A/N: I do not own Twilight.

Sorry i took a while to post this chapter... i had work to do which i have now finished so it's all good.

Thank you to Renee for betaing the first two chapters and to Laura for betaing all of them :)

Chapter 3

Edward

Now look how that worked out.

I quickly gulped down the remainder of my drink and rose from my table to go and talk to Bella. She was now dancing alone as her short friend went up to the bar to get some drinks. No, wait, not alone. With some other blonde guy… well I wasn't having that. As I neared them I got to see his face; he looked gruff with a stubbly beard and Bella didn't seem too pleased to be dancing with him. He put his hands round her waist and slowly lowered them. She pulled away but he pulled her back as she grew increasingly uncomfortable. Who did he think he was? Even I had my standards.

"Is everything okay here?" I asked, almost shouting so I could be heard over the loud music, "Bella love, don't leave your poor boyfriend alone." I swept my arm around her shoulder as a look of relief flooded her face.

"Boyfriend?" the other guy looked taken-aback, "I didn't realise."

"Well it didn't look like you bothered to ask?" I replied aggressively while stepping towards him and looking directly into his eyes.

His penetrating gaze never left mine. "I guess I'll be going then," he replied through gritted teeth, his eyes narrowing. With that he walked off through the crowd.

"Are you okay?" I asked turning to Bella and taking my arm off her shoulders, "it looked like you needed a bit of help."

"Oh yeah, thanks," she laughed nervously, "He just came and started dancing with me. What a creep."

"Well everything is fine now," I replied reassuringly. "So, been setting any more fires recently?" I asked to make sure she remembered me.

She smiled back sweetly, "I've tried my best not to."

I chucked lightly.

"Can I get you a drink?" I asked.

"Well my friend's already getting me one," she answered quickly as if glad for an excuse not to talk to me. Well fine then. She looked around, her eyes settling on the bar when she noticed the black haired girl who now seemed to be talking to some other black guy.

"But it seems she has forgotten about me," she smiled gently, "so a drink would be nice." Yes! Calm down Edward, you're only buying her a drink. What had gotten into me?

"Why don't you find a seat at a table and I'll bring your drink over. What can I get you?"

She suddenly looked very unsure but I had a feeling it wasn't just about the drink.

"I'll have a dry martini please," she answered. Man this girl had good taste.

"Okay I'll bring it over." I walked over to the bar and leaned on the counter waiting to be served. I then noticed Emmett standing next to me with the red head who seemed to be sucking on his neck. Nice. He winked at me and I gave him a thumbs up and gestured to the two drinks in my hand to show that I'd be getting laid tonight too.

Hopefully.

I then weaved through the crowds and spotted Bella sitting at a table in the corner looking like she was arguing with herself. Man she was hot. She wasn't dressed slutty but was wearing tight skinny jeans and a sparkly top and her luscious brown hair was sprawled out over her shoulders. She smiled gently at me and I noticed that I had stopped walking to stare at her.

Way to be cool Edward.

So I pretended to be searching for where she was sitting and then kept going.

"Hey," I smiled setting our drinks down on the table and taking a seat next to her. We had a good view of the club over here but at the same time we were slightly secluded so the music wasn't so overbearing.

"You got the same as me?" she asked, a smile playing on her lips.

"Or maybe you just got the same as me." I joked and to my delightment she laughed back. She seemed to have relaxed slightly from earlier.

"So you never called me. Lose my number?" I joked enjoying the lighter mood

"Oh yeah um, well I… yeah sorry… I lost it," she replied. She then started blushing which I could still see through the dimmed lighting. It was sweet and made her seem so innocent, which she probably was. She didn't look like the normal kind of girls I met in clubs. I kind of hoped she did lose my number though. Then there would be no way for her to call me back after tonight. Clingy girls were not my thing. I preferred the strategy get in and get out.

"So what do you do?" I asked to get the conversation going.

"I write for the New York newspaper," she replied, "I love writing so this job is just perfect for me."

"Oh that's good; you don't want to get stuck in some dead end job." I smiled, "well I'm sure you've already guessed what I do," I winked at her and she blushed again. Wow she looked sexy when she did that.

