Thank You for sticking with me. I apologise for the delay, RL has been rubbish lately.

Thanks to MrsK1981 and Myheroin1 for pre-reading and to Pattinlethr for being my amazing beta. They all rock.

Disclaimer – Stephenie Meyer owns all, I just like to play with the characters and make them do dirty things.

BPOV

Alice takes a sip of her Cosmo and leans in, "So, do you know what he wants to meet you for?" The music around us is loud, but not so loud that we can't hear each other. It's one of the reasons we like the VIP bar—we can gossip and catch up.

With a frown on my face, I shake my head. "Not a clue. I mean, he's been giving me more freedom with my work, and I've been helping several different departments, so I'm guessing it has something to do with that. But as to what," I shrug, "I have absolutely no idea." I nervously chew my bottom lip—I'm dreading tomorrow afternoon.

"Don't stress about it, Bella, if it was something bad you'd have some indication." Rose senses my worry. "It's probably just a progress check or something. You've been there a few months now so they probably just want to check in and see how you're enjoying it."

Tonight, we've met for one of our regular girl's nights and I've been freaking about an email I received from Alec, requesting I meet with him tomorrow afternoon. He even scheduled it formally, which he hasn't done before. Alec is usually pretty hands-off, but keeps a close eye on our work. He's fair—gives praise when it's due or comes down hard when necessary. Since my last assignment with Angela, I've only spoken to him in passing. So needless to say, I've spent the last few days getting myself worked-up and assuming the worst.

"You're right, you're right. If I'd done something wrong or was in trouble, I'd definitely know about it." I finish the rest of my drink. "Who's up for another?"

Grinning, they both raise their glasses as I get up to head to the bar. It's only been a few months since the club opened, but it's doing so well. They've had to recruit more bar staff and servers for the VIP section because it's been so busy. They continue to get good reviews in the press and word is spreading about how good the club is. After all Edward and Emmett's hard work, I couldn't be more thrilled about their success.

I push my way through the wall of warm bodies, hoping to catch a glimpse of Edward. Unfortunately I don't see his copper hair anywhere, so I focus my attention on the bar. As I approach, Maggie, a petite redhead who's new to the Cocktails team, smiles and walks straight over.

"Hi Maggie, are you coping okay?" She's only had a few weekday shifts so far, so tonight's her first weekend shift. The poor girl looks frazzled—hair falling out of her messy ponytail and cheeks flushed red from all the running around she's been doing.

"Hey, Bella. Yeah, I'm getting there. You and Rose could have warned me though!" She winks and points to the empty glasses. "What are you drinking?"

"Two cosmos and a margarita, please." She nods, starting on our drinks.

Rose and I met Maggie on her first night working at the club. We'd come to Cocktails after work for a few quiet drinks, and Edward was in the middle of training a new crew. For the first time ever, my green eyed monster came out to play. All the girls they'd hired were pretty, and it seemed most of them had eyes for Edward or Emmett. The only girl who seemed to be there to work, was Maggie. She focused on what Edward said rather than eye-fucking him, and that appeased me. When she sat with us after her shift, she explained that she was there to pay her way through school, not to fuck the boss, as she'd so delicately put it. Needless to say, we both liked her immediately.

Placing my purse on the bar, I search for cash to pay for our drinks. A pair of strong arms wrap around my waist. I would recognise these arms anywhere.

I break out in goose bumps where our skin meets. One simple touch and my body is tingling from head to toe—this is always my reaction whenever Edward is near. I'll never get tired of it. Closing my eyes, I lean back, resting on the firm chest behind me. His warm breath tickles, as he places soft kisses up and down my neck.

"You look absolutely stunning." His seductive voice isn't drowned out by the music in the background—it sends shivers through my body. Instinctively, I tilt my head to the side, eager for him to have more access.

"Do you know how many guys are watching you tonight, lusting after you?" He nips at my neck and my nipples harden. "Do you know how sexy it is, knowing they're watching you, but that I get to go home with you?" He nibbles softly on my earlobe. "You have no idea what that does to me, Bella."

