Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Leather and Lace ❯ Chapter 5

Leather and Lace

By: Maidens of Konan

This is a non-profit fanfic based on Fushigi Yûgi, which is the property of Watase Yuu, Shogakukan Comics, Pierrot Studios, TV Tokyo, Viz and Pioneer. The original, non-canon ideas and characters that may appear in this story belong to the author. Plagiarizing this fic will result in plagiarist getting visit from Angry Suboshi and his Yo-Yos of Bad Judgment.

Chapter Five

Miaka watched her companion open his door and get out of the car. Delicious ripples of excitement coursed through her body even as her mind struggled to rationalize the situation.

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my GOD! What should I do? He couldn't be feeling that about someone he thinks he just met!

But wasn't it possible Dante was subconsciously influenced by their past link? Maybe he had actually dreamed about her and their past adventures together...

I'm making assumptions that his dreams are related to Tasuki. I'm sure he's acquainted with more than a few American women that fit the 'dream girl' description!

The thought of him already having had one or more special someones brought on a sensation akin to an arrow piercing her heart, but she gamely pushed it aside as her door was opened and a hand was extended to her. She placed hers within it, noting that it was hard, long-fingered and broad across the palm.

A warrior's hand.

I can't let any of this go to my head. He's polite and a nice guy, and probably acts this way with every woman he takes out!

As Dante assisted her in getting to her feet, she carefully avoided his eyes to hide the jealousy she knew was showing in hers. When she was standing next to him, he kept firm possession of her hand, a gesture that both pleased and flustered her.

"Are you feelin' okay now, Miaka? Is the dizziness gone?" The squeeze he gave her hand and the genuine concern in his voice helped calm her.

"Yes, thank you." She chanced a peek up at him. "The water helped. I'm feeling much better."

His narrowed gaze held hers, assessing her closely until it was satisfied with what it saw. "Good. A little food will help ya too." As he spoke, he loosened his grip on her hand so he could shut and lock her door.

Caught unawares, Miaka found herself holding on for just a bit too long before releasing it. "You have excellent manners, Dante." She said quickly, in hopes of masking the involuntary reaction. "I can't remember the last time a man helped me out of a car."

"Is that so..."

She gave him a bright smile as he faced her, but then quickly averted her gaze at seeing the speculative gleam in his eyes.

Oh no, I think I just said too much.

"You've been going out with the wrong guys, then."

The statement was provocative, but yet his expression and tone of voice were absolutely deadpan. How should she respond? Was he teasing or serious? She had to say something! Her extended silence could be misinterpreted, and make things even more awkward.

"Thanks for the compliment. " Dante went on, as if sensing her internal debate. "Hafta say the credit for my havin' manners all goes to my mama and five older sisters, though."

She grabbed onto the new piece of information like a lifeline. "Five older sisters? Are you the youngest, then?"

"Yep! You'd think I woulda been spoiled rotten bein' the only male livin' with that many females, but nooo…not a day went by where least one or two of 'em wasn't on my case about bein' insensitive or not actin' like a gentleman! It was a royal pain in the behind, I tell ya!"

She broke into a grin, picturing a young Dante surrounded by nagging women. "I'm sure they meant well."

He snorted. "Or not! Let's go inside, and I'll tell ya all about the trials and tribulations of growin' up in Georgia with a brood of Southern belles." He wiped his brow, deliberately thickening his native accent. "I declare, it's hotter'n devil's spit out heah!"

Miaka laughed. Putting her palms together, she executed an exaggeratedly formal bow as she playfully emphasized her own accent. "Arigatou, most honorable Dante-san! Please to lead the way!"

He looked surprised, then sheepish. "That's right! You're not exactly from around these parts either, are ya?"

"I'm originally from Tokyo, Japan." She stated proudly.

"Jeez! Here I'm actin' like I'm such a long ways from home, when you came here from halfway around the world!"

"That's all right," she replied, taking the arm he offered. "It was a big adjustment, but I'm finally getting to feel pretty comfortable."

"Do ya ever get homesick?" Dante asked, as they began to traverse the stretch of asphalt that lay between them and the coffeehouse's entrance.

"Sometimes." She glanced up to meet his look of sympathy. "But thanks to my job, getting to know new people and greatly improving my English, it's been happening less and less." She added firmly. "I've made some very good friends, and I feel comfortable and safe here." She gestured toward the horizon and the looming mountains. "How could I not, with those beauties standing guard over me?"

His face lit up. "I know what you mean! That's exactly how I feel about 'em!"

They had arrived at a door with fancy lettering, which Miaka playfully read aloud. "Welcome To Brew You! We Serve Your Java With A Bite!" She giggled. "That's very cute, but I'm not sure if I'm being welcomed or warned!"

Dante's smile broadened as he pulled the door open for her. "I think you're gonna like it. It's a great place to unwind...and the owner happens t'be an old friend of mine."

