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For personal use and select distribution only © February 2002 by Amber Stockton
Suitable for Framing - tagalogue
Written by Whitney W. Roberson (excerpts from the episode belong to him)
"Two weeks," Dr. Smythe stated with finality, taking a puff of his cigar. "I expect to see you back here in two weeks. All right?" He turned to leave.
"Uh, one moment, sir." Lee stopped him and waited until he turned around before tossing something across the room. Dr. Smythe caught the object then looked down to identify it. "Check mate."
Seeing the pawn he had tossed to Scarecrow a couple of days ago, Smythe allowed what could only be considered a grin, coming from him, to show on his face before turning again to leave. Billy followed, but before closing the door to the Q-Bureau, he turned back and gave Francine and Lee a wink.
The two top agents, after coming so close to losing their jobs, turned to face each other and smiled in relief. They released their breaths in a collective nervous laugh.
"Well, that was a close one!" Francine exclaimed.
Lee chuckled. "It sure was! One experience I'm not eager to repeat any time soon."
"You got that right!"
"So, what are you going to do with your two weeks off?" Lee relaxed his shoulders then took a step around his desk.
"Ohh, I don't know," she began, heading for the office door. "I was thinking of a nice relaxing time in a Jacuzzi, followed by a massage and maybe even a visit to the spa and salon for a little pampering." She paused at the door after opening it a little and turned back to face Lee. "Or, maybe I'll find myself an unsuspecting bachelor and pass off top-secret information to him. There's a lot an agent can accomplish in two weeks," she teased with a wink.
Lee chuckled. "Yeah, but Francine?"
"Yeah?"
"Make sure he's a little older and closer to your age!"
Francine picked up the eraser from the ledge under the map and threw it across the room at him. "Very funny!"
Lee ducked to avoid the flying object and laughed as she slammed the door behind her. Turning his attention back to his desk, he picked up a couple of papers and filed them in the cabinet behind him, turned and grabbed his keys from the top of his desk, then headed for the door. Giving the room one last look, Lee flipped the switch and left.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
"Amanda!" Lee called the moment he entered his apartment. He closed the door and tossed his keys on the table by the answering machine. Since there were no messages waiting, he continued further into the apartment. Smelling the familiar aroma of Beef Wellington, he was taken back to a few days ago before all this mess with Sergei and the Trojan Horse began.
"Amanda!" he called again. Out of the corner of his eye, Lee saw a piece of paper propped against two wine glasses at the bar to the right. A quick feeling of déjà vu surfaced, but he picked up the paper and read:
"Pour two glasses of wine and take them to the table."
Lee smiled, recognizing Amanda's familiar script and did as she instructed. When he reached the table, two lit candles and another note waited:
"Put down the glasses and go into the bedroom."
This was getting better by the minute. Lee couldn't remember a time when Amanda had sent him on a treasure hunt of sorts. Walking across the main room to the bedroom, he pushed the partially open door and a knowing grin formed on his lips. It disappeared when there was no sign of life anywhere. That was when he saw the paper taped to his dresser. Lee took a few steps toward it and read:
"Take off your jacket and tie and go out to the record player cabinet."
How did she know I would be wearing a suit? Shrugging out of his jacket, Lee loosened his tie, then pulled it from around his neck and dropped it on top of his jacket on the bed. Then, he turned around to go out into the main room and saw another note taped to the side of the door. How had he missed that?
"Hang up your jacket and tie."
Now, how did she... Lee cut off his own musings and shook his head, smiling at how well Amanda knew him. Instead of it causing concern, he actually warmed at the thought. Clothes put away, he turned once again toward the bedroom door, half expecting to see another note pointing out some other forgotten item. The door was bare, so he went into the main room and walked over to the stereo cabinet and turntable. Unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt, he rolled back the sleeves to his elbows and found another note:
"Turn on the record player and place the needle on the record, then go back to the table and dim the lights."
Glancing down at the record, Lee noticed his favorite jazz album on the player. As the soft sounds of jazz filled the room, he closed his eyes and let the music waft over him, soothing him in a way nothing else could.
