Choices, Choices...: Chapter 4: Two Enticing Offers

A/N: So I know this has been a long time in the making, but I really had no choice. I had gotten a new computer, but unfortunately it didn't really come with any text programs, other than WordPad, or NotePad, which both suck - infinitely. But I finally downloaded the fabulous OpenOffice (www. Openoffice . Org). So now I can type again! The good news is that I have still been working on the story, so I 'm a bit ahead of myself. That's a good thing. So hopefully I'll be able to update sooner now, and get back on track with my beloved story. I hope you all continue to enjoy this story! Thanks to all of you that patiently waited for the next chapter to come out! BIG thanks to luvtodraw, who not only encouraged me, but drew a little fanart for me! You can find it on both my page and hers on deviantArt. (For the mm, ff, and pd readers - If you would like more info on how to find it, let me know and I'll send you the info). And I'm sorry if the parking lot scene is long - I just had a lot of tension I wanted to convey! Actually, the whole chapter seemed long, and it took so long to type it up, but it's finally here. See you next chapter! Long live the smut! <3, Pita

P.S. I do not own the copyright to Cocoa Puffs, XD

Choices, Choices...

Chapter 4: Two Enticing Offers


Kagome felt great when she woke up the next morning. She had met two great guys - albeit total opposites - and liked them both. Did she really have a chance with either of them? Inuyasha probably had girls coming out the wazoo, and Kouga was very charming. So why her? It seemed that both of them had specifically chosen to speak with her. Then again for Inuyasha, there were probably lots of crazy fangirls, so maybe it was nice to actually choose someone for once. And if Kouga was such a player, then why hadn't he advanced? He had only barely kissed her cheek, and it seemed more like he was attempting to be a gentleman.

Distracted as she was with school and contemplating her non-love life, they days went by quickly and smoothly and without any drama. Nikki was spending more and more time with Jason at his apartment; apparently they were on the road to becoming somewhat serious. This lead Kagome to have more time on her hands, which she spent studying to make up for lost time spent daydreaming. She hadn't felt like running, despite wanting to have an excuse to run into Kouga. And ever since he had abruptly ran out on her, Kagome made no attempts to seek out Inuyasha; and apparently he made no attempts to speak to her either.

On Thursday morning, Kagome awoke to the alarm on her cell phone, reminding her that she had an appointment at Cohen & Cohen's. She breathed a sigh of relief as she silenced the ringing; she had forgotten about the meeting and mentally patted herself on the back for setting the alarm. As she dressed for class, Kagome set about picking an outfit for the meeting later that night. Hanging it on the top of her bedroom door, she left the apartment, heading to her first class of the day.

She practically skipped home from the last class of the day, Family Medicine. She felt great; tomorrow was the last day of the school week, and the promise of an opportunity lay in front of her. Of course, tonight's meeting had a heavy burden. She would have to gauge whether or not she would be an asset to the company, otherwise she would be wasting their - as well as her own - time. And she didn't want to risk sullying her name as a professional either. Now that she was home she wrote Nikki a note reminding her of the meeting and sticking it to the fridge. She then began readying herself for the appointment; ironing her hair again, applying another coat of mascara. She began to pull down her suit that she had picked out earlier, starting with the mid-thigh length charcoal pencil skirt. She looked at the matching tailored jacket, a little exasperated. It was September, so it was still very hot and humid out, even in the evening. She decided to wear a light pink tank top under the jacket, so that she didn't have to wear the blazer the entire time. Slipping a pair of patent leather peek-toe heels on, she ran to the kitchen to find something to eat before she had to leave. Deciding she had plenty of time, Kagome reached for a bowl and poured Cocoa Puffs in it. Adding milk, she lounged, waiting for the cereal to get a little soggy before eating. When she was done, Kagome washed the bowl and spoon quickly, grabbed her jacket, and left for the nearest Metrorail station.

