"Isn't there something you're forgetting, Aaron?"

He paused with his hand on the doorknob, turning his head to look at Jessica, a frown furrowing his brow as he shook his head. "I don't think so?"

Jessica arched an eyebrow before pointedly looking at the guitar case that was near her feet in hallway. "There really isn't much of a point in giving Erin a lesson if you don't have a guitar, is there? Or was that not the sort of lesson you were planning on?"

There was a knowing lilt in her voice, and Aaron shook his head a little as he made his way back to her side and picked up his instrument. "What makes you think that there's anything other than music making going on between the two of us?"

Jessica shook her head a little, her blonde curls flying a little. "That answer alone tells me everything, Aaron. I knew that there were deeper feelings brewing between the two of you for a few weeks now, it was in the way that her name kept creeping up into casual conversations, or the way you talked about the twins, or the silly smiles that sweep across your face at the most random of times." She stepped a little closer to him, looking deeply into his eyes. "She's still married to Dave, your best friend. Don't do to him what my sister did to you."

He looked away from Jessica, knowing that she was right, but not wanting to admit that to her or himself. "My feelings for Erin have become complicated, yes, but I am trying my hardest to not make the same mistakes that Haley made with me. I wouldn't want to hurt any of us."

Jessica stepped back and nodded a little, a troubled look still on her face. "Convince her to leave him. She could bring the children and stay with me, and you could court her. Okay?"

"You're a romantic, like her. I think that you'll like her when you get to know her better."

She just nodded and waved him out the door. Turning around, he made his way out to the garage and then got into his car. The drive over allowed him some time to clear his thoughts, and by the time he was pulling into Erin's drive, he found himself looking forward to seeing her once more.

Erin was the one to meet him at the door once again, and he watched her face blossom into a sunny smile as she stepped outside to greet him. "Aaron! Thank you for switching the lesson to Saturday this week. Dave took the girls to see Peppa Pig Live! and I just didn't feel like going with them. Too much noise still bothers me."

He nodded and joined her on the porch, smiling when she gave him a tight hug. Unable to stop himself, Aaron kissed her temple before resting his free arm around her waist, guiding her inside. "So, it's just going to be the two of us this afternoon?"

"Yes. Bernice took the weekend off, too." There was an undercurrent to her words that told him there was more to them than he knew. He started for the study, but she shook her head and wriggled from his embrace, taking hold of his hand and holding on tightly as she directed him over towards the staircase. "I thought that we could have my lesson in my room this afternoon. The light there is a little better, and we don't need to be worried about anyone overhearing us."

He knew that he should protest, that he should bring her to the study, since that was the safer option. But a small part of him wanted to take a walk away from the line he so rigidly walked down, and that was the part of him that allowed Erin to guide him up the stairs and into a bedroom that was so feminine that he knew it was Erin's place to hide away from the world when things became too overwhelming for her. "I suppose that we're going to sit on your bed and play?" he asked when he saw that her guitar was resting on a pillow.

"Yes. Join me?" She dropped his hand and made her way over to her bed, climbing onto it and resting against the headboard as she started to strum a familiar tune. Erin stumbled over a few of the chords, and he gave her a fond smile as she stuck the tip of her tongue out as she looked closer at her music, trying the chords once more. It was then that he recognized the song, and he started to hum along a little as he settled down next to her.

"Love me tender, love me true, never let me go," he softly sang as she snuggled in closer to him, resting her head on his chest as she continued to play. Soon, the chords were beneath her fingers, and he sang along with her playing, feeling a strange sort of lethargy steal over his bones as the song ended. Erin set aside her music and placed her guitar on the floor before turning back to him and looking into his eyes. "Is this really the next step that you want to take?"

"I just want to feel something again, Aaron. In your arms, that is what happens. Please, make love to me." Before he could answer, Erin straddled his lap and claimed his lips in a soft, yearning, kiss. He tried to hold back from kissing her back, wanting to give her an out from this decision that his body was clearly wanting, as well. "Aaron?" she said brokenly as she pulled back to look into his eyes.

"We're both betraying someone we love."

"I know. God help me, I know. But this also feels so right. To be in your arms, cherished, adored, needed. Maybe I've been foolish, maybe this dilapidated dream I've had of a love that doesn't make me hurt will never come true, but for a few hours I can pretend that I am loved, and that you've taught my body a new love song to sing."

He nodded as he brought his hands to rest on her hips, his thumbs slipping beneath the fabric of her shirt to stroke the soft skin of her torso. Her hips rolled against him, the pressure deliciously sensual, and he groaned lowly before capturing her lips in another kiss, this one less gentle than the first. She kissed back just as passionately, and Aaron nipped at her lower lip before turning her onto her back and staring down at her. Desire had made her pupils dilate widely, and Aaron smirked before beginning to rain kisses on her face and down her neck, teasing along the neckline of her blouse as his fingers started to undo the buttons, working up until the last one fell open beneath his touch.

Once more skin was free for him to touch and caress, he pulled back a little to look at her. There was a sweet smile on her lips, her skin flushed with desire, and as he raked his gaze down to her chest. Even through the slightly opaque fabric of her bra, he could see that her nipples were pebbled, and he licked his lips with anticipation as Erin bowed her back, allowing him to handily unhook the garment. As he pulled it off her body, Aaron found himself staring at her skin. She was even paler than he had thought, and her nipples were a dusky rose that almost matched her natural lip color. Unable to resist any longer, he lowered himself down once more, capturing one turgid peak between his lips, laving it with attention as his hands began to fuss with her skirt, trying to find the fastener for it, even as her own nimble fingers quickly unfastened all the buttons on his shirt and jeans.

Finally, they were both naked and breathing heavily, and Aaron pulled back once more to look into her eyes. There was nothing but trust and desire in her gaze, and he gave her a small smile before leaning in and kissing her deeply as he slid into her body, finding her wet and welcoming. They started to move in tandem, and then she was wrapping her legs around his waist, pulling him in deeper as their thrusts and groans filled the space around them, driving them both closer and closer to climax.

Feeling like he was close to orgasm, Aaron slipped one hand between their bodies, seeking out Erin's clit and rubbing it gently to get her as close as he was. She focused her gaze on him, and suddenly, everything else seemed to fade to black as they looked into each other's eyes as they shared their first orgasm. He expected Erin to be quiet, to swallow the sounds of her pleasure, so it was a shock when she let out a loud, low, scream, her fingers digging deeply into his shoulders as her body bowed up against his. And then they were collapsing back onto the mattress, breathing heavily as they stared up at the ceiling. Erin cuddled close to him as she began to hum under her breath, and Aaron wrapped his arm around her shoulders as the enormity of what they had done began to seep into his brain. And he knew, deep in his mind, that there was no way that this would end well for either of them.