He pushes his hips against me—I can feel exactly what it does to him.

A whimper escapes me. I press my ass against him and he grunts in response. Feeling a bit weak in the knees, I grab onto the bar to steady myself. His movements mirror mine, effectively trapping me between the bar and his body. I tremble, as I feel his hardened cock against me.

"Do you like knowing you have this effect on me?" His breath is warm against my neck.

I turn in his arms, my back now against the cool bar top. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pull him as close as possible. It'll never be close enough. I wish the club was empty and I could be alone with this gorgeous man.

"You have the same effect on me, you know." I smile up at him before pulling him down to me. Our lips meet in a soft kiss, which heats instantly. Edward's tongue traces my bottom lip, enters my mouth, and dances lazily with mine. I both feel and hear him moan. His hands leave the bar, finding their place on hips—his talented fingers making soothing circles on my exposed skin.

"Wow guys, remember you're in a public place." Maggie's voice brings us out of our private bubble, both grinning sheepishly at our almost R-rated display. "Do I need to get a bucket of ice water to separate you two?" She places my drinks on the bar and winks at us.

I giggle and shake my head. "No, we're good for now. Thanks, Maggie."

"Yeah, thanks Maggie." Edward drawls, obviously unhappy we've been forced to pull away.

"You need to get back to work anyway—we can continue this later, baby." Giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, I turn to pick up my drinks. "Can you just add this to our tab, Maggie?" She nods and walks away, leaving me alone with Edward once again.

"Are you staying much longer?" He picks up the tray and walks me through the crowd, back to our table.

I shrug. "Not sure. I doubt we'll be here when you to close though, we all have work tomorrow. We'll probably just stay for a few more."

"I can still wake you up when I get in, right?" He sets the drinks down on the table, turning to me, lust evident in his eyes.

My stomach flutters in anticipation. "Yes, as long as you do it nicely."

"Oh, I'll be nice all right." The heat in his gaze makes me tremble. Leaning in for another quick kiss, he whispers, "I'll see you later then."

My eyes follow as he makes his way back to the bar. He's completely oblivious to the lingering and hungry looks from some of the women here tonight. I asked him about the female attention one night, knowing some of them are more forward than others. He agreed, but said that in the past he'd been so put off relationships because of the mess with Lauren, that he never paid attention, and now he's always focused on me. Just thinking about his words causes me to smile. Those girls can look all they want, but at the end of the day, I know he happily comes home to me.

My ass is barely in the seat before the girls pounce, "So, have you said it yet?"

"Said what?" I take a long sip of my margarita.

"You know, the L word."

"Love?" I scoff, "C'mon Rose, we've only been dating a few months."

"So? I said it to Emmett after ten days."

"You did?" I don't believe it. "How can you tell if you love someone after just ten days?"

"I just knew. Emmett's it for me." Her eyes glaze over.

I feel kind of jealous that everything is so easy for them. They don't have any extra baggage or a crazy stalker tailing them.

"So, are you saying that you don't love him?" Alice speaks up, because Rose is still in dreamland.

"Well…I, uh…I mean, I think I could fall in love with him. He's a great guy and despite the drama with Lauren, I'm unbelievably happy. I know I want to be with him, but we're still trying to go slow." I sigh. "I just don't know if I'm quite there yet."

Alice giggles, "Well it sure seems like it from where we're sitting."

"You think?"

"Oh god yeah, and he's got it just as bad for you! You guys are like magnets—he follows your every move. The guy can't keep his eyes off you." Alice finishes off her cosmo. "Not in a creepy way or anything, it's kinda sickeningly sweet." She giggles, her cheeks slightly flushed.

I notice mine and Rose's drinks are still half full. Alice is clearly downing them a little harder than us tonight. I'm not the only one who sees it.

"Okay, time to cut the little one off for the night. At the rate you're going, you won't make it to work tomorrow." Rose slides Alice's glass away. "Is Jasper coming to get you?"

"Umm…Y—yes, he said he would. I just have to text him when I'm ready."

