Uncorked (9 page)

“I’m not as downtrodden as I felt
last night, but I need some time to think. I just know I can’t continue this
way. It has to stop, but I don’t want you getting hurt in the process.”

“Whatever you want to do I’m
here, but for once in your life worry about yourself and not anyone else. I
have thick skin. I’ll be okay.”

Chella intended to
work from home that day, but as
Mitch was about to leave, Craig called her and asked her to come to the office.
She quickly got ready, and Mitch gave her a ride.

“Hi, Craig,” she said as she
walked into his office, gave him a quick hug and sat in the chair across from
his desk.

“Chella, are you okay? You seem
sort of despondent.”

“I’ve been going through some
personal stuff, but I’ll be okay. I have my work to help get me through the
day.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No. I’m an emotional basket case
right now. I need to be in my happy space, and right now that’s work,” she said
with a soft smile.

“You know I’m here to talk to if
you need me right?”

“I do. Thank you, but I’m okay
for now. So you asked me to come in. I’m here. What can I do for you? A report
or something?”

“No I want you to be my new
Marketing Director for the Teen Sassy Cosmetic Line.”

A broad smile beamed across her
face. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. I know you’re ready.”

“This is a surprise. Thank you. I
don’t know what to say.”

“Over the last few years I’ve
watched you blossom, and I know you can do this. You deserve this.”

“I couldn’t have done it without
you,” she replied, giving him a warm hug. “You took me under your wing and
showed me the ropes. I am here today because of you.

Craig showed her her new office,
along with all the fringe benefits of an executive in the company, and formally
introduced her position at a staff meeting later that afternoon.

Just when she thought the day
would be all doom and gloom, this happened. She wasn’t ready for cartwheels
yet, but it had certainly turned things in the right direction.

Chella returned to
her hotel room completely
exhausted. She kicked off her heels, crawled into bed, pulling the covers
around her and curled her arms under her pillow.

Something tickled her hand.

She pulled her hand away at the
sensation and a sharp pain shot up her arm. Something had sung her.

She leaped out of the bed and
dragged the pillow to the floor but saw nothing but a light brown patch
scurrying beneath the other pillow. As she drew away the second pillow, a
scorpion scuttled across an Ace of Spaces card from the Bellagio.

Chella screamed.

Moments later, security banged on
her door.

She checked the peephole and
asked for identification before she opened it.

“We had a report of a scream,”
said one of the two men.

“A scorpion just stung me. God,
it’s painful.”

“Where did you see it last?”
asked the other guard.

“On the bed. It’s light brown.”

“Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m in pain, and I feel a little
dizzy.”

“You might want to run cold water
over it for a minute and get to the hospital.”

 “Can you call the San Diego
Police Department and ask Detective Carter to come over, please?”

“The police?”

“Someone put that scorpion there.
Actually, my phone is on the desk. His number is saved in there. Please hurry.”

“Yes, ma’am, I will.”

Minutes later, Detective Carter
arrived. Mitch followed closely behind.

“Are you okay?” Mitch asked
pulling her into his arms.

“I’m in pain, and a little
dizzy,” she said then added, “and a little out of breath.”

“I need to get you to the hospital,”
said Mitch.

“Detective, he left another card.
Aaron found me. He knows I’m here.”

“Ms. Noon, we need you to go to
the hospital,” said Detective Carter. “I’ll supervise the concierge so we can
get your things packed.”

 “Thanks. Can you please take my
laptop and my purse?” Chella asked Mitch.

Mitch helped her slip on her
shoes and took her things, and they were soon on their way to the hospital.

Her symptoms worsened. She broke
out into hives, and her arm went numb.

Unlike the last time in the emergency
room, Chella allowed him to help her. She was immediately attended to. The
doctors injected her with a small dose of antivenin and ordered bed rest for
the next couple of days. Mitch filled her prescription at the nearby pharmacy
and took her to his home. Her luggage was in the penthouse foyer.

She looked at him, shocked.

Before she could even say a word,
he said, “You heard the doctor. You need rest. You’re welcome to stay as long
as you like, but for the next two days, you won’t be alone.”

She sighed then kissed him on the
cheek.

“Thank you, for everything. God
alone knows I don’t have the energy to fight you on this right now.”

“Good. I’ll help you get
settled.”

She followed him into the guest
room. He familiarized her with how the electronic blinds worked, showed her
where the towels were and got her an extra blanket. After he brought in her
suitcases and helped her unpack a few of her things, she asked him, “So how did
you find out about the scorpion?”

“Detective Carter was at my
office when security called.”

“Did something else happen?”

“No, he just came by to ask Rusty
some questions and review the cameras.”

“I can’t believe Aaron found me
so quickly.”

“Don’t worry about that now. Even
if he knows you’re here, this building has top-notch security—codes, restricted
access at all the doors.”

She looked at him and smiled
gently, but didn’t respond.

“Would you like some soup or
something?”

“Sure. Just a little though.”

“I’ll leave you to settle in.
Help yourself to anything you want. I’ll be back in a while.

Fifteen minutes later, Chella lay
fast asleep on the bed. Mitch left her a bottle of water and some juice on the
bedside table, pulled the blanket over her, and left her to rest.

