Contest entry for the May to December Romance Contest

Title: Oblivious

Rating: M

Summary: Juggling two jobs and a full-time schedule of classes, college student Bella hadn't had the time to figure out just how sexy she was. Her boss, Edward knew it, but was it right of him to show her?

Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

"Isabella Swan. Age nineteen."

"Twenty next month," the young lady said.

Edward Cullen's lip twitched, and he returned his eyes to the resume in front of him. "Twenty next month. Student at Chapman University. Full time or part time?"

Isabella shifted in her seat, sitting up straighter. "Full time."

"And you work in the admissions office."

"Yes. Three mornings a week."

"A part time job, full time school, and now you want another job."

"I've been looking for an evening job, sir. I'd have tried you two years ago if I'd known you can serve alcohol at eighteen in California."

Edward pursed his lips, bemused. "Honey, when do you plan to sleep?"

Her smile was wry but a light pink blush tinted her cheeks. "I go to a pretentious and expensive private university I can't afford. I'll sleep when I'm dead." She tilted her head. "If I can afford it by then."

He laughed, putting her resume down on the desk. "I remember those days." He looked her over from toes to hair. Very pretty. She'd look good in the uniform. "Okay, Isabella. If you have your schedule, I'll see where I can fit you in."

Her grin broadened. "Bella," she said.

"What?"

"Call me Bella. What's your title, by the way? Are you the manager?"

He offered her his hand. "I'm Edward Cullen. Owner and operator of this little pub. But manager works. I guess I'm that too."

~September~

"Hey, Swan. Get over here. I need your help in the back."

Bella set down the tray of dirty dishes she'd been carrying and wiped a sheen of sweat off her forehead. "Coming."

For the few seconds it took to walk to the back, Bella went over her mental to-do list. She had three chapters to study for when she got home, and it was already almost mid-

Bella yelped as she was hauled into Edward's darkened office. She was distracted from her moment's panic by the flickering flame on her boss's desk. There was the soft pressure of his hand at her waist and his low voice near her ear. "Happy birthday, Bella. Make a wish."

Her erratic heart skipped a beat before it continued its too-quick tattoo. Her mind was devoid of a coherent wish, though something hopeful lingered that was more an impression than a thought. She wasn't quite sure how to put it into words before she blew out the candle out of conditioned instinct, plunging the room into darkness.

The soft touch at her waist disappeared and the light flicked on. Bella's eyes found the cupcake with the burned out candle and her boss, as she'd expected. Edward grinned at her as he sat in his customary place at his desk. "Have a seat. Take a load off."

"Um." Bella glanced out the door and back to the seat he'd indicated, slightly befuddled. Her mind was almost always going a mile a minute, trying to remember everything she had to do from which tables had been served to what class she had the next day. In the middle of a busy shift- it was a popular nightspot within walking distance of campus- sitting down seemed about as rational a thing to do as wandering off to take a stroll down the lane.

As though he'd read her mind, her boss's grin widened. "Would it help if I made that an order?"

Sheepish, Bella sat. Edward nodded, pleased, and set a tumbler in front of her. "This," he said as he took a bottle from his drawer, "is fine Irish whiskey. The really good kind."

"I'm twenty. I won't be able to legally drink for another year."

Edward looked at her from under his eyelashes, an amused smirk on his lips. "No shit, Bella. That's why we're back here instead of letting all the patrons clamor to get you drunk." He poured a double shot into his own tumbler and raised his glass. "To the hardest working employee I have-besides myself, I mean. Happy birthday."

Bella threw the shot back, matching him though she winced a bit. "Edward, I'm not going to be able to carry a tray if you get me tipsy," she said when he immediately poured her another shot.

"It's your birthday. No one works on their birthday. Not on my watch. The rest of your shift is covered."

Bella scoffed. "Mike worked on his birthday just last week."

"Ha, well. I don't like Mike. His birthday present is that he continues to be employed by me despite the fact he only does about a third of the work you do." He leaned his arms on the desk, tilting his head and fixing her with an intense stare. "You work really hard, and that kind of ethic is going to get you far in life. But there is such a thing as looking a gift horse in the mouth. The common knowledge on that is don't, especially when it means you get time off work."

Picking up the tumbler, Bella swished the amber liquid around. She sighed. "I can't afford time off work," she said, but she tossed the shot back anyway.

"Don't worry about that. At least not here. You've earned a little vacation. Let's see. You have a three hour shift in the morning and one afternoon class on Fridays, right?"

"And then a shift here."

"Weren't you listening earlier? No working on your birthday. You're getting a paid vacation day."

"You really don't have to do that."

He chuckled and tapped her under the chin. "I don't have to do anything I don't want to do." He sat back. "Now enjoy that drink. It's good stuff."

It was, too. Bella closed her eyes and swished this second shot around her mouth. She'd heard Edward and his brother-in-law talking about this once- how to savor a truly fine alcohol. She cringed at the burn, but let the flavor soak onto her tongue before she swallowed. The heat coated her throat and spread through her belly.

When she opened her eyes, she was startled to find Edward, tumbler still poised at his lips, staring at her with an expression she didn't understand. "What?" she said, squirming in her seat.

He shook his head and tossed back the shot, similarly swishing it around before he swallowed. "Nothing." He laughed to himself before he looked back up at her. "How are you feeling?"

"Ah, I love this part," Bella said, relaxing back into her seat. "I really like being tipsy, you know? I hate being drunk. I hate the spins. But I love this. I like the part where you're just a little bouncy."

"Bouncy?"

"Yeah." She demonstrated, bouncing in her seat. "Like you're walking on the moon or something. I like it."

For the first time in a month, Bella didn't have a million thoughts in her head. There were a few percolating around in there, but they were fuzzy and far away. She knew she was probably smiling that sleepy, foolish smile tipsy people had perfected. "Thank you," she said.

Bella decided right then she liked looking at Edward's mouth when he smiled like that- the grin that curled up one side of his mouth. "My genuine pleasure, sweetheart. I remember having two jobs and full time school."

"Is that your way of saying it gets better? This place is successful, isn't it?"

