Amy could no longer balance the battle that raged within her. Her fears and worries of having feelings for Josh were losing fiercely to her heart. Her heart screamed out for him in deafening cries that coursed through the blood in her veins.

She’d worried for so long that she could end up like her mother and end up wanting a man that could never be hers, that it scared her to take a chance on anyone she’d had feelings for.

She feared heartbreak more than anything because it destroyed her mother. Literally and figuratively.

Amy was scared, but her heart ached at being without him, and as it waited for her to take the plunge and go down that path that terrified her so greatly.

While she sat in his car waiting for him she thought about it all and she didn’t want to fight herself anymore. She’d never met anyone who’d made her want to take such a risk. Never met anyone who made her want to try.

He approached the car, opened the door, and got in. She turned her focus from the mass of leaves swaying from the willow tree in the park across from the stadium and looked into his seductive gaze.

When he reached out and touched her face she closed her eyes to savor the feeling and the moment.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded slowly and opened her eyes again.

“I’m sorry about my friends. The guys can be real jerks.” He looked concerned that the reaction of his teammates would have thrown her.

She answered him by moving closer and raising herself up to kiss him. The gesture surprised him but he kissed her back and pulled her over into his lap.

“Amy,” he breathed, saying her name on the edge of a smile. He tilted his head back to get a better look at her.

She opened her mouth to say something but found she was too overwhelmed by emotion to talk. Josh was so open with how he felt. He never held back on anything. And, he’d always been open about whatever he felt for her.

“I’m sorry,” she began.

“About what?”

“I’m sorry I made you feel like you had to ask me if something was wrong with you.”

He smiled and kissed her nose. “It’s okay.”

She shook her head. “No, I should have told you how I feel too.”

“How do you feel, baby?”

“Like the only person who should be seeing you with your shirt off is me.” There, a joke would help. It was perhaps the most direct she’d ever been.

“Well, we’d better leave or the guys will have front row seats to the Amy and Josh R-rated show.”

She giggled and slipped off his lap. “We probably should, I don’t know how I’d feel about them seeing me in my favorite Victoria’s Secret lingerie.”

His eyes went wide and turned darker with pure sexual desire. “I’m sorry, what?”

She laughed as she watched his cheeks redden. “Oh I don’t think you know the brand,” she teased. She was certain he’d had many Victoria’s Secret models in his time, or women who loved the brand, but this was her. “They do really great lingerie. Mine has lace and ribbons.” This was funny. Watching his face was funny.

“Lace…and ribbons.” He swallowed hard.

She nodded.

“Let me see.”

She would have just lifted the edge of her shorts so he could see the band of her panties, but she thought she’d go for something a little better than that. So she took her time undoing the buttons to her shirt and opened it up to show him her pink lace bra with the little bow in the center.

“God.” He stared at her, then moved swiftly to turn on the Range Rover and rev the engine. “We are definitely not in Kansas anymore.”

* * *

Josh couldn’t drive fast enough. He could barely keep his hands on the steering wheel and had to will them to stay there and not roam over to the stunning blonde woman who sat next to him with her shirt open.

Twice he nearly ran the car off the road because he was staring at her, and he almost drove past the house.

The minute they parked he jumped out of the car and reached for her. They didn’t even close the doors, he just picked her up and carried her inside the house while he ravaged her beautiful lips with kisses.

Pure emotion propelled him, and the more he kissed her the more he wanted. He wanted her, all of her, now and forever.

How had he managed to control himself all these weeks? How the hell had he managed such will power?

They made it to the living room where he lowered with her to the floor. He backed off her shirt, revealing her daintiness and perfect frame. In the small window of time they had to catch some air, she tugged at his shirt and he managed to pull it off over his head. He kissed the soft skin of her neck, which was just as he remembered. Smooth like cream, with the promise of everything amazing. He kissed his way down to her breasts and stopped as he remembered the last time he’d had this opportunity. His want was worse now by a hundredfold. But still he realized what going further would mean for them. What it would mean for her. In the back of his mind it dawned on him that she’d seen him here in this house with other women. Not even one, but two. Several times, and that was not that long ago.

