“Thanks for giving me a ride home, Mad.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t call me that again if you don’t want me to drop you off on the side of the road.”
Then, she turned the key, revved the engine and took off.
* * * *
Dante enjoyed having the fresh night air whip through Madison’s jeep. Charlie was laying in the back seat, relatively quiet.
“I don’t know if letting your sister run off with JT was a good idea,” she said, pulling into his driveway.
“Aw, he’s like a brother to her. He’ll make sure she gets home okay. Besides, if anyone tried anything on her, even a little tipsy, she would be able to kick their ass.”
“Hmm,” was all she said.
“Thanks for the ride home, Mad Madison.”
“I already said that.” Then she chuckled. “I can’t believe that girl calls me that still.”
She was smiling and it was like that first day he met her. She was his sister’s roommate and she’d been so cute…and sexy. So fucking sexy.
“What?” she asked.
“It’s just…”
Before she could stop him, he leaned forward and brushed his mouth over hers. She stilled. He pulled back and licked his lips.
“What did you do that for?”
“I’ve been wondering what it would be like since the first time I saw you.”
“You have not.”
He closed his eyes and pictured her that day. “You had your hair up in a ponytail, all sassy and curly. You were wearing an old high school t-shirt, black and gold, and a pair of worn jeans that hugged your hips.”
He opened his eyes. She looked stunned. “Oh, hell, I left Madison Baker speechless.”
He leaned in again and deepened the kiss this time. Raising his hand, he cupped her face and slid his tongue against the seam of her lips. She hesitated then opened her mouth. He dove inside, enjoying the warm, wet comfort of her mouth. She moaned, the sound of it vibrating against his tongue and through his body. Hell, he felt it in his soul. He leaned closer still, pressing his body against hers. He was seriously thinking of inviting her into his house when she leaned against the horn. The blaring sound was like cold water. They both pulled back.
He opened his eyes slowly. She raised her hand to her lips and brushed them against it.
“I think we might need to explore this new development,” he said.
She was shaking her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Dante. I have issues.”
He snorted. “That sounds like an excuse.”
“It is.”
“Let’s just say that you like to kiss me. I like to kiss you and maybe we need to explore this whole new thing between us.”
“No.”
He leaned in and stole another kiss. “Yeah, I think so, but I’ll let you sleep on it.”
He slipped out of the car before she could argue with him. He made it up his walk easily, but when he tried to unlock the door, he dropped the keys on the stoop. It wasn’t because he was drunk. His hands were still shaking from that kiss.
He unlocked the door and turned to wave at Madison. She waited to leave until he closed the door. He watched through the front window as she backed away slowly, and then headed off down the street.
Walking to the kitchen to grab a water, he tried to get his heart to settle down. It had been a long time since a simple kiss had affected him so deeply. There was something so sweet, so sexy about her response. If he were smart, he would avoid her. She was right. She had issues and came with baggage, but truth be told, he liked her better now than he did back in the day. He liked that she was different and that she wasn’t so sure of herself.
Dante chugged the water down trying to quell the heat now threading through his body. He drained the bottle and threw it in the recycle bin and shook his head. She had barely kissed him and she had him tangled up.
What was she like when she gave in all the way? She might just kill him.
As he made his way to the cold shower that was calling his name, he made a decision to swing by her place tomorrow.
It was time to get to know Mad Madison Baker just a little bit better.
CHAPTER SIX
Ten minutes later, Madison still hadn’t cleared her head. Even with the cool night air whipping through the Jeep, she still felt slightly off center. She couldn’t ever remember being that surprised by a man before. He left her feeling…uneasy. No, that wasn’t correct. Madison glanced at Charlie. He’d moved up into the front seat when Dante had vacated it, but he was curled up and relaxed. Apparently she hadn’t emitted any panicked feelings. So, not uneasy.
She blew out a long sigh as she turned onto the street that led to her house. It had been so long since a man had kissed her. Hell, it had been over…three years? That couldn’t be right. Okay, it was probably right because it was before she went to Afghanistan. She didn’t think it was smart to mess around while in country. It was probably stupid, but she hadn’t wanted anything getting in the way of her job. Of course, she had been pretty uptight about it when she’d been stationed at Pendleton before shipping out. Madison had always thought that personal relationships could wait until she made Field Grade. More than once, she had turned down invitations for parties and dates.
What had she missed out on because she’d been so damned determined to prove to her father she was a true Marine? Fun. And she was still doing it. That needed to change. Not that she was ready to jump back into the dating pool, but she definitely enjoyed herself tonight. There had been a few moments that had given her worries, but thanks to Charlie, she’d been all right.
Then she remembered the way Dante had brushed his hand casually on her back. It was during a moment when a loud burst of noise had filled the bar and grill and she’d jumped. Her heart had started to pound in her chest. Before Charlie could assist, Dante had touched her, bringing her back from the edge.
