~The ruse~
"This is so good!" Emmett's voice is full of enthusiasm and praise for his meal. "How's the ravioli?"
"It's great … really delicious," I reply, trying to sound more enthusiastic than I feel.
I blame my best friend Alice. She's the reason I'm here, having dinner with the handsome man opposite me.
'Go out and enjoy yourself. It will be fun. You'll have a great time,' she said.
It isn't fun, and I'm not having a great time.
Not because Emmett isn't a great guy. He's just not … him.
Nobody is.
And here lies the problem; I'm infatuated with a man I can't have. Someone who doesn't consider me anything more than a friend; a colleague. We work together.
Correction, he's my boss.
What a cliche.
In my defense, I'm not alone in my fascination because he's brilliant, incredibly smart, and charming. He's not too bad to look at either. Okay, that's a massive understatement because it's not an exaggeration to say he's GQ worthy. Not that he lets it go to his head.
Have you ever met anyone who's completely out of your league but doesn't act that way? The fact that he's such a nice guy almost makes it worse because it's easier to fall for him.
I'm not alone in my fascination. Okay, infatuation. Every day I get the joy of watching many women in the office fight for his attention, trying desperately to impress him. They're shameless, but in some ways I'm envious because they flirt with him, they ask if he wants to join them for drinks after work. He declines every time but that's beside the point.
Me, I sit back, wishing I had the guts to be like them, or at the very least tell him how I feel.
I don't.
Instead I hold back from flirting with him. I keep my mouth shut and my feelings buried deep inside. I fade into the background.
I'm pathetic.
I'd said those exact words to my best friend after one too many glasses of Pinot when I admitted my infatuation with our boss. Of course, Alice already knew, but thankfully she didn't tease me about it. She only sought a solution to my dilemma.
"The way I see it, you have two options."
Placing her glass down on the table, years of friendship told me Alice was about to get serious.
"One, just tell him the truth - that you're sick of being just friends. Or at the very least give the guy some clue that you're interested. I don't know why you're making it so complicated. You've never been this flustered around any man before."
Me neither. It's a first. I'm not shy by any means. If I like a guy I've never been afraid to make the first move. There's just something about him that makes me slightly less sure of myself. Mainly I'm afraid he'll turn me down and it will be awkward between us, which would be devastating because I value our friendship too much to risk losing him.
I'm scared of losing him.
Terrified.
Not to mention how difficult it would be at work together if he didn't return my feelings. Talk about awkward. I've seen way too many office romances fail and turn ugly to warn me away from pursuing anything with him.
"You said I had two options. What's the second?"
"You're not going to like it." Alice quite rightly predicted. However I went along with her suggestion anyway. This is what led me here tonight, because apparently the only way to get over one guy is by focusing your attention on someone new, or more specifically getting under them as Alice put it.
It will be fun … give you confidence … be a great distraction she'd said.
Yeah, right.
Dating apps are not fun. It's hard work scrolling through page after page. Second-guessing who's genuine, who's looking for something serious, or just a quick fuck. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just despite what Alice thinks, that's not what I'm searching for.
Truth is, my heart just isn't in it. Every profile I look at I'm comparing the guy to him. However, I can't have him. I never will. So I keep searching and subsequently finding any excuse why they're not suitable. I'm willing this to fail before it's begun.
However, I promised Alice I would go on at least one date, so here I am. My date, Emmett, is funny, smart, and utterly gorgeous. The only problem is we have zero chemistry. He's friend material. Really good friend material. There's nothing between the two of us, no spark, no attraction. Not that he's unattractive. Quite the opposite; Emmett is gorgeous. He has crystal blue eyes, adorable dimples in his cheeks when he smiles. Plus a body most personal trainers would be envious of, which makes sense because he works construction.
I got lucky tonight. Not in that way. There's zero romance or chance of any action here. I'm pretty certain Emmett feels the same way. There's not been any accidental touching, flirting or lingering looks across the table.
He certainly doesn't set my heart racing like he does.
Enough!
I need to stop thinking about him. I'm on a date - with someone else.
He's lovely, but this isn't working.
Emmett laughs suddenly, his expression amused.
"Shit, I said that out loud didn't I?"
Throwing his head back, Emmett laughs again - a full-on belly laugh. "Relax, Bella, I'm not mad, just relieved. I can't have you falling in love with me and breaking your heart on the first date," he winks.
Phew…
I feel like a weight has been lifted since he knows I'm not feeling this, and he isn't either."Wait, why do you look so disappointed?" I observe.
"Truthfully, I was hoping to have a date for the Halloween party I'm going to next weekend," he admits.
"You don't strike me as the type of guy who struggles going solo."
"Usually, I don't, except…" he scratches his head self consciously. "My ex is going to be there. She's taking her new boyfriend too." Emmett looks so crestfallen I want to reach out and hug him. Instead, I settle for reaching across the table, squeezing his hand in comfort. He offers me a grateful smile in return.
"We broke up a couple months ago. She's already moved on. That's why I started dating again … trying to meet someone new and move on. But I can't. I still love my Rosie." He sighs.
I feel for Emmett because I know exactly how he feels. Except in his case, he's had a relationship with the person he has feelings for. Me, I'mhis friend - dependable, hard-working, reliable Bella. The person he turns to in a crisis at work. The one who makes his coffee just how he likes it. His go-to when he needs advice on buying gifts for the female members of his family.
I sound like his PA but our friendship works both ways. He gives me a ride to work when my ancient truck is having an off day - which happens a lot. He buys me lunch every Friday just because he can. He asks about my family and opens up about his. He even knows my favorite coffee and often treats me to it on tough days when I need a pick me up.
Alice is adamant he likes me too, but I don't see it. Believe me, I wish he did, but he's given me no sign that he returns my feelings. His gestures are just what friends do.
"Tell me about her." I encourage, desperate for a distraction from my own pathetic love life. Or lack there of.
Emmett provides this and some. He spends the next half hour telling me all about the woman he's clearly still in love with.
"I'm sorry." He apologizes when he comes to the end of his monologue about his perfect ex. "You don't need to hear this. I'll be fine on my own."
Emmett tries to sound upbeat but I can see his downtrodden expression and hear in his voice how much he still cares for and misses his ex. If only she could see what she's missing. How lucky she is to have a guy like Emmett, then I bet they can work through their problems.
It's at that moment I decide that while I may not be able to fix my own pathetic love life, I can help, or at the very least support Emmett. Either way, I feel compelled to help him in whatever way I can.
"So this party. What does it involve exactly?" I ask, my plan forming.
