“If I’m going to tell you about the video, then you need to tell me something about yourself first.”
“Ask me anything,” Marcus said.
“Why do you have an Irish accent?”
“I don’t,” Marcus said.
“You do. I noticed it the moment I met you. It’s there, but it’s very faint.”
“I grew up in Ireland,” Marcus explained. “My ma got sick when I was about five years old, and my da sent me and my two brothers to live with my grandmother. We were there for eight years. I had a really thick accent when I got back, but I learned to hide it. Hiding it helped me survive at school.”
After he finished, Marcus drew a deep breath, the detail of his reply surprising him. He’d always been so guarded when talking to women, especially about his childhood. His answers usually consisted of three-or four-word replies. But suddenly, he felt compelled to reveal his life story to Eden. Was it because he wanted her to do the same? Or was it because he’d come to trust her? After all, neither one of them had lived a fairy-tale life as a child. She would understand better than anyone.
“But you are an American,” she said.
“I felt Irish,” Marcus said. “It was all I knew for a long time.” He took another sip of his wine, the alcohol relaxing him. “Now your turn.”
Eden drew a deep breath. “All right. I thought I loved him and I wanted to keep everything between us exciting because there were so many women who wanted him. So I let him turn on the camera. And we watched the tape later and it was exciting and fun. He promised to erase it, but he kept it. A few months ago, after I said some rather unflattering things about him in the press, the tape suddenly reappeared. I think he gave it to a friend who gave it to a guy to put on the Internet.”
“It doesn’t make me think any less of you,” he said, his jaw tight. “But it sure as hell makes me think a lot less of this guy. He deserves a proper smackdown.”
Eden laughed. “And you would do that for me? Defend my honor?”
“Yeah, I would. And I’m good with my fists.”
She reached out and took his hand, weaving her fingers through his. “My hero,” she murmured, pressing her lips to the spot below his wrist.
It was such a simple gesture, unplanned and uncomplicated by any thoughts of seduction. But his reaction was instant and intense. The heat of her lips on his skin felt like a brand, lingering long after she’d drawn away. Marcus swallowed hard and flexed his fingers, wondering why they’d gone numb. But Eden didn’t seem to notice.
“Maybe I should have you negotiate this problem with my father,” she said.
“He’s going to be angry with you.” It wasn’t a question, more a statement of fact.
Eden nodded soberly, then set his hand down on the table. She placed it flat and distractedly began to trace an outline of his splayed fingers. “More than angry. He’s threatened to disown me before, and this will probably push him over the edge. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have cared, but lately my father and I have actually started to get along.”
“How long do you plan to hide out here?”
“A few years maybe,” she said, sending him a smile. “It’s not like I committed murder. I had sex and we videotaped it. People have sex all the time. It’s a very natural thing.”
The desire between the two of them had seemed perfectly natural, Marcus mused. But for some reason he didn’t like thinking about Eden in bed with other men, especially smarmy Eurotrash playboys intent on betraying her. “Right,” he said.
“You don’t agree?”
“I thought we weren’t going to go there,” Marcus said.
“Talking about sex isn’t having sex,” Eden said.
“It is for me,” Marcus replied. “You’ve already cost me a thousand dollars. Maybe two thousand, depending on how my brothers are interpreting the rules.”
Eden picked up her wineglass and slowly ran her finger around the rim. “Explain, please.”
“We made a bet, Ian and Dec and me. To be completely celibate for three months. I lasted just over two weeks.”
Eden’s eyes went wide and she laughed. “But we didn’t…have sex. We had foreplay. That doesn’t count.”
“It all counts,” Marcus replied. “I’ve already lost the original thousand I put in just by touching you. And I may have to put up another thousand if my brothers don’t go easy on me.” Marcus sighed. “I’m thinking maybe I just won’t tell my brothers. They’d never need to know.”
“It’s not like there’s a videotape,” Eden teased.
