ruafair
19th April 2003, 00:13
Again Jules has been hassling me...Fiona :biggrin:
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Under a Bewitching Spell
Author: RuaFair (AKA Fiona)
Email: redwitchire@yahoo.co.uk
Rating: R
Spoilers: Everything to date to be safe-Season 1 & 2
Disclaimer: Smallville and its characters belong to someone else. (Sigh) I’m just borrowing them.
Feedback: Please, let me know what you think, the muse craves it.
A/N: This was inspired by email conversations with Hope and sort of borrows the plot from ‘Heat’ but mutated for my own needs. For this story Whitney is still in Smallville and sort of dating Lana. Lionel is around as well but not blind. And Clark will be infected like everyone else. Clark and Chloe are just friends there was never anything else, the same goes for Pete.
Chapter One – Candy Perfume Girl
“I *so* need to get a life,” muttered Chloe Sullivan as she crouched down in the bushes. She was cold, tired, wet and wanted to go home; in fact she should be at home not in the middle of the woods, in the dark and all alone. She had overheard, well not so much overheard she was actually eavesdropping, two people talking about a little pond in the woods that seemed to glow an eerie green colour. So Chloe’s reporter sense got tingling and she figured it was another meteor related phenomena and she *had* to check it out.
Granted it would have been nice to get Clark or Pete to come with her, but Clark had Lana to moon over and Pete had dumb football practise. She stretched one leg and then the other out in front of her trying to get the circulation going.
She had been sitting there for almost two hours and nothing, absolutely nothing had happened. The pond was about fifteen feet from her, looking exactly like a pond, with *no* eerie glow. She sighed loudly, switched off her digital camera and stuffed it back into her bag. Standing up she groaned at the pain in her back brought on by sitting in the same position for two hours.
“What a waste of time,” she said to the night air; she dropped her bag on the ground and walked over to the pond. When she reached the edge her foot got caught in the grass and she tripped, landing in the water and completely submerging. For the few seconds it took her to get her head above water a green glow emanated around, unseen by Chloe.
She coughed and spluttered and dragged herself out. “I do *not* believe this,” she said, “Knowing my luck I’ll catch pneumonia.” After a minute she stood up, closed her eyes and counted to ten, trying to keep her anger in check. She opened them again, picked up her bag and made her way back to her car, muttered and mumbling all the way.
“Ugh I stink.” She got in, opened all the windows and set off for her house. ‘Home, hot shower, bed,’ ran through her mind as she drove.
Forty-five minutes later she arrived home. Thanking the Gods her father was away for a few weeks. She was so not in the mood for a lecture. She trudged up the stairs to the bathroom, where she peeled her clothes off, threw them in the laundry basket and stood under the shower. “Much better,” she whispered as the hot water soothed her muscles.
After awhile she got out, dried off and got ready for bed. Sitting on her bed she took out her notebook and crossed off {Check the pond out}.
“Note to self,” she murmured as she got into bed and turned off the light, “find another hobby to stop oneself getting obsessed with the meteors.” Yawning loudly she curled up and was asleep within minutes.
As she slept her body glowed at first a bright green and then dimmed until she was her normal pale self again.
Meanwhile back in the woods the pond Chloe fell into had completely dried up, and all evidence of it ever being there had disappeared.
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Next Morning
“She’s late,” said Pete as he and Clark stood in the Torch office waiting for Chloe. “You don’t think anything happened to her, do you?”
“She’s just a little late Pete, it’s not like it’s the first time either,” said Clark.
“It’s just that she was checking something out in the woods last night, she rang me but I couldn’t go, I had football practise and then a date…”
“She went out on her own then,” gasped Clark, “why…why didn’t she call me?”
“Chill Clark. She said she rang your place before calling me but your mom said you weren’t there.”
“I was at the Talon with Lex for awhile and then ended up helping Lana out,” said Clark with a sigh.
“Do you get the impression we’ve been…well…ignoring Chloe as of late?”
Clark was silent for a moment. It was true that he hadn’t seen as much of his blonde friend lately. She seemed to have really thrown herself into the paper. Always running after anything that remotely seemed like a meteor story. Chloe didn’t have many friends other than Pete and himself. She was sort of friendly when talking to Lana, and although didn’t know Lex very well the few times they had spoken they were friendly enough.
“Maybe we have a little Pete,” he replied, “but look at it this way if she was pissed at us about it she’d let us know. Right?”
Pete grinned, “Yeah, you’re right. Chlo wouldn’t be one too keep quiet about it.”
“Let’s leave her a note,” said Clark, “and she can follow us.”
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“Shit,” muttered Chloe as she drove towards the school when she realised the time. She was late in meeting Clark and Pete. The three of them had decided to get together for the day seeing as how they weren’t spending as much time together as of late. “Well I’d need to be a jock for Pete to hang around with me these days,” she said to herself. “And unless I’m bald and look like Lana Lang, Clark’s not interested.”
She paused for a moment and then laughed out loud, almost losing control of her car as she pictured a *bald Lana Lang*. Deciding she needed coffee before facing Pete and Clark and the fact she was already late she parked in front of the Beanery.
She hopped out and ran in, not noticing the looks on all the men inside threw at her as she passed them, nor did she notice the figure the entered the coffee house after her. “Large cappuccino please,” she ordered when she got to the counter. Chloe drummed her fingers on the counter top as she waited.
“Black coffee please,” a familiar masculine voice behind her said. Recognising it, Chloe turned around and found herself nose to chest with Lex Luthor. She looked up to see him smiling down at her. ‘Wait,’ she thought, ‘he’s smiling, actually smiling, not smirking.’
“Miss Sullivan.”
“Mr. Luthor,” she retorted. He just stood looking at her and Chloe found it a little unsettling but she couldn’t quite drag her eyes from his.”
“Your coffee miss,” said a voice. The moment lost, she turned to the waitress, “thanks,” she said and reached out with her money. “This is on me,” said Lex, putting his hand over hers. The waitress nodded and went to get Lex’s coffee.
“Thanks Mr Luthor,” said Chloe removing her hand from under his and moving away from him. Lex inhaled deeply as she passed, her scent filling his senses. “MMMMM,” he murmured.
“Did you say something?” asked Chloe, turning to face him again.
“You smell delicious Chloe,” he said, drawing out her name, “a new perfume?”
“No…no I don’t wear perfume,” she stammered, moving back from him. “Even better,” he said, smiling at her again.
“Oh o-k, I have to go, thanks for the coffee,” she said. “See ya.” With that she turned and almost ran out of the Beanery. “Strange,” she muttered as she went to her car.
“Hi beautiful,” some guy walking past said. Chloe looked around her to see whom he was talking too, and on seeing no one else pinched herself. “*Ouch*,” she exclaimed. “Well at least I’m awake. It must be lack of sleep and caffeine.” She got in and started her car.
Back in the Beanery Lex watched as the man smiled at Chloe. He glared at his retreating back before turning back to Chloe and watched till she drove out of sight; unaware that every other man’s eye was watching her as well.
Chapter Two – Freaky Day
Chloe walked slowly from her car to the school entrance. After looking around to make sure no one was watching she brought her arm to her nose and sniffed. All she smelt was the detergent she used to clean her coat. ‘Luthor was probably just teasing me,’ she thought. As she made her way to the Torch to see the others, she saw several *players* from the football standing around the lockers.
Chloe groaned when she saw them. Taking a deep breath she braced herself for the inevitable jokes that she usually got from them. ‘Bunch of Neanderthals,’ she thought. Picking up the pace she moved passed them.
“Hey Chlo, looking good,” one of them shouted. This stopped her in her tracks but she didn’t look back, ‘ah new *tactics*,’ she thought and started walking again.
“Hi Chloe.” She turned to see Whitney Fordman walking beside her. “Hello,” she replied suspiciously, waiting for whatever the punch line to the joke they were playing on her to drop. “You look nice today,” he said.
‘What the fuck is going on?’ she thought. “Yeah, right, thanks,” and she walked faster. “Maybe I’ll see you later,” he said as she got to the door. “What-ever,” replied Chloe as she went in, shutting and locking the door behind her.
When she got inside she leaned against the door for a moment, and the noticed that the office was empty. She checked her watch again, “jeez, I’m a little late and they decide not too wait for me,” she said and threw her hands up in the air.” She sighed again and sat in her chair. There she saw the note stuck to her computer screen.
{Chlo,
Hung around for a while then went to the Talon. Meet you there. Clark}
“Argh,” she said, banging her hands on the desk. “I hate men, boys, men-boys, whatever they are. I am swearing off them. Ok not that I had a hectic social to begin with but that’s not the point.” She stopped in mid-rant when she realised she was trying to reason with herself and gave a little laugh. “The Talon,” she said, “so much for the *three* of us spending the afternoon together.” She crumpled up the note and threw it in the wastebasket. She put her ear against the door and heard nothing. “Good they’re gone.” Grabbing her bag she headed for the Talon.
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Lex watched as Chloe left the school and got into her car. He followed her to the Talon and waited till she went in before parking his own car behind hers and following her inside.
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Chloe looked around and spotted Clark and Pete at the counter with *Lana*. ‘Ok Chloe,’ she thought, ‘let’s get ready to be ignored.’ She walked over to them, plastered a smile on her face, “hey guys, sorry I’m late,” she said as she positioned herself between them.
Clark’s face broke out into one of his mega-watt grins. “Chloe,” he said as he hugged her. She missed the glare Pete threw Clark as she almost got smothered in his arms. “Yeah, good to see you too Clark,” she said when he let her go, turning to Pete she tried to say hello but he grabbed her and hugged her. Lana looked on in confusion as Clark and Pete glared at each other.
Meanwhile seated in the corner out of sight Lex watched the proceedings with an almost murderous look in his eye. ‘How dare they touch her,’ he thought.
Chloe stepped back from Pete. “Ok guys I know we haven’t seen each other since yesterday but that welcome was a little over the top.” She grinned at them.
“Let’s sit over her,” said Clark grabbing her hand and dragging her over to a table. “I’ll get you a coffee Chlo,” said Pete.
Chloe was more or less deposited in the chair and Clark sat opposite her still holding her hand. “Hey, there’s only two seats, where’s Pete gonna sit?”
“Never mind that” said Clark, “wow you look great.” Chloe looked down at her outfit, long red skirt, and flowery shirt, not really Versace, why did everyone keep saying she looked great? Pete came over with two coffees. “Sorry Clark I forgot yours,” he said with a smirk.
Clark glared at Pete and resisted the urge to use his super speed to get it. He got up and went over to the counter mumbling under his breath. As soon as he left Pete sat in the seat he had vacated. “Thanks for the coffee Pete.”
Pete grinned at her, “no problem, by the way you look…”
“Great, I know,” exclaimed Chloe, “what the hell is going on with everyone today? Where you all taken over by aliens?” A group of the football players passed by their table. “Hi Chloe.” “Hey Chlo.” “Looking good Chloe.” They said with smiles.
“I must be coming down with some sort of brain fever,” she muttered to herself, “either that or Smallville has gone completely mad.”
In his corner, Lex sipped on his coffee. “Amateurs,” he whispered, “none of them have an idea how to compliment let alone *seduce* a woman.”
“Here’s your coffee Clark,” said Lana, aiming her brightest smile at him.
“Yeah thanks,” he said absently, his eyes still focussed on Chloe. Picking up his coffee he said nothing else to Lana and made his way back over to Chloe. Lana looked baffled, but brightened up again when Whitney came in. He didn’t head to the counter to her but stopped at Chloe’s table. Lana narrowed her eyes, ‘what’s going on?’ she thought.
“Hi again Chloe,” said Whitney with a smile. “Hi Whitney,” she said, wondering if she was actually having a really vivid waking dream. She stood up and so did Pete. “I’ll be back in a minute,” she said. “I’ll go with you,” said Clark. Chloe rolled her eyes, “I’m going to the bathroom, I do *not* need an escort.” Walking quickly away she didn’t stop till she was in the bathroom.
She checked around and thanked the Gods that it was empty. She stood looking at herself in the mirror. “Nope, nothing looks any different,” she whispered to her reflection. “If this is some elaborate joke that *everyone* is playing on me I will *so* not be responsible for my actions.”
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Back outside Clark, Pete and Whitney just stood around glaring at each other. “Oh look Fordman, Lana’s calling you,” said Clark. “Maybe it’s *you* she calling Kent,” he replied. “Actually I think she’s calling the both of you,” said Pete. But none of them moved.
