Chapter 3Lois knew she was a sucker for punishment otherwise why had she come to the farm. It was hard enough resisting his smile at work but here, in his natural environment, he would have the advantage.
“Smallville?” she called out into the kitchen. “You here?” When there was no answer she wandered further into the house. Passing by a cabinet with pictures on she stopped in surprise. “Me and Clark!” She picked up the picture she had noticed and held it tightly. “Why would Smallville have a picture of me out? And where is Lana?”
She put it back down quickly and wandered further, checking every picture. There was no sign of the ex. Was it avoidance ... to put the pictures away? Did he not want to be reminded of the heartache? “Then why the picture of the two of us in its place?”
Lois continued on her search for Mr Right Now.
Is he over her? Has he moved on? Her heart did a little flutter at the thought.
Lois opened the door and headed out to the barn.
Why didn’t I try there, first? As she approached she heard the sound of chopping wood. She frowned as she passed the already full wood pile. Peering ahead of herself as she came around the corner she found the man she was looking for.
“Smallville, why are you butchering the rain forest when you already have a pile of wood big enough to build Camelot?”
He stopped mid swing with his axe and turned. That’s when she noticed he was shirtless. Lois’s mouth dropped open a little in shock. Flashes of her dream came to her and she swallowed, trying to moisten her suddenly dry mouth,
“Just working off a little ... tension.” He replied and stepped towards her.
What kind of tension? He threw the axe off to the side and strolled over. When he lifted a hand to brush his hair across his forehead she sighed.
Was that out loud. Ohhhh I hope not. “Lois, what brings you out to the farm?”
“I, uh, I’m not really sure.”
Ahh, how useless does that sound. He raised an eyebrow and smiled at her.
Does he know? Sometime the way he looks at me ... it’s as if he can read my mind. “Actually,” she looked at the floor then straight back up again, “I came to see if you could take a look at my, uh...” she stammered and lost concentration when his muscles flexed a little. “Wondered if you were free to, uh, take me to Ollie’s fundraiser tonight.” Brightening her tone at the end and looking back up into his eyes she desperately hoped he hadn’t noticed her loss of control and change in direction of conversation.
He stepped forward and looked her straight in the eyes. “Of course I can take you to the fundraiser.” Lois’s heart skipped a beat. “I’ll come for you at seven.” He gave a tiny, but serious nod of his head.
Come for me? Oh no, like a date? No, no, no. “Um, Smallville. I’m a big girl. I’ll meet you there.” She turned and strode off as fast as her legs would take her.
Great going Lois, invite him to take you but then say you’ll meet him there. It’s not even what you came over for. She shook her hand in the air.
Why did you even come over? She was almost back to her car when a hand on her shoulder made her still in shock.
“Lois,” he turned her around and she knew she had the look of a deer in headlights. “Why don’t you come in for a coffee?” She couldn’t speak. “Come on, you’re already out here, you’ve made the trip. Stay for a while.”
She blinked. “Sure.” Blinking again she found a little control, “but only if you put something on. If you think I want to spend all afternoon staring at your ... uh ... then you are sadly mistaken.” Striding off in the direction of the kitchen she let out a deep breath. Sarcastic Lois needed to be much more in control. At the moment there was a serious lack of control on ALL fronts and Lois was most disturbed by her pathetic display.
Sitting at the kitchen table sipping a hot coffee she steadfastly refused to look up at Clark. She did
not remember his body pressing her into the very table she was sat at. She did
not remember every curve of his naked chest.
Unable to sit in silence for more than one minute, though, she soon looked up and her breath caught at the same moment her heart skipped. He had that look. She caught him doing it often, and he’d looked this way in her dream.
Has he been looking at me all this time? What is he thinking? Lois couldn’t tear her eyes away as he put down his cup and leaned forwards. He placed his fingers on her cheek and cupped her face. “Lois, I think ... um ... I think I need to tell you something.” She felt her eyes widening.
There’s that deer caught in a headlight look again, I guess. “I need to tell you ... right now ... that ...”
Mr Right Now. No, I’m not falling for Mr Right Now. She shot up from her seat and stumbled away.
“Actually, I’ve uh, just, um, remembered that I need to, um, collect, yes, pick up my dry cleaning.” She turned and ran to the kitchen door. “See ya later Smallville.”
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