Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic City By the Sea 10/?

Even though she'd told Charlie she wouldn't be able to sleep without him in her arms, she'd slept quite well. It was just before dawn when she rose to visit the restroom. One sight of the rising sun over the bay and she decided to make a pot of coffee and write a bit. That had been over four hours ago, she reflected as she finally turned to gaze out at the mid-morning sky. The little bay had filled with boats. She rose from her chair to get a look out. The fisherman had docked for supplies; there was activity everywhere. She couldn't help but smile. She really adored Mystic.

And with thoughts of the sleepy little town came thoughts of a certain man. It was long past time to see him, so she quickly dressed, gathered up a bag with a change of clothes and her spare bathing suit, then headed out the door. Suddenly she was very excited.

She wasn't sure when it had happened, but Lois had stopped thinking about Charlie being Clark. He was so unlike her former partner that it was easy to do. Or was it that he was truly himself for once? She wasn't sure which was which and had stopped asking questions. Right here, right now was enough for her.

It had taken a bit longer to get to the cabin than she'd anticipated. Remembering what Charlie said about bringing out her laptop, she'd gone back to get it. Once there, she'd seen other things she wanted, but she'd finally made it to the small shack outside town. A smile spread across her lips as she pulled closer. Charlie was working outside, shirtless. That alone had been worth the trip.

"Hey," he greeted with a smile when she stepped from the car.

"Hey, yourself." Her eyes travelled the space around him. There was wood everywhere and what looked like abandoned tools.

"I was beginning to think you'd decided not to come out today," he told her after he'd wiped his hands and started toward her.

"Now why would I do that?" Her hands automatically went out to take his when he reached for her.

He leaned over to kiss her briefly. "I won't get too close. I'm filthy."

"That's not a word I'd use to describe you," she told him as her eyes roamed over him. He wore only a pair of shorts and boots. To her, he looked fantastic.

He blushed slightly, something he hadn't done a lot of, then looked her over. "You look great, as usual."

"And you look like you've been busy." She released one of his hands and walked toward the cabin, pulling him along. "What's all this?"

"I decided that my place could use a little brightening up."

She reached out to scratch the dog, who'd come to greet Lois.

"I can't believe that lazy rascal gets up for you," Charlie commented as he watched Lois with the dog.

"Told you he likes me." She patted the dog again, then turned to face Charlie. "So, are you trying to impress me?"

"I'm just trying to make things more comfortable for you here. You know, in case you decide you might want to come out more often." He grinned helplessly at her.

"Well, let's see what you've done." Immediately she noticed a nice new rocker on the porch, large enough for two people. Beside it sat a small table. On the other end of the porch sat a new grill and cabinet she assumed was for storing needed cooking essentials. "When did you find time to buy that?" she asked, pointing toward the grill.

"I was up really early," he said before reaching out to open the new screen door. When she quirked an eyebrow at him, he shrugged. "I don't mind the bugs, but I'd hate that perfect skin marred in any way."

Good answer, she thought as she stepped inside. Her breath caught as she noticed all the changes there. Two new chairs were pushed under the refinished kitchen table. The cupboards had been stripped and repainted in bright colors. In the living room there was a handmade futon, devoid of a mattress. She figured he hadn't had time to purchase that yet. An end table graced either end of the new sofa, which faced the fireplace. Along the back wall there was a large bookshelf. The wall that contained the large window now had two work tables, complete with their own chairs. The walls had been stripped and refinished to a polished shine, and so had the floor. Venturing further into the small home, she found that the simple frame that held the mattress in the bedroom now had a beautiful headboard attached to it. Matching bedside tables sat on either side while a gorgeous dresser sat along the wall at the foot. Above the window, as she'd noticed in the other room, was a handmade curtain rod. The rods had been designed to match the rest of the furniture in the room and were absolutely stunning. There was also a tall armoire to coordinate with the rest of the room.

"Oh, Charlie, this is beautiful," she finally managed after a moment.

"There's also a new cabinet and shelf for spare towels in the bathroom. It's not finished though. I'd like to buy some throw rugs for the floors, cushions for the work chairs, a mattress for the futon, and books for the shelves in the living. Maybe even add some little trinkets here and there. A few pictures on the walls..."

She stopped whatever he'd been about to say when her mouth covered his. She could have cared less if he was dirty as she wrapped her arms around his neck. They pulled apart a few breathless moments later so she could look into his eyes. "Thank you."

