A/N: Okay, guys. As promised, here is the love scene. Yes, that's right, the lemon finally dropped from the tree. Now remember, I've never done this before. So, read and enjoy.


The weeks passed swiftly, and before they knew it, the town was decorated in twinkling lights and red and green ribbons. Christmas was upon them. They had already made arrangements with Jasper and Alice, who would be arriving on the 22nd and staying at his parents' house, so that everyone would be together.

They would have Christmas dinner on the 24th at Bella's house since she had the largest kitchen and dining room. Then, after eating, they would exchange gifts and return to their own places for the couples' gifts.

Bella had bought gifts for everyone but Edward. She was still lost as to what to give him. As she wandered through her living room while waiting on the girls to arrive, she had the best idea. Of course, she would want to talk to Rose and Alice about it first.

Not 10 minutes later, her front door opened. "Beeelllllaaaaa!" She would recognize Alice's voice anywhere.

"Ali!" She ran to meet her at the front door, but stopped short when she saw the short girl. "Oh my! You've gotten so big!"

They all laughed. Alice was now only 4 months, but recently found out she was having twins. Because of her normally small size and the double load she was carrying, she was already about to bust.

"I know. But, we're thrilled. I couldn't ask for a better Christmas gift than that." Her face glowed under her curly mop of black hair.

Rose laughed. "Well, I'm just happy with Charlie. I can't believe that he'll be a year old in a few months."

Bella watched her two best friends, wishing she could have that kind of happiness. That thought led her to making a comment out loud unconsciously. "Why can't I be like ya'll?"

They looked at her. "What do you mean?"

She looked up, not realizing she spoke her thoughts. She looked down as she responded. "I want what you have. You know, marriage to a wonderful man and children. Which reminds me, I need your advice. I have an idea for a gift for Edward."

Alice looked shocked. "You haven't bought his gift yet?" Bella and Rose laughed.

"No. I've been unsure about what to get him. But, the gift I have in mind doesn't need to be bought." She began to blush.

Rose asked, "Bells, what are you talking about?" Her face turned a deeper shade of red.

They understood then. "OOOOhhhhhh."

"Yeah. I'm just not sure what to do."

"Come with us." They went into the living room to sit down. "Alright. What do you need to know, sweetie?" She was horrified that she actually had to talk about it.

"Well, I want it to be really special. You know, fire in the fireplace, wine, music. That kind of thing."

"Aw, Bells. That sounds so romantic." Alice always was hopeless. "We'll come over early on Christmas Eve to help you get ready. You can wear that long, blue, satin dress you always avoid." They laughed, knowing she was telling the truth.

"What? I'm just not into dresses like you two are. But, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, anything." Bella started laughing. "Don't let Em dress Edward."

A chorus of laughter rang out in the room. Rose always picked out Emmett's clothes because, while he looked good in anything, the boy had no sense of fashion.

They spent the rest of their evening planning Bella's gift to Edward, including giving her advice on what to do, and catching up on the latest news.


Bella woke up early on Christmas Eve. Her nerves wouldn't let her sleep any later, much to her despair. She got up and pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater, knowing how messy Christmas dinner could get.

She went into her bathroom to brush her hair and teeth. Glancing at herself in the mirror, she noticed she had a slight glow about her. She began thinking of Edward and the glow seemed to intensify. So, this is what love is all about.

She headed to her kitchen to begin the preparations. She pulled out the turkey and the stuffing she made the night before. After setting the oven to the correct temperature, she began to stuff the turkey. When she was finished, she put it in the oven and began making the green bean casserole.

Her day of cooking passed quickly. Soon, she had the potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, and rolls done in addition to the casserole. All she was waiting on was the turkey. Her friends had volunteered to help. But, she just enjoyed this part. So, she told them they could bring desserts.

Before she knew it, Rose and Alice were arriving with pies. "Alright girl. Let's get you ready."

They were both gorgeous. Rose was wearing a deep red, floor length gown. It had long sleeves and hugged her entire body. Alice was wearing a green mid-calf dress. It gathered under the bust and flowed around her round belly. It, too, had long sleeves.

When they reached her closet, Bella looked at her dress.

"Guys, why am I the only one not in Christmas colors?" She was slightly confused at this.

"Silly Bella," Alice began, "it's because Edward loves you in blue. Plus, this is the only one you have with long sleeves."

"That makes sense. One of you two did pick out his suit, right?"

They laughed. "Of course," answered Rose. "All the guys will be dressed similar with one difference – the tie. Edward is wearing a gorgeous black suit with a tie the same deep blue that you are wearing. And, if I do say so myself, he looked hot. However, when we get done, he won't hold a candle to you. He's gonna be fighting all night to keep his hands off you."

