Guarding Raine Part 47

banker.

Never could figure out why. The banker should be looking at oura.s.sets, not our clothes.""Believe it or not, Mr. O'Neill,"she said, strolling toward him and hooking her arm through his, "those clothes show your a.s.sets off to great advantage."

His eyebrows climbed.

"So do yours, honey. Especially,"

he added, his tone wicked as he led her out the door, "when you turn

around."

He frowned as he helped her into the truck. He went to the other side

and climbed in. She looked incongruous in the cab, like a delicatesplash of color. " I should have taken the time to go by the companyto get my car.

" She turned startled eyes to his. " What for?

" " Well, it's nothing special, but it would have been a little morecomfortable riding.

And it would have been a much cla.s.s let way to arrive at therestaurant.

" She shrugged. " What difference does it make?

" He looked at her. She really seemed to mean it. Appearance didn'tcount much with Raine Michaels. He changed the subject. " Why don'tyou tell me what to expect tonight?

" The sigh she gave told him how little she was looking forward to theevening ahead. " Well, the food is always good at Clancy's.

I'm afraid that will be the highlight.

This will really be nothing more than an advertis.e.m.e.nt for the exhibitI have coming up.

Andr~ will have invited several people he'd like to have attend theshow.

" She grimaced. " Don't be surprised if he's arranged for aphotographer to be there.

He's great at dropping hints at newspapers to get some freepublicity.

" She turned her eyes to him. " That's usually my least favorite partof these affairs.

" He wondered all of a sudden how his own presence at the restaurantwas going to play out. How would Raine explain him to Andre? He could imagine the look on Kla.s.sen's face when he saw Mac tonight, andsomething inside him curled in satisfaction. It wouldn't break his heart to put Kla.s.sen's too perfect nose out of joint. They arrived atthe restaurant, and a valet took the truck to park it. Mac spottedKla.s.sen standing in the courtyard near the door, apparentlyentertaining the dozen or so people surrounding him. All seemed to be hanging on his every word. Andrfi looked up, a practiced, polishedsmile of welcome when he saw Raine. " Well, at last!

Here's our guest of honor!

" The smile abruptly froze when his gaze pa.s.sed her and clashed withMac's amused one. For one instant the careful mask slipped and theloathing he felt was apparent. Then Mac's attention was snared by theflashbulbs going off. Four reporters left Artdr," s side and scurriedtoward Raine, tossing questions like grenades. And when he heard their words, it was Mac's turn to freeze, anger turning the blood in hisveins to molten lava. " Miss Michaels, what has your reaction been tothese threats that have been made against you?

" " How has the danger surrounding you affected your current work?

-"Do you trust the police to keep you safe?" Chapter C Raine stopped short, blinded by the glare' of flashbulbs. Mac put hisarm around her and guided her through the journalists who were waitingwith notebooks in their hands and pencils poised. " Miss Michaels has no comment," he said tersely, attempting to get her to the door. " Mr. Kla.s.sen reports that he's been quite worried about your safetyrecently.

Is it true you've been receiving threats in the mail for severalweeks?

" " Don't say a word," Mac muttered in her ear. They reached Andre'sside and could go no further, as the man was half: blocking theentrance of the restaurant. " Step aside, now," Mac ordered the manthrough clenched teeth.

Nothing would give him greater pleasure than to smash his fist intoKla.s.sen's gleaming capped teeth. He had little doubt that the man had engineered the whole thing, part of a media blitz that would bring moreinterest to his client and, in turn, line his own pockets. " Raine,what in G.o.d's name possessed you to bring him?

" Kla.s.sen whispered urgently. Raine turned her head to address him sharply, but Mac cul in. " What's the matter, Kla.s.sen?

Upset because I stopped you from turning this into a media circus?

"That's enough, both of you!

" she said under her breath. Turning to face the press, she gave awarm smile. " Thank you for your concern, but I'm all right.

Yes, there have been some anonymous letters, and the police have beencalled in to deal with them.

I trust that they will have something to report shortly.

And'none of this is affecting my work.

I can be quite single-minded when I'm painting.

I hope to see you all at the exhibit.

" Giving a friendly wave, she sidled by Andre and entered therestaurant.

Mac started to follow her, and Andre had to move aside or be run over.He staved behind, and his urbane voice could be heard answering morequestions.

Mac caught up with Raine and muttered, " thought I told you not to sayanything.

" " I was not interested in helping you make a scene out there," sheinformed him, her eyes flas.h.i.+ng. " You've got it all Wrong," heanswered grimly. " It was Kla.s.sen who was making the scene.

And arranged it, too, if I don't miss my guess.

Why he would pull such an asinine stunt is another matter.

" She sighed and raised her hand to her right temple. It was already

beginning to throb with a headache. " It's typical for Andre to have a reporter or two around, I told you that?

' His mouth tightened.

What was even more typical for Kla.s.sen, he imagined, was to milk every

event in his path for the resulting publicity.

He didn't seem to care overmuch about the possible effects it could have on Raine.

For someone who'd convinced her earlier that the threats weren't to be

taken seriously, he was sure taking advantage of them in a big waytoday.

Andrfi came in then, followed by two couples who'd been outside.

"Raine, dear, shall we go in? Several people have arrived already and are waiting to meet you."

Raine smiled at him, but turned to Macauley.

"Mac?"

He moved to her side, noting the way Kla.s.sen's mouth twisted with

displeasure at the sight.

Then they entered the private room where they were to dine.

It was already filled with twenty or so people, and all heads turned

when Andrfi announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce MissRaine Michaels?"

In an aside to Mac he said smoothly, "You'll excuse us, I hope?"

He took Raine by the elbow and guided her toward the guests, making introductions.

Mac was content to hang back and observe the crowd.

It was a moneyed bunch, that was apparent.

The glitter from the jewelry on these people rivaled the glare from the

flashbulbs outside.

Decked out in outfits ranging from sequined short dresses tononchalantly tattered jeans, all the women wore the confidence thatbeauty and wealth can bring.

As for the men.

His gaze narrowed as he observed one man on the wrong side of sixty slide his hand up Raine's bare arm as he was talking to her.

The man seemed more interested in the artist than in the work she

did.

Reaching out with two fingers, he snared a gla.s.s from a white-jacketed waiter's tray.

He made a face as he tasted its contents.

Champagne was a taste he'd never acquired.

As he set the gla.s.s down on a table behind him, a voice at his side

said, "You don't strike me as the champagne type."

Turning his head, Mac looked down into the faded blue eyes of a man who appeared to be in his seventies.

He was a full head shorter than Mac, and there was nothing left of his

hair except for a fringe of white that ran from ear to ear.

He would have looked as if he could make a living impersonating one of Santa's elves at Christmas time, if it hadn't been for his bearing.