Ian's Ultimate Gamble ; Seduction, Westmoreland Style

by Brenda Jackson

  “We haven’t been able to find any proof, but a housekeeper reports she’s smelled smoke. It seems the guest has been trying to disguise his smoking by spraying heavy cologne in the air,” she said.

  “If we can prove he’s breaking a hotel policy, then we can end his stay with us.”

  Everyone at the table nodded. They knew Ian had very low tolerance when it came to anyone not abiding by the Rolling Cascade’s smoke-free policy.

  The next item up for discussion by the management team was entertainment. The activities director confirmed that he had booked deals with top performers for the next eighteen months. Highlights of the upcoming schedule included a two-week billing for Mariah Carey in June, Michael McDonald in September and Phil Collins in December. Smokey Robinson opened tonight for a two-week engagement that was already sold out every night.

  Nolen, the casino manager, indicated security had alerted him that a couple of prostitutes had tried soliciting guests in the casino. Although Nevada had legalized prostitution, it was only allowed in licensed brothels. Unfortunately, casinos were a prime target for call girls looking for potential “dates.” Ian was committed to keeping the Rolling Cascade prostitution-free.

  “We have the matter taken care of,” Nolan assured him.

  Ian nodded. That’s what he wanted to hear. He glanced at his watch. He had ordered a picnic basket from one of the restaurants for his lunch date with Brooke. He had left a message for her that he would be picking her up at noon and couldn’t wait to get her on his boat.

  He remembered their conversation last night. He had deliberately walked out the door without looking back. To say he had ruffled a few of her feathers would be an understatement. But then, he had merely been up-front with her. It was too late to start playing games. He knew what they needed and she did as well. In order to bring closure, they needed to purge each other from their systems, and until that was done there would always be this emotional tug-of-war between them.

  He suddenly felt goose bumps cover his body at the thought of seeing her again and of the afternoon he had planned. A hint of a smile tugged at his lips. She might be resistant now, but once he got her on his sailboat and made her remember all the things she was trying to forget, their day would end the way they both wanted it to.

  His pulse began beating wildly an hour later as the status meeting ended. He quickly headed toward his penthouse to change into more comfortable clothes.

  “Mr. Westmoreland?”

  He turned before stepping into his private elevator. “Yes?” he asked Cassie, a young woman who worked in the resort’s business center.

  “This message was left for you this morning.”

  He took the sealed envelope she handed him. “Thank you.” He tore it open and read the note.

  I’ve changed my mind about going sailing with you, Brooke.

  Ian frowned. If Brooke thought she could dismiss him just like that, she had another thought coming.

  “Is there anything you need me to do, sir?”

  It was then that Ian realized Cassie was still standing there. He lifted his head and met her gaze. This wasn’t the first time he’d seen the heated look of lust in the depths of her dark eyes, and he could recognize a flirtatious comment when he heard one. He recalled what he knew about her. She was a recent college graduate with a degree in hotel management. He had decided long ago, after operating his riverboat, that he would never become sexually involved with his employees. And even though, due to his busy schedule, it had been almost a year since he’d slept with anyone, the only woman his body craved had just canceled their lunch date.

  * * *

  Brooke propped a hand on her hip and stared at the outfits she had placed on the bed. Both were suitable for an afternoon of shopping, but which one should she wear?

  The capri pant set was what she would have worn had she gone sailing with Ian. It had a bit more style than the cotton shorts set, and was a designer outfit she’d purchased while in San Francisco last month. The shorts set would provide better comfort of movement as she walked from store to store making purchases. She was about to hang the capri set back in her closet when she heard a knock on her door.

  Leaving her bedroom, she wondered if it was housekeeping. The lady had come earlier, but since Brooke had ordered room service for breakfast she had asked the woman to come back later.

