Madame Masseuse

by princesspvmpernickel

Kagome Higurashi is a recently single massage therapist at "Madame's", a luxury spa in downtown Tokyo where client anonymity is the number one priority. Needing a distraction, Kagome picks up a shift the same night the spa is hosting a bachelor party. Just when Kagome wants nothing to do with men, there's a certain client she can't get out of her mind or keep her hands off.

5. Rain Doesn't Always Warrant an Umbrella

Madame Masseuse

"Rain Doesn't Always Warrant an Umbrella"

---

Kagome was instantly chilled to the bone. The moment the cafe door swung closed behind them, the wind whipped at her hair, at her clothes. Kagome retreated into her bunched shoulders, seeking cover from the rain that stung her face, forcing her eyes to narrowed slits as she followed behind Inuyasha.

"Fuck," she heard him curse. He used both hands to force wet hair from his face. Rain coated his eyelashes, dripped down his angular cheekbones, rolled off his pointed chin. "Move, Kagome."

She was moving. She couldn't find her voice around the chill that rattled every joint in her body. She leaned into the aggressive wind and pushed ahead, keeping as close to Inuyasha as possible without stepping on his heels.

There was enough hail that the plinks of it against her scalp and skin were biting. Kagome shielded her face with her hands. The rain was as effective as an unending bucket of water, soaking her hair, seeping underneath her clothing, and making it damn-near impossible to see.

The water was cold and seering, like an icy burn against her skin. A loud, shocked gasp curdled from her throat when the wind surged, blinding her in a cyclone of her hair and rocking her body like it wanted her on her ass. Somehow, her cardigan only made her feel colder—the extra fabric did nothing but give the elements more of her to soak into and freeze.

"This is ridic—Jesus!" Kagome swore, frustration begging to let loose a growl. She tugged strands of hair from her face. Fighting the wind like an invisible opponent, she must have looked drunk, swaying and narrowly avoiding tripping as she followed Inuyasha down the sidewalk.

A shotgun of thunder came out of nowhere, startling Kagome enough that a small scream escaped her. The rain had a quantifiable before and after that thunderbolt, the downpour becoming even more brutal and punishing than it had been fifteen seconds ago.

If it wasn't the wrong time of year for it, Kagome would have thought this was the beginning of a typhoon.

Inuyasha turned to her abruptly and she scarcely escaped crashing into his chest. Without giving Kagome a moment to argue, Inuyasha threw his trench coat over her head and grabbed her hand. She barely had a second to emerge from the material before he tugged on their connected hands, forcing her into a brisk walk-run that had her boots slapping the pavement.

Kagome could have laughed at the gesture, not because it wasn't kind—because it really was nice of him—but because it seemed so pointless. She already looked like a drowned rat. Did he really think the organic cotton of his sopping wet trench coat would offer her any form of protection from this madness? Well, the coat may have stopped the rain from pelting her directly in the eyeballs, so maybe it did do something.

The kindness of his gesture did more to keep her warm than the article of clothing itself.

A shiver erupted across her body that had her clenching her jaw. Kagome was convinced she would have been less soaked if she jumped into a pool fully clothed.

God, the cold made her nipples so hard they ached like they were at risk of freezing off.

Kagome clumsily stepped on the heel of his shoe and Inuyasha grunted an annoyed sound at her. She smiled through her blush, quickly muttering an apologetic whoops. Kagome hadn't watched where she was stepping, too distracted by the thought that Inuyasha would be awfully sad if she were to lose her nipples to frostbite.

She fought down a cackle.

Anything to protect those nipples, Kagome, he had said when he previously used his body to shield her from the elements.

What were the chances Inuyasha gave her his coat because he had her breasts on the brain?

Wow, you are...

This is really not the time for that, Kagome.

Inuyasha squeezed Kagome's hand as he pulled her through a gust that left her gasping.

She felt like their travels weren't making any progress until she saw flashing red lights that marked the large intersection they had to cross. A power outage had left the traffic lights blinking in its wake. Angry car horns blared as drivers incompetently navigated the multi-lane, four-way stop amidst the storm.

They stopped in a small huddle of people at the cross-walk and Kagome couldn't help a snort, seeing how others brandished umbrellas like they would do anything against this rain. Kagome used her free hand to adjust the trench coat over her hair—not that it really did much since the rain accosted her from every which direction—before gripping the fabric closed in front of her chest. Kagome's teeth chattered as she stared up at Inuyasha, protected-but-not-really beneath his coat. She was so cold she didn't think her lips could verbalize a proper late offer of thanks.

Her eyes raked over his rain-soaked hair and drenched apparel as something warm coated her stomach, surfacing alongside a shred of really hadn't needed to lend her his coat... The guy had to be freezing.

As Kagome continued to look up at him, she felt the warmth morph into a different sensation entirely. She felt it curl and drift from her belly, moving even more south. Her eyes consumed the glow of his halcyon skin—his shoulder, neck, and collarbone looked iridescent beneath the now see-through material of his white shirt.

Inuyasha clutched her fingers tighter anytime a blast of wind harassed them. Was he worried she'd drift away in the tempest? Kagome offered that thought a smile, looking down at their conjoined hands before returning to his face. Her eyes stopped to trace the curve of his wet mouth. Arousal warmed her with the sudden memory of how soft his mouth had been, how addicting his kisses were, how much she ached to feel his tongue between her lips.

It may have been the most harlequin romance desire she'd ever had, but something about kissing Inuyasha in the rain sounded really good right about now.

Inuyasha turned to look at her and Kagome fought a blush. She watched a raindrop trickle down the bridge of his nose.

"You doin' okay, Kagome?"

"Yeah," she managed to say around a knot in her throat. She willed her eyes not to follow a trail of raindrops down his neck.

Whadduya think he'd do if I were to lick away those dr—?

—No—nope! Not even a little bit, Kagome. Stop looking at him. I mean it—avert your eyes!

But he's so—

—Doesn't matter! Wow, I'm so doomed. And we're really going back to his home? Her mind laughed condescendingly at her. Bad decisions are so going to be made tonight.

He's not a client anymore. He hasn't been for like...two hours. What harm can there be indulging in a little demon male attention?

Because your post-Hojo heart is a fucking mess, unable to fathom that Inuyasha screams crippling heartache and regret.

She bristled at the thought.

Is it really my heart that wants anything to do with him? I'd say it's more my va—

Kagome scoffed aloud, interrupting that thought before she could finish it.

Inuyasha cast her a curious expression and she was quick to look away, clearing her throat.

You've never been the kind of girl who can separate love from sex. With the busted-up heart you're nursing, now is super not the time to experiment if you can keep Inuyasha on Team Sex Only.

Kagome sighed.

Fine—that was a fair point. As soon as they broke apart from that kiss, Kagome knew she was in all kinds of trouble.

Inuyasha was like a meal she wanted after having already consumed a multi-course dinner—a part of her wanted him because he just looked so good. He was a promise of something delicious, something she'd never tasted before. But a big part of her knew she would feel worse, allowing herself to indulge in him, like he also promised serious indigestion. There was no way she could indulge just a taste either. It was like that kiss—it only left her wanting more, and more was the last thing she needed.

The safe and smart thing would be to give herself time—time to heal, to digest—before engaging with Inuyasha any further. She owed it to herself to hit the pause button after Hojo. Only then—if there was any residual interest from Inuyasha, any leftover lust between them—would it be a better time to take him home.

If only she weren't heading back to his home right now.

Yeah...maybe that wasn't best idea when her willpower was already struggling.

Besides, acting on how badly she wanted him wasn't fair to him. Inuyasha deserved better than to be treated like a rebound—especially when he just emerged from his own respective dumping, learning to navigate his own post-breakup existence.

Her mind had the audacity to turn her focus back to his water-logged sexiness, and Kagome moistened her tongue. A rush of excitement swirled in her stomach as the sensible part of her brain scoffed loudly at her lust-addled whims.

It was such a good thing Inuyasha agreed earlier not to be her client anymore. With how intensely she felt desire in that moment, she would have trudged so headstrongly into her lust she would have put her job on the line. That's how undone he made her—being able to pay rent wasn't remotely a priority when she had the chance to feel his skin on hers.

A sound of irritation bubbled up from Inuyasha's throat and she turned to look at him. "Fuckin' idiots," Inuyasha groused, shaking his head.

"What's going on?" Kagome looked around the intersection. They were surrounded by people now, some gesticulating at vehicles as others dashed to cross the street with no rhyme or reason. Nothing felt organized about how cars or people passed through the intersection. Kagome gasped as someone narrowly avoided getting run over, a car horn piercing in its elongated cry. The near-miss accident seemed to create a standoff between cars and people. "Why is no one going?"

"Because people are scared to cross this busy of an intersection when most drivers forget how to use their goddamn brains as soon as weather happens." He squeezed her palm as vexation coursed through him. "Next time vehicles on our side go, we'll go too." He exhaled and his tone seemed to soften. "Staying warm enough in the meantime?"

Kagome snorted indelicately. "Not even a little bit," she laughed, wiping rain from her nose. Kagome adjusted her grip on his trench coat and offered him a smile. "But I'm sure I'd feel even worse without this—" She nodded her chin at his coat— "so thank you, Inuyasha. That was...sweet of you."

