So, not so new story ... I'm reposting this. This story was pulled years ago by FFn. That decision (without any sort of warning, really) forced me to move from just posting on FFn to Stars (then The Writer's Coffee Shop), AO3, and FictionPad. After doing some thinking, and FicPad turning into a for-profit platform, I've decided to repost this here.
This is ALREADY COMPLETE! PREWRITTEN
I will be doing some editing for content, but this is written in its entirety on Stars, AO3, Wattpad and FicPad (when it's not being a pain in the butt).
Carrots? Has anyone seen any carrots? The plot bunny attacked and well, you all are going to reap the benefits. NEW STORY! I've been writing some pretty heavy stuff lately and well, I'm going to lighten it up a bit. It's not going to be a humorous story (though there will be some funny bits) but it will be romantic. Some drama…some light angst (there needs to be some sort of conflict or it wouldn't be worth reading, kids).
Yeah, that isn't mine.
Up next will be some drama at Bella's job, some news about Becca, Thanksgiving, and stuff with Edward's game. Now, I'm going to be flipping POVs during this next chapter because of the nature of it. I don't like to do it, normally, but it'll make sense once you read it.
Chapter Twenty-Three: Daily Grind
BPOV
"Bella, can you come to my office?" Marcus asked wearily over the phone.
"What did I do now?" I grumped.
"Your article on the parking meters," Marcus sighed. "Alec has asked for revisions."
"This is crap," I snapped. "I'm reporting the facts. There is NO opinion in the article. What could he find fault about that article?"
"Bella…" Marcus grumbled.
"I'll be right there," I said, grabbing my flash drive along with a hard copy of my article and a red pen. This was ludicrous. How are we supposed to report the news, when this asshole is censoring our voice? Ever hear of the First Amendment? It had been a couple of weeks since our Halloween party and things have progressively gotten worse at work.
Suffice it to say, I was ready to hand in my resignation and start working at Starbucks to make ends meet.
Edward, along with Paul, were working tirelessly to find some dirt on Alec Wright, but they found nothing. His record, besides ruining award-winning journalists, was too clean. There had to be something about him that we could use to bring him down. I mean, this work environment was hell.
I. Hated. It.
I. Hated. Him.
Stomping into Marcus's office, I plopped down in the chair opposite of his desk. My boss looked contrite, pushing me a very edited copy of my article on the new parking meter proposal the city council drew up to bring in more revenue for the city. "What did his majesty deem unsuitable this time?"
"One of your sources was a liberal council member. He wanted a conservative take on it. Plus, you sounded, supposedly, like you were not in favor of this proposal," Marcus cringed.
"This is horse shit! I'm neither for nor against this fucking proposal, Marcus! I don't care about the fact that we need to have parking meters in the city. I have a nice, climate controlled garage and utilize public transportation if I'm too schlitzed to drive," I spat. I scanned the article and the meat of my story was torn to shreds. "How am I supposed to get this done? I'm assuming he wants it in tomorrow's edition, right?"
"Bingo," Marcus said, grimacing. He also slid a piece of paper across the desk for me. "These are the approved council members he would like in that story."
I glanced at the list and each of them are known for not talking to the press. "I'm going to honest with you, Marcus; I do not think that I'll get a quote from any one of these douchebags. We're going to probably have to run my original article, sources be damned. I'll try and change the wording to avoid the supposed opinion that Alec is accusing me of, but getting these guys to talk is like getting my ex-fiancé to admit that he likes girls."
"Try to get one of these council members to talk," Marcus encouraged. "I'm just as frustrated as you, Bells. I get it. I truly do. But, I can't lose my job. I'm trying to squeak under the radar. I hate what Alec has done to this paper…"
"I don't know how much longer I can do this, Marcus. You do know that almost all of your team has sent out resumes to other publications? Myself included," I said, crossing my arms. "Coming to work is a chore because of these insanely small hoops we need to jump through in order to keep the boss man happy! Fuck! I'm ready to say to hell with it all and move to Brazil with my boyfriend! Start a travel blog or something."
"I wouldn't blame you, Bella. If I didn't have a mortgage, a wife and two children, I'd be with you. I'm too experienced to be hired by another paper. I make too much money with my extra credentials. The only place where I might be able to move to is New York or DC, but I refuse to uproot my family," Marcus grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Have you heard anything?"
"No," I answered, wrinkling my nose. "With the influx of new resumes, the local papers are probably not interviewing. I don't know." However, I knew that once my lease was up, I didn't want to stay in Seattle. I loved my family. I loved my friends, but Seattle wasn't my home anymore. A luxury villa, with Edward, off the coast of Brazil was my home, honestly. Dreams of waking up in the sun, actually writing a travel blog or even working with the chefs on the island appealed to me more than rewriting mediocre articles because my ass clown editor-in-chief deemed my writing unworthy.
"Well, you've got three hours until I absolutely needs to be submitted for the morning edition," Marcus said. "I'll support you if you cannot get quotes from the sources that Alec wants."
"Marcus, I don't want you to put your neck out for me. I know what I'm doing. I wrote a good, non-biased article. Alec is blind to not see it. I'll take responsibility if he gives me grief. I'm telling him the truth," I said, getting up from the chair in Marcus's office.
