Ian's Ultimate Gamble

The view of Lake Tahoe through both her living room and bedroom windows was breathtaking, perfect to capture the striking colors of the sunset. Brooke was convinced the way her villa was situated among several nature trails was the loveliest spot she had ever found. This was a place where someone could come and leave their troubles behind. But for her it was a place that could actually intensify those troubles.

Pushing that thought from her mind, she once again entered her bathroom, still overwhelmed. It was just as large as the living room and resembled a private, tropical spa. This was definitely a romantic retreat, she thought, crossing the room to the Jacuzzi tub, large enough to accommodate four people comfortably. Then there was the trademark that she’d heard was in every bathroom in the villa—a waterfall that cascaded down into a beautiful fountain.

She breathed in deeply, proud of Ian and his accomplishments, and recalled the many nights they would snuggle in bed while he shared his dream of owning such a place with her. When the opportunity came for him to purchase the Delta Princess, a riverboat that departed from Memphis on a ten-day excursion along the Mississippi with stops in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Vicksburg and Natchez, she had been there on his arm at the celebration party his brothers and cousins had thrown. And when his cousin Delaney had married a desert sheikh, she had been the one to attend the weddings with him in both the States and the Middle East.

She sighed, knowing she had to let go of the past the way she’d suggest that he do. But the two years they were together had been good times for her, the best she could have ever shared with anyone, and she had looked forward to the day they would join their lives together as one.

She frowned. Four years ago Ian had refused to hear anything she had to say; had even refused to acknowledge that if the FBI hadn’t discovered Boris Knowles’s connection to organized crime when they had, all of the man’s business dealings would have come under scrutiny, including his partnership with Ian.

Common sense dictated that she tread carefully where Ian was concerned. He was smart and observant. And he didn’t trust her one iota. There was no doubt in her mind that he would be watching her.

Brooke’s breathing quickened at the thought of his eyes on her for any amount of time, and moments later a smile curved the corners of her lips. Then she laughed, a low, sultry sound that vibrated through the room. Let him watch her, and while he was doing so maybe it was time to let him know exactly what he’d lost four years ago when he’d walked out of her life.

Ian glanced at the clock on his office wall and decided to give up his pretense of working, since he wasn’t concentrating on the reports, anyway. He had too many other things on his mind.

He resisted the urge, as he’d done several times within the past couple of hours, to push the button and see what was going on in the casino, in hopes he would get a glimpse of Brooke. His hand tightened around the paper he held in his hand. He thought he was downright pathetic. And just to think, she was booked for two weeks.

It took him a minute to notice his private line was blinking, and he quickly picked up his phone. “Yes?”

“Ian, how are you?”

He smiled as he recognized Tara’s voice. A pediatrician, she was married to his cousin, Thorn, a nationally known motorcycle builder and racer. “Tara, I’m doing fine. And what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”

“Delaney’s surprise birthday party. Shelly and I are finalizing the guest list and we wanted to check with you about someone who’s on it.”

Ian leaned back in his chair. It was hard to believe that his cousin Delaney would be thirty. Her husband, Prince Jamal Ari Yasir, wanted to give his wife the celebration of a lifetime and he wanted it held at the Rolling Cascade. It seemed only yesterday when he, his brothers and cousins had taken turns keeping an eye on the woman they’d thought at the time was the only female in the Westmoreland family in their generation.

Delaney hadn’t made the job easy, and most of the time she’d deliberately been a pain in the ass, but now she was princess of a country called Tahran and mother of the future king. And to top things off, she and Jamal were expecting their second child.

“Who do you want to check with me about?”

“Brooke Chamberlain.”

Ian rubbed a hand down his face. Talk about coincidences. Hearing Brooke’s name brought a flash of anger. “What about Brooke?”

“I know Delaney would love to see her again, but we thought we’d better check with you. We don’t want to make you uncomfortable in any way. I know how things were at Dare and Shelly’s wedding.”

