Leah Martyn - Redeeming Dr Riccardi

Their table had emptied almost as soon as the dance music had begun. Left on her own, Toni took off towards the powder room, deciding she’d stay until they’d drawn the raffle and then she’d be away to her bed.

After refreshing her lipstick, Toni left the powder room. As she passed the bar on the way back to the table, she stopped and almost froze. Rafe was standing with his hip against the bar, elbow bent as he lifted a glass of orange juice to his mouth.

Toni took a step backwards as if to regain her equilibrium. Her breathing immediately felt tight and her stomach went into freefall as she admitted honestly, that physically Rafe Riccardi pushed every one of her buttons.

Steadying herself with a long breath, she went forward. ‘Hi …’

Rafe spun round. ‘Antonia—’ In an almost jerky motion he lowered his arm and placed his glass on the bar top.

For a few seconds there was an awkward silence while they each took stock.

Sweet God, she was lovely, Rafe thought. Beautiful and warm and … sexy. And he wanted her, as he hadn’t wanted a woman in ages. Maybe years.

He certainly scrubbed up well. Toni bit gently on the soft pad of her bottom lip. Her eyes flicked to the pale blue shirt that moulded his broad shoulders, followed the tailored line of his black trousers to his black leather shoes. She pressed her clutch-bag tightly against her chest.

‘You managed to drag yourself here, then?’ Oh, lord. Toni almost groaned. That hadn’t come out right. But suddenly her tongue seemed to have a mind of its own.

Rafe gave a tight shrug. ‘Bernie Maguire put the weights on me to draw one of the raffle prizes.’

‘And you can’t very well ignore the chairman of the board,’ Toni agreed, oddly disappointed he hadn’t felt the need to respond to her invitation. ‘Our people are mostly at the table over here.’ She indicated with her hand. ‘Would you like to join us?’

‘Thanks.’ He picked up his glass. ‘Can I get you something to drink while we’re here?’

‘I’m fine, thanks.’ Toni shook her head. ‘Have you eaten?’

‘I had a steak at the pub.’

Toni flicked a tentative smile at him. ‘There’s dessert still going begging. Interested?’

‘Might be. What’s on offer?’

Well, not me. Toni’s heart began to patter. Were they playing games again? ‘There are three kinds of bread-and-butter pudding, for starters.’

His chuckle was a bit rusty. ‘My grandmother used to make bread-and-butter pudding.’

‘Not like this, she didn’t.’

‘Reckon?’ Rafe turned his head a fraction and sent her a slow, lazy smile.

Toni blinked, feeling shock waves of its aftermath right down to her toes. His smile was like the sun coming out. Shame he didn’t do it more often. They stopped at the table. ‘I’m sitting here.’ She put her clutch-bag down. ‘Park your drink and let’s find out, shall we?’

Rafe hesitated. ‘I’m not taking someone’s place, am I?’

‘I’m not here with anyone.’ Toni answered the question she assumed he was asking.

His mouth twitched. ‘Lead on, then. I need to see these puddings.’

At the buffet they bypassed a luscious tropical fruit salad, sorbet and various kinds of cheesecakes. ‘Now, here we have the bread and butter puddings,’ Toni said, hamming it up with a graceful sweep of her hand. ‘You could start with maple syrup and pecan, get a bit edgy and try the lemon curd and coconut and then give your tastebuds a real treat and finish with white chocolate and raspberry.’

Rafe clicked his tongue and sighed in mock-resignation. ‘It’s a hard call but someone has to do it. Going to join me?’

‘Of course.’ Toni’s mouth fell into a soft pout. ‘Can’t have you eating alone.’ With their selections made, they went back to the table.

‘So, where are you staying?’ Toni asked conversationally.

‘Joe and Cath kindly offered me the use of their annexe at the house.’

‘What a good arrangement. It’s a great space. They had it built for Joe’s dad originally but he didn’t stay long. Missed his mates in Sydney.’

‘It’s certainly very comfortable,’ Rafe agreed. ‘Close to the hospital. And the pool is a real bonus on these hot nights.’

‘Yes, it would be,’ Toni rejoined softly, her thoughts going into overdrive. She’d been invited to swim many times in the Lyons’ pool. And at night especially it was magical, with the lights by the pool shining back through the tropical shrubbery and edging the white jasmine with soft radiance. And the air you breathed was heavy with woodsy scents. Cath and Joe had created a very private place. Special. She wondered if Rafe found it so.

The creamy dessert slid over her tongue.

Did he swim naked …?

As if he’d divined the pattern of her thoughts, he remarked, ‘Joe said you swim at their place quite often. Don’t feel you have to stop just because they’re away.’

‘I wouldn’t want to invade your privacy.’

‘You wouldn’t be. Besides …’ His spoon paused midway from his dessert bowl ‘… it’s no fun swimming alone.’

Toni had no time to answer. Bernie Maguire materialised at the table. ‘Good, you’re both here,’ he said. ‘We’d like to get cracking if you don’t mind and draw these raffles. The mayor will be drawing the main prize and, Rafe, if you’d draw the winners for the cases of wine? And Toni …’ He looked down and gave her one of his big barracuda grins. ‘Might be a nice touch if you could draw out the winner for the luxury weekend.’

‘Me?’ Toni’s eyes went wide in alarm. ‘Bernie, I don’t think I should do it. There are more senior people at the hospital—’

‘Nonsense.’ Bernie clearly wasn’t having that. ‘It will be very appropriate having a good-looking couple from the hospital on stage. Very appropriate. Right, then.’ He rubbed his hands together, indicating mission accomplished. ‘I’ll just go and get things rolling.’

‘This is awful!’ Toni glanced despairingly at Rafe. ‘We … can’t have people thinking we’re a couple.’

Rafe shrugged. He could think of worse things. ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s small-town politics. And folk will have found something more interesting to talk about tomorrow.’

Toni had her doubts about that but with Bernie’s voice already booming from the stage, inviting everyone to return to their tables for the drawing of the raffle prizes, she got slowly to her feet. The sooner they got this over the better.

With the prizewinners announced, Rafe and Toni squeezed their way through the dancers already back on the floor. They joined Matt and Liz, who were already seated at the table. ‘We’re just taking a little breather,’ Liz said, before introducing Rafe to her husband. She looked in sorrow at her pile of ticket stubs. ‘You know, I really thought I was in with a chance to win that luxury weekend.’

‘Sorry,’ Toni said with dry irony. ‘I couldn’t seem to find your ticket when I stuck my hand in the barrel.’

The men laughed. ‘I’ll get another round of drinks in.’ Matt got to his feet.

‘I’ll come with you,’ Rafe said. ‘But I’ll stick to OJ. Antonia?’

‘Oh …’ Toni felt her cheeks warm. ‘Mineral water, thanks.’

As the men walked companionably towards the bar, Liz turned to Toni, her raised brows speaking volumes. ‘Antonia?’

Toni rolled her eyes.

Liz smirked. ‘Scrubs up well, doesn’t he?’

‘Matt?’ Toni responded innocently.’

‘Oh, ha.’ Liz made a small face. ‘Riccardi, of course. And his voice—smooth as molasses. Do you think—you know?’She rocked her hand expressively. ‘He might fancy you?’

Toni felt the nerves in her stomach clench. If the micro-currents already running between them were to be acknowledged, then perhaps she and Rafe Riccardi might just fancy each other. But she wasn’t letting Liz get a whiff of that. No way. ‘Get over yourself, Lizzy.’