Bella

Oh….dizzy. I closed my eyes, opened them, blinked, and stared forward. Okay…. Now I'm good. I think. I turned my head a small fraction to find myself staring into James's stark blue eyes. They twinkled like they had a secret. I bet those eyes carry a lot of secrets. "Have you always been this way?"

"What way?" James licked his lips as he leaned in closer to my flushed face, not losing that mischievous gleam in his stare for a second. We were at the bar now; I was seated on one of the high stools bolted in front of the green countertop, while James leaned back against it standing beside me, catching me every now and then when I lost my balance on top of my stool. He was a little too close for comfort, his hip touching my thigh. Maybe I was just uncomfortable with the fact that I was incredibly drunk and turned on in the middle of a public establishment.

He was hot, that was for certain. Oh…. But boy, was he trouble. That was for damn sure. "You're just…like….oozing sex." I don't know if I seemed more in awe or in slight disgust, but James seemed to think it was funny.

He chuckled, showing off his perfectly white teeth. His shaggy hair combed across his forehead in a manner that let his hair fall between his eyes slightly. It was sexy. Although, he didn't quite pull it off nearly as well as…what was his name? Eddie.

I reflexively turned my head, my subconscious looking for that mess of bronze hair, and saw that he was still on stage, positioning another bumper sticker on some woman's buxom chest. According to her little introduction, she was a college coed from Puerto Rico, celebrating her 21st birthday with a large group of friends. When Eddie asked if she wanted the sticker on her front or rear bumper, she walked over to the piano bench proudly stuck out her chest, which was directly eye-level to Eddie where he was sitting, as the audience cheered her on. Kudos to the more brazen females for letting a random hot stranger feel them up in public.

"This is why I love my job," Eddie said while making a grand display of peeling the sticker from it's backing before placing it across the length of the woman's chest, making sure to smooth over the creases as she giggled at the sensation, causing her breasts to bounce up and down. "Careful, you're gonna poke my eyes out with those things," he snickered, grabbing each breast with the palms of his hands, giving a final squeeze before dismissing her off the stage.

I cringed. "You guys get paid to be that disgusting, right? I mean, it's obvious that you don't just walk around telling random women you want them to suck your cock… right?"

James laughed. "Well, I don't know about Eddie, but as for me…. Yeah, I guess you can say it's all a part of the environment."

I breathed a small sigh of relief. It was a bit of a comfort to think that it was at least partly just an act.

"Oh…looks like I'm being called up on stage." James pushed himself off the bar. He was impossibly close to me now. "You going to stick around?" I could practically feel the heat of his breath on my forehead.

I shrugged. "I'm here with them and we came in a limo." I pointed to my table to the side of the stage, which was currently being surrounded by my gaggling group of friends.

"I can give you a ride home."

I looked at him with uncertainty. "I probably shouldn't. I can't really ditch my friends. We all came together. Speaking of which, I should probably go back to my table. Thanks for the drink."

James didn't look dismayed. "You're welcome" he sighed. "Alright. Let me know when you change your mind."

"When I change my mind?" I raised my eyebrow, not sure whether to be turned on or put off by his cockiness.

He winked as he walked away and up the stage, switching places with Mike before he took his place on the piano bench.

More crude banter aside, and James and Eddie started a rendition of Kokomo, replacing the title with the phrase "Camel Toe," and subsequently changing all of the lyrics of the song to convey something more appropriately crude for the establishment.

Jessica and Lauren had already left, giving me disdainful looks behind their fake plastered on smiles before they headed out. They decided to take a cab back to the restaurant to pick up their cars. I couldn't exactly say that I was sorry to see them leave.

I made my way to my table where Rosalie, Alice, and Angela were all sitting. I plopped down in an empty chair next to them.

"You're sobering up a little bit, I see," Rosalie observed with a smile. "What's going on with you and—"

"Guys, I think James wants me to go home with him. I don't know what to do. Angela, I'm horny." I buried my face in my hands at my confession. The alcohol raging in my system caused me to be completely brazen with my comments. My mental filter was completely switched off.

