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The reality of how badly he wanted her ached in his chest. He needed to feel her skin under his hands and all of him inside her. Taste her sweetness and hear her sigh his name.

Josh opened his eyes, but Kitty’s were half closed, fringed by heavy lids, her pupils large and unfocused. With a sigh, he smiled ruefully. He couldn’t trust anything she was saying or doing right now. After the amount she’d drunk, she may not even remember they’d spoken, let alone her last words to him.

“Come here,” he breathed, holding his arms out towards her. She fell into his embrace, and he wrapped around her, pulling her close.

“We need to talk.” His mouth was millimetres from her ear, and he paused, taking a full breath. “I can’t let you go.”

“Please don’t,” Kitty said.

Josh buried his face in her hair. Being this close to her was intoxicating. His head swam, and his chest was so full of joy that he thought it would burst. It was the only time he’d allowed himself to believe she might want him too. That they could make a future together work.

The first time Josh’s phone vibrated in his pocket, he ignored it. He’d check the text in a minute. He dropped a kiss on the top of Kitty’s head, and she looked at him, eyes full of need. Drunk or not, he had to kiss her.

As he leaned in to capture her lips, his phone buzzed again, but it didn’t stop this time. Only Thea or Kate would call, but they knew he was off duty. Josh tutted and shook his head.

“Take it,” Kitty murmured.

With a frown, Josh took the phone out of his back pocket and answered. It was Kate. A local stud farm had an emergency with a valuable racehorse. No other vets could attend, and if the horse didn’t get treatment, it could die. Josh ended the call and closed his eyes, his brows squeezed together tight. He had to go, but he didn’t want to leave Kitty alone with Daniel Cunningham circling like a shark.

“I’m so sorry. There’s an emergency, and it could end up being nasty.”

“Oh.” Kitty’s face fell.

“I know. It’s terrible timing, but it’s my job.”

Kitty gave him a half smile.

“Please go. It's what you need to do.”

What he needed to do was get her home to bed. Not his bed, but her own. She should sleep off the prosecco. He wanted her wide awake when they spoke.When he’d finally tell her how much she meant to him.

Josh took a breath, his eyes on Kitty. “Please, don’t leave with Daniel. Wait for me at the party.” Josh had no right to ask, but the thought of them leaving together filled him with dread.

Kitty nodded, and as Josh placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, she exhaled.

He spotted Julia wandering towards them from the corner of his eye. She must have seen them duck behind the tree.

“Julia!” hecalled. “Can you see Kitty gets home for a sleep? She’s tired.”

“I hope she’s okay,” said Julia. “I tried to keep an eye on her, but she likes to do her own thing.”

Josh smiled. He wouldn’t want it any other way.

48

KITTY

Kitty wokein the amber light of late afternoon and checked the clock on the side table. How long had she been asleep? She sat up against the plump pillows and thought back over the day. A lot of it was a hazy blur, but her body buzzed with excitement as she remembered the best bit of all. Sure she hadn’t dreamed them up, Josh’s words turned around and around in her head. Words he’d said as he held her close.

“I can’t let you go.”

Thank goodness for prosecco! She’d never have had the courage to touch him if she was sober.

Kitty sat on the edge of her bed, looking at her closed laptop lying abandoned on the floor. She gave it a small kick. The sheen of the thing she’d craved, the shiny new job offer, had dulled.

Kitty sighed. The thought of leaving Julia and the village twisted in her gut. She’d grown to love her life amongst the chaos of the animals and relentless rolling fields. There was peace here, and a purpose. No relentless pursuit of goals, no drive to prove herself in the cocoon of Julia’s quiet house.

And then there was Josh. The corners of her mouth curled, and she stretched luxuriously before heading to the shower.