The Characters in this story do not belong to me. They belong to Warner Brothers and Shoot the
Moon productions. I occasionally like
to borrow them and write about them.
The song used in this story was written by Jim Brickman and is sung by
Collin Raye.
This story takes place during the fourth season –just before
the marriage. Just a different twist on
the honeymoon and the days (and nights) leading up to it. The canon remains the same. Hope you enjoy it. Any comments will be greatly appreciated.
Laid to Rest
Rating - PG
Don't worry – it's not what you think – Lee and Amanda deal
with doubts and fears of their relationship.
It was very late and Lee Stetson lay alone in his bed, hands
clasped behind his head, staring at the ceiling. He smiled as he thought about the turn of events in his
life. Even though he was alone, he did
not feel lonely, for his heart had been filled with love for his Amanda. Although it took him three years to convince
himself that he was in love with her, he could not believe this was happening,
finally. Since he had proposed to
Amanda and she had accepted, he had dreamed of this day. He was getting married. MARRIED – the lone wolf, the confirmed
bachelor, and the man who didn't need anyone.
He was about to be married. And,
he was on cloud nine. Amanda meant more
to him than anything in the world and tomorrow, barring any unforeseen
roadblocks, they were getting married!
The road that brought them to this point had been long and at times
rocky, but they traveled it together and they were about to become husband and
wife.
Lee had been making plans for weeks for the honeymoon. He spent many hours thinking about it and
how he could make it a night Amanda would never forget. He knew he would be a day he'd never forget –
the day she would become his wife and rescue him from a lonely existence. Since they agreed this would have to be a
mystery marriage, he wanted to make their first evening together very
special.
Despite a grueling week working on the Nick Grant case, Lee
was able to devote some time to official wedding duties such as confirming the
room reservation at Crystal Springs Inn, picking up the rings, contacting the
Justice of the Peace, and visiting the Inn to make several surprise
arrangements for the evening of the honeymoon.
In the weeks leading up to the wedding, Lee and Amanda had
very little time to spend together due to the Agency and Amanda's family. The few precious moments they did share
allowed them only brief opportunities to discuss and strengthen their
relationship. They were both amazed
when at long last, they could share a kiss without interruption. In fact, there had been a few occasions when
they were able to share some very passionate kisses but because of his deep
respect for Amanda, Lee managed, some times with Herculean effort, to keep his
hormones in check. Cold showers had been
his late night companion after an evening with Amanda. Because he loved her, he wanted to take
things slow. Of course, slow had been
given a new meaning since it had taken them three years to share a kiss- a real
kiss- not a cover kiss. Lee was
determined to prove to Amanda how much he loved her and if that meant waiting
until their wedding night to consummate their relationship, that's exactly what
he would do. He did not want her to
feel that she was just another one of his long line of girls parading through
his life.
In these late evening hours, after he'd left Amanda and
returned to his apartment, Lee had plenty of time to think about their
relationship. This was the first time
he was involved, truly involved, in a serious relationship. At times, it was like walking through a
landmine. Even though he had been with
many women, he had never really gotten to know any of them well enough to
develop an ongoing relationship. He
realized after much soul-searching that the parade of women in his life was a
feeble attempt to fill a deep void of loneliness and pain that began with the
loss of his parents when he was a boy.
Yet, here he was a man in the mid-thirties who had been trained as a
secret agent, but who had no clue in the day-to-day operations of a developing
relationship. He knew beyond the shadow
of a doubt that he loved Amanda and he enjoyed being with her. Much to his surprise, he also realized he
had grown to love Phillip and Jamie and even Dotty. But, what did he know of family life? How could he become a part of something he had never experienced? He had precious few memories of his mother
and father and most of the time he kept those memories buried deep because they
were too painful to relive. Lee had
grown up a loner, never leaning on anyone, yet now, he was about to marry
Amanda. It had taken him a long time, a
very long time, but he realized that he could no longer live without her. She had saved him from a life of loneliness
and sadness. Early in their
relationship, there was an unmistakable bond between them. He found himself holding her hand whenever
possible or guiding her by placing his hand at the small of her back. He had been afraid to admit it to himself at
the time, but he now realized that he craved the physical contact. It was not for her benefit as he originally
believed, but because it brought him a sense of belonging and security. When he was with Amanda, all was right with
the world even thought she did manage to drive him crazy with her ramblings and
convoluted logic. He smiled as he
thought about their early cases. If it
hadn't been for Billy, this day might never have come. He was also somewhat saddened by the way he
had treated Amanda in the beginning. He
made a promise to himself that he would do everything in his power to never
doubt her or try to push her away.
