A/N Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.

I own seventeen teapots, but only ever use one.

No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 25

I woke up before the alarm clock on Monday morning. Edward was pressed up against me and I was surrounded by his warmth. I realized very quickly, that I wasn't just surrounded by warmth, I was surrounded by heat. Edward was hot. Truly, the heat was searing and it was radiating from his body like an open fire. He was murmuring and moving fitfully in his sleep. I carefully extracted myself from his arms and turned around to look at him. He had dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept well the night before and his hair and face were damp with sweat. I pressed the back of my hand to his damp forehead and I knew he had a fever.

I slid from the bed, quietly, so as not to wake him. I made my way into the bathroom and pulled a washcloth from the linen closet. I pulled a thermometer from the medicine cabinet along with some ibuprofen and I ran cool water over the washcloth, wringing it out. When I came back to the bed, I carefully sat down on the edge and began wiping his forehead with the cool cloth, running it down along his throat and the back of his neck. The pressure must have woken him up, because his eyes fluttered open and tried to focus.

"What's going on?" he asked in a raspy and scratchy voice.

"You're hot," I told him.

"Well, I could have told you that, love," he chided and I couldn't help but giggle.

"I'm glad to see your fever hasn't affected your sense of humor, Edward," I told him, looking down at his face and sweeping my thumb lightly across the line of his cheekbone. "How are you feeling?"

He shivered in response to the cool cloth pressing into the back of his neck and I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead, his skin hot against my lips. I figured that I'd spent the entire night with him around me, if I was going to get sick too, that damage would have already been done.

"My throat is sore," he said, still rasping. "Why is it so cold in here?"

"It's not cold, baby. I think you have a fever." I reached over to the nightstand and picked up the thermometer. "Let me take your temperature."

"Like a nurse?" he asked with a smirk. "Mmm…Nurse Bella."

"If that helps you," I said dryly, smiling down at him. "Come on, now. Open your mouth and lift up your tongue."

"Bella," he said. "I can take my own temperature."

"I know you can," I told him. "But why should you have to when Nurse Bella is here to take care of you?"

He opened his mouth, lifting up his tongue and I slipped the digital thermometer in. His hand reached across and wrapped around my waist as I leaned over him, gently pushing his damp hair from his face. His eyes were soft and wide as he looked at me and I wondered what it was that he was thinking about. When the thermometer beeped, I pulled it from his lips and his temperature was high at 101.4.

"Baby, you have a fever," I said, reaching for the ibuprofen and shaking two pills out of the bottle. I grabbed the bottle of water that was already on the table and handed it to him. "Take these for me."

He did as he was asked, but continued to look at me with the same wide eyes. I couldn't help but think about how beautiful they were, even though they were surrounded by dark circles.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked him gently.

He looked at me, his face full of emotion and something else, something deeper.

"I was thinking about how you're taking care of me," he said, pausing, as if he were considering his words carefully. "And I was thinking that I don't deserve it." His voice was so soft and quiet as he made his admission.

I looked at him darkly for a moment, before consciously changing my expression to one of love and reproach.

"You do," I whispered. "Why do you think that you don't?"

I knew he was feeling guilty about Saturday night. Even after he made the sweetest love to me…I could still feel it lingering between us, hanging stale and heavy in the air.

"Bella," he said, his face contorting in pain as his voice cracked. "I have never deserved you."

"Shh…" I whispered. "Don't talk." I took the bottle from his hand and placed it back on the table. "It wasn't that long ago that you took care of me. Let me take care of you."

I wanted to lean down and kiss him, but I thought better of it. There was no need to tempt fate and I wasn't sick yet. So, I settled for stroking his cheek again softly, while trying to convey all the love I felt for him with my eyes.

"Will you be okay for a little while if I run out?" I asked him.

"I'll be fine, Bella," he whispered. "Don't you have to work today?"

"I am supposed to work and I do need to go into the store, but I'm not going to stay. I'll take a personal day."

As I said the words, I felt a pang of anxiety in my chest. I had never taken a scheduled day off this close to Thanksgiving. There was still so much that needed to be accomplished before Black Friday, but as I looked at Edward, sick and lying in my bed, for the first time ever in my career, I wanted to take a day off. I wanted to be there to take care of him.

"I'll just be gone for an hour or two. You can sleep while I'm gone. Also, I'm going to call your father and let him know you're sick. You could have an infection and need antibiotics."

