"The only thing missing," I said "is the chocolate. If he'd sent a box of Godiva candy, I think I'd have been obligated by the laws of femininity to at least date him."

Clark frowned. "Scribe, you've got to take this more seriously..."

"If I took things seriously, I'd be in a straight jacket by now. Look, I'm not going to go running off to a booth, in the back, in the corner, in the dark with the guy. But I ought to see him if for no other reason than to give him back this dingle-dangle."

Hortense gaped. "You're not going to keep it?"

"Are you kidding? My mother would kill me. 'Nice girls don't accept jewelry from men unless they're engaged to them.' Perfect drivel, of course, but in this case I agree. Something this expensive, the man would have to expect something in return." I put the necklace back into the box. "In any case, he hasn't really asked to see me. I mean, he didn't, like, mention a time, or anything."

Everyone but Jimmy, Clark, and Lois went back to work just before a parcel delivery man wandered in from the hall and came to my desk. "You Scribe?" Before I could answer he slapped his own forehead. "Gah, of course you are! Scuse me. Delivery for ya, sign here."

I scratched my name on the sheet, and accepted a box about the size of a jewelry case, and another envelope. Jimmy was scowling. "Better check it for ticking."

I arched an eyebrow at him. "Not turning a little green around the edges, are you Jimmy?" You have no idea how redheads blush. And I thought I turned pink.

I ripped open the brown paper, exposing a gold cardboard box. "Ooh, I have a very premonitionish feeling about this." I lifted the lid. Dozens of tiny, delicate figurines. Swirls, mounds, bars, balls, flowers, shells... all in milk or dark chocolate. The card laying on top said 'Guinevere Chocolates'. "Who the heck told him these things were my weakness?"

Jimmy started ticking off on his fingers, "The Inquirer, Undercover, EXOTIQUE, Gossip Gazette, Snoopers, Personality Pages, Psychology Monthly..."

"Yeah, yeah, I get the point. I have no secrets. Well, one. They still don't know about..." I glanced around. "...you know." They looked puzzled. "You know, my factory direct physical state."

Light dawned on Lois and Jimmy, but Clark still looked confused. Jimmy said helpfully, "She's still cherry."

"Oh." Embarrassed, he took off his glasses for a quick polish, as people will do when they're nervous. Neither Jimmy or Lois noticed that Superman was standing there in a business suit. He put his glasses back on, and I shook my head. It had to be genetic.

I ripped open the envelope to find the same now familiar stationery. 'If it is convenient, I will call on you at your place of business, as I am sure you wish the first meeting to take place in a public milieu. I will call you to confirm the time. Please do not deny this humble request. Lex Luthor.'

"Oh, he's good. He's very, very good. Suggesting a public meeting on my own turf to give me a sense of security. I do like his vocabulary, though. There aren’t many people who can use 'milieu' in casual conversation."

"Scribe!" Clark scolded. "You aren't really considering this, are you? I really don't want you to see this man."

I slid him a look. "Listen, my daddy died when I was twelve, and I'm not in the market for another one, 'kay?" I continued reading. "It says, 'P.S. I beg your pardon for the delay. These would have come sooner, but the jet from Switzerland was delayed.' Oh, boy." I selected a starfish shaped chocolate and popped it in my mouth. Raspberry liquer exploded on my tongue when I bit it, and I sighed deeply. Clark raised his eyebrows, examining the box of candy. "What?"

"Well..." He hesitated, glancing at Lois and Jimmy. Jimmy shrugged, and stuck his fingers in his ears.

Lois rolled her eyes. "I have work to do." She went back to her desk and started typing.

While I waited for Clark to decide to tell me whatever it was he had on his mind, I selected an oval decorated with a lightening bolt drizzle of darker chocolate. This time the flavor of praline cream caressed my taste buds, and I groaned.

Clark stared at me, shifting uneasily. Finally he leaned down and whispered in my ear. "Those noises you’re making... You sound just like you did when we... you know."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"You can unplug now, Jimmy." I picked up a foil wrapped piece of candy and peeled away the silvery paper. "I do believe this is a chocolate covered cherry." I shook it at the two men. "You know, chocolate is widely believed to be an aphrodisiac." I carefully nipped the top off the candy. "It releases endorphins in the brain, which cause natural feelings of euphoria." I closed my lips over the open top of the candy and slowly sucked the sugary liquid filling out.

They were both staring. The little devil on my left shoulder was dancing a hornpipe. "I mean, most people sense that, don't you think so? Otherwise why would they sell so much chocolate on Valentine's Day?" I neatly dropped the cherry onto my tongue, then chewed slowly. Finally I ate the rest of the chocolate in several tiny, nibbling bites, and licked the last of it off my fingers.

Jimmy said, in a faint, strangled voice. "Excuse me. I need to go to the men's room." He left quickly.

I looked at Clark, smiling. He cleared his throat. "I think I’ll go to the break room and have some coffee." His exit was almost as quick as Jimmy's.

Lois came back over. "I saw that, Scribe. That was a wicked thing to do to the poor guys."

I shrugged. "Nah. Naughty, maybe. Wicked would have been if I asked them if they wanted a cherry." Lois sputtered, just as the phone rang. I picked it up. "Newsroom. Fact checker, copy reader, and general gopher here. Who do you need to speak to?"

The voice that poured through the receiver was as dark, warm, and rich as caramel-hot fudge sauce. "I believe that would be you. Do I have the pleasure of speaking to Miss Scribe?"

"I don’t know about the pleasure part, but I'm Scribe."

"Yes, the articles do describe you as having a delightful accent. I am Lex Luthor."

"Oh. Yes, of course you are. Hello, Mr. Luthor." Lois stiffened, her eyes narrowing.

"Have you received my tokens? I want to be sure they arrived safely."

"Yes, just fine. Thank you. You’re too kind."

"Not at all. Simple tribute to a unique woman."

"Look, the flowers were lovely, the wine was delicious, the candy is so good it should be outlawed, and the necklace boggles my mind. But I can't keep the necklace."

"May I ask why?"

"It's too much."

"Miss Scribe, I do not wish to sound as if I am bragging, but you must realize that the expense of that piece was negligible to me."

"Well, it's not to me. I can't accept it."

"Very well. I can understand you're position. With the eye of the world trained on you, you must be discreet. But if you must return it, please allow me to claim it in person. As I said in my note, I want to meet you."

Lois was shaking her head, making frantic 'no' motions. "I don't see any problems with that." She clutched her head. "What time would be convenient for you?"

"Now would be ideal. I'm downstairs in my limo."

"What? I didn't think y'all had mobile phones yet," I said, bewildered.

There was a smooth chuckle. "The general population does not, Miss Scribe. I do. Only a handful of my associates have the equipment to call me, but I can call any of the normal phones. I intend to fine tune this for a bit longer before I make it commercially available. If you will notify security, I will be up anon."

I hung up and called security, telling them a visitor was on his way, and to let him come up. I hung up, and glanced at Lois. She had her arms crossed, and one foot was tapping rapidly. I shrugged. "Lois, he said 'anon'. I have to meet the guy."

"I'm going to go get Clark and Jimmy." She started for the door. "I want as many warm bodies in here as possible."