A/N:

Disclaimer: I do own only the plot and words! :) Character belong to Stephanie Meyer!

Greetings, everyone! I am updating finally! Yay! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I have more coming in the following week!

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Day Five

Green Is Not A Good Color On Me

I originally thought I was in bed in my apartment, but, I'm suddenly back on a white balcony in the massive house I basically grew up in. I know this house. This is the Cullen house.

I'm overlooking the garden where there are still several familiar faces gathered. There's some kind of party going on? I must have come up here to get away from the crowd...

I see the giant "Congratulations!" banner on one of the garden trellises...and I'm slowly starting to realize where I am.

"This is…" I lean heavily against the railing of the balcony. This party was ten years ago...I'm dreaming. I need to wake up.

Why am I back here? I don't understand! Why?

"Bella?" I hear Edward Cullen's voice call.

"Wake up!" I tell myself, loudly. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

The blare of my alarm clock hurtles me back into reality.

I groan. The morning comes early...and it's only six a.m.

My bed is way too comfortable. And the September air is very chilly in my apartment. Still groaning, I reach for my phone and check to see if I have any messages.

My heart drops to my stomach. I have one text message.

From Edward Cullen.

2:04 a.m.

What time do you leave for work in the morning?

I squint at the screen and roll my eyes. There was no way in hell I was going to be up at two a.m. to read this message and respond. I sprawl out in my bed, wearing only my underwear from the night before. This man is now haunting my dreams, and he thinks texting me at 2 a.m. is the right move? Sure…

I sigh. Maybe I shouldn't even respond to him…

I let that thought slide, though, and type out a reply.

6:07 a.m.

I leave at 7:30 to walk to my office. Do you want to meet up today before your date? :)

I try and make myself sound cheery and ignore the fact that I wanted to drag him back to my bed last night and do...unspeakable things that I definitely will no longer think about.

The response I receive back is almost instantaneous.

6:08 a.m.

Don't leave until I get there. Please.

I wrinkle my nose. That's an odd request. But, I sigh.

6:08 a.m.

Ok.

I roll over onto my back, leaving myself completely exposed on the bed. I guess it's time to get up, then…

I quickly roll out of my blanket cocoon and pad across my floor to my closet. I sigh and look at the clothes. Something professional...and sexy.

I shake my head and grab for the first top I see: an off the shoulders white sweater. I nod at myself in approval and grab a pair of jeans, a black belt for my waist and quickly decide to worry about shoes later. I need a shower and to put make-up on so I at least make myself look presentable.

My phone becomes a make-shift music player for instrumental piano music and I try and stop thinking about anything at all. Before work, I try to make sure that my mind is in the right place...and, for me, that means no distractions. I have to focus on my clients. I have my schedule for the day memorized. I have appointments all day until 5, then Edward's date at 7. I plan on attending the date and watching the progress. He doesn't have to know this yet.

I also have a lunch break that I intend to take at one, where I plan on ordering sushi from a fabulous restaurant down the street from my office space.

It's a Friday, I have the weekend off. Things will be splendid.

I pull on clothes and blow dry my hair, not worried about the time. I live a block from my office in downtown Seattle and it's just easier to walk most days… plus, my car is still stuck at a meter I'm paying for until I can get it on my lunch break. I'm in no rush to get anywhere today.

Honestly, if I didn't have fully booked appointments, I might just cancel them all to stay in bed.

I've just finished getting dressed when I hear the timid knock on my front door. I pull my hair up quickly and walk to let Edward in, because who else is going to knock on my door this early?

The moment I open the door, I feel an extreme sense of sadness wash over me. Edward looks like he hasn't slept yet and his clothes are a mix of his dress shirt from the restaurant and a pair of jeans. His leather jacket is about the only thing that I think he consciously grabbed. There are purple splotches under his eyes that look like bruises and he simply looks exhausted. The coffee cups in his hands only adds to the aesthetic.

"Edward…" unconsciously, I reach out for his face and immediately pull my hand back. "You...look like hell."

Edward smirks at me, his award winning smile. "And you look like a model ready for a photoshoot." He gently transfers one of the coffee cups to my hand. "I thought you might appreciate a caffeine boost this morning," he says, gently.

