Notes: Thanks to Sunflower3759 and Ashes Ashes for beta-ing and Content1 for validating! Believe me, you wouldn't want this chapters to get posted without their input.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, hope you have a wonderful Yule or Solstice, or anything else you might celebrate. And if you choose to celebrate nothing at all, I hope that you have a fabulous day/week/month, too.

Chapter 13: Something Out of a Fantasy

BPOV

When I got into work Friday morning, Victoria sat Bree and me down for an impromptu meeting. "So, I just wanted to let you both know that I appreciate how hard you've been working. I know we're swamped and it can sometimes feel like we're scrambling to keep up. Bella, your photography is really coming along, and I couldn't be more pleased with having both of you as second shooters now. That being said, if Bella takes on more responsibility as a photographer, it leaves us in need of someone else in the office. So, to make all of our lives easier, I decided to hire someone to work as a receptionist, deal with client emails, and update the blog. That means that both of you will be doing more shoots and more photo editing."

"That's fantastic, Victoria," I gushed. "That'll be huge."

"I think so." She gave me a pleased smile. "What about you, Bree? Are you excited?"

"Sure," she said quietly, ducking to hide behind her long, light-brown hair.

Victoria shot me a puzzled frown and I just shrugged my shoulders. Inside, I was bewildered; how could she not be excited about Victoria's news? This was great for the studio. I had no idea what was going on with Bree lately, but she seemed to slip a little further away each day. I knew I wasn't the only one to notice, either.

"Well, I hope you both like Angela. She's another UDub photography student with a ton of potential. She's interested in seeing how a studio works, and she had great references and a really good resume. I think she'll fit in nicely here."

"When will she start?" I asked.

"She'll be here in about an hour, actually. I figured while you're out of the office today, I could teach her the basics."

"Sounds good."

"You're going to be gone today?" Bree asked me.

"Yeah, Edward has a photo shoot for Van der Moore Suits today and Victoria was nice enough to give me half the day off."

Victoria chuckled. "I'm just jealous I don't get to see him in action. Bella, you are one lucky girl to have snagged him."

"Don't I know it?" I shook my head. "He's amazing."

The phone rang then and I hurried to answer it. I barely registered the strange expression on Bree's face before I was caught up in the chaos of the day. Angela Webber arrived at ten, and I was surprised and pleased to realize I had a few classes with her at the university. We hadn't talked much, but she had always seemed friendly and outgoing. After talking to her for only a little while in the studio, I had a feeling she was going to fit in perfectly.

She was just a little younger than me, with hair so dark it was nearly black. Her Asian features were beautiful, and she wore the most adorable pair of cat-eye glasses. She was a few inches taller than me, willowy, and graceful. She had a cute, offbeat style and I was impressed with her portfolio. Her photography had an edgy, urban style. She integrated pops of bright colors in her work and had an eye for interesting angles and unusual poses.

After Victoria had introduced her to both of us and gave her a rundown of the way the office ran, we had a few minutes to talk. Victoria walked away to discuss an upcoming shoot with Bree, and Angela walked over to my desk.

"You were in my Art and Design and Color Studies classes, weren't you?" she asked.

"Yes—Professor Draper, right?" I smiled at her.

Angela laughed. "Yes. She was the one who went around to different national parks, posing in the nude!"

I giggled. "Oh my God, how could I forget? She was a great prof, but so weird."

"I'm just glad she never made us look at the pictures. I mean, the concept was cool, but who really wants to see their sixty year old professor naked?"

We were still giggling over Professor Draper when Edward walked in the door. I excused myself and went over to greet him.

"Hey."

"Hi." I kissed him lightly and he wrapped an arm around my waist. "Angela, this is my boyfriend, Edward. Edward, this is Angela. She just got hired to help out around the office."

"Oh, great! Nice to meet you, Angela."

"Nice to meet you, too." She smiled at him and took a seat at the reception desk.

"You ready to go?" Edward asked.

"Yep, just give me one second to finish up."

He nodded and followed me back to the office area. I took a seat at my desk, saving what I'd been working on earlier before shutting down my computer. I heard Edward speaking behind me. "Hi Victoria."

"Well hello," she said flirtatiously. "I hear you're doing the Van der Moore shoot again."

I stood up and slung my bag over my shoulder, smiling proudly at my gorgeous man.

"I am. This is my … sixth year, if I remember right."

"Seven."

We all turned to look at Bree. I hadn't even realized she was in the same room as us; she seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

"This will be your seventh year," she said, staring at Edward.

