Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. The rights to those characters and to the show belong to the creators of the show, to CBS, The Sullivan Company and to A&E.

The Places to Love

Chapter Fourteen

"Sully." Michaela pushed herself up in the bed and swung her legs over the side. "Calm down."

He turned with a tee shirt in hand, the same indignant look on his face. "I will not calm down. That man had no right…"

Michaela's fingers on his lips interrupted him. "Sully, you're right. He was rude and obnoxious but you parading over there at this time of night isn't going to make things better. Besides he's not at Matthew's. He's staying in a hotel."

Sully took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, contemplating her words. "Will ya just tell me exactly what he did?"

"Will you come back to bed?" She let her fingers fall from his lips down to his chest, tracing an imaginary line down to his navel. Turning, she took his hand in hers and pulled him along. Crawling over to her side, she felt the bed dip with his weight and smiled. "Where were we?" she asked looking up at him alluringly.

"You were gonna tell me." He stopped speaking, watching as she kissed a path up his stomach to his chest, where she finally settled herself.

"I dropped my keys. We both bent down to pick them up and knocked into each other. I fell backward and he helped me up but instead of moving away from me, he brought his hand to my face. Told me that he found me alluring, wanted to have dinner sometime. I pushed him away and he apologized." Her words were hurried, spoken without emotion in order to keep Sully from getting up in arms again. "No big deal," she whispered.

"It is a big deal and I am gonna have words with him." His voice was adamant but his face has softened considerably. Michaela continued to softly stroke the skin of his abdomen, letting her fingers run over the defined muscles there.

"Don't let him ruin tonight," she said softly plying his neck with warm kisses.

Sully felt bad for getting all worked up but the thought of another man treating his wife with such disrespect was hard to stomach. "I didn't mean to get so worked up."

Michaela laughed. "Being worked up isn't a bad thing, depending on what's getting you that way."

Swallowing hard, Sully ran his hand down her back letting it settle at the base of her spine. "How do you suggest I get worked up then, Mrs. Sully?"

In a flash, she had moved over to his ear and whispered words she never said outside the bedroom, words that made Sully smile and forget all about Ethan Cooper. She rolled away from him back to her side of the bed. "But if you'd rather stew…"

Sully didn't answer her teasing remark but simply rolled onto his side watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Resting his hand under her left breast, he looked up into her eyes. "I didn't even ask how you're feeling," he said apologetically.

"Sully, I feel fine."

"But we haven't since… you're okay aren't you?"

Michaela smiled softly, bringing her hand to join his. Their fingers interlocked and a sense of deep peace engulfed both of them. "Sully I've wanted this ever since we came home from the hospital. I just feel so close to you."

"Good, that's exactly how I feel too."

"But I did forget… we need to wait a bit before trying to conceive again." She looked at him expectantly but Sully felt lost.

"I don't mind waiting," he said with a shrug of his shoulders not getting Michaela's subtle hint.

"Sully, we need to use… well… protection. I'm not going back on the pill. I mean I can talk to Cassie about other alternatives…"

Laughing, Sully moved over to his side of the bed and reached towards the bedside table. "No, no," he said. "Just got to be direct with me. I had no idea what you were hinting around about." Michaela heard the drawer slide open and then the crinkle of the wrapper. "Course after tonight, might need to refresh our supply," Sully added as he moved back towards her.

"Sully," Michaela quietly chastised, secretly enjoying every minute of it.

"What?" he asked, flashing her an innocent look. "It's not my fault you're insatiable." He was sitting on his side of the bed watching her.

Michaela rose up on her knees and moved to straddle him. "Are you going to talk all night or do you think I can get some action?" She leaned in quickly before he could answer, her hands moving downward as their lips met. Sully's hand went for the lamp on the side table. He fumbled with the switch but finally managed to turn it off, anticipating the night that was to come.

Sully slipped out of the front door, shirtless and whistling to himself. Michaela was still dozing, just as he'd hoped. He had made breakfast but wanted to get the morning paper for her so she could read while she ate. He never expected to meet anyone and was surprised at first when he did. An older looking gentleman with dark hair streaked with gray passed him with a nod of his head.

"Mornin'," Sully said but then stopped. Turning around he looked back at the man, his eyes narrowing. "Mr. Copper?"

"Yes. Did you need something?"

Sully took two steps forward, fists clenched at his sides as he imagined this man putting his hands on Michaela. "I wanted to talk to you about some manners." Ethan's eyes grew large unsure what the stranger meant by his comment. "You don't invite yourself in to a woman's apartment and you sure as hell don't put your hands on her."

Ethan looked down the hall, realizing that this must be Michaela's husband. "She invited me in," he laughed. "And I've already apologized for that… it was a miscommunication. She'd taken her wedding band off … I had no idea."

The jovial tone of his voice made Sully's anger boil. He could see right through this man's lies – Michaela had never in the whole time they'd been married taken her wedding band off and he knew she would never have invited him in if she was on her way out. Stepping forward aggressively, he glared at Ethan Cooper. "Stay away from my wife," he growled. "I ain't gonna be responsible for my actions if you come near her again."

Ethan, who had cowered almost immediately as Sully stepped closer, now smiled uneasily. "There's no need for that. A simple misunderstanding," he reiterated.

Sully wanted to punch him but he knew that Michaela would disapprove. Letting out a deep breath, he turned to go back down the hall, only breaking eye contact with him when it was absolutely necessary. When he came back in the building, Ethan was gone and Sully was glad. Michaela was up when he entered the apartment, sneaking a piece of bacon off the plate in the kitchen.

"Morning," he said approaching with the paper in his hand. Michaela smiled as she chewed, then leaned in to give him a peck on the lips. "Sleep well?"

"Very well," she said with a seductive smile, moving in a little closer. "I kind of hoped you'd still be in bed this morning." Sully put the paper down on the counter, his eyes concentrating on her lips. One hand came up to stroke her cheek as he leaned in to kiss the corner of her mouth. As he moved back, Michaela giggled. "You missed this side," she said pointing at the other corner.

"Well we don't want that." He kissed the opposite corner, this time letting his lips linger against her.

Michaela moved her hand down so that it now pointed at her neck. "And right here." Sully simply smiled and kissed the new location, enjoying her leading. "And right here," she said again, this time pointing at the place where her nightie began, right over the top of one breast. Sully not only kissed her but flicked his tongue out eliciting goose bumps along the creamy flesh. Michaela swallowed hard as she moved her hand down to her navel. "And right here," she whispered.

Sully dropped to his knees, pushing the pliable material to the side as his tongue circled her navel and then moved downwards. Michaela gripped the side of the counter, her knees weakening as he continued his warm kisses.

"Sully?"

"Hmm?"

"What about breakfast?"

"It'll keep," he quickly replied pulling her down onto the kitchen floor with him.