Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Leather and Lace ❯ Chapter 12

Leather and Lace

By: Maidens of Konan

The Disclaimer: The rights to Fushigi Yûgi are owned by Yuu Watase. The rights to non-canon, original storyline, dialogue, and original characters belong to MOK. Please do not use, post or copy any part of this work of fiction without written permission; it would be such a pity to have the Four Gods seal you away with the despicable Tenkou and five thousand hungry, naked mole rats. Have a nice day.

Authors' notes: Chapter rating: 15+ for some heavy kissin' and cuddlin' and a bit of off -color language from the irrepressible Dante-kun. Song mentioned in this chapter was composed by Noel Hogan and Dolores O' Riordan, copyright 1992 Island Records.

Chapter Twelve

A starlit mountain night, a gorgeous man, and a passionate embrace; it was exactly like one of her fantasies…only better, because it was real.

As Dante's lips worked their magic, Miaka closed her eyes and permitted herself to forget everything and simply float on waves of pleasured happiness.

It was exhilarating to be in his arms, beneath the twinkling watch of her guardian stars, feeling free of all earthly burdens for at least a little while. He brought all of her senses to life, made her world better just by being in it. She savored his taste, his every touch...and in return, tried to show him through the passionate movements of her own hands and lips just how much she prized all that he was.

Dante felt as if he'd been shaken right to the core of his psyche. Each time he held and kissed Miaka, it was as if he had moved another step closer to an important discovery. Everything about her being in his arms seemed familiar; she fit with him as perfectly as if her presence there had been preordained by some higher power.

Realizing this, his instincts were growling at him to not let her slip through his fingers again, and as always, he found himself following what they told him to do. Kissing Miaka had become so much more than a precursor to sex; now it was as much about joining with the other half of his soul as it was about joining bodies. She had opened a door to a side of him of which he had only been vaguely aware, and there was no going back to the way things had been. Excitement kindled within him and spread rapidly outward, seeming to envelop his body in translucent flames. The prickling in his right forearm had intensified; he didn't need to look to know that his tattoo had come into greater prominence. Unexplainable as the phenomenon was, it also seemed natural and right. It was a sign they belonged together, a symbol of his unshakeable desire to keep Miaka safe, happy, and with him for always. Losing her wasn't an option...

As if in reflection of his thoughts, his arm tightened around her waist and the fingers of his free hand tangled into silken waves of auburn hair, keeping her in a very secure hold as he took her lips again and again.

Several minutes and a handful of people had passed by, but the couple on the picnic bench remained entwined and unaware of both. Unfortunately, their need for air wasn't as easily ignored.

A shuddering sigh of satisfaction escaped Miaka as Dante finally raised his head; when she opened her eyes, her gaze mirrored the stars shining above their heads.

"Incredible." She breathed.

His hand slipped from her hair to gently stroke and hold her cheek. "You can feel it too, can't ya? I mean… that there's a hell of a lot more history between us than we know?"

Miaka gazed tenderly at him. Even if he had no memory of how it had come to be, she was now certain that Dante was acutely aware of the timeless bond that ran between them. Just the same, she had to ask, had to make sure she hadn't misunderstood. "You mean as in what you were saying before? That we knew each other in another time and place, and were destined to find each other again?"

His arm lifted and his fingers trailed through her hair once more. "Yeah." He agreed somberly. "I think that maybe… no, I'm sure that our meetin' each other at this time wasn't by chance! It couldn't be!"

At hearing these words, Miaka's heart began to pound with unfettered excitement. Was now the time to tell Dante everything she knew? It was an extremely tempting prospect...which meant it was also a dangerous one. She was far from an expert at memory restoration. She didn't have the book, Taiits-kun, or her other seishi about to corroborate her story, and there were no miracle memory stones to be found in this world. How would she be able to prove anything if Dante doubted her?

Right now she couldn't, the former priestess acknowledged with a sigh. As frustrating as it was to have to wait, it was best to keep quiet until she was fully prepared to deal with the consequences of those revelations, whatever they might entail. If Dante ever did recall their past joint existence, some of those memories could prove to be painful, to say the very least...