Allegra and bed friends.

She was concerned about that when she moved in, and he knew what she thought about him in that respect. He didn’t want her to think that she was just another woman in his bed. He stopped kissing her and pulled away.

Concern filled her beautiful face as she looked at him with wonder in her large green eyes.

“What’s wrong?” she asked with that smooth softness that spoke to his soul. He knelt before her and cupped her face.

“I don’t want you to think that this is just about sex.” He shook his head. “I want you, all of you. Not just this part.”

His words seemed to surprise her. She looked back at him with an awe-filled expression, her eyes heavy with emotion.

“You have me, Josh.” She smiled and took his hand. “I want this.” She waved his hand, mimicking what he did and said to her weeks ago when she moved in.

He smiled, feeling happiness he thought he’d never experience burst within him.

“What is that?” He widened his smile.

She giggled as he kissed her cheek. “I don’t know but my heart wants it.”

He stopped and stared at her. Now that was different to what he’d said and meant so much more. Josh knew it when he met her that he’d never met anyone like her before, but what he didn’t realize then was that he’d never met anyone who he could feel this way about. And his feelings for her had deepened as time went by. All it took was seconds, just a handful of seconds, and she’d go deeper down the pathway she had created into his heart.

“My heart wants you too.”

She smiled sweetly. “Then make love to me, Josh.”

He looked at her and thought he’d love to do nothing more. It would be the first time that he’d ever made love.

“With pleasure.” He kissed her again, and when he did he knew there was no turning back. But mostly he knew that he was going down a path that would propel him in a direction he’d never gone before.

As she molded against his body, he smoothed his hands up to her breasts and squeezed her gently. Soft moans escaped her lips and drove him insane.

He picked her up again, deciding that he wanted her in bed where he could devour her. But not his, hers. His room was tarnished with the past and needed to be cleansed before he could take her in there. She was surprised to see that he’d taken her to her room, but they didn’t waste time with that. He set her down in the center of her bed and captured her lips again. Then with one snap he undid the clasp in front of her bra that held it together. Her beautiful breasts spilled out in their heftiness and his eyes glued to her nipples. Pink like the finest strawberries, round and firm.

He pulled down her shorts to reveal the beauty of her hips and the artistically sculptured masterpiece of her fine legs.

The extent of her ethereal beauty did indeed rival all the angels. This woman wasn’t just beautiful, she was the description and definition of perfection.

He kissed his way down to them and smoothed his mouth over her left nipple, drawing her in and getting lost within the passion that surrounded them.

* * *

Amy had never been looked at like that before. As if she were perfect and the most desirable woman in the world. Even if she wasn’t, that was how Josh made her feel.

She arched her back as he sucked her breasts and took his time to explore her body. The passion that consumed her paralyzed her within the deep clutches of its grasp and she lost awareness of time and space, everything. Shivers rushed over her body as he ran his hands over her.

Amy wanted to have her own time to explore him too. She wanted to kiss her way across his chest and run her hands all over his glorious muscles, but her strength failed her. His touch alone was too much for her, and she got lost in his kisses, losing her mind to the passion that took them.

He paused for a moment to remove his clothes and reveal the impressive length of his erection. All she could do was stare at the glorious vision of him, standing before her, basking in perfection.

Everything turned hotter and more intense when he took hold of her again. He parted her legs and shifted her panties so he could enter her. That was when her mind went straight to oblivion. She sucked in a sharp breath as he held her waist and slid into her, huge and thick, then began pumping slowly, easing deeper into her.

A deep groan was ripped from his chest as he went even deeper, stretching and filling her. Amy cried out from the impact and arched her back as he increased his movement, then she became lost in the fire that licked at her skin, blazing over it in ripples of wild energy.

“Baby, do you want more?”

Want? No, she needed more.

“Yes,” she cried with desperation.

Josh gave her more, hitting all the right places deep within her.

His grip tightened around her waist and he straightened so he could go faster.

Harder and faster, deeper. Over and over again until she felt the hard wave of orgasm tumble through her body. It vibrated her entire being in response and rocketed overlapping waves of pleasure.

