Hot Commodity: Chapter 6 - Playing With Fire

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Chapter 6 – Playing With Fire

Rosalie's POV

Ring, Ring.

I opened one eye and looked at my alarm clock. Who the hell would be calling me at six in the morning? I closed my eyes and nestled back into my cocoon, hoping whoever it was would just leave me a voicemail. They didn't, however, because no sooner had the ringing stopped than it started right back up again.

I grabbed the phone off my nightstand and, not bothering to look and see who it was, hit answer. "What?"

"Rose? Are you still sleeping?" Bella sounded like she'd had four cups of coffee already. I kicked off the covers and climbed out of bed.

"I was," I hissed. "Hold on a minute." I grabbed my robe off the back of my door and slipped it on quietly. I looked over my shoulder and smiled at the sight. Emmett was curled on his side sleeping soundly. He looked so peaceful and young lying there. My insides melted and for a brief moment I thought about how wonderful it would be to wake up to his face every morning for eternity.

"Rose, what on earth are you doing?" Bella sounded irritated. I closed the bedroom door softly and made my way to the kitchen.

"I don't want to wake Emmett. We had a late night last night." I flushed when I thought about all the late nights we'd had in the few short weeks we'd been seeing one another. "If you know what I mean."

I could almost hear Bella rolling her eyes. "I told Edward Cullen I'd be his friend."

"You what?" I busied myself with making coffee.

"I told Edward Cullen I'd be his friend," Bella repeated. She sighed in exasperation and I was pretty sure I could hear her palm colliding with her forehead. "In a moment of weakness I agreed to be friends with him and now I have no fucking idea what to do."

"What's so bad about being friends? You're friends with most of your clients."

"He's not just any client, Rose. He's Edward fucking Cullen for fucks sakes." I took a seat at my breakfast bar and stifled a yawn. "What the hell was I thinking? He can't even go five minutes without talking about sticking his dick in something. How are we supposed to be friends?"

"Bella, take a deep breath, please." I got up and poured myself a cup of coffee and sat back down. 

"I think you're reading too far into this. He came to you because you do good work, simple as that. He's not the type to go to drastic measures just to get a woman into bed. He's proven that he can have anyone he wants at any time. Besides, you were nothing but attitude with him last weekend and quite frankly, he probably thinks it's easier to call a truce than have to walk on eggshells every time he sees you."

That came out a little too harsh. This was precisely why I encouraged my girls to avoid calling me before the sun was up.

"Do you honestly think he feels that way, Rose?" Bella sounded frantic now.

"You know what I think, Isabella Swan?" I took a sip of my coffee. "I think you have a crush on Mr. Cullen. I've never seen you get so worked up about anyone before, especially a client."

The silence on the other end of the phone confirmed my suspicions.

"I do not like him. He's the epitome of everything I hate in a man, Rose."

"On the contrary Bella, if you hated him you wouldn't have agreed to be his friend. And if you didn't feel something for him you wouldn't be analyzing this into the ground with me at the ass crack of dawn." I smirked, knowing full well I had her on this one.

Bella sat in silence for a minute before responding. "You've been no help whatsoever, Rose!" I knew Bella was doing her best to sound upset, but her words came out in a high pitched, flustered frenzy.

"Perhaps you'll remember not to call me so early next time." I teased. I heard a muttered string of expletives on the other end of the line followed by an angry huff.

"Perhaps I'll call Alice next time."

I bit my lip to keep my laughter from escaping me. "You know I love you, Izzie." I hadn't used that nickname for her since college. The memories of Harvard brought a smile to my face.

"I know," she said, defeated. "I'm sorry I woke you up. I'll try to get my neuroses on a better schedule moving forward."

"My early morning bitchiness appreciates your efforts." I jumped as I felt a pair of warm arms snake around my waist. Emmett pulled me against his chest and started raining kisses down my cheek and the side of my neck. "Uh, Bella, I have to go. Emmett just woke up." I giggled as he nibbled on my earlobe.

"Oh my god, gross. My eardrums would appreciate it if you could refrain from beginning sexual escapades while we're on the phone." I was willing to bet Bella was blushing profusely on the other end of the line. "I'll text you later, Rose."

"Bye Bella! And don't spend your whole day fretting!" I ended the call and slid the phone across the kitchen counter. Emmett spun me around and his lips met mine in a hungry kiss.

"Good morning." He smiled against my lips and pushed his hips into me. His erection pressed against my thigh, shielded only by his pajama bottoms.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and ran my tongue along his jaw. "It certainly feels like a good morning." He put his hands on my hips and walked me backwards until I was leaning up against the back of the couch. He untied my robe and pushed it to the floor, leaving me naked before him. His mouth went straight to one of my nipples, and he sucked gently on it.

I hung my head back and a soft moan escaped my lips.

