Читать книгу Irresistible Forces - Brenda Jackson - Страница 6

Chapter 2

“Do you really think he’s going to go along with it, Taylor?”

Taylor heard the uncertainty in her sister’s voice through the phone. Vanessa was the one with doubts; however, Cheyenne was the sister who was convinced Dominic would accept her offer. And it wasn’t that Vanessa was a naysayer. She was just being realistic that most people thought logically. And what Taylor was posing to Dominic was highly illogical.

The three of them, she, Vanessa and Cheyenne, always had a close relationship growing up and over the years that hadn’t changed. Vanessa, the oldest at twenty-seven, was the one who, after getting a grad degree at Tennessee State, had returned to Charlotte to work at the family’s manufacturing business, The Steele Corporation, along with their four older male cousins—Chance, Sebastian, Morgan and Donovan. After college, Taylor and Cheyenne had chosen to seek opportunities far away from North Carolina. Cheyenne, who was twenty-three, was a professional model and that meant a lot of traveling as well as living in some of the most exotic places in the world.

Vanessa was in the midst of planning a June wedding to a very handsome man by the name of Cameron Cody. Taylor couldn’t help but smile when she thought about how Cameron had pursued her sister with a vengeance, and finally succeeded in capturing Vanessa’s heart. Taylor was happy for Vanessa and looked forward to returning home for a brief stay this weekend to be fitted for her bridesmaid dress.

“Taylor?”

Vanessa didn’t have to repeat the question for Taylor to respond. She knew what Vanessa wanted to know. “Um, I don’t know if Dominic will go along with my offer or not. It would certainly make my day if he did. At least I’ll have another chance to convince him that I haven’t lost my mind at dinner tonight.”

“Well, good luck.”

“Thanks, Vanessa.” Deciding to change the subject, she said, “So tell me how the plans are coming for the wedding.”

An hour or so later, Taylor was stepping out of the shower to get dressed for her dinner meeting with Dominic. His secretary had called earlier to get her address and to let her know that a car was being sent to pick her up exactly at six-thirty. She would be taken to the Saxon Grand Hotel, where she would be dining with Mr. Saxon.

Taylor glanced at the outfit and accessories she had placed on the bed earlier. She would be wearing a mauve embroidered overlay dress with gold covair beading on the empire bodice and a hem that stopped well above the knee to show off her legs. The dress wasn’t flashy, but she had to admit it was eye-catching. Deliberately so. She needed an outfit that would make Dominic take notice and quickly conclude that a week spent with her on a tropical island indulging in unlimited bedroom activities wouldn’t be all bad.

With less than thirty minutes before the car was to arrive, Taylor was standing in front of the mirror in her bedroom studying the finished product. She tilted her head back, liking the way the earrings dangled from her ears and the matching necklace around her neck. Both had been Christmas gifts from her oldest cousin, Chance, and his wife, Kylie.

Taylor still found it hard to believe at times that within a three-year period her staunch bachelor cousins, Chance, Sebastian and Morgan, had fallen in love and gotten married. And then there was Vanessa, who would be marrying Cameron in June. Taylor was happy for all four of them. Her thoughts shifted to the one lone single male cousin, Donovan Steele. At thirty-two, marriage was the furthest thing from his mind. She had even heard him swear that he would be a bachelor for life.

Her sister Cheyenne was pretty much like her—too involved in a career to take the time to settle down and get involved in a serious affair. But Taylor was determined that no matter how involved she was in her career, she would take time out to become a mother. Having a child had always been her lifelong desire, but she hadn’t known to what degree until a few months back when she returned home to attend Morgan’s celebration party, after he won the council-at-large seat in Charlotte, becoming the first Steele to enter politics.

Vanessa’s best friend, Sienna, had just given birth to a little boy, who in keeping with Bradford tradition had been named Dane William Bradford IV. The moment Taylor had held Little Dane in her arms she’d known that she didn’t want to wait any longer to become a mom.

Sighing deeply, Taylor glanced at her watch. Dominic’s driver would be arriving to pick her up any moment and she wanted to be ready. When she saw Dominic again, she definitely wanted to give him a few things to think about. He would discover tonight that she was a lot more than a mover and a shaker. She was a woman who went after what she wanted and more than anything, she wanted Dominic Saxon as her baby’s daddy.

