Chapter 7

Clark pulled back quickly, "Lois I don't think we should."

Lois replied disoriented, "Clark you started it. What the hell is wrong?"

"Lois, I'm sorry I should never have done that. I do care about you, but you are extremely vulnerable right now. Maybe we should… wait?" Clark said ashamed.

"Smallville, I know what I want." Lois declared angrily.

Clark put his hands on Lois's shoulders, and quietly explained "Lois, I could spend the rest of my life in your arms; but, I can't live with myself for taking advantage of you. You're a strong independent woman who lost the man she called father and who just learned that the man she was attracted to was an assassin. How can you be sure you want to do this right now?'

"Smallville, do you understand what you're doing?" Lois said incredulously.

"Lois, I'm serious. I really do care for you. I care so much, I'm willing to let you go and to try to come terms with all that has gone on in your life in such a short while. One kiss, one fantastic kiss I might add, can be forgiven; but if I continue and you later felt that this was wrong…where would we be? I can live as only your friend. But not having you in my life – I can't think of anything worse. Lois, this is harder for me than you can imagine." Clark quietly explained as tears filled his eyes.

Lois looked at Clark trying to come to grips with what just happened. He seemed quite earnest in his plea. After a couple tense minutes, she said "Have it your way Smallville. You just missed a chance in a lifetime. Let's go get that dessert you keep offering me." Lois started to leave the loft, feeling rejected; but she wouldn't let Clark know what her emotions were.

"Thanks Lois... I hope you understand. I just don't want to hurt you." Clark said apologetically following Lois out the barn.

"You're loss Smallville. I won't lose any sleep over it." Lois said confidently quickly taking control of her emotions.

Clark went about making the dessert as Lois sat down at the kitchen table. Clark couldn't help but feel he had made a mistake. It had felt so right. But, something inside said he couldn't live without her. Being only her friend now seemed so difficult, but losing her … No, he was right. She could laugh off one kiss as a fluke and still remain friends, but if it had continued it would be impossible to laugh it off.

He kept on remembering the kiss – an eternity of passion in one brief moment. As he passed Lois, with the bowl in hand, they touched ever so briefly; there it was electricity, passion, chemistry. That brief contact made Clark want to kiss her all over again and to whisk her off her feet. However, his conscious was still telling him to wait.

Lois was trying to understand Clark Kent, one moment he was all over her; the next he wanted to wait. She could see his reasoning, but this just seemed so right. Never had she felt so drawn to a man. Her crazy 'boy scout' always trying to make sure no one got hurt, always trying to do the right thing. She could feel his nearness, she could smell him.

She had never thought of him this way, but he was a great guy and easy on the eyes. He truly wanted the best for her. Was that the reason why this was so hard for her? Any other man would have taken her- right then damning the consequences. Suddenly Lois was hit by a feeling of deep desire, as Clark brushed up against her hand, 'God, I have to get out of here. I want to jump him and tell him forget about tomorrow and live for today.'

She finished her dessert so fast the ice cream hadn't even melted. Getting up she said "Thanks for dinner Clark, it was great. And thanks for the portraits, I really do love them, but I have early meetings."

Clark rose and almost had to sprint to beat her to her car. Upon opening her door he said, "Lois I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable. You're always welcome here. If you need to talk about anything, I'll be here for you." Clark said apologetically.

"No sweat off my nose. I'll be in touch Smallville." Lois said sharply.

Clark watched her leave. He couldn't help but feel he had just made a huge mistake. "Please come back to me … please let her come back soon" he said to himself.

All the way home Lois kept reliving the rapture of that kiss; she wanted to feel it again, but how had he done that – in one night, he had her begging for more. Lois Lane does not beg; we'll see who breaks down first. … How could he just let her go? It had felt so right, so perfect – it felt that he was the piece of her she had lost so long ago. Why would he deny that?