Contest entry for the Naughty or Nice Twilight Christmas Contest

Title: Christmas Magic

Pairing: Edward/Bella

Rating: M

Word Count: 12,789

Summary: From the time I was a little boy, my mom and I shared a love of Christmas. As I grew older, my love for the holiday only grew. It was the most magical time of the year, and nothing made me happier. Until her.

Disclaimer: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

Christmas Magic

From the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew. I knew she was going to turn my world upside down. It wasn't just that she was beautiful, though she was that. She was petite, couldn't be more than 5'3" with the top of her head falling below my chin. She had to crane her long, slender neck to look, up at me with those big brown eyes that I could get lost in. More than that though, there was a calm, a sense of peace, that settled over me when our eyes met. The sensation was unfamiliar but not unwelcomed.

I met her after my team, Alpha Company of the 1st Battalion, Army Special Forces, returned from a recon mission. It was a routine mission; one we could do in our sleep. Go in undetected, set up the equipment, 24-hour surveillance, then back to base. This was simple and should have been easy. And then it wasn't. Somehow, Amari's men found out we were in Rasheed. Amari was the leader of a large terror cell operating out of Iraq, and we'd been trying to capture him for two years. The hope was that this mission would give us the intel needed to arrange his capture. Our location was compromised somehow though, and we took on heavy fire. Being low in numbers, low in ammo, and surprised by the attack, most would think it was inevitable - our demise. However, this is what we trained for, why we were considered the elite. It took some time, but we made it out. Just not without consequences. As we were leaving the market square, heading to the extraction point, we took fire from behind.

"Take cover!" I yelled at my team. We dove behind what looked like two abandoned cars as the slap of bullets against the metal reverberated around us. "Whitlock, how many we got?" I used the scope of my gun to look for other hostiles that may be waiting for us in the direction we were heading, but luckily, it was clear.

"Looks like five on the street and one on the roof - southeast corner," he answered after looking around. Second Lieutenant Jasper Whitlock had a sharp eye. He saw all. Six tangos. That was more than doable since there were six of us. We just had to draw them out.

"Okay. So we - ahhh!" A searing pain erupted in my right arm as a bullet hit me. In a split second, the team returned fire. I pushed myself up from where I'd fallen and grabbed my gun, holding it in my left hand.

"Come on; we have to go." Whitlock pulled me up and pushed me into a run. I pushed the pain from my mind. I'd deal with that when I had time, and now was not the right time. It was eerily quiet, and when I looked around, the bodies on the ground confirmed they'd taken down the threat. I don't know how long we ran, but the next thing I knew, I was being pushed to sit down. "Newton, come take care of this."

"Captain, look at me," Newton said as he knelt in front of me, pulling his pack from his back. From his pack he pulled bandages, iodine, a small suture kit, and other things I couldn't name.

"I'm fine," I gritted through clenched teeth. It was painful, but I'd live. It'd gone straight through and looked as if only stitches would be needed.

"I'm going to do my best to stop the bleeding, and then we can get back on the move." He tore the sleeve from my shirt, wrapped my arm with gauze, and then used the sleeve to tie off my arm. I groaned at the pressure but continued to breathe through it. "Look at me. Follow my finger." I rolled my eyes, shoved his hand out of my face, and stood.

"Let's move out," I commanded. We needed to get back to the base, back to safety.

By the time we reached the extraction point, the helicopter was approaching. We loaded up quickly and reached base within thirty minutes. I could feel my energy wane, but Newton had done a good job staunching the bleeding. As my men headed to be debriefed, a medical team rushed forward.

"I'm fine," I said as I held up a hand to try to ward them off.

"I'll be the judge of that, Captain Cullen," a soft, alto voice answered. I looked up and was awestruck at the beauty in front of me. She was looking at me with a stern expression, but with thick black-rimmed glasses perched on a cute button nose, hair tied messily on top of her head, and hands on her hips daring me to defy her, all I could do was smile.

"Yes, ma'am." She nodded once then stepped forward as she pushed her glasses higher up on her nose. She took a penlight from her pocket and shone it into my eyes. "Follow the light." I did as I was told. She reached down and grabbed my hand sending a shock from her fingers through mine and up my arm catching my breath as I studied her. Gently, her soft fingers moved to my wrist. After a second, I moved my hand to grip hers. "If you wanted to hold my hand, all you had to do was ask." I winked, but I faltered when she rolled her eyes.

"Steady pulse, pupils responding," she said, ignoring me all together. She removed the gauze and makeshift tourniquet. Without the pressure, the pain became more apparent and my arm began to throb. My eyes crinkled, but I refused to say anything. She was perceptive though and saw it immediately.

"Dr. Swan," a young medic pulled her attention from me. "Do you need us to prep an OR?" My eyebrows rose before I could stop them. Doctor? She looked far too young to be a doctor.

"No, Seth. I don't think he'll need that. Let's get an x-ray to be sure there are no bullet fragments, but it looks like a pretty clean through and through." She turned back to me trapping me in her chocolate pools as she placed the penlight back in her pocket. "Let's get you over to the infirmary. I want an x-ray, full blood panel, and I'll need supplies to stitch this up. With any luck, we'll have you patched up and on your way within a few hours." She took me by the arm gently and led me towards a van.

"A few hours? That's not near enough time to get to know each other." She huffed but didn't say a word. "Come on. No bite?" She stepped in the van before me, and I took the opportunity to admire the way her lab coat pulled taut over her ass. When I stepped up into the van, my head spun, and I swayed. She reached forward, grabbed my good arm, and pulled me up into the van to sit beside her. I didn't have enough time to appreciate the strength that took.

"Captain Cullen, did you lose consciousness at all?" Her eyes scrutinized me, assessing me closely. The van lurched forward causing her to fall into me. Her upper body pressed tightly to mine. I could feel the outline of her breasts making my lower half react. She placed her arms on my biceps and looked up, her face just inches from mine. I made sure to flex my arms so she could feel my defined muscles.

"If we're going to be this close, I think you should call me Edward." She cleared her throat and pushed away.

"Answer the question." She sounded unaffected, no fluctuation in her voice. I sighed.

"No." I ground out as I tried to get comfortable and not let the petulance come through my voice.

"Any difficulty breathing?" I shook my head. "Any vision issues?"

"Well, I don't know." Her eyes turned concerned. "Maybe I'm seeing things?"

"What kind of things?"

"Are you wearing a halo?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'll be good." She was definitely not like most women. That usually worked for me. "I'm not having any other issues. My arm just hurts like a bitch." She let out her breath and looked at me with a small, relieved smile.

"Good to hear."

Soon the van pulled to a stop in front of the infirmary. I was ushered inside and straight to x-ray. For the next hour, I didn't see much of the beautiful doctor. I'd heard a commotion like someone being brought in for emergency treatment. I figured she was busy with them. I was thumbing through a magazine when a knock interrupted me, and the door slid open to reveal a rather tired and defeated-looking Dr. Swan. She pulled the tray over that someone had set up with all the supplies she'd need to stitch me up.

"Good news, Captain," she said as she took a seat on the stool and scooted over to my arm. "No debris in the wound. It was a rather clean shot. There was no major damage, and the bullet missed your bones and arteries. Once we get you stitched up, with a few weeks of rest and physical therapy, you'll be good as new."

