Astera stood in the kitchen the next day, helping Bree with the meal she was preparing. It was a simple meal of a Sunday afternoon picnic. Bree was making them all sloppy joe's, and that was a first. Bree's meal's would always be extremely proper, and meals such as sloppy joe's were not on her list.

But Bree would continuously keep mentioning on how Sloppy Joe's were both Alex and Andrew's favorite meals. Bree had said she didn't want to make a big lunch thing, so she just thought she would swing by Mike's and ask.

The picnic was also in Mike's backyard. According to Bree it was the most 'spacious' yard around.

Bree turned to see Ria walking in the room. "Oh, Ria…you know Astera, right?" Bree questioned.

Astera lifted her gaze to meet Ria's. Astera could tell that Astera's smile was completely fake. It was probably forced, so that Bree would continue to think that Ria was a sweet little cook. But Astera could tell that Ria had some malicious glint in his eyes.

"Yea, we are practically the best of friends…aren't we…Ast?" Ria questioned. Astera looked up at Ria, and when she saw Bree wasn't looking, shot her a glare. There were only a few people who she would ever let them call her 'Ast'.

Mike was the one who originally came up with the name, and it had caught on to a few of her close relatives. She allowed her best friends to call her by the name, and Dave had now begun to call her by that name.

"Oh…yes we are…" Astera responded, squaring her jaw.

It was then that the sound of footsteps approached, and the three of them looked up to see Mike and Dave walking through the kitchen.

Mike showed Bree and Ria a polite smile, before looking at Astera. He walked behind here and squeezed her side. She let out a small squeal, before giggling.

"You messing up our lunch?" Mike teased. Astera tilted her head back to look at him. "Only yours, Mikey…" she replied. Mike raised an eyebrow at her. "Mikey?" he repeated.

He and Astera shared a smile, before laughing.

"Actually, Astera is very good…." Bree replied. "Bree, they are just sloppy joe's. I practically grew up making these and cheesesteaks…" Astera replied.

"Bree is right Astera. You should consider being a chef. You know what? You and I should start a business someday and be…chef buddies…" Ria spoke up.

Astera turned to look at Ria, again with a forced smile. "Who knows…" Astera stated.

Mike patted her shoulder, before continuing to walk through the kitchen. "We are just going to grab a few beers before lunch, Bree…" Mike said, nodding at her.

Bree smiled. "That's fine…" she said, before placing the mixture in the bun.

Astera turned to see Dave almost directly behind Mike. She smiled up at him, before blushing and turning her gaze down to the sandwich she was making.

"Astera…" Dave said, with a smile as he went to walk past her. His hand brushed along her lower back as he passed her. Astera bit her lip to contain herself from getting to excited. She now felt as if she was acting like a five year old girl whose kindergarten crush had just held her hand or kissed her cheek.

"Dave…" Astera said, with a little more enthusiasm then she meant to.

She turned to see him walking under the archway that lead to the garage. He turned to look at her at the same time, and they shared a smile, before Dave walked into the other room.

Ria watched this with great curiosity. She'd never saw this kind of look pass between the two of them before. Or maybe it had when she was around, but she never took notice to it.

It then struck Ria that she now might have a way to make Astera break. From what Ria had gathered from Mrs. McClusky that morning, Dave was a complete nut-job.

Ria was planning on breaking into Dave and Edie's house that day, to see if there was anything she could scrape up against them. But when she had made her way to the window, all she saw was Edie sitting with her friends on her couch, crying.

Ria looked over at Astera, trying to dig deeper for whatever information she could get.

"So, Astera…you and Dave seem friendly…" Ria stated. Astera looked up at Ria, and that's when Ria saw the look. Astera's eyes had this odd glint behind them, as if she were hiding something.

Astera was always very good at reading other people's faces, especially their eyes. Ria was the kind of person who could tell if a person was lying by the way their eyes shifted.

"Um…well, you know…he's a nice guy. He's going through a lot now, especially since Edie has kicked him out. I've gotten to know him so much better now. We…had a personal talk…I've seen him in a way I haven't really seen him before…." Astera paused, and looked down.

Ria smiled to herself. By the look on Astera's face, Astera had obviously said something she didn't want to say. What might have been too much for Astera, wasn't nearly enough for Ria.

