Chapter 4 – Mr. Sexy Pants

"It is five thirty-eight." He declared with amusement clear in his voice.

"It is night literally!" I grumbled and pulled my comforter, preparing to sleep.

"Wake up young lady. Fresh up and meet us downstairs. We are going for a walk. Period," my granny commanded. Paul chuckled at my discomfort. I threw my pillow right at his face, making him stop laughing at my expense.

"Oomph!" serves him right.

"We will be waiting downstairs," Granny told me and dragged, Paul along with her before he attacks me.

My sweet little bed opens his arms wide enough for me. He was so inviting.

I thought about my granny. Maybe, next time, I gave my bed a sad smile and pat him before throwing my trainers and a sweatshirt. I put my hair on a ponytail and left my room.

After my arrival, we three started to walk at the sideway of the road. The long road was surrounded by forest on both sides. The climate was a bit chilly but refreshing at the same time.

"Why are you here?" I asked Paul with a stink eye.

"I'm truly hurt by your words." He held his chest dramatically. I rolled my eyes at him and swatted his arms which made him chuckle.

"Paul…"

"Okay, okay. Geez, someone is grumpy." He raised his arms in mock surrender.

"I thought of giving you a company, to make your walk a little cheerful." He beamed at me.

The entire walk we both were bantering like little kids. Paul was like an older brother that I never had. He was downright annoying, but we couldn't live without each other.

My granny was actively walking by our side without a hint of tiredness. Rachel was not a morning person so she couldn't join us. The scenery was nice and could feel myself feeling better.

A week had passed in a blur with my granny and my friends. The summer break is about to end in two weeks. Thank god, Rachel was by my side in the university.

She and I belong to the same course but I was not sure about the classes. Paul was taking a business management course at the same university.

Ringggggg Ringggggg

I moved across my room to find my mobile on the nightstand, it's my mom. I answered her call to be greeted with her soothing voice.

"Hey pumpkin, how are you doing? How is Maine? Why didn't you call me? Is everything alright?" my mom fired me with back-to-back questions without taking a break.

"Mom, Mom! Relax, will you? I'm fine. Maine is beautiful with nature everywhere and sorry for not calling you earlier, I was caught up with enjoying my time with granny and my friends." I reasoned her. I heard her sigh with relief.

"Jesus! I was so worried about you. I'm so glad that you're enjoying your time. Don't snoop around a lot, honey and how is your granny?" I could feel the smile in her voice when she mentioned granny.

"Granny is fine. I think she stopped aging when she reached sixteen. She is full of energy and fire. No one can compete with her." I told her with a chuckle, remembering, how my granny kicked my ass out of my bed every morning at 6'O clock for a walk.

"So true, say your granny, I said hi. Don't forget to take medicines, no more alcohol and partying…"

"Mom! I got it. Have to go, Paul is waiting for me. I love you, take care, bye"

"I love you too baby but wait I'm not done talking with you…" I ended the call by releasing my breath. I know for a fact when my mom started talking about my health, it's never going to end anytime soon and I was not lying when I told her I'm meeting Paul.

We were going to the outskirt of this town to buy some stuff to fix my granny's old car which was a black Toyota.

I heard a car pulling up at our front porch, it must be Paul. I ran downstairs skipping two steps at a time and swung open the front door.

To my utter surprise and disbelief, it was Alexander. What the hell is he doing here?

"I would appreciate it if you stop gawking at me with an open mouth." I was speechless, how dare he insult me at my doorstep? I was so shocked that's why my jaw hit the ground without my consent.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him with a murderous glare.

"I was here to…"

"Hello Alex, thank you for showing up." He was cut off by my granny's voice. I turned to her with my raised eyebrows to ask her, 'what's going on?" but instead, she had a mischievous smile on her face.

Alexander gave her a polite smile, and hugged her, as soon as she stepped in front of him.

"Cathie honey, Alex will help you to buy your stuff to fix the car. Because Paul was caught UP with some work, he just called me this morning while you were taking a shower." she chirped happily. I narrowed my eyes on her because something was suspicious by the way her eyes glinted.

"Oh hmm…uh…okay," I awkwardly scratched the back of my neck and diverted my eyes to my boots.

"Perfect, then we will be leaving, Mrs. Brown." we both left my granny with me waving at her and him with a smile. A day with Mr. Sexy Pants couldn't be that bad, right?

We were both traveling in his black Lamborghini with dreading silence. I glanced at him to notice his eyes were focused on the road ahead of us.

He was wearing a white button-down shirt with its sleeves were rolled up to his elbow. The shirt hugged his muscles with perfection. I could see his muscles rippling under his shirt whenever he fists his hands around the steering. His biceps flexed deliciously whenever he shifts to change the gear.

His jaw was well defined and sharp with light hair peppered his cheek and chin. He had a five o'clock shadow. He looked like a fallen angel, can a man get any better, I thought to myself.

He was a total eye candy. Too bad, he was a jerk.

"Like what you see, sweetheart?" he asked me with a smirk, I looked away with flushed cheeks.

"I have seen better," I gave him a snarky reply, for which he chuckled. It was a wonderful sound, which calms my soul.

"But I heard that you never had a boyfriend." he slightly turned to me with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Oh my God! That was so embarrassing. I tried to cover my shock but failed miserably with my jaw literally on the floor.

"That's… none of your… business." I tried to sound bold but stuttered helplessly.

"Sure." There was silence for few moments. None of us talked.

"Catherine, I heard that you are rebellious and full of fun, why didn't you fell in love with someone?" he asked me with softness.

What happened to the arrogant jerk? Who is this man sitting beside me? I gaped at him with utter disbelief but he turned to me and gave me a reassuring smile. I started fidgeting with my fingers and took a deep breath.

"Because I don't want to," I told him softly. He gave me a puzzling look.

"Because love makes a person vulnerable, It kills your ability to think, heartbreak is more painful than any physical pain and your whole world will be crumbling down to the ground once you find your partner cheated on you. So I would rather choose death than fall in love." I explained to him but he had a distanced look like remembering someone or something, probably.

"Fair enough but you sound like someone crushed your fragile heart." He stated. I gave him a sigh and turned to the passing forest through the window.

"I never fell in love but I noticed my friend's suffering because of a heartbreak." I reasoned and I heard him hum in response.

We both came to an abrupt halt in front of a mechanic shop. There was no much shop here. Most of the area was covered by forest. We both made our way to open the front door of the shop. The bell chimed at our arrival and we spotted a plum man in his early fifty's.

"Alp…I mean Alexander! It's pleasant to see you, how can I help you?" he asked him with a respectful nod, glancing at me.

"Hey, Bob! This is Catherine. we need your help in fixing her car."  He told bob. I liked the way my name rolled off his tongue with elegance and grace.

After a short introduction between Bob and me, Alexander explained about our business at his shop. Bob assured me to send a truck to my granny's home to take the Toyota to his shop.