Manhattan Merger

CHAPTER FOUR

THE second the judge left the courtroom, Rainey was so relieved she leaped from the chair to hug Grace Carlow. The attorney dwarfed her five foot six inch body.

“It turned out as I knew it would, my dear.”

“Only because of you,” Rainey half sobbed the words. Relief swept over her in waves.

“Rainey’s right,” Bonnie chimed in, giving both of them a hug. “Without your confidence, I would have had a coronary before we ever got off the phone.”

Grace smiled. “It’s over, and the lesson we’ve learned has been instructive for the company.”

Rainey nodded.

“We also learned something else, ladies.” She cocked an expressive brow.

“What?” Rainey and Bonnie were both wiping their eyes at the same time.

“Mr. Sterling only has one sister. It means Senator Sterling-Boyce’s daughter and maid read our romances. That’s the kind of inside information guaranteed to make Mr. Finauer’s day.”

Rainey had never met the CEO, but she’d heard that when he erupted, everyone felt the shock waves. If this case had gone the wrong way…

“All’s well that ends well, honey.”

“Oh, mom-” Rainey turned to embrace her mother and brother. “Thanks for flying to my rescue on such short notice and bringing everything. The outcome would have been very different without you two!”

Craig gave her a hug. “Congratulations on your big honor, even if you can’t accept the award.”

“Thanks.”

“Trust my sister to pick the one billionaire face in the crowd,” he teased.

She groaned, still shuddering from nerves which had been playing havoc with her emotions over the last twenty-four hours.

Her brother grinned. “I guess I’m going to have to break down and read Manhattan Merger to find out why Mr. Megabucks felt so violated.”

“We’ll never know all the things about Bonnie’s novel that upset him so much. But it wouldn’t hurt you to read a really fantastic relationship book with a powerful emotional punch.” Rainey sniffed. “Maybe it will give you insight into your less than satisfactory love-life.”

“How come it hasn’t helped yours?” he whispered.

“It has! Reading romance novels has taught me to wait for the kind of man I want for my husband. He just hasn’t come along yet.”

“Ms. Bennett?” a deep unfamiliar male voice sounded behind her.

She whirled around, but felt like she was still reeling after she’d come to a stop.

The man she’d drawn, painted and dreamed about so many times was actually standing in front of her, up close and too personal for her to breathe normally.

With a sense of déjà vu her gaze traveled over his rugged male features. There were strain lines near his eyes and mouth that hadn’t been there two years ago. Lines put there by a stalker who’d crippled this man’s fiancée…

No doubt those creases had deepened further as a result of finding himself on the cover of Manhattan Merger, a book that paralleled his life to such a degree, he’d not only felt violated as Craig had said, he’d felt threatened.

“I would give anything if I could undo the pain and suffering I’ve caused you and your fiancée-” she blurted. Her smoky green eyes glistened with tears that trembled on the tips of her velvety black lashes.

“Please tell her how sorry I am to have been the person who turned your lives into another nightmare. I can’t even imagine how terrible that experience must have been for both of you and your families.”

“It was. I won’t lie to you about that.”

His honesty was as devastating as his dark blue gaze which traveled over her features with an intimacy that made her tremble.

She averted her eyes. “It’s a helpless feeling to know you’ve done something you can’t undo-like trying to recapture the air from a balloon. If I could turn the clock back, knowing what I know now-” she half moaned the words.

“Amen,” he muttered with an unmistakable echo of pain revealed in that one word. It haunted her. “My attorney will be calling Ms. Carlow about the paintings of me still in your possession.”

She nodded. “Naturally you’ll want proof that everything has been destroyed.”

“Excuse me for interrupting, Ms. Bennett,” his attorney broke in on them. “I need to talk to my client.”

“Of course.” Her eyes lifted to Payne Sterling’s once more. “Thank you for not pressing charges against the others…or me. I’ll always be grateful,” her voice throbbed. “God bless you and your fiancée.”

She turned away from him, feeling much worse than before because he was no longer just a memory from a photograph. The reality of his physical presence, plus the pain she felt emanating from him, had combined to squeeze her heart with fresh guilt.

“What did he say to upset you?” Craig whispered as he and their mother walked her out of the courtroom.

“Nothing. I just feel horrible for causing him and his family more pain.”