"No." His hand went up to smooth her hair back from her face. "Thank you. You inspired all of this." He kissed her again. "You make me want to be a better man."

Lois couldn't speak past the lump in his throat as he folded her in his embrace. Seeing everything Charlie had done in the span of less than twelve hours it was hard to deny who he really was. And with that thought and his declaration of wanting to be a better man, came the horrible guilt associated with her best friend. What she wouldn't give to go back and do things differently, just so she could hear those words spoken in another time and place, by someone else.

For the first time she wondered about her decision not to reveal what she knew about Charlie. Maybe it hadn't been a wise choice after all.

What if he remembered now?

Or in a few weeks when they'd grown even closer?

Would he feel betrayed all over again?

Would he want to run away again?

This man, this beautiful, caring man trusted her with his heart and had changed his home for her. In the course of a day he'd rearranged his life to accommodate her. She'd hadn't thought a lot about it, but she already knew she'd do the same for him. But what happened later? So much of his past had already come back to him. It was only a matter of time before he remembered exactly who he was, and who she was. Would it be too late then? Would she have caused Clark even more pain and grief by then?

<You should just tell him, Lois.>

Tell him what? 'Hey, Charlie, you're really Clark Kent, a reporter for the Daily Planet. You're also my former partner and best friend who I rejected. I'm probably the reason you haven't had a clue who you are. Oh, and you're also Superman.'

Yeah, that would work really well. How could she explain all that? How could he believe her? With so much he didn't know, it probably wouldn't be hard to convince him.

But would that make him want to be somebody he wasn't?

Would he even want to be Superman again? Was he up to bearing that burden after so long?

Would he try to fit her version of Clark instead of being himself?

That thought was even worse than the one of him being angry and hurt because she'd deceived him.

Ironic, she thought. He lied to me the whole time we worked together. Now I'm lying to him. Well, okay, it wasn't exactly lying. Neither had really done that, but certain facts were kept quiet.

She drew back to look up at the man before. So much like her friend and partner, yet so much more. She lifted her hand to smooth a wayward lock of hair off his forehead. How could she hurt this man? How could she continue to do what she was now? And how could she stand to lose him?

"So, think you might like to hang around here a little more?" he asked her with a grin plastered all over his face.

"Are you asking me to move in here with you?" They'd been caught up in the heat of the moment the night before, and once she'd gotten to her room, Lois had realized that staying together might not be such a good idea. Besides not really knowing one another all that well, there was the fact that she was keeping a huge secret from Charlie. She wasn't sure she could stay with him constantly and not let something slip.

"I'm asking you to stay as much as you'd like. If you want it to be constant, I won't complain."

"Charlie..." she breathed and looked down.

"Lois, I know what you're going to say. No, we don't know one another that well. Living together *is* crazy. So is this overwhelming sense of belonging I get from being around you. I can't explain it and won't question it. There's so much I don't know. But what I do know is that I enjoy being with you and want to be with you all the time. Why do we have to question it or be logical? Why can't we just do something absolutely crazy and bask in the wonderful sensations afterward?"

Oh, God. How could she deny that plead? How could she deny that expression? "There are things you don't know about me."

"Right now, I know all I need to know. The rest we'll learn together." He smoothed his hands up and down her arms. "Hell, baby, there's things I don't know about *me*."

She leaned forward to place her head on his chest. What should she do? If she said no, he'd be devastated. If she stayed, he might be devastated later.

Charlie leaned over to press a kiss to the top of her head while a hand came up to grasp her neck. "Walk with me, Lois. Hold my hand and walk with me. Help me create a new man, who has wonderful memories."

Too much! Way, way too much! She lifted her head to look at him. He was so lost, alone. How horrible it must be for him, how it must have been, not to know who he was. Could she help him though? She was possibly the reason he *didn't* know.

Was the one he couldn't remember really the one to help him remember again?

"Why don't we take it one day at a time?" she asked softly. She smoothed her hands over his sweat soaked skin.

"I can do that," he said with a huge grin.

"Good." She smiled before leaning forward to kiss him softly. "Now, what else are you building out there?"

"I think I'm about done. Unless there's something you want." He looked to her with an anxious expression.

"Charlie, you're here. How could I possibly want anything?"

The smile slowly spread back onto his face. They shared a deep kiss before he pulled away and took her hand.

