Chapter 3

Sitting at the table having their morning coffee and reading the newspaper had become a ritual for them. As Sully cleared the breakfast dishes, Michaela glanced out the large window.

"Looks like it's going to be a nice day today. Would you like to meet at the park for lunch seeing that I have the day off?" she smiled. She was hoping to lessen the tension from the previous night.

"Can't today sweetie. I have a meeting with a client.", he replied.

"Well maybe another time. I just feel like we never see each other anymore.", she pouted.

"Who's fault is that!", he retorted.

"Sorry, I don't want to fight with you. I know I haven't been around much. I just thought it would be nice is all.", she sighed as she got up to walk over to him.

She placed her arms around his waist and gave him a soft kiss. "Who are you meeting with?"

"The client's daughter today. Some Alexandra Brown?", he said as more of a question than a statement. "Her father is wanting to build some ski resort off of Pike's Peak and she's meeting with the designers today. We meet with her father next week, a Mr. Thomas Brown, I think his name is."

Michaela's mouth dropped open slightly. "Is he from Boston by any chance?", she mumbled. This couldn't be the same Alex that she knew from grade school. I mean, what were the chances that she would be in Colorado now?

"Yeah, why? Do you know him?", Sully questioned.

"Maybe, I knew an Alex Brown when I went to prep school, but they moved away. Went to Europe I think and I never heard from her after that.", she mused.

"Well, I gotta go. I'll see you tonight ok?", he raised his brow and pulled out of her embrace. With a quick kiss to the cheek he was out the door and headed for work.

As Sully walked into his office he notice a young woman sitting in the reception area. "Here he is now", said the receptionist as he walked through the door.

"I'm sorry, am I late?", Sully asked.

"No, I think I was a little early", the young women responded. She rose and offered her hand, "Alexandra Brown, but my friends call me Alex", she smiled at him.

Sully stood momentarily transfixed. She was slightly taller than Michaela. She had long blonde hair that looked like corn silk and skin bronzed by the sun. She had a curvy figure and knew how to use it. Sully blinked a few times to get his bearings.

"Hi, I'm Sully, I'll be helping with the design. Any questions that you need answered will go through me.", he glanced toward his office. "Would you like to come in and have a seat?"

The two walked into his office, as Sully began to move around his desk he noticed that Alex pulled the door shut. She was very beautiful and he could tell by watching her that she knew her affect on men.

"My father wanted me to give you this list of what we would like the villas to look like. Also, here's a list of other features that we would like to see in the design.", she leaned forward on his desk causing her blouse to fall open slightly. Sully averted his eyes as she handed him a folder full of papers. "My number is listed on the first page. I'm in the process of finding an apartment, so use my cell number for now.", she smiled at him and rose from her seat. "Do you have a business card that I could take?", she scanned his desk.

"Yes, here", he handed her his card. "Let me give you my home number also, so you can reach me if needed.", he smiled and began writing his number for the loft on the back.

This is nice, I'll be able to reach him when ever I need to Alex thought to herself. I wonder if he knows how good looking he is. I hope his wife knows, she had been glancing at Sully's wedding ring during most of the meeting.

"Well, I look forward to working with you, Alex", Sully smiled.

"Same here", Alex replied. With that she left Sully's office and began walking out of the building.

Meanwhile Michaela had spent most of the day cleaning the loft and running errands that desperately needed to be done. When arriving home, her beeper went off. "You have got to be kidding me", she sighed. She dialed the number that she knew by heart as Dr. Wright's office.

"Dr. Quinn, Dr. Andrews had to leave early today and won't be able to finish his shift. I need you to come in and cover for him.", Dr. Wright barked into the phone.

"This is my day off. I've worked the last 16 days straight. Isn't there someone else that could cover tonight?", she pleaded. She really wasn't ready to deal with Dr. Wright, and she was hoping for a nice evening at home with Sully.

"No there isn't. Now I expect you to be here within the hour", with that he hung up the phone.

Michaela slumped on the couch. How was she going to survive this. Sully would be mad for sure, and Dr. Wright was over stepping his bounds with her. She couldn't really blame Dr. Andrews, he covered for her when she went on her honeymoon. She quickly put away the groceries that she just bought and went into the bedroom to change for work. Hospital scrubs were going to have to work for tonight. She hadn't expected to need any of her dressier clothes. She pulled on the blue pair that she had thrown over a chair, pulled her hair up into a ponytail, stepped into some sneakers, and went to write Sully a note.

