A/N: Again sorry for the long wait...But it wasn't as long as the last one so I think I deserve some credit...lol. Maybe Not. Hope you Enjoy!

Chapter Eighteen

*Edward's POV*

Friday, I was a mess. And so was she. She couldn't look me in the eye and could barley speak the words she needed too. All because of what occurred yesterday, 'The accident'. A short little kiss, if it could even be called that.

And it was this "kiss" that kept me tossing last night. I didn't get a wink of sleep but somehow I found myself excited to return to work the this morning. I was exhausted but I was happy. I knew the kiss had been an accident but it was what I had wanted anyways. It was impossible not too when she was standing so close, tears on the brink of her eyes. I hated to see her cry. And hated even more that I had caused them over nothing. I believed now that nothing was going on with her and Mike. Why I hadn't seen it earlier? Well let's just say I was too blinded by my own pride with a little dash of jealous thrown in there.

I wasn't anymore, jealous or prideful but I would do this over. And I would do it right this time. I knew I had to take this slow if anything because Bella wasn't like all the others. She was simple.

I would have to keep things simple. Even though she completely ruined that by herself. She was so cute staring at me as I watched the color rise in her face. It was obvious that it had affected her more than it did me. And I knew why.

I was her boss. I groaned, currently seated behind my desk, feet propped up on my desk and my hands tucked behind my head as I gazed at the high ceiling.

If only I could get to her to see me as something else than the guy who paid her rent. I knew that it would take time, more time than I had ever had to take with any one. But I was willing because I was positive that it would be worth it. However for now, I would have to be her boss/friend.

I heard a knock on my door and I scrambled to pull myself together, to appear professional. It seemed to help ease her when I spoke to her that way.

"Yes," I watched as she pushed open the door.

"Mr. Cullen, would you like to go over your schedule for next week?" She was holding the black folder that held my life in it. It surprised no one more than me when I actually had time to eat and sometimes sleep. It was either meeting after meeting sometime's half way around the world. Maybe I would take Bella with me one of these days. I wondered if she'd ever been to Italy?

Okay, I thought. Slow down Edward. You have to take this slow. I breathed and returned my focus on her.

"Of course." I motioned for her to have a seat. She did so with out glancing at me once. I chuckled to myself before we got started.

This lead to a chain of events that would have us leaving the office completely worn out and after hours.

"Thank you for staying with me." I stated standing next to her as we rode the elevator down to the ground floor.

"You're welcome." She said again not even speaking in my direction. I grinned at how cute I found her. No one, no one that I could remember had ever captured my attention the way Isabella Swan had.

"What's so funny?" I heard and I glanced down. She was actually looking at me with confused eyes.

"Nothing," I continued to grin slipping a hand into my front pocket.

"Nothing at all."

*Edward's POV Ends*

I fell completely worn out against Alice's couch. It was the furthest I could go. My feet hurt and I was starving. I'd missed lunch and hadn't eaten since earlier this morning.

"You look terrible," Alice stated fixing something in her kitchen. Hopefully it was for me.

"Probably. Thank god it's the weekend." I sighed kicking off my heels. I already knew I was going to be here for a while.

"That boss of yours must be a slave driver." she chuckled.

I thought about it and found Edward to be the opposite. I didn't answer her instead stuffed my face into her pillow. I felt her sink into the couch and heard her set a plate down on the coffee table. I turned to it. It was a beautiful, mouthwatering turkey sandwich on rye. I jumped up and grabbed it.

"Is this mine?" I bite into it and melted.

"Well it wasn't," Alice muttered. "But enjoy." I barely heard her as I continued to tear into the sandwich but I could see her looking at me out to the corner of my eye. Well I thought she was looking at me, she might have been staring at the television for all I knew. Then she hoped off the couch and I looked up still biting in into the bread and meat.

"Where are you going?" I mumbled. She glanced back at me.

"To get ready." My brows pulled together in confusion.

"For what?" I asked as she vanished into the room. Then she peeked around the corner and grinned.

"I think you could use a drink."

"Two shot's of tequila," Alice said leaning into the man behind the bar.

We were at the local bar a couple of blocks from Alice's apartment. We were meeting Jasper here, and I was finally going to meet her brother. The other brother, not the football star. We had already had a few beers and she was really working on me.

"Come on Bella loosen up." Alice took hold of my shoulders and shook me playfully.

"Fine," I sighed. I wasn't going to win. Besides, it was Friday. No work tomorrow so why couldn't I let loose. The music in the bar was rocky and I liked it. I liked the entire atmosphere to be honest. I had no reason not to enjoy myself.

"Here you go ladies," the bartender announced, placing our shots in front of us. I wasn't a drinker. Anyone who knew me, knew that, though I did enjoy a glass of wine every now and then. I picked up the glass and held it up.

"To us," Alice cheered before she clanged her glass against mine. I threw the liquor to back of my throat and swallowed as fast as possible. Alice did the same. It burned, and it made me cough. Alice just smiled and called for another round.

"No Alice," I begged. I wasn't sure if I could take another one. She didn't mind me and I turned away. I glanced over the groups of people, laughing and having fun. Then the doors to the bar open and I looked over. I felt my jaw drop and my heart stopped beating in my chest. The air became thin as I continued to stare at the two men who just entered. What in the world is Edward doing here? I noticed then who he was following. And why is he with Jasper none the less? I spun on my stool back towards the bar, horror-struck. Alice notice my expression.

