This is something I wrote a little while ago for dear, brave Meli Stories and the "Words for Meli" compilation. I hope you enjoy this short bit of light-heartedness!

"It's all Jacob Black's fault! I could just strangle him!" Alice Brandon seethed, her dark eyes flashing.

Jasper Hale raised an eyebrow. "Alrighty then. And this Jacob Black would be…who?"

"Bella's first boyfriend in high school. He cheated on her when she wouldn't put out for him."

"Ouch. That sucks. And it certainly makes him an asshole, but what does he have to do with anything?"

"Mike Newton didn't help either," Alice continued without replying, caught up in her rant. "I should've twisted his balls off when I had the chance!"

"Mike Newton?"

"The possessive, controlling slug she dated her freshman year in college. He hated when she spent time with any of her friends and had to know what she was doing every minute of every day."

"Okay, so there's Jacob and Mike—"

"Oh my God, Paul! Ugh, how could I forget Paul? I think he was the nail in the coffin. The rat bastard. GQ on the surface, drug-dealing con man on the sly. We never suspected a thing until he disappeared one day...along with Bella's wallet and all of her jewelry." Alice pounded her fists on the restaurant table in unadulterated anger.

Jasper reached across the wood and gently grasped her hands. "Whoa, there, Karate Kid. Let's leave the place in one piece."

Alice sighed. "I know, I know, it's just…Bella's a sweet girl and doesn't deserve to have such a terrible history with guys. It kills me to see how introverted and closed off she's become."

"Bella was your college roommate, right? The one who just moved back to Seattle?"

Alice nodded. "Yeah. She went to live near her mom in Florida while getting her Master's but wasn't a fan of the heat and humidity. She's been here for about a month now. God, I feel like such a bad friend because I've hardly seen her at all. You know how many hours Rose and I have been putting in."

"I'm half-afraid to ask, but what brought on the sudden tirade?"

"Well, now that wedding season is winding down, I have time to catch up with her." A deep scowl formed on Alice's delicate features. "I was talking to her earlier today, trying to set up a casual get-together with some friends—Rose, maybe Rose's new guy if he's cool, you, Angela…" Alice trailed off, the furrows on her brow deepening.

"And?" Jasper prompted after a long silence.

"And...I might have given her a teeny tiny bit of grief about her lack of dating over the past three years." She hesitated as if to say something else but then pressed her lips tightly together.

Jasper gave her a skeptical, probing look. "And…?"

"And...I told her I knew a bunch of nice guys and tried to set her up on some dates!" Alice huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I was just trying to be helpful! She didn't need to get so pissy about it. And she definitely didn't need to call me an 'interfering nag' and then hang up on me!"

It wasn't easy, but Jasper somehow managed to keep a straight face instead of chuckling like he wanted to. "Um, is there any possibility you might have been pressing her just a little too hard? I haven't known you for that long, Ali dear, but you can be very, uh, insistent at times." He offered her a tender smile to soften his words.

"I suppose it's a possibility," Alice conceded with a guilty pout. "But I only have her happiness in mind. I know Bella. She's a romantic at heart who's always dreamed of having a cute little picket fence family with two-and-a-half Golden Retrievers or whatever. That'll never happen the way things are going now. So what if she struck out three times? That doesn't mean she should stop playing ball forever!"

"Who stopped playing with balls?"

Jasper and Alice turned in their seats at the sound of the amused voice behind them.

"Hey, Rose," Alice greeted absently, her eyes immediately going to the muscular man accompanying her friend. "And you're obviously Emmett. It's great to finally meet you!"

"Same here," he replied with an easy smile.

"Em, this is my brother, Jasper," Rosalie said, taking a seat at the table.

While the two men shook hands and exchanged greetings, Rosalie turned to Alice, curiosity on her face.

"So what's the deal with your reluctant athlete?"

Alice snorted. "I wouldn't exactly call Bella an athlete."

"Oh lord," Rosalie groaned, rolling her eyes. "Are you going on about her man-hate again? Give the girl a rest. If she wants to be a nun, that's her business."

"But she doesn't want that! I know she doesn't."

"Really? Do you not remember how she acted the last time we visited her? It was nearly impossible to get her out of the house, and when we finally did manage to drag her to a club, she sat in the booth and sulked the whole time. The few guys stupid enough to ignore her death glare all crashed and burned in less than a minute. Face it, Ali, the massive chip on her shoulder isn't going anywhere anytime soon. No man alive's got a chance of getting into her iron-clad panties."

Emmett let out a snort and smirked. "Oh, I know someone who could. He'd melt them right off, guaranteed. This guy's, like, the Chick Whisperer or something."

"Yeah?" Alice asked, her eyes alight with interest. But her expression quickly dimmed. "No, Rose is right. Bella would shoot down that playboy long before he got within panty-melting range."

"Hey, Edward's not a playboy!" Emmett protested. "Yeah, he's smooth, alright, but there's not an ounce of sketchiness in him. He's respectful and loyal. I'd trust him with my kid sister—if I had one."

