Some of you are afraid Bella is caving too soon because Edward is so pretty. She's definitely susceptible to his looks, but that's it. Same as he is of her shell. Other than that, neither really knows the other; they didn't know the first thing about each other in high school, and they still don't now. They're in the early stages of getting to know each other.

Yes, Edward has some atoning to do. And I promise, he will. He'll be on his knees and groveling and–

But that's another chapter.

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Thanks to:
Di, my editor,
Paige, Aileen, Rachel, and Renee, my prereaders.

Stupid Little Game
Chapter 6

I flipped and flopped in bed that night, pounding my pillow fiercely, pretending it was Edward Cullen's stomach.

Part of me was starting to like him?

What a crock of shit.

That would be like trying to befriend a lion who was hungry and wanting to make a meal out of me. An utterly idiotic, no-win situation.

And why was I equating Edward to a hungry lion? That was too sexy of an image.

Unbidden, I began to imagine him taking what he wanted, just riding roughshod over my objections as he reached out to grab me, pulling me against his naked chest.

Stop it, horny imagination.

I hated that I thought he was beautiful and sexy. I hated that his patient charm was wearing down my resistance. I hated that he seemed so different from the angry boy in my memories. Liking him, even a little, seemed like the worst kind of betrayal to seventeen-year-old Bella.

Edward Cullen had made her cry and feel like worthless trash many times.

Now, he wanted my forgiveness for all of it. I could tell he wanted it badly, too, but I didn't understand why it mattered to him so much. Surely, he had better things in life to want, especially considering he seemed so far removed from who he used to be. He'd left the asshole behind and emerged on top of his game. I wouldn't have thought my place in his life back then registered much with him.

My throat tightened. Would he want my forgiveness so much if I was still fat and unattractive? Would he still look at me all soft and gentle, practically imploring me to give him what he wanted, if I was ugly?

The thought brought my arms up and around my body in a hug. It hurt a lot, because I didn't think he'd waste much time on me at all, if I hadn't bloomed into what I looked like today. Beautiful on the outside or not, the girl he'd picked on was still very much a part of me. And it should have been enough to disgust me and turn me off him completely, but damn it! He was difficult to resist, both his beautifully contrite face and his persuasive words, and I could feel myself . . . weakening.

I was pathetic.

Mars, as it turned out, wasn't accepting new students; I'd have to stay on Earth.

I also couldn't change my biology class.

Well, it was either that or gym.

I weighed the pros and cons in my mind. Sweating and panting after girls thinner than me while running around in an ugly gym uniform that revealed how big my butt was, or grinning and bearing whatever Cullen threw my way.

Maybe the gym class could help me lose some weight. Then again, gym class wouldn't improve my chances at getting into college; God knew I definitely wasn't going after any kind of sports scholarship. But advanced biology might.

Fine. I'd stick with biology.

I made sure I arrived at class early. There was no way I was stumbling down the aisle in front of Cullen and his sidekicks again.

When they arrived and saw me, they picked up right where they left off.

"She's baaaaaaack," the one with floppy blond hair said, as he and his friend made their way to the table in front of where I sat.

Nothing like stating the obvious. Couldn't go wrong there.

Cullen strolled in just before the bell rang, rolling his eyes when he saw me sitting there. I knew, because I kept my gaze on him until he sneered at me and I had to look away.

"Knew it was too good to be true your ass was gone," he ground out.

"Knew it was too g-good to be true your ass would have d-dropped the class," I said in response, which made the three of them laugh.

"Y-You got me there, Fugly," he replied.

I ignored him after that.

And then the biology teacher called me out.

"Hello again," he said cheerfully. "You must be Isabella Swan?"

I nodded, trying not to cringe.

"Ugly duckling," Cullen said softly beside me. "You'll never be anything but that."

I turned to glare at him. Just what was his problem with me?

"Fuck off," I said, using his phrase.

Glancing at the teacher to make sure he wasn't looking our way, Cullen slid menacingly toward me. He came close enough that I felt his body's heat.

