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Author: Just Browsing

Rating: PG for innuendo, thoughts, touching opportunities

Summary: - During the Over the Limit (OTL) episode, Dotty seems a tad obsessed with a Rebecca's Fantasies catalog hidden not so discreetly in another magazine. Then Amanda is SHOCKED when a very fancy pink package arrives and Dotty details her plans to spend the next weekend with Hunter Conrad at the coast with the infamous "yes…yes…and yes" line. (That must rank among the top three things you don't want to know about your mother's life. Too much info!) So, what really happened that weekend? No, not with Dotty garbed (ungarbed) in her new ensemble. What happened at 4247 Maplewood while she was gone? How did Amanda deal with the emotions stirred by her mom's admission and blatant promiscuousness? Did our favorite spy stop by? Did Dotty's attitude rub off on Amanda? Did you hear that 'bark'? Here's my spin on that weekend. Timeline - In this made-up version, the infamous 'no shop talk' dinner was held last weekend, this begins the next Friday.

Canon? - This story started out relatively close. I may have given them a shove here or there, but I don't think I forced them to do anything that they weren't ready for. On the other hand, maybe I did. But aren't we all influenced by the world around us, victims of circumstance on occasion? At least in this version I return them back to their third season lives, modesty intact.

Feedback - General gushing and constructive criticism welcome. I find general gushing to be a great incentive to continue writing.

Beta Credit - A big, heartfelt and humble thanks to the best beta team a new writer (and I use that term loosely) could have. They came through even though I make their work extra challenging. Di and Diane are completely awesome at what they do offering invaluable insight, support, and corrections with humor and a touch of sarcasm - it just doesn't get any better than that! Lori and Kathy are due a special thanks for providing feedback, adding insights, and helping with rating issues. All errors and sentence fragments included in this version are of my own accord!

Archive - I'd be honored, just ask.

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Friday - Late Afternoon - King Residence

Looking at herself in the bathroom mirror, she was confronted by a very frazzled and grimy image. Amanda had just spent the afternoon organizing and sorting through boxes in the attic. With just a couple more boxes to go through and three heavy ones to move, it had been a very productive, if not misguided, effort to avoid the subject really on her mind. But Amanda knew she could not continue to avoid the inevitable; she needed to talk to her mother before she left for her weekend get-away. Amanda could not hide the grimace that covered her face with that thought. Her mother's "yes…yes…and yes" answer was still echoing through her head.

With a deep, resolved breath, she splashed water on her face and washed the dust off her arms and hands. She trudged into her mother's room showing less enthusiasm than Philip had when she had set him down last week to discuss the 'F' he received on an English paper.

"Amanda dear, there you are. Did you have a nice afternoon in the attic?" Dotty asked coyly.

"Uhhh, yes. I got a lot done," Amanda answered settling on the bed Indian style, sneaking an uneasy peak into the open suitcase next to her.

"I find you can get a lot done when you use cleaning to avoid thinking about something," Dotty commented in her wise-mother-voice as she watched Amanda's reflection in her bureau mirror.

"Mother, the attic really needed a good cleaning," Amanda protested defensively. "Of course it did, darling. It was the perfect diversion. It is at times like these, I know I've taught you well. If you're going to obsess, turn it into a positive. I wish you could have learned that lesson earlier. When you were a little girl, you cut the hair off your Barbie dolls and remember in high school when you thought Debbie Ann was flirting with that boy you liked and you tore all those pictures to shreds. See if you had learned transference and denial earlier, you would have cleaned up your room and found that English assignment you misplaced in the stack of dirty clothes. You probably would have gotten an 'A' instead of that 'B+' that quarter."

Try as she may, Amanda could not think of an appropriate response to Dotty's logic tirade; so she sat silently, pretending to study the pattern on her mother's quilt.

"Amanda dear, don't you think you would feel better if you just said what's on your mind? Haven't I always encouraged you to do that even when, like in this situation, it's really none of your business?" Dotty asked, digging through a drawer.

"Mother, I'm not sure what to say," Amanda started sheepishly.

"Actually dear, there really isn't much you can say, is there? It's my life and my decision. I'm not asking for your approval. But, darling, woman to woman, a little understanding would be nice."

"It's Mr. Conrad, Daddy's friend.|"

"Amanda, would you feel any differently if it was a complete stranger? Honey, your father has been gone for a long time. A day doesn't go by that I don't wish that he was still here with me. Don't you think I would much rather be going away on a romantic get-away with him? He would have loved my new outfit! He used to-"

"Mother!"

"Amanda, have you always been such a prude? I was married to your father for a lot of years. Whether you like to think about it or not we did make love on occasion and it was absolutely wonderful." "I prefer not to think about it," Amanda mumbled.

"Amanda, it's not a bad thing. Being with someone is a natural thing, it can be so wonderful. And frankly, Amanda, I miss it. I miss feeling desirable, being cherished and, you know, being a tease and downright devious, there's some thing about having that kind of power over a man. Darling, you were married once, have you forgotten those exciting nights with Joe in your arms. The marvelous pleasure? You know you two weren't always so quiet about it when you stayed with us so I know there were at least a few nights you really enjoyed. And I hope there were a lot of other ones too. Don't you miss that feeling, dear?"

Very uncomfortable with the topics of this discussion, a crimson-faced Amanda chose to voice another one of her concerns instead of responding to her mother's questions. "You didn't raise me to do things like this."

"Well, you do have a point there. I guess my opinion has changed a little with age. We are women now, not teenagers. We understand the difference between love and sex. There is no doubt being with a man is much better when you're in love. Maybe I'm rationalizing this too much, but I think there comes a time that you just need to do what you think is right for you regardless of what others think. Sometime you just have to live a little and do what you want to do. It's my decision and being so, it is the right one for me. Sometimes you just have to live life, take risks. Life is too short Amanda. I worry about you; you spend so much time at work and with the boys. You need to find a man that makes you feel special, loves the boys, and who is wonderful in the bedroom."

"Mother!"

"I am kind of disappointed. Your attitude today just ruined my theory about your clandestine affair."

"My what?"

"Well, all that running around you do and leaving at a moment's notice. I was hoping you were meeting some gorgeous man, not married of course, and having an absolutely sinful time in some secluded, romantic hide-out."

"Mother, you've been reading too many romance novels."

"Probably so. Speaking of which, I left the one I just finished on your nightstand. It's really good. Oh, and Amanda, promise me you won't spend the rest of the weekend in the attic or on some other cleaning project. Have a great night with the boys tonight and tomorrow when they are gone, spend the day pampering yourself. Maybe you could ask that Coach Holten over and have a tryst here of your own."

"Mother!"

"Just kidding sweetheart. You should probably start with dinner, he seems a little shy. You don't want to scare him. Would you carry my suitcase down for me? I just want to touch up my make-up." With a wave as she headed out the door, Amanda was dismissed. She was sure that her mom was probably being rational and she was being prudish. Just too many thoughts and emotions were assaulting her all at once; she could not get a grip on her feelings. Tears were threatening to fall when she finally got up off the bed. She promised herself that if she could just hold it together now, she could have a good cry later. Hopefully she could figure out what about all this was bothering her so much.

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Friday Night - 8:50 PM - King Household

Amanda had settled the boys in their rooms with their respective library books and the order '15 minutes!' It had been a busy night, well actually a busy week for that matter and with plans for a busy tomorrow, they surrendered without much of a protest.

They had had a really good evening together, just the three of them. The boys were growing up so fast. And yet sometimes they were still like little boys. She had surprised them with an old favorite - Sloppy Joes - for supper. They were thrilled. Philip must have been about 5 when he was taken with the dish. Probably because he missed his dad, he asked for it all the time. Mother would call the boys 'sloppy little Joes' by the end of the meal. They insisted they have their own dish with their names in the title. Of course, they had long since out grown Potatoes Philip and Jamie Jell-O, but the smiles on their faces tonight at the table were priceless.

Dinner was followed by two rounds of Goofy Golf. Then they had a Clue marathon in the kitchen with homemade milkshakes for their bedtime snack. They may be getting bigger, but they still fell for the stopwatch challenge. Just like when they were younger, she timed them while they changed into their PJs, put their dirty clothes in the hamper, and laid out their stuff for practice and the sleepover tomorrow night. One of these days they would realize that the stopwatch challenge was a simple ploy to get them to act expediently. But for now it still worked like a charm! It really had been an excellent night.

As she finished cleaning up the kitchen, the jumble of thoughts and tornado of emotions she had spent the night avoiding assaulted her with a resounding thud. She was not normally an overly emotional person; today must just not be her day. Chalk it up to stress or hormones. Tears stung her eyes as she leaned against the counter. If she could just figure out which part of the situation was bothering her the most, then she could work on resolving the issues. Tears ran down her face as she sorted through the possibilities. Was it because it was her dad's friend? Because she missed her dad? Was it shock at her mom's behavior? Shock at her mom's new (or at least she hoped so!) attitude and honesty? Or was she jealous of her mom's determination and resolve to go get the man she wanted? She had spent years waiting for Joe and now was spending so long waiting for Lee. It was not that she really minded being alone, but she dreamed of having a man with her, to support her, to love her, to help with the boys, to hold her when she had nightmares, and to look at her with eyes full of love and longing. Was it so wrong to want, to expect someone to love? 'What's wrong with me?' and 'How did I get to this point in my life?' were the questions screaming in her mind. The tears were falling freely now. With a glance towards the back door, she realized that this was the one time she was really glad that Lee was out of town and could not be lurking out there. Lee had been in Memphis on special assignment since early Wednesday morning. When she talked to Billy (just checking up to make sure Lee was okay) on Thursday, he said the bust had been routine and that Lee was due back in town on Sunday. She could not deal with seeing him while she was in this kind of emotional state. He would probably freak out if he saw her crying and run the other way anyway. Lee didn't do tears. She needed to figure out if he, and her feelings for him, were part of this problem or a separate issue altogether.

