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He brushed the hair from her eyes, his gaze meeting hers. “Why don’t you put on some warmer clothes?” he whispered. “It’s going to get chilly once the sun goes down.” It wasn’t what he’d wanted to say, but for now it was the right thing to do. Eden needed time and space, not another guy looking to drag her off to bed.
When he made love to her, it wasn’t going to be an impulse. It would be slow and deliberate and as close to perfect as Marcus could make it. And no matter what happened in the future, she wouldn’t need a videotape to remember her night in bed with him.
THE DRIFTWOOD CRACKLED and popped in the fire, sending sparks whirling into the night air. Marcus bent down and tossed another piece of wood into the flames, then returned to sit on the blanket with Eden. She glanced over at him, watching the play of light on his handsome face.
When she’d jumped a flight back to the States, she’d made a silent promise to herself: no more whirlwind love affairs. She’d learn to control her penchant for instant infatuation and take her time. Yet, even though she’d broken her vow just days after she made it, Eden couldn’t make herself believe an affair with Marcus would be wrong.
“I always thought that in order to have fun, I had to be entertained,” she said. “I’d go out to clubs and parties, and most nights I’d leave bored to tears. And all we have here is the stars and a fire and it’s wonderful.”
“That’s too bad,” Marcus said with a boyish grin. “Because I can provide entertainment.”
“This sounds intriguing,” Eden said. “Does it involve taking your clothes off?”
He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a quarter, then held it out in front of her. “Magic,” he said. He waved his hand over the quarter, then closed his fist over the coin. He held out both fists to her. “Which one?”
She tapped his left hand, and when he opened it, it was empty. “I’m impressed,” she said as she tapped his right hand. But that was empty, as well. Eden giggled, delighted with his little show. “We have something in common. We can both make money disappear. You limited yourself to a quarter. I’ve managed to make my nearly three-million-dollar trust fund disappear.”
Marcus’s jaw dropped. “Three million? That’s a lot of money.”
Eden nodded. “I know.” She ran her hands through her hair, angry that she’d even told him that. But she’d become so accustomed to being open with him that it had just slipped out. A long silence grew between them and Eden knew what he was thinking. Three million would have bought Marcus Quinn a lot of crescent wrenches.
“That’s not all I can do,” Marcus said. He stood and brushed the sand off his jeans. “When I was kid, I wanted to join the circus.” A moment later he was standing on his hands. He bent his elbows and lowered himself to the ground, then pushed back up again.
Eden clapped, her mood restored. “Bravo, bravo.”
Then he walked over to her on his hands and, after a few more push-ups, leaped back to his feet. Marcus bowed, then dropped down next to her. “I’m a man of many talents.”
“Yes, you are.”
He leaned forward and grabbed a small piece of driftwood from the pile near the fire. “This is my real talent,” he said, reaching into his pocket. He withdrew a red pocketknife and opened the blade, then held it up to the light of the fire. “It’s been sharpened so much there’s not much blade left.” He glanced over at Eden. “What’s your favorite animal?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. When I was younger, I always wanted a bunny.”
Marcus began to carve, taking little bits away until a rabbit magically emerged from the weathered piece of driftwood. It took no more than two or three minutes before he placed it in her hand. Eden held it up on her palm and examined the detail. “It’s lovely,” she said.
“It’s yours,” he said. “But you have to show me a trick in return.”
Eden thought for a long moment. “There is one thing I can do,” she said.
“Show me,” Marcus urged.
She stood in front of him and slipped out of her jacket, letting it drop to the sand. Eden paused, watching the expectation fade on his face.
“That’s it?” he asked.
She shook her head, then slowly shimmied out of her T-shirt, leaving her naked from the waist up.
Marcus’s gaze slowly scanned the length of her body, lingering at her breasts for a long moment. He leaned back, bracing himself on his elbows. “This is getting pretty good.”