"You don't need to call my father, Bella," he whispered loudly. "I'm sure I'm going to be fine. I just need to rest and…maybe…maybe a session with Nurse Bella." He laughed and the laughter quickly turned into coughing.

"See?" I asked him. "Do you see why I am calling your father? You are sick, Edward."

He nodded in agreement but grumbled to himself. Unable to stop myself, I pressed a kiss to his forehead as he closed his eyes.

***************

I called Carlisle on my way into work, letting him know that Edward was sick and what his symptoms were. He said that it was probably the flu, but that since he had a fever, he wanted to come by and check on him. I gave him the address to my building and told him that I would call the front desk so that they would let him in. When I arrived at the store, my phone rang. I answered it quickly, not bothering to look at the screen, thinking it might be Edward.

"Hello."

"Good morning, Bella. How are you?"

"Good morning, Michael. I'm good. Yourself?"

"Very well, thank you. I have some important information to go over with you."

"Great," I said. "Let me hear it."

"This is really big, Bella," he said in a serious tone of voice.

I'm not sure why, but I got a pang of anxiety at his words. He'd sounded so intense, which was unlike Michael. He was extremely professional, but there was always an air of lightness about him. It was what made him such a good leader. He tended to put people at ease, simply by his demeanor.

"Alright," I said hesitantly. "Tell me this big news."

"A week from tomorrow, Felix Guard will be in your store with three other principals to walk the set-up for Black Friday. He also wants to ask you some questions about the fourth-quarter strategy that you presented at the GM Meeting."

"Felix Guard?" I asked. "The CEO of Stores and member of the board, Felix Guard?"

"Yes. Like I said…big news."

This wasn't just big news. This was huge news. I'd never had a visit of this magnitude in one of my stores. Not even as an ASM when I was reporting to Michael. My mind suddenly went into business mode and I began thinking about everything that would need to be done for this visit. I didn't even know if it was possible to be ready for Felix Guard this close to Thanksgiving. I was making mental lists and planning out the next eight days of my life when Michael interrupted my thoughts.

"We will, of course, be sending you the entire visual team from the region to help you prepare."

"Oh, Michael, that's wonderful news. I didn't know if we would have been able to handle it on our own," I said gratefully. "Will you be here for the visit as well?"

"Not only that, I'll be working in your store for the next week to ensure that everything is set and ready for the visit. I hope you won't mind the additional help," he said with a laugh. "This is a big visit for the region, as well."

"I won't mind the additional help at all."

"Should I be nervous about this visit, Michael?" I asked. I was aware that visits like these were generally made to struggling stores that were not making plan and whose locations were not profitable.

"Not at all," he said and I could hear the smile in his voice. "The downtown store has made a complete turnaround since you took over as the General Manager. You have one of the highest trends in total company right now and if you have a solid fourth quarter, you'll be ahead of the original profit forecast that you initially outlined for the store when you were promoted. They're not coming because you're doing poorly, Bella. They're coming because you're doing well."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me, Bella," he said softly. "We've been over this. This is your success. Own it."

"Yes, sir."

"I'll be in this afternoon we can go over your plan for the next week," he said and I immediately felt guilty. I wasn't going to be here this afternoon. "I know you've already started planning in your head."

"Well, yes…I have already started forming a plan," I said, laughing nervously, hoping that he wasn't going to be upset when I told him that I was taking the day off. "Michael, listen. I'm not going to be here this afternoon."

"What do you mean?" he asked. "Weren't you just off this weekend?"

"I…uh...yes, I was."

"Bella, is something wrong?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"Michael, Edward is sick," I said directly, quickly. "I'm actually taking the day off. I just came into the store this morning to walk recovery from the weekend and meet with Tyler about merchandise flow for the upcoming week."

"You're taking the day off because Edward is sick." It wasn't a question and his voice was even, generic.

"Yes," I said, trying to match his tone, but really feeling defensive about his statement. "Is there something you'd like to say about that?" I ask, unable to stop myself.

"No, Bella. It is your choice to take the day off if you choose to. It's why the company offers benefit days." He sounded like someone from human resources…cold and emotionless, rattling off information as if it were from a script of talking points. It made me uncomfortable and angry. And in the four years I'd worked for Michael, I'd never really felt either of those things.

"Don't do that, Michael," I said. "Don't talk to me as if I were some hourly associate calling out because I'm too hungover to come into work and don't quote policy to me as if I don't know the policies of this company just as well as you."

