This sounds exactly like how I got together with my gf. We were friends for about 3 years, then best friends for 2 years - during which time we started to share a house (with 3 other girls). I broke up with my (2-year) girlfriend just before we all moved in, and was in the middle of a rebound when she broke up with her (4-year) boyfriend. She started on what appeared to be a rebound herself as I finished mine.
One night, after a party in the house (I should say one morning as we're not entirely sure what happened) we woke up in bed together. Both fully clothed but we knew we'd spent much of the previous evening kissing. No-one had seen anything; it was fairly normal for us to be in each other's rooms (not all night!) so I sneaked off to my room and no-one was any the wiser.
The next month, I have to say, was absolute hell. We needed to talk but both of us were a bit frightened. She was still going out with her rebound and didn't want him to find out - though she went on to pull (snog/kiss for US folk
) someone in a club a few days later so it was obvious she wasn't really into him. We talked a lot; she was scared to try anything in case our friendship fell apart and we'd still be having to share a house for a year. I ended up writing a letter explaining everything, how I now felt - I'd always tried to ignore any feelings I'd had for her in the past. I ran into her room, gave her the letter, and disappeared for a weekend to let her think.
Life continued to be hell. I tried to get her away for a weekend so we could talk without having 3 other housemates listen to everything. A dozen red roses had to be hidden behind her curtain as she couldn't possibly show them to anyone (though I always took slight pride in fact you could
just see them from outside). Life, though, was surprisingly normal between us - even those who'd gossipped about us thought there couldn't possibly be anything going on or we'd be far too uneasy round each other. Over the next few weeks she encouraged me to find someone else (I almost started to do so, and had a few dates with a lovely girl who I'd almost certainly be seeing if this all hadn't happened). She eventually got round to breaking up with her rebound after having cheated with both me and the random from the club.
Anyway, cue another drunken party (a dinner this time) - I ended up taking her home in a taxi as we were both a bit too far gone to enjoy the rest of the party. You can probably guess the rest; only this time when we woke up in the morning we decided to come down the stairs together. We officially declared "we're still deciding what to do" but it was pretty obvious what would happen.
We'll have been together a year in a couple of weeks. She said she'd had feelings for me for ages, and had always been wondering on the times we went to dinners/parties together, slept together (when she had friends over and had no space; I had a double bed) etc - whether anything would happen. I'd been a bit of a fool and had been trying to ignore any feelings/thoughts that appeared in me.
Bloody hell, that's a bit of a long explanation - I think it might be because we're in separate hospitals at the moment so I haven't seen her for over a week. Anyway, the point is that it can work, and it's the greatest feeling in the world when you realise how much emotion you have invested in just the one person - that even if there was nothing physical there you still can be the best of friends.
Go for it, if you want to!