"Here is the last of your things," Clark said as he carried Lois's suitcase into her new room.

"Thank you," Lois said with a smile. "Could I ask one more favor of you?" she asked.

"What is it?" Clark asked.

"I really want to get some work done at my office this evening. Could you take me into town?"

"If you don't mind riding a horse with me. My parents have the wagon in town and besides the two horses they have with them, we only have one."

"I don't mind if you don't," Lois said with a smile. "Give me a minute to change and I will be right down."

Clark nodded, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.

A few minutes later, Lois descended the stairs wearing a pale blue gown with white lace decorative pieces on the sleeves and chest.

"You are wearing that to clean?" Clark asked. He could not deny that Lois looked beautiful in the dress, but he knew women well enough to know when they were dressed the way Lois was they did not want to get dirty.

"This is my most casual dress," Lois admitted biting her lip. "The school I attended in Metropolis required formal attire and my father insisted that it was important for his girls to look their best."

"That is great…for Metropolis, but not here. We have dirty roads and farms. If you buy some material while you are in town, I am sure Mom would be happy to make you some dresses," Clark offered.

~ .. ~

"Martha, Dear," Nell Potter called as Martha climbed out of the wagon.

Martha groaned as she made a face to her husband. Jonathon smiled at his wife. They both knew the only time Nell Potter wanted to talk to Martha was when she needed gossip. Today the gossip would be why Jonathon was seen heading out of town with Lois Lane.

"Nell, how nice to see you," Martha said with a fake smile. "I wish I had time to visit, but I just have so many errands to run before supper tonight."

"I will walk with you," Nell said as she caught up with Martha. "Lana is watching the café."

"Oh how lucky is that," Martha said

"Yes, well everyone was telling me that they saw that new girl…Lane isn't it…Lois Lane riding with Jonathon around lunch time."

"They did," Martha said shortly. She knew what Nell wanted, but if she was going to be nosey Martha intended to make her ask the questions.

"Yes, did he not mention it?" Nell asked a bit of snotty.

"Yes, he mentioned it when he introduced her to me at lunch," Martha said.

"Lunch? Did she join you for lunch then?" Nell asked.

"Yes she did."

"And…where is she now? I would love to meet the dear," Nell said looking back towards the Kent's wagon.

"She is at our house," Martha said with a smirk. She knew she was driving Nell crazy with her short answers.

"You left her alone at your house?" Nell said shocked. "Do you think that is wise? You don't even know her."

"Clark will be home soon. Besides if she is going to be staying with us we are going to have to trust her," Martha said as she waited for the explosion that would undoubtedly follow.

"What? Martha…you can't just let strange women stay in your house. You have a son's reputation to think of," Nell said as they reached the general store.

"My son's reputation will be fine," Martha defended. "His morals haven't changed."

"Well I am just glad that Lana has decided to court Alexander Luthor. Why what would people say if she were to be courting a young man that was living with another unmarried woman?"

Martha was shocked and bit angered by Nell's words, but also hurt for her son. She knew he would be upset by Lana's decision.

"Nell, I would hope they would see that she is courting a young man that comes from a good family. A family that is willing to help those who need a hand and that do not judge others," Martha said. "Now if you will excuse me I have shopping to do."

Martha turned and walked into the general store leaving Nell standing outside alone.

"Afternoon, Mrs. Kent," the store keeper said as Martha walked in. "I see Nell has gotten her claws into you already."

"It is okay, Mr. Smith, she did not break the skin," Martha said with a smile.

~ .. ~

Clark climbed up on the back of his black horse and reached his hand down to Lois. Lois bit her lip and looked up at Clark.

"Okay, I am going to be honest," she said with a huff. "I have never ridden a horse before.

"How have you never ridden a horse?" Clark asked.

"Metropolis, remember? We have a wagon, but my father always hitched it.," Lois said embarrassed. She did not want to come off as a prissy girl. She hated prissy girls.

"Okay," Clark said as he climbed down off the horse. "Put your foot in that loop," Clark said pointing to the stirrup, then grab that handle there, and swing your other leg over the horse."

"Okay, easy enough," Lois said putting her foot in the stirrup. Once she had a good grip, Lois bounced with her other leg trying to lift herself over, but before she made it on the horse gravity forced her foot back to the ground.

Clark watched amused as time after time Lois tried in vein to mount the horse.

After several tries Lois turned to look at Clark, catching him nearly chuckling at her struggle.

