~The Morning After~

Rin stood in her boss's kitchen preparing them both breakfast. Sesshomaru was out on his early morning jog and would be back any moment. She put on a pot of coffee, and turned the stove off now that the grits were finally done.

Rin plated up the piping hot scrambled eggs, sausage, grits and toast for her and her boss and was setting the food on the table in the dining room when Sesshomaru walked in clad in only sweat pants and tennis shoes. His bare chest was glistening with sweat in the early Tokyo morning sun which cascaded through the kitchen windows and Rin quickly averted her eyes to the food.

No wonder women fall at his feet, the man is drop dead gorgeous! Okay snap out of it Rin, he is your boss for Pete's sake and he would not find you remotely attractive anyway. Rin thought to herself as she concentrated on setting the table.

"Good morning sir. I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of making us breakfast. I sure hope you're hungry", she smiled slightly placing the silverware next to the food.

Sesshomaru could only stare in awe at his accountant. Her beauty seemed to flow through the room and block out everything but her standing there with the morning sun streaming in through the windows.

How could this woman be so very beautiful and not seem to notice it for herself? She's such a modest creature.

"Of course I don't mind Rin. I advised you to make yourself at home here and I could use breakfast. It smells delicious as I'm sure it tastes. Give me a few minutes to shower and get dressed", he announced coldly and left the room but inwardly his emotions were all over the place at the sight of her.

I must not think of Rin other than my subordinate, but she looks even more beautiful in the mornings! Pull yourself together Sess! You work with the woman and besides, she already said that you do not appeal to her so thinking about her in such a way is futile.

Sesshomaru growled out loud in emotionless frustration as he walked down the hall trying to take his mind off of the beautiful woman in the kitchen wearing his clothes.

0o0o0o0

When he returned, Rin was sitting patiently at the dining room table looking through his Sunday newspaper sipping slowly on a glass of orange juice. He took a seat across from her and watched her face as a slight hint of a smile graced her full lips making him curious as to what she was reading.

Such a beautiful smile could rival the Mona Lisa on any given day. It's a shame she doesn't smile more often. Those dimples could surely persuade a sane man to commit bloody murder with just that simple act.

"What has you slightly smiling this morning Rin", Sesshomaru asked as he began to scoop up some scrambled eggs and grits onto his spoon.

Rin glanced up from the newspaper and saw that Sesshomaru was dressed in fitted blue jeans and a gray t-shirt that actually punctuated his masculine chest while she was still in her, well his, robe and shirt.

His long silver hair was loose around his waist and his thick long black lashes hid his beautiful sun colored eyes as he gazed down into his plate. Rin watched helplessly unable to stop herself from watching her boss engage in the simply act of eating.

Dressed in the fitted jeans and a t-shirt Sesshomaru didn't look like the billionaire mogul she knew him to be but he had an edginess to him that impressed her to no end.

With a body like his I'll bet he could make a clown suite appear sexy, complete with the clown wig, clown shoes, clown make up, the clown nose, clown….for the last time Rin, FOCUS ON SOMETHING ELSE!

"Umm I was just reading the comics sir", she said quietly unable to pull her eyes away from his perfect physique.

Sesshomaru continued to eat his breakfast but when he looked up from his plate his eyes locked with hers and he found it a little difficult to swallow. He watched as Rin innocently licked her lips causing a light sheen of moisture to appear and suddenly a flash of the kiss they had shared last night embedded itself in his memory. Oh how he wanted to kiss those sweet lips once again.

The way Rin smelled and tasted, made him suddenly very aroused. He'd never been kissed the way she had kissed him and now he was absolutely undeniably addicted to her. She stirred something in him that he didn't know could be stirred and now all he could see in his mind's eye was her kissing him and him holding her in the palms of his demon hands.

Rin too suddenly found herself remembering their kiss and in order to bring herself from her trance, she cleared her throat loudly. This caused Sesshomaru to come to his senses as well.

"I…I hope breakfast is to your liking sir", she asked trying not to focus on his handsome features.

"It's delicious Rin and when are you going to use my first name", he asked in a slightly irritated tone.

"Maybe when you are no longer my boss", she replied nonchalantly.

"Hn".

Sesshomaru took a deep breath but continued to eat his breakfast and he was nearly finished when he noticed she had not touched her food.

"Aren't you going to eat Rin", he asked with a slight frown on his face.

"Umm no sir, I have decided to go on a diet", she said carelessly as she flipped through the paper now focused on the apartment listings.

