I'm hella busy! I'll get Unconventional up, still working on the ending for that. But this got done first.

Chapter 5

"Italy, with a stranger!"

"Well he is not a stranger, he is my boss" Bella argues a little. She loves her mother, she is crazy. A brave a crazy. Bella wishes she were like this herself. But alas she is more reserved like her father, quiet, calm.

"But you haven't even been working with him for a long time; it is just the two of you?"

"And his pilot, and anyone who works on the jet"

"Bella this is not a joke" Overprotective. Gosh she hopes her mother doesn't tell her father. He is quiet and laid back but she is his little girl still and this would be nuts in his eyes. He hasn't gotten over what happened with Garrett. He is holding onto it for her, feeling what she felt and she knows he worries. He worries in a different way than her mother. A quiet look, a flick of his eyes.

"You have my numbers" She argues. "And I am not a child"

"I just worry, you be safe with him"

"What, what we are not together"

"I didn't mean that, Bella please" Renee says quickly. "It is not like that right?"

"No, god no"

"I just meant be careful because like you said before he seems disingenuous"

"Yeah he is" She mutters.

"How did the center feel when you told them about the whole big company will not be building in front of them?"

"I haven't yet"

"What, why?" Renee questions quickly. "I thought you would have told them by now"

"No, I need the okay from Edward, and he hasn't given it yet"

"Is he going to give it?"

"Yes, there are legal things he needs to deal with, investors, shareholders who have invested in it"

"Oh"

"It's fine, I am sure I will get the okay soon"

"Well honey I am proud of you, even if you are working for the likes of him, I did read up on him"

"Oh?"

"Yes" Renee says.

"I have to get some rest we will be flying for ages tomorrow"

"Call me when you land"

"I will" Bella smiles.

"I love you honey, keep safe"


"Ready?" He stands outside the car with Emmett.

"Morning"

"Morning" He watches Emmett put her bags into the car. Opening the door for her he waits she steps into the space he made.

Stopping before getting in she faces him. "When can I tell the center that their view has been preserved?" She looks into his eyes and sees nothing to show her he is being false with her as far as this topic is concerned.

"I am still talking to the investors, figuring out how their money that they put into building the condos will be restored"

"Okay"

"Are you worried?" He rests his hand on the top of the open door she is standing against effectively blocking her in.

"No, I just want to break the good news to them soon"

"Alright, well I will try to push it along"

"Thank you"

"You're welcome" He says staring at her mouth.

Bella looks at him a second longer before ducking into the car. Standing alone he looks at Emmett looking at him waiting to shut the door.

"Mr. Cullen?"

"I'm fine Emmett" Edward mumbles, getting himself together before joining her in the car. When he sits next to her he looks over to her staring out the window with her legs crossed. 'This is going to be a long flight'


9 hours

"Holy…" Bella thinks as they walk empty handed to the private plane…jet? She looks around them and the airport is right there, well not right, right there but around with the huge planes. Then she looks to their little plane with the two bags going on ahead of them.

Edward walks half a step behind her and says nothing. He is sure she is dazzled, well he isn't sure. Most women are dazzled by the jet, but…Bella seems to be un-dazzle-able. Well as far as he is concerned. He made a bad name for himself in her eyes without even having to do any…anything. She read up on him and made the conclusion with that. What she read and knows is well…true. Not the point she is very closed minded when it comes to him it seems.

Bella walks up the stairs and is greeted by a member of the jets crew…Edward's crew.

"Champagne"

She is not sure what to say to the bubbly offered, she looks back at Edward not sure why but she just does. Her hand is lightly on the rail and he is three steps lower than the top.

"That is okay Tanya, Bella is not a friend" He tells Tanya who has worked for him on his jet for a few years.

Frowning she turns back to the woman. "I am his advisor" Bella introduces herself.

"Well" Tanya makes a face while smiling and then she lets Bella pass. "Do you want champagne, or will your advisor, advise against it?" She holds the same glass she just held up to Bella was it to him.

Edward smiles while taking the glass; he downs the 300 a bottle liquid and takes the glass which was meant for him.

"I don't think your advisor will be happy" She grins bouncing on her toes to him.

"Well I think I will need this"

"She is an uptight one, what happened to Ms. Kent?"

"Don't ask"

Tanya makes a zip sign with her fingers against her mouth. "Get seated it is a long flight"

"Don't remind me" He groans downing the other glass quickly before handing it back to Tanya.

Laughing she watches him get on his plane.


Edward takes the lush seat directly adjacent to her so he is face to face. He watches her seemingly uncomfortably cross her legs over and over. "Are you nervous of flying?"

Bella looks away from the window and across to him, there is a very small barely there table between them hooked onto the wall. "Lil'"

"Did you not fly to New York?"

"Yes, but that was it" She didn't love the experience she must admit.

"You don't like to fly" He comments almost off handed.

