A/N I was a bit baffled that many of you thought that if everybody showed up at the dinner, it meant they were at Esme's beck and call. They all came because they found it odd that Esme invited them to dinner on a Wednesday and they thought it was really important. So, by doing that, Esme was being sneaky . She knew they wouldn't have come just for Lauren.

And… I heart my beta Nikki :X:X

Enjoy the update :)

Chapter 12

Isabella Pov

~ December 23rd, 2011 ~

~~ 0 ~~

~~ 0 ~~

~~ 0 ~~

"Well, well," the snarky voice cut through my blissful unconsciousness like a chainsaw. "What do we have here?"

I was lying on something soft but firm at the same time. I was pretty sure it wasn't a pillow, because it was moving and making soft noises. It almost sounded like… snore noises. Frowning, I forced my eyes open. Through foggy vision, I could make out something white bearing a striking resemblance to an undershirt. Then there was skin –pale, familiar-looking skin- and finally… hair. Chest hair.

Letting my gaze trail upwards, I saw a prominent Adam's apple, a cleft chin, a stubbly, well-defined jaw line, a perfectly straight nose, long eyelashes and bushy eyebrows. The events of the previous night came to my mind with the unexpected force of a flashback. We had been lying on the couch when I noticed the stain on his shirt and asked about it. He had lied to me about that Lauren woman. Well… in part. I didn't push for the truth, and we had ended up falling asleep while watching TV.

Angela was standing, still dressed in her blue scrubs. She had her hands in the pants' pockets and was smirking down at me knowingly.

"What?" I muttered, brushing some stray strands from my face. "Go away."

"He looks kind of hot with his shirt off," she said, eyeing Edward appreciatively.

I groaned, propping my elbows on each side of his torso. "Go away, Angela," I said again, not in the mood to deal with her. Reaching into Edward's front pocket, I took out his phone and checked the time. It was late. Luckily for me, I didn't have classes in the morning, but Edward had to go to work.

"Edward," I murmured, running the back of my fingers over his cheek. "You need to wake up."

"Mmm," he grunted, his brow furrowing. I continued caressing his cheek and eventually he peered at me under his lashes, his mouth twisting into a smile. "Hey," he said, his thick morning voice sending shivers down my back.

"Hey." I offered a smile of my own in return. "You're late for work."

"What?" His eyes opened wide as he started glancing around, probably looking for a clock. He saw Angela standing next to the couch with a smirk on her face and he groaned loudly. "Oh, no. What time is it?"

"Ten to eight," I said, holding out his phone.

He took it from me, glanced at the display then started to get up. "Great. I'm already late."

I lifted myself off him, and we both rose to our feet.

"Hello, Angela," he acknowledged her with a slight nod, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands to chase the sleep away.

"Morning, Sunshine," she replied merrily. "Nice biceps."

"Shut up," I muttered, already hunting for his shirt which he had discarded just before we both fell asleep. He had complained it was too hot, and I had encouraged him to take it off. Can you blame me? To say he had a great body was like stating the obvious. The many years of regularly frequenting the gym were showing in all the right places.

I found the wrinkled shirt under the coffee table and briefly wondered how the hell it had gotten there. "Do you want me to make you a quick breakfast?" I said, handing it to him. "Or at least some coffee?"

"No, thank you," he declined politely, getting dressed. "I need to get going." He buttoned up quickly then leaned down to kiss my forehead. "I'll let myself out. You girls be good." He winked playfully, turning around and hurrying out of the room. A minute later, the closing of the front door announced his exit.

"Bye, sexy," Angela yelled, a little too late for Edward to hear her.

I glared at her silently.

"What?" She shrugged innocently.

"Nothing. How was work?"

"Meh." She sighed, plopping down on the vacant couch. "Some punk yelled at me that I was incompetent. He said it hurt when I changed the bandage on his appendicitis surgery. Then a very 'nice,'" she used her fingers to make air quotes , "two hundred year-old grampa threw his pudding at me because it tasted like shit. It's hospital food, what did he expect? And last but not least, some blonde bimbo lectured me for about twenty minutes about how 'her hubby likes his pillows soft and the bed to an eighty-five degree angle'. Not ninety or eighty; eighty-five. I almost slapped her. And it all happened in the span of two hours."

