Bella's POV

Edward knocked on my apartment door a few minutes after I closed up the shop. It was Friday, and my first Cullen family dinner was tonight. Needless to say, I was kind of nervous. I was glad he'd asked if I would go over with him instead of having to drive myself; that was one less thing to worry about.

"Hi," I said, smiling brightly when I opened the door for him.

With one arm carrying a large paper sack, he leaned over and brushed my cheek with a kiss as he walked into the apartment.

"Hey." He smiled, gesturing to the sack in his arms. "About ready to go?"

I nodded. "Lemme grab the cornbread."

He continued to talk as I walked to the kitchen. "I'm glad Rose asked if you could make that. Hers is always so dry, it's hideous."

I laughed when I came back into the living room and saw the disgusted look on his face.

"Not a problem. I learned how to make homemade cornbread a long time ago. It's really not that hard... Some cornmeal, eggs, milk, Monterey Jack cheese, creamed corn, and green chiles. The recipe doesn't call for it, but I add a little bit of sugar, too. It adds just the touch of sweetness I think it needs."

His stomach growled loudly, and a hint of red spread across his cheeks. He chuckled. "Uh, it sounds great."

We headed outside and down to Edward's Volvo. The two pans of cornbread, his sack of beer, and the wine went into the back seat, and then he held my door as I climbed in the front. We talked about our days while Edward made the short drive to Rose and Emmett's house.

He pulled up to the curb in front of a large, two-story house made from bricks in several shades of gray. I spent several moments in awe, taking in every detail I could. The shutters around the multitude of windows were white, and there were two large, white garage doors on the right side of the house. There was a large, freshly cut lawn leading up to a medium-sized front porch, which had several large, pretty planters of flowers scattered around it.

The double doors were a pretty, light-colored wood, with large, patterned glass oval inserts in the middle. The door was highlighted by a two-story archway and an arched window above the door. I could see a beautiful glass chandelier through the window.

"Wow," I whispered in an awed voice.

Edward grinned. "Yeah, Rose does like her creature comforts. Emmett was just happy to have a media room. They had a separate garage built at the back of the property to use when they actually work on cars here at home. That frees up the attached garage for Emmett's Jeep and Rose's BMW."

We grabbed the stuff from the back seat, and then Edward took my hand as we walked up the cobblestone pathway to the front door.

I could hear the dogs barking from inside the house.

Emmett's booming voice called out, "Come in, dude," when Edward knocked.

The moment we walked in, there was a squeal and a blur as Alice threw herself at me.

"Bella! It's so good to see you again. I know we've talked a few times on the phone, but it's better to see you in person. How are you doing? How's the store?"

I was glad Edward had taken the cornbread from my hands just before the little pixie hit. If I'd still been holding it, the force of her hug might've knocked it out of my hands.

"Alice," Rose laughed as she walked into the entry hall, "quit hugging the poor girl so tightly. Like all humans, she needs to breathe!" She took the cornbread from Edward and smiled at me. "Hi, Bella. Thanks for coming."

Alice released me from the tight hug and then took my hand. "Come into the kitchen with us," she said cheerfully. "Edward, bring in the sack and then go find the guys. They're in the living room playing Dead or Alive."

"Yeah, man, come help me kick Jasper's ass," Emmett crowed as Jasper let out a disgusted moan.

"You'll be okay with the girls?" Edward asked me.

I laughed. "Of course. Go. Play. Have fun!"

He grinned. "Thanks."

Handing me the sack of alcohol, he gave me a quick kiss and then ran down the hall to the living room. There was a crash, some cursing, and a loud laugh.

"Men," Rose huffed, rolling her eyes. "Come on, let's go sit and talk while I finish cooking."

Alice and I followed Rose to the kitchen and settled onto two of the tall bar stools at the island.

"What a great kitchen," I told Rose as I looked around the large space.

There were dark cherry cabinets, dark granite counters, and stainless steel appliances, including a double oven, huge refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave. The island was massive and had the sink and dishwasher on the side opposite the four stools.

"Thanks." She smiled. "The kitchen was what I fell in love with first."

I looked around again. "I can see why. What a fantastic space to cook in."