"Don't fuck with me, Isabella Swan," he said in a steely, quiet tone that made the hair on my skin rise. "Or I'll fuck with you so badly, you'll wish you were dead."

As he glared with his pretty eyes into my own wide ones, I kind of already wished I were dead. Or invisible. Or sweating in the gym.

Before he moved away, he shoved my books onto the floor. They hit with a loud thwack that caught everyone's attention, and I burst into flames of embarrassment.

"Sorry," I whispered to everyone and no one as I scrambled to pick them up.

"You're pathetic," Cullen said to me afterward.

For some reason, he kept staring at me. Before I knew what he was doing, he slid close to me again, his hand coming up to gather the long strands of hair at my neck. I felt a loose tugging that eventually grew tighter, and realized he was wrapping my hair around his wrist.

"That's right," Cullen said, and it was a hot whisper against my ear. Weirdly, his voice wasn't ugly and mocking like I was used to hearing, but sinfully silky and playful. "I'm going to fuck . . . with you . . . so bad."

He pulled my head back by my hair, and I heard my heartbeat in my ears—buh-bang, buh-bang, buh-bang—and wondered what the hell was going on. When my eyes darted his way, I saw the five o'clock shadow of a beard on Edward Cullen's jaw, his eyes on my mouth as he drew near.

The world tilted on its axis, dumping me headfirst into my bed as I woke myself up with a shriek.

Holy hell, what was that? With my heart beating a marathon in my throat, I scissored my legs under the bed covers.

"Goddammit!" I yelled into the dark silence of my bedroom.

. . .

Getting ready for work later that morning was weird.

I felt off. Vulnerable. Embarrassed, and as though someone would be able to sense I'd almost had a sex dream about my boss just by looking at me.

No, damn it! The dream had been about my childhood bully who'd turned into my amorous boss.

Freud would have had a field day.

Talk about a head trip. Apparently, mine wasn't screwed on tight enough, because I'd actually yearned to have Edward Cullen's mouth on mine.

It was mortifying.

It was horrifying.

I didn't know if I was more angry or relieved that I'd woken up when I did. Just a few seconds more, and I would have felt the soft heat of his lips . . .

Which would have necessitated me having to call out for the day.

So, really, thank God nothing had happened.

I stared angrily at the pale-faced girl in the mirror, trying to make sense of it all.

Why the hell would I dream such a thing? Was it the anger I still felt down deep, which I was confusing for attraction? Did I need to have a talk with my subconscious?

Even if we didn't have a bad history, Edward Cullen was dangerous to lust after. Not only was he my boss, but he was a good-looking, proud motherfucker who knew it—and I didn't care for that type. I didn't care for who he'd been, and I didn't care for who he was now, either.

Get it together, I told myself as I brushed my teeth viciously. Probably all the women in the office have disturbing dreams about him.

As a result of my inner turmoil, I dressed to kill in a gray calf-length skirt with black polka dots. It was tight, forcing me to take small, mincing steps.

Or, maybe it was the stiletto booties.

My black top was loose with a V-neck and a ruffled bottom, which just brushed the top of my ass. With my dark brown hair pulled over my shoulder in a long ponytail, and a pair of oversized sunglasses on my nose, I felt some of my frayed nerves reknit themselves.

As I made the five-minute walk from my apartment, down Franklin Street to the building where I worked, the appreciative looks aimed my way further boosted my hurt ego.

Thank you, thank you, all, for your assistance in raising my sad self-confidence. While I had come a long way since the hellish high school days of Edward Cullen, there were still times when I needed some appreciation for how far I'd come.

Alice did a double take when she saw me approaching, and I winced.

Too much?

Fuck it.

"Just who are you trying to impress?" Tanya asked dryly as she raked her gaze over my clothing.

Oh, great. Now I had to have an excuse?

"I might go out after work," I answered, as I pulled the glasses off my face and dropped them onto my desktop.

"Going hunting?" Alice asked with a slow grin, her arms draped over the low wall that separated our desks.

As a matter of fact, maybe I would. After a week of horrible sleep and disturbing dreams about Edward Cullen, evidently it was time to replace him with another man's face. While I'd never gone out with the express purpose of finding a one-night stand, maybe if I found the right man, I could go through with it.

