Power Play NC17*Completed*

[zelda]

I do not own any characters from Smallville This is purely for entertainment purposes and will contain descriptions of sexual situations and occasional strong language.


Power Play

When Lex called, as always, it was at the worst time. Chloe was just getting ready to go out and meet some friends for cocktails. He'd asked her to come to his inner office at Lexcorp, located in the heart of Metropolis’ business center. It was eight-thirty and though the building was far from deserted, it looked fairly quiet. She stepped out of her cab and onto the snowy sidewalk, gazing up at the hundreds of windows that faced the street. Only a few were lit up above the first floor, but she knew the top floor was occupied, even if she couldn’t detect any lights from the street.

The security tag Chloe waved in front of the scanner inside the front doors hadn’t been used in about three months. She rarely came here after closing. Only on these special occasions when she was summoned by her old friend. She flashed her ID to the guard who nodded her though and walked to the express elevator; her security pass gave her access to this as well. The sleek, narrow cylinder only went to the top two floors of the building; it moved extremely fast and she hated riding in it. When the elevator neared the top, it stopped abruptly and she reached out to press a small, brass button next to a speaker.

“Yes?”

“It’s me.” That was it. He had to buzz her up to the top floor. Unauthorized individuals who tried to enter would be stuck in the little room until removed by police. Security was tight these days and Lex Luthor could afford few chances when it came to safety. The stainless steel doors opened and Chloe stepped out. Her heels echoed around the floor, reminding her of another time she’d been summoned to his side. The outer offices were completely dark, and more than a little creepy; the only light was coming from a small, discreet hallway off to the left. She walked toward it and when she caught sight of the open door in front of her, she got another shiver of deja vu.

Soft music reached Chloe’s ears. She tightened her jaw and reminded herself that she was angry at Lex for disrupting her plans. She’d had to call and cancel with her friends. She knew she’d probably be here a long time. She pushed open the door and looked around Lex’s private office. He had a portable fireplace in one corner that was burning, and the lamps were turned low.

“Glad you could make it.” The voice came from near the fire, but all Chloe could see was a pair of expensive shoes resting on the arm of an expensive-looking leather couch.

“You make it sound like I had a choice.” She said to the shoes. Then walked over to the couch, unbuttoning her jacket. It was warm near the fire and her lined, corduroy trench coat was a little uncomfortable. She wasn’t angry, just a little annoyed at his timing. She came around the side of the couch and the rest of Lex appeared. He was dressed in black dress pants and a white shirt. His tie was gone and the top two buttons were open. His head was resting on the padded leather arm and his eyes were closed.

“We all have choices, Chloe,” he said. Lifting his glass and taking a swallow of what looked, and smelled, like scotch.

“You think so?”

“It would be easier sometimes if we didn’t.”

Oh God, here he goes, she thought.

“No, Lex,” she said in a firm voice. “That’s just what people say when they’ve done something and feel guilty about it; but not guilty enough to do change it.”

Lex’s eyes opened and he looked at her, taking in her brown pumps, tweed skirt, and beige top. She was dressed sensibly now, more simple, elegant. She was always classy, but now just a little more tame.

“New jacket?”

“You care?”

“Ouch!” he sat up and put a hand to his chest. “Chloe, you give me heartburn with your acid.”

“Yeah yeah,” she said, dryly. “I’m 'the cup of orange concentrate that you drink without mixing in the water', I know.” She made little quotation marks with her fingers.

“Did I say that?”

“Last time.” She removed her coat and put her purse with it on a nearby table. She stood in front of the fire and rubbed her hands together. January in Metropolis could get windy and bitter. “Should I have brought my collar and rosaries?” she asked, not turning around to face him. He usually started easier if she wasn’t looking at him. Experience taught her this.

“It’s been a while.”

“I just saw you last week at that luncheon...thingy.” The company that she did PR for had attended a luncheon at Lexcorp, but she’d barely been able to share more than a few pleasantries with him.

“You know what I mean.”

“Yeah,” she said, nodding. “About three months.”

The sound of fabric sliding against leather told Chloe that he’d moved his legs off the sofa. She heard the ice clink in his glass as he took another drink.

“So there was this girl,” he began. “She was a little young for me but she was really determined to prove what a big girl she was to her family.”

“How young?”

“Legal, I’m no pedophile.” He sighed, then continued. “We dated for a little while and I allowed her to think it was more than it was. Her father owned a company that I wanted to acquire, and her whole family worked there so there was little information she didn’t know; about their finances, that is.”

“She confided in you.”

“I encouraged her to talk to me about her problems.” His voice was filled with self-disgust. “She opened up to me in bed one night after...uh-“

“Don’t need the details.” Chloe interrupted.

“Right. Well, anyway I used the information she gave me about how troubled her father and brothers were regarding their credit with the bank. It wasn’t anything serious, but after a few calls from Lexcorp, no one would extend them any more leniency.”

“Could they have pulled out of this problem?”

“With a little discreet spending, yeah. They had a product coming out soon that was going to make them lots of money. They’d only needed a little extra time.”

“But you moved and closed on the company and bought it out.”

“Only the President and his two son’s knew about it. It was done in 48 hours.”

“No wonder I haven’t heard about it yet.”

“I don’t think any of the employees have any idea what happened. They’ll find out on Monday. I just signed the papers an hour ago.”

“What happened with the girl?”

“She came to see me.” He shrugged audibly and Chloe turned to look at him. He was rubbing his eyes. “She said her father was furious with her. He was saying that she’d betrayed the family and she’d lost her inheritance in order to cover some of their losses.” He finished his drink and stood up to get another. “Most of their employees will lose their jobs because we’re absorbing a lot of the technology, but not the staff.” Chloe intercepted him smoothly and took the glass from his hand. She pointed at the couch and he backed down again. “I don’t like to have bitter employees on my hands. Better to keep the ones we really need and let them feel lucky.”

