Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Lois & Clark Fanfic Momentum 2 (part 6/7)

From part 5 ...

Glancing up as he finished his monologue, he noticed that Lois had sat back in her chair and was staring at him, completely baffled. "You ... sound like you've given this a lot of thought," she finally responded.

Clark blushed slightly, then tried to smile in what he hoped was a disarming manner. "Well, some. You just got me thinking outside, that's all. You know, how you were talking about not wanting to share Superman with the rest of the world? I mean, yes, he does have to run off sometimes, but there really could be a lot of benefits of being with him, too."

"*Being* with him ..." she repeated slowly. She started to say more, but then closed her mouth again, clearly rethinking her words. Finally, she began to chuckle. "OK, I get it ... you want me to seduce Superman to advance our careers. You had me going there for a minute, Clark." She laughed out loud. "I've heard of sleeping with the boss, but this is ridiculous!"

Clark dropped his head into his hand, even as he had to laugh himself. She was right -- this was getting ridiculous. And he had no one to blame but himself. "I didn't mean it that way," he reassured her, realizing it was time to pull back for the moment. After all, if he wasn't careful, she was going to decide he was crazy and break up with both of his identities!

"So ..." he began, giving her a dazzling smile as he poured them each a little more wine. "You never finished the story of how you broke your ankle on that Daily Planet ski trip a few years ago. I want to hear all about it."

*****
and now, part 6 ...
*****

Lois stood up from the table and began stacking their empty plates. "Clark, that was fantastic. You can cook for me anytime."

"Why, thank you," he replied, rolling up his sleeves before carrying the serving bowls to the kitchen to wash them. "But I hope you saved at least a little room ... there's still dessert, you know."

Despite her full stomach, Lois couldn't help but perk up with interest. "Oh! Is this the chocolate decadence you tried to tempt me with in the car yesterday?" She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind as he stood at the sink and let her hands trace over his ribs. Her voice dropped to a sultry purr. "I seem to remember it was how you were planning to seduce me."

A quiet groan escaped his lips. "You just have to do that while I'm elbow-deep in soapy water, don't you?"

Lois grinned, thoroughly enjoying his predicament. "You should be happy, Clark. It's not every man that can look this sexy washing dishes." She nuzzled against his shirt, between his shoulder blades. "But you really should let me do that ... you made dinner, after all."

As her hands came up to massage his chest, Clark released a sigh of contentment. "I'll make you a deal ... you keep doing that and I'll wash as many dishes as you want."

She laughed, low in her throat. "Payment for a job well done?"

He chuckled. "I can think of worse salaries." He paused for a moment, then she heard him continue, "Of course, if Superman were here, he could have these dishes washed in nothing flat. He could wash at super-speed and dry them with his heat vision ... and taking out the garbage would be a snap! Of course, laundry might still be an issue; I don't think there's a good way to speed that up, but for the most part, you'd never have to worry about housework with him around 'cause--"

Lois dropped her forehead to Clark's back with a thunk. "Oh, no, not again."

"What?"

She gave a short laugh, shaking her head against his shirt. She had no idea what was happening inside that head of his, but for some reason, every time she tried to be romantic tonight, Clark kept bringing up Superman. What in the world was going on?

Was it some sort of weird test? Could he possibly still be worried that she was settling for him because Superman hadn't been willing to get into a relationship with her? Granted, she'd been pretty awful to Clark early in their partnership and she'd come to suspect during their conversation last night that he'd had been more hurt than he let on by the fact that she'd rejected him in favor of Superman in the park last May. But hadn't the last few weeks convinced him that she was now committed to their relationship?

Lois furrowed her brow. Perhaps the fact that Superman had shown up this afternoon was making him feel threatened? Was he worried that she was going to change her mind and this was his odd way of seeking reassurance? Whatever the reason, she clearly needed to do a better job of impressing upon him that she'd made her choice willingly and happily, and there was only one man she wanted to be with. Drastic action was required -- subtlety wasn't doing it this time.

A predatory smile growing on her face, Lois slowly moved to Clark's side, sliding her hands along his back in a seductive caress. "Clark," she purred, "I don't want to talk about Superman anymore."

He met her gaze and swallowed. "You don't?" he asked, almost nervously.

She slowly shook her head, looking him up and down and making it clear she liked what she saw. "And I think we should have dessert later."

"You do?"

