Authors: Jayne Ann Krentz
„You’ve been busy,“ she tried to say offhandedly, staring unseeingly at the neatly typed clauses on the two-page document in front of her. At that moment she couldn’t read a word.
„I drafted it last night and typed it myself this morning. I’ll want your signature on it by the first of next week, Heather.“
„I see.“ Unsteadily she refolded the contract and shoved it into her sequined purse.
My God,
she thought dazedly,
he’s going to pin me to the wall like a butterfly.
„Aren’t you going to read it?“ Jake prodded blandly.
„Later. I’ll want to study it in some detail, I’m sure.“ She tried another sip of burgundy in an effort to bring her fragmented pulse under control.
„I’ll be glad to outline the main points.“
No,
she wanted to scream,
don’t outline a damn thing. I don’t want to hear it, I don’t want to hear you outline a contract for my love.
„Feel free,“ she heard herself invite calmly.
He leaned forward, holding the glass of Scotch in one tanned hand. The candlelight flickered on the liquor in his glass, making the stuff look like molten gold. Heather focused on it.
„Basically what that contract says is that you’re my employee. You’ll work for me and you’ll answer only to me. You will follow orders in the same professional manner as any good employee, keeping in mind that what I want for the Hacienda Strand is what you want.“
„The perfect yes-woman?“
„Not exactly. You will be assuming the role of my personal assistant and as such, I don’t object to hearing your opinion on matters. But an occasional opinion or
suggestion is all I want from you. No arguments, undisciplined battles or emotional protests. You are not sharing ownership of the Hacienda with me as you would if you were my wife. You are merely an employee of the corporation.“
Heather closed her eyes in brief pain but forced herself to open them almost immediately.
„I have stipulated what I think is a reasonable salary and you will continue to receive the use of your cottage as part of your compensation.“
„The Hacienda has always been my home,“ she said quietly. „It will be difficult to think in terms of renting my cottage.“ The truth was, it would be almost impossible and she suspected Jake knew it.
„The Hacienda is no more your home than it is that of any of the employees,“ Jake said evenly.
„Will you be charging my parents rent, too?“
„Your parents and I have an entirely unrelated understanding. My agreement with them has nothing to do with the one I’m establishing with you.“
„Oh.“
„Where was I?“ Jake continued relentlessly, his voice low and hard. „Yes. I remember. In addition to functioning as my personal assistant you will also perform the duties of hostess for the Hacienda. It’s obviously something you’re good at and I need those skills. Above all you will keep in mind that your only goal is to carry out my wishes.“
„Will you be standing over me with whips and chains?“ she challenged tightly.
„I don’t think there will be any need for that. You’ve proven over the past few years that you are more than capable of a high level of professional behavior. I’m asking only for that same professionalism now. So much for the first half of the contract.“
„I can’t wait to hear the second half.“ Heather gulped more wine, her eyes burning.
„The second half relates to your duties as my mistress.“
„Your lover,“ she corrected distantly.
„For purposes of the contract, the word is
mistress.
As I’ve told you before, it would be extremely awkward for me to have you living with me. As owner of the Hacienda I feel obliged to maintain a certain image.“
„You mean you think it might be a bit tacky to be sleeping openly with the daughter of the former owner?“ Heather asked bitterly.
„Very tacky. There will, however, be occasions for business trips, vacations, weekends away, that sort of thing. I will expect you to travel with me at those times.“
„That’s not tacky?“
„At the moment you’re functioning as my employee. Save the flippancy for some other occasion.“
„I thought I was out on a date with you,“ she remarked wistfully.
„This is business. And because being my mistress is just another job, I am willing to pay a separate salary.“
Heather went white. With extreme care she set down her glass of wine, not trusting herself to be able to hold it any longer.
Watching her from across the table Jake faltered. He was crucifying her and he knew it. But in the end it would be less painful to push her like this than to allow her to manipulate both of them with her unrealistic, passionately romantic, highly emotional approach.
