Almost Like Love(44)

When she was ready to go out again, Ian was the last man in the world she should consider dating. This was because:

He was not a guy who did relationships. It was widely known that when Ian hooked up, it was just that—a hookup. His liaisons rarely lasted more than a few weeks.

Ian’s aversion to relationships occasionally made the jump from her con list to her pro list. As Simone said, every woman was entitled to a hot rebound fling once in her life. And what better candidate for that kind of relationship than Ian Hart?

But every time she considered that point, she always ended up putting the item back on her con list. The truth was, despite her aborted quest for rebound sex that night at the club, she knew in her heart that one-night stands were not her thing.

Another item on the con list: she was actually starting to think that she and Ian could be friends. Letting something happen between them would only screw that up.

There was Jacob to consider, too. Muddying things between her and Ian couldn’t possibly be good for his nephew.

Her pro list, on the other hand, consisted of only one item.

Ian was the sexiest man she’d ever known, and the chemistry she felt when she was with him was like nothing she’d ever experienced.

Funny how sometimes that one item seemed to outweigh everything on her con list.

But the part of her that wanted to jump Ian’s bones was the crazy part, and not to be encouraged.

Simone employed several strategies when she didn’t want to sleep with a guy but needed help to bolster her willpower. Her favorite was the wear-hideous-underwear strategy—the idea being that a woman in granny panties will never risk their being seen.

Kate decided to go with a different approach. Thinking about Ian made her feel sexy, and even though she wasn’t going to act on it, she enjoyed the feeling so much that she didn’t want to ruin it by wearing ratty underwear.

So instead she put on her best lingerie. The effect would be the same, since if Ian ever saw what she was wearing under her clothes, he’d conclude that she’d been expecting him to disrobe her at some point during the evening, which would be even more humiliating than letting him see her in granny panties.

So she put on the birthday present she’d gotten this year from Simone. It had been something of a gag gift, since Kate wasn’t the sexy-lingerie type, but she secretly adored the black lace set. It fit exquisitely, and the bra and panties were so delicate and impractical that Kate had always thought of them as objects to look at, rather than wear. She’d never even taken the tags off . . . until now.

Ian was coming over at eight with Oreos, milk, and Dungeons & Dragons. A very unromantic setup, which was definitely for the best—but that didn’t mean she couldn’t indulge herself beforehand. Ian didn’t need to know that she took a jasmine-scented bubble bath before putting on gossamer-fine lingerie—especially since it was hidden under jeans and a tee shirt.

But she would know . . . and she’d enjoy the secret.

Ever since that night at the club, she’d been taking more pleasure in her physicality: standing up straighter, wearing her hair down every so often, even making an appointment for a leg wax the week before. Part of it was undoubtedly a reaction to her breakup with Chris, but it was also the realization that a man like Ian Hart could be attracted to her.

One dance and one kiss had done wonders for her self-esteem.

By the time Andreas sent him up that night, she was confident that she’d gotten her fantasies out of her system and was ready to enjoy a relaxed, platonic evening.

Then she opened the door.

Ian stood there in faded jeans and a black button-down shirt, looking sexy and powerful and good enough to eat. There was stubble on his jaw and a half smile on his face, and Kate wondered if it was possible for any woman to be friends with this man. She could see being his colleague or his enemy or his sex toy, but his friend?

Then he held up the Dungeons & Dragons box and a bag of Oreos, and her heart rate slowed a little. A man who’d once played a fantasy adventure game had more layers to his personality than were immediately apparent. He might even be friend material after all.

“Ready for milk and cookies and sword fighting?” he asked.

She stood back to let him in. “Absolutely. Although I also have wine or beer if you want something stronger.”

She’d been on the fence about suggesting alcohol, but a glass of wine would help her relax—and it was Saturday night, after all.

But as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she worried that Ian would misinterpret her intentions. Maybe he’d think she was trying to get him drunk so she could take advantage of him.

“Sure, wine sounds great.”