Page 11 of Her Billionaire Hero
“I get it.” It had been a while since my last relationship. Work took up all my time now, so sex wasn’t at the forefront of my mind. But it was there, lingering in the back, especially anytime Sloan was around. Not that I’d acted on the attraction.
“How ya likin’ these Austin chicks?” Looking out the window, he craned his neck to see the tall buildings as we drove down the interstate into the heart of downtown.
“I’ve been a bit too busy to worry about anything like that.” Taking the exit, I pointed out the empty space in the skyline that one day would be filled with our resort. “There’s the spot right there. They tore down a crumbling parking garage a year and a half ago. If it weren’t for, there wouldn’t be a spot for another building down here.”
“That was some good luck.” He got out of the truck after I parked. Looking at the work going on and the progress so far, he seemed impressed. “You got things happening here, Baldwyn. Are you on schedule?”
“Weareon schedule. Our lead engineer makes sure of it each and every day.” Leading him into the trailer that housed the engineers’ offices, I found Sloan and Rey, the industrial engineer we’d hired, about to walk out the door. “Oh, hey, you guys taking off?”
“We were going for coffee,” Sloan said as she backed up, taking Rey by the shoulder and pulling him with her. “But since you’re here, we’ll do that later.” Her eyes went to Tyrell, who came in behind me. “This has got to be Tyrell Gentry.” She reached around me to shake his hand. “Your cousin has told me so much about you.”
Shaking her hand, he gave her a broad smile. “All good things, I hope.”
“Of course.” She let his hand go and gestured to the man standing beside her. “This is Rey Delaney. He’s an engineer on this project.”
Tyrell shook his hand too. “It’s a pleasure, Rey.”
“For me too.” Rey moved back to take a seat at the long table where we had our meetings each morning.
“My cousin is here to check things out,” I let them know. “Sloan, care to fill him in on the progress?”
“Sure thing.” She took the seat next to mine as Tyrell sat across the table from us. Pulling the stack of the day’s papers toward her, she leafed through them then pulled one out and slid it to him. “This is the timeline. As you can see by the green line, we’re on schedule.”
I leaned back in my chair, happy with her confidence. “Sloan’s my right hand.”
“And sometimes I’m your left hand too,” she said with a grin. “I try to get things done before Baldwyn even asks for it.”
“Sounds good,” Tyrell said with a nod. “It looks like you’ve built a great team here, Baldwyn.”
Sloan stood. “If you need me for anything else, just shoot me a text. I’ve got to get out on the ground to make sure the crews keep it going. If I don’t check up on them at least once an hour, I find them slacking off. And we cannot have any slacking.”
“Engineerandcrew chief?” Tyrell asked her.
“I’m whatever I have to be to keep things running smoothly.” Patting me on the back, she leaned in. “If I need to find another ride home, I can.”
“Nah, I’ll be back in time to take you home.” I liked sharing the short rides to and from the apartment complex with her.
“Okay then.” She and Rey left us alone.
I hadn’t realized that I’d been watching her departing form until the door closed. I turned to see Tyrell grinning at me. “Oh, hell, man. You like her.”
“Sure I do.”
“No.” He shook his head. “I mean that youlikeher.” Seeing my tight-lipped face, he continued, “In a romantic way.”
“Nah.” I did but I wasn’t going to act on it.
“Maybe after the business is done, then you’ll make your move.” Crossing his arms over his chest, he seemed to think he’d figured me out. “Smart, Baldwyn.”
“I’m not sure I’ll ever make a move on Sloan. She’s got something in her recent past that makes that a bad idea.” I didn’t like talking behind people’s backs. But I hadn’t been able to say a thing to any of my brothers about Sloan for fear they’d run their mouths.
Steepling his fingers, Tyrell placed his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “And that is?”
“She’s only twenty-eight and already divorced. Her entire adult life she’s been in a relationship with the same man. She’s even told me that her husband—now ex—is the only man she’s ever had sex with.” Clamping my mouth shut, I knew I wasn’t supposed to repeat that to anyone. Not that Sloan had told me not to say anything, but it was pretty obvious that she didn’t tell everyone that tidbit of information.
“And what had you guys talking about a thing like that?” he asked with a knowing grin. “Maybe you and she are both thinking about the same thing here. And maybe she’s more into it than you think she is.”
“She’s not.” I was sure of that. “She’s still dealing with some things from their breakup. She hasn’t told me that, but I can tell. Something is unresolved, I think. Not that I think she still loves the guy or anything. Just that she’s got something she’d like to finish with him.”
