Love or Lust

Hazel awoke the next morning, free of a hangover, to the smell of pancakes, bacon and eggs. Tying her hair up into a loose bun, she silently made her way down the old wooden stairs that creaked under any weight, careful not to wake the hung over boys still fast asleep. Much to her dismay, it was John in the kitchen, cooking up a storm.

Not saying a word, she slipped past John to make herself a coffee, the only sound was the bacon making a ‘pop’ in the fry pan. Perching herself on a stool, leaning against the kitchen bench she watched as John busied himself with the food. She knew he was not happy with her.

“Cat got your tongue O’Callaghan?” She sipped on her coffee, breaking the silence in the room.

“What the hell were you trying to achieve last night?” John spat at her. His eyes were cold and his body tense as he look at her, a venom in his stare.

“What happened last night?” Garrett interrupted, taking a seat next to Hazel and stealing the coffee from her grasp.

“Nothing” John mumbled, turning his back on the pair while Hazel just sighed.
Garrett raised an eyebrow at Hazel, sensing something was going on between the two. Hazel shook her head at him and mouthed ‘Later’.

The others soon stumbled down the stairs, hair sticking up in different directions, bloodshot eyes and stomach’s rumbling. All said they were never drinking that much again, but everyone all knew that wouldn't happen.

Out on the Halvorsen boat, gliding across the still water as the sun was at its peak, Hazel indulged herself in the sun, spread out across the very front of the boat. This was her day to relax, while the boys all cured their hangovers with even more beer. ‘Best cure to a hangover’ Eric told them, grabbing one from the cooler as soon as they reached the middle of the lake. There was no real plan for the day, just to drink up and have fun.

“Alright DeLancey, fess up” Garrett handed her a drink, which she took gladly, as he sat down next to her.

“Whatever in the world are you talking about?” She smirked; the ‘playing dumb’ card was something Hazel used often.

“Don’t play dumb with me, you know what I’m talking about” He clearly wasn't amused, but found the corners of his mouth lifting up into a small grin anyway. “At breakfast this morning”

“Oh that” Hazel sighed and set her drink down. “It’s nothing really; I just kissed John last night”
“Hazel” Garrett groaned, he didn't like the idea of John hooking up with Hazel one bit. “Is that why he looked so pissed this morning?”

“You guessed it” Hazel looked over at her childhood friend “Nothing is going on between the two of us Garrett, just harmless flirting and teasing”

Garrett got up and looked Hazel straight in the eye “With John, nothing is ‘just harmless’”.

For the rest of the day Hazel pondered Garrett’s words. She knew from the moment she met John O’Callaghan he was trouble, he was just that type of guy. There was no denying the fact that he wanted to get into her pants, but it’s not like she’s a saint either. But she see where Garrett was coming from, he’d watched John break countless girl’s hearts and couldn't bear the same to happen to Hazel.

The group returned to the safety of land a few hours later, all tired and red from being out in the blazing Arizona heat for such a long period of time. Each boy grabbed another cold beer as they all gathered around the television to verse each other in video games. It was meant to be a quiet night in, but they managed to turn it into a boy’s night, not even caring that Hazel was a girl. Chips, dip, and empty beer cans all filled the living room as the night began to draw to an end. Kennedy was crowned as the king of games, having thrashed everyone countless times throughout the course of the night. Not bothering to clean up the mess, everyone slowly made it to their rooms, some drunk, and others sober.

Hazel tossed and turned in her bed for hours that night. Garrett was snoring loud enough to wake up the whole entire house; she wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. Picking herself up out of the comfortableness of the mattress, she walked into the kitchen, clad in only an over-sized t-shirt over her lacy underwear. To her surprise, the light was already on and the silhouette of John was seated on the couch, a bottle of vodka clasped in his hands. The light from outside drew Hazel’s eyes to his shirtless chest, decorated in a tattoo.

John didn’t even move a muscle when Hazel sat down next to him, too engrossed in his thoughts that were spiralling through his mind like an out of control blizzard. Silence settled again once more as John took a sip from the glass bottle.

“You ready to talk to me O’Callaghan?” Hazel stated simply.

“I don’t get you at all”

“What’s not to get?”

“You’ve built up this wall around yourself, a mask, so the world won't see how truly vulnerable you are. But last night I could see right through you, and I know that scares you”.

“Oh please” Hazel scoffed. “This is just a part of your ‘I’m figuring you out’ bullshit again”

“No it’s not, Hazel DeLancey, you are afraid to love. To let someone else in, that’s why you are a party girl who thrives on the attention everybody gives you”

Hazel was suddenly angry with John; he had no right to say these things to her. As much as he liked to pretend he did, John didn’t know her at all. Her blood was boiling as she clenched her hands into fists.

“Like you can talk!” She stood up, glaring at John. “So what I’m a party girl who doesn’t want a relationship, welcome to this world, but have you looked in the mirror? You go out almost every night and each morning wake up next to a different girl, whose emotions you toyed with the previous night, making her believe the things you say, all so you can get into her pants!”

John stood up, his tall frame towering over her. “It sounds to me like you and I are more alike than we think”

Hazel’s jaw dropped, “We are nothing a like-” before she could finish her sentence, John’s lips crashed against hers. This was nothing like the first kiss they shared, soft and sweet, now it was rough – full of lust and want.

John gently picked Hazel up, her legs wrapping around his torso as he carried her up stairs, slamming into the walls while still viciously kissing, too focused on one another to let it deter them, bodies bucking and twisting against each other, hands locked on faces as mouths met, clashed and devoured. They spun, hitting the other wall in the narrow hallway. But it didn't matter, none of it mattered.

John turned the handle of his room, still concentrating on Hazel and closed in behind the pair with a swift kick of his foot. Their hands went wild; pulling at each other’s little clothing – shirts that were fitted loosely around their bodies – until they littered the floor. John was captivated by Hazel, her sweet mouth, her soft skin and warm body.

They broke apart, John fumbling slightly with his belt, until his jeans joined the rest of their clothes on the floor. It was then that he stepped back, taking Hazel in as much as he could in the darkness. She stood in only a pair of simple black lace panties that hugged her body as her curves were revealed even more. John licked his lips , dragging her closer to him, hands at her hips and mouth at her throat, biting, kissing, licking as he guided them both over to the bed.

Their kisses become harder, desperate, as hands ran over each other’s bodies. Hazel’s bodies melted into his as their hips rolled, enticing each other. With a seductive smile she brought her body on top of his letting her legs straddling his waist, her delicate fingers tracing across his chest tattoo. She looked deep into his eyes before biting his bottom lip. He let out a growl sucking in the air through his gritted teeth, his hands running down her exposed sides, sending a shiver up her spine.

“This can’t happen again”.