He nodded at her stiffly before clearing his throat. The focus of his golden irises returned to the intersection. Grumbling murmurs from the people around them started to escalate. Inuyasha pulled on her hand to follow him. He shouldered past a few people to get them closer to where the sidewalk met the road.

Kagome's lips curved as the beginnings of a witty and teasing comment came together—something that touched on chivalrously doffing his coat for her and a date-like gesture for something that wasn't a date—but she was forced from her mind as Inuyasha yanked on her arm. He all but dragged her across the street. A few people from their collected horde followed Inuyasha's lead and took to crossing the street with them.

Inuyasha's grip on her hand was the only warmth she felt as Inuyasha had them jogging across the multi-lane intersection. Kagome's entire body shivered as the rain picked up again—not that it ever fully stopped—resoaking her with the deluge. Water squished between her socked toes with each rushed step.

Finding themselves on the opposite sidewalk, Inuyasha's pace didn't slow; he took long, hurried steps that had Kagome doubling or sometimes tripling her own movements to keep her place at his side. Any time she started lagging behind, Inuyasha jerked on their connected hands, spurring her to skip to not fall behind.

Kagome had no right being as drenched and cold as she was for having just crossed a street.

"Good evening, Mr. Taisho. Welcome home, sir."

"Thanks." Inuyasha nodded at the employee who held open the large glass door for them.

Oh, we're here, Kagome thought, straining her neck to peer up at the many floors of the ritzy behemoth of a structure.

A small flurry of excitement teased in her throat with the discovery of Inuyasha's surname.

"Good evening to you too, miss."

"Hello," Kagome replied brightly, despite her cold and damp state. She offered the man a polite nod of her head as she passed him. Her countenance soured as Inuyasha practically tugged her into the vestibule.

He dropped her hand once the door closed behind them, finally shutting them off from the cruel elements. Kagome wrapped both arms around herself as she shivered. Somehow, her hand, without Inuyasha's warmth, felt like the coldest part of her body.

Kagome gawked wildly as she followed Inuyasha across the polished lobby floor. The magnificence of the mirrored and marbled space was captivating. She gaped at the high ceiling, grand leather sitting area, and delicate and opulent chandeliers. Her clacking heels, and the occasional squeal of Inuyasha's sole, echoed loudly around them. Kagome became self-conscious of how every part of her left puddles on the tile she crossed—given her current state, she felt woefully out of place in the grandeur of Inuyasha's lobby.

Inuyasha, however, seemed absolutely unfazed by their wet-rat-esque presentation, all but slapping the elevator button as he came to a stop. The bronze door opened and Inuyasha gestured Kagome inside, stepping in behind her.

The condominium featured thirty-two floors. Inuyasha pushed the button for thirty-one.

Kagome could have groaned at her reflection in the full-length mirror on the elevator's back wall. Her stomach fluttered taking in her bangs mangled across her forehead, streaking mascara, and clinging dress—once a pretty lavender that now seemed almost translucent beneath Inuyasha's coat. Kagome wanted to roll her eyes at how obviously erect her nipples were—like the cold had left them in a permanent state of aching hardness. She was freezing after all. She crossed her arms self-consciously across her chest.

Maybe Inuyasha hadn't been melodramatic earlier when he said her dress didn't necessarily hide any evidence of her pebbled nipples. If anything, the soggy clinginess made her breasts even more prominent than before, especially since her navy satin bra was visible beneath.

They were silent on the ascent to Inuyasha's place and Kagome continued to gawk around. She was keen to look anywhere but her own reflection. There was gentle jazz music playing in a speaker somewhere; otherwise, the only other sounds were their breaths and drips of water from their clothes to the floor.

Kagome's eyes turned to observe Inuyasha in the mirror, feeling slight relief he was looking at his feet instead of her. Kagome bit down on her lip as she gobbled the sexy allure of a wet Inuyasha in a dry space.

Having run his hands through his soaked hair, his tresses were deliciously mussed. He had pushed his bangs away from his forehead. The wet, matted tint to his usually luminous silver hair made the gold of his eyes stark and bright. His waist-length locks fell with a slight weave down his back. Since Inuyasha donated his trench coat, his white dress shirt had been thoroughly soaked, and looked borderline transparent in this light. The wet fabric clung to the lines of his muscles, emphasizing each pectoral and the rigid contours of his abdomen. Kagome saw the redness of his nipples—ostensibly erect from the cold, like hers—and the dark insinuation of a strip of body hair just below his naval, disappearing where his shirt tucked into his pants.

In that moment, Kagome felt amazed with herself for how many times she'd had her hands on him and managed to keep her shit together as well as she had. Her tests and the greasy-nipple-lube situation aside, Kagome could have done a whole lot worse at the sight of this man.

Shit, she wanted to do a whole lot more to this man.

Kagome inhaled deeply and held her breath until it burned. She wasn't just coming undone, she was unraveling to the state of friggin' dissolving in her desire.

Yes, that banana bread didn't necessarily count as dinner, but Kagome was now overwhelmed with hunger, and her starvation was not for food. The demon beside her looked downright rumpled and it was fucking erotic.

"I'll get some towels and dry clothes once we're in, Kagome."

She licked at her lips, trying to contain an appreciative moan behind her teeth. She didn't trust her voice not to betray her current state, so she nodded. That seemed the safest option to hide what the sight of Inuyasha was doing to her.

Kagome distracted herself by replaying his words in her head. Towels...dry clothes...towels...dry clothes...

The prospect of Inuyasha offering her clothes to wear made her stomach drop with nostalgic apprehension. Kagome was suddenly transported back to that argument with Hojo. The embarrassingly unpleasant memory shot a troublesome ache through her chest.

Her mind growled. Being alone with another man was so not the time to unpack some of the longstanding angst she harboured for her ex.

The elevator dinged and she followed Inuyasha to the end of the hall. There were very few doors on this floor, which suggested that each of the units were large. Kagome grimaced at the wet footprints she left in the lush patterned carpet of the hallway.

Inuyasha unlocked his door and held it open for Kagome, stepping across the foyer to give her full access to his private accommodations.

Kagome crossed the threshold, fighting her way through a shiver as her eyes devoured every bit of space presented of Inuyasha's home. It was a huge, open area—modern, all earth tones and dark colours, making the space feel cozy in its high-ceiling grandeur.

The foyer where they entered connected to a black and bronze kitchen that was punctuated with a large island in the middle. Kagome could see past the kitchen all the way through to a living room, which was dwarfed by an entire wall of uncovered windows. Beyond the kitchen island, Kagome could make out an inviting sectional alongside designer-looking tables. Her gaze kept getting drawn to the expanse of windows that overlooked the downtown core—not that Kagome could see downtown right now, past the darkness of the storm clouds and the wash of rain that pelted and covered the glass.

There was something awfully inviting about those windows. A scandalous and woefully hopeless part of Kagome's brain had the balls to think she'd really enjoy Inuyasha fucking her against them.

One part of Kagome felt indecently smug by the thought. The other part felt laughably foolish.

Clutching Inuyasha's coat closed across her chest, Kagome stepped further into the foyer so Inuyasha could close the door behind her.

She felt obsessed with looking around, like she could ascertain all of Inuyasha's secrets by the wooden coat hooks or the ornamental wall sconces. His apartment smelled fresh, like he had some kind of lemon, cedar, and bergamot candle or scent diffuser.

Inuyasha wrested his trench coat from Kagome's shoulders and the material made a slurping sound as it unstuck from her body. The unexpected sensation of his fingers on her shoulders made her jump a little. She snorted a laugh at herself, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, and uttered a quiet thanks. Kagome crossed her arms over her chest once again, whether to preserve her body heat or modesty, she wasn't sure. The newness of her exposed shoulders had her body erupting in gooseflesh from neck to toes.

Inuyasha tucked the trench coat in the nook of his arm. "Be right back," he said to her.

Kagome watched him disappear down one of the long hallways that sprung from either side of the foyer. She didn't trust her eyes on the captivating sight of Inuyasha's retreating rear, so she turned to look down the other hallway, noting a series of closed doors and an inviting looking taupe carpet.

Alone in his entryway, Kagome dropped her purse atop the leather bench then sat, unzipping her boots and removing her socks. Kagome then stood to literally peel her cardigan off of her waterlogged arms, pimpled with gooseflesh. The chill she felt had her nipples aching again. Kagome's fingertips felt frozen. She had to practically indent her lips with her teeth to avoid her jaw from chattering.

Kagome tucked her socks into her boots and then entered the kitchen, eager to wring out her cardigan in the sink—and maybe run her fingers under some hot water. Standing at his counter, twisting the fabric between her hands, she looked around. His kitchen was sparce, clean, and incredibly modern with expensive dark metal appliances. There was something sensual and moody about a kitchen this dark. She liked the bronze accents, the pendent and valence lights.

Kagome intended to leave her cardigan by the front door, with her other items, when she noticed the wet trail her sopping clothes had left along the floor. Kagome's cheeks flushed and she keenly sought out a dishtowel to clean up after herself. Inuyasha reappeared with an armful of lush cream-coloured bath sheets just as she lowered to her knees to wipe up the puddles she had made.