"And have you texted him?"

"Nope."

"Okay, where's your phone?" Alice passes me her purse and I dig out her phone. Sending a quick message to Jasper, I let him know Alice is ready.

Rose looks at me as I pass Alice's purse back. "When do you want to leave?"

"I could go as soon as Jasper gets here. If I stay any longer, I'll end up in the same state and I won't make it into work tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me—I'll go settle the tab."

"Okay, I'll meet you at the door." I stand. "C'mon Al, let's go meet your husband."

I help a slightly uncoordinated Alice with her jacket, and walk her to the door. Rose soon joins us and thankfully we only have to wait a few minutes before Jasper pulls up.

"Are you sure I can't give you a lift home?" Jasper is ever the gentleman.

"Don't be silly, we're headed in the opposite direction. Get her home and into bed." Rose instructs.

He thanks us again for looking after her, before leaving us to wait for our cab.

Back at the apartment, I let Jake out while Rose and I change into our pyjamas. We've decided to stay up for one last drink before going to bed. I've always been equally close to Alice and Rose, but I can't deny that our moving into the guy's apartment has brought Rose and me a bit closer.

I want to ask her something that's been on my mind since she mentioned it earlier. "So, how did you tell Emmett you love him?" I'm so intrigued by this. They've been dating just as long as Edward and I, yet everything seems so effortless for them. I know I have strong feelings for Edward and I can't deny the pull we have, but love?

She sighs and a smile lights up her face. "Well, it's kind of cheesy really, but I can't imagine a more perfect way, you know?" She giggles—a very un-Rose like thing to do—and I can't help but smile with her. "We were in bed, we'd just…well you know…and we were cuddling. And I never cuddle! It just felt so right. I've never been with anyone like Emmett—he's so kind, gentle, sweet, and oh god, so hot! And the sex," she fans herself, causing me to giggle even more, "it's amazing! So anyway, I could just feel it bursting out of me and I thought for sure it would send him running for the hills, but he—he blurted it out first! Just like that."

Her cheeks are flushed and she looks so happy.

I've never seen Rose like this over a guy—she's always kept them at a distance. She felt her beauty had a downside, attracting the wrong kind of guys. It's true that there's never been a shortage of guys vying for her attention, and no denying that some were absolute losers. But she finally seems to have found a decent guy, someone who sees past her picture-perfect looks, and I couldn't be happier for her.

She continues talking, oblivious to my inner monologue. "Apparently, I was silent for a while—Emmett was worried that he'd actually scared me off. It wasn't until he started to pull away that I realised I hadn't said anything." She takes a deep breath. "So, I said it back." She places her empty glass on the coffee table and leans back on the sofa, tucking her knees under her chin.

"As easy as that?" I ask.

"Easy? That wasn't easy. Definitely worth it though."

"Hmm." It doesn't sound easy to me either. In fact, it sounds fucking scary.

We sit in silence. Rose stares, smiling at me the whole time. My thoughts are all over the place. When she describes falling in love, it all sounds so easy—but they don't have a crazy ex-girlfriend trying to keep them apart. They weren't forced to live together before they were ready—nothing was forced with them. Falling in love is easy when you get to go at your own pace.

What if we do love each other? How do I know it's true feelings and not just something we've created to feel secure in all the chaos around us? What happens in a few months, when he wakes up and discovers I'm boring and whiny like Mike did, and goes looking for someone else?

"You're over thinking things." Rose murmurs, bringing me out of my inner struggle.

I look up, meeting her piercing blue eyes. "You are—you just need to let yourself feel." She stands, picks up her empty glass and takes mine from my hands. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning." I nod but remain seated.

"He feels the same way, you know." Rose sings as she leaves the kitchen, walking towards the bedroom.

Am I over thinking this? Does he feel the same? Is it possible that I'm already in love with Edward?

EPOV

Its nights like this that make me realise we did the right thing by opening the club. It was effortless—the club was at maximum capacity, there wasn't any trouble, we made a shit load of money, and best of all, I got to see Bella.