"Well, since this guy's so great, I'm guessing he's taken, right?" Rose asked archly, examining her manicured fingernails.

Emmett shrugged. "He's had one or two sorta-girlfriends over the years I've known him, but I don't think he's been very serious with any of them. Med school and residency ate a lot of his time, and honestly, I don't see him ever settling down. He's all but married to his work."

"What kind of doctor is he?" Jasper asked.

"Edward just started his specialty residency," Emmett replied proudly. "Pediatric surgery."

"Sounds like you have a man-crush on him, babe," Rosalie pointed out with a smirk.

"Nah. It's true he's got the job, money, looks, and charm, but I'm a family guy through and through." He grinned at Rosalie. "I picture myself as one of those dads wearing a kid in a camo-colored baby carrier while pushing another one in a stroller. That's what I want someday."

Both Jasper and Alice were shocked when an uncharacteristic blush spread across the blonde's cheeks.

Alice recovered first. "Well," she said quickly, knowing Rosalie would appreciate a subject change, "the last thing I think Bella should do is jump into a relationship after so long. I just want her to loosen up around men—talk, maybe flirt a little, or even some good ol' fashioned grinding on the dance floor. But the girl's so far gone, I'll bet even your Wonder Boy couldn't crack her ice."

"I'll take that bet," Emmett declared with confidence. "I have yet to meet a straight woman or gay man who wasn't drawn to him in some way. You'll see what I mean."

"I think I'll have to after that build-up," Alice said. "So what do I get when I win?"

"Ha, there's no chance you'd win. But I'll play along. If the impossible happened, what would you want?"

Alice pursed her lips in thought. "Actually, I'd rather lose the bet for Bella's sake, but since I know you're the one who doesn't have a chance…I got it! Rosalie mentioned you have a Porsche. You do, right?"

"Yeah," Emmett replied warily. "A 2011 Carrera GTS. Why?"

"I want to drive it. For a whole weekend."

Rosalie snickered at Emmett's pained expression as he considered her terms.

"Alright, fine," he muttered. "But you have to promise this Bella-chick isn't a closet lesbian or anything. Edward's good, but even his magic has a limit."

"Oh, I'm gonna have so much fun with that car!" Alice squealed. "What do you want in the highly unlikely event that you win?"

"When I win…huh, what else do I need other than bragging rights?" He turned to Rosalie. "Babe, you want me to make Ali-cat your slave for a day or something?"

"Nuh uh, keep me out of it," she said, shaking her blonde head in disdain. "In fact, I'd like to see both of you lose. This has disaster written all over it."

"Yeah, like, what if Bella actually ends up liking this guy, but he's not interested?" Jasper asked. "That'd be pretty harsh."

"I'm telling you, it's not gonna happen," Alice said. "And I'm so sure that I'll clean Emmett's entire apartment to 'Alice standards' if she even gives him the time of day."

"I'll take it!" Emmett exclaimed. "Rose told me how anal and germophobic you are. My place could use a good deep cleaning."

"But Babe—" Rosalie began, scowling.

She was interrupted when the waiter came to take their orders. Emmett could see that Rosalie was getting more worked up during the delay and jumped in to speak the moment the waiter turned away.

"We're just having a little fun. I promise Bella won't get hurt," he soothed. "I'm telling you, Edward's one of those guys who could show up to repo your house, and you'd still end up thanking him for it somehow. The worst that could happen is Bella getting a fun evening out of the deal and a new friend. With you 'n me being together, they're bound to meet at some point anyway. Alice and I are simply observing their behavior and predicting the outcome. Think of it as silent data collection. We won't interfere with the natural course of things."

Rosalie eyed her boyfriend and best friend in turn, only slightly mollified. "No interfering, huh? You'd better the hell not. I'll be watching you two."

Alice and Emmett quickly agreed that a night out for the six of them would be arranged when a suitable time could be found. Still irritated by the whole idea, Rosalie turned the conversation to the success of the event planning business she and Alice owned. There was no more discussion concerning either Bella or Edward for the rest of the meal.

Alice, however, couldn't get her mind off the wager. She had a strange feeling that it was important; that there was more on line than just winning a silly little bet. And even though her fingers itched to wrap themselves around the wheel of Emmett's Porsche, she'd be more than happy to lose if that meant Bella benefitted in some way.

And so, the very next day, Alice sweet-talked Rosalie into manning the office by herself and showed up at Bella Swan's apartment door.

It took the brunette several minutes to let her in, and when she did, she was not in the best of moods.

"For God's sake, Alice, it's eight in the morning!" she groaned, lurching to her couch and falling flat onto it. "You know I don't wake up early unless I absolutely have to. And right now, I'm on vacation. This is practically a crime."

"You're such a crybaby," Alice teased. "Doesn't school start up again in a few weeks? You need to get your body used to a different schedule, or you'll be in a world of hurt that first week."

"I'm working on it," Bella grumped, her face buried in a decorative pillow. "But I think I'm still on Florida time. I can't seem to fall asleep until late."

"Well, maybe if you got up early every morning, you'd be tired enough at night."

