25

The Hermit

Everyone has gone home for the night with plans to return sometime around noon tomorrow.

Bella finds herself nauseous and uncomfortable. "How could you let me eat so many cookies?" she whines, pressing her head into the pillow on Edward's lap. "You should know by now that I have absolutely no self-control."

Edward chuckles and continues stroking her hair. "Sugar, I didn't force them down your throat."

Bella sighs. "It's not your fault. In all honesty, I blame my parents."

Edward leans up until she can see his face. "How so?"

Bella turns until they are face to face and lifts one hand to rub the side of his scruffy face. "It's probably no surprise that Alice was always the family favorite." She shrugs. "While she got toys, new dresses, and candy for Christmas, I got passive aggressive gifts. Clothes a size too small and a stocking full of fruit. One year, in my early teens, my parents even got me a gym membership."

Edward's face is flushed with anger.

"Alice is only a year younger than me, so of course, she noticed the difference. She cornered me one year, asking why I wasn't excited about the up and coming holiday. Why didn't I wake up early and rush downstairs to open presents? I can't remember what I told her. I just wanted her to have a good Christmas, so I made something up.

"It was the same year that my mom started smacking my hand away from anything with carbs or sugar. I can't remember a Christmas from my childhood that didn't end with me in tears."

Bella reaches up to wipe a stray tear from Edward's cheek before it can fall.

"I'm not telling you this to make you sad, Honey. I'm telling you because today was the best Christmas Eve I've ever had. Alice has tried so hard to make up for the bad memories, and I do miss her terribly, but spending time with your family …" Bella whispers. "It was just nice to be accepted and not judged the entire time."

Edward bends and kisses her passionately, leaving her breathless.

"I can't wait. I was going to hold out until five minutes before midnight, but I don't want to anymore."

"Huh?"

Edward pushes her to her feet. "Get bundled up. I'm giving you your Christmas Eve gift early."

Bella's stomach still aches from her sugar overdose, but she's excited about the present he's been hinting around about all day.

When he deems her ready for the outdoors, Edward leads her through the house until they're standing in front of her back door.

"I didn't think about it. We've been in the front yard, but we haven't tried this yet." He frowns. "Will you be okay?"

Bella nods behind the scarf he wrapped around her face.

"It'll be fine, Honey. Show me my present."

It's been at least two years since the door has been used, so it takes some effort for Edward to get it open. The back yard is pitch black, and Bella can't see a thing as he leads her toward the very middle. She can barely make out his body, but she can tell he's pulling something dark out of his pocket.

"Do you trust me, Sugar?"

"Of course, you know I do," she says confidently.

He turns Bella around and wraps a piece of fabric over her eyes, asking if she's okay before she hears his retreating boots crunching in the snow.

Bella bites her lip in anticipation.

She's been trying to figure out what he got her all day, but his hints did nothing but confuse her.

When Edward returns, he pulls her scarf down and kisses her softly.

"You've only ever had bad memories of my favorite holiday, and that just won't do. It's our first Christmas together, and I wanted to make it one you'll never forget. I honestly don't know how I'll top this one, but I'll spend the rest of my life trying."

"Take off my blindfold," Bella tells him, reaching out and finding his shoulders. "Show me, Honey."

"Wait. I have a whole speech prepared, but you make my head spin. I guess I'll just have to give you the Cliff Notes." He licks her bottom lip but pulls away before she can reciprocate. "Remember when you told me how you and Alice used to drive around looking at Christmas lights?"

Bella nods and realizes that he can't see her in the dark.

Before she can answer him out loud, he reaches for the knot in her blindfold.

"I know we aren't ready to bring back that tradition, yet, so I figured if we can't go out that I could bring it to you. Merry Christmas, Sugar. Open your eyes."

Bella gasps when she finally sees her present. Edward has turned their shared backyard into a winter wonderland.

"Take a walk with me, Sugar." He grabs her hand, leading her down the candy cane pathway.

Tears blur her vision as she tries to take in every minute detail. Santa and his eight reindeer, elves, and a giant inflatable snow globe take up most of the space, but it's the thousands of twinkling Christmas lights strung up on anything stationary that is her favorite.

"Honey," she chokes out, gripping his hand. "This is perfect. I love it. I love you."

Edward smiles and points out a faux igloo in the corner. It's too small to climb inside, but it's cute. Bella wonders if she can convince him to keep everything up year-round.

"I'm glad you like it. Emmett and my dad helped me set up while the girls kept you distracted with the cookies. And I'll have you know that my brother-in-law managed to get through the day without an accident aside from a staple in his palm."

Bella tears her eyes away from a sleigh and turns to him for the first time since he took her blindfold off. "I love it, really. But you blew my Christmas Eve gift for you out of the water. Kind of literally, if you think about it."

Edward looks at her with a confused grin. "Hmm. That's got me curious."

"Yeah. You did all of this." She waves her hand around. "I was just going to try giving you a blowjob tonight."

He chokes on his tongue. "Sugar ..."

"Yeah, I know. You totally trumped my gift. How am I supposed to top this?"

Edward pulls her to him and squeezes her tight. "You don't have to top anything. I did this because I love you, and I want you to have only good memories of our first Christmas. The first of many more to come, if I have anything to say about it." He pulls down her scarf and presses his mouth to hers before pulling away with a goofy grin, the colorful lights twinkling in his pretty green eyes. "But if you want to try giving me a blowjob then by all means."

