Hello everyone,

Again, I won't bore you with a long author's note.

Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following.

Please review...

Edward stared at the cheesecake on his desk. Indigo eyes traced the mountain of strawberries on the plate covered in thick sweet cream before darting back to the woman standing in front of his desk. The treat on his plate had several ideas coming to mind, and none of them had anything to do with consuming the dessert. His nostrils flared as her scent wafted toward him, teasing his senses in a way that hadn't been stimulated in years, his lip curled as thoughts … filthy thoughts intruded on the peace he'd momentarily experienced before Isabella had barged into his study.

His stern gaze drifted over her excellent features, lingering longer than necessary on her light pink lips, his pupils dilating as he focused on her supple bottom lip. Surprisingly, Edward salivated at the thought of sucking the pliant flesh into his mouth, sinking his teeth into the tender skin. The delicious lull of alcohol flowed through his veins, causing everything but Isabella to blur, and even the photo on his desk couldn't draw his eyes away from her. Without even thinking about the implications of the direction of his thoughts, Edward's dazed stare wandered down her form.

Suddenly, the vision of her flung over his shoulder came to mind. A light smirk tipped his lips. She'd put up one helluva fight. Isabella hadn't weighed more than a feather, and while he couldn't decipher her curves under the heavy sweats and hoodie she wore, he'd felt her ass beneath his palm. His cock twitched, reminding him that he was indeed a hot-blooded male, his jaw tightening as he considered what it would be like to take things one step further.

He could command her to strip; right here and now., The temptation caused Edward to lick his lips in anticipation. Edward's fingertips curled at the thought of touching the smooth line of her jaw, trailing the elegant slope of her neck he spied half hidden by the curtain of her hair. His hungry senses honed in on the pulse throbbing to life, and he noticed the increase in tempo under the weight of his gaze. Edward envisioned sinking his teeth into the chords, sucking the porcelain skin, marking her.

Edward's skin prickled with anticipation, his body becoming taut the longer he regarded her. He could wind her hair around his fist while he bent her over his desk. Clenching his jaw, his gaze wandered down to her long slim legs and thought of pushing her thighs apart and sampling the honied flesh between them. As his wandering eyes came to rest on the V of her legs, his cock swelled as an inquiry popped into his head.

Perhaps it was the effects of the alcohol, or maybe he'd been way, way too long without a woman, but he couldn't stop the words from tumbling from his lips. His fingers flickered toward her hair as he said, "Is it natural?"

Bella would've had to be a complete idiot to be unaware of the sudden interest Edward seemed to have for her physique. Her entire body was awash in liquid heat and centered at the apex of her thighs. Holy shit, the throbbing increased to staggering heights, and electricity seemed to pop between his eyes to hers when Edward suddenly lifted his gaze. A roaring filled her ears, and concentrating on his words became a trial. Her whole body ached with an indescribable sensation, making her want things she'd never really considered.

Had she thought of having sex? Hell, yes. She thought about it all the fucking time. The goons forever in the shadows, always keeping people a bay, didn't help her problem in the least. Who the fuck wanted a woman who had guards lurking in the corners? They might not always have been in sight, but they were ever-present. They made experiencing everyday things like sex an impossibility.

Yet, the heat she witnessed in Edward's eyes caused her heartbeat to speed up. There were no guards here. There was just a man … a man that was scary as hell, intimidating beyond anyone she'd ever known, although for reasons beyond her understanding, Bella didn't fear him. Excitement flooded every cell, her nerve endings sparking and spiraling throughout her body.

Holy shit.

He was looking at her as if he could devour her. Now, Bella was envisioning her own scenarios, and they all involved that incredible mouth. Why hadn't she noticed before now the sexy bow of his lips? Perhaps she'd been too busy trying to drive him insane. Even while that was true, she noticed now, and Bella was certain it was something she couldn't unnoticed … ever.

"Is it natural?" He'd asked right before he tore his hungry eyes away from her hips.

Bella blinked dumbly back at him as she tried to process the question. "I'm sorry … Um … what?"

Edward's gaze made a quick jog from the top of her head back to her thighs. Again he made a gesture with his fingers indicating her hair, or at least, that's what it appeared to imply. His lashes dropped a fraction as he bit the tip of his thumb, his dark brows flickering. "Is the color of your hair real? Or is it dyed?"