Edward blinked in surprise but nodded. "You're right, actually. This will be my seventh year. How did you know that?"

"I remember the first year you appeared in their ads; it was a great shoot." Her face was guileless, but I somehow doubted it was the flawless photo editing she was commenting on. Maybe she was familiar with his work or even had a thing for Edward. That would certainly explain her strange behavior toward me. I shook my head of all the random thoughts. Of course she would have a crush on Edward; who wouldn't? I could hardly blame the girl.

Edward nodded and Victoria shot Bree a confused glance before turning her attention back to us. "Laurent de Bussé is the photographer, right?"

"Yes."

"He's incredible," Victoria gushed. "I always wonder how Van der Moore's gets someone like him. They can't possibly have that big of a budget. The man is a world-renowned fashion photographer."

Edward smiled. "He's married to Erick Van der Moore."

Victoria chuckled. "That would do it. It's always good to have connections."

"We should probably head out, Edward," I said, noticing the time.

"Have fun today, Bella," Victoria said. "You have no idea jealous I am of you. Not only do you get to see your man in action, you get to see Laurent work. He's supposed to be absolutely phenomenal."

"Thanks. I'll let you know how it goes, on Monday!"

We said our goodbyes to everyone in the office and Edward and I left. I wasn't surprised when he pinned me to the car for a deep, thorough kiss, despite the fact that we'd seen each other just hours before. Not that I was complaining. I'd never turn down a kiss from Edward.

~LWP~

On the way to the photo shoot, we listened to music and talked about various things. I was surprised when we pulled up at an old, brick, warehouse-style building near the waterfront. As we walked into the building, Edward explained that the shoot was being held in an abandoned factory. It had been made useable by an artists' co-op, who rented the space to various studio artists and photographers.

We were there early enough for him to give me a brief tour of the place. One section was dedicated entirely to photo shoots with a variety of interchangeable backdrops and space for a makeup artist and hair stylist. There was even a built-in dressing room area with a rack of clothing set up beside it. Edward wasn't the only model; there were half a dozen others as well, but apparently he was the primary one.

The thrill of being able to see Edward model was only part of my excitement. It was a totally different type of photography than what I was used to, and I was eager to observe the process.

There were a number of people bustling around, setting things up, and Edward led me over to a professionally-dressed woman who was observing the action. Edward's agent, Jane Volmer, was a force to be reckoned with. Barely over five feet tall, she had a commanding presence. Her blonde hair was pulled into a severe bun and her tailored black suit and heels were crisp and professional looking. She was quite beautiful and appeared to be in her early to mid-forties.

She greeted Edward with a brisk handshake and gave me the once-over with cool, blue eyes before turning back to Edward. "I wasn't sure about this girlfriend thing, but it's working for you. You look relaxed and happy. Think about her when you look at the camera, and you'll do great." She patted his chest and walked away before he could even respond.

I gave him a bemused smile and Edward shrugged. "That's Jane," he said with a grin. "She's … good at what she does."

I chuckled as he led me over to an area with chairs and mirrors, waving to the purple-haired stylist who was setting things up. Her greeting was a complete contrast to Jane's. She squealed and launched herself at Edward, hugging him enthusiastically.

"Oh my God, you're here!"

He chuckled. "Hey, Kim."

"Get in my chair." She shoved him until he fell back into the salon chair before she finally noticed me. She marched over and stuck her hand out at me. "I'm Kim."

I laughed and shook her hand. I was a little taken aback by her attitude, but I found myself liking her because of it. "Bella."

"Kim, Bella's my girlfriend," Edward explained.

Kim squealed again and threw her arms around me. "Oh my God, finally!"

She grabbed a folding chair and thrust it at me. "Take a seat. It's going to take forever to make this man beautiful. Might as well get comfortable." She winked at me, hurried back over to Edward, and whipped a cape around his shoulders before glancing back up at me. "We've all been dying for this man to find someone."

"Really?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah. Love him dearly, but a player he is not. He's such a sap." She rolled her eyes. "I was just hoping he'd meet someone soon. He was always whining to me about not meeting anyone worth his time."

Edward grinned at me. "Well, Bella's totally worth it. I've never been happier."

"See—a total sap," Kim said, spritzing his hair with a water bottle and running her fingers through it. "Damn, your hair has gotten long, Edward."

"Too long?" he asked. "I don't care if you trim it today."

"Hmm, maybe. I might just shorten the sides and give it the messy, rolled-out-of-bed look on top. "

"Sounds good," he agreed.

