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Broken Pieces: Chapter 10 - scent of the unattainable

by linay

I dance to the music of misery

Misery will write my memories

Kaoru awoke to a dizzying headache, twisted uncomfortably between the bed sheets. She struggled to pry her eyes open, wondering when sunlight had ever been painful. She rolled over to her side, her head pounding incessantly. She distantly recalled scattered memories from the night before.

The teahouse that had turned out to be distinctly indecent.

Genji resurfacing.

Katsura explaining his philosophy on murder.

Drinking that sweet milky liquor.

Kaoru knit her brows together thoughtfully, her eyes squinting at the painfully bright light streaming from the window. The rest of her memories were rather blurred and unclear - a disconcerting situation for someone who has lived and relived vivid memories, and not only her own. Vaguely she recalled other scenes in broken pieces.

The smell of Kenshin’s neck.

The angry glow in his yellow eyes.

Genji’s moan of pain.

The feeling of being pressed completely against…

Kaoru’s eyes widened involuntarily as she recalled the last memory and she bolted upright - only to fall back painfully against her pillow, her head weighing a ton.

“Finally awake?” a familiar voice filled her hearing.

Kaoru pulled herself to the edge of the bed and peered down with bleary blue eyes. Sitting with his back to the wall and with his red head bowed was Kenshin. He looked up, eyes small with fatigue.

“What…?” Kaoru’s voice grated.

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. “You don’t remember?”

Kaoru squinted and furrowed her brows, pushing her aching head to recall. Her visage showed obvious concern - what had she been doing the night before? And why had Kenshin slept in the room with her?

“Did I…?” Kaoru asked, her voice groggy and apprehensive, “Did we…?”

Kenshin studied her contorting face as she struggled to remember her actions. Gauging from her confused appearance, he deduced that she was not able to recollect a single embarrassing thing.

“No,” he said simply, raising himself up slowly and looking away.

Kaoru stared at his lean figure, still clothed in last night’s apparel. Her grimace of confusion grew as a gnawing memory refused to surface. Kenshin eyed her with concealed discomfort.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

A series of incomprehensible mutterings followed.

“I thought as much,” he said, “Wait here.”

Kenshin walked out of the bedroom and Kaoru rolled onto her back again, irritated. Did he think she was going to go anywhere with this damned headache? And the man made so much noise when he opened the door! Was he doing it on purpose? Every sound - from the swinging of the door to the irritating chirping of birds - grated on Kaoru’s raw nerves and sounded excruciatingly loud in her eardrums. She fought back a wave of nausea, her stomach doing summersaults. The pressure behind her eyes was nearly unbearable.

Meanwhile, Kenshin was in the kitchen, pulling out the biggest glass he could find. He filled it with cold water and then rummaged in a drawer for some extra-strength Tylenol. Silently he cursed himself for not realizing that a seventeen girl such as his sort-of prisoner would not be able to stomach even that tiny bit of alcohol.

Then, Kenshin cursed himself for caring.

He shook out two tablets of Tylenol and threw the bottle back in its drawer, slamming it closed angrily. He paused. And let his eyelids drift closed. And then he allowed himself to remember what she could not.

Kaoru’s eyes were beautiful. And innocently inviting.

He let her pull him into his bedroom, his eyes captured by her warm, blue gaze. She giggled, managing in her stupor to kick the door shut on their way in.

“Come!” she beckoned sweetly, pulling him by the wrists.

The intoxicated teenager tripped and tumbled backwards onto the bed, pulling Kenshin along with her. The assassin found himself hovering over her prone form, his hands planted on each side of her head. She giggled again, her laughter like musical chimes. He stiffened, not feeling particularly in control while sprawled out on top of the lithe girl.

“Kaoru,” he breathed softly, attempting to stand up straight.

But the girl wound her arms around him and locked her hands together at his back, preventing him from lifting himself without hurting her. Kenshin frowned. Kaoru smiled up at him.

“Let me go, Kaoru.”

