A/N Words alone cannot express how thrilled I am at the response to this story. Special thanks to the Wannafics girls and everyone who tweeted this story, the response was amazing.

All these new readers have led to a question I want to clarify again for my newer readers. This story updates every two weeks like clockwork. My other story, Taste of Innocence, updates on the Mondays in between. Monday's my day, barring incident. Thanks so much for wanting it faster and when Taste ends (sob) I will likely be able to pick up the pace. Meanwhile, I'll stop yapping at let you at it!

First & Ten Chapter 10

BPOV

"Bella, you are not wearing that." Alice regarded me with a glare, her head tilted to the side.

"What's wrong with it?" For once in my life, I dressed up of my own free will and apparently I'd done it wrong. "You bought me this dress." It was some red, tight-fitting thing that showed off my breasts and barely covered my thighs. I looked like…well, not me, that was for sure.

"Yes, I did and it looks fabulous on you but you're not wearing it to a commercial shoot, for crying out loud!"

"Why not? I'm trying to fit in with her." I couldn't say her name.

Alice heaved a sigh of exasperation. "You're not going to outdo a supermodel, Bella, not with clothes. You have to be yourself; that's who Edward likes. Now get that thing off, which I know you're dying to do, and put on something that is more your style."

How the hell did she always know what was right and what wasn't? Alice was wearing some black skirt and a bright orange blouse that should have made her look like some kind of deranged pumpkin but it looked perfect on her. She looked like Alice and I looked like…some reject from an 80's hair band video. Not the high class sluts that made the cut, but the low class ones that didn't and were subjected to making out with roadies instead of the band. God, I was pathetic.

Alice threw some blue jeans at me, and I wrestled my way out of the dress, which was none too easy as it conformed to my body like it had been painted on. What in the hell had possessed me to put it on in the first place? Oh yeah, that's right, I was seeing her today. Alice emerged from my closet and handed me my favorite dark blue blouse and a white tank top. "Here, this looks good on you."

I blew out a breath and tugged the tank top over my head and pulled the shirt over the top of it. "Acceptable?"

Alice raked me over with a critical eye and nodded. "Brush your hair, put on a little eyeliner and mascara and you're ready." God, would I ever be ready?

"Maybe I should just…"

"You're going."

I scowled at her as I yanked the brush through my hair. "Why? Why can't I just stay home and pretend the guy I'm crazy about is not filming a commercial with his gorgeous ex-girlfriend today? He should be at practice instead, so I can imagine that's where he really was and then he'll call me like he usually does and all will be well."

Alice rolled her eyes and handed me some sapphire earrings. "Bella, how long have I known you?"

Damn it, here we go. "Six years."

"And I am your best friend in the entire world and I know you better than anybody else, don't I?"

"Yes, I suppose you do."

"Then you know that I know that you would be sitting at your cubicle, watching the clock, going insane, looking up pictures of the two of them on the Internet, checking out their body language and convincing yourself that they loved each other and will instantly fall in love again upon laying eyes on one another. Then, you'll go to the candy machine and buy every single Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in there and gorge. You'll feel sick to your stomach and have to come home, where you will lie on your bed, listening to some man-hating music and call me crying that you're going to die alone. Sound about right?"

I smacked her ass with my hairbrush as she shrieked and jumped away from me. "The Reese's were your idea and you got just as sick as I did. My contribution was the man-hating music. And I don't recall saying I would die alone."

"Yes, but that was a few years ago, you're older now and less likely to meet a man." She laughed as she dodged my next attempt to hit her.

"Bitch."

She giggled and collapsed on my bed. "You love me." The mirth died out of her face and she reached a hand toward me which I grudgingly took. She pulled me down next to her and put her head on my shoulder. "It's going to be fine, just you wait and see. Edward's going to take one look at you and forget that she even exists."

I snorted but I had to admit her words made me feel better, as they always did. "You really are the best friend I could ever ask for."

"I know," she said simply and then crinkled her face in horror. "Imagine if we'd had to room with the girls next door! We'd be total pothead, hippie freaks right now, probably wearing hemp clothes and Birkenstocks." She shuddered. "Thank you, University Housing, for putting the two coolest girls together."

I chuckled. "I remember a time when you wore hemp. Whatever happened to Embry anyway?"

Alice sniffed and lifted her head off my shoulder, glaring up at me. "I never wore hemp, Bella. It was bamboo."

I unsuccessfully tried to look serious. "Well then, that makes all the difference. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You are a hateful person. I don't know why I'm friends with you at all." Her lips were twitching and I reached out and tickled her side, which set her into a fit of laughter that I couldn't help joining.

"To save me from myself." She smiled and threw her arms around me. "And the horrors of hemp clothes and Birkenstocks."