I've become so used to seeing her that when we don't see much of each other, I really miss her. When I was with Lauren, I used to go days without seeing her and I didn't have this empty feeling that I have now. Just another example of how the feelings I had for Lauren don't even come close to what I feel for Bella.

Thinking back to two years ago, I can't believe I've come this far. When Lauren left, I believed I'd hit rock bottom with no chance of climbing back up. I'd basically given up, never thinking I would be in a relationship again, let alone co-running a successful business with my brother. Finally, things are going great—I feel like it was all meant to be.

As my thoughts turn to Bella, I know she's one of the reasons my life is so goddamn good right now. She see's me for me—not my money or my family name—but for me as a person. I'm not sure I've ever had that before. She makes me ridiculously happy. But as happy as I am right now, I still can't shake that nagging feeling that it could all change in an instant. It's right there in my stomach, like a heavy weight. And it get's heavier whenever I think about truly letting myself go with Bella.

In my head, I know it's stupid. Bella isn't Lauren—there is no comparison—and I know she will never intentionally hurt me. But my heart, my heart is still telling me to be careful. I let the feelings I had for Lauren consume me and I barely survived when she left—I don't ever want to be in that position again. If Bella left, I know I wouldn't survive that.

"You're being awful quiet tonight bro, what's up?" I've been so wrapped up in my thoughts that I haven't been very good company for Emmett on our drive home.

"Hmm?"

"You're usually totally wired after a shift, and I can't shut you up. What's going on in that head of yours?" We pull up outside the apartment and Emmett steps out of the car. I don't even remember the journey.

"So? Are you gonna tell me?"

"Bella."

"Ah, of course, well what's going on?" He's quiet as we enter the house. It's dark, so the girls are already in bed. Smiling, I think of all the nice ways I can wake my girl.

"Nothing." I whisper, taking off my shoes.

We make our way to the kitchen, Jake hot at my heels. Emmett goes straight to the fridge, taking out two beers. Handing me one, we take a seat at the kitchen table. As late as it is, we've never just been able to go straight to bed after a shift. Spending that many hours on your feet and in a buzzing atmosphere leaves you totally wired—it's almost impossible to sleep. We learned that early on. So now, our nightly routine is to grab a beer and cool down. I pat Jake as he lies down by my feet. He may be Bella's dog, but it's starting to feel like he's always been here.

"You're lying. Is everything okay between you two?"

This is why I like living with Emmett. I feel like I need to talk about this, and Emmett won't let it go until I do. So I tell him about all my new feelings—how I love having her living here with me, but at the same time it scares the crap out of me. I tell him that my doubts just won't go away—the fear that Bella will break my heart just like Lauren did. Except this time, I know it would be a hundred times worse.

"C'mon man, you know Bella's not like that. You couldn't find a girl more different than Lauren." Emmett looks shocked, and rightfully so. Even as I speak the words, I know how silly they sound. "Christ! I thought you needed to talk because you didn't know how to tell her you love her."

"Ssshhh! You're gonna wake them up!" I whisper yell at him. The last thing I need is for Bella to hear this conversation.

Silence falls over the room and I go back to my thoughts. Do I love her? I know I'll get there one day—but now? We've only been together a few months.

"Sometimes a few months is all it takes, Edward."

I look up at him, unaware I said that last part out loud.

"Don't let what Lauren did to you dictate your relationship with Bella. She's a great girl, she's good for you, and she's crazy about you. Don't over think it—you'll just screw it up." He downs the rest of his beer and stands. "Now get some sleep."

Patting my shoulder, he leaves me sitting in the kitchen, once again alone with my thoughts.

Instead of going straight to bed, I open another beer and try to work though my confusion. I need to just get to the heart of what's bothering me—it's not being afraid of opening myself up to love, it's the thought of losing Bella.

Roughly, I pull my fingers through my hair, causing it to stick up in all directions. Picking up my beer, I take a large gulp, finishing off the bottle. Resting my elbows on my knees, holding my head in my hands, I focus on my relationship now. Things are amazing with Bella, and I definitely don't want my insecurities fucking things up. We've both been hurt in the past and I know she's happy with taking things slow. This works for both of us, no matter what my heart may be feeling.

