Marcus

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.

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 and 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.”

“And you think you have the magic key to happiness?”

“At least I know where I’m going, Eden. I’ve got a plan.”

“One of us needs to get off this boat,” Eden warned. “And I’m not leaving.”

“Not to worry, I will,” he said. He stalked to the rear of the boat and climbed back down the ladder to the dinghy. With a flick of his wrist, he started the motor and steered out into the water, trying to calm his temper.

Though he hadn’t known Eden long, this afternoon’s conversation with her father had been a revelation. She was a grown woman, beautiful and desirable, yet she was still a child, trapped in the past. She wasn’t angry at him-he was simply a convenient target. Marcus fought the temptation to glance back at the boat. Now that he’d walked away, all he could think about was going back, pulling her into his arms and kissing away all her fears.

His thoughts wandered back to the previous night on the beach. How had they managed to go from unmitigated passion to uncontrolled anger in less than a day? If this was how it was going to be between them, life on board together would be intolerable.

Marcus took a deep breath. He’d finished most of the crucial work. He could take the rest back to the shop and do it there, leaving Eden to her own devices. But they’d shared far too much for it to end so quickly.

“How the hell did you think it would end?” Marcus muttered to himself. Would they just shake hands politely and then go their separate ways? Would she make up some silly reason for having to leave, then try to convince him that it was for the best? No, this was the way it was bound to happen, with anger and accusations.

He glanced back at the boat and saw her standing in the cockpit, her arms braced on the boom, watching him. He’d give her time to cool off and then he’d go back and get his things. It was better this way, to end it quickly, to get out without too many scars. Before long, she’d be a distant memory-a very vivid but distant memory.

EDEN PUNCHED IN THE code for the garage and waited for the doors to open. She glanced over her shoulder, watching for any sign of the caretaker. Thank God her father hadn’t changed the code for the security system on the house. She’d managed to get inside and grab some fresh clothes and the keys to several of her father’s cars without being detected.

Sarah, the housekeeper, usually finished by early afternoon and, when the family wasn’t in residence, spent her evenings with her grandkids in Middleton. The caretaker for the estate normally worked on the grounds in the morning, but today he was mowing the west lawn, out of view of the driveway and the garages.

She stepped inside and perused her choices for transportation-the vintage Thunderbird was far too flashy and the Ferrari had a stick shift that she didn’t know how to operate. Then there was the black Mercedes convertible. She wouldn’t seem entirely out of place in Newport in that car.

She unlocked the door and tossed her bag into the passenger seat, then slipped behind the wheel. As she reached for the ignition, she glanced up at the rearview mirror, catching sight of her red-rimmed eyes.

Drawing a deep breath, she gathered her resolve, trying to ignore the ache in her heart. She’d been wrong to get angry at Marcus. But he’d had no right to speak to her in that way. They had no claims on each other. They were barely friends-friends with benefits, nothing more.

She didn’t need him-for protection or sex. In truth, she didn’t need anyone, not her parents, not her friends. From now on, the only person she would depend upon was herself. A ragged sob tore from her throat, and Eden forced back the tears that threatened to return.

Why was she so upset? The man drove her crazy. And he was starting to interfere in her life, trying to make decisions for her, telling her what she should and shouldn’t do. What did he care if her life was messed up? It was her life, not his. Eden had always lived in the moment, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with that. People who planned their lives were…boring and unimaginative.

But some of Marcus’s accusations had rung true. Eden was forced to confront the fact that she really had never set any goals for her life. She’d just expected that happiness would find her. But that hadn’t happened yet, and over the past several years she’d begun to wonder if it ever would.

She’d been happy with Marcus, though. The short time they’d spent together on the boat had proved to her that happiness could be found. She just had to look a little harder for it.

Odd how she hadn’t found it where she’d thought she would, with some handsome heir to a European fortune, a man who could take care of her and her money in the style to which she’d become accustomed. She’d found it with an ordinary guy from a regular family.

Eden had never been one to dwell on the past or to regret her mistakes. But since she’d met Marcus, she’d begun to feel the first deep pangs of remorse. Maybe she hadn’t lived a life she could be proud of. She’d blown through most of her trust fund and would soon be forced to marry for money or ask her father to support her. But there were other choices.

