Walk with Me (BookStrand Publishing Mainstream) (17 page)

Straight ahead of the entrance, a man is standing rigidly and talking to a police officer behind a glass partition. This must be the front desk officer Donovan told me to check in with once I arrived at the station. I stand at a distance and wait my turn. He’s complaining to the officer about someone using his credit card to make unapproved purchases. The officer gives him a phone number to call and tells him good luck. The man leaves with a disappointed look on his face and mumbling under his breath.

The desk officer waves me forward. I’m unsure of myself when I step up to the speaker. “Hi. I’m here to see Donovan Alexander for a ride-along?”

“Is that a question or a statement?” Officer Reece quips. I can now read the brass nameplate above his badge. Officer Reece is a well-groomed man with salt-and-pepper hair, dark, experienced eyes, and pleasant features. He must take pity on me because he doesn’t continue his smart-ass comments. “Officer Alexander, you say”—Officer Reece scans over a list on a clipboard—“and what’s your name?”

“My name is Kenna Sloane. Donovan told me to just tell the front desk that I’m here for a ride-along. Should I call him?” I begin taking my phone out of my jacket pocket.

“Nope. I see you here,” he says and I slip the phone back in its place. “Let me give you some paperwork to fill out and I’ll call Officer Alexander and let him know you’re here.” The desk officer hands me a clipboard with blank forms and waivers. I take them over to the empty bench by the stairs and start my assignment.

I’m nervous, like I’m going in for a job interview or a medical exam. I just met Donovan’s parents and extended family, whom I love already, and now I’m entering into his police world. This is where he spends most of his days. This is the world he has chosen as his life’s work.

A door opens next to the desk where Officer Reece is seated and Donovan steps into the large lobby. My heart swells and my nerves calm. Donovan is now here and he will guide me in my uncertainty. He glances my way before stepping over and saying something to Officer Reece through the glass. He’s all business. Donovan nods at the officer and turns, sauntering toward me. A slow smile spreads across his striking face and his eyes alight when they meet mine. His jaw is relaxed and his lips and eyes are playful, but his expression is professional.

I jump up from the bench and rush toward him with the clipboard cradled in my left arm. I need to close the gap between us. I need his strength and power to help ease this tension.

With slow, deliberate steps, Donovan walks with command and a little swag in his movements—a slight shift in the usual way he carries himself. He’s straighter, more defined…sexy. When we are close enough to hug and kiss, he reaches out and only squeezes my left arm cradling the clipboard. “You’re right on time. Are you finished with the paperwork?”

I melt at his touch, but no sweet sentiments, no hello kiss, hug, or any other physical contact. I understand immediately. This is his place of work and we must keep tonight professional.

I hand Donovan the clipboard and pen. “Yes, sir. I’m all done and ready for you to show me your world.”

He hands the clipboard back to Officer Reece and swipes his key card to walk us back the way he came. As I step through the door being held open for me, Donovan touches my right elbow, sending a shudder down my spine and causing me to catch my breath. He leans toward me with all his body and whispers in my ear. “I may not be able to show you or tell you later because others will be around, but I’m very excited for you to be here with me.” His breath and body heat caress my face and skin, barely sating my longing for him. He stands upright and lets me pass through the door. “It means a lot that you are willing to come out with me and see what I do,” he adds as we step into the hall and the door closes behind us.

His appreciative smile taunts my desire to taste those lips right now. This may be harder than I thought, being so close to Donovan and not allowed to touch him. No romance tonight. This is more like a field trip for school and I need to be on my best behavior.

“I’m excited to be here, too, but I’m a little nervous.” I frown.

“Why are you nervous?” Donovan crinkles his brows together. “There is nothing to be nervous about. I’ll be with you the whole time. Citizens do ride-alongs with us all the time. It’s perfectly safe. And if anything were to happen, help is only seconds away.” Donovan stops in the hall and turns his body to face me and nods. “Okay?”

“Okay,” I breathe, nodding. He sounds so confident and capable. I already trust him with my heart. I might as well trust him with my life.