"I do pretty okay. I can pay the bills."

"Then there is hope."

"Oh, Bella. I'm not worried about you at all. You're going to do great things."

She felt her cheeks heat even more than they had from the alcohol. She set a great store by Edward's opinions.

"So," he said, again leaning across his desk to look at her. "I gave you the day off, but there are conditions."

"Always a catch."

"Yes. The catch is, you have to pretend to be a dumb college kid for one night and do dumb college kid things. It's Friday the thirteenth. I'm sure that's more than enough reason for someone somewhere to throw a party you could get into."

"Days that end in Y are more than enough reason for some party to be going on somewhere," Bella said. "I'll try."

He pointed at her. "You can do anything you set your mind to, including this. Relax a bit. Just remember, if you drink or if you just want to get out of there, you can call me if you need a ride."

Bella licked her lips, chasing the last remnants of the alcohol before her nice buzz started to fade. "Why are you so good to me, boss?"

"Ah, I'm giving you a few hours off and three shots of my finest liquor. That's not so great."

"It's only been two shots."

Edward poured them both another shot and raised the glass. "Welcome to your twenties. They're a blast. Enjoy them while you can, kitten."

~October~

"Oh, hell." Edward thunked his head on the table in front of him, laughing to himself.

"Hmm, okay. Apparently telling you you've made more money than projected this month is a bad thing?"

Edward lifted his head, quirking an eyebrow at his brother-in-law and bookkeeper, Jasper Whitlock. "No. That's great. I have no problem with a little extra money in the bank. If we can do as well next month, I'm going to upgrade the restrooms. I was just distracted because one of my employees is trying to kill me."

"Well, that should hardly come as a surprise," Jasper said, but he followed Edward's gaze. He slammed a fist down on the table in reaction to the sight. "Damn."

Edward had told his employees he had no problem with them wearing costumes so long as they didn't hinder movement and their ability to do their jobs. To that end, Bella had just sauntered in with cat ears, a blackened nose with three whiskers on each side and the cutest little tail perfectly accentuating her pert ass.

"She knows how to get great tips, doesn't she?" Jasper said with a laugh, turning back to Edward.

"That's the damndest part of this. Watch. I'm going to send her over here. You ask her why she chose that costume."

Edward got up and headed in the direction of the kitchen.. "Hey, kitten," he greeted Bella with his now customary nickname.

She smiled at him, readjusting her kitty-ears headband and then turning her attention to getting a side of sour cream for the nachos she was about to serve. "Hey, boss."

"Got a second to take Jasper's order?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I didn't know you needed anything."

"Ah, we didn't until right now. Don't worry about it."

She smiled again and headed off to her first table. Edward went into the kitchen, though he watched Bella go over to Jasper's table over the line cook's shoulder. His brother-in-law was leaning back, his arms spread over the back of the booth with his most charming smile on. He watched them talk a second and saw Bella point to her nose, giving it a twitch like a cat.

"You want anything?" she asked when she met him coming out of the kitchen.

"Something that used to moo."

"You got it."

Edward went to sit down across from Jasper who looked way too amused. "So?"

"She said it was her roommate's idea and it was the easiest thing she could come up with."

"That's about what I figured."

"But she meant it." Jasper laughed. "She has no idea, does she?"

"Not a single one."

Bella worked her ass off, and she was good at her job. She deserved every tip she got, but she was completely unaware of just how often her accidentally provocative nature pushed a good tip to a great one. She really had no idea how sexy she was.

Edward, possessing of eyes and an attraction to women, was only too aware at times of her natural beauty.

"That's dangerous."

They both sat up straight as Bella headed in their direction. "Okay, kids," she said, setting down their plates. "Shepherd's Pie for my friend here, and bleu cheese sliders for the boss."

"Thanks, sugar," Jasper said. "How about a couple pints?"

"Oktoberfest brew okay?"

"Sounds good."

She gave them a smile and turned on her heel, her tail bouncing against the skin tight black jeans of her uniform.

"Damn," Jasper muttered. "So what's her story?"

Edward shrugged. "She works too hard. Juggling two jobs and trying to keep her grades up to keep her scholarship doesn't leave a lot of time for dating."

"Hey, where have I heard that story before? I remember talking shit about you with my friends. My nerd roommate who was either at work or at his desk with his head in a book." Jasper shook his head. "Did you get laid in college at all?"

"Twice. And I grew into my charm when I had the time, after college." Edward shrugged. "She will too."

"Mhmm." Jasper took a bite of his pie. "So you going to hit that?"

"My twenty-year-old employee who has no idea she could have any asshole out there? What do you think?"

Jasper clicked his tongue and turned back to his pie. "Man, living vicariously through you would be a lot more fun if you were a little less ethical."

Edward was about to tuck into his sliders when he saw one of the pub's regulars, Garrett Damon, purposefully switch seats to the furthest barstool, closer to where Bella put her trays together. "Here we go."

He waited, watching Garrett work his signature moves, beckoning Bella closer, leaning in when she stepped over to him. Tonight, he curled his finger into her tail, giving it a playful tug.

"And that's my cue. Be right back," Edward said.

Focused on Bella's now-forced smile, Edward crossed the pub, getting behind the bar. "Garrett," he said, his voice friendly and overly loud. He rapped his knuckles on the bartop. "Hey, man. What can I get you today?"

Bella escaped while Garrett's head was turned, hurrying off with her full tray.

"I was just telling my friend here that, uh…" Garrett noticed Bella was across the pub. He grumbled and looked back. "Edward, what the hell? That's the third time you've cockblocked me. I gave it a month before I even tried because I thought you might be interested, but you snooze you lose, buddy."

"Not about that, Garrett."

Garrett raised an eyebrow. He looked over at Bella with wide eyes. "Is she a lesbian?"

Edward had to laugh because he sounded way too hopeful. "I don't honestly know, and you're piss poor at reading signals. Keep your hands off her tail or I'm bringing Emmett in here. You know how pissed he gets when he has to leave his spot at the door. Now what do you want to drink, huh?"

~December~

"God dammit."

