Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. All recognizable characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. The original content including, but not limited to, the ideas, plot line, characterization and intellectual property of this story are owned by OliviaRising. July 2010.
A/N: This one took a little longer to write because I am currently on vacation in England, but don't worry, I will still continue to update while I am here. As always, review and let me know what you think! I love reading your point of view and your take on the characters. Believe it or not, your opinions are extremely helpful!
** Sorry for re-posting this and getting your hopes up; I just had to fix a few typos.
A Beautiful Melody
Chapter Four
Jacob calls me into his office the moment I reach my desk. I take my sweet time putting away the files, forwarding missed calls, checking my email- anything to prolong Jacob's inevitable inquisition.
When I have stalled for long enough, I take a deep breath and enter his office.
Jacob is typing furiously on his computer and I consider escaping when, suddenly, he looks up and locks eyes with me.
"Where were you?" He barks at me.
I guess we're skipping the pleasantries.
"I had an meeting with Mr. Cullen... I emailed you..." I say softly, looking anywhere but at his deathly stare.
"That was three hours ago!"
"We had a lot to go over... he wanted to make sure that I am the right person for the job."
Well, that's sort of true...
Jacob jumps up form his desk in anger.
"Right person for the job? Who the hell does he think he is? I am more than capable of choosing someone to fill in for me while I'm gone!"
Jacob's face is now bright red and I can practically see the steam spouting from his ears. I quickly attempt to amend the situation.
"We just didn't keep track of time, that's all. I'm really sorry, but at least we got a lot done."
Okay, that was a lie- we didn't do anything, nothing was accomplished.
I don't know what else to tell Jacob, and in a moment of weakness, I accidentally echo Edward's jesting words from earlier.
"You can call him if you want."
Shit! I didn't mean to say that!
Jacob's face becomes an alarming shade of red, almost purple, and I know that the shit has hit the fan.
"Call him? Why should I call him to uncover the whereabouts of my employees? Why does everything need to involve and revolve around him?"
I decide not to reply. I'll just let Jacob continue his rant and blow off steam.
"I have half a mind to end this whole partnership with Cullen Enterprises! Several other companies would be more than willing to take on this project without the help of Edward Cullen."
I say nothing and continue to stare down at my shiny pumps. I know that Jacob would never put the project in jeopardy by ending the partnership with Cullen Enterprises- too much would be put at risk.
"Listen, Bella," Jacob sighs, rubbing his forehead. "I'm sorry to take all of this out on you, it's just... I can't stand Edward Cullen."
Whoa, this is a change of direction.
"I know he's up to know good. He can't be trusted. He's got an alternate agenda."
I guess now is not the time to mention the subtle job offer...
Jacob sits back down and sighs.
"That's all, Bella. Just make sure the reports I gave you are finished and sent to the accounting department."
I hastily exit his office and let out a sigh of relief. That wasn't half as bad as I expected it to be. I wonder what could have possibly caused such animosity between Jacob and Edward. Surely it runs deeper than corporate competition. Did they know each other while growing up? Did they go to school together? No, Jacob went to Princeton, not Dartmouth. Maybe they were on rival sports teams or something... but that seems like a pretty trivial thing to hold a grudge over. But you never know- boys take those sort of things very seriously.
The rest of the day passes fairly quickly and sure enough, as I gather my things to leave, my mind drifts to thoughts of Edward.
I wonder what he's doing right now? He's probably still in a meeting, he seems like the workaholic type. Or maybe he's with a woman...
My stomach churns sickeningly with that unpleasant thought. No, it's a Thursday evening, he's probably still at work... hopefully.
Alice is not home when I get back to the apartment. I remember her vaguely telling me that she has some sort of work function she has to attend tonight. In Alice's job as a fashion editor, a work function consists of socializing with designers, celebrities, and models in an upscale party at some hip venue- it's hardly work, if you ask me. She's probably sipping a hot pink martini right now.
I decide to relieve the day's stress with warm, relaxing bubble bath.
I dim the bathroom lights and little sink slowly into the scented heaven. It's times like these, when I have the apartment all to myself and I've had a rough week, that I unwind with a glass of red wine and a graphic romance novel.
Cheesy, I know. But as the novel's heroine, Kitty, finally gives into her primal desires and allows Paolo, the Italian construction worker, to make passionate love to her on her back porch while her neglectful husband is at work, my unoccupied hand slowly drifts down my stomach... below the water... almost to my aching center and...
Riiinnnggg!
I am so startled that I almost drop my book into the bath. I lean over the side of the bathtub and blindly search for my cell phone. The loud ringing is persistent until finally my hand makes purchase on the small Blackberry.
"Hello?"
