Lois stood in her room, wrapped in a fluffy robe, freshly showered and hair blown dry. Her hair was wrapped around large curlers, her makeup flawlessly applied. All she had to do was finish getting dressed.
From across the hallway, she could hear the sound of the shower turning on, and she was envious for a moment of how quickly Clark could get ready for their date. Just a quick shower and change, maybe a shave. He would be ready in a fraction of the time it took her. Then her mind drifted to him in the shower getting ready, and her pulse sped up.
She shook the thought from her mind and thought about their day instead. There had been no sign of Luthor, and she was beginning to wonder if he had fled the city after all. Perhaps he had left by boat. Or if he had gotten in and out of Luthor Tower quickly, he could have been well over the state line by the time the highway patrol set up their roadblocks.
Whatever the case, there had been not a single peep on the case today, and she was thankful for the reprieve. They had spent the morning lounging around her apartment, eating brunch made from ingredients Clark had apparently purchased during his grocery run, and drinking coffee. And then they had made their way to the Air and Space museum, where they got to see the planetarium show they had missed the day before.
It had been a wonderful day. She loved just being with him — whether they were chatting over brunch or she was listening to his bits of random trivia as they browsed the museum.
When the lights went down in the planetarium, she slid her hand into his, lacing their fingers together, and he leaned over and whispered, “be good”. She had stifled the giggle as much as possible, but her heart knew the score. It raced and fluttered throughout the entire show, just from the nearness of his body and the reminder of that night.
Their dinner reservations were for seven. So by the time they finished at the museum and got home, she was eager to shower and start getting ready. Clark was just as eager for the date. She had caught him watching her surreptitiously as they were driving home, and when pressed he admitted that he couldn’t wait to take her out on a real date.
She had bought a new dress. Something simple and elegant. The perfect little black dress with thin straps and a deep v neckline that was enticing without being scandalous; a fitted bodice that showed off her curves and a flared skirt that swished above her knees when she walked. As soon as she had tried it on, she knew it was the one. It had been hanging in her closet waiting for weeks, and every time she saw it, her heart thrilled with anticipation.
She heard the shower shut off and realized she had been standing in her room not moving for far too long. She walked quickly to the dresser, opening her underwear drawer and searching for the sexiest black underwear and bra she owned.
After their conversation last night, Clark had been true to his word. Not only had he not pressured her in the slightest, he had been just as sweet and affectionate as before their conversation.
In the past, men she had dated had cooled things between them considerably once they realized she wasn’t going to leap right into bed with them. That withdrawal of their affection spoke loudly to their motives for flirting with her and kissing her and touching her: if it wasn’t going to lead to sex, they weren’t interested.
Lois didn’t know why she was surprised that Clark was exactly who she thought he was, but it had thrilled her to cuddle with him on the couch and touch and kiss knowing he was doing those things because he wanted to, not because he hoped they would lead somewhere.
His vulnerable confession – and his wholesale rejection of the idea that she wasn’t good at sex or seduction – went a long way toward boosting her confidence. And suddenly tonight she felt like she had Wednesday night when he had lifted her body from his and thrown his head back desperately trying to get his body under control. It was intoxicating to see the effect she had on him. And tonight she wanted more of that.
So on went to the scraps of black lace, and on went the perfect little black dress, and on went the strappy black heels.
She pulled the rollers from her hair, running her hand through the soft waves. Then she checked her makeup, and made sure she didn’t have lipstick on her teeth. She added a dab of perfume and stood back to look at the overall picture. She opened her jewelry box and added gold ball earrings and a triple strand of pearls.
There was a tap on her door. “Lois?” he called. “I’m going out for just a minute. I’m taking your keys. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” she called back. “I’m almost ready.”
When he returned ten minutes later, she was waiting for him in the living room, ready to go. The knock at the door surprised her, since he had told her he was taking her keys. She looked through the peephole just in case, but it was definitely Clark standing on the other side of the door.
She unlatched the locks and swung the door open. “Did you forget the keys?”
“Nope.” He shook his head and grinned, then pulled a bouquet of flowers from behind his back.
