The next morning, Holly woke up next to Josh, who was watching her with a smile on the corner of his lips. She winced as she tried to sit. "Are you has hung over as I am?

He pulled her back to him. "Worse. Let's stay in bed all day, what do you say?"

She shifted in his arms. "What?"

"Unless you want me to go…?" He tried to meet her gaze but she pretended to look outside the window.

He burst out laughing and got up. "Oh come on, Holly. You don't have to spare my feelings, I'm a big boy. If what happened last night was a mistake to you, just say it and I'll leave."

He picked his shirt on the floor and started buttoning it up, still smiling. "For what it's worth, I had a great time."

Holly sat up and started to relax. She was making things too complicated, as usual. "I had a good time too. It's just that I am very cautious person, and it's going a bit fast right now." She saw that Josh wanted to say something and continued hurriedly. "I know that you're nothing asking me to spend the rest of my life with you, I know that. It's just…I mean I can't even believe that we spent the night together! We barely know each other…"

"And yet you sit stark naked in front of me." She turned a deep red and grabbed a sheet to cover herself.

"Holly, please. You weren't so shy last night." She saw the twinkle in his eyes and realized he was teasing her. She threw a pillow at him and he ducked behind the door.

"Ok, I get your point. I'll go."

Before he left the room, he turned back to look at her one last time.

She was sitting amidst the rumpled white sheets, with her red hair all messed up. He felt the impulse to go back and kiss her, but checked himself.

"You know where to find me" was all he said before he left.

He walked back to his car with a new spring in his steps. For the first time, he felt truly happy to be back.

Sitting by himself at Company a couple of days later, Josh once again caught himself reminiscing about that night. His memories were not as clear as he wished, because he had been drunk at the time. All he remembered was them falling on the floor, hitting the coffee table and laughing, a torn shirt, hands everywhere, her hair in his face. It had been…sizzling. He had almost picked up the phone a few times to call her, but sensing that he should give her space, he had forced himself not to.

He had half-hoped that she would be the one to call, but was not surprised when she did not. Besides, he thought, what would he do if she did call? Did he just want to have a little fun or was it something more serious? All he knew is that he felt really excited at the thought of seeing her again.

"A penny for your thoughts" said a soft feminine voice.

He looked up to see his sister-in-law Vanessa smiling at him. He invited her to sit down.

"I was thinking about Holly Lindsey. You owe me a penny."

Vanessa looked slightly taken aback. "I didn't know you knew her well."

Josh laughed. "I don't, actually. But we got better acquainted a couple of nights ago. We had a long talk, about personal things. You know, I talked about Reva, and she talked about Roger."

Vanessa shuddered at the name of Roger. "I'm not surprised she talked about him."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Those two can't stay away from each other."

Josh frowned. "I though Roger was engaged or something, to Jenna Bradshaw."

"Yes, they are, but that never stopped Roger from pursuing Holly."

"And you think that Holly wants to get back with him?"

"Well, I think it's more complicated than that. I think that maybe she wants it but she fights against it. Holly doesn't confide in me in any case, so this is just speculation on my part."

She looked at Josh more closely. "Why do you ask, anyway?"

"Well, you know…" he said, smiling.

"No, I don't know! Don't tell me you're interested in Holly?"

"Why not? Isn't she a nice, smart, attractive, sexy woman?"

"Yes she is, but I never thought she would be your type. Besides, half the men in Springfield are after her already."

"That just confirms that I have excellent taste."

Vanessa laughed at his cockiness. "Very nice of you to be so confident, and I agree that they're not your competition. Roger is, and he is a very serious contender!"

"What's life without a challenge?"

"Josh, I am serious. Don't go after her. You'll end up being hurt and I don't want that."

Josh signaled the waiter for the check and smiled at Vanessa. "I appreciate your concern, but I think I have as much to offer than Roger Thorpe. AND I'm better looking, so there."

"Fine, keep joking about it. But think about this: Roger is to Holly what Reva was to you. The only difference is that Roger is alive."

Josh shrugged as if it did not matter, but he was more shaken by her last remark that he wanted to admit.

As usual, Roger dropped by Holly's place without calling first. She had just finished dressing herself after her morning shower when she heard the doorbell.

She recognized him trough the screened door with mixed feelings. She never knew if she was happy to see him, or nervous, or annoyed.

"Hello Roger, ever heard of calling first?"

He looked at her wet hair and smiled. "Why? I thought that after the last time you'd be glad to see me!"

Holly reddened. "Really Roger, we shouldn't be talking about this."

Roger felt that something had changed since the last time he saw her. "You look different. Has something happened in the last few days?"

She felt herself blush even more. "Nothing, no. Besides, it wouldn't be any of your business if it had!"

"Hey, what's going on here? Last time I saw you, you were like fire in my arms. Now you won't give me the time of day?"

Holly faced him, suddenly angry. "That's exactly the point Roger. I don't owe you squat! And you know why? Because you're not free. How can you say that you want me when you go to bed with another woman every night?"

Roger kept silent, thinking hard.

Holly pressed on. "Look, I don't want us to hate each other anymore, and I know that you don't either. But I can't let you toy with me like that. I can't live on stolen kisses from you when Jenna isn't looking"

"Come on Holly, you know that you're the one I really want!"

"Then how come you're still with her? The only thing standing in the way of us is yourself."

"That's a bit rich coming from you. What would you do if I were to leave her right now to be with you? You'd be scared to death, don't you deny it."

It was Holly's turn to stay silent for a minute. Finally she walked to the door and held it open.

"You're right. So if you're too scared to be with me, and I with you, don't you think you should leave?"

Roger slowly walked up to her and called her name pleadingly. "Holly…"

Feeling him so close made it hard to resist, but she managed to say "You better go Roger. With you there is always something or someone else."

She made sure his car pulled out of the driveway before collapsing on the nearest couch. She felt completely drained. Pushing Roger away was like fighting an addiction. It would have felt so good to give in, but then so horrible afterward.

The worse part was that she felt like she had been unfaithful to him. With a Lewis, of all men! If he were to find out, he would go ballistic. Not that she was scared, she thought hurriedly. She just did not want to hurt him on purpose. Not anymore. Besides, he would never find out, because she would not see Josh again.

There was really no reason to.