Sully,

Got called into work tonight. I know, I know, I'm sorry. I would rather be spending the evening with you…believe me. I'm hoping not to need to work to late. The shift ends at 11:30. Wait up for me…I'll make it up to you.

Love, Michaela

She taped the note to the microwave and dashed out the door.

Upon arriving at the hospital, she tossed her purse and jacket into her locker. As she rounded the corner she bumped into Dr. Wright.

"Oh good, you're here. Do you want to scrub in for surgery? The Jones kid is getting his new valve tonight. You can join us if you like.", he questioned.

"Are you serious?", she looked at him wide eyed. Little Brian was getting his valve replacement surgery and they were letting her help. This was like a dream come true. She had yet to be in the OR when actual surgery was going on.

"Yes, Doctor. What time do I need to be there?" excitement was radiating off her.

"You have 30 minute to scrub and gown up", he smiled and walked away. His plan was working already. He had gotten her here on her day off, and gotten her to scrub in. This was going to be easier than he thought. She was so excited, and it was because of something that he was doing. Dr. Quinn was one step closer to becoming his.

The surgery had gone well. Brian had made it through with no complications. Michaela was sitting beside him in the recovery room waiting for him to wake up. It was almost 11 and she was suppose to be able to leave soon. She leaned back in the chair she was sitting in and closed her eyes. Just a few minutes will be ok, I won't fall asleep, she told herself.

Dr. Wright walked down the hall and happened to look in the room. He saw Michaela sleeping in the recliner next to Brian's bed. Brian would be out for awhile. He was on heavy narcotics. After all, he's just had heart surgery. Limited people were allowed in his room because he was on the critical care wing of the hospital. Now was his chance, he thought. He quietly crept into the room and pulled the strings to close the blinds. Michaela didn't stir as he approached her. He knelt down in front of her an placed a hand on each of her wrists, pinning her to the recliner. Still no movement. He leaned up and place a soft kiss to her neck. She moaned, "Sulllllyy", as he pulled away. He rose and moved behind the chair. Reaching around from behind he brushed his palm across her left breast and nuzzled her ear. "Sully", she whispered again. Suddenly her eyes flew open. She jerked up from the chair and spun around.

Michaela was in a deep sleep. She was more tired than she had originally thought. She felt a presence near her, but not one that she recognized. First there was a kiss. Her body told her it was Sully, but her mind didn't agree. She was at the hospital, what would he be doing here. Then as she began to rouse more she felt a subtle caress to her breast. It was rough though, not gentle like Sully's touch. Her eyes flew open and she spun around to see Dr. Wright smiling at her.

"What do you think you're doing", she squeaked.

"You seemed to like it based on your reaction", he grinned.

"Y..Y…You need to leave!", she squealed. "This is wrong on so many levels."

"I can tell by the way you were moaning and shifting under my touch, that you want me. Don't deny it. You're such a tease!", he snickered. "You obviously aren't getting what you need from your husband, or you wouldn't have reacted like that to my touch."

He moved around to the front of her and walked towards the door. "I suggest that you figure out what your priorities are going to be at this hospital before your next shift. I'm the one that got you into the OR today, and I'm the one that you work under", he said as he smiled and exited the room.

After the door closed Michaela checked on Brian one more time, and made her way to the lounge.

As she rounded the corner, several interns and nurses gave her the evil eye. They had seen Dr. Wright leave the room first with a wicked smile on his face. They knew what he was like, and they hated her for it. She was getting all of his attention. Attention that they wanted. They snickered as she walked briskly by them and into the lounge. She pushed her way into a bathroom stall and leaned against the door. She clutched her hand to her chest as she replayed the events that had just occurred. What was she going to do? How was she going to survive working like this? It had to stop. She needed to report him. But how was that going to effect her job? He was an important, well respected doctor and she was a nobody. She had no pull yet at this hospital, and it was obvious that he'd done this before and had always gotten away with it. Not this time she thought. Never again!

She gathered her things, and made her way to the parking garage. It was well after midnight, and she knew Sully was going to be mad. She'd decided not to tell him about what happened with Dr. Wright. She wanted to talk to someone at the hospital first. Sully would want to cause a scene with the doctor, and that would only make things worse. She sighed as she climbed into her car and headed back to the loft. What had started as a good day had turned south in the worse possible way.

Ok, so I don't agree with sexual harassment in the workplace, but I wanted to put some real life situations into this story. These types of things happen more than we realize and Michaela is a strong woman. What do you think? Oh, and I do have a plan for Alex.