Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Dani picked her mouth up from the floor and froze. She couldn't believe that Toni was standing in front of her, and that his first image of her since the wedding was like this—frazzled and sweating.

"Buona sera, Chef. It's good to see you."

His voice washed over her and for a second she'd forgotten that they weren't the only two people in the room, until one of the line cooks jolted her out of her head.

"Chef? The mazzancolle?" The young man slid a plate in front of her and scurried away. She looked down at the bright orange prawns, then back to Toni.

"What... How... What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same."

Liam clapped his hands and steepled them as if in prayer. "But we have no time for reunions. Sir, please, my table."

Toni's curt nod was followed by a look Dani interpreted, as "we're not done." And by the aggressive way her blood was pumping through her veins, they weren't done. Not by a long shot.

Dani turned back to her dish, but her mind was on the man that was opening the wine locker. How did he have keys to Marcello's wine locker? More images of the two of them in Brazil had her sending out the dish with the server, then calling it back when she forgot the sprig of parsley. She needed to get it together. On a deep inhale she focused on the spices in the air again. Oregano, red pepper, sultry musk...huh?

Dani whipped around and there was Toni leaning against the stainless steel counter, his arms and ankles lightly crossed, smiling. He looked gorgeous, maybe a little leaner than she saw him last, but his facial hair was perfectly trimmed, his navy suit over the white T-shirt was impeccable and his sandy-blond hair was just the right kind of messy.

Liam was shouting a thank-you to the heavens and waving around bottles of Lafite.

She wanted to go to the bathroom and freshen up. She wanted to kiss that smile right off his face.

"How is this possible?" he said, his gaze roaming down her front, then behind her to the entrées at her back.

"You tell me. How do you have keys to Marcello's locker?"

"We own this restaurant. How are you standing here cooking for my guests?"

"I came to visit Marcello. What do you mean we own? This is Marcello's."

"And his family's. I am his nephew. How do you know him?"

"I used to be his sous-chef."

Toni jumped up. "Here? When?"

"It's been eight years now."

"I was in London at school then." Toni's eyes narrowed. "How did this never come up at the wedding?"

Dani's eyes darted around the room before she spoke.

"We didn't do much talking."

His wicked smile took Dani's breath away. "No, I guess we didn't." He shook his head. "I can't believe you are the one saving our asses."

"I can't, either," she said, grabbing the floral displayed artichoke she cut by hand.

"I don't know how to thank you." His tone turned serious. "He would have wanted—"

She shot upright, tears rushing to her eyes. "Oh God. Don't tell me—"

He grabbed her shoulders. "No, no, no...he's stable. My mother is with him." Dani sighed in relief. "I was saying he'd want to thank you himself. I'll be happy to take you to the hospital later."

People buzzed all around them, heat rose from the ovens and pots clattered on granite tops, but she felt the tension ease from her body and realized he was lightly rubbing his thumbs over her shoulders. It should have been awkward, but it felt grounding.

"Ahem!" They both stepped away from each other and turned their heads. A tense Liam stood on the other side of the kitchen counter.

"This reunion is lovely, really, but are any of these dishes mine?" Ignoring Toni, she bent over and worked quickly, handing Liam two plates and a "get the hell out of here" look. Liam studied the steaming plates, then gave her a once-over before loading them both on his arm.

Toni chuckled behind her. "Liam is our best server. His Instagram is full of our regular customers. They all ask for his table."

"He's intense." Dani stood and turned around, catching his gaze sliding back up to her face. She blushed and adjusted her dress, realizing that the skirt was probably riding up as she bent over.

"I've been thinking about you. It's good to see you," he said, the emphasis on see. Dani shivered, hoping she wasn't giving him "fuck me" eyes, because it was all she was thinking about.

"Coming in!" Another server burst through the doors, giving her a welcomed jolt.

She had to pull herself together. She had a kitchen to run. "Yeah, it's good to see you too. Look, I need to get back to work."

Toni clapped his hands. "How can I help?"

Her brows rose. In her experience, many restaurant owners did nothing but cash their checks. Kind of like Andre.

"I don't know, Toni, what can you do?"

"Where is Wendall?"

"He went with Marcello."

"Then it looks like I'm the new ma?tre d'."

Toni straightened to his full height, buttoned his jacket, then tossed a white towel over his arm. He crossed the room in long easy strides and picked up a bottle of champagne. With the swift flick of his wrist, he popped the cork. It shouldn't have been sexy, but it was. Toni caught her gaze and winked before disappearing through the kitchen doors. Dani couldn't help it. She left her plates and peered out the small window to the dining room.

There was Toni, smiling, engaging customers, pouring champagne. The hostess was running a hand through her hair and righting her dress, watching him seductively. She walked back to her plates thinking that scene was way too familiar.

Movement in the corner caught her attention. Dani got closer and found a young slim girl with waves of dark hair fixated on the screen of her phone. Dani scrounged up some Italian.

"Scusami? Sei qui con qualcuno?"

Her head came up and electric-blue eyes appeared out of the dark curtain. "I'm waiting for my papà."

"Oh, where is he?"

She pointed to the dining room and Dani assumed he was a server. Quick flashes of memories assaulted her. Marcello standing over her with his hands on his hips, shaking his head when her mother begged him to watch her while she was at work. She mopped, she chopped, she was dead on her feet when her mother came back to the hotel. But Dani had loved it and volunteered to do it daily.

