It Was Only a Kiss - By Joss Wood Page 0,67

his forehead against hers. ‘Oh, Jess, you take my breath away. I don’t have a ring for you yet. I was focused on getting you back and hadn’t dared hope that you might consider marrying me. Maybe we could have one designed?’

Jess sent him a look long of adoration. ‘Just knowing that I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you is enough.’

Luke cupped her face in his hands. ‘I love you so much.’

He kissed her thoroughly, reverentially, and Jess fell into his embrace, happiness seeping out of every pore. Her hands were undoing his shirt buttons when his mobile rang.

Luke cursed, yanked it out of his pocket and looked down at the screen. He turned the screen to show Jess. ‘Nick, your nosy brother.’

Jess pressed a kiss to his chest. ‘Ignore him.’

Luke dropped the phone, but it had barely hit the cushions when it rang again. Two seconds later Jess’s mobile started to chirp in the kitchen.

Jess dropped her head back and hissed her frustration. ‘They’ll keep calling until they know what’s going on.’ Jess reached for Luke’s phone and put it to her ear.

‘Can I not just be amazingly happy for five minutes without you guys wanting in on the action?’ Jess demanded, her hand on Luke’s cheek. She smiled as Nick spoke, said goodbye and then sent Luke a bemused look.

‘Nick says that you’re not to forget about the silky bantams. Um...why do you need to buy some chickens?’

Luke just laughed and kissed her.

EPILOGUE

Six weeks later Jess’s family swept in en masse to an exhibition of Katelyn Kirby’s paintings. They were surrounded by an amazing collection that had the art world buzzing—but what was the first thing her mother said on seeing her?

‘He still hasn’t put a ring on your finger!’

Jess rolled her eyes and pulled her left hand out from her mother’s grasp. ‘Mum! Luke and I are getting married in six months’ time. An engagement ring is not going to change that.’

‘Every girl should have a ring!’ Liza stated.

‘And I’ll get one...when Luke finds exactly what he is looking for,’ Jess told her, and turned to greet the rest of her extensive family. ‘You’re late. Luke is about to do his speech.’ Jess snagged her father’s jacket and pulled him back. ‘Dad, you can view the art later...come here.’

Clem made her way to stand next to her and slipped an arm around her waist. ‘It’s good to see you so happy, Jess. You are happy?’

‘Absolutely.’

‘And how are you coping with your business?’ Clem asked, taking a glass of champagne from a hovering waiter.

‘Ally has picked up the reins and is not letting go. I have very little to do with the Sandton office except for designing the initial concepts.’

‘And the Cape Town office?’ Nick asked from his position behind Clem.

Jess looked rueful. ‘I haven’t set it up yet, and I don’t know if I’m going to. I’ve been doing a bit of consulting here and there, looking after clients in the city.’

Clem lowered her voice. ‘And St Sylve? Is it on a bit more of an even keel?’

Jess looked past Clem’s shoulder at Luke. ‘There’s been a pick-up in sales and that’s encouraging. I’m also renovating the manor house to turn it into a venue suitable for small weddings, functions...family weekends away, so I’m swamped. Happily, crazily busy. We’re designing a house that we want to build on the other side of the farm, and...’

‘And Luke keeps you busy...?’ Nick added dryly.

Jess fluffed her hair and grinned. ‘He most certainly does—and in the most delightful ways possible.’

Nick scowled. ‘Blergh.’

Jess laughed and stood in the middle of the half-circle her family made. She watched Luke, looking tall and strong and amazingly attractive in his black tuxedo, step up to the podium. She felt the glow in her stomach when he looked for her, and his eyes were warm and loving when they connected with hers. They were wildly in love and amazingly happy. Jess, ring or not, considered herself a very lucky woman.

Luke looked around the room and smiled. ‘Welcome to this exhibition of Katelyn Kirby’s art—my mother’s art. As most of you know, she died when I was really young, but this huge collection of her work has recently come to light and I wanted to share her talent with the world. Some of the paintings here are not for sale—my fiancée, Jess, and I have decided to keep some—but the rest of her art, including her sketches for jewellery designs and sculptures,