Chapter 16

16

Dante watched as Madison worked her way through her yoga positions. He’d dated a dancer once, but Elaine had nothing on Madison.

She was fluid. The old saying of poetry in motion came to mind. He knew there was no music, but it was as if she were working to some inner soundtrack, one only she could hear.

It was breathtaking. She was breathtaking.

She finished her work out, then rose to her feet. He slid the door open.

“It’s kind of creepy that you are standing there watching me,” she said, without turning around. When she finally did, he shrugged.

“None of you know how to behave.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked.

“All the Santinis know they can charm just about anyone out of their clothes.”

“Is that true?”

“Yeah.” Then she moved, agitation in her movements. It was so at war with her earlier work out, it stood out.

“So, are you telling me that was all this was about?”

He didn’t answer right away. This was one of those times he wasn’t sure if she was kidding or if she was serious.

“You think I went through all that just to get your clothes off you?”

She cocked her head to one side. “Some might say it would show that I was worth it.”

Then, her lips twitched before she started to giggle.

“Oh, my, seeing you squirm is definitely fun.”

He set his coffee cup down easily. “Is that a fact?”

“Yeah.”

Suddenly, he whipped around and headed off in her direction. She let loose a totally girly squeal he never expected to hear coming from Madison, and ran in the opposite direction. Charlie ran interference. It didn’t take him that long to catch her though. He sent them both tumbling onto the ground. They rolled around on the soft grass as Charlie ran around them barking. Finally, Dante ended up on top and pinned both of her arms above her head.

She was laughing, her face flushed with happiness, and her hair was a tangled mess against the carpet of grass beneath them. His breath caught in his chest, his heart slowing down a beat or two, then kicking up into a crazy rhythm.

Madison’s smile faded as he continued to stare her. Dante couldn’t help it. Since his revelation the night before, he’d been dealing with a mixture of emotions, and he still felt like he was on a rollercoaster. So much he wanted to tell her, to share with her. He would love to hear her laughter until the last moment he drew his breath on this earth.

“What?”

He wanted to tell her all of this, but…she would definitely panic. Instead, he shook his head and lowered his mouth to hers. Slowly, keeping his gaze on hers, he brushed her lips with his. She sighed, the small sound sending a frisson of sensual heat pulsing through his blood. He slanted his mouth and meant to take the kiss deeper, but her neighbor had a different idea.

“Hey, don’t mind us over here,” Jack said with a laugh. “I’m just on the phone with your Aunt Joey.”

Dante pulled back. “I think I might kill him.”

She chuckled as he rolled off her, then to his feet. He helped her up.

“Yeah, he was assaulting my next door neighbor,” Jack was saying on the phone. “Her name is Madison Baker.”

Jack’s eyes were dancing when he held the phone out to Dante. “Your aunt wants to talk to you.”

“You’re a dead man, Johnson,” he said from behind clenched teeth.

But, Dante knew better than to ignore a phone call from Joey. When he put it up to his ear, she was already talking.

“I am not being nosey, Stewart. I’m saying hello to my favorite nephew.”

“Anthony’s feelings are going to be hurt, Joey. He thinks he’s your favorite.”

“Dante,” she said, her voice filled with laughter. “And of course you are my favorite. Anthony doesn’t answer my phone calls all the time.”

“That’s because we all know you do surveillance for our mother.”

She gasped. “What a perfectly horrible thing to say to me.”

He laughed. “Yeah, sure.”

“So, you were attacking a next door neighbor?”

He sighed and walked away from the fence. Madison was talking to Jack and he wanted a little privacy.

“Yeah. She’s kind of cute.”

“Really?”

“Well, once I looked past her bucked teeth.”

There was a pause.

“Bucked teeth?”

“The hump in her back is barely noticeable if she wears a shirt big enough to hide it.”

“Dante Michael Santini, stop messing with me.”

“Sorry, it was too much temptation to mess with you. And yes, I was attacking Jack’s very gorgeous neighbor, Madison Baker. We actually went to Annapolis together.”

“Navy or Marines?”

“Marines, but she’s a civilian now.”

“Ah, well, I don’t want to keep you. I just wanted to make sure you are okay.”

His heart warmed. The Santini family was large, but they were close knit. Joey was the matriarch of sorts and she liked to meddle, but she did it out of love.

“Doing great. Spent Friday night out with Elena.”

“That’s great. I’ll let you go. Tell Jack I said goodbye, and I am ready for another grandbaby.”

“He’s not your son.”

She made a disgusted sound. “I claim him, he has no choice. Love you, Dante.”

The line went dead. He turned off Jack’s phone and headed over to the fence.

“So, she’s wanting a new baby?” Dante asked.

Jack shook his head. “Not even my mother and she insists it will be her grandbaby.”

He knew that Jack’s mother had passed away a long time ago and his father never remarried. “Give it up, Jack. Once Joey adopts you, you’re considered hers.”

Jack rolled his eyes.

“Would this be the legendary Joey Santini?” Madison asked.

“You know her?”

“ Of her. Your sister thinks she is a goddess.”

He smiled. “The only woman who scares any of us more is our own mother. They are both forces of nature.”

And more than likely, thanks to those forces, he should probably expect another phone call soon. He hoped that he at least had a few days’ reprieve.

Joey looked out over the falling leaves in the backyard as she waited for Marcella to answer her phone. Stewart was already outside fighting the losing battle of trying to keep their yard clear of them.

“Joey, I was just thinking of calling you today. Tony and I are talking about a trip to England to see Dave and Bess, and we thought maybe you and Papa might want to go.”

“That sounds fabulous, but I would wait on any solid dates.”

“Why, is there something wrong?” she asked, worry infusing her warm tones.

“No. I just got off the phone with Dante.”

“You talk to my kids more than I do.”

Joey chuckled knowing it wasn’t true. “I didn’t call him. You know Jack Johnson, Leo’s brother-in-law?”

“Oh, yes. Dante stayed with him for a few days after PCSing to Pendleton.”

“He has a neighbor and apparently Dante spent the night.”

There was a pause. “A female neighbor?”

“Well, yes. Madison Baker.”

“Well, well, well.”

There was something in her voice that caught Joey’s attention. “You know her?”

“She was Elena’s roommate at Annapolis.”

She searched her memory. At the graduation, she remembered a friend of Elena’s although she didn’t talk to her. “Oh, I think I remember. Tall, striking.”

“Yes. And I always thought Dante had a bit of a crush on her. I know Fernando did.”

“Very interesting. Anyway, he’s involved with her, so I thought I would let you know.”

“Thank you. They don’t tell me anything.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t have known if Jack wasn’t ready to divert my attention. Now, about that trip to England…when do you want to go?”

The talk of the trip took over the conversation, but Joey made a mental reminder to call her daughter-in-law and Jack’s sister, MJ. She’d definitely be able to get more information than a meddling mother.