The Harder they Fall

by Ironic Twist

Bella Swan had big dreams that were quashed by reality. Now, a momentary indescretion may cost her the little she has. Or maybe it will be the best mistake she's ever made. Edward Cullen's life is perfect. Well, almost. Perhaps these two can help each other out in an unorthodox way.

23. The Aftermath

Disclaimer: All publicly recognized characters, setting, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Having said that, the story is mine. Please don't steal it. Thieves reside in the 8th circle of Hell. I'm sure SebastienRobichaud could confirm. If you're not reading his story, The University of Edward Masen, you should be.

Chapter 23 – The Aftermath

I scrambled to my feet and looked down at Bella. Her eyes were closed. A light sheen of sweat made her almost glow. She was panting hard, her hand clutched to her chest, over her heart. As I watched she swallowed hard once…twice.

I was almost returned to my knees by the insane flood of emotions that hit me in the next second: shock, excitement, disappointment, incredulity and other feelings I couldn't put a name to flickered in and out of existence so quickly. I finally settled on anger.

What the hell was she thinking?

I swallowed hard as I felt my hands ball into fists. Why didn't she identify herself when I first approached her? How could she let this happen? What the fuck was she doing parading around dressed like a whore? She was supposed to be my girlfriend! What would people think if they saw her dressed like this hanging around with guys like Jacob Black? Was she trying to make me look like a fool? Did her job really mean that little to her? Maybe I had misjudged her intelligence.

And why the hell was she here anyway? I didn't invite her here. How did she even get in? This club was pretty exclusive and she wasn't known in the local scene. The bouncer shouldn't have even let her in.

Anger had escalated to fury, and I had to walk away to stop myself from screaming at her. I paced back and forth a few feet away from her, listening as the sounds of her panting quieted.

Then she spoke.

"Are you okay?" she asked. I was surprised by how hoarse her voice sounded.

"No," I answered curtly, my tone livid. "Bella?" I asked, my voice tight, controlled.

"Yes?" Her voice was still rough. She cleared her throat.

"Give me a reason," I implored her, angrily, through my clenched teeth.

"A reason?" she asked confusedly, "A reason for what?"

"A reason I shouldn't fire you right now. What were you thinking Bella? How could you let this happen?" The fury was plain in my voice. I made no attempt to conceal it.

Her eyes flashed in the dim light, surprising me.

"Let this happen?" she hissed. "I didn't have much choice, did I? You approached me. You demanded we dance. I thought you recognized me so I followed you onto the dance floor and danced with you like we danced on Tuesday. You kissed me, I kissed you back. When you pulled me off the dance floor, I thought you just wanted to get away from prying eyes. Then you threw me into this room and practically attacked me. I tried to say something…. Tried to, I was just… it was just…"

I held up my hand to stop her. I knew exactly just what it was.

"Why are you even here?" I asked harshly. I wanted answers.

Her eyes widened. She looked—hurt. I shook off my concern. She wasn't the one who was wronged here, I didn't owe her any explanations.

"Jasper invited me."

For the second time in as many minutes I felt an uncontrollable rush of emotions. Jasper? What the hell was his game? First he treats her like shit, then he hands her a $20,000 ring to hock. I thought back to the way he hugged and hung on her when she and I helped him leave here on Tuesday. Today he's telling me she deserves better than what I'm offering her and then I find out he invited her here. As what, his date?

I felt an almost insane grimace cross my face. I hoped she enjoyed her first paycheck. It was going to be her last. Let fuckin' Jasper pay her way from now on.

"I don't know what kind of game you're playing, Ms. Swan, but it ends right now. I PAY YOU to be my date and you're dating my friends behind my back? And then…then I find you dressed like a whore coming onto Jacob Black? It's a damn good thing I demanded you dance with me before you ended up turning me into a cuckold in front of the whole damn bar!" I waved my hand in anger as I began to turn away from her in disgust.

"Excuse me?"

Her words were quiet, but with a menace behind them that set off a warning bell in my mind.

"What part didn't you understand?" I asked her with heavy sarcasm.

Her eyebrows shot up and I could see her struggling with her temper.

"Game? Whore? Cuckold?" She laughed loudly, but there was no joy in the sound. "Who even uses that word anymore?"

She continued before I could tell her my choice of words was beside the point.

"And what about you, Mis-ter Cullen? I saw you dancing with that woman and all those girls. Your intentions were pretty clear. I stood at that bar and defended your actions to Jacob Black. And now…now I realize that you didn't even know that I was here. You had every intention of sleeping with one of those women. And you're worried that I was going to make a cuckold of you? You're worried about your reputation but have no consideration for mine? Do you think I want to look like a trusting, naïve fool on all the gossip sites? That's not what I signed on for, Mr. Cullen."

I was mentally reeling from her speech. She was right. I stared into the darkness for a moment, stunned by my realization.

"You're right," I said quietly.

"And another thing…" she began loudly, "Wait? What?"

"You're right. My actions tonight were selfish. I never stopped to consider how my behavior would reflect on you. Of course, I don't want to damage your reputation." A bitter laugh escaped me. "My actions were short-sighted and self-serving. You have every right to be angry."

My surrender threw her off kilter.

"You're damn right I do," she retorted, but some of the fire had left her voice. "And I'm not dressed like a whore," she added more quietly.

I couldn't help it. The adrenaline that had been pumping through me moments earlier left me giddy and I started to laugh bitterly. It wasn't a happy sound. She looked at me incredulously before an undignified snort escaped her which made me laugh even harder.

I laughed hysterically for a few moments. I noticed Bella wiping tears from her eyes and assumed she had found the situation ridiculous as well.

"We should go back out there," I finally said when we both regained control.

