Lee was taken aback by Amanda's initiative at first, but once he felt her arms around his neck and her lips nudging at his, he responded enthusiastically. He slipped his hands to her waist, pulled her closer, molding her body lithe, warm body against his. He teased her lips apart with his tongue and when she opened her mouth to him, he dove in full force, their kiss growing more heated as they clung to each other. He felt sure that he had to be dreaming again, but as vivid as his dream had been, it hadn't been this exciting; this stimulating. He found his hands drifting lower to cup her taut bottom and pressed into her so there'd be no mistaking that he was into this.

Amanda let out a low moan as Lee responded to her efforts, parting her lips beneath his and allowing him to sweep his tongue into her mouth. She tightened her grip on his neck and ran her hands down his chest, excited by the feel of his still damp skin under her fingertips and his arms around her, holding her close. This was what she had been missing out on by being with Dean. She let out a bit of a squeal when he moved his hands downward to squeeze her rear and she felt his erection pushing against her. Alarm bells began blaring in her head and she broke their kiss, breathing heavily. "Lee..." she began hesitantly as she looked up at him her hands rested lightly on the firm muscles of his chest.

"A-man-da," he panted in response as he tried to catch his breath and regain some composure. "Wh-what are we doing here?"

"You...um...you didn't like it?" she questioned as she stepped back and put some distance between them. "I mean, you certainly seemed like you did I the way that you..." She glanced down at the towel slung across his hips and the nodded at the bulge now evident there. "And you..." She licked her lips nervously. "I mean, y-y-you certainly responded as if you-"

"Amanda, stop." He reached out and took her hands in his in an attempt to calm her nerves. "I did like it. I mean, I do." He followed her gaze and flushed slightly. "I don't think I could deny it if I tried." He gently squeezed her hands and gazed at her questioningly. "I guess I'm...just...I'm wondering where it came from all of a sudden."

"Well, that's the thing. It seems all of a sudden because it's new, but really it's not when you think about it. I mean, we've kissed before, like when you were playing football and I was pretending to be a reporter and we kissed again last night. I got to thinking about it since all my memories came flooding back and I kept thinking about it and what I kept thinking was that I wanted to know what it would be like to really kiss you...you know...just you and me, not football player Sandy Newcombe and sports reporter Amanda Keene like when we were undercover and not Scarecrow and the housewife trying not to get caught like last night, but just you and me...Lee and Amanda, you know? And I-I-I'm sorry if I was too forward, but it was just that...that thought wouldn't let me rest until I knew and now I do and I'll just..." She pulled her hands from his and gestured to the door. "I'll just go now."

He took hold of her arm to stop her. "No, Amanda, don't go. I want you here."

"You did?" she asked hopefully. Her heart began to race again.

"I left you that message with Francine for a reason. I was right about there being more to it. Billy's going to let us look into it further now that I proved that."

She nodded. "Oh, right. Work."

"Well, that's why I left the message, yes, but the other stuff...uh..." He shifted uncomfortably since he was still in nothing but a towel. "Let's just hold all the talk for a minute until I get dressed, huh?"

Amanda let out the breath she hadn't realized that she'd been holding. "Uh. Yeah, that would probably be a good idea. How about if I make some coffee while you do that?"

"Sounds great. I could use some after the day I've had." He nodded and released his grip on her, grateful that she'd agreed to stay.

"You take just cream, right?" She called as she made her way to the kitchen while he headed for the bedroom.

"Right!" He called back and shook his head in amazement. She was probably the first person ever who'd remembered that. Billy always tried to put sugar in his coffee the way because that was the way he liked his own.

A few minutes later, with Lee fully clothed and each with a fresh cup of coffee, they sat on his couch together, much as they had when she'd asked him if they were involved the other day. Amanda was the first to speak. She had to have an answer to her question. "Lee...when I asked you if we were involved, why did it take you so long to answer? I mean, I could be wrong, but it almost...it sounds silly, I know, but it almost seemed as if you were disappointed when you said no."

There it is, he thought. There could be no mistaking her question and she deserved an honest answer. "That's because I am," he responded equally bluntly.

"Oh?"

"Don't act so surprised. The way you kissed me just now...the way you babbled about how much you wanted to kiss me...you can't deny that you're not just as disappointed."

She nodded. "You got me there."

"The real question is where do we go from here?"

"Well, since my mother thinks I'm having a secret love affair with one of my married neighbors, maybe you could...could...I don't know...come to dinner so she can meet you properly...prove to her that I'm not."

He beamed at the invitation, but then tried to cover his overly-excited reaction with a nonchalant reply, "I guess I can do that." Inwardly, he cheered...meeting the parents...a big deal. That thought brought his enthusiasm to a screeching halt. "What about..." He swallowed hard. "Um...Dean?"

"Right. Dean," she repeated his name in a melancholy tone. "Well, that's the thing. You were right when you said you don't see us together. I don't see us together either. Having the past brought back to my mind all at once so quickly helped me to really see what I want for my future and it's not a guy who thinks bookends are a romantic gift when he came back from an out-of- town trip."

"No way!"

"Yes," she nodded with a laugh. "In fact," she looked around, looking for his phone and found that it was on the desk. She walked over and began dialing. When the line was answered on the other end, she began, "Hi, Dean, it's me, Amanda. Listen, I've been thinking. I know what's on your mind and what this date tonight was really all about and I have to say no and put a stop to it right now. I know what you'll say, that I need more time, but that's not it. It's not that I need more time. It's that I don't want to...no, make that I can't marry you. So, I won't be making that date tonight or any other night. Goodbye, Dean." She hung up the phone and off Lee's quizzical look, she questioned, "What?"

"So, how'd he take it?"

She shrugged noncommittally and with a slight grin, answered, "I don't know. I got his machine."

Lee howled with laughter. "Note to self...no bookends as a gift if I ever go out of town again." She picked up the throw pillow from the couch and belted him with it. "So, you're not gonna' see him again?"

She shook her head. "No. I feel kind of bad for ending it like that...you know, on his machine, but I tried to get my point across last night and in fact, have been for months. He just wouldn't take no for an answer."

"What about the lunch with his mother?"

She rolled her eyes. "MY mother set that up, thinking it would get me thinking about the future." A thought occurred to her. "My mother!" She hurried back to the phone, dialed her home number and when her mother answered, she said quickly into the phone, "Mother, make sure you set another place for dinner tonight. We're going to have a guest. I have some news for you. I love you and I'll see you soon." She quickly hung up the phone before her mother could ask questions and sat back beside Lee.

"What did your mother say?" Lee asked her with a hint of apprehension in his tone.

"Well, I didn't give her a chance to say anything. It is my house, after all. If I want to have my..." What was she supposed to call him now? "Um...My friend...over for dinner, that's my prerogative."

"Your...friend?" After the heated kisses they had just shared, he hoped that she saw him as more than that.

"My gentleman friend?" she tried again and then with a giggle added, "Though you, Sir, are no gentleman."

"And you, Miss, are no lady," he teased with a smirk as he set his coffee cup down, reflecting on the way she'd jumped him when she walked in.

"I've heard that ladies have never held much interest for you," she replied with a hearty laugh. When he nodded and slipped his arms around her, she told him, "You know, that's one of my favorite movies."

"Mine too," he agreed and leaned in for another kiss.

"So, in all seriousness." She gave him a stern look as she stopped him for a moment. "I mean, I know this is new, but my mother, she's going to ask a million questions. If you're my friend...or my...b-b-boyfriend or..." She let out a deep sigh. "So, what should I call you?"

He flashed her a dimpled grin and responded, "Frankly, My Dear, I don't give a damn," and then kissed her soundly.