Marcus

by Kate Hoffmann

“And what about later?” she continued. “Did you want to touch me?”

  The answer was obvious. From the moment he’d met her he’d thought of nothing else. “No,” he lied.

  “I don’t believe you,” Eden said, peeking out from behind the camera. “Take your shirt off.”

  Marcus refused, but Eden wasn’t about to be deterred. “Then you hold it,” she said, handing him the camera, “and I’ll take my clothes off.” She pointed to the miniature screen on the back. “Just watch me through that and try not to jiggle the camera.”

  Marcus grudgingly pointed the camera at Eden. She reached down for the hem of her dress and slowly drew it up over her head. She wasn’t wearing a bra and had chosen a sexy black thong as her only underwear. She let her hands drift up her torso and over her breasts, then brushed her hair away from her face, playing to the camera and to the man behind it. She was deliberately tempting him, and Marcus was loath to admit that it was working.

  Eden slowly walked up to him and took the camera, then pulled him to his feet. “Your turn,” she said, dragging him toward the bed.

  “Why are we doing this?” Marcus asked as he unbuttoned his shirt.

  “Have you ever seen yourself make love to a woman?” Eden asked. “Aren’t you curious? Come on, it’s liberating. It’s like having someone else in the room…but not really.”

  He’d never refused Eden anything before, at least not sexually. And he was intrigued. She was right-they should spend their last night together doing something more interesting than arguing. But this was just a reminder of a big mistake she’d made in the past. He grabbed the camera and turned it off.

  She stared at him, her mouth pressed into a tight line. “It doesn’t have to be awful like the last one,” she murmured. “It can be sexy and wonderful and real. I want you to remember that it was real.”

  “Eden, I’m not going to forget you.”

  She nodded. “I know. But I want to share this with you. I trust you, Marcus. I know you would never use this to hurt me.”

  He drew a deep breath, then handed the camera back to her. “Just promise me we’re going to burn this tape after we watch it,” Marcus said, letting his shirt drop to the floor.

  Eden smiled. “No, I’m going to leave it with you as a memento of our time together. Every now and then you can watch it and it will be like I’m here.”

  Marcus kicked off his boat shoes, standing in his bare feet. “I don’t think so,” he said. He undid his belt and Eden let the camera drift lower. “It would be a sad substitute for the real thing.”

  “Slower,” Eden ordered, kneeling in the center of the bed and tucking her feet beneath her. “Take your time.”

  “Are you the director?” he asked.

  “For tonight,” she replied.

  As he lowered the zipper of his khakis, Marcus was forced to admit that Eden’s little game was a huge turn-on. Undressing had always been a necessary step, but now it was entertainment. His sexual liberation at Eden’s hands had had no limits, and he didn’t want to stop now. “Is that slow enough?”

  “Run your hand over your chest,” she said.

  Marcus watched her, but Eden wasn’t looking at him. She was looking intently at the screen. If he wanted to seduce her, then he’d be forced to do it through the lens of the video camera. Smiling, he did as she ordered, smoothing his palm over his chest and belly.

  When he reached his pants, he slipped his fingertips beneath the waistband of his boxers. He heard Eden take a sharp breath and her eyes went wide. A tiny smile quirked at the corners of her mouth. “That’s very nice,” she said.

  Marcus slid his hand downward and was surprised to find that he was already hard. Though he was familiar with the art of pleasuring himself, he’d never done it in front of anyone. But he wasn’t embarrassed to do it for Eden as long as she found it…arousing.

  “Touch yourself,” she murmured. “The way that I touch you.”

  He pushed his boxers down, freeing himself from the confines of his clothing. Marcus slowly began to stroke himself, tipping his head back and imagining that it was Eden’s touch on his body. He grew harder with each movement, the sensations coursing through his body more intense because of her presence.

  Marcus kept his pace slow, knowing that he wouldn’t finish on his own. He opened his eyes and looked at Eden. She ran her tongue along her lower lip, and he smiled, imagining her tongue running along the length of his shaft.

  As if she could read his mind, Eden crawled off the bed and handed him the camera. She knelt down in front of him and tugged his boxers and khakis to the floor. Marcus kicked them aside, and a heartbeat later she took him into her mouth, her tongue caressing the tip of his penis with every stroke.

  Marcus held up the camera and watched her through the view screen, his attention completely focused on Eden’s lips and his cock. He’d watched the occasional porno, but this was something much more tantalizing. It was happening to him.

  Eden glanced up and smiled. “Tell me what you want,” she said. She ran her tongue along the length of his shaft. “You’re the director now.”

  “Take your underwear off and lie down on the bed,” Marcus ordered. He walked over to the dresser and set the camera on top, focusing the lens on the bed. When he returned, Eden was lying across the sheets, her hands skimming over her body.

  Marcus watched her for a long time as she touched herself, his fingers clenching with the urge to take over. But she was still performing for him, bringing his desire to a fever pitch. He’d never wanted a woman this badly, and when he finally spread her legs and pushed inside of her, Marcus was almost mindless with need.

  The camera recorded every sigh, every stroke, but Marcus wasn’t aware of any of it. The moment he entered her, he was lost in a whirlwind of pleasure, Eden’s body responding to his every movement. He was rough and then gentle. She came twice without his touch, and it was only then that Marcus allowed himself to join her.

  His orgasm sent uncontrollable tremors through his body, as if every nerve and muscle had been waiting for release. When he was spent, Marcus lay down beside her, his leg thrown across her hips, his fingers tangled in her hair. Though his mind was void of rational thought, one thing broke through the haze.

  How was he supposed to live without this? Without her?

  THEY HADN’T SLEPT AT all. They’d spent the night making love and then talking and then making love all over again, caught in an intimate cocoon. Eden curled into Marcus’s body and closed her eyes against the early dawn’s light at the windows.

  “Promise me something,” she said.

  He turned and pressed a kiss to her temple. “What?”

  “Don’t bring another woman into this bed for a while. I don’t want to have to imagine that. If you promise me, then I won’t.”

  “I promise.”

  Eden knew he’d keep his word, at least for a little while. She trusted him completely. She pressed her lips against his chest and smiled. They’d watched their home movie, giggling over it at first but then allowing themselves to enjoy what they’d done.

  Eden wasn’t sure what had possessed her to do it, but in the end she was glad that she had. Now this night would come to memory when she thought about a sex tape. This night full of unbridled passion and complete satisfaction with a man she loved.

  She didn’t know how long it would be before they saw each other again-or even if they would-but perhaps when he needed her he might watch the tape again and remember how good it had been between them.

  Eden pushed up on her elbow and looked down into his eyes. “Do you ever wonder what it would have been like? If I hadn’t been Eden Ross and…you know. How do you think it would have ended? Would we have been different together?”

  Marcus picked up her hand from his chest and studied her fingertips, twisting her fingers between his. “I don’t know. You are Eden Ross and things are exactly as they are. We can’t change that.”

  “When we began, it was all about se
x. It was very uncomplicated and I thought that’s what I wanted.”

  “But?” Marcus asked.

  Eden sighed. “Do you ever think it might have been better if we’d believed there could be more between us?” She reached out and slowly ran her hand along the ridge of his collarbone, then traced a line down the center of his chest. Pressing her palm to his warm skin, Eden felt the slow, steady beat of his heart. What would it take to possess Marcus’s heart? Did she have it already or had he just lent it to her for the time they’d been together?

  Marcus kissed the top of her head. “I don’t know.”

  He grew silent and Eden cursed herself for bringing up the subject. He didn’t answer because he didn’t want to hurt her. It was obvious he had resigned himself to her leaving.

  He slowly pulled his arm out from beneath her head, then sat up. “I’m going to get us some breakfast. There’s a bakery in town that opens in a little while. If I get there when they open, the cinnamon rolls are still warm.”

  Eden drew the sheet up to her chin. “All right,” she said. “Do you want me to come with you?”

  Marcus ran his hand along her arm, his gaze following his fingers. He shook his head. “I won’t be long. You could make some coffee.”

  Eden smiled sleepily. “I know how to do that,” she said with a trace of pride. Of all the things she’d attempted so far, coffee had been a success.

  She watched him get dressed, admiring the masculine beauty of his body, the long legs and well-formed arms, the wide back and flat belly. She’d touched him so many times, in so many places, that she’d lost sight of how the pieces fit together. Eden took a mental picture of him, then closed her eyes and tried to imprint it on her memory.

  When he was dressed, he bent over the bed and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be back in a bit.” A few seconds later the door latched shut, and Eden rolled over, burying her face in the pillow.

  Saying goodbye to him at the airport would be impossible. The moment he touched her, she’d lose herself in his embrace. And then it would be awkward and frustrating. He’d feel compelled to kiss her and make some promise that they’d see each other again. And she’d be forced to do the same. And then she’d cry and the tears wouldn’t stop.

  Eden crawled out of bed and walked to the kitchen. She grabbed the coffee from the cupboard next to the sink and poured the ground beans into the filter. Then she added water and flipped the switch. Her eyes fixed on the stream of hot liquid as she tried to rid her mind of the worry.

  But it was no use. Eden turned and grabbed the phone, then rummaged through the drawer for the directory. There had to be an airport shuttle. She flipped to the back and found a service listed under ‘Limousines,’ then dialed the number, hoping there would be someone in the office but content to listen to a schedule. To her surprise, someone answered.

  “Good morning, Newport Shuttle.”

  She cleared her throat. “Hello. I’m interested in getting a ride to the Providence airport today. I’m in Bonnett Harbor. When does your shuttle run?”

  “We have a shuttle that leaves Newport in about ten minutes,” the woman said. “And then we have one every hour on the hour. And we do have a pickup in Bonnett Harbor this morning for our 5:00 a.m. shuttle. Are you interested in leaving right away?”

  Eden hesitated for a moment, glancing around the loft. It would be better this way, she mused. No goodbyes, no promises and no regrets. “Yes, that would be fine.”

  “And where will the pickup be?”

  “There’s a diner right on the main street. It’s called the Harborview. I’ll be waiting there.”

  “The shuttle will be there in about fifteen minutes. I’ll radio the driver and let him know.”

  “Fine,” Eden said. “I’ll be ready.” She gave the dispatcher her name and Marcus’s number, and after she’d noted a confirmation number, Eden hung up the phone. She hurried over to the bed and began to gather her clothes from the floor. Most of her luggage was still on Victorious, along with some of the things she’d brought from Europe. But she had her tote and stuffed what she could inside it. What didn’t fit, she tossed into a shopping bag, and five minutes later she was dressed and ready to go.

  Eden stood at the door for a long moment, gazing around Marcus’s loft. It was a cowardly way to leave and she knew he’d be hurt. But this way she wouldn’t have to face the very last instant before they parted. The moment when she’d hold her breath and wait for him to ask her to stay, and then he wouldn’t. It was better to believe that it could have happened than to know that it hadn’t.

  She hurried down the stairs and out into the boatyard. The sun was already up and the town had begun to stir. Eden ran to the street, then glanced around to make sure Marcus wasn’t on his way home. The diner was five minutes away, and when she got there, the first customers were already seated at the counter.

  Eden sat down on a bench outside, and a few minutes later a van pulled up with Airport Shuttle emblazoned on the door. Eden handed her bag to the driver and he opened the door for her. But she hesitated, knowing this was her last chance to change her mind.

  Her thoughts wandered back to the previous evening, to the fight on the sidewalk. Marcus’s eye was black. She’d watched the bruise grow over the course of the night. It had been a reminder of the problems she still needed to face. And for now, Eden wanted to face them alone.

  She smiled at the driver, then crawled inside the van and took a seat next to an elderly woman. As the van wound through the streets of Bonnett Harbor, Eden smiled. She’d come a long way from the silly party girl who had hidden out on board Victorious. The changes had come so quickly that she wasn’t sure who she was right now. But she knew she was ready to make something out of her life, to become the kind of woman who might deserve a life with a man like Marcus Quinn.

  MARCUS TURNED OFF THE ignition to the truck and leaned back in the seat. He’d made the drive to the Providence airport in less than a half hour on empty highways not yet clogged with rush-hour traffic. But now that he was here, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do.

  He’d come home to find Eden gone, a note left on his pillow scrawled in big letters. No regrets. Nothing more, except an E at the bottom with a little heart beneath it. At first, he’d been angry. Why would she sneak out? Had she planned this all along?

  But then he realized that she had been dreading their goodbye as much as he had. It was so much easier just to avoid it. Yet Marcus couldn’t let it end there. He needed to see her one last time, just to look into her eyes.

  He didn’t know what he was going to say or if he’d say anything at all. But he wanted to kiss her and let that be the last thing between them, not some letter on his pillow. He glanced at his watch. Her plane didn’t leave for hours, but there was always a chance that she planned to catch an earlier flight. Hell, he wasn’t even sure she was at the airport.

  Marcus clutched the steering wheel and drew a deep breath. This was it. If he had any intention of asking her to stay, now was the time to make that known. Every ounce of his being told him that it was the right thing to do. No matter what she was going through, she was better off with him. And she had to see there was more to what they shared than just sex. There was trust and affection and honesty and a friendship that had been growing since the first day they’d met. And though they’d spent less than two weeks together, it had been enough for Marcus to see that he was in love with Eden Ross.

  These feelings were so strange and confusing, how could they be anything else? Marcus glanced at his watch, then closed his eyes. He’d wait ten minutes, and if he still felt the same way, then he’d walk into the airport and find her and ask her to stay.

  He stared at the clock on the dash, watching as it ticked through the time. Each minute seemed to drag by, yet it only confirmed that asking her to stay was the right thing to do. They needed time to talk about a future, to consider all the pitfalls and the possibilities.

  When the ten minutes were up, Marcus drew
another deep breath, then smiled. There was no doubt in his mind. He needed Eden in his life. He didn’t want to think about what he’d do if she refused him. That wasn’t a possibility, for he’d thought of every argument to convince her not to go.

  He jumped out of the truck, then ran across the parking ramp to the stairwell. When he reached the ground floor, he headed to the terminal, watching the signs for the airline he was looking for. He got on line behind several people, and when he reached the ticket clerk, Marcus gave her a charming smile. “I’d like to know if a passenger has checked in yet. Her name is Eden Ross.”

  “I’m sorry, sir, we’re not allowed to give out information on our passengers.”

  “I just need to know if she’s here in the airport.”

  “You could have her paged.”

  Marcus shook his head. “No, I don’t want to do that. Then the whole airport will know she’s here. She has a flight out at two to Los Angeles. How do I know this? Because I know her and I know when she’s traveling. Did she check in yet?”

  “Are you a friend of hers? Or a reporter?” the woman asked, sending him a suspicious look.

  “A friend, I swear,” Marcus said. “Actually, more than a friend.”

  She studied him shrewdly. “Well, I suppose it wouldn’t do any harm. She did check in, but she’s already gone. She switched her ticket to an earlier flight, and it left about ten minutes ago.”

  Marcus shook his head. “You’re sure?”

  The ticket agent nodded. “I exchanged the ticket myself. She was anxious to get back home. And to avoid spending any time waiting in the airport.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Sorry,” she said.

  “So am I.”

  As Marcus walked back out of the airport, he wondered if maybe this was what was meant to be. If he was supposed to have stopped her, then he wouldn’t have wasted ten minutes screwing up his courage to stop her. He would have left earlier and driven faster and parked in the tow-away zone and run into the airport and gotten to her on time. But instead he’d dragged his feet the entire way.

  It would be a long drive back to Bonnett Harbor if he planned to beat himself up about this. Eden was gone and there was nothing he could do about it now. If these feelings continued, then he’d have to deal with them. But for now, he’d try to get back to his life as it had been before he’d met Eden.