A/N: All my love, thanks, and smother-in-my-bosom hugs go to my word-fairy MariahajilE, my personal source of comedic relief – Layathomemom, and the chocolate syrup on my sundae – LaMomo, and Serenshadow.
And always, my spirit animal, JiffyKate.
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Angela and I had the lunch shift again the next day, the same shift we'd been working all week. Stepping out of my room after I'd showered and dressed, a mouthwatering scent coming from the kitchen immediately enveloped me. While my brother loved to cook, he rarely produced anything that could be considered edible. This aroma couldn't be Emmett's work. I hadn't smelled food so enticing since the last time his mom cooked for me.
I turned the corner into the kitchen only to stop in my tracks. Sitting at the table, my brother devoured the remnants of something that looked like some sort of sandwich. And standing at the stove, Bright Eyes tended to something sizzling away in a skillet. Could it be possible he was responsible for the delicious smell?
"Bwlka," Emmett grumbled, incapable of pronouncing my name with a full mouth.
Bright Eyes looked over, and I redirected my gaze to my brother before my eyes could lock with his.
"Hey, Emmett," I answered, watching him swallow such a big mouthful. It looked painful.
"Bella," he repeated now that he could speak properly. "We are never letting Edward leave. He's never moving out."
"Great," I retorted before I could stop myself.
"He's the best roommate ever, Bella. He can cook. I mean, he can cook."
It seemed that Bright Eyes had discovered the key to my brother's heart: food.
"I see that," I replied. "What's that you're eating, anyway?"
"A slice of heaven."
"It's Italian sausage with peppers and onions," Edward answered, his back still turned to me. "Your brother decided to put his on bread and slather it with spicy mustard."
"And it's fucking delicious," Emmett moaned before sinking his teeth in for another bite.
Not wanting to watch my brother have an orgasm over his food, I stepped away. I went over to the stove, peering around Edward to get a look into the pan. He stirred a medley of sizzling sausages and vegetables that made my stomach growl.
"Oh, wow. That does smell good…"
"Would you like to try my sausage, Bella?"
My eyes widened as they shifted up to look at him.
"No," I snapped. "No, I don't want any of your sausage."
He smirked, making me think his innuendo was not at all accidental.
"Bella, you have to," Emmett chimed in from the table. "Try his sausage. You'll love it."
My head whipped around to look at him, horrified at his words. He smiled up at me innocently, unaware of the subtext of what he'd just said to me. For someone who worked in the adult entertainment industry, he sure could be oblivious sometimes.
"I'm sure you'd be very pleased with my sausage, Bella," Edward muttered from beside me.
My kitchen had become a war zone of foodgasms and sexual innuendos, and I wanted no part of it.
"I… I need to get ready for work," I said quickly, darting out of the room.
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A little later, I was leaning over the sink as I applied my makeup when the door from Edward's room swung open, startling me. I jumped and dropped my compact of pressed powder into the sink, where it cracked, the powder breaking apart into chunks.
"Shit…" I cursed under my breath.
"Oh, sorry," he mumbled.
I made a mental note to always lock the door to his room if I were naked. Sharing a bathroom would take some getting used to for us both.
"It's okay," I assured him, picking up the pieces from the sink and tossing them into the trash. "Did you need in here? I'm almost finished."
"No. I just need to grab something."
I stepped aside as he reached around me to open the medicine cabinet to take out his deodorant. We didn't touch, but with him so close to me, my nerve endings were on high alert.
"Sorry you have to share a bathroom with me, by the way," I commented, trying to lighten the space between us that always felt so heavy.
"It's fine."
I found it bothersome Bright Eyes always seemed to be so curt with me. He had no problem socializing with my brother, but with me, it always came down to short answers and averted gazes. As much as he'd made it clear he wanted me sexually, he had a distinct way of making me feel like he wanted nothing to do with me sometimes.
"I'll be out of your way in just a minute," I continued. "I'm about to leave for work."