“You were talking about the girl.”

“She asked me to call her father and tell him that nothing she’d said had made any impact on the takeover; that I’d done my research and it would have happened anyway.”

“What did you say?’

“I told her that she’d been paramount in the takeover and that I couldn’t have done it without her help.” He leaned back and spread his arms across the back of the couch. “I had my secretary cut her a check for a finder’s fee. Same as I would for one of my own executives.”

“I hope she tore it up and threw it in your face.”

“She couldn’t, she’d been cut off by her family and she has no money.”

Chloe shook her head. Then she walked over to the mini wine cooler he had under his bar. She pulled out two flutes.

“I guess this calls for champagne, then?”

“Very funny.”

“You’re right,” she said, standing up and putting her hands on the counter. "I’m not helping very much. You do this for a living and I can’t say that in the same position I might not do the same thing.”

“But you think I’m an asshole?”

“I’ve always thought you were an asshole, Lex,” she said, returning the flutes to the bar and pulling out a wineglass instead. “Do you have a Riesling?”

“No, I have real wine.”

“Asshole.” Her voice trickled from behind the bar. She rummaged around until she came up with a bottle of red wine. “You only keep red at the office?”

“I’m the only one who drinks in here.”

“Real men don’t drink white?”

“Bitch.”

“It’s why you called.”

“Bottom shelf, there’s a bottle of Dom on the far left. You can have that.” He got up and walked to the bar. “And pour me another scotch while you’re there.”

“What’s the magic word?” she asked, standing up and holding the bottle of expensive champagne victoriously.

“I just said it.” They scowled at each other for a moment. “Do you really think I’m an asshole?”

“I think that you’re a business man,” she said, wrestling with the cork. “I think you have been raised with certain expectations in your own life that you pass on to those around you.” She handed the bottle to Lex who twisted the cork between his thumbs and popped it out. He poured her a glass, then accepted the scotch that she poured for him. “I think you can be insensitive and a little arrogant at times, but it makes you good at what you do.” She raised her glass to him briefly before sipping the champagne.

“That’s not what I asked.”

“Yes, Lex. I have always thought you were a bit of an asshole, but I liked you anyway.”

“Why?”

“I knew your father; and I figure you could have been a Hell of a lot worse. Besides, you so obviously admired the qualities in Clark that you lacked in yourself. And I think one of the reasons you hung out with him so much was in the hope that he’d have a good influence on you.”

“You think I wanted to be Clark Kent?”
“Only a masochist would really want to be Clark Kent,” she mumbled into her glass. “Now, as much as I know you must have hurt that young woman, what’s the real reason you asked me here tonight?”

“You don’t think it’s enough?” He sipped his scotch, thoughtfully before staring her in the eye. Chloe saw something hidden in his gaze. There was something else going on, and he was inviting her to figure it out. Usually, when he’d done something particularly foul, he called her up; she dropped whatever plans she’d made and came to listen to him confess his transgressions as to a priest. He didn’t ask her for absolution or forgiveness; he wanted her to tell him how horrible he was.

Honesty came naturally to Chloe with Lex when she thought he’d done something wrong. And he’d seemed to need it sometimes. If he was hiding something bigger, she wanted to know, out of her own twisted curiosity.

“I don’t think it’s up to your usual standards,” she replied. “You grew up in a family run business, you know that it’s never easy to work with people you’re related to. I know; I see the conflicts and personal issues that come up between my boss and his oldest son-”

Lex looked away from her quickly and a horrible thought occurred to her. “Oh, Lex,” she whispered. “Tell me you didn’t.” He returned his gaze to hers, stoic and unemotional. He kept his eyes on her and slowly took a swallow of scotch. He didn’t speak. “Tell me,” she said, her voice getting louder, “that you didn’t just pillage the company that I work for!”
Lex reached forward and lightly clinked his glass to hers.

“Cheers.”

[LaLa]

:huh: errr ok! i liked it, really, fantastic verbal judo, Chloe stood her ground, she's not afraid of Lex but, where's the smut? (what?! no, i REALLY didn't sound eager... :biggrin: )

next part please?

xoox LaLa

[kitten]

:huh:

Not sure what to make of Lex and Chloe, but I'm enjoying it anyway. Great beginning.

[Julie]

Please add in a rating in the topic title or topic description. I suggest you go take a look at the forum rules (http://forums.naughty-seduction.net/index.php?showtopic=1481) to make sure you don't break any other rules in the future.

[bogusbabe]

very interesting...

now did Lex buy the company ONLY because it'll increase his profits or does it also have something to do with Chloe?.... hmmm....

more please....

;)



:chlexsign4:

[Rae]

<Gasp> Lex is such a bad boy&#33; I think Chloe should punch him. Hmmph.

Anyway, loved The Wish and now I&#39;m just as addicted to Power Play. Great fics&#33; Can&#39;t wait for the next update. :worship2:

[lexchloe]

Interesting start. Did Lex ask her to see him because he wants to give her a job??? More soon please.

[Janet]

DAMNIT&#33; Need more.

Great twist, can&#39;t wait for the follow up.

Get to your computer and type type type&#33; ;)




...... please? :puppyeyes:

[hfce]

Oh no Lex why? Bad boy :devil: . I hope Chloe kicks him where it hurts.


Hope :)

[Béatrice]

YAY Thank you for making a sequel to &#39;The Wish&#39;. I can&#39;t wait to read more. :chlexsign2:

[zelda]

"You took over Baxter Software?"

"If it makes you feel any better, it was a really hostile takeover and your bosses didn't want to let it go without a fight."

"You just put me out of a job, Lex." Chloe was starting to shake. "A company that doesn't exist doesn't need a PR rep."

