Joy remained seated on the bench with Sir Fluffington the Second curled peacefully on her lap, his tiny chest rising and falling with each gentle breath.

She stroked his impossibly soft fur with absent-minded tenderness, a serene expression settled across her features that surprised even herself.

When she’d finally pulled back from crying in Cassius’s arms, she’d braced herself for the inevitable wave of embarrassment.

She’d expected shame to crash over her, anger at her own weakness, frustration at losing yet another battle to this infuriating man.

She’d literally cried in her enemy’s lap—surely that was the ultimate humiliation.

But the shame never came.

Instead, when she’d opened her tear-blurred eyes and found Cassius still gazing down at her with that same gentle expression, she’d felt something entirely unexpected.

Safety.

Complete, enveloping safety, as if the entire world had been wrapped in a warm blanket and she could finally, finally stop worrying.

No negative emotions. No regret. Just peace.

The only other person who could make her feel this way was Maria herself.

Even Aqua, with all her kindness, had never seen Joy cry like this.

Yet here she was, having shown Cassius her most vulnerable self, having soaked his shirt with tears she’d been holding in for years—and she didn’t feel bad about it at all.

She felt free.

And she honestly had no idea what to make of that.

Joy wasn’t good with emotions. She never had been.

She was much better at pushing them down, burying them deep inside while focusing on duty and mission and everything that needed to be done.

But now that everything had been stripped away, now that her carefully constructed walls had crumbled, she found herself adrift in feelings she couldn’t name or understand.

What was she feeling toward Cassius? Why did he make her feel this way?

She racked her brain for answers, but nothing came. She’d never had to think about something like this before. It was all so confusing.

Then she remembered what her mother had told her about Cassius.

How every time she was with him, he made her so happy.

How even when it was cold and she was shivering, as long as he was by her side, that warmth would spread throughout her entire body.

Joy’s breath caught.

She felt the same thing.

But that couldn’t be right. Because her mother loved Cassius—truly, deeply loved him. And if Joy felt the same way, then that would mean...

’No no no no no.’

She shook her head vigorously, startling Sir Fluffington the Second, who let out a sleepy bleat of protest.

’Me, falling for him? That’s absurd!’ She thought fiercely. ’That’s impossible. I’ve never even thought about love or romance in my entire life. I’ve been completely focused on my mission.’

’Not to mention this is Cassius—my arch-rival, the bane of my existence!’

But the more she tried to deny it, the more the thoughts came flooding in.

His teasing grin. That infuriating laugh.

The way he kept pushing her buttons, knowing exactly how to get under her skin.

The way he looked at her like she was something precious.

And then there were the other memories.

His hands on her body. The way he made her feel. The passion that had consumed them both.

The way her body responded to him like it recognized something her mind refused to accept.

’Stop it!’ She commanded herself. ’Just stop thinking about him!’

But the thoughts wouldn’t stop. They swirled and tangled and grew more confusing by the second.

As if sensing her inner turmoil, Sir Fluffington the Second raised his tiny head and let out a soft, questioning bleat.

Joy snapped out of her daze, immediately smiling down at the little creature.

"What do you think, Sir Fluffington the Second?"

She murmured, stroking his head gently. "What do you think I feel toward Cassius?"

She paused, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

"Is it really just like my mother feels?"

Another pause, her voice dropping to barely a whisper.

"Or is it something else?"

The little sheep answered with another gentle "baa, baa."

Joy let out a soft chuckle.

"I suppose you’re too young to think about such complicated things. I’m twenty-six years old this year, and even I don’t have any clue."

She rubbed her forehead gently against his.

"You just be cute and adorable as always! That’s more than enough."

Sir Fluffington the Second snuggled deeper into her embrace, and Joy felt her heart swell with affection.

He was so warm, so trusting, so innocent.

She wanted to protect him from everything bad in the world!

She also considered seeking advice from Carmela.

The vampire seemed to have the same kind of personality as Joy—pragmatic, mission-focused, not given to emotional displays.

If anyone could help her sort through these confusing feelings, it would be her.

Certainly not Aqua, who would probably tease her mercilessly.

And definitely not Maria, who would likely burst into happy tears at the mere suggestion of romance.

Before she could decide, Cassius’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Show your hands, Joy."

She looked up to find him approaching, his hands clasped behind his back with obvious intent. She raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite herself.

"Are you going to give me another little woolly sheep?" She asked, the corners of her mouth twitching. "If you are, I can name him Sir Fluffington the Third."

"And if it’s a girl, I’ll name her Lady Fluffington."

Cassius shook his head, a smile playing on his lips as he said,

"Well actually, a new baby woolly sheep will be born soon."

Joy’s eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Mmhmm. But that’ll take about two more months. He’s still in the womb."

He saw her expression fall and quickly added,

"But if you’re interested, you can come witness the birth. You could even help if you’d like."

Her eyes lit up again, and Cassius couldn’t help but marvel at how easily her emotions shifted.

She looked so cute, in a way that made his heart do something strange.