As if conjured up by her thoughts of him, the phone started ringing. She glared at it hoping it would stop. But if she didn't answer it, it might disturb the boys and she didn't want to explain to them why their mother's face was streaked with tears. Clearing her throat the best that she could and wiping her face with the dishtowel, she picked up the phone slowly.

Her "Hello" was noticeably raspier than usual.

"Hey there, partner," Lee's voice greeted her. She felt a catch in her heart when she heard his voice. How could just the tone of his voice touch her inside?

"Hi, Lee." Recovering quickly, "How's Memphis?"

"I'm not there. I'm here, at my apartment." She knew she was really lucky he hadn't stopped by here first. He would have caught her crying.

"Oh." What else could she say? She always found that it was best not to say much when emotions were running strong, another valuable lesson her mother had taught her.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"No, the boys and I are just doing some reading." Well, the boys were reading. The ease with which she could lie these days was unbelievable; sometimes she even shocked herself. "Oh,"

"Was there something specific you needed?" Amanda asked, desperately needing to end this conversation before he realized she had been crying.

"Uh, yes, I have some time this weekend since I'm not supposed to be here and we didn't get a chance to work on your shooting all week. Do you want to get together this weekend for another gun lesson?"

"How about tomorrow afternoon for a couple hours? The boys are spending the day and night with a friend after practice. I have a few projects to work on around here, but I really need to practice."

"Can I come there to get you or will your mother be around?" Gosh, he had to mention her mother. Sure it might have been innocently, but it was the catalyst to her problems.

"She's gone for the weekend," Amanda explained, trying very hard to keep her voice level.

"Amanda, are you okay?" Lee's tone was laced with concern. She could see the look on his face, eyes darting around to find whatever was bothering her, ready to attack. Generally, she was touched by his protective reaction, but tonight she had to handle things on her own.

"Fine."

"What's wrong? I can tell something is wrong."

"I'm fine."

"Did something happen at work?"

"No."

"Are you sure? Are the boys okay? Have you been crying?"

"Work was fine. The boys are fine. I just need to sort a few things out." Twenty questions was not a game she was interested in playing right now. She hated to be rude. She just wanted this conversation to be over and to be alone.

"I can be there in 15 minutes."

"Lee, it's a 'me' thing, not a 'we' thing. It's personal."

"Personal?" She could hear the hurt in his voice and it ticked her off. He was not getting her 'leave me alone right now' message.

"Lee!"

"But I missed you. Can't I just come over and be a friend and listen?" Now he sounded a little whiny.

"Lee, I am not in the mood to talk. I just need to be alone." In her mind she wondered how she could make this any clearer.

Silence.

"Lee, promise me you won't come over tonight. Please promise." She pleaded, hoping that he would understand. She just could not see him tonight. She needed to be alone. "Can I still come tomorrow?" There was that little boy voice again, so hopeful.

"Yes, tomorrow is good." Actually, anytime but tonight would be fine.

"I'll be there at noon." That statement was made in a work tone.

"Okay."

"And Amanda," he began tentatively, "you can always call me if you need me."

"Yes, thank you. Goodnight, Lee."

"Night, 'Manda."

Shaken by the conversation, but very relieved that she wouldn't have to face Lee until the morning, Amanda set to tackle the task at hand - resolving the emotional issues that she had been trying so hard to avoid. Before moving to the gazebo with a blanket and box of Kleenex, Amanda tiptoed upstairs and checked on the boys. She watched them sleeping peacefully, straightened their covers, kissed them on their foreheads, and said a silent prayer for God to watch over them and keep them safe.

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Once outside Amanda returned to her thoughts, taking the same issues individually that were overwhelming her collectively. Issue by issue, Kleenex by Kleenex, she came to terms with the problems that plagued her. It wasn't a pretty sight. Not normally one to react emotionally, it felt good to let everything out for a change. With the overwhelming stress of her mother's weekend intentions, added to the extra burden of all her secrets - juggling lies, people being blown up in front of her - and the events of the last couple of weeks, she released the tears with relief. Alone in the sanctuary of her backyard, she mourned the loss of her father and reconciled herself with her mother's decisions. There was understanding in the end. She was proud of her mother for having the courage to make the decision to live her life her way.

Exhaustion was starting to set in by the time she got back to the topic of Lee. The simple truth was that she loved him so much that it hurt. She could not imagine her life without him. Things had been difficult over the last few months. It was like they were on the big seesaw at the park. Moving closer, then pulling away; up then back down. They seemed so close at times. She loved the real - the kind, warm, and honest - man inside the Scarecrow façade. Things had really changed over the last year. Maybe it wouldn't be too much longer before they could move their relationship to the next level. She reached a truce with the loneliness; she would find a way to let Lee know how she felt about him and give him a little time to adjust. Surely, he would have the courage to tell her or show her how he felt and what he wanted. If he didn't feel the same and she was destined to live her life without him, well, she would have to cross that bridge when she got there. But she knew she would have to try or she would spend her life wondering 'what if?'.

With an ironic smile, maybe she could get her mother to talk to him and give him her 'life is short, live a little' pep talk. After one last swipe of a Kleenex and a long glance at the stars twinkling in the vast, dark sky, Amanda leaned back shutting her eyes, praying silently for peace and understanding, for the courage to live and the courage to love.

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Saturday Morning - King Household

A shrill, persistent ringing roused Amanda from a dreamless sleep. She scrambled up from her position on the couch towards the kitchen. She slumped against the counter with the phone in one hand and her head in the other. Her head felt the onslaught of symptoms caused by the previous evening's tearful reflection, the dull throbbing behind her sinuses and a much raspier than usual morning voice.

"Hello," she croaked. "Good morning to you too, Mrs. Gilstrap." With a glance to the clock which showed 7:30am, she said a silent 'thank you' to Mrs. Gilstrap for the wake-up call. She would really have to get moving to get the boys ready for their 9:00 practice. She hated getting up later than she planned and having to rush around… "No, Mrs. Gilstrap, I'm awake. Just moving slowly," she quipped while grabbing cereal bowls from the cabinet and spoons from the drawer. "No, Mrs. Gilstrap, I hadn't realized that you got a new puppy… Buster?" she answered, setting the dishes and the cereal boxes - Lucky Charms for her and Cracklin' Critters for the boys - on the table. Rolling her eyes, Amanda answered, "You remembered Mother telling you that I did some pet sitting? The bug man? Spraying for ants, fleas, and ticks?" A smile flashed across her face as she remembered Lee in an exterminator uniform. A visit that wasn't very timely, but Lee had looked pretty cute in that jumpsuit… "Mrs. Gilstrap, I would be glad to watch Buster from 9:30 to 11:30. I don't have anything planned until this afternoon. So, it won't be a problem at all. I will just walk over and get him at 9:30 after I get home from taking the boys to practice…Okay, I'll see you and Buster then. Good-bye, Mrs. Gilstrap." Amanda returned to the living room and glanced around. Funny, she did not remember deciding to sleep on the couch; she must have been more exhausted than she thought. She folded the blankets that had been crumpled on the couch and moved the pillow back to the chair. No time for reflection as she focused on getting herself and the boys ready for the day. She was only about 30 minutes behind her intended pace; she rushed to wake the boys and jump into the shower. Ready and dressed in record time, she sported minimal make-up, hair pulled up, comfy clothes - jeans, pink Georgetown sweatshirt, and tennis shoes. Enjoying the morning routine and camaraderie with the boys, they were out the door with all of their stuff by 8:45am.

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Amanda pulled up to the field and parked next to Kellie's van; the boys were spending the night with her stepson Jake. The step-mom wonder rushed over to greet Philip and Jamie animatedly, with a "Hi" to Amanda almost as an afterthought. 'Some people are just 'kid' people,' Amanda thought to herself. As Kellie explained the boys' plan for the day in more detail than Amanda really needed, Alex Holten, the assistant coach, walked up and proceeded to help Amanda transfer the boys' sleeping bags and backpacks into Kellie's car. Kellie's wink to Amanda was about as obvious as her enthusiasm and love for Jake and kids in general. Kellie apparently agreed with Dotty about Alex. Dotty thought he was positively adorable and perfect for Amanda. Alex had just been through a rough divorce and had won custody of his only child, Tyler, who was spending the night with Jake as well. He was a very nice looking man - intelligent, successful, funny, and the topper - excellent with the kids. She liked watching him at the practices. There just wasn't much that was sexier than watching a man spending quality time with his kids. Amanda shook off a fleeting image, a dream really, of Lee shooting hoops in her driveway with Philip and Jamie. Secretly, Amanda was relieved that Alex seemed shy around her; he was always very animated around the boys and Kellie. It would be hard to turn him down and she would feel bad doing it. There wasn't anything wrong with him except that he wasn't somebody else. Amanda stayed and watched the first 15 minutes of practice. Alex looked great working with the boys and Philip and Jamie were having a ball. When she left, Amanda gave embarrassing good-bye kisses to the boys and waves to both Kellie and Alex. As Amanda drove home she glanced again at the agenda and list of phone numbers Kellie had supplied and felt secure knowing that the boys would have fun, be closely supervised and would get all their required servings of fruits and veggies for the day.