Bella nodded.

"I need my mask."

I nodded and cast about trying to remember where I'd put it. It was on the floor near the couch. I picked it up and handed it to her.

"Shit."

I glanced down at the mask. The string on the left side had come off the mask despite my care in removing it. It only remained attached at all because it was still tied to the string on the right side.

"It didn't survive your assault." I couldn't detect any malice in her tone, but she didn't sound happy.

"Umm, yeah, about that. I am sorry. I wouldn't have, well…" I trailed off at her curious look realizing nothing I could say would be to my benefit.

I held my hand out to her; she took it, and I helped her off the couch. She sighed.

"Alice is going to kill me."

"Ms. Brandon? She put together this costume for you?"

"Yeah, I tried to get her to switch with me, but the dress she's wearing was really too short for me. I think she also assumed you knew I'd be here tonight and would probably prefer this outfit to the one she's wearing."

Smart girl.

"Wait? Ms. Brandon is here?"

"Umm, yeah. Jasper told me to bring a friend. She agreed to come."

"Where is she?"

Bella grimaced.

"I left her with Jasper. They were, uh… getting to know each other."

My eyebrows shot up.

"Getting to know each other how?"

Bella rolled her eyes as if I were being dense.

"Oh. Oh! Was she the girl I saw in the booth with Jasper?"

"I don't know. Short black flapper dress?"

I frowned.

"I'm not sure, actually. They were…involved and I didn't get a clear look at her. She was wearing a black dress, though."

"Yeah, that's probably her." Bella shook her head and laughed quietly.

"What?"

"It's just…she couldn't wait to meet him. She was fascinated by his name; kept calling it quaint and old-fashioned. I don't think she was at all prepared for the reality that is Jasper Whitlock. Then again, he didn't seem to be prepared for her either."

I frowned.

"Maybe we should get out there and make sure they're okay. Jasper's really not in a good place right now. I wouldn't want Ms. Brandon to get the wrong impression."

Still hand-in-hand we left the conference room and made our way back into the club proper. As we made our way through the crowd I considered my behavior in the conference room. Not the come on, that was another whole issue, but the anger I felt towards Bella and the blame I placed on her.

How could you let this happen? I had practically screamed it at her. What responsibility did she have for my actions? None. The fact that I tried to get her to shoulder some of the blame for that fiasco had me more confused than I cared to admit.

I wasn't the kind of person who shuffled off responsibility. As a matter of fact, it was Bella's noble acceptance of the blame for her actions in my office the night we met that drew me to her initially. I admired responsibility in others and prided myself on my own sense of responsibility.

I dragged the hand that wasn't holding hers through my hair. I needed to stop thinking about this now. No use getting into one of my introspective moods. This night wasn't over, and I needed to focus on Bella and try to undo the damage I may have done to her reputation tonight.

Thankfully, I hadn't actually kissed any of the women I'd been close to tonight, so there'd be no compromising pictures.

First things first. I veered off our path to the VIP section, pulling Bella along with me. Sidling up to the bar I asked Bella what she was drinking tonight. Vodka and cranberry I was guessing from the way she tasted earlier. I was mildly gratified when she confirmed my suspicions.

"Put it on my tab," I told the bartender, when he delivered the drink. I handed him five dollars, not enough to cover the drink, but certainly a generous enough tip for mixing one cocktail.

"Certainly, Mr. Cullen."

I turned and handed the drink to Bella. She raised her eyebrow at my lack of beverage.

"I have a bottle at the table," I explained.

Glancing down the bar, I saw the glittering eyes of Jacob Black where he was surrounded by his usual gang of friends. His stare was fixed on Bella and me. I caught his eye and nodded a quick acknowledgement, which he returned before focusing on the bottle of beer in his hand.

That's right, Junior. Move along.

"Let's go," I said, once again taking Bella's hand. I let her step in front of me and lead the way, grazing my hand along her lower back. I took a moment to enjoy the way the round cheeks of her behind peeked through the long curtain of her wig as we climbed the stairs to the VIP section.

The shoes she was wearing were doing amazing things for her legs. They had to have four-inch heels, jacking her up to five eight, at least. No wonder I had so much trouble identifying her earlier. If I had to guess, she hadn't showered at home before coming tonight. The smell of the different grooming products and what I now recognized as a synthetic wig had conspired to all but drown out her pleasing, natural scent, leaving me with that vague sense of familiarity I noticed earlier.

I shot a glance around her to our table. I wanted to make sure that Jasper and Ms. Brandon weren't in a compromising position before subjecting Bella to a PDA.

Thankfully, the two were sitting side-by-side chatting amiably. Jasper had a half-full glass of Scotch in front of him, while Ms. Brandon was sipping at some complicated fruity drink.

I held Bella's hand as she slid into the booth before I sat next to her.

Alice offered her a cheeky grin.

"You look good," she commented to Bella.

I glanced over at her, hoping Ms. Brandon's words were true. After what had happened earlier, I wouldn't be surprised to see misery etched on her face. I thought I could detect a flush on her skin. Whether from anger or excitement, I couldn't tell.

"I'm having fun," Bella replied, simply, not meeting Ms. Brandon's eye.

Ms. Brandon nodded knowingly before turning to me.

"Mr. Cullen," she said, by way of greeting.

"Ms. Brandon," I replied, "lovely costume," I continued indicating her outfit with my empty glass before helping myself to a generous drink.

I glanced at Jasper to see his poorly concealed scowl.

"What?" I asked, not considering that he might now want to discuss whatever was bothering him in our present company. Still his answer surprised me.

"Seriously, Edward? Mr. Cullen? Alice has worked for you for almost three years, can't you drop the formality?"

