Author's Note: So, in re-watching this, I noticed there was a little gap between the scene of Dotty and Amanda in the restaurant and the stop at the flower stand and that they were laughing about something before Dotty got distracted by the flowers so I thought that was the perfect spot to add a little extra to go along with the conversation they had in the last chapter. For the love scene, there were only a couple of places in this episode that I could have squeezed one in, since there is so much Amanda/Dotty interaction in it, so I decided to throw a little something in at the end based on their conversation about her not being able to invite him in for a piece of cake. On an additional note, I am using the dates given in "The Wrong Way Home" for Phillip's age even though the show throughout the second season said he was ten, with Amanda telling Lee that he was born in '73, he would actually have turned eleven on the birthday mentioned in this episode.

Chapter 19-Save Me A Piece

"Fearless Dotty"

"Amanda, I don't know why you work for a company that won't give you office space," Dotty said with a shake of her head as she gathered up her things. "I mean, you...You're never gonna' meet anyone working from home." Having had her daughter confess to her passionate love affair only made her all the more determined to see her in a settled, stable relationship.

"Mother, I don't wanna' meet anyone right now," Amanda said emphatically. Didn't her mother understand that after their conversation of the week before that she wasn't worried about the future and was perfectly happy taking whatever Lee could give her? Keep telling yourself that, she chided herself.

"Amanda, that doesn't make sense," Dotty said with a slight chuckle. "How can you not wanna' meet someone that you've never even seen?" She glanced at her wondering if she was too far gone in the love affair with her mystery man that all she could do was pine for him.

Amanda shook her head as they exited the restaurant, chuckling at her mother's comment about serving wine.

When they reached the street, Dotty continued, "Don't think I don't know what this is about, Missy. You're so caught up in this mystery lover of yours, that you're terrified that any other man you meet just won't compare. Isn't that what you said about the other men you've dated recently?"

"And that's exactly why I'm not interested in meeting anyone. The last few dates that I've been on have been a complete waste of my time."

"Did you ever think that it might be because you're mentally comparing them to this other man? I mean, is he that good?" Amanda couldn't help but chuckle as she thought of just how good Lee was, but just replied with a smile, causing her to laugh as well and say, "I guess so." As they laughed and walked down the street, Dotty was distracted by the flower stand.

Later that day after they'd arrived home, Amanda tried in the least revealing way possible to explain to her mother about her work and why she couldn't tell her about it. "I'm just..uh...I'm just trying to tell you that there's something that...I'd love to be able to tell you, but I can't tell you because I promised that I wouldn't."

"You thought I was pumping you about your work? Amanda, you know me better than that. I wouldn't pry into your life. I mean, I have too much in my own life to worry about."

"I'm glad to hear that, Mother," she breathed a sigh of relief then added, "because you wouldn't approve...and you'd worry."

Dotty made a face and said to herself, "I wouldn't approve? And I'd worry?" What could be worse than what I already know about Amanda's secret love affair? She thought. While she was in her room wrapping Phillip's birthday presents, she pondered their conversation her imaginative mind working overtime. What could be going on? She reflected on her daughter's rambling about her sick childhood dog and wondered again if she was sick. No, she'd denied it, so what else could it be? Why didn't she want her to know about her job? Maybe her secrecy about her job was to cover up something else. Her eyes widened in alarm as another thought struck her. Oh, God, maybe her mystery loved got her pregnant.

She decided that she had to ask her and find out right now, "Amanda?' she called as she descended the stairs. When she received no response, she glanced around and her attention was caught by two silhouettes against the curtains of the French doors. Was this her mystery man? Was she telling him that he was going to be a father? She wasn't close enough to hear more than soft whispers, not hearing anything that she could clearly understand. She crept closer to the doors but still trying to stay out of sight because if she could see them, they could probably see her too. She slinked up to the side of the doors, just in time to hear a deep masculine voice say, "...No more unexpected guests." and hear Amanda reply, "Thank you."

