Pressing a hand against my lower stomach, I tried to breathe through the pain. My period came this morning which was apparently a huge surprise to Jacob because he was sort of freaking out about it. He tried to keep a straight face but his tone and the way he hovered told me he was worried. Cramps were the worst on my first day and there was nothing he could do about it. He was late for work, but he didn't look like he was in a hurry. I was bundled up in our comfy sheets after I took a shower to clean up and watched him with a small smile.

"You do know I'll go through this a lot." I reminded him.

"I didn't know you'd be in so much pain." He brushed his fingers through my hair, "It's not exactly something I can brush off like that."

"It's just the first two days most of the times." I wasn't as worried as Jacob was, I'm sure when my next period came he'd be a lot calmer. He just needed to get used to it, "You can get me something hot. Tea, maybe?"

"Of course." He grabbed his phone and glanced at the time, "I should head to the office after that. I'll make sure to come home early today."

Jacob's cuteness was showing. How could I not love him when he worried about something so normal like my period. It made me wonder how he behaved when he was with his previous girlfriends. Surely one of them had their period when they were together with him.

"Jake, I'll be fine. You just go about your day, okay?"

He narrowed his eyes on me, it was like he didn't trust me to know my own body. He was definitely very cute this morning.

"Mrs. Quake will be here till eight, let her know whatever you need."

He was still stressing out about me, I grabbed his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Jake, I'll be fine." I repeated, "I'm actually going to do some Christmas shopping around noon."

"You think that's a good idea?" He asked me.

His tone suggested that he didn't think it was a good idea.

I gave his hand another squeeze, "I'll feel better after drinking my hot drink and maybe eat some porridge or something. I can also take my medicine, I mean I don't feel comfortable but I can go about my day. That reminds me-"

His eyes darkened, "What?" He asked suspiciously.

I knew this was kind of manipulative of me, but I felt like this was the right time for me to ask Jacob about his younger brother. There wasn't much I knew about him. I knew he was in college, actually working toward graduation and I knew that Jacob paid for it. His brother would be around twenty-two or twenty-three so there was an age gap of six or seven years. So the guy was his baby brother, someone he'd feel protective over. At least that's how Nick was with me. I wanted him around for Christmas. Considering how worried Jacob was about me at the moment I knew he'd do almost anything to please me.

So yeah, I'd manipulate him a little.

"Would you ask your brother if he wants to come over for our Christmas dinner? You can be casual about it, give him the option to join us. I just want our first Christmas together to be special."

"It will be special when we're alone together in the bedroom. Maybe you can wear some Christmas lingerie and be all cute."

I laughed, quite enjoying where this conversation was going, "You basically want me to wear sexy lingerie to seduce you on Christmas?"

"You're period is over by then, right?"

My jaw actually hurt from how much I was smiling, "Yes, it will be over by then." I grabbed his hand and pulled him down, watching him sit beside me with an annoyed look on his face, "You do that for me and I'll make sure you enjoy our first Christmas together in the bedroom."

He narrowed his eyes on me, "Are we back to making deals?" He asked.

"You don't want to take it then?" I countered.

He was trying to stare me down but we both knew he couldn't turn my deal down. We enjoyed our little games in bed a lot. We were both addicted to pleasuring each other. He took his time but finally relented with a tired sigh.

"You look cute and all but you're an evil little thing, aren't you?"

I grabbed his arm and snuggled up to him, "But that is also something you love about me, don't you?"

He brushed his fingers through my hair, "That's enough out of you." He growled and leaned in, pressing a harsh kiss to my lips, "Go get comfy, I'll get you your tea."

I watched him trail out of the room, falling back in the pillows and feeling warm and comfy. Loved. Despite us getting together was on shaky terms, I felt at home with Jacob. I could honestly say Jacob warmed up to me.

When I was warm and comfy I left the penthouse to do some Christmas shopping. Joy had a shift at the coffee shop so I decided to drop by at the shop first. We were becoming close friends and I wanted to keep that friendship strong so I wouldn't neglect it. Joel drove me to the coffee shop.

"Can I buy you a coffee, Joel?" I asked as Joel slowed the car down.

"I'm okay, Miss Merigold."

He would never call me by my first name. In three months he'd start calling me Mrs. Blackwood which sounded so weird to me. I was attached to Jacob and it was a secret I wouldn't spill but I loved the guy. That said, becoming Mrs. Blackwood felt weird to me. I probably needed time to get used to it just like how I needed to get used to the penthouse and Mrs. Quake who came with the penthouse lifestyle.

"I won't leave this car until you tell me what you'd like to drink." I threatened him quietly.

He laughed, "I can understand why Mister Blackwood was grumbling about stubborn women this morning."

I'm pretty sure Joel let that slip, he probably wasn't supposed to let me know Jacob was quietly complaining about me to himself. It was still hilarious to me though. I grinned at the man who looked away, embarrassed he spilled one of Jacob's secrets.

"I'm sorry, Miss Merigold. I was out of line."

I brushed it off, "Everything is fine, I'm not going to bite Jake's head off for calling me stubborn because he is right. I am freaking stubborn and a lot of other things."

Joel smiled, "You're a nice woman, Miss Merigold. That's what matters most."

I didn't expect him to compliment me out of the blue it made me a bit flustered, but I carried on knowing that was the only way to keep myself from stumbling and making a fool out of myself.

"Thank you, Joel. So your favorite drink?" I asked.

He chuckled, "Fine, I'd like an Earl Grey tea."

I grinned at him, "I'll be right back."

I left the car and entered the coffee shop. Thankfully it wasn't too crowded. The minute Joy noticed me she grinned. The smile which brightened up the room and made everyone's days. I walked up to the counter, not having to wait in line and returned her grin.

