James pulled up the car in front of a line of stores. He unbuckled his seat belt, got out of the car, and opened my door all in the same second. Apparently he wasn't as worried as the Cullens were about somebody seeing him. Then again everyone was so busy with their own lives that they wouldn't notice someone moving strangely fast, and if they did, they'd probably chalk it up to their eyes playing tricks on them. He held out his hand to help me out of the car. I eyed it warily, causing James to sigh in exasperation.

"I'm just trying to help you out of the car Bella. I promise not to do anything other than that." He promised. I tentatively took his hand. True to his word, he helped me out of the car, smiled at me, then let go of my hand immediately after. We walked down the sidewalk for a block until we got to a small restaurant. The name of the restaurant was Landmarc, and it had a very modern look to it. We walked in the door and up to the hostess. It was after most people's lunch break, so the restaurant wasn't very busy.

"Welcome to Landmarc. Table for two?" the hostess asked politely. She was very pretty, and it was obvious that she was attracted to James, but she still smiled at me, and tried to put her personal feelings aside. I admired her for that.

"Yes please." James said in a smooth tone.

"Booth or table?" James looked at me. I blushed and quietly said booth. Ever since I was a little girl I always preferred to have a booth. I think it had something to do with one too many falling chair incidents. Yes booths were much safer.

The hostess led us to our booth, and left after giving us our menus, and telling us our waiter would be out here shortly. I picked up the menu and quickly decided on having a Landmarc burger, and a mango iced tea. (Yum. Shoot now I'm hungry)

Our waiter arrived quickly, but when I saw the expression on his face change, as he looked me up and down, I wished he hadn't. He had an almost stunned expression on his face, but he quickly changed it into a 'seductive' smile.

"Hi. I'm Nick, and I'll be your server today. What can I get a pretty lady like yourself?" as he spoke, he tried to make his voice sound alluring, and leaned slightly toward me. It was all I could do not to gag in disgust.

"I'll have a Landmarc burger and a mango iced tea please." It wasn't hard to make my voice sound cold and disgusted. The hard part was getting it through his head.

"Of course. Is there anything else I can get you?" he asked and leaned in closer. I was about to tell him to back off, but James beat me to it.

"Ya. How bout a small coffee, black?" he turned to James annoyed, but after apparently dubbing himself the better choice, smirked and answered with fake politeness.

"Right away, sir." Luckily he had to leave then to give the chef our orders. James glared at his back the entire time. As soon as he was through the doors I sighed in relief. James looked toward me at my sigh and smiled apologetically.

"Would you like me to get another server?" James asked kindly. I did, but I shook my head.

"He's harmless." At first it was silent while we waited for our food. After a little while though, James started to ask me questions about my life. I first I only answered in short sentences, but after a few minutes I began to loosen up. He only asked me question about my life in Phoenix, after I started to get depressed about all the things I was missing in Forks. All though lunch he quizzed me.

Nick had bought our food halfway though our conversation, and was about to interrupt, but unfortunately for him another of his customers needed him. We were happily Nick-free the rest of lunch, but of course he found a way to talk to me before we left.

"Hey." He said as he walked up to our table. He put his hands on the table and leaned toward me again. I faintly heard James make a low growling sound. "I get off in a few minutes. If you want, I can show you the real New York." He lowered his voice at the end, in an attempt to make it husky, but all it did was creep me out even more.

"No thanks." I said hoping he would get the hint and back off. Of course he didn't.

"Come on baby. Why hang around with the stiff? I can show you a good time." He was so close to me now that I had to back up just to breathe.

"Nick." Someone said angrily. We all turned to see an angry girl with black hair pulled up in a twist walking toward us. "You have other tables to attend." She glared at him, and he stalked off. She turned to us with a sheepish look on her face.

"I'm sorry about Nick. I was joking around with him in the kitchen that he should distract you so I could move in on your friend. I was only kidding, but I guess he took it as more than a joke. I'm sorry that he was bothering you." She looked like a kind person, and sadly she reminded me of Angela.

