Dare to Dream
By M.C.Hart
Chelbingo@yahoo.com
Chapter 1
Moving through the throng of people along the underground corridors of what most knew as the International Federal Films building; Lee Stetson felt a bounce in his step. The warmth from the wide mouthed, tan coffee cup held firmly in his grasp was nothing compared to the burning glow that encompassed his heart. Despite the near upheaval twist his life had taken three weeks ago during the Stemwinder case, Lee had never felt more happy and content.
He had come so close to losing everything, his reputation, his career, his very life; but because of that situation he had also gained more than he could ever imagine. When his world had been falling apart around him, Lee had found a way to tell Amanda King what he had felt in his heart for many months.
He had actually told her that he loved her!
The moment he had uttered those three words he was sure he was just as surprised as she had been; but the moment those words had passed his lips, he felt a huge weight lifted from his heart. It had felt good to finally voice his true feelings, to not have to hide behind trumped up stories and excuses. Regardless of the situation he had been in, Lee felt relief in knowing that he had told the woman he loved how he felt.
And Amanda, when he held her in his arms at her house, alone in her bedroom… Lee felt a shiver run up his spine as the memory flooded through him. He tightened his grip on the hot mug, smoothing the front of his suit jacket self-consciously. She too had confessed her love for him, not that he had any doubt as to where her true feelings had lay, but to actually hear her say it…
Ah Amanda, the things you do to me, he thought happily, stepping into the just vacated elevator. Punching the button absently, Lee allowed his mind to momentarily slip back to their impromptu encounter. To hold her in his arms as he had always dreamed, even for those short moments had been exhilarating.
The taste of her lips, soft, yet demanding, against his more forceful ones, the way her tongue had fought heatedly along his, caressing one moment and drawing him into her the next. Lee took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He could almost smell her intoxicating perfume as it wafted about his face, drawing him into her soul with her very essence. He groaned low in his throat as he lost himself in the memory of her body pressing tightly against his, of her curves accenting his form to a tee. The way they melted together in that brief short instant had nearly melted him to his core.
With a slight jerk of movement, the elevator came to a halt, forcing him back to reality. Lee looked around quickly, his eyes scanning the position of the hidden lens of the monitoring camera in the corner. I have t to watch doing that! He chided himself hurrying out of the elevator. Those are not the thoughts to be having here of all places.
With a quick nod toward Mrs. Marston, Lee vaulted up the steps, taking them two at a time anticipating the meeting that awaited him in the Q-Bureau. Though it was barely nine in the morning, he knew Amanda would be inside, quite probably watering the plants and straightening his desk.
Here of late, Amanda was always beating him into work, but he didn’t mind in the least. The way he looked at it, with her already inside, it gave him something to look forward to when he stepped inside the normally drab vault room.
I wonder what she’s wearing today? he mused, taking the small jaunt around the corridor. Not that it really matter, Lee thought Amanda could make a gunny sack look sexy. Over the years he had seen her dressed in everything from the beautiful spaghetti stringed black evening gown that she had made, to a pair of grey sweat pants and tee shirt. Regardless of her attire, he had always appreciated the figure beneath and the woman it belonged to, even if he didn’t have the nerve to admit it to himself.
Opening the door to the Q-Bureau, Lee stepped inside, smiling instantly. Sure enough, Amanda was already present just as he had anticipated. Her thin form stood next to his desk, shuffling through the files he had randomly scattered about the surface. “Hi,” he called cheerfully, crossing the room with quick determined strides, more than willing to admire the picture of perfection she radiated.
“Hi yourself,” Amanda returned, giving him her award-winning smile. “You’re here kinda early aren’t you?” she teased, glancing toward the clock hanging across from her. “Five after nine; that has to be a new record.”
Lee smirked, shaking his head as he stepped against her, his free hand automatically encircling her small waist. It felt so natural for him to touch her when they were together that he didn’t think twice about his actions, it was second nature. “Actually I’ve been here since seven this morning. Billy called me in for a consultation meeting over the McDermick case. So that’s a new record,” he teased back, leaning in to steal a quick kiss along her cheek.
“Anything important? I thought we had wrapped that one up,” she queried.
“It was just routine,” he assured her glancing at the file she was holding. “Billy had to come in early because Dr. Smyth was on the warpath about something or other and he figured he’d spread the wealth around so he called me in too. What’s that?” he inquired, taking a sip from his cup. “I don’t remember seeing that yesterday.”
“No, it just came in a few minutes before you arrived,” she admitted, flipping the top page over. “It’s our next assignment. Nothing strenuous looks like a basic surveillance stakeout.”
“Hmm… how’d we rate a milk run?” He muttered, sitting his mug down and taking the file from her as he scanned the pages.
“Maybe Billy felt sorry for us,” She returned, running her fingers along the lapel of his jacket lightly. “We have been up to our ears since we came back.”
