DISCLAIMER: The story is
mine, but the main characters belong to Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon
Productions. I am making no money from
this. Please do not redistribute or
alter this story without my permission.
TITLE: Interrupted
Interlude
AUTHOR: panda (panda@hksys.com)
RATING: PG-13
TIMELINE: Takes place
shortly after the end of the series.
The marriage is common knowledge.
SUMMARY: A series of
interruptions interferes with the amorous intentions of Lee and Amanda
Stetson.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story
is a humorous look at the difficulties Lee and Amanda face while trying to find
some time alone. There is no plot, so
don't strain yourself trying to find one.
Thanks again to my wonderful beta queens -- I couldn't do it without
you!
************************************************
10:02 a.m., Washington National Airport
************************************************
Click, click, click . . .
click, click, click . . .
The sound Amanda Stetson's
shoes created as she paced the gate area could barely be heard above the roar
of the busy airport terminal. The
background noise was a mere hum in her own ears, however, and she found some
comfort in the steady clicking produced by her movements.
Click, click, click . . .
click, click, click . . .
Pausing to glance at the
unfriendly visage of the flickering arrivals monitor, she sighed heavily. Flight 600, arriving from Chicago, still
read, "Arrival 9:35, On time."
Click, click, click . . .
click, click, click . . .
She glanced in disgust at
the still empty gate.
Click, click, click . . .
click, click, click . . .
"United Flight 600 from
Chicago, now arriving, gate 33," a nasal voice announced over the intercom
system.
'Finally,' thought Amanda as
she hurried over to the gate. After
several interminable minutes, the door opened and visibly weary travelers began
to pour out. Perusing each face as it
appeared, her heart beat faster in anticipation. Three weeks -- it had been three long weeks since she'd last seen
her spouse.
Then she saw him, and all
the other passengers faded into the background. She watched his hazel eyes light up as he spotted her, the sudden
appearance of his dimpled smile sending a shiver up her spine. Unable to make her way toward him through
the continuous flow of disembarking passengers, she shifted her feet in
impatient expectation as he approached.
"Hi, beautiful," he greeted
her, dropping his carry-on bag as he pulled her into his arms.
"Hi, Lee," she squeaked as
he enveloped her in a fierce hug, the heady scent of his aftershave making her
giddy. "How was your flight?"
"Long. Too long.
It felt like we circled the airport forever." He looked down at her, his eyes seeming to search her face as he
ran his tongue across his lips. "God, I
missed you."
"I missed you, too." The dilation of his pupils sent her pulse
racing. She pushed an errant lock of
hair off of his brow and suggested,
"C'mon, let's get you home."
"The sooner the better," he
acknowledged with a wink. Picking up
his bag, he put his hand at the small of her back and led her toward the
baggage claim area.
He held her hand as they
stood waiting, while time seemingly slowed to a snail's pace. His thumb traced the palm of her hand and up
each finger, the caress causing her to squirm.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Um, yeah, just stiff from
standing here, I guess," she hedged.
His eyes twinkled as he
looked down at her. He let go of her
hand and moved his to the back of her neck, massaging lightly. "Does this help?"
"Yeah, some." Frustrated, she glanced at the press of
bodies around them.
A devilish grin crossed his
face as he leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"I can do a better job at home."
The tickle of his breath in
her ear and the suggestion in his voice made her glad they both had the day
off. She didn't think she could handle
going into the office right now.
The luggage carousel finally
started to move, the warning light flashing as the noisy gears ground into
service. He quickly located his
suitcase and picked it up. "One of the first ones off for a change." He turned to smile at her. "Let's go home."
Arriving at the Wagoneer,
Amanda unlocked the hatch and raised it, pausing as she felt her husband's warm
breath on her neck. He reached around
her with his arms as he tossed his bags into the back. Nuzzling her ear, he asked, "So is the house
empty?"
"Yeah . . . Mother's, um,
taking flying lessons all afternoon and . . . and the boys are at school," she
managed to gasp out as he nibbled at her neck.