They both chuckled as Bella's face turned red. Then, she said something completely out of character, causing her blush to deepen more, if that was possible. "Let's hope he doesn't fight too hard."

Both girls liked that response. "Yeah, Bells!"


Two hours later, just as the guys were arriving, Bella was finally finished. They had kept her make-up as natural as possible. Her hair was hanging around her shoulders and down her back in curls, with only a couple pieces from the front tucked and pinned behind her ears. Her dress caressed her curves in all the right places. She slipped on the same shoes she wore the night she danced with Edward at Spencer's.

"Oh, Bella! Edward is going to fall through the floor when he sees you." Alice, always the one for dramatics.

"She's right, Bells. You look simply stunning." Leave it to Rose to encourage it. "Just look in the mirror."

She stepped in front of her mirror and gasped. Okay, maybe they're right.

"Guys, ya'll are the greatest. What would I do without you?" Her eyes began to get misty.

"Oh no you don't, Isabella Marie Swan! No crying!" Alice's tone made both her and Rose laugh.

She pulled them all together for a group hug that was interrupted by a bellowing voice.

"Honey, we're home!" Jasper's and Edward's laughs could be heard following it. Then came a tiny voice that caused Rose to go running. "Mamamama!"

Since Rose had already left, Alice gave Bella her final instructions. "Wait for us to call you. When you hear us, pause for about 3 seconds before coming out. You look gorgeous, hun."

She turned and waddled away, leaving Bella to ponder the evening. I hope everything goes well. Please, let everything go well.

"Bella!" Alice's and Rose's voices blended together, rousing her from her thoughts.

She counted to three, slowly. Then, walking carefully, stepped into the hallway and made her way to the living room.

Her eyes were glued to her feet, making sure she didn't trip on her dress. At the sound of a breath, she looked up. All eyes were now on her.

Emmett's eyes were beaming with pride. Jasper was smiling at her, his arm protectively around his wife. Finally, her eyes met Edward's.

"Bella, you look, wow, I mean, wow." His stammering caused Bella to smile, all nervousness fading away.

"You don't look too bad yourself."

His dark suit was cut impeccably to fit his body. His black shirt was cut to match, outlining the muscular tone of his chest. The blue tie really was a perfect match to her own dress, obviously picked out by Rose and Alice. His hair, though cut shorter than he used to wear it when they were younger, was still in its normal messy array. But his eyes were what captivated her. They were the color of the most perfect emerald, shining brightly as his smile lit up his face. What most people didn't realize is that up close, you could see the faintest flecks of gold floating in the sea of green.

He stepped over to her and whispered in her ear, "I could just eat you up." He then pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. "AAAAAAwwwwwwww!" Leave it to Emmett to kill a romantic moment.

Bella blushed as she walked over to hug the others, still feeling Edward's eyes on her. As payback, she decided to put Emmett to work. "Em, can you grab the bird from the oven?"

He sniffed the air. "Is that what smells so good?" He moved toward the kitchen. "Sure, I'm starving." They laughed as he left the room.

Rose just shook her head. "He's always hungry."

They all joined him in the dining room, where he had already started carving the 30-pound turkey. Bella had set the table with her grandmother's good china, an heirloom that had been in the family for centuries. She was honestly surprised it lasted through them growing up.

Dinner was a comfortable event. They spent most of the evening laughing at little Charlie. He decided his daddy looked better with mashed potatoes in his hair.

When they were finished and had cleaned up, they made their way into the living room to the tree. There was a small pile of gifts under the tree. Most of them were for Charlie, of course. However, they did have a few gifts for each other. They bought gifts as couples, knowing it would be easier that way.

When all gifts were opened, and after many rounds of thank yous, everyone left, leaving Bella and Edward alone.

They pulled out one of the beanbag chairs to sit on in front of the fire. Edward sat down and pulled Bella down into his lap. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he leaned forward to nuzzle her neck. "Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" She smiled. "Well, I think you tried." He laughed at the memory of his response when she walked out earlier.

"Well, you do. It has taken everything in me to be a gentleman tonight." He leaned back, taking her with him. "I have your gift. Would you like it?"

"You didn't have to get anything for me." He smiled, knowing that would be her response. She has always been selfless.

"But, I wanted to. I love you, Bella. I would give you the world if you wanted it." He turned her so that she was sitting sideways on his lap. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out a little box.

He looked into her eyes and seen something flash there. "No, love. I'm not proposing." He handed her the box. "Please open this and then let me explain it to you."

She took the gift from him and opened it carefully. Then, she lifted the lid to the box. Inside was the most gorgeous ring she had seen. It was a golden ring. There was a single diamond in the middle of a floral design that was ensconced in an oval shape. "Oh, Edward! It's beautiful. I can't accept this."

