Hot Commodity: Chapter 2 - Nothing but the Headlines

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Chapter 2 – Nothing but the Headlines

Bella's POV

Edward Cullen made an appearance in my dreams that night. By the time I woke up, I was so hot and bothered that I took a cold shower for good measure.

I didn't put much effort into getting ready since I was only meeting Rose and Alice. We'd been going to Sara Beth's every Sunday for brunch for the past five years. It was conveniently located for all three of us, and close enough to both Madison and Fifth Avenues that Rose could indulge in retail therapy after we ate. Perhaps someone should warn Emmett about her compulsive shopping tendencies. The thought made me snicker.

I pulled on my favorite hooded sweatshirt and headed out the door. Autumn was the best season in the city. The air was crisp, the leaves were slowly changing color, and all the shops started changing their displays for the holidays. I found Alice and Rose at our usual table by the window.

"I would like the everything porridge with a side of bacon and a coffee with room for cream please." Alice looked at me like I'd lost my mind. I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm starving, drinking does that to me."

"I'll have the veggie omelet, no cheese, made with egg whites, and a water."

Rose was always the last to order. "I'll take the fruit bowl with an English muffin and orange juice." 

She was also the only one of us that ate the same exact thing every weekend. I was sure all the wait staff had her order memorized by now and just continued to ask for it as a formality.

"Okay, spill the beans. What happened after we left last night?" Alice wasn't one to beat around the bush. Rose blushed and a devilish grin spread across her face.

"He's definitely not gay, I can tell you that much." Alice and I pretended to look shocked. "He came back to my place and told me he'd liked me ever since the Tony Awards. He said he was afraid to ask me out because I seem so 'powerful' and 'independent.'" Rose held her hands up and made quotation marks with her fingers.

I stirred two packets of Splenda and a pod of half and half in my coffee, hoping the caffeine would make the inevitable sex talk easier to endure. "Did you show him how powerful you are between the sheets?"

"More like he showed me." The waitress returned with our food, halting the conversation for the briefest of moments. "Ladies, I have never met a man who was so rough in bed. My hair got pulled, my ass got slapped, and he had me in all these wild positions. Best of all, he has the biggest dic-"

"I draw the line at discussions about penis size when I'm eating!" I shook my spoon at Rose in mock disapproval. "So tell us, now that all the spanking has subsided, are you going to see him again?"

"He's still at my apartment. Right before we fell asleep he told me he wanted to cook for me this week. Something about showing me how a real man treats a lady." Alice and I both sighed.

"Any man who offers to cook for you is a keeper," I teased.

"Any man who isn't Jacob fucking Black is a keeper," Rose sneered. She and Jacob started dating shortly after we moved to New York. He was a total douche bag, something that Alice and I reminded Rose of every day, but she loved him enough to stay with him through four long years of bullshit. Things finally came to an end when she returned early from a trip to LA and found Jacob in bed with her cousin Tanya. He still tried to call from time to time, but Rose always stood her ground and put him in his place.

"I know it's a little off topic, but there's something I wanted to show you." Alice smirked and slid the paper across the table. I felt all the blood drain from my face as I stared at the column.

There it was, in big, bold letters: "IS BELLA SWAN NEW YORK'S BITCHIEST BACHELORETTE?" There were two pictures of Edward and I underneath it, one of me hitting him in the face and one of me pouring my champagne all over his phone. I cringed as Rose read the article out loud.

"Manhattan PR executive Isabella Swan made quite the scene during Victoria White's charity event at the Guggenheim last night. The 29-year-old up-and-coming socialite, whose claim to fame is her friendship with popular fashion designer, Rosalie Smith, tries to avoid all red carpet events. When she makes an appearance, however, she certainly leaves her mark. This time it was on playboy Edward Cullen's face! Our sources tell us that Swan got feisty – and a bit nasty – when Cullen, 31, tried to make her acquaintance. The brunette beauty gave Cullen a slap and then did what no woman has dared do before: destroyed his cell phone.

"Swan's display didn't discourage Cullen, however. Sources say the finance guru spent the rest of the night eyeing her from across the room – and not with distaste!

"What's going on with these two young Manhattanites? Is Bella Swan really just a bitch? Or does she have a secret Edward Cullen itch that she's dying to scratch? No matter what the circumstance, we can't wait to see the story of this New York duo unfold."

I wasn't sure if I should be humiliated or furious.

"Secret 'Edward Cullen itch?' You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Apparently I was taking the furious route. "There is no new 'duo' doing any unfolding here. As far as I'm concerned I never want to see that man's hopelessly gorgeous mug again!" Tears sprung to my eyes.

Alice flagged down the waitress. "Can we get our check please?" She patted my shoulder comfortingly. "It's just cheesy gossip, Bell. By the end of the week nobody will think twice of it."

"Which was why you just had to bring it up at brunch, right?" Rosalie scolded.

"Yeah, except now I have to watch over my shoulder for him because God forbid anyone sees us in the same vicinity. The next thing you know they'll have us getting married." I gulped down the rest of my coffee and stuffed a twenty in the leather pad that held our checks. Rose grabbed the cash and handed it back to me.