"I'm surprised you didn't have any idea of what was going on."

"I've been working like mad on the press releases for the new software that they've developed," she said, defensively. "You son of a Bitch!" She pounded her fist on the bar. "I can't believe you asked me here to confess so you could clear your conscience and all the time you knew that I'm getting let go on Monday."

"You were underappreciated," he said quietly. "Your talents were wasted and you were underpaid."

"Everyone underappreciates me!" she practically shouted. "I'm used to it." Then she narrowed her eyes at him. "How do you know how much I make?"

"I do my research." He placed a hand over her fist to keep her from slamming it down on the bar again. "I appreciate you. I understand your worth better than most."

"You're not making me feel any better."

"I have an offer to make you, if you'd just listen." He squeezed her hand but she jerked it out of his grasp.

"I don't want to hear your offers, I liked my old job and I wasn't looking to do anything else right away."

"I like what you do for me. Here," he said, nodding to his office.

"Maybe that's not what I want to do!" Chloe's face was getting red and she was coming close to blowing up like the champagne cork. "Maybe I just wanted tonight to end like any other Friday night! Drinks with the girls, gossip and home. Maybe I wanted the weeks to continue like that for a few more years."

"I think you'll be happier with what I'm offering."

"I think you don't really understand how you've disrupted my life...again!" She threw her hands up in the air and spun around. "Why do I feel any sympathy for you at all?" she asked the high ceiling. "Why do I continue this friendship.? Why do I listen to your guilt?" Then she turned to face him. "I was pretty happy with my apartment, my job, and a little bit of social life, Lex. For the first time in a long time, I was content."

"I have a better offer."

"I don't have time for your 'offers' she snapped, planting her palms on the bar. "I have to go and figure out how to pay my rent and how I'm going to tell my friends that they'll be out of a job on Monday too."

"I'll pay your rent," he said quickly. "I'll put you in a better place, it'll be a part of our arrangement."

Chloe slapped him so hard that only her anger kept her from making a sound at the pain in her hand.

"Bastard!" She darted around the bar and crashed her shoulder into his midsection without thinking. Lex stumbled back and fell, dropping his glass of scotch. It shattered behind him and he landed on his rear. Chloe charged forward and planted her foot in the middle of his chest. her eyes were wide with rage. "You put me out of work and expect me to be your mistress?"

"Damn it, Chloe!" Lex fastened his hand around her ankle and held her foot immobile. "That's not what I'm offering you."

"Then what?" she snapped. "Because I can't imagine that you want me to do Lexcorp's press releases."

"That isn't what I want."

"What do you want?"

Lex looked up at her silently for a few moments, then he tightened his grasp on her ankle. His words surprised her.

"I want you to hurt me." He pressed the heel of her shoe into his chest. "I want you to get as angry as you want because I took over the company you work for. I want you to scream at me on behalf of the girl who had to take money from me. I can't stand being surrounded by people who encourage me to be the heartless business man I'm getting better at being every day." He twisted her foot slightly. "When my father was around, I could convince myself that there was always someone worse out there than me."

"And now?"

"I'm finding it harder to come up with other people who are worse."

Chloe planted her hands on her hips.

"Are you telling me that you need your own, personal Jiminy Crickett?" He shrugged. "What do you want me to do? Do you want me to follow you around and wag my finger at you every day if you do something mean?"

"No, I want you to be politically incorrect, inconsiderate of my feelings and I want you to tell me the truth."

"There are more honest people than me out there."

"But I need you."

"Why me?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "You call me from time to time to unload your burdens to a girl who had aspirations at publishing the stories no one else could get, but you tell me things any reporter would kill for."

"Because I trust you."

"Why?"

"Because you wrenched my deepest, darkest moments from me and you remained my friend."

"Are you talking about that night in your room?" She was a little pale. "You didn't hurt me, you just wanted to trick your father."

"You're trying to convince yourself that I never would have hurt you."

"You told Clark that you couldn't hurt me."

"He knows better, and so did you. Even then."

Chloe remembered how she'd felt when Lex had been holding her down on his bed in an elaborate ruse to fool his father into thinking he was without conscience. There had been a moment when things had turned around. He'd been pressing his erection against her body and fondling her with his hands, bruising her too. Then he'd stopped for just a moment and stared at her before letting her get away from him. After he'd told her that everything had been a plan, she'd trusted him. She'd actually trusted him more afterward than she had before. It had been that moment, in retrospect, that had convinced her.

Lex's actions had all been controlled and planned, she understood that, but in the moment that he'd looked down at her face, she'd seen the possibilities. The way the night could have ended. He'd thought about it. He could've gotten away with it and she'd have been emotionally wrecked. She'd also seen the decision not to be that man. Not to be the monster and he'd let her go. The farce had continued briefly before he'd actually admitted it to her, but she'd thought about that moment later on and realized what it had meant.

"You wanted to do it." Her voice was soft.

"No, I didn't want to hurt you, that wasn't in my plan. It's just-" he turned away and pressed his lips together, then he ground her heel against his chest again, gritting his teeth at the pain. She didn't try to stop him. "When everything was going according to plan, and I was touching you, for just a second, the thought occurred to me. You know I was physically excited from our position; I knew that was going to happen, but I didn't even think about it until that moment. That I'd wanted you."

"But you didn't do it."

"I didn't do it."

"And that's probably why I had faith in you."

They both were silent. Lex turned back in her direction, then he cocked his head slightly and looked up at her in surprise.

"You're not wearing panties."

Chloe shrieked with renewed anger and kicked him backwards. He landed on a piece of broken glass that poked through his shirt and into his shoulder.

"Asshole." she stalked away and picked up the bottle of Dom from the bar. She headed for the door and he called out to her.

