Author's Note
Longest chapter of my LIFE! So much goodness contained in it though.
Also! Huge thanks and appreciation goes out to you all for 70 reviews. In comparison to the thousand-review stories I have on the go, this milestone still means the world to me. Thanks for all your support and kind words.
Please enjoy!
Lead Me Down the Garden Path
Welcome Distraction
"Ka—Kagome?"
Wide, shaking tawny eyes met voracious, frenzied brown ones.
Inuyasha's cheeks burned redder with each passing second. Kagome's chest heaved from the euphoric, cleansing wave of her orgasm. Her cheeks were crimson, her eyes slightly glazed, her chest a splotchy flush as her breasts rose and fell underneath the pink material of her bathing suit top. Even though she was looking at him, Inuyasha realized it hadn't dawned on her that he was standing in front of her. Her eyes were on him, but she didn't actually see him.
Inuyasha felt a lump develop in his throat when he lowered his eyes to view the hefty cleavage contained within her halter-top bikini. He could clearly make out the two lumps of her nipples, prominent on the centre of each unpadded mound. Her creamy skin, tanned around the shoulders, looked satiny from water droplets that clung to the flesh. His eyes followed a trail of goosebumps along her forearms and chest before they disappeared into the commodious cleavage.
He had never seen so much skin on her before, and the sight made his mouth water.
Inuyasha walked in to find Kagome's body pressed up against the wall of the pool, her hand clutching madly at the floor tiles to keep her body in place. Before his fingertips even left the door, his eyes observed the way her head leaned back into the water, her eyes tightly closed and mouth gaping open. However erotic the positioning may have been, truly the sound that left her lips was the most startling, yet the most delicious thing about the scene. He felt goosebumps rise from the flesh of his forearms at hearing the gasping, begging, crying rush of air.
He couldn't recall a time an arousal devoured him so quickly. He felt his cock pulse achingly at the sight of her and he emitted a low, carnal growl in his chest. Inuyasha couldn't move. His hands frozen at his sides, his body barely passed the threshold of the pool house entrance. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think.
Was she…? Was that…? What did I just…?
Before Inuyasha's reeling, shocked thoughts could become cohesive questions, his body winced as Kagome released one of the loudest, most girly screams he had ever heard in his entire life.
She finally clued in that Inuyasha was there. She realized he had seen her orgasm.
The room resonated with waves of the scream that left Kagome's lips. Her eyes on fire with panic and embarrassment, she forcefully submerged her body into the water, covering her chest protectively with both arms. Her fists hovering in front of her face, Inuyasha could only see her eyes above the clenched, shaking digits. Despite the horror she felt, Kagome's eyes never left his.
"Get out," her gasping, pulsing breaths pleaded. "Oh my God, get out, Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed once more, her initial comment receiving no response from the man.
Inuyasha heard the embarrassed desperation in her cry for him to leave. However his body was still mesmerized, watching her furrow her brows and dip her shoulders below the water to hide her body from his direct sight. The look on her face and the heat of her words finally making sense to him, Inuyasha widened his eyes and spun on his heel.
"Get out, get out, get out!" she continued to scream as Inuyasha fumbled for his exit.
Pushing his body back into the gallery, the only sounds humming in his ears were those of his pulsing, racing heart, and the door swinging closed behind him. He was somewhat surprised the door didn't fall off its hinges from the pressure he had applied to it when leaving in a panic. His face and body felt uncomfortably warm. Pressing a hand to his flushed forehead, Inuyasha's shoulders and head rested against the wall behind him. Closing his eyes and licking his lips, he tried to focus on something other than the image that kept haunting his closed eyelids.
Her mouth open, her eyes squeezed shut, and the sound of her plummeting over the edge to be embraced by her release. Oh God, the sound she made…It was a breathy ah, like she couldn't get enough air, like she couldn't contain the shiver that devoured her body. It took all of his willpower not to imagine her making the same noise when completing the very same syllable of his name: Inu-ya-shah.
Inuyasha opened his eyes suddenly, hoping the motion would stay his beating heart and hardening groin. He felt mixed emotions pooling in his stomach.
He had to fight every desire to go back in there, to confront her, to take her into his arms and be the one to make her ride that wave of ecstasy again. After all, earlier in the week he had seen how aroused she became at the sight of him. He wanted to be the one to make her so overcome with elation she made those noises for him.
Shaking his head, Inuyasha couldn't condone those thoughts right now. Shock and confusion resonated through his veins. Yes, he was aroused, but it was Kagome. Was she really masturbating in a public place within his private home? Anyone could have walked in. Hell, he walked in, proving that very point. Inuyasha felt his cheeks warm at the very use of the word masturbation. That word, plus Kagome, in the same sentence caused his heart—and other parts of him—to throb.
His shock slowly melted into pleased disbelief. He couldn't deny the smirk that crept onto his face. The girl he had pegged for sweet, vanilla Kagome really had a side to her Inuyasha wouldn't have imagined—he would have hoped for, yes, but certainly not imagined. However, each thought playfully teasing with another, a new worry developed in his mind. He knew she could hold grudges; she held onto emotions long after they should have expired. He saw how mortified she was by his walking in on her. How could he possibly apologize to her for what just happened?
Sorry I walked in on you when you were cumming, Kagome.
Inuyasha shook his head. Even just voicing what happened made a ripple of excitement explode through his stomach. Licking his lips, Inuyasha contemplated heading back into the pool house with a white flag of sorts; however, suddenly, he jumped at the sound of heavy footsteps approaching.
Miroku's square shoulders appeared in the gallery suddenly, his brow tight with worry as he locked eyes on Inuyasha. Miroku had heard Kagome scream. Panic joined the plethora of emotions occupying Inuyasha's stomach.
"Inuyasha! Is Kagome alright?" Miroku shouted as he approached and then passed Inuyasha.
Inuyasha opened his mouth to warn Miroku not to go in there, but somehow his voice had lost itself within his body. Mere seconds before Miroku's body disappeared behind the other side of the door did Inuyasha hear more screams and curse words fly from Kagome's lips, directed at Miroku.
The man at whom those screams and curses were directed fumbled for his exit, frazzled, just like Inuyasha not even five minutes prior.
The two men stood on opposite sides of the gallery, both their eyes locked on the other. Their lack of words created silence like a protective cocoon around each alarmed man, fully surrounding them once the swinging door completed its oscillations to settle closed.
"What—did you do?" Miroku asked after a breath, breaking the heavy silence. His periwinkle irises were wide with alarm under his downturned eyebrows.
Inuyasha turned his face away from Miroku, suddenly taking a fascination with the baseboards of the floor. He didn't want to even go there.
