Every Year, Every Christmas
The snow was falling softly outside and you could feel the chill of it, even from inside your warm toast house.
Bella Swan-Newton sat with her face pressed against the cool window, eyes staring blankly ahead. Her husband was outside playing with their daughter.
Well her daughter.
Mike, her husband wasn't Vanessa's biological father.
She remembered the day Vanessa was conceived; it had been a cold day in December. Much like this one.
*Flashback*
She had been out downtown, shopping in Port Angeles for gifts. She had gotten so caught up with the shopping that she hadn't noticed that the sky had gotten tremendously darker. Even for the dreary town of Forks.
Snow storm.
She had been almost to her car, when the snow started to cloud her vision. She had stumbled and started to fall forward, bracing herself with the impact of the hard ground. The impact never came; she was jerked backwards by a pair of strong arms.
She gasped aloud as she slammed against a hard chest.
"Whoa there," a very masculine voice said sending weird currents through my body.
She found herself back on her feet and facing her rescuer. What little breath she had recovered quickly retreated. She was staring up into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. And they were twinkling.
"You okay?" the eyes asked, and she tilted her head back to see his whole face.
'Well I'll be damned,' she thought. 'the rest of his face is beautiful too.'
A grin, that showed the most adorable dimples, to match his twinkling eyes. His hair, which was covered in a beanie hat, peeked through at the front. Dark curls kissed the top of his forehead.
"I'm fine," she said.
"Good," he said stepping back, but keeping his grip on her arm. "We have to get inside."
The winds were picking up, howling as it swirled around them.
"Okay," she said loudly.
He took her hand and led her a few steps forward. Suddenly she was out of the cold and into a warm room.
"Where are we?" she asked as he closed the door behind them, shutting out the sound of the wind effectively.
"In my office," he replied. "I own the book store upstairs."
"Oh," she had replied.
"I'm Emmett McCarty," he said offering her his hand.
"Bella Swan...Newton," she said hesitating to add her married name.
"Nice to meet you," he said once again dazzling her with his smile.
She nodded and looked around the small office. It was not too clustered and definitely masculine. She didn't expect less though, something told her that Emmett McCarty was a very manly, man.
"You can make yourself comfortable," he said motioning to the couch.
"Thank you," she said sitting down.
"Want anything to drink?" he asked sticking his head into a large fridge.
"No. No thank you," she said clasping her hands in her lap.
Emmett had turned and closed the door with one of his broad shoulders, "So...Christmas shopping?" he asked nodding to her bags.
"Yes. Last minute gifts I suppose."
He nodded and took a bite of the sandwich he had unwrapped from the fridge.
Bella's eyes roved hungrily over his body as he walked over to her. He had shed the jacket he had worn outside and was now in a skin tight t-shirt, that was tucked neatly into a pair of black jeans.
The man was oozing sex. Or maybe it was just her.
Even though she and Mike had been married a year, their sex life had already disintegrated. He hadn't touched her in months and her body was definitely crying out for attention from the sexy man in her vicinity.
"So tell me about you little Bella," he said joining her on the couch.
"Not much to tell," she said warily. "How long do you think this storm will last?"
"Beats me," he shrugged, "but as long as we have electricity, we'll be good."
She nodded and looked out the window, it was a blur of white out there. "Tell me about you," she said to him.
Emmett laughed and started talking about himself, he was very comfortable doing so. The time passed slowly, and Bella had shrugged out of her coat. Emmett had gone to the fridge again, once again offering Bella food and beverage, which she once again turned down.
As he was heading back the lights flickered and then went out.
Bella squeaked, and Emmett chuckled. "Looks like the lights are gone."
She could hear him moving around and then flickers of light cast shadows in the room. He was lighting candles.
Thank goodness.
"Looks like we're going to get cozy," his now customary grin in place.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Relax little one, I just meant now you're gonna have to talk about you," he said.
Bella shrugged, she knew he was right.
"Fair enough," she said giving him a tentative smile.
And they had talked. About everything and anything.
Then somewhere along the line, the conversation shifted and Bella was pouring out her lifestory; the real reason she was married to Mike, everything, down to the lack of a sex life.
"He's a fool," Emmett said softly. "You're beautiful."
And that was all it took. A calming balm over a stinging burn, in this case her wounded pride. All the nights she lay awake thinking she was unattractive and unworthy of Mike's loving.
She started to say something but was cut off by Emmett's warm lips. Startled at first, Bella stiffened but as his lips moved slowly over hers, she melted into him. His kiss was intoxicating and Bella felt alive.
Her blood pumped through her system as Emmett's hands roamed over her body, caressing every inch of her. She moaned into his mouth as he tugged on her clothing and she on his. Finally it was skin against skin, touching, tasting and feeling.
Bella was almost frantic when his fingers lingered in that most intimate part of her. Her body was on fire and she couldn't think straight.
By the time Emmett sheathed himself deep inside her, Bella was coming undone. Her orgasm rocked her body as Emmett continued his steady pace. She was flying.
By the time Emmett came above her with a loud growl, she was convulsing around him again. Feeling completely satiated. She had missed this. Intimacy.
She had no idea how long they lay there after but the ringing of her phone broke her out of her reverie.
