CHAPTER 63

Amanda's movement in her sleep, her hand sliding up Lee's chest, was what brought the weary agent out of his own slumber. He blinked his eyes a few times and yawned, his body slowly coming back to awareness.

Of course, one of the first things he noticed was where Amanda's hand was and he smiled at the sensation she was unknowingly creating. He couldn't resist shifting a little so that he could look down at her face and he was rewarded by the slight curve of a smile partially hidden behind the tousled dark waves that framed her face.

Even sick, Lee thought she was the most beautiful woman that he had ever known and he thought he could spend a lifetime just simply watching her sleep.

As if knowing she was the subject of his observation, she moved her head just a little and then her dark eyes opened and locked on his.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hello there," he greeted her. "How are you feeling?"

"Sleepy," she responded.

Lee smiled and moved to press a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I think you're fever's broken," he told her with a grin.

"That's good," she told him in a soft voice as she snuggled against him.

"Told you Doc had given you some good drugs," Lee teased her.

"What time is it?"

Lee glanced at his watch.

"A little after four," he told her.

"Morning?" she asked, clearly confused as to what time zone she was in.

Lee nodded.

"The boys?"

"I don't know. I guess I fell asleep on watch," he told her.

Amanda raised her head and smiled at him.

"You needed to rest too," she pointed out to him.

"Yeah, I could feel that damned thing trying to hit me but I guess I was lucky enough to nip it in the bud. I don't even want to imagine how bad you're feeling."

"Really, I feel better," Amanda told him.

Lee felt her move to try and sit up, as if needing to prove her point. The action clearly cost her as she closed her eyes and grimaced a little.

Concern for her prompted Lee to gently push her back down onto the pillows.

"Not so fast, partner."

"Maybe not," she admitted.

"Will you be okay if I go find out the latest?" Lee asked her.

She gave him the brilliant smile of hers and he couldn't help but lean down and kiss her gently.

"I take that as a yes," he told her. "I'll be back as soon as I find out anything."

"I'll just go back to sleep," she replied.

"I won't be long," Lee said as he slid out of the bed. Then, he moved to tuck the blanket back around her. "I love you, Mrs. Stetson."

"Love you too," she murmured.

Lee watched her dark eyes drift shut and knew that she'd be fast asleep before he turned at the end of the corridor. With a hopeful smile, he left his wife and headed out, praying that he was going to be rewarded with the answers that they had been praying for.