Stella and the Boxer

Chapter 42

“Yes,” I say, confused.

“You look stressed out.”

“I do? I wasn’t – I’m not stressed. Should I be?” I smile and tilt my head.

“Of course not,” he shakes his head, laughing a bit to himself as he turns away from me and goes to his suitcase.

“Anyway,” he bends down and folds the clothes neatly, placing them into his luggage one by one, “I want you to see some of the buildings that he’s done and the new offices. Apparently they’re really nice and it’ll be my first time seeing them too.”

“Okay,” I yawn, leaning back onto the bed.

I stare at the strange, intricately designed globe-ish light over me. Even the ceilings in this room are luxurious.

Charlie appears in my vision within seconds, his brown curls falling forward as he stares down at me with a smirk, his arms pressed into the mattress on either side of my head.

“Appreciate your enthusiasm,” he says sarcastically, and then he moves one of his arms underneath my back and lifts me just enough to move me further up onto the bed before dropping me into the pillows.

“Well I’m sleepy. Maybe if you hadn’t made me run all the way back here,” I bite my lip to mask my smile.

Charlie lies on his side, his elbow propped against a pillow and his head leans against his hand while he stares down at me, still lying on my back.

“You would’ve frozen if I hadn’t made you pick up the pace. Feel–”

He laces his warm fingers through mine and brings my hand to my cheek. I flinch at the chill and he laughs low.

“You should go to sleep now though, if you’re tired. There is somewhere I want to take you tomorrow and we’ll have to leave early.”

“How early?” I almost groan.

“Before the sun rises,” he says, grinning and raising his brows at me.

“Where are you taking me?” I demand.

“Can’t tell you.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “You’re scaring me.”

He laughs and moves his elbow, shifting and letting his head fall onto the pillow beside me, so close our noses nearly touch.

“You don’t need to be scared.”

Then he frowns, “Well – are you afraid of heights?”

“Um—“ I think for a second, “I don’t really know. I don’t suppose I’ve ever been very high off the ground before. Except for in an airplane.”

He laughs again, “I think you’ll be fine.”

And if it were anyone but him, I wouldn’t take their word, but from Charlie, I don’t need much reassurance -- He is hazard conscious enough for the both of us.

As expected, I wake up before the sun rose, and I say a small ‘thank you’ to the universe for allowing me to wake on my own, and not to some brash alarm noise. It was the small fan of light that crept in from underneath the bathroom door that woke me, and the hushed sound of Charlie’s voice, raspy from the early morning, speaking to what I assumed to be his phone.

I couldn’t make out much of the conversation, though I did collect a “she’s still asleep,” and something about not “pressing” at dinner.

Rather than become instantly concerned with what I can’t understand, I turn in bed so that I’m facing away from the light and close my eyes again. Before I can drift, the light assaults my eyes again. I squeeze them shut and groan a bit.