Scarecrow and Mrs. King
“Timing is Everything”
Written by Anne Riener
Author’s note: There is a small reference made to a previous story of mine, “Stranger Than Fiction,” but this ficlet can stand on its own. My endeavor is to write a story for every season where Lee and Amanda are on “Road Trips” together in a limousine. Thanks to Soapie for the story challenge. References also made to the following Scarecrow and Mrs. King episodes: “There Goes the Neighborhood”, “Service Above and Beyond”, and “Do You Take This Spy?”
“Timing is Everything”
Written by Anne Riener
Author’s note: There is a small reference made to a previous story of mine, “Stranger Than Fiction,” but this ficlet can stand on its own. My endeavor is to write a story for every season where Lee and Amanda are on “Road Trips” together in a limousine. Thanks to Soapie for the story challenge. References also made to the following Scarecrow and Mrs. King episodes: “There Goes the Neighborhood”, “Service Above and Beyond”, and “Do You Take This Spy?”
Marion, Virginia – February 14, 1987
Sitting next to the king-sized bed in an overstuffed chair, Lee watched his wife sleeping peacefully. ‘Wife.’ He shook his head in disbelief. He still couldn’t believe he had a wife.
He smiled remembering how happy he had been as they exchanged vows less than 24-hours before.
. . . To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for all the days of our lives.
The overwhelming feeling of coming home had overtaken him and he felt as if he were dreaming. The early morning rays filtered through the curtains and the light reflected off the gold band he now wore, and he twirled the tangible evidence of his love for her. He had never thought he would feel such love for a woman. Now he couldn’t imagine his life without her.
Suddenly, a sense of euphoria washed over him and he had an irresistible desire to reach out and touch her. To prove to himself it wasn’t a dream. He reached over and caressed her face softly with his fingers and then lightly brushed a stray strand of hair from her eyes.
He was soon rewarded with a sleepy smile. “Hi,” she whispered in a raspy voice.
“Hi, yourself.”
She propped herself up on her elbow. “What time is it?”
“Not quite 8 o’clock.”
She stifled a yawn. “Since when did you become a morning person?”
“Ever since I had a reason to get up.” His lips twitched upward and he placed a quick kiss on her nose. “By the way, I took the liberty of ordering room service this morning.” He gestured toward the little round table near the window of their hotel room. Placed on top of the table was a serving tray with what appeared to be a morning meal under a polished cover, there was also a ceramic carafe, two mugs, two flutes of orange juice, and a single red rose. A candle was in the center of the table; its wick shimmered and burned, casting shadows on the walls.
“I didn’t hear anyone knock.” She pulled the sheet up slightly to cover her exposed breasts.
“Well, you were pretty exhausted after last night.”
She averted her eyes for a second and he watched a blush creep up her cheeks. Then she shook her hair out and pushed it back behind her ears.
“Don’t worry, 'Manda. No one came into our room.”
“Wining and dining me then. Are you trying to get lucky?”
“Oh, I would say I already was pretty lucky.” He winked playfully.
Amanda giggled. She then threw the covers back and shivered slightly from the chill of the room. She began to climb out of bed, but Lee stopped her.
“No, stay as you are. Sit tight and I’ll bring that food to you. I want to feed you breakfast in bed.”
Amanda propped herself up with a second pillow and leaned against the headboard, smiling as she watched Lee push the table toward her side of the bed. With a finesse that would impress a magician, he presented her breakfast as he removed the lids.
“We have eggs Benedict with smoked salmon and chives, croissants with marmalade, orange juice. And for dessert, strawberries.”
“There’s only one plate, Lee?” She asked perplexed, then scooted over giving him some room.
He sat down beside her. The springs of the mattress groaned from his weight, and his long legs hung over the king sized bed. “I’ll just have a piece of toast and orange juice.”
“Going to have to do something about that,” she mumbled.
“What?” He swirled a fork through the eggs, muffin, and Hollandaise sauce, then floated the fork midair and gracefully posed it over her mouth. “Open wide.”
Willingly she took a bite and then licked her lips.
“Good?” He smiled and winked at her.
“Mm-hmm,” she mumbled while chewing it. “Delicious.” She reached up and caressed his jaw lightly, trailing her fingertips over the stubble on his cheeks and then tenderly along the outline of his lips. Lee kissed her fingertip.
“Now aren’t you going to eat?” she asked him.
“I don’t need anything. I have everything I ever wanted right here.”
“Such as?”
“You.” His voice was heavy with desire and emotion.
Amanda cupped his face with her hands. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He leaned over and planted a kiss on her moist, firm mouth.
A soft sigh escaped her mouth, and he initiated a deeper, more passionate kiss. Amanda pulled Lee closer to her and their kisses built in intensity.
When the need to breathe became a necessity, Lee pulled back. He saw desire in her darkening eyes. They were both breathing heavy, as he ran his thumb over her slightly swollen lips. She nipped and bit at his thumb. He could feel her body trembling. He wagged his finger at her. “No. No. No. Not done with your meal yet. After all, as you like to tell me, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” He stood up and pushed the table even closer to the bed.
Her hungry eyes swept over him. “Not hungry. Well, not for food anyway.”
Lee shook his head, then picked up a bright red strawberry, dipped it in whip cream, and after sitting back down on the edge of the bed, he fed it to his wife. She took half a bite, juice ran down the corner of her mouth, and Lee leaned over trailing kisses down her cheek, tasting the sweet nectar.
“Now, my turn.” Reaching across him, Amanda swirled a strawberry in the whip cream, then let Lee take a bite. “Those are good,” he told her after he finished swallowing and then grinned.
They took turns feeding each other the fresh fruit and then they both sighed. Lee rested his forehead on hers. “Whatever was I thinking? I think it would have been better if we had decided to stay in this room for the rest of the week.”
“You promised me a trip to California, Pal.” Amanda pouted exaggeratedly and batted her eyes.
