Not beta'd. Didn't want y'all to wait even longer. Hope I didn't make too many unforgivable errors.
By the way, MizzezPattinson deserves to have my first EPOV dedicatged to her for rec'ing this fic on TLS. Thanks, chica!
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Previously on Point of No Return:
My heart leapt as the door burst open, "Kate, have you ever heard of technology? There's a remarkable thing known as an intercom that- Oh, I'm sorry."
My face must have turned ten different shades of red as Edward Masen barged into Kate's office unannounced. I could vaguely hear the sound of Kate's voice filter through the thundering of my heart but, ridiculously enough, all I could think was that I likely resembled a drowned cat with smudged mascara all over my face.
"Excuse me," I squeaked out and fled the room as quickly as my wobbly legs could take me.
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Chapter 6
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June 13, 2011
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The relief I felt when I saw my face smudge-free was absurdly profound and I thanked God (and Leah) for waterproof mascaras. There was nothing wrong with my face, save for the Rudolph-red nose. And scarlet cheeks to match.
Running the tap, I wet the tips of my fingers and lightly patted my burning face. It felt good. I slid a hand under the collar of the cream blouse I was wearing and held it against my neck. An involuntary sigh escaped my lips at the coolness of the water and I closed my eyes as I slowly breathed. Inhale. Exhale.
I gazed at my flushed cheeks in the dust-speckled mirror and cursed my luck. Why is it that I seem to embarrass myself one way or another in the presence of Edward Masen? If I'm not making an epic fool of myself by barging into his office demanding answers I have no business knowing, I'm practically throwing myself at him like a harlot. Or he is walking in on me crying like a hormonal woman.
I groaned, feeling my face heat up all over again. I don't remember seeing him before that time in his office but now, he is everywhere I go. Literally. Everywhere. When he is not busy bursting into my life at inopportune moments, he is constantly starring in my thoughts and dreams.
It would be annoying if I hadn't come to realize that I liked him, because I did. And now, all I did was think about him, analyze his actions and reflect over the utter enigma that he was. He came into my life by happenstance and at first, I couldn't think of him as anything but the rude, seemingly jaded lawyer who could have been nicer to me. Then he had to go and get me that darned bouquet which equally confused and captivated me. Then that night happened and it was impossible for me to get Edward Masen out of my mind.
I wish I'd talked to Leah sooner. May be she would have given me better advice about how to approach this situation than my mother's "let him come to you." Rosalie would have, no doubt, given me a stay-away-from-him speech. I was so out of my depth here and I didn't know what to do. For the first time in a long time, I wanted to be with someone but I didn't know how to make it happen.
Maybe I should let nature run its course. Take the cues from him, for the time being.
Yes, I nodded to myself. That seems like a good place to start. Now I just had to wait for a sign from him. I just hoped it wasn't awkward between us after what had not happened.
Having composed myself, I stepped out and headed down the hall towards Kate's office but stopped in my tracks when I saw him standing with his back to me, one hand attached to the cell phone he was talking into. He was listening intently to what the person on the other end was saying, and from my vantage point, I could guess that he didn't like what he was hearing.
I made myself small against the wall and didn't dare move. Clearly he was exasperated, but I was mesmerized. He was glorious in his anger, his angular jaw clenching and unclenching. I couldn't take my eyes off him if I tried.
"What are you implying, Whit?" He muttered through gnashed teeth, "We both know that I don't need to perjure myself to win. I don't tamper with evidence. I don't withhold jackshit. I operate with a certain amount of integrity and I don't like it when my integrity is questioned."
I watched in rapt attention as he used the thumb of his idle hand to trace his eyebrow. Then the tracing increased in frequency and it looked like he was scratching an itch. It was kind of adorable and I smothered a grin.
But adorable wasn't the word I would use for him. Oh, no. He was far too sophisticated in his crisp coffee-colored suit and diagonally-striped tie to be called that. His short hair was, once again, coiffed to perfection. It was a strange mix of brown and golden, with a hint of red in it. He stopped rubbing his eyebrow and jammed that hand into the pocket of his pants.
