Four

Wednesday morning, Alice had a scheduled a with a guide at the Museum of Modern Art or MoMA. We were scouting it as a possible location for the annual charity ball. I was just getting out of the shower when I heard my cell chime, indicating I got a text. I looked to see I had a message marked urgent from Alice.

Alice: I'm not going to be able to make it to MoMA. I ran into a little problem with one of the sponsors that I have to take care of immediately. Edward will be there to help you out. I'm sorry babe :(

Fuck. The last thing I wanted was to be alone with Edward. After he left my office Monday, his words plagued me. I couldn't recant on the bet I made and I wanted to slap myself for being so damn stubborn. I sighed and quickly sent out a reply, reassuring her that I would take care of everything in her absence. I dried off and began my daily process of getting ready for work. I brushed out my hair, sweeping it up in a high ponytail. I opted for minimal make-up, wanting to have a natural look. I put on a black lace balconette bra and panty set then began to scour my closet for today's attire. Growing up, I was a tomboy who profusely refused to wear dresses, skirts or heels. Anything girly was a no-no but once I started college, I began to embrace my feminine side. I even managed to walk around in heels without hurting myself like the awkward klutz I was when I was a child. Despite my new outlook on attire, I still loved to wear jeans and Converse sneakers. Perusing my wardrobe, I picked out a white dress shirt, pairing it with gray pencil skirt and nude heels. I placed a simple gold chain with a round diamond charm on my neck and wore diamond studs in my ears.

After I was done dressing, I grabbed a granola bar and a thermos of coffee before getting my work bag, phone, and keys. When I made sure I had everything I needed, I was on my way. I resided in a townhouse in Carnegie Hill, located on the upper east side of Manhattan. It was relatively a quiet location and I loved it. I walked down a couple of blocks before I hailed a cab, rattling off directions to the driver. Traffic wasn't too bad this morning and I was grateful that I wouldn't have to worry about being late. As we passed through Times Square, I remembered when I first got here. I came from a small town and I was enthralled with all of the sights that was New York City. I never seen so many people all in one place. Seattle didn't hold any type comparison in my eyes to the Big Apple. I smiled at the fond memory before coming back to the present.

We were midtown now, about three blocks away from my destination. I checked the meter and grabbed twenty from my bag, waiting for the cab to stop. When we arrived, I handed the cabbie the bill and told him to keep the change as I stepped out onto the sidewalk. I looked into the reflective glass of the building, adjusting my skirt. I heard my name being called and I knew exactly who it was. I turned towards the entrance to where Edward stood casually leaned against the building. He looked devilishly handsome in a two piece pinstripe black suit, complete with a crisp white shirt and slate gray tie. His hair was mussed in his signature look and I longed to run my fingers through it. He righted himself and began to walk towards me. I watched every step he took, impressed with his cool swagger. Edward exuded confidence and sensuality, women and even some of the men at work were attracted to him. I completely understood their attraction, not only in looks but how he carried himself. He paused before me with a mischievous grin, eyeing me surreptitiously. I hated that he looked at me that way because it turned me on.

"Good Morning Bella," he said looking into my eyes, holding me captive.

"Good morning," I said shakily, internally kicking myself for being affected by his undeniable charm. He chuckled, not oblivious to my nervousness. I frowned, rolling my eyes at him as I walked away from him to go inside. Edward followed close behind me, no doubt checking out my ass. I turned to head to find that he was in fact checking me out and he didn't have any qualms about me catching him. He just smiled crookedly at me and said, "you have a fantastic ass Isabella, I can't help but to stare at it." I had to admit I was flattered and I admired his tenacity but I refused to show it.

"You are such a gentleman," I said giving him a fake saccharine smile.

"I can be, but when it comes to you, I'm anything but." I chose to ignore him, walking into the museum. Once we were inside, we were met by a tall, statuesque woman who wore a black business pantsuit. Her blonde hair was perfectly coifed in a bun, looking beyond impeccable. The woman smiled brightly as she approached us.

