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“It was memorable. And to think, you ended up being a vet.”

Josh’s eyes crinkled at the corners.

As they trod water together, the only sounds were the droning of the insects, the lapping of the river against their bodies, and their laboured breathing. Josh stared at Kitty, his eyes roaming her face, and she longed to ask him what he was thinking. Sucked in by the same spell, she took in the light freckles on his nose and cheeks, the droplets of water that clung to his skin, and the gentle furrow of his brow. He was like an angelic, mythical creature sent to tempt her, and she was falling for him hook, line, and sinker.

In the current, the swirling water drew them closer together, like bobbing corks in a whirlpool. Nothing Kitty did could stop it. Would she even try if she had the chance? Their bodies were almost touching now. She ached for Josh to reach out and touch her skin, to do anything. Eyes glued to each other’s, they drifted ever closer, and Josh’s lips parted as if he was about to speak.

A sniffing and scrabbling noise behind Josh attracted Kitty’s attention. Wendy stood on the high bank, staring down at them with what looked like a giant grin. Was that even possible? Her front paws were tapping with excitement on the grass, and her back legs were bent, gearing up for movement. She was going to jump!

Josh had his back to the dog and, oblivious to what was happening behind him, reached out a hand to Kitty’s face. Her eyes widened, not sure what to focus on; Josh’s outstretched hand or Wendy, who looked like she was about to launch into the air.

Josh spoke. “Kitty, I…”

With enough time to act, Kitty shut her eyes, grabbed Josh’s hand, and braced for impact. A shrill bark sounded out before Wendy took a flying leap, landing in the water between them. The force of her body pushed them underwater, and they all came up, a shocked, spluttering mess. Josh wiped the water out of his eyes and scowled after Wendy, who was paddling to the bank.

“Bloody dog!” he laughed. “You can’t stand not being the centre of attention for five minutes!” He rolled his eyes as Wendy retreated to the side.

“Never work with animals or children,” Kitty spluttered, pushing her hair out of her face. Now shedidlook like Cousin It.

Kitty’s heart hammered, and she took shuddering breaths, having swallowed half the river. She wasn't sure what surprised her the most; Wendy’s theatrics or that Josh had tried to say something to her before they crashed underwater. Had she imagined it? Maybe she had a leaf stuck to her face or a bit of weed. Perhaps that was the reason he’d reached out.

He’d done it before, with the paint at Thea’s, but his time it was different.Somethingwas different now. Sure she hadn’t imagined it, Kitty searched Josh’s face, willing him to start over again. Press rewind and go back to the moment he’d held her eyes and her heart in his hand. Instead, he avoided looking at her.

“Josh, what was it you wanted to say?” Kitty asked in desperation, reaching out for his shoulder as he swam away.

He didn’t turn.

“It was nothing,” he said, his voice tight in his throat.

Kitty’s heart sank to the bottom. Really? Nothing? It hadn’t felt like nothing. His eyes had burned into hers. His breath was fast and hard. But as she looked at him, Josh pulled away towards the bank, his powerful arms slicing through the water, each stroke taking him further away from her. Kitty was left cursing Neptune, Poseidon, or whoever was the God of the rivers at the fact that her hopes were scuppered.

After a slow swim back, Kitty’s feet found solid ground. Half out of the water, Josh leaned over and offered her his hand with a strange look on his face. She took it, feeling his palm curl around hers, each finger and thumb leaving a print on her skin. Kitty followed him back up and out of the water, his body gleaming like gold in the sunlight with rivulets of water dripping between his shoulder blades. Just being with him was torture.

After returning to dry land, Kitty and Josh flopped onto the bank, the sand coating their backs.

“You hungry yet?” he asked as he stretched his arms over his head.

Kitty nodded, not trusting what would come out of her mouth if she opened it.

Josh undid the paper bag he’d brought from the truck and took out two iced cupcakes decorated with ladybirds. He handed one to Kitty, and she examined it, turning it around in the air.

“Well, Iamimpressed,” she said. “You’re a wasted talent in the veterinary world. Did you ice them yourself?”

“Compliments of Kate.”

Kitty saw a chance to reconnect with him after their disastrous swim. A chance to make him laugh. “Surethey are.” she giggled. “You can’t fool me. If you can deliver a calf, you can handle a piping bag.”

Josh laughed, screwed his bun case into a ball, and threw it at Kitty. She ducked it, and it landed on the sand behind her.

“That’s littering. It’s a punishable offence in some parts of the world,” she said, taking a huge bite from her cupcake.

“So is getting icing on your nose,” Josh said as he gestured at Kitty’s face. She reached her hand up to check, but there was nothing there. Josh snickered, a glow in his eyes.

Despite the disappointment of “Wendygate,” this was what she loved about him. He was fun to hang out with, and he made her laugh. And okay, he was extremely easy on the eyes, but the remnants of doubt still lingered.

He’d been sketchy and absent the last couple of weeks, and she didn’t know where she stood with him. It was like hanging out with a best friend, not the sexiest single vet for miles around. Thoughts of Josh had pushed everything else out of her brain today. It wasn’t a good sign when she was trying to land the job of her life.

They ate the cupcakes, washing them down with the remnants of soda. Josh fed half of his to a slobbering Wendy, then turned to Kitty, who’d flipped over onto her stomach. She lay with her knees bent, swinging her feet in the air behind her.