Ian leaned back in his chair. He doubted anyone knew how difficult things had been for him at that wedding. “Hey, don’t worry about it. I can handle it.”

There was a slight pause. “You sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” He decided not to bother mentioning that Brooke was presently in the casino and they were sharing the same air, as she’d put it. “I got over Brooke years ago. She means nothing to me now.”

Ian sighed deeply and hoped with all his heart that the words he’d just said were true.

Two

Sitting at a table in the back that afforded him a good view of everything that was going on, Ian saw Brooke the moment she walked into the Blue Lagoon Lounge. Under ordinary circumstances he would have given any other beautiful woman no more than a cursory glance. But unfortunately, not in this case. Brooke was, and always had been, a woman who warranted more than one glance, and her entrance into any room could elicit looks of envy in most women’s eyes and a frisson of desire down many men’s spines.

Taking a deep breath, he frowned in irritation when he saw the look of heated interest in several masculine gazes as she wove her way through the crowded room with confidence, sophistication and style. And what bothered him more than anything was the fact that the same heated interest in other men’s eyes was reflected in his, as well. And her outfit wasn’t helping matters. Talk about sexy….

She was wearing her hair up in a knot on her head but had allowed a few strands to fall downward to capitalize on the gracefulness of her neck and the dark lashes that fanned her eyes. And her luscious lips were painted a wicked, flaming-hot red.

But it was that sensuous black number draping her body that had practically every male in the room drooling. Emphasizing every curve as well as those long, beautiful legs, the short dress had splits on both sides, and Ian actually heard the tightening of several male throats when she slid onto a bar stool and exposed a generous amount of thigh. Before she could settle in the seat, he watched as several men stood, eager to hit on her.

Ian took a leisurely sip of his drink. Unless she had changed a lot over the past four years, the poor fools that were all but knocking over chairs to get to her were in for a rude awakening. Although she probably appreciated a hot stare as much as the next female, Brooke was not a woman to fawn over male attention. He had learned that particular lesson the hard way the day they’d met. From that day forward he had never underestimated her as a woman again.

And after being deeply involved with her, he also had a more intimate view of the woman who was the center of every male’s attention in the lounge tonight. Without a doubt he was probably the only man in the room who knew about the insecurities that had plagued her through most of her young life. Her father and two older brothers had been known as the Chamberlain Gang, robbing banks as they zigzagged across state lines before the FBI brought an end to their six-month crime spree.

As a teenager, Brooke and her mother had moved to Atlanta to start a new life and find peace from the taunts, ridicule and insensitivity of those less inclined to put the matter to rest. It was then, while in high school, that Brooke decided to bring honor and dignity back to the Chamberlain name by working on the right side of the law.

The activities in the room reclaimed Ian’s attention, and he chuckled as one man after another was treated to Brooke’s most dazzling smile, followed by her more than courteous refusal. He lifted his drink, and before taking another sip he muttered quietly, “Cheers.”

There must be a full moon in the sky, Brooke thought, idly sipping her drink. The wolves were definitely out on the prowl and had erroneously assumed she was an easy prey.

What woman didn’t enjoy knowing a man thought she was attractive? But there were some men who thought beauty went hand in hand with stupidity. One man had even offered her the chance to be his second wife, although he claimed he was still happily married to the first.

“I see you haven’t lost your touch.”

Brooke glanced over at the man who slid into the seat beside her. The smile in his eyes threw her for a second, but that was only after a flutter of awareness inched up her spine. “Thanks. I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said, sipping her drink when her throat suddenly felt dry.

She fought to keep her body from trembling and, in an attempt at control, studied her reflection in the glass she held instead of placing her full attention on Ian, the way she wanted to do.

“I really thought I wouldn’t see you anymore tonight,” he said, taking a sip of his own drink.

With that Brooke cocked a brow and turned to him, first taking in how he was dressed. He had changed out of the business suit he was wearing earlier and was wearing another, just as tailormade and just as appealing. And, like the other one, it represented his status as a successful businessman. Whether he wanted to or not, he stood out as the impeccably dressed owner of this casino and was doing so in style.

