Chapter One
Marco Santini jogged up the stairs to his cottage, enjoying the loose feelings in his muscles. It had been a few days since he had been able to hit the beach to run in the morning. He’d been so busy with work lately he hadn’t had the time to make it out. He did his PT but his morning run started his day off right.
As he stepped up to his tiny lanai, he noticed his landlady walking in his direction. Although, every time he thought of her that way, it felt wrong. For most of his life, Marco had always thought of a landlady to be older. Alana was young and beautiful and always had a smile for him.
“Good morning, Lieutenant Santini,” she said.
Marco resisted the urge to tell her she didn’t have to use his rank, but he knew it was useless. He knew she did it out of respect and there was a part of him that found it kind of cute.
Now, the rest of her, he found downright gorgeous. She was wearing a blue t-shirt that hid most of her curves, but she had on a pair of black spandex shorts that she regularly wore for her walks. They clung to the sleek muscle and emphasized her long legs.
“Good morning.”
“Your brothers are getting in today, right?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Sort of an after the fact bachelor party for Leo.”
“That’ll be fun. You have the keys to the SUV, yeah?”
“Yes. I really appreciate you switching cars with me.”
“No problem. I couldn’t pass up a chance to drive your convertible.”
When he had asked her about renting an SUV she had been more than willing to switch cars for the weekend. The truth is, she had to be one of the most accommodating people he knew.
“We’ll try not to disturb you too much. I appreciate you letting me have them stay here.”
Her eyes widened. “Of course I would. There’s nothing as important as family. Make sure to let me know if you need anything else.”
Before he could respond to that, she waved and headed down to the path to have her morning walk. He watched until she disappeared around the hedge then started to his house.
He had found the rental through his commander who told him Alana liked to rent to military folks because her father had been an Army ranger. It had been a godsend. Marco wasn’t in the mood for apartment living.
He walked up the steps and unlocked his front door. His cell played the Air Force song before he could close the door.
“Hey, Gee, shouldn’t you be on your way?”
“There’s a delay here, but we should be taking off within the hour.”
“I’ll be picking you up at Hickam so just call like I said.”
“We were going to rent a car. I don’t think that little convertible of yours can fit us all.”
“No, it can’t. My landlady has an SUV she’s letting me borrow.”
There was a beat of silence. “Don’t tell me you’re letting her drive your car.”
All his brothers thought he was fanatical about his car. Sure he didn’t let Gee or Leo drive it, but if anyone saw their driving skills, they would understand. Vince was the only one he allowed in the driver’s seat. Sometimes.
“Yes. Well, sort of. I’m leaving it here for her today.”
There was a sigh on the other side of the line. “I wouldn’t want to think about some little old lady driving Sally.”
“Stop calling my car Sally. It’s weird.”
“A man that in love with his car should at least have a name for it. What?” There was some mumbling in the background. “Vicente said you should at least buy her a drink or two considering you’re using it to fulfill your lack of a sexual relationship with a woman.”
“Oh, shove it down your pie hole, Gee.”
“Mom wouldn’t like that kind of talk.”
He chuckled. “Mom taught me the phrase. What time are you set to land?”
“They’re saying we’ll be landing at fourteen hundred.”
“I’ll be there before that. I’m only working half a day.”
After getting a few more things cleared up, complete with name calling, Marco hung up and
Marco Santini jogged up the stairs to his cottage, enjoying the loose feelings in his muscles. It had been a few days since he had been able to hit the beach to run in the morning. He’d been so busy with work lately he hadn’t had the time to make it out. He did his PT but his morning run started his day off right.
As he stepped up to his tiny lanai, he noticed his landlady walking in his direction. Although, every time he thought of her that way, it felt wrong. For most of his life, Marco had always thought of a landlady to be older. Alana was young and beautiful and always had a smile for him.
“Good morning, Lieutenant Santini,” she said.
Marco resisted the urge to tell her she didn’t have to use his rank, but he knew it was useless. He knew she did it out of respect and there was a part of him that found it kind of cute.
Now, the rest of her, he found downright gorgeous. She was wearing a blue t-shirt that hid most of her curves, but she had on a pair of black spandex shorts that she regularly wore for her walks. They clung to the sleek muscle and emphasized her long legs.
“Good morning.”
“Your brothers are getting in today, right?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Sort of an after the fact bachelor party for Leo.”
“That’ll be fun. You have the keys to the SUV, yeah?”
“Yes. I really appreciate you switching cars with me.”
“No problem. I couldn’t pass up a chance to drive your convertible.”
When he had asked her about renting an SUV she had been more than willing to switch cars for the weekend. The truth is, she had to be one of the most accommodating people he knew.
“We’ll try not to disturb you too much. I appreciate you letting me have them stay here.”
Her eyes widened. “Of course I would. There’s nothing as important as family. Make sure to let me know if you need anything else.”
Before he could respond to that, she waved and headed down to the path to have her morning walk. He watched until she disappeared around the hedge then started to his house.
He had found the rental through his commander who told him Alana liked to rent to military folks because her father had been an Army ranger. It had been a godsend. Marco wasn’t in the mood for apartment living.
He walked up the steps and unlocked his front door. His cell played the Air Force song before he could close the door.
“Hey, Gee, shouldn’t you be on your way?”
“There’s a delay here, but we should be taking off within the hour.”
“I’ll be picking you up at Hickam so just call like I said.”
“We were going to rent a car. I don’t think that little convertible of yours can fit us all.”
“No, it can’t. My landlady has an SUV she’s letting me borrow.”
There was a beat of silence. “Don’t tell me you’re letting her drive your car.”
All his brothers thought he was fanatical about his car. Sure he didn’t let Gee or Leo drive it, but if anyone saw their driving skills, they would understand. Vince was the only one he allowed in the driver’s seat. Sometimes.
“Yes. Well, sort of. I’m leaving it here for her today.”
There was a sigh on the other side of the line. “I wouldn’t want to think about some little old lady driving Sally.”
“Stop calling my car Sally. It’s weird.”
“A man that in love with his car should at least have a name for it. What?” There was some mumbling in the background. “Vicente said you should at least buy her a drink or two considering you’re using it to fulfill your lack of a sexual relationship with a woman.”
“Oh, shove it down your pie hole, Gee.”
“Mom wouldn’t like that kind of talk.”
He chuckled. “Mom taught me the phrase. What time are you set to land?”
“They’re saying we’ll be landing at fourteen hundred.”
“I’ll be there before that. I’m only working half a day.”
After getting a few more things cleared up, complete with name calling, Marco hung up and
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