Page 22 of All in December
My finger hovers over it, then I hit send, and he replies less than a minute later.
Nash:
Same. Especially if I got to wake up with you pressed against me again.
I bite my lip, try not to grin at my phone, and make surethe screen is tilted away from Sam as I try not to overthink my response.
I’d like that, a lot
Nash:
I keep thinking about that weekend like I dreamed it, but I don’t think I could make up a guy like you
My heart feels funny, and it’s impossible to hold back my smile now.
I’ve been thinking about you too. Probably way more than makes sense for 48 hours
Nash:
Can I call you tonight?
Yes, I’ll let you know when Sam goes to sleep.
It’s been years since I’ve looked forward to hearing someone’s voice at the end of the day. We haven’t talked on the phone yet, but knowing he wants to makes my heart race with anticipation.
As soon as the movie is over and Sam is tucked into bed, I head to my room, shutting the door behind me. I quickly brush my teeth and strip down to my boxer briefs, then pull out my phone to text Nash.
Sam’s asleep.
My nerves are at an all-time high. Even though we spent the weekend together and have been textingsince, this feels different. There’s no buffer of a screen or distraction of the kids, just the two of us to fill the silence that hopefully isn’t awkward.
As soon as my phone buzzes, I answer it on the first ring.Oops,definitely not playing it cool.
“Hey,” I say, already smiling as I hold it up to my ear.
“Hey,” he says back. His voice is as warm as I remember. “How was your day?”
I laugh softly. “Better now that we’re talking.”
“Yeah?” There’s a smile in his voice. “Same here.”
I reach over to turn the lamp off and put the call on speaker phone before scooting down my bed to get comfortable against the pillows.
“This is the opposite of playing it cool, so forgive me, but… I didn’t expect to miss you this much so soon,” I confess. And weirdly, it’s easy. Easier than I ever would’ve thought possible. It’s the kind of admission I would’ve swallowed down before meeting him because it would’ve made me feel exposed, and my own vulnerability has been used against me in the past.
But with Nash, it feels right.
I don’t care if it makes me seem needy. He cracked something open in me, and there’s no stuffing it back inside now. It’s strange how fast a connection can form with some people, and he’s that person for me. I want him to know I’m not here to play games, and if he doesn’t want someone like that, I’d rather know now than become any more invested.
“Me either,” Nash says. “I keep thinking about our night together and how I wish we had longer together.”
I let out a shaky breath, soaking in the comfort of knowing he’s seemingly just as affected as I am.
“I didn’t want it to end,” I tell him, honestly.
“It doesn’t have to,” he reassures me, and I smile.
There’s a rustle on the other end of the line. I picture Nash getting more comfortable, settling into his bed, and wish I were there.