Why am I smiling? I can't help but smile. "Thank you!" I say, far too brightly for someone trying to foist him off on another woman. I step back into my apartment, shuffling my bare feet against the floor, feeling a little embarrassed by myself. "I know I don't have long, but, did you want to come in?"

I look up under my eyelashes and hold my breath. The implications of asking this question last night rush into my core and I blush involuntarily. Stupid Bella. Why did you ask that question!?

Edward laughs and shakes his head. "Only if you promise to consider we pick up where we left off last night," he jokes, winking at me and striding straight into my living room.

I'm so shocked, it takes me a full thirty seconds to register what he was saying.

I close my door and go to find my shoes as Edward makes himself at home easily on my couch. "How was the hospital?" I ask, lamely, as I juggle my coffee and my sanity while digging through my hall closet for boots to wear in the drizzly weather outside.

Edward sighs. "I got called in for surgery," he murmurs, quietly. "So, it could have been better."

I bite my lip, pulling out a pair of black boots to go over my jeans. "Oh," I say, almost disinterested. Wasn't he a trauma surgeon? That would mean… "Was someone...really injured?"

I drag myself to my chair across from the couch, trying to distance myself from Edward and his ridiculous magnetism. He nods, sadly, taking a sip of his coffee. "Car accident. I was called for one of the drivers. Multiple internal injuries and a severe fracture in her arm…" He pauses for a moment, noticing that my face has dropped. "I'm sorry, Bella...I must sound...really detached to you."

I shake my head quickly, pulling my boots on. He did, but, that wasn't what I was thinking. I was just thinking about how much sadness he must have to see. "No...I...I think I get it."

Edward grips his coffee in both hands and stares at the white lid. "Detaching yourself is...the easiest way to be alright when you see some of the injuries I see."

I nod, trying to smile reassuringly. "It's one of the brain's coping mechanisms. You're dealing with the physical trauma of other people...and it is putting you through emotional and mental trauma. Your brain detaches itself so that it can sort through that."

Edward raises an eyebrow at me. "I'm starting to see the benefit of dating a psychologist."

I roll my eyes. "We're not dating. I'm trying to marry you off to someone else."

He laughs and shrugs. "Unless I can make you fall in love with me." I can't help but smile brightly at him, and he smiles back at me. "Can I walk you to work?"

I glance at the clock. 7:35 a.m.

I huff, but the dumb smile won't leave my face. "I think I would like that."

Edward stands from my couch, smirking at me. He comes around my coffee table and extends his hand to me. "Shall we, then, darling?"

I roll my eyes. "You clearly need to sleep," I mutter, taking his hand and letting him help me up.

I grab my umbrella from its spot next to the door, a bright pink and frilly contraption. It's drizzling and, as much as I like the walk, I don't want to get wet. When we reach the front of my building, I open up the umbrella, only to have Edward take it from me and hold it over both of us. "I can manage," I halfway protest.

Edward shrugs. "I'm walking you to work. I'd like to be a gentleman about it."

I roll my eyes, but, I allow him to take the umbrella. "No wonder your girlfriend dumped you; you're too controlling."

Edward offers his arm to me, which I take. "So are you. Maybe that's why you're still single…" I'm about to bite back a retort, when he says, "I do love that you're willing to give up some of the control to me, though."

I bite my lip, hard, and glare. I hate him. I can't help but think that's supposed to be a sexual innuendo that I'm not catching on to at the moment.

But, I nestle into his side in the rain...and it just feels right. The way he smells, the way his leather jacket is warm against my side...maybe I'm just starved for a physical connection. Or, maybe, I'm buying into his "fall in love with me" manipulation.

Whatever it is, the spell is broken when he starts talking as we walk. "Were you planning to go to Alice's official engagement party? Our parents are throwing it next week?"

I feel my nose wrinkle. I haven't heard about it, yet, but, I believe that I will be required to attend. "Probably," I grind out. I really didn't want to have anything to do with this wedding. She was my best friend and I would willingly walk her down the aisle...but, I didn't want the pomp and circumstance that came with it. I wanted to fade away from the limelight and let her take it all for herself.

I had a wedding once, and it was hell.

Edward's face brightens. "We could drive together…" he says, a little too happily. He must notice this, because he immediately adds, "...if you'd like!"