"She overreacted," he mumbled, inwardly swearing at himself for the obvious shakiness in his tone. He clearly wasn't hiding anything from Miroku. That tone, enough, was a confession of guilt.
"I've never seen Kagome so flushed or flustered," Miroku argued. "Something must have happened."
Miroku raised an eyebrow at the look of discomfort on Inuyasha's face. When Miroku walked in to check on Kagome, she had just emerged from the pool and was wrapping a towel around her body. Shrieking out of surprise that someone else had walked into the pool house, she clumsily tried to hide her body from Miroku's sight. Desperation clawing its way up her throat, it had taken all of her willpower not to throw something at him. Despite his frenzy to leave the room after Kagome's screams, Miroku hadn't been oblivious to the redness of her cheeks or the look of embarrassment on her face.
He turned a smirking, playful expression towards Inuyasha. "Were you spying on her?"
"What?" Inuyasha barked, almost choking on his words. He wished his cheeks weren't so red; he needed a better poker face with Miroku. "No! I didn't fucking do anything! She just—"
Their conversation halted immediately as the door swung open and a towel-clad Kagome propelled herself down the hallway, her cheeks pinker than her bathing suit top. Gripping the towel closed underneath her chin, she refused to make eye contact with either man standing right outside the exit of the pool house. Kagome's bare feet slapped against the floor as she took off in a brisk walk, almost a jog, down the gallery. Inuyasha almost closed his eyes as his nostrils filled with her floral scent mixed with the chlorine of the pool water. However, the scent disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. The two men stood silently, listening to her heavy footfalls upon the stairs, followed by the sound of her slamming her bedroom door.
The moment his eyes had registered that she was in front of him, Inuyasha opened his mouth to say to her name; however, like earlier, his vocal chords could produce no sound. He was desperate for her to turn, for their eyes to lock once more. He didn't know how he could apologize for what just happened, but he wanted to, he needed to. However, her pleasant scent accosting his nose, Inuyasha was shortly distracted. When he finally snapped out of whatever trance he found himself in, she was gone.
"You most certainly did do something," Miroku whistled from Inuyasha's peripherals. The comment drew Inuyasha out from his introspective analysis. "She couldn't even look at you."
"Ugh…" Inuyasha growled, his frazzled mind unable to think of what to say next. "Fuck off, Miroku," was what he settled upon.
His back feeling tight, he took off down the hallway, both hands in fists. He didn't want to stand there confronting Miroku while equipping a semi-hard dick. He wanted to be alone. Leaving the other man in the gallery, Inuyasha took the stairs two at a time to get to his bedroom. Promptly changing into his running clothes, he set off for a few laps of his property.
He afterwards planned to take a nice cold shower.
15 Minutes Earlier
Inuyasha left his office after a long conference call. Rubbing at the back of his neck, he tried to force the irritation from his system. After a long week, he felt restless in general, tired of being busy, tired of his fucking arm aching—that swim earlier in the week had really aggravated it—and tired of being kept away from Kagome.
He had seen her maybe three times total over the last week; however, it wasn't enough to satiate his desire to get to know the girl better. Their time together hadn't been nearly as consistent or frequent as Inuyasha would have liked. Even when they were in each other's company, either Inuyasha's or Kagome's problems distracted them, respectively, preventing any quality time together.
Ultimately, the biggest cause of Inuyasha's restlessness was the guilt he felt for leaving Kagome primarily by herself during her first week at the manor. He knew she was having a hard time adjusting to things following her apartment fire. However, for reasons outside of Inuyasha's control, he had been too preoccupied with his celebrity responsibilities to make Kagome a priority, regardless what he wanted.
Angry resolve expanding in his chest, Inuyasha decided the next time he saw Miroku he would tell the man to deal with everything. Inuyasha wanted nothing to do with his lawyers, any interviewers, or the general public anymore. He hadn't been this busy in ages and he hated it. He had other concerns he needed to make a priority. The primary concern being Kagome, the Family a close second.
Inuyasha rolled his shoulders, hoping to shake the impatience and annoyance off his back. Even though he just planned to unburden himself by getting Miroku to look after everything—after all that is what he pays the pervert for— he still couldn't shake the disquiet in his gut. Why did he feel so restless? Why was he so irritated by everything?
Deep down, Inuyasha knew that he felt unsettled most days ever since a certain black-haired female moved into his house. The reasons behind her move made him anxious, and the girl, herself, caused Inuyasha's heart to pound. Since when was he one to become a nervous wreck over a girl? Inuyasha felt outside of his comfort zone for the first time in a very long time.
Initially excited to spend more time with Kagome, it had come as an unwelcome shock when Miroku scheduled Inuyasha to be out of the house attending interviews across Japan. Between the travel time and the interviews themselves, Inuyasha felt like a guest in his own home considering how little time he spent there. Even though Inuyasha understood the need for these interviews, that didn't mean he had to like it. The media was getting too out of control, and Inuyasha needed to stop the public's mad ravings and questions about what had really happened at the house, and about Kagome.
Anytime the thought of Kagome being in the public eye occurred to him, Inuyasha felt a twinge of protective anger swell within his chest. He was positive that Kagome's new media attention caused her to be singled out by the Family as Inuyasha's new weakness. If it was the last thing he did, he would ensure he protected Kagome from the groping obsession of the media.
Landing on the first floor of the house, Inuyasha asked a maid passing by if she had seen Kagome, but the woman merely shook her head and said she hadn't seen the girl since breakfast.
Inuyasha continued to feel antsy. He had really wanted Kagome to enjoy herself at the house, with him. However, everything he had given her, everything he had arranged for her, only seemed to make the situation worse. Was it because he was never the one to give the gift himself because he was away? Was it because he could have arranged to have the gift given to her better? Over the last week, Inuyasha had constantly tried to assess what he could have done differently to help Kagome. However, at the end of the day, he grew frustrated by the simple fact of their distance from each other. He truly believed most of his discomfort would disappear if he just stayed on the property with her.
She seemed withdrawn, distracted, conflicted, and unhappy, the latter affecting him the most. The Kagome he had met was a bubbly, feisty girl who had more kindness and joviality in her heart than anyone Inuyasha had previously met. This girl, the Kagome who had moved into his house, seemed the opposite of that.
The first night Inuyasha had seen Kagome after coming back from his trip to Osaka, Kagome was kind and incredibly thankful, albeit a little distracted. She didn't seem completely withdrawn from him, but he could tell she wasn't all there psychologically. Unlike the second evening when he saw her; she didn't say much and seemed pretty removed from him. When he finally asked her what was wrong, she simply stated her family wasn't thrilled with her new arrangements and that made her decision to stay at the manor more difficult. Without going into detail about it, she then excused herself—before even finishing one glass of wine—saying she wasn't feel great and wanted to go to bed.
