The Eros Project
By Mistresses of the Gutter
(whips and restraints optional)
******
Wednesday Afternoon
Dotty sat at the kitchen table, tapping her nails on the wood surface and nibbling on her lower lip. She wanted to throw a surprise party for Lee and Amanda on their ANNIVERSARY. Actually, a combination VALENTINE/anniversary party since they were only one day apart. She’d scuttled all her ideas so far. Since they were often called away on assignment with little or no warning, she didn’t want to book a place to have a party because long range planning just wasn’t feasible. If the two guests of honor couldn’t attend their own party, it would be a complete waste of money.
Now she was almost out of time. Then, suddenly, she had a light bulb moment. If she couldn’t be sure she would be able to bring them to the party, why not bring the party to them.
Dotty scooted her chair back from the kitchen table and went in search of her purse. She found it hanging on the newel post and pulled out the leather sheath she used for business cards, and began searching for the one she needed. Finally, she found it; just a name and number embossed on the plain, white card.
This might be the solution to her dilemma.
She pulled a stool to the kitchen island, picked up the phone and dialed the number.
“Melrose, here.” Dotty smiled hearing the deep voice of her daughter’s supervisor.
“Mr. Melrose, this is Dotty West.”
“Well hello, Mrs. West. How are you today?”
“Not so good, I have a problem.”
“Is it something I can help you with?”
“I hope so.” Dotty crossed her fingers. “You see, Lee and Amanda’s anniversary is in a couple of days and I’ve been trying to figure out a way to throw them a surprise party. But with the way they could be called out of town on a moment’s notice or have to work late for one reason or another, planning anything has been driving me batty.”
“I’m sorry; the nature of our business can leave life unpredictable.”
“Well, I was thinking. Maybe I could bring the party to them.”
“You mean have a party here at the Agency?”
“Yes. They’d never suspect a party there.”
“You do know you couldn’t invite any civilians. We have had civilians attend functions in the past, but there is a lot of red tape and paperwork that needs to be filled out.”
“Well most of their closest friends are agents or affiliated with the Agency, so I don’t think that would be a problem. What I need to know, is there any place large enough within the Agency where I could set a party up?”
“Let me think for a minute.”
A rhythmic beat broke the silence, like someone beating a pen or letter opener on a hard surface. It continued for a few minutes and while she waited Dotty twisted the telephone cord with her fingers and saying a silent prayer that Mr. Melrose could work a miracle. Suddenly the drumming ceased.
“Hold on a moment. I think I have the perfect location but I need to make sure it’s available.”
Dead silence filled the phone line before music began to play. Dotty hummed along to the catchy tune until it stopped.
“We’re in luck, Mrs. West, the Pyramid Room is available.”
“What exactly is the Pyramid Room?” She’d taken a tour of the Agency but didn’t recall a room of that name.
“It’s where we hold graduation ceremonies for new recruits, seminars that include other intelligence agencies, and luncheons for dignitaries and other special events. There’s even a kitchen that you can have access to, although you’ll need to have an Agency approved caterer and decorator for the event.”
“It sounds perfect. But how would I know who to contact for the proper people to help me put this together?”
“Not a problem. I have the perfect person in mind to help you. I’ll smooth the way for the room to be reserved on Friday evening. I’ll even make sure Lee and Amanda have to work late that night and get them down there somehow. In fact, I think we should come up with a code name for the party. That way they won’t suspect anything out of the ordinary.
“That’s a marvelous idea. How about Operation Eros? I know many of your investigations have names beginning with Operation. Of course, I don’t mean that Lee or Amanda talk about their work around the house, but once in a while I will hear something about operation this or that.”
“I know they’re both professionals and would never divulge anything that was on a ‘need to know’ basis. That’s a good name, but let’s make it even more mysterious... How about the Eros Project?”
“I love it. The Eros Project it is. Thank you, so much. Now, who should I call?”
On the back of the business card Dotty wrote down the name and number of the person she should contact. Thanking Mr. Melrose once again, she hung up the phone. She smiled at the receiver, to think at one time she had thought he was rude and obnoxious. She couldn’t have been more wrong about him. Now she knew he’d only he’d only been protecting Lee and Amanda.
Before she made her next call, she went over to the counter to refill her coffee cup and grabbed a pad of notepaper on her way back to the island. Once she had both, she settled back on the stool.
Picking up the receiver again, she dialed the number Mr. Melrose had given her. “Hello, Mrs. Marston, this is Dotty West. Do you have a few minutes you can spare me?”
“Of course, Dotty. You have good timing, Mr. Melrose just finished filling me in on your plans, and please, call me Prudence.”
“Oh thank you, Prudence. So you can help me?”
“It’d be my pleasure. Scarecrow and Mrs. King are two of my favorite agents. I’ll be glad to help plan their surprise party.”
Fifteen minutes later Dotty had a list of things to do. Prudence had given her the names and numbers of several Agency approved caterers and decorators. They would be next on her list to call, so that she could set up appointments to meet with them the following morning. Prudence had also told her that several of the agents played in a band during their off-hours and she had volunteered to contact them to see if they could perform at the party. Before ending the call, they had made plans to meet for lunch the following day to coordinate their efforts.
Thursday
As soon as Lee and Amanda had gone to work and her grandsons had left for school, Dotty went into overdrive, thanking her lucky stars she’d finally gotten her driver’s license. No way could she accomplish all she needed to do today if she’d had to take cabs around the city. Grabbing her purse, she hurried out the door to the first of her appointments.
The morning had rushed by in a whirlwind of activity. She’d visited three caterers, who(,) when they heard that the party would be the following evening, were unable to accommodate her request. Finally, the last caterer on her list had enough time free that she could provide food for the party. The only downside was that due to the time constraint, the menu would have to consist mostly of salads and finger foods, such as sandwiches, chicken wings, fruits and vegetables with various types of dip. The only other thing the caterer couldn’t provide was the cake and other desserts.
Her last stop before lunch with Prudence Marston had been the decorator. This time she struck gold, the first one on her list turned out to be an old friend of Prudence and a retired secretary from the Agency. She’d been tickled pink to handle setting up the room and all the other decorations for a holiday/anniversary themed party.
Dotty had no trouble finding the restaurant. Prudence had chosen one far enough away from the Agency so there would be no chance of accidentally running into Lee or Amanda. Finding a place to park on the other hand was another story. There was a parking lot two blocks away but she decided to drive one last time around the block, before parking there as a last resort. The parking gods looked down on her with favor as she saw someone getting into their vehicle not too far from the restaurant. She flicked on her blinker and waited for the other car to pull away.
When she entered the restaurant, she scanned the room and saw Prudence sitting at a table towards the back, gesturing to her.
She bustled across the room and sat down at the table. “I’m so happy we could meet today.”
“Me too.” Prudence smiled. “And I’m happy to report that the Eros Project is on track. I’ve received the proper clearances for the contractors and ‘The Code Breakers’ have agreed to provide the live entertainment. I just need to tell Leatherneck what names to put on the clearances.”
Dotty laughed. “That’s a funny name for a band.”
“It’s even funnier because all the members work in the Cryptology Department and really are code breakers.”
