The melodious tune of violin music filled the house as Amy stepped in. She recognized it as Bach’s Partita No. 2. She’d gotten into classical music a lot when she was in college. Her roommate played the cello and always dragged Amy along to her concerts. The music always calmed her and filled her with inspiration. She actually liked listening to it as she created her designs.

She never expected to hear it playing in Josh’s house, and he had it on just loud enough for it to create that ambient relaxation you’d feel when you went to watch the opera, ballet, or listen to an orchestra.

Josh was in the living room sitting in the armchair with a low fire going in the antique fireplace. It was just like the vision she had when she first saw this room. Josh was reading a book. He looked tired but a hundred times better than on Sunday.

His lips slid up into an easy smile when he saw her enter. She walked over and stood a few paces away from him.

“Hi.” He gave her a warm smile.

“Hey.” She returned the smile and gazed into the openness of his enchanting eyes. “Are you okay?”

He nodded. “I think so.”

“I love the music.”

“It’s my sister’s compilation. It’s all the pieces she performed to.”

He’d told her all about his mother and sister on Sunday. It was difficult for him to talk at first but then he did. She was intrigued to hear all that they’d done, and truly impressed. More than anything she was thoroughly captivated by the way he spoke about them. His eyes brightened and his face lit up with pride. Just like it did now. That must have meant that yesterday’s visit to the cemetery had helped him in some way.

“It’s beautiful.”

He looked her over from head to toe and said, “Yeah, you are.”

“Thank you.” Her cheeks warmed as he continued to stare. “What are you reading?” The book looked very old.

“Poetry.”

She started to laugh. She’d probably have the same reaction if she came in and found him reading the bible.

“What?”

“Are you serious? It’s actual poetry?” She didn’t know if she could believe that.

“Yes. Look, see.” He held it out to her and she took it. It was a collection of post-romantic poetry and she could see that her favorite poet was listed in there: Alfred Tennyson. “Believe me now?”

She leaned her head to the side and handed the book back to him. “Josh, I feel like I just walked into the Twilight Zone. But the good part. I think.”

He chuckled. “You don’t believe I like poetry?”

“It’s hard to get my head round.” She looked at him and observed his overly masculine presence and stature. There was no way that she would guess that he had a softer side, one that would appreciate classical music and poetry. But here he was. “What’s your favorite from the book?”

“‘In Memoriam’ by Tennyson.” He said it without thinking.

She loved that poem, and anything by Tennyson.

“That’s a really long poem.”

“Doesn’t bother me, princess.” He straightened up and smiled, setting the book down on the coffee table, then recited, “Be near me when my light is low, when the blood creeps, and the nerves prick. And tingle; and the heart is sick. And all the wheels of being slow.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. He was actually quoting the poem.

He smiled when he saw her reaction and continued, “Be near me when the sensuous frame is rack'd with pangs that conquer trust. And time, a maniac scattering dust. And life, a fury slinging flame.”

She thought she’d do a little reciting of her own and join him. “Be near me when my faith is dry,” she cut in. His smile widened. “And men the flies of latter spring. That lay their eggs, and sting and sing and weave their petty cells and die. Be near me when I fade away. To point the term of human strife. And on the low dark verge of life the twilight of eternal day.”

“Well this is interesting, now isn’t it,” he stated. “Now we have something in common.”

“Yes. I never took you for the poetry reading type.”

“My sister could tame the inner beast.” He nodded then glanced down at the book for a second.

“How was yesterday?” she asked tentatively. She’d worried that being at the cemetery would wear him down again.

He nodded. “It wasn’t terrible. I talked. I tried to talk to them as if they were still here. And I realized that as long as I remember them they’ll never leave me.”

That was beautiful, and she was happy for him.

“They won’t.” She nodded with reassurance.

“Thanks for being there the other night, and well…for still being here.”

“You’re welcome. How are you feeling?”

“I’m sober.” He smiled. “This is my second day without a drink. My hands are shaking, but other than that I think I’ll be fine.”

She looked at his hands and noticed a slight tremor as he held them out. She’d heard that shakes were a bad withdrawal symptom when you stopped drinking. She hoped he wouldn’t experience it worse than what she saw.

“I may be able to relax you a little.” She beamed at him.

“What do you plan to do?” There was a saucy glint in his eyes that made her nerves scatter.

“Give you a neck rub.” She gave excellent massages.

He frowned. “Just my neck?”

She giggled. “I can do a shoulder massage, too.”