"That's great to hear," I said honestly. We were quiet as she cleaned the entrance and exit wounds then administered a mild numbing agent. "Hey, you alright?" She'd yet to unfurrow her brow.

"Mmhmm." She slowly and methodically worked on my arm. She paused for a moment, rubbing her thumb over an old scar just a few inches higher. "Not your first rodeo, huh?"

"Oh." I shifted, not really wanting to talk about it. "That's nothing."

"Not according to what's in your file."

"Well, this puts me at a disadvantage. Your having my file means you know more about me than I know about you. Tell me something about you." She continued to work, focused on the task at hand. "Let's start small. How long have you been a doctor?" I saw her consider whether she was going to answer me. I hoped she would.

"I finished med school four years ago," she finally answered.

"Have you been an army doc from the beginning?" She nodded. We lapsed back into silence as she finished suturing the entry wound and began on the exit. For the first time in a very long time, I didn't know what to say. Unlike most women, the good doctor seemed immune to my charm. Before I realized it, she was tying off the last stitch.

"Alright. You're all done, Captain." She smiled at me, but it was tight, forced.

"Thanks, doc."

"Keep the wound clean and rest your arm for the next two days. After that, use it for regular activities, excluding shooting a gun or participating in physical training. You'll need to come see me again in a week. If everything's still looking good, we'll get you set up for physical therapy. Won't be too long after that until you're operational again."

"So I get to see you again?" I was so happy at the prospect, I said it without thinking. For once, it wasn't a pickup line.

"For assessment, yes." She stood and pushed the stool and tray to the corner of the room. "I'll write you a prescription for the pain and a sling for your arm." I started to protest, but she cut me off. "No arguing. The sling is just for the next two days. You can leave it off after that. Now do you have any questions?"

"I've got lots of questions. Where do you want to start? Favorite color? Favorite movie? Got a hobby?" She rolled her eyes, but I might have detected her trying to hold back a smile.

"About your wound or treatment." I smiled sheepishly, but shook my head. "Then this is where I say goodbye." She stepped to the door and opened it but paused. "Quick recovery, Captain Cullen."

"See you soon." She left without looking back.

~CM~

Two hours later, I was finally released. It'd taken a while to get the script and finally be allowed to leave the infirmary. From there, I'd reported in for debriefing. Once that was over, I'd had the dreaded paperwork to complete. The paperwork wasn't so bad, but there was lots and lots of paperwork. That's what you get for being shot. Eventually, I finally had time to make the dreaded phone call. Part of me hoped it'd go straight to voicemail seeing as it was mid-morning. They should both be at work.

"Hello." The sound of her voice immediately made me homesick to see her, to feel her hug me.

"Hi, Mom," I said longingly. I didn't get to talk to my parents much while deployed. Hell, it'd been five weeks since I spoke to them last.

"Oh Edward, Baby. It's so good to hear your voice!" I had to roll my eyes. It didn't matter that I was a 33-years-old man. She still saw me as her baby. "Carlisle! It's Edward. Come here." I heard some shuffling of the phone.

"Hello, Son," my father greeted enthusiastically.

"Hi, Dad. How are you both?"

"Oh, we're doing just fine. How are you?"

"I'm okay." I tried to sound nonchalant, but my parents could always see right through me.

"What does that mean?" My mom asked frantically. "What happened? Where are you? Why-"

"Esme, Dear," I heard my Dad interrupt her. "He's on the phone with us. He's talking to you, so he's okay. Right, Son?"

"Yes," I said, which was the truth. "I'm okay. Just needed a few stitches. All patched up."

"What happened, baby?" I closed my eyes, rubbing them. Since all of our missions were classified, I couldn't tell her what really happened. It was always the same cockamamy story. I hated lying to my parents, but it was necessary.

"Training accident. That's all."

"Who treated you?" My father, always the doctor.

"She's new on base. Dr..." I checked the paperwork for her first name. "Isabella Swan."

"A new doctor?" I could hear the trepidation in his voice.

"She's not a new doctor, just new to the base. Said she finished med school four years ago."

"No matter," Mom said dismissively. "You'll be out soon and won't have to worry about these damn 'training accidents' anymore." In seven months, my tour was technically up. I'd have to decide if I was truly done or if I wanted to reup. I wasn't sure what I was going to do, but I hadn't told my parents yet, not ready for that argument.

"So what did Dr. Swan say?" Dad asked wanting specifics.

"I'm in a sling for two days, rest for a week, then physical therapy for a bit. I'll be good as new in a few weeks."

"No surgery?"

"No. Just some stitches. I promise. I really am okay."

"Glad to hear." I could hear him typing on a computer, no doubt looking up the doc.

"Enough about that," Mom said. "Do you know yet if you get to come home next month?" Thanksgiving was only four weeks away. As of now, things weren't looking good for me to return. With Amari's men able to find us, my guess was we'd be redoubling our efforts.

"Not sure yet. As soon as I know, I'll let you know, but if I can only have one holiday home, I'm-"

"Going to choose Christmas, I know."

Even though she interrupted me, I could hear the affection in her voice. Mom had been obsessed with the holiday as long as I could remember, and it had rubbed off on me. There was something special about the time of year, something magical. As a boy, I loved all the lights, decorating the house with trees and garlands. We spent an evening every year driving around Seattle looking at all the decorations while drinking hot chocolate. As I grew up, the holiday didn't lose it's magic, but I recognized it in other things. As I grew older, we started buying gifts and distributing them to children at hospitals that couldn't go home and spend Christmas with their family. The smiles on their faces made me feel warm. I was happy to help them see the magic of the holiday.

"Oh, I hope you can come home," Mom's voice brought me out of the memories. "Your brother is coming home from MIT, and he's bringing a girl." My eyebrows rose at the news.

"Emmett? A girl?" We all chuckled. "That's shocking."

"I know. I can't wait to meet her. He sounds smitten." I smiled, but was also saddened at the same time. Sometimes I felt like I was missing out on so much of my family's lives.

"I'd love to talk some more, but it's been a long day. I really need to get some rest."

"We understand, Son. Call us as soon as you can." I nodded. "We love you."

"I love you too. Tell Emmett I said Hi."

"We will. Bye Baby." I hung up reluctantly and sighed then yawned. I really was tired.

~CM~

There was a bounce to my step as I was led back to an exam room. Today I'd get to see the doc. She had plagued my thoughts and filled each moment, both awake and in sleep with her presence. It wasn't just her beauty either. I wondered about her. Why did she become an army doc? What did she do when she wasn't working? What kind of music did she like? Why did she become distant last week? How old was she? The wait in the exam room was short, and within five minutes, she walked in.

"Hello, Captain," she greeted me with a smile, a genuine smile this time.

"Hiya, Doc," I returned with a smile of my own. "How are you today?" She smirked.

"Pretty sure that's my line. How's the arm feeling?"

"Doing well." I moved it around to emphasize my point. And it was the truth. There were moments I felt twingy, and by the end of the day, it was sore. Overall though, I could tell it was getting better.

"Let me take a look." I was in a long sleeve shirt this morning, so I removed it. I was hoping for a reaction, but I didn't see one. I had a moment of disappointment.

"It looks like it's healing nicely." She took a seat and rolled the stool over to me. Her gentle hand lifted my arm, and she began her exam. "Any issues this week?"

"No."

