by Unknown
“Yes?”
“It’s me.” Abrupt and rude as usual.
“Who is me?”
“Cut it out, Lalani.” He sounded so irritated.
“Well, this bodes well for the evening.”
She finally hit the buzzer to let him in. As she waited, she walked over to the lanai. She’d gotten lucky that her uncle had needed a tenant. She was sure he could have made money off of someone else renting. The view was one of the best. The Pacific Ocean sparkled below as tourists and locals hurried along Kaulakau Boulevard. She had enjoyed New York, and it would always be a second home to her. But Hawaii, it was her home, where her heart would always be.
Her doorbell rang, and she took her time getting to the door. If he could be rude, then so could she. She looked through the peephole and sighed. Damn if he didn’t look like a damned god, even through a peephole. She opened the door. He’d dressed casually, a pair of black linen shorts and a red polo shirt with tropical flowers. His hair was a bit windblown.
Anthony didn’t even try and hide his study of her. His gaze slid down her frame, then back up again. His mouth curved up on one side. She felt the power of it all the way to the soles of her feet.
“You look nice, Lalani.”
“Thank you. Do you want to come in?”
He shook his head. “I think we should stay far away from a bed for awhile.”
She would not smile at that. “Let me get my purse.”
She grabbed it off the dining table and made her way back to the door. After slipping on her sandals, she stepped into the hallway. Once the door was locked, they made their way to the elevator.
“So, you don’t want to be near a bed?”
He said nothing, but slanted her a look before hitting the button.
“No comment?” she asked.
“I just think it didn’t need an explanation.”
“Pretend I’m stupid.”
He turned to face her and leaned closer. “Truth is, Lalani, when I get you near a bed, we’ll be in it. And after that, I don’t plan on leaving for a week.”
The dangerous tone in his voice told her he was definitely capable of doing just that. And damn her for wanting to be on the receiving end of that. She should say something, some kind of clever quip that would put him in his place, but her hormones had apparently taken over her brain. The only thought that came to mind was I want.
Thankfully, before she could embarrass herself, the door dinged open. Inside was an older couple that lived a floor up from her. Anthony waited for her to step into the elevator before following her in.
“Lalani, it’s so nice to see you. How are your uncle and his husband doing?”
Damn, what were their names? They were always so sweet to her and her uncle and his partner. She was usually very good with names and faces. Anthony Santini was making her stupid. He was killing her brain cells with testosterone.
The Olivers!
“They are doing just fine. They are enjoying Vegas. The dry air is better for Brett’s asthma.”
Mrs. Oliver nodded and smiled, and then looked directly at Anthony.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Anthony Santini, this is Mr. and Mrs. Oliver. They live one floor up to me.”
He nodded and smiled. Mrs. Oliver, who had to be seventy years old, giggled. What was it about the Santini men that seemed to bring out the infatuated girl in every woman they met?
The door dinged open, and they waited until the Olivers stepped out before them. “Have a good time, dear.”
“We will,” she said with a smile, as she watched them leave. She glanced at Anthony. “So, do all women act like that around you?”
“Like what?”
She rolled her eyes. “Never mind.”
They walked out of the building. She slipped on her sunglasses. “Which way?”
He motioned with his head, and slipped on those damned mirrored sunglasses of his.
They walked side by side down the street. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“I thought we’d hit a place to eat.”
She ground her teeth. Oh, Santini liked to be in charge, and he was pushing his limits with her. She wasn’t a woman who just blindly followed a man around.
She opened her mouth to say something, but he took her arm and guided her to his truck. He opened the passenger side door for her.
“I really want to make sure you aren’t going to murder me and throw me off a cliff in Waimea Valley.”
His lips twitched. “It’s just lunch.” He helped her into the truck. “Besides, there would be too many witnesses this time of day on a Sunday.”
He shut the door in her face. As she watched him round the hood of the truck, she fought the smile but lost the battle. Her mouth curved and she sighed.
The damn man did have a way about him.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Anthony picked a local place in Waimanalo. It definitely wasn’t on the beaten path. As they settled in with their fish tacos, she smiled at him.
“What?”
She shrugged. “I’m just surprised.”
“Because I picked a local place?”
“No, I figured you would. You’re the kind of guy that caters your romance toward the woman.”
He studied her for a second to make sure she wasn’t fucking with him. It was always a close call with her. She possessed a sassy mouth. It was one of the things he liked best about her. Women who agreed with him all the time were boring. When he realized she was being honest, he smiled.
“Kind of a family thing.”
“I guess I could see that. I’ve seen the way Marco treats Alana. But that isn’t what I meant. I thought you would go a little more extravagant.”
He took a bite of his taco and watched her as she ate. He wondered if he should be honest with her. In the past, he had been up front and honest with women…to a point. There was no reason to be a complete ass all the time. But, for some reason, he wanted to be careful with her.