“Come on, then, princess, don’t keep me in suspense.”

She moved over to him and went behind him so she could place her hands on his shoulders. The muscles on his neck were equally as firm as his chest. She’d never known anyone with such sharp muscle definition. In New York, she’d seen male models do their photo shoots, but he wasn’t a male model he was an athlete. The muscles were different. And he was very tense.

“You have to relax,” she told him as she tried to work her fingers through his muscles.

“I don’t know if I can, this feels awfully kinky to me.” He looked up and gave her a cheeky smile as she pressed into his shoulders.

“Josh, it’s a shoulder massage. How can that feel kinky?”

“It just does. Are you sure this isn’t something we should continue upstairs in a nice silky bed?”

“Josh.” She smacked his shoulder playfully and he caught her hand.

“What? I can’t help who I am. Besides, I don’t want Hilda coming in and getting the wrong idea.”

She placed her hands on her hips and looked at him through narrowed eyes. “That makes no sense. Wouldn’t being in bed upstairs give her the wrong idea?”

“No, because if we were in bed upstairs there would be no guessing as to what we’d be doing. If she see’s us like this she’ll just wonder, but never be quite certain if something’s going on between us.” Trust him to say that. She didn’t know how he came up with these reasonings.

“But there isn’t anything going on between us.”

“Isn’t there?” He raised his brows.

She guessed kissing him on the beach tended to negate that statement, and so did not wanting to stop.

Or, thinking about kissing him now.

She didn’t know what kind of charm he’d worked on her to completely bamboozle her, but it worked and she needed to get it out of her system.

“You’re my boss, and I’m working. We shouldn’t flirt like this at work.”

“Baby, it’s five to nine. I have five more minutes of flirting.” It was indeed five to nine.

Even she had to laugh. “You’re seriously like this all the time?” She thought the drink may have talked most times.

“I’m like this all the time.” He nodded.

She rolled her eyes at him and continued to rub his shoulders.

* * *

Her work with him took off from that day. The weeks that followed saw her crazy busy, running around all day trying to balance everything and accompanying him to various events and meetings. The events took up the whole day and most times she was with him way past her normal working hours.

Everything was on track, and the best news ever was that her mother now had a date for surgery. An actual date, scheduled for the end of the month. It gave Amy that sense of accomplishment and hope. She had planned to take that week off to be with her mother. It would be good for her, too, because they hadn’t seen each other in months.

Things were looking up and she thanked God that Josh was doing well.

She was proud of the way he’d shaped himself up, and how serious he was about focusing on playing again. They spent a lot of time together on these outings and she was pleased to say that he’d been sober for over six weeks now. He was a new man, one who was determined to get his life back in order. She also hadn’t seen Allegra and Cindy, or any other woman coming or going from the house. Everything had turned out better than she’d hoped.

The cherry on top was watching him organize himself and prepare for training. She didn’t realize that when she was being told about training weeks ago that it would be an all-day thing.

Amy couldn’t begin to imagine what they would do all day, but that was because she wasn’t an athlete or, more specifically, a Gladiator. Josh told her that they trained with the sun, and sometimes long after it set. She supposed that was why they were so good and the leading champions. Other than her morning jog she used to do back in New York she didn’t exercise. She planned to start running again after the showcase. The beach was the perfect location for that and she’d have more time then.

Having some organization gave her the chance to fit in the time she needed to finish off her dress and portfolio weeks before she had planned. She was very happy with what she’d done and thought it kept with the unique qualities found in a Dior designer.

She’d gone with a spring theme and called her collection Metamorphosis, to represent the changes you could see during the spring time. Her style and taste was very European mixed with an air of bohemian chic, so she’d drawn stylish designs that mingled pastel shades with unique accessories. Dior didn’t just create a look, but a language recognizable in every season and across the world. She wanted to capture that with her designs.

Finishing it made her feel good and she could tick it off her mental list of things to do. It also made her look forward even more to the showcase. Most designers were going in with their models. She was going to be both designer and model. It wasn’t unheard of and she was sure she wouldn’t be the only one. Money and time prevented her from getting a model, but honestly, she preferred it this way.

She heard the front door open. That would be him now. She was in the office finishing up some emails she wanted done before she left for the weekend.

“Baby, are you still here?” he called out from the hallway.

She smiled to herself when she heard his voice.

“I’m in the office,” she answered.

