy, you know?" she said with a laugh when he dropped a maki roll into her plate while trying to get it over to his.
"I know…" he sighed. "I've been like this since I was a kid."
"Here, let me help," Kagome offered.
Sesshomaru and Rin were in a deep conversation about advertising, while Kagura, Sango and Kouga were discussing clubs. "That's really where the money is," Kagura was saying. "At least twenty dollars to get in, about ten dollars a drink that's hardly worth five…and that new idea to buy a champagne bottle for a thousand dollars..."
Sango frowned. She had no idea what Kagura was talking about. "You know, in most clubs, they're selling the champagne bottle for a thousand dollars so that the deejay can tell everyone that mr. something bought a champagne bottle and so that mr. something's name can be written on a wall in the club. Idiots will do that to impress people," Kagura explained.
Inuyasha was pointing to a few rolls that he liked so that Kagome would pick them up and put them in his plate so that he wouldn't dirty the whole table. "You really eat a lot, too," she muttered as she picked up his tenth "Naked" piece.
"That's my favorite piece," he said.
"I don't think I've ever had this one." A second after she'd said it, he'd picked it up, dipped it into his soy sauce and placed it in front of her mouth.
"Here," he said. "Don't push your luck, I might drop it at any second. Hurry."
She laughed and opened her mouth. He placed it gently between her lips, loving the way they closed around the chopsticks.
"Mm," she moaned. "You're right, these are delicious."
"I'm always right," he said smugly. "Here, have mine."
"No, thank you," she smiled. "I'm full."
He shrugged and lifted a piece to his mouth, only to have it fall back on the plate before he could place it on his tongue. "Damn it," he said. "I think you're going to have to feed me, Kagome."
She laughed. "Yeah, right!"
"Oh, come on!" he pouted. "I fed you one."
She laughed harder still, and took a roll from his plate. "Fine, but just one." She dipped it in the soy sauce and lifted it to his lips. He opened his mouth and leaned in to eat it. Their gazes locked as he closed his mouth over the chopsticks. She slipped them out of his mouth gently, and placed them back in her plate.
Sesshomaru coughed. They both turned to him. They noticed that both he and Rin were staring at them, while the others were still discussing clubs. They stopped and looked at Sesshomaru, too.
"Does anyone want any dessert?" he asked.
"But I'm not done eating yet!" Inuyasha protested.
"You're never done eating, baka," was the cold reply. Kagome giggled.
"Sure, I'll have some," Rin said. As it turned out, everyone wanted to try some. They asked for a few dessert menus.
"Wow, this looks delicious," Kagome said, pointing to the fondant au chocolat.
"You look delicious, Kagome," Kouga flirted, staring right at her.
She blushed. "Um – thank you," she said.
Sango laughed, and nudged her under the table. Kagome could feel Inuyasha tense next to her.
"I'll never be able to have the whole thing, though," she continued. "Sango, will you share one with me?"
"No way!" Sango said. "I've got my eye on the chocolat mou and I'm not sharing with anyone!"
"I'll share it with you," Inuyasha volunteered.
Kagome turned to him. "You?" she cocked an eyebrow. "You'll eat the whole thing!"
"I can control myself," he defended himself.
"I doubt that. I think I'll just have it alone," she teased.
"Never eat a woman's chocolate," Sesshomaru said. "I've learned that when a woman shares chocolate with someone, she ends up regretting it and wishing she could have the whole thing."
Kagome laughed. "You're probably right," she agreed.
"Where are you staying?" Kouga asked Kagome.
"At the Hilton," she said.
"Oh, that's good," Kouga smiled. "The Marriott is really close to there. We should all see each other again."
"Sure," Rin said with a smile, looking at Sesshomaru. "I'd love to do this again."
Not too long after, they were done. As they were all standing outside, Sesshomaru suggested they go get a drink.
"No, thanks," Kagome said. "I'm dead."
They all agreed, except Inuyasha who offered to drive Kagome home.
"That's okay," Kouga said. "I'll drive her. I have to pass by the hotel anyway to get my ID. Last time I tried to pass a bouncer a twenty because I didn't have one I thought he would hit me."