"What's your pain level on a scale of 1 to 10?"

"2."

"What about the end of the day?"

"4, but mainly due to soreness."

"Did you take the pain meds?" She stopped her exam and looked up to me.

"The first two days, yes. Then I lowered the dose. I haven't used any for the last three days." She nodded with a smile.

"That's great." She pulled her gloves off, tossed them in the trash, and rolled over to the table to write in a chart. "I want you to go to physical therapy three times a week for two weeks. The stitches aren't quite ready to be removed yet. I want to leave them in for another week. When you come back, anyone that's available can remove them." She stood holding the chart to her chest. "Someone will be in soon to talk to you about PT. Do you have any questions, Captain?"

"Edward." She looked at me with her head tilted. "Please call me Edward."

"Okay, Edward. Any questions?"

"Yes, one." I stood and pulled my shirt back on. "May I take you to dinner?" She looked at me clearly stunned. Honestly, I was a bit stunned myself. I hadn't meant to say it. She'd made it seem as if she were no longer going to treat me, which meant I wouldn't be seeing her again. I didn't want that. So I asked without thought, and even though I didn't mean to, I definitely didn't regret it. My heart raced as I awaited her answer anxiously.

"Oh. Uh, um," she stuttered, her cheeks flushing pink, her eyes not meeting mine. "I uh, I don't-"

"Don't say no," I interrupted. "Go to dinner with me."

"Captain...Edward." She looked up at me. "You're my patient. That would be unethical."

"You said yourself that anyone can remove my stitches. You're no longer treating me." She trapped her lower lip between her teeth. I stepped closer making her eyes jump up to mine. "Please. Go to dinner with me."

"I - I - I'm working tonight."

"Tomorrow then, or this weekend." I watched her struggle with what to say.

"Um. You don't even know me." I smiled.

"Isn't that the point of a date? To get to know each other? Come on, what other excuse do ya got?"

"I don't - that's not." She quieted and huffed, shifted her body weight to the other foot. "I uh - I'm not really...that...interesting. You don't want to go to dinner with me." Self-deprecating much?

"I'd like to be the judge of that." I stepped forward, now in her personal space, and placed my hand on her arm. She looked up at me shyly. "Over dinner. Please?" Her eyes held my gaze. I smiled at her encouragingly. "It's just dinner. I'm not asking for a long-term commitment." Not yet, I finished in my head. She was silent for a few moments.

"Okay." It took me a second to register what she said, that she'd finally agreed.

"Yeah?" She nodded and my smile bloomed. "Great. That's great." I took her hand and squeezed it. I wanted to pull her into a hug, but I figured that might freak her out. "Tomorrow?" She nodded. "Great. I can come get you. Where are you staying?"

"I, uh, I get off at seven. You can come here to get me. About 1930?"

"1930 is perfect." She looked down. I followed her line of sight and realized I was still holding her hand. I released it and cleared my throat. "I, uh, I guess I'll let you get back to work." She smiled and turned to open the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, tomorrow." She left then and I bounced on my toes, happy she'd said yes.

~CM~

The next morning, I woke with a smile still on my face. I had my first physical therapy appointment at 1000, a team exercise at 1300, and a meeting with the brass at 1700, which shouldn't last more than an hour. That should give me plenty of time to take a shower and get over to the hospital in time to pick up the doc. Since I still had a few hours before my appointment, I decided to hit the gym. I may not be able to do a full workout yet, but I could still do some cardio and leg training.

When I walked into the gym, I was greeted by others from the regimen. Not wanting to be rude, I greeted them as well but didn't stop as I made my way to the back where the leg press machines were located. I found Jasper using the bench press next to the machine I wanted and moved behind him, carefully leaning my weight on the bar. His eyes cut to me with anger, but it quickly disappeared once he saw it was me.

"Asshole," he grunted as he struggled to press the bar up. I laughed and removed my weight so he could rack the bar. I laughed harder when he punched me in the thigh. "What are you doing here besides being a grade A jerk?"

"Working out. What else?" I dropped my stuff between our machines and lowered onto mine.

"Are you cleared to be here?" I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not doing anything with my arm, Mom."

"Fine. Just don't do something you're not supposed to do." I nodded and got to work. It felt nice to be doing something physical again. The past week, I'd done as I'd been instructed and rested. Most of my time had been spent in the office, reviewing Intel from before our mission had started hoping I could find something, anything that would explain how we had been compromised. Nothing had jumped out at first glance, but I planned to spend more time reviewing the data in depth.

"Dude, what's your deal?" Jasper interrupted my thoughts. I looked at him as if he were nuts.

"What are you talking about?" He racked his weights and spun to face me with a bemused look on his face.

"You've been spaced out for at least twenty minutes whistling with a goofy ass grin on your face." I was? He laughed at my confused look.

"I was not." Denial seemed like the best response.

"Don't lie to me." He studied me for a long moment while I returned to working out.

"Who is she?" I faltered, the weight almost pinning me, but I got it back under control. "Ha! I knew it. You can't fool me, Cullen. Come on; who's the chick?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." He stood and moved towards me, pushing the weight down just as I'd done to him.

"Who is it? Who'd you bed?" I gritted my teeth.

"I didn't bed her. Don't be crass." He held up his hands in surrender, giving me a moment to rack my own weights.

"Pardon me." I stood and grabbed a towel, wiping the sweat from my face. "Did you take her out?"

"Not yet." I felt a smile spread on my face, unable to contain it.

"Oooh. So when's the big date?"

"Tonight." He whistled low.

"Going off base?" I was shaking my head before he finished the question.

"She, uh, she seems pretty shy, almost skittish. I'm gonna take her to Bobby's. Figure there'll be plenty of people around but not be too crowded. Casual, I think, is my best bet with her. I've gotta tread carefully." He gave me a strange look.

"That doesn't sound like you. Aren't you the love 'em and leave 'em type? Easy, quick, and onto the next." I wanted to be mad at him, but that's how I'd been in the past.

"I think she'll be worth it," I answered honestly.

"Well good for you, man." He slapped me on the arm, the uninjured one thankfully. "Trust me. Committed relationships are great. Me and Aly Kat have been together for four years, and it's never boring."

"Woah! I'm not marrying the girl. We haven't even gone on a date yet." He smirked.

"I know. Just sayin'." I rolled my eyes and threw the towel in his face.

"Get back to work. You're distracting me." I turned and headed towards the treadmills.

"Pretty sure it's your girl." Since he couldn't see me, I didn't try to hide my grin.

~CM~

After checking my watch, I picked up my pace. It was 1925, and I wasn't sure I'd make it to the hospital on time. My last meeting of the day had lasted longer than I anticipated. I rushed through my shower, had a girl moment about not knowing what to wear, but finally decided on dark jeans and a dark green long-sleeve button up shirt. It may be the desert, but temps could drop very low at night, so I'd grabbed my leather jacket on the way out.

It was 1934 when I walked into the hospital. Late. Not a great first impression. I made my way to the front desk not sure where to find the doc. The man at the desk looked up and greeted me warmly.

"I'm here for Dr. Swan."

"Do you have an appointment?" He turned and began typing on his computer. I wasn't sure how to answer. Part of me wanted to say we had a date, but after watching her the few times we'd interacted, I had a feeling she was a private person. I didn't want to air her personal life.