Bella laughs. "I'm getting cold. I wish we could stay out here all night. What would it take for me to talk you into keeping all of this up indefinitely?"

"Oh, you know I'd do anything for you."

"Right now." She smirks. "Right now, I think I would be really happy if you let me drag you upstairs and have my wicked way with you."

"Please, use me as your guinea pig. I'll gladly help you experiment." Edward pulls her into the house and removes her coat, practically ripping it at the seams in his haste. "I would love to be your teacher."

"I'm sure you would." Bella giggles, toeing off her boots and heading for the stairs.

He follows close behind, swatting her on the ass to get her to move faster.

In the blink of an eye, clothes are discarded, leaving a trail to the bed.

Edward is naked, resting against the headboard with a cocky smile and an erection pointing up toward the ceiling. He doesn't appear to be offended when Bella leaves her undershirt on.

She knows he loves her body, but the nagging voice in the back of her head keeps her from being completely naked in front of him.

It's at this moment that Bella realizes the voice sounds unmistakably like her mother's. This fact hits her like a punch to the gut.

"Sugar?"

If Edward has taught her anything since they met, it's that he loves her inside and out.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?" she replies, reaching for the hem of her shirt.

She's done letting her mother rule her life. She's an adult, and she can do whatever the fuck she wants.

She has her eyes closed as the fabric floats to the floor. She can hear Edward's breath hitch. Bella isn't sure if that's a good sign or a bad one.

"Sugar. Come up here."

She opens one eye and then the other.

If anything, Edward is harder than ever, leaking and mouth-watering as he takes in the sight of her bare tits for the first time.

He pats his thigh, and she shuffles forward until his erection is sandwiched between their naked bodies. His hands make a slow trail from her hips to her breasts, taking them in both hands.

"You're so fucking beautiful. I can't believe you're mine."

Edward pulls her in for an eager kiss, his tongue dominating hers and his hands finding her chest once again. He plucks her nipples and groans as she presses herself against him.

"Not that I don't love this." Bella gasps and pulls away for air. "We are here for your present."

He watches her crawl back down until she's eye to eye with his dick.

"How do I do this?"

"Just do what feels right, Sugar."

"No. This is my gift to you. You always let me be in control. Let me do this for you, please."

He nods and reaches for her hand.

"Grip the base, not too tightly. That'll be your control, and when I feel like I'm about to come, I'll tell you to squeeze a little tighter. That'll help me hold off."

"Why would you want to hold off? The whole idea of this is to bring you pleasure."

"Honestly? I almost blew my load when you took your shirt off. I'd really like to last more than thirty seconds."

Bella laughs, her warm breath blows over his lap, and Edward groans.

"Taste me."

She steels herself before leaning forward and running her tongue across the sensitive head, popping the tip into her mouth.

"Squeeze harder." Edward gasps, one of his hands tangling in her hair of its own accord, the other is fisted in the comforter.

Bella squeezes him at the base just like he showed her and moves her mouth down a little more before bringing it back up.

"Fuck, Sugar."

"Hmm…"

"FUCKING SQUEEZE!" he practically screams, thrusting until he hits the back of her throat. "I'm so sorry."

Bella pops him out of her mouth and frowns.

"Honey, I'm not made of glass. Fucking take control, and fuck my mouth."

Edward stares at her with his mouth gaping.

"I'm serious. I'm so wet." She licks the head of his dick. "I need some relief, so I'm going to be selfish. I'm going to need you to speed this up so you can make me come before I burst into a million pieces."

He nods and uses his hand in her hair as leverage to bring her mouth back down.

Bella takes him in and lets his erection slide down her throat until her lips meet her hand. Edward tells her to squeeze, but she's done letting him hold off. She feels like she's going to combust if she doesn't get what she needs soon.

Instead of squeezing his dick, she lets go and moves her hands to his strong thighs, taking him in until she's kissing his pubic bone.

Before Bella can slide back up, Edward's hold on her hair tightens, he thrusts deep and explodes down her throat.

Bella, having no warning, coughs and sputters, pulling away from him as she fights for air.

"Fuck, Sugar."

She glares and clears her throat.

"If you start apologizing, I swear I'll kick you out, and you can go sleep on your floor."

She wipes her mouth on the back of her hand and climbs up his body.

"Is it okay if I kiss you?"

"Fuck, yeah."

Bella smiles against his mouth.

"You curse a lot when you're horny."

"Says the girl who told me to fuck her fucking mouth." Edward chuckles. "Now as great as my Christmas Eve gift was, I would really like one more thing before midnight."

Bella looks over at the alarm clock.

"You've got thirteen minutes, Mr. Cullen. What you choose to do with them is entirely up to you."

"I only need three, and then I think we'll take a shower before bed."

Bella bites her lip. It's one thing to be naked in front of Edward, but naked and wet?

"Stop right there, Sugar, and ask me what I plan on doing in three minutes."

She smirks. "What do you plan on doing in three or two minutes now? Time is ticking." She points to the alarm clock.

"Challenge accepted."

He situates himself between her legs.

"I'm going to make you come on my face in less than two minutes."

"I don't know if you…" Bella's words are cut off by a guttural moan.

True to his words, Edward gives her an orgasm with thirty seconds to spare.

They spend the first twenty minutes of their first Christmas together in the shower until the hot water runs out.