Deirdre was taken aback and slightly embarrassed. "Brendan, that's cheating!"

"No, it's not," Brendan said seriously. "I won't get the reward until tomorrow. It stands to reason that I should tell you about it tomorrow, but if you want to know in advance, you have to give me a taste first."

If Deirdre didn't know what the man was thinking, she might have been fooled by his serious attitude.

"Are you really just looking for a taste? You are clearly…" She couldn't say it aloud.

Brendan knew that she was thin-skinned, so he asked without hesitation, "What is it?"

Deirdre lowered her head. "If I kiss you once, you'll tell me?"

Brendan smiled. "Yes."

Deirdre pursed her lips. Even though she couldn't see him clearly now, she knew that the man was waiting for her kiss. For some reason, something as normal as kissing became slightly awkward and feisty under the man's waiting.

Deirdre suppressed the burning heat in her chest and resigned herself to kissing Brendan's lips. She intended t