She looked away from the computer screen as he came inside looking worked out in his tight, long-sleeved black training top and matching trousers. He looked like a walking advert, proudly displaying the Nike swoosh on the side of his chest and the edge of his hip.

He looked bigger to her, more muscular. She guessed that what training all day did. When he smiled at her she noticed a bruise on his left cheek.

“What happened to your face? You have the USA Today shoot next week.”

“Gage hit me. That feral creature. I swear he belongs in the wild.” He came around to her. “Baby, it’s nearly six, pack that shit away.” He grimaced when he realized he swore. “I mean stuff.”

She giggled, appreciating his attempt. “I have to send these emails, then I’m gone.”

“Gone? Now that I’ve seen you I’m not letting you leave.” He gave her a cocky masculine grin. “Come here, your man needs you.”

Anyone would think they were a couple, but it was harmless fun.

Well…to some extent. It would help a lot if she didn’t get all weak-kneed girlie when he said things like that.

“Josh, Perry Henderson needs to have the reports for the expenses over the last few months and I have to sort them.”

“Perry?” Josh narrowed his eyes at her. “Who is he even?”

“The team’s accounts manager.”

“He’s accounting at this hour?” He shook his head in disbelief. “Pack it away and come here.”

“No, I have to—”

Before she could refuse again, Josh took her hand and pulled her up from the chair. He fixed his gaze on her legs as she stood and the edges of her skirt floated around her thighs.

“Jesus, look at you. How can you hide your fine self behind that desk?” He continued to stare at her legs.

“I’m working.” Thank goodness he was staring at her legs and didn’t see her blushing uncontrollably.

“Like hell you are. You finish at five. We should go hang out.” He brought his gaze back to her face and reached out to touch her chin.

“Hang out? Doing what?”

“There’s a number of things I can think of.” The look he gave her told all. It was purely sexual, no mistake about it.

“Josh, it’s imperative that I get back to work.” It probably wasn’t imperative, but she couldn’t be like this with him. Him, with his overpowering sexual magnetism that weakened her resolve.

They’d gotten on well over the last few weeks, gotten on with the tasks and work set out for them, but there was one thing she was becoming openly aware of and that was the invisible web of attraction building between them. It increased daily and it was starting to be something she found difficult to escape. Some days she caught him looking at her, shamelessly checking her out. At other times, he’d give her this look of appreciation. Of course her mind told her to resist, but her body and her heart refused to listen.

“Imperative my ass. Hang out with me, baby.”

She shook her head. “I can’t.” At least she was trying.

“Yes, you can. All you have to do is come upstairs with me.”

“Upstairs?” She pressed her lips into a tight smile.

“Yes, upstairs.”

“Where upstairs?”

“My room, baby.” He smiled again, looking her over seductively. “Clothes are optional, although no clothes is always best.”

She swatted his hands away as he reached for her. “Josh, you are going to get me in trouble.”

“How much trouble can you get in if I’m your boss?”

“A lot.” She tried to get around him but he blocked her.

“Amy, come on. It’s been weeks now.” He pretended to pout. She giggled and held his gaze.

“Weeks since what?”

“Our beach fling.”

Fling. What a way to put it. Her cheeks warmed.

“And I’ve been good,” he added. “Really good.”

She didn’t know what to say to him. It would be wrong for her to give in to temptation, no matter how great it was. The best thing to do had to be to leave things as they were and encourage him to focus on what he had to do.

“You’ve been great. Now, I have to get back to work.”

He watched her with narrowed eyes and that silly half-smile on his face that told her he wasn’t done yet with whatever plan he had up his sleeve. She stepped around him, sat back down, and started typing away at the keyboard, ignoring his intense gaze.

Out the corner of her eye she saw him take off his wrists supports and then his watch, both of which he rested on the side of the desk. She glanced up at him but didn’t encourage any conversation. Best to ignore him, then he’d hopefully leave her alone to work.

She opened up the files with the reports the last PA made. She had to check them and then attach them to the email. Hopefully that would take another hour tops.

Amy had just opened the file for January when Josh pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it over to the ground beside the Xerox copier. She turned to glare at him but the words escaped her as she beheld the site of his masterpiece torso adorned with stunning tribal tattoos.

He was a work of art and she swore he looked like the perfect specimen of what God intended when he made man. Josh was the blueprint and she noted that he looked dramatically different to when she saw him shirtless weeks ago. To her he looked like he’d accumulated more muscle and he looked more sculpted. He’d been eating super healthy and having these superfood shakes he called his magic punch.