"Bella, what's the matter?" she touched my shoulder. "Are you feeling sick?" No I wasn't feeling sick, I thought. But then again maybe I was. I was feeling a churning in my stomach that had nothing to do with the alcohol, but with the fact that Edward had just walked into the same bar I happened to be at. Are there no other bars in New York? My face brightened at the memory of what had happened only the day before.

"No," I declared. "My boss is here?" I could hear the dread in my claim. Just then the bartender returned with our shots. I downed mine before he could set it down properly. It burned just the same but I hardly noticed the taste this time.

"What? Where?" Alice asked, scanning the crowd. I turned back and spotted him speaking with Jasper as they headed towards us. Damnit, how bad was my luck? I had been trying to forget what had happened so that I could show my face without being embarrassed at work on Monday. That would be impossible now.

I took Alice's shot then and surprisingly it went down smoothly.

"Next to Jasper. Their on there way over here." I fell forward as I covered my head in terror. I wanted to die, to crawl up under a rock and die.

"Who? The honey blonde?" she asked. I could hear a chuckle in her voice. I didn't see anything funny about this situation . I nodded, not sure if she could even see the movement. I closed my eyes hoping to disappear. Then maybe this would all just be a bad dream, a very bad dream.

"Bella, that's my brother." she said and my eyes flew open. Brother? What did she mean brother? As in related. As in the brother I was suppose to be meeting tonight. Just then everything clicked.

Edward Cullen.

Alice Cullen.

Of course. Cullen was Alice's last name. Why hadn't I put two and two together before. Cullen wasn't that popular of a name. They didn't really look alike but somehow I could see them as brother and sister. Alice the annoying little sister and Edward the brother who loved her but pretended she was more annoying than she really was.

I felt even more sick than I had before, like I was going to be sick, but I couldn't. Not here, not now. I took a deep breathe, sat up to look at Alice and out of the corner of my eye I saw Edward standing there.

"Bella?" I turned to him.

"Hello Edward," I tried not to sound glum. It didn't work. Instead I actually sounded horrified to see him. And I was. I saw Jasper glanced back and fourth between us and then settled on Edward.

"Do you two know each other?"

Edward nodded. "She's my assistant, the one I told you about," he smile sheepishly.

"The one who fell over in the interview, the one with the stapler?" Jasper laughed until he caught my face and then tried to disguise it with a cough. My face brightened and I looked away. Then Edward turned back to me.

"I didn't know you knew my sister?"

"I didn't know she was your sister until about five seconds ago." I voiced.

"She's the friend I wanted you to meet," Alice added a little too happy.

"The one who split the coffee on you?"

She nodded and I felt my face flush for a second time. Did everyone know about my most embarrassing moments? I wanted to die more than ever. There wasn't enough alcohol in the world to deal with this.

"Now that you mention it, that does sound like Bella," Jasper said. They laughed and Edward smiled. I gave an uncomfortable snigger before I turned back toward the bar and asked for a glass of water. I felt Edward beside me then. He ordered a drink and twisted toward me. I didn't look at him, instead I kept my gaze on the napkin I was spinning around with my finger.

"Are you okay? You seem nervous?"

I laughed nervously anyways. "Do I?" I decided that I had to bring it up. If not it would linger between us for how long.

"About the other day," I stated playing with the rim of the empty shot glass. " I'm sorry. I didn't mean too. I tripped and fell. I'm clumsy if you haven't noticed." I tried to laugh but it didn't sound right. I was too nervous.

"I have noticed." he pointed out. "So I forgive you not that I really need too. I mean these things happen right? It was just an accident. I'm just glad that you're okay." I glanced over at him and it didn't help. He was smiling, more like cheesing. It was hard to actually wrap my head around the fact that this was the man that Alice had spoken so freely about and how I hadn't put two and two together earlier, though that didn't really surprise me.

"Are you still thinking about what happened. I told you it's okay. No harm done."

I sighed because he had been wrong. I wasn't thinking about what had happened, I was more concerned about what was about to happen.

"Sure, easy for you to say. You didn't almost rape your boss" I stated, with another anxious chuckle. "I'd hardly call that attempted rape." He grinned.

"You might rethink that after tonight. I'm even more clumsy when I drink."I muttered motioning to the empty shot glasses and to the heels I were wearing.

I wasn't exactly drunk yet, but I was already feeling the tingling in my finger tips and my lips and I knew what was coming next. I never worried much about how I acted when I was drunk before, but now was different. I was loud and said what ever came to my mind, while I usually kept most of my thoughts and lips to myself. I was pretty sure, no positive that I was going to say and/or do something that I was going to regret. If not get me fired.

I was going to comment on how attractive I thought he was. And how I noticed that his eyes squinted just a little when he laughed. Or how flawless his smile was. Maybe tell him I thought about him more than I should have. And how our kiss, if you could call it that made my heart race. Yep, tonight was going to be the most embarrassing night of my life.

"It can't be that bad," He joked just as he received his drink. I thought, you couldn't be more wrong but said.

"Oh you just wait and see." I stated dreading what was too come.

Hoped it was as good as I hoped... I have so much story to write it's hard to get it all down... And I know that everyone was looking forward to this chapter for the big reveal. Hoped it lived up to the hype...Please Review. It would mean a lot to me!