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When Kitty first saw Josh smirking at her as she sat on the dirty ground, rage filled her chest. And then he’d laughed at her. Like she was silly and useless. Her brow had creased, and every swear word she knew had run through her head at the sight.

But then, when he hadn’t stopped, and she’d run out of curses, she’d taken in his face. His golden skin that stretched over his high cheekbones, the soft glow in his cheeks, and the gorgeous crinkles at the corners of his blue eyes. She’d noticed them last night too.

It was hard to stay cross at someone so spectacular-looking, particularly when they were offering you a helping hand.

Josh returned from the store with a pack of corn chips and a sheepish smile as if he’d overheard her thoughts.

“These should do the trick,” he said, opening the bag and waving it near Dora’s nose. Her head immediately picked up, and she disengaged her teeth from the sign. Josh fed her a couple of corn chips, tempting her a few feet at a time down the road.

“Not only do they have nasty horns,” he said, “but they have powerful jaws and teeth built for grinding. Plenty of hands get mangled by goats. I consider myself lucky to have only been speared so far.”

Kitty turned her wide eyes to him, recalling the scar at his waistband. If that was lucky, she’d hate to see what the alternative was. Kitty had tried to appear concerned when he’d shown her, but all she could think about was tracing the puckered skin with her fingertips. She’d shivered and looked away instead. It was hardly an appropriate thought to be having so near the village church.Andon a Sunday.

“Getting her home is going to be tricky, isn’t it?” she asked.

“Potentially,” Josh said, patting Dora’s tan and brown neck. “We need to make sure we’re done before the chip bag is empty.”

Josh’s grin did nothing to calm Kitty’s shaking hands. But not wanting to look too much like a helpless damsel, she volunteered to oversee the corn chips while Josh took a careful but gentle hold of Dora’s nearest horn. The three of them struggled back to Rose Cottage with only a few more sunflowers being beheaded.

Together, they led Dora to the paddock, shut her in and stood together, leaning on the gate. A warm breeze rustled through the trees while bees danced on the flowers. Josh shifted his weight against the wood, and the bright sun lit his skin. Every muscle carved into his forearms went straight to Kitty’s core, lighting a little burn between her legs. Trust her to be a sucker for a solid forearm.

A silver band circled his wrist, its metallic hardness glinting in the sun.

“This is pretty,” Kitty said, reaching out to it. Josh’s head turned as if her touch had startled him. “Sorry.” she breathed. “It’s just nice, that’s all.”

The corners of his lips curled, “It’s a gift from my niece,” he said.

“How old is she?”

“Four. Just about to start school. She’s crazy. You’d get on.”

He winked at her and looked back at the paddock. His eyes scanned the animals inside. It was a friendly gesture, nothing more, and Kitty’s thoughts flew back to Daniel. His winking had felt entirely different. Dark and tempting.

“I still love goats,” Josh said. “Even if one got me. Each one has a distinct personality.”

Kitty snickered, “I’m not sure Julia’s goats vary much between pushy and vindictive.”

“They look happy enough. You must be doing something right,” Josh absentmindedly turned the silver bracelet at his wrist, a cheeky grin on his face.

“Excuse me! I think I can keep some goats alive for a few days,” Kitty answered, returning his smile.

He snickered and ran his fingers through his hair. “How is it all going? Not too overwhelming?”

Kitty’s immediate thought was that Jonty had been on the phone with Josh, telling him how she wasn’t coping. It’d been the shoes and the puddle story, no doubt, and now the Dora debacle had given him even more ammunition.

“No, it’s fine,” Kitty said, unsure if it was Josh or herself she was trying to convince. “It’s just an exercise in organisation. Come on, I’ll show you.”

She walked Josh towards the cottage and showed him to the supplies shed. Once inside, he stood, mouth agape.

“I wouldn’t recognise it,” he said. “I’ve been here before when Julia’s had a sick animal, but I don’t remember it looking like this.”

Kitty stood back and admired the order she’d created in the cramped space.Each animal type had its own section with food and medicine supplies. She’d written up detailed care instructions. Like the goats, she’d namedeach animal and included an identifying description, even the chickens.Theyhad their own chart noting the number of eggs laid each day. The shed was spotless, and not one spiderweb clung to its wooden corners.

“It’s like a giant filing system,” Josh said, smiling. “This would be great for my sister. She’s pulling her hair out most days.”

“I didn’t realise you had a sister. I don’t remember her.”

Josh shrugged. “Thea didn’t hang out with me much. She was too busy helping my dad save all the local waifs and strays. Not much has changed. She runs a small animal sanctuary out of our farm.”