Walk with Me (BookStrand Publishing Mainstream) by Kaitlyn Stone

not saying anything else, mainly because I’m afraid of what will come out of my mouth next. “I’m not sure what happened with you and that guy or that experience. And quite frankly I really don’t want to know. Just like I’m sure you don’t want to know about my past relationships, but let me tell you this.” He turns with his eyebrows arched to the sky and a seductive smile playing on his lips. “When we do finally make love, it will be amazing and you will not want to stop at just one time. I guarantee it.”
    Oh my . My breath catches and I inhale and exhale deeply, trying to calm the flutter in my chest, and the tightening in my groin. How many badge bunnies or girlfriends has he had? He sounds like he’s so much more experienced than me. Enough. I need to get off this subject and fast before I change my mind about separate rooms.
    “Tell me a little more about your family.” I clear my throat, grasping at any topic to change the subject. As the perfect gentleman, Donovan gives me a break and complies with my request.
    “What do you want to know? Ask me anything.”
    I shift in the seat and cross my right leg over the left, turning my body toward Donovan. “Well, you said your parents came out here from back east in the early 1980s right?”
    “Yeah, my mom and dad were tired of the cold winters, shoveling snow, icy roads, and freezing temperatures,” he starts, looking straight ahead at the road. “Well, they came out here with all their savings and fell in love with Santa Monica immediately. At that time the real estate market was still very reasonable and they bought a convenience store on Main Street with a triplex behind it. They ran the convenience store and lived in one of the largest units until…”
    Donovan pauses. He appears to be deliberating about what he plans to say next and then continues on, “…I was fifteen years old at the time. By then the property values everywhere had skyrocketed, especially in Santa Monica. My dad knew the bubble was going to burst sometime. He has a knack for knowing when it’s time to buy or sell real estate.”
    Shifting his hand on the steering wheel, Donovan places his right hand in mine on the center armrest. I smile and squeeze his fingers, not saying anything but relishing the warmth. I don’t want to interrupt his flow. He picks my hand up to his mouth, giving the back a kiss, and lowers our interlaced fingers. “My parents decided to sell the store, building, and property. People were qualifying for huge loans at the time and were willing to pay top dollar. My parents kept the triplex, but used the money from the store to buy their current house. So they are semiretired now and spend their time traveling and managing their triplex.”
    “That’s quite a story,” I say. “Your mom sounds like she has a little bit of an adventurous spirit in her.”
    “Yeah. She’s the dreamer of the two and my dad is much more grounded and realistic. They are a good balance, though. Because my mom keeps things exciting in their lives and my dad is her anchor, preventing her from floating off into space,” Donovan says with esteem in his voice.
    I can tell he respects and loves his parents. “They sound like a really great couple, with an inspiring marriage.”
    “You should come over for Sunday dinner. That way you can see them in all their glory.”
    Wow! I guess the Paul talk made an impact on him, or maybe he’s trying to prove to me that I mean more to him than Veronica and those other girls. Inviting me over to meet the folks. Hmm. Seems like a pretty big step. It’s not a take-out lunch with an elderly uncle, but his parents and cousins. I’m not panicking, but I’m not sure if I’m ready. “I’d like that.” I leave it at that.
    We’ve left the congestion of the city and we are now on the open highway. The gray clouds blanket the sky, casting dark shadows on the hillsides along the interstate. The bright green grasses of the adjacent expanse