Amanda, too, had her share of doubts where this marriage was
concerned. She was certain Lee loved
her and she loved him more than she thought possible. Their relationship was nothing like that she had shared with
Joe. She and Lee seemed to share some
sort of intense bond that was exemplified not only in their physical touch but
seemed to also manifest itself in thought.
Sometimes, they were able to read each other's minds. Maybe it was because of their working
relationship or maybe it was because of their love. Amanda couldn't be sure.
Still, the parade of women that had been a part of Lee's life bothered
her at times, not because she thought he was still interested in any of them,
but because she still thought of herself as a housewife. Although their lives were at times very
exciting, she occasionally wondered if she could bring the kind of excitement
to Lee's life that would keep him interested and not regret that he had settled
for a simple housewife who came complete with a ready-made family and a
mortgage. It had been a very long time
since she had shared an intimate relationship with a man and that relationship
had been with only one man, her husband.
Amanda didn't consider herself a prude, but she had strong convictions
when it came to love and marriage. And
since she had become a single parent, she wanted to set a good example for her
two young boys.
Amanda also harbored feelings of failure regarding her first
marriage. She did love Joe and they
both had tried hard to save a marriage, which had been on life-support during
most of its last years. She had tried,
really tried to be what Joe had wanted her to be, but as a mother, she just
couldn't bring herself to uproot two small boys and travel to a primitive
country like Estocia. She regretted to
this day the fact that the boys had been robbed of their father. In the months after the divorce became
final, Amanda spent many hours debating whether the outcome could have been any
different. It wasn't that she was
pining for Joe. She simply pined for
the life she had always dreamed of – a home, children, and a loving husband,
who was home in the evenings to spend time with his family. A marriage like that of her parents. No greater love was known than that of Dotty
and Carl West.
^
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
The wedding ceremony was over and went off without a
hitch. Believe it or not, they were
able to share their wedding kiss without an interruption. As they made their way to the Inn, a light
snow began to fall. Soon they arrived
and Lee went to check them in. He was
given the keys to their room and the bellboy helped with the luggage. Unfortunately, the maid was not quite
finished with their room. A very
impatient Lee and Amanda waited for her to finish. It was hard to tell who was more frustrated – Lee or Amanda. After what seemed like an eternity, the maid
declared the room finished and with great fanfare, departed leaving the
newlyweds alone for the first time. It
didn't take them long to end up in each other arms enjoying their first
passionate kiss as husband and wife.
Lee was the first to break the kiss.
He wanted to set in motion the events he had so carefully planned for
the evening. Despite a moan of protest
from Amanda, he suggested that they unpack because they had dinner reservations
downstairs at 7:00.
Crystal Springs Inn was a beautiful inn set in the rolling
countryside of Virginia. The inn was
completely decked out for the upcoming Valentines Day weekend. The dining room was almost filled to
capacity when Lee and Amanda arrived.
There were couples and families. Lee had requested a table near the
windows so they could take in the view.
The grounds of the inn had been decorated with red, white and pink
lights, which cast a romantic glow over the entire area.
Lee noticed that Amanda seemed very quiet. He began to re-think his elaborate
plan. Maybe Amanda was not going to be
happy with the arrangements he made.
"Hey, are you all right?" he asked as he took her hand in
his and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. He looked into those deep brown eyes trying to determine why she
was so quiet.
"I'm sorry, Lee, I was just thinking."
Unsure of how he would react, she delayed answering him.
"Amanda?" he questioned softly.
"Well," she said taking a deep breath, "I was thinking about
mother and the boys. I miss them."
Seeing a look of pain flash briefly across Lee's face, she
quickly continued. "I mean, I am really
glad I'm here with you. It's just that,
well, I guess I'm not used to be away from them. I know, the boys are growing up and they are off on their own a
lot and Mother is seeing more of Captain Kurt, but we're a family."
Seeing a look of disappointment on Lee's face, Amanda
reached over to caress his face with her free hand. "But what I miss most is not being able to share you with
them. You are now part of my family –
our family – and I feel a little bit cheated that I can't shout it from the
mountains that I love you." She smiled
that special smile she kept reserved only for him.
Her smile caused his heart to melt. He turned his head to kiss her palm. "I feel the same way, but, we agreed, it
will be safer for our family if we keep this marriage a secret. I tell you what, why don't you give them a
call after dinner – just to check up on everyone."