Angela chuckled as she gently stroked my hair.

"I'm really, really horny."

Rosalie snorted.

"Mmmhmm. Bella, honey. We know." Alice's voice tried to stay composed, but even through the thick veil of alcohol impairing my perception, I knew she was laughing at me.

"But I don't want to sleep with him, do I?" I continued my rant with frustration in my voice. "I'm not that kind of girl," I whined with a dramatic flourish of my hand. "You know what I mean? I'm not that kind of girl." My speech was muffled by the fact that I dropped my head to the table on top of my crossed arms, burying my face inside.

I heard snickering above me.

"And what kind of girl would that be? A girl who gets herself smacked on the ass on top of a grand piano in front of three hundred people?" Rosalie barked. Angela and Alice were in hysterics.

"Or how about a girl who starts gyrating in the air while singing a song about monkeys having butt sex with a random stranger while wearing a crown shaped like a massive dick on her head!" Alice could barely make out the end of the sentence, she was laughing so hard.

"Sto-op!" I whined. "You make me sound like a two-bit whore. I can't help it that I haven't had sex in a really long time."

"And now there's an incredibly attractive man who wants to have it with you, so what's the problem?" Rosalie reasoned.

I gave her a look. "Because that's not me."

Alice took my hand in hers across the table. "Come on, Bella. You haven't had sex since like high school—"

"Say it a little louder why don't you," I muttered. "And I've had sex since then."

"Barely," Rosalie muttered under her breath before continuing. "Bella—I think even you can agree that you deserve to have a little fun. You don't have to sleep with James—just see where it goes."

"Yeah, and if you're feeling up to it, great. If not, I'm sure it's not like he's absolutely sex-deprived or something. And besides, he's hot." Alice gave me a smile and patted my hand, like everything was solved with her statement.

I pursed my lips together. I wished my head wasn't spinning so I could actually think clearly. Finally, I was able to gather some semblance of logic and reason when I remembered why we were there in the bar in the first place. "Oh god—Angela. This is your party. I can't just leave you guys like this!"

"Consider it an early birthday present." Angela smiled. "Actually, it's past midnight, so consider it a birthday present. Only if you want to stay, of course."

Did I want to stay? Maybe I did. But as intoxicated as I was, and as attractive as he was, I was just not a one-night stand girl.

But I was incredibly single… and as much as I hated to admit it… my body really wanted it.

But, it wasn't me.

I made my decision. "I'm not going to have sex with him. But….maybe make out with him a little?"

"That's a start," Alice admitted enthusiastically.

"Are you guys sure you don't mind?"

"No, have fun. Don't you dare think we're going to cockblock you for one second," Rosalie commanded with a point of her finger.

I smiled. "I'll just call a cab home. If I let him take me home, he'll probably think it's an open invitation."

"God, you're strangely coherent for being so drunk," Rosalie marveled.

There's gotta be something else

Let me tell you something else

There was a girl that passed me by

She gave a smile buy I was shy

And I looked down, so down

I turned my attention back to the stage at that moment where Eddie was playing and crooning into his microphone. It should be illegal for him to display so much sex appeal as effortlessly as he seemed to.

He was seated at the piano facing me, while James was at the piano closest to our table, but with his back turned to us.

His gaze flickered towards mine for less than a second, but it was enough to stop me breathless.

I wondered…. If it were Eddie in James's place, would I let him take me home? I guess I'd never know…. I ignored the feeling that deep down I think I already knew the answer to that question. I would.

I fought the shiver that traveled through my body and tried to avert my gaze from Eddie's, but it was proving to be near impossible. He was mesmerizing to look at, really. I wanted to run my fingers through his shiny copper hair, brush it away from his eyes. Eyes I could get lost in forever.

Underground

Everything's heavy underground

You've been kicked around

Did life bring you down here?

