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 Twenty

Weekends were something for Sully to look forward to, especially when Michaela was not on call. He enjoyed waking up next to her, letting his hands run over her fair skin in the early morning light. There was nothing quite like pressing light kisses to her neck and upper arms, letting his warm breath tickle her awake. If he didn't succeed in waking her right away, he would make her breakfast in bed. Yet often he found himself ready to make love to her and found it hard to let her sleep when he was in such a state. Michaela never protested his advances, rather enjoying them immensely.

This particular Saturday morning, Sully awoke feeling amorous as usual. Without opening his eyes, he rolled towards her in the bed, his hand searching for her. Yet when his fingers closed around her wrist, he realized it was too small to be Michaela. Quickly he opened his eyes only to find Brian in his wife's spot. With a sigh of frustration he rose from the bed to search for her. From the hall he could hear water running in the kitchen and he quickly made his way down the stairs towards her.

She was at the sink with her back towards him. Slowly he snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her torso pressing her back against him. Michaela smiled to herself, feeling his eagerness pressed against the small of her back. Sully placed hot kisses to her neck, fueling her desire as well as his own. "Sully," she whispered quite breathlessly. "We can't, the children."

"Still asleep," he mumbled as one of his hands slipped under the edge of her tee shirt.

His bare fingers on her flesh made her pulse race as she turned in his arms. "Brian's in our bed," she reminded him feeling the frustration as well.

Sully continued on as if he hadn't heard, one hand now caressing her bottom while the other crept upwards towards her breast. Michaela dipped her head down to meet his lips, the kiss growing as Sully's hands continued to wander. To catch his breath, Sully moved back a little smiling at her as he did so. "I can move Brian."

As if the words themselves were enough for the small child to hear, Brian's voice suddenly rang from the top of the stairs. "Dr. Mike… Sully… where are you?"

Michaela laid her head against Sully's shoulder as she called out to him. "We're in the kitchen." She turned to look up at him and raised her hand to rub at the stubble on his cheek. "We'll finish this later," she whispered apologetically.

Knowing he had little choice, Sully nodded. "Later," he repeated moving away from her as the small boy entered the kitchen.

"What's for breakfast?" he asked innocently looking between the two of them.

"Perhaps if we are really nice to him, Sully will make us his world famous pancakes."

With an impish grin, he answered her, "I could just have a candy bar."

Sully laughed as Michaela looked slightly horrified. "We'll have pancakes," Sully replied, "Just let me take a quick cold shower." He looked at Michaela with raised eyebrows as he spoke.

Looking between the two adults with a confused expression, Brian frowned. "Why cold?"

Neither answered as Sully grinned secretively, Michaela turning a bright red color. "Why don't we have a short morning walk," Michaela offered in order to distract him.

"In our pajamas?"

Michaela shrugged. "Why not?" The little boy's face lit up and he nodded eagerly. "Just run and get your shoes." Brian shot from the room quickly, going to retrieve the needed tennis shoes from the living room where he'd left them the night before.

Michaela took the opportunity to step close to her husband once more. "Enjoy your shower," she said quietly.

"I'd enjoy it more if I had some company." Sully's bottom lip came out as he finished speaking to show he was pouting.

"Don't pout," she giggled. "Your face may get stuck that way." With a final quick kiss to his lips she moved away again, turning to cast him one final smile as she reached the door. "Perhaps we should go on a picnic this afternoon. Wear the children out and enjoy a little quiet."

"Great idea," Sully assured her taking his first steps toward the stairs.

With a picnic basket over one arm, Sully held Michaela's hand with the other as the children ran along in front through the woods adjoining their property. Only a short hike away was a small creek, the perfect spot for a picnic. It was hard not to think of the last time they'd been here shortly after their honeymoon. The day was warm much like this one. Both had agreed that wading in the creek would be fun and refreshing. Sully had slipped on the slimy rocks near the edge and ended up rather wet. By the time, Michaela returned to shore, he had stripped insisting that his clothes dry before they started back. Things escalated quickly after that, Sully cradling her against him as they made love on the forest floor.

With one look, Michaela knew Sully was thinking about that day just as she was. The air between them was electrically charged so that if the children were not with them things would have progressed along the same path on this day. Michaela reluctantly turned to seek out their small frames running back and forth between the trees. "Not too far," she called a little worried that Brian or Colleen would get injured.

"They're fine," Sully said reassuringly. "You don't have to worry so much. Children are supposed to run."

"But if they get hurt…"

Sully interrupted her. "They are supposed to get hurt occasionally too. Besides no one ever died from a scraped knee or a bruised elbow." Michaela's cheeks turned pink as she gave a slight nod of her head. With a gentle squeeze of her hand, he made her look up. "What's a matter?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said hesitantly.