"Yes. 1930. Unfortunately, I'm running a little late." He nodded and continued to type, but his brows quickly furrowed.

"I'm sorry. I don't see-"

"Edward," I heard from behind me and turned with a smile, which quickly bloomed into a full grin.

"Hi." I stepped forward as she did, letting the door go behind her. When the door closed, it caught her foot causing her to pitch forward. I dashed forward and caught her, her weight resting against me. I liked the feel of her pressed against me with my arms wrapped around her. Quickly, quicker than I'd like, she stood up forcing me to release my grip, and stepped away while pushing her glasses higher on her nose as her cheeks filled with color.

"I'm sorry." She looked down as she smoothed her clothes to distract herself. The movement drew my attention, and I took in what she was wearing. Her jeans hugged her hips snuggly, and her blue V-neck top molded to her curves, accenting an hourglass figure that was hidden under a lab coat the last few times I'd seen her. And there on her feet were a pair of blue converse, the same color as her shirt.

"Don't apologize. I'm not complaining." I winked, and her cheeks tinged pink. "You look beautiful." Her eyes tightened slightly, and she sighed.

"Thank you. I'm sorry I'm running late. I had to do an emergency appendectomy, and we found a mass while performing the extraction. It was sitting...on..." She stopped and rolled her eyes. "I, uh, get carried away sometimes. But you don't care about the mass. I'm sorry. I tend to ramble when I'm nervous. I'll shut up now."

"No. I do care. I want to get to know you. You're a doctor; this is part of that. And you can ramble all you want. I'm interested in whatever you have to say." She looked at me warily then shook her head.

"O-okay."

"Good!" I placed my hand against her back and turned, urging her forward. "I hope you don't mind walking."

"No. Prefer it, actually. Um, one second." She turned back to the man behind the desk. "William, I'm off until 0800. Private Arnold is resting, but I need someone to check the incision in a few hours. Biopsy results should be back in a few hours. I'd like those ready for review when I come in, and Lt. Evans needs to be prepped and ready for her laminectomy."

"Yes Dr. Swan," he said as his eyes cut to me curiously. "Have a nice night."

"Thank you." She turned back to me. "Where to?"

"Have you been to Bobby's?" She shook her head as we made our way outside, and I turned her to the left. "It's a bar and grill not far from here. It's one of my favorites, reminds me of home. He doesn't allow smoking inside so that's a bonus. Food's good too. Are you a tot fan?" She looked over at me.

"Tot?"

"Yeah. Tater tots?"

"Oh." She giggled. "Yes. Well, I don't mind them. I honestly can't remember the last time I had...tots."

"What? That makes me sad for you. Tots are awesome." She shrugged and pushed her hands into her pockets.

"I don't get much time outside of the hospital so it's mostly whatever they have in the cafeteria. Tonight's a treat."

"No one's called me a treat before, but thank you for the compliment."

"Oh!" She stopped and turned towards me. "I didn't...I mean, I just - goodness." She pressed a hand to her forehead.

"Hey, hey." I took her hand from her head and pulled it away, dropping our hands between us. "Take a deep breath." She did so. "I don't mean to make you nervous. You have nothing to be nervous about. I just want to get to know you better. You may just have to overlook my sense of humor sometimes. My mom rolls her eyes at me a lot, so I have a feeling I may not be as funny as I think I am." She tilted her head and looked at me with a slight smile as a long pause stood between us.

"Okay." She squeezed my hand making me realize I'd never dropped hers.

"Okay." I squeezed back then turned and tugged her to start moving again. "So. Tell me about yourself, Dr. Swan."

"Bella." I looked over at her with a smile. "I'm Dr. Swan at the hospital, but my family calls me Bella."

We spent the rest of the walk in easy conversation. I hadn't released my grip on her hand, but she didn't let go either. Within ten minutes, we arrived at the grill. I held the door open, ushering her inside. Several men in my regimen greeted me as I walked by. I nodded in greeting as I led her to the booths in the back where the music was quieter.

"What would you like to drink?" I asked as she slid into the booth.

"Dr. Pepper if they have it. Water if not." I nodded.

"I'm going to grab drinks and menus and let them know we're here. Be back in a minute." She nodded as I walked away.

"Hey Cullen," Bobby greeted, reaching across the bar to bump fists. Bobby, in his late 50s, was a staple on the base. He'd served here during his time. Then when an IED took his leg leaving shrapnel in his chest, it sidelined him. After his discharge, he came back as a civilian to open this place. Said he couldn't leave; it was home.

"Hey Bobby. How ya been?"

"Good, good. And you?" He looked around me. "Did I see you walk in with a woman?" I smiled and nodded. "Alright then."

"Shut it, old man." He laughed, not offended. "I need drinks. You got Dr. Pepper?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. Got a shipment in this week."

"That and a root beer, please. Two menus. And can we start with some tots?"

"You've got it." He passed me the items along with two glasses of ice. "I'll be out with the tots and to take your order." I thanked him and headed back to my date. She was perusing the decor on the walls, all the old signs Bobby had been collecting over the years, oblivious to the attention she was garnering from the men in the room. I scowled at the realization, but part of me also felt full of pride that she was here with me.

She thanked me when I slid the drinks on the table. As I settled into the booth across from Bella, she asked about my family. At some point, Bobby brought our appetizer and took our orders. I honestly couldn't tell you what happened while we were at dinner. I was so focused on her. She was fascinating. When she talked about her job and her patients, her face lit up. I could tell she loved what she did; she became very animated and excited when she talked about it.

"So why an army doc?" I finally asked. The question had been niggling at my mind since I had met her. Not many people did this, the army, without some reason. Lord knows it didn't pay well.

"Um," she said as her eyes shifted from mine. Interesting. "Well, I'm definitely not brave enough to enlist, but I wanted to help my country. I've always wanted to be a doctor, so this just...fit." I waited for her to elaborate. While I didn't think she was lying, I was pretty good at reading people, and I could tell there was something else she wasn't saying.

"And?" She looked up at me, and I smiled. "There's more. What is it?" Her cheeks pinked, and she bit her lip. I shifted where I sat. That did something to me. "Don't get shy on me now. I think this is going to be interesting." She chuckled.

"Honestly, I uh..." I nodded in encouragement. "I'm kind of an adrenaline junkie." I couldn't stop the surprise from showing on my face. That was the last thing I expected. Her face fell at my reaction, and she looked away. "I'm sorry. That-"

"No!" I rushed, kicking myself. I placed my hand on hers in reassurance. "Honestly, I think we all are, those of us that join. You almost have to be." She looked up at me hesitantly. "I think that's why I like surveillance and rescue so much. More so running the team. Not only do I have to focus on the mission, but I have to focus on the team too. All the moving pieces, it's challenging." She was nodding with a small smile. "What exactly is it that's appealing for you?"

"General surgery, especially in an emergency department, can be very unpredictable. You never know what's going to walk through the door. You may not have the time to do enough tests to diagnose the issue without a doubt. I have to rely on my knowledge and experience, call in reinforcements when necessary and able. Then there's treatment or surgery. Everything has to be so precise. One wrong move can be debilitating. It's...it's a rush." While I wasn't a doctor, I completely understood what she was describing. Not only could I understand, I could relate.

"There's no other feeling like it." She turned her hand over and squeezed mine.

"Yeah."