Bella struggled to lift her hand so she could flip Alice off. "Did you come here just to lecture me on my sleep habits, or is there another reason for your disgustingly cheerful presence at this ungodly hour?"

Alice plopped down on the couch on top of Bella's outstretched legs and swatted her rear end. "Well, other than to wonder why these holey sweatpants are on your body instead of in the rag bin, I want to find out your schedule so we can meet up for a night out with Rose."

Bella raised her head to gape at Alice. "And you had to drive halfway across the city to ask me this in person instead of—oh, I dunno—sending me a text or email, or even calling on the phone?"

"Like I would've had much luck with that," Alice scoffed. "You know as well as I do that if you checked your messages and ever got back to me, it'd be weeks from now. You have the worst record when it comes replying. The only way I can guarantee a response is to track you down and force it out of you."

"I guess you might have a point there," Bella conceded with a scowl, letting her head fall back onto the pillow. "But seriously, eight in the friggin' morning?"

"I'm impatient to get this set up and couldn't wait any longer. Be grateful it wasn't six. So, are you free this weekend and/or next? Both Saturdays are looking good right now, but I haven't confirmed with everyone yet."

In a quick move that caught Alice by surprise, Bella flipped over and pushed herself into a sitting position on the couch. "Wait a sec. What exactly do you mean by 'everyone'? I thought it was just Rose and you. It better be. Because if you're even thinking of inviting a bunch of single, horny male gorillas along to hit on me all night…"

"Of course not!" her friend replied breezily, waving her hand in the air. After all, she was only inviting one, not a bunch. "You've made it more than clear that you're done with romantic relationships, and I've finally accepted that."

In fact, I'm counting on it, she thought to herself as images of the 408-horsepower prize flashed through her mind.

"Thank goodness," Bella sighed in relief.

Yet Alice swore she could hear faint notes of longing and regret in her friend's tone.

Interesting. Emmett's chances might be better than I thought…

"But when I said 'everyone,' I was planning on more than just the three of us," she said aloud, carefully choosing her words to keep from lying outright. "Rose and I have fallen hard for our guys, and we really want you to meet them. Both Jasper and Emmett are looking forward to it. They know how important you are to us."

Bella's expression softened. "Of course we should all get together. I want to meet them, too. In fact, why don't you come over for dinner? I haven't had a chance to cook for anyone besides myself since I got here."

"Actually, I was thinking we could go out in town," Alice said hastily. It was one thing for Emmett's friend to tag along to a bar or restaurant, but having him show up unannounced at Bella's door was going a little far over the social rudeness line, even for Alice. "That way, you can relax and not worry about having to put a meal together—"

"Relax? Please. You know how much I hate the whole process of getting dressed up and going out. If anything, it's cooking that chills me out, and playing hostess will force me to interact—which should make you happy. It's the perfect solution for everyone. I don't have anything going on in the evenings yet, so just let me know the day and time."

"Uhh, okay, great, I'll let you know," Alice muttered, her mind racing. It seemed as if she'd be crossing into rudeness territory, after all.

At least it was for a good cause.

Emmett was met with much less resistance when he proposed the idea to Edward.

"You're going to dinner with me and Rose this weekend," he declared, upping the speed on his treadmill.

Beside him, Edward increased his speed, too. "Rose is the girl you're seeing, right? That'd be fine, except I'm on shift pretty much the whole time. Next weekend is okay, though."

"Cool, I'll let Alice know."

"Who's Alice?"

"Rose's business partner and best friend. She's also dating Rose's brother, Jasper. Oh, and it looks like we'll be doing dinner at Bella's place. She's Rose's other best friend." Emmett glanced at Edward's display and frowned. He bumped up his speed again.

Edward let out a breathy chuckle. "What, you need me as backup to meet the brother and the besties? You must have it bad for this girl."

"Yep," Emmett said proudly. "She's The One. I'm gonna marry her and make lots of cute babies. Probably need to get a bigger condo, though, or maybe a house in the 'burbs."

"Damn, Em, didn't you just meet her, like, a few weeks ago?" Edward pushed a button until treadmill was moving slightly faster than his friend's. "You're already planning your life together?"

"When you know, you know. And I know." Emmett grabbed a handful of his shirt to wipe his sweaty brow. "What about you? You ever plan on settling down?"

"Eh, I'm not totally against it, but it's not something I'm looking for. My life's busy enough as it is without trying to fit in a relationship and kids and all that drama."

"I never understood that about you. After growing up with your ridiculously perfect family, you don't want that, too?"

"I dunno, maybe I'm worried that no relationship could match the one my parents have. You know how I hate to fail at anything. And, for theirs to work so well, they both had to make sacrifices in their personal and professional lives. I'm way too spoiled to do that. I'm going to be at the top of my field and don't want to worry about a wife and kids slowing me down." As if to emphasize the point, his finger mashed the up arrow on his treadmill until the belt was flying under his feet.

"Dammit, E, why you gotta be so effin' competitive!" Emmett huffed as he tried to keep pace but failed.

Edward's laugh was labored, but he continued to sprint full-out until the machine beeped and slowed automatically.