Amanda pulled into her driveway at 9:20am. Betting that Buster was probably not house trained, she decided to use the 10 minutes puppy proofing the kitchen. Remembering the baby gates she had found yesterday in the attic, she opted to get them down to restrict the puppy's access to carpeted areas. She bounded the stairs with a burst of energy and wrestled the two baby gates from the back of the attic. She received a rude reminder of the three heavy boxes still displaced in the middle of the attic when one of them tripped her while she was trying to navigate around them. She hit her forearm near her wrist on the top edge of the baby gate when she fell. The blow really smarted and would cause a pretty good bruise. 'That was stupid,' she commented to either the baby gates or the empty boxes. 'At least I am getting used to bruises; I get enough of them on the job.' Making it downstairs without further injury, she set up the baby gates to block the kitchen from the living room.

The phone rang just as she was walking towards the door. She was greeted by a nervous young girl asking for Philip. "No, he's at practice," she answered politely adding, "can I take a message?" The honesty in young Kathy's response made Amanda smile; she said that she just missed him and wanted to talk to him.

After ending the conversation, she paused to reflect before heading out the door. It seemed ironic that her mom was off pursuing a man; her oldest son was being pursued. And she, well, she was off to watch a dog.

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Mrs. Gilstrap was waiting at the door when Amanda walked onto the porch. In her arms was a very cute little brown dog, who seemed to be smiling up at Amanda mischievously. "There you are dear. This little angel is Buster," Mrs. Gilstrap began, with a grand sweeping gesture towards the not-so-angelic-looking puppy. "We got him earlier in the week. He's 10 weeks old, but he's not quite potty trained yet. We rescued him from the pound; he's a mixed breed. But isn't he the cutest thing you've ever seen? He's very playful. He has been wearing us out. He loves constant attention and he loves people, especially kids. He likes to go on walks and play with his toys." The only comment Amanda could get in was a "hmmm" so she nodded a couple of times for good measure. Pointing to the large bag on the porch next to her, Mrs. Gilstrap said "I put his blanket and some of his toys in there for you. He's pretty good at fetch and tug-of-war. He likes to play with his stuffed octopus also."

Amanda couldn't help smiling at Mrs. Gilstrap as she listened to her explain the obvious. Amanda pondered Mrs. Gilstrap's transformation; she had always seemed grumpy in the past. Now she seemed a little giddy. Their grandchildren were two states away, so it was nice that the Gilstraps had found something to make them smile. It was only when the bug man's truck rounded the corner that Mrs. Gilstrap stopped gushing and looked back and forth between Buster and Amanda skeptically. She looked like a new mother forced to leave her baby with a sitter for the first time. Amanda was quick to reassure the older woman, "Mrs. Gilstrap, I will good take care of the little fella, I promise. Buster will miss you, but he will be fine." With a fleeting glance at the bug man, Amanda left with Buster in one arm and the large bag of 'essentials' in the other. She felt a tinge of disappointment to discover that the bug man did not look anything like Lee.

Buster was quite the curious explorer after they entered the house. He bounded from room to room. She took a closer look at her charge after corralling him in the kitchen. He was light brown with white on his chest and black markings. His tail was almost as long as his body. She, with his help, unpacked his bag placing the blanket in the corner and a bowl of water next to it. She returned to the floor and spent a good twenty minutes playing with the little fella. 'This one sure has personality,' she thought to herself. She was kind of glad that the boys weren't home. After spending time with this cute little monster, they would be begging for a puppy of their own. She really wouldn't mind keeping this one herself. Something about him reminded her of Lee. He was spirited, head strong, mischievous, and loving. And just so cute! The little fella really did look like he was smiling and his forehead crinkled just like Lee's did when she talked to him. It was like they were both seriously concentrating on figuring out what she meant each time she spoke.

She decided that a walk would do them both good. When she picked up the leash, Buster performed an excited puppy dance. Amanda checked his collar carefully when she attached his leash making sure he could not slip out of it. They strolled slowly around the block so Buster could explore. Amanda enjoyed watching Buster interact with nature; it reminded her of when the boys were little and so curious about their world. She felt so much better this morning. With the sun on her shoulders she was a new person. She was glad that she had taken time alone last night to come to terms with some inner demons. She felt happy and healthy today - and alive. Life in general held a little more promise. She was really looking forward to seeing Lee this afternoon. Despite her reaction to his phone call last night, she really had missed him. During the walk, she had an opportunity to chat with a few neighbors. She met a new couple, Patti and Mike, around the other side of the block with a small toddler. Amanda must have missed their Welcome Wagon visit because of a work assignment. Their little girl was so cute, dressed in ribbons and bows. Amanda wondered briefly if she would ever have any more kids. She shook away another fleeting image, this time of what her and Lee's little girl might look like. Next she met up with four girls in Philip's grade. When Carla asked if Philip was home yet, Laura and Kathy started giggling and Lori just blushed. Buster did not know what to think of the girls at first, but then he turned on his Stetson-esque charm and had them on their knees wrestling with him in no time.

The last stop they made was to say 'Hi' to Ralph Ferguson next door. He was outside sweeping up the grass clippings he just edged. Ralph was a kind old man, but his standard look was one of exasperation. As they chatted, the object of his love and the constant source of his exasperation, his wife Agnes, rushed out of the house and began a dramatic diatribe. "Oh, Amanda dear, I just tried to call you. I have the most dreadful news. You know Mrs. Patterson around the corner? Well, her granddaughter died in a car wreck last night."

"Oh my gosh!" responded the dog sitter.

"I know. Isn't it horrible? I've been trying to call everyone in the neighborhood," Agnes explained. Amanda thought she heard Ralph mumble, "She enjoys this about as much as she enjoys snooping," as he bent over to continue bagging the grass.

Hiding an amused glance spurred by Ralph's mumblings, "That is terrible news. I bet the Pattersons are devastated. Is there anything that we can do?" Amanda asked, immediately beginning the mental comparison between prospective recipes and the ingredients in the fridge.

Agnes answered thoughtfully, "I've got a ham in the oven so they will have something for sandwiches and I thought I'd make my famous chicken casserole. Mrs. Gilstrap is going to whip up a of couple desserts."

"I'll make some scalloped potatoes and a green bean casserole to go with the ham," Amanda volunteered.

"Oh, bless you, Amanda. You are so thoughtful," Agnes gushed and then rushed back into the house anxious to get to work.

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It was around 10:20am when Amanda returned to her house with Buster in tow. She went to the kitchen and started digging ingredients out of the fridge and cabinets for her planned dishes. She had just washed her hands and picked up the vegetable peeler to start on the potatoes when the doorbell rang. Answering the door with Buster in her arms, she was greeted by an anxious little girl in a pretty dress holding a familiar-looking action figure like a trophy in front of her. Niki lived down the street and had been in Jamie's class since kindergarten. Niki looked nervous when she asked if Jamie was home and fairly crushed when she learned he wasn't. When Amanda offered to return the action figure to Jamie, Niki politely declined explaining that she would rather do it herself tomorrow. In a whirl of curls, Niki skipped her way back down the street.

A sleepy Buster had watched the exchange quietly from her arms. Amanda was almost convinced there was something out of the twilight zone going on this weekend; the stars were aligned against her or maybe with her. First her mom, now girls Philip and Jamie's age were being bolder than she usually was. When she explained these observations to the attentive pup, he just looked at her innocently, but the wrinkling of his forehead hinted that he thought there was more to the story and indicated that he was waiting expectantly for her to take some action.

Buster settled near Amanda's feet when they returned to the kitchen. He fell asleep quickly as Amanda began peeling and slicing. Buster would need some remedial watchdog training. Had he been a little more observant he would have noticed that Amanda was being watched. A little while later, there was a familiar knock on the back door. Amanda motioned Lee in immediately, noticing that the smile dancing in his eyes did not match the rest of his face. His jaw line and mouth were set on edge making it clear that she had indeed hurt his feelings the night before.

"Hi," he said tentatively, his eyes searching.

Amanda gave him a sincere smile lighting up both her face and his. "You're early!"

"Is that okay?" Was that a little fear she heard in his voice? She would have to remedy that.

