A Nurse's Search and Rescue, page 7
‘He’s been reasonably comfortable since I put the splint on.’
‘That’s my magazine.’ Hayley had moved to the far corner of the resus area and was still glaring at Tori.
Tori ignored her. ‘I’ll set up some Entonox.’
Charles had his head tipped back, light glinting off his spectacles as he stared at the room’s fitting. ‘What’s that for?’
‘Oxygen,’ Matt told him. ‘And that’s suction.’
‘What’s suction?’
‘Kind of a human vacuum cleaner. You use it to get things like spit out of someone’s mouth if they can’t breathe properly.’
‘Eeew!’ Hayley said loudly. ‘That is so gross!’
‘And this is for blood pressure.’ Tori moved to stand closer to the bed. ‘Have you ever had your blood pressure taken, Jack?’
‘No-o-o.’
Tori smiled reassuringly at the fearful tone. ‘It doesn’t hurt, sweetie. It just squeezes your arm a bit. Shall we get Charles to try it first?’
Charles blinked but then a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. ‘Cool.’ He pushed up the sleeve of his sweatshirt. ‘Do I get to have an X-ray, too?’
Matt was silent as he stood close to Jack while Tori took baseline vital signs. Charles was put in charge of taking Jack’s pulse and he took the responsibility very seriously, counting for a full minute. Linda sat on a chair with Bonnie on her lap, and Matt could see that they were both watching Tori with fascination. When she took a moment to grab a glove, blow it up and knot the end to make a balloon for Bonnie, even Hayley was watching. Tori used a felt-tip pen to draw rooster markings on the glove, glancing up to wink at Hayley.
‘I’d offer you one, but I’m sure you’d rather just have your magazine back.’
Matt made the mistake of catching his mother’s gaze at one point. She might as well have had a balloon over her head with the words ‘Why not? She’s so good with the kids…see?’
He shook his head imperceptibly. The disappointment was still fresh for Linda, but the length of time that Matt had spent away from the road at that desk job had been enough for it to have morphed into regret for him. And even that had faded. It was the way things were, and that was that. A case of accepting what couldn’t be changed.
Meeting Tori again hadn’t sparked anything more than an appreciation of her company. Spending time with her on the road had deepened that to a genuine affection that made friendship with her a very desirable commodity, and that friendship had developed a whole new level after the night young Charlene had died.
They understood each other. The odd glance that came his way while Tori busied herself looking after Jack had been more than enough to let Matt know that she knew exactly how close to the end of his tether he was in his role as a parent. When he got the chance, he’d be able to tell her just how awful the whole week had been. He could even admit his moments of utter despair at the task he’d taken on, and she would not only understand but she wouldn’t think any the less of him for it.
And he understood exactly why she would never share any more of her life with someone else’s children. It wasn’t that she didn’t care. She’d been there and done that and had the scars to prove it. If she wanted to protect herself from now on, it was more than understandable. It was commendable. Matt approved, in fact. He’d like to protect Tori himself, and the way he could do that was to make sure he never revisited thoughts of anything more than friendship.
Could he keep himself in that safe place if he went away with her for a weekend? Was that, rather than its effect on the children, what was giving him second thoughts?
Disturbingly, Linda seemed to guess what Matt was thinking about. When they were about to wheel Jack through for his X-ray, she smiled at Tori.
‘It’s your sister that’s getting married next weekend, isn’t it?’
Tori nodded. ‘I can’t wait. A couple of days of sunshine and sea will be a real treat.’
‘Matt’s looking forward to it as well.’
Tori’s pleasure was more than evident in the smile she directed at Matt. ‘Have you decided, then? You’re going to come with me?’
Matt waited until they had left the rest of the family behind them. ‘I’d like to,’ he admitted. ‘I could really use a break right now.’
‘But?’
Matt grimaced. ‘Hayley’s being difficult.’
Tori grinned. ‘She’s a teenager. It’s in her job description. She’s not going to respect you if you let her walk all over you, Matt. Kids need boundaries to push to declare independence. If they can’t find the boundaries, they’ll just keep pushing until they do. Let Hayley win this one and she’ll be twice as difficult the next time you want to do something for yourself. It’s only for a couple of days.’
