I know I suck. I know it's been two years, but I haven't had inspiration to write, really. I should be back on track because I love this story so much!
Not beta'd. Also not mine.
"Bella, my dear! Wonderful article!" Tanya beamed, walking into my office at Modern Men magazine. I looked past her and noticed Edward's door was closed and frowned. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I saw it was 9:45 am and he usually came in before 8:00.
It was the Friday following our Art Institute research and I had written – and re-written- the article several times. I sent the article directly to Tanya and I guessed she loved it by the way she strolled in.
Hearing my audible sigh of relief, she continued. "The March issue of Vanity is almost done. Have you submitted your piece of Modern Men's?"
"Not yet. I was thinking of doing a fluff piece, maybe. Like Top Ten Gifts She'll Love. Or something."
"Hm, that would've been ideal for our February issue, but…I like it."
"OK," I nodded. "I'll start on it right away."
This shouldn't be too hard. I had plenty of girlfriends to ask – some were superficial, but a lot of were hopeless romantics who would prefer a poem over flowers or a scrapbook over a jewelry item.
Tanya was yapping away about her trip to New York when I heard footprints down the hall and Jessica's voice emerging, running the day's play by play to who I only assumed was Edward.
He stopped outside his office and turned to look my way, surprised to see Tanya.
"Tanya," Edward walked into my office and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "Bella. Good morning." He acknowledged.
"Edward!" Tanya was thrilled to see him. For a moment, I observed them. They certainly would be pretty together. And Tanya is a kind of what you see is what you get girl. No drama, not too emotional. And she was gorgeous. She looked like a mix between Elle McPherson and Kate Moss and she had money and power and was better for him than I was.
"…sorry I'm in so late, but I had a business meeting this morning," Edward explained to her. He excused himself to his office and when his door had firmly closed shut, Tanya turned to me.
"He is delicious, isn't he?" Her eyes glimmered. "Too bad things didn't work out between us."
I think I stopped breathing.
"You-you dated?
"Well, I don't know if you'd call it dating," she answered, biting her lip.
"Why didn't it work out?" I demanded to know, perhaps in a tone too gruff to direct towards my boss.
"Oh, you know…" she trailed off. "things of no substance don't last very long."
And suddenly, I had an idea for my next article.
As I was leaving for the day, I could not get out of the office fast enough. Between the development of Tanya and Edward's, "Friends with Benefits" relationship, Maria, the 5'9 Colombian model / accountant who was holed up in Edward's office all day, and the conversation between two other female co-workers chronicling all they would do to Edward if they had the chance, I was feeling like the human equivalent of a food stamp.
I just wanted to go home, put on my sweatpants, and crawl into my bed. I silently pondered what was on Lifetime tonight.
As I stepped into the lobby, I ran into Edward, who was speaking to Liam, our financial analyst. Giving both men a slight wave as I passed, I made it outside and began walking to the Red Line station.
"Bella!" I heard Edward call my name and I stopped, waiting for him to approach me.
"Good evening Edward," I gave him a modest smile and his entire face lit up. It was enough to give me goosebumps – the good kind.
"Let me take you home. I haven't seen you all day and we should discuss our day."
"Sure." I didn't put up a fight and I ignored the surprised look on his face when I began walking in step with him to the parking garage.
"See, you can be reasonable," Edward teased.
As we got into the car, he asked me about my day and we were almost domestic. The reality shook me that we were co-workers and that's it.
"Well," I cleared my throat. "I got an idea for April Issue's article. So that's good. I'm ahead of the game. Oh, and I wrote a mini article for the March issue on what to buy a girl on a budget."
"What's the article?"
"Friends with Benefits. It's something everyone does. Well, I guess most people," I frowned realizing my sexual history consisted of a couple of unfortunate encounters in high school, James, and my one night stand with my neighbor which ended in disaster. "And what happens. The terms, what happens if someone wants more, et cetera."
I peeked a glance at Edward who nodded thoughtfully.
"I like it," he said. "Our society is made up of Friends with Benefits type situations, so it's definitely a pressing issue. Especially in our readers' demographic."
"Good," I shot a sly smile his way.
"Good." He agreed smiled back.
"It's getting harder and harder not to fuck him," I dramatically crashed onto Rose's couch. It was the following week and he tortured me every day. He looked like a sex God, straight out of Mad Men or something, and he was being so nice and not at all inappropriately. Unfortunately. My inner Cock-Tease was confused.
We officially worked together for almost three months and my resistance was waning.
"Well hello to you, too, Sunshine," Rose giggled from the doorway of her living room, two glasses of wine in hand.
Reaching out, I plucked mine from her grasp and downed it in three gulps.
"I think I'm just going to do it. I mean, I could write really fast and have all my articles done this week, hypothetically. And then I can fuck the shit out of him and go back to my own office on my own floor and take the stairs at all times to avoid him."
"I think you should, too."
I quirked a brow.
"Bella it's been two years since you've had sex. Just fuck him. He and Tanya fucked and they still hold a professional relationship, right?"