"So is that a yes?" She stuck up her middle finger at him without turning around and scooped up her purse from the table. He stood up and watched her stalk out of the office. As she disappeared around the corner she was swigging the champagne straight from the bottle. It was definitely a yes.

[crankychick]

Judo chop&#33; :biggrin: I love it when the Chloe and Lex light the verbal fireworks. :chlexsign4:

[autumngold]

I can&#39;t believe that Chloe is actually going to work for him&#33;&#33; Lex had better realize how lucky he is&#33;&#33; Thank you so much for the new story&#33;&#33; I can&#39;t wait to find out how their working relationship goes&#33;&#33; :yay: :chlexsign3: :yay:

[kitten]

Originally posted by zelda@Dec 4 2004, 08:49 PM

Lex looked up at her silently for a few moments, then he tightened his grasp on her ankle. His words surprised her.
"I want you to hurt me." He pressed the heel of her shoe into his chest.
:ohmy:

Is it terrible that I went to a very dirty place with that line?

Bravo&#33; I&#39;m loving the Lex abuse by Chloe. He really deserves it.

[Béatrice]

Fabolous&#33;&#33;&#33; :biggrin: I so looooove this. Their fight. The fact that Chloe is going to work form him... I can&#39;t wait to read more. :yay2:

[lexchloe]

Is it terrible that I went to a very dirty place with that line?*

OMG nonky&#33;&#33; Thank goodness I wasn&#39;t the only one with my mind in the gutter after reading that line. That was a nice confrontation, can&#39;t wait to see how their &#39;working&#39; relationship progresses.

[hfce]

Oh my God this is so good. :lol: Go Chloe&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; :clap:



Hope :D

[sexi_angel_babee]

I LOVE THIS&#33;&#33;&#33; it&#39;s a very nice sequel... altho, i&#39;m a lil surprised that lex and chloe aren&#39;t together already. but nonetheless, it&#39;s very intriguing and fast paced, which i like very much.. i love how feisty chloe is in this one... and how lex kinda takes it. lol. anyways UPDATE SOOOOON~ :chlexsign1:

[estrellalily]

man do i know how chloe feels&#33;&#33; more please, wit smut, lots of it.

update soon plase :blinkkiss:

~estrellalily

P.S. Smutty, smutty, smut, smut&#33;&#33;

[lexodus]

Originally posted by zelda@Dec 4 2004, 08:49 PM
"But you didn&#39;t do it."
"I didn&#39;t do it."
"And that&#39;s probably why I had faith in you."
They both were silent. Lex turned back in her direction, then he cocked his head slightly and looked up at her in surprise.
"You&#39;re not wearing panties."

So serious, then BAM&#33; :lol:

That is so like Lex. I can&#39;t wait to see where this goes.

[Blaire023]

holy shit, this story is sooooooooooooooo great&#33;

i could visually imagine everything that was happening.

you&#39;re writing chloe exactly the way i love her written, spunk to spare.

and lex, heee, he&#39;s definitely met his match&#33;

[Gemini]

Wow&#33;

I really love this fic so far, makes feel feel the warm fuzzy Verbal Judo again. Thank you&#33;

~Sugi

[Janet]

Lex needs to be spanked. :devil:

[zelda]

Chloe hailed a cab outside Lexcorp. She tucked the bottle inside her coat, and asked the driver to take her home. On the way, she called Julie, one of her friends at the bar and asked her to bring the group to meet her at her apartment. At first Julie was hesitant but when Chloe said that they were all going to be out of work on Monday, the woman agreed to meet her.

It wasn’t a fun-filled weekend. Chloe had told her friends from Baxter that she knew an employee pretty high up in Lexcorp and that he’d given her the head’s up so she could start looking for another job. The others were skeptical at first, but she managed to convince them that she was telling the truth. There were some tears and bursts of outrage. She herself was making plans. She still couldn’t believe that Lex had made his offer. She wasn’t even certain what the details were. She wanted to call him and just ask. Her curiosity was making her insane. How much was he willing to pay her? And did he really intend to pay her rent?

Chloe didn’t call Lex all weekend. She cleaned her apartment, beefed up her resume and went to the Daily Planet. Clark was at his desk, proofing an article; probably for Lois who was a notoriously bad speller. He glanced up when she greeted him.

“Chloe?” His gaze remained unfocused, his mind still on the article. “Hey!” He stood up and came around his desk to embrace her. He looked strange in his dark-rimmed glasses and stern navy suit. The severe cut of his clothes made him look almost lanky, but when she hugged him, she felt the same familiar muscles, hard as steel, beneath. “You look good.” His face clouded over for a moment. “What’s wrong.”

“I have a proposition for a trade to make with you,” she said, squeezing his hand. “Can we get coffee?”

They went downstairs to a coffee shop that sold passably palatable and overpriced hot beverages. Clark paid, of course.

“What’s on your mind?”

“Lex Luthor.” Clark’s eyebrows wrinkled in the middle. He looked troubled. “What is it?” she asked with a little exasperation. “Why aren’t you friends anymore?” She'd asked him this before, he usually avoided it.

“Grew apart, I guess.” He looked out the window and sighed. “Why do you want to talk about him? I didn’t think you ran into each other much.”

“Every couple of weeks, but he’s offered me a job, and I’m not sure if I want to work for him or not.” Her friend raised an eyebrow. “Part of my hesitancy is how little I know about him. If he can lose you as a friend, I need to know why.”

“Chloe, it wasn’t a single event that changed our friendship,” he said, slowly, taking off his glasses. He pinched the bridge of his nose like he had a headache.

“Please tell me.”

“You know, they’re looking for someone in the arts section at the paper,” he said with a hopeful smile. I know you must miss reporting.”

“Quit dodging,” she said with a smile. “I do miss it, but I wasn’t happy there.”

