Disclaimer: Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond own the adorable little mouse whose needs inspired this very adult version of their story. Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I’m here having fun.
-OOO-
Chapter 10
It’s Christmas Day, and I’m on my way to the workers’ Christmas dinner. I barely have the truck in park and turned off when there’s a knock on my window. I look to my left, and I’m met with Edward’s smiling face, as he wastes no time opening my door.
“Hey.” He leans in and kisses my lips. “Merry Christmas.”
“Hey yourself, and Merry Christmas to you.”
I’m about to hop out when he has other plans.
“Scoot over.”
My eyes wander over the navy CCFD T-shirt he’s wearing and consider what it would take to intercept a worn one filled with Edward’s delicious scent before he does laundry. He probably has a dozen or more of these shirts, and there’s no way he would miss at least one. It could be my new sleep shirt.
“Bella.”
“What?” I’m jarred temporarily from my shirt confiscation plans by an impatient Edward. “Oh, but there isn’t much room.”
“Then we’ll have to conserve space. Now, scoot.”
I squeeze closer to the cooler filled with fresh from the oven ham and rolls, which is taking up most of the bench space.
“Should we restart the truck to keep warm?” I wonder, balancing on the edge of the seat.
“No, I’ll take care of keeping you warm.” He winks.
Edward slides into the driver’s seat, slams the door, and adjusts the seat back as far as it will go.
“There.” He opens his arms, inviting me on his lap. “Come on. Straddle me.”
Dear Lord.
I’m going to combust right here and now.
“Edward.” I warn half-heartedly, already holding onto his shoulder while bracing a knee on the seat as he guides the other past his hip.
“Nobody’s out here, and if they were, they can’t see us because of where you parked.”
“What’s happened to my nice guy? I’m not sure what you have in mind out in broad daylight, but you’ll end up with me on Santa’s naughty list.”
He grins, pecking the end of my nose with a sweet kiss. “I can’t think of a better place to be.”
Fuck. Me.
As my eyes rake over this incredibly sexy man, and knowing he’s so much more than what everyone sees on the surface, I have zero doubt this is how women end up pregnant. Can you get pregnant from a look alone?
With the way Edward Cullen is looking at me, my ovaries are waving a white flag in surrender. I know my heart isn’t far behind, shoving stacks and stacks of poker chips to the center of the table, declaring a resounding “All In.” However, my brain loops continuously on one thought: “If you aren’t careful, you’ll be making those damn Christmas cookies for the rest of your life.”
I can’t keep my smile from widening at the thought, because that wouldn’t be a bad thing. I more than like the idea of including Edward in my future plans, and Dad’s words from yesterday about figuring out my next steps have me considering a permanent stay in Forks.
With tentative plans forming in my head, I readjust my position settling on Edward’s lap. There isn’t much room between him and the steering wheel, and the last thing we need is my ass honking the horn by accident.
“Mmmm, perfect.” He slides his hands over my thighs and past my backside, giving it a squeeze before his cold hands find their way under my coat and up my shirt.
“Hey!” I squeal and squirm, feeling his cool touch on the warm skin of my back. “Your hands are cold. I thought you said you would keep me warm?”
“Sorry,” he snickers, while slowly caressing my back, but the look on his face tells me he’s anything but sorry as he tries to distract me. “They should warm up quickly. Did you bring my potatoes?”
“May-be,” I sing-song, teasing him.
Of course, I have both his mashed potatoes and the turkey gravy to go with them in two separate slow-cookers. I had to borrow one from Angela and one from our neighbor, Mrs. Cope, who lives across the street. I wrapped them in towels to prevent them from moving around or tipping over in the floorboard during the drive. But my teasing about the potatoes backfires when he unknowingly wiggles his fingers, tickling and causing me to shriek.
“You’re ticklish?” His sneaky grin widens.
“A little.”
His hands shift closer to my sides, which has me squirming to get away and accidentally honking the horn.
“Shit!” I check outside the truck, while his laughter fills the small space around us.
Thankfully, no one is in sight or exiting the building and coming to my rescue.
I use my I-mean-business babysitting voice. “Stop, or there will be no potatoes for you.”
His laughter fades, but not his heart-warming smile while his gaze grows serious. “No potatoes?”
“That’s right.” I raise a challenging eyebrow.
“Even for me?”
“Especially, you.”
“All right, all right.” He removes his hands from under my coat, resting them at my waist.
“Is everyone here?” I ask, taking advantage of my position and running my fingers gently through his sexy tousled hair.
“Mmmm, that’s good.” His eyes close at my loving touch. “Be careful, I may start purring.”
“Is that all it takes?” I taunt, lowering my voice. “I’m hoping I can get you to do more than purr.”
With his eyes still closed, a full smile spreads across his perfect lips, and his hands move from my waist to around my hips, settling on my backside and giving it a not-so-gentle squeeze.
“Hey now!” I giggle. “You keep this up and we’ll have a two-alarm fire on our hands.”
“Thank goodness, I’m already on the scene.” He smiles, avoiding my last question and going back to the previous one. “Not everyone is here yet. Eric and Lauren are on their way. They had a transport from the senior living center to the hospital, and your dad is out on patrol.”
“So, you had a little mischief in mind while we wait?” I ask, considering the possibilities, because the pull to brush my lips or run my tongue along his delectable jaw is overwhelming.
I’m wetting my lips, ready to make my move, when his eyes open, and he leans forward leaving a kiss on my neck.
“Oh.” I gasp, grasping his shoulders, tilting my head backward, and encouraging him to continue.
Edward places a light trail of kisses along my neck, sending chills up and down my spine. He slides one hand to the back of my neck, weaving his fingers through the hair there, while the other wraps around my body, pulling me impossibly closer against his chest.
“This may be our only chance to be alone today, and I didn’t want to miss it.” He jerks his head toward the building behind him. “It’s madness inside. You’ll see. Now, how about another kiss? I’ve missed you.”
I have zero resistance to his request, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing our lips together. “Like this?” I ask between lingering kisses as the fire between us builds.
“Mmmm, yes,” he replies huskily, capturing my mouth over and over.
The front zipper of my coat lowers, and Edward’s hands slip inside instantly, roaming my clothing-covered body.
In the cramped space of the cab, our moans fill the air between unhurried kisses as I bury my fingers in his soft hair, loving the feel. When he breaks away panting for breath, I move lower, wasting no time and running my tongue along his jaw.
Good heavens, he always smells great, but damn if he doesn’t taste even better than I remember.
“Bella.”
His head falls backward against the headrest, and I move to the other side, savoring this moment of unfettered access.
“Mmmm, what?”
He struggles to form words, and I’m almost high-fiving myself at rendering Edward Cullen speechless.
“We’re… we’re fogging up the windows.”
“Good. Less talking.” I seize his mouth once more, wishing I could kiss him all day, and have no intention of stopping now. “More kissing.”
He hums his approval of such a well-thought-out plan. I guess his mashed potatoes and gravy will have to wait a little longer.
-OOO-
If you give a firefighter a Christmas cookie, he will want the perfect cup of coffee to go with it.
The cookies and coffee will remind him of his favorite Christmas songs, and while hanging Christmas lights, he’ll agree to a date decorating a tree.
The decorated Christmas tree will fill him with Christmas spirit, which will give him the courage to kiss the naughty new friend who he’s had his eyes on for a while.
Sharing kisses with her won’t be enough. So, he’ll find other ways for them to spend more time together, like building a gingerbread house and playing in the snow.
He’ll wish for his favorite Christmas dinner foods, but arrive late to the meal, because he’s exchanging steamy kisses in the parking lot.