4. Hazel
CHAPTER 4
Hazel
TWO WEEKS LATER
"Good morning," I greet Joe as he enters the office. He's impeccably dressed, the navy pin-stripped suit he's wearing is tailored to fit him. He's gorgeous, so damn handsome and he knows it.
It's been two weeks since our kiss and I'm still so very confused. I have no idea what the hell is going on with him. I’m angry at myself, at him, at the entire situation. I kissed my boss, what the hell is wrong with me? I could have jeopardized everything and for what?
"Morning, Hazel, how are you today?"
He's still being civil, and I respect that, but Christ, he acts as though the kiss never happened and I hate that. What the hell? How is he so unnerved by it all? I guess this is why he's the Mafia boss. He's not affected by anything. Damn the man.
"I'm good, thanks," I reply, plastering on a smile.
He nods and continues to his office, not saying another word.
As I watch Joe disappear into his office, my mind races with so many thoughts. The memory of our kiss still lingers on my lips, a sweet torment that I can't escape. It’s all that I think about, all that I can taste. Joe Raineri has dug himself deep within me, I can’t let go. He evades my sleep and my every waking moment.
I try to focus on my work, but my thoughts keep drifting back to Joe. The man who exudes power and control in every move he makes, yet somehow, he lost control with me during our kiss, but just as quick as that control had lapsed, the stoic unaffected facade was back in place.
Was it all just a game to him?
As I'm about to pack up and head out for lunch, Joe's voice cuts through the silence of the office.
“Hazel,” he calls out, his tone urgent. I pause, my hand hovering over my keys.
“Yes?” I murmur, my gaze firmly on my keys.
I sense him as he takes a step closer to me and I can feel the heat radiating off of his body. My heart starts to race as I wonder what could possibly be wrong.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
There is a moment of tense silence, I raise my gaze and look at him. His dark eyes roam over me, heating every inch of my skin. I swallow hard, trying to regain control of my thoughts. How can one man have such a powerful effect on me with just a single glance?
“I need you to work through lunch with me,” he says, locking eyes with me. “Next week we have that event and you'll be accompanying me. This is your area of expertise.”
My mind races as I process his words and try to calm my racing heart. At the same time, my body responds to the intensity in his gaze, and I can feel myself getting flustered. But I force myself to plaster on a bright smile, the one that has become second nature over these past two weeks, and nod. “Of course,” I reply softly. “I'll order lunch to the office.”
“Already taken care of,” Joe replies, giving me a small smirk before turning on his heel and striding back to his office. My heart races as I watch him go, knowing that our time alone together will only fuel my growing attraction towards him.
It takes me a couple of minutes to regain my composure. I push to my feet and smooth down my skirt, I try not to focus on my shaky hands, but on what I need to do. I grab my laptop and hurry toward Joe’s office. Once I’m there, I hesitate, standing outside his office door, it takes a few moments before I’m able to gather the courage to knock.
“Enter,” he calls out.
Taking a deep breath, I push the door open and step inside.
Joe is already seated at the table, papers spread out in front of him. His intense gaze meets mine as I enter, and for a moment, we simply stare at each other in silence.
"Come in, Hazel," he says low, his gaze focused on me.
My heart races as I cross the room to stand in front of him, the air thick with tension between us. Joe's gaze never leaves mine, and I feel as though every secret I hold is laid bare before him. I try to steady my racing pulse, focusing on the task at hand despite his overwhelming presence.
"What do you need me to do?" I ask, my voice coming out softer than I intended.
Joe leans back in his chair, his eyes still fixated on me. "I have the finalized guest list for the event next week, it’s now in your inbox," he says, his tone firm. "I need you to go through and highlight anyone who's in the bourbon business."
I nod, placing my laptop on the table in front of me. As I sit down across from him, my fingers dance over the keyboard of my laptop, pulling up the necessary documents. The silence between us is heavy, and I hate it.
We work in silence and while things are tense and uncertain, I can’t help but feel safe as I work. Even though we kissed, he’s been professional ever since and I respect that but hate it all at the same time. I just despise how easy it is for him to act as though nothing happened between us.