Rose nodded in agreement and then was back to business. "Okay, I just have to finish chopping up stuff for the salad. The enchiladas should be done in about fifteen minutes."

She grabbed the knife from the cutting board and began work on the tomato sitting beside it.

"How are things at the store?" Alice asked me.

"They're good, thanks. Busy." I laughed.

"And things between you and Edward?" Rose smirked.

I felt my face heat up and knew my cheeks were pink with a blush. "Umm, they're good. We've spent every evening together this week."

I watched as they looked at each other, raised their eyebrows, and grinned before looking back at me.

"Oh reeeealy?" Alice teased. She somehow managed to stretch out the word for several seconds.

Nodding, I looked around. "Can the guys hear me?" I whispered.

"Not if you talk quietly, no," Rose answered. "Why?"

"I, uh, need some advice."

"Go on," Rose prompted when I was silent for several minutes.

"Bella, you can trust us. We won't say anything to the guys," Alice said softly, putting a hand on my arm.

"I know," I sighed. "It's not that. It's just..." I paused again. "I'm not sure how to say what's in my head."

"Just say it, Bella," Rose said, laughing quietly. "Believe me, you can't tell us anything that would shock us. Between the two of us, we've done everything you could imagine," she teased.

I looked down at my hands and then mumbled quickly, "I'm worried Edward thinks I'm a slut."

The kitchen was still, so quiet I could've heard a pin drop.

Finally, Rose asked, "A slut? Why?"

"What did my brother do?" Alice hissed, beginning to step down from her stool. "I'll beat him senseless if he did something to make you feel that way!"

I quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her back onto the seat.

"No! Oh, geez, this is so embarrassing." I shook my head. "It's not him, really, it's me. We've...gotten close this week. And I can't stop wanting him."

"Gotten close?" Rose raised an eyebrow. "You mean had sex?"

I shook my head. "No, we haven't gone that far. Yet. Lots of kissing, touching, that sort of thing. I'm just worried he'll think badly of me for wanting him as much as I do. Anyway, I don't want him thinking I'm a slut because things are moving kind of quickly, but I'm worried because I don't think I'm ready to actually go all the way, either."

Alice grinned. "Bella, Edward hasn't had a serious girlfriend since high school."

She couldn't have surprised me more if she'd tried. I must've shown my shock, because she put a hand on my arm, giving a calming pat.

"Not even in college. He dated, but honestly, I'm not sure he's even had sex since Tanya screwed him over his senior year of high school. I highly doubt he's worried at all about how much you want him."

Tanya? I wondered what the story was there, but I knew he'd tell me when he was ready.

"More than likely, he's worried about wanting you too much and scaring you off by moving too quickly," Rose added. "Just do what feels right, when it feels right."

"And talk to Edward, Bella," Alice said. "Really. Like Rose said, he's probably feeling worried too and doesn't know how to bring it up."

I sighed with a little relief. "So you guys don't think we're moving too fast? I mean, we haven't known each other for that long, but it just feels...right, being with him."

They laughed. "Bella, we haven't seen Edward this happy—ever. If you think he's the right person for you, then don't let time be the deciding factor," Rose said seriously.

Alice nodded. "It's a corny saying, but it's true: the heart wants what the heart wants. Take Jazzy and me, for instance. I knew the moment I saw him that he was it for me. We were together like that two weeks after we met."

Rose snorted as she began pulling the food out of the oven. "I'm fast, I'll admit it. First date for Em and me, our freshman year of high school."

I smiled. "Awww, high school sweethearts."

We all jumped as Emmett laughed. "That's my girl," he said, carefully hugging Rose from behind so she didn't drop the pan of enchiladas.

"Everything okay in here?" Edward breathed into my ear.

I turned in his arms and smiled. "Yes. Did you win?"

"Hell, no, I kicked his ass." Jasper grinned.

"Oh, please, you didn't kick my ass," Edward groaned. "You beat me by a point."

"Poor baby," I teased.

I ran my hands through his messy hair, scratching his scalp lightly with my nails. He shuddered under my touch and leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"Bella, if you don't stop, I'm gonna haul you off to one of the spare bedrooms..."