"It's a Halloween party, so fancy dress, obviously. There'll be a lot of food, unlimited drink, and me wallowing over my ex." Emmett tries to make light of the situation but I can see he's hurting.
"Or I go with you. I'll pretend I'm your new girlfriend and we can make your ex jealous," I suggest.
Emmetts brows knit together.
Okay, when I say it in that way it sounds kinda nuts, maybe even spiteful, but I think this could work. You don't know what you've got till it's gone, or until you see your ex with someone else. That's what I'm hoping for.
"Yeah, I'm not sure about that." He says scratching the back of his head, a nervous gesture I've picked up on. "It sounded like a good idea before, but now I'm not so sure I want to hurt Rosie."
As lovely and thoughtful as he is, she is taking a date too. Where's her thought for him?
"Trust me, if she has any feelings for you she'll be jealous. Who knows it might be the push she needs to break up with her new man. So what do you say, are we fake dating?"
Emmett appears to think about my offer for a moment before replying enthusiastically.
"I'm in."
…
"Hold still will you, I'm almost done!"
Alice instructs as she's putting the finishing touches to my makeup. I'm a little grouchy today maybe because he left the office early and I won't see him til Monday morning.
Two whole days.
I sound obessesed.
Maybe a night out is exactly what I need. At the very least it will distract me from my wallowing.
"Okay, I'm done," Alice declares, excitedly clapping her hands together before she steps away, leading me towards the full-length mirror.
Alice knew better than to suggest a slutty naughty nurse costume. Instead, we settled on Dorothy from the wizard of Oz, with Emmetts given the choice of either tin man, scarecrow or the cowardly lion. I'll find out which he's selected when he picks me up.
"Where is this party anyway? And more importantly are there likely to be any hot, single guys there?" Alice is getting excited and way ahead of herself.
"I don't know. Emmett did some work on his house and the two of them have been friends ever since. It's how he met his ex. I can't remember exactly. He talks about her so much I zone out half the time. Apparently the family goes all out every year. They love all that shit."
"I still can't believe you're going through with this." Alice sniggers. "You hate Halloween, and you hate fancy dress even more!"
"I know, but somehow I volunteered anyway. This is going to be so bad." I groan.
"I don't know why you're stressing out. Just find a hot pirate to hit on to pass the time."
"I have a date, remember?" I point out. Alice looks thoughtful.
"Can't you just try and make something work with Emmett? He sounds fun and he must have made some impression for you to help him out like this. You guys have been texting loads since your non date- date."
"It's not like that. Emmett's a great guy. He's just not …"
"Him … I get it." Alice finishes for me, nodding understandingly. She gives my makeup a final once over before her expression turns hopeful.
"It's going to be okay, Bella. I have a good feeling about this."
I shake my head. With Alice and her good feelings, who knows what will happen.
…
"His name was Aro. He was a husky. And we had a pet lizard called Felix…"
We're on our way to the party. As promised, Emmett is dressed as a scarecrow to my Dorothy. Once I had finished laughing at his costume, we went over our story again. Emmett has filled our journey by running through facts about his childhood, high school, and his friends. We're onto his first pet's names now.
We've come up with our cover story about how we met. We've gone over our likes, dislikes. All the shit couples should know about each other. However, it's come to a point where I had to cut him off.
"Okay, I've got it. We'll wing the rest when we get there. Rosie better be worth it!"
"She is." Emmett smiles dreamily.
"So remind me again why it didn't work out between you two?"
"It's complicated. We're very different people. Her family are all so successful, so accomplished, you know? Then there's me - a guy who works in construction."
"Hey, none of that! You're great, and if she or any of her family made you feel like you're not good enough then we're turning this car around right now!" I don't know why I feel protective of Emmett, I just do.
"Not at all. They're good people. They never once made me feel like I wasn't good enough. I'm the one who fucked it up." He says with regret.
"Rosie was away a lot. I was working long hours on a job. We barely saw one another. We got into an argument that went too far. We were both too stubborn to back down. Now none of that even matters. I miss her so fucking much"
"You can get her back. I'm sure of it." I say confidently. He offers me a small smile before turning his attention back on the road.
…
When we pull up outside the house all I can do is stare. I'm not a massive fan of Halloween but this place looks pretty fucking cool. There are all sorts of decorations and props covering the entire house, turning what is a beautiful building into a haunted house worthy of something out of the Addams family. There's a family of skeletons lined up outside, a creepy as fuck collection of headstones lined up in the front garden. That's on top of all the cobwebs, decorations, and spooky signs plastered all over the house. The dark lighting, chilly atmosphere add to the whole haunted house vibe.
Someone put a lot of effort into this.
"Cool, right?" Emmett's loving it already and doesn't even attempt to hide his excitement.
"Yeah, it looks great. This could actually be a fun night," I joke.
No sooner have the words left my mouth, do I see something that stops me in my tracks. I know the car that's parked right outside the house. I've been in that car many times.
No fucking way.
I'm tempted to ask Emmett to turn around, tell him I've changed my mind - that I can't do this, because he's here.
My boss.
Edward Cullen.
"Are you okay, Bella?" Emmett asks besides me.
"What did you say your ex's name was?" I ask, panicking.
Emmett looks at me like I've gone mad. "Rosie."
"Rosie what?" I don't mean to snap, but my pulse is frantic, my palms are sweating.
"Rosalie Cullen."
FUCK!
And then everything clicks into place.
How did I not link Edward's sister Rosalie with Emmetts ex Rosie? Edward is so proud of his little sister and is constantly talking about her. I even helped him pick her birthday present last month!
In my defence I've never met her before, or the boyfriend I was under the impression she was still blissfully happy with. I'd know because Edward is forever going on about what a perfect couple they are or were, I suppose.
"What's wrong?" Emmett asks, looking concerned.
"That's my boss' car." I say pointing to the silver Volvo in the driveway.
"You work for Edward?"
"Yes, I do." I don't know how I manage to sound so casual when I'm a nervous wreck. Emmett meanwhile appears completely unfazed by this latest development.
"Wow, small world. Edward is Rosie's brother who I was telling you about earlier. It's his turn to host the famous Cullen family Halloween party. He's a cool guy but I guess you already know that seems as you work for him."
Honestly, I'm at a bit of a loss for words. Emmett notices my hesitance. "If this changes things we can forget about this crazy plan," he says, looking disappointed.
As tempting as it is to take him up on his off, I can't do that to Emmett. Planting a fake smile on my face I tell him, "No, it's fine. Let's do this."
Put on my big girl pants and march up the driveway.
Let's get this show over with!
….
