Amanda heard the gentle tapping of raindrops on the windowsill and slowly opened her eyes, but it was the weight across her chest that brought her truly awake. Before she had time to think, the weight shifted and its source began languidly stroking her stomach. She felt Patrick's wet mouth kissing her neck and tensed, but only for a split second. Gathering some semblance of control, she took a deep breath and rolled over toward him.

Unfortunately, he didn't seem to be as groggy as she'd expected him to be. The crooked smile he gave her was almost devious. When he pulled her closer to him she felt just how 'awake' he really was. "Oh my gosh!" She'd have to talk to Leatherneck about the aftereffects of the drug.

He laughed at her obvious surprise. "Good morning, beautiful!" He cleared his throat as he sat up and wedged the pillow between him and the headboard.

"Good . . . morning." Amanda pushed herself up and pulled on the hem of her shirt, all the while scoping out her escape route to the bathroom. She was stopped short when he grasped her wrist. She looked down where he held her and then quickly to Patrick in a panic. Had he figured it all out? Meeting his smile and twinkle of mischief in his eyes, she sighed in relief as she realized he had something altogether different on his mind, of course, that's when she really began to panic.

"Now where would you be off to so early in the morning on a Saturday, Mandy? I haven't even gotten a proper good morning kiss."

"I'm sorry." She gave him a quick peck to his lips. "I forgot I have a meeting in an hour – they told us about it yesterday and when you asked me to dinner last night, it just completely slipped my mind, and well . . . you don't know this, but rush hour around here, even on Saturday is a bear this time of morning." Her ramblings, she'd been told, could get her out of just about anything. She hoped this time was no exception.

His brow furrowed.

"Remember, I told you I'm working on a big affair. And well, that means a lot of late nights and weekend work." She continued before she could stop herself.

"I understand. I'm just trying to figure out how you said that all so fast and what I have to do to get you to stay." He ignored her protests and pulled her down onto him. Her hands splayed across his bare chest and she bit her lip, unsure of what he was thinking. She hardly had a chance to catch her breath before his lips crushed against her mouth. That certainly cleared things up.

Her heart threatened to pound right out of her chest as he continued his un-restrained assault on her mouth. How would she explain a morning blackout and that was even if she could get him to drink something? Her eyes darted to the bedside lamp. She was certain the lamp was bolted down like most furniture in hotel rooms, but the phone . . . His hands were unbuttoning her shirt faster than she could re-button them. She was in trouble and she didn't see a way out. "Patrick, I really do need to go. I can't be late for this meeting." Didn't he hear her? He was like a man possessed. "Patrick, honey we can't do this right now." His lips were burning a trail down her neck as his hands roamed her semi-exposed chest before doing wicked things to her derrière.

The ringing of the telephone was never a more welcomed sound to her ears. After letting it ring several times, Patrick reluctantly pulled him self out from under her and angrily answered it, giving her just enough time to zip past him and into the safety of the bathroom, all while pulling her shirt shut.

"Mandy, wait! I'll get rid of them!"

"I've got to get to that meeting, Patrick! We can meet up after work." She ignored his protest and quickly locked the door behind her. Resting her head against the door, Amanda listened as he practically spit into the phone.

"What? Listen mate, I'm busy right now! What? No, this is a hotel room. No, I don't need a bloody subscription to the Post. Yes, I'm sure!" He slammed the receiver down and seconds later she saw the doorknob jiggle. "Mandy, it was just some salesman. Come on out, lass."

Amanda stared at her reflection for a moment, checking her appearance. She hadn't had to dress that fast since her parents surprised her and Joe by stopping by unannounced shortly after they were married. She stifled a giggle when the image of Joe rushing to button up what he thought was his shirt but turned out to be his much smaller wife's blouse. "I'll be right out." With a heavy sigh, she opened the door and rushed past him and started on another ramble as she grabbed her shoes from the corner of the room. "I'm sorry, but I really do need to go or I'll be late." She struggled to slip her shoes back on before he pushed her intimately up against the wall.

"Why don't we meet for dinner? I can meet you at the pub if you'd like and we could grab a bite to eat and then take a walk along your monuments."

'Anywhere, as long as we're around people', she thought as she felt his lips kiss their way up her neck. "That sounds great. I'll call you when I'm close to finishing up at the office."

Patrick nodded as he pulled away from her neck and then leaned in to kiss her square on the mouth. "Maybe I could pick you up at work. See what is so great that it's taking you away from me so early in the morning."

'And get a chance to case the joint.' She mentally added. "Sure. That'd be great, see you at five o'clock?" Amanda pressed her hand against his chest and smiled apologetically pointing to her watch. "I really am going to be late. We can continue our 'discussion' tonight." With a quick peck to his cheek she was gone.

"Hey . . . it's over now." Lee soothed as he rubbed her back.

She stood trembling, arms crossed near the water looking out over the pond, wishing not for the first time that Lee had never gone to California.

Linking his right hand with her left he tugged her toward him. "Come on, partner. Let's head back. By the look of those clouds overhead, a storm is about to roll in."

She glanced skyward and nodded.

They walked in silence all the way back to Lee's car. He was never this quiet. She was certain he was rethinking what he thought of her after her revelations.

He moved around her to open the car door and helped her in. She gingerly lowered herself into the bucket seat and waited for him to settle in next to her. As she was about to ask him if she should continue with the story, she saw a look in his eyes she had never seen there before. It nearly took her breath away. She was certain that it was shame and disbelief. Was he that ashamed of her? She was ashamed of herself that was for sure. She quickly closed her eyes and pressed her head against the window, idly running the pendent back and forth on the chain around her neck.

Ever since their night in the swamp, the walls they had both so covertly constructed seemed to be crumbling around them. Sure, they hadn't broken through all the buriers; over the past four months the two of them had been moving toward something more. Each private moment the two of them spent together held so much promise.

Looking over at him now as he drove them toward his apartment, she was certain whatever they were moving towards then was gone now.

They rushed into his building trying to get out of the rain to avoid getting completely drenched. "Come on, once we get upstairs I'll start a fire while you get out of those wet clothes."

Amanda nodded as her teeth began to chatter. She felt like a drowned rat, her hair plastered to the side of her face. Now looking at her soaked partner, she could see he hadn't faired any better.

"Come here." Lee murmured from the corner of the elevator with his arms open. "Let me warm you up."

Amanda didn't hesitate to move into his embrace. Whether it was her need to get warm or the security of feeling his arms around her, she didn't care. It felt too damn good to analyze.

She cursed the quickness of the elevator as it buzzed, notifying them that they had arrived at their destination. She reluctantly disengaged from his warm embrace and stepped off the elevator.