One Night With a Santini (13 page)

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 danced 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 sides. 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.

You met MJ’s brothers in The Santinis, now, get to know them in their own spinoff novella series: Semper Fi Marines!

Tease Me- Book 1

A man who thinks he has what he wants.
Bran Johnson always knew he wanted to be a Marine. What makes it even better is longtime gal pal TK is now stationed at the same base. Unfortunately, Bran is having a hard time dealing with his feelings when he realizes that TK is considered a hot commodity on base. Worse, he finds himself taking a backseat to her admirers.
A woman who always wished for more.
Tess Keller has loved Bran since they were in high school. The former football captain always treated her like a friend so she tried to move on. Unfortunately, he's in her business constantly now. One passionate argument leads to more than either of them expected. Tess knows it isn't going to last because Bran is never going to settle down. So, to save face, she suggests they stay friends, only with the side benefit of being sometime lovers.
A Marine determined to win at all costs.
Bran agrees to the friends with benefits idea just to keep himself close to Tess. She might think he's not around for the long haul, but this is one Johnson brother who knows exactly what he wants...and just how to get it. And what he wants is Tess in his bed and in his life forever. Nothing will stop him, not even Tess herself.

Tempt Me- Book 2

The man who could be general.

Jesse Johnson is a man everyone assumes will be a general. Everyone, that is, but Jesse himself. He isn’t sure if he wants to give that much to the military. His father has spent most of his life surviving a lonely existence with only his work for comfort. Jesse doesn’t want that—he wants it all.

The woman who tempts him to misbehave.

The last year has been bad for Zoe Jones. Her boyfriend was killed by some nasty guys who then put her in the hospital. She’s come to Virginia to heal not to fall for some by the book, drop dead gorgeous Marine with a chip on his shoulder. But one little encounter leads to a kiss and that kiss leads to all kinds of interesting entanglements. She knows it won’t last because he has big plans, but she can’t help but falling a little in love with him.

A Marine on a mission.

Jesse knows Zoe thinks they’re just having a bit of fun, but he has other plans. Forever kind of plans. He’s one man who knows how to organize a full on assault to get the woman he loves—and nothing will stop him.

Touch Me – Book 3

A man trying to forget
.

Jackson Johnson had always planned to spend his life in the Marines serving his country—that is until he came back from a mission with memories he’d rather not have. He feels like he’s circling the drain until he meets the new tenant next door. An altercation with her unruly dog has them at odds. That is until he finds himself kissing her.

A woman who doesn’t have time for love.

Veterinarian Hannah Richmond doesn’t have time for the surly Marine or any man for that matter. Still, resisting his kisses proves futile and soon she finds herself falling for Jack. For the first time in a really long time she discovers she might just want to try for that happily ever after—that is until her past comes back to haunt her.

A Marine determined to prove his love.

Jack knows Hannah is pushing him away because she wants to keep him safe but there is one thing she needs to understand: this Marine will never retreat until she surrenders.

Enjoy this excerpt from
Tease Me!

Later that night, Bran frowned when his phone played
Beethoven’s Fifth
, alerting him that MJ was calling. He felt oddly deflated that Tess hadn’t called, but he knew she was busy.

“Hello, MJ.”

“Hello, yourself. How’s the house hunt?” she asked in typical MJ fashion. His father liked to say that MJ was born talking, and that wasn’t far from the truth. She was always half way through a conversation before Bran knew they were having one.

He didn’t know how to answer the question. Now that MJ and Tess started talking back and forth on the phone, he wasn’t sure how to proceed. Part of him knew he needed a place, and the house down the street would be perfect. But there was a bigger part of him that didn’t want to leave Tess’ house.

“Okay, still looking.”

A beat of silence. And that was a bad thing with MJ. “You know you can’t mooch off Tess forever. And besides, she has a personal life.”

“I know that.” Then he realized what she said. “Wait, has she talked to you about that?”

“What, that you’re a mooch? Not in detail.”