"I want to buy one of those electrical connections for your laptop, but unfortunately there's no phone lines out this far. If you need to use the internet, we'll have to take your computer into town and use the connection at the library."

"I only have to have it once a week. My editor and I are experimenting with a new column and I have to send that in. Speaking of which, I really need to get that finished."

"Absolutely. Did you bring your stuff?"

"Yep."

"Why don't you get set up on the other desk and do your work while I clean up outside?"

"Sounds like a plan." She grinned at him before bounding out the door.

Twenty minutes later, she paused with her fingers over the keyboard of her laptop to listen to Charlie working outside. She got up and walked over to stand at the screen door. While she watched, she saw why the tools were abandoned. He used his hands and eyes to cut the wood for another project. Nails were pushed in with his fingers and sanding was simply a matter of moving his palms across the wood very quickly. When he stopped, only minutes later, there was a brand new picnic table standing before him.

Lois stepped out onto the porch and sat down beside the dog on the steps. "That must be awesome to be able to do things like that."

He looked up at her, an expression she couldn't describe on his face. Was he ashamed of himself?

Charlie glanced at the table, then lifted his gaze back to hers. "I don't know why I can do what I can do. I shocked myself last night with how quickly I put together that first chair. After that I pushed myself to see how fast I could do the rest. I was done with everything by six this morning. I only came back out to make that rocker and cabinet on the porch." He looked around helplessly, again a mass of confusion.

"Charlie, does it bother you that you can do all those things?"

He considered that for a moment, staring around at all the wood on the ground. Finally he looked back at Lois. "I guess I'm just curious about it. Why can I do all of this? Is there more?" He walked over and sat down beside her. "Mostly, I'm worried that this will be too much for you."

She reached out to smooth her hand across his knee. "You don't have to worry about that. I think what you can do is wonderful. And to know you've done all of this for me, well, it's... very... heady. I had no idea your feelings ran so deep."

"Lady, I don't think I know yet just how deeply my feelings for you run. But I sure as hell want to find out."

They stared at one another for a long moment. This man needed her as much as she needed him. And she definitely needed him. Whether she saw glimpses of Clark when she looked at him or not, she'd lost her heart to this man and there was no turning back."

"If you'll clean up like a good boy and shower, I'll finish my work so we can go shopping. I'll help you pick out those rugs."

He grinned at her, then disappeared in a blur. Lois was left to feel the breeze he created while he worked. There was no denying he was who she knew him to be, but there was still so much more to the man she'd never known. With a final smile, she rose and went to finish her article. They would start that walk today.

++++

Life couldn't get much sweeter, Charlie decided as he walked with his arm draped across Lois' shoulder. He glanced out at the ocean and would stop briefly now and then for Lois to inspect another shell she'd found. His new favorite pastime was gazing at Lois.

They'd spent two of the most amazing weeks of his life together. Shopping for decorations for his little cabin, playing at the beach, sailing, taking in a movie in New Haven, drinks and dancing at a club inland, digging clams, fishing, shrimping, cooking and sharing dinner, reading together on the porch, walking the old dog, in-line skating on the boardwalk, and yes, even working side by side. Charlie had started helping her write her column while Lois had given him new inspiration for his statues. The tourists as well as Mrs. Nolan absolutely raved about the carvings of a beautiful woman he'd started to bring her. He couldn't make them fast enough. He wasn't sure how they'd managed to stamp their powerful sexual desire for one another, but he and Lois had yet to make love. Of course, there had been a couple of heated sessions similar to the one on the boat. For some reason there just seemed to be an unspoken agreement for them to wait a bit before crossing that final threshold.

But Charlie wasn't about to complain. Lois spent most of her time at the cabin with him. Most of her things had found a space here or there. She rarely ever took her laptop back to her hotel anymore, confessing that she couldn't find inspiration without being seated next to him. Both had suggested more than once that she stay the night with him, to sleep, but the other would always confess that to be an impossibility. There were sweet kisses exchanged and something to look forward to the following day. Charlie was content to spend any time he could with his beautiful lady, and he wasn't about to mess it up in any way at all.

"Look at this one, honey," Lois said excitedly. "It's very unusual."