Everything's heavy underground

"So, it kinda looks like Tanya thinks she's going to get lucky with Eddie tonight," Alice whispered to me with a roll of her eyes.

"How do you know?" I frowned, not able to hide my disappointment at the thought of Eddie with the beautiful and perfect Tanya.

"She's been hanging around him all night. It's obvious." Rosalie took a sip of her drink. "She keeps going to the bar on the other side of the room. That's where he goes when he's not playing."

"Oh." I pretended not to be interested. I worked to hard to make it seem like I was watching James and Eddie on their pianos, but the truth was, my mind was swirling with thoughts as much as the alcohol I consumed was swirling in my stomach.

Before I knew it, James was strutting off the stage and coming towards me. "So, we're almost closing up here, have you changed your mind yet?" He smiled his cocky smile as he spun a chair around from another table to sit next to me. He winked at the other girls.

Alice, Rosalie, and Angela smiled knowingly at each other before they simultaneously looked at me. I nodded ever so slightly. They were right. It didn't have to be anything serious, or anything overtly sexual…just fun.

"Call me if you need me," Alice whispered in my ear. She smiled meaningfully at James before leading the rest of the girls out.

"Happy Birthday," they mouthed simultaneously by the doorway.

I rolled my eyes and waved them goodbye.

James eyes brightened when he realized what was happening. "I knew you'd change your mind." He leaned into me, lightly tracing his fingers on the exposed skin of my arm, leaving goosebumps in its wake. "You wanna hang out here a little bit, and then head back to my place?"

I every so slowly let out the breath that had caught in my throat. "Uh…James. Before we go any further—"

"I know, I know--you're getting married." He smirked, leaning impossibly close to my hair. His lips barely touched my ear. I shivered. "Don't worry…I won't tell if you don't."

Oh my god. That's right. He thought I was getting married. He didn't even know my real name. I pushed one hand against him and mustered as much sobriety as I could, looking at him in all earnest with my expression. "James. I have to tell you… " I bit my lip. Would he still want to be with me after he found out I wasn't being completely honest with him? I had to tell him, nevertheless.

I took a deep breath, my hand still resting gently on his shoulder. "I'm not getting married. My name's not Angela. My friends and I were here for a bachelorette party, but it wasn't mine. I guess you could say I kind of took the fall for my friend so she wouldn't get embarrassed."

Confusion marred his flawless face for a second, but it was possible that he seemed even more aroused by my confession. "Okay…What is your name?"

"Bella." I dared myself to look at him from under my lashes.

An amused expression graced his lips while he continued to stare at me. "If you think that changes my mind about you, it doesn't. Now, I'm in luck because you're single."

I smiled.

His blue eyes were sparkling with that bit of mischief. "My offer still stands. What do you say?"

My smile fell a little. He was good. Yet, it didn't change anything. "I'm not going to sleep with you."

He chuckled, looking overly defensive in his response. "Hey! What kind of person do you take me for, Bella? I'm talking about a game of chess, maybe play Guitar Hero on my Wii. And if you happen to strip naked for me and we end up having hot sex on my kitchen table, so be it."

I snorted, grateful for his attempts to make me feel more comfortable.

His face softened, still alight with amusement. "But no pressure. We can just hang out here, see how it goes. If you want to call a cab home at the end of the night, you'll break my heart, but I'll understand. Deal?"

I nodded, satisfied with his suggestion.

"Hey, I gotta go to the bathroom. I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere." He winked at me before ambling towards the hallway tucked behind the bar on our side of the room.

I nodded again, taking a sip of the water in front of me. Probably Angela's.

I looked up and saw that Mike had taken the stage again. He was playing random songs as patrons filtered out of the bar. I scanned the room absentmindedly, only to rest my eyes on Tanya and Eddie, chatting it up again. Just like Alice said, he headed straight for the bar on the other side of the room, right where Tanya was waiting for him.

