Dear Reader,

We hope you enjoy Irresistible Forces, written by New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson.

Harlequin Kimani Romance first launched in July 2006 and quickly established itself as a premier destination for readers who love sexy, driven, supremely irresistible heroes, alongside independent, realistic heroines. Each month you’ll find four books that are highly romantic, sensuous and innovative. All this and much, much more from the only series in the marketplace exclusively devoted to African-American romance.

Are you a fan of supersexy high drama and high emotion? Or are you the love-me-tender kind of girl? No matter—Kimani Romance is the series for you! We’ve got talented authors and sophisticated romance…and always a well-written, fulfilling story—from cover to cover.

Happy reading,

The Harlequin Kimani Romance Editors

Irresistible Forces

Brenda Jackson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Epilogue

Chapter 1

A baby.

Taylor Steele’s heart began beating rapidly the way it always did whenever she thought about her most ardent desire. A mixture of relief and anticipation soared through her upon realizing that she was about to embark upon a phase in her life that she had been looking forward to for a long time.

Motherhood.

She leaned back in the chair behind her desk and stared out the window while tapping her fingertips against her bottom lip. For the first time she wasn’t appreciating the view of the Lincoln Memorial. Her thoughts were on something else entirely. She was inwardly counting her blessings.

During this past year she had achieved a number of her goals. First by venturing out and starting up her own wealth and asset management firm, which she named Assets of Steele, and then moving from New York to the nation’s capital and purchasing a beautiful condo with a view of the Potomac River from her bedroom window. That wasn’t at all bad for a twenty-five-year-old woman who’d made the decision after college not to return to her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, and work for her family’s multimillion-dollar manufacturing company. Instead she had set her sights on New York after accepting a position with one of the major banks as a wealth and asset manager.

Now she could turn her attention to the final stage of her plan that she needed in place before making her most sought-after dream a reality. And that was the man she had chosen to father her child without the benefit of marriage. She was even open to joint custody of the child, if he wanted to go that route.

A permanent hookup with someone was not what she wanted, not even a teeny-tiny bit. Nor was she looking for a long-term lover, either. A short-term one could handle the task intended quite nicely. The last thing she wanted was a long-term romantic commitment of any kind.

But she was selective.

She had decided very early in her plans that not just any man would do. It had to be someone with all the qualities she wanted to pass on to her offspring. He had to be handsome, intelligent, caring, healthy and wealthy. Definitely wealthy; after all, wealth was her business. And with those “must-have” qualifications embedded deep in her mind, she could think of only one man who met her criteria.

Dominic Saxon.

She tried ignoring the warmth of sensations that seeped through her veins. Dominic was one of her clients and she had never met a man who radiated so much sensuality. Part African-American and part French, at thirty-four he was the epitome of every woman’s fantasy and a major player in numerous women’s nightly dreams. The sexiness was there in his looks, his body, when he walked, talked or just plain stared at you. He was definitely the most gorgeous man she’d ever encountered. Besides that, she knew from the many charities he was associated with that he was highly intelligent and caring. And although she wasn’t privy to his health records, she had no reason to think he wasn’t in the best of health and could not father a child. The man was as virile as any man could get.

From the very beginning she had been attracted to him and for the past two years it had taken everything she had to keep their relationship strictly business, although he’d never given her the impression he expected anything else. Whenever they met he was always professional and courteous. She knew that he merely saw her as one of his employees and nothing more. He was paying a hefty fee for the services she rendered and her job was to take all the wealth he’d accumulated in his thirty-four years and make him richer, which wasn’t hard since he was an ace at making the most of every financial opportunity.

It was common knowledge that he was the son of a wealthy Frenchman and his beautiful African-American wife, and from the time Dominic was born he’d had the best of everything—schools, social contacts and money, and he’d used all three to his benefit. He rotated residences between the United States and France, although she heard he also owned a beautiful apartment in London, as well as a private island off the French coast of Normandy.

Taylor picked up the brochure that had been sent to her compliments of her youngest sister, Cheyenne. It was meant to be a joke after a conversation the two of them had shared a week ago when she’d told Cheyenne that she wanted a baby, but not a husband.

