"Fine, then suit yourself."
Instead of giving Ryder a response, Dominic decided to look over the papers he needed to review for a business meeting he was having in England later this week. His father was relinquishing more and more of the hotel duties to him. He didn"t mind combining his father"s ent.i.ties with his, especially now since there would be someone they would eventually leave all their wealth, too-the Saxon heir.
It didn"t take long for him to admit he was finding it hard to concentrate and tossed the papers aside. Ryder was right. He was antsy but he would never admit it. Ryder seemed to know too much as it was. But then, even as a teenager he hadn"t been able to pull anything over on the man.
"So, Nick, when is the wedding?"
Now, Dominic thought, Ryder was trying to be a smart-a.s.s. "There won"t be a wedding and you know it. I"ve been married once."
"Yes, but Camry is gone. Besides, the two of you lacked pa.s.sion."
Dominic glared at the back of the man"s head. "And how would you know?"
"I have eyes. You and Camry were best friends more than anything else. You understood her whereas her parents never did."
That much was true, Dominic thought. The reason he had decided to marry her was to protect her from them. They had expected perfection and she had tried telling them time and time again that she was only human but they wouldn"t listen. "Camry meant everything to me, Ryder."
"Yes, like I said, she was your best friend."
Dominic"s eyes went cold. "She was my wife." Ryder didn"t say anything and Dominic was grateful for the man"s silence.
It was short-lived.
"That baby is going to need a father, Nick."
Dominic didn"t have to ask what baby he was talking about. "He or she is going to have a father."
"Yes, a part-time one. Marcello was a full-time father to you. How can you cheat your own child out of having what you had?"
Before Dominic could give Ryder a blazing retort, Ryder quickly said, "We"re here. I"m going to let you out at the curb so you can be there when Ms. Steele walks off the plane since I believe that"s what you want."
Dominic wouldn"t argue with him about that, because that was what he wanted.
Taylor saw Dominic the minute she walked through the gate. He was standing there, tall and as handsome as any man had a right to be.
And he was waiting for her.
A shiver went up her spine when at that moment she realized the s.e.xual chemistry between them was still there, even in the crowded airport. She continued walking toward him and he moved toward her. The moment they were standing in front of each other, as if it had been months since he had seen her last instead of mere weeks, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, deeply, soundly.
Moments later, knowing they were probably causing a scene, he pulled back and took her hand in his. "Come on, let"s get out of here," he said gruffly.
It didn"t take long for them to claim her luggage. Ryder was there with the car waiting for them the moment they stepped outside the terminal. Once Dominic had her settled in the backseat with him, ignoring Ryder, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her again, long and leisurely.
When he finally released her mouth he whispered against her moist lips, "Come to the hotel with me and let me fix you breakfast."
She took a deep breath. "You"re cooking?"
He smiled. "Yes."
"Then there"s no way I"ll turn you down."
He gave her a soft chuckle. "I was hoping you would say that."
It was late afternoon before Taylor finally entered her apartment. After Dominic had prepared breakfast-and he"d done a good job of it, she would have to admit-they took a walk around the grounds of the hotel, which eventually led to Rock Creek Park. It was a beautiful day for a walk and she couldn"t get over just how attentive Dominic had been to her. His parents called and when he mentioned she was there, they wanted to talk to her. They were overjoyed at the thought of having a grandchild and couldn"t wait to meet her. Dominic promised to fly her out to L.A. when she was free to do so.
When they returned to his suite at the hotel, they had showered together and made love. Instead of staying in bed the rest of the day as she"d figured they would do, they had dressed and gone downstairs for brunch. Then he had taken her to the recreation room for a game of pool. He was surprised she knew how to play, and she had explained that she thanked her four cousins for acquiring such a skill. She had truly had fun, although he had beaten her each and every time.
They had returned to his suite and had made love again before he had brought her home. He had walked her to the door, promised to call once he arrived in London tomorrow, kissed her and then had left after seeing that she was safely inside.
Too tired to unpack her clothes, Taylor cuddled on the sofa and thought about her day with Dominic. Although neither had officially declared it to be so, they were lovers. They were doing all the things that lovers did.
She shook her head. This part of their relationship had not been planned. It just happened. Their week together on the island had done more than create a baby, it had created an unquenchable hunger for each other. She couldn"t help wondering-when would the intense craving come to an end? When would he decide that he wanted another flavor of the month and move on?
She knew that because of the baby her life would always be connected to his in some way. But she also knew that she needed to prepare herself for the time when he would tell her he was no longer interested in her. In her job she was a risk taker, and one thing a risk taker knew was those risks to walk away from. She could not let Dominic break her heart, and unless she did something that was just where she was headed.