„It doesn’t have to be like this, Heather,“ he growled gently, stretching out a hand to capture her too-still fingers.
„Doesn’t it?“ She stared at him, her wounded stricken face drawn in the candlelight.
„You know it doesn’t. Stop playing games and marry me. It’s as simple as that. You’ll share ownership of the Hacienda with me and you’ll share my life. It’s what both of us want.“
„It’s not enough,“ she told him evenly. „Not nearly enough. I won’t tie myself to a man who doesn’t know how to love.“
Jake’s face tightened. „Damn it, Heather, you’re tied to me one way or another, can’t you see that? Why do it the hard way?“
„Asking you to love me as much as I love you is the hard way?“
„Heather, I know you want – “ Jake broke off abruptly, his eyes lifting to a point just above her left shoulder. „Oh, hell.“
„What is it?“
„Cecil and Connie Winthrop.“
„How lovely. You can make a full business meeting out of our date, can’t you?“ Heather breathed bitterly. „Invite them over and you can make another pitch to buy their land for your precious golf-course project.“
Jake’s gaze flicked back to her tense face. „Why not? And since it’s going to be one of your assignments to get me that land, I’ll let you handle the whole thing.“ He rose to his feet.
„Jake, wait---“
He ignored the pleading in her eyes as he signaled to the Winthrops. „Just remember that I want that land, Heather.“
„But we haven’t really discussed the golf course.“
„I’m not obliged to discuss anything with my personal assistant unless I so choose. Get me that land, Heather.“
Before she could protest further, the Winthrops were upon them, beaming down at Heather with avid curiosity and a hint of amusement in their eyes. Heather tried an uneasy smile, aware of the fact
that the Winthrops had undoubtedly been among the two hundred or so guests present at the chapel a few mornings earlier.
„Heather, darling, we heard you and Jake had a fascinating little adventure up in one of the canyons. You were so very lucky, you know,“ Connie Winthrop
gushed cheerfully. „Those canyon streams and rivers can be so tricky during our stormy season. But your mother said Jake was with you?…“ She turned her inquiring gaze on the abandoned groom, clearly alive with curiosity.
Jake gave the graying, middle-aged woman his familiar half smile and assisted her into a chair. „I could hardly allow Heather to go haring off alone into those mountains. How are you, Cecil?“ He extended his hand politely to Cecil Winthrop who shook it readily.
„Fine, just fine. I might ask the same question of you, young man. It sounds to me as if our Heather has been giving you a hard time lately.“
„Cecil!“ his wife admonished hurriedly.
„I think I’ll survive,“ Jake murmured, his gaze on Heather’s face. „Things have been a little rocky lately, but basically Heather and I understand each other. We’re getting it all ironed out, aren’t we, honey?“
„Matters between us are being steamrollered, not neatly ironed out,“ Heather responded with a shred of her natural spirit. She turned to Connie Winthrop with her most brilliant smile. Jake said he wanted that land. Very well, she would get it for him.
11
Friday morning, three days later,
Jake stood in the doorway of the office Heather had taken over and watched as she pored over a new menu Julian Richards was seeking permission to implement. Heather’s whole attention was on the list of ingredients the Hacienda would have to inventory in order to present the menu day in and day out. The logistics of running a hotel restaurant were enormous and the cost of maintaining fresh foods was high. She was so wrapped up in the project that she hadn’t even noticed him lounging in the doorway.
Ever since the night he had taken her out to dinner she had been like this, Jake reflected. Totally involving herself in work, she was spending up to sixteen hours a day in the office. It was unnerving to see the kind of energy she could funnel into work.
Warily he had tried a few business conversations with her but Heather had merely listened politely, nodding agreement to everything he said. She had volunteered no input whatsoever. He could see the tension under which she was living and the knowledge that he was the cause of it was eating at him night and day. How much longer before she broke?