“Why?” She was childlike, as always.

“Because I want to let you sleep. You need to rest.”

“Why?” Cheerful, tipsy banter.

“You’re drunk and you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Why?” It was obviously a game to her.

“Or what you’re doing to me,” he added under his breath, refusing his body relief by consciously keeping his hips away from hers.

“What am I doing to you?” she asked, her tender face screwing up in concern.

Curses, the girl had good hearing. Kenshin didn’t reply. Instead, he reached behind and tried to pry her fingers loose from behind him. The situation was becoming tremendously awkward and uncomfortable for the assassin. Kaoru tilted her head to one side, watching with a slight smile on her face.

“What’re you doing?”

“Trying to get your hands off of me,” Kenshin answered, deliberately brusque.

“Why?”

Kenshin paused to look down and frown at her. Enough fooling around, he meant to convey. But for a split second, he was unable to put on his icy, cruel appearance.

Her ivory expression was angelic, midnight hair spilling around her head and over her shoulders. But what struck him dumb for a moment was the pure sincerity reflected in her crystal blue eyes. Sincerity and complete vulnerability.

He was caught off guard only for a second. In the next, he was glowering down at her with angry, narrowed amber eyes. He focused his energy into creating a frightening scowl that would have terrified even a hardened thug.

But Kaoru - Kaoru simply smiled up at him sadly.

“Don’t,” she whispered tenderly, “You don’t have to be like that all the time.”

Kenshin’s eyes expanded suddenly. In his short moment of confusion, Kaoru wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled downward with all of her strength. The stupefied assassin landed on top of her, his face nestled in her hair and his body tightly pressed against hers. Her soft curves were painfully obvious to him now.

“Kaoru,” he warned dangerously, feeling the heat rise in his body.

“You smell…” Kaoru interrupted, her voice thoughtful.

Kenshin winced into the side of her head, thinking of how she always commented on his revolting smell. How he was coated in the stench of blood. How he had been dirtied and used as a killing tool.

Kaoru pressed her nose into his neck, inhaling and exhaling deeply. Her cool breath tickled Kenshin’s neck and elicited all manner of bodily responses from the man. He thanked the gods that the girl was far too drunk to notice the indecent bulge pressing against her warmth.

“You smell,” she continued, her voice dreamy, “Like the forest. Like pine trees.”

Kenshin’s entire body stilled within the teenager’s impromptu embrace. His eternally tense muscles responded to the heat of her body and he began to hear his heartbeat. He felt Kaoru’s arms loosen hesitantly around him. Her small hands began to stroke his back slowly, comfortingly- although it elicited rather primal sensations in the man on top of her. Kaoru tilted her head to the side so that their cheeks were overlapping. Kenshin strained his eyes to get a look at her expression.

Her eyes were closed. But her face was free of fear.

“How do I smell?” she whispered softly, her voice become heavy with drowsiness.

Kenshin allowed himself to press his face into her neck. He inhaled deeply.

“You smell,” he whispered, “You smell sweet.”

Kenshin indulged, knowing that he would probably never get another chance. He moulded his body onto hers, savouring the feel of her body under his.

Gradually, Kaoru’s stroking slowed. Her breathing grew regular and, finally, her arms slid away from Kenshin’s back. Almost hesitantly, Kenshin pushed himself up onto his elbows. He leaned over her and studied her sleeping face. Tempted, he let his face drop down slowly towards hers, inhaling more of her sweet scent. Gently, he touched his cheek to hers, exploring the feel of her soft, smooth skin against his own.

He inhaled deeply.

And then sighed.

Reluctantly, he pulled away from her, knowing that it was impossible for him to feel her or even smell her so closely again. He slid his arms underneath her and pulled her entire form onto the bed, placing her gently in the middle of the bed and pulling the sheets over her. He sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, studying her.

Brushing a stray lock of hair away from her cheek, he stood. He pressed his lips together. In that moment, Kenshin sincerely hoped he would never have to shed her blood. It was all he could promise.