She had never been a needy person and she wasn"t going to start being one now. She"d known when she had proposed the idea to Dominic that she would be sailing solo and nothing had changed. Time away from Dominic was what she needed. It was better if she got out of the situation now, on her own, before he forced her out.
With a heavy heart and a made-up mind, she pulled herself off the sofa and headed toward the bedroom to get ready for bed.
"Ms. Steele, Mr. Saxon is here to see you."
Taylor frowned. That couldn"t be. Dominic had called her that morning from England and said he would be in business meetings all day. There was no way he could be back in the States.
"Mr. Saxon?" she asked, making sure she"d heard her secretary correctly.
"Yes. Mr. Franco Saxon."
Franco Saxon? Taylor pondered the name around in her mind. The only Franco Saxon she knew-or rather had heard of-was the wealthy Frenchman who"d made his millions through his shipping company. Could he be one and the same and why was he coming to see her? Taylor pondered the name around in her mind. The only Franco Saxon she knew-or rather had heard of-was the wealthy Frenchman who"d made his millions through his shipping company. Could he be one and the same and why was he coming to see her?
"Ms. Steele?"
"Oh, yes. Please send him in."
Never in a thousand years would Taylor be prepared for the sharply dressed, gray-haired older man who walked into her office. He had such charisma and style that she immediately recognized him as someone who had to be related to Dominic. But then there were the features, so like Dominic"s it was amazing. It was as if she was staring into the face of a much older Dominic. The man was tall and very handsome. It was evident the man was related to Dominic but in what capacity? Although she had yet to meet Dominic"s father, she had seen pictures of him in magazines and he wasn"t as old as this guy. Was this an uncle perhaps?
"Madam Steele, thank you for seeing me," he said with a deep French accent as he crossed the room to her. He leaned over and placed a kiss on the back of her hand.
"You"re welcome," she said, thinking whoever he was, he was a true Frenchman.
When he straightened, a smile touched the corners of his lips. "You seem in a quandary as to who I am."
"Yes," Taylor said, studying the man"s features. She would put his age in his early seventies. "It"s obvious you"re related to Dominic."
She saw a sudden shadow that crossed the man"s green eyes, eyes that were so much like Dominic"s it was uncanny. "Yes, I am related to Dominic," he said in a somewhat soft voice that dampened the smile he wore. "I am Franco Marcello Saxon, the grandfather Dominic refuses to acknowledge that he has."
Chapter 12.
At first Taylor could have sworn she had heard the older man wrong, but a part of her knew deep down she"d heard him right. There was no doubt in her mind that the man standing before her was Dominic"s grandfather, and since Dominic had denied having any living grandparents, she could only wonder why he refused to acknowledge the man"s very existence.
"B-but why would Dominic do such a thing?" she asked, knowing the man would be able to provide her with an answer.
"It"s a long story, one you have a right to know."
She wondered how he figured that. He evidently saw the question in her eyes and said, "Because you are the woman who will give birth to my great-grandchild and more than anything, I want to be a part of its life."
Taylor wondered how he knew about the baby. Again, as if he"d known what she was thinking, he said, "My son and daughter-in-law were excited about the news and were happy to share it with me."
Taylor nodded. If that was the case, that meant he and Dominic"s parents were on speaking terms. If they were then why not Dominic?
"I know you have a lot of questions, Madam Steele, and I would be honored if you joined me for dinner so I can explain things to you."
"Dinner?"
"Yes."
Taylor thought about the invitation. Regardless of whether or not he was on good terms with his grandfather, Dominic should have mentioned the man"s existence to her. No matter what degree of discord subsisted between the two men, the one standing before was her baby"s great-grandfather. So, she made a decision. "Yes, I would love to join you for dinner."
As soon as they entered the Marcinelli Restaurant, Taylor could tell the man by her side was used to dining in elegance. She glanced up at the vaulted ceilings with intricate carvings and bordered by richlooking marble that seemed to blend into the stone walls. The s.p.a.cious interior provided an air of sophistication and style, and the floor-to-ceiling windows and handmade pottery that sat on each table promised ambience as cla.s.sy as the food the restaurant served.
They were led to a private room in the back of the restaurant and she was just as impressed with the furnishings and decor. The window looked out into a ma.s.sive garden. Taylor was never one to appreciate a lot of greenery but she did so now.
Once they had been seated and their choice of wine ordered, Franco Saxon glanced over at her and smiled. "I"m glad you are joining me, Taylor. It means a lot."
She believed him, just as she believed him earlier, during the drive over, when he"d said that no matter how Dominic felt about him, he loved his grandson.