This time, Tanya's back was to me, and Eddie was facing me, giving me ample opportunity to fully appreciate his beauty without a large piano standing in the way. It was hard to tell if he was truly interested in Tanya or not, judging by the way he was interacting with her, but something told me he was someone who held his cards close to his vest, in direct contrast to James who seemed to bear no shame laying everything out on the table.

He licked his lips every so often, bringing his hand habitually to his hair, running his fingers through those luscious bronze locks. I sighed.

He scratched the back of his neck, letting his shirt lift up, giving me a second peek to the wonderful sliver of skin beneath his stomach, while his other arm propped him up against the bar. He laughed at something Tanya said, and the sight left me completely frozen.

He threw his head back slightly, and his face lit up, crinkling his eyes and flashing his perfectly white teeth. It was strange. He looked almost familiar in some way, but I couldn't figure out why that would be. Surely I would have remembered seeing him before.

Then, before I had time to look away, he turned his head in my direction, scanning the room just as I did earlier. Something caught his attention, causing him to furrow his brow. Before I could turn around in motivation of my own curiosity, I realized that his eyes had rested on mine.

Suddenly, his expression was severe. His eyes narrowed, a crease forming in the middle of his brow as he stared. It was truly frightening. Yet, I couldn't pull away.

I didn't understand.

Why was he looking at me like that?

It wasn't long before Tanya realized he had stopped paying attention to her. Her hand quickly went to his bicep, and gave a toss of her long blond hair over her shoulder. He reluctantly broke his gaze and returned half-heartedly to his conversation. He put his hand back in his pocket, but even from the distance between us, I could tell he was clenching his fist by the way the veins and tendons were protruding in his exposed forearm.

"I asked the bartender to fix you a drink on the house. I had to lie and say it was your birthday." James was back with two colorful looking cocktails in his hands. He pushed one towards me, a martini glass with an strip of orange peel hanging from the side. The drink was a mix of orange and red with crushed ice. I recognized the drink; a sex on the beach. I almost rolled my eyes at the subtle innuendo James was hinting at by pressing this drink upon me.

"Actually, it is my birthday." I smiled. "So thank you."

James grinned. "Happy Birthday! Well, we definitely have to celebrate then." He pushed the drink towards me another inch.

I pursed my lips, wondering if it was a good idea to have another drink in my condition. "Although, I really shouldn't drink anymore."

"Are you sure?" James asked, in a sweet crooning voice. It almost sounded like singing. "What's one little drink going to do to you?"

I raised my eyebrow at him.

James held up his hand as if he were taking an oath. "I swear I will be a perfect gentleman. And if you happen to take off your top singing along to Britney Spears and you want to give me a blow job in my car, so be it."

I snorted again. I wasn't quite convinced, but he knew he was breaking me down.

James leaned in and spoke in my ear to make me feel those shivers again. "Just take a sip, so I don't feel like such an asshole." He smiled.

I rolled my eyes, but brought the drink closer to me with the edge of my fingers. I brought the straw to my lips and took a long sip. "There. Are you happy?"

James chuckled. "Thank you. Now, do you want me to sing you happy birthday on the piano? I can bring the whole crowd in on it."

I shook my head. "No... I think I've endured enough embarrassment for one night."

"Okay, okay." James relented. "So tell me, Bella. Now that I know your real name, what do you do?"

"I'm a teacher."

"Ooh." James liked that answer, I could tell. "Naughty school teacher?"

I laughed. "No, a middle school teacher. I teach English." I took another small sip of my drink. It was actually quite tasty.

"Damn. I didn't have any English teachers that looked like you when I was going to school. Maybe I wouldn't have ditched class so often," he joked.

I blushed.

He leaned back in his chair. "So—"

"Hey, James, can I talk to you for a sec?" That deep velvet voice. I whipped my head around almost too fast, and immediately closed my eyes to stop the spinning images in my head. When I opened them, Eddie was standing not two feet away from us, a stern expression fixed upon James. I only sat there with my mouth completely open, gaping at his perfect frame and heady scent stinging my nostrils, a mix of his cologne and traces of sweat, evidently from spending the night performing under hot lights.