"Wow," I sympathized. "It's a miracle you didn't kill anyone by now."

"I know," she agreed, throwing an arm over her forehead theatrically. "Anyway. What was Edward doing here?"

"He came by last night and we fell asleep," I explained vaguely. "Are you still mad?"

"Not really," she said nonchalantly, her face turning pensive for a moment. "But you need to introduce me to this Alice chick."

"Okay," I said, spotting an elastic hair holder on the coffee table. I picked it up, pulling my morning mess of a hair into a loose ponytail. "That reminds me, I have to call her."

"This early?" She frowned. "Why?"

"I'll fill you in later," I promised, making my way to my bedroom. My phone was lying in the middle of the bed, and I plopped down on my stomach, dialing Alice's number.

"Hey, girlfriend," she greeted, sounding awfully cheerful for eight a.m.

I chuckled. "Hi. You seem… chipper this morning."

"I'm always chipper," she shot back, letting out a snicker. "So, what's up? Why are you calling? Not that I mind or anything, but I'm guessing there's a good reason behind this matutinal call."

"Should I be worried about Lauren?" I blurted out, unable to hold my tongue anymore.

Every since the night before when Edward had mentioned her, it was all I could think about. Even though I hadn't pressed him for more information, I was sure she was the same Lauren Jessica had told me about a while back. Lauren Mallory, if I remembered correctly. The same woman Edward's mother wanted him to end up with. Only the thought of him being in her presence was enough to set me on fire. I didn't even know the woman, but I already hated her. Which, I admitted to myself, was kind of crazy and possessive on my part. Maybe she wasn't even interested in him romantically. But no matter what reason said, my heart was leading, pushing me into doing stupid stuff like calling Alice to find out more about Lauren instead of simply talking to Edward.

There was a moment of pregnant silence before she spoke again. "What do you mean?"

I sighed, closing my eyes and wishing I could take my words back. I was actually tempted to hang up, but it would have been rude on my part. The deed was already done. I continued timidly, biting on my lower lips so hard, I was afraid I was going to draw blood, "I know she was there last night."

"Edward told you?" she said carefully.

"Yeah. But he failed to mention that his mother is trying to set him up with her," I replied, my voice suddenly so laced with biting sarcasm that it took me by surprise. I made me feel like I had no control over myself when it came to Edward, and I hated it.

"Well, I already warned you. The woman is relentless when she sets her mind on something."

"So, should I be worried about her?" I asked again, nervous to know the answer. If Lauren had the approval of Edward's mother, she was already one step ahead of me.

"No," Alice answered gently. "Edward has no interest in Lauren. I can assure you of that. I think it's obvious that he's quite taken with you." There were some noises I couldn't make out in the background, and she added hurriedly, "Look, I have to go. I'm about to get into a meeting. I'll talk to you later?"

"Sure," I said, relieved and disappointed at the same time. I was relieved that by putting an end to the conversation Alice was stopping the avalanche of questions that was about to fall from my lips. I was disappointed for the exact same reason. My curiosity was killing me, but so was the guilt of knowing that I was going behind Edward's back in order to find the answers to my questions. "Have a good day at work."

"Thanks. You too."

She hung up, and I remained staring at the peach wall in front of me blankly.

"By the way, I have news," Angela spoke from where she stood, leaning against the doorway.

I glanced over to her questioningly. "Good or bad?"

She shrugged in a nonchalant manner, but I could see the ghost of a smile on her lips. "It depends," she said, reaching up to toy with her necklace absently. It was the silver necklace Ben had given her as a gift for her twentieth birthday and which she had never taken off ever since. It had a gorgeous crescent moon pendant with a small engraving on the back saying "I love you to the moon and back".

Realizing I had noticed the way her fingers were glued to the pendant like it was the most precious thing in the world, she let go of it immediately. Clearing her throat, she mumbled her next words, making it almost impossible for me to make them out. "I spoke to Ben yesterday and agreed to have dinner with him tonight."

