Screen Captures Courtesy of Swoopes For personal use and select distribution only © July 2003 by Amber Stockton Prescription: Amanda(aka: The Eyes Have It - Day 4)
Lee tossed and turned all night. More than once, he awoke from the restless slumber that refused to allow him any amount of real sleep. Countless times throughout the night, his dreams returned to the same face, the same smile, the same eyes, the same person. Amanda. Nothing he did would eliminate her from his thoughts. Even when he tried to bring the faces of other women he'd known to mind, they would eventually blur into Amanda's delicate features. Her warm brown eyes. Her high cheekbones. Her welcoming smile. It haunted his dreams all night. More than once, he recalled her soft touch, the silkiness of her hair, and her smooth skin. The memories were so vivid, he stirred at the recollection, the immediately squelched those inner desires. But, that only caused him to toss and turn more. Finally, around four in the morning, he gave in to the battle and allowed his thoughts to drift toward the possibilities that existed for the two of them. A smile formed on his lips as his dreams filled with the reality of Amanda, and he drifted off into a peaceful sleep. Somewhere in the haze of images that swirled in his mind, Lee found himself relishing the feel of Amanda in his arms. Just before their lips touched, she reached up and wrapped her knuckles on his head. It took several moments before he realized he wasn't dreaming. Lee bolted upright in bed at the sound. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table and groaned. Nine o'clock! "How could I have slept this late?" He threw back the covers, then slipped his arms into his robe as he opened the curtained glass door to his bedroom and stepped into the living room. The pounding sounded again. "I'm coming. I'm coming." He looped the belt of the robe around his waist and opened the door, coming face to face with the object of his dreams. For a moment, Lee thought he was still asleep. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs, then ran his hand through his hair and across his stubbly chin. "Uh...come in, Amanda." She hesitated and peered up at him, concern etched in the lines across her forehead and visible in the narrow slit of her eyes. Then, her expression changed, and she took in his unkempt appearance, her eyes darting away the moment she realized his attire. A tinge of pink stained her cheeks, but she held back any other reaction. When she walked past him, he closed the door behind her and turned. "I'm sorry it took so long. I overslept." "Obviously. You must have been more tired that you thought last night." "Yeah, something like that." Lee wasn't about to share the details of the night he spent, thinking about the very person who now stood in his living room, prepared to spend a full day with him. The shock of seeing her so soon after waking still hadn't fully run its course. He needed some more time alone. "Look, Amanda, why don't you make yourself comfortable. I'm going to jump in the shower and wake myself up. Would you mind putting on a pot of coffee?" "Sure, Lee. I'd offer to fix some breakfast for you, but your choice of selection in the morning doesn't exactly fit within my ability to prepare." She grinned. "Stale baked goods take a few days." "Very funny, Amanda." He rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you can find everything you need for the coffee. I'll be back in a few." "Take your time. From the looks of things, you'll need it." Lee heard her call from the kitchen as he headed into his bedroom and shut the door behind him. He almost turned around and fired back a retort but decided against it. Maybe when he was more awake. As the steady stream trailed down his back and over his head, Lee felt the fog slip down him and disappear with the water down the drain. He went through the motions. With each splash on his face, he came more and more awake. As he lathered his face and prepared to shave, he tried to keep his mind away from the woman waiting for him in the other room. His thoughts jumped back and forth between the various women who had been there over the years. Of course, it wasn't always the same apartment. Lee moved almost as often as he and his uncle had when they hopped from one air force base to the next. Stability seemed to be an unattainable dream. Perhaps that was why he had a long list of women, none of whom lasted much longer than a passing fling. Finished with his shave, Lee toweled dry, then stepped into his room and got dressed, pulling on a pair of jeans and a polo shirt. He gave his hair another swipe with the towel and used his fingers to put it in some semblance of order. With a final glance in the mirror, he stepped back into the living room. Amanda sat on his couch with a cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. For a moment, Lee paused and took in the sight. Something about seeing her face first thing in the morning affected him in an odd manner. He shook his head to clear the image from his mind. Too close to the confusion of his dreams less than hour before. "Anything worthwhile in there?" Amanda snapped up her head at his voice and almost spilled her coffee. She laid the paper in her lap and took a sip. Lee wasn't sure if it was to cover her reaction to his sudden appearance or because she wanted a drink. If it was the former, she hid it well. "Nothing important. The same old articles on government dilemmas and the occasional coverage of a local charity event." She leaned forward and placed her cup on the table. "Did you have a nice shower?" Lee ran his fingers through his hair. "Yeah. Sorry to leave you out here. I still can't believe I slept so late." "It's