The Millionaire's Tainted Legacy

Temptation

Tito had been around Sam, Jonathon and Ritchie, the founding partners of the highly successful Miami law firm Flanagan, Berrington, and Perez, enough to know the signs of wealth when he saw them. Jonathon Berrington III might call himself "Jack" now and claim that he found his high society Northeastern family's traditions tedious, but Tito would bet he had a trust fund in addition to the income he earned as an attorney. Sam might not have come from generational wealth like Jack, but he'd still attended toney private schools as a kid. And Ritchie, who had the most humble beginnings right here in Miami, now lived in a multi-million dollar waterfront home, so clearly had become wealthy himself as a result of the high jury verdicts all three of the partners routinely pulled in - and the hefty attorney's fees they recovered as a result.

Tito was happy that his sister Maria, and their younger half-brother Joey, had a life now with Ritchie where they'd never have to struggle. They deserved the best.

But for himself? As long as Tito could pay his rent, put food on his table, and take home a modest paycheck running his nonprofit helping troubled teens, that was all he wanted. More, he reflected, than he deserved, after the heartache he'd given his mother. His list of regrets in his life started with the fact that he'd been in prison when she died, and were compounded by the fact that Maria had been forced to drop out of art school and come home to take care of their mother as the cancer stole her life away, and then stay working two jobs and raising Joey on her own.

Tito hadn't been there for them. Not when it counted.

He glanced over at his passenger, already regretting his comment about getting to know her better so that he could get his eyes - and more, he'd implied - on those hidden tattoos.

Her designer luggage, even the pricey sunglasses perched on top of that wavy hair the color of mink, the casual clothes she was wearing, the understated gold jewelry, and the shoes that were undoubtedly Italian leather, all screamed wealth and privilege. She was a princess, and he had no time for princesses.

Oh, he wouldn't mind taking her to bed. He could easily imagine those delicate fingers tracing over every line of his ink. And then moving over areas of his body that weren't tattooed.

But she was Jack's cousin, and had been hired as an attorney at the law firm. No doubt she'd be at every family gathering of the combined clan, and so would Tito. Sam and Ritchie and their families spent every holiday together, which meant Tito was usually there as well. Now that Jack was married and his playboy days were over, he and Bailey would no doubt join in.

So no. It was all too close to risk indulging a physical attraction to Caylee Chandler. He'd felt the connection when he took her hand, and from the startled reaction in her eyes that she quickly masked, he was sure she'd felt it, too, on a purely sexual level. He sensed it wouldn't take much for them to end up naked together, seeing what happened when that spark turned into a raging inferno.

But would it be worth a lifetime of awkward meetings at family gatherings? Doubtful.

"So are you done?" Her voice had a snooty little edge to it, and damned if he didn't find that attractive. She was frowning at him, and he imagined kissing the pout off her lips.

"Done what?"

"Done studying me like I'm some kind of specimen you're considering what to do with."

"I'm just driving," Tito lied, "thinking about work."

"No you're not."

He glanced back over at her and grinned. "No, I'm not. You want to know what I'm really thinking about?"

She arched an eyebrow. "I'm almost afraid to ask."

"I'm thinking if I met you in a club I'd be taking you home with me."