Luckily, most people at this time of day were headed south, but the law firm was a little to the north, giving her plenty of seats to choose from. Approximately twenty minutes later, she stepped off the train, glad that it was now only a five minute walk to the building she sought. She made her way to the large, glass-block covered building and rang a buzzer that was just outside the door. On the security camera, the secretary easily recognized her, as it was Kagome who trained her, and let her in. The secretary made small talk while gathering her things to leave for the day, also notifying the brothers that Kagome was waiting for them. After telling Kagome that they would be with her shortly, she took her belongings and left, leaving Kagome alone in a good-sized, gray waiting room. A few minutes later, the younger of the Cohen's, Mark, stepped out of one of the large conference rooms with his own belongings in tow. He greeted Kagome warmly, and apologized for not being able to stay for the meeting.

“I have a dinner to attend... you know my wife. She'll kill me if I'm late...” he admitted, rubbing the back of his head. Kagome waved her hands in front of her placatingly.

“Oh no!” she assured him, “It's fine! Besides, David is here.” He agreed, and excused himself, patting Kagome on the back as he passed her.

Because her attention had been otherwise preoccupied, she hadn't noticed that as Mark had left the building, another figure had come in. Kagome was laughing at a commercial of the Cohen & Cohen practice that was playing on a small television that was in the waiting room. Scatterbrained and nervous, she still hadn't sat down again; she just stood in front of the tv set, giggling and mumbling to herself.

“I am overjoyed at your decision to wear clothing to the meeting,” she heard a deep voice say. Startled, she whirled to find an increasingly handsome, but ever so pristine Sesshoumaru watching her with an eyebrow arched in interest.

“Oh!” was all she could say. That was clever, she thought of herself as she rolled her eyes.

Then she laughed a little at herself. “Right... I was...”

“Not so clothed,” he supplied at her loss for words.

Miffed, Kagome tried to turn things around. “Well, I thought I would dress up, just for you,” she told him smoothly, but making sure there was a sarcastic tone. She swore she saw his eyes narrow just a little, and she wondered what he would say next. She was surprised, however, when he did a very quick sweep - vertically - over her form, taking her in. Did he just... check me out?

“Perhaps I will see you around, Kagome-sama”, he told her before walking airily down the hallway, where he disappeared behind a doorway.

She had felt a little jolt of electricity when he had eyed her, giving her butterflies. But when she heard the honorific, which was seldom used in the United States, the butterflies were squashed. They were both Japanese, so why did it bother her that her referred to her that way?

Sesshoumaru had wanted to get away from the girl; she smelled divine, and that suit... the color complimented her so well, and the form-fitting shape didn't help either. The way the pink shirt matched her rosy lips and cheeks, and the deep gray of the suit prettily made her dark blue eyes sparkle. He knew that she hadn't noticed, but the lack of concentration had weakened the spell ever so slightly. He had felt his ears growing, as well as his fangs. He could only imagine if his stripes had shown. He hadn't had a lover in so long... it had been over 400 years since Kagura had died. Just the thought of her name made him feel the dark sadness and tragedy of her death. And he had been unable to save her, even with the sword that could bring the dead back from hell. This Kagome wasn't as much of a free spirit as Kagura had been, but the way she carried herself made his insides twinge just a little with nostalgia. But there was something else about this girl. The little ways that he could tell she was attracted to himself. Her heart sped up its' staccato beat, her temperature rose ever so slightly, and of course, his sense of smell didn't lie either. He assumed that the skirt helped his nose pick up the smell of her arousal. She wasn't ovulating, but she wanted him all the same.

