Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to the amazingly talented Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter 10: Man Candy

Edward kept me company while I freshened up the house for Alice. Like before, he would add his signature scent to each room after I finished. Only this time, I could actually see him! I wonder if he knew just how much his presence intoxicated me.

Then, all too soon, the doorbell rang. Edward and I looked at each other nervously. Even though we knew everything would turn out fine, we still couldn't help but be a little anxious.

"You ready," he asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I began to walk towards the door, but then thought of something.

"Edward, would you mind stepping into the other room while I talk to Alice? I think it would probably be better to tell her first, before she sees you."

"That's a good idea. In a situation like this, we'd best play it safe."

The doorbell rang again, followed by five sharp raps on the door.

I had to chuckle. "Sorry, patience never really came easily to Alice."

"Well then, let's not keep her waiting." But before I could open the door, he caught my arm and leaned down to kiss me sweetly.

"I love you, Bella. Just remember that." His words comforted me. "And don't worry. It'll all be ok."

I nodded, and he kissed me once more before disappearing. I steadied myself then opened the door.

"Bella," Alice screamed, running into my arms. All nervousness aside, I was incredibly excited to see her—so excited that I picked her up and swung her around. She was so tiny that it was very easy to do so.

"Alice! It's so great to see you. C'mon in," I said, gesturing towards the door.

She cleared her throat and shot me a patronizing look. "Bella, aren't you forgetting something?" She glanced behind her at a group of 8-10 suitcases. "Do you really expect me to carry all of these bags in by myself?"

You've got to be kidding me! "Um, Alice, have you ever heard of traveling light? It would make things a whole lot easier."

Her eyes narrowed. "Easier for me or easier for you?" Uh oh. If there was one thing to remember about Alice, it was to never make her angry. And I was willing to bet that even though she was a lot smaller than me, she could probably kick my ass in a fight.

I laughed nervously. "Oh, you of course. I mean, it's just so much more practical to use one, maybe even two bags." She was still glaring at me. "Hell, at the airport, you wouldn't have to check all those bags. And with the fees nowadays for extra checked items, it's just…" I sighed and gave up. Slowly, I made my way over to the front walkway where her bags were.

"Let me give you a hand," I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.

She perked up immediately and began to clap her hands. "Yay, that's the spirit!"

I gave Alice a tour of the house after we put her bags in my room. She seemed very impressed with the house, and unlike me, loved the crystal chandeliers. She also spent a considerable amount of time talking about how my house would be a kick-ass place to hold a party. She loves planning grand events. And I told her that she could definitely throw a party here—when pigs fly out of my ass.

We soon found ourselves lounging on the living room rug, catching up. I was surprised to find out that since I left Forks, Alice had broken up with her boyfriend, Mike. They always seemed so close, but apparently not—since he decided to be a dickbag and cheat on her. The good thing was that she didn't seem too upset about it. In fact, she seemed glad to be rid of him and was ready to move on. According to her, she was ready to "suck on a hot new piece of man candy." Um, ew. Thanks for the lovely mental image, Alice.

"And speaking of man candy…" She eyed me slyly. "Tell me about yours."

Breathe in, breathe out. "Gee, Alice, I don't really know where to begin."

She rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Bella—spill!"

I guess there was no turning back now.

"Ok, Alice. His name is Edward."

"Edward what?"

"Edward Masen."

"Ooh, I like it," she squealed.

"His name?" Who gets excited over a name?

"Yeah! It's got this casual elegance about it. Simple yet sophisticated."

I had to admit, Alice was dead-on.

"So tell me more! How did you guys meet?"

"Um, here actually," I said, gesturing around me. She raised her eyebrows at me in confusion.

This was it. I had to tell her. "Look, Alice, we've been friends for quite a while. I trust that you won't judge my decision, and I trust that you won't get weirded out."

She looked at me curiously. "What are you talking about, Bella? Of course I won't judge you."

"Well, Edward isn't exactly what you may think he is. He's a lot different than the average person."

"What, does he have, like, special abilities? Can he read minds or something," she asked excitedly.

"That's not it at all, Alice," I replied, a little louder than I originally planned. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "He's…a ghost."

