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Deciding to get ready, she unraveled herself from Diablo’s hold and tiptoed to the bathroom. After she’d brushed her teeth and washed her face, she turned on the shower. Stepping inside, she welcomed the warm water as it cascaded over her. Closing her eyes, she let the water take her away.

A cool gust of air chilled her and her eyes flew open, landing on Diablo’s desire-filled ones. He stepped into the shower and drew her to him, licking the drops off her face as his hands roamed her wet skin.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he whispered in her ear. With a bar of soap, he gently washed her from her shoulders down to her feet, then rinsed it away with a washcloth. Turning around, she took the soap from him and washed his body slowly, marveling in how wonderful his defined muscles felt against her wet fingers. When she was finished, he washed her hair, then, after rinsing, yanked her head back and kissed her deeply as the warm water pounded against her back. When she pressed closer to him, his hardness poked into her flesh and an instant rush of heat burn through her.

As they kissed and touched each other, her body danced in a million different ways: twirling, leaping, swaying. He turned her around, facing the white-tiled wall and, with an arm around her waist, guided her to a bent position. Her hands pressed against the cold tile, she heard extended activity behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw him lean out of the shower and pick up a condom he must’ve brought into the bathroom with him. She stared at him and he winked as he slipped the sheath over his hardness. Bending over her, he cupped her breasts as he ground against her ass.

“I love that your tits fit in my hands. They’re the perfect size for me.” His breath warmed the nape of her neck.

After playing with her breasts for a while, he slipped his finger between her puffy folds, making her feel exquisite. As she was ready to go over the waterfall, he pushed into her, going so deep that she thought he’d come through her. He thrust in and out of her as his finger kept the pace on her sweet button until she couldn’t hold it anymore. Waves of euphoria splashed through her, and she was taken higher and higher until she was both above the world and one with it at the same time.

Behind her, Diablo was scratching her back, grunting, and breathing quickly until he groaned, the sound echoing against the tiled wall. “Fuck,” he muttered before pressing her hard and tight against him. He peppered her neck with gentle kisses. She wasn’t sure if it was the way he’d washed her, the way he took her, or the way he kissed her, but the intensity of the moment threw her emotions into overdrive and tears streamed down her face. A surge of love shot through her. At least she thought it was love. It was so intense and pure that she guessed that’s what it was, but she couldn’t be sure since she’d never been in love before. She’d never felt that way for any man, and the fact that she’d only known him for a couple weeks scared the hell out of her. She wasn’t even sure if what she was feeling was indeed love or just gratefulness. But there was no denying that she feltsomethingintense for him.

He spun her around and a bright grin greeted her. She tugged playfully at his beard before he hugged her close. “Let’s get some food before you go to your appointment.”

“I’d love that. Thank you for everything. I mean coming here with me, the wonderful hotel, the delicious dinner last night… and this.” Her cheeks warmed.

“No need to ever thank me. I’m happy you trusted me to share yourself with me. I’ve been fantasizing about you since I first saw you. The reality is way fuckin’ better than the fantasy.” He chuckled, then kissed her.

“I don’t know what to say. This is all new to me.”

“Don’t need to say anything. Just get some clothes on so we can go eat.” He swatted her butt playfully and she laughed. “Don’t overthink this, sweet pea. Just go with it. Life’s better that way.” He stood aside and let her out of the shower.

Soon they were dressed and headed out the door.

“My grandmother wantedme to have this money?” Fallon’s hand flew to her neck. The sum of seven hundred thousand dollars seemed inconceivable to her, especially from a woman she’d never met.

“That’s what she wanted. She made her will a few years ago and was adamant that the money went to you. I set the trust up for her. Our law office is the trustee. Once you turn twenty-two, the entire trust will go to you. She was specific about the age. She shared with me that her lucky number was twenty-two. In the meantime, your grandmother wanted you to have fifty thousand dollars. I’m prepared to write a check to you.”

“But she never met me. She never even tried to get in contact with me all these years. She’d disowned my mom before I was born.”

Scott Garber jerked his head back. “She tried many times to get a hold of you. Your dad wouldn’t let her. Colorado doesn’t have grandparents’ rights, so her hands were tied. She sent you cards and presents for your birthday and Christmas. When you never answered, she figured your mom and dad had poisoned you against her and your grandfather. She stopped reaching out, but she always carried you in her heart. She used to come in here and cry about it. You know, you’re her only grandchild. She desperately wanted a relationship with you.”

“I never received anything. I can’t believe my dad would’ve hidden all that from me. What would be the point in him doing that?”

The attorney shrugged. “There’s a lot of emotion—good and bad—in families. I see it all the time in my practice.”

“You know my grandma abandoned my mom. My mother was very upset about it.”

He nodded. “I wasn’t with the firm when all that went down, but Barbara told me she regretted what she’d done. A lot of times, it takes years to mellow someone and to forgive past hurts and indiscretions. Your grandmother came from a different mindset. She just couldn’t accept that your mother was with a married man. As time went on, it didn’t matter as much, but then your mom had run off. Barbara’s biggest regret was not making amends with your mom, or having a relationship with you.”

Fallon’s head was swimming. “Wait. Are you telling me that my dad was married while my mom was going out with him? Was I responsible for breaking up his first marriage?”

Garber’s face blanched. “You didn’t know that? Damn,” he muttered under his breath.

“I can’t believe my dad was married. My parents gave the impression that it was their first marriage. I can’t believe all this.”

“Don’t blame yourself. Your mom and dad were the ones responsible. I’m sorry if I upset you. I thought you knew.”

She shook her head. “I didn’t. Maybe that’s why my dad kept my grandmother apart from me. Maybe he was afraid she’d tell me a bunch of stuff that would hurt me.”Although he never seemed to care about hurting me himself.

“I don’t know. All I know is that your grandmother wanted to make sure you were provided for. Her hope was that you invest the money and let it grow. She wanted to give you a head start.” He smiled weakly.

“That was nice of her. I wish I had known her.”

“Now I have to figure out who was impersonating you. The why is obvious—money.”