That evening, having successfully completed the Senate hearings on Santarilla and nailing Ambassador Harcourt, they shared a candlelit dinner with a very nice bottle of red wine.

"Finally," he raised his glass and took a sip. "It's taken way too long to get here." He looked into her eyes.

"To get where?" she asked, leaning into his gaze.

"Here, just the two of us, without meddling journalists, spies, or corrupt politicians around to distract us."

"Mmmm. Worth the wait, however," she smiled.

He picked up his fork and started twirling spaghetti. "So, what do you think of our new friends?"

"Lee and Amanda?"

"Yeah - how long have they been together?"

"They aren't," replied Colleen. "At least that's what Amanda said when I asked her.

Bart laughed. "Always the probing reporter."

"No, seriously. I asked her point blank. My vision was still pretty blurry, but she sounded like a scared rabbit caught in Mr. MacGregor's garden. She assured me they had only worked together for the past two-a-half years. Emphasis on 'only.'"

"Well, she's really not his type. He goes for tall, leggy, and usually blonde."

Colleen looked at him. "Well, it's not like I'm your 'type' either." Air quotes.

She sat back. "As I recall you were with a few curvy brunettes. What was her name? The South American weather girl? Black hair down to here?" She gestured to the floor.

"Toni - Antonia." Bart grinned. "And she was a news anchor, not a weather girl. Still is, I think."

She rolled her eyes and took another sip of wine. "You and Lee were quite the playboys."

Bart nodded. "Partners in crime- working hard and playing harder. We had a lot of fun until . . ." He stopped and looked at her.

"Until what?" She asked, helping herself to some salad.

"Until I saw that real love was right beside me," he gestured toward the engagement ring on her left hand. "And the best was still to come."

She smiled and blew a kiss at him. "And you think that's where Lee and Amanda are headed?"

"He seemed smitten to me. Looked very protective, holding her hand," Bart mused. "I don't know that I've ever seen him act that way with a date, never mind a colleague. I give them six months before they realize it." He paused.

"At any rate I'm not sure we'd be here without them." He raised his glass in a toast. "To Lee and Amanda."

Colleen touched her glass to his. "To Lee and Amanda."

What are you planning to whip up in the galley?" called out Amanda.

"Me?!" asked Lee, a little incredulously.

"You didn't tell me you couldn't cook!"

As their wine dwindled and the candle burned low, he asked, "Do they remind you of anyone?" He smiled slightly.

She looked up. "Who? You mean us?!" She snorted. "I didn't need your protection, and believe me, I doubt Amanda needs Lee holding her hand and opening doors. She looks innocent and a little naive, but I'll bet she is one tough cookie when she needs to be."

He reached over for hand. "Exactly. I didn't start holding your hand because you needed me to, but because I wanted to."

Colleen's eyes softened as she brought Bart's hand to lips and gently caressed his fingers. Bart sighed and closed his eyes. "Well, when they do figure it out, I hope they're half as lucky as we are."