He nodded, pursing his lips somberly. I jutted my chin out, walking to my cubicle. I sent Edward a text, explaining that I was going to be late. He responded that he was meeting up with Paul to work on the web design for his new celebrity blog. Paul was still working at the paper, but with Edward's help with the website and startup capital from both Robert and my man, Paul was looking to hopefully resign by next summer, if he wasn't fired by that time. He'd already gained a few sponsors in Isle Esme and Robert's Law Firm, along with other local businesses. It was just a waiting game for when the site went live after the first of the year to see if more advertisers were interested and if people were willing to read Paul's snarky, but well-thought out commentary about the Hollywood elite.
I tried, fruitlessly, to get in contact with any one of those council members. Out of the six names, five of them would not even talk to me. The remaining council member was on vacation and was not available to make a statement. So, I reworked my article, trying to removing negative opinion of the proposal before submitting it to the printers. Once I submitted it, I hightailed it out of the office and back to my apartment. All I wanted to do was strip out of my clothes and soak in the bathtub with a glass of wine.
Some sex would be nice, too.
Maybe Edward is willing…
Who am I kidding? He's a guy. He's always willing.
Once I got home, I did just that. I stripped out of my clothes, grabbed a bottle of white wine and a glass, plopping myself into my large tub to relax. Calgon, take me away…I think I fell asleep in the tub because when I woke up, I was naked in bed with a very cuddly Edward wrapped around me. Wriggling, I got out of the bed to go to the bathroom. My jostling woke Edward.
"What are you doing, Swan?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.
"I need to pee. How did I get in the bed?" I asked, throwing on one of his button down shirts.
"You were snoring in the bathtub in freezing water. Your lips were blue, baby. I picked you up, dried you off and wrapped you up like a burrito," he answered, yawning slightly.
"I guess the stress of my job is kicking my ass," I sighed, slipping into the bathroom to quickly take of business. Walking out, I saw that Edward had turned on one of the bedside lamps, leaning against the headboard. He was frowning. "Don't give me the face, baby."
"I hate seeing you so stressed out. It's not normal to find your girlfriend having a siesta in the bathtub after drinking a bottle of wine," he retorted, crossing his arms over his bare chest. I know one way I can beat the stress, sexy.
Stop it, Swan! It's three in the morning! You have work tomorrow.
"I just wish that something was out there on Alec. He's making our jobs virtually impossible to do. Do you remember that article I wrote about the parking meters?" I asked, crawling into the bed and curling up on his chest.
"Vaguely. I remember you had to meet some councilmen to discuss the implementation of the plan and whatnot," Edward answered, wrapping his strong arms around my body. I sighed contentedly, smelling his Edwardly scent. "What about the article?"
"It was not suitable," I said, wrinkling my nose. "My sources were too liberal and the voice of the article gave off the vibe that I was against the parking meters. So, I got a list of 'approved' council members, all of which are known to not speak to the press, and a directive to remove the negative connotation in the article." I snuggled closer to him. "I spent the afternoon trying, fruitlessly to contact those council members but couldn't. I submitted an edited article, but kept my sources. I'm certain I'm going to get pulled into Alec's office to get my hand slapped or worse…fired."
"He can't fire you for one article, Bella," Edward replied, kissing my forehead. "There are channels he has to follow before he can do that. Paul and I researched that while we were looking up dirt on Alec."
"What does he have to do?" I asked.
"First off, your immediate editor needs to meet with you to discuss your 'infraction.' Alec sits in on that meeting. You work out a plan with them to fix the problem and you've got a month to do that," Edward explained. "Then, if the problem still exists or there is no change, then you meet with the Alec, to discuss the perceived infraction and you get three months on probation. During that probation time, you can be fired. But, if you get through that, you're fine." He gently cupped my chin, looking into my eyes. "I would definitely keep track of everything that Alec is doing to you and create a file. I can show you how to encrypt it. This guy sounds like an ogre and he needs to be taught a lesson."
"Have you found anything?"
"It's like he appeared, Bella. Up until ten years ago, Alec Wright did not exist. Credit card statements, work history, portfolio…it all started ten years ago. Alec is easily in his mid-forties. How can he have such a lucrative career without a more detailed work history? I even have your dad working on it, but I think that Alec Wright may have had a different name ten years ago."
"That can't be possible," I said, arching a brow.
"His record is too perfect and his lack of history is a clear indicator that he's stolen someone's identity," Edward explained. "This guy is not who he says he is. I don't know who he is, but I'm determined to find out."
"And my dad is on board with this?"
"Yep. Paul is trying to get Alec's DNA and I'm going to try and get his fingerprints," Edward replied.
"You're too much, baby," I giggled.
"This ass clown is fucking with my girl," Edward smirked. "He needs to pay for what he's doing to you and to the other writers at the Seattle Times. Who knows, you may discover the largest conspiracy in journalism?"
"Unlikely," I snickered, kissing his chest. "You keep trying to find the dirt, Edward and I'll try to stay under the radar. I need my job." Edward sighed. I knew he wanted to say fuck it all and take me back to the island, but consequences of breaking my lease, even with Tyler's money, would drain my savings. Yes, Edward had a lot of money saved because of his job and his trust, but I refuse to be a 'kept' woman. I needed to work. "I know what you're thinking, Edward."
