Lee landed with a quiet thud outside Amanda's window. Instinct and training held him still until he was sure he was undetected. He let his breath out slowly and leaned against the house.

What was that?! He asked himself. What the hell had possessed him to climb up Amanda's trellis in the middle of the night?! He had justified it on his drive to her house- he had to warn her about Chamberlain's connection to Red February - she was in very real danger. But really, couldn't he have called her in the morning? Or had Francine or Billy call her?

He shook his head. He was getting soft, he thought. He just felt so damned responsible for her. He started to run his hand through his hair and looked at his fingers that had recently held Amanda's. It was a handshake that ended with an unexpected touch he did not expect or even want. It was like the moment before a kiss and for sure he did not want that.

Ugh, he thought as he walked to his car. I hope she didn't notice it or feel anything. I don't need Amanda getting all dewy eyed over me. Even if I was attracted to her-which I'm not, he quickly added to himself-I'm done with workplace romances. They never work. Once you you've seen each other naked . . . he grinned.

Still, it was interesting to see Amanda at night, tousled hair, no make-up. She was kind of cute. Most of the women he had been with worked very hard to keep him from seeing them so, well . . . naked. He laughed. They would rather leave in the middle of the night or leap out of bed to do their hair and makeup before he woke up.

But, he thought as he started his car and pulled away from the curb, the truth was that Amanda was one of the very few women in his life he could truly call a friend - a good friend. Unlike so many others that had ulterior motives and hidden agendas. And he didn't want a physical, romantic, emotional or any other kind of attraction to threaten that friendship.

He had two tickets to the Verdi festival at the Kennedy Center in a week. Maybe he would call that gorgeous woman, Lesley, that he had met recently. She would probably enjoy the opera and she was seriously his type.

And with that thought firmly implanted in his brain, he sped back into DC and his own apartment and his own life.

Back in her bedroom, Amanda lay back on her pillow with a sigh. Falling back to sleep now was next to impossible. What was Lee thinking coming through her bedroom window? He had never done that before. They were lucky her mother or even the neighbors hadn't called 911 to report an intruder.

Thoughts of this day that turned out so different than expected swirled around in her head. She had been very excited to be given a real assignment that wasn't about reports or expenses. And it was her own - Lee only had to get her started. Auuggghhh, she groaned inwardly. Why did it have to get messed up by that skateboarder? She should've been paying more attention. Things always got so complicated!

She was glad Lee hadn't been angry, that he saw it as an opportunity to find out more about Alan Chamberlain. It was kind of sweet when he asked her if Alan was at all attractive. Always watching out for her.

Which he was right to do. The kiss with Alan was very, very nice . . . it had been a while since she had been kissed like that and it felt good. In another place and time, she would be very happy to pursue the relationship. But . . why did a simple handshake with Lee have the same effect on her as that kiss? It was stupid.

God, I hope Lee didn't notice anything in that short touch, she thought. We've made so much progress. He was treating her as a true professional partner and a good friend. We work really well together. I don't want him thinking I have some sort of crush on him or something. That would probably send him running in the other direction so fast it would make her head spin. Francine would have a field day with this.

She made a vow then and there that she would be sure her relationship with Lee remained professional and above board no matter what. Likewise, if any other Alan Chamberlains came into her life, they too would be kept at arm's length. It was the only way.

Several days later, as they were cleaning up the files after the Congressional audit, Lee remembered that he still had the tickets and he had forgotten to call Lesley. Not surprising, given all that had been going on. The concert was tonight. Now what?

He looked at Amanda. What the hell? She had been through a lot with the Chamberlain case and in the end had handled herself very well, improvising on the spot and keeping her cool. Not that he wanted to tell her that. But why not take her to the Verdi festival as a reward? She deserved a night out.

Taken off guard by the invitation and its delivery, Amanda had second thoughts as soon as she said yes. But, the more she thought about it, the more she saw it as an opportunity to be with Lee as a friend, a chance to show him that she saw him as a professional colleague who shared some interests with her.

This, they each thought, but did not say . . . could be fun.