One chapter will talk about the past, one about the present until we reach the point where we began with the present. Confusing much? It keeps things interesting. ;)

Same disclaimer applies-Twilight belongs to S.M., but the idea of this story is mine.

Many thanks to my awesome betas and friends - TeamAllTwilight and m0t0b33.


December 2010

We wake several times during the night, exploring new positions.

In the morning, I vaguely remember Edward saying something about trying every Kama Sutra position with me.

I hope it's not part of my imagination.

I also hope this wasn't a one night stand…with all the promises and the way he's sucking at my nipple right now… Not a one night stand. Definitely.

He lifts my legs and puts both of them over his right shoulder then he dives inside me.

I doubt I'll walk straight today.

Who cares about walking when he's so deep inside me?

Fuck.

I claw at his back, trying to meet him thrust by thrust.

We finally drag our asses out of the bed and into the shower, then Edward offers to take me home so I can change my clothes. His offer to drive me to work still stands. He also adds that he'll pick me up.

I think I'm in love.

Okay, maybe not love, though my pussy definitely loves his cock.

I'm aware I don't know anything about this guy—just that he's a kinky bastard and I like that. A lot. But I still tell him my address without second thought.

When I return to his car dressed in my office clothes—white crisp shirt, black knee length skirt and high boots along with the coat covering me, his eyes bug out and he mumbles something about wishing his car had a backseat.

I just chuckle and wink.

"So, where to, Miss Swan?" he asks, backing away from the spot he parked.

"Brown Advertising Enterprise."

It sounds so grand.

It is grand.

Edward whips his head to me so fast I'm worried he might have unhinged it.

"What?" I whisper meekly. "Don't I look like I belong there?" I challenge him.

He continues to stare at me, his mouth hanging open.

I huff and fold my arms over my chest. His eyes zero on my suddenly displayed breasts then he clears his throat.

"Jesus. James's gonna scalp me," he mumbles, grabbing a fistful of his hair.

James?

It's my turn to stare at him shocked.

"Not James Brown by any chance?" I murmur, afraid to ask louder.

"Fuuuuuck!" Edward groans, squeezing his eyes shut.

Of course it had to happen to me.

I slept with one of my future co-workers.

As he drives, he tries to make small talk, asking what department I'm going to work, when I had my interview with James….the usual.

I don't have much to say because I've been informed I'll be placed on a team when I arrive on my first day—today.

"Anyway, do you know why he's hiring now? So close to Christmas?" I ask as we slide into the underground parking lot.

"The last project went askew when some idiot was double-teaming with the rivals. They won, so James fired everyone. Only two supervisors saved their teams. I'm one of the unlucky ones," he mutters, glancing at me as he stops the car. "But if it's your first day, don't expect to start big. You'll probably live next to the copy machine or the vending machine. True story."

I realize that he's been there himself.

"Thanks for the heads-up."

"Anytime. Let's go."

In the elevator that takes us to the offices, I try to stay a good foot away. Crammed space filled with Edward's scent. It's dangerous.

When we reach the fifth floor the doors open with a loud ding. It's better than the cello solo we heard on the way up.

"The man of the hour! Late!" A loud voice exclaims as we step out of the elevator.

I realize the person is James Brown in person. Funny, I remember how I tried not to laugh the first time I heard his name. The man's nothing like the singer—opposite actually with fair skin, blond hair, gray eyes and quite tall.

"Oh, did you run into our newest colleague?" he asks Edward, clapping his back. "No funny business in the elevator I hope. You know I hate intercompany relationships."

"Good," Edward answers lightly but I can tell he's worried.

"I'll ask Laurent for the footage," James jokes, clapping his back again before turning to me. "Good to see you again, Miss Swan, was it?"

I'm flabbergasted because he remembers my name.

Just as he starts the tour for me, his phone starts ringing so I'm passed to…Edward. Mr. Brown also slips him a paper then he's off, answering his call.

"So…what do I do?" I ask, looking around the lobby unsure what I should be doing.

When Edward doesn't answer, I turn to find him staring at the paper in his hands.

"Hey!" I elbow him in the ribs making his green eyes meet mine.

"We'll talk after work about…last night," he whispers, leaning so close to my ear he's almost kissing it. "Please, let's keep minimal contact for our jobs' sakes, okay? You're on my team." He shows me the paper.

Right there at the top of the list is my name printed in black on white.

I gulp and nod jerkily.

"Good. Let's meet the others. They're probably waiting in my office. Then I'll show you all around." He starts walking in the opposite direction Mr. Brown disappeared.

"Good morning!" A woman around thirty greets us loudly. "The newbies are camping in your room. Only one from the list is missing," she adds.

"She's right here," Edward answer, touching my elbow. "And, morning, Tanya." He smiles.

"Isabella Swan?" Tanya checks, eyeing me.

"Yep." I nod.

She turns to her computer and starts typing away as I feel Edward steering me forward.

"It takes some time getting used to her, but she's the best secretary we had in all the time I worked here," he explains, opening the door of his office. His name is written in elegant letters on a metal plaque.

"Good morning, everyone!" Edward exclaims making the chatter in the room die down. "My name's Edward Cullen and I'm going be your supervisor for the next advertising campaign we're holding. I'm hoping to be able to keep most of you after this is over whether we win or not."

He takes his jacket off and drapes it over the back of a leather chair. His eyes meet mine as he loosens his tie, one eyebrow raised.

I blush and dive for the only other empty chair in the room—at the other end of the table.

He continues to talk about how he likes to win and have responsible people on his team, how there's gonna be pressure and he knows some will abandon halfway…

Then I interrupt him without meaning as I tug my chair away from the table making it topple over. I apologize quickly, not meeting anyone's eyes as I straighten the chair and sit on it, a foot away from the table. I'm too embarrassed to slide closer.

