"I'd rather not sink!"
Declan McCarthy threw his head back and laughed out loud, then beamed down at her with a smile that made a rush of tingling heat spread from Tara's scalp all the way to her toes. "It wouldn't bethatmuch of the experience, love. No, it's very good though, and it's only an hour or so. A bit longer if you want to linger. Will you let me treat you, as a welcome to Ireland?"
Tara, still tingling, thought she would let him treat her any time, and tried not to let herself dwell on what she meant by 'treat her' in that context. "Yes? Sure? That sounds great?"
"Brilliant." Declan offered her his elbow and a fresh grin. Tara, feeling both silly and thrilled, tucked her hand into his elbow and let him escort her around to the front of the snack shop, where a park employee gave them a look that was somewhere between scolding and knowledgeable. Then she looked Declan up and down, and, with a wink, gave Tara a thumbs-up.
She was almost certain her blush started at her toes and rushed upward, turning her entire body hot pink with embarrassment. It actually made her stumble. Declan glanced down at her, concerned, then lifted his eyebrows. "Overheated?"
"No," Tara mumbled, inwardly cursing her ability to blush like it was a sacred duty. "I just blush a lot."
A smile pulled at the corner of Declan's mouth. "Loads of us do. Fair Irish skin that's never seen the sun and hasn't a drop of melanin to hide behind. You'll fit right in."
"I'm from Boston," Tara admitted. "Lots of Irish ancestry there. A lot of burnable skin."
"And a thousand kilometers farther south," Declan said cheerfully, "so probably more sun to get burned beneath. I've never been. Do you like it?"
"I haven't really ever been anywhere else long enough to decide if I like itbetter, but yeah, I like it. The drivers are crazy,though." Tara stopped at the gate to get her suitcase, saying, "Thanks again," to the girl, who brushed it off, said, "Dec," to Declan, and also gave Tara a discreet thumbs-up. Tara blushed again, but it was funnier this time: apparently she wasn't the only one who thought Declan McCarthy was a hottie.
"Róisín," Declan said pleasantly to the gate-girl, and when Tara, surprised, glanced at him, said, "I've an annual pass and I'm in and out of the park all the time. I know everybody here."
"Oh! It's that good, huh?"
"It is," and Declan lowered his voice as they headed to the train station, "but it's a safe place for me to shift, as well."
"Oh, sure, of course."Tara heard herself sayof courseas if she'd known all along there were people who could shapeshift into animals just hanging around, and couldn't help but laugh.
"Here," Declan said, "let me take that? And I know, it's madness, but there are people who come to terms with it straightaway." He took her suitcase, lifting it easily.
Tara smiled up at him. "Thanks. But you sort of have to take it in stride, don't you? Or you have to assume you're crazy, or sleep deprived. Iamsleep deprived," she added almost severely.
"Sure and I'll take you to the Titanic Experience and then tuck you all in," Declan offered, and Tara was almost certain she wasn't supposed to imagine 'the Titanic Experience' as something…very different…from going to learn about the great ship that had sunk over a hundred years ago. She blushed again, and was grateful that the train pulled up right then so she didn't have to explain herself.
Chapter 4
Even if fate hadn't drawn him to Tara Lynch, that line about his eyes being the color of Ireland would have had Declan falling for her hook, line and sinker. The way she blushed easily was delightful, and he had a keen desire to see just how far down those blushes went, although he could hardly say so on half an hour's acquaintance. Nor could he explain that she accepted his ability to shift so easily because they were meant to be together, although he very badly wanted to. The best thing in his life had suddenly appeared in front of him. He could hardly be blamed for wanting to get on with the best part of his lifewithher.
You should have let me dance for her some more,his peacock said with a sniff.She would have swooned.
I think she came close enough to passing out when she saw me shift,Declan said ruefully.Let's give her some more time to adjust before you show her any more of your moves.
Hnf.The peacock fell silent, though, which Dec was grateful for. It was an opinionated bird, and most of the time he loved it, but if he was trying to charm an American tourist, he didn'tneed its running commentary about how many mistakes he was making.
The train trip from Anavee to Cobh was barely fifteen minutes, but despite them chatting on the journey, Tara was nearly asleep against the window by the time the train pulled into the station. Declan, feeling fond and rather protective of her, smiled as she took a quick sharp breath, trying to wake up when the train jolted to a stop. "Where are you staying?"
"The Waterside Hotel?" Tara said a bit uncertainly. "I'm not sure where it is."
"Just down the street," Declan promised. "Now, if I bring you there will you go straight to sleep or will you come out with me for the Titanic Experience and a meal?"
She admitted, "To sleep," with a laugh.
"Then if you want to stay awake a while longer, we'd better do the tourist thing first."
"Okay, but how far is it?" They'd exited through a gated, arched doorway of the red brick station as she asked, and Declan took a sharp right, leading her down to the building's corner before he gestured broadly at the covered entrance to the heritage centre.
"About this far," he said cheerfully.
Tara blinked a few times, then laughed again, sounding more awake. "Oh. Well. I guess I can make it that far. Where's the hotel?"
