Armitage dreamed about Roses that evening. Roses of all different colours, sizes and variants.

When he awoke in the morning he felt more well rested than he had in years. His first thought was of Rose. Should he text? Was that a bit too stalkerish?

He fed Milli and made himself some toast and coffee. He looked at his phone while he chewed and drank.

He showered and dressed and looked at the clock. She'd be heading for work roundabout now. It would be fine to text. Just a casual. 'Hi'

He picked up his phone and it vibrated in his hands. His mouth fell open with shock when he saw a text from Rose pop up on his phone.

I had fun last night. Are we still on for this evening? x

Hux did a little dance. She texted him first and she wanted to see him again this evening? He felt like he was walking on air.

He opened google and found the number he was looking for and pressed call. He smiled as he headed out the door of his apartment and waited impatiently for the call to connect.

Rose was stacking some shelves when Rey came into the shop.

'Well hello, Rosey Posey!' Rey announced loudly.

Rose prepared herself for the multitude of questions.

'Tell me everything,' Rey demanded.

'It was...nice.'

'Nice? What is that? I want details girl!'

Just then the bell above the door rang announcing a visitor.

'Ahhh, delivery for Rose?' said the bored looking teenager holding a massive bouquet of multi coloured roses inside a long glass vase.

Rose took the flowers and Rey signed the delivery slip. The sullen boy left and Rey squealed.

'Look at the size of that thing! That's at least 100 pounds worth of blooms! Ooooh Rose, you bagged a rich one!' Rey clapped her hands together and jumped up and down.

Rose closed her eyes and breathed in the scent. She located the little envelope and read the card:

Rose's are red

Violets are blue

I am so lucky

That I met you

Armitage

'What does it say?' Rey asked trying to sneak a peek.

Rose pressed the card against her chest.

'It's private. Get to work!'

Rey rolled her eyes and started stacking the shelves that Rose had abandoned.

Rose took her flowers through to the office and placed them on her desk.

She checked her phone. There was a reply to her text.

Yes. Very much still on for tonight. x

Rose replied:

Thank you so much for the flowers! I am speechless! x

Her phone buzzed a few moments later with a response:

You are very welcome. x

Rose turned on her computer and checked her email. Nothing from the General today, but then there hadn't been anything for a few days now. No matter. She was much too distracted at the moment to focus on emailing. She hummed happily as she headed back out to the shop floor.

'You get any emails from your online lover today?' Rey enquired.

'No, and he's not my lover! I told you we haven't even met!'

'Have you guys had sex?' Rey said raising her eyebrow at Rose.

'No! I told you we haven't even met!'

'No I mean cyber sex,' Rey said with a wink.

'What?' Rose asked.

'Cyber sex. You send each other suggestive messages while you each touch yourself. I've done it.'

'You have?' Rose's eyes widened.

'Sure I have. Didn't end well though,' Rey looked upset.

'What happened?' Rose said with interest.

'Long story for another time,' Rey said with a long sigh.

Rose senses that Rey didn't want to elaborate so she didn't push the point any further. She filed the tidbit away for future reference.

Finn came bursting through the door and put his hands out to his sides.

'Never fear ladies! Your Knight in shining armour has arrived!'

Rey and Rose giggled.

'Hopefully I will never have to wait to be rescued by you Finn, because you are never on bloody time!' Rey shouted.

'Do you think all of this just happens?' Finn said gesturing to his body.

'Perfection takes time.'

'And apparently so does waiting in line for your McDonald's breakfast,' Rose noted nodding to the bag in his hand.

Finn grinned.

'Gotta have sustenance. Big day today!'

It was a big day. Today with the day that Luke Skywalker was coming it to do a book signing and a reading to the clientele. Finn was overjoyed and Rey was attempting to be happy about it.

'Okay let's get everything ready, he will expect to see his book in the centre of the room and I want a pyramid of Porgs to go right over here,' Rose said gesturing with her hands.

Rey and Finn got to work.

Rose found their best armchair and placed it near the book display. People soon started arriving to get a good seat for the reading. Rey and Finn handed out juice and biscuits while they all waited for their special guest to arrive.

Thirty minutes later than expected, Luke Skywalker marched through the doors of Pages. The room erupted into cheers and applause and Luke lapped up the attention smiling over enthusiastically and practically bowing as he floated across the floor to his chair. Rey scowled at him and Rose jabbed her elbow into her ribs.

'Be nice,' she hissed.

Finn shook Luke's hand and gushed all sorts of praise about the new book entitled 'The Porg Island.'