It was a more considered version of what his mother had said earlier, wasn’t it? Maybe Matt’s approach wasn’t that good for any of them, but that was hardly surprising, was it? He’d been thrown into parenthood at the deep end. The thought of Hayley being twice as difficult next time round was scary, but the teenager wasn’t Matt’s only concern right now.
‘There’s Jack to consider now, too.’
‘Jack’s going to be bouncing around in a day or two. Probably with a nice new cast on his arm.’ Tori leaned closer to the bed she was pushing. ‘What colour do you want for your arm, Jack?’
‘What colours are there?’
‘The whole rainbow,’ Tori assured him. ‘Green and blue and yellow and red. Pink, even.’
‘I don’t want pink.’
‘Fair enough. You shall have whatever colour you want, Jack. You deserve it for being so brave.’ Her glance at Matt was mischievous. ‘Uncle Matt’s being quite brave as well.’ She lowered her voice. ‘So you deserve what you want, too.’
‘And what is it that I want?’ Matt knew quite well where this was leading, but he was enjoying the look on Tori’s face so much he wanted to spin it out just a little longer.
‘Some fun,’ Tori answered firmly. ‘In paradise. With me,’ she added with a grin that suggested she was the best part of the deal.
And Matthew found himself grinning back. He knew his parents would cope for a day or two, even with a small boy with his arm in a cast and a sulky teenager. The lure of the short holiday was irresistible.
Or was it Victoria Preston who was irresistible?
CHAPTER FIVE
‘WANT some company?’
Tori could only nod. If she’d tried to speak, her words would have caught on that lump in her throat. Had Matt sensed the peculiar loneliness that had brought her out to sit in the tropical warmth of this Fijian night? His smile suggested that he knew exactly how she felt, and his words confirmed it.
‘Bit hard to sleep and let go of such a perfect day, isn’t it?’
Tori could smile now. And speak. ‘It was, wasn’t it?’ She drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. ‘Just perfect.’
‘It’s only 1 a.m. Kind of early to pack up a wedding party.’ Matt sat down carefully on the wicker swing seat Tori was curled up on, but the gentle rocking the weight of his body caused was pleasant rather than intrusive.
‘The boats needed to travel together for safety in the dark.’ Tori’s smile wobbled just a little. ‘And pregnant brides need their rest.’
‘It was a beautiful wedding.’
‘Mmm.’ Tori closed her eyes for a moment, letting images drift. Love and laughter had permeated far more than the ceremony on the beach and Sarah had been glowing with far more than impending motherhood. Her long, dark hair had flowed loose over the simple white dress, her feet had been bare and the garland of tropical flowers in her hair the only adornment she had needed. Tori’s eyes opened slowly but her tone was dreamy. ‘Sarah looked gorgeous, didn’t she?’
‘So did you. Did you know that Sarah had chosen a dress for you in exactly the same shade of blue as your eyes?’
‘No.’ Tori looked away quickly. Fabric that matched eye colour wasn’t the sort of thing a friend would notice, was it? Especially a male friend. But, then, she had admired the way Matt’s open-necked cream shirt had darkened his skin and hair, hadn’t she? And while she had dismissed Sarah’s rather meaningful glance at one point, she had been aware of an odd pride at having provided such a good-looking member of the wedding party.
Matt had fitted in so well with the small group as well. They’d only arrived the night before the wedding but nobody would guess they hadn’t all known each other for years. The beer-drinking session that had gone on long after Sarah and Tori had both gone to bed had been all Ben had seemed to need in the way of a stag night, and when Ben had asked Matt only this morning if he would act as his best man, it had seemed the wedding party’s completion had been pre-ordained.
‘I’ve never seen a bride who was both barefoot and pregnant.’ Matt sounded amused. ‘Just as well I didn’t say that in my speech, though, eh?’
Tori’s smile faded a little too quickly. ‘She’s so happy.’ She caught Matt’s gaze and then wished she hadn’t. He saw too much. It was selfish to feel left out. Or envious.
