Chapter 27: Captain, My Captain

Bella

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Forks, Washington

Even though Christmas is officially over, I can still feel the residual magic clinging to every inch of Forks. It's outside the motel window, in the flurries of snowflakes fluttering down from the sky, and in the blinking lights under the eaves that never got turned off last night. I turn on the bed and look at my husband—my God, how good it is to finally say that—and I can see Christmas in the scruff he started growing out the moment we were finally married, and the mistletoe hung above our bed.

Christmas may be over, but just like in the last couple of years, that magic will continue to linger and work wonders.

On my left hand, my thumb gently rubs against the band of my wedding ring, and my mind is brought back to our ceremony. I didn't know I could love Edward any more than I already had, but when he'd saved our wedding by being the incredible, prepared man he is, I feel head over heels, all over again.

In hindsight, no other place would have been better for us to finally marry.

I wasn't sure what to believe in when it came to God, but marrying the man I love, my best friend, in front of the tree that had been our beginning, surrounded by our loved ones, I'd felt something I could only describe as divine. It had been something holy, beyond precious.

My eyes still fill with tears at the thought of it.

Our reception had lasted well into the night, the party raging even long after Edward and I had left in Peppermint's wagon, to come back to the motel.

We would have stayed here for days, uninterrupted, had it not been for the Christmas favor Jasper had called on all of us.

It had been so beyond worth it to crawl out of bed and go to their house Christmas morning, to see the look on Alice's face when we'd all surprised her.

My best friend hasn't been herself, but I know without a doubt that with the help of everyone in that house yesterday, she'll be okay.

Outside our window, the flakes continue to swirl, and I can't help smiling up at them. After Alice and Jasper's house, Edward and I had gone to my dad's house where we'd spent Christmas evening with him, my mom, and Phil. It had been the first Christmas with both my parents that I ever remembered.

By the time we left, the flurries had started, and Edward and I had taken a walk once we got back to the motel, enjoying the snow. After our walk, we'd come back to the motel and fallen straight into bed, limbs tangled, sheets askew, as we'd spent the night lost in one another.

Today, I have absolutely no other plans than to stay right here, in this bed, with my favorite person in the world.

I lean over, unable to resist pressing a kiss to Edward's bare chest. My toes find his legs, and as usual, he's warmer than me, causing me to curl my body closer to him.

"Why are your toes always ice cubes?" he asks, his eyes still shut.

I snicker and hike my legs up higher, running my cold toes all over his legs. He lets out a laugh and squirms away from me, his eyes popping open.

"I make them cold just so you can warm them up again," I joke.

Edward snorts and reaches for me, tugging me into his arms. I melt against him, our naked bodies sliding together finding warmth.

He smiles at me, his head tilting down, his lips capturing my own. "What's on the agenda today?" Edward hums against my mouth.

"More of this," I whisper, my lips pressing back to his, my tongue sliding out to meet his own. "And some of this," I say, breaking the kiss to press my lips to his throat. I let my teeth scrape ever so lightly across his skin as my hands travel over his torso, and he groans softly, his eyes fluttering shut. "And definitely some of this."

My fingers slide over him, squeezing lightly and his hips jerk in my direction, his eyes flying open.

"Yes," he agrees, his voice gruff. "Definitely more of this," he shifts, flipping onto his back and yanking me up over him. I giggle as I nearly go flying off him, planting my hands on either side of his head.

"I have you pinned, Mr. Masen. What ever should I do with you now?"

He grins, his hands finding my hips. "Oh, only wonderfully wicked things, Mrs. Masen."

My heart stutters and skips to hear him call me that, and I lean down, our lips crashing again. I wonder idly if this want for him will ever wane. Surely something this potent couldn't dissipate completely, could it?

We're both still naked, and with our bodies sliding against one another, it isn't long until I'm shifting my hips and guiding him inside of me. I let out a hiss of satisfaction as I settle over him, my hands landing on his abdomen and squeezing.

"I love seeing you ride me," Edward grunts as my body starts undulating over him. "You are positively hypnotic."

I grin, my head tossing back, my hair nearly long enough now to tickle his thighs. "You feel so good," I moan.

Edward lets out a short huffing sound, and then he's surprising me by sitting up, his lips finding my breasts. I nearly bend in half, trying to give him unfettered access to my body. My hands slip up his body, over the scruff of the beard he's starting to grow, and into his hair, yanking and tugging as he bites and sucks at my flesh. In only two years, the man has gotten to know my body better than anyone else ever has, and it's not long before I'm squeezing around him, crying out his name as he flips us onto the mattress and continues to pound into me. He doesn't let me come down from my high, only pushes me higher until I shatter, one hundred million pieces scattered to the winds, to the world, to the Christmas magic still clinging to the air.