“Okay, last question,” he said, replacing his glasses. “Didn’t Lex offer you a job once and you turned him down?”

“Yeah,” she answered. “When I was here living with Lois and working at my first paying job at the Planet. He offered me a position at Lexcorp part-time. The pay scale was pretty high, but Lionel’s influence there still made me uncomfortable, even though he was dead.”

“I can’t say I blame you.”

“Now, back to Lex.”

“What exactly do you want to know?”

“Keeping in mind everything that happened to me back in Smallville, am I in danger being close to him?”

“That’s a tough question, some people were in danger just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Others, like Lucas, wouldn’t have survived without him protecting them.”

“Hey, I played dead for a couple of months and he managed to keep me relatively safe.”

“You have always had an unusual habit of getting in the way of dangerous people.” He shook his head and mumbled, “runs in the family.”

“Yeah.”

“I think Lex and I grew apart in ideals. He didn’t just shut himself off overnight, but I think his father’s death had a profound affect on his psyche.”

“You mean because he felt guilty?” Clark looked at her sharply, so she smoothly added, “You know, being relieved that his father was dead.”

“In a way, yes. Lex always had that battle, he couldn’t let his guard down and he couldn’t show any weakness. Then suddenly the enemy was gone. I don’t think he knew what to do with all that freedom.”

“Did you talk to him about it?”

“I tried a few times,” Clark admitted. “He was spending more time here in Metropolis, he was busy with work and it became his only challenge.”

“Without his father to keep him busy.”

“Exactly. But eventually, Luthorcorp became Lexcorp and his father’s influence was virtually erased so he didn’t even have that to contend with.”

“Idle hands?”

“Idle, intelligent hands.”

“Why did you stop talking to him?”

“We became friends under unusual circumstances, it led Lex to believe things about himself and continue to believe them. Eventually those beliefs changed him.”

“His immortality complex.”

“Yeah.”

“He should’ve just known that Smallville was being looked after by Clark Kent. Most of the citizens had no idea that a hero lay within their very midst.” Clark looked uncomfortable. “Relax big guy, I’m not prying into anything, or going off with my theories, but let’s face it, you’ve saved more proverbial bacon then the Vegans and PETA combined.”

“I was just trying to help.”

“I’m not complaining.”

“Why don’t you come over for dinner this week,” he suggested. “I’ll invite Lois and we can just have a nice evening together.”

“I’d like that, but I might be busy pounding the pavement.” At his curious look, she continued. “My part of the deal comes as promised. A little scoop before my co-workers spread it around. Lexcorp acquired Baxter Software and we’re all going to be looking for new jobs. Lex offered me one and gave me the head’s up.”

“Good of him.”

“Not entirely magnanimous.”

“Is he ever?” They both shrugged. “I’ll let you get to work on the story, just don’t mention my name.” She handed him a business card. “This is their lawyer’s number. He’ll definitely be losing his job and might be willing to make a statement.” He stood up and Clark pushed back his chair and rose as well. He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

“Let me know about dinner.”

“Make your manicotti with sausage and I’ll give it very close consideration.”

[sydsvaughn]

I really like this Chloe and Clark friendship ... and he&#39;s being somewhat honest with her, I so enjoy that.

Is it wrong of me to laugh outright at the thought of Clark Kent cooking?

And I can&#39;t wait for more Chlex judo&#33;

SaraC

[kitten]

:wub:

*Spins and spins and spins in desk chair until dizziness hits*

YAY&#33; I love this story&#33;

[chril1]

ooo just saw this love it, when lex asked chloe to hurt him i was like:

ok :huh: especially after her beating him up

oh well more please

love lea
xxx

[lexchloe]

aww that was nice Chlark. I might actually be able to stand Clark in this story. Bring on the Chlex please.

[hfce]

I still dont like Clark but it was a nice read. :D



Hope ;)

[Janet]

great chapter. ;) The Chloe/Clark interaction was well done. Loved the hero reference, the "proverbial bacon"&#33; :biggrin:

Chloe&#39;s in a difficult situation and you&#39;re doing a great job showing her gathering info and deliberating before making her decision.

Looking forward to the next chappy&#33;&#33;&#33; :yay2:

[Blaire023]

great update

[autumngold]

I&#39;m glad that Chloe didn&#39;t give Clark all of the details on her employment with Lex&#33;&#33; Clark might not of liked Chloe being Lex&#39;s conscience&#33;&#33; Great update&#33;&#33; I can&#39;t wait to read more&#33;&#33; :wub: :chlexsign4: :wub:

[zelda]

Author's note: Okay I am using wordpad and have no spell-check. Forgive any errors please. If anyone wants to do a spell check for me, please PM me

Monday was tougher that Chloe had expected. The tension was nearly tangible. There were a few tears from some of the staff who'd been working there a long time. The business of a takeover really wasn't fair. The employees were given a decent severance package and the option to work until the building was closed and the Baxters had moved out. Most opted to take the money and use their time finding other jobs. Chloe was called into the president's office at around nine AM.

Andrew Baxter was in his fifties with silvering blonde hair. Both of his son's were present, Michael and Andy. Andy was older and by far the most unpleasant man with whom Chloe had worked with at Baxter. He was condescending and had a habit of placing blame for little mistakes on other people. Overall, he was a competent business man, but not very well-liked.

"Sullivan, I'll need you to drop whatever other projects you're working on and write a new relese for this business with Lexcorp." Andrew said, keeping his voice even. He'd always been pretty straightforward and fair with her, and she liked him.

"Would you like me to arrange something with the press? or would you prefer a solid statement to the business community?"

"You can start by calling Lex Luthor a devious snake." Andy mumbled from his father's chair. Michael smacked him in the shoulder. Andy gave him an irritated look.