I’m almost done with going through the list of attendees when I hear him clearing his throat, my gaze goes from my laptop screen to him and I see him shifting the papers in front of him, his gaze colliding with mine. "Hazel," he begins, his voice low and gravelly, sending shivers down my spine. "I know things have been... complicated between us lately."
I nod slowly, unable to tear my gaze away from his piercing eyes. His words hang heavy in the air, I have no idea what he’s going to say.
"But I need you to understand," he continues, his tone soft yet commanding. "There are things about me, about my world, that you don't know. And I can't risk putting you in danger."
His words send a chill down my spine, a mixture of fear and intrigue hit me. Being head of the Mafia would bring a lot of danger to his life, but I don’t understand why he’s telling me this.
“The past two weeks you’ve acted as if nothing has happened between us and now, you’re telling me you can’t risk putting me in danger?” I scoff. “Surely working for you would do that anyway?”
He tilts his head, conceding that I am in fact correct. “Maybe so, but as I said, there’s things about me that you don’t know and you’re my employee, what happened between us, shouldn’t have and for that I’m sorry.”
I nod slowly, his words hitting me deeply. I should have known that he regretted them, but damn, it hurts hearing him say the words.
“With that said, you are a great employee and I hope you’ll remain so.”
My brows furrow together. Does he think that I’ll quit?
“I need your expertise for this event,” Joe says, his eyes softening slightly. “We can’t let personal matters interfere with our work.”
I take a deep breath, trying to push down the emotions swirling inside me. Joe is right, we can't let our personal feelings get in the way of our jobs, no matter how much the kiss affected me.
“You’re right,” I say, meeting his gaze with determination. “I’ll focus on the task at hand and ensure you have the information you need for the event.”
Joe nods, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes before he masks it with his usual composed expression.
As we work through the guest list, highlighting names and making notes, I can't help but steal glances at Joe. His focused expression, the way he furrows his brow in concentration, it only serves to make him more alluring in my eyes. Despite the tension between us, I find myself drawn to him in a way I can't quite explain. And as the afternoon wears on, the air between us seems to crackle with unspoken words and unresolved feelings.
Finally, as the last name is highlighted on the list, Joe leans back in his chair, his gaze meeting mine. "Thank you, Hazel. You've done a great job as always," he says, his voice sincere.
I offer him a small smile, feeling a sense of pride at his words. "It was my pleasure," I reply softly.
There is a moment of quiet between us, the weight of unspoken emotions hanging heavy in the air. And then, before I can say anything else, Joe stands up from his chair and moves around the table towards me.
My heart leaps into my throat at his sudden proximity, unsure of what he's about to do. But instead of saying anything, Joe reaches out and gently tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through me. I catch my breath, unable to tear my gaze away from his intense eyes. The heat in his gaze is so intense that it steals my breath away, but once again, just as quick as it comes it vanishes and Joe takes a step backward. “Thank you, why don’t you finish early. You deserve it for all the hard work you’ve done.”
I grit my teeth and let that fake smile play on my lips. I reach for my laptop and hurry out of his office.
Once outside Joe's office, I lean against the wall, my heart pounding in my chest. His touch, so gentle yet electrifying, lingers on my skin, sending shivers down my spine. I take a few deep breaths, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions raging inside me.
As I make my way back to my desk, I can't shake the image of Joe standing so close, his eyes boring into mine with such intensity. The way he had tucked that strand of hair behind my ear made me feel seen in a way I hadn't experienced before.
I pack up my things and make a hasty exit. Right now, I need to put space between Joe and me. The man is wreaking havoc on my emotions.
“It’s the weekend, Hazel, I won’t have you sitting in your apartment alone,” Briar hisses as she reaches for her cocktail. “You’ve been moping for weeks and I’m not letting you continue. You kissed your boss, so what? Many people have. Put it down to a stupid moment and let it go.”
I reach for my own drink and take a sip. She’s right, I really should let it go. “You’re right. So, how’s things with you? Have you met Drayton since you’ve found out that you’re getting married to him?”
She releases a heavy sigh. “No, not yet. That’s happening at the event next week. So don’t worry, you won’t be alone.”