‘You haven’t lost her, you know,’ Matt said gently. ‘You’ve just gained some more family. Ben’s a nice guy and Phoebe’s a real treat.’
Tori nodded. ‘You’d never know that Phoebe wasn’t Sarah’s daughter now. They’re a real family, aren’t they?’
‘And you’re part of it. Phoebe thinks her new aunty is wonderful, and you’ll be seeing a lot more of them all soon. From what Ben was saying last night, it looks as though they’ll be able to shift to New Zealand well before the baby arrives.’
In the short silence that followed, Tori stared at her bare feet, wiggling toes that had their nails painted a soft shell pink. She could feel Matt’s gaze resting on her skin and it gave her an odd sensation, like an unexpected puff of a breeze. She wiggled her toes a little more quickly.
‘They’re very lucky, aren’t they?’ Matt murmured a little wistfully. ‘To have found each other.’
‘Mmm.’
So Matt was feeling the same way she was. To witness the love and commitment that had joined the lives of Sarah and Ben today had been the kind of fairy-tale ending to a search everybody made at some point in their lives. And they were very lucky. How many people found the right person at the right time and knew that their love was strong enough to overcome any obstacle and last the distance?
Matt was in a position where it was almost impossible to continue that search and, maybe as a result of the ceremony she had witnessed only today, Tori had just woken up to the yearning that made simply having fun seem like a waste of time. In the midst of all the joy of the wedding, they had both been left with a sense of personal sadness. Of being left out.
It seemed an automatic gesture to offer comfort, and the seat rocked again a little as Tori reached out and touched Matt’s arm. She had intended to say something along the lines of the right person being out there waiting for him, but the jolt of some weird kind of electricity on her fingertips was disconcerting. That wasn’t something that should happen between friends either, was it? Tori pulled her hand back and any words of comfort died on her lips.
Matt looked momentarily startled as well. He turned his attention sharply to the view from the small balcony they shared, and seemed only too keen to change the subject.
‘Gorgeous view, isn’t it? I love the way the moonlight catches ripples in the water. And there’s so many islands out there, all looking dark and mysterious.’
‘This island is the best. I don’t think I’ll ever want to go anywhere else for a holiday. And that rock pool on the beach just had to be the most romantic spot on earth for a wedding. I’m so glad it didn’t rain.’
‘I don’t think Sarah or Ben would have noticed if it had.’
‘The guests might have. And it would have spoiled that wonderful island-style feast they did in the garden.’
‘Speaking of guests, I feel a bit bad that I’m the only one who gets to stay here.’
‘I’m the closest relative,’ Tori reminded him. ‘Apart from that elderly aunt of Ben’s, and if she’d been given the guest bure bed, we would both have been camping on the couch.’
The look they exchanged was even more disconcerting than that touch on Matt’s arm had been, and Tori felt her heart rate pick up noticeably. There was more than a flicker of interest burning in the depths of those hazel eyes, undoubtedly prompted by the suggestion of shared sleeping quarters.
Tori swallowed hard. This was definitely not something that should happen between friends, and right now was not a good time to ponder just how undeniable Matt Buchanan’s physical attractions were.
They were, to all intents and purposes, alone. Tucked away in the velvety, warm tropical darkness in a small guest suite that was separated from both the main house and housekeeper’s quarters. They were sitting close together and were barely dressed.
Tori was wearing silk boxer shorts and the soft singlet top she preferred to sleep in. Matt was also wearing boxer shorts. He had thrown on that cream shirt he had been wearing earlier today before coming outside, but he hadn’t bothered to button it. Tori could see the glow of sun-kissed skin on his chest, which was only lightly dusted with tawny hair.
‘Most of the guests were local anyway,’ she added hurriedly. ‘Ben’s got to know a lot of people by working here.’ It wasn’t that she could see that glowing bare skin on Matt’s chest in the dim light. It was more that she could feel it. Maybe it was time she yawned or something and excused herself to go to bed.
The thought of the empty, queen-sized bed in the room just behind her made Tori’s mouth feel suddenly dry. It refused to co-operate by faking a yawn. And Matt was staring at her with an odd expression.