I heaved a mental sigh. I hated this conversation. I had my reasons for maintaining formality, but this was probably as good a time as any to become more comfortable with Ms. Brandon. After all, we were about to be drinking together—nothing sped up the process of getting to know one another than getting drunk together.

I cleared my throat. "Ms. Brandon, seeing as how we're about to be drinking together it would be my honor if you'd refer to me by my given name."

Next to me, Bella snorted at my exaggerated formality.

"Oh, God," Jasper muttered exasperatedly with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

BPOV

I could hear Edward making small talk with Alice and Jasper, but his words weren't registering with me. I was burning with anger and humiliation. From the moment he took my hand at the bar until he took my mask off he wasn't acting the part of an amorous boyfriend, he was actively trying to seduce me. Well, not me, but whoever he thought I was. Honestly, it didn't seem to matter, at all, who I was.

Then he'd started yelling at me like his actions were my fault. Despite the fact that I desperately needed this job, I couldn't stop the torrent of anger that poured from me. I crammed every ounce of my higher education into the words I spoke. He seemed to have forgotten that I wasn't some skank. The fact that he actually listened to me and apologized threw me off. I was glad that he was accepting responsibility for his actions, but was it enough? I had been on the verge of quitting my job; nothing was worth this level of degradation. When a person who'd cleaned other peoples' toilets had reached her limit, it was pretty bad. Tears of frustration had welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. I remembered wiping them away.

When he started laughing I started wondering if he'd partaken of something stronger than alcohol.

Then he began acting like nothing happened, like we could just put this incident behind us. Like his apology was enough to make up for the ugly things he'd said. I tried to put the last few minutes in perspective. I needed this job. I could fake delight in his company. As far as jobs went, there were many worse ways to make money. This job was my ticket out of having to work for people like James. And people like Edward, it seemed.

I snorted at the thought before turning my attention back to the table.

Jasper was rolling his eyes. "Oh, God," I heard him say, in response to something Edward had said.

EPOV

Next to me, Bella snorted at my exaggerated formality.

"Oh, God," Jasper muttered exasperatedly with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

Alice's eye sparkled. I wondered how much of her glee was due to Jasper and how much to the contents of her glass.

"Certainly, Edward," she replied, batting her eyelashes, exaggeratedly. "I'd prefer if you continue to refer to me as Ms. Brandon, however. A girl's got to keep up appearances."

With that she dissolved into a fit of giggles where she was too quickly joined by Bella. Even Jasper chuckled at my expense.

"Very funny," I muttered, casting a glance around the table.

Bella surprised me by laying her hand on my arm. I turned my head to look at her and was treated to the sight of her shy smile. My heart skipped a beat.

What? The? Hell?

Bella slid against me and I felt my heart rate rise. I pushed my glass away. I needed to stop drinking.

"Excuse me," she said.

"Where are you going?" I asked as I noticed Jasper standing next to the table.

"I'm going to dance with Alice. I'll see you in a few."

I moved aside so Bella could get out of the booth.

"Hurry back," I told her. I bent to brush my lips against hers, but she turned suddenly and I ended up giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. Alice and Bella disappeared quickly, soon reappearing near the edge of the dance floor. I turned to Jasper who rolled his eyes at me as he shook his head.

I decided I didn't want to know what he was thinking. Instead, this time, I wanted answers.

"So?"

"I could say the same to you," he answered. No, he wasn't going to turn the tables on me.

"What? Why?"

"Where's Gianna?"

I cleared my throat. "I have no idea."

"Mm-hmm."

"Why didn't you tell me you invited Bella?"

"Honestly, it slipped my mind when we were talking earlier. I did try to tell you when Gianna first came over, but we were interrupted and then you disappeared."

"If I remember correctly, you stalked off."

"You were being very disrespectful, Edward."

"So I've been told," I answered drily.

"Bella said something to you?" He was surprised, but gratified. I just nodded.

"Good. Let's just drop it. No harm done, right?"

"Right." No need to give Jasper all the details.

"So, Alice Brandon? Is that wise?"

Jasper shrugged, but a small smile was on his lips.

"She's pretty spectacular," he replied. "Did you know that she started her own business while she was still in school? She's really wants to be a designer one day. The dress she's wearing tonight? She made it herself. Pretty impressive, I'd say."

"Of course she's good. I wouldn't have hired her otherwise."

I thought I heard Jasper say something, but my attention was on the dance floor.

I watched the girls dancing together. They were garnering more than their fair share of attention, it seemed. Jasper followed my line of sight until his eyes also settled on them.

They seemed oblivious to the obvious admiration of the men dancing near them. On more than one occasion some guy would take advantage of the press of bodies to brush up against one or the other of them. A more blatant grope, however, sent me to my feet.

"I don't know about you, but I'm not just going to sit here and watch that anymore."

I spun on my heel and headed down the stairs and to the last place I saw Bella dancing. I could sense Jasper on my heels. We arrived to find that she and Alice had closed ranks and were dancing together, each with an arm around the other, effectively keeping the horndogs at bay.

I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hot watching the two of them holding each other.

I eased up behind Bella settling my hands on her waist. Jasper did the same with Alice. The girls broke apart from one another and began dancing with abandon. In a matter of moments we lost sight of Jasper and Alice as the crowd conspired to push them away from us.

Bella and I danced together, but it was different from earlier. Different, even, from Tuesday. It was as if our confrontation from before had us both on our best behavior. It was still fun, but a lot of the heat and passion were missing.

