SM owns Twilight. I just like to play with her peeps.

Chapter 12

XXX – Moving Forward – XXX

"Where's that little bitch?"

I heard Tanya's voice echo through the entire office space I happened to share with thirty seven other people.

"Where is that backstabbing friend of mine?" Her sneer echoed and reverberated against the cubicle's fabric walls.

I knew she was talking about me. I mean, unless someone else had pissed her off. Well, there was always a chance of that happening. Maybe the blender Angela bought her for a wedding gift didn't work anymore. Aww, fuck, who was I kidding, Tanya didn't cook.

Somehow, she had found out about Edward and me. Maybe I should have been more careful.

"Tanya, calm down. You're causing a scene." Lauren's voice was commanding but friendly.

"Where the fuck is Bella?" Tanya yelled as I heard some people gasp around me.

I had never been so happy to be standing by the copier and out of her eyesight.

"Bella is in her office. Now you are going to calm down, turn around and leave, Tanya, or I will call security to escort you out."

"That little bitch is dating my husband, Lauren. I need to speak to her. Now."

I cowered in a corner, trying to make myself as small as possible and wished that I could just disappear all together. My coworkers had no clue about my personal life and I happened to like it that way.

"Tanya, this sort of thing has nothing to do with this office. You may speak to Isabella after five o'clock. Until then, you have to leave the premises and I do not want to see you here again. Do I make myself clear?" Lauren sounded like she was about to tell her to get the hell out of the office.

"But Lauren-" Tanya whined.

Lauren cut her off and lowered her voice, "Tanya, you left your husband and moved in with that other guy months ago. Who Edward decides to date is none of your business and we both know that Isabella is a good girl, she would never have gone after your husband. You left him. Now live with it and get out of here."

Tanya started crying and I heard footsteps trailing down the hall away from me. My coworkers started speaking collectively around me. The coast was clear; I finally let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding.

"Cullen, eh?" Mike's voice scared the shit out of me, making me jump and turn to face him.

I held my hand to my throat and tried to get my breathing under control, "What's it to you, Mike?"

"Nothing, I just don't know why you'd go for hamburger when you could've had prime rib right here, baby." He smirked. Eww.

My pussy clenched shut and threatened to take away my "O" again.

"Seriously, Mike, get the fuck away from me before I knee you in the balls. We'll see which one of you will be the hamburger."

"Fine, have it your way, Swan. Someday you'll regret it and come running back to big daddy." Again, double ewww.

I shuddered, took my photocopies and went back to my desk.

God, what is the matter with these people.

I shook my head in disbelief as I tried to rack my brain as to how I was going to deal with all of this. I mean, she was bound to find out somehow about Edward and me and our quasi-relationship. I just wasn't quite prepared for her to find out so soon. We hadn't even done the deed yet for Christ's sake!

Lauren hid herself in her office and didn't come out for the rest of the day. I wasn't expecting her to come and talk to me about Tanya's outburst but a head's up about future interruptions or some sort of support would've been nice.

Whatever.

I meandered on through my day, pushing through the insecurities and the questions that kept popping up in my head, until Alice called. "Hey, Bella, how are ya?"

"Fine, Allie, how are you?" I questioned her motives. I didn't want to talk to her about Tanya's outburst until I could clear things up but I was also desperate for someone to talk to.

"I heard something through the grapevine. Is it true?"

"Is what true, Alice; what are you getting at?"

I waited a few seconds before she finally asked, "Did Tanya attack you?"

"Attack me?"

"Yeah," She started excitedly, "word is she stormed through your office, grabbed you by the hair and slapped you before telling you to stay away from her man. Then you kneeled her in the vajayjay and you both were so enthralled with each other you ended up making out. Now, I know it sounds a bit unreal, but I mean, Mike told Ben, who told Angela, who told me. So it's obviously all true, right?" She giggled.

I was going to have some mighty strong words with Mike Jackass Newton.

I huffed, "Really Alice? Really?" I sighed, "She didn't make it all the way to me. She wanted to, I mean, she seemed really mad. I don't know what to do, I mean, I really like him and all but they are still mar-"

She cut me off, "Oh, my God, you're not actually telling me you want him to go back to her, are you?"

"Well, what do you think Edward will do once she goes running back to him? He likes me, but he loved her at one point, ya know?"

"Stop worrying so much, he's not going back to that cum-bucket any time soon. I have it on good authority that the divorce was finalized two days ago. Edward got the paperwork this morning delivered directly to the hospital and called me to share the news. That's probably why she's all distraught and trying to blame someone for her fuck-ups. Don't worry, Bella. She'll lay off your back or I'll get Rose to beat the shit out of her."

I giggled at the thought of Rose beating her up. It was quite appealing. "Thanks, Alice. I thought I was going to go nuts. I'll talk to Edward tonight. He's supposed to come over after work."

"Yeah, just remember, you get yours, hun." She giggled.

I sighed, "Whatever, Alice. Talk to you later."

We hung up the phone and I finished putting things together for the current project I was working on. The new girl was going to be officially starting to work with us next Monday and I, for one, couldn't wait.

