A/N: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, not me. I own a tri-light with a lovely shade. It's right over there. *points*
Chapter 9: Everybody Knows A Turkey And Some Mistletoe Help To Make The Season Bright
I scanned the yard after knocking on Bella's door. It's strange how paranoid you become when you're waiting for something bad to happen. There was no way to know whether things would turn out badly if my mystery woman showed up, but I was more comfortable staying on guard. It was easier to be mentally prepared for the worst case, to be aware of the possibility of danger and what I could do to prevent it. It would give me control over the situation and prepare me to act quickly, should the need arise.
Bella hollered, telling me to come up, so I let myself in. Before going upstairs, I locked the door behind me.
"Do you always let people in before checking to see who it is?" I called out, only half joking with my chastisement.
She greeted me with a smile, appearing in the kitchen doorway as I hung my jacket in the closet. I pulled her in for a hug and kissed her cheek, feeling the warmth of the oven on her skin when my lips made contact. Having her in my arms brought me an unexpected burst of happiness because I had proof that she was safe. "It smells wonderful in here," I whispered next to her ear. "And you really should lock your door. You can't be too careful."
"Ok, dad." She swatted my chest playfully and pulled away from me.
I followed her into the kitchen and asked what I could do to help. She assured me she had it all under control. After getting me a glass of wine, she led me to the living room to introduce me to her other guests: Rosalie from downstairs and her boyfriend Emmett.
The four of us chatted and enjoyed the wine. My cheeks heated when I remembered my speculation about Rosalie being my mystery woman. I couldn't have been more off the mark. After watching her with Emmett for about five minutes, it was clear how deeply in love with him she was, and he with her. After the day I'd had, it was almost painful to watch their display, since they had exactly what I wanted. All I had was a stalker I was trying to avoid.
When Bella got up to check on dinner, I followed her, needing a break from the lovebirds. Bella refilled her glass of wine and took a large swallow. After setting the glass down on the counter, she walked over to the sink to wash her hands. With her back to me, my gaze immediately settled on her ass, which was perfectly outlined in the tight jeans she wore. On top she wore a sleeveless, red blouse that draped low in the front, even lower in the back, and hugged her petite frame in all the right places.
"You look good. Christmas must agree with you."
She blushed furiously and reached for another sip of wine. "Thanks," she mumbled. A moment later she turned toward me, her eyes meeting mine. "The last two weeks have been kind of crazy, but I love Christmas."
"Crazy doesn't begin to cover it. I've worked twice as many hours as usual, and then there's the whole note fiasco."
Bella looked panicked for a moment and then dashed to the stove to stir something. "Yeah, about that… I-"
"Is there anything I can help with?" Rosalie asked, interrupting whatever Bella was about to say.
"Thanks, Rosalie. Would you fill the water glasses on the table and make sure everyone has wine for the meal?"
"Of course." Bella handed Rosalie a pitcher of water and the wine bottle from the refrigerator, and Rosalie disappeared into the dining room.
I asked Bella what she was about to say, but she told me it would have to wait until later. It was time for the turkey to come out of the oven.
The meal came together quickly. While I carved the bird, Bella finished the side dishes. She was a dynamo in the kitchen. She made it look effortless, even though I knew how demanding it was after seeing my mother do it for so many years. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her work.
The small table we sat around was overflowing with food. Bella must have called my sister for advice because all of my favorites were there. She'd even baked fresh rolls from scratch. I was touched that she'd gone to so much trouble to make me feel at home for my first Christmas without my family.
The wine and conversation flowed freely. Bella was a gracious hostess, continually offering more of everything she had to her guests. Rosalie was much friendlier now that we knew each other a little better, and Emmett was a tremendously warm and carefree individual. I couldn't remember the last time I'd enjoyed myself so much or felt so relaxed. The wine I'd consumed didn't hurt either.
Bella was in the kitchen putting dessert together when I heard her yelp. I rushed to her and found her leaning over the sink, running her hand under the water.
"Here, let me," I offered, gently turning her hand over so I could examine it.
"It's nothing," she promised. "I was shaving some chocolate. The peeler barely nicked me."
"Well, I don't think you're going to lose the finger," I joked. "But a bandage is probably a good idea. I know chocolate shavings with blood are all the rage this year, but I don't really care for the combination."
She smiled and rolled her eyes. "The first aid kit is in the bathroom cabinet. Would you mind getting it for me?"
When I returned, I took her hand and said, "Hold very still. Bandage application is serious business."
"It's a good thing we have a professional here," she said with a giggle.
I dabbed on some antiseptic and blew on the cut, hoping to make her giggle again. There was something about the joyful sound that warmed up my insides.
By the time I'd finished bandaging Bella's finger, Emmett and Rosalie had come into the kitchen with their coats on. Emmett apologized for cutting the evening short, but Rosalie had received a text that her best friend Kate had finally given birth, and he wanted to take her to see the baby before visiting hours were over. Though I was disappointed they were leaving, I couldn't begrudge them the obvious excitement they were both feeling.
I shook Emmett's hand and kissed Rosalie's cheek, congratulating them and wishing them a happy New Year. Rosalie looked into my eyes and scrutinized me for a moment, before telling me to enjoy the rest of my evening. Emmett simply laughed and told me he'd call me about going to a football game this coming weekend.
When Bella returned from walking them to the door, she excused herself, explaining that she'd gotten blood on her blouse and needed to treat the stain before it set and ruined the blouse. The awkward smile on her face confused me; the way she backed out of the room, even more so. It was like she was nervous all of a sudden, except she had no reason to be. We'd always gotten along well. She was smart and witty, and I found it really easy to talk to her. Being around her was as uncomplicated as it got.
I was sad to see the end of the red blouse though. She looked lovely in the color. Maybe it was pent-up sexual frustration from the notes or my recent longing to find someone to share my life with, but I'd done more than my fair share of staring at her tonight. Probably even a little flirting. There really wasn't any other way to describe what I'd done when I was bandaging her finger. I could always blame the wine, if I needed an excuse, or I could simply be honest and tell her she was beautiful.
As usual, my timing left a little to be desired. Emmett and Rosalie's departure had shifted the atmosphere between us. I didn't want to make Bella feel more awkward, though I wasn't sure what I'd done to make her feel that way to begin with. Maybe my flirting had made her uncomfortable or I'd overstepped my bounds by touching her without permission. If she didn't think of me in a romantic way, it would explain her sudden onset of nervousness.
As soon as I heard her in the kitchen, I went to her. I needed to apologize for my behavior. I'd hate myself in the morning if I let her feel uncomfortable because I'd gone too far.
"Bella, I'm sorry if I-"
"Are you ready for dessert?" she asked, interrupting me mid-sentence. Not that it mattered. As soon as I saw her, I lost the ability to speak.
The red blouse was nowhere in sight. Except for the apron and oven mitts she wore, all I saw was a monumental amount of creamy, bare skin.
She froze for a moment when my eyes met hers, then continued walking to the stove. As she turned away, I saw red satin and black trim. With my mouth hanging open, my eyes followed the path of the thick, black ribbon running through each set of grommets.
It was a corset.
I gulped in air and desperately tried to think, but only one thing came to mind.
"Holy shit! You're Mrs. Claus."
A/N: So what did you think? =) It was a longer chapter than the others, but not too long.
Big squishy hugs to everyone reading and reviewing.
Cross your fingers that the writing gods are good to me so that I'll be able to update tomorrow. Otherwise it will be Saturday.
Until next time…