“I hear ya,” Lee agreed with an absent nod, his mind intent on what he was reading. “Our last assignment nearly landed us both in the hospital,” he complained. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a non-lethal stakeout for once.”
Amanda’s quicksilver laugh drew his attention from the page. He looked over, staring into her sparkling, captivating eyes. “I can’t believe I just heard the great Scarecrow saying he’s looking forward to a milk run. What’s gotten into you lately?” she questioned in a playful tone, caressing his cheek with her fingernail.
“How about wanting to stay alive?” he asked. “I’m still a bit shook up over what happened the other day. We nearly bought the farm Amanda.”
What had started out as a basic, make the drop, apprehend the villain, fill out the paperwork, had turned into chaos when the Russian double agent had produced a bomb connected to a dead man switch. Had he not been able to disarm the device in time, he along with Amanda and half a city block would have gone up in smoke. He had had cases like that before, coming in on the wire with less than a second remaining, but he noticed that now since he had admitted his feelings to himself, Lee was almost over protective of Amanda and her safety. He knew his feelings and that over protectiveness would be his Achilles heel in the long run, but Lee couldn’t stand to think of something happening to her.
One of the basic rules of survival that had been drummed into him during his training spoke of keeping a professional distance with all co-workers, to not let anything cloud his judgement or reactions to any given situation. To do so could be your downfall, for you and anyone associated with you at any given time. Never give the enemy a bargaining chip or blackmail material.
Lee had followed that rule for years, not becoming emotionally attached to anyone in his life, filling his evenings with empty one-night stands, emotionally detaching himself from the world around him. That had worked great until Amanda stepped into his life and showed him what he was denying himself.
Now, despite the danger he knew loving her would subject her to, Lee couldn’t back down, and he refused to walk away. She was who and what he had been looking for in all those countless, faceless women over the years. Someone as simple and normal as an Arlington housewife, someone who had been under his very nose, someone who had taken his heart into her hands and showed him what true love really meant.
“I had complete faith in your abilities,” she returned, leaning forward and caressing his lips lightly with hers. “I knew you would pull it off.”
Lee sighed, smiling into her eyes. “Of course you did,” he whispered, capturing her lips with his as he closed the file, now forgotten in his hands. He cocked his head, inching all the closer to her as he felt the nails of her right hand sliding through his hair, teasing his scalp beneath. Her touch was almost electrical, sending jolts of energy across his nerve endings, dancing along his skin, until everything felt as if it centered in the pit of stomach like a white ball of flames.
He growled low in his throat, feeling her tongue searching across his lips, questing for entrance. Opening his mouth willingly, Lee reached up sliding his hand along her back until he encountered the dark curls of her hair and embedded itself in her soft locks.
He no more than pulled her against him when they both heard the rhythmic clicking of shoes outside the Q-Bureau and jerked apart as if the other had erupted in searing flames. Amanda’s hand came up, wiping at the trace evidence of lipstick across his lips as Lee flung open the file again and both guiltily lowered their eyes to its contents.
A fraction of a second later the door to their office opened and the slim figure of Francine Desmond strolled in as if she owned the place. Both Lee and Amanda jerked around, plastering fake and uneasy smiles across their faces.
“Morning Francine,” Lee muttered, nodding toward her. “What brings you up to our neck of the woods?” He took a deep breath, hoping to still the raging desires that were running amok throughout his frame as he lowered the file and crossed his arms in front of himself. He wasn’t sure if he was completely successful or not, but he didn’t want his body’s reactions to betray his feelings.
“I was on my way out and Billy wanted me to drop this by before you left,” she explained, giving them a hard look. “Said he wanted you to stop by and check this man out, a Simon Duncan, he lives out on the west side and he’s been complaining about some unusual activity around his place at night. Since he’s almost next door neighbors with Chem Fabrications Billy thinks it might warrant an investigation.”
“The company in charge of testing those chemical warfare devices?” Amanda asked, taking the slip of paper from Francine when she offered it.
“That’s the one. Chem Fabrications picked up the contract two months ago as the lowest bidder. I’m sure this is just some crazy old coot that jumps at his own shadow, but Billy wants it checked out ASAP. He figured since you were going to be in the area you could stop in, feel the guy out and see if it warrants further investigation.”
Lee nodded watching Francine’s eyes scanning first him, then Amanda, then him again. “Can do, tell Billy we’re on it,” he said quickly. “We’ll see what’s going on and check back with him this afternoon.”
“All right, he said he wanted a report on his desk by this evening,” she instructed, giving them both a strange look before turning and departing as quickly as she appeared.
Lee closed his eyes, exhaling a harsh breath. “Damn that was close. I’ve got to start locking that door…”
“She didn’t see anything,” Amanda returned, rubbing his arm tenderly. “Though she did seem very suspicious.”