"You must be Miss Swan and Mr. Cullen," she shook both of our hands, "I'm Elizabeth and I'll be showing you around the museum today. Ms. Brandon let me know that she wouldn't be attending today, so please follow me." She began to give us a tour of all the exhibits, briefly giving us some facts about the different pieces of art. I was fascinated by the beauty of it all, having a keen admiration for the arts. Paintings from Vincent van Gogh, Salvador Dalí, and Pablo Picasso, were held within the exhibit. Modern, cutting edge sculptures and bold artistic colors livened up the atmosphere, artistic expression captivating my eyes. What really caught my eye was the extensive library. According to Elizabeth, the library had approximately 300,000 books and exhibition catalogs, over 1,000 periodical titles, and over 40,000 files of ephemera about individual artists and groups. The last place we were shown was the outdoor courtyard. It would be a perfect place for dining. The museum was a excellent choice for the event and Angela would have more than enough to work with. I made sure to take a few pictures with my camera, to send them to her via email and share them with Alice. By the time we were finished with the tour, it was lunchtime. I graciously thanked our humble tour guide and told her that we would be in touch soon. She left us on her own and entered the museum to began another tour.

"So, I'm starved." It was the first time Edward spoke since we started the tour. "Would you like to go to lunch?"

"I don't think so."

"Oh, come on Bella, you've got to be hungry after all that." I was hungry, all I had was a granola bar and some of the coffee I consumed on the way over here.

"Fine," I huffed in irritation. Edward smiled and took my hand, leading the way. We went to The Modern, one of the restaurants housed in the museum. The hostess led us to a table overlooking the sculpture garden, telling us our waiter would be with us shortly. We thanked her and I began to look over the menu. I almost died looking at the prices.

"Edward, it's expensive here," I murmured gently.

"It's OK. Lunch is on me."

" I'm not fine with that. It's too much—"

"I said I got it Bella," he said cutting me off, never taking his eyes of his menu. His tone was direct, not taking no for an answer. I sighed, irritated by his stubbornness.

"I could afford it, you know. I just think something more casual would be better, that's all."

Edward looked up from the menu, taking in my words. "I know you could afford it Bella, but I insist on buying you lunch as a friendly gesture. It's something I want to do and when I want to do something, I always follow through with it. Point blank." The waiter showed up asking us what we wanted to drink; I got a glass of water while Edward got a Blue Label neat. I raised my eyebrow at his choice, not taking him for a whiskey kind of guy.

"Starting a little early there, huh?" I said, causing him to chuckle. "Not in the slightest Miss Swan." He grinned wickedly before leaning forward. " however, I would like to know you outside of how your body responds to me." I felt my blush creep up on my cheeks.

"What a lovely shade of pink you turn. It's the same color you are flushed with when you cum," he said with no shame.

"Edward, now is not the time nor place to be discussing that," I said sharply.

"I beg to differ, Miss Swan. You see, every time I look at you, all I can think about is the incredibly hot sex we had that night and I know you do, too. I can tell by the way you look at me and by your body language. I don't see why we can't give in to our natural instincts." The waiter brought us our drinks and took our orders. After he was gone, I turned back to Edward to finish where we left off.

"I told you I never do repeats. What happened at the Secret Garden was amazing but it was final when I walked out that room. Yes, I'm attracted to you, who isn't? But the point is that it was a one time thing and I definitely don't mix business with pleasure. Finally, I work for your father, someone I truly respect. So no, we can't have sex again because I choose not to." We stared at each other for a moment before he broke the silence.

"I admire your little spiel but I don't believe you and I don't think you do either. You're falsely reassuring yourself that we won't fuck again, when you're not so sure if you can resist. I can read you very well, the emotions on your face showing your uncertainty. You're an open book as far as you're expressions go and you're a terrible liar, love." I was shocked at his frankness.

"It's not happening Edward," I said trying to deter him, only for it to fall on deaf ears.

"Whatever you say, Marie."

"Fuck off Masen," I hissed.

"We will eventually," he said with confidence. I scowled at him, folding my arms against my chest. He just laughed, making me even more frustrated. Egotistical prick. When the waiter brought us our food, I told him I would take mine to go. I couldn't stay in Edward's presence another minute, I had to get away.

"We're are you going?" He looked at me inquisitively.

"I'm leaving. Thanks for lunch."

"Bella—"

"Goodbye Mr. Cullen," I said with finality, not giving him a chance to say anything more. The waiter brought me my takeout and I thanked him, leaving Edward behind. Once outside the museum, I felt like I could breathe properly. I couldn't believe how I let him get to me the way he did. This game was proving to be a lot harder than I thought and I didn't know how long it would be before I inevitably gave in.