Sesshomaru gave him a rare smile. "Don't worry about it. You're with us." 'Us' seemed to mean something, judging by the reaction of the waiter when Sesshomaru'd told him he was a Taisho.
"I know, but I'm still uncomfortable walking around in France without an ID. I'll call you when I'm done."
Inuyasha looked at Kagome. "Alright, well, I guess I won't be driving you." She could hear the reluctance in his voice.
"It's okay," she said with a grin, "I'll see you on the beach, right?"
"Of course," he gave her a smile, and leaned in to kiss her cheek.
"'Bye Sesshomaru," she said, taking a step forward to kiss him on the cheek as well. "Thanks for the amazing dinner."
"Anytime," he said to her, smiling genuinely.
"See you later," she told the girls, and, with a last glance to Inuyasha, she turned to Kouga who was holding his car keys in hand, and he led her to his Ferrari, opening the door for her.
She got in, and soon they were rolling smoothly over to her hotel. "Did you have fun?" he asked her.
"Yeah, it was great," she confessed. "And the food was amazing."
"It was. Leave it to Sesshomaru to find the best restaurant in any country."
She smiled. The ride was very short, and just a couple of minutes later, they were there. He parked in front of the door, and turned to her. "Give me your number, so we can do this again."
She hesitated for a second, but didn't want to seem rude, so she gave him her cell phone number.
"It was great meeting you, Kagome," he said, and before she could answer, he had leaned in and kissed her lips gently. "Good night."
"'Night," she said, blushing, and a little surprised. "Thanks for the ride."
She got out and walked into the hotel, stepped in the elevator silently, and stopped at the seventh floor. She walked to their suite, still in a daze, and slid her electronic key into the slit next to the door. Fluffy started barking madly when he saw her, and she shushed him, taking him into her arms. "Did you miss me?" she asked with a smile. He barked.
She put him down and went into her room, took off her clothes, and stepped into the bathroom. She inspected herself in the mirror – she was still blushing.
She didn't like the fact that Kouga had kissed her like that, but it was just a peck, so she couldn't really whine about it.
She took off her ear rings and stepped into the shower, sighing as the warm water hit her skin. She thought of Inuyasha, his cute smile and the feel of his lips on cheek… She found herself thinking about the next time she would see him. Maybe she would walk Fluffy the next day on the beach at the same time as she had that day, and meet him there.
She sighed again and smiled.
XX
At the same time, five people were walking into a pub. Kagura walked aside Sesshomaru, and Rin and Sango were discussing Kagome. "I wonder who she liked better," Rin said.
"She liked Inuyasha better," Sango assured. She knew her friend.
Said man was walking ahead of them. They sat down on a couch next to a pool table. Just a second later, a waitress was next to them.
"Quest-ce que je peux vous servir?" she asked in French. Sesshomaru ordered their drinks.
As Inuyasha sipped his Smirnoff, he wondered if Kagome was thinking about him. He looked up at Sesshomaru who was oblivious to the looks Kagura was giving him, opting to chat with Rin instead.
"I'm back!" a voice sounded behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see Kouga walking over to them. He sat next to Inuyasha.
"Hey! Did you drive Kagome back safely?" Sango asked him.
"You can say that," he grinned mischievously.
Both Inuyasha and Sango frowned. What did that mean? Sango took out her cell phone and texted Kagome: "Hey, sweetie. Did you get back safely?"
The answer came right away. "Yep, I'm fine. Have fun, see you soon."
Inuyasha was staring at Kouga. "I hope you understood that she wasn't interested in you," he said.
Defensive, Kouga answered in a low voice, "I doubt that, by the way we kissed when I dropped her off."
That pissed Inuyasha off. 'Fucking asshole,' he thought. But it only took him a second to think that Kouga wasn't the asshole, and that the only person he should be disappointed in was Kagome. Although, he thought, she had hardly been anything but friendly with him.
AN:
As promised, the chapter is already up! It didn't take me long to write it – or actually, it did, but I hardly felt it since I was so inspired…
Translations:
(2): "Oh! But of course!"