by Lacey Thorn
Grinning like a loon, she turned to take off again and ran face-first into a hard chest. Instinct took over and had her moving in with a knee that was blocked but still had her hitting his hard thigh. She used the momentum of his turn to pivot slightly behind him and went for his knee. But he had a grip on her shoulder and he took them both to the sidewalk with her thoroughly pinned beneath him.
She opened her mouth to scream but he clamped a hand over it. Her breath was coming hard and fast and she was bucking as wildly as she could, grappling for a hold or a way to get him off her when he jerked the buds from her ears and put his face close to hers.
“Settle down,” he panted. “I’m not going to hurt you.” She bit into his palm and had him jerking his hand back and shaking it.
“Then what the fuck are you doing on top of me?” she demanded.
“Trying to keep you from killing me?” he questioned and she could see the teeth marks on the palm he held up for her. “I was running and saw you just standing there. Thought I’d see if you needed directions or something. But instead I got this hellcat all over me.”
She lifted her brow and gave him a shrug. “Sorry. Instinct,” she said.
“Hell of a knee you got there,” he said. “I’m pretty sure I’ll be bruised and limping.” She could see the grin in his eyes as he fought to keep it off his face.
Now she could feel the heat and strength of him and the definite swell of his cock as he lay on top of her.
“You always get excited when fighting?” she asked, deadpan.
“Only when it’s with someone who looks like you,” he told her but still made no move to get off her.
“You mind moving off me?” she finally asked.
“Damn.” He finally took the hint and got to his feet before reaching down for her hand and pulling her up with him. “I guess that would be the gentlemanly thing to do,” he added with a wicked grin.
“I’m guessing you don’t get accused of that often.” Her words had him laughing and, wow, what that laugh did to her.
Now that she was facing him and not fighting she took him in. He was tall like her brothers, maybe six foot two with sandy-brown hair and gorgeous hazel eyes. His body was hard and toned and she’d just felt every inch of it on top of her. It surprised her to feel the clench of desire in her belly, to feel the trembling in her thighs that had nothing to do with the dump of adrenaline as her fight-or-flight response rebounded from what just happened.
“Gabe Michaels.” He held his hand out to her.
She automatically took it. “Gianna,” she answered.
“Just Gianna?” he asked, not letting go of her hand.
“Gianna Marquetti,” she answered. It wasn’t as if she could hide who she was in this town. At some point tomorrow the grapevine would be alive and well letting everyone know that the black sheep of the Marquetti family was back.
“Relation to Dante?” Gabe asked her.
“Sister,” she answered. “How do you know Dante?”
“Served with him in the corp,” he answered. “Just got out a month ago and headed here to see what he’d gotten up to. Decided I liked it here, enough to stay a bit and check it out. I was with Dante when he got the call about your brother. Hope he pulls through okay.”
“Thanks,” she replied. “He’s a Marquetti. Marquettis are survivors.” She automatically used the words she’d heard her mother quote when they were growing up.
“Yeah, I know that,” Gabe said. “You just starting your run?”
Gianna laughed. “Yeah, trying to clear my head a bit.”
“Totally understand.” He nodded. “I just left the hotel myself. Mind if I run with you?”
It had been a long time since she’d run with anyone else, actually the last person had been her brother Cris. But it was getting later and she really needed the release of a good run now. “Sure,” she agreed, unplugging her buds and slipping them into the pouch on her armband.
“Great,” he said, still grinning. “You lead the way and I’ll do my best to keep up.”
The man had incredible legs so she doubted that would be a problem. She nodded and turned to set out again, letting her gaze roam the familiar and the unfamiliar. Gabe kept his pace even with hers and didn’t chat, which she appreciated.
At mile five she could see that he wasn’t even breathing hard and decided to kick it up a notch. Picking the pace up, she took a turn that would have them heading back the same way they’d come and giving her a good ten-mile run. Perfect. The last mile she fell into a full-out run, wanting to feel the rush of air, the kick to her system as her body responded to her command and went faster. They hit the front of the hotel in perfect sync and she looked over at him with a grin of pure satisfaction on her face.