"What's that?" he asked, his hand moving down my back and inching my shirt up over my bare ass.
"That you want to take care of my problems," I said, moving so I was straddling his legs.
"I do, baby," he murmured, his fingers grazing my skin. "I hate seeing you so stressed and upset." His hands moved to the two buttons I had fastened at my breasts. Flicking them open, he pushed the button down open, revealing my naked form. "I want my gorgeous girl to be happy." His lips found my neck as his thumbs caressed my erect nipples. "I want you to be challenged by your job, but intellectually not to the point of distress." His lips moved closer to mine as he tugged the button down off my body.
"Do you know what would make the stress go away?" I panted.
"For me to make love to you?" he replied, slipping his hand between my legs and caressing my folds. I moaned, spreading my legs further apart for more of his fingers. "Let me love you, Bella. Because I do love you."
"Yes," I whimpered. "Love me, Edward."
"Your wish is my command," he crooned as he flipped me onto my back and slid inside of me.
xx AIDA xx
Several days passed, I heard nothing from Alec. The weekend slid by and I worked tirelessly on my new assignments. On Monday morning, though, I had an email from my asshole boss.
To: Isabella Swan
From: Alec Wright
Re: Parking Meter Article
Dear Ms. Swan,
Will you and Marcus please join me for a meeting regarding your parking meter article at ten this morning in my office? Please bring the article and your notes.
Alec
"Fuck!" I spat, glaring at my computer.
"I take it you got the email from Alec?" Marcus asked, leaning against my cube.
"I really hate this guy, Marcus! I can't do my job with all of these stipulations!" I said, thrusting my hands into my hair.
"Bells, I'm going in there and I'm going to support you," Marcus said as he sat down on the chair, just inside of my cube. "The original article you wrote was an excellent piece and Alec is a fucking moronic tool if he can't recognize that!"
"Why can't you be the editor-in-chief?" I sniffled, wiping at my face.
"It would be nice," he snorted, leaning forward on his knees. "Be straight forward, explain why you did what you did and don't let him shit on you."
"Like you, I can't lose my job, Marcus," I sighed. I looked at him, pursing my lips. "Edward thinks that there is something up with Alec."
"He's not the only one," Marcus said, arching a brow. "I think with our combined resources, we can find information about this guy, but for now? Don't let him think that you know something or that you suspect something. I want to publish it in his newspaper, if there's something fucked up with this guy."
"You're diabolical!" I giggled.
"He's ruined so many excellent writers. I like to think of it as Karma. She's in a bitchy mood and her intended target is Alec Wright," Marcus said, grinning evilly. "Here are your assignments for the week. A couple of feel-good pieces. One is covering a fundraiser for St. Jude's with the daughter of the Shari Lewis and Lambchop. The other is about a couple. The man needed a new kidney and anonymously the woman donated it. They met each other and fell in love. It's all kind of schmaltzy and romantic, but something that you need that is not politically driven."
"Thanks," I said, taking my assignments from Marcus. "I'll do some research while we wait for our meeting our fearless leader." Marcus rolled his eyes, getting up from his chair and leaving me to do my preliminary research. The next two hours went by quickly. Marcus walked to my cube, picking me up before we went up to the next floor up to meet with Alec, douchetard extraordinaire.
Up in the sleek offices, Marcus and I waited in the reception area until the new secretary, who was dressed like a hooker you'd find on a corner, announced us to the boss. Chomping on her gum, she sashayed toward Alec's office and ushered us into a conference room just across the hall from the office. "Mr. Wright will be right with you," she kind of sneered. She teetered away, tugging on her too-short skirt.
"Where did he find her? On a corner?" Marcus snickered, elbowing me.
"I was thinking the same thing," I said, making a face of disgust. "What happened to Shelly? She was an amazing receptionist?" Marcus was about to answer, but Alec walked in with all of the swagger of a peacock and a smarmy grin on his smug-looking face.
Jack. Ass.
"Thank you for being prompt," Alec said as he sat down at the head of the conference table. "One of my pet peeves is tardiness. Both of you have a record of being on time since I've started here. Excellent." He marked that on a piece of paper. "Now, I wanted to discuss the parking meter article. I emailed Marcus changes that needed to be made prior to it being published. I was shocked that when I read the article, none of them were done. Explain, Ms. Swan."
"First off, the timing of the edits was really close to the deadline that was given to me. You wanted new sources and for me to completely rewrite the article. The sources you wanted are all council members who refuse to talk to the press. I contacted all of them, but none of them took my calls."
"You should have been more aggressive, Ms. Swan," Alec said, his hazel eyes icing over as he glared at me.
"It is a person's right to not want to speak to the press. I will not be one of those reporters who get into people's faces for a quote. I am not a tabloid journalist," I said, gripping the arms of my chair. "In regards to the edits, I did rework the article to remove the connotation that was there that I was against the parking meters."
"Alec, she was just stating the facts. I don't understand why you would think that Bella is against the parking meters. She was just telling us what her sources said along with clarification from the research she completed on the parking meters," Marcus hopped in.
"My biggest concern is your sources," Alec snapped, glaring at me. "Why did you disobey my directive?"