_________________________________________________________________ _______

Miaka entered the building with Dante close behind her. As her eyes adjusted to the darker interior of the coffeehouse, she looked around with growing delight. The open, rectangular space had been transformed to look like a small mountain lodge, complete with tongue and groove paneling, and the requisite stuffed critters and fish displayed on its walls. Large, leather armchairs were randomly arranged around log tables and pine plank coffee tables. Only a couple of the chairs were occupied, as it was well before the lunchtime rush.

"It looks just like a log cabin!" Without conscious thought, she began to move to the back of the restaurant as she took in the rest of her surroundings. "I love it!"

"Glad to hear that!" Dante's voice was filled with satisfaction. "The kitchen and the restrooms are back there," he added. pointing to an alcove behind the long, polished wooden counter that ran along the wall opposite the entrance.

She took note of the location of the ladies' room, then moved on to the beverage and lunch menus that were posted on black slate chalkboards on the wall to the left side of the alcove. Their old fashioned, personalized look softened the ultra-modern appearance of gleaming chrome, coffee grinders, espresso machines and other apparatus that were lined up beneath them. She was a bit surprised that there wasn't anyone standing behind the counter waiting for customers, but that fact didn't seem to faze Dante.

"The crew goes on break before the lunch crowd hits. The regular cook's taken a week's leave of absence, so Craig is in back doin' the cookin' today." He explained, seeing her questioning stare. "Why don't we find a spot to sit, and then I'll go scare him up t'take our order."

"All right," she agreed happily. "Is it okay if we sit over there?" She indicated the fieldstone fireplace that took up the majority of the back wall, save for a narrow recess that held shelves full of books, magazines and assorted games.

Dante nodded approval but then, to her surprise, steered her towards a lone, rather shabby looking sofa that was planted directly in front of the hearth. Seeing her eyes dart toward the chairs and table nearby, he said quickly, "Trust me, Miaka…once you've sat on this monster, ya won't want to sit anywhere else."

He let go of her arm, and watched closely while she gingerly seated herself, and then grinned at her gasp of amazement as her derriere sank deeply into the delicious softness of supple brown leather.

"Well?" He prompted, putting his hands on his hips.

She leaned back with a sigh of pleasure as she was surrounded by cushiony comfort, and looked up at him with half closed eyes. "I may never move again."

"Told ya!" He gloated. "You just stay put, I'll be right back."

"Okay." She sighed in contentment. "Thank you..."

Dante grinned. "Just don't fall asleep before I get back, okay?"

"Mmmm-hmmm…" Normally she would have been embarrassed that she was practically purring in front of the man, but sheer bliss and her enjoyment of it overruled convention. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so pampered. It was wonderful to have someone coddling her, if only for a short while, and she intended to make the most of it.

As Dante took his leave, she allowed herself the luxury of sinking even more deeply into the confines of the sofa as she closed her eyes in sheer bliss. She felt relaxed and supremely content. It was as if the bout of altitude sickness had never been...

Unfortunately, it wasn't long before her idyll was shattered. As the gravelly voice calling out to Dante penetrated her reverie, she bolted upright and looked over the back of the sofa to where Dante and a dark- haired, deeply tanned man were performing a strange, ritualistic handshake that involved the slapping of palms, tapping of knuckles and wiggling of fingers.

"Hey bro, long time no see!" Dante chortled.

"I was here when you had lunch yesterday! You didn't see me? Man, that's cold!"

Miaka stared intently at Dante's cohort, who was wearing tight jeans and a half unbuttoned white shirt. A wide bandana was tied around his head to hold back a tousled mass of blue/black hair and she caught the glint of a diamond stud in his ear. Her eyes lifted to view a ruggedly handsome face, taking specific note of eyes that sparkled with mischief and the wide, white grin that stretched lean cheeks, one of which bore a familiar looking scar.

After a stunned moment of recognition, she quickly turned around and sank back against the couch, her heart pounding heavily from the shock of seeing yet another face from her past. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that it's Kouji, considering the two of them were such good friends …but what in the world is going on? Why are they here at all? What terrible thing could have happened to the two of them that they ended up here with me?

A sick feeling washed over her as she finally realized that Tasuki's life might have ended prematurely on her account. I know time passes differently there, but he still would have been in his prime. Dante obviously has no memory of being Tasuki, so how will I ever find out what happened?

Gradually, she tuned back into the conversation taking place behind her just in time to hear the Kouji look-alike ask teasingly, "Okay, Tager- I am hallicinatin', or did I actually see you come in with a woman?"

"Yeah, I have someone with me." Dante suddenly sounded wary, and Miaka wondered why.

"Thank God! The way you've been mopin' around here, I thought you'd never get over that Sandra chick!"

Who in the heck is Sandra? Miaka thought, with a frown.

"Don't gimme any of your crap!" She heard Dante retort. "I just met her this mornin', for cryin' out loud! And besides, you know damn well that I'm immunized to women!"

