Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight.

BPOV

"How could I have been so stupid?" I breathe. "I'm so embarrassed. I can't work for him now. What must he think of me? That was so humiliating."

I ran out of the room towards the front lobby. My dress is torn revealing the whole left side of my leg. "This isn't even my dress!" I say looking down in anger slowly turning to tears. Just when I thought I was being a confident woman and taking control. I had to practice it on none other than Mr. Cullen.

"Oh gosh I called him beautiful." I cry wiping my face of its moisture. I pause at the entrance of the lobby and search for an employee to call a cab for me.

"Bella, oh no are you ok? Oh my gosh your dress. What's going on? Why are you crying sweety?" She exclaims as she pulls me into her arms.

"I need to leave. I need to get out of here. He was dancing with me asking all these questions. GOSH I'm such an idiot!" I scream. My thoughts mixing together. Angela is just looking at me thoroughly confused.

"I don't understand Bella, who was asking questions? Who were you dancing with?"

"My boss! He was asking me what it was like to work for him, and I hadn't even met him. Does he know who I am? Oh no…..then Tanya comes out of no where and steps on my dress. It ripped all the way up my leg. Why did she do that? I don't even know her!"I say sobbing.

"I didn't even want to come. I'm sorry Angela. I just want to go home. Please!"

When Angela was about to reply, Edward Cullen comes running up to me and stops a few feet away.

"Miss Swan, I profusely apologize for Miss Denali's behavior. I'm sure it must've been unintentional. I will address this with her come Monday at the office. Here, please take my jacket to cover up the front of your dress. You must be cold. Is there anything I can do?" He puffs out of breath.

"You're sorry huh? Why didn't you tell me who you were? Why did you play me like that? Do you know how embarrassed I am right now!" I say pointing my finger in his chest.

He approaches me and cautiously raises his hand and swipes the lone tear that formed from under my eye with his thumb. I jerk back not knowing how I feel about the term of endearment.

"Excuse me!" I say. "Don't touch me!" My heart pounding at the simple touch of his hand.

I have to get out of here. I can't let him get to me like this. Then again I don't want to lose my job either. Keep it professional Bella. I think to myself. "I'll see you at the office bright and early Monday morning." As I step into the cab avoiding the green eyes that hold me so.

Angela gives me a soft look of understanding. On the cab ride home, my thoughts and feelings are so mixed up that I'm starting to get a headache. I rub the temples with my fingers looking down and I realize that in my lap is the black tux jacket of Mr. Cullen. My eyes bug out and I still for a moment. Not sure if I should touch it, throw it out of the moving cab or smell it. I chose the latter.

I run my hands down the back of the jacket and commit to memory what it felt like when his hands were on my back and the feel of his fingers rubbing slow smooth circles on my skin. It was like fire in its wake.

Slowly I pick up the jacket, careful not give the driver a peep show, bring it to my nose and inhale the familiar scent of vanilla and mint. My eyes close and a small smile plays on my lips. How can something so beautiful be so unattainable? He was so thoughtful the way he ran after me to make sure I was ok. Didn't he have important people to socialize with?

The driver barks at the approaching address and I open my eyes as my apartment comes into view. I pay him and make my way upstairs. Once inside I throw his jacket on my bed and start to undress and take a shower trying to erase the night away. I'm so tired I can't even keep my eyes open.

Stumbling along the way, I grab my pajama bottoms and a tank top, put them on and crawl into bed, pull my cover up to my neck and once again replay the night's events. The one image left in my mind was one of green eyes blaring into mine.

The next morning my feet feel are hot and sweaty and I try to kick at the offending top sheet that I bought last summer. I never liked top sheets. Like who uses them anyways. All they do is aggravate consumers and trick them into thinking that they have a purpose in the quality of your sleep. Frustrated, I get out of bed and head for the coffee I can smell brewing in the kitchen. Angela is already there and making some eggs.

"Good morning Bella." She says cautiously.

"Hey Ang!" I say not trying to hide my sentiment of annoyance.

"So, what went down last night? That man was really upset after you left. He went back to the party and was talking to some woman with short black hair and then he just left. Just like that. Seriously Bells, it was like watching a movie." She explains.

"Ummm…..well that was my boss Edward Cullen." I breathe.

"Well didn't you know who he was? You were dancing with him for a long time. Like the song ended and you guys just kept going." She stares at me.