Lee planted another kiss on her lips. “I could never say no to you.”
Amanda gave an unladylike snort. “Do the words ‘Stay in the car’ mean anything to you?” Then with a slight nod of her head, she motioned for him to join her. “Get under the covers, Stetson.”
Lee began to crawl into bed, when Amanda turned toward him. “Better drop the bathrobe first.” She snickered loudly.
Lee shook his head, barely repressing the chuckle that threatened to escape. After he shucked out of his robe, laying it across the footboard, he slipped under the sheets, and pulled the covers over their heads.
*****
Near Airy, North Carolina
Later that day, Lee maneuvered the limousine down the highway in North Carolina. They rode in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Amanda stared out the window of the limousine; as the scenery flashed past, she softly ran her fingers around the edge of her lips. Lee stole a sideways glance at his wife. Feeling his gaze, she turned to look at him and grinned. He smiled broadly knowing he had been caught.
Amanda reached out and laid her fingers on Lee’s thigh. He covered her fingers with his own and then a couple moments later, Lee let go of her hand. "Join me," he said, patting the seat next to him.
Amanda didn't need to be asked twice. She unbuckled her seat belt and slid into the center seat. Then with one hand on the steering wheel, he wrapped his other arm around her shoulder.
After she buckled up, she laid her head against his broad chest. They rested together for several minutes, simply enjoying being together. Then she sighed contentedly.
“Something wrong?” he asked concerned.
“No, everything is. . . just right.” She took his right hand and his fingers intertwined with hers. Amanda ever so slightly tilted her head to look up at Lee admiring his long fingers as he casually gripped the steering wheel with his left hand, and then admired the wedding ring as the gold from the ring caught the reflection from the window—tangible evidence of his love of her. Amanda snuggled up closer against him. Intense concentration adorned his face as he watched rain falling lightly onto the highway.
“Be nice to get away and enjoy some sun for a change.” The windshield wipers swiped back and forth sweeping the rain away. “Are you sure you are okay with California?”
“As I told you before, I think California is a great idea for our honeymoon.”
“You are going to love Las Palmas. Sun, surf, beaches, the marina. We could go sailing or antiquing. Anything your heart desires.”
“Actually, I was hoping we could stay in. I would not mind spending all week in bed.” She blushed slightly at the memories of their first night as husband and wife evoked.
He affectionately squeezed her hand. “Sounds perfect.”
“And if you have forgotten, this is not our first trip to California.”
Lee’s attention changed, as he tried to recall the events.
She murmured into his ear, “Limo.”
Realization dawned and he arched an eyebrow. “Ah, Nicky Vedmid and how he insisted we escort him from California to Michigan in a limo of all things. One of our first cases together.”
She fingered the buttons on his shirt. “Uh-ha.”
He growled low in his throat. “Woman, do you have any idea what you are doing to me?”
She gave him a mock look of surprise. “Who me?”
He stilled her wandering fingers and after lifting her hand to his lips, he sweetly kissed her wrist. “Who would have thought back then we would be where we are today?”
“Certainly not me.” She lifted her head from his chest. “I thought you were an arrogant, conceited, playboy.”
He released his grip around her and then placed his hand over his heart. “Oh, that hurts.”
Amanda snorted under her breath. “I know you didn’t think much of me when we first met, so don’t deny it, Mr. Stetson.”
“Oh, now it’s Mr. Stetson, huh?” Lee reached over and clasped her hand. “You really want to go there?”
Her eyes narrowed and seeing a shadow of remorse cross her features, Lee pulled the limousine over to the side of the road and threw it into park. He reached out and traced her jawline with the backs of his fingers in a tender caress. She melted against his gentle touch. Lee then put his arms around Amanda, and after pulling her close, he initiated a deep and passionate kiss. The windows of the limousine began to fog up from the heat radiating from their bodies.
He pulled back slightly to gauge her reaction. Watching her catch her breath, his hazel eyes deepened to a warm tone, and he was rewarded with a tender smile from his wife.
Playfully she pushed him away. “Stop that.”
He gave her a wicked grin, as his dimples grew deeper. "Stop what?" he asked. "This?" He lightly kissed her on the lips. "Or this?" His voice was heavy with desire and emotion. He planted a trail of kisses along her jaw and down her neck. She tilted her head to give him better access and squealed in delight. He murmured into her ear, “I see I found a sensitive spot, didn’t I?”
“You really don’t play fair.”
Lee gave her a lopsided grin. “Nope.”
She shook her head. “We better get back on the road, before a police officer comes knocking on the window. I really don’t want to get caught necking.”
“Why not? Could be fun.” He leaned toward her, placing a feather-light kiss upon her lips, he then began to deepen the kiss and she moaned against his mouth.
“Lee,” she shrieked in mock surrender. “We’re going to miss our flight.” She then slid over into the passenger seat. “I’m going to sit over here where it’s safe.”
“Okay. I’m going. I’m going.” He started the limousine, shifted it into gear, and after checking his mirrors, he drove back onto the highway.
Gray skies had now turned a dark black and soon the sky opened up and there was a heavy downpour of big, fat raindrops.
“Apparently ‘Fishface’ was wrong again about the weather,” Lee said looking out the windshield past the falling rain.
“Who?” Amanda sat up straighter as she glanced around the interior of the vehicle.
“You know, Dan the weatherman.” He gestured wildly with his hand.
“Oh, my gosh! You are acting like a jealous person again.” Amanda fingered her heart pendant. “And you mean Dean. Why did you call him ‘Fishface’?”
“The first time we “played” man and wife in the Betsy Ross Estates you had a picture of him hung on the wall. His face was covered by a rather large fish. Whatever happened to that loser?”
“Last I heard he had moved to Baltimore.” She looked out the window and sighed. “I really did hurt him.”
Lee reached over and clasped her smaller hand in his. “Hey, no regrets.”