A short hour later found the four of us back in the booth. The alcohol was flowing freely—me having given up on my earlier vow to stop drinking. The situation earlier had my brain in overdrive and I needed to just relax tonight. Jasper and I had ordered another bottle, and the girls were slugging down their mixed drinks at an impressive rate. We were laughing hysterically at everything and everybody. Aro stopped by and offered to call one of the local car services. I thanked him and took him up on his offer after promising Alice her Porsche would be safe in the Club's lot overnight. There was no way any of us would be in shape to drive home tonight.

The liquor was like grease for Alice and Jasper, it seemed. Alice was sitting in Jasper's lap and the two of them were being sickeningly cute, arguing over which of them was prettier, of all things.

"You're so pretty, Alice."

"You're prettier."

"I'm a guy, Alice, I'm not pretty."

"Oh yes, you are. Your eyes are so blue and your lashes so long. Why can't I have lashes that long? God, you're pretty."

"You're prettier."

I tuned them out, turning to Bella who was watching them both with a sweet smile on her face. Leaning in I whispered in her ear, "They're both wrong, you know. You're the prettiest, hands down."

Her smiled disappeared and a flush stained her cheeks. She looked down before raising her head to meet my eyes.

"Not as pretty as that woman you were dancing with earlier."

I frowned. I had hoped the attention I had paid Bella for the balance of this night would, in some small way, compensate for my earlier stupidity. Seemed I still had a way to go.

"I'm sorry for that."

She sighed deeply.

"It's okay, Edward. You're forgiven. Just, if you decide that you want to pursue something with someone one day, let me know, 'kay?"

"I promise."

She smiled at me and closed her eyes. The drinks were catching up with her, it seemed.

"You're drunk," I told her.

She nodded.

"You ready to go home?"

"Yeah," she replied quietly. Her head bobbed forward one more time and came to rest on my shoulder. She looked uncomfortable so I put my arm around her and pulled her close, settling her more comfortably next to me.

"Your girl's a lightweight," Jasper commented from across the table.

I snorted and looked over at him. Jasper was watching us, Alice was watching Jasper. I checked my watch. It was nearing 4 AM.

"I think I need to get her home. You guys staying?"

Jasper looked at Alice. "You want to stay?"

She shook her head, "No, I'm ready to go."

I nodded and signaled to Aro who walked over quickly.

"Leaving?" he inquired politely.

"Yeah, thanks again for the car."

"No problem, Edward. It's waiting out back for you."

Alice and Jasper slid out of the booth and started walking towards the plain black door in the back of the VIP section. I nudged Bella, but she didn't respond.

"Bella?" I whispered quietly.

Nothing.

"Bella? Honey? Baby? It's time to go. C'mon, I'll take you home."

She let out a quiet sound somewhere between a moan and a sigh; a completely innocent yet highly erotic sound. I could easily imagine her making it while wrapped in my sheets.

I shook my head in an effort to dislodge that particular image. I wasn't very successful. I slid out of the booth and turned to pull Bella towards me. I was able to encourage her to stand, but the way her weight rested on me, I knew she wouldn't be able to walk. Sighing, I stooped a bit and caught her under her knees, lifting her up and cradling her body against my chest. Her hands laid limply in her lap and her head rested lightly on my shoulder. I followed Jasper and Alice out through the door and into the waiting car.

It made sense to drop Bella off first, so I gave the driver her address. We were mostly quiet as we drove through the night. Jasper and Alice had been murmuring to each other, but it seems that she had quickly fallen asleep. Arriving at Bella's apartment building, I took a look around and was again reminded of why I suggested she get a roommate so she could move to a safer neighborhood.

Despite the ridiculously late hour there were people on the street here. Some were hanging out at the corner. An amorous pair was ensconced in the vestibule of a building across the street. I suddenly didn't feel comfortable.

"Dude," Jasper interrupted my thoughts, "you can't leave her here like this. Those guys will be up the stairs as soon as we leave," he said, indicating a small group lounging against the wall, eyeing the expensive car we were riding in.

"You're right. Where does Alice live? Maybe we can leave Bella at Alice's."

"I have no clue."

"Check her bag. She must have her license with her."

Surprisingly, she didn't. Maybe she had left it in the Porsche. That made sense actually.

I made an executive decision.

"Let's all just go to my place. We'll be more comfortable, if nothing else."

Jasper nodded his agreement and I gave the driver the address. The trip would take about 20 minutes. We were mostly quiet. I could feel myself sobering up, but exhaustion was closing in quickly, too.

I looked over at the girl sleeping next to me. I hoped she wouldn't be angry about waking up at my place, but I really did have her best interests in mind. We could let the girls sleep it off in my guest room and figure out a way to get them home tomorrow.

Arriving at my building we thanked the driver and scooped up the girls. The doorman helped us get into the lobby and summoned the elevator for us. The elevator opened right into the foyer of my penthouse. I led the way down the hallway and into the guest bedroom. Setting the girls down on the bed there we stepped back and looked at one another.

"They're going to be really uncomfortable sleeping like that," Jasper noted.

I agreed but didn't really see anything I could do about it. There was no way Bella had anything on underneath that costume. I decided I'd just remove her shoes and wig. The costume appeared comfortable enough.

"Listen, I'm going to get Bella ready then I'll leave. You can do whatever you want with Alice when I'm gone."

Jasper nodded, looking down at Alice in confusion. I quickly took Bella's shoes off her feet and sat her up enough that I could remove the long wig. As I did this I noticed the red mark where her neck met her shoulder. I'd done that when I started losing control in the conference room. Fuck! Her own hair was trapped under a cap of some kind. I pulled it off and ran my hands through her hair a few times to loosen it. She sighed and leaned into my hand. Finally, I scooted her up on the bed and pulled the covers back enough to slide her under.

Jasper was still staring at Alice in obvious consternation.

"You think I should wake her?"