“Damn, if I’d known you were going to find something that gorgeous on your run I’d have gone with you.” The voice came from her right and she turned to see a man step forward toward them. “You always did have the luck.”
Gabe laughed beside her. “This is another corp buddy of Dante’s. Tony Russell,” he introduced.
Tony grinned at her. He was maybe an inch taller than Gabe with short black hair that looked incredibly thick. As he stepped forward she was caught by his eyes. She’d never seen eyes so light a green before. They were absolutely mesmerizing. She automatically held her hand out to him. He took it and, instead of the shake she expected, brought it to his lips and brushed them across her knuckles.
“I know you’ve heard this a million times I’m sure, but there is something very familiar about you,” Tony said.
“She’s Dante’s sister,” Gabe replied from behind her. “Gianna Marquetti.”
“No offense, but you don’t look anything like that ugly brother of yours,” Tony said with a grin. “I’m sure I’ve seen you somewhere before.”
“Probably,” she answered, thinking of the hundreds of ads and magazine covers she’d graced over the years.
“No clues, huh?” he asked as he moved to hold the door open for her.
“Are you staying here too?” Gianna was sure Gabe had mentioned being in town for at least a month.
“Yep,” Tony said with a nod. “Been calling it home for over a month now.”
She couldn’t really say anything. She’d stayed months in hotels before, depending on what shoot she happened to be working on or how many she had in a particular area.
“Honestly anything beats a tent in the desert,” Gabe added with a laugh.
“Yeah, no worries except listening to Gabe snore like a freight train from across the room.” Tony shuddered in mock horror.
“I do not snore,” Gabe grumbled.
She entered the lobby with a laugh. It felt great to laugh. She hadn’t realized how much she needed it. Maybe Rocky was right and she needed to get out and date more. She’d just not been tempted by any of the guys she’d met lately. Now she’d met two men who both set her pulse racing. One of them would do to break her dry spell. Hell, both of them would do. And that thought, of the three of them together, had her quaking with need and shamed to her bones. From zero to wanton in one fell swoop. What the hell was the matter with her?
“Ms. Marquetti?” the desk clerk called to her as the three of them entered.
Everything clicked back into place then. Run forgotten, all her worries filled her mind once more. “Did you get a message for me? Did something happen?” She headed over to the counter not even thinking that Cris would call her cell phone first anyway and not the hotel.
“No, no,” he rushed to assure her. He blushed and his voice stuttered as he rubbed his hands over the magazine he held. “I was just wondering if maybe…” He cleared his voice before going on. “Umm, I was hoping that maybe I could get your autograph if you didn’t mind.”
She realized that both Gabe and Tony stood close behind her. She glanced at the cover of the magazine and knew just what ad the boy would open it up for her to autograph. It was one of her favorite shoots. It was for a new line of body but
ter and that was all she was wearing, well the butter and a naughty grin. Her long blonde hair was tumbling down her back and she was glancing over her right shoulder. But that wasn’t what had gotten the ad so much attention. It was the fact that she was totally nude facing two men with one arm curved around each of them holding them close to her. The slogan had been, “Feels so good, you’ll want to share.”
Of course it helped that the two guys in the ad were dear friends who she hung out with occasionally. In fact they had included her on a lot of their dates and she was even invited to their wedding later in the year to confirm their love for each other. But the ad certainly didn’t show that they were in love with each other. No, they looked pure alpha and totally into her, possessive of her. It was a great shot. Each of them had a hand covering one of her bare ass cheeks, the look in their eyes almost daring another man to try to touch her.
She nodded to the kid. “Sure,” she said, reaching for the pen that rested on the counter as he popped the magazine open to the ad she’d expected. She heard the indrawn breaths behind her but didn’t look as she asked for his name and then signed it to him. Taking a breath, she turned to look at Gabe and Tony.
