Ch 13

Sully was exhausted and Michaela found herself hugging him again. This seemed to happen every time he opened up snippets of his past.

She once again was saddened that he had so much pain and sorrow in his life. Placing herself in that situation, she knew she would never have survived.

"Tell me about you?" he asked looking at her, "you are hearing my story. Now it is time to share."

This was definitely not what a therapist did, but there was something about them that was beyond that now.

"I am from Boston, my mother and sisters are still alive and my father died some years ago. He was a doctor, and I always wanted to be just like him".

"I joined the army and studied medicine in Philadelphia. There I shared boarding with Charlotte, my best friend. When she was dying, she begged I take the children as there was nobody else. It has been tough. I was engaged to David, and he did not like nor want a readymade family. He was deployed abruptly, and I broke off the engagement and shifted here. It seems he was emotionally abusing the children when he looked after them. He told them when we married he would be sending them to a boarding school, and over the holidays to summer camps, so we would hardly be seeing them. We would not be a family. I only found out afterwards. He had blackmailed them it would happen sooner if I ever found out."

Sully stiffened as she divulged this. The kids were not going to be part of the family? His mind screamed at the thought. That was all he had ever wanted his whole life, to be part of a loving family.

"Matthew and Colleen knew what that meant," Michaela continued. "Brian rather thought it would be exciting. The children are fine now, but we have had our fair share of turmoil. I have no idea about children so we take it slowly." Smiling she added, "It is all about hormones now. Matthew has a girlfriend, Ingrid and Colleen has discovered boys."

Suddenly it was her who was vulnerable, and their positions changed. It was Sully who guided her head to rest in the cleft of his shoulder while he rubbed her back. He realized how insecure her fiancé had made her. By the way she spoke of her father he could hear the adoration she felt for him, even before she said she missed him terribly.

Feeling secure, they both fell silent and neither was aware as they drifted off to sleep.

Michaela woke first and noticed she was being cuddled. Then she became aware of where the cover on Sully had crept down to: just under his naval. He was warm and she tried to keep her racing heart under control. She liked the feelings he had provoked in her and knew that she was safe with him. Being with a man hardly covered was something she had never experienced before. He was superb and considerate, she had never met another man like him.

Next Sully woke, and he didn't guess Michaela was awake as she had her eyes closed. He could not cover himself because moving would have disturbed the peace. He had not had this peace for such a long time, he wanted it to continue if even only for a short time longer. She smelt and felt so good! He closed his eyes and took a long slow breath. His heart was beginning to race faster and he warmed even more.

Both were aware now that the other was awake but neither the less kept still.

Finally Michaela sat and looked at Sully. She knew now that she felt for him more than she should. That was why it was becoming impossible to remain being his therapist. Looking into his eyes she leant forward and kissed the corner of his mouth.

Sully moved and next moment he had his arms around her and increased the pressure and desire in his returned kiss, whispering her name.

She was so enthralled that she wanted to stay and explore these new feelings. Deciding the best thing to do was to leave, she backed herself off the bed and out the room.

Returning minutes later with his clothes, she saw he had covered himself. She smiled and left, shutting the door.

He emerged from the bedroom and grinned at her, "Am I all right now, doc?" Guiding him to the sofa she looked into his eyes and nodded, "All clear."

"Good, I got a job to finish," he stated.

They went to a store that was open for late night trading. Pulling up outside, Sully began to feel uneasy. Michaela sensed it straight away.

"I'll go in; just tell me what you need," she reassured him understanding that this was his first adventure outside in over a year. She wanted it not to be his last.

On the way home they went through a drive way and bought some take away for dinner. When they arrived at the flat and he had fixed the machine, they sat and ate the meal in comfort and silence, both enjoying company and not needing to fill in the space with chatter.

Sully and Michaela were thinking the same thing about the other, that having a friend was amazing. Each was now comfortable with their growing feelings for each other.

Michaela needed to just spend a few more weeks with him to finally feel she could excuse herself from the case. At least she hoped so.

Sully was exhausted; he had used a lot of pent up energy just going out, and now he was extremely tired.

Michaela saw this and made a decision that he could stay the night, before she suggested it to him.

Sully was so depleted of energy, he just accepted the offer. Michaela did not want him using the children's beds as this was their space and it was important that they knew this. The lounge was too short for Sully's long frame so she decided to have him sleep in her bed. She could curl up on the lounge.

Opening the wall unit, she looked for a pillow and a blanket. Sully noticed and complained that it was unfair that she give up her bed for him.

"What do you suggest?" she answered with a huff.

"Michaela, nothing will happen if we both sleep in your bed, I give my word."

The look of surprise was written all over her face. She trusted him and was sure that would be the case.

Finally they agreed and Sully was in bed first while she had a shower and readied herself for the night.