NOTES: I wrote this chapter right after Christopher Plummer passed away. Captain Von Trapp was one of my very first crushes and so I couldn't pass up the chance to insert a bit of a tribute to "The Sound of Music" into the dialogue. Plus, we know Amanda's seen it at least seven times!
Their last morning together on the Princess Martha, Lee and Amanda woke early - despite the very late hour when they'd finally gone to sleep.
Lee nudged his nose into the crook of her neck and breathed deeply. She smelled like herself plus the coconut-scented shampoo from the boat, and their lovemaking. He wanted to memorize the scent.
"Mmmmm," Amanda intoned, enjoying his breath on her neck and the way he'd started to kiss her just behind her ear.
"Morning," Lee whispered.
Amanda rolled onto her side to face him, smiling as they looked into each other's eyes.
"You're gorgeous."
"Not 'cute'?" she asked.
"At the moment, I was thinking more along the lines of 'sexy'."
"That works."
"It works very well for me," Lee said…
Their coupling was slow and intense, and Lee vowed to remember exactly how she felt and looked - just in case this was the last time they were together like this.
Afterwards, they took turns showering and getting ready for the day while they each contemplated how they were feeling as the cruise ended.
Lee dipped his knees to get his head under the spray of the shower- it wasn't designed for anyone over about 5'9". He sighed and ran his hands over his hair to make sure the shampoo was fully rinsed out.
He and Amanda hadn't known each other for all that long. Though, in their business, the work forged fast bonds, and in the past year and a half, they'd worked in some very intense and bonding situations.
Lee had matured a lot over those 18 months. It was a testament to Amanda's influence and was solid evidence that he'd actually wanted to do that growing up. Even as well as they'd been getting to know each other, and had come to be partners and friends, Lee had absolutely no idea how she would want to handle this change in their relationship.
For all he knew, this was a one-time fling. Kind of like summer camp, where you could be someone else and have relationships that you'd never normally have. Then when you got back home, Susy Sapperstein would suddenly pretend she didn't even know you - never mind that she'd let you french kiss her on the last night of camp and that she'd whispered 'I love you' before running to her cabin.
Lee finished up in the bathroom and came out in just a towel to find that Amanda was nearly done packing.
"Oh good, you're out," she said, sounding all business. "I ordered some coffee and fruit, keep an ear out for it while I shower and get dressed."
Lee noticed she took her clothes into the bathroom with her. Between the packed luggage, her brusque tone, and the reversion to modesty, he thought he could guess how things would play out. Susy Sapperstein all over again.
He dressed in a button down shirt - open at the collar - and a blazer and slacks. Suitable for disembarking and catching their plane home. When breakfast came, he didn't feel much like sitting on the balcony, so he set the tray on the small table in their suite.
Amanda took an efficient shower and spent a bit more time on doing her hair and make up than she had during the cruise. She imagined what Lee would say to her once they were on the plane, or maybe back at work. 'Amanda, you understand it was just the sea air, it didn't mean anything.' And then he'd be back to his old ways. She would be sad but refused to have any regrets. They'd had more satisfying sex in the past few days than Amanda had practically during her entire marriage, and she really liked the way she and Lee had gotten along out of bed too. She'd have liked to think she meant more to him than his 'Randy Baby' girlfriends - that they had something deeper. But she just didn't know. "I'll be damned if I'm going to look like a lovesick fool," she said to her reflection in the mirror.
It didn't escape her notice that Lee hadn't put their breakfast out on the balcony. They ate inside - not even the drapes were drawn - amidst uncomfortable silence.
"Well, you'll be glad to get home to see Phillip and Jamie, and your mother," Lee said eventually.
"Oh, yeah," Amanda agreed. "The boys will be tired and filthy from camp, but it'll be good to all be home together."
Lee sighed as he felt a hollowed-out loneliness in his chest.
His sigh nudged her to decide she had nothing to lose - it wasn't like she was propositioning him - it was just a dinner invitation. "Why don't you come for dinner on Sunday? We can barbecue in the yard and you can meet mother and the boys."
"What?"
Amanda thought his reaction pretty much confirmed her fears about how he felt. She concentrated on her coffee cup and backtracked. "Oh, never mind… I'm sure you have better plans. Randy will be glad you're back in town."
"Rand-" Lee began, then stopped and took a deep breath. "Amanda, there isn't any Randy."
"There isn't?" Amanda asked cautiously.
"No." He shook his head as he fidgeted the thumb and index finger on his left hand.
"I don't understand."
"I actually haven't seen her since the last time you saw her, and-"
"Oh, I'm sorry." She really had felt bad for ruining his date that night.
"Yes. You are?" Lee's disappointment showed in his scowling face. With her dinner invitation, he'd dared to hope that Amanda would be happy he didn't have any other entanglements.
"You haven't?" she asked, a hopeful lilt coming through in her voice.
"No." Lee screwed up his courage and looked at her. "Well, you can't date someone when you're falling for someone else, can you?"
"Oh."
Amanda looked up to meet his eyes and Lee reached across the table to take her hands in his. She was sure she could hear her own heart pounding with what he'd just implied.
"Amanda, I would very much like to come for dinner on Sunday."
She ventured a small smile and a teasing question - these were truly uncharted waters. "It's not too suburban for you?"
"Well, maybe a tiny bit," Lee said, smiling widely, dimples and all. "Honestly, it sounds wonderful. I'm going to miss spending all this time with you."
Amanda stood up and came toward him. "Me too," she said before kissing him soundly and deeply.
As they separated, Lee mumbled, "Take that Susy Sapperstein."
"Who?" Amanda gave him a quizzical look.
"Long story… I'll tell you all about it sometime."
Lee and Amanda disembarked the Princess Martha for the last time, sorry that their trip was over, but eternally grateful for the case and the cruise that had brought them together to discover and explore their attraction and affection.
As their cab was pulling away, they got one last glimpse of Tad and Dixie, who were making out while waiting in line at the taxi stand.
END