Making our way inside, the house is already packed full of people all getting into the spirit of the night. Drinks are flowing, music is blasting out of the speakers, and everyone is laughing, talking, and generally having a good time.
There are so many kids running around in costumes, wearing the masks of their favorite superheroes. The adults are all in costume too. There's a mix of scary ghosts and ghouls, monsters, to the more recognisable film stars and celebrities along with some of this years more controversial Halloween costumes.
One thing for sure, it's the most impressive Halloween party I've ever been to. The interior is spectacularly spooky and completely over the top. You can't fail to be impressed by the effort the host has gone to.
Speaking of Edward ….
Looking across the room I spot him straight away. He stands out in any crowd. That's not my crush talking - it's the truth.
And because he really is trying to kill me he's dressed as Batman.
Fucking Batman!
Even with a mask covering half of his handsome face, there's no disguising who he is. I'd recognize that delectable jawline anywhere. Oh, the dreams I've had involving that jawline are out of this world.
I stare across, and almost as if he can feel my eyes on him he looks up sharply. Our eyes meet across the room. A warmth spreads through me and I feel my face heat up when his eyes lazily make their way up and down my body before his eyes return to mine, holding my gaze.
He sends me a gorgeous, heart-stopping smile that lights up his entire face momentarily before his gaze leaves mine, flickering to the side. His eyes suddenly harden, his jaw tenses.
"Looks like we've been spotted." I barely registered Emmett's voice in my ear because I'm too distracted by the expression on Edward's face. It's a mix of shock and anger, and something else I can't identify. Hurt maybe?
But that makes no sense unless he's mad at Emmett for bringing a date. Or worse, is he angry at me for being here? Who knows. All I know is that Edward Cullen is not a happy man. I've never seen such an uneasy look on his handsome face.
"Let's go say hi," Emmett encourages, completely unfazed by Edwards reaction.
Taking a deep breath, I plant a smile on my face as we approach. I'm gripping Emmett's hand so tightly he asks me to ease my grip.
When we reach Edward and the beautiful lady by his side I struggle not to flinch because from a distance he looks mad, up close, he's furious. His eyes narrow, focusing intently on Emmett's hand in mine.
Puzzled by his hostility, I turn my attention to his sister, knowing from the detailed description Emmett has given me, this must be Rosie. She's every bit as beautiful as he described. Her hair is immaculate, with not a single strand out of place. Rosalie's sexy devil costume looks incredible on her. She looks fierce. Emmett certainly seems to think so. He can't keep his eyes off her.
"Nice of you to finally join us, Emmett," Edward says, a hint of annoyance in his tone.
"We're here now. That's all that matters." Emmett replies jokingly before his eyes cut back to his glamorous ex. "Hello, Rosie."
"I'm so happy you could make it. You look great!" She replies, sounding genuine. The two of them share what can only be described as a moment before her gaze flicks to me. "And who's this with you?"
"This is Bella." Edward answers for me.
"Hi, Edward." I smile across at him, but he doesn't return my smile. He still looks angry, though I can't understand why that is.
"Wait … you guys know each other?"
I'm relieved Rosie asks because it gives me a break from Edward's penetrating stare. Turning my attention back to his sister, I can feel his eyes burning into me as I explain, "Edward and I work together."
"Small world, right?" Emmett comments.
Rosie's gaze turns to him and they share a look I can only describe as being full of longing. They're focused on each other, completely oblivious to anyone else around them.
"And how do you and Bella know each other?" Edward interrupts their moment, directing his question at Emmett, but his eyes are focused on me. It's a little intimidating … slightly unnerving actually.
"Bella is my girlfriend."
Emmetts announcement is met with silence, excluding the little choking noise coming from Edward. I don't know for sure. I'm too nervous to look at him. Instead, my eyes are drawn to his sister and I feel awful when I see the heartbroken look pass across her face. She recovers quickly, offering me a warm smile that does nothing to ease my guilt.
But why should I feel this way? She brought a date too. One I've not yet met, but she's with someone else, right? It's the reason I'm here supporting Emmett.
"Your … girlfriend?" Edward repeats slowly, like the words leave a bad taste in his mouth. I send him a hard stare back. Not liking his reaction or the disbelieving expression on his face for that matter.
"Well, we're glad you could make it. Isn't that right Edward?" Rosie nudges her brother but I can see the pain in her eyes. Her smile is forced … painful.
I just want to disappear. The atmosphere is so awful. Why did I think this was a good idea? Edward sends me another confusing look before he breaks eye contact, narrowing his eyes at Emmett.
"I didn't realize you were dating anyone?"
Something in his tone once again angers me, it's almost like he doesn't believe we could be dating. How rude.
"It's pretty new and also, none of your business," Emmett jokes, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
Looking up at my 'date', I offer him a smile, and squeeze his waist, encouraging him to play along, because Edward's attitude is pissing me off. I can feel his eyes burning into me, but I don't acknowledge him. He's the one making this more awkward than it needs to be. But why? That's what I don't understand. While I'm pondering this Rosie has a question of her own.
"Wait … earlier, you said Bella works for you?"
"Yes, I do. I joined the company a few months ago. I work in the marketing department." I answer.
"That's … interesting." Rosie smirks across at her brother, muttering something under her breath that I can't hear. Before I can ask her to repeat what she said Edward quickly changes the subject.
"What are you drinking?" He asks.
Anything.
Everyone laughs.
A flush creeps across my cheeks. Shit, I said that out loud again.
Emmett gives my waist a friendly squeeze. I swear I hear Edward growl. Damn, he is protective of his sister. But maybe he's right and we are being a little insensitive to Rosie. However, this isn't much fun for me either. I'm trying to help them, trying to find out if she still cares for him but I suppose he's not to know that.
"Drinks?" Edward prompts, his voice sounds strained.
Emmett asks for a beer, Rosalie another wine, and when Edward turns to me, I think he's about to ask me what I would like. Instead, he asks if I would mind helping him with the drinks.
"Yeah, sure," I reply, not having any choice but to agree. Any other time I would love spending time with Edward, but something tells me this has less to do with him needing my help carrying a few drinks and more about him fishing for information.
We make our way through the crowd, I struggle to keep up with his long strides. In the end, Edward takes my hand in his. I feel a current through me as his fingers clasp firmly around mine. I gasp, trying to cover it with a cough, hoping he didn't notice my reaction.
The room is packed and we struggle to find a gap in the crowd. When someone steps in front of Edward he comes to an abrupt halt and this time I swear he's the one groaning when my chest brushes against his back.
...