Edward leaned forward on his desk, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey, boss."

He looked up and offered Bella a small smile. "Hey, kitten." He glanced at the clock in the lower right hand corner of the computer. "Damn. It's really late. What are you doing still here?"

"It's really early, technically." She stepped up behind him. "What are you stressing about?"

It didn't escape his notice that she hadn't answered his question, but he was soon distracted by that when he felt her fingers at his neck. "I, uh…"

He knew for a fact it was completely innocent on her part. This wasn't the first time she'd done this- given him a neck massage when it was late and the numbers weren't lining up for him. It had its intended effect. His stress always went out the window within minutes of her touching him. She gave a great massage. And invariably, she ended up leaning over him, her tired, scratchy voice near his ear as she looked over his numbers with him.

"It's the restroom upgrade. They found a problem with the pipes. They need to be replaced, which is another few thousand dollars. A few thousand dollars more than I have, which would be fine, I could put it off for a while, except I don't have a men's restroom right now."

"Can I see the numbers? Maybe a fresh set of eyes might help."

Edward tilted his head to the side, trying not to moan. It would be a full on porno moan if he did, and it didn't escape him that this was a set up to a lot of pornos he'd seen. And he couldn't help but be charmed by the idea that the fact was completely lost on her. "Yeah, sure. It'll be good practice for you."

The girl was majoring in mathematics. Who did that? Bella Swan, of course.

"Hmm." Sure enough, Bella did that thing where she leaned down as she looked over his shoulder so her breath tickled his ear when she spoke. Her fingers were still working magic at the cricks in his neck. "Can I see last month's figures compared to this month's?"

Half an hour later, Bella was perched on the arm of his chair, tapping occasionally at the computer while she explained an idea she had to juggle a few different lines of credit for a two week period- long enough to get the restroom finished before the holiday rush.

"If your figures from the last three years hold solid, you should be able to pay off the credit cards well before they collect any interest, see?" she said, leaning over him to point at the screen.

Edward furrowed his brow as checked and double checked his figures. "Holy crap." He laughed as he wrapped an arm around her, tugging her off his chair and right onto his lap in his fervor. "Kitten, I don't know how you did that, but you saved my life."

In her surprise, she'd thrown her arms about his neck. Edward, suddenly aware of what he'd done, found himself almost nose to nose with Bella. She was warm in his arms, and holy god, he didn't really understand how she smelled so good when she'd just worked a six hour shift. Her big brown eyes blinked at him, befuddled. "Uh. You're welcome?" she said.

He should have let her go immediately, but he didn't. She didn't push away from him, either. Her eyes darted down to his lips and then back up. He wanted to kiss her. God, he wanted it so badly he could taste it.

Instead, he released her, clearing his throat as he set her down. "Hey, are you hungry?" he asked, because he knew he couldn't kiss her, but he didn't want her to leave yet.

"I should study. Finals in two weeks."

He tilted his head, giving her a look. "You're going to study at three in the morning?"

She cocked her head, fixing him with a similar look. "No. I said I should study." She took a small step back, gesturing at the door. "Sure. Let's eat."

~0~

Bella was in that tired space where everything made sense and yet nothing made sense. Her thoughts were tangled up, playing over everything she had to do, every paper that needed to be written and test to be studied for. Those were probably more important, but the thought that kept shimmying its way to the surface was that her dining companion was unbelievably hot.

He had to have run his hands through his hair about a thousand times that night, because it was everywhere. She had wrapped her hands around her drink just to stop her idle fantasies of running her fingers through his hair. He could have given those One Direction kids a run for their money right about then. And the way he was slumped in the booth across from her, the set of his body crying out his exhaustion, was oddly endearing too. He was sprawled, his feet on the seat like he was a tired college kid instead of a thirty-five year old business owner. She had the strangest desire to put him to bed.

At that thought, Bella giggled. She straight out giggled. She clapped a hand over her mouth, muffling the sound to titters instead.

"What?" Edward asked, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

She shook her head, staring down as she stirred her hot chocolate, watching the peak of whipped cream circle around and around. "It's nothing. I think I'm just delirious."

"I've been meaning to ask you about that."

"You've been meaning to ask me about my delirium?"

His lip twitched. "No. The cause of it. It's almost the end of the semester. Isn't this the part where you go home for the holidays?"

Bella's smile fell and she stared again at her hot chocolate. "Oh. You don't have to worry about that. I've got nowhere to be." She stuck her pinky in the whipped cream and brought it to her lips, licking it off. "Besides, I can't afford to go home." She shrugged.

At first, he didn't answer. His eyes seemed to follow her pinky from cup to her mouth. He shook his head hard and straightened up. "What do you mean you have nowhere to be?"

She shrugged again. "My mom's husband is taking her on a cruise for Christmas. My dad assumed I was going to be with my mom, and he's going on a fishing trip in Florida. So here I am."

"Oh." Edward crossed his arms and leaned on the table. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm not going home this year either."

"What? Why?"

"I actually get a lot of business on Christmas Eve. Usually I leave it to Emmett and Rosalie to keep the place running for a few days, but they got together this year."

Bella's eyebrows made for her hairline. "Rosalie the bartender and Emmett the bouncer are an item?"

Edward laughed. "She makes him keep it professional at work, but yeah. They're getting serious too. I'm not going to be the one that makes them work their first Christmas together."

"That's...really sweet, boss."

"Eh. Emmett is like a big kid on Christmas anyway. He loves it. I'm indifferent."

"And your parents don't want to see you?"

"They'll be fine with Alice and Jasper."

Bella hummed, dipping her finger in her whipped cream again and put the tip of her finger in her mouth. "Well. Maybe we can hang out or something that day."

"I'm closed Christmas Day, anyway." He smiled at her. "Yeah, kitten. We can do something."

~Christmas Day~

"You have a house."

Edward hurried to take some of the bags Bella was carrying and ushered her into the house. "Uh, yeah. Did you think it was an address to an empty lot?"

Her cheeks went pink. "Sorry," she said, sheepish. "It's just that everyone I know lives in the dorms, in an apartment with a billion roommates like me, or with their parents."