Luke made a little speech about how happy he was to be there, plugged his earlier works and then pulled his reading glasses from his pocket and put them on.

He sat down in the large armchair, cleared his throat and began to read:

'There once was an island,

In the middle of the sea,

A home to all Porgs,

A place they could be free…

'He talks to the Porg toys you know,' Rey whispered into Rose's ear.

Rose shushed her and tried not to laugh.

Somewhere they could chirp,

and waddle and run,

And be safe from harm,

And have lots of fun!

'One day I caught him flying one through the air like it was superman and making whooshing noises,' Rey muttered.

Rose put her hand over her mouth and had to excuse herself from the room for a moment after that comment.

Aside from Rey's revelations, the reading went relatively well. Luke read the whole first chapter of his book, then signed some copies for the delighted children in the audience.

The problems started when he clapped eyes on Rey. He observed her with a critical eye. Rose watched from across the room with bated breath.

'Well if it isn't my old assistant, what was it again? Raquel? Rachel?' He asked.

'Rey,' she growled back.

'Oh yes, Rey! How have you been?'

'Fine, now that no one throws staplers at my head on a daily basis.'

Luke looked around the room nervously.

'Just a little inside joke,' he said to the worried looking parents glancing in his direction.

'Keep your voice down, I have a reputation to uphold,' he whispered angrily to Rey.

Rose saw the flare of anger in Rey's eyes. There was nothing she could do to stop it. The volcano was about to erupt.

'Go shove a Porg up your bum you grumpy bastard!' Rey shouted before turning on her heels and stomping out of the shop.

The room fell silent. Rose looked horrified, Finn looked delighted.

After a moment's pause Luke laughed out loud and insisted that everything was fine and everyone should carry on having fun. He left five minutes later.

They didn't see Rey again until they were cleaning up after the event.

She came through the door looking rather sheepish.

'Rose, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. It was—'

'It was hilarious is what it was!' Finn announced before dissolving into a fit of giggles.

Rose and Rey looks at each other. Rose was the first to crack. A smile, then a giggle, then a full on laughing fit escaped her lips. Rey joined in and soon they were all laughing so hard their cheeks hurt.

'I can't believe you told a world renowned author to stick a Porg up there!' Finn managed to squeal.

'I told you both how much I hate that guy! This is really on you two!' Rey laughed back.

'Well he probably won't come back now, so I think you're safe,' Rose replied, wiping at her eyes. She looked at her watch. It was time to shut up shop. Her heart sped up, and time to see Armitage again.

'Right let's lock up,' she announced.

'Thirty seconds early? Someone's keen,' Finn observed.

'She's got another date with her fancy man,' Rey whispered to him.

'Another date already? This sounds serious…'

'It's only two dates, count them, two,' Rose said holding up two fingers.

'Two consecutive dates,' Rey pointed out.

'Hey I'm just delighted you're not back with stuffy Beaumont,' Finn said as he tidied the Porg stand.

'Speaking of which, Beaumont's First Editions article should come out tomorrow so please be on the lookout for it,' Rose ordered.

Rey and Finn nodded.

Once the shop was tidy and locked securely, Finn, Rose and Rey said their goodbyes and Rose headed upstairs to her little flat.

Feeling a bit more relaxed about what to wear, she chose something more her own style for their second evening together.

She chose a black fitted V neck Tee with light jeans and a multitude of necklaces. She braided her hair to one side and decided to add the red lipstick again just for luck.

The buzzer went downstairs. She answered the call.

'Hi, Can I come up?' Armitage asked tentatively.

'Yes, of course,' she said into the intercom.

There was a knock at the door a few moments later. She opened it.

Armitage smiled at her and then his eyes settled on her glasses.

Glasses! She had forgotten to take them off. She reached for the rims but Armitage stilled her hand.

'I forgot I had them on, I must look like a total geek,' she said.

'Yes, I mean No, I mean...I like geeky. They suit you.'

Rose smiled.

'I'll be ready in one minute,' she promised before running around the room collecting up her things and shoving them into her trusty mini backpack.

Armitage kept looking at her glasses. Every sexy secretary fantasy he has ever imagined reappeared in his mind with Rose as the star.

He imagined Rose was working for him and needed him to sign some contracts. She would enter his office and bend over his shoulder pointing out where he needed to sign. He would tell her he liked her glasses and she would blush, then their eyes would meet and they knew it was wrong but their lips would brush together, gently at first, then hungrily, he would pull her into his lap…

'Are you alright?' Rose asked. She was staring up at him with her jacket on and her backpack over her shoulder.