“Oh, you,” she said, laughing. She reached for the flowers, more touched by this little charade than she would likely admit. “They’re beautiful. Get in here.”
He stepped through the doorway, and his eyes traveled from her face down and back up again, and when his eyes returned to hers, they were full of awe and longing.
She took a step toward him, thanking him for the flowers, and then wrapping a hand around his neck, and lifting her face to his for a kiss.
He followed her to the kitchen, where she put the flowers in a vase. When she turned back to him, he was staring at her unabashedly, and she couldn’t help but smile.
“You look fantastic,” he said softly.
“Are you ready to go?” she asked, her eyes drifting over his charcoal suit and unusually subdued tie. She had never seen him in a suit before, and her heart skipped a beat.
He hesitated, then grinned. “I want to give you your present before we go. I don’t think I can wait any longer.”
She laughed at his adorable eagerness and nodded. He walked quickly back to his room, and she carried the vase full of flowers into the living room and set it on the coffee table, trailing a finger over the delicate petals of a peony.
When she straightened, he was approaching, a small rectangular box in hand. He made no effort to hide his emotions, and his face was awash in eager anticipation with just a hint of nerves. She smiled at him, and he handed her the box, then bent his head and kissed her cheek. “Happy birthday, honey.”
She hesitated for just a minute, savoring the anticipation, and then opened the box. Nestled on a bed of black satin was a delicate gold necklace with a single pendant.
“It’s not my class ring,” he teased. “But I thought maybe you’d like this a little better.”
She lifted the necklace from the box, laying the pendant on her hand and admiring the delicate gold cage that housed a single pearl. A single gold pearl.
Her eyes flew up to his. “Is this a gold pearl? Like you told me about?” she asked, remembering his excitement at the end of the summer when he had found the gold oyster during his final dive of his vacation. He had bubbled over with excitement, describing its beauty and explaining to her how rare it was and how prized the golden pearls it produced.
He nodded, his lips pressed together to stifle a smile.
She looked back at the necklace in her hand, stroking the pendant with one finger. “It’s…Clark, it’s stunning. It’s so beautiful. This is too much, it’s… You shouldn’t have…”
He laughed a short little huff of a laugh, and she looked back up at him. “It was always yours,” he said quietly. “I just had it made into a necklace for you.”
She narrowed her eyes, parsing his words. “Wait a minute,” she said. “Is this…. Did you…. Did you find this? Is this from the oyster?”
He was already nodding before she finished her question, and she was stunned speechless.
“Clark!” she said finally, pressing a closed hand to her mouth in shock, and he laughed, obviously pleased with himself.
“You never said! You said you found the oyster, but never said there was a pearl!” She could not believe she was holding in her hand a pearl that he had plucked from the ocean.
He laughed again. “Of course I didn’t tell you that part. I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“But…when you wrote the letter…. We weren’t even dating yet. You couldn’t have known.” Her heart was racing. This absolutely exquisite piece of jewelry was already so far beyond anything she could have anticipated. And then to hear him say that he had known from the moment he found the pearl that he would give it to her…. She was completely overwhelmed.
“Lois, I spent years searching for a golden oyster,” he said, the laughter gone from his voice. “And I finally found one right after I finally found you. That didn’t feel like a coincidence. I want you to know how…how very precious you are to me. This necklace, it’s a symbol of that for me.”
She let out a shaky breath, and held the necklace out to him. He looked confused for a second, and she smiled. “I want to wear it,” she said. “Hold it while I take this one off.”
He smiled and took the necklace, unhooking the clasp while she removed the necklace she was wearing.
“Turn around,” he said when she had finished. She turned and he draped the necklace around her neck. She lifted up her hair and waited for him to fasten the clasp. “There you go.”
She lifted a hand to the necklace, running her fingers over it as she turned back to face him. “Thank you doesn’t seem like enough to say.”
He shook his head and reached out to cup her cheek. “I’m so glad you like it.”
“I love it. It’s…incredible. Thank you,” she said again. She reached for him, lifting her face to his. His lips closed over hers, and her thoughts swirled as her heart began to race.