It scorched her body clean. Amy cried out again. Then everything became an intense blur of orgasmic ecstasy, which he kept going.

Tremor after tremor shook her, robbing her of her breath as she tried to scream out his name. She writhed against him, hot and wild, then one last soul-shattering, bone-tingling orgasm reverberated through every part of her, robbing her of her senses.

She thought she would pass out from it and from the tingling, fiery sensations that pricked at the ends of her nerves. It was too much. Much too much.

When he cried out in pure pleasure she knew he could feel it too. He clasped her hips, pulling her into his final thrust, hot and powerful just like him. Every muscle tensed as he came.

They were both breathing hard, and she was covered in sweat from the sexual heat.

He lowered next to her and her pulled towards his chest. She rested her head against him and listened to the thunderous beat of his heart.

“Baby.”

She lifted her head and looked at him. She tried to smile but she was breathing too hard. “Yes baby,” she replied.

He smiled wider at her response. “We have a lot of time to make up for.”

Amy couldn’t agree more. She giggled as he kissed her.

* * *

Amy had made several attempts to get up, but Josh wouldn’t allow her to leave the bed. Now he was making it even harder by taking his time to trace a line of slow fiery kisses down her neck while he slid his palm across the flat of her stomach, drawing her even closer to him.

“Josh.” She giggled as he nibbled on her neck again. “I was supposed to start work four hours ago.” There was a chance it was more than that, but she’d kind of lost track of the time.

They’d made love all night and several times since then. It was like they couldn’t get enough of each other and had become slaves to passion and their primal desire to have more.

It was intoxicating, and overwhelming.

She had to admit that she didn’t actually want to get up, either, but they had a lot of things to do today, and he had training. She also had to get back to the rep at Calvin Klein to let them know Josh wouldn’t be doing the advert.

“Josh we’re at work.” She should be given bonus points for her attempt. He answered by running his hands over her breasts and pausing at her nipples. She pulled in a breath against the pleasure she felt.

“I want you again, baby,” he whispered against her ear, burning her skin with his heated, sexual breath.

She wanted him, too. “You have training, and we’re…working.”

“Well princess, looks like I’m your boss and you’re sleeping with me.”

“No, I want us to be professional at work.” Maybe she was crazy. She moved away and giggled as he reached to grab her.

“Amy, that idea went to hell hours ago.” He was right, and that was the last ounce of will power she had left. She allowed him to pull her back into bed, into his arms where she molded against him.

“Just enjoy this.” He kissed her. “I’ve waited weeks to have you like this.”

His words made her melt. She’d waited, too, and withheld herself from the pleasure of him. She wanted to enjoy him, and she did as he took her all over again into the magic of their unsated passion.

The weeks that followed were all the same and saw them always together, and always with that desire for more.

She’d just about managed to finish her dress, which looked beautiful and perfect in every way. Instead of the original red she’d chosen for the first dress, she selected a baby blue satin and silk mix and came up with a different style to its predecessor. She swapped the slim line and chose an A-line with a bodice, which she decorated with rhinestones, to make it look more fairytale-like. There was an endless flow of length in the skirt in keeping with the Dior signature style.

Every dress she’d made had a different inspiration behind it. This one was the first to have any form of sentimental value to her, because it was a gift from Josh. As she’d made it, thinking of him fueled her imagination.

The day for the showcase arrived and she was so excited she couldn’t contain herself. Amy was also nervous. It felt like riding one of those crazy fairground rides that whipped around, twisted, and turned you. Thrilling, but yet at the same time you knew that something serious could happen. This was how she felt now.

Hilda and Gabriella came around to do her hair and make-up, and they did a remarkable job. By the time they were finished with her, even she had to admit that she looked like she’d just stepped out of a magazine. Gabriella gave her a knotted up-do and left a few tendrils about her face to give that wispy effect. The back knots she had created with a mixture of French and waterfall braids. Hilda decided Amy had to have smoky eyes and chose to blend the smoky shades with a soft blue to complement the dress. She gave her skin that dewy look and enhanced her high cheek bones with a darker color.