"So … how did you two meet?" she asked me, whipping out a pair of scissors from her apron.

I told her about the wedding but clammed up when it came to describing what we'd done after. She squealed and clutched at Edward's shoulders when he blushed and told her about the way the night had ended.

"I can't believe you told her that, Edward," she chastised him and he blushed even more. "Grandkids?"

"I thought Bella was never going to give me a chance after that."

Kim laughed and nodded as she cut his hair and styled it. She was a whirlwind of energy, coaxing his hair into shape with waxy pomade and chattering away excitedly about plans to go to a concert that evening with her husband, Brent.

I could have been weirded out by their obvious camaraderie and the fact that she kept burying her hands in his hair and making his eyes roll back in his head, but it was easy to see that their banter was playfully platonic. Anyway, I had absolutely no doubts about Edward's feelings for me.

A while later, a makeup artist named Joanna arrived and introduced herself to me, as well. She was a tall with legs that went on for days. Sporting a platinum blonde, asymmetrical bob, she had two full sleeves of tattoos and a collection of piercings. She was less bouncy and excited than Kim, but Joanna was very sweet, and she sounded just as happy that Edward had met someone.

I watched as Kim carefully shaved him before Joanna touched up his face with light foundation and an application of powder. She applied just a bit of color to his lips and cheeks, and I was impressed with the enhancement. It looked a bit heavy and, well, girly in regular light, but I knew it would make him look that much better in the photos.

After she finished up Edward's makeup, several other models arrived, and he left to change into his first outfit. I wandered over to where the photographer was setting up lights. He was a few inches shorter than Edward and about ten years older with a lean body, sculpted muscles, and a full head of dreadlocks. His blue silk shirt was split to reveal his chest, and he had unusual, light grey eyes that contrasted nicely with his dark skin tone.

I stifled a laugh when I heard him speak. The man was flamboyant to say the least. He was clearly French, judging from his accent, and as gay as the day is long. I was utterly in awe of the set-up and camera he had. Victoria's equipment was great, but this stuff was top of the line. I watched as he checked lighting levels and took a few test shots.

Several models arrived and he began with them. Edward walked up to me, dressed in a button down shirt and a pair of dressy slacks, and slipped his arm around my waist.

"That's Laurent," he whispered in my ear. "He's an incredible photographer."

"Yeah, I've been watching him work," I admitted.

We stood there quietly while they worked. After about twenty minutes of individual shots, Laurent spun around and his eyes locked on Edward. "Zhere's my beautiful man. Come, come." He gestured impatiently and, with a chuckle and a kiss on the cheek, Edward let me go and walked over.

Laurent made a sound of dismay. "And I see you've lehft me for a woman. Utterly tragique."

Edward rolled his eyes and situated himself in front of the camera. "You knew it was merely a matter of time, Laurent."

Laurent sighed dramatically. "Thanhkfully, she has only improved your looks. Gone is zee brooding, dramatic look of sorrow. In its place are sparhkling eyes and a smile to make zee women's panties fly right ohff."

I stifled a laugh, and Edward didn't respond with anything more than a shake of the head. He must have been used to Laurent's teasing. After a number of individual shots of Edward, Laurent brought all of the models out together for a group shot. Not only was it easy to see Edward far more attractive than the rest of the guys, he was also a much better model.

Watching Edward at work was like something out of a fantasy. He truly had a gift for it; the pouts, smirks, and charming, crooked smiles made me weak in the knees. He moved effortlessly and followed direction well. I found myself crossing and uncrossing my legs, trying not to squirm.

Kim took a seat beside me shortly after they began the group shots and shook her head. "That man of yours is lethal."

"Tell me about it," I muttered.

"I hope you didn't feel uncomfortable earlier," she said. "I'm so used to the dynamic Edward and I always have, and I didn't think twice about it."

I chuckled. "It's fine. I'm not threatened."

"Nor should you be. I've seen the way he looks at you. Although the man is wildly attractive, we've always just been close friends. I've been with my husband for years. I do have to confess that Joanna and I have always wondered what he'd be like in bed. Is he as good as we've imagined?"

"Better," I teased her and she laughed loudly and playfully shouldered me.

"Damn, I knew it." She sighed. "Sweet, romantic, playful, commanding, and sexy? You are one lucky woman."

