A/N: Thank you Buffy for your enigmas & inspiration, je t'aime!

"What a silly dream,
Oh silly, silly me,
to think I had a handle on this."
- "Losing Sleep" by Charlotte Sometimes

My eyes fluttered open for what felt like the billionth time that night. Sleep was something I never fought for before, but that night I battled for the slumber I desired. No matter how many attempts I made, it would always end with tossing and turning. Every time I looked towards the clock, the time passed quicker and quicker, but my eyelids never grew heavy.

When I actually did fall asleep, it was brief, waking up in a cold sweat, panting soon after. The sun was coming up at that point and I decided to give up on the idea of rest. The shower temporarily gave me the solace and peace I had longed for the entire night. Hot water massaged my sore muscles as it pelted my back.

After that, my body went through the motions of a morning routine, getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing my teeth, but my mind was never there. All I could think of was the guilt that consumed me. In my mind, I had committed the ultimate sin, thinking of another man while with Jasper. To me that was the same thing as cheating, the scarlet letter blistered on my chest as I walked towards my car.

Paranoia crept into my psyche and every face watched every movement I made, shame filling their eyes. Once in my car I drove faster than I should have, just to escape their questioning gazes. Palm trees blurred into the buildings as I sped to work. The highway transformed into my own personal Autobahn, where I could drive as fast as possible away from my problems.

Within 10 minutes, I approached the familiar exterior of the gallery early. Just as I was about to get out and start what was to be an interesting day, my phone rang.

"Isabella Marie Swan. You got a fucking amazing job and didn't tell me?" Rosalie's voice boomed through the speaker.

"Hey Rose, I'm fine, how are you?" It was good to hear her voice, as earsplitting as it was.

"I'm really not fine. Put yourself in my place. I call this morning thinking you're home, being unemployed when Jasper answers the phone and tells me you got a job at fucking Twilight? Are you mental woman? Why in the name of all that is holy did you not call me?" As she spoke, I could see in the window of the gallery a familiar bronze heap of hair.

"Hullo, earth to Bella?" I pried my eyes off his entrancing locks and refocused my attention on the conversation at hand.

"Well I met Mr. Edward Cullen at your wedding, he gave me his card, I called him, set up an interview, and he hired me." All the while imagining him naked.

"I remember him. He went to college with Emmett right. I don't like him." She said the last part so casually I was left practically speechless.

"What? Why wouldn't you like him? I mean he is really nice and…" I stumbled through my words eventually trailing off.

"I don't know Bella I just got the douche vibe from him." I could almost hear her shrugging through the phone.

"Well I think that is a completely unjust judgment. He is a lovely man and wonderful human being." Angry. I was actually angry with my sister for making a comment about my new boss whom I knew nothing about, except the fact I am inexplicably attracted to him. It was all so ridiculous.

"Bella are you attracted to Mr. Douche bag Cullen?" I rolled my eyes at her colorful wording.

"Yes I may be saying I have an attraction of sorts for my new boss and may have thought about him when I was… with Jasper. Is that normal?" I bit my lip nervously, expecting the worst.

"No worries Bella, it is perfectly natural to feel something towards someone you aren't dating. Hell I thought of Patrick Dempsey once when I was with Emmett. There was a Grey's Anatomy marathon on and I just couldn't get him off my mind. Fuck me, he's hot." A sigh of relief passed my lips.

You're not an adulterer Bella, calm down.

"Well, I have to go. I'm going to be late. I'll call you when I get home, ok? Love you Rose." I felt bad for hanging up so abruptly, but I knew she would understand.

Bravely I walked up to the glass doors of the gallery, my eyes fixated on the gorgeous man in a grey designer suit. Even the back of his head was breathtaking, every inch a pile of messy bronze perfection.

I placed my hand on the black door handle and pulled it open. The cool air splashed my face, his scent surrounding me. The air conditioning was not the only thing giving me chills as he turned and smiled. I returned the smile and went straight up to him.

"Bella, you're early." He winked at me and my knees buckled.

"Really?" I looked at my watch and noticed I was still a good thirty minutes early. "Oh wow, I didn't realize the time. I guess I'm just anxious to start." I shrugged, embarrassed.

"Well let me give you the tour and show you what you'll be doing." He placed his hand on the small of my back like the day before, leading me around the gallery. The spark was still present.

We walked through the first exhibit. The sterile white walls were the perfect backdrop to the beautiful paintings on display. Beneath my feet was polished concrete, which was much more industrial in appearance than the black marble of the lobby, but it was perfect, leaving the artwork to be the real star of the room.

"At the moment the exhibit is for local artists, but next month we're expecting to work with a high end fashion photographer. This is where you come in." Edward pointed at me as we went back through the lobby, to the hallway of offices.

We stopped at the second door and knocked. The door read:

"Angela F. Weber

Head Curator"

Before the door opened, I was expecting another blonde, plastic woman, but was presently surprised when a tall woman with a short brown bob and Chanel glasses on the tip of her nose opened it instead. She wore a black pantsuit with chains across the waist and military style buttons. It clearly was a designer and expensive piece of clothing and I instantly felt self-conscious in my twenty-dollar polka dot skirt.