"Whatcha doing in here all by yourself?"

I jump, startled—I hadn't heard anyone come in. Jake gets up at the sound of Bella's voice, bounding over to her. She pats him on the head and tells him to lay down in the living room.

My breath catches as I take in the sight of my sleepy girl.

In my shirt.

She looked amazing earlier tonight, and I definitely had thoughts of taking her back to my office to re-enact the night we met. Instead, I got cock-blocked by my own staff and only got through the rest of my shift on the promise of what was waiting for me at home.

She frowns, "Are you okay?"

Holding my arms open for her, she quickly walks over to me. She steps close and I wrap my arms tightly around her. Straddling my lap, she pulls me close, running her fingers through my hair. I bury my face in the crook of her neck and inhale—her scent calms me immediately.

"Bella…" I murmur.

"Mmm…" She arches her body into me, as I kiss down her neck. Moving the collar of my shirt out of the way, I nibble on her silky shoulder. She whimpers and begins to grind against me, causing my cock to harden instantly.

Having her here like this, with me, forces away all the negative thoughts from earlier. How can I doubt anything I have with this beautiful girl? She wants me, she's here with me, and most of all, she's willing to be with me even after all I've put her through with Lauren.

I can't let her go. I just need a little more time to work through my insecurities. We'll just continue going at our own pace. My feelings for her are already starting to deepen, and if I can work through my issues, I know what we have can become something great.

I can't let her go.

Pushing up the bottom of her shirt, my hands grip the bare skin at her hips and pull her down onto me. She's only wearing a tiny pair of panties and I can feel her heat through my pants. Letting out a throaty moan, she shamelessly rubs her thinly covered centre against me.

"Let's…let's go to the bedroom," she whispers, her breath ragged.

"No," I grunt. "I need you now. Here."

"B—but…Emmett. Rosalie. They could walk in any min—mmm." Her protest is cut short, as I thrust my hips, creating the sweetest friction.

"Bella, now. Please—I need you."

She stops grinding and looks at me, her brown eyes meeting my green. Staring, the air around us becomes charged, intense.

It's like she can see inside me, like she knows what I'm thinking. Does she feel the same? Is it possible Bella is falling for me as well?

I'm not sure what she sees, but whatever it is makes her say yes.

Leaning back, she pulls my shirt over her head. Rid of the shirt, she leans forward, crashing her lips to mine. Grinding her hips, her tongue caresses my bottom lip. Never one to refuse my girl, I open my mouth to her, groaning as our tongues meet. Our sweet, tender kiss is replaced with pure need.

Bella's hands move to my shirt, pulling at the fabric, trying to get it over my head. I continue kissing her, letting go only to remove my clothing. Once the shirt is off, her touch is soft. Her hands tease their way down by body, my muscles twitching in their wake.

Her fingers come to rest at the top of my pants, but our position makes it difficult for access.

"Bella, baby…stand up just for a second." I murmur against her lips.

With a sigh, she stands and I lift my ass from the seat, pulling my pants and boxers off in one move, my cock now standing at attention. Before chucking my pants to the floor, I pull a condom from my back pocket.

Looking back at Bella, her eyebrows are raised in silent question.

"What?" I shrug, "Just in case."

She smiles and steps forward, hungrily eyeing my cock.

"Wait." I raise my hand and stop her as she reaches me.

Confused, Bella covers herself. Obviously, my tone made her uncomfortable.

"You need to lose these." I purr, running my fingers up her legs and palming her heat. Throwing her head back, she moans in pleasure. Slipping my fingers into the sides of her panties, I slowly pull them down her legs. Her hands rest on my shoulders, balancing herself, as she steps out of the lace.

Once free, I wrap my arms around her and pull her close, leaning my forehead on her bare stomach. Sensing my need for a moment, she softly runs her fingers through my hair.