“It wasn’t intentional and he knows it,” her mother assured her. “Let’s be glad it’s over. Since Craig and I have to fly back home in the morning, shall we celebrate your victory and take a ferry to Staten Island if it isn’t too late? It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

“That sounds like a good idea, mom.” Anything to get her mind off of Payne Sterling for a while. “We’ll grab a taxi out in front of the court building and head for the terminal. If I remember right, the ferries leave often during rush hour.”

“When we get back, I’ll treat us to dinner,” her brother offered. “Where shall we go?”

“There’s a great sushi place on Bond Street.” She’d said it to tease Craig. His proclivity for beef was well known.

When both he and her mother frowned on cue, Rainey laughed. “Just kidding. I’ll take you guys to Del Frisco’s. It’s the best steak house in Manhattan.”

“Now you’re talking.”

They moved outside the building to hail a cab. “I’m surely glad you’ve lived around here long enough to know your way around, Rainey,” her mother confided. “You love it, don’t you.”

“On the whole, yes. But the masses of people can be daunting at times. To live here permanently would require a lot of money if you craved isolation and privacy.”

“Luckily we have that for free in Grand Junction,” Craig said before letting out an ear-piercing whistle. It did the job. One of the taxis whizzing by came to a quick stop.

Rainey climbed in after her mother. Then Craig got inside and pulled the door closed after him.

She leaned forward to address the driver. “Whitehall Terminal, please.”

As the taxi started up again, Rainey noticed Payne Sterling and his attorney, both in sunglasses, leave the courthouse surrounded by a group of men all in business suits. They got in a limousine with tinted windows.

After the accident that had left his fiancée paralyzed, Rainey imagined he would always be well guarded. How horrible to be a target everywhere he went. She shuddered.

Her brother eyed her with concern. “Are you all right?”

“I’m thankful he didn’t press charges, but I still feel awful about what I did.”

“As the judge said, there was no evil intended. Chalk it up to one of your exciting experiences in the Big Apple. Someday you’ll look back and laugh about it.”

“I hope so.”

“Craig’s right, honey. I’m sure Mr. Sterling’s relief that neither you or Bonnie Wrigley was a stalker has caused him to forget about it already.”

“Even if that’s true, he has to live every moment of his life with the knowledge that his fiancée is in a wheelchair because of a demented woman who imagines herself in love with him.”

“That’s the downside of being a man with a name like Sterling, and a bank account that could fund the homeless forever.”

Rainey bowed her head. “Grace told me he already does that.”

“Does what?” her brother asked.

“He’s a philanthropist. According to her he has set up many charities including a foundation for the homeless. I know he does it for tax purposes, but I’m pretty sure she told me all those things to reassure me he’s compassionate too.”

“He seemed like a good man to me when I took him rafting down the river. No wonder he used the name Vince. It’s the only way he can have any anonymity.”

She buried her face in her hands. “I still can’t believe I picked him to paint.”

“I can,” her mother drawled. “So can all the millions of women who will mourn when he’s not on any more romance covers.”

“Mom-” Craig laughed. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

“You’d have to be a woman to understand.”

“Is dad aware of your secret fantasy?” he teased.

“There are several things he’s better off not knowing.”

“Don’t tell me you read those romances too?”

“Rainey and I have been enjoying them for years. You were always too busy devouring your hunting and fishing magazines to notice.”

At this point Rainey couldn’t help chuckling. Her mother’s comments had managed to lighten her mood.

“It looks like we’ve arrived,” Craig muttered, sounding miffed by their mother’s confession.

On the whole Rainey found that men seemed uncomfortable by the thought of romance novels and heroes. It was very strange since statistics showed that men had fantasies about women on a daily basis.

Rainey lifted her head in time to see her brother pay the fare. They piled out of the taxi into a horde of people coming and going from the ferry. It happened to be the John F. Kennedy.

Craig pulled out his pocket camera and snapped a picture, then herded them toward the terminal for their tickets.

Being with her family until they left for the airport the next morning prevented Rainey from dwelling on the whole disturbing incident with Mr. Sterling. Her long talk into the night with Craig about his business plans had kept disturbing thoughts of him at bay.

But once she’d waved them off in a taxi headed for the airport, memories of him came rushing back with a vengeance.

To stem the tide, she straightened her apartment, did a wash and scoured the bathroom. When everything was neat and clean, she showered and dressed in cutoffs and a T-shirt. After going downstairs for her mail, she was ready to get back to her painting.

An hour later she’d finished the lace on the wedding gown. The cover for The Bride’s Not-So-White Secret was done.

