Two's Company

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 three
    bouquets of roses for the women in his life. He gave red roses to his mother,
    white roses to his sister, and yellow roses to Gillian.
    “You are such a charmer,” his mother said with a smile and kissed his
    cheek.
    “Thank you,” Sylvia said and buried her face in the flowers to inhale the
    lovely fragrance.
    “Yes, thank you,” Gillian said. “You’re very kind to think of me.”
    “You are all welcome,” he said. “Shall we go?” He held his arm for his
    mother, and one for his sister, but Sylvia sidestepped and urged Gillian to take
    Ian’s arm.
    “I have to get my purse,” Sylvia said with a sly smile.
    Ian rolled his eyes. “M’lady?” he said to Gillian and offered his arm,
    which she took.
    “Your sister is a matchmaker, isn’t she?” Gillian laughed.
    “She tries,” Ian said and escorted the women to the waiting limousine.
    After settling the ladies into the limo, Ian went back into the house and
    called for Sylvia, who came running down the hall.
    “We were going to leave without you,” he said teasingly.
    “No, you weren’t,” she said and took his arm. “What do you think of
    Gillian? Isn’t she wonderful? And beautiful?”
    “Yes, yes, and I think she’s a very nice person.”
    “Nice? Just nice?”
    “What else am I to think of her?”
    “She is quite worldly, she travels, has a great education, a wonderful job. I
    think you two would be perfect together.”
    “If she has such a great education and wonderful job, what would she
    want with me?”
    “Oh, you are impossible!”
    Ian opened the limo door and climbed in after his sister. “Yes, I am,” he
    said with a wink after they were settled.
    “You are what, darling?” his mother asked.
    “Nothing. A little joke between brother and sister,” Ian said and grinned.
    “You’ll have to forgive my children, Gillian. They seem to forget they’re
    no longer teenagers.”
    Gillian laughed. “That’s perfectly all right. I have a brother too. I
    completely understand.”
    Ian helped them out of the limo when they reached the restaurant and
    escorted them inside. A few of the couples had already arrived, so Ian escorted
    the women to the reserved tables. After making introductions, everyone ordered
    drinks, except for Sylvia, who ordered a virgin strawberry daiquiri and then
    announced to her friends that she was expecting. The cheering and toasts began
    and the noisy group of friends continued their merriment right through dinner.
    With Fire Light just around the corner, everyone walked as a group to the
    nightclub and lounge and continued the party after dinner. Gillian fit in with Ian
    and Sylvia’s friends and family and Ian couldn’t take his eyes off her. She
    laughed and joked with them, and listened enraptured to all the tales they told.
    Ian could tell how entranced the men were with her, and the women had already
    ac cepted her as one of their own. When the music began again, Ian stood and offered
    his hand to Gillian.
    “Will you dance with me?”
    She smiled up at him and his heart thudded in his chest.
    “Yes,” she said with a smile and took his hand.
    Leading her onto the dance floor, Ian pulled her close. Her hair felt like
    silk against his face and smelled of flowers. He inhaled deeply, and then
    tightened his arm around her. Moving with the gentle beat, Ian realized how
    long it had been since he’d danced with a woman for the pleasure alone. A
    graceful and responsive partner,