Sully and Michaela knew it would take time for them both to adjust to their new life in Colorado.

Michaela soon returned to her work at the hospital, and Sully was engaged in a few projects that had been negotiated before the ordeal with Annabel.

At the same time he was working with Robert E. and Daniel to find new business opportunities, which meant that both he and Michaela were very busy with their jobs.

They had agreed to date and to take things slowly, and sometimes days would go by without them seeing each other since they were living separately.

Time passed by and for a while it was fine, but Michaela found that she missed Sully's company more and more.

The summer was over, and Thanksgiving was fast approaching. Michaela sighed at the thought .

This past month they had only actually seen each other a couple of weekends, because she had been working nights a lot.

She did not think that being head of the department meant that she should not work nights too.

But she missed waking up with him, talking to him in person and not over the phone to say goodnight.

It was not so much the physical part but just as much the emotional part, and it did not help that Elizabeth was on the phone every week

questioning her daughter's decisions. Sometimes she just felt like ignoring her mother's calls, but she could not.


Michaela closed her eyes as she disconnected the call. Tears were stinging behind her eyes.

Her mother was bugging her about Thanksgiving. Truthfully she did not feel like going to Boston this year.

She had a lot to be thankful for, but Colorado was her home now, and the things she cherished the most were here.

"You should be thankful for your family" her mother had hissed "and come home where you belong. I don't understand why you want to live out there as it is…

and with that man." Somehow Sully always came up in their conversation, and as always Elizabeth blamed him for her daughter's "misfortune".

Michaela had to admit to herself that she was growing tired of her mother's complaints and that it only made her withdraw more from her family.

"Why do you want to be his scarlet woman? Have you thought of the impact it has on your reputation – our reputation?

What kind of man is he anyway to put his wife through such a hard time and to…"

"Ex-wife…" Michaela interrupted her mother's ongoing moans "if you'd only give him a chance mother…" she regretted her words as soon as they had been uttered.

"A chance? Not only has he stolen away my daughter and brought shame on our family…" Elizabeth was only just getting started,

and Michaela knew where the conversation was heading.

"I really have to go now. Someone's at the door." The she disconnected the call.

She hated lying, but she felt both anger and tears pressing on.

Why was it so difficult for her mother to just accept her choices?

Wolf sensed his mistress' discomfort and nudged her a little, gently whining as if to offer his comfort.

She smiled through watery eyes stroking his thick fur. "I guess it's just you and me right now, boy."


"Why don't you invite your family out here for Thanksgiving?" Charlotte suggested over lunch the next day.

"Maybe your mother will feel differently when she sees your new life here."

"It's a good idea…" Michaela admitted poking at her food.

"Then what is the problem?" her friend asked, and she looked away. "Michaela…?"

She was silent for a while then she said with a shaky breath: "I know it's silly and childish… I miss him so much, and having my mother around…

I don't know about the consequenses. She hates him."

"We'll think of something…" Charlotte assured her and then she continued "When did you last see him?"

"A week ago… he had to go to Denver to bid on a project there, and also talk to some suppliers… It is as if having him nearby is not enough"

She blushed knowing what it sounded like, and Charlotte smiled a little "You're in love, Michaela."


That evening she lay in bed contemplating her relationship to Sully.

Sometimes she felt like her feelings for him were all-consuming almost swallowing her up.

If this was how it felt to be in love she was not sure she had ever been in love before. With Charles everything had been somewhat practical from the beginning.

Sully was… she shivered at the thought of him. His presence stirred her inner being drawing her to him whenever he was around,

and she longed for him when he was not near.

Pulling up in front of his flat the next morning she felt her stomach turn a little from anticipation.

He had texted her early that morning saying he would be back at noon.

She let herself into his flat. The place needed airing, so she opened the large windows.

Wolf was sniffing around and she smiled as he settled into his space at one end of the room like it was the most natural thing in the world.

She opened Sully's fridge and started unpacking the groceries she had brought.

Even though she was not that great a cook, she knew how to make simple dishes, and like she expected the fridge had been empty.


Sully almost sighed with relief when the taxi pulled up in front of his building, and he was so busy with his bags that he did not see Michaela's car.

"Someone's baking a pie" he noticed to himself and smiled a little on his way up to the top floor.

Opening the heavy door to the lift he was surprised that the smell had become stronger and only a second later when he was rewarded with a big wet kiss from Wolf, a

nd looked around did it dawn on him.

There she was in his small kitchen wiping flour off her hands and meeting his gaze.

"Hi…" for a brief moment they were both hesitant, but then he strode across the room and met her halfway.

"You're here…" he stated, and she smiled a little sheepishly.

"Yes… I missed you." He caressed her cheek lightly before leaning in for a soft kiss.

"How much did you miss me?" he teased, and her answer was clear as she kissed him with determination,

willingly opening up to him and granting his tongue access to her mouth.

For a while they were lost in their kisses which grew more heated by the moment.

Sully cupped her bottom with his hands and the sensations she felt spreading down her legs almost made her lose her balance.

So she leaned into him feeling the hardness against her.

Somehow that made her think more clearly, and she stepped backwards. "I have to get the pie from the oven before it burns."

She went to the kitchen counter and placed the steaming pie there.

"Mmm, smells delicious…" He had followed her and was poking into the pots on the stove.

"It's not done yet…" she replied and he came over to her. "Neither am I…" Sully smiled with his eyes, and she felt how they connected.


