The Santini Collection 1-4 (24 page)

The fact that Gee was now going to be subjected to his mother’s care…that couldn’t be good for Gee.

“
What is it?’ Alana asked.

“
Gee, he got a concussion.”

“
Oh, no. Do we need to get back to the mainland?”

He smiled. “No.”

“
Is that Alana?” his mother asked. His mom knew she raised a bunch of healthy men, but she did not like to be confronted with the fact he and Alana were living together until the wedding.

“
Yes.”

“
Let me talk to her.”

“
I don’t think Alana—”

His fiancé grabbed the phone out of his hand. “Joey, is everything okay? Do you need us there for Gee?”

He watched her nod taking orders from her mother. It was amazing how both of the newest members of the family had aligned with his mother on every issue.

“
Of course. But you will call if it is worse than what he says it is? You know these Santini men. None of them are hurt, ever.”

She laughed.

“
Yeah, Vince is the worse, but it’s hard to say which one comes in second. Do you want to speak to Marco again?”

She waited, listening to his mother.

“
Okay, well, goodbye.”

She clicked off his phone and handed it to him.

“
What the hell, Alana?”

“
Everything is fine. When Gee makes it back, she’ll have him call us. Vince and your father are there to help if she needs it. Also, there is a pressing reason for him to return to Georgia.”

She settled back in bed and snuggled under the covers.

“
What?”

“
Your mom’s not sure, but apparently, MJ thinks it’s a woman.”

There it was again. The women were ganging up and talking with his mom behind all their backs. They were doomed.

“
Marco, is there something wrong?”

He looked down at her. There was nothing but moonlight filling the room but he could see her. How did a man get so lucky? A beautiful woman with such a kind heart and she was all his.

“
No, love. But, since my mother decided to wake us up…”

One eyebrow rose. “Yes?”

He slipped over on top of her. “I thought maybe we could find something to fill our time.”

“
Really? And just what would that be, SEAL?”

They both slept in the nude, so he was pretty sure she knew exactly what he had in mind. He was already hard.

“
Well, how about I just show you, Ko’u ipo,” he said as he started to kiss his way down her body.

Gianni

Melissa Schroeder

Dedication

To the other brats I have met along the way. Jan, Darla, Tamilya, Lara, and Brandy. Only those who have lived it know exactly what being a brat is all about.

A Note from Mel

We had good and bad in Georgia. It was where I made the final decision to definitely start writing seriously. We had a lot of fun with the squadron Les worked in, and well, I was really involved on base. It was also our first encounter with a rescue squadron. I admire their abilities and their dedication to the job.

I won’t forget those Monday Margarita nights with my next-door neighbor Kathy, and all the crazy women I met at the OWC. And I will never forget the gay ducks that came to my door every day for bread. Gators, snakes, and stories of escapee pigs—it was definitely an experience.

Just a little note. Each chapter begins with a quote from either Kianna or Gee. They were taken from the emails the two shared while he was deployed. I hope you love their story as much as I loved writing it.

Gianni - Chapter One

It wasn’t expected that we would serve, but none of the Santini boys would have it any other way. -Gee

Gianni Santini stepped into his favorite sweet shop and was granted a view that every heterosexual man should dream of. A woman was bent at the waist picking up change off the floor. The fabric of her red skirt stretched across her full rounded ass.

He sighed and gave a grateful glance up to the heavens. When he returned to his gaze to the woman, he noticed she had stepped up to order. He sighed. There was a God.

In the eighteen months he had been stationed in Valdosta, Georgia, he hadn’t seen her in Anna’s shop. Of course, he rarely made it in on a Saturday morning.

He didn’t realize he had been standing there staring at her until someone bumped into him from behind.

“
Excuse me,” a little voice said from behind him. He turned to find an old woman about five feet tall, giving him a suspicious look. Considering the way he had been ogling the woman in front of him, there was good reason for it.

“
Sorry.”

Then stepped out of the way and turned his attention back to the woman. She had straightened and was at the counter chatting with Anna, the owner.

He moved closer and tried to remember if he had seen her before. Okay, he knew for a fact he hadn’t seen her before—but he still hadn’t seen her face.

She wasn’t tall, maybe about five-foot-five, and she had curly light brown hair. Her skin looked like the finest cocoa powder. When he inched closer, he could hear her voice. Deep Georgia threaded her tone telling him that she was from the area.

“
I think I’ll go for one of your malasadas today. I can’t tell you how super happy I am you have friends in Hawaii who taught you how to make those. Although, I have to say, my hips aren’t that happy.”

