Disclaimer: The characters of Scarecrow and Mrs. King are property of Shoot the Moon and Warner Brothers. I have simply borrowed them for my use in this story.
A big extended hug to my beta readers, Merel and Pam. Without your help I would have never learned to write what I feel instead of what I know. Many thanks.
Please give feedback. I'm a first time author and in need of constructive criticism.
Chemistry
Breathless, Amanda could only whisper a simple "Wow!", but it couldn't begin to express what she felt inside. Certain that her heart had grown three times its size, she could feel the pounding in her ears and her chest. Her face was flushed and every nerve in her body was alive with sensation. Such an amazing moment; feelings of euphoria and excitement rushed through her. Her heart had fluttered as he'd leaned in for a second kiss, but what a devil he'd been, deciding to dash away instead.
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Nothing could wipe the smile off Lee's face as he stepped out of Amanda's backyard. He felt so alive, his senses in hyperdrive, his pulse racing. He'd kissed her, uninterrupted and with intent. He'd leaned in for another kiss; he'd wanted more, much more, but he knew he had to take it slow for both their sakes. Teasing her instead with another "almost", he'd left her smiling behind him, and slipped away before either of them could mark the moment with words.
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Amanda returned to her house and entertained her mother for a few minutes. Dotty's curiosity was getting the best of her in regards to the beautiful silver sports car parked at the curb. As always, she prodded Amanda for information, and, as usual, Amanda managed to dodge her questions, quietly lost in her own thoughts. She said good night to her mother and made her way up to her bedroom. Absently she started to undress and reflected on the evening's events. Lee had kissed her, and what a kiss it had been. Unconsciously she reached up to her lips and brushed her fingertips across them. He'd been gentle, almost treating her as if she were a porcelain doll. The kiss was not too quick, yet hadn't lingered too long. His lips had been warm and ever so soft and tender. She could still feel the warmth of his breath on her face. The second near kiss was a heart stopper, enticing her for more, a promise of things to come, and maybe a desire best left not acted upon for the moment. Only time would tell the outcome.
She slid into her cotton nightgown and combed through her tousled hair. Snuggling into bed, she pulled the covers up to her chin and turned off the light. She rolled onto her side, pressing an extra pillow to her chest, and began to think back to when she'd first met Lee. She had gone through so many stages with her feelings for him. Some pleasant, some frustrating, many undefined. Lee had charmed her from the very beginning. He was so handsome, dashing, and brave - a first-class action hero. She'd known from the start that he had so much to offer, even though he seldom let anyone close enough to see it. While he'd constantly tried to push her away, she'd steadfastly continued to offer him her friendship. Sometimes she was hurt by his callous responses. Early in their association she'd fallen for his every move, unintentionally taking a kiss or other action while on the job too seriously, only to feel as foolish and silly as a schoolgirl with a crush on her teacher. How aggravated she had become for allowing herself to get caught up in the spy fantasy idea. So she settled for friendship instead, but still never felt on an even keel. She saw other men; dating Alan had stirred feelings in her she had temporally forgotten. Lee had appeared jealous, almost sad that she was seeing Alan, although he would never had admitted it.
Still, she was content with being Lee's friend and had slowly become his confidant. Her friendship with him deepened, and was unconditional, trusting . . . never wavering. Due to her persistence, Lee slowly started to let her into his life more and more. And the more she knew him, the more her feelings for him started to grow on a different level. Yet, somehow, she managed to keep them at bay for the most part. Leslie, however, had been a hard obstacle for her to go around. She was attractive, intelligent, and, frankly, quite normal. Amanda was surprised to find herself jealous of this woman who was so much like her. Why should she be jealous? But Lee must have noticed, because he broke a date with Leslie and started to see more of his partner outside of work.
Just as friends though, right?
Wrong, and they both knew it.
Fate kept throwing them into rather intimate situations, making it hard for them to continue to hide their true feelings from each other, let alone from themselves!
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As Lee got into his car, still smiling from ear to ear, he began to reflect on his encounters with Amanda over the past years. His choosing her at the train station was pure luck, or was it? Romantics would say it was fate, that something or someone had pushed him towards Amanda. Truthfully though, at the time all he had been focused on was getting the package out of his hands and away from the men chasing him. Granted, he found that he had instinctively chosen Amanda, but he assured himself it was due to her appearance; she had looked kind and willing to help. Boy, was she willing to help. Lee laughed out loud as he thought about more than one occasion when Amanda's over-eager willingness to help had messed things up. Yet she usually fixed everything with little or no damage done. Forget following the "How to Capture the Bad Guys" handbook; Amanda wrote new chapters on a daily basis. Based on totally unorthodox methods, he might add. Still, she did a good job most of the time, and was usually quite valuable in helping him solve his cases.