A sharp stab of irritation assailed their listener. Oh really? You sure fooled me on that one, Dante Tager!

"Yeah, right!" Craig sounded as skeptical as Miaka felt. "I think I'll be the judge of that- or are ya too afraid to introduce me?"

"Hell no!"

"Well get to it then!"

When the two men rounded the end of the couch, Miaka sat forward and tried to look as if she hadn't heard everything that had been said.

"Miaka, I'd like ya to meet the proprietor of this fine establishment and my best friend, Craig Bennett. Craig, this is Miaka Yuuki."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bennett." She smiled and extended her hand, although she half-expected him to reach out and rap her on the head instead.

"The name's Craig- and believe me, the pleasure is all mine!" The Kouji look-alike said gallantly, taking her hand and shaking it gently while his stunning blue-green gaze perused her from head to toe. After a moment, a puzzled look replaced his smile.

"Do I pass inspection?" Miaka joked, after several seconds had passed and he continued to stare at her.

"What? Oh jeez, I'm sorry!" The proprietor's sun-bronzed cheeks darkened with embarrassment as he finally let go of Miaka's hand. Dante gave a soft snort of amusement. "It's just…well, I know this is going to sound like a tired old line… but honest, I could swear I've met ya somewhere before!"

Miaka's mind was abuzz. He knows we've met, but he doesn't remember how! She thought excitedly. I have to be careful…but if it'd be possible for Craig to sense the connection, maybe Dante will too, eventually.

"Maybe you saw me where I work," she replied neutrally. "I'm a chef-in-training at The Phoenix Grill. Have you ever eaten there?"

"Yeah, once. About a year ago."

"Oh, then that's not it. I started working there a little over five months ago."

"Ah, I see." Craig rubbed the back of his head as he thought. "Wait. If you're at the Phoenix, then yer picture was probably put in the food and lifestyles section of the paper when they hired-"

Dante broke in, looking a tad miffed at being left out of the conversation. "You're a chef, Miaka?"

"A chef-in-training," she corrected sweetly.

"And a very beautiful one, if I may say so!" Craig added, with a mischievous sideways glance at Dante.

"Thank you, Mr. Bennett, you're very kind."

"I told ya, the name's Craig! And I'm not bein' kind- just tellin' it like it is!"

"Thank you again…and please call me Miaka."

"I'd be honored."

Dante frowned as his best friend and his guest exchanged warm smiles. "Hey buddy, don't you have some coffee to grind or somethin'?"

Craig shrugged and shot him an unrepentant look. "Yeah, but I thought I'd take the lady's order first. I'm the only one workin' the kitchen right now, remember?"

"So why don't you get to it?" Dante retorted. "We can't be hangin' around all day!"

"Yeah, about that…" Craig eyed the uniform his friend was wearing. "What gives? I've never seen ya in that kinda get up be-"

He broke off as Dante gave him a warning look. "Tell ya later."

The other man quickly nodded. "Okay."

The atmosphere had grown a bit tense, and Miaka decided it was time to speak up. "Dante, would you mind ordering for me?" She asked. "You're a regular, so you know the menu."

"Well, sure. I'd be glad to..." Dante's voice trailed off and he visibly swallowed as she stretched out an arm along the back of the sofa, his eyes following the movement and how the top of her strapless sundress shifted against her breasts. "Yeah...so...um, is there anything you don't like or can't have?"

Taking secret satisfaction in the way his eyes were glazing over, Miaka slowly crossed her legs. "Oh, no. Whatever you order would be wonderful."

"C'mon punk, I'm gonna need a pad an' a pencil to write this down," Craig said, taking pity on his clearly besotted best friend. Immune to women my ass, Tager! Ya want this one so bad you don't know if yer comin' or goin'! Sending an appreciative grin at the reclining woman on the sofa, he added, "it was real nice t' meet ya, Miss Miaka Yuuki! Feel free to come back anytime."

"It was nice to meet you too, Craig! I will definitely be back another time." She replied, smiling warmly.

The smile faded as soon as Dante and Craig had walked away. She closed her eyes, feeling waves of apprehension and outright jealousy buffeting her as she replayed the conversation she'd overheard.

If he's not wanting to get involved with anyone, why did he tell me he'd already found his dream girl? Was he talking about his old girlfriend? But earlier he said he was single... and just now Craig made it sound like that Sandra woman rejected him. He must have been badly hurt...

As her thoughts continued to revolve around the flame-haired officer, for the first time ever Miaka paid no mind to the fact that she was in a relationship of her own.

At that moment, nothing seemed more important than proving to Dante that he wasn't immune to her.

_________________________________________________________________ _______

Miaka cast a casual glance at her watch and was stunned to see that over an hour had passed since she had arrived at Brew You. Dante surely should have been back on the job before now, but when she shyly mentioned that fact to him he didn't seem troubled in the least.