"It's okay…" I paused for a second, not knowing her name.

"Lizzie." she filled in for me quickly, holding out her hand.

"Bella." I said shaking it. "I believe that you didn't mean any harm, and I'm glad you came out here and tried to help." Lizzie smiled at me graciously.

"Thanks for understanding. I'm sorry I ruined your date." I froze, horror seeping it my mind. Is that what this looked like to other people, a date? I heard James tell her quietly that this wasn't a date, but I couldn't focus on her reply. I was too horrorstruck by my own thoughts. How could I have done this to Edward? How could I have forgotten that James was the one who had kidnapped me? The one who had taken me away from the people I love. But here I was having lunch with him and talking like old friends. I couldn't believe how I had acted. I should be trying to figure out a way to get help not shopping for clothes.

That thought stumped me. How would I get help? If I told someone that he had kidnapped me, he would just take us somewhere else, or… I stopped myself there, I didn't want to think about the or. There's no way I could escape on my own, and James prevented Alice from seeing us. The sound of James calling my name brought me out of my musings.

"Bella." I was about to answer out of habit, but then I remembered what Lizzie had said. I just continued staring out the window of the car instead. I didn't remember getting in the car, but I was pretty out of it for a while. A hurricane could have hit, and I wouldn't have noticed.

"Bella please talk to me. I'm sorry that what the waitress said upset you, but I need you to understand that it was never my intention for lunch to become a date. Please don't let one little word ruin everything." I bristled at that, and turned to see James cringing, and trying to backpedal.

"Bella I-" he began, trying to reason with me. I cut him off

"What do you mean, everything, James? There is no everything! There can never be anything because, as I've told you already, I love Edward!" James had a sad but frustrated look on his face.

"Bella. Please just listen." He added when he saw that I was going to interrupt. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that. When I said everything, I didn't mean it romantically. I meant the trust you were starting to put in me. Your trust is very important to me, and you have no idea how frustrated I am with myself that one word destroyed that trust. Bella I saw how much it hurt you when that waitress assumed we were on a date, and that hurt me too. It hurt me that you thought I would try to trick you into going on a date with me. I know you don't believe me but I love you, and when, if, " I glared at his assumption, causing him to change it. "we get together, I want it to be because you love me too."

I opened my mouth to answer, but he stopped the car and got out before I could. He opened the door for me and bent down so he could speak to me eye to eye. I wasn't comfortable with the small amount of space between us, but found that I couldn't back up.

"Bella I truly am sorry for what happened. Please let me make it up to you." I was confused, but understood as soon as he got up and helped me out of the car. Giving me a clear view of where we were now parked.

"No James." I said forcefully.

"Bella please just allow me this. You'll need a few any way."

"Why in the world would I need an expensive dress, let alone a few?"

"It's already been decided Bella." He said ignoring my question. "I've arranged it with the manager, so we have the whole store to ourselves, and the will be a someone to help you find whatever you need." Without waiting for me to respond, he led me into the store.

Almost immediately a sales clerk came up to us. I sighed in relief when I saw her. I had been imaging someone who would be overly happy, and try to act like we were best friends having fun at the mall. I liked the look of this lady though. She was in her late twenties and smiling, but she looked like a no nonsense kind of person. She shook my hand and introduced herself as Linda.

"Bella," I said. From behind me I heard James chuckle lightly. "Why are you laughing?" I said, still angry that he had forced me into this. He shrugged his shoulders and said,

"It's not that funny, but I thought it was kind of interesting that both of your names mean beautiful in another language." Linda and I looked at each other and laughed at the random comment. Even though we had just met, I felt like she was someone I could relate to. Soon however she said the dreaded words.

"So what kind of dress are you looking for?" I groaned as James told her that I would need a few party dresses, and a few fancy dresses. She looked at me questioningly.

