Thinking about taking all 6 kids to a minor league baseball game tomorrow night. May try to post earlier rather than later. If nothing else, I should be able to post Sunday morning...
Thanks again to Kathy!
Last time
Jimmy walked back in holding a garment bag. "Here you go, Chief. Elvis costume. White sequins. I couldn’t find the shop that had it on hold for you but I did find this one."
The two reporters exchanged glances. Lois had a sudden coughing fit and Clark felt the need to clear his throat.
"What in the king's name are you talking about, Jimmy?" Perry asked, frowning.
"Uh, Chief, I think we're going to head out," Clark said, hoisting the file folders in his arms as he stood up. "We'll call you if we come up with anything."
He hurried out of the office with Lois close behind him. They made it to his desk before they started laughing and couldn't stop.
*~*10*~*
It was several long minutes later before they managed to catch their breath.
"Look at that," Clark said, pointing to something behind her. "You've got a desk."
Lois looked. The desk across from his had a nameplate with 'Lois Kent' written on it. She walked over and picked it up, running her fingers over the letters.
"Lois Kent, Daily Planet," she said quietly.
"You've earned it," Clark told her, sorting through some of the folders on his desk.
She set it down before going around to sit in her chair, her hands splaying over the large calendar in the center of the desk. She looked up to see that there was no way she'd be able to look up from working without seeing Clark. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.
He bent over to get something out of his drawer and she decided it might be a good thing. She quickly diverted her attention – looking around the newsroom, taking in the sights and sounds of the big city paper.
Her eyes narrowed as she noticed someone else staring at Clark while he was digging around in his desk.
About her age, maybe a bit younger, the attractive brunette was definitely checking out Clark's butt.
Lois watched her for several minutes as Clark continued to search for something. She wondered if she ought to offer the other woman a fan.
The woman shook her head slightly and headed towards them. Clark, oblivious, looked up at Lois.
"Hey, I'll be right back," he told her.
The woman stopped as Clark walked off.
"Can I help you with something?" Lois asked sweetly.
She turned to look at Lois. "Um, I'm Sarah," she said, holding out her hand. "I just started the end of last week but I've heard a lot about Mr. Lane. I'm glad you were able to help him out."
Lois took her hand and shook it firmly, before discreetly wiping her hand on her pants under her desk when they were done. "Lois. Nice to meet you, Sarah." She nodded towards the file folders. "Is there something I can help you with?"
Sarah looked down at the folders. "Oh, this is just some information for Mr. Lane."
Lois held out her hand. "*Mr.* Lane and I are working together now. I'll be happy to give it to him." She fingered the wedding band on her outstretched hand.
Sarah shifted uncomfortably. "Oh, I don't know."
Clark chose that moment to return to his desk.
"Clark, honey, Sarah here has some information for you."
Clark glanced up. "You can give it to Lois."
Sarah hesitated again. "Actually, Mr. Lane, I was hoping to talk to you for a minute about a possible story."
He turned, leaning against his desk, stretching his legs out in front of him. "Let's have it."
Sarah glanced at Lois again and Lois raised her brow as the other woman's attention returned to Clark. "I don't know that here's the best place for this discussion."
"Well, let's go to the conference room then."
Sarah nodded and headed towards the room on the other side of the bullpen. Clark hung back slightly, his hand resting on Lois' lower back as they walked.
"Play along, would ya?" Lois muttered.
"What?"
"Just do it, sweetheart."
They walked into the conference room. Lois hung back a bit until Clark had a seat. She moved behind him and rested her hands on his shoulders, massaging lightly.
"That feels great, sweetheart," Clark practically groaned, his head falling forward slightly as she massaged his neck with her thumbs.
Lois was watching Sarah's reactions out of the corner of her eye. The other woman's eyes had narrowed slightly and she looked more mad than uncomfortable.
"I thought you two were pretending to be married," she finally said.
"Oh, we're the real deal," Lois said, giving her another sickeningly sweet smile.
"Good to know."
Clark cleared his throat and Lois moved to the chair next to him. "So what's this story?"
"Well..." Sarah stopped as the door opened.
"Hey, guys," Jimmy interrupted. "Cat just called and they're on their way back to the office building. Perry wants you guys over there a-sap."
"On it," Clark said, standing up and holding a hand out to Lois. "Sarah, we'll get together in the next couple of days, okay?"
Sarah nodded. "Okay."
They stopped at Clark's desk, long enough to pick up the file folders and put them in a duffel bag that Jimmy had left there so they wouldn't walk into the hotel with a pile of work to do.
When the elevator doors shut behind them, Clark turned to her. "What was that all about? I mean, I liked the neck massage but..."
Lois crossed her arms defiantly. "I didn't like the way she was checking you out."
"What?"
She sighed and leaned against the wall. "You were digging through your bottom drawer and she was checking out your butt."
Clark raised his eyebrow and tried to keep a smile off his face. "Really?"
"Yes, really." She moved closer to him, fiddling with his tie. "And I know I'm still getting used to the idea of *us* but that doesn't mean I want other women checking out your butt."
He set the bag on the floor and rested his hands on her waist. "You have seen my other outfit, right? Other women aren't exactly checking out my... butt."
"I know and I'm not crazy about that either, but at least you've got a cape then and that's..." She lowered her voice to a whisper even though they were alone. "...Superman. Superman is perpetually unattached, but Clark Lane, on the other hand..."
He held up his left hand – the one that sported the wedding ring Perry had given them – "Has a golden band?" he asked with a wink.
"For the moment and maybe – someday – forever, but for right now, ring or not, Clark Lane is taken."
The doors opened and they moved apart. "I like the sound of that," Clark told her, picking up the bag with one hand and taking her hand with the other.
"Me, too." She bumped into his hip with hers.
It took them ten minutes to get back to their room and to the window to watch what was going on across the street.
They watched as the door opened and shut behind the three men.
"And Clark?"
"Yeah?"
"Don’t ever call me sweetheart again."
"Got it."
*****
TBC