"You can try. I'm going to bed. I'll leave you some sleep pants in the library. Enjoy the couch."

"Fucker."

I laughed as I made my way into the master bedroom. I grabbed a pair of flannel pants and a t-shirt from my dresser and brought them into the library for Jasper before returning to my room.

Removing my suit, I laid everything over a chair before making my way to the shower. I loved my master suite. It had room for a king-sized bed, two walk-in closets and an en suite that included a stall shower and Jacuzzi tub. I adjusted the water in the shower before stepping in.

Despite my best efforts, scenes from tonight played in my head. Hot water pounded on me as I remembered the way Bella felt when she danced against me. I remembered her eager response to my kisses and the heat I could feel between her legs when our hips rocked together on the couch. My long-denied dick rose quickly as erotic images of us together flashed through my mind.

I didn't even try to stop myself when my hand made its way to my stiff cock. Wrapping my hand around my erection, I pumped myself slowly a few times before starting in earnest. I thought of the way she moaned, both in the conference room and later at the table when she had first fallen asleep. I remembered the taste of her hot mouth, the tartness of the cranberries, the burn of the alcohol and the sweetness that was Bella.

A strangled sound escaped me as I sped up. I slid my thumb over the head of my shaft. My hips thrust forward involuntarily. I continued to pump myself harder and faster, while watching the slide show in my head; me, brushing my fingers along the sides of her breasts; her, grabbing my tie and pulling me against her on the dance floor.

My mind went blank as I reached the point of no return. A few more hard jerks and the cum shot from me almost violently. I placed my arm against the wall and leaned my forehead against my forearm for support while I milked myself.

Exhaling loudly, I let me hand drop to my side and quickly finished showering. Now that my immediate need was sated, other memories from earlier tonight came to me.

While I dried off and dressed in a clean pair of boxers and flannel pants I remembered Gianna and the other girls from the club. Their images held no interest for me. I could hear Jasper settling down in the library next to my room. Hearing him reminded me of what he had said earlier tonight.

Perhaps I had been unsympathetic when he was talking to me about Charlotte. However, I resented his implication that I'd never been in a real relationship. I'd always had a pretty active social life. My intelligence and looks always offset any hesitation the college girls may have had about my age when I was in school. I'd had my share of one night stands, but I'd dated a couple girls for a few weeks.

Still, Jasper's talk of mourning made me uneasy. What was it he had said?

If you were to never see her again would that bother you? He had been referring to Tanya. Honestly, if I never saw her again, it would still be too soon.

Can you not get her out of your mind? The only person I was having trouble getting out of my mind lately was Bella.

When she wasn't around did you ever get that feeling that you just had to see her, to touch her? It was funny how I was drawn to touch Bella tonight, even when I didn't know who she was.

Did you ever get a sick feeling in your stomach when you saw her talking to another guy? I remembered my need tonight to drag Bella to the bar to get her a drink so that Jacob would see the two of us together. That's right, Junior. Move along.

Was everything just a confusing mess until she walked into the room? Honestly, the confusing mess part started when she walked into the room. I had a clear cut plan and her being there screwed everything up. I remembered my lack of reaction to Gianna's sexy form and the almost relieved feeling I'd had when she stalked away. Dancing with those other girls had been fun, but none of them turned me on. Honestly, my lack of reaction to those women was confusing, but my reaction to Bella's incredible body was completely understandable.

Holy shit.

Are you trying to tell me that you were in love with her?
Are
If you were never to see her again would that bother you?
you
Can you not get her out of your mind?
in
Did you ever get the feeling that you just had to see her?
love
Did you ever get a sick feeling when you saw her talking to another guy?
with
Was everything a confusing mess until she walked into the room?
her?

Fuck my life; I was in love with Bella Swan.

BPOV

Small men with large hammers were residing inside my skull. They banged incessantly against my eyeballs, intensifying the pain caused by the blinding light that was shining in my window.

"Ohhhh…." The sound of the throaty groan had faded from the room before I realized it had come from me.

"Ugh," I moaned, cracking open an eye. I took in my surroundings blurrily before closing my eye again in an attempt to clear away the mirage.

Rubbing my hands across my face, I attempted to engage my vision again; this time opening both eyes.

"Oh!" I exclaimed. My earlier impressions had been right. I was not home. Instead, I was lying on a very comfortable bed in a well-appointed room.

I turned my head slightly and became aware that I was not alone in the bed.

I inhaled sharply and scrambled into a sitting position in order to better see my bedmate. A feeling of relief flooded me when I recognized the tiny form of Alice. This must be her place. It was nice of her to make sure I had a safe place to sleep last night.

Last night…

With effort, I concentrated in an attempt to piece together last night's events. I remembered the costumes and the club. I remembered escaping from Alice when she and Jasper started getting amorous. I had made my way to the bar where I stumbled across Jacob Black.

He and I had talked a bit about meeting one another at the Gala. He inquired into my recent comings and goings and I mentioned my upcoming move, more to have something to say than out of any interest in sharing with him. He asked if I'd need any help and I told him I'd let him know. He insisted I take his cell number and made me call it so he'd have mine as well.

It was Jacob who had noticed Edward dancing with that stunning woman in the cat costume. I had squirmed internally at the sight before me. I wasn't jealous--mine and Edward's relationship was strictly business--but I still felt a bit put out that he would be so affectionate with someone else while I was in the same room.

Other girls had eventually joined them and it was obvious Edward was having a good time.

"If I were lucky enough to be here with you, I wouldn't leave your side all night," Jacob had said, quietly in my ear.

I spluttered a bit, not sure how to refute the notion that I was here with Edward. Of course, that's what Jacob would assume. I remembered wondering, briefly, if Edward even knew I was there.

