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.

Afternoon Lovers

Written for Quote Challenge #4. Quotes are from Beauty and the Beast and are in bold. (In the original quotes saloon was west wing.) This scene takes place three months into their marriage after an incident at the saloon.

"Take off your pants and lay down," Michaela commanded as she searched in her medical bag for her tweezers.

Sully chuckled. "Yes m'am." He kicked the recovery room door closed with his foot and then gingerly slid down his buckskins. Wincing as he eased the waistband over his backside, he stopped midway pressing his lips together tightly.

"Do you want something for the pain?" Michaela asked glancing up in concern.

"I'm fine," he lied, inhaling sharply as he finished the job. Looking over at her husband now lying across the bed Michaela couldn't help but feel a little naughty. Stepping to the window she pulled the curtain so that it completely covered the window as if someone could see in. In her mind, she knew her actions were as a doctor but it still felt odd. Sully was watching her when she turned back around. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Ah…pulling the curtain," she whispered feeling the heat on her cheeks rise. Sully was smiling at her but she ignored his look rather concentrating on the task before her. Taking a deep breath, she picked up the tweezers once again reminding herself she was acting as a professional.

Sully felt the bed dip and then her fingers pulling up his shirt tail to get to his bottom. He knew she was in doctor mode but he couldn't help to feel strangely aroused even injured. Trying hard to concentrate on something else, he let his mind run over the events of the last half an hour. He still couldn't believe what had happened, though he was relieved he was in the right place at the right time. Walking back from the livery, he heard the commotion in the saloon and Michaela's voice in the midst of it. "Why were ya in the saloon anyway?" he asked wincing as Michaela removed the first sliver of glass.

"I was checking on one of Hank's girls." Sully grunted loudly and rolled slightly away from her. "Hold still," she chastised.

"Ya ain't being very gentle."

Michaela shook her head and clicked her tongue. "I have to get the glass out. Here bite on this," she said grabbing for one of the pillows and tossing it up to him. "How did this happen anyway?"

"I don't exactly know. I must have knocked the glass off before that guy knocked me to the floor. I guess the glass shattered before I fell on it."

"Why did you think he was threatening me?" Michaela sat down the tweezers as she asked, reaching for a brown bottle and cloth to disinfect the wounds.

"I didn't know what to think," he defended. "I heard your voice from the street and when I looked in the door… he was standing awfully close to ya with his hands raised. 'Sides ya shouldn't have been in the saloon."

"Well, you should learn to control your temper. Now, hold still. This might sting a little." Gingerly she applied the disinfectant crinkling her face as she heard Sully growl in pain. "By the way, thank you for saving my life."

Sully turned his head to see her and couldn't help but grin when he saw the playful smile on her face. He rolled onto this side and reached for her hand. Sensually he placed a kiss to her knuckles. "Thank you Dr. Mike."

Michaela giggled. "That sounds odd. I mean you called me that for so long but now…" Her voice trailed off as she realized the sight of him lying here half dressed was stirring her. "I should get back downstairs."

Before she could move, Sully pulled her down beside him on the bed. "Not yet," he whispered tracing the outline of his face. "I still need some of your doctorin'."

"You do?"

"Umm-hmm." He leaned over and kissed her hard on the mouth, his hands wandering down to the buttons on her shirt.

"Sully… we can't do this now."

"Why not?"

"It's the clinic and you're injured," she reasoned already pulling away from him.

"I locked the door downstairs," he whispered gently guiding her back and placing a series of kisses down her jaw. "Besides, I'm not that injured," he laughed. "You'll just have to watch where you put your hands."

"I can't believe you just said that," she exclaimed swatting him on the arm but this time she didn't move away. Sully brought his leg over top of hers so that she was cognizant of his arousal. Anxiously she chewed on her bottom lip fighting with herself about whether to let this happen or not. Dipping his head to kiss her neck, his fingers were already working on her buttons. "Sully?" Her voice was breathy as she spoke, her skin flushed with passion.

He pulled back a little to see her better, pleased when he read the desire in her eyes. "Shh." He laid a finger across her lips. "No more talking." For a minute, he thought she might protest but then her fingers went to his buttons. Sully watched, his eyes riveted to her fingers as she moved downward. This was all still so new to both of them having only been married for a few months. For so long he imagined what it might be like to have her touching him in this way but nothing he ever dreamed came close to the real thing. The fire and passion that she put into everything came out when they were alone together in ways he never imagined possible. Each time he learned something new about her – a place she liked to be touched or the little sounds she made as she drew close to the edge.

As Michaela finished with the last button, Sully rolled away from her slightly, gingerly sitting up to take his shirt off the rest of the way. He pressed his lips together to keep from vocalizing the pain but Michaela saw it anyway. "Sully you're in pain," she said sympathetically. "We don't have to do this now."

"I'm fine," he persisted but she was already getting off the bed. "Where are ya going?" The corner of her lips curled into the crooked little smile that he loved, telling him she was being mischievous.

"You said you needed some more care. I'm only obliging." Her words came out slow and seductive as she unbuttoned her own shirt the rest of the way and took it off. Next her hands reached around to undo the clasp of her skirt and she stepped out of it letting it pool on the floor. Sully drew in a sharp breath as she came closer and laid her hand against his forehead. "Temperature seems normal," she quipped.