"Actually we were thinking of something along the lines of 'We've enjoyed serving the software needs of our clients, and though we would have chosen to keep doing so, the situation dictated that we should take the offer that Lexcorp made." Michael said, crossing to her and handing her a few notes that he'd made.

"A situation called Jillian."

"Shut up, Andy." He said over his shoulder. "And I'd like you to find a way to put in there that our most profound regret is that Lexcorp doesn't have placement for our staff members."

"Good call," Chloe said, honestly. "Makes Lexcorp look heartless and ruthless for putting hundreds of people out of work overnight."

"Well, I can't say that Lex doesn't make that impression."

"No kidding."

Michael paused and tilted his head. "Do you know Mr. Luthor?" His father was on the phone, and Andy was chewing an eraser and making himself as useless as possible. "I noticed him talking to you at the luncheon, but I didn't think about it much when the takeover came up."

"Yes, I've known Lex since highschool. My father worked for him in Smallville when he was running a plant out there." Chloe decided that honesty was the best solution right now. Besides, what were they going to do? Fire her?

"Were you friends, back then?"

"We were friendly," she replied. "My best friend pulled him out of a river after a car accident. They started hanging out and it was a small town. He was always pretty nice to me, but then I had a few run-ins with his father and tried to avoid the Luthors after that."

"You had problems with Lionel when you were in highschool?" That got Andy's attention and he sat forward. "What kind of problems?"

"I ran the school newspaper for a couple of years, and Lionel offered to donate some equipment after my office was mysteriously trashed beyond repair. Then when I wouldn't give him information on someone I'd been researching, he promptly took back everything." She knew this conversation might be a little hazardous, but it didn't matter much, now. "Lex tried to make things right by giving me new stuff, no strings. He and his father didn't see eye-to-eye." She kept her gaze from darting to Andy.

"That was very kind of him." Chloe just shrugged. "He ever contact you about Baxter?"

"He offered me a job at Lexcorp shortly after his father's death, but I was working for the Daily Planet then and I didn't want to switch jobs. After that we didn't really talk business if we saw each other. Just catching up every few months or so."

"Catching up on what?" Andy called from his chair. "And how recently?" Chloe knew she had nothing to hide about the takeover, she hadn't helped in any way, but she resented Andy's tone. Her jaw tightened and she looked Andy in the face.

"I haven't been around Lex very often in the past few years. The Luncheon was the first time I'd actually seen him in three months. Now, any other comments concerning my presonal life, and what I do on my own time, are currently, and will continue to be...none of your business." She'd paused purely for dramatic purposes because Andy usually couldn't keep up with her snarky comments. "I'll get to work on this right away and have it back to you before release within the hour," she said to Michael before turning on her heel and walking away.

Chloe had several messages on her phone, one was from Clark, in his official 'reporter voice' asking for a statement about the takeover. There was a call from her father about whether or not she could make it to Smallville for his birthday. And one from Lois. She ranted at Chloe for letting Clark scoop her on the Lexcorp takeover. The rant was fairly light, but she did insist on knowing what was going on since she wouldn't be writing the story.

Chloe got to work on the press release, writing it exactly as instructed. A few of her friends stopped by to thank her discreetly for the head's up and ask if she had any job leads. She shrugged and said that a reporter friend had told her about a possible position in the arts section of a newspaper. She just didn't say that she had no intention of taking it. Her phone rang at around nine-thirty and she answered it.

"Thought about my offer?" Hearing Lex's voice surprised her. She wasn't expecting him to call her here.

"Well, I've been a little busy here. I've got to write a press release for the takeover right now, Lex. But why don't you just have it dropped off to me later and I'll look it over."

"I'll do that." He hung up and she replaced the reciever on the cradle. A heavy and dropped down onto hers, startling her.

"Were you just talking to Luthor?" Andy was standing behind her chair.

"Yeah, he just called to offer me a job, she said, pulling her hand out from under his. "He obviously knows that I'll be unemployed pretty soon." She turned back to her computer screen and tried to ignore Andy's hostile presence behind her. When he didn't move, she turned around and gave him an annoyed look. "Are you planning to try and eavesdrop on me all day?" she asked. "I can tell you it is a wasted effort and I'm certain that your father can use your help." She was feeling more than bold. She was empowered. Lex had been right, she had been underappreciated and underpaid here, now that the company was buckling, she saw no reason why she needed to be nice to jerks like Andy.

"Yeah, well why don't you just take your things and leave now." Andy was speaking in a loud voice and drew the attention of everyone who was in the office. He was trying to make a scene for a last chance at looking powerful. Chloe hit the print button on her computer and picked up her purse. Then she turned and faced Andy.

"I'll leave if you want me to, Andy, but there's no reason to shout. I understand how helpless you must feel, but you don't need to take it out on me. It's not my fault you lost the company." Michael watching them through the window to his father's office. When he saw Chloe picking up her coat, he came rushing out.

"What's going on?"

"Here, Michael," she said, handing him the unfinished press release. "It's almost done, but I'm afraid that someone else will need to finish it since Andy feels like you don't need me anymore." She grabbed her personal items and stuffed them in her purse, she'd already packed most of her stuff in a small box, and just paused long enough to take a framed photograph she had of her, and Pete Ross, and Clark, sitting in the Torch office from Freshman year.

"Chloe, wait." Michael reached out for her arm.

"Michael, you have enough stuff to worry about right now without putting up a fight for me," she said. "But if I get anything but a fair job reference from you, I'll be really upset." she paused and looked at Andy for a moment. "I didn't deserve this kind of scene just to make you feel better." She walked out and said goodbye to a few of her friends. At the elevator, Michael caught up with her.

"It is really busy, Chloe, but can I call you tonight about the release? I'm really sorry about this. Andy's just looking for someone to blame."

