A/N OK here's chapter 10. It's not gone over as many times as I normally would like to, mostly because it physically hurt me to re-read it after I wrote it. I will eventually go back through the entire story and make small corrections but for now here it is. Please don't kill me.

Just a reminder Texts look like this:

Eric

Tris

I don't own anything you recognize.

Eric walked into the small lounge carrying a box full of something he could only describe as pink chaos when he saw Tris perched on her tip-toes at the edge of a chair trying to hang more pink chaos. He put the box down and ran up behind her putting his hands on her back just as she stretched her arms just a little too far and started to loose her balance. "Are you completely out of your mind?" He asked her as he helped her off the chair.

She smoothed the front of her tight black lace dress and gave him a dirty look. "I only wobbled because you scared me."

"You JUST got the ok from the doctor yesterday to return to 'normal' activity. That does not include climbing on chairs you freak." He told her.

She walked away from him onto the next task at hand, "It's Christina's bachelorette party, it has to be incredible. I'm perfectly capable of hanging a few decorations. Speaking of which, where is the box I asked you to bring?"

He shook his head; there was no point in fighting. He pointed towards the box he'd dropped to help her, "On that table. What the hell is that crap anyway?"

"Nothing you need to worry about." She told him. "Don't you have a crazy bachelor party to get ready for, why are you still here?"

"Do you need anything else hung? No more extreme decorating for you."

"No that was the last of it. So what are you guys up to tonight?" She asked as she started to pull the small black gift bags with pink tissue flowing from the openings and place them at each place setting.

"Nothing you need to worry about," he mocked as he followed behind her trying to peak into a bag before she swatted his hand away.

She smiled at him and said, "If it involves anything REALLY good you better text me pictures."

"Guy code strictly forbids picture taking at bachelor parties. I'm pretty sure we're not even allowed to have phones." He told her. "Anyway, I like that dress. I bet it's going to look incredible on my floor later, and where do you get these fucking shoes?" Her shoes were the same lace as her dress with a strap at the ankle.

She froze and looked around to make sure they were still alone before she swatted at his arm, "Eric stop! What if someone heard you? You already all but threw it in Tobias' face the night I got home from the hospital."

He certainly had and from what Tris told him about that night that was the first thing Tobias asked was why Eric was helping her get dressed. He'd pointed out her post orgasm glow and in the end she had been forced to admit to her arrangement with Eric. Tris told Eric that Tobias had been visibly uncomfortable with the situation and had to excuse himself to the bathroom where he found Eric's discarded clothes and came out even more flustered.

Eric had to give him some credit he'd pushed on admitting to Tris that he was still in love with her. Tris had told him exactly what she had always told Eric she would say. That she would never be able to trust him again, and that she had moved past her feelings for him. From what Tris said it had been an amicable ending and Tobias would continue to be their biggest client and Eric's secret confession in the ICU years ago was still safely guarded.

"I thought we were going to forget everything about that night, except for the fact that I was proven to be right yet again." Eric said dropping into a chair as Tris walked around dropping straws shaped like penis' into champagne glasses. "Those things are absolutely ridiculous."

"It's a bachelorette party. Penis shaped straws are pretty much law." She laughed.

"Eric if you check your phone one more time I'm sending you home!" Will yelled at him across the crowded bar. He'd just slid his phone back into his pocket after looking at it for the thirtieth time that night.

"OK, OK!" He yelled back turning back to the bar and the line of neon colored shots that had just been dropped in front of them by a bartender wearing a skirt and cropped top that left little to the imagination. She smiled wide at Eric and winked. He forced a smile and took the shot.

A few hours later he ducked into the men's room and pulled his phone out to finally see a picture from Tris; A selfie of her drinking champagne through one of those horrible straws and a text that said "I can tell you what this isn't a substitute for." The alcohol in his system spoke for him almost instantly and he started to text her back.

I can tell you three ways that picture would look hotter.

He laughed at himself and waited for her to text him back.

Maybe if you're good I'll let you take that picture ;)

Definitely drunk.

I already have the mental picture from when you weren't good :)

Vulgar

I'm sorry what? I was just enjoying the memory.

Go back to your friends and have fun

No more climbing on chairs. I'm still banned from the emergency room

Should have kept your hands to yourself

Benefit time tonight?