* * *

Dominic glanced at his watch periodically as he paced around his hotel room waiting for Taylor’s arrival. He couldn’t recall the last time a dinner date had him on edge.

Earlier, during a relaxing moment, he had shared a glass of wine with his parents, and as always, he had enjoyed their company. They didn’t always see eye to eye on everything but he couldn’t ask for better parents. They had always been there for him, supportive in every way.

He couldn’t help noticing how worried his father was about Franco Saxon’s health. It had taken Marcello years to finally put the anger behind him and accept the olive branch that Franco had held out after over thirty years. Dominic hadn’t been that forgiving and to this day he had come face-to-face with the man who was his grandfather only twice. The most recent time was the day Franco had flown in from Paris and had shown up at Dominic’s parents’ home in Los Angeles after getting word that his only son—the one he had years ago disowned—had a life-threatening illness. Luckily, Marcello’s condition hadn’t been as bad as all that, but it had reunited father and son. Marcello was of the mind that too much hurt and pain had passed and as long as Franco finally accepted his marriage, all was well. Before he had left to return to France, Franco had given his blessings to the marriage.

Dominic frowned. As far as he was concerned it had come years too late and he had told the old man as much. But it seemed Dominic’s words had fallen on deaf ears since Franco had refused to give up, determined to forge a bond with his only grandchild. Dominic had repeatedly turned down his grandfather’s attempts. A part of him could not put aside the deep animosity he felt and move on.

Before taking a shower he had touched base with his kitchen staff. Dinner would be served here in his suite, which was a first for him. He rarely brought company to his hotel room, but given the topic of his and Taylor’s conversation, it was important that whatever was discussed was done in private.

Hours later, after getting dressed, he paused to think about everything he knew about Taylor.

He knew from past conversations with her that her mother was still alive but that her father had died years back of lung cancer. He also knew she had two sisters and she was the middle child. And he was well aware that her family owned a multimillion-dollar business, The Steele Corporation, where she had a seat on the board of directors. He knew Chance Steele, her cousin, who was the CEO of the company. They had met years ago at a business conference and Dominic found him to be a very likable person.

Dominic also was acquainted with Cameron Cody, the man her oldest sister would be marrying. They moved in the same social circles and had even been involved in a highly successful business venture a few years back. When it came to business Cody was sharp as a tack.

Dominic wondered if Taylor’s family was aware of how she intended to branch into motherhood. She wanted a baby, but not a husband. All things considered, he could certainly entertain the thought of having a baby without a wife. However, before he agreed to Taylor’s proposal there were a number of things he had to think about, questions he needed answered.

On the flip side, he definitely had no qualms about accepting her proposal. He was attracted to her and had been from the first. Making a baby with her would definitely give him the excuse he needed to cross over the line of business only. The thought of having Taylor in bed beneath him while making love to her had kept him aroused all day.

The phone rang and he was jerked out of his thoughts. He quickly moved across the room to pick it up. “Yes?”

“Your guest has arrived, sir. Do you want me to escort her up?”

“No, I’ll be down to meet her myself.”

He hung up the phone feeling, oddly, a bit nervous.

* * *

Taylor glanced around thinking that this was the first time she had been in a Saxon Hotel. It was big and spacious with an understated degree of refined elegance. It was definitely a five-star that was replete with a luxurious-looking grand interior and a uniformed staff on duty to satisfy a client’s every whim. A person could definitely get swept away with such grace and style.

“Mr. Saxon will be coming down for you, Ms. Steele.”

Taylor glanced at the uniformed man who had spoken. He was the same one who had picked her up from her condo and now stood solidly beside her. “He is?”

“Yes.”

She figured once inside the hotel she would be on her own. Apparently not. It appeared Dominic had other ideas. When he had invited her to dinner she’d known they would be dining in his suite. He hadn’t said as much but she had assumed it. He was a private person and the majority of the time when they had dinner meetings he always made it a habit to suggest a private room. It wasn’t uncommon for him to cause a stir, especially among the media who enjoyed writing about the wealthy Saxon heir.

“Here is Mr. Saxon now.”

Taylor glanced in the direction of the elevators and caught sight of Dominic walking toward them. She had prepared herself to see him again. Or so she thought. The man was so extraordinarily sexy, so ridiculously sensual that her entire body began responding. As he crossed the wide stretch of lobby toward her, people, mainly women, stopped to stare.