"Of course." Amanda started walking towards him. She was almost in front of him when she stumbled on one of Buster's toys. Lee was about to close the door when he instinctively moved to steady her stumbling form. His balance shifted and a leg hit the back door causing it to slam shut, a sound that woke the not-so-observant, sleeping puppy. They only had a split second to enjoy the comfort of each other's arms before a startled puppy confronted them yapping as fiercely as he could. Lee took two steps back as Buster continued to eye him from under the safety of Amanda's legs. The hair on his back was standing up, but his tail was wagging frantically.

"A dog?" Lee asked with a shiver of apprehension, remembering an occasion not so long ago when a little dog was the cause of his being jailed in a freezer.

Amanda bent over and picked up the ferocious puppy. Buster quieted, but continued to eye Lee suspiciously. Amanda comforted Buster first with, "Did that big fella scare you when the door slammed?" Then she worked on Lee with "This little guy is Buster." To them both, she added, "It's okay, he's harmless."

"Amanda, where did the dog come from? When did you get him? How come you didn't tell me you were thinking about giving the boys a pet? Why is he looking at me like that?"

Amanda smiled enjoying his impersonation of her. "Are you through?" she asked and was answered with a shrug. "This is Buster," she explained. "He lives across the street with the Gilstraps. I'm puppy sitting because Mrs. Gilstrap remembered Mother telling her about my pet sitting business. I don't know why he is looking at you like that, but he's a puppy so I don't think he bites."

Edging away from the dog, Lee asked, "How long is he staying?"

She glanced at the clock before answering "about another hour." Watching Lee eye the dog skeptically while Buster scrutinized him with a similar look, Amanda continued "Lee he's a puppy, not a bomb. Come over here and say 'hi'."

"Amanda, I'm not much of a pet person. The last dog I met up with got me thrown into a freezer."

Smiling with the memory of her rescue, she spoke firmly. "Lee, come over here."

As ordered, Lee walked to her side. Amanda took his hand and held it in front of Buster to smell. Then Amanda walked them both over to Buster's corner. After putting the puppy on the floor, she helped Lee take his leather jacket off noting that he looked quite good in his maroon striped Oxford shirt and jeans. Amanda sat on the floor motioning for Lee to do the same. The puppy danced in front of them excitedly.

"Lee, I need to get the potatoes in the oven. They go with the ham Mrs. Ferguson is cooking. Mrs. Patterson's granddaughter died in a car wreck last night. Would you mind entertaining Buster while I cook?"

Looking from Amanda to the puppy and back again, Lee asked uncomfortably, "Entertain him? How?"

With a comforting pat on his arm, "Just play with him. Tug-of-war. Fetch. See." Amanda demonstrated by dangling the rope toy in front of him. Buster attacked and a game of tug-of-war ensued. Amanda turned the toy over to Lee with a kiss on the cheek, "Thanks Lee. And I did miss you and I'm glad that you are here."

Amanda worked on the food preparation stealing glances of Lee playing with the puppy. Watching them together sent sparks through her heart. Lee, not Scarecrow, was such a complex contradiction. Here in front of her was a little boy rolling around on the floor with the puppy, but put the man in a tux and he looked like a worldly playboy so stunning he could stop traffic. Either way she was taken with how utterly gorgeous he was. Amanda had always thought of him as handsome, but watching him make faces and growl with the dog made him seem almost edible. Those long legs stretched out, those strong shouldersâ¤| 'Wow, this oven is heating things up in here,' she thought to herself tearing her gaze away from Lee's anatomy and pouring herself a glass of ice water.

A little later Lee caught her sneaking another look his direction; he was lying on his side with Buster cuddled up on his back next to his chest. Lee was rubbing Buster's belly and smiled shyly, aware of the sleepy puppy sprawled out against him. "He's almost asleep," he whispered softly. Amanda returned his proud smile. "This puppy is pretty fun."

"He seems to like you."

Lee gazed down into the puppy's droopy eyes and observed, "He kind of reminds me of you." Amanda stopped what she was doing and turned to face them daring Lee to continue. "He has your eyes," Lee whispered innocently. "Look at these big, brown eyes. You could lose yourself in them."

"He certainly has your personality; he's very mischievous," Amanda announced, as she crossed her arms.

Lee sat up slowly, ready to bait Amanda. Buster sat up too, looking between the two humans and watching the verbal tennis match unfold. With a pat on Buster's head, "He's fluffy, soft and cuddly just like you."

"He's headstrong and impulsive just like you."

"He has a knack for getting into trouble just like you. I bet he wouldn't stay in the car either," Lee countered.

"He's all bark and no bite, just like you," Amanda said deviously.

In response to her last comment, Lee stood up and moved towards her, "All bark and no bite? Me?" Amanda pushed her sleeves up nervously anticipating a playful scuffle. "I can't believe that you don't think that I have 'bite,'" he teased with mock indignation. Amanda placed her hands on his chest ready to defend herself in this game. When he reached down intending to capture her hands, he noticed the bruise on her forearm.

Lee scrutinized her injury closely before the interrogation began. "Who did this to you? What happened?" His words, though terse, were calm compared to the fire blazing in his eyes. Amanda recognized this fierce look all too well; it was the one of 'protector.' One glance into his eyes and she knew the lengths he would go to to protect her or avenge any perceived wrong-doing against her.

Placing a hand on his cheek immediately soothed him. "Lee, it's okay. I tripped over a box when I was in the attic earlier."

Scanning her eyes intensely, as if searching for the truth, he asked a question to verify what he had already deduced, "Really?"

"Yes, I've been working on cleaning out the attic, but there were three heavy boxes that I can't move by myself so I left them in the middle. When I went to get the gates for Buster, I tripped and hurt my arm. It's okay Lee, just a little tender." Amanda watched in astonishment as the intensity in Lee's eyes seemed to change from anger and concern to passion in a flash. She wondered about the message in her own eyes when he brought her bruised wrist to his lips and began a trail of kisses around the bruise. "I'll move them for you," he promised in a thick, raspy tone. Amanda thought that she might melt right there in front of him. She was consumed with an overwhelming desire to kiss him and hold him tightly in her arms. Amidst the burning in her ears, she thought to herself, 'Gosh, I love this man!' She just couldn't stop herself, she moved the hand that was still on his cheek and began gently caressing the side of his face. She stroked away the tension lines in his forehead, around his eyes, and down his jaw line. Her lips longed to follow the trail of her fingertips. And she would have done it too, right then and there, if it wasn't for that darn dog.

The cuddly, loveable, mischievous mutt decided to take that moment to interrupt them with a fit of yaps. They found him standing by the gate when the two enamored spies tore their gaze away from each other. Looking at Amanda Lee muttered with a reluctant smile, "Maybe he is less like us and more like Francine or your mother - loud, with impeccable timing." Seeing Amanda's glass of ice water on the counter, he took a long drink.

Looking at the dog closely, Amanda asked, "Buster, what do you want?"

Lee walked over and picked the puppy up, then looked to Amanda for suggestions. "Maybe he needs to go outside," she suggested with a shrug. Lee started towards the back door.

"OH MY GOSH! Buster, bad dog!" Lee bellowed, (yes, bellowed, with the same volume as Billy would!) Still bellowing, "A-man-da, he peed on me! Bad dog!"

Amanda started to laugh, but choked it back when she saw the distress on Lee's face. Switching to Mom-mode, she directed him to take his shirt off, leave it in the bathroom sink and to clean up while she took care of the dog. She shooed Buster outside and had a good chuckle. Before returning, she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and took a couple deep breaths.

Lee had cooled down by the time Amanda returned, but things were heating up for Amanda when she saw him casually leaning against her kitchen counter shirtless.

"Hi," he smiled shyly. "I left my shirt in the sink like you told me. Sorry about the little tantrum."

'Who is this man?' Amanda thought to herself. 'He's changed. The old Scarecrow would still be throwing a first rate fit and blaming me in the process. This shirtless man seemed to be able to see the humor in the situation. And wow, could a man look any better than he did at this moment?'

Clearing her throat, she excused herself and her improper thoughts with "I'll just throw your shirt in the washer while you and Buster make up."

When she returned, the boys had reconciled. Lee held Buster in one arm against his stomach and was swinging his keys with the forefinger on the other hand. "Amanda, I have a suitcase in my trunk, but I didn't think I should be walking around in your front yard without a shirt on. Do you mind grabbing a shirt for me?"

"Where's your car?" Amanda asked.

"I parked in your driveway," Lee explained. "That is all right, isn't it?"

"Of course. I'll be right back."

Amanda grabbed the mail during her trip to the car. She returned with his black t-shirt tossed over her shoulder and a large stack of mail in her hands. Lee was back on the floor, entertaining Buster. She stood in the entranceway shuffling through the mail, sorting out the junk mail. The doorbell rang at the same time she finished the sorting process. After a quick glance in Lee and Buster's direction, she went to open the front door. She was greeted by Mrs. Gilstrap and Mrs. Ferguson whose questions began even before she had invited them in.

"Amanda dear, do you have company?" Mrs. Ferguson asked, not quite innocently.

"Well, I hope your guest didn't distract you from taking good care of my Buster," Mrs. Gilstrap added.

"My boss stopped by to ask some questions about work. Actually Buster has been quite taken with him. He's been entertaining Buster while I did some cooking for the Patterson's."