Donovan walks us to the underground parking to his patrol car. He doesn’t seem to be too pleased with the car assigned to us. I guess lower seniority officers are given older cars and the shift before us left sunflower seed shells all over the floorboard. Donovan pops the trunk and stows his “war bag” and heavy jacket before closing the lid. I brought Danielle’s ski jacket, but I think I’ll only need my sweatshirt. I’m wearing dark colors like Donovan instructed except for the pink trim on my sneakers.

Donovan goes through everything on the car, explaining as he does. He boots up the mobile data computer, which he says they use to check for wants or warrants when they stop people. He shows me the lights and sirens and pulls out and checks both the shotgun and rifle. His comfort and ease with his tools and weapons remind me of a soldier preparing for combat, except his enemies don’t wear a specific-color uniform identifying themselves.

He is a warrior and, no matter how cliché, he is fighting the war against crime. With his uniform on, he stands taller, carries himself firmer, and talks deeper. Is this another alter ego, a role he plays? No. I don’t believe so. I think this is a part of his makeup as an individual. Now that we are together, my goal tonight will be to understand what an officer of the law does, so I can fully embrace Donovan—my man.

“3L3 in service. Officer 3945 shop 20153. Civilian ride-along last of Sloane. Out at the station on admin 3L3,” Donovan says into the car radio.

“3L3 in service. Show you out at the station 17:35,” the voice from the other side of the radio answers back.

With the tan microphone in his hand, Donovan shows me how to operate the controls if I need to call for help, but instructs me not to get involved in anything and stay in the car if something starts to go down. Those instructions make me a little nervous, but I agree.

“I’m all done here. Let’s go in and I’ll give you a quick tour.”

Walking through the police department, Donovan starts his tour pointing out the shooting range, and an empty lounge with a flat-screen TV, some recliners, and eight little rooms with single beds. “Some cops live over an hour away,” he explains. “Sometimes it’s easier for them to just sleep here if they have court in the morning instead of getting off work at 3:00 a.m., driving an hour home, and then turning back around at 7:00 a.m. to drive back for court.” Before heading downstairs, Donovan points to a door. “That’s the jail. We’ll probably be going in there later with someone we arrest, so I’ll hold off showing you the jail until later.”

I walk rigidly by his side during the tour, picking at my nails. Down stairs is a new, modern gym, being used by four or five off-duty officers wearing exercise clothes. Everyone is talking and laughing loudly, teasing and joking with each other. When Donovan and I walk in, my presence is felt because the volume of their conversation is immediately turned down.

An older man comes over to greet us. He smiles at me and turns to Donovan. “Officer Alexander, may I have a word with you, please?”

“Sure, LT.” Donovan and the man step away from me. I stand at the entrance, pretending to read the notices posted on the bulletin board next to the door. “You shouldn’t bring a ride-along down here,” I overhear the man tell Donovan. “Keep them to the administrative areas only.”

“Yes, sir. She’s actually my girlfriend and I wanted to show her where I work out. Please let me introduce you.”

My heart stops and then picks up double time. He called me his girlfriend…and I like it. Being linked to him as a couple, sharing our lives and families with each other, our secrets and dreams with each other. I smile at the thought of his words,
she’s my girlfriend.
My reaction surprises me. Was I ready for a relationship, or is it just Donovan?

Donovan walks back to me and introduces the man. “Lieutenant Cole, this is Kenna Sloane.”

“How do you do, young lady? It’s nice to meet you. You have a really great guy here. He’s one of our rising stars.”

“I think he’s pretty great, too,” I reply. “It’s nice to meet you.” I extend my hand and shake Lieutenant Cole’s hand. He smiles and walks out the door.

Donovan returns his attention to the tour of the gym and a young officer comes over and introduces himself to me. “Hi, I’m Frank Rugio,” says the good-looking, Italian, guy. He’s about Donovan’s age but much shorter with dark slicked-back bangs and smoky brown eyes. He walks and stands with an air of cockiness, nonchalantly flexing his muscles in front of me.

Donovan speaks up before I can greet good-looking Frank. “This is my girlfriend, Kenna,” Donovan says with a subtle possessiveness in his tone, touching the curve of my back.