I was greeted with silence. This couldn't be a good sign, considering that Alice was never silent. I opened my eyes and found her staring at me, mouth open in shock.

"But Alice, he's not like other spirits—I don't think. He looks exactly like a human, except for this glow surrounding him. He's just…beautiful. Just wait till you seem him! He's sweet and romantic and witty. We can talk for hours about everything and not get tired of each other." I paused for a moment. "I know it sounds crazy but I just…I love him, Alice. And you can't make me turn off my feelings for him."

"I wasn't in question, Bella. I just couldn't believe it. It's amazing." She began smiling widely.

"Seriously, Alice—you don't have to pretend. If I were you, I'd be more than a little creeped out by this."

"But I'm not you—that's just it!" She jumped to her feet and began bouncing up and down. "Bel-la's in lo-ove, Bel-la's in lo-ove."

I got to my feet as well. "Shit, Alice—calm down." I put my hands on her shoulders to try and settle her down.

"Geez, Bella, you're such a downer. You're in love. You should celebrate!"

"Well, I am celebrating. I'm celebrating mentally. You know I'm not one for doing happy dances," I said with a chuckle.

Suddenly, she stopped jumping and looked at me curiously. "So, have you guys done anything yet?" Her implications weren't lost on me.

I blushed. "It's not like that, Alice. We haven't done what you're talking about. We can't really. But we've kissed, though."

"How do you do that, since he's a ghost and all?"

"Well, I can't feel him. But I can feel his energy. It's this incredibly electrifying sensation, and it makes me light up inside." I smiled just thinking about it.

"His energy?"

"Yeah. It's like…it's like…" It was hard to explain to someone who never experienced it before. "I'll tell you what Alice, it's sort of difficult to sum it up just in a few sentences. Why don't you just see for yourself?"

Her eyes got so wide that they looked like they'd pop out of her head. "You mean kiss him? But he's yours! I don't care if he is beautiful, that's just whacked out."

I laughed. "No Alice, that's not what I mean. I don't intend on sharing him with anyone! I just mean a simple handshake. A touch feels almost the same as a kiss."

"Oh, ok." She got a devilish look on her face. "So since you can touch him, have you gotten a chance to feel him up a little? You know, give him a nice hand…"

"Alice, no," I shouted, cutting her off. "God, woman—get your mind out of the gutter! I told you, I can't actually feel him. And besides, it would be improper to just ask him to drop his pants so I can have my way with him."

"Oh come on, Bella. Don't tell me you wouldn't want a piece of that!"

My face got red again, mostly because it was true. "Well, I suppose I wouldn't object. But only if I could really feel him," I admitted. I definitely was curious…

She let out a whoop. "Ha! I knew it!"

"Ok, Alice—you knew it. You were right. You get a gold star," I said sarcastically. "Now do you want to meet him or not?"

"Oh my gosh, of course." She looked at me eagerly, and to my shock, pulled a small voice recorder out of her pocket.

"Alice, what the hell are you doing?"

"Just a bit of research. I take my recorder with me wherever I go—in case I come across something interesting," she stated. "You don't mind if I tape our conversation with Edward, do you?"

I fixed her with a disapproving stare. "Yes, I mind. He is not a science experiment. Treat him as you would anyone else. And FYI, for the rest of your time here, I'd better not catch you trying to spy on him. Just let him do his own thing."

"But his thing is hanging out with you. And I am here to see you. So…"

"No recorders, Alice! Don't let your obsession with the paranormal get in the way of my happiness." I held out my hand and she begrudgingly placed the voice recorder into it.

"This is not over, Bella."

"Oh, yes it is! Now, wait here while I go get Edward."

I walked out of the living room and rounded the corner. He was sitting at the top of the stairs, resting his elbows on his knees. As soon as he saw me, he smiled and came down.

"Hi, beautiful," he said, wrapping his arms around me. "I missed you."

I smiled up at him. "It hasn't been that long."

"Doesn't matter. Any moment spent without you is one I'll never be able to get back."

"Well," I said, tightening my hold on him, "I guess we'll just have to make up for lost time."

"Sounds like a plan to me," he replied, leaning in and enveloping me in a deep kiss. It was easy to get caught up in a moment like this, but I knew that Alice wouldn't want to be kept waiting.