Inuyasha growled at the memory. How could he do anything to make her feel better when he was never around? He may have felt confused at what caused and prolonged Kagome to feel this way; however, there was also a part of him that understood how she felt. It was this component of Inuyasha's understanding that made him feel guilty for leaving Kagome alone.
Inuyasha knew that fear and distress is an all-encompassing blackhole where, if left to linger in it too long, one can eventually become comfortable. Inuyasha had once lost himself to the familiarity and comfort of suffering, and now Kagome was adrift in that darkness. But could he blame her? Not really. She was ultimately alone in a brand new place, forced to take comfort in the foreign things given to her, with no friends, and no family who understood what she was going through. Kagome had been primarily isolated with her thoughts for a whole week. No wonder she was festering in confliction and distress. She had nothing else to do, nothing else to distract her.
Inuyasha suddenly felt absolute confidence in his decision to rid himself of all other concerns and focus on Kagome. He wanted to be the distraction she needed to move on from her grief. He wanted to be someone she could talk to so she didn't have to burden herself with drain-circling thoughts regarding how she felt. He wanted to comfort her, protect her. He wanted to make her happy, to see her smile. And how could he protect her from her own darkness when he'd been too God damned busy trying to satiate those fucking vultures' need to know?
The only other time in the whole week when Inuyasha saw Kagome was when she ran into him in the pool house her first morning at the manor. She had barely spoken a few words to him, but her eyes had said more than she could know.
That morning, Inuyasha had felt restless, knowing a girl to whom he was attracted was sleeping under his roof. Ignoring the ache in his healing arm, Inuyasha decided to perform some self-advised physiotherapy, thinking an early morning swim would be what he needed to cool down and distract himself. Unbeknownst to him, however, Kagome couldn't sleep either, and curious about the pool house, she had wandered in and saw him.
Really saw him.
The memory of seeing her so aroused just by the sight of him had sat heavy on his mind all week. He hadn't even done anything. Had it really been that long since Kagome had a lover that the sight of Inuyasha's naked chest caused her to react like that? A twinge of jealously plucked at his heart when his mind trailed to thoughts of Kagome's previous sexual partners. He hadn't had a crush like this in years and he felt asinine for it; but, he couldn't deny that most days, Kagome was constantly on his mind. Visual memory and scent recognition always the strongest forms of memory for Inuyasha, he especially couldn't get a particular image out of his head: her eyes dipping low—low enough to look at his package—and biting her lip in response to what she saw. And then there was the smell of her arousal. The whole situation just made his heart lurch it pleased him so. Inuyasha had just been grateful that Myoga was fucking shit at his job and the pool water hadn't been cold.
Standing in the kitchen, seeing no sight of Kagome either in the breakfast nook—where she liked to read, so he was told by Miroku—or on the patio, he turned to see if she had decided to take an afternoon swim. During one of their evenings outside together, Kagome had told him she enjoyed swimming in the afternoons. She said it helped her think.
Inuyasha decided two things then.
First, he would find Miroku to clear Inuyasha's entire schedule beginning with that night—he wanted to dedicate his whole evening to doing something with, and for, Kagome. Second, he decided to take that fateful trek to the pool house to ask Kagome if she would like to have dinner with him. He felt a devious grin take over his face at the premise of reserving an entire restaurant for the evening just for the two of them. He knew it wouldn't be cheap, but money was no concern; every owner had their price. At least by clearing out the place, Inuyasha would be able to protect Kagome from the voyeuristic public.
If only Inuyasha knew that in a few short minutes, he wouldn't actually get the opportunity to ask her.
Three Hours Later
Kagome's body still shook with embarrassment that she didn't know whether to cry or laugh. The more her mind replayed Inuyasha's walking in on her the more the situation felt surreal. Despite trying to distract her wandering, aching mind by reading a book, Kagome frequently kept putting the novel down on her lap. She couldn't focus.
God Damn that Inuyasha, she kept thinking to herself. She knew some ethereal beings were toying with her. What else could explain the phenomenon of her walking in on him in the pool, in the beginning of the week, and him doing the same to her at the end of the week? Her week had been bookended by pool-related arousal and Inuyasha.
Turning her eyes to look out the window of her bedroom, Kagome sighed, feeling her lungs fill and then quickly release with air.
She kept trying to convince herself that maybe Inuyasha didn't know what had happened. Maybe, she thought, he didn't know what he saw. He did look startled after all. She tried to convince herself that maybe he panicked without understanding what he had seen. After all, the whole exchange had maybe lasted a minute at most. Kagome wanted to believe her mortification was unjustified. But then Miroku had to walk in? Kagome sank lower into the endless bunches of throw pillows.
Remembering how vocal her moans had been, thinking she had been alone in the pool house, she could only imagine how she must have sounded to Inuyasha. Shriveling her nose, God only knows how she must have looked to him, kneecaps poking through the water as she spread her legs to straddle the wall, her arm clutching for dear life. Kagome raised her hands to cover her warm, flushed cheeks. How could she face him again? The infamous heartthrob Inuyasha Taisho surely knew what a woman's orgasm looked like, sounded like.
Groaning and covering her face with one of the throw pillows, Kagome muttered words of grief into the pillow's material. She decided then that she had no other option: she would have to grow old and die in this bedroom.
A knock on the closed door caused Kagome to jump and remove the pillow from her face. Taking a deep breath, Kagome tried to stay her shaking heart. Closing and then opening her eyes to steady her resolve, Kagome directed a "come in" to the wooden door.
The smiling face of one of the maids greeted Kagome as the door opened fully.
"Sorry for the intrusion, Ms. Higurashi."
"Please," Kagome said with a smile. "Call me Kagome. And there's no intrusion." Gripping the pillow in her cross-legged lap, Kagome turned her gaze down to the decadent material and then back to the woman in her doorway. "What's up?"
The woman nodded bashfully at Kagome's request—even though Kagome kept offering her first name the maid just couldn't accept it—and smiled at Kagome once more. Fortunately, Kagome found just "miss" an acceptable compromise.
"I've been asked to bring you a message, miss."
The ambiguity of the maid's words caused Kagome to sit up slightly. "From who?"
"Mr. Taisho, miss."
"Inuyasha?" Kagome echoed. Her cheeks immediately blossomed pink. Turning her eyes downwards again, Kagome fingered the tassels on the pillow's corners.
"He has asked that you join him for dinner in an hour."
"Dinner?" Kagome repeated again. Why could she only muster one-word responses at the mention of Inuyasha's name? Kagome sometimes hated how girly and childish she could be. She was an adult for crying out loud.
The maid smiled. Kagome's enthusiastic yet bashful tone was not at all subtle. "Yes, miss. Mr. Taisho will have the car ready for you out front in one hour, should you accept."
