“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.”

“Amen to that.”

He drew her to him in a possessive move that thrilled her to the tips of her toes. “You’ve never been with a man before have you.”

“No. I’ve been waiting for the right one to come along.”

“Oh, Rainey-” He rocked her back and forth for a minute. “Since I don’t know how I can wait much longer to make you mine, we need to get married as soon as possible. Out of respect for Diane and her family’s feelings, I want to keep it low profile.”

“So do I. I’ve always planned to be married in our family’s church. The timing is perfect. Craig will be through here the day after tomorrow.”

“That will give my family time to fly out. Catherine will be overjoyed.”

“She adores you, Payne, but then who doesn’t.” Emotion made her throat swell. “Payne? Tell me about Diane.”

She heard the deep sigh that came out of him before he turned so they were lying side by side and he could look at her. He traced the arch of her brow with his finger.

“Would you believe she took Manhattan Merger with her? When I got back to the apartment on Tuesday afternoon, she’d read it and was waiting for me.”

“Oh, darling.” Hot tears trickled out of the corners of her eyes. “I was afraid if she ever broke down to find out what was inside, she could be hurt by it.”

“Hurt isn’t quite the word. She was shaken with guilt.”

For the next little while Rainey lay there in wonder while he told her how Diane had given him his freedom and asked for forgiveness.

She kissed his lips. “I’ll pray she can walk again.”

“We both will.”

“I owe Diane my life. She let you go so we could have one,” Rainey cried before breaking down in tears.

He held her tight against his heart. “She said the same thing about you. Your paintings put certain forces to work with the result that she wants to walk again and fall in love.”

“One day I’ll have to call Bonnie Wrigley and tell her everything. She’ll be so thrilled to think one of her stories had such a life-changing effect on Diane.”

“It changed all our lives, Rainey. I’ll never underestimate the power of a romance novel again. Who knows? By the time you’ve become Mrs. Sterling, my sister Phyllis might be the next highbrow to crack.”

Rainey flashed him a mysterious smile. “If she does, can I tell Grace Carlow?”

He gave her a passionate kiss. “Why is that so important?”

“Do you remember the question she asked right at the end of the hearing about how you found out your picture was on the cover in the first place?”

“I remember everything. That was the day Rainey Bennett entered my life.”

She nestled closer to him, still unable to believe the man of her dreams held her in his arms.

“After court was over, Grace told Bonnie and me it would make Mr. Finauer’s day to know Senator Sterling-Boyce’s daughter and maid read Red Rose Romances.”

Payne chuckled. “You’re welcome to tell Ms. Carlow whatever you like.”