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Chloe slipped quietly out of the bathroom and stood at the door. She saw Clark, Pete and Whitney. ‘I really don’t want to go back over there,’ she thought, ‘I wonder if I can sneak out the back door.’
She had just reached the door when a voice stopped her. “Going so soon Chloe?”
‘Not again,’ she thought. “Hello again Mr Luthor,” she said turning to face him. “Call me Lex,” he said, moving closer to her. “You seem in a hurry.”
“Yeah, I need to go home, my dad’s gonna be calling from the conference and I have…*stuff*… yeah, stuff to do.” Not the best answer but being around Lex Luthor made her kind of nervous and sometimes it took a while for her snark factor to kick in around him.
“And how long is he away for?”
“For another week,” she said. ‘Did he get closer?’ she thought.
‘Another week onto that will be even better,’ thought Lex. “Well let me walk you to your car.” He held the door open for her and placed his hand on the small of her back as she walked out. His hand lingered a little longer before he reluctantly removed it. He moved closer to her as they walked. He was so close she could feel his arm brush against hers. “You are unusually quiet Chloe.”
“I’m just having a very weird day and I’m trying to figure out what’s going on. Maybe I’m just coming down with…something. Anyway here’s my car, thank Mr…Lex.”
Lex reached into his pocket and pulled out a small business card and a pen; he scribbled something on the back and handed it to Chloe. “Give me a call and we’ll arrange that interview, if you are still interested of course.”
Chloe smiled at him and took the card, her fingers brushing his as she did. Lex took a sharp intake of breath at the contact. “Are you sure?” she asked, wondering what had changed his mind. Lex just nodded at her. “Oh then I still want too,” she said. With that she got into her car. She rolled down her window, “I’ll call you about the interview. Bye,” she said before driving off.
“Oh, I’m *counting* on it Chloe,” he said as her car disappeared. He took out his cell phone and dialled. “This is Lex Luthor,” he said when it was answered at the other end. “The conference Gabe Sullivan is at is due to end in a week, make sure he’s booked for the next one. Don’t worry about fees or his accommodation; Luthor-Corp will be taking care of that. Thank you.” And he hung up, heading for his car with a smile on his face.
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When Chloe got home she looked at the card and saw that he had written his private number on the back. “Wow, Lex Luthor’s private telephone number. Wonder how much that is worth.” She kicked off her shoes and sat on the couch. “I really should ring Clark and Pete and tell them I’ve left, but the way they’ve been acting, maybe not. Anyway with *Lana* there they’ll soon forget me.”
She switched on the TV, “what a freaky day, football players being nice to me, Clark and Pete being very weird, although that’s not too freaky. But *Lex Luthor* agreeing to another interview, now that is strange, but I’m not gonna complain.”
And as she watched the TV her mind was filling with the questions she was going to ask him when she arranged the interview.
Chapter Three – War Declared
Chloe woke up late. After showering and dressing she sat at the kitchen table sipping her first coffee of the day. She held the card Lex had given her; ever since she got home yesterday evening she had been dying to call him to arrange the interview. She still couldn’t believe that Lex Luthor had actually *volunteered* to give an interview, and she wanted to call him as soon as possible to arrange it before he changed his mind.
As she was mulling over whether or not to pick up the phone to call him, it rang. “Hello,” she said.
“Hi sweetheart.”
“Hi dad, wow two calls in the space of 12 hours, miss me that much.”
On the other end of the line, Gabe laughed. “Of course I miss you Chlo. Listen I’m just ringing to tell you that in addition to this week, I’m going to be here for another week onto that.”
“Why? I thought the conference was only going on for a week.”
“This one is, but I’ve been signed up for another one, some management thing. Lex Luthor recommended me personally.”
Chloe smiled to herself at obvious pride in her dad’s voice as he said that. “Well dad you deserve it, you practically run that plant.”
“Thanks sweetheart. So are you ok with me being gone for two weeks?”
“No I want you home right now,” she joked, “of course it’s ok, you wow them dad.”
“I’ll try and I’ll call regularly. Take care. Love you.”
“I love you too dad. Have fun. Bye.”
“Bye,” said Gabe and hung up.
Chloe sighed as she hung up the phone. While part of her was delighted that her dad was getting the recognition he deserved and the fact she had the house to herself for two weeks; the other part really missed him, since it was only the two of them they were close.
“Right,” she said to the empty kitchen, snapping herself out of her funk, “its Sunday, there is still plenty of the day left, what will I do?” As she tried to think of something other than Torch work the phone rang again.
“Hello.”
“Hi Chlo, its Clark.”
“Hey Kent how are you?”
“I’m good, listen I was wondering if you wanted to come over, I’ve finished my chores and we could I don’t know hang out and watch movies or something.”
‘Problem of what to do solved,’ she thought. “Sure Clark I’d love too, I’ll be over in an hour.”
“Perfect. See you then,” said a very happy Clark.
“Ok, bye Clark.” “Bye.”
Chloe hung up and smiled to herself as she tidied up the kitchen.
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Chloe pulled her car up in front of the Kent’s house and got out. “Hello,” she said knocking at the back door. “Hi Chloe, come on in,” said Martha Kent. “Hi Mrs Kent,” as she entered the kitchen.
“How are you Chloe with your dad away?”
“I’m fine, it’s kind of nice having the house to myself but I do miss him.”
Martha just smiled at her. “Well Clark is in the barn with his dad if you want to head out to him. Oh are you staying for dinner?”
“I don’t know yet, but I’ll let you know soon.”
“Ok. Have fun.”
Chloe left and headed to the barn. “Clark,” she said, looking around. She went to climb the stairs to Clark’s *Fortress of Solitude* when she collided with Jonathan Kent. “Oops Mr Kent, I’m sorry.”
“Chloe,” he said, “are you ok?” His hands on her arms to stop her from falling.
“Yes, nothing broken.” She smiled at him; “I was looking for Clark.”
“Oh he’s around somewhere,” said Jonathan, his hands lightly rubbing her arms, which she barely noticed.
“Chloe, you made it,” said Clark as he entered the barn, and then stopped and glared when he saw his dad with her.
Chloe stepped away from Jonathan, “hey Clark, just had a collision with your dad. But everyone is ok.”
Clark stepped closer and Chloe found she was almost sandwiched between father and son. “I think mom was calling you,” he said to his father. Jonathon just smiled at Chloe, “see you later Chloe,” and left the barn. “Did you and your dad have an argument?” asked Chloe, “there just seemed to be a little tension between you.”
“No, not at all. Come on let’s go,” and he took her hand and they went upstairs to his fortress.
A few hours later they were still sitting on the couch; Chloe had her head against Clark’s shoulder as she watched the movie. Clark was more focussed on her and used his x-ray vision to look through her shirt, he groaned softly when he saw the pale green silky bra underneath. He moved his gaze down and let out a louder groan when he saw her matching panties.
“Are you ok Clark?” asked Chloe looking up at him. Clark said nothing; he just moved his hand and cupped her cheek. ‘Ok what’s going on here?’ she thought. He leaned forward to kiss her…
“Clark, hope I’m not *interrupting* anything?”
Chloe pulled back and saw Lex Luthor standing there with, from what she could tell, a rather angry look on his face. Clark jumped up and faced Lex, his hands clenched in fists by his sides. Chloe looked at both of them, ‘jeez they look really angry with each other; I wonder what’s going on. Has Clark pissed everybody off?’ she thought. She jumped up herself and stood between them. “Hi Lex,” she said smiling at him.
Lex felt his mood lighten when he saw her smile, he had been watching from outside and when he saw Clark lean down to kiss Chloe he just lost it. He had never felt anything like the anger that coursed through his body at the thought of Clark kissing her or any man other than himself for that matter.
“Can I do something for you Lex?” asked Clark, keeping his temper in check. “No, not really, I just popped by to say hello,” Lex replied smoothly. “I didn’t know you had company,” he lied.
“Clark and I were just hanging out watching movies,” said Chloe, “so you haven’t really interrupted anything. Isn’t that right Clark?” she said turning to her friend.
Clark shook his head and turned his gaze from Lex to Chloe. He grinned at her for a moment before looking back to Lex, “no Lex, you *didn’t* interrupt.”
Silence descended over them, Chloe watched as Lex and Clark threw, what only could be described as murderous, looks at each other. “So,” she said clapping her hands together, “why don’t you join us Lex? If it’s ok with you Clark?”
“It’s fine,” muttered Clark, sitting back down on the couch. Chloe sighed and sat down beside him, she really didn’t want to act as a referee between them, she didn’t know what was going on but they were mad at each other over something. Lex smirked to himself as he sat down on the other side of Chloe. ‘Great,’ she thought, ‘sandwiched again.’ Because the couch was quite small for three people, Lex’s thigh was pressed up against her and when he laid his hand on it his fingers gently brushed against her thigh. And although the contact was minimal Chloe felt shivers run down her spine.
They sat in silence watching the movie, although none of them where paying any attention to it. Chloe was thinking back to when Clark almost kissed her, and how weird that was. She was also trying to figure out what had caused the rift that seemed to have appeared in Lex and Clark’s friendship. Clark was internally cursing Lex for his incredibly bad timing, and Lex was wondering where to hide Clark’s body after he killed him. But mainly Lex and Clark’s thoughts were filled with the sensation of having Chloe so close to them.
Clark stretched his arm out and it rested on the back of the couch, his hand almost touching Lex’s shoulder. Lex smirked when he saw what Clark had done, ‘pure amateur,’ he thought. Chloe started fidgeting, the silence and the tension finally getting to her. Her movement caused her leg to brush more insistently against Lex’s.
Clark leaned closer to Chloe, and at the same time so did Lex. ‘Right,’ she thought, ‘that’s it, I’m going to get squashed if they don’t stop.’
She jumped up quickly causing Clark to fall forward and he ended up with his head in Lex’s lap. Chloe burst out laughing at the sight. Clark leapt up as if he had been scalded; Lex just stared at Chloe’s laughing face, completely ignoring Clark and what happened. “Oh that was priceless” she said when she managed to stop laughing, “I wish I had my camera.”
A moment later her mood sobered up. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you, but there is definitely something off. And I refuse to play referee to whatever argument you’ve had. But *get it sorted*, you are both friends and I’m sure whatever it is it isn’t worth your friendship. And on that note I’m going home, I’ve suddenly remembered some work I have to do for the Torch. I can find my own way out,” she added when Clark moved towards her.
“I’ll see *you* at school tomorrow Clark, and I’ll see *you* around Lex.” With that she left saying goodbye to Mrs. Kent along the way.
When she had gone, Clark and Lex faced each other again. “Well Clark I had better be going myself.”
Clark grabbed Lex’s arm, “I *know* what you’re up Lex and it’s not going to work.”
Lex shook his arm free, “I have no idea what you are talking about Clark.” He walked down the stairs, left the barn and went to his car, taking off in a screech of tyres.
“If it’s a war that you want Clark,” Lex said as he sped along the roads, “be prepared to *lose*. I always get *who* I want.”
Chapter Four – From Famine to Feast to the Lion’s Den
Chloe took her time driving to school. Because of the abrupt ending to her afternoon with Clark yesterday she hand managed to get a lot of work done when she got home. She hoped that Clark and Lex had managed to patch things up, and part of her was dying to know what they were arguing about.
As she drove along she saw Whitney Fordman waiting for the bus. ‘Should I stop,’ she thought, ‘well he was nice to you on Saturday,’ her inner voice spoke. Taking a deep breath she pulled the car up beside the bus stop and rolled down the window. “Hi Whitney, do you want a ride to school?” she asked.
Whitney’s face broke out into a big smile when he saw that it was Chloe. “I’d love too,” he said and jumped into the passenger seat, “my car is in the garage.”
Chloe just smiled at him and took off again. They drove along in silence and Chloe felt like she was being watched. She turned her head from the road briefly to look at Whitney and saw that he was staring intently at her.
“What?” she said, “do I have something on my face?”
“No,” he grinned, “you look beautiful.”
The car swerved as she lost control for a moment. “Did you get a particularly bad bang to the head at football practise that has somehow affected your brain, sight and well, sanity?”
“Are you doing anything this evening?” he asked, ignoring her previous question.
“Are you asking me out?”
Whitney nodded.
“Whitney, ‘Lana Lang’s boyfriend, captain of the football team, hater of Clark Kent, leader of the bunch of miscreants that tease me on a regular basis’, Fordman, is asking me, Chloe, ‘hey aren’t you the weird chick that runs the paper and writes all the freaky meteor shit,’ Sullivan, out.”