A waitress came over then to take their order. After taking a quick glance at the menu, Dotty ordered a club sandwich and a pot of tea. Prudence ordered the same and when the waitress left, Dotty began the tale of her morning activities. By the time she’d finished her story their food had arrived and they began to eat.
“Now what’s left for us to organize?” Prudence poured more tea into her cup.
“I need to find someone to handle the desserts. I was thinking besides an anniversary cake, some pies and cookies too.”
“Oh yes, our Agents all seem to have inherited the sweet tooth gene. CANDY, cakes, cookies or anything made with sugar never lasts very long at the Agency. Mr. Melrose is especially fond of donuts and all kinds of Danish.”
“I’m not familiar with the area. Do you know of any bakeries near the Agency?” Dotty began to eat her club sandwich.
“There are two that we use for functions in the Pyramid Room. I’ll call them when I get back and split the order between them. That way instead of one handling a large order, it would be split and they should be able to handle the order at the last minute. Do you have any idea what type of anniversary cake you’d like to order?”
Dotty thought for a moment. “I think we need two cakes, both heart shaped. The smaller one should say Happy Anniversary Lee and Amanda with roses decorating it. The other, a larger one, would just say Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Prudence wrote down the information in a little black notebook. “Well I think that’s it. Are we forgetting anything?”
Dotty searched her mind for anything left undone. “Oh. I was going to ask Mr. Melrose if we’re permitted to bring in liquor. I’m not talking a lot, but enough to make some cocktails or mixed drinks and a choice of wines. The caterer is providing a non-alcoholic punch, bottled water and, of course, soda.”
“Oh yes, there’s no problem with that. We’ve had some very memorable Christmas parties in the past. My some of the stories I could tell you.” Prudence smiled. “But I digress. A small bar that we use for functions when needed is available. It’s in storage but I’m sure I can arrange to have it set up in the room. I even know a clerk in Security who moonlights as a bartender. I’ll check to see if he’s available.”
“That would be marvelous and I’ll pick up the liquor tomorrow afternoon. If I buy it today, Lee and Amanda might see it and become suspicious. This is going to be a great surprise party.”
“Yes, it is. I’ll call you later this afternoon to let you know about the bakery order.” Prudence checked her watch. “Now, I’m afraid I need to get back to work.”
*****
The doors of the elevator made a slight swishing noise as they slid open and Francine stepped out on the lowest floor of the Agency. There were only storerooms and the quartermaster’s offices down here, and it was the latter that was her destination. She glanced up and down the corridor to make sure she was alone, before turning towards her goal.
Leatherneck’s sanctum was empty when she entered. She wandered over to his desk and sat on a corner of it to wait. After a few minutes, she began to get a little impatient; he’d said he would be here and she couldn’t afford to be away from her desk for too long; she’d be missed. She was just about to leave him a terse note when she heard footsteps approaching the door.
Francine slipped from her perch and tried to look like she was there on official business, in case it wasn’t the Agency’s quartermaster coming down the corridor. A difficult task when her heart was racing in the hope that those footsteps belonged to her lover.
Tony walked into his office and his eyes darted around the room to make sure Francine was alone, before turning to close and lock the door. He didn’t move further into the room, he just crooked a finger in a ‘come here’ gesture. Without a word, Francine obeyed and when she reached him, he lifted one hand, threaded his fingers through her hair and cupped the back of her head. They stood like that, staring into each other’s eyes for a second or two before Tony applied a little pressure and she willingly met his lips with hers.
Their hearts were hammering in unison as they broke the kiss. Pulling back not only from the kiss, but also from the brink of going further...a lot further.
“I’m sorry, Tony, I don’t have time for more. I have to get back. I’m supposed to be working with Amanda this morning; we’re doing background checks on new recruits. If I’m gone too long she’ll start to get suspicious.” Turning away from him she walked back to his desk and fiddled with pens lying in a holder.
“So, it’s on?” Leatherneck quirked an eyebrow.
“Yes. The Eros Project is set for tomorrow at twenty hundred. Mrs. Marston will contact you with names of outside contractors who will need access.”
“I’d sure like to go public with our relationship, just like they did.” Tony sat down in his chair, a distinct frown on his handsomely rugged face.
Francine leaned against his desk next to him. “Me too. But I’ll have to sound Billy out on that. I know Smyth reinforced the rule against in-house fraternization after Lee and Amanda got their marriage past him.” With a slow smile she kissed her finger tips and laid them against his lips. “But we can dance together tomorrow, at the party.” She turned to leave.
Tony grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving. “Not good enough. We can dance, but I can’t touch you. I can’t kiss you. Not in full view of everyone at the Agency.”
“No, but we can get together afterwards for our own private dance.” She smiled seductively at the man she had so unexpectedly started to fall in love with.
Tony stood and walked with her to the door. He began to unlock the door, but stopped and turned to caress her cheek. “Come over to my place tonight?” She nodded and he kissed her lightly before unlocking the door and opening it for her. “I’ll make sure all arrangements for the Eros Project run smoothly. Tell Mrs. Marston not to worry and I’ll wait for her call.”
Francine checked to make sure the corridor was clear before turning back to him and with a wide smile, blew him a kiss then quickly made her way toward the elevator.
Friday Morning
Billy paced the office, trying to think of a pretext to keep Lee and Amanda out of the Agency for the day. Nothing he’d come up with so far, would work. It was too early in the morning to get aggravated, but he was almost in need of opening that new bottle of antacid in his desk drawer. He didn’t want to disappoint Mrs. West; he’d promised her he’d get them to the party.
“Billy,” Francine hurried into his office waving a file in her hand. “I’ve found the perfect way to keep Lee and Amanda out of our hair today.”
Billy plopped down in the chair behind his desk, his stomach immediately settling down. “Well, are you going to tell me?”
Francine sat down, smiled brightly, and passed the file to him. “Jittery Jake wants a meet today in Colonial Williamsburg. I think we need to tell Lee and Amanda they’re the only agents he’s willing to contact.”
Billy let out a loud belly laugh. Every agent at the Agency knew Jittery Jake well and tried to avoid him like the plague. His information always turned out to be credible, but the man had a problem with meeting locations. He kept changing them, making whoever was his contact go to four, five or in some instances even more places, before he deemed it safe enough for him to pass along whatever he had.
“Lee and Amanda will spend most of the day going from shop to shop and house to house, with Jittery Jake passing them notes with instructions on their next meeting locale, mumbling ‘it’s not safe here.’ Perfect isn’t it.” Francine winked.
“It is indeed.” Billy placed his elbows on his desk and steepled his fingers. “And I’ve just come up with the scenario to get them to the party this evening. When they come back, I’m going to have Mrs. Marston tell them that several floors had to be temporarily shut down due to an infestation of InsectiEros and that until the fumigation is complete they’ll be debriefed in the Pyramid Room where I’ve set up temporary offices.
Francine burst out in laughter. “You know, Amanda owns her own home and has dealt with exterminators over the years, do you think she’ll fall for InsectiEros.”
“If Mrs. Marston tells the story she will. I couldn’t do it with a straight face, but Prudence, on the other hand, has one of the best poker faces in the Agency.”
“Can I be the one to break the news to Lee and Amanda about their assignment for today?”
“You really want to, don’t you?” Billy saw the wicked gleam in Francine’s eyes.
