*Disclaimer - Sadly, I own nothing of Twilight with the exception of merchandise, bought and paid for. I do, however, own my love for borrowing the characters and playing with them however I choose to. I thank Stephenie Meyer for creating the TwiWorld and for allowing us to have our fun with it. She owns Twilight, the insanity it created in my mind is my own.

Holy bubble blurbs! Shug worked magic on this one. Thank you, super-duper beta-reader!

Whatever Works

'C' is for…Crazy

Regardless of Edward's insistence that I didn't need any fixing up at the spa, I decided to do some home maintenance anyway, seeing as his hands liked to roam and his mouth was a daring adventurer. A little trimming was in order, as well as waxing some resistant stubborn spots, and some new polish on the toes wouldn't be amiss. I had just capped the bottle when my phone rang. Unknown number. Who would be calling me?

"Hello?"

There was a heavy sigh from the other end and then, "Bell-laaa."

I smiled at the sounds of Edward. "Hey. What's going on?"

He grunted and began a string of complaints about a take not working out, and having to wait around to reset everything, and his iPod was being charged, and then: "…and I have to go out tonight. I'm sorry."

"Oh. Okay…" I briefly wondered if it was due to the phone call he had to take that had cut our time off earlier in the morning.

"It's a PR thing," he explained. "I feel terrible. I really wanted to spend an evening with you while we have the chance, and I left you in a hurry this morning. It's just not a good day."

"It's okay –"

"No. It's really not. I have to do this though. I want to get out of another full season, and Mike says the studios are bitching because if I'm not on the stupid show it cuts down on the free press for the movies coming out. It's all just so ridiculous."

"You're not doing another season of Diamonds and Spades? Wow. So…"

"So… I want my life back, Bella. The whole purpose of me doing every movie offered this past year was to achieve that goal. I just want it a little sooner than I thought. I want out, and so I have to play the game for a little while."

"The game…?" God, I really wished I was a little more up on how his world worked.

"PR. I'm supposed to be seen. Boys' night out. The fact that Jasper is here is a huge photo op. It'll draw up all the shit from days I want to forget about of course, but it's inevitable anyway. I'm just glad you already know the whole story so you won't get caught up in the bullshit that will be reported. You should just ignore all. Seriously."

"Okay." I could do that now that he was talking to me more. Of course, once I moved back downstairs with Esme, and her love for all that is celebrity gossip, and got minimal alone time with Edward, I would probably end up hearing more rumors from reporters than fact from the man himself.

"Jake is going to take the girls for dinner when they're done at the spa. I could ask him to come pick you up."

"No! Don't be silly!"

"I feel horrible that you'll be there all alone tonight."

"Edward, you're not responsible for my social life. I will be fine," I assured him with a snicker.

"Of course, you know you can hang out anywhere you'd like. I'd prefer if you didn't swim alone –—"

"No worries. I won't die on your property, I swear."

"Don't tease about that, Bella. You did worry me. Use my rooms, please. Make yourself at home. One thing, though. If you go in my bedroom and go through my extensive collection of porn, you'll need to have some info ready for me when I come home – I'll have to know which ones you're familiar with, and which you'd like to become familiar with." His low laughter rang out, and I could see his cheeky grin in my mind.

~ 0 ~

I got his cheeky grin in person when he stumbled in and woke me from my nap on his couch. "You're absolutely adorable when you sleep," he murmured near my ear. "You can't imagine the things I want to do to you when I see you laying there like that."

Oh, I think I could. I had imagined more than a few scenarios myself thankyouverymuch. "What time is it?"

"Late. Very, very late." His words were slurred, and his eyes were glossed over, but the way he looked at me made me want to pull him down on the couch with me. Just how wasted was he?

"And you're drunk?"

"Very, very drunk. I think bending over this way isn't a spectacular idea." He dropped to his knees and laid his head on the arm of the couch. He smiled at me, face-to-face. "Actually more tired than drunk. I think. You're really pretty."

I rolled my eyes, not so enamored that I didn't know a drunk line when I heard one. "Okay, buddy. Yes, you may be tired, but you are definitely drunk. Let's get you to bed."

He hummed, and smiled, and chuckled coyly as he closed his eyes. "I have to make a call first."

Sitting up, I ran my hand across his forehead, brushing his hair aside. "You need to sleep, Edward. I'll go and let you make your call. See you in the morning – I'll bring the coffee up this time so you can sleep a bit longer."

In my room – my Hotel Edward room – I stripped down and got ready for bed. I understood his night out, but in truth, I was disappointed. I had been looking forward to talking with him about his book. And kissing him again… maybe. When I turned the water off after brushing my teeth, I heard the shower in his bathroom start running.

Must share the same pipes…

That was a quick phone call...

