THE KISS
I don't own these characters. I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.
AN: I posted a little story yesterday called Silver Linings about Amanda's amazing ability to take something negative and turn it into something positive. But several people, both in reviews and in pm's requested a little more. So, okay, here's a little more including the kiss.
Lee had just finished placing the flowers on the table when he heard his doorbell. Smiling happily, he rushed to the door pausing for a moment before opening it, to try and make himself look relaxed, instead of anxious when he let Amanda in. She'd promised to bring him Thanksgiving supper and though she hadn't specifically given a time, he knew her and she'd most likely arrive early so he wouldn't have to wait and she could get home to her boys.
"Happy Than…" The greeting died on his lips when he opened the door to find Francine standing on the other side. "Francine? What are you doing here?"
"Well, happy turkey day to you too." She grumbled as she pushed past him and on into his apartment. Tossing her purse on a table, she slumped down on his couch, her expression belying her mood. "You have any scotch?"
Lee stood puzzled for a moment, before finally closing his door and walking in to stand in front of her. "What are you doing here?" He asked, just a little put out by her sudden appearance. It was not Francine that he'd been looking forward to seeing. "I thought you had a date with some senator or somebody."
"I did too." She glowered. "I spent most of the morning prepping for this evening. I spent last month's wardrobe allowance on this outfit, not to mention the amount of my own money I spent on the shoes and the matching bag and my hair and…"
"Francine." Lee shook his head. "As tragic as that is, why did it bring you over here?"
"Well, because." Francine answered as though he should automatically know. "He canceled on me. Can you believe it? Me! He said something about spending time with his family."
"Well, you know, people do tend to do that on Thanksgiving." Lee pointed out. "But it doesn't explain what you're doing here."
"Well, because, you're my friend." Francine simpered. "Besides, I figured with you being alone too tonight…"
"Me?" Lee practically gasped. "What the he… What makes you think I'm going to be alone tonight?"
Francine rolled her eyes at him. "Lee, you know you're going to be alone. All of your little girlfriends have families to spend the holiday with. You, my friend, are as alone as I am."
"I am not." He protested. "For your information, I actually have someone on her way over here as we speak. So…" He picked up her purse, shoved it in her hand and reached for her arm. "If you don't mind, you can leave now."
"Oh, come on." She protested as he tried to pull her to her feet. "You don't expect me to believe me that, do you? Lee, why don't you admit that you don't have anyone for tonight?"
If Lee hadn't been a gentleman, or she'd been a man, he would've slapped the smirk off of her face. But fortunately, he was saved from the temptation by the doorbell. "I don't?" He grinned as he headed for the door.
Although he wasn't really fond of the idea of Francine knowing his 'date' was Amanda, he did relish the look of shock on Francine's face when the bell rang. Grinning broadly, he grabbed the knob and swung the door open. "Hel…" Once again his greeting stopped when he found Augie leaning against the doorframe. "Augie? What are you doing here?"
"Lee, I need help." Augie shoved past Lee and entered into the apartment. "I got this really… Oh, hi, Francine. What are you doing here?"
"None of your business." Francine answered. "What about you? You come to borrow money off of Lee again or maybe sell him some fake info?"
"Now wait a minute." Augie had the nerve to actually look offended. "That's not a very nice thing to say."
"Maybe not," she shrugged. "But it's the truth."
"Hey, look you two. If you want to squabble, why don't you take it somewhere else?"
"Oh, that's right." Francine sighed. "You have a date coming. Yeah, right."
Augie turned and looked at Lee. "You have a date coming? On Thanksgiving? Well why didn't you say so? Look, I got this fine bottle of wine I could let you have for just…"
Just then the doorbell rang again, and Lee shook his head as he went again to the door. Jane, his wantabe interior decorator, breezed past him with a book a swatches and a serious look on her face. He had ran into the petite blonde when he was investigating a case and hadn't been able to shake her since. Though she was short and slim and didn't look to have it in her, she was fiercely ambitious and didn't give up easy. She was determined to redo his apartment.
"I know, I know." She shook her head at him before he could utter a word. "You don't want your apartment redecorated. But honestly, Lee. I found this darling wall paper and with a little creativity…"
"Jane." He made no attempt to mask his irritation. "It's Thanksgiving. Even I were to lose my mind and hire you, I wouldn't do it today. What are you thinking?"
"I was thinking, I would get a jump start on the shopping for your new apartment." She offered him a smile. "You know all of the best sales start early tomorrow."
"NO!" Lee stated emphatically. "Jane, I've already told you…" Yet again the doorbell interrupted him. "Come in!" He growled, with a glare at Jane and then Augie who was trying to surreptitiously inspect Lee's desk.
When the door opened, his neighbor, Norm, sauntered in. Short, rumpled, with a mane of thick black hair, he reminded one of Columbo only without the trenchcoat and a calico cat instead of the dog.
