Anniella's POV
It's mid-morning on the last day of the year. Drey called me in the evening after he dropped me off at home saying he forgot to tell me we're going to attend the Time Square ball at the New York Times Square tonight. I had no idea what that was and had to google it, the result of the search was very interesting and I'm so looking forward to experiencing it tonight with Drey, El and Darrel and Chloe with her Indian boyfriend that I'm yet to meet and millions of New Yorkers who will be attending tonight.
I've just entered the reception of Drey's hotel right now, the number of people here today ain't much compared to last Sunday. The receptionist, Petra and her friend from before looked up at me their phones. They recognized me, their eyes threw daggers at me and oh boy if their looks could kill, I'll be in a body bag on a cargo to Ghana this very moment.
I care less if they give me a dirty look, throw daggers at me with their eyes or spit venom at me, Drey is mine. I didn't reveal cleavage, warm his bed or seduce him to be his girlfriend, he chose me and I can't be more glad.
I gave them a smile and winked at them. Petra looked me up, scrutinizing me to see what on earth I have that got Drey choosing me and rolled her eyes.
Really? Girl you gotta relax, looks ain't everything in getting a man, Drey's mine. I shook my head, the smile still plastered on my face and walked away. I don't have the time to have confrontations over a man with girls as shallow as them.
I got into the private elevator Drey told me to use anytime I came over, he's the only one who uses it. I needn't press the floor number, it's been set by default to his floor.
I place the bag of groceries on the floor, as I waited for it to get to my destination. I want to surprise Drey with a Ghanaian dish today, a simple jollof, the best in the whole of West Africa and in fact the whole wide world, you can argue with your phone if you don't accept.
The door to Andre's penthouse opened automatically. Drey came into view and attached me with a hug and kisses, "baby I miss you."
"Drey you saw me only yesterday, are you getting clingy?" I asked him laughing, I know he's not, I wanna pull his legs. He is more of an affectionate man, always wanting to peck, kiss, hug and cuddle.
"You can say that babe, as I said earlier I can't enough of you, you'll be with me a minute and go to pee the next and I'll still miss you." He told me leading us inside, he was hugging me from behind.
"How did you know I was at the door?" I placed the groceries on the kitchen counter and washed my hands.
"I saw you on the cctv in the elevator, I had them in there just in case of burglars, you never know." He offered me a glass of water, peeping into the bag, "did you go grocery shopping today too?"
"Yeah and no, they're not much, I'm gonna prepare my home food for you. Apron please."
Drey opened a drawer, removing a pink apron for me, "here you go love, what food?"
"Ever heard Ghana jollof?" I asked him taking out the meat and spices. I washed the chevon and seasoned it with salt , I blended ginger, garlic and onion and poured them on the meat in the pan and put it on fire.
Andre stood watching me, "Yeah, I ate it twice in your house."
"Aunt Bertha loves it." I peeled onions, blending it with pepper. I poured olive oil in a casserole and put it on fire, dicing onions, I added them to the oil and poured the blended onion and pepper. I washed fresh tomatoes and chopped them, stirring my onion and pepper that I've added tomato purée to occasionally.
"Can I help?"
"Yes please, keep me company boo, I got this." This food is on me, I want to make it special for Drey, he has to only relax and wait for it to be done. I avoided looking at his face, he's going to give me puppy eyes with those emerald of his, they're my weakness I can't afford it.
"Babe look at me." He circles his arms around my waist leaning in to peck me. Wrong move Drey, you can't beat me at my own game.
I wiggle out of his hold and stir what's on fire, the chevon was now boiling and giving of a nice savory aroma. Drey sniffed the air, "that smells nice can I get a piece?"
"Only If it's tender and devoided of blood, you can check to see." I added the chopped tomatoes to the stew and stirred it after pouring a reasonable amount of water into it.
"Glad to be of help." He removed the lid of the saucepan and took a piece of chevon with a ladle. He blew air on it before taking a bite, he moaned, "mmnh this is good, it's tender enough to be removed off fire."
I laughed, "hard guy hard guy yet you blow air on hot meat before you chew." I pushed him with my hips, He intentionally lost his balance and pushed me to the floor with me lying on top of him. "Drey cut the craziness, I'm cooking here."
He held onto me tight, refusing to let me get off him, "not until I get a kiss baby." He told me pouting.
"All this trouble for a kiss? Here you go." I gave him a quick peck and tried getting up but no, his grip on me got tighter yet not tight enough to cause a bruise.
"I said a kiss love not a peck, be a good girl and we'll both me happy." He pouted again and closed his eyes.
If this is the price I have to pay to get back to cooking my food in peace then sure, I'm gonna enjoy too see me fronting. I placed my lips on his and yeah, we shared saliva.
