Lee closed the door to his Vette after Amanda was seated. He then walked over to the driver's side and got in. He glanced over at Amanda and smiled, just before he started the engine and pulled off.

"What are you in the mood to eat?" Lee asked, as he maneuvered the car along the streets of Washington, DC.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm flexible."

"What about Mexican? I know of a great place."

"Sure, that sounds good to me."

"It's on 34th Street," Lee continued, "It's called Su Casa Mexico."

"Oh, I know that place. It is one of my favorite Mexican places as well."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. What way are you going to take to get there?"

"I was going to go straight and then turn down….."

"No, don't go straight; you should make a right at the next light."

"Amanda, it will take us longer that way."

"No, it won't, you will miss a lot of the late afternoon traffic."

"Maybe, but then we hit all the street lights. I thought you were so hungry."

"I am, that's why my way is better."

"Stop being a back seat...well...a front seat driver."

"Okay, you will see."

"Amanda, I—"

"Yes, Lee?"

"What would we do if we didn't have anything to argue about?" Lee asked, as he reluctantly turned and went the direction Amanda suggested.

"Honestly, I don't know," she said and reached out and touched his hand.

"Well, I bet if we think really hard, we'll think of something eventually."

Amanda smiled.

Surprisingly, the traffic was not bad, just as Amanda had predicted. The drive was about twenty minutes and went rather quickly. They talked amicably about little to nothing, but Lee kept wanting to ask Amanda what it was she wanted to tell him; but each time he started to broach the subject; another topic would slip into the conversation. Finally, he gave up and just went with the flow.

"I hate to admit it, but….Amanda, you were right," Lee said as he pulled the car up to the restaurant and easily pulled into a parking spot. "Thanks for the suggested route."

"You are welcome and thanks for taking my suggestion."

Amanda smiled up at Lee as he opened the door for her and she got out. He closed the door behind her and took one of her hands in his as they walked towards the restaurant.

Lee and Amanda sat in a quiet booth that was on the far side of the restaurant, just far enough away to not be in the main traffic of the restaurant, yet close enough where Lee could see the doorway as well as the main exits. Bad habits were had to break; he was almost always "on" as an agent.

After placing their order, the two sat back and chit chatted about little to nothing. "I wonder what happened with our simple courier assignment," Amanda said.

"Me, too!" Lee replied, though, he had his own theory about the alleged assignment.

"How come you know about this place? It seems out of your usual caliber?"

"What does that mean?"

"You know, Lee, you usually eat in high-end restaurants," Amanda said, quietly.

Lee shrugged. "I suppose you are right, though, since meeting you," he took one of her hands in his and lightly caressed it with his thumb, "I must say, I have lowered my standards some."

"Hey!" Amanda said, as she released her hand from his.

Lee took her hand right back. "I'm only kidding, but you have helped me to become more "normal". But to answer your question, I found this place one day when I was out on a stake out. Hell, was hungry, closet place, figured I'd give it a try. Just about the only place I will go now for Mexican food.

Amanda returned his smile as she enjoyed the caress and feel of his fingers along hers as their eyes locked and remained locked, but were interrupted too soon when their food was placed at their table.

They talked amicably as they enjoyed their food. Their conversation halted only once the band came out to set up.

"Lee, oh how nice, they have live music!"

"I had forgotten about that."

"Shall we dance?"

"Oh, I'm not dressed for it."

"Amanda, look around you, everyone's casual. It would be like a date."

"A date?"

"You and me."

"Like normal people?"

"Yeah, why not?"

They ate their food in a leisurely manner as they watched several other couples come and get on the dance floor, if you could call it that. The band was practically pushed up against the wall, whereas, the remaining square footage was laden with about six couples. Once, they were done, Lee stood up and reached out and took Amanda's hand. It didn't matter that the two of them were still in the clothes they'd had on earlier, to Lee, Amanda was perfect. She was wearing a simple pink blouse with matching skirt that hugged her slender figure just right and Lee thought she couldn't have looked more attractive.t in. The feel of her in his arms was just right.

/

He'd been sitting on the opposite side of the room, and they had been talking rather quietly, yet a few times, what sounded like Amanda's husky voice had carried over to his table. Alan Chamberlain had chosen to ignore it, but now as he stood at the checkout, although he could not completely see her face, he could tell by the form of her body that it was Amanda. And there was no mistaking who she was with—Lee Stetson! Alan placed down money for his bill, then started towards Lee and Amanda, to say hello but stopped himself suddenly. The gentlemen in him longed to do so; yet the man in him would not allow it; his heart was still too newly fragile. His wound in him was healing quite nicely, but seeing her tonight caused a sudden jolt to his emotions and he couldn't get out of their fast enough. He'd stayed around in D.C. after he and Amanda broke up, for what he didn't know. Perhaps he had thought that there was still a chance for him and her.

He could tell from the way Amanda was against Lee's body that there was something more there than a simple boss and co-worker being together or two old friends. Her body was closely knitted against Stetson's body, her head was on his shoulder and her arms were just right around his neck. Well, he knew tonight that that chance was long gone and that it was time he was headed home to Italy.

Lee who had been solely focused on the feel of Amanda's body in his arms looked up and found his eyes locked on Alan Chamberlin—his would-be completion for Amanda's affections. Lee kept his chin asserted forward and his eyes neutral, yet focused as he caught Alan's gaze. He opened his mouth to tell Amanda that Alan was there, but stopped as Alan gave Lee a silent nod and then turned and walked out of the restaurant.

Lee almost opened his mouth again to say something, but at that moment an even slower song came on and Amanda's body curved even more deeply against Lees. He pulled her closer and their bodies melded as one as they danced to the beat of the song being sung in Spanish. When the song ended, Lee and Amanda remained there for several moments before they pulled apart as realization that the song had stopped and the band had stepped away to take a break.

"Lee I—"

"Amanda, shall we go?"

Her eyes questioned, where, to which Lee answered, "My place? A movie and a night cap?"

"Sure!"