Notes: I have to be the luckiest girl in the world. I have a fabulous beta, Alice's White Rabbit, and Validation beta, LisaDawn75. In addition, three lovely ladies have joined this story as pre-readers, Mandi Nikko, Deb Arrington, and Sandy from Southern Fiction Review. This story wouldn't be nearly as good without their help!

I'm doing my best to get a bit ahead of things so I can post as often as possible. No set posting schedule, I'm just getting the chapters out as fast as I can.


Chapter Four: The Kitchen

"So that's what you do when I'm at mom's house? Pick up random chicks? Nice, Dad," she said scornfully. I shrank back against the countertop, trying to move away from Edward, but he didn't let go, his hand stayed firmly on my hip.

The girl's disdainful remark rapidly diminished my euphoria. I glanced down at Edward's left hand, but it was bare of a wedding ring. I knew he was divorced, but the response was automatic. His eyes followed mine and he tightened his grip on me and spoke quietly. "This is my daughter. I'm sorry … I was going to tell you …"

I could feel my heart hammering in my chest and my stomach twisted up in knots. I didn't move, or breathe. Edward gave me a concerned look, but turned to the girl in the doorway. His voice was strained, but even.

"Maggie, my sex life is really none of your business to comment on. You need to be more civil, that was incredibly rude." The girl sneered and rolled her eyes. He sighed, but his voice softened a little. "Why are you home so early? I thought you were staying until after dinner."

"Mom had to go to some lame-ass meeting tonight. I called you like four times, but you didn't answer."

He nodded, but frowned. "Please watch your language."

She rolled her eyes again and stood there glaring at me, her arms crossed over her chest. The frown marred her pretty features and I shrank back at the venomous glare in her eyes.

Edward turned to look at me. "I'm sorry, I haven't introduced you yet. This is my daughter, Maggie." He put a hand on my lower back. "And Maggie, this is…" His voice trailed off as she whirled around, stomped down the hall and up the stairs, slamming a door behind her.

"… Bella," he finished faintly.

He rubbed his hand over his face and sighed, scrambling to come up with a response. "I am so sorry." He turned to look at me and I was struck by how exhausted he looked. "Christ, Bella, I should have told you …"

I sighed, finally shaken from my stupor. "It would have been nice to have had some warning, but it isn't like we spent that much time talking this weekend."

The worried look in his eyes dissipated a little as the corner of his mouth lifted into a little smirk. "I suppose not."

"I'll just get my stuff together and head out," I said, needing to get out of there. I felt horribly uncomfortable that I was dressed in nothing but Edward's shirt, and dismayed that his daughter had seen us like that.

Jesus, I'd met his daughter without any underwear on.

"No, please don't," he pleaded with me, a worried frown marring his forehead. "I'd really like to talk to you now, at least give you a little information about my life. Please," he pleaded with me. "I know we hardly know each other, but it's not because I'm trying to keep secrets."

"Are you sure I should stay?" I asked doubtfully. "Maybe right now isn't the best time …"

"Maggie will lock herself in her room to sulk for a few more hours. When she's pissed, she only ventures out to eat. We can talk, and then I'll sit down with her later."

"If you're sure …" I agreed reluctantly. I really didn't want to stay; in fact, my instinct was to run as fast and as far as possible. Our perfect, happy bubble had burst. More than burst—it exploded and I had no idea what to do next. I knew it wasn't fair of me to disappear on Edward like that. He was right, we needed to talk. Running away from the situation wasn't going to solve anything, as tempting as it was.

"Please, Bella. I'd really like to at least clear a few things up for you. I'm sure you have a thousand questions."

"Yeah, I do," I admitted. A thousand seemed like it would barely cover it. He gently placed a hand on my lower back and coaxed me forward.

"Let's go back up to my room, shower and dress, and then we can talk."

"Okay," I agreed apprehensively.

There was door rattling music playing from Maggie's room as we passed by it, and I winced.

Christ, I am dating a guy with a teenager. How the hell had that happened?

