Chapter Four
Hazel walked through the front door and found Aiden in his kitchen, leaning against the counter, drinking a beer. He looked damn fine, if a little battered. If anything, the bruising and cuts just made him sexier. “I heard you guys were back from the police station. You managed to get away before I could clean you up.” She cleared her throat as she set the first aid kit she was carrying on the kitchen table. “Where’s Jory?”
He nodded his head toward the hallway. “Bathroom.”
“Sit down so I can clean up your face.” She gestured to the chair that was at the head of the table in the corner of the kitchen.
“I’m fine.”
She glared at him. “There’s dried blood on your face, your lip is split, and your knuckles are a mess.” She pointed to the chair again. “Sit.”
Her brother walked into the kitchen. “Hey, Haze.” He glanced at Aiden. “You’d better listen to her. She’s got that face on, the one that says she’s not gonna give up.”
Aiden straightened and then walked over and sat down in the chair. Hazel opened up the kit. She tried to remain as professional as possible, but her hands were shaking a wee bit. She rarely got this close to Aiden. It was silly and she felt like she was sixteen again, but the man was so friggin’ attractive he made her nervous.
It didn’t matter that they’d spent practically every Thursday night together since he got back to town about two years ago. They didn’t spend it being physically close. As a matter of fact, Aiden went out of his way to keep distance between them. She knew because she did the opposite. She tried everything to be near him.
At first, it had been innocent enough. It was a bar. There wasn’t much room so she chose to stand near him but once she noticed he kept moving away, she couldn’t help herself. She would stand by him on purpose just to see what he would do.
He was subtle about it, but he would go out of his way to make sure they stayed a few feet apart no matter what she did. She’d been mortified when it suddenly had occurred to her that maybe he was moving away because he didn’t like her and didn’t want to hurt her feelings, or do anything to encourage her, but then she’d seen him studying her ass in the mirror above the bar when she was taking a shot on the pool table. She’d caught his admiring glances other times, too. That was all to say she was pretty sure he was interested but was keeping his distance because of her brother. So, of course, she had to push things. It was typical her. It also made her smile.
“I gotta make a call,” Jory said. “Mike Daniels wants to switch shifts this week.” He strode across the kitchen and then out the back door and down the steps to the backyard.
Hazel ripped open an alcohol swab and turned to face Aiden. “This will sting a bit.” When she touched it to his lip, he recoiled. She scoffed, “Don’t be a wimp.”
He grunted.
She grinned and touched his lip again. With soft strokes, she cleaned the cut. Then taking his chin in one hand, she turned his face so she could see it better underneath the kitchen light. “You got a bruise coming under your eye.” She kept her touch light but being this close to Aiden tweaked all her senses. He smelled like shampoo and sweat and something male. His eyes glittered in the glow of the light suspended above the table. His skin was cool to the touch, but his stubble was scratching her palm.
She avoided his gaze, sure that he would be able to tell from one look that she wanted him. Badly. Her lady parts tingled as she carefully wiped the cut on his jaw. She let go of his face and moved to wiping his knuckles.
Was it hot in here? She wanted to fan herself. Desperate for a distraction, she said, “It was pretty wild out there today.”
“It was,” he agreed.
She glanced up at him, but it was a mistake. He captured her gaze and held it hostage. She just couldn’t look away from his deep, dark eyes. They were hypnotic. She was holding his hand in hers when he rubbed his finger along her palm. Her breath caught in her throat as his touch made her belly flip-flop.
“Yeah, okay, Mike,” Jory said as he came in the door.
Aiden immediately stopped moving his hand, and the spell was broken.
“I switched with Mike, so you guys are on your own next Thursday night.” Jory yawned. “I’m gonna head.”
“Wait,” Hazel commanded. Speaking of pushing things, it was now or never. “I had a thought this afternoon.”
“Just one?” Aiden asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Actually, it was Mom who had the thought,” she clarified. “I said I wanted to move out”—Hazel turned to face Jory—“which she is all for, by the way.” Her brother’s mouth flattened into a straight line, but she held up her hands to stop him from interrupting.
“The thing is,” she continued, “I can’t afford a place downtown, which leaves the apartments on the edge of town near the freeway. I have no interest in living there, so you can save it, Jory. No need to protest.” When she glanced at Aiden, his gaze narrowed. “Mom came up with a great idea. She suggested I move in here with Aiden. He’s got three bedrooms and all kinds of space, and he could keep an eye on me—not that I need it—which would make you happy, Jory, but more importantly it would make me happy.”
“No,” Aiden said and shook his head.
Jory grinned. “Yes, that works.”
Hazel smiled at her brother. “See? I knew you would like it. I’ll be safe and out of Mom’s space. I know you think she wants me in the basement, but I’m cramping her style.”
Jory frowned. “I seriously doubt that, but this is a good compromise. I don’t want you at the edge of town in those rentals, for sure. This would work.”
“No.” Aiden stood up. “Absolutely not. This is not a good idea, Jor.”
“Relax, bro. She can take care of herself.” Hazel opened her mouth to comment when Jory continued, “She just needs a little oversight.”
“Jor, really, this is not a good idea. Your sister does not need oversight and she cannot live with me.”
Hazel smiled at Aiden. He knew she didn’t need constant watching. He understood her. She truly appreciated that. Now he just needed to agree to letting her move in.
Jory frowned. “Why? You afraid she’ll cramp your style? Not that you’re seeing anyone or doing anything at the moment, but she wouldn’t care if you were. Right, Haze?”
Her belly flopped. Seeing anyone? That wouldn’t be good. She wasn’t sure she could handle seeing Aiden with another woman, especially this up close and personal. Maybe she hadn’t thought this through enough. The story of her life. Too late to back down now. “Um, yeah. That would be fine. I’ll stay out of your way. You stay out of mine. It’ll work.”
Aiden was shaking his head. “You’re not listening to me. I don’t think this is a great idea. I still have to redo the kitchen.” He pointed to the old yellow stove with the matching yellow fridge. It was vintage nineteen-seventies. The cheap vinyl on the floor was cracked, and the cupboards were a mottled dark brown wood that had seen better days.
“That’s fine. I don’t mind. And I can help with the renovations.” Hazel smiled at him. One more opportunity to be in close proximity to the sexy man.
“Seriously. Jory. This is not a good idea.”
Jory sighed. “Do it as a favor to me, bro. Give it a month, then we’ll see. Maybe by then things in town will have settled down. ” He gave Aiden a look that Hazel wasn’t sure how to interpret.
“Yes, please give it a month.” Hazel turned on her best smile. She knew as soon as the word “favor” came out of Jory’s mouth, Aiden was done for. He wouldn’t turn Jory down. She wanted to jump for joy, or giggle like a freaking schoolgirl. It was stupid. She was a twenty-eight-year-old woman who did not need protection and was perfectly fine on her own. Hell, she’d moved out when she was only seventeen. But in fairness to Jory and her mom, that hadn’t gone so well. It was going to go well this time. She would make sure of it.
“Jor, man, seriously, I’ll help her find a place. I’ll even help with the rent, but I don’t think moving in here is a great idea.”
“It’ll be fine. She won’t be a problem for you. Promise.” He turned and stared hard at his sister.
“That’s right,” Hazel agreed. “It will be fun; us living here together.” She smiled at Aiden, but her insides were quivering. The stare he was giving her made her heartbeat tick up. When her mother suggested it, she’d thought it was a fabulous idea. Suddenly, she wasn’t so sure. All that time alone with Aiden was not going to be good for her equilibrium.