Cheyenne had sent her the pamphlet that she’d come across in her travels as a professional model that advertised procreation vacations. A week on a Caribbean island, plenty of dirty talk with trained professionals, exotic food and aphrodisiac-laden drinks…and if needed, a week’s supply of Viagra. It was advertised as a dream come true and the Bahamas resort encouraged potential guests to use their facilities for a week of near-constant, mind-blowing sex just for the purpose of making a baby. The packet Cheyenne had sent included several pictures bordering the brochure that could be considered X-rated. But they did a good job of getting their point across.

Compared to the frosty March weather they were experiencing, the island seemed like a really nice place to be right now. She could spend her time resting, relaxing and, of course, making a baby. Now if she could only convince the man she’d chosen to father her child to go along with her plan…

“Ms. Steele, Mr. Saxon has arrived.”

Taylor’s secretary’s voice coming across the intercom interrupted her thoughts, and immediately she took a deep breath when more heady sensations coursed through her. It was time to put her plan into action. “Please escort him in, Mrs. Roberts.”

* * *

Dominic Saxon checked his watch. He had just about an hour to meet with Taylor Steele and then he had an unexpected meeting back at the hotel. He had received a call from his parents saying they were flying into D.C. from California and wanted to meet with him. His father’s voice had sounded urgent but he had refused to say what the meeting was about.

Whenever Dominic made a pit stop in the nation’s capital it was usually to check on the Saxon Hotel, just one of many his family owned in several major cities around the country. Usually Taylor would fly into New York for their meetings, so it came as a surprise when he’d gotten a call asking that he drop by her office on this trip.

She had been assigned as his financial advisor when she had worked for a bank in Manhattan. From the very beginning, the degree of her intelligence when it came to wealth management, as well as her comprehensive view of his personal portfolio, investment goals and financial objectives had amazed him. He was already a successful businessman but together they created a long-term strategy that was increasing his fortune exponentially.

Besides being very knowledgeable on financial affairs, he’d found Taylor to be an extremely beautiful woman. Even now he could recall the desire that had consumed him the first time he’d seen her and because of it, he had concluded the less he saw of his wealth and asset manager the better off he was. He had decided that first day that she was definitely a woman worth taking to his bed—he was one who didn’t believe in mixing business with pleasure, no matter how enticing the thought or deep the craving. Yet the thought had remained lodged in his mind. He would be the first to admit it had been hard as hell to control the urge to take things further. He was used to beautiful women but there was something about Taylor Steele that caused him to think of hot sex every time he was in the same room with her.

Regardless of the iron-clad control he was known for—physically and emotionally—he was definitely a hot-blooded man, which was something he seemed to remember each and every time he breathed Taylor’s scent.

“Ms. Steele is ready to see you, Mr. Saxon. I’ll escort you in.”

He stood and smiled at her secretary, a nice older lady, who seemed more suited to baking cookies for her grandkids than trying to tackle the huge computer sitting in front of her. “Thank you, and I don’t need an escort.”

“Yes, sir.”

He fought for control of both his body and mind as he headed toward the door that had Taylor Steele’s name plate on it.

* * *

Taylor inhaled a deep breath as she stared across the room at the man who walked into her office. He was wearing a black business suit with a white shirt that spelled out his wealth, and at thirty-four his mixed heritage made his looks striking. A sensuous shiver glided down her spine. He was simply gorgeous. His height, tall and imposing at six foot three, was hard to miss. She had seen photographs of him and his mother, a renowned fashion designer, earlier that year in People magazine. Megan Saxon was known for her beauty as well as for her skill and talent with fabrics.

From his mother, Dominic had inherited the shape of his lips, which could only be defined as full and sultry even on a male. He had his father’s startling green eyes, which were a breathtaking contrast to his maple-brown coloring. Then there was the thick, black, curly hair that flowed past his shoulders when he wasn’t wearing it back in a rakish-looking ponytail…as he was now. And last but not at all least were the chiseled jaw, cleft chin and high cheekbones.