I reluctantly pulled away from him. "As much as I would love to continue this, Edward, I'd like for you to meet Alice."

"So, she was ok with everything?"

"Oh, she was more than just ok," I said happily. "She was extremely excited about us." I glanced down at the recorder still in my hand. "And extremely excited about you."

He looked in the direction of my gaze. "What is that?"

"A voice recorder. She wanted to tape our conversation with you," I grumbled.

He laughed. "Well, based on what you told me about her, that sounds about right."

I sighed. "So, you ready?"

"Definitely." He smiled crookedly and took my hand. We made our way over to the living room, stopping to kiss quickly just outside the door.

"Let's go," I whispered, and very slowly, we walked in.

As soon as we entered, Alice stood up and came towards us, smiling hugely. "Edward, I'd like for you to meet my best friend, Alice Cullen. Alice, this is my Edward," I said, practically glowing with pride.

He cautiously held out his hand. "It's lovely to meet you, Alice. Bella's told me such wonderful things about you."

Alice stayed put, staring at Edward with a crazy grin on her face. "Go on, Alice," I whispered. "Shake his hand."

Without warning, she barreled forward and gave him a hug, catching us completely off guard. It took Edward a moment to regain his composure, but he slowly returned the hug.

"It's so nice to meet you, Edward! Bella's told me great things about you, too! But I'm sure she tells you how amazing you are anyways, so no surprise there. So, what's it like being a ghost? Is it pretty cool or hard to deal with? What was your human life like…?"

He began to laugh. "Whoa, hold on there."

"Yeah, Alice—give him room to breath," I said.

"Maybe you could try that once in a while," she shot back. "You think I don't know what you guys were doing out there?" She raised her eyebrows knowingly and began making kissing noises.

I smacked her shoulder and looked away, embarrassed. I didn't know that Edward was behind me until I felt his arms wind around my waist.

"What can I say, Alice?" He gazed down at me and I found myself getting lost in the depths of his green eyes. "She's too impossible to resist." He bent down and kissed the tip of my nose, making me giggle. In response, he flashed his beautiful smile at me.

Alice cleared her throat. "Hello? Earth to Edward and Bella!"

Edward and Bella. I liked how our names sounded together.

I turned to look at Alice. "Sorry, I was distracted," I said, smiling.

"Clearly. So, Edward, I would definitely like to ask you some questions if you don't mind."

I growled softly. "No grilling, Alice."

"Oh, Bella—I just want to get to know the man my best friend has fallen for."

Edward chuckled. "It's ok, Bella. As they say in Latin—'In Omnia Paratus,'" he said dramatically. Alice and I stared blankly at him. A big smile crept across his face. "I assume you both haven't taken Latin. The phrase means 'ready for anything.' Therefore, I am ready for anything." He winked at me.

I sighed. "Alright, why don't we all go into the kitchen and I can make you some coffee while you two talk, Alice."

"Yay, I love coffee! This is going to be fun," she exclaimed.

"Yes, Alice, I love coffee too. You know what else I love about coffee? The fact that it also comes in decaf—which is what you're getting."

Her face fell. "No fair, Bella! Decaf is for the weak!"

"No, decaf is for the people who don't need to get even more hyper than they already are."

She stuck her tongue out at me, which caused Edward to start laughing. However, she almost immediately shut him up with just one nasty glance.

"Hey, if I give you decaf, you can shop for me if you want." I knew she loved getting me new clothes and dressing me up. But I instantly regretted my promise, because I also knew that she would go overboard.

"Seriously? Oh my god, you're the greatest, Bella! Just you wait. When I'm through with you, everyone's going to be so jealous. They'll totally wish they were as good looking as you'll be." She began skipping towards the kitchen, rambling about all the things she was planning on buying me. I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

"What is it, love? Don't you want new clothes," Edward asked, putting his arm around me and slowly leading me to the kitchen.

"Well, not really. I only said that to get Alice off my back," I admitted.

He laughed. "Nice going. But I suppose there wasn't much else you could do. That girl is a spitfire!"

"She means well, though, even if she is obnoxious!"