"Because none of them would contact me or speak to me," I replied, trying to keep my temper in check. "Like I said, I cannot force people to talk to the press. If they want to share their opinions and information, I'll take their quote, political affiliations be damned. The world is not all conservative or all liberal. There are so many shades. It's our job as journalists to paint a colorful picture of what's out there. Not just the conservative or liberal view."
"You're treading a fine line, Ms. Swan," Alec said, shooting up from his seat. "Do you like your job?"
"I do and you can't fire me," I smirked, pulling out the process of firing an employee, thanks to my handsome and brilliant boyfriend. "You may not agree with what I wrote, but you have to follow these clear expectations in regards to letting go an employee. If you don't, I can sue you and your paper for unlawful termination."
"You're spunky, Ms. Swan," Alec seethed, glowering at me.
"She's also right, Alec," Marcus answered. "You can't put her on probation. According to the paperwork, a situation like this needs to happen twice. Bella is an excellent journalist. I back her up on what she decided to do. Your expectations were too much. If you had emailed me a day earlier, the changes could have been made but with the timeframe you gave us, you should be grateful for a rewrite."
"Both of you are getting on my last nerve," Alec hissed, clenching his fists. "Bear in mind, I'll be watching both of you very closely. One toe out of line and you'll be out of here before you can blink an eye."
"Did you just threaten us?" I asked, arching a brow, jotting down my own notes.
"Have a good day," Alec spat, stomping out of the room and slamming the door shut.
I huffed out a breath, taking out my digital recorder from my lap, stopping it. "What now?" I asked.
"Save that," Marcus said. "Keep it and from now on, anytime we have a meeting with him, be it a staff meeting or a private meeting like this, bring it. His actions are irrational and I definitely do not feel comfortable with him."
"Thank you for backing me up," I whispered, arching a brow at my boss and friend. "I just pray that it doesn't come back to bite you in the ass."
"Nah, I'm hoping that it will get me a promotion and a killer settlement when he tries to fire me," Marcus winked.
"That's wishful thinking, Marcus," I deadpanned.
"A man can hope."
xx AIDA xx
EPOV
"Wow, this is exactly what I envisioned for the score for the game," I gushed, listening to what the composer I decided to work with, Stephen, came up with.
"I took what you had and expanded on it, Edward," Stephen said. "All we need to do is record it. I've made arrangements for several days in a recording studio right after Thanksgiving with a small chamber ensemble. They have the music already."
"Kick ass," I said, flipping through the score that Stephen gave me. "New Moon informed me that they would cover the cost of the recording studio and musicians up to a $100,000. Once the game hits the shelves, you will receive portions of the royalties, plus the agreed salary."
"There's another thing, Edward. I want you to play the piano for the recording. I'm a decent player," Stephen blushed. "But, you're far better than me. Especially that romantic theme? When I heard it on the recording you sent me? Yeah, you need to be the pianist. I've got a friend, but she's in Tokyo right now on tour with the Seattle Philharmonic."
"Sure. I've always wanted to record something," I beamed. Stephen handed me a stack of music. Since most of it was my idea, only expanded, it didn't look too difficult.
"We're having rehearsals next week at the University of Washington, in the music building in a week. I'll text you with the time," Stephen said. He was a professor at the university. Checking his watch, he gulped. "Shit! I've got to go." He quickly shut his laptop and thrust all of his belongings, haphazardly, into his messenger bag. "Damn orchestration class! I'll see you later, Edward!"
"Bye, Stephen," I waved as he darted out of the coffee shop. I finished my coffee, walking to my car. It had been a couple of days since Bella's meeting with Alec. I was ready to go in there and give him a piece of my mind, but Bella distracted me with a blow job.
However, hearing how he went off on my girl definitely renewed my need to bring down Alec Wright. When I wasn't working on my game, I was hacking into the Seattle Times mainframe. I got all of Alec's hiring information, including his social security number, his previous employers and college transcripts. Yes, what I was doing was highly illegal, but his lack of history was a red flag for me.
Watch, the social security number would match up to a young woman or someone who was the complete opposite of Alec Wright.
Back at home, I was put finishing touches to my game before sending it off to the executives at New Moon. An hour later, I received a phone call from my contact, saying that the prototype was going to be sent to the testing phase but I could have a completed contract by the end of the week based off what he saw. I made reservations for us at Lark in Renton for a celebratory dinner on Saturday.
Bella came home a little after eight. She was slightly tipsy and giggling as Paul practically manhandled her into our apartment. "What happened?" I asked.
"She needed a girl's night out," Paul answered, tossing her purse onto a chair.
"I knew that. She sent me a text. But why is my girlfriend shitfaced?"
"Because she was upset over something that Alec said at work today and the fact that Becca hasn't responded to any of her emails, texts or phone calls. So, your girlfriend, along with Angela and Jessica, got bombed on raspberry martinis," Paul snorted.
"What happened with Alec?" I asked, my anger spiking.
"That douchenozzle told me that story about the kidney couple was too fluffy," Bella bellowed from her perch on the couch. She was trying to remove her knee-high boots and failing miserably. "It's supposed to be a fluff piece, asshat!"
"Kidney couple?" I asked.