Amanda shook her head. “None.” She shrugged lightly. “Well, except Mother and the boys couldn’t be there to witness the happiest day of my life.”
Lee gently squeezed her hand, offering her strength. “Mine, too.”
Amanda suddenly laughed out loud.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing. What you said about fish reminded me of what Mother asked before we left on our trip.”
Lee chuckled slightly. “And?”
“Mother asked what you were going to be doing on your vacation and I told her you were probably going to go fishing and then she said, “I wonder if he’ll catch anything”?” She laughed so hard tears streamed down her cheeks.
His laugh mingled with hers. “Well, I would say I did catch “something” and I couldn’t ask for a better partner, best friend, or wife.”
She reached up and touched his cheek; he turned to look at her, and in a low voice cracking with emotion, managed to whisper. “I love you.”
His attention went back to the road and he gripped the steering wheel loosely. “Good, because now you’re stuck with me.”
“There’s no one else I’d rather be stuck with.” She rubbed his shoulder soothingly. “I was just thinking of another time we were in a limo together and I told you I used to have fantasies about secret agents.”
“Oh yeah. So tell me Mrs. Stetson, did I live up to your fantasies?”
A deep blush crept from her chest up to her cheeks. “Hell, fiction has nothing on reality.”
“I can’t believe you just swore," he mockingly gasped. “Hey, I have an idea.” Lee suddenly turned off the highway. He then pulled onto a long grapevine-lined driveway and after navigating the limousine under the welcome to “Pinnacle Vineyards” sign, he pulled into a parking space. Opening the driver’s door, he swung his long legs out and hurried around the front of the limousine to assist his wife out of the vehicle. Opening an umbrella, he took his wife’s hand. “Walk with me.”
*****
Lee and Amanda walked arm and arm into the wine tasting room. The place had been decorated with cut-out hearts, Mylar balloons, red roses, and a “Happy Valentine’s Day” banner over a cobblestone fireplace. The room had huge vaulted ceilings and picture windows that ran the length of the room, affording them beautiful views of the vineyard and Pilot Mountain in the background. A light mist rolled gently over the hills.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Sweetheart,” Lee whispered in her ear.
“Oh, my gosh,” Amanda gushed. “It’s beautiful.”
A gentleman soon approached them. He was older, around fifty, his face weathered and lined, but seemed pleasant enough. He held out his hand and first shook Lee’s hand, followed by Amanda’s. “My name is Robert Thomas and my wife and I own this vineyard. Thank you for visiting today. And you might be?”
“I’m Lee Stetson and this is my beautiful wife, Amanda,” Lee answered for them. “Magnificent place you have here.”
“Thank you.” The man beamed with pride. “Is this your first time visiting Pinnacle Vineyards?”
“Yes,” Lee and Amanda both answered.
“Fantastic.” He placed a hand on Lee’s shoulder. “To what do we owe this pleasure of a visit from you folks?”
“We are on our honeymoon,” Lee replied.
A soft gasp escaped Amanda’s lips and she nudged him in the ribs. Lee took her hand in his larger hand and gently squeezed.
“Congratulations. To celebrate the occasion, I’ll offer you a 15% discount on the first bottle of wine you purchase.”
“Thank you, that’s very generous of you.” Lee rocked back on his heels, as he dropped his arms to his side.
The man pointed toward a table along the back wall. “My wife Kathy is the wine porter today. Let her know about the discount I offered to you when you are ready to make your purchases. It was nice meeting you.”
Amanda grabbed Lee by the arm. “Lee, you told him we were married.”
Lee gave a tiny shrug. “Sure. Why not? He doesn’t know us. Besides, I want everyone in this room to know you are taken.” He leaned over and planted a kiss on her sweet lips.
Amanda returned the kiss. “And you’re mine, Big Fella.”
Placing his hand at the small of her back, Lee steered Amanda toward the tasting table. Kathy, the owner’s wife, was a very attractive woman. Lee surmised she was probably in her late forties; perhaps a few years younger, her long blond hair she wore up to highlight her diamond stud earrings. He also noticed tiny laugh lines around her bright blue eyes while her quick silvery laugh tinkled as she conversed with the patrons at her table. Lee offered Amanda a seat first and after pushing the chair in, he sat down next to his wife. In front of them was a tray with several varieties of cheese; including gouda, brie, taleggio, cheddar, feta, and goat, artisan crackers, fruits and nuts; including berries, almonds, apples, dried apricots, and hazelnuts.
“Hello,” the wine porter said to the couple. “My name is Kathy. Welcome to Pinnacle Vineyards. Here our grapes are chosen based on rainfall, sunlight, temperature of the region, and the quality of the soil.” She slid a menu towards them. “You are welcome to peruse the wine tasting menu. I don’t recognize you, so assume this is your first visit?”
“Yes,” Amanda answered for them. “You have such a beautiful home. I love the décor and craftsmanship. Is this pre-Civil War?”
Kathy nodded her head. “Yes, it is. And thank you. Robert and I have only owned this place for a couple of years, but once it became available on the market, we just knew we had to have it.”
Robert stepped up to his wife and put his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him.
“Robert,” she scolded him.
“Sometimes I just can’t help myself,” his eyes twinkled with mischief. “By the way, this is Lee and Amanda. They are on their honeymoon.”
“You don’t say?” Kathy remarked to the couple. “Normally our Newlywed Chateau is booked with it being Valentine’s weekend and all, but we had a last-minute cancellation. You won’t be interested in spending the weekend here?”
Amanda looked hopefully over at Lee. They seemed to have a silent conversation with each other, then Amanda answered, “Thanks for the lovely suggestion, but we already have a flight booked to California which we must catch later today.”