I nodded and poured my second glass of wine. I didn't want to think of Edward and Tanya together.
I sighed. "I can't Rose. I'm a good girl. And not saying casual sex makes you a bad girl or whatever, but his family owns the magazine and while he calls us co-workers, he could be considered my boss and that would make me not a good girl. Plus, I need hearts and romance. For once."
Rose twisted her mouth. "I guess you're right. But we both know you'd be fucking him just to have sex. Not to get ahead. I mean, the way you talk, it sounds like you're climbing the ladder all on your own accord. Tanya has done nothing but praise you and she's even throwing that party in your honor for 'saving the magazine', right?"
I nodded. "Yeah, the numbers jumped up so high, she wants to throw a little shin dig – just the two magazines. You're coming, right?"
She shook her head. "I can't. I have a business meeting with a client so wealthy, if I win, I can buy us BOTH penthouses."
"Damn. Alice is in Texas, too. Who is going to make sure I don't fuck him?"
"Just don't drink. Like, anything." Rose responded.
"Yeah, maybe."
I could do that.
"And finally, I would like to thank Editor-in-Chief, Edward Cullen, and my beautiful Junior Editor, soon to be Senior Editor, Bella Swan for their amazing work and success in improving our numbers," Tanya, in her beautiful glory, dressed in a beautiful silk dress, toasted us.
We were in a party room, in a fancy hotel downtown, and I hadn't had a think to drink. I think I heard Ashley, fashion correspondent, tell Vanessa, her assistant I was probably pregnant. I had to roll my eyes and choke back my laughter at the absurdity.
I was wearing a royal blue dress that made my rack look amazing , but it didn't matter. I had to peel Jacob Black off of me all night, but Edward was ignoring me completely. Instead, his focus was turned on some chick I'd never seen before. She was beautiful. Tall, with a blonde bob and I frowned. Maybe Edward likes tall blondes, not short brunettes with big asses. Fuck, I knew I shouldn't have eaten Giordanos last night.
Before he was flirting with her, he spent the first half of his evening with some other blonde chick who had come with Jessica. I'm assuming it was her friend, but damn. And before her? Another tall, statuesque blonde who leaped into his arms the moment she noticed him. There was an obvious familiarity there and it made me seethe with jealously. It was getting harder and harder to control my emotions, but for Goodness Sake, Edward, what's with all the mystery blondes? Shouldn't you be focusing on a certain brunette, who pretty much saved your ass and allowed you to keep your job another day?
Realizing I probably didn't have a chance at Edward at all anymore, I swiped a champagne flute from the nearest server. One drink would be okay, right?
After watching mystery blonde put her hands all over him for the last time, I marched up to the bar for something stronger.
"Vodka and water, please," I told the bartender. He nodded at me and turned to my left.
"And for you, sir?"
I turned and rolled my eyes. He was a thief in the night and I hadn't even noticed him approach me.
"I'll just take a jack and coke," he smiled and turned to me. "Bella."
"Edward," I acknowledged and turned my head, waiting for my drink.
"Tonight was a success. I think we make a great team," he complimented.
I ignored his comment. "Where's your date?" Shit. Word vomit.
"Who?" He seemed genuinely confused and looked around.
"Oh, silly me, I know it must be hard to keep track of names. I'll just called her Blonde Number Three!" My drink had arrived and I downed it.
"Woah, woah," Edward pried the glass from my hand and signaled to the bartender to cut me off. "Where's the fire?"
"No fire," I rolled my eyes. "Just found inspiration for another story. Men who chase anything in a skirt!"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"How about the fact that you chased me for weeks, actually almost three months now, and the moment that I'm beginning to show interest, you get bored and move on! To my exact opposites, by the way, but that's ok! I don't need legs that go on for miles, I have a sexy ass and really big boobs!" I scream shouted and saw Edward drop his gaze from my eyes to my breasts.
Shaking his head, he looked around, but by now the party was dissipating and we were far away from our co-workers.
"Are you jealous?" His lip turned up in a smirk.
"No," I said way too fast.
"For your information, not that you're jealous or anything, but the first woman you saw me with was my cousin Maggie. The second? Jessica's partner, Bree. The third was a model who occasionally works for us. She's popular with our readers, so I of course have to be nice. And yes, she's been forward all evening, but I, of course, played nice. However, when she asked me to come back to her room with her, do you know what I told her?" His voice was soft and calm.
"What?" I breathed out.
"I told her, I'm ridiculously obsessed with someone else. Who, up until this very moment, gave me the impression that it would never happen, despite all her teasing. That all I can think about is her. That she's the one I dream about and how I haven't been with anyone since I've met her." He leaned in very close. "I also told her I preferred brunettes. Blondes aren't my thing."
"Maybe you should go home with her," I said, lightly pushing on his chest. "I mean, we work togeth-."
"Bella, shut the fuck up, say your goodbyes, and meet me out front."
I swallowed thickly. "Why?"
"Because we're going home. Now." With a look that meant business, he walked away.
I already wrote the sexy next chapter...stay tuned. Perhaps this week?