"A guy needed a kidney transplant and a woman donated hers. They met a year later and fell in love. Their wedding was a month ago," Paul explained. "I read the article and it was beautifully written. Not at all fluffy, but romantic, endearing and quite honestly perfect. Alec is just looking for anything to get rid of Bella and Marcus."
"Also…Alec demanded that all of his staff come to his stupid holiday party. Do you want to know when it is? Martin Luther King weekend. That's nearly a month after the holidays. It's so fucking stupid!" Bella slurred, flopping back onto the couch.
"What's going to happen with the article?" I asked Paul.
"Bella's not changing it. Nor do I expect her to. She fulfilled the requirements for the article, even exceeding them. If Alec doesn't see that, then he really is a douchenozzle," Paul snorted. "It's been submitted for publication, along with several photos from the couple from their wedding and their romance. It's going to be featured in the Sunday edition."
My brows raised at that. If Alec was saying it was 'too fluffy,' how was it going to be featured article?
As if reading my mind, Paul smirked, "Marcus is sticking it to the man. He recognized how awesome the article was, Edward. Anyhow, I've got a Skype meeting with several stars of the new superhero movie coming out this weekend. I have to finish writing my questions."
"Thanks for bringing her home," I said, sitting down across from my girl. She was drooling on the couch. "I'll make sure she gets to bed and shit."
"Lots of water and ibuprofen," Paul said, ruffling my hair and dancing out of the apartment. I shook my head, removing Bella's boots. She was still passed out as I stood her up, hefting her over my shoulder and carrying her to the bedroom. I took off her clothes, dressing her in some shorts and a long-sleeved t-shirt. She barely moved as I changed her. I woke her up briefly to give her some medicine and water before she crashed again, spread-eagled on the bed.
The next morning, Bella spent most of her time worshiping the porcelain god before she begged me to call Marcus to inform him that she was taking a half sick day and then working from home in the afternoon. As she was researching another article, I received a phone call from New Moon.
"Hello?" I responded as I picked up the phone.
"Edward? This is Jane Lewis from New Moon Gaming," said a husky female voice. "I was given the exciting honor of contacting you about your game, Elvish Fantasy: Conquering Elvendore."
"Yes?" I asked, my heart stammering in my chest.
"Well, I know you've been in contact with Harrison, my senior advisor, and he's in love with your game. The test subjects are swooning over what you've created and we'd like to formally offer you a contract. It's a mixture of action, unique story, sex and gore. We'd love to see this game turn into the next big thing. You've left it open for sequels and outtakes with the amazing characters you've generated. The contract will be for three other games, two of them related to Elvendore. The contract is for $300,000 for three years plus royalties, with the possibility of more if you generate more games or act as a consultant on other developer's work."
"It sounds like a fabulous contract, but I have family that lives outside of the country. I spend a fair amount of time with them. Can I complete my work while I'm overseas?" I asked.
"As long as we're able to contact you via a phone call or Skype, we're golden. We would love to have this game to be ready to premier at the Gamer's Developer's Conferences in San Francisco in mid-March," Jane said, her smile evident. "Now, I received the email from Harrison regarding your music. Stephen Moore is a well-known composer in our circles. You've picked a fabulous man to work with in regards to your music."
"We kind of co-wrote the score. I gave him some themes and he made them better," I said. "We're having rehearsals next week and recording after Thanksgiving."
"Excellent. Just submit the time sheet for the recording studio and we'll pay for the time, along with the cost of the musicians. Harrison gave you an estimate of $100,000?"
"Yes. Is that too much?"
"No, I was going to increase it to $200,000. This game is going to be so epic, Edward," Jane gushed.
"I'm looking forward to working with you. If you could send me the contract so I can look it over?" I asked.
"It's en route to your home in Seattle, Edward. Take your time and have your lawyer look it over. I do ask that you have it signed just before Christmas. It'll give you a month to examine the contract," Jane explained.
"Well, barring any unforeseen issues, I will hopefully have it back to you within in the next few weeks. If there are points I need to negotiate, do I contact you or Harrison?"
"Go through me. Harrison has a great eye for finding new and amazing games, but he's hopeless with the paperwork," Jane snorted. "I'll talk to you soon."
"Thank you again," I smiled, ending the call and placing the phone on the desk. I let out a rebel yell, hopping up from the chair and dancing around the room.
Bella walked into the office, arching a brow. "You do realize that I'm nursing the mother of all hangovers and you're screaming like a maniac?" she deadpanned.
"Sorry, baby," I said, taking her hands into mine and enfolding her into a tight embrace. "But, I just got off the phone with New Moon Gaming. They're offering me a three year deal for three games!"
"Really?" she asked, returning my hug. "That's amazing, Edward! I'm so proud of you!" She pulled back, kissing me sweetly before taking my face into her hands. "I'd say that I would love to play the game, but I'm so not a gamer. My version of gaming is playing Tetris on my phone or Words with Friends. Speaking of which, it's your move, buster."
"I've got all vowels and a random 'k.' I can't do much with that," I snorted, pulling Bella onto the couch in the office and holding her on my lap. "I may have to forfeit, my wordy girl."
"And how many games have you won?" she giggled, snuggling against my chest.
"I came close with that one game," I scoffed.