When we reach the kitchen I smile because Emmett was right in the description he gave weeks ago. There's an endless supply of drinks lined up on the counter. Something to please everyone - beers, wine, spirits, and a collection of soft drinks. I head over, picking up a beer for Emmett first. I'm pouring a glass of red wine for Rosalie when Edward comes over holding out a vodka coke for me.
"Oh, thanks," I say, not surprised he remembered it's my favorite. He's thoughtful like that.
Turning away, he grabs a couple more drinks before offering me a bottle of beer. Eying the drink I already have in my hand he tells me. "You give that to Emmett, and you won't hear the end of it for the rest of the night. He only drinks this particular brand." He says knowingly.
"Oh, right. Of course," I respond, trying to cover my mistake because a good girlfriend should know what their partner does, or doesn't drink.
Drinks collected, Edward makes no move to return to the party. He comes to stand beside me, resting idly against the counter, arms crossed, a thoughtful look on his handsome face.
Usually I can talk to him about anything and everything but so far our conversations feel forced.
"Now I know why you had to shoot off early today?" I try again.
Edward raises his eyebrow in response.
Yeah more tension.
"All these decorations must have taken you a while to put up?"
This time I'm rewarded with a small - a small one but it's there nonetheless.
"It's a bit much right?"
"No, it's great. It must have taken you forever to get them all up?"
"Yeah, I got a little carried away."
"It explains why you snuck off today," I point out.
His face turns serious again.
"I didn't sneak off Bella. I came to see you but you were on lunch with Alice."
"You did?"
"Yes, I wanted to speak to you. I was going to ask…" he pauses. Shakes his head. "Never mind. It doesn't matter now anyway." He says dismissively.
"You didn't tell me about Emmett. I thought we were friends Bella." He looks hurt.
"Edward I …."
I pause. I'm a terrible liar. I immediately want to tell him the truth but before I can the moment is gone.
"I suppose it's none of my business who you are seeing. It wasn't like you were going to stay single forever." He says quietly.
"We're just seeing how it goes. It's early days," I reply quickly.
"Serious enough for him to call you his girlfriend … to bring you here as his date. But Emmett!" He exclaims, his voice taking on a skeptical tone. He raises his eyebrow questioningly.
"What do you mean by that?"
Seriously, what is it with him? Why does the idea of us being a couple amuses him so much?
"You know he and my sister used to date, right?" His scowl is back.
"Yes, Emmett has mentioned it." I tense, wondering where he is going with this.
"And it doesn't bother you?"
No, but clearly it bothers you!
"It's over between them so why should it matter?"
"Are you sure about that? I saw how uncomfortable you were back there."
Who's fault is that? It wasn't Rosie who was making me uncomfortable earlier.
"Thank you, but your concern is unnecessary. And besides, I don't see what it's got to do with you?" I snap. I need to calm down. My voice sounds strange … defensive.
"What's it got to do with me?" Edward mutters, shaking his head. He looks taken aback. "We're friends, Bella. And I wouldn't be a very good friend if I didn't tell you the truth. Emmett is a great guy but the two of you are not suited. Not like he and Rose are." He says bluntly.
Wow. Talk about rude. But I get it now. That's why he was acting so strangely earlier. He's saying I'm not good enough for his friend, or that we're not as suited as his sister and Emmett were. Either option is pretty insulting.
"Yeah, because Emmett couldn't possibly want to date me, right?" I go with sarcasm to cover my anger and disappointment.
Clearly, I failed, and seeing my hurt expression, Edward suddenly became serious.
"That's not what I meant at all. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, or make you feel unworthy," he sounds sincere.
"You didn't." I offer him a tight smile, but the truth is Edward's words do cut deep because I care what he thinks about me. And the idea that I might not be good enough for his friend …yeah, it stings.
"I think I did and that wasn't my intention. The truth is, I'm struggling to get my head around the idea of the two of you together."
He stands in front of me. His eyes dance over my face, briefly meeting mine before they focus on my lips. Leaning forward as if he were about to kiss me, he tilts his face down to whisper in my ear. My breathing picks up with the intensity in his eyes, but the moment is broken when Emmett appears.
"There you two are are!"
We both pull away quickly. I'm trembling, a fucking mess. Edward meanwhile appears completely calm and collected, making me think maybe I imagined the whole thing.
My eyes fall on Emmett who's standing in the doorway. If he's surprised by our closeness he doesn't show it. His expression is jovial, almost teasing.
"Thought we'd lost you. You've been gone so long! I hope you're not boring Bella with work talk." He walks up to me, wraps an arm around my waist to pull me against him as a phone starts ringing.
Edward pulls his phone from his jacket, glances down at the screen before sending us an apologetic smile.
"Excuse me, I need to take this." He abruptly turns and walks away without another word.
…
Drinks in hand, we make our way back to where we left Rosalie. The drinks flow, as does our conversation. Rosalie, or Rosie as she insists I call her, has such an easy manner about her. It doesn't feel awkward or forced, as perhaps it should. I enjoy getting to know her a little better, and I can immediately see why Emmett is so hung up on her.
Just as I'd hoped it's clear they miss one another immensely. I'm hopeful that with a little nudge they can put the past behind them and we can quit this charade before it goes too far.
While Rosie and Emmett are chatting away, I can't help glancing around the room. I pretend I'm absorbing the atmosphere but really, I'm just looking for Edward. I spot him straight away; he's finished his call and is talking with a group of men on the far side of the room. There's a strained look on his handsome face. Maybe there's a problem in the office that was the cause of his bad mood.
Realizing I'm in danger of being caught staring again, I turn my attention to Rosie and Emmett. Thankfully they are too lost in each other to have noticed. There's no sign of her date yet which is odd considering how long the three of us have been talking. I remind myself to ask her about it soon. But first, I need to speak to Alice, to give her the update I promised. Also, my absence will give the former couple some alone time without me playing gooseberry. If they can just talk, maybe they will see how perfect they are together.
…
"Alice, he's here," I whisper, mindful of anyone overhearing. Because while I can see Edward in the middle of the room there are plenty of other people within earshot who don't need to hear this conversation.
"He?"
"Edward Cullen! The party is at his house. This is a complete, fucking disaster!"
There's a brief pause at the end of the line. "Okay, calm down and stop being over dramatic." Alice says calmly. "There's a simple solution to this. Just tell Edward the truth?"
Is she serious? That's her solution.
"Why didn't I think of that?" I say dryly. "Yeah, none of this is true. I'm not dating Emmett. I'm only here to make your sister jealous and hopefully get her and Emmett back together. That sounds great. He'll hate me"
"No, he won't. Not if you explain why you're trying to help them. I think he'll even find it quite funny once he knows the truth."