Marcus chuckled softly. At least she had a sense of humor about it. “No, thank God for that.”
Eden slowly set her wineglass down and got to her feet. His gaze skimmed over her slender body, the thin cotton of her tank top clinging to the curves of her breasts, the flowing fabric of her skirt revealing long, tanned legs. Her skin had a rosy glow from the sun, and as she stepped closer he felt the heat from her body.
“So the only thing standing between us and a fabulous night in bed is a couple thousand dollars?”
Marcus stared up at her, his fingers twitching with the need to touch her. “I don’t have that kind of money right now.”
She tipped her head to the side and gave him a naughty smile. “Do you take American Express or would you prefer a check?”
“I thought we weren’t going to do this,” Marcus murmured.
“I find the idea of buying your body intriguing.” Eden reached out and slipped her fingers through his hair, smoothing the strands away from his temples. Gently she turned him in his chair, then straddled him, her hair falling in soft waves around his face.
“You think you can have your way with me?” Marcus whispered, pulling her close enough to kiss.
“Maybe we shouldn’t ignore our desires. Maybe it’s best to just act on them.”
Marcus groaned inwardly. She had no idea what it was costing him to resist. The past few days had been sheer torture, and a night in bed alone would be enough to turn him into a sex-starved maniac. But there was still something holding him back, some instinct that told him that sex with Eden would not be simple.
Though Eden played the uninhibited temptress, Marcus had come to know the girl she really was-scared, lost, vulnerable and distrustful of men. If he crawled into her bed now, she’d probably find some excuse to discard him within the week.
“Princess, how long are we going to play this game?”
She frowned. “What game?”
He reached up and cupped her cheek in his palm, forcing her gaze to meet his. “Dragging me off to bed isn’t going to solve any of your problems. You should call your father and tell him you’re here,” he said.
He felt her stiffen in his arms and she quickly twisted out of his grasp. Marcus watched her walk to the stern and climb up on the top of the aft cabin, her attention focused on the sunset. “He’s probably already written me off,” she shouted, her voice breaking.
Marcus’s heart softened as he watched her facade crumble before his eyes. “I’m sure that’s not true.”
“You don’t know my father,” she said, spinning around to face him, tears swimming in her eyes. Marcus had never really understood women, not deep down. But, oddly, he seemed to understand Eden. Right now, all she really wanted was a warm body, a distraction from her troubles. If he weren’t here, there’d be someone else willing to provide comfort and a little affection.
Marcus stood and crossed the cockpit. When he reached the aft cabin, he held out his hand. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s finish dinner. After that, I’ll take you for a ride in the dinghy. There’s a cove just over there I want to explore.”
She gnawed on her lower lip, then finally nodded her head. Eden bent down, and Marcus grabbed her around the waist and lowered her back into the cockpit. Her body brushed against his, and when she stood toe to toe with him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly.
“I like you, Marcus Quinn,” she said, smiling swe
etly. “You’re a nice guy. I haven’t known many truly nice guys.”
God, she was beautiful, Marcus mused as he smoothed his hand over her cheek. He couldn’t take his eyes off her face. He leaned forward and brushed another kiss across her lips, his only intent to keep her in his arms a bit longer.
Her lips parted and his gazed fixed on her mouth. The craving was acute. Just one more taste and he’d be satisfied. Marcus kissed her again, this time allowing himself to linger a bit longer.
Eden moaned softly, a silent invitation for him to take more. He furrowed his fingers through her sun-kissed hair and molded her mouth to his, enjoying the sweet taste of her tongue as he deepened the kiss.
His heart slammed in his chest and desire snaked through his veins. Marcus wanted to strip the clothes from her body, to possess her with his hands, to make her cry out as he had last night. This dance they were doing, advance and retreat and advance again, was more than he was prepared to handle.
Their kiss grew more intense with every heartbeat, Marcus pulling her tight against his body. She fit perfectly, and when he pulled her leg up against his thigh, her skirt fell away and he found her naked beneath. It would be so simple to drag her down beside him, to slide his shorts down and bury himself inside her.
He was already hard and ready, and every time she wriggled against him, he felt himself flirting with a complete loss of control. She reached down and stroked his erection through the fabric of his shorts, but Marcus gently grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest.
He brushed the hair from her eyes, his gaze meeting hers. “Why don’t you put on some warmer clothes?” he whispered. “It’s going to get chilly once the sun goes down.” It wasn’t what he’d wanted to say, but for now it was the right thing to do. Eden needed time and space, not another guy looking to drag her off to bed.
When he made love to her, it wasn’t going to be an impulse. It would be slow and deliberate and as close to perfect as Marcus could make it. And no matter what happened in the future, she wouldn’t need a videotape to remember her night in bed with him.
THE DRIFTWOOD CRACKLED and popped in the fire, sending sparks whirling into the night air. Marcus bent down and tossed another piece of wood into the flames, then returned to sit on the blanket with Eden. She glanced over at him, watching the play of light on his handsome face.
When she’d jumped a flight back to the States, she’d made a silent promise to herself: no more whirlwind love affairs. She’d learn to control her penchant for instant infatuation and take her time. Yet, even though she’d broken her vow just days after she made it, Eden couldn’t make herself believe an affair with Marcus would be wrong.
“I always thought that in order to have fun, I had to be entertained,” she said. “I’d go out to clubs and parties, and most nights I’d leave bored to tears. And all we have here is the stars and a fire and it’s wonderful.”
“That’s too bad,” Marcus said with a boyish grin. “Because I can provide entertainment.”
“This sounds intriguing,” Eden said. “Does it involve taking your clothes off?”
He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a quarter, then held it out in front of her. “Magic,” he said. He waved his hand over the quarter, then closed his fist over the coin. He held out both fists to her. “Which one?”
She tapped his left hand, and when he opened it, it was empty. “I’m impressed,” she said as she tapped his right hand. But that was empty, as well. Eden giggled, delighted with his little show. “We have something in common. We can both make money disappear. You limited yourself to a quarter. I’ve managed to make my nearly three-million-dollar trust fund disappear.”
Marcus’s jaw dropped. “Three million? That’s a lot of money.”
Eden nodded. “I know.” She ran her hands through her hair, angry that she’d even told him that. But she’d become so accustomed to being open with him that it had just slipped out. A long silence grew between them and Eden knew what he was thinking. Three million would have bought Marcus Quinn a lot of crescent wrenches.
“That’s not all I can do,” Marcus said. He stood and brushed the sand off his jeans. “When I was kid, I wanted to join the circus.” A moment later he was standing on his hands. He bent his elbows and lowered himself to the ground, then pushed back up again.
Eden clapped, her mood restored. “Bravo, bravo.”
Then he walked over to her on his hands and, after a few more push-ups, leaped back to his feet. Marcus bowed, then dropped down next to her. “I’m a man of many talents.”
“Yes, you are.”
He leaned forward and grabbed a small piece of driftwood from the pile near the fire. “This is my real talent,” he said, reaching into his pocket. He withdrew a red pocketknife and opened the blade, then held it up to the light of the fire. “It’s been sharpened so much there’s not much blade left.” He glanced over at Eden. “What’s your favorite animal?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. When I was younger, I always wanted a bunny.”
Marcus began to carve, taking little bits away until a rabbit magically emerged from the weathered piece of driftwood. It took no more than two or three minutes before he placed it in her hand. Eden held it up on her palm and examined the detail. “It’s lovely,” she said.
“It’s yours,” he said. “But you have to show me a trick in return.”
Eden thought for a long moment. “There is one thing I can do,” she said.
“Show me,” Marcus urged.
She stood in front of him and slipped out of her jacket, letting it drop to the sand. Eden paused, watching the expectation fade on his face.
“That’s it?” he asked.
She shook her head, then slowly shimmied out of her T-shirt, leaving her naked from the waist up.
Marcus’s gaze slowly scanned the length of her body, lingering at her breasts for a long moment. He leaned back, bracing himself on his elbows. “This is getting pretty good.”
Taking her time, Eden unbuttoned her skirt, then slid the zipper down. She hooked her thumbs in the waistband and skimmed it over her hips. Just for fun, she turned as she pushed the skirt to her ankles and stepped out of it. Tipping her head back, she ran her fingers through her hair. When she was certain her striptease had had the proper reaction, she faced Marcus and smiled. She smoothed her hands over her belly and then let them drift up to her breasts.
Marcus drew in a ragged breath. “Nice,” he said, his voice cracking slightly.
Her gaze dropped to his lap, to the erection pressing against the confines of his jeans. “I haven’t been practicing for very long, but I think it’s entertaining, don’t you?”
With a playful growl, Marcus scrambled to his feet. Eden turned and ran toward the water, her laugh echoing in the quiet night. He caught up with her before she was able to dive in, wrapping his arms around her waist and swinging her off her feet. When he set her down, he slowly turned her in his arms and kissed her. “If I knew we were allowed to take off our clothes, I would have showed you a trick I know really well.”
“Show me,” Eden challenged, wriggling in his arms.
Marcus picked her up and carried her to the blanket, then gently set her down. “I’m not impressed,” she said, running her hand down his chest to toy with the top button on his sodden jeans.
Marcus grabbed her hand and pinned it above her head. “You will be.”
His voice was soft and enthralling, and a shiver ran through her body as the night breeze sent goosebumps skittering over her skin. “For this to work, you have to stay absolutely still,” he warned. “If you don’t, one of us might get hurt.” He grinned. “And kids, don’t try this at home.”
“What kind of trick is this?”
“Promise you won’t move?”
Eden nodded her head. They’d played little games like this before, but tonight Marcus’s playfulness had an edge to it, a hint of danger that Eden found strangely exciting. “Promise,” she replied.
He dropped a kiss on her mouth, then moved to a spot beneath her ear. “Remember, stay very, very still.”
Eden closed her eyes and sighed, focusing on the feel of his mouth on her skin. It became a lazy seduction, Marcus taking his time as he seduced her with his lips and his teeth and his tongue. When he finally reached her breasts, her nerves were on fire, and when his tongue circled her left nipple, Eden bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out. Every inch of her body tingled in anticipation, but her impatience got the better of her. When she reached out to guide his lips lower, he stopped, his breath hot on her skin.
“Be careful,” he warned. “I can’t do this if you move.”
Surrendering to his rules, Eden clasped her hands above her head and waited for him to begin again. And when he did, she found herself even more aroused, the sensations of his touch racing through her body like electric currents. Her toes and fingertips tingled and she felt her pulse pounding in her head.
His lips drifted lower, to her belly and then beyond. Marcus slipped his hand between her legs, and Eden was almost afraid to move, afraid she might shatter the very instant he touched her there. His tongue slipped between the soft folds, teasing at her clitoris. Eden held her breath, aching for release yet wanting his seduction to last.
It was as if he knew her body, stringing her along until her desire was more than she could bear, then drawing away for a moment so she could relax. It became exquisite torture, so acute that Eden begged him to let her come. But Marcus was in control and he seemed to take great delight in testing the limits of her body and her mind.
Tears welled up her eyes; tears of frustration and confusion. Why did it feel so different with Marcus? It was so easy to surrender to him, to allow herself to experience complete pleasure. He stripped away all of her doubts and insecurities about men, crumbling the control she was trying so hard to maintain.
Unfamiliar emotions swirled around in her head, mixing with the waves of pleasure until she could no longer think. He touched her once more with his tongue, and an instant later her body convulsed in an explosive orgasm. He continued to lick at her until the last spasm left her body, then he pressed a kiss to the inside of her thigh.
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