“I don’t believe you, Sis. What has gotten into you?”
“You have no cause to lecture me. I did what I had to do. At least one of us has to act like she has good sense,” she snapped.
Taylor pushed her plate away. She was too upset to eat. In fact she knew she was close to breaking down. Taylor was so angry she was shaking. She was not going to let that arrogant jerk change the plans they had made for Scott’s future. What did Donald Williams know about them anyway? Nothing!
It didn’t matter how good-looking he was. He had no business meddling in a private family matter. Why couldn’t Scott see that? Why was he so upset with her? She’d done what she had always done, looked out for her baby brother.
If Donald Williams had just stayed out of it. They would not be arguing like this. This was all his fault! What she could not get over was the sheer gall of the man to try and influence her brother. It was none of his blasted business!
“Well?”
“Well, what?”
“I don’t understand you.”
She took a deep, calming breath, forcing herself to ask, “Were you going to quit school without even talking to me about it?”
“No,” he quickly denied. “That’s why I asked you here to help me celebrate.” He searched her face, looking for approval.
Taylor had always been there for him, even before their folks moved down south. They had always been close, even when he was going through manhood and needed more independence. She’d given him space.
No matter what, he knew he could trust, her. They had shared first her small apartment and then, later, the small home she had recently purchased. Many times she had been forced to stand in as mother or father, willing to do whatever she deemed necessary to keep him moving forward. Even though the decision as to whether to join the pros or not was his decision alone, he wanted her approval.
He sighed. They’d come a long way as a family. He had earned that basketball scholarship and had completed almost two years of college majoring in chemistry. He was a hard worker and kept his grades high. He’d also worked summers and evenings during the off-season at Randol Pharmaceutical, one of the largest black owned companies in the country. He could almost see his dream of becoming a research chemist blossoming.
Basketball was a bonus. It was the vehicle that would take him where he had always known he wanted to go. He wanted to be a research chemist and he wanted to own his own company. He had been warned against counting on making the pros. They all had. Coach Gardner was a no nonsense kind of guy. Until recently playing pro ball had been nothing more than a pipe dream.
Suddenly, he was not sure what he wanted to do. He faced the opportunity of a lifetime. What if it did not change his life for the better? What if he somehow lost sight of his goals? Should he take the risk? Then there was Taylor. She expected so much from him…too much at times. He didn’t want to disappoint her. And they were too close for him not to know how she felt. This whole thing was hurting her. Damn! Why couldn’t she see he needed her to support him, regardless of his ultimate decision? And then there was Jenna, his lady. He hadn’t even told her yet.
“This draft thing came about unexpectedly. The coach has been talking to me about it. He had a few contacts with the NBA. There have been several scouts out watching me play. I’ve known about it, but I tried to just do my thing and not let it throw my game off.
“I know I keep saying it, but I’ve never seen anything like it. When Donald walked in, man! He stopped practice just like that,” he snapped his fingers for emphasis. “The guys were floored. Man! Donald Williams!” Scott’s eyes gleamed with enthusiasm. “He autographed everyone’s jerseys. I can’t even imagine being able to play with guys like Rodman, Sally, Jordan, and Shaq! Man, oh, man! Williams is all over the floor. He’s everywhere and not squeamish about taking a hit, either. Just being able to talk to him about my game was awesome.”
“I don’t care about Donald Williams! I care about you!”
“How could you treat him so coldly? Man, there is no telling what he thinks of me now after your rudeness! What got into you, girl?”
The last thing she cared about was what a stranger thought of either one of them. Her brother was another matter. Taylor had always tried to set a good example for him. He was right, she had acted out of character. She had no choice but to stand up for what she believed in. Scott’s future was worth fighting for. She would go toe to toe with Williams any day of the week if that was what it took to protect her baby brother.
Taylor huffed with indignation, “You could have given me some warning. I really didn’t expect to meet a celebrity at lunch. More important, I thought you would have come to me with this, rather than deciding for yourself.”
“I had planned to talk to you about it. That was what this lunch meeting was about. I didn’t know Donald was going to be here.”
Glancing at her watch, she pushed back her chair. “I have to get a move on. Should I expect you and Jenna for dinner?” She threw her napkin down impatiently beside her untouched plate. Scott spent what free time he had with his girlfriend, Jenna Gaines.
“I’ll be over after practice, Jenna has a late class tonight.”
“Fine. See you later.”