"Oh, don't worry about that, Kagome. I'll get to it."

"No, no, I got it."

Kagome looked up at him as she set about her task. The moment their eyes met, a flustering heat wiggled its way up her neck to tinge her ears. One half of Inuyasha's mouth quirked into a smile as he looked down at her, his eyes bouncing playfully between hers. Being on her knees in front of him, even as innocently as it had happened, made an earlier conversation of theirs come front of mind. She could only imagine the sight she made: smudged makeup, wide eyes, partially see-through dress featuring a dark bra and raging nipples... Kagome cleared her throat and rose quickly.

Inuyasha proudly wore a smirk as he offered her a towel, his gaze sweeping a brisk once-over of her body. Just like earlier, he seemed to have zero shame in how brazenly he eyeballed her breasts. Kagome tapered her eyes in a knowing half-smile, which somehow made his grin deepen. Her traitorous nipples puckered in their satin prison with the glimmer she saw in his eye.

She lowered her gaze from his. The visibility of his belly button drew her attention and she had to will her eyes away—the allure of his taut abdomen was doing things to her.

For fuck's sake—is there nowhere safe to look at this guy?

Kagome cleared her throat again. "Thank you," she said into the fabric. She hoped the lavish material could hide the part of her face that was blushing.

Inuyasha draped his own towel around his shoulders and began drying off his hair. He turned to rummage in a tall cupboard full of glass drinkware.

"What can I get you to drink, Kagome?"

Kagome's eyes were drawn to his ass and she quickly looked away. She needed to get her shit together or else this easily-blushing coyness was going to get her into significant trouble. Kagome distracted herself by taking stock of items on his counter. He had a fruit bowl—somehow that surprised Kagome.

"Do you happen to have wine?"

Kagome turned from the ashtonishing sight of bananas and pears to offer Inuyasha an appreciative yet small smile. She drew water from sections of her hair with the towel.

"I do happen to have wine. Red or white?"

She smirked. "Red, please."

Inuyasha opened a door that led to an impressive pantry and he stepped inside. "Chianti or Malbec?" he called from within.

Kagome grinned. "Chianti. That is, unless the Malbec happens to be Argentinian, then definitely that, please."

Inuyasha emerged from the pantry with an unopened bottle in his hand and he offered her a spirited expression. He fished her a wineglass from the cupboard—where he had previously removed a glass tumbler for himself—then removed the cork. Kagome happily accepted the squared stem glass filled with a gorgeous burgundy.

"She has a thing for Argentinian wine, does she?" He attentively watched Kagome take a deep inhalation of its aroma before she sipped.

This man really seems to enjoy his flirtatious third-person commentary...

"She does," Kagome replied, narrowing her eyes at him playfully. "You sound surprised by that."

Inuyasha lifted a single shoulder before he collected his glass tumbler to add ice cubes. She watched him pour a few fingers worth of whiskey from a bottle that looked expensive. He added a small amount of cola, swirled the glass, and then took a deep drink before teasing a smile at Kagome, the glass back on the counter.

It felt weirdly casual, the two of them drinking in his kitchen, soaked to the bone in their wet clothes with bath towels draped across their persons.

"Wouldn't've pegged you the wine-drinking type, Kagome. I dunno why."

She scrunched her nose at him. "Are you suggesting I don't look classy enough to have good taste in wine, Inuyasha?"

"Easy girl," he chuckled. "That's not what I meant."

Kagome scoffed. "I'll have you know, I went from vodka in my college days to wine as soon as I graduated. I was gifted a bottle of Argentinian Malbec and it's been love ever since. Italian Chianti is good too though." She offered him a thin-lipped smile before taking a sip from her glass.

Inuyasha swirled the contents of his tumbler. "And what was Young Kagome's drink of choice? Vodka-cranberries?"

"Why does that sound like a bad attempt at an insult?" She shot his smug grin a chastising scowl. "No, I was partial to vodka, soda, bar lime."

"Sounds like something a bar star would drink."

Kagome made a show of crossing her arms. "I had my bar girl phase—I'm not ashamed to admit it."

"See—now that I can believe," Inuyasha simpered. "Somehow the vodka soda suits you. The wine..." He made a face. "Wouldn't've been my pick for you."

"If you hadn't asked me what I wanted, what would you have offered?"

He stared across the expanse of kitchen, thinking, before volunteering, "A light beer of some kind, probably."

Kagome wrapped the towel around her shoulders and cast him a wary expression. "Did my beer belly insinuate a love of lager, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha snorted loudly, his eyes raking down her body with a fierce gleam as he said, "Yeah right—if you got one of those then that li'l dress of yours is very good at keepin' secrets."

She sneered, refusing to feel any allure to his words. "Alright, you got me—I'm really a tequila-straight-from-the-bottle kinda girl."

"Now, that's what I'd expect from a former party girl." He flaunted a cheeky half-grin, adjusting the towel over his shoulder. "I think I've got a bottle of Patron stashed here somewhere, if you're feeling tempted, Kagome."

"Wow," Kagome beamed, her tone teasing, "you really are a fancy boy, aren't you, Inuyasha? Pricey booze, spiffy apartment, and a Burberry trench coat to boot? I know Madame's caters to wealthy customers, but—"

"—Don't."

Kagome flinched at the intensity of his tone. The animosity behind the word had Kagome staring at him with a heavily knitted brow. "I—I'm sorry? I was just jok—"

A self-deprecating scoff stole her words. Then, seemingly more to himself, Inuyasha hissed, "—Why do women get so fuckin' bent out of shape over—?" He cut himself off with a tight exhale. He gripped the counter's edge as frustration raked through him. Inuyasha's eyes lowered and he reached for his drink, conclusively silencing himself with a penitent sip.

What the shit? Where did that come from?

Kagome's head tipped to the side as she surveyed his face, keen to understand the change in his mannerism. "Are you okay, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha had the same look to him now that he wore at the cafe when Kagome cracked a joke about where he lived. He definitely had some kind of sensitivity to people—women apparently?—commenting on how much money he had.

"Was it something I said? I—I didn't mean anything by it. You—" She paused, unsure what to say.

"What?" His neck snapped up to look at her.

"You—I dunno," she shrugged against the towel. "You don't seem like...you right now. You seem upset."

Inuyasha snorted and pushed off the counter, his tumbler clinking as it met the marble surface. "That's an interesting choice of words...since I didn't think we knew each other at all."

"Inuyasha..." Kagome frowned, feeling a little hurt over his words. She opened her mouth for a reprimanding comeback but he spoke first.

"You need to properly dry off, Kagome—you're shiverin' so goddamn hard you're gonna give yourself whiplash. Come on."

Inuyasha took off at a brisk pace before Kagome could even respond.

She left her wine on the counter and followed behind him, biting her lip and clenching her towel around her shoulders tighter.

"I'll see what I have that you can borrow," he said, not turning to look at her.

Inuyasha stopped in front of a hallway door then opened it, flicking on the light switch to reveal a bright bathroom. He turned to leave but paused with Kagome's call of a hesitant um. He pivoted to face her.

"Inuyasha. I... That's—um..." She licked her lips. Shit—how could she refuse his offer of clothing without encouraging questions? As soon as she declined, he was going to ask why—and she really didn't want to go into detail about why she didn't want to wear Inuyasha's clothes. "I don't—uh..."

She internally cursed Hojo, her heart beating in her throat.

Inuyasha's eyes rose to inspect her face. With a scrutinizing look, he asked, "What is this?"

Kagome looked up at him. "What is what?"

"This—" He motioned a hand at her vaguely. "Is there somethin' off-putting to you about wearin' my pajamas or somethin'?"

Kagome sucked her teeth and shifted on her feet. "Would you have a robe or housecoat or something I could borrow instead?" She bit down on her lip and Inuyasha watched the gesture with a predatory keenness.

He leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb and crossed his arms. "Why?"

"I'd feel more comfortable in a robe."

"Than pajamas or sweatpants?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Kagome growled and Inuyasha had to force a cough to avoid laughing at the cute sound. "Just...because. I'd really prefer to not wear your clothes if I can help it."

Inuyasha gave her an arch look. "So, you have no problem sucking face with me in public, but wearing my clothes is making you act all fuckin' weird? What gives, Kagome?"

She straightened her back and tightened her grip on the towel. She angled her chin with a defiant lift. "For reasons I would prefer not to get into, I would appreciate borrowing a robe over any clothing. Please."

Inuyasha clearly chose to ignore her polite request because he deigned to ask, "Does this have somethin' to do with that twit-of-an-ex of yours?"

Kagome's nose shriveled, a groan stuck in her throat. "I don't want to talk about him. Why won't you let this go, Inuyasha?"

"Because this is dumb," he answered curtly. "You're soaked to the bone and I'm offerin' you dry clothes—just fuckin' take them. If I won't give you a robe, what then? You'll sit and freeze your tits off in that dress?"

"If I have no other options available, then yes," she all but spat at him.

He snorted. "Like hell I'll let you anywhere near my furniture with that wet ass of yours."