Alice gave an unladylike snort and pulled me from the bed. "Don't belittle me; I'm doing you, and the world, a major service here. Now get off your procrastinating ass, we have a supermodel to go show up." She pulled me in front of the floor-length mirror on my closet and slid an arm around my waist. "And we're just the two girls to do it. Bring on the Ruskie!" We did look pretty good together and with Alice on my side, I felt like I could conquer the world. What was one Russian supermodel?

"Let's go."

Xoxoxoxox

We took Alice's yellow Porsche to the address Edward had given me, some huge warehouse downtown that they'd transformed into some sort of Hollywood set, apparently. The accommodations and concessions made for Edward continued to amaze me. Yesterday, I'd gotten enchiladas and tacos delivered from Hot Tamales, the last restaurant he had to conquer, or so he claimed. Lauren and Jessica had eyeballed me while I ate, no doubt dying to know who was sending me food and why I had a goofy-ass smile on my face the whole time.

She pulled into the parking lot with a flourish and was out of the car before I'd even gotten my seatbelt unfastened. "What's the rush, Alice?" My confidence had waned a bit on the drive over and the closer I got to the shoot, the more butterflies seemed to appear. They were breeding like rabbits in my stomach.

"The sooner you get in there, the sooner you'll know." Alice yanked open my car door and practically lifted me out of the car. She was small but she was strong as hell. I grudgingly fell in step beside her as we approached some huge security guard with a clipboard.

"Names?"

"Bella Swan and Alice Brandon," she announced haughtily, like we were some high class VIP's. I rolled my eyes and showed my ID.

"Through those doors, to the right. You can't miss it." He jerked his thumb toward the entrance and Alice tugged me along until we got to the doors, and then she stopped.

"What the hell are you doing?" If we were going to go in, I wanted to get it done.

"Let's see it."

"See what?" What the hell was she talking about?

"Your best bitchface, Bella. You have to be prepared. Nobody can give a bitchface like a supermodel. Well, unless they're me. I need to see what we're working with here. I know you can give a good one. You used to give me one whenever I interrupted your studying."

"Which was all the damn time."

She grinned and clapped her hands. "Yep, that was the look alright."

What look? I wasn't doing anything other than being annoyed that she was making me wait to see Edward. Now that I knew he was in the vicinity I wanted to see him, even if his ex was hanging all over him like a clinging vine.

"How's mine?" she asked, narrowing her eyes, tilting her head and somehow managing to look down her nose at me even though I was about six inches taller than her. It was phenomenal.

"Perfect." She flashed me a sunny smile and then opened the doors, leading us into the building. It was like stepping into a whole different world. Gone was the Arizona heat and sunshine. Here it was nighttime and cool, with some fancy restaurant set up: white tablecloths and candlelight. I gulped and nearly turned around but Alice had a hold on my right arm and her grip tightened as if she knew I was about to take off. It was a very romantic-looking set and I really hadn't thought this through when I agreed to come. Edward and I had shared three meals now but nothing like this, though I wouldn't trade those for the world. Still, I imagined he and she would have had plenty of evenings that had looked just like this.

I reluctantly pulled my eyes away from the restaurant setting and then wished I hadn't. There was a bedroom, with some glass tables and a perfume bottle of, what else? Perfect Ten. This was Tanya's room, and of course it was luxurious. All white, silk sheets, down comforter, a fucking wine glass and a book on the night stand, as if she read. Jesus, I was feeling supremely bitchy. I hoped to hell that she and Edward would not be rolling around on that gorgeous bed.

"Holy shit," Alice muttered and I quickly turned to see what she was looking at. Oh, my God. Edward. Edward in a tux. My mouth was watering at the sight. Jesus, I thought he was beautiful in jeans but put him in a tuxedo and he was devastating.

"Fuck, Alice," I whispered. For some reason I felt like I had to be quiet and reverent in this moment, just appreciating the sight before me, as if I were at the Sistine Chapel or the Louvre or something. Edward Cullen in a tux was a work of art.

"I'm taking Jasper to the next fancy dinner or ball or whatever I plan that is black tie," she informed me, also speaking in hushed tones.

"You'd better put us on the guest list. Jesus." He hadn't noticed me yet. He was talking to some guy with a black ponytail, looking rather annoyed and shaking his head as he argued with him. Angry, temperamental Edward in a tux was hot as hell. His brow was scrunched and he was frowning and gesturing, and it was a damn good thing Alice was still holding onto my arm because I really wanted to attack him and kiss the frown off his face. I bet it would take me all of a second to make him smile again.