We walked in comfortable silence for a moment, then he spoke. "You know, I was thinking. If I had a request for Alice to get something during her shopping trip, do you think she would?"

I chuckled. "Oh, Edward, I doubt it. She probably already has a list going in her head of what she's going to get. There's usually no changing her mind, but who knows? Why do you ask?"

He looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, I'm very partial to the color blue on you. Your radiance is multiplied tenfold when you wear that color."

I blushed. I should have known that he liked the color blue. Who could forget the infamous blouse incident? "Thank you, Edward. That's very sweet. So, you want me to ask Alice if she could add some blue to my closet?"

"Yes, but I can just ask her myself," he said, smiling crookedly. Something seemed fishy to me. Not bad, just weird. I mean, why couldn't I have any input in the choice of my clothes? But I just let it drop.

"You know, it's a good thing that my favorite color is blue anyways. This could work out in both of our favors. And it would also mean that my new wardrobe would be a little less pink," I added with a laugh.

"Pink?"

"Yep, Alice's favorite color."

He shuddered. "I detest pink." A speculative look came into his eyes. "But if you wore it, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. And even if it was, I could just suggest that you take it off," he said slyly with a wink.

My mouth popped open at the not-so-subtle innuendo. "Edward! Behave yourself," I hissed, blushing furiously.

He chuckled. "Not a chance, love."

"Were you always this forward?"

"No. I suppose you just bring out a whole new side in me," he confessed, kissing my cheek lightly.

By the time we got to the kitchen, Alice was bouncing in her seat at the table. "C'mon Edward, sit down!"

Edward and I exchanged a quick glance before he sat down. Immediately, Alice began firing questions his way. I had to commend him, though. If any of the questions bothered him, he didn't let on about it. In fact, it was Alice who became emotional, especially after Edward told her the story of how he died. I was pouring the coffee and putting some cookies on a plate when I heard her walk up behind me, sniffling.

"Hey Bella, can I use some paper towel?" I turned around. Alice's eyes were red and puffy.

"Sure, are you ok," I asked, handing her a couple of pieces.

"Yeah, that story was just awful. Poor Edward," she said, dabbing her eyes and blowing her nose.

I thought back to when Edward told me the story and nearly got choked up just remembering it.

"He's so lucky to have you, Bella. You know that, right? After all he's been through, he deserves every happiness."

"Thanks, Alice. I feel pretty lucky to have him, too." I looked over at him sitting at the table, waiting patiently. He caught my eye and smiled.

"I think any girl would be lucky to have a guy like Edward. I mean, he's totally gorgeous…" she trailed off. Something behind my shoulder had caught her attention. I turned around to see what she was looking at. Her eyes were locked on a small photo on the refrigerator. In it were me, Rosalie, and Jasper. It was taken at Navy Pier, in one of those little photo booths that you find in shopping malls.

"Who is that?"

"Oh, those are my friends Rosalie and Jasper. I told you about them."

"Uh huh," she replied, still in her trance. "So that's Jasper?"

"Yes…"

"Wow," was all she could say.

It looked like Alice had found her "hot new piece of man candy."

Haha! Alice and her man candy…you gotta love it! So here it is, chapter 10—Yay! What do you all think of Alice? Is she hilarious or what? I added a little bit of raunch to her character in this story—lots of dirty jokes and innuendos…and it only gets funnier! Next chapter will be super awesome. Lots of fun and drama. Also in the next chapter…the return of Rosalie and Jasper…and we'll get to meet Emmett, too! Oh, and the whole thing with the wardrobe and Edward being all secretive—you'll soon find out what that was about. Let's just say that he's had a few fantasies about Bella! Hey, did you all like my Gilmore Girls reference—"In Omnia Paratus!" I couldn't resist! And oh my gosh…who's seen the official Twilight trailer that was released last week? I pretty much died when I saw it! Rob is so hot! And did you notice that part when Kristen dropped the apple in the cafeteria? How it just bounces off of Rob's foot and he catches it…exactly in the same way that is depicted on the cover the book? Sorry, random, but very interesting! Love it! And the kiss…wow! Very sexy! I'm so jealous that Kristen got to kiss Rob. Anyways, read and review. I'll update next Tuesday :-)