With deliberate attention, Lois lifted her hands to the front of his flannel shirt and carefully opened his top button, then slowly moved down to open another ... and another. "Yes, I do."

Clark's eyes opened wider and his breath became a little more shallow. "And what do you propose we do instead?"

Confident that she had his full attention again, Lois gave him a slow smile and moved her hands to her own shirt. As she began to unbutton it, she could hardly suppress a grin of satisfaction as his gaze became riveted to her chest. Somehow, she suspected Superman was the last person on his mind right now.

Reaching the middle button, Lois lifted her arms in an exaggerated stretch, letting the front of her shirt gap open to reveal the black bikini top she'd been wearing in lieu of a bra. "I think it would be a shame to let that great hot tub go to waste, don't you?"

There was no question that she'd been successful in her attempts to distract him. Clark's eyebrows lifted and he immediately reached for a dish towel to dry his hands. "That would, uh, definitely be a shame."

As he turned towards her, Lois moved into his embrace and began opening a few more buttons on his shirt, letting her fingers linger as they brushed against his ribs. "So we're agreed then?" she murmured coyly, leaning forward to press a kiss to his chest. "Dessert can wait?"

Clark groaned and cupped her cheek with his hand, lifting her face to his and capturing her mouth with a kiss that made her knees feel weak. "Actually," he responded in a low rumble, "I was hoping we could have dessert in the hot tub."

It was Lois's turn to feel her eyebrows rise. "Well, that's certainly a come-on," she replied, trying not to stammer. For a moment, she wondered if her teasing had gone a little too far. After all, they still had their agreement in place ... didn't they?

As if he'd read her mind, Clark began to chuckle as his lips traced a seductive path down the side of her neck. "I meant the chocolate," he clarified, clearly enjoying having turned the tables on her for a moment. "We can eat our dessert in the hot tub."

"We can?" she asked, immediately intrigued. "What is it?"

Pulling back, Clark gave her sexy smile. "Well, that's for me to know and you to find out. In fact, I think I'll make you close your eyes while I get it ready," he teased, "just to make sure it stays a surprise."

Lois couldn't help but grin. "How about I go get us some towels? Then you can change into your bathing suit and get the dessert ready. I'll even ask permission before I come back out of the bathroom, to make sure you're decent."

Clark traced a fingertip down the opening of her shirt, pulling one side open a little further to give himself a better view of her skimpy black bikini top. "I seem to remember last night you telling me I was more than just decent," he said huskily. "'In fact, I think your exact words were--"

She stood up on tiptoe and captured his mouth. "You're incredible," she murmured when they'd pulled apart.

His eyes were dark and intense when he met her gaze. "Go get the towels."

The desire in his voice caused a little shiver to go down Lois's spine. "I'll be right back."

*****

Lois lingered in the bathroom for a brief moment, holding the towels to her chest as she listened at the door. She wanted to give Clark enough time to get changed into his bathing suit before coming out, but while she'd heard him go into the bedroom a little while ago, he seemed to have exited again just as quickly. He now seemed to be moving around in the living room instead ... or was it the kitchen? It was difficult to get an exact read on his location since the rustling sounds seemed to come from each place, almost at the same time. Granted, she couldn't interpret noises as well in this strange place as she could in her own apartment, but it was still very odd.

"Clark?" she finally called out. "Is it safe to come out now?"

To her surprise, the door opened almost immediately to reveal her partner, standing before her with a pleased grin on his face. "What took you so long?" he teased.

Lois's eyes opened wide as she looked at him. Clad in nothing more than blue swim trunks and his glasses, it was hard to know where to look first. His chest was bare and smooth in front of her, and the muscles on his arms bulged enticingly. Sweeping her gaze down over his chiseled abs and muscular thighs, it was difficult not to recall the first time she'd seen him like this, soon after they'd met. At the time, seeing him fresh from the shower had left her nearly speechless, yet now, a year and a half later, her reaction was much more assured. "God, you look fantastic."

Clark's amused expression became more tender. "I'm glad you think so," he said softly. He took her by the hand. "Come on, I'm ready."

She followed him out into the living room, wondering how long she'd need to sit with her eyes closed while he readied the dessert, but as they reached the sliding glass doors to the patio, she stopped in her tracks, stunned. "Clark!" she gasped, amazed. Not only was the hot tub bubbling and ready for them, but a path had been completely cleared of snow so they wouldn't need to freeze their feet as they climbed in and out. What was more, a covered tray was resting on the ledge of the tub and a fire was crackling in the living room fireplace, presumably to help them stay warm after they came back inside. "How did you do all of this so fast?"