"Hey, are you okay?"

The note of concern in her escort's voice made Miaka aware that the silence between them had gone on for some time. "I'm fine!" She said hastily. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking about us having met in a past life..."

Dante chuckled. "Guess all this philosophizin' is kinda ruinin' the mood, isn't it?"

"Not at all!" She asserted, as his hand palmed the nape of her neck. There was no need to panic; at least she'd found out he was receptive to the possibility of having had a past life, so further discussion on the subject shouldn't do any harm. "In fact, I was thinking that you're right about -"

"Let's talk about it later." Dante cut in, as he eyed her kiss-ripened lips. "Right now, I got other things on my mind." His head began to lower to hers.

"Oh, but-"

An insistent mouth smothered her protest. Miaka struggled briefly, and then relaxed by degrees, closing her eyes while she allowed persuasive lips and hands to reduce her to a mass of malleable putty. A growl of satisfaction escaped Dante as she surrendered, and his kiss deepened, searing them both with its white hot intensity. In turn, she doubled her arms around his neck and moved in an encouraging manner as his hand stroked the curve of her hip. His touch warmed her... tantalized her... made her want to feel so much more...

That need was so strong, she had to express it with a moan. Dante replied with a whispered endearment and the warmth of his hand upon her breast. He cupped it with a gentleness akin to reverence, then traced its circumference with his fingertips. Miaka gasped, and her head fell back against his shoulder. Taking quick advantage of her offering, he abandoned her mouth in favor of nuzzling and nipping the tender curve of her throat as his thumb flicked over her nipple. The onslaught of sensations made her curl her fingers into his shoulders. Desire kindled, smoldered, and then burst into flames. She wanted more. She wanted him.

With swift efficiency, she pulled his t-shirt out of his jeans, then slipped a hand beneath it to caress the lean, muscled heat of his abdomen. Remembering what had pleased him before, she moved her fingers over him in slow, sensuous strokes, adding fuel to the fire that was building between them. Dante groaned, shuddered, and lifted his head to reclaim her lips in another long, hot kiss. Miaka responded with total abandon, letting him know in no uncertain terms that she was his for the asking.

Scant seconds later, her mouth and her breast were released simultaneously and her roaming hand was dragged out from under his shirt. Her whimpering protest was muffled by his hair and a fierce hug, as Dante buried his face in the hollow between her neck and shoulder. His breathing came fast and hard, and his lips brushed warmth over her skin as he spoke.

"We gotta leave before I do somethin' to get us arrested!"

She turned her head to speak into his ear. "I don't want to go."

"God knows I don't either, but-" He broke off on a strangled moan as she began to nibble gently on his ear lobe. "Dammit, Miaka, don't make this harder than it needs to be… "

The words were out before she could stop them. "Why? Will it break?" Her subsequent giggle and the flickering caress of her tongue tip around the outer shell of his ear told Dante she wasn't taking him seriously.

"I wasn't talkin' about that kinda hard, ya little minx!"

"Mm-hmm…whatever you say, Officer…" She lowered her head to his throat, caressing every inch of it with her lips, tongue and teeth.

Dante bit back a moan. How had she known he was so sensitive there?

"Ya hafta stop!" He ordered feebly. A sharp gasp followed the directive as she drew some of his flesh into her mouth and gently sucked at it. "Ahhh...Miaka...are ya…mmmmm...listenin' to me?"

"No." She mouthed the solitary word against his skin, stirring stray tendrils of his hair with her quickened breath. Her mouth moved upwards to the sensitive hollow below his ear, and nuzzled it gently. With a low groan, Dante closed his eyes and tipped his head to allow her better access. He was getting high on her sweetness, and no longer cared if she knew that he had no resistance to the allure of her touch. As she rained kisses over his jaw and trailed them down the length of his throat, he relished her attentions with quiet sounds of pleasure. When her mouth sought his lips, they parted, allowing her tongue full access to his.