"A diet? You don't need to go on a diet Rin. You are perfect the way you are. Why and when did you decide on this", Sesshomaru asked more as a demand.

"I decided to just now and because I promised my mother the next time she saw me I'd be ten pounds lighter", she replied indifferently without glancing up from the newspaper.

"That's nonsense Rin. You don't need to lose weight you are perfect just the way you are and I will not sit here and watch you starve yourself just because your mother does not approve of your weight. Now you are going to sit there and eat every single bite of the delicious food you just cooked…and if you protest I will personally feed you myself until your plate is completely clean", Sesshomaru stated coldly.

"Mr. Takahashi you don't understand", Rin said in frustration as she placed the newspaper on the table now giving Sesshomaru her full attention.

"Well then explain it to me. Why are you not happy with yourself Rin? You are beautiful, intelligent, charming, and so much more. Any man would be lucky to have you by his side", he tried to reason in a cool tone.

"Not any man, not Kenji."

"Kenji is a classless idiot Rin."

"And you just don't get it sir."

"Well then help me get it. Why do you not love yourself?"

"Because."

"Because what?"

"Just because sir."

"Well we can do this all morning if you like Rin. Just because what?"

"Because when you're told your whole life that you're not good enough you start to believe it! You do things to be good enough! But you've probably never been treated that way because you have it all sir and therefore you don't understand", she blurted out in frustration.

Sesshomaru quietly set down his utensils and ran a clawed hand through his long silver hair. He looked at the beautiful brunette and suddenly he felt angry. Angry that someone had warped her into thinking she wasn't the beauty that he obviously saw. Who were these monsters in her life that caused her to feel this way about herself and why in the hell had he not noticed these insecurities about her before?

Moments of silence passed and they just sat staring at one another.

Rin took a deep breath. It was all she could do to keep from crying because she'd just made a blooming idiot of herself.

"Mr. Takahashi I…I'm so sorry. I didn't mean-".

"You meant every single word you spoke Rin", he said coldly cutting her off.

"I…I", she tried to find the words but was at loss so she conceded to staring into her lap, playing with the silk sash of her robe.

"You think I have it all? You think this Sesshomaru has it easy Rin", he asked sarcastically yet coldly.

"Sir I-", she tried again.

"Look around you Rin. Besides seeing the obvious, what do you not see", he asked emotionlessly while watching her with piercing golden eyes.

"Nothing sir, I-".

"That's right Rin, you see nothing. I live in this huge home with its expensive décor all alone….just me. Women throw themselves at my feet to either become known through my fame or to get to my wallet and I've learned to trust only one person in my corporate circle. Businessmen in my line of work want my head served up on a silver platter because I have the most powerful business in all of Japan. Honestly Rin, now does it still really seem like I have it all to you", he asked icily.

"I…I'm sorry sir", Rin tried to apologize.

"Stop apologizing Rin. You make it seem as if it's your fault for my life being the way it is. This is the life I chose. I pushed away every single person that has ever tried to get close to me because when you 'have it all' it's hard to tell who is friend and who is foe. Would you like to know who is the only person I trust Rin", Sesshomaru asked coldly, his eyes void of any emotion.

"Wh…who is it sir", she choked out almost afraid of knowing the answer.

"It's you Rin Mori. You are the only person I have ever trusted since about the first year you started working for me. Every other accountant I've had before you has tried to steal from me. Faking numbers and doctoring accounts, but to this day you have been completely honest with me. In the five years you've worked for me, have you not noticed you are at every single one of my meetings even though many don't require your presence? It's because I trust you and you have never once tried to sell me out to the press. Never once have you tried to entice me into a bad business deal to benefit yourself, others have tried but you haven't, not even once. If for that alone Rin, you are good enough to this Sesshomaru", he said nonchalantly and Rin could only stare at in him in utter shock at his words.

"You see Rin, while money can buy a person many things; happiness has always been its elusive purchase. Now open your mouth", he said softly waiting on her to comply without protest as he pushed some grits onto her spoon hovering it near her lips.

What the hell was he doing? Was he actually going to feed her? Certainly he could not expect her to comply with such foolishness! Force feed her…he had some nerve!

"Open your mouth Rin", he commanded more forcefully this time.

"Sir you can't be serious! I'm a grown woman, not a two year old child. You can't just force feed me", she spat angrily.

"Watch me, now open your mouth. This Sesshomaru despises repeating himself Rin. You of all people should know this", he said calmly as the spoon of food hovered near her now tightly closed lips.