Intent on adjusting the heavy black wool over her shoulders as she prepared to leave, Taylor walked right into Donald Williams, who had made use of the washroom off the foyer of the converted house. If he had not caught her, she would have bounced off his broad muscular chest like a quarter on a tautly made bed. His large hands gently cupped her shoulders.
“Excuse me,” she stammered, then realizing who was holding her, she quickly stepped out of his reach. Her soft, generously curved mouth was set in a firm line.
“Are you all right?” he asked. His husky voice seemed to come from deep inside his chest, the sound heavy with masculine appeal.
Taylor shivered, in spite of herself. She did not want to notice anything about this man. He represented all that she did not want her brother to become…easy wealth, loose women, probably drugs, who knew what other excess. Even though pro ball seemed highly appealing to a young man like Scott, she had no doubt it could also be destructive.
“In a hurry?” he smiled, thoroughly pleased that she was tall, over six feet in heels, and generously curved in all the right places. Oh, yeah, she was all sweetly scented woman. And she wasn’t exactly jumping through hoops trying to gain his interest.
Despite her best efforts, her eyes were drawn like a magnet to the firm lines of his strong African featured face. Her gaze lingered too long on his full, well-shaped mouth before she caught herself and looked away.
“Taylor?”
She blinked quickly, disturbed at her keen awareness of this man. It was not welcome. “Excuse me. I have to get back to…” she stopped herself, furious that she’d been explaining herself to him, of all people.
What was wrong with her? What difference did it make how utterly masculine he was, how wondrously appealing? She was not stupid! She was not about to fall for a man just because he was good to look at. She would not have her name added to his no doubt long list of conquests.
“I hope I didn’t spoil your lunch. I know we had a difference of opinion, but I hope that doesn’t mean we can’t get to know each other. Perhaps, one evening soon over dinner?” Donald knew he was moving quickly, but he didn’t have the advantage of time.
He was taking a late flight tonight back to Chicago. He’d be on the road in a matter of days. He was not prepared to let this lovely woman walk out of his life. He wanted a chance to get to know her, much, much better.
Taylor stared at him, incredulous. No, he didn’t! Evidently, he was so used to women falling all over themselves to get next to him that he expected her to do the same. Well, he was in for a disappointment. She could not stand the man! So why in the world was her heart pounding, and why were her senses sharply aware of his male scent?
She was thoroughly infuriated with him and herself.
The highly sensitive tips of her breasts had actually peaked from the brief contact with his deep chest. Her nipples had gone tight and achy as if preparing for his touch…his mouth. What was wrong with her? She never responded so quickly to any man. She fought the urge to cover her chest, hide her reaction to his nearness.
With her hands balled at her sides, she said, “I already know more about you, Mr. Williams, than I ever wanted to know. No, thank you. It’s enough for me that you’re encouraging my brother to give up the one thing he has worked to accomplish all these years—an education.” She paused before she went on to say, “You had your degree before you started playing ball, so you had something to fall back on if you were badly injured. What will Scott have? Two years of college. There is not much a black man can do these days to take cart: of himself and his family without a degree.”
Her beautiful eyes dashed with temper as she moistened her lips, unwittingly drawing his interested gaze to the area. “Nowadays, you need a high school diploma just to slap two pieces of bread together in a fast food restaurant. Our family wants better than that for Scott.” Taylor knew her voice shook with emotion but she couldn’t help it.
“Look, Taylor, if we could just talk calmly about this, I’m sure we could reach an agreement. Scott is a good kid, even I can see that. He’s got a hell of a future.”
“An agreement between us? Never,” she said, turned on her heels and marched away before he could do more than admire the lush curves of her shapely behind and the beauty of her unbelievably long legs.
He might have caught her if he had not been stopped by several female fans who demanded autographs. Damn!
His resolve hardened. He would find a way to get to know that gutsy lady. Those few minutes of having her in his arms had convinced him that not only could she fit his large frame to perfection with her queen-sized beauty, but more importantly, that she intrigued him mentally. She was not afraid to fight for what she believed in. When she cared, she apparently did so with her entire heart. No half measures for this lady. And she was very much a lady. Imagining that kind of loyalty and devotion directed his way was, frankly, more than he’d hoped to find in any woman. Loyalty, devotion, beauty, brains, and courage…what more could any man ask for?
A man would have to be a fool to willingly let a woman like Taylor Hendricks walk out of his life. Donald may be many things, but he was not stupid. He grinned roguishly, realizing that he was actually looking forward to the challenge ahead.