Can't Say No Read online

“Does this answer your question?”

  “It’s a start. Tell me about your time here.” She stepped away and ran her fingers along a shelf.

  “I’d had a passion for reading since childhood, but once soccer took over, I put it on the back burner. My mom didn’t want to see me lose that passion, and maybe even the person I was before the game, fame and money took over. Mr. Callaghan had rules.”

  She watched him move around the library, as if remembering his time spent here.

  “Before I could read any of the books, I had to clean every single one of these books.”

  Her eyes moved over all the books in amazement, never considering who cleaned them or how you would even clean some of the leather-bound manuscripts.

  “It took me weeks, but when I finished, all the books were free range and I read. For hours. For days. I made time to always come back here. Mr. Callaghan, as it turns out, wasn’t the big, mean man we all thought he was. He was brilliant and taught me to look deeper into what was all around me.”

  “He did own the local newspaper, so I guess digging into stories would’ve been part of his job. Getting the truth.”

  “I listened, I heard him, and I understood the logic. Then I impressed the scouts at one of my games and I got my scholarship. All my attention went into everything he warned me about.”

  Aspen followed Creed around the library, listening to him. She stopped at the leather sofa across from a marble fireplace and sat down. “Your drive is what made you who you are. You shouldn’t feel bad about that.”

  Her body warmed when he sat next to her, rubbing his leg against hers. “I’m not talking about soccer. I’m talking about you. About that night. I woke up beside you and watched you sleep for what felt like hours. And I thought to myself, you didn’t deserve me. You were everything Mr. Callaghan said to look for and I had just cheated on my fiancée. Like I told you, I was confused, but I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He pushed a piece of hair behind her ear.

  “I know. Deep down, I knew you and I weren’t ready for a step beyond what happened. Not at that time.”

  “And now?”

  “Now I think I’m ready to go on a date with you.”

  He leaned back and rubbed his thumb over her cheek. “I think we could arrange something.”

  She laughed and leaned in and kissed him.

  He pulled away. “Hold that thought because it’s almost midnight. We’re going to lose the game if we don’t get my mom’s boxes dropped off at the school and meet everyone back at your restaurant.”

  Chapter Twelve

  CREED TURNED DOWN the U-shaped driveway at the front of their old high school. The good memories Aspen had shared with Clark and Tess flittered in her head.

  She glanced at Creed as he slowed the car, pulling beside the sidewalk at the front door. They’d shared good memories here too. She hadn’t been the high school cheerleader he’d always had his arm draped over, but Aspen had been the girl who, when he’d spotted her, would stop whatever he’d been doing to say hi. Sometimes even tease her—but in a good, fun way. Thinking back to the shy, sort of geeky nobody she had been then, she realized his presence had likely kept the bullies away. Without even realizing, he’d paved an easy path through high school for her. Even after he’d graduated, students hadn’t bothered her, Tess, or Clark. Clark would’ve still kicked their asses had they tried.

  Creed cut the engine and opened his phone to check his messages. Aspen’s eyes ran over the long building with rows of dark windows.

  Who would want to go in there at almost midnight on a cold, dark night? She didn’t blame Mrs. Nigh for sending them.

  “Don’t you think your mom could drop these off in the morning?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “We’re here now.”

  “It’s creepy dark.”

  He smirked at her and when he touched her hand, she didn’t pull away. She liked the feeling of not needing to distance herself from him and letting herself enjoy his presence.

  “Do you have a fear of the dark I don’t know about?”

  “I think you know all my fears.”

  He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the top. “I don’t, but I’d like to spend the rest of my life learning everything about you.”

  “You’re a brave man.”

  “You’re a brave woman.” He nodded to the back seat. “We have a mission to win. Will you help me with these boxes?”

  The boxes in the back seat were small enough Creed could’ve carried them both in one hand, but Aspen humored him and took one of the small packages. They were sealed up tight.

  He unlocked the front door of the school and the smell of hormonal teenagers and disinfectant reminded her of her time here. Dim lights lit the long hallways and their footsteps echoed off the walls around them.

  “I broke in here more than once,” Creed whispered to her.

  She shook her head, checking the glass display of trophies and spotting a few of Creed’s. “Why am I not surprised.”

  “Once we ransacked the teachers’ lounge.”

  “And I bet we all paid the price that day with an angry staff.”

  Creed laughed. “They were ticked.”

  Aspen stopped and grabbed his sleeve with her free hand. “I’m not ransacking the teachers’ lounge with you.”

  He laughed again and wrapped his arm around her as they approached the gym. “Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t do crazy stuff like that anymore. I’m an adult now, not some silly young teen who makes grand gestures.”