The two men jogged lightly for a little while longer, catching their breath and cooling down.

When they finally stepped off the equipment, Edward mopped his face with his towel and then threw it at Emmett. "You know, maybe if you got in a few extra workouts instead of hanging out all day with your girl, you might be able to beat me."

Emmett tossed the towel back and grinned good-naturedly. "Maybe. But when it comes to spending time with Rosie versus doing something else, well, there's no competition."

Other than the minor hiccup of Bella's insistence to host, the get-together was easily arranged. Alice had nothing else to do except count down the days, which annoyed her to no end.

It also annoyed Rosalie.

She had no idea how she was going to survive two weeks of Alice's excited chatter and was very tempted to work from home until after the dinner. A pair of noise cancelling headphones, suggested by Jasper, was the only reason she kept her sanity.

The ear-saving devices proved even more invaluable when Bella suddenly changed her mind about having everyone over to her apartment, suggesting they meet up at a bar, instead. Despite insistent questioning, Alice wasn't able to coax a reason for the venue change and spent the three days prior trying (aloud) to figure it out.

"Did I finally get through to her about shutting herself away from the world?" she mused, pacing in front of her office desk. "Or is she just hoping to get me off her back for a while? What if this is some sort of ploy so she can fake an emergency at the last minute and ditch us? Or maybe she's—"

"Girl, Imma strangle you if you don't shut your hole and get back to work," Rosalie growled. "I swear, if you weren't my partner, I'd fire your ass."

"I know! I should offer to help her get ready!" Alice exclaimed, ignoring Rosalie completely. "That way, I can make sure she shows up—and not in her favorite old-jeans-and-faded-tee combo."

A pen went sailing through the air and plunked Alice in the center of her chest. She let out an indignant yelp and fixed a dark-eyed glare at her friend.

"If you'll drop the subject and call the damn caterer for the Thompson party now, I'll stop by Bella's and bring her myself, okay?" Rosalie offered in exasperation. "It makes a lot more sense than you harassing her, especially seeing as how her place is on my way to the bar."

Alice pouted. "I guess that's okay. But don't you dare let her wear Doc Martens or anything like that! I promised Emmett she wasn't a lesbian."

Rosalie gritted her teeth and told herself she'd look terrible in prison orange.

Jasper took a sip of his beer and smiled fondly at Alice as she squirmed in her seat. He loved her passion and excitement, which was so opposite his calm, laid-back personality. His life had been rather dull until she came whirling in like a multicolored tornado.

"According to his text, Emmett should be here any minute with Edward," Alice chattered, fiddling with straw in her drink. "I don't know where Rose is. She's being a bitchy witch and won't tell me anything. Grr. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some sort of wardrobe emergency, given Bella's sad lack of decent clothes. I knew I should've gone over there, darnit. I should've gone there and made sure that—oh, shit…"

"What is it, sugar?" Jasper was perplexed about Alice's suddenly astonished expression. He followed the stare of her almost-comically wide eyes and saw a pair of men making their way across the room.

"Emmett said his friend was good-looking, but that guy is a friggin' walking wet dream!" she hissed. "It's hardly a fair fight; poor Bella won't stand a chance. Oh lordy, I've made a huge mistake. He's gonna play her like a fiddle and leave her in worse shape than ever—I just know it! I'm forfeiting right this second. There's no way I'm letting this happen!"

She watched warily as Emmett strutted up to their table and settled his large frame in a chair. His bronze-haired friend flashed a charming smile and took a seat beside him.

"You must be Alice and Jasper. It's great to meet you," Edward said, his voice warm, inviting. His green eyes glittered and danced as if they knew the deepest secrets of the universe.

Jasper shook his hand while Alice blinked a few times as if to free herself from his alluring spell. She tilted her chin and regarded him more carefully.

"You look familiar. I feel like I've seen you somewhere before," she said in a somewhat accusatory tone.

Emmett laughed and slapped Edward on the back. "You'd probably recognize him if he was wearing less clothes. Famous male underwear model, right here."

"Hardly," the other man snorted, shaking his head. "I did a shoot for Ralph Lauren when I was in college. It was a one-time deal, and I needed the money." He rolled his eyes at his friend. "I really wish you'd forget that ever happened."

Emmett just smirked.

Alice looked back and forth between the two of them, her eyes narrowed in indignation. "Aw, hells no!" she fumed. "A doctor and an underwear model? What else—do you put on a batsuit and fight crime at night?" She wagged a finger at him. "No, no, no. You're bad news, and I forbid you talk to Bella. Don't even look at her."

"Bella?" Edward asked, furrowing his brow. "Ah, right. Rose's other best friend. Emmett mentioned you all went to UW together."

"Yep. Bella was my roommate, and Rose and I met in a study group. The three of us started hanging out, and the rest is history."

"Well, from what I've heard, some of that history was rather...scandalous," Edward replied with a grin. "A story about a certain streaking incident comes to mind..."