"We're going out?" Kagome blinked wildly. She hadn't left the manor's grounds for an entire week. The premise of going beyond the rod iron gate caused a flip in Kagome's stomach. "Do you know where?"
The maid bowed her head in apology. "I'm afraid not, miss. Mr. Taisho merely asked me to pass along the message. Shall I tell him you accept?"
Could he really not just come and ask me to dinner himself? Kagome grumbled to herself with raised eyebrows.
Pffft, another voice went. You've been stewing for three hours because the guy walked in on you masturbating. You wouldn't have been able to stomach having the guy come to your room to ask you out.
He's not asking me out, Kagome responded hotly.
Then what would you call it?
Kagome sighed then turned her attention back to the maid. She hated that these internal dialogues had become much more frequent ever since Kagome moved into Sengoku Manor. Stupid conflicting emotions…
"Sure," Kagome said then, trying to silence the voices and steel her emotions. "You can tell him I accept."
The maid's tight-lipped smile spread into a toothy one and she nodded her head at Kagome. Gripping the door handle, the woman closed the door gently.
Kagome's head swam in the silence of her room. She was going out for dinner with Inuyasha. Inuyasha was taking her out to dinner. Where were they going? What should she wear? Did this count as a date? Was it an apology for walking in on her when—"
"Oh God," Kagome mumbled, crawling off the bed. She didn't want to go there. Instead, she tucked a pensive thumb in between her teeth while she stared at the closed door of her larger walk-in closet. "Oh God, what am I gonna wear even?"
Opening the closet door, the automatic lights flickered on and the expansive room lay before her. Kagome sat her body down heavily upon the ottoman in the middle of the closet—although room seemed the more appropriate noun—and drew her legs into her chest. Wrapping her arms around her shins, Kagome eyed the week-old contents of the closet. She couldn't imagine when she would need, or even get the opportunity to wear, so many beautiful articles of clothing.
"Not knowing where we're going could make this difficult," she grumbled, forcing herself to stand up so she could finger through some of the items.
It had caught Kagome by complete surprise when she had woken up to find the closets and dresser full with clothes. Yura hadn't even asked Kagome to try on anything. The woman merely took Kagome's measurements and then said she would provide Kagome with everything she could ever need. Kagome had been pleasantly surprised when things as intimate and stubbornly fitting as the beautiful bustiers and delicate lace panties fit her perfectly. From bathing suits to formal eveningwear, from flannel, cozy pajamas to the raunchiest lingerie Kagome had ever seen, Yura had spoken the truth. Everything had been picked perfectly for Kagome, and Yura really provided Kagome with everything she would ever need, and then some.
Kagome turned her body around to face the other side of the closet where Yura had organized all the dresses. Various colours and shapes assaulted Kagome's eyes and she traced hesitant fingers over the material lovingly. Some of the brands she recognized, some of them she didn't.
Taking a royal blue halter dress from a hanger, Kagome turned to look at herself in the mirror with the dress held up in front of her. Cashmere and silk assaulted Kagome's exposed skin and she couldn't help rubbing a palm over the material. Kagome's eyes honed in on the tag identifying the piece as one of Sesshoumaru's collection, and Kagome almost dropped the fabric onto the floor with a gasp.
Was Inuyasha crazy?
From a phone conversation with Sango in the week, Kagome had learned quite a bit about the Taisho brothers, primarily the elder brother Sesshoumaru. Sango had asked Kagome if any of the items purchased for her by Inuyasha were Sesshoumaru's brand and Kagome said she didn't know; she hadn't felt compelled to look. Sango had whistled then, encouraging her friend to check, stating some of Sesshoumaru's top of the line outfits started at pricing the equivalent of one thousand American dollars.
Kagome felt her blood thicken; how the hell could Inuyasha justify giving Kagome something like that? She had at least thirty new dresses. There was no way she could accept the fact that Inuyasha may have spent 30-thousand dollars on dresses alone. Her base model Corolla hadn't even cost that much. Kagome found herself once again uncomfortable with the idea that Inuyasha completely refused her offer to reimburse him for the cost of anything. Although, not that she could really afford it.
With shaking fingers, Kagome gently adjusted the item on the hanger and put it away. She couldn't imagine wearing something that expensive out. She wouldn't be able to eat for fear of spilling something on it. She had never owned any piece of clothing that expensive in her entire life, nor had she ever expected to.
She continued rummaging through some of the other items in the closet. Kagome eventually settled on wearing a puce-coloured, strapless tunic, shin-length leggings, and black wedge heels. Staring at her naked shoulders underneath her tumbling tresses, Kagome quickly grabbed a black cardigan and tossed it atop the mattress for her to bring in case she felt chilly later. Pre-Inuyasha Kagome felt that a shoulder-covered outfit would be better; however, the Kagome that knew and was attracted to Inuyasha liked the tantalizing idea of revealing some skin to him, albeit a modest amount.
After straightening her bangs and applying some make-up, Kagome sighed at her reflection. She peered into her own eyes and tried to de-escalate the congestion of emotion she felt. She decided she wouldn't bring up the earlier incident if he didn't. It was in the past, and she didn't want to relive that level of embarrassment ever again. She decided it would just be best for that event to fade away into a distant memory, never to be spoken about.
With five minutes to spare before the hour was up, Kagome grabbed her purse and cardigan, took one last look at her reflection, checked her teeth for lipstick stains, and then headed downstairs. Waiting for the car felt like an eternity to her as Kagome stood underneath the portico, refusing to take a seat on one of the benches or rocking chairs along the front of the house.
Eventually, Kagome saw a silver Rolls-Royce Phantom slowly pull in front of the house, and Kagome gulped before clutching her purse strap and descending the stairs. It was a much smaller vehicle than the limousine Inuyasha had arranged for her previously; however, it was far more luxurious. She smiled at Totosai as the suited old man climbed out of the front seat and opened the back driver-side door for Kagome. She had to admit that the sedan, from the colour down to the posh design of it, screamed 'Inuyasha'.
"Good evening, Ms. Kagome."
"Good evening," she replied with a smile, trying to mirror his level of formality. It took all of Kagome's power not to giggle as the man opened the door for her. She had never seen a Rolls-Royce before, outside of the movies. The sleekness and regality was beyond gorgeous, and she couldn't believe she not only got to sit in it, but she would be chauffeured around in it in the company of Inuyasha.
When Totosai opened the door fully for Kagome to clamber in, Inuyasha's smug yet handsome face looked up at Kagome from his seat on the passenger side.
"Hey, Kagome," he called, his tone so smooth it caused Kagome to bite the inside of her cheek. She felt her cheeks flush under his penetrating gaze.
"Hi," she gulped, "Inuyasha."