After swallowing his bite, he said, “I figured that when you were in New York and part of the ballet, you had a lot of men wine and dine you.”
“So, you were worried you’d fail by comparison?”
“No. I doubt any other man could compare with me.” She snorted, but said nothing else. He decided to be honest with her. “Just thought you deserved something as distinctive as you are.”
She blinked, then slowly, her mouth curved. “Is that a fact?”
For the first time in years, he had to fight the heat rising in his cheeks. He was a man who had seen and done enough not to blush in front of a woman, but something about that smile made him do just that. He cleared his throat. “I just know you’re Hawaiian, and you would appreciate a place like this.”
And he wanted her to know he appreciated that about her. He wasn’t a man always given to romance, but this woman deserved it. Anthony couldn’t lay his finger on the reason why he thought that, but it pushed him when he had been planning out the day.
“Thank you. This is actually one of my father’s favorite places. He meets up with his buddies about once a month here.”
“So, you have no siblings and no cousins.”
“You say that like it makes you sad. I do have some second cousins here and there. I run into them from time to time, but you know what it’s like if you’re a military brat, right? I mean, even if you are close to your parents and grew up with a close family, unless they’re military also, you tend to be forgotten. If I need a favor, and vice versa, there is no hesitation from the other side. Just not that close is all.”
He couldn’t imagine that. He knew he could call any of his brothers, his sister or any cousins and they would have his back. But, as she said, they were all brats like him. They understood that just because you might be halfway around the world; didn’t mean you didn’t need support.
“And, you don’t regret moving back here?”
Something came and went in her eyes so fast he barely saw it. But it
was there. Not regret, but it was something else and something not happy.
“No. I was just thinking about that. I miss the buzz of New York, and I really miss things like Times Square, but I always knew I would come back here some day. It just turned out sooner rather than later. I was just lucky enough that I could come back and spend that time with my mom before she died.”
He nodded and decided to move on to happier topics for the moment. He wanted to know more about what had made her look so sad for that brief moment, but right now she wasn’t ready to share. Oh, she would have talked about it, but he was pretty sure she wasn’t ready to be truthful about it with him.
So for now, he would let her have her secrets. He could be patient and wait while both of them tried to figure out what the hell they wanted out of each other.
* * *
As Anthony accompanied her up in the elevator, Lalani had to admit that she was charmed. She didn’t know what she had expected, but she definitely hadn’t expected lunch where they had it, or a walk on Waimanalo Beach afterwards. They’d even taken time to walk down Kalakaua Avenue and window shop.
Now though, she didn’t know what to expect. Knots formed in her stomach, and it strangely felt as if she were getting ready to go on stage. It was as if she were ten years old trying out for some part in the ballet.
She hadn’t been on a real date in over two years, and definitely not with a man like Anthony. Every touch he gave her, every look in her direction, a wave of heat had encompassed her. She felt as if she was on an audition, and she was making all the right moves.
It was also exhausting. Trying to discern what he wanted, what he expected…it was wearing her out.
The elevator dinged at her floor, and the doors opened. It took her a second to gather herself and step off the lift.
“You want to tell me what today was about?”
He glanced at her, then looked ahead down the hall. “It was a date, or am I confused on the concept of a date?”
“No, I just didn’t think we had anything in common.”
Another slanted look.
“We are going to keep running into each other. If not at restaurants, then, being the Godparents of the newest Santini will do it. So, I think we need to chat about how to deal with that.”
“Listen, we can deal with it.”
One imperious eyebrow rose.
“Anthony, you don’t like me.”
“I like you. Or I should say, I don’t know you all that well. After that kiss, I think I want to get to know you better.”
She sighed. “I avoid relationships with men like you.”
“Men like me?”
“Yeah. You like to tell people how to behave, control the situation.”
“I get it. You’re a brat, and you’re one without daddy issues. I wouldn’t be interested if you were looking for a guy who reminded you of your father.”
“Is that a fact?”
He nodded. “I grew up with one and really don’t want to play that role.”
She felt her lips twitch. “Okay. And thank you for at least being honest.”
“That’s me. Honest Anthony.”
“I had a really good time today.”
He chuckled. “Don’t sound so surprised.”
She stopped when she reached her door. “No, really. It’s more that I haven’t had a real date in forever, and it was nice just to relax.”
“Oh, you were relaxed? My hands were sweating the whole time.”
She looked at that seductive smile; the way he leaned against the wall, and knew this man did not have sweaty hands.
“Wanna come in for a drink?”
He shook his head, never taking his gaze from hers.
“Why not?”
“I told you the truth earlier, Lalani. You test my control, and neither of us are ready to make that next step yet.”