Kagome had known he would be working here. After all, Sesshoumaru had told her himself. But she still had not expected him to be there. And not looking so handsome. It had made her pulse quicken just to hear his smooth-as-silk voice. He looked even better today than he had the first time she had seen him - if that was even possible. Today he wore a black suit and red shirt, no tie. Her stomach flip-flopped again as she remembered the way he had looked over her body as she took in his beautiful features. His hair, unchanged, looked whitish under the florescent lighting and it made her a little sad; partially because she knew it could be much prettier, and partially because it reminded her of Inuyasha. Perhaps they know each other? They are Japanese, after all... She shook her her head, mentally berating herself. An emotionally unstable guitarist and an emotionally unavailable lawyer? They couldn't be more different. But maybe they had heard of each other? Maybe she would ask Sesshoumaru one day. The thought of his very name brought chills to her body, and she shivered slightly. She began thinking of ways to warm up with him, when her thoughts were rudely interrupted by the elder of the lawyer brothers, David.

Physically willing herself not to scowl at having her daydreams snatched from her, she greeted him familiarly. Smiling and extending a hand, the man looked to be in his 70's, but Kagome knew him to actually be in his late 50's. That's why I'm in the medical field, not the law-making field, she thought bemusedly as she shook his hand.

“I'm so sorry I kept you waiting,” he told her a little bashfully.

“No, no,” Kagome answered, “Don't worry about it! Anyways, Sesshoumaru kept me company for a little while...”

A twisted smile crept across Davids' face, hoping that the new, flashy, cold young man hadn't compromised Kagome's decision to help them. He laughed a little nervously. “That's a good one. I hope he wasn't too frigid.”

Kagome gave him a knowing look. “Not at all. He's just not as vulnerable in the emotional department as some of us. I envy that,” she told him truthfully. “It's a little comforting. I feel safer with a guy like him around. Because I don't know anyone that would mess with him...”

The two laughed and entered the elder Cohen brothers' office, where he offered her coffee. On the way in, Kagome noticed that the office Sesshoumaru had entered earlier was only one door down, but on the opposite side of the hall. When the coffee was to her liking, the two sat down and Mr. Cohen began the proposal.

“You must be wondering why I chose you instead of an experienced doctor,” he started. Not needing a response, he continued. “Well, we already know we can trust you, Kagome. And a practicing doctor would never have the time to do what we require. It's going to take some law work as well, and although I realize that you don't know everything about law, it helps that you worked here and know a little. For the rest, we have assigned Sesshoumaru to help you in whatever you need...” The man missed the way she blushed at the innuendo that he hadn't thought he had made. “But we won't get in the way of your studies. You may come by whenever you need: weekends, nights... whatever it takes to make it work. For that, you will get an access card, that will allow you into the office during non-working hours. You will be paid three times the amount you had been making here plus a paid vacation. And it has come to my attention that you had been riding the train to get here? Nonsense. You will take one of the company's cars so that you can come here, or do research... whatever you need. Lastly, you will have an expense account - for things that you may need to buy during your time with us.” David wondered at the young woman before him. Beautiful, smart, and talented with a spirited temper, he fancied her to be the type of girl that never would have to work. She must get offers all the time, men wanting to take care of her and buy her things. But she chooses to work for her things, and go to school. He cleared his throat as he marveled at the girl, whom, incredulously seemed to be weighing her options. Most - given the chance - would have jumped at the opportunity to work for them, to take the things they offered, to rake in the money. But Kagome seemed disturbed.

After several moments, she spoke. “Let me hear about this case, and then I'll make my decision.”

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“Well, I want to be sure that I am the right choice for this. If not, I could be an embarrassment, both to the company and my career. I need to know I'm not wasting time - yours or mine.”

Taken aback by the wise words of the woman, David nodded and continued.

***

After a few hours, the deal was done. Kagome had decided that she should be able to handle what was required of her, and accepted the brothers' offer after learning a little more about the case. As promised, she was given a card-key that granted her access to the building, a credit card with the Law Firms' name, and a set of car keys. Upon further inspection, she noticed the main key had the Nissan symbol on it, and she became just a little excited to see what was in store for her. David shook her hand and excused himself, but encouraged her to stay and get acquainted with her office, which would be one door down to the right. He handed her keys to that office as well.

