ohana —the Hawaiian word for family. Anthony’s wife had a dance studio in Honolulu, and Marco’s wife handled a charity aimed at Hawaiians. So more than likely, they were staying put. At least, there would always be a place for him to crash if he wanted to hop over.
After checking the steaks, he knew they were done. Tia didn’t like a well done steak, and he didn’t want to get on her bad side. He chuckled. Yeah, he was a big bad Marine. Worried about cooking her steak just right.
Carlos turned off the grill and went inside to grab some plates. He piled on the sides, then headed back outside. He was setting the two plates on the table just as Tia stepped out on the patio.
He studied her a long moment and liked what he saw. When he had seen her walking from the barn, she had looked so defeated. The dark circles were still under her eyes, but her face was no longer pale, and she didn’t look ready to pass out.
“Well, aren’t you punctual,” she said, as she approached the table. “That is one thing I like about military men.”
He grabbed another beer and handed it to her. “Complain and I’ll take it away.”
“Thanks for the beer, but I will cut you if you come between me and my food.”
He chuckled. The woman had a warped sense of humor, but then, most Santinis did too.
After twisting off the top of her beer, she took a long drink and swallowed. The sigh of appreciation that followed sent little sparks over his nerve endings. It wasn’t the least bit sexual, but it didn't mean his body wasn’t listening. Heat flared low in his belly as he tried to remember they were partners. He was the controlling partner and she technically worked for him. So it was wrong to think about hearing her sigh like that as he kissed down her neck—
“How is it that you have never married, Santini?” she asked, interrupting his wayward thoughts.
He cleared his throat and tried to get his head screwed back on straight. “What do you mean?”
“A cold beer, a steak that from the looks of it is cooked perfectly…I’m surprised some little woman hasn’t snapped you up.”
She was smiling at him, and he couldn’t help but respond in kind. The darkness that seemed to have clung to her the last few hours of the workday seemed to have evaporated. And truth was, he always loved to see her smile a real smile—one that showed off her cute dimples.
“Someone has to keep the dream alive. They’re dropping like flies in my family.”
“True. What is it, four married in just the last year?”
He nodded and took a long pull of his own beer. “I never thought Anthony would marry.”
She blinked. “Like ever?”
“He’s not that good with people all the time, and he’s got kind of a grumpy personality.”
She snorted. “Pot…kettle.”
He frowned. “I am not grumpy.”
“Yeah, you are. Sometimes. And remember, I was your trainer. You were not the most pleasant person to be around a few years ago.”
He shrugged. “Well, I’m not grumpy anymore.”
She said nothing as she cut into her steak.
“Tia.”
“What?”
“I’m not grumpy anymore.”
She glanced up at him, then back down to her plate—but not before he could see the amusement in her eyes.
“Dammit, Tia, I am not grumpy.”
She snorted again, then took a bite of her steak. “Oh, lord have mercy. You do know how to grill a steak.”
“Don’t try and change the subject.”
Tia finished chewing and swallowed before she answered. “First, I’m not about to tell the man who just cooked me this fantastic steak that he’s grumpy. Especially not after he threatened to take it away. Second, shouting you aren’t grumpy sort of defeats your argument.”
Good lord, he was being an idiot. He was actually trying to make a woman say he wasn’t grumpy by yelling at her. And why did he worry that Tia thought he was grumpy? Sure, he was attracted to her, but he knew nothing would happen. In fact, it would be best if she thought he was grumpy
After checking the steaks, he knew they were done. Tia didn’t like a well done steak, and he didn’t want to get on her bad side. He chuckled. Yeah, he was a big bad Marine. Worried about cooking her steak just right.
Carlos turned off the grill and went inside to grab some plates. He piled on the sides, then headed back outside. He was setting the two plates on the table just as Tia stepped out on the patio.
He studied her a long moment and liked what he saw. When he had seen her walking from the barn, she had looked so defeated. The dark circles were still under her eyes, but her face was no longer pale, and she didn’t look ready to pass out.
“Well, aren’t you punctual,” she said, as she approached the table. “That is one thing I like about military men.”
He grabbed another beer and handed it to her. “Complain and I’ll take it away.”
“Thanks for the beer, but I will cut you if you come between me and my food.”
He chuckled. The woman had a warped sense of humor, but then, most Santinis did too.
After twisting off the top of her beer, she took a long drink and swallowed. The sigh of appreciation that followed sent little sparks over his nerve endings. It wasn’t the least bit sexual, but it didn't mean his body wasn’t listening. Heat flared low in his belly as he tried to remember they were partners. He was the controlling partner and she technically worked for him. So it was wrong to think about hearing her sigh like that as he kissed down her neck—
“How is it that you have never married, Santini?” she asked, interrupting his wayward thoughts.
He cleared his throat and tried to get his head screwed back on straight. “What do you mean?”
“A cold beer, a steak that from the looks of it is cooked perfectly…I’m surprised some little woman hasn’t snapped you up.”
She was smiling at him, and he couldn’t help but respond in kind. The darkness that seemed to have clung to her the last few hours of the workday seemed to have evaporated. And truth was, he always loved to see her smile a real smile—one that showed off her cute dimples.
“Someone has to keep the dream alive. They’re dropping like flies in my family.”
“True. What is it, four married in just the last year?”
He nodded and took a long pull of his own beer. “I never thought Anthony would marry.”
She blinked. “Like ever?”
“He’s not that good with people all the time, and he’s got kind of a grumpy personality.”
She snorted. “Pot…kettle.”
He frowned. “I am not grumpy.”
“Yeah, you are. Sometimes. And remember, I was your trainer. You were not the most pleasant person to be around a few years ago.”
He shrugged. “Well, I’m not grumpy anymore.”
She said nothing as she cut into her steak.
“Tia.”
“What?”
“I’m not grumpy anymore.”
She glanced up at him, then back down to her plate—but not before he could see the amusement in her eyes.
“Dammit, Tia, I am not grumpy.”
She snorted again, then took a bite of her steak. “Oh, lord have mercy. You do know how to grill a steak.”
“Don’t try and change the subject.”
Tia finished chewing and swallowed before she answered. “First, I’m not about to tell the man who just cooked me this fantastic steak that he’s grumpy. Especially not after he threatened to take it away. Second, shouting you aren’t grumpy sort of defeats your argument.”
Good lord, he was being an idiot. He was actually trying to make a woman say he wasn’t grumpy by yelling at her. And why did he worry that Tia thought he was grumpy? Sure, he was attracted to her, but he knew nothing would happen. In fact, it would be best if she thought he was grumpy
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