I feel so confused. I'm torn about my feelings. Bella has become such a huge part of my life—I can't even fathom her not being in it. But feeling like that scares the crap out of me. Unknowingly, she has a power over me—more than Lauren ever did. What if she cheated or left me. I don't think I could handle that.

"Edward, come back to me. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." she whispers, knowing just what I need to hear.

"I'm scared." I blurt out.

I didn't really mean to say it, but I'm acting on instinct.

She needs to know how I feel. And if I can't tell her how I feel, then at least letting her know I'm scared will give her an idea. Wont it? I don't want to scare her off, but these feelings arescaring me. God, I'm overwhelmed!

I'm scared to love her, but at the same time I'm scared to lose her.

"It's okay, baby, I'm here. We'll get through anything together." she whispers. Her fingers find my chin, gently tilting my head, forcing me to look at her. Never losing eye contact, she leans down and kisses me. Her lips hesitant on mine, nervous, until I respond.

"Bella…I need you." She comes willingly, as I pull her closer.

"You have me."

She straddles me, one hand between us, grasping my cock.

"Ugh…Bella." She twists and strokes, working me as only she knows how. Her palm covers my tip, gathering the pre-cum, before stroking me again.

I'm not going to last long.

Tonight has been too intense.

I need her too much.

Leaning forward, I take one of her pebbled nipples in my mouth, sucking it softly. Her back arches, as she offers herself to me, and I greedily accept.

As I flick my tongue against her hardened peak, I move my hand down, finding her wet pussy. I groan when I feel how wet she is, realizing how much she must want this—me.

"Ed-Ed…ugh." Her hold on me falters, as my thumb finds her clit. Her hips buck, searching for friction. "Oh! So good!"

Stroking her clit, I savour the sounds she makes as her orgasm gets closer and closer. I want to bring her to the edge, but no further. Her first orgasm of the night will be on my cock. I just need her close, because I know I'm not going to last.

"Gonna…Edward…" She begins to tremble, her legs tightening around me, her orgasm approaching fast.

Smirking, I pull my hand away. She literally growls in frustration. I grab the condom from her hand, tearing it open. She watches with hooded eyes, as I pump myself a few times before rolling the condom on.

She looks around the kitchen. "On the table?"

"No, here—like this."

She nods slowly, her back arching as she leans back. She holds her weight on her hands, which grip my knees.

Keeping my eyes on hers, I watch as she closes them, throwing her head back in pleasure. As I slowly enter her, she releases a long, low moan. The sight alone is enough to make me cum.

"Edward, I need more," Bella whimpers, as she pushes her hips down. I answer her with a thrust of my own, hissing as I enter her fully.

We both still, our breathing ragged, as we just savour the feeling. Bella's arms begin to tremble—I'm not sure if from the exertion of holding her own weight or from the weight of the moment itself. I wrap my arms around her, bringing her body flush against mine.

Looking up, her eyes meet mine and she smiles sweetly at me. Pulling me closer, she kisses me softly. We remain unmoving, just relishing the feeling of being together, of our closeness.

After a few moments I can't take any more. I need to move. Thrusting my hips forward, I groan when she responds with a grind of her own. We move slowly, enjoying the sweet friction. Chest to chest, I grasp her hips, guiding her down my cock, my hips meeting her every move.

Her whimpers continue to fill the kitchen, as we slowly work together, searching for our release. She wraps her arms around my neck, pulling herself closer. I bury my face in the crook of her neck, moaning at the feel of her hardened nipples against my chest.

"Yesss…Edward. So—so close." She begins circling her hips, moaning loudly as I hit a new spot inside her.

At this moment, I don't care about how loud we're being. I don't care if Emmett and Rosalie hear us. The only thing I care about now is the sexy girl sitting on top of me.

Her movements speed up—they become frantic as she loses her pace. I pull back, looking at her face. She's beautiful. Her cheeks are flushed, her lips swollen from our kisses, and her breath is ragged. Her walls begin to clamp down around my cock, and I know she's close, but at this rate I'm going to cum first.

Ensuring that I don't, I slip my hand between us, searching for her swollen clit.