Kagome watched in awe as he walked out the door, and she was left standing in the hall, alone. Shaking herself out of the thoughts racing through her mind, Kagome decided to take a look at the office she was to use. Tired and wanting to get home soon, she went to the door of the office. She gasped when she realized it was the same door she had seen Sesshoumaru disappear behind earlier. He wouldn't still be here though, right?

Opening the door in the dark hallway, she was flooded in light from a desk lamp. Holding an arm up to shield her eyes from the brightness. When her eyes had adjusted, Kagome looked up to find the bored, golden brown expression of Sesshoumaru looking back at her.

“Oh, I'm so sorry! I thought you would have gone home by now...” Kagome apologized.

The young man just went back to his work. After a few moments, he spoke. “Home? This Sesshoumaru doesn't sleep much, so I would rather get a head start on work,” he explained, never looking up from the file he was reading.

Kagome shifted nervously. “Um, you could, you know, tell me when you are going to be here so I don't come and bother you,” she said, an almost sad tone in her voice.

Sesshoumaru noticed it and looked up. “Why? You intend to work alone? Or do you intend to avoid me?”

“N-no! That's not it!” Kagome cried, flustered. “I just thought... you might rather have the office to yourself, instead of me holding you back...” she told him, looking away.

She had been panicky, and had been slow to realize the tiniest of smirks playing across the lips of the handsome young man. His eyes gave away nothing, yet his mouth had been... almost playful. Kagome made a mental note to not be so serious around him.

“So,” Kagome said sarcastically, “should I just show up and barge in?”

Sesshoumaru noticed how she playfully placed her hands on the delicious curve of her hips for an emphasized faux angry effect. “Hn. There will be no barging, but you are welcome any time,” he told her, refusing to let his smirk widen. “After all,” he added, “I was instructed to be... pleasant.”

Kagome was taken aback slightly, but decided that two could play this game. “Oh, so this is your idea of being pleasant, is it?”

It was Sesshoumaru's turn to be taken aback. In one fluid moment, he was standing. “You think me not pleasant?” What was it about this girl? He had never had a penchant for humans before - never wanted a human woman. Yet, this Kagome... yes, she was smart and beautiful. But she was also ambitious, and... challenging. Indeed, Sesshoumaru enjoyed a good challenge. He couldn't remember the last time a female had challenged him and had been able to keep up with his wit and banter.

Now, his smirk had increased marginally, she noticed. “Oh, I would never dream -” she began dramatically, “- of calling you unpleasant, Sesshoumaru,” she told him, smirking herself while poking him in the chest. “I was merely surprised by just how pleasant you can be.” She added one last poke for good measure and stood defiantly. Inside, however, she was a mess. Am I flirting with him? I shouldn't... he's my coworker...

Sesshoumaru's eyes shone with the challenge, and his skin burned where she had touched him, setting him ablaze. He grabbed his briefcase and came around the desk, stopping a foot in front of the woman. He could tell she was nervous, despite her feisty demeanor. He could hear her heart racing, and she was unconsciously tightening her hands into fists.

“Let me assure you, Ms. Higurashi, I can be very pleasant. Maybe you will someday find out just how pleasant I can be...” he told her as he walked by her, his voice silky and low as he swept out of the office.

Kagome figured he had left, so she stood there, heart pounding and adrenaline coursing through her body. She felt slightly lightheaded and put a hand up to the wall to hold herself up, because Gods willing, she could collapse any moment. That was definitely flirting. She had never felt that way with any man before. The heat had been so electric between them, she almost hadn't been able to breathe. Imagine how he could make me feel in bed... her mind supplied. She immediately squashed the thought, attempting to get a hold of herself. Besides, she thought, a man like him must have a girlfriend, or a wife. Hell, he probably has a harem. The thought sobered her, and she turned off the light and closed the door, returning to the front door. She gasped when she almost ran into Sesshoumaru's looming form.

“Y-you're still here?” she squeaked.