Now this was worth getting up early for.

---

Bella's POV

It wasn't even noon and I'd already run out of things to do in my office. I was so irritated by the conversation I'd had with Rose this morning that I went into work two hours early and hammered everything out in record speed. I'd even managed to map out the beginnings of a plan I'd come up with to help bring lots of publicity to both Edward and his book. It would involve about a two-month time commitment from him and quite a bit of travel for the both of us, but I had a feeling he would be beyond excited if I could pull it off. I intended on keeping the details to myself until everything was set in stone and unveiling the news at his book release party so he could celebrate with his family and friends present.

I leaned back in my chair and stared out my office window distractedly. I'd spent a good portion of my morning trying to decide if I really did have feelings for Edward. Rose had a way with words, and her comments on the phone earlier served as a healthy dose of reality. She was right, I'd never ever worried so much about what a client thought of me or why a client had chosen me, and I'd certainly never spent so much time dissecting every interaction I had with one. Of course I'd also never had a client as good looking as Edward, and that made it even harder for me to banish him from my thoughts. At about ten o'clock I came to the conclusion that I did, in fact, have some feelings for him, though I wasn't quite sure what or how intense they were. It was bad enough to have to acknowledge that I might actually like the guy. The last thing I wanted to admit was that a part of me – and I didn't know how big that part was just yet – might want to make some haphazard attempt to actually be with him in some form.

The absurd part of the situation was that I knew what Edward's reputation was and I'd gotten to experience it first hand at the Guggenheim only a few short weeks ago. I knew how much of a pig he could be when he wanted to and that he felt some twisted sense of pride when it came to his attitude towards women. Years ago my mother had taught me that it isn't a woman's job to change a man, and up until now I hadn't been dumb enough to fathom trying. Now there was this small voice in the back of my mind that kept pushing me forward, telling me that my mere presence in Edward's life might serve as enough of a catalyst for him to change on his own.

Holy shit was I being foolish.

"Knock knock." Startled out of my daydream, I flipped forward abruptly in my chair and banged my knee hard against the windowsill.

"Shit!" I cried out, not caring who heard me. I rubbed my knee and spun around angrily. Edward stood in the doorway, his eyes wide with concern and his hand poised to knock on my open door. My expression softened and my mood brightened as soon as I laid eyes on him.

"I'm so sorry Bella, I had no idea you were spaced out." He came around the side of my desk and dropped to his knees in front of me. His hand massaged my leg, where a deep red mark that would eventually be a gnarly looking bruise was already starting to form. A zing of electricity hummed through my leg, causing me to jump involuntarily. His hand fell to his side and he stood up quickly, adjusting his tie and blushing a bit.

"It's no problem, I should probably be mindful of the fact that I'm in my office." I was flustered and I had no idea what to say, so I busied myself with organizing the pens in the cup on my desk.

He draped his suit jacket over the arm of the chair across from me and took a seat. I hadn't noticed the plastic bag he was carrying until he set it down on the edge of my desk. "I brought lunch. I hope you like Chinese."

"Do you ever work?" I teased. He smirked and began removing take out containers from the bag.

"Only when I have to." His green eyes twinkled and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. It was nice to not start things off with an argument. "I had a dentist appointment early this morning, followed by a meeting with my publisher, so I figured it couldn't hurt to drop in and pay a visit to my publicist as well."

I took a plate from him as he dished up our lunch. "You know, you should probably stop feeding me so often. I might get used to it."

"I thought I should butter you up today," he grinned and popped a piece of sweet and sour chicken into his mouth. "It came to my attention last night that I have a book coming out in six weeks and I have nothing ironed out for a release party."

"We're on the same wavelength today, Cullen, I was just thinking about this little fact on my way in this morning." I chewed my food thoughtfully. "Have you thought about where you want to have it or who you want to be there?"

"I was thinking the Living Room at the W in Times Square. I don't want anything big, I have a potential guest list I prepared actually, mostly just close friends and family, and a couple of my colleagues." He pulled a folded up piece of notebook paper out of his pocket and slid it across the desk towards me.

I opened it up and glanced over the names. "This is very classy, by the way," I said, referring to the wrinkled sheet of paper. "I'm impressed, there's only 50 people on here."

"I don't want it to be a spectacle." He looked down at his hands nervously. "I've never done anything like this before. Sure, my name shows up everywhere all the time, but this is the first time I've ever had to think about throwing a 'formal' party in honor of something I accomplished. I don't want to turn it into a big dog and pony show. I want it to be special, something I can share with a select few people before it becomes property of the outside world."

My mouth dropped open in surprise. Hearing something so sentimental come out of Edward's mouth was unexpected.

"Don't hide your surprise or anything," he laughed uneasily.

I could feel myself blushing. "I'm sorry, I guess you just caught me off guard with that one. I was expecting you to want something bigger and flashier."