Over time, however, and without his realization, Amanda had grown from being a nuisance, to a helper, to his friend. He'd found himself relying on her more frequently and had noticed himself becoming more and more protective of her, especially since she had an uncanny and annoying ability to attract men. There had been numerous embassy parties where he'd leave for a few brief minutes, only to return to find her with another man when he'd returned. How confusing it had been for him . . . she was only Amanda. Only his partner. Only his friend. Yet early on he'd found himself feeling pangs of jealousy when other men showed interest in her. Why should he be jealous? He'd become frustrated with himself and ended up creating and repeating a mantra . . "Amanda, we're not . . . you know . . . emotionally involved." He'd repeated it far too many times. Who was he fooling? He'd been more emotionally involved than he'd cared to admit. He wasn't in love, mind you, but he certainly cared for Amanda on a level he had not felt for anyone in a long, long time.
Lee could never understand why Amanda was always there for him. She stuck by his side, through thick and thin. Her trust in him never faltered, not even when he was short-tempered with her. Once he'd slapped her. He'd gotten carried away with his cover, but when he'd seen the hurt in her eyes that afternoon his heart had ached. He'd thought he'd lost her friendship, and more importantly, her trust. That's when he'd noticed that Amanda had begun to date more often and was definitely creating a space between them. Then he'd met Leslie, and found himself fairly content. Content until one afternoon when Amanda had inadvertently met his new girlfriend, and had shown a jealously he'd never thought he'd see from her. Leslie, Amanda had insisted, was "Not your type, she's too normal for you." He'd tried to shrug it off, but deep down he knew that she was right. He realized then that he was searching for Amanda in Leslie, and he came to understand that no one else could be Amanda . . . his Amanda. She was one of a kind.
He'd broken his date with Leslie that night and had started to see Amanda more outside of work . . . no shop talk involved. He found he enjoyed flirting with her but was still hesitant about taking the next step forward. He'd lost everyone he'd ever let near his heart, and he didn't want to lose Amanda. In addition, pushing for a romantic relationship might jeopardize their friendship, and he didn't want to take that risk. One afternoon, though, Amanda told him in more ways than one that she was interested in him, too. He'd fallen back into his all-familiar mantra, trying to explain to her that the near kiss they had shared in the woods was only due to the working conditions, simply two people seeking warmth. Amanda had brushed away his weak excuse with a simple, but clear, "Not exactly." It was then that he decided to take a chance and meet her half way.
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Amanda rolled onto her back and relaxed in the bed's comfort. Smiling to herself, she remembered that day. How she'd mustered up enough courage to finally let Lee know of her interest was beyond her imagination. It had worked, though, and their relationship had been growing ever since. Slowly, tenderly, hesitantly, they had moved forward. Tonight, however, had been a turning point, a moment that she would never forget. While sharing desert, she'd glanced up to Lee, only to meet the same longing in his gaze. It was a look of certainty, each aware of the other's desires. She once again took the lead, and leaned towards him for a long awaited kiss. He'd followed her lead, confirming that he'd wanted the same thing. Unfortunately, as if on cue, just as their lips were about to touch, Dotty had come home. They'd frantically separated and Amanda pushed Lee out the side door.
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Releasing the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, Lee remembered the anticipation he'd felt as he'd waited outside her door. He could have left then, taken a step back, but he stood his ground and when she'd come out the door he'd pulled her in close. Looking into her eyes, he'd kissed her ever so sweetly. Her lips, so soft and so tender. He'd felt more alive than he'd ever been before.
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The room grew warm and Amanda opened a window. The moonlight caught her gaze, and she drifted back into her memories. Amanda knew they'd share many more kisses, but this one would always hold a special place in her heart. They'd finally taken the next step, a step into a more intimate relationship. She wondered about tomorrow - what would it be like in the office? Would he act differently towards her now that they'd finally kissed? Butterflies crept into the pit of her stomach and her pulse quickened. She laughed out loud at herself; she was acting like a teenager! "Oh, Amanda", she thought, "just take things one day at a time." She calmed down, returned to her bed, and snuggled in. She sighed in contentment, simply knowing that Lee cared about her and they were now more than just friends.
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Lee arrived at his apartment building, pulling his strong form from the low-slung car. He walked up to his apartment in a daze, still lost in his own thoughts. He opened the door, tossed his keys onto the coffee table, and made his way into his bedroom. Once there he stripped off his clothes, changed into his blue boxers, and eased into bed. He snapped off the bedside lamp and lost himself in the darkness of the room. He had a sense of tranquility about him, a happiness that was unfamiliar to him. He was relieved to finally realize that he definitely wanted to get to know Amanda on a different level and that she shared his interest. As unfamiliar and unsettling as these feelings were, he knew that Amanda was a world full of surprises and excitement and he was eager to explore each and every one of them.
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As the evening came to a close, both agents relaxed in the darkness of their bedrooms.
Amanda was snuggled in her bed, the covers pulled to her chin, the breeze from her window dancing with the moonlight in the lace window curtains.
Lee was spread across his bed on his back, with only a sheet covering his midsection. His room was as dark as the midnight sky, and as peacefully quiet as a newborn sleeping.
As time passed, their minds finally silenced. Their worlds quieted. Dreams began to weave their magical web. Playing out was the tale of two special people who, thrown together by chance, slowly found themselves to be friends, partners, and now perhaps so much more. Into the night their dreams continued to weave the fantasy of what their future might hold . . . together.
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"Hopeless romantics are only hopeless in the eyes of those who don't believe in romance."
Jean Zheng