She reached up to find her face damp with tears and impatiently brushed them away. “And you can begin right now,” she said. It wasn’t too late to make something more of herself. The problem was, she wasn’t sure that she was qualified to be anything more than Eden Ross, international party girl.

Eden backed the car out of the garage, then pushed the remote for the garage door. She slowly navigated the curving driveway and when she reached the main gate she punched in the code. A minute later she was on Ocean Avenue, heading into Newport.

As Eden steered toward the Newport Bridge, she noticed a sign for the local discount store. Though she’d never shopped there, she understood that the store had everything a regular person could possibly need to live comfortably. Sarah, their housekeeper, had been quite excited when the store opened seven years before. And it was supposed to be cheap. Since Eden had arrived in the States, she’d lived off the cash in her wallet because she didn’t want her credit cards traced.

The parking lot was packed, and Eden pulled the Mercedes into a distant row, then covered her hair with a baseball cap and slipped on her sunglasses. “You can do this,” she said. “Just act like a regular person.”

She slipped out of the car and locked the door behind her, then strolled up to the front entrance. Grabbing a shopping cart, she figured it would serve as a good weapon in case she was recognized. But to her surprise, she was able to stroll the aisles with barely a curious glance from other shoppers.

The variety of merchandise astounded her. She could buy a television, nacho chips and diamond earrings in the very same store. She grabbed some pretty pastel skirts and a few T-shirts and two pairs of sandals before discovering the beauty aisles.

Eden suddenly felt rather proud of herself. She was just a regular person wandering the aisles. If only Marcus could-She stopped the thought before she had a chance to finish it. Every experience she’d had over the past five days had involved him, and without even realizing it, she’d let him become a part of her life.

She’d been swept away by a man she hadn’t even known a week ago. He had restored some order and serenity to her life and now it felt as if she couldn’t exist without him. She wanted him here by her side, sharing this simple experience with her. She needed to hear his voice and hold his hand.

A lump of emotion clogged her throat and she swallowed it back. God, this was ridiculous! The pattern had become so familiar it was a wonder she couldn’t recognize it. He’d shown her simple affection and undeniable passion and suddenly he’d become the focus of her life.

Eden shook her head, pushing aside all thoughts of Marcus Quinn. It was time to move on with her life, and this time she would be in control…not Marcus and not her father.

As Eden passed the hair color, she paused, then picked up a box and studied the photo on the front. If she really wanted to blend in, then it was time for a drastic course of action. She’d dye her hair. If she wasn’t a blonde anymore, then no one would recognize her. And how difficult could it be if everything she needed came in the little box?

“I’m not a complete idiot,” she murmured as she read the directions. “Regular people do this all the time.”

A medium brown came as close to her natural color as possible, so she tossed the box into the cart and then looked for a pair of scissors. She’d cut her hair, as well, just to make sure.

Satisfied that her first experience at a discount store had been a great success, Eden headed toward the checkout counters. But as she waited in line she noticed the racks of tabloids standing in her way. She winced as she saw her name splashed on the covers of Gossip Weekly, The National Inquisitor and WOW!

Thankfully they’d blurred out the indecent parts in the photos. And though the lighting wasn’t the best, her body didn’t look that bad. She’d been twenty-three when the tape was made and a bit thinner than she was now. Her hair had been cropped short back then. As she looked at the picture, she tried to recall everything that had happened that night, but her mind was blank.

She couldn’t imagine forgetting any of the details of her time with Marcus. She’d always remember how smooth and warm his skin was and how she could follow a thin line of hair from just above his navel to his waistband and beyond. And how his voice sounded when he said her name, and how the dimple in his right cheek would appear when he smiled. She would remember how he’d kissed her that first time, passionately at first and then, before drawing away, giving her one short and sweet kiss for good measure.

And how he’d seduced her with his lips and his tongue, how he’d drawn out her desire until it had become an orgasm more powerful than she’d ever felt before. A dull ache settled inside her, a longing that would have to go unsatisfied.

Though she had multiple regrets about past lovers, she only had one with Marcus-they hadn’t had sex. They’d done everything but. It would have been nice to experience that one last thing with him, to have that memory to tuck away with the others.

