‘I rarely drink myself. A pint of Guinness now and then. Don’t believe all you hear about us Irish being drunk all the time .?.?. we wish!’
‘Oh no, no I don’t mean that!’ I feel my face redden, but then I see he’s teasing me again. His gaze is attentive, lingering on my face. I can see the slight variations in colour on his thick stubble, the way the hairs intermingle.
‘I don’t normally pursue a woman who is taken but in your case—’ He glances away now.
‘I’m not taken,’ I almost shout. I gulp again, cough again.
‘But your Claddagh ring?’ His lilting voice is low but filled with hope.
‘No! Oh no, I just got it from my landlady, a Christmas gift. I don’t have it the right way round, I’m .?.?. single. I have been for a long time, my choice.’ I look away, laugh softly and flip my hair over my shoulder coquettishly.
‘Well now, that’s the best news I’ve had in quite a while.’ He clinks my glass again.
‘Is it?’ I turn to face him, the mulled wine instantly warming my belly, relaxing me. We are eye to eye.
‘I hope so because I think you’re fascinating, Maggie.’ Those big brown eyes of his are wide and utterly desirable.
It’s how he says the word, with such meaning and desire. I have never thought of myself asfascinating. I take another gulp of the spicy wine.
‘Thank you, I think you’re .?.?. interesting too,’ I tell him, silently kicking myself for such an unromantic reply, but I know this can’t go anywhere. I’ve promised myself I will never let a man hurt me ever again. His shoulders bounce up as he laughs at me.
‘Ack, I’m not that interesting but I am interested in you.’Then, he reaches and gently removes something from my hair. The act is so intimate I freeze for a moment.
‘Woodchip.’ He holds it up and I can see his breath quicken and his nostrils flare a little as they work overtime.
‘I see that,’ I manage.
‘I’ve met you at a very bad time.’ Again, that dark look crosses his perfect face.
‘Why?’ I almost whisper.
‘I, ah, I don’t want to ruin this moment.’ He shakes his head.
‘We’re having a moment?’ I ask as I try to get my brain to engage with my concerns here.
‘We sure are. I’ll tell you another time.’ His face moves closer to me. His cologne flirts with my nostrils.
‘Okay.’ I wipe the damp palm of my free hand on my coat.
‘I’m a complicated man,’ he says, turning the tumbler between his strong hands with his prominent knuckles and confident grip. His fingers are long and sun-kissed with faint scars that I assume come from hard work.
‘That’s okay, this is a very complicated situation,’ I admit.
‘I find it very hard to trust people,’ he says carefully.
‘Me too. Who was Denise?’ I have to ask.
He leans back a little, his dark eyes flick from left to right. He sips his mulled wine.
‘Kate was saying how you dodged a bullet.’ I fill in the blanks.
‘I did. We were engaged but it wasn’t me she was after, it was .?.?. can we have this conversation another time?’ Dan leans back in closer to me, his expression calm and reassuring.
‘Sure.’ I feel weightless. I feel like there is no one else in the world except him and me.
‘Can I kiss you?’ His voice is a soft whisper hung on desire.
‘Yes.’ I barely get the word out but I nod.