It took all of Kagome's willpower not to growl at him again. "Then I guess I'll just hang out in your bathroom until the rain dies down. I certainly wouldn't want to impose anymore than I already have."

Inuyasha clicked his tongue with exasperation. He turned away from her abruptly with a heavy snort, surprising her. Kagome watched him disappear behind another door.

Feeling awkward, alone in his hall, sporting a large bath sheet and a heavily beating heart, Kagome chose to step into the bathroom. She intentionally left the door open to the hall.

Kagome strained her neck as she looked around. God, his bathroom was decadent. All marble and porcelain and shiny. The giant shower in the corner was glass and black stone, a heavy contrast to the rest of the beige and white space. It was attention-seeking, which was probably the point.

Realizing she was standing in a space that Inuyasha frequented, and likely spent a good amount of time in naked, she blushed. Kagome faced her reflection in the mirror and choked a laugh at herself, both for her reaction and how ridiculous her makeup looked. She snatched up a facial tissue and rubbed at the black streaks under her eyes.

Without knocking or hesitating at all, Inuyasha stepped into the bathroom. Kagome looked at him over her shoulder, noticing that his towel was gone and he held a black t-shirt and checkered pajama pants in his grip, which he extended out to Kagome. Her gaze dropped to inspect the clothing in his hand. Then, her eyes rose to Inuyasha's and she lifted an unimpressed eyebrow at him.

When Kagome didn't reach for them, Inuyasha placed the clothes on the counter next to her.

"Listen," he said in a tone softer than that he used before. "If you're feeling weird at all about wearin' a stranger's clothes, it's fine. Seriously—I-I don't mind, Kagome. You don't gotta be embarrassed or—"

"—No, it's not that," she interjected, turning her eyes away from the clothes. "I don't consider you a stranger, Inuyasha, and I appreciate the gesture. I do. It's just..." She took a shaky breath, her mind cursing Hojo for making this situation with Inuyasha a thing in the first place.

"Then why?"

Goddammit—why did his tone have to be so guttural and gentle? She was gonna tell him, wasn't she?

"I just don't—"

"—Take the pajamas, Kagome."

"You can't make me," she sparred.

"You're fuckin' freezing—I can see you shaking! Just put on the damn dry clothes!"

"I said no, Inuyasha!"

"Why the fuck are you arguing with me about this?"

"Because I don't want to ruin them, alright?"

She hadn't meant to yell that at him. But there it was—the truth was out there and Kagome was mortified by it.

Screw you, Inuyasha. No, actually, fuck you, Hojo! The fact that we almost broke up over pajamas is so fucking stupid...and now I have to explain the whole thing to Inuyasha... Ugh! Just shoot me now...

She didn't know what Inuyasha's face meant so Kagome burrowed herself in her towel up to her nose.

"Ruin them? How—how the hell would you ruin them just by—?"

Kagome groaned so loudly it stole Inuyasha's words.

He approached her like he would a cornered, dangerous animal. Slowly. Hesitant. "What happened, Kagome? It was your ex, wasn't it? You can...You can talk to me, y'know."

Her cheeks lit up and her gaze fell to the ceramic floor. "I know. It's just—it's embarrassing," she mumbled, sinking her face further into the towel.

"You don't need to feel embarrassed with me."

She answered by chewing the inside of her cheek.

"What did he do?" He obviously meant Hojo.

Kagome sighed, turning to lean the small of her back against the counter. "Okay, I'll tell you—but please know I feel ridiculous talking about this. You gotta promise you won't tease me."

He almost looked offended that she'd think he would do such a thing, but he nodded anyway.

Kagome sighed again. "I showed up at Hojo's one night when I was supposed to be out of town. I had been away for a girlfriend's bachelorette and decided to come home sooner—I thought it would be fun to surprise him. So, I let myself into his place while he was still at work, and created a mood—music, drinks, ambient lighting—" She chuffed a laugh— "and decided to put on a pair of his pajamas, his favourite ones that he always wore." Kagome snorted at the memory, seemingly flustered as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I mean, yeah, the PJs were a little snug on me but I thought he'd find it—" She paused to tongue the corner of her mouth— "sexy or something—I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I thought he'd come home, see me on his couch, in his clothes, and he'd just be so happy with the surprise, seeing everything that was his, that he loved, in one place."

Kagome didn't continue right away, so Inuyasha leaned a hip against the counter and crossed his arms. The gesture brought their bodies closer, his elbow near enough to graze the side of her arm.

"So, what happened when he got home?"

Kagome blew out a sarcastic, self-deprecating breath. "He saw what I was wearing and lost his shit." She snorted. "It was honestly the worst fight we'd ever had. He almost broke up with me then because of how mad he was."

Inuyasha's brows knitted tightly. "What the f—?"

"—See, Hojo and I are basically the same size," she explained. "But my hips are wider than his and he obviously doesn't have boobs." She sucked her teeth and adjusted her grip on the towel. "Oh—a key detail I missed? The pajamas were a gift from his grandpa who had died, so they had sentimental value to Hojo. So, yeah, he came in, saw me wearing those stupid pajamas, and threw a fit because my body was going to stretch them. I—" She paused, shaking her head as she loosed a disingenuous laugh— "ripped his stupid clothes off, not caring that it basically left me naked while we argued, and as soon as he picked them up, he made a show of throwing them away, claiming I ruined them—his words." Then under her breath she added, "And the bastard didn't even throw them away after—he was just being a drama queen."

Inuyasha held a breath as he watched angry tears line her lashes.

"Shit, I've never actually talked about this with anyone before—hearing it out loud makes it sound so much dumber!" Kagome took a deep inhale, laughing again like that was the only thing she could do in response to how she felt.

"It didn't matter that I had come home early, that I wanted to surprise him. He didn't fucking care—all he cared about were those stupid pajamas! Saying I stretched them beyond repair. Apparently, the gift would never fit the same again—he wouldn't be able to look at them and think of his grandpa anymore; he'd look at them and think of my breasts—"

"Which is a problem, how?" Inuyasha snorted, as if mumbling to himself.

"—Then he basically threw me out of his apartment as soon as I changed." Kagome withheld an angry breath that sounded like she was holding back a sob.

Kagome let her head hang back, staring at the ceiling as she bitterly wiped away some wetness from her eyes. "He apologized for overreacting eventually. But the jerk always found a way to remind me of it—little remarks made in passing when I'd go to put on one of his sweaters, or he'd make jabs when he wore those stupid PJs after we made up after."

Kagome ran a hand down her face with a cathartic exhale. "Now I can't think about wearing another guy's clothes without that fun little memory coming back from the dead to haunt me. So...yeah." Kagome threw her arms out to the sides, the towel slumping to the countertop in a large puddle. The sudden loss of warmth had newfound goosebumps shooting down her arms and rushing to her breasts, pebbling her nipples once more. Kagome crossed her arms across her chest, feeling vulnerable in the silence.

Inuyasha just stared at her with a befuddled expression etched into his features.

Kagome exhaled a self-deprecating laugh at his continued silence. "I'm a little surprised. No witty remarks, Inuyasha?" She stubbornly met his eye, expecting to see ridicule or incredulity there.

Her eyes widened to see that he looked...angry.

"Why is it that, the more I hear about this ex of yours, the more I'm fuckin' glad he's your ex? Like, what sort of fuckin' imbecile gets that bent out of shape over somethin' as stupid as that?"

Kagome flinched at his words.

Inuyasha combed fingers through his hair, pushing his bangs back from his forehead with an emphatic sigh. "Kikyou traveled for work, and in the nine years we were together, she never invited me along, let alone left early to surprise me—I don't think that kinda thing would've ever occurred to her—I guess she's wired differently than you or somethin'."

Kagome felt glued to his words. It was the most information he'd shared about his ex.

He clicked his tongue. "I would've been fuckin' ecstatic if she ever did for me what you wanted to do for Shit-for-Brains. The fact that you showed up and all he cared about was his pajamas is just—"

"—I mean, I get why he was upset," Kagome interrupted. "I did stretch them. It's a fact—you could see the stretchmarks across the chest, and they meant something to Hojo—"

"—Yeah, well, his girlfriend shoulda meant something to him too, Kagome. You do not have to stand up for that prick. Besides, even if you did stretch the material—so-fucking-what? They're pajamas." He exhaled loudly and ran another hand through his semi-dry hair. "I can't believe there are idiots like him out there making women like you—" Inuyasha's words trailed off as he dropped his hands to clap against his thighs. "Please tell me this shit hasn't made you self-conscious about your br—?"

"—No," Kagome answered quickly, shaking her head. How did the topic of conversation always find a way to come back to her breasts? "I meant what I said earlier—they're my best assets," she added with a breathy, half-hearted chuckle. "Any self-consciousness that's coming from this experience is purely related to feeling insecure in men's clothes."

Inuyasha's eyes skimmed the countertop back and forth, looking deep in thought. Kagome smiled gently at him—she couldn't understand why he was so agitated by this.

"It pisses me off that you worried about this with me, Kagome. You're cold—" He turned away from her, a flush creeping up his neck. "You should already be in dry clothes. If you're refusing to wear my shit 'cause you're worried about stretching it out, it's a moot fuckin' worry, alright? I'm sure you've figured it out by now but I'm bigger than you."

