a woman. According to the Principles of Eden, a woman never forgot her first guy. She would remember him forever. He hadn’t wanted to be remembered by any woman that long.
“Virgin? Heck no. I had sex with Carlos in college once. It was awful.”
He nodded. “Carlos was your boyfriend?”
“Yes, at the time. For me it was one and done.” She broke eye contact with him to glance over at the clock. “And speaking of time, I need to get up and get dressed. Eli is dropping by at nine. I have extra toiletries under the vanity in that bathroom.”
Did she want him to leave? There was only one way to find out. “Will this be a private meeting between you and Eli?”
She glanced back at him. “No. You’re welcome to stay if you want. Like I told Harold that night, you already know most of my business anyway. I’m surprised Eli didn’t mention anything to you.”
Was she kidding? Sloan evidently didn’t know how Eli functioned as an attorney. His brother operated on a strict code of ethics. When she’d hired Eli, his by-the-book brother wouldn’t share any details of his findings without her permission. “He didn’t, but that’s fine as long as you don’t have a problem with me being here.”
She leaned up and wrapped her arms around him. “I don’t have a problem with you being here, Mercury.”
“Glad to hear it.” He then leaned in and captured her mouth with his.
Eli stared hard at his brother when Mercury opened the door to let him into Sloan’s apartment. “Why aren’t I surprised to find you here?”
Mercury smiled. “I don’t know. Why aren’t you?”
Before Eli could give a smart-ass answer to Mercury’s smart-ass question, Sloan came out of the kitchen, smiling. “Good morning, Eli. I just made a pot of coffee. Would you like a cup?”
He smiled over at Sloan. “No, thanks. I had a cup earlier. I’d like to go into my report since I have another appointment in a couple of hours.”
“Okay,” Sloan said, easing down on the sofa with Mercury sitting beside her. “What did Mr. Rivers have to say?”
Eli slid down in the wingback chair opposite of them. “To protect you, the terms of your grandfather’s will stated that you will get the proceeds from your trust fund at thirty...unless you marry before then. Then you get it the day after you marry, to do with as you wish.”
Sloan’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t known. “So, Harold was right. My parents are banking on our marriage not only to combine the family’s wealth, but for me to bring a dowry.”
“Yes, it looks that way,” Eli said, standing. “If you need me to do anything else, let me know. I like Charles Rivers. It’s obvious he intends to handle business the way your grandfather wanted him to do.”
“Thanks, Eli,” she said, walking him to the door.
When she returned to the living room, Mercury was standing in the middle of the floor. “Come here,” he said, opening his arms to her.
She walked into them, needing a hug and grateful he was there to give her one. He tightened his hold on her and she snuggled closer to him. They’d made love again this morning and then they’d showered together. What she’d told him was true. He was a fantastic lover and had made her feel things she’d never felt before. Things she hadn’t thought she’d been capable of feeling.
“Go out of town with me tomorrow.”
She leaned back to look up at him. “You want me to go out of town with you?”
“Yes. I’m flying to Dallas for a few days to meet with a potential client. I think getting away will do you good.”
She didn’t want to think about just how good it would be with him. Another thing she didn’t want to think about was how she felt for Mercury.
She loved him.
Drawing in a deep breath, she accepted that, love or no love, a serious relationship was the last thing she needed. She was starting a new life and a new job.