"You're not in my way." I watched as he turned to unzip a bag he had slung over his shoulder, slipping the deodorant inside. "I'm about to leave, as well."
My gaze shifted from the duffel bag up to his stunning eyes.
"Did we scare you off already?" I joked.
He leveled a blank stare at me for a moment.
"Excuse me?"
My cheeks flushed.
"Um… No, I'm kidding. It's just… I saw the bag."
I gestured to his bag, and he glanced down at it before looking back up at me.
"It's my gym bag. I'm going to go find a gym to join."
"You don't have one already?"
With such a sculpted body, I knew he must've been working out somewhere. Those muscles couldn't have formed without hard and persistent work.
"Not around here, no."
"Oh, so you moved from somewhere not around here?"
"Correct."
"Where are you from, then?"
His eyes narrowed as they searched mine.
"You ask a lot of questions."
"Well, I mean, we're roommates. I'm just trying to get to know you."
He looked at me contemplatively for a moment.
"Well, don't."
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Jake showed up at the bar again. Still feeling weary of the vibes I'd felt with him the day before, I passed him off to Angela. I watched them with curiosity, hoping to gain some further insight on the guy. I knew my standoffish feelings toward him were probably just paranoia, but my instincts told me something might be off about him.
That thought made me roll my eyes at myself. I knew I had trust issues, but I had no business deflecting those issues onto my customers.
I decided the next time Jake came in that I would tend to him with a smile on my face.
He ordered the same drink from Angela he'd ordered from me. As she prepared it, Lauren walked in.
I, for one, wasn't surprised to see her. After a short conversation via text message, we'd established the next time we were both working, and I'd invited her to stop in to make plans with me and Angela. Angela, on the other hand, was clearly taken aback to see her. A nervous smile touched her lips as she placed Jake's drink in front of him; she couldn't seem to stop glancing over at us as Lauren approached me.
"Hey, babydoll," she said cheerfully as she sauntered up to the bar.
"Do you call everyone that?" I asked as I turned to face her directly, watching her slide up onto a barstool as I squeezed a lemon into the water in front of me.
"Nope, just you," she grinned.
Her green eyes shimmered as she pulled her long, dark hair over one shoulder.
"Why?"
I tossed my lemon peel into the trash as I took a sip of my citrusy water.
"You have gorgeous skin," she answered quickly. "Like a porcelain baby doll." I felt myself blush. "See? You even have a beautiful blush."
"I‒"
I'm not sure what I would've said. I never had the chance to finish, because Angela came up beside me then, nudging me with her hip as she leaned over the bar.
"Hey, Lauren," she drawled dreamily, all doe-eyed and pouty-lipped.
"Hey, Angela." The space around us charged with electricity that made me fidget with nerves. "It's nice in here."
"It is," Angela agreed. "You should come in more often."
"Or maybe you two should come out," she quipped without missing a beat.
"Which is exactly why I told you to come by today," I responded. "Angela and I are working the lunch shift this Saturday, but if you're not busy, maybe we can all hit the town after?"
Lauren looked back and forth between me and Angela, smirking.
"And where exactly do you ladies want to go?"
"Somewhere with strong drinks and sexy music," Angela answered.
"I think I can swing that," Lauren replied, twirling a strand of dark hair around her finger.
"Good. We're yours all night." Angela bit at her bottom lip, and I rolled my eyes. She couldn't have been more obvious about her attraction. "Just let us know what time."
"I'll text you," Lauren promised as she slid off the stool. "Now that we've all made plans, I should get back to work."
"We'll see you Saturday, then," Angela answered, sounding a little breathless.
"You sure will."
Lauren's eyes shifted from Angela to me and then back to Angela as she turned around. She waved at us with a flick of her fingers, offering us a coy smile over her shoulder as she turned to walk away. Angela gaped at her while I picked up my glass of water to take a sip.
"Christ, I wanna bury my face between her thighs and–" She didn't finish her sentence ‒ thank God ‒ because me choking on my water distracted her. "Are you okay?"
