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,
