Melissa Schroeder - A Santini Takes the Fall (The Santinis Book #9) Read online

  “Lalani, wait.”

  He put his hand on hers to stop her and she stilled.

  “I’m sorry.”

  She looked up at him, and it was a mistake for both of them. Their mouths were within inches of one another’s, and he could scent her. That glorious mixture of Hawaiian flowers, and the unique scent of Lalani.

  “You’re sorry?” she asked, her voice shaking as she said it. “Yes, you are definitely sorry.”

  He was sure she wanted it to sound like more of a reprimand, but her voice was just a whisper. Against every bit of his logic, he leaned closer. He might have been able to resist if she hadn’t licked her full lower flip. With a groan, he took her mouth, tasting her, slipping his tongue between her lips. She shuddered against him as she moaned. He backed her up against the car and slanted his mouth over hers. He was slipping his hands around her waist and they were slipping down to her ass when a car from the road beeped. They both sprung apart.

  It took her awhile to open her eyes. “You…just stay away. This is not good.”

  “Well…”

  “Okay, it was good, but you know what I mean.”

  He could still taste her on his tongue. “I might be rethinking my position. Maybe we should get to know each other better.”

  She shook her head and slid into the driver’s seat, slamming her door. “That is not a good idea, Anthony. Just stay away from me.”

  Without another word, she started up the car and backed up out of the driveway. Before he could even form a thought, she was on her way back to Honolulu.

  He scrubbed his hands over his face, hoping that no one had seen them. More than likely, Marco had gotten an eyeful, and if Alana had, he would have to apologize to her.

  Anthony looked around, but it was quiet in the front yard of the house. With a frown, he walked back to his house. Aeden was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a beer.

  “Hope you don’t mind. I helped myself.”

  Anthony nodded and decided that was a fine idea. He grabbed one for himself, twisted off the top, and took a healthy swallow.

  “If you want some advice…”

  “I really don’t.”

  “Well, my siblings will tell you I ignore them too. You might want to treat that woman right.”

  He slanted a look at the big, blond fireman. There was a good chance Anthony could take him in a fight, but he would definitely come away with some bruises.

  “Noted. Although, I think you do have enough on your hands with the pretty nurse.”

  Aeden grunted. “True. Woman turns my world upside down then runs off.”

  “I thought that was planned.”

  “She didn’t tell anyone until right before she left.”

  “Ah.”

  “But back to Lalani.”

  “I don’t see that it is any business of yours.”

  “It is, and because she doesn’t have a big brother, I’m going to take the honor. I know your brother, and I am getting to know your family. You’re good people. Still, understand that a woman like that just doesn’t sit around. Men are drawn to her, and if you got this crazy over me and her going out, think of how you’ll feel if she really dates.”

  He’d kill any bastard who thought they could ask her out.

  Apparently, Aeden could read his thoughts. “Exactly. She’s beautiful, and besides that, she’s a good person. So, if I were you, I’d make sure to get my head out of my ass before some other guy snaps her up.”

  He stood up and stretched. “Now, the shrimp we got this afternoon did not go far. What do you want to do about dinner?”

  “We can go out. My treat.”

  “Right on.”

  “Let me get my wallet.” He took one last drink, and set his beer bottle down. He’d worry about Lalani after Aeden left. Maybe by then, he’d be over the brief infatuation.

  Knowing it wasn’t true, but also knowing there wasn’t anything he could do about it, he headed out to at least pretend he wasn’t intrigued.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Anthony was still trying to convince himself he could shake his attraction to Lalani three days after Aeden left. He’d done his best to avoid the house when he knew she was there, and he did not call her. She might not realize that Aeden had programed her number into Anthony’s phone, but he’d resisted calling her.

  After a swim in the ocean, he still felt out of sorts. He’d go into work, but he wasn’t in the mood. Instead, he headed out to breakfast. He didn’t always eat a big breakfast, but he needed it after the week of activities. He’d taken off Tuesday and Wednesday to spend time with Aeden. There was one thing he could say about the Fitzpatrick part of the family; they were as crazy as the Santini side.

  He parked his car in the shopping center and made his way down the sidewalk to Big City Diner. It was still early and he was feeling every one of his thirty-five years, but he knew getting out on Saturday morning was the best thing. Otherwise, he would be thinking about a woman…one that shouldn’t be preoccupying him. He stepped into the café and heard her laugh. Great, now he was hearing her while he was fully awake.

  There it was again. It was musical, like the woman herself. He looked around and found her waiting by the hostess stand. There was a tall African American man with her, who looked to be her father. He knew he should turn around and walk out. It was best to keep avoiding her. It wouldn’t be heroic, but it would help him keep his sanity. Of course, he didn’t. He couldn’t. She was dressed in a long flowing blue Hawaiian dress with white flowers. Her rebellious curls were tied behind the nape of her neck with a scarf that matched her dress. There was a dangle of gold at her ears, and he realized they were ballerina slippers hanging from a gold chain earring.

  So, instead of walking away, he intruded on her day. “Well, this is a surprise, Lalani.”

  Her laughing stopped as she looked over at him. The sweet smile dissolved and a frown replaced it.