"Here ya go, kids." Bobby's voice in our bubble startled me. He was smirking when I looked over to see him holding our dinner. "Foods up." I reluctantly let Bella's hand drop from mine as he placed our plates in front of us.

"The tots were wonderful, Mr. Johnson," Bella complimented Bobby, her use of his last name surprising me.

"Aw, Doc," Bobby said as he blushed. "Just Bobby." She smiled, and though I hadn't known her long, I could tell that wasn't going to happen.

"You two enjoy. Let me know if I can do anything else for ya."

The rest of dinner flew by. She was so easy to talk to, and I really enjoyed getting to know her. We mainly stayed on safe topics. I figured I'd save the heavy stuff for a later date. A later date. I was looking forward to that.

"Really?" She threw her head back and laughed, the sight of her so free making my pulse race. I couldn't help but chuckle along with her.

"It wasn't that funny." It was, but I had to try to preserve some dignity.

"You're right. It's hilarious. I can't believe you let your little brother talk you into streaking. In November. In a snow storm." She covered her mouth and giggled some more, her eyes sparkling in the glow of the neon. "How much younger is Emmett?"

"Well, he just turned twenty...five. So, eight years." She snorted.

"So you let your eight-year-old brother goad you into streaking." I shrugged. "Oh, Edward Cullen, you do surprise me."

"Same here, Dr. Swan. Same here." She smiled and looked away.

"Woah!" I turned to follow her line of sight but wasn't sure what caught her attention. "Is it really 11:15?" I checked my watch and confirmed it for her. The time had gotten away from me. "I have an early surgery in the morning, and I-"

"You don't have to explain. I understand. Let me take care of the check then I'll get you home." I stood as she started to protest. "No arguments. I'll be right back."

Once the check was settled, I helped Bella from the booth and led her outside. The temperature had dropped significantly causing her to shiver and cross her arms over her chest. Like I needed another reason to ogle her. I shrugged out of my jacket, turned her towards me, and draped it over her shoulders. She thanked me with a whisper making me look up and notice how close we were. She licked her bottom lip, the movement catching my eye. I wanted it to be my tongue tasting that lip. It was too soon though. I didn't want to scare her off.

Before I could do the gentlemanly thing, though, and pull away, she raised onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips against mine. Her hands wound around my waist and pulled me against her. For two second, I was frozen, but when my body met hers, it felt like every nerve in me ignited. This was what I'd been imagining for the last hour, and her initiating it spurred me into action. I wrapped my arms around her and deepened the kiss. We both groaned as my tongue tentatively tasted her, but the clearing of a throat pulled us back to reality. I leaned back to look at her, but kept her body locked into my arms.

"Hi." I moved my hands to her rosy red cheeks and pulled her lips back to mine for one last chaste kiss. "Let me see you home." She nodded, pulled my hands from her face, threaded her fingers through mine, and turned away from the hospital.

"I'm this way, about ten minutes."

Our walk to her place was comfortable. We talked some of the time and an easy silence filled the space between us at others. Sooner than I would have liked though, we came to a stop in front of an apartment building.

"This is me." Her voice was quiet, but I was standing close enough to hear her clearly. I nodded, not letting go of her hand.

"I thoroughly enjoyed tonight." She smiled a genuine smile and my heart stuttered.

"Me too. Thank you for dinner."

"I want to see you again." What was with me and my lack of filter around this woman?

"Me too." I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"Good. And I'm not going to kiss you goodnight, because I don't know if I'll be able to stop." She bit her lip, which was not helping the situation.

"Me too." I couldn't stop the grin from stretching across my face.

"Is that all you can say?" She shook her head and chuckled.

"Sorry. It's just that you make me...crazy...happy...want to do things that should probably wait until at least the third date." I grinned broadly at her confession.

"Me too."

~CM~

Life was good. Life with Bella was good. That wasn't exactly true though. Life with Bella was great. She was absolutely not what I expected. At first, I thought she was going to be a shy, timid person. It would take time to bring her out of her shell, coax her into being herself. Not true. On the second date, I decided to take her off base. She was mesmerized by the sights and the people. And she shocked the hell out of me when she spoke to them in their own language. Even I was struggling with that after two years of being here, but she did it as if it was second nature.

At the end of the night, I walked her back to her apartment and kissed her goodbye. The kiss was not tentative, and it took every bit of strength I had to pull away and not take it further than just a kiss. It was tough, because the feel of her against me...let's just say I had to have a cold shower before going to bed that night.

The third date though...she hadn't been kidding. The third date was at her place. She wanted to cook dinner for me, and it was wonderful. The pot roast with green beans and mashed potatoes reminded me of home. And seeing as I wasn't going to make it home the next week for Thanksgiving, it was a perfect meal. Even more perfect though, was dessert. Before I could stand up from my chair to help clear the table, Bella scooted it back and sat straddling my lap. Shy she was not. She leaned forward, pressing her lips and her body against mine. I wish I could say that we took things slow, but that wouldn't be true. She undressed me, and I returned the favor before lifting her and making a mad dash to the bedroom where I had her for the first time. And second. And third. She was a wildcat, surprising me in the best way.

But it was more than just physical attraction with her. I enjoyed all our time together, even the time we just talked. She was smart. Crazy smart. Like Mensa smart. I didn't even know what that meant until I'd spoken to my father after our second date. I wasn't surprised that he'd looked into her. He was a physician, but he was a father first. He trusted no one with his children unless he'd thoroughly vetted them. Ms. Bella Swan had graduated from high school early. By early, I mean at the age of 14. She'd gone to college, finished in three years, and then began medical school at the age of 17, five years ahead of her peers.

Even though she was brilliant, she was down to earth too. We could talk about football, apparently a favorite sport of hers, just as well as we could about the local culture and religion. She was a curious person, thirsty for knowledge. Probably a byproduct of her brain. Often, when she'd get going on a topic, she'd stop herself and apologize. I was slowly breaking her of the habit, assuring her I liked hearing her get worked up over a subject, most often her work. I pieced together a few things she'd said about her past, and from what I could gather, she'd had a bit of a rough childhood. Kids can be cruel, and kids that didn't understand another, well, they could be the worst. She grew up being criticized and made fun of for her intelligence, so it was understandable that she was gun-shy about it. We'd get there eventually. I wanted her to be proud of her intelligence. It was one of the sexiest things about her.

On top of that, she was willing to put up with my love of Christmas. I had told myself to take this Christmas slow, ease her into it. But my best friend had other plans. Jasper and I hadn't been cleared to go home for the Thanksgiving holiday. There had been chatter from the terrorist cell we were monitoring about a possible attack. Not knowing when it was planned or who the target was, the brass decided they needed all hands on deck in case a rapid deployment was needed. Bella was staying on base too. Her father, the only living family she had, was not going to be able to get away from work, so she decided not to go back to an empty house. That was fine by me, because it meant we got to spend the holiday together. She cooked a fantastic meal and had me invite Jasper to join us. I was happy to have my best friend finally meet my girl, but I should have known he'd out me.

"Are you sure you're ready for Christmas with this one?" he asked her as we sat on the couch, uncomfortably full from all the delicious food. Bella was in the kitchen making something at the stove, a secret recipe she wouldn't reveal quite yet. I didn't know where I was going to put anymore food.

"Well, not quite. I still need to find him a gift," she said distractedly as she focused on the pot on the stove stirring slowly.