“Yeah, I can’t wait to see Lee’s face when he finds out he’s going to meet with Jittery Jake. The last time he did, Jake sent him all over a drag queen convention.”
Friday Afternoon
Dotty pushed through the doors of Central Liquor and grabbed a small cart. She walked up and down the aisles making her choices. Of course, she had to place a bottle of Galliano in her cart. As she picked out other types of wine and harder alcohol, she noticed a cooler that held beer and other cold drinks. She pulled open the door and reached for a small bottle of milk; she loved milk with splash of Galliano. As she was shutting the door she noticed they carried whipped cream, but the brand name didn’t look familiar to her. Placing the milk in her cart, she picked up a can. ‘Whipped Lightning’ and chocolate flavored.
Now why would they need flavored whipped cream? Of course, her first thought would be to squirt it on a sexy man and lick it off him inch by delicious inch. But there had to be other reasons why a manufacturer would make different flavors. She mentally smacked her head. Why, to put on top of pies or puddings, or to dip strawberries and other fruits in, of course. In fact, her mouth watered at the thought of dipping strawberries into the chocolate flavored cream.
They had five different flavors and she figured four cans of each would be plenty. After paying for her order, a very cute young clerk helped her load the car; she couldn’t help but admire his tight rear end as he leaned into her car with the bags. Of course, she tipped him handsomely.
Before heading towards the Agency, Dotty pulled the directions to the underground parking garage from her purse, Prudence had written them down so she wouldn’t forget them. She’d never been to this particular garage and wanted to make sure she knew the way. Prudence had explained to her that the Pyramid Room was adjacent to the underground garage and had a separate entrance used for attendees who weren’t affiliated with the Agency. Also, she’d been given a code word to tell the garage attendant. If she didn’t give it exactly, entrance would be denied. Now who in the world would forget CUPID!
Dotty drove into a parking spot and turned off the engine. She checked her hair in the mirror and grinned. Lee and Amanda were going to be so surprised. She’d had a moment of doubt earlier in the morning when she had a sudden thought of dread made her stomach clench. What if they’d already made plans for the evening. Luckily, she’d been able to glean from them both that they had nothing special planned, but Lee had winked and said he had something up his sleeve for Saturday evening and not to expect them home that night.
“Tap. Tap.”
Startled Dotty put her hand on her chest and turned toward the sound. She saw Leatherneck standing just outside her door, gesturing to her. Dotty lowered the driver’s side window.
“Sorry, Mrs. West. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Oh please call me Dotty. I’m so glad it’s someone I know meeting me.” She got out of the car and closed the door.
“Well Dotty, the Eros Project is on schedule. The decorator left a little while ago and the bakeries have delivered the cakes and desserts. The caterer is due in an hour. Pop the trunk and I’ll get it unloaded.”
Friday Evening
Billy stood near the bar in the Pyramid Room taking in the surroundings; the decorator had done an amazing job of transforming the room into an anniversary/holiday event. Red hearts and cupids floated from the ceiling on streamers, roses in heart-shaped vases were centerpieces on the tables along with a jar of candy kisses. Delicious aromas tickled his nose from the tables the caterer had set up. He had to stop himself twice already from attacking the dessert table; a chocolate éclair had been calling his name for the past fifteen minutes. The third time he’d attempted to get closer to the sugary sweetness his wife, Jeannie, had noticed and given him the ‘look.’ That look had immediately halted any thoughts of sneaking away with a piece of chocolate heaven.
He shut his eyes and turned from away from temptation. He took one step. Two. Then he heard it again. The éclair was screaming his name now; his mouth salivated at the thought of sinking his teeth into the delectable confection. Admitting defeat, he started towards the desserts. He’d just put his hand out to take one from the tray, when a guard sidled up next to him and whispered in his ear.
Empty-handed, he immediately he snatched his hand back. “Heads up, everyone. The guests of honor are on the way.”
Billy hurried to the door he wanted to be outside in the corridor when Lee and Amanda arrived. He heard the elevator ding and schooled himself to act like he’d met them casually as he walked by.
He timed it perfectly, passing the elevator just as Lee led Amanda from the car with his hand at her back, guiding her through the coats.
“Billy, you’re not going to believe the afternoon we had.” Lee ran his hand through his hair. “Jittery Jake had us running all over Williamsburg. I swear that man gets more paranoid with every meet he sets up. At least there weren’t any drag queens trying to get my phone number. And what’s this bug, InsectiEros, Mrs. Marston told us about?”
If he hadn’t heard it with his own ears and seen it with his own eyes, Billy would never have believed it. Lee Stetson rambling, Amanda was rubbing off on him. “Scarecrow, take a breath. Are you taking rambling lessons from your wife?”
Lee’s eyes became huge. “Billy!”
Amanda laughed. “Between mother, the boys and me, sometimes it’s the only way he can get a word in edgewise.”
“Okay, enough of this let’s get the debriefing over.” Billy headed towards the door to the Pyramid Room.
“Yeah, we’re starving. We decided we wanted to get back to town as soon as we could and didn’t stop to eat.” Lee rubbed his stomach.
“I don’t think you’ll have to wait very long.” Billy opened the door and gestured for Lee and Amanda to enter first.
As soon as Amanda and Lee stepped into the room, a rousing “Happy Anniversary!” filled the air.
“Oh my gosh!” Amanda’s hands were over her mouth in surprise.
“Surprise you two.” Dotty rushed up to the stunned pair and wrapped her arms around them both.
One Hour Later
Amanda made her way toward the dessert table for the third time. It amazed her that she still had room for anything after all she’d eaten. But there was something about the whipped cream...she couldn’t seem to get enough of it. Especially the chocolate flavored. It looked like she wasn’t the only one wanting more desserts. Fellow agents and guests were crowded around the table. Amanda fanned her face, was it hot in here? The room spun for a moment. She closed her eyes and when she opened them, she felt fine. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think she’d had a bit too much to drink, but she’d only had two glasses of wine. That amount of alcohol wasn’t enough to make her feel all that tipsy.
At the table, she noticed the can of chocolate whipped cream, instead of having to come back so often, she decided to bring the can with her back to their table. As she turned, she felt someone bump into her back making her lose her balance for a moment. Luckily, the strawberries were in a bowl or they’d have fallen all over the floor.
A hand grabbed her elbow. “Pardon me ma’am. I didn’t mean to jostle you.” He tipped an imaginary hat to her.
“I’m fine, Pilgrim.”
“I’ll just mosey on.” The agent code-named Pilgrim sauntered off in a John Wayne gait. Whoever had picked his name had chosen the perfect one.
When she arrived back the table, she found Lee still engrossed in conversation with TP and her mother.
“Oh, I’m sorry my dear, we’ve been monopolizing your poor husband for way too long. Mrs. West would you do me the honor of the next dance?” TP rose and extended his hand.
“So gallant; I’d love to.” Dotty put her hand in his and they walked out onto the dance floor.
Lee pulled his chair closer to Amanda. “Alone at last.”
Amanda looked around the room. “You call this alone?” She squirted a generous amount of whipped cream onto a plate, dipped a strawberry into it before taking a bite out of the delicious fruit.
“Okay so we’re not exactly alone. But we’re the only ones at the table for the moment. You have a bit of whipped cream on your mouth.”
