7.

Sunday dinners at mom and dad's are, in all honesty, pretty boring.

Don't get me wrong, I love my parents, I really do, but there are only so many times you can look at your mom's newest quilt and tell her how nice it is before they all start to look the same. Oh and hearing dad talk about the latest episode of CSI, is only entertaining to some that actually watch the show. Unfortunately, I don't watch it.

My parents aren't that old. Dad is fifty-nine and retired at fifty-five. Mom is only a few months younger. They went to high school together and have been sweethearts their entire lives.

They joke around and are pretty open about things. Maybe this is why Ellie and Alice bringing their boyfriends for dinner isn't that much of a big deal.

Plus, chances are that mom and dad already know them. This is a small town.

I wonder if they know Edward.

I also wonder if I'll ever get to bring Edward, or any man for that matter, to dinner with my folks.

They raised Rosalie and I to believe in true love and soul mates. It's nice that they are still so in love after all of these years.

Rosalie was lucky to find her soul mate in Emmett. They went to U-Dub and graduated the same year. Never once have they been apart for more than 24 hours.

It was weird for me to have a child before my older sister, but her and Emmett had big plans before settling down. They traveled and lived abroad for a little while and eventually got married.

When Ellie was about a year old, Rose gave birth to Alice.

It sucked to live so far away from her while we were both raising our girls, but they saw each other often enough and remained close.

I guess with Alice being here, it was also another reason why Ellie never had any issues making friends.

"Hello," I answer my ringing cell phone. It's three thirty and I've been keeping myself busy by cleaning the house before picking up Ellie and Mike, and heading to dinner.

"Bella?" It's Edward. I'd recognize his deep, husky voice anywhere. It's smooth, like Nuttella spread over warm toast.

God, I want to lick him.

I shake my head, the thoughts that filter through my brain with him uttering just a single word are astounding.

"Hi, Edward." I take a seat at the kitchen island.

I bite my lip and smile. The thought that he called is making me all flustered and those butterflies run rampant in my belly.

"I was...ehm...I was thinking about you," he says. God if only he knew how much I thought about him too.

"Really? And what exactly where you thinking?" I draw invisible little patterns on the countertop with my fingertip.

The kitchen feels warm all of a sudden and I know I'm blushing.

"Just how nice it was to be with you last night. I was wondering if we could do that again?"

My face splits into this huge smile, the kind that makes your cheeks hurt. "I'd really like that too."

"Yeah? Do you have plans for dinner tonight?"

Shit. I don't want to cancel with my parents, Ellie has made all of these plans and I just... god I just can't cancel.

I run a hand through my hair and sigh. "I can't tonight. We're having dinner at mom and dad's."

"Oh, well I guess I'm a little last minute, huh?" I can hear the disappointment in his voice. I don't like it.

"Maybe, just a little. But we're usually back around 8 so that Ellie can shower and go to bed. Ya know, so she's all refreshed for her teachers in the morning." I tease.

Edward's deep chuckle resounds though the phone, the sound goes straight through me and makes me a little weak in the knees. "Well, there's always next weekend, right?"

The thought of waiting a week to see him isn't one I like very much. "How about you come over later. We could...watch a movie?"

I squirm in my chair, thinking of the last movie we watched together.

"Okay, I can do that. Are you sure it'll be okay with Ellie?" he asks, his concern is disarming and so, so sweet. It makes me like him even more, which I didn't know was even possible.

I tell him not to worry about Ellie. She'll be fine. After our talk this morning, I think she's okay with me dating.

I forgo telling him about the bases speech. I'm sure he's heard it all in school anyways. Working with teenagers must be something of an experiment in selective hearing.

When I hang up with him, it's already time to go pick up Mike and Ellie.

We're sitting around the dinner table. As I look around, it doesn't get passed me that I'm the only person here unattended.

Damn, a fifth wheel even at my own parents' house.

This kinda sucks.

But then, the prospect of seeing Edward later comes to mind and I smile as I mash my potatoes and carrots together.

"Bella, sweetie, is everything okay?" Mom asks, her voice full of concern.

They don't know I had a date last night. Seems nobody has let the cat out of the bag.

Yet.

"Hey grandma, mom had a date last night," Ellie blurts out excitedly, taking a bite of her mashed potatoes.

Oh, there it is.

Crap.

And she has the nerve to smile at me with a gleam in her eye. Oh, I love my daughter but sometimes...I kinda don't.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath while I wait for them to pounce.

But when they do, it's nothing like I expected.

Mom is squealing and giddy with happiness for me. She's practically clapping and jumping in her seat. It's sad, really.

Dad's mustache twitches back and forth, before it settles and he gives me a concerned nod and a "will we meet this one, Bells?" It's funny how I still expect him to be playing with his guns when I bring over a boy, especially since that kind of thing has never happened in our house.

Rose and Emmett just beam and keep eating. They know me well enough not to say much.

Plus, Rose is still waiting for me to come to her and tell her all the gritty details as if we're still teenagers.

I just might, I totally missed out on that stage in life and clearly she did too.

Alice is oblivious. She keeps staring at that Jasper kid like he's shitting unicorns and rainbows. Rose has her hands full with that one.

I roll my eyes. "It was one date, jeez. you all act like it's such a big deal." I shake my head and keep eating, ignoring the grin creeping up my cheeks.