I put my glass down with a resounding thud on the bar as I coughed to clear my airway.
"I'll live," I choked out through my sputtering. "But please, give a girl a warning before you go painting that type of mental picture."
"But it's one hell of a mental picture, right?" she grinned.
I didn't bother answering. I turned around to grab a napkin to clean up the water I'd spilled on the bar, and I couldn't help but laugh when I got a full view of everything she was serving up in her denim cut-offs.
"Angela, do you realize I can literally see your ass cheeks hanging out of your shorts with you bent over the bar like that?"
"Um, duh," she laughed, wiggling her ass playfully. "Why do you think I cut them so short?"
"Please, don't tell me that's part of your ploy to get Lauren in bed," I answered, wiping up the small puddle of water.
"No. That'd be stupid." She straightened as she turned to face me. "Females take a little more… finesse. You can't seduce a woman with body parts like some man."
"Okay." I reached around her to toss my soggy napkin into the trash. "So what's the point, then?"
"Tips, of course," she grinned. "I make twice as many tips when I show off my assets."
"Right." I rolled my eyes. "To each their own, I guess."
"You should try it."
"I don't think so."
"You can be a bit of a prude sometimes, you know that?" When I didn't answer, she continued. "Speaking of your prudish ways, please tell me you're bringing Tall, Dark, and Shady out with us."
"What?" I asked, looking at her incredulously.
"Edward. You're bringing him Saturday, right?"
"No."
"What? Why not?"
I sighed.
"Angela, he told me just this morning to not try to get to know him. Why would he want to go out with us?"
"Are you forgetting that he also told you he wanted to fuck you? That's as blunt as it gets. So the real question is, my dear Bella, why would he not want to go out with us?"
"Just…" I found myself fidgeting, because talking about Bright Eyes created a tightness in my chest that made me uncomfortable. "It's just not a good idea, okay?"
"Bella, it's obvious he turns you on. You want him. You're just too afraid to go for it." She gave me a sad look that made me feel like a wounded puppy. "Look, I'm just gonna say this once more, and then I'll leave you alone about it." I looked at her with expectation. "You have a fresh start here, Bella. You're wound up, babe. Let go a little bit. Do something crazy you never would've done in your old life. Live a little."
I waved my hand at her dismissively, shaking my head.
"That's not me, Angela," I insisted.
"Why not?" she pouted. "You're young, you're hot, and you have no ties anywhere. Be crazy. Be wild. Do something out of your comfort zone. I promise you won't believe how liberating it feels."
She patted my shoulder before she turned and strolled through the metal door into the kitchen. I chewed on my lip and watched her, mulling over her advice. She had no idea of the truth of her statement; no idea how long and how tightly I'd been wound up.
Maybe a new me was just what I needed to go with my new start.
Jake caught my attention, waving me down from the other end of the bar. I folded my arms over my chest as I walked down to him, trying to muster the friendliest smile I could.
"Hey, Jake," I greeted, leaning forward onto the bar between us. "How's it going?"
"No complaints today. Can I get another drink?"
"Sure."
I snatched up a new glass and turned to the backside of the bar, reaching for the bottle of Crown Angela had left out.
"Is this gonna be your usual shift?" he asked from behind me.
"Um, yeah," I responded as I filled the glass with ice. "I think so. Angela's with me this week since I'm technically still training, but I think she'll probably go back to mid-shift and nights next week." Brown liquor splashed over the ice as I spoke. "That'll suck, though, because I'll be doing lunch shifts alone. It's been nice having Angela around to talk to."
"I'll be around," he answered as I replaced the top of the bottle. "You know, someone to talk to, at least."
I smiled, turned back around, and placed the fresh drink in front of him.
"Well, cheers to that," I quipped, pulling his empty glass toward me.
"So, how's Houston stacking up to California so far?"
My stomach dropped.
My grip on the glass tightened. My eyes darted up to meet his, and my heart rate spiking up. I hadn't told Jake where I was from. I knew I hadn't, because I'd cut off our last conversation on purpose when he'd asked me.