Amanda picked up a napkin to wipe it off.
“Allow me.” He took the napkin from her, leaned over and kissed her. “That’s really good.” He licked his lips, picked up a strawberry and dipped it in the chocolate cream.
Suddenly, Amanda felt very frisky. Her hand moved to his knee under the table and squeezed. “You know I’d really like to be alone with you right now.” Her fingers moved up his thigh. She felt her face flush. “I’m feeling a little hot.” She took a gulp of her wine.
“You are hot.” Lee’s hand moved under her skirt and blazed a path along her leg.
She took another gulp, then picked up her napkin and waved it in front of her face. “If you keep that up Stetson, we’re going to have to get out of here and find some place to be alone.”
“Let’s go.” His fingers glided over her crotch.
“Where?” Her hand slid over his growing erection.
“I don’t know. Yet.” He rose from the table. Amanda noticed that his pants were already tenting. It wouldn’t take much for him to become fully erect. She licked her lips.
As they made their way around the dance floor, Amanda glanced up at the ‘Code Breakers’ who had gotten a new band member a little while ago. Billy Blue Note had joined them and he seemed to be having the time of his life. Lee guided her around a group watching some dancers. Amanda caught a flash of the woman in the center of the group when someone moved. She tugged on Lee’s hand to halt their progress.
“Look.” She pointed. “Mother and TP are dancing the Charleston.”
“Well, I’ll be. I didn’t think that old coot had it in him to be able to do a lively dance like that.”
They watched for several minutes, Lee’s hands were on her shoulders, and she could feel his hot breath tickling her ear. Her pulse quickened and she pushed her body back against his, wiggling her butt against his erection. Lee groaned. “Let’s keep moving or you’re going to have to stay in front of me the entire time.”
After what seemed like ages, they’d made their way to the door. It seemed like every two minutes, they’d be stopped by someone wishing them a happy anniversary.
Lee glanced back around the room, before opening the door. Amanda did the same, making sure the coast was clear and that no one was paying them any attention. The girls from the Steno Pool had started a conga line and everyone seemed to be joining in.
Outside the Pyramid Room, Lee looked up and down the hallway before taking her hand and leading her in the direction he’d chosen. His steps were long and fast and Amanda felt a little lightheaded trying to keep up with his pace. Maybe she shouldn’t have gulped that last glass of wine. “Not so fast, sweetheart.” She jerked on his hand to slow him down.
Lee stopped in the middle of the hallway. “I’m sorry. I just want to get you alone as soon as possible.” He kissed her lips lightly.
Suddenly, her head cleared and she boldly pressed her hand to his cock. He grabbed her by the waist and pressed his body to hers. His lips ravaged hers in a demanding kiss.
“I want you inside me, now. I can’t wait much longer.” She panted when their lips parted and unbuttoned the first two buttons of her blouse.
Lee took her hand in his, stopping her from unbuttoning any more. “Let’s go up to the Q.”
“No, too far.” She pouted. “Can’t we find some place closer?” She began to pull her skirt up.
“Okay.” His eyes were dark with passion. “I can’t wait much longer either.” He opened the first door he came to and turned on the light. When he shut it behind them, he made sure to turn the lock.
Overhead lighting illuminated the ‘Cloak and Dagger’ room. It reminded her of an upscale store. Designer dresses and tuxedos encased in plastic hung, waiting to be worn for an assignment where you had to be dressed to the nines. Clothing for more downscale scenarios were kept in the ‘Vagabond’ room. Accessories filled glass cases and one wall held nothing but shoes. Amanda immediately made a beeline to the jewelry display. Rhinestones. Their sparkling brilliance dazzled her every time she came in here. They looked genuine. And some could be almost as expensive. Of course, the ‘real’ gems were safely locked up.
Enough daydreaming, they’d come in here to satisfy a sexual urge. She felt her vagina clench at the thought of making love in this room, surrounded by all the luxury. She turned away from the display and found herself alone. Where had Lee gone?
“Lee.”
“I’m back here.”
Amanda moved through the aisles, racks of clothing on each side. “Where?”
“The dressing room.”
Amanda pulled back the curtain to the dressing area and found her husband lying on a carpet of furs. Naked. He had his cock in his hand and was slowly running it up and down his length.
Amanda licked her lips. Quickly, she undressed, her eyes never leaving her husband as he pleasured himself. Suddenly, a thought entered her head. How many poor little animals had given their lives so they could make love on their fur? The idea that they’d died made her sad. A hot tear rolled down her cheek.
“What’s wrong?” Lee sat up alarmed.
“Are the furs real?” She brushed her cheek with her fingertips.
Lee leaned back against the pelts. “Don’t let that bother you. These are fakes.” He brushed the fur with his hand. “The real ones are kept in cold storage to protect them from being damaged.”
She let out a sigh and felt better now, knowing that she wouldn’t be cavorting on top of little animals.
“Now get your lovely ass down here.” He patted the furs under him.
Amanda sat down in the pile of softness and stroked the thick pelts with her fingers.
“So soft.”
“Stroke me, instead.” He covered her with his body and brushed his lips against hers, and when he teased her lower lip with his tongue, she opened for him. The kiss heated and she snaked her hand between their bodies, wrapping her fingers around his cock.
“Nice and hard, baby,” he whispered into her ear before nibbling his away along her neck. As he ravaged her neck, she began to move her hand up and down his shaft, feeling him harden even more with each stroke.
“I want to feast on you as I feel you take me deep into your mouth.” He looked deep into her eyes.
Before she had a chance to say anything, he shifted positions and the cock she’d been holding moments before now dangled in front her lips.
Her tongue flicked out and swirled over the head of his penis, licking the bead of moisture that had escaped the tip. She let out a moan of pleasure when he parted her labia and began to lick around her clit. Circling the base of his cock with her thumb and forefinger, she began to pump. Her other hand cupped his balls, gently squeezing and rolling them with her fingers. Then she took him into her mouth and began to suck hard. She knew he wouldn’t last long, he never could once she’d set her rhythm.
Sometimes when they were making love, she found it hard keeping her concentration on her task in hand and mouth. Especially, when he pushed a finger into her core. She gasped around his cock as he did that exact thing. For some reason tonight, she couldn’t stay focused. She leaned her head back into the furs as he thrust two fingers into her while his tongue flicked across her arousal making her squirm underneath him. He plunged his fingers in deeper, stroking that hidden spot inside her causing her legs to spread even wider giving him greater access. She pushed her hips up and dug her heels into the furs as he flicked her clitoris with his tongue then sucked on it, hard. Her body began to spasm as her climax roared to life.
Before she had a chance to catch her breath, Lee switched positions again and his lips devoured hers. He molded her left breast with his hand, squeezing it into plumpness, brushing his finger over the taut peak of her nipple. She tasted herself in his kiss and it turned her on even more. Her hands moved over his ass, her fingertips lightly touching his skin. Her fingers trailed a line up his back, hitting that ticklish spot she’d found early in their relationship.
Lee broke their kiss and squirmed his torso, in an attempt she had become familiar with; he was trying to stop her from hitting that secret area. He grabbed her arms and pushed her back deeper into the furs. “I wish you’d never found that spot.”