"That's the Edward Cullen this city has made me out to be." He pushed his plate of food away, leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "If it were up to me I don't think I'd even have a party."

"It is up to you," I pointed out. "If you don't want a party all you have to do is say so. It's entirely your choice."

He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "No, no, I'll do the party. Esme would be bummed out if I didn't. She's so proud of me and of the book." His cheeks flushed red for a brief moment. "I just don't want to hype this thing up and then have it totally flop when it's released."

I felt my jaw start to drop again but I closed it quickly. So that's the underlying issue here, I thought to myself. Edward Cullen was insecure about his writing capabilities.

"It's not going to flop," I said softly. "The parts I read were great. It's going to be a hit with our generation, I'm almost sure of it."

Edward's expression brightened. "It means a lot to hear that."

We spent the next hour ironing out the details of the book release. I told Edward I'd contact the W and the catering company that afternoon to get everything booked. The party was scheduled for November 29, the day Edward's book came out. I was given the reigns when it came to designing the invitations and choosing the menu for the party. I even persuaded Edward to let me invite a few members of the media so he could get a small amount of exposure, despite the fact that he wanted it to be a private event.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but your one o'clock is here, Bella." Alice stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. I looked at the clock and cursed under my breath. Edward had been here for almost two hours.

"Thank you Alice! Edward and I were just finishing up!" Alice shook her head and winked at me before retreating to her own office.

Edward stood up and grabbed his suit coat. "I'm sorry I kept you so long! I hope your next client isn't too upset with the delay."

"It's only five minutes." I waved my hand in the air dismissively. "One more thing before you go. Forbes wants to interview you next Friday. The editor I spoke to said the feature would run in their December issue. You're also scheduled for Good Morning America on November 17."

"Wow, thank you, Bella." He started to put his arm around me in a hug but through twice and pulled back. "Professionalism in the office, I know." I chuckled and shook my head.

"Alright Cullen, scoot!" I shooed him into the hallway and towards the elevators, while I greeted my next client.

The bounce in my step wouldn't go unnoticed by Alice.

And the fact that after Edward's visit I'd all but forgotten my anxieties from this morning definitely didn't go unnoticed by me.

---

Edward's POV

I slid into the passenger seat of Jasper's SUV that night feeling better than I had in weeks. Despite my anxiety, I was excited for the interview next week and looking forward to seeing what Bella came up with for the book release party. I hadn't even known her for a month and I had complete faith in her abilities and judgment. It didn't hurt that my mom did nothing but sing praises about her and Alice's firm, but after being around Bella the few times I had, I could tell she had a gift for what she did.

This, of course, would work to my advantage as far as the bet was concerned, too. I could already tell Bella was starting to slowly but surely warm up to me. I'd dropped my bait and hook and she eagerly accepted it when she agreed to try being friends. Now I could start working on reeling her in and eventually I'd have the trophy girl on my arm (even if only for a short amount of time) and the keys to the Hamptons house in my hands. Then I could let her go, and I would be free to return to my bachelor lifestyle while she would be free to start hating my guts again.

A small ting of guilt resonated somewhere deep in my chest, but I pushed the feeling away and cleared my head. I lived with no regrets and I didn't allow myself to feel guilt in regards to any of my actions.

Except your actions with Jessica, my subconscious piped up. I winced at the thought of her name. 

One would think that after all these years the pain would subside. It hadn't.

"Is there something you need to tell me?" Jasper's voice broke through my thoughts. I looked over at him and saw the smug expression on his face.

"I have no idea what you're referring to," I answered honestly. He pulled a rolled up newspaper out of his coat pocket and tossed it at me. I recognized the trashy tabloid immediately.

"Oh god," I groaned. I flipped to the page he had earmarked and looked down at the article: 

"BELLA SWAN AND EDWARD CULLEN: SOHO LUNCH BUDDIES OR SOMETHING MORE?" There was a photo of Bella and I having lunch beneath the headline.

Jasper roared with laughter as he pointed the truck in the direction of my parent's house. "I'm going to guess you're just SoHo lunch buddies?" I nodded and read the article.

Looks like we were right after all about Bella Swan's itch for Edward Cullen. Just yesterday the two were spotted having lunch at a small café in SoHo. Our sources say the duo looked pretty homey together, laughing at inside jokes, sharing a piece of cheesecake, and gazing romantically at each 

other.

Perhaps someone slipped something in Cullen's water? All we can say is Bella better look out; leopards don't change their spots, and Edward's spots spell "PLAYER."

"Sharing a piece of cheesecake? I let her have a bite, for fucks sakes. I raved about it so much throughout lunch that she wanted to try it." I tossed the paper on the floor by my feet and ran a hand through my hair.