Taking her time, Eden unbuttoned her skirt, then slid the zipper down. She hooked her thumbs in the waistband and skimmed it over her hips. Just for fun, she turned as she pushed the skirt to her ankles and stepped out of it. Tipping her head back, she ran her fingers through her hair. When she was certain her striptease had had the proper reaction, she faced Marcus and smiled. She smoothed her hands over her belly and then let them drift up to her breasts.
Marcus drew in a ragged breath. “Nice,” he said, his voice cracking slightly.
Her gaze dropped to his lap, to the erection pressing against the confines of his jeans. “I haven’t been practicing for very long, but I think it’s entertaining, don’t you?”
With a playful growl, Marcus scrambled to his feet. Eden turned and ran toward the water, her laugh echoing in the quiet night. He caught up with her before she was able to dive in, wrapping his arms around her waist and swinging her off her feet. When he set her down, he slowly turned her in his arms and kissed her. “If I knew we were allowed to take off our clothes, I would have showed you a trick I know really well.”
“Show me,” Eden challenged, wriggling in his arms.
Marcus picked her up and carried her to the blanket, then gently set her down. “I’m not impressed,” she said, running her hand down his chest to toy with the top button on his sodden jeans.
Marcus grabbed her hand and pinned it above her head. “You will be.”
His voice was soft and enthralling, and a shiver ran through her body as the night breeze sent goosebumps skittering over her skin. “For this to work, you have to stay absolutely still,” he warned. “If you don’t, one of us might get hurt.” He grinned. “And kids, don’t try this at home.”
“What kind of trick is this?”
“Promise you won’t move?”
Eden nodded her head. They’d played little games like this before, but tonight Marcus’s playfulness had an edge to it, a hint of danger that Eden found strangely exciting. “Promise,” she replied.
He dropped a kiss on her mouth, then moved to a spot beneath her ear. “Remember, stay very, very still.”
Eden closed her eyes and sighed, focusing on the feel of his mouth on her skin. It became a lazy seduction, Marcus taking his time as he seduced her with his lips and his teeth and his tongue. When he finally reached her breasts, her nerves were on fire, and when his tongue circled her left nipple, Eden bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out. Every inch of her body tingled in anticipation, but her impatience got the better of her. When she reached out to guide his lips lower, he stopped, his breath hot on her skin.
“Be careful,” he warned. “I can’t do this if you move.”
Surrendering to his rules, Eden clasped her hands above her head and waited for him to begin again. And when he did, she found herself even more aroused, the sensations of his touch racing through her body like electric currents. Her toes and fingertips tingled and she felt her pulse pounding in her head.
His lips drifted lower, to her belly and then beyond. Marcus slipped his hand between her legs, and Eden was almost afraid to move, afraid she might shatter the very instant he touched her there. His tongue slipped between the soft folds, teasing at her clitoris. Eden held her breath, aching for release yet wanting his seduction to last.
It was as if he knew her body, stringing her along until her desire was more than she could bear, then drawing away for a moment so she could relax. It became exquisite torture, so acute that Eden begged him to let her come. But Marcus was in control and he seemed to take great delight in testing the limits of her body and her mind.
Tears welled up her eyes; tears of frustration and confusion. Why did it feel so different with Marcus? It was so easy to surrender to him, to allow herself to experience complete pleasure. He stripped away all of her doubts and insecurities about men, crumbling the control she was trying so hard to maintain.
Unfamiliar emotions swirled around in her head, mixing with the waves of pleasure until she could no longer think. He touched her once more with his tongue, and an instant later her body convulsed in an explosive orgasm. He continued to lick at her until the last spasm left her body, then he pressed a kiss to the inside of her thigh.
“Like that trick?” he asked softly, his lips soft and damp on her skin. Marcus lay down beside her, drawing the blanket around her body until she was nestled into his warmth.
Eden closed her eyes, exhaustion overwhelming her. “I could stay here all night.”
“We can if you’d like.”
She gave him a dubious look. “Sleep outside?”
He nodded. “It’s a perfect place. We have blankets and it doesn’t look like rain. We’re out of the reach of the tide. If we keep the fire going, we’ll be warm enough.”
“I’ve never slept outside,” Eden said. “Aren’t there animals? Spiders and snakes?”