Miaka angled her head to deepen the kiss. Her breasts felt heavy, and the flowing sensation at the junction of her thighs was increasing. She shifted restlessly, then attempted to straddle Dante's lap to ease the erotic buildup of feeling. Unfortunately for her, the movement snapped him out of his amorous haze. He broke off the kiss, holding her firmly in place as she blinked up at him in hurt surprise.

"Dante?" The unspoken plea was all too evident in her voice and her eyes.

"Don't look at me like that, goddammit!" He said roughly.

Miaka flinched under the force of the frustration in his words. "I'm sorry." She confessed in a small voice. "I thought...I just wanted...to please you."

"You are...I mean, I like what you were doin'!" A single, hard press of his hips against her buttocks gave proof to his words. "And that's the problem, 'cause I can't...and won't make love to you when we both know you're still involved with him! I'm sorry if that sounds like too much of an ultimatum...but it's how I feel. I want the whole goddamn package for myself, not just the fun of tearing off the pretty wrappin' paper...you know what I mean?"

There, he had said it. Clenching his jaw, Dante braced himself for fireworks. All his past experiences with women had shown him that either Miaka was going to rip him for trying to force her into a commitment… or for expecting too much of her…or at the very least, for his poor way with words in denying her what they both knew they wanted.

Instead, she blew him away with a smile.

"Don't apologize!" She declared passionately. "Your feelings are very important to me, Dante. That you trust in me enough to honestly share what you're feeling is the best kind of gift you could give to me. Never doubt that."

To say he was thunderstruck was an understatement. A female considering his feelings important and forthrightness as an attribute? Had hell frozen over? "Well, th-thanks," He stammered, overcoming a brief bout with speechlessness. "You're really not mad?"

"Of course I'm not!" Miaka responded firmly. "You're right to say what you've said! My behavior towards you in the past two days has been shameful and unjust, considering my circumstances. I owe you such a huge apology, Dante. I never thought I'd ever find...someone like you here. I can't deny the strength of my feelings for you..."

Voice breaking, she paused, hanging her head as she continued. "In less than two days, my world has been turned upside down. Everything has happened so quickly, I haven't really figured out where I stand. All I know for sure is that until I can tell Taka what's been going on, I've been willing to go behind his back to see you! Doesn't that make you wonder what kind of person I am?"

Dante sighed deeply, and then forced her to look at him.

"Miaka darlin', all I know for sure that you're a kind and loving soul who's been true to one man for so long, having this happen was damn near unthinkable for you! I get that he's your first love and that he's been a part of your life a helluva lot longer than I have, and that those things entitle him to certain considerations."

Bending forward, he pressed a hard, swift kiss upon her mouth, then pulled back to look at her with eyes that blazed. "I'm gonna be as patient as I can while ya work things out with him. But if we go all the way now, your choice is made! Once I've had ya, you're mine! Understand?"

She stared at him, her eyes glistening and wide, and then slowly nodded.

"Got any problems with it?"

This time she immediately shook her head, and Dante relaxed.

"Good." He said softly. "An' when you do choose me, I'm not backing off..."

His voice was like velvet over sandpaper, rubbing her in all the right places. His gaze was hungry and hot, and contained a message that had Miaka's heart pounding double time.

As waves of sensual anticipation rippled through her loins, she shivered with uncontrollable excitement.

Upon feeling the movement, Dante's expression changed to one of sharp concern.

"Hell's Bells, your skin is like ice!" He exclaimed, briskly running a hand up and down each of her arms, which were covered with goose bumps. "Yeah, I think it's definitely time we go back - I don't want ya catchin' pneumonia!"

After that, there was nothing for her to do but climb off his lap and help him get to his feet. She wanted to protest that her passion for him had kept her insides as warm as a toasted marshmallow and she didn't feel cold at all. However, his clarifying his feelings about their situation precluded her sharing that bit of information. He was right; nothing more should happen until she had resolved things with Taka. She was ashamed that she hadn't. When it came down to doing what was right, she really shouldn't have even gone out with Dante in the first place, much less indulged in a passionate necking session with him!