"My treat today," she said, handing the waitress her credit card.

"Wow, you need to get laid more often." Rose stuck her tongue out at Alice and signed the charge receipt.

"What's on the agenda today, ladies?" I followed my friends outside where Rose's car was waiting.

"I do believe a good old fashioned Madison Avenue shopping trip is in order. I need some new shoes for my dinner date with Emmett."

"Bianca's concert is tonight. I have to spruce up the apartment before my parents get here." Bianca was Alice's younger sister. She recently graduated from the Juilliard School and was now playing with a symphony.

"What about you, bitchy bachelorette from hell?" I flipped Rose off for the comment.

"Crawling into a hole and dying?" I could only keep a straight face for a minute and then we all three broke out in laughter.

"Ciao girls! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!" Rose air kissed us both before hopping in the Lincoln. 

I gave Alice a hug and headed off towards my apartment.

The words from the gossip article were stuck to my brain like glue.

"Itch to scratch … New York duo … Pfft," I muttered as I lit a cigarette.

I would do cartwheels backwards through the flaming pits of hell before I was part of any duo involving Edward Cullen.

---

Edward's POV

Seven A.M.? What the fuck am I doing up at seven A.M.?

My head throbbed from drinking too much scotch, my back hurt from sleeping in an awkward position, and my crotch ached from the onset of my usual morning wood. I wandered out to my living room, pulling back the curtains and inviting the sun in.

Even though I watched the city come to life each day, I was still a little awestruck by the sight of it. Food vendors were busy setting their carts up and serving their first customers. Newspaper stand clerks were bustling around organizing their displays and making sure there were plenty of copies of the Sunday edition of the New York Times for purchase. People strolled out of Starbucks with cappuccinos and lattes in hand, some alone, some with friends, and some dressed in their Sunday best. Across the street several sets of joggers were stretching in Central Park, preparing for their morning workout.

I leaned my head against the floor-to-ceiling glass and sighed. Portions of last night flashed through my mind; champagne flying at me, my brunette's eyes flashing with anger before she hit me, the way her ass looked when she'd stormed off … and, of course, the bet.

I bit my bottom lip, trying to decide how to handle this situation. I still had no idea who this girl was, but I could probably figure that out with a few phone calls. I'd made a horrible first impression, and based on her reaction, I knew it was going to take a hell of a lot more than an apology to change her opinion of me. Don't forget the part about making her fall in love with you, a tiny voice in the back of my head chided.

I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. I needed to go for a run. It was the only way I could clear my head and make some of the stress go away. Before that, however, I needed to relieve myself of the massive bulge in my boxers.

I started for my bedroom but headed for the bathroom instead, not wanting to worry about cleaning up after myself. I stripped off my boxers, letting my hard-on spring free, and stepped in the shower. The water felt nice, easing the pain in my head just a tad. I took my cock in my hand, running my palm up and down the shaft slowly. I leaned against the tiles and closed my eyes, picturing her naked and on her knees before me.

In my fantasy, the water slid down her shoulders and fell off her perky breasts in a stream of warm droplets. She had her lips wrapped around my cock and her big brown eyes were locked with mine. Her hand was on her clit, rubbing it in fast circles with an increasing amount of pressure. I swept her hair to the side so I could see her face, running the back of my hand along her jaw and down her neck.

I curled my fingers around my cock and began to jerk up and down quickly, using my fingertips to massage the slick combination of precum and water into the soft skin of the head. I used my other hand to cup my balls, squeezing them gently and rolling them against my palm. I kept this pattern, alternating between long, even strokes and faster ones. I wanted the fantasy to go on as long as possible. Unfortunately my body, particularly my dick, didn't want to cooperate. It didn't take more than a few minutes for the familiar pre-orgasmic heat to start to spread throughout my thighs and lower abdomen. I hunched forward as my cock emptied itself in five strong spurts.

In my fantasy, my sexy brunette came at the same time, swallowing everything I gave her, and moaning in ecstasy while my dick was still in her mouth.

I stood motionless under the water, savoring the moment and allowing the haze to lift from my brain. When I could finally feel my legs in their entirety, I slipped into some sweats and a wife-beater, laced up my Nikes, and grabbed my iPod.

I'd been running every morning since high school. It was my escape, the one activity that took my mind off of everything else that was going on in my life. When I was running, nothing and no one else mattered. It was just me, my tunes, and the scenery of Central Park.

Today I just couldn't seem to relax. All I could think about was the bet and the brunette and what my plan of action should be. Seeing her again would probably be easy enough. Getting her to engage in an actual conversation with me was going to be the tricky part. I jogged down 92nd Avenue, stopping for a red light at Madison. I leaned over, resting my hands on my knees and taking deep breaths. I wiped some sweat from my forehead and looked up to see if the traffic light had changed.

There she was, flanked by her two friends from the previous night. They walked a few yards in the opposite direction of the diner they'd emerged from before doubling over in laughter at something she said. Her smile was contagious and it took me a minute to realize I was now grinning like an idiot. She was wearing a pair of skinny jeans, a hooded sweatshirt, and glasses. Her hair was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail and her face showed no hint of makeup. Even casual looked good on this woman.

