A/N: This is a super short chapter, and I apologize in advance. However, I think you'll like it, and the next one should be nice and meaty and… *gasp* fluffy. IDEK who I am anymore.

Oh. Also. Next chapter should also be the last.

Flirting was one thing. Bella had figured out the flirting thing. She'd gotten good at charming the customers. It worked well. She could take control of the situation when they got too handsy or their mouths threatened to get them into trouble. She could wrap an irritated customer around her finger and get them to smile.

Seduction was quite another. Especially this kind of seduction. Edward Cullen had always thrown her for a loop, made her feel all at once sexy, confident, and completely out of her league. He always seemed to have such perfect control, but the Edward she'd left behind in the storeroom didn't know which way was up.

Bella smirked as she cleared one of her tables. Served him right for as often as he'd left her befuddled, wondering what the fuck she was doing. Oh, she supposed she could have been straightforward with him and told him she had feelings for him. Warm, fuzzy feelings. But it was much more fun to play the game he'd taught her. Hell yes, she was going to play him like a fiddle. It was benevolent fun, after all. If he didn't ask her on a date like she wanted, she wouldn't push, but somehow, she didn't think that was going to happen.

She felt powerful and more turned on than she could ever remember being. Easy, girl, she warned herself as she got back to work. No, she was going to draw this out.

An hour passed, and the crowd thinned out, leaving only the a few tables. "Last call, fellas. What'll it be?"she asked, coming up to one of her tables.

One of the men smacked her ass so hard, Bella yelped. "How about you, cutie," he asked, pinching the back of her thigh. "What if you're what I want?"

"She's spoken for," someone said before Bella could respond. A hand closed around her wrist. Of course, it was Edward. "And I think you gentlemen are done drinking. I'll have Mike bring you your bill."

The only reason Bella let Edward drag her away was because she was pissed as hell at her stinging ass. She was just as likely to slug that bastard as serve him.

"Mike. Close out table nine," Edward said without looking at the man. "They're cut off. Don't let them tell you otherwise."

Bella pulled her hand out of his as they got to the hallway leading to his office. "I could have handled that."

He blew out a breath, but he didn't turn to look at her. "Yeah. I know that."

His hair was a wreck. Bella had to struggle to keep a handle on her smile. Oh, yeah. She'd thrown him for a loop. It took him a minute, but he turned around. "Can I talk to you? In my office?"

Bella considered this for a moment before she nodded. "I'm spoken for?" she asked as soon as the door closed.

In the next instant, she forgot everything she was about to say. Edward flew at her, pushed her hard against the door and kissed her roughly. She gasped into his mouth, but after a stunned couple of seconds, she was right with him. She kissed him back, let him ravage her mouth, relished the feel of his body pressing into hers.

But the second his body began to relax, Bella ducked under his arm, taking a large step away from him. The perplexed look on his face would have been priceless if she had any breath left to laugh. As it was, they both stared at each other, shoulders heaving with their breathlessness.

Bella licked her lips and swallowed hard. "So. I'm spoken for?"

He stepped toward her. She gave him a warning look, but he only reached out to curl his finger under her chin, tracing the shape of it. "That's what you want, isn't it?"

When he started to lean in for another, gentler kiss, Bella stepped to the side. She crossed her arms. "I told you what I want."

His brows furrowed as he studied her. "You want a date?" he asked as though he couldn't quite believe it.

She took a deep breath because, confidence or not, it was time to make her feelings clear, and that would never not be nerve-wracking. She reached out to draw her fingers down his arm. "I think there's a strong possibility that we could be something that lasts. Maybe forever." She let her eyes find his. "And I think we might be on the same page about that."

His eyes were wide, his lips parted slightly. He found her hand and let their fingers twine. "Yeah, kitten," he said.

For a second, she thought she could fly. She thought she would fly. She almost threw herself into his arms right then and there. But there was time for that, and she had something to prove. This whole game was part sweet, sexy fun and teasing, but there was also something more to it.

There was a balance of power in any relationship, and it frequently wasn't equal. Bella knew damn well she was young-barely more than a child, not even out of school, where Edward was an adult with bills, mortgages, and a business he'd been running for six years. It would be easy, even natural, to give him the lion's share of power in their relationship, but Bella was going to do her damndest to be an equal if they were going to do this.

She let a smile tug at her lips. "If this is the beginning of our forever, I don't think I should miss out on some of those experiences you're always babbling about. I want everything. I want dates, and I want to know what it's like to wonder if I'll get a kiss at the door." She squeezed his fingers and let his hand go. "So if you want me, come get me."