Edward clears his throat. "As I was saying…"

Everyone is quiet as he talks for about an hour, going through all the important matters then he tells us to follow him on the tour. He always expects us to have notepads or tablets or something in handy and always be one step ahead the other teams.

As I gather my stuff, I manage to leave the last and run straight into someone as I step out of his office. It's Edward.

"Good. We're all here." He steps to my right, shooting me a small smile. "I expect all of you here in front of my office within five minutes after I call you. You'll be given a work phone," he adds when a guy's hand shoots up. "If you'll be late for any reason, call me beforehand. Yes?" He finally addresses the boy.

"How do you expect us to be here in five minutes if we live on the other side of the city?"

Edward groans. "I will call you here for meetings during work hours. I hope you'll be here by nine every morning," he answers. "Oh, and until I learn all your names, please say your name before asking me something. And call me Edward. No sir or Mr. Cullen bullshit, okay?"

There are murmurs of agreement.

"On with our tour," he says cheerfully. "Remember, my office door is red and you never enter another office besides mine or the common area you'll be given to work with our team. You'll notice that there are three other colored doors on this floor. Green, Yellow and Blue. If you get lost, which I doubt. It's a round fucking floor…just ask Tanya. She's always at her desk in the middle of this madness. Clear?"

We nod again.

"Good. Our work area is right here – the next door after my office." He opens another red door on which it's written RED TEAM in big fat ass letters. "You'll get sick of it so let's finish the tour."

We follow like a flock of sheep as Edward points to different doors, machines, people and pictures of some winning advertisement or, of one of the team supervisors and some important person, shaking hands.

The last door he shows us it Mr. Brown's. We're not to disturb him unless someone's dying. We have Edward for questions, but he emphasizes that there is such thing as stupid questions.

We're instructed to wait in our work area while he gets the file on what we have to start working. This room is huge. It has a long table against the wall, right next to the door; there are whiteboards, stacks of paper, a lot of stuff we'll need. I walk to the huge windows and look outside—I can see Lady Liberty from here.

As I turn to look at the other people on the team, I realize they already formed groups. Typical.

I roll my eyes and walk to the closest chair where I dump my purse and coat. I thought team work will be challenging and a good change from the dull desk job I used to have. Apparently, I'm not good with people. I don't socialize.

I can feel eyes on me and I turn to glare at whoever decided to undress me with their eyes. A squeak of surprise leaves my mouth when I see Edward leaning against the closed door, is eyes ranking over me.

Fuck.

We're in trouble.

I wish we were alone…

I wish I could jump him. He looks so delicious in his suit.

"Why don't we take a seat?" he calls over the loud chatter. "As we know Christmas is two weeks away. Some already decorated their tree…" His eyes meet mine and I remember where I met him last night – under a Christmas tree. "We're going to work on Christmas decoration advertisements for the store Royal Christmas."

It doesn't say anything to me but some girls squeal loudly.

"There're eleven people in this team, with me included. We'll divide in two-three partners and start writing down ideas for the decorations I'll assign. Are we clear?"

A chorus of "Yes" answers.

So much for living next to the copy machine as he told me. We're diving in feet first.

Somehow, I end up working on lights with…Edward. Just the two of us.

The lights aren't our forte because the only two things we came up with are houses decorated in lights and of course lights for the tree. I'm not into that craziness "my house is brighter than yours" thing. My Dad is, not me.

"What about the figurines you can put on the front yard?" Edward suggests, shrugging a shoulder.

"Yeah… We can show how a family decorates their house inside and out. You know? We show them first while they're shopping…then how the kids are putting up the tree, the dad works on the house lights…"

"I like the way you think," he whispers. "Kinky in bed and a bright mind. Be still my heart."

I stomp on his foot making him yelp and turn back to the laptop in front of him, typing the ideas.

"Oy, Mr. Cullen!" someone shouts from behind us.

I see Edward's shoulders tensing up. "Jesus," he mutters. "Edward—call me Edward," he grinds out, turning to the boy.

"Jacob." The boy nods. "We're working on the garlands…"

"I have another idea," Edward cuts him off. "Actually, Isabella had this bright idea."

I feel my face growing red from the roots of my hair. He seems satisfied to have embarrassed me.

"Why don't you share your idea with the team?" Edward challenges me, relaxing back on his chair.

Stuttering and with my hands shaking badly, I explain to everyone – not even looking at them what I told Jackass earlier.

Surprisingly, everyone thinks this is a great idea so with the new plan we start sketching or the ones really good at computers work on graphics. I feel important—it gives me a boost of pride.

One of the other women comes to me with a question and I point to Edward. He pretends to not hear her so I explain what I want the kids to do with the tree. Then that boy, Jacob, comes to show Edward the sketch he made of the house. It looks beautiful.

"Ten copies of that, Isabella," Edward says, tapping his left hand to the desk. "Are you back yet?" he adds, glancing at me.

I snatch the paper from Jacob's hand and march out of the door. It's easy to find the copy machine—it's in a room that holds only four copy machines and tall cupboards filled with supplies. They have everything—from paper to staples and wireless and wired mice to ink for the printers.

I return to our room after ten minutes. It took me a while to figure out how to work the copy machine.

"I was about to send a search party," Edward comments.

Because he's my superior, he's acting like an asshole. I decide then and there that the stuttering Bella is gone. I'm going to be confident and just turn the cold shoulder if he wants more…outside the building.

I won't go behind everyone's back.

I won't be his dirty little secret.

My resolution backfires at me in the elevator when we head to lunch. I'm with Edward and putty in his hands.


Next chapter we'll be back to Present time, just a remind so you don't confused.

Pictures on my FB group - link on my profile.