"It's not just a document, Whit. It's a goddamn smoking gun. You think I could have missed it? I never saw the thing, but at least half a dozen other people worked with me on this case. Any one of them could have seen it," he was getting more vehement with every subsequent word.
The hand rubbing his eyebrow was back and I realized with a start that the unflappable Edward Masen was anxious. It was his nervous tic.
"You worry about whom to fire, Whit. I've got bigger fish to fry." A short pause, "I'm going to reopen the case. I can't let things go on this way."
His voice was authoritative, oozing the confidence and self-assurance I had come to associate with him. It sent pleasant tingles down my spine.
"Carlisle can kiss my ass," I snickered at the absolute disdain those words were painted with. "This is not about the number of eyes that have perused the document. I have seen it and I am obligated to report it to the Bar. And even if I didn't have to, I want to."
He worked at rubbing his eyebrow off as Whit said something and he was shaking his head before the other guy was even done talking.
"Whit, I don't think she had anything to do with this. This is strictly business and I don't think Peter lets his family defile their hands with-" he grimaced and I could tell that Whit was giving him a piece of his mind. I could hear the electronic intonation of a raised masculine voice but I couldn't make out the words being said.
Wait, there was a she? He was defending her. The irrational surge of hatred that reared its head like an angry dragon floored me. I didn't even know who he was talking about. Was I jealous?
Oh, my, was I jealous. I felt like I could have a hair-ripping, nail-digging cat fight with this mystery woman all because Edward thought she didn't have anything to do with… whatever it was that they were talking about. Maybe she was his girlfriend? A lover? My heart sank.
"Oh, I'll most definitely be exchanging more than a few words with Peter. You can be certain of that," he chuckled darkly and the sound made my stomach do cartwheels.
His brow furrowed and his jaw was getting a thorough workout, "Raging bull is right, Whit. I don't care-"
His lips pressed into a thin line.
"Yeah, well, I'm not known for being a saint," his lips quirked at something he heard, "You haven't thrown me out yet because I'm more than worth the pain in your ass."
"Carlisle is going to love this," he said with a wry smile. "No don't tell them yet. I want to tell them myself; I've got nothing to hide. You didn't think I'd leave you to deal with the wolves alone? Call a partners' meeting."
He shifted the cell to his left hand and slightly shook his right. An expensive-looking silver watch slid out from under his sleeve. He afforded it a cursory glance, "Five, then? Yes? It's settled."
Edward ended the call then and immediately began swiping its screen. He put the phone to his ear again and my conscience gave me grief for listening in on his private conversation but I couldn't get my feet to move.
"Alice, remember the conversation we had yesterday about Anderson Consultancy embezzlement suit? Yeah, I need you to go to the file room and find that document, as soon as possible. And be absolutely discrete. No one should get wind of what you're doing. No. One. Especially not Aro."
Alice… the name sounded familiar. I tried to remember where I heard that name and suddenly my mind conjured an image of the hyperactive, stylish pixie I had met in his firm. She was beautiful. Was she more than his secretary? I didn't like that one bit.
"You do this then we'll talk about the raise. Though why you need me for that is beyond me. After all, Whit is in charge of finances," his eyebrow arched and a meaningful smile graced his lips.
Oh, yes, please let her be with Whit!
"Right. Cancel all my meetings for the day. Forget the phone," he made a face at whatever she said, "Then get a temp to cover for you. I don't care. Just- Alice, that document is the purpose of your existence until you find it," he said gravely and promptly pushed a few buttons on his phone and pocketed it.
His sizeable frame shook with the weary breath he blew out. Leaning against the wall, he shut his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose with knitted eyebrows. He looked despondent, his shoulders hunched. My heart went out to him. I wanted to go to him and place my hands around his neck and mold my body against his. I wanted to run my hands through the short hair at the nape of his neck and assure him that everything will be alright. I could practically feel his strong arms holding my waist, his breath covering my neck and his woodsy scent overwhelming my senses.
The impulse to comfort him was staggering in its strength and I stepped forward and spoke up without a second thought, "Are you alright?"