"I called in while you were in the ladies room and arranged for some flex time," he assured her warmly, as they walked to her car. "I'll make the extra half hour up at the end of my shift." At her look of concern, he patted his side, where a sophisticated looking beeper hung from his belt. "Not to worry. If there had been an emergency, the dispatcher would have paged me."

She smiled up at him, feeling positively giddy that he'd arranged to play hooky just for her. "That was a very nice thing for you to do."

Dante glanced down at her as they arrived at her car.

"Nice had nothin' to do with it." He said with a quiet chuckle.

Before she could reply, he leaned over to unlock and open the passenger's door for her, letting out an exaggerated groan as he did so. "Damn that Bennett and his double sized portions! It hurts to bend over, I'm so stuffed!"

"Me too!" Miaka agreed laughingly, although privately she thought she could have found room for one more dessert. "Your friend Craig is an excellent cook, and I need to get his recipe for those biscuits!"

"Actually, it's my grandma's secret recipe. " Dante said as she seated herself in the car. "I have it memorized. If you wanna try it, I can write it all down for ya."

She smiled up at him. "That'd be wonderful, but only if it's not too much trouble!"

"No trouble at all!" He assured her, looking greatly pleased. "It can be part of my thanks for you buyin' my lunch!"

"That was my pleasure!"

"And mine. I had a real good time."

His words were warm, and his eyes were sending signals that he was as reluctant as she was to end their encounter.

"Me too." She blurted out. "I'm honored that you'd entrust your grandmother's recipe to me, and I'd really enjoy preparing it for you myself. Would you consider allowing me to do that?" The offer was made on impulse and was incredibly cheeky, but she didn't care. Even with reincarnation and prior relationship issues hanging over her head, she'd had a lovely time too.

She wanted a reason to see Dante again.

She also wanted to laugh at his comically stunned expression, but the urge died when he recovered enough to reply,

"Hold that thought, okay?"

After shutting her door, he jogged around the back of the car and got in beside her. Their gazes locked when he turned to her, and Miaka felt her heart do a little flip-flop as he reached out for one of her hands.

She didn't even think of resisting as Dante entwined his fingers with hers, or when he slowly brought the back of her hand to his mouth. Her breath caught at the sight and sensation of smooth, warm lips leaving an imprint on her flesh, and then released in a soft whoosh of air. At that moment, it felt as if everything going on outside the car had faded away, leaving the two them of wrapped in a soft, silent cocoon that seemed to pulse with heat and taut expectation.

But what am I expecting? He knows I'm seeing someone. With that thought, she regained her sense of perspective. "Dante, I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have-"

"Yes, you should. Stop jumpin' to conclusions." He commanded.

Miaka sighed, shamelessly enjoying the tender way his thumb was stroking her knuckles. "All right."

"Havin' another meal with you sounds great, but there's somethin' I absolutely have to know before I give ya an answer." He looked down, staring at their clasped hands. "Just how serious are ya about this guy you were meeting today?"

It was the same thing he'd asked her earlier, a very valid question, and one she had been asking herself since she had arrived in Colorado. Unfortunately, she still didn't have an answer. "I…don't know."

Dante's head shot up quickly at her uncertain response. "You don't know? What kind of lame answer is that?"

His accent had thickened; he looked frustrated and angry, and Miaka felt her own temper flaring in response. "How's this? I was serious enough about him to move here from Japan! Is that satisfactory enough?"

She tried to tug her hand free, but Dante tightened his grip on it, forcing her to give up the attempt.

"That was six months ago, Miaka." He persisted quietly. "I wanna know how ya feel about him now."

Her defensiveness ebbed under the effect of his intense gaze and softened tone. "One of the reasons I don't know how things stand between us," she clarified, "is because I hardly ever see him! The demands of his job are many. We've been apart much, much more than we've been together in the last few months."

"So that's why you were in such an all-fired hurry this mornin'!" He exclaimed, finally letting her hand slip out of his. "You wanted to make the most of the time you had."

"That's right." Miaka murmured. At that moment, she was more disappointed that Dante had been willing to relinquish her hand than at the thought of missing the date with Taka. There was no denying what she was feeling; the desire to be with the man beside her was consuming her, bit by bit. There was nothing to be done about it but to try to hide what she was sure was a revealing expression by turning to look out the side window; an effort that was quickly stymied by the warm fingers that cupped her chin.

It came as no surprise that Dante would use the same maneuver Tasuki had when she and the bandit had first met; the only difference was that Tasuki had been trying to steal a kiss. That stolen kiss had never come to pass thanks to her instinctive right jab, which she could now admit had been a big error in judgment. But how could she have known that the guy she'd rejected that night would become an incredibly selfless and faithful companion?

Exerting pressure, but not enough to hurt her, he turned her face to his. "So, when's the last time this boyfriend of yours took you out on a date instead of having you runnin' around after him?"