I smirk at him. "Only if you promise that we can pick up where we left off last night."

The words fly out of my mouth automatically. I'm shocked at my own audacity.

Abort mission, Bella! There are red lights going off in my brain. Sirens are blaring so loudly that my ears pound.

"I...I mean…" I quickly back peddle, but I am floundering. The panic is so overwhelming that I don't know where to go mentally.

I only realize that we are in front of my office when Edward stops. He turns toward me and hands over my umbrella, before kissing my cheek. Low, he whispers in my ear, "I think I'd like that."

I'm left looking like a complete idiot in front of my office with Angela (when had she shown up?), staring at me from the front steps...and I stare after Edward as he walks away.

Why is my heart beating so fast?

Why do I get this weird sense of comfort whenever I'm with him?

Why do I actually think I could finally fall in love with someone again...and it's him?

Angela finally stops her gaping. "So…if that's what 'not interested' looks like, I'd really like to have my husband 'not be interested' in me more often…"

"Angela," I warn, glowering at her. "It's not happening. He's not interested, I'm not interested, and the world will implode before either of us is interested."

Angela's wry smile tells me that she thinks I am an utter idiot. "Uh-huh…"

I tap my fingernails impatiently against my wine glass at the bar as I watch the table where an elegant Irena Denali is seated. She is utterly gorgeous with long, platinum blonde hair, acrylic nails, and perfect ivory skin. Her dress is deep blue and cut down past her breasts to utterly enhance her massive amount of cleavage...that I'm pretty sure is fake.

I can't help but compare myself, wearing the same black dress I had worn a few days prior on my previous "date" with Edward. I'd tried to restyle it with chunky gold jewelry, but, I wasn't quite as elegant as Irena. I looked more like I was playing dress-up in my knock-off Louboutins.

This only helped to make me more annoyed.

It is seven-o-five and Edward - Mr. I've-Never-Been-Late-In-My-Life - is late.

Irena doesn't look terribly concerned, just disinterested. Meanwhile, I am feeling a complicated mix of emotions that I can't describe. I'm annoyed, but, also, I feel...relieved? Is that the word I'm looking for?

Whatever it is, I don't particularly enjoy the confusion I am feeling.

The bartender, a tall, Amazonian looking woman with chocolate skin, braids down to her hips and a brilliant gold name badge that tells me she is named Samara, watches me staring at the table too closely and chuckles. "I think her date stood her up. You might have a shot," she says as she tops off my glass of Merlot.

I grimace, "Oh, no! I'm...a matchmaker. And I set up her date. I came to make sure everything went smoothly!" I sound rather defensive, to be honest...and the lie is fairly obvious.

She smirks, her bright white teeth seemingly almost reptilian. "You're very invested in your clients." She shrugs and hands me a menu in a very serpentine manner. I'm fairly certain that she is a python. "I'll take your card before you leave. Your way might be worth a shot. Dating sucks."

Just then, Zafrina comes to my rescue. She leans casually against the bar, excited. Her eyes sparkle with the anticipation of hearing my answer. "Tell me this is a second date!"

I raise an eyebrow. "What?" I am genuinely confused as to what she is talking about.

She claps her hands together. "The guy! The cute one!" I'm still confused. "From the other night!"

Edward. Realization dawns on me. "Oh. No...he's actually just a friend. And his date is over there." I point to Irena. Zafrina frowns, but looks like it's more a murderous anger than sadness. She's about to say something, but we all are caught off guard by the gorgeous, tall figure walking in.

Edward is strutting into the room in a blue suit and a thin blue tie. I'm breathless at how delectable he looks. My stomach feels like it's in knots as he sits down at the table. I tense up as I see him smile at the blonde, statuesque beauty. She strokes his hand with her long, red fingernails. I feel my eye twitch.

Zafrina clicks her tongue. "You gave that up?"

I shake my head and let out a breath. I didn't know that I was holding my breath. "Yeah...it's fine." It's not fine. "He wasn't mine to begin with, so...it's fine."

It's not fine! It's not fine! ITS NOT FINE! My inner toddler is screaming at me.

Zafrina bites her lip. "That's my table. You want me to keep tabs?"

No. That's unhealthy, Bella. Don't let your friend keep tabs on the a guy that you're developing feelings for when you organized his date. "Do you mind?" I feel my face fall, defeated.