His head whipped around so fast I was sure I heard his neck crack. For a moment he was silent, his face flickering with unidentified emotions like the colors on a TV screen. Finally, he settled on being amused, which didn't surprise me at all. He loved making fun of me, as far as I could tell.
"Well, well, well. Look who's eavesdropping now."
My mouth dropped open as I tried to come up with a good defense. I mean I couldn't tell him that I was too busy ogling him to take note of what he was saying. Nope, that is going to the grave with me. On second thoughts, I seem to vividly recall his reaction to the last time I admitted to unabashedly gawking at him…
Before I knew it, I was blubbering and blushing like an awkward teenager, "I- uh- I wasn't- I mean-"
He tsked, "Oh young padawan, I'm going to have to school you in the art of eavesdropping."
I snorted, "The art of eavesdropping?"
I felt a thrill rush through me when he slowly made his way toward me, his shoes making a distinct clicking sound. My breath grew shallower with every resounding click.
"Of course, you would know how to eavesdrop stealthily," I tried to distract myself lest I succumb to rambling yet again.
"You have no idea," he chuckled darkly; his eyes no more than a foot apart from mine now.
It vaguely registered in my Edward-addled brain that with my back to the wall and him in front of me, we were recreating our last rendezvous. It sent my nerves into a frenzy, while my heart thumped as if it were determined to break out of my ribcage. I watched riveted as his Adam's Apple bobbed when he swallowed.
My brown eyes met his gray-green ones and I swore if those were the last things I got to see, I'd die a happy woman. His pupils were surrounded by flecks of gray with a hint of blue, while the outer ring of his irises was a tranquil green. The blend of colors reminded me of the picturesque background of Rose and Emmett's honeymoon photos – the beautiful Waikiki beachfront. They were exotic in their uniqueness but still somehow managed to convey a sense of familiarity.
"Your eyes are exquisite," I heard my breathy voice form the words but I wasn't conscious of making the decision to speak. My eyelids curtained my view as I mentally berated myself for divulging my thoughts without filtering them. I waited for him to laugh but all I could hear was the whispers of our synchronized breaths.
When I opened my eyes again, his were a shade darker – hypnotic, penetrating. My stomach coiled and I felt my skin pebble with gooseflesh. I could feel the rhythm of my pulse in every vein of my body. In this moment, it was only him and me and this all-consuming magnetism that drew us to each other.
I bit into my lower lip and my breath hitched when his gaze automatically dived down to my mouth. My eyes followed suit.
"Bella?"
He jerked away from me as if I had electrocuted him. I blinked my eyes rapidly, trying to find my bearings.
"Bella, are you- oh, Mr. Masen! You're done with your call, too. Kate wants you both in her office. We all know she gets ornery when kept waiting," Kelly tittered, unmindful of the chaos my thoughts had become.
Edward had done a better job at calming down than me. His smirk firmly in place, he waved a hand in the direction of the hallway.
"After you, Miss Swan," his eyes laughed at my obvious dazedness.
My eyes narrowed, Oh, you cocky bastard!
Confident that my pencil skirt did wonders for my form, I may have given an exaggerated sway to my hips as I walked ahead of him. Or a lot. I furtively turned my head sideways, under the guise of thanking Kelly while I really needed to see where his gaze was trained. His eyes seemed to be having a silent conversation with my ass. My lips twitched and I felt triumphant.
Gotcha!
Just as my hand touched the doorknob to Kate's office, his hand came on top of mine and he whispered, "Dark chocolate and hazelnut with a shot of caramel."
Perplexed, I turned my head and the muscles in my stomach tightened at his proximity. I bit my lip, afraid of voicing my encouragement, when I felt his hand glide along my spine as he moved closer still. Close enough that I could feel the warmth of his body but far enough that I couldn't feel the hardness of his body that I craved to feel against my back.
"Your eyes. The perfect blend of innocence," he blew into my ear, causing a loose tendril to tickle my neck. Flames rose from my core and licked their way up my body and into my face. I stopped breathing as my eyes fell shut.
His hand unhurriedly meandered further south until it rested just above the swell of my hips, "And desire."