Put that together with his training and this was what you got. The extremely overconfident man standing tall and proud before her who took pride in his amazing looks and the way she was looking at him.

“What are you doing?” Amy hissed trying to stop her blood from coursing through her veins at a hundred miles an hour. There was no doubt that her cheeks were now red and the uncontrollable; blushing had seized her once again.

“Stripping.” He said it like it was nothing, like he was gardening or something.

“What? Are you crazy?”

“Yes.” He nodded and smiled. Then to her surprise he switched off the computer and, with one swift move, picked her up. She shrieked when he tossed her over his shoulder as if she was a ragdoll. It brought the image of a caveman up in her mind and she tried to stop herself from laughing. That would have thrown her annoyance at him.

“Josh, you put me down this second,” she yelped, smacking his back, which was also covered in more tattoos.

He answered by switching off the office lights and closing the door as they went through it.

“Josh, you’re my boss. I work for you. This is not good work behavior.” It was fruitless. Her attempts were fruitless.

He carried her into the sitting room and set her down.

“Perry is going to go mad.”

“Perry can go fu—”

“Language, Josh,” she hissed, giggling.

“I’m sorry, I can’t help it. I always talk like this. It’s football language.” He winced. “Okay, this is what I’ll tell Perry if he complains. I’ll tell him go fill himself with something because we’re busy after five.”

She’d met Perry last week. He seemed to be one of those men who were very particular and professional. She’d offered her usual smile and pleasantries but he barely acknowledged her and launched into a lengthy conversation about what he needed her to do. He barely took a break to breathe as he spoke.

“Then he’ll say, ‘busy doing what’.”

“We’re fooling around.”

“You can’t say that to him,” she retorted. She knew he would do it. That was his character. Very open minded and liberal to the point where he just said whatever was on his mind. Didn’t matter what it was. Josh just spoke and did as he wanted. The last thing she needed was for people like Zelda to think that she wasn’t serious about her work and replace her. “And we aren’t fooling around.”

“Yes we are.” He nodded with a wicked glint in his eye. Taking the edge of her camisole top, he edged her closer.

“Josh.”

“Yes, baby.”

“We can’t fool around.”

He spread his arms wide and held them out. “Baby, you’re seriously telling me you don’t want this?” He motioned to his perfect body, drawing her attention once again to his sculptured abs and the intense definition of each muscle against the glossy black ink of the tattoos swirled across his chest.

She tried to hold back a smile.

“Josh, I work for you.”

“Baby, that didn’t stop you weeks ago.”

“That was different.” It wasn’t and she didn’t know how to talk down a kiss she’d wanted more than anything at the time. “We were on the beach.”

“And the time before that?” A mischievous smile lit up his face, showing off his gorgeous dimples.

She pulled in a sharp breath and felt the blood begin to pound in her temples.

“You remember?” She couldn’t have felt more mortified when he nodded and felt worse by the second as her mind conjured up the image of them in the office and how she had behaved with him.

“Like I’m supposed to forget that?” He smirked.

She stared at him open mouthed, feeling her skin burn with embarrassment. She was certain that she would have turned every shade of red in the last few seconds and that she must have been a glowing crimson shade now.

“All these weeks you remembered?”

“Yes,” he said with more insistence. “So yes, we are most definitely fooling around.”

She brought her hands up to her cheeks and sighed. “I have to go.”

Josh caught her before she could flee and pulled her close to his bare chest. “I liked it.” He smiled.

“You were drunk.”

“Doesn’t matter. I liked it, and I like you.” He held her gaze and pulled her even closer.

Amy couldn’t move out of the enchantment he placed on her. It was the way he looked at her with that intense desire and want.

She’d be lying to herself if she said she didn’t feel desire and want for him too. But then she had to remind herself that this was the same Joshua Mancini who managed to get under her skin so badly when she first met him. And then he wasn’t just involved with one woman, there was always two women upstairs in his bed for a massive chunk of that first week she was here.

Why would she just want to be an addition to his collection?

“You’re bored, and to my knowledge you haven’t seen Allegra and bed friends in a while. You should call them. It’s Friday night, you have my seal of approval to go out and have fun. But no drinking.”

He laughed and shook his head. “That’s bullshit, Amy. All of it. You know if I wanted to be with Allegra and bed friends they would be here. So stop resisting me, baby. Clearly I want you, and I know you want me, too.” A slow sensuous smile curved his lips.

“I…don’t want you.” She didn’t even know why she bothered; anyone would be able to see very clearly that she was lying.