Rin watched him through angry brown eyes. He really had some nerve to do this to her! Her weight issues should not be any of his concern! What she did at work was one thing but her personal life was another!

Defiantly Rin tried to gently push the spoon away but Sesshomaru's hand didn't budge. They sat glaring at each other as if they were about to have a duel showdown at the OK Corral.

The clock on the kitchen wall ticked loudly, neither Sesshomaru nor Rin batted an eyelash as seconds turned to minutes.

"You are angry with me aren't you Rin. I can see it in your eyes. You've never been angry with me before and I think it's quite cute", he teased without even a smirk gracing his handsome face.

"Sesshomaru, I don't think it's funny that you are trying to spoon feed me", she said through clenched teeth.

"Well now, you finally said my first name Rin. I cannot believe this is what I have to do to get you to say it. You make it sound….nice too. Say it again", he teased emotionlessly.

"Enjoy your breakfast alone because I'm leaving", she said as she stood quickly, but Sesshomaru was quicker.

He too stood to his feet and caught her wrist keeping her feet rooted to the floor.

"You're not leaving until you've cleaned your plate Rin and I mean it", he demanded.

"Or what? Just what will you do", she asked as she snatched her wrist away and folded her arms across her chest stubbornly.

Sesshomaru reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He put down the spoon of food onto Rin's plate and played around with the buttons of his phone momentarily before standing behind her. He opened her robe and possessively wrapped his arm around her waist, then nuzzled his nose into her hair causing Rin to become distracted.

He then held the phone out in front of them and before Rin could make a move she saw a flash which caused her to blink slowly to clear her vision.

"What are you doing sir", she asked irritably.

"Making sure you eat your breakfast. If you don't do so right now, the little picture I just took will be displayed on the television monitors throughout my entire building come Monday morning. All I have to do is click one little button and your…I mean our secret is out. So now, the ball is in your court. You either eat the food or are exposed for sleeping with the boss. It's up to you", he said nonchalantly and almost wanted to smile at the beads of sweat forming slowly on her forehead.

"You wouldn't", Rin dared.

"Oh yes I would, but you can always defy me and find out for yourself", he declared coldly.

"Of all the arrogant, crazy, neurotic things you could have done, you came up with that! Taking pictures of people under false pretenses to gain something is called blackmail! Honestly, I am so going to pay you back for this Sesshomaru", she said now glaring knives in his direction.

Rin you're such a feisty brave fragile creature. I must learn more about you…you innocent temptress.

"There it is again. The more you say my name the more I like hearing it fall from your lips", said Sesshomaru as he watched her take a seat and slowly begin eating her semi-cold breakfast.

"You don't know what you've done Mr. Takahashi. My mother is going to roast me alive. I have to visit her next weekend. That barely leaves me any time to lose weight between now and then! Curses," she spat in anger but continued to eat for fear of her exposure with her boss.

"Just when I thought we were making progress with you using my first name, we are now back to square one. Look everything will be fine with your mother. I'll go with you and explain", he offered coolly.

"Oh no, you will not be accompanying me to visit my mother. I will be going alone thank you", she said stuffing her mouth with the last bite of eggs.

"No… you won't. This Sesshomaru is going….and does it sound as if I'm waiting on you to give me an invitation", he said as he watched her gather their now empty plates and used utensils.

0o0o0o0

Entering the kitchen, Sesshomaru immediately began to run the hot water to wash their dishes while Rin stood to the left of him to rinse. Neither of them paid any attention as to how they seemed to fall into place as if they had been doing dishes and living together all their lives.

"Look sir, I think it would be in your best interest if you not come with me to my mother's home, and just because I am temporarily living in your extravagant home, no offense I hope when I say this, but it doesn't mean you can run my life", she explained coldly.

"No offense taken Rin, and this Sesshomaru does not seek to 'run your life'. I do that at work but I would say it's about time I met the woman who raised such a smart and beautiful young woman like yourself", Sesshomaru complimented without expression.

"Sir I don't think-"

"It's already settled Rin. I'm going and that's it", he said cutting off her sentence.

"Fine but don't say I didn't warn you", she replied as she finished drying the last dish.

Sesshomaru turned off the water and wiped down the counter. When he finished he watched Rin put away the dishes.

He stood and admired the soft glow of her skin in morning sun and how she went about the kitchen without so much as a glance his way.

Sesshomaru couldn't help himself when he grabbed her arm as she attempted to pass him heading towards her room. Rin glanced down at his demon hands and then looked into his face with a gaze of puzzlement written across it.

