Authors Note -

Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated in a while I've just been mega busy with school. I hope you enjoy this next chapter, I think the last bit definitely moves the story forward when it comes to Edward and Bella anyway.

Let me know if you have any questions or need anything to be clarified, I'll be happy to help.

Chapter Twelve:Bastard

"He asked you out?!" Haley shouts, the contents of her mouth visible as she doesn't bother swallowing before speaking.

The outraged stares make me immediately regret telling them about Jasper.

"I don't know if I'd call it asking me out. I mean he just-"

She swallows and holds her hand up to stop me. "He asked you out Bella, there's no question about it. Infact the only question about it, is what you said back to him?"

Haley, Alice and Rosalie all stare at me expectantly, which baffles me. Isn't it obvious what I'd said?

"No, obviously! Do you really think I'd date my, sort of boss?!"

Alice raises her eyebrow as if to say, 'don't knock it, until you've tried it' figures she'd fucked one of her bosses.

"He's technically not your boss, he's your bosses baby brother, that's allowed."

"Says who?" I ask, my voice raising high.

"Everyone! Rose, would you date your bosses brother?"

Her face is blank before she answers, it's as if she's here but her mind is elsewhere. "Erm he's an only child."

"No wonder he's so bitter." Haley says scoffing, but she doesn't know the half of it.

"I don't know why you said no Bella, I'd fuck Jasper."

This time I'm the one looking at Alice with my mouth wide open.

"Isn't he a bit too, I don't know… straight-laced for your taste?" Haley asks what all of us are thinking.

Jasper was far from Alices normal taste, she tended to go for angry men who wanted the whole no strings attached thing. Whereas Jasper screamed the relationship type.

She shrugs her shoulders. "I like to mix it up every once in a while."

"Wow, didn't expect that. If anything I would have paired you up with that Emmett guy, I've heard about his reputation." Haley says, but what she doesn't notice is how Rosalie tenses up at his name. Something I on the other hand, definitely see.

"Rose I'd put you with Edward because you're both insanely attractive and you kind of match. Bella, you can have Mr. Black, you're both quiet, you're both hostile toward strangers. I guess that means I'd be left with Jasper, which could work."

I want to tell Haley her assumptions are infact rather silly but as I listen to her talk, I realise she's right in a way.

Alice and Emmett were the male and female version of eachother, both were known for their reputations, both were clearly the rebels out of either family.

Rosalie and Edward were obviously both extremely beautiful beings. There's no doubt in my mind that Edward must find Rose pretty, and she was perfect for him in the sense that she was just as arrogant as he was.

Haley and Jasper would be a match made in heaven, and if he wasn't part of the family who had threatened my own, I'd be forcing this to happen myself. They were both bubbly characters who were nothing but nice.

Me and Jacob? Well I could see where she was coming from. We'd both suffered with pain in our lifetime, we were both closed off people.

"Alice and Emmett would never work." Rose says, shaking her head. "They'd end up cheating on eachother within a week."

Alice and Haley laugh, both of them hearing Rosalies words as they want to.

"That's true. Once is more than enough. That's my motto." Alice smirks.

My phone rings before anyone has a chance to reply. I look down at the caller ID and can't ignore how my heart speeds up slightly.

"Mr Cullen?" I ask apprehensively when I go to answer it.

"Your lunch break is over, I want you back at Blacks immediately."

He ends the call before I can say anything and I sit there staring at my phone for seconds wondering if that just happened.

Why was he so rude and abrupt? I'd been gone less than half an hour.

"Sorry guys, I'm needed back at Blacks."

"I better go back with you then." Rosalie says to me.

Haley groans as Rose and I get up to leave.

"Alice how did you get here?" She asks.

"I got dropped off by a friend."

"Okay well once we're finished up here, I'll drop you off home."

"Thanks." She says chewing down the rest of her food.

"See you guys later, have fun with the bosses from hell." Haley winks at both of us.

We wave goodbye and head back to Blacks, which is thankfully only a five minute walk from where we are.

"So what's going on with you and Emmett?" I ask Rosalie, finally deciding it's time to bring it up.

"What do you mean?" She replies, none the wiser.

"I see the glances you guys send eachother, and today at the office. What did he want with you? Last time I checked, you guys didn't even speak in highschool and now you're suddenly friends?"

"Nothing, and we didn't speak in school. He was only there for two years, our groups didn't exactly mix. Plus I wouldn't exactly call him a friend, he's just a guy that I kno-knew."

Her words don't sway me, I know in my gut there's something going on but I don't push it. She'll tell me when she's ready.

