I was no longer outside in the cold. I was sitting on someone's lap and he was holding me in his arms. I didn't want to open my eyes. I was going to die of embarrassment.

"Bella?" the stranger's voice asked softly. "Are you awake?"

Damn. How did he know? I opened my eyes and his face was only inches from mine. My heart started to beat wildly. I felt an impulsive urge to kiss this stranger. I had never been kissed before, but suddenly I couldn't think of a rational reason why our lips should not be pressed together.

"Uh..." I mumbled, shaking my head. Snap out of it, Bella. The stranger still had his arms around me and I didn't want to leave his embrace, but when I realized we were sitting in the middle of the student center, the positioning didn't seem so appropriate. He was a stranger, after all.

I stumbled out of his lap, and almost fell face first on the floor, before he steadied me to sit next to him. Our bodies still touched, sitting side by side. He took my hand into his.

"You're still dizzy. Perhaps you should see a doctor."

I shivered at the sound of his voice. It felt like he was caressing my soul when he talked.

Damn it, since when did I think like this? I berated myself, finally snapping out of my haze.

So, the stranger was real. Maybe I didn't need to see a psychiatrist after all. I didn't need to see a physician either. I never fainted in my entire life, but I faint twice – both times when I saw this stranger. Definitely connected. Why did he have this affect on me? It was so embarrassing.

"I'm fine. Thank you for your help."

"You're welcome."

We sat in silence, not looking at each other directly. Sitting side by side, it felt like electricity sparking between us where our bodies touched. Neither of us moved.

Eventually, the stranger was the first to speak.

"My name is Edward Cullen."

The stranger had a name.

Edward Cullen...where had I heard that name before?

"Cullen? Are you..." I turned to face him and he mirrored my actions.

"Yes, Emmett and Alice are my brother and sister. They told me they met you yesterday."

How did he know I was Bella Swan? My name tag at the bookstore said my first name, but not my last. Surely there was more than one Bella in Fairbanks. Seeing the suspicion in my eyes, Edward answered my question before I had to ask it.

"I went to the bookstore Saturday, hoping to see you again. When you weren't there, I asked around until someone told me your last name. I wanted to look up your phone number, so I could call you, but you were unlisted. When Alice and Emmett returned home Sunday, they told me they met Charlie Swan's daughter, Bella."

"Why would you want to call me?" I asked, shyly.

Edward looked surprised. "You fainted at the cafe. I wanted to check and see how you were doing."

"But, you left. Why didn't you wait until I woke up? Would've been easier..."

"I'm sorry, I had to talk to someone. Please forgive me." He held my hand and squeezed it gently, looking deeply into my eyes. "It won't happen again."

I shivered. I was seriously going to faint for a third time if this stranger...if Edward...was going to keep looking at me this way. Although it pained me to do so, I withdrew my hand from his and stood up.

"Well, I'm fine," I managed to squeak out awkwardly. "I need to be going now. Goodbye."

I grabbed my backpack off the floor and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Edward asked, chasing after me.

"I have to go to work," I answered, avoiding his eyes.

"Can I give you a ride?"

Despite the fact my body screamed for him to touch me, he was still a stranger and I was the daughter of a police officer.

"Sorry, I don't accept rides from strangers," I answered politely.

"I'm a stranger?" he replied, hurt evident in his tone of voice.

I stopped walking, surprised that he was so hurt by my words. I smiled, trying to soften his pain.

"Edward, I just met you," I explained. He seemed happy to be looking into my eyes again.

"Ah...I understand. Can I walk with you?"

He looked so hopeful, I couldn't refuse him. "Um, it's a free country," I replied lamely. Ugh, was I in 6th grade again? Edward laughed, as if I intentionally was trying to tell a joke. Was he mocking me?

I expected Edward to talk to me as we walked, but he didn't. I noticed that he stood as near to me as he could, without touching me. I was tempted to "accidentally" bump into him, but I restrained myself. I didn't understand the yearning I felt to touch him.

Gulliver's was right off campus and it didn't take very long to reach it.