That would make twice in a week when we slept in the same bed. Sorry you're cut off.

The day you got home from the hospital doesn't count.

Yes it does.

No, it doesn't. You got off. I got a passed out friend sleeping next to me after her ex confessed his undying love for her.

Too soon :(

Oh stop

"Eric! Tell Tris we said hi and let's go we're going to the next bar." Peter interrupted grabbing him by the sleeve of his button up shirt and dragging him out of the bathroom.

"How do you know its Tris." Eric asked as they walked out of the bar.

"The stupid ass grin on your face." Peter told him.

"I still don't understand how Peter ended up in Lake Michigan." Tris said to Eric the next afternoon as they had lunch.

"You don't need to understand how, you just need to know that it happened and it was classic." Eric said taking another heavy sip of his water. "And that the events leading up to it have left me dehydrated and suffering."

"So because Peter needed to go for a mid-October swim, you couldn't come over." Tris pouted.

"I'm pretty sure that even in his inebriated state he would have noticed me leaving my apartment in the middle of the night." Eric told her.

She took a sip of her iced tea through her non-phallic straw and Eric couldn't help but laugh, "What's wrong the straws last night weren't enough for you."

"Shut up. I can't believe I even sent those texts." She threw a small piece of bread at him.

"I wish you'd sent more!" He laughed.

A deep blush colored her cheeks and she shook her head. "So who are you bringing to the wedding?" Tris asked Eric in an attempt to change the subject.

He looked at her confused for a second before answering, "No one. Why do you have a date?"

"No. I was just wondering if you did," she told him.

"We're in the bridal party, we won't have time for dates. Besides, we're walking down the aisle together. That could seriously hinder any date like activity for me." Eric reminded her.

She shrugged and went back to her salad.

The morning of Christina and Will's wedding Eric was at Will's apartment with the rest of the groomsmen getting ready to take Will for a round of golf before the wedding. Peter approached him and sat down on the sofa. "So how was lunch with my favorite boss?" He asked.

"The same as lunch with Tris always is in the aftermath of a rough night out. Quiet and enjoyable." Eric answered sipping from the bottle of water in his hand.

"I'm pretty sure I cock-blocked you the night of the parties," Peter said quietly, "Sorry about that."

Eric shot him a look but then said, "You did but it's OK. Probably better off, I need to stop this whole benefits thing." He looked down at his water bottle and fidgeted with the cap.

"That's the single stupidest thing I've ever heard." Peter told him looking around to make sure they were still going unnoticed. "You don't back away from a girl like Tris. That's how you end up like Tobias Eaton, stewing in regret for years and miserable." Eric gave him a questioning look so he went on, "Remember I spend a good portion of my day with him. I'm not saying the guy's gonna jump off the Hancock building anytime soon, not that his pansy ass would even go up that high, but he's definitely kicking himself for loosing Tris."

"Peter I appreciate your input but I can't keep doing what she and I have been doing. Which by the way you're not even supposed to know about so watch what you say." Eric shook his head and stood up, Peter right behind him.

"Eric, you're both only fooling yourselves if you think no one knows. Everyone can see how you two feel about each other. Why do you think none of the girls at work flirt with you anymore when they used to throw themselves at you?" Peter laughed.

Eric turned to Peter with an exhausted look on his face and asked, "Can we just play golf and act like I didn't trust you with the biggest secret of my life?"

"Whatever you say Mr. Coulter."

The rest of the morning went smoothly, with no further mention of Tris, and by 3:00 they were back in Will's apartment putting on tuxedos with a cute photographer taking pictures as they tied their ties. She grouped them together for formal pictures and then just followed them all around as they spoke to one another taking candid shots here and there. Just before they were scheduled to leave Eric looked over and the photographer had her camera at her side and she was just looking at him with her lip pulled between her teeth. When she realized she'd been caught she dropped her eyes and her cheeks flushed pink. Will approached him and nudged him with his shoulder, "She's been watching you all afternoon, Christina's going to be pissed when she sees the proofs." Will laughed and Eric looked at him.

"Really? I didn't notice she'd been watching me. She is kind of cute." Eric said mostly because that's what a single guy should say when a cute girl around his age has been looking at him all day.

"Yeah I noticed it before. Just do me a favor, if you decide to talk to her PLEASE don't ever tell Christina I pointed her out to you. She would kill me for not harassing you to make things official with Tris." Will said before he started to walk away.

