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Josh returned far quicker than she thought physically possible. There was no way he could get the halter over Madonna’s head from where he stood, so he threw it over to Kitty. She caught it in one hand, its sodden leather threatening to slither through her fingers.

“Do you think you can put it on her?” he shouted.

Kitty nodded, teeth chattering uncontrollably. She stood up on her tiptoes. Sharp stones and gravel gouged into her bare skin and turned into projectiles in the coursing water. Terrified to lose her balance and be swept away, Kitty laced the fingers of one hand through Madonna’s mane while putting the halter over her muzzle with the other. When she was happy it was on properly and fastened securely, Kitty looked to Josh.

He moved towards Madonna’s head and, hanging onto a thin tree trunk, leaned out over the water, taking the leading rope in his hand. They both tried encouraging Madonna to move, but she was steadfastly holding her position in the rising torrent around her.

“She’s too spooked!” Kitty shouted, trying desperately to push her.

“You can’t push, Kitty. It’ll freak her out, and she’ll panic. Can you help me lead her by the head? Once she gets going and realises we’re trying to help, she has a chance.”

Kitty nodded, brushing her hair out of her face. Despite her heart hammering in her chest, she moved closer to Madonna’s mouth. The horse’s big, yellow teeth loomed close to her face. Kitty looked into her rolling eye, and as if something silently passed between them, Madonna moved slightly.

“That’s it, darling,” Kitty whispered into her neck, even though the horse had no chance of hearing her over the sounds of water all around them. “It’s only a short way. I know you're cold, but we need to get out now. It’s time to go home.”

With lurching steps, Madonna began to move and allowed herself to be led out of the water. It was slow progress, but Josh and Kitty managed to get her to the side, and he guided her to the muddy bank. Kitty stumbled after the horse and collapsed to her knees, all her adrenalin exhausted. Josh checked Madonna carefully. He ran his hands over her legs and body, and when he was sure she was okay, he tied her loosely to a tree.

The thunderstorm had blown itself out, and all that remained was relentless rain. Josh scrambled down the bank and held out a hand to Kitty. She took it gratefully and submitted to his strength as he pulled her through the slippery mud.

When they arrived on level land, Kitty stood inches away from Josh, breathing hard. His eyes travelled over her face and her body. He’d done the same with the horse, but for Madonna, he’d used his hands, not his eyes. An ache burned in her core. She wanted him to touch her too.

“Are you okay? You’re not injured?” he asked, breaking her thoughts.

She shook her head. “I’m fine.”

Kitty stared at him, counting the raindrops that hung on his eyelashes. Anything to distract her from reaching out for him. And yet, Josh seemed to have no such problem. His hand brushed strands of hair away from her face, his eyes taking her in.

“What were you thinking? Anything could have happened to you,” he said a little too harshly for Kitty’s liking.

“I know, but I couldn’t leave her. She’s your horse. She needed my help. Did you see how brave she was?”

A smile tickled at the edges of Josh’s lips. Kitty’s blood sang in her ears at the intensity of his blue eyes.

“But if anything had happened to you…the thought of something happening to you. I couldn’t bear it,” Josh said, his voice tight.

His eyes dropped, and the hand at her face drifted down the bare skin of her arm. Whether she was cold and wet or it was Josh’s touch, all Kitty’s nerve endings jumped to attention. Fighting to control her breath, her eyes rested on his chest. His wet T-shirt was plastered against his body, outliningevery muscle underneath. Kitty bit down hard on her bottom lip and, riding a wave of desire lost all inhibitions.

Before she knew it, she weaved her arms around Josh’s neck, and her lips were on his. They were soft and warm against her own. For a terrifying moment, they didn’t give. She pressed tighter, silently urging some sort of response from him. What would she do if he didn’t want her, too?

But it was as if his mouth was on pause because he gave a small groan as his lips opened, and he kissed her back. The fire of Josh’s mouth took her breath away. She’d waited so long. It was as if their lips and tongues were made for each other.

His strong hands reached around her back, pulling her to him, his hardnesspressing against her thigh. As she ground her hips against his body, all Kitty could think about was the feel of him on top of her, under her, and inside her. She’d never wanted anything so much in her life.

Under her hands, though, his body tensed, and he pulled away, struggling to capture his breath.

“We can’t. We have to get Madonna back. She’s cold and tired. If she goes into shock, she’ll go downhill fast.”

What aboutherbeing cold and tired? Irritation sprung in Kitty’s chest, and Daniel’s words slunk, uninvited, into her brain.He’s always going to find something more important than you.Kitty exhaled slowly. That he put his animals before everything else is why she loved him.

“That’s why I love you,” she said, her brain on autopilot.

As she spoke, her eyes widened, but they were quickly overshadowed by the size of his.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I didn’t mean that to actually come out. My head thought it, but my mouth didn’t follow instructions to stay shut.” Kitty babbled. She couldn’t seem to turn the switch off. “Josh, please don’t think….”

Before she could finish, his lips reclaimed hers, and he kissed her tenderly as if savouring the taste and feel of her. The hungry need was replaced by a softness that melted Kitty’s body. Eventually, Josh pulled away and rested his lips against her forehead.

“I promise we’ll revisit this. You need to take a hot shower when we get back, and then we’ll talk.”