He almost looked like he was pouting at something Ponytail Man said, and I let out a soft sigh before I could stop myself. His eyes cut to me and a smile lit his face and his eyes. Jesus, he only got hotter when he smiled. Who knew?

Whatever Ponytail was saying to him didn't seem to register anymore because he was walking away from him and moving toward me with purposeful strides.

"Bella!" He pulled me into his arms and kissed me as if we'd been separated for years instead of just a day. Not that I was about to complain. I had my arms around him before I even consciously thought about it and met his lips with equal passion.

We broke apart when some throat-clearing finally penetrated our consciousness and Edward glanced down at a frowning Alice. "You two cannot get me all hot and bothered, seeing as someone put my man out of commission." She had her hands on her hips and a wicked glare on her face and I burrowed into Edward's tuxedo jacket and struggled not to laugh at the outrage on her face.

Edward wasn't as wise as I was, chuckling a bit as he put a couple of inches of space between our bodies. "He's not out of commission completely. He could still attend to your needs." I lost it then, laughing my ass off as Alice testily informed Edward that fingers and tongue were not the same as cock. He cringed away from her and looked to me for help, like I was going to get in the middle of that confrontation.

"And it's not fair of me to get him all worked up and leave him hanging. Well, not hanging exactly, but in pain because you threw an interception and he better be fixed by the weekend or you're going to be truly sorry and I'd hate to have to cockblock Bella but I'll do it because if I have to suffer, then so do you!"

She punctuated her words with a little jab in the direction of his penis and I fought the urge to leap in front of it and take the blow. Nothing must happen to that cock in the next couple of days, unless of course he took her back. Then Alice could hit it with a brick for all I cared. In fact, I'd help her.

Her knuckles brushed up against his dick and I felt my fear turn to anger and then turn to confusion when there was a weird noise that accompanied it. Um, what the hell was that?

"Are you wearing a cup?" Alice demanded, disbelief in her tone.

Edward shot her a boyish grin. "Better safe than sorry. I figured between you being mad at me and Tanya hating me, it was in my best interest to be prepared. I was in the Boy Scouts for a year."

I couldn't handle it and the giggles just kept spilling out of me, and eventually Alice and Edward both joined in. Ponytail was staring at us from across the room, probably thinking about calling security to remove the giddy girls that were destroying the mood of his sexy set. Who gave a damn though? This was way more fun than I thought it'd be, but of course she'd yet to appear.

Once our laughter died down, Edward slid his arm around my waist and I leaned against him. "When are you starting? I thought we were going to be late."

He rolled his eyes. "Half an hour ago, supposedly. There's regular people time and then there's Tanya time. She'll probably get here in another fifteen minutes."

"Rude bitch," Alice muttered, not so quietly that Edward didn't hear. He laughed and gave her a half nod.

"Why were you arguing with that guy?" I asked, gesturing over to where Ponytail was frantically talking into the phone.

A scowl crossed Edward's gorgeous face and I couldn't stop myself from reaching up and trying to push his lips into a smile. He complied, kissing my fingers.

"He has a vision of what we should do, which includes her dumping me and me following after her and begging her for another chance. I told him there was no way in hell that I would ever do something like that, particularly for Tanya." There was an edge to his voice and his green eyes were flat and hard. I didn't like it at all, both his expression and the potential storyline to this stupid commercial.

"Why would they think that would sell cologne?" Alice asked, her glare now focused on Ponytail. "No man wants to look like a pathetic jerk, and while many women would probably like the thought of you begging them to take you back, it certainly wouldn't fit with your image."

"I think Laurent," Edward spat through clenched teeth, "and our agents are hoping that we'll get back together and it'll be viewed as romantic in some warped way. It's not going to happen." He looked at me and his face softened some as he reached out and brushed my hair away from my face. "Any of it."

Alice shook her head. "You! Hey you, with the ridiculously outdated hair and trite ideas! Come here a minute." I about died when he turned to look at her as if he couldn't quite comprehend that she was talking to him. "Yes, you. Laurent, is it? Come here."

I wasn't remotely surprised when he said something into his phone and closed it and walked over to the three of us. Alice had a way about her and nobody resisted her demands. Edward's arm tightened around my waist, as if he was thinking about moving me out of the potential line of fire. Little did he know that Laurent didn't stand a chance.

"Excuse me, did you call me trite?" Ponytail demanded, his voice some curious mix of French and Southern. It was strange as all hell.

Alice smiled up at him, flashing her dimples and suddenly looking like a living doll instead of a shrill harpy who'd been yelling at him from across the room. I fought back at laugh as Laurent melted a little under her gaze.

"No, I would never call you trite. I did say you have outdated hair though." She let out a lilting laugh and he laughed with her. Edward's jaw hung open and I pushed it up. He'd get used to this if he spent any time around Alice. It didn't even phase me anymore.

