Gianni - The Santinis

by Melissa Schroeder

  “Art teachers don’t usually get something like this. For myself, I’ve taken a few classes but they were all online for now. Getting the basics out of the way. I want to get a Bachelor’s to back up my Medic training, but not in a hurry right now.”

  She nodded as she slipped her files into the cabinet then locked it. “I’m ready.”

  “Yeah, I am too.”

  Something in his tone stopped her. “What does that mean?”

  He smiled as he approached her. She had to fight the urge to back up.

  “Uh, Gianni, what are you doing?”

  “I have this fantasy of being very naughty in the professor’s office.”

  She laughed and slipped away. “No.”

  “You are saying no, but your body is saying yes,” he said slipping behind her. He nuzzled her neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive flesh. “God, woman you drive me crazy.”

  She was seriously thinking of accepting the offer he had just made, when she heard her baby sister’s voice.

  “Am I interrupting?”

  Chapter Seven

  Sometimes, it’s hard to remember how not to be the big sister. —Kianna

  Gianni bit back a growl when he saw the petite woman leaning against the doorjamb. He knew she was the youngest of the three sisters and possibly the most needy. One thing he had learned about Kianna was that she was more of a control freak about her younger siblings than Vince had ever been. But, then again, her parents were gone and as the oldest she probably saw it as her duty to take care of them.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked.

  Okay that was a little rude, but he was still trying to pull his head out of the fantasy of office sex.

  “Zoe,” Kianna said. “This is Gianni. Gianni, this is my baby sister Zoe.”

  She nodded in his direction, but said nothing else.

  “So, are you going to tell you me what you’re doing here?”

  She shrugged. The petulant look on her face told Gianni she wasn’t happy finding a man with her sister. It was hard to believe they were sisters to begin with. Kianna was all rounded curves and soft smiles. Zoe was a little bit shorter, smaller boned. Her waist length braided hair was purple. Her jeans had seen better days, as had the shirt she wore.

  “I thought I would come over for the weekend to see you.” She gave Gianni a measuring look. “Not a student?”

  Before he could answer her, and he was pretty sure she wouldn’t like Gianni’s answer, Kianna did. “No. Gianni is a PJ here at the base.”

  “Hmm.”

  Her sister wasn’t impressed apparently.

  “We were just leaving,” Kianna said.

  “Is that what they call it now?”

  He had to fight the chuckle. Apparently Kianna didn’t get caught fooling around that often and her younger sister probably loved turning the tables.

  “Yeah, we were going to go out for a late supper and some drinks if you’re up to it,” he said.

  Kianna gave him a surprised look.

  “Sure,” Zoe said, but her expression told Gianni he was in for a long night.

  * * * *

  The place he picked was close to the I-95 but quiet being a Thursday night. He could almost feel Kianna’s relief.

  “So, how long have you been sleeping with my sister?”

  Kianna choked on a drink. She patted the moisture away from her lips then frowned at her younger sister. “Zoe.”

  “I think I have the right to know.”

  Before she could answer her though, Gianni took over the conversation. “I think you do too, but I think you should show your sister a little more respect.”

  Kianna gave him a curious glance. She’d never heard that tone from Gianni before. The frown told her Gianni wasn’t happy with her sister.

  Zoe frowned right back at him. This was definitely not going to be the fun and happy night she had planned.

  “How’s work going?” she asked.

  Her sister shrugged. “It’s going. I’m hoping to have enough for a show by early next year.”

  “That would be wonderful. We’ll have to have a huge party in Savannah.”

  “A show?”

  “You know Zoe paints. She’s working to have enough on hand to have a show.”

  She beamed at her sister and Zoe smiled. “I said I was hoping.”

  “You’ll do it.” She glanced at Gianni who seemed to relax a little bit more now. “You like the picture she painted of Savannah’s waterfront for me.”

  “Oh, you mean the one that hangs over your bed?” Zoe asked, but she was smiling. “My sister is very traditional, but I couldn’t resist it. And I knew she would love it.”

  She patted Zoe’s hand. “The ribs are amazing here. You should try them Zoe.”

  She tried to keep the conversation flowing. There was one thing that she knew and that was Zoe didn’t just show up out of the blue for nothing. Something was wrong, very wrong, for her sister to pop up out of the blue.

  She just hoped it wasn’t anything too terrible.

  * * * *

  Gianni understood being the youngest. It wasn’t the easiest thing in the world. You were always taking shit from your siblings and you had to prove you were just as good as them to the rest of the world. Being mean to embarrass Kianna wasn’t right. It was bratty.

  By the time they reached the house, he had made up his mind. He would have a talk with Zoe. Kianna gave him a chance the moment they walked in the door. She was tired, he could tell, and not in the mood for her sister’s antics.

  “I need to change.” She sighed and looked at them. “You two, just whatever.”

  She left them alone in the living room.

  “You’ve upset your sister.”

  Zoe shrugged. Oh, damn, she must have been a handful in high school. Part of him wondered at that. Zoe wasn’t that much younger than he was, but he felt like he was old enough to be her father when he was with her.