“It was nice meeting you both,” she began. “I’m heading to my room now to try to catch some sleep before I head to the hospital.”
“We’ll ride up with you.” Gabe’s voice was suddenly husky.
She nodded and headed to the elevator, doing her best to ignore the heated lust in their eyes. She was not here for this. She was here to see about Stephano, to see her brothers and sister and maybe her dad. She was here to see if she was as healed as she liked to think. She was not here to have sex with two men, no matter how good it sounded, how great they looked or how interested they seemed.
“Well, I knew I’d seen you before.” Tony broke the silence as soon as the doors closed.
“What floor?” Gabe asked.
“Fourth,” she said and noticed he only hit the four button. They must be staying on the same floor.
“Gianna,” Tony murmured the abbreviated version of her name that she used when modeling. “No offense, but I’ve had many a fantasy about you while in the desert.”
Gianna laughed. What else could she do? The grin, the eyes and the honesty were a heady combination. “No offense taken,” she said. She wasn’t naive enough to believe that there weren’t a lot of men who fantasized while looking at the ad, or did other things she didn’t want to think about.
“And I was thinking you’d look great in the outfit you were admiring when we ran into each other.” Gabe grinned. “That ad proves you’d look even better out of it.”
She blushed and shook her head, wondering what he’d think if he knew that she designed the sexy lingerie in that window. “Well, thanks,” she said. “I think.”
“So is there a significant other in your life?” Tony asked and it took her a minute to realize that he was asking if she was seeing someone. What a way to ask.
“Um, no,” she admitted. She didn’t have time to date, didn’t want to have affairs with any of the men in her industry. Hell, lately she didn’t do anything but work.
“Good,” he said. “Then hopefully you’ll forgive me for doing this.”
Before she could even process, he was leaning into her and his lips were covering hers. Not hard, not commanding, which she could have pulled away from. But slow and exploring, soft and sensual. It had been so long since she’d felt a kiss, felt another’s lips in a kiss that was meant to ignite, to stimulate. She sank into it, just sighed and let him slip his tongue inside to rub against hers.
She felt Gabe shifting beside them and when Tony slid his mouth from hers to trail down her neck she automatically turned to see what Gabe was doing, to see his expression. No jealousy. Just lust. That was what she saw before he leaned in and took her mouth. Now it was hard and dominating, a kiss meant to possess. Gabe claimed her mouth, sucking her tongue and thrusting his in and out of her mouth in parody of the sex her pussy was aching for.
Her body, dormant for too long, suddenly was alive with the need to feel and be felt, to explore and be explored. It was all so much that she swore she was hearing bells. Then there was the unmistakable clearing of a throat and a way too familiar voice bringing her back to her senses.
“And I was worried that coming back here wouldn’t be good for you.” Rocky’s voice was better than a cold shower. “Apparently I should have been encouraging this visit all along.”
Gianna would have pushed free but both men were too close for her to do so without making a scene. “I went out for a run,” Gianna said.
Rocky quirked an eyebrow up and took in Gabe and Tony. “If I’d known running could be so healthy maybe I’d have taken it up myself,” she said.
Gianna laughed. Rocky had her cigarettes in hand and Gianna knew she was heading out to smoke, probably cussing the stupid no-smoking policy in the hotel the entire way. Rocky wouldn’t run if her life depended on it. She’d just stand and fight. It was one of the things that Gianna loved most about her.
Rocky stepped in to hold the door open while Gianna, Tony and Gabe stepped out. She stopped Gianna with a touch to her cheek. “Get some rest, honey,” Rocky said. “Relax.” Gianna saw Rocky glance at the two men still behind her. “Enjoy. And remember that I’m right across the hall if you need anything.”
“I know, Rocky,” she answered. “I’ll see you in the morning.” At Rocky’s snort she amended, “Well, later this morning.”
“Take care of you,” Rocky encouraged and the elevator door closed behind her, leaving Gianna with Gabe and Tony.
