Dear Rosie, (Love Letters #2)

Nathan. Is calling me.

I sit up.

We were texting. He doesn’t need to call.

The phone continues to vibrate.

I take a deep breath. And press the button to accept.

“Hi, Rosie.”

My eyes roll back.

Sayinghishould not sound that erotic.

I hold the phone a few inches from my ear so he hopefully can’t hear how out of breath I feel. “Hi, Nathan.”

He lets out a short hum of appreciation that I feel in my nipples. “I just need to hear you say it.”

“Your name?” I ask quietly.

Another hum, with a hint of humor. “No, though, that was a nice bonus. I need to hear you promise you’ll come tomorrow night.”

I swallow as his voice vibrates through the phone against my palm.

“I promise,” I whisper. Meaning it.

“Good girl.” His words crawl across the line. “Sweet dreams, Pretty Rosie.”

Then he hangs up.

And I reach into my drawer.

FORTY-ONE

ROSALYN

I take a deep breath in an attempt to steady my nerves, then I pull the door open.

Cool air flows around me as I enter the Booze Hooch, and I force my shoulders to relax as I step through the entryway.

My Uber got me here right on time, but I have a feeling Nathan is already here.

Except the bar is so packed I have no idea how I’ll find him.

Fucking Nathan.

How did I let him talk me into this?

I take a few more steps into the crowd and have to stop myself from biting my lip so I don’t mess up the gloss I applied in the car.

I tried not to overdo my look, but I still did my makeup and hair as though this was a date and not just old friends catching up.

Old friends who finger each other.

I shuffle another step, then reach back and lift my hair off my neck, letting the cooled air flow over my heated skin.

The whole ride over here, I did nothing but stress.