Can't Say No by Sherryl Woods Read Free Book Online

she should ever consider looking at twice.
    She’d once been involved with a man exactly like him, a man who wouldn’t take no for an answer, a man so compelling and strong that her own personality had been swallowed up and lost. Blake was just as overwhelming, and because of that, he was a danger to every vow she’d made to get control of her life, to exchange roller-coaster excitement for serenity. Admittedly, she thought wryly, vows of poverty and chastity probably had a better chance for success in this day and age.
    She’d thought she was doing better. While she might still be a pushover for Harvey’s requests, at least she put up a halfhearted fight. She only acceded to her friends’ desperate calls for help out of long-standing loyalty.
    By contrast, she’d just given in to Blake, a man she’d known less than two hours, with barely more than a whimper of protest. There was no loyalty involved. That wickedly dazzling smile of his, combined with just a hint of vulnerability accompanying his plea, had done it. He’d charmed her into sticking with him. Without even trying very hard, he had overcome every bit of her common sense and outright panic. Who knew what he could talk her into, if he really put his mind to it. She’d probably never say no again.
    There was no choice, really. She wouldn’t back out now and add indecisiveness to her list of failings, but once this race was over and she had her feet firmly on the ground again, she’d put them to good use...running as far from Blake Marshall as she could, while she still had the will to do it.
    â€œBlake?” John Harley’s voice crackled from the hand-held radio that was lying on top of a small cooler. It was one of two radios in the gondola. The other one spewed forth frequent information from the airport tower about aircraft in the vicinity. Audrey had been trying very hard not to think about the implications of that.
    â€œBlake, pick up the radio.”
    Blake seemed intent on ignoring it.
    â€œDammit, son, are you out of your mind? Jenkins is down here waiting.”
    Blake picked up the radio at last, avoiding Audrey’s curious gaze. “Sorry. I already have a passenger.”
    â€œThat little girl looks scared to death. Jenkins paid a fortune for the privilege of being up there with you today. You don’t leave a sponsor hanging around on the ground, while you go for some damn joyride.”
    â€œThis is no joyride. I have every intention of winning. Jenkins will have to be satisfied with that.”
    â€œYou can’t win if your mind’s on other things. What happens if something goes wrong?”
    â€œNothing is going to go wrong. Besides, you’ll be following along in the chase truck. I’m sure you won’t let us out of your sight.”
    Audrey was listening to the exchange with a resurgence of her initial panic. If John Harley was concerned about her inexperience, then she was in far more trouble than she realized. She’d gotten caught up in some temporarily romantic notion that floating around up here like a bird was a piece of cake.
    â€œWhat’s he talking about?” she asked Blake. “What kind of trouble?”
    â€œDon’t worry about it,” he soothed. For a man who’d glibly talked her into going along for the ride, he seemed surprisingly bereft of convincing words just now. “You’ll be able to handle anything that comes up.”
    The reassuring tone was nice, but not nearly enough. “I want to worry about it. I like to worry, especially if imminent death is the subject.”
    Blake’s expression was excessively tolerant. “We are not going to be killed. John was just born cautious.”
    â€œNot altogether a bad trait.”
    â€œDon’t pay any attention to him.”
    John, however, didn’t seem inclined to be ignored. The radio spewed out another stream of static, along with a stern lecture on