I missed Paul, my fuck buddy. A drummer for a small rock band, he was an awful flirt and control freak. He'd wanted exclusivity, but he also couldn't help it if there was a pretty girl around—he'd push the envelope, to see how far he could get with her. So, yeah, not much chance of a real relationship there.

But as an occasional lover, I hadn't yet found anyone who'd compared. Paul had been fun and experimental, sometimes even pressing me for a three-way, but I wasn't into girls. I wasn't into sharing, either. Until he moved away last year, I'd kept it casual with him just because the sex had been incredible.

Yeah, I was restless and horny. Although my vibrator got regular use, it had been too damn long since I'd had a man.

"Need a wingwoman?" Alice asked. "Jasper's working late tonight, so there's no need for me to rush home."

No, just a man.

"Maybe," I said.

"You two are crazy," Tanya said. "Covid is still around, you know."

I really didn't like Tanya. With her long auburn hair and tall, willowy body, she was one of the most beautiful girls I'd ever seen. But she also habitually wore one of the sourest expressions I'd ever seen. She always eyed me as if I was somehow lacking, which reminded me too much about my past insecurities.

"I'll wear a mask and practice safe sex," I told her, just as Edward rounded the corner of Alice's cubicle.

I flushed as his curious stare met mine. Not because he'd heard me, and not because he looked gorgeous today in all black, but because of my damn dream. Put a little five o'clock shadow on his jaw, give his eyes a sleepy, hooded look, and there was the face I'd seen only a few hours ago.

"Good morning, Edward," Tanya purred, stepping out of her cubicle, ostensibly to show off her legs in the short skirt she wore. They were a great pair of legs, too; I'd give her that.

"Good morning, ladies," he said, as he acknowledged each of us. One of his hands rose to his hair in an unconscious move to push it off his forehead. "There's a strategy meeting this morning to go over a new account. They're looking for an advertising agency, so we need to brainstorm."

He turned to me, and when he spoke, my heart jumped into my throat.

"Bella, I'd like you to attend," he said. "You're good at coming up with outside-the box ideas. I know this is unusual, but it's all hands on deck."

"But she's still in training," Tanya said, a stunned look on her face.

I flushed again for a different reason. I was not still training.

Alice frowned. "No, she's not. She's doing exemplary work on her own."

"Nevertheless, people are going to be upset at her inclusion," Tanya said with a huff. "Bella hasn't even been here two months yet."

Edward looked cool and angry. "Send anyone who's upset to me, Tanya. I'd be interested in learning who isn't a team player."

That shut her up.

Fifteen minutes later, I was in the conference room where I'd had my non-interview with Edward. There were several of us: Senior Account Managers, people from the Graphic Design and Advertising Departments, Edward, Alice, and myself.

No, I didn't feel out of place at all.

As Edward explained what the client did, I studied their website on the iPad in front of me. AccuTemp was a commercial kitchen equipment company that sold steamers, griddles, and skillets. Big and clunky, their stainless steel equipment would be tough to glorify on social media.

"Their current marketing package consists of rudimentary brochures and a static website only," Edward said. "So we have an entire spectrum of outlets to tap into. Ideas?"

For some reason, his piercing gaze swung immediately to me. I was hoping someone else would speak up first, and glanced at Alice. She raised her eyebrows at me.

Get it, girl, she seemed to say.

"Well, big and clunky or not, we've got to get those stainless steel boxes onto Instagram and Pinterest," I ventured. "I wonder if a few of their current clients would allow us to use their kitchens and stories as inspiration for future clients."

From across the table, I could have almost sworn Edward's eyes softened as he looked at me. Surely, I imagined it. "Can you expound on that?"

I hesitated, taking in the expressions of the other people sitting around the table. No one seemed put out of place that I was doing the talking, or if they were, they hid it well.

"We contact their biggest, most successful clients. Ask if we could send in a photographer and a writer, with the purpose of using their cooking stories on the equipment to entice new buyers. It could also be free advertising for the client."