all right, Lee. I don't mind." She grinned and shrugged, her gaze quickly perusing the length of him and stopping at his bare feet. "Besides, I kind of like the rumpled look. Knocks you down a few pegs from that self-assured, hotshot agent persona you love to brandish." He leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms. "As if I'm the only one who always has to be right." Amanda raised her eyebrows and assumed an air of innocence. "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about." "Uh-huh. I'm sure you don't." Lee pushed away from the wall and walked toward her, dropping down beside her. "So, what's on the agenda for today ... besides the cooking lesson you're going to give me this evening for your favorite meal?" Amanda bent at the waist and reached for something at her feet. When she lifted a box and set it on the coffee table, Lee had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "What's that?" "Case files that need some review before they can be filed away." "Where'd they come from?" She removed the lid and lifted one of the manila folders from within. "I brought them up from my car when you were in the shower. Mr. Melrose left them with me yesterday and said if I thought you were feeling up to it, we could work on them together." Lee let out a groan. "Yet another reason why that Q-Bureau is going to be the death of me yet! I knew the moment Billy gave it to me ... to us ... that it was only going to mean more paperwork." He reached for the folder and flipped it open, glancing down at the information contained on the paper. "I hate paperwork." "Look at the bright side, Lee. Yesterday, you wanted to talk about work. Now, you can ... to your heart's content." She pushed the box toward him. "There's at least half a day's work in here." Amanda pushed back the sleeves of her shirt. "Let's get to work!" Against his better judgement, Lee reached into the box and pulled out another folder. Work wasn't exactly what he had in mind, but at least he could spend the time with Amanda. Some of their best conversations took place in the midst of getting work done for the Agency. Who knew what would come of this task? Case after case passed before their eyes. Once in a while, they would compare notes and question certain things written on the files, but for the most part, they made their way through the stack of folders one by one. Lee had no idea how much time had passed, but a kink in his neck made him take a break and look up. He reached back to rub the sore spot and sighed in exhaustion. Amanda glanced up from the file in her hands. Empathy shone in her eyes and on her face. She held back a yawn, made a final notation on the case in her hands, then placed it on the completed stack on the floor. "Here." She scooted forward. "Lie down on your stomach." "Amanda--" "No arguments. Remember, I outrank you this week." She placed her hands on his shoulders and encouraged him to lie face down behind her, with his head on one of the throw pillows. Lee sighed in resignation and allowed her to mother him. Truth be known, he enjoyed it, enjoyed having her around to look after him. But, if he wasn't careful, it could become a habit. A very dangerous one. As soon as her hands touched his shoulders, Lee stiffened. "Just relax." Her voice had a calming effect on him. Her hands worked a magic all their own. With each press of her thumbs into his muscles, Lee felt himself give in to the temptation to unwind. He once again thought about the other women who had been in the same situation as Amanda ... well almost. They had all provided what he needed at the time, but it didn't take long for Lee to lose interest and move on to the next one. Even now, he cringed at how often he reverted to callous behavior, only to protect himself from getting to close to anyone, from allowing anyone to get too close to him. Until Amanda. He had given her more than a fair share of his defensive demeanor, but she always bounced back ... eventually. Something about her set his mind at ease. Sure, she could be infuriating and test his patience to the limits when she went off on one of her rambles or when she didn't listen when he told her to do something. But, on the flip side, she could also calm him when all he wanted to do was pound his fists into someone's face. Somehow, she had worked her way into his life in an unassuming manner, each case they worked together taking them one step further in the development of their friendship. He couldn't even pinpoint the moment he had started to see her as more than a friend, but as an important part of his life. A knock on the door interrupted his musings. Thankful for the interruption, he raised his head to answer. Amanda started to rise. "No, Amanda." "But you don't even know who it is." "Yes, I do." Lee turned his head toward the door. "Come in, Francine!" A moment later, the door opened, and the blonde agent walked in. "Well! Isn't this a cozy scene!" "Can it, Francine." Lee pushed himself to a sitting position once more. He swung his legs around Amanda, who stood to allow him room to move. "I think I'll go get us some more coffee. Francine? Do you want anything?" "No, thank you, Amanda. I won't be staying long." Amanda disappeared into the kitchen. The sound of the water running carried out to the living room. Lee took in Francine's raised eyebrows as she looked at him and nodded over her shoulder. He glared at her, and she immediately straightened, erasing the mocking look on her face as she assumed an air of complete business. "Here's the file from Billy. He said he didn't need it until next week, but since you and Amanda were already working on some, he figured one more couldn't hurt." Lee rolled his eyes. "Yeah, what's