Free Always by Iris Johansen Page A

hurry to change your lifestyle.”
    “I would miss it, but there are people I love in Sedikhan. It would be nice to have time to spend with them again.”
    “Alex?”
    “Alex and Sabrina, Lance and Honey, David and Billie, Karim …” He smiled faintly. “And so many others. Really wonderful people, Lisa. I want you to meet and know all of them.”
    There was such warmth and affection radiating from his face that suddenly she wanted that, too. She shook her head sadly. “I’m surethey’re as wonderful as you say they are, but I doubt if we will ever meet. Sedikhan is a long way from New York City.”
    “Not that far. I could order the jet and we’d be there in six hours. Shall I do it?”
    She laughed. “Just like that?”
    “Yes.” He stopped her by placing a hand on her arm. His eyes were warmly intent. “I want to take you home with me. I guess I’m a little old-fashioned. I want you to meet my people.
    Will you come?”
    She shook her head, her expression troubled. “I can’t do that. It wouldn’t work, Clancy.”
    “It
will
work.” His tone was so rough it startled her. He was silent for a moment, as if trying to get that violence under control. “Look, would it help if I told you I’m a very rich man? Alex has always been very generous with the people he cares about. It’s never meant anything to me before, but now I like the idea of being able to give you things. To hell with the ivory tower. I can give you a palace, if that’s what you want.”
    “You’d
buy
me?”
    “I’d buy you in any way I could. Money, personal freedom, fame.” He smiled a little recklessly. “Do you want to be the next Streisand? I’ll get that for you.”
    She shook her head. “I’ve outgrown wanting everything served on a silver platter, remember?”
    He tightened his hold on her arm. “There must be something in life you want enough to strike a bargain for. I just have to find out what that is, Lisa.”
    Her eyes widened. “You’d want me that way?”
    “No,” he said. “I want you as crazily in love with me as I am with you, but I’ll take what I can get.”
    “I think you’d better let me go,” she said softly. “I’m very much afraid I’m beginning to like you, Clancy Donahue, but I’ll never love you.”
    He let his breath out in a rush. “Well, that’s progress, anyway. At least you don’t want to draw and quarter me anymore.” He grinned. “Why should I give up now? I never expected itto be easy. Just give me a few days and you’ll see that even gruff security men have their charming side.”
    That was exactly what she was afraid of. She was already finding it difficult to separate her physical and emotional responses where Clancy was concerned. She raised a brow. “You’re planning to dazzle me?”
    His smile faded. “No, just love you, acushla,” he said quietly. “And try to make you love me.”
    She felt her throat tighten helplessly as she gazed up at him. How could you reply to a man who made statements like that? Particularly when he clearly meant every single word.
    His fingers reached up to touch her cheekbone with a featherlike caress. “Never mind. You’ll become accustomed to it in time. I am.” His hand dropped to her arm and he began to propel her toward the bridge enclosure only a few yards away. “Come on, let’s get you back to the villa and out of the sun. We’ll have to find something to do indoors for the next day or two. I think you’re definitely going to have asunburn.” He grinned down at her with sudden mischief, his white teeth flashing in his dark face. “How are you at checkers?”
    Clancy Donahue was a master at the game of checkers.
    Lisa soon found out why that smile had been charged with elfin humor. The predicted sunburn had duly appeared by the time she’d showered after they had returned to the villa. Though not particularly painful, it was enough to keep her from wanting to expose herself unnecessarily for a time. In the next two days