Chapter Twelve
>>>Friday, 8:16 PM
Claude barely managed to contain his fury as he saw Lois dancing with the man whom he’d just described as the thief of partners, the Midwestern farm boy with the country manners and predatory ways. He turned to the woman with whom he’d been conversing and said in French, “You see? Do you see him? This man has no shame! Already he courts another woman, and has stolen my partner in the bargain!”
Privately, Renee Da Silva didn’t think Clark was behaving badly, or even incorrectly, but she decided to humor Claude because she needed a warm body for her understaffed office in Zurich. She’d lost two good reporters recently, one to a move to another paper and one to being a stay-at-home mom with newborn twins, so she put on a sympathetic face and answered in the same language. “I sympathize with you, Claude. Good partners are difficult to find, and are often even more difficult to retain.”
He tossed back his third glass of champagne and swapped his empty glass for a full one as a waiter passed by too closely. “Especially here in this backward country. No one understands me properly. The editor himself is too stupid to make full use of my many talents.”
Renee almost answered snippily, but put aside Claude’s criticism of her friend Perry. She’d already decided that she’d put up with a lot from this boor in order to have another experienced reporter in the Planet’s European bureau. Transfers were easier to manage than new hires, given the amount of employment regulation in the European Union and the high standards for beginning employment with the Daily Planet, no matter which office or branch. And Claude’s French citizenship would ease the transition even more. “Then you simply must come with me to Zurich. We can utilize your talents to the fullest extent there, and you will be so much closer to your own home.”
His mental processes slowed by the alcohol he’d consumed, Claude blinked twice before it registered with him that Renee was offering him a job. She could see his mind slowly turn over and click, and she watched his eyes bloom at her with what he obviously considered a full measure of his charm.
“That is an excellent idea, my dear. Perhaps we could discuss this more fully at a later time, eh?”
Of course, she thought, later, but not where you think, you sewer vermin. She leaned closer and slowly waved her eyelashes at him. “Does that mean that you would accept such an offer, my friend?”
The pupils of his eyes almost blanked out the blue irises. “I would have to give it very serious consideration, yes.”
She smiled seductively and forced herself not to laugh at the absurd picture he presented. “In that case, might we arrange a little talk with Mr. White? I’m certain he would not wish to lose such a valuable asset as you without some effort to retain you.”
Claude waved his drink and, without realizing it, spilled some of the contents on the carpet behind Renee. “Bah! I have little or no respect for such a man. I will not allow him to sully my dignity by begging me to remain.” He took another long sip. “Voila! It is done! I shall come to Zurich with you, my sweet.”
He leaned closer, obviously expecting a kiss, but she only smiled and patted his cheek. “Excellent, Claude! I shall arrange the transfer with Mr. White. In this way, you will not be required to deal with him, nor will you need to speak with Monsieur Kent.”
Claude nodded, his head wobbly on his neck. “Yes. Yes! You have an excellent head on your shoulders, Renee.” He gazed hungrily at her cleavage. “And you also have excellent shoulders under your head, my dear.”
She sighed inwardly and wondered if this was such a good idea after all. She wanted him to work, not chase her around the news floor. Oh, well, if he didn’t get the idea quickly enough, she’d dump him and go back to working understaffed.
As she glided away from the almost-drunk she’d just conned, she mused that there were worse things in life. Like having to work next to the attractive man Claude had pointed out to her and not being able to do anything about him.
She was sure the brunette dancing with him would not have similar regrets.
****
Perry and Alice approached Clark and Lois as the string quartet finished their second number. As the audience politely applauded, the big band across the room began the Glen Miller Sr. classic “String of Pearls.” Perry leaned in and boomed, “Clark, Lois, my wife is just plain tuckered out and I’m not done trippin’ the light fantastic yet. You mind if I borrow one of my star reporters for a bit?”
Clark stepped towards Perry and lifted his hands to either side. “Okay, Chief, I’m game if you are.”
Lois and Alice both laughed at Perry’s stunned expression. Then Lois stepped into Perry’s embrace and said, “I think this is a job for me, Clark. You keep stray dogs and strange men away from Alice.”
Perry spun her away. As they vanished into the sea of bodies, Alice turned to Clark as asked, “So what do you think of my husband in a social situation? Isn’t he just marvelous?”