"Ah, well. That's how life played out. My grandparents got sick. Alice and I came down here. My parents live in a small town in Alaska. There wasn't a lot of opportunity there." He settled the bags on the counter in his kitchen. "Anyway, long story really short, we came down here to work and care for our grandparents. They left us a house when they died. Not this one. We sold that one and split the money. The point is, this is Southern California. You don't own a house on one income, even at thirty-five, unless you're making six figures, which I am definitely not. If my inheritance hadn't provided the down payment, I'd be in apartment too, more than likely. Or at the very most renting a house."

"This kitchen beats the one in my apartment," Bella said as she began taking things out of the bags.

"You don't have to do this, you know."

She looked at him, her brows knitted in mild exasperation. "You've said that at least twenty times. This is my Christmas gift to you. Now sit down, shut up, and if you don't like it, pretend to be appreciative like a polite little boy."

"Yes, Mom." Edward sat obediently at the counter.

They talked as she cooked, and Edward's stomach began to rumble at the delicious smells that permeated the kitchen. It was boring to cook for one, she'd told him, and she didn't like her roommates enough to cook for them. Edward was always too tired to cook for himself. That was how Bella came to the conclusion a delicious Christmas dinner for two was a good present.

It was nice, Edward thought as they talked, having her here. It had been a long time since he'd shared his space with anyone, even for an evening. He found himself following her with his eyes as she moved around the kitchen. She paused once to pull her hair up into a bun, and why that, of all things, was so erotic to him, Edward didn't quite know. Maybe it was because the move was so natural-like she was comfortable here in his home, like she belonged there. Maybe it was that the skin of her neck was exposed. Edward had to curl his hands underneath the counter, digging his fingernails against the wood, to quell his desire to go to her, wrap his arms around her from behind and kiss the exposed skin there.

"Edward?"

Edward straightened up, guilty. "Huh?"

She looked amused at his distraction- obviously she had no clue what he'd just been thinking about. "I asked if you like spicy."

"What? Oh. Yeah. Spicy is good." He furrowed his brow. "Wait a minute. What's spicy?"

"Green papaya salad. It's really good, but it's spicy." She looked at him with a hint of uncertainty. "You said you didn't mind nontraditional, right?"

"Tradition is overrated."

Nontraditional turned out to be fucking delicious. It was only after he looked across his table and saw Bella staring that Edward realized he'd been making sex noises-moaning and grunting-as he ate. He swallowed the bite of food in his mouth, knowing he must have been blushing. "Sorry."

Her smile was shy but pleased, and she ducked her head as she looked back to her dinner. "I like that you like it," she said, and he noticed her cheeks were pink with her pleasure.

When neither of them could eat another bite, they stumbled into the living room. After the requisite moaning and groaning about how they wouldn't eat again, Edward forced himself to his feet. "But before I slip into a food coma, I have something for you."

"What?"

Edward just smirked over his shoulder as he retrieved his gift. He had one moment of indecision, wondering just how foolish this was, before reminding himself that Bella was his friend and one of the sweetest people he'd ever met. He actually liked giving gifts a lot. He liked seeing the people he cared about smile, as simple as that.

So he turned back to her and offered her four flowers made from crafting supplies. They were beautifully done, and at the center of each one was a different gift card. There were three smaller denominations to two of the fast food restaurants Bella liked and the grocery store she went to used. The fourth was a larger denomination to a clothing store. "My sister said it was a good store. I don't know anything about that stuff. She's also the one who made the flowers. She said if I was going to get such a crappy gift, I had to at least dress it up pretty."

"Are you kidding? This is awesome. You really didn't have to do this." She flew at him, throwing her arms around his neck. "This is great. I needed a few things and… Well, this is great."

She pulled away, but she didn't let him go. His hand had found a resting space at her waist, and he found himself staring, his ability to speak completely forgotten. And as she looked back at him, her smile faded. Her cheeks flushed. Not a blush. It was a feverish pique, like maybe she was feeling the same fire that had stoked in the pit of his belly. He found himself fighting the impulse to pull her into his lap and push her back down on the couch at the same time.

He cleared his throat, blinking sporadically as he scrambled to remember what the heck they were doing. "I'm, uh… I'm glad you like it."

She scooted back an inch, leaving Edward both relieved and longing. He couldn't remember the last time a woman had driven him this crazy. He put the back of his hand to his cheek, wondering if it was really as warm in the room as he thought it was.

"You shouldn't listen to your sister about gift cards being a crappy gift," Bella said. "But the flowers are really pretty." She leaned in, kissing his cheek. "Thanks, boss."

His lips curved up of their own volition. "It's my pleasure, sweetness." He cleared his throat. "Movie?"

"Yeah, sure."

Fifteen minutes into the movie, Bella stretched and slumped over a bit. Five minutes after that, her head was on his lap. She looked up at him as though she was suddenly aware this might have been an odd thing to do. "Is this okay?"

Edward almost laughed. If I can keep thinking about walking in on my great uncle Aro naked on a cold day, sure. It's fine. "Lift your head," he said out loud.

She did and he settled a throw pillow on his lap. "There. That's more comfortable for you."

Luckily, she didn't argue. If she read between the lines, he couldn't tell. Either way, a minute later she had finally gotten comfortable. At least, she'd stopped wiggling, and that was a relief.

Now if he could get through the whole movie without leaning down to kiss her full lips, that might just be a miracle.

~New Years Eve~

The pub was open on New Years Eve, but only to a select party of people. Edward had told Bella he kept it small because he wanted to have the smallest number of employees on shift as possible.

It was a nice night. The atmosphere was friendly, and everyone was in a good mood. Bella's pockets were stuffed full with tips.

She didn't think much about the end of the evening until Mike grabbed her around the waist. "So, you paired up yet?"

"What?"

"You know. The New Year's kiss. You have to kiss someone."

"Do I?" Bella feigned doe-eyed ignorance. "I didn't realize. Is there a consequence? Do I explode if I don't kiss someone at midnight."

