See first post for Disclaimer
Part 3
By seven the building was emptying, the hum of ring phones and talking people had all but vanished while Lois was still hunkered down in her darkening office. She wasn't looking forward to Mrs. Kent spending time in Washington, leaving her to run the office and field questions and comments for the Senator.
"Are you always the last one to leave at night?" Clark asked from his position at Lois' office door.
Gone was the farmboy, in his place was a man in gray dress pants, a black dress shirt and gray sport jacket. Lois would have wondered where Clark had disappeared to had he not begun to fidget in his clothes.
"I get more done when my phone's not ringing off the hook and I don't have fifty people asking my opinion." She sighed deeply. "You're all dressed up, planning on going somewhere?" She quirked an eyebrow at him.
"I happen to be taking a beautiful woman out for dinner tonight. That is if she can pull herself away from her work long enough." He tossed her an easy smile, one Lois hadn't seen in over a year.
"I think I've hit the wall; I've read the same page about ten times and it still isn't making much sense."
"Then it looks like my timing's perfect." Clark dipped his head, feeling unnerved by her scrutiny.
"So what's the plan Smallville?" Lois stood, pulling on her suit jacket from the back of her chair.
"There's a place down the street that's supposed to be good. It's a nice night, I thought we could walk." He relaxed hearing her call him by the nickname.
"Sounds good to me; I've been sitting for the past four hours. My legs could use a stretch." She breezed by him, striding to the front door. He shook his head good-naturedly and hurried to catch up with her.
Clark had smiled to himself, seeing the flowers sitting on the corner of Lois' desk, amidst the files and loose papers cluttering the surface. Almost missing the security officer manning the front entrance issued Lois a goodnight and nod to him with polite warning.
"Thanks for the flowers by the way." Lois spoke, as though reading Clark's thoughts.
Blushing, Clark shrugged. "You're welcome."
"Alright Smallville, out with it!" Lois stopped dead, taking no heed to the fact that they were in the middle of the road. "Your hour drive yesterday to take me to lunch, the huge bouquet of flowers, delivered in front of the entire staff mind you, and dinner at a restaurant that obviously requires you to wear something other than plaid" she listed off the myriad of offenses "if I didn't know any better I would think that was your old fashioned attempt to 'court' me." She rolled her eyes at the word.
Clark seemed to be finding the street signs behind her of great interest as he refused to meet her inquisitive gaze. His cheeks had turned bright red during Lois' tirade while his hands had found the pockets of his dress pants.
"Clark are you even listening?" Her hands clutched her hips.
It was his turn to roll his eyes. "Yes Lois I'm listening. Can we have this conversation on the sidewalk?"
"Well if you're listening why aren't you-" understanding lit up her eyes, she could no longer avoid the obvious when it was literally staring her in the face "Oh my God."
Her exclamation was lost on Clark though, his hearing picked up a fast moving vehicle headed straight for them. Without giving it much thought he picked Lois up around her middle easily and sprinted to the sidewalk. He was careful not to move too quickly so as to incite any questions thus making their escape a very close call.
"Oh my God." Lois reiterated.
"Lois, are you alright?" Clark put her back on her feet, checking for any signs of injury.
"What the hell Clark? I don't take kindly to being man-handled." She stepped back.
"You were almost hit by a car!" He argued.
"Forget the car; just because I misconstrued an invitation to dinner and you think we're on a date doesn't give you the authority to relocate me at will!" Her voice rose in direct correlation to her rising temperature at the thrill she got having Clark so effortlessly pick her up.
"It would have ruined my appetite to see you splattered all over the road." Clark's frustrations got the best of him as was common when he was around Lois; allowing words to escape his mouth uncensored. "And as for dinner, I sent you flowers with the invitation Lois! What did you think I meant?" He knew he had her when she muttered curses at him under her breath.
"I hoped it was just a friendly gesture." Lois finally got out, immediately regretting speaking at all when Clark winced.
"Okay Lois." His eyes dropped as he took a self-conscious step backward, hands tightening into fists at his sides. "I asked you to dinner as a date." He clarified needlessly. "I thought I had made that clear but I guess I was wrong so if you'd rather we go to dinner as friends or skip the meal all together that's fine." He gave her a tight lipped smile.
It was Lois' turn to bow her head in a combination of thought and guilt. She hadn't intended to become so confrontational with Clark but the sensation of his body pressing against her own while he moved them off the road had sent her mind whirling. Mrs. Kent's easy acceptance of a potential romance between the two muscled its way to the forefront of her thoughts making her wonder what the observant woman had seen that she had missed. And somewhere in the back of her mind she could hear Buzz, a Navy Seal named for his rather loud snoring in the barracks, yelling that by the time she checked the temperature and rationalize any doubts about diving in the sun would have dried up the entire lake.
"No it's fine." She squared her shoulder and set her chin. "I'd hate for you to have donned something other than plaid for no reason." She teased. Clark released the breath he had been holding, knowing that Lois was willing to remain his friend. What she did next however, sent him reeling. With purposeful strides she moved up against him, fingering his shirt collar until her lips were at his ear. "As for this being a date….I'll let you know when the night's over." Gleaming eyes raked over his face before retreating a safe distance once more.
Dinner ended up being…interesting. There was a measure of awkwardness neither had experienced in the other's company before and conversation was stilted at the beginning as a result. Thankfully the arrival of their server did away with Lois' nerves; the man waiting on them made no attempt to mask his obvious attraction to Clark. Each time he retreated Clark was left with a deer in the headlights expression while Lois laughed outright at his plight.
The meals' end stirred some compassion in Lois, giving her the confidence to reach across the table to lay her hand on top of Clark's. Her actions didn't go unnoticed by their server who looked crestfallen, though Lois placated him with an apologetic shrug. Clark on the other hand was bombarded with hopeful exuberance at Lois small gesture. Her gentle touch ignited fire in his veins, sparking reactive jolts on every neuron. His skin felt as though it were glowing, radiating the heat that was suddenly suffocating him. And all too soon her touch departed; gathering her purse and stepping into the cooling night air, his thunderstruck frame close behind.
Clark was torn. He wanted to once more feel Lois' soft fingers wrapped in his but the overwhelming sensation that went with it would surely set him aflame. Lois made the decision for him, twining her arm around his bicep. He was grateful for the compromise she unknowing made; the fabric of his clothing creating enough of a barrier that coherent thought was not extinguished with her body so close to his.
"Where's your truck?" Lois stopped short in the underground parking garage of the government building.
"I didn't drive here. I figured I could get a ride home with you." Clark smiled.
"How'd you get here then?" She took a step back to eye him quizzically.
"I ran." Clark responded blandly, not sure where the sudden attack of honest had come from.
Lois blinked, rolled her eyes and reached for her keys buried somewhere in her purse. "Whatever. Everyone thinks they're a comic." She dismissed his teasing, and when she finally located the pesky cuts of mental she unlocked the doors.
The car hurried along the dark country roads while the two occupants inside traded stories of their pasts and the occasional barb. Clark blushed scarlet once more when Lois saw fit to remind him of his admirer at the restaurant that evening.
As they neared the Kent Farm the CD player changed disks, massaging the speakers with the instrumental sounds of The Arcade Fire.
They say it fades, if you let it,
Love was made to forget it.
I carved your name in my eyelids,
You pray for rain I pray for blindness
Clenching his jaw Clark dug deep to find his courage. "What're your plans for tomorrow?" He turned to be able to watch her.
If you still want me, please forgive me
The crown of love is not upon me.
If you still want me, please forgive me
Because the spark is not within me.
I snuffed it out,
Before my Mom walked in my bedroom.
The only thing that you keep changin' is your name,
My love keeps growin' still the same, just like cancer,
And you won't give me a straight answer.
"Your mom's in Washington starting tomorrow so Murphy's Law dictates there'll be a crisis at work that I'll have to deal with while she's on the Hill." Lois sighed in spite of herself.
If you still want me, please forgive me,
The crown of love has fallen from me.
If you still want me, please forgive me,
Because your hands are not upon me.
"Oh, I was hoping you'd be free for dinner again."
"No sorry. I have a busy day tomorrow; if I manage to get out of the office before nine it'll be a miracle. Looks like you'll have to go somewhere else for your fix of wit and brilliance Smallville." She took her eyes off the road a second to smirk at him then tured into the long driveway.
I shrugged them off,
Before my Mom walked in my bedroom.
The pains of love and they keep growin'
In my heart there's flowers,
Growin' on the grave of our old love,
Since you gave me a straight answer.
"How about a movie Friday?" Clark tried again, he had gone so far already; he wasn't ready to pack it in and admit defeat yet.
"I may not be home until late." She warned before giving him a definitive answer.
"It's alright." He assured. "Unless you think you'll be too tired." He added.
Lois smothered a smile at him; even now he was providing her with an out. "I should be fine. I'll call you on Friday and let you know what time I think I'll be able to get away." She parked the car and leaned back in her seat to look at him.
If you still want me, please forgive me,
The crown of love has fallen from me.
If you still want me, please forgive me,
Because your hands are not upon me.
"So…" Clark started.
"So…" Came the teasing mimic from the driver's side.
"What's the verdict? Was this a date or just dinner between friends?"
It's not within me
It's not within me
A smiled played at the edges of his mouth as her arm reached around the back of Clark's head, pulling him across the consol to meet her lips.
You gotta be the one,
You gotta be the way,
Your name is the only one, the only one that I can say.
The moment stretched on, Clark's hands finding a place to anchor on her face and waist, marveling in the taste of Lois for the first time.
Lungs screaming, Lois pulled back slyly. "Is that answer enough for you Smallville?"
Rather than responding Clark once more captured her swollen lips with his.
"I'll call you Friday" was the parting promise Lois made when they separated the second time and Clark exited the car.
"Friday." Clark replied grinning happily.
3/6