“Amanda, Francine is always suspicious of everything,” Lee muttered shaking his head. “Come on, we’re in the clear. There wasn’t anything going on that she needs to concern herself with. What’s the address of that Duncan man?” he questioned as he gathered her up with his arm after she grabbed her purse off the desk. “How far out of our way is this going to take us?”
* * * *
Amanda looked across the small expanse of the interior of the silver corvette she was currently sharing with her partner and couldn’t help the tiny smile that threatened to spill across her calm features. Partner? Lee’s so much more than just my partner, she thought softly. He’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of. We’ve come so far together, both professionally and emotionally.
She remembered a time, less than a year ago in fact, that Lee had fought against anyone remotely commenting that she could ever be his partner. That those words and the actions behind them had faded to nothingness in the last twelve months only to be replaced with understanding, companionship, and yes, love.
She had known Lee cared about her, regardless of his occasional stinging words, and actions of the past. He had cared, but he had tried to push her away because he didn’t understand his own feelings. Her first impressions of Lee Stetson had been one of a loner, someone that was used to getting his way and trusted no one but himself. Despite his outward appearance and his desire to uphold that imagine to the world, Amanda knew that he hid his true face. The face of a lonely man who didn’t know what he wanted out of life.
Over the past few years of their association Amanda had been able to draw the true Lee out from behind the shadows where he hid and nurture him back into the real world. She had given him time, allowing him to open up to her and trust her in his own way. By doing this, she had been given a small glimpse of a man she knew she was falling in love with.
She had found a true friend, someone who would stand by her through all she had endured. Be it professional or private, Lee was always there to offer a shoulder to cry on if needed, or a firm voice in her defense when her job came down to the wire. He had shown her that more times than she could count over the years. Lee was that friend, he was her companion and now, to her delight, he was her lover.
It still felt like a dream. The last few weeks of running, of trying to stay ahead of the Russian and the Agency, it was all a misty haze. But the nights she had spent in his arms hidden away in that small apartment room, away from prying eyes, those were the only times she felt truly content and safe. When he wrapped her close against his body, and drifted off to sleep, his hands drawing lightly along her still flushed skin, she knew everything was going to work out.
Amanda swallowed roughly, refusing to let her body take over where her memories left off. It does feel like a dream, she admitted to herself as she watched Lee staring across the way toward the small warehouse they had been staking out for the last two hours. He periodically tapped his finger along the side of the black binoculars he held at ready, waiting for any sign of activity.
There was nothing different about this stakeout from any others they had participated with in the past. Their conversation was next to nothing. Lee was intent on his task, his mind playing over his mission. She too was watching the building and the side alley, but as yet nothing had drawn her attention as out of the ordinary.
A small hand held camera rested against the gearbox between the seats, loaded and ready for use if the need arose. Two empty coffee cups lay alone along the front glass, thrown half hazard across the dashboard in their discarded state.
From the moment they had returned to active duty after the whole Stemwinder situation, neither Lee nor Amanda had had time to spend together, other than professionally. That as much as anything was the reason behind her feeling as if all they had experienced in that small room was made from fantasy and little else.
Lee had tried to show her more attention Amanda had to give him that. But it was if the world was plotting against them. What little time they were able to steal away in the Q-Bureau was always threatened by impromptu guests and calls.
Just like this morning, she reminded herself.
Her home life since their run had been demanding and stressful. Not that Lee ever complained about her duties to the boys and her mother, but Amanda could see the disappointment in his eyes when she had to turn down his invitations to dinner or even a late evening drive. She hated to put him on the back burner, especially after he had told her those three wonderful words. But the boys needed her to be home and thankfully Lee understood that.
Now that things were slowly getting back to normal and Jamie had stopped having his nightmares, Amanda hoped to have Lee invite her again to dinner. This time she would willingly accept his invitation. Unfortunately as of yet, he had not offered. Granted the last two nights, both had stayed late playing catch up on all their paperwork, and they had enjoyed cuddling occasionally on the couch in the Q-Bureau. But their time together was still dictated by the Agency and they simply had no privacy available.
“Still nothing,” Lee breathed as he lowered the binoculars and shifted slightly in his seat, glancing toward her. “I’m beginning to think this whole day is nothing but a wild goose chase.”
“What about the old man? Don’t you hold any merit to his information?” she returned, his voice drawing her back to the present. “He seemed sincere.”
“He believes what he saw Amanda, but that doesn’t make the shadows and voices reality.” Lee shook his head, running his head through his hair slowly. Amanda smiled at his actions, watching the stray strains fall as they may along his forehead. “It’s worth validating, but little more, it’s just not going to wash. He’s old, at least eighty if he’s a day. His mind and memory has seen better times,” he admitted quietly, looking back toward the warehouse.