Mike looked perplexed, as though he wasn't quite sure if she was kidding or not. "Ah, come on, Bella. Don't give me a hard time. What do say you and me pair up when the ball drops."

"Oh, Mike." She ruffled his hair. "No." And with that, she went off to take care of her tables.

Bella had heard vicariously of the heat of the moment kisses some of friends had on other New Year's Eves. She'd never had the pleasure of being at any party, surrounded by people. She'd never experienced the collective build in excitement as midnight drew closer. Every year before this, New Year's Eve had been just another day.

It had certainly started out that way this year. She was at work. She worked hard. But as midnight approached, the thrill in the air seeped into her bloodstream.

At thirty seconds to midnight, no one in the pub was working. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the television screens in the corner. Bella's heart began to pound with the energy in the room, and she found herself surrounded by couples who were indeed pairing off. Everyone was holding hands, looking at each other with their eyes wide and alive. Out of the corner of her vision, she could see Mike had found a pretty young blond, not that it mattered to her.

Bella felt a presence come up beside her, and she didn't have to look to know it was Edward. Her heart beat in double time, anticipation building in her like the slow climb of a roller coaster toward the highest peak.

Everyone around them began to chant at the top of their lungs. "Ten. Nine. Eight." Bella finally looked up. Even in the dim light of the pub, she could see the intensity in his gaze. She could feel it on her skin, a perceptible heat. Her mouth was dry. "Seven. Six. Five."

She saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard. "Four. Three. Two."

He was so close. When had he gotten that close? And was she going to push up onto her tiptoes and-

"One! Happy New Year!"

The commotion all around them was muted as the paired-off couples kissed. Everyone around them was wrapped up in someone. Everyone but Bella and Edward.

Bella swayed on her feet. Edward smiled. He reached out and took her hand, squeezing it. He leaned down. "Happy New Year, kitten," he said, his voice a low rumble near her ear. He kissed her cheek, and she shivered with the thrill of it.

Then they were both nearly knocked over as Emmett through his arms over their shoulders. He kissed Bella's cheek and then Edward's. "Happy New Year!" he bellowed, breaking whatever spell had come over her.

Bella ducked out from under Emmett's arm, hurrying off under the guise of satisfying the cries that were going up all around them for more alcohol.

It wasn't hard to forget that intense minute. For the next hour, Bella was way too busy rushing around, making sure everyone had all the booze and food they could order. After that, Edward put his foot down.

"You knew from the get-go I was closing at one. Let your lovely servers get home to their families. You guys need AAA to tow you home, then Mike, Emmett, or Bella will help you dial. Now get going."

Impressively, it wasn't even one-thirty when the pub was empty save for Edward and a handful of employees.

"You guys, too," Edward said, making shooing motions. "Go on. I know you're all eager to get home."

"You kidding?" Mike asked, looking at the utter disaster around them. "Who's going to clean this up?"

"I'll take care of it. Don't make me say it twice. Get out now before I change my mind."

They went. Bella hung back.

"Hey, you too, kitten. Go ahead and get home," he said with a smile. "I got this."

"No, I'll help."

"You-"

"Edward. It's fine." She shrugged. "You know I have no one waiting for me at home anyway. Let me help, then we can both get home sooner."

He looked like he was going to argue, but then his shoulders slumped. "Yeah, okay. Let's get this done."

They worked together, but it was still well over an hour before they were done.

"Oh, God." Bella groaned as she threw herself down in the nearest booth. It had been a very long day after a very long semester. She didn't remember the last time she'd been this tired. "I can't move."

Edward flopped down in the booth next to her, stretching out his feet until the rested on the booth across from them. He was warm, and Bella curled toward his warmth. It was a little chilly in the pub without all the people.

She yawned. "What do you think everyone else is doing right now?"

He laughed, and his body was so close to hers, she felt the vibration of his laugh against his skin. "Honey, you don't want to think about that right now."

She huffed. "Yeah. That's probably true." She yawned again, reaching into her pocket to take out her phone, curious as to what time it was. "Hey look." She turned it toward him. "It's a minute to three."

"Jesus Christ." He rubbed at his eyes, slumping down further.

"Hey, it's about to be New Years in Hawaii." She flipped her clock to see the seconds tick by. "Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven."

Edward leaned in, looking at her phone over her shoulder. "Six. Five. Four. Three."

Bella looked away from her phone and the numbers died on her lips. He was close. So close, if she moved her head one more notch to the side, their noses would brush. They were so close, his breath was hot against her cheek as he counted alone now. "Two. One."

His eyes met hers, and Bella stopped breathing. She tilted her head, and she was there. She froze, catching his breath between her parted lips. Then it all happened at once. His hand came up, cupping her neck, and he smothered the miniscule bit of space between them. He kissed her, the New Years kiss she'd wished for, and it didn't matter that it was three hours late. It didn't matter that there was no loud music, no cheering, no explosions of fireworks outside. It was just as well. There wasn't anything in Bella's world except the feel of this man's lips moving with hers, his fingertips playing at the nape of her neck.

It wasn't her first kiss, but it was the kind of kiss that made her wish it was.

Bella broke the kiss with a gasp when she had to breathe. Her eyes opened slowly, and she found he hadn't moved away at all. He looked like she felt- like he didn't know if he'd fallen asleep in the moments after they sat down. Was this really happening?

The next second, Bella didn't care about about the question. She didn't remember making the decision to swallow the space between them again, but she moved and they were kissing again. Edward shifted so she could feel his chest beneath her hands. She'd had three first kisses before this. Those other times, they had been awkward, at least at first, but not this kiss. There was no second guessing, no wondering if she should move her lips and, if so, which way? She knew how to move with him. She knew where to put her hands. There was no thought involved at all; just the thrill under her skin and the electricity running through her veins.

They broke again, both panting, and coherent thought threatened. Bella wasn't sure of much at that point aside from the fact she didn't want to start thinking. She was tired, her eyelids heavy, and her body glowed with a warmth that radiated from her center on outward. No, she was sure she didn't want to wake up and think just yet.