Amanda looked deeply into her husband’s passion-filled eyes and saw a twinkle of light flicker in them. “Too bad, Stetson.” Then she used one of the skills she’d learned in self-defense class, to turn the tables on him. When she looked up, she noticed for the first time the huge mirror on the wall. In fact, there were three mirrors, the one in front of her and one on each side. The image of her straddling him mesmerized her. Why hadn’t she’d noticed or remembered them? Because her husband had been holding his cock in his hand.
“What are you looking at?”
“Us.” She placed her hand on his chin and moved his head so he could see what she was looking at. His eyes locked with hers in the mirror.
He cupped her breasts and rolled the nipples with his thumbs. She watched and felt them harden under his touch. He glided his fingers across her stomach to the curls at the juncture of her thighs.
“Spread yourself for me.”
Amanda spread her lips and saw her swollen clitoris peaking from its hiding place. He touched it lightly with his finger and it quivered. Her vaginal muscles clenched in anticipation. She felt so empty. She needed to be filled.
“I want you inside me.” She hovered above his cock so he could take himself in hand to guide his entrance. Slowly she sank down moaning and savoring the sensation as his penis stretched and filled her. When she rose, his cock glistened with her juices. The sight of him penetrating her made her blood boil with ecstasy.
Amanda leaned back and rode him. Her eyes fixed on the images of their two bodies joining in the mirrors. First, she looked in front of her, then to the side, each angle giving her a different perspective. She watched his cock disappear inside her, then reappear. Faster and faster she moved. Her breathing quickened, her pulse raced.
She watched as he rubbed her clitoris with his thumb, harder and faster. Her eyelids fluttered and muscles clenched as her orgasm burst and she screamed his name. In the mirror, she saw him grasp her hips, pulling her up and pushing her down harder and faster as he milked her climax until she felt his body stiffen and his cock began to jerk and fill her with his hot seed.
In the aftermath of their lovemaking, Lee gently glided his now softened penis out of her so she could lay her head on his chest. She heard his rapid heartbeat begin to slow as their passion ebbed. She closed her eyes for a moment and placed her hand on her forehead as her head began to spin.
“Are you all right?”
Amanda heard the concern in his voice. “If I didn’t know any better I’d think I drank too much.”
“You did drink some wine on an empty stomach. No more for you when we go back to the party.” He kissed the tip of her nose.
The party. Oh my gosh! She’d completely forgotten about the surprise party. She’d been so consumed with desire, the only thing she’d been able to think of had been making love to her husband. In a flash she rose; thankfully her head didn’t spin. “We better get back before anyone misses us.”
A few minutes later they were both clothed and Lee picked up their ‘bed’ and placed them back on hangers. As he did, she saw a wet spot on the pelt of one of them. “Wait. Those should go to the cleaners.”
“Don’t worry, I’m putting them on the rack designated to go to the cleaners.”
As they walked back through the ‘Cloak and Dagger’ room, Amanda decided one of the investments she’d make in the near future would be one of those old fashioned huge mirrors that could be swiveled. That way they could change the angle and get different perspectives of their bodies while making love.
Amanda realized the moment she passed the ladies’ room she really, really needed to use the facilities. Must be all the wine she’d drunk. “I need to make a quick stop.” She gestured toward the bathroom door.
“I’ll wait right here.” He smiled as he leaned against the wall.
*****
Some time, not much earlier...
“This is cruel and undue torture.” Tony flinched as Francine’s hips once again, rubbed up against his ever-tightening crotch as they slowly danced, their bodies’ reactions hidden by the crush of the other couples on the dance floor.
“I know. How soon do you think we can slip away?” Francine surreptitiously played with wisps of hair brushing his shirt collar. “It’s so hot in here.”
“Hot? The only thing that’s hot in here is you, my sweet.” He grinned when she arched a brow at him. “The guests of honor have arrived, been duly surprised and have made the rounds; I guess we can slip out now if you want.”
“Not together.”
“No, not together. I’ll take you back to your table and you smile and do the ‘nice chit-chat’ for a few minutes, then follow me.” With difficulty, Leatherneck resisted the urge to pull her soft curves tightly against his hardness. He wanted her so much; even the previous night’s strenuous activities hadn’t eased his need for her. “I’ll head towards the motor pool. There’s a couch in my office there and a good sturdy lock on the door.”
Francine’s gaze was riveted to his lips and she gave an almost inaudible sigh. “I want to kiss you so much right now, it hurts.”
“The feeling’s mutual, but it’s not just your lips I want to kiss.” Tony’s pleasant public smile almost hid the look of lust that lurked in his eyes. “Let’s get out of here.”
With some difficulty, they threaded their way through the dancing couples on the dance floor, toward Francine’s table. With a slowness that belied their sexual need, he helped her into her seat and she caustically thanked him for the dance. With only a twitch of his lips to reveal his amusement at her assumed rudeness, he left her, knowing it would only be a few minutes before he had her in his arms again.
The party was beginning to get raucous. Only a short while ago Mrs. West had been dancing the Charleston with T.P. Tony had caught a glimpse of the dancing couple as he’d watched Lee and Amanda escaping earlier. His friends’ arousal, obvious to his observant gaze.
As he passed the dais, he stopped briefly to enjoy Billy’s performance with the Code Breakers. The section chief could really blow a mean horn. The music put a spring in Leatherneck’s step as he continued on his way past the cheering and whistling crowd. Reaching the exit without incident, his luck didn’t last once he passed through the doors. He felt certain Beaman had been lying in wait for him, or perhaps for Franny.
“Aagh jusht the person I’ve been looking for.” Beaman’s flushed face showed that he’d had more than his fair share of alcohol.
“What can I do for you, Spider?”
Beaman visibly cringed at the sound of his code-name. “I wan’ Franny to notice me. I wan’ her to fanshy me as much as I (hic) fanc...fansh...wan’ her.”
Tony thought for a moment. There was no way his Francine was going to look at Beaman in any way other than slight annoyance, but he had to get the drunken sot out of the way. Francine would be coming through the door any moment looking for him and a little carnal delight. Suddenly inspiration struck. “Spider, old man,” Tony slapped his hand down on Beaman’s shoulder, almost buckling his knees in the process. “Sing to her. She loves Elvis. Sing one of his oldies.”
“Shing? Like ‘Breakheart Hotel’ or ‘Teddy Bear’?”
“Yep.”
“Th(hic)ank you, Leatherneck. You’re a real pal. I’ve got shum Elvis tapes in my car, I’ll jusht go ge’ ’em.”
Tony watched the agent weave his way down the corridor in the direction of the car pool, before he turned to head toward his own domain, which, thankfully, was in the opposite direction.
He hadn’t gotten very far away from the entrance to the Pyramid Room before he heard the clicking of heels behind him. He knew by their rhythm that they belonged to his woman, and he didn’t dare linger. He didn’t want to be seen sneaking off together like a couple of teenagers.
The janitor’s room was just around the bend in the corridor, it was small but he knew the door could be locked from the inside. Tony walked a little faster, and reached the room before the clicking heels turned the corner. With the door ajar he flattened himself against the inside wall by the side of the doorjamb. He could see a small patch of the corridor...enough to see Francine when she drew level with the narrow opening. With perfect timing, his hand snaked out of the doorway, gently clamped on to Francine’s arm, and pulled her through the opening to join him in the small, cramped space.