My thumb grazes it and it's enough to push her over the edge. I watch in awe as Bella cums hard on my cock. Her back arches, her chest flush against mine once again. I watch as her eyelids flutter and her mouth falls open, as waves of pleasure ripple through her body.

As I slowly circle her clit, her body goes limp in my arms and she slumps forward against my chest.

"Mmm…"

I smile, moving my hand back to her hip. She leans back, a lazy smile on her face, and she slowly begins moving her hips.

"Ugh…Bella, baby…please go faster."

She leans forward, placing a soft, sensual kiss against my lips before leaning back, her hands once again on my knees. She continues the movement of her hips, increasing the speed.

"Ugh…yes." I grunt in response. I'm so close.

She changes position, her hands now on my shoulders. Gripping tightly, she rides my cock, slamming back down, again and again. I hiss as I go deeper. My cock begins to twitch, the familiar heat building. Lifting my hips, I thrust in time with her. My movements quickly become erratic, my grip firm, as I feel the tightening of my balls.

Finally, the sweet torture ends—my body stiffens and my cock twitches, as I empty into the condom. I groan Bella's name as she continues to move above me, letting me ride out my orgasm.

Panting, I sit back in the seat, Bella falling forward with me. I wrap my arms around her, keeping her close.

We sit in the silence, lost in our thoughts. Mine are no longer negative. I might not be ready to tell Bella how I feel, but there's no way I can let her go.

BPOV

Edward lifts me from his body, placing me on the chair while he gets rid of the condom. When he returns, I wrap my body around his—I'm unable to move and need to be close. I know Emmett or Rosalie could come in at any time, but I can't bring myself to care. I'm not quite sure what just happened, but I'm almost certain that Edward feels the same way about me as I feel for him.

Tonight he admitted he's scared. Of what I'm not sure, but I know he'll tell me when he's ready. My guess is that he's still scared of getting hurt again. There are no words I can use to convince him that won't happen—I just need to be with him, to show him that I'm worthy of his love and trust.

We stay wrapped in each other for a while, before I yawn and start to feel the effects of the late night.

"C'mon, beautiful—let's get you to bed."

I move from his lap and walk to his bedroom. He trails behind me, still holding my hand. Neither of us is ready to let go.

Still naked, we crawl into bed. I smile as Edward pulls me to him, wrapping me in his arms. Edward falls asleep right away—his soft snoring fills the quiet room.

Sleep doesn't come quickly for me tonight. I lie awake thinking about Edward's words. "I'm scared."

What is he scared of?

"Jane, please send Bella in." Alec's voice comes through the intercom.

Picking up my purse, I smile at Jane as I pass and approach Alec's door.

Stupidly, I arrived early for our meeting and now I'm all flustered. Why does he want to see me? I have a million theories running through my mind—none of them good.

His door is half open, so I knock and walk in. "Close the door behind you, please." I do as he asks and sit at the only seat this side of his desk.

"So, Bella, it's been a while. How are you getting on?"

Looking back at him, I'm not quite sure where he's going with this. "F—fine Alec. Thank you."

"Stop looking so scared, Bella. You're not in trouble. I just want to know how you're doing." He takes a seat behind his huge desk. "Whenever a new staff member has been here a few months, I like to catch up with them, find out how they are getting along, and provide feedback for their progress so far." He smiles reassuringly. "Now it's your turn. So how are things so far?"

I relax and sit back in my chair. "I'm really enjoying it, Alec."

He nods. "Good, good—and you're getting along with everyone okay?"

"Yes. I'm working with Angela at the moment and really enjoying that. She's got a lot of great pointers and we work well together."

His smile grows. "I'm glad you feel that way. I actually need to talk to you about something and it involves Angela."

I freeze. This is it. There is something wrong. Oh my god, I'm going to have to plead for my job back at the library.

"Bella, would you calm down—it isn't bad!" He chuckles before continuing, "So you were assigned to Angela to help while Vicky was ill—is that correct?"

I nod.

"Well it turns out she didn't have a bug. She has morning sickness."