"Oh, God," Dotty said as she hurried from the door not wanting to hear anymore and wishing that she hadn't heard what she'd already heard. She shook her head and decided to start working on the decorations. Looking around the room, she realized she'd need help and it would give her an excuse to get Amanda back in the house to question her. "Amanda, will you help me with the ladder?" she called.

When her daughter entered through the French doors a few minutes later, she looked at her quizzically and said, "Mother, where's the ladder?"

"We'll get to that in a minute. First, I want to know just what in God's name you're thinking about?"

"I don't know what you mean, Mother," Amanda said sheepishly.

"No? So, what were you and your gentleman friend out there just talking about?"

"Were you spying on me again? Mother, I told you how I feel about that," Amanda replied getting irked with her mother.

"Nice way of not answering my question, Dear," Dotty said sarcastically. "You don't wanna' tell me, fine. I'll tell you, then. You've been reckless with this man and now you're trying to correct the problem. Am I right?"

"Mother, I don't know what you're tal-"

"Don't you?"Dotty interrupted, cutting her off. "Your lover got you pregnant and now he wants you to get rid of it and you're just happily agreeing to it."

"WHAT? Mother! No, that's not true. First of all, I'm not pregnant and second, if I were that is something that I would never do, not ever. You should know me better than that."

"I would like to believe that's true, Amanda, but then again, I never thought that you'd ever spend months fooling around with a man that you felt you couldn't bring home to meet the family." Dotty sighed, then said, "So, if that's not what's going on, then what was he talking about when he said something about "no unexpected guests?"

"I was talking to him about the man who mugged me," Amanda explained. "He's...a...he's a little worried about me."

"Oh," Dotty said softly. Her eyes then lit up, "OH!" she repeated enthusiastically.

"Oh, what, Mother," Amanda asked wondering what her mother was thinking now.

"Well, I was just thinking that if he's worried about you, that's a very good sign. It means that he cares about you as more than just a fling."

"Of course, he does," Amanda said but then bit her lip nervously as she was unsure just how much he cared. "I...Uh...I mean, we...we're friends...and we see each other at work pretty often."

"A-ha!"Dotty said triumphantly. "So, that's why you don't want to tell me where you work. This man you've been seeing works there too."

"Yes, Mother, that's how we met," Amanda explained. "We're co-workers, but I...I really don't...No, can't get into all that."

"Alright, no more questions about your job. You obviously don't want to talk about it, but about this man..."

"Mother," Amanda said in exasperation.

"Don't give me that look, Amanda. If you and he are more than just lovers and you truly are friends, too, then I don't see what the harm is in inviting him to the house for dinner once in a while. Or better yet, maybe, you could invite him to Phillip's birthday party. I mean, if you continue seeing him, then it's only natural that he should meet the children..."

"Mother, I'm not seeing him,' Amanda argued. "We're friends and co-workers and sometimes..."

"Secret lovers?" Dotty suggested.

"I don't know what to call it, okay? I...Look, can we stop talking about this? I need to change clothes and go into the office for a couple of hours."

"So, there is an office?"Dotty probed.

Enough, Mother," Amanda said firmly. "I've gotta' go." She trotted up the stairs as quickly as she could to get away from her mother's grilling, shaking her head as she did with a chuckle, thinking what an asset her mother could be to the agency as an interrogator.

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Late the next night after the boys had gone to bed, Dotty was sitting on the sofa reading when she heard her daughter rattling around in the kitchen. She walked into the room to find her covering a plate of leftover birthday cake with saran wrap, dressed very differently than she had been for the party. "Are you going out?"Dotty inquired.

"Yes," Amanda answered. "I won't be gone long though. I just wanted to take some cake to my..." My what? she thought. What exactly was Lee to her? "...friend."