It was a tight fit with most of the available space taken up with brooms, buckets and the other paraphernalia that cleaning the Agency demanded. Somehow, Tony maneuvered Francine so her back was against the door and he looked into her eyes. “Not very salubrious surroundings, is it Franny?”
She glanced around at containers of floor wax, bleach and toilet cleaner. “Hardly, but knowing that we’re just a few steps away from a party, where almost the entire staff of the Agency are celebrating the holiday of love, adds a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to the moment.”
“We could be discovered at any moment.” His voice was muffled against the skin of her neck as he pressed open-mouthed kisses from the sweet spot just below her ear to the neckline of her dress. She’d changed for the party into a dress of royal blue with a SATIN trim. The neckline scooped low and Tony took advantage of the easy access to scrape the backs of his fingers down the swell of her breast that was just visible above the cloth.
Francine’s sharp intake of breath told him just how much his touch was affecting her, and he left the soft curve of her neck to capture her lips in a kiss, one that he hoped made her toes curl in her fashionable shoes.
Pulling back from her soft mouth, he returned to nip and lick his favorite spot on her neck, while beginning to work the shoulder of her dress, together with the strap of her bra, down to her upper arm. When he realized the dress had moved as far as it was going to, he reached behind her and, very slowly, pulled the zipper down with one hand while he caressed the newly exposed skin with his other. With a helpful shrug from Francine, the garment slithered down her body to pool at her feet like shimmering blue water. A small step to the side, a practiced flick of her foot, and the dress landed on a box of floor wax.
Tony’s pulse sped up and he felt himself go hard when he looked down at his lover. She was wearing a tiny HEART-shaped thong and garter belt; her legs encased in elegant nude-colored stockings that made her long, shapely limbs, shine. The outfit screamed SEX and his one thought was to get that thong off her.
Francine smiled when she saw the hungry look on Tony’s face. “You like?”
“Like? OOH BABY, COME TO PAPA!”
Francine complied and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull his face down to hers for a scorching kiss that made him ache with want. Not one to refuse to reciprocate, he pulled one of the bra straps down and freed her breast. Cupping the creamy mound, he gently massaged it before rolling the taut nipple between his finger and thumb. He broke the kiss and dipped his head to take her breast into his mouth.
Leatherneck shifted, trying to get comfortable in his pants as his cock hardened even more when his Franny made inarticulate sounds in her throat, her moans of pleasure egging him on to suckle harder on the rose-colored peak. His hands didn’t remain idle either. With one hand on her back between her shoulder blades, he held her close to him while he slipped his other hand under that sexy thong. He wove his fingers through the curls guarding her center, the fine hairs caressing his fingertips. Reaching her clit, he gave it a feather-like stroke before dipping behind and sinking his finger into her warm wetness.
Francine threw her head back when she felt his finger enter her. The door however, didn’t make for a soft cushion and she whimpered as pain resounded through her head. Tony released her breast and looked up, his face full of concern. “Did I hurt you, sweetheart?”
“Ugh, no not you. Me. I hit my head on the door. There really isn’t a lot of space here. We can’t even get horizontal.”
“It’ll be a challenge, but I think we can make this work.”
Francine grabbed his hand, which he’d removed from under her thong to stroke her head. “Don’t you dare stop what you were doing,” and she pushed his hand back down toward the juncture of her thighs before raising her hands to skim them over the hard muscles on his back and shoulders.
More than willing to continue his play, he slipped his hand back under the scrap of satin and lace. She was so wet and hot, so ready for him; and he was painfully aware of his need to feel her around him. Sheathing him. He pulled his hand away from her back and without stopping his caressing movements at her core, he undid his belt and flipped open the buttons on his fly. He allowed his pants and briefs to fall to his ankles. Bringing both hands up and around her body he gripped the back of Francine’s thong, ripped it apart, pulling the material away from her body.
When Leatherneck placed his hands under her rear end to boost her up, to allow them to do what they both wanted in the confined space, Francine put her hands on his shoulders and gave a little jump bringing her legs up around his waist. With her back pressed against the door for support, he lowered her down onto his shaft.
The pleasure he felt was off the scale as he slowly entered her body; her hot wetness enfolded him and drew him in. He brought one hand up to cup and protect the back of her head as he began to thrust, pushing her against the door with each movement. He looked at the face of his love as he buried himself inside her. So beautiful. How could he have worked with her for so long and not seen the beauty that’s both on the inside, as well as on the outside, of this person who made him whole.
Leaning his head forward, he captured her lips with his and delved into her mouth with his tongue, mimicking the movement of his cock in her core. Their tongues moved in synchronization with their bodies in the ancient dance.
Tony kept the pace slow, and had to grit his teeth to keep his control. He wanted to watch Franny come. He wanted to have his glimpse of Heaven on her face as her body pulsated and clutched around him. He watched as her eyes fluttered closed and felt the first pulls of her body as she began to climax. Leaning forward again to kiss her and swallow her moan of release, he let himself come, each pulse of his cock in sync with each pull of her ORGASM.
With great reluctance, he let Francine slide back down until her feet were on the floor. Holding onto each other for support, their breathing slowly began to regulate; heartbeats returned to normal speed. He leaned his forehead against hers and smiled. “Standing up in a closet - that’s a first for us.”
She chuckled weakly. “I hope it’s the first of many firsts.”
“Don’t worry about that, I have every intention of sticking around for a long, long time, and there’ll be plenty of opportunity for more firsts.”
She was silent for a beat or two and then looked deep into his eyes. “I’m glad, because I’d really like for you to stick around for a long, long time.” She looked away, uncharacteristically she was suddenly self-conscious, and picked up her dress. She slipped it on while he pulled up his pants. Turning her back, she glanced over her shoulder. “Would you zip me up?”
Tony reluctantly closed the zipper, covering his own personal paradise. He reached down and picked up her thong and with a sheepish glance at her, he tucked it into his pants’ pocket.
“You owe me a new thong!”
“I know. And my punishment for the rest of the evening, will be knowing that you’re not wearing anything under that dress. I’m gonna have a permanent hard-on until I get you alone again.”
She laughed with delight. “Don’t forget we’ve got another, more personal dance booked for later this evening.”
“How could I forget?” He ran his fingers through her hair to neaten it and bent his head to kiss her lightly on the tip of her nose. “Let me check that the coast is clear, and then I think you should make a stop in the ladies’ restroom. You’re absolutely beautiful, but you also look like you’ve been thoroughly fucked.”
“Goes both ways, lover. But, yes, I think I’ll make a pit stop before I make a public appearance.”
Leatherneck opened the door wide enough for him to step through and check the corridor. Not seeing anyone in either direction, he motioned for Francine to step out. He leaned against the opposite wall and watched his woman walk toward the restrooms. His cock stiffened because he knew the silky blue cloth of the dress she wore, covered her now bare ass. And what a gorgeous ass that was.
Francine pushed open the door of the ladies’ room and stopped short just inside. Amanda was standing at the sinks looking in the mirror. As their reflected eyes met in the glass, rueful smiles spread over each of their faces. Amanda’s face was as flushed as Francine’s and her lips just as puffy. Francine approached her and grabbed a paper towel from the dispenser by the side of the sinks. Wetting it under the cold water, she pressed it to her cheeks. “Why is it, they can go back into public with no one being the wiser, and yet we need time to come down from the high?” She said in a perfectly normal conversational tone.