There was a brief silence in our conversation. I waited for him to speak, knowing I had already said enough.

"Can I be honest with you?" he asked.

"Of course."

"Well, Bella," he said. "What do you want me to say? I've just told you that you have an extremely important visit coming up and it's not just important for the store…it's important for you…for your career. And you are telling me that you're taking the day off so that you can take care of your boyfriend."

His words cut through me like broken glass against my skin. How dare he basically accuse me of not doing what was right for my store, or my career? I had always done substantially more than what was expected of me, but with his words, he'd placed a shadow of guilt over me. I began to question myself. Was I doing the right thing by leaving the store? Should I have stay and work like Michael clearly expected me to? And then I thought of Edward, and it only took that one thought…that one vision coming to my mind, for me to know the choice I had to make. I pictured Edward lying in my bed that morning, his wide and expressive green eyes filled with the thought that he didn't deserve me. In that moment, I knew. I knew that he was more important than pleasing Michael, more important than any visitor that was coming. He was the most important thing to me now…the most important thing to me ever.

And so I gave Michael my answer.

Swiftly and soundly.

"That is exactly what I am telling you," I said in a voice that sounded as decided as I felt. "And in the future, Mr. Newton, I would greatly appreciate your not referencing my personal life or the people in it. If I should choose to take a personal day that the company has provided as a benefit to me, my reasons for taking that day are exactly that…personal."

"Bella," he said my name and before I could decide whether he sounded angry or apologetic, I cut him off.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go now. I will be available for you to contact through email today should you need to," I said shortly. "I will see you in the morning and I'll plan on working all day."

I hung up the phone before he had a chance to say anything else.

***************

By the time I made it home, I was still fuming about everything that had transpired between Michael and me. I took several deep breaths, trying to calm and center myself. I didn't want Edward to know that anything had happened. It would only serve to make him feel guilty and this wasn't his fault. He couldn't help the fact that he was sick and ultimately, this had been my choice. I made the decision to be here with him…and even though there were traces of anxiety still remaining inside me, I knew that I wouldn't have made a different choice.

I walked into the apartment, placing a few bags on the counter in the kitchen. I had stopped off at the grocery store to get ingredients for chicken soup, along with some orange juice, tea and some sports drinks. I figured that Edward would need to keep hydrated, especially if he had the flu. I walked toward my bedroom to check on him and I heard Carlisle's voice coming from inside the room. I was relieved that he was there to make sure that Edward was okay and I hoped that Edward wasn't contagious. The door was cracked and as I put my hand on the door knob to push it open, I heard Carlisle speak to Edward in a very low, but serious tone.

"The decisions you're making are not just affecting you, they're affecting your family."

I paused, not wanting to interrupt. I wanted to walk away – I should have, but shamefully, I stayed and listened. Edward spoke then, his voice still broken and hoarse.

"I know, Dad. But, I don't know what to do."

"You know what you need to do, son. I trust that you'll make the right decision, but I am only giving you until Thanksgiving weekend."

There was a long pause and no other words were spoken between them. I should have walked away, pushed the door open to make my presence known…something…anything. I couldn't, though. I stood there, frozen, with my hand still on the door and my feet unwilling to move an inch. Carlisle spoke again.

"When will Bella be back?"

"She said a couple of hours, so I'm guessing anytime now."

"You love her." Carlisle said.

It was a statement, rather than a question…made as if he knew it to be true with no doubt or hesitation. The way he said it made me smile, but not as much as what Edward said next.

"Yes," he said. "I love her more than anything."

I felt like I was floating at his words and I had a swelling in my chest that was filled with a heart that loved him just the same. I knew Edward loved me…had always known it on some level. Even in the beginning. But, there was something about the way his father knew and the way Edward just declared his feelings for me with no question, without a single shred of uncertainty. It reaffirmed everything that my heart was already convinced of. Guilt darkened my joy at his words as I remembered that I was listening in on a conversation that wasn't meant for me to hear. I quickly stepped away from the door and headed back out into the kitchen, not wanting them to know that I had been listening.

When Carlisle found me in the kitchen I was boiling water in a teakettle.

"Bella, dear," he said. "How are you?"

I turned around and smiled at him, wondering briefly if he could see the guilt on my face. I had never been good at hiding anything. His face was soft and warm and his own returning smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. Everything about Carlisle exuded kindness and sincerity. It was probably what made him such a good doctor.