I started at her, not sure I had heard her right. When her cheeks began coloring and she avoided meeting my eyes, preferring to focus her attention on my brown patterned curtains, I let out an excited squeal. "That's great! Are you going to get back together?"

"I don't know. We'll see where this date goes."

"So, it is a date," I teased, truly happy that she was ready to give him another chance.

She rolled her eyes, doing her best to put out a cool and collected façade, even though I could bet she was a nervous wreck on the inside. "Girl plus boy plus fancy restaurant. I think that's the definition of a date, no matter what he says."

I smiled. "And what does he say?"

"That it's not a date."

"You know he only told you that so you wouldn't freak out about it, don't you?"

"Whatever," she dismissed me with a wave. "I'm going to sleep. See you… whenever."

~~ 0 ~~

Later that day, I was at work when I got a call from Edward. I answered with a big grin on my face, my heart skipping a beat at seeing his name flashing on the screen.

"Do you happen to have dinner plans?" he asked directly, foregoing small talk.

"No," I replied, leaning with my elbows on the sales counter and loving his bluntness. "Why do you ask?"

"I want to make it up to you for last night," he said, his voice dropping to seductive tonality. "How does pizza at my place sound?"

My grin widened as butterflies born of anticipation made their presence known. "It sounds great."

"It's set then," he murmured, and last's night memory assaulted me once again. His lips meshing against mine fervently… my breasts pressing against his hard chest… his large palms kneading my butt in a very suggestive manner…

The man was sex on legs, and I didn't think he even realized the effect he had on me.

"When do you get off work?"

"Seven," I answered, trying very hard to remain coherent.

"Perfect," he purred with satisfaction. "I have a busy day ahead, so I'll just pick you up from the bookstore."

~~ 0 ~~

"Let me get that for you," Edward said, taking my coat and hanging it in the nearby closet.

"Thank you," I replied with a grateful smile, leaning down to take off my boots.

As I straightened up, I noticed he was frowning.

"What?" I asked.

"I forgot to call Susan," he admitted sheepishly, glancing my way. "I wonder how fast she can get here if I call her now."

"Edward, you're not calling her," I admonished. "I can make pizza."

He shook his head, looking displeased. "We can order. You don't have to cook."

I arched an eyebrow at him challengingly. "Who says I'll be the only one cooking?"

"Fair enough," he laughed, leaning down to plant a soft kiss on my lips. "But first, I'm going to change into more comfortable clothes."

He turned on his heels, starting to head towards his bedroom.

"I could use a t-shirt," I uttered, looking down at the heavy knitted sweater I had on.

He stopped in his tracks, obvious surprise coloring his features.

"It's going to get pretty hot in the kitchen," I reasoned, blushing furiously when his intense gaze trailed down my body, lingering on my torso. Slowly, the corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk, and it took me a moment to realize the double meaning of what I'd just said.

I let out an amused sound, something between a groan and a laugh. "Because of the oven, Edward."

"I'll see what I can do about that." He winked playfully, disappearing from sight.

Taking my bag with me, I made my way to the living room. I tossed the bag on one of the armchairs, grabbing the remote from the coffee table and turning on the large plasma TV. I settled for the news, but remained standing as I waited for Edward.

He showed up about ten minutes later holding a white t-shirt with green horizontal stripes.

"It's the smallest one I could find," he said, placing it on my shoulder. His hands wrapped around my middle section as his moist lips descended to the side of my neck a couple of times. He was getting more carefree and hands on with each passing day, and I loved it.

"Thank you," I murmured, ogling him appreciatively. He now had on a pair of black sweatpants and a long-sleeved t-shirt that he had rolled up to his elbows. His damp hair was slacked back, and the musky scent of his shower gel instantly invaded my nostrils.

I inhaled deeply, and he looked at me apologetically. "I took a shower. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," I assured him weakly, running my palms up and down his biceps. His scent and closeness were making it harder and harder for me to form coherent thoughts. Giving him a light peck, I tried to extract myself from his embrace before it was too late and I melted in a puddle of my own hormones at his bare feet.