"He's just having some fun," I defended, lamely.

"Mm-hmm," Jacob replied, his face clearly reflecting his doubt.

It was at this moment that Edward approached me. A feeling of relief swept over me as he led me to the dance floor. He pulled me close and we starting dancing, picking up right where we'd left off Tuesday night.

The rest of the night flashed through my mind quickly.

I groaned as I thought of exactly how close I'd come to having sex with my boss, who had no idea who I was. I also remembered his anger and his ridiculous accusations. A tiny flame of anger ignited in my chest. I let it burn momentarily before forcing myself to push the anger aside. He had apologized and I had reaffirmed to myself my intention to use this job to become self-reliant.

We'd gone back into the club and spent some time with Alice and Jasper. We danced some more. There was alcohol. A lot, it seems. I vaguely recalled telling him I forgave him. I didn't remember leaving. Edward or Jasper must have helped Alice haul me out to her car. How she got me in her place, I'll never know.

Sighing, I threw off the covers and stood, a bit wobbly.

I glanced around the room. Alice's beaded dress was laid carefully over a nearby ottoman. She was sleeping in just the slip she'd worn under it. My shoes were standing neatly against the wall and the wig from my costume was spread across the dresser.

Quietly, so I wouldn't disturb Alice, I crept to the door and opened it. I was in search of a bathroom. Hopefully one that was equipped with a shower and copious amounts of Advil.

Luckily, the bathroom was immediately outside the door. I peeked inside and was gratified to see a full bath. The small hand towels wouldn't suffice for a shower. I checked the large closet behind me. No towels, but there was a nice robe. The closet was empty otherwise. Strange. I would think that Alice would have clothes everywhere.

I took a few more steps down the hallway and opened another door, hoping it led to a linen closet. Surprisingly, it led to a small foyer. What a weird set up for a house. However, there was another closet here and this one yielded the towels I had been looking for.

I returned to the bathroom and started the shower. I stripped off the unitard and then checked the medicine cabinet while I waited for the water to come to temperature. I was gratified to find a bottle of Motrin. I took two and cupped my hands under the running water in the sink to catch enough water to wash them down.

That done, I stepped into the shower and let the hot water wash over me. There were tiny bottles of shampoo, like one would find in a hotel. I opened one and quickly got to work on my hair. It felt gross from being trapped under a skullcap half the night. Since there was a little bottle of conditioner, too, I made use of it.

I scrubbed myself clean with a washcloth and fresh bar of French-milled soap and rinsed thoroughly. I stood for a few more minutes under the pounding stream. I could feel the Motrin taking effect, easing the pounding pain in my head.

I got out of the shower and dried off with one of the towels I'd found in the hall closet. I toweled through my hair with the other one before wrapping it turban style. I looked at myself in the mirror to see if I was successful in removing the copious amount of makeup I'd worn last night. Instead of my face, however, my eyes were drawn to the side of my neck where a small red mark was visible where my neck and shoulder met. I touched it. It ached dully when I pressed down. I shook my head as I remembered when Edward did that to me. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't enjoyed it. It had been a long time since I'd had that kind of attention from a man.

Pushing those thoughts from my mind, I wrapped the damp towel around me and tucked it in just above my breasts. I stepped out of the bathroom and peeked back into the bedroom to see if Alice was awake.

She wasn't.

I decided I'd try to find the kitchen and maybe make some tea, if she had any. If not, some orange juice. I walked down the hall and into the foyer. Two more closed doors met me. A hallway extended off in one direction. I followed it, figuring I'd come back and try the closed doors if I were unsuccessful.

Before I knew it I was walking through another larger foyer with an elevator off to the left. Holy crap, this place was huge! Being a stylist/designer must pay well.

The kitchen proved to be on the other side of the foyer. It was magnificent! Dark woods and granite countertops were set off by light-colored fabrics. There were a few well-tended plants and a fully-stocked wine fridge. I quickly found a coffee machine and decided to brew a pot in case Alice would like some.

My search for the coffee also turned up a wide selection of tea bags. I set the kettle on the stove to boil.

A few minutes later, I was adding a slice of lemon to my tea and waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. I decided I'd try to wake Alice once it was ready. Hopefully, she had some clothes here I could borrow to get home in.

I sat down on a stool at the island and put my cup in front of me. It was still too hot to drink. I folded my arms on the countertop and put my head down. I was still very tired. Would Alice be opposed to my company for a few hours? Maybe she'd let me sleep here a little while longer.

I heard a quiet step in the hallway and assumed Alice was awake. Slowly, I raised my head. Walking into the kitchen, yawning hugely, wasn't Alice, but a shirtless Edward.

I jumped to my feet with a squeal. Edward's hands flew to his forehead as if the sound of my voice was as painful as a physical blow. My attempt at standing quickly had the unfortunate effect of dislodging my carefully wrapped towel. I grabbed the loosening towel to prevent it from falling and quickly looked back at Edward.

He still had one hand massaging his forehead and covering his eyes. A grimace marred his usually handsome face. His hair was in greater disarray than normal and he was in obvious needs of a razor.

"Shh, Bella. It's okay. It's just me." His voice was gravelly—whether that was the effect of sleep or too much to drink, I couldn't tell.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my hands moving quickly in an attempt to resecure my towel.

He chuckled and then groaned, as if the effort he put into laughing caused him real pain.

"I live here. This is my place," he said, simply, rubbing his hands across his eyes.

"Your place? I thought it was Alice's."

"No, it's mine. I'm guessing Alice isn't awake yet, since you didn't know where you are. You probably haven't bumped into Jasper yet, either."

"Jasper's here?"