“Is that a yes?” he said.
‘Chloe you have just entered the Twilight Zone,’ she thought. “And what about Lana?”
“What about her?” said Whitney with a shrug of his shoulders; “Clark is *welcome* to her.”
Chloe brought her car to a screeching halt and turned to face Whitney. “Ok, stop, rewind, playback. Did you just say that CLARK was welcome to LANA? Are you sure you didn’t bang your head? What the hell are you doing asking me out? Is somebody going to jump out with a camera and say, ‘Chloe Sullivan, you’ve been framed.’ And everyone will have a good laugh.”
Before she knew what was happening Whitney had grabbed her face and pressed his lips to hers. She was so shocked she didn’t know what to do. After a moment he pulled back, his hands still holding her face. “So are you doing anything this evening?”
Chloe narrowed her eyes at him and moved her face from his hands. “Yes Whitney I am busy, I’m going to be busy having you committed. Look I don’t know what game you’re playing but I will *not* be used as a ploy for you to make Lana jealous. You and Clark can take your little pissing contest over her and shove it, just keep me the hell out of it. Now get out of my car, you can walk the rest of the way.”
The next thing he knew, Whitney was being pushed out of the car and Chloe was driving off. “So is that a rain check on the date,” he shouted after the car, a smile on his face. After the car was out of sight Whitney started walking towards the school.
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Chloe drove along fuming. She couldn’t believe Whitney would stoop that low as to use her to make Lana jealous. She was so angry she could just scream. After parking her car she stormed her way through the crowds to her first class, completely ignorant of the looks the male population were giving her. “Ah just bite me,” she said when one of them told her she looked good; she was so not in the mood for any of them.
She got through the day on pure anger, she was even more snarky than usual with the teachers and they were *fine* about it. In fact one of the female teachers asked if she was suffering with PMT. Four different guys had asked her out and it had got her so paranoid that she skipped a couple of classes and somehow managed to sneak into every boys bathroom and locker room to make sure there wasn’t graffiti saying, {For a good time, call Chloe Sullivan.} ‘When did I suddenly become the most wanted,’ she thought. ‘I don’t have a date for months and suddenly there’s a choice.’
She had managed to avoid Whitney all day but couldn’t help blushing when she saw Lana. Her anger was weaning but every time she saw a football jacket it rose again and she couldn’t wait for classes to be over. When the last bell rang she ran out of the classroom, dodging and weaving her way through the crowds.
Finally reaching the Torch she flopped down in her chair turned on her computer and began typing furiously about the Caveman attitude of high-school boys. She wanted to get it all written down before her anger subsided.
“Whoa Chlo, don’t kill the keyboard,” said Pete as he entered the office. Chloe turned in her seat and glared at him before going back to the screen. Pete came up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “What has made you so upset?”
Chloe sighed and leaned into Pete’s touch before speaking, “I stopped to give Whitney a ride this morning on the way to school,” she didn’t notice the look in Pete’s eye when she said this, but she did feel his hands tighten on her shoulders. “Anyway we were driving along and he asked me out. Ouch Pete that hurts,” she said when he squeezed tight.
“Oh sorry Chlo, please continue,” he said removing his hands and pacing slowly behind her.
“Ok, where was I? Oh yes, date. I was shocked and made a joke out of it, then I started ranting about Lana etc and then, you are *so* not going to believe this, then…he *kissed* me.”
“I’ll kill him,” growled Pete, “I will KILL him.”
“Hey Pete chill, I told him to get out of the car and I drove off. There is *no way* on earth I’d go out with him, even if Lana wasn’t on the scene.”
Pete forced himself to calm down for Chloe’s sake. But, the thought of anyone kissing her was making his blood boil. He forced a smile at her; “I’m calm.” ‘He is so dead,’ he thought.
“Please Pete, don’t say anything about this. Especially to Clark or Lana, I’d feel so embarrassed. Please Pete.”
“Of course I won’t say anything Chlo. But you tell me if he tries anything again?”
“Oh I don’t think he will. And thanks Pete.” She kissed his cheek, “you’re the best.”
Pete gave Chloe his brightest smile and touched the spot on his cheek where she kissed him when she had turned her back to sit down at her computer again. She continued her typing and Pete just stood looking at her. “What are you waiting for? She asked.
“Just you.”
She turned to face him again. “To walk you to your car,” he added, “are you ready?”
“I’m going to be another while, I want to get this editorial finished. So you head on and I’ll see you later.”
“Oh ok then.” Pete didn’t bother hiding the disappointment in voice, “I’ll see you later,” and he left the room. Chloe thought nothing else of it and continued typing away.
Ten minutes later she finished and saved her document. She took the card with Lex’s number out and before she lost her nerve dialled the cell-phone number.
“Lex Luthor.”
“Hi Lex it’s Chloe.”
“Chloe,” he said the tone of his voice changing completely, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”
Chloe smiled to herself; “I was calling to arrange the interview if you’re still available.”
‘For you I am,’ he thought, “of course I am. When would suit you?”
“Well, how does later on this evening sound? We can meet at the school and do the interview in the Torch Office.”
“That would be perfect Chloe, but it would be better if we conducted the interview at my place,” he replied.
Chloe thought for a moment, “ok then, just keep me away from the windows,” she joked nervously.
‘I’ll be keeping you alright,’ he thought. “Don’t worry Chloe, nothing *bad* will happen to you. So shall I see you at, say, 7.00pm?”
“7.00pm is perfect. I’ll see you then Lex.”
“I look *forward* to it Chloe.”
“Bye Lex.” “Bye Chloe.” And she hung up the phone.
‘Excellent, an interview with Lex later,’ she thought, ‘ok, head home, get changed and go over questions. Leave house a 6.30pm be at Lex’s just before 7.00pm.’
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Chloe parked her car in front of the imposing Luthor castle and got out. She smoothed her long tan coloured skirt and decided against a jacket, her cream silk shirt was warm enough. Grabbing her notebook and tape recorder she made her way up the steps to the main door. She rang the bell and the housekeeper let her in a moment later.
Lex had been watching her from the moment her car came into view. He was in his private study waiting for his housekeeper Alice to show her in. ‘Chloe Sullivan will know she’s mine before she leaves,’ he thought.
“Enter,” he said to the knock on the door.
“Mr Luthor, Miss Sullivan is here,” said Alice, standing out of the way and letting Chloe pass.
“Thank you Alice, you may go.”
The housekeeper left, closing the door behind her. Lex turned to face Chloe, “good evening Chloe,” he said, a knowing smirk on his face.
Chapter Five – Animal Instincts
“Hi Lex,” said Chloe as he moved towards her.
“Why don’t we sit here?” he said, leading her to a ridiculously large black leather couch. ‘Wow this thing is almost as big as my bed,’ she thought as she sat down.
The leather creaked, as she got comfortable. “Can I get you anything Chloe, coffee, water?” he asked, “or maybe something stronger?”
“Lex, I’m too young to drink,” she replied with a smile, “anyway I’m fine for the moment.”
Lex sat on the couch beside her. “Ah yes, too young to drink. And yet you’re old enough to drive, and perhaps more importantly, old enough to *legally* have sex.”
Chloe blushed and bowed her head, suddenly finding the pattern on the carpet the most interesting thing in the world. Lex smiled at her lowered head and took the opportunity to move closer to her. Chloe looked back up when the she heard the sound of the leather and saw that Lex was practically beside her. Lex had a strange effect on her that she didn’t want to over analyse.
She took a couple of deep breaths and took out her notebook and tape recorder, willing herself into *reporter mode*. “Are you ready…” she trailed off when she caught him staring at her intently, a hungry look in his eye. It made her suddenly feel like she was the main course on the menu and it unnerved her.
“Fire away Chloe,” he said his voice slightly lower in tone than earlier, which caused shivers to run down her spine. ‘It’s not like this *interview* is going to last long,’ he thought, ‘I have much more *pleasurable* things to *do* to you.’
She switched on her tape recorder and began making small notes in her notebook. ‘Let’s get on with this,’ she thought.
“Lex, do you think Luthor-Corp’s reputation in the town has been damaged more by all trouble earlier over the proposed plant closure? And what are you doing to try and rectify that?”
“I think Luthor-Corp’s reputation in Smallville was already damaged beyond repair before I even came here,” he said, “and as for trying to improve it, I’m not even that good of a miracle worker.”
“But *you* did improve the reputation Lex, since you’ve been here. You managed to save the jobs when your father wanted you to cut 20% of the workforce. You saved everyone when Earl Jenkins went a little psycho. I mean I can’t speak for everyone at the plant, but my dad likes you and respects you as a boss, and he says a lot of the others workers do as well.”
Lex smiled at her, “and what about you Chloe?” Do you *like* me?”
Yeah sure…sure I like you,” she said. ‘Next question quick,’ her mind screamed. She cleared her throat, “and have any plans been made to reactivate Level Three?”
“I like you too Chloe,” he said leaning in, he didn’t even hear her question; being this close to her was intoxicating. ‘And we’re going to get a *lot* closer,’ he thought, as visions of naked skin on naked skin flooded his mind.
“Well…ok…that’s nice, I’m glad we’ve got that out of the way,” she stuttered, she could feel his breath on her face, “so…so about my question.” ‘Damn he is *sexy*,’ she thought and felt a heat flow through her.
“You are so desirable,” he whispered, his lips moving to her ear. She shuddered when she felt them gently caress the sensitive shell of her ear. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to be desired?” Lex moved his hands, one rested on her knee; the other cupped her chin gently.
“L-L-Lex,” she stammered, closing her eyes as she tried to get control over her body.
Lex moved his lips from her ear across her cheek and over her jaw line, hardly touching her skin at all. He stopped when they were over her lips. When Chloe looked into his eyes she gasped softly, they were so dark they were almost black.
“Do you know how *good* I can make you feel Chloe?” His lips were so close to hers that when he spoke she could feel them move. The hand on her knee went under the skirt she was wearing and he moved it to her thigh. “I could make you burn Chloe, make you so incoherent with desire you would hardly be able to say your name?”
‘Oh my GOD,’ she thought. His words and voice were driving her crazy, she could feel her nipples harden and each word he uttered caused a throb between her legs. ‘I’m going to explode, and he’s only talking, what will I be like when he really touches me? Oops where did that come from?’
His hand slipped between her legs and rubbed her inner thigh and she couldn’t think anymore, everything was now about the sensations that Lex was creating within her. The other hand left her chin and moved down her neck, his long fingers caressing the flesh. It moved past her neck, over her collarbone down her shirt and rested on her breast. He cupped it gently through the silk of her shirt and ran his thumb over the already hard nipple. A ragged moan escaped her lips.
“So hot,” he whispered against her mouth. She was so close to giving in, he could feel it. His own need was getting beyond his control; all she needed was that one last push and she would then surrender to him. He moved his hand slowly up her thigh and cupped her groin, rubbing through her panties feeling her get wet.
“Lex,” she whimpered, rocking her hips gently.
Finally he pressed his lips to hers, “open for me Chloe,” he murmured.
She couldn’t resist him, she was so aroused and eagerly opened her mouth; Lex sucked her tongue into his mouth and coiled his own around it. Her notebook and tape recorder fell to the floor as she moved her arms around his neck. With expertise Lex unbuttoned her shirt halfway with one hand, while the other still stroked her gently.
Lex released her mouth, so both could breathe. Chloe panted heavily as she looked at him through half-closed eyes. She licked her kiss-swollen lips and Lex groaned loudly, leaning forward to kiss her again. Chloe allowed herself to be pushed back onto the couch. ‘This is madness,’ her self-reason shouted. But her body wanted so much more.
She ran a hand over his smooth head and he moaned into her mouth. He removed his hand from between her legs and began to pull her skirt up…
“Mr Luthor I have those papers for you,” a voice sounded as a man entered the room. Lex jumped up from the couch, “what the fuck are you doing? I said I wanted NO interruptions.”
“But…but,” the man stammered, “Alice…Alice said it was ok.”
“You’re *fired*,” said Lex.
“W-What?”
“FIRED, now get the fuck out of here,” he shouted. The man’s face paled, he dropped the papers in his hands onto the floor and practically ran out of the room.
When Lex turned back to Chloe she had fixed her clothes and was picking her things off the floor. “I…I should get going,” she whispered.
Lex bent down and put his hands on hers, “NO Chloe.”
She pulled her hands away and stood up, “yes,” she said. “I don’t know what’s going on, first Whitney kisses me this morning and…”
“Fordman TOUCHED you,” Lex shouted.