one more?" He took the folder and tossed it on top of the box on the table. "So, how are you enjoying your forced order for rest and relaxation?" "As if you have to ask!" Lee ran his hands through his hair. "I still don't know why Dr. Scardelli ordered five days. I would have been fine after two." "Maybe because she knows you as well as the rest of us, Scarecrow. If you had only been given two days, you would have been back in the field overdoing it again. With what you endured, there's no telling what would have happened." Francine glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the kitchen. "Good thing you have Amanda to make sure you follow orders. From the looks of things when I came in, I'd say she's doing her job." "Francine..." She held up her hands in supplication. "Hey, hey. Just kidding, Lee. Seriously, you do look relaxed." "Well, Amanda's been quite adamant about me not overdoing it. Guess Billy knew what he was doing when he assigned her to me." "You can say that again." Lee narrowed his eyes at the twinkle in Francine's. He wondered if her words held some sort of double meaning, but before he could ponder it further, she spoke again. "Well, at least I don't see any sign of backgammon lying around." "All right, loose lips, I think it's time you got back to the Agency." Lee stood and walked Francine back to the door. "Tell Billy I'll have that file to him with the rest when I come back next week." He reached for the door and opened it. "Thanks again for dropping it off." "No problem." She grinned." You and Amanda behave yourselves, okay?" With a wink, she was gone. Lee sighed and shook his head, then closed the door and turned back toward the living room. Amanda chose that moment to return with two steaming cups of coffee. "Is she gone?" "Yeah, she's gone. You wouldn't be avoiding her, would you?" Lee grinned. "I'm sorry, Lee, but I just wasn't in the mood for her barbs. If I had stayed, I probably would have said something I regretted, and that most likely would have only incited her further." Lee shrugged. "You don't have to explain yourself to me. I didn't exactly want her hanging around too long, either." He caught her gaze and winked. Amanda blushed, then walked forward and handed him a cup. "With cream, no sugar, just the way you like it." "Thanks." He blew on it, then took a drink. "So, how did you know it was Francine at the door?" "Oh, she called about a half hour ago when you were in the other room." Amanda nodded. "I thought I heard the phone, but wasn't sure. Any reason why you neglected to tell me she was coming? It's not like it would have been classified information or on a need to know basis, since we're not exactly working on anything top secret, and you're supposed to be on rest and relaxation this week, anyway. Besides, with as much as we're working together now, there isn't much that you don't tell me, and--" "Amanda..." She stopped and grinned over the rim of her coffee cup. "I'm doing it again, aren't I?" Lee nodded. "Yes." "I'm sorry." "It's all right." He finished his coffee and walked into the kitchen, then called over his shoulder. "Hey, what do you say we get outside for a bit and get some fresh air? We can grab lunch at the corner café and take a break from all this paperwork." "That sounds like a wonderful idea!" Amanda appeared a moment later and handed him her cup. He took it, rinsed it out, then left it in the sink. "After you." He gestured behind her, and she pivoted on her heel to lead the way. Grabbing his keys, he followed her into the hallway, then locked the door behind them. He placed his hand at the small of her back and walked with her to the elevator. The afternoon passed amidst talk and laughter. Lee felt more at ease than he could remember being in a long time. He felt comfortable with Amanda. While a part of him wanted to back away from that, another part was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't resist the attraction. Over sandwiches and sodas, they discussed some of the more ridiculous cases they'd reviewed that morning, agreeing that some of them should never have made it to the government level. For every one that had potential to cause trouble, there were two that could be marked as a waste of the government's time and manpower. Cases like those seemed to be a dime a dozen, and the box Billy had sent with Amanda came packed full of them. They had made real progress, finishing over three-fourths of the contents. That freed Lee from any guilt over taking the afternoon off. After the waiter came and cleared their plates, then took the payment for the food, Lee sat back and allowed his food to settle. "You know, Amanda, I can't remember the last time I've enjoyed myself so much." "I'm glad to hear that, Lee. With as hard as you work day in and day out, you need to get out more and take a break. All work and no play--" "Makes Lee a dull boy, I know." He reached across and took her right hand between his. "But, seriously. I am enjoying this week so far. It must be the company." Amanda ducked her head. "Well..." Lee chuckled, then released her hands. "Come on. Let's finish that walk." He stood and held out his arm, then rested his hand once more at the small of her back as he guided her from the café. They headed toward the river, stopping to watch the boats on the Potomac and the occasional team of rowers. By the time they headed back toward his apartment building, Lee's watch showed the dinner hour approaching. A quick stop at the market provided them with the ingredients for Amanda's favorite meal -- pot roast with succotash. Lee raised his eyebrows at the combination, but went along with it. Somehow, he'd manage to eat it. Of course, since he had to prepare it, he could always