I grinned and kissed him softly. "Better not. I think your sister and Rose would kill you for dragging me off from my first dinner here."

"Get off your woman and help me set the table," Emmett interrupted.

"Yeah, make yourself useful and fill the cups up, man." Jasper handed Edward three empty glasses, forcing Edward away from me.

A few minutes later, all six of us were sitting around the large table, talking while we ate Rose's chicken enchiladas, Mexican rice, and salad along with my cornbread.

Alice waited until there was a lull in the conversation and then spoke up so everyone could hear. "Jazz and I have news." She looked at Jasper, who smiled and nodded. When we were all focused on her, she continued, "We found a house! We close in two weeks, just before we move down here."

We all congratulated the couple. Rose and I moved to hug Alice, while Emmett and Edward clapped Jasper on the shoulder and back.

"How far from us?" Rose asked after we were all sitting back in our seats.

Alice grinned. "About two blocks, toward Edward's and Bella's places."

"That's great, Alice," I said warmly. "Tell us about it! Do you have pictures?"

She nodded. "I'll show you pictures after we eat. It's a cute little country house with a great covered front porch. There's a two-story entry, a huge great room, and a beautiful kitchen with a breakfast nook. I'll have my own huge, walk-in closet, too."

"That was her number one request," Jasper said seriously.

Alice laughed. "It's true. It's got a nice spare room I can turn into my design room and office. The bathroom's beautiful too, with a separate shower, huge tub with a large picture window to the side, and great skylights."

"The great room will be perfect for the big screen I'm gonna buy," Jasper drawled.

Emmett and Edward high-fived, getting eye rolls and laughter from Rose and me.

"Anyway, it's got three bedrooms and three bathrooms," Alice finished with a laugh. "It's beautiful."

We finished eating, talking more about the new house and about my week at the store. When everyone was stuffed, the guys shooed us out of the kitchen so they could do the dishes.

"Come on, ladies. I feel the need to play some Halo. Bella, do you play?"

"I've never played Halo, but I'm a fast learner," I said, grinning when Edward's head spun around and he raised his eyebrows.

I followed Rose and Alice from the kitchen, pausing only long enough to give him a quick kiss as he stood elbow-deep in dishwater.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

Edward's POV

I waited until I heard the game going full-force before voicing my thoughts to Emmett and Jasper.

"So, uh, I need some advice," I mumbled, already bracing myself for the comments I was sure were coming.

"Dude, the boy part goes into the girl part. It's not that hard!" Emmett cackled as he cleared the dining table.

"Or is that the problem?" Jasper grinned. "Is it not hard enough?"

Mr. Funnyman took the plate I'd washed and began drying it as Emmett continued laughing.

"For God's sake, keep your voices down," I hissed, rolling my eyes. "I'd really prefer if Bella and your women didn't overhear this conversation."

They stopped clearing the table and drying the clean dishes and just stood, looking at me.

"Wow, you were serious," Emmett said quietly.

I nodded. "Very."

We started working again while I gathered my thoughts. I told them about the last week I'd spent with Bella.

"So, yeah, it's like when we're together, I completely forget we've only known each other for less than two weeks. I want more with her. I wanna take it to the next level. Not tonight, really, but I know it's heading that way. What if she thinks I'm rushing it?"

"Man, the only advice I can give you is just to talk to your woman. Those are all things you need to talk about together," Jasper said as he took the next glass from me.

"Seriously, bro, if you're having these thoughts, you gotta think Bella is having similar ones herself. Man up, Eddie, and just talk to her."

Such wise words from my grizzly bear of a brother. I smirked inwardly.

Clearing my throat, I thanked them both. "I appreciate the advice. I'll talk to her."

After clearing off the table and putting the food away, Emmett decided the time for seriousness was over. He walked over to the sink, grabbed the sprayer while Jasper wasn't looking, and sprayed cold water right at Jasper's chest, soaking his T-shirt. Jasper screamed like a little girl and then dipped his hand into the sink of dishwater and threw a handful at Emmett. I managed to avoid getting wet by stepping out of the way right at the perfect moment.

"If you dipshits make a mess, you have to clean it up," Rose bellowed from the living room.