She had known he had a gift for her – something he was excited about. He had told her the movie and dinner on her birthday weren't her “real” gift, which had seemed laughable at the time since they were the most thoughtful gifts anyone had ever given her. But now, compared to this…. He had literally harvested a pearl from the ocean – and not just any pearl, but one so rare it took him years of searching to find – and had it set into a necklace for her.
Her mind drifted back to that first night on the phone after he came home from his summer travels, after he had stopped first in her city and turned her whole life upside down with a single kiss. He had been bursting with excitement about that oyster. He couldn’t wait to tell her about it. And she had wished for a moment that she had been there with him to see the oyster so gold it didn’t look real. To know now that he had been thinking of her when he pulled that pearl from the oyster; that he had known from the moment he held it that he would give it to her because it was a symbol of how precious she was to him…it was entirely overwhelming.
He started to ease away, and she tightened her grip on his neck, not ready to be done with this kiss. She focused all her attention on this kiss, almost desperate to show him how much he meant to her, how touched she was by the sentiment behind this gift.
When he finally pulled away, they were both breathless, and Lois was strongly considering abandoning their plans in favor or staying in after all.
“We have reservations,” Clark said, almost as if he had read his thoughts, but his voice wavered just enough that she thought he might be reminding himself rather than her.
“We could reschedule…” she said lightly, but she was only half joking.
Clark laughed softly and ran his hand through her hair. “You spent all evening getting ready. You really want to waste all that effort?” he teased.
“Trust me, it wouldn’t be wasted,” she said, her voice low and thick with desire.
He inhaled sharply, and she saw him waver. For just a second, she thought he was going to sweep her into his arms and forget about their plans.
But then she remembered how eager he had been in the car. And the unbearable sweetness of the way he had asked her for the date, telling her it was the only thing he really wanted to do on his visit. She slid a hand across his cheek, her heart so full with his love.
“Come on,” she said. “We should go. We don’t really want to skip this.”
He nodded and smiled, and she knew she had made the right decision. She stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek. Then she lifted her lips from his cheek and leaned forward until they just barely brushed his ear, and whispered playfully, “I promise I’ll invite you in at the end of the night.”
He inhaled sharply, and then shivered as she kissed him gently just once on his neck,
“You are going to be the death of me,” he said with a laugh, as she stepped back.
She raised her eyebrows at him and grinned, and then she started for the front door, and he fell in step beside her, his hand on the small of her back.
*****
Somehow, the date was even better than she had anticipated. It was all the best parts of a first date – the butterflies and anticipation – without any of the awkward moments of silence or self recriminations over sharing too much too quickly.
They had spent months already learning about each other and falling in love. This date wasn’t about getting to know each other or deciding if there was potential for more. She didn’t have to awkwardly dance around answering his questions about her family or try to strike the perfect balance between asking enough questions to seem interested without asking so many he felt like a victim of the Inquisition.
By silent mutual agreement, they steered clear of discussing Luthor and her current investigation. But otherwise, their conversation picked right up where it had left off earlier. They talked about her coworkers and his family and their plans for the rest of the weekend. They talked about the planetarium and his next football game and her next visit to Smallville. They talked about the food they were eating and the fact that she didn’t own a colander and what they should order for dessert.
He was so handsome in his suit that she could barely stand to look at him, and yet she couldn’t tear her eyes away. He stopped mid-conversation twice just to shake his head in disbelief and tell her how beautiful she was.
She wanted this dinner to go on forever. And she wanted to rush through the courses so they could go back to her apartment and be alone.
More than once she found her hand drawn to the pendant that hung in the middle of her chest, her fingers caressing the delicate golden cage. He smiled every time she touched it, and she could see how much it meant to him that she loved it as much as she did.
It was an overwhelming gift. It was beautiful, without a doubt, but more than that, it was a breathtaking declaration. And she never wanted to take it off.
In the weeks since their fairy tale Smallville weekend, she had thought constantly of this week. She had longed for him with an ache that was entirely new to her. But just as she had thought the trip to Smallville might be an opportunity for them to spend some more time together in person and see if there was potential there for a relationship, only to find herself immediately and happily thrust into the role of his girlfriend…this trip too had exceeded all her expectations. She had imagined candle-lit meals and breath-stealing kisses. She had not anticipated confessions of love and gifts of sentimental jewelry. And she had not anticipated sitting at dinner second-guessing her decision to tell him she wasn’t ready to make love.