"Your gentleman friend?"Dotty said knowingly taking in her daughter's appearance, the extra care she'd taken with her make-up and the knee-length black dress she wore. "The way you're dressed, I'd say you're planning on giving him more than a piece of cake."

"Mother, this is just a nice gesture to say thank you for him replacing Phillip's presents. He didn't have to do that. He's not in any way responsible for Phillip."

"He could be," Dotty said pointedly. "I mean, it's obvious to me that if this "thing" between you keeps happening, there's something there."

"As I already said, we're just friends and co-workers and...and sometimes..."

"I heard what you said, but if the man didn't care at least on some level, he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of getting Phillip's present replaced. How exactly did he do that, by the way? I mean, you and I both know that the entire city was sold out of the Captain Galaxy dolls."

"I need to go, Mother. You'll look after the boys for me, right?"

"They don't need that much looking after since they're in bed," Dotty said. "Where I'm guessing you plan to be," she added after a beat, looking her daughter up and down.

"Mother..."Amanda said warningly.

"Okay, okay, it's your life. It's none of my business."

"Thank you, Mother," Amanda said planting a quick kiss to her mother's cheek before hurrying out the door.

Lee lay in bed that night, thinking of his last conversation with Amanda and how he'd compliment her on her use of the hose against the bad guys and how she'd suggested that he was glad she was there. He'd reluctantly admitted that he was glad she was there, but what he didn't' tell her is that he just enjoyed having her around, though he'd never admit it to anyone. He sighed and thought about what could have happened if Amanda had invited him in for a piece of cake. He smiled as he recalled how he'd told her to "save him a piece" with an suggestive smile and how his heart had skipped a beat in seeing her smile back, knowing that she caught on to his double meaning. That thought made him ache for her, wish she were there with him. Needing relief, his hand drifted down to his boxers, closing his eyes, he imagined it was Amanda touching him. His fantasy was interrupted by a loud knock on his door.

"God," he said with a groan cursing the bad timing of whoever was at his door at ten o'clock at night. He quickly removed his hand from his boxers, threw the covers back and yanked on his robe as he padded barefoot to his front door, cinching the belt of his robe tightly. "This better be damn important," he grumbled as he wrenched open the door. "I was in the middle-" he stopped, his breath catching in his throat at seeing the object of his fantasy standing in the hallway, wearing a spaghetti-strapped, black dress and matching high-heeled pumps.

Amanda's face fell at hearing his unfinished comment and stammered nervously, "I...I'm sorry. If...i...I should go. I mean...If you...You're busy..." When she'd planned this out, it hadn't occurred to her that she'd be interrupting something. She'd seen a look in his eyes when he'd said to "save him a piece" that she thought mean that he wanted more than just a piece of cake, but she'd obviously misconstrued his intentions. "I...I should have called. I...I'm sorry." She turned to leave.

"No, Amanda, don't go," Lee said reaching for her arm to stop her. "Come in, I...Um...I'm actually glad to see you." More than glad, he thought.

"I...um..." she licked her lips nervously. "I don't want to intrude...I mean...If you're not...Um...alone."

"I'm alone," Lee said firmly. In fact, Amanda had been the only woman to set foot in his new apartment, but he'd never told her that. "Come in, Please," he said. "I...mean...unless you have someplace else you'd rather be." He added with a nod to her dress.

"No, right here is where I want to be," Amanda said with a little more confidence as she let Lee lead her into his home. "I saved you a piece of cake, like I said I would," she said indicating the plate in her hand.

"Great," Lee said with a warm smile. He nodded to the plate and said, "It looks like there's more than one there."

"Well, I thought that maybe we could eat it together," Amanda said.

"Sounds good. Let's go to the dining room and I'll get us some forks," he said gesturing for her to follow him. "You know, I've got a great bottle of wine that would go with that chocolate cake."

"That sounds good," Amanda said as she dropped her purse onto the couch and then followed him, reaching the dining room, just as he returned with the forks, and two glasses of wine.