"You think?"
"I do. He'll think it's really sweet of you to try and help. Crazy, but thoughtful. Most of all he'll be relieved because you might not see it but I see the way he looks at you when he knows you're not looking."
"Alice, we've been through this before. Edward doesn't see me that way," I reply sadly. "I'm wasting my time with him. I've accepted that friends are all we'll ever be, and I'm fine with that."
Totally fine … Really.
Looking over, sure enough, he's surrounded by women fighting for his attention. There's one woman, dressed as catwoman complete with a skin tight leather bodysuit who is particularly persistent. She's all over him; confirming what I already know; that he's way out of my league. Not that I'd dream of saying that to Alice. I'd have a lecture on being more confident which I'm not in the mood for right now.
My shoulders slump, suddenly weary and we've not even been here an hour. "Look, I should go. Emmett will be wondering where I am."
"Hold up a minute. You need to hear this. I think it's time you stop playing Cupid for other people and look after your own love life. How long are you going to keep pretending there's nothing between the two of you?" Alice has a good heart and while she means well I'm not convinced she's right.
"I need to go now but don't worry about me, okay. I'll see you later tonight" I say goodbye and end the call before she can say any more.
In a couple of hours, we'll be out of here. That's what I tell myself as I make my way back inside.
…
After I've spoken with Alice, I stick by Emmett's side meeting so many new faces I struggle to keep up. He introduces me as his date, and the more times he says it, the more uncomfortable I feel, and the less believable it sounds.
This whole situation feels wrong.
Even though this was my bright idea, deceit doesn't sit well with me, especially having spent time with Rosie this evening. I like her and feel guilty. Even more so now she's introduced us to her 'date' or her plus one, Jake, who as it turns out isn't a real date after all.
Ironically, Rosie is playing matchmaker for another friend she invited along. Some guy called Paul, I think? I can't be sure. I was too focused on the horrified look on Emmett's face when he realized he'd got it so spectacularly wrong.
A simple misunderstanding has left us in a tight spot. So, where does this leave us now? What's the best thing to do? Do we come clean and hope Rosie sees our plan for what it is - a massive mix-up. It feels like we've come this far now we have to just go with it.
And then there's whatever is going on between me and Edward. For the last hour he's kept his distance. Yet, while I've been busy playing the perfect girlfriend I've felt his eyes on me, or maybe I'm just paranoid.
Maybe it's the alcohol or perhaps it's Alice's words playing over in my mind but I'm conflicted. Do I tell Edward the truth about me and Emmett? About my feelings for him? About everything?
No, I can't do that … not now. Not while there's Rosalie and Emmett to sort out first. Though God knows how we're going to fix this mess now we are so deep into the lie.
Eager to give them some more time together I go in search of the buffet which Rosalie tells me I must sample. And who in their right mind turns down free food? Not me! She's not wrong; the dining room is filled with so much food I don't know where to start.
"Hungry?" a warm, smooth voice behind me.
Turning around, Edward is standing in the doorway, looking very pleased with himself. There's a difference in him; confidence in his body language that wasn't there before. The kind of look I've only ever witnessed when he's secured an important deal with a client at work.
He's reveling in something. What that is I cannot be sure, but if the deliciously smug smile on his face is anything to go by, I'm not sure I want to know.
"What are you doing hiding in here?" His eyes sparkle with mischief.
"I'm not hiding. And what are you doing here anyway? Are you stalking me now?" I tease.
Edward takes a step towards me, a smirk on his face. "Maybe I am? Shouldn't you be with your date?"
"We're not joined at the hip you know."
"Oh, I noticed that."
Shaking my head, I ignore his comment, focusing instead on the treats in front of me.
The table is filled with a mass of delicious treats. But it's not all fancy. There's real homemade stuff too; cookies, cakes, and classics like toffee apples, delicious and slightly disturbing looking desserts in the shape of skulls, eyeballs, and some weird jelly-like creations crammed full of artificial colours which will have interesting results when the kids get their hands on them.
Some of the cupcakes have clearly seen better days and while the kids had fun making them, they're not the prettiest things I've ever seen, but it's sweet of Edward to include them.
I hear him approach but I don't look up. "These are … sweet." I'm going for tactful, but there's no nice way of describing the cupcakes monstrosities in front of me.
"Did the kids make them?" I ask, pointing at some of the less fortunate cakes which look like a tube of icing exploded all over them.
Edward snorts. "No, those are my mother's handiwork."
"Oh!"
Fuck! Now I'm insulting his mother.
"Don't worry, she knows they're awful. If you think these are bad, wait until you see what she did to the pumpkins out front." He sniggers.
"Pumpkins?"
I don't recall seeing any pumpkins outside. Then again, I'd been a little distracted by Edwards' car in the driveway. I must have missed them.
"Yeah …me and dad managed to hide most of them. They're so bad, but mom had fun creating them so we indulge her." He smiles bashfully.
See, this is the Edward I love - the sweet, considerate man who's just a good guy.
Sigh.
Turning my attention to the food in front of me, I'm debating what to have whenEdward's voice appears behind me, his breath tickles my ear.
"Can I make a suggestion?"
"Go for it," I say, trying to sound normal.
I turn around to see Edward cutting a piece of pumpkin pie from the vast selection of desserts on offer. When he's finished, rather than offer me the piece like I'm expecting, I watch, mesmerized as he takes a bite himself.
Let me tell you, there's eating pie and then there's the way Edward Cullen eats pie. He's eating it like he's eating … Well, he's devouring it. Let's put it that way.
Suddenly, he looks up, smirking when he catches me staring.
"You want some?" He enquires.
Shaking my head, I glance away because I can't fucking speak right now, let alone eat. Lifting my eyes to his, I'm determined to not let him know how much he's affecting me. I don't think I'm fooling anyone, least of all him. His knowing smile tells me I'm not.
He cuts the remaining piece of his dessert into small bite-size chunks. Pushing the fork to one side, picking up one of the pieces up in his fingers, offering it to me.
"Taste?"
Of the pie? No thank you. Of something else - yes, please! Of course, I don't tell him this.
"No thanks," I stubbornly refuse, all the while my eyes are narrowed in on his fingers - his long, elegant fingers.
"Eat." His voice is both a command and an order.
Bossiness really shouldn't be so attractive but on him it somehow is. I feel my pulse hammering against my chest as my lips part, ready for Edward to slip the dessert into my mouth.
His eyes don't leave mine as I enjoy the delicious treat. And then because he really is trying to kill me, he brings the hand that fed me up to his mouth, licking the crumbs off his fingers.