“Why?” she asked, her concentration moving back to his comment. “Why did you think you wouldn’t see me anymore tonight? Did you assume I’d hide out in my villa, Ian, after our meeting earlier? Like I told you, I can’t go through life worrying about running into you at every corner like I did something wrong.”

Ian’s eyes narrowed. “A man’s life was lost,” he said in a tight voice.

“Yes,” she said coolly. “But Boris Knowles should have considered the consequences. He didn’t get involved with a group of amateur criminals, Ian. He was involved in organized crime. Don’t try and make me feel guilty for the choices he made.”

“But had I known, I—”

“Had you known, there wouldn’t have been anything you could have done. He was in too deep. Why is it so hard for you to believe that? Telling you would not have changed a thing, other than involve you in a situation you didn’t need to be in.”

Brooke didn’t know what else she could say to get through that thick skull of his. He refused to believe he wouldn’t have made a difference, and that not knowing about Boris had been a blessing.

She heard his muttered curse and knew it was a mistake to have come to the lounge, a place where she figured he would be. “Look, Ian, evidently you and I will always have a difference of opinion about what happened and why I kept things from you. And I’m tired of you thinking I’m the bad guy.”

She stood and threw a couple of bills on the counter. “See you around. But then, maybe it would be better if I didn’t.”

Ian muttered another curse as he watched Brooke disappear through the door, leaving her sensuous scent trailing behind. He felt that familiar stab of pain he encountered whenever he thought of her betrayal. But Brooke’s words reminded him of the same thing Dare, a former FBI agent himself, had told him. Organized crime wasn’t anything to play with, and regardless of the outcome, Boris had made his choices.

Dare had also tried to make Ian understand that when Brooke had taken the job as a federal agent, she had also made an oath to uphold the law and to maintain a rigid vow of confidentiality. Had she told him about the case, and security had been breached, it would have risked not only Brooke’s life but the lives of other federal agents.

Ian had understood all of that, but still, he believed that when two people were committed to each other, there weren’t supposed to be any secrets between them. So in his mind she had made a choice between her job and him. That, in a nutshell, was what grated him the most. Yet at some point he had to let go and move on or the bitterness would do him in. He couldn’t continue to make her feel like a “bad” guy, especially when he of all people knew how much becoming an agent had meant to her. Twice her application had been turned down when background checks had revealed her family history—namely her father and brothers. It had taken Dare, who’d still maintained close contacts within the Bureau, to write a sterling letter of recommendation to get her in.

Ian pulled in a deep breath. It was time for him and Brooke to finally make peace. He knew that because of all that had happened between them, the love they once shared could never be recovered, but it was time he put his animosity to rest and make an attempt at being friends.

Brooke angrily stripped out of her dress. Ian Westmoreland was as stubborn as any mule could get. He refused to consider that she had been doing her job four years ago and if she had told him anything about the case, her own life could have been in jeopardy. No, all he thought about was what had happened to a man who’d been living a lie to his family, friends and business associates.

Fine, if that was the position Ian wanted to take, even after four years, let him. She refused to allow him to get on her nerves, and somehow and in some way she would wipe away the memories she found almost impossible to part with. More than anything she had to somehow eradicate him from her heart. But in the meantime she planned to enjoy herself for the next two weeks and wouldn’t let him stand in the way of her doing just that.

She slipped into the two-piece bathing suit, thinking a late-night swim might make her feel better. Swimming had always relaxed her, and she was seriously considering adding a pool to her home in D.C. The question was whether or not she would have the time to enjoy it. In a few months she would have made her five-year mark with the Bureau and it was time to decide if she wanted to remain out in the field or start performing administrative duties. Her good friend and mentor, Dare Westmoreland, had cautioned her regarding Bureau burnout, which was what had happened to him after seven years as an agent.