Turning in his arms, she eagerly reached up to kiss him when a noisy
party of travelers suddenly came into view.
Embarrassed, she ducked out of his arms and walked to the passenger side
to get in, smiling to herself as she heard him groan in frustration.
He got behind the wheel and
glanced at her as the engine roared to life.
She kept her eyes fixed straight-ahead, trying not to smile at his
obvious agitation. Exiting the parking
lot, they headed for Arlington.
*******************************
11:35 a.m., Interstate 395
*******************************
The traffic slowed to a
crawl. Ahead of them, Lee could make
out a sea of red brake lights punctuated by the intermittent honking of a few
aggravated drivers, and further ahead, the telltale flashing of emergency
lights.
Glancing at his wife, he
noted again how beautiful she was -- her soft brown hair, the curve of her
cheek, her cute nose. 'God, I missed
her,' he thought. Finally, after three
weeks, he had a chance to be with her, and here they sat. It felt like they'd been on this highway for
hours.
He reached out his hand and
grasped hers where they lay clasped in her lap. At his touch, she turned to smile at him. The passionate look in her brown eyes made
his heart skip a beat.
She started to play with his
hands, tracing the outline of his fingers and caressing the sensitive skin
between each one. His heart began to
race as she ran her fingernails lightly over his palm. Then, looking at him through lowered lids,
she brought his hand to her lips and kissed it, sucking one finger into her
mouth.
His startled gasp as he felt
the warm wetness of her mouth seemed to please her, her smile turning almost
wicked. Then, as suddenly as she'd
begun, she stopped and placed his hand back in her lap, turning her attention
to the road. Looking at the endless
line of cars ahead of them, he silently cursed whatever mishap had caused this
traffic jam.
****************************************
1:15 p.m., 4247 Maplewood Drive
****************************************
She watched appreciatively
as Lee hoisted his luggage from the back of the Jeep, his muscles bunching
agreeably beneath his short-sleeved knit shirt. As he strode up the walk to their home, she noted how nicely he filled
out his slightly faded jeans.
"Amanda?" he asked, looking
at her in puzzlement.
"Wha? Oh, I'm sorry, Lee. Did you say something?" She felt a slight blush rise up her cheeks.
"I asked if you had your
keys handy. Mine are in my pants
pocket," he explained, indicating his full hands with a nod of his head.
"Oh, sure." She followed him up the walk and stopped at
the door, then slid one hand into the front pocket of his jeans. "Which pocket? This one?" Enjoying the
startled look on his face, she moved her hand to his rear pocket and squeezed
his taut muscle through the fabric.
"Nope, not that one either."
Then, slipping her hand into his other front pocket, she rubbed her hand
along his thigh, saying, "Oh, there they are."
She retrieved the keys and unlocked the front door.
He pushed the door open and
quickly entered the house. Dropping his
bags abruptly on the floor, he grabbed her arms and spun her around. "Do you know what you do to me?" he asked,
the look in his eyes ravenous. She felt
her pulse begin to race in anticipation.
"Amanda, is that you?" a
voice called from the back of the house.
"Mother?" Amanda whispered,
the disconcerted look on her husband's face almost comical. Clearing her throat, she raised her voice
and called, "Yes, Mother. What are you
doing home?" She extricated herself
from Lee's grip.
"Oh, welcome home, Lee,"
Dotty greeted as she entered the front hall, giving him a quick peck on the
cheek. "My flying lesson was
postponed. Something to do with the
fuselage, I think. I was just on my way
out again, when I heard the front door open.
But I can run my errand later, if you two would like me to make you some
lunch --"
Lee quickly interrupted her,
saying, "No, Dotty, that's okay. I'm
really not hungry, just tired. In fact,
I think I'm going to take a nap."
Amanda smiled at the sight
of her husband holding his carry-on at waist-level in front of him. "I'm not hungry either, Mother. You run along and we'll see you later."
