caught gaping. The good looks obviously run deep in the Lancaster family.â Naki faced Ivana. âTell me that Clyde is single and looking.â
Ivana felt a twinge of jealousy that Naki was already throwing herself at Clyde before they ever met formally. And, as he was definitely available, Clyde just might fall under her spell.
âHe is single but I donât really know if heâs looking.â
Naki beamed. âWell, thatâs close enough. All of a sudden it looks like the trip could be much more interesting than merely catching up on our lives.â
Maybe more interesting than I care for it to be , Ivana told herself. Iâm not in the mood to play matchmaker, though it doesnât look like Naki will need my help any in that department .
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âSo where have you been all my life?â Naki queried flirtatiously to Clyde as they sat in the living room with Trey and Ivana.
Clyde grinned and might have asked the same thing of the attractive lady, had he not sensed that Ivana was staring him down as though Naki was invading her territory. He hoped Trey didnât get the wrong idea. Though, at this point, Clyde wasnât sure what the right idea was where it concerned him and Ivana.
Sheâs my brotherâs wife. But thatâs certainly not the case with her friend .
âOh, Iâve been around,â he responded, albeit not somewhere sheâd want to be. âThough Iâve yet to get to some of the places you and Ivana have been.â
âAll overrated, trust me,â Naki said.
âIf you say so.â
âWould I lie?â she giggled, and sipped red wine.
âAre you still living in New York?â Trey looked at Naki.
She returned his gaze. âLondon, actually. Been there for three years now. Much more charming in a retro and artistic way than Manhattan.â
âWeâll have to go there and visit her sometime, Ivana,â he said.
âIâd like that,â Ivana said, tasting her drink. âLondonâs a great city.â
âThen consider it an invitation,â stated Naki. âYouâre all more than welcome to visit any time Iâm there.â She rested her eyes on Clyde. âEspecially your good-looking brother-in-law.â
Clyde blushed, ignoring the resentment he felt from Ivana at the notion. As far as he was concerned, he had to keep all options on the table at this point. At least the ones clearly available, ready, and more than willing.
âSounds like a plan,â he told Naki.
âHow long will Naki be staying?â Trey asked Ivana when they were finally able to get a moment alone.
She looked at him suspiciously. âWhy do you ask?â
He paused, not wanting to add more tension to their lives, but also feeling it necessary to try and keep her from backpedaling to the substance abusing, partying, and promiscuous lifestyle he was able to pry her away from. As far as Trey knew, Ivana had never been into the hard drugs of the modeling world, but he suspected Naki had been and probably still was.
âI think Nakiâs a bad influence on you,â Trey came right out with it. âThe last thing either of us needs is her hanging around here getting high when talking about the good old days.â
Ivanaâs chin jutted. âFirst of all, Naki is not a bad influence on me. Just the opposite. Sheâs a good friend and always has my best interests at heart, which is more than I can say for you. Secondly, Naki does not use drugs. She has too much respect for her body to go down that road. As for the âgood old days,â why shouldnât we talk about them? It was part of my history and I wonât let you take that away from me too.â
âI donât recall taking you away from anywhere you wanted to be,â he said, feeling the sting of her words.
âYou wouldnât, after getting what you went after.â
âThis isnât about us. I
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