From fun to heartfelt!


"That was really good," I say, stretching my arms over my head. "I haven't seen A Christmas Story since I was a kid."

"It's a Cullen tradition to watch it on Christmas Eve," he says, sighing. "Though I haven't been with the family for the holidays in a long time."

He's squished behind me on the sofa, and I roll to face him. "That doesn't mean you can't get back into the habit. I'm sure the Cullen family would love to have you home for the holidays."

"Probably so." He smirks, pulling me tighter against him. "But they're going to have to wait. Wild horses couldn't drag me away from you this Christmas."

I nestle deeper into his embrace, resting my head against his firm chest. "Being snowed in does have its advantages."

His fingers trail from my hip up my side, easing beneath my PJ top. "The fact that we're stuck here has absolutely nothing to do with it. I feel more grounded than I've felt in a long time, and it's because of you."

"I don't know," I hedge, not wanting to muddle things between us. We both know what this is, and I can't let him make walking away any harder for me. "Just making the decision to come here sounds pretty grounding to me."

His lip curls, but it isn't at me. I know this because he's looking past me with clouded eyes. "I suppose it was," he says softly, trailing his gaze back to mine. "I knew I couldn't stay. Tanya had become unbearable. The family business is all that matters, and that means keeping their star cock on a tight leash."

"Tanya," I repeat, exploring the way her name feels on my tongue. "Yep. Tastes like a slutty porn star name to me."

Edward goes from somber to happy in a second flat, tossing his head back and releasing a loud chuckle. "God, Bella. This is what I mean. I'd be one lonely, pathetic fool if you weren't here."

"You could never be pathetic," I assure, pressing a kiss to his lips.

He sits up suddenly, holding up a finger. "One second," he says, climbing over me. "I'll be right back."

I'm dumbfounded as I watch him retreat into the bedroom. He doesn't come rushing right back out either. It takes a good ten minutes before he reappears. I don't notice at first, but he walks toward me with one arm behind his back. It's only when he sits and produces a rectangle-shaped package wrapped in shiny silver paper, that I realize what's going on. We're snowed in. Trapped. There's no way this present was meant for me.

It's sobering.

"Edward," I say, sighing as I sit up. "I can't accept this."

"Why not?" He opens my hand and sets the package inside, closing my fingers around it. "I think it's obvious I didn't buy it with you in mind since I didn't even know you, but you can't know how truly happy I am to have someone worthy to give it to." He smiles, motioning for me to hurry. "I almost feel like fate stepped in or something crazy like that. Open it. Please."

He bats his long, dark lashes and pulls off the most amazing puppy dog eyes I've ever seen. "You sure know how to guilt-trip a girl."

"No guilt-tripping." He places his hand over mine to stop my fidgeting. "It's yours. I think it was always meant to be that way."

"I don't have anything for you."

"Yeah." He chuckles, low and sexy. "You do."

My cheeks light on fire, and as a distraction from his heated gaze, I rip away the paper. What's left is a long velvet box. "Open it," he whispers. "A beautiful trinket for a beautiful girl."

I take a deep breath and open the box. The hinges creak, but the sound is nothing compared to my gasp. "Edward," I say, tears burning my eyes. "It's beautiful."

"It'll do," he says, lifting the tennis bracelet and taking my wrist.

It isn't one of those ninety-nine-dollar quarter karat ones you see all the time either. The diamonds are round and visible with barely any silver stuff to make them seem larger. I'm speechless as he wraps it around my wrist and closes the clasp. It reflects the multi-color lights from the tree and tears roll down my cheeks.

Edward cups my jaw and wipes away the wetness. "Merry Christmas Eve, Bella."


Awwww

See you tomorrow :)