Free Luck of the Irish: Complete Edition by Liz Gavin Page A

understand why and I guess you’ll be relieved. I let you off the hook. Goodbye, now.”
    “Keira, wait! Don’t hang…”
    Ignoring his pleas, she hung up the phone, shut it off and sat in the armchair by the window feeling very proud of herself. The feeling lasted for less than five minutes. That was the time it took for her treacherous heart to flip inside her and the damn butterflies to return to her stomach. She ignored those symptoms and looked outside the window.
    It was such a gorgeous place. She loved that kind of rural landscape. Why the heck couldn’t she appreciate it? Closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the headrest, Keira lost sense of time. Two nagging questions went round and round inside her head – what if he was the one? Was she giving up on Declan too soon, and without a fight?
     
     
     
     
    Miles away, Declan stared at the phone in his hand, unable to believe she had hung up on him. He had a deep crease between his eyebrows but the dead phone wouldn’t give him the answers he wanted, the answers he needed. He tried her number again but wasn’t surprised when his calls went straight to voicemail. He sent her another text message.
     
    “Keira, I don’t know what’s happened to make you change your mind about us. I’d really love to have a chance to hear your reasons and maybe explain myself. You’re upset and I feel responsible, even though I have no earthly idea of what I might have done to you since we last saw each other. Please, don’t shut me out.”
     
    After pressing the send button, he could only wait and pray she would give him a chance. He hated feeling helpless.
     
     
     
    * * * *
     
     
    Early next morning, Keira woke up with a gasp and sat on the bed, startled. Her hazy mind took some time remembering where she was. Her face got hot with embarrassment when snippets of a very vivid dream came to mind. She looked down and noticed the bed sheets, and her clothes, were drenched. They clung to her body because her skin was covered in sweat.
    In the steamy dream, Declan had made love to her - thoroughly and without haste. Granted, she was a virgin, but the sensations he had showed her in Dublin had given her creative imagination a lot of material to work with. Her body had responded promptly. Her muscles still tingled from the recent, very intense orgasm she experienced in the dream.
    Oh, my! I’m doomed , she plopped back on the pillows and covered her face with her hands. I can’t control dreams. I can’t control my own body. What do I do?
    Her body relaxed gradually as the last waves of pleasure ebbed away, taking with them the tension she had accumulated in those last couple of days. She couldn’t deny she felt wonderfully calmer but that didn’t change the fact that Declan had kissed another woman outside the coffee shop and, then, pretended nothing had happened.
    I can’t trust Declan.
     
     
    After a much needed shower, she went downstairs to have breakfast. She was the only guest and Sylvia had a chance to chat as she served Keira’s food.
    “You’re an early bird, dear. What are you up to today?”
    “I’ll go hiking and won’t be back until late in the afternoon.”
    “Sounds fun. Thank you for letting me know you’ll be out. I worry about my guests.”
    Keira smiled at the woman’s sincere concern, “I know you do. But you shouldn’t. I mean, what could happen to me in such a quiet and peaceful place?”
    “You never know. There crazy people everywhere. You are a sweet girl who reminds me of my daughter. I want to be sure you’re having a good time but that you’re safe, too.”
    Keira reached out and squeezed the old lady’s hand.
    “That’s very sweet, but don’t worry. I’ve booked a tour with a local agency. They’ll send a van to pick me up and there’ll be guides, and other people. I’ll be fine.”
     
     
    She went upstairs to get ready to leave and heard the van parking, while she was lacing up her sneakers. Not