Oh, right. I'd seduced the Vice President of my department, fucked him in the break room at work, and then gone home with him. All without discussing what it meant, where we were going with it, or a single detail about how we planned to cope with it. I kind of wanted to beat my head against the wall. What had I been thinking?

It occurred to me that although I definitely was fucking Edward, we weren't necessarily dating. At least, we hadn't discussed the topic so I didn't know where we stood. Fuck, this was a mess. My nausea grew at the thought of the things we had to face.

Blindly, I followed him into his bedroom, too overwhelmed to even think straight. Once inside, Edward locked the door and tried to tug me into the bathroom. I hesitated before following him.

"Um, should we maybe shower separately or something?" I asked, really uncomfortable at the idea of showering together with his daughter—Maggie, I reminded myself—is in the house.

He shook his head. "I'd rather shower together. Please, Bella. I know this is uncomfortable for you, but I'd really like it if you'd shower in here with me."

Still feeling apprehensive, I followed him into the bathroom. Once we were in the shower under the warm water, he pulled me into his arms and looked in my eyes. "You're freaking out."

I sighed. "A little bit, yeah."

His voice was soft and earnest. "I can't tell you how sorry I am that you had to deal with that. It's not at all the way I wanted that to happen."

"I appreciate that," I said honestly.

"I really had planned to tell you more about my life today or, at the very least, sometime this week. I wasn't trying to hide anything. Do you believe me?"

I stared into his eyes and reached up to touch his cheek, reassured by the concern there. "Yeah, I do."

"Good." He exhaled loudly. "Okay, let's finish showering and dress and we'll talk more. I'll tell you anything you want to know."

I nodded and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder, kissing the top of my head when I sagged against him. The jolt of adrenaline that had coursed through me when Maggie arrived had dissipated and I was feeling sick and exhausted.

We'd showered together several times that weekend, but this time it was more functional than sensual. Still, the feel of his body against mine and the occasional kiss he leaned down to give me did help me relax.

After the shower, I towel-dried my hair and dressed in the clothes I'd worn on Friday, forgoing panties. I tucked the pair I'd worn then into my purse; it was too late to wash them now. Edward dressed in slacks and a blue button down with his sleeves rolled up. I smiled at the sight, wondering if the man actually owned any jeans, or if he was always so well dressed.

Securing my hair with an elastic band, I tucked it up into a messy bun. It didn't look great, and my pale cheeks and bare face made me look younger than I actually was. I caught a glimpse of Edward in the mirror and realized how stark the age contrast between us was now. How plain and rumpled I looked beside him. His eyes met mine in the mirror and he gently put his hand on my arm to turn me to face him.

"Don't. I can see what you're thinking, but you're beautiful." He took me into his arms and kissed me softly. "And if we were still alone, I'd have you in that bed again."

I shuddered at his words and rested my forehead against his. "Maybe it's just as well. I ache."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked, pulling away with a worried look.

I smoothed away the frown on his forehead. "No, it's just been … a while since I've been that active."

He smirked at me, pride replacing the worry. "Me, too."

He kissed me quickly on the lips and then took my hand. "Come on, let's have lunch and talk."

We went back down to the kitchen, tossing the leftovers that had been sitting in the microwave for at least an hour. Instead, we threw together sandwiches and he pulled out pretzels and lemonade and we took a seat at the kitchen table. But instead of beginning to eat, he pushed the plate away and took my hand.

"I want to be completely honest with you, Bella. I'm very interested in you and I'd like to get to know you better. But, I obviously have some baggage here, a lot of baggage actually. A teenage daughter isn't the easiest thing in the world to deal with. I'd like to see you more, but I understand if you aren't up for it."

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it to be honest," I said. "This weekend was incredible, but I never envisioned something like this … especially on top of everything else we have to deal with."

"I know." He ran his hand through his hair, the frustration on his face evident.

I sighed. "Can you tell me a little bit more? I mean, you are officially divorced, right?"

He nodded his head. "Heidi and I have been divorced for six months and separated for almost two years."