I keep my eyes on Alec.

"So, Vicky will be going on maternity leave in a few months and Angela would really struggle with Entertainment on her own. I was hoping you'd like with Angela on a more permanent basis. I've already checked with her and she's fine with it. If you are comfortable with this, you'll work with Vicky for the next few months and then take over for her when she goes out on leave."

I'm stunned. "You don't want to fire me?"

"Bella!" he laughs, "Of course I don't! I see great potential in you. I'd love it if you'd stay and hone your skills at the paper."

"Oh my god, yes!" I can't believe I came in here thinking the worst and now find out they want me to stay permanently. "Yes, I'd love to stay!"

He chuckles at my excitement. "Great. Now go up to HR and they'll get all your paperwork. Once you're done there, just go see Angela and Vicky."

Standing, he walks around his desk. As he approaches, I stand and take his outstretched hand. "Can't wait to see what you've got, Bella."

"Thanks, Alec—that means a lot. I won't let you down. I promise."

My heart beats fast, as I leave the office and make my way to HR. I take out my phone and send a quick text to Edward and the girls, letting them know the news is good and that I'll explain later.

The rest of my afternoon passes in a blur. My contract is already typed and waiting for me when I reach HR. There's also a ton of insurance paperwork to fill out as well.

When I finally finish, the day is almost over. I head towards Angela and Vicky's area and as I approach, they both look up and smile.

"Congratulations!" Angela says, standing to giving me a hug.

"Yeah, welcome to the team." Vicky steps around Angela and gives me a hug as well. "I know we haven't been properly introduced—I'm Victoria."

"Hi. I…oh, it's not Vicky?"

She rolls her eyes. "Alec is the only one that gets away with calling me that. I'd really appreciate it if you didn't pick up that bad habit."

"Ah, okay—no problem. Victoria it is." I smile at her, glad she's happy for me to be joining the team.

They both take their seats at their desks. "So, what are you working on now?"

Angela looks up at me, but continues typing. "Just wrapping up our column on a play that's due to hit theatre's this week. Here," she hands me a piece of paper, "I printed this off for you. It's an email from Alec on our next story—we're interviewing Kate Denali."

"The name sounds familiar…." I murmur.

"She's an up and coming singer. She's been singing for years, but mostly in bars and open mic nights. She hit it big when she was in New York and a big music exec heard her sing." She finishes what she's typing and starts packing up her laptop. "Anyway, there's buzz about her because she doesn't want to play big concerts yet—she doesn't want to forget her real fans or something. She's in town this week, so we're interviewing her while she's here."

"Wow, okay. I'll need to do my homework." I admit. I know what I'll be doing tonight.

"She's playing a small gig in town, at Volturi. If you want, go listen to her show and then we'll interview her. It might be really good for the story actually…" Angela trails off and Victoria picks up on her thought.

"Oh! That's a great idea, Angela. We can have a write-up on the gig and Bella can handle that. That's perfect." Victoria stands and turns to me, "You're okay with that, right?"

"You want me to write part of the column, even though you're back?" I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but god, it sounds like something I'd really like to do.

"Of course, we'll just have to make sure it fits with the rest of the column." Victoria smiles, packing up the rest of her stuff as well.

"Okay, great. So when's she playing?"

"Umm…" Angela looks through some paperwork on her desk. "Here we go—Volturi on Thursday night. Will that work for you?"

"Yeah, I'm free."

"Perfect. Do your research on her—her background, music, etc., and then go to the club on Thursday. We're interviewing her Friday afternoon and then we can regroup and start the column after that."

I smile, happy about how easy I'm fitting in. "That sounds great, thanks guys."

We say a quick goodbye and I head home for the day. My day has turned out great—I'm almost giddy at finally getting my chance to write properly. Angela and Victoria seem great, and I can't wait to work with them.

Getting in my car, I send Edward a quick text to let him know I'm on my way home. I smile when he replies instantly, letting me know he's missed me.

I pull out of the parking lot, going home in a much happier mood than when I left this morning.

I'd love to know what you think…