Irresistible Forces. Brenda Jackson

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      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.

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