Edward raised his hand, stroking his thumb across her cheek. She kissed him again once, a barely there, brush of a kiss, and then she rested her head against his shoulder and fell asleep.

~January Third~

"Dude. You've been glancing at that door for damn near thirty minutes. You expecting someone?"

Edward purposefully turned his back to the door and stooped to put away some of the bottles of alcohol he'd been inventorying. "I don't know what you're talking about, Emmett."

"Uh huh."

When he'd drawn up the schedule, he'd thought he was being nice, giving Bella New Year's Day and the day after off. Now he regretted it. He'd woken up just prior to dawn on New Year's Day, alone. Bella had brought the blanket he kept in his office and tucked it around him, but she was gone when he woke up.

Part of him was sure he had to have dreamed those kisses. Too often, he'd imagined what it would feel like to touch her like that, to feel her lips warm and full against his. But that night had been much better than any other dream he'd had. Either his idle fantasies had gotten better or Bella really had been pressed against him, her hands on his chest, his neck, in his hair.

Edward shivered, feeling the too familiar coil of desire tighten right at groin level. In the heat of the moment, there'd been nothing besides her and the sweetness of those kisses. He hadn't thought of moving further than that. But it seemed like those kisses had unlocked thoughts he hadn't let slip into his fantasies. It was as though he had permission now to think of what it would be like to have her pinned beneath him, to feel her warm and slick around him.

He stood up and leaned against the counter, trying to calm himself before Emmett or anyone else caught on to his distraction. He especially needed to not be thinking like this when Bella showed up for work, which should be in, he glanced at his phone, fifteen minutes.

Not that he was counting.

Ten minutes later, Emmett's booming greeting of, "Hey, Bella-girl," sent a bolt of lightning down Edward's spine. He forced himself to finish wiping down the bar before he turned around.

Though she was chatting with Emmett, her eyes found his almost immediately. Even across the pub, Edward saw her cheeks flush.

It had happened then. The surety of that, the way his fantasy solidified into reality, had a visceral effect.

He wanted her. He had wanted her for months, but he hadn't let himself think about it. He wanted her more than he'd wanted any other woman to the best of his memory. If she was anyone else, any other woman, he might have crossed the pub and kissed her again. But she was Bella, and his protective impulse flared. She was more innocent than she looked, and he knew it. He'd often thought it would kill him if anyone was to be as careless with her as young men tended to be with women. He'd be damned if he would be like them.

The way she was glancing at him, Edward could see the uncertainty written on her features. He was more charmed than anything else. Clearly she didn't know how to navigate a post-surprise makeout session.

The question he wasn't sure if he wanted answered or not was if she regretted it. He didn't. He knew it didn't mean he could have her, but hell if he'd ever regret a kiss as fantastic as that one. Of course, if it affected their friendship, he might have to reassess that sentiment.

He made an effort to smile at Bella, and was rewarded by a shy, relieved smile back. With that, he headed for his office because he did actually have paperwork to do, but also because he wanted to give her space. Regardless of her inexperience, she was a brave girl. She would seek him out when she was ready.

It was difficult to concentrate when he was dying to talk to her, but he could be patient.

Sure enough, two hours later there was a timid knock at his door, and he looked up to find Bella in his doorway. "Hey, kitten. Come on in."

She perched on the edge of his desk and Edward inwardly shook his head. It never failed. If there was an innocently provocative position, she invariably found it. Couldn't she sit all slouched?

"Hey, um." Her cheeks were bright red now. "So I guess I owe you an apology."

Whatever he'd been expecting, it wasn't this. "For what?"

"I… Well, I guess I got carried away the other night. I'm not like that."

"Like what?" He had to laugh. "Let me ask you a question, and answer honestly. When it happened, did you want it to happen?"

Her cheeks flamed red again but she nodded, ducking her head.

He leaned forward, tilting until his head was almost resting on the desk in an effort to look her in the eyes. "Sweetheart, believe me. I wanted it too. There's nothing to be sorry about. There's nothing wrong with a little kiss. Hell, there's nothing wrong with a little anything as long as you're both on the same page."

Her teeth bit into her bottom lip, and there was something familiar in her eyes, wanting.

Edward was briefly shocked. Did she want him the way he wanted her?

"So you didn't, uh… mind?" she asked, her tone smaller than usual.

Again he laughed, and he put his hand over hers. "Did you mind?"

She shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips.

"No, Bella. I don't generally mind when a gorgeous, smart, amazing girl kisses me. That is definitely not a negative experience."

The way her eyes lit up would easily be a highlight of his year. "So we're okay then?"

He cocked his head to the side because what he wanted was to tell her they were more than okay. What he wanted to do was walk to the door and slam it closed, lock it so he could take her right there on the desk. "Yeah, Bella. We're fine."

"Good. That's the most important thing." Her glance was furtive and shy. "Anyway. I'll get back to work."

He watched her as she retreated, deep in thought as he ran over the conversation in his mind.

All things considered, Edward was typically good at reading signals. He hadn't let himself look at Bella with wanting eyes, like a man assesses a woman, as a partner, but as she left, he was at least ninety percent sure she wanted him.

Now that was an interesting thought.

He tapped on his desk, still staring down the empty hallway. Pandora's box was wide open, and his desires couldn't be contained. It might have been a terrible thing. She was much more innocent than the women he'd been with as a grown man. She was also his employee and his friend. That was the other benefit-or was it a detriment?-of experience. He knew how complicated this could get. For heaven's sakes, most of the of the twenty-one year olds who came in his pub were so obnoxious, they drove him out of his mind. They were kids, and Bella was younger than they were.

Edward got to his feet, intent on getting out to make sure his pub was falling apart in his absence. He ended up watching Bella as she flitted from table to table. Every time she looked up at him, she would smile with that look that said she knew a secret only two of them in the whole world shared.

Right then, watching her across the pub, Edward just knew. If he didn't have her, if he didn't at least try, he would wonder what he'd missed for the rest of his life. That was the thing about Pandora's box. Hope, however foolish, remained.

~0~

Bella couldn't stop thinking about her boss.