"I know, Michael, but it isn't me." She smiled at him. He took after his father with thick blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He'd be much better-looking if he didn't always have such a serious expression on his face. "Take care."

"You too."

As Chloe rode down the elevator, she regretted not making an effort to get to know Michael a little better. She chuckled to herself. It was like the Corleone family. The oldest son with the brash temper, and the younger, cooler son, Michael, having what it takes to run a business. She sincerly hoped that he'd land on his feet. As she walked into the chilly winter wind, Chloe let the doors of Baxter Software close behind her. A cab was parked beside the curb and she held out a hand, the driver hopped out and opened the door for her. She put her box and purse in the back seat and gave the driver her address. He drove there and she didn't look back. She knew, then, that she would probably take the job from Lex, mainly because he would probably pay well, and because she didn't want to go back to reporting.

Chloe walked into her building. It was oddly quiet. She was never home before noon on a workday. She went up the ancient elevator to her apartment. She had a loft-style place at the edge of the not-so-nice-but-not-that-bad-part of town. She'd had a decent enough salary and since she hadn't built up a lot of debt, she could afford to live here on her savings for at least another month. The severance package would keep her for a month after that if necessary, but she planned to have a job before then.

Chloe called her father and assured him that she'd make it back to Smallville for his birthday. Then she turned on some music to soothe her while she ran a bath. She had a mixed cd that conatined some of her favorite female singers: Natalie Merchant, Tina Turner, Sarah McLachlan, Paula Cole, and others. She debated ordering some delivery and opened her fridge. It was pretty bare except for half a bottle of Dom with a spoon handle stuck in it to keep it fizzy, some cold chicken breast, slimy baby carrots, condiments, and her gel eye mask. She unwrapped the chicken breast and ate it while she pulled out a wineglass and poured it full of champagne. She didn't own flutes.

Chloe kicked off her shoes and put on her sherpa slippers. It was a rare treat to be walking around in slippers at ten AM after being sort-of fired. She called Clark and told him that officially she no longer represented the firm, but gave him the general contents of the press release anyway so he could have his story written ahead of time. Then she called Lois and left her a message, telling her that Karma came back for letting Clark scoop her because the jerk VP had had a tantrum and fired her. She was out of a job anyway so a few hours didn't matter much. Once her bubble bath was ready, she finished off the last bite of chicken and took her champagne and the phone into the bathroom.

The scent of the bubbles soothed and the music was mellow, and Chloe put on the chilled eye mask. The hot water and the cold mask made her skin tingle. She sipped the champagne and enjoyed her soak. She thought about where to post her resume. She should at least look around rather than counting on Lex. His offer might not be that good, and she'd probably hate working for him. A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. She pulled up the mask and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was too early for the courier service. And Clark would call first. It was probably one of her neighbors so she just replaced her mask and continued to soak.

The phone beeped next, and Chloe groaned. There was a conspiracy out to get her today. She picked it up and answered it.

"Yes?"

"Open the door." Lex's voice was impatient. "I know you're in there, I can hear the angry chick music from here."

"I'm in the bathtub and chick music doesn't have to be angry to be effective." Silence. "I like that the artists show their emotions and move their listeners without screaming. That's real power. Not just rage."

"Sounds like Alanis Morrisette to me."

"Okay, well maybe just that one song. Hold on a minute, I need to find my robe."

"Don't bother on my-" She hung up on him.

Chloe rubbed a towel over herself briskly and grabbed her kimono from her closet door. She hastily tied the belt and went to the door. Looking through the peephole, she saw the back of Lex's head. As soon as she opened the door, he turned and smiled at her.

"You couldn't send me a hot delivery guy could you?"

"No, but I come bearing gifts." Lex handed her an envelope and reached down beside the door to pick up a large, paper sack. "Sushi, chocolate and a little alcohol to make you more biddable."

"Go put it in the fridge, I'll be out in a second." She dressed in her bedroom and came out a few moments later. Lex was sitting on her couch, holding her laptop. "What are you doing?"

"You've pdated your resume." He didn't take his eyes from the screen.

"Generally that's what people do when they've lost their jobs." She put her fists on her hips and glared at him. "I know you're not used to people refusing your offers, Lex, but I'd be a fool just to blindly jump into another job without exploring my options."

"What other offers have you been made?"

"Clark told me about an opening in the arts section at the Planet."

"We both know you won't take it."

"I just officialy lost my job today so I haven't looked much yet."

"Well, look over my proposal while I arrange the sushi." She picked up the envelope again and agreed. Lex got up, took off his jacket and went to work in her little kitchen. Chloe almost forgot he was there. She was more than startled at his proposal. Everything was written in a businesslike, technical manner, and very official. The salary got her attention first. It was huge. If she worked for Lex, she could buy her dad a house in Smallville. Since her salary included living accommodations at her choice of five of Lex's apartment buildings, she wouldn't have to pay rent, as he'd promised.

Under the heading of 'Job Description' he'd listed 'Personal Conduct Advisor and Supervisor'. He really wanted to hire her to be his conscience. There was a clause that indicated she needed to give six-weeks notice if she was leaving the company, and that under Lexcorp's privacy guidelines, if she used her position to pass corporate secrets, she would forfeit one year's salary back to the company. Wow. he was serious about his privacy.

More coming soon, I promise there will be smut, but I want to build a strong plot to support it.

[kitten]

:drool:

Lex Luthor&#39;s showing up at her apartment now . . . what a strange job interview.

Forget the job, it sounds like foreplay.

[hfce]

Please more... :worship2:


Hope :chlexsign4:

[lexchloe]

Great chapter. Chloe should really take the job offer. Lex seems to have done her a favour by taking over Baxter&#39;s. Is it wierd that I wish Michael would also get given a job??? Eagerly awaiting the next update, smut or no smut.