  “Santini.”

  The man with her turned, and he was sure it was her father. He was an older, African American gentleman who wore a bright red Hawaiian shirt and a pair of khakis; also, he was built like a tank “Santini? You’re not one of Marco’s brothers, are you?”

  “No, he’s a cousin. My name’s Anthony.”

  “Oh, so you’re Tony’s kid. Are you going to introduce us, Lani?”

  He cocked his head to the side. “Yeah, are you going to introduce us, Lani?”

  “Dad, this is Anthony Santini. Santini, this is my dad. Oh, look. There’s the hostess.”

  “Are you here by yourself?”

  He rocked back on his heels and nodded.

  “Well, why don’t you join us, son.”

  The look Lalani gave her father would have left a lesser man in flames. Her father ignored her.

  “I don’t mind if I do, Mr. Hawkins,” he said, giving her a grin.

  “Call me Doug.”

  She rolled her eyes. As the hostess showed them to their table, Lalani took the lead as he and Mr. Hawkins followed behind them. They took a table on the outdoor patio, which suited Anthony’s mood. It was a pretty day outside, and he liked the idea of enjoying it.

  “What service are you in?”

  “I’m out. Marines was my choice, but I’m with NCIS now.”

  “And got a good assignment I see. I was in the Marines for twenty-five active.”

  He looked at Lalani, who was reading her menu as if it held the secret to all of life’s mysteries.

  “Really? So, that’s how you know the Santini name.”

  “Well, and I know Alana. Sweet girl, and I had to make sure someone was taking good care of her.”

  The waitress came and took their food orders.

  “So, how long have you been on the island?” Doug asked.

  “Not long. I’m still not sure I like it, but it hasn’t been too bad. I can get used to not having any winters. I was in San Diego before here, so I am getting used to the mild temps.”

  “Where did your folk
s settle?”

  “They went back to Arizona. My brother is running a ranch nearby and, well, for Mom that will always be home. Dad said she got to pick when he retired.”

  He looked at Lalani. “You know, sweetie, your mother knew Marcella.”

  She looked at Anthony. “Your mother?”

  Anthony nodded. “Still the one in charge.”

  Lalani said nothing to that and sipped at her coffee.

  “So, have you two been dating?”

  Lalani choked on her coffee. “Uh, no.”

  “Well, why not? Anthony here seems like a fine young man.”

  She looked at Anthony, then back at her father. “Young man?”

  Anthony frowned. “Hey, I’m only thirty-five.”

  She smiled, that evil little one that irritated and turned him on simultaneously. “And I’m eight years younger, so you seem ancient to me.”

  “I can keep up with you, Lani.”

  “I’m a ballerina, and trained dancer. We have stamina not everyone can understand.”

  “Yes. Lani here was one of the youngest ever hired ballerinas of the New York Ballet Company.”

  Anthony blinked. “New York.”

  “She was amazing. Still is.”

  “Daddy, stop bragging.”

  “Have you seen her dance? Amazing. So, I would be careful with challenging her, Anthony. Girl is stubborn as the day is long. And, she refuses to give in.”

  So, he was disgusting. Because as her father went on and on about her stamina, he was gaining a totally different picture of Lalani. It had nothing to do with dancing, but just how long it would take to satisfy her. Before he could say anything, the waitress returned with their food and fresh drinks. He decided to concentrate on eating and not on the woman across the table.

  * * *

  Lalani was still trying to control her irritation when her father excused himself. From the moment she heard his voice, she had been in a state of panic. Thankfully, her father hadn’t asked again about dating. She was still raw over the one kiss they had shared days earlier. Anthony wasn’t affected by it apparently. And that irritated her even more.

  The waitress returned with the check and Anthony grabbed it up off the table.

  “Daddy’s not going to like that.”

  He shrugged. “I didn’t ask.”

  She crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “What are you doing here?”

  He looked up at her. She wished she could see his eyes, but he’d slipped on a pair of mirrored sunglasses just a few minutes earlier. Now, she had no idea what he was thinking.

  “We just had breakfast and now I’m paying.”

  She sighed. “You’re being obtuse on purpose.”

  He handed his credit card to the waitress, then he sat back in his chair and studied her. “That’s a new one. I don’t think I’ve ever been called that.”

  “We need to avoid each other.”

  “I didn’t follow you here.”

  “I believe you. But maybe we need to do our best to stay away from each other.”

  “Yeah, but see, that’s going to be hard to do. I live at Alana’s and will for the foreseeable future. Maybe we need to deal with it up front.”

  Desperation slipped beneath her cool exterior. She didn’t know if she would be able to deal with it…with him. The man had been in her thoughts more than once in the last week, and she had been more than a little peeved that not once had he called her. She wasn’t a woman who waited around on a man, but this one was causing her more than a few restless nights.

  The waitress returned with the receipt for him to sign.

  “I said; Daddy isn’t going to like that.”

  “My dad would expect me to treat your father and you to breakfast.”