They sat at the table with Amanda at the end and Lee to her right as they dug into the cake eating off the plate that Amanda had brought. "Mmm, this is really good," Lee said. "You made this?"

"Yeah," Amanda said as she took a bite of her cake and sipped at her wine to wash it down with.

"Hold it," Lee said with a twinkle in his eye.

"What?" she said, smiling at the way he was looking at her.

"You...um...you've got a bit of frosting right there," he said as he set his fork down and used his thumb to wipe it away.

Amanda sighed, electrified by his touch and said softly, "Did you get it?"

"Not yet," he said suggestively then leaned toward her brushing his lips against hers and licking at the chocolate frosting at the corner of her mouth.

Amanda's breath hitched at the contact, anticipation flooding through her, but it was just a fleeting moment that was gone all too soon.

"So...uh...what's with the outfit?" he asked. "You got a hot date tonight?"

"I hope so," She said with an alluring smile. "I seem to remember you saying you wanted me to save you a piece," she said in a lower tone as she toed off her heels slid her bare leg along his.

Lee gaped at her in surprise and whispered, "So, I did," his desire for her only increasing at the way she was looking at him, the way she was teasing him with her leg. Unable to stand it anymore, He rose to his feet, grasped her hands and pulled her out of her chair and into his arms, kissing her soundly, his tongue probing her mouth, moaning against her, the fact that she'd worn that dress for him and her eager response to him driving him wild.

Amanda moaned into his mouth as she tugged at the belt of his robe, loosening it quickly and sliding her hands up his chest to push it off his shoulders while he reached for the zipper of her dress, sliding it down slowly with one hand while his other caressed the exposed skin behind it then with both hands pushed the thin straps off her shoulders. He lowered his mouth to one breast while caressing the other with his hand. "Lee," she whispered, loving the feeling of his mouth and his hands all over her, making her weak in the knees, her dress now pooled at her feet.

Lee raised his head to look at her and said in a low voice through his rapid breathing, "I want you."

"I'm right here," Amanda said as she gripped his bottom firmly pressing herself against him, wanting to feel the evidence of his desire for her.

Lee needed no further encouragement. With a long sweep of his arm, he knocked the contents of the table onto the floor, and lowered her to it. He hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties and yanked them down her legs. Half sitting on the edge of the chair, he dipped his head, reaching out with his tongue to taste her delighting i feeling her twitch at the contact. He then began to devour her completely, alternating suckling at her and stroking her with his tongue.

"Leeee,' she hissed at the sensations he was creating in her, her hands flying to his head, her fingers sliding through his hair. "Oh, OH, OH!" she cried out clutching his head and bucking against him as she he brought her to her peak.

Lee raised his head to look at her, marveling at the glazed expression in her eyes, feeling a bit smug that he'd caused that look. Before he knew what was happening, she'd risen from the table and knocked him to the floor, the chair landing on its back with a thud beside him. "Oof," he groaned and barely had time to register what she'd just done when her hands were inside his boxers, pulling at them and then he was in her mouth, her lips an tongue making him crazy with need for her. "Oh, God, Amanda," he cried, the reality of having her here, so much better than the fantasy he'd conjured up. "Oh, that's so good, Oh, "Lee said as he tugged at her hair loving every second of feeling her warm mouth suckling him. "Amanda," he growled. "I...I'm not gonna' last if you keep doing that." While he was immensely enjoying what she was doing to him, he wanted to be inside her. He tried again to pull her head up, but she only clamped her mouth on him tighter, only sucked on him harder until he was beyond stopping it. He let out another loud groan as he exploded in her mouth and she continued to suck on his shaft until she'd sucked him dry leaving him panting and gasping for breath.

She raised her head and flashed him a smug grin, "So, how's that for a hot date?" she teased.

"Is that what this is?" Lee asked hopefully as he tried to catch his breath.

"Oh, I don't know. We didn't have dinner or anything, but we did have...dessert," she said suggestively.