"I will neither confirm nor deny the events of that epically drunken night," Alice sniffed. "But I will say this: I've got my girls' backs—naked or otherwise. You and your tight little underwear-modeling tushie had better behave yourselves, especially around Bella."

Edward chuckled good-naturedly. "Of course. I pride myself on being a gentleman above all else."

"Uh huh. I'm sure you do," Alice muttered, unimpressed. "Listen, about Bella...I don't know if you've heard anything from Emmett, but I should tell you that—"

"Whoa, who is she?"

Annoyed at the interruption, Alice glared at Edward before turning to see what he was staring at. Then she gasped and stared, too.

"That's Bella?" Emmett asked, his voice higher than usual. "What the hell, Alice? You made it sound like…but she's the opposite of…damn! What are you playing at here?"

Jasper was also surprised. Given everything Alice had told him, he half-expected Bella to show up dressed like some sort of mousy homeless person in a flannel shirt, ripped jeans, and scuffed sneakers.

The confident woman gliding toward their table looked anything but.

She wore a tight, mid-thigh length black dress that flaunted every one of her hourglass curves and silvery peep-toe stilettos. Her hair cascaded in voluminous mahogany waves over her shoulders and down her back. Plump lips were painted an inviting dark red color, and her sparkling eyes were framed by long, thick lashes. Yet despite her sensual appearance and poised demeanor, she somehow projected an air of angelic innocence.

Edward gawked, unabashed, as if in a trance.

"Emmett, do you believe in love at first sight? 'Cuz I think I do," Edward murmured dreamily. His eyes were half-lidded, and one corner of his mouth turned up in a strange sort of curl. "I understand what you were saying now. It's so weird, but suddenly, I can see it all. The wedding, the house, the kids…everything."

Emmett blinked at him for a few moments before bursting into laughter. "Ha! Nice one, Eddie. You had me going there for a second. I actually thought you were serious."

"Oh, I'm serious, alright," Edward breathed, still absorbed in Bella's every move. "I've never been more serious about anything in my life."

"Yeah, whatever." Emmett frowned at his friend's uncharacteristic behavior. "I'm not sure why you're acting so weird, but it's really not that funny. Quit messing around."

Alice heard none of the exchange between Emmett and Edward. She was too busy trying to shove her eyes back into her head. The moment she regained some semblance of sense, she launched out of her chair and hurried to her two friends.

"Holy crap, Bella, you look un-freaking-believable!"she exclaimed. "I've never seen you this hot before! How did this happen?" She grabbed Rosalie's wrist. "I need to know how you did this! Drugs? Blackmail? Threat of bodily harm? You have to tell me your secret!"

Bella smiled and let out a low, throaty chuckle. She removed Alice's hand from Rosalie and squeezed it in her own. "It's not a secret, Ali. I just finally realized you were right. I need to get over my past issues and enjoy life again—come out of my shell. So, here I am, ready to live it up!" She glanced around the room and wrinkled her nose. "Huh, this place is kinda small, but I guess it'll do. Let's have a few drinks and then hit the dance floor. I feel like shakin' my ass tonight!"

Stunned, Alice looked at Rosalie, who just shrugged and resumed walking to the table. Introductions were already underway by the time Alice broke out of her daze and joined them.

"…is Edward, a good friend of Emmett's. They lived in the same neighborhood when they were kids and went to school together."

To Alice's continued amazement, Bella gave Edward a seductive grin and daintily offered her hand. He grabbed onto it like someone had thrown him a lifeline and placed a reverent kiss on her knuckles.

"You are a magnificent goddess," he sighed, longing heavy in his voice.

Bella giggled and withdrew her hand. "Why, thank you, kind sir. Maybe you'll get a demonstration of my powers later on."

Edward's face lit up like the sun, while Alice and Emmett exchanged a rather panicked glance.

Initially, Alice had planned the seating so that Bella would be next to Edward. But she hastily plunked herself down in that chair, leaving the one between Jasper and Rosalie open. She had no idea what was going on with her friend and wanted her as far away from Dr. McHot Buns as possible.

Emmett was just as confused about Edward's behavior. In all the years they'd know each other, he'd never seen Edward so completely taken with a woman. Instead of a smooth, irresistible charmer, the man had become an awkward, starry-eyed schoolboy. His fawning attempts to get in Bella's good graces were downright embarrassing. And on top of that, they seemed to have the opposite effect desired.

The more attention Edward lavished on Bella as the night wore on, the less interested she appeared. And as if to rub his face in it, she began flirting with nearly every other male in the establishment, including Jasper and Emmett. Alice wanted to hide under the table when Bella began stroking the chest of a very uncomfortable Emmett. Even more to her surprise, the usually possessive Rosalie either didn't notice or didn't care.

When Alice couldn't stand it anymore, she grabbed Bella's arm and dragged her to the bathroom.

"What the hell has gotten into you tonight?" she demanded to know as soon as the door swung shut behind them.

Bella smoothed down her hair in the mirror and smirked. "Nothing yet, but I don't plan on letting it stay that way."

