Teaser for Dear Roz Book 3

"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it," said Maxine. "He's going to propose tonight. Gosh, you must be so exited Roz."

"I don't think he would give me an advanced warning if that was his plan," replied her close friend.

"On the contrary, he knows what you're like. You aren't too fond of surprises. He probably doesn't want you to freak out when he pops the question."

Roz considered this option. What Maxine said was partly true. Was she even ready for marriage? It wasn't as if they had been dating very long. What was that old chestnut? Marry in haste, repent at leisure. Something like that.

"What's up Roz? Why have you gone suddenly quiet? You're not having second thoughts are you?" Roz inhaled deeply, but exhaled slowly.

"Roz, you know Nathan loves you. I've never seen a couple so destined to be together."

"You think so?"

"You both share the same sick sense of humor. The things that you have done to each other would tear a normal couple apart, but you both thrive on those crazy pranks. He's absolutely gorgeous and you... well, you're not so bad looking, in the dark, from a distance."

Roz checked to see if her friend was grinning. Max tried hard not to, but the facade melted, and she giggled.

"Listen here, young lady," said Roz, "Nathan said I was a ten and a half, on any scale."

"The disaster scale? The women who resembled aliens from deep space scale? Women who look old before their time scale? Give me a clue here, or didn't he say?"

"Well."

"He didn't say, did he? Oh, that is so like men. Sending women signals that can be read half a dozen different ways."

"You could have been there to interpret for me, if you hadn't fainted that is."

"That's when he told you, when I was flat on the ground?"

"He kissed me, long and hard," said Roz with a smile as she relived the moment, "then he told me I was a ten and a half, on any scale. Obviously he was alluding to the previous evenings love making."

"You said you couldn't remember much, because you were drunk."

"I just didn't want him to become more conceited than he already is."

"He always struck me as being confident, rather than conceited," Max replied.

"He's a bit of both," Roz said. "He's incredibly interesting, when he's not being truly annoying. Charming, but irritating when his charm is directed at other women. Narcissistic, I used to think, but I've never caught him standing in front of a mirror, unless he was putting on a tie. I just can't seem to pin him down."

"So that is what is annoying you, you can't pigeonhole him?"

"Damn right. Just when I think I've got him pegged, he throws me a curve ball."

"I think that a man who defies pigeonholing has to be a real find, in this day and age," said Max. "You love him, don't you?"

"With all my heart. That's the scary part."

"I didn't think there was anything on this earth that could scare you."

"Neither did I, Max, but it appears that I was wrong."

It was nine o'clock in the evening when the doorbell rang. Roz's heart skipped a beat. She stared at the door, taking in slow deep breaths. It rang again and she made her way to the door.

"Room service," said Nathan from the other side. She couldn't help but grin at his antics. Roz opened the door, and her handsome English boyfriend pushed a bunch of flowers towards her.

"You know I don't particularly care for flowers, Nathan," she said, aware that she could not keep the frown from her face.

"In that case, you must either deduce that on the one hand, I don't care, or, on the other hand, that I tried to make you angry. You look positively ravishing when you're angry."

She took the flowers from him and hit him over the head with them. Petals scattered everywhere.

"My plan worked," he said, with that cheeky grin of his. "Ravishing is not a word that does you justice."

Roz wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a sizzling kiss, smearing her lipstick all over his mouth.

"What is one supposed to do with a pet that cannot be trained?" she asked.

"The secret is to pamper them at every opportunity."

"In your dreams, loverboy. I choose to beat them without mercy until they see sense."

"That works too," Nathan replied. "Although it helps if you wear leather."

"What is this thing men have about leather?" laughed Roz.

"Don't knock it 'til you've tried it. My birthday might be a good time to surprise me. Leather from head to toe... plus any accessories to complete the ensemble." He wiggled his eyebrows, making her laugh.

"And what about my birthday," she giggled. "What special treat should I be expecting?"

"A box of low calorie chocolates. Got to look after that figure," he said, slipping past her and heading towards the lounge. He took what was left of the flowers on the back of his head, as she swatted him like a fly.

Without turning around, he offered an insight. "Often, people in abusive relationships equate violence with love. The more violent, the deeper the carnal attraction."

"I must really love you then," said Roz, grabbing Nathan around the neck from behind and nibbling on his ear.

"I'm counting on it," Nathan said, all traces of humor left behind. "I have something to ask you Roz."

His girlfriend took a deep breath. "Ask away."

Nathan turned to face her. "Roz, I've been thinking. We get on so well together... and the more I thought about it, the more sense it made."

"So, just ask."

"We both have these classes we're running coming up in a couple of days, but I wanted to ask you something before they started."

"Are you going to ask me, or am I going to have to drag it out of you?"