I glared. "Come on, guys, I wanna go sit with Bella and play some Xbox. Play on your own time."

A few splashes and ten minutes later, I was snuggled up behind Bella on the couch.

"Having fun?" I asked as I nuzzled her neck.

She nodded and turned away from the game long enough to kiss me before turning back in time to knock Alice's Pikachu out using her Mario character.

Bella and the others continued to play, going through a handful of games while I sat and watched her. It was like I couldn't stop touching her: my hand glided over the smooth skin of her arm, up to her shoulder, and then up her neck until my fingers combed through her hair. Every so often, I felt her shiver under my touch, and it gave me a thrill to know I could affect her.

Bella leaned back against my chest, relaxing as she played. When her character wasn't involved, her hand found mine. The fingers of one hand traced circles on my palm, while the other rubbed gently up and down my jean-clad thigh. When she had to pick up her controller and battle Emmett, I slid my arm around her waist and settled my hand on her stomach underneath her shirt. My fingers drew the letters of her name on the soft skin, dipping into her navel occasionally to tickle her.

We stayed for a few more minutes, and then I pressed a kiss to the back of Bella's neck and asked, "Ready to go?"

She set the controller on the coffee table and stretched. "Yeah." She smiled over at my family. "Thank you for having me over and for such a great dinner, Rose. It was good to see you all."

Emmett paused the game and everyone stood. "Let's go dancing tomorrow, Bells! I'll give Eddie the details, okay?"

"Sounds good, Emmett."

I said goodbye to the guys, gave the ladies kisses on the cheek, and then once Bella had hugged them, I took her hand and led her to the car. I'd relaxed after my conversation with the guys, but now that we were alone again, my nerves came back full-force.

When we pulled up to the apartments, Bella asked quietly, "Wanna come in for a while?"

I took a deep breath and smiled. "That would be great."

I held her hand until we got to her door and then followed her inside. We settled onto the couch, and I turned to face her, holding her hand once again.

"Bella—"

"Edward—"

"Sorry, you go first," I told her softly.

She nodded. "I think we need to talk."

I swallowed hard and tried to smile. "I was just gonna say that." I paused before continuing. "Do you wanna go first?"

She nodded once.

We sat quietly for a moment, just casually facing each other. I took her hand in mine, rubbing it gently until she began speaking.

She looked down at her lap and asked quietly, "Do you think I'm a slut?"

Her whispered words made my heart stop.

"Bella, what—" I had to swallow before I could go on. "What in the hell would make you think that?"

When she didn't look up, I gently took my finger and tilted her face up with a finger to her chin. Tears pooled in her huge, luminous eyes, uncertainty and fear flashing like a big neon sign.

"Oh, Bella," I breathed. I dragged her onto my lap and pressed my lips to her temple. "Never, love. I could never think such a thing! Why would that thought even cross your mind?"

"I...I think to make you understand, I have to tell you a bit more about my past."

I waited, letting her speak at her own pace.

"It was my first year of college. I met this guy named James at a party. I'd been too busy in high school to do any dating, so he was my first boyfriend. It sounds stupid now, of course, but I was young and naive."

When she paused, I rubbed her back soothingly and urged, "Go on."

"At first, he just seemed a little jealous. I was kind of happy—I thought he had to love me an awful lot to be that possessive. If he thought that many other guys were interested in me, he must've thought I was 'hot stuff.'

"A couple of months into the relationship, I was at the library studying with a few people from one of my classes. Our study group began breaking up around nine, and one by one, people left the library. The last person there, besides me, was a guy—Todd, I think was his name. James showed up to pick me up, saw me with Todd, and went crazy."

"Did he hurt you?" My voice was low, with a sharp edge to the words.

She looked down again. "He slapped me. Oh, he apologized after, and like an idiot, I forgave him." She seemed to shake herself out of it and said, "I know now, of course, that none of what he did to me was right. Even if I'd done something to make him jealous, he had no right to treat me like he did.

"Anyway, after that night, he didn't hit me again for a while. Mainly, it turned to verbal and mental abuse," she said, flinching, as if the memory itself caused her physical pain. "I heard from a friend that he was seen at a party with a junior named Chelsea, a vindictive bitch who was infamous for getting between couples on campus and breaking up their relationship. I began trying my hardest to get his interest back on me."

