Falling for a Santini Read online

  Falling for a Santini

  Melissa Schroeder

  A crush that turned into love.

  Being the only girl in a family with five Santini brothers was never easy on Elena Santini. She always tried to be faster and smarter to make sure they always took her seriously. They were always trying to tell her what to do, and worse, who she could date. That’s why falling for her oldest brother’s best friend wasn’t smart especially when he treats her like a sister. That is, until she gets him alone in her apartment one night.

  One night in Heaven.

  NCIS agent Jethro Thomas, known to everyone as JT, has always played it smart. When his admiration turned to attraction a few years ago, he started avoiding Elena. A guy wasn’t supposed to have those kinds of thoughts about his best friend’s little sister. After returning from an undercover assignment, and about to go on another one, he can’t seem to resist the temptation. One night with her and he knows he’s lost, but he has a job to do.

  A changed man.

  JT returns from the assignment with a few more scars, both physical and emotional–but he survived for one reason. He’s ready to start a new life with Elena, but a dark cloud hangs over the new love. When small incidents evolve into near death accidents, JT realizes someone from his past is ready to destroy his happiness, even harm Elena to make him pay.

  Falling for a Santini

  Copyright © 2014 by Melissa Schroeder

  Published by Harmless Publishing

  Edited by Noel Varner

  Cover by Brandy Walker

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  First digital publication: December 2014

  DIGITAL ISBN: 9781939734242

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely

  DEDICATION

  To my niece Kristen and her new husband Cory. May your life together be filled with love and laughter and all things that are beautiful and bright.

  ~Your crazy Aunt Mel

  MILITARY TERMS

  Annapolis: Naval Academy-College for the Navy and Marines

  BOOT: Bootcamp

  BX-Base Exchange: Air Force idea of a department store

  Commissary: Military Grocery Store on base

  Deployment: When someone is sent to work usually in hostile areas, but they still have a permanent base at home they are assigned to.

  IED: Improvised Explosive Device

  Joint Base/Assignment: Base or assignment that has more than one service involved

  MCAGCC: Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center

  MCEX: Marine Corps Exchange

  NEX-Naval Exchange: Navy idea of a department store

  OCS: Officer Candidate School (Navy/Marine/Army) School for college graduates to train to enter the service

  OTS: Officer Training School (Air Force) School for college graduates to train to enter the service

  PCS: Permanent Change of Station

  PJ: Parachute Jumper

  POV: Personally Owned Vehicle

  PX: Post Exchange-Army idea of a department store

  ROTC: Reserve Officer Training Corps-College based training program for entrance into the military services

  SAMMC: San Antonio Military Medical Center (formerly Brooks Army Medical Center or BAMC)

  TDY: Temporary Duty

  CHAPTER ONE

  Jethro Francis Thomas deserved a freaking medal for suffering during battle and not taking his just rewards. It wasn’t the first time he’d had to administer care to a drunken woman, but this one was more than a handful. Elena Santini had the reflexes of a jaguar, even as drunk as she was. There was no doubt in his mind that she was a world class Marine trained to handle adverse conditions. Usually, that made him admire her. Tonight, it was very difficult to remember she was his best friend’s sister.

  “Hey, we’re at my apartment!”

  He looked at her to see if she was messing with him. She frowned in the direction of her apartment building, then looked at him. Damn, he couldn’t really tell. It was always hard to tell with her. From the time she was a kid, Elena had to think on her feet. JT knew that Elena had a hard time keeping up with her five brothers. At times, though, she appeared to exceed them. It was always as if Elena seemed to come out on top due to something in her nature. Many people called it being pushy. JT knew it was just part of being a Santini.

  “You asked me to bring you here.”

  She looked at him for a long second. He lost his train of thought. It had been happening more and more these last few years. Since the year she turned twenty-one. It was her birthday and, with a little too much wine in her system, she had leaned over and gave him a big, sloppy kiss.

  It had shattered his world.

  They were surrounded by her family and friends, which included his best friend. He could still remember the feel of her mouth against his. She had let him go and gone on her way as if she’d kissed one of her brothers. He’d been standing there painfully aroused and feeling like scum.

  “I asked you to take me home.”

  Okay, maybe she was really drunk. “Yes. So I did.”

  She pursed her lips and looked around. He fought the need to reach out and touch her long golden brown curls. They were so silky soft he could just imagine the feel of them against his bare flesh.

  When she turned back to him, her eyebrows were lowered in confusion.

  “This isn’t your apartment.”

  Yep, she was drunk. He decided not to debate the point. Elena could argue with a fence post when she was sober. She was worse with a drink or two in her. All the Santinis were. They all had over the top personalities that were enhanced by alcohol.

  “I’ll come around.”

  He slipped out of his truck and rounded the hood. JT decided to take his time to cool his hormones. Elena didn’t know what she was doing to him. It was enough that that memory kept rearing its ugly head now that she was stationed at Miramar.

