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Cordelia realized she was still holding on to him. She stepped away quickly, her cheeks burning. Fiona and Róisín were hurrying up and Cordelia moved aside, trying to hide herself in her scarf.

“Niall, my god, are you all right?” Fiona said.

“I’m fine, Mam,” Niall said.

“It was my fault,” Colin said. “Didn’t see the wave, didn’t turn the right way in time.”

“It’s all right,” Niall said as Fiona rubbed his arms. “Mam, I’m fine. Could do with a change of clothes.”

“Your dad’s getting hot whiskies and stew set up for you all down the pub,” Fiona said. “I’ll run back to the house and grab you some fresh clothes.”

“That’d be sound, thanks, Mam.” His eyes slid to Cordelia and she turned away, flustered. What had she been thinking? What was he thinking? Why had she gone and done that in front of so many people?

Róisín was embracing Alison. “They shouldn’t have had the races today,” she said. “Not in this water.”

“If I ever volunteer to do this again, Róisín, I give you full permission to smack me upside the head,” Colin said. “That was absolutely fecking awful.” He turned to Niall. “I’m so sorry, mate.”

Niall waved him off as they made their way down the pier. Cordelia made sure to walk behind in step with Alison, who kept glancing Cordelia’s way, a big smile on her face. The cheers erupted again when they reached the roads of the harbour, people calling out Niall’s name and wishing him well. Cordelia was pretty sure they were cheering for her too, but she tried to block it out.

Stepping into O’Connor’s was like stepping into a hot bath on a winter’s day. Eoin had saved them the couches and chairs surrounding the crackling fire. Cordelia had a brief moment of panic – where should she sit? Would Niall want to sit by her or not? – before he disappeared into the kitchen to change out of his wet clothes.

“Well,” Róisín said, settling herself into the armchair closest to the fire. “This has been a currach race to remember.”

No one had mentioned the kiss, but Róisín was looking very smug and Alison couldn’t stop grinning.

“Are you all okay?” Shauna came hurrying over. “Niall’s just told us what happened. I’ve given him towels to dry off and I’m making some whiskies now. Eoin’ll bring the stew out in a moment.”

“That’d be grand,” Colin said as Fiona burst through the doors with a pile of folded clothes in her hands.

“You are all the talk of the town,” she said. “Aoife got the whole thing on video, she’s bringing it over now.” Cordelia blanched. On video? “Cordelia, be a dear and take these to Niall, would you? I brought some extra jumpers for you two as well,” she said to Alison and Colin.

Cordelia had only just taken off her jacket and turned to find the clothes shoved into her hands. “Okay,” she said numbly.

She shot an uncertain glance at Alison, who jerked her head toward the kitchen and mouthed, “Go on.” Cordelia stumbled back behind the bar. She’d never been in the kitchen before. She pushed through the swinging doors and saw Eoin ladling stew into shallow bowls. Cordelia’s knees locked but Eoin glanced up, saw the clothes in her hands, and said, “He’s in the back room.”

“Okay,” Cordelia said again, feeling very much like she was walking through water herself. There was a door off to her left – she knocked on it and glanced behind her. Eoin was leaving the kitchen with the stew.

“Yeah?” Niall called. Cordelia opened the door and slipped inside.

“Your mom brought some clothes for – ” Her brain screeched to a halt as she saw Niall standing there, shirtless, a towel in his hands, his wet track pants clinging to his legs.

His chest was covered in fine black hairs. His shoulders were broader than she’d imagined, the curve of his bicep glistening wet, the flat planes of his stomach giving way to a V of muscle that disappeared beneath the waistband of his pants. Cordelia had to physically haul her eyes up to his face, her cheeks on fire.

“You’re blushing, Miss James,” Niall said.

“I’m always blushing,” she croaked.

Niall chuckled. “Are those for me?”

Cordelia looked down at the clothes in her hands. “Oh. Yes. Here.”

She held them out, her arms shaking. Niall filled her vision. He was so beautiful it hurt.

He came over and took the clothes from her. His chest was so close. She wanted to reach out and run her hands over him to see if the hairs were fine or coarse. She wanted to trace the lines of his waist and feel the sharp points of his hip bones. And at the same time she wanted to run away and hide. The feelings were so potent they were baffling. Her mind could not sort them out. Everything was Niall.

“That was awfully nice, what you did out there,” he said softly.

She tried for a casual laugh, but it came out like a cough. “You mean embarrass you in front of the whole town?”