She looked down at her lap. “When I believed he loved me, I thought it was fine. We were to be married. At least that’s what I thought. Now that I know the truth about him, I feel spoiled. Dirty.”
My heart softened, jealousy forgotten. She shouldn’t feel bad for being tricked. It was all him. “No, no, you mustn’t think like that. He was the one in the wrong. Anyway, those are only old-fashioned ideas, handed down from our puritanical beginnings. You’re a modern woman. There’s no reason you should be ashamed.”
Her mouth curved upward as she looked up at me. “You sounded very smart and worldly just now.”
“I’m not, but I’d like to be smart. For you.” I held up my hands. “But I’m afraid my cleverness is in these, not here.” I tapped my temple.
“You don’t have to be anything other than yourself. Not for me or anyone else. You’re kind, which is the most important thing to be, but intelligent too. I admire you.”
My chest warmed at her compliments. “Me? How so?”
“You’re a survivor. All the obstacles in your way and yet you’re here helping others.”
“You and your family inspired my generosity. It’s I who admire you.”
She was quiet for a moment. A sparrow darted from one bare branch to the other.
“When I think how he strung me along, I’m filled with shame,” she said. “I wonder how you could think well of me when I acted so foolishly.”
“As a man who’s yearned for love and family for as long as I can remember, I can easily understand how one see things inaccurately. The desire outweighs your better instincts. Anyway, it’s him I think ill of. When I see what he could have had with you, I can’t think of a bigger fool.”
She raised her gaze to mine. “I should have saved a first kiss for someone who deserved it.”
“You could forget all that and start over. No one has to know but you and me. We could both start at zero kisses.”
Josephine went back to staring at her lap. A flush had risen to her cheeks, making her even more beautiful than the moment before. “And who would be our first kiss then? Each other?”
“I’d not discourage you from that idea.” Oz and Willie nuzzled noses as if to show us how.
She smiled again and slowly turned toward me. “I never thought I’d kiss anyone ever again. And now here you are. Honestly, I don’t know if it’s another case of me being in love with love, but your feelings for me are thrilling.”
“Is there any part of you that thinks you could love me, not the idea of love?”
“How does one know, though?” Her nose wrinkled. “I’m scared to make another mistake.”
“I could kiss you if that would help you decide.”
Her eyes widened, and her lips parted slightly. Was that an invitation? I’d wait to hear the words from her rosy pink mouth. Making a mistake and scaring her away was my greatest fear at the moment.
“Are you asking permission?” she asked.
“Yes. May I kiss you?”
“You may.” She lifted her chin and closed her eyes. “Go ahead.”
I laughed. “There’s no need to be stoic about it. You have to at least pretend you want me to.”
She giggled as her eyes flew open. “I do. I’m just not certain how it works with you. With—”
I held up a hand to cut her off from whatever she was going to tell me about Walter. “Don’t say it—I don’t want to hear anything more about him or his kisses.”
She sobered and dropped her chin, shaking her head. “I’m sorry. You’re right. Not another word.”
“Look at me, beautiful Josephine.”
A giggle erupted. “I’m suddenly nervous.”
I leaned forward, not thinking this time, and cradled her face in my gloved hands. The world went away as I kissed her sweet-tasting, yielding lips.