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“Good.  You do now.”
    We walked through the long open aisle that led to the back door.  I’d never actually used that exit before since it went to the parking lot.
    Just outside, I halted.  
    He frowned at me. “What’s wrong?”
    I pulled my hand from his and warily grabbed the strap of my bag again. “Where are we going?” It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him, but I’d had the rug pulled from under me too many times today.
    He circled me and wrapped his arms around my stomach, then kissed my neck. Holy shit, that made my entire body tingle. “I’m kidnapping you and taking you to my favorite place.”
    When I spoke, a breathy voice came out, surprising me. “Is it kidnapping if I go willingly?” We never really flirted, but I wasn’t complaining, even if I didn’t know where we were going.
    He chuckled against my skin. “Come on.  Let’s go.”
    A cool breeze hit us as we weaved through the parking lot, hand in hand. Stepping up to a brand new sports car that didn’t even have a license plate yet, Holden opened the passenger door and swiped his hand in the air, directing me to get in.  
    I glanced around. “Where’s your International?” The handful of times I’d let him drive me around, we’d been in his older model SUV.
    “At home.  I just drove this down from the dealer in San Francisco.” He pursed his lips.  “Too pretentious?”
    “Nah,” I said as I slid onto the soft leather seat, barely holding back a sigh.
    Heaven.
    As he sat in the driver’s seat, I smirked at him. “You know, I had a friend who used to say only rich, spoiled boys and men going through a midlife crisis drove sports cars.” And Scott, my old partner in crime, would’ve added, ‘and car thieves like me.’
    “Oh yeah,” Holden challenged, “and would you agree with this friend of yours?”
    He gave me one of his signature smiles while revving up the engine. The sound reminded me of a life I’d lived so long ago.  A time that was just as fucked up as the one I was currently living, but at least I hadn’t been alone then.  Well, not physically anyway.
    Shaking those thoughts away, I gave my snarky response, “Maybe.  I haven’t decided yet.”
    Snickering, he headed toward the freeway. “Sorry to steal you away from laundry day, but we’ll get that taken care of, too.”
    I crossed my ankles and leaned against the door. “Seriously, where are we going?” I wasn’t nervous or afraid at this point, just extremely curious.
    Gunning the engine, we flew up the onramp and sped across the highway until we ended up in the carpool lane.  Man, I missed the exhilaration of being in a speeding car.
    “Manhattan Beach,” he said matter of factly, as though we’d driven out there a million times together.
    “We’re going to the beach?”
    He nodded and shot me another grin before focusing on the road. I sat back, stunned. It may seem silly, but I’d lived in Pasadena and the surrounding area most of my life and had never been to the beach. But I wondered if the weather would cooperate when I remembered the heavy, dark clouds in the sky above.
    “But isn’t it going to rain soon?” I felt Holden’s warm hand on mine and immediately felt calmer. Apparently, I was on edge.
    “Relax. We don’t have to go if you don’t want to, but I’d love to show you where I unwind.”
    “No.  I wanna see, I’ve just…never been there before.” I bit my bottom lip. Who lives in southern California all their life and hasn’t gone to the beach?
    “Well, then you’re gonna love this.” He switched on some music and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “So tell me something I don’t know about you.”
    Oh shit. I hadn’t told him much yet. Well, nothing too personal.  How should I answer that?
    The inquisitive look on his face was sexy as hell, and if he kept looking at me like he really did care, I might open up and share way too much.  Which would, of course, scare the shit out of him.  No, I