With that, Amanda's eyes sparkled and she simply stared into
Lee's eyes. He was about to speak again
when an announcement came over the loudspeaker.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like you to join me in
welcoming Crystal Springs newest honeymooners."
Panic swept over the faces of Lee and Amanda. Wide-eyed, they could only look at each
other with questions flying through their minds. How did they find out?
And what could they do about it?
"Let's have a nice round of applause for Mr. and Mrs. Leland
Kenston!" the matre'd announced.
While the occupants of the dinning room cheered and
applauded, Lee and Amanda both let out the collective sighs of relief they had
been holding. They joined in the
celebration applauding the newlyweds.
The rest of their dinner was enjoyed with companionable
talk. When they were finally finished,
Lee suggested Amanda call the boys while he took care of the bill. He knew once she got on the phone, Dotty
would keep her occupied for sometime which would allow him to put his "plan"
into motion. After paying the bill, he
had a talk with the concierge and then raced up to their room.
*****
Rather emphatically, Amanda said again, "Yes, Mother, I'm
having a good time. I just wanted to
talk with you and the boys to make sure everything was okay but I really need
to be going. I'll call you
tomorrow. I love you and give my love
to the boys." Amanda had been trying to
hang up for the last ten minutes but her mother kept asking questions trying to
find out what she was doing and whether or not she was really with Lee. After hanging up the phone, she looked
around for Lee. She started for the
elevator, when the concierge approached her.
He handed her a note and asked that she read it immediately. Amanda's heart leapt into double time. Across the front of the envelope was written
'Zula Blue." Tearing open the envelope,
she read with growing intrigue. The
message simply read,
Go to your Room and
follow the instructions you'll find there."
Amanda turned and looked for Lee once more and decided not
to wait for him but the respond to the 'Zula Blue" summons. Upon arriving in their room, she found that
another envelope had been slid under the door.
She tore it open and read,
Change into the clothes
on the bed and meet me in the lobby ASAP.
By now, Amanda was beginning to catch on. She made her way into the bedroom and found
the aforementioned clothes. She changed
as quickly as she could and raced back downstairs. Upon her arrival, she saw Lee sitting smugly in the lobby.
"What do you think you're doing?" she asked coyly.
"Well, I thought I would surprise my wife with an evening to
remember. Come with me my dear."
With that, he took her hand and wrapped it around his arm in
order to lead her outside to a waiting horse-drawn wagon.
"Oh Lee," she sighed as she flung her arms around his neck
and kissed him.
"Your carriage awaits, my lady. It may not be Cinderella's chariot, but I think it will do." Lee had persuaded the driver to allow him to
"borrow" the wagon for the evening. It
didn't take much persuasion after he explained to the driver that he could
handle a horse and that he had connections with the IRS who might be interested
in hearing about the tips that had gone undeclared.
Lee helped Amanda climb aboard. He quickly joined her and took the reins leading the horse on its
journey. With the snow lightly falling,
and the twinkling lights, the whole countryside seemed to sparkle. Lee covered them with a blanket and then
wrapped his arms around Amanda. As he leaned over to kiss her, Amanda asked,
"Who's driving this thing?"
Lee laughed and replied, "Mr. Ed. He knows the way.
Besides, I told him that if he gave us the extended tour, there'd be an
extra apple in it for him." Saying
this, he settled Amanda closer to his side.
"Lee this is really beautiful. I'm glad you thought of it."
"Well, I just wanted to give you something to remember on
your wedding day. I mean, we couldn't
have a normal wedding and we didn't have anyone at our ceremony and we can't
share in any of the traditional wedding activities, so I wanted to do something
special."
"The Zula Blue message was a nice touch. You had me going there for a minute. I thought for sure Harry was going to be waiting
for us to take a case that was a matter of national security."
"Amanda, tonight, nothing, believe me, nothing, could take
me away from you. I have waited for
this day all my life and World War III couldn't make me leave you." He leaned over and took her lips with his
own. She responded by purring
affectionately and caressed his face with her hand. When they separated, both were slightly breathless. Amanda laid her head on Lee's shoulder and
they settled back to enjoy the ride.
The stars were bright in the sky and the light snow made it
look was if the stars were falling all around them. Lee sighed contentedly and held Amanda closer. "Are you warm enough?" he asked.
"Mmm Hmm," she replied.
"Hey, you never did tell me, how are things on the home
front? Everybody okay?"