I pushed my thoughts aside and climbed into bed. Alone. I tried to think of things I'd like to dream about, but all that did was frustrate me further. I wanted to feel him next to me.

An hour later, sleep still eluded me, and I could hear water running again from his room. And then the toilet flushed. More water. Was he sick? Acting on impulse, I threw my covers aside and grabbed my key card.

I'll just make sure he's okay…

A lamp still burned in the living room, revealing he'd left the balcony door opened a crack, and an opened bottle of water sat on the bar. Detoxing…

I went over and locked up but left the light on so I could find my way out. I padded over to his bedroom and peeked in. The door was wide open. He was sprawled on his bed - not under the blankets - on his bed. And wearing nothing.

Chewing on my lip as I admired what had to be the most glorious male ass ever created, I leaned on the doorjamb to steady myself.

Take deep breaths… don't pass out in his bedroom…

The moon was shining in through his window, and it illuminated the plump white cheeks just lying out there asking to be admired. I imagined dipping my tongue into the little dimple at the top of the lily white mounds.

God, he's perfect! He's going to get cold. I should get him into bed. At the very least, cover him up…

Standing over his naked form, it seemed sacrilegious to cover the magnificent naked man before me. I was struck with an incredible urge to kiss the newly exposed flesh. Would he notice?

Recalling the debacle of our first morning when he possibly caught me admiring his erection, I figured it probably was not a good idea to molest him while he slept. He wouldn't do that to me – he'd come home wasted and didn't do that to me. I was sober. And mature.

And completely out of my element!

I retreated to his living room to collect myself, taking a long swig from his water bottle. I poured a little of the icy liquid onto my hand and splashed it on my forehead; another dab for my overheated chest as well. The water trickled down between my breasts, only proving to enhance my arousal. I strode over to the balcony doors, hauling them open to get some much needed air. It helped. I felt like I could breathe again, at least. In better control, I locked up once again, grabbed the throw from the couch, and headed back to drape it over perfectly naked, perfectly perfect Edward.

I froze inside his room. He had moved. His head was on a pillow, and he was on his back and – dammit! –covered with a sheet, rendering the whole point of me standing there with a blanket useless. He mumbled and shifted some more, tangling the sheet up in his legs. My eyes were drawn to the prominent area jutting out under the taut linen. It wasn't erect, but it still made an impressive bulge.

"Bella?"

I jumped as he whispered my name. Was he awake or dreaming? Tentatively, I looked away from the hot spot and focused on his eyes. Even in the dim moonlight, I could tell they were open… slightly. Damn, he'd caught me again.

Sighing, I walked over and offered an impish grin. "I just wanted to check on you." Dropping the blanket by the side of the bed, I hoped he hadn't noticed it in my hands. I wanted to spare him the embarrassment of knowing that I'd been in before he was covered up.

"Mmmm," he murmured. "Sweet."

"You're okay? Do you need anything?"

Edward let out a deep chuckle, making his body shake. And I mean his whole body. Every part.

Look away…

"I'm in need, yes… But I'm afraid I won't be very good company. I had um… a sleep aid…"

His eyes were drooping even as he spoke to me. And he was right; I noticed a touch of an accent in his sleepy voice that wasn't his slow, deliberate generic American. The mention of a 'sleep aid' made me concerned since he had been drinking.

"Coming in?" he inquired lazily. "You should stay."

I should – he might need help…

As I slid into bed next to him, his arm extended to wrap around me, pulling me in against his chest. His skin felt cool and smelled soapy-fresh but masculine – delicious. I couldn't resist placing a kiss just below his shoulder as I snuggled in. As I found a niche, he whispered, "Um… I should warn you… I think I'm naked."

Yep, you would be correct…

"Don't worry. I won't take advantage of you in your current state," I whispered back.

Somehow, my teasing tickled him more than usual and he broke into a fit of laughter that made him seem remarkably young – it was more of a giggle-fit. It reminded me of sleep-overs I'd had with my girlfriends in school where someone would inevitably giggle just as we settled in, delaying sleep for another hour or more. At some point it stopped.

I woke with the bathroom light streaming into the room, and a dark figure in the door. Squinting, I bolted upright.

"Sorry!" The light snapped out and Edward moved towards me with haste. "Shhh. Go back to sleep. I overslept… gotta go." He bent to cup my face with a gentle smile on his. He kissed me, seemingly oblivious to my morning breath. He tasted minty clean. "I'll call you later. Sleep, my angel."

Fingers stroked my hair, then my cheek, and brushed against my lips as I drifted back into an Edward-tinted sleep.

~ 0 ~

Despite the disappointment of waking to a fully dressed Edward (I would have killed to see him walking to the bathroom naked!) I was in a great mood when I woke for the second time. I showered in his bathroom, redressing in the clothes I'd slept in temporarily while I made his bed. His scent lingered, and I fought the urge to crawl back in. Instead I hugged his pillow and inhaled him for a few glorious moments before I fluffed it and placed it back on the bed.