"I'm good," I responded, before getting too wrapped up in my thoughts. "How is he?"

"He's fine. He has the flu, but if he gets plenty of rest and stays hydrated, I'm sure it won't turn into a sinus infection."

"Does that happen a lot?" I asked, concerned.

"It can," he confirmed. "Especially if the person doesn't take care of themselves…Edward has been known to push himself too much on occasion, but it seems like he has someone to keep him in line now." He gave me a thankful smile.

"I promise to make him rest, Dr. Cullen."

"You do that, Bella," he said. "And, Bella?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for calling me this morning…and well, for everything else."

***************

I walked into the bedroom carrying the cup of tea that I had made for Edward. He was curled on his side, the blanket and sheets thrown haphazardly across his lower body. His hands were tucked under his check and he almost looked like a sleeping child. I quietly placed the tea on the nightstand and went into the bathroom, changing out of my suit and wrapping myself up in Edward's robe. I walked back over to the bed and crawled in on my side, making sure to be careful not to wake him up. I turned on my side, angling myself toward him and I watched him sleep.

As I lay there watching him, it occurred to me that for the first time in my adult life, I had made a conscious decision to choose my personal life over my professional one. If I was really being honest with myself, I would have admitted that I'd never really had much of a personal life. My job had always been my life. Everything had always been black and white. I needed my job to provide for myself. But, not only that, I needed to be successful…wanted it…craved it for the financial security that it provided.

I was lost in my train of thought when Edward shifted imperceptibly closer to me and drew my attention back to him. Edward was vivid color. When he came into my life, I wasn't prepared for the onslaught of emotion and change that came with him. I wasn't prepared for it, but I had embraced it. The two were now blending and bleeding together. The vibrant greens and the copper of Edward were mixing with the black and white of everything before him. And I knew in that moment, that my life was better with the color. My life was better with him…and I would always choose him over everything else.

And with that thought, I gently pushed his hair from his face and let go of all the anxiety I'd felt over my choice…because there had never really been a choice to begin with.

There was only him.

***************

The next morning I was up and ready for work by six-fifteen. As I walked from the bathroom, Edward said my name.

"Bella." His voice was still raspy and I would be lying if I said that I didn't find it completely sexy.

"Good morning, baby," I whispered, leaning over to give him a kiss.

"Good morning."

He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me down so that I was sitting next to him on the bed.

"I hope you're staying home again today."

"Uh…yeah…I was," he said. "Still feeling a little tired."

"I'll be gone all day," I told him. "Really…I won't be home until tonight."

"Is that many hours really necessary?" he asked as he took my hand and played with my fingers.

"Yes," I told him. "This is really big, Edward. And it could potentially mean more and better things for me."

"And it's going to be like this all week?"

I loved that he was going to miss me so much. But, really, this was just a precursor for what it was going to be like until after Christmas. I knew that if we could make it through the stress of this week, we would be able to handle the following five weeks, too.

"Yes…but I promise to come home to you every night and make love to you in this bed."

"Fuck," he whispered and I smiled.

"Feel better," I whispered. "I'll call you later."

"Bella, thank you for yesterday…for…for everything."

"You're welcome," I said. "Maybe Nurse Bella could make another appearance when you're not actually sick."

He moaned and I kissed him once more before standing up. His hands hooked in the waist of my pants before sliding over my hips and down the back of my thighs.

"I love you," he said low and rough.

"I know."

More than anything.

I walked into the store, nervous and fidgeting. I saw Michael's car in the parking garage when I'd pulled in. It was seven and I thought I would arrive before him. Clearly, I had been mistaken. I hadn't given him another thought after my epiphany yesterday and he hadn't tried to contact me via email. I was hoping that we could move past our disagreement. The truth was that I loved working for Michael. He had always been a great boss. I had often joked over our four years together that I would work for him anywhere, in any capacity. He had always been good to me and had always looked out for my best interest professionally. I didn't want our working relationship to change just because I had other priorities now.

I walked into my office, placing my bag and phone on my desk. I turned to head to the conference room where I knew he would be waiting, bracing myself for our inevitable and uncomfortable conversation. When I got to the door, he was standing there waiting for me, is expression was serious.

"Bella, can we talk?"

"Of course."

We walked back into my office and sat down at my desk. I wasn't sure if I should talk first, so I decided to let him lead the conversation. I looked across to him and waited for him to speak. He looked back at me, contemplative, his brows furrowed as if he if he were trying to think of what he wanted to say.

