Call It Destiny

intense emotions that morning. But don’t expect me to believe that any of those emotions had anything to do with loving me.“
    „I didn’t know I was in love with you then! I didn’t realize it until later,“ she protested.
    „After I’d taken you to bed and dragged a surrender out of you. After I’d shown you how good we are together.“
    „That had nothing to do with it,“ she cried, and then felt a wave of confusion. Because it had been the next morning that she had realized the extent of her feelings for Jake Cavender. He saw the unwilling realization in her eyes.
    „Sweetheart, don’t be so hard on yourself,“ he placated. „You’re a creature of passion and spirit. You always do things with flair and a bit of drama. It’s natural that after giving yourself to me as completely as you have that you’d tell yourself you must be head over heels in love.“
    „It’s true!“
    „After only forty-eight hours? Honey, you don’t realize what you’re saying. You’re reacting to the trauma of the past couple of days. After all, we’ve been through quite a lot together. We’ve discovered we’re an explosive combination in bed and we’ve saved each other’s lives. For someone with your basically passionate nature that kind of emotional excitement is bound to be translated into a feeling with a powerful label like love.“
    She shook her head in horrified understanding. „And you don’t believe in love, do you?“
    „I believe in all the things we have going for us. And I believe in your charming passion. And if you want to tell, me and yourself that you’re in love I’m certainly not going to complain. I like hearing the words.“
    „But you can’t return them, is that it?“
    „Heather, what I feel for you isn’t some vague indefinable emotion like love. It’s not ephemeral and fleeting or something that will blow hot and cold depending on circumstances and my mood. What I feel is solid and real and based on solid, real, definable factors.“
    „I’m not a balance sheet, for heaven’s sake! Are you saying you find me attractive because everything adds up?“
    „Honey, you’re getting emotional again,“ he pointed out gently. „Why don’t you save all that heat and fire for our lovemaking when we can both enjoy it?“
    „Don’t you dare speak to me in that patronizing tone of voice!“
    „I’m sorry. I honestly don’t mean to upset you,“ he began gently.
    „Well, I am upset. I’m furious. I’m hurt and I’m mad and I’m thoroughly disgusted. Let me go, Jake.“
    She pushed at his shoulders and he released her, concern on his face as he watched her grope for her damp clothing. He propped himself up on his elbow.
    „Heather,“ he began rather sternly, „this really isn’t the time to indulge in one of your passionate little scenes. We’ve got a long walk ahead of us and we’re both going to need our energy. We’re also going to have to cooperate.“
    „Don’t worry,“ she gritted as she yanked on the stiff denim jeans. „I’m feeling very cooperative on the subject of getting out of here.“
    He eyed her warily. „Are we going to go through this kind of thing every time you don’t get your own way? Haven’t you grown up at all during the past decade?“
    She flung on her shirt and glared down at him. „Oh, yes, Jake. I’ve grown up during the past ten years. I think I’m at the height of my maturity, as a matter of fact.“ In her haste to button the shirt, she began on the wrong buttonhole and had to undo everything. The miscalculation infuriated her further. „For the first eighteen years of my life I let my passionate side rule my actions. For the next eleven years I learned to keep that side under control. I ran my life with the realistic, rational, intellectual side of myself. But thanks to you and the events of the past few days both sides are free.“
    „I can’t wait to see the result,“ he remarked lightly, still trying to coax her out of her mood with teasing humor.
    Heather flung up her head as she shoved the ends of her shirt into her jeans. „Oh, you will, Jake. Don’t worry about that.“
    „Does this mean you don’t love me anymore?“ he asked wistfully.
    „You still think this is some little scene that will blow over, don’t you?“ She reached for her shoes.
    „Dealing with you is like dealing with a keg of dynamite.“ Jake sat up, throwing back the blankets. „Interesting but uncertain.“
    Heather looked away as he