“So you’re going to discount his information just because you’re stereotyping him as senile?” she questioned, surprised at his words and the meaning she picked up behind them.
Lee turned back toward her, giving her a look. “I didn’t say that. I said it’s worth validating, which means we’ll set up a surveillance team and see what happens. That’s no where near discounting his tip or stereotyping him as a senile individual. I just don’t think anything’s going to pan from it,” he corrected her.
“You never can tell,” she muttered in return, looking back toward the warehouse. “People can surprise you, most are not what they seem.”
Hearing him shift again, she glanced toward him to see his face light up in a broad smile as Lee reached out and caressed her chin, tilting her face toward him completely. An intense tingle radiated from his touch, encompassing her whole jaw and traveling down her next as his fingers played across her skin.
“Oh I can safely agree with that statement. You are most certainly not a typical housewife my beautiful partner. There are aspects of you that I can’t wait to learn about and explore,” he teased lightly.
Amanda smiled, rubbing her face tenderly along his strong palm, relishing in his touch. “I think we both still have a lot to learn about each other,” she whispered, kissing his thumb as it caressed her warm lips.
“Uh-huh…that’s where it gets interesting,” Lee returned quietly. “I have so much of myself that I want to share with you…” He leaned forward slowly, bridging the gap between their bodies.
Amanda followed his lead, meeting him half way between the seats. The warmth of his breath caressed her face and throat, setting her body aflame as their lips barely touched. She felt his tongue dart out, playing across her parted petals, questing for entrance.
Willingly opening herself to his desire, Amanda gasped softly into his mouth as his lips all but engulfed her in the next instant. Her head spun with the pleasures coursing through her body, of his hand entangled throughout her hair, pulling ever so gentle, but demanding. She lost herself in the moment, grabbing the lapel of his jacket and nearly jerking him across the seat into her.
She heard a groan escape from somewhere deep in his throat and felt him increase the pressure of his lips, his tongue dancing in her mouth, exploring, tasting her as she returned his passion. How can he pull such hunger from me in just a kiss? She wondered momentarily, then felt his teeth raking and biting along her bottom lips.
“Oh, Lee…” she managed, closing her eyes, feeling her body swoon from his touch.
“Mmm…has anyone ever told you how wonderful you taste?” Lee asked. She opened her eyes to see him smiling at her, watching her every reaction.
“Not lately,” she breathed, unable to stop her hands from exploring his strong chest beneath the light fabric of his shirt. When they were together, she didn’t feel like a mother of two, or a divorced woman struggling to make her life again. Lee made her feel special, he made her feel wanted, and not in the sense of sex, no it was far from that. He appreciated who she was, her brains as well as her body. He wanted a companion and then a lover.
Again he gave her the smile that always made her knees weak, that boyish toothy smile that caused her heart to skip a beat. She could feel his fingers sliding along her ear, playing light over her earlobe and earring that rested there.
“You do,” he whispered, kissing her flushed lips again, lightly. “You’re wonderful. Can you slip away tonight? Would you join me for dinner?” he questioned, sitting back slightly from where she had pulled him over the seats.
Amanda ran her hand along his arm, finding his hand against her throat and intertwined their fingers together, giving him a soft squeeze. “That would be nice.”
“About eight?” he suggested, drawing her fingers to his mouth and kissing them. “I promise to have you back before it gets too late.”
Amanda nodded as a small truck drew up to the warehouse in the distance. Both turned their heads quickly toward their objective, the moment lost as their job instantly took priority. “Looks like we might not have a wash out after all,” she whispered.
Lee grabbed up the camera, watching the truck slowly disappear through a large archway inside. “Looks that way,” he muttered, opening his door and sliding out. “Sit tight, I’m going to get in closer,” he commanded shutting the door quietly.
“Be careful,” she warned, feeling the fear that always gripped her heart clamp down in her chest. She hated sitting in the car. She hated to have Lee leave her sight. Even thought she knew she was unarmed, she wanted to be there with him, to know he was safe. “Don’t take any chances,” she whispered, watching his slim form disappear down the side alley and out of sight.
* * * *
Easing against the nearby curve and slowly putting his corvette in park, Lee took a breath, staring out at the house beside him. Okay Stetson, she wants you to come through the front door like a normal person, you can do this. It’s not a big deal, just Amanda’s family. You’re familiar with them all even if they don’t really know you.
Looking down at his hands trying to get his pounding heart to settle down, Lee blinked seeing the near white knuckled grip he had on the wheel. “Get a grip,” he muttered releasing his hands quickly as he turned off the engine. The little pep talk he had been giving himself on the trip over apparently hadn’t done its job.
After obtaining the pictures at the warehouse, he and Amanda had returned to the Agency and dropped them off, then filed the report Billy was waiting on concerning Mr. Duncan’s supposed shadowy voices. Lee was quick to brush everything under the rug, willingly handing over the negatives and pushing the report toward Francine.