Amanda grinned at her friend and wished she had a comb to straighten her hair so she could make herself semi-presentable. “Because all they have to worry about is making sure their pants are zipped up and their shirt buttoned. They don’t have to worry about mussed hair or smeared makeup.”
“Yeah, they can just run their hand through it and it’s back to normal.” Francine tugged her fingers through her blonde tresses hitting a snag. “Could you help me fix mine, please?”
“Sure. Turn around.” Amanda began to finger comb Francine’s hair, gently pulling several snags apart. “Can you do mine.”
Francine reciprocated and the two once again looked into the mirror. “I’m not sure we can do much about our makeup except wipe off as much as we can. Do you think the red in our cheeks has gone away enough for us to make an appearance back at the party?”
“Yeah, we just look like we’ve had a bit too much to drink. I don’t think anyone will notice our bee stung lips. Was it as earth shattering for you and Tony as it was for Lee and I?”
Francine wasn’t shocked by her friends observation, after all Amanda and Lee were both aware that she’d been dating Tony seriously for quite some time now. She grinned from ear to ear, her eyes sparkling. “He rocked my world.” She tossed the used paper towels into the trash.
Amanda opened the door to the restroom and found both Lee and Tony leaning against the opposite wall. Both had satisfied expressions on their faces.
“You two look like cats that ate the canaries,” Francine said as she followed Amanda out.
Lee and Tony looked at each other grinning the whole time. “Oh yeah, we did,” they replied in unison.
Amanda smacked Lee’s arm playfully. “Come on, we need to get back before we’re missed and they send out a search party to look for us.”
The foursome walked down the hallway, each savoring the aftermath of their lovemaking, until they came to the door to the Pyramid Room. “Well back to being just coworkers,” Tony sighed. He opened the door and allowed the ladies to enter first.
Amanda couldn’t believe the sight before her. In the middle of the room, Beaman stood on a table singing. Or attempting to sing, by the way he jumbled and slurred the words it sounded like he’d had too much to drink.
“There she is! My hunka…hunka…hunka…burn’n luvvvvvy.” He swiveled his hips and almost lost his balance on top of the table. He fell to one knee and held his hand out. “Francshi…”
Lee wrapped his arm around Amanda’s waist. “I think we’ll go back to our table. Good luck Francine.”
With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, Francine not only watched her friends walk away, but also her man. With an apologetic look over his shoulder, Tony had followed Lee and Amanda to the other side of the room. Turning back to give a very drunk Beaman some of her attention, she barely smothered a laugh. Schooling her face not to show her disgust at the man, she took in his appearance.
Standing on the table, Beaman was jacketless and the top four buttons of his shirt were undone, his scrawny, hairless chest on view. Francine’s eyes showed her amusement, and just a little annoyance, as she noted he’d knotted his tie around his forehead, the tails hanging down onto his shoulder. Whenever the agent got drunk, he made a pass at her. Unfortunately, Beaman couldn’t hold his alcohol, so even a couple of glasses of eggnog at Christmas would put him in the mood. It had been like that ever since he had joined the Agency, and she was getting tired of it.
Suddenly, he broke into song again. Francine cringed; Elvis’ ‘Teddy Bear’ had never been strangled quite so badly before. It was barely recognizable. While Beaman begged her to let him be her teddy bear, she glanced over at her lover. Tony was leaning against the back wall, watching her. Their gazes met, and then his slid downwards and she knew he was thinking about her lack of underwear. He lifted his eyes up to meet hers again, and she watched him surreptitiously make a licking movement with his tongue. Instantly, she felt herself go wet, her heartbeat sped up and her breath shortened. Damn him. How could he turn her on with just a look?
Some hint of her arousal must have been in her eyes or face, because as she turned back to Beaman, he jumped down from the table and kneeled before her.
“Put a chain around my neck
and lead me anywhere
Oh let me be
Your teddy bear.”
If Beaman was the last man on Earth, she wouldn’t lead him on a leash anywhere. Looking down at him, she couldn’t resist a snide remark. “Spider, I wouldn’t want you if you were a grizzly bear, let alone a teddy bear.” Then she put one finger on his forehead and pushed. The man was so plastered, he just toppled over. Someone in the crowd surrounding them, snickered and said ‘timberrr.’
Francine turned her back on the drunken heap on the floor. “Clean up that mess.” She snapped at a couple of trainee agents standing on the edge of the crowd around Beaman. Without a backward glance, she walked over to Lee and Amanda’s table and sat down.
Leatherneck came and sat down next to her, allowing her to relax and soak up his comforting presence. A minute later, comfort was the last thing on her mind as she felt his hand on her leg, under her skirt, edging up to her naked crotch. Squirming, she put a hand down to stop his progress. “Lee, Amanda, would you mind if we... I didn’t stay to the end of the party? I...er... I’ve got someone...thing, I meant something, to do before I go to sleep.”
Amanda’s throaty laugh rang out, and Tony laid his hand over Francine’s. Lee leaned forward so his low tone couldn’t be overheard at the next table. “Francine, Amanda and I know what it’s like to keep a relationship secret. It can be very difficult at times not to yell out that you’re involved...”
“...or in love.” Amanda intervened.
“Yeah, or in love.” Lee glanced at his wife, his feelings clear for all to see. Turning back to his friends, he continued. “Go. We’ll cover for you. But you’ve got to promise us one thing.”
Leatherneck narrowed his eyes with suspicion. “What’s that, Scarecrow?”
Lee smiled easily. “Enjoy each other. But...speak to Billy. Get him to push for a repeal of the rule against fraternization.”
“Lee’s right. Your love can’t flourish when it’s being strangled.” Amanda smiled at them. “Go.”
Francine was thoughtful as she stood up. ‘Love,’ she thought. Did she and Tony love each other like Amanda and Lee so obviously did? Risking a glance at her lover, she saw that his eyes were twinkling at her and she nodded to him, thanked her friends and walked off, alone, to find Billy and say goodnight to him before leaving.
She managed to make it to her car without meeting Beaman or anyone else. She and Tony had arranged to meet at her apartment but she didn’t want to drive off without seeing Leatherneck for a second. Lee and Amanda had started her thinking about her future. Did she want a happy ever after? She’d been disappointed before; could she trust her heart to someone else?
A shaft of light broke into the dimness of the garage as the elevator doors slid open and Tony stepped out. She smiled at him, but realizing he couldn’t see her in the shadow of her car, she flashed her headlights. He raised a hand in recognition and she drove off.
It was a short journey to her apartment in Georgetown, and she was just locking the door to her vehicle when Leatherneck drove up in his truck and parked. A light rain began to fall as she waited for him to join her; raising her face for his kiss, she squeaked when he reached down and rubbed her naked ass through the thin fabric of her skirt.
“Let’s go inside, beautiful, before we get arrested for indecent exposure.”
Francine almost giggled, but caught herself just in time. Something about this man made her forget her upbringing and act more like Amanda than a society debutante. A few short months ago, she would have been horrified at that thought, but now...now she liked the way she felt.