"I'm sorry for the way I behaved yesterday, Bella."

Okay. That wasn't exactly what I was expecting to hear from him, but I was glad to hear him say it and I relaxed at his words and the gesture.

"Thank you, Michael," I said. "That means a great deal to me."

"Good. I'm glad."

"While I'm sorry for the way things ended between us yesterday, I can't apologize for what I said," I told him, looking at him directly. "I would say it again."

His expression softened and he finally looked like the man I had known for so long. He smiled at me in apology before speaking to me again.

"Bella, I had no right to question your dedication to this job yesterday." He picked up one of my business cards from my desk and began to twist it in his fingers. "You have never disappointed me. Not once in four years."

"Thank you," I said again. "This week will be no different. I assure you."

He smiled at me, a genuine smile that lit up his blue eyes.

"Are we good?" he asked, knowing the answer.

"Yeah," I said, smiling back. "Just don't let it happen again."

"Okay," he said. "Tell me your plan, put me to work."

And I did.

***************

The next seven days were a blur of hard work and preparation. I was drinking more coffee than I had any right to. My body was exhausted and energized at the same time. It was a strange and complex feeling. Michael was a tremendous help in getting the store 'visit-ready'. His knowledge and experience were more beneficial than I could have imagined. I found it interesting to look at the store through his eyes. He was able to see things that I had missed because I saw them every day. He was able to point out opportunities that I wouldn't have really thought of and I knew that came his years of experience. I found that we worked as well together now as we did when I was his Assistant Store Manager.

Edward was a dream the whole week, too. He never once complained about the long hours, but he was adamant about taking me to dinner away from the store every night. They were these perfect little hours that we were able to spend together, sharing a meal and our time. He had been right, of course. Taking the time away from the store everyday helped me to stay focused while I was there and working. I kept my promise to him, as well…making love to him each and every night until we collapsed together exhausted and spent in each other's arms. I found that it wasn't even about him so much as it was about me…the connection that I needed to have with him.

Yeah.

Every night.

I didn't miss one.

By the time Monday rolled around, I was completely fatigued and moody. We had a conference call at three with the corporate partners to go over the agenda for the next day. They would be arriving at the airport at seven and be in the store by no later than eight. Felix had a list of requirements that he expected to have for breakfast. He wanted two yogurts - one peach and one strawberry. He wanted a platter of fresh fruit made up of only pineapple, strawberries, orange slices and cantaloupe. He wanted a specific kind of organic coffee with raw sugar and half and half creamer and to top off his list, he wanted six bottles of Fiji water - three chilled and three at room temperature. When they gave me the list, I looked at Michael, rolling my eyes.

They would be in the store from eight until three. I would make my presentation while they ate breakfast, then he would do a brief overview of business with my executive team prior to the stores opening. We would walk the entire store from ten until one and then finish with a lunch meeting about event execution and holiday strategy. Michael told me that these types of visits were extremely regimented and rarely strayed from the agenda. We were as ready as we could be. There wasn't one surface in the store that was sparkling. There wasn't one fixture that wasn't sized and stylized. They would simply not be able to find anything wrong.

As Michael and I made our way to our cars that evening, he stopped me by my car, touching my elbow. I turned around to face him and he stood there, quietly, awkwardly.

"Michael?" I asked. "Did you need something?"

"I…uh...I just…I wanted to tell you thank you, Bella."

"I should be the one who's thanking you," I told him honestly. "I don't know what I would have done without your help this week."

"You would have been great, Bella. Just like you always are."

"Well, I really appreciate that, but I know that I wouldn't have been able to do it without you and the support of the regional team."

"We do make a good team, don't we?"

"I think we do."

He looked like he wanted to say something else, standing there just looking at me. There was something in his eyes. Maybe gratitude? Maybe pride? I couldn't be sure. The grateful part of me wanted to ask him to dinner to tell him thank you, but the selfish part of me could think of nothing, but Edward. It was the first time in over a week that I was leaving the store at a decent hour and the only thoughts that my mind could form were spending the night with him.

In his arms.

In our bed.

"You must be about to collapse," he said, pulling me from my thoughts. "Please, go home. Get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

"Thank you, Michael. I'll see you in the morning."

I got into my car and before I ever pulled out of the parking spot, I sent Edward a text.

"Leaving work now. Where are you?"

His response was immediate and direct.

"I'll meet you at your apartment in twenty minutes."