He dropped into a sitting position beside the bed, his mind swarming. Sleep did not claim him until many hours later.

It was folly, all of it. An assassin had no room for such soft sensations.

Kenshin shook his head, picking up the glass of water and tablets of Tylenol. There was no time for such sentimentalism. Last night had been a mistake. One he would not repeat.

He strode purposefully into the room, causing Kaoru to roll her head over to look at him.

“Do you have to be so loud?” she complained grouchily.

Kenshin refused to answer. Instead he held out the glass of water.

“Drink it,” he said, producing the pills, “And take these.”

Rather than argue, Kaoru struggled to rise to a sitting position but her limbs felt as stiff and heavy as lead. She floundered pathetically for a few minutes. Kenshin watched distantly, refusing to help her in any way. Finally, Kaoru was able to lift herself up into leaning against the headrest. Kenshin dropped the pills into her open palm and handed her the water. Then, without another word, he stalked out of the room.

Kaoru ignored his brusque attitude, her headache literally the only thing on her mind.

“Megumi?”

“Yes, sir?” Takani Megumi asked, looking up from the paperwork piled on her desk.

“I need Kamiya Kaoru’s test results and medical papers.”

“Sir?”

“I’d like to look over them this week. Get them, will you?”

“But sir,” Megumi protested, “Her files fill up three cabinets!”

“Oh that’s stupid,” her boss quipped, “Then just get me the medical papers you wrote up during her time in Kanryu’s possession-”

“Possession?! Sir, I object-”

“That’s what it was, Missy,” he interrupted abruptly, “So get me those and also the results of her most recent examinations.”

“For when?”

“Now, of course.”

“Of course,” Megumi repeated cattily, pushing back from her desk.

“Oh and,” her boss threw over his shoulder as he turned to leave her to dig up the information, “Get me your notes on her present physical and mental condition.”

Takasugi loped over to the door to Kenshin’s apartment lazily. Although he had the key to the apartment, he chose to knock.

“Hey!” he called through the heavy wood, “Open up, Himura!”

The front door swung open quietly a second later. Kenshin held the door open for his unexpected guest, silently ushering him in. Takasugi wandered in slowly, looking around curiously.

Kenshin shut the door and returned to his armchair, easing himself into the leather seat slowly. Takasugi spread himself out on the sofa and ran a rough hand through his short, matted hair.

“So,” he began casually, his dark eyes keenly observant, “Where’s the little girl?”

“In the bedroom,” Kenshin replied impassively.

“When’d she wake up?”

“Hours ago.”

“Hangover?”

“Almost gone.”

“Any other reason she should be tired?”

Kenshin shot his superior a sharp look. “Not at all,” he replied pointedly, emphasizing each word.

“Ah well,” Takasugi sighed, leaning back with a smirk, “You’re such a saint.”

Kenshin regarded him coldly, wondering if the man was losing his memory or his mind.

“Anyway,” he said, tossing a black envelope to Kenshin, “Take care of this.”

Kenshin caught the small package easily and nodded.

“Oh and by the way,” Takasugi remarked, “Katsura’s gonna call.”

Again, a quiet nod from the assassin. At that moment, the phone rang loudly.

“Speak of the devil,” Takasugi breathed as Kenshin got up quickly to answer it.

“Yes, sir,” Kenshin said respectfully into the phone, “She is here. Just a moment please sir.”

Kenshin padded quickly to the bedroom and shoved the door open, holding the cordless phone. Takasugi turned his head slightly to see the shaded interior of the room. Kenshin placed the phone on the bed silently, not looking or speaking to the girl who lay on his bed reading a book.

“Such companionship,” he commented as Kenshin sullenly sat back down in his armchair.

“Shut up,” Kenshin snorted.

From within the bedroom, they could hear Kaoru’s soft feminine voice. Takasugi watched Kenshin’s face. Though it was void of emotion as usual, Takasugi knew he was straining to hear the conversation from the concentrated look he wore.