Kagome gripped the towel to hold it in front of her face, hoping it would hide her from view. Her mortification sat heavily in her gut. "God, this is embarrassing," Kagome whispered, closing her eyes for just a second. "I can't believe we're arguing right now about an argument I had over pajamas."

When Inuyasha didn't respond right away, she opened her eyes to see him staring intently at her. The severity of his narrowed golden irises was quite effective at pinning her to the spot. "You shouldn't be embarrassed," he sighed hotly. "And you and me aren't arguing, Kagome. I'm just...fuckin' dumbfounded on your behalf."

She laughed at that. "Well, your concern and sympathy are appreciated, Inuyasha."

He leveled her a strict look. "Can you just put this bullshit behind you and put those on? Please? Before you catch a cold or somethin' and your family comes after me for damages?"

Kagome wheezed a chuckle through her nose. She watched him pick up the garments and offer them to her again. Kagome stared at the outstretched articles for a few heartbeats before she released an acquiescing sigh.

Their fingers brushed as she accepted the clothes from his hand.

"Thanks, Inuyasha," she mumbled, her cheeks warm. "I'm sorry for—"

"—Don't," he answered. He had left the restroom and turned to face her from the hallway. "People who matter to us leave marks in the weirdest fuckin' ways. You don't have to apologize or feel bad about that. Just be glad he's out of your life, and don't give that asswipe a second more of your regrets so you can move on to better things. Because you deserve better than that prick, Kagome."

Kagome blinked at Inuyasha and angled her eyes away from his, a new type of blush coating her cheeks. Her head was ringing with the kindnesses he just spoke.

He smiled at the sight of her flushed cheeks. "I'm gonna go change and I'll see you in a few, alright?"

"Is that sage advice you're practicing, Inuyasha, now that you're single?" The words propelled from her lips before she knew any better.

Inuyasha's brows furrowed, like he didn't understand what she meant.

"Is that how you feel? That you're glad Kikyou's in your past so you can move on to better things?"

The corner of his mouth curled. "I'd like to think I also deserve better than my asshole of an ex. So yeah, Kagome, I am glad to be done with her. And as far as better things go, isn't there some bullshit adage about doors closing and windows opening?" He shot her a sideways grin. "Maybe the universe had some crap reason for dumping my ass on your table, of all places, the day Kikyou ended things."

His words made Kagome viscerally fluster, which elicited from Inuyasha an incandescent smile. It lit up the golden hue of his eyes like starlight, brandished his teeth, and exaggerated his laugh lines.

If Kagome had yet to romantically swoon for Inuyasha, that smile just did it.

She would do anything to be on the receiving end of a smile like that again.

Without a word more between them, Inuyasha closed the door for her, and Kagome was left feeling stupefied and speechless.

She gripped his pajamas in her fists, smiling down at them. She brought them to her face and rested her chin in the garments, closing her eyes as she breathed in—they radiated every comfort that was Inuyasha. It was ridiculous how happy she felt over a polyester-cotton blend, but there she was, grinning like a fool to the point her cheeks ached.

Why would he say something that to her? Oh man—her poor, stupid heart was having a field day over his words.

What was that whole thing with him just now? Inuyasha had been so sweet, so kind, so defensive of her. And that exiting commentary? Sure, it had his typical cocksure tone about it. But, did he literally just imply that he could see himself moving on from Kikyou with Kagome?

That is what he meant right?

But that was a joke. He was joking. He was just teasing her.

It was a rebound reference. A sex thing. That's all it could be.

I mean, it's only been a month since the guy's been out of a relationship that lasted almost a friggin' decade... He couldn't possibly want—

"—Unless he's a serial monogamist?"

He couldn't possibly want more from Kagome, could he? Not after they both just got out of serious long-term relationships?

Okay, seriously, why was her heart leaping with glee?

Kagome gripped the counter with both hands, the towel dropping heavily to her feet. Her eyes roved her reflection as her thoughts spun her into dizzy circles.

Whatever funk Hojo and his memory had put her in, the whole bathroom conversation with Inuyasha had blown that funk to smithereens.

Kagome needed to know where that comment came from. What Inuyasha meant by it. And she needed to know like...yesterday.

With a quickness in her actions, Kagome washed her face, ran her fingers through her hair, finished rubbing the flaked mascara from around her eyes, and then shimmied out of her wet dress to don Inuyasha's pajamas.

Seeing how loosely the garments hung off her body, Kagome couldn't help but laugh loudly at her reflection. Inuyasha had been outrageously correct—Kagome wasn't going to stretch anything. The shirt was so large it kept falling off her shoulder, even after she kept tugging it back into place. Just to keep the bottoms on, Kagome had to tie a tight bow around her waist. She even rolled the pant hems up a few inches, just for good measure.

Kagome draped her dress over the shower door so it could dry and then she gathered the towel in her arms. Leaving the bathroom, her heart pounded with an eagerness to meet up with Inuyasha.

Back in the kitchen, Kagome took a swig from her wine, then folded up Inuyasha's towel on the island. She tapped her nails against the marble counter before taking another greedy mouthful. An alcohol-induced warmth sang from her stomach, and Kagome finally felt the last of her embarrassment from their conversation leave her shoulders.

Her stomach growled with a hunger pang and Kagome pulled her phone from her purse, keen to browse food delivery options. She needed to eat something more substantial than banana bread. She also needed to pay Inuyasha back for the cafe treats.

Kagome turned at the sound of Inuyasha's footfalls in the hallway. He emerged in grey sweatpants and a tight black t-shirt, and Kagome felt her lips melt into a bright smile at him. Once again, she felt knocked off guard by how casual this all felt—being in his kitchen in his clothes. Kagome's eyes dipped to appreciate the charm of Inuyasha in sweatpants. It so was informal and intimately attractive.

In typical Inuyasha fashion, as soon as she was within sight, his eyes completed a head-to-toe assessment of her. Kagome played along with his staring by positioning her body in a way that said ta-da! which elicited a canine-peeking smirk from him

"I'm sorry to tell you this Kagome—because you clearly liked the guy at one point—but your ex is the most idiotic fuck I've ever not met."

Kagome laughed and clutched her wineglass in both hands, leaning against the kitchen island, her phone discarded behind her.

"And I mean that, because you look real good in men's pajamas."

"I think you're just saying that 'cause you like the look of me in your pajamas."

Oof, girl—where did that flirty little comment come from?

It's 100% his fault for saying super sweet things that went and messed with my head.

"Damn straight, I do," he said with a hint of a growl in his voice.

Kagome's tongue snaked out of her mouth to lick at her bottom lip as arousal poked her heart.

"Ask any guy and most will agree that a woman wearing their shit is the sexiest thing in the goddamn universe. Like, it's better than lingerie, in my opinion." He snorted and stepped around her to grab for his whiskey and cola, taking a long swig. He surfaced from his drink shaking his head. "Like, I'm still just fuckin' confused..."

Kagome laughed again but this time it was brighter, more melodic, and it had Inuyasha smiling at her. "Yes, your point has well been made, Inuyasha," she chided around a giggle. "And thank you—if it weren't for you, I may never have worn guy's clothes again, which would've be a travesty—this little ensemble of yours is comfy as hell."

Inuyasha laughed a deep, warm rumble in his chest then motioned with his head for her to follow him into the living room. He reclined onto the sectional and laid an arm across the back, an ankle resting on his knee.

Kagome grabbed her phone and followed suit.

Inuyasha gave the device a once-over as Kagome sat a few cushions over from him, crossing her legs across the soft fabric and bringing her wineglass to her lips. She wanted to laugh at how small of a space the two of them took up—the sectional was monstrous; it could easily sit ten people.

"You've already offered up your place, your clothes, and your alcohol to me. The least I can do is secure us something to eat. I was thinking Thai or pizza. What do you think? Or, wait—do you even eat pizza?"

Inuyasha had been inspecting the hail against the windows but snapped his neck in her direction. He quirked a long, dark brow at her. "That's a weird fuckin' question," he laughed. "Of course, I eat pizza. Why would you think otherwise?"

Kagome smirked at him. "Your washboard abs kinda imply you don't indulge in tons of fatty, carby, or greasy-as-sin foods."

Inuyasha's head tipped back with a boisterous laugh. There was definitely some showboating in the look on his face. "It's just calories-in-calories-out and a dedicated exercise rotation. I don't discriminate towards what I eat."

"Good to know," she chuckled. "So, pizza, then?"

"Sure. I'll eat anything, so get what you want and just expect I'll likely eat half or more."

Kagome laughed and navigated to her favourite Italian restaurant, pulling up her usual order—pepperoni and bacon pizza, cheesy bread, and house signature salad. Her credit card details were already saved, but she added Inuyasha's address—once he provided it—and then submitted the order. Kagome was fascinated to learn the Night Guard downstairs would bring the food up once it arrived.

Kagome snuggled herself into the plush sectional back, her wineglass cupped between her hands, and she offered Inuyasha a contented smile. Somehow everything was always instantly better once pizza was on the way.

