The Car
The day had come. The day she would relinquish the keys to the touchy, missile-proof tank she had been driving and receive car number two. Bella was trying her best to be excited for Edward's sake -- she could see that he was practically trembling with anticipation -- but she simply did not care about cars. Sure she had liked her truck – but her truck had been a classic, it had been interesting. She missed her truck. The fast cars the Cullens appreciated did nothing to excite her. She sighed to herself and plastered a grin on her face before turning to face Edward, hoping it wasn't so obviously fake that it hurt his feelings.
Edward took her hand and led her down the stairs to where the rest of the family was waiting to accompany them to the garage for the big unveiling. Wasn't it bad enough that Edward was buying her things like cars? Did the whole household really need to be there to see her anticlimactic reaction? Stupid auto-obsessed vampires.
Emmett and Rosalie each opened a large door of the outbuilding that served as the Cullens' cavernous garage whose contents were any car enthusiast's dream. Edward grinned sideways at her, squeezing her hand with his and motioning her forward with the other.
It was there, it had been moved to the centre of the building, still draped in its white shroud. Bella bit her lip and summoned another smile, looking into Edward's eager face. Alice started to bounce up and down next to the car. Edward snorted and rolled his eyes in her direction.
"Oh, all right, Alice," he said. "You can pull the sheet off."
Bella wanted to complain that all the theatrics were completely unnecessary, but she felt bad even thinking it. He'd bought her a car. She really needed to start accepting his gifts gracefully; he said that he was planning on spoiling her for eternity after all. There was no point in making it uncomfortable.
"Are you ready?" Edward asked with a broad grin on his perfect face. There was a trace of sarcasm in his tone, but Bella thought she was the only one who picked up on it.
She glanced over at Alice, whose tiny hands were gripping the white fabric, trembling excitedly. Bella had a flash of the ridiculous game show her mother used to watch when she was younger and imagined a voice yelling "A NEW CAR!!" over a loud speaker. She stifled a giggle.
She looked back at Edward, whose golden eyes were now questioning her. She shook her head slightly to let him know that her giggle wasn't worth questioning, and nodded her head. "Ready," she answered, embarrassed that her voice shook slightly.
Edward nodded at Alice and she ripped the material free – to reveal the most beautiful and surprising car Bella had ever seen.
It was a cherry red convertible with silver trimming and old-fashioned whitewall tires. She wasn't sure of its make or model, but from the look of it, it had been around since at least the early Sixties, though it was perfectly restored.
Bella stumbled towards it, pulling her hand from Edward's grasp. She couldn't take her eyes off of it, though she knew she must look like a complete and utter imbecile, gaping at it like she was – it was so gorgeous and perfect! She reached out and stroked its silver trim reverently.
She felt Edward close behind her and leaned against his chest for a moment, then reached for the car's – her car's – door handle. She opened it slowly and ran her hands over the leather seats, loving the soft, supple feeling of them.
"Go away now, family," she mumbled, too distracted to so much as glance over her shoulder in their direction. She heard Edward's quiet laughter and felt his body turn to watch them go.
She pushed the driver's seat forward and moved off to one side. "You – IN," she commanded. He let out another quiet chuckle and backed towards the open door, grinning crookedly as she pushed on his shoulders. Giving in to her request, Edward threw himself onto the backseat, Bella tumbling in on top of him and pulling the door closed behind them with her foot. Her fingers wove into his hair and she pressed her lips urgently against his.
He broke away after a moment and she drew in a gasping breath.
"I take it you like the car," Edward grinned.
"Like it," she murmured, still breathless, "I love it."
She pressed her lips to his again, this time slipping her tongue out to trace the shape of them.
"Bella—" he warned, pulling away slightly.
"And do you know what I love even more?" she asked, ignoring his protest.
"What's that?" he questioned, her favourite crooked smile making a reappearance on his face.
"How well you know me." She traced his cheekbone with her fingertips, softly, slowly like she had that first day in the meadow. "I was expecting something sleek and expensive and European – I shouldn't have doubted you."
He laughed. "Well, now that you've learned your lesson, make sure that it never happens again."
She smiled down at him -- the most beautiful, perfect, wonderful man in existence – and leaned back in to claim his lips once more.