Anna laughed. “Well, figuring my condition, I will refrain from feeling sorry for you.”

Gianni smiled. Anna was about eight months pregnant and huge. For such a tiny woman, she carried a massive package in her stomach.

She gave the woman her total and Gianni said, “I’ll pay for that.”

The woman turned to look at him, a questioning smile on her mouth. Right there and then, his brain stopped functioning. She was amazing. A heart-shaped face surrounded by all those springy curls and the most amazing skin. Her eyes, lord, they were golden. It was the only way he could describe them. His gaze dipped down to her mouth. Holy mother of God, she had a mouth that would tempt a saint to sin—full with just the tiniest of overbites.

“
Why would you do that?”

It took him a second to realize she was talking. To him.

“
What?”

He heard the snickers behind him but ignored them.

“
Sorry,” he said, his face heating up. Good God, he was blushing. He just thanked God his brothers weren’t there.

Her smile faded a bit. “I asked why would you do that.”

“
Watch yourself here with Santini. He buys all the pretty girls sweet treats,” Anna said with a laugh.

He gave Anna a dirty look but then turned his attention back to the woman. “I would just like to buy you. A treat.”

Jesus, he sounded like a fifteen-year-old trying to flirt.

She shrugged. “Oh, well, if you want to pay, soldier, you go right ahead.”

“
Airman.”

She shook her head. “What?”

“
Airman. We’re called airmen. Or, PJs to be specific.”

She sighed. He would swear he felt it shiver through his blood. “Oh. I have to admit that I know very little about the military. Well, other than what my students tell me.”

“
Students.”

“
Yes, I teach at the university.”

“
Here you go, Kianna,” Anna said handing the woman a little paper sack.

“
Thanks again,” she said then turned to find a seat.

He watched her walk through the cafe, his brain fizzling at that moment. He couldn’t help but appreciate they way her hips swung. There was something so sensual.

“
Earth to Santini,” Anna said breaking into his thoughts.

He turned and felt his face get hotter. The suspicious look she sent him was enough for that. In fact, it looked like his mother when she caught him doing that to the general’s daughter when he was in high school.

“
What are you doing in here on a weekend?” she asked.

“
I’m shipping out tomorrow.”

Something he couldn’t discern moved over her face. “Are you pcsing?”

He shook his head. That was how much Anna knew about the military. She was in tune with what was going on over in Valdosta at Moody like someone with family in the military; although, he knew she was a local girl married to a local guy.

“
Nope, just heading out to Afghanistan.”

She frowned at him. It made him think of a grumpy little elf. A very pregnant grumpy elf.

“
By yourself? Don’t you usually go with a whole group?”

“
Yeah, this is a special circumstance. I’ll be home in two months.”

She didn’t say anything and he looked up to find tears in here eyes. Panic set in. Santini men were known for being cool under fire. Three generations had served in the military. But, show him a woman who was crying, he couldn’t deal with it. He was saved by her husband.

Max clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t look so scared, son. Anna is a hot mess these days. The hormones.”

She sniffed. “Be nice or I’ll name our daughter Gertrude.”

“
So, do you have any of those malasadas left?”

She nodded. “Want the cinnamon one?”

He shook his head. “If I have to go two months without any sweets, I think I’ll go for the one with cream in it.”

She packaged it up and he waited for a total. “Anna?”

Her watery smile sent another fission of panic through him. “On the house today. Come back in one piece.”

“
Thank you.”

At that, he turned in search of the woman. He saw her sitting by herself at a table for two. Her attention was on the tablet on the table so he felt safe studying her for a moment. He watched as she picked a piece off her malasada and slipped it between her lips.

He sighed. He just had to get the woman’s number. With that thought in his head, he made his way over to her. He had less than twenty-four hours before he headed out and one thing Gee Santini understood was making sure you lived with no regrets.

* * * *

Kianna was trying to concentrate on the book she’d just downloaded, but it was hard. The encounter with the military guy had her brain frozen a bit.

“
Excuse me.”

She looked up and found him standing beside the table. Kianna knew she should be better prepared, but it was hard to think ahead. He was standing there holding a coffee cup and a little white bag. She smiled and tried to hide her nerves. The man was gorgeous and gorgeous men made her stutter.

“
Yes?”

“
I was wondering if you would share your table with me.”

She glanced around the shop. There were plenty of open tables. “Why?”

He chuckled. “Well, you put me in my place.”

She frowned. “What I meant was there are plenty of tables open.”

Cocking his head to the side, he studied her for a moment. “You’re not trying to play hard to get.”

She shook her head trying to follow the conversation. “Hard to get? Why would I do that with you?”