Then came the familiar beep of the phone’s off button. The girl emerged from the room hesitantly, wearing the blue bathrobe. Her eyes darted away from Kenshin and she hurried quietly to replace the phone on its stand. Throwing only one glance over her shoulder at the men, she scurried back into her room and shut the door.

Takasugi turned to Kenshin, who was staring pointlessly at the fireplace. “Not on speaking terms?” he asked, teasingly, “What happened during her drunken state?”

“Nothing,” Kenshin replied tightly, “Nothing at all happened.” And it would stay that way, he vowed.

“Will it interfere with your work?”

“Of course not,” the assassin replied icily.

Takasugi raised an eyebrow. Kenshin rose to ready himself for his assignment.

It was dark, but Kaoru didn’t turn the light on. She sat cross-legged on the bed, staring out of the window. She mulled over her conversation with Katsura Kogoro, debating with herself. Snippets of their conversation flitted in and out of her mind.

“I know you can’t be forced to help the Choshu organization but I hope you will see that it is the right thing to do - even if you think you’re being used as a tool,” Katsura began.

At the same moment, Battousai stood behind the corner of a building and waited for the approaching voices to draw nearer. His long black cloak covered his black sweater, sword and dark jeans. His flame red hair was tightly pulled up in a ponytail.

“People die on the streets everyday. That’s just the way it is. But some of these people wouldn’t have to die if you would help us.”

Suddenly, he swung around and stood before the small group of politicians. Searching the group with keen amber eyes, he spotted his target: the minister Takamatsu. Without a word, Kenshin was flying over the pavement, his hand on the hilt of his sword. In a fluid flash of steel, the politician’s throat burst open and blood sprayed forward violently. The man’s grey head, attached only by a few inches of skin and tissue, lolled backward sickeningly as the dead body fell to the pavement. Kenshin turned to eye the yelling people around him.

“Battousai kills people because I tell him he must. But some die by his hand only because there can be no witnesses to his existence. No one may see him in action and live to tell about it.”

His eyes blank and unfeeling, Battousai surged forward, methodically attacking each of the shocked and horrified men. Even though the dying men were shrieking with pain or terror, the only sound he heard was the swift sound of steel cleaving through flesh and bone. Blood spurted and rained around him, coating the street. One man, who had slipped and been slashed through the lungs and not the heart, was trying to crawl away, whimpering even as he coughed up thick blood. His lips a grim line and his eyes hooded, Battousai plunged his sword into the man’s back, ending his life in a sickening burst of blood.

“However, you have the power to save their lives.”

Turning away, Battousai swung his sword sharply, the blood of his victims flying off the blade in crimson droplets.

“If you could go with him and take away the memory of those who are only witnesses to the assassinations, you would save their lives. This is what I want.”

Awhile later, Kenshin was riding the elevator back up to his floor. Even the strands of his red hair were coated in blood.

“There is one more thing I want to ask of you.”

He stepped from the elevator. His were steps sharp and quick and he wore an expression of icy efficiency.

“Kenshin is a hard man and he has lived a hard life - and this is my fault. I helped make him into the killer he is.”

Kaoru pondered the words carefully as she sat in the darkness of his room. She stared into the blackness of the night sky, weaving her fingers tightly together. He was a mystery to her. He was a killer and a criminal. But she had in fact remembered a few scenes from the night before. The way he had pressed his face into her neck had not escaped her. So perhaps…

“But you may be able to help him.”

She was jolted suddenly from her reverie as the door to the apartment was unlocked, opened and closed again. The steps she heard were light but disciplined. She knew it was him. Kenshin had returned.

“It doesn’t matter that you don’t understand now. Just stay with him. And be yourself.”

Kaoru decided. She slid quietly off the bed and headed for the door. She pulled it open slowly, looking out into the main room. Kenshin was reaching up to replace his swords.

“Welcome home,” she whispered softly.

