Free Can't Say No by Sherryl Woods Page A

is.”
    â€œNice philosophy, but haven’t you heard that if you ignore the past, you’re destined to make the same mistakes over and over again?”
    â€œAnd what mistakes have you made that were so terrible that the prospect of repeating them makes you so glum?”
    â€œWhat is this? True confessions?” She tried for a light tone and a brilliant smile, but her effort didn’t banish his serious expression.
    â€œI’m no priest, but I told you before, I am a good listener. No judgments. No advice, unless you ask for it. And I give bargain basement rates.”
    â€œIsn’t there an old saying about getting what you pay for?”
    This time he returned her grin with a wicked gleam in his eye. “In that case, we could negotiate terms.”
    â€œHmmm.” Audrey pursed her lips thoughtfully. “I didn’t bring along a lot of cash. Do you take credit cards?”
    â€œOh, I think we could work out better terms than that, say a kiss an hour.” At her immediate frown, he added, “To be collected at the end of treatment, of course, and only if you’re satisfied with the service.”
    Audrey sighed. The easy bantering was drawing her in again, reawakening senses that had been hibernating far too long. Blake’s fingers had lingered on her cheek and his thumb brushed across her lips. The callused roughness set off a sharp tingling that was both exciting and oddly comforting. It was surprisingly good to feel alive again. She’d begun to dread the feeling, even as she’d wondered if it would ever happen again. She’d prayed her heart would never tumble crazily in her chest, that she would never experience the breathless anticipation or the heart-wrenching lows of an emotional roller-coaster ride.
    Then she’d prayed she would.
    Her eyes met his, caught and lingered as heat rose in her. She felt alive all right. Dangerously alive.
    She blinked and asked in a husky whisper, “How are we doing in the race?”
    His thumb brushed across her lips, silencing her. “Forget the race and don’t try to change the subject. I want to get to know you. I can’t if you keep cutting me off every time I start to get close.”
    â€œWhy does it matter?” She tried to maintain an air of disinterest, but it was rougher going than she’d imagined. “After today, you’ll go back to being a jet-setting playboy and I’ll go back to writing copy and dreaming up PR gim micks. Maybe we’ll bump into each other in the halls.”
    He winked at her. “That raises some interesting possibilities.”
    She shook her head. “Forget it, Blake. We lead very different life-styles. Nothing’s changed.”
    â€œI don’t think so. After today, I think everything will be different,” he said with surprising gentleness. He smiled tenderly. “For both of us.”
    Audrey captured the words in her heart and held them there. Even as she clung to the warm feelings they aroused, she shook her head adamantly. “That can’t be.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œI’ve already explained. I’m not the sort of woman for you.”
    â€œI think you’re exactly the sort of woman for me. You don’t play games. You’re honest and witty and intelligent. Do you have any idea how rare that is?”
    How she wished that were true. Even if it was, there were other, less attractive traits he seemed to be ignoring. It was time he faced up to them. “I’m a wimp, remember? You’ll walk all over me,” she blurted miserably.
    He stared at her in astonishment. “Why on earth would I want to do that?”
    â€œIt’s not a case of your wanting to, it’s just what happens when a strong person and a weak one get together. Can’t you see that?”
    â€œNo, dammit.” He looked as though he wanted to shake her. “I can’t see it and I don’t understand where