Jack's POV
She started laughing the moment we got into the car and I glanced at her, wondering if she was crazy.
I looked around the car, wondering if I left something funny in there. I didn't think so and the brief search confirmed it. I am a neat freak and it was hard to find even a piece of paper in my car as much as I worked with it.
I finally decided to satiate my curiosity.
"Is there a problem?"
Her eyes misted with sheen of tears when she glanced at me. "Sweet pie."
I winced. Yeah, that was stupid. I had blurted the words out before realizing how cringy they were.
"You can't blame me. I don't have much experience in pet names." I said in my defense.
I wondered how long she had wanted to laugh.
She nodded and exhaled, forcing herself to stop laughing. "I understand. You could have just called my name."
It was my turn to laugh. I arched my eyebrows at her. "And you think that would have made sense to your friends. We are meant to be in a passionate relationship, one that burns so hot I'm crazy enough to marry you after knowing you only for months."
She sighed. "You are right."
I wasn't done. "I did the best I could do in that situation. Heck, your friends even think we have had sex in all corners of your apartment. Calling you by your name like a colleague would have felt weird."
She blushed at my words and I hid my groan, hating the swelling in my groin. I didn't want her to blush. She looked super cute and did crazy things to me by blushing.
I had felt weird when her friend had mentioned having sex with her in her apartment. Not that I didn't like the idea of it but because I liked the idea so much. I liked it so much it hurt. Physically.
After that second her friend said the words, bending Katherine over in all corners of her apartment was everything I could think of, and it was a struggle as I prayed that my groin didn't grow too much and give me away.
The last thing I needed was for her friends to think I was an uncultured sex freak.
I didn't know it was that obvious that I hadn't been in her apartment before. I had tried not to make it show by not looking around.
Her place was smaller when compared to mine as expected but I loved how homely it felt. She had done well for herself and I couldn't stop saluting her for that.
"We should agree on a pet name to call each other." She said instead in response.
I sighed at her response. I guessed I was the only one who wanted a repeat of our night together.
That was a reminder to keep this relationship strictly professional if I didn't want to hurt myself.
I didn't want to fall in love and it would be crazy to have my heart broken despite that.
"I don't want you to call me a doughnut the next time we are around others."
A smirk settled on the edges of my lips. "Give me some credit, will you?"
"Come up with a name and I will give you some credit."
I smiled as I took a turn on the road. I loved this drive. I preferred bantering with her like this than driving in a weird tense silence.
"How about wild cat?" I suggested, blurting out the first thing that came to my head.
She looked at me like I was crazy. "You can't call me that in public."
"Why?" I muttered, sounding innocent. "I love the name."
"You can't call me that in public. Not in public, Jack." She insisted. "Someone else will have a different idea about me."
I smiled. She didn't say she didn't want me to call her that name. She just didn't want me to call her that in public. I guessed I had won some points even though I knew this wasn't a game.
She was right though. I didn't want strangers to think of her the way I thought of her whenever I remembered that name.
I might pluck out the heart of anyone who imagined her in bed. She was mine to have fantasies about.
I wasn't in love with her, I reminded myself, but we were in a contract relationship and for as long as that would last, I didn't want anyone else lusting after her.
She was mine even if it was just on paper and I had never liked sharing what was mine.
I had only shared something with someone and it wasn't a happy situation. My lips twisted as I thought of John and I forced him out of my head.
I tuned in to the present and the beautiful lady beside me.
"I love the name. What if I call you WC?" I said with a twinkle in my eyes.
I knew she wasn't going to agree but it was fun to tease her.
"No," she shook her head, laughing.
"Why? No one will know what it stands for."
"That is the problem." She said, still laughing.
"I don't see a problem." I frowned. "Tell me why you don't like the name."
"What if someone thinks you are referring to me as water closet?" She smiled. "I can already picture your mum thinking you are referring to me as trash and asking you if that is the kind of husband you want to be."
I winced at the image in my head. It wasn't a fine one. She was right.
"I don't think I have more ideas in my head."
She sobered up. "You haven't been in relationships much, have you?"
I ignored her words.
"You can call me anything that you feel is special and not too cheesy."
"Why don't you tell me what you want to be called as?" I sighed.
I already had enough to think of. I had to worry about money, the last thing I wanted to do was to think of pet names for a fake girlfriend.
"You should make an effort. That way you won't forget. Don't you think?"
I sighed. She was right and I hated it.
"Are you giving me an assignment?"
She shrugged. "I guess I am."
"What will you call me?"
"I will tell you when you have mine ready."
I was curious to know what she would call me. I guessed I had to find a pet name for her soon if I wanted to hear the name she had for me.
"Promise to stay with me all night?" she asked after a few minutes of silence.
I was about to tell her I wasn't a clingy person and might have business to attend to but the look on her face stopped me.
She looked nervous and I wondered what she was afraid of. Was she not the one who had called my grandfather sweet? I could remember how she had bonded with my mother and I wondered what the problem was.
I sighed, reminding myself that she was pregnant.
Their hormones didn't make them make sense at times. I had to be gentle with her.
I nodded. "I will stay with you all night."
"Thank you." She said and looked out of the window as I continued the drive.
I nodded without a response, buried in my thoughts as she was.
Fifteen minutes later, I turned into the parking lot of my grandfather's house.
"We are here." I announced to her, turning off the ignition.
She stayed in the car and waited for me to get the door for her. I blew out a breath, forcing air out of my lungs.
The acting had started.
She stepped out of the car and I looked down at her. "Are you ready?"
She nodded. "As ready as I could ever be."
I smiled at her. "Let's go."
She nodded and then went stiff. I wondered what the problem was and realized she was staring at John.
Smart woman. She was right to be wary of my younger brother. I wouldn't advise her to trust him.
I leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "I'm right here, munch cakes. I won't leave you alone and let my family devour you."
She relaxed and smiled, just as I expected her to. "Munch cakes? You are getting worse, cookie."
I chuckled at her tease and was about to reply when my eyes fell on the lady walking beside my brother.
What the hell was she doing here?
I narrowed my eyes at John. What was he playing at by inviting her over?
The night took a sudden twist for the worse and I felt like squeezing my hands around John's neck.
Maybe I would before the night was over. I thought as I fumed with fury.