Grand Adventure

Chapter 18

 "I think you need a nickname," Dani commented from the passenger seat. She was sitting cross-legged, perusing a copy of Cosmo she had picked up from a gas station a couple days ago as they headed toward California.

Eddie glanced over, his eyebrows raised, "A nickname? Why do I need a nickname? What's wrong with Eddie?"

"Nothing, but you call me princess. I feel like I should have something to call you," she reasoned with a shrug.

"I've always called you princess," he replied, pulling a cigarette from his pack with his lips and lighting it, keeping one hand on the steering wheel. "You have always just called me Eddie."

"Exactly," Dani sighed, shaking the magazine at him. "According to Cosmo, pet names for each other create a special kind of intimacy because it's something that is only reserved for your significant other and I don't have one for you."

"I think we're doing okay when it comes to intimacy. We don't need any help in that department," he chuckled, shaking his head. "Seriously, why do you care what that trash magazine says? It's all garbage. I don't know why women act like that's the holy bible or something."

"Oh, so I shouldn't read the article titled, '22 Oral Sex Tips You'll Both Lose Your Mind Over?" Dani shrugged. "Okay. If you insist that it's trash." She closed it and waved it toward the open window.

"Whoa! Whoa! Let's not be hasty," Eddie yelled, reaching to snatch the magazine from her. "Maybe we shouldn't completely write off Cosmo. There might be a couple things in there worth reading."

"Oh really?" teased Dani, grabbing it back from him. "Okay then. So, what should your pet name be?"

Eddie groaned, rolling his eyes at her. "Do we really have to do this?"

"Yes, we really have to do this. It's a disgrace that I haven't come up with a cute pet name for you yet. It's really unfair that you already had a built-in one for me."

He laughed, "Dani, I've called you princess for years. It was a thing before we were even dating. You don't have to wrack your brain for some ridiculous sounding name for me."

"Nope. I will not be deterred. I want one." She opened Cosmo to the article she had been reading. "Okay. So, they have a list of possible pet names. What do you think about boo bear?"

Eddie's nose crinkled and he shook his head.

"Hmm...okay. How about tater tot?"

"Jesus Christ, do I look like a crispy fried potato shaped like a barrel?"

Dani sighed, "You know, you're making this very challenging."

"So sorry that I am making it hard for you to call me something stupid," he spouted.

"Hunk-a-lunk?"

"Absolutely not! The guys would never let me live that one down," Eddie asserted. "They would call me that at DnD and band practice constantly. No. Nope. No way."
"Dumpling?"

"Hell no."

"Sir-Loves-a-Lot?" she queried and received a harsh glare in return. "Oh come on! That one is adorable!"

"Yeah, if you're a douchebag," he snorted. "Do I look like a goddamn care bear?"

"You're sure as hell not acting like one," Dani responded, completely amused with this. She loved getting Eddie all worked up. He was too damn cute when he was riled and aggravated. "Pooh Bear?"

"Again with the damn bears and excuse me, but I wear pants on a regular basis," Eddie groaned. "Seriously, Dani, just stop. This is getting insane. I don't need some sappy, ridiculous pet name to make me feel intimate with you. I do just fine without one."