Call It Destiny (25 page)

„Where else?“ He sauntered into the office wearing lime-green slacks and a watermelon-colored knit shirt. „Your mother found this for me the other day. I’m going to take it with me on the cruise. What do you think?“

„That you’ll be stoned in Scotland. I thought mother had better taste than that.“

Paul grimaced. „So did I. She claims we have to spruce up our wardrobes for the cruising life-style.“

„Well, she’s often been right in the past. Maybe you should go ahead and trust her judgment.“

Paul gave her a searching glance. „I used to think I could trust my own, too. But lately I’ve had some serious doubts. I just passed Jake in the lobby.“

„Did you?“ Heather started to shuffle some papers on her desk.

„He looks the way he used to look when he first came here, Heather. Ever since he decided to buy the place and marry you he’s been changing. During the past month he was almost out of his shell. Now he looks as though he was engaged in a war.“

„I’m beginning to think that’s the way he views our current situation,“ Heather remarked dryly.
 

„What the hell are you doing to him, honey?“ Paul’s voice dropped to the roughly affectionate note he used around her when they weren’t at odds.

„I wish I knew. I thought I was trying to force him into realizing certain truths about us. But his instincts are to fight back when he’s challenged. He’s going to beat me to a pulp, dad,“ she concluded in humorless amusement.

Her father frowned. „He knows damn well that if he ever laid a hand on you, I’d kill him.“

Some of Heather’s amusement became briefly real. „Would you? The man’s almost become a son to you.“

„A father respects his son but he looks after his daughter. At least until the right man comes along to take care of her. Jake’s the right man, Heather. I’ve known that for the past year and a half. I know I was wrong to agree to keep the sale of the Hacienda quiet until after the wedding. But I knew Jake was afraid you’d run out on him if you thought you weren’t going to gain control of the hotel. He insisted the Hacienda had to be bait. Frankly, I was inclined to agree with him. I didn’t think you’d ever come home unless you had the lure of inheriting this place. He was right on that score, wasn’t he? You did run when you found out you weren’t going to assume the presidency of the corporation.“

„I ran because I felt like a fool. I felt betrayed.“

„Heather, honey, I never meant – “

She waved off his earnest apology and explanation. „It doesn’t matter, dad. I’m over that. I started getting over it when it was forcibly pointed out to me that I’d really been very arrogant and rather unintelligent about the whole thing.“
 

„Jake said that?“

„Umm. That was after the wedding. He was a trifle
upset after having been stood up at the altar, I gather,“ Heather confessed wryly.
 

Her father nodded. „We all were. Your mother read both Jake and I the riot act. The next morning – “ Paul continued hesitantly „ – the next morning when he returned on that motorcycle he said he was going to give you a little time. I watched him pace the office for over two hours before he finally decided he wasn’t going to give you any time. By then the storm clouds were moving in and when I found out you were taking your breather up at the old cabin I mentioned that might not be the wisest place in which to be during a summer storm. He asked to borrow Ruth’s car and the next thing I knew I was drawing him a map. He was gone within fifteen minutes.“

„And arrived in time to rescue me,“ Heather finished for him. „Don’t look at me like that, dad. I love him.“

Her father eyed her uncertainly. „Then what in heaven’s name is all this warfare about?“

Heather stared at her father and knew she could never explain that the man he had chosen and groomed for her didn’t love her. „We’re, uh, having to work a few things out before we tie any knots.“

Paul looked at her with gentle sympathy and a trace of pity. „You mean you’re at war with him. Heather, I know better than anyone else on the face of this earth just how stubborn and strong you are. Do you think I haven’t been incredibly proud of what you accomplished in California? Do you think I don’t realize what it cost you to make it the hard way out there? But I’ve also learned a lot about Jake Cavender during the past couple of years. And believe me, if one of you doesn’t give you’re going to draw a lot of blood. In the end, you’ll be the one who will be in shreds.“
 

„Because he’s stronger than I am?“ Heather asked softly.