As she stared at him, her courage began wavering. Anyone would say she had a lot of nerve to proposition Dominic Saxon to father her child and then expect him to back off. But then anyone who thought she had a lot of nerve would know that in essence she really did. She was known to be gutsy enough to try anything once—as long as it was legal. And there was nothing illegal about making an offer. The only thing he could say was yes or no, and inwardly she crossed her fingers that she would get a yes.

What did she have to lose? A very profitable client was the first response that popped into her mind. Would he still want her to handle his financial affairs after she made such an outlandish request?

“Taylor?”

She let out a relaxed breath with the sound of her name from his lips. She loved his accent, a blend of English and French. More than once during the course of their business meetings he would lapse into French without realizing he’d done so, and would quickly catch himself and revert back to English. She smiled. He hadn’t yet figured out the fact that she also spoke French, not as fluently as he did but enough to get by. In fact she spoke several different languages, thanks to all those classes she’d taken while attending Georgetown. She had prepared herself to tap into the international markets.

“Dominic, I’m glad you were able to meet with me today.” She liked the fact that they were on a first-name basis, a rule he had established the first time he had walked into her office as a new client. She also liked the fact that he had given her an appraisal from head to toe, which meant this new cobalt-blue business suit had made an impression. When she’d purchased it yesterday, she’d hoped that it would.

“No problem, but I do have an important meeting back at the hotel in a few hours, so my time with you will have to be brief,” he informed her, breaking into her thoughts.

“I understand. Please have a seat,” she said, coming from behind her desk.

He took the chair she offered and she sat in the one across from it, thinking it would be better not to sit behind her desk. Although she would be making what she considered a business proposition, she wanted less formality than usual.

“Thanks for seeing me on such short notice.”

“No problem.” What Dominic had said was true. It hadn’t been a problem although he’d been surprised by her request to meet with him. She had moved from New York a few months ago, striking out on her own and leaving the company that had given her a start. Although her former employer had tried making a fuss, it had been Dominic’s decision to follow Taylor, preferring to continue to do business strictly with her.

Today, as usual, she looked good. Because his mother was considered by many to be a fashion goddess, he appreciated anyone, man or woman, who displayed good taste in clothing. He considered himself, as well as his father, a fairly stylish dresser since Megan Saxon wouldn’t have it any other way. He thought Taylor had great taste when it came to selecting her clothes. She was definitely a fashion-minded person who knew not only how to dress for success but also when to dress to impress. And he’d always been impressed each and every time he’d seen her.

And on top of that, she was a very attractive woman. Young, but attractive. Her dark brown hair was cut in a short and sassy style that was perfect for the oval shape of her face and her creamy cocoa-colored complexion. She was tall, leggy, with a curvy figure that enhanced the business suits she liked wearing.

When he’d first met her he’d thought someone at the bank was trying to pull a fast one over on him. There was no way a woman her age could handle the vast extent of his wealth. She had proven him wrong.

“How was your flight into the city?” she asked, reclaiming his thoughts.

“As usual Martin was excellent at the controls,” he said of his private pilot. “It was good flying weather and he made the most of it.”

Taylor nodded, trying not to stare at the way he was sitting in the chair—perfect posture, immaculately groomed and sexy to a fault.

“What kind of business deal have you put together that was so important you wanted us to meet today, Taylor?”

His question pulled her back in, made her aware he was staring at her while waiting for her response. She swallowed. She couldn’t get cold feet now. She was a risk-taker and this would definitely be a risk worth taking.

“This is a business deal but then it’s also sort of personal.”

She watched the lifting of his dark brow before he asked, “Personal? In what way?”

She paused for a second before she said, “I want to make you an offer that really won’t cost you anything.” Just your sperm, she decided not to add.

He tilted his head slightly and gazed at her. “Then what would be the investment on my part?” he asked. “And what will be the return?”

She was not surprised by his questions since the majority of their meetings always addressed investments and returns. “The return is based on something I heard you say that every man should have a right to do.”

“Which is?”

“To father a child.”

He frowned. “I don’t recall ever saying anything like that to you.”