He answered with a laugh, then reached out to touch her face again. “Okay, prove it. If you don’t want me go back to work.”

It was probably the last chance, but he knew just as well as she did that she wasn’t going anywhere. He gave her a few seconds, though, to make the decision, then his smile widened at her hesitation.

She couldn’t help herself. Again it was the look that got to her. That paralyzing look that captivated her and held her in place. She pressed her hand to the hard planes of his chest, savoring the solid ripple of muscle she felt as he slipped his arm around her waist.

“Come here, baby.”

Any last thought of resistance melted away beneath his stare and she tilted her head up as he lowered to her lips, welcoming his kiss. This was wrong, she knew that, but the emotions she suppressed for him eradicated logic from her mind. All Amy wanted to do was enjoy running her hands over his body and to feel him touch her too.

As the kiss intensified he moved with her over to the sofa where he pulled her down into his lap, meeting the hungry kisses he fed her with the same unsated desire. He tasted good to her, like everything she wanted and needed mixed with lustful desire.

Heat radiated from her body and warmed her from the inside out. As he ran his hands over her waist, she molded herself to him, encouraging him to touch her. And touch her he did. He slid his hands up to her breasts and squeezed her gently, leaving a trail of fire on her skin in the wake of his ascent. Jolts of pleasure surged through her, parting her lips as a soft moan escaped her. She pulled in a breath to steady her mind.

“You like that,” he whispered against her lips and gave her that mischievous smile.

“Josh, we shouldn’t.” It was the last attempt of her brain to keep their relationship professional.

“We should, baby.” He ran his fingers over her already tight, taut nipples, driving her wild. “Tonight we’re just a guy and a girl who like each other. We can be that, right?”

She should say no, but it would be a lie, and it would be against what she wanted.

“Yes.” That was it. That was her raw need for him talking and there was no coming back.

His lips fused to hers again, ravaging her with kisses she felt all over her body. Electricity sparked off her in droves as he kissed his way down her neck and squeezed her breasts. No one had ever touched her like this before. The men she’d been with wouldn’t know how.

“Let me see you, baby,” he said against the hollow in her neck , his warm breath caressing her skin and scattering her nerves.

His blue-green eyes met hers with a lustful, hungry look, then returned to her breasts.

“Yes,” she barely managed the reply. On her word, he slid the straps of her top down, revealing her bra. He moved her back into the sofa so she was resting against its padded back, then with one quick snap he undid the butterfly clasp holding her bra together and eased the lacy cup aside.

She watched his desire for her intensify as her breasts spilled out.

“God, baby, you’re beautiful,” he breathed, sexual heat heavy in his voice.

She went to answer but found herself unable to as his lips smoothed over her left nipple with tantalizing possessiveness. Her breast surged at the intimacy of his touch as he drew her into his mouth. A groan of satisfaction slipped from her lips, begging him to continue, and continue he did to her other breast.

The gentle massage of his tongue sent currents of desire through her, making her want more. His hands moved down the length of her back, over her skirt, and crept back up her thighs. Instinctively her body arched into him and moved back as he released her, allowing him to follow her as she lay down.

Their lips met again and her skin burned where his touched hers. His untamed touch awakened the woman in her, igniting something she didn’t know existed.

“Beautiful Amy,” he whispered into her ear as he hooked his finger into the lace of her panties and tugged on the edge to slide them down.

Her stomach clenched as his body crowded hers and he was so close she could feel the hard bulge of his arousal. She gasped for air as he ran his hands across the already heated skin of her stomach and tried to remove her clothes.

But just then the house phone started ringing. At first she thought she imagined it, but as it sounded she realized it was real. It chimed into the haze of their passion, bringing her out of her lust-filled, intoxicated mind.

Josh stopped in his tracks and looked over to the phone on the side table. A solemn expression filled his face as he gazed ahead and turned pale as the answering machine clicked on and the voice of his father came on.

“Hey son.” His voice sounded frail. She didn’t know him but she recognized a pained voice when she heard it. “Just seeing how you are. It would be nice to see you. I just want to see you. Call me if you want to talk.”

Josh moved off her. Desire still pounded through her veins but she was hoping he’d go over to the phone. He didn’t. He just sat there staring ahead and allowed the phone to switch off.

She fixed herself, putting her bra back together and adjusting her top back to how it was.

“Josh.”

His eyes darkened with emotion as he looked at her. She slid over to him and rested her hands on the wide muscles of his shoulder.

