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 pa.s.s 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 cla.s.sic 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 People magazine earlier this year, Megan Saxon looked young enough to have pa.s.sed for his sister. magazine earlier this year, Megan Saxon looked young enough to have pa.s.sed 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 entree the hotel"s restaurant had prepared and had been discussing a recent doc.u.mentary 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 a.s.sume 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 ident.i.ty 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 pa.s.s 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 a.s.surance 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 impa.s.sively on his winegla.s.s. 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 a.s.set manager." 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 a.s.set 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 s.p.a.ce 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 a.s.sured 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 s.e.xual 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."
Chapter 3.
Taylor stood at the window that had the Jefferson Memorial as a backdrop as she thought about the kiss she and Dominic had shared. Lucky for her a slight reprieve had come when his cell phone rang and he"d excused himself to take the call in private.
She refused to believe that she had bitten off more than she could chew. She had known from the beginning that Dominic was the epitome of a s.e.xy male, a challenge to any woman"s hormones and a ma.s.s of French-American testosterone all rolled into one. At the time she had decided she wanted him as the father of her child, there was no doubt in her mind that she could handle him. What she hadn"t done was take the time to consider all of the consequences.
She traced her lips with her tongue, still tasting him there. She hadn"t counted on not being in control of any situation with him, but if that kiss had lasted any longer than it had, she would have lost control. Completely. She had been kissed before, several times, but she had never considered or remembered the occasions as being the highlight of her life. One kiss was the same as another. Mouths connecting. Lips tasting. Tongues playing.
But what she had shared moments ago with Dominic was all those things and more. She hadn"t counted on the rush of desire that had radiated through every part of her body at the same time that her insides began a slow meltdown under intense heat. She wished she could claim her reaction had been the result of restless energy being tapped or the release of bottled-up s.e.xual tension. What Dominic had done was place an all-out a.s.sault on her senses, each one of them, and it would take her some time to recover from the tingling rush of desire she still felt. It was desire of a magnitude that had never invaded her body before. Even now she could imagine his hands on her, stroking her naked skin, his lips tasting every inch of her willing body and their bodies connecting in the most primitive way known to man. There was no doubt in her mind that when and if they shared a bed they would literally burn up the sheets.
"Sorry about the interruption."
She slowly turned around. He might have been sorry about it, but she had welcomed it. It had given her time to pull herself together or at least try to. "No need to apologize. You"re a businessman who works 24-7." She smiled. "As your a.s.set manager I can certainly appreciate that."
Her eyes roamed over him, liking the way his muscles filled out the suit he was wearing. There were a number of other things she could appreciate at that moment but decided it would be safer not to think about them right now.
When he stood there staring at her without saying anything, she felt a bit cornered, placed under his personal microscope, and she couldn"t help wondering what he was thinking. So she decided to ask. "You seem absorbed in some intense thought, Dominic. What are you thinking?"
A smile stretched his lips as he crossed the room to her. And when he reached out and ran the back of his hand along her cheek, the throbbing between her legs intensified. "I was more envisioning than thinking," he finally said in a deep, husky tone. "I was trying to picture in my mind you pregnant with my child."
Taylor bit her lip. He should have said anything but that. She knew at that moment her fate was sealed. He had made a decision or was close to making one. And although what they would agree to do would be illogical, definitely outlandish to some people, to her it would be absolutely incredible, a dream come true.
"Does that mean you"ve made a decision, Dominic?" she asked in a quiet voice. Her pulse was racing a lot faster than her calm words would indicate.
"Yes. And I just hope it"s what you really want. You would not only be giving me a child, but also my parents their first grandchild. I might as well warn you that it won"t be easy being the mother of the Saxon heir." Dominic"s mouth set in a grim line when he added, "That might be something you need to really consider."
She knew how it was when it came to first grandchildren. Her cousin Chance"s son, Marcus, had been the first for her aunt and uncle and she had been around to experience the hoopla that for years seemed endless. "I would welcome your parents" involvement in our child"s life, and if they get too overbearing I believe that I"d be able to handle them."
When he didn"t say anything for a while and she felt the throb in her body becoming an ache, she asked, "What is your decision, Dominic?" She stared into the intensity of his green eyes, wanting to hear him say it, refusing to a.s.sume anything.
"My decision, Taylor, is to take you to that island, spend a week with you and get you pregnant."
Taylor"s breath caught in her throat. His words had been straightforward. No way for any misunderstanding. He had agreed to what she"d asked for. Confident that he could. He was giving her just what she wanted and she couldn"t hide her happiness. It was there in her smile. She felt overwhelmed. Touched. Totally elated. "Thank you. It"s what I want."
She didn"t miss the look of desire in his eyes when he said in a deep, husky tone, "Me and you both."
Dominic knew it was time for Taylor to leave or else he would be considering things that he should not have-not at this point. Deciding to be the father of her child was enough for now.
"Did you enjoy dinner?" he asked, trying to control the situation.
"Yes."
"Good. It"s getting late. I"ll walk you downstairs for Ryder to take you home," he said, grabbing his jacket off the back of the sofa and slipping into it.
"I"m going home for the weekend," she said casually. He knew home to her was Charlotte, North Carolina.
"If you change your mind about anything while I"m away then-"
"I won"t be changing my mind," he said in an a.s.sured tone as they walked toward the door. "In fact, I"ll give my attorney a call to draw up the necessary papers." At her surprised look he said, "I"m sure you know that I"ll feel better about the situation if we treat it like a legitimate business deal-which it is. That means a binding contract between us that we can agree on."
"Of course."
He glanced over at her. She said the words but to his way of thinking sounded none too pleased. Had she thought he would give her a verbal agreement on anything and not follow it up in writing? Not only would doing so protect him but it would protect her, as well. All he had to do was recall what had happened to his childhood friend Matt Caulder.
Matt had fallen in love and had gotten married a few years back. The woman had been bad news from the first, but love had blinded his friend to that fact. Within months the woman had gotten pregnant and had tried using the child as bargaining power whenever she"d wanted anything. Luckily, Matt had been able to take Rhonda to court and prove he was the better parent.
He couldn"t imagine ever having to take Taylor to court for anything, but still he wanted his rights regarding any child they made together protected.
"I"ll arrange for my attorney to get the papers to you within a week. That will give you time to let your own attorney review them," he said as they walked toward the bank of elevators. "Do you have any idea when we"ll be leaving for the island? There"re a few business matters I"d want to wrap up before then."
"In two weeks. I"m contacting my travel agent tomorrow to set everything into motion. I"m looking at the first week in April. Will that work for you?"
Whether it did or not, he intended to make it work. A week spent on an island with her was worth shifting anything around that needed to be changed. "Yes, it will work."
When they stepped onto the elevator she said, "Sorry I didn"t get to meet your parents."
He nodded. He was sorry, as well. They would like her. "They were meeting friends but I thought that perhaps they would return early. I was wrong. However, considering the circ.u.mstances of our business arrangement, it"s inevitable that you"ll eventually meet them."
He had to continue to think of what they would be doing as a business arrangement and nothing more. He glanced over and caught her staring at him. Her head was tilted in a way that gave the impression she was trying to figure something out. Most likely it was him. Although she had been his a.s.set manager for a couple of years she"d never really seen the personal side of him. Things had always been kept on a strictly business level.
"Will you tell your parents everything?"