Guarding Raine Part 48

If the others in this room shone with wealth, this man radiated

power.

"You're right,"

Mac answered finally.

"Champagne's not my drink."

"Whiskey, Scotch?"

"Scotch, neat,"

he responded.

The stranger nodded in approval.

"A man after my own heart,"

he said.

He raised a finger, which brought a waiter immediately to his side.

"Two Scotches,"

he ordered.

The waiter hurried away.

"I'm Harold Bonzer, by the way,"

the man said.

Raine's benefactor.

He hadn't known the man was going to be here tonight.

Mac took the hand held out to him.

"Mac O'Neill."

Shaking his hand, Harold eyed him intently.

"I saw you come in with Raine. I've never seen her with an escort

before.

Have you known her long?"

"Not long, no,"

Mac answered shortly, reaching out to take one of the gla.s.ses the

waiter had silently come back with.

When it became clear that he wasn't going to say more, Harold chuckled.

"A man who keeps his own counsel, eh? That's a rarity in a crowd like

this."

Mac looked at him speculatively.

"Raine has mentioned you,"

he said.

"She gives you a great deal of credit for her success."

Real pleasure lit the man's face at the compliment, although he shook

his head.

"Raine Michaels was going somewhere. I just happened to be the one who recognized it and promoted her talent a little."

"I understand you've also helped launch Sarah Jennings's ca" Ah, Sarah,

yes.

That's how I met Raine, you know.

It was at a showing I arranged for Sarah.

" Mac took a drink from the gla.s.s he was holding, his eyes skimming the

crowd. " She and Raine seem very close.

" " An un likelier pair I've never met," Harold murmured. The remarkcaptured Mac's attention. " I'm surprised you'd say that.After all, they both have similar interests, as well as talents." Harold shrugged. " But they've very different personalities, haven't they?

Raine's content to let her talent speak for itself, while Sarah is much more ambitious.

It's to be expected, I suppose.

She's had a rather tough time, losing her parents at a young age and

taking on her brother to raise.

An experience like that leaves a mark on a person.

"~ " Every experience leaves a mark on a person," Mac said bluntly. The

man's eyebrows rose. " Quite so," he agreed. He surveyed Mac shrewdlyfor a moment. " What line of work did you say you were in?

" Mac took another drink from his gla.s.s. " I didn't." Harold Bonzer's face was wreathed in a beatific smile. " You're acareful man, Mac O'Neill.

You don't happen to need a job, do you?

" Mac shook his head, bemused. " I'm afraid I don't know much aboutthe art world." The man look~ surprised. " The art world?I have an interest in it, of course.I enjoy surrounding myself with beautiful things.But I'm in finance.And I'm always on the lookout for a man who listens more than he talks.

" " I'm afraid I know less about finance than I do about art," admitted Mac.

" I'm in the security business.

" " That explains it," murmured Bonzer, eyeing him keenly; " Harold,

it's so good to see you again.

" Raine came up and greeted him with a hug, " And you've obviously met Mac.

" " Yes, I have, and I approve," he told her. " It's about time you

started spending time with someone, away from your paintbrushes.

" Raine cast an uncertain eye toward Mac. Harold was jumping to thesame conclusion Sarah had, but Mac seemed unconcerned. He merelyc.o.c.ked an eyebrow at her look. Then Harold claimed her attention, forthe better part of twenty minutes, until seating began for dinner.

Andre motioned for Raine to sit beside him. " Harold, why don't yousit at Raine's other side?

That way you can continue your conversation," Andre invited. But Bonzer waved the suggestion away. " Raine's already spent enough ofher time entertaining old men.

Put Mac next to Raine.

I'll sit on his other side.

" The suggestion obviously didn't sit well with Andre, but he did asHarold suggested. After the guests were seated, steaming platters ofseafood and steak were placed before each of them. " Meal choice number three," Raine murmured into Mac's ear. He turned his head at the teasing remark, and she didn't pull away. Her lips were scantinches from his own. " Not quite the same ambience I'm used to," heanswered, his eyes on her mouth. Raine caught her breath at thesizzling look in his ice blue gaze. The heat that infused her veins owed nothing to the steam rising from her food. When he raised his eyes to meet hers the conversations around her faded away. Her focus narrowed to his mouth, the well-formed thin upper lip, the fullerbottom one.

Memories of that mouth on her own surged through her. " Raine.

" Andr~'s impatient voice startled her, and she turned toward him. He indicated her plate. " Try some of the scallops.

They're really quite good here.

" Raine looked at him blankly for a moment, then at her plate. She couldn't help feeling that Andr~'s innocuous remark was intended todraw her attention from Macauley, and she wondered at the petty ploy.He had seemed very put out ever since he'd seen Mac with her tonight.However, he was used to arranging things to suit himself and to havingher fall in with his plans.

Perhaps that would explain his pique at Mac's appearance tonight. He simply didn't like surprises of any kind. " Tell me," Andre invited ashe reached for his gla.s.s of champagne, " how did you happen to comehere tonight with O'Neill?

" The question seemed to validate the conclusion she'd just arrived atabout his annoyance. But it also smacked a bit of possessiveness, andRaine was not going to allow that. " Mac was kind enough to offer me aride?

' she answered carefully, keeping in mind Mac's warning not to revealhis real role.

"My car is out of commission,"

she said, smiling grimly at the understatement, "so I really had noother way here."

"What's wrong with your car?"

he inquired.

"I haven't talked to an insurance adjuster yet, but I believe the term