European Payback; Stetson Style

Amanda opened the door to find that it was Francine ringing her doorbell off. "Francine, is there a particular reason you are trying to kill the doorbell?"

"You weren't answering; I thought something was wrong. Can I come in?"

Moving aside Amanda said, "What can I do for you?"

"I found another file that went with some you had picked up today and since it needed to be in with the original report; I knew you would need it. Are you sleeping with Lee?"

Amanda's eyes must have bulged from her sockets at Francine's unexpected question, "No; that really isn't possible."

"Amanda, with Lee anything is possible."

"Lee is in Europe at the moment; I'm sure Lee is good but I don't think he is good enough to reach across the Atlantic. Now why on Earth would you ask if I were sleeping with Lee? For another reason; what makes you think if I were sleeping with Lee that it is any of your business?"

Francine sat down in the couch as Amanda took the chair next to her. "Amanda, dear, Lee is charming and handsome; I will give you that, but he is also the biggest bachelor you will ever encounter. He is a great friend, loyal to the end,"

"Gee, Francine, you make him sound like a pet." Amanda rolled her eyes.

Taking a deep breath Francine continued, "He is a pet; well trained, but doesn't always listen to the advice or orders he is given. I just don't want you to become some casualty in the long list of carnage that is Lee Stetson; you just aren't affair material."

"What am I then; if you don't mind me asking?"

"Amanda, you are a mother; not a lover. You are a homemaker; not a rule breaker. You are normal; Lee is anything but that."

Smiling Amanda asked, "Francine, how exactly do you think I became a mother if I am not a lover?"

"Amanda King, are you going to sit there and tell me that you and Lee Stetson are having a hot romantic love affair? Are you going to convince me that Lee Stetson has settled down?" Francine tilted her head back as she laughed out loud.

"Francine, I am not going to tell you anything. You can think what you want. Lee and I are friends and we hang out together every now and then; isn't that what you do with Lee also? Oh, is that what you're afraid of; that Lee and I have been sleeping together behind your back?"

"NO! Amanda, Lee will just use you. You mean nothing to him. He is in Europe right now; wining and dining someone every night. He isn't thinking about a little housewife in Arlington awaiting his return. You are someone he passed time with. I know we don't see eye to eye but Lee Stetson isn't the settling down kind of guy."

Amanda sat listening to Francine and let her get what she had to off her chest. After a few minutes of silence Amanda said, "How long ago did you and Lee see each other?"

Francine looked down to flick a piece of lint off of her skirt answering in a low voice, "Not long after you helped him with his first case. We were at the end of whatever it was we were in."

"Do you still care deeply for Lee?"

Francine looked her in the eyes and said, "He is one of my best friends, I will always care very deeply for him."

"That wasn't what I was asking."

"I know, but it is still the only answer I will give you."

"First of all, Francine, I really do appreciate the gesture of warning me off Lee; but it isn't needed, I assure you of that. I know where I stand in his world and I am okay with that position. Secondly, I am a big girl who has already known enough men to know who I can and whom I cannot trust. Lastly, I am not a housewife any longer; not since my divorce, wife is not in my title. Now if you don't mind; I have some work to do; again thank you."

Amanda was leaning against the door after Francine had left when the phone began to ring. Running to answer it before the machine picked it up, she was glad when it was the boys calling with their weekly phone call.

"No, fellas, I am just working; a lot of typing goes on in a film business. Oh, I miss you guys too; plus Grandma called this morning and she is extending her trip. What was that, Jamie? No, well I am a little lonely, but I have so much work to do; that even if you were here, I wouldn't be able to do anything with you two. How are your grandparents doing? Great; no, I can't at the moment. Well, when he comes in tell him I said hi; I have to get back to work. Remember take lots of pictures. I love you too."

Amanda sat typing for the next few hours just working away, not thinking of the time until she went to get some more ice tea. She looked over at the clock as she reached in and realized she had worked through lunch. Deciding to just run out and grab something rather than mess the kitchen for just her; Amanda ran to the closest Marvelous Marvin's. While waiting for her order a woman came over to her and began talking to her.

"Amanda, I didn't know you still lived around this area. You remember me don't you?"

"I am so embarrassed; it has been so long, I know your face just not your name at the moment." Amanda knew exactly who she was, she was one of those Connie Beth people from the second time her and Lee had ever worked together.

"I'm, Judy, Judy Wainwright, we met about a few months ago; you and your husband moved into the estates where we live. How is Lee, your husband?"

"Actually at the moment he is out of the country on business. I hate to really cook when I am the only one at home." At least that part wasn't a lie; she was at home alone at the time.

Noticing that Amanda wasn't wearing her wedding ring she stated, "I understand my husband left me for a younger woman."

"Lee, didn't leave he is just on business."

"That is what they all say; it is just business, it means nothing. Well, it means nothing then why are they out wining and dining these women every night of the week and twice on Saturday if need be. Their needs I say."

"Oh, I am very sorry to hear about your marriage, but mine is just as it ever was; now if you will excuse me. I hope your day gets better."

"Amanda, don't trust him; he will use you and then move on to another woman; they all do."