He had wanted to get out of there and get out fast. It had been nearly six by the time they both headed out the Georgetown exit and Lee wanted to put as much space between him and Agency as possible, at least for tonight. He had been wishing for this moment, when he and Amanda could actually spend quality time together, and he refused to let anything screw it up tonight.
But when he had walked her to the station wagon and held the door, he didn’t even consider what he was saying when she asked if he would pick her up at the door. He had been captivated by her smile and his thoughts were on how he could entertain her, not where he was picking her up. His “Sure, not a problem. See ya at eight,” had flown out of his mouth before he even registered what she had wanted. It wasn’t until the short trip to his car that the reality of what he had just committed himself to sank in. He had stopped, dead in his tracks, keys dangling from his slack hand as the impact hit full force. “The Front Door?” he had gasped, loud enough to draw a look from a nearby pedestrian.
He had tried to talk himself through this little obstacle all through his shower and the quick, ‘hide and stuff’ routine he rushed through with his apartment. The only thing he had actually accomplished was ridding his apartment of clutter. The uneasiness he felt about meeting Amanda’s family only intensified as eight o’clock drew nearer.
Now Lee just knew he was a certifiable basket of nerves.
“I can step into a room full of Russian agents, all bent on taking me out with a straight face and no worries,” he breathed softly, looking at his dash lights. “But pit me against two boys and a mother and I’m a basket case. This is so insane,” he shook his head in wonderment.
Knowing his car was surely spotted by now, Lee looked again toward the house where Amanda was waiting for him. The porch light was one, the invitation clear. She wants you to come to the door, get your ass out of this car and walk to that door Stetson, NOW! He commanded of himself. If you can do this for anyone, you can do it for Amanda.
Drawing his strength together with a deep breath, Lee opened the door quickly and pulled himself out the car without looking back. Shutting his door, he pocketed his keys, smoothing his suit jacket again and running his hands through his hair weakly as he crossed the lawn.
He could feel his hand shaking slightly as he clinched his fist into a tight ball. Stop it! You’re not going to an interrogation; it’s just Amanda’s family for Christ sakes!
Seeing a porch light blink on to his right, Lee glanced over only to see a woman step out onto her porch and glance in his direction, then appear to absently fiddle with some plant on the steps. Great, this is just great. How many other neighbors are hiding behind the curtains to see who’s coming up her walk? What’s with these people? Don’t they have anything better to do?
Without slowing his determined stride, Lee lifted his hand and waved at the woman watching him. “Good evening Mrs. Parsons, how are you tonight?” he called cheerfully. The woman straightened gave him a strange look then hurried into her house, closing the door with a loud bang.
Lee couldn’t resist the small chuckle that escaped his lips. They might not know him, but he damn sure knew just about all there was to know about everyone living on this block. It had been a pet project of his after he met Amanda all those years ago. It was his job to be informed of his surrounds and he did his job well.
With some of the tension gone from his body, Lee stepped up on the porch and took one last look around in the darkness and punched the doorbell. It’s just Amanda’s family, nothing more, he kept repeating to himself over and over. You’re going to do just fine. If this will please her, then I’ll meet her aunts and uncles if I have to.
Lee was still going over his internal dialogue when the door opened and he nearly swallowed his tongue. Amanda stood before him in a low cute, gorgeous black dress that accented her figure to a tee. Her hair was pulled back, cascading down her bare shoulder blades, a thin ribbon like silver material holding it together.
“Hi, I thought that was you sitting out there,” she said lightly, leaning her weight seductively against the door.
“Manda, you’re beautiful…” Lee managed after a moment of stunned silence.
“Thank you Lee. Please come in,” she whispered, holding out her hand.
Lee took it slowly, still gawking at her appearance. “Where did you get this dress? I’ve never seen anything so gorgeous before,” he confessed, stepping down into the house, eyes taking in her full stance.
“I made it, I was hoping you would like it. It meets with your approval then?” she teased, trailing a finger along his jacket buttons.
“Most definitely,” Lee assured her with a smile.
“Let me get my purse and I’ll be ready,” Amanda added, with a twinkle in her eyes.
“Okay,” Lee agreed, watching her turn and moved up the small set of stairs. Damn if she’s not fine looking tonight! He was still pleasantly stunned by her choice of attire and the picture of perfection she portrayed when a voice sounded from his left, drawing his attention.
“Well hello again Mr. Stetson.”
Lee turned his head quickly to see Dotty West, Amanda’s mother standing in the archway to their den. She was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, simply watching him. He swallowed quickly, nodding his head toward her.
“Hello, Mrs. West,” he said quietly. “You’re looking very nice tonight.” Slick Stetson, where’s the ladies man you used to proudly flaunt around? That was the lamest comeback you’ve ever had!
