It felt as if he was using this frantic action that came from the bottom of his heart to tell her something.

Deirdre’s knees buckled, and she leaned her head on the man’s chest. She could not see him but she could feel his heartbeat racing.

“Deirdre.” Before she could say anything, the man’s voice turned hoarse and his thin lips were already moving closer to her ear bit by bit. He asked imploringly, “Can I?”

The answer to what Brendan was asking was obvious. Deirdre had not expected that Br