"Amanda where are my cufflinks?" Lee's voice complained from the bedroom.
Amanda sighed, rolling her eyes slightly from the front room of his apartment where she was waiting. Is that the best excuse you can come up with Stetson? She thought patiently. Laying her purse back down on the table near the couch, she headed into the bedroom.
Amanda knew Lee didn't want to go to the reception for Senator Bordenaro tonight. He had been complaining about it all day since Billy informed them it was more than a request that they make an appearance. This was supposed to be their long weekend together.
Mother and the boys are away until Monday night and I get stuck with Mr. Crab pants. Thanks a lot Billy. I owe you one for this little kink in the plans. I'll be lucky if Lee is sociable at all tonight.
Amanda didn't have a problem going to the reception, granted it wasn't what they had planned for tonight; dinner and snuggling together in bed until the wee hours of the morning, but it had been ages since they had gone dancing. If she could just get him into a better frame of mind over this, Amanda thought she could actually salvage the evening, or at least part of it.
When she stepped through the doorway, Lee was standing near his bureau the top draw standing opened and from Amanda's perspective; half of its contents rumpled from their resting-place.
He's not even dressed yet! What has he been doing in here?
Lee glanced toward her, pointing an accusing finger toward the drawer. "They're not here, I looked," he complained in indignation that only a man can have.
"Yes they are, you're just being difficult," Amanda returned unfazed by his comment. It's not going to work Lee, Billy wants us at this reception and we're going to this reception. If we don't, he's going to bug us all weekend about it. "Just finish getting dressed honey, I'll find them," she suggested.
"I am not being difficult," Lee retorted, jerking at his shirt to button it. He had been in here over an hour under the premise of getting ready and all he had on was his slacks and a shirt, neither of which were fastened together.
"I just think this is a waste of our time. This is our weekend, Amanda. We've been looking forward to it for over a month. I think we should have the right to decide how we choose to spend it."
"It's just for a few hours, can't you be civil about it? We can still enjoy ourselves," she returned, holding out a small box she had pulled from the depths of the drawer.
Lee sighed, taking the box and pitching it onto the bed. "That's not the point," he muttered, finishing up his buttons and shoving the tail of his shirt into his pants before fastening them. "I want to enjoy our time together and we can't do that surrounded by all those people. I won't even be able to kiss you, or hold your hand…its bullshit," he finished frustrated.
Amanda sat down on the foot of the bed, letting him get his little tirade out of his system. She knew what he said was true, there was no getting around the fact that their marriage had to be kept a secret. She hated it as much as he did.
"I spend all week keeping my professional distance from you in the office. We're lucky if we can grab a quick touch here or there, much less a kiss," Lee continued, stalking the room as he grabbed his socks and the tie that went with his tuxedo out of the closet. "Our time, is our time, Amanda. I know you look forward to it as much as I do."
"Yes I do."
"But now Billy's interfering on that time with this stupid reception. It's a waste of time and you and I do not need to be there." Lee flopped down on the bed, sprawling his long form out, legs dangling over the side as he stared up at the ceiling. "I don't want to go."
Amanda regarded him for a beat then reached out and gently began to caress his thigh. "Lee all we have to do is make an appearance. A couple of hours at most, that's all I ask. It'll make Billy happy," she whispered. "You really don't want him knocking on your door tomorrow morning wondering why we didn't show up, do you?"
Lee made a face, looking toward her. "No, that would be very inconvenient," he agreed, defeated. "I'm good at thinking on my feet, but even I couldn't come up with a legitimate excuse for you being in my bedroom naked."
Amanda laughed gently. "Then we are in agreement."
Lee exhaled roughly, rubbing his face. "You do realize Marlena is going to be there," he muttered.
Amanda frowned, "Marlena?"
"Uh-huh, the senator's daughter. She's always so touchy feely. I feel like a prize piece of meat when I'm around her," he confessed, shaking his head against the quilt. "I don't want to have to deal with that tonight, I just want to be with you."
"So you mean to tell me that I'm going to have to deal with a woman groping my husband?" Amanda asked staring down at him.
Lee leaned up on an elbow, looking at her expectantly. "Does that mean we don't have to go?" he asked hopefully.
"No that's not what that means. It means I'm just going to have to stick close to you and detour any forward advances on Marlena's part," Amanda returned firmly.
"Amanda…"
She reached out, covering his lips with a finger. "Do this for me, please," she whispered. "Let's make Billy happy and I promise that I will reward you when we get home."
"Reward?" Lee repeated, arching an eyebrow. "I like the sound of that. What kind of reward are we talking? Because this is a big thing you're asking of me Mrs. Stetson…"
Amanda leaned over and began whispering softly in his ear, cutting off his response, instantly. Lee grinned broadly. "Hmmm, sounds like my kind of reward."
"Will you please finish dressing now? We're going to be late," Amanda asked smiling.
Lee all but bounced off the bed. He had his socks pulled on and working his tie within moments. "Why couldn't you have been this energetic twenty minutes ago?" she asked grinning.