“So ready to be rid of me?” he teased. Not waiting for an answer, he answered her question instead. “I am not about to let a young lady leave at this time of night in this neighborhood by herself.”

In all honesty, chivalry aside, Sesshoumaru was battling himself over the real reason he had stayed behind. Inside their office, he had noticed her want to the point where he could almost feel it. And the part that surprised him was that he wanted her too. He had had to get out of the office before his youki made him do something stupid - like hiking that miniskirt up to her hips and taking her on top of the desk - so he had left. But something had made him stop. There was no way he was telling her that, though.

She hadn't known him for very long, but Sesshoumaru didn't strike her to be the chivalrous type. So for some reason, it made her feel a little special that he was escorting her. She felt like it was almost... beneath him to do such a thing, as if he should be royalty. But doing it he was. She watched as he opened the door, holding it for her to pass. As she walked by him, their eyes connected. The kept her eyes focused on his as she stepped out, and the lightheaded feeling came back. Such a simple thing, yet the eye contact was one of the sexiest things she had ever experienced and was turning her on to no end. How was it possible to even know such a man? Smart, sexy, ambitious, and did I mention sexy? Everything from his silky hair to his defined jawline and those gorgeous eyes. He was slim, but muscular, and Kagome found herself wondering what was beneath the deep red of his shirt. She tried to calm herself as her mind wandered to thoughts of taking that shirt off and pressing her lips to the smooth skin underneath. It wasn't working, and she tore herself from his stare. Now, she thought about how as she shifted her gaze, Sesshoumaru's eyes had widened ever so slightly, as if he had figured something out.

Sesshoumaru contemplated why he was doing these things. First, he waited for the girl. Now, he was holding a door open? Sesshoumaru had never held a door open for anyone, not even his own mother. He contemplated closing the door on her to reverse her image of him, but couldn't bring himself to think about that for long. Holding a door open for a ningen woman? Ridiculous. My half-breed of a brother would laugh to death. Well, perhaps then it's not so bad an idea... He thought, too, about how she had locked eyes with him. Most females were intimidated and looked away after a few seconds. But she held his gaze, and even owned it a little. She had held the stare until, apparently, her own arousal had gotten to her and she decided to stop. He had noticed the erratic beat of her heart and hitched breathing. And her scent... It couldn't have been more than several seconds, but it had been intense and thrilling, erotic even, which he hadn't had many of those moments in his long life, as most things bored him. And the knowledge that she hadn't intentionally been trying to be sexy was making his youki claw at his insides. She didn't want anything from him. There was something else; she admired - no, respected him. It was an odd feeling. Most women he met wanted one of three things: money, sex, or connections. This girl seemed like she was content with getting to know him. His interest was piqued when she looked at him again. What was this vixen trying to do to him?

Kagome had been scared of her own thoughts. Not the sex - she had had enough sex that it wasn't the hyped-up event that some people made it out to be. And she was too old to be embarrassed of her own lust. No, she was afraid of getting too close. She had tried to get close to Inuyasha, and he had freaked on her. Would Sesshoumaru do the same? Was it worth it to get to know him? She looked back to his beautiful eyes, and saw an emotion she could register. All her doubts melted away, and she knew that was dangerous. But Kagome liked dangerous. And with that, Sesshoumaru broke the stare to make sure the door was locked properly.

When he turned back around, Sesshoumaru half-expected to find the girl walking away. But she was still there, searching his eyes with her cool, blue ones. Did she expect something? He took a step towards her, and she stood unmoving. So he took a few more steps. Soon, they were close enough that should they choose to, they could touch one another. Now, neither one moved. Sesshoumaru noticed that her eyes had grown fractionally smaller. Does she want me to do something? He watched as - after a few seconds - he saw what he could only describe as a smirk as she turned, searching for the car that she was to drive. Unfortunately, the only two cars in the lot were a black 300m - and being that it was definitely not a Nissan and the other car was - and a red convertible. Nervously, she pushed the combo unarm/unlock button on the remote that was attached to the key. She heard the chirp of the alarm as the lights flashed to assure her that this was, indeed, her car. She knew she was gaping at the 350Z, but she couldn't help herself. She was frozen in her tracks, eyes wide, when she actually dropped the keys and her purse.