We head inside Blacks and ride the elevator up to the sixteenth floor in silence. The doors open and all four guys are standing around chatting amongst themselves.

As all eyes fall on us I start to feel self conscious; I'm standing next to someone I consider the prettiest woman in the world. I must look like shit compared to her.

I peak a secret glance at Edward and realise he has his eyes on Rosalie. Something inside me deflates. I literally feel like my heart is full of air and someone has just popped it.

Jasper smiles wide at me and my mood lifts a little, but not enough.

Why was Edward affecting me like this? I should hate the ground he walks on.

"Come on." Edward says suddenly storming past me towards the stairs.

I look at Rosalie and murmur a goodbye before walking as fast as I can after Edward, who's already on the stairs.

He's a whole flight beneath me and I realise I'm not going to catch up to him in heels so I pull them off and skip down the stairs.

"Why didn't we use the elevator?" I ask when I'm a few steps behind him, hating that I'm getting out of breath.

"Time is a precious thing Bella, you'd be wise to manage it properly."

"R-right, where are we going again?" I say trying to breathe in as much air as I can.

Fuck I needed to hit the gym and sort out my fitness, and then maybe lay back on the Reese Butter Cups too.

He stops suddenly on the second floor and I go catapulting into his back. I fall back onto the stairs, hurting my behind in the process.

He turns round and stares down at me, not bothering to help me up.

"Are you out of breath?" He asks looking pissed off.

I carry on sitting, thankful for being able to rest my legs and sort my breathing out. "No." I shoot back but my voice betrays me as I gulp down air.

"We're walking down stairs, not climbing up a mountain. How is it you're out of breath?" I open my mouth ready to defend myself, shocked that he can so easily offend me with his words but he cuts me off. "Never mind, it's obvious you don't go to the gym."

I flinch while trying to fight back the tears. There was two things you should never ever bring up with women; their looks, and their weight.

Yet he'd brought up both and called me ugly and overweight. Me being ugly was a matter of opinion, obviously some people found me attractive, Jasper had asked me out on a date yesterday.

Weight was a different issue, I knew I wasn't ever going to be stick thin, I had ass, I had boobs. I wasn't overweight but I wasn't ever going to be a runway model, and I was glad for that.

But who the fuck was he to critique me?

I get up from the steps and walk straight past him, once I'm on the last set of stairs and sure he's behind me I whisper a few words to him. "Like you said Mr Cullen, time is of the essence and I have much more important things to attend to rather than go to the gym."

He pulls my shoulder back stopping me in my stride. I try and yank myself out of his grip but he tightens his hand on my shoulder and pulls me in by my waist with his other hand.

As we're in the lobby a few people glance our way but they ignore us, carrying on with their business.

His eyes are looking straight into mine and I can't seem to look away. Eye contact for me is a big no-no, especially if it lasts for more than three seconds, but here I am staring in the eyes of my temporary boss.

Our faces are close. Close enough for us to kiss if I moved an inch forward.

Was he going to kiss me? No, he wouldn't, would he?

His face moves closer and my skin begins to tingle, like a thousand kisses are being placed on my body. A sudden current runs through me and I realise I want to be kissed.

I want to be kissed by him. I don't care that he's my boss. I don't care that he's threatened my family. I don't care that he's obviously not attracted to me.

For one second, I just don't care, and it feels good. It feels like the weight of the world has been lifted off of my shoulders and I can finally breathe.

I revel in the feeling knowing that in less than a minute it will all come crashing back down and I'll hate the man standing in front of me.

I close my eyes ready for him to give me what I want. Ready for the kiss I've been waiting all my life for; that mind-blowing kiss that makes you think you're invincible.

His mouth moves to my ear, he's so close that when he speaks his lips brush against my ear slightly. "Remember who you're talking to Ms Swan."

I shiver at his closeness but my eyes snap open and just like that I'm awake. I've snapped out of my trance.

The weight is back along with my dislike.

He let's me go and carries on walking out of the building. I stand there for a few seconds watching him go, wishing I didn't have to follow.

Authors Note:

Thoughts? Like I said I'll try and get the next chapter up within the next month at least, but I'm hoping and striving to get it up within the next two weeks.

Crazy Fact - I was going to have Edward and Bella kiss in this chapter after I re-read the whole story and realised they hadn't even touched yet, but chose against it as there hasn't been a proper build up when it comes to the romance side of the two of them. It would have been too quick.

Question - Would you have wanted them to kiss? Also, what do you think of Haleys pairings she made of the group?