He had known—at least subconsciously. And, being the kind of person he was, he had assisted a fellow Marine. It wasn’t something that everyone would do, but he was a Santini. They were raised right. Elena had tried over and over to hook up with Madison for a lunch or dinner after she’d returned from Afghanistan, and Madison had avoided it. While most of her friends hadn’t even emailed, Elena had gone out of her way to make contact. It was the Santini way.
With that her thoughts drifted back to Dante. He might have irritated her in college, but he was a good man. And a damned good kisser.
No. She couldn’t think about that. Never again. She couldn’t think of the way his mouth had felt against hers, or the way he had tasted. She definitely was going to forget the fact that there had been a moment where she would have willingly followed him into his house and jumped his bones.
“You’re supposed to have my back, Charlie.”
Her companion gave her a look out of the side of his eyes, then huffed.
“Men. You all stick together.”
She pulled to a stop at a red light beside a park. This time of night was kind of quiet, even on a Friday night. Her therapist’s office was two or three minutes down the street. Then, it hit her how close she lived to Dante. It would only take her another five minutes to make it to her house from where she sat. She hadn’t realized how close she and Dante lived to each other.
Damn. Temptation was less than fifteen minutes away.
“It doesn’t matter, Charlie. He’s been drinking tonight and tomorrow he’ll come to his senses.”
Even if he claimed he’d been attracted to her from the moment he met her. Sure, he could remember what she was wearing but that didn’t mean anything. Not really.
Dammit. Having a man remember what she had been wearing the first time he met her over seven years earlier was a little too much for her to handle at the moment. There was only one solution. She was going to have to avoid him. He had all these feelings tangled up inside of her and she didn’t know what to do about i
t. That kiss had left her mind scrambled. She ran her tongue over her lips. They still tingled from the kiss.
To get her mind off the issue of Dante Santini and his amazing mouth, she glanced over at the park. She had come here once or twice with Charlie. Walks were good for her and she often needed a break after her appointments. The fresh air was good for both of them.
As she scanned the area just beyond the walking path, a movement caught her attention. For a moment, she couldn’t tell what it was. A struggle of some sort. She narrowed her eyes and realized there was a woman and a man. They were so far away, it was hard to tell if they were really fighting or just goofing off. She couldn’t see the woman’s face, so it was hard to tell if she was scared or not.
In that next instant, the woman broke away from his grip and turned to run. Madison heard the woman scream, or she thought she did. She knew the woman had opened her mouth. Before Madison could discern what was going on, the man pulled out a gun. Madison froze, her heart in her throat, panic and fear chilling her blood. Before she could react, the man squeezed the trigger and shot the woman. Madison watched, unable to do anything—to even react to the scene. Then, she shouted and the man looked toward her. He turned in her direction, running easily. She couldn’t see his face, he was too far away, but she didn’t have to guess his intent. He raised his arm and pointed his gun in her direction.
She didn’t have to think twice about what to do. She slammed on the gas and sped off. Charlie apparently sensed her panic and tried to climb closer to her. Her head was spinning as she drew in huge gulps of air.
She had to get to the police station, but her brain wasn’t working. Right now, all she wanted to do was get as far away as possible. Panic morphed into all out terror as she sped through the deserted streets. She couldn’t try to call, not while she was driving and she wasn’t about to stop. Before she could even think of where she was going, she turned onto Dante’s street. She didn’t stop until she parked in front of his house. She barely had the Jeep turned off before she undid her seat belt and hopped out to run up to the front door. Charlie was hard on her heels.
Black spots appeared before her eyes as she reached the stoop. She blinked trying to hold onto her sanity for at least a few moments longer. The world around her was spinning, her throat was dry, and her heart beating so damned hard she was amazed that it didn’t leave bruises. She rang the doorbell then started to knock. Dante opened the door with a frown. He was wearing a pair of boxers and nothing else.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“We need to call the police. I think I just saw a murder.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Dante kept a keen eye on Madison as they waited for the police. Unfortunately, he was well aware of what to look for when it came to PTSD. Too many of his friends and family had their brushes with the debilitating condition. Hell, he’d had his own issues after returning, still did to a point. But, at this moment, she was still in control. She was hyper-alert, but not to the point he thought she needed medical help. Charlie followed behind her as she walked back and forth through his living room.
“Want some coffee?” he asked.
She shook her head but she didn’t look at him. “Not good in my state. Do you have any tea? Decaffeinated would be best.”
He didn’t like the way her voice sounded. Not the way it vibrated with fear, or the doubt he heard right beneath the surface. He knew what every Marine knew. Doubting your instinct could get you killed—or it could kill you slowly inside.
She needed to focus all the nervous energy on something else. After that kiss earlier, he knew exactly how he would like to help her get rid of that energy, but he knew that wasn’t what she needed right now.
So, he tried a different tactic.
He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorjamb. “No, I don’t have tea. I’m a man.”
“What?” she asked absent-mindedly as she continued to walk back and forth. She chewed on her thumbnail. Charlie kept pace with her.
Not good. Her tone was turning flat and that was a bad sign. She was disengaging with him and the world around her.