She wouldn’t expect him to remember. “It was last year, during the bank’s Christmas party at Rockefeller Center. You made my boss extremely happy by making an appearance. One of the secretaries had dropped by and brought in her newborn baby for everyone to see. I believe you were speaking to yourself out loud more than making conversation with me.”

His frown deepened as he continued to stare at her. “And just what did I say?”

“You were staring at the baby and said that every man should have a right to father a child and you regretted not having done so yet.”

He nodded and she felt a rush of gratitude that he didn’t deny having said such a thing. She shifted in her chair and met his gaze. “Is that true, Dominic? Is that something you regret not doing? Do you want a child?”

For the first time in their business relationship, she could feel his defense mechanism go up. He had often used it with others but never with her. And a part of her understood his need to use it now. He was a private person and she was asking him some rather personal questions.

“Why are we discussing this, Taylor?” he asked gruffly, narrowing his gaze at her.

Her emotions flinched at the look but she knew despite that, she had to go on. She paused a moment and then said, “We are discussing this because I feel the same way. I think every woman who wants a child should have the chance to mother one. And I want one.”

The glare in his eyes indicated he wasn’t quite following her, was still somewhat confused. “Then why don’t you have one?” he asked flatly.

“I plan to do so…and that’s why I’ve asked you here. It seems the two of us want the same thing and then again we don’t want the same thing. We both want a child, but I’ve read you quoted many times as saying you will never marry again.” She knew his wife had been killed in a car accident four years ago.

“Yes, and I was quoted correctly.”

She nodded. “And getting married is the furthest thing from my mind, as well.”

He leaned forward in his chair, holding her gaze under the penetrating stare of his green eyes. “Let’s cut to the chase, shall we, Taylor. I still don’t follow this business proposition of yours. You’ve established the fact that we both would like a child, but I don’t know where that is leading.”

She stood and picked up the brochure off her desk. “To this,” she said, handing it to him. “You and I. Together. And a week spent on a procreation island in the Caribbean for the sole purpose of making a baby.”

He looked at her as if she’d lost her mind as he accepted the brochure. He moved his gaze from her to the pamphlet. It took him a few moments to read it and then he lifted his head to meet her gaze again. “Aphrodisiac-laden drinks? Constant mind-blowing sex? Are you serious?”

She nodded nervously and grimaced when she heard the incredulity in his voice. Chances were he thought she had really lost it. “Yes,” she replied, knowing she had to somehow convince him that she was still sane. “And I’d like to make you an offer. I want a baby, Dominic. Yours. A baby we will get to share. And to start things off we get to spend a week on that island. Many obstetricians even recommend such trips to couples who might find it difficult to conceive…not that I think we would have any problems. But it would take the tension off some and there is a guarantee of privacy. I’ve considered other options, such as having the procedure done by artificial insemination, however, I chose this route because I want my child conceived the normal way, a way I consider natural, with the two of us making love.”

She inhaled deeply as he continued to stare at her. “Good heavens! Do you know what you’re asking me?” he queried, his voice low and husky.

“Yes, trust me I know,” she said, refusing to look away from the intensity of his stare. “But you are a man I have come to respect and admire and when I thought about a potential father for my child, I couldn’t think of anyone else I would rather have. You have all the qualities that I want.”

Dominic wasn’t quite sure what to say to that, so instead he slowly got to his feet. The nature of this meeting was definitely a surprise to say the least. “There’s no way I can decide on something such as this right this minute. We need to discuss your business proposition further and I suggest we do so tonight over dinner. Let’s say around seven o’clock at the hotel. Is that time okay?”

She swallowed. At least he hadn’t given her a flat-out no. “Yes, that’s fine.”

“Good. I’ll send my driver for you around six-thirty. My secretary will contact you later today for an address.”

“All right.”

He walked toward the door and before reaching it, he turned back around and said, “I’ll see you tonight, Taylor.”

He stared at her for a moment longer and then she watched as he turned and walked out of her office. It was only after he left she realized he had taken the brochure with him.

* * *

The driver opened the door and Dominic slid onto the plush leather seats of the limo. “Where to, Nick?”

“Back to the hotel, Ryder.”