Kill me now!
"Delicious," he moans. Somehow, I don't think he's talking about the pie anymore.
"Tastes good, right?"
I take a deep breath as he moves closer. His arms trap me against the counter, but without that, I would be frozen in place. His closeness alone makes me weak and dizzy. I nod my head because I don't trust my voice right now.
I don't realize I'm leaning into him until we're practically touching.
His hands find the back of my neck, tilting my face up to his. He leans down like he's going to kiss me, but before our lips can connect he pulls back ever so slightly.
He tilts his head to one side, a dangerous smile pulling at his lips. "I don't buy it. You and Emmett; You're not together."
It takes me a few seconds to process what he said. I feel like a bucket of cold water has been thrown over me. I thought the flirting was real, that he was feeling the moment like I was, but it appears to be just a game to him … a challenge.
How disappointing.
"What the hell makes you say that?" I demand, taking a step back away from him.
"I know you're lying. You know what else I noticed?" His tone is amused which angers me more.
"Please enlighten me," I try to sound indifferent.
"He's not kissed you." His smile grows.
"What are you talking about? Of course, he's kissed me," I claim. He must have kissed me, right?
Edward raises his eyebrows and looks at me curiously, his smile turning into an amused smirk. "Sure, he's kissed your forehead and cheek. How very sweet, very tame, but not a real kiss."
"That's all you got, please. I'm not a fan of PDA - Emmett respects that." I justify.
"So, if I was to kiss you here ... now you would stop me?"
"Yes."
No.
"Really?" He leans in and I'm suddenly aware of how close he is again …how incredible he smells … how dark his eyes are. All details that contradict my words.
"Yes, I would stop you. But I wouldn't need to because you wouldn't do that. You're not that guy Edward. He's your friend." My voice is breathless … Shaky.
"I'm glad you have such faith in me." His lips quirk, clearly loving the effect he has on me; yeah, he's definitely enjoying seeing me so flustered.
The air feels electric … charged. His eyes drift from mine, down to my lips. He smiles a slow sexy grin. My stomach clenches and I feel a stirring inside that I've not experienced in a long time. If ever.
Edward's smile fades, his expression almost vulnerable as he reveals, "I don't like it …. You and him together, or whatever this is."
He leans in impossibly close. I shiver when he reaches out, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. His touches linger across my skin before he places a finger beneath my chin, tilting my face up to his.
"But you're right. I won't do that to him."
Suddenly he pulls back, leaving me frustrated, but most of all disappointed because despite what I said, I want him to kiss me. I'm ready for him to kiss me.
However, Edward isn't done here. His gaze meets mine; A slow, sexy smile spreads across his face, promising this isn't over. "You can keep up whatever game this is, but I'll get to the truth. You can be sure of that. I'll come to find you later when you're ready to talk."
There's a challenge in his eyes and suddenly I'm determined to prove him wrong, beat him at whatever game this is.
You want a challenge, Edward Cullen
You've got one ….
…
Okay, so Edward almost won.
I very nearly caved and told him the truth about the reason I'm here, tonight with Emmett. I can't deny that, but I refuse to let him break me so easily again. He caught me off guard, that's all. Now, it's my turn to torment him … to bring him to his knees as he so very nearly did me.
A part of me doesn't understand what's happening tonight. It's all so new … so exciting. His forwardness, his boldness, the teasing, the flirting.
Everything.
Is it just a game to him? Or is there more to it? Could he feel the same way I do? Moreover, Can I risk a job I love for a night with the man I've been pining over for so long? A part of me doesn't care, says screw it, embrace it and go with it. See what happens.
Which is exactly what I do.
I don't know why I can't just tell him the truth. Wait, that's a lie. I know why. It's because I'm enjoying toying with Edward too much to back down. We have ourselves a game of cat and mouse going on. I'm enjoying teasing Edward, as much as my actions are frustrating him.
The next hour, I forget I'm here to help Rosalie and Emmett reconnect. My main goal is to torment Edward and it's working too. When I dance with Emmett I feel him watching my every move. When I lean in to whisper something in Emmett's ear, the glare he sends my way tells me he's far from happy. I don't care that I'm driving him crazy. If anything, the fact that my actions appear to be enraging Edward spurs me on.
…
We dance for a while before I need a break and find a spare seat near the makeshift dance floor, encouraging Rosie to take my place. Watching the two of them together I can't help thinking how striking a couple they are. However, it's the man on the far side of the dancefloor entertaining the kids that captures my attention.
"He's so good with them." A voice appears beside me.
I recognize the lady sitting next to me. Tanya, I think Rosie said her name was. There are so many new faces I'm losing track of who's who, however her Cruella De Vil costume makes her stand out in the crowd. She's even got her kids dressed up as mini versions of the infamous Disney Villain.
"It's Bella, right?" She asks.
"That's me," I smile across at her. "And you're Tanya? Rosalie's cousin?"
"Yes, and those little devils over there are my kids. I love them to bits but they're a handful." She laughs, pointing towards the two little girls Edward is keeping entertained. He's so cute with them. I can't draw my eyes away from him.
"They look pretty settled for now," I observe.
"Yeah, Edward's great with the kids, and they sure love spending time with their favorite Uncle." Tanya comments before her eyes cut to mine. "He's not brought many dates to these parties before. Tell me you must be special."
"Excuse me?"
"You're Edward's girlfriend right?"
"No, I'm here with Emmett," I correct her.
"Emmett?" She says disbelievingly.
"Yes, Emmett." Why is it so hard to believe? I'm starting to be annoyed by this constant questioning. Are we that unlikely a match?
"Sorry, I meant no offense. I just thought… Never mind ..." Her voice trails off.
"Thought what?" I ask, intrigued by what she was going to say.
"I thought if you were with anyone it would be Edward."
Wait … what?
"Edward?" I repeat, confused.
She leans in, patting my hand affectionately. "He's not taken his eyes off you all evening. Tell me, are you three in one of those, what do they call it, open relationships?"
"No, we're not." I stutter on my drink.
"Really? I just thought maybe, you know…" She's rambling, and I'm dying because forget being embarrassed, I'm the color of a fucking lobster.
Blushing, I glance across the room and sure enough, Edward is staring right at me. Our eyes meet and I can't look away even though I know I should because Tanya is beside me sniggering.
"We're just friends," I tell her when I finally force my gaze away from his.
"You keep telling yourself that," she winks.
I want to believe her, but it's only a game to him, and as fun, as it is, I can't get carried away with fantasies and wishful thinking.
Tonight is a bit of fun, flirting.
Nothing more.
