The entire car drive to my house was in a heavy silence.

It was only when we arrived outside my house and Aiden turned his car off did he turn to me.

"Home safe and sound," he murmured.

I reached for the door and unexpectedly he got out. I gave him a puzzled look when I slid out the car and closed the door.

"Walking you to the door," he mumbled, like it was the most obvious explanation for his action. "You know that chivalrous trait gentlemen have." It was dark but he could have just watched me from his car while I walked the short distance to my front door.

Feeling a little out of sorts I mumbled a thank you before searching my bag for my house keys.

Just thinking about what happened at the party with Lacey and Adonis agitated my already volatile anger.

Quietly Aidan walked in step beside me to the door.

I was still searching my bag for my keys. Where the hell were they? I muttered something eligible as frustration set it. With everything going on with Lacey and her tumor I hadn't been sleeping well. And now I couldn't even complete simple task of locating my keys in my bag.

I swore under my breath. My actions more hurried as I continued to look inside the inner pockets.

Then my throat burned. No. Now wasn't the time for that. I just needed a few more minutes to get inside my house and then I could give into the emotions I'd been trying to suppress since I'd discovered the seriousness of Lacey's situation.

But no amount of control I exerted stopped the tears from silently running down my face. My eyes blurred.

Aiden's hand touched my arm.

"I can't find my keys," I whispered afraid the dam of turmoil was going to break so I refused to look at him. My hands stopped.

"It's okay." The calmness in his voice blanketed me.

I swallowed before I looked up to him. The light on the porch sparkles in the reflection in his eyes as he gazed down at me.

"I can't find my keys," I repeated. Another tear escaped. It was inconsequential compared to my best friend having a tumour and only a thirty percent chance of survival.

A stranger would have thought I was drunk or crazy. But Aiden reached for my bag. "May I?

I nodded as I handed it over to him. He looked inside and within a few moments he gave me my keys. "See they're here."

I stared at them feeling dumbfounded. He gave me back my bag.

The way in which he handled me broke through my inner wall and the brave exterior I had been wearing crumbled. Pretending I was strong when I wasn't.

"I'm scared," I whispered out loud, giving a voice to the fear that had been eating away at me. My throat tightened and I swallowed. My keys still held tight in my right hand and my bag in my left hand.

"We all are." This time he spoke. He didn't sound so altogether and for the first time I didn't feel so alone. Trying to be supportive for my best friend while facing the frightening odds she'd been given for survival.

Under the dimly lit porch light we stared at each other. Aiden lifted his hand and brush the wet tears from my face.

His touch was soft and light. I swallowed. His eyes continued to hold my lost stare as his hand dropped to his side.

"We have to believe she'll be okay." He tried to explain. "We have to be strong for her."

My hands gripped my bag and keys tighter while I nodded trying to gain my composure.

"But..." He had my attention. "...you don't have to pretend with me."

My eyes began to water again. He let out a sigh.

"Come here," he murmured and put his arms around me. I leaned my face against his shirt as I wept softly, tucking my arms around his waist. My emotions needing the release.

"In a few months we'll be wondering why we ever doubted she'd pull through." He rested his chin on the top of my head. His heartbeat was steady.

God I wanted to believe that more than anything. I took a shaky breath and I released it.

"You feeling better?" he asked.

I nodded and he slackened his hold on me. I tilted my head up to him.

My answer died on my lips when my eyes reached his. His smirky face was gone. His eyes serious as he stared me.

I couldn't look away or move. I was caught in the moment.

"I..." I couldn't think.

His hold on me tightened. I couldn't move even if I wanted to.

His gaze flickered to my lips and I swallowed. My mouth suddenly dry.

Then his lips touched mine.

It was wrong. I knew it. But I didn't pull away or stop him.

He stopped the kiss to stare down at me for a few seconds. Something I couldn't explain kept us from breaking apart. I held my breath.

Then his mouth covered mine. My bag and keys forgotten as they slid from my hands so I could wrap my arms his neck.

The pressure of his mouth in my intensified.

My mind fought with all the reasons to stop but I opened my mouth and touched my tongue against his.

He groaned as our tongues moved against each other, tasting. He moved and I felt the wall against my back.

I threaded my hands through his hair anchoring myself to him. My heart raced as he deepened the kiss.

There were no thoughts just actions. His hands moved over my body, touching and feeling. My skin burned beneath his touch.

He broke away and I leaned against the wall trying to regain my balance.

His chest was rising and falling like he'd been running. His eyes held mine.

I put my fingers to my lips. I could still feel his lips on my mine.

I wanted more.

He raked a hand through his hair and swore.

The look on his face broke the spell and the realization of what we'd both done hit me.

I was dating his friend.

"I'm sorry Reece," he breathed. The turmoil I was starting to feel was mirrored in his eyes. He dropped his hand from his hair.

I shook my head trying to find the right words but I was still trying to wade through the enormity if what I had just done.

I'd cheated on Max. An image of him appeared in my mind. I felt physically ill.

Aiden watched the horror play out across my features.

"I shouldn't have..."

I put my hand up to stop him. Shaking my head.

Unable to face him I looked down. My keys and bag lay on the ground. He bent down and picked them up for me.

I grabbed them as he offered them to me. I held my bag against my chest.

"Reece," Aiden said. "Say something."

What was there to say?

"It shouldn't have happened," I murmured. My eyes met his. "And it won't ever happen again."

He remained silent as I moved to unlock my front door. My hands shook so badly I struggled to unlock it. I wanted to run and hide. To pretend I wasn't the worst person in the whole wide world.

The door unlocked. I felt the heat of Aiden behind me but I was too afraid to turn around for fear that I wouldn't be strong enough to resist him.

"Thanks for the lift," I murmured.

"Reece?" The sound of his voice so close to me sent a shiver down my spine.

But I was a coward. I opened the door and closed it in his face.

I was breathless as I leaned my back against the door. What had I done? I slid down the door and rested my head in the top of my knees as I held them close.

I had enough going on with Lacey. Why would I complicate my life anymore than it needed to be?

But all I could think about was the kiss. How I had lost control. The logical reasoning of who I had just allowed to kiss me didn't resonate with who I was.

The girl who had allowed it to happen was a stranger to me.

I heard Aiden's car start and I listened as he drove away.