"Uh, hi, Norm. Can… can I do something for you?" Lee looked nonplussed. How did his apartment become a gathering place for the holidays? And where was Amanda? She was actually the only one he'd really wanted to see.
"You can shoot me." Norm answered levelly, quirking dark eyes at him. "I could really use some one to put me out my misery."
"What seems to be the problem?" Although he asked, Lee really didn't want to know. He wanted everyone to leave him alone before Amanda got there. He didn't want to share her compan… her food, he corrected himself.
"Lucille took off on me." He answered as he looked around at the others already gathered in Lee's apartment. "She just up and ran. Can you believe it? I mean, why? Huh? Can you tell me…" He stopped when he spotted Francine standing beside Lee's couch, a speculative look on her face. "Uh, hello!" He grinned as he stepped forward and put out his hand. "Norm. And you are?"
"Part of a crowd obviously." She said with a raise of her brow and without taking his hand. "Lucille, your wife?"
"No, his cat." Lee shook his head. "Norm, believe me, Lucille will come back. You know that. She always does. You just need to go back to your apartment and wait."
"Oh, no." Norm shook his head. "Not this time. Lee, I'm really afraid she's gone for good."
"Women." Augie declared as he moved over to Lee's cabinent and poured himself a shot of bourbon. "You can't trust them." He looked over at Norm. "Want a drink?"
"No, he doesn't want a drink." Lee interjected. "He wants to go back to his apartment and wait for Lucille." Lee reached over and took the drink from Augie's hand, but his sometimes informant simply picked up another glass and poured another drink, adding one for Norm.
"I'll take one of those," Jane moved over to where the two men were gathered.
"No…" Lee protested but they ignored him. Looking over at Francine, he saw her grin and angrily shook his head. "This is not how I want my Thanksgiving to go." He snapped.
"Oh, poor baby." Francine chuckled. "You might as well as just sit back and enjoy the company, Lee. And while you're at it, admit that you were going to have to spend the night alone."
"I was not!" He declared, his voice just below a roar. "I told you…"
"I know, and I don't believe you." Francine interrupted him.
"Don't believe what?" Augie asked as he moved closer to them.
"Oh, Romeo here, keeps saying he has a date for tonight but so far, we're the only ones whose shown up."
"Well, if ya got us, what more do you need?" Augie grinned as he wiggled his brows at Francine.
"Don't even think it." She snarled.
"Think what?" He put on an air of innocence. "I mean, come on, Francine. You and me…"
"Listen, pinhead." Francine's blue eyes fairly blazed. "I will not…"
"Maybe you will with me." Norm slithered up to her, causing Francine to back up a step and practically step on Jane, who'd slipped in behind her to take measurements of the couch.
"Hey, Blondie!" Jane snapped. "Watch where you're going."
"Me?" Francine turned on the hapless decorator. "You were the one skulking around back there."
"I was not!" Jane stomped her foot. "I don't skulk. I was measuring."
"Oh, is that what you call it?" Francine snapped back at her.
"Ladies, ladies. Calm down." Augie waved a hand at them. "Lee, you'd better get your women under control."
"My women?" Lee shook head.
"I'm not his woman." Francine snapped indignantly.
"Well, I'm most certainly not." Jane put in. "Although I wouldn't mind." She winked at Lee.
"Hey, what about me?" Norm moved in, leering at Francine.
"Get away from me." The thoroughly irritated blonde warned.
While Lee's unwanted guests began to snipe and argue, the door bell sounded once again. No one but Lee noticed. Wondering who it was this time, Lee made his way to the door and opened it to see Amanda standing there with a large bag in her hands and an uncertain smile on her face when she heard the commotion going on in his place.
"Amanda!" He was never so happy to see anyone before in his life.
"Lee? What's going on in there? It sounds like a war or something." Amanda tried to see past him, but Lee blocked the entryway.
"Oh, it's something." He shook his head, just as a thought came to him. "Hey, Amanda, do you have a couple of hours?"
"Well," she shrugged trying to remember if there was anything she couldn't push away in order to afford him the time. "Yeah, I've got time."
"Good. Wait here. Okay?" Without waiting for a reply, Lee swiftly reentered his apartment, grabbed his jacket and car keys and hurried back out again, closing the door firmly behind him. The others were so deep in their arguments, they didn't even notice his absence.
"Come on, Amanda." Lee took the bag from her and then grabbed her arm, ushering her down the hallway to the elevator.
"Lee?" Amanda pulled back. "What's going on? Who's in your apartment?"
"I'll explain it all later." Lee insisted as he hurriedly her along.
Amanda willingly followed along as Lee led her downstairs and to his car. As quickly as he could, Lee got them both out of the building and into his car.
When they had were inside and the doors closed, Amanda looked over at Lee. "You want to tell me what this is all about now?"