His face cold and empty, Kenshin turned to stare at her as he dropped his arm slowly to his side. He gazed at her from under red, sweaty bangs.

“Go to bed,” he said quietly but authoritatively.

“Are you okay?” she asked genuinely.

“Don’t ask stupid questions,” Kenshin replied, turning away painfully.

Kaoru bowed her head slightly. “Good night, then,” she said faintly.

Without pressing the issue, she disappeared into the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind her. Kenshin let out the breath he had been holding in. She was unpredictable sometimes, and terribly confusing. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to harden his resolve to avoid the child at all costs.

A soft, gentle knock sounded at his apartment door. Turning in surprise, Kenshin headed for the door warily and opened it slowly. A tall, beautiful woman dressed in a skimpy, clingy black dress stood in the doorway, grinning sensually.

“Himura-san?” she purred.

“Yes?”

The woman pushed past him into the apartment, swaying her hips. Kenshin pushed the door closed, turning to watch the woman settle into his sofa.

“What do you want?” he asked bluntly, still standing by the door.

The woman leaned forward, exposing her cleavage, and smiled. “I love that raw, dangerous quality in a man,” she said, licking her lips. She beckoned to him with one finger.

Kenshin walked over and stood by the sofa. Unsolicited, the woman wrapped her arms around his waist and began to rub herself against him. Her actions elicited favourable sensations in Kenshin’s body but he remained impassive.

“Oh my,” she crooned, “I guess I’ll have to put all my skills to work tonight.”

Still rubbing her chest against his loins, the woman looked up seductively and slowly began to push down the straps of her tiny black dress.

“Why are you here?” Kenshin asked, trying to ignore the effect her ministrations were having on his body.

“I was sent to you by a friend,” she purred, kneeling on the couch and pushing her hands up under his shirt.

“Which friend?” Kenshin asked, suppressing a groan.

“Why,” the woman answered, nuzzling his neck and pushing her breasts up against his chest, “None other than Takasugi Shinsaku.”

“Takasugi,” Kenshin muttered, closing his eyes. That fucking retarded asshole of damn shitty horse. Internally, Kenshin rattled off as many curses as he could.

Externally, the woman was beginning to plant open mouthed kisses on his neck. Kenshin clenched his fists and tried to concentrate on finding a way to get rid of her. His body, however, was remembering and relishing something, or rather someone, else.

Another body. Smaller, more muscled but still as curvaceous. Moulded against his. Hands gently stroking his back. A sweet scent permeating his nostrils.

If only…

Kenshin’s mind was wandering and imagining alternate situations.

If only…

His senses did not pick up the creaking of the bedroom door.

If only it could be her.

But he did hear the startled gasp that came from across the room. His head whipped up suddenly, his shock causing the woman to stop for a moment and turn around. Kaoru stood staring at the pair, her eyes wide as if in pain and her hand over her mouth.

The three figures remained as still and as silent as stone until a deep, throaty voice interrupted.

“Who is she?” the woman asked, looking up at Kenshin.

He honestly struggled for an answer. He could say she was his prisoner or his assignment and it would be the truth. But that would probably hurt Kaoru. But then, wouldn’t it be better to just break her heart and be done with it? And why all of a sudden did he have the distinct feeling that Kaoru was hurt because of this other woman? Why on earth did he even care?

The assassin was tongue-tied.

Kaoru did not wait for his answer. Instead she flung herself back into the bedroom and slammed the door shut.

“So?” the sultry woman asked, massaging Kenshin’s chest, “Who was that little girl?”

Kenshin looked down, anger beginning to swirl in his amber eyes.

The woman didn’t bother to look up. Instead she began to plaster herself to him. “Anyway, now that the children have gone to bed,” she said disdainfully, “Let’s have our fun.”

Kenshin, suddenly repulsed and enraged, grabbed the woman by her shoulders and flung her roughly back onto the sofa. The woman looked up in surprise and anticipation.