"Oh, but you can. Let me tell you why I'm giving this to you." He took it out of the box and placed it on her left ring finger. He then lifted the hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on the back. "This ring symbolizes my promise to love you forever. You are it for me, love. You own my heart and my soul. You always have and always will. I'm yours."

With tears in her eyes, Bella leaned forward to kiss him softly. "I love you too. Forever. Where did you find this?" He lifted her hand to his lips once more, then spoke again. "It was my great-grandmother's. My great-grandfather gave it to her when she was 16, and they were together for the rest of their lives, about 80 years for each of them. But, I added something to it. Look at the engraving." She took the ring off to look at the inside.

"Amor Vincit Omnia. That's beautiful, but what does it mean?"

He tightened his arms around her once more as she slid the ring back on. "It's Latin. It means love conquers all. I thought it was very fitting with everything we've been through to get to this point."

"It is." Bella, deciding it was time to put her plan into motion, reached behind them to turn on the music she had ready. It was just a collection of some of their favorite classical songs. The room was already dim with just the tree lights and fire lighting the room. She decided to skip the wine because she didn't want to leave her position.

She took his face in her hands, looking into his eyes. "Kiss me." He needed no further invitation. He ran one hand up her neck and into her hair, pulling her face to his. Their lips had barely met when she opened hers to allow him access. Her courage aroused him. She had never been so forward with him before.

He took advantage of the moment to slip his tongue into her mouth. Their tongues danced in sensual movements only lovers could achieve. She sucked slightly on his tongue, causing him to groan in pleasure. His arousal was becoming evident. Bella shifted and rubbed against him, eliciting another moan from him.

"Oh god, Bells. You don't know what you're doing to me."

As she went to turn around, Edward froze and pulled away. "No, Bells. We don't have to do anything you aren't ready for." She placed another soft kiss on his face, this time on his cheeks. "Edward Anthony Cullen. You of all people know I don't do something if I don't want to. I want to do this. I've already let 12 years pass me by. I'm not wasting another minute, and I won't take no for an answer. Merry Christmas, my darling." Before he could argue, she turned quickly, straddling his lap while placing another kiss on his lips. This kiss, though just as passionate, was not reserved like their others. It was full of fire. Bella was putting all of her emotions into this one kiss.

His mind clouded, Edward forgot all of his earlier inhibitions. He just acted. He pulled her hips closer to his, grinding her into his erection. They both moaned at the contact. Bella slid his jacket from his shoulders and laid it nearby. His tie quickly followed. Just as Bella's hands moved to unbutton his shirt, his hands were moving up to the top of her zipper.

To keep her from standing up, he broke the kiss as he pulled the dress over her head. He quickly recaptured her lips. Bella was still working on his buttons, slowly and painfully, dragging a finger along the skin that was newly visible. Soon she pushed the shirt from his shoulders, revealing his hard, toned chest to her. She rubbed her hands along the lines of the muscles while placing searing kisses along his neck and jaw. He was rubbing one hand up and down her thigh while drawing circles on her back with the other, groaning in pleasure from what her mouth was doing to his neck. When her teeth found his earlobe, it was almost enough to make him lose complete control.

He reached over to grab some pillows from the couch and tossed them on the floor onto the plush rug. He gently lowered Bella to the floor. Sitting on his knees, Edward took a moment to really take in the view. Her hair was fanned out like a halo around her head. The fire was reflecting off of her skin, making her glow. Her lips were slightly swollen from their feverish kissing. Her breasts were perfect, pushed up slightly by the black lace, strapless bra she was wearing. He moved his gaze lower to her perfectly toned stomach and legs, pausing momentarily to admire the matching thong.

Before he could lean down, Bella sat up moving her hands to his belt buckle. As she unhooked it, Edward slid off his shoes and socks. She unbuttoned his fly and lowered the zipper. Just as slowly as she did with the shirt, she took her time lowering his slacks. As she did, she allowed her hands to brush over his erection that was straining against the black boxer-briefs, eliciting a hiss of pleasure from Edward. When they were finally off his legs, she, too, took the time to admire him. His strong chest was matched by his chiseled abs. There was a fine line of hair that led into the band of his underwear. His legs were no different than the rest of him, rock hard from the years of exercise and training.

Edward leaned down and placed his hands on Bella's face, capturing her lips in another heat-filled kiss. He slowly pushed her backwards, settling himself between her legs, as his tongue invaded her mouth. She gently sucked on it, earning another moan from him. They laid there for the longest time kissing, allowing their hands to explore and learn one another's body. When they had to breathe, Edward looked down at his flushed angel. Making sure he made eye contact, he asked an unspoken question. Her response was a smile and nod.