That doesn't mean I can't have a good night …
…
I stay with Tanya for a while, talking about everything other than Edward despite her many attempts to bring him into the conversation. Eventually, she quits and she goes to rescue him from her energetic children who he's still patiently entertaining.
My talk with Tanya has made one thing very clear to me. I came here for a reason - a reason I've been neglecting. I've been distracted but I'm here to help Emmett and Rosie reconnect. Something I've failed at.
For the last hour, I've watched them fight the connection that's clear for everyone to see. I've tried to give them space, and time together. The simple fact is me being here and this whole farce of a relationship is not helping. I don't know what we were thinking.
I need to speak to Emmett, maybe we can stage some huge elaborate fight. Emmett could say I'm not as good as his Rosie, or I could be the bitch that breaks his heart, and Rosie steps in to console him?
No, lying is not the answer. That's what got us here.
We need to come clean. It's the only way.
….
"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you." I exclaim when I finally track Emmett down.
"Is everything okay?" He has to shout over the music.
"We need to talk." Looping my arm in his, I lead him towards another room so we can talk in private. We end up in the kitchen again where I spy the remains of Esme's demented pumpkins hidden away in the corner.
How did I miss those earlier? Edward is right; they are fucking hideous. There's creepy and then there's plain demented. The word 'butchered' springs to mind. I'm temporarily distracted by some of the more questionable designs.
Hold up, is that a dick carved into the pumpkin?
I smile to myself imagining Edward's horrified expressions when his mother proudly placed them outside. Emmett's gaze follows mine to the demented pumpkins.
"Is that a dic-" he begins, before I cut him off, turning him away from the suspect pumpkins to face me.
"Forget about those. We haven't got time for that. You need to talk to Rosie. It's time to come clean."
Emmett nods, agreeing with me. "You're right, I know you are. But how do I tell her? She's gonna hate me for lying to her." He worries.
"Yes, technically you did, but you had your reasons. Be honest with her. Tell her how hurt you were when you thought she was bringing a date. Explain to her that the only reason I'm here is to support you."
Yes, it was a shitty idea - my shitty idea, but Emmett wasn't trying to hurt Rosie. And if being around them tonight is anything to go by, I'm positive they can make it work. Heck, they'll probably laugh about this whole fake dating once they've made up.
"Don't let go of what you have over a silly mistake. She still loves you. You love her. Tell her how you feel. Be honest and I'm sure she will understand."
"Thanks, Bella, I mean it. Thanks for doing this, for being here, for everything. You're the best."
Before I can react he pulls me towards him and hugs me. Emmett gives the best hugs.
When I pull away, Edward is standing in the doorway, a curious expression on his face.
Shit, how much of that did he hear?
His smile is unashamedly smug. "Do you mind if I steal Bella away for a dance?"
"Sure. She's all yours," Emmett winks before leaving the two of us alone.
Edward walks towards me, his eyes lock with mine. My breathing speeds up and my heart pounds in my chest when I place my hand in his outstretched one.
"You're all mine now Bella." He says, sending me a devilish smile that makes me tingle all over. I should be nervous. I should be concerned by the predatory look in his eye.
I'm neither …
"Let's go," Edward says before leading us towards the dance floor.
…
Finding a space amongst the crowd, Edward pulls me against him. His arms wrap around my waist, holding me tightly against him. I reach up, wrapping my arms around his neck. My face presses against his chest, breathing in his delicious scent.
A slow song is playing, one I don't recognize. That doesn't matter, I don't need to know the tune to feel the music, to embrace the moment and how good it feels to have his hands around my waist, slowly running up and down my sides. It feels like I've been waiting all night for this moment …to be this close to him. I've wanted to dance with him all night and finally I'm getting the chance.
"I saw you talking with Tanya before," he says as we move in time to the music.
What? Why the hell is he bringing that up now? That was ages ago.
"What were the two of you talking so intently about?"
"What makes you think it was anything more than idle gossip?" I challenge.
Edward laughs, shaking his head, an amused expression on his face.
"Oh Bella, still so clueless, so blissfully unaware. You don't seem to realize I notice everything about you. You were flustered by whatever it was she was saying to you."
Words that should concern me, instead, thrill me. "It was nothing," I claim but he looks unconvinced.
"I don't believe that. You're blushing again. Your pulse is racing and you won't look me in the eye. It's definitely something good."
It's frustrating how easily he can read me when I haven't got a fucking clue what's going on in his head right now. Fine, let's see if I can get a reaction from him another way…
"If you must know she thought the three of us: you, me, and Emmett were having a sordid affair." l reveal, watching his expression carefully.
Edward's face hardens, his voice is harsh … deep … masculine. "I won't share you, Bella. Not with Emmett, or with anyone else."
His words have no room for disagreement. Not that it's needed.
You don't have to ... I'm already yours … I have been yours since the day I started working for you all those months ago. I want to tell him this, but I don't. I'm not ready. Not yet. So, I stay quiet, enjoying the feeling of his hands on my body, his breath tickling my ear, his body pressed so close to mine I can feel exactly what this dance is doing to him too.
There's so much to say. So many questions I have of my own. But now is not the time. I simply enjoy the dance, both lost in our thoughts I suppose. I know my head is all over the place, trying to sort through my muddled thoughts. Perhaps Edward is the same.
When the current song finishes, changing to a faster, upbeat song, it draws more people to their feet. I half expect Edward to take my hand and lead me back to someplace a little quieter, but it seems he's not had enough dancing yet.
Suddenly he spins me around, pulling me as close as he physically can so my back is pressed against his front. His hands travel down my waist to my hips as we move in time with the music.
I like possessive Edward who's not afraid to show me what he wants. A moan escapes my lips as his touch grows bolder …stronger …his hands roam everywhere. Thank God it's dark, otherwise his guests would be getting a free show. At this moment I don't care about anything else or anyone else other than him. I'm too consumed, too intoxicated by his closeness to notice anyone or anything but him. Okay, so maybe a tiny part of me thinks I should tell him to stop ... or remind him where we are, but I don't want that.
Instead, my eyes close, my arms reach behind, around his neck, finding the hair at the nape of his neck as my back arches against him. Just when I don't think I can take any more teasing, his lips find my skin, starting with my jaw, before leaving a slow trail of kisses up and down the column of my neck. The feather-light kisses driving me insane. I grind against him, a silent request for more.
"You've been driving me crazy all fucking night." He whispers against my skin.
His lips then brush against my ear in a soft kiss; a complete contrast to the firm grip he has on my waist as he rubs his body against mine.
"Do you feel that? What you do to me?"
