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Kitty’s head turned to Josh, and his arms around her loosened.

“You have to go?” she asked, standing up. Josh nodded and sucked a breath in through his teeth.

“I’m so sorry. I know how much this day means to you. If I could stay, I would, but nobody else is available to attend.”

Kitty tipped her head to the side and studied his face. Josh’s jaw clenched tight, accentuating his high cheekbones. His blue eyes searched hers for a sign that she understood.

Kitty knew Josh’s insecurities well enough by now. He wanted confirmation that leaving her at the farm on such an important day was okay. That she accepted that his job left him little choice, and she wouldn’t use it against him in the future. Like Tabitha had.

The same worry had come up in their thousands of conversations since that day in the storm. Slowly, she’d been able to calm his fears. She wasn’t going anywhere and accepted him just as he was. The same way he did with her. Kitty would happily take as little or as much as he could give her each day.

“It’s fine. I’m sure we can soldier on without you. And at least I won’t have to fend off the ladies of the W.C. all afternoon. They can’t seem to get enough of you,” she smirked. Kitty often joked about hiring him out for their functions as an escort. Small Oaks would make a fortune.

Kitty pressed her body against Josh’s and, with her palms on his chest, moved him gently against the wall. “I knowIcan’t,” she whispered against his lips. “And that’s why you’ll make it up to me later. I mean,reallymake it up to me,” she said, gently grinding her hips into his.

Josh smiled that lazy, sexy grin she loved. “Anything,” he said, meeting her lips in a long, deep kiss.

As blood pounded in Kitty’s ears and her body came alive with desire, she considered handcuffing him to the desk. She could think of a few ways to while away the hours with him as her prisoner.

Reluctantly, she broke their kiss, and Josh weaved his arms around her waist.

“Are you staying tonight?”

Kitty’s lips curled. “Try to stop me.”

Technically, she still lived at Julia’s but spent most nights at Josh’s cottage. Her aunt’s hip had mended now, and she’d added golf to her list of hobbies, not to mention her younger golf instructor. Julia was officially a cougar and never failed to remind Kitty that she still had ‘it.’

The noise of giggling children filtered in from the yard, and Kitty sighed, moving away from Josh. “Duty calls.”

“For both of us. How's it going out there?” Josh asked, checking his watch.

“It's good. Busier than I expected, though.”

“Well, at least Ammy is running a tight ship. She’s put bows on all the kittens, strong-armed the face painter into letting her have a go, and I may or may not have busted her feeding Jeffrey candyfloss.”

Kitty snickered. “She’ll run the country one day.”

Josh grasped Kitty’s hand.

“Has you-know-who showed up?” he asked, a muscle pulsing in his jaw.

Kitty sighed. He meant Daniel. They didn’t talk of him often, but she’d hoped he’d make it to the opening today. Hoped that one day they could be on friendlier terms. Life in a small village made holding grudges awkward.

“No. And I’m not sure he’ll come. Jonty told me he's hardly seen him at the pub.”

Josh shrugged. “It’s not as if you haven’t tried. I don’t think I’d be as forgiving if I were you. He lied, hid your phone, then kissed you without permission, and all because of jealousy.” The furrow at Josh’s brow deepened.

"Well, I am irresistible,” she quipped, desperate to lighten the mood with humour. They’d talked a lot about what Daniel did, about what Kitty did, and what Josh didn’t do. She’d been prepared to draw a line under it and had offered an olive branch to Daniel. He, in turn, had donated a small fortune to Small Oaks. Blood money, Josh called it. Insanely protective of Kitty’s feelings, it would take way longer for him to bury any hatchet.

Kitty grinned. “We’ll see if he has the balls to put in an appearance. But even if he stays away, he’s practically funded the whole adoption centre. I should have organised a marching band and a VIP section just for him.”

Josh huffed a laugh. “Well, as long as something good came out of the whole mess. I can’t feel sorry for him, though.

“Why exactly?” Kitty weaved her fingers through Josh’s. “Do you think he had a lucky escape? Am I really that bad?”

“If he had the lucky escape, then I’ll gladly take the punishment.” With a mischievous grin, he pulled Kitty into his body. “Although it means you’re totally stuck with me now.”

Kitty gazed back into his soft blue eyes. “I think I can cope,” she said, planting a soft kiss on his lips.

“You’re perfect,” he whispered against her mouth.

Kitty looked up into his eyes. “You said nothing needed to be perfect.”

Josh’s lips curled slowly. “You’re right. Butyouare. Perfect for me.”