"Uh, can it wait?" James frowned. He was obviously annoyed with the interruption.

"No." Eddie seemed to communicate something with his eyes before turning his attention momentarily at me. "Excuse us for a minute."

I was too dumbfounded to speak. The close proximity of Eddie confounded me of all capable speech or coherent thinking.

Luckily, they didn't wait for me to answer. James scooted his chair back and walked to a secluded part of the room by the bar's entrance while I sat alone with my drink. I smiled lazily at the Charlie-looking waiter who was cleaning up the neighboring tables and continued to sip my drink out of sheer boredom of nothing else to do. James was right. One more drink wasn't going to hurt me.

I looked around and saw that Tanya had left. I wondered what happened. I couldn't help but feel a little sense of pleasure knowing that Tanya would not be getting "lucky" with Eddie as she had originally hoped.

Ugh. A gurgling erupted in my stomach. I didn't feel so good.

I pushed my drink away, grabbing the abandoned glasses of water before me, hoping to dilute the awful nausea that was slowly washing over my entire body.

No, the water wasn't working. I pursed my lips together.

I grimaced with the pain, putting one hand to my stomach. Okay, maybe I was wrong. One drink was one drink too many.

Putting one hand over my mouth I pushed my chair back in haste, walking as fast as my legs could carry me to the ladies restroom.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Ohhh….

My head was pounding.

My mouth felt…disgusting.

I could barely open my eyes in the darkness… they felt like they were glued shut.

My arms felt like 10-pound weights as I brought them up, slowly rubbing the sleep away.

I yawned. My toes pointed while I stretched, my arms grabbing the headboard behind me. I ran my fingers down the designs of the thick hardwood frame…

Wait.

I thought I had a steel frame for my headboard.

My eyes shot open. I was drowning in a bulky down comforter. I had to pull the covers off from over my head to see clearly. That's why it was so dark, I realized.

I flinched at the small streams of sunlight entering the room because of what they were doing to my headache. At least the shades were down.

Propping myself up by my elbows, I squinted through the dark shadows. I didn't recognize the room.

"Where am I?" I hoarsely whispered. As soon as the words escaped my mouth, it all came coming back to me.

It felt like a hammer was pounding my brain down to small little fragments, leaving me no room to recollect the previous nights events, but I tried.

Dancing… Angela's bachelorette party… the piano bar… John Lennon…

I remembered Eddie…. Smacking that sticker on my ass on top of the piano….James sitting down next to me… James… oh god…

"I didn't." I covered my face in my hands, slamming my body back into the comfort of the mysterious bed. I must have, though. This certainly wasn't my apartment, or anyone's I knew. I told myself I wasn't a one-night stand girl, and here I was. How did I get here? I didn't remember anything past the fruity cocktail I downed right after the girls left.

I didn't even remember the sex. I racked my brain. Nothing. Not a thing.

But where was he?

I turned my head, side to side, and all around me, ignoring the pain momentarily, wondering if he had just been watching me all this time, laughing silently as I made a complete spectacle of myself.

Nope. No one else was in the room. I rubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands, forcing myself to sit up. Reaching over to turn on the bedside lamp, I could see the room more clearly.

Woah. This was a really nice apartment.

White crown molding adorned the edges of the high vaulted ceilings. Corinthian columns highlighted the archway into the large master bathroom I could see from the bed. Warm browns decorated the large king sized bed, and I looked behind me to see that the headboard was the same rich chocolate brown of the comforter. The walls were a dusty bluish grey.

It was comfortable, and it surprised me that James would have such good taste when it came to interior design.

Something about it didn't seem quite like home, however. Finally, I realized what it was; no pictures. The walls were bare. Looking around the room again, I noticed a few boxes stacked in the corner, making me wonder if James had just moved to this new place. That would explain the lack of pictures on the walls.