"Well, isn't that nice of him. He has a beautiful car, all clean and shiny. It would be too flashy for someone a little older, but I am sure that flashy is fine for him. I would love to meet your boss, Amanda," Mrs. Ferguson babbled.

"Amanda, where is Buster?" Mrs. Gilstrap asked her voice laced with concern. "He usually rushes to greet me when I come home."

As if on cue, Buster ran into the room yapping. Mrs. Ferguson scowled, clearly unimpressed with Mrs. Gilstrap's elaborate dog greeting.

Amanda excused herself quickly saying, "Let me just go get his things."

Much to her dismay the two nosy neighbors followed her towards the kitchen. From behind her, she heard Mrs. Ferguson ask, "Amanda, why do you have a shirt draped over your shoulder? You're not using it as a dish towel, are you?"

This question made her realize that Lee was standing bare-chested in her kitchen. Not wanting to have to explain that sight, she caught Lee's panicked look and tossed the shirt to him, stalling with the baby gate long enough for him to slip it on. With the baby gate barrier removed, Buster was the first one to enter the kitchen. He ran directly to Lee yelping happily at his feet begging to be picked up. The three women watched Lee flash an embarrassed smile as he gathered the puppy in his arms. Amanda could not help noticing how cute he looked standing there.

"Dear, are you into pet sitting too?" Mrs. Gilstrap asked, suspiciously watching this stranger cuddle her dog.

"Uh, no. I work with Amanda at a film company," Lee answered carefully. Lee looked a little uncomfortable as the two older women were looked him over deliberately. "Well, Mr...?" Mrs. Ferguson passed a look to Amanda to point out that she had forgotten common courtesy and had not introduced them to her guest.

"Stetson," Lee answered tentatively.

"Nice shirt," Mrs. Ferguson observed.

"Thanks," he mumbled. Both Amanda and Lee's cheeks turned crimson. "I, well, uhâ¤|" Lee stuttered, unable to ad-lib a cover story.

"Don't worry, I was young once too," Mrs. Ferguson said with a wink. Lee gulped and Amanda's cheeks turned a brighter shade of crimson.

Looking down at his shoes, Lee muttered lamely, "I just stopped by to ask Amanda some questions about work."

"Of course you did, dear. You had to start somewhere," added Mrs. Gilstrap joining in on the fun. She was motivated by jealousy; her baby apparently would rather be in this man's arms instead of hers.

"Amanda dear, it smells wonderful in here. I hope you made enough for you and your boyfriend. He looks like a strong, young man. I bet he has a healthy appetite. Does Amanda feed you enough, honey?"

"Uh, no. Uh, yes." Lee looked to Amanda for support, but she was busy studying the pattern on the floor.

"Well, you are kind of thin. Do you jog? My husband used to jog when he was younger. His muscles used to be lean and taut like yours."

"Yes, I jog." Lee remembered again why he usually hid his car and himself from her neighbors.

"Amanda dear, you had better make sure he is getting enough iron and protein in his diet for his heart and stamina," Mrs. Ferguson explained.

"Fruit and vegetables are important for his skin and hair. You must spend a lot of time in the sun," Mrs. Gilstrap countered. Buster was the only one who seemed to be enjoying the conversation; he looked quite content from his perch in Lee's arms.

"I hope he's careful. You should always use suntan lotion. Skin cancer is a terrible thing," Mrs. Ferguson warned. Lee and Amanda exchanged an embarrassed glance at the warning for suntan lotion, a shared memory of their wedding cruise case.

Amanda cleared her throat and explained, "Uh, Mr. Stetson is fairly healthy. He takes good care of himself."

"Well, of course he does, dear. You can tell that by looking at him. He's very handsome and healthy looking. But you can never be too sure. You need to watch him closely and make sure he is taking care of his body," Mrs. Ferguson lectured.

"Uh, Mrs. Gilstrap, Mrs. Ferguson, Mr. Stetson is my boss. I'm not supposed to be watching his body; I mean I'm sure that his heart and stamina are fine. I mean, they seem to be fine. I don't have to check, er, take care of his, uh, of hisâ¤| eitherâ¤|" Amanda stuttered.

"Of course he is dear, now don't get frustrated. We'll just be getting out of your way so you can spend some special time together. I remember when my kids were young. There was always too much to do. Mr. Gilstrap and I hardly had time for one another."

"Mr. Ferguson and I used to send the kids outside to play and lock ourselves in the bedroom. Amanda dear, I guess with Dotty and the boys gone today, you won't have that problem, will you? You have the whole house to yourself all day."

Finally Lee decided to intercede, he did not want the conversation to go any further. He was afraid of what other advice they would be given! "Ladies, let me just help you gather Buster's things. Amanda and I do have some work that we need to do this afternoon." He gave the women one of his best dimpled, innocent grins.

Lee bent over to gather Buster's essentials and pack them into the bag. Amanda couldn't help but giggle when she caught Mrs. Gilstrap and Mrs. Ferguson checking out Lee's rear when he bent over. She knew that her mother would probably be doing the same. She stopped smiling though when Mrs. Ferguson turned and caught Amanda looking too. To add to her embarrassment, Mrs. Ferguson threw in a wink.

Lee ushered the nosy neighbors to the front door. He said a heartfelt good-bye to his puppy buddy and offered to help Mrs. Gilstrap home with the bag.

"Oh, no. I wouldn't dream of interrupting your afternoon with Amanda, but it was so nice of you to offer."

"Have a fun day, you two!" Agnes said with a knowing wink to Mrs. Gilstrap as she accompanied her down the walk.

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Ending the observations of her nosy neighbors, Amanda leaned back against the door. "Well…" Lee said from across the room. "That went well. It has been a while since I've been scrutinized that closely by two women more than twice my age."

Amanda shot him a quick grin, shrugged and started slowly towards the kitchen.

Lee teased, "Well, it's happened before, but I was a lot younger."

"Lee!"

"I'm not sure that they bought the work excuse either," Lee continued to tease her.

"You think you're pretty cute, don't you?" Amanda admonished with a grin. Mentally she added 'too cute for your own good!'

As Amanda crossed in front of him, Lee grabbed her hand and walked with her to the kitchen. "Amanda, I am sorry. Now I remember why I usually sneak over in the cover of darkness. I shouldn't have parked in the driveway. I didn't think we would be here long and it's hard to hide my car in broad daylight. Of course if you would have just given me my shirt before you answered the door, then they wouldn't have known I was standing here without one on," Lee apologized.

"It's okay. Now they'll have something to talk about. I can only imagine what they think."

Smiling again, "I think it's pretty clear what they think. Are you going to be in big trouble or just little trouble when your mom finds out?"

"Actually, she will probably be quite proud," Amanda muttered quietly. "Really Lee, you shouldn't have to hide all the time. You can park in the driveway whenever you want. You're my friend. If my neighbors want to think more of it, well…"

"Are you sure it's okay? Because we know exactly what they think."

"Yes, it's fine," Amanda said as they stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. Amanda's gaze shifted from his eyes to his lips. She really wanted to reach up and kiss him. She watched his eyes move to her lips also and could feel his fingers gently caressing hers. Amanda wondered if he wanted to kiss her as much as she wanted to kiss him. The buzzer on the oven interrupted the moment. Untangling her fingers from his, Amanda worked in autopilot, washing her hands and checking the potatoes and green bean casserole. "Amanda, where's your broom?" Lee asked, interrupting her vegetable inspection. Amanda gave Lee a perplexed look, emphasizing her surprise with a raised eyebrow. "Dog hair. I thought I'd help you clean up," he volunteered.

"You are going to help clean?" she teased.

"It's not like I don't know how!" he replied defensively.

Lee swept the kitchen floor while Amanda worked to clean off the counters and move all the dishes to the sink. By the time he returned from putting the broom away, Amanda had started washing dishes. Lee grabbed the towel smiling again at Amanda's raised eyebrow. As they washed and dried, they enjoyed a relaxed conversation about work issues. Lee filled her in on his trip to Memphis, slightly downplaying the potential danger of the new terrorist group. Amanda filled him in on what happened in the office while he was gone.

After finishing the dishes, Amanda found herself standing very close to Lee gazing into his eyes again. Their hands were linked together though she couldn't recall who reached for the other's first. They stood there like magnets drawn to each; Amanda waited to see if Lee would close the final inches between them, inches that were beginning to seem like miles when she yearned to feel his body against hers, to run her fingers through his hair, and to kiss away the crinkles around his eyes. He seemed to be studying her lips though his eyes were veiled so she could not read them. So she stood there anticipating, just barely breathing, but Lee did not make any move toward her. Finally she could not take it anymore, with a gentle shake of her hand and a half step back, she broke through Lee's trance-like state commenting, "Thanks for helping me finish up in here." Lee turned away from her and moved across the room turning back towards her as he leaned against the counter. Clearing his throat, he began "I'm just glad that I could help."

"You did. Thanks for helping with Buster too. He really took to you," Amanda complimented him with a smile.

"He's a really great dog. I didn't realize dogs could be, well, I mean, have that much personality. Have the boys ever asked for a dog?"

"Well, they haven't in a long time. When they were really little they begged and pleaded for one, but I told them that we should wait until they were a little older, old enough to be responsible for most of its care. I've been waiting for them to ask again. A dog would make a good Christmas present," rambled Amanda.