"Anyway." He said, shaking off the thought. "What I brought you isn’t as amazing as you think it is. It’s a bit more simple than that. But I think you’ll like it."

He eyed her outstretched hands and smirked.

"Actually, never mind. I’ll put it on you myself."

Before Joy could protest, Cassius brought his hands toward her neck.

And for a split second, instinct screamed at her—the neck was a vulnerable spot, an easy place to kill someone.

But the instinct faded almost immediately.

She trusted him.

She hated admitting it, even to herself, but she trusted Cassius. So she simply sat still as he looped his arms around her neck.

When she looked down, she gasped in surprise.

A scarf!

A white, impossibly fluffy, and incredibly soft now wrapped around her throat!

She couldn’t help but caress it, marveling at how beautiful it was. But the moment her fingers touched the familiar texture, she froze.

"Cassius." She breathed, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Don’t tell me this is..."

He grinned, clearly pleased with himself.

"It’s exactly what you think. A scarf made from woolly sheep’s wool!"

Hearing this confirmation, Joy admired it even more, rubbing the soft fabric against her cheek.

It felt like being wrapped in a cloud—warm, comforting, and impossibly gentle against her skin.

"The mother of this little guy...."

Cassius continued, patting Sir Fluffington the Second.

"...had an abundant amount of wool. She needed a haircut anyway. So I went over there, gave her a little trim, and turned it into a scarf."

He shrugged casually. "Thought you’d like it."

Joy stared at him in disbelief. "You just made this? Right now? In the time you were gone!?"

She couldn’t wrap her mind around it. He’d only been away for a few minutes. How could he have created something so perfect in such a short time?

Cassius puffed out his chest.

"What can I say? I’m just really good with my hands."

He gave her a knowing, devilish look as he said,

"You should know that yourself—you’ve experienced it firsthand."

Joy gritted her teeth, a flush spreading across her cheeks.

She knew exactly what he was referring to—the way his hands had reached inside her body, how he’d made her squirt like a waterfall over and over again.

It was shameless of him to bring that up now.

But strangely, she didn’t feel angry. The scarf was too mesmerizing, too precious.

She focused on it instead, comparing the soft wool on Sir Fluffington the Second to the scarf around her neck.

They were equally soft. Equally comforting.

Seeing how satisfied she looked, Cassius sat back down beside her and draped his arm over her shoulder—a gesture that had become so natural, neither of them thought twice about it.

"So." He said, his tone light. "Does my dear Saintess like my gift?"

Joy turned to him, her expression conflicted. "I..."

She hesitated, unsure what to say. But her hesitation seemed to give Cassius the wrong idea.

"Well." He said, frowning in mock disappointment. "if you don’t like it, you can just give it back to me. Vivi’s been feeling quite cold lately—this would be perfect for her."

He reached toward her as if to grab the scarf back.

Joy’s eyes flashed with a murderous fury.

"Don’t you dare!"

She slapped his hands away and clutched the scarf possessively, as if he’d tried to steal her most precious treasure.

"This scarf is mine! If you try to take it away from me, I’ll file a case against you for theft and have you thrown in jail!"

Cassius stared at her for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Fine, fine, it’s yours. No one’s going to take it."

Joy relaxed, still clutching the scarf protectively.

She ran her fingers over its soft surface, treasuring it like it was the most valuable thing she’d ever received.

She then looked at Cassius’s side profile and couldn’t help but think of all the women she’d interviewed before.

They’d all told her the same thing—Cassius just knew how to make a woman happy.

Whoever it was, he would deal with them perfectly, like he could see straight into their hearts and give them exactly what they needed.

At the time, she’d scoffed at the idea. But now she knew it was true.

She was truly so happy right now, all because of a simple gift. He’d known exactly what would win her heart.

But just as she was feeling appreciative toward him, thinking that maybe he wasn’t so bad after all...

"Actually." Cassius said, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "I have one more surprise for you."

He reached into his pocket and pulled something out, holding it up triumphantly.

"Ta-da! I hope you’ll wear this and show it to me one day!"

Joy’s expression shifted from warmth to ice in an instant.

What he was holding wasn’t wholesome or sweet like the scarf.

It was lingerie!

A matching set of bra and panties, but made from—she couldn’t believe her eyes—woolly sheep’s wool.

They looked like the most comfortable underwear imaginable, soft and warm and perfect for keeping sensitive areas cozy.

They’d probably be a hit among the ladies if released to the market.

But right now, they were being held by a shameless pervert with an expectant grin on his face.

Joy shook her head and looked away, her disappointment palpable.

’Same old Cassius.’ She thought. ’The pervert I always knew him to be.’

But then she glanced back at him, watching as he fiddled with the lingerie, holding it up against his own chest in a foolish manner as if testing it out.

He looked absolutely ridiculous, and she couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips.

’He’s a pervert.’ She thought. ’But he’s a pervert that I don’t mind.’

That thought was more than enough to say how fond she’d grown of him.