"Where are you going?" he protested, not letting go.

"To the bathroom to change," I said.

He grinned mischievously, dropping his voice to a sultry whisper. "I've seen bras before."

Encouraged, by his playful demeanor, I retorted in kind, "What if I'm not wearing one?"

He chuckled huskily. "I've seen breasts, too."

"Shocking," I gasped in mock outrage, fighting not to let on how his words affected me. "You are such a pervert."

"I know," he said, rubbing my ass before slapping it gently a few times. He kissed the corner of my mouth, pulling away from me and lying down on his stomach on the leather couch. "Go change."

He started zapping through channels, and I spun around reluctantly, heading towards the bathroom.

I had to admit, I was a bit confused. It was clear as day there was a lot of sexual chemistry between us, and yet he had never tried to take things further than a little groping. It was kind of frustrating, because I wanted him to. I wanted him to leave the chivalry aside and ravish me. Yeah, I'd said it. My biggest wish was to be ravaged by Edward Anthony Cullen, amazingly attractive estate lawyer and important investor in several large businesses throughout Chicago. I even found his middle name –which he had once mentioned in passing- sexy as hell.

Anthony…

Edward Anthony…

Edward Anthony Cullen… perfection incarnated.

I was infatuated with his smile…

I was fascinated by the small cleft in his chin that gave his appearance such a masculine allure…

I was absorbed by the mysterious abysms that were his green eyes…

I was awed by the striking color of his soft hair…

I was captivated with the way his long fingers flexed when he brought his drink to his voluminous lips…

I was entranced by the lean shape of his tall body…

I was…

I was pathetic.

Many months without sex would do that to you. Add the sexual frustration Edward was inflicting on me with each passing day, and I was sure I was soon going to do something stupid, like attack him when he least expected it.

With a sigh, I closed the door behind me, walking over to the mirror above the sink. I removed my sweater, which only left me with my black lace bra on. Cocking my head to the side, I inspected my breasts attentively. They weren't too big, but they weren't small either; just enough to fill a medium-sized hand.

My gaze trailed down to my narrow waist which I had always considered to be the best part of my body, and to my hips that were slightly wider than my upper body. By everyone else's standards, I had a very nice hourglass shape. By my standards, I was just average. I didn't have the long, slim legs I yearned for. I didn't have the light-colored eyes I had always dreamed of. And I certainly didn't own that perfectly tan skin so many women these days consider a must. The only think I really liked about me was my hair. It was long and shiny and had a really rich chocolate-brown nuance.

Looking back down at my breasts, I tightened the straps on the bra, lifting them a little higher. I pulled the t-shirt over my head then leaned down to splash some water over my face, careful not to touch the mascara I had on. I dabbed my face dry with a towel, reaching into my jeans' pocket and pulling out a hair band. I gathered my precious locks in a messy bun then threw one last glance in the mirror before making my exit.

Edward was waiting for me in the kitchen.

"I hope I have all the ingredients we need," he said over his shoulder, peering inside the refrigerator. "Susan usually keeps the fridge pretty well stocked."

"We'll make do with what you have," I replied, walking over to him and starting to take things out. I found mozzarella, tomatoes, bell peppers, salami and even some button mushrooms.

"Here." I handed him a knife and chopping board. "While I make the dough, you're in charge of slicing the tomatoes, mushrooms and everything else."

"Yes, ma'am." He saluted playfully, and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Get to work," I ordered, motioning towards the waiting ingredients.

He chuckled, leaning over to whisper in my ear, "I like it when you're bossy."

I flushed, but offered him a smile nonetheless.

He set to work, and I began searching the cabinets for flour, salt and a bowl to make the dough in. Since he never used them, Edward had no idea where any of the kitchen utensils were. He pointed out that he did know where the silverware was, but as for the rest I had to fend for myself.

As I was dropping a thin piece of butter into the flour to make the dough fluffier, I glanced at Edward to see how he was doing. To my amusement, he had a very concentrated look on his face as he sliced half of bell pepper. His lips were pursued and his eyes were narrowed as he focused intensely on the slow movements of the knife he was holding.