Amy felt fantastic. Fantastic in every way. She was grateful for the friendships she had with Hilda and Gabriella, and she was feeling great about Josh. Being with him was beyond amazing and she was happy. For the first time in her life she was actually happy. A massive addition to that was that her mother’s surgery had been booked for next week. Her mother was doing much better and Dr. Carson said he felt confident that the surgery would be a success. All being well, her mother would be healthy in no time.

Everything was all working out.

“You look stunning,” Gabriella complimented.

“Ay, definitely, chica,” Hilda agreed.

“I just hope I get it.” She smiled.

Hilda took hold of both her hands. “You will. I can’t believe you made this dress. It is simply amazing.”

Amy smiled.

“Baby! A man could perish waiting on you.” Josh called out from downstairs. He was with Riley watching TV. He’d taken a break from his training to come back and see her before she left.

“She’s coming,” Hilda called back.

“You can’t rush perfection,” Gabriella added with a laugh.

“Tell her she’s perfect enough already.”

Amy giggled and rushed out of the room, excitement bubbling within her for the night ahead, and for him.

He was about to continue his tirade when he turned from the TV and saw her. His words became lost in process and all he did was stare.

“Wow, you look beautiful,” Riley complimented her, nodding with that gentle sparkle in his eyes.

It was Josh’s expression, though, that really took her breath away. He’d seen the dress as she’d made it, watched it being put together from scratch, and knew all that it meant to her.

He got up and stretched out both hands to take hers and held her, his eyes never leaving hers as she gazed at him.

“You look like an angel,” he breathed. She noticed he’d called her that a lot over the time that he’d known her.

It meant a lot that the best thing he could find to compare her to was an angel, what could be better than that?

“Thank you.” He gave her hands a gentle squeeze then pulled her in for a hug.

She rested her head on his chest, wishing he was coming with her. Amy could have definitely used his strength tonight. He had to train, though, and as they’d both been terrible with their timekeeping recently there was no way he could cancel or anything like that. She understood. Hilda and Gabriella were going with her, so that wasn’t too bad. She just wished he could come too.

“Thank you for making this possible,” she said against his chest. Amy tried to breathe in that assuring scent of him that calmed her and made her think of him. It was a woodland musk that reminded her of the open forest.

He ran his hands across her back. “Anytime, Amy.”

“This means a lot to me, Josh.” She lifted her head so she could see him again.

“I know, now go win their hearts. I’ve already booked your celebration dinner.” He smiled.

“Josh, that’s like jinxing it.” She laughed.

“It’s not. Also we haven’t exactly been on a date yet.”

She thought a moment and it occurred to her that they hadn’t.

“A date, with Joshua Mancini. Wow, now I’m nervous.” She fanned herself as he laughed.

“Hey, I’m the lucky one here.” He leaned forward and kissed her lightly. Josh always placed her on this pedestal, as if she was this perfect being, but he didn’t need to.

“Me too,” she told him, whispering against his lips,

“You’re doing something crazy to me, Amy Rose.”

She knew what he meant; she felt like that too. “I know the feeling.”

* * *

The grand hall of the Pegasus Hotel was filled with all sorts of officials. Amy had forgotten what the fashion world could be like. Filled with extravagance, glamour, and beauty. Bursting with talent and creativity.

There were fifty applicants competing for one of the new designer positions. Fifty. At application stage she knew there were a few thousand who had applied. They’d whittled it right down to a mere fifty. Soon that would be five.

It was a rigorous process, anxiety-filled and nerve wracking. It could make her mad if she thought about it because there was some real competition here.

For the first hour each applicant had to display their design across the runway, pausing at each point of interest for the camera. Not everyone had chosen dresses or even evening wear, but there was a good number of people who had. She chose it because she felt it could display her talent the most and allowed her to be creative with something that would matter. Celebrities wore Dior evening wear all the time. She wanted to show that she could deliver the standard expectations, and meet all the requirements and qualities a celeb would go for in choosing a dress.

The next part of the showcase involved talking about the design and the inspiration behind it. For that she spoke with her heart.