Chloe recoiled; she had never seen anyone so angry as Lex was now. “I better go.” And she moved past him. Lex grabbed her arm, “I THINK you should stay.”
She pulled her arm free and continued walking. She could hear Lex coming up behind her and was suddenly frightened. Suddenly the housekeeper appeared at the door, “everything all right?” she asked.
“Yes fine,” muttered Chloe and brushed past her, ran to the front door, down the steps and got into her car, driving off quickly.
“Alice, did I or did I *not* tell you that I wanted no interruptions when Miss Sullivan was here?”
“Yes you did Mr Luthor, but Harry said the papers where important.”
“I see,” said Lex, the famous Luthor cool now evident in his demeanour. “Gather your things, you are fired.”
“I-I’m what? Why?”
Lex rolled his eyes wondering how he managed to get staff that seemed to disobey his requests and stutter when the got news they didn’t like.
“You a fired, you disobeyed a simple request. Goodbye.”
“But…”
“GOOD BYE.”
With a sob the woman left the room. Lex walked over to his drinks cabinet and poured himself a large scotch, which he downed in one go. He looked over at the couch and saw Chloe spread before him.
“A slight hiccup in my plans,” he said to himself, “but nothing that can’t be fixed. But first I must have a few words with Whitney Fordman, he needs to know that there are consequences for touching what belongs to Lex Luthor.”
Chapter Six – Scare Tactics
Chloe didn’t stop or think till she had parked her car in front of her house. She opened the front door, and then locked it behind her. Dropping her bag she began pacing the floor of the living room.
“Ok, what the HELL just happened,” she said. “Why is everything so complicated where Lex Luthor is concerned. ‘Come over for an interview Chloe,’ he said. ‘No problem Lex,’ I replied. So I go over there ask two questions and next thing we’re about to have sex on his leather couch. Where did that come from? It was like he set the whole thing up. The interview was just a pretence to get me over there.” She stopped pacing for a moment; her mind trying to figure out a puzzle that she wasn’t even sure was there.
“Something very, very strange is happening,” she said as the pacing began again. “Lex Luthor wanted to have SEX with ME. And even stranger is the fact that I would of let him. My God that man’s hands and mouth should come with a government health warning.” She shivered slightly as her body remembered how Lex had kissed and caressed her till she could deny him nothing.
“I felt nothing when Whitney kissed me, well except the urge to throw up, and I was more freaked out than excited when Clark was going too, but with Lex…” She trailed off for a moment. Things started to make sense, the football guys being nice to her and asking her out on dates; Clark’s attempted kiss, Whitney, Pete’s behaviour, and then mister seduction himself Lex.
“When did I suddenly become Miss Irresistible? Last week things were their usual self, Clark moped over Lana, Pete was Pete, football jocks teased me, Whitney practically said nothing to me; and Lex Luthor and I had a civil enough acquaintance. And now, it seems, everyone WANTS me.”
She flopped onto the couch and buried her head in her hands sighing deeply. “What’s going on?” she whispered, “nothing strange has happened as far as I know, things on the meteor front have been quiet as of late. I don’t think aliens abducted me. The only thing was my late night dip in the pond…”
She jumped up, “the pond. But it was just a pond, I found nothing to make me think otherwise. But what else could it be? Nothing else, that’s just it, and why am I arguing, contradicting and agreeing with myself?”
She laughed a little to herself. “Right what do I do now? Well first go check the pond, second conduct a little experiment to see if I am irresistible and thirdly find out how the fuck I can make it go away.” She was actually a little uncomfortable with all the male attention, but a large part of her liked the fact that the normally cool and aloof Lex Luthor would go to so much trouble to get her alone.
“Oh shit,” she suddenly exclaimed, “I don’t think Lex is going to be put off by what happened earlier. Mental note to self, try to avoid him.” In her mind she ran through the classes she had tomorrow and deciding her academic career wouldn’t suffer if she didn’t go in she made up her mind to pull a sick day and go look at the lake.
Feeling a little better that she wasn’t going mad and that some elaborate joke wasn’t be played at her expense Chloe decided to have an early night.
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Next Morning
Chloe woke from a dream filled sleep. A sleep full of Lex Luthor and what would have happened had they not been interrupted. Shaking her head to clear it of fuzzy thoughts she sat up. “Ok Chloe, full-on research mode.”
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Lex didn’t sleep at all that night. The couple of times he dozed off his dreams were filled with images of making love to Chloe and each time he woke up he had to fight to urge to go over to her house and finish what he had started.
The rest of his staff had tiptoed around him all evening having heard the shouting and the two dismissals and decided not to push their luck.
After showering and dressing Lex went to his study to make some calls, deciding to go look for Whitney Fordman later.
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Chloe traipsed through the woods towards were the pond was. She was feeling much better. The thought of finally getting to the bottom of what was going on had improved her mood. As soon as she verified her findings she could then worry about how she was going to deal with Lex.
She weaved her way through the trees towards the little clearing. “Ok pond,” she said, “let’s find out what’s wrong…”
She trailed off when she saw the area bare. There was no sign of the pond, actually there was no evidence of there EVER been a pond there. “What happened?” She muttered as she made her way over to where there should be a body of water that she had fallen into a few nights ago.
“How can a entire pond disappear? What, was there suddenly a drought that *only* affected this pond? This wasn’t suppose to happen,” she ranted at the dry area. “How DARE you not be there.”
“Ok Chloe, calm down,” she said to herself and took a couple of deep breaths. She looked around the area and all it looked like was the rest of the woodland ground. “What am I going to do now?” she sighed.
She crouched down to run her hand over the area and then stood up again letting out another deep sigh. She didn’t hear the person come up behind her.
“Gotcha,” they said.
Chloe screamed and turned around to see Clark standing there, a big grin on his face.
“Jesus Christ Clark, what are you doing? You nearly gave me a heart attack,” she said when she had gotten over the shock. “I think I’ve aged about twenty years. What are you doing here?”
Clark just smiled at her ramblings. “I think I should be asking you why are you here? I thought you were *sick*.”
“I had to check something out,” she said, “and why aren’t you at school?”
Clark just shrugged his shoulders. When he heard that she had called in sick he went by her place and seeing the car gone went looking for her. He spotted the car parked out on the road and used his x-ray vision to find her. Using his vision once again he looked through her clothes and a sly grin crossed his face when he saw the cream lacy underwear that she had on. ‘God, Chloe wears incredibly sexy underwear,’ he thought.
Chloe saw the strange look on Clarks face coupled with the grin and for some strange reason felt weird, it was like he was looking through her and she felt almost naked. “Hey Kent, you still with us?” She said, hoping the break the moment.
“Oh I’m still here,” he said, moving towards her. Chloe took an involuntary step back. She had wanted to test out her so-called *irresistibility* but she hadn’t pictured it taking place in the middle of the woods or with Clark. Lex had been the one she wanted to *test* it on. And she felt kind of uncomfortable now.
“Well I’d better head back home,” she said, and began walking past Clark. “There’s no need to leave,” said Clark, grabbing her gently by the wrist, “not yet anyway.” He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Em Clark, what…what are you doing?”
“What I wanted to do when Lex interrupted us,” he said and pressed his mouth to hers. ‘So unlike Lex,’ she thought. Clark continued to kiss her and while it was pleasant enough it didn’t set her on fire like Lex’s kisses did.
Chloe pulled back, “Clark, we’re friends, what going on now?”
“Let’s just say Chloe that my eyes have been opened and I can finally see that I’ve been wasting my time pursuing Lana.”
“Really, and now all of a sudden you’re what, going to *pursue* me?”
“Yep, that’s pretty much it,” he said with a grin.
“Well Clark as nice as that sentiment sounds,” She replied, stepping out of his arms, “I don’t want to be pursued.” ‘Well not by you,’ she thought.
“Do you really think you have a choice in this Chloe?” said Clark matter-of-factly. “I can’t resist you, my every waking moment is filled with thoughts of you and then at night my dreams are the same. I can’t get you out of my mind Chloe.”
‘Could he *be* anymore clichéd,’ she thought. “I mean it Clark, I’ll never speak to you again. We’re friends and I would like that to continue.”
“Friends is NOT enough Chloe.” He stalked closer and for the first time since she had known him Chloe was actually afraid of Clark. Chloe decided to change tactics and get Clark into a better mood. “I didn’t mean it like that Clark, it’s just going to take me awhile to get *use* to the change in our relationship,” she began, “maybe we could move things along slowly and secretly.” ‘Very secretly,’ she thought.
Clark thought abut what she said for a moment then gave her a nig smile. “Ok, we can take it slowly, but I want everyone to know we’re together.”
‘Shit,’ she thought. She reached her hand out and began rubbing his chest gently. “Please Clark, let’s keep it secret.” Clark shivered at the feel of her hand. ”Ok,” he said and Chloe breathed a sigh of relief and let him kiss her again. “You should get back to school,” she said when they parted. “I need to…to get home because my dad will be calling.”
“I suppose,” sighed Clark, “but I *will* be waiting for you tomorrow to go to school.”
“I look forward to it,” she lied and they walked back to her car. “I’d give you a ride Clark, but the school thinks I’m sick.”
“It’s ok Chloe, I’ll make my own way back.” He kissed her cheek and she got into her, waved to him and took off as fast as she could for her house.
Clark smiled till she was out of sight and then ran back to school.
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“Mr Fordman, a word if you don’t mind,” said Lex as he approached the football player. They were at the back of the school and no one else was around. “What do *you* want?” said Whitney turning to face Lex.
“I just wanted to give you some advice, advice that you should take for your own well-being.”
“Quit talking in riddles Luthor.”
“Mr Fordman, I will say this only once,” said Lex as he walked right up to Whitney, “stay away from Chloe.”
A smug grin appeared on Whitney’s face, “you don’t *own* her Luthor, I can *go* near her if I like.”
“SHE is *MINE* Fordman.”
“Really now, well she let *me* kiss her. Bet you haven’t got that close.”
‘That and a lot more,’ thought Lex and caught someone approaching out of the corner of his eye. “What Chloe and I do is none of your business,” he said with a smirk.
“I asked her out,” said a smug Whitney.
“And she turned you down and kicked you out of her car,” said Pete coming around the corner. He had caught Whitney’s last comment. ‘Advantage me,’ thought Lex. “Mr Ross you have impeccable timing.”
Pete barely acknowledged Lex’s presence; his fury was directed at Whitney. Even since Chloe had told him about the incident yesterday he had been trying to get Fordman alone. “Mr Fordman here was going on and on about the numerous ungentle-manly things he wanted to do with *your* friend Chloe.”
“As if Chloe would be interested in *you*,” sneered Pete at Whitney.
“Better chance than you Ross.” By now they were face to face, their fists clenched by their sides. ‘Well my work here is done,’ thought Lex and left, his leaving went unnoticed by the other two. “Bastard.” Lex heard Pete say and then the crunching sound of a fist connecting with a jaw.
Lex smiled to himself as he headed to his car.
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By the time Chloe had got home she was seriously considering joining a convent. Of course she had thought about what it would be like to be desired by every man but never did she think it would be like this. Her best friend had all but threatening her to go out with him. Lex Luthor was staking his claim on her.
She flopped down on the couch and sighed, “I think another sick day tomorrow is in order,” she mumbled to herself. She closed her eyes and sighed again. A couple of minutes later the doorbell rang. “Go away,” she shouted. But the bell rang again. “Damn it,” she said and got up. Opening the door she saw a deliveryman standing there with what looked like about fifty roses in his hands. Whites, yellows and pinks of every shade made up the large bouquet.
“Miss Sullivan?” he asked with a smile. Chloe nodded and he pushed the flowers into her hands, “Wish these were from me,” he said, looking intently at her. Chloe rolled her eyes. “Thanks,” she muttered and stepped back to close the door.
“Are you busy tonight,” he asked as she closed over the door. “Unfortunately I’m *very* busy for the next five years,” and shut the door in his face. “Call me if you’re free,” he shouted through the door. She struggled into the kitchen and put the flowers on the kitchen table. “They are really beautiful,” she said as she looked for a card. Although she had guessed they were probably from Lex Luthor.
A knock on the back door startled her slightly. “Now what?” Cautiously she went over to the door, but didn’t open it. She glanced out the window but didn’t see anyone or thing. A second knock, louder this time, echoed throughout the kitchen. Taking a deep breath she opened the door a little and then opened it wide.
Leaning against the doorframe was Lex, twirling a single red rose between his fingers. “Miss me, my love?” he said with a smirk.