I was standing in front of the mailboxes in my building when I felt him behind me. His arms wrapped around my waist and his nose and lips pressed and kissed against my neck. My body responded immediately in a surge of moisture that went straight between my legs. I had to bite down on my bottom lip hard to keep from moaning.

"God, I've missed you," he murmured.

"Me, too," I managed to get out. My voice was breathy and small, though I felt so much more than I could say.

I was afraid to turn around, afraid that all of the emotion and need I was feeling for him would spill out of me in front of the unsuspecting people in the lobby. After what seemed like a long moment, I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath and turned around to face him. His eyes were dark and the longing and desire on his face mirrored my own. I wanted him so much that I found it difficult to breathe.

"We need to go upstairs," he whispered. "Or I won't be responsible for what I do next."

I gasped, happy to know that I was still capable of breathing.

"Take me," I told him. "Take me upstairs."

He all but pulled me down the hall to my apartment, using his key and opening the door and taking me inside. He had no sooner closed the door when he swept me into his arms kissing me with a force that I hadn't felt from him in so long. I was trembling in his arms with my need as his tongue stroked and massaged my lips and penetrated my open mouth. He pulled away, moving to my neck kissing and sucking gently, causing me to whimper.

"Please," I whimpered, needing so much more than his mouth. "Oh, please."

"Bella...Bella...Fuck." His breath was hot and his voice hummed against my neck.

"I need you too much, Edward."

He pulled back, his eyes dark and severe with desire.

"Never stop, Bella," he told me roughly. "Never stop needing me this way." There was something deeper than the words he was saying to me, something laying just beneath the surface, vulnerable and raw and threatening to expose itself.

"Never," I told him, bringing my hands up to cup his face. "Never."

We made our way to the bedroom quickly, leaving a trail of clothing behind us, desperate to connect in this way. Edward pulled my body flush against his, his hands caressing all of me as if there wasn't enough naked skin for him to touch. He dragged his hands between our chests, gently cupping and my breasts, feeling the full weight of them in his palm. His mouth was on me, kissing me urgently, forcefully. I sucked his bottom lip between mine, biting down harder than I'd intended, causing him to whimper and cry into my greedy mouth. This only served to make him more frantic in his need for me.

He reached his hand lower, pushing my legs apart and touching my sex. My knees buckled at the contact and his other arm reached around me, not letting me fall.

"Do you know what it does to me that you always want me like this?" he asked roughly. "It ruins me when every time I touch you…you are wet and wanting me."

"Oh, god," I moaned as his fingers spread and stroked my slippery skin. "I always want you…oh…always, Edward…oh…just like this."

His mouth claimed mine as he pushed one, then two fingers inside me. I cried out, coming immediately as he sucked in the sobs of my orgasm. I was too undone to stand and would have fallen, but he held me tightly, never allowing that to happen.

He lifted me onto the bed, pulling his fingers from me as he did, my swollen flesh screaming out at the loss. He hovered above me, kissing my face, my neck, my shoulders and breasts. His body was buzzing with want, vibrating with desire. He seemed as frenetic as I felt. I reached between us, taking his cock in my hand, feeling it pulse and throb as I squeezed him. I ran my thumb along his head, causing a broken cry to come from his mouth.

"Inside," I whispered. "I need you inside."

I spread my legs further apart, pulling his head to my wet heat, sliding it along the folds of my opening.

"I love you," he said, bending his head to kiss me. "I love you so much, Bella."

"I love you, too," I said and before I finished, he pushed inside me and never stopped until we climaxed together, trembling and exhausted and utterly in love.

***************

The next morning went exactly as planned. Felix Guard was not an unassuming man, he was sharp and direct and always cut to the chase. The presentation went well. He asked a lot of questions about my strategy and was particularly interested in the results that had been generated from my tactics. Michael allowed me to take the lead and only added to the conversation when he was asked a question directly.

When we walked the floor, Felix could find nothing wrong with the operations or the merchandising of the store…and he was looking. My proudest moment came when he told me that the operational standards in the store were tremendous and far better than any other store he'd visited, with the exception of our flagship store in Manhattan. Michael smiled at me, beaming with pride. He should have been proud…he'd taught me everything I knew.

As we interacted all day, I couldn't help but notice that there was some sort of sub-text to everything he said or asked. The questions seemed loaded, like he was seeking a specific response, challenging me in my thought-process. It almost felt as if I were on a job-interview. I didn't let it bother me too much. I had always been able to articulate myself exceptionally well and I tried to never speak without giving full thought to my responses.

