If You Can't Stand the Heat

By Vixen

7/5/96

Summary: Lois and Clark find some "fun" ways to cool off on a hot summer day.

At first this little story started going somewhere, then I wasn't sure where it was headed. But you can use your imagination and take it anywhere you want! ;-) (Note: Thanks to Deb Stark for her editing and suggestions! ;-)

***

"Come on, Clark. What flavor do you want--chocolate? It's really hot, and I'm dying to cool off." A jog around Centennial Park had left Lois overheated and in need of some relief from both the exercise and the temperature. A long, cool drink of water wasn't enough. She wanted--no *needed* some ice cream.

"Hmm...vanilla, I guess."

"Vanilla? I thought you'd want chocolate!" Lois said with surprise.

"Well, uh, I do like chocolate, but vanilla has always been my favorite."

"What? Wait a minute. You always bring me chocolate ice cream, and that's the only kind you keep in your refrigerator--"

"Lois, I confess! You've discovered my biggest secret. I've been a closet vanilla freak since I was a little kid. Even my mom doesn't understand. It's a 'Kent' family trait--must be inherited!" He winked at her.

"Oh, Clark, you mean you pretended that chocolate was your favorite flavor because of me?" The look on Lois' face would have melted the coldest snow cone.

"Uh-huh." He gazed into her eyes, forgetting where he was, and why they were there.

***

"Come on, folks, I haven't got all day, and there's other people waiting." The ice cream vendor pointed to the long line of hot and impatient customers.

"Oops, sorry." Lois quickly scanned the flavor list, and found exactly what she wanted. "How about two of the 'specials'--is that okay with you, Clark?"

"Perfect."

Lois paid for the "chocolate-vanilla twist" ice cream cones, and handed one to Clark. Grabbing some napkins before she slid her arm through his, they made their way back to the jogging path through Centennial Park.

"Well, Ms. Lane, I think we really are learning to compromise and 'adjust' to each other's habits after all." He leaned down to give her a big, sweet, sticky kiss. Making a face, she took one of the napkins and wiped his mouth, then hers.

"Uh, huh, Kent--your 'biggest secret?' Yeah, right," she giggled, poking him in the ribs. "Eat too much of this stuff, and your 'blue suit' won't fit anymore. Vanilla, huh? Okay, so what else have you been keeping from me?" Her eyes gave him the once-over, as a sly smile crept over her face, knowing that even a gallon of the stuff wouldn't put an ounce of fat on *his* body.

"If I told you, I wouldn't have *any* secrets, and then you wouldn't be surprised--oh, wait, now you won't go and do what I think you'd do, would you?" A look of mock dismay transformed his face.

"Oh, yes, sweetheart--your mother and I have this perfect 'understanding.' I think she's really happy to have someone else to talk to about her son." A secretive smile played upon her lips as she thought about a delightful conversation she had with Martha Kent.

It was definitely a conspiracy, he thought. Nothing was sacred now. Clark hoped his dad would salvage the honor of the "Kent men" and keep his mom from sharing *all* his baby stories. *And I wanted a 'normal' life* he mused.

They slowly made their way down the path, walking arm in arm, enjoying the hot summer day and the refreshing ice cream. They came to a stop by one of the park's reflecting pools. They seemed to have the place all to themselves.

"Oh, darn, my cone's leaking all over my hand!" The sticky goo from the remains of Lois' ice cream was working it's way down her wrist. "Help me, Clark, please?" Holding out some napkins, she pleaded with him to help her stop the mess from getting on her clothes. She expected him to wet the napkins with water from the pool, but instead he took her arm, and slowly licked the offending sweet liquid from her hand.

"Hmm--interesting flavor," he quipped, taking the last pieces of her cone and popping them into his mouth. "Even better than vanilla."

"Clark, that wasn't quite what I had in mind." She rolled her eyes in feigned disgust. "And now I'm a mess."

"I can fix that, too." He grinned wickedly. Faster than a speeding bullet, Lois found herself in the middle of the pool, standing under the fountain with Clark, drenched to the skin.

"Oh, great--what have I gotten myself into?" She moaned. "My mild-mannered boyfriend is turning into a super-joker."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you--that trait runs in the 'Clark' side of the family. What can I say?" He laughed as she splashed him unmercifully. "Uncle! I give up. Come on, let's go back and change into something a bit, uh, less revealing." Lois glanced down and discovered her wet t-shirt and shorts left little to the imagination. Crossing her arms in an attempt to cover herself, she grimaced, and demanded to know if they'd be walking or flying.