I grinned at her. "He's a little bit of each. And, yes, I am." I turned my focus back to Edward and tried not to launch myself across the room and kiss him senseless. I made it through Edward in the slacks and button down shirt with the cuffs rolled up his forearms. I survived the midnight blue cashmere sweater with a tie. But I nearly fell off my chair when he walked out wearing a grey, wool suit, a crisp, white shirt, and a black tie. The cut of the suit was absolutely incredible, and I died a little when I saw the pants had a button fly.

I watch Edward raptly, and when he glanced over at me and winked, I heard the click of the shutter. Laurent laughed and Edward rolled his eyes. It was pure porn from there on out. I hardly even noticed when Kim disappeared and the studio began to clear out.

By the time Edward was done, I was an utter mess. I had never wanted anyone as much as I wanted him at that moment. I bit my lip and stood up as he sauntered over to me, hands in the pockets of the suit.

"So, how'd I do?"

I stood there, dumbfounded, for a moment. "You … holy shit … you are good."

He chuckled. "You liked it?"

I leaned forward and grabbed his lapels, pulling him close so I could whisper in his ear. "You made me so wet. I've been thinking of nothing but how I can get your cock inside me as fast as possible."

"Hmm, I didn't know this was going to get you going like that," he murmured against my jaw.

"I can honestly say I've never been more turned on in my life."

"Then come with me." He took my hand and I followed, still feeling a little dazed.

I didn't even know where he was taking me until we entered the small dressing area. It was situated in the corner of the building. Walls had been built up to make four dressing rooms, and Edward tugged me into the corner one. Two of the walls surrounding us were rough concrete, and I watched as his fingers quickly latched the door shut.

It wasn't completely enclosed; there was a gap at the bottom and the entire ceiling space was open to the large lofted space above. I opened my mouth to ask him what we were doing when I saw the look on his face. Edward's clear green eyes glittered in the bright lights, and I had never seen him look so desperate.

He closed the small gap between us and pulled me to him. His lips moved eagerly against my own as his hands gripped my hips, pressing me against him. My purse fell limply from my hand onto the bench beside me.

He groaned as I slid my hands up to grab his tie. The cool, expensive silk was slippery in my hands, and I ground against him shamelessly, feeling the hard length of his cock through the fabric of his suit. I slipped a hand between us and palmed him, rubbing my hand along it until he threw his head back and gritted his teeth. Without warning, he roughly pushed me up against the wall, capturing my lips once again. Our kisses were wild and desperate, and his hands frantically slid under my shirt to cup my breasts.

"I need you, Edward," I said, panting against his lips.

He moaned and ground himself harder against my hand. "I need you, too. I don't want to wait until we get back to the apartment."

"Me either."

"Here?" he asked.

Without hesitation, I nodded. "Please."

He groaned and his needy, hungry mouth was on mine once again. His hand slithered up my skirt, and he dropped to his knees, pulling my panties down so fast it hardly registered until I felt his hot, wet breath against my inner thigh. I clenched my teeth together tightly to keep from crying out as he devoured me. My shaking hand lifted my skirt and pressed it flat against my belly so I could watch him. His mouth was urgent and demanding, licking and sucking at me until I felt my leg begin to tremble. My other hand tangled in his hair and, when he glanced up at me from between my thighs, I felt the urgent rush take over. My teeth sank into my lower lip to stifle my cries as the pleasure made me weak and light-headed.

I was still shaking when he stood up. My skirt fell out of my limp hand and he quickly unbuttoned his pants, and then cursed quietly. "Fuck, I need a condom."

"There's one in my purse." I gasped, sagging back again the wall of the dressing room, too weak to stand upright. "Small pocket on the inside."

In no time at all he found it and put it on. I stared at him, my mouth dry with desire. He was still dressed in the suit, although now the tie was crooked, his hair was wild, and his hard length jutted out from the grey fabric around it. I moaned at the sight and reached for him eagerly.

He wrapped his arms around me and lifted me, firmly pressing me against the concrete. With my legs around his hips, he slid into me with a quick, eager push. I gasped and he stilled, allowing my body to acclimate before he began to move his hips. I kissed him frantically, muffling the sounds I made as he fucked me.

This wasn't sweet, emotional sex; it was an expression of desperation for one another. Knowing that anyone could walk by and easily figure out what we were doing added an illicit thrill to our tryst. Just thinking about it made my walls involuntarily clench around him.

He gasped and tore his lips away from mine to whisper in my ear. "Shit, I'm going to come soon. Tell me you're close."

"Yes," I whimpered as he drove into me.

He leaned back slightly to look at me. "Touch yourself like you did the night of the wedding; when I fucked you in the car," he whispered.

