Chapter Twelve

-The Prick-

Are you angry at me? – E

Yes. *B*

I'm really fucking sorry. I didn't see that one coming. – E

You should have discussed it with me first. *B*

There really wasn't much time for that. – E

Well, certainly not with you trying to be so agreeable. *B*

Were you even there? Did you not hear your mother? – E

What I heard was you trying to be popular. *B*

WTF? – E

I just think you're trying to impress my mother more than necessary. *B*

Have you met her? She's nice! Shouldn't you be glad that I'm trying? – E

You're trying too hard. *B*

Are you scared that she might like me more than you? ;) – E

Ha-ha. *B*

I think you are. – E

You're delusional, Edward. *B*

Maybe I should bring her more flowers tomorrow? –E

While you're at it, why don't you sleep over in her room instead? *B*

Someone's jealous! – E

No, someone's going to sleep. Goodnight Edward. *B*

You don't get to sleep before you tell me why you're still angry! – E

You don't get to tell me what to do, Mr. Cullen. *B*

I'll sleep on the floor…of course! – E

You can't… *B*

What? Why? We'll be up before your parents are. They're old, surely they like to sleep in. – E

My father gets up at four thirty. Years of being a police officer has left its mark. But that's not why… *B*

I guess the reason why I can't sleep on the floor brings us back to why you're angry with me? – E

Fast learner. *B*

Told you. So? What is it then? – E

I'm lying on my bed, staring at my phone after my last text to Bella. When she left me standing alone outside of Paragon, I rushed home, took a shower, got into my boxer briefs, made a grab for my phone, fell onto my bed, took a deep breath and sent my first text to her.

The woman left my head spinning after tonight. Her mood swings are giving me whiplash. I mean honestly, in the restaurant she was smoldering and oh so fucking sexy. She played along with everything I subtly suggested and then some, and I would be lying if I said I didn't have a lot of fun, more than I ever thought possible. One thing is sure; under the cold exterior of Miss Swan is a dangerously burning furnace waiting to explode. If there were ever any doubts about my physical attraction to that woman, they have finally been extinguished. She has me in knots. I still want to see her burn, but not without feeling some of her heat before she finally goes down.

Everything is falling nicely into place. Emmett could not have scripted this one better. What we didn't plan for though is the possibility that Miss Swan might bring me down with her. My slow growing need to be surrounded by her heat, her fragrance, her everything is causing me to loose sight of my main goal, and that is to get her to trust me. That's the only way I'll be able to pull off the final play. And I won' be earning her trust by continuously trying to hump her leg, that's for sure.

When I agreed to Renee's suggestion to sleep over, I bargained on sleeping on Bella's bedroom floor. Shit, I know I can't sleep in the same bed as Bella. That would be lethal to my level of resistance and I'm already walking a very fucking fine line as it is. Don't get me wrong, I still hate the woman with an insurmountable passion, but one thing that I'm learning really fast is that you can despise someone and still want to fuck them. Guess I never saw that one coming. And after tonight, knowing that Miss Swan can deviate from her normal subzero temperatures, I just know I'm in real deep shit.

My phone rings and startles me out of my internal musings.

It's Bella.

Fuck.

"Hallo." I answer wearily.

"Hi Edward." Her voice sounds tired, and I'm relieved that I'm not the only one taking strain at the moment.

"Hi. What's up?" I ask stupidly. I honestly have no fucking clue what to say to this woman, and the fact that I'm lying half naked on my bed with a husky female voice on the other side of the line doesn't go by unnoticed by my genitals.

"I'm sure I don't need to answer that." I can hear the annoyance in her voice and feel the corners of my mouth pull up. She's so easily vexed. In a twisted way, I really like it, but luckily I can blame my reaction on the late hour and my overly stimulated hormones instead of admitting that I'm a masochistic fuck.

"Of course." I fight to keep the humor from my voice. "Let me rephrase. Why can't I sleep on your floor, apart from the fact that your father seems to hate sleep?"

"It's a long story." She replies reluctantly.

"I'm sure I can keep up." It's not like she called me for phone sex, so she might as well spill it.