  “If your sister is upset, I am.”

  She cut him a look out of the corner of her eye. “Is that so?”

  He crossed his arms. “Other people might like the bratty side of you, but I don’t. It’s cute, but it gets old since you are apparently doing it to upset your sister. That I find unacceptable.”

  One eyebrow rose and he wanted to laugh. It was so apparently Kianna but he figured neither sister would be happy to hear that.

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you think it’s your job to see to this?”

  “It’s my job to make sure she’s happy. You are not helping.”

  She snorted and walked around the room. “You think that she’s so nice?”

  “No, but I know that while she might not be happy with people’s life choices, she accepts you and the men you date. You should show her the same respect.”

  Before she could respond, Kianna joined them back in the living room. He was pretty sure she was going to try and push him out the door, but that wasn’t going to happen. He knew that Kianna was used to rearranging people and for once she was going to have to understand where he fit in her life.

  “Did you want to watch something?” Kianna asked.

  Zoe looked from him then back to Kianna. “Sure.”

  * * * *

  “What did you do with my sister?” she asked as he shut the door behind him.

  He smiled. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

  She gave him a suspicious look, but he didn’t give her a chance to argue anymore. He knew she had wanted to send him home. Not because she didn’t want him there, but he knew that her sister wasn’t happy he was there. He would give them their time, but he was busy making up for the two months he had fallen for her through emails. He wasn’t about to give up even one night, especially when nights with the woman you loved weren’t easy to come by.

  For a second, he stopped. Love. Shit, he was in love with her. He looked at her and she was studying him as if he was sick.

&nbs
p; “Are you alright?”

  He shook his head and smiled. “Nope, but that’s okay.”

  He took her hand and pulled her to him.

  He kissed her then, fast, quick and wet. Damn, the woman had a mouth on her.

  “Gianni, my sister’s just down the hall.”

  “I’ll be quiet...but not sure you can be.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah.”

  She cocked her head to the side and studied him. Humor danced in her eyes. Of course he loved her. How could he not? She was made for him.

  “I accept that challenge.”

  He picked her up and threw her on the bed. She gasped then giggled as she bounced.

  “I aim to win that,” he said.

  Moments later, he called truce as he captured her moans with his mouth as they road the crest together. He figured it was totally worth it.

  * * * *

  The next morning, Kianna watched her sister breathe in the aroma of her coffee.

  “Did you sleep okay last night?” she asked and almost winced at the banality of it. She didn’t know how to act the morning after she’d had hot sex just a couple rooms away from her baby sister. It had been different when she had been married. Not really, but for some reason it just seemed different.

  “Sure, you know I can sleep anywhere.” She didn’t open her eyes when she answered. Zoe was definitely not a morning person, had never been. From the moment she had come home from the hospital, Zoe had always been a night owl.

  “I remember when we lived in that house in Athens, remember that? You slept through the tornado siren.”

  “Well, a lot of people do that. That’s why they have those weather radio thingies now.”

  “The siren was right by our house. It was less than a block away.”

  She smiled and opened her eyes. “So, you want to tell me what’s going on with you and fly boy up there?”

  She shrugged. “Not sure. Want to tell me why you’re here?”

  Her sister smirked. “Not sure.”

  She sighed and stared. “Zoe.”

  Her smile faded. “Just had to get out of town. I’m kind of over my head right now.”

  “Did you and Adam break up?”

  She shrugged.

  “What does that mean?” Kianna asked, even though she was afraid of the answer.

  “That means I don’t know where the hell he is.”

  Kianna heard the tears in her sister’s voice. “Oh, baby, I’m sorry.”

  She stood up and pulled Zoe into her arms as she started to sob. “I don’t know what happened, Kiki.”

  The use of Zoe’s nickname for her was a worry. She rarely used it these days so she knew there was a problem. “Did he take anything, steal anything?”

  She shook her head and pulled back. “That’s just it. All his stuff is still there. He just vanished off the face of the earth. No one has seen him. It isn’t like him at all.”

  Kianna wanted to roll her eyes but didn’t. Zoe seemed like a pain in the ass to most people, but the truth was she had a soft heart for bad boys. Kianna just wished some day Zoe would meet a good guy. And like him.

  “Have you talked to the police?”

  She nodded. “Nothing. I filed a missing person’s report, but that isn’t going to go anywhere.” She sighed. “I feel better now. Thanks for letting me vent. I haven’t told anyone really.”

  Kianna kissed her forehead. “Remember that I’m always here to talk to.”

  “I think that’s why I wanted to come see you. I knew you would do something about it. So, what is going on with you and the younger man?”

  “He’s not that much younger.”

  “Okay, but not your usual type. Uniform types…you’ve avoided them since you were married.”

  She nodded. “Yeah. But, well, we started emailing while he was deployed.”

  “Just be careful and remember to be happy.” The sound of the front door had Zoe making a face. “He went to work out this early?”

  Kianna laughed. “He is military.”