Clark nodded. “He’s a lot like Lois, actually. They both love being around people, not that either one of them would ever admit it.”
She smiled. “That’s a very astute observation, Mr. Kent.”
He smiled back. “Please, call me Clark.”
“Hi, Clark. I’m Alice.”
They shook hands for a moment. “Would you like something to drink, Alice?”
“Yes, please, something without any alcohol in it.”
Clark turned and looked over the beverage table. “Let’s see, there’s root beer, root beer, cream soda, and, oh yes, diet root beer.”
She laughed. “I’ll be adventurous and try the root beer.”
Clark handed her a glass. “Here you are.”
“Thank you.” She sipped it and sighed. “As comfortable as Perry is at parties, I’m pretty much the opposite. I’d rather lean against the wall and watch everyone else have a good time.” She tilted her head to one side. “I get the feeling that you’re a bit like that, too.”
He shrugged. “A little, I guess.”
She turned and put her drink on a small table beside the wall. “Hmm. Not a total wallflower, but I’d bet you’d rather spend the bulk of your time at a party with the person you came with.”
He quirked one eyebrow. “I’d say that’s an accurate assessment.”
“Good.” She put her arm in his elbow and tugged him onto the dance floor. “Then you won’t mind spending a little time with me, because you can be certain that I’m leaving with the man what brung me.”
He grinned. “Oh, well, if it will alleviate your boredom, I suppose I’ll have to acquiesce.”
Alice nodded and took hold of his arms. As they danced, Clark reached inward and touched the link, the connection he shared with Lois. It felt like she was having fun. She certainly deserved to have some fun.
Suddenly he jumped as though he’d been shocked. Alice felt him jerk and stopped dancing. “Clark, are you okay?”
He shook his head. “I think so. I – don’t really know what that was.”
As Clark blinked and tried to clear his head, Alice gestured to the grand staircase at the far end of the huge room. “Me neither, but everyone else seems to be paying attention to whoever that is.”
Clark glanced around and saw dozens of excited faces, some of whom were celebrities in their own rights, gazing at the man on the staircase with a blend of awe and envy. So he nudged his glasses down to the end of his nose and zoomed in on the man.
It was Lex Luthor.
And Lois’s shock at seeing him for the first time was the source of the jolt he’d felt a moment ago.
*****
She’d seen his pictures. She’d read the sanitized biographies. She’d culled a good deal of less public information from a number of sources. She’d heard his voice in the few live interviews she’d been able to find.
But nothing had prepared Lois Lane for his physical presence, his magnetism, his larger-than-life self.
He stood just a shade over six feet tall, boasted a fit but not maniacally slender waist, deep chest and broad shoulders, and he skipped down the steps like a gymnast. She didn’t remember any descriptions of his athletic ability in the background research she’d done, so she wondered for a moment how much of his apparent good build was, in fact, his own musculature and how much of it was padding and a good tailor.
His smile was almost searing in its intensity. His tanned face was more rugged than handsome, and he either spent significant time outside during the day or did something to make people think he did. His soft brown hair was curly and almost out of control and she wanted to touch it, to run her fingers through it, to press it back into place, to drink in the texture, to –
She felt herself leaning in his direction and took a step to maintain her balance, and it seemed to break the trance she was in. The need to pay down her oxygen debt made itself known, and she inhaled deeply.
She felt a feather touch on her back. Who –
“Lois? Honey, you okay?”
Perry. She’d completely forgotten Perry White, her boss and her friend and her momentary dance partner. “Yeah, Chief, I’m – I’m fine.”
He leaned into her field of vision and looked into her face. “Y’know, that’s about what Priscilla looked like the first time she saw Elvis up close and personal.”
She frowned at him. “Cut it out, Perry, or I’ll tell Alice you made a pass at me.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “You think she’d believe you?”
“If she doesn’t, I’ll tell Clark. I guarantee he’d buy it.”
He grinned and raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, Lois, okay, I’ll back off.”
“Good.” She looked to the staircase again and saw Luthor descending and shaking hands with various important and self-important people. He was followed by a slight, Oriental-looking man wearing a white wrap-around garment and a turban. He gave the impression he was Luthor’s personal assistant.
She remembered someone saying that ‘fortune favors the bold.’ Hoping that they weren’t some dead conqueror’s last words, she strode towards the man, fixing a determined smile on her face.