Zafrina punches me in the shoulder. "I got you, girl!" Zafrina adjusts her apron around her hips, plasters on her best smile, and saunter toward the table.

Samara brings me a shot, smoothly sliding it to me on the bar. "You're gonna need more than wine, honey."

I throw it back and slam the shot onto the bar. This is going to be a long date, and she better not keep pouring.

Twenty minutes later, Zafrina has nothing to report except that they're making small talk and that Edward has been a decent date, but, in her opinion, it wasn't going as well as "our date". I roll my eyes at this. She reports that Edward has checked his phone way too often and that Irena has actually put it on the table to try and keep his attention. That doesn't mean a lot to me. He's on call. Irena is clearly trying to work her stuff. If I were a man, I'd be into it.

I finally decide that I'm not really needed and get up from the bar. Edward seems to be doing well enough alone and I'm just not in the mood to watch him and Irena make eyes at each other.

She keeps touching his hand and laughing and...honestly, it's so flirty, I want to vomit...like a teenager watching the football player she had a crush on dance with another girl at prom.

Samara frowns as I gather up my things and wave her over to pay my tab. "You sure you don't want to stay and...watch?" She takes my card, a little skeptically.

I shake my head. "Nah. I think it's going smoothly enough." I smile, forcibly, trying not to choke on my own jealousy.

Zafrina comes up behind me, panicked. "Bella...I don't think you should leave yet…" She's wringing her hands and looks like she really wants to say something.

I shrug, but I can't help but glance at the table behind her. Still looks the same to me... "It's going well." Zafrina opens her mouth to say something as I shove my phone back into my clutch. I raise a hand to stop her. "I don't want to hear it. It's not my business and I shouldn't have been prying to begin with!"

"But…"

I shake my head. "Nope. I'm out. He can report back to me tomorrow!" I smile, again, ever more forced.

I quickly walk through the restaurant to the doors. If I could have sprinted, I would have I'm lucky that you have to walk through the bar to get to the dining area, so, I don't have to pass Edward and his date. I stalk to my truck, slightly fuming, but definitely seeping jealousy out of my pores.

I had Angela drive me to my truck after work so that Edward could get ready. He clearly needed to sleep and it was his date. He needed the time to get ready, too. He was fairly insistent on driving me back, but, I really didn't want to hassle him. And I wasn't sure how I would behave in the car with him alone.

I dig for my keys in my clutch, focused entirely on the need to escape.

"Bella?"

I stop dead in my heeled tracks upon hearing the voice. My heart thuds into my ribcage. I feel suddenly out of breath. I think I'm about to have a panic attack.

"Edward." I say, tersely, not even bothering to turn around. I dig more frantically in my clutch, biting my lip to make sure I don't say anything stupid.

"What are you doing here?" Edward gently asks, his voice so soft and smooth. I grimace. Why am I even angry? I'm being irrational...but I'm also trying to stave off the panic.

I keep with my terse tone and wrench my phone out to get at my keys. "Making sure you don't screw up your chance at happiness. You know…that thing that I made a bet I would do." I spin on my heel. "You two looked like you were getting along nicely." I smile, but I'm sure it doesn't match my tone.

Edward's gaze narrows. "You, who forces me to go on a date…you're jealous?" He motions at the restaurant, "You're jealous of a woman that I have zero interest in?" I can tell that he is annoyed.

I roll my eyes. "Oh, please! I'm not blind! And I'm not jealous of some bleach blonde, all too perfect Russian chick. She's just your type!" I spit the words out as I unlock my truck door and wrench it open.

Edward puts his hand on the doorframe, blocking me from being able to enter. "What are you doing, Bella?" He's still glaring at me, still just as angry as I am.

I meet his gaze, just as intense. "I'm going to go call a friend so that, at least, both of us can get laid tonight!" I grind out the sentence as angrily as possible.

Edward's eyebrows hit his hairline for the briefest of moments before his face is suddenly a mask of calm. "Is that so?"

I shrug. "It's not like Jacob wouldn't come running at the opportunity…unlike some other men I've met."

Without warning, Edward pins me to the side of my truck, his body heavily leaning against mine. "Is that what you want?"