************************************
Under a Bewitching Spell
Author: RuaFair (AKA Fiona)
Email: redwitchire@yahoo.co.uk
Rating: R
Spoilers: Everything to date to be safe-Season 1 & 2
Disclaimer: Smallville and its characters belong to someone else. (Sigh) I’m just borrowing them.
Feedback: Please, let me know what you think, the muse craves it.
A/N: This was inspired by email conversations with Hope and sort of borrows the plot from ‘Heat’ but mutated for my own needs. For this story Whitney is still in Smallville and sort of dating Lana. Lionel is around as well but not blind. And Clark will be infected like everyone else. Clark and Chloe are just friends there was never anything else, the same goes for Pete.
Chapter One – Candy Perfume Girl
“I *so* need to get a life,” muttered Chloe Sullivan as she crouched down in the bushes. She was cold, tired, wet and wanted to go home; in fact she should be at home not in the middle of the woods, in the dark and all alone. She had overheard, well not so much overheard she was actually eavesdropping, two people talking about a little pond in the woods that seemed to glow an eerie green colour. So Chloe’s reporter sense got tingling and she figured it was another meteor related phenomena and she *had* to check it out.
Granted it would have been nice to get Clark or Pete to come with her, but Clark had Lana to moon over and Pete had dumb football practise. She stretched one leg and then the other out in front of her trying to get the circulation going.
She had been sitting there for almost two hours and nothing, absolutely nothing had happened. The pond was about fifteen feet from her, looking exactly like a pond, with *no* eerie glow. She sighed loudly, switched off her digital camera and stuffed it back into her bag. Standing up she groaned at the pain in her back brought on by sitting in the same position for two hours.
“What a waste of time,” she said to the night air; she dropped her bag on the ground and walked over to the pond. When she reached the edge her foot got caught in the grass and she tripped, landing in the water and completely submerging. For the few seconds it took her to get her head above water a green glow emanated around, unseen by Chloe.
She coughed and spluttered and dragged herself out. “I do *not* believe this,” she said, “Knowing my luck I’ll catch pneumonia.” After a minute she stood up, closed her eyes and counted to ten, trying to keep her anger in check. She opened them again, picked up her bag and made her way back to her car, muttered and mumbling all the way.
“Ugh I stink.” She got in, opened all the windows and set off for her house. ‘Home, hot shower, bed,’ ran through her mind as she drove.
Forty-five minutes later she arrived home. Thanking the Gods her father was away for a few weeks. She was so not in the mood for a lecture. She trudged up the stairs to the bathroom, where she peeled her clothes off, threw them in the laundry basket and stood under the shower. “Much better,” she whispered as the hot water soothed her muscles.
After awhile she got out, dried off and got ready for bed. Sitting on her bed she took out her notebook and crossed off {Check the pond out}.
“Note to self,” she murmured as she got into bed and turned off the light, “find another hobby to stop oneself getting obsessed with the meteors.” Yawning loudly she curled up and was asleep within minutes.
As she slept her body glowed at first a bright green and then dimmed until she was her normal pale self again.
Meanwhile back in the woods the pond Chloe fell into had completely dried up, and all evidence of it ever being there had disappeared.
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Next Morning
“She’s late,” said Pete as he and Clark stood in the Torch office waiting for Chloe. “You don’t think anything happened to her, do you?”
“She’s just a little late Pete, it’s not like it’s the first time either,” said Clark.
“It’s just that she was checking something out in the woods last night, she rang me but I couldn’t go, I had football practise and then a date…”
“She went out on her own then,” gasped Clark, “why…why didn’t she call me?”
“Chill Clark. She said she rang your place before calling me but your mom said you weren’t there.”
“I was at the Talon with Lex for awhile and then ended up helping Lana out,” said Clark with a sigh.
“Do you get the impression we’ve been…well…ignoring Chloe as of late?”
Clark was silent for a moment. It was true that he hadn’t seen as much of his blonde friend lately. She seemed to have really thrown herself into the paper. Always running after anything that remotely seemed like a meteor story. Chloe didn’t have many friends other than Pete and himself. She was sort of friendly when talking to Lana, and although didn’t know Lex very well the few times they had spoken they were friendly enough.
“Maybe we have a little Pete,” he replied, “but look at it this way if she was pissed at us about it she’d let us know. Right?”
Pete grinned, “Yeah, you’re right. Chlo wouldn’t be one too keep quiet about it.”
“Let’s leave her a note,” said Clark, “and she can follow us.”
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“Shit,” muttered Chloe as she drove towards the school when she realised the time. She was late in meeting Clark and Pete. The three of them had decided to get together for the day seeing as how they weren’t spending as much time together as of late. “Well I’d need to be a jock for Pete to hang around with me these days,” she said to herself. “And unless I’m bald and look like Lana Lang, Clark’s not interested.”
She paused for a moment and then laughed out loud, almost losing control of her car as she pictured a *bald Lana Lang*. Deciding she needed coffee before facing Pete and Clark and the fact she was already late she parked in front of the Beanery.
She hopped out and ran in, not noticing the looks on all the men inside threw at her as she passed them, nor did she notice the figure the entered the coffee house after her. “Large cappuccino please,” she ordered when she got to the counter. Chloe drummed her fingers on the counter top as she waited.
“Black coffee please,” a familiar masculine voice behind her said. Recognising it, Chloe turned around and found herself nose to chest with Lex Luthor. She looked up to see him smiling down at her. ‘Wait,’ she thought, ‘he’s smiling, actually smiling, not smirking.’
“Miss Sullivan.”
“Mr. Luthor,” she retorted. He just stood looking at her and Chloe found it a little unsettling but she couldn’t quite drag her eyes from his.”
“Your coffee miss,” said a voice. The moment lost, she turned to the waitress, “thanks,” she said and reached out with her money. “This is on me,” said Lex, putting his hand over hers. The waitress nodded and went to get Lex’s coffee.
“Thanks Mr Luthor,” said Chloe removing her hand from under his and moving away from him. Lex inhaled deeply as she passed, her scent filling his senses. “MMMMM,” he murmured.
“Did you say something?” asked Chloe, turning to face him again.
“You smell delicious Chloe,” he said, drawing out her name, “a new perfume?”
“No…no I don’t wear perfume,” she stammered, moving back from him. “Even better,” he said, smiling at her again.
“Oh o-k, I have to go, thanks for the coffee,” she said. “See ya.” With that she turned and almost ran out of the Beanery. “Strange,” she muttered as she went to her car.
“Hi beautiful,” some guy walking past said. Chloe looked around her to see whom he was talking too, and on seeing no one else pinched herself. “*Ouch*,” she exclaimed. “Well at least I’m awake. It must be lack of sleep and caffeine.” She got in and started her car.
Back in the Beanery Lex watched as the man smiled at Chloe. He glared at his retreating back before turning back to Chloe and watched till she drove out of sight; unaware that every other man’s eye was watching her as well.
Chapter Two – Freaky Day
Chloe walked slowly from her car to the school entrance. After looking around to make sure no one was watching she brought her arm to her nose and sniffed. All she smelt was the detergent she used to clean her coat. ‘Luthor was probably just teasing me,’ she thought. As she made her way to the Torch to see the others, she saw several *players* from the football standing around the lockers.
Chloe groaned when she saw them. Taking a deep breath she braced herself for the inevitable jokes that she usually got from them. ‘Bunch of Neanderthals,’ she thought. Picking up the pace she moved passed them.
“Hey Chlo, looking good,” one of them shouted. This stopped her in her tracks but she didn’t look back, ‘ah new *tactics*,’ she thought and started walking again.
“Hi Chloe.” She turned to see Whitney Fordman walking beside her. “Hello,” she replied suspiciously, waiting for whatever the punch line to the joke they were playing on her to drop. “You look nice today,” he said.
‘What the fuck is going on?’ she thought. “Yeah, right, thanks,” and she walked faster. “Maybe I’ll see you later,” he said as she got to the door. “What-ever,” replied Chloe as she went in, shutting and locking the door behind her.
When she got inside she leaned against the door for a moment, and the noticed that the office was empty. She checked her watch again, “jeez, I’m a little late and they decide not too wait for me,” she said and threw her hands up in the air.” She sighed again and sat in her chair. There she saw the note stuck to her computer screen.
{Chlo,
Hung around for a while then went to the Talon. Meet you there. Clark}
“Argh,” she said, banging her hands on the desk. “I hate men, boys, men-boys, whatever they are. I am swearing off them. Ok not that I had a hectic social to begin with but that’s not the point.” She stopped in mid-rant when she realised she was trying to reason with herself and gave a little laugh. “The Talon,” she said, “so much for the *three* of us spending the afternoon together.” She crumpled up the note and threw it in the wastebasket. She put her ear against the door and heard nothing. “Good they’re gone.” Grabbing her bag she headed for the Talon.
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Lex watched as Chloe left the school and got into her car. He followed her to the Talon and waited till she went in before parking his own car behind hers and following her inside.
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Chloe looked around and spotted Clark and Pete at the counter with *Lana*. ‘Ok Chloe,’ she thought, ‘let’s get ready to be ignored.’ She walked over to them, plastered a smile on her face, “hey guys, sorry I’m late,” she said as she positioned herself between them.
Clark’s face broke out into one of his mega-watt grins. “Chloe,” he said as he hugged her. She missed the glare Pete threw Clark as she almost got smothered in his arms. “Yeah, good to see you too Clark,” she said when he let her go, turning to Pete she tried to say hello but he grabbed her and hugged her. Lana looked on in confusion as Clark and Pete glared at each other.
Meanwhile seated in the corner out of sight Lex watched the proceedings with an almost murderous look in his eye. ‘How dare they touch her,’ he thought.
Chloe stepped back from Pete. “Ok guys I know we haven’t seen each other since yesterday but that welcome was a little over the top.” She grinned at them.
“Let’s sit over her,” said Clark grabbing her hand and dragging her over to a table. “I’ll get you a coffee Chlo,” said Pete.
Chloe was more or less deposited in the chair and Clark sat opposite her still holding her hand. “Hey, there’s only two seats, where’s Pete gonna sit?”
“Never mind that” said Clark, “wow you look great.” Chloe looked down at her outfit, long red skirt, and flowery shirt, not really Versace, why did everyone keep saying she looked great? Pete came over with two coffees. “Sorry Clark I forgot yours,” he said with a smirk.
Clark glared at Pete and resisted the urge to use his super speed to get it. He got up and went over to the counter mumbling under his breath. As soon as he left Pete sat in the seat he had vacated. “Thanks for the coffee Pete.”
Pete grinned at her, “no problem, by the way you look…”
“Great, I know,” exclaimed Chloe, “what the hell is going on with everyone today? Where you all taken over by aliens?” A group of the football players passed by their table. “Hi Chloe.” “Hey Chlo.” “Looking good Chloe.” They said with smiles.
“I must be coming down with some sort of brain fever,” she muttered to herself, “either that or Smallville has gone completely mad.”
In his corner, Lex sipped on his coffee. “Amateurs,” he whispered, “none of them have an idea how to compliment let alone *seduce* a woman.”
“Here’s your coffee Clark,” said Lana, aiming her brightest smile at him.
“Yeah thanks,” he said absently, his eyes still focussed on Chloe. Picking up his coffee he said nothing else to Lana and made his way back over to Chloe. Lana looked baffled, but brightened up again when Whitney came in. He didn’t head to the counter to her but stopped at Chloe’s table. Lana narrowed her eyes, ‘what’s going on?’ she thought.
“Hi again Chloe,” said Whitney with a smile. “Hi Whitney,” she said, wondering if she was actually having a really vivid waking dream. She stood up and so did Pete. “I’ll be back in a minute,” she said. “I’ll go with you,” said Clark. Chloe rolled her eyes, “I’m going to the bathroom, I do *not* need an escort.” Walking quickly away she didn’t stop till she was in the bathroom.
She checked around and thanked the Gods that it was empty. She stood looking at herself in the mirror. “Nope, nothing looks any different,” she whispered to her reflection. “If this is some elaborate joke that *everyone* is playing on me I will *so* not be responsible for my actions.”
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Back outside Clark, Pete and Whitney just stood around glaring at each other. “Oh look Fordman, Lana’s calling you,” said Clark. “Maybe it’s *you* she calling Kent,” he replied. “Actually I think she’s calling the both of you,” said Pete. But none of them moved.
