BPOV

Chapter Nine

Holy shit, I had kissed Edward! I couldn't believe that I actually did it. All week I had been flirting with him and making sure that he was extremely aware of me. Even though I wasn't ready yet to have the talk with him that I knew we needed to have, I did want him to know that I was willing to forgive what happened and move on with him. My casual touches and flirting with him was my way of showing him that. And I was pretty sure that he was more than happy to have me close to him, if the bulge in his pants that I had seen more than once when I was around was any indication. I had to admit that it boosted my self-esteem quite a bit to know that I had that effect on him. Of course, he had a similar effect on me. More than once I found myself day dreaming about his gorgeous green eyes and just-fucked hair. The meetings that we had together often consisted of me barely listening to anything that was being said because I was too busy wondering just how wonderful that messy hair would look if his head was buried between my legs. I really needed to stop my fantasizing or I was never going to get any work done.

Edward's texts to me Thursday night made me feel like a teenage girl with my first crush again. I have to admit that I did a little happy dance around my house when I first saw that he texted me. I couldn't keep the smile off of my face. Of course the mention of him kissing me everywhere immediately had my body tingling. God how I wanted him to do that so badly. But I didn't want him to think that I was too easy, so I ended the conversation before he could convince me just how much fun sexting would have been.

I got home from work about noon on Friday and made myself a quick lunch. I had a few errands to run before the party that night, and I also needed to give myself a couple of hours to get dressed. Alice, Rose and I had gone shopping earlier in the week and I picked out what I thought was the perfect outfit for the party. I bought a new pair of white skinny jeans and a light pink sleeveless silk shirt. I was going to wear a pair of silver ballet flats that I already had. It was fun and flirty, which was exactly how I wanted to come across to Edward.

Alice had picked out a very cute outfit for herself. She bought a sundress and a pair of brown cowboy boots. I have no idea why Alice wanted cowboy boots in Seattle, when I am pretty sure she has never been near a horse in her life, but the outfit was adorable and totally Alice. The little pixie had a great way of pairing clothes together, which was why she was the fashion designer and not me. Rose came with us and helped us pick out our outfits. She didn't buy anything because she said that she already bought something the weekend before. Knowing how gorgeous Rosalie was and how impeccably dressed she always was, I was sure that it would be a fantastic outfit.

I finished all of my errands and straightened up around my house before I started to get ready. At seven o'clock I was finishing my hair. Rose said that the party would be held in their backyard, and it was pretty hot outside for Seattle. I decided to pull my hair back in a low ponytail and curl the ends. It was fun and pretty, but it would be cooler than leaving my hair down. Just as I was fastening a pair of small silver earrings in my ears, there was a knock on my door and then Alice popped her head in.

"Bella! Are you ready? We are already late!"

I ran to the front door giggling. Alice may have other people fooled, but not me. She never showed up on time to anything! She said that if it wasn't socially acceptable to be late then it wouldn't be termed "fashionably late."

Rose and Emmett's house was absolutely gorgeous! It was in a new neighborhood right outside of Seattle, but the lots were huge so there was plenty of space in their backyard for a party. The two story house was perfect on the inside and outside. Rose certainly knew how to decorate, and the backyard area was wonderful. There was a huge deck with couches and a tv and huge grill that I couldn't imagine trying to work.

There were already quite a few people there by the time we showed up. However I didn't see Edward. I was slightly disappointed by this because I was really anxious to see him. I only had a minute to be disappointed before Rose walked over to where I was standing and gave me a hug.

"Rose, you look fantastic! That dress looks great on you," I told her and she beamed. She was wearing a royal blue one sleeve dress and gorgeous black heels. She really did look amazing.

"Bella, I'm so glad you guys made it! Alice is talking to some people that shop in her boutique and Jasper is over with Emmett. Do you want to come meet Emmett's parents?"

Meet Emmett's parents? I wasn't so sure about that since they were also Edward's parents. After everything that had happened with us I wasn't sure how he would feel about me meeting his parents when he wasn't around.

Rose saw my hesitation and immediately knew what the problem was. Bless her, she seemed to just get me and then to know the exact right thing to say to make me feel better.

"It's ok, Bella. This is a party that I am hosting. It is perfectly normal for you to meet my in-laws that are also guests. Quit over-thinking this. Edward will be here in about thirty minutes and he isn't going to care that you are meeting his parents. Besides, all I'm going to do is introduce you as my new friend. They don't even know that anything may potentially happen with you and Edward."

"It already happened, Rose," I said before I could stop myself.

"What?" She exclaimed, loudly. Thankfully she noticed that she had drawn the attention of the people around us and lowered her voice. "What do you mean that something already happened? I just talked to you yesterday!"

