Give me just a second and I'll be all right

Surely one more moment couldn't break my heart?

Edward's POV:

"You're so quiet. Are you going to make an effort to get involved or do you want me to get a car to drop you home?" I sighed, exasperated. Isabelle was full on at times but over the past few weeks it had began to grow even worse. She had become so attached to me, and not in the good way. She clung onto me everywhere we went, I hadn't seen my own friends in weeks, and I'd been made to stop seeing most of my family when I had the free time to. When I had time, I spent it with her. When I had time to relax from work, she took me out where she chose. I was beyond tired of my life revolving around my girlfriend and nothing else, I desperately wanted and needed a break from her.
I turned to her, forcing a soft smile, "Sorry. I'm tired."

Such a lie.

I was fucking wide awake with how stressed I was, with generally everything. Isabelle was starring in a new romance film, which was so soppy and badly written that a teenage girl could have thought it up. But I had to come and support Isabelle with this. She was so paranoid about the tabloids and magazines covering her and our relationship badly, that she'd probably have a mental breakdown if we were photographed apart. My agent, Sophie, had pushed me to go alongside Isabelle, and I didn't blame her for that. My girlfriend had that effect on people, telling them what to do and manipulating them all the time. I couldn't understand what had happened to make her like this, like she was another person from the day we met.

"Well you can go home if you're gonna just sit there all night."

"Alright then."

My voice appeared almost like a growl, she huffed and got up to storm off in the direction a group of people on the opposite side of the club. Always dramatising everything. No wonder she was born to act in rom-coms. But hey, I had no arguements about where this after party was being held, I hadn't had a chance to spend time in a proper club in ages. Beverly Hills was always the best at night. And right now, alcohol was the only thing on mind. Alcohol and having a long smoke somewhere quieter to calm me down.

I got up, pushing past a few girls that were sitting around me on the small seats. Heading straight towards the bar alone, I glanced over at Isabelle a few times, seeing her happily chatting to her co-stars. Why did I even bother coming? It was so obvious she'd be fine here without my company. It was all for her reputation. As she kept telling me, it was our reputation.

"Um, hi."

My body instinctively turned around slightly, seeing a striking blonde woman standing directly behind me. I assumed she was trying to make conversation with me, and it looked as if she was alone like I was. I couldn't help taking a quick sneak at checking her out, and I was by no means disappointed. She was the feminine ideal. Long tanned legs that didn't seem to end, her dress flattered her assets and curves perfectly. Then her soft voice snapped me out of my reverie.

"Are you getting a drink? Because if you're going to block the bar like that, you'll have to buy me one too."

"Oh.. I'm sorry. I didn't realise."

I couldn't help but smile a little towards her as I moved aside, letting her come to stand beside me. I hadn't experienced being in the company of a confident and independent woman in what seemed like months. And I was already mesmerized. Her accent was becoming more distinctive to me with every word, not American and not anything I'd heard before. I couldn't take my eyes off her, and I was intrigued to know what a beautiful woman like this was doing here alone. I watched her lean her elbows on the edge of the bar close to mine, watching her as she ordered two drinks, changing my persception that she was alone. I was almost cautious over how I wanted to talk to her, knowing she probably had no interest in a conversation with me.

"Your accent.. I've never heard anything like it before." I looked down at the wine glass the bartender had placed in front of me, my fingers moving around the stem and up to the rounded bowl. The bartender was busy, and I could sense he was stressed with the amount of people crowding the bar. Giving me time to learn more about this goddess stood next to me.

"Do you mind me asking where you're from?"

She smiled and looked down slightly, her eyes falling onto my glass of wine for a second. "Take a guess." I was already growing to love how quickly she answered me, feisty was certainly something Isabelle was not. My mind pondered on the accent this blonde stranger had been blessed with, but all I could think about was how soft and seductive it was. I was hanging on her every word, and entranced by her movements.

"I was born in Israel, I grew up there."

"I've never been."

She thanked the bartender for finally bringing the drinks she asked for, turning to face me so her hair fell down in front of her shoulder. "Not many people have."

"I'm Edward, by the way."

She flashed a smile, holding back a laugh, her perfectly white teeth adding to my list of things I already adored about her. "I know who you are. I'm Tanya."

Our hands met and they shook briefly. I was careful not to be too forceful, but not too weak. But from Tanya's strength, I gave the same back. All I could think about was how Isabelle and her were the complete opposites, it was like I'd been trapped in this bubble created by my girlfriend and whatever I did, I couldn't burst it. I felt suddenly concious that Tanya seemed to know about me and my name already, yet I knew nothing about her. Although, I wasn't sure why. Everyone knew who I was, it was just common knowledge in Hollywood.

"You do..?"

"Come on, you're Edward Masen. Who doesn't know you." I saw her glowing lips covered perfectly in red lipstick curve up at the edges again, a soft smile this time. And boy did I want to kiss that smile..

Bad idea. Don't go there.

I seemed to be blown away by Tanya, and I couldn't stop the feeling. And I didn't want to. But I knew I would be slaughtered if anything happened tonight, Isabelle and I weren't on good terms but I wasn't that kinda guy anymore.

"Well, nice to meet you."

The angelic accent shook me out my daze again, and there was suddenly an innocent look on Tanya's face. Maybe I just hadn't noticed it before, or I just pictured what I wanted to see.

"You too."

My eyes followed her until I lost sight of her in a large crowd that was uncomfortably close to where Isabelle was standing. I had to look down when I felt the need to smirk after checking out Tanya's ass. Perfect like every other aspect of her I'd taken note of whilst we'd been talking. I turned to pick up my wine glass again, seeing another full glass next to it. I signaled to the bartender, and he strolled over to see what I wanted. Upon pointing to the full glass, he smiled, almost mockingly.

"Er, I didn't ask for another glass."

"I know, the model you were talking to ordered it for you. Lucky guy."

Model.

Now it all made sense. I looked across the club again, wanting to take in Tanya for what I hoped wouldn't be the last time, only this time I couldn't see her anymore. My eyes suddenly met my girlfriend's piercing gaze.

Had Isabelle just seen me checking out a model? Talking to her? Watching her every move? Smirking at the fact I'd glanced at her ass?

I was fucking done for.