“The bank gave him the loan and he’s found space in a good location. Though he’s got help, he could use a lot more.”

Payne’s hands formed into fists. “So you’ve suddenly decided to do the honors.”

“I have some savings,” she went on explaining, “and don’t need to accept any more work for a while. I want to help him get set up.”

“You’re an artist! A fabulous artist. You moved to New York to follow your own dream.”

“I never planned to live here forever. This was an experiment. An adventure. Nothing more.”

“Does your brother know what you’re about to sacrifice for him?”

“N-not yet. I’m planning to surprise him.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“What do you mean?” She sounded angry, but anger masked fear.

“You’re not running to him as much as running from something. Admit it!”

By now she was standing at the window looking out, ostensibly so she wouldn’t have to face him.

“Please go, Mr. Sterling. When you see your niece, tell her goodbye for me, and let her know I’m happy she liked the picture.”

“She loves both of them. The whole family will be delighted when they lay eyes on ‘The Beggar.’ Creating those masterpieces must have kept you up all night.”

Payne hadn’t been able to sleep either.

Still she said nothing.

He shifted his weight. “I’m not leaving this apartment until I learn why you planned to disappear without a trace.”

Time lapsed before she said in a low voice, “You’re going to make me say it aren’t you.”

Another surge of adrenaline electrified his body. “Say what?” he prodded.

Rainey turned her head in his direction wearing a solemn expression. “Your fiancée knows you’ve been to my apartment,” she began in a throbbing voice.

“She knows I’ve been to your office, that I’ve ridden in your helicopter. She knows I’ve been out to Crag’s Head. After last night she knows I was an overnight guest in your sister’s home.

“If I were your fiancée, I could handle all of it knowing everything was the result of the hearing. But any more contact, even a whisper of it, and I would feel…threatened.”

He took a step closer. “If you think moving back to Colorado removes that threat, then you’re very much mistaken. You could go to the ends of the earth and it wouldn’t make any difference.”

“Then you haven’t done enough to make her feel secure in your love,” she fired back.

Unable to respond to that remark without incriminating himself he said, “She’ll never feel secure about anything until she can walk again. There’s a clinic in Switzerland that might be able to help her, but she refuses to let me take her.”

Upon that remark Rainey rested her body against the edge of the desk. Her head was lowered.

“I can understand why. It would be so hard to go there on a thread of hope and then find out not even those doctors could help.”

“Diane still has some feeling in her legs, Rainey. There’s a chance she could walk again. Otherwise the doctors wouldn’t keep urging her to go for a consultation and exam.”

Taking a calculated risk he said, “This morning while Catherine and I were swimming in the ocean, an idea came to me that could change Diane’s mind. You corroborated it moments ago when you talked about her feeling threatened.”

That brought Rainey’s head up. He had her full attention now.

“Instead of putting your career on hold for your brother who still has no idea what you’re planning, how would you like to do something that could result in Diane throwing away that damn wheelchair?”

A stunned expression broke out on her face. “If I thought I could help, naturally I’d do it, but I can’t imagine what it would be.”

Rainey Bennett-I’m going to hold you to that.

“Last evening you told me you’d give anything to work alongside me.”

She shook her head. “I was carried away. You know that.”

“You meant it, Rainey. So I’m proposing that you move into my home at Crag’s Head and expand your artistic talents by making my maps for me. It’ll be a merger financially beneficial for both of us.”

An explosion of green sparks lit up her heavily lashed eyes.

“Until you came along, I never trusted anyone else to do them. With your help I’ll be free to travel without the worry that I’m getting behind on the technical end. In this business I have to set up new markets before the competition does.

“In return, let’s pray Diane is so threatened by your presence in my life, she’ll agree to go to Switzerland and learn to walk again if only to be able to face you on an equal footing.”

“You can’t be serious!” She sounded aghast.

“I never say what I don’t mean. You have to understand something about my fiancée. No one has more pride than Ms. Diane Wylie of the North Shore.

“Her condition is so shocking to her, it’s come between her and her friends, her work on the magazine. She helped on my sister’s last senatorial campaign. Once upon a time she had aspirations to go into politics herself. All that drive has vanished. She’s not the same person she used to be.”

