Date: 1995.
Eric and Taylor started seeing more of each other when Ridge and Brooke reunited. It started out as friendship, but turned into something more. Eric wanted to have a relationship with Taylor, but she wasn’t sure about it as she knew how Stephanie, her best friend, would feel about it. Taylor was hired at Forrester creations as the company psychiatrist and she grew closer to Eric. Taylor and Eric shared a kiss that had them both wonder what could be. But Taylor was reminded of Stephanie’s feeling as she confided in Taylor. Brooke and Ridge planned a party for Eric so he could hook up with a woman. Eric invited Taylor to the party as he designed a dress for her. Taylor wasn’t sure what to do. She was so confused. Rick found out about Eric and Taylor and wanted his father to be happy. Taylor left town to be alone and think. She left the dress to Forrester model, Samantha who had a crush on Eric. She wrote a letter to Eric explaining what she had done and why. Eric got the letter and was upset. Rick saw it and wondered about it. Samantha came to the party in the dress meant for Taylor. Brooke, Ridge and Stephanie found Eric and Rick outside asking what he was doing there as the party was inside. He decided to enjoy the party and forget about Taylor for the evening. And did he enjoy himself! He danced with almost every woman at the party and drank a lot of drinks. James wondered why Stephanie wasn’t making a move. So, by the end of the evening, Stephanie found Eric sitting with Samantha. She explained she had been taking to Rick and Bridget before. Eric said they hadn’t danced and asked her for one. She accepted and they headed out on the dance floor for a ballad. They shared a slow dance as all the guest watched them. Brooke thought it might be too late for Eric and Stephanie, but Ridge told her not to count his mother out as he exchanged smiles with Thorne. Eric and Stephanie talked about the evening and what had made him in such a party mood. Stephanie said everybody needed someone they could talk to. He asked if she had one. Silly question, she said and smiled. She had loved him, always have, always will. He kissed her on the forehead as they enjoyed the rest of the dance.

The next morning, Eric woke up and felt a foot caressing his. He was surprised and turned around, seeing Stephanie asleep next to him, wearing his shirt. He didn´t remember what had happened. She explained he had invited her to stay over. “What a party! You were easy?”, he asked. Easy and free, she replied. “But not cheap, never cheap”, she said and they laughed. She got up from bed to make them some coffee. Eric lawyer, Elliot, came over to talk about Eric’s divorce from Sheila. All Sheila had to do was to sign the divorce papers. And she finally did, which Eric and Stephanie celebrated with a glass of champagne. Stephanie could see that something was bothering Eric and asked about it. He wouldn’t say but she thought it was because Sheila was being released on parole. He made her think so. She tried to cheer him up by saying he was now free to do anything he wanted; sail, climb a mountain, run for office – whatever he wanted to do. It made him feel better and he asked how it came that she could always say the right things to him. It’s a gift, she suggested. He said she had no idea what she had just done for him. “You can thank me sometime”, she said. “Why don’t I thank you right now?”, he asked and gave her a passionate kiss that caught her off guard. After that, she went home and got the crazy idea of baking Eric’s favorite cookies. Lauren came by to visit. She was thrilled that Eric had kissed Stephanie and rooted for Stephanie to go after Eric. So Stephanie went over with the cookies to Eric and they enjoyed them with some milk, having a good time. Taylor was still unsure what to do. James found her and she confessed her true feelings for him. James thought she should go back to town. But Taylor was hesitant. The last thing she wanted was to hurt Stephanie. “So you’re willing to let Eric go?”, James asked. Taylor had to think.

Stephanie and Maggie was at home and Stephanie got the idea of surprising Eric with a dinner. So Stephanie and Maggie packed all they needed and headed over to Eric. He wasn’t home yet, so they let themselves in and set the evening. Eric was pleasantly surprised as he got home. Maggie cooked spaghetti for them as Eric and Stephanie enjoyed some candlelight and music in the living room. They had a great time and Eric thanked her for it, since this was what he needed. He felt as thought his life was hitting every speed bump on the way and nothing was going smoothly, except for this. They shared a dance and Eric told her how relaxed he felt with her. He didn’t have to pretend with her. No, she said. But she wished she had more impacted on his mood. He didn’t know what she was talking about, since he felt she had enormous impacted on his mood. Then what was bothering him, she wanted to know. He ducked the question by saying talking about that would only make him miserable and they wouldn’t want that, right? Just smoothly, she said and decided to drop it. Eric got a business call that he had to answer. Sally came over, all dressed up to sway Eric and Stephanie opened. Sally was irritated to find an all dressed up Stephanie there and gave her a piece of her mind. She told Stephanie she was pathetic to throw herself at Eric. He would never fall for it and that Stephanie was making a fool of herself. Then Sally left and Stephanie got to think about it. Eric returned and saw something was bothering Stephanie. She asked if he felt she was throwing herself at him. “Not at all”, he said. But she wasn’t assured cause she DID brought the food, the music and the whine. He felt it was only charming of her to do so. “Are you sure?” she asked. “I leave you alone for 5 minutes and your brain goes into overdrive” he said. “I guess I just needed some reassurance”, she said. “Reassurance?” he asked and kissed her passionately. Maggie returned home, leaving them alone as they enjoyed her spaghetti. He wanted one more dance, but she felt it was bedtime for him. He asked her who she was, she plans the whole evening and now wanted to tuck him in. “I’m someone you’re going to get to know a lot better”, she replied as she led him into his bedroom. She took off his shoes as he thought it was amazing that they weren’t miserable and uncomfortable together - especially in intimate situations - since they were divorced. It was different for them. He thanked her again for the night. “Thank you for all the nights”, he said as he went into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

James convinced Taylor to think about herself for a minute and what she wanted instead of what everyone else wanted. She decided to go back to Los Angeles and give a relationship with Eric a chance. James offered to drive her to Eric´s front door himself and she agreed.

When Eric returned to the bedroom in his robe, he found Stephanie in his bed. He asked if she had gotten lost on her way out. She joked that she had. She knew she was being forward, but asked if she could sleep with him. All she wanted to do was sleep, she said, as she didn’t want to be alone. He understood that feeling and let her stay. He got into bed next to her as she said she could only do this with him. He replied he could only do this with her too and they kissed good night.

Taylor got there and let herself in. She realized he must have gotten to bed and opened the door to his bedroom. She smiled as she saw him, but it faded as she saw Stephanie by his side. Taylor quickly left the house and went home. James asked her about it the morning after. She told him that she knew a seduction scene when she saw one and that she and Eric could never be. Eric and Taylor talked it out and decided to just be friends.