"I hate it when people spend money on me, and I am super clumsy. Therefore I should not be here." She laughed at my words then put her hand on my arm and led me to the dressing rooms. I calmed down marginally with her touch, and briefly wondered if she would have the same power as Jasper if she were a vampire.

"I'll pick out some things for you, so all you have to do is try them on." I nodded gratefully at her, and told her my dress size before sitting down on one of the chairs.

"Please don't get anything too flashy." I told her before she walked away. James came and sat in the chair next to me to wait. 5 minutes later Linda came back with her arms full of clothes. She pushed me into one of the rooms and handed me the clothes.

The first two dresses I tried on were entirely black. One was sleeveless and floor length, while the other was halter topped and had a torn pattern about knee length. I tried on what seemed like hundreds of dresses, and almost all of them fit me perfectly. It gave me a wide variety to choose from, and I actually found myself picking out my favorites, and handing them to Linda, who in turn, handed them to James.

Finally we were down to the last dress. I looked down at the dress Linda had just given me.

"No, Linda." I shouted over the door. She just told me to try it on and show them. Throughout the entire time I had been showing them the dresses, even going so far as to do a few joking poses. James eyes had been lit up with excitement and adoration the entire time, though he had been silent. Linda on the other hand had commented on each dress.

I walked out of the dressing room in the dress, and saw James's innocent expression of joy change drastically. As soon as he registered what I was wearing his eyes turned black, and he stopped breathing.

The dress I was wearing was sky blue, floor length, and very revealing. It had a shallow v-neck neckline and was covered in rhinestones, but the sides were cut out along with most of the back. The only thing covering my back, as I spun around shyly, was the criss-cross strings holding it up, and the material that didn't start again until right above my butt.

I couldn't believe that I had actually walked out in this thing. It didn't matter how much I liked it. There was no way I was wearing it again. I turned to go back into the room, my face stained permanently red, but Linda caught my arm.

"I can't believe I just did that." I whispered to her, mortified.

"Bella, that's what's supposed to happen," she whispered in my ear, referring to James's reaction.

"I like the dress," I confided in her, "but I can't pull it off." She shook her head, and turned to go back to where James was still sitting rigidly. Luckily that was the last dress, so I quickly changed back into my old clothes, and left to meet James at the register.

(JPOV)

I was ecstatic, as Bella headed into the dressing rooms to try on the pile of clothes Linda had handed her. I think it had something to do with the way I was brought up, but something about a woman in a dress just made my day. I couldn't even imagine what seeing Bella in one would do for me.(EW James that sounds gross)

All of the dresses she tried on looked fantastic on her, some more than others. I already had a large pile of her favorites ready to check out. I was having a fun time watching her mess around, and strike poses, Linda and her had clicked almost instantly, that is until she came out in the last dress.

"No, Linda." I heard her shout from the dressing room.

"Just put it on and show us Bella." Linda told her. I heard Bella sigh angrily before she opened the door. I could feel my eyes turn black instantly, and I stopped breathing. I tried desperately to ignore the desire I was feeling as she spun in the dress slowly.

The dress itself looked stunning on her. It had a neckline that wasn't to revealing, but that in no way made up for the rest of it. The sides and back of the dress were non-existent, leaving an incredible view of her soft skin. Her fair skin contrasted perfectly with the color of the dress. I could feel the chair begin to give in under my grip as my eyes followed the contours of her back until the material finally become visible once again, right when I wish it wouldn't.

I tried to close my eyes against the torturous sight, but found that I couldn't. As she walked away it took all of my power to stop myself from claiming her as mine right there. She unconsciously swung her hips back and forth as she walked, and I couldn't help but watch. She stopped for a second to talk to Linda, but finally she was out of sight. After a few moments I drew in a shaky breath. There was no way we were going to leave without that dress.

I saw Linda walking back toward me with an angry and frustrated expression. She cut me off before I had a chance to ask if she was okay.

"What is wrong with her?"

"What do you mean?" I asked defensively, but still slightly breathless. There was no way she was going to talk bad about Bella on my watch.