"Doesn't look like nothing."

Michaela glanced ahead at Colleen and Brian once again but the giggles of both assured her they were fine. "I suppose sometimes I worry…"

"You worry?" Sully laughed. "No way."

Michaela swatted at his arm but missed as her husband moved away from her. "I was trying to be serious."

"I know," Sully said apologetically instantly moving back to her side and taking on a more serious expression. "Tell me."

Letting out a slow sigh, Michaela hesitated and then turned towards him slightly. "I just wonder if I will be a good mother."

"Of course you will."

"My mother was always so rigid. There were so many rules…. You were never simply allowed to be a child."

"That's only gonna make you work harder to not be like that," Sully assured her. "You'll see."

This time it was Michaela who gave his hand a gentle squeeze as they continued along the path, grateful for the way he gently answered her doubts.

Eventually they arrived at the narrow creek and spread the picnic blanket on the bank. Before lunch, Sully taught the children how to skips rocks over the surface of the water. Colleen was a quick study but Brian took a bit longer to learn. Yet soon even he was a professional and both insisted on showing Michaela. After a short lunch, during which the eager children ate as little as possible, Sully and Michaela reclined on the blanket while Brian and Colleen waded in the shallow depths.

Believing the children to be occupied, Sully leaned over and pulled Michaela into an embrace, brushing his lips with hers. A collective sound of disgust from the children registered their protest. "Yucky!" Brian declared wiping off his mouth as if he was the one who had been kissed.

Colleen looked a little less repulsed. "You two sure kiss a lot."

Feeling a little self conscious, Michaela tried to explain. "It's what a women and men do when they love each other… really love each other." she added for emphasis.

"I'm never gonna kiss a girl!" The declaration from Brian made Michaela and Sully laugh which only encouraged the young boy. "Sides girls have cooties – everyone knows that."

"They do not! Take that back," Colleen said loudly stomping over to where her brother stood in the water. "It isn't true." Brian laughed and splashed at his sister merrily, moving just out of her reach.

This only infuriated Collen, who leaned down and splashed her brother without restraint so that they were both rather wet now. "Stop it," Michaela said standing quickly fearing that soon one of them would be face down in the water.

"So much for our quiet afternoon in the woods," Sully joked to himself, watching the scene play out in front of him.

The clock chimed nine as Sully made his way down the hall. Brian and Colleen were both sound asleep and Sully was looking forward to some time alone with his wife. Opening the bedroom door, he found her propped up in bed a medical journal open on her lap. Yet she looked up as he entered moving the reading instantly to the bedside table.

Sully smiled and leaned down to kiss her as he slipped off his jeans to be more comfortable. "They're asleep," he replied to her curious glances. Michaela nodded and watched as Sully moved to lie beside her, aroused by the scent of him.

"You smell good," she said moving instantly into his embrace running her hands over his still covered chest. They kissed lightly as Michaela moved to straddle his lap. Just then a knock came to the door.

"Sully you forgot my water." The voice was Colleen's.

"Don't move…I'll be right back," Michaela said to a frustrated Sully. She moved off of him quickly and went to the door, opening it enough only to slip out before closing it once more. A few minutes passed before she retuned. Now Sully was completely undressed, ready and waiting for her. Michaela too discarded her night clothes and was just about to slip into bed when they heard another knock. This time it was Brian.

"Yes?" Sully called gruffly watching the rise and fall of Michaela's breasts with longing in his eyes.

"I want some water like Colleen."

Again Michaela moved out of the bed. "Light some candles," she whispered quickly. "And put on a little music." Sully nodded while watching her dress once more and slip out the door.

When Michaela came back, she found Sully pushing play on a CD, still in the nude. "Hey sexy," she giggled and her well built husband slowly turned around thrusting his hips towards her. Michaela moved to stand against him but Sully hesitated. "What are you waiting for?"

"The knock," he joked. Michaela shook her head and laughed a little as well before kissing him deeply on the mouth. Yet they had barely finished the kiss before there was another knock.

"I can't sleep." It was Brian again.

Sully reached down and turned off the CD player with a grunt. Michaela patted his shoulder sympathetically. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Ain't your fault. Sides tomorrow night it'll just be us, right?"

"Yes," Michaela whispered. "Thanks for your patience." She was gone before Sully answered.

"Just practicing to be a monk," he laughed as he made his way back to the bed.

Sorry for the wait… as some of you know I've been visiting with Kruemi in Germany during which time neither of us did any work… well as little as possible anyway. So now I am full of German cakes, still laughing about donkey roads and Angry Whoppers and really done with climbing stairs to find a bathroom that the Germans have hidden... and I am crying because I just left Kruemi at the gate… but here is the new chapter. I'll write about my travels and post the link. I had a blast!!!