I pulled back the covers even more and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I felt a slight shiver run up my body as my toes touched down. A rich mahogany stained the floor under my feet. The dark swirls traveling from wall to wall were entrancing; the patterns were artwork in and of itself.

I listened to the pitter patter of my own foot steps as I made my way to the door, gasping when I caught my reflection in the mirror by the door.

I was completely naked.

Shit. That was proof right there, wasn't it? And yet, why couldn't I remember? I was panicking. Was James out in the living room? Had he left me altogether? I kind of hoped for the latter, despite the twinge of rejection I would feel if that were the case. Better than facing him with absolutely no recollection of having sex with him….

Damn it! Where are my clothes?

I searched everywhere around the room, lifting the covers, searching the floor and underneath the bed, with no results. I blew out an air of frustration.

Whether we had sex or not, there was no way I was just going to walk around the apartment with no clothes on.

Finally, I noticed something white at the edge of the bed. At first glance, I dismissed it as a towel or thin blanket, but when I picked it up, I saw that it was a large robe.

"Perfect," I sighed, weaving my arms through the sleeves of the large terry cloth. I wrapped the belt securely around my waist and walked towards the door. Holding my breath, I gently pulled it open.

There was no sound except for a soft whirring and the sound of dripping water coming from down the hall. A wonderful smell emanated through my nostrils. "Mmm." I took a deep whiff. It was coffee. I followed the smell down the hallway, and my mouth practically dropped to the floor once I was in view of the rest of the apartment. I felt like I was standing at the edge of the earth when I realized I was on the second floor of a very large loft. I ran into a long railing that kept me from falling several feet into the living room beneath me. I just stood gaping.

The entire Seattle cityscape stood in front of me, glass panels spanning the entire wall, probably a good 20 feet tall. Whereas the room I was sleeping in was still dark from the drawn shades, it was quite bright in here, overcast clouds aside. I held onto the railing in front of me for dear life as I descended down the spiral staircase made of wrought iron.

I wound around and around until I finally reached the bottom floor of the loft.

The expansive window was sandwiched between two exposed red brick walls on either side. More hardwood met my bare feet as I continued to pitter-patter across the floor.

The source of the wonderful smell was much closer now, and I breathed deep the smell of fresh coffee.

"Hello?" My voice was still hoarse and I could barely stand the decibel of the sound in my head before it started pounding again. I winced, putting one hand to my forehead in attempts to numb the pain. I listened for an answer. It looked like nobody was home.

From eyelevel, I could see the pieces of furniture and other semblances of "home" more clearly. A flat-screen television, black leather sofas, stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, more boxes…. But what stuck out to me more than anything else, was that instead of a dining table where the dining table was so plainly supposed to go, there sat a large grand piano.

I was drawn to it like a moth to flame, watching how the sunlight cast a glow against the varnish of the deep cherry wood. Approaching closer, I noticed stacks of sheet music littering the stand above the keys, covering the expansive top like the first snowflakes to fall on the ground. I saw that some pieces were covered in an indefinable scrawl, some were completely blank, and some were in phases in-between. A sharpened pencil rested horizontally across the black keys.

Snowballs of sheet music sprinkled the floor beneath and around the piano, and I smiled. It was like an exhibit, a snapshot of composition in its purest form. I liked it.

Sighing, I decided that the best remedy to my headache was to take advantage of the coffee brewing in the kitchen, so I made my way back.

That was when I noticed an empty coffee cup, a glass of water, a bottle of aspirin, a toasted bagel with cream cheese, and a yellow sticky note on the counter next to the hot pot of coffee.

I poured myself a cup of coffee, leaning my hip against the counter as I read the note.

Thought you might need some of this after last night.

Had to leave—work.

E

E? So this wasn't James's apartment I was in. It must have been….Eddie's?

My eyes went wide with shock, letting the mug I was holding full of burning hot coffee slip out of my hands, landing in puzzle pieces and a large brown lake on the tile floor.

