“I won’t be inviting Allegra and bed friends here anymore. I haven’t in months.”
“But you might. You might miss them.”
“I won’t.”
“How do you know?”
He took her hand and held it up. “Because of this.”
“My hand?” She narrowed her eyes at him and wondered if this was another one of his crazy reasonings.
“No, this.” He shook her hand.
“What is it?” She chuckled.
“Exactly, I don’t know what it is, but there’s something between us. Something that I don’t deserve.” He released her hand. Amy couldn’t have been more stunned by his words. “But since I want it, I’ll work for it. That means no more Allegra and bed friends. And it means taking us as slow as you want.”
She pulled in a breath to calm herself. To calm her heart as it reached out to his words.
“Josh.”
“Amy, please just give me a chance to take care of you. Let me have that.”
She felt a sense of eagerness coming from him and saw that he really wanted her to be here, so she thought she’d agree. “Okay.”
“Good. So, that just leaves the dress. You made it, didn’t you?” He tilted his head to the side.
“How’d you guess?” She smiled up at him.
“It was the way you looked when you realized it was damaged.”
“I’m a fashion designer. I applied to work with Dior and that dress was supposed to be my ticket in.”
“Well Amy, you are full of surprises. You really are. You’re a fashion designer?” He looked really impressed.
“I want to work for Dior, but now I don’t have a dress and the new designer showcase is in a month. That dress took me months to make.”
“Is that how long it takes?”
“No, it just took time to design the right dress. Something I thought would win their hearts and I…” The dress had cost her a total of five thousand dollars. She didn’t even have three hundred right now.
“How about you work out what you need and then you and Hilda can go shopping in Beverly Hills or something. There’s plenty of designers there and I know there must be places you can get your material and diamonds or whatever.”
She just laughed. Maybe he didn’t realize how broke she was.
“Josh, I’m broke, I can’t even get plastic diamonds in the Bargain Bin.”
“You aren’t broke, you have me.” He reached into his pocket and took out his bank card. “Here, just get what you need.”
“Josh I can’t take your card. The dress cost thousands. I’m already staying in your house.”
“Baby, don’t you think life is hard enough as it is?”
“Yes.” There was no question about that.
“Look what happened to you last night.” He smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. “Just take it and get whatever you need. It’s the least I can do.”
She didn’t care about her loose camisole that probably showed off too much or the matching shorts, she had to hug him.
“Thank you so much,” she told him and snuggled into his embrace.
He held her close to him, filling her with that feeling of safety, again, she’d felt last night.
“Thank you for everything.”
“Anything for you, beautiful Amy.”
Josh had the pleasure of watching her on a daily basis. Night and day.
He didn’t know that he could be so fascinated with one woman as he had been with her. Everything she did amazed him and it was nice to have her around all the time. It got to a point where he couldn’t remember not having her in his life. He was serious when he told her he didn’t know what they had, but wanted it. Since then every minute spent with her strengthened that desire.
The first week she spent at his house was the very best week he’d ever lived there. She brought so much life into the house and seemed appreciative of everything. She liked waking up to watch the sunrise on the beach. She liked sitting by the fireplace with a fire in the back while she drank cinnamon hot chocolate. She liked his not-that-great cooking, and she liked listening to classical music and reading poems with him.
His sessions with his therapist helped a great deal, but what worked for him was Amy. Her. Plain and simple. It was her. She made him want to be a better person.
She made his house feel like a home and extended her presence to accompanying him to the stadium when she could to offer her support. He was grateful for it. Particularly on days like today when he was exhausted from the intense week they’d had.
He’d finished about fifteen minutes ago but Coach Simpson wanted to go through some strategies with him. Josh was particularly good at this and would have been able to give more insightful commentary if he hadn’t noticed Amy talking with Corey by the water stand. Josh knew Corey and couldn’t believe his asshole of a best friend was flirting with her.
Amy wore denim shorts and a white shirt over an olive-green tank top. Her golden hair sparkled against the bright stadium lights. The whole image of her was sexy as hell without trying, and she carried herself in that sassy-but-girlie way he liked.
When Corey rested his hand on her shoulder Josh glowered at him, but he was too far to see.
“Josh, what do you think of that?” Coach asked.
Josh continued to glower at Corey, thinking that if he wanted to keep his hand then he needed to remove it from his girl. And stop talking to her too.
“Josh.”
“What?” He looked back to Coach Simpson quickly. “Um yes.” He didn’t know what he was saying yes to, but that was usually the correct answer, except where no was required.
To Josh’s horror Amy started to laugh at whatever lame joke Corey was telling her and brushed her hand across his chest. She didn’t do that to Josh, and his jokes were always funny. More than Corey’s, which would be about some stupid horse or his family’s farm. But, maybe Amy liked horses and farms.
