To Love and Cherish Read Online Free PDF Page B

twinkle in his dark eyes.
    â€œWhy did you leave home?”
    â€œI…didn’t like Hollywood.”
    â€œOh? Most girls would have loved it. Especially with a movie star mother and plenty of money to buy things with,” he prodded.
    â€œI suppose,” she said tightly.
    â€œAnd plenty of stepfathers to spoil you,” he added.
    She felt a tremor go through her slender body. She wrapped her fingers around her forearms, clasped across her chest, and hoped he wouldn’t notice the sudden paleness of her face.
    â€œYes,” she said tightly. “Plenty of stepfathers.”
    He glanced at her. “But not to spoil you,” he guessed quietly. “Were they why you had to leave home, little girl?”
    She bit her lower lip. “Please, King, please…!”
    â€œOh, hell, forget it!” he lashed out. He concentrated on maneuvering the turn onto the main highway, his eyes darting right and left as he pulled out smoothly, not even jerking her as he shifted gears on the powerful sports car and accelerated.
    â€œYou worry me to death, the way you bottle things up inside you, Shelby,” he said after a long silence. “You’ll have ulcers one day.”
    â€œIt’s my life,” she said softly.
    His jaw tautened. “Doesn’t Danny care that you sit and let yourself be whipped to death by the world at large?”
    â€œI don’t need protecting,” she said with a tiny smile.
    â€œDon’t you, honey?” he asked roughly. His dark eyes burned over her for an instant. “You’re as vulnerable as a butterfly.”
    â€œNot so vulnerable,” she murmured, remembering how her life had been all those years ago.
    â€œThen why won’t you fight back?”
    She smiled. “I’m hardly a match for you, am I?”
    Something alien flared in his eyes for an instant. “Not at your age, no.”
    Both her thin eyebrows went up. “I didn’t realize you were so old.”
    He only smiled, if a slight turning up of his chiseled lips could be called that. “You’d be surprised.” He glanced at her. “Have you and Danny set a date?”
    â€œWhy bother?” she asked. “You told me you weren’t going to let us get married.”
    â€œSarcasm, Shelby?” He did smile then. “That’s a change.”
    â€œI wasn’t being sarcastic.” She stared at him openly, her eyes touching every hard line of his face.“King, why don’t you want Danny to marry me? Is it because of my background, or because of me?”
    His face hardened. “Remind me to tell you all about it someday when we’ve got more time.”
    She wanted to tell him that it was all a farce, that she and Danny would never have that kind of relationship. But she’d promised Danny not to tell.
    â€œI’m not like my mother,” she murmured, and didn’t even think he’d heard her.
    He pulled into town, quickly whipping the sleek, low car into a parking space just off the street. All around, parade members were getting ready. Band players in Mexican dress were practicing on their instruments. Children in colorful Spanish costumes were dancing around the streets where traffic was already moving at a snail pace. It was truly a festival atmosphere.
    King cut the engine and turned toward Shelby. His dark eyes met hers levelly and held them for so long that her complexion went dusky.
    â€œYou’re just like your mother,” he corrected gruffly. “You’re her image.”
    â€œThat’s the outside,” she replied.
    â€œThat’s all there is,” he said matter-of-factly.
    â€œI’m glad you’re so sure of that.”
    He lit a cigarette, glancing out the windshield to where the local high school band in its colorful Mexican uniforms was lining up in formation. Further away, the Brannt’s little white compact car was just pulling into a parking space