"And I appreciate the invitation to join you."
They began talking about everything but Dominic for the first half hour while waiting for their food to arrive. He told her that his health hadn"t been the best lately, but he was getting better and that his travels to the United States were infrequent. She discovered his love of cla.s.sical music as well as his opposition to anything that restricted world trade. That was understandable considering he had made his millions in the import and export business.
"I can see why my grandson has fallen in love with you, Taylor."
Taylor froze with the gla.s.s of apple juice halfway to her lips. She wasn"t sure what to say, since she didn"t have a clue just what Dominic had told his parents about her. So to play it safe, she said something she knew wasn"t a lie. "And I love Dominic just as deeply."
She leaned back in her chair. "So, please, share with me why there is animosity between you and Dominic."
Over dinner she listened while he told her with deep regret and sorrow in his voice how he tried to control his son"s life by choosing the woman for him to marry-a woman who would increase the Saxons" wealth when the two families joined. Instead, while attending school here in the States, Marcello met and fell in love with Megan. Franco had opposed the marriage, threatened to disown his son if he didn"t do what he wanted. In the end, Marcello chose love.
For the next twenty years Marcello and his father had very little contact. Franco explained that they were both stubborn men, but that within the last three years he and Marcello had put the past behind them. However, Dominic refused to do so. He just couldn"t get over the fact that Franco had turned his back on Marcello for marrying his mother.
Franco admitted he had been wrong and that he had made a grave mistake, especially upon seeing how happy Marcello was. And he totally liked Megan and couldn"t imagine any woman more right for his son. If he had it to do all over again, he would give his blessings to the couple in a heartbeat. But he hadn"t and not doing so had eventually lost him his grandson"s love.
"Have you tried talking to Dominic?" Taylor couldn"t help but ask.
"Yes, but he refuses to discuss anything with me. Dominic refuses to acknowledge my very existence. And that"s why I wanted to talk to you. I hope that you will find it in your heart to allow me to be a part of my great-grandchild"s life. I hope you won"t deny me that."
Taylor shook her head. "Of course I won"t, and I can"t see Dominic denying it, either."
"Forgive me for saying so, but I can see him denying it. Like I said, I am not one of my grandson"s favorite people, but I love him and will do anything I can for him."
"And now that Dominic sees how his parents have forgiven you, that doesn"t change his feelings about you?"
"No. It seems he has more stubbornness than me and his father put together. And he is fiercely loyal to those he loves and he loves his parents deeply. He knows how much I"ve hurt them and won"t forgive me for doing so."
The older man paused for a second and then he said, "Dominic refuses to acknowledge his place as my rightful heir, but I"m naming him in my business papers anyway. However, I want to meet with my attorney and make provisions for my great-grandchild to be included, as well, but wanted to meet with you to make sure you are fine with that."
Taylor stared at him. Being a wealth and a.s.set manager, she had a pretty good idea just how wealthy Franco Saxon was, and he was sitting there letting her know that he was thinking of her child and his place in its life. "Yes, I"m fine with it. In fact, your generosity overwhelms me and I don"t know what to say."
"Say that as long as I have breath in my body that I will be a part of my great-grandchild"s life. I messed up with my grandson but I don"t want to mess up with my great-grandchild."
Taylor heard the trembling in the man"s voice. He truly did love Dominic and was sorry for what he"d done all those years ago. Why couldn"t Dominic see that? She reached across the table and took the man"s hand into hers. "I make you that promise. You are the only great-grandparent my child will have and I am honored that you will be-want to be-a part of his or her life."
She could tell her words had touched Franco, and he quickly glanced away so she wouldn"t see the tears in his eyes. Moments later, he looked back at her and said in a soft, appreciative voice, "Thank you, Taylor. You have brought joy to an old man"s heart."
Later that night as Taylor slid under her bedcovers she couldn"t help but recall her dinner conversations with Franco. He was a proud man, yet he had humbled himself and admitted to the mistakes he"d made years ago by alienating his son and grandson. She had made Franco a promise tonight, one she intended to keep. Besides, she liked him. He indicated he would be leaving D.C. in the morning but had given her his business card and had invited her to come visit him in France. Before they had parted ways she had made another promise to him that she would.
She almost jumped when her phone rang. She hadn"t been sure Dominic would call and hoped it was him. She wouldn"t mention anything about her dinner meeting with his grandfather until she saw him. She wanted to be face-to-face with him when she did so. For now, she just wanted to hear his voice.
She leaned up and reached over and picked up her cell phone off the nightstand. "h.e.l.lo."
"Did I wake you?"
She smiled. "No, I"m in bed but I hadn"t gone to sleep yet. Are you still in London?"