"Angela Weber, I'd like you to meet Bella Swan, the new Assistant Curator. I'll leave you two to become acquainted." His hand left the small of my back and the air became ten degrees cooler.

"Thank God you're not blonde." Angela said with a smile and held her hand out to shake mine.

"I guess that's a trend then?" I questioned as we shook hands.

"Unfortunately," She nodded and laughed. "Come on in and have a seat."

I followed her in and sat in the chair across from her desk.

"Well, I'm glad you're here. We've needed a new assistant that knows what they're doing for too long. I'm sure Mr. Cullen told you about the new exhibit next month?" She asked.

"He told me that it was what I would be helping with and it would be a famous fashion photographer. No more than that though." I answered.

From there we went on to discuss the layout and budget, but she never told me the photographer's name. Before I knew it, it was time for lunch. I planned to try to eat with Jasper since I realized how follish I was this morning. I was just walking out the door, when I felt a familiar electric touch on my arm, stopping me.

"Bella, I was hoping you would join me for lunch today." Edward's smooth voice crooned. I was a different person around him. All thoughts of Jasper escaped me and all that mattered were those green eyes. I turned to look into his eyes and smiled at the simple request.

"I'd love to," I answered with a smile, under his trance.

"Thank you, Bella. I'll drive." I nodded and we walked together out of the building. When we stopped I looked around for what I thought his car would look like, but the only things around was a silver Volvo.

That can't be his car. It looks like something my mother would drive.

Surely enough, he took a pair of keys out of his pocked and unlocked the silver mom-mobile, then swiftly opened my door. I stifled a giggle as I got in the car.

In a flash, he was in the driver's seat, turning the ignition.

"Do you like sushi?" He turned and asked. I just nodded in reply. The car buzzed with electricity. The close proximity of his body made every inch of my own body tingle.

In no time, we arrived at the expensive looking restaurant. After we took our seats, I searched through the menu for something that wouldn't cause me to file for bankruptcy. I finally settled on the least expensive item. The waiter came and looked towards me to take my order, but Edward interrupted.

"Hello, we'll have two waters, the miso soup to start and then the combination platter with two Maguro, four Ebi, two Anago, and six California rolls. Thank you." He handed him his menu and straightened his suit jacket. I was speechless. I'd never seen anyone do something as arrogant as that before in my life.

"Actually, I'd like a cup of your green tea and just the miso soup," I retorted, furiously to the waiter who scurried away.

"I'm sorry. I just assumed since you had only eaten sushi once you didn't know what to order." Edward was staring wide eyed at my defiance.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I am in need of no help when it comes to ordering my own food. I'm curious Mr. Cullen. Why did you hire me, if you don't even think I'm intelligent enough to read a menu?"

"I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean anything by it, though I find it highly inappropriate for you to be questioning your boss about your employment when I could very well fire you right this minute." Then it was my turn to widen my eyes at his statement.

We sat there silently staring at each other, as if there was some sort of puzzle to solve between us. I stared trying to figure what exactly he was, who he was. He was an unsolved enigma that had lived in my mind for five days straight. Then it dawned on me: I know nothing about this man. Other than the fact, he was ridiculously handsome and ignited reactions from my body I didn't know were possible. I bit my lip and looked away, breaking our quiet staring contest.

"Bella," His voice brought my eyes back to his. "I'm sorry. It was never my intention to offend you. My sole reason for inviting you today was to learn more about you."

"I think you know plenty about me, while I know nothing about you." The waiter arrived with our drinks but I ignored that and waited for Edward's reply.

"What is it you would like to know?" He cocked an eyebrow at me suggestively, sending a chill down my spine.

"What should I know?" I rested my chin on my hand, anxious to hear him speak again.

"Well, I am 29 years old. I've lived in Florida my entire life, except for 7 years while I attended Yale Business School. I graduated with honors. Originally, I never intended working at the gallery, but my mother insisted when she opened her interior designing business and could no longer handle the galley. I grew up around the arts, so it's nothing out of the ordinary for me." He finished by taking a drink of his water.

"What about a girlfriend? Have one of those?" I blurted out. There I was being so calm, cool, and collected, but watching his lips touch the edge of that glass turned my brain to complete mush.

"I'm," He gulped before speaking again. "I'm married, Bella." It was as if it pained him to say the words.

The words felt like a dagger to my skin. My worst fears realized. That woman at the wedding was his wife.

Jasper.

"Really? What's her name?" I fought back the jealousy I felt. It was unnecessary. I had Jasper; he had what's-her-name. It was only fair.

"Tanya, but I'd rather not discuss it. Not exactly a pleasant topic at the moment." There was so much meaning hidden behind those words, I struggled to find out exactly what he meant.

The hurt was still apparent in his eyes and I knew had to do anything to stop that pain.