Free Chance to Be King by Sue Brown Page A

He smiled ruefully. "They even book in migraine time now. Other stars get time with their kids, I get time with my migraines. God, I needed this vacation so badly."
    Thomas snorted loudly. "Yeah, 'cuz this place has been so relaxing. Just a little arson to keep you from missing all the explosions."
"Not so much burn out as burn up!"
    The horrified expression on Thomas' face struck him as funny somehow and Eric started laughing, holding his head to stop the pain. Eventually Thomas joined in, although Eric wasn't sure whether it was for the gallows humor or the sight Eric made clutching his head as he laughed.
    The laughter felt good, even if it did hurt. The sunlight flooded the kitchen and Eric realized he still had no idea what the time was. There was a clock on the microwave.
"It's two o'clock!" he yelped.
    "You slept for over a day but it sounds like you have some serious catching up to do. Gonna tell me you don't wanna go back to sleep?" teased Thomas.
    Eric glared weakly but he admitted Thomas was right. "I just want to spend some time with the dogs first, so they don't think I've abandoned them."
    "Why don't you spend a lazy afternoon watching some TV with the mutts? I've got some work to do for a while."
"Work?"
     
"Writing. I've got a deadline coming up and everyone is getting impatient with me."
     
"Shit, and you've had me to deal with. I'm so sorry—"
    Thomas took his hand again. "It's no problem, 'Ric. I can catch up." At Eric's disbelieving expression, he added, "You've been asleep most of the time you've been here. 'Sides, we've got unfinished business, remember?"
    Oh, yeah, Eric remembered. His dick twitched happily, a welcome sign things were returning to normal.
    "But for now, daytime TV and a snooze with your dogs. They had a long walk this morning, so they'll be happy to sleep with you."
    Eric let himself be herded in the direction of the sofa. He was given more water, the remote control, a blanket, and two large dogs as company.
"Call me if you need anything. I'll just be in the study."
     
"Yes, mom," Eric said cheekily.
    One of Thomas' eyebrows flew up comically and his eyes raked over Eric, producing a feeling inside that his mom never had, thank God. Eric may have been down, but he could see Thomas was reminding him that he definitely wasn't out.
    Thomas disappeared into the study and Eric settled down with his dogs. They seemed happy and content just to sprawl with him on the sofa. Thomas didn't seem to have any hang-ups about dogs on the furniture, and within minutes they were all asleep, Millie snoring loudly in Eric's ear.
    By the following day, Eric felt that he could call himself human again. He'd managed phone calls to his agent, his publicist, and his mom, in that order. Thomas had frowned at him for putting his mom last but Eric pointed out as the first one was the scariest he wanted to get it out of the way.
    His agent, a short, plump female with balls of steel and a stare that could take down any uppity star or director, yelled at him for a few minutes about the dangers of the countryside and why the hell wasn't he in LA where at least the crazies were working in the industry?
    Eric just held the phone away from his ear until she'd run out of breath. He finally extracted a grudging admission that Thomas seemed to be a sensible man and Eric was allowed to stay— at least until alternative arrangements could be made. A huge concession, as Eric pointed out to Thomas later over a mug of coffee. Sarah's opinion of men started in the gutter and never got any higher than the curb.
    He arranged for a replacement car to be sent and asked her to organize some clothes, ignoring her grumbling that she wasn't his damn stylist. After several moments of assurances that he wouldn't step more than one foot away from the house without Thomas as an escort, Sarah finally agreed to let him hang up.
Before he tackled the other calls the phone was taken away from his hand and replaced with a mug of weak