Charlie reached out to handle the colorful shell she'd discovered. "This one should definitely make the wall," he declared after a moment. When walking along the beach became routine, and they'd discovered some very unusual trinkets, they'd decided to create a collection to display them. Charlie had hung a fishing net on the outside wall of the cabin under the porch roof. The net covered most of the free space on one side of the door, even above the window. They'd taken their treasures home and affixed them within the net, creating a very unique memorabilia wall of artifacts. There were shells, sponges, shark's teeth, whale bones, and even materialistic debris from the human species woven together to make for an interesting creation.

Lois smiled and placed their latest find in her bucket before continuing down the beach. The old Lab ran back and forth between them and another dog he'd befriended. Funny, Charlie thought as he watched the scene unfold before him. That woman held power over all male species.

"Excuse me, mister."

Charlie stopped at the sound of the small voice beside him. He looked down to see the little boy he'd saved from drowning on Collier's Point. "Hey, there, big guy. How are you?" Charlie asked as he kneeled before the boy.

"I'm good, thanks to you. I just wanted to say thank you for saving my life. And for the extended vacation. Because I was saved Mom and Dad decided we should stay two weeks instead of one." He smiled up at Charlie brightly.

"Well, I'm glad I could help out." He ruffled the boy's hair and smiled brightly.

"We're leaving tomorrow, but I'll be sure to tell all my friends back in New York about you. Mom says your name is Charlie. She's bought several of your carvings. Says the ones of the woman are the best yet."

"Well, tell your mom to stop by Mrs. Nolan's tomorrow. I'm going to leave a little something special for her. My treat."

"Thanks, Charlie. You really are the best!" The boy waved and turned to run back toward his family, who all waved at Charlie.

"Hey, what's your name?" Charlie called out as he stood again.

"Donny. My name's Donny Sullivan, and I get to turn eleven next month because of you." Another wave and he was back to playing ball with his friends.

Pride swelled within Charlie's heart. It felt really good to know he'd helped to give that boy back to his family. He briefly wondered how it would feel to do that on a regular basis. Not for the first time he thought about his incredible abilities and using them to help others. But doing so would mean everyone would know about him. He wasn't sure how they'd receive him if they knew he was so much different. Being considered a freak didn't appeal to him at all. So, he remained in the shadows, helping where he could. With any luck he'd never feel such all consuming need to help as he had the day he saved little Donny Sullivan.

"Wasn't that the little boy you pulled from the ocean?" Lois' voice cut through his musings.

"Yep. Donny Sullivan from New York." Charlie smiled and took her hand. "He wanted to thank me. I told him I'd leave a little something special for his mom at Mrs. Nolan's tomorrow. I think he'd make a perfect model for another statue."

"That's a wonderful idea, Charlie!"

"I wish I'd thought to do it before now," he said with a frown.

"Well, until now you didn't know Donny or even if he was still here."

"True." He glanced across the sand to where Joe sat painting his pictures and talking to the tourists. The old man saw Charlie and waved.

"Hey, Charlie. Come on over here a minute," Joe yelled.

He and Lois approached and waited patiently until the people talking to Joe left.

"I've been waiting for you to come collect your other painting, Miss," Joe told Lois. "I took the liberty of painting a little something special." He pulled a large canvas from his bag and presented it to Lois.

"Oh, Joe, this is beautiful."

Joe had painted a happy couple, holding one another close, completely happy and very much in love, against the backdrop of the setting sun and the crashing waves. The couple was her and Charlie, and the old man had captured them perfectly.

Lois grinned up at Charlie. "Honey, did you ask him to do this?"

"No. I had no idea he'd done this." His fingers reached out to trace the images in acrylic.

"I've seen you two walking most every day and couldn't resist capturing what I saw," Joe told them with a grin. "Ain't seen two people so well fitted since me and my Liza. God rest her soul. But, Charlie, I ain't forgot about you. That statue looks great on the bookshelf at home. I just ain't decided what to put on the canvas for you."

"I'm sure it'll come to you," Charlie told him.

"And I'll let you know as soon as it does. Now you kids have a good 'un."

They thanked Joe and left to allow him to get back to work. Several tourists were lined up for paintings of their own.

Charlie looked down at the painting for a long time before he lowered it to his side. Lois had gone ahead to look at something the dog had found for her. As he watched her, he was reminded of all he'd lost. Joe had said they were a good fit, but how could he be a fit with anyone if he couldn't remember his past? How could he promise her a future without knowing what he'd left behind? He was certain there was no one special to welcome his return. Yet, there was something. He and Lois had talked about this topic several times, along with more about her past. She'd told him something just the night before...

