He’d even felt she had gotten easy treatment at police headquarters. However, the hurt and humiliation he’d seen during her eviction had been real. He’d even felt her defeat. He was somewhat feeling it now and he didn’t like it.
“I prefer not being an accomplice to your cowardice.”
An angry look appeared on her face and she was out of her chair in a flash. She got right in his face. “How dare you insinuate that I’m a coward? You don’t know me or my parents. You don’t know how manipulative they can be to get what they want.”
He wished she wasn’t standing so close. His gaze suddenly became fixated on the delicious shape of her lips. He was staring at them and not her eyes. Unfortunately, she was too fired up to notice.
Not liking where his thoughts or his libido were headed, in a voice gruffer than he liked, he said, “Maybe it’s time you stand up to your parents. Running away is not going to help and they will see that as a weakness to prey on.”
“You think I don’t know that?” she snapped. “I know my parents a lot better than you, and I’m trying to prevent all of you from getting to know them. Trust me—you wouldn’t want to.”
She drew in a deep breath, and when she did, the suction was like a vacuum, drawing his mouth closer...and she still didn’t notice. “Whether you help me or not, I am leaving Phoenix tomorrow. I’ll tell your parents when they return tonight and that’s final.”
Mercury wasn’t sure what pushed him to make the next move. It could have been the frustration he felt at that moment or the proximity of his mouth to hers. All he knew was that he was trying to talk some sense into her, and she wanted to give in without a fight. That annoyed the hell out of him. Reaching out, he pulled her into his arms.
He hesitated only a moment—long enough for her to pull away or not—and captured her mouth with his.
He wasn’t sure what he expected when his mouth connected with hers, but it definitely wasn’t the way fire blasted through every part of his body. Nor had he expected the taste of her tongue to go straight to his groin. And he absolutely had not expected her mouth to soften beneath the forceful demand of his.
This was what he would call a mind-blowing kiss, definitely one for the record books. And the way she followed his lead with her tongue tugged at everything male within him.
When the sound of someone clearing their throat intruded, Sloan all but jumped out of his arms. He released her and turned to find his mother standing in the office doorway with an unreadable expression on her face. This wouldn’t be the first time his mother had caught him kissing a girl and he doubted it would be the last. But he could just imagine what Eden was thinking and he knew he needed to get something straight before she got any wrong ideas.
Stepping away from Sloan, he said, “It’s not what you think. I was trying to talk some sense into her.”
Eden lifted a brow. “Oh? Is that how it’s done now?”
Mercury released a heavy sigh. “Maybe you will succeed where I’ve failed. She is about to make a big mistake,” he said in a curt tone. Knowing he needed to put as much distance between him and Sloan as he could, he asked, “Where’s Dad?”
“In his man cave. Maybe you ought to join him there and chill a minute.”
“I think I will.” Without giving Sloan a backward glance, he strolled past his mother and out of her office.
Walking quickly, he took the steps down to the basement, where his father’s man cave was located. His father stood in front of the huge flat-screen television holding the remote while trying to find a decent channel.
Without bothering to turn around, Drew said, “I saw your car parked in the driveway, Mercury. Do I need to wonder why you’re here?”
Mercury slid down on the sofa. “It’s not what you think.”
Drew turned and looked at his