Paul shook his head. „Because he simply won’t ever
give in. You were right. His instincts are to fight when he’s challenged and his instincts were tempered in a much hotter furnace than yours were, honey. You can fight like a wildcat, but there’s a softness in you.“
 

„Because I grew up with love.“

„It makes you able to bend when necessary. Jake can’t give like that.“

„I’m beginning to understand that,“ Heather admitted simply, knowing the truth of her father’s words had been creeping up on her for the past four days.

„If you didn’t love him you might have a chance of winning a pitched battle. But loving him….“ Paul shrugged unhappily. „I just wish to God I had realized what I was starting two years ago when I hired the man.“

Heather shook her head, her eyes softening. „Even if you knew, you’d have gone ahead and hired him. You always were a good judge of character. Do you think I haven’t come to realize that?“

„I love you, Heather.“

„And I love you, dad.“

„We’ve always had that bond, haven’t we?“ Paul asked gently.

Heather smiled, dashing the back of her hand across her eyes. „Always. Jake’s never had that kind of attachment to any living human being, as far as I can tell.“

„Perhaps not. On the other hand – “ Paul announced, as he kissed his daughter on the cheek and headed for the door „ – the guy’s not exactly stupid. See you later, Heather.“

Not exactly stupid.
Heather repeated the words to herself and shook her head once again. It was true Jake wasn’t an idiot, but she wasn’t so sure about herself. Refolding the contract, Heather went back to work on the menus.
 

On Saturday Heather politely declined
an invitation from her mother to join her parents and Jake for dinner.
 

Ruth Strand didn’t press the issue. She knew a woman under pressure when she saw one.

Heather spent the evening alone, fixing herself a salad and a glass of wine. Then she put her jeaned legs beneath her on the sofa and carefully unfolded the contract Jake had dared her to sign. Her father was right. Ultimately, she had the capacity to bend. Jake didn’t. If she signed this contract Jake would be denied everything he wanted including the feeling of having a real home with a real wife. The relationship with Paul and Ruth that he valued so highly would never again be as warm and comfortable as it was now. He had ownership of the Hacienda but he wouldn’t have achieved the feeling of really belonging to it. And Jake didn’t want a mistress. He wanted a wife.

All the trappings of a family together with a feeling of a home.

Heather had told herself that was precisely what she wanted. She had been able to tell herself that until the morning she had realized she was in love with Jake. After that the only thing that had mattered was obtaining his love in return.

Jake wanted a partner; she wanted a passionate lifelong love affair. Jake could go on playing manipulative games indefinitely. She loved him and knew that for her the attempts to manipulate Jake couldn’t go on much longer. She was hurting both of them too badly
in the process and in the end, as her father had said, she would be the one in shreds. Love left you vulnerable.
 

It was nearly ten o’clock. Heather made her decision and got to her feet. Outside thunder rolled overhead. Another late-night storm. The sound of its approach reminded her of the canyon and the night she had spent with Jake. She could not go on battling the man she loved.

Slipping her bare feet into a pair of sandals, Heather opened the door. It hadn’t yet started raining. No need
to throw a waterproof jacket on over the wide-sleeved, narrow-cuffed artist’s shirt she wore. Hurrying, Heather went down the steps of her porch and headed for the garden path that led to Jake’s cottage. With any luck he would be home from her parents’ house by now.
 

There was a golden glow behind the curtains as Heather raised her hand to knock firmly on the door. It was only after she had committed herself by knocking that Heather experienced a rush of uncertainty.

That uncertainty vanished a moment later as Jake opened the door and stood staring down at her.

„Heather?“ The gray eyes narrowed and he seemed to tense as if for battle. „What are you doing here?“

„I thought we should discuss this contract.“ She held up the folded document, trying desperately to stem the conflicting emotions flooding her bloodstream.

Jake’s gaze went to the contract and back to her face and never in the entire time she had known him had he seemed more remote or, in some indefinable way, more dangerous. „I see. Come in.“

She stepped through the door just as the rain started to come down in torrents. He closed the door and stood with his back to it, watching her with an intensity that shook her to the core. She turned to face him, holding the contract in both hands.