My lips trembled with the effort it took to keep my appreciation contained. His other hand that covered mine on Kate's doorknob worked to open the door and faster than I could realize what happened, he had opened the door, effortlessly extricated himself from me and held it ajar for me.
I stared fixatedly at his shiny brown shoes and refused to meet his gaze for it felt like I might combust if I dared. I was grudgingly impressed by his uncanny ability to return to his perpetual calm state in no time at all. But then, I suppose, it was yet another attribute he could thank his vocation for.
"I swear you and your phone calls, Edward!" Kate's complaint broke through my haze.
"The business world might collapse if I stopped attending calls," he deadpanned.
I forced my feet to cover the distance between the entrance and the chair before Kate's desk and all but sunk myself into the nearest one. Kate snorted at his retort and turned her attention to me.
"Bella, dear. Are you alright?" she looked a little concerned as I'm sure I looked as dazed as I felt within.
I smiled tightly at Kate and nodded. I wasn't sure if my mouth was capable of producing coherent words quite yet. Edward took the chair next to mine, fluidly unbuttoning his jacket as he did so. The space between the closely-spaced chairs crackled with the energy between us.
"Good, good. So, to bring you up to speed, Edward, Bella has agreed to take over for me when I retire," she beamed at me and I tried to respond in kind.
"Wise choice, Kate. Congratulations, Ms. Swan," I blushed when I looked into his eyes and bashfully thanked him.
"Oh, would you two drop the Mr. Masen-Ms. Swan farce already," Kate huffed.
Edward chuckled and I couldn't help but smile, "Very well, Kate. So what was it that couldn't wait until tomorrow? Did you come across a map that will lead us to a treasure of doubloons?"
An involuntarily giggle bubbled through my lips at his ridiculous words and he looked inordinately pleased with himself.
"Pshaw. Doubloons! Next you'll ask me for an eye patch," she shook her head indulgently and then turned serious, "I've been thinking."
Edward muttered with a frown, "Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like this."
"You know Black Wood?"
My eyes widened in recognition as Edward's scowl deepened, "Black Wood as in Black Wood Publishing?"
"You know what she's talking about?" He looked at me incredulously.
"I know of them, yes. They have published books like Inside the Tree House and Stranger. Although, I can't say I care much about their latest publication Deepest Desire – a complete waste of paper as far as I'm concerned," my nose scrunched remembering the abhorrently graphic sexual content without much intellectual matter involved. However, some of the positions… let's just say, I wouldn't mind a little experimentation.
"Oh, I agree, my dear. Plot-less porn, that's what it was," Kate agreed wholeheartedly.
I heard Edward conceal his laughter with a cough and my cheeks reddened.
"But then a charming young man from Black Wood came to me a week ago and we talked at length about-"
"Oh, please tell me this is not happening. Tell me you didn't do a handshake deal."
Kate smiled sheepishly and Edward groaned, palming his face. Now I was the confused party as I looked from one to the other.
"Will somebody please let me in on what's going on?" I requested.
While Edward kept on mumbling about crazy, pain in the ass clients and damage control, Kate took pity on me and explained, in so many words, how she agreed to a merger with Black Wood.
"But, Kate, Black Wood," I enunciated slowly, making sure my tone seeped with distaste. "I mean it's not like I have a say…" Kate's furious expression had my voice trailing off.
"What do you mean you don't have a say? Of course, you have a say! Didn't we just talk about you taking over? Well, if I wasn't clear enough before, I should let you know that as of now, you are privy to any and every business plans we may have and you have every right to question or contest said plans. I will have Edward draw up a new contract for you but in the meantime, let my word be the law."
Edward groused at that, "Your word should be the antithesis of law!"
As if his use of antithesis wasn't enough of a turn on, he turned to me and smiled, "And rest assured, this has nothing to do with what she just said. That's about the only sane thing she's said in the past half hour!"
Then he went back to glaring at Kate, "What did I tell you about making impulsive decisions?"
"But it's a really good deal, Edward and I have always wanted to expand. I got a chance and I jumped at it." Kate implored with her eyes for him to understand, hands held up in a conciliatory gesture.