  “Leaving them some cookies or lunch would’ve been a grand gesture. You left them a disaster.”

  Aspen saw light coming from under the closed double doors of the gym. She stopped walking and the thought of hiding crossed her mind. “Is there someone here?”

  Creed tugged at her sleeve. “We’re not doing anything wrong. The principal, aka my mom, asked us to drop off some boxes. Relax.”

  Relax. Right. Easier said than done after the cops busted them making out at the love tree.

  Creed’s hand covered the metal bar on the door, and he paused. “I always regretted taking off on your prom night.”

  “We can discuss this later when we’re not in a dark creepy school.” She was getting the heebie-jeebies.

  “I had still been living on a high of life. But I never forgot the way you looked when Tess bragged about her night.”

  “I’m pretty sure I looked like I was dying because that’s how I felt. You know the peanut butter was all grease ... long story short, it didn’t settle well in my stomach.”

  “You’re making the night sound worse than I thought.”

  “It wasn’t exactly my dream prom.”

  “I know.” He bent down and kissed Aspen, making her momentarily forget she was waiting for a janitor to jump out at them and chase them off the premises.

  He pulled away as he pushed the door open and stepped to her side.

  Aspen’s mouth parted as she blinked at the enchanted gym. For a second she didn’t recognize the room. The draped white material and sparkle lights covered the ceiling and basketball hoops. The erected sparkling white columns with blue lights and fake icicles had transformed the room into a magical wonderland.

  “What is this?” she asked.

  “Your prom.”

  She looked up at him. “You did this?”

  “Yes.”

  A slow tune started to play, and she looked back into the room. She spotted not only her group of friends but other classmates stepping onto the dance floor together.

  She looked back at Creed. “How? Why? When?”

  “To make up for the prom you missed.”

  “That’s ... crazy.”

  “Crazy was letting you go.” He took her hand and they walked through the doors. “Tess, Clark, and my mom helped me make this happen.”

  The blue hues of the room glistened around them and reflected off Tess and Clark as they ran up to her. They couldn’t keep their smiles at bay and practical
ly knocked her over as they hugged her.

  “Happy prom!” Tess shouted.

  Aspen laughed. “You two are insane.” She looked at Creed. “You’re all insane.”

  Tess wrapped an arm around her brother’s waist. “He’s worth going a little crazy for.” She winked at her friend. “But don’t worry, after he told us what happened between you two, Clark, Mom, and I totally kicked his ass. But this idea redeemed him.” She leaned forward. “I’ll warn you, though, he can sometimes be a selfish ass, but most of the time he’s thoughtful and caring.”

  “And he’s rich,” Clark added. “With a soccer player body so he has that going to him. Even if you just take him for a ride.”

  “I’m right here,” Creed said.

  They all laughed.

  Clark sobered and stepped close to Creed. “If you hurt her again, I will hunt you down.”

  “Alright ...” Tell pulled Clark. “Our dates are waiting for us.”

  They watched them leave and Creed said, “I believe she could hurt me.”

  Aspen laughed. “You’re likely right.”

  Creed held his hand out to her. “Can I have this dance?”

  She slipped her hand in his, still shocked by what he’d done for her.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day,” he whispered against the side of her head.

  She tilted her head to look at him, not wanting to take her eyes off him. “Not a grand gesture sort of guy, huh?”

  He shrugged as they slowly swayed together in perfect harmony, meant for one another. “I might like a grand gesture here or there.”

  “I wonder what next year’s Valentine’s Day will bring,” she teased.

  “You’ll have to stick around and see.”

  “What about you?” she asked him. “Are you sticking around?”

  He glanced above her head and her eyes followed, unsure what he was looking at. “It’s ten after midnight.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “That when I tell you, yes, I’m sticking around, it’s not because I can’t say no.”

  He captured her smile in a kiss. She couldn’t have imagined a better prom than this.

  THE END

  Next in the Series

  Blind Date

  Book #5

  By, Crystal Lynn

  VANESSA ISAAC is an avid reader, introvert book worm, sick and tired of finding love in all the wrong places. She buries herself in her job as a freelance blogger, experiencing different worlds outside of her own. That is until she discovers that her sister, Chassidy, secretly set her up on a blind date from a dating website called Single Status to make sure Vanessa is not alone for another Valentines’ Day.

  THE WRITTEN WORD IS THE WAY TO HER HEART. Vanessa does not want another flunked date full of lies, stalkers and deadbeat fathers. She challenges her new admirer by communicating only by way of pen pals as she looks for a man who can live up to her book boyfriend expectations above reality and slip into her mind.