"I think I can guess," she laughed leaning forward, "but don't you find it kind of scary? You know, the fires and stuff. I mean you could die. You can tell me, I won't laugh." She winked this time and I noticed that I could see down her top when she leaned forward.

Was it hot in here? Nope. Just me then.

"No, of course not, it's my job." I regained my composure "I've got to be tough to save New York from being burned to pieces."

"But you find it terrifying really?" she probed still joking.

"Nope."

"Not even just a little bit?"

"Not even just a little bit."

The conversation progressed greatly and we ended up talking for hours in our little corner. She really relaxed over time and I learnt so much about her. She loves to read. Her favourite colour is brown. Her dad's the chief of Police up in a small town called Forks. She doesn't like the rain and her step-dad plays baseball. I learnt all these little things that I didn't really need to know and I knew that after tonight I'd probably never see her again so I could just forget them. The funny thing was… I didn't want to forget them.

"What? You fell down the stairs in front of hundreds of people when you graduated school?" I couldn't stop laughing.

"Yep," she laughed while blushing furiously.

"… and I bet you went bright red?" I asked thinking of her numerous blushes this evening.

"You have no idea!" We both continued to laugh and I realised I hadn't laughed this much in such a long time. A huge yawn spread across her face. How late had it got? I looked at my watch and saw that it was one o' clock. Wow we'd been talking for hours.

"Do you want a lift home?" I asked her.

She looked uncertain but agreed as we both made our way to the exit. She called her dark-haired friend, apparently called Alice, and it seemed she had gotten home safely. We both got in my Volvo and made our way to her apartment. I then realised that I wasn't so interested in getting laid anymore. I'd had the best time in ages with Bella and a part of me wanted so badly to see her again and not just have a one night stand with her.

Why the hell am I feeling this?

I have no idea!

I never went out with girls twice, I always moved on. This feeling was so foreign to me. But I didn't want it going away any time soon.

Bella

I sat in Edward's car as he drove me home.

What had I done?

I spent the best evening ever with this positively gorgeous guy and I'm married. Frigging married. We'd laughed, we'd smiled, we'd gotten on so well… and all this time my husband was sitting at home waiting for me to return. Why did Jasper have to break up with Alice? Then I would never have met Edward when Alice set a fire and I would never have bumped into him when I took Alice out clubbing to help her get over Jasper. This is all Jasper's fault.

What am I saying?

It was me who never told him I was married. Me who let him buy me a drink. And me who talked to him for hours and let him drive me home.

What had I done?

I risked a glance at him as he drove the car with a torn look on his face. He was beautiful. Mike didn't even come close. I tried to think of the last time Mike made me laugh that much? The last time Mike made me feel so attracted to him? But I couldn't because the answer was never. Mike had never made me feel like this.

Edward slowed the car as he pulled over outside my apartment block. I was glad there was no way of him knowing exactly where I lived so if he ever decided to come round he wouldn't bump into Mike.

No Bella. He won't be coming round because you are going to break it off with him right now. I turned to jump out the car before I could do anything I'd regret but he was there already, opening my door like a perfect gentlemen.

"Thank you for tonight," I said as we stood on the side-walk, "I had a great time."

I turned to walk away but he blocked my view and took my hand in his.

"May-maybe we could go out again some time?" he seemed to have trouble getting the words out. He looked at me expectedly.

Now was the moment I had to tell him no. Tell him I was married and that I could never see him again, to stop it before it got too serious.

"Look Edward…"

But I just couldn't do it. I was in too deep. I looked into his mesmerising green eyes and realised that this unfamiliar feeling was too good to throw away. Maybe we could just be friends. Yes, just good friends.

"Okay," I replied adopting the friend idea.

"I'll give you a call. Can I have your number?"

Number? Friends ask for numbers all the time, it's no big deal. I started to pull out a card from my bag with my work and house number but stopped because I didn't want Edward talking to Mike. He may not be happy with my new friend. Instead I told him my mobile number as he inputted it in his phone. I could use a new friend. But deep down I knew that was a lie. I knew I didn't just want Edward as a friend.

"Okay then," Edward smiled and looked at me intensely, "I'll give you a call."

He winked at me and then walked to his car and drove off leaving me staring after him.

What had I done?

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