“Well...” Lois leaned back on the arm of the sofa. “Even though I don't love him, we're still very close. He's always been good to me and, like I said, he's safe...”
“Safe,” Clark echoed, bitterly. “Of course.”
She gave him a look that he couldn't quite read. “Superman,” she said, her voice lowering a little bit, “can you keep a secret?”
He fought to keep his expression blank. “I think I can manage it,” he said at last.
“This friend of mine,” she continued, lowering her voice even further so that a normal man would have had to strain to hear, “he kind of...needs...to get married.”
Clark frowned. Did Lois honestly think he was incapable of living alone? Granted, some of the ladies in Research had told him that no woman would have allowed him out of the house with some of the ties he wore, but that was hardly grounds for saying he needed a wife...
“I mean,” she added, apparently seeing the confusion on his face, “he needs to be seen...with...a woman.”
After a few moments, her meaning clicked. Did she think he was—?! Wait a minute... She couldn't possibly! So that must mean she was talking about...wait a minute... His jaw dropped. “Do you mean—?!” he began, but she clapped a hand over his mouth.
“Shh!” she scolded. “Remember, Superman, this is in the strictest confidence.”
He nodded. “Of course,” he said once she removed her hand. “But...Lois, why didn't you tell Clark any of this?”
She folded her arms and gave a snort. “Even if it was my secret to tell, Clark's been acting like a big baby about Bruce ever since he saw us dancing together at Luthor's White Orchid Ball. I get that he's jealous, but he had the gall to insinuate that I don't know my own friend as well as I think I do, just because he thinks the man acts a little suspicious.”
Clark winced. “Well, um, from what I gather, he does act a little suspicious,” he replied. “It probably wouldn't hurt to be careful around him, just in case...”
Lois looked up at him with a hurt expression. “Et tu, Superman?”