Chella awoke several
hours later. She was starving.
She ventured into the great room. Apart from one or two accent lamps, most of
the lights were off. She heard Mitch’s voice through his bedroom door down the
hall.

In the kitchen, she opened the
refrigerator and smiled when she saw the note attached to the plate he had fixed
her for dinner.

You
look so beautiful when asleep

I
didn’t want to wake you

Feel
free to help yourself to anything

There’s
more soup in the pot.

Enjoy!

She ate and rinsed the dishes
afterwards. Cup of tea in hand, she walked along the exterior glass walls of
the penthouse and took in the beautiful city and harbor views beyond.

It was a gorgeous night, and she
curled up on the balcony’s outdoor sofa. For a moment she forgot all the drama
that had been going on in her life in recent times and especially the last two
days. For some reason, she felt safe there. Maybe it was the building—they were
thirty stories high—or it could have been the fact that Mitch was so close.
Whether she wanted to admit or not in the last few weeks, he had been there for
her as no one else had ever been, and she appreciated him for that. But then
she remembered all the drama. As much as she liked him, and at that moment was
wondering what it would be like to be in his arms and in his bed, she didn’t
want to bring him down with her. This was a fresh start for him—new business,
new home, new car. She didn’t want to ruin that for him, directly or
indirectly.

Last night she told him the most
painful details of her past. Even though it had been painful to say it out
loud, she felt different. Positive.

She felt like she was on a roller
coaster, too. One moment she and Mitch were seeing each other every day and
making out on his couch, and the next she was questioning if she should even be
in his life. In the last twenty-four hours, she had felt so torn, so confused.
Her heart and mind had been in a constant battle, and there seemed to be no
compromise or idea of how this chapter in her life would end.

A gust of wind sent shivers
through her body. As she was about to return inside, a throw fell over her
shoulders. She looked up.

Mitch towered above her wearing
his favorite outfit.

“I thought I heard some movement
out here. Feel better?” he said. He sat beside her, so close she could smell
his minty breath.

“Still a bit dizzy and numb, but
generally better. The hives haven’t gone away, yet.”

“Well, at least you’re headed in
the right direction.”

“Dinner was fantastic.”

“Did you have enough?”

“Two bowls.”

“Great. So what are you doing out
here all by your lonesome?”

“Enjoying a cup of tea. Taking in
the view. Did I make too much noise? I hope I didn’t disturb you.”

“No, you didn’t. I was on the
phone with my mom.”

“How is she?”

“My mom? She’s fine. Little nosy
at times, but that’s my mom. I slipped and told her I had a house guest so you
can imagine the number of questions that ensued.”

Chella smiled as she listened to
his words.

“I know she’s coming from a good
place, but she’s a tad overbearing.”

“You’re an only child.”

“That’s no excuse. She needs to
trust my judgment. She thinks I let a stranger into my home.”

“That’s not exactly far from the
truth. Then again, you know things about me my closest friends don’t know.
She’s just being protective.”

“Too protective. She watches way
too much Nancy Grace.”

Chella smiled at his words, but
the fact that her life was something that might be on that show reminded her of
why she wanted to keep her distance from Mitch.

“I think I feel tired again. I’m
going to head back to bed,” Chella said, standing up.

“Can I get you anything else?”

“Actually, yes. Can you tell me
where my medications is?”

“Sure.”

She followed him inside as he led
the way to her bathroom, opened the medicine cabinet, and handed her a white
paper bag.

“Ha. Go figure. Too bad I wasn’t
smart enough to figure that all out by myself,” she said, her cheeks turning
red.

“Be careful with that stuff. Make
sure you check the directions. I think it might knock you out.”

“Thanks again for everything.”
She turned around and hugged him then kissed him lightly on his cheek.

Mitch awoke to
the sounds of petrifying screams
coming from Chella’s room. He leaped out of bed and ran to her room, his heart
pounding. He switched on the lights. No one else was in the room. She was
dreaming.

“Chella! Chella, wake up!” he
said as he tried to shake her out of her deep sleep.

She twisted and turned, oblivious
to his voice.

“Chella, Sweetheart, wake up,” he
said, shaking her until her eyes opened. Her face, moist from weeping.

“You were having a nightmare.”

She sat up in the bed, shivering,
in a daze.

“Are you okay?”

She shook her head.

He pulled her into his arms and
tried to comfort her, but she seemed confused and unaware of her surroundings.

“You’re in my penthouse. You’re
safe.” He handed her the glass on the bedside table. “Here, drink some water.”

 She took a small sip. “He
stabbed you in the back. He tried to kill you.”

“Chell, I’m okay. I’m fine.”

She wrapped her arms around him
and seemed afraid to let go. Pulling away, he held her head in place with both
hands and wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

“I’m okay. It was a bad dream.”

She leaned into him and brushed
her lips past his. He circled her in his arms. He was so tempted to make love
to her right then and there, but his conscience would never allow him to take
advantage of the situation, especially with her being heavily sedated. He
kissed her gently on the lips then tenderly pushed her down to the bed.

“Go back to sleep.”

“Can you stay with me for a
while?”

“Sure.”