"Well, I don't allow loiterers in my kitchen. If you want to be here, you've got to help out."

Dani prepared for attitude. Instead the young girl turned off her phone and shrugged. "Va bene."

The hours went by quickly, with Toni being a gracious host and the kitchen pumping out seven courses of delight. His knowledge of wine was impressive, and unyielding, arguing with Dani over her recommendations for each dish. Finally she gave up, but she noticed he took one of her suggestions, conceding only with a slight nod. It reminded her of their first meeting and she schooled herself to concentrate.

It was two in the morning when the last customer left and Dani and her crew were scouring the grills, mopping the floors and wiping down the burners, all with the hope that Marcello would be all right and the kitchen would see another day.

Toni came through the doors carrying soiled linens and instructing the waitstaff to close up the dining room. He stopped when he saw her, threw the linens on the floor and pulled her into a bear hug. She kept her soapy hands in the air, but the rest of her body reveled in the feel of him. He pulled back slowly and looked into her eyes.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He then turned to the whole staff and praised them, making everyone join in a round of applause. His gaze ran over the staff and paused.

"Sophia, are my eyes deceiving me? You are cleaning?"

The teen stood with a mop in her hand.

"You know her?" Dani asked.

"Come," Toni said to the girl, arm outstretched. Mop in tow, Sophia fit her slim frame against Toni's. "Dani, this is my daughter, Sophia. Sophia, this is Danica, a friend of mine and Marcello's."

Dani looked at Toni in wonder. He'd never mentioned a daughter, but she supposed she'd never asked. Suddenly the resemblance was uncanny. Sophia was tall for her age and those eyes were definitely his. She was going to be stunning, Dani thought.

"Nice to meet you, Sophia," Dani said as they politely shook hands. "Thanks for helping out."

"Now, I see you missed a spot over there," Toni teased Sophia, giving her a kiss on the head as the girl resumed mopping across the room. "How did you get her to clean?"

Dani shrugged. "I asked her."

"Humph," Toni said. Sophia always balked at chores.

"She's beautiful."

His smile was pride itself. "Yes, thank you."

"Do you have any more?"

"No." His head whipped around. "Do you?"

Dani shook her head, remembering that Andre didn't want kids, so she assumed she wouldn't have any. Now that things had changed, could kids be in her future? Her stomach made an embarrassing sound. Suddenly she was starving, since her plan to have dinner had turned into cooking dinner for fifty people.

"I'm starving. Have you eaten?"

Toni placed a hand over his stomach. "Not since lunch." He eyes darkened and he smirked. "Are you going to cook for me?"

Dani half smiled. He'd said the same thing at the wedding, but at the time her answer had been a resounding no. "I'm going to heat some things up for you. I think you've earned it."

"You honor me, Chef."

Fifteen minutes later, Dani heated up a simple pasta marinara. Most of the staff had finished cleaning and gone, leaving Dani, Toni and Sophia to their late-night dinner. Toni's sounds of pleasure as he enjoyed her pasta assaulted her senses in a myriad of ways. She was pleased, a little too pleased, that he loved her cooking, but the sounds he was making were reminiscent of their night together. She was glad Sophia was there as a buffer.

"You can cook, Dani."

"Well, thank you, Toni. It's just marinara."

"I really like it too," Sophia chimed in, sitting on the island swinging her legs.

"Yes, but what's in it?"

"Well, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

Toni's eyes widened. "Top Gun. You just Top Gunned me."

Dani laughed. "I did. Sorry, Goose."

"Goose?" Toni's head jerked back. "Did you see me out there tonight? I was Maverick."

"I'm Maverick, obviously."

"That's ridiculous."

"What's a ‘Maverick'?" Sophia asked, forking more into her mouth.

Toni swallowed. "It's an '80s film about fighter pilots."

"Oh! Yeah, I think I saw it with Mamma."

Dani noticed Toni's eyes darken a bit and she was reminded that he was divorced. A silence descended as the trio finished their meals. Dani stretched out her hand for their empty plates, but Toni took hers instead.

"The cook doesn't clean," he murmured, staring at her lips. She felt that look between her legs.

He and Sophia shared the sink and left their clean plates to dry in the rack. Then Toni tossed a towel on the counter and turned to both girls.

"I'm going to stop by the hospital. Who's game?"

"I am," Sophia shouted. All Dani saw were long legs and hair as Sophia gathered her things then disappeared into the bathroom.

"How is she not tired? She's lucky it's the weekend," Dani said to Toni with a smile.

Her smile faulted when she looked into Toni's eyes, something dark behind them. He glanced at the closed bathroom door, then came for Dani. In three strides he was in front of her, cupping her face, capturing her lips with his, his tongue commanding her own. The kiss was fire and burn, filled with months of pent-up longing, at least it was for her, but by the way he was eating at her mouth and pressing her body into his, she'd say if his daughter wasn't there, he'd have her back down and legs spread on the kitchen island.

He pulled his lips just inches from hers. "Are you seeing someone?"

"No," she whispered.

"Good."

They heard the door click and, just as quickly as the kiss started, it ended in a rush of breath and blinking eyelids. Toni pulled his body away from hers and walked calmly toward the door. Dani slowly turned around, acting like she was gathering towels when she was really trying to calm her breathing.

Sophia stood by the bathroom, her eyes darting between them. "Pronto?"

"Ready," Dani said under her breath.