Dotty glanced down at her sweatpants and shirt, then looked back toward him without emotion. “Yes, sweat suits are the going fashion now days. They’re the rave at all the balls.”
Ouch, she’s still pissed! Lee could see it in her stance and tone. She had blamed him for all the trouble Amanda had gotten into those two weeks of hell. He had been at fault, but Dotty would never know the full extent.
“Mrs. West, I really need to apologize for what happened a couple of weeks ago. I know I haven’t had the opportunity since to explain…” he began, holding his hands out.
“Mr. Stetson,” Dotty interrupted, cutting off his words. “You are my daughters boss and by being such I can’t dictate what or who she sees at work. But this isn’t work.”
“No ma’am,” Lee muttered, feeling like he was seven years old again and about to be dressed down by the Colonel.
“Exactly what are your intentions with my daughter?” she questioned.
Lee blinked not sure how to respond to that. That had come out of left field. “Excuse me?”
“I simply asked your intentions. I don’t want to see my daughters good name drug through the dirt again,” Dotty continued with a sour look on her face.
“Mrs. West, I can assure you that Amanda is perfectly safe with me. What happened before was all a misunderstanding. I never meant to drag her into anything that transpired…”
“But never the less she was in the middle of it.”
“Yes, she was. I am sorry for that,” Lee agreed. “But all that has been cleared up now…”
“Yes, thanks to Joe,” Dotty piped in quickly.
Lee tensed instantly upon hearing Joe’s name. He had to physically fight his bodies outward response to the jealously that boiled within him. Joe had nothing to do with clearing Amanda’s name! He wanted to shout. She and I did that on our own! Don’t stand there and throw him up in my face. But he knew better than to let the jealously he was feeling surface in front of anyone, especially Amanda and her family. It was something he would deal with on his own. I know how Amanda feels, she told me she was IN love with ME, not him. That’s all that matters.
“I’m all ready to go,” Amanda said smiling as she stepped down the stairs toward them. She stopped looking at first Lee, then her mother. Neither were talking and Dotty was glaring at Lee like she could break him in half. Lee for his part was standing rim rod straight, lips clinched shut.
“What?” Amanda questioned sternly.
“Nothing, you’re mother and I were just having a discussion,” Lee muttered, turning away from both of them.
“I was simply asking what his intentions were dear. Heaven knows the last time you and he left together the whole government was looking for you…”
“Mother you didn’t!” Amanda exclaimed loudly. “I told you that wasn’t Lee’s fault. He protected me…”
“Well there’s absolutely no reason to be getting upset Amanda, Mr. Stetson and I were having a calm conversation,” Dotty interrupted. “There wasn’t anything wrong with that.”
Amanda took a deep breath, looking at her mother. “It’s over with. Everything is fine now. You don’t have to discuss anything with Lee,” she retorted.
“No it’s fine. She’s right, we were just having a discussion,” Lee interjected, laying his hand along the small of her back. "It you’ll excuse us Mrs. West we have reservations for eight thirty. It was nice to see you again.”
Lee didn’t want their entire evening blown by this encounter and he knew if they didn’t vacate the area and soon, that was just what was going to happen. He was angry, Dotty was angry and Amanda was working up to a good blow up herself. Time to get out of Dodge and mend what fences I can before it’s too late.
“I’ll have her home early,” he muttered, steering Amanda up and through the door as Dotty followed them out on the porch.
“It doesn’t hurt for a mother to be concerned about her daughters welfare,” Dotty called quietly. “Have a good time dear.”
Lee closed his eyes, tightening his arm around Amanda’s waist. “Is she ever going to forgive me?” he asked in a low voice. “It’s a good thing I know you don’t have a gun in the house, otherwise I’d worn my bullet proof vest.”
“I’m sorry Lee,” Amanda apologized, laying her hand on his chest as he bent and opened the car door for her. “I didn’t realize mother was going to corner you like that and give you the third degree.”
“It’s okay, come on and get it,” he offered with a soft smile. “Let’s get out of here and make this night special.”
Holding her arm, he helped her in, then moved around to the other side and slid in himself, glancing back one last time to the house. Dotty was still standing on the porch watching them. So much for a quick kiss, he thought frustrated. Hitting the keys, the vette started up and he threw it in gear, moving away from the curve.
“You know if you’re mother ever wanted a part time job, I think there’s an opening in interrogations. She’d fit right in,” he teased trying to lighten the mood. “There’s not a spy out there that would crumble under her gaze.”
Amanda shot him a look as they passed beneath a nearby street lamp. “Is that suppose to be funny?” she queried.
Lee sighed. “Yeah it was. Sorry,” he muttered.