“Josh,” Coach Simpson bellowed, nudging him in his side really hard. Josh looked at the older man and saw the annoyance on his face. His grey brows were lowered and nostrils flared.
“Yes coach?”
“Look son, I’ll talk to you tomorrow, and if your assistant’s going to be that much of a distraction tell her not to come.”
“Okay.” Josh rushed across the field before Coach Simpson could say another word. When he got up to Corey and Amy, Josh nudged into him so hard Corey fell over. He then took Amy’s hand and pulled her away from the scene of startled onlookers on the side lines who were now laughing at Corey.
He didn’t care, he just wanted to get her away from them, all of them. Coach was right, Josh should keep her safe from these evil man creatures. By right he should let her stay at home, but that would mean he wouldn’t see her all day, and if it was late like this she’d be asleep by the time he got in.
“Josh.” Amy winced. He was pulling her too fast. He slowed down but he didn’t let go of her hand.
“Josh, where are you taking me? This is the changing room.” She winced as they got to the doors. He didn’t care, he needed to keep her with him.
“I need to keep you safe.”
“Safe from what?” She chuckled.
“Just come. And close your eyes.” Most of the guys would have gone home so he was hoping the changing room would be clear.
“I’m not going in there.”
He ignored her protests and pulled her through the door. The aim was to get her to his quiet little corner of the room. However, to his misfortune they encountered Ty, Philip, Sam, and that damn Gage, who was showing off his latest tattoo. Everyone else was dressed, but no not Gage. The conceited bastard was shirtless and, to Josh’s further dismay, Amy’s eyes glued to Gage looking at the sculptured muscles along his abs. Josh could have murdered him right then. Seriously, and to make matters worse, Gage saw her and indulged in the admiration with his stupid self by flexing his muscles for her and kissing his abs.
Josh stopped in his
tracks and glared at him. “Watch it, quarterback. If you want to keep those eyes you better look away right the hell now.”
Gage just laughed, and so did the other guys.
“Keep going, old man,” Gage joked.
Old.
It was that stupid joke again. Yes, it was funny, but not in front of Amy. “I’m a month older than you, asshole.”
“Yes, older.” Gage laughed with his annoying self.
“Josh, is there a reason why I’m in here?” Amy tried to pull her hand away but he held on and decided to leave Gage alone.
He continued in the opposite direction to where his stuff was and only released her hand when they reached it.
“What is the matter with you? You’re acting like a crazy person.” Amy shook her head and tucked her golden hair behind her ear.
“Oh, so you noticed?” He took off his jersey and shoulder pads.
“I think everyone did.” She widened her eyes at him. “And you’re treating your friends like dirt.”
“What was so funny?” He stared at her.
“What do you mean?” She smiled.
“What did Corey say to make you laugh so much?”
Her mouth dropped and she looked surprised. “You’re jealous.”
“I am not jealous of that pea brain, horse-riding cow.” Yes he was jealous, alright. Crazy jealous.
“Oh great, then you’ll be pleased to hear that Corey and I will be going to the Mandarin restaurant on Saturday.”
“Corey is what?” Josh sent his fist straight into the locker, denting it and popping the door off the hinge. Shit, Coach was going to have his head for that, but he had more serious things to worry about. Looks like he needed to kick Corey’s ass. As he moved to go she came up to him and took his hand.
“I was joking, but clearly I was right.” She cut a glance at the locker. “I can’t believe you’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous.”
“Okay fine. So, next topic as we’re here, have you decided on the ad yet?”
He didn’t know what she was talking about. She let go of his hand and leaned against the lockers on the other side of them.
“Baby, what ad?” He was getting tired of these magazines and their ads.
“Calvin Klein,” she grimaced.
Oh, he remembered now, and he didn’t want to do it. It was time to focus on training. He didn’t have time to be prancing around in his underwear.
“No, tell them to ask Gage. I’ll bet he’ll happily oblige.”
“They want you, and I want to give them an answer by tomorrow. I’m trying to have a cut-off point for these sorts of events and promos. Nothing past next week.”
He liked the way she organized things and dealt with people. She had that firm-but-polite manner about her that maintained professionalism. Whereas he would have outrightly told them all no and the next thing he’d hear was how rude he was. Which, technically he was, so that didn’t bother him.
“Why do they want me?” He pulled off his jersey and her eyes fixed to his chest. He watched with deep satisfaction as she took her time taking in the clear-cut muscular definition of his abs. Good, Gage may think he looked like God’s gift to womankind but he had nothing on Josh. “Amy.” He caught her attention and held her gaze.
“Yes.”
He came closer to her, stepping right into her personal space to give her a better view. “Baby, why does Calvin Klein want me?” He undid the button on his trousers, drawing her eyes there to the start of his boxers with the Calvin Kline logo written across the top. Above that was another tattoo, an image of a blade.