Alice almost choked on her gasp. "Ack, stop acting like this! It's freaking me out. And I'm serious—I need to know what's going on with this sudden turn-around. Like, on a scale of one to 'immediate intervention,' how worried should I be?"

"Honestly, Ali, you need to calm down. I told you, I'm just lightening up a little—giving the game another try. Besides, you're the one who kept riding my ass about this. I figured you'd be the first one in line cheering me on."

"Well, yeah, it's just…I figured that if you ever did listen to me, it would be about something small, like—I dunno—putting on a nice shirt and a smile. I never expected a complete one-eighty like this!"

"Anything worth doing is worth doing right—don't you agree?" Bella fluttered her eyelashes coquettishly at her friend.

"I guess," Alice replied, studying Bella's flippant expression. "I'm curious, though. Why the cold shoulder when it comes to Edward? I mean, uh, not that I think you should pay any special attention to him…or even regular attention…I mean, guys that pretty are bound to be players and heart-breakers and…" She trailed off, completely mixed up over whether she should be hoping for the two of them to get along or not.

Bella laughed breezily. "Yeah, he's hot, I'll give you that, but don't you think he's a little too dorky and awkward? Besides, he seems like such a relationship kind of guy. Thanks, but no thanks. I've had enough of that crap for a long time. I just wanna have fun—like you said!"

She gave her hair one final pat and skipped out of the bathroom as Alice stared blankly after her.

Back at the table, Edward was in the middle of his own interrogation session.

"I don't get it. What's so special about this girl that all of the sudden you're ready to pick out china patterns?" Emmett asked in an urgent whisper. "You hardly know anything about her!"

"I know enough," Edward replied stubbornly, his eyes trained on the hallway where Bella had disappeared. "What's it to you, anyway? Just last week you were going on and on about the wonders of commitment and giving into your feelings and all that shit. Now you're telling me to slow down? Talk about a mixed message."

"Yeah, but…look, man, there's something you should know about this girl. From what I've heard, she's been through a couple of rough relationships, so I don't think she's looking for anything too, uh, serious right now. And...I hate to point out the obvious, but, um, she sorta doesn't seem that into you…"

"She'll come around," Edward said, unconcerned. "It may take some time, but she'll eventually see what I see: that we're made for each other."

"Uhh, I'm not sure it works like that." Emmett frowned, his face etched with worry. "Look, I know getting smacked down might be a new thing for you, but you gotta ease up—both for her sake, and yours. Otherwise, you're gonna be really hurt when things don't work out. Or served a restraining order for being a creepy stalker, which, by the way, doesn't seem that that far from the truth right now."

"Don't be ridiculous," Edward chastised dismissively. "Everything will be f—oh! She's coming back! God, look at her, Em. Have you ever seen anything so gorgeous?"

Emmett wisely did not comment. There was no denying Bella's beauty, but in his mind, no one could hold a candle to his Rosalie. Besides, he honestly cared about Edward and didn't like how Bella was treating his friend—even if the man was making a fool of himself. Scowling, Emmett watched as Bella let her fingertips slide across the back a particularly well-muscled guy sitting at the bar. The object of her attention turned on his bar stool and smirked suggestively as she walked past.

Edward's narrowed eyes also caught the interaction. His hands clenched in determination, and he grunted lowly, somewhat like a possessive caveman. But the dark expression cleared the moment Bella sat down.

"Do you need anything, Bella?" he asked, eager to serve. "I see your drink's a little low. You want me to get you another?"

Bella rolled her eyes and sighed. "Sure, whatever."

Edward was out of his seat and hurrying to the bar before she finished speaking.

Emmett groaned in dismay, prompting a sardonic chuckle from Rosalie. Bella heard it and looked askance at them.

"What's going on?"

"Uh, nothing. Nothing at all," Emmett said, the words coming out in a rush. He shifted uncomfortably and then stood up. "Actually, I just remembered that I need to talk to Alice about…uh, a personal issue. Yeah, a personal issue that happens to be, um…personal. So I'm just gonna borrow her for a quick second, and then we'll be right back."

Alice had no idea what Emmett was up to, but she was happy for the chance to get him alone. She wanted to concede the bet, drag Bella home before the girl did anything she later regretted, and grill her 'til she spilled.

But Emmett was quicker on the draw.

"I'm sorry, Ali. I don't know what the hell's going on with Edward, but I think it's clear that you win. Bella is totally schooling him on the meaning of rejection."

For a second, Alice considered shutting her mouth and basking in glow of victory. But she knew there were more important issues at stake.

"No, that wouldn't be fair," she said. "Bella was definitely flirting and receptive when they first met. I would've given you the win for a lot less than that. I think the best thing to do in this case is call it a draw and worry about what's going on with our friends, instead."

Emmett nodded and sighed. "Yeah. And really, when you think about it, we both got we wanted—sort of. Edward says he's ready for a relationship, and Bella's playing the field. They just went from zero to sixty reeeally fast, that's all."

"Scary fast, if you ask me," Alice replied. "Anyway, I'm thinking of calling it a night. I can't handle much more of her weirdness."

