Call It Destiny

lips made the breath catch for an instant in her throat. An inexplicable, almost unbearable tension filled her as she waited.
    „I think – “ Jake whispered huskily as he paused „ – that I’d better go read that contract first.“
    Heather’s eyes flew open in astonishment as she felt her chin abruptly released. Hastily she covered her reaction, tilting her head proudly.
    „You do that, Jake. I wouldn’t want you getting involved in something you can’t handle!“ And a little too loudly, she closed the door in his face.

2

    She looked good sitting there on the terrace, Jake decided the next morning as he approached the private garden area where the Strands customarily took breakfast. The warm morning sunlight gleamed on the neat sweep of her golden-brown hair, making him wish he’d followed through on the temptation to touch it last night.
    Heather was wearing cream-colored cotton pants, pleated and full at the top, narrow at the ankle. The style emphasized in a chic way the intriguing roundness of her derriere and the delicacy of her anklebones. A blouse of the same color with a small collar and pleated sleeves gave Heather a rakish look that suited her.
    Whatever she lacked in outright beauty she more than made up for in style and animation. It was no wonder people were instinctively attracted to her, Jake thought. Those lively hazel eyes could make you feel unique and very important. That surprisingly soft mouth curved readily into a smile of genuine warmth. However, there was more than a hint of assertiveness in the firm lines of chin and jaw, and that hint, coupled with her self-confidence, was all the warning Jake needed. Heather might have been a handful when she was a teenager, but that was nothing compared to what she would be now if she was seriously thwarted.
    Unconsciously Jake drew a determined breath and stepped forward to greet Paul and Ruth Strand and their daughter. His fingers locked tightly around the contract in his hand.
    Heather glanced up and set down her glass of orange juice as she caught sight of Jake’s approaching figure. He crossed the brick terrace with easy familiarity. She had learned during the past two weeks just how very much at home Jake was with her parents, but occasionally when she saw a fresh manifestation of that ease something in her bristled. She should know by now that he often came to share coffee with Paul and Ruth, but this morning she instinctively resisted the idea of realizing just how much a part of the family he really was.
    Then again, she decided with blunt self-honesty, perhaps that was one reason she was willing to marry him. A part of her longed to regain every foothold she’d ever had with her family. Marrying a man of whom they approved was one more way of cementing the new relationship.
    „Good morning, Jake,“ Ruth Strand said warmly, reaching for the silver coffeepot and pouring the contents into the delicate English china cup. She added cream without bothering to inquire. She’d obviously poured coffee for Jake frequently.
    „Good morning, Ruth. Paul.“ Jake nodded at both senior Strands and then strode directly to the chair in which Heather sat and leaned over with a casual possessiveness to kiss her firmly on her surprised mouth.
    The decidedly familiar caress came as a shock to Heather. Before she had time to assimilate the hard feel of his mouth on hers, he had withdrawn to take the empty chair at the round table. A crinkle of paper made her glance down at her lap where he had left the contract he’d been carrying. When she glanced up questioningly, Jake merely smiled his strange half-amused smile.
    „I read it last night. It made interesting bedtime reading.“
    „Did it?“ she asked aloofly, aware of her parents’ interest. They knew nothing about the prenuptial agreement but were obviously quite pleased at the familiarity between their daughter and Jake Cavender.
    „I only made one small change,“ Jake went on, lifting the white napkin off the bread basket to fish around inside for a croissant. „Other than that everything looks in order. I went ahead and signed.“
    Heather’s brows came together in concentration as she hastily began to flip through the contract. Ignoring her, Jake and her parents immediately fell to discussing the weather.
    „The thunderstorms have been rather heavy this year,“ Paul remarked. „Worst I can remember in quite a while. Did you and Heather get caught in that big one last night?“