her top, my mind convincing me to rip off every shred of clothing she has on. Just as I'm really getting into it, we hear a car pulling away from the parking lot, and the spell is broken.
Cherie looks up and my eyes follow hers. We lock gazes, her eyes wild and burning with passion. And then she slips away, moving out of my reach and clearing her throat. A deep blush spreads over her cheeks as she realizes what we've just done. I feel the loss of her body against mine. The warmth where she was nestled only seconds ago is slowly fading away. Moments later, the only thing left is my stone-cold heart.
"Sorry," she mumbles, and I give her an amused look. What the hell is she apologizing for? She’s such a sweet girl.
My eyes float towards the parking lot as Cherie readjusts her top, and I see the police car pulling away. Guess they didn't get any information; otherwise they would've stayed a while longer. Luckily no one in there paid me any attention—apart from the perfect angel standing in front of me. In my mind, I curse my friend Roman, who gave me the go-ahead to stay at this motel. Looks like it’s not so safe after all.
It’s then that I remember what Cherie did right before I kissed her. The memory crashes back like a clap of thunder. She tried to scream, tried to rat me out. My eyes darken, a red mist descending on my vision. I make her look at me, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her closer. She thrashes wildly in my arms, her eyes wide and alarmed like a doe in danger. "Why'd you try to rat me out?"
"You're a criminal," she hisses at me. "You killed someone!"
"I didn't kill him," I growl. "I fucked him up, I beat him, but I didn't fucking kill him. I’m fucking innocent.”
"Well, isn't that a consolation!" Cherie spits out, angrily ripping herself out of my embrace. Her eyes are practically shooting daggers at me as she pulls down her top. "And you have no right to kiss me like that!"
"I'll do as I damn well please." My eyes blaze with fire as we stare at each other in this raging standoff. "I take what I want, sweet Cherie. Maybe you're what I want today."
"I don't belong to anyone," she says, enunciating every word. "Least of all you."
"That's up to me."
There's a shit-eating grin on my face as I say it, and she looks bewildered by this information. I don't want to deal with this anymore, though. We have a different problem on our hands. She knows who I am, and I don't doubt she'll run to the nearest authority the moment I let her go.
"You're coming with me," I say. She starts to speak up, fight me on my decision one more time, but I'm not having any of it. "You don't even have a place to stay. I've rented a room; you can sleep in my bed. I need you in my sights."
"No! I’m not sleeping anywhere with you."
She looks so horrified it actually makes me laugh.
"I'll sleep on the floor, if you ask me nicely." I step closer to her, tipping her chin back so she's forced to look at me. "But I bet you don't want that, do you, baby doll? You want me where you can feel me."
She starts blushing again. She's so fucking innocent that it scares me. I remember the things I did when I was her age, and blushing was definitely not one of them.
"Fine," she says. The anger is all-too distinct in her voice. "Let's go to your room. But if you make one wrong move, I'll scream my head off. I don't trust you one bit."
"Yet you're willing to spend the night with me, a wanted murderer," I say, chuckling in her face.
She doesn't know how to reply, and I don't give her a chance. Instead, I just grab her arm and pull her towards the direction of my room. We don't have time for silly fights. I need to get us both somewhere safe and locked away.
Cherie looks like a sullen teenager as we walk towards the building. I don't question her bad mood, knowing I've made her feel this way. Instead, I purse my lips and pull her along until we're at the door, the cheap neon sign of the motel flashing above us.
Cherie tiptoes
John Steinbeck, Richard Astro