Okay, you can do this, she thought before lifting a leg to climb into the back beside him. She settled her tense body into the body-forming white leather seat, trying to ignore how close their elbows were to touching. The interior was a combination of dark grey and black, and there wasn't a speck of dust visible to Kagome's eye. She had a perfect view of the elaborate, fully-loaded front console and dashboard. She didn't even want to begin to imagine how many hundreds of thousands of dollars this car cost. She gulped nervously as she buckled her seatbelt.
What a way to end the week, she thought, taking in the intricate details of the luxury vehicle's backseat.
Totosai closed the door behind her and Kagome fiddled with her purse strap in the loud silence. She didn't have the nerve to turn to say anything more to Inuyasha, and unbeknownst to her, he was having a similar struggle. He didn't know whether or not to bring up the incident earlier. He didn't know how to apologize, or whether he should apologize at all.
Thankfully, a question had popped into Kagome's head, and her voicing the question drew both of them out of their own respective introspection.
"So where are we going?"
Inuyasha nodded at Totosai to drive on before Inuyasha turned to answer Kagome's question. She almost felt winded by the look he gave her. He was strikingly handsome.
"I hope you don't mind, but I made a reservation," he said, his eyes turning to watch as they passed through the tree-shaded driveway.
"Oh," she replied, her eyes downturned to examine the outline of the cardigan folded on her lap. "No, that's fine."
Kagome suddenly regretted not adorning the cardigan before getting into the car. Her shoulders felt glaringly naked underneath her hair and against the cool leather seat. Through her peripherals, she saw Inuyasha turn his eyes to look at her.
She sat nervously, her heart dropping to beat loudly in the hollowness of her stomach.
"Can I ask where?"
She snuck a glance at him to see him respond with a cocky smirk. The playfulness of it made Kagome want to faint.
"Are you okay if it's a surprise?"
She laughed out the side of her mouth in awkwardness. "As long as I'm dressed for wherever we're going."
Inuyasha snorted a laugh. "You're fine. You look nice, Kagome."
She turned her eyes back to her lap and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks red hot. Licking at and biting her lower lip, Kagome slowly pivoted her eyes to look at him. He seemed distracted, gazing out the window. Feeling a pressure lighten on her shoulders, Kagome felt it safe enough to purview the handsomeness of his ensemble.
Inuyasha wore a tailored, white button-up collared shirt and dark almost-black jeans. Kagome smiled at realizing that Yura really was a fantastic stylist; she knew how to dress Inuyasha perfectly. Everything accentuated his body in the right ways. Three buttons from the top of his shirt were undone, giving Kagome a perfect side view of his thick neck and painfully chiseled collarbone. The sun-kissed colour of his skin brought out the goldenness of his one visible eye—after all, she could only see the side of his face—and she was grateful he had turned those spotlight orbs away from her. She swore she could get lost in them if she didn't keep her guard.
Turning her eyes from his face to look out the window on Inuyasha's side, Kagome noticed they were exiting onto a highway ramp. She sighed, turning her eyes back to his face. She inwardly told herself she couldn't ogle him again in such close proximity. It took all of her willpower not to lean forward and learn what his skin felt like under the pads of her fingers. Not trusting herself, Kagome kept her hands tightly intertwined on her lap.
The back of the car was spacious and Inuyasha had more than enough room to cross one leg over the other. Kagome felt her eyes drift to take in the features of his Italian leather shoes. Returning her eyes to his face, her curious coffee eyes followed the trail of his jawline, her stomach flipping as she did so. She needed to get her head straight and not let the sight of him get the best of her. After all, she reminded herself, you barely know the guy.
That doesn't mean you can't appreciate the sexual appeal of the guy, the devil's advocate voice spoke up.
Stop thinking with your hormones, girl, Kagome reprimanded, silencing the rogue voice.
The car ride had been mostly silent until the car turned off the highway and Totosai adjusted the rear-view mirror to glance at Inuyasha.
"Sir, if I may?"
"What is it, old man?"
Kagome turned to look at Inuyasha with widened, taken aback eyes. How could he use such a phrase towards someone whose age necessitated respect? Kagome couldn't believe that not only had Inuyasha used the term to address the older male, but he had uttered it with almost…endearment. Kagome couldn't help but smile gently; her grandfather would be horrified.
Kagome turned inquisitive eyes to the back of Totosai's head, but the older man showed no affront to the comment.
"I've received a message from Mr. Houshi that you may wish to hear. It concerns your evening plans."
"Why wouldn't that idiot just contact me directly?"
"I believe he didn't want to interrupt your evening, sir. Would you like me to replay the message?"
Inuyasha merely nodded and Kagome waited for a brief moment until Miroku's tenor voice filled the entirety of the vehicle.
"Totosai, it's Miroku. I don't want to interrupt Inuyasha and Kagome so I need you to make an executive decision for them both." Miroku paused in the message for a moment and Kagome's cheeks flushed upon reflecting the words 'don't want to interrupt Inuyasha and Kagome.'
"I received word from my media contact that a staff member at Kozue leaked information to the public concerning Inuyasha's shutting down the restaurant for a private reservation. Hachi said there are news vans and personnel stationed outside the restaurant in hopes of catching Inuyasha and Kagome together before their dinner. I recommend enacting an alternative plan to save Kagome, particularly, the grief of dealing with the media. Please confer with Inuyasha should you deem it necessary. Thanks, Totosai."
The silence of the car lasted for a few seconds before Inuyasha crashed a fist into his thigh and swore hotly under his breath.
"Are you fucking kidding me? Can those assholes not keep their mouths shut for one evening? Jesus, is it so hard to ask for just a little privacy?"
Kagome's eyes widened fearfully from Inuyasha's response and she clutched a hesitant hand to her chest.
"Inuyasha?" she asked timidly. She couldn't understand the cause of his anger.
He scoffed loudly. "I didn't want you to have to deal with this, Kagome," he said, his tone softening, but still clearly irritated. "I didn't want to subject you to the cameras and shit."
"Oh," she spoke up quietly, her volume hesitant in response to Inuyasha's temper. "It's okay, Inuyasha. I don't mind if the media's there. We can just run in, can't we?"
"No, it's not okay, Kagome," he retorted angrily, his dark brows furrowing over his golden eyes. "I fucking paid for the privacy of the place and the confidentiality of his staff so you and I wouldn't be bothered by people."
Inuyasha's argument caused Kagome's cheeks to turn a gentle pink.
"You didn't need to do that," she mumbled, tripping over her words. The premise of the action caused Kagome to stir uncomfortably in her seat. The gesture was beyond considerate, causing her face to warm.