All of the sudden, the conversation I'd had with Alice came to mind. An involuntary frown took over my expression as I glanced back down at the glass bowl in front of me. I continued kneading the dough until the final result was a puffy, soft ball; all the while trying to talk myself into approaching the Lauren subject with Edward.

After a while, I covered the bowl with a kitchen towel and with a resigned sigh, I turned to address him.

"Edward."

"Hmm?" he murmured, not looking up.

I leaned against the kitchen island, placing my palms on the hard granite surface behind me and working up the courage to get the words out. When he realized I was quiet, he glanced at me questioningly.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth about Lauren?" I asked softly.

He looked taken aback for a moment, but recovered quickly. Setting the knife down, he angled his body towards me, placing a hand next to mine on the countertop. "What do you mean?" he said cautiously.

"I know your mother wants the two of you together," I muttered, fighting to hide the jealousy eating at me but failing horribly.

"How do you know that?" he spoke with a certain edge to his voice.

"Jessica mentioned it once," I answered guardedly, and his eyebrows knitted together with discontent. I had a hard time figuring out if he was angry at me or at Jessica for spilling the beans about Lauren.

"Did she?" he muttered, averting his gaze towards the large windows. It was snowing abundantly outside, and he remained fixed on the rapidly falling snowflakes for quite some time. He seemed to be thinking hard about something, and I would have given anything to have the power to read his thoughts.

"I know we're not in a relationship or anything…" I began to say, but he interrupted me.

"Isabella…" he said, trailing off abruptly as he came to stand in front of me. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Lauren. I really only wanted to spare you the knowledge of my mother's manipulative ways. I'm not interested in her. You're the only woman I have eyes for. All I ask for is a little more time to learn how to cope with these new feelings I began harboring for you."

I inhaled sharply.

"Feelings?" I uttered in wonder, staring up at him hopefully.

"I care for you," he confessed, trailing the back of his fingers across my cheekbone. "More than you know."

He leaned down to place a gentle, barely-there kiss on the tip of my nose before continuing, "Not to mention the wild attraction your body exerts on me. I want you. In all the ways possible," he murmured, his eyes washing over me hungrily and causing a shiver to run down my spine.

"And I will have you," he promised, pressing his mouth to mine. "And you will have me. Soon."

"How soon?" I breathed, my lids heavy as I peered up at him.

"Very soon."

Placing his hands on my hips, he pulled me closer to his body. He languidly kissed my collarbone, my neck and finally the lobe of my ear. When he was done lavishing my skin with wet kisses, he pulled out a stool and sat on it, lifting me so that I was in his lap with my legs on each side of his.

"On a more serious note…" he said, our faces mere inches apart as his large palms ran up and down my back. "I now know for a fact that I want more with you."

"Then ask me to be your girlfriend," I blurted out, waiting for his reaction apprehensively.

"Girlfriend…" he mulled over the notion, cracking a smile. "I haven't used that word in a long time. It makes me feel ancient."

"You're still good looking for your age," I teased, toying with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"My age?" He laughed. "Are you implying that I'm old?"

I shrugged. "You're the one who said you feel ancient."

"Sometimes I do," he admitted, going back to looking a bit pensive.

He remained silent, staring off into space.

But I needed to know. I needed to know what he really wanted from me. I had to know that I wasn't just a transient phase in his fast-paced life. I wanted the assurance that I was more than a friend he sometimes kissed and touched indecently.

"Are you going to ask me?" I insisted, and he tsked in annoyance, scowling at me.

"Is a label that important to you?"

"No," I muttered sulkingly. "…Yes."

With a heavy sight, Edward shook his head, lowering his gaze to my lap.

"I feel like I'm betraying her," he murmured, the frown he was wearing, deepening.

"Tanya?" I asked, a lump suddenly strangling my throat.

"I know it's absurd, but…"

"It's not," I assured, turning my head away.

Deep into my gut, a new fear was making its presence known. It was the fear that he was never going to get over his deceased wife; that no matter how hard I was going to try, her memory will have him stuck in the past with no way of getting out.

