The Santinis: Leonardo, Book 1 Read online

  She was wary. That was understandable if she had never had a man try to romance her. What kind of idiots had she been dating? Leo had picked up on it the last couple of weeks. The fact that men apparently didn’t hold the door open for her, listen to her talk…just pay attention to her had been evident from her reactions. Of course, those other men didn’t matter. None of it did because he was in for the long haul.

  He stopped in front of her door and just stared at the knocker. What the hell was he thinking? In for the long haul. Like forever? He had only known the woman for two weeks. People didn’t fall in love in two weeks with someone they barely knew.

  Dammit. He was almost all the way in love with the woman.

  Santini, what the hell are you thinking?

  She’s a pain in the ass, prickly as a porcupine and so damned defensive. Just the look on her face today when he brought her lunch…he sighed. He knew she didn’t like showing her vulnerability to him, to anyone. But she had for him. That little bit had awakened a need to do things like that more often. And forever.

  Before he could work through the feelings, the door whooshed open. She was still in her scrubs. They were blue today, almost the same shade as her eyes.

  “Gonna stand out there trying to open the door with your mind, Santini?”

  “Uh, no.” Oh, that will win her over.

  She gave him a saucy smile. “Is that pizza for me or are you just happy to see me?”

  The words didn’t register. He was in love with her. Leo loved just about everything about her, from the sprinkle of freckles that danced over the bridge of her nose to that smart mouth of hers. Damn. He was pretty sure that she would be pissed when she found out.

  Her brows furrowed. “Santini? Are you okay?”

  He shook himself, trying to push all those thoughts aside, but his voice was still a little rough when he answered. “Yeah.”

  “Okay, come on in.”

  She stepped back and allowed him to pass. After she shut the door behind him she leaned back against it. He turned to face her.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  Her eyes widened. He didn’t blame her for being surprised. Arousal was thrumming through his blood and he heard it in his voice. Leo just couldn’t help it. His fingers itched to touch. His mouth wanted to taste. Every bit of his body needed her in a way that should scare the hell out of him.

  “Maryanne?” he asked. He would take a step back if she asked. It might kill him, but he would do it.

  Then, a small smile curved her lips. “Not really hungry for pizza right now.”

  Relief coursed through him as he strode toward her. He tossed the box on the table without stopping.

  “Thank the Lord,” he said as he pulled her away from the door and into his arms. The moment he pressed his lips against hers, he knew he couldn’t let her go. Ever.

  Now, he just had to convince the woman in his arms.

  Chapter Six

  Leo stumbled into her bedroom and they fell on the bed with a tangle of limbs. He fell off to the side, bouncing on the mattress to avoid crushing her beneath him. He rose up and rested his weight on his elbow and looked down at her. She was smiling up at him and it struck him then. He wanted to see that smile ever day of his life. He wanted to be the one that made her this happy all the time.

  After a few moments, her smile faded. “What?”

  He shook his head. He couldn't tell her how he felt. She was skittish as it was. If he told her he was falling in love with her, she would freak out.

  “Oh, God, I look horrible, don’t I? I didn’t sleep last night because I was worried about Jack and then I had a long day today. I must look a mess.”

  She didn’t have much makeup left on her face that was true. But there was a wholesome inner beauty to her, something that had nothing to do with her physical appearance. It would have shone through regardless of her outward appearance.

  “No, it isn’t that.”

  It was hard to hold back his true feelings. Leo wasn’t a man who ran around singing to the world about private things, but he wanted to for her. Something told him Maryanne wouldn’t accept it just yet. He was the kind of guy who planned everything out and he hadn’t planned on this. But seeing her now, laying in bed, and feeling her body next to his, he knew that he had come home. For a man who had spent his life in the military, that meant more than anything else.

  He couldn’t tell her but he could show her.

  Leo leaned down and kissed her, softly at first, keeping his eyes open as he brushed his mouth over hers. Her eyes clouded with need then drifted shut and he deepened the kiss. He kissed his way down to her neck as he slipped his fingers beneath her shirt. He pulled it up over her head.

  When he saw the simple front closure bar, he sighed with appreciation. There were times he loved fancy lingerie on a woman as much as the next guy, but since his brain wasn’t working beyond getting them both naked, simple was best for now. He popped it open and his brain shut down.

  God, she was beautiful. Silken skin, pink nipples, and just the right size for his hands. He brushed his fingers over the tip of one, then cupped it. He dipped his head and took a hardened tip into his mouth. That one little sample of her had him wanting more. This wasn’t enough. He wanted to taste every inch of her.

  He kissed his way down her body, enjoying the curves, the smoothness of her flesh. When he reached her waist, he pulled her pants and panties off easily in one quick motion. Leo knew he was being a little indelicate, but the urgency to see her naked, to touch her bare skin overrode his better instincts. He tossed her clothes on the floor behind him. She lay naked before him, the soft glow of the sunset lighting her skin.

  He wondered what he did right in his life to have this moment with her. He skimmed his hand up one of her legs before following the path with his mouth. She shivered as he kissed a path up her legs. When he reached the pussy, he took a deep breath. Musky arousal with a trace of femininity. Her scent drew him in.