Kathy nodded her head in understanding. “Well, California I’m sure is having much better weather then we are having here. I don’t blame you at all.” She placed a pair of lead crystal wine goblets down at the table. “I assume you don’t have much time with us, so let’s get started, shall we?” She pointed to the menu, reading it upside down. “I suggest starting with a white wine. Both the Vidal Blanc and Traminette are very popular. The Traminette is a late midseason hybrid white grape and makes for a sweet tasting wine. Whether it is grapes or life in general, timing is everything.”
“Very philosophical,” Amanda stated sagely.
Kathy let out a silvery laugh. “It’s kind of a motto for us grape growers. You know, we sell no wine before its time.”
Lee arched an eyebrow. “Like the Orson Wells commercial.”
“Guilty,” Cathy admitted. “So which wine do you fancy?”
“The Traminette sounds good,” Lee said looking over at his wife who nodded in agreement.
Kathy poured them each a sample.
Amanda watched Lee pick up the glass of wine by the stem. Mesmerized, she observed him take in the aroma, his eyes fluttered shut for a moment as he allowed the scent to invade his scenes. She licked her lips as they now had gone dry and she swallowed hard. He swirled the liquid around and then took a sip. Amanda then picked up her glass. The stem glass felt cool in her hand, she raised it to her mouth taking a brief sip, feeling the rush of warmth slide down her mouth and into her belly. “Mmm,” Amanda said, as she placed down her glass. “I taste apricots.”
“As you should,” Kathy confirmed. “Some taste apricots, others taste honey, but it should have a sweet taste either way. Would you like to try a couple of the red wines?”
Lee nodded his head and then ate some cheese and crackers. While Amanda after wiping her mouth with a napkin, picked up a small handful of almonds and ate them.
“Our red wines available for tasting are the Chambourcin, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cynthiana.”
“I would have to say a couple more, for we are going to have to hit the road soon. What sounds good to you, Dear?” Lee asked Amanda.
“Um, I think I would like to try the Cynthiana.”
“Good choice,” Kathy said. “And you, Sir?” She inquired to Lee.
Lee looked over at his wife. “The same.”
Kathy nodded her head and after placing two clean crystal goblets in front of them, she poured the wine. “This wine pairs well with red meats, pork, and lamb.”
Lee again picked up the glass and the inky purple color liquid swirled while he gently grasped the stem to stoke the wine’s aroma. He lifted up the glass to his nose and inhaled deeply, smelling the full-bodied flavor. Then he took a sip and nodded approvingly.
Amanda followed suit but took more of a deep swallow. Again, she felt warm as the alcohol slid down her throat. She could taste a hint of cherry and pecan in her mouth. “Very flavorful,” she stated, putting down her glass. She then grabbed another cracker and a slice of cheese and ate them.
“I agree,” Lee toasted his wife and they continued to sample wine for a couple more minutes. Lee then glanced at his watch. “We better get going. We really do have a plane to catch. However, I think we would like two bottles of the Cynthiana and one bottle of your Merlot. Can you ship them to our home address?”
“Of course,” Kathy answered, grabbing an order form and a pen. “Let me write down your order and if you could take this to our gift shop, they would be happy to ring you up.”
“Lee, remember what Mr. Thomas told us,” Amanda reminded him.
Lee snapped his fingers. “Right. Mr. Thomas told us to tell you we get a 15% discount off the first bottle.”
“Not a problem,” Kathy said, filling out the order form, she then tore off the sheet and handed it to Lee. “Thank you so much for visiting us and we hope to see you again sometime. And congratulations on your nuptials.”
“Thank you,” Amanda replied, as Lee helped her out of her chair. Lee then interwove his hand in hers and they both walked out of the tasting room, headed toward the gift shop.
*****
Greensboro, North Carolina
Lee maneuvered the sleek black limousine into an oversized vehicle parking spot inside the garage at Piedmont Triad International Airport. He keyed off the engine and turned to his wife. “Here we are. Right on time.”
“I still don’t understand why we’re flying out of Greensboro?” Amanda asked, perplexed. “Seems a bit extreme.”
“For the same reason we were married in Marion, to keep away from prying eyes in and around the greater D.C. metro area. Dulles, Boston, and Baltimore would have all been too obvious.”
She pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “But what about the limousine? Won’t the Agency find it here?”
Lee hand sliced through the air as he gestured. “Your loving husband has thought of everything.” He grinned and then leaned over giving her a kiss on the cheek. “One of the “family” is picking it up here and taking it back to D.C. He knows enough to keep his mouth shut. By tomorrow morning it will be parked back at the motor pool. I’ll send him a wire before we leave telling him where I parked it and where he can find the key.” Reaching around Amanda, Lee took out a legal-size envelope out of the glove compartment, and after placing the key inside, he sealed it, and then wrote the stall number on the outside of the envelope.
“I’m impressed. You really have thought of everything.”
“Speaking of being impressed, that was some pretty impressive driving skills you displayed yesterday, Mrs. Stetson.”
Amanda gave a slight nod of the head. “Why, thank you, Mr. Stetson. Nothing short of nuclear war was going to keep us from making our wedding on time.”
Lee smiled at her. “Wait here.” Then stepping out of the limousine, he went around the front and opened the passenger door for her. He helped her out of the vehicle and then laced his fingers with hers. “I can’t wait for you to meet Barney. He asked for us to meet him tomorrow morning for breakfast at his place.”
“He sounds like a pretty special man.” She looked at the ground and chewed on her lip nervously. “I have to admit, I’m a little anxious about meeting him.”
“Why?” Lee cocked his head to one side.
Amanda shrugged lightly. “Because he’s like family to you.”
He placed a finger tenderly under her chin, forcing her to look directly at him. “True. And while my uncle was out on maneuvers, Barney watched over me; he was like a second dad to me.” He then placed his hands on Amanda's shoulders and bent down slightly. “You have passed inspection with the Colonel and trust me that is not an easy thing to do.” Lee pulled her close to him and gave her a reassuring hug. “Barney’s gonna love you and you want to know why . . . because I love you and that’s what is most important.”