She called the courier service to schedule a pickup for Monday morning. Now she could start on the next project for Global Greeting Cards which had come in the mail.

No sooner had she put the receiver back on the hook to get busy and her phone rang. She assumed it was Ken. He’d asked her to go to a jazz concert with him tonight in Greenwich Village and was probably calling to set up the time.

“Rainey Bennett Fine Art Studio.”

“Hello, Rainey.”

“Grace-” She clutched the receiver a little tighter for fear something else was wrong.

“Relax, my dear. All is well. Claud Finauer couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”

Relieved to hear that news, Rainey let go of the breath she’d been holding.

“For your information I had a call from Mr. Wallace a few minutes ago. If it’s convenient, someone will be coming by your apartment within the hour for your paintings of Mr. Sterling. I wanted to make certain you were home.”

“I’ll be here. Tell them to buzz me from the foyer so I can let them in. I’m on the third floor.”

“Good. I’ll call you next week. We’ll go out for lunch.”

“I’d like that.” Grace was a fascinating personality.

“So would I. Talk to you soon.”

The minute they clicked off, Rainey walked over to the paintings and removed them from the wall. After dusting the frames off, she placed them next to the door.

It was a wrench to have to give up the one for Manhattan Merger. Not that she couldn’t do another painting of him from memory. But it would be different the second time around because she’d seen him in person.

If she did do any new sketches, they would show a man embracing his wheelchair-bound fiancée. His eyes and rugged features would reveal intense suffering…

While she waited for the runner from Mr. Wallace’s law firm to arrive, Rainey opened the manilla envelope. It appeared she was to design a series of cards that said “Goodbye-Enjoy your trip!” in various languages.

Having lived in Italy, she reached for her sketch pad and began playing around with some ideas that immediately sprang to mind. Soon her hillside in Tuscany began to come alive like the pieces of a patchwork quilt.

She drew in one of those charming farmhouses with the tiled roof. No one could see inside it, but her imagination allowed her to dream of two people madly in love. They stood at one of the windows overlooking their own spot of heaven. Twilight revealed two bodies entwined.

As Rainey stared into space, she realized she’d been envisioning herself in Payne Sterling’s arms. It wasn’t the first time this had happened. She feared it wouldn’t be the last.

Disturbed by thoughts she had no right to entertain, she threw down her pencil and got up from the desk.

It was a good thing all physical evidence of him would be gone in a few minutes.

But not from her mind.

An overwhelming compulsion to look at him one more time drove her to the door of her apartment. She reached for her favorite painting.

The more she studied it, the more she realized the person who’d gone down the Colorado with her brother seeking adventure bore little resemblence to the man she’d faced in the courtroom.

Rainey finally put it back with the others.

How tragic to think the woman he’d fallen in love with could no longer run into his arms. Talk about cruel.

She tried to imagine herself in his fiancée’s place. How hard it must be for her to want to do everything for him, to share everything with him when she-

The buzzer sounded from the foyer, interrupting her tormented thoughts. She spoke through the intercom. When she’d ascertained it was the runner, she told him to come up.

A half minute later there was a rap on the door. She opened it expecting to see a college-age person. Her greeting stuck in her throat to find a huskily built man blocking her exit. He was in his late thirties and wore casual clothes.

“Ms. Bennett?”

“Yes?”

He looked beyond her to the apartment itself, as if he were casing the interior. Sensing something wasn’t right, she was about to close the door when another man came up behind him dressed in a business suit.

“I’ll take it from here, John.”

The second Rainey saw who it was, the breath rushed out of her lungs. Maybe she was hallucinating.

The all-seeing blue eyes of Payne Sterling seemed to take in every detail of her face and body before their gazes locked.

“I’m here for the artwork, Ms. Bennett, but I’d like to talk to you first.” His cultivated male voice permeated her bones. “May I come in?”

Rainey couldn’t believe this was happening. Thank heaven she’d done her housecleaning earlier that morning.

“Yes. Of course.”

Once he’d stepped inside and shut the door, he dominated her tiny studio apartment.

“Would you like to sit down?” Even to her own ears she sounded breathless.

His glance darted to the sketch on her desk. “I can see that I’ve interrupted your work, but I don’t plan to be here that long. I’ve come to ask a special favor of you.”

Rainey gulped. “If you’re worried about the other paintings, I’ll phone those authors who purchased them. When they hear what happened, they’ll send them back to me.”