"I was really close with my grandmother." What the fuck does that have to do with anything? "The morning of her funeral, my mother came into my room and crept into bed with me. I suppose it was her way of trying to sooth me." Her voice sounds small and I can almost picture the little girl crying in her bed because she lost her Nana. I almost feel sorry for little Bella, but it still doesn't explain why she's telling me this story. At least I don't have a boner anymore, I note absentmindedly. Thanks Grandma Swan. "Renee just stayed there with me all morning, until my father told us it was time to get ready. We didn't speak, but somehow, that is one of the fondest memories I have of growing up." I get that. Some mother-daughter bonding. Very cute. Still extremely irrelevant to our situation. "My mother seemed to just keep up with it after that. It became a tradition in a way. She would come into my room any given morning, I never knew when it would be, and just lay there with me." Her voice takes on a faraway tone as she walks us down memory lane. "She still does it to this day."

"Okay…" I respond, still confused and hoping that she'll shed some light on the situation. "So your mother comes into your bedroom every once in a while."

"You don't get where I'm going with this?" She sounds surprised, but fuck, what does she expect? I'm a man. I understand facts. Give me a willing female body and I can find each erogenous zone. Give me a map of the female brain and I'll probably still get lost.

"Sorry, but you kind of lost me at the snuggling part." I answer in hopes to make light of the situation. "I like snuggling by the way. That's something you won't find on my list. Two women snuggling? Right up there with The Godfather Trilogy."

"How nice of you to share." Her voice is dripping with sarcasm and I can almost hear her rolling her eyes. "I just told you one of the most profound memories of my childhood days, and all you get out of it is two women touching."

"I wouldn't put it that crassly." I defend weakly. "I was only teasing."

"You need to work on your timing." She scolds and sounds unimpressed by my attempts to lighten the mood. Don't think I'm an unfeeling asshole. I have a lot of empathy for people. I'm a great listener and am easily moved by human emotion, I am a writer after all. But when it comes to Bella Swan? Let's just say I'm simply not ready to accept that she's a human being with a beating heart just yet.

"Granted. So, why don't you tell me what I'm missing then?" I'm tired and I need her to get the fuck on with it already.

"My mother, Edward. She still comes into my room. Whenever she wants." Her irritation is almost palpable. "How do you think it will look when she comes in one morning and you're lying on the floor?"

The shimmer of light fighting its way through the darkness is now a brightly burning spotlight, attached to the front of an oncoming train, and my foot is stuck between the tracks. Get my point?

"Oh shit." I breathe, finally understanding exactly what she's trying to say.

"Yea, oh shit." Bella deadpans.

"So what do you suggest we do?" I squeal like a frightened girl, but the weight of Bella's words has me practically hyperventilating. I can't sleep in the same bed as Bella Swan! As Miss Swan! I'm having a pretty hard time keeping my hands of her as it is; I cannot sleep with her half naked beside me. It's too much. I'm fucking fucked!

"Oh, so no clever solutions then?" I get why she's pissed and I honestly don't give a shit right now. I'll swallow all the crap she dishes out, as long as she tells me she has a plan…a way to avoid this looming catastrophe. "There's nothing else too do. You'll have to sleep in my bed…with me." Her voice trails off and then there's silence. All I can hear is her soft breathing and the hammering of my heart in my ears.

"Oh shit." I repeat.

"You already said that." She points out softly. Then silence…again.

"Are you sure your mother will still want to lie in bed with you even with me right there beside her?" I ask eagerly, hoping that my little insight might be the answer to our dilemma.

"I thought about that." Bella sighs in resignation. "She might not get in bed with me, but she will probably come drag me into hers."

"Yea." I agree absentmindedly as I will my heart to slow down. I've gotten to know enough of Renee in this short time to know that the possibility of a little nudity might not hinder her resolve. "I guess I'll just have to endure it then." I don't realize how crappy that sounds until the words leave my mouth.

"Sorry for the inconvenience." Bella's voice sounds dead and I know I offended her with my obvious word vomit. What she doesn't realize of course, and what I'll never tell her, is that the endurance is not because I hate the idea of sleeping next to her, it's because I don't hate the idea…enough.

This is so fucking bad.

"I'm tired." She says quietly and I can kick myself for what I said and my inability to explain the meaning behind my words. "I'm not going in to work tomorrow. Renee wants to see some more of the city and Charlie has opted to watch TV at Alice's house."

"So you're stuck with being Renee's tour guide then?" I try my best to sound pleasant, but I know it sounds flat and hollow.

"Something like that." I can tell she's trying to end this brutal phone call and I can't blame her. "I'll see you tomorrow night then?"

"Six o'clock fine?" I run a hand through my hair anxiously.

"Yes."