Why was it so easy for her to fling aside her morals and scruples when it came to Dante? She had never done so for Tasuki. If she were completely honest with herself, she'd have to admit she'd been a bit curious about Tasuki in a physical way, but not enough to want to risk her relationship with either Tamahome or Taka. Not enough to allow the bandit seishi to follow through on his plan to 'make her happy.'

So why was everything different now? What had changed in her heart? Why had it changed? Were hurt feelings and a battered ego helping her become obsessed with someone she knew had lived and probably died just for her? Someone who had continued to care so very deeply for her, though she hadn't been able to return his love at the time?

Oh Tasuki... what did you have to do to be here with me?

A sharp stab of grief pierced her body, allowing the nighttime chill to seep into her bones. As she began to shiver in earnest, Dante released her hand and draped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her tightly to his side while they began the trek to his vehicle. Despite pangs of grief and her struggle with simmering desire, Miaka found herself gratefully snuggling into his warmth. The arm about her tightened protectively, and she couldn't suppress a smile. How like a true Suzaku seishi Dante was, to put her well-being first.

"Mmm, that's much better." She wrapped her arm around his waist and squeezed him lightly. "Thank you, Dante."

"Anytime, darlin'." He replied huskily. "Anytime at all."

_________________________________________________________________ _______

The Jeep provided welcome shelter from the cold mountain breeze, but no protection from forbidden thoughts. As lovely as their time together had been, and despite their agreement, Miaka was all too aware that the thought of their impending separation would make it more than possible for her to throw caution to the wind and take the final step toward intimacy.

A kind of melancholy fell over her as she buckled her seat belt. All too soon Dante would be dropping her off at her apartment and putting an end to an unforgettable first date. Funny, how the thought of solitude- the same solitude that she had been craving after a hard day's work - had now become almost unbearable after spending an evening in Dante's company.

She wanted to be with him, for as long as possible- it was as simple as that. To be able to do that with a clear conscience and no doubts, she needed to examine her life in detail, and then decide just where she wanted it to go. She'd been so excited after meeting Dante and so caught up in their romantic encounters, that she hadn't had a chance to evaluate the full extent of her feelings for him. She owed it to herself and to him. Making a hasty decision based on raging hormones would be insensitive, careless, and wrong.

The sound of the engine roaring to life distracted her from her morose thoughts. Dante's hand was resting on the steering wheel and she found herself staring at it in bemused admiration. He had such powerful, capable-looking hands …but she now knew they could express tremendous sensuality and tenderness as well.

When she shifted her eyes to his, he held out a plastic bottle. "Better drink this, just to be on the safe side."

"Good idea." She obediently reached for the water he had purchased for her.

Dante hastily averted his gaze as she unscrewed the cap and took a long drink. "Would ya like some music?" He asked, keeping his eyes trained on the dashboard. In his experience, music was always a safe topic of conversation, and provided a convenient filler for awkward silences as well.

She capped the bottle and replaced it in the cup holder next to her before answering him. "That would be fine. I like all kinds of music."

Dante flicked on the stereo and then switched to his favorite station. "This one plays a lot of American rock classics and top 40 oldies," he said, while he checked for traffic, and proceeded backed out of the lot. Then, with an expert twist of the wheel and a shift of the gears, they were off. "I'm afraid we don't have a station that plays J-pop. I wish we did, 'cause Japanese CD's cost an arm and a leg here in the States." He added.

She gave him a surprised look. "You listen to j-pop?"

"Yeah, but I only have a handful of cassettes and CD's. Craig has a bigger variety, and soundtrack stuff, as well as an anime collection you wouldn't believe!"

"Really? What kind of anime does he like to watch?"

"Just about anything." Dante grinned. "I swear he has every single series or OVA that's come down the pike in the last ten years. He special orders everythin' straight from Japan."

"That's so great!" She enthused. "Do you think he'd let me borrow something if I ask nicely?"

Dante stared at her for a moment. "Yeah, he'd let you." He finally replied, somewhat coolly. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind at all."