  Brooke didn’t want to think of herself as a coward, but she had dined in her room this morning because she hadn’t wanted to run into Ian. They needed at least a couple of days of distance for him to rethink that preposterous suggestion he’d made. In the meantime she would avoid him by taking advantage of all the amenities the resort had to offer. He needed time to cool off, and the interlude would give her the opportunity to assess his operation.

  She glanced out the peephole and her heart slammed against her ribs the moment she did so. It was Ian. Did he not get her message canceling their date to go sailing?

  When she opened the door, she wasn’t quite ready for the fluttering sensation she felt in her chest. He stood in the doorway casually dressed in a pair of khakis and a blue polo shirt and holding a picnic basket. She’d forgotten how good he looked in everyday clothes. He looked sexy in a suit, but in casual wear he was drop-dead gorgeous.

  “You ready?” he asked, cutting into her thoughts.

  She raised a brow and pulled her robe tighter around her. “Didn’t you get my message?”

  He smiled as he walked around her, entering the room without an invitation. “Yes, I got it, but I assumed there must have been a mistake.”

  She glared at him, wondering why he would think that. “Well, you assumed wrong. There is no mistake. I’m not going sailing with you.”

  He set the basket on the table, crossed his arms over his chest and asked, “Why? Are you afraid to be alone with me?”

  “I’m not afraid, Ian, just cautious,” she said as she struggled to maintain her composure.

  “And why do you feel the need to put your guard up, Brooke?”

  Ha! He had the nerve to ask her that!

  Irritation settled in her spine. “I’m not new to this game of yours, Ian.”

  He cast her an innocent look. “What game?”

  She didn’t hesitate in answering. “Your game of seduction.”

  His lips quirked. “Since you think you know me so well, why are you so uptight about spending time with me? You used to know how to handle me. At least you thought you did.”

  A soft chuckle escaped Brooke’s lips. “I didn’t think anything. I did handle you. I proved that I wasn’t like those half-wit tarts you used to mess around with,” she said, crossing the room to him and lifting her chin.

  “And furthermore, Ian Westmoreland,” she added, reaching out and tapping him on the chest with her finger, “your brand of seduction won’t work with me.”

  “And why won’t it?” he asked, grabbing her finger before she jabbed a hole in his chest. “It’s always worked before.”

  “Always worked before? Oh really, well we’ll just see about that,” she said over her shoulder after turning toward the bedroom. “I’ll be ready in five minutes.”

  “Need any help getting dressed?”

  “No, thank you. And if I remember correctly your expertise was in getting me undressed.”

  When she slammed the bedroom door shut, Ian couldn’t help but smile. He remembered that fact, as well. It appeared that he would have to change his strategy a bit today, but eventually he’d have her right where he wanted her.

  * * *

  It was a beautiful day for sailing. The last time she had been on a boat was a couple of years ago when Malcolm had tried fixing her up with an old college pal of his. They had double dated on a deep-sea fishing trip. Unfortunately, she and the guy didn’t hit it off, had nothing in common and she’d spent the entire two hours comparing him to Ian. Luckily for her, but unluckily for Malcolm, his date got seasick, and they had to return to shore earlier than planned.
/>   “So what do you think?”

  Ian’s words intruded into her thoughts, and she glanced over at him and then wished she hadn’t. He stood tall next to the railing, silhouetted against the noonday sun, looking every bit the sexy captain. She dismissed that image from her mind and tried concentrating on the sailboat instead. According to Ian, the boat was owned by the casino, which in essence meant it was his. “This boat is a beauty, Ian.”

  He had surprised her by how expertly he handled the sailboat and all the sleek maneuvers as it glided across the waters of Lake Tahoe with ease. Whether Brooke wanted to admit it or not, it was the perfect day for an afternoon sail, and so far Ian had been the most gracious host in addition to being a well-behaved gentleman. The latter really surprised her.

