Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Marcus turned to him, and he thought the other man was going to refuse to walk over. Then he moved woodenly toward him. Eliot reached out and drew him onto his lap, cuddling him close.
He was stiff to begin with, but he gradually relaxed and wrapped his arms around Eliot’s neck.
“I can’t live without La-la.”
He knew that Isla would likely be fine, but those words hit him hard.
What if it was something serious?
Shit. The panic was building, and he breathed in and out slowly.
“Marcus? I want Marcus,” Isla cried out. “Who’re you?”
“It’s all right. I’m Doctor Carter, Isla. I’m just checking you over.”
But Isla was moving around frantically. “I want my Daddy and my Marcus! Daddy!”
Both he and Marcus got up at the same time, crowding around her.
“We’re here, La-la.” She reached for Marcus, and he grabbed her hand. “I’m here.”
“Daddy?”
“I’m here too,” he said gruffly.
“Don’t feel so good.”
“I know, little one. But the doctor is going to make you feel better.” He shot Doc a look. He best make her better.
Doc Carter just raised his eyebrows. “Of course I am. But I need to take some blood just to rule some things out. I need to know if you have any allergies? Or any medical history I need to know about that might not be on the forms you filled in?”
Doc looked at Eliot as though he expected him to have the answers.
And he should… if he was any kind of Daddy. He knew what was on the forms. But he didn’t know anything beyond that.
Did you ask?
“Everything was in the forms,” Marcus said. “No known allergies. She’s usually pretty healthy.”
“Did she eat breakfast? Has she been drinking plenty of water?” Doc asked.
“She didn’t eat a lot this morning. She had an iced coffee and a little water,” he told him.
“Right. I’m going to take some blood now, Isla. Would you like Daddy to hold you on his lap?”
“Yes.”
Eliot rearranged them so he was sitting on the edge of the bed with her across his thighs. The nurse gently held her arm while Doc took blood. Marcus plastered himself next to Eliot, whispering to her quietly.
“Good girl,” Doc praised when he was finished. “Can you tell me what hurts?”
“Everything. All my bones ache. And I’m really cold.” She was shivering as she spoke.
“We need a blanket,” Eliot demanded.
The nurse quickly got one, even as Doc sent him a chiding look. He tucked it around her where she lay on his lap.
“Anything else?” the doctor asked.
“My throat hurts, too. And my stomach feels funny.”
“You have a fever, and your throat looks red and sore. But I don’t think this is anything serious. Probably a viral infection.”
“You don’t think? Probably? You don’t know for sure?”
Everyone stared at Eliot in surprise as he shot those questions out.
“I won’t be more certain until the results from her blood tests are back,” Doc said firmly. “But yes, that’s what I believe. The best thing for her is lots of rest. Fluids when you can get them down her. Keep an eye on her temperature. I’m going to give her some medicine to help lower it, but if it gets any higher, call me. Or you think she’s getting worse. But I really think some rest and TLC will go a long way.”
“We’ll take care of her, Doc,” Marcus told him.
“Yes, of course,” Eliot added. “Thank you.”
“I’ll be in touch with the results. And I’ll come back to check on her tomorrow afternoon unless you need me earlier.”
Eliot didn’t remember carrying Isla back to her room. Cullen stopped Marcus outside their door to talk to him. He heard them make plans to delay their return home as he carried her inside.
Laying her on the bed, he turned away to grab her nightie.
“No, Daddy! Don’t leave me.”
The fear in her voice nearly broke him.
“Hey, I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here with you,” he told her as he stripped her off and put the nightie on her.
Lord, she felt so hot it scared him.
“I’m going to go get you a bottle.”
“You’s a good Daddy. Don’t let anyone tell you different.”
He wasn’t. He wasn’t a good Daddy at all.
Getting up, he turned and found Marcus staring at him with a hard glint in his eyes. It wasn’t a look he’d seen before on the younger man’s face.
And he didn’t like it.
Shit. Was he hurting them both by staying? But he couldn’t leave while Isla was sick.
“Marcus?” he asked.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “You warned us. We knew this was temporary. I guess I just hoped… sorry. Silly me. Are you still leaving tomorrow?”
Leave them?
Denial filled him.
Fuck. What a mess this was.
“I’d never leave Isla like this. She needs me to look after her.”
Marcus squared his shoulders. “She has me. And to be frank… we’re going to have to do without you after tomorrow, right? So maybe it would be better to just rip off the bandage now, you know?”