Sensing she'd said something wrong, Miaka hastened to change the subject. "That reminds me, Dante-kun! I have some CD's that I brought with me from home that you might enjoy. In fact, if you like, you can take them home tonight." When he hesitated, she resorted to coaxing him. "It's still fairly early, so there's no reason for you to go right away! I'll even make you a snack while you pick out the ones you want."

To her relief, Dante's grin returned. "Miss Miaka, are my ears deceivin' me, or are you tryin' to bribe a cop?"

"There's no 'try' about it if it works!" She shot back. Dante laughed. "By the way," she continued slyly, "did I mention that my cookies have double the usual amount of chocolate chips?"

"Oh man…" Dante's mouth watered. He had a weakness for anything chocolate. "Well now, I suppose that changes things. I couldn't get in too much trouble if I'm busy stuffing my face..." God, but he was weak. Weak and pathetic. Weak, pathetic…and totally, hopelessly smitten.

"Of course you can't-it's the world's safest snack!" Miaka affirmed, with a bright smile.

He couldn't help smiling back at her, although he knew he should have his head examined for giving in to her whim. It was going to be pure hell from him not to be able to touch her, especially with her bedroom so close by. It served him right, though, for getting so uptight with her over nothing.

Craig's flirtatious manner with Miaka had bothered him, though. Her innocent approval of his friend had provoked an insane streak of jealousy, even though he knew that it was completely ludicrous to feel that way. Craig was a trusted, lifelong friend, who had never broken their mutual 'no poaching on my best friend's girl' pact. On top of that, the guy had made it plain that he was all for Dante getting hooked up with Miaka. And yet... he couldn't shake the thought that if Craig had met Miaka first, he'd have gone for her in a big way and not given a damn whether the lady was spoken for or not.

Just thinking about that possibility made his stomach lurch unpleasantly.

Dante frowned. He had never felt the need to stake a claim on a woman before, but with Miaka, he was territorial to the point of ferocity! Good thing his ornery inner voice wascounteracting it by reminding him that this was the twenty-first century, and he damn well better learn to control those primitive feelings, or risk losing the woman for good.

Of course, that could happen anyway; if his possessiveness didn't put her off, finding out he'd lied about what he did for a living could end up doing the trick. It was vital that he correct that misconception very soon.

He'd given the matter some thought, actually, and come to the conclusion that he could tell her what he did without fear of too severe a reprisal. His cases were highly confidential in nature, and the law forbade him to discuss any of the details with an outsider. That gave him the perfect excuse fornot telling Miaka about the Sukinami investigation. As for conflict of interest- hell, he'd probably be assigned to a different case anyway, once Connery had gotten him off the hook. No, check that- he'd ask Connery to be reassigned, and that would take care of the whole matter! What was losing a case to another detective compared to the pain of losing Miaka?

Feeling better that he had some semblance of an actual plan, he tuned back in to the pulsing beat and ethereal voice that were now pouring from his state-of-the-art speaker system.

Oh, my life…is changin' every day…

Ya don't say! Dante thought with irony. Shit, sometimes I feel like my life ain't even my life.

As they came to a halt at a traffic light, Miaka spoke up. "I recognize this song from the movie 'Boys on the Side', but I can't remember who sings it."

He turned his head to look into bewitching green eyes. "It's sung by a band called The Cranberries."

She laughed at that. "I should have known! A group named after any kind of food is a group after my own heart!"

"Yeah, really." He chuckled, thinking of her amazing appetite.

"You know, Yui and I always listened to American pop songs when we studied English," Miaka confided. "Not only was it fun, it helped me in pronounciation and learning American slang."

Dante smiled. "You must have studied hard- if it wasn't for your accent, I'd swear that you were born here!"

"Thank you." She glanced away, pleased but slightly embarrassed by his praise.

There was a simmering silence.

"Ya know, I've always been interested in learnin' Japanese." Dante blurted.

Miaka looked at him, beaming. "Really? That's wonderful!"

His face heated at the delighted approval in her voice. "I don't suppose you'd be interested in teaching me some?"

"Interested? I'd be offended if you asked anyone else!" She declared. "And maybe in return… you could teach me how to draw?"