"Let's just say I was very motivated," he replied, winking at her as he took the towels from her and set them down on the living room rug. Sliding the glass doors open, he walked outside and climbed into the bubbling tub of water, then turned to look back at her. "Aren't you coming?"

Lois stepped out onto the patio after him, but quickly stopped, uncertain. Even dressed in her jeans and a half-buttoned cotton shirt, she couldn't help but shiver against the cold. "It's freezing out here!" she exclaimed.

Clark just grinned and settled himself into the water. "It's nice and warm in here."

Lois reached down to pull off her socks and tossed them back inside. To her surprise, the concrete under her feet felt almost warm, but she knew it must be her imagination. "I suppose the faster I get undressed, the faster I can get warm again?"

He was watching her with amused appreciation. "Mmm-hmm."

Realizing she had somehow lost the upper hand, Lois felt the urge to retrieve it. "So I guess I should just strip right here, huh?" she asked provocatively, lifting her fingers back to her blouse to carefully unfasten the remaining buttons.

The smug smile on Clark's face wavered somewhat and she thought she saw him swallow almost convulsively. "That would be ... great."

Taking as much time as she could manage in the cold night air, Lois proceeded to undress for him, first opening her shirt and seductively peeling it off to reveal her string bikini top, then moving to her waist to unbutton her jeans and slide the zipper down, inch by inch. As she slowly slid her jeans off her hips, exposing the bikini bottom, she could feel her body reacting to the winter temperatures and for a moment, she found herself grateful that their patio was surrounded by a privacy fence. Her boyfriend was clearly enjoying her little strip-tease -- at least, if his mesmerized expression and shallow breathing were any indication -- but she didn't particularly want anyone else to see the show. Unable to wait any longer, she removed her jeans completely with an extra shimmy of her hips and, after tossing her clothing inside, quickly shut the glass door.

"So," she said, trying valiantly to sound sultry as she climbed into the tub, even as her teeth were threatening to chatter, "how was that?"

The hot water felt incredible on her skin but Clark barely allowed her to sink into the bubbles before he captured her mouth with a masculine growl. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Lois melted against him, now shivering for a completely different reason, and met him kiss for increasingly passionate kiss. When they finally came up for air, Clark held her body tightly against his. "I knew I was going to regret that promise I made in the car," he groaned against her hair. "You're trying to kill me."

Lois couldn't help but giggle. "I guess it wouldn't be much of a promise if it wasn't hard to keep."

"Talk about the understatement of the century," he grumbled. Then he shot her a look that told her he wasn't really upset. "Of course, considering the alternative -- not being able to see you in that bathing suit, or especially missing that show -- using this hot tub is worth a little torture."

"I'm glad to hear it," she said, snuggling up against him in the water. "'Cause this feels fantastic."

"What does? The hot water or holding onto me?"

Lois nibbled on Clark's earlobe. "Holding onto you in the hot water," she murmured, smiling.

He took a shaky breath, then guided her to sit on the underwater bench ringing the tub. "I think I need to give you something else to put in your mouth," he said, "before I can't be held accountable for my actions."

Lois squeezed his hand affectionately as she sank down on the seat, letting the bubbles well up over her shoulders. "I trust you, Clark," she assured him. "I know you wouldn't do anything that I didn't want you to do."

"Yes, but the danger is when I'm doing something I know you *do* want me to do," he pointed out, giving her a sideways look, even as the corners of his mouth turned up in amusement.

She shrugged sheepishly, realizing how well he could read her. "So, how about that chocolate?"

Clark chuckled at her obvious attempt to change the subject, but it was clear some of the tension had left his body as he moved the covered tray closer to them. "An excellent idea."

"Do I get to see what it is?"

He looked at her speculatively for a moment, as if debating with himself. "Well, considering I didn't make you close your eyes while I got it ready before, maybe I should do that now."

"Do you have a blindfold?" she asked, unable to help the seductive tone that crept into her voice.

Clark only smiled. "This time, it's me who trusts you," he told her. "Now close 'em."

Doing as he'd asked, Lois settled against the back of the tub, trying to get comfortable despite her growing curiosity. She could hear Clark rustling the cloth that had been covering the tray, then she felt him move closer to her. "Are we ready?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Shhh," he whispered. "Open your mouth."