She glared at him, resenting the reopening of old wounds. "Why should I tell you that?"

Dante moved closer, so close that she was sure he could hear the rapid thudding of her heart.

"Because I asked." He responded calmly.

Despite her resistance, Miaka's lips twitched at the simple logic of his answer. "You're awfully sure of yourself, considering we just met this morning." But we didn't just meet, and that's what scares me!

"Hell, I'm not sure of anythin'!" He shook his head, looking both sheepish and bewildered. "I've never acted this unprofessionally around a woman while on duty before- never wanted to, for that matter! I don't know why it's different with you...and I don't care. All I know for sure is that you're not happy, an' that I wanna be the one to change that."

Heat flowed through her body. An inner voice was screaming at her to end the lunacy now, that despite the present state of affairs a platonic friendship was all she could and should offer this man, if even that much. This was the voice of reason that she had obeyed every single time it had spoken to her in the past… but after enduring six months of loneliness, uncertainty and unhappiness in a place full of strangers, Miaka was no longer in a mood to listen, much less to obey.

"He hasn't taken me out on a real date in close to three months!" She blurted.

Dante blinked in astonishment. "Why the hell not?"

"His superiors are giving him a lot of extra responsibilities that he feels he has to put up with to get his promotion," she explained. "Whenever he does get some time off, I'm usually working, or there's some corporate function we have to attend… or sometimes he needs to go out of town for seminars on business. He works hard for the money he makes, but his pursuit of it is taking its toll on us."

_________________________________________________________________ _______

In that moment, as he looked into eyes that had filled with dejection and disillusionment, Dante vowed that he would never, ever make the mistakes with Miaka that her workaholic boyfriend had... providing he'd be lucky enough to be let into her life.

Tipping her chin up a little more, he looked directly into the face he knew would be haunting his dreams that night. "Since you're not engaged or even goin' out on regular dates with this guy, I have no qualms whatsoever about askin' ya to go out with me." He told her decisively. "If you're not interested in gettin' to know me, just say so right now and that'll be th' end of it."

_________________________________________________________________ _______

Though she was filled with fear of the unknown, Miaka didn't hesitate. By some quirk of fate she'd been given a chance to rectify some of the mistakes she'd made with Tasuki, and she wasn't about to waste this opportunity. "I would love to get to know you better," she stated honestly, "but I can't promise you anything-"

He silenced her by placing a thumb over her lips. "I'm willin' to take the chance. Hell, I've never been one to play it safe, so why start now?" His thumb made a slow sweep across her mouth, and then he released her chin with a deep sigh. "Damn. I hate leavin' things there, but I gotta get back on patrol. My shift is up at six. Is it okay if I call ya after that?"

"That would be fine." Her voice was steady, but her hands were trembling as she adjusted her skirt to fully cover her legs. "Would you like me to write down my number for you?"

"No need." His eyes smiled into hers. "I got it memorized, remember?"

"Oh, that's right. I forgot." She could feel the heat of a blush tinging her cheeks, and once again she sought to avoid Dante's scrutiny by turning her head to stare out her side window. What am I doing here? Dante…Tasuki… forgive me, but I don't know if I can deal with this…

Dante gave her a final, sidelong perusal as he started the car, taking note of how her body had tensed. It's all right, Miaka. I'm gonna make sure ya don't have regrets about being with me.

_________________________________________________________________ _______

After Miaka gave Dante directions he really didn't need, they filled the remainder of the ride to the apartment complex with trivial conversation. The relaxed camaraderie they had shared during lunch was but a memory, banished by the acknowledgement of their attraction for each other. Even worse, their unspoken agreement to ignore the sexual tension simmering between them for the moment had only served to make it gain in intensity.

When Dante was watching the road, Miaka eyed his lips. Despite her misgivings, her emerging feelings for him, his clear and present avoidance of physical contact with her and his previous declaration that he was 'immune' to women were now combining to provoke her beyond reason. A streak of daring sexual mischief possessed her, and she shifted her leg closer to the gearshift, waiting with breathless anticipation for the first touch of his skin against hers.

_________________________________________________________________ _______

When he shifted back into fifth gear, Dante tensed at the incidental contact, and even more with the knowledge that the brush of his arm against Miaka's leg had hiked her skirt up. Unable to resist, he glanced down...and promptly bit off a groan at seeing the curve of a very shapely thigh, a revelation to which his companion seemed completely oblivious.

Or was she? Somehow he had the feeling that Miaka was purposely trying to get a rise out of him- and damn if it wasn't working! Every time she moved her leg, every time he shifted and touched it, another swift rush of blood moved down to his groin. He hunched forward in his seat, the only way to hide the evidence of his arousal as he tried his best to keep his eyes on the road, permitting himself only the occasional glance and imagining as to what that thigh would feel like beneath his hand or pressing up against his hip.