"Whoa. What's wrong, kid?" he asked as I took a step back. "You look like you've just seen a ghost or somethin'."
"I didn't tell you I'm from California," I snapped, not even caring about how accusatory I sounded.
"No…" he answered slowly. "You didn't. Angela did."
That felt like a jab to the gut. My whole body slumped as I exhaled, blushing with embarrassment. I probably looked like a lunatic to this guy.
"Oh, God…" I mumbled, slapping my head against my forehead. "I'm… I'm so sorry, Jake."
"No worries, kid. I didn't mean to come across like a stalker. I asked Angela where you came from, since you were so coy about it the other day. I was just curious…"
"Right. Sure," I ran my hand through my hair, shaking my head at my own ridiculousness. "That makes perfect sense. I'm just… I'm, like, socially inept. Forgive me."
"No harm, no foul," he shrugged before taking a swig of his drink. "Maybe I look like an old guy trying to hit on an unsuspecting young girl anyway, huh? No wonder you're freaked out."
"No." I bit at my lip as I went to lean against the bar again, resuming my earlier position. "No, not at all. I'm the weird one here." He laughed, and I found that he had a really charming chuckle. "Can we just start this whole conversation over?"
"All right," he obliged with a nod. "What would you like to talk about?"
"Tell me about yourself," I suggested. "I mean, if you're gonna be my only company around here during the lunch shift, we might as well get to know each other."
So he did. He told me all about himself. I learned that Jake, an investment banker born and raised in Houston, had an ex-wife and two children around my age who never called him. His lack of companionship proved evident, because man, that guy could talk. We both got something out of the otherwise meaningless conversation, though. Jake got what I suspected he sought by hanging out at bars in afternoons, someone's ear to talk off, and I gained the understanding that he was harmless.
Lonely, but harmless.
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Angela's earlier advice still rang loud and clear in my mind when I got home that evening. I knew I had just enough time for a run before it got dark out, so I moved quickly to change clothes. I sat in the living room, tying the laces of my running shoes, when Bright Eyes came sauntering through the front door.
I looked up at him and found his mesmerizing eyes already locked on me.
He'd changed clothes from when I'd seen him that morning. He now wore a hunter green t-shirt that brought out the green in his vibrant blue-green eyes. It clung tightly to his body, drawing my attention to his muscles. His lower half boasted black athletic shorts. As my eyes traveled down his alluring physique, I swallowed at the sight of muscular calves dusted with black hair.
I quickly averted my gaze, going back to the task of tying my shoes, determined not to let Bright Eyes in on the fantasies in which he played a starring role.
"Long workout," I commented.
"I had things to take care of before the gym."
I looked back up at him after securing the bows on my shoes.
"So, you found a gym then?"
"Yes."
"Good."
I stood up, and just as I knew they would, his eyes immediately dropped down to my hips as he looked at my running shorts.
"I thought I warned you about the underwear."
His tone was threatening, but I refused to be intimidated by him.
"For the last time, they're not underwear. And either way, I don't have to heed any warnings from you."
He swung his bag down onto the couch as he straightened his posture, challenging me.
"No, but you chose to wear them again. I can now only assume you're pining for me to pursue you. Is that what you want, Bella?"
His sultry yet authoritative tone felt like a punch to the gut, but my resolve remained strong.
"My wardrobe choice is none of your concern, Edward."
An arrogant smirk touched his lips as he strode towards me purposefully. Caught off guard, I took a step back, but with the chair right behind me, I had nowhere to go. The backs of my knees hit the edge of the recliner, and I fell right on my ass. In an instant, Bright Eyes loomed over me, his hands planted firmly on the arm rests at my sides. My stomach dropped.
"We've established that seeing your ass in those shorts, as you argue they are, makes me hard. You've worn them again, and now I'm thinking of all the ways I can make you come."
I stared right back into his eyes with determination. I would not break.