  And there it was. That was why she couldn’t walk away form him. He was sexy, and he tempted her in the worst way. Her body still shivered every time she relived that one kiss. She hadn’t had a man melt her brain like that in a long time. She had been lucky she didn’t wreck on the way back to her apartment.

  But there was this side of him. He was a good man, and that combination was hard to resist.

  “Tell you what? Why don’t we get together tomorrow? We can go out, or something. Then we can see what happens.”

  “That’s the way you ask a woman out?”

  “Nope. That’s the way I ask you out.”

  She huffed and he laughed.

  “So, you treat other women better.”

  He shrugged again in that way that drove her crazy. “I treat each woman differently because each woman is different. But know, I always treat them right.”

  She sighed. “I shouldn’t.”

  “But you will,” he said, his voice sounding impatient.

  “Okay. Noon.”

  Before he could change the time, her father returned. Anthony said nothing about the proposed meeting, but the smile told her he got exactly what he wanted.

  What the hell had she just done?

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Lalani looked at herself in the full-length mirror and realized she was nervous. Really nervous. When was the last time a man had left her with wet palms? It had been so long she couldn’t remember. She hadn’t dated much in the last couple of years, but she hadn’t lived like a nun either. And she definitely didn’t when she was in New York. Being part of the New York City Ballet had given her a little celebrity. Not much, because she wasn’t one of the headliners, but people still knew who she was. There were always interesting men in New York.

  She smiled and let the memory fade as she tried to decide what to wear. Anthony hadn’t told her what they were going to do, so she’d had no idea on how to dress. She’d pulled on a bright yellow peasant dress and left her hair loose.

  She sighed and walked away from the mirror. There was nothing to worry about. They had mutual attraction. It was normal. He was a gorgeous man who could easily make her melt like butter with just a kiss.

  Her cell buzzed and she wondered if he had changed his mind. It would be for the best. Even as she thought that, her heart sank a little. The excitement of a date with a man like Anthony Santini had kept her on edge. When she saw the number was a New York number, she frowned.

  “Hello.”

  “Lani, darling, how are you doing?” Viktor, her old practice partner asked.

  “I’m doing fine.”

  It had become a monthly thing with Viktor. He was worried about her sweating through her year in Hawaii. He could never understand why someone would pick to live “on a rock in the middle of the ocean.”

  “You see; I waited until late enough to call.”

  She laughed. “Yes, but then, you should be getting ready to perform.”

  “Just about.”

  “Is there anything in particular, or are you just calling to irritate me about the latest cheesecake you ate?”

  He laughed. “I wanted to see if you could make a quick trip for an audition.”

  She shook her head. He would never give up, no matter how many times she told him she would not be moving back to New York.

  “I have class on Tuesday.”

  “Why are you taking classes?”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m not taking classes. I’m teaching them at my studio.”

  He made a rude sound as he always did. It wasn’t that he didn’t support her. He did in his own way, but he still did not accept that she was fine with the decision she’d made.

  “You should be dancing in front of people.”

  “I did an exhibition the other night.”

  “You did?”

  “Yes, at Ala Moana Mall.”

  Another rude noise. “A mall?” Disgust dripped from his voice and she smiled. They hadn’t always been the best of friends. They had been adversaries at one time, mainly because Viktor had a reputation with women. She hadn’t been interested and it irritated him. But, they had come to terms with that along the way and had become good friends.

  She was one
of the few people who knew he’d worked hard to rid himself of his Alabama accent, loved fried okra, and before he’d left home, he had been plain old Vic from Prattville. They had even lived together for a while in New York, until she couldn’t take the constant stream of women coming and going from the apartment at all hours of the day. He had been the one she’d gone to after her breakup with Ron though. She remembered sobbing and half laughing as Viktor vowed to kill Ron for cheating on her. For that, she would always love him.

  “Yes. I had my girls out there doing hula.”

  “Darling, how can you find this interesting?”

  “First, I want to ask if you are aware of treading on dangerous ground?”

  “I don’t know why you are so interested in Hula.”

  “It’s in my blood, just like clogging is in yours.”

  “Shut up.”

  She laughed, her nerves easing. “You have done your duty trying to get me back to New York.”

  He sighed, and this time it was definitely not from irritation. There was something so lonely in the sound.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m not sure. I am just out of sorts, and I was hoping that you would come back and get me back into sorts.”

  This wasn’t like Viktor at all. “Did something happen?”

  “No.”

  “Viktor?”

  “I promise. I’m just…bored.”

  Okay, not good.

  “Do you have any time off coming up?”

  “You know I always have time off.”

  “Come see me. I have two bedrooms and I can show you the sights of Hawaii.”

  There was a long pause. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Okay, well, go dance beautifully like you always do. I have a date.”

  “Oh? Is this some kind of Hawaiian hunk?”

  “Nope, a Haole, and from the name, Italian; although, I know his mother is Hispanic.”

  “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

  “That leaves just about everything on the table, Viktor.”

  “Exactly. You need to get laid.”

  She laughed, told him she loved him, and hung up. A couple seconds later, her buzzer sounded. Her heart almost leapt out of her chest. She drew in a deep breath, counted back from ten—then did it again—before she made it to the door. She clicked on the intercom.