"How do you know it's a good deal? I'm here to determine which deals are good for you. It's my job to find you the best deal possible, Kate," he was getting extremely agitated and his eyebrow was getting the brunt of it. "You jumped? You may as well be diving down a cliff into turbulent waves and -"
He stopped talking then and looked at me strangely. I didn't even realize that I had taken the hand mutilating his brow and was currently holding it in both of mine.
"I'm sorry," I let his hand drop, feeling the loss of its warmth somewhere deep inside. "I just- you were- are you alright?"
He let his eyes drop shut and rubbed his hands over his face. He looked distraught and I could guess that he had a lot on his mind. I wanted to reach out and smooth the crease between his dark eyebrows. It would seem that this wasn't typical Edward behavior because Kate quickly came around her desk and put a soothing hand on his shoulder before I could so something to humiliate myself any further.
"Is everything okay? Is it-" she spoke softly.
"I'm sorry, Kate," he looked up abruptly. "I didn't realize I was-"
"Please," she waved off his apologies, "Think nothing of it. I just want to know if you're going to be alright."
"I'll be alright, Kate," he smiled at her, then. A genuine smile and my heart hammered when the smile was directed at me.
"We can talk about this some other time. I think you should go home and rest," Kate fussed.
"Quit babying me and regale me with this exciting merger conversation you had with this guy."
And Kate did just that but I couldn't concentrate on a word of it if my precious collection of books depended on it. I was too busy reveling in the delicious warmth of his hand that was accidentally on purpose brushing against mine.
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July 1, 2011
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I feared I was losing my mind.
I kid you not. It was quite possible that I was completely out of my mind. Edward would be the death of me. He was a riddle of the worst kind. The kind you didn't know the answer to but it kept you up at night speculating, pondering, questioning.
For two weeks, he has been dropping by the office every other day. My belly flutters and Leah waggles her eyebrows obnoxiously when Kate summons me to her office. Kate and I discuss the potential pitfalls and ramifications of the friendly acquisition with him. He greets me with a dazzling smile and then goes on to avoid looking in my general direction for the rest of the meeting.
Oh, he looks at me, don't get me wrong. I can always feel his stare when I'm talking but he never makes eye contact. He asks for my opinions while rummaging through his briefcase. He answers my questions about mergers versus acquisitions while adjusting his tie and tells me that the one with Black Wood is definitely an acquisition while playing with his cufflinks. But when I turn to Kate, his eyes are on me – and on my calves on days when I choose to wear pencil skirts.
And without fail, every time he comes to the office, I would find a single flower on my desk. The dried kind. They're beyond beautiful – a different one for every visit. I don't even know what any of them is called but they have a special place on my bedside table. And as I lay in bed, gazing at my growing collection, I couldn't remember the last time I was so disarmed by a guy. I hung on to his words, even if half of those were legal terms beyond my comprehension. His smiles made me smile. His eyes on me were almost as good as his touch. Almost, but not quite.
Oh, how I longed for his touch.
I craved the smallest contact – anything at all. Clearly I was desperate if just a stroke of his hand against mine was the highlight of my month. He makes me feel things I haven't felt before and though that scares me, I still want to explore this - whatever is between us. But if he had his way, I'd probably be thirty before he kissed me.
I huffed and fluffed my pillow a little.
Sometimes, his lack of action in pursuing me made me question if he even wanted me. Surely if he wanted to kiss me, he would have done it already. Frustratingly enough, since that day in Kate's office, he has been unfailingly polite and gentlemanly. Too gentlemanly.
I'm surely no lady and this isn't the chaperoned-dates nineteenth century and last time I checked, he didn't have English roots. Why was he resisting this then? This undeniable pull between us.
"Ugh!" I buried my head into the pillow, wondering -with a blush- how it would feel if I could smell Edward on it.
I don't know about him but there are three things I was positive about.
First, there was something powerful between us – a palpable chemistry that could become something great.
Second, I wanted nothing more than to explore this connection between us.
And third, I was done waiting on him to make the first move.
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AN: So, whadya think?
My advisor gave me hell this past month and I really need a little love. Drop me a review and let me know you're still with me. Yes, I know, I'm being all needy but come on... pretty please! :)