They rode in silence a few moments, both lost in their thoughts until Lee reached out brushing his hand lightly across her cheek. “Hey, do me a favor. Don’t sit there and sulk all night. It’s not a big deal. She’ll come around when she sees I’m really a great guy again.”
He gave her a quick smile when he caught her looking toward him briefly. “I am a great guy aren’t I?” he teased, playing with her earlobe.
“Yes,” Amanda returned quietly.
“That’s not a very firm answer Manda. Come on now…we’ve got our whole evening ahead of us. Let’s leave our worries behind and have fun, what do you say?” he suggested, reaching down and grasping her hand. “Dinner, dancing, a night cap at my place, I’ve got us all lined up. Give me a little smile. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
“Yes it does,” she agreed a bit louder.
“What was that? Did I hear a bit of a excitement in your voice? Are you holding back on me?”
Amanda reached out, slugging him softly in the ribs, then leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder, snuggling against him as best she could in the seats. “Yes, I’m happy,” she returned, rubbing his leg. “Thank you for not being angry with Mother. She does mean well.”
“I know that,” he whispered, kissing her hair as he wrapped his arm tenderly around her form. “She’s just worried about you. I can respect that you know. I worry about you myself every single day we’re out there.” He sighed, laying his head against her and allowed himself to relax against her body. “It’s going to be fine, everything will attend to itself in time. We just need to take it slow. First things first,” he breathed, kissing her again along the top of the head. “I’m taking you to a fabulous restaurant and then dancing. The rest of the night is ours and I want you to enjoy yourself completely.”
“I enjoy myself every time I’m with you. You don’t have to wine and dine me,” Amanda retorted softly.
“Maybe I want to wine and dine you, did you ever consider that?” Lee asked smiling. “I love you, I want to show you a good time. We don’t get to be together all that much. When we do get a chance to see each other, I want it to be special Manda.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
* * * *
Lee opened the door to his apartment, ushering Amanda inside with a gentle hand along the small of her back. “I had such a wonderful time at that club,” she admitted, continuing their conversation from the hall. “You’re a great dancer.”
Lee smirked slightly, dropping his keys onto the table near the entranceway as he shut the door behind them. “I owe it all to my dance partner,” he responded, watching her slender form move across his living room, discarding her purse without thought onto the coffee table.
He had had an incredible time tonight, holding Amanda in his arms on the dance floor had been a dream come true. He had been able to find a nice spot, away from their normal hangouts where they could let their hair down and simply be themselves without the worry of watchful eyes.
Lee had lavished her with attention from the moment they had left her house and he had no intention of stopping now, especially now that they were in the privacy of his apartment. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” he commented, unfastening his jacket and sliding it off his shoulders laying it across the back of the chair he passed as he headed toward the bar. “The nights still young,” he teased, giving he a quick smile.
“It’s not as young as you might think. I can stay for a little while, but I really need to be back home around midnight,” she returned, moving toward him.
Lee could hear the disappointment in her voice. They weren’t going to have the time to do all they wanted tonight, he had known this before they even arrive here. “But that still gives us a good hour,” he added lightly, leaning in and kissing her nose quickly. “We can enjoy ourselves on the couch and drink a little wine…” he smiled as he felt her hands sliding up the front of his shirt, then tenderly begin loosing his tie with her delicate touch.
“I’m sure the two of us can keep ourselves occupied,” he finished in a husky voice as her fingers played across his throat.
“I’m sure we can,” Amanda agreed, staring up into his hazel eyes.
Her body pressed against his, the heat of her flesh even through the thin materials separating them was setting him on fire. Lee swallowed weakly, feeling his tie being pulled in a slow deliberate steadiness from around his collar, and then with a twist of her fingers Amanda unsnapped the uppermost button of his shirt.
“Oh god,” he heard himself groan as she leaned up nibbling along his chin. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he buried his face into her throat, returning her nibbles with a few of his own. Allowing his hands to caress and explore her every curve, Lee stroked his fingers lightly across her bare shoulder blades, then pulled back reluctantly to gaze into her eyes.
“Do you realize how erotically exhilarating your touch is?” he asked seriously.
“Uh-huh, I like to see you squirm,” she returned with a wicked smile.
Lee laughed, kissing the tip of her nose tenderly. “You are cruel my love. There’s a vixen hidden behind that housewife persona. I like it,” he teased, rubbing her shoulders. “But right now all you are doing is torturing the both of us. You know as well as I that nothing can come from our little explorations.”
“I know,” Amanda breathed as Lee felt her fingernail play lightly along his ear. "I have a hard time controlling myself around you. It’s been a while since we’ve had time to ourselves.”
“Hmmm…I know,” he agreed, meeting her halfway as she leaned up for another kiss. “And as good as you taste, I’m finding it very difficult to remind myself of our time limitation,” he admitted with a sigh. “So my next question is…” Lee smiled at her, then released her tantalizing body to scoop up two glasses. “Do you feel like Red or White?”
