CHAPTER TWO!! Hope you guys like. Thanks for the reviews.

Edward Cullen… hmm… Edward Cullen. The bronze haired Adonis, sitting across the table from me groaned an impatient groan.

"What?" I questioned, unsure of what was aggravating him.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, looking annoyed.

I couldn't very well say 'you' so, I asked another question of my own. "Why do you want to know?"

"Well," he laughed and his hair fell into his eyes, "Most women I, usually, find really easy."

I felt my eyes widen in surprise at his choice of words. He looked confused by my reaction at first and then backtracked. "To read. Easy to read," he clarified.

"Oh…" I said lamely.

"They're usually thinking about, either, money or their cats. Except you… You're a mystery to me," he took a sip of his champagne and smiled appreciatively. "That's really good."

"I agree," I sighed, taking another sip from my own glass. Edward Cullen (the billionaire) handed me a menu.

"So…?"

"So, what?"

"What were you thinking about?" he repeated his question, seeming just as annoyed as when he first asked.

I decide to go with a play on the truth. "I was thinking, 'Why am I sitting, here about to eat dinner, with the Edward Cullen?'"

He smiled, amused by my answer. To think, I could amuse a guy who probably spent all day fending off (or not) the advances of many women. The moment I thought about these other women, something tightened in my chest.

"You don't know?" he laughed. "I would have thought they would have told you by now. How'd they get you here? I mean, get you dressed up and everything?" I was really getting tired of the answering a question with another thing we had going for us.

I blushed at his inquiry, embarrassed how long it had been that I was under the impression that I was meeting my boyfriend. "It's silly really," he leaned forward in his seat as my voice dropped in volume. "I thought my boyfriend was surprising me."

Edward fell back into his seat as if I pushed him there. His face had a look of… I didn't have time to identify it as he wiped it clean and replaced it with a crooked grin. "Well, this should be interesting," he sighed, sliding a leather folder across the table.

I set my menu aside and opened the black folder. 'I'm Your*s' was engraved in the leather. "What's this?" The first page was full of impossibly small writing that I would need a dictionary to decipher. Being an English major wouldn't help me understand the legalities on the page.

The next page was a form with my name printed on the top. Something tugged at the edges of my memory as I looked down at my old information: my dorm address I shared with Jessica Stanley, my old emergency contact whom had passed away since, my signature.

"I'm Your*s?" I said out loud in question, looking up to see Edward staring off into space. "Edward?"

He jumped at the sound of his name and turned his attention to me. "Uh… yeah. It's a reality TV show. It looks like they've gone through several different, equally corny, names for the show. Meet Your Match… To Love a Stranger… Living in Love--"

"I get the idea! So, what does this have to do with me?!"

He smiled a wicked and sly smile; like at a joke, except he was the only one who heard the whole punch line. "Well we're the participants, of course."

It took me a moment to understand what he was saying, "Huh?"

"It appears I'm yours and vice versa." This man, a stranger to me, appeared to be completely at ease. I, on the other hand, was freaking out.

"WHAT?!" I shrieked hysterically. The bartender dropped a glass at the sudden pitch in my voice. "I can't be on a TV show. I have work and a boyfriend and a life--"

"Nevertheless, you did sign a contract."

"In college. They weren't supposed to pick me. It was meant as a joke. My roommate made me!!" I was going to kill her. I was going to find a phone book, track her down and kill her. "There has to be some mistake. I'm a nobody. I'm plain. I'm a book editor from Jersey, for God sake. They have that entry video; they must have mixed mine up with someone else's. Who do I have to speak to, you know, to get this straightened out?"

He flipped over my application form to the next page. Underneath was a Polaroid of me, which I had no memory of having been taken, and a DVD. "I think they got the right girl." Edward leaned back in his chair and started flipping through his menu again as if the whole affair was of no consequence. "We have to live together in a house in an undisclosed location for 3 months with little contact to the outside world; doing all the little tasks and challenges that are asked of us. Then, in the finale, America will decide if we love each other or not."

"Well, I can't do it," I shook my head and pushed the folder away. He put one finger on the spine and pushed it back, before returning his attention to his menu.

Edward continued to speak as if I hadn't said anything.

"If we are deemed 'In Love' we would be compensated handsomely. If in the event you choose not to do the show, the production company will sue you for damages--"

"I. Can't. Do. It." I interrupted him through my teeth.

