Marcus

by Kate Hoffmann

  “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 m
ake 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.

  When they reached the boat, Marcus tied it up to the ladder and Ross climbed on board. He joined him in the cockpit and pointed to the carving he’d finished that morning. “This will go above the bed in the master suite,” he said. “If you remember, it’s going to be framed with carvings of seashells.”

  Ross nodded. “Very nice.” He stared at it for a long time, then drew in a quick breath. “I don’t know why she doesn’t come home,” he said. “She must know I’ve been trying to reach her.”

  “Maybe she’s afraid you’ll be angry with her,” Marcus suggested.

  “You’re damn right I will,” Ross snapped. “She’s gone way too far this time. She’s embarrassed me, but worse, she’s made a fool of herself, as well.” He calmed himself, then forced a smile. “Well, let’s move along. What else can you show me?”

  “I should be able to restore the figurehead.” They walked to the bow of the boat and Ross examined the pieces that Marcus had spread out. “I’ve removed the damaged pieces and I’ll replace them. The new teak will weather to the same shade over time.”

  Ross paced along the edge of the deck. “Maybe I should just buy the damn tape,” he muttered. “It’ll probably cost me a couple million, but she’s my daughter. But then I think maybe it’s better to just wash my hands of her. She’s made her bed, so let her lie in it.” He glanced over at Marcus. “What else?”

  “I’ve finished the corbels for the main salon and I’ve got part of the wall carving done down there.”

  When they got into the main salon, Marcus risked a look down the companionway to the door of his cabin. Though it was a big boat, he knew Eden could hear every word of their conversation. The anger and disgust in Trevor Ross’s voice was evident. He talked about Eden as if she were nothing more than a nuisance-a very expensive nuisance, but one that could be easily disposed of. “This one will take the longest to carve,” Marcus said. “It’s very detailed and there’s much more relief than on the other two.”

  “Nice work,” Ross said. “I’m impressed. I think with your talent and my money, this deal would be good for both of us.”

  “I’m always looking for opportunities,” Marcus said.

  “When you’re finished here, we’ll talk. I’m definitely interested in investing. And I’m sure I could steer some more business your way.”

  “That would be great,” Marcus said, reaching out to shake his hand.

  “And if Eden shows up here, I want you to call. You’ll do that for me, won’t you?”

  “Do you really think she’d come here?”

  Trevor Ross shook his head. “She always loved sailing. That was one thing we shared. Before I bought this boat, we had a thirty-five-footer. Eden and I used to sail out to Block Island and back.” He shook his head. “She cried the day she found out I sold that boat. Like I’d stolen a little piece of her heart.”

  “Maybe things will work out,” Marcus said. “Maybe this situation will give you a chance to talk.”

  Ross shook his head. “I doubt it. She’ll probably go back to her old ways as soon as the scandal dies down. Eden isn’t happy unless she’s in the middle of a mess. She has the attention span of a two-year-old.” He rubbed his palms together. “That’s that, then. Good work. I’ve got my driver waiting to take me back to the office.”

  Marcus followed Ross on deck, then ferried him back to shore. He waited until the older man had disappeared inside the house before he stepped back into the dinghy and headed out to the boat. When he arrived, he found Eden waiting for him in the cockpit. He could tell she’d been crying, her eyes red-rimmed and watery. But she’d dried her tears before he’d returned.

  “What a pleasant visit,” she muttered. “You two seemed awfully chummy.”

  “He’s my employer,” Marcus said.

  “So are you going to turn me in? You could probably squeeze a half million out of the old man as a reward. Did you see how smooth he is? He’ll do you a favor if you do one for him. Don’t even think of letting him invest in your business.”

  “I can’t do it on my own. I’d never get the money from a bank, not to do what I want to do.”

  “Fine. Go ahead then. But don’t come crying to me when he takes it over and chops it into tiny little pieces to sell.”

  “He’s not going to do that. The business isn’t worth anything without me.”

  “So now I know where your loyalties lie,” she murmured. “After all, what am I to you? Just some girl you’ve been messing around with for the past few days.”

  “Don’t say that.” Marcus cursed softly. This was about to turn into a nasty fight, and he wasn’t sure he was prepared to do battle with her. Yes, if he revealed Eden’s presence, there’d probably be a nice chunk of money waiting for him. But how the hell was he going to explain what he’d been doing with her? “I’m not going to tell him you’re here. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying to convince you to talk to him.”

  “You heard him,” Eden said. “He barely tolerates me. He thinks I’m a silly, stupid girl.”

  “Are you?” Marcus asked.

  She fixed her gaze on his, doubt flickering across her expression. “No,” she said in a barely audible voice.

  “Then maybe it’s time to prove that to him. You can’t change the past, Eden. Stop whining about it and change the future.”

  “Why didn’t you just tell him I was here?”

  Marcus shrugged. “You asked me not to.”

  “You mean, the longer you hold out, the more he’ll pay,” she accused.

  Marcus shook his head. She was obviously spoiling for a fight and wouldn’t be satisfied until she got one. But he knew it was her father, not him, she had an issue with. “Jaysus, Eden,” he muttered, “not everyone in the world is motivated by greed. I’m through fighting with you. This is your problem with your father and I’m not going to get in the middle of it.” He climbed out of the cockpit a
nd walked to the foredeck, anxious to put some space between them.

  Even angry with her, he still wanted to yank her into his arms and kiss her senseless. What would it take to prove that he cared, that he wouldn’t betray her as other men in her life had? He wanted their relationship to be open and uncomplicated, but as time went on, he seemed to get more tangled in the mess that was her past.

  “If you tell him I’m here,” Eden shouted, “then I’ll tell him exactly what we’ve been doing.”

  Marcus spun around and strode back to her, crawling back into the cockpit. Hell, he’d had enough. If she wanted a fight, then he’d give it to her. “Go ahead, Princess,” he said, standing toe-to-toe with her. “I don’t give a shit. Tell him how you felt the first time I made you come. Tell him how you murmured my name when I went down on you last night. Tell him how much you want me to fuck you. Because I know you do, Eden.”

  He saw her hand coming and blocked the slap before it could make contact, his fingers clamping around her wrist. They stood frozen, both of them breathing hard.

  “I don’t want you,” she murmured.

  “You do,” he said. “Just as much as I want you.”

  She shook her head, tears spilling out of her eyes. Marcus loosened his grip, suddenly angry with himself for pushing her so far. But he wanted her to see the truth. There was something happening between them, something that neither one of them wanted to define, and the hell if she was going to blame him for it.

  “I’ve been protecting you from the minute you arrived,” he said, “and I’m going to continue to do that for as long as you want me to. You can believe whatever you want about my motives, Eden-I don’t care. But don’t you dare try to sell the story that this wasn’t mutual between us.”

  She flexed her fingers and Marcus finally let her go. “Stay away from me,” she murmured. “Just leave me alone.”

  “No problem,” he replied.

  “And don’t tell me how to run my life.”

  “Somebody should,” he replied. “Because you’re doing a damn pitiful job of it on your own.”