Though Dante tried to maintain his cool, he felt an absurd amount of pleasure in the request. "You got yourself a deal!" He drawled happily, as the light changed and he set the Jeep into motion.

The female singer's lilting voice filled the silence, her words gently extolling the virtues of the dream lover to whom she'd given her heart, pleading with him not to hurt her.

"Dante-kun, have you ever watched a TV show called 'Ally McBeal'?" Miaka asked, so suddenly that it made him twitch in surprise.

"All the time, since it went into syndication." He replied, glad to find there was another thing they had in common.

"Remember the episode where the eccentric psychiatrist she was seeing told Ally that everyone had a theme song, and that Ally needed to get one?"

"Yeah, I remember that." He smiled at the recollection. "Why do ya ask?"

"Because I think maybe 'Dreams' should be my theme song." Miaka told him shyly.

"Because ya like to daydream?" He guessed.

"Well...yes, that's another good reason." She admitted, with a breathless little laugh. "But actually, it's because of the lyrics. They describe my feelings so perfectly."

As he tuned into the words, Dante felt his heart lurch and then begin hammering against his ribs. At that very moment, the vocalist was singing about her feelings for a dream lover and voicing a plea for him not to reject her.

Was this Miaka's subtle way of saying that he had captured her heart? Or was she referring to her feelings for someone else...like Tasuki?

A quick glance at her profile gave him absolutely no clues as to what she was thinking, and stubborn male pride prevented him from asking. He turned his eyes back to the road as he made the vehicle surge forward amongst the sparse evening traffic.

"It's kinda funny. I was just thinkin' it could be my theme song!" He lied.

Even though his gaze was on the road, he could sense the moment Miaka's head swiveled towards him. Even in the faint glow from the street lights, his peripheral vision could discern the questioning intensity of her gaze. He flashed her an innocent smile, and then directed his attention back to the road. From her expression, it appeared that she was now wondering what the hell he had meant. Well, that was just too damn bad. It served her right for keeping him hanging on the line!

A very clear image of a wizened, cackling old lady unexpectedly popped into his thoughts. Eh? Why the hell am I thinkin' about that spooky old hag? With a mental shudder, he banished the unwelcome vision. "Since you picked this one first, I'll pick another song," he continued, giving the woman at his side a teasing look. "You like food, an' I kinda like the classics- how about Meat Loaf's' 'You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth'?"

Judging from her flustered expression, it was obvious Miaka understood what the title referred to. Dante grinned at her, and then laughed aloud as she childishly pulled down her lower eyelid and stuck out her tongue as a comeback. "Not that one, huh? All right, then let's keep on listenin'! Maybe they'll play something else that applies to my way of thinkin'!"

_________________________________________________________________ _______

The rest of the ride to her apartment complex passed by in a musical blur. Though Dante was rather disappointed that they didn't hear a song that they felt was exactly right for his personal theme, Miaka wasn't sorry in the least. Once he'd gone from humming into singing along with the tunes, she had been too enthralled with Dante's emotive, sexy voice to concentrate on anything else. He modestly brushed off her effusive compliments by saying that he was an 'all right' singer, but if she wanted to hear a great rock voice, she should listen to Bruce Springsteen or Nobutoshi Canna.

All too soon the spires of her apartment building loomed on the horizon, and Miaka heaved a quiet sigh of regret. It had been a strange and exhilarating evening, and she wasn't anywhere near ready to let it go. Suggesting they have cookies, coffee and conversation in her apartment wasn't a bad thing, was it? Dante was trustworthy and a gentleman, and so when he said he wasn't going to make love to her yet, she believed him.

Nevertheless, her stomach clenched with anticipation as he pulled into a parking spot and switched off the engine.

"We're here," he said, unnecessarily. "Hold on, I'll open your door for you."

"All right."

Dante got out of the vehicle and walked around to the passenger side. Miaka collected her poise and her purse as the passenger door opened and his extended hand came into view.

"Arigatou." She said, accepting his offer of help.

He smiled. "That means 'thank you'- am I right?"

"Hai…very good! Now say it after me- 'arigatou'."