"I'll see you then. Goodnight Bella." I say with a resigned sigh and practically cling to the phone waiting for her greeting. There's another moment of awkward silence, before I hear the phone go dead. She hung up on me. Without saying goodnight.

After a moment, when I finally remove my Blackberry from my ear, I turn and switch off my bedside light, rolling onto my back again and staring blankly at the dark ceiling.

Double fuck.

"Hey Cullen." Yorkie greets as he steps into the elevator with me.

"Hey man. You going down?" I ask as I press the button to take me to the ground floor.

"Sure am. I've had enough of this place for one day." He jokes and slumps against the side of the elevator with his left shoulder. "Had a rough day?"

"Something like that." I shrug. Seeing as I hardly slept a wink after my conversation with Bella last night, I'm fucking wasted and probably look worse for wear.

"I feel you man. At least the Ice Queen wasn't here." He laughs and I reply with a tight lipped smile. I'm definitely not at a place where I'll actually defend Bella's honor, but I'm certainly not in the mood for our usual joking. Eric is one of the other junior editors that work for Bella. He knows exactly how much shit she gives me and in the past we've jokingly discussed different ways to orchestrate her demise.

"Yea." I agree, watching the descending numbers of the elevator as it painstakingly slowly transports us downwards. Elevators have always been a strange concept to me. The thought of people being transported vertically hundreds of meters into the air in an object similar to a vault just seems ludicrous to me.

Finally the lift chimes as we reach the ground floor, the doors opening with a shaky juggle.

"See you tomorrow, Eric!" I call over my shoulder as I bolt for the front door. Eric is a nice guy and all, but I'm not in the mood for small talk today.

"Beers at Central tomorrow?" He calls after me and I throw a wave in acknowledgment. Not likely. My time will be occupied by fighting my urges to fuck my bitchy boss for the next three weeks. No time for beers and baseball at the local pub unfortunately.

"Hi Edward!" Renee calls as I let myself into Bella's apartment, duffle bag slung over my one shoulder and jacket in hand.

"Hi Renee." I greet with a smile and find her scurrying away in the kitchen as Charlie sits bent over a newspaper in the living room. "Hi Charlie."

"Edward." He looks up from his paper long enough to acknowledge my presence. "Lot of crime in Seattle." He observes as he lowers his eyes back to the printed words in front of him.

"Downside of living in the city, I guess." I offer conversationally, although I have to admit that I stay as far away from anything news related as possible.

"Hmpfh." Charlie responds and I take that as my cue to excuse myself from the conversation, if you could call it one.

"Where's Bella?" I ask Renee as I step closer to the kitchen and away from brooding Charlie.

"She was here a second ago." Renee answers distractedly as she drains pasta in the basin. "You might try her bedroom."

I nod silently and slowly make my way towards Bella's elusive bedroom. The same one I'll be sleeping in tonight. My stomach immediately clenches at the thought, and then I force myself to relax. I spoke to Emmett about my predicament this morning, and after he stopped laughing like the obnoxious prick he is, he asked me what my problem was. He reminded me that I have a prime opportunity to make her sweat, just like we discussed. After various curse words and reluctant agreements I found myself relaxing. It really is ridiculous for me to be nervous about this. The bedroom is my area of expertise. If anyone should be nervous, it's Bella Swan. I straighten my shoulders and softly knock on the closed door.

"Come in." I hear her answer on the other side of the door.

I slowly turn the handle and push the door open with my foot. I peek around her door and find her sitting on the edge of her bed, the same bed I'll be sleeping in tonight, next to the very same woman sitting on it with her head bowed down and hands folded in her lap.

"Hi." I say softly, stepping into her room and pushing the door shut with my foot.

She looks up slowly and the look in her eyes tears at my heart. It looks like she's been crying, although I can't be sure from this distance.

"You okay?" I ask cautiously, taking small steps in her direction.

She nods and just stares at me as if she's looking right through me. I stop my movements and stand in the middle of her bedroom awkwardly.

"Where can I…" I indicate to the duffle bag still hanging from my shoulder.

She limply raises a hand and points to a spot near her closet. I nod and move to drop my bag in front of her closet door. I stand with my back to her for a second and take a calming breath, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Are you frustrated?" Bella finally speaks but she sounds miles away instead of only a few feet.

I frown and turn to face her. "No. Why?" I ask and tilt my head to the side contemplatively.

"You usually do that when you're frustrated." She shrugs and then continues to stare at her hands once again.

"Oh." I reply in confusion. I never noticed that. To her I say: "Just a little nervous, I guess."