"What? Really? Huh. I didn't realize we were. I mean it didn't feel like it. Maybe that's why Tanya came over. Oh my gosh, how could I of not seen it? They're together! She's probably mad that I was dancing with him for so long that I was making a play for him and she needed to intervene." I say, it all coming together now. Well perfect, that explains it then. I'll be going to work come Monday and act like nothing even happened. I can be an adult about this.

All that day and the next, Angela thought it would be a good idea if we stayed in and vegged out. I cleaned the living room and bathroom while she cleaned the kitchen and vacuumed. Then we watched movies, cooked appetizer's for dinner and did our nails, the events of Friday night completely forgotten.

Monday morning comes and I stretch in my bed. Looking at the alarm clock I can see that it's about 30 minutes before I have to wake up. So I just lie in my bed and prep myself for the first day at my new job. Chanting positive words of encouragement, and breathing in and out deeply, I can't help but be really annoyed with the bunching at the bottom of the inside of my bed. I reach my hand under the covers to rip out the top sheet and my hands come in contact with a small circular piece, which is attached to something larger. My hand grips the thick material and I freeze. My eyes grow wide and I realize that my feet have been nesting in the tuxedo jacket of a certain Edward Cullen. Still not moving and my eyes now closed I slowly pull the offending garment up the bed. My bottom lip is pulled into my mouth and my eyebrows knit together. I bring back the cover of my bed only to reveal a very crumpled, very wrinkled and a VERY smelly black jacket. I slump back down on the bed and groan at my luck. I decide that I'm going to have to return it sooner that later. He'll probably be asking about it when I come in this morning.

I drag myself into the kitchen and is greeted with Angela in her scrubs buttering toast.

"Hey you! Do you want some…Bella what's that smell?" She ask scrunching her nose. I stand there stark still and hold up the jacket with one hand not taking my eyes off of her.

"My feet were brewing stew all weekend." Is the only thing I say as the tears form at my eyes.

Angela takes a moment to understand what I just told her and starts howling like a banshee.

"It's not funny Ang! What am I going to do now? I have to give this back to him this morning. What am I suppose to say, 'Gee sorry Mr. Cullen I was completely unaware that my feet were having a party in your two thousand dollar tuxedo jacket for 2 nights' this is too much. I should just quit now." I say with my head in my hands.

"Well at least they were dressed for the occasion." she says. I laugh, I can't deny it, that was funny.

"Whatever, I'll just give it to him and tell him that it fell in a puddle or something." I say walking away to the bathroom to start my day.

The elevator announces the arrival to the 72nd floor. With my carrying case in one hand and the jacket in the other, I step through the doors and walk down to my office which is conveniently placed next to Mr. Cullen's.

I notice that his lights aren't on and he has yet to arrive. So I put his jacket down on the couch in the corner and start setting up my desk. I open my laptop and check a couple of emails. It sure feels good to have my own office instead of it in the hallway like at Newton Inc. I turn my chair around and face the window. I stare out at the landscape of the concrete jungle and my mind wanders to my morning chant in my bed. Ok Bella, starting a new job with a new attitude. I'm a strong independent woman. I don't need anyone or any man. I can stand on my own. Let's show Mr. Cullen a different Bella that he saw on Friday.

Just then I hear voices in the hall and I quickly spin my chair around and pull out the report I've finished at home. Pretending to double check my information, the voices get closer and I can hear Tanya in the distance arguing with someone. I can't forget to apologize for over stepping my boundaries the other night. What he sees in that woman I'll never know. I mean I know she's beautiful and her clothes scream sexy, but the attitude is what turns me off. She made me make a list of the ways to talk to him, treat him and act around him. What I can do and what I can't. I can't blame her though. He's absolutely drop dead gorgeous. If he were mine I would be protective too. Wait a second. What am I saying? Ok focus Bella.

"Miss. Swan, could you please come into my office?" A tenor voice calls from the hallway knocking me out of my thoughts.

I rise out of my chair and smooth down my tight black pencil skirt and straighten my crisp black blouse. I approach his office door, knock and peer in to see him standing in front of his window with one hand in his pocket and the other one tapping his blackberry.

"Come in please, have a seat." He directs. Remembering Tanya's rules I place my hands in my lap and look down at my shoes.

"Miss Swan, I was hoping that I could apologize the other night about my behavior. Not just for Tanya, but for myself as well. I assure you that I didn't mean to play you as you so put it. I was simply trying to get a read on you. I wanted to see your reaction to me without you knowing who I was. It didn't work out the way I thought it would. And for that I'm truly sorry. As for Tanya, well I've talked to her and told her to apologize to you. I'll buy you a new dress if you like. I'm sure I've seen it before, is it from Barney's? I have an account there. You may pick another of your choice and have them bill me." He says as if its no big deal.