“It was nice meeting you.” Gianna mentally cursed at how stupid the words sounded after the kisses they’d just shared. “Hopefully we’ll run into each other again.” Preferably when they were all naked.
Tony stopped her outside her door before she could slip her keycard in. “You sure you want to go in there alone?” he asked. And she knew what he was offering. What they were offering, and as tempting as it was, as much as her body was screaming for it, she nodded her head.
“I—” she started to say but Gabe stepped in and placed a finger on her lips. He pointed to the door just down from hers.
“We’re right there,” he said. “Any time. As we’re here for a prolonged visit with Dante I’m sure you’ll see a lot of us. Maybe all the meetings will help you change your mind.” He grinned at her.
“I’ll see you later this morning too then I’m sure.” She had the urge to grip his finger between her teeth then pull it in her mouth for a good long suck. It took all her control not to as he pulled it back.
“I’m thinking you’ll be seeing a lot of us,” Tony stated and Gianna was sure he meant more than just in passing.
“I’ll look forward to it.” And she would. They might be the only bright spot she had while in town. Would it hurt to seek a little comfort in their arms? She’d have to make a point to have Rocky find out more about them. Or she could just ask Dante. Assuming big brother was willing and allowed to speak to her.
She slid the keycard and stepped into the safety of her room, leaning against the wall as her body shook with desire for what she was denying it. How funny that coming back to the place she swore she never wanted to see again could make her feel so alive.
Alive. She glanced at the clock and headed for the bathroom and a quick shower before heading out to the hospital. She’d never sleep anyway and maybe she could sneak in to see Stephano a little early.
Chapter Three
Gianna took a deep breath as she stepped off the elevator onto the ICU floor where Stephano was being watched over. Her fingers were crossed that they would let her in for just a few minutes despite how early in the morning it was.
“Gianna Marquetti! Is that really you?” Though a whispered exclamation, it felt as if it carried all the way down the corridor. Gianna cringed, hoping none of her family was near enough to hear it.
Turning, she couldn’t stop the smile
from curving her lips. Jessie Markle stood in front of her in scrubs, wearing a hospital ID badge. She hadn’t changed much since high school when they’d both been cheering on the football team and causing chaos wherever they went.
“Jessie!”
“Oh my God, I knew that was you. I just knew you’d come back home for Steph. I couldn’t believe it when I heard he was shot. I’m so sorry about your brother.”
Gianna felt the color drain from her face.
“Whoa, whoa. He’s still hanging in there. I didn’t mean to scare you. As if you think your brother would give up. Stephano’s always been a stubborn horse’s ass. Surely you haven’t forgotten that.”
Gianna could hear the questions and the hurt in Jessie’s voice. When she’d walked away, it hadn’t just been her family she’d left behind.
“I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye.” And she was. She and Jessie had been inseparable as teens.
Jessie smiled. “I won’t lie. You hurt me. But best friends forgive. Period. And I know what you left. I understood then and I understand now.”
Gianna sighed. She wondered if her friend really believed the lies Michael had spread. “It’s not what you think.”
“Please. Like I would ever believe anything that asshole Michael said. I know what he said and I know what your mamma did when she heard it. I was waiting for you to call me but you must have felt like you needed to leave.” Jessie looked incredibly sad. “I would have done everything I could to help you. I’m sorry for what you lost, Gianna.”
She felt her heart catch. She could tell by looking into her friend’s eyes that Jessie knew exactly what had happened all those years ago.
“You never said anything.”
“It wasn’t my secret to tell. No matter how pissed I got, and let me tell you there were a number of people I got in trouble for punching in the face. I almost got arrested when I broke Michael’s nose. But it was worth it. He shut his mouth then and I doubt he even whispered your name again.”
Gianna laughed. “You broke his nose?”
Jessie smirked, fisted her right hand and blew on the knuckles. “Oh, yeah. It felt really good too.”