He shook his dark head. “Forget them. My concern lies in making my niece and fiancée feel secure. They’re the ones who panicked when they saw my likeness on the cover.”

His hands went to his hips, underscoring his compelling masculinity. “I’d like them to meet the artist. Between you and me, I’m confident we’ll be able to dispel their fears that you’re a threat to me or anyone else.”

She was stunned by his request.

For one thing, she’d never imagined seeing him again. For another, it brought home the fact that she’d unwittingly terrorized two innocent people who loved him and needed reassurance.

No matter his reasons for asking this favor of her, somewhere in Rainey’s psyche she knew she should say no for her own self-preservation.

What was it she remembered about the cycle of temptation?

First you allowed the thought to enter your mind. Then you began to fantasize about it. From there you started making plans. Finally you found yourself acting on those plans.

The man she now knew as Payne Sterling had been in her thoughts for two years. Since court she’d entertained certain intimate fantasies about him. If she agreed to his request, it meant crossing that precarious line into the “making plans” phase.

What really shocked her was how much she wanted to make plans with him, even though it meant meeting his fiancée. Was she some kind of masochist?

Clinging to one last thread of common sense she said, “They’re welcome to come here to my studio.”

“It would be easier for my fiancée if I take you to them.”

Of course. The apartment didn’t have an elevator. What was the matter with her?

“I’d like to surprise them with good news,” he continued. “It’ll be the best medicine of all.”

But not for me Rainey’s heart cried. Help-what should she do?

“When were you thinking of us meeting?” She fought to keep the tremor out of her voice.

“As soon as possible. Perhaps this evening after we’ve both finished work for the day.”

This evening?

A shiver of excitement passed through her body.

“I see.” She bit her lip remembering it was Friday and she had a date with Ken.

“By your hesitation I assume you’re not free.”

His eyes held hers. She could sense his urgency and the accompanying disappointment.

“I-I’ll change my plans,” she stammered. “After the pain I’ve put you and your family through, it’s the least I can do.”

Ken would forgive her when she told him it was a legal matter. He above all people would understand.

The only person who didn’t feel right about the whole situation was Rainey. Not when her attraction to this man was so intense.

“Thank you, Ms. Bennett. Have you ever flown in a helicopter?”

Her pulse started to race. “Yes. My brother’s friend runs a helicopter service in Las Vegas. He’s flown me over the Grand Canyon several times.”

“Good. I’ll send the limo for you at four o’clock. We’ll leave from my office as soon as you arrive. Do you have plans for tomorrow?”

“Work-” she blurted, throwing herself a lifeline. “I’m behind becau-”

“Because I forced you into court,” he finished for her. “Bring it with you and anything else you’ll require for an overnight stay, including a bathing suit.”

Oh no.

Rainey averted her eyes. She was terrified he would see how excited she was at the prospect of going anywhere with him…of spending time with him.

And his fiancée, a little voice nagged. Never forget that, Rainey Bennett.

When she felt recovered enough to meet his glance, she discovered him studying her prized serigraph of the Nantucket Lighthouse painted by Thomas McKnight. It hung next to her own paintings, the few that hadn’t yet been purchased by the authors of those books.

He suddenly turned in her direction, catching her staring at him. She didn’t look away, but heat scorched her cheeks.

“Would you bring your dog’s picture when you come?”

She shouldn’t have been surprised he’d seen the small framed photo perched on her desk. He noticed everything. What intrigued her was the reason why he’d made the request.

“All right.”

Their eyes held for a brief moment. “I’ll see you later.”

In an economy of movement he gathered the paintings and went out the door. Unable to help herself, she watched until he and the same security man named John disappeared from view.

After shutting the door she leaned against it, wondering if she was in the middle of one of her dreams about him. But six hours later she knew everything was real when John and another security man appeared at the door. They helped her to the limousine with her bags.

Insulated by glass that allowed her to look out without being seen, she enjoyed being chauffeured to the Financial District even though it was rush hour. Once they arrived in the underground parking of the Sterling building, she was whisked by private elevator to the penthouse.

When the doors opened to Mr. Payne’s office suite, Rainey couldn’t control the gasp that escaped her throat. It was like walking into her own painting.

Her dark-haired hero looked up from his massive oak desk and said, “Since seeing the cover on Manhattan Merger, I’ve had the same reaction as you every time I’ve walked in my office.”

Rainey stood there speechless.

Her gaze darted from the small framed photo perched on his desk to the painting of a ship passing a lighthouse.