She suddenly felt her heart take a nosedive into her stomach. He was wearing a tailored suit and blue shirt that fit him with precision and even at a distance she could detect his calm restraint. She was about to look away and place her focus elsewhere, when his gaze suddenly snagged hers. His penetrating stare was doing things to her, forcing her to embark on one hell of a fantastic voyage. Heat rushed through her, zinged her with a force she hadn’t felt before. The man had enough sex appeal to bottle for future generations.

Damn. Definitely not what she wanted to be up against tonight. How was she going to get through a meal with him when already she felt trapped in his gaze? All right, I can handle this. I can handle him. Those words flowed through her mind as he got closer. With a half smile she expelled another breath and forced back the thought that suddenly entered her mind about just how great it would be to share a hotel room with him, a bed, the same intimate space. Hot sex. Heated Sex. Never-ending Sex. And all for a full week. With her lips barely moving, she released a soft laugh. There would be little time for chitchat.

That thought put every nerve ending in her body on red alert. But she refused to give anything away. So she stood there waiting, looking more poised than she actually felt. She was here for a good reason and knowing that reason gave strength to her resolve. It would be pointless to fight off the sexual heat the man generated but she wished she wasn’t so aware of him. She would have appreciated it if he didn’t make such a powerful impact on her vital signs and wasn’t oozing such raw physical force.

And more than anything, she wished he didn’t look like all the millions he was actually worth. Boy, how she wished.

When he finally came to a stop in front of her, and she saw the beauty of his green eyes as he gazed into her dark ones, she had never wished for anything so much in her life.

* * *

The first thing that had hit Dominic, even before he’d reached Taylor, was her scent. He had to compliment whatever perfume she was wearing. It was both soft and sensuous and had a punch that could drive a man to distraction. But then he had been blown away the moment he had stepped off the elevator and had seen her standing with Ryder. She looked delicate beside the huge hulk of man. Above all, she looked stunning.

The dress she was wearing definitely brought out her sensual side. Thanks to his mother he knew enough about fashion to realize that not every woman would be able to pull off wearing an outfit such as this. You had to have the small waistline, curves and legs to make it happen, otherwise it would be a total waste of good fabric. Taylor had the small waistline, the curves and the legs. Another added bonus was that she also had the breasts, since the square-neck bodice emphasized them. Yes, altogether he would give the outfit an A-plus.

Even now as he stared at her, with her head tilted and meeting his intense gaze, he was fighting for control. He had always admired Taylor for her intelligence, her investment savvy, but now he was about to bestow on her accolades for her ability to take him on at a personal level. He was beginning to discover that she was one irresistible force.

“Dominic.”

His name on her lips seemed to warm his skin. He even felt his insides beginning to melt. He figured he needed to get her up to his hotel room before his sexual response to her became too obvious. “Taylor, I hope you had a pleasant ride coming here.”

She smiled as she glanced over at Ryder. “Um, it was rather interesting.”

Only someone who knew Ryder Sanders as well as Dominic was aware of the man fighting the urge to smile back. Evidently his driver had broken several speed limits.

Years ago, when at the age of fourteen, a kidnapping attempt had been made on Dominic, Franco Saxon, in one of his rare but manipulative moves had sent Ryder. Marcello had been too distraught at the thought of someone trying to use his son in a ransom scheme to send Ryder back. By the time Dominic had learned of his grandfather’s gesture, Ryder had become not only his bodyguard, driver and traveling companion, but the now fifty-something man had become his good friend. Dominic moved around freely knowing that Ryder had his back.

“Interesting?” Dominic said. “I’m sure it was. Are you ready to go up to my suite for dinner?”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

The sound of her voice stoked the fires within him once again. There was a whole world of difference between the Taylor he met each month to discuss his financial portfolio and the one standing in front of him looking good enough to devour. All of a sudden the menu that he’d carefully selected lost its appeal and he was developing a taste for something else altogether. Something that was just as succulent.

He gestured toward the bank of elevators. “There’s a private one that goes up to the floor where the owner suites are located.”

She began walking beside him across the lobby floor. He saw several heads turn and knew everyone was probably thinking they made a beautiful couple. Little did they know that during the course of the next few hours they would be encased in his hotel room discussing whether or not they should make a beautiful baby together.

His heart began to thunder in his chest. He had a feeling it would be a long and tempting evening.

* * *

This had to be the longest elevator ride that she’d ever taken, Taylor thought as she tried looking at everything other than Dominic. He was standing beside her and she felt tension grip her stomach.