“Lex Luthor!”
Nearly everyone within earshot stopped and turned to face her, including Luthor. He lifted his eyebrows at her and smiled. “That would be me.”
She hadn’t intended to speak so forcefully, but at least it had worked. She softened her tone and said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout at you. I only wanted to thank you for agreeing to see me on Tuesday.”
He tilted his head in puzzlement. “Tuesday?” Then his face cleared. “Of course! You must be Lois Lane of the Daily Planet.”
She ignored the buzz around her and nodded. “That would indeed be me.”
He smiled and stepped closer. “I apologize. Had I known you were so beautiful, I would have consented to an interview months ago.”
Oh, wow. He was flirting with her. Might as well go with the flow. “Had I known you’d accept, I would have asked for an interview months ago.”
As people around them tried to behave as if they weren’t eavesdropping, the Miller band started playing ‘Little Brown Jug.’ Luthor lifted his face towards the bandstand and smiled. “That’s funny.”
“I’m sorry, what’s funny?”
He smiled wider. “Glen Senior hates that song. Always has. He makes his son promise not to play it if he’s planning to attend a concert.”
Lois returned the smile. “I suppose Glen Senior isn’t here tonight, then.”
“I’m afraid not. He had some business to take care of with his publisher, something about his autobiography and the release date.”
“Oh? I didn’t know he was finished with it.”
Luthor looked slightly alarmed for a moment, then recovered. “Forgive me. I was not supposed to let that slip. Please don’t tell anyone about it. The new release date is intended to be a surprise for his entire family.”
Lois’s smile slipped a little. “Are you sure I can’t mention it to anyone? After all, I am a reporter.”
He leaned closer. “I would consider it a personal favor if you would delay any mention of it until after our interview on Tuesday.” He stepped even closer. “I could give you more information about it at that time.”
Her smile quirked to one side. “It’s a deal.”
He sighed and gently took her hand. “Thank you, Miss Lane. You’ve saved me from some embarrassment.”
“You’re welcome.” Then a mischievous impulse took her. “Do you swing, Mr. Luthor?”
His faced blanked in surprise. “Do I what?”
“Dance. To swing music.”
He nodded slowly in comprehension and relief. “Oh. Yes, I do, when I have the opportunity.”
She lifted her hands in front of her. “They tell me that there’s no time like the present.”
Luthor looked around at the faces of the people around him. Then he leaned back to the turbaned man and whispered something. The man nodded and glided away towards the bandstand.
“Shall we dance, Miss Lane?”
She drifted into his arms. “I thought you’d never ask, Mr. Luthor.”
*****
Clark couldn’t believe it. Not only was Lois dancing with one of the men she suspected of being the criminal mastermind responsible for most of the illegal activity in New Troy, she was having fun! She wasn’t trying to lock up an interview or get some information out of him or pave the way for a deeper investigation.
She was simply having fun.
And he didn’t need the link to tell him that. Lois was smiling and bouncing along, following Luthor’s lead expertly. And Clark got the impression that Luthor was also having a fabulous time.
He watched the turbaned man slip to the bandstand and whisper something to Glen Miller Jr., and as soon as they finished ‘Little Brown Jug’ they swung into the band’s signature tune, ‘In The Mood.’
Clark watched, astounded, as the other dancers cleared space for Lex Luthor and Lois Lane. They quick-stepped together as if they’d been rehearsing for weeks. They smiled and laughed and spun around, and they even pulled off a couple of dance moves Clark would have sworn Lois had never even tried before.
The other partygoers around them cheered them on, calling out encouragement and applauding each spin or tricky step.
And it looked for all the world that Lex Luthor was having the time of his life.
Perry materialized beside him. “Wow.”
“Huh? Oh, hi, Chief. What’s ‘wow’?”
“Lois didn’t dance like that with me.”
Alice put her arm around her husband’s waist and squeezed. “Good. I’d hate to think I have any competition.”
Perry smiled at her warmly. “You don’t have any competition and you know it. You’re just fishing for compliments.”
She reached up and pulled his head down for a quick kiss. “So? Are you taking the bait?”
He grinned. “You better believe it, darlin’. I’d rather stand here next to you than dance with a dozen Lois Lanes.”
“Oh, you sweet-talking Southern gentleman, you!”
