I love when I have those moments when I get stoked about what I'm writing! You're reviews have been so great and have my brain on overload! :) - M
Ch. 10
Nick practically carried Olivia up the stairs.
At the hospital her loopy confessions had turned in to nausea. By the time we made it to her apartment her nausea was ever present and so was a raging headache.
By the time I got the door to her apartment open she had let go of Nick and
made it to the bathroom just in time to throw up again.
Nick helped Olivia get in bed.
She lay on top of the covers, still in her blood stained clothes, looking completely miserable.
"You sure this is normal? Nick asked me.
I looked at Olivia, her eyes clenched shut and in obvious pain.
I wanted to comfort her, make her feel better...
Nick was standing right behind me.
"The doctor said she may be nauseous and a headache was to be expected…" I said shrugging my shoulders. "I'll help her change clothes and hopefully she can sleep for a while."
"Yeah maybe she can sleep and will wake up feeling better… You sure you got this?"
"I'll be fine."
I wanted to comfort her, make her feel better…
"Ok, you'll call me if you need anything? Or if anything changes?" Nick asked concerned.
"I definitely will." I assured him.
I left Liv long enough to see Nick out.
When I retuned, Olivia she had pushed her jeans down her thighs obviously giving in before she could get them completely off.
I thought twice.
I had to think twice before I reached for the waist of her jeans that rested at her mid thigh.
Yes my eyes skimmed her tanned thighs; yes I saw the purple silk panties she was wearing...
I thought twice and then had to stop thinking.
"Liv I'm going to help you get undressed ok… so you can be more comfortable."
She only nodded her head yes, mumbling ok.
My fingers locked against the waist of her jeans. I pulled her jeans down her long legs, finding my fingers dragging against her skin. I tossed her jean to the chair across the room.
"Liv, hey…" I said trying to keep her attention to what I was doing, though she seemed to care less. "Let's get you out of this blood stained shirt ok?"
I helped her sit up.
"Alex?"
"Yeah Liv?"
"My head is killing me."
"I know, I know I'm sorry. Let's just get you in to something to sleep in and then you can rest ok? Then I'll get you some ice for your cheek and maybe that will help."
Something promising.
I thought I would try something promising.
"I just want to lay down."
"I know it will be quick."
I pulled her shirt from her. And for a moment I thought of asking her if she wanted me to turn my head, to not see her naked.
But I knew she didn't care at that moment.
I found a t-shirt she had obviously slept in at some point…
I was careful to pull it over her head.
When I got it around her neck, I leaned in undoing her bra, letting the t-shirt cover her.
Even if she didn't care, I couldn't invade her privacy.
Or maybe I felt like I was too much of a perv and I didn't want to see her naked breast and think inappropriate thoughts while she was in pain.
I slid her arms through the t-shirt.
"Ok Liv you can lay down now." I said helping her ease back on to the bed and pulling the covers over her bare legs.
"Alex… thank you."
I smiled.
She was always polite.
She always had her manners about her.
"You're welcome Liv."
I knew there was no use in protesting, telling her not to thank me. She always would.
"I'm going to get you an icepack. I'll be right back ok? Do you need anything else?"
She shook her head no.
A few minutes later I returned with an icepack and a glass of water.
"Liv this will be a little cold." I warned as I pressed it gently against her cheek.
I watched her wince from the touch of her bruised, cut face.
"That ok?"
She nodded, "thanks Al."
She wouldn't complain.
"Alex, are you leaving?"
"Liv, of course not! I wouldn't leave you!"
There was a moment of silence.
"Don't call him ok?"
Him
Seriously him?
Fuck.
"No, Liv I wouldn't call him."
"Will you lay down with me?"
She couldn't see the curve of my mouth.
How her request made me smile.
"Yeah I'll be right here with you." I said as I lay down beside her.
She was practically leaning against my chest as I held the cold compress to her cheek with one hand and stroked the ends of her hair gently with the other hoping it would sooth her to sleep.
I watched her jaw come unclenched and her body relax a bit as she rested in my arms.
I lay there watching her, guarding her… my fingers lazily soothing her hair.
"Please don't hate me Liv." I whispered softly against her ear.
"I could never hate you." She said, barely audible as sleep was taking her over.
It only took a few minutes and, though fitfully she was asleep.
I closed my eyes, beat down from all that had happen in the last 24 hours.
aoaoaoaoaoaoaoaoaoaoaoaoaoaoao
I opened my eyes, the feel of Olivia shifting in my arms.
I had no idea how long either of us had slept until I saw the breaking sun appearing through the edges of the closed curtains.
For a moment I was thankful that Olivia and I both got to rest.
I looked down at her hoping sleep had made her feel better, instead I noticed that her hair around her face was wet, that her neck was beaded with sweat.
"Liv… Liv?" I said softly and then a little louder.
I pulled myself from against her, trying desperately not to jolt her too much.
"Liv? Honey?"
"Sick," was the only thing she said.
"You think I can help you up? Go to the bathroom?"
I helped her up, sitting on the side of the bed.
"Bathroom." Olivia said grabbing my arm and I quickly helped her make her way to the bathroom.
It wasn't minutes later she and I both were sitting in her tiny bathroom floor. She had thrown up again and the t-shirt she was wearing was soaked from perspiration.
"Your head still hurt?"
"Not as bad… I just feel so sick."
"Will you be ok for just a sec.? I'm going to get my phone to call the doctor."
She didn't protest.
I left her there, the cool tub against her back, holding her in an upright, though slumped position.
I talked to the doctor.
The next question I was being asked was could she make it to the hospital or should they send an ambulance.
I called Nick. He would be here faster.