Armitage shook his head. What had come over him? He only had to look at her and his mind went wild with the thoughts of a horny teenager.

'Ahhh, yes. Sorry! Just got lost in my thoughts there...shall we go?'

They left the apartment and headed down the stairs.

'Where are we going tonight?' Rose asked.

'I thought we could go back to my place.'

Because I want a repeat of last night...

'I thought it might be nice if I cooked for you.'

Which will hopefully lead to more kissing and more of you in my lap all deliciously warm and soft…

Rose stopped on the stairs and smiled back at him.

'That sounds lovely.'

They left the building and hopped into the taxi Armitage had waiting for them.

'I can't wait to give Milli a big squeeze,' Rose said and Armitage felt another little piece of his heart latch onto her.

This was getting dangerous.

You know she's going to find out. You can't run out of every restaurant in London!

Stupid conscience always trying to ruin everything…

They reached his apartment building and got out of the car. In the elevator Rose leaned into him suggestively and he couldn't help but bend down slightly and press his lips to hers.

Every kiss you take from her is stolen property…

His conscience taunted. He shooed the thoughts away.

They arrived at the top floor and found Milli waiting for them. Almost as if she knew that Rose's arrival was imminent. Which Armitage assumed she was aware of as he had explained everything to her at great length that morning. He had long been convinced that Milli had a much higher intelligence than that of the normal domesticated cat.

'So what are you making me?' Rose asked as she picked up Milli and rubbed noses with the furry feline.

'I thought we could start with pate and toast, then a main of chicken with rosemary wine sauce and for dessert, I've ordered in a chocolate soufflé because I've never been able to make mine rise properly.'

'I'm impressed you even know what a chocolate soufflé is let alone know how to bake one! My kitchen is purely for ornamental purposes you see.'

Armitage chuckled.

'Make yourself at home,' he said as he returned to the kitchen to start cooking.

'Can I do anything?' Rose called through.

'Ahhh, yes, you can cut up some vegetables.'

He could have done it himself but it was an excuse to have Rose near.

He prepared the chicken while Rose chopped away merrily behind him. She started to hum and he started to think that it would be nice to have Rose around all the time. Then he stopped himself and returned to the chicken.

'So can we talk about what you do for a living now?'

The knife froze in his hand.

'I told you I'm involved in a bookshop franchise.'

'How are you involved?'

'Err, I kind of run the company.'

'Oh you run the whole franchise! Now all this grandeur makes sense!'

Armitage turned and nodded nervously.

Please don't ask...please don't ask…

'So what's the name of the company?'

Armitage panicked. He turned back round to face the chicken and started to slice it into smaller pieces.

Think! Think! Think!

'Ahhh it's….ouch!'

He sliced clean across his thumb and looked on with horror as the blood trickled down his finger.

Rose was before him in an instant wrapping a cloth around his hand and instructing him to hold it up to stop the bleeding.

'Do you have a first aid kit?' she asked.

Armitage nodded.

'In that cabinet on the left.'

Rose retrieved it and carefully removed the cloth.

'It's stopped bleeding that's good.'

'It was a clean cut so it shouldn't get infected, come sit down and I'll bandage you up.'

Armitage let her lead him through to the lounge. He slumped into one of the chairs and looked miserably at his throbbing thumb while Rose went to fetch the bandage.

She had you there, didn't she? She had you like a wolf in a cage. You had the chance to tell her the truth...you had the chance to make all of this right...and what did you do? You gnawed off your own paw rather than be honest with her! You are a sorry excuse for a human being Armitage Hux.

He groaned out loud.

'Oh no, does it hurt bad?'

Rose knelt down in front of him and started to bandage him up. He watched her with sad eyes. When she had finished her smiled and placed a kiss on top of the bandage.

'There all better,' she announced and Hux smiled at her.

Only it wasn't all better was it? Not even close. Because sooner or later Rose was going to find out the truth and he was going to lose her forever and he didn't know how he could go back to the way things were before he had known what it was like to have her in his life.

He looked down at her.

'Rose, would my occupation make a difference to how you felt about me?'

Rose frowned.

'No, why would it? Would it make a difference to you what I did for a living?'

'Absolutely not. You could sit around watching soap operas all day for all I cared and I would still lo...I mean, I would still want to be with you.'

Rose smiled and pushed herself up on her knees to press a kiss against his lips.

'How about I order us a pizza?' she asked.

'Yes pizza sounds like a very good idea,' he agreed.

Milli voiced her approval with a loud Meow as she settled by their feet and they both laughed.