"Everyone is fine.
Mother and the boys were going out with Captain Kurt to see a
movie. I'm not sure either party knows
what they are getting into. The boys
will want to see an action movie and Mother will want to see a romantic
comedy. Unfortunately, Captain Kurt
will be caught in between. He's a
sucker for car chases, explosions, and aliens.
Sure hate to be in his shoes, tonight."
"Is that what I have to look forward to as a member of your
family?" Lee asked jokingly. "Becoming
a referee?"
"After all," Amanda laughed, "that's what parenting is all
about."
Lee quieted thinking about what she had just said. He had been joking, but what she said struck
a nerve. What did he know about being a
parent? He didn't much of a chance to
learn from his parents. They were taken
away too soon and the colonel was, well, simply the colonel. He did his best to deal with a sad,
withdrawn, and angry little boy who was too young to understand the terrible
blow the world had dealt.
Shaking himself out this line of thought, he forced himself
back to the present. Here he was with
the woman he loved more than life itself on a romantic carriage ride with snow
lightly falling and stars twinkling above them both. He smiled and chuckled lightly.
"What?"
"What, what?"
"What are you chuckling about?"
"Oh that, I was just thinking."
"Oh yeah, about what?"
"That I must be the luckiest man in the world tonight."
"You think so, huh?"
"You bet!"
Amanda wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head
forward in order to kiss him. But
before she reached his lips, she turned her head and whispered in his ear,
"And, I'm the luckiest woman!"
They shared a tender kiss that began to grow in intensity. Pulling back, albeit reluctantly, Lee
sighed, "Maybe we'd better save this until we get inside. I'd hate for you or I to develop frostbite
in some rather 'delicate' places."
Amanda blushed and dropped her head. Sighing deeply, she nestled herself once
again in Lee's strong embrace. Knowing
Lee's comment was meant in a teasing manner, she could help but hear that
little voice of doubt in the back of her mind telling her she was only a simple
housewife. With a shake of her head,
she managed to quell the voice. She
burrowed further against Lee's chest and he wrapped his arms tightly around
her.
The trip continued in contemplative silence. Both seemed to be lost in their own
thoughts. And whatever they were, they
were content to keep those thoughts to themselves. The gentle rocking motion of the carriage and the steady
clip-clop of the horse's hooves served as a soothing lullaby. Before long, Amanda was asleep and Lee was
enjoying simply holding her as she slept.
Amanda amazed him most of the time. She had an uncanny ability to fall asleep at the drop of the hat
and awake refreshed after a short nap.
They both had worked long and hard on the case involving with Nick
Grant. But it was more than that. He marveled at the fact that Amanda spent
the past several years juggling every aspect of her life. Her family, the Agency, and even her
relationship with him all demanded her time and attention. He chuckled to himself as he recalled a
statement he'd made to Francine about the 'stamina of the American
housewife.' At the time he had been
goading Francine but he realized now how accurate that statement had been.
The carriage was nearing the front of the inn so Lee thought
it best to waken Amanda. She shook her
gently and lightly kissed her.
"Hey, Sleeping Beauty, it's me, Prince Charming, and your
ride is about to come to an end."
Slowly opening her eyes and realizing what had happened, she
suddenly sat up. Grabbing the front of
his down vest, she quickly began, "Oh, Lee, I'm so sorry. I mean, how could I fall asleep on you. After all this trouble you went to so we
could enjoy this romantic carriage ride.
What must you think of me? I'm
really sorry. I guess I was just more tired than I thought. I mean, we have been working day and night
lately and with all the plans for our wedding and vacation and making sure
Mother and the boys were okay…"
Lee grinned and reached up to press his finger to Amanda's
lips in order to stop her latest ramble.
"It's okay. I think I may have
drifted off myself. Besides, I enjoyed
myself watching you sleep. Did you know
you smile even when you sleep? Come on,
Mr. Ed's waiting for his treat and we need to get inside and get warmed up."
He helped Amanda down from the carriage and pulled the
promised apple from his pocket and gave it to Mr. Ed along with a rubbing of
his long nose. "Thanks, pal," he
whispered in the horse's ear, "I owe you one."
Upon returning to their room, Lee gathered Amanda into his
arms as he opened the door to their room.
"Just carrying my bride across the threshold," he whispered seductively
in her ear. As he kissed her tenderly, he
slowly let go of her enough so she slid down his body before her feet touched
the floor. Breaking contact with her
before it was too late, he said, "Why don't you take off your jacket and I'll get
a fire going." About five minutes after
their return, there was a knock on the door.
