| Nathan |

She hugged herself closer to me than she had the first time we had danced. One of her tiny hands rested on my shoulder, the other, which was completely enveloped by my own, I held up gently. My other hand was resting just on the small of her back before it was covered by the dress. Touching her bare skin was making me feel very self-conscious and like I was a some kind-of middle school formal where so much as a brush of hand to hand could make someone swoon.

Her skin was so soft, and it was becoming very difficult for me to not run my thumb in circles over it, to feel it even better. Her eyes were looking downward as we swayed to the music, hidden by long lashes.

"I have a package for you." She says suddenly, still not looking up.

"Oh." I murmur.

"Yeah, Mr. Scott was going to mail it to you but since I came up with Racheal to the city this weekend I thought I would just drop it at your office." She says and I nod. I knew what she was talking about.

"Okay, thank you." I say.

"Yes, I'll probably drop it off tomorrow." She says and I nod. We swayed a for a bit longer, silence falling over us.

"Why didn't you call?" she asks. Her eyes slowly flitted upward to meet my gaze, their wide blue orbs terrifying me.

"I-I was just very busy." I say softly. "I'm sorry."

She nods, smiling softly at me.

"I understand being busy, but don't run yourself ragged Mr. Price, your still in your twenties you need to live a little." she says imploringly. "And I'm talking about taking me out, I'm talking about you going and doing something fun, by yourself even." she was watching me so intently, like she always did, like she was afraid I might break from all this work. I hated it.

I wasn't weak.

I was far from it.

I spun her out from me in time with the music and brought her back in even closer, using my height to try and for once to intimidate her.

"I'm not going to die on you Isabella, I know what I can handle." I hiss. "Trust me when I say, I am very fit and capable of staying that way. I don't require 'living a little' to do so."

She didn't even blink, god what was with this girl? It bothered me so much I had the sudden urge to drop her and run away, get home and then hide the rest of the weekend. But of course I didn't act on it, it was just an impulse.

Another impulse, which had been hanging over me like a cloud all night, was to rip this dress off her and see what she looked like with no clothes on. But that again, was an impulse I would resist.

"I'm not saying you aren't healthy. I'm saying you need to learn or you can't forget how to have fun once and a while." she says softly, looking at me a little differently, almost like now she felt sorry for me. I didn't need that, so when Shawn bounded over with the request of 'May I?' I didn't object. I made my way to the bar and sat down, loosening my tie and letting out a short breath.

I felt very flustered.

I didn't like it at all I really, seriously needed to stay away from her. If I wasn't interested, why couldn't I seem to stay away?

"Scotch." I say to the expectant bar tender and he nods, pouring me a glass and handing it to me. Suddenly someone rattled the bar stool next to me and I glanced over to see a confused looking Shawn.

"What?" I ask.

"That dude came over and stole her from me." he moans, putting his head into his hands.

"What?" I snap, repeating myself for effect and turning back to the dance floor to see the same guy who swept her away before, dancing with her. She was talking with him and her expression cold, their body language suggested they probably didn't know each other.

At least I knew he wasn't with her.

All the same, I felt something do a flip inside of me.

I didn't like seeing her with him, it made me...angry.

"Yep believe it." he mutters. "I guess I've officially been friend-zoned."

"I'm done here." I mutter, giving some cash to the bar tender and getting up. I hear Shawn recounting his woeful tale to the bar tender, who clearly didn't care, after he told me goodbye. I went to the valet and asked for my car, I was standing there when the soft click of heals sounded behind me.

"Leaving without saying goodbye hmm?" she asks, her smooth voice drifting towards me and making me whip around to see Isabella. I shake my head slightly.

"You were with...." I trail off, referring to the guy back there.

"My friend's boyfriend." She says, laughing. "She made him dance with me, she wants us to get along better but that's not happening."

"Oh." I say nodding.

I hear the revving of my engine and the sleek car pulls up just as she comes to stand next to me.

"Woah." she mutters. "You must love cars."

"You have no idea." I tell her honestly, I glance over to see her jaw was dropped a little.

"Well, I'll drop off the package tomorrow at the office." She says, and even though I wasn't going to be in, I didn't say anything. I just nodded at her.

"I-I have to go." I mutter and she nods. I turn to face her fully. "Maybe I'll give you a call."

What the hell was wrong with me? Maybe I'll give you a call? How lame did that sound?

"Okay Mr. Business Man." she says giggling at me.

"Bye Isabella." I say slowly, and I finally met her gaze full on.

That was not a good idea, I suddenly felt if I looked too long I would kiss her, and then take her home with me. She looked so innocent, and the dress she was wearing just accentuated that, so I couldn't kiss her. If I did, I felt like I might corrupt her innocence, as ridiculous as it sounds.

Regardless of how I felt, she was leaning towards me, her eyes flitting to my lips and then back to meet my steady gaze.

Luckily the valet guy cleared his throat and startled both of us.

"Mr. Price, your car." he says politely. I look over and nod as he tosses me the keys. I catch them and look back at her.

"Bye Isabella." I say and she just smiles.

"Goodbye Nathan." she tells me, then I got in my car, and drove away.

-

When I got up to my penthouse I was at first startled to see an irate looking Danni sitting on the couch in my living room.

I felt shocked, I hadn't seen her in a while. I became wary looking around the front of my home.

She had propped herself on the white leather couch, which was facing the glass windows that looked out onto the night sky-line of the city, her feet resting daintily on the dark wood coffee table, which had two love seats on the other side, facing the couch. Her body was slackened backwards into some of the décor pillows my decorator picked out.

"Did Katlyn let you in?" I ask, referring to the tall, dark-haired women who was my housekeeper.

"No, Alexander did, on his way out." she says, standing from her position and marching towards me. "Who was that girl you were dancing with before? She didn't look like your type."

"She's no one Danni." I say firmly and she dropped it, looking miffed, but nonetheless ready to go to the bedroom with me.

"Come on, I need a drink if we're doing this." I muttered and I heard her chirp an agreement. Danni was my type, I reassure myself, she always had been. I walked up the stairs, set my brief case down on the hallway table up on the balcony running around the room and headed towards the dark hallway, passing all the guest rooms.

I heard her following me, her stilettoes clicking loudly. We went to the guest room a bit farther back where she and I often went, and I slammed the door shut. I was ready to get what I want and then end it with her. For good.