"I know, it happened yesterday after I talked to you. You know how I told you that I have been flirting with him all week? Well I kissed him. He was in his office and I went in there and he just looked so damn good and I couldn't stop myself. So I walked over to his desk, leaned over, and kissed him. And then I left," I told her.

She stared at me and then broke into a huge grin. "Well I must say that I am thoroughly impressed. I didn't think you had it in you. And you left without giving him a chance to say anything? That's perfect! He has probably been thinking about it non-stop. And now here you are looking beautiful. You are definitely going to have him eating out of the palm of your hand!"

I laughed and shook my head. "I wouldn't go that far. But I am anxious for him to get here so that I can see how he acts around me. I really want to just have fun with him, like we did last weekend. Only it will be different now because there won't be a huge secret between us."

As we were talking a very attractive couple came and stood next to us. The woman had the most beautiful shade of caramel colored hair that I had ever seen. And the man was extremely handsome with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Esme!" Rose exclaimed. "I want to introduce you to my friend, Bella. Bella, these are my in-laws, Carlisle and Esme Cullen."

"You are Edward's parents?" I asked. "But you are so young!"

I immediately slapped my hand over my mouth after that little outburst. Apparently I truly didn't have a filter when it came to any member of the Cullen family.

Just as I was about to apologize profusely for my terrible manners, I heard a familiar laugh from beside me right before an arm wrapped around my waist. I felt a jolt of electricity at the touch and new without looking that it was Edward.

"So I see that you guys have met Bella," he said to his parents. Before they could even answer I was apologizing.

"I am so sorry for that comment! I meant no offense. You just don't seem old enough to have a child Edward's age. Not that he is old or anything. Or that you are old. You just look young. And I'm rambling again. Ok, shutting up now."

I knew that my face was probably flaming red. Why was it that I continuously embarrassed myself in front of Edward and his family? I could see Rosalie trying not to laugh and Esme and Carlisle were smiling at me.

Esme stepped forward and hugged me. "Bella, it is so wonderful to meet you! And you have no need to apologize. It was quite the compliment. Don't you think, Carlisle?" She asked her husband.

He nodded with a smile on his face and shook my hand. "I'm sure that Esme will be glowing over that comment for quite some time. She has been having a hard time dealing with the fact that her baby boy here will be thirty next year. You probably just made her year. And it is a pleasure to meet you, Bella."

Esme and Carlisle were so nice. Rose told them about meeting me at the bar and then Edward told them about the plane and our jobs, though he did conveniently leave out there part where he didn't tell me who he was. That was ok though. It wasn't something that needed to be discussed with other people before we could even discuss it ourselves.

Edward kept his arm around me the entire time we were standing there and it was obvious that both Carlisle and Esme noticed. After a few minutes Edward said that he was going in to get a drink and offered to bring me one as well. Before walking away I felt him lean down and briefly kiss the top of my head. It made my heart melt and I was sure that I had to have the goofiest grin on my face.

Carlisle walked into the house with Edward and Esme turned to me. "Bella, I had no idea that Edward was seeing someone here in Seattle! How long have you two been together?"

I wasn't exactly sure what to say to her. I didn't know that Edward and I were technically seeing each other at this point or what he would want to tell his mom about me. Luckily Rose saved me from having to answer.

"Esme, I think that it is pretty new with Edward and Bella. I'm not sure that they even know what is going on with them. Right, Bella?"

I smiled at her gratefully and nodded. "Yes, it is very new. We are still getting to know one another."

Edward came back then and handed me my drink. "What are you ladies talking about?" He asked.

"Oh just girl talk, sweetheart," Esme answered. "I have been meaning to ask you though, Edward, if you finished up all of your business in Chicago? I am guessing that you did since you seem very settled here in Seattle."

I felt Edward tense up beside me and I turned to look at him. I had no idea what business Esme was referring to, but Edward didn't look very happy to be talking about it. He took a sip of his drink and then nodded. "Yes, everything in Chicago has been taken care of" he responded.

Esme smiled. "I'm glad, Edward. And I am especially glad to see that you are settling in nicely here in Seattle. It's been so great having you here so close to us!"

"I think that I'm really going to like Seattle, mom," he said to Esme, but he was looking down at me with that sexy smirk on his face. I looked up at him and smiled at how handsome he looked. Staring at him right then, I knew that there was nothing that I wouldn't do for this man. I was falling for him hard. And I was hoping that the way his beautiful green eyes lit up when he smiled at me was an indication that he was feeling the same way.

A/N - So Bella has met the parents and our couple seems smitten with one another.. next up will be some alone time with Bella and Edward!

A link to the outfits that Bella, Alice, and Rose are wearing as well as a picture of Rose and Emmett's house is on my blog.

The link is on my profile!