"Are you enjoying this?" Lois asked.

"I am," Clark admitted.

"A gentleman would give a lady a hand," Lois said commented as she tried once again. Clark stepped forward as she bounced off the ground, and with one hand on her butt boosted her up onto the horse. He then, had to catch her because she nearly fell head first off the other side of the horse.

"Thanks," Lois said sarcastically as she straightened her hair and adjusted her dress.

"You are welcome," Clark said as he climbed on the horse behind the saddle wrapping his arm around Lois to grab the reins. "I would never want someone to say I am not a gentleman.

Lois's breath caught in her throat as she felt Clark's strong body against hers and his hot breath on her neck. Clark too felt a sensation he had not expected from the closeness.

"Sorry," Clark said as he cleared his throat. "I know this is uncomfortable, but if you want to learn how to ride-"

"It is fine," Lois said trying to hide her flustered nerves. She hoped her hair hid her face. She was sure it was red, based on the heat radiating from it.

"We will start out slow," Clark said trying not to let the smell of the woman in front of him intoxicate him. How was it possible a woman could smell so good? "You just give the reins a little jerk…and we are off," he said as the horse headed toward the dirty road.

"Whoa," Lois said as she grabbed the side of the horse.

"I've got you," Clark reassured her.

Never had Lois been put so much at ease by words. She was not the trusting type, but for some reason, Clark's reassurance relaxed her..

"You use the reins to steer the horse in the direction you want to go," Clark said demonstrating the task. "You want to try?" he asked.

"Umm…" Lois said unsure of herself.

"Go ahead you will be fine. I am right here if you need me to take over," Clark said.

"Okay," Lois said taking the reins from Clark's hands.

"Good!" Clark said as they continued to ride straight down the road toward town at a slow pace. He rested his hands on the back of the horse to give Lois space to get used to controlling it.

Lois loosened up. She was riding a horse!

"Umm…Clark?" Lois said after a few minutes.

"What is it?" Clark asked sitting up straight.

"How do I make him go faster?"

"Are you sure your ready to go faster?" Clark asked.

"Yes. I cannot stand to go slow. I am kind of impatient," Lois admitted.

Clark showed Lois how to make the horse go faster and a moment later they were speeding toward town. As Lois squealed in delight, the wind blowing her wild brown locks in Clark's face, he wandered how she would react if he told her he could get her to town, or clear across the country in a matter of seconds.

~ .. ~

"It is a beautiful day to have tea outside," Lana told her customer with a smile.

"That it is," the older woman agreed as Lana started to pour her tea.

Lana was distracted by a horse flying past with a screaming brunette on it and to her surprise Clark Kent was on the horse with the brunette, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist as they came to a stop a few feet from where Lana was standing.

"Lana…Lana," the woman said pulling her attention back to her work as tea spilled all over the table.

"I am so sorry," Lana said taking a towel from her shoulder and cleaning the mess. Her eyes were still on Clark and his companion though.

Clark dismounted his horse, laughing in delight as he helped the young woman with him down. She too was giggling happily. Lana was shocked by bright smile on Clark's face. She had never seen him smile so widely.

Lana assumed the girl was the one her Aunt Nell had spoken of earlier. Lana could not deny the girl was beautiful. She wished she had clothes as nice as she wore, but that did not change the fact it was improper for a woman to move to a new town alone. She should have been escorted by her father or a brother. Obviously she was a woman of loose moral beliefs.

~ .. ~

"I think you have horseback riding down," Clark said as he helped Lois down.

"That was so much fun," Lois exclaimed.

"Yes, but as an in experienced rider, you should not go so fast by yourself."

"Kent, I only have one tempo. Full speed ahead. If you want to make sure I am safe, you are going to have to be on the back of that horse holding on for dear life," Lois said realizing suddenly that, though her feet were firmly on the ground, Clark's hands remained on her waist.

Lois cleared her throat and brought Clark to the same realization. He moved his hands embarrassed by his unintended forwardness. "I should get to work," Lois said taking a step in the direction of her knew business.

"Do you want some help?" Clark asked, not ready to be away from the woman that made him feel so…well he could not find the words to describe how he felt with her, but he liked it.

"No, I am just going to get an idea of what I am dealing with and get started tomorrow," Lois said. Her head was spinning with new sensations. She needed some time away from the confusion that was Clark Kent, to clear her mind.