"That's not what l mean. Your boy here is fucking obsessed with Christmas." I reached over and hit him on the stomach drawing an uncomfortable groan. I almost felt bad. Almost.

"Really?" I turned to see her looking at me with an amused smile.

"Absolutely."

"I'm not obsessed," I tried to defend.

"He's lying," Jasper jumped to talk over me, ignoring my glare. "I'm talking decorations, Christmas carols, gifts, the whole nine yards. He even believes in Christmas magic." I groan, and had I had the energy, I'd have beat his ass for that comment.

Jasper paused to take the proffered cup from Bella. I took one from her and scooted over to make room for her beside me. She sat down gently wriggling around until she was pressed tightly against my side. I wrapped one arm around her shoulders as I took a sip of homemade hot cocoa and hummed in satisfaction. It tasted just like my mom's.

"This is perfect, Honey," I told her quietly. "It tastes just like my mom's. How'd you do that?"

"Christmas magic." She smiled and winked before turning her attention back to the traitor.

"He's almost unbearable." Jasper continued to spew his lies. "I can barely sit in the office this time of year. It's like Christmas threw up all over the place."

"I am not that bad," I said haughtily, and turned to look at Bella. "Don't listen to him, Baby. He's delusional. I think all the turkey got to him." She giggled and shook her head.

"Tell me more," she said excitedly looking back at Jasper.

"Actually, I think Jasper needs to go. He's got some work to do." She scoffed smacking me on the chest lightly.

"I don't need to say more," Jasper said knowingly. "You'll experience it soon enough, and you'll regret not running away when you had the chance. Just remember, I warned you."

~CM~

It was the week before Christmas, and I lay awake in my cold empty bed. I had hoped Bella would be with me tonight, but she had been called in for an emergency surgery in the middle of our date. She wasn't sure how long it would take, so she said we'd meet up the next day in time for the party. Some higher ups on base decided to throw a party a week before Christmas so that most everyone could attend before going home. I was excited for the party. As Bella had found out, much to her and Jasper's amusement, I truly was obsessed, and a party for my beloved holiday was right up my alley.

I was looking forward to introducing her to more of the guys. Though she's met Jasper, the others from the team were itching to meet the girl "who'd tamed the playboy". I didn't think I'd been that bad, but my team disagreed. While I was excited to introduce her, I was also a bit nervous. They could be assholes. I'd warned them to be on their best behavior, but Lord knew they had a mind of their own. That's okay though; I controlled their schedule. If they acted untoward, I'd get my payback.

After tossing and turning for the better part of an hour, I finally drifted off to sleep. Not much later, I was wrenched awake by the annoying alarm. I rolled over, stopped the blaring, and got out of bed to start the day. I text Bella, wanting to see how her surgery went, but the message went unanswered. I wasn't surprised. She was probably sleeping. Not only was it 0500, but she didn't get to the hospital until 2300 last night. She probably hadn't been sleeping long.

The day passed by slowly as we prepared for another recon mission. I'd spent the last two weeks scouting and planning, and today I was briefing the team, laying out the plan, running drills. Finally, I dismissed everyone in early afternoon, because I felt comfortable with their first run of the drill.

"We'll pick this back up tomorrow," I told them as they packed away their weapons. "I want this drill to be so familiar you could do it in your sleep. We're not going to have any hiccups this time. Stealthily in, observe, and quietly out."

"Report back, 0600?" Jasper asked.

"Tonight's the party, Cap," Newton whined. "Can't we enjoy it without an early call looming over our head?"

"0600 is early?" I asked incredulously as I hid my grin. Bella had an 0800 shift tomorrow, and I wasn't leaving her bed any earlier than necessary. I wasn't admitting that to them though.

"Cap, come on," Isenberg started in. "It's a Christmas party. How many times do we get to do things like this?" The others started razzing me as well.

"Alright, alright. You babies. 0800." They cheered. "But I want everyone at their sharpest. No hangovers, no dragging. If I see anything less than your best, I'll tack on an extra hour of drills."

"Sir!" The echo assured me they'd be on their best behavior. Jasper sidled up next to me and whispered so only I could hear.

"Doesn't hurt that you get some extra time with your lady, huh?" I punched his arm as he laughed and quickly stepped away.

At exactly 1930, I knocked on her door. The party had started at 1900, and it was across base, but Bella's shift had also ended at that time. She'd been excited "to spiffy up for me" for a few weeks now. So I'm sure I'd have to wait. From my experience, it took women a while to get ready when they were going out. Within a minute, the door swung open.

"Hey. I know..." I trailed off as I took in the sight in front of me. There she stood looking absolutely stunning in a little red lacy number. Her hair was messily piled on top of her head, leaving her slender neck free of any hindrance. The top of her dress was low-cut, lower than what she usually wore, but damn did her cleavage look spectacular. The straps were thick, but it left her toned arms exposed. The material hugged her tightly, accenting her narrow waist, and it was short, falling just below the Promised Land. I continued my perusal down and smiled when I saw a pair of red converse adorning her feet. She always wore the things and had them in every imaginable color. I'd asked her about it on our third date. They were practical, she said. She may be paged at any point. She needed to be able to stand in whatever shoes she was wearing for hours if she was needed for an emergency surgery.

"I, uh," she looked down then back at me with some uncertainty in her eyes. "I hope this is...acceptable." I was shaking my head before she finished.

"You look...absolutely breathtaking." She smiled, her shoulders relaxing. I stepped forward, finally pressing my lips to hers. It'd been too long since I had last kissed her. I pulled back before I could get carried away. Slowly, she opened her eyes, her sight a bit unfocused. "Hi there," I whispered.

"Hi." She looked down then back up at me before grabbing the lapels of my jacket. "You look very handsome." She leaned forward and pulled my lower lip between hers, scraping it slowly with her teeth. "Good enough to eat."

"Later." I smirked as her eyes darkened. "Are you ready?" She nodded then turned to pick up a green jacket from the table.

It made me happy to see the small Christmas tree on the table decorated to the brim with ornaments. Bella assured me she liked the holiday, but once I was done with her, she'd love it. I'd brought a few things over each time I came to see her. Each time, she smiled fondly and shook her head, but not once did she ask me to stop. After three weeks of sneaking in decorations, her little apartment was almost acceptable. Lights were strung across the ceiling, garland trimmed the windows, and a little village scene sprawled across the kitchen counter. She turned back, her body in my line of sight pulling me from my thoughts.

"Okay." She held the jacket up to show me. "Ready now." I'd finally taught her to carry one when she was planning to be out at night. She hated toting the thing around, so I reached forward and folded it over my arm. Once she pulled the door closed and checked that it was locked, she reached down and took my hand into hers.

I turned us to walk towards the mess hall. Even though it would take us a good twenty minutes to get there, she preferred walking. She said she was cooped up in the hospital so much; she enjoyed getting to be outside, seeing the sights. I didn't think there was much by way of sights, but if it made her happy, I'd walk. The base was dark, just a few lights dotting the way. I took the time to enjoy just having her near me. Hopefully she wouldn't make me stay at the party more than just making a polite appearance. Before long, we arrived, and the sounds of the party came filtering through the door.