Brooke had just grabbed her wrap when she heard the knock at her door. Evidently room service had made a mistake and was at the wrong villa. Making her way across the room, she leaned against the door and glanced through the peephole, and suddenly felt a sensation deep in the pit of her stomach. Her late-night caller was Ian.

She tensed and shook her head. If he thought he would get in the last word he had another thought coming. After removing the security lock she angrily snatched open the door. “Look, Ian, I—”

Before she could finish, he placed a single white rose in her hand. “I come in peace, Brooke. And you’re right. It’s time to put the past behind us and move on.”

Ian’s heart slammed against his chest. He had been prepared for a lot of things, but he hadn’t been prepared for Brooke to open the door in a two-piece bathing suit with a crocheted shawl wrapped around her waist that didn’t hide much of anything.

There were her full, firm breasts that almost poured out of her bikini top and a tiny waist that flared to shapely hips attached to the most gorgeous pair of legs any woman could possess. And her feet—how could he possibly forget her sexy feet? They were bare, with brightly painted toenails, encased in a pair of cute flat leather sandals.

Her unique scent was feminine and provocative and the same one he had followed out of the lounge. It was the same scent that was filling her doorway, saturating the air surrounding him, getting into his skin. She was and had always been a woman of whom fantasies were made. And seeing her standing there was overwhelming his sense of self-control.

He sighed deeply, inwardly wishing he could focus on something other than her body and her scent. He wanted to concentrate on something like the rose he had given her, but instead his gaze lowered to her navel, which used to be one of his favorite spots on her body. He could recall all the attention he used to give it before moving lower to…

“Ian?”

He snatched his attention back to her face and cleared his throat. Damn, he had come to make peace, not make love. They would never share that type of relationship again. “Yes?”

“Thanks for the rose, and I’m glad we can move forward in our lives, and I hope that one day we can be friends again,” she said.

Brooke was watching his eyes, probably noting the caution within their dark depths when he said, “I hope so, too.”

She nodded. “Good.”

He leaned in the doorway. “You’re going out?”

“Yes, I thought I’d go for a swim at one of the pools. The one with the huge waterfall looks inviting.”

Ian nodded. It was. He had passed the area on his way here, and another thing he noted was that it was crowded with more men than women. He then remembered that the Rolling Cascade was hosting a convention of the International Association of Electricians. There were over eight hundred attendees, eighty percent of them men who probably thought they were capable of finding a woman’s hot spot and wiring her up in a minute flat. He drew his dark brows together sharply. Not with this woman.

“That pool is nice, but I know of one that’s a hundred times better,” he said, when an idea suddenly popped into his head.

“Really, where?”

“My penthouse.”

She met his eyes then, and he could imagine what thoughts were going through her mind. Hell, he was wondering about it himself. He had no right to feel possessive, as if she was still his. But just because she wasn’t didn’t mean he shouldn’t have a protective instinct where she was concerned, did it?

Feeling better about the reason he was inviting her to his suite, he reached out and took her hand in his. “Look, it was just an invitation for you to use my private pool. Besides, I’d like to catch up on how things have been going for you. But if you prefer we don’t go any further than the rose, that’s fine.”

Brooke took a second to absorb Ian’s words. He wanted them to become friends again and nothing more. He had given her a peace offering and now he wanted them to catch up on what had been going on in their lives. She doubted that he knew she asked about him often, whenever she and Dare spoke on the phone. She knew Ian was back at the top of his game, had reinstated his role of the Perfect End and now claimed he would never, ever settle down and marry. With his cousin Storm happily married, Ian much preferred being the remaining lone wolf of the Westmoreland clan.

“I’d love to go swimming in your private pool and visit,” she said, and hoped and prayed she could get through an evening alone with him in his private quarters.

The smile that touched his lips sent heat spreading through her. “Good. Are you ready to leave now?”

“Yes. I just need to grab a towel.”

“Don’t bother. I have plenty.”

“Okay, let me get my door key.”