"Did you love her?"

He sighed. "Yes, but it's complicated."

"Well, tell me what you can."

He sighed and sat back in his chair, and I wrapped my arms around my mid-section, bracing myself for what was to come. "We met in college. I was in love with her from the very beginning, but she wasn't really ready to settle down. We dated for a while, and one night the condom broke ..." He sighed. "It was a mess. She was pissed at me, I was in love with her, and all of a sudden we had a baby on the way. We got married and we fought a lot, but once Maggie was born …"

He smiled, remembering. "I was so happy. I was too fucking young, but I loved her. Heidi and I managed to do an okay job parenting her the best we could. We made it through undergrad, thanks to her parents and mine. Both of us took classes part-time and, for a while, we were really doing well. Things got kind of rocky when it came to grad school. I wanted to stay at UP to get my business degree, and she wanted to go to Northwestern in Chicago. Maggie was three at the time, and I didn't like the idea of us moving away from our parents. I didn't know how we could manage without them. So she suggested that she go, and I stay at home with Maggie."

I looked up at him in surprise. "That's unusual."

"Well, to be honest, Heidi never really wanted children. I thought maybe it would be good. The time apart might make us appreciate each other more. So I agreed. My parents paid to fly us out there as often as possible, so Heidi and Maggie could be together."

"That was nice of them."

"They're great. They took such good care of Maggie while I was in class."

He sighed and looked down. "The weekend of our anniversary I flew out to surprise her and caught her in bed with another guy. It was bad. We nearly got a divorce then, but she eventually convinced me she was sorry and she wanted to try again. It was almost near the end of her degree, so a few months later she moved back to Portland with Maggie and I, and we had three or four really good years. We both got jobs here at Providence and advanced pretty quickly. We were doing okay financially. I mean, we weren't well-off, but we got by at first and then slowly started to do better.

"When we focused on our careers and Maggie, we did fine. But our personal life was a mess. We rarely spent any time together, just the two of us, and sex was more of an obligation than a desire. And after a while it stopped all together. We were more like two strangers living together. When I found out a couple of years ago that she was cheating on me with Felix, I told her I couldn't keep up the façade. I refused to live like that anymore and it wasn't doing Maggie any good; Heidi and I were miserable and she knew that. So, we separated but Heidi dragged the divorce out endlessly."

"Did you date at all while you were separated?"

"I went on a few dates, but it didn't work out."

"May I ask why?"

"Maggie," he said honestly. "They weren't willing to deal with a crabby, teenage girl."

I laughed and he shook his head. "You think I'm kidding. She's been a pest for the last few years. But we're working on it. She's a good kid. Gets good grades, has great friends, doesn't get in major trouble. But she wants to be an adult so bad. She tests every boundary; pushes every one of my buttons."

"What's the custody agreement like?" I asked. It was easier if I focused on concrete questions instead of letting the panic take over. I pushed away the thought that his daughter was only six years younger than I was. Six years. We could have been sisters. I shuddered at the thought.

"During the school year she lives with me Monday through Friday and spends Saturday and Sunday with Heidi. The reverse is true during the summer. Normally she gets back late on Sundays. Believe me, I was as surprised to see her as you were."

I laughed, but it sounded hollow. No, there was no way Edward had been as shocked as I was. "I didn't even know you had a daughter. No one at work has ever mentioned her."

He shrugged. "I don't think either Heidi or I talk about her a lot at work. But I think that's true of a lot of us. Would you be able to list all of the execs who have kids?"

"No, I guess not," I admitted.

He nodded. "Right now, school just started and she's living with me during the week. Normally she and Heidi have a late dinner and then she heads back here."

"Okay." I sat back and sighed, closing my eyes for just a minute. Jesus, it was all so complicated. This was nothing I had ever expected to have to deal with.

"You're feeling overwhelmed, aren't you?" he asked, frowning at me.

I sighed. "Yeah. Do you think I could take a few days to think all this through?"