"Oh, okay. If you're sure." She gave them a knowing glance and said, pointedly, "I won't be
home till dinner, then. Goodbye." She stepped around them and walked out the
door, shutting it behind her.
"She about gave me a heart
attack." He shook his head and bent
down to pick up his luggage. "Why don't
we take my bags upstairs?"
She grinned in agreement and
followed him up the stairs, enjoying the play of his muscles beneath his snug
jeans.
***********************************************
1:22 p.m., Lee and Amanda's Bedroom
***********************************************
As they entered their
bedroom, he shut the door behind them, dropped his bags, and pulled her to
him. She looked up at him and teased,
"Are you sure you don't need that carry-on anymore? You seemed mighty attached to it a few minutes ago."
He groaned and crushed her
mouth to his, kissing her hungrily. As
his firm lips took possession of hers, he felt her relax in his arms and
eagerly return his kiss. He slid his
hand up the back of her blouse, the warmth of her soft skin serving to increase
his own heat.
"Mmph, Lee?"
"Yes?" he asked, his voice
muffled as he moved his lips to her neck.
"Um, the phone."
"What phone?" he mumbled as
his lips moved to her collarbone.
"It's ringing," she
persisted.
He reluctantly pulled back
and asked, "What's ringing?"
"The phone!"
"Let it ring," he said as he
pulled her close once more.
"But what if it's the boys'
school? I really should get it."
Moaning, he released her and
plopped down wearily on the bed. He
watched her walk over to the bedside table and pick up the receiver, his eyes
drinking in her long legs, her trim figure, her slightly flushed face.
"Hello? Yes, this is she. What? No, I'm sorry,
we're not interested." She hung up the
phone and shook her head. "Can you
believe those telemarketers?"
Reaching for her, he pulled
her down on the bed with him. "Forget
them. C'mere."
She smiled and slid a finger
into the collar of his shirt, her touch electrifying his nerve endings. "What's wrong, Lee? Tired of the interruptions?"
He felt her hand move lower
as she deftly pulled his shirt from the waistband of his jeans. In anticipation, he answered throatily, "Uh
huh. If anyone else intrudes, I think I'm
going to explode."
She chuckled as she lifted
the hem of his shirt and ran her lips across his bare chest. "Oh, I definitely want to be here when that
happens."
Grabbing her around the
waist, he rolled her over until he was looking down at her. "I think that can be arranged," he offered
as he leaned down and kissed her thoroughly.
"Hellooo! Amanda?
Lee? Didn't you hear me
knocking? I know you're here; I saw you
pull up," the singsong voice called up the stairs.
"Oh, my gosh! Mrs. Mueller. What's she doing here?" Amanda asked as she disentangled herself
from Lee's grasp. She moved to stand in
front of the mirror while she hurriedly straightened her clothes and hair.
"Aughhhh," Lee groaned. "I don't believe it! Why didn't we lock the front door?"
"Shh, Lee! She'll hear you."
He watched in disbelief as
his wife opened the bedroom door and hurried down the stairs, saying, "Here I
am, Mrs. Mueller. We were upstairs
unpacking. What can I do for you?"
***********************
2:55 p.m., The Den
***********************
"I knew I could count on
you, Amanda. Now, I really must be
going. Thank you so much for the
tea." The elderly woman finally stood,
taking her leave.
"No problem, Mrs.
Mueller. You know I'm always happy to
help out the Ladies' Auxiliary." Amanda
kept a false smile on her face as she saw the overly talkative woman out. Shutting and locking the door, she turned to
find her husband standing behind her, his hair out of place and his shirt
untucked. "Oh, Lee! You startled me. Why didn't you come down and say 'Hi' to our neighbor?"
"Because, Amanda, I didn't
want to come down and say 'Hi' to our neighbor. I was afraid I might bodily throw the woman out the door. Now," he said, swooping her up into his arms,
"where were we?"
"Upstairs, I believe." As she saw the eager look in her husband's
eyes, she suggested, "But we don't need to go all the way back up there."
