I, Porn Star(129)
Sinking down next to him, I’m lost as to how to help him.
“Can I get you anything?”
His hand blindly searches for mine, pulls it onto his stomach and clamps tight. “Stay,” he rasps.
He takes a deep breath, two, then he’s surging towards the bowl again.
The retching continues for a better part of an hour, by which time, I’m shaking with fear.
The second he quiets down, I race back to the living room for my phone.
Fionnella answers immediately.
“What’s wrong?”
“He won’t stop throwing up,” I blurt.
“Shit, I was afraid of that.”
“Afraid of what?” I demand.
“Possible alcohol poisoning.”
“Jesus. Does he need to go the hospital?”
“No. Keep an eye on him. I’ll call you back in five minutes.”
“What?” I shriek, but she’s hung up.
She calls back when he’s in the middle of another vomiting bout. “His doctor is on his way. ETA twenty minutes.”
“Are you sure he shouldn’t be in hospital?”
“Dr. Hanley will decide that. We don’t want to give the press another scoop unless it’s unavoidable. Elyse…are you okay?”
“No, I’m not,” I snap, worry and fear making me cranky. “It’s bad, Fionnella.”
“I know. That’s why you’re there. You’re my last hope,” she says softly, before she hangs up.
Heart in my throat, I return to Quinn. He looks like he’s passed out, but I realize he’s fallen asleep. There’s no way I’m going to get him into bed so I tug the covers and a couple of pillows off the bed and make him as comfortable as possible.
When the doctor arrives, I let him in, my breath held as he examines Quinn.
“He’s severely dehydrated, but he hasn’t quite slipped into poisoning territory.”
Relief shudders out of me, and stupid tears prickle my eyes.
“When he wakes, give him a couple of these, then repeat every four hours. They’re rehydration pills.” He hands me the vial. “And obviously, no more booze,” the small, wiry man says with a wry smile. He extracts a card from his pocket and sets it on the vanity. “If anything untoward occurs, call me.”
I nod and see him out.
Quinn is still sleeping when I return. I don’t want to leave him, so I drop onto the bathroom floor, and curl up next to him.
***
“Elyse.”
I open my eyes. He’s staring at me. His color is healthier, but faint grey lines fan his mouth.#p#分页标题#e#
“I’m sorry,” he mutters.
I blink, try not to cry. “How do you feel?”
He closes his eyes for a second. “Like hell. But…I’m glad you’re here. I’m sorry,” he repeats.
My throat clogs all over again. I try to get up to fetch his pills. His surprisingly strong grip on my arm holds me still.
“Don’t go,” he pleads. “I need you to forgive me, Elyse. Please.”
I shake my head. “I need to get up, Quinn. To get your pills.”
He tenses. “What pills?”
“You wouldn’t stop throwing up. The doctor came.”
A tinge of embarrassment flushes across his face. “Shit.”
“Yeah.”
He releases me. I fill a glass with water and shake out a couple of pills. He sits up and swallows them without complaint. He sets the glass down and spears me with surprisingly piercing eyes. “Elyse, tell me what I need to do. I’ll do anything.”
“Can you stand up? I love the under floor heating and everything, but it’s going to play havoc on your bones and mine if we keep sleeping on the tiles.”
He gives a short nod and staggers to his feet. In silence, we return to the bedroom and he slides into bed. I arrange the covers over him, but when I step away, he grabs my arm.
“Stay.” The voice is Quinn’s but I hear Q’s power behind it. I can’t help the shiver that runs through me. How the hell could I have missed the visceral connection? “Please, stay.”
My gaze finds his. Piercing blue eyes plead. My head moves in a nod.
I remove my shoes and get into bed in the jeans and tank top I wore to travel. Quinn turns sideways to face me and the intensity in his eyes grows.
“Can we talk?” he enquires solemnly. “I’ve missed you, Elly. God…so much.” He stops and takes a deep breath. “I need to know how to make you forgive me. Show you how sorry I am for what I did.”
I nod cautiously. “We can talk, when you’re better. Sleep now. I’ll fix us something to eat when you wake up and we’ll take it from there, okay?”