"Of course. I know it's a lot to take in." He rubbed my upper arm reassuringly, but his frown didn't go away.

We finished our lunch in silence while I mulled things over. I was feeling overwhelmed to be honest. I liked Edward. Maybe more than I should since we hardly knew each other, but I felt like I needed some space to clear my mind.

When we were done, I helped him wash up the few dishes and clean up the kitchen. Neither of us spoke much, except for quiet 'excuse me's' and 'where do the plates go?'.

After the kitchen was tidy, I looked over at him. "I think I'm going to head home now, okay?"

He nodded, looking disappointed. He helped me gather my things and walked me out to my car. A small, older car that I assumed belonged to Maggie was parked in the driveway, but thankfully it wasn't blocking my exit. He kissed me goodbye and it wasn't the quick peck I expected, but a long, slow, deep kiss that made my pussy throb and my nipples harden.

"That wasn't fair," I said breathlessly, all thoughts of Maggie and the mess Edward and I were in completely gone from my head, at least for a moment. He only smirked and gave me a final peck before I got in the car and drove home.

The minute I reached my apartment, I changed into comfy clothes and called Alice. I told her the entire story and she didn't once interrupt, which was nothing short of a minor miracle. Alice was the chattiest person I knew.

When I finished she was silent for a moment.

"Wow," she said finally, sounding completely shocked. "Jesus, Bella. At work? In the break room? What the fuck were you thinking? You guys could lose your jobs."

"I know." I wiped away a tear that was trickling down my cheek. Away from Edward, reality had crashed over me. Hard. Maggie was just a part of what we had to contend with. The repercussions of our actions on Friday could be severe. "I just … God, Alice, I've never been with someone like him."

Her voice softened. "I know, sweetie, but you don't really think this is going to work out, do you?"

"I don't know," I replied shakily. "But I like him, Alice. I like him a lot."

"When you told me about him before I thought maybe, at the most, you'd have a one night stand and move on. I never expected this. A whole weekend together? And you're talking about more? You've lost your mind, Bella."

"Believe me, I know. I didn't expect it either."

"And a daughter? Damn." I could almost see Alice shaking her head in shock.

"I am just so terrified," I said. "I mean, she's sixteen, Alice. That's only six years younger than me. I remember being sixteen just a little too well."

"Is it the girl that worries you the most?"

"Fuck, it's the whole situation. It's been a while since I've had a relationship."

"Do you know that he wants one?" she asked gently.

"No. Actually, he never said anything about that." I groaned. "I mean, not for sure. Maybe I'm making a bigger deal out of this than I need to. I don't really know what Edward wants."

"What did he say exactly?"

"That he was very interested, and wanted to get to know me better."

"Hmm, yeah, that doesn't really tell me anything. Well, maybe you should see exactly what he has in mind and you can go from there. Would his answer change your opinion?"

"Yeah," I admitted. "I think so. I mean, I don't think I could do a long-term, casual relationship. It's too likely to get messy and turn into a huge gossip-fest at work if it was just a fling. And honestly, after this weekend … I think it's more than just fucking, you know?"

She hummed non-committedly and I continued.

"But, do I want a relationship? I don't know that I'm ready for that. I mean, we have the age thing to deal with and the fact that we work together. He's my boss, and throw in a bitchy teenage daughter? It's a lot, Alice …" I sighed, completely unsure of how to proceed.

"Well, talk to him about it this week and if you decide you do want to call it off, you can always get one last good, hard screw."

"Don't even say that, Alice," I admonished her. "The thought of not being in his bed again is tragic. No matter how hesitant he was initially, once I made the first move and got things going, he was amazing. I've never been fucked like that before."

What I didn't tell her was that it was more than just the stellar performance in bed. There was a lot more. I liked Edward—cared about him—but I just wasn't sure if it was enough. Was I really prepared to face all of those obstacles in order to be with him?


Notes: Thanks for all of your lovely reviews! I've been enjoying them so much.

What did you think about Maggie and the fact that Edward hadn't told Bella about her? What about Bella's reaction to things?