"See you later," I mumbled, with an awkward wave, as I entered the store. To my surprise, Edward followed me inside. I ignored him and took off my coat, hanging it up and putting on my name tag.

The store was empty and I went to the back to let Maria know I arrived. She asked about my health, but then remarked I looked so much better than on Friday. I shrugged and asked her what she wanted me to do today. I was assigned to skim the aisles and straighten the books, then man the cash register. Usually Dave liked to be up front to talk with customers, but he was on a trip to Anchorage. Maria looked a little sad, as if she missed him already. Even though it was cute, I wanted to roll my eyes. She reminded me of Renee and Phil. Love sick.

I was still very aware of Edward's presence in the store, but acted like I didn't notice him. I wanted to have some self respect. So far, he must think I'm the girl who faints at his feet every time she looks at him. A man like Edward must have hundreds of girls vying for his attention. I wasn't going to follow the crowd...I did my own thing. I was independent.

"What are you doing?" a voice interrupted my thoughts. Edward.

"Working," I replied, stating the obvious. I continued to walk down the aisles, scanning the racks to see if any books were out of place.

"Can I help?" he asked.

I stopped and turned around to face him. "What are you doing?" I asked, straightforwardly. I wasn't used to getting this much attention from anyone, especially someone as god-like as Edward.

Edward was surprised, as if I should know exactly what he was doing. He looked down, and then directly into my eyes.

"I just want to be near you," he replied, his face full of vulnerability.

My heart rate increased, butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Edward leaned in closer to me, our foreheads almost touching.

"I don't want to be a stranger," he whispered, using the word I used earlier to describe him. I was dangerously close to fainting again...or ravishing him with kisses.

He pulled back, was suddenly six feet away, with a book in his hand. How did he move so fast?

"Bella, I'm going run a few errands," Maria called out, turning into the aisle where I was standing. "Annie's in the back and Sarah is upstairs if you needed anything. Okay, hon?"

I blinked. "Um, okay. Thanks."

She looked at me cautiously, then seemed to dismiss her thoughts. "Be back soon."

By the time I heard the ring of the bell, signaling her exit from the store, Edward was in front of me again, leaning in. I jumped back in shock.

"Woah," I yelped. "How did you move so fast?"

Edward's eyes widened. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"It's okay..." I mumbled, reminding myself to breathe. I could not faint again...

The bell at the door rang, signaling new customers entering the store. I went to the front to greet them, resisting the urge to look back at Edward. What was happening between us? What did he mean when he said he didn't want us to be strangers? Was he hitting on me? Impossible!

As the morning progressed, Edward didn't try to talk to me again, but he didn't leave, either. He sat in one of the overstuffed chairs and read a book. At one point, it looked like he was texting someone and I felt irrationally jealous, wondering who it could be. Of course, I was watching him, when I had a free moment and thought he wasn't looking. It was hard to take my eyes off him, actually. He didn't seem to be watching me, though, and I felt a bit disappointed by that and relieved at the same time.

When it was time for my break, I took the back staircase to the cafe to eat my 'free for employees' meal. I chose a garden salad and iced tea, my stomach was still too anxious for anything heavier, and went to my favorite seat in the back corner. On the way there, I picked up the local paper, from the front counter, and began to look through it while I ate. I wasn't reading it. I was trying to look busy, as I wondered if Edward was still downstairs.

"May I join you?" a voice asked. Edward. Always Edward interrupting my thoughts of Edward.

I nodded, too nervous to speak, and he sat down across from me.

"How do you like Fairbanks?" we asked each other at exactly the same time. We both laughed.

"Sorry, you first," I insisted.

"I'm happy to be here," he answered simply. "And you?"

"I really like it here. It's so different from where I grew up, but it suits me. I like the peace and quiet."

"Where did you grow up?"

"Phoenix. Warm, hot, sunny, desert of a place. Where are you from?" I was anxious to know anything and everything about this man.

Edward seemed to consider his words before answering. "I was born in Chicago. My family just moved here from Forks, but you already know that."