"Yes, I did, Kagome," he responded, turning his eyes towards her. She could see he was trying to control his temper. "I didn't want those assholes to hound you, alright? You had a tough enough week as it is. You don't need that bullshit. I just wanted you to have a night out of that stuffy old house. I thought—"
"—Inuyasha," she smiled appreciatively, interrupting him. His name was an amazed, grateful whisper on her lips. He had thought of everything to protect her from the public eye. It was a completely excessive, paying out the place, but that didn't mean it wasn't appreciated.
Inuyasha adjusted his posture under the scrutiny of her gaze. He didn't want her to see how flustered the look was making him. Her brown, with some hints of copper and gold, eyes trembled with appreciation, never leaving his face.
"I, for one, don't want to deal with this shit right now. I've had enough of the press this week," he growled.
"So let's go somewhere else," she offered without a hitch. Inuyasha couldn't believe how easily her eyes dampened the temper in Inuyasha's warm amber irises.
"Are you sure?" Inuyasha probed, his eyes narrowing. "I honestly thought you'd like that place."
She smiled at him, appreciating the gesture, but she also shrugged. "I didn't know where we were going in the first place, so I'm not attached to…Kozue, Miroku said? I don't even know what that is," she laughed.
Inuyasha sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's one of the highest Michelin starred restaurants in the Tokyo core. It's almost impossible to get reservations without bribery."
Kagome released a breathy laugh. "You didn't need to waste your money on something like that," she smiled. "I'd be happy with anything. It doesn't need to be fancy."
Inuyasha frowned slightly, puzzled at Kagome's words. "The money's not the issue here, Kagome."
"I know, but I still think it's kind of excessive," she argued hesitantly, turning her eyes towards her hands. "Booking out the place, I mean. But," she paused, searching for the rest of her sentence. Inuyasha left her room to complete her thought. "Thank you, Inuyasha," she sighed, finally. "You're right. I'm not really in the mood to be under the microscope right now."
Inuyasha laughed, a smug smile overtaking his mouth. He fought the urge to say I told you so.
"Is there anywhere you'd like to go?" he asked, trying to stay the tremble in his voice. "It might be last minute, but I can call anywhere to reserve the place. Perks of being me," he added with a toothy smirk.
Kagome's laughter struck his ears and he couldn't help but smile in response. "That is really unnecessary," she chortled. "You don't need to empty the place out just because of me."
"No, I'm serious, Kagome. For your first time out of the house, I just want you to be comfortable."
She smiled, the hint of pink on her cheeks causing Inuyasha's stomach to tighten. "I'm seriously grateful, Inuyasha. But I promise you, it's really unnecessary." She blinked her eyes quickly in hopes of eradicating the fluttering feeling in her core when their eyes met. "It was a nice enough gesture that you wanted to get me out of the house, at all. Let's just so somewhere else. No reservations," she laughed. "No bribery."
Inuyasha sighed then turned to look at Totosai, who, unbeknownst to Kagome and Inuyasha, had been driving around the block several times until the backseat passengers had reached a decision. The restaurant in question was barely a two-minute drive away.
"Totosai?"
"Yes, sir."
"Drive on."
"Yes, sir."
Inuyasha turned in his seat so his legs pointed at Kagome. He crossed his arms, causing the opening of his shirt to billow slightly. Kagome gulped at the welcoming sight of the tops of his pectorals.
"What do you feel like eating, Kagome?"
Her stomach had started growling in the middle of their drive. Not wanting to be indecisive with Inuyasha, Kagome put a pensive thumb between her teeth and scoured her eyes over the back of the driver's seat while she thought. Inuyasha couldn't fight the smile that took over his face in response to Kagome's expression. He thought it was absolutely adorable.
"Don't make fun of me," she started. "Especially since you were about to take me somewhere pretty fancy."
Inuyasha smirked. "What? Do you want chicken fingers or something?"
Kagome laughed, concluding the mirth with a sigh. "Not chicken fingers. More like…a chicken burger."
Inuyasha tightened his lips together to prevent a laugh from curdling out of his throat. He couldn't have imagined a more endearing request.
"A chicken burger?"
Kagome pouted. "I said don't make fun of me."
Inuyasha smiled. "I'm not making fun of you," Inuyasha argued with a touch of hilarity in his tone. Inuyasha watched Kagome's cheeks become engulfed in pink and he smiled at her again.
"I have to say though," he continued. "Kozue definitely doesn't have chicken burgers on their menu. But, I suppose for the price I paid to reserve the place, the executive chef would have been able to make you one."
"You're making fun of me," she bickered, a pout evident on her lips and brow. Inuyasha fought back the urge to kiss the protruding bottom lip.
"I'm not making fun of you, Kagome," he consoled with a smile. "It's…cute."
"Chicken burgers aren't cute," she retorted tenaciously. "Besides, I'm not going to die if I don't get one. You're the one who asked me what I felt like."
Inuyasha laughed again then cleared his throat to obtain Totosai's attention. "Do you know where we can get chicken burgers around here, Totosai?"
Kagome felt her body devour itself with embarrassment. Why on earth did she have to say the first thing that came to her mind?
There was silence for a few moments before Totosai's smiling eyes appeared in the rear-view mirror. He too had found Kagome's choice of food charming.
"Yes, Mr. Taisho. There's a restaurant in the next district that has crispy chicken which my daughter was quite fond of when she was pregnant with her first child. I'm certain I could place a call to request a reservation."
"No," Kagome spoke up, leaning forward in her seat. She turned eager eyes towards Inuyasha. "We don't need to empty the place out. Really. We can just go in. It doesn't matter who's in there."
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "You're telling me you won't care if people flock to our table for autographs and selfies with you?"
"Uh…" Kagome grumbled in response.
"Or you're saying you can be able to eat in peace knowing that people won't stop staring at you or talking about you from the moment they see us?"
Kagome bit her lip. That whole situation, including hearing Inuyasha call them 'us', made her stomach recoil.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes at himself, realizing he was right. Kagome didn't want any of that.
"Totosai?"
"Yes, sir."
"Call them and place a take-away order."
"Yes, sir. Other than the sandwiches, are there any other requests?"
Inuyasha turned questioning eyes to Kagome, but she feverishly shook her head back and forth.
"No," Inuyasha stated.
"I'll call right away, sir."
Kagome felt her cheeks warm and she idly played with a button on her cardigan. She had no idea how they went from going to one of the most expensive, fine dining restaurants to ordering take-out chicken burgers.
Inuyasha turned a playful smile towards Kagome. "Your chicken burger is on the way."
Kagome shook her head and tried to laugh away some of her embarrassment. "Thanks," she mumbled.
After pulling into the parking lot, Totosai exited the vehicle and returned minutes later with brown paper bags filled with Kagome and Inuyasha's order. The welcoming smell of hot food caused Kagome's stomach to growl and flip in excitement. Inuyasha instantly noticed the escalation in Kagome's mood upon the food's entrance into the car and he couldn't fight the smile that took over his face. He liked knowing he had directly done something to make her happy.