“Oh? So you like it rough?” she smirked sexily, “Put it on me, then.”

Kenshin pointed to the door. “Get out,” he growled.

“Excuse me?” the woman asked, disbelieving.

“I’m not going to repeat myself,” Kenshin snarled, his gaze terrible.

The woman snorted and stood, brushing herself off. “And I thought you were supposed to be a man,” she muttered, heading for the door.

Kenshin stepped ahead of her and unlocked it. She paused before exiting and looked up to make a crude remark. It died on her lips, however, when she met his fearful yellow glare. Kenshin didn’t wait for her to recover. He unceremoniously pushed her out and slammed the door behind her.

“Kaoru!” he bellowed, turning to stare at the closed bedroom door.

There was, of course, no answer. Not even a sob. Kenshin narrowed his eyes impatiently, his reason and control clouded by rare emotions.

“Dammit,” he roared, “Come out, Kaoru! Don’t make me come get you.”

“Leave me alone!” came a muffled reply from within the bedroom.

His face twisting angrily, Kenshin strode over to the bedroom and pounded on the door. “I’ll break down the door,” he warned, his voice dropping low.

“Fine,” Kaoru shot back, “It’s your stupid door anyway.”

Damn prissy teenager. Kenshin began to pound even harder on the door, not caring whether he was being reasonable or normal or prudent. His instinct simply told him one thing, and he was determined to follow his gut rather than his head at the moment. Just as he was about to bring his fist down on wooden surface again, the door swung open sharply. A very angry Kaoru stood in the doorway, blue eyes glittering with rage.

“Just stop it!” she yelled, “You…you barbaric thug!”

Kenshin shook his finger at her, an unknown mixture of volatile emotions overtaking his self-controlled image.

“Now listen up,” he hissed at her, “You don’t understand what was-”

“And I don’t want to,” Kaoru interrupted, making as if to slam the door in his face.

Kenshin jammed his foot in front of the door so she couldn’t close it. Kaoru pushed against the door angrily, kicking uselessly at his offending foot.

“I wasn’t finished,” Kenshin seethed, “What right do you have to go around all high and mighty and pretend to be moral and-”

“Because I am moral compared to you,” Kaoru hollered spitefully, “You womanizing murderer!”

“I wasn’t going to screw her, dammit,” Kenshin argued back, “But even if I was - it’s none of your damned concern! I’m a man, damn it.”

“So go screw her,” Kaoru spat out, her face twisted between a sob and a snarl, “And leave me alone!”

“Fuck!” Kenshin cried suddenly, punching the door with enough force to leave a dent.

Kaoru froze, stopped by the intensity of his grimace. Kenshin left his fist where it landed, breathing raggedly.

“That’s not what I meant,” Kenshin heaved between breaths, looking up at Kaoru.

She lifted her chin, studying him with narrowed blue eyes. “What is she to you, anyway?”

“What do you care?”

“I don’t.”

“So why ask?”

“I want to know.”

“A hooker someone hired for me,” Kenshin said, grinding his fist into the door angrily.

“I didn’t know you were that kind of person,” Kaoru said scornfully.

“I’m not,” Kenshin said quietly, “At least not anymore.”

“Then why-”

“I didn’t want her,” he interrupted, “I want you to know that.”

“What do you care?” she asked, mimicking him.

“I don’t.”

“So why ask?” A touch of derision was in her voice.

“Do you remember anything from last night?” Kenshin asked quietly.

“Why?” Kaoru asked in return, reluctant to say that remembered being pressed close to him.

Kenshin looked up at her and slowly pulled his fist away from the door. Kaoru sucked in her breath. His knuckles were swollen and split from the impact. She ran around him to the kitchen and hastily pulled out a few ice cubes, wrapping them in a dishtowel. She rushed back to Kenshin and grabbed a hold of his wrist. Surprisingly, he let her. Gingerly, she pressed the ice pack to his knuckles lightly.

Kenshin watched her passively, his eyes hooded.

