M.U.S.E. (BOOK 1) (COMPLETE)

M.U.S.E Chapter 31

Every time I tried to fall asleep I woke with a fright, no reason just totally unsettled. I was scared but didn't know of what or why. I wanted desperately to go get in with John but how stupid would that look, me a grown woman with nightmares going to get in bed with a man I refused to share with earlier. A hour later I heard Charlie cry and John get up to him. I followed and spied on him as he passed him a bottle and changed his nappy... all with his eyes closed and lights still off.

He walked out and into the bathroom to wash up. He walked back to bed and said "Stop spying on me, night hawk. Get back to bed."

I smiled. "I can't sleep. I keep having nightmare... well not nightmares. I'm scared but I don't know what of or why," I complained. He turned around took my hand and took us back to his room.

"Ok, bed octopus get in," he said.

"I'm not a bed octopus," I replied at his teasing.

"I've shared a bed with you often enough to know you are. As well as other seabed creatures!" he said and pointed at it.

I scrambled on and lay in down. It was so comfortable.

"Starfish," he said.

"Ooops," I said as I was hogging it in a star shape.

"You better become a prawn or I am kicking you back in your own room to have nightmares," he said.

"Nooooo," I whined as I curled up into a prawn shape. "If I'm seabed creature. You are definitely forest."

"Forest?" he said getting into bed and lay down.

"Timber!" I joked. "You fall into bed like a tree."

He laughed.

"You snore like a chain saw," I added.

"You snore," he said.

"I am a cute snorer, you are shake the bed like a grizzly bear in a cave," I replied.

"Oh my god! Pot kettle, black," he said. "You are no way cute in the snore department. Snoring is only cute when babies do it and even after a while that gets annoying believe me, that is why Charlie has his own room."

"Fine we will see. I am challenging you to a 'snore off', I bet you I am cute when snoring," I said.

"I think not," he replied.

"I've missed our bedtime banter," I said laughing.

"Yeah well a much as I enjoy you taking the piss out of me in my weakest moments..."

"Weakest moments?" I asked astonished.

"You do it when I am tired and want to sleep," he said. "Take advantage of me."

I laughed out loud.

"Taking advantage of you!" I said.

"Yes and you know you do. Right stop laughing and sleep before the kids are awake," he said.

"Yes best get your sleep, I don't want you to be like a 'bear' with a sore head," I said and cracked up.

"You're the one who gets 'crabby'," he said.

"Ahhh that was awful. I will stop before you start calling me a bearded clam," I said and glared at him as he nodding down underneath the sheets to my.... "You are disgusting!" I said shoving him as I blushed.

He laughed at my embarrassment.

"You are awful. That has really embarrassed me," I said blushing every time I pictured it.

"What no witty retort or come back. Don't 'clam' up on me now," he said and I blushed again and hid under the duvet whilst he laughed his head off.

I waited biding my time for him to fall asleep. Just as he was drifting off. I couldn't resist. "John, can I get one of those 'bear' hugs?" I asked.

"You!" he said and grabbed me squeezing me tight as I cracked up. "I'm going to start slipping you sleeping tablets from now on."

"Tranquiliser dart!" I joked.

"Just you wait till mating season," he warned.

I laughed, "Yeah well I've got you trapped for now so lets hibernate," I replied.

"I cave in, you got me. Now let me sleep, please!" he begged.

We snuggled up

"There see my little Octopus," he said as my arms and legs mingled with his.

"I love sleeping next to you," I said as I lay my head against his hairy chest. "You're so warm and cuddly.... Furry even."

"I am going to..." he said as he tickled me to death.

I jumped back so quick I banged my back off the corner of the bedside cabinet and cried out.

"Ouch, let me see," he said and leant over me and I felt the sting. "You haven't broke the skin but it grazed and the bruise is going to be big. I'll get the witch hazel," he said and got out of the bed.

"Fuck that hurt," I said to myself as it stung.

"Ok roll over on to your belly," he said returning.

"No, I will do it," I said scared of the pain.

"Don't be a baby roll over," he said.

"It really hurts," I said.

"That's what you get for teasing a bear who just wants to hibernate in peace," he replied as he pressed a piece of cotton wool to the injury covered in witch hazel. I bit the pillow to stop from crying out and swearing. "Just let me put a bit of this cream on to take away the pain. All done," he said and put the stuff away as I lay there with a throbbing back and dare not move. "You're looking so sorry for yourself," he said. "Like Aimee when she won't eat her dinner."

"It kills," I said.

"Come and have a cuddle," He said and put his arm out. I snuggled up to him. All the humour gone and just an aching back. "The pain will be gone soon. The cream in a pain killer for external. It works wonders," he whispered half asleep.

"Sorry I am being such a baby," I said to him as I felt sorry for myself.

"You're my baby and I love looking after you so don't worry," he said making my heart swell a little as he pressed his lips to my head.

We had been asleep little over a two hours when I heard the pitter patter of tiny feet and Aimee climbed into the bed. Climbing over John and squeezing herself in between us.

"Oh god!" John said and I realised it too. She was wet and sleep walking.

"I'll do it, you sleep," I told him. "My back is ok."

"You sure," he said too tired to open his eyes.

"Yeah go to sleep," I whispered and stroked his hair until he was asleep again.

I got out of bed, picked Aimee up and took her back to her room to strip her off. The bed wasn't wet, she had wet herself on the way to John's room. I put some clean PJ's on her, tucked her into bed, checked on the others, put the washing on in the kitchen and snuck back into bed with John who automatically spooned up behind me... mummy was back!