"You're awfully fixated on sex, you know that?" I asked, my shaky voice betraying me.
He ignored me.
"Tell me, Bella. Do you think of me now when you put those little shorts on? Does it turn you on to know I'll be looking at your ass and thinking about bending you over?"
I smirked up at him, hoping it rivaled his. He'd given me a perfect opportunity to stand up to him, to give him a run for his money. My fingers trembled as I wrestled with the arousal I felt at his words, but other than that, I didn't falter.
"No." I fought to keep my tone even, not wanting to give Bright Eyes the gratification of knowing how hard the butterflies he gave me flapped away in my stomach. "I don't." I pushed him out of my way to stand up and walk toward the front door, gathering my courage. "I only think of you when I take them off."
I grinned, picturing Angela high-fiving me.
The grin was short-lived. Two bounding footsteps behind me were the only warning I had before Bright Eyes appeared at my side, stopping me by capturing my wrist in a tight grip.
"Don't tease me, Bella. I won't warn you again."
I turned my head to look over at him. Those bright eyes seemed a whole lot darker. I was getting the impression this guy might have a temper.
"If you really don't want to pursue me, then stop telling me how badly you want to fuck me," I snapped.
"Or what?" he challenged.
I pulled my wrist free from his grasp.
"Or I might let you."
It took all of my resolve to walk out the front door without looking back at his expression. As I bounded off to start my run, I decided Angela had been right.
New state, new house, new job, new friends… new Bella.
And I liked her.
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On Saturday night, I met up with Angela at her place. I followed her directions to a tall building of condominiums right in the heart of downtown.
She opened the door to greet me with a wide smile, but that smile quickly faded.
"What?" I asked, confused by her disappointed expression.
"Um… You brought clothes to change into, right?" she asked me as I stepped inside.
Her scrutinizing gaze surveyed me up and down as she pushed the door closed, making me blush.
"No. What's wrong with my outfit?"
I wore black skinny jeans and a simple purple top; it was nothing special, but I'd figured it would do.
"Bella, that's an outfit you wear out to dinner. That's not an outfit you wear out to the club."
She had sweatpants on, so I couldn't compare my outfit to hers.
"Well, excuse me for not knowing ideal club attire," I answered as I slipped off my wedges. "I don't exactly have a ton of experience in that scene."
"It's not even just your outfit; it's your whole look. I mean, your hair's in a ponytail, and you barely put on any extra makeup." Her eyes darted into the kitchen as she looked at the clock. "Fortunately, we still have time before we have to leave to meet Lauren."
"Your place is really nice."
"Thanks," she answered as she reached for my hand. "No time for a tour, though. We've gotta get you fixed up."
"What?" She held my hand tightly as she pulled me through the living room and down the hall. "Angela, I told you, I didn't bring any other clothes."
"You can wear something of mine."
We ended up in a bathroom, where she pulled a stool up to the counter and pushed me down onto it. At the same time, she pulled out a curling iron and got to work, yanking my ponytail free and tossing my hair tie onto the floor.
"I liked my ponytail," I pouted.
"A ponytail's not sexy. Long, voluminous, flowing curls are sexy."
"Why do I need to be sexy?"
"Because if you're gonna be too much of a pussy to bang Tall, Dark, and Shady, then maybe we can find a guy at the club to butter your muffin."
"I don't need my muffin buttered."
"Bella, trust me," she argued as she began pulling a brush through my hair. "You need your muffin buttered."
For the next hour, Angela worked on me like an old, broken-down car. Once she'd started curling my hair, she turned me away from the mirror so I couldn't see myself. She said she wanted the revelation of my new look to be a surprise, which made me wonder if I'd really been doing that bad of a job dressing myself on my own.
After she'd finished with my hair and nearly suffocated me with hairspray, I tried to remain patient while she painted my face. That's literally what it felt like. She called it 'contouring.' I bit my tongue about the fact my skin would surely break out, because I planned to do some serious exfoliating when I got home.