XOXOXOXO

I got home with no complications, Tanya, to my knowledge didn't try any funny business. My car was still in one piece and didn't seem to have any scratches on it. Score one for me. I must've been a really good kisser.

Yes, let's not forget about killing Mike.

I made myself some grilled chicken on my George Foreman Grill with vegetables and a side of rice. I figured I'd make some extra and wait to eat until Edward got to my place. We hadn't discussed him having dinner with me, but I figured if he was coming over straight from the hospital, he probably wouldn't have had dinner yet and I didn't want him to starve. Poor boy.

Poor pretty boy. Poor pretty boy with soft pouty lips and tousled sex hair.

A knock at the door shook me out of my reverie. Thanks God because I was about to start with the imaginary spank-bank sex reel and since I had made a deal with my girlie bits to wait for Edward to make me cum, it wasn't going to end well.

"Hi, sweetheart." His smile made me sigh and bite my lip, keeping me from telling him how pretty his lips were.

I noticed he had brought something with him, "Hi, what's the wine bottle for?" I smiled and let him walk through the door.

He gave me a wider smile before walking over to me and wrapping his arms around my waist "We, my beautiful girl, are celebrating my divorce."

I looked at him hopeful, "I guess this is a happy occasion then?"

"Oh, this is definitely something to celebrate." He kissed my forehead and hugged me tightly.

I melted into him and wrapped my arms around him. He felt so perfect and warm. I inhaled his scent and closed my eyes. I would never get enough of that.

"I made us dinner." I spoke into his shirt, not wanting to pull back, but my stomach was growling, reminding me that I had had an early lunch and that it was now getting late.

He pulled back and held my shoulders, "You made me dinner?" he smiled.

"Well, I figured you wouldn't have eaten yet and mak-"

He cut me off with a searing kiss that made my toes curl and my girlie bits rejoice. They were such needy whores.

He pulled back from the kiss and looked me in the eye, as I searched his pretty green ones, "Bella, you have no idea what you do to me. I just wish that," he let go of me and licked his lip nervously, still searching my eyes, "I wish I would've met you a long time ago. You make me feel things I've never felt before."

As if my smile couldn't get any bigger, and I think it did, I felt my eyes prickle and a single tear run down my cheek. I wasn't sad, mind you, I was happy. Really fucking happy. I'd take that declaration over anything else. For now. I mean, I loved him, I'm sure I did.

"You make me feel things too, Edward."

"Come here, pretty girl, don't cry." He hugged me once again and held me close to him.

"These are happy tears, Edward. Tanya was in the office today and she was really mad and I thought I was going to lose you." I rambled on.

"Wait, what? She went to your office?" he pulled back and searched my face once more.

"Yeah, but Lauren told her to go home. I think she was drunk." I made a face.

"Bella, you should've called me. She has no reason to be mad at you. You did nothing wrong. She's very angry at me right now because I was able to get our divorce expedited since there was so much evidence of her transgressions. But this," He motioned between me and himself, "this, Isabella, is what I want. I want you. I want us. It won't always be butterflies and rainbows but I can't let you go."

The tears I had been trying to hold on to just spilled over. I was a sloppy, snotty mess but with a smile so big, I was pretty sure he could see my fillings. "I don't want you to let me go. Ever."

"Good. Now where is this food you made for me? I've never had a woman cook for me, well, unless you count my mother."

I giggled as I made my way to the kitchen and plated our food. "You've said that before, I think. But I was making myself dinner and figured you'd also be hungry." I put the plates on the table and motioned for him to join me.

"This smells amazing. It makes the vending machine sandwich I had a few hours ago look like crap. I was going to wait to get home later but this is just perfect." He grinned.

"Well, now you don't have to make yourself anything, you can just eat with me."

Or eat me.

Greedy whore.

Meh, sue me.

I own you.

So you know how much I'm worth.

You're still a whore.

I shook my head, trying to clear my dirty thoughts. My girlie bits were winning this battle and getting all droolie.

I got some wine glasses and took my seat at the table across from him. We ate in comfortable silence and quiet conversations, enjoying the wine along with the meal. I could deal with this. I could definitely get used to this. I could only imagine doing this every night. Having Edward around wasn't cumbersome. It didn't feel like a chore, like some other boys I'd briefly lived with, it was just us. Comfortable and quiet and just us.

"What are you thinking about, pretty girl?" Edward asked, bringing me out of my head.

You, naked.

My cheeks flushed, "I was thinking about how nice this is." I motioned between the both of us with my fork, "I've never really done any of this." I frowned and eyed my chicken suspiciously.

When I looked up to meet his eyes, he gave me that panty dropping crooked smile of his, "You and me both, sweetheart. This is delicious, by the way."

It was all I could do not to crawl over the table and offer him my pussy for dessert. Really, didn't he know what effect he had on me? "Yeah, it's very good." I managed to respond through lidded eyes and lust filled thoughts.

We finished our food and, after doing the dishes together, we retired to the living room where I practically mauled him.

Things heated up pretty quickly but unlike last time, when he had come over and we had stopped grinding into each other to watch that movie, I didn't stop.

I didn't want to.

I straddled his thighs and kissed him for all it was worth, conveying how much I wanted him. More than anyone I'd ever wanted.