Lee shook his head. "To tell the truth, I'm not all that sure myself. I mean one minute I was waiting for you and then the next minute all these people started showing up and then they started arguing and…'
"You were waiting for me?" Amanda asked, trying not to show just how happy that made her.
"Well, yeah." He swallowed. He hadn't wanted her to know just how much he'd been looking forward to her coming. After all, they were just friends, well, not even that. They were just co-workers, well, sort of.
Lee the air out of his lungs. "Yeah, I was, Amanda." He admitted. "I mean, well, you know, you said you were coming and you… well, you never fail to do what you say you're going to do and so…" He stopped. God, he was beginning to ramble like she did.
"Uh, huh." She nodded, deciding not to press him on it, favoring her own thoughts on the subject above what excuse he might give her.
An hour later, Lee grinned over at Amanda as he reached into the bag and pulled out the last piece of pie she'd brought. "Gee, Amanda, this food was really good. I can't remember when I've eaten better or that much."
Amanda beamed at the praise as she shivered and pulled her coat tighter around her.
"Hey, you cold?" Lee shook his head. "Sorry, here." Reaching down he started the motor of his car and turned up the heater. "There, it'll warm up in a minute."
"Ah, I'm alright, Lee." She smiled over at him. "But I am curious. Why didn't you just kick those people out of your apartment and then you could've been eating your dinner there instead of here in your car?"
"Have you ever tried to kick Francine out of anyplace? Or Augie?" He shook his head. He'd already told her everything that had taken place before she got there. "Not to mention the others. It was easier for me to leave." He finished off his piece of pie and looked over at Amanda. "I really do want to thank you, Amanda. This meal was great, not to mention the company. You saved me tonight and I appreciate it."
Amanda blushed and dropped her head. "That's alright, Lee. I mean, that's what partners do for each other, isn't it?" She managed to bring her gaze back up to his handsome face to find him smiling at her.
"We're not partners. We're…" Lee stopped that train of thought. What exactly were they? Seeing the wary and somewhat hurt on her face, Lee sighed. "We're more than partners, Amanda. We're friends, good friends and I appreciate that more than you'll ever know."
Which each word, Lee moved closer and closer to the beautiful woman beside him and before he knew what he was doing, he'd pulled Amanda into his arms and gently dropped his lips to hers. He wasn't exactly sure what he expected from Amanda when he began to kiss her, but it wasn't the eager response she gave.
'Damn,' he thought, 'she can kiss.'
'Oh, my gosh,' Amanda thought as Lee's lips settled over hers and she melted into his kiss. 'He's better than I imagined." Raising her hands, she placed one on his chest and the other moved up to gently caress the back of his neck and pull him closer just as a tap came on the window behind Lee.
"Hey, you two." A gruff voice called into them. "What do you think this is, huh? Motel 6?"
Lee and Amanda immediately separated and Lee turned to see a uniformed officer looking in at them. "Oh, great." He closed his eyes in exasperation.
"You two hear me?" The cop demanded. "Or do I need to come in there?"
"Alright, alright." Lee shook his head as he rolled his window down. "I was just kissing my girl good bye before she left, officer. Okay?"
"Only if she's really leaving." The cop quirked a brow at them.
Amanda flashed Lee a reluctant smile and reached for the handle of her door. She didn't contradict his calling her his girl. She knew it was for the benefit of the officer. But it still felt pretty good. "Uh, well, I guess, I'd better be going, Lee. I'm glad you enjoyed your meal and…" She blushed again as she quickly opened the door and got out. "Well, bye, Lee." She looked back down at him with a nod of her head and then hurried over to her own car.
Lee out a ragged breath of irritation and frustration.
"Hey, Bub." The cop tapped on his window again. "You moving or what?"
Lee grabbed the remains of the food, Amanda had brought him, and looked back at the cop. "I'm getting out." He snapped as he opened the door. "I live here."
The gray haired officer stood back and scratched his head. "You live here and you were eating dinner and kissing your girl in your car? Sheesh, Mister, couldn't ya do that in your apartment?"
"No." Lee answered as he slammed his car door. "I couldn't."
As Amanda backed out of her parking space, she light ran a finger over her still tingling lips. That kiss had been unexpected and surprising and sooooooooo good. She'd imagined kissing Lee like that before but hadn't really expected it to happen.
Still, as she pulled out of the parking area and got on the highway, Amanda shook her head. "Forget it, Amanda." She sighed. "You're not his type and he was just… just… Oh, my gosh." She sighed with a smile.
As Lee headed back to his apartment, his mind wasn't on the people that might still be up there or even the cop that was still grumbling about adults acting like teenagers. No, his mind was on a beautiful and beguiling brunette whose perfume still lingered on his jacket and whose kiss was still felt on his lips. "Damn." He whispered with a smile.
The End.