"--A minimum of 250,000 dollars."

Minimum?! "3 months, huh?"

"Yes, three months alone in a house with me. How will you ever manage?" He lifted his gaze from the menu. I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or cocky at the time.

"I thought you weren't doing the show," I spoke evenly to him. Even if I couldn't have bought my way out of this, he surely could (and would). There was nothing to keep him on the show. After I spoke, I noticed his face had drained of all its color and he cleared his throat.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked and adjusts the fabric around his neck.

I desperately wanted to do the show with him but he had already said he wasn't going to. "But you said--"

"I have had a change of heart. This is the chance of a lifetime, how could I not?"

Although I'm not sure how this could have been the 'chance of a lifetime' for someone who could have almost anything he wanted… I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. I had to ask myself if I was happy that, if I was in this at all, at least it was with a nice guy. Or was I maybe happy that I was in this with Edward…?

"How do you feel about starting with the dessert and working backwards?" he asked, breaking me from my concentration. "I've always wanted to do that."

"Me, too," I laughed and nodded my agreement. He pointed to a mouth-watering picture in the menu.

"Cheesecake?"

Yes, I thought. We are going to get along just fine.

Dinner was great. Edward and I fell into a comfortable easy banter as if we were old friends. The real problems came when I finally worked up the courage to pick up the phone.

The clock flashed on the bedside table, just after midnight. I wondered (momentarily) if I should call him or wait 'till morning, knowing he'd be furious if I chose the second option. I called his cell phone and it only rang half a ring before he picked up.

"Bella?!" he answered; sounding worried and out of breath.

"It's me," I breathed, falling back onto the massive bed and throwing my shoes aside. I reveled in how comfortable the mattress was under me.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! I've been worried sick," I had to hold the phone away from my ear to avoid going deaf. "I called your work and they said you left at the normal time. I called your cell and you didn't answer. I went by your apartment and you weren't there!!"

"Mike," I tried to interrupt but he ignored me.

"Where were you? Why are you calling from…," There was a quick break in his string of questions as he checked the caller ID, "The Crowne Plaza?! How did you get to Manhattan?"

"Well--"

"What are you doing in Manhattan? You're not staying in the hotel are you? You can't even afford a car, Bella. How are you staying at the Pla--"

"MIKE!!" I scream to get his attention.

He huffed, indignantly, on the other end of the line, "You should have, at ."

"I know and I'm sorry," I apologized.

"I was really worried," he whined playfully.

"I'm really realllly sorry," I whispered huskily. "Please forgive me. If it makes you feel any better, I thought I was meeting you."

"It does. So… who were you meeting?" he asked, having got over his worry but not his twenty questions.

I laughed into the receiver, trying to lighten the mood. "The guy I'm supposed to fall in love with."

Silence. He mustn't have thought it was funny.

"I don't think I'm getting it. Is this one of those jokes you tell that I don't understand?" I hated it when he didn't get my humor.

"No, Mike, it's not." I sighed, sitting up to play with the hem of my beautiful dress. I regretfully took off the silky material and slipped between the equally silky sheets. "I'm going to be on this…this reality TV show. I signed a 5 year contract back in college and--"

"They picked you…?" he hesitantly interrupted in question.

"Yeah and I'm supposed to fall in love with this Edward guy." There was no need to freak him out by telling him which Edward it was. "I just have to live with him for 3 months and then I can come right back home."

Mike sighed heavily into the phone. "Why would you need to go onto television for love when you have me right here?"

"Unless you have a quarter million lying around, I don't have much choice."

It sounded like he was holding his breath. "When do you leave?" he final asked me.

I prepared myself for more yelling, "Tomorrow."

"TOMORROW!!"

After much debating and many declarations of love, I readied myself for our goodbye. I told Mike how much I would miss him.

"Don't go falling in love with this guy."

"I won't," I assured him, as I had many times over. "I love you and three months is not about to change that."

"Three months is a long time."

A long time… A long long time… to spend all alone… with a very attractive man. "It's not that long," I lied.

"I'll see you when you get back. I love you."

"Goodnight, Mike," I sighed sleepily before hanging up the receiver.

Knock, knock…

"Mike, could you get that?" I mumbled into my pillow.