"Thank you Mr. Cullen, for your apology. But the dress wasn't mine. I borrowed it from a friend. I don't have pretty dresses, so I borrowed that one." Why am I telling him this? Where is proud strong woman?

"And I'm sorry for dancing so long with you, I didn't realize the music had stopped. I can understand how Tanya would've been mad. Please let her know that I didn't mean to… I mean it wasn't my intention to make a play at you or anything. Ha, you're my boss and even though I didn't know it at the time, I would never try to well you know….." I say mumbling, my thoughts coming out all wrong.

"Miss Swan stop! You're rambling. Please use my account at Barney's to purchase another dress for your friend. Both of you can go together if you like. Pick up something pretty for yourself as well." He pauses looking at me with his eyebrows pulled together.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but do you think Tanya stepped on your dress because she was jealous that you were dancing with me or that you were more beautiful than her?...I'm sorry Miss. Swan that was uncalled for. I apologize."I was about to say something but was interrupted with a knock at the door.

"Edward, I just wanted to let you know that your mother called already. Don't forget about this weekend." Tanya says with a lustful smirk on her face.

"Oh Bella, I didn't know you were here. Look I'm sorry about your dress. I must've had one to many glasses of champagne and didn't see where I was going. It was a cute dress too! Now if there's nothing else that Mr. Cullen needs you for. I have some work for you to do." She snaps.

"Tanya, I'm actually not done with her yet. I have some business to discuss with her. Whatever it is you need, I'm sure you're more than capable to take care of it yourself. Please, close my door when you leave." He says tapping is cell once again. My mouth drops open and I dare to look at Tanya. She glares at me and backs out to the door shutting it more loudly than normal.

"What is it that you need? I have the file for Black Outfitters all typed and done. I can email you the account and you can go over it if you like." I say rolling my hands in my lap.

"Miss. Swan, if I may be so bold. Why don't you look at me when you talk. Did you not know that it's rude?" He says leaning back in his chair.

"Oh well Tanya told me not to. She said that you don't like it. Well actually she told me a lot of things. Like only speak when spoken to, don't talk about anything personal with you. No chit chatting, don't stay if your office too long…ummm what else? Oh to keep out of your way. That you're not very social and not to make eye contact with you, also that I'm on a trial basis. I could still be fired." Did I just say that? Did I just rat her out. I'm such an idiot! I had to open my big fat mouth.

"Miss. Swan, please excuse Tanya, she's a few spoons short of the cutlery drawer. Now listen to me carefully. Iown the company. She is an employee here and can be fired just as easily as you. Do not listen to everything she says. You work for me. You do not answer to her. She is Alice's assistant not mine. You are mine." He says now leaning forward in his chair, eyes fixed on mine. He seems to catch the double meaning and quickly excuses himself to the washroom in the corner of his office. Feeling a little uncomfortable, I slip out and back into my own.

I sit at my desk and my heart is beating so fast I think it might break trough my chest. What was it with the way he said that. It was so primal. Get it together Bella.

I open my email and click on the new message from human resources about some information that they need from me. Then I email Mr. Cullen the Black account for him to look over.

As I'm going through the file again getting information I need for a power point presentation, I get an instant message on my laptop from an EAC-CC.

EAC-CC: Miss Swan, could you come into my office please?

Bella_Bug: Sure Mr. Cullen. How did you get my IM address?

EAC-CC: Human Resources.

Bella_Bug: They don't have it sir.

EAC-CC: They have your email and I added it to mine. We have the same email server, hence the same IM server. Could you come here please?

Bella_Bug: But I just emailed HR 5 min ago. Did you call them? You could've just asked me for it. And why didn't you call me on your private line?

EAC-CC: Bella_Bug, yes I called HR. But it was for other affairs. If you're done with the questions I would like to see you in my office please. Now! Nice account name by the way.

Bella_Bug: My friend made it up for me. She calls me that all the time actually. I thinks it's silly.

EAC-CC: I'm Waiting!

Bella_Bug: Right I'm coming. Bye.

I peer into his office and he's sitting there on his computer with a smile on his face. He doesn't notice me and so I knock and he directs me in. I sit down and look at him. He pulls his glasses off his beautiful structured face and says.

"Miss. Swan, I was wondering if you have my jacket."

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