„What exactly did you want to discuss? Have you signed it?“

„No, I haven’t signed it.“

The relief that flashed into his eyes disappeared almost immediately but Heather had seen it and her love for him washed through her, destroying any lingering doubts.
 

Very deliberately she smiled and tore the contract in half. He watched, utterly fascinated,
m
she turned it sideways and ripped it into quarters. Then she stepped toward him and dropped the bits of document onto the floor at his feet.
 

„I love you, Jake. I couldn’t possibly sign that silly contract.“ Her arms went around his neck and she pulled his head down toward hers.

„Heather!“

Her name was a rasping cry against her mouth. She heard untrammeled relief, gratitude and some exultation, but she didn’t think she heard the resounding note of victory. In any event Heather wasn’t paying much attention.
 

Jake pulled her into the strength of his body, his broad hands flattening along the length of her back and down to her hips as he sought to force every inch of her against him.
 

His tongue forged hungrily into her mouth, seeking the taste and warmth of her. Heather felt the force of the leaping desire in him and gave herself up to it with a willingness that stoked Jake’s need to an even higher level.

„Heather, Heather! You’ll marry me?“

„Yes.“

He buried his lips in her hair, inhaling the scent of it. „I was so afraid you’d fight me until there was nothing left. That’s why I pushed so hard, honey. Please try to understand. I had to force you to the wall. I never wanted to hurt you.“

„I know, Jake,“ she soothed, translating the gentling tone of her voice to the tips of her fingers as she massaged the hard curve of his shoulders. „I know, darling. It’s all right now. Everything is all right.“

„Heather….“

„Shh. Don’t say anything else. Not just now. Let me make love to you, Jake. Just let me make love to you.“

„My God. Do you think I’d try to stop you? But you’ll have to wait your turn. I’ve been aching for you these past few days. Aching so much I thought I’d go out of my mind.“

„I wanted to feel your touch, my love. At night as I
lay in bed alone I wondered if you would ever touch me like this again,“ she confessed softly.
 

„I’ll be holding you like this for the rest of my life,“ he vowed fervently. With a husky groan he scooped her up and settled her onto the love seat. „Tonight I need you so badly I can’t even take the time to carry you into the bedroom.“

The feverish desire flared between them, cutting off any further conversation except for the urgent passionate murmurs that are a form of communication between lovers. Jake touched the fastenings of Heather’s clothes with hands of magic. Her garments seemed to melt away from her body and she heard his husky intake of breath as his palm cupped her breast in gentle possession.

„Ah, Heather. My sweet Heather….“

His own clothes were removed with masculine impatience a moment later and then he came back down on top of her, covering her body with his own as he slid forcefully between her thighs.
 

Heather felt the heavy heat of him waiting to engulf her, and trembled. Jake lowered his head, taking her mouth in an all-consuming kiss. His hands moved down to her hips, squeezing the soft resilient curves of her body. She shivered again, lifting herself with silent invitation as he trailed his fingers through the fine hair of the dark triangle.

„Please, Jake. Oh, my darling love….“

He nipped hungrily at the budding peak of her breast. „You’re so incredibly responsive,“ he breathed, obviously luxuriating in the hot warmth of her.

„I never knew I could be like this,“ she said simply as her fingers urged him closer.

„Heather!“ With a thick groan of desire, Jake thrust deeply into her soft feminine channel, uniting them in an act of love.

Heather shimmered under the overwhelming assault
of Jake’s body, giving herself to him with all the love and passion that had been set free during the trauma of their courtship.
 

When the white-hot intensity of their shared need consumed them both, Heather no longer cared whether Jake viewed her love in terms of surrender. She gave herself completely and in the process of giving received everything she could ever need or want.
 

Jake sealed the pact between them with the elemental fire of possession, and when Heather’s body tightened beneath his, he joined her in the tumultuous completion, calling her name hoarsely as he sank deeply into her softness.