"Or risin'," Sully added reaching for the top ribbon of her camisole. As he moved to the second, she laid her hand over his impeding him.

"Don't overexert yourself," she whispered. "You just remain quiet while I finish my examination." The top edge of her camisole hung down and Sully could just see the creamy white skin at the top of her breasts making his heart beat a little faster. Michaela picked up his wrist as if she was taking his pulse, smiling the same crooked smile as she watched his face intently. "Your pulse is racing," she announced raising her eyebrows in concern. "We'll have to do something about that."

Words were beyond Sully now. Her teasing pushed him over the edge and he turned to reach for her, putting further pressure on his sore backside. He grunted as he pulled her down on top of him and Michaela wasn't sure if the noise had more to do with pain or desire.

"Sully I must be hurting you," she whispered as she felt his hands between them, tugging anxiously on the camisole ribbons, his mouth pressed to the top of one breast. Michaela rolled to the side and Sully followed her movements, pulling back to look up at her. "I want you."

Michaela swallowed hard, the words accomplishing what usually his touches alone did. Starting somewhere in her middle and radiating outward was a feeling of total abandon. She was no longer a doctor or mother. The town waiting just outside was gone and forgotten within her memory. The universe was here in this room where only the two of them existed, hungry and desperate for the other. "Love me," she whispered clawing at the top of her pantaloons, squirming under Sully as she tried to bring their intimate places closer together.

Sully managed to get the garment down to her knees while Michaela moved her feet finally freeing herself of the last confinement. There was no pause to see if she was ready for him. Instinctively he knew exactly what they both needed. Her back arched, their eyes locked with the first upward thrust. Struggling to get closer to him, Michaela wrapped her legs around him a little too tightly forgetting about the cuts he suffered earlier.

"Ow," Sully exclaimed reaching down to grab at the offending limbs.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Michaela said tensing her muscles when she realized what she'd done. She started to pull away but Sully held her fast unwilling to let the error affect the mood. "Are you alright?" she whispered against his ear soothingly running her hands up and down his back as she clung to him now with only her arms.

He never answered in words but his lips closed over hers as he regained his rhythm from earlier. The kiss continued for some moments, their tongues dancing together in unison like lovers of old. Michaela raised her hand to stroke his damp hair away from where it clung to the side of his face as Sully ended the kiss. Throwing her head back, he felt her tense again this time not from fear but pleasure. The hand went back gripping the pillow until she was white knuckled, the other digging into the flesh of his back. Seeing her mouth open and her eyes shut tight was all Sully needed to find his own release, grabbing her about the hips and pulling her close as it came.

Michaela continued to hold onto him with one hand, her legs shaking now with what had just occurred. He was still above her supporting himself on his arms as he placed light kisses to the tops of her breasts moving in tiny circles with his tongue. "I love you," she whispered finally peering down at him. And it was true, a wave of love engulfed her holding them fast.

Normally Sully would roll to the side and bring her with him but he didn't want to put any pressure on his wounds and so with one reluctant heave he pushed up and away from her coming to lay beside her on his stomach. Michaela quickly guided his head to rest against her chest. Her fingers absent mindedly stroked his damp cheek as both of their bodies cooled.

Sounds from outside the window carried inside and Michaela awoke from her lover's dream remembering that there were others about. She suddenly felt bare and started to pull away from Sully wanting to dress quickly.

"Not yet," he whispered reaching to hold her tightly about the waist.

Michaela had just raised her head enough though to notice the dots of red along his bottom once more. "You're bleeding," she said shaking her head. "We shouldn't have done this."

"Don't say that… I wanted ya…" Unknowingly the words that had earlier stirred her so deeply, calmed her now. They were supposed to be like this. It was their time to enjoy one another. They knew each other so well in so many ways but in this way they were still learning.

"I feel wicked," she admitted closing her eyes to drown out thoughts that threatened her euphoria. Sully simply laughed, the vibrations rippling through Michaela until she was laughing as well. "Really, I need to get dressed. I have two more appointments this afternoon."

"This ain't about us bein' improper, is it?"

"No," she assured him with another kiss. Finally he released her, watching as she pulled on her undergarments, his eyes enjoying the sight of her flushed damp skin. Michaela gathered her skirt, brushing off some bits of dust from the floor that speckled the dark blue material. The shirt was the last piece of clothing to be put on and Sully sighed as he watched her button the last button.

Stopping at the dresser along one wall, she took in her appearance at the mirror trying to fix her disheveled hair. "You should rescue me more often," she teased the crooked smile once again returning as she cast a backward glance at her husband. "I'll be back in a bit with some bandages for your… ah...wounds."

"I'll be layin' here," he laughed.

Gracefully she moved to the door, ready to descend once again and take on her many varied roles. Something stopped her though and she turned back briefly to admire the tanned skin of her husband, feeling unashamed for enjoying the view. Slowly bit by bit, Boston's rigidity was falling away and she knew today a big stride was made. Rushing back to the bed, she leaned over him. Sully opened his eyes feeling the fall of her hair on his back and the feather light kisses against his skin.

"Ya back already?"

"No, I just wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"For being my family and my best friend," she paused here laying her cheek against his back. "And my lover." With that she was gone again but the words warmed Sully in the same way her touch did. Closing his eyes, he sighed again but this time out of contentment. Gratefulness washed over him as he silently thanked the spirits for his wife, best friend and lover.