Eric looked at him in complete surprised, "Dude how did you,"

"None of us are blind Eric," Will called back over his shoulder.

When they got to the catering hall on the Navy Pier he saw all the bridesmaids standing around outside enjoying the unseasonably warm October day. Each was wearing a slate blue chiffon dress cut to their knees with a sweetheart neck and he looked over them trying to find Tris. He finally spotter her close to the front door playing with her cellphone. Her hair was pulled up off her shoulders into an elaborate braided and curled style that looked way overdone for her. Her tattoo was showcased and her makeup was subtle. She looked beautiful. Eric approached her and said, "Hey. You look really nice," as he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

She smiled wide at him and turned her head slightly so that his kiss landed just at the corner of her mouth instead of on her cheek. She blushed and laughed a little before saying, "Thanks. You always look so good in a tux."

"How's Christina doing?" He asked.

Tris laughed a little. "The usual freaking out about every tiny detail, but she's OK, really excited. How was your morning golfing with the guys?"

"Good, although I could have done without someone taking pictures of me attempting to tie my tie," He told her.

"Speaking of which, come here, you're crooked." She said reaching up to straighten the tie he was wearing that matched her dress. "There that's better," she said as she smoothed her fingers over it.

He smiled at her and had to resist the urge to kiss her roughly. He was starting to feel like it had been forever since he'd kissed her, but he was going to need to get used to that feeling because he was not kidding when he told Peter he was ending his arrangement with her. He just needed one more night with her like he'd said all along. One more night to commit her to memory and then they would go back to being friends.

"Eric is everything OK?" She asked him a concerned look on her face.

"Yeah everything's fine." He told her, "Let's go inside it's almost time."

The ceremony was short but nice. Christina looked beautiful in her obviously agonized over gown and by the time the reception started Eric had a sad tightness in his chest from watching Tris smile from across the aisle.

He stood at the entrance to the reception room, jacket long discarded tie loosened and with his hands in his pockets, people watching when two small hands reached around him from behind and hugged him tight. "I know you're lying about being alright." Tris' voice said against his shoulder.

He covered her hands with his and laughed a little. "Dance with me?" He asked her as a slow song came on.

He turned his head to look at her and she smiled at him and said, "I thought you'd never ask."

They danced close together with his hands on her lower back and hers around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. When the song ended she let her left hand trail down his arm and into his. "Come with me." She tugged his hand and started to walk backwards towards the door.

"Where are we going?" he asked as he followed her.

She turned to watch where she was going and said, "You'll see." She pulled him through the empty hallways in the catering hall until they turned a corner into an empty smaller room.

"Tris what are we doing back here?" He asked in a whisper.

She closed the door behind her and the room went almost pitch black. This wasn't how this was supposed to go, but he knew he couldn't resist her anymore.

He tugged at the hand he was still holding and pulled her body flush to his, wrapping his arms around her waist to hold her in place. The soft material of her dress was smooth beneath his palms and her chest started to rise and fall more quickly against his. He buried his face in the crook of her neck sucking at her sensitive pulse point as he moved the backwards.

When her back hit the wall he released her neck and she whimpered. The whimper turned to whine when he loosened his grip on her waist. He slid his hands up the front of her stomach over her breasts and up her throat until he could feel her jaw line. He held her in place because he could barely see her and pressed a heated rough kiss to her lips. She gasped at the sudden contact and he took the opportunity to push his tongue forward into her mouth. Her hands came up to grab at his wrists and hold his hands to her face as she started to kiss him back.

Tris arched her back pushing her hips into his and grinding herself against his growing excitement. In that second he knew all was lost. His last time with Tris wasn't going to be spent taking his time memorizing every inch of her body, it was going to be spent fucking her intensely in a pitch black room against a wall.