…

Nearly an hour later, I can't take the sticky sweat any more, and decide to shower off. Edward joins me, though his shower is cut short when he hears his phone ringing. Since he's silenced all work calls, it's likely one of our friends, and Edward finishes up before stepping out of the stall and wrapping a towel around his waist.

I take my time cleaning myself off, feeling languid and comfortable under the hot water.

When all of me has been cleaned again, I step out of the shower, wrapping a towel around me as I pad back into the bedroom. Edward is sitting on the edge of our mattress, typing on his phone.

"What's up?" I ask, surprised by the serious look on his face.

He looks up at me and grins. "I have a surprise for you."

I blink. "More surprises?" I ask.

Edward nods and stands, the towel untying itself from his waist and getting left on the mattress.

"Yes. What if we started our honeymoon a little early?"

I smirk. "Isn't that what we're doing?" I ask, nodding around the room that has been decently disrupted by our constant love making.

Edward grins and reaches for the towel. "No, outside of Forks."

I hesitate. "I thought we wanted to be here for New Year's Eve though."

Edward nods. "We will be. Come on and get dressed. I have something to show you."

…

I'm not entirely sure why we're pulling up to Forks' only car rental agency when we have two cars already in town, but when I start to ask, Edward just shakes his head and grins.

Inside the tiny building, there is a woman sitting behind the desk who gives us both friendly smiles when we enter.

"Hello," Edward says. "I'm Edward Masen."

"Ah, yes! Mr. Masen," the woman says, clapping her hands. Her ID tag on her shirt says her name is Shelly Cope. "Pattie over in Seattle got me all dialed in with your story. Aren't you just a big romantic?" she swoons.

I look at Edward curiously. He smiles at Shelly. "I'm just doing what I can."

Shelly waves a heavily manicured hand. "Right, well let me get your paperwork, then you can surprise your lovely young wife here." She sends a wink his way as she hands over a packet of paperwork. I wait patiently for Edward to sign everything, dying to know what this is about.

Finally, he's done and Shelly hands him a set of keys. "Here you are, Mr. Masen. Have such a lovely honeymoon!" She sends me a wink, and I can't help but smile at her as we head outside.

"Edward, what's going on?"

Edward turns to me, smiling. "I thought we could go on a mini driving trip, just us. We'll be back in time for New Year's Eve, and your dad already said we could leave my car at his place."

I shake my head. "Wait, but why are we renting a car? Your car would be fine."

Edward leads me to the lot behind the office. "We're not just renting any car," he tells me. "It took me months to track it down, but I finally managed to do it. I found the boat. Our boat," he reiterates.

I stop in my tracks. "What?"

Edward grins. "Yup, the exact same boat that made you fall in love with me."

I laugh and shake my head, but in my chest, my heart is racing. How did he manage to pull this off?

"Where is it?" I ask, turning to look at the car lot. Edward takes my hand and holds out the key, clicking the car remote.

We hear a honk and make our way to the back of the lot, stopping short in front of the smallest red car I've ever seen in my life.

I frown, looking at Edward. He scowls and clicks the car remote again, and the car in front of us beeps the silliest clown car horn I've ever heard.

I can't stop the giggles from immediately coming.

"There must have been a key mix up," Edward says, shaking his head. "Hold on, let me go ask her."

Edward jogs back to the office while I take in the car. It almost looks like a toy, it's so small. I try to picture Edward's long legs folding up to get inside, and the giggles come over me again.

A few minutes later, Edward is coming back, a scowl on his face.

"They messed up the VINs," he says, sounding angry. "They sent this from Arizona instead."

"Okay, so maybe it's not our boat," I say, reaching for him and winding my arms around his waist. "But this little dingy is still romantic."

Edward can't help but laugh as he leans down to kiss me. "I'm sorry, Bella. I really tried. I—"

I cut him off with another kiss. "Come on, Captain. Let's see if you fit in this toy boat."

Edward chokes on a laugh, but then moves around to the driver's side. He eyes the seat, bending to make sure it's all the way back. It barely budges any further, and I let out another round of giggles.

Edward looks up at me through the windshield and lets out a tight laugh before climbing into the car. I can hear him swearing as his knees hit the steering wheel and I double over. Once he's finally in the car, I make my way to the driver's window. He rolls it down, looking more than cramped. I'm not sure he can even sit all the way up without knocking his head on the roof.

"You sure look cozy in there," I giggle.

Edward huffs. "You're definitely not going to let me try to talk Shelly into switching this car, are you?"

I lean over and press my lips to his through the open window. "Not a chance, Captain."