‘Nasoya worked at the island resort Sas and I stayed at last year. I never knew he could play a guitar that well, though. Wasn’t the singing fabulous? And you know that cute little Fijian girl that was helping Phoebe scatter petals? Her name’s Milika, and Sarah actually saved her from drowning. Sas is practically an adopted member of that village now…’ Tori’s prattle faded on noticing Matt’s teeth gleaming as he grinned.
‘What? What’s so funny?’
‘I’m not laughing,’ he protested. ‘I’m just enjoying listening to you talk. You enjoy everything so much, it’s contagious.’ His smile was almost poignant. ‘I feel very lucky to be here and I’m very glad you’re my friend.’
‘Well, I’m lucky, too.’ Tori tore her gaze away from the warmth in Matt’s hazel eyes, but it didn’t seem to help to focus on his hands. Strong-looking hands with long fingers that looked capable of being very sensitive. They were resting on an even longer stretch of bare thigh. It was almost impossible to keep her tone as light as she had intended. ‘Not many people would put up with me talking so much, but I feel like I can say anything to you.’
‘You can. I really like listening.’
For a short time there was nothing for Matt to listen to as Tori closed her eyes firmly and really tried to squash the awareness she had of Matt’s body right now. It was Matt’s quiet voice that broke the silence.
‘I really like you, Tori.’
‘I like you, too, Matt.’
‘I just wish…’
‘What?’ Tori snorted softly. ‘That I didn’t talk so much?’
‘No.’
‘What, then?’ She knew perfectly well where this was heading. Where she hoped this was heading? The safe thing to do here would be to back off. Fast. She had yet another opportunity to do so when Matt cleared his throat but said nothing. She didn’t, though. Something was pulling at Tori. Something far too strong to resist.
‘Matt?’
‘Your friendship means a lot to me,’ Matt said reluctantly. ‘There’s no one else that would really understand how difficult my life is right now. I can whinge or joke about the kids and know that you’re not going to take it the wrong way. And you were right. Hayley backed down when I told her I was coming away for a couple of days, and that was that. She sulked and slammed a door or two but I got the impression she respected me for standing my ground.’
‘Of course she did. They’re all great kids, Matt, and I’m sure Hayley, more than any of the others, realises that what you’re doing for them all is amazing. I couldn’t do it, which means you’re a better person than me.’ Tori grinned. ‘There you go—you’re a good influence.’
Matt gave a huff of laughter. ‘Yeah…right. I’m just waiting for my good influence to get you out on the road full time as an ambulance officer. You’re brilliant, Tori. Joe thinks so, too. We both love working with you.’
‘I’m getting around to it. I’ve made some enquiries about cross-crediting my nursing qualifications. When I get that sorted, I’ll just have to put in a month’s notice at the ED.’
Matt didn’t seem to be listening. ‘The problem is that I like being around you a bit too much, Tori. Right now, I feel I’m being dishonest if I don’t warn you that I’m very attracted to you. I thought I had it under control but being with you here, like this, makes me realise just how much I’ve been kidding myself.’
‘Oh…’ She’d asked for this, hadn’t she? She’d seen it coming and had practically jumped up and down, waving the finish flag. The question was, what was she going to do about it now? Her mouth seemed to have it sorted. It opened again with absolutely no conscious effort. ‘I…I’m attracted to you, too, Matt.’
They stared at each other. Somehow their hands had found each other in the small gap between them. They touched and held in much the same way as their lines of vision had. An intense eye contact that went on…and on. Matt’s thumb was moving in slow circles on Tori’s palm and the movement sent spirals of sensation through her body, so utterly delicious it made her pink-tipped toes curl. When Matt finally spoke he didn’t let go of her hand or look away.
‘What do you want to do about that, Tori?’
‘I…um…’ Tori didn’t want to tell Matt what she wanted to do about it. Would he think less of her if she offered sex with no strings? It was important that he didn’t think less of her. Maybe important enough to be able to ignore the fierce desire rocking her world at this point.
