Free Gianni - The Santinis by Melissa Schroeder Page B

something
I thought I wanted.”
    “ So, is that a
yes?”
    She drew in a deep
breath and nodded.
    “ Are you sure?
It isn’t the easiest of lives.”
    “ When you left
the other day, I thought we were through. I thought that I would
never see you again. That was worse than anything else I have ever
been through.”
    He smiled.
    “ Yes, Gianni,
I’ll marry you.”
    He took out the ring
and put it on her finger. The fit was almost perfect. He hugged her
close and kissed her neck. “You’ve made me the happiest
man in Georgia.”
    He pulled back and
kissed her.
    “ Hey, Gee, get
that woman in here,” Leo yelled.
    They pulled back and
realized the whole shop had been watching them. She blushed.
    “ Get used to
it, Kianna,” MJ said. “Santinis always like an audience.”
    She laughed as she
and Gianni walked hand in hand into the sweet shop.

Epilogue
    “ I hope you
don’t mind going to Virginia for the weekend,” Gianni
said, as they waited at the airport.
    Kianna smiled at
him. “Of course not. What woman in her right mind would
complain about get a private jet ride?”
    Gianni chuckled.
“It’s hard to think of Alana of being that rich, but I
guess she is.”
    “ So, she’s
not snobby?”
    “ First, none
of the Santinis would want to deal with a snob. Secondly, Alana is
the antithesis of snobbery.”
    She smiled but it
faded. “I’m still worried about how your family will take
me?”
    “ I told you.
Mom is kind of a hippy child. Your radical political views are no
problem.”
    She snorted and
Gianni couldn’t help but smile. Three weeks since they had
gotten engaged and he was ready to tie the knot right now. His mother
would have freaked if he’d called to say they’d eloped
though. And there was one thing every Santini understood: Don’t
upset Joey Santini.
    “ I wasn’t
asking about that. I’m worried about my age. I am a bit older
than you.”
    “ Yeah, you’re
a year or two away from AARP membership and social security
benefits.”
    “ I’m
serious, Gianni. I’m not so sure most Mamas would be happy
about their sons marrying someone so much older.”
    He studied her and
realized that she was serious. Damn, he hadn’t realized she’d
been worrying about this. He pulled her into his arms.
    “ Mom is going
to love you. She’s so happy with more women in the family, she
doesn’t care. But, she will love you not only because I love
you, but for all the reasons I do. You’re sweet, smart, and
beautiful, inside and out.”
    She gave him a small
smile, “Yeah?”
    He nodded and gave
her a kiss. “Yeah.”
    “ Is that the
plane?” Kianna asked looking over his shoulder.
    He turned and saw
the plane taxiing up to the hanger. “Probably. Not many private
jets fly into Valdosta.”
    It took a few
seconds and they watched together, his arms wrapped around her as she
stood in front of her.
    “ You know I
love you, don’t you?” she asked.
    He did, and every
time she said it made him feel twenty feet tall. “Yeah, I do.”
He kissed the side of her neck as the door to the jet opened and the
stairs descended. “Come on, you have some Santinis to meet.”

Coming May 24th ,
the last of the Santini Brothers!

The Santinis: Vicente

    Vince
Santini  considers himself the last man standing. Being the
only unmarried brother is a badge of honor, until the woman had
always been in his heart returns. Acting on his attraction hadn't
been an option seeing that she was his best friend's girl, but now
she is single and free for him to pursue.

    Julianna
Andrews  is a survivor. It took her years to walk away from
her abusive husband, and now all she cares about is building her
business. She doesn't have time for Vince or the temptation he
represents. He is a reminder of her past. One argument leads to a
heated kiss, and the passion that threatens to consume them both.

    Vince knows that
Jules might not be ready for happily ever after with anyone, but he
is bound and determined to convince her