'Oh shit, Mike!' she thought rushing from the phone, shoving Emmett off of her.
As she listened to Mike go on about the annual Christmas party they hosted, the guilt flooded through her. He didn't deserve what she had just done. He may have been an inattentive husband, but what she had done was still wrong.
She ended the call and started gathering her clothes.
"I have to go," she said.
He nodded, and silently joined her in the search of their clothes. The winds had died down outside by the time they stepped outside. Bella pulled her coat closer as the chilly air nipped at her.
Emmett walked with her to her car, silent all the way.
Bella opened her door and started to get in when his touch on her elbow stopped her.
"I won't apologize for what happened between us," he started.
"You don't have to," she interrupted.
"Meet me at the corner where we met next Christmas," he said.
"What?" she asked at his odd request.
"We'll be friends. And every year we'll meet and catch up," he said.
"I'm not sleeping with you again," she said softly.
He turned her in his arms, "No, never again if that's what you want. Just say you'll do it."
It was silly but somehow Bella's heart leapt at the chance to see him again. Even if for a few minutes.
"Okay," she whispered.
He smiled and let her go, "Drive safe Bella."
*End Flashback*
Bella had gone home and seduced Mike, trying to put away the guilt. Six weeks later she found out she was pregnant. It had been a stressful pregnancy for Bella. She had been sick for most of it, and then the looming possibility that this child could be Emmett's tortured her.
When her little bundle was born, the answer to the question of her paternity, was obvious. She had Emmett's blue eyes and tight brown curls, and when she smiled for the first time, the dimples that appeared brought tears to Bella's eyes.
December rolled around that first year, Vanessa was three months and Bella had left her home with Mike's mother. She was going to see Emmett. He had been waiting at, what was now known as, 'their spot'. She tried to tamp down the feelings of jubilation she felt when she saw him, but this was the father of her daughter and she realized she loved him.
She had never believed in love at first sight, but stranger things had happened. She had to tell him the truth about Vanessa.
He had been so happy.
He understood why she had to stay with Mike, and that made her cry. She didn't want him to be understanding. She wanted him to fight for her. She was sad when they parted ways.
That had been six years ago.
Every year got harder for Bella to leave Emmett, but she had to keep up appearances with Mike. And every year Emmett's level of understanding dropped, and rightly so. Another man was raising his daughter and keeping him away from the woman he loved.
Last year had been exceptionally hard. Emmett had demanded that she tell Mike the truth about Vanessa, and to ask for a divorce. Their parting was hardly amiable. They were shouts and harsh words shared between the two, which had ended in tears on her part. She didn't know if he would come back again this year.
She wouldn't blame him if he didn't, but she knew it would break her heart. She had a whole to think things through, to go over her options. It was a scary time for her, but she put on her big girl panties and made her decision.
When Mike came in the door carrying a giggling Vanessa, Bella's smile was automatic. Mike's smile landed on her, although it didn't reach his eyes. He had signed the papers without fuss, she had too much dirt on him.
She and her daughter were going to Emmett. Their things were already out in the car. She had told Vanessa that they were going away for a while, she'd explain everything to her gradually and hope that her daughter didn't hate her forever.
She left Mike's house without a backward glance. She was happy to go, finally free. Turning on the radio she sang along to the Christmas songs with her daughter. When she got into town, she bundled up Vanessa and headed to the corner.
When she saw that Emmett wasn't there, her heart dropped slightly but she braved it, deciding that he might've just been running late. She and Vanessa sat on the bench for hours, making snowballs and playing around in the miniature park just off the corner/ At the beginning of the third hour, she started to lose hope.
"Come on Ness," she called to her daughter.
"Your friend isn't coming mommy?" her beautiful daughter asked.
"I guess something came up," Bella said hugging her daughter close, keeping the tears at bay.
"Okay," Vanessa said her little mouth turned down in a frown.
"Let's go get to our room, and watch some TV," Bella said kissing her daughter's cheeks, making her giggle.
"Sure mom, let's go," Vanessa said.
As Bella and Vanessa started to walk away, Bella heard someone calling her name. She turned to see Emmett running towards them. The tears ran, unchecked down her face as he got closer to them.
Vanessa shrunk into her mother and stared up at the large man, who had come to stand in front of them.
'His eyes are like mine,' the little girl thought. 'And why is mummy crying?'
Emmett was staring at Vanessa, his heart almost bursting out of his chest.
His eyes flew up to Bella's. "This is Vanessa?"
"Vanessa, I'd like you to meet Emmett," she said to her daughter.
Emmett hunkered down in front of the shy little girl and grinned, "Nice to meet you sweetheart."
Vanessa grinned back and held out her hand, Emmett caught it and gave it a kiss; she giggled.
"You're beautiful," he said with a wink before he stood up and faced Bella.
"You came," she choked out.
Emmett smiled and brushed away a tear with his thumb, he cocked his head and looked down at Vanessa, "You mind if I kiss your mummy?"
His daughter shook her head and giggled.
Emmett winked at her again and took Bella's face in his hands, "I told you every year, every Christmas," he whispered before his lips crashed down on hers.
A/N: Just a little Holiday fluff. Was listening to that Luther Vandross song and the idea hit me. Hope you enjoyed :) ~ Riney