And then, to my complete shame, that fear was overcome by the green-eyed monster known as jealousy. After all, jealousy is usually born out of fear, so in a way the two feelings were completing each other. I was starting to realize that my previous worries concerning Lauren were now pretty ill-founded. She wasn't the one I had to be weary about. My real rival to Edward's heart wasn't even alive anymore. It was a pretty daunting notion having to compete with a glorified ghost.

And the worst part?

I was already starting to fall for him.

When the single bitter tear dripped down my cheek, I became aware of the fact that I had allowed my emotions to get the best of me.

"What are you doing?" Edward inquired slightly panicked, taking hold of my chin and making me look him in the eye.

I reached up and wiped the tear away, blinking rapidly to keep the other ones at bay.

"What did I tell you earlier?" he admonished, staring at me with blazing intensity.

I shrugged, sniffing and giving him a weak smile.

"I told you I care for you, did I not? Tanya was my wife for nine and a half years. It's not that easy to let go and pretend like she didn't exist. She was a very important part of my life for a long time."

"I know… I…"

"Can you let me do this at my own pace?"

"I'm sorry," I apologized sincerely. "I don't want to pressure you."

"You think that if I don't call you my girlfriend, I can't do this?" he whispered, kissing me on the mouth gently. "Or this?" he kissed my throat. "Or… this?" he trailed his lips down my chest, settling on the bare top of my right breast.

I felt my face getting hot, and he ran his thumbs along my cheekbones and up to my temples where he started rubbing slow circles. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are when you blush like this?"

I shook my head and he smiled, pulling me flush to his chest as he buried his nose into my hair. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and we stayed like that for a long time.

He was the one to break the embrace. Still keeping me close to him, he next asked a question that took me by surprise.

"Do you want to spend Christmas with me?"

"What about your family?" I said doubtfully.

His only answer was an exaggerated roll of his eyes.

"Okay."

"Yeah?" he said excitedly, resembling a little boy who just got his way with something. It was endearing seeing this more cheerful part of him.

"Yeah," I replied in kind.

~~ 0 ~~

Later that evening, I was just getting the pizza out of the oven, when the intercom started buzzing. Edward threw me a confused look before abandoning the kitchen towel he was holding on the counter. He made his way to the front door and seconds later Peter's warm voice filled the silence.

"Sir, a Miss Denali is here to see you."

I frowned, placing the pan with the steaming pizza on the stove and taking off the oven glove I had on.

"Send her up," I heard Edward's quiet reply, and I wondered who this unexpected guest was.

I made quick work of slicing the crispy dough, and soon enough there was a knock at the door. The unmistakable sound of heels echoed through the spacious condo, finally reaching my ears.

"What are you doing here?" Edward spoke first, sounding surprised.

A soft feminine voice answered, "Jasper gave me the address. I hope you don't mind."

Unable to take it anymore, I headed out of the kitchen and into the hallway. As soon as I rounded the corner, my gaze fell upon a tall figure. She had long platinum blond hair falling freely over the short fur coat she was wearing. Sensing my presence, her head snapped in my direction, and I was met with steely blue eyes. She took me in from head to toe slowly, one of her eyebrows arching as she did so. Her callous scrutiny set my skin on fire, and I felt my face starting to redden for the millionth time that day.

Edward seemed at a loss for words for a moment. He glanced between us before extending one of his hands towards me introductorily. "This is Isabella. Isabella, this is Irina. Tanya's younger sister."

"Nice to meet you," I said politely, doing my best not to squirm under her frigid examination.

She stared some more but didn't respond, instead turning to Edward. "I need to talk to you."

"I can go to the kitchen, or leave…" I mumbled disconcerted.

"No," Edward said firmly, throwing Irina a warning look.

She huffed, clearly disbelieving the fact that he wanted me there for what was supposed to be their private conversation.

"Fine." Projecting a few signals denoting irritation, she removed her coat, not bothering to take off her high heel boots.