Moments later she stepped out and closed the door behind her. As they walked together, side by side, toward a bank of elevators, she was fully aware that Ian was looking at her, but she refused to look back. If for one instant she saw heated desire in his eyes, she would probably do something really stupid like give in to the urgency of the sexual chemistry that always surrounded them and ask him to kiss her. But knowing what ironclad control Ian could have, he would probably turn her down.

“Welcome to my lair, Brooke Chamberlain.”

Ian stepped aside to let her enter, and Brooke’s breath caught the moment she stepped into the room. His personal living quarters was a floor above his office, and both were connected by a private elevator, an arrangement he found convenient.

The moment Brooke crossed over the threshold it was if she had walked into paradise. She had figured that, as the owner of the Rolling Cascade, Ian would have a nice place, but she hadn’t counted on anything this magnificent, this breathtaking.

His appreciation of nature was reflected in the numerous plants strategically arranged in the penthouse, which encompassed two floors connected by a spiral staircase.

The first things she noticed were the large windows and high ceilings, as well as the penthouse’s eclectic color scheme—a vibrant mix of red, yellow, orange, green and blue. She was surprised at how well the colors worked together. For symmetry, the two fireplaces in the room were painted white, and then topped with drapery of a hand-painted design.

It appeared the furniture had been designed with comfort in mind, and several tropical-looking plants and trees gave sections of the room a garden effect.

“Come on, let me show you around,” he said, taking her hand in his.

The warmth of the strong hand encompassing hers sent a sea of sensation rippling through her. She tried not to think about what expert hands they were and how he used to take his thumb and trail it over her flesh, starting at her breasts and working his way downward, sometimes alternating his thumb with his tongue.

His silky touch could make her purr, squirm, and elicited all kind of sounds from her. And when he would work his way to her navel—heaven help her—total awareness for him would consume her entire body, making her breathe out his name in an uncontrolled response to his intimate ministrations.

“You okay?”

His words snatched her back from memory lane, and she glanced up at him. “Yes, why do you ask?”

“No reason,” he murmured, and the tone sent a shiver all through her.

Brooke raised a brow. Had she given something away? Had she made a sound? One he recognized? One he remembered?

They walked together while he gave her a tour. French doors provided a gracious entry from room to room, and the kitchen, with its state-of-the-art cabinets and generously sized island, showed a comfortable use of space. The skill of an interior designer touched every inch of Ian’s home, and Brooke thought this was definitely the largest penthouse she’d ever seen. It encompassed more square footage than her house back in D.C.

Ian told her that Prince Jamal Ari Yasir was his primary investor and that Ian’s brothers, Spencer and Jared, and his cousin Thorn had also invested in the Rolling Cascade. The one thing Brooke had always admired about the Westmoreland family was their closeness and the way they supported each other.

When he showed her his bedroom a spurt of envy ran through Brooke at the thought of the other women who’d shared the king-size bed with him. But then she quickly reminded herself that Ian’s love life was no business of hers.

“So, what do you think?” he asked casually.

His question momentarily froze her, and she shifted her eyes from the bed and met his gaze. “I’m really proud of you, Ian, of all your accomplishments. And you are blessed to belong to a family that fully supports what you do. They are really super.”

Ian smiled. “Yes, they are.”

“And how are your parents?”

“They’re doing fine. You do know that Storm got married?” he asked, leading her out of the bedroom, down the spiral stairs, to an area that led toward an enclosed pool.

She smiled up at him. “Yes. I can’t imagine marriage for the Perfect Storm.”

The corners of Ian lips curled in a smile. “Now he’s the Perfect Dad. His wife Jayla and their twin daughters are the best things that ever happened to him. He loves them very much.”

When there was a lull in the conversation, Brooke said, “And I heard about your uncle Corey’s triplets.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, can you believe it? He found out an old girlfriend had given birth to triplets around the same time he was united with a woman who’d always been his true love. He’s married now and is a very happy man on his mountain.”