Chapter 6 Just Me And Hazel Eyes

• LACY
• I broke the eggs into a bowl, added the other ingredients, and began whisking them together. Ma'am Jocey, Aaliyah’s nanny, the older lady who'd hugged her when we arrived, was rolling out the dough. We were hands-on trying to bake a lot of stuff for the party that'll be happening in an hour. Just when it gets a little darker.
• Ma'am Jocey had no trouble doing it alone but I insisted on helping. In reality, I was still shocked about Hazel's eyes being Aaliyah's Father. And being in this kitchen was giving me enough time to wrap my head around it.
• My life has been one hell of twists and disgusting events. But I never thought it'd get this insane.
• I didn't only sleep with my Best-friend's Father, I also stole from him. And now I'm in his house and I can't breathe properly. Back there at the pool, I pretended not to recognize him. But I can't continue pretending for long.
• Not when those intense hazel eyes had a way of seeing through me in the most unnerving but arousing way.
• This situation was something I wouldn't be able to lie, manipulate, or steal my way through. So avoiding it was the only thing I could do. Avoiding him until Aaliyah and I leave in two days.
• I can do it. I know I can.
• “You look like you know what you're doing,” Ma'am Jocey said, with her motherly smile.
• I smiled back and nodded. “Oh, trust me. I do know what I'm doing.”
• “Well, that's great to hear. My little girl, Aaliyah, is a disaster in the kitchen. So I've never had the pleasure of baking side by side with her.”
• I laughed. It was no surprise. Aaliyah wasn't domestic at all. She lives for the wild, party life. The crazy life. I do too. But deep down, I'm very domestic. That was my life before all the wildness began.
• “Where did you learn how to bake?” She asked, continuing the conversation which I was beginning to enjoy.
• “My Mother,” I said with a nostalgic smile. “I grew up in a small, countryside town. We're so little I doubt you'd find us on a map.”
• Maa'am Jocey laughed. “Oh, silly girl.”
• “Nah, I'm being for real.” I chuckled. “But regardless of the size, I grew up with so much love. My Mother would bake cookies and I'd make barbecue every Sunday after church. We'd sit under our big tree and bond. Like a family.”
• “Aww, that's so sweet.”
• “Yeah. Those days were the best days of my life.”
• “It’s great to know you've got such a nice family.”
• I DID. I really did. We were middle-class and happy. Until Mad Dog arrived and turned our little, peaceful town into a crime zone. And then my father died. And the loan sharks came for us. And from there, my whole life went downhill.
• I didn't realize I was tearing up until a tear dropped on the counter. Oh, God.
• I spun around quickly, sniffing back the remaining tears and drying my eyes.
• “Oh, dear. Did I say something wrong?” Ma'am Jocey asked in an apologetic and concerned tone. It triggered more tears.
• “No, I'm fine. I think something got into my eyes.” I laughed, still sniffing back my tears.
• “Are you sure, dear?”
• “Yes. One hundred percent. Don't worry about me.” I was done cleaning my eyes.
• “Help me put the pans in the oven, dear. If that's not much trouble.”
• “What? Of course not.” I obliged her quickly, carrying the pans one after the other into the oven. I'd just taken the last pan and was putting it in the oven when I heard the voice behind me.
• “Jocey.” It was that deep, rippling voice.
• “Hello, Sir.” She replied.
• I whirled around and let out a silent gasp at the man in front of me. His eyes held so much animosity as he stared at me. So much that I could feel him strangling me from there. But God, he looked sexy in that tux.
• His gaze returned to Ma'am Jocey and they became warm again.
• “Aaliyah's asking for you. She needs your help choosing a dress for God knows what.” He informed her.
• Ma'am Jocey beamed and immediately took off her apron. “Oh, my little indecisive fashionista. She has so many dresses and now she can't make up her mind.”
• Ma'am Jocey hurried out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with my nemesis. I almost reached out to her to stay but I couldn't.
• So all I could do was watch her leave with a racing, anxious heart.
• Now it was just me and Hazel's eyes.
• He wasn't saying a word. He had a rigid expression that had me almost shivering. But I was a girl who'd dealt with worse. This shouldn't break me.
• One thing was for sure though. I plan on denying till I die. I never met him that night. It wasn't me. It was probably my doppelganger.
• This was our first meeting. So I should treat it as such.
• “Hello, Sir.” I began with a warm smile. “I'm Lacy Brown. Aaliyah's best friend and roommate.” I stretched my hand for a shake but he flatly ignored it.
• I must have forgotten what a cocky bastard he was.
• But I can't hit him like I did that night. So I slowly dropped my hand. The silence was suffocating me so I just had to keep talking.
• “I'm really sorry about the pool. I just couldn't help the urge to take a swim. I hope you're not very offended.”
• “Your cookie’s burning.” He said with a huskiness that literally yanked at my brain.
• Cookie. He said that word that night. And hearing him say it again started a fire between my thighs.
• I struggled to keep my voice plain as I replied. “No, we're not making cookies. Just cakes. And I doubt they're burning. I just put them in a few minutes ago.”
• “No. I meant your actual COOCHIE.” He reiterated, stepping closer with two, long strides. I almost backed away. But I had to scream at myself to stay still.
• If I back away, he'll think I'm scared of him. And I'm not. I shouldn't be. But God, my face is burning red. His voice and that word…they're messing me up so easily.
• “I don't understand,” I breathed out. Why do I sound so fucking wanton?
• “It seems like it's twitching. Like seeing me reminds you of something.” He added, stopping an inch away from me. I couldn't help but back off a bit.
• “I don't know what you're talking about.” I barely finished the word when he wrapped a hand around my waist, yanking me into his arms in a smooth move.