"It is a big deal, Bella. It's about time you do something for yourself. You're far too beautiful and kind to spend your life alone." Mom tells me...again. We've had this conversation a million times, and every time, I know she's right but it's hard to put yourself out there. Something she doesn't seem to understand since she's never had to do it.

I know she just wants the best for me and Rose. She would have loved to see me be more like Rose, but Rose and I have always been miles apart in everything. Our looks, personalities and choices in life have been so vastly different, it's amazing we're as close as we are. Truth be told, Rose is the most giving person I know. She always wants the best for me and everyone she loves.

Which is why she's not butting in right now, even if the look in her face says otherwise.

"I know, mom. It is a big deal and he's...really great. When or if I'm ever ready, I promise I'll bring him by."

"Yes, well, apparently all my girls are into boys these days," he looks around and nods toward Ellie and Alice.

Alice is still making googlie eyes at Jasper, and Ellie's eating and chatting with her uncle Emmett while Mike stares at her profile, completely enamored by her.

"Dad, please, they're young, it won't last," I hiss, leaning into him so that they don't hear.

"Time will tell, Bells," he answers with a genuine smile while holding mom's hand over the table.

Looking around, I realize how I have missed out.

It makes me sad, but more determined to keep my heart open.

If things don't work out with Edward, there is no reason for me to close myself off. I should be happy.

I've spent too much time in the mindset of not needing a man to be happy, but the reality is, it's not about needing someone, it's about having someone there to share your life with.

I guess, in the long run, it's about time I realize that before it's too late.

Hey, beautiful. Did you still want me to come over? - E

Yeah. We're leaving mom and dad's in a few. Meet me at the house in an hour? - B

I'll be there with bells on. - E

No, wait, that's just wrong. I'll be there, okay? - E

What? LOL - B

Nevermind, see you shortly, beautiful. - E

"Was that Mister Cullen?" Ellie asks as we walk in the door.

I nod. "Yeah, he's coming over later."

"I see. And what are you guys gonna do?" There's a cheeky tone in her voice I'd rather ignore.

"Watch a movie. Talk. I don't know, but you, young lady, need to shower and go to bed." I narrow my eyes and kiss her forehead.

She runs off and does as I asked, yelling a "good night mom" from the top of the stairs before going to bed.

I end up fidgeting until the doorbell rings.

I'm nervous. I had this man's tongue rammed down my throat less than 24 hours ago, yet the thought of seeing him again makes the butterflies appear in my belly.

I haven't changed, I'm still just in my jeans and a regular t-shirt with my hair hanging around my shoulders and my glasses on. He said he'd seen me this way before, and well, I'm ready to test that theory.

And I really need to stop by and get my contacts tomorrow.

I open the door and what I see there takes the wind out of my sails.

Jesus Christ.

Edward...in low slung jeans...and a light blue polo shirt...and black Nikes...and holy hotness, Batman.

When my eyes finally make their treacherous way back to his face, he's smirking.

Dead.

I must have died.

My thirty-five year old body couldn't handle it and...I'm dead.

"Are you okay, Bella?" His voice brings me back. Seems being coherent is a problem when he's around.

This must be what Alice and Mike were doing at the dinner table earlier.

I clear my throat and smile. "I'm fine. You?"

He nods. "Good."

I stand there holding on to the doorknob like a goober for a few minutes too long before it dawns on me that I'm supposed to invite him in.

"So this is the living room." I nod, standing beside him.

I'm completely out of my element here. What are we supposed to do? What exactly do people do? I remember how Alec and I would watch television together. Or, more precisely, he'd lie on the couch and watch something while I sat in my rocking chair and read.

Yeah, exciting, I know!

I look up at Edward and he's just staring at me. "What?"

"Can I kiss you?"

His question takes me off guard and I giggle for a moment before looking up at him. "Yeah, okay."

And he does.

Threading his fingers gently at the nape of my neck, he pulls me closer to him and kisses me.

He takes and gives and leaves me breathless and panting. Boneless from the feel of his hands simply exploring my neck and sweeping the hair away from my cheeks. I moan, the sounds reverberating around us in the small room.

My hands on his hard chest then around his neck needing, pulling and god this is so much, almost too much and so, so good.

If just kissing this man makes me feel this much desire for him, I want more. I need to explore that with him.

I was ready for that last night, but now it's like this thing that's just there, in the air around us. A need to consume. I want him. I want to claim him and him me.

It's so powerful and overwhelming.

"We need to stop," I say breaking the kiss as Edward's mouth makes a trail down the column of my neck.

It's also the scariest feeling I've ever had.

With one last chaste kiss, Edward nods. "I know. I just can't be around you and not...do that. I'm sorry."

"Don't. It's not just you."

I see it in his eyes, glazed over from want and need, he's as consumed as I am.

Taking his hand, we settle on the sofa together.

But instead of turning on the television, we talk.

I tell him about the mundane things. About my parents and Rose. More intimate family matters that we hadn't discussed over dinner.

He also lets me in more. He tells me that he misses his friends. That he's afraid of sounding like a loser for saying that. He's vulnerable and exposed in a way that sucks me in.

I know without a doubt, even after this short amount of time, that I'm falling for him.


So... that went well. Cat's out of the bag about her dating someone, woot woot. See, her dad wasn't that bad... no guns, lol.

So if any of you want a good cry, I posted a new story. Not Without You, is a sad tale about love and loss, told in 15 short drabbles.

Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts, ect... I feel like I have the best readers. It's nice to know y'all are reading my words, and I like to read yours... ;o)