"Bye now." Amanda took her food and on her drive home she began to think of everyone that had warned her in some way. Amanda thought Billy was when she dropped off the files and went to get new ones. Amanda, I hope you aren't over whelmed by all this work? I know that sometimes things look great at first but after a while it can take its toll on a person. It is kind of like a new relationship; everything seems bright and sunny at the beginning, but then reality sets in. When he first said it she really thought he was talking about the job, but now after Francine and the woman at the burger place she wasn't sure or not.

Walking in the house she set her bag on the counter. She went to take a bite just as the phone rang. "Hello." She hoped she sounded more cheery over the phone; as she was not in the mood to talk.

"Hi, yourself; are you in the middle of something?"

At hearing Lee's voice, she got even more agitated than before, "Yes, actually I am; it is called dinner and now it is cold so what can I do for you?"

Lee sat at the hotel desk in his room and couldn't believe the way she was snapping. "I didn't do anything."

"You know exactly what you did; Billy, Francine, and Judy told me all about it. Maybe they are all right; maybe they know what the bottom line is; we all know that I don't. All this is going to is to cause trouble and I don't want that, you don't want that, so I think we should just think a little longer on the subject. Goodbye, Lee." Placing the receiver back on the cradle Amanda grabbed her keys and went to the movies.

Lee hung the phone up and tried to figure out how Amanda knew about Judy? He hadn't seen Judy in over a year; long before he met her, but if Amanda was with Billy and Francine then that would make more sense; they are all in the business of intrigue after all. The more Lee thought about it after his dinner had arrived; Lee could have sworn that Judy and her husband were stationed with the San Francisco office; when were they in DC. Judy just had a baby from what Billy had told him two weeks ago; unless they were in town visiting the family with the baby. That had to be it; she was at the office to see Billy and Francine and Amanda was just there. She probably heard some wild story about me; I'll give her some time to cool off and then I will call again later.

Amanda pressed the button on the machine and heard Lee's voice, "Amanda, will you pick up? I am only going to try one more time before I go to bed. You are over reacting and jumping to some conclusion about something. I don't know what Judy told you about me or what you heard, but I thought we agreed not to let our past guide us in this. You have got to trust that I am not with anyone but you at the moment, but I am damn tired of talking to this machine."

She was more confused by his message than anything else that had happened that day. She went upstairs to take a shower and get ready for bed. She had just crawled under the sheets when the phone rang.

"Hello, Lee?"

"How did you know it was me?" He asked as he adjusted the sheet on his bed.

"You did say you were going to try back. Isn't it much later there; shouldn't you already be in bed?"

"I am in bed; where are you?" She could practically see his devilish smile through the phone. "I just got in bed as well."

"So, we once again are in bed together. Do you want to cuddle?" He asked laughing.

"I would love to. I have goose bumps on my arms; you could keep me warmer." Amanda smiled as she heard his deep laughter.

"Goose bumps, huh? You mean the kind you get when I kiss your neck or down your back?"

His low even tone made Amanda shiver even more. "That isn't fair; you aren't here to back that up."

"Oh, let me see if I can back that up as you say. Close your eyes and let's try something new. I want you to imagine that I am there with you and I am softly kissing the back of your neck. While my lips are on your neck my hands are running up and down your arms." He smiled as he heard a soft moan coming from the phone.

"Now, my fingers are running along your flat stomach and inching their way to your delicate breasts. While my lips travel across your spine, my hands cover your breasts as I press you into my body."

"Lee, this is so unfair to hear you talk like this and not be here to do it."

"So you let me talk and you do it." Hoping she understood what he wanted her to do for him.

Amanda knew Lee couldn't see her but the way he just made her blush; she felt she had just lit the night sky with a neon sign. She knew what he wanted her to do; she just had never done it on the phone before with someone.

"Lee, keep talking please and don't stop until we both do."

"Okay partner, here we go."

Lee seductively explained how to take her clothes off as he too prepared for their latest international escapade. Lee began again; picking up where he left off.

"I am going to continuing kissing down your back as my hands run along your sides now." Lee listened as her breathing pattern changed, so he knew she was right with him. "Can you feel my lips moving lower as I kiss the tops of your thighs before I turn you to face me?"

"Yes." Her voice was as soft as a whisper but held an extreme amount of passion that Lee was finding all about with her.

"What do you want now, Amanda?" Lee whispered in her ear while the huskiness of his voice made Amanda tremble.

"I want it all from you; I want you to taste me, touch me, and most of all I want you to make love to me." She hid nothing in her words to him.

Lee smiled before he continued with his explanation of his virtual exploration of her body. She listened as he described her body in detail and his intimate knowledge of her. He knew what to describe to elicit the same reaction if he was in the room with her. While it was in reality her hands doing what he described, it was better than any fantasy she had ever conjured on her own about him.

Lee listened to her responses to his comments and as her breathing [patterns changed so did the force of his words. His speech was slow and teasing at times then he would they would be strong and powerful; almost demanding her attention. His voice stopped and listened as Amanda went falling over the edge sending him with her as he called her name.

They both lay gripping the phone while they caught their breath. Amanda was the first to speak, "Wow, I didn't think that was possible just by the sound of your voice, Scarecrow. That was incredible."

Smiling he replied, "No, that Amanda King was payback. Maybe you should think twice about testing my driving abilities."

Laughing she said, "You handled yourself masterfully though."

"So did you just now. Sweet dreams, Amanda. I will call again in a few days."