He ran his hands up her sides to the front hooks of her bra, slowly undoing them, giving her plenty of time to stop him. He sighed in amazement when he saw her. Unable to stop himself, he bent down and captured her left nipple in his mouth while his hand worked magic on the right one. When Bella began to moan and arch against him, he switched sides. "Please, Edward. I need you."

He slowly kissed his way down her stomach, dipping his tongue into her belly button. When he got to the band of her panties, he ran his tongue along the edge. She squealed his name, causing him to grin. He slowly pulled them off of her and tossed them with the rest of their clothes. He placed a kiss on her mound before working down her left leg. After reaching her toes, he removed her shoes and then kissed back up the right leg. Once again, she called out. "Edward, stop teasing me, or I'll be forced to use the cuffs."

He chuckled. "Don't tempt me, Angel." Then, before she could respond, he kissed her center. She gasped at the sensation. He slowly slid a finger into her opening while running his tongue along her folds. "God, Bella, you taste so good." He continued moving his finger in and out as he made contact with her clit, causing her to scream out.

"Edward, that…feels…so…good." He added a finger and curled them up, finding her sweet spot. "Unh, please, don't stop!" He picked up his pace. He could feel that she was holding back. "Just let go, love. Don't stop the feelings. Go with them." She finally relaxed, and in no time, he felt her walls clench around his fingers and she screamed out his name. After licking her clean, he slowly kissed his way back up. When he arrived at her lips, he looked into her eyes and found them to be clouded with the same desire and love he was feeling.

She reached up and grabbed his face, pulling him in for yet another mind blowing kiss. Her hands ran around to the back of his hair and tugged slightly, causing him to gasp. She worked his underwear as low as she could with her feet. He kicked them the rest of the way off. Soon, she could feel his massive erection between her thighs, pressing against her heat. She wrapped her legs around his waist, inviting him to enter her.

"Bella, please stop me if you don't want to do this." She arched her hips into his while pulling down with her feet. She had the most determined look on her face. When he continued to be hesitant, she rolled him over and straddled him. The look of surprise on his face caused her to giggle. "Edward, didn't we talk about his earlier? You know if I want something, I'm going to get it." She leaned down to kiss him softly.

He actually preferred it this way for their first time. She would be in control. As if reading his unspoken thoughts, Bella raised up and slowly lowered herself onto him. They both moaned at the feel of him so deep inside her. "Bells," he began, only to be cut off again.

"I'm not stopping."

He shook his head. "Trust me. I don't want to stop. I just…do you have something? I wasn't expecting this."

She smiled. "I was."

The look on his face was priceless. "What? I didn't know what else to get you for Christmas. You have pretty much everything. So, I figured why not give you something you've never had? Check the left inside pocket of your jacket. Rose stashed some in there for me."

He reached above his head and pulled his coat to him. Sure enough, Rose left about 10 condoms in his pocket. "Was she planning on us going all night?"

Bella blushed. "You never know." She slid off of him long enough for him to slide on a condom. When he was finished, Bella slid herself back on top of him.

They stayed that way for a moment, kissing and holding each other as closely as possible.

Then, at a painfully slow pace, she began to rock slowly, the feel of their skin rubbing only making the feelings stronger. His hands moved all over her body, just enjoying the feel of this gorgeous woman. Her hands were doing the same, wanting to memorize every line of his body. His hands rested at her hips, slowly increasing the pace. Sweat was beginning to form on both of them as they fought to restrain their orgasms that were building increasingly fast. He knew he wouldn't last much longer, so he moved one of his hands to where they were connected and began to rub her clit. Moments later, he felt her clinch around him, bringing him to fall off the edge with her. She fell on top of him, and they just held each other, relishing the sense of euphoria they were feeling.

Edward rolled so that they were lying on their sides, facing each other. He smiled gently and brushed some hair out of her face and back behind her ears. "I love you, Bella." Her closed eyes opened and looked into his. "I love you too, Edward."

His face became that of concern. "Is this going to affect how we work? I don't know if I can trust anyone else with you." She shook her head. "I'm not leaving you. We were meant to be together, including at work. Speaking of, we need to sleep. Graveyard tomorrow."

"Okay, love. I'll be right back." He made his way down the hall to the bathroom to clean up. When he came back, Bella was already asleep. He laid down beside her, pulling her tight against him. This was definitely the best gift she could ever have given him. Not the sex, although that was wonderful. No, the trust. She trusted him enough to give him this. That he would treasure forever.

The sound of her soft breathing lulled him into a peaceful sleep full of dreams of forever. Forever. His last thought before drifting completely away.

Okay, guys. So let me know what you think. Oh, and the link to a pic of the promise ring is available on my profile. Now, remember, this ring belonged to his great-grandmother so it is very old school. I'll have another update ready in a few days.