She nods in understanding and then the corners of her mouth pulls into a small smile. "Guess this goes over and beyond."

"Yea." I chuckle softly and shove my hands into my jean pockets.

"Suppose you'll want the distribution numbers of your book increased once it's published." She tries to joke, and I appreciate the gesture enormously. I'll do just about anything to get back into her good graces right now.

"That's a good start." I play along and once again make my way over to where she's sitting.

"An exceptionally long author's note?" She looks up at me and I smile even brighter as I see the mirth in her eyes. I'm slightly dazed by the fact that she's trying so hard to be…nice.

"That goes without saying." I shrug with fake superiority.

I stop almost two feet away from her which causes her to tilt her head back in order to look me in the eye. We stare at each other for a silent moment. Just stare. No heat, no tension, just understanding. Her eyes are clear and beautiful, and once again I find myself entranced by the depth of them.

"So, we're okay?" I ask softly, but the meaning to my words is clear, and I see the acceptance in her eyes.

"Yes." She replies just as softly and offers me a grateful smile.

I reach my hand out to her in a peace offering, which she accepts with a small laugh. Her hand is engulfed in mine, the bone structure delicate and small. The heat I've now become accustomed to permeates my skin as I softly tug on her arm to lift her to her feet. She follows willingly and stands before me. For the first time ever I notice how short she is and like before I'm reminded of the overwhelming need to protect her…from men like me.

"You ready?" I ask hoarsely.

She nods and I smile in reply. Here we go again.

Dinner was wonderful, and I tell Renee as much.

"I'm sure you must miss a good home cooked meal, seeing as Bella never was one for cooking." Renee responds with a wink in my direction and I can't help but smile. I look at Bella from the corner of my eye and notice that she seems slightly upset by Renee's observations, pushing the food she hardly touched around her plate with her fork.

"She bakes." I blurt out. I read it somewhere in Bella's boring as shit binder. I'm thankful that I actually took the time to go through the thing thoroughly when Bella looks up from her plate, her face alight with appreciation.

"That she does." Charlie agrees heartily and gives his daughter a huge smile. "Best damn apple pie I ever ate was made by my Bells."

"Oh Charles," Renee joins in eagerly, "do you remember that year she baked those cupcakes for Sue Clearwater's birthday?" Charlie nods proudly and I find Bella blushing profusely beside me. "Has she baked you cupcakes yet, Edward?"

"Not yet." I shake my head in fake remorse and receive a shove from Bella. "What? You haven't!" I declare indignantly and throw my arm over her shoulder playfully, pulling her into the crook of my arm. We're doing well tonight…almost acting like a real couple would. Since Bella and I reached our truce in her bedroom, things have been pleasant, actually. She seems to have let her guard down slightly and even though I know it won't last, it's nice not to have to be on the look out for any sharp knives being flung.

"She's been holding out on you." Renee shakes her head with a grave expression.

"You'll make it for me then?" I playfully pinch her arm and feel her nodding her head below mine. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear that?" I lower my hand and softly pinch her side. This causes Bella to shoot up at the speed of a bullet taking me completely by surprise.

"Yes." She cries with a yelp, and then curtains her face with her hair, a motion I know to be one to hide her blush. I watch her contemplatively for a moment, before I tug on her shoulder, forcing her to lean back down against me.

Renee and Charlie is going on about what seems to be the best cupcakes ever, and I take the opportunity to dig my nose into Bella's hair in order to move my mouth closer to her ear. Damn her for smelling so fucking good.

"You're ticklish?" I enquire softly.

Once again she nods against my chest. I smile at the little bit of information and subconsciously breathe in her sent.

Damn her.

"Who's up for some scrabble?" Renee asks and I reluctantly lift my cheek from where it rested on the top of Bella's. How the fuck did I end up in that position?

See? I told you I'm fucked.

"Sure." I shrug. I'm an English Major after all. Winning scrabble is like taking candy from a baby.

Two hours and three games later, the four of us take count of our scores and surprisingly, Charlie won. He may be a man of view words, but obviously one should never underestimate the mans intelligence.

Renee and Charlie stand and excuse themselves to bed, leaving me and Bella alone on the sofa in her living room.

"That was fun." I remark with a sigh, stretching my legs out in front of me and throwing my arms behind my head.

"Mhhh…Hmmm." Bella replies lazily, pulling her feet under her legs and turning to face me. I turn my head on the back of the couch and look at her.

