A Second Past Midnight (The Sentinels) (6 page)

“
Was he good to you?” Eve cleared her throat after asking that question and Sana knew what she meant. While Sana felt a bit uncomfortable, she actually felt relieved to have someone to confide in.

“Yes. He was, well he was perfect.” Sana smiled to herself knowing that he truly was perfect.

Eve chuckled and quickly paused. “Well that’s good. If you’re good in the bedroom that helps. Now about him. Does he seem interested in you or just your body?” Eve continued.

“Well I guess both?” Sana
wasn’t really sure she knew the answer to her question. She definitely knew it meant that she needed to talk to Arrigo.

“
It sounds like you need to talk to him and see what his intentions are. I know you’re not used to this kind of relationship, but you’re strong, you’ll figure it out.” Eve’s words were kind and supportive and Sana took them to heart.

Sana sobered her thoughts. She knew that Eve was right and so was
Adam. She needed to talk to Arrigo and find out what his intentions truly were even though they had only known each other a short time, she felt a connection between them. The way he had taken the time to please her left her knowing that he already cared on some level.

“Thanks for the advice, Eve. I know what
I need to do now.”

“You are more than welcome and if you need anything don’t hesitate to call. As much as
I don’t miss the Chicago winters I would drop everything to fly there and gut the bastard if he hurts you in any way.” Eve’s thirst for vengeance shown in her tone and it made Sana laugh considering Eve had been a nurse, not a Sentinel.

“There, that’s better. I knew you were strong.” Eve’s smile came through the phone and it touched Sana’s heart to have such a good friend.

“Kiss Iolani for me and tell the big guy thanks,” Sana said.

“Will do.
Take care.”

Their
call ended and Sana placed her phone on the car seat next to her and looked out the window to see the rows of tombstones. She had driven through the snowy cemetery where her father was buried.

Sana got out of the car and stomped through the crunchy snow to her father’s tombstone. She visited it every month just to say hi. He had been her
world and when he died in a plane crash, a part of her died with him. Sana’s mother had died when she was very little and she had no memories of her so her father had played both roles. He was also her role model, her mentor, and her best friend. Parker Jones was an architect and had made a fortune in his work and had always taught Sana to work hard and be proud of herself.

Never once had he told her that she
was outspoken or bitchy. He accepted her for who she was. Not only that, but he had supported her decision to become a Sentinel. Adam had met her father when he wanted an apartment building remodeled and had certain security needs. Sana had been cleared by Adam to assist her father in taking measurements and overseeing the project.

When Adam found out th
at Sana was an expert shot, trained in Taekwondo and had a vicious temper, Adam jumped at the chance to bring her on board. She had just finished her first semester of college and hated it because she didn’t know what she wanted to do. Sana’s father actually encouraged her to at least give it a try because it involved helping people and she loved the idea of helping those that couldn’t be conventionally helped.

“Hi dad.”
Sana knelt in front of the gravesite. As she cleared away some leaves and broken tree branches she spoke.

“I met someone and I think you’d like him.
He’s seems to like me, but I don’t know yet.” She stood and shoved her hands in her pockets. What she wouldn’t give to have him back for just one more dinner. No matter what, he had always made sure that they had dinner together so they could talk.

“Anyway, I just wanted to say hi and I’ll be back soon. Love you.” Sana smiled as she walked back to her car.
Letting her emotions out with Eve had helped tremendously and just a few minutes of privacy at her father’s grave left her feeling relieved and her head clear.

She knew what she wanted to do. She would talk to
Arrigo and just be herself and if he was interested then so be it. If not, she would— well she would call Adam. Laughing to herself, she drove back to the Sentinel Headquarters.

****

Arrigo thrust his hands through his hair as his frustrations grew. A night raid in Iraq stressed him less than the current situation with Sana did. He knew that Williams’ comments to her had thrown her mind into a negative downward spiral and that was something that he knew about all too well. Arrigo’s best friend and fellow corpsman, Grant Kennedy, would dive into a similar state when it came to his wife. Grant and Arrigo had known each other for nine years and occasionally Grant would doubt his ability to keep his wife happy when he was on the other side of the world.

Sure, the couple might not see eye to eye during a phone conversation, but at the end of the day, they loved each other. Sophie, Grant
's wife, never threatened to leave him and Arrigo knew that took a lot of faith considering the circumstances. Nevertheless, Grant would end up convincing himself that he didn’t deserve his wife and it would be Arrigo’s job to talk him off the preverbal ledge.

The worries that Grant had were realistic, but Arrigo knew it would do him no good to worry about it. Usually after a couple of drinks, Grant would relax and Arrigo had him thinking that he was God’s gift to woman. While Arrigo had made his friend feel better, he usually ended up
wishing that he had someone like Sophie to love.

Arrigo had been able to deal with the mental traumas of the battles better than some, but love was one thing that he
hadn’t experienced and honestly didn't know if he ever would. Sure, he had been with a few women, but they were just brief encounters over the years and he had never had an emotionally charged relationship with anyone. He had muted his feelings long ago and didn't know if he would ever know the sensations that accompanied love.

S
ana had gotten under his skin in more ways than he could have ever imagined possible and in just a few hours. Every time he thought of the curve of her lips as she smiled at him he knew he didn't want to ever miss seeing her happy and that told him that he was head over heels for her.

N
ow if he could somehow convince her to give him a chance.