Clark smiled as Alice giggled at her husband, remembering some of the times he and Lana had bantered back and forth in a similar fashion. The memories were less sharp, less painful, more melancholy, and fuzzier from the passage of time, but still coated with a thick layer of love.
Thinking about Lana made his connection with Lois fade into the background. He still hadn’t talked to her about it, hadn’t asked her if she sensed his emotional state like he sensed hers, if she wanted to keep the link or sever it somehow, or if she wanted to try to control it. Given the impressions he was getting at the moment, however, he was certain he didn’t want to be closely linked to her emotional state on Lois’s next hot date.
He returned his attention to the impromptu dance exhibition. The band was rolling into the quiet choruses, the ones just before that big blast of sound that preceded the final chorus and the ending. The couple had reduced their dynamics along with the band and were barely moving. With his enhanced vision, he could read Luthor’s lips as he told her, “Get ready.”
And she was. As soon as the horns blared out that big tonic chord, Luthor spun Lois out to the end of his arm and back again, and they took off on another series of snappy steps. Lois tipped her head back and shouted exuberantly.
The band held the final chord as Luthor twirled Lois one last time, then he dropped to one knee beside her. As soon as she saw it, she perched on his bent leg and posed like a 40’s pinup. The snare drum snapped once to end the song, and half the people at the ball applauded the new dance team.
Someone apparently called for an encore. Lois smiled and shook her head in the negative, while Luthor put one hand over his heart and staggered a few steps. Their audience laughed and slowly dispersed.
Then he realized that Lois was leading Luthor directly towards them. He couldn’t imagine why that might be, but before he could choose an escape route, they were standing in front of him, smiling amiably.
“Clark! I want you to meet Lex Luthor. Lex, this is Clark Kent, my – my co-worker at the Planet.”
Luthor shook his hand warmly. “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Kent. I hope you’re having a good time.”
Clark smiled thinly. “So far, yes.”
Lois bounced to one side. “Lex, this is Perry White, my boss.”
“Hello again, Perry. You’re looking well.”
“Thanks, Mr. Luthor. That was some kind of fancy dancing you two just did.”
“I assure you, I couldn’t have done anything like it if Lois hadn’t been there to inspire me.” He turned to Alice. “And who is this ravishing creature beside you, Perry? Don’t tell me this is the fabled Alice White! I admire an incorruptible district attorney.”
Alice blushed as Luthor kissed her hand. “Oh, Mr. Luthor,” she simpered, “you’re embarrassing me!”
Luthor smiled. “Please, all of you, call me Lex.” He turned as the turbaned man touched his elbow. “Oh, yes, thank you, Asabi.”
He faced his guests again. “I’m terribly sorry to leave so soon, but Asabi has reminded me of an obligation which I cannot postpone. Please, enjoy yourselves.” He turned to Lois. “I anticipate another dance with you later, Lois.”
She smiled wide. “Me, too. Only can we do it a little slower next time?”
He chuckled and nodded. “My knees agree with you. A slower tune it shall be.” He lifted her hand to his lips and brushed them lightly. “Until our next dance, then?”
A piercing light came into her eyes. “As long as you remember that I’m still a reporter and not your personal Ginger Rogers.”
His urbane smile never flickered. “Such a thought never crossed my mind, my dear. Until later.”
And he turned and drifted away.
Clark shook his head as Lois sighed. “You know, you may have missed your calling.”
“What? Oh, the dancing? I took dance in college. Great workout, better than sweating in a gym with a bunch of horny football players. I took four semesters, including tap, chorus, line dancing, classic waltz, and swing. A friend of mine told me it would help me meet guys.”
“Did it?”
She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Define ‘guys.’”
He shrugged. “How about, an unmarried millionaire who’s also charming and a pretty good dancer himself?”
She nudged him with an elbow. “Jealous, Clark?”
He sipped his ginger ale. “Who, me? Not on your microcassette recorder.”
As he brought his arm down, a redheaded dynamo launched herself at him and attached herself to his arm. “Hi, Clark! Remember me?”
“Of course I do.” He leaned close to Lois and said in a stage whisper, “What was her name again?”
Each woman slapped him on the nearest shoulder. Rebecca drew her hand back and flicked it from side to side. “Ow! Dude, you must work out like a fiend.”
“No, not really.”