"You lost by nearly fifty points. That was not close," she laughed, her tiny fingers finding my hair and idly playing with it.
"Excuse me, Miss Wordsmith. Not everyone knows a million different ways to say brown or has the best luck with letters," I smirked, tickling her.
"Stop it, Edward," she said, giving me a put-on pout. "My head is still hurting and laughing is not helping the situation."
"Why don't you take a nap?" I suggested.
"I need to get the framework done for my assignment," Bella sighed. "My fearless leader," she said snidely, "gave me grief for taking a half-sick day and for telecommuting. I can't write the article until I go to the fundraiser, which is this weekend, but, I need to get background information about St. Jude, Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop, and her daughter. I'm meeting with her on Friday for the interview and attending the fundraiser. You want to be my photographer? I've got two passes."
"I remember Lamb Chop's Play-Along when I was a kid. I'd love to come," I beamed like a moron. "What time?"
"The fundraiser starts at two, but I'd like to be there at one to take some photos of the venue prior to the doors opening and to get some quotes from the families invited to come," she said.
"Afterward, we can go out to eat to celebrate my contract," I said, kissing Bella's forehead. "I've already made reservations for Lark in Renton."
"I've always wanted to go there," she crooned. "I can't wait, Edward." She pressed her lips to mine chastely. "But, I've got to get back to work. This article ain't going to write itself. Congratulations, baby. I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks, gorgeous girl," I said, nuzzling her hair. She hugged me once more before getting up out of my lap, walking to the dining room where she set up shop. Gleefully, I sent an email to my family, informing them of the contract. My father reminded me, needlessly, to run it by Jenks, our family's attorney to make sure everything was up to par.
The next day, I received the contract and sent a digital copy of it to Jenks. I read it over and it seemed pretty cut and dry. I did want to have Jenks look it over since I am not an attorney. Yes, I dealt with contracts on a daily basis at the resort, but this was different. I could be signing over my first born child if I didn't pay attention.
Bella was back at work, putting finish touches on her research for the fundraising article prior to the actual fundraiser on Saturday. She was laying low, trying to avoid Alec at all costs. Marcus was running interference, but she was feeling guilty that he could lose his job because of his loyalty to her. I think they were putting all of their eggs in the basket that Paul and I will find something on Alec, but we were just going on a hunch.
We could be wrong.
On Saturday morning, I went for a run around the neighborhood while Bella was working on her new assignment before we drove to the Fairmount for the fundraiser. When I came back, Bella tossed her phone onto the couch, her beautiful face turned up in a scowl. "What's wrong?" I asked as I grabbed a water bottle.
"An unknown number keeps calling me. When I pick up, the caller immediately hangs up," she said, glowering at her phone.
"Let me see," I said as I took her phone. I flipped through the contacts and the unknown number called twice yesterday while Bella was at work and three times this morning. "Do you want to change your phone number?"
"Hell no," Bella snorted. "I've had that number since I was in college. I'm not giving it up."
"Could it be someone you've offended in an article?" I asked.
"Doubtful. My number is unlisted. The only people who have it are my friends, family and a few choice coworkers like Paul, Marcus and my former editor, Nancy," she shrugged. "It's probably just someone who thinks they're calling their Aunt Mildred or something and don't realize they're calling the wrong number. Who knows?"
"I hope it's not someone who's threatening you," I frowned.
"Stop with the conspiracy theory, Stinky McGee," she quipped.
"Are you saying I smell?" I scoffed playfully.
"Dude, you smell like an elephant's ass," Bella said, dramatically pinching her nose and waving her hand in front of her face. "I love you, Edward but please go shower before I puke."
"Shut it," I snorted, whipping off my shirt. "I just ran five miles. I'm not going to smell like daisies and sunshine."
"You're going to smell an elephant's ass," she quipped. "Besides, we need to get going. I want to make sure that we get parking and that the press passes are there." I turned, walking back to the bedroom. Just before I was out of site, I tossed my sweaty shirt at Bella, earning me a squeal. "EDWARD!"
After a quick shower plus some sucking up to my girl (shower sex) because of my sweaty, stanky shirt, we were on the way to the hotel. The fundraiser was being held on one of the smaller banquet rooms. It had been completely transformed with silver curtains, brightly colored ornament trees and several screens all along the wall. I played the part of a dutiful photographer, snapping photos of everything and everyone. The kids were so excited, clutching their Lamb Chop toys, munching on gingerbread cookies and sipping hot chocolate. During the fundraiser, it was a retrospective of Shari Lewis' life along with some singing with a local a cappella group and an autograph session once it was done.
The fundraiser was finished and Bella and I drove to Renton for our meal at Lark, celebrating my contract and her featured article in the Sunday paper. The only blemish on the day was the sporadic, random phone calls from that same unknown number. Bella had to eventually turn off her cell phone to stop stressing about it. We finished our meals, which were delicious, and drove back to our apartment. I made love to Bella on the couch, unable to keep my hands off of her.
The next few days were relatively quiet. Alec was out of town for a business meeting so he wasn't breathing down the necks of his employees. Bella and Marcus were co-writing a story on some building issue among the fish mongers in Pike's Place. I was buried headlong in my music for the game. Before we all knew it, it was Thanksgiving week and we were all scrambling for getting time to complete the slew of shit.