Edward nodded.

"Alice was asleep a few minutes ago when I got out of the shower," I told him.

"Did you find everything you need? I'm sorry I'm not being a proper host. Right now I don't think I could be a proper anything," he confessed.

His admission reminded me of my own less than stellar feeling upon waking. Not that I felt much better now.

"Would you like some coffee?" I offered.

"I thought I smelled coffee. I assumed I was dreaming."

"No, I made coffee. I thought Alice might like some when she woke up."

Edward nodded and walked to the cabinet where I found my mug earlier. He chose one quickly and poured himself a cup. He immediately lifted it to his lips and took a sip.

"This is good," he said, "thank you."

"You're welcome," I said, sipping my own tea.

I was suddenly aware of the fact that I was standing in front of my half-naked boss, wrapped in a towel and nothing else.

"Umm, I don't suppose you have anything I could wear that's less mortifying than this towel?" I asked with an embarrassed chuckle.

Edward snickered. "I don't know," he said, eyeing me with a comical grin, "I don't see anything mortifying about the way you look right now."

I could feel myself blush. I glanced away before meeting his gaze once more.

"Thanks, I think, but I'm going to need something to go home in."

"I'm sure I've got sweats or something lying around that I can give you later."

"Later?"

"Yes, later. For now you can use the bathrobe that should be hanging in the closet across from the guest bathroom. I'm assuming that's where you took your shower—right outside your room?"

"Yes. Why later? The sooner I get dressed the sooner you can be rid of me. I'm sure you've got things to do."

"The only thing I'm going to do is shower and watch some TV. Maybe I'll go back to bed. We used a car service to get here last night since none of us was in any shape to drive. We may as well wait until everyone's up and we can go back to the club. That's where we left the cars."

"Oh."

"Listen, why don't you go grab that robe and meet me in the den," he indicated one of the rooms off the kitchen. "We can watch a movie or something, while we wait for the lightweights to wake up. Are you hungry?"

I hadn't been hungry until he mentioned it. Suddenly I was ravenous.

"Yeah, I'm pretty hungry."

"Okay, what time is it?" That was a good question. I glanced around the kitchen looking for a clock.

"Holy crow," I declared, "it's almost 3 o'clock."

"That doesn't surprise me. We were out pretty late last night. I'm going to call this pizzeria up the street. They have terrific Pasta Fagioli and bake their own bread all day. You want some?"

"That sounds wonderful."

"Great, I'll make the call and take a shower. Let me know when the delivery guy gets here and I'll give you some money."

"Okay."

We both finished our drinks as Edward made the call. Then I followed him out of the kitchen and back through his apartment. When we reached the small foyer he indicated one of the doors that had been closed earlier.

"This is me," he said, "Jasper's in there." He indicated the other door. A muffled snoring could be heard coming from the room.

"Maybe you should check on Alice, make sure she's still breathing."

I smiled at him and nodded before heading back down the hallway to the guest room. Alice was curled up on her side, still sleeping soundly. I adjusted the covers around her before heading back to the bathroom, grabbing the bathrobe on the way.

I pulled the towel off and shrugged my way into the bathrobe. It was just slightly too big, not like his robe at his office. I pulled the belt across my waist tightly before knotting it. I took the second towel off my head and finger-combed my hair. It was still damp.

As I was making my way back to the den I decided to snoop around a bit and see exactly how big this place was. I entered the kitchen and walked through the door Edward hadn't indicated before. I was stunned.

It was the epitome of what they called a "great room." Three different seating areas were scattered around the place. Everything coordinated, but nothing was too matchy-matchy. The leather pieces were soft and exuded a pleasant scent, while the upholstery was rich. Lamps were scattered about, including one even I recognized as a Tiffany.

A grand piano stood in a place of obvious importance. A gold silk piano scarf draped across it. A candelabrum, like in an old movie, stood on top, as well. I vaguely remembered that Edward played. Something I had picked up when I'd read his biography in the prospectus. Tasteful art hung around the room and a small bust was ensconced on a pillar. I walked across the room to a sliding door that led out onto a terrace.

Flipping up the latch, I stepped out onto the cement oasis. Despite the cold weather, two chairs were situated around a fire pit, which was set with unburned timber. The view, however, was what captured me. We were at the top of a high rise and I could see the water. He had an amazing view.

The view wasn't enough to convince me to stay out here with a wet head, however. I stepped back through the door in time to hear a buzz coming from the main foyer. I walked quickly to the intercom and pressed the button.

"Yes?"

"Excuse me, miss, there's a delivery here from La Bella Italia. Should I send him up?"

"Yes, please."

"Certainly."

I jogged down the hallway and knocked on the door Edward indicated was his. There was no answer. I opened the door a crack and found myself looking down a short hallway. I stepped inside and could hear the faint sounds of a shower. I walked past a walk-in closet and into a dressing room. Cripes! Another closet was in front of me and the bathroom was obviously on my left. I turned right and entered what I assumed would be Edward's bedroom. Sure enough it was. Thankfully, his wallet was sitting on a nearby dresser. I took in the large bedroom quickly, it also had a terrace, while rifling through his wallet. Hundred, hundred, hundred—seriously?—fifty—better—twenties. Ah! I grabbed some money out of his wallet and hurried back down the hallway.

I opened the door into the small foyer and ran smack dab into Jasper, who was dressed for sleep, as Edward had been earlier.

"Excuse me," I said, hastily, stumbling a bit.

Jasper reached out a hand to steady me.

"Sorry, Bella, I didn't expect anyone to come barreling out of… Edward's… room…dressed in a bathrobe… with… their… hair… wet." His voice had gotten a bit strangled at the end and I glanced at him.