"That's a great idea, Bella," Ben said. Today, he was wearing horn-rimmed eyeglasses that made his baby face appear serious and studious. Definitely sexy. "I'd be the one overseeing this client, and I wouldn't mind putting the idea in front of them. Maybe you could assist me?"

I smiled. "Of course."

Alice made a sound of dissent, then Edward spoke.

"I'm sorry, Ben, but Bella hasn't moved up to the usual five accounts yet, and is still working under Alice's direction."

Ben and I traded a quick glance at Edward's rather sharp reply.

So much for teamwork.

But it also begged the question about why I was there in the strategy meeting in the first place. Since clearly, I wasn't able to handle the usual five accounts yet.

"I think you're on the right track with the interview idea, Bella," Edward said, and gave me a penetrating look before he glanced over at Ben. "But perhaps we could film it instead, Ben. Create a bank of mini-episodes? Keep the budget in mind, also."

"Of course." Ben was amiable, easily giving way at Edward's direction.

I watched Edward's fingers—strong, fast, and capable—as he typed something onto his iPad. As I raised my eyes to his face, his gaze met mine. I kept seeing that hazy expression he wore in my dream. Swallowing, I glanced away.

Fuck, why did he always seem to catch me looking at him?

"This will be their tenth year in business," Alice noted. "We could do a 'Ten-Year In Review' for their website, with teasers that link back to it from a number of platforms. I agree with Bella, and think it's key we get them onto social media ASAP."

Again, I noticed Edward keying something into his iPad. It seemed as if he was recording notes during our meeting. Why I found that compelling was beyond me.

"Bouncing off the mini-interview episode idea, maybe AccuTemp could do a recipe tutorial cooked on their equipment on a monthly basis, something we could film and share on their YouTube channel," Angela suggested. From the Advertising Department, she was a little person, which was probably why she wore a bun high on top of her head. Although it gave her a few more inches of height, her overall presence was what made her seem taller to me.

Betsy Cope, Head of the Graphic Design Department, had an idea about giving AccuTemp's logo a facelift.

Thirty minutes later, we had created a solid, multi-pronged plan to propose to AccuTemp, and I was feeling energized by the collaboration. I was also feeling grudgingly impressed by Edward's ability to draw out our best ideas, while suggesting tweaks that kept us under AccuTemp's budget.

As we stood, Ben walked around the table to talk to me. He had the kind of face that seemed to be smiling even when he wasn't.

"Hi, Bella. I enjoyed having you in our meeting—a fresh set of opinions is always welcome. I think your idea about the client stories is going to be a success, too."

"I hope so," I said, catching Edward's face over Ben's shoulder.

"How is Luxe coming along?" Edward asked.

Ben stepped back to let Edward into our circle, then reached out to touch my shoulder. It surprised me.

"Maybe we can have lunch one day soon?"

"Sure," I answered. "I'd like that."

And then it was just me and Edward in the conference room.

I moved to put a chair between us.

"Luxe," I began, my eyes focused on the tabletop, as I was not able to hold Edward's steady, searching gaze without imagining the way he looked in my damn dream. "Well, I'm sure Alice has been keeping you up to date, but Eric—he's my contact—just gave the green light on my idea about an inclusivity spotlight featuring their LGBTQIA employees, to go along with Pride Month."

"And the Graphic Design Department is keeping up with your concepts?"

Why did I have the idea he was just asking inane questions to keep me here with him?

I nodded. "Riley seems to be on the same page as I am when I explain what I'm visualizing. He's also great about accepting the client's wants and needs, even if that means changing the design around."

"Great," Edward said. He had an odd look on his face, as if I'd said something unexpected.

"Is that all?" I asked, taking a small step backward.

His eyes returned to mine, and mine fled back to the tabletop. "Yes, that's it. Thank you, Bella."

"Oh, thank you, Ed," I said with a last fleeting glimpse of his face.

Stupidly beautiful man.

When I left, I could almost feel his eyes on my ass as he followed me out of the room.

It electrified my blood and filled my stomach with butterflies, terrifying me.

A/N: For those who sign in to leave a review, I'll reply with an EPOV snippet. ;-)