  Dealing with a tipsy Elena was asking him a bit much. He’d wanted to touch her since the moment he saw her in the bar and grill.

  I’ll take her to her apartment. Then, go home.

  But he didn’t want to do that. He wanted to take her inside of her apartment and strip her out of those low riding jeans, taste every bit of her flesh, and lose himself in her.

  Dammit.

  He didn’t need to be contemplating sex with Elena. He had other things to worry about. Going back undercover was just part of his job at NCIS, and getting tangled up with a woman was definitely not the thing to do. Especially Elena.

  He drew in another deep breath of fresh air before opening the passenger side door. Getting hot over his best friend’s little sister was definitely not on his agenda. Anthony would kick JT’s ass if he had any idea of the fantasies he’d had about Elena.

  That thought was enough to clear his mind and settle his hormones. Almost.

  Knowing it would be best to get her into her apartment and be on his way, he opened the door. She must have been leaning against the door, because she tumbled out of his pickup and into his arms.

  “Whoops,” she said, her voice filled with laughter.

  And for an instant, he could think of nothing but her wonderful curves pressed up against him. All those worries about Anthony and his job faded away. The very sexy woman in his arms took over his every thought.

  She settled her head against his shoulder. Her breath danc
ed over his neck. A shiver of need rushed over him. It took every ounce of his control to set her away from him.

  “Your keys,” he growled.

  She blinked at him. “What?”

  “I need your key.” He bit out every word. It was that or scream in frustration.

  “Are you the Key Master?” she asked, smiling at him. “That would make me the Gatekeeper.”

  He shook his head and tried to figure out if she was the only one who was drunk. He’d had a few beers, but he didn’t even have a buzz anymore. So, it had to be her.

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “You know, Ghostbusters. Key Master and the Gatekeeper.”

  It was his turn to blink. She was talking about a movie, and he was trying to figure out if she was wearing a bra with a front clasp or not. He was scum. Worse. He was lower than scum.

  “I think I need to get you inside.”

  She snorted.

  “What?”

  She shook her head and just gave him a smile.

  Knowing Elena, it was just better to ignore her and get her inside. From the time he had met her years ago, she had always been smart-mouthed. It had just gotten worse as she had gotten older. Now, it was impossible to control what came out of her mouth.

  “Key.”

  She shrugged and turned around, grabbing her purse. She pulled out a key ring that had more trinkets hanging off it than keys. He shook his head and grabbed it. He guided Elena to her apartment door. It wasn’t that simple, of course. She tripped over her own feet, twice. By the time they made it the door, he was convinced she was doing it all on purpose. He set her away from him again. He struggled to slip the key into the doorknob, but it wasn’t easy. Elena had slipped her hands around his waist and pressed that amazing body against his back.

  JT couldn’t fight his reaction. It was impossible. Even knowing that she was off limits, his body didn’t give a damn. His blood went from cool to hot in the span of a second.

  Her hands dipped down below his belt. He dropped the keys. They clanked on the cement.

  “Uh-oh,” she said, then she snorted. “I thought you were supposed to be good with your hands.

  He turned around and found her so close he had to back up a step. Unfortunately, his head smacked the door he was just trying to unlock. He looked down at her and felt heat pulse through his blood.

  Do not lust after your best friend’s little sister.

  She leaned against him. He could feel her breath against his neck again.

  And definitely don’t kiss her. No matter how much you want to.

  “Jethro, Jethro.” She giggled again.

  He hadn’t heard her giggle this much since the first day he met her. When she had been a girl. Jesus. He had actually known her before she could wear a bra.

  “Does anyone say anything about you being an NCIS agent with the first name of Jethro?”

  It wasn’t easy having a name of the head agent of the popular TV series. In fact, it made it harder to get respect many times. “All the time.”

  He took her by the arms and set her away from him. Turning, he grabbed the keys, and unlocked the door finally. Opening the door, he stepped aside and let her walk by him. She did, and immediately tripped over the threshold. He caught her before she could fall face first on the foyer.

  He righted her again, but she stepped closer and leaned against him. The clean, wild scent of her surrounded him…tempted him.

  Holy Mother of God.

  She was slithering against him again. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Before he could react, she planted a wet, sloppy kiss on his mouth. He responded to it before he could think. She slipped her tongue between his lips, and he was lost for a few moments. He could think of nothing else than the taste of her mouth, the texture of her lips.

  Finally, he remembered who she was, who he was, and how wrong it all was. He pulled away but she tried to follow him, her lips pursed, her eyes closed.

  “No.”

  “Yes,” she said, her eyes still closed.

  Her mouth turned down in a frown, and her eyes fluttered open. God, she was gorgeous. She always had been pretty, but now that she had matured and added a little meat on her bones, she was stunning. The fact that he knew the inside was even more beautiful made her damned difficult to resist.

  “No. You are Anthony’s sister.”

  She furrowed her brow. “So?”

  He sighed. “Guys don’t mess with their best friend’s little sisters.”