"Oh? He a huggy kind of a guy? I'll bet you gave him a hug to cheer him up," Ria stated.

Astera looked up at Ria, and raised an eyebrow. She had no idea where Ria was going with this at all. She decided it would be best to just say the truth, but not completely. There was no way she was going to tell Ria and Bree about the affair with Bree, when she hadn't even told Mike about it.

"Well, yea…I am always willing to give hugs to people in need…" Astera said, her eyes avoiding Ria's.

Ria smiled to herself. Astera was lying about something, and she planned on figuring out exactly what it was.

………………………………..

"I don't know about you….but I am stuffed," Mike said, with a satisfied smile. He looked over at Astera. "Looks like you told Bree my mama's recipe…" he said.

Astera smiled slightly, before shrugging. "I'm sure your mom wouldn't mind. Besides, I got you to get your plate clean…" Astera said, pointing to his empty plate.

Astera turned to look at Dave, who was on her right. She smiled up at him. "Did you enjoy it?" she asked him. Dave returned the smile, before taking his hand off of his thigh. Astera casually pretended to adjust the bottom of her shirt and her skirt, before meeting Dave's hand on her thigh.

His hand squeezed hers. "I really did. I thought that the best cheesesteaks were made in Philadelphia, but it looks like I was wrong…you, Bree and Ria made a mean lunch…" he said, continuing to smile at her.

Ria narrowed her eyes slightly at yet again, another smile that passed between Dave and Astera. Ria also noticed that Astera's right hand was still under the table. Ria shifted her gaze to Dave, and noticed that his left hand was under the table.

Ria smiled for a second, before leaning down and reaching into her purse. She pulled out her camera, and turned to look at the table. "Hey I have an idea, let's take a group picture…" Ria stated.

Everyone turned to look at her, confused. Her outburst was random.

"Sorry, I just love to take pictures…I'd figured I take a few here for scrap booking reasons…" Ria said, before turning to Alex and Andrew.

They looked at each other, before leaning closer to one another. Ria took the picture, before turning to look at Mike, Dave and Astera. "Smile, guys…" she said.

Astera reached her arms up, before wrapping them around Mike and Dave's shoulder's. They both leaned in closer to her, and they all smiled. After taking their picture, she handed the camera to Mike.

"Will you take a picture of me and Bree?" she asked.

She looked over at Bree, who looked flattered. Ria smiled at her, before standing next to her. Ria put her arm around Bree's waist in a friendly way, and Bree put her arm around Ria's shoulders. Ria looked over at the camera, but that's when she noticed something else.

Astera's right hand and Dave's left hand were off the table again. Ria turned to look back up at the camera, and a wide grin crossed her face. She had an idea as to what was going on. It was all clear to her. All she needed to do was to be sure she caught them in the act, and she'd be sure she would.

…………………………………

Astera heard the sound of the doorbell, and she stood up from her spot on the couch. She was talking to Andrew and his fiancé Alex. She had been getting along with both of them very well, but that was no surprise.

She had grown up with homosexuals in her life. Her best friend, her cousin, and even her uncle. She also found it that homosexuals were very easy to talk to. They were also a lot friendlier than most people.

She opened the door to see Edie standing there, and her smile faded slightly.

"Edie…hi…" Astera said. Edie showed her a small smile, before folding her arms.

"Astera…um…is Dave around?" Edie questioned. Astera nodded. "Hang on…I'll go get him…" Astera said, walking towards the kitchen.

It was then that something felt weird in Astera. Edie had probably come to their house, because it was most likely that she wanted to take Dave back. Or maybe she wanted to go over some final things with him about a possible divorce, but that was unlikely.

She then realized that if Edie took Dave back, then Dave would belong to Edie again. Astera would be with another woman's husband, again.

It wasn't so bad when they were separated, because Astera was under the impression that it would soon be over. But now Astera could feel the guilt rising back in her.

She walked into the kitchen, and saw him standing at the counter. She also saw Mike's figure leaving the room, and walking towards the garage.

Dave looked up at the sound of her approaching footsteps and he smiled. "Hey," he said, walking towards her. Dave noticed a sort of distant look in Astera's eyes, and he tilted his head.