"If it's all the same to you, Kagome," Inuyasha stated as Totosai backed up the car and turned back onto the main road. "I'd prefer if we didn't eat in the car, but I know a place nearby where we can go."
Kagome nodded, understanding completely. She didn't trust herself not to spill on her outfit or the white leather seats anyway. She smiled inwardly. She supposed when you're as rich as Inuyasha, the impracticality of white leather wasn't important.
In what felt like a blink of the eye, Kagome turned her gaze outside to see that the cityscape had disappeared behind them. Towering trees zoomed by the car as they drove, and the sound of gravel under the tires caused Kagome to offer Inuyasha a questioning look.
Inuyasha merely smiled in response before turning to look out his own window. Even though he hadn't been to this clearing in a long time, he appreciated that Totosai still remembered how to get there. After Inuyasha's father passed away, Inuyasha had spent hours at this clearing.
The vehicle coming to stop, Kagome's puzzled look intensified, and Inuyasha merely stated, "We're here," in response, before grabbing the bags of food from Totosai and opening his own car door. Before Kagome could gaze through the front windshield of the car, Totosai opened her door and helped her out of the vehicle.
Following behind Inuyasha, Kagome turned to look over her shoulder as Totosai got back into the driver's seat and seemed to play with the dials on the car's radio system.
"He's not coming with us?" she asked with wide eyes.
Inuyasha snorted. "Why would he?"
Kagome had no response to the comment.
After a few paces, the smell of the food mixing pleasantly with the summer evening and forested scenery, Kagome saw a lone, albeit random, picnic table at the top of a shallow hill they had ascended.
Placing the bags on the table, Inuyasha turned a questioning glance to Kagome, curious to know her thoughts once she took in the sight before them. Kagome uttered a small, bewildered, "Oh wow," as she stood beside the table, her fingertips just grazing the wooden top.
There was nothing but treetops as far as the eye could see. In the darkening sky on the horizon, the hunter greens became luscious blacks, and Kagome's eyes zigzagged down the steep decline a few feet in front of her.
"How did you know about this place?" she asked, not turning to look at him.
Inuyasha sighed. "I used to come here a lot."
"It's so nice," she responded, her tone laced with wonderment. Inuyasha couldn't fight the triumphant smirk that grew from the corners of his slender lips. "Although, the single picnic table is a little random," she laughed, turning over her shoulder.
Inuyasha laughed and nodded in agreement before digging his hand into the bags and placing the contents on the table. Kagome happily sat down on the firm, wooden seat and unwrapped her dinner.
Taking a small bite of her sandwich, Kagome wanted to roll her eyes into the back of her head at the taste. It was exactly what she was craving. The saltiness of the breaded chicken, the sweetness of the mayonnaise. And was that a brioche bun? Kagome lost herself to the indulging taste of her meal she had barely noticed that Inuyasha removed himself from the table suddenly, only to reappear moments later with a cooler in tow.
"What is that?" she asked after swallowing a greedy mouthful of her dinner.
Inuyasha smiled at her knowingly—how can his eyes be so expressive without saying a word, she wondered as her stomach flipped—before opening the cooler and retrieving a bottle of white wine and two plastic cups. Kagome couldn't help the laugh that escaped her throat.
She wanted to open her mouth to laugh out, "How romantic," but the words got caught in her throat. Her cheeks reddened at the thought of uttering such a phrase.
"Sandwich any good?" Inuyasha teased, looking at the almost non-existent food item in Kagome's clutches. She blushed and nodded her head, chewing slowly and contemplatively.
The blub-blub-blub of the bottle's contents into her assigned plastic cup reverberated through the country air, and Kagome smiled. She couldn't have pictured dinner at Kozue being any better than this. Even though he may have completely booked out the restaurant, the empty restaurant couldn't possibly compare to the isolation and privacy of the two of them sitting at a picnic table, surrounded by trees on a picturesque hillside.
"The wine's a nice touch," she teased, raising her cup to playfully cheers Inuyasha's. He snickered at the response, but acquiesced to the gesture. Their cups made a dull thump when they touched.
Kagome's eyes turned more golden brown that chocolate brown in the warm-coloured sunset, and Inuyasha felt his appetite completely wane. His eyes traced the firm lines of her shoulders, the gentle curls of her hair in front of her breast, the curve of her bangs around her emotive eyes. Sitting across from her, Inuyasha felt his heart thudding loudly, grateful for the breeze that cooled his dampening palms. He couldn't imagine a better light to see her in. Sunsets agreed with her, as did the hint of pink that constantly graced her cheeks while in his presence. He wondered what he did right in a previous life to deserve her smile or the kind expression on her face when their eyes met. He wondered if she felt as nervous around him as he did around her, and he pondered what he could do or say to allow himself to sit on the same side of the bench as her.
"Everything okay, Inuyasha?" she asked suddenly, her head cocked to the side. "You haven't touched your food, and you're kind of quiet."
Before his brain registered the words his mouth had already prepared, he replied, "Just enjoying the company."
Kagome's eyes shone bashfully, and a small smile poked itself out of her mouth. He heard the breathy laugh escape her plush lips.
"You know," she said with a sigh, after swallowing a mouthful of the delicious golden beverage. "I really needed this."
Inuyasha watched her turn her gaze outwards at the darkening horizon. How was it the sky became noticeably darker without ever doing so conspicuously to the human eye?
"It was a long week," she sighed.
"I know what you mean," Inuyasha breathed in turn; however, the week had been long for him for different reasons. Feeling his heart climbing into his throat, he too had to divert his gaze away from her. The more Inuyasha saw the strands of hair linger on her cheeks the more he had to fight the urge to lean forward and tuck them behind her ear.
"Was it at least somewhat enjoyable at the house?"
Kagome turned widened eyes to him, her heart softening at the tender, almost vulnerable, tone of his question.
"Of course," she smiled lightly. "You've been more than generous with me, Inuyasha," she continued. "It's just been kind of hard to acclimate to a lifestyle so different than the one I had."
"I'm sorry I wasn't around much," he grumbled, scratching at his cheek. He tried to come off as indifferent; however, his tone undermined his intention.
She shook away his apology, his tone lost on her. "You can't help being busy."
"Well, I could have told those interviewers to fuck off," he argued. "It was your first week there."
She smiled and wrapped her fingers delicately around her cup. "You can't be around all the time, Inuyasha," she laughed. "Besides, I'm a big girl. I can be by myself sometimes."
Inuyasha felt himself pout. He wasn't getting his point across. Gripping his hands into fists, he was glad the sun had finally set and his features weren't completely visible to Kagome.