I wince. God, I wish there was a way that I could help her get past this, but she relies on her parents to help with her sister. If they cut her off, her sister will be alone and that’s the last thing that Briar wants. She adores her sister, she always has.
“Enough of that bullshit, let’s finish our drinks and dance.”
I smile. God, I love my best friend. I don’t know what I’d do without her.
Briar and I dance, song after song, our bodies moving in sync with the rhythm. I feel a heated gaze on me and raise my head, glancing around the club. My heart batters against my chest when my gaze collides with Joe’s, what the hell is he doing here?
He's standing by the bar, a drink in hand, his gaze unwavering as he watches me. I want to look away, I want to pretend I didn't see him, but I can't. Not when every nerve in my body is suddenly on high alert, like a predator sensing its prey. I turn back to Briar, trying to play it cool, but she notices the change in my demeanor.
"Hazel, what's wrong?" she asks, concern lacing her voice.
I force a smile. "Nothing, just thought I saw someone I knew. Let's grab another drink."
As we make our way to the bar, I can feel Joe's eyes burning into my back. What is he doing here? The last time we spoke was that awkward encounter in his office after the kiss. The memory sends a shiver down my spine.
Briar nudges me as we reach the bar. "Hazel, it's him, isn't it? Your boss?”
I nod. “Yes,” I hiss. “What is he doing here?”
She shakes her head. “He’s not ruining our night,” she tells me, grabbing my hand and pulling me further away from where Joe’s standing. “We’re going to have a drink and continue to dance. You need to push him from your mind. He’s your boss, Hazel, you can’t let the lines blur.”
The bartender approaches us, and we order our drinks. It doesn’t take long for him to make them, and I take a sip, loving the way the alcohol hits.
I grin at her, my pulse finally returning to normal. “How did you get so wise?”
Her smirk is cocky. “One of us has to be, right?”
I laugh, I can’t deny that. “Sure. Let’s go find a table and sit down. Once we finish our drinks, we’ll go back to the dance floor.”
She takes my hand, lifting it over her head, with her drink in the other, she leads us through the throngs of people toward a table.
As we settle down at the table, the music pulsating through the club, my eyes keep flickering back to where Joe was standing. He's gone now, but the memory of his intense gaze still lingers in my mind. I try to focus on Briar, on the way she's animatedly chatting about her upcoming wedding arrangements and how much she hates it but has no choice, but my thoughts keep drifting back to that kiss that Joe and I shared.
Why am I doing this to myself? Why am I torturing myself over a kiss, one that won’t ever be repeated.
“Come,” she tells me once we’re finished with our drinks. “You need to let loose, Hazel, I hate seeing you like this. Come on, let’s go and have fun.”
I smile as I follow her to the dance floor. I truly lucked out on having her as my best friend. I’m not sure that there’s anyone else who’d put up with my shit nor is there anyone else who’d put up with Briar. I love her just as much as I love my own sister, Becca.
As our favorite song fills the room, Briar and I begin to move, our bodies pressed together as the beat of the music invades our senses and we begin to grind and sway in perfect synchronization, lost in the rhythm and energy of the moment. My face lights up with a grin, God, I’m having the best time.
A warm, intense gaze pierces through me, sending a shiver down my spine. I know without looking that it belongs to Joe. I turn, pressing my back against Briar's chest as we move in sync to the rhythm. My eyes lock with Joe's and all other distractions fade away as we continue to dance.
“Girl,” Briar shouts in my ear. “He can’t take his eyes off you. He’s enamored by you for sure.”
I lift my shoulders and shrug. “He’s my boss,” I tell her as I give Joe one last lingering look before turning back to Briar. “Nothing will happen between us.” Not again, anyways.
She rolls her eyes. “I saw the way he was looking at you, I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
My heart once again starts to race. God, this is beyond crazy. I shouldn’t be excited about the fact that Joe could want me. He made it perfectly clear that nothing would happen.
When I turn back to the bar, I notice that Joe’s gone. He’s no longer here and I can’t help but feel relieved. I need to focus on work, not him.
I just hope that it’s a lot easier said than done.