When the car began moving Dominic glanced down at the brochure he still held in his hand as his mind recalled everything Taylor had said. The brochure was proof he hadn’t imagined it. She wanted a baby. His baby. And she wanted them to spend a week on some island in the Caribbean to make it happen. To say he was stunned would be an understatement, but he had heard the sincerity in Taylor’s voice. She was dead serious.

He began reading the piece of literature. If the words didn’t hit him below the gut, the pictures most definitely did. Procreation vacations. Just when he thought he’d heard it all. Evidently not. According to the brochure, it was a growing trend for couples that wanted to conceive. And Taylor Steele wanted to conceive.

If he were totally honest with himself, he would admit that so did he. The thought had crossed his mind several times in the past year, ever since his father’s bout with prostate cancer last year. Thanks to early detection, surgery hadn’t been needed and there were only short-term side effects.

His father’s condition had made Dominic realize two things. His parents weren’t the invincible couple he’d always assumed them to be. And although they both appeared to be in great physical shape, nonetheless, they were aging with each passing day.

Another thing he had come to realize, although they’d never mentioned it, was that his parents longed for a grandchild. He saw it in their eyes each and every time any of their friends talked about their grandchildren. There was no doubt in his mind if Camry had lived they would have had a child or two by now. But she hadn’t lived and for the past four years he had somehow managed to go on, with the beautiful memories they’d shared to sustain him.

His parents had understood that after Camry’s death the thought of ever marrying again was as foreign to him as life on another planet. Without realizing she had done so, Taylor may have provided him with the very solution to a problem that had been bothering him for some time.

He resumed reading the brochure. The success rate of the woman returning from one of these trips pregnant was very high but what intrigued him the most was the mere thought of checking into a resort with Taylor with the sole intent of having a full week of constant sex. He was getting aroused just thinking about it, about the possibility of making all those fantasies he’d tried pushing to the back of his mind about Taylor a reality.

But still, all things considered, he and Taylor would need to discuss the issue more in detail. There were a number of questions he needed answered, such as what joint custody of a child they shared would entail, and why did she think him making her pregnant would not cost him anything? Did she expect him to walk away from any financial obligations he had toward the child?

He settled back in the cushions of the seat thinking he was very much looking forward to his dinner date with Taylor later tonight.

* * *

“Your parents are waiting for you in your suite, Mr. Saxon.”

"Thanks, Harold,” Dominic said to the hotel manager moments before crossing the huge lobby to the bank of elevators that would carry him up to the penthouse. The Saxon Grand was a beautiful hotel and had been the first Saxon Hotel. It was built twenty-five years ago and Dominic was almost certain Harold was hired in some position at that time, which would make him one of Saxon Hotel’s oldest employees. And Harold was good at what he did, based on the customer satisfaction surveys that were periodically done. Customers visiting the area kept coming back knowing they would receive first-class service.

Moments later Dominic walked into his suite unannounced to find his parents in a loving embrace. He was not surprised nor the least embarrassed to see them standing in the middle of the floor sharing a passionate kiss. Despite having been married for thirty-six years, Marcello and Megan were still deeply in love. That was obvious to anyone around them for any length of time. As long as he could remember, his parents were openly affectionate. He’d always known how much they loved each other as well as how much they had unselfishly loved him.

He cleared his throat to let them know of his presence. “Mom and Dad, it’s good seeing you,” he said, and knew he didn’t have to add that it was also good seeing they were still very much in love.

His parents had met when Marcello Saxon had arrived in the United States from France to attend Yale. In his senior year he met the beautiful and vivacious Megan Spectrum and they fell in love immediately. It hadn’t mattered that he was French and she African-American. What had mattered was the love they had for each other. They had gone so far as to defy Marcello’s father, who’d threatened to disown his son—the heir to the Saxon wealth—if a marriage took place. Choosing love over wealth, Marcello had married Megan a year later and good to his word, Franco Saxon had practically disowned his son, had barely spoken to him since and only recently had acknowledged the marriage.

Dominic saw the worried look in his father’s gaze. “What’s wrong, Dad?” His father had recently had his annual checkup and Dominic inwardly prayed there wasn’t bad news in that regard.

