Mi Carino (5 page)

“
Forgive me I can be a klutz.”

“
Tu eres bonita.
A beautiful klutz.”
The words came out thick and seductive with his heavy accent. He took her hand and steadied her on her feet. Marcella felt grateful her brown skin, though several shades lighter than her mother’s, didn’t reveal the blush heating her cheeks. The stranger was quite tall. He towered over her when he rose, even though she wore three-inch high heels. Tall, broad shouldered, awesomeness stood before her. He wore a dark grey suit under a long black wool trench. He looked dangerously expensive and smelled rich, though that didn’t quite fit his rugged handsomeness. She could see him more as a prizefighter in a heavy weight match than as a businessman. He was quite forward in the way his gaze lowered to her covered bosom and then down her figure. Those irresistible brown eyes flipped back to hers and she read his thoughts clearly.

He’s flirting!
God she hoped so. He gave her a wider smirk as if he read her thoughts too. And there were plenty. In the brief exchange every bad-boy fantasy she ever had, played out through her brain.

“
The papers,” he said.

“
Huh?”

His brows lowered and drew together. Marcella realized he held a few of the documents in his hand. She accepted them from his long fingers. “Oh, um…thank you.” He gave her a curt nod, slipped on his shades and then walked past her for the double doors to the back of the restaurant. Another man of medium brown skin tipped his head at her as he passed. The entire restaurant fell silent as every person in it let their eyes follow the two. Realizing she stood there staring long after he disappeared she turned and left. Susan turned on the sidewalk concerned.

“
Marcella, you okay?” Susan asked. “My goodness that was intense girl. I saw it from outside. Who was he? He passed me on the sidewalk, and I swear I drooled over my shoes.”

She actually felt the pulse of her racing heart throbbing between her legs. Never had she met a man whose presence she had such a visceral reaction to.  

“
Earth to Marcella? Woohoo?”

“
Ugh, um, yeah. I’m fine. Let’s go.”

“
Girl do you want me to go after him, drag him back out here?”

“
No. Stop it. Let’s um, go. We need to um, check out this funerary. Let’s go.”

Marcella walked off. She’d forgotten all about Richard’s pathetic violation. Mr. Handsome had left her breathless. Susan chatted alongside of her speculating over the meeting. Marcella fought the urge to rub her midriff. Butterfly flutters continued to stir there. Gosh she wished she had opened her mouth and said something. He probably hadn’t even noticed her. Still that feeling lingered, it charged the air she walked through, gave her a nervous anxious feeling in her tummy. It was as if Cupid’s arrow was still lodged in her ass. Maybe Susan had been right. She needed to get out more.

Chapter Two 

Marcella laughed. Her line of vision went straight down the table to Garrett. Her boss appeared to be the only one in attendance who didn’t seem to enjoy the dinner. She’d thought he’d be happy. A month ago she’d bought an Egyptian funerary that, once sold at next week’s auction, promised to pay off all their debts for a year. It took her a week of groveling to arrange a dinner with Bailey. She’d done it. If things went as planned he’d write another article to restore some credibility to Garrison’s and they’d be much closer to their goal of snaring Edward Katchner.

The dim lighting, the beautiful art, masterfully staged; the all-white décor, and flowing wine were sure to seduce Bailey. However, Garrett sipped his wine and said little. In his mid-fifties, with a trimmed silver beard connecting to long sideburns and stark white hair, he indeed was quite handsome. When she first met him she thought he had a kind of Sean Connery presence in height and demeanor. Even young women flirted openly with Garrett when he entered a room. And his Alpha personality only further confused the ladies when they discovered he was one hundred percent gay. In fact, if the dejected had seen Garrett’s love interest they’d be equally baffled. Bailey Landers would make Richard Simmons seem bland and boring. A petite man of five-foot three in platform Gucci loafers, he always tied a floral patterned scarf around his neck to accentuate his flare. He liked to impose a European drawl to his speech but Garrett said he grew up in Oakland. Bailey wore suit jackets and very tight pants, his balding grey hair made his forehead protrude from his receding hairline. Marcella found him loud and obnoxious the very first time they met. She didn’t understand the attraction the men shared, and wished Garrett would find someone more deserving of him.

Bailey sipped his wine with his pinky turned up. “So wherever did you find the funerary? It’s marvelous.”

“
A collector approached us and wanted to sell. Call it luck. I’m not sure, but it is the most remarkable piece we’ve had in a long time.” Marcella smiled.

“
Indeed. Especially after that unfortunate incident with the Cinerary Urn turning out to be a fraud.” He chuckled. Bailey’s cronies, fans, entourage, stable of young boys, whichever you chose to call them, all nodded in agreement. Sam rolled her eyes, which Marcella prayed Bailey didn’t notice. Between her and Garrett she felt a vibe of tension threatening to spoil the evening. Marcella winked. Her actions even made Garrett smile.  

Bailey soon moved his attention to the other end of the table. “So Gary, do tell, what are you up to lately?”

