Chapter 33

As we entered the beginning of November, the CIA operative went over with us the information we needed from her trip; she was leaving the next day. I was so hoping tradition in my country held and my step mother hadn't changed much.

At the office the first week of November, Carlisle passed out envelopes to everyone.

"What Carlisle?" I asked.

After I opened the envelope, I saw we were invited to their house at 2 for lunch on Thanksgiving.

Emmett said, "At two, I'll be there."

"Of course, you will," Jake said.

Carlisle said, "Even if you have to go to other's houses at least stop by at some point for a drink."

I was a little confused and didn't want to say anything about what was going on at the office. Once we got to the house, I went to my bedroom and used my computer and googled, "Thanksgiving."

Edward came in and said, "I knew it."

"What?"

"You're looking up what Thanksgiving is?"

"Edward, stop it," and I started tearing up and I shut down my laptop.

"What am I doing?"

"You're picking on me."

"All I can tell you about Thanksgiving is that the only place that is open to eat is a hotel and then it was very expensive. So after the first year, I just stayed in where ever I was at and cooked for myself." I got up and walked away from Edward.

"Bella, come on."

"No, go away. You are being mean."

"Bella, if you don't come with me, I'll help you come with me and that will be mean."

"No, Edward. I'm not a native of this country and I had no one to share the holidays with or want to teach me about them in the last six years, so leave me alone," and I climbed onto my bed.

"Bella," and he scooped me into his arms and threw me over his shoulder and carried me to the kitchen. Then he put me back down on the ground and ordered me to sit down. Emmett was working on dinner and Edward said, "Emmett, can you skip that Thanksgiving is your favorite day because of football and all the food that you get to eat and help me tell Bella where Thanksgiving came from?"

"Sure." So all through dinner prep and dinner, the guys explained about the Pilgrims and Indians.

"I got it guys."

I cleaned up the kitchen and then went down to the gym for a workout. I was about to use the weight machines again. Edward came in and said to me, "Let's use free weights and I'll spot you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Bella, I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want, too. This is just one more way we can spend time together."

"Okay," and we did. When I was done, I ran on the treadmill for five minutes and then brought it down to a walk for a cool down. "Bye, Edward. I'm going to hit the shower, watch the news and go to bed."

"See you later, Beautiful," Edward said.

While watching the news, Edward came in and said, "Are you comfortable and may I join you?"

"Yes and please."

"How are you tonight?"

"Pretty good."

"Only pretty good," and then Edward was lying next to me and said, "Your hair smells like strawberries."

"Thank you," and then Edward was kissing me. I was breathless.

"You look so beautiful with a glow around you, Bella."

"Stop it, Edward. I won't be able to get to sleep."

"Oh that's easy to fix. I'll just turn on CNN."

Edward got up, kissed my nose and said, "Good night."

"Good night, Edward."

Two weeks later, I was in the conference room when Jane came in smiling. I said, "You're back safe and sound. Everyone accepted who you were."

"Yes, Bella."

"I even saw your sisters."

"And…"

"They're fine. They do love driving their step mother nuts."

I had to go to moving target practice. Today for some reason my aim was perfectly deadly on the targets. Emmett had taken me out on the course and he said, "Damn, what did you do or were you thinking about Bella?"

"My sisters annoying my step mother and what her face would like when I walked back in."

"Do that more often, little one."

"Now, let's go see what we can learn from Jane?"

"Wait, can we get my targets to show Edward, Jasper and Carlisle?"

"Of course."

So we walked back into the meeting room and laid out my targets. "Damn, Bella. You did great," said Jasper. "You can be my back up anytime."

"Just don't let her have a gun pointed at mommie dearest because that is what improved her accuracy," Emmett said.

"Great job," said Jane.

So she shared the details from her trip over the next three days, I was glad my step mother hadn't really changed the guts of the castle. On one of the trips around to the different islands, Jane met some of the pirates and they had guns, but nothing to powerful just enough to keep people away. The US's nuclear sub we were taking was powerful enough to protect us. By Thanksgiving, we're making headway on all the details of our two trips. Next week, I was going to have the moving targets firing at me, as well.

On Thanksgiving, Carlisle came and got me early, so that I could help Esme. While we were in the kitchen, I said, "Esme, I have a question; but I'm not sure I should ask you."

"What Bella? You can ask me anything."

I quickly blurted out, "What can I do to get Edward to do more than just kiss me and hug me?"

"Oh, honey. It's okay; I'm just glad you spit that question out. What do you want him to do or what do you want to do?"

"Just touch his body and feel all over him. I just want to explore his body."

"Bella, clothes on or off?"

"Well, I would be happy to start with clothes on."

"Well, the next time he pulls you in for a kiss and is holding or hugging you, wrap your arms around his waist and let them lay on his ass then you can start to explore his ass. Your next move is to come up his back side and shoulders. Eventually bring your hands around to his chest, you could start to unbutton his shirt and touch his chest. He could choose to do the same to you; do you want him to touch you?"

"Yes, very much."

"Esme, how do I know when it's right?"

"Bella, for a third party witness to you two, you are perfect together, so just let it happen."

"But I have to go home soon. Come here and I'll show you. Actually, wait a minute, I'll show you with Carlisle's help, but remember to always watch out for their guns and be careful."

"This'll be interesting," I said with a smile on my face.

"Hey, Carlisle, can you come give us a hand with something in the kitchen?" Esme yelled to the dining room.

"Sure."

Esme winked at me and I tried to stay quiet. Carlisle came in and Carlisle said, "Yes, what can I do for you?"

