Free Out Of The Smoke by Becca Jameson Page B

skills.” He grinned, as though he knew some secret she wasn’t privy to. He did actually.
    When all she did was stare at him in confusion, he continued, “I don’t date employees or coworkers as a rule. And I’m about to date you right now.”
    “Date?” Oh, God . This was not going according to plan. She was too weak when it came to this man.
    He laughed again. “Don’t look so surprised, Liz. You’re sweet and kind and hard working. Your honesty and naiveté are so endearing. You work hard at everything you do. You’re poised and glamorous even under the worst of situations. Besides, you’re the sexiest most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met, even when you’re on your knees on the bathroom floor.” His smile slowly died to a grim line as he stared at her. “Shit. You don’t feel the same. I misread you, didn’t I?”
    “No. It’s not that… I…” I what? She had no desire to reveal a single detail about her past to him. She knew she couldn’t get away with that if she let this go any further. “Alan, I need this job. Much more than I need a boyfriend right now.” At least she was truthful. Had he mentioned that?
    Alan stared straight ahead out the windshield for several moments while Liz waited with shallow breaths. Tears stung the corners of her eyes. She tried to keep them from falling down her cheeks to embarrass her any further than she already was.
    She knew he contemplated his next words carefully. After he finally cleared his throat, he turned to her and their gazes locked for several seconds. “I’m sorry I put you on the spot like that. I didn’t mean to push you. It was presumptuous of me and I feel like a jerk right now.” He took a deep breath and continued. “I really like you. I won’t deny that or take it back, but I’ll honor your wishes for now and secure your friendship. You look like you could use one.”
    “I really can’t…” She tried to interrupt him, but his hand on her arm stopped her midsentence.
    “Please, let me continue. Let me take you to dinner. Nothing fancy. Just food. I’m betting you don’t do anything nice for yourself, including eat out, and you deserve a nice meal. I promise not to push the issue any further tonight. All I ask is that in return you promise to come back next Monday as scheduled and keep doing what you do best…”
    She sensed there was more to that sentence, but didn’t comment on the rest of the thought which undoubtedly sounded something like, “until I can convince you otherwise.”
    Liz nodded and wiped the tears that were now rolling in a steady stream down her face. Alan let go of her arm, raised his hand and ran his thumb across her cheek as a drop escaped. His gentleness unnerved her and tugged at her heartstrings. She even tilted her head into his hand at the contact. When had she grown less skittish about being touched?
    *
    Damn damn damn. Could I be more of an ass?
    What the hell had he been thinking for God’s sake? He’d gotten so caught up in his own attraction for the beauty beside him, he hadn’t stopped to consider for one moment her angle on the situation.
    As he drove away from the salon in complete quiet, he silently composed a list in his head.
    Liz needed money.
    She needed friends even more.
    She’d been in at least one abusive relationship. A parent? A boyfriend? Both? He had some experience with abuse in his line of work as a family practice attorney, but hadn’t personally been affected by it before. He couldn’t even fathom for the life of him how anyone in their right mind could ever lay a hand on a woman, especially the stunning one to his right.
    A grimace crossed his face as he pondered the possibilities. He wouldn’t question her. He wanted her to feel like she was making her own choices here. For some reason that seemed important. Something had happened to her. Something big. She needed to be in control and he’d yanked that out of her hands when he told her he wanted to date her. He didn’t