After lunch, Felix said that there had been a change to the itinerary. Instead of talking about holiday strategy and execution he informed the corporate team and Michael that he wanted to have a brief meeting alone with me. He asked that Michael take the corporate partners to a few like-retailers that he already had listed. This made me nervous because Felix was supposed to never veer from the original itinerary. But it suddenly dawned on me that this was a part of his original plan…I was just not privy to that information. Michael seemed unfazed by the turn of events, which caused me to be more suspicious. Though, Michael would never have suggested doing something different than what the CEO of Stores wanted.

Not much later, Felix sat across from me in my office. He'd had Lauren bring him a glass and two bottles of water, one chilled and one at room temperature. He poured half of one bottle in the glass, then filled it the rest of the way with the other bottle. He looked across at me and smiled, a small chuckle escaping his lips. I was too nervous to smile or laugh.

"I'll bet you wondered why I demanded three bottles of chilled water and three bottles of water at room temperature didn't you?" he asked, smirking.

I looked at him, unsure of what I should say, because I had definitely thought he was being slightly demanding with that request…and I'd found it altogether a little too odd for my taste. He seemed to notice my hesitation in responding.

"It's okay, Ms. Swan," he said. "You can tell me the truth."

"Okay," I said. "I did wonder. I thought it was a little odd."

He laughed full-on then and I relaxed infinitesimally.

"I ask for my water like that because combined, the two different temperatures mix to create the perfect temperature for dinking." He punctuated his statement by taking a long pull from the glass in front of him.

"Ms. Swan, may I be direct with you?"

"Of course, sir," I said. "I always appreciate the direct approach."

"Good. We have been watching your career for a while now, but we began to really take notice when you were promoted to this store and we saw the results that you were getting in a location that was unprofitable prior to your taking the helm."

He paused and I didn't know if he wanted me to say anything, but he continued before I had the chance.

"You're very good. A natural leader, in fact. I like the way you operate and Mr. Newton has nothing but wonderful things to say about you."

"Thank you," I said, unsure where he was leading us in this conversation.

"The next year is going to bring about some change for our company. We will be splitting two of our larger regions and we will need two people to take over as the VPs of those newly created regions."

As soon as he said the words, my heart was pounding in my chest.

"I am considering you for one of those positions, Ms. Swan." He said, looking directly at me without a hint of a smile on his face. "Is this something you would be interested in? Mr. Newton assures me that you want to grow in your career."

I felt like I was being handed the golden ticket. This was everything that I had wanted…everything I'd worked so hard to achieve.

"I definitely want to grow in my career, Mr. Guard."

"Good," he said. "We still have the rest of fourth quarter to get through and I fully expect you to deliver results, but I certainly look forward to meeting with you again in January to discuss your future here at Fineley's."

He stood and reached out his hand to shake mine. It was trembling but he didn't seem to notice, though I'm sure he did. He noticed everything.

"Thank you for today Ms. Swan."

"Thank you, sir."

I closed the door behind him as he left my office. I may have danced a bit, though I would never willingly admit that to anyone. I went to my desk and sat down, my entire body radiating the sheer happiness that I felt in that moment. I picked up my phone to call Edward and tell him my good news. As I scrolled down to his name…it dawned on me…

A promotion might mean relocation for me.

Suddenly…I wasn't sure that my news was as good as I had originally thought.

***************

A/N

Reviews are love. Please leave me some.

As always, thanks and love go out to my beta and soulmate, Marvar. I literally don't know what I would do without you. You friendship has become one of the most cherished things in my life. We do so much more than write and read fic together. I adore you. And I especially love that you added commas this week…instead of taking them away.

Thanks to KStew411 for the recc this week! You made me squee and smile! Thank you for liking this story!

Thank you to my readers who continue to amaze and surprise me with all their thoughts and theories.

As always…the slores rule all!

What owns me this week:

"Yeah, You" by Marvar updated this week…and it's the funniest, sexiest chapter yet! Edward is a dream. Plus, Marvar posted one of our late night text sessions as her A/N. It's kind of revealing…and I think we're funny, too!

"Metaphysics" by Anais Mark. This is a little guy…two chapters in, but it is written supremely well and the story is really intriguing. Also…I'm pretty sure it's a total mindfuck. And I'm all about the mindfuck!

Please check them out. They are worth your time.