"Right on time," Lee said as he opened the door. The waiter wheeled in a cart and placed it
near the fireplace. Lee tipped the man
and escorted him from the room. Upon
closing the door, he put the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the handle.
"Are you warming up yet?" Lee asked as he sat before Amanda
while they sipped their hot chocolate.
"This is a very nice touch, Stetson. I thought you might try to ply me with some
exotic wine," she said smiling seductively.
"Well, if you like, I can call room service," he whispered
as he leaned forward to trail a line of kisses from her ear to her neck.
Amanda responded by slipping her hand into his hair and
pulling him closer for an intoxicating kiss.
Her hand quickly found their way into his shirt. She felt his sudden intake of breath as her
cold hands came in contact with his heated flesh. As things progressed, Lee
fought hard to keep his hormones in check.
He was enjoying this immensely but he didn't want thing to get out of
hand too quickly. He decided it was
time to carry out another stage of his plan.
This evening was supposed to be about Amanda's pleasure and began
showering her with light caresses that were quickly followed by his wandering
fingers.
Lee was in seventh heaven.
Finally and at long last, he was free to show Amanda how much he loved
her. His lovemaking skills were
somewhat legendary, and in the past they had served only one purpose. They were simply a means to an end. He would do what ever was necessary in order
to enjoy his own pleasure. But tonight,
his focus was on pleasing Amanda with little thought of his own pleasure. For the first time, he realized that this is
what it meant to be in love. The simple
act of putting someone else above your own wishes and desires was what it was
all about. He tightened his hold around
Amanda as he sadly realized that this was the first time he had ever really
made love. His thoughts quickly turned
from sadness to joy as he realized he was able to share this first with his
Amanda.
Amanda turned in his arms and placed a kiss first on his
forehead and then each of his eyes and his nose before capturing his lips. "I think, Mr. Stetson, that it's time I go
change into something more comfortable," she whispered tauntingly into his ear.
She stood and walked provocatively into the bathroom. Lee was amazed that a simple gesture like
walking across the room could cause his heart to flutter. He also stood and undressed. He changed into a pair of navy blue silk
pajama bottoms. He decided not to put
on the shirt but he did put on the matching robe and tied it loosely about his
waist. Normally he would simply have
jumped naked into bed waiting for his latest quest to join him. But tonight was different. He thought Amanda might feel that was a
little too brazen. So he opted for the
pajamas.
He set about lighting the candles he'd brought and setting
up the tape player. So far this evening
was going according to plan. And soon,
he and Amanda would become one. He had
to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He was lost in thought staring at the fire and didn't hear the
bathroom door open.
Amanda took in the beautiful setting in the room and she
approached Lee. She stopped several
feet from him and softly called out his name.
As he turned, the site he took in caused his breath to catch
in his throat. Before him was the
loveliest woman he had ever seen.
Amanda stood before him illuminated by candlelight was well as the soft
glow from the bathroom light shining through the partially open door. The aura of the lighting caused an ethereal effect. To Lee, she looked like and angel standing
before him. She wore a deep burgundy
gown that hugged her bodice and flared out at her waist. Her hair fell loosely about her shoulders
and her deep brown eyes sparkled as she looked at him.
Lee was quickly overwhelmed at the site of her. His body leapt to an immediate and almost
painful state of readiness. A look of
shock and then embarrassment passed over his face and he immediately spun
around hoping Amanda would not be taken aback by his sudden reaction. He last thing he wanted was for her to think
he was here only to ravage her body for his pleasure and his alone. He gasped for a breath he didn't realize he
had been holding. His fists clenched at
his sides as he fought with every ounce of his being to regain control of his
libido and raging hormones.
Amanda was hurt but more confused by what had just taken
place. What was it exactly she had seen
pass over Lee's face? She decided to
approach him. She moved forward
reaching out her hand to touch his shoulder.
Before she could, Lee spat out through a tightly clenched jaw, "NO!" He knew that if she touched him at this
point, he would indeed lose control.
Amanda's hand recoiled like she had touched a hot
stove. Her hand went to her mouth as
she tired to stifle a cry of anguish.
Turning on her heel, she ran across the room and sat on the bed. Suddenly it dawned on her that her worst
fears had been realized. Lee really
didn't find her sexually appealing. She
grabbed one of the pillows from the bed and clenched it tightly to her
body. The tears she had been trying to
keep from falling now fell freely. Soon
the tears changed into heart-wrenching sobs.
