Chapter 15-Date With A Suspect

"The Mole"

David Benson's a suspect," Amanda said warily.

"You got it," Lee said with a firm nod.

"I have a date with a suspect, ugh," Amanda cringed. "How am I gonna' get out of it?"

"Well, uh...Are you sure you want to?"Lee asked hopefully.

"What?"Amanda asked in surprise.

"I thought you bought that line of his all the way," Lee said in annoyance.

"You thought what?"Amanda said in an offended tone as she folder her arms across her chest.

"Was it Paris in the springtime or was it Athens. You were wearing red," Lee said in a mocking tone.

"Oh, really," Amanda said in exasperation

"All that stuff that women go for," Lee said with an icy glare.

"Go for! He asked me to lunch! It was a simple lunch invitation, that's al! You're making it sound like a-"

"Hey, hey, hey, If you wanna' go out with a guy that's got more scalps on his belt that Geronimo, you be my guest," Lee said hotly.

"Well, if you didn't want me to go, all you had to do was say "No, don't go!" Amanda said.

Oh, sure, sure and sound like I was Je-" Lee looking at her and the fiery, angry look in her eyes just made him think about all he times he'd seen a fiery look in her eyes for an entirely different reason, realized that he needed to get a grip on his emotions. "Look, Amanda," he said in a softer tone. "What I am trying to say is that we're not, you know emotionally involved.

"I know that," Amanda replied a little too shrilly. It sounded harsh even to her own ears.

"Or anything like that."

"Well, of course not," Amanda agreed sharply. "And I think I should go out with him. I think I should use it as a fact-finding survey. I mean, I really think I can probably find out much more about him by talking to him than by looking at his banks statements." As she said this and the logic of it sank in, her voice had become softer and less agitated.

"I suppose," Lee said agreeing with he logic, but still not happy with the idea of her going on a date with anyone except him.

"So, what should I do?"Amanda asked worriedly.

"Hey, it's your own personal time," Lee replied bitterly, wishing more than anything that she'd choose to spend her personal time with him.

"Is it a yes or a no?" Amanda questioned as she seriously wished he would say no. He very clearly had been acting jealous just a few minutes ago, but now he was acting as if he didn't care one way or the other.

"Uh...yeah...well..." Lee stammered nervously, the deeply confused look in Amanda's eyes disconcerting to him.

"Yeah, well I think I will," Amanda said as she crossed her arms again at not getting the response she wanted from Lee.

"Alright," Lee said, but felt it was anything but alright.

"I'm going on a date with David Benson," Amanda said with a firm nod.

"Terrific," Lee said sarcastically.

"Mm-hmm, yeah, right," Amanda said.

"Huh, terrific."

"Good, I'm happy," Amanda said but in reality felt depressed that Lee stubbornly refused to tell her how he really felt about the situation.

"Fine!"

"Good, I'll see you tomorrow," Amanda said as she started to walk away.

"Good," Lee said then turned toward her, "But it was your decision."

Amanda smiled a false bright smile at him and walked away.

"Great," Lee muttered after she'd walked away, cursing himself. It may have been her decision, but it was a decision that he had goaded her into. He stood for a moment silently kicking himself that he'd driven her to another man when the thought of any other man on a date with his Amanda made his stomach lurch.

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Lee sat in his car watching bitterly as David Benson escorted Amanda up her front walk and silently fumed as they said goodnight, Benson's hand on the small of her back, which was his spot. He cringed when he saw the other man leaning in for a kiss, but he got a brief moment of satisfaction at seeing Amanda turn her head at the last second, only allowing Davey's lips to connect with her cheek. He chuckled as he watched the clearly awkward moment that passed between them at the missed kiss and watched as his competition slunk to his car like a scolded dog with its tail between its legs and smiled gleefully when Amanda never even looked back, just walked into her house.

"Mother, I'm home," Amanda called as she walked into the den dropping the fur wrap she'd worn on the couch.

"Oh, hello, Darling," Dotty said as she greeted her daughter with a kiss. "How was your date with Mr. Benson?"

"Fine," Amanda said with a sigh as she leaned on the back of the couch.

"Don't sound so enthused, Dear," Dotty said sarcastically. At her daughter's glaring look, she said, "So, I'm guessing that he's not the man that you were involved with when you were seeing Dean? Or are you still involved with this mystery man?" she probed.

"Mother, how many times do I have to tell you that there is no man that I'm involved with? This dinner with David Benson tonight wasn't really a date, it was for work," she said another sigh at how complicated her life was. David certainly thought it was a date, but she knew better. She'd only kept her date with him to investigate him. Well, that and to get Lee's goat and maybe...maybe make him a little jealous.

"Oh, work, huh? Did he realize this? I noticed he tried to kiss you tonight."

"Mother, were you spying on me?"Amanda asked in shock.

"Well, how else am I supposed to know what's going on in your life. You say you don't want to lie to me, great! However, not telling me things is the same thing. It's lying by omission."

