"Hi, are you Bella? You must be, you're beautiful, just like your picture. I have some things I want to talk to you about before we start, and if you still want to model for me after we get done, then we'll get started, but if you don't that's okay, but I really hope you do, because I think you're perfect-"

"Um, hello"

"Yes?"

"Would you like to, um, start now?"

"Here?"

"Or wherever."

"I like you. Good answer. Follow me." I followed Alice up the stairs, trying not to trip up the giant staircase and embarrass myself horribly. We passed numerous rooms, went through many hallways, and around so many more corners, I was completely lost. Hopelessly so. I hoped that she would get me out, because I wouldn't last two minutes before breaking down, screaming, and going crazy. "Here we are!" Wait a minute.

"We're back where we started."

"Uh huh! You picked up on that, good. You passed the first test!"

"Test? That was a test?"

"Oh, yeah, you're the first to pass, which means you get a shot at actually modeling for me!" This little pixie sure was perky.

"So, how many others have you interviewed?" I asked coolly, ready to walk out the door if I was last on the list of many.

"Only three, but I knew that you were the one as soon as I saw you. You are perfect for the part, I can see it. Plus, you passed the first three tests."

"There were three?" I asked, alarmed.

"Well, four, actually," Alice replied. "The first was looks. You had to match well with my other model. Pass. Personality. I first met you and was blown away. Pass. The observational test, you can't be ditzy if you mode for me. Pass. And four, you act like yourself- you didn't suck up to me and stay quiet while I talked- you even interrupted me! That's good."

"So, should I do that often?"

"Sarcasm! Humor! Pass!"

"I guess I should stop being surprised at all these tests, shouldn't I?"

"Probably," she laughed. "Let's go, you're ready." She flung open the door and shoved me in. It was still dark. An arm came around my waist and I freaked, throwing my elbow back like my dad had taught me to. A surprised yelp followed and I was immediately released. I turned as the light was turned on, and I heard Alice laughing as well as saw a giant young man bent over with his hand on his chest. "Ha! You passed!"

"I almost had a heart attack," I complained, adrenaline pumping through my veins like an electric current.

"I think you bruised my sternum," the young man wheezed.

"Well, that's your own fault, isn't it? I only acted in self-defense." I crossed my arms and glared at him. He raised an eyebrow and rose to his full height, towering over my much shorter frame. "Aren't you going to apologize?" I asked, quirking a brow. He just stared at me before bursting into laughter.

"You pass," he said. "I like you. You can call me Emmett." His voice was deep, but it had an edge of softness to it, like you couldn't trust what you saw- he was a big softie.

"Okay, Em, you can leave, now. I want to talk to her. Just talk," she said, grinning at me. "I promise.: He left, and she directed me towards a red velvet covered Victorian era chair. I sat. "Okay, so you know that I paint, right?" I rolled my eyes and nodded. "So, you can sit or stand in one position for a long time, right?" I nodded again. "Good. So, what I really wanted to talk to you about is if you would be comfortable posing nude for my romance series. Some of it will be innocent, but a lot of it won't." She looked at me imploringly.

"I understand."

"There are a couple of conditions, though. They are- one: once a painting is started, you have to see it through. Two: If you are uncomfortable with a pose, tell me, and I'll see what I can do. Three: if the other model makes you uncomfortable, your code word is Holliday. Four: you cannot look at the person you are modeling with. If you do, you will be fired, and all portraits of you destroyed. Think you can handle it?"

"Yeah. A couple of questions, though. One, will it be a guy or a girl that I will be modeling with? Because I don't want a girl, particularly, but I'll take it if I have to."

"Nope. He's a guy. A good looking guy. He's young, too, probably just a little older than you, so it's not like its gross or anything."

"Okay, but how about times? Or a schedule or something?" I needed to know when I would be free, after all.

"I'll call you and see if you can come in. This is all casual- sort of. It isn't really formal, or anything."

"So- since I can't look at him, does that mean we aren't going to be looking at each other in any of your pieces. It seems kind of strange that lovers won't look at each other."

"Well, you'll be facing each other for a few of them, but you won't bee looking at him. Is that all?" Alice asked, practically bouncing in her seat.

"Yeah, no more question. What now?"

