Secret Lovers

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas.

Thanks to my Beta for the song prompt: Secret Lovers by Atlantic Starr.

I know I am repeating myself but I really did not expect such a response to this story - thank you to all who are reading and enjoying.

. . .

Aaron sighed deeply as he made his way through to the kitchen. He set about making himself a coffee to keep himself going while he completed the paperwork he had brought home with him.

There wasn't much, just a couple of bits that he hadn't wanted to leave for another day. Ironically he had been worried that he wouldn't be able to sleep with them still on his mind. However now he was concerned that he wouldn't be able focus on the files.

Exhaling another deep sigh Aaron picked up his coffee and headed to his study. Even though Jack was in bed he didn't like to work in the lounge. It was as if he was afraid that the files would contaminate his family home.

Work had infiltrated his life once too many times already.

Thinking briefly of Haley, as he entered the room and put his stuff down on the desk, Aaron's mind was soon back on Emily and what she had said to him.

When she had return from the 'dead' Aaron had been quick to ask her out on a date. Once he would have never mixed business and pleasure, after all they had worked together for years without crossing the line. Yet when she was gone he had realised just how much she meant to him and that he wanted to give things a try. Previously he had leant his lesson the hard way. He had lost Haley due the job and then he had nearly lost Emily too. He had been determined that this time he wasn't going to let work stop him from being happy.

And he was happy. Since Emily's return Aaron was happier than he had been in a long time. Considerably so as today wasn't the first time David Rossi had banned about the idea of Aaron having a girlfriend. Several times now Dave had asked who the 'lucky lady' was.

Of course being a gentleman Aaron had denied everything, claiming he didn't know what Dave was talking about. But for how much longer he could keep things a secret from his friend, well that was another matter.

Not that he was worried that Dave would spill all, after all Aaron was fully aware of Dave's own clandestine relationship. He was more worried that Emily would not trust him if he told Dave and at the moment building Emily's trust in him was important. She was a born worrier, he had discovered in the few months they had been together and more commitment phobic then he had ever imaged. Emily liked to keep people at arm's length and Aaron had to work hard to prove to her that this was more than an office fling.

In the last few weeks they had made huge progress. He could still remember with crystal clarity the first time she had murmured that she loved him. It was hard to tell which of the two of them had been more surprised by the words. However now she had become more relaxed in responding to his declaration.

The next step was getting her to spend more time with Jack. It wasn't that Emily didn't like Jack. She adored him and children in general. But he knew that spending more time with Jack symbolised to Emily making things more serious, more concrete. It stopped her sticking her head in the sand and pretending it was a brief romance and instead made her think about accepting they had a future together. So Aaron was pleased that Jack's project had turned up when it had, perfect timing one would say. He was looking forward to having the two people he loved spend some quality time together at the weekend.

It made him wonder how long it would take him to persuade her to go public. After all he knew Strauss was unlikely to cause a fuss. The problem was Emily didn't know that. Yet!

. . .

Emily curled herself up tight under the covers of her bed. After the weekend with Aaron the vast space of the soft mattress felt lonely. She could easily rectify that if she was willing to take the steps towards confirming their relationship, yet there was something about hiding in the safety of the secrecy that she appreciated.

It wasn't that she had any doubt that she loved Aaron and, as the saying goes, absence had made the heart grow fonder. Emily didn't really know what was stopping her taking the steps that Aaron was coaxing her to. There was nothing other than the old familiar doubt that possessed every relationship she had ever attempted. That constant 'What if?' that wouldn't shift from the back of her mind. Niggling and nagging at her.

As she started to toss and turn once more, Emily wondered how she could be so sleeping on the couch but now she was in bed her mind was racing and she was incapable of switching off. It was no good her mind was racing considering how she could think of something so good as a bad thing?

Aaron loved her. Of that she was sure. He had made it very clear. Jack was a sweetheart; before she had had to go away Emily had always got on well with Jack. However there was something very different between getting on with your boss' kid at the odd get together and becoming a part of a child's life. After all she knew the impact of that after Declan.

Then there was the whole issue of the team and if they would accept their relationship? What impact would the truth have on the freshly repaired team? And then there was Strauss, she could make both of their lives hell over this, after all they were infringing fraternisation rules. Though she had already decided that should it come to the crunch she would leave, there was no way this was going to ruin Aaron's career.

Settling into a comfortable position, hugging the pillow tightly, Emily began to drift off, her mind still mulling over where her and Aaron went from here.