Her new student obediently repeated the word. Miaka giggled, and he gave her a mildly irritated look. "What? Did I say it wrong?"

"No, you pronounced it correctly," she assured him, "but it's quite a bit different to hear Japanese spoken with a Southern accent."

Dante laughed. "I never thought of that."

They grinned at each other, until they realized her door was still wide open and he was still holding her hand. He apologized, in Japanese, much to her delight, and then let her go to shut and lock her door, much to her disappointment. However, that feeling quickly dissipated when he put a proprietary hand beneath her elbow as they began to walk.

It was an old fashioned and rather romantic gesture, Miaka thought dreamily. A very welcome one too, since the parking lot had poor lighting and rough stretches of asphalt. As Dante steered her smoothly around a pot hole, she smiled in appreciation, and then in growing amusement at the thought that her impolite, slightly misogynistic Tasuki had become the very embodiment of good manners- a true 'Southern gentleman', as it were.

They climbed the stairs together, with Dante on the outside rail. When they reached the top, he let go of her arm so that she could dig her keys out of her purse. While she scrabbled through her handbag's contents, he started to chuckle, and she sent him an inquiring glance. "What's so funny?"

"Don't ya hear it? It's our welcomin' committee!"

She stopped digging and listened. Sure enough, a barrage of outraged meows were coming from behind the door. "Oh dear…poor Mizu…he isn't used to me going out on the week nights!" She called out soothingly to the cat, who was now pawing at the door, then returned to digging for her keychain.

Dante moved in behind her to shield her from the brisk wind that had sprung up as she hurriedly pulled out the batch of keys and selected the proper one. "You mentioned that Mizu's got a leash. Why don't we bring him with us next time?" He suggested suddenly.

She turned from sliding the key into the lock to give him a startled look.

"Um…that is… if you want there t'be a next time, " he added uncertainly, silently cursing himself for the slip. If his experience with Sandy had taught him anything, it had been to never take a woman for granted. Sharing burgers, a malt and a few passionate kisses did not guarantee that Miaka would want to continue to go out with him, and having given her an ultimatum probably wasn't helping his chances either. Way to pile on the emotional baggage, Tager. Like she needed more than she already has.

In the faint glow of the security light above their heads Miaka could see Dante's cheeks darken, and realized he'd misinterpreted her reaction. "I do want there to be a next time." She said emphatically, looking directly at him. "I want that very much!"

A muscle moved in his cheek. "Good. So do I."

He said nothing more, but the slow fire kindling in his eyes spoke volumes. Suddenly nervous, Miaka quickly turned back to finish unlocking her door. "I was just surprised about you including Mizu." She continued, conscious that his eyes were following her every move. "Not many guys would go to the trouble of catering to him."

"I like your cat. He's got class." Was the quiet response.

When the door was opened, Mizu's frenzy of meows mingled with Miaka's loving exclamations as she bent to pick him up. The cat glared at her as it stiffened in protest, then cuddled in close to her chest as she began to stroke his soft fur from head to tail.

Figures. Even though he's pissed, he still can't resist her. Dante shook his head in amusement, then reached out to scratch the cat behind his ears. "Hey there, Fuzzy Fart! How's it been hangin'?"

Mizu's response held a distinct note of complaint.

"Yeah, I hear ya. It's boring bein' stuck at home all by yourself." Dante said sympathetically. He leaned closer to one pointed ear. "Don't worry your furry lil' head about it, though." He added in a stage whisper. "If ya let me take her out again, I'm definitely gonna make it worth your while!"

The feline's reply was a growling purr and an insistent head butt.

Miaka smiled at Dante as he continued to make a fuss over her cat, then glanced down to see how her pet was responding to the extra attention. Almost immediately, she found herself doing a double take.

Was it her imagination, or had Mizu just winked at her?

_________________________________________________________________ _______

Miles away in body and mind, Taka sat in his deserted outer office, which was illuminated solely by the glow from the computer monitor in front of him.