"You can't get them just any dog though. It must be a good one, like Buster. You know, I would be glad to help you look for the right dog. You could even keep him at my place until Christmas morning," Lee volunteered enthusiastically. "You didn't have a pet when you were a kid, did you?"

In a 'matter of fact' tone, Lee answered, "The environment I grew up in wasn't very conducive to pets, plus the Colonel would never have allowed it." He finished with a shrug, "But hey, I did have my fish." Amanda shuddered slightly at the memory of her fish-sitting adventure. Kidnapping by Russians was not normally a complication of pet sitting, but at Lee's apartment you had to expect the unexpected.

The phone ringing freed them from their kidnapping reverie. Amanda answered it tentatively and was greeted by a shy, hesitant Alex. Amanda subconsciously turned away from Lee as if her not being able to see him would prevent him from listening to her side of the conversation.

"Hi, Alex. How did practice go?" Amanda asked trying to keep the conversation on safe topics. It might have been her imagination, but she thought she could actually feel Lee's frame tense at the mention of Alex's nameâ¤| "Well, I am glad that he did better. I know he must have been very proud of himself," chimed Amanda when it was her turn to speak. Responding to another question, Amanda elaborated, "Oh, yes, I know that smile. Thanks so much for giving him so much extra attention. You're really good with the boys. They enjoy when you work with them. And I really appreciate it. Did Tyler have a good practice too? Oh, I am so glad," Amanda continued, thinking that if she cut him off before he asked anything specific, then she would not have to directly turn him down. She certainly did not want to hurt his feelings, but on the other hand, she was desperate to avoid any situation that might push Lee away again. "I bet you're glad to have your afternoon and evening free. I've been puppy sitting. I have some errands to run and a hair appointment later. I'm really looking forward to spending a quiet evening at home working on a few projects that I never seem to have time to finish." Amanda hoped this not-exactly-subtle display of elaborating about her slightly exaggerated agenda might discourage Alex from making an invitation. Her plan almost worked. In response to his inquiry, Amanda answered carefully. "Oh, Alex, that would have been nice. It's a beautiful day for a picnic and a walk in the park. Maybe we could do it some other time." She spoke gently, weighing each word carefully in an attempt to handle both of the men listening to her response, each analyzing her every word. Alex took her comments well and told her to call him if she needed any help. Amanda ended the conversation saying "Okay. Thanks, and yes, if I need anything, I won't hesitate to give you a call. Enjoy your day, Alex. Goodbye."

After she hung up the phone, she took a deep breath before turning back around. She didn't know which persona she dreaded more - the 'jealous person' one or the indignant 'I don't have any feelings' Scarecrow. He was looking down at the floor when she finally pivoted towards him. She watched as his gaze rose slowly to meet hers. His face was initially lined with tension, as though jealously was boiling under the surface. But his features relaxed with every deliberate step he took in her direction. When he stood in front of her, he reached for her hands. With an eyebrow raised to match his light questioning tone, he queried, "Alex?"

Closely observing his body language and voice inflection, she answered simply, "The boy's coach."

"I can't leave you alone for a minute without some guy vying for your company, can I?" he teased. He brought both her hands up to his lips and started a trail of soft kisses across her knuckles. "So, I guess we won't be going to the park for a picnic this afternoon."

Enjoying the sensations created by his lips on her hands, she protested weakly, "Lee, it isn't polite to listen to other people's phone conversations."

"I think I've been accused of being impolite before. I guess it's something that I should work on. Hmmm, do you really have errands to run and a hair appointment this afternoon?" Lee asked between kisses on her hands.

Clearing her throat, Amanda was having trouble focusing. For what seemed like the tenth time since he had been here today, she was hardly able to resist the urge to throw herself in his arms. Forgetting the question, she did not answer until he gave her another of his raised eyebrow looks. "Yes," she managed to whisper.

Starting to trail kisses around her wrist, Lee looked up and implored seriously, "Amanda, promise me if you ever need something, someone, that I will be the first person you call."

Shaken by the quick switch between flirtiness and seriousness, Amanda was moved by the earnestness in his voice. Still wrestling the overwhelming urge to fling herself into his arms and kiss him deeply, she answered honestly, an answer for this and several other questions that were not being verbalized. "I promise. You will be the man, my man."

Lee stopped his kiss trail long enough to take a long, searching look in her eyes, absorbing her words as well as the sincerity in her eyes. He returned his lips to her wrists. When they reached the bruise on her arm, he kissed the area around it gently. His head rose slowly, eyes flashing with bursts of recognition, his words explaining change of venue of his lips. "The boxes. You wanted me to move some boxes for you. I almost forgot."

Still dazed by the pleasure of his lips on her arms, Amanda was startled by his comments. "Boxes?"

"Boxes in the attic. You know, the ones that tripped you causing this bruise on your arm." As he explained he ran his index finger gently across the length of her forearm. Mistaking Amanda's shudder of pleasure for a flinch of pain, Lee dropped his hands to his side and apologized. Frustrated, Amanda once again stood inches from him. She wanted to reach for him, longed to touch him. For a moment she thought that she might actually be able to do it. But she could tell by the look in Lee's eyes, he had already moved past the moment. She could see the wheels in his mind working on his assistance plan. Amanda knew that he would do just about anything to help her on a normal day, but now he was motivated by making sure she wouldn't be calling Alex or anyone else. Sometimes he was just too predictable, but this time his predictability was not quite as endearing as it had been at other times.

Lee grabbed the baby gates and followed Amanda upstairs. With several grunts, groans, and one loud string of expletives, Lee managed to reposition the boxes to their newly designated spots. "A-man-da, those were really heavy," Lee complained after setting the last one down.

Watching Lee stretch gently from side to side, Amanda asked somewhat anxiously "Lee, are you okay? Did you hurt your back?" He assured her that it was just a little tightness as he ushered her down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Noticing the vegetables, Amanda said, "I guess I need to get those down to the Pattersons."

"Can I help you?"

"Well, you could give me a hand loading them into the car."

Amanda grabbed her purse and keys while Lee grabbed his coat. They loaded the food into the wagon and Amanda walked Lee to his car. Standing there next to him with the car door open. Amanda hoped Lee would suggest dinner or doing something together later. He really looked as though he might. Amanda was staring into his hazel depths when she heard her name being called behind her.

"Amanda dear, I'm so glad that I caught you. Could I go with you to take the food to the Pattersons? The Pinto is acting up so Ralph took it to get it fixed."

Smiling at Lee, Amanda answered, "Of course, Mrs. Ferguson."

"Do you think your boyfriend could give me a hand with my dishes? They are kind of heavy and he is such a strong young man," Agnes observed.

Amanda pounded her forehead against Lee's shoulder in embarrassment and frustration at the 'boyfriend' comment. Surprisingly, Lee seemed completely amused by the endearment. He answered, "I would be glad to help, Mrs. Fergusion" and moved to her aid. Amanda's protest of "He's NOT my boyfriend" was wasted on the bushes lining the driveway.

After loading more food in the wagon, Lee whispered, "I'll call you later," in Amanda's ear.

Watching Lee walk to his car, the ever-plotting nosy neighbor halted his progress by calling out, "Lee dear, you forgot to give her a goodbye kiss." Mr. Charming recovered quickly. With a devilish Stetson grin, he kissed his fingers and blew a red-faced Amanda a kiss. Then with a wink, he repeated the process and blew Agnes a kiss as well.

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Saturday Evening - King Household

After delivering the food to the Patterson's and dropping Agnes off at home, Amanda enjoyed a relaxing late afternoon. She ran a couple of errands and got a haircut (don't worry, just a trim). Next she stopped at the park and took a long walk. Exercise was good for the soul, and with her long hours lately, she did not do enough of it anymore. Realizing that she had not really eaten all day, she splurged and grabbed a salad on the way home. After returning home, she decided to do a quick facial mask, killing time while she waited for Lee to call. During the 20-minute firming period, she straightened up the downstairs, moved the clothes from the washer to the dryer, and straightened up her bedroom, lighting a few candles for aroma. Amanda completed these tasks anxiously, eagerly, glancing at the phone each time she walked by one. She had a feeling that this was going to be an important night in their relationship. She felt like they were standing on a cliff and it was almost time for them to take that leap together. She had been on that ledge for quite awhile, but Lee had only joined her there for brief moments, then he moved back away. He seemed to be with her ever since he ditched Leslie for their 'no shop talk' steak and potato dinner last weekend. Amanda was ready to jump, a jump that seemed scarier than the leap they took in Europe from the castle to the moat.