Rainey’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “That’s so tragic.”

“It is,” Payne murmured. “No human being deserves to suffer like she has.

“Last night I felt her pain because she used to be vital and vivacious like you, with a hell of a lot to contribute. If I thought she could be that way again, I’d move heaven and earth to make it happen.”

“I’m sure you would,” she whispered.

“Since Trevor’s death, Catherine’s been working on Diane. In her own sweet way she’s tried to remind her that there never was any hope for her brother, but there is for Diane. Still my fiancée hasn’t responded.

“The first signs of fight I’ve seen in her were last night while you were enchanting everyone.” Enchanting me. “Catherine was a different girl because of you, and Diane knew it.

“With your cooperation, maybe Diane will get so angry she’ll end up begging me take her to Switzerland. She’s a competitor at heart. That’s why I believe this will work. I could have roamed the earth and never found a more worthy opponent than you.”

After a significant pause he said, “If your answer is no, then I’ll leave here and you’ll never have to worry about dealing with me again. If it’s yes, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you tried to help another human being get back her life.”

Rainey couldn’t have looked more dazed.

“I realize it’s a lot to ask. I have no right. I do a lot of things when I don’t have the right, but it’s the way I’m made.”

The silence lengthened.

Summoning every vestige of willpower he possessed, Payne walked out of the apartment with a vision indelibly impressed of her standing there looking tormented.

But not tormented enough to call him back.

With that crushing realization, he headed for the staircase.

The thought of life without Rainey Bennett sent him into a despair so black, he didn’t remember going down the three flights of stairs to the foyer. Mac and John stood somewhere in the periphery waiting for Payne to climb in the back of the limo. Doors opened and closed. It was all a blur.

“Payne?”

“What is it, Andy?”

“Ms. Bennett is on the sidewalk motioning for you to put down your window.”

Being told that Rainey had followed him all the way to the street was like his body freefalling thousands of feet only to be yanked as his chute suddenly opened.

With lightning speed he levered himself from the car, still trying to catch his breath.

Dozens of people were walking back and forth, but as far as Payne was concerned, he and Rainey were the only two people in existence. She couldn’t very well avoid his gaze though she was trying.

“You wouldn’t be standing here if the answer weren’t yes. Shall we talk about it in the limo, or upstairs?”

She moistened her lips nervously. “When would you want me to start?”

“Now.”

“So soo-”

“I have to leave for Paris on Tuesday morning. Therefore I’d like to go over my maps with you this weekend and show you how I work.”

“But my apartmen-”

“I’ll help you bring down the things you’ll need for the weekend. On Monday we’ll arrange for you to meet with movers. You can put anything in storage you won’t require while you’re living with me.”

“I’ll have to be here for the courier to pick up my latest painting.”

“We’ll do that and I’ll take care of your lease.”

“No-I’ve already made an installment agreement with the super.”

Payne decided to let her have that victory for now. Early on he’d learned that when he was on the brink of a major takeover, he pounced when the tiny window of opportunity presented itself. The little things could slide.

“I-I won’t need your help with my bags. If you’ll wait here, I’ll be back down as soon as I can.”

“Take all the time you want.” I’m not going anywhere without you.

Payne recognized she craved privacy to say goodbye to the man who’d been in her apartment earlier. Little did the poor devil know Rainey would be out of permanent circulation the moment of liftoff.

While he waited, he phoned his niece.

“Hi, Uncle Payne!”

“How are things?”

“Great!”

That was the most enthusiasm he’d heard out of her in a long time.

“I invited my friends over to see Rainey’s drawings. Now they want her to do pictures of them and their pets so they can give them to their parents for Christmas presents. Do you think she would do it if they paid her?”

He smiled. “Knowing Rainey, she wouldn’t take the money.”

“I’m sure you’re right, but that’s a lot to ask when she has two other jobs.”

“Tell you what. You can ask her yourself tomorrow.”

“Did you invite her out to the house again?”

“No. I asked her to accept a full-time job with me. She said yes, and she’ll be moving into Crag’s Head where she’ll work on my maps.”