She'd begun to shake, so I pulled her against my chest and rubbed her back again. "Shh, Bella. I'm right here."

She took a deep breath before continuing. "When he came to my dorm room, I would meet him at the door wearing nothing. I started offering myself up for sex every chance I could get him alone. He gave me the new nickname of Slut. It was always things like, 'Hey, Slut, I have a party tonight, so I can't come over.' He would introduce me to friends like, 'This is my girlfriend, Bella.' Then, under his breath to me, he would tell me, 'Say hi, Slut.'"

"Oh, Bella," I murmured softly, my heart breaking at her painful memories.

"About eight months after we started dating, James came to my dorm room after he'd been to a party, and he was completely trashed. Finals were only weeks away, so I was trying hard to study. I made the mistake of telling him I wasn't in the mood when he tried to get me to go to bed with him."

I took a deep breath, not liking at all where the story was headed, but I kept my emotions under a tight control.

"He beat me. Badly."

"Christ, Bella," I said harshly. "How badly were you hurt?"

"I had two broken ribs, a black eye, and a strained shoulder. The worst was my broken leg, though. He hit my face, which was how I got the black eye, and held my arm as I fell to the ground, which was how my shoulder got hurt. Then he kicked me, over and over again. I thought he was never gonna stop. He broke my ribs and ended up stomping on my leg, which broke the bones down near my ankle. At one point, I tried to hit him with my arm, and he bit me." She turned her arm over and pointed at the small scars near her wrist. I could barely make out the spots where a few of his teeth had left permanent marks.

She was staring at the wall, her face blank and emotionless. She spoke quickly in monotone, like she was reciting a case study instead of what personally had happened to her. The pain of the situation was still fresh; I wanted to rage against the man who had hurt her.

"Angela lived in the room next door. She and Ben, who'd been over studying, heard my cries and screams. Ben ran in and started pulling James off me, while Angela went and got the RA. Several other guys visiting on our floor heard the commotion and helped Ben pull James off and then overpowered him until the cops showed up."

She took a deep breath and finally looked back up at me.

At this time, more than ever, I wanted her to feel safe. She had nothing to fear; I wouldn't let this get to her. I gave her a small smile, brushing my finger softly down cheek as I asked, "What happened next, Bella?"

"The RA called the police when she came in and saw me on the floor. Several of the girls had tried to get me onto the bed, but I was in too much pain to move. An ambulance showed up at the same time as the police. I pressed charges, and he went to jail. It was his first offense, so he didn't spend very long inside. I was just extremely lucky he decided to obey the restraining order I'd gotten against him, and he never bothered me again."

"What happened to him after?"

She shuddered perceptively. "Two years later, I read in the paper that he'd been arrested for rape. That wasn't his first time, apparently. Just the first time he'd been caught. After his arrest, three more young women came forward and said he'd raped them, too. He was charged with their rapes as well and is still in prison."

I knew I had to keep my temper under control; if I lost it now, all I would succeed in doing was scaring Bella, and I knew she didn't need that from me. I took a long moment to gather my thoughts and then drew her head up so I could look her in the eyes as I spoke.

"Bella, love, you're an amazing woman. You grew to be a strong, mature, loving adult. You're beautiful, funny, and smart. You're also incredibly sexy and desirable. Believe me when I tell you that I could never think you were a slut. It makes me feel incredible to know you want me as much as I want you."

"I do," she murmured. "It seems strange, wanting you this much, because we've only known each other a short while, but I do. When I feel your hands on me, everything else disappears. I can't think; I can only feel. Deep down inside, having your hands, your lips, on me, feels right. I can't explain it. You dazzle me, Edward Cullen," she admitted with a smile.

I brushed my lips across hers softly. "I'm very happy to hear that. I don't think it's a surprise that I want you. However, I don't wanna push you. I don't think either of us is quite ready to make love. Do you?"

She shook her head.

"That doesn't mean I think we should slow down, though. I'm quite happy with the speed we're going, as long as you're happy, too."