He reached across the table again and tangled his fingers in hers. “You ready for dessert?”
“I shouldn’t,” she said automatically.
“It’s your birthday celebration. You aren’t really going to skip dessert?”
“Fine,” she said, all too happy to let him twist her arm. “I guess I can just move into my gym next week after you leave.”
“Do you want to go for a run tomorrow?” he asked.
She nodded immediately, not out of any actual sense of obligation to work off the calories of their dessert but simply eager to run with him again. She loved running, but sometimes got bored running alone in the park. She had purchased a Walkman a few years earlier and loved running on the treadmill with music, but she preferred to stay alert to her surroundings when she ran through the city. Running with him last month had been so fun, so playful. She had forgotten running could be like that.
The waitress reappeared, and they ordered a piece of the chocolate cheesecake to share while she gathered their empty plates. When she returned with it a few minutes later, they bantered about who should take the first bite, and finally he speared a forkful and extended it across the table to her.
She felt his gaze on her as she leaned forward and opened her mouth to accept the bite. Then her mouth closed around the fork, and the chocolate was melting on her tongue and she forgot about everything except the silky sweetness of the pie.
She closed her eyes and groaned with pleasure, then sighed happily. When she reopened her eyes, Clark was frozen in place, the fork still extended toward her. His mouth was slightly agape and his face was shocked. But his eyes…his eyes were burning with desire. Her mouth went dry immediately, her breath caught in her chest.
Her tongue darted out to wet her parched lips, and she saw his eyes dart immediately to follow that movement. She forced herself to breathe, her heart racing, and she watched him watch her with a hunger he was usually so careful to hide. It was a heady feeling, seeing him so affected by such a small moment, and she couldn’t help but remember the only other time she had seen that look on his face – when she had been in his lap and his resolve snapped. His hands on her body; his arm wrapped around her waist and dragging her closer…. It was the most erotic moment of her life, an astounding realization given that they were both still clothed.
His gaze met hers, and she watched him fumble for words.
“Take me home,” she said finally, and he nodded silently.
They each took a few breaths, dampening their passion for the moment. But she could feel her need for him burning underneath as they ate a few more bites of their dessert and settled the bill. He was by her side immediately when she stood, holding her coat so she could slip her arms in the sleeves.
Outside, in the crisp October evening, she laid her head against his chest and he wrapped one arm around her and hailed a cab. She nestled closer, and he ran his hand up and down her arm to warm her, but she wasn’t cold. The fire she had carefully banked in the restaurant was roaring back to life.
A taxi idled to a stop in front of them, and he opened the door for her. She slid in and gave the driver her address as he slid in beside her. He draped his arm around her shoulder, and she scooted closer, lifting her face so she could look at him, their faces only inches apart.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “For tonight. For dinner. For…all of this. I…. This has been my best birthday ever.”
He opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it again. He reached for her instead, bringing his free hand up and trailing the backs of his fingers over her cheek. She closed her eyes, fighting to keep her breath steady, and he slid his hand to her other cheek, crading it and stroking gently with his thumb.
She whispered his name and heard him suck in a breath. When she opened her eyes, he was looking at her with such tenderness and love that the ten minute drive to her apartment seemed unbearably long.
She raised her chin, tilting her face up to him, and he lowered his lips to hers. They were not alone, she had to remind herself. The cab driver was right there in the front seat. She resisted the unrelenting urge to deepen the kiss, feathering her lips against his. He pulled away and she saw the muscle in his neck twitch, and she knew he was losing the battle to keep things light and needed a minute to regroup.
She smiled at him, flooded with love for him and awe that this was really happening. That she had found this incredible man. That he loved her.
“I love you,” he whispered, almost as if he read her mind.
She kissed him gently, then leaned back and ran a hand through his hair. “And I love you.”
He swallowed thickly and she knew he was as affected by this night as she was. She rested her head on his shoulder, trying to ease the tension between them, but still loathe to leave his embrace.