“Wow...”

Sesshoumaru was amused at her obvious awe.

“Holy shi-” She clasped her hand over her mouth quickly to stifle the end of the sentence.

Now Sesshoumaru actually smirked at her innocence. She began to wriggle out of her jacket, suddenly stifled by the humid Miami night. Forgetting that the stoic, pristine male was only a few feet away.

He watched closely as she stretched upwards to remove the form-fitting jacket, which allowed a brief view of the taught, tanned stomach and sculpted lines of her shoulders. Just like her, he thought as he noticed that although the pink, flimsy tank top clung to her curves, it still left much to the imagination. He imagined that she did not own many clothes that showed cleavage. He chanced moving slightly to check out the rear view, and was quite surprised to see the tiniest glimpse of a black thong. Little minx, he thought to himself with a smirk. He was surprised, to say the least. She was sexy, and she knew it. But she was also demure. He never thought this woman to be such a vixen. Out of frustration, he finally closed the gap between them and grasped an end of the gray jacket, tugging to release her.

She spun quickly, only to find him closer than she expected; in fact, she now had to look up to meet his gaze. Damn, but he is sexy, she commented to herself, involuntarily licking her lips. Her chest heaved with the long, slow breaths she forced herself to inhale. But her heart raced as she stared into the warm, golden brown eyes of the young man opposite her. Her mind raced, as conflicting thoughts tried to force herself to calm, and another voice - a stronger one - commanded that she kiss him. But she was never one to act before she think, so despite her desire, she listened to the quieter voice. After all, this man must have at least a girlfriend, and she was not a homewrecker. And lets not forget the fact that this guy looked like he walked out of a Calvin Klein ad. Of course Kagome knew she was attractive and men wanted her. But Sesshoumaru is so... untouchable. So if anything were to happen between them, she would have to get to know a little more about him, and he would have to make the first move. Then again, the way he was looking at her... his eyes promised hours of passion in the most predatory of ways. If she waited, she may never get another chance. She could tell he was wondering what she was thinking, and she almost wished she could tell him, but she would remain silent.

It was obvious to Sesshoumaru that she reciprocated his feelings for lust. Her body screamed for him to take her. He could even tell that she was trying to force herself to calm down. But she was holding back; he could practically hear the wheels in her head turning, making her stall. He wondered what would be stronger, her passion or her rational thoughts? Then, when she opened her mouth to speak, he was almost sure that she was going to ask him to get a cup of coffee or such. Instead, she threw him a curve ball.

“Thank you, Sesshoumaru,” she told him genuinely. She paused, adding with a smile, “I should be going. I have classes in the morning. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow.” She placed her hand on his forearm as she spoke, letting her fingers linger ever so slightly on the expensive fabric.

Kagome reached to reclaim her jacket from his grasp, and he didn't move to give it back. Standing his ground, Sesshoumaru gazed into her eyes as she looked up at him surprisingly. He knew she wanted the clothing back from her outstretched hand, but he also knew that she wanted something else. If nothing else, he could feel the heat rolling off her in waves. Certainly, Sesshoumaru could indulge in a one-night stand. But if she wanted more, he wasn't sure he was capable of giving that to her. Especially since she was human. But right now, he wanted nothing more than to grasp that outstretched arm and pull her into him. He wanted to run his fingers through the ebony strands that looked so soft. He wanted to taste those plump, glossy lips. So, he decided, he would not move to give back the jacket. She would come to him, and perhaps she would fall into him... But he was surprised further when she took a step forward and grabbed at her jacket. Her fingers had ghosted along his as he pulled away a little, and he could hear the sharp intake of breath. He shivered with anticipation - this was like a game to him - but she failed to notice. He could easily reach out and grasp her about the waist... Why, if she wanted him so badly, did she force herself to resist?