"Oh, come here," so he did. She walked into his arms and started kissing him. Esme wrapped her arms around his waist and started rubbing his ass and he kept kissing her. He tried to pull away, but she kept him close. Her hands came up his back and around to his chest where she started on the buttons. On the second button, he stopped her and said, "Esme, what did you need help with?"

Esme said, "Teaching Bella a lesson on getting closer to Edward."

"Poor boy," he said. "He has no clue what he's in for," and Carlisle left to go back to the dining room.

"Esme, did you just do that in front of me?"

"Yes, I did. Did you learn something?"

"Yes, I think so."

I was so excited; by 1 when the guys showed up, we had the pies finished and several other dishes in warmers.

Edward came in and gave Esme a kiss on her cheek for cooking for us.

"And you," he said and he wrapped me in his arms and said, "You get this kiss," and we were really kissing until I heard Esme leave the room.

"Edward, stop that, Esme," and I pushed away from Edward.

"It's okay, Bella," Esme said as she came back in.

"No, Esme. Please come back. I'm sorry about that."

Esme came in and said, "Bella, please do not apologize. You two are allowed to do that; Carlisle and I do."

"But I chased you out of your kitchen."

"No, actually, I chose to leave."

I pushed Edward and said, "Edward, get out and leave us alone."

"Good bye, Bella," and he kissed my nose and said, "Sorry."

At 1:45 as Esme and I started to take out all the food to the dining room, I was greeted by all my CIA protective family saying, 'Happy Thanksgiving' to me.

"What?" and Edward had the rolls from me before I dropped them. I gave a quiet squeal and said, "You all have family you're supposed to be with."

Jake stepped forward and said, "We can spend next year with our families; we wanted to spend this one with you."

Angela said, "You got my husband to let me rock climb. There was no way I was missing your one Thanksgiving with us." And she hugged me.

Everyone else came and hugged me while Esme and Edward brought out the rest of the food. Carlisle passed out wine and champagne and he said, 'To a new friend who has endeared herself to all of us and saved some of our lives.'

Esme then said, 'You are the daughter that I wished I had. I know we don't know your story, but you have brought us all so much love, joy and just a few trying times. We're all learning so much from you. Thanksgiving is a time for sharing and so we are sharing this day with you. Cheers.'

I wiped a tear away and asked, 'May I?'

"Please, Bella," Carlisle said.

"Thank you all. You have all been so kind to me and opened your hearts and homes to me. I couldn't ask for better friends and family. I only had my father, uncle and my mom. I didn't have a big family and I lost my mom and my uncle early in life and I don't remember much about them. So to my new big family. Thank you."

Esme said, "Now Bella, you are the guest of honor for this, so you'll sit at the head of the table down there after you get your food first."

"Thank you, Esme."

"Oh my god, my plate was covered in food and I ate it all. I was stuffed," and we all laughed so hard.

I switched to soda and water after I had finished my wine. "Emmett went back for seconds and thirds."

"Emmett, where are you putting all that?"

"Bella, it's once a year and this is my favorite holiday."

There were two TVs in the room so that we could still watch the football game.

I finally got up and walked away. We moved into the living room as people finished up and eventually Esme, Emily and I brought out pies and desserts. I had pumpkin pie to try it, banana crème and one of Emily's sinful brownies

I was sitting next to Edward and I said, "Open up," and I shared a brownie bite with him. It was Edward's turn to groan at me. I giggled as he licked off my fingers. We continued sharing the desserts.

I helped Esme clean up the kitchen. Emily came in and I asked, "Can I get your brownie recipe for when I go home?"

"Of course, you can. Just promise me one night you and your husband will share a couple together and get crumbs all over the bed."

I promised and I started giggling. Then Edward had me wrapped in his arms and said, "Beautiful, what is so funny?"

"Nothing, Edward, just girl talk."

"Are you sure?" and he tickled me.

Emily said, "Yes, Edward, Bella is telling you the truth."

"It's something between her and I. A promise she made me."

"Alright girls. Bella come tell everyone goodnight we have two little boys to take home and put to bed so that they can go shopping tomorrow morning."

"Okay, goodnight and thank you, Esme."

"Good night." Emmett and Jasper disappeared quickly to go to bed. I left my jacket on and stepped out back on the patio and Edward turned on twinkling lights for me.

"Edward, thank you, this is so pretty."

"We just started to get ready for Christmas a little early."

"I don't care why you did it. I love it," and I walked into his arms and started kissing him. My brain said this is the perfect time to try this and see his response. So this time, I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid them on his ass while we continued kissing. He finally took the kiss to the next step. And I let my hands explore his ass through his jeans which caused him to pull his hands down around my waist and rest them on my ass. Yeah I quietly cheered it was working. I loved the feel of his ass. It was solid and had a small curve to it so that he had an ass. I had run with him enough to know he had a nice ass and seen him in a wetsuit. It just felt great to get to feel his ass as we continued kissing. My brain kicked in, again. Okay hands up over his backside to his shoulders and finally to his buttons. Oh wait outside and then I realized he had left his jacket inside thank god. So my arms came up and over his back and they quietly came to rest on his shoulders and his hands kept exploring my ass. But mine finally made it to his chest to his shirt. After I undid two buttons and hit his skin with my fingers for the first time, I immediately felt a heat run from my fingers to the center of my body, but then to quickly my hands were caught. Edward brought them up between us and with our hands together he lifted my chin so that we were looking at each other. "Bella Swan, what are you doing?"

"Just getting closer to you."

"Bella!" and Edward pushed me away as he started to button up his shirt again.