With her face buried in his broad chest, her voice muffled, “We’d better get moving if we’re going to make our flight.” She pulled back slightly, slid her hands up his chest, and gave him a brief kiss. “Shall we, Husband?”
Halfheartedly, he released Amanda from his embrace; Lee then walked around to the back of the limousine; opened the trunk, and grabbed their suitcases. He then swung both his and Amanda’s overnight bags over his shoulder and grabbing her pinky finger, they strolled toward the doors leading to the airport. He knew this would be a week neither one of them would ever forget.
Sitting next to the king-sized bed in an overstuffed chair, Lee watched his wife sleeping peacefully. ‘Wife.’ He shook his head in disbelief. He still couldn’t believe he had a wife.
He smiled remembering how happy he had been as they exchanged vows less than 24-hours before.
. . . To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for all the days of our lives.
The overwhelming feeling of coming home had overtaken him and he felt as if he were dreaming. The early morning rays filtered through the curtains and the light reflected off the gold band he now wore, and he twirled the tangible evidence of his love for her. He had never thought he would feel such love for a woman. Now he couldn’t imagine his life without her.
Suddenly, a sense of euphoria washed over him and he had an irresistible desire to reach out and touch her. To prove to himself it wasn’t a dream. He reached over and caressed her face softly with his fingers and then lightly brushed a stray strand of hair from her eyes.
He was soon rewarded with a sleepy smile. “Hi,” she whispered in a raspy voice.
“Hi, yourself.”
She propped herself up on her elbow. “What time is it?”
“Not quite 8 o’clock.”
She stifled a yawn. “Since when did you become a morning person?”
“Ever since I had a reason to get up.” His lips twitched upward and he placed a quick kiss on her nose. “By the way, I took the liberty of ordering room service this morning.” He gestured toward the little round table near the window of their hotel room. Placed on top of the table was a serving tray with what appeared to be a morning meal under a polished cover, there was also a ceramic carafe, two mugs, two flutes of orange juice, and a single red rose. A candle was in the center of the table; its wick shimmered and burned, casting shadows on the walls.
“I didn’t hear anyone knock.” She pulled the sheet up slightly to cover her exposed breasts.
“Well, you were pretty exhausted after last night.”
She averted her eyes for a second and he watched a blush creep up her cheeks. Then she shook her hair out and pushed it back behind her ears.
“Don’t worry, 'Manda. No one came into our room.”
“Wining and dining me then. Are you trying to get lucky?”
“Oh, I would say I already was pretty lucky.” He winked playfully.
Amanda giggled. She then threw the covers back and shivered slightly from the chill of the room. She began to climb out of bed, but Lee stopped her.
“No, stay as you are. Sit tight and I’ll bring that food to you. I want to feed you breakfast in bed.”
Amanda propped herself up with a second pillow and leaned against the headboard, smiling as she watched Lee push the table toward her side of the bed. With a finesse that would impress a magician, he presented her breakfast as he removed the lids.
“We have eggs Benedict with smoked salmon and chives, croissants with marmalade, orange juice. And for dessert, strawberries.”
“There’s only one plate, Lee?” She asked perplexed, then scooted over giving him some room.
He sat down beside her. The springs of the mattress groaned from his weight, and his long legs hung over the king sized bed. “I’ll just have a piece of toast and orange juice.”
“Going to have to do something about that,” she mumbled.
“What?” He swirled a fork through the eggs, muffin, and Hollandaise sauce, then floated the fork midair and gracefully posed it over her mouth. “Open wide.”
Willingly she took a bite and then licked her lips.
“Good?” He smiled and winked at her.
“Mm-hmm,” she mumbled while chewing it. “Delicious.” She reached up and caressed his jaw lightly, trailing her fingertips over the stubble on his cheeks and then tenderly along the outline of his lips. Lee kissed her fingertip.
“Now aren’t you going to eat?” she asked him.
“I don’t need anything. I have everything I ever wanted right here.”
“Such as?”
“You.” His voice was heavy with desire and emotion.
Amanda cupped his face with her hands. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He leaned over and planted a kiss on her moist, firm mouth.
A soft sigh escaped her mouth, and he initiated a deeper, more passionate kiss. Amanda pulled Lee closer to her and their kisses built in intensity.
When the need to breathe became a necessity, Lee pulled back. He saw desire in her darkening eyes. They were both breathing heavy, as he ran his thumb over her slightly swollen lips. She nipped and bit at his thumb. He could feel her body trembling. He wagged his finger at her. “No. No. No. Not done with your meal yet. After all, as you like to tell me, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” He stood up and pushed the table even closer to the bed.
Her hungry eyes swept over him. “Not hungry. Well, not for food anyway.”
Lee shook his head, then picked up a bright red strawberry, dipped it in whip cream, and after sitting back down on the edge of the bed, he fed it to his wife. She took half a bite, juice ran down the corner of her mouth, and Lee leaned over trailing kisses down her cheek, tasting the sweet nectar.
“Now, my turn.” Reaching across him, Amanda swirled a strawberry in the whip cream, then let Lee take a bite. “Those are good,” he told her after he finished swallowing and then grinned.
They took turns feeding each other the fresh fruit and then they both sighed. Lee rested his forehead on hers. “Whatever was I thinking? I think it would have been better if we had decided to stay in this room for the rest of the week.”
“You promised me a trip to California, Pal.” Amanda pouted exaggeratedly and batted her eyes.
Lee planted another kiss on her lips. “I could never say no to you.”
Amanda gave an unladylike snort. “Do the words ‘Stay in the car’ mean anything to you?” Then with a slight nod of her head, she motioned for him to join her. “Get under the covers, Stetson.”
Lee began to crawl into bed, when Amanda turned toward him. “Better drop the bathrobe first.” She snickered loudly.
Lee shook his head, barely repressing the chuckle that threatened to escape. After he shucked out of his robe, laying it across the footboard, he slipped under the sheets, and pulled the covers over their heads.