"Sounds good. Are you taking Bella with you? 'Cause I'm pretty sure Edward's not going anywhere until she does, and I hate to leave his pathetic ass here alone. He'd probably drown in a puddle of his own drool or something."

Alice chuckled wryly. "The boy's got it bad, alright. It's a shame she doesn't like him; they'd be a cute couple."

The co-conspirators returned to their table, where Bella was making eyes at a guy across the room. Edward watched them in obvious jealously. Alice tried to convince her to leave, but the brunette adamantly refused. Though she'd only had a few drinks, they seemed to be having a strong effect, and Bella wanted to make the most of it.

There was a small dance floor in the corner of the bar, and she happily squeezed herself in the midst of the crowd to shake her thang. Alice and Rosalie looked on in amazement. Because they'd never seen her dance before, they just assumed she couldn't.

They were wrong.

"Girl's been holding out on us," Rosalie declared, mischief in her eyes.

She pulled Emmett out onto the floor. Edward and Alice followed, hot on their heels. Jasper did everyone a favor and sat out. The only kind of dancing he could do required cowboy boots.

Poor Edward tried and tried to get close to Bella, but she expertly slipped away each time. Meanwhile, he ignored the small legion of women who vied amongst themselves for his attention; his vigilant gaze never strayed from Bella's smooth movements and supple figure.

Though it seemed like forever to Alice and Emmett, Bella began to crash after an hour of heavy dancing. She teetered unsteadily on her heels and clung onto Emmett's arm to stay upright. Eventually, Rosalie was able to coax her off the dance floor and out of the bar.

The group stood on the sidewalk and discussed transportation arrangements. Rosalie and Emmett would take Bella home and see to it that she got into bed. Alice grudgingly accepted the fact that any type of interrogation would have to wait until later. Bella's eyes were shut, and Emmett was all but carrying her to Rosalie's car.

Edward, of course, pleaded to go with Bella but was met with a round of emphatic vetoes on that idea. He gave her a forlorn yet resolute goodbye and watched sadly as Rosalie pulled out of the parking lot.

Back at Bella's apartment, Emmett moved her from the vehicle, and Rosalie helped her get ready for bed. Bella blinked sleepily at her friend as she pulled up the covers.

"Nice job tonight, though you might have gone a little overboard on the alcohol," Rosalie chuckled softly.

"Oh, shhhut up, you wench," Bella mumbled, her words tripping over one another. "It's been a while since I had more than one drink in a night." She yawned and snuggled under the bedspread. "Thanks for helping out. You're a rockstar. I'll see ya tomorrow, 'kay?"

Rose agreed on both counts and wished her sweet dreams, but Bella didn't hear the sentiment. She was already out like a light.

An insistent knocking on her door woke her an hour later. Half-conscious and bleary-eyed, she wanted to ignore the annoying sound, but her feet placed themselves on the floor and walked across her apartment, seemingly of their own accord.

If she'd checked the peephole before opening the door, her actions might have been a little different. But she didn't and thus was completely unprepared for the force that swept her up and pushed her back against the wall. The tiny gasp she made upon impact was quickly swallowed by a pair of demanding lips.

Though her brain tried to catch up with what was happening, her body had a mind of its own. Her leg hitched itself over the hip in front of her, and she moaned, opening her mouth to the insistent thrusts of a warm, wet tongue.

Low-spoken words registered in her consciousness, though they were filtered through the haze of visceral lust that surrounded her.

"…so damned beautiful…tease all night long…hard to stay away…what you deserve…"

Eager hands travelled her body: her neck, her breasts, her waist, her hips. She felt long fingers cup her ass and shift her up the wall until she felt the pressure of a rock-hard erection settle between her legs.

"Oh, fuck," she breathed, grinding her hips over the large bulge. Her head tilted back, breaking their kiss but exposing her neck to delicious licking and sucking and biting.

"Yes. Fuck," came the reply. "That's what I want to do to you. I want to fuck you hard and senseless."

She shivered at the sound of his low, raspy voice. He had already achieved the senseless part of his plan; Bella could barely string two thoughts together.

But then, she only had one in mind, anyway.

"Bedroom," she croaked, digging her nails into his back.

"Your wish is my command," he murmured against her throat. "Though I really shouldn't be so nice. You weren't at all nice to me tonight, were you?"

"No, not at all," she gasped as threw her down on her bed and began pulling off her clothes. "I was t-terrible."

"Mm-hmm. Do you have any idea how crazy I was seeing you dance with those other men? You did that on purpose to make me jealous, didn't you?"

The moment her underwear was free of her legs, he dove in between them, tongue stroking, lips sucking. Bella's spine arched off bed from the intense pleasure.

"Fuck! Yes! I did it…on purpose…I had to…"

"Oh, really?" he hummed around the swollen clit that was throbbing in his mouth. "You just had to let them put their hands on you and press against your body and breathe in your ear? Are you saying that you didn't enjoy it?"

"No! I didn't…oh God…yes! Just like that…please…don't stop…" Bella could barely stand the building ache and pushed herself down further onto the teasing tongue.

When all movement suddenly ceased, she cried out in desperation. He chuckled.