"Rin have you something to hide from me", he asked coldly as his eyes seemed to pierce her very soul.

"No…no sir, why would you ask me that", she asked looking up into his eyes innocently which Sesshomaru found quite provocative.

"Because you seem to not want me to meet you mother quite desperately. It makes me think that you have something to hide from me", he said calmly while looking into her big alluring hazel eyes.

"I do not sir. It's just that… well my mother is not very supportive of my career but since you have taken it upon yourself to meet her, when will I get to meet your family? I've heard so much about your father but I have yet to lay eyes on him for myself", she smiled faintly up at him.

"You should know that I am a very busy man and I haven't the time to visit my family, so I don't really know when or if you'll get a chance to meet them", he said as he reluctantly turned her arm loose from his grasp.

"Hey that's not fair! You're taking it upon yourself to come to my mother's next weekend but you don't know when I'll meet your family? You are kidding right", she asked now feeling anger rise in her face.

"No Rin I do not 'kid' about such things", said Sesshomaru blankly.

"Well then…I demand to meet them", she raised her head up at him in defiance.

Sesshomaru began to step towards Rin causing her to back away at every step he took until she found her back against a wall with nowhere to go.

"No one, and I do mean no one, has ever had the gall to demand anything of me, yet you stand there wearing my clothes, living under my roof, and you are making demands of this Sesshomaru? Now what shall I do about this act of boldness on your part Rin? I've caused bodily harm to men for far less", he growled low in his chest and braced both his large hands at the sides of her shoulders on the wall, caging and cornering her as if she were a wounded animal about to meet her demise.

Rin gulped hard and she found her heart was beating in her chest much too fast but suddenly she regained her composure and looked the handsome demon square in the eyes.

"You wouldn't dare harm me sir. I am your trusted accountant and assistant and….and you need me", she said as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh yes I do need you Rin, but not in the way you seem to think", Sesshomaru whispered and gently grabbed a lock of her silky hair letting in slide between his clawed fingers relishing its texture.

Why is he so close to me? And why is he looking at me like that? Surely he wouldn't hurt me…would he? He admitted that he does need me….but in what way? The great Sesshomaru Takahashi needs no one and he'd be the last person on this planet to admit it even if he did.

Rin felt nervous under her boss's scrutinizing honey gaze. She couldn't look into his eyes while he was that close to her so she slightly shook her head causing her silky locks to slip from his fingers and fall back into place.

Rin looked down focusing her eyes on Sesshomaru's brilliant gray t-shirt but then she noticed the outline of his muscular chest. She could feel him watching her every movement and she felt like running away all of a sudden because she was at a loss as to what to do.

Why does he have to smell so good? Why does he have to have a body like a Greek god? Why the hell is he making me so nervous?

Sesshomaru watched Rin as she turned her attention to his shirt and he could sense her nervousness which caused him to smirk inwardly.

Without warning he hooked one clawed index finger underneath her chin tilting it upward causing her to look at him. When their eyes met, it was Rin who spoke.

"Sir I….I", she stuttered nervously.

"Don't sound so unsure of yourself Rin. Where is that boldness you just displayed moments ago when you were making demands of me", he asked softly, which was more like a low whisper.

Rin began to take deep breaths and she felt like a caged bird with nowhere to go still trapped between him and the wall.

Sesshomaru's lips seemed to becoming closer and closer to hers and Rin felt panic settling all over her trapped form as she stood gazing at his lips and chin zoning in on hers.

Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! Oh My God! He's going to kiss me! Please God don't let him kiss me! I….don't think I can handle it!

It seemed like the good Lord above was listening to her silent prayer because just when it seemed Sesshomaru was almost to her lips, his cell phone rang loudly breaking the silence of the room.

With the ease of a tom cat, he took his cell phone from his front pocket without taking his eyes away from Rin. He placed the phone in the crook of his neck braced against his ear and returned his hands on both sides of her shoulders as he answered the device.

"Hello", he said indifferently while his eyes traveled the length of her body.

"This is Sesshomaru."

"Yes, thank you for opening your store on my behalf", he said deeply as he continued to watch Rin.

"You've staffed the whole store at my request."

"That's excellent. We will be there in about two hours", he finished abruptly and hung up the phone then returned it to the front pocket of his blue jeans.

"That was our appointment for your new wardrobe. I have a pair of my sweatpants and one of my t-shirts lying across your bed for you to wear. I think you should go ahead and get ready. We don't want to keep them waiting on our behalf Ms. Mori", he said softly but made no effort to move to allow her to pass.