By the time they pulled into the apartment complex's parking lot, he was gripping the gearshift with whitened knuckles as he battled with his baser urges.

He might have felt better knowing that Miaka was fighting her own battle. Though her teasing of Dante had clearly gotten the desired results, her own body's reaction to it had forced her into the realization that she wanted far more from Tasuki's incarnation than hot, furtive glances and incidental contact. She wanted to touch and be touched. She wanted to give him pleasure and have it returned.

For the first time, she wanted that with someone other than the former Tamahome.

_________________________________________________________________ _______

The second he had the car parked and the engine switched off, Dante flung his door open and quickly clambered out. If he could just get Miaka into the building and make the call for a cab without any kind of unnecessary contact, there was a better than good chance he could maintain his self-control. If not…well, he just wouldn't let himself think about that possibility while he was on duty and the lady still had a boyfriend.

After taking a calming breath, he rounded the car and opened her door.

"I live on the top floor- over there, on the end." She pointed to an outdoor stairway at the end of the building nearest them, as she alighted from the vehicle. "Oops, dropped my purse!"

She bent down to retrieve it and the small bit of change that had spilled out. As she did so, Dante got a tantalizing glimpse of the smooth valley between beautifully rounded breasts, a sight that him clenching his jaw. Keep your hands off! You gotta get back to work! The boss is already gonna have a fit when he finds out ya left a police vehicle sittin' on the freeway on your first assignment… a nooner is totally outta the question!

Miaka took the arm he proffered with a sweet smile, and he tried to ignore the alluring way her hip brushed against his from time to time as they walked. When they reached the stairway, he hung back and let her go first, but soon regretted the courtesy as a slight gust of wind lifted the back of her full skirt and he was treated to a riveting display of calves and thighs. He also couldn't help eyeing the curves of the delectable bottom that was outlined quite nicely when she gathered her skirt in one hand to hold it in place.

After three and a half flights of pure torture, they reached her apartment. Dante looked on in silence while his tormentress unlocked the door. Instead of opening it and walking in, she turned to him.

"You're very welcome to use my phone, but I'm feeling so much better! There's no need for you to have to pay for a cab when I am perfectly capable of giving you a ride!"

Dante managed a bland smile even as he clamped down hard on thoughts of giving Miaka the ride of her life. "I appreciate that, but you should be gettin' some rest after that spell ya had. Thanks to you buyin' my lunch, I have more than enough cash- and it looks better for me to take a taxi than havin' a civilian drop me off anyway."

"Oh. I…I never thought of that." She murmured, clearly disappointed in his reply. "Please come in then, and I'll get the phone for you."

Dante acknowledged the directive with a brief nod of agreement, giving no sign that his insides were tight with excitement. Hot damn, she's lookin' for an excuse to keep me here! Score one for me!

He followed her into the apartment, taking careful note of the stone fireplace and the expensive furnishings that were within his range of view. Chefs must make good money, he thought idly, tagging along behind Miaka into her sunlit living room. With an effort, he resisted the temptation to sink down on one of the soft looking, plum-colored couches, knowing that if he did, he wouldn't be leaving.

Something gently bumped into his ankles, as a low, insistent purr reached his ears. Dante looked down, and was charmed to see the beautiful Siamese cat rubbing against his pant legs. "Well now, aren't you a fine lookin' feline," he murmured, crouching down. He began to pet the elegant animal, which accepted the gesture with dignified pleasure.

Miaka gaped at the scene. "Mizu likes you!" Her tone conveyed unflattering disbelief.

"And there's a reason why she shouldn't?" Dante retorted, continuing to methodically stroke the ball of fur at his knee.

"Yes! Because you're a guy!"

"What!"

"Mizu has made a habit out of scratching, hissing at or spraying the clothing of any males that come near me." She explained. "That's why it's amazing to see kitty seeking out your attention."

"It's pretty obvious to me that she's a very intelligent and discerning cat! You should pay real close attention to her opinions!"

His smirk widened to a grin as she tried to think of a comeback, then resorted to sticking out her tongue at him.

"Cat got your tongue, huh?" As she rolled her eyes at the joke, he turned to the loudly purring feline. "Thanks for the support, Miss Mizu. Glad to see someone around here appreciates a good pun!"

"For your information, Mizu happens to be a boy!"

"Whoops! Sorry 'bout that, Mizu!" Dante said to the cat, then sent a laughing sideways glance at his owner. "Didn't mean to give him claws for getting mad at me."

"Oooh, that is so bad." Miaka groaned, doing her best not to laugh anyway. "Here you go, Mr. Comedian - why don't you try out that devastating wit on some dispatchers?"

She handed him her cordless phone and a piece of paper with the numbers of three taxi services scribbled on it. Dante gave her a two fanged grin that faded when their fingers made contact. The air seemed to pulse with an electric awareness before Miaka drew away and averted her gaze.