I smiled as I nodded, delighted that we had something in common. "Such a small world. You know, I considered finishing high school in Forks, but decided to graduate a year early in Phoenix, instead. I think we might have been classmates, if I had chosen to live with my dad. But, we meet here in Fairbanks. How crazy is that?"

"We were destined to meet," Edward replied with confidence.

I blushed and immediately felt hot and bothered. No man had ever affected me this way.

"Please eat," he urged, pointing to my plate. "Even if it's just a salad, you need your strength."

"I like salad," I replied, kind of offended that he was picking on my choice of food. I took a big bite and he smiled at me.

"Aren't you hungry?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I'm fine. So, tell me more about graduating from high school early. Why did you decide to do that?"

Edward looked at me as if I was the most fascinating person in the world. It was hard not to open up to him. Within minutes, I was telling him my life story. He was so easy to talk to – knowing when to listen and when to ask a clarifying question. Before I realized it, Sarah came over to let us know she was closing the cafe for the day.

I jumped up and looked at my watch. I had completely forgotten about work. Edward and I had been talking for two hours? It felt like two minutes.

"I have to get back to work!" I gasped, picking up my tray and heading towards the kitchen. Not wanting to be rude, I turned back to Edward.

"It was nice to talk to you," I told him, with all honestly. I was uncertain whether he would want to talk to me again. "See you around," I added and disappeared in the back.

Sarah followed me into the kitchen. "Bella! You just broke that poor guy's heart. You should've seen his face. "See you around"? She laughed and swatted me with a hand towel. "Girl, you play hard to get!"

I blushed. "I'm not trying to play hard to get," I protested. "I just spent two hours monopolizing the conversation. He was probably relieved that I stopped talking."

"I've never seen you talk so much, Bella," Sarah observed. "Is he an old friend?"

"No, I just met him today," I responded immediately.

Her eyes widened. "Hmm..Maybe someone is in love?" she said with a smile.

I rolled my eyes and groaned. "Whatever! I've gotta go...Maria is going to kill me."

I bolted down the back staircase and as soon as I reached the first floor, I felt like I collided into a wall, except it was...Edward.

"What are you...?" I muttered.

He eyes looked troubled. "Who is going to kill you?" he asked, grabbing me by the shoulders.

"Uh...what? You heard that?"

His facial expression was deadly serious. I shook my head.

"Edward, it's a figure of speech. My boss is going to be upset with me. That's all I meant."

He calmed down, perhaps realizing how irrational and weird he was being.

"Please don't talk like that," Edward pleaded. "If someone tried to hurt you..." he didn't finish his sentence.

I was shocked. What had possessed this man? Why was he being so intense about me? Was he for real?

Not knowing how to respond, I was thankful that Maria interrupted us, even if it meant getting in trouble.

"Bella, are you alright?" she asked. "Who is your friend?" Maria didn't seem mad, she seemed curious. In the years she had known me, she had never met any of my friends...mostly because I didn't have many.

"This is Edward. I was just showing him where I worked. Edward, this is the general manager, Maria."

I hated lying to her, but how else could I explain why he was in a space only employees were allowed.

"It's nice to meet you," Edward greeted, sticking out it hand to shake Maria's. It reminded me of how Alice greeted me, so polite and formal, as if they were from a different era when manners actually mattered.

Maria smiled. "Nice to meet you, Edward." She glanced at me and her eyes twinkled. Now she had her explanation of who I spent my extended lunch break with. I wasn't in trouble, she was happy for me. She sat down at her desk, returning to her work.

"Let me show you to the door, Edward," I mumbled, grabbing his arm and leading him out of the office. When I touched him, I felt that electric spark again, but I didn't let go.

We stopped walking when we reached the front door of the store.

"Well...I have to work now..." I awkwardly explained. He just stared at me. Why wasn't he asking for my phone number? Because Alice had it? Would she give it to him? Would he call me?

"Okay," he replied.

"Okay," I repeated, disappointed he wasn't asking to see me again. "Goodbye..."

I turned and walked to the counter, sitting down on a stool. I looked up and Edward was still standing at the door. Wasn't he going to leave? He walked over to me, a nervous expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, but I can't say goodbye to you."

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