It was Amanda’s turn to laugh as she patted his chest affectionately. “Red wine would be exquisite.” She kissed him again lightly on the throat, then moved away. “I’ll wait over here on the couch…at a safe distance,” she added in a teasing tone.
Lee gave her a look, quickly selecting the perfect wine for them from his collection. “If we’re alone, there is no safe distance,” he shot back, popping the cork carefully with a grunt.
* * *
Albert Mahoney sighed stretching his long form out a bit from the cramped confines of the van he had been sitting in far too long. Rubbing his eyes wearily he glanced across the dark area toward the silhouette of his partner. “I’m beginning to think Scarecrow was right about this being a washout,” he grumbled, running fingers through his thinning grey hair. “It’s nearly three in the morning and we haven’t seen so much as an alley cat.”
Erin Abernathy smiled, lowering her infrared field glasses a moment to observe her antsy friend. Though they had only been partnered together for a little over a year she and Albert had become a fluid team despite their age difference.
Brushing the loose strains of blonde hair from her face she shifted slightly in the seat, drawing a slim leg beneath her. “You want the glasses for a while Al? I’d hate to have you falling asleep on me,” she teased. “I’ve heard you snore, I don’t know how Brenda puts up with you at night.”
Albert grunted, shaking his head. “Keep ‘em and she doesn’t put up with me. It’s called love my dear,” he chuckled. “Something you’re too young to understand.”
Erin grinned, lifting the field glasses again as she scanned the area. “I knew it had to be something like that for her to listen to your happy ass give your best foghorn imitation for the last twenty five years. Either that, or you own stock in an earplug factory.”
Albert smiled looking out into the night. “A bit testy tonight aren’t we Erin? You missing out on a hot date just to sit in this dilapidated van with an old man?”
“Hello…” Erin muttered softly.
The tone of her voice instantly drew Mahoney into alert mode. “Where?” he demanded, scanning their surroundings intently.
“There, to the north wall of the building,” she explained quickly, handing over the glasses. “Follow the bush line to the left…See those shadows?” she questioned.
“I see ‘em,” Albert acknowledged.
“Those are not stray dogs.”
“Not even close,” he breathed. “Let’s get a little closer to the action and find out exactly what’s going on out there. Something smells here,” he growled as he discarded the glasses, sliding quietly from the van as Abernathy echoed his movements on the opposite side. The van was agency approved and thus the dome light had been disconnected prior to their assignment preventing the glare of the light from giving away their position.
Clutching the cold metal of his revolver in his hand, Albert motioned to his partner silently as they split up and headed out in different directions. Something was definitely not right. He had been able to make out the shadows of at least six different figures, if not more, working diligently along the outer perimeter of the Chem Fabrications complex.
Easing along the spillway that ran parallel along the back of the building security fence, Mahoney tried to make out the murmur of voices he could detect. Nothing was audible from this distance, though he could clearly see several dark clad figures moving about.
Glancing around, he tried to determine if Abernathy had found her position but little could be seen in the blackness. Had it not been for the occasional light flickering along with the movement of the figures, Albert wouldn’t have been able to see as much as he could.
What the hell’s going on here? Hunkering down against the concert wall of the spillway, Albert strained his eyes, grasping the butt of his gun tightly in his palm. That looks like a militant group! Semi automatic weapons with silencers, plastic explosives…what the hell are they after?
An assortment of items came to mind in an instant, none of which made Albert happy thinking of them falling into this group’s hands. Shit, we need backup! He growled, berating himself for not calling in before leaving the van.
He considered going back and doing just that but had no way of relaying his intentions to Erin. A moment later, that option was no longer applicable.
Mahoney’s eyes widened in horror as he caught a frantic movement off to the right of the group and witnessed his partner being drug into the assemblage.
“Erin!” he hissed between his teeth seeing the gun held against her temple. No, No, No.…this isn’t supposed to be happening. This was a milk run!
Mahoney bolted to his feet as he saw one of the men nod to the other. He rushed forward trying to stop the inevitable from happening. He took no more than two steps when the man holding the gun pulled the trigger without blinking an eye.
“Erin!” Mahoney shouted seeing blood splatter from the open wound and the young body that he once knew as Erin Abernathy crumbled to the ground.
Emptying his revolver into the group he staggered forward, registering several of the figures turning toward him and pulling their weapons in his direction.
Unable to stop his forward flight, Mahoney felt the impact of various bullets plummeting his torso, ripping through his chest and vital organs.
Pitching forward, his last thoughts were on his wife and two daughters, of how he wished he could see them just once more, before he crumbled to the cold ground and breathed his last.
Story Notes:
Disclaimer : I do not own the characters nor do I get any money for penning the stories I weave. My hats off to all the writers and actors that have brought these characters to life.