Lee carried her into the den
and dumped her unceremoniously onto the couch.
As he settled down next to her, she noticed that his face was flushed,
his pupils dilated, his breathing rapid.
She smiled and ran her fingers inside his open shirt collar, asking, "So
you've been like this the whole time I was down here with Mrs. Mueller?"
"No," he murmured into her
neck. "No, I've been like this ever
since I saw you at the airport this morning."
He unbuttoned her blouse as he continued, "And I think it's time we do
something about it."
Her breathing was now
keeping time with his. She felt his
fingers brush her skin beneath her shirt, teasing at the edges of her bra. She gasped as he trailed hot kisses down her
now exposed shoulder blade, and moaned as he began to unzip her skirt.
"Mom? Lee?" an adolescent voice called from the
back of the house.
"Ah, hell!" Lee exclaimed as he reluctantly released his
hold on his wife.
She quickly redid her
clothing, attempting to get herself put back together as she exclaimed, "Oh, my
gosh. I didn't realize how late it
was. Where did the day go?" Giving her disgruntled husband a sympathetic
look while she tried to calm her own breathing, she called out, "In the den,
Jamie."
"Hey, Mom . . . Oh, hi,
Lee. Welcome home. Mom, I was invited over to Brian's for
supper. Can I go?" Jamie asked
excitedly.
"Sure you can, Jamie,"
Amanda replied at the same time as her husband spoke.
"Why didn't you just call?"
Lee asked, exasperation creeping into his voice.
"I tried; it was busy,"
Jamie said over his shoulder, leaving just as quickly as he had come. "Bye."
"Be home by eight
o'clock. It's a school night," she
called after him, hearing the back door slam shut.
"But the phone rang earlier
. . . " She turned back to Lee and gave
him a puzzled look.
"Um, well, after that
telemarketer called, I uh, took the receiver off the hook," he explained
sheepishly, running his hand through his hair.
Sighing, she leaned back
into the couch cushions. "I suppose
Phillip will be home any minute, and then Mother not too long after that. Ah, Lee, I'm sorry." She reached out and squeezed his hand,
seeing the frustration she felt mirrored in his hazel eyes.
"It's not your fault,
Amanda. We seem to have more trouble
with bad timing than anyone else I know."
He looked thoughtful for a minute, and then said as he stood up, "I have
an idea, I'll be right back."
****************************************
4:02 p.m., Holiday Inn, Alexandria
****************************************
"Don't you feel a little
silly, Lee? Checking into a hotel with
your wife, a mere fifteen minutes from home?" Amanda asked as they stood in
line to check in at the front desk.
"Nope. I don't feel silly at all. I've been trying to be alone with you for
about six hours now, and I'm determined to succeed." He gazed at her, thinking how stunning she looked in her outfit,
and how eager he was to get her out of it.
She smiled, saying, "Well,
with the instructions we left for poor Mother, I doubt she'd call us unless
there was an actual life-and-death emergency."
"And since I checked in with
Billy before we left, nothing is going to interfere with us tonight,
Amanda. Nothing." He then turned his attention to the desk
clerk, his credit card at the ready.
"Well, sir, you're in
luck. We do have a room available. But it's not quite ready yet." The desk
clerk gave him a very apologetic look.
"What do you mean the room's
not ready yet?" Lee asked, his jaw
clenching.
Amanda patted her tense
husband's arm as she asked the clerk, "Why isn't the room ready?"
"Well, ma'am, housekeeping
is still cleaning it. It should be
ready in a half hour or so." The desk
clerk's apologetic demeanor turned to puzzlement as the couple in front of him
exchanged a knowing glance, their eyes widening before they both started to
chuckle.
"We'll take the room," Lee
told the clerk as he continued to chuckle quietly. Then, offering Amanda his arm, he suggested, "Well, Mrs. Stetson,
shall we?"
"Indeed we shall, Mr.
Stetson." Still grinning, she took his arm as they headed toward the elevator,
leaving the perplexed desk clerk behind.
***********
The End
***********
