Chapter 3

The next thing I remember is hearing my cell ringing. I noticed it was light outside, jumped and answered, "Yes."

"Bella, it's Jasper. Are you okay? Aren't we supposed to be leaving soon?"

"What time is it?"

"9"

"Oh shit. You're right. I'm sorry. I'll be right there."

"Bella, it's okay. Take your time."

"Thank you, Jasper." I was up and dressed in minutes. I had my tent and gear taken down and packed in ten minutes. I put my hair in a low pony tail but not up in my helmet; they would just have to deal with it. Then I paddled over to their embankment. I pulled in twenty-five minutes after Jasper called. Edward and Jasper walked up to the raft and helped me secure it. I stepped off and Jasper took my hand as I started to load their gear.

"Jasper, let go."

"No Bella, I won't. Come sit down on the log with us; we want to discuss something with you."

"Fine," so we went and sat down. Edward came up behind us and sat down on my other side of me on the log.

Edward said, "Bella."

"Yes, Eddie," with as much sarcasm as I could muster.

His hand came up to my chin and touched me.

"What the hell are you doing? You've no right to touch me!" and I got up and walked away. "What you have all decided to have sex with me; Is that what you wanted to discuss with me? Is that why Jasper's on one side of me and Edward the other side? You two will hold me and Emmett will come in first. Maybe I'll just leave all your asses here and call the sheriff to come and get you."

Jasper said, "Wait Bella, that isn't it."

Edward was up and after me, as soon as his hand was on my wrist trying to stop me; "Let go," I said and pulled out my wrist from his hold. I flipped him and dropped him flat on his back.

Emmett was up this time and said, "Fuck, she is good."

Jasper then said, "Alright Bella, this isn't really how this morning was supposed to start either."

"Really, you just thought I would let you rape me."

"No."

"You thought I would be a willing participant in a four some."

"Now Jasper," Emmett said. Then Emmett had my hands behind my back and Jasper got my feet. I was suddenly hanging between the two of them.

"No, you're going to listen to us," Jasper said as I was struggling for him to let me go.

"First though," Edward said. He walked up to me while I was still hanging between Jasper and Emmett. He reached down to my chin and unclipped my helmet and lifted it off my head and pulling my ponytail holder out, letting all my hair fall free. "Bella, you don't need to give yourself a migraine by keeping your hair up today."

"Edward, I am sorry for jumping to that horrible conclusion. Thank you for letting me be a woman today and I'm sorry I dropped you with that karate move."

"Bella, I deserved it. You didn't really jump to far off base after how we treated you like crap yesterday; we deserved it still today. Jasper and Emmett, why don't you put our raft guide down? I think we're finally close to being on the same page."

Jasper set my feet on the ground. Emmett got me standing up correctly. He let go of my hands, then he shook my hand and said, "Hello. My name is Emmett. I believe you are Bells, our raft guide."

"Yes Emmett. I am."

"Hi Bells. I am Jasper. I work with both Emmett and Edward here. We are really looking forward to the rapids of Hell's River and rock climbing with you."

Finally, Edward came up and shook my hand, "Hello, Bells. I'll call you Bells if you want me to; however, Bella suits you much better. I'm the last of the three musketeers you could call us. I am so looking forward to the rest of the rafting trip. I'm sorry I was such an ass yesterday. Jasper is right that I just broke up with my girlfriend. We just finished two really tough cases with women, but that was no excuse to take it out on you. I would also like to apologize for giving you a migraine yesterday. So what do you say can we start over for the rest of the trip?"

My stomach growled and I said, "Yes but I would like to get something to eat. You can call me either Bells or Bella; I don't care. How did you know I had a migraine yesterday?"

Emmett said, "Sit down and I'll get you one of my breakfast burritos."

Edward then said, "Because I suffer from them and we definitely didn't help matters. You also put all that hair up in your helmet that couldn't have been comfortable."

Emmett brought me a burrito wrapped in foil and handed me my water. I bit into it and said, "Delicious. I was thinking about agreeing to start over from scratch today and accept your apologies; but now I definitely will."

"Thank you," they said. "Now we'll earn even more forgiveness. While you eat, we'll load the raft back up."

"Thank you, guys." As Emmett walked away, he turned his head and said, "By the way, Bella that was quite impressive the way you got out of Edward's hold and put him flat on his back."

Edward slapped Emmett's back and said, "I bet she could get you if given the chance and as pissed off as she was."

I just smiled and enjoyed my burrito. Once the boys finished loading the raft and I had finished the burrito and drank some water, we headed out onto the river. Edward and I remained in the back of the raft; and Emmett was in front of me and Jasper in front of Edward. All of our gear was secured and covered to keep dry. The guys did a great repacking job. They enjoyed the rapids and we ate lunch together today.

Over lunch I asked, "So you all work together and there are cases, so where do you work?"

Edward said, "We work for the CIA."

"How long have you been running this river?" Jasper asked.

"Since I was twenty."

"How old are you now?"

"Twenty-three, but didn't your mothers teach you not to ask girls how old they are?"