"FUCK!" The coffee was giving me third degree burns on my legs and feet, and I hastily set the coffee pot down on the counter. "Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow," I hissed, reaching for the glass of water and splashing it effectively on my exposed skin to reduce the heat.

This didn't make any sense. I remembered specifically that James was the one flirting with me last night, he was the one who asked me to go home with him, bought me all of those drinks….so why was I waking up naked in the middle of someone else's apartment?

I didn't know. I racked my brain for answers that refused to come as I cleaned up the horrific mess I made.

This can't be happening…. I thought I was a girl who wasn't supposed to have one-night stands? Although, if I truly was in Eddie's apartment, it explained things a little better….but why couldn't I remember?

I was gasping in frustration, bordering a panic attack, naked under a bath robe that didn't belong to me, crouching like an idiot next to overpriced kitchen appliances in the middle of an overpriced loft apartment completely alone! With all of the proof in front of me, I could not salvage anything in my mind as to how this all came to be.

I let out a groan of frustration. That was it. My only solution was to find my clothes, get out of here as fast as possible, and somehow forget any of this ever happened. I already forgot the sex, so the rest should be easy, right?

I grabbed the bottle of aspirin, hoping it would satiate at least a fraction of the headache I was experiencing. I poured water directly from the faucet straight into my mouth, not wanting to waste any time, before chugging the water and pills back. Of course, I knew Eddie was already at work, so I wouldn't have to worry about running into him. I assumed he didn't have any roommates, but I didn't want to take my chances. And the sooner I could get out, the sooner I could commence with forgetting. Completely forgetting.

I took one of the bagel halves and stuffed it into my mouth, while searching for my clothes. I saw that there was a laundry room of sorts next to the balcony, and I found success in the dryer, pulling out my outfit from last night. I furrowed my brow trying to figure out where my underwear could possibly be. I went back to the bedroom, and as I suspected, they were hanging by the towel rack in the master bathroom. Was it possible that Eddie was anal-retentive enough that clothes on the floor bothered him to the point where he would wash and hang them himself before, during, or after sex? Improbable.

I blushed and cringed. I didn't even want to know what happened last night that made washing my clothes down to my black thong a necessity.

I pulled on my underwear, and took off the white terry cloth robe before replacing it with the rest of my ensemble.

Shoes?

I searched the floor throughout the entire apartment. I found them neatly placed side by side before the front entrance. As if they had been waiting for my feet all of this time. I slid my heels on.

Almost ready. What else? Oh. Purse.

My purse was on the counter. That one was the easiest to find. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw my house key safely tucked inside with my wallet.

Should I call a cab? I didn't even know where I was. On the counter, I saw a small stack of unopened letters and bills. Perfect. I'll get the address from his mail. I walked over to the small stack and grabbed the first letter on top.

I read the address on the label, but couldn't seem to get past the first line. Edward Cullen.

I gulped.

Not Eddie. Edward Cullen. My mind knew the answer to my question before I could even form the sentence. All of a sudden, Esme's and Masen's voice were circling around in my head like a ferris wheel:

"My nephew just moved into town—"

"Well, wait till you meet my brother, Edward—"

"Don't worry about Edward, he's perfectly harmless—"

Could it be? The same Eddie that had me bend over as he smacked my ass on top of a piano, whose apartment I just spent some unmemorable sexual romp of a night which I couldn't even remember the next morning…was that the same Edward Cullen who was the responsible older brother to my own student? The same Edward who was the nephew of my closest friend at work?

Yes, I admitted grimly. Yes, it was. I had to get out. I had to get out now.

I jotted down a quick note to Edward, apologizing for the broken cup. I jotted down the address to Edward's apartment on a separate post-it note so I could call a cab from outside. I had to get out of the apartment as soon as possible.

I felt like throwing up.

XXXXXXXXXX

So... the next chapter is the first written by the new tag team! First up is withthevampsofcourse... are you as jazzed as we are?