  The moment he touched his mouth to her sex, he was completely lost. He slipped his tongue inside her wet passage. The taste of her danced over his taste buds. Sweet, tart…intoxicating. Just like the woman. She molded her hands to the back of his head, urging him on. He barely noticed. All that mattered was Maryanne. Her needs. Her pleasure.

  He took her clit into his mouth and pulled it between his teeth as he slid a finger inside her. Her muscles clamped down hard on his digit and he hummed against her clit. Leo could just imagine what she would feel like against his cock as he thrust into her. He added another finger and in that next moment she came apart, screaming his name. He wanted that again, he wanted to hear his name as she came again. This time though, he wanted to be with her, to feel all those muscles contracting against him.

  Leo rose to his knees, and in the next instant, he realized he forgot to bring a condom.

  “Shit.”

  She laughed and he looked down at her. Her smile was soft and inviting and the joy he recognized caught him unawares. It tugged at his heart.

  “In the drawer, soldier.”

  “What?”

  “The condoms, I have some in my drawer.”

  He leaned down and gave her a large smacking kiss. “Gotta love military brats. They know how to be prepared.”

  Balancing himself on one hand, as he leaned forward to pull the drawer open. Within seconds he had the condom on. He slipped his hands beneath her back pulling her up and onto his legs, then lifted her and slowly started to enter her. He never took his gaze from hers as he eased his way into her tight passage. When he was finally seated fully inside of her, she leaned down to press her mouth against his. She slipped her tongue between his lips and he sucked on it as he started to move inside her.

  It didn’t take long before his orgasm rushed through him. She shuddered against him, leaning her head back and moaning his name. The sight of her, and the way her muscles contracted against his cock erased the last of his control.

  When he
was spent, they fell together on the bed.

  * * * *

  “Oh, my,” was all Maryanne could say. Her brain was still not functioning well.

  “I will take that as a compliment.”

  She laughed and allowed the feeling of contentment to fill her. He rose up to his elbow and looked down at her. He was smiling but there was something behind the serious look in his eyes. She had seen it earlier when they first came into the bedroom. It scared her but it also made her heart warm.

  “So, are you hungry now?”

  She had expected more, feared it, and now she found herself a little disappointed.

  “Yeah, sounds good.” She sat up, but he stayed her with his hand.

  “No, stay here. I’ll grab the pizza.”

  He gave her nose a kiss and her heart melted. “You don’t have to do things like that, Santini.”

  He frowned. “Like what?”

  She motioned with her hands. “Like getting me pizza, bringing me lunch...Wait, are you trying to fatten me up to eat me? Like some kind of sick serial killer thing.”

  He shook his head and smiled. “Nope. Just like making you smile.” Then, completely at ease with his nudity, he slipped out of bed and went to get the pizza.

  Her head was still spinning from the lovemaking. How was she supposed to resist sweetness like that? The man had her all messed up. Her first response would be to run. Run far away and try her best not to think about him. But before she could, he was returning with the box in one hand and a couple of waters in the other.

  “No wine?” she asked.

  He shook his head and dropped the box on the bed. “I want you completely sober tonight.”

  She frowned.

  “And I am staying. Get over it.”

  He handed her a water and sat on the bed.

  “The pizza’s a little cold,” she said.

  “Well, it’s been about forty-five minutes since I got here.”

  Surprised, she glanced at the clock and realized he was right. She shrugged and took a bite of pizza.

  “No other complaints?”

  She could tell he was joking and she went with it.

  “Yeah, you’re not very good at that.” She motioned with her slice of pizza.

  “At pizza?”

  “At sex. Good lord I don’t know why I like you.”

  He gave her that lopsided smile that always gave her a jolt. “But you do. A lot.”

  She swallowed, trying to remember to keep it light. “I’m not so sure now.”

  “Really? Because you screamed my name enough times to make me think it had something to do with liking me.”

  She wanted to be mad, but she couldn’t help it. Laughter bubbled up. “You’re an ass.”

  “But as you pointed out, you like me. You really like me.” He finished off his slice of pizza and brushed his hands over the box. He grabbed it, shut the lid and threw it on the floor. She had finished her own slice and he was heading her way.

  “Leo...”

  “What?” he asked but didn’t stop.

  “Don’t you need a little time?”

  “Naw. I need a little Maryanne.” He wiggled his eyebrows and slipped over her and pressed her against the bed. “And I aim to show you.”

  He kissed her then, pulling her lower lip between his teeth.

  “And this time, I plan on taking longer than I did last time.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  Then he dipped his head and kissed her neck. He started to work his way down her body, but she stopped him.

  “No. My turn now, soldier.”

  He smiled and in that instant, she felt her heart squeeze tight. “Anything to please a woman.”

  He laid back. She straddled his hips then smiled down at him.

  “I think that this time, I like the idea of being in charge.”

  He settled his hands behind his head. “Yeah?”

  She traced a finger down his chest and he shivered. “Yeah. I like it a lot.”

  “I think I like you in charge too.” His voice had deepened.

  She chuckled as she wiggled against him. His cock was already hard again against her sex. “I think I can tell that, big boy.”