"Well, I suppose that I do. What's this about my ideas?"

Alice reached out and took his left hand, as if she'd known him for years instead of seconds. "Surely you see how silly it is to have a strong, handsome, virile man like Edward begging any woman to take him back. Look at him! Women should be throwing themselves at him. Hell, women do throw themselves at him; I've seen it with my own two eyes." I frowned a little at that memory. "You don't want him to look like any sad sack that can't get a girl. He has to be the superstar that he is. You've got him dressed the part, now he needs to act it."

"Yes, but Tanya's people…"

"Ah ah ah," Alice interrupted, shaking her head emphatically now. "The cologne is named after him, not her. Men want to be him; women want to do him. Men want women chasing them, not vice versa. Women want a man that's mysterious, sexy, and strong. Oh, we give you bull about wanting sensitivity but really, that's a load of crap. Nobody wants a crier, Laurent." She bit her lip and eyed him bashfully. "You don't cry, do you?"

Oh Jesus. Edward was watching with fascination while I was doing my damndest not to roll my eyes. It worked, each and every time. I think Alice had some voodoo witch in her ancestry.

"I do not cry," he said, puffing up his chest. I swear to God if he beat on it like Tarzan I was going to leave.

"I knew it." Alice smiled in approval. "You understand a man like Edward, don't you, Laurent? You see why that idea must be scrapped. I think we can use part of it, of course, but after they argue, perhaps we could do something else."

"Are you a director? A writer?" he asked, his voice full of awe and interest.

Alice let out a tinkling laugh. "Oh no, Laurent. What I am is a person who knows how to set the stage. And I'm a woman. Women buy cologne for their boyfriends and husbands. I know what appeals to your target audience. Come; let's go talk about this for a few minutes." She tucked her arm through his and led him away. He was completely under her spell now, moving along obediently and listening to whatever she was throwing at him.

"What the hell was that?" Edward asked, coming out of his own stupor as he watched Alice lead Laurent exactly where she wanted him to go.

"That was Alice. That's the girl that got Jasper to be in a fashion show. That's the girl that got me to go hot air ballooning and snorkeling and mountain climbing. Nobody says no to Alice."

"I hope she never asks me to do anything I don't want to do," he told me, smiling again, his good humor restored. "I'm glad she's on my side."

I wrapped both my arms around his waist and kissed him softly. "More like she's on my side and knew it would kill me to see you chasing after your ex-girlfriend and doing God knows what on that bed." I cast it a baleful glance and Edward tilted my face back toward his and kissed me again. Jesus, his lips were magical, way more potent than Alice's flirting. I melted into him and his hands moved down my body, resting on my lower back and pulling me to him. Maybe we could go over to that bed and mess it up. Friday was way too far away.

A door slammed and we both jumped. Some harried looking woman with frizzy red hair and glasses had come in. "Tanya has arrived! We need hair and makeup, stat!"

I reluctantly pulled away from Edward, but I figured it was probably better that we not be making out when she walked into the room. Then again…no, that was unprofessional. I wanted this shoot to go off without a hitch and Alice had already thrown a major wrench into the works, changing the director's idea into God knew what.

A flurry of activity greeted this announcement, with people suddenly appearing from out of nowhere and lining up like they were at a wedding reception or something. "What the hell is that? Did the Queen of England come along to watch?" I asked sarcastically. Edward chuckled and pulled me back to him, I guess not giving a damn about professionalism. I didn't mind at all.

Then she walked in, or at least it seemed as if she had. All I saw was a little strawberry blond hair and then the sycophants descended and ushered her off into hair and makeup, as if she wasn't already perfect. Edward didn't seem remotely interested in what was going on, choosing instead to play with the ends of my hair. Did he really not give a damn about her arrival?

"You really don't care that she's here, do you? It's not just an act with you." James had been a consummate actor, making me believe I was the only woman he saw but getting phone numbers the instant I went to the bathroom. Those were the things I found out after we broke up.

His green eyes met mine and he shook his head with a rueful smile. "If you weren't here, I'd probably be much more irritable and anxious about what she might do or say. With you by my side? It really doesn't worry me at all. The only thing I'm worried about is you hating me for having ever been stupid enough to be involved with her at all."

"We all do stupid things, Edward. How could I judge you when I have my own past bad relationships to go by? At least you didn't cheat."

He pressed his lips to mine briefly before pulling away. "Doesn't matter where you start, just where you end up." For that, and so many other reasons, I wanted to end up in bed with him, immediately, and judging by the way he was looking at me as if he wanted to go on kissing me until the end of time, I thought he might be on the same page. I glanced longingly at the bed and his gaze followed mine and he let out that low, melodious laugh that I was becoming addicted to.