“You don’t remember anything?” he asked again, softly.

Kaoru didn’t look up and didn’t answer. Instead, she pretended to be engrossed in watching the ice and his knuckles. Kenshin raised an eyebrow as she deliberately ignored him.

“Why aren’t you afraid?”

“Should I be?” she asked, her voice calm.

“I could kill you.”

“So?”

Slowly, Kaoru raised her eyes to meet the killer’s gaze, her hands still ministering to his wounded fist. They watched each other for a few moments, trying to figure out what was going on in the other’s mind.

“Are you afraid of me?” Kenshin asked seriously.

“Sometimes,” Kaoru shrugged, “Are you afraid of me?”

Kenshin snorted, still keeping eye contact. “Why would I be afraid of you?”

A wry smile tugged at Kaoru’s lips. She extended one hand and let it hover in front of his chest. “Well,” she said slowly, “You always get so agitated when you’re around me.”

“That’s because you’re annoying and I despise you.”

“Is that so?” Kaoru asked, pressing her hand to his heart. She took a step forward, all the while keeping the ice on his knuckles. “Am I annoying now?”

Kenshin didn’t answer. Instead, he concentrated on keeping his breathing in check. Damn this girl.

“If you’re not afraid of me,” Kaoru persisted, stepping closer to him, “Then why do you always push me away?”

“I-”

“Hate me?” Kaoru asked, taking yet another step closer, “Despise me? What is it that makes you so upset about me?”

She was now standing a mere inch away from him, one hand now firmly pressed on his chest and the other extended behind her to keep the ice on his hand. Kenshin stared at her levelly trying to ignore the warmth coming from her body, his lips a grim line.

“So push me away now,” Kaoru whispered, her face only inches away from his, “Push me away if you really hate me.”

Kenshin’s hands closed around Kaoru’s upper arms in a lightning fast movement and she tumbled backwards, the ice falling from her hand.

Before she had time to breath, Kaoru found herself against the wall, her arms pinned to the white surface by Kenshin’s iron fists. Kenshin’s entire body was pressed against hers, his face buried in her neck. He was panting hotly onto her delicate skin and she felt the hair on the nape of her neck rise with the sensation. Her forearms were raised in surprise and her chest was heaving with gasping breaths. But the rising of her breasts was stopped by Kenshin’s hard chest against hers.

The ice lay melting on the floor, abandoned.

Kenshin’s calloused fingers left her upper arms and he forced his arms in behind her. He looped one lean arm around her back and one around her waist, pulling her tightly towards him at the same time as pushing himself onto her.

“You…” he mouthed into her neck, frustrated, “Bitch.”

Kaoru blinked blue eyes in shock and confusion. Kenshin continued to crush her to himself, his lips moving incomprehensibly over the smooth skin under her chin. She shuddered at the feeling, her body awakening to him. Kenshin pushed his nose into her neck, and then into her hair, inhaling her sweet scent deeply.

“How do you do this to me…” he whispered incomprehensibly into her silken hair.

Shuddering with barely controlled passion, Kenshin’s rough hands pushed their way down Kaoru’s back and over her firm thighs. He could feel the girl’s heart race as he pressed his weight against her, forbidding her to move. One calloused hand ran through her strands of thick black hair and gripped the back of her scalp. He pulled his face from her neck and pulled her head back, staring into her face as his other hand gripped her hip. His calculating amber eyes surveyed her flushed cheeks, surprised blue eyes and plump lips. He moved his face closer to hers, sniffing delicately and letting his red bangs brush her cheeks.

No fear. No panic. No revulsion at his touch. Only surprise.

“We can’t do this,” Kenshin said in a cold, clear voice of steel.

He grabbed her by the shoulders, flinging her away from him as he stepped back. Kaoru, stricken, stared up at him dazedly. For a few moments, he looked down at her with a hungry, primal gaze. Then he turned and stalked away to the bathroom, leaving Kaoru to collect herself from the floor.