Kagome had never been so turned on in her life. No man had ever put her in such an erotic frenzy. And yet, hardly anything had happened. For that matter, they had barely spoken. Man, not talking is sexy, she thought. She figured he was weighing his options and the consequences they brought. She also figured that by now, he knew she wanted him - and boy did she want him. She could just imagine running her fingers over his chest, perhaps dragging her nails as she went. She imagined caressing that sexy, hard jawline. And those eyes... she could stare at him all day. But it seemed he was hesitating. Was she not good enough? Or maybe he was only toying with her? With an internal 'hmph', she chastised herself, telling her heart that he probably only dated classy, rich women his own age. Now, after her negative pep talk, she only wanted to leave and go home. But... where were the keys? Forgetting about the jacket she looked around, spotting the keys and her small black purse a few feet away on the floor. When had she dropped them? She turned her back to Sesshoumaru as she bent at her knees to pick up the fallen items. Suddenly, she felt a presence of a curve with her body... a warmth that enveloped her and made her want to fall back into it.

Sesshoumaru had been thoroughly confused by the female. He could have practically tasted her arousal - her body was begging to be ravished - then all of a sudden she tries to grab her jacket, apparently in order to leave. He had sensed her anxiety, and the tiniest bit of anger. He watched as she absentmindedly searched for the things that she dropped. It seemed as if she hadn't known she had dropped them. But when she lowered herself to the ground, he could hold back no longer. Quicker than he had moved in centuries, he was behind her, also crouching, but so that his body cradled hers. He breathed in her fresh scent, his mouth tantalizingly close to her neck. All he had to do was move a few inches to the skin, and her body would be his for the taking. Only later on that night did he berate himself for losing his head and using his speed, even if she didn't actually see it.

Kagome didn't think it possible for anyone to move so fast. She hadn't even reached her things when she had felt his body curve perfectly around hers. He was on his knees, and she could feel him - all of him - press into her longingly. She flushed with the heat of arousal as she realized he wanted her, and the thought of them doing this minus the clothes made her feel dizzy with the loss of blood to her brain. She wanted so badly to turn around and taste him. But... Then what? Would it be awkward working together? Would she wind up having to deny the case, and returning all the lovely gifts? She had never had a one-night stand before, so she didn't know how she would react. She doubted he would want a relationship. This was pure lust. But if her job here - and in turn her reputation as a professional - was at risk, could she throw that away? All the confidence they entrusted with her, all they expected of her... could she give it up? She decided, and with that she snatched her things and stood, unawares of the lips that longed to touch her. As she moved, she realized that she had made a mistake. Her rear end, which had been tucked into his stomach, grazed his length as it moved upwards. She felt his hardness for her, and she briefly considered sitting back down, or turning to face him. She had heard him make a noise that sounded like a low growl, but her mind was still reeling from the contact to care. She relished the fact that a man once again wanted her this badly. But she finished her task of standing, and now considered the fact that his face was now in her ass. Embarrassed, she turned to face him, hoping he stood to avoid her derrie, but when she realized he was still kneeling, she noticed that now she had put him in a compromising position. Now, she had put something else in his face. Well, she was still a few inches away, but her embarrassment at the situation forced her to walk towards the car, opening the door.