Susan shot Marcella a look. They both stiffened when Garrett’s dour mood reflected back in the cold stare he fixed Bailey with. The breakup between the two men had been only six months ago. The wounds were still fresh.

“
Nothing that would interest you Bailey.” Garrett answered in a sullen drone.

Bailey laughed. “That’s for sure. I was bored to death when we were together.”

Marcella cleared her throat. “Garrett how about you help me with dessert?”

Her boss was up and out of his seat, storming away. Susan shook her head in warning, but Bailey’s crew erupted in giggles. When Marcella rose she caught the angry defiant gleam in Sam’s eyes. She forgot about Sam’s temper. The girl looked like a rattler prepared to strike. She gave Susan a plea with an impatient look and Susan nodded that she’d keep Sam in line.

It was too late.

“
Bailey do you know what F-A-G stands for?”

“
Sam don’t,” Marcella said, stopping halfway down the table.

“
No dahling. Let the dyke speak. It sounds like ‘Sam
e
’ has something interesting to say. Go ahead butch tell me what F-A-G stands for.”

Sam flashed a sweet smile. She actually licked her lips as she itched for the opportunity to fight back for her boss. She leaned forward, elbows to the table making a tent out of her fingers. Bailey’s entourage, a colorful bunch of homosexual men that added to the Andy Warhol theme he aimed to portray, all narrowed their eyes on her. Marcella again wondered what the battle lines
were
between gay men and women. “F-A-G stands for ‘fools acting gay’, we all know you like to suck dick, so why don’t you quit pretending to be one for the evening.”

Susan exploded in a fit of laughter. Bailey’s face burned redder than a tomato.

“
Little girl, I was out of the closet before your father ever sniffed your mother’s snatch. Be careful who you bare your claws at bitch.”

“
The only bitch at the table is—”

“
Sam!” Marcella snapped.

Susan kept chuckling, but finally decided to help. “Bailey,” she giggled. “Why don’t you come with me? Let me show you the funerary again. I’d like to take a few photos with you next to it for the article you’ll write.”

Bailey and Sam glared at each other while his entourage hissed their own mumbled insults. He tossed his thin chin upward and pushed back from the table, adjusting the scarf around his neck. “Fine.  I need the break. It’s getting funky over here, too much
fish
at the table.”

Marcella grabbed Sam by the arm and dragged her up from her seat. Sam went reluctantly as she pushed her into Garrett’s office. They found him at the bar. “Why did you do that?” she demanded.

“
He was being a prick, I just pointed it out.”

“
What did she do?” Garrett asked.

“
She insulted Bailey in front of everyone. It’s really childish Sam! How am I supposed to keep this place afloat when I’m the only one working here?”

“
Calm down sweetness.” Garrett said. “Sam leave.”

“
Sorry Marcella, you know my mouth,” she said walking out. Marcella placed a hand to her hip and the other to her forehead. “You can’t let her get away with stuff like that.”

“
Please, Bailey lives for cat-fights. She gave him what he wanted,” Garrett said sipping his drink. He sat on the sofa and crossed his long legs.

“
Tell me we don’t need him. I’ll throw him out and we’ll try to get Katchner’s showing on our own. Just say the word.”

He shrugged his broad shoulders. “I have enough money to keep this place open with nothing but your grandmother’s antiques on the shelves if we choose. Don’t worry about it. Your job is safe.”

Marcella shook her head at his pitiful state. “We aren’t working for kicks, we’re trying to build something here Garrett.” She plopped down next to him and snatched his drink. Downing the whiskey in a backward toss, she felt the alcohol torch her throat and grimaced. “Yuck what is that?”

“
Puts hair on your chest, or on your legs. When is the last time you shaved yours sweetie?” Garrett laughed.

Marcella elbowed him. “You’ve been riding me for months about the lack of sales here. You said you wanted to make a mark in the industry. Bailey Landers is the way.”

“
I know,” he sighed.

She dropped her head on his shoulder. “It hurts doesn’t it?”

“
I ruined my chance at love.” He confessed softly.

“
No, you just haven’t met the right guy yet.”

“
I cheated on him Marcella.”

Marcella’s head slowly lifted and she blinked at him shocked. “You did what?”

“
I have no excuse.”

The news hit her hard. Garrett and Susan knew the shame and heartbreak she went through with Richard when she discovered his betrayal. She hated, no she loathed, cheaters. For Marcella nothing warranted betraying the person you claimed to love. She really had to wonder if love existed at all in the world. Swallowing the judgment riding the tip of her tongue she forced civility to her words, and a bit of understanding. “Did you fall out of love with him? Meet someone else?”

“
No. No sweetie. It was lust. And I let it get the best of me. Lust consumed me. I hurt Bailey badly. That’s why he brought that parade of boys in here. I should have known better.”

“
I thought you were happy with him Garrett? I’m trying to be sympathetic here, but… you know I hate cheaters.”