"Well, beautiful Bella, maybe I have to stop right now. Maybe I enjoy seeing you lying naked in front of me, panting and writhing and wanting more. Maybe this will help you understand how I felt tonight."

"I'm sorry! Please…" She was almost in tears. "Please don't stop..."

His arms were around her in a flash. "Oh baby, I'm sorry. I was just playing around. I'd never leave you wanting—you have to know that."

"Then take me now," she pleaded. "I need you inside me; I can't wait a second longer. Please...I need your hard, thick cock pounding into me…"

"Yes," he hissed, ripping off his own clothes as fast as he could. His eyes widened in hunger when her hands slipped between her legs, spreading herself open and furiously rubbing her clit.

They both cried out when he shoved himself hard inside her. Bella wasted no time flinging her arms and legs around him, holding on as tightly as she could to keep from being heaved off the bed from the force of his punishing thrusts.

"More," she begged as she clawed up and down his back, trying to find an outlet for the excess of pressure building inside her. "Harder. Fuck me harder."

When her teeth latched onto his shoulder, he growled and clenched his hand around her breast. The heady smell of their lust, the sound of skin slapping against skin, the taste of salty sweat—it combined and swirled and overwhelmed their senses until the unbearable ache burst into a crashing cascade of relief.

Bella gasped as her entire body tightened in wave after wave of pure pleasure that left her tingling and breathless. She felt him jerk and pulse inside her, filling her up with all that he had, with everything she'd so desperately needed.

It was the explosive ending to a long, torturous night for both of them.

"Oh my god," she sighed when he finally collapsed in an exhausted heap on top of her. "That was so good."

"Mm, yes it was." His words were muffled against the mattress. "Let's do it again."

"Right now? Really?"

"Well, maybe not right this second. I'll give you a few minutes to recover."

She laughed and shoved on his chest until he rolled off her. "I need a few minutes?" She grabbed a handful of tissues from her nightstand and began cleaning his softening penis. "I'm good for multiple orgasms. Mr. Floppy here, on the other hand, seems to be out for the count."

"Gee, kick a guy when he's down, why don't you?" he groused playfully as he turned on his side to look at her. He stared into her deep brown eyes and then gave her a smile full of adoration. "Hey, guess what?"

"What?"

"I love you, Bella Swan."

Even in the dimness, he could tell she was blushing. But there was no hesitation in her answer.

"I love you, too, Edward Cullen."

She lifted her head to meet him in a tender, sweet kiss that expressed their feelings for each other much better than mere words could.

Sighing happily, she coaxed him onto his back and situated herself in the crook of his arm. "So tonight went pretty well," she noted. "Alice and Emmett were so confused! That was fun to watch."

"Hmph. Hell of a lot better than having to see you get your flirt on," Edward grumbled.

"Oh, stop," Bella chided, tapping him on the chest. "It was all part of the plan. You know it didn't mean anything."

Edward grabbed her hips and pulled her on top of him. "Oh, I know that, do I?" he teased. "Maybe I need some convincing. You're sure you don't want any of those other losers? Just me?"

"Yes, you silly man. Take me out on a real first date, and you'll see that I only have eyes for you."

"Oh, come on, the first one counted, and you know it. The dog debacle was not my fault." He pecked her lips and then tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Anyway, it'll be nice to finally 'come out' tomorrow. I had a hard time keeping my hands off you at the bar."

Bella grinned widely. "I can't wait until Rose brings Alice and Emmett over in the morning to find us in bed together. Their heads are going to explode!"

"That Rose is one devious woman. Going behind their backs to clue us in on their bet and planning out tonight's scenario…" Edward shook his head. "I hope she never turns her evil genius on me."

"Oh, this little scheme was nothing. She was holding back since you've only known her for two weeks. At least the police weren't involved this time."

"Great, I can't wait," he said sardonically.

"Yeah, but we do owe her for bringing us together the way she did," Bella pointed out. "I wonder how things would've turned out if we'd met for the first time tonight like we were supposed to."

Edward nuzzled his nose into Bella's hair and laved kisses on her neck. "Oh, I'm sure we would've ended up together one way or another. After all, I'm irresistible."

"And apparently, also very cocky," Bella managed to get out in between quiet whimpers of pleasure.

Edward chuckled and bucked his hips up into her lower body. "Why yes, yes I am."

Bella sucked in a breath as the tip of his proof positive slipped into her entrance. "I see that Mr. Floppy's recovery time is over."

"Mm-hmm. And Mr. Hard and Thick is quite excited to get back in the game," Edward murmured, flipping them over so that Bella was underneath him. "I bet he can make you come two times this round."

She moaned as he thrust deeply inside her.

"That's a bet I'd love to lose."

I'm pretty sure there'll be one more chapter—an outtake of sorts showing how Bella and Edward met through Rose's bet-defeating plan. I've been concentrating on finishing The Fence before going back to any of my other WIPs (all of which WILL be completed, I promise!), but the outtake to this o/s should be short, sweet, and easy to fit in during breaks. Thanks for reading! xxoo