Marcus

6

SHE SEDUCED HIM AGAIN in the middle of the night, waking him with her caress. Half-asleep, Marcus had thought he was dreaming at first, but as he’d drifted toward consciousness he’d felt the heat of real desire pounding through his veins.

The clothes they’d worn to bed had easily been discarded, and in the darkness he’d explored her body by touch. When she’d climbed on top of him and taken him inside her, Marcus had found himself instantly aware of every movement she made and the effect it had on him. Caught in a dreamy half sleep, his body had responded instantly, attuned to every sensation. She had rocked above him, slowly at first, in complete control of herself and his responses. Blind to the beauty of her body, Marcus closed his eyes and let his imagination take over.

She’d climaxed without him even touching her, her orgasm quiet but intense. And the moment he’d felt her spasm, Marcus had joined her. When he’d finished, Eden had curled up beside him and fallen asleep as if nothing had happened.

Marcus turned his head and gazed at her in the early morning light, her face resting on the edge of his pillow, her fingertips nearly touching his face. Their encounter in the shower had been based on raw and very mutual need. But Eden’s silent seduction had been different.

As if awakening from a bad dream, she’d found some sort of comfort in his body and her power over it. When he’d tried to touch her, she’d simply linked her fingers through his and pinned his hands above his shoulders, interested only in physical release and nothing more.

He reached out and took a strand of her hair between his fingers. It was darker than it had been, now a warm shade of honey. Curls surrounded her face, making her look much younger than she actually was. Marcus wondered at the contrasts-the sweet, vulnerable girl and the determined seductress.

He liked both in his bed. With others, he’d always preferred to sleep away from home, making it easier to leave when he felt the need. But he wanted to keep Eden close.

The sound of Marcus’s cell phone echoed in the loft, and he carefully rolled out of bed and grabbed his jeans from the floor, finding the phone in his pocket. He flipped it open and recognized Dec’s cell number on the caller ID. Marcus paused, wondering if he ought to answer it.

He finally pushed the button as he walked across the loft to the bathroom. “Hey,” he murmured. “What’s up?”

“I’m downstairs,” Declan said. “Do you have coffee?”

Marcus stared at his reflection in the mirror, rubbing his palm over the stubble on his jaw. “No, we’ll have to go out. I’ll be right down.”

He quickly grabbed his jeans and pulled them on, then shrugged into a T-shirt. His deck shoes were at the door, and he slipped into them before crossing back to the bed. Bending over Eden, he kissed her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at him. “I have to go out for a bit. I’ll bring back breakfast,” he said.

“Don’t leave,” Eden murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Stay here with me.”

Marcus groaned as he tangled his fingers through Eden’s tousled hair. He kissed her again. “I have to go. Dec is downstairs waiting. If I don’t show, he’ll come looking for me and he’ll find you.”

Eden’s smile brightened. “Invite him up. We can all climb back into bed.”

Marcus growled playfully. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

“Then take me with you. I’d like to meet your brother.”

“Not today,” Marcus said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be back soon. Promise.”

Eden slowly let her hand drift down his chest, then hooked her fingers in the waistband of his jeans. “Don’t keep me waiting.”

When Marcus got downstairs, he found Dec perched on the hood of his BMW, dressed in khakis and a starched blue oxford. He slid to his feet as Marcus approached, holding up a bakery bag. “How did you know I was here?” Marcus asked.

“I took Ma to early mass and I saw your truck,” Dec said. “I brought breakfast.”

“Let’s go out,” Marcus replied. “I need something more substantial than that.”

Dec shrugged, then nodded toward his car. When they were inside, he glanced over at Marcus. “What’s up with you?”

“What do you mean?” Marcus asked.

A frown furrowed Dec’s forehead. “I don’t know. You just look…odd.”

Marcus raked his hands through his hair. “Thanks.”

“I thought you were staying out on Ross’s boat.”

“I figured it would be easier to finish up the smaller pieces here. More room and better equipment.”

Dec studied him for a long time before starting the car. He looked both ways before pulling out onto the street, then headed for their favorite diner on the main street of Bonnett Harbor, only three blocks away. “I got a call last night from Ian’s dispatcher. Eden Ross was spotted over at the Sandpiper Motel. A couple of tabloid photographers got a tip from the night manager and they staked out her room.”

“So what did she have to say?” Marcus asked, trying to appear as indifferent as possible.

“I didn’t talk to her. She managed to slip out without anyone seeing her. But the photographers mentioned there was a man with her and he was driving a pickup. Ian has her voice on 911 calling in the photographers as car thieves. That’s how she created the diversion.”

Marcus nodded. “Interesting. So where do you think she is now?”

“She can’t be far,” Dec said. “She had her father’s Mercedes and left it behind.” He paused. “She must have gone home at some point to get the car, and we missed her.”

We. Somehow Dec had assumed that Marcus was part of the “team.” And for a fleeting instant Marcus thought about telling his brother the truth. In his opinion, Eden needed to talk to her father and ease Trevor Ross’s mind regarding her whereabouts. The longer she stayed under the radar, the more difficult it would be to explain to everyone involved why she’d waited so long. Hell, Marcus had given up any hope that Trevor Ross would invest in his business now. He’d cut his losses. In truth, he much preferred to take Eden’s side in the matter.

But that wouldn’t square him with his brothers. In their eyes, family loyalty came first, far ahead of any passing affections he might have for a woman. Dec and Ian both had a job to do, and he’d stood in their way.

Even if he wanted to come clean, how the hell was he supposed to explain himself? Had he become so enamored that he’d lost the ability to think for himself? Marcus had to admit that Eden Ross was pretty persuasive, especially when she turned on the sex appeal. And Marcus had never been good at reading a woman’s true intentions. He’d been drawn in before he realized what was happening.

“What are you going to do?” Marcus asked.

“Ross is sending a security detail over to the house to watch for her. Ian put out an APB on her after she called in that false emergency. And I’ve got a new assignment from Ross.”

“What is it?” Marcus asked.

Dec pulled the car into the parking lot of the diner and switched the ignition off. “Nothing you’d find interesting.”

Marcus watched a subtle shift in his brother’s expression and recognized the signs. Ian and Dec had always kept secrets from him when he was younger, but Marcus had devised an easy way to recognize a lie. Dec tried too hard to look indifferent, and Ian hid his lies with elaborate distractions. Considering that every emotion Declan felt could be seen in his face, Marcus could tell he was lying now.

“Would you like to tell me about her?” Marcus asked, grateful to find a way to deflect attention from his own lies.

Dec sighed. “She’s nothing special, certainly not enough to tempt me.”

“Be careful,” Marcus warned. “You’ve got money riding on this.”

Dec laughed sharply. “I’ve got money riding on Eden Ross, too. And there’s no way I’m going to lose on either one of those deals.”

Maybe Dec already had, he mused as he stepped out of the car. Eden was safely hidden in Marcus’s loft. And if Dec’s mystery lady was anything like Eden, then Dec didn’t stand a chance with her either. In truth, the agreement they’d made and the money they’d put down made it all the more difficult to remain celibate. Given the choice, he’d take Eden over the money any day.

When they walked into the diner, they found Ian enjoying a cup of coffee at the counter, dressed in his uniform. He happily joined them at a booth along the front windows. Alice, their favorite waitress, dropped three menus on the table and filled their coffee cups.

Ian glanced over at Marcus and frowned. “What’s wrong with you?”

“See, I asked the same thing,” Dec said.

“Nothing,” Marcus said. “I’m tired. I’ve been working late. I’m hungry. Is that enough or do you want more?” He’d been having mind-blowing sex with the most beautiful woman in the world. A guy had a right to look different.

“Any luck with Eden Ross?” Ian asked, turning to his younger brother.

“She’s in the wind,” Dec replied. “I checked the cab companies, the private limos, even the bus station. She just vanished. Whoever she was with must have had transportation. She could be anywhere by now. Why is it so damn hard to find this girl? Sometimes I feel like she’s right under our noses.”

“Did anyone besides the night manager actually see her?” Ian asked.

“Nope. But the photographers gave me a photo of the guy. Can’t make out much. He’s tall, over six feet, with dark hair. And she let him into the room like she knew him. There’s been a rumor going around that she’s been kidnapped,” Dec said. “Ross hasn’t gotten any ransom note, but it doesn’t seem like she’s being held against her will.”

Ian nodded. “She checked into the motel alone and paid cash for one night. If she’d needed help, she could have asked then. And why would she steal her father’s car?”

“Doesn’t sound like a kidnapping to me,” Marcus said. His brothers turned to him, clearly uninterested in his opinion.

“Maybe so,” Dec said. “But given the rumors, Ross is about ready to call in the FBI.”

Marcus shifted uneasily. This was getting out of hand. He had to talk to Eden.

Marcus took another sip of his coffee, then set his cup down. “I really need to go. I’ve got a lot of things to do today and I’m good with just the coffee.” He grabbed his wallet and withdrew a twenty, then tossed it on the table. “Breakfast is on me. I’ll talk to you guys later.”

“Where are you going?” Ian asked. “First you cut out on dinner the other night and now breakfast. For a guy who runs his own business, you seem to be on a pretty tight schedule.”

“I thought you were hungry,” Dec said. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you have a woman stashed back at your place.”

Marcus scoffed, shaking his head. “Yeah, right. If I had a woman in my bed, I wouldn’t be here having coffee with you tossers.”

“Good point,” Ian said.

Marcus slid out of the booth, but Dec stopped him before he could make his getaway. “When you go back out to the Ross place, let me know if you see anything.”

“Or anyone?” Marcus asked.

“Just keep an eye out. She went there once-she may stop by again.”

Once Marcus stepped outside, he drew a deep breath of the damp morning air. The minute he got home he was going to have a talk with Eden. The longer she dragged this out, the more consequences there would be in the end. They both needed a plan or this affair of theirs would turn into a major disaster.

EDEN ROLLED OVER IN bed and opened her sleepy eyes, squinting to see the clock on the beside table. Pans clattered in the kitchen, and she flopped back into the soft pillows and stretched. A pleasant exhaustion settled over her, and she smiled to herself as she drew the sheet up over her naked body.

Thoughts of Marcus drifted through her mind, images of his handsome face, eyes closed, passion suffusing his features. Her fingers tingled and she reached out and grabbed his pillow, inhaling his scent.

When it came to desire, nothing seemed to stand between them. When he was inside her, she felt completely vulnerable and infinitely powerful at the same time. She’d discarded the last of her inhibitions. With Marcus, sex was an adventure to be shared.

Eden crawled out of bed and drew the sail around her body. “I thought you were going to bring me breakfast in bed,” she called.

A few moments later an older woman appeared, a dish towel clutched in her hands. “I’m sure I could make you something if you wanted,” she said softly, her words tinged with an accent.

Eden drew a sharp breath, then forced a smile. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I thought you were Marcus.”

She smiled warmly and nodded. “I’m not.”

“Are you the maid?” Eden asked.

“I do occasionally clean up after Marcus,” she said. “That much is true. Are you sure I can’t get you some breakfast, dear?”

“I-I’m just going to get dressed,” Eden said.

“That would be a fine idea. I’ll just get back to work.”

Eden scrambled to find something to wear, but the only clothes within reach belonged to Marcus. She pulled a pair of his boxers from a pile of clean laundry on the floor, then slipped into a T-shirt. By the time she got to the kitchen, the housekeeper was heating water in the teakettle.

“Can I make you a cup?” she asked.

“Yes,” Eden replied. She sat down on one of the stools and observed the woman. She wasn’t dressed like a cleaning lady. She wore a pair of tailored pants and a cotton sweater set in a pretty shade of blue. An uneasy realization dawned and Eden’s stomach lurched. “You’re Marcus’s mother, aren’t you?”

She glanced up and smiled. “I am.” She held out her hand. “Emma Quinn.”

Hesitantly Eden accepted the gesture. “Liselotte,” she said. “Liselotte Bunderstrassen.”

“What a lovely name,” Emma said. “Lisa…?”

“Just Lisa is fine,” Eden said.

Emma reached into a canister on the counter and withdrew a handful of tea bags. “Earl Grey or chamomile?”

“Chamomile,” Eden said.

“How long have you and Marcus known each other, Lisa?” Emma asked as she set two mugs next to the cooktop.

“Not long,” Eden said, then swallowed hard. She certainly didn’t want his mother to think this was a one-night stand. “But long enough. He’s very sweet.”

“He always has been. He’s the baby of the family and he’s a sensitive soul. Always watching out for others.”

“Yes,” Eden said. “That’s true.” She paused. “He doesn’t talk much about his family. I know he has brothers.”

“He has four brothers and two sisters. Do you have siblings?”

Eden shook her head. “No, I’m an only child. I never thought much about having sisters or brothers. I got so little of my parents’ time as it was that I didn’t want to share.” She drew a deep breath. “But now I wish I had a sister or even a brother. Someone I could go to when I needed help. Someone who would always be on my side.”

“Husbands are good for that, too,” Emma said.

She’d made no attempt to hide the inference, and Eden couldn’t stop a smile. “Marcus and I-we haven’t…There’s no reason to believe that-I do like him an awful lot.”

Emma Quinn reached out and patted her hand. “A mother can only hope,” she said. “Marcus would do well to find a wife. He needs someone to shake up his life, someone bright and outgoing, like you. He keeps to himself far too much.”

Eden wasn’t sure how his mother would feel if she knew the truth. Would she be so eager to marry off her son to a notorious party girl who was the star of her very own sex tape? Emma Quinn might be looking for a daughter-in-law, but Eden knew she wouldn’t be on the short list.

The teakettle began to squeal, and Marcus’s mother hopped off the stool and fetched it, filling both mugs with water. “Do you take sugar or milk?”

“Just plain,” Eden said. She wrapped her hands around the mug. “Tell me about your family.”

“I married Paddy Quinn when I was twenty-four. He’d grown up in Ireland and came over here to fish on a long-liner-a swordfishing boat. He came from a family of fishermen. I grew up here. My mother was Irish. My true father died before I was born. He was killed in the war, and my mother married an American G.I. who sent her off to Boston to live with his family.”

“How did you meet your husband?”

“We were introduced by friends. A blind date, you might say. We fell in love, but my mother didn’t want me to marry him. She wanted me to return to Ireland with her after my stepfather died, but I refused.”

“How did you know you loved him?” Eden asked.

“I didn’t at first. But every day, in little ways, he showed me that my happiness was the most important thing to him, more important than his own. He made me feel…” She smiled. “Safe. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but it was to me. And later on it was all I needed.”

“No,” Eden murmured. “It sounds wonderful. I know exactly what you mean.”

“And then we had Rory and Eddie and Mary Grace and Jane. And then Ian and Declan and finally Marcus. Would you like children?”

Her question took Eden aback. She’d never thought about having a family of her own. She hadn’t exactly had a good example to follow. The quick answer would have been no, but the thoughtful answer was much more surprising. “Yes,” she murmured. “I’d like to believe that someday I might have a family of my very own.”

Eden sipped her tea as Emma Quinn busied herself around the kitchen. They chatted about Marcus and his talents as a boatbuilder and wood-carver. And gradually Eden began to realize that the man she believed Marcus to be-quiet, solid, tenderhearted-was the man that his family knew, as well.

For the first time in her life she’d judged a man correctly. But was she the woman that Marcus believed her to be? Or had she simply been convinced she could be something more?

Suddenly Eden felt a frantic need to protect her reputation. She’d get the tape and destroy it before Emma Quinn and the rest of Marcus’s family found out who she really was. Eden sipped at her tea and tried to calm her nerves.

She’d never really cared what people thought of her. Why had that suddenly changed?

MARCUS SAT ON A LOW bench and stared out at the harbor. Sailboats bobbed at their moorings, the rigging clanking as they rocked. It seemed like months since he and Eden had been on board Victorious, but it had only been little more than a day. In that time, so much had changed.

On the boat they’d been swept away by their physical attraction to each other. But now she was sleeping in his bed and living in his loft. He’d grown used to having her with him, and though the sex was incredible, he found himself enjoying the small, quiet moments they spent outside of their passion for each other. It was becoming more difficult to imagine a day without seeing her-or touching her.

Was it just the sex? The notion wasn’t that farfetched. He’d never enjoyed such an intense relationship with a woman, nor one that required so little commitment. Eden didn’t ask anything of him beyond his willing participation in their bedroom activities.

But he couldn’t help but feel as if they were biding their time. To believe that they could continue on like this was foolish. Though he’d insisted that she call her parents, he’d done nothing to remind her of her promise. For now, she belonged entirely to him, dependent on him for his protection. There was a pleasant security in that. But if he let things go on as they had been, he might never be able to let her go.

He chuckled to himself. Wouldn’t that be poetic justice? He’d thrown himself into a purely physical relationship only to come out on the other side wanting more. Would he become one of those daft wankers who spent years pining after a woman they could never have? He shook his head. Hell, no. When Eden finally left, he wouldn’t look back.

He stood and walked toward the boatyard, his hands shoved in his pockets, his thoughts occupied with the odd turn in his feelings. When it came to women, he’d never looked beyond the next night in bed. But with Eden, he’d let himself see a future. Though it was hazy and dim, it was there, just beyond his reach.

Marcus clenched his fists. Would he grab for it or would he let it evaporate before his eyes? He stopped at the entrance to the boatyard and stared up at the sprawling building that held a retail store, the repair shop and a sail loft. How could he ever believe that he had anything to offer Eden? Sure, the sex was fantastic, but even Marcus knew that a real relationship couldn’t be built on only that.

He was a regular guy. He made his living with his hands, and it wasn’t much of a living at that. He’d never questioned his financial success until now. But Eden deserved more than a crudely furnished loft above a shabby boatyard. His mind flashed an image of the Ross compound on the bay, the sprawling white clapboard house and the beautiful grounds, the garages filled with fancy cars, and servants who waited on the family hand and foot.

And what did they have in common? What would they share if the passion ever wore off? They’d led completely different lives on opposite ends of the spectrum. Even if Marcus dedicated the rest of his life to making her happy, he’d be doomed to fail.

When he turned into the parking lot for Quinn’s Boat Works, Marcus noticed his father in front of the service bay door, surrounded by crates, a crowbar clutched in his hand.

“Da,” Marcus called. “What do you have there?”

Paddy Quinn stood staring at the job at hand. His gray hair was mussed by the breeze and his cheeks were ruddy. Though he’d celebrated his sixtieth birthday last year, he didn’t show his age. His body was trim and his arms were muscled and the deep wrinkles brought on by years on the water only added character to his face. “New outboards,” he said. “We had to unload them here. The forklift is busted.”

Though Marcus’s Irish accent had all but disappeared, his father’s brogue was still thick. Paddy had lived the first twenty-two years of his life in Ireland. Marcus’s mother, who’d been born in America, had adopted her accent from her own mother, Nana Callahan, the very same grandmother who had cared for the boys in Ireland.

“It’s Sunday, Da. Leave it for tomorrow.”

“It’s a holiday weekend. The store will be busy,” Paddy said. “By the way, your mam’s looking for you.”

“Is she in the store?”

“Nah, she walked over to the boathouse.”

“When?” Marcus asked, turning toward the loft.

Paddy frowned. “Might have been twenty minutes ago. She’s takin’ her sweet time about it. You’ll probably find her cleanin’ your kitchen.” He straightened and hitched his hands on his hips. “Can’t ever stop makin’ up for time lost, I fear. She needs to get her motherin’ in now while you boys’ll still have it. Give her a break, will ya?”

“I better go see what she wants,” Marcus said.

Marcus strode through the yard to the boathouse. He took the stairs two steps at a time and threw open the door to the loft. He stopped short when he saw his mother and Eden seated comfortably at the counter, both enjoying a cup of tea.

They both turned when he walked in, and Eden graced him with a delighted smile. “Hi,” she said. “Your mother stopped by.”

Emma Quinn pushed off the stool and stood, her hands clutched together in front of her. Even after her long battle with cancer she was a lovely woman, tiny and trim, her face unlined and her eyes bright. She wore her dark hair short and tucked behind her ears in a very proper way. Marcus had always remembered her smile, had seen it in his dreams when he was a boy, and it still warmed his heart. She smiled at him now.

“Hey, Ma.”

“Well, I must be going,” she said to Eden. “I’m sure you two have…things to do.” She held out her hand. “It was a pleasure meeting you, my dear. I hope we’ll see each other again. Perhaps you can come to the house tomorrow. We’re having a picnic to celebrate the Fourth, and I’d love it if you could join us.”

Eden took his mother’s hand, then thought better of it and wrapped her arms around Emma Quinn, giving her a fierce hug. “I’d like that,” she said.

Marcus gave them both a long look before he stepped up and took his mother’s elbow. “I’ll walk you out, Ma,” he murmured. His gaze caught Eden’s and she smiled again. What the hell was she so happy about?

He walked his mother down the stairs out to the boatyard. Emma Quinn had been silent along the way, but Marcus didn’t expect it to last. When they stepped outside, she turned and faced him. “She’s a lovely girl, Marcus.”

“She is,” he agreed.

“Though I can’t help but think that I’ve seen her before. Is she from here in town?”

“No,” Marcus said.

“Hmm. Very pretty. But an odd name, that one, don’t you think?”

“She introduced herself?” Marcus asked.

“Liselotte Bunderstrassen.” Emma sighed and shook her head. “It’s not Irish, that’s for sure.”

“I think it’s German, Ma.”

His mother stared at him. “And that’s all you have to say? It’s German? You have a young lady wandering around your apartment in her knickers,” she said. “Would you care to explain?”

“Not right now, Ma,” Marcus said. “And I’d appreciate it if you’d keep this between the two of us.”

“And who would I be telling?” she asked as if insulted by the notion.

“Oh, I don’t know. My sisters. My father. Your ladies down at St. Joe’s.”

She pushed up on her toes and gave Marcus a peck on the cheek. “I hope you’re practicing that safe sex they’re always talking about. If you’re having relations, use a condom. Not that I want to know if you’re having relations. It’s not something a mother needs to know. And considering it’s against the church, I’d rather not know so I don’t have to confess it.” She paused. “So have you been using a condom?”

“Ma, I’m not going to discuss my sex life with you.”

She patted Marcus on the shoulder. “Then you talk to your da. He knows the score on those things.”

“Tell Da I’ll be down in a minute to help him with those crates.”

His mother gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “He’ll be fine. It’s Sunday and he shouldn’t be working anyway. You go upstairs and tend to your guest and I’ll take care of your father. And I hope to see you both tomorrow.”

“We’ll see, Ma. I’ve got a lot of work to finish.” Marcus watched as she walked back through the boatyard, weaving around the timber cradles and wooden ladders. There were times when his mother still treated him like a teenager. She’d missed so much of his life and the lives of Ian and Declan that she was sometimes unable to accept they were grown men.

At least they’d managed to get beyond past hurts. When he’d returned from Ireland, his relationship with his mother had been in tatters. The anger had lasted years, and he’d kept his distance, afraid to allow her back into his life for fear that he’d lose her again. But over time Marcus had come to understand the choices she’d made.

He couldn’t imagine what she’d gone through while he and his brothers had been growing up in Ireland. His older siblings refused to speak of it, as did his father, but he’d heard from a family friend that the priest had been called for last rites five separate times.

Her illness had nearly destroyed Marcus’s family, and the specter still hung over them all. But his mother had taught them all that they must live each day and stop worrying about the future. She had an amazing outlook, considering what she’d been through, and she never wasted time feeling sorry for herself.

So why couldn’t he apply that theory to Eden? What would be, would be, and worrying over it wouldn’t change anything.

Marcus slowly climbed the stairs to the loft. Eden was waiting for him, perched on a stool, her mug of tea clutched in her hand. “I’m sorry,” she said. “She came in and was cleaning up in the kitchen. I thought she was the housekeeper.”

He frowned. “You thought I had a housekeeper?”

“Well, I didn’t know,” Eden replied. “Your place is pretty clean for a guy.”

Marcus crossed to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of orange juice, then poured himself a glass. “So what did you talk about?”

“Nothing, really. You, mostly. Did she say anything about me?”

“You mean about Liselotte Bunderstrassen?”

“She asked my name. It’s the first thing that came to mind. You didn’t think I was going to admit to being Eden Ross, did you? I wanted your mother to like me.”

Marcus sat down beside Eden. “She thought you were pretty. And she reminded me that we need to practice safe sex.”

“You told her we were having sex?” Eden cried.

“You’re in my bed at ten o’clock on a Sunday morning.” He looked down and frowned. “And wearing my underwear. My mother’s not an idiot.”

“I’d never tell my father we were having sex.”

“He knows you’re not a virgin.”

Eden took a sip of her tea. “But he doesn’t know the details. He’s a very powerful man. If he wanted to make you disappear, he could. Like Benny, my summer boyfriend when I was sixteen. He caught us swimming naked off the pier one night.”

“And he had Benny killed?”

“No,” Eden replied. “He’s not a mobster, he’s just a businessman. He called in a favor and had Benny’s father transferred to Alaska. They moved two weeks later and I never saw him again.”

“Well, your father isn’t going to find out about us because you’re going to call him today and you’re going tell him you’re all right.”

She stared at him, her lips slightly parted. “No. I’m not ready to talk to him.”

“Then I will,” Marcus said. “I’ll call him and tell him you showed up on the boat, that you’re sorry for everything that’s going on and that you’ll be coming to see him soon.”

“Don’t try to run my life,” Eden snapped.

“Someone has to. You’re not doing it for yourself. Eden, he’s your father and he has a right to know you’re okay. At least give him that much.” A stubborn pout settled onto her pretty face, and Marcus knew he had pushed her about as far as he could. “The sooner you face your problems, the sooner they’ll go away,” he added.

“And what am I supposed say?” she asked. “‘Hi, Daddy, I just wanted to let you know that you’ll probably be getting a call from my former lover, who will probably try to extort a few million dollars from you. So you wanna have lunch?’” She shook her head. “See, it’s not so easy.”

Marcus reached out and smoothed the hair out of her eyes. He could understand her problem. It had taken him nearly a year to confess to Nana Callahan that he’d broken her favorite crystal vase. A sex tape and extortion were a bit dodgier than that. “Maybe you should write him a letter. Or send him an e-mail.”

“I will,” she said. “Sooner or later I have to. Don’t worry, Marcus, I don’t expect you to take care of me forever.”

That was it, Marcus mused. The perfect admission of where they stood. She was biding her time with him until she worked up the courage to face her real life. And when she did, they’d be finished and she’d leave.

“Can we go back to bed now?” she asked.

“Are you still tired?”

“Not at all,” Eden said. She grabbed his hand and dragged him along behind her. “In fact, I’m wide-awake.”

Marcus resisted but only for a moment. Eden might be able to divert his attention for an hour or two, but all the desire in the world wasn’t going to dissolve the cloud that hung over them.

He crawled into bed beside her and pulled her up against his body, kissing her forehead. She seemed to fit perfectly against him, her legs tangled in his, her arms wrapped around his neck. Marcus slowly smoothed his hand over her back, then slipped his palm beneath the T-shirt she wore.

As he caressed her soft skin, he closed his eyes and tried to memorize the feel of her. There would come a night when she no longer slept in his bed, a night when he’d want to remember every perfect detail about her. A dull ache settled inside him. Though Marcus didn’t want to admit it, he’d miss her. Even though Eden could be a pain in the ass, she’d become his pain in the ass, at least for a while.

“Your mother invited me for a picnic tomorrow,” she murmured.

“I made our excuses,” he said.

Eden pushed up on her elbow and met his gaze. “But I want to go.”

“You can’t,” Marcus replied.

“Why not? She invited me. I don’t want to be rude to your mother.” She paused. “Why don’t you want me to go?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“No, it’s not. Are you embarrassed to be with me?”

Marcus groaned and threw his arm over his eyes. He’d already decided that he could handle her leaving, but he didn’t want to dissect his feelings before she did. “You’re the one who’s trying to hide out here. If you go to a family dinner, then your presence is not going to be a secret anymore. My brother Declan will be there, and he’s spent the last week looking for you.”

“Looking for me?”

Marcus pulled his arm away. “He works for your father. That’s how I got the job on the boat, Eden.”

“What does he do for my father?” Eden asked.

“Security, private investigations, background checks. Anything your father asks. And right now, among other things, he’s looking for you. So is my brother Ian. He’s the chief of police in this town. And I’m supposed to be looking for you, too, for that matter.”

“Your brothers are looking for me and you’re hiding me?”

Marcus nodded. “So can you see why a family picnic might be a wee bit awkward? Hell, Ian would probably arrest you on the spot for that little 911 call.”

“And that’s all? That’s the only reason you don’t want me to go?”

“Isn’t that enough?”

“I thought maybe you were ashamed to be seen with me.” She drew a deep breath. “Let’s not pretend that I’m every mother’s dream. I have a reputation. My life is splashed all over the media. I guess I’d be a little hesitant to introduce me to your family.”

“That’s not it,” Marcus said.

“But there is something else, isn’t there? If I went to this picnic, then this would be all over, wouldn’t it? You and I would be over.”

She was right. As long as she was hiding from her troubles, she was his. The moment she faced her problems, she’d be gone, out of his life without a second glance. It may be selfish, but Marcus wasn’t going to feel guilty. Why shouldn’t they take as much pleasure as they could from each other? A sexual connection like theirs didn’t come along every day.

“Everything is perfect right now,” Marcus said. “It’s just you and me. Uncomplicated.”

She stared at him, her eyes shadowed with indecision. “So you just want to stay like this forever?”

“I don’t think that’s possible, Eden,” Marcus said.

Eden smiled ruefully. “You’re right. I know you are. But it could be for a little longer, couldn’t it?” She picked up her pillow and smoothed her hands over it. “I’m just not ready.”

He watched Eden crawl out of bed and disappear behind the canvas curtains. She wasn’t ready for what? To go out into the world again or to leave him? He could see it happening in his head. If they both believed it would end, then it would. Gradually they’d pull away from each other. Promises made would be broken. Instead of spending time together, they’d make excuses to be apart, creating a distance that would protect them both when their affair finally came to end.

Marcus fought the temptation to go to her and draw them closer again, to reassure himself that she still cared. He could do it easily, with sweet words or a passionate kiss. But in his gut he knew this was for the best. He’d had her for a week, a lot longer than he’d ever expected for her to stay. He would have to let her go soon and it was about time for both of them to face that truth.