*****
Near Airy, North Carolina
Later that day, Lee maneuvered the limousine down the highway in North Carolina. They rode in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Amanda stared out the window of the limousine; as the scenery flashed past, she softly ran her fingers around the edge of her lips. Lee stole a sideways glance at his wife. Feeling his gaze, she turned to look at him and grinned. He smiled broadly knowing he had been caught.
Amanda reached out and laid her fingers on Lee’s thigh. He covered her fingers with his own and then a couple moments later, Lee let go of her hand. "Join me," he said, patting the seat next to him.
Amanda didn't need to be asked twice. She unbuckled her seat belt and slid into the center seat. Then with one hand on the steering wheel, he wrapped his other arm around her shoulder.
After she buckled up, she laid her head against his broad chest. They rested together for several minutes, simply enjoying being together. Then she sighed contentedly.
“Something wrong?” he asked concerned.
“No, everything is. . . just right.” She took his right hand and his fingers intertwined with hers. Amanda ever so slightly tilted her head to look up at Lee admiring his long fingers as he casually gripped the steering wheel with his left hand, and then admired the wedding ring as the gold from the ring caught the reflection from the window—tangible evidence of his love of her. Amanda snuggled up closer against him. Intense concentration adorned his face as he watched rain falling lightly onto the highway.
“Be nice to get away and enjoy some sun for a change.” The windshield wipers swiped back and forth sweeping the rain away. “Are you sure you are okay with California?”
“As I told you before, I think California is a great idea for our honeymoon.”
“You are going to love Las Palmas. Sun, surf, beaches, the marina. We could go sailing or antiquing. Anything your heart desires.”
“Actually, I was hoping we could stay in. I would not mind spending all week in bed.” She blushed slightly at the memories of their first night as husband and wife evoked.
He affectionately squeezed her hand. “Sounds perfect.”
“And if you have forgotten, this is not our first trip to California.”
Lee’s attention changed, as he tried to recall the events.
She murmured into his ear, “Limo.”
Realization dawned and he arched an eyebrow. “Ah, Nicky Vedmid and how he insisted we escort him from California to Michigan in a limo of all things. One of our first cases together.”
She fingered the buttons on his shirt. “Uh-ha.”
He growled low in his throat. “Woman, do you have any idea what you are doing to me?”
She gave him a mock look of surprise. “Who me?”
He stilled her wandering fingers and after lifting her hand to his lips, he sweetly kissed her wrist. “Who would have thought back then we would be where we are today?”
“Certainly not me.” She lifted her head from his chest. “I thought you were an arrogant, conceited, playboy.”
He released his grip around her and then placed his hand over his heart. “Oh, that hurts.”
Amanda snorted under her breath. “I know you didn’t think much of me when we first met, so don’t deny it, Mr. Stetson.”
“Oh, now it’s Mr. Stetson, huh?” Lee reached over and clasped her hand. “You really want to go there?”
Her eyes narrowed and seeing a shadow of remorse cross her features, Lee pulled the limousine over to the side of the road and threw it into park. He reached out and traced her jawline with the backs of his fingers in a tender caress. She melted against his gentle touch. Lee then put his arms around Amanda, and after pulling her close, he initiated a deep and passionate kiss. The windows of the limousine began to fog up from the heat radiating from their bodies.
He pulled back slightly to gauge her reaction. Watching her catch her breath, his hazel eyes deepened to a warm tone, and he was rewarded with a tender smile from his wife.
Playfully she pushed him away. “Stop that.”
He gave her a wicked grin, as his dimples grew deeper. "Stop what?" he asked. "This?" He lightly kissed her on the lips. "Or this?" His voice was heavy with desire and emotion. He planted a trail of kisses along her jaw and down her neck. She tilted her head to give him better access and squealed in delight. He murmured into her ear, “I see I found a sensitive spot, didn’t I?”
“You really don’t play fair.”
Lee gave her a lopsided grin. “Nope.”
She shook her head. “We better get back on the road, before a police officer comes knocking on the window. I really don’t want to get caught necking.”
“Why not? Could be fun.” He leaned toward her, placing a feather-light kiss upon her lips, he then began to deepen the kiss and she moaned against his mouth.
“Lee,” she shrieked in mock surrender. “We’re going to miss our flight.” She then slid over into the passenger seat. “I’m going to sit over here where it’s safe.”
“Okay. I’m going. I’m going.” He started the limousine, shifted it into gear, and after checking his mirrors, he drove back onto the highway.
Gray skies had now turned a dark black and soon the sky opened up and there was a heavy downpour of big, fat raindrops.
“Apparently ‘Fishface’ was wrong again about the weather,” Lee said looking out the windshield past the falling rain.
“Who?” Amanda sat up straighter as she glanced around the interior of the vehicle.
“You know, Dan the weatherman.” He gestured wildly with his hand.
“Oh, my gosh! You are acting like a jealous person again.” Amanda fingered her heart pendant. “And you mean Dean. Why did you call him ‘Fishface’?”
“The first time we “played” man and wife in the Betsy Ross Estates you had a picture of him hung on the wall. His face was covered by a rather large fish. Whatever happened to that loser?”
“Last I heard he had moved to Baltimore.” She looked out the window and sighed. “I really did hurt him.”
Lee reached over and clasped her smaller hand in his. “Hey, no regrets.”
Amanda shook her head. “None.” She shrugged lightly. “Well, except Mother and the boys couldn’t be there to witness the happiest day of my life.”
Lee gently squeezed her hand, offering her strength. “Mine, too.”
Amanda suddenly laughed out loud.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing. What you said about fish reminded me of what Mother asked before we left on our trip.”
Lee chuckled slightly. “And?”
“Mother asked what you were going to be doing on your vacation and I told her you were probably going to go fishing and then she said, “I wonder if he’ll catch anything”?” She laughed so hard tears streamed down her cheeks.