"Friday, Bella."

I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my body completely to his, feeling those hard muscles bunching underneath me. "That's too far away. There's a big ol' bed right over there. What do you say we go mess it up?"

He kissed me again, harder this time, and I groaned and rubbed against him, cursing the stupid cup he was wearing that was keeping me from at least getting an idea of what awaited me. Though I had a pretty good idea thanks to those workout shorts I'd seen him in. God, I wanted him. I started to tug him toward the bed and he laughed and held his ground.

"Damn it."

"Do you really want to, how'd you put it, mess up the bed, when anybody can walk in and interrupt us?" There was laughter in his voice and his eyes were sparkling.

"We can be quick." I tugged fruitlessly on his hand again.

He held firm and the laughter died out of his eyes. He looked at me hungrily and I felt my whole body start to tingle just from his gaze alone. God, the power of that look.

"There will be nothing quick about the first time we're together, Bella. I intend to take my time and be very thorough. When I make love to you, there will be nobody in the world but you and me. Do you understand?"

Holy shit, I thought my panties caught on fire at his words, coupled with that look that made me want to rip off my clothes and offer myself up as some kind of sacrifice. He could do with me whatever he pleased as long as he kept looking at me like that and promising me hours of hot sex. That was what he promised, right? Taking his time and being thorough denoted hours, at least I thought so. I'd never really made love for hours before.

"How thorough?" Fuck, I didn't mean to ask that.

Edward gave me a look that made sure I knew he would back up his sexy promise or threat or whatever the hell it was. He brought his face to mine and kissed me softly before moving his lips along my jaw and nibbling gently down my neck. Yes, I was going to combust before Friday, no doubt about it. He kissed across my collar bones and up the right side of my neck, coming back to my lips and sucking the lower one into his mouth. His hands were at my waist, holding me tightly and his long fingers were splayed out across the top of my ass. I sounded like some kind of wounded animal as I mewled against him and tried to mount him standing up. Those lips, though…they were like a lethal weapon. One touch and I was dead, the best kind of dead.

He pulled away and kissed my nose. "That was just a sample, Bella. I intend to explore the rest of your body just as closely. Does that work for you?"

"Lips, tongue, mouth, your hands. Holy crap." Damn it, what was wrong with me?

He chuckled and kissed me again. "They're all yours on Friday night, along with the rest of me." Oh fuck, the rest of him. My eyes landed on his dick and he laughed long and hard. "Yes, that especially." Yes, please. Mine.

I moaned and he kissed me again. "Break it up, lovebirds; we have a commercial to shoot." We turned, as one, at the sound of Alice's voice. She was grinning at us, a beret perched on her head jauntily and a clipboard in her hand.

"Alice, what are you doing?"

"I'm your new assistant director. Laurent," she broke off with a giggle, "otherwise known as David Lawrence, out of Topeka, Kansas, has agreed that my vision for the commercial makes more sense. Don't tell him I told you his real name, though. He thinks Laurent has more panache," she snorted. "Edward, you need to go get your makeup touched up a bit, seeing as Bella's been kissing your face off."

"Hey!" I started to protest but then, she was pretty much right.

"Don't you hey me. March your butt back to wardrobe." Her lips twitched as Edward and I stared at her.

"What do you mean? Why in the hell would I go to wardrobe?"

"Because you're about to make your acting debut. Now get."

We looked at one another and then back to her. "Alice…what the hell did you do?"

She tapped her foot impatiently and started scribbling something on her clipboard. What the hell? "Edward didn't want to look like a pathetic ass in the commercial. I've fixed it so he doesn't. You don't want him rolling around with Tanya. I've fixed it so he doesn't. You," she broke off and pointed toward Edward, "are going to be dining at a restaurant with Tanya and you'll break into an argument when she catches you starting at the pretty girl across the restaurant." With that, she pointed at me. "She will stomp off, never to be seen again. You will then go, take Bella's hand, maybe kiss her, and lead her out into the night. 'Perfect Ten Always Scores' will be the tagline. The end."

We looked at her, then at each other, then back at her again. "What about Tanya?"

She pursed her lips. "What about her?"

"Do you honestly think she's going to want to be dumped on camera?" I asked.

"Well no, but, she'll get to dump him in the perfume end of the commercial, as well. Same situation, only Edward will leave and that guy that looks like a Ken doll will come over and they'll hook up. The tagline is, 'Nothing keeps a Perfect Ten down.'" She frowned. "Something like that, anyway. The ad guys can tweak it if they want. I'm just spit-balling."

"Alice, you do know you're not a director, don't you? And what the hell makes you think I can be in a commercial?" She was perfectly serious. I could see it.

