She reached out, tracing the lines of his mouth as she gazed down at him in wonder. "I didn't know you could do that," she whispered. Smirk, sure, but smile? The thought had never crossed her mind.
Sesshoumaru cupped her hand, turning his face to kiss her palm. "It seems you beguile me into doing many things I would not have thought possible." She flushed, catching the innuendo, but couldn't find it in herself to pull away.
His eyes had taken on that odd gleam again, the one that had captivated her the evening before, and she shuddered to think what it could mean. "Are you planning on making a habit of that?"
Fangs dragged along the lines of her hand. "That all depends on you."
"Does it?"
He tugged on her wrist, and she lost her balance, landing on top of him. "You are the one being deceitful first thing in the morning." His fingers slid down the length of her spine, eliciting a moan from her instead of the prickly retort she'd been planning on.
She'd curse him for being so observant later. Right now, there were questions she needed answered.
She almost lost her nerve when his hand reached the curve of her ass, kneading it softly as he pulled her fully on top of him, but she dug her nails into his chest, sitting up again. "Why did you stay?" she asked, getting right to the point.
"Because I wished to."
"That's not good enough." His raised eyebrow caused her to flush. "If you don't want me to be dishonest, then I'm going to be demanding instead," she said, crossing her arms.
"The time of day has never stopped you from being so before," he replied, hands moving to her hips as he sat up. "But I suppose I will have to get used to it."
He pressed against her in all the right places, but Kagome refused to let herself be distracted—no matter how tempting he was. "Does that mean you're planning on sticking around?"
"Do you wish me to?"
Kagome let out an aggravated groan. "Stop talking in riddles!"
"Then speak your mind, Kagome. I have never known you to stifle yourself before. Why do you insist on doing it now?" Golden eyes narrowed as his fingers dug into her hips, preventing her from running away—if she'd thought that far ahead.
She continued to glare at him, arms tightening across her chest, but he had much more patience than her, and she eventually dropped them in defeat. "This is different."
"How so?" he probed, not giving her an inch.
"Because of you."
"Does my presence alter your decision that much?"
Kagome looked away, heat creeping into her face. "You were here last night. You know it does."
"Hnn." He leaned forward, sliding his tongue along her clavicle, and she instantly arched into the touch. "It is why I am still here."
Muscles clenching, she grabbed at his hair, keeping him from pulling away. "So you'll stay if I ask you to?"
Gold warmed to molten honey as he looked up at her. "I have been waiting for you to say as much since you woke. You are the one delaying the inevitable." He'd barely gotten the words out before her mouth was on his, devouring him with an urgency that hadn't abated even with how often they'd reached for each other throughout the night.
"Stay." The request was muffled against his lips, but he heard it all the same, arms wrapping around her as the heat began to build. "Please." She thought she heard the word 'finally', but was too distracted by his wandering hands, giving herself over to the newly formed connection between them, delighted that one night might turn into a lifetime.