With his hand on her back, they entered the building and took the elevator up to her apartment. At the door, she handed him her keys.
He gave her a puzzled look as he took the keys and then opened the door. “Why? You’re not usually the kind of woman who lets a man do that kind of thing for you.”
“I know. But I thought I’d give you some practice.” She smiled when he looked even more perplexed. She opened a small drawer in the table by the door and took something out. “Here. It’s about time you had your own set of keys to my home.”
Leatherneck took the keys and pocketed them. “Come here, sweetheart. I want to show my appreciation of your trust.”
Francine dodged his hand and almost skipped down the hallway to the bedroom. “No way. I know how you show ‘appreciation’ and I want to be comfortable when you do!”
Tony followed her at a leisurely pace, knowing that when he caught her, she wouldn’t try to skip away from him again. Damn, he realized he was falling in love her and he didn’t mind one tiny bit.
*****
After Francine and Tony left, Amanda felt a bit woozy again. Lee had noticed and rubbed her back until her head cleared. “Do you want to go home too?”
“No, I’m feeling better now.” Even though she’d eaten earlier, her stomach rumbled loudly. “I think I need to eat something.”
“No more wine. I’ll fix you a plate you sit here and rest.”
A few minutes later, he returned with a plate of sandwiches and a bottle of cold water. Once she’d eaten one of the sandwiches she thought she’d feel better, instead she felt exhausted. Her eyelids felt heavy. She suppressed a yawn. It had been a long day driving down to Williamsburg then back to the Agency. Usually, after an energetic love making session they’d curl up in each other’s arms and fall asleep, they hadn’t had a chance to reenergize their batteries tonight.
Amanda looked around the room. The party was still going strong, even though some had left, a lot still danced and seemed to be having a good time. Several of the girls from the Steno Pool were playing an energetic game of limbo with two agents holding what looked like a broomstick. As one of the girls would attempt to go under, they’d make the stick go lower.
In one corner, she saw Beaman lying face down on a table with a large sign in front of him saying ‘Do Not Disturb.’ He’d have a heck of hangover in the morning and she wondered if he’d remember his actions from tonight.
“I can’t eat another bite.” She pushed her plate away. “Let’s go home.”
“Are you leaving, sweetheart?” Dotty stood between their two chairs.
“Yes, mother. We’ve had a long day and we need to get some rest.”
“All right. But I’m going to stay awhile longer to help with the clean up. Prudence is helping the caterers pack. I don’t want to leave all this for the Agency janitors to deal with. Happy Anniversary you two.” Dotty hugged Amanda and kissed her cheek, then did the same to Lee.
“I’m sure Ragmop and his crew will be thrilled with the help.” Lee rose and stood behind Amanda’s chair.
“And I’m going to make sure this lovely lady gets home safely, by following her in my car.” TP placed his arm around Dotty’s waist.
“Isn’t he gallant?” Dotty gushed. “So many men would just leave and not be concerned about a woman’s safety.”
Amanda watched her mother and TP walk away and wondered if there might be a budding romance in their future. Her mother still dated Captain Curt but they weren’t exclusive.
Amanda found her purse under the table where she’d left it earlier. As she rose from her seat she noticed the empty can of whipped cream. She picked it up and placed it into her purse.
“Why are you bringing that home?” Lee placed his hand on the small of her back.
“I’ve never heard of the brand before and want to make sure I know what to look for the next time I go shopping.”
*****
A half hour later Amanda stood next to her bed. She had placed the can of whipped cream on the nightstand and didn’t have the energy to take it back down to the kitchen. All she wanted to do was snuggle under the blankets and sleep. While Lee cleaned up in the bathroom, she decided she’d take her shower in the morning. She took off her clothes and changed in a nightgown.
When Lee came out of the bathroom a cloud of steam followed him. “Come to bed,” Amanda yawned.
“You’re really tired. Are you sure you’re all right?” Concern etched his voice.
“It’s just been a long day. The meet with Jittery Jake. The drive to and back from Williamsburg. The party. Our tryst during the party. Eating too late. We really should’ve stopped for lunch. I shouldn’t have drunk anything on an empty stomach.”
“You really didn’t drink that much and you did have a little bit to eat, I remember you eating a lot of strawberries dripped in chocolate cream.” Lee picked up the empty can of whipped cream. “Did you know this contains alcohol too?” He handed her the can.
“No wonder I’m feeling tipsy. You have to admit it does taste good.” She licked her lips recalling the smooth taste of the chocolate cream mingled with the strawberries.
“The alcohol content isn’t that high though. If you’re still feeling poorly tomorrow, you might be coming down with something.” Lee kissed her forehead, his lips lingering. “Nope, you’re not running a fever.”
“I’m fine. Now come to bed.” She patted the empty space next to her.
Lee slid in under the sheets and Amanda snuggled under his arm, laying her head on his chest, hearing his heartbeat and allowing it to lull her to sleep.
As she felt her eyes close, a warning signal went off in her head. What if…no that couldn’t be the reason. Could it?
She sat up in bed and turned to her husband. “I haven’t had my period in…” She calculated the weeks in her mind, trying to recall the exact date of her last cycle. “In too long! What if that’s why I’ve been lightheaded? And come to think of it, I have been more tired lately.”
“Oh my gosh!” Were the only words her husband could utter.
The End
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Story Notes:
Disclaimers: Scarecrow and Mrs. King is the copyright of Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Production Company. We have borrowed the characters without the permission of WB & Shoot the Moon. This story is for entertainment purposes ONLY, and we do not wish or intend to use this story to profit off of the borrowed characters. This story, however, is the copyright of the above-mentioned authors.
The characterizations of Francine and Leatherneck have been taken from the ‘Romantic Dreams’ story by Cheryl, Sue, and Tera, and from the Tony and Franny series by JanG. We’d like to thank AmyF (TwoPhantoms/The Yank) for the brilliant beta job she did on this story.
We’ve also included the Valentine’s challenge in this story. The words for the challenge are: CUPID; ANNIVERSARY; PERFUME; HEART; CANDY; DIAMOND(S); VALENTINE; SATIN; ORGASM; SEX; and the line is: OOH BABY, COME TO MAMA/PAPA.
Time Frame: Post series; marriage is known.
Lastly, this was originally supposed to be dedicated to Jennifer Cannon for her birthday, but due to various reasons it took a lot longer to write than we envisioned. So...
Happy very belated birthday, Jennifer C!
The characterizations of Francine and Leatherneck have been taken from the ‘Romantic Dreams’ story by Cheryl, Sue, and Tera, and from the Tony and Franny series by JanG. We’d like to thank AmyF (TwoPhantoms/The Yank) for the brilliant beta job she did on this story.
We’ve also included the Valentine’s challenge in this story. The words for the challenge are: CUPID; ANNIVERSARY; PERFUME; HEART; CANDY; DIAMOND(S); VALENTINE; SATIN; ORGASM; SEX; and the line is: OOH BABY, COME TO MAMA/PAPA.
Time Frame: Post series; marriage is known.
Lastly, this was originally supposed to be dedicated to Jennifer Cannon for her birthday, but due to various reasons it took a lot longer to write than we envisioned. So...
Happy very belated birthday, Jennifer C!