"So you two did go to lunch together?" Jasper was prying for information and I wasn't in the mood to divulge any.

"Keep reading the tabloids and you'll find out!" I muttered sarcastically. I thought about changing the subject, but I didn't have to. We entered Prospect Heights and were soon parked in front of my parents' house.

"Edward! Jasper!" My mother, Esme, had the door open before we were even up the front steps. 

"It's so good to see you both! I've missed you!" She enveloped us each in a hug before ushering us into the foyer. My father, Carlisle, stood at the bottom of the staircase, shaking his head in amusement.

"Good lord Esme, you'd think you hadn't seen them in years."

"Oh hush!" She swatted Carlisle's arm playfully and clasped her hands in front of her chest. "It feels like it's been years! Now that these two made names for themselves in the big city they don't have time for poor old mom anymore."

I held my chest in mock pain. "Ouch Mom, that hurts!" She fluffed my hair playfully before leading us to the kitchen.

Dinner at my parents' house had become a weekly tradition since I left for college. Every Tuesday, 

Jasper and I headed down to Brooklyn to enjoy one of Esme's home cooked meals and visit with my parents. I knew this was the highlight of Esme's week, especially when Carlisle was gone on business trips. Jasper's parents would usually join us if they were in town as well.

Tonight, Esme had prepared teriyaki tuna steaks with asparagus and fingerling potatoes. Everything was delicious, as always, and I took my time eating, wanting to savor every bite.

"Did Edward tell you who is representing him these days?" Jasper asked between bites. Carlisle looked up in surprise.

"Representing you? Are you in some sort of legal trouble?"

I laughed. "No, nothing like that dad. I hired a publicist to help with all of this book hoopla."

"Oh Edward, that's so great!" Esme gushed. "Which firm did you decide to go with?"

Jasper took it upon himself to answer for me. "He's working with Alice Erickson's partner, Bella 

Swan."

Esme's eyes lit up. "That's wonderful news, Edward! Those two women are delightful and good at what they do. You're in good hands."

"You should see everything Bella has done for me already, and it's only been a week since I hired her." I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face.

"We're so proud of you, Edward." Carlisle raised his glass in a toast. "To Edward and his book." 

The others joined in and we clinked our glasses together.

"What made you decide to work with Bella? Do you know others who have worked with her specifically?" Esme asked.

"Well, um, I knew that you had used the firm before, and I did a little research online and saw some great things." I lied. At least I'm keeping my stories straight across the board.

"I've only dealt directly with Alice, but I know the Crowleys have worked with Bella before and they had nothing but adoring things to say about her." Esme poured a bit more wine in all our glasses.

"Speaking of Alice Erickson, did Jasper tell you he went on a date with her, Mom?" I desperately needed to get the conversation off of me. My mom had an incredible knack for uncovering things I tried to hide, and the last thing I needed was for her to catch wind of the bet. Then she'd tell Alice and Alice would tell Bella and everything would blow up in my face.

"No, he most certainly did not!" Esme reached across the table and slapped Jasper's hand. "How did you two get hooked up?"

"Well, as it so happens, Edward here is trying to get with Bella." I was going to kill Jasper when we left. "He worked his magic to get me an introduction to Alice and everything went from there."

I thought Esme was going to spontaneously combust from happiness. "Bella? That's such a coincidence!" Jasper, Carlisle, and I stared at her with confused expressions. "When Alice did our Hamptons party a few years back, I was going to try to set you and Bella up. The poor thing had just gone through a really difficult breakup several months earlier though, so I left well enough alone. And you were still coming out of everything that happened with-"

I cut her off. "Mom, please don't say her name." I took a sip of my water and tried to reign in my impending irritation. "And I'm not trying to get with anyone. Bella and I have a purely professional relationship."

Esme squeezed my arm and smiled sadly. "Liking someone isn't anything to be ashamed of, 

Edward. You don't have to hide anything from your father and I. You deserve to be happy."

"Thank you Mom, I appreciate that, I really do. Bella and I are nothing more than publicist and client, however, so please don't say anything to Alice if you talk to her."

I kicked Jasper hard beneath the table, causing him to wince and choke on his tuna steak. Esme nodded in silent agreement and the four of us went back to eating. After dinner I stepped out on the patio to smoke a cigarette while Jasper helped my mom clear the table and get the dishes started.

"Still partaking in that disgusting habit?" My father joined me on the patio, closing the door gently behind him.

"Only when I'm stressed." I took a drag and blew a long stream of smoke out into the night sky.

"Edward…" Carlisle's voice trailed off as he thought about what to say. He sighed and put his hand on my shoulder. "You really do deserve to be happy. I sincerely hope you stop denying yourself of that someday."

I took a deep breath and butted my cigarette in the damp grass. "Thanks Dad. I hope so too."

If only it could be that easy.