With that, she reached behind her, holding his gaze for a few more seconds as she opened the door. She turned on her heel, and headed out to close her tables.

In hindsight, Bella shouldn't have been surprised to run right into Jessica as she rounded the corner. Edward hadn't exactly been subtle, hauling her off like that. Bella cleared her throat, smiled, and moved to the computer.

"Oh, no." Jessica leaned back against the bar, crossing her arms as she faced Bella. "You're not going to get away with not telling me everything."

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about," Bella said, studiously tapping away.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Nothing's going on."

"Don't lie to me. You've got to give me something after all that. I was wondering what had gotten into you today. Now I'm thinking it's something you want to get into you."

It took all of Bella's considerable willpower not to snicker. She managed, somehow, but it was a very near thing. She only looked to Jessica, flashing her best innocent smile.

Jessica cackled. "Girl. You set your sights high, don't you?" She whistled. "I've been working here since we opened four years ago. That's a tough nut to crack. Many have tried. Most have failed. And I'm not going to say I haven't thought of it, but a one-time roll in the hay isn't what I'm looking for at this point in my life." She stroked her chin. "Though, at your age, there's nothing to lose there. And it's true I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looked at you tonight."

Bella shrugged with a careful nonchalance, though her cheeks flushed warm with the pleasure of Jessica's words. She knew it, but it was nice to know it was obvious to others. "Like I said, nothing's going on."

"Uh huh."

Another half hour later, the last customer was out the door, and everyone was cleaning up. Bella noticed when Edward emerged from his office. Her heart started to pound out of control, but she didn't look up from what she was doing. She continued flipping chairs up onto tables even as he walked toward her. He paused for a moment, then started to help.

It took her a full minute to realize his breath was unsteady. He was nervous. Well, that made two of them. And no wonder. Beside the fact this was both exciting and a little awkward, they also had an audience.

Edward swallowed hard. "So. You want to go out some time?"

It was such a lame statement, so anticlimactic and out of sync with everything that had happened tonight, that Bella started laughing. She clapped a hand over her mouth, and looked at him, intending to apologize before she realized he was smiling. He'd done it on purpose to break the tension. She smirked at him. "I know you can do better than that. You own a pub, boss. Borrow the material if you need to."

"Damn," Bella heard Mike mutter, but Edward just smiled.

"Is that what you want? Hmm." He stroked his chin as though he was thinking. "Oh. I know. How about this." He crossed his arms and leaned toward her. "Now, I'm not a photographer, but I can picture me and you together."

Bella laughed. One or two of the others, snorted. "That line is as old as you are. Try again."

He pretended to sigh. "Did you know you're hotter than the bottom of my laptop?"

"That's just a fact."

"I love how you look in those genes, baby. Your chromosomes have combined beautifully."

"I'm not even wearing jeans."

He made a point of looking at her ass. "Are you sure you're a muggle? Because that ass is magic."

Bella snorted. "Oh, my God. You fucking nerd."

He touched her waist, grinning at her now. "Damn, girl. Are you my appendix, because I don't understand how you work, but this feeling in my stomach makes me want to take you out."

At that point, Bella was laughing too hard to answer. She wiped at her eyes, and Edward's expression gentled as he took her hand. He leaned in close. "On a scale of one to America, how free are you Friday night?"

She grinned. "Not very. Which you should know, since you made the schedule."

"Mike?" Edward called, not looking away from Bella's eyes.

"Uh. Yeah, boss?"

"Can you switch shifts with Bella? Your Friday for her Saturday."

Mike laughed. "Sure."

Edward raised his eyebrows, looking at Bella as though in challenge.

"I guess I'm all yours Friday night," she said.

"Good. Pick you up at seven?"

"Sure."

Edward nodded and took a step backward. He started to walk away, but stopped to look at her. "Oh, and Bella?"

"Yes?"

He tilted his head, and his look smoldered. "Sorry for the spoiler alert, but you're definitely getting a good night kiss."

Before he could walk away, Bella hooked her finger through his belt loop, tugging to stop him in his tracks. "Hey, stud. Don't count your chickens. I don't kiss on a first date unless I'm impressed."

He chuckled, shook his head, and strode back to his office, leaving Bella behind to make explanations to the others. Bella found she was way too blissed out to mind. In fact, the idea he'd asked her on a date in front of them only made her happier. They were on the same page-out in the open and completely unapologetic about it.

A/N: Going to try to finish this up here right quickly.

Many thanks to barburella and songster!