Summer Days

Chapter 17

The air shifted and I woke up.

A swirl of citrus and ginger joined the spring clean scent as the bed sunk for a moment and I glanced over my shoulder at the alarm clock. "What are you doing here at 3 am?" I whispered at him.

"What are you doing awake at 3 am, Pookie?"

"Someone woke me up." I raised an eyebrow at him when he turned to look at me.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to."

"So you just thought you'd sneak into bed with us?" I asked, trying to keep things under control and not wake Owen up. "We'd just be surprised in the morning?"

"Oh Pookie, come on..." He almost whined, a yawn surprising him and cutting him off. "It's been a long day, I just thought I'd be better off to sleep here instead of trying to wake up on time and get here for brunch." He scrubbed his hands over his face, tiredly and rolled his shoulders.

"There's a spare room."

"Really?" he looked at me. I shrugged. "You never seem to sleep alone with only one person."

I tilted my head at him. "You mean, like I do at your house?" he blinked and pursed his lips. I rolled my eyes in the dark. "You're right though. I never sleep alone really and there's never less than two dogs in my bed." I smiled. He smiled back. "But I know you don't crawl in with Owen when it's just the two of you."

"You do?" he teased.

"Pretty sure he doesn't allow it."

His eyes lit up for a moment though. "Pookie... you called him Owen..."

I wrinkled my nose at him. "In private and when it's the three of us ... we'll see how it goes."

Sean yawned again. "It's a start." He said. "So, Pookie, sweetie, can I please occupy the other side of this bed that you're not in?" He leaned back on the bed, looking up at me.

"Fine... but you have to sleep." I cautioned him. "You're going to get more than 4 hours of sleep this time." I said in a stern whisper.

"Maybe."

I put my hands on his cheeks, cupping his face in my hands. "It's an order from Nurse Pookie." I stated firmly. "There is no maybe. You're going to fall asleep and stay in bed until at least 9:30..." I scowled at him.

"okay." He said, blinking up at me.

"And don't wake Owen up."

"For a kiss."

I raised an eye brow at him. "This isn't a negotiation, Sean." He shrugged. I sighed softly. "Fine. A kiss then you change for bed and sleep." He smiled. I shifted, not letting go of his face before I bent down and kissed him lightly.

He smiled at me. "Now I can sleep." He stated.

"You know the conditions."

"Yeah but Owen's awake."

I blinked and shifted, letting go of him and turning to see Owen's eyes glinting at us. I bit my lower lip. "Sorry." I said.

"It's okay darling." His tone relaxed me and I smiled. "I know it's not your fault."

Sean seemed to have gained some energy and I felt him almost bounce off the bed. "Be right back Pookie." He grinned. "And seriously, you don't think Owen and I share a bed on a regular basis?" he asked, wandering towards the bathroom and unbuttoning his shirt as he walked.

My eyes were wide as I looked at Owen and then at his back as he crossed the room.

"Shut. Up. Sean."