The dress that got destroyed was designed to represent what she thought they would like. It was in keeping with what she’d seen before. This one did the same but it was different. It was inspired by how she felt about Josh.

This dress was priceless, and for that she spoke about hope and courage, of coming back strong from something that could break you down, and of taking chances to see where they could lead. That was what she’d seen in Josh, and that was what inspired her. Her heart spoke and she hoped it was enough.

The evening was intense, but not as intense as the final stage of the night when she had to stand with the host of other talented designers and wait for her name to be called out if she was selected.

While she waited, she thought of her life and how hard it had been. She’d always had to fight. She had to accept that if she wanted something, she had to take that leap of faith and fight for it. She’d been through so much to get to this stage.

“Amy Rose.”

She’d heard her name but couldn’t remember why it was being called.

The presenter called her name again and her heart leapt into her throat as realization filled her soul.

She looked past the girl next to her, who’d designed a nineteen-twenties-style Gatsby dress, and over to the presenter who was beaming at her. Amy shook as he put his hand out and beckoned her to move across and stand with the other two designers who had been selected.

Had she seriously just been selected?

“Come on, Amy.” His smile widened, showing off perfect white teeth that dazzled under the bright lights. The crowd in the audience started cheering and she realized that people liked her. They liked her and she’d just been chosen. Her hands flew up to her mouth as she squealed with delight. “Come and take your spot, sweetheart.”

She moved, gliding across the runway, trying her best not to trip over her own excitement.

To her absolute amazement people started to stand and cheer. She never expected that. She could hardly believe this was happening. She’d dreamt of it several times over and believed in her talent, but this wasn’t a dream anymore. It was real.

She couldn’t wait to see Josh and tell him the news.

Hilda and Gabriella shared in her excitement on the way back home. They were really happy for her. She’d sent Teddy a message, along with her mother, brother, and all her friends from New York and Atlanta.

When she got back home she ran straight inside and into Josh’s awaiting arms.

“I got it!” she cried.

He picked her up and whirled her around. “Of course you did.”

It was only when he set her down that she saw the soft trail of rose petals on the floor, and noticed the ambient romantic setting of the place. He’d dimmed the lights, had classical music playing in the background, and opened the French doors displaying the candle-lit table on the terrace.

That, too, had rose petals dashed about the top. It looked like something from a dream. Just like everything else about tonight. And him.

“Josh,” she breathed, looking back at him.

He held her hand out and gazed down at her with complete adoration. His next words then stole her heart and captured her entire being. “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.”

In Memoriam. She smiled up at him.

When she’d first heard him recite it she’d been shocked to no end that he liked poetry. Now she was experiencing something different because he was speaking those words to her.

She’d heard that poem being read many times. Heard it being read with ardent fervor, and love and respect. Everything that meant something. She just never expected that someone would ever recite it to her, with her in mind.

He smiled at her, gazing deep into her eyes as he held onto both her hands before continuing, “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.”

He paused so she could continue. It held so much meaning now. For them.

“Be near me when my faith is dry. 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.”

He stared at her for a few seconds with his beautiful eyes. There was something about his look that stood out to her, holding her attention. It spoke to her soul.

“You’ll not fade away, Amy Rose. Thanks for not letting me fade away too.”

She welcomed the soft kiss he gave her and became lost within the warmth of emotion that surged through her body.

She almost didn’t hear her phone ring.

“Get that, baby,” he whispered against her lips.

She messaged a lot of people and they were most likely calling to say congratulations.

“I’ll call back tomorrow.”

The phone stopped ringing, and started again almost with insistence.

Josh gave her a lopsided grin. “I’ll bet it’s your adoring fans. Get it and I’ll chill the elderflower juice,” he laughed.

She shook her head at him and answered her phone.

“Hello?” she said into the receiver with a bright voice.

“Amy, its Dr. Carson.”

Instantly her brain jumped at the recognition of him and what it could mean if he was calling her at this time of night.

“Dr. Carson. Is my mom okay?”

“Amy, your mother’s had another heart attack and she’s been taken into intensive care.”