Rebecca Winters - Manhattan Merger

Two days later he wrapped up a conference early with some of his engineers and returned to his apartment near the Place Vendôme. Thanks to the time Rainey had spent with him on the Paris map, he’d been able to give the men enough work to put them ahead of schedule.

“Diane? I’m back and ready to take you shopping for your wedding dress.”

“I’d rather stay in so we can talk.”

Payne frowned. Since Sunday when he’d surprised her, she’d been in better spirits than he’d seen her since the shooting. He didn’t think he could handle it if she told him she wanted to go home. It would mean she’d slipped back into that immobilizing depression he dreaded.

He put down his briefcase. “You don’t sound like you’re feeling well.”

When he walked in her bedroom, he found her seated in her wheelchair wearing a new two-toned pink suit.

“I like your outfit. You look very attractive.”

“I believe you actually meant that. Thank you.”

“I’ve never lied to you about your appearance,” he said as he sat down in one of the chairs next to her. “You were a pretty teenager who turned into a beautiful woman.”

She eyed him directly. “I realize you’ve never lied to me. I’m afraid I’m the one who takes the honors in that department.”

Her comment shocked him.

“When I told you I wanted to come to Paris with you, it was motivated by the lie I told myself about wanting to show an interest in your work. I’ve told myself a lot of lies, but that’s all over.”

“What’s going on, Diane?”

“This.” She held up Manhattan Merger.

Surprised he said, “Catherine was looking for it. She asked me if I would find out if you’d seen it.”

“I put it in my purse when she wasn’t looking because I wanted to read it.”

Amazing. “Were you able to get through it?”

“Don’t make a joke of this, Payne.” Tears welled up in her eyes.

He reached for her hand. “I’m not. It’s just that I know you prefer more meaty types of reading material.”

“I do, but my curiosity was piqued. Little did I know the contents of this book would force me to see myself as I really am. It was a horrifying experience,” she said in a tortured whisper. “Can you ever forgive me?”

“For what?” Payne was dumbfounded.

“For saying yes to your proposal. I placed you in an impossible situation. Ever since I read the last page of this book I’ve been waiting for you to come back to the apartment so I could do this.”

She took off the diamond ring he’d given her and folded it in his palm. “I’ve robbed you of six months of your life. What’s worse, you’re such a good man, you were willing to sacrifice the rest of your life for a woman you’ve never loved and never could love. Not the way I want to be loved.

“The whole time I was reading this novel, I kept confusing the story line with our lives, Payne. Yours and mine and Rainey’s.”

He lowered his head.

“The look in your eyes when you introduced her to me… And then Sunday morning when the love for you came pouring out of hers…

“I could see both of you in the story, wanting each other, yet denying each other because Logan Townsend had a fiancée, and he was an honorable man.

“The only difference between that story and our lives is that I came to my senses first, and could release you from a commitment I should never have let you make. I know why you did it. The sin is on my head for lying to myself that it would all work out in the end.”

“Diane-”

“Before you say anything, you need to know I’ve called my parents and told them the wedding is off. I shouldn’t have been surprised to hear mother say she was relieved. They’re going to fly to Paris tomorrow and take me to that clinic in Zurich.

“This book has made me realize that whether I ever walk again or not, I want a man to fall in love with me the way you fell in love with Rainey. The way Logan Townsend fell in love with the doctor who saved his life.

“If I hadn’t tried to force something from you that wasn’t there, I would never have been shot.

“My obsession over you was sick and wrong. In the end it cost us both unnecessary grief. It’s humiliating to have to admit it, but you deserve to know that I recognize what I’ve done.

“Rainey knew a hero when she saw one in that group photo. She said the judge called it destiny. I know that’s what it was.

“What if she hadn’t painted you, Payne? It started a sequence of events that has freed you and me to live the lives we’re supposed to live. Tell her I’m so glad she did it!”

For the first time since the shooting, Payne wrapped his arms around her because he wanted to. “I know you’re going to walk again, Diane.”

“I have to believe that too. I won’t believe anything else.” She hugged him hard, then pushed him away.

“What are you standing there for?” She smiled. “Pack your bags. I’m kicking you out of your own apartment because I happen to know there’s a woman in Colorado who’s dying with love for you. Go to her quickly. And please, please be happy.”

“RAINEY?”

“Yes?”

She heard the zip open on her two man tent. “Are you asleep?”

“Not now,” she muttered as Craig crawled inside.

“Liar. I heard you crying.”

“Then I guess everybody else did too,” she lamented.

“Don’t worry about it.”

He closed the zip, then sat down cross-legged on the floor in the semidarkness next to her sleeping bag. Now that the sun had gone down, it was cooling off fast. With the screened windows left open, it would be cold inside by morning.

“People are still being flown in. The ones already here are too excited for tomorrow’s run to go to bed yet. Besides, I purposely placed your tent away from the others to give you some privacy. Are you ready to talk about Mr. Megabucks yet?”

“Please don’t call him that.”

“It was a term of endearment,” he teased.

“He’s anything but that kind of person.”

“Tell me about him.”

“Right now he’s in Paris with his fiancée. They’re getting married August first. H-he admitted he isn’t in love with her.” Suddenly it all came out in a torrent of words. Everything.

Craig let out a low whistle.

He put a hand on her arm. “That’s tough.”