She nodded, smiling softly, and then sighed. "Thanks for listening, Edward. I haven't talked about that with anyone for years."

"Anytime." I smiled, squeezing her in a gentle hug. I looked at my watch. "I guess I should get going so you can get some sleep."

"Could you just hold me for a while?" she asked quietly, her body tensing. "I'll probably have nightmares tonight. I stopped having them years ago, but talking about it all may bring them back. I think I'd feel better just being in your arms for a little longer."

"Of course. Anything you need, okay?"

"Thanks." She sighed, snuggling down on my lap and resting her head on my shoulder. "Would you turn on some quiet music, please?"

I leaned forward, holding Bella to me with one arm, and grabbed the stereo remote from the table. I clicked it on and scanned through to the station that played classical music. After setting the volume on low, I set the remote back on the table.

Never letting go of the emotionally exhausted woman in my lap, I turned us both so we were lying on the couch on our sides. I was spooning Bella from behind, with one arm under our heads and the other wrapped around her waist, my hand stroking her belly softly.

It wasn't long before I felt her breathing even out. I was so comfortable, and it felt so right, I didn't dare move. I had plenty of time to let her sleep before I really needed to head home to bed myself.

I lay there in the almost dark room, listening to the music and Bella's deep, peaceful breathing. The last clear thought I had before my eyes drifted closed was that I really should carry Bella to bed so I could go home.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

Bella's POV

I woke up to a loud, insistent buzzing noise, unsure of where I was for a moment. That moment was all it took for the events of last night to come rushing back in one full swoop.

Dinner with Edward's siblings.

The talk with the girls.

The talk with Edward.

James.

It was then I realized that Edward and I had spent the entire night sleeping beside each other on my couch.

Edward must have heard the alarm and felt me stir, because he suddenly mumbled in a sleepy voice, "Morning, Bella."

"Umm, good morning." I tried to get up, but his arm was anchored around my waist and our legs were tangled together. "I need to get up, Edward. I have to go turn off my alarm."

There was a pull and a push on my body, and I suddenly found myself flipped around so I was looking directly into his beautiful green eyes.

"The alarm can wait a minute," he whispered, leaning toward me.

My eyes fluttered closed as his lips brushed mine, tentatively first and then growing bolder as I began to kiss him back.

Morning breath or no morning breath, the man could kiss. He pulled my lower lip into his mouth and nibbled gently before soothing it with his tongue. As we kissed, my hands moved to tangle in his messy, sleep-tousled hair, and I pulled him closer against me. I was very aware of the erection in the front of his jeans as it pressed against me through my own clothes.

We kissed for several long minutes until I reluctantly pulled away, breathing heavily.

"As much as I would love to continue this, we both have to get ready for work. You close at two o'clock, right?" I asked softly, tracing his bowed lips with the tip of my finger.

He sighed and then smiled. "Yes, two o'clock. You as well?" When I nodded, he asked, "I didn't get a chance to ask you last night, but would you like to go dancing with the gang tonight? Emmett threw the idea out last night before we left, but we didn't really make any plans."

I kissed him once more and nodded. "That would be fun. I haven't been out dancing very often—remember, I don't have a lot of natural rhythm—but I seem to recall enjoying dancing with you very much." I smirked.

He ground his hips against mine and laughed when my eyes closed in want. "Trust me, you'll enjoy it very much again tonight."

He helped me sit up and then stood and pulled me to my feet. I walked him to the door and wrapped my arms around him.

"Thank you for last night," I said with my face buried in his chest.

He pulled away enough to look down into my eyes and smiled. "No need to thank me. I'm glad you trusted me enough to let me in. Besides, sleeping curled up around you was no hardship." He winked.

I laughed and kissed him quickly. "Go. I need to grab a shower and get ready to open the store."

"See you after the stores close today? I can't come over before then, as Sasha has the day off."

"That would be great," I answered, smiling. "See you then."

He kissed me once more and then let himself out, closing the door behind him.

I grinned the entire way to the bedroom to shut off the blaring alarm and then all the way into the bathroom. Hopefully, the day would go by quickly, because I knew for certain that I would enjoy whatever tonight brought.