Ian's Way by Reese Gabriel Page B

me.”
    Kaitlyn made a face. “Interested in you for what ? Sharing some nerdy science formulas? Get real, girlfriend, you don’t even know how to read the expiration date on a milk carton.”
    It was times like this that Nikky wished she could get a little space from her old friend, but the truth was, they had been peas in a pod since junior high, the two of them helping each other through every boy crisis known to humanity.
    Nikky was still trying to come up with a decent retort when Ian returned, drinks in hand.
    “ Kaitlyn Green,” he said. “It’s been a long time.”
    It was worth everything to see the look on Kaity’s face, the dropped jaw, the shock mixed with barely disguised lust.
    Ian set the drinks down and took Kaity’s hand. She melted into a puddle.
    Nikky frowned, instantly on guard. Like all girlfriends, they competed for men from time to time. This was not going to be one of those times.
    The sudden resolution caught her off guard. Was she jealous? Over Ian?
    “Would you like to join us?” Ian offered.
    Nikky promptly kicked Kaity under the table. “ Kaitlyn just dropped by to say ‘hi’. She has to be going.”
    “I do? Oh yeah, that’s right.” Kaity bit her lip, taking a hint for once.
    Not that she could resist a parting shot. “I’ll be waiting for you upstairs in our room, Nikky . I got this neat recipe for making s’mores .”
    “You can’t make s’mores in a hotel room,” Nikky replied, instantly regretting having opened the door for yet another lesson in Kaity logic.
    “Sure you can. You use a hair dryer and tweezers. I saw it on a travel show.”
    “A comedy show more likely,” Nikky muttered under her breath.
    Ian chuckled as Kaity departed, all bounce and wiggle, ever the cheerleader.
    “She hasn’t changed much,” Ian noted with a smile.
    Heavens, he still had those same dimples, cute as hell.
    “Tell me about it.” Nikky rolled her eyes.
    Ian’s smile turned more serious. “I always thought it was good of you, how loyal you were to Kaity .”
    “You mean when she was a total bitch to everyone else? It’s okay, it’s the truth and I love her all the same. I do wish I had stood up to her a little more back then, especially when she would say all those mean things to you.”
    “I never took it personally. Seemed to me she was jealous of how much time you and I spent together.”
    Nikky laughed. “I was with you more than any of my boyfriends and they didn’t treat me half as well. Oh Ian, I don’t know why you bothered with me, helping me with all my homework, darn near writing my papers.”
    He angled his lips sharply, deliciously. “The writing part wasn’t so bad. I’ll admit the time you burned off my eyebrows in chemistry was a little rough.”
    Nikky winced. “The Bunsen burner incident! Oh god, I still feel horrible about that. I swear I thought the knob was supposed to be turned to the right for off.”
    “No, ‘off’ was definitely to the left,” he deadpanned.
    She shook her head. “We sure had some interesting times.”
    “Indeed.”
    “So what about you? What have you been doing? Do you have someone special in your life?”
    His brow crinkled again. His eyes had a faraway look, mystery piled on mystery. “Dance with me, Nikky .”
    Nikky’s heart slammed in her chest. In her current state of mind, hot off the heels of yet another heartbreak from yet another loser, there was no telling where a simple dance might lead. “I can’t. I have plans upstairs with Kaity .”
    He nodded. “The great s’mores experiment, yes. I’m sure the ingredients will keep.”
    Nikky swallowed. “It’s just not a good idea, Ian.”
    As if to show her how wrong she was, he reached out and took her hand in his—enveloping and arousing, sending tiny arcs of electricity between them.
    Her toes curled in response.
    “Please don’t say no. I’ve been waiting ten years for this, Nikky . Hell, make it fourteen years, counting from the first day I met