Another light tap echoed from the door as I felt the sheets beside me. Only, he wasn't there. "Bella?" A velvety voice sounded through the door. Even muffled his voice sounded sexy as hell. At the sound of it, my eyes snapped open to see the beautiful hotel room I had fallen asleep in. Upon glancing at the clock I realized I was supposed to be ready in fifteen minutes.

I shot up in bed and looked around the room again. It was so decadent in its entirety, such a stark contrast to my room at home, that I shrieked loudly with my excitement.

"Bella?!" He said more worried. I threw the covers off me to grab the big terry cloth robe that was hanging from the back of the bathroom door. I couldn't very well have answered the door in my underwear.

"BELLA!!" he yelled, no longer muffled having somehow got into the room. I snapped my robe shut, but not before he got a full view of my scantily clad body. He turned away quickly and shielded his eyes. "I..I-I'm sorry. I…I heard you scream and had James o-open the door. I was worried about you."

I blushed and finished tying off the robe in front. "It's okay. You can look now."

He put his hands in his pockets and stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. If I wasn't mistaken, I might have thought he was blushing too; although it might have just been the light. "The limo's here."

"OH!! Bob! I completely forgot." I started hurrying around the room until I remembered all I had with me were my jeans and T-shirt from the day before. Looking over to Edward, I noticed he too was wearing his outfit from the night before.

"What are we going to do for clothes?" I asked as I went to the bathroom to change. I left the door open a crack so I could hear him through it.

"They said we could go shopping with a camera crew when we got there," he called back. I watched him in the mirror through the crack I left in the door as I pulled my jeans over my hips; only looking down to do up the button.

When I looked back in the mirror, I met his eyes for an instant before he looked away again. In that instant I heard no sound, I was just trapped by his emerald gaze and my body responded favorably. My heart rate picked up and my breathing hitched. When I regained the use of my arms I closed the door quickly and took a deep calming breath.

I looked back at myself in the mirror this time. Do NOT go falling in love with this guy.

As I ran my fingers through my hair and pulled my shirt over my head, I realized there really wasn't anything else I could do. I opened the door to find Edward sitting on the bed. His eyes widen and he didn't say anything for a moment.

"You ready?" he asked me, standing up and averting his eyes.

"Yep," I replied, sensing his discomfort. He had seen my nearly naked body, not once but twice in a short amount of time; maybe it was my own discomfort I was feeling.

As I started walking away he put a hand on my arm and my whole body seized. The heat that radiated from his light touch was paralyzing. I turned my neck slowly to look in his dangerously mesmerizing eyes. "Wait…" he sighed. I sucked in a breath and nodded for him to continue. "Who's Bob?"

I shook my head and laughed, making my way out to the hall.

The elevator ride down was long; not because of the obvious tension between Edward and I but from James profusely apologizing for allowing Edward into the room, unjustly.

"He insisted Mi-- I mean, Bella. I ask for your forgiveness and will do anything to accommodate your needs in the future. Consider your next stay with us complimentary and I would be happy to get you a drink during your stay." I kept shooting Edward glances, hoping he would save me from James's onslaught but all he did was grind his teeth and stare straight ahead.

"Thank you, James," I whispered as we hit the ground floor. He nodded and took my hand, raising it to his lips in a kiss. I cringed at his touch and pulled my hand back as subtly as possibly.

As soon as the doors opened, Edward was through it and half way across the lobby. I nodded my goodbye to James and followed after him. He only paused when he reached the front door for someone to open it and then he was through that door as well.

"Thank you," I whispered as I passed through the door that was still held open.

"Miss," he greeted with a tilt of his hat. I winced at the title but continued on.

The same paparazzi snapped off a few more pictures. When I stopped next to Edward on the curb, their picture taking increased tenfold. I yelped in surprise when one got too close. A moment later, Edward had me tucked safely under his arm.

"Back off," he hissed menacingly. The long sleek limo pulled up and Edward opened the door for me. I hastily (and clumsily) jumped into the large interior. He jumped in much more gracefully behind me.

"Are you okay?" he asked, brushing my hair away from my face. His fingers left a heated trail in their wake. I scooted away from him on the seat. He, hesitantly, reached a hand towards me and I shook my head 'no'.

