The Millionaire's Tainted Legacy

Getting Closer

"Look, we're both adults," Caylee began, as they cruised along a section of the coastal highway that was surprisingly undeveloped.

Tito glanced over at her. "This should be interesting."

The man was beyond frustrating.

Caylee tried again. "All I'm saying is, it was pretty obvious from that kiss what we both want."

"We don't always get what we want." Tito paused. "At least not all of us."

She felt the heat on the back of her neck. "If by that you're implying that I'm some sort of pampered princess who always gets what she wants . . ."

Tito grinned but kept his eyes on the road. "Aren't you?"

"No," Caylee said, shortly. "I'm not." She'd spent her whole life proving herself to people who refused to take her seriously. If Tito looked at her and only saw her privilege, then maybe she wouldn't sleep with him after all. But dammit, she'd thought he was different.

Then he glanced over again. "Hey."

"What?"

She used the side of her hand to brush away a bit of moisture at the corner of her eye and turned her head to look away from Tito and the water view and instead toward a colorful scattering of breach grasses and flowers that must be natural to the area, since they were wild and untended by the side of the road.

"I upset you." His voice was gentle, which only stiffened her resolve.

"Don't be ridiculous. The wind just blew something into my eye, that's all."

Tito didn't say anything, just kept driving. Caylee settled back into her seat, then leaned forward in surprise when, a few miles later he pulled into a parking area on the other side of the road. The ocean was blocked from their view now by tall grasses on what she assumed were sand dunes.

"What are you doing?" She watched him as he got out of the car and headed for a few wooden steps that led to a boardwalk elevated over the sand.

"Come on." He looked back over his shoulder. "Or are you waiting for me to open your door for you?"

"I can open my own damn door." She got out and almost slammed it but reconsidered. The car was a classic after all. She was annoyed with Tito. It wasn't Sally's fault.

She followed him up the few steps to the wooden walkway, then caught her breath as she stared out at the expanse of tall grass that gave way to a wide sandy beach and, behind it, the Atlantic Ocean, waves cresting and spilling onto the shoreline, then receding again. Tall white birds with yellow legs and long bills walked along the edge of the water, digging for what she assumed were small shellfish or clams, while lines of smaller brown birds with white bellies scurried toward the waves and then back again, poking their bills in the wet sand.

"Snowy egrets and sandpipers. Looking for coquina clams," Tito explained.

"How do you know so much about Florida wildlife?" Caylee asked, remembering how he'd pointed out the birds and reptiles at the wetlands parks, and forgetting for the moment that she was annoyed with him.

"I live here," he said simply, and when she gave him a skeptical look, added, "plus I had a lot of free time to spend in the prison library."

"You're a Renaissance man."

He laughed. "No, just a guy who knows a little bit about everything."

She shrugged. "Like I said."

They took off their shoes and left them on the boardwalk then rolled their pant legs up slightly, stepped down onto the sand and strolled toward the water, a few of the birds scattering at their approach while others seemed too intent on a meal to notice.