Edward was my first crush. I remembered girls in school going ga-ga over celebrities, and I never quite got it. There was never an actor or musician who had driven me to gobble up every tidbit of information, and save every photo ever published. And I'd certainly never screamed, or cried, or got all flushed and weak-kneed over seeing them. Edward drew that out in me – not Celebrity Edward, but the real man.

When I saw the note he left on the bar on my way out, I knew it was more than a crush. I was falling deeply in love with the real man, and there was no stopping it. The days of 'if you need anything, call Mike' were gone. He left me personal cell number, and asked me to call and leave him a message when I woke up… so he'd know I was awake.

I entered his number in my contacts only as 'C', in case my phone ever went missing, or landed in the wrong hands, and I inadvertently spread his private number around. 'C', for Cullen. Crush. Candy. Crack. Cock. Cock-y. All things Edward and addictive. And it was shorter than typing 'hot hunk of man meat that makes me swoon and melt and feel special and privileged and pretty and orgasmic'.

I called, keeping it cool and light, and then tucked away the lovesick girl he had drawn out, reverting to the mature professional he had hired. The kitchen was already cleaned up from breakfast, but I had to put on some coffee. "Sorry – slept in," I said to Sue with an apologetic grin.

"I saved some biscuits for you. Emily made them this morning. Esme and Edward like them with the orange marmalade. You should try it." Sue returned my smile and leaned close, giving my shoulder a squeeze. "Can I offer a bit of advice?"

I nodded, wide-eyed.

"Take it slow, honey. I'm too late to slow down the physical part…"

Oh no, she must have seen me in Edward's bed! And after her previous talk of discretion, I felt horrible. "Sue! No, you've got it all wrong… we're not… we haven't –" She was waving me off, not feeling the need for the details I felt required to give. "We've only kissed!" I whispered. "I went to check on him last night because he was out with the guys and not in very good shape when he got in. I didn't sleep much, watching over him. He wanted me to stay there and get a bit of sleep after he left."

Sue didn't appear to be surprised, more amused, and pleased by my admission. "Still… Alice is intrigued by the closeness you and her brother have. Bella, it's best if you play it cool until she's gone back to New York. It's not that she dislikes you – she's had nothing but lovely things to say about you, honest – but Alice… well, she's had her heart set on Edward being with someone else for a long time. It is just not a good time to rub her nose in it. Sweetie, it's none of my business what goes on up there, and I only know what Edward tells me." She smiled at me coyly. "Yes, he told me you took care of him last night. It's in his eyes – he's smitten. I am merely suggesting that you keep it upstairs until after his sister has left the building. Mind your eyes, sweetie. They talk with Edward's and say much more than words ever could. Be patient. This will all come to an end soon. He's working very hard to fix everything."

This was a recurring theme – Edward working on fixing his life. I now knew that part of it was getting out of Diamonds and Spades. That obviously wasn't just something that had just come up. He wasn't acting on impulse; he simply hadn't told me about that before yesterday. The lovesick me wanted him to get whatever he had to sort sorted for good. Rapidly. The realist in me saw barricades, not just hurdles to get over. I couldn't believe my luck, falling in love for the first time with someone who came with so much baggage it would likely leave him unattainable… and me heartbroken.

I was determined to play the role I was hired for dutifully for the duration of Alice and Jasper's stay at the house. Esme's pool therapy was reserved for the evenings when Emmett was available to help her in and out. She felt most comfortable with him. I had to agree, having been carried by Emmett myself, it wasn't an entirely bad experience.

After our session, Esme and I returned headed back to her quarters through the garden. I hadn't seen Edward since he'd come home, and my heart did little leaps seeing him through the glass.

Esme stopped her chair abruptly and frowned. "I think we'd better take a detour or go for a little walk, dear. Looks like my children are having words."

I hadn't even noticed Alice, I was so fixated on Edward. But yes, it did appear they were arguing. Jasper sat quietly to the side, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but there. I wished we could rescue him – Jasper really was sweet – but I also liked that he seemed to be very neutral in whatever was going on between the two siblings. Edward wouldn't be outnumbered, and Jasper could soothe Alice as well. We went to the kitchen to prepare the ritualistic tea. Esme sighed when she heard Edward's angry footsteps rushing up the stairs and flinched when his door slammed. I didn't join them for tea either.

A/N ~ Bella wanted to touch. I had to caution her that there is still much to be learned. It would be really easy to get wrapped up in the life Edward creates for her up there with him. Can she trust what she sees? Is he worth the risk? There may be another update later in the week. We'll see how RL treats me. Thanks for reading! xx ~ SR