"What was I thinking in volunteering to do three casseroles?" Bella grumbled, trying to chop pecans for the sweet potatoes. "I have to work on outlining that story with the fish mongers. It's going to be in the Monday edition of the paper."
"Bella, you're not working alone," I said as I fried up some bacon for my version of green bean casserole. "I offered to do the casseroles so you can work on your article."
"This sweet potato casserole is a family secret, Edward. If my mom knew that I gave it to you, she'd castrate you and disown me," Bella hissed dramatically.
"Doubtful, gorgeous girl," I retorted dryly. "On a daily basis, your mother is dropping not-so-subtle hints that she wants grandchildren. It's a little hard for me to give her grandbabies if I have no balls."
"I hate to break it to ya, I'm on birth control. No grandchildren until I stop going for my shot," Bella quipped. "I would like to wait until marriage before I start popping out children."
"So, you still want to get married?" I asked, placing some bacon onto a plate covered with paper towels. We'd had this conversation before, but I wanted to make sure. I had a gorgeous, sparkling and perfect engagement ring, stored in a safety deposit box, ready for my proposal.
"To you, yes," she smiled, turning to look at me. "Are you asking?"
"When I ask, you'll know," I blushed. "I want to make a bigger deal of it as opposed to asking you as I'm frying bacon."
"Nothing about our relationship is normal, Edward," she giggled.
"But, you deserve fireworks and romance, Bella," I said, finishing up with the bacon. "How did Tyler propose?"
Bella snorted, rolling her eyes. "It was totally cheesy. We were hanging out one day before I had some work event that I had to cover. Tyler was going as my date. Anyhow, I went to get ready and sitting on the bed was a bag from one of those mall jewelry stores. Tyler nervously said that it was for me and I walked over to the bag, picking it up. Inside was a watch. Talk about a let-down."
"I'm guessing there's more?" I asked, quirking a brow.
"Yep. When I looked up, Tyler was standing in front of me, holding a tiny box. He thrust it into my hands saying that I'll need the watch to be on time for our wedding," she said blandly. "At the time, I thought it was the cutest, most adorable proposal ever, but in retrospect, it was really lame." Biting her lip, Bella looked thoughtful. "It's ironic. Tyler proposed to me with the watch, but ended up being permanently late for our wedding."
"Best thing that ever happened to me," I smirked.
"Damn straight," she giggled. Next to her the phone rang and she groaned. "Ugh! This is getting insane!"
"Same number?" I asked.
"Yeah," she huffed, silencing the phone and glaring at it. "I don't know who would be constantly calling me and not realize that they're driving me nuts?"
"If it continues, you may have consider changing your phone number. I know you don't want to," I shrugged.
"Isn't there some geeky, techy thing you can do?" she asked, pouting adorably.
"I could hack into the phone company, find out who's calling you but that's highly illegal," I snickered. "I've already done my fair-share of hacking this past few weeks with trying to find out information on Alec Wright."
"Damn," she frowned. "Can't blame a girl for trying?"
I kissed her sweetly before working on the next casserole. We worked seamlessly in the kitchen until it was time to go to bed. The next morning, we had some naked fun time before having some more naked fun time in the shower. Shortly before noon, we arrived at Bella's parent's home. It smelled delicious. Bella immediately went on alert. "What's wrong?" I asked.
"My mom hasn't burned something. It's destiny that something is going to explode. I'll be in the kitchen," she said, darting into the kitchen while I walked to the family room to hang out with Charlie. We watched some football, sharing beer and manly silence. Every so often, Charlie would grunt at the television but was content to stare at the flat screen above the fireplace.
"Edward," Charlie said, sipping his beer as the game ended. "I did some research on that editor, Alec Wright."
"What did you find?" I asked.
"You're right in believing that something is fishy about him. His business practices are circumspect and lack of history is also suspicious. In my spare time, I've done a complete background check. I'm still waiting on high school and college transcripts, but this guy has never had a parking ticket or anything. But prior to the year 2003, he had never been photographed or anything. I've got facial recognition software working identifying him and I want to run his social security number," Charlie mumbled.
"You'll call me if there's something?" I asked.
"You, Bella and Bella's boss, Marcus. If he stole someone's identity, he's got a long jail sentence ahead of him," Charlie chuckled, his mustache twitching.
"Boys! Dinner's ready," Renee chirped.
"Dear God, she didn't burn down the house. It's a god damned miracle," Charlie huffed under his breath.
"Is Renee not a good cook?" I asked.
"Not particularly. I love my wife, but she loves to experiment. Bella is the cook in the family. Whenever my daughter is over, I know that I won't die of food poisoning. Ever since she moved out, we'd taken to ordering out a lot. The fact that Renee attempted a Thanksgiving meal scares me. I'll pay for your hospital bill if you get sick, Edward," Charlie chuckled.
"Goody," I deadpanned, following him to the dining room.
Shockingly, dinner was fairly decent. However, it was all due in part to Bella's interference in Renee's attempt on cooking turkey. Sufficiently stuffed to the gills, Charlie and I did the dishes while Bella and Renee relaxed in the living room. I made coffee and we spent the rest of the evening planning our Christmas with Bella's family. Christmas Eve was going to be spent with Bella's friends while Christmas Day was going to be with Charlie and Renee. Early the day after Christmas, we were going to the airport to fly down to the island for some time with my family.