"Hey—since I shared a fun little memory about Hojo with you, would you mind if I asked you something about Kikyou?"

Inuyasha leveled a sour look at her. "Why? You wanna ruin our evening by only talking about our exes?"

Kagome snorted at his words. "A fact for a fact seems fair, doesn't it?"

Inuyasha drew puckered lips to the side as he thought it over. "Fine—but then we move on from exes, got it?"

"Absolutely."

Inuyasha sucked his teeth then brought his tumbler to his lips. "Whadduya wanna know?"

"Why did the two of you breakup?"

Inuyasha stiffened with her question, but then took a sip of his drink and the alcohol seemed to soften his rough edges. "That's...a big question."

"Is it? Why?"

"Because it requires a long answer that I don't really wanna get into."

"Then give me the abridged version."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at her that Kagome returned with a thin, sarcastic smirk. He chewed the inside of his cheek for a second while he thought about his response. Then he shrugged and said, "She had a taste for expensive things. I always suspected she was just with me for my money, so I called her on it, and she didn't like that."

Kagome knitted her brow in confusion. "So...she broke up with you over that?"

Inuyasha sighed deeply, his chest and shoulders expanding with the breath before he released it. "No, she broke up with me because she wanted to get married and I didn't. She'd never brought it up before—marriage. I think she only wanted it after becoming Rin's bridesmaid, like she saw all the nice shit the Taisho family could afford for Rin's wedding, and Kikyou wanted that for herself." Inuyasha brushed his bangs away from his face with the back of his hand. "She asked me if I'd ever thought about marrying her and I was honest—I said no. Well, first I told her I'd never consider marriage without a pre-nup—which she got all kinds of pissed about—and then I said I couldn't marry someone like her—someone who got more hung up on the pre-nup than showed interest in marrying me."

"Oh." Kagome leaned back into the couch cushion and nursed her wine.

"And then she broke up with me."

"Oh," Kagome repeated.

"Yeah," Inuyasha nodded.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha. That's...shit."

"Yeah, it is."

Kagome bit her lip, her eyes surveying the sloshing red wine in her glass. "You deserve better than that—especially after nine years."

"Thanks."

There was a silence between them that went on long enough for both of them to finish their drinks.

Eventually cluing in to her empty wineglass, Inuyasha stood and motioned for Kagome to pass him her glass. Kagome cast him an appreciative smile but kept her glass, choosing to stand and follow him into the kitchen. She leaned across the kitchen counter, her chin in her palm, as she watched Inuyasha refill their beverages.

Something had been nagging at the back of Kagome's mind since Inuyasha's admission. It finally just dawned on her what it was.

"I made a few comments tonight, Inuyasha, where I teased you about your financial status, and it's obvious to me now why those comments made you uncomfortable. I'd like to apologize for that."

Inuyasha stopped what he was doing to turn and face her. "You couldn't have known about what went down with Kikyou, that—"

"—No, I know," she interrupted, biting down on her lips. "But it doesn't make me feel better knowing that I upset you with ignorance rather than negligence."

Inuyasha sighed and turned back to his glass tumbler and opened can of cola. "Not necessary, but—thanks."

Kagome smiled and tucked her hands behind her back, palming the island counter as she leaned back into her wrists. "I think my word choice earlier was spiffy, but you do have a lovely home, Inuyasha."

"Thanks," he said again.

He extended her a full wineglass and Kagome happily accepted it.

His own drink refilled, Inuyasha spun on his heel to face a black box with multiple knobs that sat flush in the wall near his panel of light switches. He pushed some buttons and spun a few dials, and then an instrumental melancholic guitar melody lit up the space around them. It was quite the sound system—Kagome could hear the same music playing in the kitchen and living room. She leaned towards the hallway and heard it coming from that part of the condo as well.

"Mm, blues," she nodded. "Nice choice."

"You sound surprised."

"Only a little." She smiled coyly. "Was I expecting heavy metal or some type of dubstep? Maybe."

"You think that little of me, huh?"

Kagome giggled. "Alright, fine. You seem like a classy-ish guy, after all—I'll upgrade you to symphonic metal and downtempo EDM."

"That's better, thank you."

Kagome giggled again. Taking a large swallow of wine, her eyes temporarily focused on the storm outside. She marveled at a bolt of lightening that lit up the sky, highlighting the furniture in the living room across the way. Kagome couldn't believe it was still going out there.

She felt Inuyasha's eyes on her so she turned back to face him, offering him a small upturn of her lips as she leaned against the counter. "I feel like my Inuyasha Bingo card is starting to fill up in some places," Kagome volunteered with a laugh. Her chuckle became louder at the unimpressed yet amused expression with which he responded.

Inuyasha crossed his arms above his chest and leaned against the counter, an ankle tucked over the other. "I'm glad my not being a client anymore amuses you so much."

Kagome shrugged. "I mean—I suppose I could be interviewing you more formally. You know, get my money's worth of information outta you."

Inuyasha snorted at that. "I didn't realize I brought you home for an interview."

"I didn't realize you brought me home."

Inuyasha's cheeks flushed a little at her words and Kagome felt a victorious swirl of warmth in her stomach.

She smiled against the lip of her wineglass. "Would it bother you if I asked you some questions, Inuyasha?"

"No, I figured you'd be all over me by now."

"All over you with questions," she clarified.

Inuyasha merely smirked at her then took a sip of his whiskey. "Go ahead with your questions, Kagome."

"I'll start easy, I promise."

"Oh boy, she has hard questions planned—I can hardly wait."

Kagome sneered at him then took a quick gulp of wine and leaned her hip against the counter, facing him directly. "What do you do for work?"

"I'm a trader."

"Like...a merchant?" Kagome's head fell to the side.

Inuyasha laughed at her and it made her cheeks pinken. "No, not a merchant. I'm an equities trader, a stockbroker."

"Oh," she laughed, making an obviously face at herself. "Right, duh, yeah—that makes much more sense. What got you into that line of work? Did six year-old Inuyasha dream of trading stock for the big, wide market?"

He made an unimpressed face at her that issued a bright laugh. "Sesshoumaru got me into it. Our dad was in investments and he wanted both of us to secure a career in finance. Sesshoumaru went the bank route; I went with stocks." Inuyasha took an eager sip then licked his lips. "Why'd you get into massage therapy?"

"I'm not a desk-work kinda person," she answered, running her fingers across the dark marbled counter. "I liked the idea of helping people; I'm pretty social; and I liked being in healthcare without shiftwork like nursing."

"That's...practical of you."

"Thanks?" she laughed. "I thought I wanted to be a Physical Therapist at first but ended up changing gears a bit and pursued my RMT license. It's—" She paused and Inuyasha tilted his head at her in such a way as to encourage her to go on— "It's an intimate way of helping someone professionally. I'm the kind of person where if I have a shit day, a hug will always make it better. Touch is just so powerful, you know? It's healing and comforting. Sometimes touch can transcend words. I see clients come to me in all sorts of states who are in a better place after their service with me, whether that's physically, emotionally... I dunno—something about that just does it for me. I can't imagine myself doing anything else now."

"Only you, Kagome, could take a career where someone could easily say, I touch people for a living, and turn it into that sorta romanticized fluff." His words were sneering but he wore an endeared curve at the end of his lips.

"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you," she beamed cheekily.

Kagome leaned across the counter again, hinged at the hips, her cheeks resting in her palms. She studied Inuyasha while he finished the last of his whiskey and set about making himself another.

"Would I scare you away if I was brutally honest about something?"

Inuyasha paused to look at her, whiskey bottle in hand. "Where would I go? I'm already home."

Kagome rose to her hands, groaning loudly to emphasis how unfunny she found him. Inuyasha chuckled through his nose and continued making his drink.

"Go for it, Kagome. I doubt there's much that could scare me off these days."

Kagome chuffed a laugh and rolled her ankle in circles while she got lost in a guitar riff that was beautifully haunting. She cleared her throat, feeling Inuyasha's eyes on her again. She quickly sipped at her wine to wet her tongue.

"The honesty in question? You're not at all what I was expecting."

Inuyasha fully stopped what he was doing, hands empty, and turned to face her. Kagome found herself drawn to tracing the curves of his biceps.

"What do you mean?"

Kagome shrugged. "When you first came into Madame's for Sesshoumaru's bachelor party, I thought I knew exactly your type. You and your friend were these pig-headed, lecherous guys who openly talked about strippers, and, I dunno, you just seemed so Boys' Club."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at her and Kagome laughed.

"But then you chased me out into the parking lot, half-naked," she added with a giggle, "all because you wanted to apologize for saying something you didn't mean in the heat of the moment. It changed how I saw you."

"Okay?"

"You've just...been full of surprises this whole time." Kagome stood upright and hugged her arms to herself. Why was she blushing? "I don't know what I was expecting tonight, but you've gone and surprised me again—which isn't a bad thing at all. Would you believe I started the night feeling nervous to see you?"

"Why would you be nervous?" Inuyasha felt captivated by how smoothly her honesty flowed from her lips.

Kagome shrugged again, as if she didn't know. It was more a comforting reaction than an answer. "You started the night as my client. I shouldn't have been meeting up with you in the first place. I could've gotten into trouble at work for it."