She didn’t feel like engaging in a nice conversation just to pass the time. Although she and Dominic had spent many hours together poring over his financial portfolio, their meeting tonight would be altogether different. She was now a woman with a plan. And it was a plan that she hoped he would go along with.

“I should have asked before commissioning the cook to come up with something special for dinner tonight if you’re allergic to anything.”

She glanced up at him. “No, there’s nothing I can think of that doesn’t agree with my system.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

She met his eyes. They were staring deep into hers.

“And don’t be surprised if we see my parents at some point tonight.”

She arched a brow. “Your parents?”

“Yes. They’re here at the hotel. They flew in from California and are on their way out of the country.”

She nodded. “I’ve seen pictures of them together in various magazines. They make a nice couple,” she said, meaning every word. Marcello Saxon was an extremely handsome man with his classic French looks. And Dominic’s mom was a beauty, who didn’t look a day past forty. In a rare photo that Dominic and his parents had taken together that had appeared in People magazine earlier this year, Megan Saxon looked young enough to have passed for his sister.

“Thanks, and I agree. They do make a nice couple. I am fortunate to have them as parents.”

The elevator came to a stop and the doors swooshed open. Dominic stood back for her to walk out ahead of him and then he was there again, by her side, leading the way down an elegantly carpeted hall toward a set of double doors at the end.

They came to a stop at the doors. “The kitchen staff was arriving when I was leaving so everything should be set up now,” he was saying. “We can discuss things over dinner and, if need be, converse further afterward.”

As she stared into his green eyes she suddenly felt a heated rush, a swamp of sensations of the strongest kind. It was nothing more than a business meeting over dinner, yet she had to get Dominic to see how useful they could be to each other, how together they could bring something or rather someone special into each of their lives.

As he opened the door to his penthouse she knew she was about to have her one shot at it and she didn’t intend to blow it.

* * *

“So, Taylor, when did you come up with the idea of wanting me to father your child?”

Dominic watched as she took a deep breath before raising her eyes from her plate to look at him. He had caught her off guard. She hadn’t been expecting his question, especially not now. They were in the midst of enjoying a delicious and impressive entrée the hotel’s restaurant had prepared and had been discussing a recent documentary that had aired on television that focused on the plight of finback whales. He had discovered a while back that they were both lovers of sea life.

She put her fork down beside her plate. “I made the decision once I knew I wanted to move ahead with my plans to become a mother.”

He lifted his hand in the briefest gesture before asking, “And? What were your other options?”

“I had several,” she said, leaning back in her chair. Anyone observing would assume she was rather comfortable with their conversation, but he had a feeling she really wasn’t.

“I could have contacted a sperm bank where the identity of my child’s father would never be known by me or by him or her. Or I could have engaged in a one-night stand for the sole purpose of getting pregnant. Neither appealed to me.”

“But I did.”

“Yes, you did,” she answered in what he thought was a polite tone. “You had all the characteristics I looked for in a man and those I want to pass on to my son or daughter, as well.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment and then, “And you were sure I wanted a child?”

“Yes, after the night of the Christmas party, I was sure. Although there was the question of whether you would be interested in doing what I was proposing. For all I know you might already have a woman selected as the mother of your child.”

He took a sip of his wine, thinking that he didn’t. In fact he had pretty much dropped the thought from his mind. He figured that there were a number of women who would love the opportunity to mother his child—most of them were gold diggers and would use the child to keep a tight rein on him and his finances.

“If I decide to go along with what you’re proposing I know what I’ll be bringing to the table, Taylor. What will you bring?”

Again his question had caught her off guard. He knew what she would bring to the bedroom—that was a given. Sitting across from her, inhaling her scent while visions of all the things they would be doing together on that island ran through his mind was playing havoc with certain body parts. She was fully dressed now, but he could see her naked while he made love to her, day in and day out. She was temptation at its finest and the thought that he wouldn’t have to resist temptation for an entire week had his body throbbing.

“I’ll bring to the table the assurance that your child will be loved and well cared for. I consider myself intelligent, motivated and financially secure.”

“What about custody?” he asked.

She frowned slightly. “I’m open to joint custody.”

“So you won’t have a problem with me being a part of my child’s life?”

She shook her head. “No. I’m not one of those women who believes a child doesn’t need a male presence in its life. I have four male cousins who I’m close to, but still, I’d want my child’s father to be a part of its life if possible.”

