Love You to Death by Melissa March Page B

kindness? I hated my looks. I hated the
heavy raven-black hair that always seemed to attract their
attention. I hated the pixie face, that even twenty pounds
underweight, made the men smile with a hard glint in their
eyes.
    “Don’t go by sweet whispers and puppy dog
eyes. It’ll only bring you heartache. Use your head first.” These were the words my mother had told me.
    I swiped at the tears and picked up the pace.
I was a mile into my walk on Honeygo Boulevard, when the purr of a
racing motor sounded behind me. The tires crunched on loose gravel
as the car pulled onto the side of the road.
    “Arden, what do you think you’re doing?” Cass
yelled from behind me, getting out of the car.
    I didn’t answer him. I took off running. His
footsteps echoed behind me. It didn’t take him long. He was in
great shape. I wasn’t. His fingers clutched at my shoulders, and
then his arms were around me, trapping me.
    “You’re freezing!” he shouted over my
protests. I shivered in his embrace. He steered me back to the car.
I struggled to break free of his grip.
    “Stop it!” he ordered. It was useless to
fight him. I let him lead me to the car.
    “Stubborn little fool,” he whispered, folding
me into the car. Once he settled into the driver’s seat, he blasted
the heat. My teeth were chattering. I put on the mittens and
covered myself with my coat. He shoved the car into first gear,
throwing gravel as he sped forward.
    “That was the dumbest thing you’ve done in a
while,” he fumed. I silently agreed, but only because I’d forgotten
my coat. “After all this time you still think the worst of me?” he
continued, taking his frustration out on the gears. “What is it
going to take to make you trust me?”
    I stared into my lap. I didn’t know what to
say. I had no answer for him. I didn’t know how to trust anyone
anymore.
    “Silent treatment again? It’s getting pretty
old,” he complained.
    “What is it you want from me? You wanna be my
boyfriend, is that it?” I asked solemnly, turning to stare out the
window into the night. I watched the scenery pass by in a shadowy
blur. He didn’t answer me right away. The silence seemed to stretch
out forever.
    “Would that be so bad?”
    “Aren’t you going to tell me how much you
love me?” I snorted sarcastically.
    “I would if it was the truth,” he said,
slowing for a stop light. I gave him points for honesty.
    “So you want me to be your sex slave? You
think because I’m homeless I must be a slut?” I instantly regretted
saying it out loud. If he hadn’t thought of it I certainly didn’t
want to give him any ideas.
    The light changed, but Cass didn’t move. A
driver honked its horn behind us. Cass smiled, shaking his head,
and eased through the light.
    “Is that why they call you Cherry?” he
asked.
    “No,” I snapped, my face burning with the
heat of embarrassment.
    “It is,” he chuckled. It was a friendly sound
but to me it was insulting. “For your information, I knew you were
a virgin. You pretty much look like a good girl, even under the
street attitude.”
    “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
    “It wasn’t an insult.”
    I turned slightly—pretending to look out the
windshield—as I let my eyes slide left to look at him. Cass’s face
was awash in pale green light from the console. His features were
set in a serious expression. He wasn’t mocking me.
    “Then explain why you want me to live with
you.”
    “I can’t,” he sighed.
    “That’s what I thought.” I crossed my arms
over my chest.
    “No. I mean I don’t know how to explain it. I
just want to help you.”
    “It’s more than that. You’ve made comments
about my looks, and I know what that look is... the one you give me
sometimes. I’m not stupid.”
    “C’mon, Arden, I’m a man. I can’t appreciate
a beautiful girl?” He laughed. “Have I made any improper
advances?”
    I thought about this. Actually, no, he
hadn’t. I shook my head.
    “There you