Stifling a self-conscious giggle, Lois did as she was told, but her amusement changed to arousal as she felt something slowly and gently trace the curve of her bottom lip, then disappear. Sighing softly, she flicked the tip of her tongue out to taste whatever it had been. She tasted chocolate ... and heard Clark's breathing pick up. "You're teasing me," she murmured huskily, giving him a little smile.

"No more than myself," he replied, his voice dropping an octave in a way that never failed to send a tingle down her spine. "Try now."

She parted her lips again and this time felt the chocolate brush against her tongue. But where before it had been cool, this time it felt warm and slightly melted. Lois sucked gently, sighing as the rich, dark flavors melded in her mouth. "That's exquisite chocolate, Clark. But what is it, really? You're only letting me taste it."

"Open your mouth again," he whispered. "Take a bite."

As she bit into the chocolate he offered, Lois groaned in satisfaction at the sweet, juicy treat she'd been given. Her eyes fluttered opened in delight and she found herself looking into Clark's heated gaze. "Strawberries!"

He smiled. "You like?"

Lois turned to look at the tray beside them to discover an arrangement of chocolate-covered berries and other bite-sized delicacies. "They're one of my favorites!"

Clark picked out a small square-shaped confection and held it up for her. "I got some truffles, too, in case the fruit wasn't rich enough for you."

Lois took it from him, but instead of eating it herself, she brought it to Clark's mouth. Their eyes locked as she first traced his lips, the way he had done for her, then let him eat it from her fingers. She couldn't be sure at first whether the rush of pleasure she saw in his eyes was from the taste of the chocolate or from the way she was pressed against him, but it was all she could do to wait for him to swallow before pulling his lips to hers for a sensuous kiss. "Mmm," she sighed against his mouth. "That's the best tasting chocolate yet."

He held her close, bringing her in for another kiss. "I love you so much, Lois," he whispered.

"And I love you, Clark," she replied, bringing her arms up so she could run her wet fingers through his hair. "Thank you for this weekend ... I can't even believe how wonderful it's been."

"It's been wonderful because you're here with me," he told her, his eyes staring deeply into hers as his hands caressed her bare back under the water. "I don't know what I'd ever do without you."

Lois picked up another strawberry from the plate, offering Clark the first bite, then enjoying the remainder for herself. "You said that earlier," she told him with a smile. "And I told you I didn't intend to let you find out." She nuzzled the tip of her nose playfully against his. "In fact, I just realized there is one small problem with you planning this incredible getaway for us."

"What's that?" he asked.

"It's going to be hard to top it for our hypothetical honeymoon," she teased.

Clark laughed, but his eyes sparkled with renewed interest. "Oh, really?"

"Sure! I mean, come on ... cuddling in front of a roaring fire, soaking in our own private hot tub, feeding each other chocolate-covered strawberries. You have to admit," she said with an flirty grin, "it's been pretty romantic."

He grinned back at her. "I'm glad you think so. But you know, there are other ways to be romantic. We could go somewhere completely different for our honeymoon."

"Like where?"

Clark sank deeper into the water, resting the back of his head on the ledge. "Well, let's see ... we could go to an island somewhere, maybe in the Caribbean." He smiled at her. "Sun, beach, sand...."

"That sounds wonderful." Lois sighed dreamily, brushing her leg against his in the frothy bubbles.

His grin turned a bit more mischievous. "But if you really like having our own hot tub, I think there are some places in the Pocono's that specialize in that kind of thing."

"You mean like the places that have all the theme rooms, where you can get a bathtub in the shape of a champagne glass?"

"Or a bed in the shape of a heart ... raised up on a platform. I bet they even have those vibrating machines that shake the mattress!"

She couldn't stop giggling at the idea. "I wonder if they have mirrors on the ceiling. If not, I'm sure we could find some of those in Las Vegas."

"We could get married by an Elvis impersonator, just to make Perry happy--"

"And then stop to see some showgirls on our way back to the hotel room!"

"The perfect trip!" he crowed. After laughing together for a moment, however, Clark pulled her to him with a smile. "You know, I actually do think some of that stuff could be fun for a long weekend, maybe after we're married. But not for a honeymoon; I'd like to do something really special for that."

"Like that island in the Caribbean?"

"Sure. Or maybe Hawaii. I really do like the sun."