Dominic absorbed her words while his gaze settled impassively on his wineglass. He then lifted his gaze to her. “And just what will our relationship be? After our visit to that island?”

“If I get pregnant…” She paused then corrected the sentence by saying, “After I get pregnant, then our relationship will become that of expectant parents and not lovers. The job at that point would have been done. Of course, I’m hoping that I will continue to be your wealth and asset manager.”

He thought she didn’t have to worry about that unless the island rendezvous turned into an absolute fiasco. He was one who normally didn’t mix business with pleasure, yet if he agreed to her proposal he would be doing just that. But she was right. He had on several occasions entertained the thought of having a child without having to deal with a wife. Since his wife’s death he’d dated but hadn’t yet met a woman he wanted to share his name again.

He and Camry had been childhood sweethearts, their parents the best of friends. It had seemed natural for them to eventually marry. In a way they had been best friends instead of two people who were deeply in love with each other. They’d shared a close relationship. He could talk to Camry about anything and she had understood him better than anyone. She had been his confidante as well as his wife. He doubted he would find such closeness with another woman. And to be honest, he wasn’t interested in doing so ever again.

“You seem certain that you will get pregnant,” he said, inwardly smiling to himself and thinking he was just as certain she would get pregnant. He wanted her and as far as he was concerned that said it all. Heat had been running through every part of his body since she had arrived. It wasn’t easy now sharing table space with her.

“I don’t have any reason to think that I won’t, given the planned agenda,” she said. “I’ve been under a doctor’s supervision for the past three months. I’ve been tracking my basal body temperature, which will help me to pinpoint the best time to conceive and that’s the week I want us on that island.”

“In that case why go to the island? Why not stay here?”

“I prefer the island. It will provide a more relaxed environment.”

He had to agree with that. “And you have no problem sleeping with me for no other reason than to make a baby?”

He watched her lips curve into an assured smile. “No, I don’t have a problem with it.” She fell silent for a moment then asked, “Do you?”

He thought about her question. He would be breaking rules he’d put in place for specific reasons, rules he’d always enforced when it came to his business relationships. When it came to women, period. Although he was not suspicious regarding her motives for what she wanted to do, he still wasn’t a hundred percent certain it was what he wanted to do.

“What if we aren’t compatible, Taylor?”

“Excuse me?”

His mouth formed into a smile. Apparently she found the idea absurd. “I said what if we aren’t compatible? How do we know we’re even attracted to each other? That we’ll be able to click?”

She chuckled softly. “Trust me. We’ll be able to click.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I do.”

“Prove it.”

One of the first things he had discovered about Taylor was that she liked challenges, which was one of the reasons she was successful at what she did. However, he could tell from her present expression that proving what he’d suggested was the last thing she wanted to do. Still, not one to forgo an opportunity to prove him wrong, she released a long, slow breath as she stood. He then watched as she walked around the table until she came to a stop beside him. Reaching out, she touched his hand and the impact of that touch for some reason almost took his breath away. He then tossed his napkin aside, slid his chair back and got to his feet to face her.

“Not that I’m an expert on sexual chemistry or anything,” she said in a low, sultry tone. “But I think this will eliminate any doubt in your mind on whether or not we will click.”

She reached up on tiptoe, placed her arms around his neck and brought her mouth to his. His heart pounded hard in his chest the moment their lips touched. And when their tongues began mating with an intensity that shook every nerve in his body, he had to fight the urge to break the connection for fear of losing control. At that moment he wasn’t aware of anything but the feel of his tongue stroking hers, the feel of hers stroking his, the rush of sensations flooding and overpowering him. He was also aware of the fire stirring in his loins and of the way his body was beginning to ache.

When she slowly pulled back, their lips reluctantly separating, he felt a tremendous sense of loss. “So,” she said slowly, dragging the word out softly as she eased away from his lips. “Did we click?”

He struggled to free his mind, as well as the tight squeeze on certain body parts as he studied her. He saw her lips that had been thoroughly kissed, lips that had to be the sweetest pair that he’d ever tasted, sampled, devoured. His response to her was as potent as any intoxicating drink he’d ever taken. And from the heated look in her eyes, she was just as affected by the kiss as he was.

“Yes,” he finally said, pulling in a deep, hot breath. “I can say with all certainty that we click.”