****

As she entered the building, she realized that she hadn’t eaten and was starving. Anytime she stressed, she would lose her appetite and then be angry about it later.

Sana headed for her room knowing she at least had so
me salad and if all else failed she would raid her backup stash of snack crackers. Feeling a little more upbeat about her potential relationship with Arrigo, she realized she almost had a skip to her step as she moved down the hallway. Her main concern now was trying to figure out how she would apologize to him.

Turning down the
corridor to her room, she found Arrigo sitting on the floor with his head on his knees.

How childlike
. Why would he be sitting there waiting for her, especially after the way she had just treated him.

“Arrigo?” she asked.

Quickly, he rose and faced her. If she wasn’t mistaken, a worried look blanketed his face.

“Look I’m sorry. What happened between us was the last thing that I expected when I got here and I deserved that kick and more I’m sure.” He paused and ran his hand through his hair.

Damn, did he look gorgeous.

Keeping her head in charge instead of her hormones, she listened, but
she wasn’t sure if he was trying to apologize or trying to let her know he wasn’t interested.

“I just don’t want you to be uncomfortable around me. I will leave you alone and keep it strictly professional
if that’s what you want.” Arrigo’s voice trailed off and she could see what he was doing. He was giving her the option and she respected that more than he could know.

Arrigo nodded at her and started to walk away. Sana
didn’t know what to say. Quickly, she reached down and grasped his hand as he passed by her.

“Arrigo,” she whispered. He looked down at her and
she instantly lost her thoughts as she stared into his eyes.

A brief moment of silence passed before
Arrigo dipped his head to capture her lips and her heart stopped. She let his tongue invade her mouth and the taste of him was even better than the night before.

She slid both of her hands
over his chest, feeling his muscles as she went. Clutching his shirt in her hands, she wasn’t going to let him go. She would still have to figure out an apology though.

Pulling her close enough
that she could feel every line of his body, she truly knew he wanted her now. Letting out a low moan, Arrigo abruptly pulled his lips away from her just a few inches.

“I know this is fast, but I need you,” he whispered.
Trailing light kisses down her jaw he continued, which set her body afire. “I want you to be who you are around me. Don’t listen to Williams and if you’re mad at me then tell me.”

“What?” she asked. Shocked that he had made a comment regarding Williams surprised her. How did he know what Williams had said to her? 

“I know what he said to you and I want you to be you. Don’t sugarcoat anything for me,” Arrigo reassured her.

Sana
didn’t know how to react. Defensively, she didn’t like being a topic of conversation, but at the same time she knew she couldn’t really be angry about it. Dropping her gaze, she worried. Would he like her for who she was?

Lifting her chin so their gaze met,
she looked into his eyes.

“Sana, you have to be honest with me and yourself if we’re going to give this a chance.” Arrigo
waited for her response. It took her a moment, but it came to her.

“
I only have a few rules. Don’t patronize me, don’t keep me from my meals and please don’t ever tell me I can’t do something because I will not only do it, but I’ll do it better than you.” Sana had blurted out her pet peeves since she couldn’t think of anything else to say.

With his arms wrapped around her, Arrigo laughed and Sana knew
he didn't mind her tenacity.

“You’re a hellcat and I like it that way. So, if you don’t mind putting up with a sometimes crippled, sometimes smartass then we’ll get along just fine.”

Sana jumped, threw her arms around his neck and let her body hang from him. Arrigo grunted as he fell back against the wall. Still holding on to her, he managed to keep his balance.

“Whoa! You have to warn
me before you do that.” But Arrigo didn’t sound mad and Sana liked that.

Without losing a second, she kissed him. Then as if she suddenly remembered, she spoke.

“I’m really, really hungry,” she whispered.

Arrigo laughed
aloud at her and let her slide to the floor. “Then what shall we do for dinner?”

Sana looked him up and down and bit her lip. Arrigo reached up and
grasped her chin between his thumb and finger. “Don’t look at me like I’m a piece of meat.”

She laughed as he wrapped his arm around her. “Now, what are we
really doing for dinner?”

Their
meal passed slowly, just as she had hoped. They ate, laughed and talked. Sana learned that Arrigo’s name was indeed a family name. He had been named after his great-grandfather who had come to America eighty years before he was born. And as far as his birth went, he was thirty-one years old, making him six years older than Sana.

“Would you sit with me?” Sana
put their dirty dishes in the sink and walked back to the table waiting for Arrigo’s reply.

“You do realize that I have no intentions of leaving unless you kick me out, don’t you?” Arrigo reache
d over to grab her by the waist and pulled her to him. She noticed him breathe in deeply as he pressed his face to her stomach.

“
Mmmm, you smell good.” Sana smiled at his revelation and rubbed her hands over his back. Arrigo moaned as she massaged his back.

“I promise this won’t get weird during work.” Arrigo looked up at her.

“Good, because I’d hate to have to beat you.” Sana smirked.

Three weeks
had passed since Arrigo had joined the Sentinel team. Sana hadn’t been happier in her life than she was with him. They worked together daily and spent every night together. There were nights they just fell asleep in each other’s arms while watching TV because they were so tired from the day’s work.

Sana
cooked their supper while Arrigo showered one Thursday evening. They had gone shopping together the night before and picked up groceries for the week. She had picked out mushroom ravioli from the fresh foods section with a Marsala cream sauce to go along.

“That smells great.” Arrigo walked out of the bathroom with nothing on but a towel.