CHAPTER 103

AARON LEFT AS SOON AS HE HAD HIS COFFEE. Lauren permitted Adam to stay and we had such an amazing night together.

For a couple that was celibate, the couch was our only best friend. We watched a lot of movies all the way to midnight.

Adam brought his emergency kit with him and we painted a few things for Maurice and Maureen, Lauren's children.

As expected, he was the pro unlike me who scribbled all over the place and still managed to make out something from the mess.

Adam was very supportive. I felt sorry for the guilt he was feeling. Although he didn't say it, I sensed it.

He vowed to be with me every second of the day and after thinking about it, I realised how tedious that would be for him. I had an entire staff with me to do everything for me and there was no need for him to come along.

As much as it was romantic, it was terrible. I couldn't let him do that. I had to think of a way to snap him out of it.

"Hey....are you asleep yet???" I shook him gently only to realise he was already gone. Laying beside him, I got up and switched off the TV as well as the lights. Looks like we were spending the night on the couch after all. So much for celibacy....

*********

"Wake up sleepyhead...it's morning.....?!!!" A rather random paroxysmal cry aired through the room. Definitely it just had to be Lauren.

I battled my eyelids and finally had them split.

"My eyelids will curse me for breaking them up...they weren't done hugging...." I turned to the otherside and continued sleeping.

"Oh come on Eleanor...don't be silly.....we have to visit Angela's school remember??" she asked and immediately I pushed the sheets off.

I sat up on the couch and rubbed my eyes thinking about what Lauren had said.

I asked her to arrange for our transport today to Angela's school and that meant she had done it.

"We are really visiting her school???" I asked somehow confused. I was still undecided if all this should be done but I had to. For my own justice and to that of the dead Angela's.

"Yea....Aaron is already there right now....." she showed me her phone and I read the text sent from him. "Now get up...we have to go..."

I nodded and stretched my arms out not forgetting to yawn. I opened my eyes and ready to get up, I stood on one leg with the other still on the couch.

There he was, standing at the entrance of the bathroom door with a bare chest. His lower body wrapped in a dark blue towel.

Since he was just coming from the shower, his hair was wet and droplets of water dropped down his nose and fell on his chest.

It rolled down his abs and died into the towel.

I watched as he grabbed another one and started drying his hair; to my dismay!

I stared boldly at him after I couldn't see his facial expression anymore considering his tilted head. How long does it ever take him to finish drying his hair??

Half sitting on the couch, I felt my heart pump with might as a rush of blood raided my face. I quickly grabbed hold of Lauren and dropped my body on the couch. I was too weak to stand.

"Something you don't see everyday huh?" Her elbow pocked my side and I lowered my head in embarrassment. I closed my eyes and cleared my mind; searching for something pure and sublime.

In my thoughts, I was able to create the purity and innocence of the entire situation and composed myself, bold.

I looked up at him and he has finished drying his hair.

The moment he turned his head, I quickly turned to Lauren and tried to make out a very sensible statement...

"This is interesting...." She began and I knew I was toast. Adam was walking towards us and if Lauren didn't think of something fast, she'd serve me for his breakfast.

"Oh well...as the old saying goes...even the toughest kitty cats purr when you know just where to pet them....." Resting her hand on my shoulder,she jiggled her eyebrows and I knew I was gonna get her for this.

"You can ...go shower Elly. Am done..." He shrugged his face and held his hands on his waist. I pulled up my sleeves and held my hair in a ponytail. His voice was exceptionally tantalising and I smacked my head immediately after the thought. What was I doing? Was it even right to look at him and think of the things I was thinking of??

"Heey...go baathh.." he dragged the words and before I knew it, he started to laugh at I didn't know what. Adam's laugh was a beautiful thing. Even when he was mocking someone, his laughter was full of warmth and life and invited people in.

I tried not to fall for the trap and instead looked at Lauren who was already laughing along.

I immediately knew I was done for and matched my way to the shower.

After closing the door, I smiled and stepped into the shower cube.

I closed her eyes and let my senses take over. The smell of aloe vera left me with a head full of memories; which I held close to her heart.

As the warm water dropped into my skin, I felt a burn just where it touched. Immediately, my mind raced back to when I was in that golden palace being treated like a princess.

Who was that man that made me feel like I was the only girl in the world? He treated me with so much love which I'd never felt before. He had completely won my heart and I ....oh No!

"No..no...no.." I immediately remembered I wasn't supposed to think about him. I was with Adam and only he was the one who was supposed to be the man I think of. Now and forever....

But there was something at the bottom of my heart that just couldn't let this man go.

I immediately stretched out my hand and I could see the scar. It was healing and becoming faint. Clenching my fingers into a fist to cover my palm, I let the water heat me up. Maybe the heat would burn away my conflicting thoughts because at the moment, I didn't know who to think of. Whenever I thought of Adam, my thought line ended with the other man.

*******

"COME ELEANOR....I made some pudding for you....." Lauren gestured for me to take the chair she pulled out for me and I did.

"You look nice...." Adam whispered as I sat down and I smiled at him.

Before I knew it, he picked my hand and packed the back of it. His warm breath hotter than the beverage, spread throughout my entire body and I couldn't stop blushing.

"Be careful....you're going to drop your face into the bowl of pudding...." Lauren crawled in and sat next to me.

I turned to her and gave her one of my meanest looks. She was being unbearable. I turned to Adam and he was busy with my hand.

Not the kiss, but something else.

He turned it inside out and carefully examined the palms.

"Elly....how did you get hurt? where did this cut from from???" he asked and all forms of guilty attacked my mind. I swallowed hard and looked at Lauren who was even more pale than I was.

"Uh....I....uh...."