Ian's Ultimate Gamble. Brenda Jackson

Ian. The resort was connected to the casino by way of elevators, and the way the villas had been built took advantage of paths for bicyclers and joggers, who thronged the wide wooden boardwalk that ran along the lake’s edge. Since this was mid-April and the harsh winter was slowly being left behind, she could imagine many people would be taking advantage of those activities. The view of the mountains was fabulous, and considering all the on-site amenities, this was a very beautiful place.

      After taking a tour of her quarters, she felt a combined mixture of pleasure and excitement rush through her veins. Her villa was simply beautiful, and she was certain she had found a small slice of paradise. This was definitely a place to get your groove on.

      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