Marcus

Epilogue

MARCUS PULLED THE TRUCK up in front of his parents’ house on a quiet street in Bonnett Harbor. He switched off the ignition and then leaned back in the seat. “Are you worried?” He glanced over at Eden to see her fidgeting in the passenger seat, a plate of brownies on her lap.

It had been two weeks since she’d come back from California and they’d spent nearly every free moment together. She’d started work the Monday before last, and while she was away, Marcus had finished the project on Victorious. At night they’d slept on board, preferring to keep to themselves.

After Eden’s father had bought the video back, there’d been no more speculation about what was on the tape. And though she’d been hounded by the press, with each day that passed, their interest in her dimmed. A former party girl who now worked as a file clerk for her father’s business didn’t hold much interest for the general public. Ian still hadn’t found the other video, and Marcus was beginning to worry about what had become of it.

“Before we go in, there’s something I need to tell you,” he said.

“What? Is my hair all right?” She reached up and smoothed her hand over her head. “Do I have something in my teeth?” Eden grabbed the rearview mirror and twisted it so she could see her reflection.

“No, you look beautiful,” Marcus said. “Perfect.”

“Then what?”

He drew a deep breath. “You know that tape we made?”

Eden nodded.

“Well, it kinda got lost. I mean, I think I know where it is. Or Ian does.”

She gasped. “You gave the tape to Ian?”

“No, no. He took it. By mistake. It was in the camera, and he borrowed the camera without my permission and-” Marcus paused. “I’m sorry. This is a mess, but I really don’t think it’s going to turn up on the Internet. I just think it’s temporarily misplaced.”

Eden stared at him for a long moment, then smiled. “I was wondering when you were planning to tell me.” She grabbed her purse and reached inside, then handed him a camcorder tape. “It was sitting in front of the door when I stopped by your loft to pick up the mail last week.”

“Oh, jeez,” Marcus said, relief flooding through him. “I’m sorry. This is getting shredded the minute we get home.”

Eden snatched the tape back. “No! I think we should make a sequel.” She popped the tape back into her purse. “But from now on, we’ll make sure to keep it in a safe place, all right?”

Marcus leaned across the seat and kissed her, his mouth lingering over hers for a long time before he drew away. Life couldn’t get more perfect. He and Eden were together and there wasn’t any doubt in his mind that it would be forever. And it was finally time to let his brothers in on their secret affair. He’d chosen Sunday dinner with the Quinns to be her coming out party. He hoped his family would accept her, but even that didn’t really matter.

“Are you ready to go in?”

Eden stared straight ahead, worrying at her lower lip with her teeth. “In a minute,” she said.

“Are you nervous?” Marcus asked.

“No,” she said, her voice tight. “Yes. Am I supposed to be? I feel a little sick. Maybe we could do this in phases? One family member at a time?”

“You’ve already met my mother and she likes you, so that means everyone else will, too.”

“But how’s she going to feel when she figures out I lied to her about who I was? She thinks I’m Liselotte Bunderstrassen.”

“Well, that’s what the brownies are for,” Marcus said.

Eden frowned. “That’s going to make it all better?” She stared down at the plate, a skeptical expression on her face. “They’re just brownies from a box. Maybe I should have bought a cheesecake or a pie or something a little fancier.”

“They’ll love you,” Marcus said, reaching over to smooth her hair from her face. “Because I love you.” He’d waited a long time to admit his feelings to Eden, but there was no use denying them any longer. He had fallen hard and there was no going back, not that he’d ever want to.

A slow smile curled the corners of Eden’s mouth. “You do?”

Marcus nodded, pulling her across the seat into another kiss, this one much deeper and filled with desire. “I do.”

“I love you, too,” she said softly, smoothing her hand over his face.

He kissed her again, savoring the taste of her mouth. “Now are you ready to go in?”

Eden shook her head. “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.”

Marcus pressed his forehead to hers and looked intently into her eyes. “I can tell you exactly what will happen. Rory and Eddie are going to be amused that I’ve managed to find a woman at all. Mary Grace will give you a big hug and tell you that you’re prettier than your pictures. Jane will be completely starstruck. Ian will probably want to arrest you and Dec will be pissed off big-time. Da won’t know who Eden Ross is, nor will he care, but he’ll love you. Ma will be happy to see you. And I will be by your side no matter what happens, okay?”

Eden reached into her pocket and withdrew a wad of cash, then handed it to him.

“What’s this?” Marcus asked.

“To settle the deal with your brothers. Two thousand dollars. Daddy gave me an advance on my paycheck. I figured I should pay since I’m the one who seduced you.”

Marcus shook his head. “Oh, no, I’m the one who seduced you, so I should pay.”

“You’re remembering all wrong!” Eden cried.

Marcus grabbed the plate of brownies from her lap and set them on the dashboard, then picked her up and pulled her into his lap. His lips captured hers, and as he kissed her he ran his hand over her body, lingering on her belly. He slid his palm beneath the cotton peasant top she wore and found warm skin and then the soft flesh of her breast. “I don’t think you’re remembering it correctly,” he murmured, biting at her lower lip. “Would you like me to remind you of exactly what happened?”

Eden moaned softly as his thumb teased at her nipple, bringing it to a stiff peak. “Yes, please,” she said.

He kissed her again, this time seducing her mouth slowly and thoroughly. Eden wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed, a contented sound that made his blood warm. She was finally home and happy, and as long as she slept in Marcus’s arms, he wouldn’t need anything more.