His laugh mingled with hers. “Well, I would say I did catch “something” and I couldn’t ask for a better partner, best friend, or wife.”
She reached up and touched his cheek; he turned to look at her, and in a low voice cracking with emotion, managed to whisper. “I love you.”
His attention went back to the road and he gripped the steering wheel loosely. “Good, because now you’re stuck with me.”
“There’s no one else I’d rather be stuck with.” She rubbed his shoulder soothingly. “I was just thinking of another time we were in a limo together and I told you I used to have fantasies about secret agents.”
“Oh yeah. So tell me Mrs. Stetson, did I live up to your fantasies?”
A deep blush crept from her chest up to her cheeks. “Hell, fiction has nothing on reality.”
“I can’t believe you just swore," he mockingly gasped. “Hey, I have an idea.” Lee suddenly turned off the highway. He then pulled onto a long grapevine-lined driveway and after navigating the limousine under the welcome to “Pinnacle Vineyards” sign, he pulled into a parking space. Opening the driver’s door, he swung his long legs out and hurried around the front of the limousine to assist his wife out of the vehicle. Opening an umbrella, he took his wife’s hand. “Walk with me.”
*****
Lee and Amanda walked arm and arm into the wine tasting room. The place had been decorated with cut-out hearts, Mylar balloons, red roses, and a “Happy Valentine’s Day” banner over a cobblestone fireplace. The room had huge vaulted ceilings and picture windows that ran the length of the room, affording them beautiful views of the vineyard and Pilot Mountain in the background. A light mist rolled gently over the hills.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Sweetheart,” Lee whispered in her ear.
“Oh, my gosh,” Amanda gushed. “It’s beautiful.”
A gentleman soon approached them. He was older, around fifty, his face weathered and lined, but seemed pleasant enough. He held out his hand and first shook Lee’s hand, followed by Amanda’s. “My name is Robert Thomas and my wife and I own this vineyard. Thank you for visiting today. And you might be?”
“I’m Lee Stetson and this is my beautiful wife, Amanda,” Lee answered for them. “Magnificent place you have here.”
“Thank you.” The man beamed with pride. “Is this your first time visiting Pinnacle Vineyards?”
“Yes,” Lee and Amanda both answered.
“Fantastic.” He placed a hand on Lee’s shoulder. “To what do we owe this pleasure of a visit from you folks?”
“We are on our honeymoon,” Lee replied.
A soft gasp escaped Amanda’s lips and she nudged him in the ribs. Lee took her hand in his larger hand and gently squeezed.
“Congratulations. To celebrate the occasion, I’ll offer you a 15% discount on the first bottle of wine you purchase.”
“Thank you, that’s very generous of you.” Lee rocked back on his heels, as he dropped his arms to his side.
The man pointed toward a table along the back wall. “My wife Kathy is the wine porter today. Let her know about the discount I offered to you when you are ready to make your purchases. It was nice meeting you.”
Amanda grabbed Lee by the arm. “Lee, you told him we were married.”
Lee gave a tiny shrug. “Sure. Why not? He doesn’t know us. Besides, I want everyone in this room to know you are taken.” He leaned over and planted a kiss on her sweet lips.
Amanda returned the kiss. “And you’re mine, Big Fella.”
Placing his hand at the small of her back, Lee steered Amanda toward the tasting table. Kathy, the owner’s wife, was a very attractive woman. Lee surmised she was probably in her late forties; perhaps a few years younger, her long blond hair she wore up to highlight her diamond stud earrings. He also noticed tiny laugh lines around her bright blue eyes while her quick silvery laugh tinkled as she conversed with the patrons at her table. Lee offered Amanda a seat first and after pushing the chair in, he sat down next to his wife. In front of them was a tray with several varieties of cheese; including gouda, brie, taleggio, cheddar, feta, and goat, artisan crackers, fruits and nuts; including berries, almonds, apples, dried apricots, and hazelnuts.
“Hello,” the wine porter said to the couple. “My name is Kathy. Welcome to Pinnacle Vineyards. Here our grapes are chosen based on rainfall, sunlight, temperature of the region, and the quality of the soil.” She slid a menu towards them. “You are welcome to peruse the wine tasting menu. I don’t recognize you, so assume this is your first visit?”
“Yes,” Amanda answered for them. “You have such a beautiful home. I love the décor and craftsmanship. Is this pre-Civil War?”
Kathy nodded her head. “Yes, it is. And thank you. Robert and I have only owned this place for a couple of years, but once it became available on the market, we just knew we had to have it.”
Robert stepped up to his wife and put his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him.
“Robert,” she scolded him.
“Sometimes I just can’t help myself,” his eyes twinkled with mischief. “By the way, this is Lee and Amanda. They are on their honeymoon.”
“You don’t say?” Kathy remarked to the couple. “Normally our Newlywed Chateau is booked with it being Valentine’s weekend and all, but we had a last-minute cancellation. You won’t be interested in spending the weekend here?”
Amanda looked hopefully over at Lee. They seemed to have a silent conversation with each other, then Amanda answered, “Thanks for the lovely suggestion, but we already have a flight booked to California which we must catch later today.”
Kathy nodded her head in understanding. “Well, California I’m sure is having much better weather then we are having here. I don’t blame you at all.” She placed a pair of lead crystal wine goblets down at the table. “I assume you don’t have much time with us, so let’s get started, shall we?” She pointed to the menu, reading it upside down. “I suggest starting with a white wine. Both the Vidal Blanc and Traminette are very popular. The Traminette is a late midseason hybrid white grape and makes for a sweet tasting wine. Whether it is grapes or life in general, timing is everything.”
“Very philosophical,” Amanda stated sagely.
Kathy let out a silvery laugh. “It’s kind of a motto for us grape growers. You know, we sell no wine before its time.”
Lee arched an eyebrow. “Like the Orson Wells commercial.”
