Ian's Ultimate Gamble - Brenda Jackson [27]
Brooke smiled. "And from what I can see, the way you run things indicates you're the right man for the job," she said honestly.
"Thanks."
She seriously meant the compliment. Her eyes and ears had been open and she'd seen how he had expertly and professionally, with the authority that could only come from someone with his years of experience, handled several potentially troublesome incidents.
"If I didn't know better I'd think you were a member of my staff, Brooke."
Brooke met his gaze over the rim of her cup after catching his meaning. He was no rookie and although she had tried to be discreet in her inquiries, he had been alert and had picked up on her interests. "Part of the job."
"Yes, but you're not working, are you? At least, that's what Ian told me. He said you were here for rest and relaxation."
She placed her cup down and straightened in her seat, deciding this wily old fox missed nothing. "Ian was right. What I meant when I said part of the job was that after a while, once you've been an agent, certain things become second nature."
"Oh, like being observant and noticing every little thing'?"
"Yes. like being observant and noticing every little thing." She couldn't help but wonder if he believed her.
She watched as he leaned forward and then he said, "I guess a second pair of eyes never hurt. But I think we need to clear the air about something. Ian is a good man. Although he's a lot younger than most casino owners, he has a good sense for business. Somehow with that scientific mind of his he has the ability to play the odds and come up a winner. This place is a testimony to that. Investors trust him with their money because he has a proven track record of running a clean, profitable operation. My job is to be his eyes and ears as well as to protect his back. And, more important, Ian is not just my boss, I consider him a good friend."
Brooke picked up her coffee cup and stared down into the dark liquid a moment before meeting Vance's gaze and asking, "Is there a reason you're telling me this?"
He chuckled softly. "Only you can answer that, Brooke."
She held Vance's gaze. "No matter what you or anyone else might think, I trust Ian implicitly."
"But..."
"But I think we should end this conversation," Brooke said frowning, thinking she might have said too much already. Vance was no fool. He was as sharp as they came, and with his history he probably knew she had lied through her teeth when she claimed she was at the casino for rest and relaxation.
Vance laughed, breaking into her thoughts. "You're good, Brooke, and because I like you. I'm going to show you just how good an operation Ian runs," he said as he stood. "How about coming with me."
Two hours later Brooke had returned to her room to rest up a bit before changing for dinner. Vance had given her a tour of the casino's security surveillance center upstairs, and she'd had to agree with him that not too much went on in the casino that he wasn't aware of. Including the lovers tryst between those electricians. Although there weren't any video cameras in individual rooms, they were installed in the elevators, hallways, lobby and every other inch of the casino. Security had noticed the excessive amount of time the two men had been visiting each other's rooms during the late-night hours.
Vance had also told her that being the born diplomat Ian was, he had brought a semblance of order to the situation last night, although there was only so much one could do after a woman discovered her husband had been unfaithful, and with someone of the same sex.
Brooke was just about to walk into the bathroom to run her shower when the phone rang. She quickly crossed the room to pick it up. "Hello."
"Miss me yet'?"
Although Ian's voice sounded cool and in control, Brooke felt shivers tingle up her spine, anyway. His call had definitely caught her off guard. He had to have been thinking about her to have called.
The mere fact that he had brought a smile to her lips. "No, I've been too busy to miss you." she said teasingly.
"Oh, and what have you been doing?"
Brooke