He leaned forward and cupped her face. Slowly, he kissed her. This was not the same over the top passionate kiss from the other day. He nibbled at her lips, teasing her bottom lip before fully pressing his mouth against hers. Still, he took his time, before she felt the glide of his tongue against the seam of her lips. She opened willingly, wanting nothing more that to taste him. He was just the same as she remembered. Desire lanced through her veins, her blood pounding a primitive beat in her veins.
Needing more contact, she stepped closer, pressing her body into his as she slipped her hands around his waist. He shuddered and lifted his other hand to cup her face completely. It wasn’t enough. She wanted to feel his flesh against hers, to taste every inch of him…but he stepped back. They were both breathing heavily.
“I told you we needed time.”
Lalani had never been good at being denied pleasure, and she lashed out.
“Is this some kind of control thing with you?”
The moment she said it, she wished she hadn’t. She opened her mouth to apologize, but he stopped her by reaching up and rubbing his thumb against her lips.
“Not at all. I just want to make sure we both want it for the right reasons. And, as I told you, I don’t want some quick fuck. I want a long time with you in that bed, because I aim to take every second to enjoy.”
She drew in a shuddering breath, then released it. “Well, when you put it like that.”
He smiled and leaned in to brush his mouth against hers. He pulled back then. “I’ll wait until you’re inside.”
She nodded, her body still yearning for another taste. She unlocked her door and turned back around.
“Are you sure?”
He chuckled, and it sounded like it hurt. “No, not at all, but I think it’s for the best. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Drive safely.”
He nodded and waited. With a sigh, she shut the door.
“You need to turn the deadbolt.”
Rolling her eyes, she did as he ordered, and waited to see if he said anything else. He didn’t, and she knew he had left.
She walked through her apartment, her body still humming with need, her head spinning from that kiss. She should be happy he stopped the progression, but she wanted it to continue. As a dancer, she had always been able to give into her passions. Being denied the pleasure of Anthony Santini for the night was irritating.
She wandered over to her lanai and slid open the door. She stepped out and looked down to see if she could see him. There he was, walking down the street in that confident stride he always had. She liked a man who knew who he was, didn’t mind letting everyone else know it either. And, the man could definitely kiss. He had barely touched her, and she was ready to run down and beg him for another kiss. When he reached his truck, he turned and looked back up in her direction. Even from a distance, she could tell he was smiling as he waved up at her.
Damn the man. He was going to turn her world upside down. Already had. At that moment though, Lalani didn’t care. She sat down on one of her chairs and watched the sun as it glistened over the water. She’d had a perfect day and a pretty great date. A girl couldn’t ask for more than that.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Monday, Anthony was looking over a report when his phone rang. He picked it up without looking at the number, his concentration on the results of the last case.
“Santini.”
“Is that how you answer the phone?” his mother said.
Instantly, his focus shifted, his mind moving away from the information he’d been so intent on before he heard her voice.
“Mama, how are you?”
“I’m fine.”
He heard something in her voice that told him all was not well.
“What’s up?”
She sighed. “Nothing really. Just feeling a little bored.”
That was never good. His mother would get bored and they would end up with a new project—and it never ended well for any of them. Thankfully, there was an ocean between them. His father and Carlos were the ones who would be suffering.
“Bored? With two grandchildren
on the way, I would think you would be ecstatic.”
“Well, they aren’t here yet, are they?”
Oh, he did not like that tone. She sounded very much like his Aunt Joey at the moment, and that definitely spelled disaster.
“But, you could make a trip up to Maryland and see Brando. I’m sure you and Mrs. Fitzpatrick could have a fine time shopping for baby stuff for them.”
He mentally crossed his fingers, hoping that there wouldn’t be an issue. He should have known better.
“We were just in Maryland for the wedding, and they aren’t finding out the sex of the baby, so there is only so much we can do.”
“They aren’t finding out the sex? That’s insane.”
She didn’t say anything for a few long seconds. “I don’t think you should be passing judgment.”
“How’s that?”
“Well, being the oldest of my children, you should be settling down about now.”
Alarm bells went off. With his younger siblings, his mother was always subtle. But, with him, she had given up tiptoeing around the subject years earlier. There was something that set her off. If Marco had opened his big mouth, his cousin was going to get his ass handed to him.
“I think that having Dante, Elena, and Brando married should be enough for you.”
“You know Elena isn’t going to have children for a little while. It would interfere with her career at the moment.”
“What about Dante? I thought they were going to find out.”
“Hmm, last sonogram showed nothing. The baby’s back was all they could see.”
“Figures. Dante is always showing his ass.”
She chuckled like he knew she would. “Behave. I’m calling because your father and I are thinking of coming to see you.”
Those alarm bells started to sound again. “Come see me?”
He didn’t realize how loud he was until Davis in the cubicle next to his leaned back in his chair and frowned.