“Guilty,” Cathy admitted. “So which wine do you fancy?”
“The Traminette sounds good,” Lee said looking over at his wife who nodded in agreement.
Kathy poured them each a sample.
Amanda watched Lee pick up the glass of wine by the stem. Mesmerized, she observed him take in the aroma, his eyes fluttered shut for a moment as he allowed the scent to invade his scenes. She licked her lips as they now had gone dry and she swallowed hard. He swirled the liquid around and then took a sip. Amanda then picked up her glass. The stem glass felt cool in her hand, she raised it to her mouth taking a brief sip, feeling the rush of warmth slide down her mouth and into her belly. “Mmm,” Amanda said, as she placed down her glass. “I taste apricots.”
“As you should,” Kathy confirmed. “Some taste apricots, others taste honey, but it should have a sweet taste either way. Would you like to try a couple of the red wines?”
Lee nodded his head and then ate some cheese and crackers. While Amanda after wiping her mouth with a napkin, picked up a small handful of almonds and ate them.
“Our red wines available for tasting are the Chambourcin, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cynthiana.”
“I would have to say a couple more, for we are going to have to hit the road soon. What sounds good to you, Dear?” Lee asked Amanda.
“Um, I think I would like to try the Cynthiana.”
“Good choice,” Kathy said. “And you, Sir?” She inquired to Lee.
Lee looked over at his wife. “The same.”
Kathy nodded her head and after placing two clean crystal goblets in front of them, she poured the wine. “This wine pairs well with red meats, pork, and lamb.”
Lee again picked up the glass and the inky purple color liquid swirled while he gently grasped the stem to stoke the wine’s aroma. He lifted up the glass to his nose and inhaled deeply, smelling the full-bodied flavor. Then he took a sip and nodded approvingly.
Amanda followed suit but took more of a deep swallow. Again, she felt warm as the alcohol slid down her throat. She could taste a hint of cherry and pecan in her mouth. “Very flavorful,” she stated, putting down her glass. She then grabbed another cracker and a slice of cheese and ate them.
“I agree,” Lee toasted his wife and they continued to sample wine for a couple more minutes. Lee then glanced at his watch. “We better get going. We really do have a plane to catch. However, I think we would like two bottles of the Cynthiana and one bottle of your Merlot. Can you ship them to our home address?”
“Of course,” Kathy answered, grabbing an order form and a pen. “Let me write down your order and if you could take this to our gift shop, they would be happy to ring you up.”
“Lee, remember what Mr. Thomas told us,” Amanda reminded him.
Lee snapped his fingers. “Right. Mr. Thomas told us to tell you we get a 15% discount off the first bottle.”
“Not a problem,” Kathy said, filling out the order form, she then tore off the sheet and handed it to Lee. “Thank you so much for visiting us and we hope to see you again sometime. And congratulations on your nuptials.”
“Thank you,” Amanda replied, as Lee helped her out of her chair. Lee then interwove his hand in hers and they both walked out of the tasting room, headed toward the gift shop.
*****
Greensboro, North Carolina
Lee maneuvered the sleek black limousine into an oversized vehicle parking spot inside the garage at Piedmont Triad International Airport. He keyed off the engine and turned to his wife. “Here we are. Right on time.”
“I still don’t understand why we’re flying out of Greensboro?” Amanda asked, perplexed. “Seems a bit extreme.”
“For the same reason we were married in Marion, to keep away from prying eyes in and around the greater D.C. metro area. Dulles, Boston, and Baltimore would have all been too obvious.”
She pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “But what about the limousine? Won’t the Agency find it here?”
Lee hand sliced through the air as he gestured. “Your loving husband has thought of everything.” He grinned and then leaned over giving her a kiss on the cheek. “One of the “family” is picking it up here and taking it back to D.C. He knows enough to keep his mouth shut. By tomorrow morning it will be parked back at the motor pool. I’ll send him a wire before we leave telling him where I parked it and where he can find the key.” Reaching around Amanda, Lee took out a legal-size envelope out of the glove compartment, and after placing the key inside, he sealed it, and then wrote the stall number on the outside of the envelope.
“I’m impressed. You really have thought of everything.”
“Speaking of being impressed, that was some pretty impressive driving skills you displayed yesterday, Mrs. Stetson.”
Amanda gave a slight nod of the head. “Why, thank you, Mr. Stetson. Nothing short of nuclear war was going to keep us from making our wedding on time.”
Lee smiled at her. “Wait here.” Then stepping out of the limousine, he went around the front and opened the passenger door for her. He helped her out of the vehicle and then laced his fingers with hers. “I can’t wait for you to meet Barney. He asked for us to meet him tomorrow morning for breakfast at his place.”
“He sounds like a pretty special man.” She looked at the ground and chewed on her lip nervously. “I have to admit, I’m a little anxious about meeting him.”
“Why?” Lee cocked his head to one side.
Amanda shrugged lightly. “Because he’s like family to you.”
He placed a finger tenderly under her chin, forcing her to look directly at him. “True. And while my uncle was out on maneuvers, Barney watched over me; he was like a second dad to me.” He then placed his hands on Amanda's shoulders and bent down slightly. “You have passed inspection with the Colonel and trust me that is not an easy thing to do.” Lee pulled her close to him and gave her a reassuring hug. “Barney’s gonna love you and you want to know why . . . because I love you and that’s what is most important.”
With her face buried in his broad chest, her voice muffled, “We’d better get moving if we’re going to make our flight.” She pulled back slightly, slid her hands up his chest, and gave him a brief kiss. “Shall we, Husband?”
Halfheartedly, he released Amanda from his embrace; Lee then walked around to the back of the limousine; opened the trunk, and grabbed their suitcases. He then swung both his and Amanda’s overnight bags over his shoulder and grabbing her pinky finger, they strolled toward the doors leading to the airport. He knew this would be a week neither one of them would ever forget.