CEDAR

10
Tea Cooper
‘Don’t worry about them. Just a bit rowdy. Celebrating Carrick’s
win.’
That confirmed it, as if she’d been in any doubt. Carrick was the
good-looking bloke she couldn’t take her eyes off. Her face flushed. Had she
really made it so obvious? Nodding her thanks, she edged her way to
an empty table tucked into the corner. The conversation lulled and
then a large guffaw filled the room. Determined not to be intimidated,
she concentrated on the task at hand, crossed the room and set
the plates down and turned back to Ruan to take the damper.
The chair was whisked back from the table and she stared up,
transfixed by the intent expression on the cutter’s face. His eyes
were an even deeper blue in the dim light, almost black, the colour
intensified by his thick lashes. For the second time they stared at
each other amidst the clatter and chaos for a long moment, the
impact of his glance warming her skin and scoring a path deep
down into her belly. ‘I can manage, thank you.’
‘Ah, you’d not be depriving a man of a bit of pleasure, would
you?’
Pleasure? That wasn’t a word to be discussing right now. Not in
front of Ruan, not in connection with this man. ‘Thank you Mr …’
‘Carrick, Carrick O’Connor at your service.’ He wiped a
stained, roughened hand down his trousers then shook his head.
‘Maybe not. Cutter’s hands.’ He laughed and settled her into the
chair. ‘And now for you, me lad.’
Before Roisin could speak, he swung Ruan onto the chair next
to her. She turned aside, determined not to notice the muscles
bunching in his arms, or the way his broad shoulders strained the
seams of his stained shirt.
He pushed Ruan’s stool up to the table. ‘Maisie does a rare
mutton stew.’
‘Are you going to have some?’ Ruan gazed up at the big man
with a look suspiciously like adoration.