Thank God school hadn't started yet, because there was no way she could concentrate. How she managed to get any work done when she was at the pub, she had no idea. She was always aware of where Edward was, always aware of when he was watching her-or was he watching the pub? No need to be so self-involved. When she came home, she still felt his gaze like a touch on her skin.

When she was at home alone, she found herself sprawled on the couch, her thoughts on Edward and the trail of fire his touch left on her skin. They were impossible fantasies. She kept on reiterating that to herself. Edward was amazingly hot. That was a fact no one could get around, but looking would never be touching.

Bella closed her eyes, replaying the few, sleepy kisses they'd shared. She let her hands drift between her legs as she remembered the conversation a few days afterward-Edward's seductive smile when he told her it was a good memory.

She'd been obsessed with his touch since then. Every time he brushed by her, when he touched her arm at work or ruffled her hair, she closed her eyes and shivered. She imagined him taking her in his arms and…

Just everything.

Bella was drawn out of her fantasies by a knock at the door. She crossed her legs, bringing her knees together as she tried to control her lust. She rose and opened the door.

Her eyes went wide.

Edward was at her door, sexier than she'd ever seen him- which was saying something. He was dressed in a black button down, his hair everywhere, his head tilted in that sexy grin that was only hers- could only be hers, as she was the one he was looking at.

"Um. Hi?"

His grin broadened. "Hi, kitten."

She blinked at him, probably looking like an idiot, for a full seven seconds before she realized what he wanted. "Come in," she said, stepping back.

He smiled and then he was in her little apartment. Over the last few days, she'd had a lot of fantasies that had started out this way. She blinked, trying to separate fantasy from reality. He'd been here before. When she got out of work at two or three in the morning and there were still people-men-hanging around, he'd walked her home. He'd been inside once or twice briefly, but he'd never just showed up. "What are you doing here?"

"Are we friends, Bella?"

The word friends befuddled her. She'd never felt about a friend the way she felt about him. "Um. Yes?"

"Then is there any reason why friends can't hang out.?"

It was a trick question, but she couldn't figure out how. "Yeah. Sure. That's fine. Do you want something to drink? I mean, I only have Dr. Pepper, iced tea, or water, but … do you want something?"

His smile seemed to crawl up one side of his mouth. "Oh, I want something, yes. But a Dr. Pepper would be great for now if you have it."

"Yeah. I love Dr. Pepper. Um. Come in."

Walking to the kitchen, Bella was in a daze, but she couldn't quite grasp why. She felt as though she was in a fog as she poured the Dr. Pepper into a glass.

"Thanks, kitten," he said as he lifted the glass to his lips.

There was no reason that mundane action should be at all erotic, but Bella found herself squeezing her legs together as she watched him. "Shall we sit?"

"Sure," he said, following her to the living room.

They talked about her roommates- all absent for a few more days- and his memories of sharing a three bedroom apartment with five people. They talked about the Christmas presents his parents had sent and how much he missed spending the holidays with them. They talked about her parents, her step-parents, and the varied holidays she'd experienced as she was shuffled from one house to another.

And then they segued into work.

"Yeah, I know sometimes guys, and the occasional girl, say something to me," Bella said. "You know, something...sexy, I guess? Like at the pub. Sometimes one of the customers will flirt, you know? And I have no idea what to do with that. But I was thinking about when I drink. I get a little touchy-feely. So is the flirting stuff just that-them being drunk? Or does it just something you have to put up with in the service industry?"

He laughed, and his green eyes sparked with fire as he looked on her. "You don't see yourself very clearly at all, you know?"

She rolled her head toward him. "What do you mean?"

He scooted toward her, so he was so close she could feel the heat of his body. "You really think they're only flirting with you because they're drunk?"

"That's what drunk people do, don't they?"

He hummed. "Sometimes." He raises his hand, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The look in his eyes closed Bella's throat, and her heart began to pound hard. "But Bella, I have to tell you. You are sexy as hell."

She blinked, trying to figure out if she'd heard him right. "You mean to drunk guys?"

He laughed. "No. I mean period."

"You're just being nice."

"Is this Dr. Pepper spiked?"

"What? No."

Edward set his drink down and cupped her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks. "So I'm not drunk."

"No?"

"No," he agreed, his eyes darting down to her lips and back up again. "I haven't had a drink in two days." He scooted closer so she could feel the heat of his breath on her face. Her breath stuttered. "Bella. You have no idea, kitten. None at all."

And he kissed her.

Neither of them were tired or drunk, for that matter. It was eight-o'clock in the evening. Bella searched for a reason why this was happening, but she couldn't find any explanation except that it was what Edward wanted.

His hand, resting on her waist, climbed up her body. His fingers teased the skin below her nipple, and Bella moaned.

She stopped trying to figure out why this was happening.

Like the first time they kissed, Bella didn't have the space in her head to question if she was moving the right way, if their noses were going to mash, or if she was doing the wrong thing. Her body turned toward him. Her eyes were closed, but that hardly mattered. She could feel him. She could feel his hands slipping under her shirt and the slip-slide of his tongue against hers. When she'd moved to straddle him, Bella had no idea. She only knew that she was suddenly in his lap, her hips grinding against his as she kissed him and sucked at his tongue.

Why? How did she know what to do? Why did it feel as though they had spent their entire lives perfecting this dance?

Edward's hands pressed against the small of her back, squeezing her closer. He stood, and she was wrapped around him. There was no fear in her, no awkwardness, no scrambling on her part to cling to him. She kept kissing him, her fingers in his hair, yanking maybe a little too roughly. He groaned into her mouth, and that had to be the most erotic thing she'd ever experienced in her life.

Again, time seemed to warp. She knew he was walking. Her legs tightened around him, but she hadn't tired of kissing him. She hadn't gotten used to the tickle of his scruff yet. She never would have figured the scratch of the stubble could be so good, but it was. She couldn't get enough.

Bella gasped when she realized she was on her back in her bed with Edward above her. She shook her head. Her thoughts were thick, like she was drunk, but she was sure she hadn't taken a single sip of anything that resembled alcohol. What in ever loving hell was she doing?