  The food had been delicious yet simple: ham and cheese sandwiches, chips, wine and cheesecake. Nothing fancy, nothing meant to impress. And because it shouldn’t have, it did anyway. Sharing lunch with him had been wonderful. He had told her how Stone and his wife had met when they’d been on a plane together bound for Montana. He also told her of his uncle’s three children. The cousins had forged a family bond with their newfound Westmoreland cousins from Texas, Uncle Corey’s triplets—Clint, Cole and Casey.

  “You’ll like Casey if you ever get the chance to meet her,” he said, taking a sip of his wine. He smiled when he added, “Her brothers had just as much trouble keeping the guys away from her as we did Delaney when she was growing up.”

  Brooke lifted her eyes toward the sky and breathed in the fresh April air. It was a beautiful day and being out on the lake was exactly what she needed. Had she remained at the resort she would have probably spent way too much money shopping. “I bet it was hard on the three of them, already adults before finding out their father was alive and not dead as they’d thought.”

  Ian nodded. “Yes, Clint and Cole are handling things okay. It’s harder for Casey to come around. She was close to her mother and when Casey found out her mother had lied to them all those years, it hurt.”

  Ian surprised Brooke by sliding closer to where she sat. “We’ve talked enough about my new cousins. Now it’s time to play,” he said, leaning toward her with a hint of mischief in his eyes. It was then she thought that maybe she’d given him credit for being well behaved and a gentleman too soon.

  “What sort of game?” she asked, suddenly feeling off balance by his closeness.

  “I watched you the other night.”

  She had an idea where this was going and decided to see if she was right. “And?”

  “You were sitting at the blackjack table.”

  “Go on,” she encouraged.

  “And I noticed something about you.”

  “Which was?”

  “You can’t play worth a damn.”

  Brooke’s eyes widened just seconds before she burst out laughing. This definitely wasn’t where she’d thought the conversation was going. And he’d said it so seriously that she quickly agreed he was telling the truth. She couldn’t play worth a damn, but playing blackjack wasn’t anything she did on a regular basis. “You plan on giving me a few pointers?”

  He surprised her by saying yes and pulling out a deck of cards. “It’s the only fair thing to do,” he said grinning. “I can’t have you losing all your money in the casino. It might be bad for business. So pay attention, Ms. Chamberlain.”

  And he spent the next hour trying to make a proficient gambler out of her.

  * * *

  “I really had a nice time, Ian,” Brooke said later that afternoon when they had returned to the casino and he walked her to her villa.

  “Prove it by going to a show with me later tonight,” he said, taking her hand in his as they continued to walk toward her door.

  “A show?”

  “Yes, Smokey Robinson opens tonight.”

  Brooke’s eyes widened. “The Smokey Robinson?”

  At Ian’s nod, she smiled and said, “I think he was the only other man my mother loved besides my father.”

  “In that case, the least you can do is go and swoon in her honor?” Ian said with a grin. He knew his mother felt the same way.

  “That would be the daughterly thing to do, wouldn’t it?” she asked with a teasing glint in her eyes.

  He chuckled. “Of course.”

  “All right. Then I’ll go.”

  They stopped in front of her door. He studied her for a long moment before saying, “I’ll be by to get you for the second show at ten.”

  “Wouldn’t it be easier for me to meet you downstairs somewhere?”

  He gave her a smooth grin. Not hardly, he wanted to say. If she looked anything tonight like she had the other night when she’d shown up at the lounge, the last thing he wanted was other men hitting on her. “It’s no problem. I need the exercise, anyway,” he said smiling.

  “Okay.”

  When they just stood there a minute, she gave in and asked, “Would you like to come in for a minute?”

  He continued to look at her, knowing if he were to go into that room with her, it wouldn’t be for just a minute. Patience, he’d discovered, was the key. He hadn’t stirred up any stimulating memories like he’d originally planned to do today, but he had enjoyed the time they had spent together. And there would be other times, other opportunities. He would make sure of it.