“No,” she whispered in disbelief.

It hung on the only wall not made of glass, just the way she’d set things up in her painting.

And then there was the dynamic billionaire himself.

Dressed in the expensive-looking blue suit he’d worn to her apartment earlier, it could have been the same suit she’d put on him in the painting. Behind him loomed the Manhattan skyline, astonishingly similar to the one she’d painted for the cover.

Still in shock, she watched as he got out of his swivel chair and brought her the small picture from his desk.

“I’m afraid to look,” she confessed in a shaky voice as he closed the distance between them and handed it to her.

One glance at it and her green eyes flew to his. “This dog-the face-it looks like Winston!”

He nodded. “Meet Bruno, my trusty bullmastiff.”

“I don’t believe it,” she murmured, starting to feel light-headed. The picture slipped to the lush carpet.

Suddenly she felt a hard-muscled arm go around her. He ushered her to the nearest leather chair.

Their faces were almost touching. She could see the alarm in those unforgettable blue eyes, feel his breath on her cheek. “You went so pale just now. I’ll get you some water.”

In the next instant he’d returned and put the cup to her lips.

She drank every drop hoping he would move away from her, but to her consternation he hunkered down next to her after she’d finished.

He was too close- He smelled too good- She couldn’t think, let alone breathe.

“Better now?” The concern in his deep voice was too much.

“I-I’m fine. Thank you.” She stood up abruptly in an effort to separate herself from him.

The picture was still lying on the floor. Needing something physical to do in her chaotic state, she walked over and picked it up. To her relief the glass hadn’t broken. At last she had the answer to why he’d requested she bring her picture of Winston along.

She put it back on his desk before turning to him. “Mr. Sterling-”

“Surely we’re beyond the formalities,” he broke in.

No! We aren’t! We can’t be!

“My name is Payne.”

I know. I don’t dare use it.

Her body was trembling. “I swear I’ve never been in your office before!”

Lines marred his rugged features. “After your testimony in court and the way you almost fainted just now, you think I don’t know that?”

She put a hand to her throat. “I don’t see how I could have painted everything so true to life! There’s such a thing as coincidence. But this is something else…”

“My feelings exactly.”

Rainey shook her head. “I’m not one to believe in an out-of-body experience that brought me to this office.”

“Nor I.”

She stared at him once more. “I’m frightened. How do you explain something like this happening?”

He rubbed the back of his neck before eyeing her through narrowed lids. “The judge said it. Some things can’t be explained. You just have to accept them.”

“But your fiancée probably won’t believe I haven’t been stalking you. I wouldn’t!” Warmth rosied her cheeks.

His expression grew solemn. “That’s why I want you with me when we tell her and Catherine the true situation.”

“Your niece?”

“Yes.”

“How old is she?”

“Fifteen.”

“Are you two close?”

“Very,” he whispered. “I shouldn’t have favorites, but when you meet her, you’ll understand why.”

Rainey moaned. “I have to assume they’ve both been to your office.”

He nodded. “Catherine, many times.”

“When they saw the cover, they must have been petrified. I’m so sorry-” Rainey blurted.

“Don’t you think you’ve beaten yourself enough?” There was an edge to his tone that silenced her. “Let’s agree it’s been a hellish week for everyone concerned and get out of here.”

By now he’d reached the elevator and stood there a male entity of barely suppressed energy waiting to break free of the confining walls of his office.

Her heartbeat accelerated to a sickening pitch. Since coming to this office, being touched by him, she felt a stronger connection to him than ever.

This was wrong, all wrong. Yet she found herself taking one step, then another, toward him.

Her conscience screamed at her to beg off with some excuse before it was too late.

Still she kept going.

The doors closed, sealing her inside with him. So much for listening to the nagging voice that told her she would live to regret this.

They rode to the roof where his helicopter sat waiting.

She should stop this madness now, before things went any further. But the temptation to go where he led was greater than any force she’d ever known.

He walked to the helicopter with her and helped her get in. The security man she’d drawn in the courtroom for the judge followed them at a short distance. He climbed in behind her.

After fastening the seat strap, she realized she’d become an eager participant in a plan that could lead to her destruction. Yet one look at Payne Sterling sitting in the co-pilot’s, so alive and vital, and no power on earth could tear her away.

The whir of the rotors drowned out the last death gasp of her conscience. There was liftoff.

Rainey was being carried beyond the point of no return.