"Nina!" She looked really excited to see me, "I didn't expect to see you today."

"I'm going to do some Christmas shopping, I wanted to drop by and say hi to you. Grab a coffee and an Earl Grey tea for Joel."

She started on my order right away even though I didn't even place it yet, "You're going to celebrate Christmas with Jacob?" She asked.

"I'm going to do family dinner on Christmas with Jacob."

She stopped what she was doing and looked at me in awe, "You managed to get him to agree to that?"

I smiled, "Jacob is not against spending time with family."

She frowned, "He keeps surprising me." She admitted to me, "I never thought he'd let you do that to his living room and the video of you two decorating the tree. It was so cute and adorable and I was like who is this guy." She stopped what she was doing and faced me, "Lucas got quite upset with it."

I lowered my gaze, feeling my heart squeeze painfully. I knew how much it could hurt seeing your ex having so much fun with their new boyfriend or girlfriend. You knew they were happy but you didn't want to see it.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"For being happy with the man you're going to marry?" Joy asked, "I'm glad you two have a good relationship. I'd be worried if you married him yet didn't get along at all." She pointed at the massive diamond around my finger, "That just made me believe that he is a jerk. But I have to change my opinion about him."

"Oh, don't get too attached." I grinned at her, "Jacob told me that you're not welcome in our home anymore." I laughed when her mouth dropped.

"Decorating the living room like that was your idea yet I get punished?"

We were joking around when another customer walked up to the counter. I didn't pay much attention to them until I heard them place their order. I stared at Nick as if he teleported into the shop. He was the last person I thought would come over in the middle of the day to grab a coffee. He had coffee places around the Merigold office, he didn't need to come all the way to have Joy's coffee. Unless something was definitely blooming between them.

"Nick." I greeted.

He smiled at me, "Nina." He greeted back, "I didn't want to interrupt, it seemed like you two were having a great time."

"Just catching up." I shrugged.

Joy placed my order on the counter and started on Nick's order. I grabbed my cappuccino and sipped it, "Never thought Jacob Blackwood would be good at singing but he's a better singer than you are." Nick told me which made me gape at him.

"Are you calling me tone deaf?"

"No, you're okay." He smirked, "But your fiancé is great."

I rolled my eyes at him, "Well, at least you're warming up to Jacob. Keep Christmas free by the way. Jacob and I will invite you and the parents over. Possibly his younger brother if the guy doesn't feel uncomfortable having dinner with people he never met." I smiled at Joy and Nick who were sharing a look, "Okay, bye." I left money on the counter and quickly left the coffee shop.

If I stayed to explain the situation I wouldn't be able to buy gifts for the family. Nick would maybe meet the younger sibling of Jacob. I didn't know the younger brother's name and they probably didn't share the same family name so I couldn't give them any info anyway. I handed Joel his tea and climbed into the backseat.

"Let's do some shopping, Joel."

Joel helped me carry all the bags and boxes into the penthouse. I settled in front of the coffee table, leaning back against the couch for back support as I started to wrap up the gifts. I loved wrapping gifts, making art pieces out of it. It was pointless and a lot needed to be recycled afterward but that was fine. It was Christmas, this was the only time of the year we'd go crazy like that. I selected the Christmas playlist Jacob selected a few days ago. I was singing along, remembering how Nick preferred Jacob's voice over mine.

"You look better."

I grabbed my phone and glanced at the time, "It's not even six yet." I grinned at him, "You're definitely home early. Want to help me wrap gifts?" I asked.

He made a face as he approached me with careful steps, shrugging his jacket off. He dropped his jacket on the one-seat sat down on the couch behind me and petted my head. I tilted my head back and glanced at him.

"How about I'll just hand you things and be moral support?"

"That's good too."

Mrs. Quake came over to bring us drinks and snacks while she finished dinner. The snacks consisted out of grapes and berries so we wouldn't ruin our appetite. It would just keep Jacob going. He was a great helper, giving me things without me asking for it. He also petted my head a lot like I was a puppy or something but I loved it.

"He's coming over for dinner."

I froze and dropped my scissors, "Great. I did buy gifts for him as well. What's his name by the way?"

"Joshua River."

"So your mom has a thing for 'J' names?"

He shrugged, "I don't want to understand that woman."

I got that, I didn't want to mention his mother at all. It was obvious he didn't like his mother and given the circumstances I completely understood why. His younger brother though, he seemed fine with now. I couldn't wait to meet the guy.

"He wants to meet you." Jacob sipped his coffee while he gently massaged my shoulder with one hand, "He saw the video of us together and he couldn't shut up about how cute you are. Damn, kid." He muttered.

"Well, if it makes you feel better Nick mentioned that I'm an okay singer but you are a great singer. It might be a sibling thing not be able to give compliments without feeling awkward about it."

"I'm pretty sure the kid just finds you attractive."

I loved how he kept referring to his brother as a child. Joshua was an adult who was only a year or two younger than me. I'm sure it was his jealousy getting the better of him. Grinning while wrapping the gifts made Jacob give my shoulder a harsh squeeze.

"Ouch!"

"Stop looking so damn smug." He warned me, "Joshua is coming over just like you wanted so you better remember your part of the deal."

I didn't forget about my part of the deal. I bought a few Christmas lingerie sets. I didn't feel like trying them on in store since I wasn't quite comfortable but I'd try them on when I didn't feel disgusting and bloated.

"I'll keep my part of the deal," I promised.

Jacob settled on the floor beside me and started to actually help me out. Christmas definitely helped us bond as a couple. These past few days were filled with warmth and love. I didn't want this to end.