Lois studied him with a soft smile, feeling a little thrill over the realization that planning a honeymoon with Clark -- even a hypothetical one -- made her feel safe and secure, rather than pressured about the future. She ran her fingers through the hair at his temple. "See, this is interesting ... I always figured you'd be more of an adventure kind of guy. With all your experience traveling, I thought you'd want to go back to Europe or something. Show me all the places you've been."

Clark gave an agreeable shrug. "If you'd rather do something like that, believe me, I'd love it. But if you want adventure, I wouldn't take you to Europe. I'd take you to China, or on safari in Africa, or maybe somewhere even more exotic, like ..." It was his turn to sound a little dreamy. "I don't know, maybe hiking in Katmandu."

Lois eyes widened. "You'd take me to Nepal?"

"Sure! If you wanted." He smiled, clearly enjoying the ideas that were coming to him. "Or maybe white-water rafting in Costa Rica ... it's *beautiful* there. We'd have so much fun."

She smiled at him, thoroughly enjoying the way his eyes lit up over their conversation. "You should have been a travel agent ... or maybe a tour guide," she said affectionately, running a hand over his chest. "I'd go anywhere with you. You make everything sound fun."

"Mmm, thank you," he murmured, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as he looked into her eyes. "But honestly, it's being with you that would make it fun for me, no matter where we were."

Lois snuggled up against him. "Same here. But it does sound like we'd both prefer the beach for a special vacation. Do you like the water, too, or just the sun and sand?

He took her hand and brought it up to his mouth to give it a kiss. "Yeah, I love the water. We could go sailing ... maybe do some scuba diving."

"I've never been scuba diving," she answered, stretching out in the water. "But I'd like to learn. I've been snorkeling, though. It's fun."

"I like snorkeling, too," he agreed. His gaze traveled the length of her body and he gave a little sigh of pleasure. "And no wetsuits ... just bathing suits."

She gave him a slow smile, knowing exactly in which direction his mind was going. Keeping her eyes locked on his, she shifted on the seat until she was straddling him, face to face. "Of course, depending on where you go, bathing suits might be optional."

Clark's gaze grew more intense and his sigh turned into a growl as she rubbed her body against his. Then, suddenly, he smiled mischievously. "Are we back to topless beaches in Tahiti?"

Lois blinked for a moment, trying to place his reference, then began to laugh as she remembered their phone conversation on Christmas morning. They had joked -- and flirted, she could now admit -- about taking such a vacation together. "I don't know ... I'm not sure I want you looking at all those other women," she teased.

He looked her up and down appreciatively. "Lois, trust me," he murmured. "There'd be only one woman on my mind." He brushed a fingertip against her chest at the edge of the water, tracing the place where the water bubbled above her breasts. "But you bring up a good point."

Lois found her breathing had become more shallow. "Which is?"

"That distractions are the last thing one needs on a honeymoon. Rafting, hiking, snorkeling ... it would all just be gravy." He looked up at her, his eyes dark. "Because we're forgetting the most important part."

"What's that?" she asked breathlessly, her gaze flickering to his mouth.

"On our honeymoon," he murmured, slowly lifting his face to hers, "I won't have to break any promises to carry you over the threshold." Their lips met softly at first, but it wasn't long before Clark took it deeper, a quiet moan rumbling in his throat as her tongue brushed enticingly against his.

When they finally pulled back, Lois felt as if her head were swimming. "Why do I get the feeling you're talking about more than just the doorway to our hotel room?" she murmured, resting her forehead against his.

He captured her mouth again, even more possessively than before. "Much, much more," he promised breathlessly.

Lois moaned as she returned his kiss, matching his searing passion and feeling nearly overwhelmed by the intensity of her feelings. Clark was the most incredible man she'd ever met, and it still amazed her how much he loved her. She could see it in his eyes every time he looked at her, and feel it in his touch every time he held her hand or caressed her cheek ... or made love to her.

But where most men she'd known had exhibited an acute fear of commitment, Clark had made his intentions clear from the moment they'd arrived this weekend -- he was interested in a lifetime with her, nothing less. He was even willing to let her set the pace in their physical relationship, despite the fact that there was no question how much he wanted her. And it only made her want him more.

As they continued to kiss each other in the water and their hands became more daring in their exploration, Lois felt as if she could never get enough of him. Clark was everything she'd ever dreamed of, everything she'd ever wanted in a man, but hadn't believed existed until a few weeks ago. No, he wasn't perfect; she knew that. But he was perfect for her and, for the first time in her life, she truly believed that they would feel this way about each other forever. "Oh, Clark," she moaned softly, tilting her head to the side as he kissed his way down her neck. "You're so wonderful ... I love you so much."