  “I’m not little.”

  “But you are Anthony’s younger sister. I can’t step over that line.”

  She studied him for a second or two. Then, he realized her eyes were clear. She wasn’t as tipsy as she had him believe earlier. She was always good at playing a role to get what she wanted.

  “So, you can’t step over the line, but you kiss like you want to.”

  Dammit, the woman was always straightforward. It was something he loved about her, most of the time. When she had that perception zeroed in on him, though, he didn’t like it one bit. JT knew his limits and if he didn’t get out of there, he would make a very big mistake.

  “I didn’t think. I just reacted.”

  It sounded lame because it was lame. Something passed over her expression that looked like disappointment.

  She sighed. “Okay. See ya around.”

  She turned away from him and he felt…deflated. It was the only thing that could describe the feeling that now morphed his better judgment. He knew he should go, but something nagged at him.

  “That’s it?”

  She looked him, her face expressionless.

  “What do you want me to say? Stay safe and call us when you get back?”

  “It might be a few months.” She nodded in response, then he realized what she said. “Us?”

  “Yes. Dante. I’m including him.”

  She said nothing else and it irritated him. Seriously? The woman who had kissed him like she needed the kiss more than she needed her next breath was just sending him off with a ‘see ya’?

  “What’s the matter, Jethro? Expected me to beg?” she asked, sarcasm dripping from every word.

  “No.” Not really. “I just expected…”

  “Listen, you might think of me as a little girl, but I’m a grown up. You don’t have the courage to face your attraction head on. I can deal with that. Doesn’t mean I’m going to sit around hoping some day you will get over it. I might want you, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to wait for you to grow a set of balls.”

  His pride took the direct hit. He didn’t like it one bit. He was the one ready to make the sacrifice. “Hey!”

  She shrugged. “Now, I just want to go to sleep.”

  He knew she was screwing with him. Growing up with five brothers had given Elena a good idea on how to handle men. She’d had most of her brothers dancing to her tune for years.

  “You want me to leave?”

  “Yes.”

  It was his turn to blink. “Just like that?”

  She crossed her arms and nodded. “Just like that.”

  “Well…”

  She made a sound that was halfway between a growl and a shout.

  “Good lord, just go, JT. You made your position clear. I’m a big girl. You would have kissed any woman back who had locked lips with you. Now, could you leave so I can go disinfect my mouth, because you are apparently a whore with your mouth?”

  He hesitated, then turned to walk to the door. He stepped up to the threshold, but…he couldn’t do anything. No matter what he told himself, he couldn’t force himself to take that last step away from her.

  Even though he knew he shouldn’t do it, he turned and looked at her one last time. She wasn’t crying, wasn’t smiling. Just nothing. And that told him one thing.

  She was lying.

  Instead of walking out the door, he slammed it shut and turned to stride in her direction. Her eyes widened as she dropped her hands down to her side
s. He slipped his arm around her waist and yanked her against him. She gasped.

  “This time, I’ll do the kissing,” he said.

  Before he could have second thoughts, he crushed his mouth down on hers and damned them both.

  CHAPTER TWO

  For a moment or two, the world seemed to stop. Elena’s mind went blank as JT slanted his mouth over hers and deepened the kiss. For a long second, she couldn’t respond. It was as if her brain had gone on hiatus. She was so stunned.

  Then, in one blinding instant, her hormones took over. Heat rushed over her as a painful craving filled her soul. With a moan, she wrapped her arms around him and leaned in closer. JT slipped his hands down to her ass and urged her closer to him. He was fully erect, straining against his jeans. Elena pressed closer. A primal groan erupted from his throat as he pulled back from the kiss. Worried that he might be trying to move away from her, she tried to follow him. Instead, he kissed his way down her neck.

  Shivers of need raced over her flesh as he nipped at the delicate skin. Each time she felt his teeth scrape against her throat, it increased the bone deep longing she had for him. Everything in the world melted away. Elena couldn’t even think of anything to do. She shuddered as he kissed his way up to her ear and pulled her lobe between his teeth.

  Lord have mercy.

  JT pulled back, drawing in whole gulps of air. Suddenly, without a word, he grabbed her hand and dragged her behind him. She stumbled over her feet and almost fell down. If he hadn’t had a hold of her hand, she would have definitely made a fool out of herself.

  “Hey,” she said, but he ignored her. He was apparently on a mission of some sort. He tugged her through the doorway then spun her around. With ease, he tumbled them both onto her bed.

  She laughed as he bent his head to kiss her mouth. This time, she was ready, but she was still surprised by the rush of desire that enveloped the two of them. Elena wasn’t a virgin, but she felt like it. His tongue swept into her mouth and she sighed into the kiss. Slipping her hands up and over his shoulders, she molded her hands to the back of his head. With ease, she tangled her tongue against his, enjoying the way his body jerked at the first touch. He pulled her tongue into his mouth and sucked on it.