"No, Mother, I already told you Dean was the one that I lied to," Amanda argued feeling horrible about lying to her mother again, but knowing that she had no choice, not just because of her feelings for Lee, but because of the danger of their work.

"I don't believe that, Amanda. I heard what you said to him and, more importantly how you said it. I know you don't want to tell me about it. You said that I wouldn't understand, and maybe you're right. Maybe I wouldn't understand, maybe you feel as if I would judge you for whatever it is that you're doing with this other man, but let me assure you, Darling, I will not judge you, no matter what. You can tell me anything."

Amanda sighed once more and said, "I'm sorry, Mother, I just can't tell you this."

"Fine, you do what you want. I'm going to bed," Dotty said as she stormed up the stairs.

Amanda shook her head and buried her face in her hands muttering, "How did this all get so complicated?" Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar tapping at the back door. "Great," she groaned, "I should just ignore it," but even as the words were out of her mouth, she found herself inexorably drawn to the back door and the man she knew she'd find on the other side of it. She'd barely opened the door when she found herself yanked outside by a pair of strong arms and then pushed up against the back of the house, Lee's mouth locked to hers in a possessive, demanding kiss. Unable to resist the pull of her passionate partner, she opened to him willingly, her tongue slipping against his as they fed on each other as if they were both starving to death. She moaned and gasped as she felt his hands sliding under her dress to cup her bottom pushing the evidence of his desire for her against him.

Lee had lurked outside her house after her date had left, watching silently until he could be sure that she was alone, before rapping at her back door. He hadn't planned on this, on attacking her the second that he saw her, but seeing her in the revealing, spaghetti strap dress, knowing that she'd worn if for David Benson and not him, his possessiveness of her had taken over and he felt an all-consuming need to claim her as his won. His heart soared when she responded to him instantly by kissing him back just as hungrily as he was kissing her, parting her lips beneath his, her tongue snaking out to meet his. He needed not only to kiss her, but to touch her. He ran one hand up her leg to the soft thigh expose by the slit in her dress, before grasping her rear, startled when his hands made contact with lace, He pulled back from her and said, "That's different."

"What's that," Amanda said as she struggled to catch her breath and regain some sense of composure. She felt a dire need for Smokey the Bear to make an appearance to put out the raging forest fire within her.

"This," He said with a squeeze to her bottom. He then lowered his lips to her ear and whispered low, "Did you wear those for your date with him?"

"No," she said. "I wore them for me."

"For you?"Lee said as he pulled back from her slightly.

"Yes, for me. Sometimes a woman just wants to feel sexy. As many women as you've been around, you oughtta' know that."

"These are very sexy,' Lee murmured as he slipped one hand inside the lacy panties in question to touch her while he used his other hand to lower one strap on her dress as he ran his mouth from her bared shoulder, along her collarbone and to her neck.

"Lee," she sighed, her voice a hoarse whisper as he made her come alive, the forest fire still raging. She tugged on his head, pulling her to him for another series of searing open-mouthed kisses while Lee used both hands to push her panties down. When she felt him grasping her bottom as if to lift her up, she stopped him with both hands on his chest, breaking their contact, "No, not like that. Not this time," she whispered as stepped out of her heels and the panties that were now around her ankles. She then pushed hard on his chest, backing him up until he was half-leaning, half-sitting on the picnic table.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" He said with a glint of merriment in his eyes as her assertiveness. She never ceased to surprise him.

"This," she said as she pushed him into a sitting position before yanking the tails of his shirt from his jeans, then lowering her hands to free his manhood from the constricting denim, stroking him boldly before dropping to her knees to take him fully into her mouth.

"God, Amanda," Lee groan as she slid her wet tongue along his shaft and tried to resist the urge to push himself further into her mouth. He became even more turned on as he looked down at her to watch her expertly working him into a frenzy, teasing him, taunting him with her very talented mouth. "Oh, so good," he growled.

Amanda released him, looked up at him and smiled, "Like that, do you?"

"Mm-hmm," he sighed just before she began again, causing him to emit another loud groan.

"Shhh," she hissed, "My mother just went to bed and she's probably not asleep yet."

"Then you need to stop what you're doing," Lee fired back, his eyes blazing with desire.

"Oh? I thought you liked it," Amanda said with a mischievous grin.

"Oh, God, you know I do. Too much," Lee said.

"Well, how about this then," Amanda said as she pushed on his chest once more forcing him to lie on his back, his legs draped over the end of the table as she climbed up on it with him, planting one knee on each side of him while she worked the buttons on his shirt loose. "Hmm, so much for you hating plaid," she said with a giggle as she nodded at his shirt while she ran her hands up his chest. "Are you sure that wasn't just you being jealous of Dean?" she teased.

"Why should I be jealous of him? He's not in your life anymore. Besides, if I were gong to be jealous of anyone, it would be your ex-husband. He's the one you used to wear sexy nightgowns for," he said as he recalled their liaison up against her refrigerator and the prim cotton gown that he'd removed from her body that day.