She heard him give a strangled groan. "My beautiful Lois," he whispered, his breath becoming more labored. "I love you ... the way you make me feel ..."

As he pushed the string of her bikini down on her arm to layer open-mouthed kisses over the curve of her shoulder, she felt her resolve weaken even more. "Clark ... about our agreement ..."

"I know," he gasped. "We should stop." In contrast to his words, however, he lifted his mouth and fused to hers with an intensity that almost took her breath away.

"We should," she agreed, whimpering against his mouth as a fresh jolt of desire shot through her in response to his touch. His hands were exploring in the most amazing ways.... "Unless you don't want to?"

"Oh, God, Lois," he groaned after giving her another spectacular kiss. "There's nothing I want more than to keep going ... but Superman doesn't break promises."

Lois froze as she heard the breathless, passion-filled words and, almost immediately, she felt Clark go still as well. For the first time since he'd begun bringing up the name this weekend, she felt a flicker of exasperation instead of amusement. He couldn't possibly be measuring himself against another man right now, not after -- not *during* -- what they'd been doing!

When she lifted her head to confront him, however, she noticed that he seemed as stunned by the words as she'd been, as if he hadn't intended for them to slip out. "Clark?" she questioned pointedly, trying to catch her breath. "Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?"

The faint flush in his face, a result of the passion they'd been sharing, turned into a deeper blush. "I'm sorry," he said, clearly embarrassed. "That one wasn't like the other times ... I wasn't trying to--"

"Trying to what?" she demanded. "Obsess about something else while we were in the middle of ... doing what we were doing?"

"No!" he exclaimed. "Lois ... honey ... it's not like that, I swear."

"Clark," she sighed, trying to stay patient. Her annoyance at his slip had been like a splash of cold water, but his worried and guilt-stricken expression made it hard to stay mad, especially when she couldn't help but notice the way their bodies were still intertwined. "You wouldn't like it if I were doubting your feelings for me when we were together like this, would you?"

"Of course not! But--"

"And do you believe me when I say that you were the only man on my mind just now, the only man ever on my mind when I'm kissing you?"

His expression softened. "Yes ... I believe you."

Lois sighed. "Honey, I love you. I don't know what else I can say or do to prove that to you." She took his hands, imploring him to listen. "Clark, I am truly sorry for hurting you last year in the park. I know that was a terrible time for you -- for both of us -- and I never should have asked you to find Superman for me immediately after turning you down. It was a rotten thing to do and I can only plead temporary insanity for not realizing sooner what an amazing guy my partner was." She looked into his eyes, making sure she had his full attention. "But all I can do now is to swear to you that you have nothing to feel jealous of anymore when it comes to Superman. You're not competing with him for my attention." She gave him a tender smile. "You won, sweetie. Hands down."

Instead of seeming relieved, however, Clark just looked even more distraught. "But that's just the problem, Lois!" His eyes begged her to understand. "I need you to care about him ... to be willing to put up with him."

Sitting up a little straighter on his lap, Lois furrowed her brow, now completely baffled. "Put up with him? You mean because he's your friend? Clark, he's my friend, too! I don't mind if he comes to you with his problems -- I want him to. He does so much good in the world ... of *course* I want us to be there to help him, to support him. He doesn't have to help us in our investigations or wash our dishes or ... or ... fly us to our choice of vacation spots to earn his keep! We don't *put up* with him, Clark -- we support him because he's our friend!"

He looked somewhat reassured, but there was clearly something still eating at him. "But do you think he'd be good boyfriend material? Or maybe someday ... husband material?" He swallowed. "Even if you had to share him with the rest of the world?"

"Even if I had to share him? Clark, you have totally lost me!" she said, throwing up her hands. "I've been assuming all day that you've been feeling insecure about how you measure up to Superman, but now it almost sounds like you *want* me to have a crush on him!"

Searching her face, Clark brought his palm up to cup her cheek, clearly attempting to gather his courage. "Now that I know you love me," he began softly, "I guess I just need to know if you can love all of me ... not just the ordinary man."

As the words filtered, Lois stared at him for a long moment. Slowly, she reached up to pull off his glasses, then gasped as she studied his bare face. "Oh ... my ... God."

*****

to be concluded in part 7, on Monday.