"The wind was picking up.Shanna looked out over the parapet at the approaching clouds. A storm was coming. A large one. She could already, she thought... see flashes in the dark. Lightning striking the sea, nature testing its weapons before moving over its true target. Or, perhaps, there was some unlucky boat out there, or a whale which had pissed God off. Who could say. All she knew was she was glad it had come now, and not while all were gathering and dancing. That would be a bad omen.She. "No. I want you to stand on the sidewalk wearing a helmet and watch me ride away. Jeesh, Keira. What do you think?"Keira laughed. "I meant, Mom told me I couldn't ride on your motorbike." And so?" I asked."Isn't it dangerous?" I'll drive slowly."She considered it for a moment, smiled, and reached out for the helmet. "Okay. But promise you won't tell Mom."Ten minutes later, with Keira hanging onto my waist for dear life, cuddled to my back, she yelled, "Faster. Go faster, Seb!"I peeled off onto. Except, you know, larger and three-dimensional. Breathing.Dapper, that’s the word that popped into my mind. Dapper Damien.Slender, trim, pencil mustache. Around six feet, no more than 140 pounds. Erect posture. Black hair gelled straight back. Ascot. A plummy Oxbridge accent that belied his Moline, Illinois upbringing.Not that I faulted Hirsch for a faux accent. I’ve paddled in similar pools my own damned self.Because I’m a professional investigator, I followed Hirsch on his rounds that balmy. His head passed Nick's, going over his shoulder, and their cheeks touchedfor the briefest of moments. He wrapped his arms around Nick, and Nickslowly did the same.Nick was beset with confusion and conflict, trying his best and wantingdearly to comfort both Danny and this beautiful creature before him, butalso not wanting to appear to take advantage. He didn't want tomanipulate this into something out of his own desires, desires which hewas increasingly finding hard to ignore, his rock hard.