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Chloe slipped quietly out of the bathroom and stood at the door. She saw Clark, Pete and Whitney. ‘I really don’t want to go back over there,’ she thought, ‘I wonder if I can sneak out the back door.’
She had just reached the door when a voice stopped her. “Going so soon Chloe?”
‘Not again,’ she thought. “Hello again Mr Luthor,” she said turning to face him. “Call me Lex,” he said, moving closer to her. “You seem in a hurry.”
“Yeah, I need to go home, my dad’s gonna be calling from the conference and I have…*stuff*… yeah, stuff to do.” Not the best answer but being around Lex Luthor made her kind of nervous and sometimes it took a while for her snark factor to kick in around him.
“And how long is he away for?”
“For another week,” she said. ‘Did he get closer?’ she thought.
‘Another week onto that will be even better,’ thought Lex. “Well let me walk you to your car.” He held the door open for her and placed his hand on the small of her back as she walked out. His hand lingered a little longer before he reluctantly removed it. He moved closer to her as they walked. He was so close she could feel his arm brush against hers. “You are unusually quiet Chloe.”
“I’m just having a very weird day and I’m trying to figure out what’s going on. Maybe I’m just coming down with…something. Anyway here’s my car, thank Mr…Lex.”
Lex reached into his pocket and pulled out a small business card and a pen; he scribbled something on the back and handed it to Chloe. “Give me a call and we’ll arrange that interview, if you are still interested of course.”
Chloe smiled at him and took the card, her fingers brushing his as she did. Lex took a sharp intake of breath at the contact. “Are you sure?” she asked, wondering what had changed his mind. Lex just nodded at her. “Oh then I still want too,” she said. With that she got into her car. She rolled down her window, “I’ll call you about the interview. Bye,” she said before driving off.
“Oh, I’m *counting* on it Chloe,” he said as her car disappeared. He took out his cell phone and dialled. “This is Lex Luthor,” he said when it was answered at the other end. “The conference Gabe Sullivan is at is due to end in a week, make sure he’s booked for the next one. Don’t worry about fees or his accommodation; Luthor-Corp will be taking care of that. Thank you.” And he hung up, heading for his car with a smile on his face.
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When Chloe got home she looked at the card and saw that he had written his private number on the back. “Wow, Lex Luthor’s private telephone number. Wonder how much that is worth.” She kicked off her shoes and sat on the couch. “I really should ring Clark and Pete and tell them I’ve left, but the way they’ve been acting, maybe not. Anyway with *Lana* there they’ll soon forget me.”
She switched on the TV, “what a freaky day, football players being nice to me, Clark and Pete being very weird, although that’s not too freaky. But *Lex Luthor* agreeing to another interview, now that is strange, but I’m not gonna complain.”
And as she watched the TV her mind was filling with the questions she was going to ask him when she arranged the interview.
Chapter Three – War Declared
Chloe woke up late. After showering and dressing she sat at the kitchen table sipping her first coffee of the day. She held the card Lex had given her; ever since she got home yesterday evening she had been dying to call him to arrange the interview. She still couldn’t believe that Lex Luthor had actually *volunteered* to give an interview, and she wanted to call him as soon as possible to arrange it before he changed his mind.
As she was mulling over whether or not to pick up the phone to call him, it rang. “Hello,” she said.
“Hi sweetheart.”
“Hi dad, wow two calls in the space of 12 hours, miss me that much.”
On the other end of the line, Gabe laughed. “Of course I miss you Chlo. Listen I’m just ringing to tell you that in addition to this week, I’m going to be here for another week onto that.”
“Why? I thought the conference was only going on for a week.”
“This one is, but I’ve been signed up for another one, some management thing. Lex Luthor recommended me personally.”
Chloe smiled to herself at obvious pride in her dad’s voice as he said that. “Well dad you deserve it, you practically run that plant.”
“Thanks sweetheart. So are you ok with me being gone for two weeks?”
“No I want you home right now,” she joked, “of course it’s ok, you wow them dad.”
“I’ll try and I’ll call regularly. Take care. Love you.”
“I love you too dad. Have fun. Bye.”
“Bye,” said Gabe and hung up.
Chloe sighed as she hung up the phone. While part of her was delighted that her dad was getting the recognition he deserved and the fact she had the house to herself for two weeks; the other part really missed him, since it was only the two of them they were close.
“Right,” she said to the empty kitchen, snapping herself out of her funk, “its Sunday, there is still plenty of the day left, what will I do?” As she tried to think of something other than Torch work the phone rang again.
“Hello.”
“Hi Chlo, its Clark.”
“Hey Kent how are you?”
“I’m good, listen I was wondering if you wanted to come over, I’ve finished my chores and we could I don’t know hang out and watch movies or something.”
‘Problem of what to do solved,’ she thought. “Sure Clark I’d love too, I’ll be over in an hour.”
“Perfect. See you then,” said a very happy Clark.
“Ok, bye Clark.” “Bye.”
Chloe hung up and smiled to herself as she tidied up the kitchen.
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Chloe pulled her car up in front of the Kent’s house and got out. “Hello,” she said knocking at the back door. “Hi Chloe, come on in,” said Martha Kent. “Hi Mrs Kent,” as she entered the kitchen.
“How are you Chloe with your dad away?”
“I’m fine, it’s kind of nice having the house to myself but I do miss him.”
Martha just smiled at her. “Well Clark is in the barn with his dad if you want to head out to him. Oh are you staying for dinner?”
“I don’t know yet, but I’ll let you know soon.”
“Ok. Have fun.”
Chloe left and headed to the barn. “Clark,” she said, looking around. She went to climb the stairs to Clark’s *Fortress of Solitude* when she collided with Jonathan Kent. “Oops Mr Kent, I’m sorry.”
“Chloe,” he said, “are you ok?” His hands on her arms to stop her from falling.
“Yes, nothing broken.” She smiled at him; “I was looking for Clark.”
“Oh he’s around somewhere,” said Jonathan, his hands lightly rubbing her arms, which she barely noticed.
“Chloe, you made it,” said Clark as he entered the barn, and then stopped and glared when he saw his dad with her.
Chloe stepped away from Jonathan, “hey Clark, just had a collision with your dad. But everyone is ok.”
Clark stepped closer and Chloe found she was almost sandwiched between father and son. “I think mom was calling you,” he said to his father. Jonathon just smiled at Chloe, “see you later Chloe,” and left the barn. “Did you and your dad have an argument?” asked Chloe, “there just seemed to be a little tension between you.”
“No, not at all. Come on let’s go,” and he took her hand and they went upstairs to his fortress.
A few hours later they were still sitting on the couch; Chloe had her head against Clark’s shoulder as she watched the movie. Clark was more focussed on her and used his x-ray vision to look through her shirt, he groaned softly when he saw the pale green silky bra underneath. He moved his gaze down and let out a louder groan when he saw her matching panties.
“Are you ok Clark?” asked Chloe looking up at him. Clark said nothing; he just moved his hand and cupped her cheek. ‘Ok what’s going on here?’ she thought. He leaned forward to kiss her…
“Clark, hope I’m not *interrupting* anything?”
Chloe pulled back and saw Lex Luthor standing there with, from what she could tell, a rather angry look on his face. Clark jumped up and faced Lex, his hands clenched in fists by his sides. Chloe looked at both of them, ‘jeez they look really angry with each other; I wonder what’s going on. Has Clark pissed everybody off?’ she thought. She jumped up herself and stood between them. “Hi Lex,” she said smiling at him.
Lex felt his mood lighten when he saw her smile, he had been watching from outside and when he saw Clark lean down to kiss Chloe he just lost it. He had never felt anything like the anger that coursed through his body at the thought of Clark kissing her or any man other than himself for that matter.
“Can I do something for you Lex?” asked Clark, keeping his temper in check. “No, not really, I just popped by to say hello,” Lex replied smoothly. “I didn’t know you had company,” he lied.
“Clark and I were just hanging out watching movies,” said Chloe, “so you haven’t really interrupted anything. Isn’t that right Clark?” she said turning to her friend.
Clark shook his head and turned his gaze from Lex to Chloe. He grinned at her for a moment before looking back to Lex, “no Lex, you *didn’t* interrupt.”
Silence descended over them, Chloe watched as Lex and Clark threw, what only could be described as murderous, looks at each other. “So,” she said clapping her hands together, “why don’t you join us Lex? If it’s ok with you Clark?”
“It’s fine,” muttered Clark, sitting back down on the couch. Chloe sighed and sat down beside him, she really didn’t want to act as a referee between them, she didn’t know what was going on but they were mad at each other over something. Lex smirked to himself as he sat down on the other side of Chloe. ‘Great,’ she thought, ‘sandwiched again.’ Because the couch was quite small for three people, Lex’s thigh was pressed up against her and when he laid his hand on it his fingers gently brushed against her thigh. And although the contact was minimal Chloe felt shivers run down her spine.
They sat in silence watching the movie, although none of them where paying any attention to it. Chloe was thinking back to when Clark almost kissed her, and how weird that was. She was also trying to figure out what had caused the rift that seemed to have appeared in Lex and Clark’s friendship. Clark was internally cursing Lex for his incredibly bad timing, and Lex was wondering where to hide Clark’s body after he killed him. But mainly Lex and Clark’s thoughts were filled with the sensation of having Chloe so close to them.
Clark stretched his arm out and it rested on the back of the couch, his hand almost touching Lex’s shoulder. Lex smirked when he saw what Clark had done, ‘pure amateur,’ he thought. Chloe started fidgeting, the silence and the tension finally getting to her. Her movement caused her leg to brush more insistently against Lex’s.
Clark leaned closer to Chloe, and at the same time so did Lex. ‘Right,’ she thought, ‘that’s it, I’m going to get squashed if they don’t stop.’
She jumped up quickly causing Clark to fall forward and he ended up with his head in Lex’s lap. Chloe burst out laughing at the sight. Clark leapt up as if he had been scalded; Lex just stared at Chloe’s laughing face, completely ignoring Clark and what happened. “Oh that was priceless” she said when she managed to stop laughing, “I wish I had my camera.”
A moment later her mood sobered up. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you, but there is definitely something off. And I refuse to play referee to whatever argument you’ve had. But *get it sorted*, you are both friends and I’m sure whatever it is it isn’t worth your friendship. And on that note I’m going home, I’ve suddenly remembered some work I have to do for the Torch. I can find my own way out,” she added when Clark moved towards her.
“I’ll see *you* at school tomorrow Clark, and I’ll see *you* around Lex.” With that she left saying goodbye to Mrs. Kent along the way.
When she had gone, Clark and Lex faced each other again. “Well Clark I had better be going myself.”
Clark grabbed Lex’s arm, “I *know* what you’re up Lex and it’s not going to work.”
Lex shook his arm free, “I have no idea what you are talking about Clark.” He walked down the stairs, left the barn and went to his car, taking off in a screech of tyres.
“If it’s a war that you want Clark,” Lex said as he sped along the roads, “be prepared to *lose*. I always get *who* I want.”
Chapter Four – From Famine to Feast to the Lion’s Den
Chloe took her time driving to school. Because of the abrupt ending to her afternoon with Clark yesterday she hand managed to get a lot of work done when she got home. She hoped that Clark and Lex had managed to patch things up, and part of her was dying to know what they were arguing about.
As she drove along she saw Whitney Fordman waiting for the bus. ‘Should I stop,’ she thought, ‘well he was nice to you on Saturday,’ her inner voice spoke. Taking a deep breath she pulled the car up beside the bus stop and rolled down the window. “Hi Whitney, do you want a ride to school?” she asked.
Whitney’s face broke out into a big smile when he saw that it was Chloe. “I’d love too,” he said and jumped into the passenger seat, “my car is in the garage.”
Chloe just smiled at him and took off again. They drove along in silence and Chloe felt like she was being watched. She turned her head from the road briefly to look at Whitney and saw that he was staring intently at her.
“What?” she said, “do I have something on my face?”
“No,” he grinned, “you look beautiful.”
The car swerved as she lost control for a moment. “Did you get a particularly bad bang to the head at football practise that has somehow affected your brain, sight and well, sanity?”
“Are you doing anything this evening?” he asked, ignoring her previous question.
“Are you asking me out?”
Whitney nodded.
“Whitney, ‘Lana Lang’s boyfriend, captain of the football team, hater of Clark Kent, leader of the bunch of miscreants that tease me on a regular basis’, Fordman, is asking me, Chloe, ‘hey aren’t you the weird chick that runs the paper and writes all the freaky meteor shit,’ Sullivan, out.”
“Is that a yes?” he said.