"Could you not find the guest bath?" he asked politely.

"Oh, I found it. I showered there earlier. I just needed to get some money from Edward's wallet to pay the delivery guy. Are you hungry? I think he ordered enough for everyone."

"No," he answered. "I just want to use the bathroom and then I'm going back to sleep. I didn't have the most restful night sleeping on Edward's couch. How are you feeling?"

"Fine. I should probably check on Alice, though. She was sleeping hard the last time I looked."

A young man's voice called out from the main foyer, "La Bella, delivery!"

"Tell you what; I'll check on Alice, you go pay the delivery guy."

"Thanks, Jasper."

I headed back down the hallway and paid the delivery guy who was rubbernecking for all he was worth. The place was impressive, so I couldn't blame him.

I carried the food into the den Edward had indicated earlier. I was just setting everything out on a low table when Edward walked into the room.

I smiled at him as he settled down on the floor next to me. I took a moment to look him over. His hair was darker when it was wet. He was dressed in fresh pajama bottoms and had a robe similar to mine wrapped around him. His feet were bare.

"I took money out of your wallet, I hope that's okay."

"That's fine. Did you have a problem finding it?"

"No, no problem. I did run into Jasper, though. I invited him to eat with us."

Edward's brow furrowed slightly and he cast a look back at the door as if expecting Jasper to materialize.

"Is he coming?"

"No, he said he didn't sleep well on your couch. He was going to check on Alice and then go back to sleep."

"Oh, alright. There's plenty, they can eat when they're ready." Edward reached for a remote and flipped on the television.

"Any requests?"

"Whatever's fine."

Edward began flipping through the channels, finally settling on an old black and white movie.

"Ooh, Sherlock Holmes, Basil Rathbone. Are you a fan?"

"I've never seen one, but I've read a few of Doyle's stories. They're very entertaining."

"That they are."

With that we both dug into the impressive array of food before us. I had to admit, Edward had fine taste when it came to food. I was quickly becoming spoiled by the amazing restaurants he consistently chose for us. Mindful of the fact that we didn't have an audience and Angela's words about us feeding each other, I didn't offer Edward a taste of any of the delicious selections I had made.

Eventually, Edward pushed his plate back with a satisfied sound. I took a few more spoonfuls of the delicately seasoned soup before also finishing.

"I'll clean up in here, would you mind making a fresh pot of coffee? I'll be in in a second."

"Sure," I said. It was the least I could do.

I stood up and walked into the kitchen. I washed the carafe before starting a new pot of coffee and set the kettle on the stove to boil. Edward came into kitchen balancing our garbage in one hand and the leftovers in another. I helped him put everything in the fridge.

The kettle started to whistle, so I shut it off and made myself a cup of tea while Edward poured himself a fresh cup of coffee.

"C'mon," he said, holding out his free hand to me. I took it and he led me back into the den. A small white box sat on the table where we had eaten.

"I saved the best for last," he said, indicating the small box. "Go ahead, open it."

I opened the box carefully. Inside was one perfect little cannoli, the creamy filling studded with tiny dark chocolate chips. Edward quickly dipped his hand into the box and pulled it out.

"Taste," he said, simply, holding the pastry to my mouth. My eyes flew to his face, but he just smiled at me in encouragement.

I opened my mouth and bit into the crispy shell. The filling, light and sweet, was set off by the bitterness of the dark chocolate. I sat back and closed my mouth, chewing slowly. It truly was heavenly and I let out a quiet, "Mmm…" in appreciation. Angela's words, "the feeding," came back to me, almost, but not quite, ruining the experience.

I opened my eyes in time to see Edward pop the rest of the cannoli in his own mouth. He chewed a few times before sipping his coffee.

"Thank you," I said.

"You're welcome, Bella." Edward smiled at me before pulling me down onto the couch next to him. We turned out attention back to Basil and his elementary deductions.

JPOV

It was almost 9 o'clock before Alice and I emerged from the room she had shared with Bella. A few hours of sleep in a real bed had done wonders for me and Alice was perky enough for someone who had slept over 12 hours straight.

She hadn't been surprised to find me in bed with her, but neither of us pressed the situation beyond a few involved kisses.

I remembered that Bella said Edward had bought enough dinner for everyone, so I asked Alice if she was hungry. She nodded and we went in search of the food. The penthouse was dark and mostly quiet. I could hear hushed conversation, or maybe the television, playing in the distance. We prowled through the dark until we reached the kitchen. Alice pulled open the fridge and said she found the food. After setting generous portions in the microwave to heat up we went to the den to see if that's where Bella and Edward were.

I probably shouldn't have been surprised by what we found. A look at Alice told me she wasn't surprised either. Some old movie was playing on the television, not that either of them were watching it. Edward was sound asleep on the couch using the armrest as a pillow. Bella was tucked between his legs, her head resting on her hand, which was lying on his stomach. His hand was tangled in the mass of her hair which spread across his chest and stomach.

Alice and I exchanged a quick glance but remained silent. I reached for the remote and clicked off the television while Alice grabbed a throw from over the back of the couch and covered Bella. Bella adequately covered Edward. He wouldn't be cold.

We left the darkened room, both of us, I'm sure, wondering how this was going to play out.

I, for one, worried that it wouldn't be pretty.

- - - - -

Sigh. I was thrilled with this chapter. Thrilled. Then my betas got hold of it and I was no longer so thrilled. Nothing like brutal honestly to make a girl cry. I made their corrections, considered their criticisms, made some changes, both major and minor, and *viola* here it is.

So, what do you think? Hot or not?

Links for this chapter are the floorplan for Edward's penthouse and a picture of one of his views. I think that's it. The penthouse is awesome!