Edward pulled back, stroking her hair. "Are you okay?"

She considered this. Her legs were still wrapped around his waist. She squeezed him closer. "Yeah," she whispered.

He leaned in again, kissing her. It was a slow kiss, a serious kiss. It was the kind of kiss that could get her drunk, it was that potent. Bella's head spun. The little noise Edward made as he moved with her, his hips thrusting against hers, drove the last semblance of thought from her head.

She knew where this was going, and she was fine with it. More than fine-she had never wanted something so badly in her life. Some faraway voice in her head shouted...What would this mean? Did it mean anything to him? It did mean something to her, and she thought it might just break her heart if she was just a notch in his belt. But when he was so close, his body dwarfing and engulfing hers, Bella just didn't care. It was worth it. It was all worth it.

Edward rolled them to the side, pulling her pants down. Her fingers scrambled, tugging on the buttons of his shirt and then the zipper of his jeans. She didn't know where to start. He straightened up, pulling his shirt off before he returned his lips to hers, kissing her, nipping at her lips.

Bella was befuddled. She tried to catch her breath as she watched him tear open a condom. She still couldn't figure out if this was actually happening. Dream or reality, she welcomed it. She touched his bare chest, tangling her fingers in the sparse hair as he rolled the condom on.

"Are you okay?" he asked again as he lowered his body back to hers. He kissed her nose. Her cheeks, her lips.

"Yeah," she said, almost surprised to find it was the truth. She knew what was about to happen. She knew she should be shy or uncertain. Were her legs shaved? Would he be surprised to find her pussy wasn't shaved? Had she even put on deodorant today? She couldn't even remember. And it didn't matter.

His hands were between them, his fingers on her clit, and she swore nothing had ever felt as good. Her body arched, responsive to his touch, and she moaned into his mouth.

"Do you like that kitten?"

Bella nodded, kissing him back as he adjusted himself over her. She could feel him, thick and so hot, against her. He put his hand to her knee, pressing her legs back. "Open up for me, baby."

She spread her legs for him, and felt his cock at her entrance, just a brush at first, and then, with a thrust, he was inside her. Her eyes went wide and her breath caught. He wasn't the first, but it hadn't felt like this before. Nothing like this. He was thick inside her, and his ragged breath against her lips was better than air as she breathed him in.

"Bella, baby. God, that's so good, sweetheart."

Bella threw her head back, a cry ripped from the center of her being as he found a deep, sweet spot inside her. How? She had been with two boys before, both around her own age. They were nice boys with hands that touched her clumsily. Boys who had to work hard to make her come, too hard not to be just a little awkward and uncomfortable. Edward wasn't uncertain. He knew exactly how to touch her, exactly how to open her to him.

Holy hell, she was so far out of her depth.

She wasn't naive. She knew it was possible to come from penetration, from sex alone. She had always assumed it would happen to her. Someday. With a partner who had had time to explore her body, to know her. She didn't even know herself this intimately, to be able to work her own body to such a feverish high. She had never made herself feel like this.

"Oh god," she said, breathless. "Oh, god."

She scrambled, clutching at him, frightened, but unable to stop what was happening. Her fingernails scratched at his chest, and she locked them behind his neck, clinging, begging him by calling his name over and over in a climbing chant as he thrust into her. She had no idea what she was asking for, almost no idea what the hell was happening to her.

"I have you, baby." His hand was firm on her thigh, grounding her. "Let go. Come for me. I have you. Come for me."

She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. Her vision went white, and she screamed.

She screamed.

Her body arched and jerked, and when it was done, her head spun. Somewhere in there, she thought she heard him cry out, thought she felt his body go stiff beneath her hands. Who knew. The world was turning upside down and inside out in the most exhilarating way.

Bella came back to herself in increments. She remembered how to breathe first, which struck her as possibly important. Next, she figured out the reason the room was so dark was because her eyes were closed. It took some effort, but she opened her eyes and blinked until she could focus.

Edward, his lips swollen, his lips parted as he panted, looked back at her. Bella was breathless all over again when she saw the look in his eyes. The calm, beautiful green had darkened to an emerald shade. The flecks of gold were sparks of something dangerous, something Bella didn't know if she could handle. God, she was so far out of her depth, and she knew it. Knew it, but would she crawl back to safety if she could.

She reached up with shaking fingers, stroking his stubbled chin.

No. No she wouldn't. She wouldn't be anywhere but here, not for anything, no matter what was about to happen.

He groaned and kissed her once more before he rolled to the side. He kept his arm locked around her, pulling her with him, tucking her against his side. He released himself from the condom, tying it off and disposing it...somehow. She really didn't care. Not right then. She didn't care about anything except him, and the fact he hadn't looked away from her.

"Are you okay?" he asked again, his voice gravelly.

Bella swallowed hard, trying to remember how to speak again. "Uh. Yeah. Yeah, I think that's probably an understatement." She shifted, the ability to move coming back to her gradually. She curled herself against him and rested her palm, a little uncertainly, against his chest.

Just what was her role here? What was she supposed to do now?

But Edward sighed and kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and then her lips. "You're so beautiful, kitten."

Bella's heart skipped a beat. She tried to tell herself this was just what men said when they had a woman in their bed, but with his eyes locked on hers, she could see he wasn't lying. He meant it.

"Do you see now, Bella?" He kissed her again, pushing the hair back behind her ear. "Do you understand? Do you have any idea how much every man who comes into the pub would give almost anything to be in my shoes right now? God, Bella, you could have any man you want any time you want. Do you know how much power you have?"

Over you? she wanted to ask.

Bella licked her lips and tangled her fingers in his hair. She brought his face back to hers. "I don't know," she said, and that was true.

Looking into his eyes, seeing that it was also true that he really did feel lucky to be there with her, she found courage in that taste of power. She tightened her arms around him. "Maybe you should tell me again."

He pulled back just enough to look at her, and then he laughed. "Little girl," he said, his voice a rumble against her lips. "You really have no idea what you do to me, do you?"

But he kissed her and rolled onto his back, bringing her on top of him. "I guess I'll just have to show you again."

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