I'll offer another opinion here...
You already feel close enough to this woman that she feels like a friend and someone you admire. This is really big and a good basis for companionship. Why has intimacy been a struggle? Do you believe there may be things inside of you that you need to take a deeper look at? Does she have problems with intimacy? Have you tried therapy separately or together? Therapy could be very helpful in working on these issues... Sending many supportive thoughts your way.