"Well, almost nothing else," he said out loud as Amanda's face appeared in his mind. Realizing this little game still hadn't ended, he turned and walked back to the dining room. After turning down the lights, a glance at the table revealed the wine glasses with another note propped against them.
Lee looked to the left and right, knowing Amanda was here somewhere. That note was definitely not there before. It read:
"Pick up both wine glasses."
There were no instructions after that, so he shrugged and reached for the glasses. Swirling the liquid and watching the light from the candles reflect in the shimmery depths, Lee smiled at the romantic mood that had been set.
"I sure hope one of those is for me," Amanda spoke from the doorway to the kitchen.
Lee almost dropped the glasses in surprise when he heard Amanda's voice, but managed to recover as he turned and saw her leaning casually against the doorframe. His gaze took in her appearance. One eyebrow raised approvingly at the pale pink silk robe that covered what looked like a black nightgown. Lee cleared his throat and walked toward Amanda, holding out one of the glasses when he stood directly in front of her.
"Hi."
"Hi, yourself." Lee leaned down to give her a welcome kiss. "Mmm, how I've missed you," he whispered when they broke apart.
"My thoughts exactly!" Amanda swished the clear liquid in her glass and gave him a warm smile. "You follow directions very well. Cheers!"
"Don't get any bright ideas!" He clinked his glass to hers, and they both took a drink. Lee gestured vaguely to the atmosphere created, trying to keep his mind off of what his wife was wearing beneath her robe. "So, is this a second attempt at a romantic dinner together, since the first one was interrupted by this Trojan Horse assignment?"
"It sure is." Amanda walked over to the table and put down her glass, then turned and went back into the kitchen. Reaching for the potholders, she slipped them onto her hands and opened the oven door, then pulled out the pan of Beef Wellington and set it on top of the stove.
Lee stood and watched her every move for several moments, then followed her into the kitchen and leaned over her shoulder, sniffing appreciatively. "Mmm, garnished with just the right amount of onion and watercress. I believe my culinary skills have rubbed off on you." He grinned and rested his arms lightly at her waist and placed a kiss to her right temple.
"And the pastry crust is thin and flaky, just the way you like it." She stepped away to open the cupboard and take down two plates, then turned. "Would you do the honors?"
Lee pulled a knife from the block and picked up the testing fork. He cut a slice in the top before slicing a small piece at one end. "You know," he said after a moment, "Dr. Smythe gave Francine and me two weeks off before we have to report back to the Agency."
"Two whole weeks? Are we talking about the same Dr. Smythe who fired the two of you at the first sign of international scandal?" Amanda placed the plates on the counter and leaned against it, crossing one ankle over the other as she folded her arms.
"One and the same. Francine was quite persuasive in explaining the harrowing days we've had. I tried for a month, but we eventually settled on two weeks." Lee paused and turned to face Amanda. "So, what do you say we make up for lost time and continue the honeymoon we never really had?"
A teasing grin formed on Amanda's lips as she uncrossed her arms and took a step toward Lee. She reached down and took the utensils from his hands and leaned them against the roasting pan, then placed her hands on his shoulders and matched his gaze with her own. "We wouldn't be able to go anywhere..."
"No, but I think I can find plenty for us to do right here at home!"
Lee lowered his voice to a husky timbre as he placed his arms around her and drew her toward him. The silk of the robe was cool and smooth. Her soft curves beneath the thin fabric were wreaking havoc on him. As he leaned closer, she placed a finger on his lips.
"What about our dinner?"
"The beef has to sit for ten minutes anyway before we can eat it," he answered simply, the intensity in his gaze increasing. "Now, where were we..."
"Mmm," she replied and lifted her chin. "I believe we were right..."
"Here," he finished as his lips descended on hers. Senses already acutely attuned to Amanda and the effect her nearness was having on him, the touch of her lips against his only magnified them.