"How hard is it? You sit at a table, staring at Edward like he's the only guy in the world the way you always do." Well, that wasn't remotely embarrassing. "He looks back at you, just like he was looking at you when I came out here, like he's going to throw you down on the table and go to town, and she sees it and freaks out. You really need to do something about all this sexual tension; it's not helping me in my time of abstinence."

She scowled at both of us. I hadn't told her about Friday night yet. I knew she'd get overexcited and I'd feel more nervous about it than necessary. Plus, she'd tell Jasper and then it'd get back to Edward. Better to keep them all out of it. "You don't have to talk, Bella. You just have to sit there and look good. You can manage that much."

Yeah, I could sit there and look good next to Tanya. Right. Like anybody would believe that a guy would choose me over her. Even if Edward did in real life, nobody would believe it.

"I like it," Edward said with a grin, kissing my cheek.

Alice beamed at him. "Thank you, at least someone appreciates my vision." She glared at me and then turned to Edward. "We'll start off with you getting dressed…" Hot damn. "And spraying on your cologne. Then we'll show Tanya getting ready and reaching for a different, nameless perfume. The crux, of course, will be that you never would have walked away from her had she been wearing Perfect Ten." She giggled. "I should so be in advertising."

"Alice, nobody is going to think that he'll choose to walk away from her to be with me just because she's not wearing the right perfume. Hell, nobody's going to believe he'd walk away from her to be with me, even if she smelled like a skunk."

"Bella Swan, don't make me smack you! You know damn well that you're just as good as she is and I don't want to hear…"

"I would absolutely walk away from her to be with you, Bella." His hand was on my cheek and his eyes were on my face and the way he looked at me took my breath away. "You're beautiful and sexy and real. She's a fantasy, maybe, until you get to know her. Everything about you is better than she is and I guarantee you I'm not the only one that sees that. Be in the commercial with me, baby."

Like I could say no to that? I just nodded dumbly while Alice squealed and led me away to get changed and have myself made camera-ready. I was taken to an empty room, thank God, and pulled on the dark blue cocktail dress that Alice thrust at me. I had no idea how we'd gone from me watching Edward film a commercial to me being in the commercial, but that's the kind of thing I should have learned to expect by now when Alice was with me. Alice Anything Goes Brandon.

"How the hell did this happen?"

She grinned and adjusted the dress so that my boobs weren't completely spilling out of it. "You have an awesome best friend, Bella. I'm not going to let that witch get her hands on your man. And let me tell you, she is a witch. I heard her belittling her hair and makeup people, which is just the dumbest thing a person can do when they control how you look. And…" she broke off, eying me warily.

"What?"

"She was talking to her manager, that chick with the bad perm, and telling her to make dinner reservations for her and Edward at Callaway Country Club."

My heart started to pound but I shook my head. "He hasn't even talked to her yet. She really assumes he'll just fall in line with whatever she wants?"

Alice smirked. "Yes. She's a self-centered bitch. Her agent tried to talk her out of it but she wasn't hearing it. 'He want me still,'" she intoned in some ridiculous Russian accent. "'He's had months get over little tantrum. I be gracious and allow him another chance.' Blech. I thought about punching her in her stupid mouth but that would ruin my vision."

I giggled. "You and your vision. I'd pay to see you sock her in the mouth."

She smiled. "It'd be way hotter if you did it. Edward would love it. Plus, you're taller; I'd have to stand on something if she was standing up. Maybe there's a director's chair out there."

And she'd probably steal said chair from Laurent. "I can't believe that you convinced him to change the whole shoot."

Alice shrugged. "He saw the way you two looked at one another. He'd have to be blind not to see it. He wants that on film and he knows damn well Edward isn't going to look at Tanya that way, and she's certainly not going to look away from her own image to look at him like he's all she sees, the way you do. Seriously, Bella, it's hot as hell just watching you two look at one another. I'm going to have to get out Gaston since your boyfriend broke Jasper." Gaston was Alice's favorite vibrator and I was sure he hadn't seen much action lately. I laughed. "Come on, let's get you ready."

After enduring about twenty minutes of hair and makeup torture, I was deemed fit to sit at a table and wait for Edward to notice me. I walked out of the makeshift dressing room and my eyes immediately landed on Edward, whose tuxedo shirt had been opened and dear God, there was his chest. I swallowed the drool so as not to ruin my lipstick and started to walk in his direction.

"Eddie, dahling," a sexy purr intoned, stopping me in my tracks. There she was; Tanya Volkov, looking absolutely stunning in black silk as she wrapped her arms around Edward's waist. He stood stock still for a moment before stepping away and removing her hands from his body.