"I'm sorry about that," he told me regretfully, hanging his head. "That was my fault but in a couple of months I'm sure you'll have your very own paparazzi."

"Lucky me," I mumbled under my breath.

The divider slid down to reveal a pair of familiar bushy eyebrows in the rear-view mirror.

"BOB!!" I yelled, happy to see a friendly face.

"Miss Bella."

"Bob?" Edward questioned, scrunching his forehead in concentration.

"Mr. Cullen."

"BOB!!" he exclaimed spiritedly.

I looked at Edward like he was crazy and he looked back to me with a smile. Okay, I thought to myself, so maybe he was crazy. I broke out laughing at his expression and any tension we shared from earlier, effectively disappeared.

"I just wanted to wish you a good morning, Miss Bella. Let me know if you need anything."

"Good morning, Bob." I laughed before he had the chance to put the screen back in place.

We pulled into 'La Guardia' and a slew of photographers and cameramen that were waiting for us. I stared, open mouthed, out the tinted windows as people banged on them. One man, wearing a suit and dark shades, pushed his way to the front. I heard him open the door to the front cab and slam it shut behind him.

"Damn vultures," he muttered, before the dark partition moved down and his head popped through the opening, leaving none of his body visible.

"Hi, guys. I'm Tyler Crowley, your manager, your friend, your everything. You--" he pointed at both Edward and me with his hands that magically appeared by his floating head, "--are going to be my masterpieces. We will be legend."

Edward and I were sitting side by side in the back seat and exchanged disbelieving glances.

"Mr. Cullen," Tyler held out his hand to 'pound'. Edward ignored the gesture. "Huge fan of yours. Ambition, smarts, looks… What's not to admire? And Miss Swan!"

"Bella, actually." I correct him.

"Even more beautiful then your picture and the small screen does not do you justice." I shook the hand he held out to me. "Great work by the way, guys. I watched the amazing footage from dinner and in the hotel room this morning. Brilliant. I'm worried you two will melt a lens or two before we are through." He took a deep breath and reached back into the cab.

I caught a glimpse of a shoulder connected to the arm; the only proof he was not just a decapitated floating head. "I hear the limo footage is great too, but seeing as it just happened I haven't had a chance to look it over."

"You were filming us?!" I exclaim in surprise, trying to remember if I had done anything particularly embarrassing in the last 12 hours. "Already?"

"Reality television, Baby. Get used to it." I was about to punch the guy in the face when he pulled his arm back through the opening. I placed my hands back in my lap and smiled sweetly at him. "Here's your itinerary for today and you will have one almost everyday. I'm afraid that you guys are big news so there are a lot of reporters here but where you're going hasn't been disclosed to anyone and is fairly remote so you should be fine there."

"I insist you get airport security here for Bella's safety." I jumped at the sound of Edward voice, after his not-having-said-anything for the entire exchange. He wasn't looking at me as he made the order and wouldn't look at me after.

Tyler looked between the two of us and smiled. "Right away, Mr. Cullen," he nodded then turned his attention to me. "Have a good flight, Bella," After that, he was gone just as fast as he appeared.

"Why do you do that?" I asked Edward, disbelieving.

"I don't know what you mean," he replied, seemingly watching the people outside the window. Before I could have sworn he had shown no interest in them, yet just then he seemed fascinated.

"Never mind then…" I trail off.

Two burly men in uniform bounded toward the car, "Your escorts are here." With that said, Edward stepped out into the crowd of people and I was left all but alone inside.

"Good luck," Bob's old frail voice strained to overshadow that of the noise spilling inside. "Good Luck… Bella."

"Thanks Bob," I smiled with a newfound courage.

I stepped into the throng of bodies and was almost immediately assaulted by the flashing lights and screaming people; all screaming my name or questions about that status of my relationship with Edward or how I felt about the show. The whole scene was very intimidating and my palms began to sweat. So much for courage. I felt myself start to get faint and my breathing… NO!

I had to keep it together.

"This way, Miss." The first security guard helped me through the crowd and doors. A section had been roped off so I could walk with less resistance. Edward was several paces in front of me.

"BELLA!! BELLA!" I heard one call above the loud cacophony of voices. His voice was panicked and shrill but I recognized it. "Bella! Over here."

I scanned the front line of people and spotted him. I ran into his arms and help him step over the barricade. A few more flashes went off at our embrace.

