“Higurashi Kagome,” his smooth deep voice intoned, the cover letter of her application creasing faintly in his elegant hand.

Kagome clenched her jaw, trying her best not to fidget as his sharp amber eyes raked over her personal statement. With a flick of his thumb he promptly dismissed it, moving on to her resumé.

In a bored voice he began reciting her qualifications. “Education…graduated in top ten percent of class. Skills…proficient with word processing software, excellent at time management, attentive to detail.” A silver brow lifted. “Accomplished at archery?”

She shot him a hesitant smile, the expression soon withering at the flat look on his face. Clearly he was not amused. Her shaky fingers tugged at the hem of her skirt as she pretended to adjust it.

“Experience,” he continued to read aloud, his emphasis on the word sending a peculiar shiver down her spine. “…None to speak of,” he declared, the clip that bound her application papers hitting his desk with a snap.

A blush fanned out across Kagome’s cheeks—part humiliation, part anger. She was beginning to regret ever applying for this position in the first place.

“Just tell me, Sesshoumaru,” she bit out at last, “are you going to hire me or not?”

Slowly he stood, the leather chair behind him sliding back as he rose to his full, intimidating height. He may have replaced the swords and armor with a suit and tie, but he was no less imposing than she remembered. Shallowly, she swallowed.

“If you truly wish to be this Sesshoumaru’s secretary, Miko,” he replied, manicured claws trailing across the mahogany desktop as he circled around it to approach her, “then I have only one question for you.”

He drew to a stop before her, leaning back against the edge of his desk. Gold cuff links gleamed as he crossed his arms, staring down at her imperiously.

Expectantly.

“W-what’s that?” she stammered, hating how weak she sounded.

Sesshoumaru’s wrists uncrossed. A slash of red caught her eye as he braced his palms against the desktop and leaned toward her, his slacks brushing the bare skin of her knees. She retreated back as far as she could against the hard slats of her chair, her fingers gripping the wooden seat.

Silver hair partially obscured his eyes as he loomed just above her, the centuries melting away between them like the illusion that hid the feral markings on his face. Kagome’s pulse pounded in her throat.

“Are you prepared?” he demanded of her lowly.

“I…” she breathed, feeling dangerously close to passing out. “…yes?”

“Good,” he pronounced, the ghost of a smile curving his lips before he turned away, striding over to the window at the back of his office. “You’re hired.”

Kagome slumped in her seat, the tension bleeding out of her like air from a pricked balloon.

“Now,” he ordered, the clipped sound of his voice making her rigid once again, “fetch me a coffee.”

Peeling herself out of the chair, Kagome hastened toward the door, skirt glued to the backs of her sweaty thighs. Just as her fingers touched the handle, the sound of his voice arrested her once again.

“Oh, and Miko…”

She paused, turning toward him. He was facing her fully now, and the look in his eyes was downright wicked.

“Make it sweet,” he said.

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi