He raked his hands through his rumpled hair. But it wasnt home, it was work. And there was plenty to do today. Marcus swung his legs over the edge of the berth and glanced down at his morning erection, just another reminder that proper relief would be limited to his own devices. He had thought the bet would be easy for him. Marcus had never been a Casanova. But now that he wasnt allowed to have sex, thats all he could think about.
He dug through his clothes scattered over the opposite berth in the crew cabin, searching for something clean to wear, then gave up. It was about time to check out the small laundry room aft of the engine roomright after he started a pot of coffee. Marcus wandered sleepily down the narrow companionway, past the two spacious guest cabins.
From the time he could stand on a deck Marcus had loved being on the water. His earliest memories were of his father standing in the wheelhouse of the Mighty Quinn, the family swordfishing boat. Padriag Quinn had sold his interest in the boat to Marcuss uncle Seamus to help pay for his wifes medical bills. After bouncing around from boat to boat, grabbing whatever berth he could during the summer season, Paddy had been forced to accompany Seamus south for the winter to bring in more money.
The three-month summer visit became nine years as Emma Quinn valiantly battled cancer and her husband took any job he could find. Marcuss older brothers, Rory and Eddie, had worked part-time jobs, scraping together enough to contribute to food and rent. His sisters, Mary Grace and Jane, had taken care of the house and their mother.
Even with everyone contributing, things had gotten so bad while the younger boys had been gone, Paddy had sold the family home in Boston and moved them to a tiny cottage in Bonnett Harbor, Rhode Island. There, hed worked for a boat-repair business on the western shore of Narragansett Bay when he wasnt fishing, a business he later took over from the elderly owner.
On the very day he and Dec and Ian had returned from Ireland, Marcus had wandered around the boatyard, searching for a solitary spot to regroup. Hed found the old boathouse in the farthest corner of the property and, inside, a small wooden sloop that had been left to ruin. Over the next year, hed slowly restored the boat, and from that moment on hed known he was destined to work with his handsto carve beautiful brightwork and to design sleek wooden sailboats that looked pretty both in and out of the water.
A few years at Rhode Island School of Design were followed by another two years working at IYRS, a school for yacht restoration, setting him on the path to opening his own business. Hed built his first boat while still at IYRS. The twenty-three-foot wooden day-sailer took three months, and by the time hed finished, Marcus had had three more commissions and enough money to hire two employees. Now, with the possible investment from Trevor Ross, things would start to look up.
Marcus glanced around the spacious lounge of Victorious as he passed through, his feet brushing against the cool teak sole of the boat. The ketch was a designers dream, an inspiration for Marcuss future projects. He enjoyed discovering all the interesting nooks and crannies of the vintage yacht, examining the expensive restoration work. Just the maintenance costs of keeping a wooden boat afloat were ridiculous, but then Ross had money to burn.
As he turned the corner into the galley, Marcus stopped short, the breath leaving his chest. A woman, dressed only in lacy black panties, was bent in front of the icebox, that brief scrap of fabric riding up the curves of her backside. She was dripping wet, water puddling around her feet, her long hair plastered to her back.
Marcus glanced over his shoulder, deciding if he ought to step out and throw on some clothes or stand his ground. He didnt want to give the stowaway a chance to escape. Brushing aside his modesty and ignoring his slowly fading erection, Marcus braced his hands on either side of the door, then cleared his throat. She straightened, then turned and faced him, her face registering mild surprise. Her gaze slowly raked the length of his body, resting a long moment in the area of his crotch. Good morning, she murmured, a smile twitching at her lips.
She didnt seem to be concerned about his lack of clothingor hers, for that matter. He tried to avoid looking at her breasts, but he couldnt help himself. Her body was perfect, long-limbed and slender, with a tiny waist that flared out to lovely hips. His eyes drifted back to her breasts, lingering there for just a moment, and he wondered how it might feel to touch her, to cup each sweet breast in the palms of his hands. Damn, he really didnt need this now, not when he was doing his best to avoid thinking about perky breasts and curvy backsides.
Are you finished? she asked. Or would you like to take a closer look? She held up her arms and slowly turned in front of him, offering him yet another glimpse of her backside.
Marcuss gaze darted back to her face, taking in the wide green eyes, high cheekbones and lush mouth now curved in a wry smile. Hell, this was every mans dream, the stuff of fantasies, stumbling on a nearly naked woman. Marcus swallowed hard. If he didnt find something to cover his crotch, she was going to see exactly what kind of effect she was having on him.
Excuse me, he murmured. Ill be right back. He turned and hurried toward his cabin.
Is there coffee? she shouted, poking her head out of the galley.
Marcus cursed softly as he dug through his clothes, looking for a clean pair of boxers. In the end, he tugged on baggy surfer shorts and made a quick stop at the head to brush his teeth. When he returned to the galley, she was still rummaging through the cabinets in the same state of undress. He groaned inwardly, wondering why she hadnt taken the chance to put on some clothes.
May I ask what youre doing?
Coffee, she muttered impatiently. Is it too much to ask that you start a pot of coffee in the morning?
He stepped inside, moving past her. Her body brushed his, her breasts soft against his chest. He focused on the coffee, determined not to let her rattle him. The bag of beans was tucked behind a canister of sugar. Marcus pulled it out and dumped a healthy measure of the beans into the grinder. As the grinder whined, he glanced over his shoulder to find her perched on the counter, her hands braced at her sides, her long legs crossed at the ankles. He fought back an impulse to reach out and touch her just to make sure this wasnt all just a very vivid wet dream.
He dumped the ground coffee into a filter, then popped it into the coffeemaker, grateful for any distraction. After grabbing the pot, Marcus passed it over to her, and she filled it with water from the tap. They both watched until a stream of coffee began to drip into the pot. Then she reached behind her back and found two coffee mugs.
I cant wait, she murmured, nudging his shoulder with the cups.
He filled her mug and handed it back to her, keeping his attention firmly fixed on the coffee. How did you get on board? he asked.
I swam, she said. I left my clothes and my bags on the dock. Maybe you could take the dinghy over later and get them for me?
Yeah, Marcus muttered. Right. She had some nerve. He should be throwing her back in the drink. But it wasnt every day he got to enjoy the company of a naked woman, especially a woman who seemed more comfortable out of her clothes than in them.
Youre new, she said. Youre a bit older than the boys Daddy usually hires. Are you here to take over for that old barnacle Captain Davis? Please tell me hes finally retired to the Crusty Old Sailors Home. Or was he swallowed by some accommodating white whale on his last cruise?
Youre new, she said. Youre a bit older than the boys Daddy usually hires. Are you here to take over for that old barnacle Captain Davis? Please tell me hes finally retired to the Crusty Old Sailors Home. Or was he swallowed by some accommodating white whale on his last cruise?
Marcus bit back a curse as he poured himself a cup. Daddy? Aw, bloody hell. The only person she could be talking about was Trevor Ross, which meant that the naked woman sitting behind himthe one hed been drooling overwas his future business partners daughter, Eden Ross.
Pictures of her as a little girl hung in the master cabin. But the rest of the world knew her from her tabloid exploits. She looked different in person, without the clothes and makeup and celebrity hair. Her skin was smooth and flawless, with a tiny sprinkling of freckles across her upturned nose, and her hair was a much darker blonde when it was wet. She looked almost wholesome. No, this was not the same girl who jetted around Europe, dated princes and attended Paris fashion shows.
Youre Eden, he said flatly.
And you are?
He turned and faced her, leaning back against the edge of the counter. The new barnacle.
She giggled at the answer, and to Marcuss surprise, the sound sent a rush of heat through his bloodstream. So I should call you Barney? she asked, holding out her hand.
He wanted to touch her. At that moment it seemed like the most important thing in the world. He took the offered greeting, grasping her fingers in his, and Marcus instantly wondered how those delicate fingers would feel wrapped around him, stroking him.
He swallowed hard. Marcus. Marcus Quinn. Im He scrambled for the words. Fighting off a serious case of lustfantasizing about dragging you to my bedwanting to know if you taste as good as you look. Working for your dad, he finished, quickly dropping her hand.
He took a quick sip of his coffee, watching her over the rim of his cup. Was he expected to carry on a conversation with her? She didnt seem to be at all interested in getting dressed. The polite thing to do was to keep his gaze fixed on her face. He risked another glance at her breasts. Easier said than done.
Doing what? she asked.
Your father hired me to do some wood carvings for the boat. Im working on a new figurehead for the bowsprit and a piece for the wall in the dining area. And Im carving some corbels for the lounge area and adding some ornamentation over the bed in the master suite.
Well, well, she said, jumping down from the counter, sounds like youre going to be a very busy man. She stepped toward him and lightly skimmed her palm down his chest, stopping when she reached his belly. Marcus held his breath and she sent him a provocative grin. Ill try to stay out of your way. Itll be nice to have some company on board. Dont work too hard, Barney.
Its Marcus. And you cant stay, he protested. How the hell was he supposed to concentrate on work with Eden Ross prancing around the deck naked? There was just so much a guy could take, and in ten short minutes hed already reached his limit. All he could think about was finding a way to ease his sexual frustration. Your father said Id have the boat to myself. I cant work if youre here.
Why is that?
Was she that dense or was she simply toying with him? Hed already managed to lapse into a few brief and inappropriate fantasies. Given more time, Marcus knew what his imagination would providefull-blown erotic daydreams that would only be erased by prolonged physical contact with a beautiful woman, like Eden Ross. From the moment hed stumbled upon her, all hed been able to think about was how long hed have to wait to touch her. No, there was no way she could stay! You just cant, he murmured.
Im sorry, but I dont care what you want. This is my fathers boat and Ill stay as long as I like. If you have a problem with that, you can take it up with your boss. With that, she turned on her heel and disappeared down the companionway to the master suite in the aft section of the boat.
Marcus stuck his head out of the galley just in time to see her slam the door. Oh, hell. This was trouble just waiting to happen. Eden Ross had a reputation that was known worldwideshe was a man-eater, a woman who took what she wanted from a guy then left him a quivering mass of disappointment and regret. And if she started nibbling on him, he wasnt sure hed be able to defend himself.
A month didnt go by without a scandalous photo or article in the tabloids or a report on one of those Hollywood news shows. Eden went through men as if they were trendy fashion accessories, something pretty to keep on her arm and enjoy for the moment, then to toss aside once she found another boy who pleased her more.
Marcus shook his head and headed back to his cabin. So shed hang around for the weekend. A woman like Eden would grow bored with the solitude and be off to more exciting places before she could even unpack. Two days, he said. Ill give her two days and then shes got to go. If she doesnt, Ill just toss her overboard.
Marcus chuckled softly. He wouldnt get a whole lot of work done in the next forty-eight hours, but that really didnt matter. If entertaining the bosss pain-in-the-ass daughter was part of the job, then hed do his bestshort of sleeping with her and breaking the deal hed made with his brothers.
But in such close quarters, there was no telling what might transpire. If his desire did eventually overwhelm his common sense, at least hed have a decent tale to tell his brothers about the sexy little socialite hed reeled in, then tossed back. And considering Eden Rosss reputation, she might be worth a two-thousand-dollar roll in the hay.
HEY, BARNEY.
Eden stretched out on her towel, craning her neck around the mast and trying to catch a glimpse of Marcus Quinn. Hed been working on the bowsprit nearly all morning, dangling over the rail on a bosuns chair, dressed only in a pair of faded surfer shorts and boat shoes.
Hed been up early, leaving her a fresh pot of coffee and glazed donuts from the local Krispy Kreme. Eden wanted to believe hed made a thoughtful gesture, but after a surly exchange with him over her preferences for lunch, she knew hed merely been following orders.
Frustrated, shed gobbled up three of the donuts and washed them down with a mug of black coffee. Why was she allowing him to bother her so? He didnt care for her, and that was fine. After all, he wasnt that attractive, and shed sworn off men for at least the next month or two. But that didnt seem to stop her from wanting him. He was likelike the Mount Everest of men. She had to climb him simply because he was thereand because if his naked body and considerable assets were any indication, hed be one incredible mountain to climb.
She watched him as he crawled back over the rail and retrieved one of the tools spread on the deck.
Hey, Barney!
A tiny sliver of satisfaction shot through her as he dropped the tool he was holding and strolled along the rail to the spot where she was sunbathing. The names not Barney. Unless youd like me to call youwhat?how about Princess?
I like that, Eden teased, sending him her sexiest smile. Your Highness would be even better, though. She picked up her bottle of suntan lotion and held it out. Do my back?
Marcus shook his head. No. Ill make you coffee, Ill fetch your damn baggage, but Im not going to be your personal slave.