add a little something to make the entire meal more tolerable. With that settled in his mind, he opened the door to his apartment and allowed Amanda to precede him inside. They deposited the bags of groceries on the counter. Amanda disappeared, then returned a moment later with a pad of paper and a pencil in her hand. "What's that for?" "For the recipe." She wrote a few things on the paper. "I know how to make this dish, but I don't usually refer to the recipe. You've never made it before, and I don't want you to mess up anything." Lee sighed. "Amanda... I think I can handle a simple pot roast. And the succotash just has to cook in the pan on the stove." He started to unwrap the meat. "Now, why don't you go on into the living room and relax. Maybe you can find something to watch on TV or something to read." "No, I think I'll stay here and watch." Lee almost reached out to physically encourage her to leave the kitchen, but thought better of it. She wouldn't exactly go willingly, and it wouldn't take long before she'd find a reason to return. So, he might as well let her stay. "All right, but you're going to make yourself useful." She nodded. "Fine." He handed her the carrots. "Wash and peel and chop these. You wanted fresh carrots and not frozen, so you can get them ready to cook." "Okay." Amanda took the bag from him and set to work. He turned his attention to the roast, set the oven to heat and prepared the meat. They worked side by side for the next fifteen or twenty minutes, Amanda almost anticipating his every move or need before he asked for something. She even popped a few pieces of carrot into his mouth before they made it to the pot of boiling water. The familiarity was both comfortable and unsettling. In an effort to hide the awkward turn of his feelings, Lee engaged in small talk about the cases from the box in the other room. That led to talk about work at the Agency which trickled into a variety of other topics. With everything in the oven or on the stove cooking, Lee suggested they go to the other room and play a few more hands of Gin. They took their seats at the dining room table so he could easily check on dinner. Lee shuffled the cards and dealt them. "Besides, it's not like I can lose anymore. I'm already cooking you your favorite meal." "All right, but don't say I didn't warn you!" "Don't be so sure of yourself. I might have a few tricks up my sleeve. I haven't played all my cards yet." "Well, maybe I should be the one on my guard and keep an eye on you." Lee met her gaze across the table. "Maybe you should." Just like yesterday, the air was charged between them. The tension could be cut with a knife. Remembering their agreement to let things happen as they would, Lee cleared his throat and turned over the first card to start the game. At least this way, they could pass the time waiting for dinner to cook without worrying about filling it with idle chatter. Anything to occupy the awkward silence that would ensue if they didn't have something to do. The ding of the timer on the stove sounded. Lee laid down his hand. "Gin," he said with pride. Amanda narrowed her eyes. "Something tells me you were sandbagging me last night." Lee looked at her in mock horror. "I'd never do a thing like that. I love to win too much." He stood and went into the kitchen to check the roast. "Yeah, well, it can't be beginner's luck, so something's up. Maybe you switched decks on me or something." Lee came to stand in the doorway with a fork in one hand and a knife in the other. "Amanda, can't you just accept losing fair and square?" "No." He laughed and shook his head. "At least you're honest." "When's dinner going to be ready?" Lee went back into the kitchen and shut the oven door. "About another five minutes. Why don't you get the table set." He came back out and headed for the bar. "I'll pour us some wine." He heard Amanda get the dishes out and set the table, as he grabbed two glasses and lifted the chilled bottle from the ice, thankful he had the foresight to set it in the bucket when they first arrived home. Amanda had to leave right after dinner, but at least they could enjoy another meal together. He had an hour, and with tomorrow being the last day of his forced recovery, Lee intended to make the best of it. As he walked Amanda to the front door after dinner, he felt a twinge of regret that she couldn't stay longer. But, she had a family and home waiting for her. It would be selfish of him to keep her any longer. Besides, her assignment to him technically lasted during working hours. Lee wouldn't allow himself to dwell on the fact that working hours for them sometimes lasted all night. That was one area better left alone. "Lee, dinner was delicious. Not as good as Mother's, but quite satisfying." She retrieved her purse from the coat rack and gave him an impish grin. "Must have been the company." He smiled. "I'll second that." "Thank you for the wonderful day." Lee took one hand in his and raised it to his lips. "It's I who should be thanking you. I'd never be surviving this forced recuperation without you." "My pleasure." He placed a kiss on the back of her hand and winked. "Not exactly." Amanda lowered her eyes, then gently pulled her hand free. Lee opened the door for her. "See you tomorrow." "Count on it!" she called as she stepped into the hallway. Lee shut the door behind her and leaned his back against it. One more day. Somehow, he'd get through it. Then, it was back to business as usual. He pushed away from the door and walked to the couch, flopping onto it and propping his feet on the armrest at the opposite end. With one hand behind his head, Lee reflected over the day and smiled. He'd make sure tomorrow was extra special. (go to day 5...) |