"Charlie, your past experiences do help mold you into the person you are. Yours must have been something special because you're the best man I've ever known. And believe me, I've known an incredible man. But we can't go back. We can't change what we've done-- our mistakes. Those help mold us as well. We can go forward. We are responsible for the next decision. If we're too busy looking back, regretting, what will we miss out on ahead of us?"

He hadn't noticed at the time, but it was almost as if she were speaking as much about herself as she was him. He knew her past had been painful to endure. She had made mistakes, had regrets. Did she need to stop regretting those things so she could enjoy the future -- just like him?

How utterly perfectly they'd been paired. Charlie had never given thought to having a soul mate... until now. Could Lois be his? If not, she was sure close. No longer were there mysterious dreams about a lady he couldn't picture. There was only sweet images of he and Lois together. She was the lady in his head now.

He looked down at the painting again. They looked so good together. Maybe it was time for him to accept that he might never remember the life he'd once lived and just move on. Because he was positive he didn't want to miss a thing.

"Wait up, you two!" he called and jogged to catch up. Lois greeted him with a kiss before they continued on.

++++

It had been so easy for her to stop reflecting on the past. Charlie was such an incredible man that it was impossible for her to do anything but focus on him. She'd thought it impossible to find happiness again, but she had. And a very selfish part of her had reared its ugly head, refusing to give that happiness up. So, she'd pushed away the moralities involved with her situation and had shamelessly enjoyed her time with Charlie.

She'd dropped him off at the docks earlier for him to help out one of his former captains. The fishing boat had docked and the captain was short handed unloading his unusually large catch. Charlie was only too happy to help out. Lois decided to take care of emailing her column to Perry for the week while he was busy and headed toward the hotel.

The email from the Kents caught her off guard. They'd scolded her for not keeping in touch. When she'd left, she'd promised to call at least once a week. It had been nearly two. But how could she possibly speak with them without revealing what she knew? She didn't want to tell them that Clark was alive until he remembered everything. She wasn't sure how she'd handle it if he never regained his memory though. As much as she hated lying to the Kents, there was no way she could give them hope that their son was alive. Charlie was not the man he'd once been and she wasn't sure the older couple could handle that right now. They would be thrilled no matter what he was like now; she knew that. Yet, even with all her weak excuses, she just couldn't bring herself to do anything differently. She finally decided to mail them to say she'd been extremely busy,-- which wasn't a total lie-- that the novel was going well, and she'd call soon.

That done and her column safely on its way to Perry, Lois turned her attention on the room around her. She'd grown to hate coming here at night, wasn't even sure why she still did. The bed was too large and too cold, leaving her to ache for Charlie. Most of her belongings had been taken out to his cabin already, and she made a spur of the moment decision to take the rest. She packed before she could change her mind and hurried down to settle up her bill. As she handed over the key and signed the credit slip, she realized she felt good about her decision. With Charlie was where she really wanted to be.

"Thank you, Miss Lane." The manager smiled and gave her a receipt. "I hope you've enjoyed your stay in Mystic."

"I'll never be the same again," she said with a smile, then headed for the door.

Two hours later, Charlie found her sitting in the rocker on the porch wearing one of his shirts, very short shorts, and a smile.

"Hey, gorgeous. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten me," she said as he walked up on the porch.

He leaned against the post, arms crossed over her chest, and stared at her with unabashed desire. "I could never forget you," he managed in a husky voice. "That shirt looks fantastic."

"You just think so because it's on me." She batted her eyes at him, desire starting to heat her more than she was.

"So sue me for being biased." He swept his gaze over her body before he cleared his throat and pushed off the post. "I think I'm going to take a cold shower."

"Baby, you don't have to do that." Her smile left her lips and she uncrossed her legs.

Charlie groaned as he forced his feet to move. "Believe me. I need a shower. I smell like fish."

He didn't wait for her to say anything else. Lois chuckled softly as the door banged shut behind him. Yes, she was very glad she'd decided to stay. After two weeks, she wasn't sure she could sleep alone again without relief from the overwhelming sexual tension that had her coiled tighter than a spring.

++++

"Please tell me I wasn't seeing things when I went to get clothes from the dresser," Charlie told her as he leaned over her from behind. His soft whisper caused her to shiver slightly and he went a step further by nibbling on her earlobe. He finally took mercy on her and settled in his chair beside her. She'd been typing furiously on her laptop when he came from the bathroom.

Lois admired his bare chest, licked her lips, then lifted her eyes to his. "Well, why don't you tell me what you saw?"

"I saw more of your things. And I've noticed others around the house. Does that mean you're going to stay here from now on?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Do you have to ask?" Clark reached out to pull her closer. "Lois, I don't feel complete without you here anymore." And he didn't. He might never know everything about the man he'd once been, but he certainly knew who he was now. He also knew he'd been incomplete without this woman.

"And will you have me completely, Charlie? What if I want to stay here forever? Would I be part of your life? Would I have a place in your house, your bed, your heart?" She reached out to take his hands. "And what if I asked you to go home with me? Would you do that if I asked you to?"

"Baby, look around. This is *our* home. The home we've made together." A completely different place from the dull, unlived in hole it had once been, the small cabin was now cozy. Trinkets were sprinkled throughout; things they'd chosen together. Lois had framed a photograph of them taken in one of those booths and had blown it up, and now it sat beside the bed. Another was perched on the bookshelves. Charlie had drawn a pencil portrait of Lois and it hung on the wall beside the door. He also noticed that the painting Joe had given her was displayed proudly above the fireplace, replacing an ocean scene that had been there. Her things lay alongside his throughout every room. Her clothes shared space with his in the dresser and armoire. Feminine toiletries and make-up could be found in the bathroom right beside his things. His place to sleep and work had been turned into a home.

"But we could live on a yurt for all I care, just as long as we're together," he continued. "There will always be a place for you in every aspect of my life. And I would follow you to the ends of the Earth."

++++

That was the perfect opening for her to tell him who he was. He'd all but said he trusted her unconditionally; he would believe her.

Then Charlie would be gone.

He might not try to be someone else for her like she'd thought once, but he'd be changed none the less. Right now she wasn't sure she wanted to give him up. Not even for himself.

She moved across to straddle his lap, her arms resting loosely on his shoulders. "Charlie, I can't promise that I want to stay here forever. One day I might decide that I have to go back to Metropolis. I have family, friends. We're not as close as I'd like, but that doesn't mean I love them any less. Right now we're all dealing with our own demons and trying to tame them so we can live the rest of our lives. Someday, though, someday I'll want to see them again. Right now, I'm so happy to be here with you, I couldn't possibly leave. I checked out of the Donovan today."

He moved his hands over her sides briefly. "Welcome home," he whispered just before he kissed her.

They shared a warm embrace before she pulled back to look at him. "Don't tell me you didn't bring something home for dinner."

He chuckled softly. "I'm sorry, baby. I thought maybe I'd just make us a salad. It's too hot to cook."

"Maybe it's not the weather that's got you so heated up." She waggled her brows and moved in his lap to express her point.

Charlie growled and grasped her hips, stilling her actions. "I *know* why I'm so heated up. I've had constant distraction since we met, smarty pants."

She dropped her head back and laughed out loud. All doubt about her choice to get to know Charlie without revealing what she knew about him fled with his words. As much as she had loved Clark, he would have never been comfortable enough to talk to her so openly, so honestly, the way Charlie did. Charlie wasn't shy or awkward in the least around her. What came to his mind came out of his mouth. He'd told her on more than one occassion that he might die from his perpetual desire for her. And he wasn't shy about expressing how he'd like to quench that desire. Not that she had helped yet, at least not completely. They'd had some pretty amazing make out sessions though.

Charlie wasn't shy about telling her what he thought about her either. He'd taken her by the hand one morning when she'd arrived and led her into the bathroom and gently removed her make-up. When he was done, he told her she looked so much more tempting when she didn't cover her natural beauty. Of course, she wondered how he'd feel once he saw her in the morning when she first awoke. Or how repulsed he'd be before she brushed her teeth.

His style was so much different... and refreshing. One Lois had both embraced and had had to become accustomed to. He'd openly asked about the differences in feminine products in the middle of the grocery store when she'd had to purchase some, which in itself had been embarrassing enough. That situation had been both enlightening and embarrassing. He'd apologized when he noticed others staring at them, but in private he'd asked again about the physical differences that made her a woman. That led to an emotional discussion about his differences and his insecurities concerning those differences.

No, this man was unlike anyone she'd ever known. There was no way she would have missed getting to know him the way she had.