"You idiot," he mumbled rashly, "Don't you realize I didn't want you to be alone after what happened?" he blurted inarticulately. Well, he figured, he had started so he may as well finish the thought, regardless how idiotically it came out. "It doesn't matter that I was busy, I should have made you a priority. You're my guest after all. It's my responsibility to make sure you're coping okay."
"Inuyasha," she gasped softly. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to digest the sincerity of his words. Somehow, even his calling her an idiot had been endearing.
"I could tell how upset you were when I saw you those few times. I shouldn't have brushed it off like I did. It's obvious you were having a hard time and I didn't do anything about it."
"I'm not your responsibility, Inuyasha," she argued quietly, her eyes surveying the tabletop. "You don't need—"
"You're staying at my house, aren't you? That makes you my responsibility. Kagome, I—"
Inuyasha made the mistake of turning his shaking eyes to meet hers. The second their eyes locked, Inuyasha lost all confidence. When had the pulse of his own heart consumed his chest? When did his mouth become caked with dryness?
"Don't you get it?" he mumbled again, each of their eyes pacing back and forth to look into the others'. Inuyasha swore at any moment his tremulous heart was going to force itself up his throat and out of his mouth. "I want you to be happy, Kagome. I don't want you to be sad anymore. What—"
The look on Kagome's face stalemated the question hovering on Inuyasha's tongue. Before he could take a breath to force the inquiry into the physical world, Inuyasha watched with curious, stormy eyes as Kagome stood slowly from her side of the bench, rounded the table, and straddled the seat beside Inuyasha. The image of her straddling the pew caused Inuyasha's heart and groin to quake in memory of how he had found her that afternoon.
The memory disappeared just as quickly before his eyes when he felt a timid hand slide atop his on the tabletop. The softness of Kagome's thumb caressed the backs of his knuckles, and Inuyasha felt his body stiffen from the contact. 'Thank you' didn't seem like enough just then. Kagome felt her heart grow in size from the amount of appreciation she felt towards him. Where her words didn't feel good enough to convey what she felt, she hoped her actions could. Steeling her emotions, Kagome had rested her hand on top of Inuyasha's, relishing in the feel of his hardened, bony knuckles underneath her fingertips. Her face so hot, she didn't have the capacity to look at him.
"What can I do to make you happy, Kagome?"
The question that had barred itself in the back of his throat finally gained the nerve to drive itself from his lips. The look of complete admiration and appreciation on her face wasn't completely lost to him.
"You've already done so much," she whispered, raising her other hand to cradle his hand gently between both of hers. Her clutch tightening around his thumb, Kagome's nails tickled the palm of Inuyasha's hand. She felt overheated from the contact, something unknown stirring in the pits of her stomach. Her mind was a racing muddle. Her body was running on autopilot, acting purely on its own whims and impulses.
"Kagome," Inuyasha replied, his tone not quite a question, not quite a statement.
Kagome's palms became chilly under the crisp nighttime air once Inuyasha removed his hand from hers. Feeling her heart thud within her ribcage, Kagome initially saw the movement as an act of rejection. However, she felt her body swoon under the contact of Inuyasha's palm rounding the back of her neck, underneath her hair. Goosebumps ravaged her skin as his hand brushed her hair away from her shoulder to clear his path to the back of her neck. She fought the urge to close her eyes as his thumb gently stroked, back and forth, the small area where Kagome's ear met her jawline. She held her breath from the gentleness of the contact, her eyes frozen in smouldering shades of amber.
"Inuyasha," she murmured with a release of air. Her tone was the exact answer Inuyasha sought as his eyes paced between hers.
When she had first sat across from him at the table, Kagome sincerely regretted leaving her cardigan on the car seat. The skin along her arms had puckered under the evening breeze and she had wished she had the garment with which to shield her naked shoulders from the unsheltered air.
Now, Kagome's body was so warm her forehead felt on the verge of sweating. When Inuyasha's other hand rested on her flesh, specifically the area where Kagome's neck met her shoulder, Kagome audibly gasped from the pleasure of his rough, calloused palm. With one hand behind her neck to guide her towards him, and the pressure of his other hand the only thing keeping her body firmly planted on the seat, Kagome's breath hitched when Inuyasha guided her lips gently, tenderly to his. As Inuyasha's nearing face became the only thing she could see, Kagome instinctively closed her eyes, her heart nearly exhausting itself in expectation of what was to come.
Kagome's brain becoming a blank sheet of white, she did the only thing she could think of in response to the contact of his lips on hers: she raised her arms from her lap and connected her fingers around the back of Inuyasha's neck. Pulling against him ever so slightly, Kagome leaned her upper torso into his, paying no mind to how completely she straddled the side of his thigh. Inuyasha released a muted moan as Kagome wrapped her fingers around his neck. He fought the urge to intensify the kiss, ensuring he kept his tongue firmly planted behind his teeth. He didn't want to rush it. He didn't want to push her where she wasn't ready to go.
Her lips were softer than he thought they'd be. As her mouth moved deliciously, delicately against his, Inuyasha allowed the hand that had been on her shoulder to rub the length of her arm affectionately. He felt a growl growing within his chest in response to how she moulded her mouth to his.
He could feel the warm breath from her nose on his face, and Inuyasha couldn't help but tighten his grip against the back of her neck. His thumb protruding across her cheek, he pulled her into him, needing to feel the warmth of her small body against his. Inuyasha felt her lips move away from his briefly, her gasp of air like music to his ears. Inuyasha hadn't realized he had closed his eyes at some point; however, when he opened them, her swirling coffee eyes met his.
Even though their kiss had, technically speaking, ended, their lips still hadn't parted. Kagome could feel Inuyasha's breath tickle the sides of her mouth, and her reddened lips brushed against the softness of his. Their eyes examining the other's, Kagome couldn't fight the panting smile that shot across her face, crinkling the corners of her eyes. Her teeth grazed Inuyasha's lips as she smiled against his mouth, and the action caused Inuyasha to laugh through his nose. Resting his forehead against hers, Inuyasha brazenly captured her mouth once more, his heart drumming rampantly at the little moan she contained within the depths of her throat.
Capturing her cheeks in both palms, Inuyasha intensified their second kiss, feeling his groin pulse upon recognizing the warm moistness of her tongue provoking his bottom lip. Inuyasha opened his eyes then, their lips still connected, to take in the pleasing sight of a closed-eye Kagome, her cheeks flushed, her long eyelashes trailing her cheekbones.
So distracted by the desire to hold her, to kiss her, Inuyasha didn't realize—nor could he have cared less—that his untouched dinner had gone cold.
Author's Note
*Swoons* Did I get their first kiss right? :) 3