“I’ll protect you,” Marcus said.
Eden unbuttoned his shirt and pressed a kiss to his chest. “I had a really nice time tonight,” she said. “I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed myself so much.”
Marcus drew back and looked down into her face. “You certainly did enjoy yourself.”
“Not just that,” Eden replied. “Everything was perfect. The fire, the meal, you. I don’t need anything more than this. Not right now.”
He furrowed his fingers through her hair and held her close. Eden felt his heart beating in his chest, the rhythm slow and steady. When she’d left Europe, she’d expected her life to become much more complicated. But everything seemed so simple now. How long could it possibly stay that way? Eden mused. And what would eventually destroy this happiness that she’d found with Marcus Quinn?
4
MARCUS STARED DOWN AT the carving of the lobster, running his fingers over the raw teak. He was rarely satisfied with his work, always coming up with something else he might have done better once all the wood was carved away. But this time he’d gotten it right. It was perfect the way it was.
He glanced over at Eden, who was lounging in the cockpit beneath the sunshade, surrounded by canvas pillows. She wore one of his T-shirts and nothing else and was intently reading a volume of Robert Frost’s poetry she’d found in the ship’s library.
His gaze slowly drifted up her legs to the tiny patch of hair at the apex of her thighs. He’d touched her in the most intimate way last night, tasted her desire and brought her to a powerful climax. Every moment they spent together seemed to lead to another more electric encounter.
Marcus couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to move inside her. He’d wanted to do that last night, to toss aside his clothes and slide up along her naked body and lose himself between her legs. The thought of being inside her when she’d come was almost too much to bear. To feel her heat and dampness and then the spasms that had rocked her entire body.
She might not have refused him, but he sensed they were both biding their time, unwilling to take the next step yet unable to stop the growing intimacy between them. This unquenchable need he had for her now bordered on obsession. He thought about her a million times a day, with every breath and every heartbeat.
He’d had other relationships based on sex alone and they had always left him cold. But with Eden there was an unexpected connection, a willingness to discard all inhibitions between the two of them and enjoy each other’s bodies without hesitation.
In the past, women had described him as indifferent and aloof. He’d become a different man when he was with Eden. But by dropping his guard, he’d also left himself wide open to getting coldcocked by a woman he didn’t really know. He knew that her skin was incredibly soft and her hair smelled like pears. He knew that when he kissed her she liked to run her palms beneath his shirt and that right before she climaxed, she held her breath.
He also knew she was fickle and capricious, unwilling or unable to stay with a man more than a few months. How long would it be before she grew bored with him? And what excuse would she use to cast him aside? Marcus wasn’t sure how he’d feel once that possibility became a reality, but he wouldn’t delude himself into believing their relationship would last forever.
And what had he risked by being with her? His heart was at the top of the list. Even though he’d worked hard to keep his feelings in check, Marcus knew that he’d grown fond of Eden Ross. If she suddenly disappeared from his life, he would miss her.
He was also lying to his brothers, which brought a whole different kind of guilt. If they’d had anything as adults, it was complete and utter honesty among them. And he was also risking his chance with Trevor Ross, a man who wouldn’t feel too kindly about lending money to a guy intent on seducing his daughter.
“Is it finished?”
Marcus looked up from the carving to find Eden watching him. He nodded. “I think it is.” He held it up to show her and she smiled.
“It really is beautiful,” she said.
He looked down at the carving again. Was it really? Or did he simply believe it was because Eden said so? He rubbed his hand along his chest, brushing away the flecks of wood. It didn’t really matter.
The sound of Marcus’s cell phone broke the silence. Eden set down her book and stretched her arms over her head, his T-shirt riding up her belly. “If that’s your wife, tell her you’ll be home next month. I haven’t finished with you yet.”
Marcus grinned as he reached for the phone. “I’ll be sure to tell her that.”
She returned his smile. “And tell her that I especially appreciated your efforts on the beach last night. On a scale of one to ten, I’d give you eight hundred and seventy-four.”