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry. My dad, um…” He looked away, unable to finish.

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. You have no idea how badly I want you.” His eyes locked on hers and she felt like he was staring right through all the barriers of protection she’d placed around her heart.

She couldn’t help the emotion that swirled through her as she said, “I want you too. But we should take things slowly.”

They needed to, because she felt like her head was going to explode, and she had a lot of things to get around her poor head before she even contemplated venturing down this road with him.

“You’re not sure about me.” Hurt added to the pain in his eyes.

“It’s not that.” It definitely wasn’t that. There wasn’t a question in her mind as to how sure she was about him, and that was the worrying part. It was like her heart could skip over everything she needed to consider and jump to the part where she wanted to give into that carnal desire she had for him.

“Then what is it?”

“It’s new.” That was the best explanation she could come up with, and it was the truth. Being with him was new to her. Not only had she never been with a man with such a strong personality like him, but he was a star athlete who everyone knew. Men wanted to be him and women came in multitudes to fall at his feet, begging him to take them. There was a reason why all those magazines wanted him.

He continued to gaze at her, looking at her like he didn’t understand.

“It’s new, and you’re you, and I’m me.”

“What’s wrong with that?” His eyes searched hers.

There was everything wrong with it but she couldn’t say that to him. She wouldn’t hurt him more than he looked.

She’d done such a great job at avoiding feeling like this. Feeling her heart respond to someone who she had no control over. Feeling her pulse leap every time he looked at her.

There was too much going on to deal with this right now.

“It’s new, Josh, and I need slow right now.”

The other overarching thing was obviously why she was here. Why she was working for him. Over the last few weeks she’d had several chances to tell him about her mother. Several opportunities to talk about herself. Thankfully they were kept busy with trying to sort out his problems.

The last thing Amy wanted him to think was that she helped him the way she did because of the money. It would break her heart if he thought that.

At first she’d come for the money and that goal to get all that she was promised, but that was in the extremely initial stages. Things changed and her feelings changed. Right now she’d jumped so far over the line of professionalism that she couldn’t see it, and even if she could she didn’t know if she could go back over it.

“Slow,” he muttered.

“Yes. Josh, you have other things to worry about. Your father is probably at the top of the list.”

He looked away again and sighed. “I can’t speak to him, Amy. I want to, and I wish I could see him, but I don’t know if I can.”

“You should try.” She’d heard his father call a few times now. He always said the same things, and Josh always treated him the same. He always allowed the answering machine to pick up. “He sounded terrible.”

Josh turned to face her. “Amy, my parents were madly in love with each other. Every memory I have of them is filled with it. They were always together, hardly ever argued, and when they did it was over nonsense. Sometimes it was embarrassing, but it made me realize that people really can feel that way about each other.”

All Amy could do was look at him and listen. She didn’t know how to comment because she’d had the complete opposite in her life. Her mother definitely loved her father, but he was a useless jerk who left his family practically on the streets with nothing. He didn’t love her mother or his children. All he cared about was himself.

“That’s beautiful,” she told him.

“It is. And while I may be finding ways to deal with my guilt, I don’t know how to face him feeling like I took the love of his life away.”

She put her arms around him and he pulled her close to his chest. “You didn’t, Josh. You didn’t take her away.”

He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

She ran her hands across his chest. “You should talk to your dad. You really should.”

“I’ll prepare myself to call him.” He pulled away from her so he could look at her. “Amy, you can say no, but do you think you could stay with me. I just…need you.”

Staying would place her right in the den of her intense attraction to him, but she would stay if he needed her. Besides, it sure would be nice to be somewhere safe and comfortable.

“Of course I’ll stay.”

That seemed to really cheer him up. He took both her hands, brought them up to his lips, and kissed her knuckles.

“Thank you.” He smiled, then narrowed his eyes at her. “So, does slow mean not doing anything?”

She smiled at that. “No.” Her cheeks warmed as the mischief returned to his eyes.

“Can we do what we did tonight, just…slowly?” He went to touch her waist and she swatted his hands away.

“No.” She giggled.

“This is real torture, baby. So what can we do? You can’t expect me to just stare at you from afar like some weirdo.”

She laughed then reached out to hold his jaw. “Come here.”

His smile widened as she directed him back to her lips and kissed him.

“We can kiss.”

He smiled against her lips.

“Before nine and after five.”

“Okay. I’ll try this.” He pulled her onto his lap again to kiss her properly.