"Tanya, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me Eddie?" he asked through clenched teeth. The ice that had formed around my heart at seeing her touch him dissolved at his reaction. No matter how much I'd been reassured, it was still hard to convince myself that he wouldn't want her, but his body language said it all.

She let out a baffled laugh and put her hand on his forearm, which he immediately shrugged off. "Sorry, dahling, it been long since I seen you last. I forgot. I has not forgotten all, though." She gave him a truly feline smile, her ice blue eyes calculating as her eyes locked on his chest. Oh no, she didn't just drop sexual innuendo on my man. She'd had her opportunity to touch that body and she lost it. It was mine now.

I marched over toward them, fully intending to shove the bitch out of the way when Alice appeared at my side and grabbed my arm. "Down, tiger. Let him handle it and then let me have my turn," she whispered. I stopped and waited to see what Edward would do.

"I haven't forgotten anything, either," he responded with beautifully flat voice. "I haven't forgotten how you acted around my friends, how you cheated on me, how you used sex to try to worm your way back into my good graces. It won't work this time, Tanya."

Her eyes widened comically and she held a hand to her heart. How fucking theatrical. "I never cheat you, Eddie! That John story was just nasty rumor. The press bored and wanted start drama. Nobody better than you, dahling." I hated her and her stupid Russian accent and the way she said 'darling.' I wanted to pull on those strawberry curls and punch her in her pouty mouth.

"Let's have dinner tonight. We talk and put things right and get back what we were. We good together. Do you not remember, Edward?" Well, she finally got his name right anyway.

"Sorry, I have plans with my girlfriend."

I gaped at the word girlfriend. Was he talking about me? He had to be, right? Was I his girlfriend? Well, I was going to be having sex with him soon, so I guess maybe I was. We'd never talked about it but I was more than ready and willing to be his girlfriend. Though, he was probably just saying that to get out of going out with her. Which was also a good thing. So it was okay if he was lying about me being his girlfriend. I could pretend for awhile.

"Don't tell me you got back with awful actress lady? You give her second chance but not me?" She pouted prettily and it was easy to see why men all over the world fantasized about her and why Edward had gone out with her in the first place.

"No, she's not an actress. Well, not usually anyway." He smiled and glanced over at me, as if he'd known I was there the whole time. And he probably had. Tanya looked my way but quickly dismissed me, obviously not thinking Edward was referring to me. That was okay, too; we didn't need the drama.

"Surely girlfriend wouldn't mind you get together with old friend for evening, Eddie. We talk about old times. Remember weekend in New York?" She was purring again and I wanted to stab her in her throat. She wouldn't be able to sound like that if she had no fucking voice box. And his girlfriend would most certainly mind him getting together with his ex, even if she was only a fake girlfriend.

"No, I don't" he replied, sounding bored and not even looking at her.

"My turn," Alice told me, squeezing my hand and making her way over to the gorgeous pair. "Tanya! It's so good to meet you! I'm Alice Brandon, your assistant director." I couldn't suppress the laugh at her new title. "We've made a few changes in the commercial that I'd like to discuss."

"Changes? What changes?" Tanya was at least a foot taller than Alice and she looked down at her like she was a bug to be crushed. Alice just smiled up at her as if she hadn't a clue that she had one pissed off Russian facing her down.

"The original idea was old and clichéd and has been done a hundred times before. We're going for something a little fresher, a little cooler; playing up your status as a broken up couple."

That was the last thing Tanya wanted to hear. "What you mean?" she hissed, her eyes shooting fire at Alice who continued to look completely oblivious.

"You and Edward are over; everyone knows that." I thought I was going to bust a gut holding in my laughter. Edward wasn't as successful. He guffawed loudly and tried to turn it into a cough.

"Temporarily," Tanya told her haughtily, reaching for Edward who again moved away from her. All that fancy football footwork paid off. I wondered what he'd be like on the dance floor.

"Please, Tanya, going back now would look sad. You're single, you're sexy, and you're beautiful. Every man wants you and we need to let him dream that he can have you. We don't want a happy couple; we want a couple that we can aspire to have a piece of. Don't you want every man that sees this to think about how he wants you and what a fool Edward is to let you go?"

Tanya preened at those last words and nodded. "Yes, he would be fool to let me go."

Bitch, he already did. Alice nodded emphatically. "This is just much more exciting. You two fight at the dinner table and in his commercial, you leave. In yours, he does. That gorgeous man," Alice gestured over to the Ken doll, "will be there to immediately move in on you. A Perfect Ten woman is never down for long, she just moves on to something bigger and better." As if there was anyone better than Edward, but Tanya was eating up Alice's words with a spoon.