He hadn't expected her to rub herself against him. His youki, flaring and daring to take over, clawed at his insides. He had barely realized that he had growled. He was more concerned about the fact that he could feel himself changing; the spell was weakening under the great strength of his youki. Most of all, he could feel his fangs growing exponentially. He watched curiously as she stood, then turned to face him. With the center of her heat right in front of him, he almost broke. His youki grasped at her, trying to pull her into his face. Now he could feel his stripes and crescent appearing. His vision was changing, a tell-tale sign that his eyes had completely broken their spell and were beginning to bleed red. He imagined himself running his clawed hands up her creamy thighs, reaching that sexy thong and pulling it down around her ankles. He would pull her skirt up so that it rested on her hips, and bury his tongue into her heat. He would listen to her moan, maybe even cry out his name. Then perhaps they would go back to his penthouse on South Beach and do it all over again. And maybe in the morning, in the shower, at lunchtime, during dinner, in the office... wait... did he really want her around that much? Was it just the forceful call of his youki, or did he actually want this woman that much? Would he tire of her after tasting her flesh? Or would he keep feeling this way? His hesitation allowed Kagome to walk the short distance to her car, and she opened the door. Disappointment and relief washed over him, and he realized he still held her jacket. She fumbled with the keys, giving away her nervousness. Although she wasn't aware that he could smell how nervous she was. How innocent, he thought. This Sesshoumaru shall break you of that, he told her within the depths of his mind. He stood as she opened the door and held the jacket out to her.

Kagome, too embarrassed to face him, got in the car awkwardly, as she was unfamiliar with it. She started the car, the motor purring with power. Closing the door, she decided to put the window down. She smiled as she glanced his way, and seeing her jacket, grasped it as politely as she could, pulling it unto the seat next to her.

“See you later Sesshoumaru,” she said gently.

He smirked as he nodded in agreement, but she didn't notice since she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Sesshoumaru, sensing this, turned and walked towards his own car. Opening the door to his Chrysler, Sesshoumaru took one last look in her direction, hoping that she might have come out of her nervous state. But she was busy marveling in the interiors of the new car. Obviously, she must think it's an expensive luxury car. The things I could teach her... he thought. With that, he started the car and drove away.

Kagome wasn't too fond of the new leather smell. She let the other window roll down and let the rain-laden air drift through. She knew now that tomorrow, Miami was going to be soaked, most likely in its' signature thunderstorms. Sighing, she reached to put the car in reverse, and was surprised to see it was a stick shift. Well, I'm glad someone had left it in neutral, she thought, grateful that an old high school boyfriend had taught her to drive a manual transmission car. Letting the e-brake down, Kagome held down the clutch and shifted the car into reverse. Once she had backed out, she put the car into first, and the car hummed quietly onto US1. She quickly realized that she had forgotten to turn on the headlights, and found the knob quickly, turning it. But it was dark inside the car, and she found out immediately that it had not been the headlights she had activated. With a whirring noise, she almost slammed on the brakes, as she was astonished that the roof was lifting off the car! How did she fail to notice it was a convertible? She tried to keep her eyes on the road as she continued shifting gears, but between never seeing a rag top fold into a car and trying to find the real headlights, she wasn't doing the best job. Finally, she saw the symbol for headlights and pushed the button. Bright lights illuminated the street as she came to a red light, shifting into neutral and applying the brakes.

“Maybe if tall, sexy, smarmy lawyers weren't distracting me, I would have noticed the car was a freakin' convertible,” she told herself, frowning.

When she got back to campus, Kagome found a parking spot that was a good distance from other cars, in order to keep it from getting scratched or dented. When she had parked, she found the knob she had turned earlier and reversed the twist. The roof climbed out from its' hiding spot and repositioned itself, enclosing the interior of the car. She gathered her things and armed the alarm as she walked away, taking in one last look, in case the automobile gods deemed her unworthy overnight and took the car away.

Walking up the stairs to ensure she was indeed dead tired by the time she got to her bed, Kagome huffed as she searched for her house keys within her purse. Once inside, Kagome threw her things onto the kitchen table and went straight to her room. She had noticed however without caring much, that Nikki was not only home, but had company. They had a deal that if either of them had company they would make sure an article of male clothing would stay out in the living room. As there was a pair of unfamiliar, large jeans on the floor by the couch, Nikki probably had spent the night with Jason.

Closing her bedroom door, Kagome only checked to make sure her alarm was on and kicked off her shoes before falling unto her bed and letting sleep claim her.