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 circumstances 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 asset 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?”
“No. They have purely romantic minds and won’t understand how we can do such a thing without being in love, so the less they know the better.”
He sighed knowing in a few moments the elevator would be back down in the lobby. He turned to her. “Are you sure this is what you want, Taylor?”
Now he was giving her the chance to reconsider all they had agreed to this evening.
“Yes, I’m sure. I want a baby.”
“In that case,” he said slowly, “I’m going to try my best to give you one. To give us one,” he clarified.
Unable to resist, he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. It was a lot tamer than the lip-locker, tongue-thrasher of earlier, but he still managed to feel blood sizzle through his veins. Kissing her was definitely increasing his sex drive, arousing everything male within. Considering the number of beautiful women who routinely crossed his path, he found it strange that he would want her so intensely.
The elevator door opened and he saw Ryder across the lobby, standing and talking with one of the hotel workers. The older man caught his gaze and nodded. Dominic returned his eyes to Taylor. “This is where I must bid you good-night,” he said, trying to sound normal when he felt anything but. “Have a safe trip to Charlotte and I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”
He tried not focusing on her lips. They were lips he wanted to kiss again and was grateful when Ryder appeared. “Make sure she gets home safely,” he said.
“Sure thing.”
Not able to fight temptation and not caring that they weren’t alone—besides Ryder there were a number of people mingling around in the lobby—he leaned over and kissed her lips once more. The moment he did so, tingles of awareness shot through him. The thought that suddenly jackknifed through his mind was how was he going to spend a week with her on some exotic island and maintain his control? The answer came to him just as quickly.
He wouldn’t have to.
* * *
Elated beyond belief, Taylor bid the driver good-night and walked toward her front door. She glanced over her shoulder. Ryder had not moved and was still stationed by the car. Dominic had instructed the man not to leave until he saw that she was safely inside her home and Ryder was definitely following orders.
After unlocking her door she opened it and went inside. After scanning the room, she quickly moved to the windows and flipped the blinds, letting him know she was okay. It was only then that he got inside the sedan and drove off.
She checked her watch. It was almost ten. To Taylor it was still fairly early, but someone like Vanessa, who was known to retire early, would normally have been in bed by now. But Taylor knew she’d want to hear this—she had news worth sharing. She picked up the phone to begin dialing. After she talked to Vanessa she would call Cheyenne, who was doing a photo shoot somewhere in China. The three of them would be together this coming weekend in Charlotte when they got fitted for their bridesmaids’ dresses.
“Hello.”
Taylor raised a brow. It was a man’s voice. Cameron’s.
“Yes, Cameron, how are you? Is Vanessa asleep?”
She heard his smooth chuckle. “No, she’s awake. Hold on a second.”
Taylor really liked Cameron and, unlike Vanessa, she had from the first. It hadn’t bothered her in the least that at one time he’d tried taking over her family company. She hadn’t taken it personally as Vanessa had. Increasing a person’s wealth was Taylor’s business and she couldn’t help but admire anyone who wanted to increase their riches.
“Taylor, what happened?”
Taylor rolled her eyes. “What makes you think something happened?”
“Ha! Cut the act, Taylor. We both know what was supposed to go down tonight. So give up the details!”
“Details? Why did Cameron answer your phone? Isn’t it kind of late for him to be visiting?” Taylor asked, grinning.
“Nope. In fact he’s staying the night. And unless I change the locks he’ll stay the week. He likes keeping me in his sights and I like having him around.”
Taylor could hear the smile in Vanessa’s voice. Her sister was happy and she was happy for her. In fact she was happy for herself, as well, which was the reason she had called.
“So don’t change the subject. Tell me everything.”
“Can we talk now or am I taking you away from something?”
“I can talk. Cameron just got in the shower,” Vanessa said.
“He’s agreed to do it.”
“Dominic Saxon agreed to get you pregnant?”
She could hear the excitement in Vanessa’s voice. “Yes.”
“So I’m going to be an aunt?”
Taylor smiled. “More than likely. There’s no reason to think we won’t click.” Especially after tonight, she thought, remembering how Dominic had to be assured that they would.
“When you come home this weekend, we’re going to have to celebrate.”
Biting down on her lip, Taylor fought to control her happiness and discovered that she couldn’t. Both of her sisters knew how much she