I gasped and slid my hand between our bodies, keeping the other tightly wrapped around his neck. We both moaned when my fingers brushed against his cock and settled over my clit. Quick, firm circles sent me spinning over the edge, and Edward buried his head against my neck as he came.

His breath was hot and ragged against my skin, and I could see the sheen of sweat on his forehead when he eventually pulled away. We were both shaking when he pulled out of me and lowered my feet to the ground. I managed to fumble for my panties and pull them on before I collapsed on the bench, leaning my head against the wall and panting.

I dug around in my purse for a tissue to dispose of the condom with. He neatly wrapped it up and tossed it into a small trash can in the corner of the room. I handed him another tissue to clean up with before he tucked his cock away and re-buttoning his pants.

He lay down so his back was resting on the bench and his head was in my lap. I glanced down at him with a dopey smile, my body and brain struggling to come down from the incredible high. He closed his eyes, the corners of his lips curling into a self-satisfied smirk. I chuckled and rested a hand against his chest. His arm came up and he threaded his fingers through mine.

"Damn," he said quietly.

"Mmmm," I agreed.

I smoothed the sweaty, disheveled hair away from his forehead, and he grinned without opening his eyes. "I'm going to have to buy this suit, you know."

"Why?"

"Number one, you obviously like it. And, secondly, I'm not so much of an ass that I'm going to give them back a suit that's covered in come."

I wrinkled my nose at the thought. "Good point. I really do like it on you, anyway."

"That wasn't hard to tell," he said dryly.

I leaned down awkwardly and brushed my lips against his before straightening back up. "Thanks for bringing me today."

"Anytime. I enjoyed having you here."

I giggled. "I bet you did."

He rolled his eyes and sat up, pulling me onto his lap in a quick, fluid motion that made me squeal quietly. "I liked having you here, and it isn't because we just fucked in the dressing room. It's good to see you in all parts of my life."

I ran my hand across his cheek and sighed. "You're so important to me, Edward."

"I care about you, Bella." He leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine. "More than I can begin to express right now."

"I know," I whispered. We spent a while just holding each other, kissing softly, and talking until Edward sighed and pulled away.

"We should probably head out."

"Okay," I agreed, a little reluctant to leave.

I helped him change into his street clothes and gather up his things. When we went out into the studio space, Joanna and Kim were packing up. Edward stopped a few feet away from Kim.

"Uh, Kim? I'm gonna take this suit home, okay?" he said, showing her the one on the hanger over his arm.

"Hmm?" She turned to look at him. "I don't think it was on the list of stuff they were sending with you. I think that one was a loaner."

"I'll buy it then," he said flatly.

"What's your deal?" she asked quizzically.

"Bella likes it." He gave her a disarming grin. "And, believe me, you want me to take this. It needs to be dry-cleaned."

"Jesus, Edward, did you get makeup all over a suit, again?" She walked closer and reached for the lapel and inspected it.

He smirked. "Sure. We'll go with that."

She gave him a puzzled look and then understanding dawned. She shoved him away. "Okay, then. You have fun with that. I'll have them send you a bill."

"Thanks. And thanks for the great job today—both of you—you always make me look good," Edward said with a smile.

Kim and Joanna both rolled their eyes at him and Kim patted him on the shoulder. "Get out of here, pretty boy."

We were headed out when she stopped us. "Hey, you two give me a call if you want to hang out sometime. We don't have to wait for the next shoot to see each other, you know."

"Definitely." Edward grinned at her and we both waved goodbye to them.

I burst into laughter once we walked away. "Edward, I can't believe you basically told her what we did."

He shrugged. "Well, how else was I going to explain why I couldn't give the suit back?"

I giggled and shook my head. "I swear I'm not actually into public exhibitionism."

He unlocked his car and tossed his bag inside. "You could have fooled me, Ms. Swan. My father's study, the back of your car, the dressing room here …."

He kissed me and I was breathless and laughing when he pulled away. "I blame you completely. You're just too hot in a suit."

He slapped my ass lightly. "Come on, shutterbug; let's go back to my place and I'll let you photograph me wearing it all you want."

I grinned up at him in delight. "I thought you'd never offer."

Notes: I've been wanting to write and post this chapter since I first decided to continue this story. Hope you liked it!

I don't know about you, but if I were Bella, I would have been all over him, too!

One of my other WIPs, "Beyond the Break Room" was voted into the top 5 Fics of the Week at the The Lemonade Stand. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was! If you took the time to vote, thank you, it means the world to me.

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