  “No, there’re a couple of things I need to do before tonight,” he said, stepping back. “But I dare you to ask me that same question after the show,” he said, his expression suddenly turning seductive.

  She grinned up at him and he knew she was taunting him when she said, “Um, I’ll think about it.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, you do that.” And then he turned and walked away.

  * * *

  When Smokey sings…

  The room was packed. People were even crowded around the wraparound bar in the back. But everyone’s attention was on the man who’d taken center stage and was belting out “The Tracks of My Tears.” His falsetto was his calling card, and the lyrics had meaning. They filled the room with love and romance.

  He then did a medley of his Motown tunes and when he began singing “Oh Baby Baby,” Brooke’s gaze shifted to Ian. She found him staring back at her. Was he thinking the same thing she was? That in the relationship they’d once shared they had both made mistakes, or did he still blame her for everything?

  She was so deep in thought that she was startled when everyone stood, began clapping and gave Smokey Robinson a standing ovation. Moments later he went into his final number, “Going to a Go-Go,” and the place came alive. Older couples, who remembered the song and the popular dances during that time, got on the floor and began moving their bodies in all kinds of ways. Brooke couldn’t help remembering her mom doing those same dances around the house when Brooke was a little girl.

  “You want to go out there and try it?” Ian asked, leaning over to her. When he evidently saw the hesitancy in her eyes, he chuckled and asked, “Hey, what do we have to lose?”

  She glanced at the crowd on the dance floor and then back at him. “Parts of our face if we got in the way. They’re doing a dance called ‘the jerk’ and I’d hate to be on the receiving end of one of their elbows.”

  Ian laughed, and although it could barely be heard above the loud music, Brooke felt the richness of the sound of hi voice and was suddenly hit with a feeling of nostalgia, remembering other times they had gone out on the town together, dancing, partying, having fun. If anyone had told her a couple of days ago that the two of them would be able to put their anger, hurt and resentment on hold for an evening, she would not have believed them. The pain had been too deep on both sides.

  He leaned forward again and took her hand in his. “Come on. Let’s show these old folks how to really get down.”

  The next thing Brooke knew they were out on the dance floor, shaking their bodies like everyone else. Ian had complimented her earlier on her choice of attire, a short, chocolate-brown silk chiffon dress with a
swirling, handkerchief hemline. It gave her all the ease she needed as she moved to the music.

  She couldn’t recall the last time she’d gone dancing, let herself go, allowed herself to feel free. Only with Ian could she be this way. Only with him.

  When the music came to an end, he pulled her closer to him, lowered his head, keeping their mouths separated by a mere inch and said, “Come with me for a moment. I want to show you something.”

  She knew she should ask what he wanted to show her, and just where he was taking her when he led her out of the lounge. But she didn’t. She couldn’t. The only thing she could do was walk by his side as they held hands and pray that wherever they were going, she would still be in control when they got there.

  * * *

  Brooke tried not to feel nervous as they rode up in Ian’s private elevator. He was leaning on the opposite wall and looking positively delicious in one of his designer suits. He stared at her and sent a torrent of heat through her body. The man could make everything inside of her flutter with those dark eyes of his, and she was doing everything within her power not to succumb.

  “So where are you taking me?” she asked after they passed the floor to his penthouse.

  He smiled before pushing off the wall. “Be patient. We’ll get there soon enough.”

  That’s what had her worried. “And just where is there?” The elevator was still going up and although she knew they were on his private side of the casino, she had no idea where they were going. Already they had gone beyond the eighteenth floor.

  Before he could respond—not that he would have anyway—the elevator came to a stop. She hated admitting it but he had aroused her curiosity. He had also aroused something else. Being confined in an elevator with Ian wasn’t a good idea and it was taking a supreme effort on her part to downplay his sexiness. His charisma was touching her in all kinds of places, causing her body to feel hot. What she needed was a splash of cold water. The elevator door opened and she turned to follow him when he stepped out.