"One second," I told her. Before she stepped inside, I pulled her towards a large Christmas tree with a plethora of wrapped presents resting at the base. I turned out backs to the tree, took my phone from my pocket, and fumbled around until the camera was up. "I want a picture of us." She turned her body towards mine as I pulled her tightly against me and took a photo of us smiling. "One more." Just before I snapped the shot, she turned her head and pressed her lips to my cheek. My smile bloomed into a full-blown grin. I could already tell this would be one of my favorites. I turned towards her and captured her lips with mine. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," she whispered on a sigh. "Come on. Let's go inside." She turned me and pushed me towards the open doors.

"Hey, Cap!" I heard Jasper's voice and turned to find him waving at us from a table. I took a deep breath before placing my hand on Bella's back to guide her in his direction. I was surprised when my hand encountered skin, not material. I looked back to see her entire back exposed and bit my tongue. I really wanted to leave now.

"You like?" she asked with mischief.

"You're killing me here," I told her honestly. She just giggled and left me standing there as she waved at Jasper and made her way towards him and the rest of my team. I hurried to catch up not liking what she was wearing so much now. My team didn't need to see that much of her.

"Hey, Doc," Jasper said as he hugged her. I pulled her into my side as soon as he released her.

"Bella, these are the guys," I said as I turned her towards the rowdy group. "That's Newton, our medic."

"Great work on him." She threw her thumb towards me. "You did a wonderful job in the field." He nodded looking almost shy at the compliment.

"That's Isenberg, Cheney, and O'Malley."

"It's nice to finally meet you all." They greeted her, and those who had dates introduced them as well.

The party was great. It wasn't often we got to let loose and have some fun. The guys spent the evening drinking, dancing, and disappearing with the women that accompanied them. I spent the evening dancing whenever Bella asked me to, but mainly I spent my evening touching her. Her arms, her neck, and especially her back. I kept my touches appropriate for present company, but I wanted to touch her privately. After two hours, and two drinks for Bella, she was pleasantly tipsy and getting handsier by the minute. She leaned forward and kissed my cheek before whispering dirty things in my ear, making me shift in my seat hoping to find some relief for my growing problem.

"Bella, baby," I warned, but it came out as more of a moan. She giggled, the sounds causing her boobs to rub against me in a most delicious way. "That's it." I pulled her away and stood, retrieving her jacket.

"Yo, Cap. Leaving already?" Cheney asked.

"Bella has an early shift," I said, though it wasn't exactly true. "I'm going to take her home. See you guys in the morning." Bella slid her arms into the jacket and buttoned it up. I took her hand and tugged her towards the exit.

"It was nice to meet you all," she said as she smiled at each of my men. "I'm sure I'll see you around in the future." They all told her goodbye as I pulled her away. "Edward!" she scolded me. "That was rude, leaving them so abruptly."

"No," I said as I pulled her around a corner and pushed her gently against the building. "You were the one being rude, teasing me like that." I covered her body with mine, kissing her brutally. She moaned at the contact, hitching her leg around my waist and pressing her lower half to mine. She pulled away gulping for air.

"Take me home."

"Yes, ma'am." I dropped her leg and stepped away reluctantly.

"And make it quick if you can." When we walked back around the corner, Jasper was leaving with keys in hand. Perfect.

"Hey, Jazz. Give us a ride back." He smirked.

"Edward!" Bella scolded me again. I rolled my eyes.

"Please."

~CM~

Ten agonizing minutes later, Bella unlocked her door and we stumbled inside, lips still connected. I closed the door behind me, flipped the lock, and dropped the keys on the table. Bella reached forward, pushing my jacket off my shoulders and onto the ground. I started unbuttoning hers from the top and she started on the bottom. By the time it hit the ground, we were in the bedroom. Before I could lower her to the bed, she pushed me away. I looked at her confused, but that twinkle in her eye had me shutting up.

"Be right back," she said as she walked backwards into the bathroom. I took a deep breath and ran my hand through my hair. I didn't want to wait, but I had a feeling I'd appreciate whatever she had up her sleeve. Taking a seat on the bed, I tried to calm my body. She had me so worked up that I probably needed a few minutes to get myself under control anyway. I didn't get a few minutes though. Before I knew it, the door opened and there stood my own Christmas miracle. "So, have you been naughty or nice this year?" I groaned long and low.

"Which gets me you?" I asked, willing to be or do whatever she wanted.

"Which of my lists are you on?" She stood there, one arm resting against the doorjamb, one foot crossed over the other in a short Santa nightie that barely covered what I really wanted my hands on. "Come on, Captain. Which list?" I adjusted myself as I imagined all the things I wanted to do to her, the things she whispered in my ear at the party.

"Nice." Her smile fell, and I rushed to correct myself. "Naughty!" She smiled. "Definitely naughty." She walked towards me slowly, her hands fingering the white fur line of the bottom of her outfit drawing my eyes directly there.

"Well then, Captain, I guess that means you get no presents this year." She stopped when she stood between my legs. "Maybe, though, you can earn a spot on the nice list." I nodded, swallowing thickly. She reached forward, running her fingers through my hair. "Can you be good for me?" I nodded again. "Really good?"

"Y-yes." She smiled and pulled me forward. Not waiting for instruction, I pulled her nipple into my mouth through the thin fabric and wrapped my arms around her thighs. She sighed at the contact, and I took my first handful of her ass, squeezing in appreciation.

"Good boy." I smiled and nipped at her before switching sides. She moved forward causing me to scoot back then planted her knees on either side of me. I reached up and pulled the front of her top down freeing her tits. Leaning forward, I licked around her pretty pink nipple causing her to gasp then moved up, trailing kisses along her chest and up to her delectable neck. "Edward."

As she sighed my name, I could feel it against my lips. I trailed my hands up her back, taking the top with me. She raised her hands allowing me to slip the material over her head. As soon as she was free, she grabbed my face and pulled me into her for a heated kiss. Her hands moved over me, my hair, my chest, my back. She seemed almost frantic, her hands not landing in one place for too long. Eventually she pulled back with a gasp, her eyes hazy. I pushed her to lean back, her hands braced against my legs as I let my eyes roam slowly over her body. She was absolutely beautiful. I would never get tired of seeing her like this, chest heaving, her face flushed, the color trailing all the way down to her breasts. I looked lower to see a small red thong barely covering anything. As I looked closer, I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Did you know there is mistletoe down there?" My voice was low, the need evident.

"Oh, is there?" she asked coyly. I turned us quickly and laid her gently down. She smiled at me as she squirmed. I straddled her, settling gently onto her thighs to keep her in place. I then took her hands raising them over her head, pinning them in place with one of mine. I moved my hand down, trailing a finger along the way. She tried to raise her body when I skimmed over her chest, but I held her in place as I continued down to where her underwear sat atop her mound. "Edward. Please."

"Shouldn't I kiss under the mistletoe?" She nodded frantically, her hair coming undone from its confines. "I'm going to need you to keep your hands there." She nodded again, willing to agree to just about anything at the moment. I let go of her hands and moved down so I could slide her underwear down her smooth legs. She lifted them in the air to make it easier, and I held them there when I tossed the garment to the ground. I turned my head and kissed her ankle. "This is technically under the mistletoe."

