Donovan side-eyes me. “You grew up here?”
My pulse jumps. It would be an easy question for anybody else. But I hate lying.
I shake my head instead.
“Would love to hear the story of how you ended up here… later.”
I shift in the seat next to him, admitting, “It’s a part of everything.”
He nods once like he gets it. I look away, breath coming faster now.
“Something wrong?” he finally asks.
“No.” It comes out almost automatic and too cold. I hate it.
But he doesn’t call me on it. Instead, his eyes fix on me. Like he’s reading me and weighing out my thoughts.
Good luck.
I can’t even sort them out right now.
The car slows as we turn onto my street, and my pulse picks up. I don’t know why.
“Which one?” he asks.
“The third on the left.”
My voice sounds steady. But it’s not.
He pulls up to the curb and kills the engine. For a second, neither of us moves.
I stare straight ahead.
“You gonna invite me in?” he asks lightly.
I don’t answer right away because something’s not sitting right. I don’t know what. I can’t name it. But it’s there… under my skin.
A warning I don’t understand.
“You alright?” he asks again, softer this time.
I blink. Then, force a sharp inhale. “It’s nothing,” I say.
It’s always nothing. Until it isn’t.
I reach for the door handle and then pause. Just for a second.
“Don’t you dare,” he says, moving fast around the front of his truck to open the door for me. His gaze is steady as he offers a big, warm hand.
Another memory flickers… just for long enough to put heat in my body.
His big, rough hands sliding over my flesh. Twisting me tight, then uncoiling me slowly as he learned my body for the first time.
I can barely think… or breathe.
I step out into the long shadows of twilight, but the air feels different here. Almost too still if that’s possible.
Donovan follows me, keys in hand, eyes already scanning without making it obvious. He notices everything.