I gasp, feeling every delicious inch of him rubbing against me, which seems to spur him on. Edward chuckles. He's having way too much fun with this but I don't care. I've never wanted someone so much. Another soft moan escapes my lips as he leaves a trail of kisses along my neck, up to my ear, uncaring of who may see us.
His touch erupts butterflies deep in my stomach, and I moan when he bites down on my earlobe.
"I don't like Emmett touching you… I can't stand anyone else looking at you but you know that already. Was that your plan? To make me jealous? You're such a fucking tease."
My breath catches. I feel a thrill rush through me at his words. Words I've never thought Edward was capable of but I love every dirty word that comes out of his mouth.
I whimper, unashamedly rubbing against him, desperate for more. I don't know if my body can take any more teasing. Then Edward pulls away and spins me to face him. His eyes are dark, practically black.
"Are you ready to tell me the truth?"
It's time to come clean.
"We're not dating, okay? Coming here was my idea … my stupid idea to help them get him and Rosalie back together." I confess, the words spilling out of my mouth are out of my control.
Instead of being angry by my confession, a wide smile stretches across his face.
"That's all I needed to hear." Edward says before he grabs my hand, dragging me through the crowd away from the dance door. He's impatient, and uncharacteristically snappy when anyone steps in our path wanting to talk to him. He tells them no. There's no small talk, no apology - simply no. I let it go because I'm as desperate as he is to finally be alone.
As I make my way through the crowd, I smile when I see Rosie and Emmett standing hand in hand wearing matching smiles. Emmett only has eyes for Rosie but she catches my eye and winks across at me. I smile back, hoping that's a sign we're okay … that she forgives me and isn't too mad. That we can still be friends.
Either way, I don't have time to worry because I'm plunged into darkness. I can't see a thing until Edward switches the light on. I think it's his office, or maybe a study but before I can think anymore of it, he locks the door and stalks towards me. He pushes me back against the wall and crushes his lips to mine.
His lips are forceful and demanding against mine. Suddenly it's a frenzy; his hands, his mouth are everywhere, all at once; exploring, kissing, sucking, touching every inch of my skin he can get to. I cling to him, push against him. I love every second of it, every touch, every harsh word, every whisper of what he's going to do to me makes me more desperate. My head reels, not quite believing this is actually happening - Finally.
When Edward deepens the kiss, I don't hesitate to slide my own tongue against his. His tongue plays with mine, and a shiver runs through me as his fingers sink into my flesh. My hands are gripping his shoulders, grabbing his shirt and pulling him into me. Our kisses grow more insistent, our hands continue to roam, trying to get as close as physically possible.
Before we can get carried away Edward pulls away. A protest forms on my lips but before I can say a word, he dips down, his lips nip at my jaw, my neck; not where I want his lips to be and I make this known.
"Please," I beg, my hands reaching for him again but he pins them above my head, holding me captive.
"Not so fun when you're not the one doing the teasing," he taunts. His lips linger close to mine, but not close enough for me to reach. He's toying me and I'm enjoying every single second of his sweet torture.
His body presses against mine, I feel all of him against me as his warm mouth presses open mouth kisses against my neck, nibbling, teasing. It's sensory overload .. too much, at the same time not enough.
Suddenly he stops. Our eyes meet, for a moment I panic thinking he's going to tell me no, that or more teasing, but he must see something in my eyes because his lips meet mine softly … reverently. How I imagined our first kiss.
Capturing my chin with his fingers he lifts my gaze up to his, our gaze lock.
"What are you thinking so intently about?" He asks softly, concern written over his face. "You don't regret this do you?"
"No, it's not that," my voice trails off, and I look down, suddenly nervous. I can feel my heart pounding, my throat feels thick as I worry about what happens next. I want him … want this, so badly. There's no denying that, but after tonight I can't go back to what we were before.
What if Edward doesn't want anything more than one night? What if this is just a bit of fun for him? So much remains uncertain and fragile. I don't want him to regret what happens next so I am anxious about what this means to me, for Edward, for both of us.
He lifts a hand to trace a finger slowly down my cheek. "Talk to me Bella," he urges.
I take a deep breath, struggling to explain what I'm feeling into words..
Okay here goes.
"I just worry what this will mean past tonight." I can hear the nerves in my voice, but I push on, needing to have this conversation now to save any awkwardness later.
"We work together. You're my boss, and I love my job. As much as I want this, I don't want anything to jeopardize that."
"Why would it?" Edwards fingers running up and down my arms, doing the opposite of calming me which I'm sure is his intention. His touch raises goosebumps on my skin.
"I love my job. It's incredibly important to me. And I've worked hard to establish myself. A relationship in the workplace isn't always a good idea. What if it doesn't work out? We still have to work together. I'd hate to lose our friendship and for it to be awkward between us."
"I don't think it would," Edward interrupts but I need to explain my fears.
"If this is a one time only thing …. or more, that's okay. I just need to know where I stand. If you want a casual relationship …or none at all …" My voice trails off awkwardly.
Edward puts his hand under my chin, gently turning my face towards his, he strokes my face, a look of understanding passes across his face.
"You're worried this is a one time time thing?"
I nod.
"Bella, nothing about this is a one off. At least not for me. I want this, I want you. I always have. Can't you see, I wouldn't have spoken to you like that, or dared touch you out there if I thought for one second this was only a one time thing. I'm glad Rosalie overheard what you said to Alice because it gave me the push I needed to finally show you how I feel."
I don't understand what he's talking about at first. Then it hits me.
"Rosalie heard me talking to Alice earlier?" I cringe, "when I called her?"
He nods and I blush remembering what I'd said - I practically declared my undying love for him. "Did she tell you what I said?"
"Most of it, yes."
FUCK.
"Don't be embarrassed." He plants a quick kiss on my lips. "I'm glad she told me otherwise I'd never have made a move and I may have murdered Emmett by the end of the night." He teases.
"Why didn't you? Why haven't you said anything before now?"
"Honestly, I don't know. I wasn't sure how you felt. Plus I'm your boss Bella. If I'd have pursued you at work it could have ended very badly for me. I couldn't take that risk."
"So what changed?" I ask.
"Maybe seeing you with Emmett gave me the push I needed to say and do all the things I never dream of doing before now."
He runs his thumb across my bottom lip, his smile stretches across his face. Mine does too.
"I'm happy you did." Biggest understatement of the year!
"I really want to kiss you now."
My lips are practically touching his as the words leave my lips. "What are you waiting for …."
Edward doesn't need telling twice. His lips meet mine in one of many kisses to end what has been a night full of plenty of treats, and a couple of tricks along the way.
