Merry Christmas!!!
Not beta'd.
Edward frowned as Bella stumbled through the door. He’d been ready to lay into her for being late, but something about her appearance stopped him. She looked...like shit.
“Are you sick?” His voice was harsher than he intended. He couldn't decide if he was angrier something was obviously wrong with her, or that the thought bothered him.
She glared at him through hazy, bloodshot eyes. No matter how unreasonable or misplaced her feelings were, she blamed him for her massive hangover. “Why do you care?”
Her tone immediately set him off. “I don’t. But if you’re sick, you should have the common courtesy to let the people around you know. I don’t need to pick up whatever you’ve infected yourself with.”
Bella opened her mouth, no doubt to offer him a reply just as snarky, when a wave of nausea washed over her. She reached for the wall, steadying herself as her vision blurred and her stomach churned. Edward was out of his seat and across the room before he even realized what he was doing. He wrapped his arm around her waist to hold her upright, his face scrunched with concern. “Hey,” he said. His voice was soft as his eyes darted over her face. He pulled her to his chair, his movements slow and cautious as he watched her face flush with color. “Bella, are you okay?”
She pushed against his chest in a weak attempt to get away from him, but her effort was obviously more about principle than actual discomfort. “No.” Her words were no more than a groan as she fell gracelessly into his chair.
The moment she spoke the smell of tequila hit the air. Edward pulled his head back in distaste, the familiar smell wiping any concern he’d felt. “Yeah,” he said. His voice was flat and clipped, as he stepped away from her. “Tequila’s a bitch.”
Bella pressed her palm against her forehead and squeezed her eyes closed. She spoke before giving any thought to how her words would be interrupted. “Maybe if I would’ve done my shots from between someone’s breasts, I wouldn’t feel so bad.”
NOT BETA'D
Edward’s agitation grew with each passing second. He knew what she was doing and he was going to put a stop to it, now. The moment the last of his measurements were taken he straightened his back and cleared his throat. Turning his attention to the interns he smiled, it was over-the-top and insincere.
“I hope you two gained some valuable experience today working with Ms. Swan. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you two to get the fuck out.” Bella gasped and Tanya and Kate jumped in surprise as they gaped at him, frozen with shock. He hesitated for a moment before speaking again, his voice full of authority. “Now.”
The interns scampered toward the door, barely remembering to collect their purses before fleeing. Bella snatched up her pad and moved to follow them, but Edward was on her in three quick strides. He reached around her and slammed the door shut, his breath tickling the hair on her neck as he leaned into her and twisted the lock.
“Oh no,” he chuckled, the sound low and dark. “Not you, Ms Swan. You and me, we have some unfinished business to attend to.” He spun her around and pushed her against the door, his stance dominating as he caged her body with his.
“I think we covered just about everything earlier when you called me a whore.” Bella’s voice was harsh, her anger rising again as she remembered how his words had made her feel. And worse that he was completely justified to think that way about her.
“You’re playing a very dangerous game, Ivy. One that you won’t win. I hope you realize that.”
“You’re so fucking full of yourself. You think everything is about you. That whatever I do is somehow connected to stroking that inflated ego of yours. Well let me tell you something Mr. Cullen, your ego will be the last thing I’m thinking about stroking tonight.”
Not beta'd
“Is this because you didn’t fall all over yourself to sleep with him again?” Victoria knew Edward Cullen was a conceited jerk, but this seemed a little over the top, even for him.
“Honestly, yeah. I’m pretty sure the only reason he’s trying so hard is because I turned him down.”
Victoria stared at Bella, noticing the small changes that had appeared over the last several weeks. Since Edward had made it his mission to bed her for a second time. She knew Bella would never report him for harassment. She didn’t want people to know they’d slept together. And Victoria had no doubt that it would come out if Bella filed a complaint. But she needed to do something, for both their sanity.
“Then fuck him.”
“What?”
“Fuck him. Get it over with.” Victoria crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her brow.
“I’m not going to fuck him so he’ll leave me alone! Are you crazy?” Bella’s eyes widened as her voice verged on the edge of hysterical.
“It’s not like you haven’t already slept with the guy. And from the way you talked it was pretty damn great. So, why not? Although I might recommend gagging him first so you don’t have to listen to his mouth.” Victoria shuddered exaggeratedly as she thought about how annoying it'd be to listen to him talk smack. It didn’t matter how hot he was, he was still an obnoxious jerk.
We'll see Bella.....
His gaze drifted to her chest, a strange feeling of déjà vu sweeping over him as his eyes trailed down her body and back up again. “Have we met?”
Bella’s jaw slackened as disbelief washed over her. Was he serious? Did he really have no idea who she was? She searched his eyes for a hint of recognition, a sign that he was just messing with her, but all she found was sheer curiosity.
Her eyes tightened around the corners as her mouth curved into a sickly sweet smile. She tried to remain even tempered, to appear cool and collected, even though she was burning on the inside with embarrassment and anger. She knew he got around, knew he’d slept with more people in the last couple of years than she would in a lifetime, still it did nothing to lessen the sting of having someone not remember having sex with you.
“Nope.”
“No?” He cocked his head to the side and studied her, a slow smile spreading across his face. They might not know each other yet, but Edward was already thinking of ways to rectify that situation, and there was no time like the present. Just as he opened his mouth to speak a girl came flying around the corner, her wild red hair falling around her flushed face, her expression shocked as she stared at him.
Edward sighed internally and dropped his hands from the girl in front of him before running his fingers through his hair. He was used to the attention, the shock that always crossed women’s faces when they saw him in person for the first time. And while most of the time he was more than happy to listen to them go on about how amazing he was, right now he had other plans in mind.
Bella spun around as soon as she heard Victoria gasp, her eyes wide and pleading as she tried to communicate with Victoria that she was freaking out. Victoria slowed her pace as she approached Edward and Bella, their body language exactly how you would expect to see a predator and prey in the wild.
