Okay. Down to business. With Tanya preoccupied in the dressing room, I was free to browse the lingerie my self.

My reasoning was, all the general people in the store, including employees, have seen me patiently following Tanya around this whole time, enough time to give them the impression we might be dating or there might be something between us. Therefore- I won't look like such a creep looking around at women's underwear! They'll all just assume it's just because of my girlfriend or maybe Tanya herself even asked me to look for something… they wouldn't know anything else otherwise. Genius.

And so I discreetly, and yet not too discreetly, left the fitting room area to scope the store floor for something similar to Emmett's inquiries. I avoided eye contact with all the sales associates: no need to potentially cause more harm and discomfort than what was already inevitable.

I looked around quickly, swiftly diverting my gaze if anyone looked too closely my way. But I tended to look past them and to what was displayed on the shelves and walls of the store.

I turned the corner to get back more to the area I was in with Tanya. Just as the panties and bras were gradually changing from everyday cotton to the not so everyday silk and lace, I picked up I was in the right direction.

I spotted the night gown Tanya had gotten, so I knew I was nearly there. Just to the left of it, was a lace, strange looking cupped bra on display. The cups of the bra didn't look big enough to hold a full breast. Not what I thought anyway. What did I know? But I imagined if a woman were to put it on, the cup would stop midway or something. Why would anyone want that? Aren't you paying more for less material? Anyway… it was the most similar to what Emmett had described. I had no choice but to go in and survey the object from a closer distance to assess it.

Once I got there, I steadily reached out a hand, after I took a swift glance behind me, making sure Tanya was still away in the dressing room. I didn't see her, so I proceeded to take the bra. I picked it up and was… surprised… at how smooth and silky it felt. Not only on the outside, but on the inside of it as well, as I picked it up from the cup of it. Hm. The thing looked unnaturally uncomfortable, but maybe the material it was made of was so smooth and soft, that it was made bearable for women to wear them. I put the bra back. There was no way I'd be able to tell Rosalie's bust size. Emmett would have had to have known that himself in the first place, if he had ordered her lingerie. So, I moved on, rather begrudgingly, to the matching underwear on display. But the seemingly painless encounter with the bra put me forward with a little more reassurance. So, assertively, I picked up two pairs of women's underwear. The first one was a size small, and the second a size medium. I held one in each hand, going over the silkiness of the material slightly as I held one of each. I almost forgot to look at the difference in size of the panties. Too carried away with holding them. I was ashamed. So determinedly, I cleared my throat and stretched out both pairs to compare the sizes. Again, I felt a little wrong and weird trying to imagine which would fit Rosalie better- not wanting to imagine my brother's girlfriend (soon to be hopefully fiancée) in her underwear. Gross. But after a moment's deliberation, I came to the conclusion a medium would best fit Rosalie. I was nearly sure until…

I got a tap on the shoulder. I turned around with a near heart attack, only, I wasn't faced with anything….

Strange. I could've sworn…

"Down here, sir." came a distinctly feminine voice. I lowered my gaze and saw the shortest pixie looking thing I think I've ever seen.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry-"

"Don't sweat it. Is there anything I can help you with today?" she cut me off, looking up at me expectedly with sparkling curious eyes. Her hair was short and jet black. A cute little thing.

"Uh- no, I was just-"

"Looking at some last minute holiday gift ideas? Do you know if you're girlfriend, or significant other has a store card with us? If not you can sign up today and get 25% off your entire purchase,"

"Uhm, no. No girlfriend, just-"

"Ooooh! No girlfriend? So are you hoping she'll be your girlfriend after you show up with a pair of those and some chocolates???" the pixie girl winked. "I get where you're going- here, let me help you-"

"No! there's no one. I'm just looking- I'm just-"

"Oh okay, mister. It's alright, calm down. No need to get flustered. You'd be surprised how many guys just browse around just because…."

I burned with embarrassment. That wasn't what I meant either. Ugh. I had put forth so much effort not to seem like some loitering creep and that's exactly what I made myself into… all within like ten seconds of a sale girl's encounter.

"Here, you may wanna sign up for our catalogue. It's like the same thing, looking just to look, without the judgment of the general public when you come in the store." she handed me a complimentary catalogue sweetly. Her smile amused yet purposely imposing at the same time.

"Thanks!" I took it from her and turned around so she wouldn't see me roll my eyes.

I walked away and headed back to the dressing room, throwing the panties down in some random sale bin as I passed by. I was thoroughly annoyed with everything, including myself and stupid Emmett and Tanya- who had been out of my presence for quite some time now so it was a little unfair she still annoyed me but I didn't care. I sighed and leaned up against the wall and waited for her, figuring she was still in the dressing room.

And she was. I could hear her faintly talking within one of the stalls. That was odd. But I ignored it.

That is, until I heard a loud, frantic call of my name.

"Edward! Edward? Are you there?!?"

A little confused, I poked my head inside the fitting room area, diverting my eyes to the ground as I tried to listen.

"Yeah? Tanya?"

"Oh, Edward, can you come here??"

"What? There?…" I asked, a little unsure, when she didn't answer I wasn't sure she had heard me, "now?"

"Yes, now!" she finally shouted. Surprised, I shot up and followed the sound of her voice, groaning as I wrapped my knuckles lightly on the door where I thought she was. Luckily, I was right.

"Can you get this in a different size? This one's a little big."

"Uh- okaaay." I answered, perplexed. She was standing there with her cell phone to her ear and holding her shirt up to her torso with her other arm, all while handing me the nightgown with her free hand. "Um…" I mumbled, not sure of what I even knew to say. Tanya was all words though.

