Read Two's Company for Free Online Page B

took
    the chair he held.
    After he’d seated himself, Ian asked, “What’s on the agenda for today,
    Mother?”
    “I have an appointment, but I believe Sylvia and Gillian are going to the
    club later.”
    “Yes,” Sylvia confirmed. “I spent all last evening on the phone with
    everyone from school and we’re having cocktails at the club this afternoon. We’ll
    have dinner at Alfredo’s, followed by dancing at Fire Light.”
    “Well that sounds like a fine evening for you ladies,” Ian said as brunch
    was served.
    “It’s not only for the ladies, at least not the dinner and dancing. Won’t you
    come with us, Ian?”
    “I have plans, Sylvia, I’m sorry. If I’d known earlier I might have been able
    to rearrange my schedule, but as it is… ”
    “Oh, please, please, please Ian?” Sylvia whined.
    Ian raised a brow and laughed. “You sound exactly as you did when you
    were twelve and wanted me to drive you someplace without Mother knowing!”
    “So you’ll come?” Sylvia said with a laugh.
    “I suppose my appointment isn’t so important that it can’t be changed for
    my only sister.”
    With a sideways glance toward Gillian, Sylvia whispered, “I can always
    get him to do what I want him to.”
    “Is that a fact, little sister?” Ian said, laughing.
    “Yes, it is! Besides, you can be Gillian’s date for the evening.”
    “I’m sure that won’t be necessary,” Gillian said quickly.
                  “Of course it will,” Sylvia replied. Everyone is married now, so their
    husbands will be along for dinner. And Mother has promised to join us, as well.
    Ian can escort three beautiful women this evening. You can handle three, can’t
    you, Ian?”
    Tipping his champagne glass to his lips, Ian took a sip, and replied, “It’ll
    be a harrowing undertaking, but I suppose if anyone can do it, it’s me!”
                                                           ~ * ~
    Leaving the women to themselves after brunch, Ian drove home. He
    wanted to rearrange his schedule for the evening, but he also needed sleep.
    Lying on his bed in only his boxers, he stretched out and closed his eyes.
    Gillian’s face came to life before him and he thought about the night they spent
    together. He hadn’t intended for the evening to end with them in bed together;
    that had seemed to happen on its own. Very smoothly, very easily. Too easily, he
    thought now. He hadn’t had an actual date with a woman in so long, he couldn’t
    remember when it hadn’t been strictly business.
    Even though he knew she’d intended to hire him for the evening,
    something had changed for both of them. He liked her. That was the unusual
    part. Not that he didn’t like his clients, but the relationships were far from
    friendship. And he really liked Gillian. In fact, he actually looked forward to
    tonight, and looked forward to spending a night with friends and family in a
    normal environment where he could just be himself.
    He and Gillian could get to know one another on a personal level. She
    already knew what he did for a living, so they’d jumped the worst hurdle. He
    didn’t even have to think about how the night would end. If they wound up in
    bed, that would be fine with him, but if they didn’t, that was fine too. With that
    thought, Ian drifted off to sleep.
                                                                     ~ * ~
    The alarm jolted Ian awake. He rolled off the bed and headed into the
    shower. He glanced at the clock as he dressed, happy to see he had enough time
    before he had to be at Alfredo’s for dinner. After he slipped his shoes on, he
    grabbed his keys and headed for the parking garage. He had two stops to make
    before he got to the restaurant. The first one at his favorite drive-thru coffee shop
    for a much-needed shot of caffeine, and the second at the florist to pick up