  Slipping down she kissed his skin and teased his nipples. She dipped lower, licking her way down to his cock. Taking her time, she enjoyed the way his legs moved restlessly against the bed. She took him in hand, wrapping her fingers around his cock. He moaned and power surged within her. She had never been timid about sex, but she had never acted quite this bold with a man before.

  As Maryanne continued to stroke his penis, she bent her head to give his sac a few licks, before moving up to his cock. She twirled her tongue around the crown of it and teased him by only taking the head into her mouth a few times. Then, she took him completely into her mouth.

  The taste of his precum rocked her senses as she took him as far as she could without gagging. Soon, he was thrusting in rhythm with her as she started to stroke his sac.

  “Enough,” he growled as he pulled her up over his body. She grabbed another condom and tore it open, rolling it down his cock.

  Inch by inch she took him inside of her. She rose then descended, over and over, but again, Leo took over. He rolled them over on the bed, reversing their positions. He rose slightly, then started to pound into her. The strength of his thrusts had her headboard smacking against the wall, but she barely paid attention.

  Instead, she enjoyed the feel of him against her, the weight of his body as he surged into her body again and again. Her orgasm slammed through her, the power of it leaving her breathless once again. He pushed her up and over again, the force of it just as amazing as before. He followed, her name on his lips as he thrust into her one last time. He collapsed on top of her.

  The only sound for several minutes was their breathing. She was slick with exertion and her heart was still hammering against her chest. Just like his.

  “As I said before, oh my.”

  He chuckled and lifted his head. “I think that’s my line this time.”

  Chapter Seven

  “So you aren’t going to tell me where we’re going?” Maryanne asked.

  Leo hid his smile. He knew she had been going crazy wondering what he had planned. It had been two weeks since they’d had their night together. They had a few nights of quick dinners and then ended up in bed. What he wanted was to spend more time with her outside of bed. Plus, he knew that Jack had shipped out the day before. She had been preoccupied with that so he wanted to do something that would take her mind off that. Planning a date she didn’t know anything about had captured her attention and held it. He was pretty sure she hadn’t thought of Jack leaving all morning.

  “Nope. It’s a surprise. Don’t you like surprises?”

  She frowned at him and he fought the urge to chuckle. He knew he was lost in a woman when her frowns turned him on...not to mention had his heart turning over. She was just so damned cute when she was frustrated. The pout helped too.

  “No. Surprises in my house were not fun.”

  It had been tough, but during the last couple weeks, he’d tugged out details of her childhood. It had been like extracting a rotten tooth out of a grizzly bear.

  “Oh? Your dad wasn’t big on surprises?”

  “The General? No. His kind of surprise was, hey, missing your birthday for a TDY. Those weren’t fun. Plus, Jesse was the worst when it came to practical jokes. I really hate that. So you can see why I hate surprises.”

  “Well, those aren’t fun. This will be.”

  He took the exit off US 281 and took the turns that led them to the zoo. Her eyebrows rose and she smiled at him.

  “The zoo, Santini?”

  “Yeah, and the botanical gardens. I thought it would be fun just to enjoy the day.”

  She said nothing for a few minutes as he followed the signs. Then, she sighed. “It is pretty today. I planned on spending the day cleaning the apartment.”
/>   An apartment that was hospital clean. She had meant to spend the day dwelling on Jack, checking the news. He had seen her check her phone about five times in the twenty-minute ride from her apartment.

  “Well, you can do that tomorrow. It’s supposed to rain. It’s gorgeous today.”

  He pulled into the parking lot. It was full of families going to the zoo. She sat there watching them, and he wondered if he’d made a mistake. Maybe being surrounded by laughing families and kids wasn’t the thing for them today.

  “Maryanne?”

  She looked at him and blinked. “You never call me MJ.”

  Not really a question, just a statement of fact.

  “Yeah. You aren’t MJ to me. You’re Maryanne.”

  She studied him for a second then her gaze softened. A lump rose in his throat that turned out difficult to swallow. She leaned forward to brush her mouth over his, not closing her eyes the entire time.

  “What was that for?” he asked when she finally pulled back.

  “For seeing me differently than anyone else does.”

  There was so much he wanted to say. She was more than the woman at work or the daughter and sister of Marines. It had only been a month since they met but he knew as sure as he knew he was a Santini that this was the woman for him. He couldn’t imagine going a day without talking to her. It was a first for him.

  Leo knew if he told her, she would freak. Instead, he set those thoughts aside. He gave her a smile and said, “Let’s go.”

  * * * *

  By the time they reached the Africa Live section, Maryanne was thoroughly charmed. Again. As she watched him get some feed for the birds, she couldn’t help but smile. He was like a big kid truthfully. Granted, he was still a sexy man and the looks he got from some of the women today had proven it if she had any doubts. Still, he had thrown himself into the day with such vigor you would think he had never been to a zoo before.

  He came back to her and flashing that smile, which turned her insides to mush.

  “What?” he asked when she kept staring at him.

  “Nothing. You seem to be enjoying yourself.”

  He poured a little of the feed into her hands. “What’s not to love? Pretty day, beautiful woman, and animals.”