My voice is breathy and even I can hear how flustered I sound.
"Isabella," the voice croons. "Is this a bad time?"
It's him! As I hear his velvety, deep voice emanate from the phone, the ache in my center increases tenfold. I can here a subtle, playful inflection in his tone that tells me he somehow knows what I've been doing... or about to do.
My face instantly heats up and I clear my throat.
"Oh, not at all. I was just... uh, doing laundry..."
Shit! That sounded pathetic even to me! Now he's really going to know what I was doing...
"I see, well I won't keep you long."
Subconsciously I feel my hand once again begin its slow descent down south, beneath the water- the sound of his melodious voice inciting my hand to reach its blissful destination.
"I am attending the opening of an art gallery in Soho on Saturday night and I thought you might be interested in joining me."
I bite my lower lip to stifle the loud moan that threatens to escape my mouth as my fingers brush over my little bundle of nerves. I'm such a pervert- touching myself while Edward talks unsuspectingly on the line.
"Isabella?"
I don't catch myself in time and a loud moan escapes my mouth at the sound of his voice caressing my name. My hand immediately leaves its position between my legs and clasps over my mouth.
There is silence on the line and I suddenly fear that Edward has hung up on me, revolted that I am pleasuring myself while on the phone with him. But then I hear the subtle sound of deep, controlled breathing on the other end of the line and I know that he is still there, maybe even aroused.
"Isabella."
His voice is husky and deep, completely different from the playful tone the phone call started with.
"I'll leave you to think about my proposal, but now I have my own laundry to do."
And with that, he hangs up.
My heart is beating wildly and I am more aroused than I have ever been.
Laundry? Does he actually mean washing clothes or was it innuendo? I can't imagine Edward Cullen doing laundry... he probably even dry cleans his underwear.
Mhmm... his underwear...
Okay, now I am officially a pervert.
I want nothing more than to pick up where I left off with my hand and my book, but Alice chooses this precise moment to burst into the apartment and rant about her night.
"Bella! You won't believe the people who were at this party! Madonna was even there! Not to mention I had a one-on-one conversation with Jean Paul Gaultier! Can you believe it? The Jean Paul Gaultier!"
I sigh in frustration, sexual frustration that is, and lift myself out of the bath. Wrapped in a fluffy white towel, I exit the bathroom and almost run into Alice.
"Oh there you are! Did you hear what I said? Jean Paul Gaultier!"
I have no idea who that is so I just nod my head and smile at her.
"Why are you so flushed? Are you feeling sick?"
I try to act nonchalant, as if this just another normal evening.
"No, I just got out of the bath."
She leans in a sniffs me before eyeing me curiously.
"Did you use the new bubble bath, the one in the pink bottle?"
"Uh, yes...?"
She stares at me blankly for a beat before bursting into a fit of giggles.
"Oh, Bella! Do you know what that is?"
"Bubble bath...?"
"It's arousing bubble bath!"
"What?"
"It's supposed to make you horny! Just like you can buy bubble bath that relaxes you, this stimulates your libido. It's like an aphrodisiac!"
Well, that coupled with the graphic novel and Edwards smooth voice- it's no wonder I couldn't help myself!
"Alice, why do we have kinky bath products in our apartment?"
"In case we ever have company over and they fancy a bath- an erotic bath. I picked it up at that erotic store around the corner. Anyway, it's not my fault you didn't read the label."
"Alice, if you ever have company over, you are not going near the bathtub that we both share! I will not have my relaxing place defiled by your kinky urges!"
"Well, of course I'd clean up after. Besides, we're forgetting the most important thing!"
I look at Alice's elated and slightly mischievous face.
"What?"
She leans in and whispers conspiratorially.
"Did it work?"
I groan loudly and push past her into my room.
"I'm not discussing this with you. I have to get dressed."
"Oh Bella, you don't have to tell me, it's written all over your face! Not that I'm surprised- for the price I paid for it, it better have worked!"
I quickly dress and then sit in my room, not daring to go out incase Alice ambushes me again.
Not surprisingly, my mind drifts to thoughts of Edward.
What did he say again? Consider his proposal? What proposal? What did he ask me?
I lie back on my bed, racking my brain trying to remember everything that he said on the phone, but I keep drawing a blank. I got lost in the sound of his voice and obviously didn't pay attention to what he was saying. I hope he didn't ask me anything important.
I briefly consider calling him back and asking him, but I decide not to, considering the way we ended the call. He would want to know why I didn't remember our conversation and I am by no means a skilled enough liar to pull off a believable excuse- he'll see right through it.
I wonder if I should start giving teasers to those who review. Would that motivate you guys? Let me know!
xXx Olivia