"Ungh. Edward. Please." I nipped at her calf, moving the other leg to fall down my side. I continued to kiss as I moved closer to where she wanted me. "Yes. Yes." I moved back so I could kneel down before placing one very soft, feather-light kiss to her mound. "Yeeeeesssss." I smiled then took my first long swipe of her, savoring the taste. This was seriously one of my favorite things to do for her, though I would say I got just as much enjoyment from this as her. I wasted no time bringing her right to the edge but soon felt her fingers slide into my hair and grip me tightly. I pulled back, and she protested, her eyes flying open to look at me frantically.

"What did I say about those hands?" She released me quickly, her hands flying back above her head.

"Sorry. Sorry. Continue. Please?" She never had to beg with me. I went back to the job at hand, pulling her clit between my teeth. She cried out, her body arching under me. I could feel she was close, ready to let go. She reached up for the headboard, holding it tightly, fighting the urge to touch me. I reached up and pushed two fingers inside her, curling them the way she liked. "Yes. Yes. Yes." I felt her clench around my fingers as she gasped, her breath hitched, and her back arched as she climaxed. I moved back to watch her, pure ecstasy written on her face. I continued to move my fingers inside her coaxing her down from her orgasm.

When she slumped back onto the bed, I moved up her body and pressed my weight down onto her. She opened her eyes slowly, looking straight into mine. A slow, lazy grin spread across her face, and my chest tightened at the sight. I wanted to make her smile like that every day. Not sure what to do with this feeling, I leaned down and press a light kiss to her lips. She kissed me back and let out a long sigh as her hands wrapped around my neck, her fingers finding their way into my hair. I shivered, loving the feel of that every time she did it.

"So, am I on the nice list yet?" She chuckled, the movement causing her to rub against me in a torturously delicious way. That seemed to bring her back to reality as she looked down.

"You're wearing far too many clothing. Strip." I pushed up on my knees and worked on the buttons of the shirt. She sat up, unbuckling my pants and pushing them down as far as she could. I pushed off the shirt and moved to pull the undershirt over my head.

"Holy shit, Bella." Before the shirt was over my head, I felt her hot little mouth on my very sensitive cock. There was no hesitation as she sucked me for all she was worth. I started mentally reviewing my plans for training tomorrow, trying to stave off my impending orgasm. I couldn't come this soon, not before being inside her. Luckily, or not so luckily, her heat disappeared. She removed my shirt, pushed me onto my back, and pulled my pants and socks from me. "Bella."

"I'm sorry." She crawled over me, the sight rendering me speechless for a moment. "I promise I'll return the favor. I just - I need you now." I nodded dumbly. Without preamble, she lined me up and sank down on me in one swift move. I groaned as she sighed, a look of contentment settling on her face.

She began to move over me, the feeling of her surrounding me the only sensation I could focus on. I placed my hands on her hips, but she grabbed them and moved them to cup her tits. I squeezed as she hissed. Her hands remained over mine, her movements speeding up. With a pillow under my head, I could easily watch where we were connected. Seeing her juices coat me as she moved was mesmerizing. I couldn't move my eyes away. Seeing my gaze, she leaned forward bracing herself on my chest and looked down as well.

"Oh god," she moaned breathily. "Yes." She kept one hand on my chest then reached down, circling her fingers around me.

"Fuck." I couldn't think straight as she squeezed me with her hand while I moved in and out of her. My control was slowly slipping away, but I wanted her there too. I moved one hand down to circle her clit just like she liked it.

"Shit. Yes!" Her movements became frantic as her walls fluttered around me. "Edward. Edward." She chanted my name causing me to speed up my movements, desperately seeking that high.

"Come for me." She fell forward as her body spasmed. I moved within her a few more times before the pressure became overwhelming, and the most pleasurable rush made its way through my body. I held her to me tightly as I came down from my high. Rolling to my side, I kept her nestled against me. My mind was a jumble, the feel of her the only thing that mattered at the moment. "I think you fucked me stupid." She tried to giggle, but she was still trying to catch her breath. Her movement caused her to rub against me. I groaned, still sensitive. Her eyes found mine, and she smiled lazily, but it was interrupted by a yawn.

"Can we sleep?" I nodded and pulled the blankets over us. Within minutes, she was out, her puffs of breath lightly fanning over my chest. I looked down at her face, so peaceful in the moonlight. My heart constricted at the sight. I wanted this every day, going to bed with her in my arms. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Sleep took me quickly.

~CM~

The soft sound of the shower woke me. I hadn't even stirred when Bella got out of bed this morning. Perhaps that's because she'd worn me out after waking me twice during the night for rounds two and three. I smiled at the thought and stretched my sore muscles. I didn't lie there for long though and jumped up to join her. She let out a strangled yelp when I wrapped my arms around her from behind.

"You left the bed," I stated the obvious. She leaned her head back against my shoulder.

"I have a fundoplication to repair a hiatal hernia in two hours," she said as she lifted her head and grabbed for the shampoo.

"I love it when you talk dirty to me."

She shook her head, and I could imagine she was rolling her eyes as well. I took the shampoo from her squirting some into my hand and massaged it into her hair. Her contented sigh filled the shower, and I took a few extra minutes to massage her scalp. Her hum of appreciation and quiet thanks was the only sound in the room. When the water ran clear, she turned to me and returned the gesture. Goosebumps sprung up on my arms at the feel of her hands on me. We rinsed the soap from our bodies and dried off, getting ready for the day in silence. It was comfortable, familiar even though we hadn't done this before. It just reaffirmed my thought from the previous night that I wanted this with her. Breakfast was nothing fancy, merely some toast and eggs. She thanked me for the food with a kiss. When she pulled away, I dragged her back to me for a lingering kiss. By 0700, we were walking out of the apartment.

"You leave this afternoon, right?" she asked quietly. I'd been cleared for two weeks away, finally headed home to see my family. I was thrilled, don't get me wrong, but I wasn't looking forward to leaving Bella. Being the newest doc on base, she got the short-end of the stick and had to stay over the holiday.

"I do," I told her, the reluctance clear in my voice. "But I'm going to come see you at the hospital before I leave." She nodded, not looking at me. I lifted her chin until her eyes met mine. "I'm going to miss you." She smiled.

"I'm going to miss you too, but I'm glad you get to see your family. I know you miss them. And your mom is over the moon to finally have her baby back home." I rolled my eyes. I'd made the mistake of letting Mom talk to Bella for the first time last week. She was a huge fan of My girlfriend and was probably planning our wedding by now. "Plus you get to meet this girl that has your brother all mixed up." I smiled knowing that even though she was sad to see me go, she truly was happy for me to see my family. My chest tightened again.

"I love you." I waited for my heart to speed up, my pulse to race, for my body to feel like a live wire. But it didn't. Saying it felt so right, so simple. I loved her, loved her with everything I had. And it felt great to say the words. I'd never felt this peaceful before. "You don't have to say anything. I don't want you to feel obligated. I can wait." She bit her lip, her brows furrowing.

"Are you sure?" Amusement colored my face as I smiled then stepped forward and pulled her into my arms.

"Yes. I'm very sure."

"Because you haven't known me for very long, and I'm kind of-"

"I love you Bella Swan. There's no doubt in my mind."

"How do you know?" I pressed my lips to hers and closed my eyes to savor the moment.

"It must be Christmas magic."

Hosts' note: Please leave the author some love. Reviews are encouragement. In case you have an idea of the author's identity, please do not disclose it in the reviews or anywhere else.

Season's greetings