‘Chloe you have just entered the Twilight Zone,’ she thought. “And what about Lana?”
“What about her?” said Whitney with a shrug of his shoulders; “Clark is *welcome* to her.”
Chloe brought her car to a screeching halt and turned to face Whitney. “Ok, stop, rewind, playback. Did you just say that CLARK was welcome to LANA? Are you sure you didn’t bang your head? What the hell are you doing asking me out? Is somebody going to jump out with a camera and say, ‘Chloe Sullivan, you’ve been framed.’ And everyone will have a good laugh.”
Before she knew what was happening Whitney had grabbed her face and pressed his lips to hers. She was so shocked she didn’t know what to do. After a moment he pulled back, his hands still holding her face. “So are you doing anything this evening?”
Chloe narrowed her eyes at him and moved her face from his hands. “Yes Whitney I am busy, I’m going to be busy having you committed. Look I don’t know what game you’re playing but I will *not* be used as a ploy for you to make Lana jealous. You and Clark can take your little pissing contest over her and shove it, just keep me the hell out of it. Now get out of my car, you can walk the rest of the way.”
The next thing he knew, Whitney was being pushed out of the car and Chloe was driving off. “So is that a rain check on the date,” he shouted after the car, a smile on his face. After the car was out of sight Whitney started walking towards the school.
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Chloe drove along fuming. She couldn’t believe Whitney would stoop that low as to use her to make Lana jealous. She was so angry she could just scream. After parking her car she stormed her way through the crowds to her first class, completely ignorant of the looks the male population were giving her. “Ah just bite me,” she said when one of them told her she looked good; she was so not in the mood for any of them.
She got through the day on pure anger, she was even more snarky than usual with the teachers and they were *fine* about it. In fact one of the female teachers asked if she was suffering with PMT. Four different guys had asked her out and it had got her so paranoid that she skipped a couple of classes and somehow managed to sneak into every boys bathroom and locker room to make sure there wasn’t graffiti saying, {For a good time, call Chloe Sullivan.} ‘When did I suddenly become the most wanted,’ she thought. ‘I don’t have a date for months and suddenly there’s a choice.’
She had managed to avoid Whitney all day but couldn’t help blushing when she saw Lana. Her anger was weaning but every time she saw a football jacket it rose again and she couldn’t wait for classes to be over. When the last bell rang she ran out of the classroom, dodging and weaving her way through the crowds.
Finally reaching the Torch she flopped down in her chair turned on her computer and began typing furiously about the Caveman attitude of high-school boys. She wanted to get it all written down before her anger subsided.
“Whoa Chlo, don’t kill the keyboard,” said Pete as he entered the office. Chloe turned in her seat and glared at him before going back to the screen. Pete came up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “What has made you so upset?”
Chloe sighed and leaned into Pete’s touch before speaking, “I stopped to give Whitney a ride this morning on the way to school,” she didn’t notice the look in Pete’s eye when she said this, but she did feel his hands tighten on her shoulders. “Anyway we were driving along and he asked me out. Ouch Pete that hurts,” she said when he squeezed tight.
“Oh sorry Chlo, please continue,” he said removing his hands and pacing slowly behind her.
“Ok, where was I? Oh yes, date. I was shocked and made a joke out of it, then I started ranting about Lana etc and then, you are *so* not going to believe this, then…he *kissed* me.”
“I’ll kill him,” growled Pete, “I will KILL him.”
“Hey Pete chill, I told him to get out of the car and I drove off. There is *no way* on earth I’d go out with him, even if Lana wasn’t on the scene.”
Pete forced himself to calm down for Chloe’s sake. But, the thought of anyone kissing her was making his blood boil. He forced a smile at her; “I’m calm.” ‘He is so dead,’ he thought.
“Please Pete, don’t say anything about this. Especially to Clark or Lana, I’d feel so embarrassed. Please Pete.”
“Of course I won’t say anything Chlo. But you tell me if he tries anything again?”
“Oh I don’t think he will. And thanks Pete.” She kissed his cheek, “you’re the best.”
Pete gave Chloe his brightest smile and touched the spot on his cheek where she kissed him when she had turned her back to sit down at her computer again. She continued her typing and Pete just stood looking at her. “What are you waiting for? She asked.
“Just you.”
She turned to face him again. “To walk you to your car,” he added, “are you ready?”
“I’m going to be another while, I want to get this editorial finished. So you head on and I’ll see you later.”
“Oh ok then.” Pete didn’t bother hiding the disappointment in voice, “I’ll see you later,” and he left the room. Chloe thought nothing else of it and continued typing away.
Ten minutes later she finished and saved her document. She took the card with Lex’s number out and before she lost her nerve dialled the cell-phone number.
“Lex Luthor.”
“Hi Lex it’s Chloe.”
“Chloe,” he said the tone of his voice changing completely, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”
Chloe smiled to herself; “I was calling to arrange the interview if you’re still available.”
‘For you I am,’ he thought, “of course I am. When would suit you?”
“Well, how does later on this evening sound? We can meet at the school and do the interview in the Torch Office.”
“That would be perfect Chloe, but it would be better if we conducted the interview at my place,” he replied.
Chloe thought for a moment, “ok then, just keep me away from the windows,” she joked nervously.
‘I’ll be keeping you alright,’ he thought. “Don’t worry Chloe, nothing *bad* will happen to you. So shall I see you at, say, 7.00pm?”
“7.00pm is perfect. I’ll see you then Lex.”
“I look *forward* to it Chloe.”
“Bye Lex.” “Bye Chloe.” And she hung up the phone.
‘Excellent, an interview with Lex later,’ she thought, ‘ok, head home, get changed and go over questions. Leave house a 6.30pm be at Lex’s just before 7.00pm.’
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Chloe parked her car in front of the imposing Luthor castle and got out. She smoothed her long tan coloured skirt and decided against a jacket, her cream silk shirt was warm enough. Grabbing her notebook and tape recorder she made her way up the steps to the main door. She rang the bell and the housekeeper let her in a moment later.
Lex had been watching her from the moment her car came into view. He was in his private study waiting for his housekeeper Alice to show her in. ‘Chloe Sullivan will know she’s mine before she leaves,’ he thought.
“Enter,” he said to the knock on the door.
“Mr Luthor, Miss Sullivan is here,” said Alice, standing out of the way and letting Chloe pass.
“Thank you Alice, you may go.”
The housekeeper left, closing the door behind her. Lex turned to face Chloe, “good evening Chloe,” he said, a knowing smirk on his face.
Chapter Five – Animal Instincts
“Hi Lex,” said Chloe as he moved towards her.
“Why don’t we sit here?” he said, leading her to a ridiculously large black leather couch. ‘Wow this thing is almost as big as my bed,’ she thought as she sat down.
The leather creaked, as she got comfortable. “Can I get you anything Chloe, coffee, water?” he asked, “or maybe something stronger?”
“Lex, I’m too young to drink,” she replied with a smile, “anyway I’m fine for the moment.”
Lex sat on the couch beside her. “Ah yes, too young to drink. And yet you’re old enough to drive, and perhaps more importantly, old enough to *legally* have sex.”
Chloe blushed and bowed her head, suddenly finding the pattern on the carpet the most interesting thing in the world. Lex smiled at her lowered head and took the opportunity to move closer to her. Chloe looked back up when the she heard the sound of the leather and saw that Lex was practically beside her. Lex had a strange effect on her that she didn’t want to over analyse.
She took a couple of deep breaths and took out her notebook and tape recorder, willing herself into *reporter mode*. “Are you ready…” she trailed off when she caught him staring at her intently, a hungry look in his eye. It made her suddenly feel like she was the main course on the menu and it unnerved her.
“Fire away Chloe,” he said his voice slightly lower in tone than earlier, which caused shivers to run down her spine. ‘It’s not like this *interview* is going to last long,’ he thought, ‘I have much more *pleasurable* things to *do* to you.’
She switched on her tape recorder and began making small notes in her notebook. ‘Let’s get on with this,’ she thought.
“Lex, do you think Luthor-Corp’s reputation in the town has been damaged more by all trouble earlier over the proposed plant closure? And what are you doing to try and rectify that?”
“I think Luthor-Corp’s reputation in Smallville was already damaged beyond repair before I even came here,” he said, “and as for trying to improve it, I’m not even that good of a miracle worker.”
“But *you* did improve the reputation Lex, since you’ve been here. You managed to save the jobs when your father wanted you to cut 20% of the workforce. You saved everyone when Earl Jenkins went a little psycho. I mean I can’t speak for everyone at the plant, but my dad likes you and respects you as a boss, and he says a lot of the others workers do as well.”
Lex smiled at her, “and what about you Chloe?” Do you *like* me?”
Yeah sure…sure I like you,” she said. ‘Next question quick,’ her mind screamed. She cleared her throat, “and have any plans been made to reactivate Level Three?”
“I like you too Chloe,” he said leaning in, he didn’t even hear her question; being this close to her was intoxicating. ‘And we’re going to get a *lot* closer,’ he thought, as visions of naked skin on naked skin flooded his mind.
“Well…ok…that’s nice, I’m glad we’ve got that out of the way,” she stuttered, she could feel his breath on her face, “so…so about my question.” ‘Damn he is *sexy*,’ she thought and felt a heat flow through her.
“You are so desirable,” he whispered, his lips moving to her ear. She shuddered when she felt them gently caress the sensitive shell of her ear. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to be desired?” Lex moved his hands, one rested on her knee; the other cupped her chin gently.
“L-L-Lex,” she stammered, closing her eyes as she tried to get control over her body.
Lex moved his lips from her ear across her cheek and over her jaw line, hardly touching her skin at all. He stopped when they were over her lips. When Chloe looked into his eyes she gasped softly, they were so dark they were almost black.
“Do you know how *good* I can make you feel Chloe?” His lips were so close to hers that when he spoke she could feel them move. The hand on her knee went under the skirt she was wearing and he moved it to her thigh. “I could make you burn Chloe, make you so incoherent with desire you would hardly be able to say your name?”
‘Oh my GOD,’ she thought. His words and voice were driving her crazy, she could feel her nipples harden and each word he uttered caused a throb between her legs. ‘I’m going to explode, and he’s only talking, what will I be like when he really touches me? Oops where did that come from?’
His hand slipped between her legs and rubbed her inner thigh and she couldn’t think anymore, everything was now about the sensations that Lex was creating within her. The other hand left her chin and moved down her neck, his long fingers caressing the flesh. It moved past her neck, over her collarbone down her shirt and rested on her breast. He cupped it gently through the silk of her shirt and ran his thumb over the already hard nipple. A ragged moan escaped her lips.
“So hot,” he whispered against her mouth. She was so close to giving in, he could feel it. His own need was getting beyond his control; all she needed was that one last push and she would then surrender to him. He moved his hand slowly up her thigh and cupped her groin, rubbing through her panties feeling her get wet.
“Lex,” she whimpered, rocking her hips gently.
Finally he pressed his lips to hers, “open for me Chloe,” he murmured.
She couldn’t resist him, she was so aroused and eagerly opened her mouth; Lex sucked her tongue into his mouth and coiled his own around it. Her notebook and tape recorder fell to the floor as she moved her arms around his neck. With expertise Lex unbuttoned her shirt halfway with one hand, while the other still stroked her gently.
Lex released her mouth, so both could breathe. Chloe panted heavily as she looked at him through half-closed eyes. She licked her kiss-swollen lips and Lex groaned loudly, leaning forward to kiss her again. Chloe allowed herself to be pushed back onto the couch. ‘This is madness,’ her self-reason shouted. But her body wanted so much more.
She ran a hand over his smooth head and he moaned into her mouth. He removed his hand from between her legs and began to pull her skirt up…
“Mr Luthor I have those papers for you,” a voice sounded as a man entered the room. Lex jumped up from the couch, “what the fuck are you doing? I said I wanted NO interruptions.”
“But…but,” the man stammered, “Alice…Alice said it was ok.”
“You’re *fired*,” said Lex.
“W-What?”
“FIRED, now get the fuck out of here,” he shouted. The man’s face paled, he dropped the papers in his hands onto the floor and practically ran out of the room.
When Lex turned back to Chloe she had fixed her clothes and was picking her things off the floor. “I…I should get going,” she whispered.
Lex bent down and put his hands on hers, “NO Chloe.”
She pulled her hands away and stood up, “yes,” she said. “I don’t know what’s going on, first Whitney kisses me this morning and…”
“Fordman TOUCHED you,” Lex shouted.