"Mike," I smiled, earnestly happy to see him, "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you… before you left." I took a step back from him and ran my gaze over his clothes (which were rumpled) and his face; eyes red as well as sunken.

"You haven't slept," I scolded. He rubbed his hands over his face to hide the evidence of my statement.

"I couldn't. I've been so worried of losing you and…" he glanced over my shoulder and stared. He quickly looked back to me with disbelief. "EDWARD CULLEN!"

"Mike," I tried to use my most soothing voice. I chanced a glance over my shoulder where I could see Edward watching me. His hair was perfectly tousled and his clothes hung nicely from his figure. When I looked back to Mike, I couldn't help but notice how sleep deprived and unkempt was not a good look for him.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I knew you'd freak out."

"I'm going to lose you," he stated, tightening his grip on my waist. I felt Edward's eyes boring into my back. "I'm going to lose you to the pretty boy that can offer you so much more than I can."

"Mike," I repeated and touched my forehead to his. "I'm with you. I lo…I love you." Why was it harder to say then it ever had been before? I asked myself.

"I'm not going to lose you to the pretty boy with money…?" he asked, pulling me even closer.

"No," I whispered, sensing Edward's approach. I wasn't a fan of PDA so I started to pull away but Mike wasn't having any of that. He kept my body close to his and kissed me deeply.

He stuck his tongue deep in my mouth as I leaned away and push on his shoulders to get him to stop. I did not want him kissing me like that in front of all those people. Plus, if I was being completely honest with myself, I didn't want him kissing me like that in front of Edward. Guilt tugged at my heart and I worried for a moment if Mike's fears weren't unfounded.

A moment later Edward cleared his throat to get our attention. Mike smiled and turned toward him, knowing that Edward saw his affectionate display. I blushed, turning toward him as well.

Edward looked livid. His face was red and his lips were pulled into a tight grimace.

"Hi, I'm Mike. Bella's boyfriend," he reached out to shake Edward's hand, a smug look on his face. Edward ignored the gesture again; a habit I was going to have to talk with him about.

"Edward Cullen, Bella's Love… At least I will be," Edward looked between Mike and I and smiled. My mouth dropped open in astonishment and Mike missed a beat. "For television anyway. At least I won't have to kiss her in public when she is clearly uncomfortable with it, just to mark my territory. I just get to have her all to myself for 90 days… However, you already knew all that, right?"

Mike dropped his arms and his fists shook by his side. "If you think--" Mike seethed.

I stepped in between both of them and put a hand on their chests. Mike's chest was shaking with anger where as Edward felt steady and toned; that overwhelming tingling sensation filled the arm that's resting against him.

"I think--" Edward interrupted and glanced down at my hand. When he looked back up his eyes had softened a little, "That you're pathetic display earlier is reprehensible and you should apologize to Bella for not stopping when she tried to push you away."

"I won't apologize for kissing my girlfriend."

"Then I'll see to it she isn't your girlfriend much longer," Edward whispered harshly with an air of finality before storming toward the gate. I turned to Mike and started to back away slowly.

"Baby, don't…" he whispered, pleading.

"I don't have a choice, Mike! I'll see you when I get back."

I turned away and marched down the length of roped off carpet; my newly acquired entourage walking either side of me.

"I love you!!" Mike screamed after me. I smiled and waved over my shoulder before disappearing through the gate doors. Edward waited on the other side looking ashamed.

"Bella, I--" he started to apologize. I interrupted before he could.

"I'm not talking to you right now," I told him matter-of-factly, as if I didn't have a care in the world.

"But he--"

"He was in the wrong, yes. But he's my problem, not yours," I breezed past Edward in the direction I saw the private planes were to depart from. He walked behind me silently. When I reached the tarmac, and a small jet, a man greeted me; introducing himself as the pilot.

"Can you tell me where we are going?"

"Montana, Miss," he answered.

"What's in Montana?" I asked, curious as to why that location.

"Not much, Miss," he replied with the hint of a smile on his, up until then, serious face. "I think that's the point."

I heard Edward clamoring up the staircase to the plane behind me. "I know you aren't speaking to me but… Do you know where we're going?"

"Montana," I responded curtly.

"What's in Montana?"

I couldn't help but laugh, "Not much…"

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