" I wanted to start a piece- a place to begin this epic saga. Would you be against stripping?"

"When you put it that way, yes. If you asked if I would worry about discarding my clothes and posing, no," I chuckled, standing. "Where do you want me?"

"Strip," she commanded, pulling the chair away. I watched as she set it up in front of the fireplace, angling it towards her. I did as she told me. "Okay, come here and drape yourself over the chair. One leg over this arm, the other out in front of you. Rest your cheek on your fist, tilt it, yes, like that. Rest your other hand on your knee, like that." She pulled back. "You are gorgeous. Put a tired smile on and look sort of happy. You are a goddess, Bella."

"Thanks," I muttered, through my tired but happy smile.

"No problem. Stay looking here, and here we go!" An hour later I stood up on direction from Alice and stretched, stiff from my state of absolute stillness. "Wow, Bella, you must have practiced a whole lot, you only moved, like, twice! It was great, because I didn't have to stop!"

"Thanks. Can I dress myself again?" I asked, pointing at my clothes. "I love my body and all, but I don't think I feel quite comfortable walking around someone else's house naked." She laughed.

"Not quite. Here's a robe," she said, tossing the garment to me. "I want another one, this time with you standing, but we're going to the kitchen to get you food. You are hungry, right?"

"Heck yes," I sighed. "But just so you know, I'm a girl with a big appetite."

"That's good, because when my brother cooks, he always makes more than what is needed."

"What's cookin'?" I joked. She giggled.

"Hamburgers, fries- in wedges- and chocolate cake," she said happily. "This is the best chocolate cake that you will ever eat," she assured me.

"Mmmm…" I sighed, breathing in the intoxicating smell. "It smells delicious."

"Tell that to Edward," Alice said, elbowing me. I finally took stock of the gigantic kitchen, and the god in the center of it. I was immediately reminded of how short the robe was, but made no move to pull it down. After watching me, Alice smiled. "Edward, this is Bella. She's modeling for my new, up and coming romance series." He was wearing a pair of black silk pajama pants and a black muscle tank. I almost drooled. But I sucked in a much needed breath and made to speak.

"Hello, Edward," I said, admiring the way his name rolled off my tongue. He just smiled slightly.

"Edward doesn't speak to people who can't speak to him," Alice said, glaring at her brother, who gave her a cheeky smile and a wave.

"Say what?" I asked, crossing my arms, inadvertently hitching the robe higher, leaving only about an inch from the hem to my more private area. Not that they were going to be private for very much longer if this whole romance series actually came to fruition.

"Sign language," she spat. I raised a brow at him and signed off.

Hello, Edward. He looked surprised, turning to his sister, who watched me with disbelief.

Hello, Bella, he signed back. I had no clue what to say now, so I told him so. He smiled the most beautiful crooked grin, that made my knees go weak and my breath catch. You are different than the other girls.

Of course I am, I signed, glaring. His face was tense. I am me, not any of the other girls. He smiled again and shook his head.

One of a kind. I smiled back and he directed me out a door that lead to a patio that held an industrial grill, a table and chairs, a couple of lounge chairs, a fire pit, and a walkway to a giant pool. He escorted me to a chair and pulled it out for me, then pushed it in when I was seated. Alice sat across from me with a blond man, and Emmett sat next to him. Edward came over with plates and delivered them before sitting down and letting Alice speak.

"Bella, this is my boyfriend, Jasper. He runs my exhibits. Jasper, this is Bella, the model I told you about for my romance series."

"Hello," he said, nodding to me. "I hope that she doesn't give you too much trouble. This pixie's perky." I burst into giggles at his statement that mirrored my own thoughts from earlier. Jasper just looked confused.

"That is exactly what I thought when I first met her." H chuckled too. We ate in companionable silence, me managing two burgers and two handfuls of fries, giving Emmett a run for his money.

"I told you that she said she could eat, Emmy," Alice sang, mocking him. Until the cake was down. I ate two pieces of that as well, telling Alice that I would work it off when I got home. "Don't worry, I trust you. But right now, we've got one more for today. Ready?"

"Sure, I said, standing. "Did you want help with the dishes?"

"Nah. Jazzy and Emmy get the dishes. Let's go."