After leaving the meeting with Thornton, he had decided to finish compiling some financial reports for his accounts. Being that Miaka was out, and that he'd be busy with the old man's clients that weekend, it was best that get ahead while he could. Besides, it was amazing how fast things he could get things done, with no meetings to go to, no appointments coming in, and his phone not ringing off the hook.

An hour later he'd finished his work. He stretched lazily, and then set to shutting down his PC, but then changed his mind. On impulse, he logged in again, and went to pull up the set of files that had been assigned to him by mistake. Now that he knew what they were, he wanted another crack at opening them, just to see if he could meet the challenge when he wasn't distracted.

Ten minutes later, he was staring at an opened file with a dazed expression. The so-called client profile flickering in front of his face was shockingly familiar to him. Slowly, eyes never leaving the screen, he leaned back in his chair, with two questions burning in his mind; why the hell had Thornton kept a dossier on Miaka and why had he lied about what kind of file it was?

Of course, there was a strong possibility that it was part of the initial background check he'd gone through to get the job, or perhaps a follow up to see if he had told the truth about Miaka having green card. However, if either of those things were the case, why wasn't the information in his own personal file?

A cold wave of dread washed over him. There had to be a logical explanation, but instinct was telling him not to dismiss the dossier's presence so easily. Maybe he should save the rest of the files on a disk to take home and look at before Thornton deleted them. He'd go over every single detail before asking questions, and then decide what to do.

First of all though, he needed to call Miaka to tell her everything had gone well, but that they wouldn't be taking their weekend trip. No sense worrying her with what he had seen tonight, though-he'd just tell her Thornton had given him an important assignment and leave it at that. She'd be angry and disappointed with him all over again, but he'd just have to bite his tongue until he had some definite answers to give her.

Dante was seated on a barstool in Miaka's kitchen, drinking his second cup of coffee and munching on his third cookie, when the phone rang. As Miaka excused herself to answer the summons, he frowned. He couldn't explain why, but something about that ring told him that the call wasn't good news.

Miaka answered the phone in the kitchen in English and then made a switch to Japanese after she greeted the person on the other end.

Even if he couldn't understand what was being said, the look on her face would have given away the caller's identity, Dante thought ruefully.

It was a short and fairly one sided conversation, with Taka apparently doing a lot of talking, and Miaka giving short or monosyllabic replies before hanging up. In the ensuing silence Dante stared down into the dark depths of his coffee cup, trying his best not to look as if he had been trying to figure out the gist of what had been said. As she plunked down on the stool next to him, he looked up with forced nonchalance. "Everything all right?"

Her expression was composed, but her eyes were bleak and her voice shook with suppressed emotion as she answered his question. "Everything's fine."

"Are ya sure?" He pressed gently. "You look kinda upset."

Her chin lifted a fraction. "That was my bo-that was Taka." She stated unnecessarily. "He's cancelled our plans for this weekend. Apparently the head of his company is personally requesting that he meet with some very important clients." She gave a humorless laugh. "I guess it must be pretty important this time. He's never gotten a bonus on top of an all expenses paid trip before!"

Dante's prominent canine teeth caught at his bottom lip. Sukinami! Criminy, he'd totally forgotten about the investigation, and this untimely reminder had his cop's instinct back on high alert and yelling at him to pump Miaka for more information. But his heart- that treacherous piece of anatomy- was shouting even more loudly that being a cop right now would be the worst thing he could do if he wanted to be with this woman.

Dante smiled to himself. He didn't evenn have to think twice. Miaka had been priority one in his life ever since he'd laid eyes on her. He was actually happy about being yanked off the case; being on suspension freed him from any obligation to report any suspicions or to follow up on leads. All he had to do was to give Miaka and himself something to do that would keep their minds and their conversations off the dangerous topic of Taka Sukinami… and he now knew just what that something would be.

This was a perfect opportunity to give her some much needed fun and relaxation while making memories that would help him gain a foothold in her affections. Nothing mattered more to him than that, and his resolve was unwavering as he turned to the woman at his side and placed his hand over hers.

"So, Miaka! Since you're gonna be free this weekend, would you and Mizu like to come an' spend it with me?"

To be continued…

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