"Afraid we're going to have to walk. The Suit's at home. Couldn't very well wear it under this outfit." Looking down, he saw that he was pretty much in the same predicament. Now it was her turn to laugh. He shrugged his shoulders. "Come on, we'll take the back way. We'll probably be dry by the time we get there, anyway."

Once again on dry ground, he put his arm around her, and they headed off in the direction of his apartment building. Progress was slow, for they kept bumping each other, teasing and poking each other, and exchanging quick kisses.

"You know, you have me at a distinct disadvantage-- I don't think that's fair," Lois murmured in his ear, during one particularly playful round of kisses.

"How so?" he asked.

"Well, you already know my deepest, darkest secrets, and I keep finding out all these things about you--what are you going to surprise me with next?"

"It's a secret," he teased, backing away from her.

"Clark--!" In exasperation she attempted to swat him, but he moved too fast, and she missed. And in missing, she lost her balance. And then she fell. But instead of meeting the hard concrete of the path, she found herself lying on top of something, or rather *someone* a lot softer. That someone had caught her, cushioning her fall by floating a couple of inches off the ground.

"Gee--I wonder if I'll ever get used to this?" she murmured.

"I sure hope not--think of the fun we'd miss if you ever got bored with my, uh, extraordinary sense of chivalry," he whispered in her ear. The whisper turned into a nibble, and the nibble threatened to turn into kisses which would definitely put them in a compromising position. And his kisses always made Lois weak in the knees. Of course in this instance, she just felt weak all over.

"Clark, don't start something you can't finish--" her voice trailed off as his kisses promised more.

***

"Wow! Hey, mom--look!" A squealing young voice startled them, causing Clark to hit the ground with a *thump* and Lois to giggle.

"Um, I think we'd better, um, take this somewhere else," Clark whispered as he helped Lois to her feet. His own legs were a bit shaky, and he marveled at how easily she aroused him.

"Oh, and what do you have in mind?" she asked, slipping her arm around his waist as they resumed their walk back to his apartment.

"I'll think of something."

"Okay--surprise me," she said coyly.

"What? I thought you didn't like surprises--or secrets."

"Well, I can always make exceptions, can't I?"

"Oh, sure, if it suits your purpose," he teased.

"But of course," she replied.

"Race you back?" he challenged.

"Clark--that isn't a fair contest."

"Well, what if I gave you a head start?"

"You'd still beat me!"

"I give up--at this rate we'll never get there." With that he scooped her up in his arms, quickly scanned the park, and before she could protest, shot straight up in the air, narrowly missing some pigeons, and headed for home.

"Smarty!" she said as she nibbled his ear.

"Hmm, what was that about someone starting something they couldn't finish? We're almost there--" And before Lois could answer, they landed on his balcony.

Upon opening the balcony door to his apartment, a rush of hot air met them.

"Ick, this will never do," Lois complained as they stepped inside.

"Sorry, the apartment's been closed up all day-- say, I've got an idea," Clark snapped his fingers and winked at her.

"Oh, oh--now what?"

"How would you like to *really* cool off?" His wicked grin had returned.

"Well, sure, but--" Lois wondered what in the world he was up to. Once his guard was down, and he could really be himself, she found another side to Clark Kent that sometimes bewildered her. Nothing mild-mannered and shy about this man! "Uh, now you're not thinking of doing something crazy like flying us to the Arctic again, are you? You scared the heck out of that poor polar bear the last time!"

"Nope, I just thought of someplace closer. Almost as private, and I happen to know we'll have the place all to ourselves. And we can be back in time for dinner! Hold that thought--" In a blur, he was gone.

Before she could blink, Clark was back, but dressed as Superman. He held out two beach towels, and asked, "Ready?"

"Whoa! Before I go anywhere I want to know what's going on. Why are you dressed like that, and can I stop at my apartment to get my bathing suit, because it appears you have swimming in mind--" He stopped her with a kiss, and led her out to the balcony.

"First of all, I happen to know the owners of the best swimming hole in the world; second, they happen to be out of town visiting relatives; and--"

"Oh, really? And, what?" His idea was starting to sound better and better.

"And--" he said as he scooped her up in his arms, and leaped into the air. Getting his bearings, he headed West toward the afternoon sun. "Want to go skinny-dipping?" he asked, grinning at her.

"Now that's an offer I won't refuse," she said, and giggled. "But, how come the Suit?"

"Well, I don't want to be mistaken for a UFO. Besides, the Suit *does* come off, you know!" he teased.

"My superhero--the comedian!" she laughed, as the lush green and golden fields of a Kansas farm came into view.

***

THE PERFECT ENDING to a hot, summer day...

THE END

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