"So…" I trail off, because we both know what comes next. We need to go to bed…together. The anticipation builds in my chest. I never thought I would see Miss Swan in her nighties, and now it's all I can think about. I wonder if she's a boy short and tank top girl. Or, a silky baby doll kinda broad? Or, worst case scenario, a flannels and t-shirt chick. Not that I have anything against flannels, but if men were actually honest with their girlfriends, they'd admit that there is nothing more off putting than a woman in flannels when she could be wearing silk…or better yet, nothing. Material resembling blankets does nothing for the imagination…if you know what I mean.

"Do you want to play another round?" Bella asks quickly. I frown at her suggestion and realize that she's stalling.

"We'll have to do this sooner or later." I call her bluff.

"I know." She sighs heavily and twists her fingers in the hem of her hoodie. Yes, her hoodie. Bella Swan actually owns one, and it threw me for a loop when she exited her bedroom after dinner wearing it.

"Last one." I agree with a reassuring smile and sit up in order to sort the letters.

We start playing again, sitting beside each other in companionable silence. It's writer against writer. Game on.

"Really?" She asks me as I stack my letters on the board.

"What?" I ask and sit back to allow her to form her next word.

"Pecker? Is that your word?" She asks incredulously and shakes her head disapprovingly.

"It's a real word, isn't it?" I feign innocence and smile at her crookedly. "Double word score too." I wink and laugh at her expression.

She looks at me for a moment and then back at her letters, an evil smile forms on her lips and I watch her curiously as she leans forward and places her letters on the board.

"Penis." I nod approvingly as she sits back with a cocky smile. "A little clinical for my liking, but not bad." I stare at the letters I have and then burst out laughing as I form my next word.

"Meat." I declare victoriously and wiggle my eyebrows to Bella's dismay.

We carry on at this rate, each one trying to outdo the last. After a few less exciting rounds, I'm finally able to form a decent word.

"Well that's perfect." Bella giggles beside me as I spell prick.

"Is that so?" I ask with an arching eyebrow and find Bella nodding her head eagerly.

"Yes."

"Well then Miss Swan, I believe it's your turn. And you better up your game, because this prick is currently kicking your ass."

She scowls at the letters in her hand, and then I know I'm going down. I've seen that look many times before. It's the exact same look she gets when she's about to close a deal. I'm fucked.

She leans forward and makes a show of unraveling her letters on the board, using the 'p' from my previous word.

She sits back and all I can do is blink at the word she spelled.

Fucking hell.

"Pussy." I whisper and divert my eyes from the word to her eyes. Bella's smug expression soon changes to one of slight embarrassment, and the pink tinting her cheeks goes rather well with the red blotches forming on her neck.

"Like cat." She whispers in defense.

"Pussy as in cat?" I ask skeptically.

"Yes." She replies stubbornly and levels me with a sturdy glare.

"Well, if that's the word you meant to spell, then say it. Out laud." I challenge, because I know she's lying through her teeth. Dirty mouthed gorgeous girl.

"That's ridiculous!" Bella declares obstinately. "Why should I say it out laud? It's right there!" She points to the board adamantly.

"Your cat is in good company." I point out as we both look at the other words, almost all of them variations on the word for male genitalia. "Say the word, Bella." I insist forcefully.

"Why Edward?" She shoots back and folds her arms over her chest determinedly.

"Because if you don't, then I'll know you meant pussy, as in the type of pussy that would make that prick over there very happy." I indicate to the board. "If you do, we'll forget your little lie, and I'll accept that you meant cat."

"Hardly a fair deal." Bella rolls her eyes but I can see the corners of her lips twitching in amusement.

"I can make you." I threaten darkly and slowly start towards her.

Her eyes grow large in surprise as she starts to lean backwards in an attempt to keep the distance between us. But I'm determined to get her to say the word so I persist in my movements, forcing her back against the arm of the couch as I lean into her. Why? Fuck knows? I've already told you that I like a foul mouthed girl, and for some unknown fucking reason, right now, I want it to be Bella.

I'm crouched over her, breathing heavily as I stare perilously into her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Her question is whispered and the reluctance in her voice is unconvincing.

"I'm forcing you to say the word, Bella." I reply softly, my eyes boring into hers as I keep myself suspended with my arms on either side of her shoulders. Somehow I find myself almost between her legs, and I vaguely realize that we are in a very precarious position, but I don't care enough to move. I do however ensure that none of our lower regions touch…that would just be looking for trouble.