His hands were soft against the skin on my lower back as he pushed my hips down against his cock. He was so hard, for me. For something I was doing.

I wanted more, so much more.

I hummed into his mouth as he bucked up against me and hit my clit through my jeans. Bringing my hands in his hair, I pulled his face closer to mine and peppered kisses over his jaw and down his neck. Good god, he had a nice jaw. Have I mentioned jaw porn?

I was hungry for him. Hungry for more. I brought my hands to the hem of his shirt and fingered the soft cotton before bringing my hands underneath and feeling the soft curls of his happy trail on his belly while his hands traveled up my sides and brushed the sides of my breasts.

Our breathing was shallow and synchronized; no words were spoken as Edward brought his hands to the hem of my shirt and started pulling it up. I pulled back from him and put my arms up, giving him permission to take it off.

I'd never been so happy to be wearing my black lace bra. It made the girls look all nice and perky.

"So beautiful." He hummed as he dove in and kissed the top of my cleavage earnestly.

I put my hands on his back and pulled on his shirt. I wanted to see him too. "I want this thing off. Now."

He smirked and lifted his arms in the air, like I had done to him, letting me pull it off of his body and throw it on the floor next to where he had thrown mine.

I ground myself onto his dick as he brushed his thumbs against my hardened nipples. I wanted to take the damn bra off that was separating my skin from his mouth and fingers. But ya know, how do you tell a boy you want to be naked, on top of him?

"All in good time, baby girl." He smirked before pulling my face to his.

I guess I must have said that out loud. Do I do that often?

I decided to take the bull by the horns because well, my girly bits were swimming in my juices and I just really wanted to cum, so I unclasped the front of my bra and bit back a groan as my hardened nipples brushed up against the soft hairs on his chest.

I pulled back from his face and searched for any sign of discomfort from him. He caressed my sides and looked at my chest, eyes heavy lidded and full of lust. "You're so beautiful, Isabella." He whispered before cupping my breasts in his hands and bringing his mouth to suckle and lick the straining nipples.

I rocked my pussy against him, seeking friction. He was driving me nuts with every flick of his tongue and roll of his finger tips, I felt myself getting wetter and wetter. That tingly tight feeling in my belly escalated to a certain point where I knew that if he kept going, I'd explode in his arms with those simple actions alone.

And man, did I want to.

Whore.

A girl with a healthy sexual appetite is not a whore.

Keep telling yourself that, Swan.

I was trembling and shaking and grinding myself wantonly against him as his fingers and lips and tongue lapped at my chest and neck. Every whispered word, telling me how beautiful I was made me feel truly desirable.

He wanted me; just as much as I wanted him.

I felt it, the moment that tingling in my gut went over the edge, and exploded in pleasure. At that moment, I pulled back and made eye contact with him, letting him see.

See what he did. See me, for what I am; who I am.

Probably one of the best orgasms I'd ever had, and he hadn't even touched my pussy.

He pulled my chest flush to his, to lay my head on his chest as I came down from my high.

I kissed his chest as I regulated my breathing, gaining my bearings. He hadn't said anything but conveyed how he felt by kissing my hair and wrapping his arms around my body.

"Thank you," He kissed my head, "for letting me see you coming apart like that." He kissed my neck, "You have no idea what that did to me." He held me close to him while I thought about how he had said that.

"Shouldn't I be the one thanking you for making me feel like that?" I grinned against his chest.

He chuckled, "I guess so, sweetheart. It just makes me feel like I can actually do something right, for once." The tone of his voice got darker as he spoke.

I furrowed my brow and pulled myself off of his chest to look at his face, "What does that mean, 'for once'?"

He swallowed hard and let out an audible sigh, "One of the things Tanya told me when I found out about her, ehmm, indiscretions, was that I'd never, ehmm, I'd never made her come. She said, and I quote, that she had become an expert at the art of faking it." He chuckled darkly and shook his head.

"Hey, hey, I wouldn't, I mean, I can't even," I put my hands on his cheeks and made him look at me, "I would never do that to you." I love you too much.

I brought my forehead against his and closed my eyes. He had been through so much pain with her, and I wanted to take it away from him. All of it.

"Stay with me. Here, in my bed. With me." I blurted out. "We don't have to have sex, it's too early for that really" I shook my head in emphasis, "but I want to be close to you."

He nodded his agreement and we got up off of the couch. Ordinarily, I would have been shy about my half naked state, but I wasn't. If we were doing this, I was showing him all of me. No lies. No cover ups. No faking anything.

I extended my hand and as he took it into his, that spark shot up my arm, reminding me that he's the only man I've ever touched who did that to me. I led him to my room where I took off my pants crawled into bed and motioned for him to join me.

He took his pants off and crawled in, wrapped me up in his arms, and without any more words exchanged between us, I fell into a dreamless sleep.

A/N: Ok, so we're getting through some of Edward's emotional baggage and finding out a little bit about his relationship with Tanya. No worries, this is as emotionally draining as it's going to get.

Shout out to my besties WitchyVampireGirl and Scrimmy who both said the chappie wasn't that emo ;o)