"I just said that"

Edward licks his lips. "Yes you did" Her legs cross again, and her fingers play with or tighten the belt at her middle. "Maybe you should have drunk the champagne to take the edge off"

"I told you I don't drink while working and it is what 8am…drinking this early would land you in AA"

"Been there"

"Excuse me?"

"I have been to AA"

"Oh, I won't say I am sorry"

"No you shouldn't be, it was all me and it was helpful"

"Yes well then it served its purpose" Bella responds.

"Tell me about yourself, do you have family in Washington?"

"Ah, yes my parents in Forks, tiny town" She tells him.

"Are you close with them?"

"Yes, I am" She gives him a look.

"I am distracting you"

"Well I am very aware this very small, but very nice plane is about to take off so you are not doing a very good job"

Edward smiles at her and watches her cross her legs again. "Keep your legs still" His eyes drift down to them rather than just glance at them.

Bella's head shoots up.

"It's just, are you sure you don't want to drink"

"I do not need a drink, I will be fine"

Edward looks at her and says nothing as the plane begins to take off.


Gulping the water slowly but taking huge gulps Bella pulls the glass away and relaxes a bit more.

"You alright now?" Edward questions her.

"Yes, I told you" She breathes quickly. "I was fine" Her jeans suddenly feel warm and her blouse feels tight…or the other way around.

Edward is actually really concerned. "Are you sure, Tanya could come and make sure you are okay, she was pre-med"

"What did you two play doctor?"

He frowns at her. "We haven't had sex if that is what you are asking"

"I wasn't asking anything"

"Bella I think we have talked about how you talk to me" He points out. As much as he appreciates her quick tongue it is bordering on rude.

She licks her lips and bites her lower one for a moment. "I'm sorry"

"Why are you so, closed off as far as personal life?"

"Excuse me?"

"We have an 8 hour flight a head of us, you might as well open up to me, was it a man, did someone hurt you?"

"This conversation is highly…"

"Yes I know you don't like it, tough" He finishes.

Bella looks at him and lifts her leg; she places a palm between her thighs as they re-cross again. She licks her lips slowly. "Well"

Edward tightens his eyes on her. Her face is calm, she seems flushed.

"There was a guy" Bella looks to the side and licks her upper lip slowly. "And it ended" She can't believe she told him this. It is not hush hush, it happens to people all the time. But to tell him, Edward, she must have lost her mind due to the high altitude.

"When?"

"2 years ago"

"2 years?"

"Yes, 2 years"

"How long were you together?" He is not horrible to her, he is at times a jackass but she acts like he has hurt her, like he is a pot of boiling water that burns her hand when she gets near him. He knew there was a reason for this.

"5 years, through some of my schooling, then it ended"

"Who ended it?"

Bella almost glares at him. "He turned out to be just like you"

"Just like me, rich and successful?"

Cutting her eyes at him she looks away again.

"I'm sorry, what enjoying the company of women?"

"Pretty much, yes"

"But I am not in a five year relationship, so he is not like me, I am not like him"

"I think you get the idea of what I am saying" Bella points out with an arch in her eyebrows.

"Yes" Edward answers almost slowly still staring at her despite the head turns she is doing every so often. "He hurt you"

"I am over it"

Pausing for a few moments he says nothing. Taking a nice size breath Edward rubs his cheek. "No you're not"

"I am"

"You are hurt still, and haven't dealt with it, have you been with anyone since?"

"I have been busy"

"Sexually"

"What, no, what" Bella says quickly with wide eyes.

"So no"

"I am not answering that, it boarders, just no we cannot have this conversation, you are my boss"

"True, but it won't affect how I see you as my advisor"

"My job title seems to change daily" She mutters.

"Sexually?"

"No if you MUST know"

"No relationship, no sex for two years, wow"

"Just because you need to have sex daily with many different women doesn't mean we all do"

"We all need something"

"I have my work"

"You are very passionate about it, and do it well…compensating for something?" He eyes her.

"No"

"Maybe"

"No" Bella argues.

"What happened with Casanova?"

"I told you"

"Yes, you told me he turned into me, or I am him, something" Edward shakes his head a bit. "But what happened"

"We ended up wanting different things"

"What did you want?"

"Him"

"What did he want?"

"Not me"

"What did he want?"

Bella pauses and looks at her hand on her lap and the hand stuck between her crossed legs. "He wanted" She licks her lips before lifting her head to look at him. "He wanted something more than me"

Edward listens to her, it seems heartbreaking still for her, and in general. "I'm sorry, you know you are wonderful"

"Oh well that means a lot coming from you" She rolls her eyes.

"I am being sincere, is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes, a little bit"

"I do a lot of things, but I don't hurt people, not on purpose"

"I don't know you"

"No, you don't"

"Okay"

"Okay, what?"

"Okay I will stop making snide comments and side judging glances"

"Oh well Bella, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship" He grins.

"Don't push your luck"

Edward stares at her and smiles.


ITALY here they come!