The mental picture of Lee lying on her kitchen floor with Buster cuddled against his chest kept flashing in her mind. She remembered seeing his long fingers massaging the dog's body. For the first time in her life, she was jealous of a puppy; she smiled at this thought, causing a major crack in her facial mud which brought her back to reality. With a glance at the clock that showed it was still early, before 6:00 o'clock, Amanda decided she had time for a leisurely bath. Still wondering why Lee hadn't called yet, she decided she would give him until 7:00, then she would call him. After a long bath, Amanda smeared lotion generously over her entire body. She felt clean, fresh, and relaxed. Because she wasn't sure of her evening plans, she dressed comfortably in an old set of men's cotton pajamas - long sleeve shirt with cotton shorts. She padded downstairs, a bottle of red finger nail polish in tow. Painting her toenails was the final phase in her pampering project - her mother would be so proud. A buzzer reminded her to remove the clothes from the dryer. She folded the clothes and carefully hung Lee's shirt up bringing it into the kitchen and hanging it on a chair. Flipping on some jazz music and pouring a glass of lemonade, she settled down with the red polish. She had just finished the first layer of polish, when she heard the familiar knock on her back door. When she realized the state of her attire, she was hit with a flash of panic. Hair up, minimal make-up, shiny skin, wet polish, and her comfy outfit was not quite the alluring look she was going for, but was almost impossible to be miffed at Lee for not calling when she was so relieved to see him standing in front of her.

"Hi," he said shyly.

"Hi," Amanda returned breathlessly. Again, she was taken with how wonderfully sexy he looked. He stood in front of her in jeans, blue t-shirt, and his standard leather jacket. Just looking at him made her heart flutter.

"Can I come in?" he motioned with a hand holding a bottle of wine. As Amanda stepped aside, she noticed a movie and a bag in his other hand. She asked him a nonverbal, raised eyebrow question about the packages.

Presenting her with the wine, "Wine" and handing her the VHS tape, "Movie," he explained. Then pointing to the bag with another sheepish grin, "Target practice," he admitted.

"Wine and a gun lesson? Always the romantic, Stetson," Amanda teased. Lee just shrugged at her reproof. Amanda read the title of the movie and grinned. "Beethoven?" she laughed with a wink.

"It sounded good. I was in the mood for a puppy movie," Lee defended with another shrug, eyes moving over her frame, noting her attire.

Amanda crossed her arms self-consciously across her chest and nervously stated, "Just give me a minute. I should go upstairs and change."

Touching her arm, "Don't change anything. You look beautiful and very comfortable."

"Leeâ¤|"

"'Manda, you can dress up for me some other time. You're dressed perfectly for tonight, a relaxing night at home."

Against her better judgment, Amanda dropped the subject. "So, movie or a gun lesson first?"

"Your pick," Lee replied, looking generally relieved.

Moving farther into the kitchen, Amanda laid the movie and wine on the counter. Lee watched as she pulled two wine glasses from the cabinet. "Lee, take off your jacket and stay awhile," she quipped with a smile. Sneaking a glance at the muscles rippling across his back when he turned to hang his jacket over a chair, she added, "Gun too."

Lee came to Amanda's side. She handed him the wine glasses and corkscrew. They worked in tandem, he preparing the wine and she fixing a plate of cheese and crackers. "Feeding me?" Lee asked with a dimpled grin. "I was advised to make sure you took care of your body," Amanda teased.

They moved into the family room. Amanda set the movie up and returned to sit near Lee on the couch. They started with a respectable distance between them, but their mutual, magnetic attraction brought them closer together until they were side by side. Amanda enjoyed feeling the warmth of his jean-clad leg against her bare skin. As the movie progressed Amanda relaxed against Lee's shoulder. The whole scene seemed so normal. Lee was acting like relaxing together on a Saturday night was a usual event. Cuddling on the couch made perfect sense, didn't it? Amanda thought that it might have been be a little disconcerting if didn't feel so darn perfect.

Lee must have felt her shiver because he moved forward and reached for the blanket. He re-situated them, moving back into the corner pulling her gently towards him to rest against his chest. He covered her with the blanket, tucking her legs in carefully and wrapping his arm tightly around her waist, hand resting possessively against her hip. He whispered in her ear, "Better?"

Basking in the warmth surrounding her and enjoying the sparks shooting through her body from the contact, she answered huskily "Oh, yes." Hearing the tone of her response, he tightened his arm around her pulling her a little closer to him. His other hand reached for hers, fingers interlaced.

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When the movie was over, Amanda regretfully untangled herself from Lee's embrace. Lee stood up himself with a muffled groan. When Amanda turned back around from adjusting the VCR, Lee was standing in front of her with a gleam in his eyes and a mischievous grin. That sight alone started Amanda's heart racing. 'Oh my gosh,' she thought to herself, 'this man is so gorgeous!'

"Well, partner. Don't you think we've put this off long enough?" Lee asked with an accompanying eyebrow shrug.

"Putting it off?" Amanda asked confused and dazed by the overwhelming desire to kiss him.

"You've been avoiding it all day," Lee accused.

"Me? What about you?"

"I've just been waiting for you to want to. I didn't want to force you, you know. But ready or not, I think it's just something we should do now."

"Oh?"

"Yes, come here and let's see what you remember."

"Remember?"

"Amanda, stop acting like you haven't done this before." Mistaking the confusion on her face for stubbornness, Lee continued, "Amanda, it hasn't been that long for you, has it? Just lay down here on the floor," Lee instructed.

"Floor?"

"The floor," he said firmly pointing to the ground. He started to get down next to her then stopped abruptly explaining, "Oh, I almost forgot…" as he went into the kitchen.

Amanda was flabbergasted; she would not have guessed Lee would be so casual about this. Not that she was really complaining, she had been wishing for this all day, waiting for him to make a move, yearning for the opportunity to touch him. She just thought he would be a little more romantic about it. These thoughts were spinning through her mind when Lee returned with a gun in his hand. Before she could censor her thoughts she blurted out "GUN!"

Losing his patience a little, Lee responded, "Amanda, how are you going to practice if you don't actually use the gun. I thought you had gotten past this stage. Remember it just shoots sticky darts."

"Practice?" The pieces fell into place with a thud. Amanda realized he was not making his move; he was talking about shooting lessons. Finally understanding what he was talking about, she did not know whether to be relieved or disappointed again. Gently pounding her forehead against her palm, she would have preferred a long passionate kiss right now, even though it would be more dangerous than a gun. Lee was driving her to distraction!

"A-man-da! Stop stalling! Let's just do a quick lesson and then we can do whatever you want to do, okay?" He handed her the gun and walked across the room to set-up some targets. As Amanda concentrated on breathing and focusing on the task at hand, Lee sat on the floor with her. He nodded in support. "Now, that's better." Immediately getting to the job at hand, he started explaining positioning and techniques for shooting in the prone position. Amanda fought hard to concentrate on his words, not his hands on her body and the huskiness of his voice. He was lying on his side stretched out next to her so concentrating took a lot of extra effort. When he had her in the perfect prone sniper position, he started making up scenarios. Amanda could feel him whispering, leaning over her with one arm loosely draped across her back.

"Now, pretend you have been waiting here for hours when finally an infamous Russian bad guy appears in your sights," he whispered, his breath hot against her neck. "Hold your arms like I showed you. Now, do you have the target centered in your sights?" With that question he moved his cheek next to hers, overwhelming Amanda's senses with his masculine scent. "Okay, shoot," he instructed.

Amanda focused and pulled the trigger launching the sticky dart across the room. Lee was happier than she was when the sticky dart knocked over the target. Lee leaned over and kissed her on the cheek in congratulations. Caught in the moment of excitement, Amanda swung her legs at the knees. "Okay, let's do it again. Back in position," Lee instructed. He reached for her calf and gently pushed her leg back down to the ground. Amanda gasped when he trailed his fingers gently up from her lower leg on her mid-thigh muttering in a husky voice, "relax your muscles." Completely distracted, Amanda missed the target on her next two shots. Lee patted her on the shoulder encouragingly as he started to stand up and fetch the darts. When he reached down for the first dart, he expelled another low groan. Amanda caught the grimace of pain on his face.

"Lee, are you hurt?" Amanda questioned. She was on her feet and at his side before he could answer. Running her hands across his back, she asked, "What's wrong?"

Turning and taking her hands in his own, he hedged "My back and shoulders are just a little tight."

"Lee, did you hurt it when you moved those boxes?" Amanda asked, feeling responsible.

"Not exactly. Really, 'Manda, I'm fine. My muscles are just tight. I'll try to get in for a massage at the gym on Monday." Watching her face closely, he teased, "Unless you want to give me a massage tonight."

"Okay," Amanda answered quickly. She had been dying to get her hands on him all day and there was no way she was going to pass this opportunity up.

"Okay?" Lee mimicked with a gulp.

"Yep, Stetson. I'll give you a back massage," Amanda announced confidently with a pat on his shoulder. While Lee stood in front of her examining the top of his shoes, Amanda started towards the stairs tossing an explanation over her shoulder, "Just let me find some lotion or oil."

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When Amanda returned, she found Lee in the exact spot she left him in. "'Manda, you don't have to do this," he began uneasily. He looked extremely uncomfortable standing in front of her.

"Lee, what's the problem? Don't you want me to give you a back massage?" Amanda asked, perplexed. Whether motivated by guilt, thinking he hurt his back helping her, or motivated by the desire to be closer to him, Amanda had the best of intentions for this back massage. She was going to innocently work on his sore muscles, letting her fingers work their magic. Then maybe she'd, not so innocently, tease him just a little with some of the techniques she'd mastered in that couple's sensual massage class. She may be a divorced mother of two, but she still remembered how to flirt.