"Why is she so blind? She is one of the most beautiful girls I've seen, and it's so natural she thinks nothing of it. She's extremely kind which only adds to her beauty yet when I told her that she looked great in the dress she said 'I love it, but I could never pull it off.'" I saw now that Linda was never mad at Bella. She was mad at how poorly Bella saw herself. At smiled gently at her.

"It's the way Bella is. There's no changing her." She sighed and agreed quietly that that was a good thing.

"It's amazing how much you love her." Linda said softly. I smiled at her words, but pain crossed my features before I could stop it at the thought that she would never love me back.

"She doesn't love me." I said, pain lacing every word. Linda put a comforting hand on my shoulder. I tensed at the contact. Bella's blood smelled amazing to me, but I was so distracted by everything else about her that I barely noticed it. Unfortunately though the same didn't apply to Linda. After hunting for so long, it was actually painful not to sooth my thirst instantly, and I had to fight myself to remember that I liked Linda, and how much it would hurt Bella if I hurt her. Linda continued on, unaware of the struggle I was having against killing her or not.

"Don't give up. I can tell how much you love her, and it's impossible to ignore that kind of devotion." I tried to distract myself by carrying on with the conversation.

"She has someone else."

"And where is this someone else." He's on the other side of the country because I kidnapped Bella away from him, ya that would go over well. I decided to tell half-truths instead.

"He's actually in Washington. I surprised Bella with this trip as a way to try to get her away from him, so I could spend some time with her."

"Well you've accomplished that. Now you need a plan to woe her." I told her about my plans for Bella tonight and she agreed to help.

(BPOV)

When I caught up with James and Linda at the front of the store they were both smiling. Well that's not at all suspicious, I thought to myself.

"Hey guys." I said cautiously as I approached them. "What's going on?"

"James invited me over for dinner tonight." Linda said happily. I smiled at her, happy that we had gotten along so well, and that she was going to come over.

"Well I guess that means we'll have to get some groceries." I said, thinking about what to make since James couldn't taste anything and Linda was the guest. I was actually relieved that she was coming over for dinner. I didn't want anymore alone time with James. Who knew what that would lead to.

"Actually I was planning on eating at this nice restaurant I've heard of." I looked over at James wondering why his normally smooth voice sounded strained. What I saw immediately filled me with dread though. At the end of her statement, Linda had put her hand on James's shoulder. His eyes were now black with thirst, and he looked as if he was in pain. James felt my stare and looked over at me. Pleading me with his eyes to help him.

"Linda," I said trying to distract her. " I decided to get the dress." Just like I expected she clapped her hands together happily and ran to grab the dress from its place in the dressing room. James breathed a sigh of relief, and looked over at me. His posture looked tired but amused. His voice was smooth once again as he spoke in low tones, his eyes hinting at an emotion I wasn't sure I wanted to identify.

"So you decided to get that amazing dress." I blushed and mumbled back.

"I was just trying to help." The smile on his face stayed, but his eyes became softer.

"Yes thank you for that." He leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Though I'm going to have to hunt tonight." I couldn't help it; I flinched. James pulled back at my flinch, and when I turned to look at him I could see the pain in his eyes.

"I didn't mean people, Bella." He said quietly. I nodded and turned to Linda who was returning with a few large bags and a credit card that she handed to James. I looked exasperatedly over at him, but he just shrugged his shoulders and forced a smile. The pain was still visible in his eyes though. I had hurt him deeply. For a second I felt guilty, but I quickly pushed those feelings aside.

"Well I've got a few errands to run." James said in a slightly more cheerful mood. "So I was planning on just dropping you guys off at the apartment. You know, to let you have some time to get ready and talk."

"Sounds ok with me." I said. Linda agreed.

"Ok then," James said gesturing to where the car sat on the road. "Let's head out."

I am sooooooo sorry for the wait. This chapter was really hard for me and with the first few months of school starting I've had to deal with quite a bit of drama. I promise that never again will I make you guys wait so long for a chapter. I hope you liked this one.