Marcello read the concern in his son’s gaze and said, “No, I’m fine. The doctors gave me another clean bill of health after my last checkup. But we did get some news last night that your grandfather has taken ill.”

Dominic stared first at his father and then at his mother. Finally he shrugged nonchalantly as he crossed the room to give his father a bear hug. “Have you forgotten, Father, that I don’t have a grandfather?”

“Nick,” his father said in a frustrating tone, “how can you be so unforgiving?”

Dominic arched a brow. “And how can you be so forgiving? That man refused to accept my mother as your wife, publicly denounced your marriage and you, didn’t speak to you for years, never acknowledged my birth and then out of the clear blue sky last year when he’d heard you had taken ill, he showed up and expected everyone to kiss and make up. Well, I wasn’t in the kissing mood then and I’m not in it now,” he said in an angry tone.

He switched his gaze from his father to smile down at his mother. “Except for this beautiful woman here,” he said, before hugging her close and placing a soft kiss across her cheek. “How are you, Mama?”

Megan Saxon returned her son’s smile before giving him a scolding look. “I’m fine, Nick, and your father is right, you know. You can’t distance your grandfather forever.”

“Would you care to bet on that?”

She frowned. “You’re just like your father. Stubborn.”

A smile touched Dominic’s lips. “Yet you love us anyway.”

Dominic then glanced at the man who’d sired him. The man he loved, admired and respected above all else. The man who had not let his father’s rejection of the woman he loved destroy his determination to make her his wife and to make something out of his life—even without the Saxon wealth behind him. After college Marcello had started from the bottom and with keen intelligence, his father built his own Saxon empire, which consisted of hotels, cruise liners, restaurants, publishing companies and various auto dealerships across the country.

His mother hadn’t done badly, either, he thought with a proud smile. Megan Saxon’s name was known throughout the world and graced the garments of several international celebrities. She had a remarkable reputation for outstanding design and had established her own empire in the world of fashion.

The one thing his parents had taught him, Dominic concluded, was to increase his own wealth and not depend on what he might or might not inherit. And so he had. With their blessings he had carved out his personal legacy and thanks to a sharp wealth asset manager like Taylor, he was doing quite well for himself.

Taylor.

He glanced at his watch. They would be sharing dinner in less than four hours.

“Regardless of what you say or how you feel, Nick, he is still your grandfather.”

Dominic decided not to justify his father’s statement with a response.

“Will you at least think about going to see him, sweetheart?”

That question came from his mother. He glanced down at her. She was five feet, eight inches tall and in a room with her son and husband she looked small and delicate. But he knew the latter was far from the truth. She had to be one of the most headstrong women that he knew, definitely no pushover.

It was on the tip of his tongue to say there was nothing to think about and that under no circumstances did he intend to go see the man, but the last thing he wanted was to upset his mother any further. It bothered her that he disliked his grandfather so much because of the old man’s treatment of her.

“I’ll think about it,” he said, although he knew deep down that he wouldn’t.

“And that’s all we ask you to do, Nick,” his mother said softly. “We’re staying in the suite across the hall tonight and flying to France in the morning.”

He nodded. If they expected him to drop everything and fly to France with them because the old man had taken ill then they were wrong. He leaned over and swept another kiss across his mother’s cheek. “And I hope the two of you have a safe flight.”

He saw the flash of disappointment in her eyes and chose to ignore it. “Now if the two of you will excuse me I have a few things I need to take care of before my date tonight here in my suite.”

His mother’s brow lifted in surprise. “You have a date?”

He smiled. His mother was well aware that he rarely entertained anyone in a place he considered his private domain. “Yes. But don’t waste the excitement. I’m merely meeting with my financial advisor.”

“Oh.”

He chuckled. “The two of you can join us if you like,” he invited, knowing they wouldn’t.

“Your mother and I have other plans,” his father said, smiling and gently pulling Megan out of Dominic’s arms into his and kissing her lips. “We’re having dinner with friends.”

“Okay then. Enjoy yourselves.” And then Dominic’s thoughts immediately went back to Taylor and her outlandish proposition. He glanced at his watch again. He couldn’t wait to see her later.

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.”

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