"So, why did you agree to meet up with me, then?"

"I... I dunno." She shrugged again and looked down at her hands as her fingers tapped the counter along to the music.

The look Inuyasha leveled her made Kagome bite her lip out of discomfort. He went back to finishing his drink as nothing but delta blues occupied the space that had previously been full of their voices.

Kagome chewed her cheek then sighed hotly. An irritation started nagging at her—she blamed the wine. "You know what drives me crazy? That our society normalizes skirting around the truth. Why do we do that? Why is it our impulse to hide our true feelings under the guise of decency or modesty? Like yeah, the truth can be ugly, or can make one feel vulnerable, but isn't honesty supposed to be liberating? It feels good to tell the truth, doesn't it?"

Inuyasha faced her with his refurbished drink in hand. He cast her a scrupulous expression. "Where is this coming from?"

Kagome exhaled heavily and took a large sip of wine—like, a glass-emptying sip of wine. Inuyasha didn't waste any time scooping up the bottle and fixing that for her.

"You wanted to know why I agreed to meet with you. I said I didn't know. That was a lie—I do know. I was just—I dunno—embarrassed, I guess, to admit it to you."

"I won't lie, Kagome," Inuyasha said with a gravelly huff—it was a pleasant rumble in his throat that made Kagome fixate on the hollow of his neck. "It's kinda refreshing talkin' with someone who's willing to be so open about what they're thinking. You're right—it's not common. I don't know why that is."

"Right? I like the thought of that—the opportunity to get to know you with as little bullshit as possible."

Inuyasha chuckled. "You lookin' for me to air out the skeletons in my closet as a way of getting to know me, Kagome?"

"Not necessarily," she teased with a pleasant smile.

"I'll tell you what," Inuyasha sniffed, crossing his arms again. "You answer my earlier question—honestly—of why you agreed to come out with me tonight, and I'll share an ugly truth with you, if you like."

"They don't have to be ugly, your truths," she answered, a heat rising up her throat with the intensity of his gaze. "I just don't want you to censor yourself with me. If you can agree to that, I can, too."

"Let's go sit." Inuyasha motioned with his head to the living room.

Kagome followed him to the sectional, taking a seat closer to him than how they had situated themselves earlier. She tapped her fingernail against the bowl of her wineglass, a restlessness taking up residence in her chest. Kagome didn't know how she landed them in this Truth Bargain—a truth for a truth. Part of her was excited by the premise of what she'd learn about Inuyasha this way.

The other part of her was terrified for just how much she'd share with Inuyasha.

Inuyasha sighed as he made himself comfortable against the arm of the couch. "Alright, Kagome. You want one of my truths? Let's start with yours. Why did you say yes to coming out tonight?"

Kagome bit down on her lower lip, her bravery waning. "You fascinate me," she answered, averting her eyes from his gaze. "You were my client for four weeks in a row—three of which you booked with me directly—and after how our last appointment went, I didn't think I would see you again. The fact that you called my work to ask me out for coffee was just...unexpected. You're the first client—well, ex-client now, I guess—I've encountered who made me want to break the rules. That's not like me."

"I make you want to break the rules?"

Kagome's flush was substantial, scoring her cheeks with a searing pink that made Inuyasha chuckle. She needed to turn his spotlight eyes off of her for a moment in order to catch her breath.

"Tell me a truth about yourself, Inuyasha. If you want, after your truth, I can share something else. We can make a game of it, if you wanna think of it that way. A truth for a truth."

"My interest is piqued," he nodded, a canine-poking grin rising from the corners of his mouth. "What would you like to know?"

"I don't even know what to ask. Why don't you just tell me anything you want? Like something you desire, or a worry, or something you don't think you'd be so directly honest about with anyone normally."

And this was how the two of them chose to spend the remainder of their time before the pizza arrived. They spoke their truths in a quick-fire series of sentences, sharing details about themselves back and forth like a turn-based RPG.

"Kikyou's created this dumbass fear in me that I'll never find a mate who wants to be with me for me and not just for my money."

"I hate that I gave Hojo the best years of my youth, only for him to have squandered them—I feel like I'm entering my thirties as a bitter old maid."

"I wouldn't be where I'm at today without my brother's help; he got me this place, my job. I appreciate his help but I also despise the bastard for it."

"I wish I had more friends—my closest girlfriend is a work colleague and that feels a little sad to me sometimes."

"I couldn't be bothered to cook for myself, now that it's just me—I honestly don't think I've used my oven since Kikyou left. Most days it's easier just to eat ramen or some shit like that."

"Ugh—the prospect of dating again seems so overwhelming. I have negative interest in going on hundreds of first dates just to find someone I can tolerate."

"See? I don't mind first dates. Honestly, I kinda like the prospect of untethered bachelor sex but I find most women insufferable."

"When's the last time you had sex?"

"Uh—last week sometime?"

"Oh."

"You?"

"Uh...it was with Hojo—so...five-ish weeks ago?"

"Over a month? Jesus, Kagome. That's way too fuckin' long for a chick as pretty as you to go without sex—that should be illegal. You can't go out and find some guy to bring home for the night?"

"Pfft—why am I not surprised you would not only bring up one night stands, but you'd actually encourage them?" Kagome snorted under her breath. She tossed her head back to drain the rest of her wine from the glass.

Inuyasha pointed a judgmental finger at her. "Hey—that's not a truth. Try again, Kagome."

She made a face at him, fingering her empty wineglass. "Fine—my sex life is depressing. You think I haven't been kissed properly? Well, I don't think I've been fucked properly. How's that for a truth?"

Then Inuyasha had to go and say the biggest, most significant truth of the night.

"I've wanted to fuck you since I first met you."

Kagome froze. Well, first she almost dropped the wineglass on the floor—thank goodness it was already empty—and then she froze.

She couldn't have heard him right. Their truths were rapid firing. She had barely finished speaking before Inuyasha launched his truth into the world. Kagome's face was hot, like hot hot. She blinked at him furiously, incredulous by how chill he looked after dropping a bomb on her like that.

"Wh—what? Don't joke about things like that, Inuyasha." Dammit, she sounded flustered.

I am flustered! He just admitted to wanting to have sex with me!

Inuyasha crossed his ankle on his knee and bounced his foot. Kagome had ended up on the cushion beside his. The way he had his arm resting along the back of the couch, his arm curled around her shoulder. Kagome felt very self-conscious of how close his fingers were to her. She was suddenly so aware of Inuyasha's clothes on her body. He wore a teasing smile, his eyes darting back and forth between hers with a covetous interest. He looked avaricious in a too casual way.

"Why do you assume I'm joking? I'm not, Kagome. You wanted brutal honesty? There you go."

"O-Oh, I see." She couldn't focus beyond her lap, beyond her wineglass, beyond her fingernails.

Good grief—how long does it to deliver a friggin' pizza?

Kagome felt like she was burning.

Inuyasha wanted to fuck her?

Inuyasha wanted to fuck her!

"Where's your truth, Kagome?"

"Holy—give me a minute, Inuyasha. I'm still kinda reeling from your last one."

He smirked. God, it was the smuggest, most wolfish one she's seen to date. Of course, he's feeling cocky about his last truth. Why wouldn't he?

"You are, huh? How does my truth make you feel?" She could hear the ribbing smile in his words.

Kagome licked her lips, desperate to get her heartrate under control. "It's...fine." She shrugged, feigning indifference. "Flattering, even."

Inuyasha grunted disapprovingly at her. He snaked his arm from around her and turned to her with a glower. "That's a bullshit answer, Kagome—you're not honouring the parameters of our game. Feh—which you suggested in the first place! Tell me the truth. I admitted I want to fuck you. How does that make you feel?"

Of course he has to turn this into a challenge. It's like he knows my competitive, winning-compulsive side won't be able not to respond to that!

Kagome huffed a heavy breath then turned. Sitting crossed legged, her knee almost collided with Inuyasha from how quickly she swiveled to face him. She replied before a voice inside her could compel her to shut up. "It made me feel good, okay? Fine—more than good. Is that what you wanted to hear, Inuyasha? You want me to go into detail about how I want you more than I've probably ever wanted any man before? Because that's true, too. And, you know what? It's terrifying—I've never felt this much want before—which is just asking for all kinds of trouble and I just...I can't." Kagome's chest was heaving. She exhaled a cautious, self-deprecating laugh, shaking her head at herself. "How's that for a truth?"

Inuyasha licked his lips and leaned towards her. There was something feral hiding behind the gold of his eyes. Kagome was fixated on how his large hands remained in his lap.

"Why do you say can't? Why can't you? You clearly want me, I told you I want you. I don't think it gets any simpler than that."

Kagome groaned. Great—this was really a conversation between them now. "Let me piggyback another truth on that other one, Inuyasha: I don't do the whole untethered sex bit. I've tried in the past to keep sex and emotions separate but I can't—I'm just not able to. And with the whole Hojo situation, I don't think I'm in a place right now to trial if I can detach feelings from sex."

"Why can't sex just be about attraction? Why can't it just be fucking, Kagome? Things get messy when emotions get involved."