Sesshomaru continued to stare down into Rin's eyes and slowly he began to caress her cheek with a single index clawed finger which caused her breath to hitch at his touch.

"Sir…I would love to get ready but it would seem that you are… blocking my way", she managed to breath out in a whisper.

"That's a very good observation Rin, maybe this Sesshomaru has no intention of letting you pass", he taunted emotionlessly.

"Sir, you yourself just said that we don't want to keep them waiting on our behalf. I think that is good grounds for you to step aside", she said a little more nervously than she intended.

"And what if I refuse Rin, just what would you do", he whispered close to her ear sending shivers down her spine.

"I…I…I shall have to find a way of making you move then", she said with a look of determination.

"Go ahead Rin, try as you might but this Sesshomaru shall not move until he is good and ready and not a moment sooner, but perhaps I can make you… a deal", he breathed in her ear as he began to press more firmly into her.

Rin felt her heart skip a few beats as she gazed into Sesshomaru's eyes. Why did this man who had no appeal to her have such an effect recently on her senses? Why did his nearness seem so intimate and why did he make her so darn nervous?

Okay Rin don't look into his eyes…his golden beautiful breathtaking eyes!

She tried to concrete on anything but his golden glare so she focused on the magenta strips on his wrists and found them too quite mesmerizing, so mesmerizing in fact, that she was contemplating tracing them with her fingertips but then thought better of it.

Sesshomaru waited patiently for Rin to answer him as he continued to gently stroke her face. He was enjoying her apparent uneasiness around him and he heard her heart flutter at his touch.

"What… kind of deal…sir", Rin asked hesitantly.

"I'm so glad you asked Rin because I have something in mine that may just benefit… both of us", he blatantly smirked as she stared up into his eyes apprehensively.

0o0o0o0

A/N: Hope you guys liked this chapter and please down forget to review! Thanks so much for the previous chapter's reviews. I cannot tell you guys enough how much it means to me that you are enjoying my work. I hope I can continue to keep you all entertained.

Shout Outs:

y-icey; DoggyBoyLover98; Moonlight Mermaid; icecreamapparition; Kohaku No Ama No Gawa; icegirljenni; RaixImagination; HijiriXAyano; Jolie luv; Irivel; DelSan13; Temari Asura

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! You put a big smile on my face every time** *Smiles with all 32 pearly whites showing*

Questions & Answers:

Icecreamapparition: You didn't have a question but your review tickled me to no end! I hope you didn't get caught by your dad reading my horrible work! LOL

Kohaku No Ama No Gawa: Yes Inuyasha and Kagome will be in the story. As for their relationship (Sess/Yasha) I'm not yet sure how I will spine it but if there is something you would like to suggest I am always open to hear. Thanks for your review.

Icegirljenni: Rin does come from a somewhat abusive background though it is more verbal when it come her mother. And let's be clear no form of abuse is okay! It's just that when I write a story I tend to somewhat like my character's to be 'put through the ringer' if you will. It makes for more creativity on my part. LOL Thanks so much for the song recommendation and it turns out you were right. It was perfect for the ending and though I'd never heard it before, I fell in love with it. So a big thank you to that and to your always awesome reviews.

Jolie luv: Today was your big day and I am sure you were the most beautiful bride! Best of wishes to you and your new hubby. Enjoy the honeymoon *wink wink*. Just wish me and KJ could have been there but we know you feel the love from waaaaaaaay over there. KJ blows kisses and sends air hugs your way.

Delan13: As you can see our little ice is starting to feel a little something for her stoic boss but will she realize it or will she blow it off. Have to read on to find out. Thanks for reviewing.

Temari Asura: Yes I did go there and stop it there but you know it leaves you wanting more! LOL. I'm so glad you enjoyed their kiss, so did I. *coughs to clear throat with mouth covered of course* teehehehe

It's funny that you asked about a love triangle. I was thinking about adding in the handsome Bankotsu but wasn't sure that would make my story map out the way I'd like but since you have caused me to put my thinking cap on I think I shall fit that in some kind of way….hopefully* fingers crossed**

I know right, Rin saying that Sess doesn't appeal to her make me want to slap some sense into her but really she doesn't even realize she likes him as you can see from this chapter she doesn't think she's appealing herself but will the great dog demon change all of that for her? I don't know just keep reading and reviewing to find out. Oh and I am patiently waiting for another chapter of SAVING ME. *checks email every ten minutes to see if chapter has been posted* LOL No pressure though cuz I know you are a busy little bee. LOL

****Well that's all folks thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW****