Taylor had worked late the following day. She was especially tired when she climbed her front steps. She was collecting the mail when she heard her next-door neighbor calling her name.
“Hi, Mrs. Burns. How’s the shoulder?”
“Don’t need no weatherman to tell me it’s going to rain tonight. My shoulder does the tellin’. How you, baby? Keep yourself so busy you don’t have no time for a cup of coffee these days. Made some apple cobbler,” the elderly woman offered.
Taylor flushed, realizing she hadn’t been over to visit with the older woman in some time. “We’ll have to fix that soon. How’s your grandson?” she asked, pulling her trench coat tight around her in an effort to ignore the damp air and her tired feet.
“I suppose he’s well. Ain’t heard from him in nearly a month. You know how some folks can get uppity once they get them high-payin’ jobs. Working on the city council has sure gone to his big head.” She shook her head. Her snow-white hair was bound in a tight bun at her nape, and her brown face was lined over the years. “Delivery man left something for you. Told him you don’t come home until after six most days. Said he’d remember. I’ll get the box.”
Taylor crossed over to the other yard to climb the steps to her elderly neighbor’s porch so she wouldn’t have to come out in the cold air.
Although spring was technically almost a month away, it wasn’t apparent in the crisp Michigan evening. Snow banks still littered the ground in spots, while the majestic trees were still bare of any hint of spring leaves.
Taylor was shocked when she was handed a florist’s box trimmed with a huge pink and yellow bow with trailing ribbons.
“New young man?” Mrs. Burns beamed approvingly.
“No! There must be some mistake,” Taylor insisted.
“Your name and address are printed on the order form, plain as day. See.”
Taylor was forced to agree. It was for her. But who?
Mrs. Burns’s eyes gleamed with maternal interest. “A pretty girl like you should be married with a family of her own.”
Taylor’s heart ached, but she hid it behind a smile and leaned over to give the petite lady a kiss on the cheek. “I have kept you out in the cold long enough. You go on inside. May I come by Saturday morning for a chat?”
“Of course, darlin’. I’ll make some of my walnut coffee cake to snack on. You like that, don’t you?”
“Too much!” Shaking her fingers at Mrs. Burns, she insisted. “Don’t you dare do that? That’s all I need is another five pounds on this body. No, thanks. I’m determined to start that new diet everyone is talking about.”
“Girl, you don’t need a diet. What you need is a good man to appreciate you just the way you are.”
Taylor laughed. “Love you. See you on Saturday.” She waved before heading toward home.
Taylor remembered when all she wanted in the world was to fall in love with a wonderful man and have a family of her own. She wanted what her own mother had, a loving relationship that could withstand the test of time. She had come to accept that, in her case, it was nothing more than wishful thinking.
It had been her experience that many black men preferred cute and petite women with figures to match. Or at least the brothers she had contact with had a problem with a tall, full-figured sister.
Taylor’s hands were shaking as she let herself inside while balancing her briefcase, the mail, and the florist’s box. Who in the world could have sent it?
She had only been serious about a man once in her life. It had proved to be a huge mistake. A mistake that had broken her heart and caused her to distrust men, especially the tall, dark and handsome variety. She had once been attracted to the type of man who could have any woman he wanted. One woman had not been enough to keep him satisfied. From him she had learned a very valuable lesson: how to keep men at arm’s length. What woman in her right mind wanted that kind of heartache?
No, she was better served by concentrating on her career. In order to excel at the university, all she needed was to keep herself firmly focused on her academic goals, in addition to helping her brother finish college. Later, after she had completed her Master’s she would be able to apply for a position as a full-fledged professor. Perhaps that future would also include spending the summers in Africa, seeing the motherland?
Donald Williams’s strong African face flickered through her mind as she stared at the unopened box. It simply could not be from him. He had to have women practically flinging themselves at him on a daily basis. Why would he send her flowers, of all people? He could have any woman he wanted by crooking his little finger. He had his pick of some of the most beautiful women in the world - fashion models and movie stars were not beyond his reach.
How could she wonder, even for a moment, if he had sent her flowers? It was ridiculous. Scott was wrong. Donald might be looking for sex, but he was not looking for love.
She stubbornly refused to peck at the card or open the box. She forced herself to focus on mundane chores such as putting away her briefcase, and putting her coat away in the hall closet. She carried the box into her bedroom, and hung her suit in her bedroom closet before she allowed her gaze to return to the unopened box. She told herself it didn’t matter who had sent them, as she changed into white leggings and one of her brother’s oversized Tshirts.
Hadn’t she stalled long enough? She didn’t want to admit she was afraid to open the box, afraid of what she would discover.
Slowly, she slid the ribbons from the long white lacquered box. “Oh!” she gasped. Inside the tissue were a dozen pink and yellow roses, surrounded by fluffy white baby’s breath. They were so lovely, absolutely beautiful. She dropped the card three times before her hands were steady enough for her to break the seal. “It was my pleasure meeting you. Donald.”
Taylor covered her mouth to hold back the sound. Donald Williams! Had they exchanged one kind word? Hardly. She had made herself perfectly clear—she was not interested in dating him. She wasn’t interested in knowing him. She couldn’t stand him. How could he possibly forget that single glaring detail? And why did he have to be so darn gorgeous? His big muscular frame could make any woman weak in the knees.
How could he have done such a thing? She was not even his type. She was five-ten in her stocking feet. Her hips and breasts could only be described as ample, and her thighs - goodness, she didn’t even want to think about them. She could exercise herself silly and her body stayed the same. Losing weight only made her small waist even smaller and her midriff leaner…the hated hips and full breasts even more pronounced. Of course, that did not stop her from trying.
Donald! He had no right to try and influence her brother. Didn’t he understand how much Scott admired him? He had the power to change the course of Scott’s life. Whether he liked it or not, impressionable young men held him in high esteem. Men like Michael Jordan and Grant Hill did not overshadow Donald. He was an icon, for goodness’ sakes.
Taylor decided it did not matter if she had piqued his interest for about a half a minute. He was not for her. His money would be better spent romancing a woman whose hardest decision for the day was which shoe to wear with which outfit. She had more important matters to concern herself with.
She had to find a way to disarm Donald’s impact on her Scott. She must help him see that he was not using his head to decide, but letting a fantasy of wealth and fame overwhelm him. He longed for the glamour of pro ball, not the harsh reality. Yes, the NBA did give away million-dollar contracts, but that money had to be earned. Not every player was star material. Everyone didn’t make top dollar, only a select few. A wrong decision now would impact on the rest of his life.
She had reached for the telephone time and time again to call their folks, but had stopped herself each and every time. This had to be Scott’s choice. It was difficult to keep quiet, but upsetting their folks or harping on it would only raise his defenses and thus weaken her cause.
How could he possibly overlook the fact that they had been raised to appreciate the value of a good education? Their parents had struggled to give them the best start in life. Didn’t he see that by quitting he would be turning his back on their family, on their values?
They were both so lucky to have been blessed with such caring, loving parents, who hadn’t thought twice about the sacrifices they had made to prepare Taylor and Scott for a solid future.
How could Scott have changed so much in such a short time? Their ancestors had given their lives for the freedom to be educated. How could Scott have forgotten their history?
No, it was not all Scott’s doing, she decided through gritted teeth. Donald Williams’s shoulders were wide enough to carry a large portion of the blame. She was not about to forget that important fact. She had more sense than to let a few flowers, a handsome face and a long muscular body go to her head.
“What’s wrong, Taylor?” Jenna Gaines had called her name three times without getting a response. “Hey, girl. Scott just made another basket!”
Taylor blinked. She had been a million miles away from the stadium and the college basketball game.
She and Jenna had gotten to know each other well in the year and a half the girl had been dating Scott. In fact, they had become friends, despite the difference in their ages.
“I’m sorry. I can’t keep my mind on anything more than half a second.” She sighed, then said, “I know Scott told you about meeting Donald Williams. Jenna, he’s really thinking about quitting college.” She blinked back tears. “Although I told him how strongly I object to it, I’m really trying not to pressure him. Oh, Jenna, I’m so worried.”
“So am I. We’ve talked of little else lately,” Jenna said softly. For the past six months the two of them had shared a small apartment near campus.
“What do you think?” Taylor had avoided asking her opinion, afraid Jenna would agree with Scott.
“I don’t know what, to think. He’s so excited, so happy about the prospect of being in the NBA.”
“I know.” Her gaze followed her brother on the basketball court. He played well, perfectly at ease on the court. “His education had been so important. Even if he enters the draft and he makes one of the teams, that is not the end of it. What if he gets hurt? How will he be able to take care of himself without a satisfactory education? He won’t even know how to keep the money he makes. There are so many people looking to part a fool from his money. How will he know who he can trust?”
“Ain’t that the truth!” Jenna said, with a frown. “I know you haven’t asked, but I agree with you. Until recently, he’s been so motivated to finish and go on to grad school. As long as we’ve been dating, he’s had dreams to become a great chemist…own his own company some day. He loves chemistry so much and he is so good at it. He has been looking forward to working part time in the lab at Randol Pharmaceutical once the season ends.” She sighed heavily. “Since talking with Donald Williams he’s had nothing on his mind but NBA.”
Jenna knew Scott was totally absorbed in this decision. She tried not to mind that he had purposefully not asked for her opinion. He knew how she felt.
Taylor grimaced. The last didn’t surprise her in the least. Donald Williams was Scott’s hero. Having his support seemed to mean the world to her brother.
“I’m trying not to influence him. He’s not going to blame me for making a mistake that may cost him his future. Somehow the word has leaked out. The girls have been following him around campus like white on rice. It’s sickening!”
Taylor shook her head. It was hard enough for a young man to make a decision that would affect his whole life. Female adoration could really turn a young man in the wrong direction for all the wrong reasons.
The sheer number of women who chased after college players was ridiculous. Taylor imagined the NBA players really got the feminine rush. They quite literally could have any female they wanted, and then some.
A handsome, highly successful player like Donald probably had more women after him than he could count. Not only did he have the education and the income, but he was too darn good looking for his own good. So why was he wasting his time with her? Why was he sending her flowers? Every evening she received one perfect pink rose and one equally perfect yellow rose.
“I love him, Taylor. I don’t want to lose him,” Jenna confessed softly.
Taylor squeezed her hand reassuringly. “You two haven’t quarreled, have you?”
“No, not really. But it really gets on my nerves. All those heartless females chasing him. If he enters his name in the draft it is only going to get worse. I don’t know what is going to happen. I don’t know how it will affect our relationship. That really scares me.”
“Jenna, Scott cares deeply for you.”
Jenna nodded. “I know. I love him, but I won’t share him.”
“I don’t blame you.”
Taylor suspected that if Donald was her man, she wouldn’t be so easy going about other women, either. She almost laughed out loud. The woman who purposefully got involved with him and gave him her love would have to be out of her mind. Talk about asking for trouble.
“I’m doing everything I can to keep his feet solidly planted on the ground. His education will take him a lot farther in this world than a contract with the NBA,” Jenna said.
“It all came out of the blue. I know he’d hoped the team would make it into the finals. Why in the world do they call college playoffs ‘March Madness’?”
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Jenna giggled. “So tell me, what do you think of Donald Williams?”
Taylor jumped as if she had been stuck with a pin. Striving to sound uninterested, she shrugged. “What’s to think?”
“The brother is gorgeous. Scott seems to think he’s interested in you.” Jenna studied her closely.
Taylor tried to keep her face placid, yet her heart picked up a beat at the mention of his name. “That’s ridiculous. I only met the man one time. And wouldn’t have met him at all if we hadn’t run into him at Edmund’s Place.”
She couldn’t get over the fact that he was interested in her. He was too good looking for her peace of mind. She didn’t want to remember him. Yet, she couldn’t forget him nor could she get him out of her mind.
“That’s not the point, and you know it. What do you think of him?” Jenna did not wait for an answer—instead, rushed on to say, “The man is so sexy.”
“I imagine half of the women in America agree with you.”
“Which half are you in, Taylor Hendricks?”
“The stupid half,” Taylor almost said aloud. Instead she reluctantly admitted, “He’s attractive, but so is Denzel Washington. I’m not dating him, either.” Yet, it was not the popular film star who had been sending her flowers on a daily basis for a solid week.
Jenna laughed. “All my girlfriends will give you a run for that prize.”
“Huh, Donald is no prize. He’s a very attractive man who is, as far as I’m concerned, completely out of touch with black folk’s reality. Not only is he a multimillionaire, but according to Scott he heads a very profitable business.”
“What does that have to do with the price of bread? He’s one fine, tall drink of water. And he is interested in you according to your brother.”
“My brother is an okay guy, but he has a big mouth. Remind me to smack him, will you?”
Jenna giggled. “Taylor, will you be serious for a second?”
Taylor looked away, feeling as if her heart had lodged in her throat. There was no doubt about that. The brother was good to look at. She would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit the truth. Yes, as much as she hated it, she was dangerously attracted to the man.
“Are you going to answer?”
“I forgot the question.”
Jenna shook her linger at her. “Donald Williams.”
“Thanks, but no. I have enough problems. I don’t want a man if I have to spend half my time wondering what woman is after him now and will she catch his roving eye?”
“You don’t think he’s capable of a committed relationship?”
“Get real, girl. Of course not!”
“But he is interested in you, girlfriend.”
“We don’t know that for sure.”
Taylor was not certain why she hadn’t told anyone about the flowers, but it was something she preferred to keep to herself for now. As much as she trusted and loved Jenna, she was not ready to share this. Perhaps because her awareness of the man frightened her? She didn’t want to have tender feelings for him. He was the enemy, for heaven’s sake.
Jenna clearly could not believe her own ears. “Well, you better start paying attention. He asked for your phone number. He just might call you, girl.”
“Will you stop? I’m nothing like the glamorous, sophisticated women he normally dates. I am a normal woman who works for a living. I have both feet firmly planted on mother earth, Jenna, I am no beauty queen. These hips and thighs remind me of that every time I look in the mirror.” There was no way she would even try to compete with the tall, slim beauties who were trying to get into his heart.
He was a pro athlete at the top of his game. What could they possibly have in common other than the fact that their ancestry came from the Motherland? Nothing! He probably never considered not starting his day with a strenuous working out. Taylor’s brand of working out was peddling for fifteen minutes on her stationary bike while watching morning television.
“You joke, but Scott seemed to be serious when he said Donald was very interested in you.”
“Jenna, you’re beginning to sound like a broken record, girl. Besides, Scott’s my brother. He’s supposed to think I’m special.”
Suddenly the crowed surged to their feet, shouting and cheering. Jenna and Taylor exchanged a guilty look. Neither one of them were the least bit aware of what had been going on. They both sighed with relief. U. of D. was ahead by ten points and Scott had not been the one to score. Sooner or later, Scott was going to ask what they thought about the game, in detail.
“You know he’s going to ask,” Jenna said, then broke out into a peal of laughter.
Taylor joined in. It was good to see her happy. Jenna was twenty-one, a year older than Scott, but she was on her own. She had no family to speak of. She had been in the foster-care system for sixteen of her twenty-one years. She was on a scholarship and working her way through college. She was one of three children that had been separated in the foster-care system. Her older brother had been adopted and moved out of state, while her twin sister was rumored still to be in the area, but Jenna had no knowledge of her, no way to locate her.
Taylor was proud of Scott for picking a girl who was so down to earth, and also, kind and intelligent. In fact, Taylor found herself rooting for them while at the same time concerned that they were too young to be getting so serious about each other. Jenna was also majoring in computer science and making the Dean’s list every term.
The final score was ninety-eight to eighty-nine. Scott’s team won. One more win and they would be coming into the finals in March.
“Are you going to wait for him?” Taylor asked, collecting her things. They had driven to the stadium together.
“No. It may be hours before he comes down enough to remember my name,” Jenna teased. “You don’t mind dropping me off?”
“Of course not, silly.”
The two chatted about the changes going on at the University. Jenna was determined to catch up to the junior class. She was a hard worker. She had started later than her classmates due to financial difficulties.
Taylor had known Jenna longer than Scott. The two had met in the computer lab where Taylor worked as a technician. Scott had stopped in to chat with Taylor and completely forgot his sister after one look at the striking Jenna. She was tall, with creamy brown skin and curly brown hair.
Taylor couldn’t help but admire Jenna’s determination to succeed. She was still so young and a good influence on Scott. Taylor had found herself defending Jenna to their parents when they worried that Scott was too involved with the girl. It wasn’t that Taylor was a prude, but Scott had been her responsibility for so long that she found it hard to let go. Yet, she also knew Scott was in love. She felt as if she were balancing on a tightrope trying to stay out of their relationship but worrying that they both were moving too fast. Mostly, she found herself praying that their relationship would mature and grown naturally, telling herself to relax and let time solve this puzzle. But she didn’t want to see either of them hurt. Her own experience in love had proven how painful failed love could be.
The parking lot, like the gymnasium, was crowded and Taylor had to concentrate to get them safely on the road. It wasn’t until she pulled in front of the modest two-family home where they shared the upper flat that Jenna touched her arm, saying, “Think about what I said, Taylor.” At her raised brow, she went on to say. “Donald may be serious about getting to know you. Are you going to let your feelings about Scott get in the way? He might be a really nice guy.” Jenna paused before saying, “What are you going to do when he calls?”
“Call you!” Taylor laughed.
Jenna sighed, realizing Taylor refused to even consider the possibility. She shook her head. “Night,” she called.
Waving before she pulled back out into traffic, Taylor knew she didn’t even want to seriously think about the possibility. She told herself over and over again that that man was not really interested in dating her. What he was really interested in was Scott playing for the NBA, not her. She was nothing more to him than a means to an end just as long as she remembered that very important detail she had nothing to worry about from Mr. Williams. All she had to remember was how to say N-O to whatever he was offering…the good-looking womanizer.
Taylor opened one eye to glance yet again at the bedside alarm clock-radio: three-fifteen. Doggone it! She flipped over, punching her pillow impatiently. Tomorrow was a workday and she could not get back to sleep. She wasn’t sure what had awakened her in the first place, but every time she closed her eyes she would see Donald’s dark, handsome face. Goodness, she needed her rest. She did not have the luxury of sleeping late in the morning. Her boss, Dr. Richard Hawkins, would be in before eight. He was like a robot, always on time. He was a hard taskmaster and expected no less from others than he did from himself.
Richard was good people; he was highly respected in both the academic and black communities. And he was single. Taylor smiled thoughtfully. Most of the single women over the age of twenty on campus were after him, while he was so lost in his computer world that, unless she was a new program or application he would not even notice her. Thank goodness, he was not the least bit attracted to Taylor, nor was she attracted to him. They were such good friends that he often used her, with her permission, as a buffer. When he had to have a date, he called Taylor. She was safe with Richard and vice versa.
Donald, on the other hand, was a long muscular length of raw male power. He had the physique to make even a tall woman feel small and feminine. Even in three-inch heels she had to look up to him, something that rarely happened to her. The top of her head barely reached his shoulder. She would not be able to reach his wide, sexy mouth unless he permitted the caress. Heavens! What was she thinking? What difference did it make that his chest was deep and his shoulders were so wonderfully wide?
Unfortunately, there were other things she had no business noticing about him, such as the way his muscular thighs moved beneath his trousers. So many details she had not even been conscious of recording in her mind. She found herself imaging him filling a pair of tight jeans, the soft fabric molding his firm well-shaped butt, cupping his sex like a second…No! She moaned aloud, turning onto her side. That was none of her business! He obviously knew what he was doing and could keep the women coming back for more, judging by the ladies that mobbed him in the restaurant.
Was he a good lover? What difference did it make? It did her no good at all to waste her time wondering if he took his time, putting his lady’s needs before his own. Taylor suddenly realized that that was exactly what she had done, imagined herself in his arms. She blushed, pressing her hands to her hot cheeks. The next thing she knew she would be going buck-wild over a man who would wind up hurting her.
The smell of more than a dozen long-stemmed pink and yellow roses in the crystal vase on the nightstand did not help to curb her thoughts of him. He had not called as of yet, but the flowers kept coming.
She was still waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak. She was waiting for him to make his next move. For almost two weeks the florists had stopped at her door every blasted day. No message on the card—only his first name.
What kind of game was he playing? If he was trying to obtain her attention, he’d been wildly successful. But he was wasting his time and his money. She certainly was not likely to forget him after the way they had met. Oh, he had made a lasting impression on her, all right. She could not stand the man.
Even if she had not been trying to forget him, she was doomed to failure. It seemed to Taylor that Donald was all her younger brother ever talked about these days. He had admired Donald’s athletic talent on the basketball court for years. Since the two had met and he had found Donald so approachable and knowledgeable, Scott had developed a deep respect for the man. Scott now followed his games, knew where he was playing and when. Donald’s name came so easily to mind that Taylor was close to losing patience with her beloved sibling. So instead of snapping at him to shut up, she bit her lip and ground her teeth together.
Although she’d really rather not know, nevertheless, thanks to her brother she now knew the exact date when the Pistons would be playing the Bulls in the big “D.”
Why? Why hadn’t he given up? Why didn’t he leave her alone? What did he want from her? She almost snorted as that crazy question popped into her head. He wanted what all men wanted from any willing woman: sex. But why her, of all people? He had his choice of females. She was not his type. Why couldn’t he see that?
Hadn’t her ex-lover taught her a painful lesson about men? Alex Adams had made sure Taylor learned the hard way that good-looking men were not to be trusted, unless you were after a broken heart. She had learned to protect herself from men like Donald and him. She never would make that same mistake again.
If only Donald would leave her alone. She had done everything she could to stop the flowers. She had gone so far as to call the florist and demand the order be canceled immediately, but they refused, saying that the client had a standing order and only he could cancel it.
Donald tossed and turned, unable to find a comfortable position in the hotel bed. One more night and he’d be back home in his own custom made bed, especially designed for his long frame. He found that he was getting set in his ways.
He grunted, knowing perfectly well it was not the bed that kept him awake, but empty arms and an aching groin he could not do a thing about. Thoughts of Taylor’s beauty with her long, shapely legs and the graceful sway of her lush hips, was his problem. He could not get her out of his head. She had thrown him for such a loop after an all-too-brief meeting and would not seem to let go.
He wanted to see her again, spend time with her, get to know her. They weren’t playing in Detroit until week after next, but luck would have it that he had been scheduled for a speaking engagement in her city on Sunday. Not soon enough, he grumbled. Yet, he had vowed not to see her or call her. She needed time to get over her snit with him.
“Detroit…home,” he mumbled, getting up, having given up all pretense of sleeping. He had been tempted to pick up the telephone so many times. He wondered if the flowers were doing the job, softening her attitude. That beautiful lady had a thick protective shield around her. He would have given anything to know why.
What made her so uptight, so distant with men? Had she been hurt, in the past? Or was it only him she disliked so thoroughly? There had to be more behind her hostility than his support of her brother. Her anger had been too volatile, too fiery. Or maybe it was just her way? Maybe she was a lighter? Was she a hot-blooded female who burned with an inner fire that would keep a man coming back again and again?
Donald moaned huskily as he realized just where his thoughts were taking him. The last thing he needed was to add fuel to the fire burning inside of him for Taylor. She made him hot enough as it was. The woman kindled a spark…a spark that was raw and blatantly sexual. He could not explain it, did not truly understand it himself.
As he stood staring down at the late night Los Angeles traffic, he didn’t bother to analyze his keen interest in her. This need was out of character for him. It was something he did not recognize within himself and it had thrown him off balance. He did not know how to control his emotions, did not know how to make it go away. He certainly was not a man who flew by the seat of his pants. He’d always known his motivation, known his own mind. Suddenly, all that had changed.
Now all he could be certain of was that it was critical to his well being that he change her mind about him. His interest in Taylor was as sharp and as ripe as anything he had ever gone after in his life.
“A little taste of her sweetness is all I need,” he whispered aloud. The thought soothed him, eased his restlessness. A few hot, wet kisses should do the trick. Donald found himself laughing. Who was he trying to kid? He’d never been appeased with a little of anything. He was a big man with a tremendous appetite for life. He adored sex, a lot of it. Nothing else took the rough edges away, nothing else eliminated the deep hunger inside of him. Yet, he had been so turned off by the games women played to separate him from his wallet or to gain his name that he had been forced to deny his own sexual needs. He had been celibate too damn long.
The trouble with his fascination with Taylor was that his sexual desires could no longer be ignored, nor could they remain buried beneath the demands of his career.
That was it, he assured himself. It was a sexual thing. Nothing more, nothing less. Sex, he could handle. Love was out of the question. He did not plan on making himself that vulnerable to any female. No woman was ever going to control him. Over the years he had seen the devastation love had done to some of his teammates when it didn’t work.
He had to be careful. He didn’t want Taylor or himself to hurt. She was a lovely woman and she deserved only the best. He planned to give it to her while they thoroughly enjoyed each other.