A warm gush wet Bella's panties. That was a very bold question, giving the implications of his statement. Edward was definitely asking what she'd thought, and while this was the case, why did she feel so hot all of a sudden? She should have been disturbed by his question, or rather the predatory look in his eyes, yet the reverse was actually true. Bella was beyond intrigued and … and … excited.

What the hell? The man was practically holding her prisoner, ready to hand her back as soon as green paper-lined his palm. She shouldn't be thinking inappropriate thoughts. Even so, Bella focused on his long fingers pointing in her direction.

Bella had never been one to back away from a challenge, and there was definitely a dare staring back at her. Her mouth went dry, and as she licked her lips, Edward's eyes darkened, and his nostrils flared again.

"Are you going to answer my question?" Edward leaned forward in his chair as he regarded her. The longer she stood before his desk, the more his blood heated in his veins. All he wanted to do was smear the cream on his plate across her lips and lick it off. Of course, her lips weren't the only thing that he wanted to lick.

Bella could answer him honestly. It was a simple enough question. Hell, numerous people asked that type of a question daily. Even as his question caused an unexpected craving, Bella felt a wave of coyness take hold of her. Why should she give him the information he was seeking so easily? Hell, she should just turn around and get the hell out of here. All she'd meant to do was deliver him a treat, not insinuate anything more. "I don't see what it matters one way or another if I dye it or not."

Edward shrugged nonchalantly as if it meant nothing to him either way, yet he persisted. "Because I asked you a question. I expect people to reply when I inquire about something. It's trivial, really. Do you dye your hair or not?"

A shiver danced down her spine when his gaze dipped down her body once again. Biting the inside of her cheek, she rocked back on her heels as a spear of heat stabbed her gut. Bella couldn't dispute the effect of having Edward's attention on her, but she still refused to give in to what looked like lust dripping from his irises. She might not have much experience with men, but she recognized when a man found her appealing. "You know what? How about you answer me a question?" Adopting the same attitude as he presently had, Bella's let her eyes dip down the expanse of his chest, wondering what lay beneath the button-up he wore. "Do you dye your hair?"

The haze of alcohol held him firmly in its grasp, and a delicious buzz coursed through him. All the blood in his body rushed to his lap. Making room for the appendage growing between his legs, his thighs parted underneath his desk. A darker, dirtier aspect of his personality he kept discreet reared its ugly head, and he found himself saying, "Why don't you come over here and find out?"

Intensity crackled between them, and Bella swallowed as her entire being felt leaden. Her feet felt glued to the floor. A part of her was curious enough to want to do as Edward bid, but the better part of her resisted. There was one thing Bella had come to realize in her short acquaintance with Edward Cullen. Too many people gave the man exactly what he wanted without ever saying no. Well, she was not among those individuals that were scared shitless of the King.

Yes, hands down, he was a frightening dick. She had one advantage no one else currently had. Bella's chin rose a fraction as the knowledge empowered her enough to realize her value. While she might not mean much to anyone, this man did desire his payment for her. The thought did the trick, and Bella broke the spell binding them.

Bella ripped her attention from Edward, her gaze skating across the contents of his desk to land on what appeared to be a solid gold frame on his desk. A beautiful woman with an amazing smile caught her attention, and before she could stop herself, Bella reached for the frame. Her fingertips barely grazed the cold metal, and Edward surprisingly reacted with the agility of a cat, yanking the picture from the desk.

"Don't ever touch this picture if you would like to keep your fingers," Edward snarled, the desire he'd been experiencing deflating like an airless balloon. A wealth of shame and guilt flooded him, and he glared at the little intruder. "Get out of my office, and don't come back in here."

If he'd stood up and smacked her across the face, she couldn't have been more stunned by his reaction. Understanding dawned on her as she watched the way he cradled the frame in his palms. His wife …

Bella wasn't sure if she should be pissed off that he'd been obviously flirting with her while still infatuated with his dead wife or if she should feel sorry for that lost, frightened look he desperately tried to keep hidden. Hell, he looked one step away from biting her fingers right from the bone. Empathy won, however, and her lips gaped open as she considered saying something. "Edward," she started, yet that was as far as she got.

"I said to get the fuck out," Edward growled, his chest vibrating with conviction. His nerves popped and crackled with a whole different type of determination. Angrily, he yanked the plate consisting of the dessert Isabella had brought him and pitched it toward the trash can. He didn't spare her another glance as he reached for the bottle near the corner of his desk

Please review ...