Edward motioned for her to step ahead of him towards the living room. Placing his hand on the small of my back, he pushed me in the same direction, giving me a hard, no-nonsense look when I refused to budge.

"You go," I said, taking a step back in the kitchen's direction.

He took hold of my wrist, stopping me. "Stop acting like a child, Isabella. She's not that bad."

Edward had to practically drag me. Irina was already seated in an armchair, and we occupied the couch. Even though she didn't seem much older than me, the woman intimidated me. She was shooting such cold looks my way; Narnia's White Witch paled in comparison.

Trying to avoid her stares, I concentrated my attention on the TV that was still on.

"I was thinking we should organize something for the 25th," she said, her calculated voice suddenly taking a softer tone. "That's if you're not too busy."

I could see Edward nod in my peripheral. "What did you have in mind?"

"Small gathering at my parents'," she answered, and I couldn't help but wonder what they were talking about. "It was actually Mom's idea."

"Of course," Edward said solemnly. "What do you need me to do?"

"Just be there. Mom and I will take care of everything else." She opened her purse, rummaging for something. "But I do need the number of the florist you used to buy her those beautiful Camelias from."

"Sure." He got up. "I think I have a card somewhere. I'll be right back."

As soon as Edward left the room, my heart started beating harder in my chest. I was a nervous wreck. I didn't want to be there, in the same confined space with the sister of the woman I was replacing to some degree.

"And who might you be?" she inquired after a couple of minutes of awkward silence, forcing me to look at her.

"A friend," I said evasively.

She chuckled humorlessly. "I wasn't born yesterday." Her eyes took me in again, this time almost curiously. "You're obviously very different from my sister. Well… I guess sometimes diversity can be good," she mused.

I was confused. Was she actually saying I was good for Edward?

Irina opened her mouth to speak again when Edward showed up, holding a small piece of paper.

"Here it is."

"Thanks." She took it from him, forgetting all about me. "Also, the 25th is on a Wednesday, so we'll have to make sure everyone can attend. I think seven is a good hour. Everyone gets off work by then. And on Saturday we can all go to the cemetery. The family, I mean. Do you want to order the bouquet for the grave yourself or should I do it?"

"I'll do it."

"Okay." Shoving the card into her wallet, Irina got up. "I'll go now. I don't want to be intruding."

"You're not," Edward said reassuringly. "We were just about to eat. Would you like to join us?"

She glanced at me, seeming to ponder her answer. If she wanted to ruin my evening with her ex brother-in-law, this was the perfect opportunity.

"No," she finally said, smiling at him lovingly. "I'm just passing by. I have to get home." She smoothed down her pencil skirt, throwing her purse over her shoulder and turning on her heels. "Good evening," she said, exiting the room with Edward in tow.

"Good evening," I called, letting out a deep breath and slumping back into the couch.

"Call me if there's anything you need help with," I heard Edward say as the door opened.

"I will." Her answer was followed by the sound of kissing then the echo of her boots hitting the marble flooring announced her departure. "Bye."

"What was that all about?" I asked when Edward came back.

"I'll tell you over dinner," he said, holding his hand out for me.

I dwelled on the guilt creeping up on me as I polished my second glass of wine and Edward was placing our dirty plates in the dishwasher. So, my whole jealousy fit had been in vain. The 25th of January was the day Tanya had died a year prior. Of course a relationship was the last thing on his mind, especially at this time of the year. I had once promised him I was going to give him time, and today I had stomped all over that promise.

Placing the glass on the countertop, I walked over to him. I circled his waist with my arms and rested my forehead on his back.

He finished his task then spun around to face me. Leaning down abruptly, he picked me up bridal style, making me squeal at the unexpected gesture.

He laughed and carried me down the long hallway. I glanced at him questioningly when we passed the living room and one of the bathrooms, but he kept on walking. Reaching a door at the end of the hallway, he pushed it open with his foot, stepping inside.

Looking around I saw it was a bedroom.

His bedroom.

He fell on top of me on the king-sized bed, his hands reaching up to cradle my face.

"Do you want to spend the night?"

A/N Thanks for reading!

~ Andreea ~