"Well because the sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave and I'd like to collect that reward you promised me," Lee said grinning at her reflection through the mirror.
Amanda laughed shaking her head. "I see how it works now, I have to bribe you with sexual favors to get a reaction. That's refreshing."
Lee turned and bent down, grabbing his shoes up as he sat down beside her. "I'd do anything for you, Amanda. Even get groped, if I must," he teased, leaning in to kiss her quickly. "What's a husband for?"
"Caressing, snuggling, nibbling, kissing…" Amanda relaxed against his side, running her fingers around his buttons, inside his shirt. "And all the finer things in life," she finished with a sigh of pleasure.
"Oh yeah, I can agree with that. The finer points, I like the finer points."
Amanda swatted him playfully on the chest as he rose, drawing her into his embrace. "Come 'mere and give me a real kiss, my beautiful wife. I need the encouragement to get me through the night," Lee breathed, crushing his lips against hers.
Amanda gave herself to his powerful lips, closing her eyes. Within an instant, Lee's tongue surged forward pushing past her lips and began caressing her inside as he hands caressed out. She hummed her delight, teasing him with her own tongue in return.
Lee's hands explored her body as much as her long black dress would permit, sliding upward to cup the side of her breast in his travels. Lee intensified the kiss when he heard her groan, his thumb working its way around to tenderly caress her.
Amanda forced herself to continue to think rationally. She so easily lost her hold on reality when she was in her husband's arms. Everything Lee did to her had a way of setting her body aflame with desire for him, even just looking at her. To be in his arms was heaven.
With regret, Amanda untangled her fingers from his soft brown strains of hair and slid them down his chest, gently pushing him back. For a moment, Lee hesitated and pulled her closer, crushing her with the desire he channeled through his kiss. Then he pulled back, leaving them both breathless, his hand never stilling his fondling of her breast.
"We're going to get carried away," Amanda managed, staring into his eyes.
"I like getting carried away as long as its with you," Lee returned with a smile.
"The reception…" Amanda reminded him, reaching up to wipe away the lips stick that was evident along his lips.
"Hmm…that," Lee teased, kissing at her fingertips, preventing her from completing her task.
Amanda laughed, smacking him on the arm lightly, "Lee, stop that…behave and hold still," she complained, but her voice held nothing but love. "You don't want to walk around with my lipstick all over your face now do you?"
Lee shook his head grinned, but holding still. "No, I'd rather your lipstick be all over other parts of my body. Nobody could see it there, what do you say?" he teased, wiggling his eyebrows. "I'm game if you are. It would only take a quick snap of the belt and then…"
Amanda covered her palm over his lips as Lee continued to explain the procedure in a muffed, incoherent manner. "Hush," she complained laughing. "We're never going to get out of this bedroom if you don't shut up." She could feel his tongue sliding along her palm, tickling in its tender caress. "I'm not moving my hand until you promise to stop talking like that and take me to that reception, do you understand me mister?"
Lee nodded against her palm.
"We're going to behave?" she questioned smiling.
Again a nod.
"All right then," Amanda breathed, warily lowering her hand.
Lee grinned and leaned in, kissing her quickly, tightening his hold on her body. "I love it when you play hard to get."
"Uh-huh, you're threatening your reward of later, you know this don't you?" she asked laughing.
"Okay, okay, I'm behaving," he complained, releasing her and stepping back as he held his arms out away from his body. He tried to give her his best-hurt expression, which only made Amanda laugh harder. "You're mean you know that?"
"But that's why you love me," she teased as he shook his head stepping toward the closet.
"Well, actually no," Lee counted, giving her a look. "I love you're personality, and your body. That mean streak has got to go."
"Like you have any room to talk. If you don't get your morning coffee before eight, you're grouchy all day," Amanda protested.
Lee grinned. "But we're not talking about me, are we?" he returned lightly, grabbing his tuxedo jacket from the closet. "Don't try to change the subject when you know I'm right."
"You are not right," Amanda complained, hands on hips.
Lee chuckled, sliding the jacket over his shoulders. "God you're sexy when you're angry. That's a major turn on you know."
Amanda sighed, shaking her head. "You just told me you didn't like my mean side."
Lee shrugged, taking her hand as he stepped forward. "So I changed my mind," he whispered, kissing her gently. "I love you, Amanda. I can't wait until I get you all to myself."
She smiled, wiping his lips once more, and then patted his chest. "I love you too."
"You ready to go?"
Amanda nodded as Lee wrapped his arm around her waist, leading her from the room. As she moved to retrieve her purse, she looked back at him. "Lee, how are we going to explain showing up together in your car?" she questioned concerned.
Lee shrugged, "Well, Billy knew we were both working late, so we can explain it away as killing two birds with one stone. We're going to be late as it is, they'll buy it." He smiled, holding out his hand. "Come on, Mrs. Stetson, let your prince charming take you to the ball."
TBC
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.