“Never mind! Mr. Luthor is going to make some kind of announcement at about nine-thirty or maybe earlier and there won’t be much dancing for a while after that so I need to find a partner so we can – “
Clark laughed. “Okay, okay! If it will make you stop babbling, I’ll dance with you.”
Rebecca made a face. “I don’t babble. I’m just energetic.”
Clark smiled as she pulled him towards the dance floor. “I hope I can keep up with you.”
She gave him another measured look. “I think you won’t have any trouble doing that.”
*****
Lois watched them go. Clark seemed to like Rebecca, and she really liked him. And for what it was worth, Lois approved. Rebecca certainly wasn’t a gold digger, nor was she interested in picking off emotional cripples. She figured Clark was as safe with Rebecca as Rebecca was with Clark.
She leaned closer to Alice and said, “They make a nice couple, don’t you think?”
Alice glanced at her husband, who was laughing at some politician’s idea of a joke. “They do at that. Not unlike you and Lex Luthor.”
Lois laughed. “Oh, please, like he’ll remember me on Tuesday.”
Alice didn’t smile back. “You made an impression on him, young lady. And if I’d made that kind of impression on that kind of man, I’d watch my step very carefully.”
Lois’s smile faded. “Alice, do you know something about him that I don’t?”
“Probably.”
Lois stepped closer and lowered her voice. “Is this something that I should know? Either personally or professionally?”
Alice opened her mouth, hesitated, and shook her head. “I can’t tell you anything for certain right now, except that we have a number of uncorroborated allegations and suspicious circumstances. We don’t have any proof, no imminent arrests or search warrants or sealed indictments, no real data, just allegations which we can neither confirm nor deny. And we haven’t been able to pin anything solid on Lex Luthor or any of his closest associates.”
“But you have suspicions, don’t you?”
“Yes. But that’s all we have. And without proof, that means nothing.”
Lois nodded. “Okay. Will you let me know if you get something solid?”
Alice tilted an eyebrow. “I’ll let my husband know. Will that suffice?”
Lois grinned. “Sorry. I kind of forgot who I was talking to.”
Alice touched Lois’s elbow. “That’s all right, dear. You just watch your step.”
Lois tried a small grin. “Personally or professionally?”
Alice didn’t smile back. “Honey, there are some really bad people out there. Lex Luthor may or may not be one of them, but no matter what the answer to that question is, he’s not the nicest guy in the world. He came up through the waterfront unions before he split off on his own and made his mark in the world of finance. He may be a terrific dancer, but he can also take care of himself in a pinch.”
Lois feigned astonishment. “Really? That’s not in his official biography.”
Alice finally grinned a little. “But you knew that already, didn’t you?”
She nodded. “I do my homework, Alice. I have a good teacher.”
They both turned to see Perry, who was talking earnestly with Renee Da Silva. They weren’t smiling, but neither did they seem angry. In fact, Perry was doing most of the listening.
“Oh, I love to see my husband in a tuxedo. Gives me terrific ideas.” Alice smiled. “He says he leaves his job at the office, but I don’t believe him.”
“Do you?”
“Leave my work at the office?” She shook her head and her smile turned wistful. “No, I don’t. In fact, I have several briefs to read this weekend, and two defense motions I have to write responses for. We go before the judge at ten o’clock on Monday.”
Lois returned the grin. “In that case, I hope you get some personal time with your husband sometime before then.”
Alice sighed. “Me, too.”
*****
Asabi leaned close to Lex and whispered, “Sir, are you certain you wish to announce the entire program at this event? Perhaps a press conference would be a more appropriate venue.”
Lex pursed his lips in thought, then shook his head. “Ordinarily I’d agree with you, Asabi, but not this time. Most of the local press is already here, and there aren’t any government officials who should know about this and haven’t yet been told. I want them to be properly awed and amazed, and I want them to remember this event as the monumental occasion it should be.”
Asabi nodded. “I understand, sir. I believe your father would be proud of you.”
Lex stopped for a moment, then smiled at his friend who masqueraded as his servant. “Thank you. That – that means a great deal to me.” Lex put his hands on Asabi’s shoulders and touched his forehead to the other man’s. “You honor me more than I deserve.”
Asabi smiled a cryptic smile. “By allowing me to serve you, sir, you honor me more than you can possibly know.”