"You can't force me." She bites back and sets her jaw determinedly, but I still see some playfulness there, and that only motivates me to continue.

"Oh, but I think I can." I laugh deliberately. "I recall from earlier tonight that you're rather ticklish, Miss Swan."

Realization forms in her expression and soon all mirth leaves her features. "You wouldn't dare, Mr. Cullen." She warns frigidly and tries to level me with one of her signature stares.

"Say the word then, Miss Swan." I move my arms lower towards her midriff keeping our bodies at a safe distance.

She replies by intensifying her glare.

That only works in the office, baby. I think to myself, and before she even gets the chance to move, my hands are at her sides and I'm going for it.

At first she only yelps, and then the sound is followed by an energetic squeal that could wake the whole neighborhood.

"Shhh." I manage through chuckles as I attempt to silence her. "You'll wake your parents." She's laughing and squirming below me, fighting to free herself from my hold.

"Please…stop…" She fights to say the words between her breathy giggles. "Please…"

"You know what you have to do, Bella." I stop my ministrations for a second in order for her to catch her breath. "Say it." I chuckle once again as my eyes follow the trail of her flushed cheeks. Her breathing is labored due to the exertion and I have to say that I haven't seen anything as beautiful as the sight of Bella Swan lying below me right now.

She stares at me wide eyed, and then, like manna falling from the heavens, her mouth pouts to form the dreaded word.

"Pussy." She whispers softly, her eyes falling from mine to my mouth. I'm sure I just stopped breathing. The whole world comes to a stand still, and I part my lips slightly in an attempt to force oxygen into my lungs.

"What?" I know I'm pushing it, but I need to hear her say it one more time.

Her eyes lift from my lips and back to my eyes and they are burning a path into my skin. The laughter is replaced by embers simmering in the deep confines of her chocolate pools. Bella is turned on, of that I'm sure, but what to do about this information stupefies me.

"Pussy." She says lauder this time, and this time I lower my eyes to her lips.

"Fuck." I breathe and shake my head slightly, trying to remove the cobwebs clouding my lustful mind. And then, as if on impulse, I lower my body to hers and in one swift movement I grind my straining cock against the inseam of her jeans. "Shit." I lower my head as the much needed friction sends ripples of ecstasy through my limbs.

My eyes are shut tightly as I allow the tingling to run down my spine and through my curling toes. I'm fighting the battle of my life, my body practically shaking in its insistence to repeat the move, and my brain screaming for me to abort. I swallow thickly and attempt to open my eyes as the feeling slowly ebbs and I'm able to form a coherent thought. I peek at Bella, suddenly realizing that I may just have fucked up everything. Why the fuck did I insist on her saying a word that would surely send my testosterone levels through the roof.

Fucking stupid.

My eyes meet hers and I'm immediately deflated by the look of horror I find there.

"Fuck, I'm sorry." I instantly push myself away from her and she's out from under me at the speed of light. I lay on my side looking at her retreating figure as she stumbles slightly on the corner of another chair.

"You…" Her voice breaks. "You're…"

"Yes." I nod remorsefully. Yes, I'm hard. "That was fucking stupid. I'm really sorry." I rub my tired eyes vigorously with the back of my hand.

"I…" She attempts another sentence but fail once again.

I lift my hand from my eyes and look at her, expecting her features to mirror mortification, but instead, I find curiosity, which has my eyebrows rising in surprise. Her eyes are fixed on my…you know…the bulge in my pants and I almost laugh at her childlike expression. Where is the Mighty Swan now? I shift my hips slightly to catch her attention, which it does. She blinks frantically and then steps back and nearly stumble over another furniture hurdle.

"Everything okay there, Miss Swan?" My earlier regret is now overshadowed by arrogance and she picks up on it instantly.

"No. Yes." She mumbles tugging her hair over her shoulder like I expect her to. "I'm going to bed." And with this she practically sprints out of the room.

I laugh softly at her unladylike retreat and lie back against the arm of the sofa with a sigh of relief. I didn't actually intend for any of it to go that far, but shit, when she said that word and then looked at me with those blazing eyes, I was done for. I shake my head in discontent as I recall my idiotic move. How could I fucking rub up against her like that? I'm acting like a pubescent schoolboy, and all that over one little word. The power this woman unknowingly has over me is terrifying.

Once I've…calmed down a bit, I lift myself from the couch and make my way towards Bella's bedroom.

This can only end badly.