No, Jake told himself savagely, he didn’t want to break her, only make her bend for both their sakes. But at the rate matters were progressing it was possible he would collapse first. That thought brought a wry grimace to his mouth just as Heather became aware of his presence.
„Good morning, Jake. I didn’t hear you.“
„Obviously.“ He tried a smile and wasn’t certain how well it came out. „Does the menu look at all feasible?“
„I think we can handle it with a few small changes. Julian has his heart set on upgrading the wine cellar, too. It’s going to cost us…you, a fortune.“
He heard the way she tripped over the word
us
and swore inwardly. „I just had a call from Cecil Winthrop.“
„Did you?“
„He’s going to accept our… my offer on that land.“
Heather nodded, saying nothing. She turned back to the menu.
„You’re the reason he and Connie finally agreed to sell,“ Jake went on doggedly.
„You can show your appreciation by throwing in a Christmas bonus.“
„Heather!“
That brought her head up, her hazel eyes flashing with a familiar vividness, which she managed to subdue almost instantly. „I’m sorry, Jake. I forgot myself. I’m a little tired this morning.“
He surveyed the coffee cup beside her desk and noted that the office pot was already half-empty. „You’re drinking too much coffee lately.“
Heather glared at him, about to make a crack about paying for the coffee herself if he was so concerned about expenses, but something stopped her. His tone had been gruff but not genuinely annoyed. Surely he wasn’t actually worried about her physical well-being, she scoffed silently. And then, quite suddenly, she knew he was. Their glances clashed across the width of the room.
„I’ll switch to tea,“ she heard herself offer.
„Try milk.“
„Impossible. I detest milk.“ Heather smiled wryly. „Not even for you will I switch to milk.“
„There are a lot of things you aren’t willing to do for me.“
„Only one or two,“ she corrected with a totally false cheeriness.
Like marry you or switch to milk. Just a couple of things.
Heather wondered gloomily how long she would be able to continue this silent war of wills.
Jake straightened and moved toward her desk purposefully. He settled himself casually on the edge, one leg bracing his weight against the floor. „How much longer, Heather?“ he asked softly.
„Until I sign the contract? You gave me until Monday, remember?“
„You know it’s not what you want.“
„I know.“ Her smile was sad and a little whimsical. „Excuse me, Jake. I’ve got to get back to work. Julian needs an answer on these menus so he can contact suppliers.“
Jake’s mouth firmed into a grin. Heather knew he wanted to say something else but he changed his mind at the last minute. Without a word he removed himself from her desk and her office.
As soon as she heard the door close behind him Heather’s body went limp as if from complete exhaustion. She dropped her head into her hands and closed her eyes against the incipient tears. How much longer? They were tearing each other apart.
It was becoming increasingly clear to her that she wasn’t the only one suffering. Jake hid his tension and frustrated anger behind a facade of remote, cool detachment, but she knew the remorseless situation was affecting him.
Slowly Heather raised her head and reached into the middle drawer of her desk for the contract. It seemed to burn her fingers as she pulled it out and stared down at the savage clauses for the hundredth time.
If she signed it she would be committing both herself and Jake to an endless siege. Neither of them wanted the kind of situation outlined in that document.
If she gave in and tore it up, agreed to marry Jake, she
would be abandoning the fight and the goal she had set. She would be agreeing to tie herself to a man who might never learn to give himself completely; never learn to love.
It had all been so simple when she had thought it was just the Hacienda that was truly important. But the Hacienda Strand had become insignificant the moment she had acknowledged her love for Jake. As for Jake, he was still trying to have it all and on his own terms.
His own terms. Heather ached when she thought of the words. Wasn’t that what she was trying to do? Have it all on her own terms. Except for her the only thing she really wanted was Jake’s love and total commitment.
Simple. And devastating.
„Heather?“
She turned awkwardly at the sound of Paul Strand’s voice. „Oh, hi dad. On your way to a golf game?“