Lex smiled and stepped back. “Thank you again.” He took a deep breath, straightened, and rubbed his hands together briskly. “Shall we get this dog and pony show started?”
“By all means, sir.”
Asabi slipped away and spoke quietly to two similarly dressed young women. The women turned and made their way to the separate bandstands, one to each, and spoke to the music leaders. Miller’s band was resting at that moment, so Glenn smiled and nodded to the young woman. The other young lady whispered to the lead violinist as the quintet finished a Brahms piece.
As soon as the music stopped and the scattered applause faded, Lex signaled Asabi again. A spotlight lanced down from the ceiling and impaled him in its brilliance.
He smiled, unable to see the faces of the crowd because of the glare of the spotlight, and lifted one hand. “My friends!” he called out, speaking into the button microphone on his lapel. “And my other guests!”
He waited for the laughter to fade. “I hope you’re enjoying the party tonight. And I hope you’re ready for a very important announcement concerning Lex Luthor industries.”
He paused to make sure he had everyone’s attention. “I’m certain you’re aware that EPRAD is in the early stages of designing and building the international space station, along with the shuttle for transporting both passengers and cargo.
“I’m sure you’re also aware that both funding and personnel for this project are at a premium. In fact, EPRAD has informed us at LexCorp that they’re behind schedule on this huge project, due to both lack of money and lack of qualified people. They have asked for any assistance we can give them.”
He took a deep breath, aware of the thin and fragile limb he would be sitting on in a few seconds. “Beginning Monday morning, Luthor Industries, in all of its various incarnations and several entities, will make itself available to EPRAD to assist them in any way we can. That means that EPRAD will be able to call on LexLabs, Luthor Industries, LexFlight Incorporated, LexCorp Limited, LULEX International, or any other company I own or where I head the board of directors for any assistance which might be needed.”
He lifted his hands at the buzz of conversation and made ‘shush’ motions. “Please, let me finish. I am aware of the presence of the media here tonight, and to make certain you can enjoy a night away from the job, I have taken the liberty of faxing the complete text of my proposal to every major newspaper in Metropolis, and to every television and radio outlet in the state.”
He paused. “Of course, LNN is broadcasting this announcement even as I speak – “ he paused and smiled as some of his guests laughed “ – so the cat is out of the bag, as it were. I will be available tomorrow morning at eleven o’clock for a general news conference at the Metropolis office of LexFlight Incorporated to answer any further questions any of you might have. But for now, I ask that you contain your curiosity and enjoy the party. Glen Miller, I believe it’s your turn to play now. Thank you, all of you.”
*****
Perry and Alice turned to each other. Alice found her voice first. “Perry, honey, if you need to go back to the office, I’ll understand.”
He hesitated, then shook his head. “Eduardo is manning the boss desk tonight. If I want him to develop into editor material, I have to start trusting him.” He sighed. “I guess now’s as good a time as any.” Then he laughed. “Besides, honey, you haven’t danced a tango with me yet!”
Lois tapped him on the shoulder. “Chief, you want me to cover the press conference tomorrow?”
He paused, then shook his head. “Naw. I can’t see this guy spilling any of his guts in front of a bunch of media sharks. I’ll send Jimmy for pictures and Belinda for text. Make sure you read up on what he says tomorrow and try to get more information about it on Tuesday.” He smiled at Alice again. “In the meantime, you go enjoy yourself. Oh, and if you see Kent, tell him to do the same. I don’t want to see him at that conference tomorrow, either.”
Alice grinned back and tugged his hands in place for the next dance. “Does that mean that my husband won’t be home for lunch tomorrow?”
He led her into a foxtrot. “It means you’ll have time to go over those legal papers you left at home tonight, my dear.”
Lois watched them go. It seemed a bit out of character for Perry to tell her to ignore a story and enjoy herself, but maybe he’d learned something recently. Maybe Lana’s death had created bigger ripples than she’d expected. She smiled to herself and turned to look for Clark.
She didn’t have to look far. She spotted Rebecca’s flaming mane beside Clark’s shoulder from halfway across the ballroom as they flowed effortlessly through the foxtrot. It looked like they were enjoying not only the dance, but each other, and as she touched the link in her mind, she could tell that he felt good at the moment.
She’d tell him to have a good time later, assuming he needed the encouragement.