  LOGAN HARRISON does just that, and so more! He breaks Vanessa’s submissive walls down, brick by brick, taking her to a whole new world that she has never been to before, while he mends his own broken heart. It becomes one hell of a blind date that neither of them expected!

  To continue reading, GET: BLIND DATE (Single on Valentine’s Day, Book #5)

  BLIND DATE

  Single on Valentine’s Day Series

  Book 1 - Seven Minutes in Heaven, by K. G. Reuss

  Book 2 - Sugar Rush, by Bella Emy

  Book 3 – Cupid’s Connection, by C. A. King

  Book 4 – Can’t Say No, by Shannyn Leah

  Book 5 – Blind Date, by Crystal Lynn

  Book 6 – Hands off, by Dakota Trace

  Book 7 – Taking the Leap, by Shaan Ranae

  Book 8 – Commander’s Weakness, by Caitlyn Fournier

  Book 9 – A Seal’s Vow, by Tara Ames

  Book 10 – Play Date, by Emkay Connor

  Book 11 – Coffee, Tea or Me, by Kelly Moore

  Book 12 – Seeking More, by Allyson Lindt

  Book 13 – Breaking the Rules, by Erin Cristofoli

  Romance author Shannyn Leah loves olives, lip gloss and reading (and writing) romance novels. Her love of words started at an early age and soon grew until, during her teenage years, she’d started writing her own novels. When her mom pushed to finally publish some of the stories, she quickly amassed two complete romance series (By The Lake and Caliendo Resort series) and, in 2016, released her first Fantasy Romance entitled The Gatekeepers (Part One of the Winters Rising series).

  When she’s not writing contemporary romance books into the early hours of the morning, Shannyn can be found antiquing with her two favorite people, her momma and sister, in their picturesque London, Ontario hometown.

  Shannyn would love to get to know her readers as you get to know her (just don’t send her any carrots!)

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  Did you love Can't Say No? Then you should read Dax by Shannyn Leah!

  Dax Colyn is one of the bad boys of Willow Valley. A fearless volunteer firefighter and hard working, sexy mechanic, he makes all the woman swoon and he likes it that way. He keeps people at a distance since his mother died. He doesn't want to let anyone in, much less a woman he knows he could fall in love with.

  Ava Anderson keeps people away, too. Haunted by her tortured past and constantly fearful of the future, it's only her daughter Olivia and Dax's dad Rowdy that she's let in.

  But when tragedy strikes, it pushes Dax and Ava together, forcing them both to let go of their fears. They soon learn how hard it is to keep pretending and how easy it is to let others in. Especially when those people are family.

  "Dax" is the first in the "Bad Boys of Willow Valley" series from author Shannyn Leah.

  Note from the author: This is a friends-to-lover small town, bad boy, firefighter, single mom romance with suspense and a happily ever after.

  Read the full Bad Boys of Willow Valley series:

  BOOK ONE: Dax

  BOOK TWO: Stone

  BOOK THREE: Duke

  Read more at Shannyn Leah’s site.

  Also by Shannyn Leah

  A Cinnamon Bay Romance

  Treasure of My Heart

  Bad Boys of Willow Valley

  Dax

  Dax the Halls (A Bad Boy Dax Christmas Novella)

  Stone

  Duke

  Holidays in Willow Valley

  Battle of the Bulbs

  Lexcon Time Travel

  Winters Rising

  Single on Valentine's Day

  Can't Say No

  The Caliendo Resort: : A Small-Town Beach Romance

  Sunset Thunder

  Sunset Rivalry

  Sunset Sail

  Sunset Flare

  The CRD: Season One

  Bang Bang on the 4th: Season One, Episode Nine

  The CRD Series: Season One

  The Davenports, Season One, Episode One

  Lucy, Season One, Episode Two

  Yaya, Season One, Episode Three

  Ford, Season One, Episode Four

  Gemma, Season One, Episode 5

  Daisy, Season One, Episode Six

  The Wed
ding, Season One, Episode Seven

  Halloween Party: Season One, Episode 8

  The Crazy Rich Davenports Box Set: Books 1-3

  The Crazy Rich Davenports Box Set: Books 1-9

  The McAdams Sisters: A Small-Town Romance

  Lakeshore Secrets

  Lakeshore Legend

  Lakeshore Love

  Candy Crumble

  Lakeshore Candy

  Lakeshore Lyrics

  The McAdams Sisters Lakeshore Complete Boxed Set Series (Books 1-5, Boxed Set)

  Watch for more at Shannyn Leah’s site.