I pulled away after minutes, we were out of breathe. Drey claimed my lips again. Oh no I was wrong. He wasn't, he was on a whole new level this time, I placed my hands on his chest and pulled away, "Drey the food, it's gonna burn."
He blushed, "I got carried away love." His voice was deep. I got off him and went back to my cooking blushing like crazy. Drey's too much.
The stew was cooked so I measured cups of rice and poured them into the stew after seasoning it and added the stock from the meat to help it cook.
I placed a frying pan on fire and poured oil into it. I arranged the pieces of meat into it when the oil got very hot. "Boo please see to the frying of the meat for me." I asked him, "and yeah don't finish the meat."
"The only meat I want to eat isâ" I smacked his arms, "ouch."
I had to cut him off, whatever he was going to say next was something I'm not ready to hear, "Stop you perv!" I blushed and turned away from his view
He laughed , "Your perv babe, your perv." He tended to the meat chuckling to himself.
I took out vegetables for the salad and washed them with vinegar and diced them. "Do you have egg?"
"Yeah, in the refrigerator."
"Okay." I went to the refrigerator and took out four eggs, putting them into the rice on fire to boil. It's a cooking hack I've developed for myself when I'm too lazy to take a new sauce pan and boil the egg.
I poured all the vegetables into a salad bowl and opened a can of tuna flakes and corn adding them to it. I caught Drey steal a piece of meat, "I'm I gonna get meat if the food is ready?" I said aloud for him to hear.
"There's a lot more pieces available babe." He said removing the late with meat for me to see.
The number of meat I cooked wasn't the same as the one on the plate, he had eaten quite a lot. "I'll remind myself next time to fry my own meat."
"It's not my fault, they were irresistible after taking the first piece." He shrugged his shoulders.
I only shake my head and take the egg from fire , putting them in a bowl of cold water so I can remove the shells. I did and afterwards took an egg slicer. I added the eggs to the salad in the bowl and set it on the table, I poured onto the rice, chopped veggies with peas and stirred it.
The rice was cooked and smelling soooo nice even Drey rubbed his stomach, he can't wait to eat em, that's the power of Ghana jollof, mouthwatering and irresistibly delicious.
I fetched them into a bowl and set them on the table too. "Do you have hot sauce?"
"Yeah why?"
"We're gonna eat it with the food instead of the black pepper sauce we use in Ghana, I don't know how to prepare it and I forgot to fetch some on the stew I used for the jollof."
"Where were you when Mama was cooking the sauce?"
"C'mon Drey, it's a lot of process, I don't wanna get myself involved in." It's but worth it, imma FaceTime my mum to give me tutorials next time I want to prepare jollof.
"Lazy ass."
"I'm nowhere near that boo." I arranged the food on the table, there wasn't candle today so it was kinda bare today. "Honey remember to stuck your cupboards with more candles."
"So we can plan more romantic dinners, cool babe." Drey said filling our glasses with wine and water. He stole a piece of meat in the process, he caught my gaze and winked at me.
I shook my head, releasing a chuckle, I've made a mental note to keep the meat away from Drey's reach next time, "You know right honey." I took his plate and dished out his food, "is it okay love?"
"Yeah but I'm going to come back for more."
"Foodie!"
"You told me food is meant to be eaten and not worshipped and I'm doing just that, princesse."
"Babe talk to me in French often, I love it."
"Oui princesse, quelque chose pour toi." He winked rattling it out.
"Je t'aime beaucoup sexy." I understood what he said, I know a little bit of French.
"Pouches-vous parler Français?"
"Je ne peux pas le parler beaucoup." I responded after constructing the sentence bit by bit in my head."
"Tu as l'iar plus sexy parlant français babe." He ate the food chewing slowly on it.
"Merci mon amour." I said holding my breath waiting for his comment, he creased his brows, heightening my interest in his response. I do know the food is moreish but his comment counts in me doing better than today when I prepare food for him again.
"Let me switch to English babe, the food is delicious, mouth watering , moreish, you name it." He kissed my knuckles, "I'll be needing you to cook more of this for me."
"Quelque chose pour toi mon amour." I quoted him in French from earlier.
"Don't go there babe, let's stick to English."
"Why?" I thought I was a bit good in French or I'm I worst?
"Do you really wanna know?"
"Of course babe."
"You speaking French is a total turn on."
I covered my face with my hands , "Drey!!"
"It's the truth love, all jokes aside."
"Them this is the last time I'm ever gonna speak French.
"I'm gonna get you rattling French in my ears when the time comes, for now I'll let you think you've won."
"In never ever ever years to come."