“You asked if I had tea instead of coffee. No self-respecting Santini man would drink tea.”
Madison stopped and stared at him. She blinked then he saw her eyes focus on his face. “What the hell does that mean?”
Dante shrugged. “Santinis don’t drink tea. We’re real men.”
At first, she said nothing. He knew it was taking her a moment to get her brain to work around the conversation. The moment the stupid comment hit home, he saw it on her face. Her eyes narrowed.
“I have never heard such an asinine comment in my life.”
He tried not to smile but it was hard not to. Getting her to focus on him felt like a major victory.
“I doubt that. You spend a lot of time with my sister. Or did in college, so I am pretty sure you have heard a lot of asinine comments.”
She stepped closer to him. Charlie sat down beside her, his demeanor less agitated. That told him the dog understood that she was calming on some level. Dante’s own nerves started to settle, and it was then he realized he was attuned to Madison on some level. It struck him then that he always seemed in tune with her; with the way she was feeling. He had always thought it was just because they’d been competitors, but that couldn’t be said about them anymore. Now, the connection was there and it was stronger. He didn’t understand it and at the moment, he really didn’t want to figure out why exactly. He would use it to his advantage if it helped her.
“How can you use a time like this to say horrible things about your twin sister?”
She looked less stressed and more irritated. That was a good thing. “Oh, please, Elena would do the same damn thing. She says horrible things about me all the time to my face. Lord knows what she says when I’m not around.”
There was a long moment of silence, then her face flushed. “No comment.”
She started to turn away from him, but he caught her. The sight of her cheeks pinkened with embarrassment held him enthralled. The woman rarely showed emotion.
“You’re blushing.”
She rolled her eyes and tried to move away again. “I don’t blush.”
Instead of letting her go, he slipped his fingers around her wrist. “Yes. Yes, you do.” He tugged her closer, then slipped his arms around her waist. God she felt good against him. “And I want to know what she told you.”
“I am not about to tell you anything your sister told me.”
She wouldn’t make eye contact with him. Whatever Elena told her was probably horrible and only half true. Damn.
“I have my ways to find things out.”
Her gaze shot up to his. His voice had deepened, and there was no mistaking the arousal now vibrating through his tone.
“Is that a fact?” she asked, her voice breathless.
He nodded slowly and bent his head. “I know all kinds of naughty things to get you to talk.”
He brushed his mouth over hers. Just a feather of a kiss, barely even touching of their lips, but he felt it stir something deep within him. Just like earlier, he felt as if he had been sideswiped. He raised his hands to her face, cupping her jaw and cocked his head to take the kiss deeper. Before he could, the doorbell sounded, sending Charlie into a fit of barking. With regret, he pulled back from her. He drew in a deep breath and rested his forehead against hers.
“I’ve been thwarted twice in one night by an annoying sound.”
“I would take it as a life preserver,” she said. “You dodged a bullet here, Dante.”
Anyone else, he would have taken it as a joke. But, her solemn expression told him she was serious. He pulled back then brushed his thumb over her lower lip.
“Let me worry about what I’m getting myself into, Madison. Remember, I’m not only a Marine. I’m a Santini. We’re made of pretty sturdy stock.”
Then, with regret, he pulled aw
ay from her and headed for the door. The sooner they got this straightened out; he would get back to kissing Madison.
* * * *
“So, what did you do when you saw the incident?”
Madison could tell from Officer Ellis’ demeanor that he didn’t believe her. Mainly because he kept using the word incident. It wasn’t an incident. It was a murder. She knew she shouldn’t get so pissed about his attitude. It was something she was accustomed to. Truth was, she’d had issues when she first returned. She’d had more than one brush with reality not being what she thought it was.
“I shouted or something. I can’t really remember. But the man noticed me and turned the gun on me.”
“And you came here to Mr. Santini’s home?” Ellis asked, disbelief tinging the edge of his voice.
She rubbed her temples. “Captain.”
“What?”
She opened her eyes and looked at the young officer. “Captain Santini. He’s a Marine.”
Her voice came out a little more forceful than she expected. Dante chuckled behind her.
The officer looked behind her, then refocused his gaze on her. He seemed like a nice guy, but he was a little too much on the Opie Taylor side for her. Red hair, freckles, and a fresh face that told her he hadn’t seen a lot of action. And he was so young.
“Captain, excuse me, sir,” he said to Dante. “I should have guessed.”
“No worries, officer. I take it you served.”
The officer nodded. “Marine myself.”
There was a long moment of silence. “Okay, so you came here and not to a police station?”
“I didn’t know where the closest station was and I’ve known Dante for a long time. I had just dropped him off, so I headed back here. I didn’t call 911 because I was driving. I thought if I stopped, the shooter might catch up with me. When I arrived, Dante called it in.”
The officer’s cell phone rang and he looked at the number. “Excuse me for a minute.”
He stepped out of the kitchen to take the call.
ASantiniinLoveMelissa Schroeder Page 4