The Unattainable (The Foreplay to Forgiveness)

CHAPTER ELEVEN - The Call

On Monday morning, I woke up with a start.

"Wake up, Mitchell," Amanda juiced up, nudging my knee.

Yawning, I groggily rubbed my eyes with the palm of my hands and look at her. "What time is it?" I asked. I glanced at my bedside table where I located my alarm clock. 7:40 am. I groaned.

"It's early, I know. But I want to hear the juice last night. So, spill." She climbed into my bed and I rolled over my stomach sleepily. "Did you get laid?"

I snickered. "I wouldn't be sleeping here in the first place if I got laid."

"Oh?" she teased. "Was that remorse I'm hearing in your voice?"

I let out a long peevish sigh. I wans't really in the mood to bicker over petty matters especially this early in the morning, but I could see that Amanda was pretty adamant about it. I did not give in easily, though. "Can I have more thirty minutes of peaceful slumber?"

"Where did you go?" Amanda continued to bug me. "What did you do?" She tickled my bare toes and that got my attention. Ceding, I rolled back onto a supine position and got my covers off.

"It just went pretty well, Manda," I said. "A normal date."

"Was Mr. Thorne a gentleman?"

My body was filled with warm fuzzies instantly. Of all the events that took place last night, the kiss was the most memorable one.

I'm not a gentleman. I never am. His words echoed in my brain.

"Well?" Amanda prodded.

To end her inquisition, I told her everything---except the kiss. I told her about Arthur Leibovitz, but she didn't show much interest, so I figured she didn't know him. I told her where we had dinner and how after that he brought me back to Burnham.

I decided not to mention the kiss, especially sinve I was too willing to be taken advantage of, contrary to the plan. I cringed. Good going, Addie. You played the victim so well I'm surprised you don't carry around your own body chalk. So, yeah. No mentioning about that part yet.

Thankfully, she dismissed me, only with a disappointed frown. I swallowed my guilt and went for a bath.

"Thanksgiving is going to be next week," Amanda stated as we prepared for classes. "Mom called and made sure I'll be home."

I almost forgot. I haven't called Mom yet for our plans. Amanda's mother, however is very precise when it comes to family gatherings. I mentally made a note to call my mother as soon as possible.

That late evening, as I was drying off from a bath, I received a call. It was Mikhail.

"Adelaine."

"Mikhail?" There was no answer. "Good evening." I tried hard to sound confident and not skittish because God, I still get those butterflies. I was alone in the dorm, Amanda was booking a flight for the weekend.

"How are you?" he asked.

I sank down on the bed, squeezing the receiver between my fingers. "I'm...fine."

Silence.

"Are you going out tonight?" he asked after a few seconds.

"No. Why? Are you asking me out again?"

"I just want to know," he said lazily.

My disappointment was there, so palpable that I could almost taste it. Embarassed with myself, I shut my eyes as I breathed out slowly. After I collected myself I adopted a brisk, serious tone. "Can I help you with anything else?"

There was another pause and then, "You're in my...inappropriate thoughts, Adelaine," he said, sounding breathless.

I don't know what went through me, or how the mood changed to something amorous because when I heard his admission I felt a heady sense of desire and lust suddenly curl in my gut. My own breaths hitched up and I found myself slowly lying on bed. It was dizzying. My nakedness under the robe didn't help.

"How inappropriate is that?" I couldn't help but ask. I licked my lips unknowingly and loosened the hold of my robe.

"It's rated PG," he murmured mockingly. "Do you honestly want to know? You'll be probably traumatized."

Crazily, my body arched, as if it was it's way of nodding yes to his question. "I'm an adult. I can probably handle it." Who is this woman?

Mikhail made a low, chuckling sound in the next line. "You are pure sin, Addie. What were you doing when I called?"

"Wiping myself dry. Just got out from the shower."

"Really?"

"Really." My body flared hot as I realized that I relayed the information of my nakedness.

"What a waste of chance," he growled. "We should do something about that."