She wiped the moisture off her cheeks. “After the hearing you were the person who told me that one day I’d look back on my big adventure and laugh about it. That counsel is the only thing holding me together.”

“But it doesn’t do anything for your pain right now. Still it’s nice to hear I’m good for something.”

“You’re good for a lot of things.” She sniffed. “Why else do you think I’m here? I’m just afraid you’re going to be sorry I joined you on your last river trip.”

“Are you kidding? I’m anxious to run some new ideas past you for the store. Tell you what? I can hear the helicopter coming now with the last bunch of tourists. If you’re still awake after they’re settled, we’ll talk.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t think I’m ever going to sleep again.”

“Sure you will. After a day on the river tomorrow, you’ll sleep like a baby.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“Would I lie to you?”

“You never have before.”

“There you go then. You want me to light your lantern?”

“That’s all right. I have my flashlight if I need it.”

“Okay.”

When he left the tent, she lay down again. In this protected area of the canyon, the sound of the helicopter rotors reverberated more loudly than normal against the rocks.

She’d never hear one again without thinking of Payne. The sight of him growing smaller as his pilot whisked her away from Crag’s Head filled her with such desolation, Rainey thought she couldn’t bear it.

On a sob, she buried her face in the pillow.

The convulsions that shook her body were worse than ever. Her soul was inconsolable.

While she lay there racked in torment she heard the helicopter take off for Las Vegas. It wouldn’t be long before her brother came back. She was glad because she knew she needed help to get through the night.

Finally she heard him undo the zip of her tent again.

“Craig?” she called out automatically as he crept inside.

“No. It’s Payne.”

“That’s not funny, Craig.”

“I agree,” came a deep, familiar male voice.

Convinced she was hallucinating, Rainey grabbed her flashlight and turned it on.

When she saw Payne hunkered down next to her looking so handsome and alive, she let out a cry.

“Shh, darling.” He brushed his mouth against hers before turning off the light.

She couldn’t believe this was happening.

“I’ll explain everything later. All you need to know is that I’m free. Diane has given us her blessing. Now come here to me and let me hold you, feel you.”

Her heart thudded feverishly as he unzipped her sleeping bag and pulled her into his arms.

“Rainey-” he said her name on a ragged breath, kissing her in every conceivable place on her face and neck. “I’ve been living for this.”

“I’ve been dying for it,” she confessed against his lips.

Then she gave up her mouth to him and was lost in the fierce hunger of his kiss. They were both starving for each other.

She let out little moans of ecstasy. With each sound he drank more deeply until they were one throbbing entity of need.

Rainey clung to his rock-hard body, arms and legs entwined. Her lips roved over the unforgettable face she’d memorized in her dreams. Now she had the real thing to explore to her heart’s desire.

“I love you,” she whispered feverishly. “I love you with an ache that’s never going to go away.”

He cradled the back of her head, kissing her with refined savagery. Then he crushed her against him.

“I’m so in love with you, I don’t know if there are words to describe how I feel.”

“Those are the words I’ve been waiting to hear. I don’t need any others.”

She heard his sharp intake of breath. “Marry me, Rainey. I can’t live without you.”

“I wouldn’t let you.”

Once again they were devouring each other.

“You made a mistake crawling in here tonight. I’m already addicted to the taste and feel of you,” she confessed when he allowed her to breathe again. “It’s possible you’ll never get out alive.”

He buried his face in her neck. “You smell so good, Rainey. You feel so good. I love to look at you. Everything about you is a miracle.”

In a lightning move he rolled her over so he was looking down at her. The full moon gave off enough light for them to see each other.

“Right now I can’t see the color of your eyes. All I can tell is that they’re dark. At this moment you resemble my Prince of Dreams.”

His white smile dazzled her. She’d never seen him look like that before.

That’s when her breath caught.

The smile faded. “What’s wrong, darling?”

“Nothing. It’s just something I remembered when I’d finished painting the cover for Manhattan Merger.”

He kissed the end of her nose. “What was that?”

“You were the embodiment of my dreams come to life on a piece of canvas.

“You had rich dark brown hair that looked vibrant to the touch.

“Your Nordic blue eyes seemed to envision things no one else could even imagine.

“Those rugged facial features denoted a life of hard work, sacrifice and triumphs.

“You had the build and stance of a conquerer beneath your business suit. Someone who dared to explore new frontiers.

“But you were a man who hadn’t yet been transformed by a woman’s love…

“When you smiled at me just now, I realized that was the ingredient that had been missing. It was missing when you were with Diane, but I refused to acknowledge it. If I were to paint you now, you would look different.”

“That’s because I am different,” his voice shook. “You’ve transformed me until I don’t know myself anymore.”

His head descended. Once again they were kissing with a passion that was spiraling out of control.

“Rainey-” he cried. “I don’t want to go down the river tomorrow.”

“Neither do I.”

“I want to meet your family as soon as possible.”

“We’ll go home in the morning and I’ll introduce you. Mother’s already a big fan of yours. Dad will be thrilled to learn that the great love of my life really is going to be the great love of my life.”

Payne embraced her again. “He’ll think this has gone way too far too fast,” he murmured into her shimmery hair.

“So will your parents.” She kissed his lips quiet. “But no man knows our history except you and me. After the tragedy that befell Diane in a split second’s time, I don’t want to waste any more of the moments destiny has allotted to us. Life is too precious.”