No doubt there’d be other men in her life. But Eden couldn’t imagine wanting a man more than she had wanted Marcus. For the entire time she’d been on board Victorious, she’d found herself in a perpetual state of anticipation. He’d barely have to look at her and her mind would wander off into strange fantasies involving the two of them, naked and aroused.

“Ma’am? You’ll have to remove your merchandise from the basket before I can check you out.”

Eden glanced up and found the checker staring at her expectantly. “Right,” she said.

She set the hair dye and the scissors on the conveyor belt, then grabbed the latest issues of The National Inquisitor, Gossip Weekly and WOW! The checker glanced at the magazines, then looked up at her. Eden held her breath, hoping the baseball cap and dark glasses were enough to hide her identity.

Eden set the clothes and shoes on the belt. “Can you believe that Eden Ross?” she said to the checker. “What was that girl thinking?”

“Girls with her kind of money don’t need to think,” the checker said.

“No, probably not.”

“That’ll be thirty-six forty-seven.”

“That’s all?” Eden pulled two twenties out of her wallet and handed them to the cashier. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d walked out of a store for less than a thousand dollars!

The checker slipped the magazines into a plastic bag, then counted out Eden’s change. “You know, you look a lot like her.”

Eden forced a smile. If she didn’t play it completely cool, she’d be found out in a matter of seconds. “I know. I asked my hairdresser to do my hair just like hers. But after seeing this, I’ve decided to go back to my natural color. What girl would ever want to be like her?”

“I wouldn’t mind the money,” the checker said. “She’s got it made.”

“Maybe,” Eden replied. “Or maybe it just seems that way.” She grabbed her bags and hurried to the door. When she reached the parking lot, she breathed a long sigh of relief. Leading a regular life might not be as difficult as she thought.

It would be a way to prove to her father that she wasn’t just some useless party girl. She could find a job, rent an apartment, make a life for herself away from polo players and society parties and friends she couldn’t trust. Away from the tabloid press.

Eden steered the car toward the Newport Bridge and headed west toward Jamestown. She was a smart girl. Once she established herself, she would go to her father, apologize for all the trouble she’d caused and ask him to give her a second chance. After a time, he’d have to forgive her. The sun was beginning to set, and she flipped down the visor and turned on the radio.

As she drove, her thoughts returned to the last words she’d said to Marcus. It really hadn’t been fair to walk away from him as she had. It wasn’t his fault she’d made a mess of her life, and she hadn’t meant to blame him for anything. But Marcus’s opinion was the one that truly mattered to her, and when he’d turned on her, her defenses had automatically risen.

The thought of Marcus selling her out had caused a brief panic. Assuming that he’d choose the money over her hadn’t been fair. But Eden had been looking for an excuse to push him away and she’d found it. It was far better than allowing herself to get swept up into fantasies about their future together. Though she and Marcus were great together sexually, there was nothing that made her believe they’d ever share any more than just uncontrollable lust.

Marcus was a bright man. Sooner or later he’d discover that even though Eden appeared exotic and exciting on the surface, the novelty of screwing a celebrity would soon wear off. He’d see her for what she really was-a woman filled with fears and regrets and carrying baggage no sane man would want to drag around for the rest of his life.

After crossing the bridge, Eden turned onto Highway 1 and headed south along Narragansett Bay. She’d drive until she found an inexpensive place to stay. Almost immediately she passed a small motel across the road from the water, then slowed the Mercedes and made a U-turn.

She pulled into the parking lot and drove up to the neon sign that indicated the office. Eden frowned. It wasn’t glamorous and it probably didn’t have room service or a masseuse on staff, but it was a start. She’d get a room, cut and dye her hair and make a plan. And tomorrow morning she’d begin her life all over again.

MARCUS GRABBED A BEER from the refrigerator in Ian’s kitchen, then leaned out the screen door. “You guys need another?”

Ian and Dec stood next to the grill, staring at the hamburgers that Ian was cooking for their dinner. “We’re good,” Ian shouted.

Marcus glanced at his watch again, wondering why it was taking so damn long to cook a few lousy hamburgers. He’d stopped by Ian’s simply to check in and waste an hour before heading back to Newport. But from the moment he’d arrived, he’d been preoccupied with thoughts of Eden. He wondered what Eden was doing, how she was feeling, whether she’d come to her senses and seen the truth of the situation or whether she was still angry at him.

He imagined how he’d make things right with her. There was a certain simplicity in taking her into his arms and kissing her until she surrendered. But he was also prepared to apologize for his harsh words and seduce her slowly. However it went, he was determined to get back to the place they’d been, that wonderful state of constant arousal and anticipation.

Marcus glanced over at his brothers, grateful they couldn’t read his thoughts. For now, what he shared with her was a tantalizing secret, something that defied description and analysis. He’d have to find a way come clean. But there was no way he could tell his brothers the truth of his life right now.

With Eden, he didn’t try to make sense of it. What had happened with her was a complete break from everything he’d known about desire. It was as if a giant wave had come and swept him out to sea, caught him in a current that was impossible to escape. He’d fought it at first, but then Marcus had realized that the only course was to surrender. To just let himself drown.

He sat down on the picnic table and bent forward, bracing his hands on his knees and staring at his beer bottle. When he touched her, it was pure pleasure. When she touched him, it was exquisite torment. When release finally came, it was a sensation that was unmatched in his lifetime.

He remembered his first experience with losing control at a girl’s touch. The world had seemed to shift on its axis, and from that moment on Marcus had known that sex was something he didn’t want to do without. But now, with Eden, he realized it was something he couldn’t live without.

There was only one partner he wanted, one person who could provide the kind of pleasure he sought. Eden had become his drug of choice, her body so addictive that he found himself barely existing between fixes. Marcus shook his head. How was it possible that he felt this way and they still hadn’t had sex yet?

“Hey! Are you planning to speak anytime soon?”

Marcus glanced up, pulled from his thoughts by Dec’s voice. He blinked. “What?”

“What’s wrong with you?” Dec asked.

“Nothing,” Marcus replied. “I’ve just…got some things on my mind.”

“Here’s a question,” Ian said. “Should a guy ever be completely honest with a woman? Or is it always better just to tell her what she wants to hear?”

“Always be honest,” Marcus said at the very same time Dec said, “Tell her what she wants to hear.” They glanced at each other.

“If you’re not honest, it’ll come back and bite you in the ass.”

“Have you been watching Dr. Phil again?” Ian asked.

“So you’d tell her that her hair looks like crap and her butt does look huge in those pants and that you’d rather drink varnish than have dinner with her parents?” Dec asked. “Hell, Marcus, you’d get kicked to the curb with the rest of the garbage. No wonder you can’t keep a woman.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Marcus murmured. Hell, he didn’t know what he was talking about. All he knew was that he’d been honest with Eden and it had led to a relationship more intense than any he’d ever experienced. By stripping away all pretense, they’d had a chance to know each other in a very intimate way.

“I think there are very specific things you should never tell a woman,” Ian ventured. “Guy secrets. You know, those universal truths that all guys know but we need to keep to ourselves to preserve the future of the male species.”

“Like what?” Dec asked, clearly curious.

“Like when we look at other women, we really are looking at other women,” Ian said. “And thinking about what they’d look like naked.”

“And that no matter how many times a woman wants to have sex with you, it’s never gonna be enough,” Dec added. “And that no guy likes to cuddle after sex.”

Ian nodded. “And that we really do read Playboy for the pictures and not the stories. Universal truths.”

“Be honest. Have you ever been with a woman when you’ve been completely satisfied with the quality and frequency of the sex?” Ian asked.

Yes, Marcus mused. With Eden, even though they hadn’t actually had sex, he’d been completely satisfied. There was a certain excitement that came from the anticipation, waiting to share that final intimacy, thinking about having sex, even avoiding sex, that made the need more acute.

“I rest my case,” Ian said after weighing Marcus’s silence.

Marcus took a long sip of his beer, then shrugged. “Maybe none of us has found the right woman.” He glanced over at his brothers as they stared at him. “Yet.”

Ian groaned, rubbing his forehead with his fingertips. “Jaysus, Marky, this is what comes from being stuck on that boat all alone. You’re not making any sense. What’s wrong with you? You’re sounding like a bleedin’ romantic.”

“So that’s not what you want out of life?” Marcus asked.

“First off, you can’t talk to women, so how can you be honest with them? They have no capacity for logical reasoning. They’re driven by emotions. Let me tell you, getting into a real conversation with a woman is like stepping on a land mine. One stupid move, one offhand comment or misplaced adjective and-boom-you’re dead.”

“And you can’t depend upon women,” Declan continued. “They may have your back now, but the minute you don’t agree with them they’ll cut your legs out from under you. You want someone who’ll have your back? That’s what brothers are for.”

Marcus took another sip of his beer. In truth, he’d been thinking the same thing about Eden just a few hours ago. But that had been at the end of a brutally honest conversation, the kind of conversation that had exposed some pretty raw emotions. It may not have been a pretty argument or a fair fight, but at least it had been honest.

“Women are not the enemy,” Marcus said.

Ian stared at Marcus for a long moment. “Did you break the pact?”

“No!” he lied. “I’ve just figured out a few things for myself.”

But hadn’t the pact contained a fatal flaw? He and his brothers had assumed that the only way to figure out women was to stay away from them, to make a vow of celibacy and stick with it. But Marcus had learned more about women in the week he’d spent seducing Eden Ross than he’d learned in his previous twenty-seven years. She was a complicated, perplexing pain in the ass, but he knew her better than he’d ever known any other woman in his life.

“So are you planning to share with us?” Declan asked.

Marcus shook his head. “Not at the moment.”

A long silence descended on the group as Ian and Dec stood at the grill and stared into the fire. Marcus fought the urge to tell them everything, to explain it all in the hopes that they would be able to offer some explanation. To confess that he’d been the first to break their pact and succumb to the pleasures of the flesh.

But what had gone on between him and Eden defied description. Hell, he’d been trying to put words to it for days with no luck. “Any luck on finding that girl you were looking for, Dec?” he asked, anxious to shift the topic.

“Eden Ross?” Dec sat down on the picnic table next to Marcus. “Nothing yet.”

“Louise Wilson over at the diner mentioned that there were a couple of guys wandering around Bonnett Harbor asking if anyone had seen her,” Ian said. “They’re promising a big payday for information. Ten thousand for a tip that leads to a photo of Eden Ross. I’m thinking I ought to be out looking for her.”

“She must be close by then,” Dec said.

“Why do you say that?” Marcus asked.

“Those tabloid photographers usually know more than the local cops. They can afford to pay for information. And when it comes to celebrities, folks are anxious to talk, especially for cold, hard cash. I’ll just wait until they smoke her out and then I’ll grab her up and take her home to daddy.”

“What if she doesn’t want to go?” Marcus asked. “She’s an adult. She makes her own decisions.”

“Whose side are you on?” Dec asked. “It’s my job to find her. I don’t get paid unless I find her. Ross is your boss, too. Watch out for his interests and he’ll watch out for you.”

Marcus was starting to understand how the rest of the men in Eden’s life had felt. It was difficult to resist a woman who made him feel the way she did. All she had to do was touch him or look at him in a certain way, and he felt his desire begin to burn.

Dec poured a bit of his beer onto the charcoal as the flames licked at the burgers. “Hell, if I were Ross, I’d think about putting that girl in a convent, locking the door and throwing away the key. I wouldn’t mind getting a look at that tape, though. See what all the fuss is about.”

Marcus fought back a surge of anger, struggling to maintain an indifferent facade. He’d never been the jealous sort, but the notion of his brother staring at images of a naked and aroused Eden cavorting with another man didn’t sit well with him. Marcus jumped to his feet and set his empty beer bottle on the picnic table. “I gotta go,” he said.

“You haven’t had anything to eat,” Ian said.

Marcus shrugged. “The wind is supposed to pick up later tonight, and I’ve got to set another anchor.” Marcus started toward his truck parked in the driveway next to Ian’s house.

“So how’s the job going for you?” Dec called. “What did Ross think about the work?”

“He thought it was great,” Marcus yelled, giving them both a wave. By the time he slipped the key into the ignition, his thoughts were firmly fixed on Eden. He’d been away from her for three hours, too long in his book. He needed to touch her, to inhale the scent of her hair and feel the warmth of her body against his.

Eden had become a basic need for him, like food or water. He wasn’t sure when it had happened, but as he pulled onto the street and pointed the truck toward Newport, he felt the hunger grow even more. When he touched her again, he wasn’t going to stop until they were both completely sated.