2:00 PM

Looking up from her notes, Lois glanced across her desk at Clark. He was busily typing away on his computer, but seemed to feel her eyes on him. He looked over at her and gave her a quick smile.

Damn smile.

Damn frustratingly sexy man.

She was gonna drive him beyond crazy. He deserved at least that much for keeping the fact that they had gotten the story of their careers to himself. And anything worth doing, is worth doing Lois Lane style. Clark Kent was in for it, there was no doubt about it.

But she wasn't going to enjoy it. She absolutely was not going to enjoy flirting with him, touching him, getting him so turned on he'd just kiss her already.

She absolutely, most definitely was not going to enjoy it.

Wanna bet?

Her lips set in a tight line, she narrowed her eyes at that most disconcerting thought, wishing it was possible that she could glare at herself. Instead, her angry stare fell onto her keyboard.

"What'd that keyboard ever do to you? Besides, you know, not having some kind of sixth sense buried in it to save you from all your creative spelling mistakes."

Her eyes, still downcast, took a quick glance at her watch.

2:00.

She had until 4:20 to really get him going, but it wouldn't hurt to lay some groundwork now. Lifting her head and flashing a smile at him, she stood up, moving her way around to his side of their workstation.

"I think I just need a break," she said, standing slightly behind him and leaning down next to him, one hand on his desk as she pretended to be intrigued by whatever was on his computer screen.

"What are you working on?"

This was something she did a lot, leaning over him like that to see what he was doing. And it never failed to make his heart pound a little harder, her closeness always affecting him more than he'd like to admit. He stole a quick look, seeing her hair falling around her face as she leaned in, resisting the urge to reach up and tuck it back behind her ear. Thankfully, though, she seemed to have the same idea and tossed her hair back over her shoulder. It's then that he saw a very…interested look on her face.

He looks back at his computer screen…and swallowed hard as he saw why.

"Old articles on Councilwoman Rogers huh?"

Clark Kent was not a good liar. That had pretty much always been the case. Outside of concealing his secret origins and abilities – which was more a matter of self preservation his parents had instilled in him, not to mention protecting the people he cared about -, he was just not great at subterfuge. Particularly when it involved keeping something from one Lois Lane, who could read him like a book.

"Oh, um…just doing some background stuff."

"Why?" she said. "I mean, it's not like we have the story. Yet, anyway. Right?"

Clark's breath caught in his throat. While he was definitely not as great as Lois at scheming, he could think pretty quickly on his feet. He had to, to do what he had to do around Metropolis these days.

Knowing flattery was probably the best route to go, he turned slightly, giving her his most disarming smile.

"Well no…but we will by 5:00 today, right? That's the plan. And it's a good one, Lois."

"Really?" she said, turning and leaning against the side of his desk. "I don't recall you being so on board with it before. In fact, I seem to remember you telling me us kissing and winning Perry the pool was no guarantee that we'd get our hands on this story."

Very deliberately looking away from her, causing an evil smirk from Lois, Clark cleared his throat.

"I uh…I changed my mind."

"Ahhh…well, it's nice to see you've finally recognized my genius, Kent," she said, deciding to let him off the hook, at least in this way.

It was time for layer two of the groundwork.

"I'm gonna head to the supply closet. I'm out of staples," she said breezily, allowing her fingers to run across his shoulder blades as she walked past him. He wasn't sure whether to breathe a sigh of relief at her letting up on her line of questioning about him researching Rogers or be disappointed when her touch disappeared.

The supply closet was a well known 'hot spot' at the Planet. There were more workplace rumors surrounding the users of said closet than there were articles of Elvis memorabilia in Perry's office. Lois smirked to herself as she found the staples on the second shelf from the floor.

"Well, that's certainly not going to do," she said lightly, then proceeded to toss the staples onto the top shelf. She dragged the step stool over near the place where she tossed them and stood on the top step of the three tiered stool, bringing her a good three feet off the floor. Even that didn't even bring her close to where the staples had landed, in fact, she could barely reach over the rim of the top shelf.

Grinning, she raised her arms in a long reach, making sure her very well fitted button down rose far enough away from the top of her skirt to give Clark a tantalizing peek.

Satisfied, she began to talk out loud.

"Smallville," she said, in her normal voice, relying on his superhearing, "I need you," she finished, her tone bordering on seductive.

Picking it up at his desk, he noted that her tone wasn't that of a person in any kind of life threatening situation. Shaking his head slightly, he got up, figuring she just couldn't reach something again. If he had a penny for every time Lois used his superhearing to call him into that closet to get something for her, well, he wouldn't need to be working at the Planet, that was for sure.

Of course, every time she did get him into that closet, in the back of his mind, he secretly hoped she had gotten him in there for what that seemingly innocuous little room had its reputation.

He rounded the corner and peered in the doorway, his heart practically slamming to the floor at the sight before him.

Lois Lane, stretched oh so sexily trying to reach the top shelf. Stretched just enough for him to catch a generous glimpse of the lightly tanned skin around her waist. Just enough for her skirt to rise up a bit, allowing an even better than usual view of her long, gorgeous legs.

Good Lord, she was gonna kill him. And if he was to be completely honest with himself, it would be worth every delicious bit of torture she put him through.

Clearing his throat, he leaned against the doorframe, trying to appear casual.

"Uh…Lois?"

Yeah. Saying that with a squeak in his voice? Probably not the best attempt at casual he could come up with.

A squeak Lois picked up on, causing the corner of her mouth to lift in a slight smirk.

This was going to be easier than she thought.