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I nodded, the pointed to the sky. “Look how the moon shines directly down on the water. Come on.” After reaching for her hand, she softly placed hers in mine. I led her around the rocks and to the path that runs behind the waterfalls.

“Dean, this is beautiful. It’s so cool.”

I smirked and said, “No one can hear a thing. The sound of the water drowns it all out.” She was standing close to me. I couldn’t help but tease her, just to see and hear her laughter again. “So now would be the time to tell you, I AM the moonlight murderer.” I tickled her until she screamed and started laughing. When we finished giggling, we sat against the wall to catch our breath.

Neither of us said anything for a few seconds. We sat quietly listening to the sound of nature at night and the waterfall. I kept glancing down at her and she was staring at the water. She looked beautiful. An apology needed to happen. “Elly, I’m sorry.”

She looked up at me. “What?”

“I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you. You’re incredible with Ada. I know you watch her. I trust you. It’s just… this whole thing has been hard.”

Elly looked in my eyes and said, “Thank you for apologizing, and telling me that. Why has it been so hard having me as a nanny?”

It was the perfect time to tell Elly how Ada entered my life. “Five years ago, one night in November, I woke up to a knock at the door. When I answered the door, there was no one there. No one except Ada.”

“What?”

I took a deep breath, exhaled, and continued. “Ada, in a carrier, with nothing but a blanket, her paperwork and a note from her birth mother telling me why she would be a horrible mother and how she knew Ada would be great with me. I thumbed through the paperwork and there it was, my name on her birth certificate. I could’ve questioned it but look at her.”

“She’s your mini… and looks like Flora, too.”

“Exactly. Ada Flora Thorne. Her and her wildly wavy red hair matches her aunt Flo’s.”

Elly put her hand on my arm. “That is unreal, Dean. You’re an amazing father. Ada is so lucky to have you… and Flora.” Looking down at her hand, she pulled it away. “I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re fine. Your hands are soft. That’s all.” She blushed as she brought them together in her lap. I decided to change the subject. “So…that guy is a real piece of shit. How’s your arm?”

“I’m fine. He was drunk and stupid. All I want is for him to leave me alone at this point. We’re over. I’m mostly embarrassed by what he said.”

“What he said? What do you mean?” I couldn’t remember what he said because I was trying to stop myself from leveling him.

“You know… when he broadcasted how I’m a virgin.”

Just like that, if you asked me when I fell in love with Eliana Collins, it was then.

Chapter 14

Eliana

The Falls were beautiful, but I was nervous being there with Dean. When I reminded him of what TJ had said, he was quiet. He silently stared at me. “Right…you don’t have to say anything. It’s weird as fuck to be a twenty-five-year-old virgin. I get it.”

He finally said, “I think you’re amazing.”

Confused, all I could respond with was, “Huh?”

He turned toward me slightly. “I think you’re incredible. You’re living life on your terms, and few people can say that. I’m sorry your ex is an asshole. He didn’t deserve any part of you.”

My breath caught in my throat. “Dean…I…”

The air was charged. Without thinking about it, we were effortlessly drawn into each other. He brought his hand to my face as he kissed me. My hands gripped his arms as he deepened the kiss. We pulled back slightly. His thumb caressed my lips as he whispered, “This is how you should be treated. These lips should be worshiped.” He kissed the sides of my lips, taking turns at each side, and finally, slipping his thumb through my lips. I couldn’t help myself. I sucked it. Dean Thorne wasn’t some young guy. Dean Thorne was a man and knew what the fuck he was doing.

Getting up, I wanted to move closer to him, and in doing so, he reached for me to straddle him. I threw one knee over his hips and settled down onto his lap. Dean’s hard length pushed against me through his jeans. I nervously let out a soft moan. He gripped my hips and guided me as I rubbed my clit against his shaft.

He asked, “Has anyone ever made you come?”

I slowly pulled back. It was a question I was slightly embarrassed to answer. In a panting whisper, I said, “No.”

“Let me show you how it feels, Elly. I’m asking you to trust me.”