"You must enjoy water to run the rapids up here for the last three years," Edward said.

"I do. Plus in the winter, I have started skiing; but I love the water more."

"Where were you born and does that have something to do with your love of water?" Jasper asked.

"Yes, I was born and raised on an island. I can surf, snorkel, kayak, scuba dive and run the rapids. But we also had some pretty amazing rock formations that I learned how to climb, so let's harness up and do some rock climbing."

"Sounds good," Jasper said.

As I was slipping into my gear and my rock climbing shoes, Edward leaned down behind me and whispered, "You changed the subject, but for now we'll let you get away with it."

"Who is partnering with whom?" I asked changing the subject again.

All three boys said, "I want Bella."

I said, "Rock, paper, scissors boys. Emmett and Jasper go first and whoever wins goes against Edward. Then the winner will get to climb with me. Fair deal! Then tomorrow whoever came in second can climb with me and then again on the third climb the third guy can climb with me. Is that fair?"

"Yeah," everyone said.

Then Edward asked, "Are you sure you can handle Emmett? He is a big guy; we wouldn't want to get his hopes up."

"Yes, Edward, I can handle Emmett on my line."

I went to Emmett and Jasper and said, "Ready, rocks, paper, scissors."

Emmett won with paper.

Now it's Emmett and Edward. "Rock, paper, scissors."

Emmett won again with rock crushing Edward's scissors.

"Have fun boys," Emmett said. "I'm going to enjoy my time with this brunette."

As we got the rest of the gear together, Jasper said, "Oh Emmett, I thought your saying was blondes are more fun."

"Today I'm in it with this beautiful brunette who can out raft us."

"Boys, we have climbing to do plus time to make up from this morning. So I was thinking about a race, first ones up and back as a team win. Losers set up camp and clean up after dinner."

"You're on," Edward said.

I was half way up and securing a clip in when I heard a click and Emmett say, "What a view!"

"Alright, Emmett, don't drop me and make me beat you up."

Then I heard "Ugh" and I looked down to see Edward had hit Emmett in the head.

Jasper yelled down to Emmett to behave. I got to the top ahead of Jasper. I then took over the tension for Emmett's climb. Jasper was right behind me and then Edward started up. I egged on both boys by leaning over the ledge and saying, "Come on boys remember this is a race." At the top, I sent Emmett right back down.

Once he was back on the ground, Emmett said, "Come on, Bells. Just jump and I'll catch you. Then we'll win."

"No, I won't," I said; but be ready, I quickly repelled down to Emmett. I kept yelling at Emmett to keep the tension tight because I knew how to tap out my clips and continue back down swiftly. I beat Edward by like five clips.

When Edward and Jasper were down, Jasper said, "You have to teach us how you do that because that's quite impressive."

"Of course, I will. I can do it tomorrow; but let's get going we still have time to make up from this morning." We loaded up the climbing gear and headed off down the river.

As we're going through just some swift water, Emmett slapped his paddle backwards and splashed me with water. "Thanks, Emmett. Let me guess. Emmett is the comedian and dives into all your adventures. Edward is the brain and thinker. And Jasper you balance them both out. But the three of you are an incredibly strong force together."

"You're right, pretty lady," Jasper said.

Quickly, we were back into some more class five rapids. As I was about to tell them to pull their paddles, Edward said, "Let's get through this together plus we can make up some time with all of us in the water paddling."

I let them and we did. We made up some of our time, but we still didn't finish rafting until 5:45. Emmett and I started burgers. Jasper and Edward set up their stuff ignoring my tent. Once we ate our burgers, Jasper started cleaning up and Edward asked me where I wanted my tent.

I said, "Thirty feet that way."

"Bella, you don't have to stay away from us tonight."

I smiled and said, "I know, but I'll stay down by the fire with you all until I go to bed. I usually turn in before my rafters and I like silence plus I know how boys can be."

"Really? Do you?"

I smiled and said, "Yeah, they normally have booze hidden in their bags some place, and I truly enjoy a good night sleep more than alcohol." Edward and Jasper cleaned up dinner while I put my clothes and sleeping bag into my tent. Emmett sat around reading and enjoying his free time. I put on a flannel shirt and went and sat by the fire. "Can you share some of your adventures with me without giving away any of your CIA secrets or tell me about how you met?"

Emmett started drinking a beer and told me his version of how they met in their CIA rookie class. Jasper told his version next and finally Edward did. They had become the best of friends that was for sure. As I listened to their stories, I could feel some of my anxiety relaxing. I was feeling more comfortable with them after today.

"Bella, tell us about your dad?" Edward said.

I talked about my dad. Finally, after about an hour, I got up went into the woods for the bathroom and then went to bed. As soon as my flashlight was turned off, I heard the three guys say, "Good night, Bella. Sweet Dreams."

I smiled to myself and said, "Good night boys."

A/N Please enjoy. Let me know what you think as you go through these first three chapters. I will probably post chapter 4 on THURSDAY. Have a great week.