Chloe recoiled; she had never seen anyone so angry as Lex was now. “I better go.” And she moved past him. Lex grabbed her arm, “I THINK you should stay.”
She pulled her arm free and continued walking. She could hear Lex coming up behind her and was suddenly frightened. Suddenly the housekeeper appeared at the door, “everything all right?” she asked.
“Yes fine,” muttered Chloe and brushed past her, ran to the front door, down the steps and got into her car, driving off quickly.
“Alice, did I or did I *not* tell you that I wanted no interruptions when Miss Sullivan was here?”
“Yes you did Mr Luthor, but Harry said the papers where important.”
“I see,” said Lex, the famous Luthor cool now evident in his demeanour. “Gather your things, you are fired.”
“I-I’m what? Why?”
Lex rolled his eyes wondering how he managed to get staff that seemed to disobey his requests and stutter when the got news they didn’t like.
“You a fired, you disobeyed a simple request. Goodbye.”
“But…”
“GOOD BYE.”
With a sob the woman left the room. Lex walked over to his drinks cabinet and poured himself a large scotch, which he downed in one go. He looked over at the couch and saw Chloe spread before him.
“A slight hiccup in my plans,” he said to himself, “but nothing that can’t be fixed. But first I must have a few words with Whitney Fordman, he needs to know that there are consequences for touching what belongs to Lex Luthor.”
Chapter Six – Scare Tactics
Chloe didn’t stop or think till she had parked her car in front of her house. She opened the front door, and then locked it behind her. Dropping her bag she began pacing the floor of the living room.
“Ok, what the HELL just happened,” she said. “Why is everything so complicated where Lex Luthor is concerned. ‘Come over for an interview Chloe,’ he said. ‘No problem Lex,’ I replied. So I go over there ask two questions and next thing we’re about to have sex on his leather couch. Where did that come from? It was like he set the whole thing up. The interview was just a pretence to get me over there.” She stopped pacing for a moment; her mind trying to figure out a puzzle that she wasn’t even sure was there.
“Something very, very strange is happening,” she said as the pacing began again. “Lex Luthor wanted to have SEX with ME. And even stranger is the fact that I would of let him. My God that man’s hands and mouth should come with a government health warning.” She shivered slightly as her body remembered how Lex had kissed and caressed her till she could deny him nothing.
“I felt nothing when Whitney kissed me, well except the urge to throw up, and I was more freaked out than excited when Clark was going too, but with Lex…” She trailed off for a moment. Things started to make sense, the football guys being nice to her and asking her out on dates; Clark’s attempted kiss, Whitney, Pete’s behaviour, and then mister seduction himself Lex.
“When did I suddenly become Miss Irresistible? Last week things were their usual self, Clark moped over Lana, Pete was Pete, football jocks teased me, Whitney practically said nothing to me; and Lex Luthor and I had a civil enough acquaintance. And now, it seems, everyone WANTS me.”
She flopped onto the couch and buried her head in her hands sighing deeply. “What’s going on?” she whispered, “nothing strange has happened as far as I know, things on the meteor front have been quiet as of late. I don’t think aliens abducted me. The only thing was my late night dip in the pond…”
She jumped up, “the pond. But it was just a pond, I found nothing to make me think otherwise. But what else could it be? Nothing else, that’s just it, and why am I arguing, contradicting and agreeing with myself?”
She laughed a little to herself. “Right what do I do now? Well first go check the pond, second conduct a little experiment to see if I am irresistible and thirdly find out how the fuck I can make it go away.” She was actually a little uncomfortable with all the male attention, but a large part of her liked the fact that the normally cool and aloof Lex Luthor would go to so much trouble to get her alone.
“Oh shit,” she suddenly exclaimed, “I don’t think Lex is going to be put off by what happened earlier. Mental note to self, try to avoid him.” In her mind she ran through the classes she had tomorrow and deciding her academic career wouldn’t suffer if she didn’t go in she made up her mind to pull a sick day and go look at the lake.
Feeling a little better that she wasn’t going mad and that some elaborate joke wasn’t be played at her expense Chloe decided to have an early night.
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Next Morning
Chloe woke from a dream filled sleep. A sleep full of Lex Luthor and what would have happened had they not been interrupted. Shaking her head to clear it of fuzzy thoughts she sat up. “Ok Chloe, full-on research mode.”
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Lex didn’t sleep at all that night. The couple of times he dozed off his dreams were filled with images of making love to Chloe and each time he woke up he had to fight to urge to go over to her house and finish what he had started.
The rest of his staff had tiptoed around him all evening having heard the shouting and the two dismissals and decided not to push their luck.
After showering and dressing Lex went to his study to make some calls, deciding to go look for Whitney Fordman later.
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Chloe traipsed through the woods towards were the pond was. She was feeling much better. The thought of finally getting to the bottom of what was going on had improved her mood. As soon as she verified her findings she could then worry about how she was going to deal with Lex.
She weaved her way through the trees towards the little clearing. “Ok pond,” she said, “let’s find out what’s wrong…”
She trailed off when she saw the area bare. There was no sign of the pond, actually there was no evidence of there EVER been a pond there. “What happened?” She muttered as she made her way over to where there should be a body of water that she had fallen into a few nights ago.
“How can a entire pond disappear? What, was there suddenly a drought that *only* affected this pond? This wasn’t suppose to happen,” she ranted at the dry area. “How DARE you not be there.”
“Ok Chloe, calm down,” she said to herself and took a couple of deep breaths. She looked around the area and all it looked like was the rest of the woodland ground. “What am I going to do now?” she sighed.
She crouched down to run her hand over the area and then stood up again letting out another deep sigh. She didn’t hear the person come up behind her.
“Gotcha,” they said.
Chloe screamed and turned around to see Clark standing there, a big grin on his face.
“Jesus Christ Clark, what are you doing? You nearly gave me a heart attack,” she said when she had gotten over the shock. “I think I’ve aged about twenty years. What are you doing here?”
Clark just smiled at her ramblings. “I think I should be asking you why are you here? I thought you were *sick*.”
“I had to check something out,” she said, “and why aren’t you at school?”
Clark just shrugged his shoulders. When he heard that she had called in sick he went by her place and seeing the car gone went looking for her. He spotted the car parked out on the road and used his x-ray vision to find her. Using his vision once again he looked through her clothes and a sly grin crossed his face when he saw the cream lacy underwear that she had on. ‘God, Chloe wears incredibly sexy underwear,’ he thought.
Chloe saw the strange look on Clarks face coupled with the grin and for some strange reason felt weird, it was like he was looking through her and she felt almost naked. “Hey Kent, you still with us?” She said, hoping the break the moment.
“Oh I’m still here,” he said, moving towards her. Chloe took an involuntary step back. She had wanted to test out her so-called *irresistibility* but she hadn’t pictured it taking place in the middle of the woods or with Clark. Lex had been the one she wanted to *test* it on. And she felt kind of uncomfortable now.
“Well I’d better head back home,” she said, and began walking past Clark. “There’s no need to leave,” said Clark, grabbing her gently by the wrist, “not yet anyway.” He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Em Clark, what…what are you doing?”
“What I wanted to do when Lex interrupted us,” he said and pressed his mouth to hers. ‘So unlike Lex,’ she thought. Clark continued to kiss her and while it was pleasant enough it didn’t set her on fire like Lex’s kisses did.
Chloe pulled back, “Clark, we’re friends, what going on now?”
“Let’s just say Chloe that my eyes have been opened and I can finally see that I’ve been wasting my time pursuing Lana.”
“Really, and now all of a sudden you’re what, going to *pursue* me?”
“Yep, that’s pretty much it,” he said with a grin.
“Well Clark as nice as that sentiment sounds,” She replied, stepping out of his arms, “I don’t want to be pursued.” ‘Well not by you,’ she thought.
“Do you really think you have a choice in this Chloe?” said Clark matter-of-factly. “I can’t resist you, my every waking moment is filled with thoughts of you and then at night my dreams are the same. I can’t get you out of my mind Chloe.”
‘Could he *be* anymore clichéd,’ she thought. “I mean it Clark, I’ll never speak to you again. We’re friends and I would like that to continue.”
“Friends is NOT enough Chloe.” He stalked closer and for the first time since she had known him Chloe was actually afraid of Clark. Chloe decided to change tactics and get Clark into a better mood. “I didn’t mean it like that Clark, it’s just going to take me awhile to get *use* to the change in our relationship,” she began, “maybe we could move things along slowly and secretly.” ‘Very secretly,’ she thought.
Clark thought abut what she said for a moment then gave her a nig smile. “Ok, we can take it slowly, but I want everyone to know we’re together.”
‘Shit,’ she thought. She reached her hand out and began rubbing his chest gently. “Please Clark, let’s keep it secret.” Clark shivered at the feel of her hand. ”Ok,” he said and Chloe breathed a sigh of relief and let him kiss her again. “You should get back to school,” she said when they parted. “I need to…to get home because my dad will be calling.”
“I suppose,” sighed Clark, “but I *will* be waiting for you tomorrow to go to school.”
“I look forward to it,” she lied and they walked back to her car. “I’d give you a ride Clark, but the school thinks I’m sick.”
“It’s ok Chloe, I’ll make my own way back.” He kissed her cheek and she got into her, waved to him and took off as fast as she could for her house.
Clark smiled till she was out of sight and then ran back to school.
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“Mr Fordman, a word if you don’t mind,” said Lex as he approached the football player. They were at the back of the school and no one else was around. “What do *you* want?” said Whitney turning to face Lex.
“I just wanted to give you some advice, advice that you should take for your own well-being.”
“Quit talking in riddles Luthor.”
“Mr Fordman, I will say this only once,” said Lex as he walked right up to Whitney, “stay away from Chloe.”
A smug grin appeared on Whitney’s face, “you don’t *own* her Luthor, I can *go* near her if I like.”
“SHE is *MINE* Fordman.”
“Really now, well she let *me* kiss her. Bet you haven’t got that close.”
‘That and a lot more,’ thought Lex and caught someone approaching out of the corner of his eye. “What Chloe and I do is none of your business,” he said with a smirk.
“I asked her out,” said a smug Whitney.
“And she turned you down and kicked you out of her car,” said Pete coming around the corner. He had caught Whitney’s last comment. ‘Advantage me,’ thought Lex. “Mr Ross you have impeccable timing.”
Pete barely acknowledged Lex’s presence; his fury was directed at Whitney. Even since Chloe had told him about the incident yesterday he had been trying to get Fordman alone. “Mr Fordman here was going on and on about the numerous ungentle-manly things he wanted to do with *your* friend Chloe.”
“As if Chloe would be interested in *you*,” sneered Pete at Whitney.
“Better chance than you Ross.” By now they were face to face, their fists clenched by their sides. ‘Well my work here is done,’ thought Lex and left, his leaving went unnoticed by the other two. “Bastard.” Lex heard Pete say and then the crunching sound of a fist connecting with a jaw.
Lex smiled to himself as he headed to his car.
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By the time Chloe had got home she was seriously considering joining a convent. Of course she had thought about what it would be like to be desired by every man but never did she think it would be like this. Her best friend had all but threatening her to go out with him. Lex Luthor was staking his claim on her.
She flopped down on the couch and sighed, “I think another sick day tomorrow is in order,” she mumbled to herself. She closed her eyes and sighed again. A couple of minutes later the doorbell rang. “Go away,” she shouted. But the bell rang again. “Damn it,” she said and got up. Opening the door she saw a deliveryman standing there with what looked like about fifty roses in his hands. Whites, yellows and pinks of every shade made up the large bouquet.
“Miss Sullivan?” he asked with a smile. Chloe nodded and he pushed the flowers into her hands, “Wish these were from me,” he said, looking intently at her. Chloe rolled her eyes. “Thanks,” she muttered and stepped back to close the door.
“Are you busy tonight,” he asked as she closed over the door. “Unfortunately I’m *very* busy for the next five years,” and shut the door in his face. “Call me if you’re free,” he shouted through the door. She struggled into the kitchen and put the flowers on the kitchen table. “They are really beautiful,” she said as she looked for a card. Although she had guessed they were probably from Lex Luthor.
A knock on the back door startled her slightly. “Now what?” Cautiously she went over to the door, but didn’t open it. She glanced out the window but didn’t see anyone or thing. A second knock, louder this time, echoed throughout the kitchen. Taking a deep breath she opened the door a little and then opened it wide.
Leaning against the doorframe was Lex, twirling a single red rose between his fingers. “Miss me, my love?” he said with a smirk.