"Thanks for looking up the numbers for me." He said.

"You're welcome." She mumbled, stooping down to pick up her cat, who was persistently winding himself around her ankles.

Dante quickly turned away from a second glimpse of paradise, knowing it would completely distract him from his mission.

_________________________________________________________________ _______

"Guess my devastating wit doesn't work on cabbies either." Dante announced ruefully, as he hung up a few moments later. "The soonest anyone can get here is fifteen minutes from now! Talk about bein' slower than molasses!"

He handed Miaka the phone, and she went to set it down on a nearby end table. She lingered there, head down and hand outstretched before turning back to face to him with an oddly determined expression.

"Yes, they certainly are slow." She said, as their gazes connected. "But I have to say that for once...I'm very glad of it."

Just like that, the lighter atmosphere he had tried to foster turned heavy with implication. Dante's heart thundered as Miaka began to walk towards him. She's damn sexy…warm-hearted and fun. God, if she were mine, I'd take good care of her an' stay with her always.

She was standing directly in front of him now, having stopped just short of touching him, although he suspected two parts of her still could if she decided to take a very deep breath.

"I need to ask you something, Dante."

Her expression was warm and inviting, as was her scent. He could feel his common sense steadily slipping away and made no effort to stop it.

"And what would that be?" His voice came out sounding raw and ragged, and he cleared his throat.

"You told me in the car that your dream woman is real." Miaka stated softly. "I was just wondering if you'd tell me who she was?"

Dante stared down at her, feeling both exasperation and amusement. Clearly, she hadn't understood he had been referring to her. But before he could reply, she added quickly, "Is it someone named Sandra?"

"Sandra?" He blinked in astonishment. "How did ya know about her?"

"I overheard Craig mention her to you at the coffeehouse." She admitted, looking away. "It sounded like she was...someone that was very important to you."

Though her voice was soft, it held an undeniable tone of resentment. Dante began to smile as he recognized it for what it was.

Jealousy. Miaka was jealous of his old girlfriend.

The realization sent a burst of adrenaline rocketing through his body. In that moment he wanted nothing more than to carry the woman off to a place where he could show her how he felt instead of wasting time with words. It was his misfortune that he had a conscience and an over-developed sense of responsibility that wouldn't let him act on that desire.

A kiss is gonna have to do for now- I can't skip out on my shift.

Reaching out, he crooked his forefinger beneath her chin and turned her face back to his.

"I didn't mean Sandra, ya little idiot!" He told her huskily. "I was talkin' about you!"

Green eyes widened at his admission, and then darkened with an emotion Dante didn't dare put a name to just in case he was under the influence of wishful thinking. Keeping their eyes locked, he let go of her chin and palmed the nape of her neck, massaging it lightly.

Miaka moistened her lips. "So does that mean that you're not immune to me?"

He gave a short laugh. "No matter what bullshit story ya heard me givin' Craig, I'm definitely not immune to you."

"But you want to be, don't you?"

Her smile was achingly sad, and made him burn with the need to comfort her. He reached out with his other hand and slowly trailed his fingertips down the curve of her face, saying in a low voice,

"If I did… I wouldn't be anywhere near ya right now."

He stilled the motion of the hand on her neck, and then used gentle pressure to urge her forward. Satisfaction seared him as her eyes closed in acceptance of his touch, and a small smile of triumph parted his lips when her body melted into his and her arms encircled his neck to pull his head down to hers. In the heartbeat before he captured her lips, his desire sharpened senses took note of the rapid beating of the pulse at the base of her throat and the excited catch in her breathing.

Then their mouths met, and Dante discovered that the most erotic dream he'd ever had could not have prepared him for the sweet explosion of passion that followed.

Her lips eagerly parted under the demanding nudge of his, as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. His tongue slipped easily into the warm cavern of her mouth, and her tongue immediately rose to meet it, pushing and stroking against his with an abandon that he hadn't expected, and which caused his hunger for her to beat violently against his wall of control. He feasted on her inner fire, feeling every luscious curve and dip of her body aligning with his. It was almost as perfect a fit as if she'd been created especially for him, and him for her...

At that thought, the wall came crashing down. His hands grasped the crests of her hips as his stance widened, a position that brought her into direct contact with his rapidly hardening flesh. Miaka whimpered in response while her fingers delicately raked through his hair. With an answering groan, Dante thrust his tongue deeper inside her mouth, pressing his aroused body even harder into hers. The desire to submerge himself in her softness was growing more powerful with every second she remained in his grasp. He wanted to make every inch of her naked skin tingle with need, and see her face glowing with the knowledge that she would be his heaven and he would be hers.