"Just grab me a small size and wait in line at the register will you? I'm sure I'll be out in time I just got a call from work that I can't miss and I'm still trying to call them back. It's very important. Would you, please??" her tone changed from direct, informative and assertive to all nice and sweet now that she wanted me to do something. I sighed. Emmett owed me. I didn't want Tanya to owe me…

"Fine. But hurry. I don't want to be standing-"

"Oh thank you, Edward! You're a doll!" and she shut the door on my face and pushed me out of the room.

I shook it off and tried to keep my temper but I had a feeling I was already beyond irritated.

I quickly grabbed a nightgown that looked smaller than the one Tanya gave me- not caring if it was too small or not. Not my problem.

As I heaved a heavy, slightly drained sigh, I turned around and shuffled my feet over towards the check out registers, ignoring the little looks and the women who were already in line in front of me.

As I settled on the spot, looking ahead and trying to not be as noticeable as possible, I heard a small laugh. I dropped my eye just a little lower than the straight line of sight before me, and saw the little sales associate woman from earlier with the black hair. Her eyes were smiling and she had a smirk on her face.

"I see you found what you were looking for…"

"It's not what you think- my friend, she's-"

"Right here." came a sweet, syrupy smooth voice near my shoulder. I looked to my side and there was Tanya, peachy as ever on my arm. She grabbed the nightgown from me and I was glad to have it out of my hands. I blinked my eyes several times, still reeling at her sudden appearance by my side. The sales woman looked surprised too. I found great satisfaction in that. It was as if Tanya knew how the woman had made fun of me earlier.

"Thanks for holding my place in line for me, Edward." she winked.

"Yeah, no problem, Tanya." I moved to walk away from her, just glad to finally have an excuse to get out of there, but before I could take two steps, she pulled me back by my arm and planted a kiss on my cheek. A little baffled, as was the sales woman, I froze and just contemplated that that actually happened. Whatever.

"You know you don't need to make a show about it. It's not like I'm after him or anything." the pixie like girl muttered amusedly under her breath. I snorted at the look on Tanya's face and upturned nose as she released me.

I bounded blindly towards the exit, maneuvering my way through bra racks, panty bins, and lotion tables and displays of makeup and everything of the sorts…. I walked just about as fast as my legs could carry me without breaking out into a run.

And that's when it happened. I should've known the store was too small, too crowded too full to just bound right out of there. I felt like an idiot when I ran into a woman, probably an employee because she was dressed in all black and carried a headset and some sort of radio device clipped on her hip. When I hit her she bumped back into a display of perfume bottles, all of which crashed down to the floor. Luckily none broke, but that still didn't stop me from feeling like an oaf.

"Oh, God, I'm so sorry." I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I bent down to pick up as many bottles as I could.

"It's okay." she replied, and I could tell she was trying her best to be polite. I couldn't blame her. I was stupid.

"No, really, I'm sorry. I was just trying to-"

I broke off midsentance as I finally looked up from where I was squatting to look into the eyes of the woman kneeling next to me. I was literally caught off guard and unprepared for how beautiful her face was. So close to mine. Up close where I could see every little detail and she was still just as lovely. Her big, expressive brown eyes, her mahogany hair cascading over her shoulders. Just naturally beautiful, she was. Her light, porcelain skin, the faintest hint of a rosy blush on the apple of her cheeks… my eyes continued down to the sight of the rest of her… her collarbones peeking out from her blouse, her knees, just as pale as the rest of her, nearly touching mine as we both were squatted by the perfume table, our heads mere inches away from the other.

And then I realized I was staring. Full on, unashamedly, staring. God, how rude. She must think I'm a freak.

I leaned a little away from her so I could form coherent thoughts and cleared my throat. "I'm sorry… again, I'm sorry."

"It's alright." she merely nodded, her eyes blinking slowly, almost dreamily as she stared back at me, dropping a perfume she was currently holding in her hand onto the floor. I grinned and picked it up for her.

"Oh.." she stood suddenly. Looking around in a hurry, as if looking for someone to help her or that she didn't know what to do. She threaded a strand of her wavy thick hair behind one of her ears as she adjusted herself and stood tall, facing me as I stood up as well.

"Um…." she mumbled, pursing her lips. "Can I help you find anything?"

I let out a small laugh. It seemed like she didn't know what else to say- so she stuck with her job. "No, I was just leaving, actually." I replied as nicely as I could. I smiled a little at her, trying to convey a friendlier side of me that I hoped was both equal parts charming and attractive and polite.

"Oh! Right…" she laughed a little and looked down at her folded hands in front of her.

"But thanks." I smiled more at her, hoping to hold her eye a little longer when she looked my way again.

"Mmhm." she hummed and nodded. She did hold my gaze a little while longer. Her face lit up and she smiled at me. The sight was radiant. But then she looked away and nodded as she excused herself. I watched her depart. Her hips swaying naturally in the pencil skirt she was wearing.

I sighed longingly but nevertheless, turned to go out the door. I wanted to get out of there before Tanya could make herself be seen with me. I didn't want to chance it. Not with that gorgeous brunette working there and possibly getting the wrong idea. Of course, I may have been thinking a little far ahead, but I didn't care. I wouldn't risk it. And so I stood outside, letting the sun warm the back of my neck as I looked out onto the courtyard of the shopping mall. The green grass. Just as I had found contentment in the peace and quiet- I felt a warmth on my neck again- but this time it was a human hand- belonging to Tanya. I turned to her and just gave her this stare. She seemed to get what I was trying to say without words and dropped her hand from me.

"Thank you." I muttered.

She sighed disappointingly, "You know if you ever change your mind…"

"I know." I hated to cut her off when she sounded so sad, but it was better than toying with her feelings or letting her think the wrong thing. She couldn't hate me for that.