Her blonde friend blew the other two kisses before climbing into a waiting Towncar. My brunette hugged her other friend goodbye and started walking … directly towards me.

Not wanting to seem like a stalker on top of an asshole, I quickly jogged across the street and continued for another block down Madison. When I was sure she was nowhere to be seen I headed back in the direction of my apartment.

Jasper was outside when I got there. He thrust a Dunkin Donuts cup at me, which I gladly accepted.

"Another beautiful Sunday in Manhattan." He grabbed a newspaper off the hood of his car and followed me inside. "I must admit I'm rather surprised to see you up this early."

"You're telling me. I felt like a fucking disaster an hour ago." The run had done nothing to ease my mind but it certainly had helped to ease my hangover. I tossed my keys on the kitchen counter and kicked off my shoes. Jasper dropped down on my sofa and flipped the TV on.

"We gonna watch the Giants game later?" I nodded at him before ducking into my room. I took a quick shower and put on a pair of jeans and a black sweater before joining my friend in the living room.

Jasper slid the newspaper he'd been carrying across the coffee table at me. "I thought you might enjoy a bit of Sunday morning humor." I looked at him curiously, opening the paper to the page he'd earmarked. I grimaced in horror when I saw the headline and the photos.

"Fuck man, you've got to be kidding me." My eyes skimmed the article and I literally laughed out loud when I read the part about her suspected itch. "Bella Swan, huh? So you do have a name, beautiful."

"I'm not sure if this will help your cause, but at least you can look her up now." Jasper flipped through the channels aimlessly. "And while you track down Bella, I'm going to track down Alice Erickson."

"Who?"

"Your brunette's friend from the party. I did a little research this morning and it looks like they're business partners."

"Erickson you said?" I racked my brain for some reason as to why I'd recognize her name.

"Yep." Jasper leaned his head back on the couch and closed his eyes. "Her family owns New York Stock and Bond." My head snapped up in recognition.

"I can't believe I didn't put two and two together before." I stood up and paced across the living room. "Carlisle and Esme hired her to do their annual bash in the Hamptons a few years ago. I remember Esme saying something about her having a business partner who was back in Washington visiting her family. That must be Bella." My parents operated a chain of five-star hotels that spanned down the Eastern seaboard. Every August they threw a party for their friends, family, and most loyal guests. Eventually the guest list started getting too big and some of the names were too high profile. That was when Esme began hiring PR firms to handle everything from the invitations to security arrangements.

"No shit? So Esme is the gateway to both of these women?" Jasper's eyes met mine and I knew we were on the same page. I grabbed my keys and Jasper got the door.

This is too easy, I thought as we got in Jasper's SUV. Esme would give us Alice's number, Jasper would get his date with her, and I would have access to Bella.

I couldn't help but smile as I thought about all the banging parties we would throw at my Hamptons pad next summer.

If all went as planned, I would have a date set up with Bella by the end of the week.

And by the end of the year … well, she'd be in love with me.

---

Bella's POV

After brunch I tried to keep myself busy. I did all my laundry, cleaned my apartment, went grocery shopping, and even managed to get in a workout at the gym. I painted my nails, rearranged my bedroom, and read a few chapters from a book before finally settling into bed for the night.

That was three hours ago. It was almost one in the morning and I had yet to fall asleep.

The reason behind my insomnia was ridiculous. Every time I closed my eyes all I saw was Edward 

Cullen's face staring back at me. His green eyes stood out against his light skin and his auburn hair was gelled up in a playful fashion.

"Damn it all…" I sighed in frustration and reached in the nightstand beside me. Maybe I couldn't count on a man to provide me with nightly pleasure but my trusty bullet never failed me.

I ran my fingers across my stomach and up to my breasts, pinching one of my nipples and massaging the soft skin around it. I clicked my toy on and slid it inside my pajama pants. Usually I teased myself for a bit but tonight I jumped right in the game, circling my clit with the vibrating plastic. The sensations traveled through my body and a moan escaped my lips.

In my fantasy, Edward had me pinned up against the wall of my kitchen. My legs were wrapped around his waist and he was thrusting in and out quickly. Sweat beaded his forehead, my fingers were twisted in his hair, and the only noises I could hear were the sounds of labored breathing mixed with moans and cries of pleasure.

My body arched off the bed as the orgasm tore through me. I bit my fist to avoid screaming and fell limply against the sheets.

After that I had no trouble falling asleep.

I made a mental note to thank Edward Cullen for the mind-blowing fantasy.

---

Edward's POV

After a few hours of internal debate I gave in and dialed the number. It probably wouldn't look very professional, leaving a voicemail at 2:24 on a Monday morning, but I didn't care. I couldn't wait any longer.

One, two, three rings passed with no answer. The fourth ring triggered the voicemail: "Hello! You've reached the office of Alice Erickson. I'm either on the phone or away from my desk, but if you leave a detailed message including your name, phone number, and the reason for your call, I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you and have a wonderful day!"

I took a deep breath and waited for the beep.

"Hello Alice. My name is Edward Cullen. I was hoping you could help me with something. I'm looking for information on hiring a publicist…"