For a moment he even seriously contemplated pulling her down onto the living room floor and taking her there, as Miaka was making it very clear that she would submit to him without question. Unfortunately, along with that knowledge also came the admission that it would be wrong to take advantage of her unhappiness and obvious need for physical affection. When they shared their bodies with each other for the first time -and there was no doubt in his mind that there'd be one- there wouldn't be any loves from the past climbing into bed along with them. She had to want only him, Dante Tager, for the act to mean what it should... and dammit, he wanted it to have meaning!

And so, with that realization was chiseled into his heart and mind, he began to retreat from the kiss, ending it with slow but firm deliberation, bringing himself and the woman he held back down from the heights of arousal. His hands moved to the tops of her shoulders as their lips parted. Miaka's eyelids lifted and they gazed wonderingly at each other, the sounds of their rapid breathing filling the silence.

Finally, he spoke. "So Miaka...does this mean that ya do want me for more than a friend?" Though his words were tinged with humor, he'd never felt more serious in his life.

Though her eyes looked a little bit anxious, her voice was steady and sure as she answered, "Yes, Dante."

_________________________________________________________________ _______

As soon as the forbidden words left her lips, Miaka felt a thrill of anticipation race through her body. It was done. She was going to follow the path her heart was setting, and there was no going back.

Dante exhaled noisily. Lowering his head, he placed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, overwhelmed by the multitude of emotions churning inside him. Relief, gratitude, happiness, and raging desire were all there …along with something else much, much deeper and sweeter than all those things combined. "The same goes for me." He murmured.

A few repeated blasts of a car horn sounded outside. After a quick glance down at his watch, Dante swore. "There's the taxi...and it's been barely ten frickin' minutes! Why couldn't they take their time for once?"

Miaka giggled, and then gently disengaged herself from his embrace. "I'll walk you out."

Still wanting contact, he reached out to gently trace a line from her cheekbone to the corner of her mouth. "I'll call ya after work tonight. Is that okay?"

Closing her eyes, she nodded her silent agreement.

After they bid a quick farewell to Mizu, Miaka locked up the apartment and followed Dante down the outer stairs to the parking lot where a blue and white taxi awaited them. She hung back as the police officer asked the bemused looking cabbie to wait, and then squeaked in surprise as she found herself taken by the elbow and purposefully marched to a position in the driver's blind spot.

As Dante turned her to face him, a heavy silence fell, evidence that neither of them wanted to be the first to say goodbye.

"Make sure to check that your front car doors are locked." He finally said. "There's been an increase in burglaries in the last month."

"I will." She promised, rising on tiptoe to give him a shy peck on his cheek. "Thank you for helping me."

Dante was amused and annoyed. A piddlin' sisterly kiss... guess I better remind her we ain't related.

"Oh c'mon, I know ya can do better'n that!" He teased. Pointedly ignoring the taxi driver who had scooted over to the passenger side for a better view, he reached out and pulled her up against him. "Wanna try that one again?"

As his head lowered, Miaka's lashes fluttered to her cheeks. A stifled moan escaped her as his mouth claimed hers.

It was a long and sensuous kiss. Several passion filled seconds ticked by before their lips parted. Breathing heavily, Dante gathered Miaka close and rested his chin on the top of her head, allowing himself to linger under her feminine spell for just a bit longer. His gut feeling from this morning had been vindicated. This was definitely a day-and a woman- that he'd never, ever forget.

"The past couple hours with ya have been incredible." He said unsteadily. "Kinda does feel like a dream."

Her sigh was felt rather than heard. "That's exactly how I feel."

From somewhere behind them, the cabbie cleared his throat- loudly, and at great length. Grudgingly, Dante took the unsubtle hint.

"Damn! I don't wanna go, but I got no choice!"

"I know. It's okay." Miaka murmured, as he reluctantly set her free. "I'll be looking forward to your phone call tonight."

He smiled and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "Me too."

His fingers lingered on the softness of her flesh, then his hand fell to his side. Turning abruptly, he opened the door and climbed into the back seat of the waiting taxi, apparently not trusting himself to look back until the vehicle was pulling away. Miaka waved until the cab was lost to view, then crossed her arms in front of her body, as if to ward off a chill. Strange how lonely and cold she felt, even though there were people all around and the sun was beating down upon her head. It was if Dante had taken all of the day's warmth and excitement along with him when he left.

Several minutes passed by before she could shake herself free of her mope enough to stroll over to the space where her car was parked. As Dante had suspected, the doors had been left unlocked. She went to open the driver's door, intending to use the master console to secure the vehicle, but stopped short at the sight of a familiar object lying on the back seat.

Oh no, he forgot about his hat! I hope he won't get in trouble for it!

As another realization struck a minute or so later, Miaka's anxious frown transformed to a wide, dreamy smile. Though she fervently hoped he wouldn't get a reprimand, Officer Dante Tager's loss was most definitely her gain. Having possession of part of his uniform virtually guaranteed she'd see him again before the day was through.

To be continued!

Reviewers will be greeted with a pot of Craig's special coffee and Nuriko-like shrieks of caffeine-induced glee!