The cab was silent for the rest of the ride to her apartment, the driver obviously having assessed the dynamic in the backseat and decided small talk would not be welcome. When he pulled up in front of her apartment building, they thanked him and paid and exited as quickly as possible, making their way up the front steps and into her building, and climbing the two flights of stairs quickly. By the time they reached her front door, they were both slightly breathless, though it had nothing to do with the physical exertion of climbing the stairs.
Her hand trembled slightly as she dug through her purse and came up with her keys. He stood still and quiet, his hand on the small of her back, as she unlocked each of the locks in turn. When she was finished, he reached for the doorknob, opening the door for her and letting her step through before following. He turned back to the door, securing the locks quickly, and then returning his focus to her.
He reached for her, his hands going to her waist, and she stepped into his embrace immediately, sliding her arms around his neck and lifting her mouth to his. This time, their kiss was not light or chaste or appropriate for an audience. The second her lips touched his, his resolve seemed to snap. One hand tightened around her waist while the other came up to cradle the back of her head, as he worked his mouth against hers, making her lose her mind.
She shrugged out of her coat, letting it fall to the ground. Then she reached for his suit jacket. He was so handsome in his suit it almost seemed a shame to take it off. Almost. Her hands worked the buttons through their holes quickly, and she slid her hands inside, gliding up his chest to his shoulders before pushing the jacket off. It too fell to the floor carelessly, and she sighed happily as her hands explored his body without the suit getting in the way.
She tugged the back of his shirt from his pants, aching to touch his bare skin, and he groaned when she worked her way under his shirt. But even that wasn’t enough, and she slid her hands out from under his shirt, earning her a groan of protest and then a swift and sharp inhale as she slid her hands between them, pulling the front of his shirt from his pants as well, and slipping her hands underneath. She pressed her palms flat against his abs, moaning softly at the hard expanse of his stomach and the heady pleasure of knowing her touch made him gasp. Her fingers began to trace, and he groaned again, a strangled sound of pain and pleasure, and she felt the muscles beneath her fingers harden and become more defined.
He tore his lips from hers and dropped his head to her shoulder. “You make me…. I can’t even….” he panted.
They were still in the doorway, their coats at their feet. He relaxed his grip on the back of her head, stroking her hair gently, then sliding his hand down her back and resting it at her waist.
He took a steadying breath and lifted his head, his eyes sweeping over her body. “You are so beautiful. I want to touch you so badly.”
She reached up to stroke his cheek, overwhelmed by affection for him. “What are you waiting for?” she asked, laughing. And he smiled and bent his head back down to hers, kissing her enthusiastically and sliding one hand up the front of her dress until it covered her breast. Her head fell back, and she moaned her approval. His lips dropped to her neck, pressing a trail of kisses from behind her ear to the crook of her neck as his hand massaged and explored. She writhed in his arms, simultaneously thrumming with pleasure and aching for more.
Her mind flashed back to that night under the stars. The delicious weight of his body on top of hers, and she wanted that again, only this time without nearly as many clothes. She cast a glance at her couch, and made a frustrated, displeased sound.
He lifted his head immediately, and she could see the moment he realized her displeasure had nothing to do with him and the things he was doing to her body. The tiny furrow of worry between his eyes disappeared, and the corners of his mouth quirked up in the way that always made her pulse go skittering.
“What, honey? What do you want?” he asked, pressing his mouth back to her neck.
“I want…. I want to lay down with you.”
He lifted his head and darted a glance to the couch, but she shook her head. He raised his eyebrows, and she could see him calculating his response.
“Just because…I’m not ready to have sex…. That doesn’t mean we can’t….” she fumbled for the right words. “There are plenty of other things we can do.”
“Okay,” he said quickly. “Yeah. We’ll just….go slow. The second you want to stop or…pause…you just say so, okay?”
She nodded, love coursing through her for this man who cared so much about her.
“Promise?” he said.
She nodded again. And then without warning, he swept her into his arms and carried her toward the bedroom. She gasped, her heart racing even faster than before, and twisted in his arms to layer kisses along his neck.