A little later they were having lunch – a light salad and pasta.

Watching him eat she really wanted to tell him just how much she had missed him, but she felt foolish.

Why couldn't she just be cool and in control?

"What's wrong?" he finally asked sensing her mood changing.

"I'm just glad you are back" she sipped her water, and he looked her in the eye

"Michaela… tell me." She put down her knife and fork. "What do you mean?"

He leaned back observing her. He knew he had to be cautious.

"I just have a feeling you are not telling me everything… you don't normally turn up without telling me, and I can just see that something is bugging you."

"It's my mother" she finally admitted while wondering how it was that he could read her so easily. Charles had never been able to do that.

He saw the seriousness, and the insecurity flicker across her features, and reached her hand across the table.

"Let's sit in the sofa and talk"

Once they had settled down on the sofa he pulled her closer.

"Now tell me what is going on with your mother…" he grazed her arm, and she met his gaze

"It's Thanksgiving…and she wants me to come to Boston." He raised his eyebrows and nodded a little in understanding while listening to her concerns.

"You don't want to go?" he questioned, and she shrugged her shoulders.

"I… I don't know. I really just want to stay here with you" she admitted quietly and looked away. "Is that terrible?"

Their eyes met, and she saw a smile in his. "No…" I want to be with you, too."

He caressed her cheek, and suddenly the atmosphere grew intense, "I missed you out there"

She felt her pulse quicken, as their lips locked in a soft embrace gently nipping, tasting and massaging the other.

Sully could not help touching her. He had missed her, and missed waking up with her in the morning as they had done in the cabin in the Cape.

He pulled away for air, while his hands were still on her back. "You're so beautiful. You're the most amazing woman I've ever known…"

She felt his hands make their way under her top, and his thumbs caressing the small of her back.

He kissed her neck whispering "I don't know why your mother treats you like a baby – to me you are a woman; independent, caring and very very sexy"

He kept trailing kisses along her jaw and down her neck, and she felt an almost physical ache for him.

She wanted more than just a few kisses and some light caresses. It was as if her body was telling her how much she needed him.

He was also struggling. Her response was so pure and natural, and he wanted to follow his instinct to touch her and make her his .

She knew that if she did not act soon they would spiral off into that forbidden zone where it was hard to let go again.

She was torn and suddenly something her mother had said resounded in her head. She pulled back a little making a rash decision.

"Michaela?" Sully's eyes widened when she shed her blouse exposing her torso to him.

She did not answer, but he saw the look on her face, how her lips parted a little under his gaze, and how her breast moved more rapidly as he ran his eyes over her,

stopping at the two silk clad curves heaving up and down. For a moment he was mesmerized, and he suddenly felt a little insecure, like the teenage boy he had once been.

She felt her nipples harden just by his looking at her, and she knew he would notice – and he did.

He gently took her hand and kissed her knuckles.

Their eyes met, and her voice was soft: "I think it is time to go a little further…"

He was kissing her shoulder making his way to the lacy edges of her bra "…if you want to?"

She moaned when he brought his mouth down on the soft fabric to the peak of one of her breasts while gently stroking the other with his thumb.

The friction between her sensitive skin and the thin fabric sent her senses reeling. "I'll take that is a 'yes'" she smiled, and he kissed her soundly on her lips.

"I told you a long time ago: you call the shots", they were laying down now, arms and legs all tangled.


She had nudged her fingers under his shirt in the heat of the moment, and now she was undoing the buttons,

but he stilled her hands and shed it himself. "Only seems fair…."

He cupped her breast, stroking her side and gently squeezing her behind.

She imitated his actions, and clearly felt his response against her thigh. Yet she did not shy away this time.

He felt her press into him and smiled "did you miss me that much?" he teased sliding the strap of her bra down her shoulder

this time exposing one of her breasts fully to him.

"Yes…" she responded biting her lip and moaning when he dipped his head and tasted her skin on her breast.

"Yes.. oh God! " He had reached her nipple and she closed her eyes in pleasure.

Her response instinctively spurred him on and their breaths grew more heavy.

His jeans were beginning to feel like a restriction, but he knew they were not going as far as that.

Yet she surprised him when she slowly brought her hand to the bulge in his jeans feeling him.

Their eyes locked as she did, and she saw the raw expression in his eyes at her touch.

"I don't want to tease you, Sully" she sounded a little serious, and he nodded "I know…we're not there yet."

He closed his eyes for a second and groaned "I told you before. We only go as far as you want. This is mighty nice, though."

He pressed into her touch, while caressing and touching her behind, and she felt how his ministrations seemed to cause all the blood in her being

to flod to her inner centre.

The sensations caused by his touch were overwhelming, and when his hand rested on her inner thigh she soon lost control.

"Mmm.." she groaned as he kissed her stomach.

"What is it?" he looked up only to meet a somewhat absent gaze.

"I want you… " she whispered. "Sully, I need you so much. I.. I don't know."

He stopped what he was doing and she shook her head. "No, don't stop."

She had never felt a fraction of what Sully made her feel when she was with Charles, and now she was torn.

"Maybe I should set the limits today?" He grazed her arm and stomach.

"You seem a little carried away…" he smiled sheepishly at her, and she giggled. "I'm sorry…" she felt her cheeks go warm.

"I'm not… I like seeing you like that. You don't lose control very often…"

He pulled her close and kissed her temple. "I like exploring with you, Michaela Quinn."