I glare, even though Edward's voice is low and seductive. I will not fall for it…I cross my arms over my chest.

Edward's hands wrap around my waist, gently pulling me closer. His hand gently glides over the fabric of my dress, cupping my ass. "Would you rather his hands be on you right now?"

His lips are inches from my own. I'm broken. I have never wanted to kiss someone so badly while simultaneously wanting to hit them in the face. I force my arms to stay on my chest instead of wrapping around his neck...but, my body still betrays me and I hear my breathing quicken.

Edward continues to be a torturer. He gently kisses my lips, pulling me flush against him. He pulls back. "Would you rather these be his lips instead?"

I can't help it. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him again. His hand snakes under my thigh, pulling it around him, allowing me to feel his need for me against my stomach. I moan into his mouth as his hand finds its way under my dress, creeping up my thigh. I want him closer…

Edward's lips leave mine, trailing kisses down my neck, to my ear. His hand brushes the side of my lace thong and he snaps the string. "Would you rather he be the one slowly sliding this down your thighs?" My breathing hitches and he gently nips my ear. His hand curves around my leg to my inner thigh and brushes my center. My body curves into his hand with a gasp.

Edward growls. "Is it the thought of him making you this wet...or is it my hands?"

I can't answer. His lips return back to mine and he continues kissing me, now hard, pushing me against my truck. I forget where we are as his hand that was on my waist reaches up to cup my breast.

What I know is I want to strip him of that shirt and fuck him in my car.

Edward gently pulls away, he gently takes my face in his hands, leaning his forehead against mine. Our breathing is heavy and it's all I can do to keep from looking at his lips. "Tell me to stop, Bella...tell me you don't want me and I'll disappear into that restaurant. But, either way, this is how my night is going to end. Are you listening?" I breathlessly nod. "I'm going to go back into that restaurant and end my date with Irena. Then, I'm going to spend the rest of my evening thinking about how you feel against me…and how I imagine it would feel you have you underneath me, in my bed, writing in ecstacy." He presses a kiss to my lips that burns my entire body. "Or, I could take you home and we can both find out."

The beeping isn't registering at first in my conscious brain. And, when it does, I feel like I am once again being doused with cold water...or sprayed with a water hose. Edward leans heavily against my truck, still pinning me between his arms. "God dammit!" He tears the handheld screen from his belt and glares at it. He growls, reading whatever notification is coming across his screen. I extricate myself from his neck and attempt to sink into my car. Edward looks at me, sadly. "Bella…"

I grimace. "I...I don't know why I keep doing this…" I push past his arm and go straight toward the open truck door. "This is utterly ridiculous…" I laugh, sarcastically, foisting myself into the truck. "Thank God for your pager, or we might have ended up doing something we regret!" Edward looks equally as angry as I feel...but, I don't really care about his feelings at the moment. I care that I keep compromising myself sexually for him and he acts like this is normal.

"It's work, Bella. I told you I was on call tonight…"

"You're always starting things that you can't finish!" I roll my eyes. "No wonder your girlfriend left!"

Edward grabs my door as I try to slam it shut. "Bella. Be reasonable! I can't just shrug off my job and go for a quickie with the hot psychologist!"

Ice further runs through my veins. I feel like him slapping me in the face would have been preferable to the shock I feel at his words. "A quickie with the hot psychologist?" My face is blank. I'm pretty sure I'm hysterical...because the next thing I do is utterly psychotic. I laugh. "Great. That's really great. I'm glad to hear that's what you think of me."

Edward's face looks like he's the one that was slapped now. "Bella...that did not come out the right way…"

I roll my eyes. "I think it came out just the way you intended it to." I try to slam my door again, but, Edward's strength is enough to stop me. "Can you move? I would like to go home now." The anger has left me. I feel sad and defeated.

Edward's grip on the door loosens, just slightly. "Bella, you're worth more than that…"

I bite my lip. "Worth so much more that you're here with another woman."

On a date that I arranged...because I'm an idiot.

Edward sighs and takes a step back. "Bella...I really care about you."

"You have a weird way of showing it, then," I mutter and slam my door shut. I rev my engine to life and don't look back at Edward.

I'm not going to cry over a man that I am not dating...that would be utterly ridiculous.

So, why is my face wet?

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