Ian's Way by Reese Gabriel Page A

yourself,” Ian said, picking up the conversation.
    “Nothing interesting.” Nikki sipped her wine. “I work in advertising in the city.”
    “Advertising, huh?” His brow furrowed, moving into pensive mode, the way he used to whenever he was working out a tough problem. “What about in your free time? Got anybody special?”
    “You mean anybody who sticks around?” Nikky laughed. “Just my plants.”
    The wine was going down smooth and warm. She was going to need another glass soon. “Suffice it to say, Ian, things haven’t changed much for me in the relationship department since high school.”
    Ian smiled wistfully, the fullness of his lips and the fierceness of his eyes quickening her pulse on the spot. Yes, she remembered him now. It was good old Ian, only more so. Ian 2.0, or was it Ian 10.0?
    “Beautiful Dominique,” he rasped. “Still worthy of so much more than the boys and men around her have ever been able to offer.”
    “I don’t know about that. I think I have gotten exactly what I deserve.”
    Damn, listen to me , she thought. I sound so bitter after ten years. What will I be like after fifteen or twenty? Better sign up for a Dr. Phil segment—Washed-up Cheerleaders Wallowing in Self-pity.
    Nikki sighed. “ Jeezus , Ian, can I tell you how much I hate these functions?”
    He leaned back, laughing. It was the same deep, rich sound she remembered, ever steady and true. Ian had always been the voice of reason and calm in her life. Truth be told, Ian had been her closest friend, after Kaitlyn , and all Nikky had done was take advantage of him.
    “Maybe it will get better if we dance,” he proposed.
    The invitation shocked her, not so much that he had asked but because of the ideas it was putting in her mind. The two of them touching, fingers intertwined, his hand on her bare back or even lower, caressing her posterior, drawing her closer into his orbit, flat against his hard, lean body as they swayed to whatever blast from the past was being hacked to death at that moment by the cover band.
    Hell, why stop there? What about the two of them exploring each other’s bodies horizontally in a room upstairs—hot and steamy, their fingers greedy, flesh pressing, lips tasting, teeth nibbling, building inevitably, crossing the one boundary their friendship had never breached?
    “I need to be drunker,” she decided.
    Not skipping a beat he excused himself for a return trip to the bar. “Don’t go anywhere, Dominique. Promise?”
    “Yes, if you will promise to stop calling me by my full name. I feel like I’m having a discussion with my father.”
    “Guess I’ve always thought of you as Dominique. It sounds more sophisticated and sexy. But Nikky is good too. It brings up a whole bunch of images of you back in your cheerleader days. Any chance you’ve still got that little skirt you used to wear, the really short one with the pleats?”
    He winked and walked off before she could answer. Her cheeks instantly flushed. Was it her imagination or was her old platonic guy friend looking to change up things between them in a big way?
    Judging by her racing pulse and the hardening in her nipples, she didn’t exactly hate the idea.
    “I am so bored,” announced Kaitlyn , a veritable swirl of blonde hair and silver sequins as she swooped into Ian’s empty seat. “There are absolutely no rich guys here. Did you see that little mousy thing Tab Carter dragged in, by the way? OMG, somebody get a 9-1-1 out to the ugly police.”
    Nikky was afforded exactly zero response time before Kaity was on to the next topic. “And how about Veronica’s dog? It looks like a puffball on crack. Honestly, that chick needs to get laid. What are you doing over here anyway?”
    “I’m having a chat with Ian Hamilton.”
    Her eyes widened. “Ian the geek?”
    “Yes.”
    “Why didn’t you say so, I could have rescued you ages ago.”
    “Actually I’m kind of enjoying it. If you must know, I think he’s interested in