  * * * *

  Gianni stepped into the house and heard laughter. He couldn’t help smiling in response. He noticed the bag sitting on the floor by the sofa. Gianni hated to admit it but he was kind of happy to see her go. Granted, once she started to behave, she was pretty cool, but he wanted time alone with Kianna. His revelation from the night before was too new. He wanted to work it out.

  Zoe stepped into the living room. “You are disgusting.”

  “Well, good morning to you too.”

  She chuckled. “I never understand the reasons for getting up so early.”

  “You can’t get much done sleeping the day away.”

  “Yeah, but you’re asleep by the time it gets fun.”

  He laughed. “Okay, you got me there.”

  Her smiled faded. “So, fly boy, I figure you’re probably going to be here when I come back next time.”

  “Probably, unless I’m deployed.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You military types are way too happy about order to suit me.”

  He laughed. “I take it you avoid us at all costs.”

  “Yeah. You know what it’s like to be the youngest. Kianna might seem sweet to you, but as an older sister, she wasn’t when I was a kid.”

  “She loves you,” he said, enjoying Zoe but feeling the need to defend Kianna.

  “And I love her. I also know her better than anyone but Etta. If I listen to the vibes around here, I’m going to have to get used to you. I just want you to know that if you hurt her, I will come back here and make you disappear. They won’t be able to find enough pieces to identify you. Understood?”

  “Yeah, but I won’t hurt her, not on purpose.”

  “God, you two were made for each other. Just be sure to make her understand you’re in for the long haul. Kianna doesn’t have a good track record with men, although she’s the only one of us who has been married.”

  He said nothing to that. His brain was trying to wrap around the idea that Kianna had been married at one time. She had never said a thing. It had been three months…if he counted their time together in emails and she never mentioned it. Before he could sort out his feelings, Zoe was calling her sister in.

  “Okay, Kianna, I need to head out now. I heard there was a storm moving in.

  Kianna came out of the kitchen with a bag. “Here, eat something on your way back.”

  Zoe smiled and he could see the love right there. She might have been acting like a brat the night before, but there was no doubt she loved her sister.

  “Thank you,” Zoe said, giving Kianna a hug. “I’ll call or text when I get home.”

  “No texting on the road,” Kianna warned.

  “Of course not. You two behave yourselves now.”

  She danced down the porch steps to her little car. As she backed up, Kianna sighed and settled her head against his shoulder. Something settled in his chest…something that should scare the hell out of him. Being a Santini, he knew better than to fight it.

  It was going to be hard enough fighting for the woman he loved. Fighting himself just seemed stupid and a waste of energy.

  Chapter Eight

  As a born and bred Santini, I believe in fate and listening to signs. –Gee

  A couple weeks later, Gee came to an abrupt stop in front of an antique store. There in the front display was a ring. Not just any ring. This one was gold, and from the looks of it, about a hundred years old. A simple solitaire sparkled in the late afternoon sunlight.

  “Damn, Santini,” Andrews said as he ran into him.

  “Sorry. Hey, I need to go in here and look for something.”

  Andrews gave him a look that told him he knew what was going on. The entire flight had been giving him shit over Kianna since he got back. He’d missed every poker night and there had been a lot of moaning when he skipped a trip to Pensacola for a weekend. He didn’t really want to waste time with the guys when time was so precious in the
military.

  “Antiques?”

  “That ring,” he said taking a step closer.

  He looked at the ring and rolled his eyes. “Aw, damn, you’re gonna get married.”

  “When you find the woman…that’s it.”

  Andrews sighed. “I have to get to City Hall.”

  “Just a peek,” he said and hurried into the small store before Andrews could say anything else. When he heard the little tinkle of the bell, he knew his friend had followed him in.

  A little man shuffled out from the back. “Can I help you young gentlemen?”

  “Yes, sir. I would like to look at the ring in the window. The diamond solitaire.”

  He nodded as he shuffled over to pull it out of the display. “A beautiful ring. Circa 1920 with a flawless diamond.”

  The old man’s hand shook as he handed it to Gee. The moment he touched the ring he felt a little jolt.

  “How much?”

  The man named a price that had Andrews whistling. “Better make sure you love her, Santini.”

  He slipped the ring back between the red velvet but didn’t respond. He had figured out he loved Kianna several weeks ago, but he hadn’t had the nerve to say it. It made him a bit of a coward, but part of it had to do with Kianna. She was still wary of him, and when he talked of more permanent things, she would change the subject. If he had told her he loved her, she probably wouldn’t believe him.

  “I can afford it.” Just barely. He would have to dip into his savings, but he had it. He had finally gotten his hazardous duty pay all worked out and finance had gotten it to him just a few days ago. So…it was possible.

  “I also offer a ten percent discount to military. So take that off the top.”

  Gee glanced up at the man. “Yeah?”

  He nodded, a proud smile curving his lips. “I was Army once upon a time. I have two sons who are retired Air Force, and a granddaughter who is in the Reserves.”

  “I’ll take it.”

  “God, I hope you know what you’re doing,” Andrews said. “I’m going to walk down to City Hall.”