“Because you’re the sexiest man alive.”
“Am I?” He stared at her.
“Apparently.” She played with the ends of her hair.
“Says who?”
She laughed. “FHM.”
“God.” He shook his head. The guys were going to have a field day with that one and tease him to no end when they found out. “What about you? What do you think?” He smiled at her. It didn’t mean anything until she thought it.
“It doesn’t matter what I think.”
“It does to me. Does Amy Rose think I’m the sexiest man alive?” He watched her cheeks warm up and turn a soft rose color.
“Yes.”
He couldn’t resist the smile that lifted his lips. “Do you want me to do the ad?”
“You’re asking me what I want?” She laughed.
“Yes. Apparently,” he borrowed her words, “you seem to be the boss of me.” Because his actions hadn’t been his own since he met her. The rules had changed suddenly and no matter what he did he couldn’t get her out of his head.
“It’s Calvin Klein, Josh. In my world we don’t usually tell a designer no.”
“Well, this is my world and it will mean me being in some advert in my boxers or not even that, on a beach, probably near the house with women all over me. So what do you want me to do, baby?”
Her face changed and she seemed a little uneasy as she thought. “It’s an ad. I wouldn’t want you to miss out. But…” She stared at him.
“But what?”
“I think it would make me crazy if there were women all over you.” She bit the inside of her cheek.
“Right, so that’s settled then. I won’t do it.” He nodded. “Come here.”
“No.” She shook her head and blushed uncontrollably. “I’m working.”
“It’s nearly nine, you finished hours ago. You’re not at work. This is just us now.”
“I’m doing overtime.”
“Bull, come here.” He took her hand and pulled her towards him, then lowered to sit on the bench and brought her into his lap.
“Josh, we’re in the changing room. I don’t want people to think we’re up to something.” She rested her hand on his chest.
“Amy, no one cares. You’d be surprised what goes on in these walls.”
“That doesn’t mean we should add to it.”
He looked at her and wondered if maybe she just didn’t like him. Maybe he was forcing this too much and should stop before he pushed her away.
“What’s wrong with me?” he asked her. He wanted to know what she thought.
She giggled.
“Okay I get it, that was the wrong question.” She’d seen him at his worse and the way he’d treated her when they first met was atrocious.
“No.” She smiled at him. “Nothing is wrong with you, Josh. It’s me.”
“What could possibly be wrong with you?”
“I like you too much, and I shouldn’t.” He held her green gaze and looked at her beautiful face. He didn’t think he’d ever seen anyone so beautiful in his life, and it was a beauty that came from within and made her physical beauty even more pronounced than it was.
Suddenly she looked worried.
“Why shouldn’t you? I like you too much too.” He wouldn’t kid himself it was more than just like. Like was too meager a word to describe how he felt about her. And he only knew because he’d never felt it before. He held her close and caressed the edge of her tiny waist.
“Do you?” She searched his eyes as if she was trying to find something.
“You know I do. Come here, baby.” He crooked his finger and she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. Every time he kissed her a magical force rushed over his body. He slid his hand up to the soft skin of her face, securing his lips to hers. She ran her hands up his bare skin leaving a heated blaze of fire where she touched. Everywhere on him felt hot all at once and he had to restrain himself. As a soft moan escaped her lips it drove him wild and he thought he would indeed go crazy.
Then he couldn’t have felt more aggravated when he heard the damn wolf whistles from his so-called friends.
The sound pulled him and Amy apart and she looked so embarrassed her whole face turned red. She jumped off his lap as the guys started clapping and laughing.
Josh was so mad he threw an old football at Gage, who of course caught it with no
effort.
“Looks like we have a winner,” Corey teased, clapping the loudest of them all. “Well done, Amy, you certainly have tamed the wild beast. Lord have mercy.” He was all Texan now.
“Guys, if you want to live, you better move from my sight.” Josh was fuming.
“Josh.” The dainty hands on his arm brought him back to his senses. He looked down at Amy and saw that she was smiling sweetly up at him. “Let’s go home.”
Home. He looked at her and for some reason the word home stood out in his mind. It made him think of that warm feeling she’d brought to the house since she started living there.
“I’ll go wait in the car.” She continued to blush as she walked past the guys who were still clapping.
Once she was gone he looked back to them. “You’re all a bunch of jerks, you know that.” The humor had returned to him.
“It’s just good to see you happy, man,” Gage said. “Ride with it.”
Corey came over to him. “You should see your face.”
“What’s wrong with my face?”
“I’ve never seen you look at anyone like that before. Savor it man, women like that only come into your life once in a while.” Corey rested a hand on his shoulder and nodded.
Josh knew that he was right. It was just a scary thought, but he was right.
Chapter 16
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.
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