"Yes, of course," he answered in a low growl.

"Okay then," Amanda began mimicking Lee's instructor tone. "Take off your shirt and lay down." Lee watched her eyes closely as he removed his shirt. He tossed the shirt on the couch and lay down on his stomach on the floor in the spot Amanda had designated. Amanda assumed the position holding a bottle of regular lotion in one hand and scented oil in the other. "Lee, do you want the lotion or oil. The lotion is unscented, but the oil would work better. Unfortunately, you'll end up smelling like me."

Clearing his throat, he responded huskily, "The oil is fine."

"Well, fine then, if smelling like me doesn't bother you." Running her hands over his upper shoulders and bare back, "So, what do you want me to work on? Which muscles are sore and stiff?"

Lee gulped, "Sore and stiff?"

"Oh, wait a minute. My sleeves are going to get in the way. I had better change shirts. I'll just run back upstairs and get another shirt."

"You don't have to go. Uh, you can wear my t-shirt if you want to," Lee volunteered. "It would save you a trip up the stairs."

"You don't care?"

"No, go ahead."

Getting up and grabbing the shirt, Amanda requested, "Don't turn around, okay?" She turned her back and slipped her shirt off and his on. Returning to her perch, "Okay, what areas do you want me to concentrate on?"

"Shoulders and lower back."

Amanda drizzled oil across his back and begun the massage just to the left of the base of his neck. At first she could feel him fight against relaxing, but he finally gave in. She slowly worked her way across and around, concentrating on the muscles that felt most taut. Amanda enjoyed untangling the tension in his body more than she thought possible, more than she would ever admit. Judging by the guttural responses reverberating from Lee's chest, Amanda concluded that he must have been enjoying the process as well. When she worked the tension from his upper back, she changed the force of her touch and lightly soothed the skin around his shoulders and upper arms. She had been dying to touch him all day, so it felt like heaven when she was finally allowed to do so. Next she moved to his lower back to work on the second area that he said had been bothering him. She moved her perch down to his lower thighs. Her attempts to reach his lower back were limited by his belt and waistband. While she was contemplating asking him to take off his belt, she ran her hands up his thighs and tush. He gasped and tensed immediately. His arm right arm stretched to his side and grabbed a hold of a table leg in a death grip, holding on to it for dear life like a life preserver.

"Lee, you've got to relax," Amanda soothed. She reached over him to his hand and ran her fingers down his arm and across his shoulders, continuing down his back.

"'Manda?" Lee questioned in a low husky voice pulling himself up on his elbows and turning slightly so he could look into her eyes. Seeing the questions in his eyes, Amanda reached a hand to his face. Her fingers traced his partially opened lips slowly. Thoughts were racing through her mind at the same speed electricity was surging through her body. Reasons upon reasons of why she should continue flashed in her head. She loved this man; she wanted this man. He was gorgeous, intelligent, charming, honest, loyal, and sexy as hell. She could see desire oozing out under his partially veiled eyelids. She knew he was waiting for her to make the first move. The voice in her mind screaming 'Don't pass this up!' was consistent with the parts of her body literally aching for his touch. Her heart joined in the persuasion campaign; its steady beat thumped "You-Love-Him-You-Love-Him".

'Take chances, Amanda. You have got to live,' her mother's voice echoed in her head (not exactly the voice she wanted to hear at this time, but the message was good). Her mother had advised that life was too short and you must seize the opportunity. Life was short. With the dangerous life that he lived he could be taken from her tomorrow. Could she live with passing this perfect opportunity up? This wasn't a moment that could be planned. They had passed up so many of these moments they had been given. If she ended up losing him, she would deal with that despair later, but she didn't think she could live with ignoring this chance. Throwing caution to the wind, she decidedly leaned towards him and pushed on his shoulder to roll him over on his back.

His eyes were wide open now, searching her own. Amanda saw the same raw desire and love as she felt in her heart mirrored there. Just the look on his face was making her melt. Examining his torso slowly, her hands explored the area from his stomach to his shoulders with a feathery light touch. When Lee's arms moved up towards her shoulders, Amanda stopped them in mid-air and pushed them down over his head. Protesting, he grabbed her left hand in his right and interlaced their fingers gently pulling her towards him. Amanda traced his lips again with her fingers and leaned in slowly so their lips could meet, knowing with that touch there were going to be fireworks, knowing with that kiss there was no turning back, and knowing that this was precisely the direction that she wanted to be going - towards loving, towards living…

Before their lips could meet, their moment, their steamy interlude was interrupted by the shrill, annoying, inconvenient ringing of the telephone. Before Lee could finish begging, "Don't answer it!" Amanda was in the kitchen with the receiver in her hand.

"Kellie, what's wrong?" hearing the panic in her voice Lee responded automatically. "Slow down, is it Philip or Jamie?" Lee arrived at her side and put his arms around her waist for support. Unable to hear the other side of the conversation, he leaned his face down studying Amanda's expressions intently. "Jamie, okay, what happened?" Amanda's hand unconsciously moved to Lee's chest and she leaned her forehead against hisâ¤| After a lengthy explanation, Amanda took a deep, relaxing breath, summarizing as much for her own benefit as for Lee's, "So, he bruised his forearm running into the pole holding up the basketball goal after tripping over Tyler who had bent down to tie his shoe."

Interrupting, she asked, "Kellie, did he cry?" After another lengthy, but thorough answer, Amanda spoke calmly "Okay, he didn't cry and you have checked his range of motion. He has full use of his hand, no tingling. No, don't worry about his shirt; I will wash it tomorrow. No, I don't think he has to come home unless he wants to. No, Kellie, it's just an accident, happens all the time with growing boys. Can I talk to him?" Amanda smiled up at Lee passing on a look that said she thought super step-mom might be overreacting.

"Hey, Jamie, you okay? Just a little bruise, huh?" she replied with a smile. "Yes, that's probably a good idea. Listen to Kellie. Sit out for a little bit and keep the ice pack on it. That is the best thing for it. Call me again if you need me. Love you, pal."

Lee took the phone from her hand and reached to hang it up. Keeping one arm around her waist and leaning the other and his hip against the counter, he asked "He's okay?"

"Yes," Amanda smiled. "Just a victim of a sheltering step-mom. But I'd definitely rather have it that way than having them with someone who doesn't care about them." After a minute of silence, Amanda explained her actions avoiding his eyes, "Lee, I had to answer the phone. I had a feeling that it was going to be about the boys." Realizing it was her way of apologizing for the interruption, "I know," he said slowly to express his understanding.

In the ensuing silence they both understood that the earlier spell had been broken and the moment was not to be recaptured tonight. Lee was the one who moved first spying his shirt hanging over the kitchen chair. He grabbed it and headed back to the family room. Amanda lingered in the kitchen looking for something to straighten up, but unable to find a diversion. When she peeked into the family room, the vision of Lee holding his buttoned shirt tail under his chin while he wrestled with his belt (he was undoing it so he could tuck in his shirt) made her smile. 'He can look like such a little kid sometimes,' she thought to herself. The glimpse of his bare abdomen sent a shiver down her spine. To keep her hands busy she picked up their glasses and the cheese plate and deposited them in the kitchen sink. Lee met her there, jacket on, movie in hand. He stood in front of her a little uneasily. "Thanks for the food, movie, and, uh, company."

"Lee, you're welcome for everything. I had a nice night," Amanda said quietly staring into his eyes seriously.

"We're okay," he said softly, not as a question, but as a statement. His free hand moved to her waist.

"Yes," Amanda whispered moving her hands to his chest and reaching up to kiss his cheek.

"Good night, 'Manda," he said softly and bent to kiss her cheek. Then he placed the softest, lightest, most amazingly sweet kiss on her lips. After a brief hug, they parted.

"Good night, Lee," Amanda whispered to his back as he walked out the door.

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After he left Amanda busied herself tidying up the kitchen and family room. It wasn't until she found her PJ top lying on the floor that she realized she was still wearing Lee's t-shirt. The thought of changing skirted across her mind, but when she took a deep breath and could smell the lingering scent of his cologne, she decided that she would be sleeping in it tonight and probably many nights to come. His shirt gave her comfort; it gave her promise. Smiling to herself, she would have to think up a story to satisfy her mother's curiosity about the shirt's origins. Her smile deepened with the realization that even t-shirts had cover stories in her world these days. After turning off the downstairs light, she stood in the dark and replayed the romantic scene. Upstairs in bed with the house locked up and the lights off, she snuggled up with her pillow. Not a single regret spun through her mind, for a change. When she closed her eyes she could still see the look of love and desire etched in his features - his eyes, the line of his jaw, and those lips. What almost happened didn't matter. What was important was that they both had made a decision to stop pretending that they did not have these types of feelings for each other. She had made that conscious choice and it was a big one. He had to know how she really felt about him now, how much she wanted him, and what lengths - even those against her convictions - she would go to to be with him. The ball was in his court to figure out what he wanted and where things should go from here. As much as she loved him, as much as she wanted him, she knew that there were probably discussions that they should have before a night like tonight should happen. She sensed that it was really important to Lee to take this slowly. The next move would have to be his and she really hoped it would come soon!

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