Immediately pulling her closer, he felt her yield to his embrace. She slid her hands up to lock behind his neck. The pressure allowed him to deepen the kiss. As her lips parted, a soft moan in the back of her throat made him nearly spiral out of control with passion. After several glorious moments, Amanda was the one to break the kiss, but Lee was reluctant to part. Instead, he placed a quick kiss on her lips and leaned his forehead against hers, his hold remaining just as tight.
"I really have missed you," he whispered.
A twinkle appeared in her eye before the slow grin spread across her lips. "I never would have noticed."
Pulling away, his gaze dropped again to slowly peruse her apparel from head to toe. When his eyes raised again, he saw the pink staining her cheeks. Lee nodded at her outfit. "So, is this sexy little number another one of your surprises?"
"It certainly is." Amanda reached down to loosen the sash that held her robe together. "Do you approve?"
Lee watched the robe fall open to reveal a modest but alluring black silk negligee. Swallowing more than once, he reined in his emotions and slipped his hands inside the robe to rest again at her waist. "Mmm, I certainly do!" Lee slid his hands up and down Amanda's sides. When she shivered, he smiled down at her. "So, what made you choose this one? Not that I mind, of course!"
Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, then her teeth pulled her bottom lip between them as she lightly chewed on it. "Well, remember last spring when we were spying on Dr. Von Klausen and Mr. Martinay?"
Lee nodded. "Yeah."
"As I recall, there was a certain piece of black negligee that caught your eye."
"Actually, that wasn't what was on my mind," he countered, "unless of course you mean that I was imagining you wearing that little number."
Amanda swatted his chest, then smiled. "And I thought you always maintained your professional composure while on assignment."
"Are you lodging a complaint?"
She paused and pursed her lips, as if giving his question thoughtful consideration. Lee squeezed her waist, then tickled her. Amanda squirmed and laughed.
"Can I take that as a no?"
"Eliciting a response by coersion isn't exactly playing fair!"
"Maybe not, but it works!"
She smiled, then placed her hands back on his chest and looked up. "And taking advantage of me when I'm standing in my bare feet sure puts things decidedly in your favor."
"Well, here's to your disadvantage!" Lee lowered his head and captured her lips again. "But, you know," he said when they parted, "I'm feeling a bit overdressed at the moment."
"Hmm, that's something we can remedy quite easily!" Amanda reached up to unbutton the first three buttons of Lee's shirt. She lightly ran her finger across his chest, then drew it around to his neck and up to play with the hair around his left ear. Lee tightened his hold on her waist. "But, I think that's something we can save for dessert later," she murmured suggestively.
Lee closed his eyes and swallowed several times before he was finally able to speak. "Why don't we enjoy our dessert first?"
Her fingers moved from his ear to his cheek before running across his lips as she smiled. "Because we have the entire evening and night ahead of us to enjoy. I already told Mother and the boys I had a late night ahead of me."
He raised one eyebrow as he gazed down into her captivating brown eyes, and one corner of his mouth turned up. "Rather presumptuous of you, Mrs. Stetson," he teased.
"Are you telling me you have a complaint to lodge, Mr. Stetson?" she countered, repeating his words.
"Not at all, but I hope you know what you're in for tonight!" Lee lifted her right hand in his and brushed a soft but lingering kiss across her knuckles.
Amanda removed her left hand from his chest to pick up the fork leaning against the pan on the stove and speared the small piece of meat he had cut earlier. As she held it to his lips, she smiled. "As long as you intend to follow through on that threat, I think I can manage."
Lee opened his mouth and bit the piece of beef, then slowly chewed it, his eyes never leaving her face. As soon as he swallowed, Amanda placed her hands on his shoulders and pulled herself up, then brushed her lips across his. Lowering his right hand back to her waist, Lee pulled Amanda against him as he increased the pressure.
"Mmm, if this is a taste of what's to come, I can hardly wait!"
Amanda stepped away and grabbed one of the plates from the counter, putting it between them. She smiled. "Well, you're going to have to, Stetson!"
He chuckled and shook his head, then leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on her lips. "Yes, ma'am!" he retorted.
(THE END)