"You liked the sexy underwear, didn't you," she murmured against his skin as she trailed kisses along his chest.

"Yes, but you didn't wear those for me and it's still not a sexy nightgown," Lee said sighing in contentment at what she was doing to him.

"Well, maybe this will make up for it," she said as she sat up enough to grasp him firmly and guide him into her.

"Ohhhh." he groaned and said, "That's a good start," as he reached up to place his hands on her waist while she pushed against him using her knees to rock back and forth, teasing him. His jealousy over her date with David Benson faded as she rode him, knowing that the other man hadn't even gotten a goodnight kiss and that just minutes after he'd dropped her off, her she was, making him hungry with need for her. He used his hands on her waist to guide her motions, keeping things as a slow pace, as he pushed his hips up against her, wanting to prolong the feelings being inside her gave him

"Lee," Amanda hissed as her pleasure built, the feeling of him inside her, the sounds of his low groans and the satisfaction in knowing she was the cause of them, making her weak. She tightened her knees against him as her climax hit her, making her see stars

"'Manda," Lee cried as he felt her walls closing around him as she bucked her hips against his, bringing on his own release as she collapsed onto his chest. He rocked her against him, raining soft kisses into her hair, which was now partially loosened from the pins that had held it up as they both rode out the waves of their mutual pleasure.

"Wow," Amanda said in a shaky voice when she'd calmed down a little. She lifted her head to look at him, "So, is this what you stopped by here for?"

"I...um...was in the neighborhood?" Lee said hesitantly.

"In the neighborhood, huh?"" She replied as she sat up, extracting herself from his grasp and sliding herself off the table. "That's strange because you live on the other side of the Key Bridge and as far as I know, you don't know anyone else in Arlington, so why exactly, were you in the neighborhood?"

"I...Uh...I," Lee stammered.

"I see," Amanda said. "So, you thought you'd come here and we'd..." she turned from him to head toward the back door.

"No, Amanda," Lee said as he scooted off the table and yanked his pants up, fastening them quickly and grabbed her arm to stop her, turning her to face him. "I mean, I'm not sorry that it happened, but that wasn't what I came here for. I...I...I wanted to make sure you were okay, that you were safe. David Benson is a suspect, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember," Amanda said softly.

"How'd he get you into Senator Castleton's party anyway. Our type is not usually invited to those things,"

"He said he knew the cater-" She stopped as realization hit her. "You were spying on me!" she said angrily. What is it with people spying on her love life: First her mother, and now Lee.

"I wasn't spying on you!" Lee denied.

"No?'

"No," Lee said as he struggled to find an answer for her, mentally cursing himself for giving himself away. "I...You know, I'm the lead on this investigation. I was spying on him, not you! I was just doing my job!"

"OH? And you just happened to be "doing your job" on the night you knew I had a date with him?"

"Hey, you should know by now that the spy game isn't exactly a nine-to-five gig," Lee pointed out.

"Yes, well you should know from the James Delano incident how I feel about being spied on by now," Amanda said.

"Oh, well, that was a job and the way you talked this afternoon, this was just supposed to be a job too. A fact-finding survey, I believe were the words you used."

"Y-y-yes, that's all it was," Amanda said.

"And what facts did you uncover about Davey?"Lee said hotly.

"I found out that he is a very charming man," Amanda said with a smile unable to resist goading him with the way he was acting.

"You're not seriously falling for all his cheesy lines, are you? I mean, come on, the guy's divorced. That oughtta' tell you something. What does that say about him?"

Amanda wrenched her arm from his grasp, her eyes flaring in anger. "OHO? Is that how it is? Well, then, maybe you should stay away from me! I'm divorced too. If you're judging him for being divorced, what does that say about how you feel about met?"

"Amanda, I didn't mean-" Lee attempted to apologize.

"Goodnight, Lee, I'll see you tomorrow," Amanda said as she snatched up her discarded shoes and underwear and headed into the house, slamming the back door behind her. Once she got inside, she breathed a sigh of relief, however, her moment of peace was not to last.

"So, you're not involved, hmm?" Dotty said as she entered the kitchen, folding her arms across her chest looking at her daughter expectantly.

"No, Mother," Amanda said as she made sure she kept her underwear out of sight from her mother.

"Then do you mind telling me who that man was that you were just with in the back yard?"

"M-m-man," Amanda stammered.

"Yes, Amanda, the man," Dotty said. "I went to check on the boys before going to bed and you know their room overlooks the back yard and I saw you out there with a man. Granted, I didn't see much because it's so dark, but you were clearly out there with a man. From what I could tell, it didn't look like the same man you went out with tonight. Are you going to start this again? Dating one man, while having a burning affair with another?"

"I'm not dating anyone and I'm not having an affair with anyone. I'm not seeing David, I told you, that was work. As for the man, in the back yard, that was work too. That's it."

"I see and exactly what kind of work could you be doing in the back yard at ten-thirty at night?"

"You know, it's late. We should both get to bed," Amanda said as she hustled past her mother and up the stairs.