She didn't allow me to look in a mirror until she'd made me try on four different outfits. She picked one out she seemed to like on me. When she did let me look, of course, she had to be all dramatic about it. We stood facing each other until she spun me around toward her full-length mirror.
I didn't expect it, but her work astounded me. I almost didn't recognize myself. My hair cascaded down around my shoulders in curls, framing a face that had been transformed with only makeup. I looked so different, albeit sexier than I ever imagined I could.
I wasn't sure about the dress, though.
She'd put me in a white dress that barely covered me to mid-thigh. That wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't been for the fact it tightly hugged every one of my curves. In fact, it looked maybe a size too small, which made me wonder if Angela actually wore this thing, because she was probably a size bigger than me.
"I look like a hooker in this dress," I deadpanned.
"No, you look like a sex kitten."
She reached around me, and before I could register what she was doing, she had her hands inside my bra.
"Angela!" I shrieked. "What are you doing?"
"Relax, prude," she answered, sighing as she pulled my boobs up and mashed them into my chest with undeniable pain. "I'm just adjusting you. I'd give you one of my push-up bras if we were the same cup size."
"My boobs are fine," I insisted, swatting her hands away. "Jesus…"
The dress already had a plunging neckline. Her assault on my breasts only made them even more exposed, which made my cheeks flush.
"All right. Now, last thing." I watched her walk around me to a bookshelf, where she pulled down some sort of wooden box. "Give me that necklace. I'll pick out another one for you. A cross really isn't the best thing to wear out clubbing…"
"What? No," I snapped, instinctively reaching up to grasp the pendant of my necklace. "I'm not taking it off. Sorry."
She turned back to look at me with a wide, astounded gaze. I didn't mean to sound so defensive, but I couldn't help it. I couldn't take that necklace off.
"What's the deal? Are you super religious or something? I mean, it's cool if you are. I just didn't get those vibes from you."
I sighed, letting go of my necklace as my arms fell back at my sides.
"No, I'm not," I answered, shaking my head. "I'm sorry. I just… It's my mom's necklace. It was. She's dead, and this is one of the few things I have of hers."
"Oh, shit. I'm sorry," she replied, giving me that same sympathetic look I always got when people found out I had a dead parent. "I had no idea."
"It's okay. It's just that I never take this off."
"Do you mind if I ask what happened to her?"
I took a deep breath.
"She was murdered."
"Oh, wow. That's… I'm so sorry, Bella."
I closed my eyes for just a brief moment, pushing it all back to the recesses of my mind as I'd gotten so good at doing.
"It's okay. It happened a really long time ago."
"Well… Hey, the necklace is beautiful. You should leave it on for sure. I was just being stupid."
"Hey, it's okay." I laughed a little in an effort to lighten the mood. "Things don't have to be weird just because I told you my mom's dead."
"Right. Well, on a lighter note…" She paused as she came back to stand behind me once more. "You seriously have no idea how hot you look." She shook her head at me in the mirror. "It's a shame, really."
I breathed in, relieved to let go of the awkwardness that conversation inevitably caused.
"I don't know, Angela. I just feel so…" I paused as I shifted my weight awkwardly, tugging on the hem of the dress to try to cover a little more leg. "Exposed."
"So what? You've got the kind of body people wanna see, babe."
"Well, maybe I don't wanna show it."
She sighed, and I could see the disappointment on her face.
"Fine. If you like your jeans better, go put them back on. I'm just trying to help you out."
But then I had a moment. I remembered the triumphant feeling I had when I teased Bright Eyes in the living room days earlier. I remembered how good it felt to feel sexy for once. I remembered how good it felt to do something out of my comfort zone for a change, even if it'd only been a little taste.
I thought of how long I'd been holding myself back, afraid to live.
"No," I declared. "You're right. I'm going with this whole 'new Bella' thing. New me, new outfit. Showing a little skin for one night won't kill me."
Her face lit up, and for the first time in a long time, mine did too.
"Yes!" she cheered, throwing a fist into the air. "That's what I'm talking about!"