“Hi. It’s nice to meet you,” I say to the nosey guy. He’s obviously one of the young players around here because Donovan is quick to point out I’m with him.

“Oh. Is she the reason you’ve missed CrossFit the past two Wednesdays?” He holds up his hands, palms facing out. “I mean I can’t blame you. I’d miss it, too, if I had a girlfriend who looked like this, instead of hanging out with a bunch of yahoos.”

Donovan chuckles at Frank-the-man’s silly comments. “No. I had training this week, and last week we went snowboarding in Mammoth.”

“Did you stay at Captain Lewis’s place? I hear he got a really sweet deal on a foreclosure up there.”

I chime in, finally comfortable to respond to something nonflirty. “It’s a really nice condo, two bedrooms and a loft with a huge fireplace that takes up most of the wall. I didn’t see the entire complex, but there’s a nice hot tub close to the unit.” The mention of the hot tub reminds me of our heated exchange and I flush.

“Well, we’ve got to hit the streets. I’ll probably see you at CrossFit this Wednesday. Bye, Frank.” Donovan turns quickly, leading me out of the room.

“Bye, Kenna. I’ll see you around,” Frank says from behind me as I walk out the door.

I hope Donovan goes to CrossFit this Wednesday. I don’t want him to adjust his workout routine for me. Plus, Wednesday is the day I like to do my own thing.

“I didn’t know you were into CrossFit?” I say to Donovan as we take the elevator up to the garage and back out to his assigned old, dirty police car.

“I’ve just started. There are a few people from the station who are really into it. It can get very competitive, especially when you have all the alpha-male, SWAT guys like Frank involved.”

Donovan referring to other men that way is funny, because he is total alpha male, but I get what he’s saying. He isn’t a macho type like the other guys he’s referring to, but Donovan is a leader and he does command your attention when he’s around. His good looks grab you first, but his confident tone and the way he carries himself are what make you want to do as he says and follow his lead.

“You should go,” I encourage, “because that’s the day I go to the farmers’ market and the gym after school and then I’m busy with my uncle. We probably won’t have much time together anyway before you have to go to work.”

I never had to think about anyone else’s schedule when making my own plans. I’m used to doing as I please. Another new aspect of being in a relationship.

At the car Donovan motions for me to get in. With the door closed, the atmosphere in the small car interior charges with kinetic energy. He places his hand on my thigh, and my body comes alive with his touch, transferring some of the energy from the air through his hand and directly into me. The current travels up my left side and down my right, and I exhale, releasing the pressure in my lungs. I thought I locked those feelings away for the night, but one touch and they come flooding back.

His head is inclined toward me, eyes light and playful. “Are you ready to go catch some bad guys?”

I chuckle at his lighthearted comment.

Removing his right hand from my thigh, he picks up the hand microphone, releasing his hold on me. “3L3 in service,” Donovan says into the hand microphone.

“3L3 handle 3L2 assist 24 Hour Fitness 2600 Second Street, meet the manager regarding 415 civil dispute,” the voice on the other end answers Donovan back.

“3L3 10-4 from the station,” Donovan says while he’s typing into the MDC. “That’s what I thought.” Donovan shakes his head while reading the screen. “There’s this crazy guy at the gym who complains about the towels and we have to go up at least once a week and deal with him. This is getting ridiculous. I’m going to suggest to the manager that they just revoke his membership. But did you hear 3L2? That’s Tyler. He’ll be there, too.”

We leave the station and drive to the downtown area to handle the call at the gym. Donovan was right. The guy at the gym was a little off his nut, carrying on about the texture and temperature of the towels and how unsanitary they are. The management did decide to revoke the man’s membership and Donovan and Tyler escorted him off the property.

We are standing at the front of the police cars debriefing, when three loud beeps sound out over Donovan’s portable radio. The dispatcher speaks in a higher pitch and a faster pace than before. I can’t catch what she is saying. Donovan turns to me. “Get in the car,” he orders. “There’s been a robbery on Third Street and the bad guy was seen heading west. See you there, Tyler.”