"Yes, I like. Though what about him? Who does he move to?"

"Her." Alice pointed at me and Tanya looked at me and smiled, clearly deeming me a pale replacement. She was probably right.

"Okay, though I think it better if he chased me, weeping forgiveness." She would like that, vapid cockroach that she was.

"Women might like that," Alice agreed, sounding completely affable. "But we're trying to sell his cologne to men and they'd think he was a wuss. It doesn't really go with the sexy image we need to portray."

Tanya frowned for a minute, still looking me over, and then nodded. "Okay, I do it. She not as pretty as me, nobody believe he trading up, though."

Edward growled but Alice silenced him with a look. "Well, nobody is as beautiful as you are, Tanya. This is just about moving on, showing you two are heading off into even brighter futures."

Tanya looked at Edward again. "He should be with me, but he is fool who thinks he do better. He come crawling back some day." Please, did she know nothing about the man? They'd dated for how long? Even I knew he would never do that and I'd known him two weeks.

"Maybe he will," Alice said, rolling her eyes at me since Tanya was still looking at Edward like he was some forbidden dessert. "Then we'll have fodder for the next commercial. I'll work it out." How much did I love that Alice was acting like she was going to be around for every future ad campaign?

"Let's do this."

Laurent took his seat, after seeing to it that Alice had a chair next to him, of course. I waited patiently at the table while they filmed Edward in his bedroom, his shirt unfastened as he sprayed on the cologne, then sighed as he buttoned his shirt and pulled on his jacket. He picked up Tanya and led her into the restaurant, his hand on the small of her bare back. They looked like the perfect couple as he helped her into her seat and sat across from her.

Then his eyes met mine and it could have been the two of us alone in the room the way he looked at me. I felt my panties get damp again and crossed my legs under the table as Tanya turned and glared at me, then yelled something at Edward in Russian as she let fly with some insults and stormed away. His eyes stayed on mine as he stood and walked across the makeshift restaurant.

He held his hand out to me and I slipped mine in his automatically. He pulled me out of my chair and kissed me immediately and I melted back into him. I don't know how long we kissed but they probably would have to edit some of it out because I forgot all about cameras and directors and even Alice. Eventually, we broke apart and walked out of the restaurant as we were supposed to.

Tanya was right there waiting when the cameras shut off. "You! You with her? Her over me? Are you blind?"

Edward kept his arm around my waist and squeezed me in support. "Yes, I'm with her and my vision is 20/20. This is Bella, my girlfriend. Bella, this is Tanya."

"I would say it's nice to meet you but I think I'll refrain from insulting both our intelligence." I didn't offer my hand either.

She stomped her feet like a child throwing a tantrum. "How…how you date her instead of me? I am me and she is nothing!"

"Don't you dare call my girlfriend nothing," he warned angrily. It was sounding more and more like I was a real girlfriend and not some convenient excuse. "She is everything I ever wanted in a woman, Tanya. You're the one who comes up lacking. There's nothing of substance about you."

"I go to press and I tell them how you date pathetic girl beneath you to get over me. Everyone laugh at you."

Edward laughed, long and hard and I fought to keep from punching her. "You do that, Tanya. I don't give a damn what you say about me, but if you call my girlfriend pathetic, I'll tell the press exactly why I dumped you. John Hudson called me to apologize after you dumped him. Did you know that? I think he'd admit to what went down, given the right incentive. You weren't very nice when you blew him off. Karma's a bitch, Tanya, and so are you. Do the smart thing and leave it the fuck alone."

She glared at both of us and whirled on her heel, yelling for makeup again. Edward turned to me and smiled nervously. "Sorry about that."

There were a lot of things I could say, I suppose. Questions I could, maybe should ask. But really there was only one thing on my mind. "Girlfriend?"

He frowned and ran his hand through his hair. "I'm hoping so, if you want to be."

I smiled and threw my arms around him. "Girlfriend." I was Edward Cullen's girlfriend. Life was a fucking a fairy tale. Who knew?

A/N Awww look at that, they're boyfriend and girlfriend! Bella's life is a fairy tale, at least these days. I'm jealous, but I kinda love her, so I guess I'll cheer her on!

Special thanks to Jamesandginge who is rec'ing me this week and IngenueFic who makes me smile about a billion times a day and twistedcoincidence who I spend more time with than anyone. Even if it's just over the net, you're still my very dear friends :)

Next chapter, BBQ at Emmett's. I think he'll approve of Alice's handling of Stalin, don't you? Oh and I know some of you will ask, so I'll answer now, the commercial is scheduled to appear for Christmas, so think of it rolling out around the Thanksgiving holiday. So yeah, they'll have to come out of the closet before then, unless they lie. :)