Does an "emotional affar" always have to involve?

What would possibly be the reason for keeping the friendship from the spouse? There's nothing wrong with having friends of the opposite , but it's a grey area on what exactly an emotional affair is. If the friends are sharing more intimate details with each other and not their respective spouses, then it's likely an emotional affair. However, even an "intellectual" friendship can also be considered an affair if the spouse is putting more energy into the friendship than their marriage.... if there is flirting involved, then be careful.