Eric pushed his hips back into hers successfully pinning her against the wall as she moaned into his mouth. He pulled back and told her with a hoarse voice to stay as he lowered himself to his knees in front of her. He ran his fingers up the outside of her legs and he felt her shutter. He laughed to himself as he splayed his palms over her warm thigs and up under her skirt. Her legs parted slightly and he wished he could look up and see her face. He slid his fingers into the waistband of what felt like pretty lace shorts that just skimmed the lower curve of her perfect ass. He pulled them down roughly to her ankles and helped her step out of them. He ran his hands back up the insides of her legs and when he got to the apex of her thighs she hissed as his fingers skimmed her already wet core. He moved his right hand into her skirt to lift it and hold it to her hip as his left lifted her leg over his shoulder. He heard her whisper his name and he felt his erection strain painfully against his pants. He took the first long languid stroke of her entrance with his tongue and she almost lost her footing. His hands gripped tighter to hold her steady as he circled her clit with his tongue. Tris shivered above him and he felt her nails skim the short buzzed hair at the side of his head.

Eric slid one finger into her entrance as he continued to suck at the small bundle of nerves in his mouth. He could hear her stifled moans above him and it encouraged him to go faster and to be rough with her. As he pushed a second finger into her he nipped her gently and the hand at his hair found the longer pieces at tugged roughly. He moaned against her clit and it was her undoing. He felt her walls tightening around his fingers and her legs tremble as she cried out. He slid is fingers out of her gently trailing them along her thigh and took long languid strokes as she rode out her orgasm.

Eric helped her lower her leg to the floor as he let the soft material of her dress slide back down her legs. He stood up and found her waist with his hands as he pulled her into another frantic heated kiss. He knew she could taste herself on him and the fact that it seemed to push her further into her desire for him made him crazy. He could have stayed in that kiss for hours but Tris obviously had other plans because he felt her hands pulling roughly at the buckle on his belt and then at the button and zip of his pants. When she had forced his pants and boxers down his legs he lifted her roughly by the back of her legs and she wrapped them firmly around his hips. He positioned himself at her entrance and timed a rough bite of her bottom lip to coincide with the thrust of his hips as he pushed roughly into her.

Her arms around his neck wrapped tighter as he pulled out and pushed back into her several times in quick succession. He had his hands at her hips and his lips at her throat as she moaned into his ear. He wanted to make this last but he knew it was useless. It had been too long and she felt too good. As soon as he felt her second wave of release start to take over he let himself fall over the edge, spilling into her with a loud moan of her name.

When they had straightened themselves out and gotten their clothes back in order Eric found the door and pulled it open to let some light in. Tris was standing against the wall her cheeks still and a small smile at her lips. "I've been dying for that since the night of the AHA fundraiser."

He gave her a sad smile and she tilted her head, "Eric please stop telling me everything's ok and tell me what's wrong. You should be happy right now and you obviously aren't."

Now or never he told himself. He took her hand and pulled her to the empty table sitting along another wall. He helped her to sit up on the table and positioned himself between her legs. Before he spoke he needed to kiss her one last time when he could finally see her face. When he pulled back she looked terrified, "Tris I can't do this anymore."

She looked at him confused. "Did you meet someone?" She asked.

"No." He dropped his head and held onto her legs, "Tris rule number six. You said if either of us ever developed feelings we had to end it. I've been lying to you for months, fuck if I really think about it I've been lying to you the whole fucking time."

She looked at him confused, "What are you saying?"

"Tris I've been in love with you for the longest time. I didn't recognize it for what it was at first, when we started this agreement I definitely didn't understand what it was I felt for you but now…. Now I'm absolutely sure of it. I am completely in love with you and everytime we do this and you walk away like we're still just friends it fucking kills me. I can't do this anymore." He had backed away from her and his hands were in his hair and he was pacing.

"Eric I don't know what to say. I didn't know this was hurting you." He eyes were welling with tears, "I'm sorry."

"Tris can you honestly say that you feel NOTHING for me?" He asked her the crack in his voice betraying him.

"I never said that. Eric I just, I don't know where all of this is coming from I thought we were fine. I thought we were having fun." She slid off the table and started towards the door, "Eric I'm sorry. I can't have this conversation," and before he could stop her she was gone.

He took a few minutes to compose himself, he needed to grab his jacket and say goodbye to Will and Christina as quickly as possible without seeing Tris.

He managed to make his way into the ballroom, grab his jacket and just as he spotted the bride and groom Peter approached. "Where the fuck did you go Eric."

"I have to go," was all he said as he made a beeline for Will and Christina. Eric congratulated them again and hugged and kissed Christina before excusing himself. He didn't even look for Tris as he rushed out the front door and into the cool evening. Eric didn't know where he was going but he knew he couldn't go home right now.