Driving home, Bella was quite frisky. She pawed at my thigh, teasing me with her fingers. By the time we walked up to our apartment, I was so hard for her that I was aching in need. Picking her up and pinning her between the door, I kissed her fervently. "I need you, Bella," I whispered against her lips.
"You have me," she moaned, wrapping her legs around my waist. "I'm yearning for you, Edward. Fuck me, baby."
My hands moved from her waist to underneath her skirt, quickly discovering that she was without panties. Yes! Cupping her ass, I carried her to the living room and placing her on her feet. "Bend over the arm, Bella," I commanded, lifting up her skirt.
"Are you going to fuck my ass for Thanksgiving?" she purred, looking at me wantonly.
Fuck. Me. I wanted to, but I knew I wanted to make it romantic. Not a fast and dirty fuck. "Not tonight, baby. This weekend, I will claim your ass. But now, I need your wet pussy." I cupped her mound, shocked at how wet she already was. "And it's so very wet."
"All night, love," she said, bucking against my hand. I removed my belt and made quick work of my pants, releasing my cock from its prison. Bella removed her dress, displaying her nearly naked body. Her porcelain skin glowed under the dim light of the city that glittered through the windows. Her lacy black bra was quickly removed and she wriggled her bare ass for me. "Anxious, Bella?"
"Fuck me, Edward," she commanded, glaring at me with such fire and intensity. The love behind it was as plain as day so I couldn't help but slid between her slick folds and into her tight, warm pussy. "YES!"
"You like that, baby?" I asked, gripping her hips. "You like when my cock fills you?"
"All the fucking time," she moaned, rotating her hips. "Make me yours, Edward."
Slowly and deeply, I sunk inside of her. Her silken walls clinging to my rock hard dick. Watching my arousal slip in and out of her was the best aphrodisiac. It was glistening with her arousal and feeling her muscles clutch me was the best hug I could ever ask for. With each stroke, she let out a guttural groan. Our coupling was erotic and needy. I spread the globes of her ass, seeing her puckered asshole. I gathered her hair and gently pulled her up. I traced her lips with my fingers. "Suck, baby," I growled.
"Hmmm," she whimpered as she took my fingers into her mouth. When I was suitably lubed up, I spread her ass again, slipping my middle finger into her asshole. "YES! Oh, GOD! I love that, Edward."
"Do you, my love?" I purred, adjusting my thrusts to go deeper inside of my girl. "Imagine my cock filling your ass, Bella. It'll be fucking amazing. This weekend, I assure you, I will feel you. I will make love to your ass and claim you fully." As my cock delved inside, I pulled out my finger, adding another. She whimpered, looking back at me with lust-filled eyes. "Do you want to come, Bella?"
"Make me come, Edward. Make me come all over your perfect cock," she pleaded, snaking her hand between her legs. She had put her foot up on the cocktail table, spreading her legs further. I could feel her tiny fingers caressing her clit as I began driving into her harder. Her pussy was clenching around me and the wetness between her legs increased. "Oh my…EDWARD!"
"Scream my name, Bella," I growled, removing my fingers from her ass and thrusting into her with abandon. I held onto her hips as I fucked my girl. Her screaming was indecipherable, but it was out of pleasure. "Baby, please come," I pleaded.
She yelled as her body reacted to my pleas. Her arousal spilled over me as her body twitched deliciously in ecstasy. My own body responded in kind, spilling inside of my girl with a feral roar. Collapsing against her sweaty back, I pressed soft kisses to her spine. We both were breathing heavily, spent from our sexual endeavors against the couch arm. "Damn, Edward," she giggled.
"Edward is unavailable right now. He's had his brains fucked out of him by his sexy, perfect girlfriend," I quipped, kissing behind her ear.
"That would be you fucking my brains out," she laughed as I slipped out of her. Her body erupted in gooseflesh and I scooped her up, wrapping her in a throw blanket as I sat down on a large, cushy chair overlooking the Seattle skyline. "I am so lucky, Edward. I'm thankful for you coming into my life. I love you, baby."
"As I love you, Bella. You are the greatest gift I've ever received and I am never letting you go," I cooed, nuzzling her sex-ravaged hair. Her phone rang from her purse that was still by the door. She squirmed in my arms. "Did you not hear me?" I pouted.
"It's probably my parents, checking to make sure that we got home safely," Bella said, walking naked as the day she was born to the door. She picked up her cell phone. "Hello?" Her look of bliss from our love making quickly disappeared. "Becca? Deep breaths, sweetie. Tell me what happened…"
A/N: Cliffie…sorry. :-( Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed the update. I know that things have been sporadic. Life is crazy, hectic busy. If only there were more hours in a day or if I didn't have to go to work…blah. Anyhow, pictures are on my blog and tumblr (links are on my profile). You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation or on twitter: tufano79.
Up next will be the resolution of this cliffhanger. In my plan, it was going to be in Edward's point of view, but I may switch it up and put it in Bella's. Some answers will be had…just sayin…
Leave me some!