It took a moment for the sound to penetrate through to his
brain but when it did, it had the effect of a cold shower. Finally realizing the sound he heard of that
of Amanda's sobs, he quickly forgot his own problems and rushed to kneel in
front of her.
"O, Amanda, please…" he began. "I'm sorry…I didn't…I…." He stumbled unable to find the right
words.
"Amanda, please look at me.
Please!" He placed his hands on
her arms in an attempt to get through to her.
"Amanda, I'm sorry. It's just
that..when…I saw you standing there..you were so beautiful. I realized I had never seen anyone as
beautiful as you. And then…." He couldn't continue just yet. "O Amanda, I want tonight to be perfect for
you…to show you how much I love you.and then I act…I react like, well, like a
teenager who can't control his raging hormones. I am so sorry, please, please, say you'll give me another
chance."
Amanda was no longer sobbing but she hadn't yet lifted her
head from the pillow. Lee felt
deflated. All his plans for the perfect
evening had come crashing down because he lost control. In desperation, his hands dropped to
Amanda's sides and he laid his head in her lap as tears began to trickle down
his face.
It has taken what seemed like an eternity, but the words Lee
was saying began to make their way past the hurt and pain. She soon realized what he was trying to
say. Tentatively, she reached out and
gently ran her fingers through his hair.
"Oh, Lee, I'm sorry, too," she quietly as her voice cracked with
emotion.
Lee was so absorbed in his grief he wasn't sure he heard
her. The first thing he felt was her
hand on his head. Again, she called out
his name, "Lee, I'm sorry for doubting your love for me. After everything you have done for me
tonight and everything you have done for my family, and me how could I doubt
your love for me?
Lee's head lifted off her lap as he said, "Amanda, you don't
have anything to be sorry about. It's me;
I'm the one who is sorry for hurting you.
Can you ever forgive me?'
"Only if you forgive me," she said smiling at him. Hazel eyes locked with deep brown. What flowed between them was all the love
and devotion they felt for each other.
Slowly they leaned toward each other and their lips met in a kiss that
said more than words ever could.
As they parted, Lee's eyes swept over her face. "Amanda, you are the most beautiful woman I
have ever known. I wonder if you would
do me the honor of sharing in one more wedding tradition. Would you join me in a dance?"
Lee rose and started the tape machine. "I found this song and I hope it will show
you how much you mean to me," he softly whispered as he took her hand and
pulled her off the bed and into his arms.
They began a slow dance as he held her looking deeply into her eyes.
Winter snow is falling down
Children laughing all around
Lights are comin' on
Like a fairy tale come true
Sittin' by the fire we made
You're the answer when I prayed
I would find someone
And baby I found you
And all I want
Is to hold you forever
All I need is you more every day
You saved my heart
From being broken apart
You gave your love away
And I'm thankful every day
For the Gift
Watching as you softly sleep
What I'd give if I could keep
Just this moment
If only time stood still
But the colors fade away
And the years will make us gray
But baby in my eyes, you'll still be beautiful
And all I want
Is to hold you forever
All I need is you more every day
You saved my heart
From being broken apart
You gave your love away
And I'm thankful every day
For the gift
As the bridge of the
song began, Lee gathered Amanda into his arms and held her close to his
body. He sighed deeply as he felt her
body relax against him. She could feel
his heart pounding in his chest. As the
chorus began again, Lee turned his head to Amanda's ear and he whispered each
of the lines the singer sang. With each
line, his arms tightened around her.
All I want
Is to hold you forever
All I need is you more every day
You saved my heart
From being broken apart
You gave your love away
I'm thankful every day
Can't find the words to say
Thank you for the gift
Both of heir eyes
were bright with tears as the song came to an end. "Amanda, thank you for loving me. Thank you for allowing me to share in your life and family. Thank you for helping me become the man I am
today. Your love means more to me than anything in the world. I love you with all my heart and with all my
being." Having said that, he reached
down to pick her up and carry her to the bed were he laid her gently down. "Now, if you will allow me, I'd like to show
you how much I love you," he said as he lay down beside her. Throughout the course of the evening, he
proceeded to do exactly as he had promised.
They spent the night
in wonderment, exploration and discovery of each other in ways they had never
allowed themselves before. Realizing
that the love they shared was special and unshakeable; each allowed the
remaining doubts and fears to be permanently laid to rest.