"Yes, we did, but that was not the kind of dessert, i had in mind. I...um...I wanted to..." he trailed off and tore his gaze from hers.

"Yeah," Amanda said knowing what he meant without him saying it. She looked around at the mess he'd made and said, "You know...uh...we should probably...get this..." she nodded to the fallen dishes as she rose to her feet.

"Yeah," He said also getting to his feet.

Amanda began to pick up the mess, taking the wine glasses, forks and now, empty cake plate into the kitchen while Lee worked to clean up the cake mess. He couldn't help but be amused by the fact that Amanda hadn't gotten dressed before beginning work. He liked the idea of her walking around naked in his home and couldn't resist teasing her, "So, do you always do housework naked?" he quipped as he dumped the remnants of the cake into the trashcan.

"No, but this is a special occasion," she fired back, "Phillip's birthday and all."

"Oh, right," he said.

"Thank you again for what you did for him," Amanda said.

"I was just keeping my promise. It helps that my uncle is a career Air Force man. I've made a lot of contacts through him that were more than happy to help out when I told them it was for an eleven-year-old."

"Well, it was still very sweet," Amanda said, planting a quick kiss to his lips as she headed back into the dining room.

Lee washed the bits of cake from his hands then joined her in the dining room, just as she was picking up her clothing. "You're not leaving already, are you?"

"Um...well...I...Um...I have children that I have to get home to," Amanda said.

"Your mother's with them, right," He said.

"Uh...yeah," She answered.

'So, then you can stay a little longer," Lee said as he took her dress from her hands and tossed it aside.

Amanda turned from his intense gaze and looked down at the panties still in her hand and said, "You know, you've got to stop doing this, or I'm not going to have any underwear left." She indicated the torn scrap of fabric in her hands.

"Good," Lee said as he sidled up behind her. "Makes it easier to do this," he whispered in her ear as he pushed gently on her back to push her to lean against the table as he slipped into her from behind, bracing her hands on the tabletop.

"Oh, Lee," she sighed gripping the edge of the table tightly as he began to move within her, his arms wrapped around her waist, his lips against her neck.

"OH," he groaned at feeling her so wet and welcoming to him. This was what he'd been fantasizing about since leaving her back yard this afternoon. Well. not exactly this as he still wanted her in his bed. That thought only spurred him on, pumping harder into her as he lowered one hand to stroke her center until he felt her tightening around him, drawing him into her even deeper, as she screamed out his name repeatedly, him echoing with her name as her climax brought on his own. Once he was spent, and was able to breathe more normally, he turned her to face him before scooping her into his arms carrying he the direction of his bedroom.

"Lee, stop, "Amanda protested as she tried to wriggle herself out of his arms.

"Why?"

"I have to go home," She said pointedly as if it were obvious.

"Why? What's wrong with us spending a whole night together?" Lee said angrily as he set her on her feet, wondering now more than ever if she were just using him to scratch an itch.

"Look, I know you don't understand because you don't' have any obligations to anyone except yourself, but I do. I have two children at home and I don't want them waking up to find that I'm not there if they need me. It's bad enough that they don't have their father around. I'm not taking their mother away from them too."

"It's one lousy night, Amanda," Lee argued. "Can't they do without you just this once? You're not going to tarnish your mother-of-the-year reputation by spending one night away from home."

"I can't, Lee, not without some prior notice, so my mother knows that I'm not coming home." If she were truthful about it, she'd admit that she just didn't want to open that can of worms, that brought on the idea of real romance, which would lead to her falling for him harder than she already had and she couldn't allow that, not when she wasn't sure that they had a future.

"So, call her," Lee said. "The phone's right there."

"No, Lee, not tonight," she said as she retrieved her dress and shoes, putting them back on, grabbed her purse and headed for the door. "I'll see you at work tomorrow," she said then made a rapid exit.

"Damn it!" Lee swore wondering just what the hell had happened.