Kagome's heart quivered painfully with his words. This wasn't the trajectory she wanted them to go. "See? You're just proving my point, we both clearly want different things. You want unattached fun. I don't think I can give that to you. If I sleep with you, I'm going to eventually catch feelings, and I don't think either of us want that right now, Inuyasha, not with our current baggage."

Inuyasha ran his fingers along the seam of the couch arm. Kagome felt mesmerized by the action. Her cheeks, neck, and chest were flushed, a scorching red that made her want to rest a palm to her cheek. He brought his hand back into his lap to trace the rim of his glass. What was it about his fingers that were so goddamn alluring?

"So what do you want, then, Kagome?"

She sighed, leaning her shoulder into the couch cushion, letting her head crash against the plushy fabric. "I want to be the kinda person who can easily navigate the no-strings-attached business. But since, I'm not. I don't know what to tell you, Inuyasha. I feel like we're at an impasse and there's only two roads available to us now."

"Which are?"

"We try to stay friends or we don't see each other again."

Inuyasha hummed disapprovingly. "Those are shit options."

Kagome crossed her arms impetuously at him. "Well, then, what do you want, Inuyasha?"

"I want you to want me enough to figure it out."

Kagome snorted. "Trust me—I want you plenty, but I don't know what you think there is to figure out? I know myself well enough that acting on my desire for you will not end well for me. And it is mostly me I'm worried about, Inuyasha, because I'm the one who would end up with the feelings—not you. You could stop whenever you wanted and you'd be none the wiser, able to move on like that—" She snapped her fingers.

"Well, if you want me, but you don't wanna fuck me—" Jesus Christ, that phrase sounds like heaven on his lips— "what would you like to do with me instead?"

"I—" she paused, pushing past the flustering, ass-kicking vulnerability-slash-arousal that was pounding at her heart— "I want to kiss you again. I haven't been able to stop thinking about your mouth since the cafe."

Half of Inuyasha's mouth lifted into a sinful curve. "Then kiss me."

Kagome laughed. "Just like that?"

"Just like that."

Kagome hummed thoughtfully. "But, see, I don't trust myself to draw the line at just kissing. I don't think I'd be able to stop myself with you."

Inuyasha leaned towards her, his thigh against her knee. Kagome fixated on sections of his hair that caressed over his shoulder from how he inclined his head. He was close enough to whisper if he wanted to.

"If you wanna kiss me so badly, Kagome, and only kiss me, just say the words. I won't let it go further than that."

Kagome bit her lip cautiously. "You could really do that? Even if the lust took over my brain and, in the moment, I'm telling you I want more, that I've changed my mind, that I need more than just your mouth on mine? You think you'd be able to stop?"

"You just said you don't want it to go further than a kiss, so I won't let it. I'm not greedy, Kagome—I'll happily take what you're willin' to give me. Besides—" His expression looked downright dangerous now, bestial— "I've also wanted another taste of you—especially since your tongue's been marinating in red wine all night. Knowin' that you're partial to being kissed, how can I deny you?"

"I don't beg, Inuyasha. Remember?"

The mischievous grin on his face made a flutter of arousal dance in her pelvis. "Oh, I think you just might, Kagome. When I've kissed you to the point you've started aching, that you're beside yourself with need, and you can't help yourself as you beg me for my hands, my mouth, on your body, in your body." His eyes dipped to look at her mouth before returning to her eyes. "I can hear your heart poundin' away in your chest already, Kagome. Your body's tellin' me exactly how excited you are...you like the idea of begging me to put you out of your misery."

Kagome licked her lips and focused on her fingernails despite the cool dampness between her legs that screamed for her attention. She cleared the lust from her throat. "Question. How much different are dog demon senses compared to humans?"

"Why?" Inuyasha gave her a skeptical once-over.

"How sensitive are you to scent?"

"Very. Why?"

"Um—what do I smell like to you?"

"Why?" The word danced out of his mouth on a laugh.

"I've heard that demons can smell arousal. Is that true?"

"Yes."

Kagome blushed. "Can you—?"

"—Yes, Kagome, I can smell how aroused you are, and I've been smelling it, off and on again, since the start of our evening. It's—" He cleared his throat, quickly looking away from her as if he almost got away from himself— "I like it. Long and short."

Kagome humoured him with a small smile. "So, how long can you go, Inuyasha? Sitting beside me, knowing that I'm wet for you, before you decide you can't help yourself?"

Inuyasha's chest rose and fell a few heartbeats, yet he still didn't respond. His eyes looked like they were searching hers for his response. Kagome felt a twinge of satisfaction grace her lips at how unnerved her words seemed to make him.

"You still think you'll be able to stop after a kiss, Inuyasha? Even when my senses are basically yelling at your senses, telling you how much more of you my body wants? You're telling me you'll be able to stop both of us when I eventually try to move things beyond kissing? Because, yes, I know myself very well—I'm an all-or-nothing kinda person. If I start things with you, I don't think I'll be able to stop until I have all of you."

"Then have all of me."

Kagome reciprocated the intensity of his stare. "I can't, Inuyasha." Her tone seeped with ache.

"Then, trust me, Kagome. If you want to kiss me as badly as you're implying, I promise you—it won't go any further."

"How?" Kagome couldn't help giggling the word, basically throwing herself backwards into the cushion with incredulity. "Your willpower must be insane."

He laughed. "I'm competitive—I like a challenge. I don't mind playing the long game. I can be patient."

Kagome pouted at him, wishing her expression looked more daunting than it probably did, given the way he looked at her. "Am I a project to you, Inuyasha?"

"Perhaps," he chuckled. "Do you want to be my project, Kagome?"

"I think I'd need to understand the terms and conditions of the project first, Mr. Taisho."

He grinned, his eyes on her mouth. "I think that can be arranged."

Inuyasha was stealthy, smooth. Kagome hadn't realized how close to her he'd gotten on the sectional. With every back and forth of their dialogue he had shifted closer to Kagome. Their thighs were touching. His hand moved to her knee. God—his palm was scorching. His eyes were hooded, dipped, so intent on her mouth with a hunger behind his eyes Kagome couldn't do anything but gulp past the lump in her throat from lust. She ached for him.

And he knew it.

He traced small circles on her knee while he used his other hand to cup her jaw. His thumb trailed her lower lip, eventually tugging on her lip, drawing it down so she could feel his skin against her gums, her teeth. She wanted to suck that digit so badly.

"So, what do you think?"

Her eyes, at some point, had honed in on his mouth, too. She licked her lips, startling when she felt her tongue touch his thumb. The action made his breath hitch and that response from him made Kagome's Kegel muscles quiver.

"What do I think about what?"

"You gonna beg me to kiss you yet, Kagome?"

"Not yet."

Kagome smiled, slowly raising her eyes until she met his. Sunrise irises crinkled under his smile, hiding once more as he lowered his gaze back to her mouth—her lips seemed to be homebase for his vision right now. He leaned in, his breath tickling her lips.

"But you're certainly welcome to, Inuyasha." Her words were whispering. Challenging. His name was a breathy moan that had him gulping. She heard it.

Do it, her mind chanted. Just do it, Inuyasha. For the love of God—kiss me!

"Hm," he tutted, tracing the bridge of her nose with the tip of his. "Perhaps I could be tempted to beg—just this one time. If it helps loosen you up a little."

Kagome chuckled in her throat, her eyes closing as his thumb continued to trace the line of her mouth, the angle of her jaw.

"As you can see from my outfit, Inuyasha, I'm all about loose tonight." She murmured the words against his fingers, coating them in the heat of her breath. The movement of her lips had the tip of a digit sinking past her lips, getting a hint of her saliva. The fingers of his other hand outlined the angle of her neck, pressing on the hollow beneath where she gulped. A rumble in his chest had Kagome swallowing past her dry, aching tongue. God—she wanted to taste him so badly.

"Kagome," he mumbled, the reverberation of her name tickling her lips. He was so close, her mind was begging him to close the distance. But she was too stubborn to let those words loose.

"I need your mouth," he rasped, hovering his palm and fingers around her slender neck. The grating huskiness of his aroused tone had Kagome forming a moan low in her throat that she struggled to restrain.

"I need the taste of you on my tongue." He grabbed her hand from around her wineglass and slid her index finger between his teeth. The searing wet heat of his mouth tore the moan from her lips, forcing her eyes closed, compelling her brain to imagine the feel of his mouth on other parts of her.

"Be a good girl and kiss me, won't you?"

Kagome smirked as arousal spooled into wanton, uninhibited desire. Her panties were soaked—she knew he knew that. Hers was the kind of desire that made bad decisions happen.

Deciding the passive role wasn't for her, Kagome nuzzled her nose against his, adjusting the angle of her head.

"Well, since you asked so nicely."

She was the one who claimed his mouth. Kagome started the bruising kiss this time. There was nothing chaste or hesitant about how she devoured his mouth. He was rough in how he handled her, gripping her hair, forcing her to take all of his tongue between her lips, dominating her organ with his.

He wasn't fucking kidding—alpha-like behaviour indeed.

Now Kagome just needed to survive to see this kiss through to the other side—wherever that led her. Hopefully with her pride still intact.