"What's wrong, Ast?" he asked. Astera turned her gaze up to meet his. "Edie is at the door," she said, somewhat weakly. Dave raised his eyebrows, before looking past her.

He walked around her, and headed out of the room. Astera leaned against the counter, and rested on her elbows with her hands folded infront of her. She began to think of hr current situation.

She was beginning to care for Dave a lot more than she thought, and now that he was probably rendezvousing with Edie meant that it would get dangerous again.

Astera didn't mind the kind of danger like rock climbing, or skydiving, or jet-skiing.

But she did mind the kind of predatory danger she was getting herself into by having an affair with a married man. She now began to wonder why she didn't realize this before. It was then she realized that she needed to end it with Dave right now.

She heard his footsteps approach as he reappeared at the doorway. He paused, before slowly approaching her.

"Edie asked me to come back…" he said.

Astera looked up at him. If she was going to say it, she had to figure out how to make it flow in.

"Oh?" Astera questioned. "I told her I would be back over in a few hours…" Dave replied, his eyes not leaving hers.

"I see…" Astera said, with a small smile. She didn't know how to say it without full-out saying it. Dave stepped closer to her, holding her face in his hands. "That doesn't mean we have to stop, Astera. I'm going to move back in with Edie so that she won't get hurt by the thought of the divorce…" Dave stated.

So she would rather get hurt by somehow finding out her husband was cheating on her?

"I mean…I'm happy with this affair. I'm more than happy…." Dave said, smiling at her.

Astera closed her eyes for a second. If she didn't say it now she would never say it.

"Dave….we need to talk about this…" she said, opening her eyes.

Dave's gaze softened. "Okay…what?" Dave asked, softly.

Astera opened her mouth, to say the words…but she couldn't. There was just something about the way Dave's steele blue eyes gazed into hers. She felt like she was under a spell.

"Uh…" she trailed.

Dave put on an amused smile. "While you're trying to remember, I just want to thank you for last night. What you said to me about not caring if I was married before, and still wanting to lay there with me…it meant a lot…thank you…" Dave said, smiling at her.

Astera bit her lip. Between the way Dave's eyes gazed into hers and his last comment, Astera felt trapped. She couldn't bring herself to say it.

"Nothing…it was nothing. I was just going to say that…maybe we could see each other again this weekend. Apparently Katherine is making plans to go live in Boston with her daughter, and Mike is going to help her drive all her stuff down…" Astera stated.

Dave froze. If Katherine moved away, his whole plan would fall apart. If the man Mike Delfino loved suddenly left, Dave would not get the revenge that he was seeking.

Dave put on his smile, and stroked Astera's cheek with his thumb. Astera was a good person, but she had no idea what she was doing was so wrong. Dave had found himself getting more and more attached to Astera each day, and that was dangerous.

When he kissed her, it was no longer a kiss to get information…it was a kiss. A sweet kiss with meaning. Whatever the case, he had to try to push these feeling behind him until after he was done with Mike.

"Be sure to put some time aside for me…" Dave stated.

Astera smiled up at him, enjoying the warmth of Dave's hands holding her face.

Dave then stepped forward, before giving her a long, sweet kiss.

Astera smiled in the kiss, before wrapping her arms around his neck. She could learn to play with danger.

……………………………….

Ria sat behind the small wall, unknown to the two she was watching. Ria had managed to get away from helping Bree outside for a few minutes. She had used the typical 'bathroom' excuse, before walking towards the kitchen.

She was peering from behind the wall, watching as Dave stepped forward and took Astera's face in his hands.

Ria felt butterflies in her stomach. She had a feeling as to what was going to happen. She was then struck with an idea.

She fumbled through her purse, before finding her camera. She smiled, as she turned it on.

"Be sure to put some time aside for me…"

Ria turned to see Dave stepping closer to Astera, before his lips met hers in a gentle kiss. Ria watched as Astera wrapped her arms around Dave's neck, deepening the kiss.

Ria made sure the flash on her camera was off, before lifting the camera and taking a picture of Astera and Dave kissing.

She looked at the image, and saw it was perfectly clear.

She turned back to see Dave and Astera separated, smiling at each other.

Ria did a small smirk to herself, before sliding out from her spot and heading back outside. She now had the key to destroying Astera Hart…and a closer step to destroying the life of Carlos Solis.