He flipped open the phone and glanced at the caller ID. He didn’t recognize the number, but he knew the exchange was local. “Hello?”
“Quinn? Trevor Ross here. I’m up at the house and I wanted to check on the progress out there. I’m coming down.”
“Mr. Ross,” Marcus said, “how are you?”
Eden’s smile froze. Slowly she shook her head. “Don’t tell him I’m here,” she whispered.
“Things are kind of a mess,” Marcus continued. “Everything is a work in progress right now. I’d really rather you—”
“I’ll take that into account. Bring the dinghy up to the dock.”
The other end of the line went dead and Marcus shut his phone. “I’m supposed to go get him from the dock. He wants to see how the work is coming along.”
“You can’t!” Eden cried. “He can’t know I’m here.”
“How am I supposed to stop him?” Marcus countered. “He owns the bleedin’ boat. I can’t keep him off his own boat.”
“Don’t get him from the dock.”
“I have to, Eden,” Marcus said. “Maybe it’s time you talked to him. Now is as good a time as any.”
She shook her head. “No. I’m not ready. Please, Marcus, don’t tell him I’m here. I can’t face him.”
Marcus saw the desperation in her eyes. He reached out and grabbed her hand, dragging her toward the aft cabin. “Clean up your mess down there, hide your clothes and make up the berth, then go forward and hide in the crew cabin. He won’t go up there.”
Eden threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. “Thank you.”
Marcus wrapped her hands around her waist and turned her toward the aft hatch. “And put on some clothes. If he does catch you here, it would be nice if you weren’t half-naked.”
He hurried to the main salon and picked up every last trace of Eden’s presence. What the hell was he doing? If Ross discovered Eden on board, he’d be furious. And if he discovered Marcus had been messing around with his daughter, then Marcus would be out of a job. This commission promised to finance his business for the next six months. He had bills to pay and new projects lined up. But he couldn’t do any of it without the paycheck from Trevor Ross.
He climbed back out to the cockpit, nearly colliding with Eden in the process. She’d stuffed everything she owned into her bags and was dragging them along behind her. By the time she disappeared through the companionway, Trevor Ross was striding across the lawn. Marcus jumped into the dinghy and started the small outboard, then headed for shore, running over in his mind the explanation he’d make if Eden was discovered.
When he pulled up alongside the dock, he looped a line around a cleat and steadied the small skiff as Ross stepped on board. “Good morning,” Marcus said.
Ross nodded. He was a man of few words. Marcus had learned that upon first meeting him. In truth, he understood why Eden feared him. Trevor Ross could be quite intimidating. But he and Marcus had gotten on well from the start, and though the man owned half of Rhode Island, Marcus wasn’t cowed. “I think you’ll be pleased with the work so far,” he said.
“I’m sure I will.” He stared out at the horizon as the boat skimmed across the water. “The truth is, I didn’t drive all the way out here just to see how the project was going. I came out to see if my daughter was here.”
“My brother, Dec, mentioned that she might come here,” Marcus said.
“Then you know about her … situation?”
“Not entirely,” Marcus said, dancing on the edge of a lie. “He said you’re worried about her and wanted to find her.”
“You don’t have children, do you, Quinn?”
Marcus shook his head. “I’m not married.”
“Think long and hard before you get married. And then think twice as long about having children. Eden has been nothing but trouble from the day she became a teenager. Her mother let her run wild, and the older she got, the more impulsive she became. Sometimes I think she purposely causes trouble just for the attention it gets her.” He shook his head. “She’s been engaged four times. Four times. And I spent nearly a half million on the first wedding before she decided to call it off. If I could find the right man for the job, I’d pay him a half million to take her off my hands. What do they call that? A dowry?” He chuckled drily. “Maybe I ought to make that a part of our deal.”
They rode the rest of the way to Victorious in silence, Marcus observing Eden’s father as he navigated the dinghy. Ross was in his late fifties, his dark hair graying at the temples. He appeared fit and in good health, but there were permanent lines etched in his brow, as if he spent a good portion of the day scowling.