[Chimera0523]

Great story&#33; If I were Chloe I would take the job. Come on, hot billionaire boss, what more could you want? Scratch that I could think of things that I&#39;d like to do with the hot billionaire boss. :devil: Keep up the great work.

~Michelle

[Béatrice]

Take the job, Chloe. Take it&#33;&#33;&#33;


Please come back and update. :yay:

[tiger04]

Great work. I can&#39;t wait for more.

Update soon please

AT

[lexodus]

Lex showed up at her apartment. Now how did he know she would be there?

Great update. I can&#39;t wait for what comes next.

[Janet]

This is really good. :)

Keep building the plot, don&#39;t worry about the smut.

huh. :huh: did I just say that?

[autumngold]

Originally posted by Chimera0523@Dec 6 2004, 06:52 PM
Great story&#33; If I were Chloe I would take the job. Come on, hot billionaire boss, what more could you want? Scratch that I could think of things that I&#39;d like to do with the hot billionaire boss. :devil: Keep up the great work.

~Michelle
:biggrin: Love the new chapter and Michelle&#39;s comments definitely made me smile&#33;&#33; I think we would all love to have Lex as our boss&#33;&#33; :biggrin: Thanks for the update&#33;&#33; Can&#39;t wait to read more of this great story&#33;&#33; :worship2: :chlexsign4: :worship2:

[zelda]

Author's note: Okay, we'll be getting to the smut soon, just tying up some details.

"Here, try this." Chloe looked up, Lex was coming toward her with a plate and a set of chopsticks. He held a seaweed-wrapped roll filled with rice and something she couldn't identify on sight. But that was the joy of sushi. She had her hands full of paperwork and he held the roll up to her lips. She automatically opened her mouth and he popped it in. She chewed thoughtfully for a second. It was slightly tangy, warm, and she could detect the flavor of sesame oil.

"Good, what is it?"

"Eel."

"Raw?"

"No, cooked. I only brought tuna and salmon raw. The rest of this stuff is either cooked or vegetarian."

"Okay, then I can deal." She swallowed and looked at the dish he held out.

"Got any wasabi and soy?" He opened a tiny, covered pot that held the greenish-black mixture. "Okay, the red one next." He skillfully dipped it into the sauce and fed it to her. This one she recognized as crabmeat. She put aside her paperwork and held out her hands for the plate and chopsticks. He handed them to her and went to get his own plate. She kicked a couple of cushions across the room and sat on one, he joined her on the other and they ate the sushi and drank Ozeki, a popular brand of Saki.

"Any questions regarding the proposal?" Lex asked. "I'd be happy to answer them either on or off the record." Chloe swallowed her mouthful of wine and tongued a piece of rice stuck between her teeth before answering.

"Where are the properties that you're offering for housing?"

"Well, I only own five buildings inside the city, but if you prefer to commute, I can probably arrange something."

"In the city is fine," she said. "I left my car in Smallville because I hated driving in the city when it was quicker to use public transportation."

"A good idea, but most of your work will be done out of the office, you won't keep regular business hours, I'll be pretty busy at the office and you'd be bored."

"It mentions something about social functions, do you need a date at the company Christmas party?"

"No, not a date, but If you think you can do it, I'd like you to meet and get to know a lot of my people and their families. I don't have the time to know them as well as I need. When we travel you may need to act as an escort for the same reasons. You speak French, right?"

"Rusty, but yeah, I took it in highschool and college. Lana and I used to practice before she went to Paris. But I think I understand it better than I speak it anyway."

"Good, to be honest I'll need your ears at social functions more than anything."

"Do you want me to spy for you?"

"Industrial espionage is not what I'm asking. I have others to do that for me." He grinned and she smiled back. "But you're good at weeding through bullshit and hearing what isn't being said. I can't trust all of my people to be completely honest with me Everyone has an agenda."

"What about my agenda?"

"I don't doubt your ability to decieve, Chloe, but that's why I wrote in the clause at the bottom." She nodded thoughtfully. "I need you to be more than just an occasional sounding board for my guilt. Your brain would be going to waste just telling me I'm a bad person. If you want to consider it spying, I can live with that, but I need to understand what my employees are doing. Who's pregnant, who's divorcing, who's cheating on whom, and who's unhappy."

"So you know where they stand with you?"

"Partially, but if someone is unhappy, my first action is to try and change that. I'd rather my people were happy working for me instead of scared."

"Then you're already doing better than your father."

"So what do you think?" He nodded to the last page of the contract where she was to sign."

"Didn't you say something about chocolate?" Chloe batted her eyelashes at him. "Deals can always be sweeter." Lex laughed at her and went back to the fridge where he removed the paper sack and reached inside. He removed a gold box with a big ribbon on it. Her eyes widened as he brought it closer.

"Now I know they're not Swiss, but I heard a rumor that these were your favorites." He handed her the box and she opened it with gusto. Rather than the regular assortment that Godiva Chocolates usually sold, it was a collection of her favorite individual chocolates. She looked up at him in surprise.

"How did you know which ones were my favorites?" He shrugged. "No, really. You've always got inside information on me; my shoe size, my work habits, my salary, and my favorite chocolates." Instead of eating, she set the box aside. "Tell me how you know these things, and if you smile smugly and say that you have your ways, I'll tear up the contract and find my own job."

"If I wanted to, I could keep you from working anywhere in the city." The words came out before he could stop them. Chloe didn't back down.

"If you'll remember, your father made it impossible for my dad to get a job, I've little doubt of your abilities in that respect. Just so you know, I'll never work for someone who bullies me again."

"I have a private detective look into the affairs of everyone I plan to hire. Your salary was easy to obtain along with the financial records of the company when my lawyers started the takeover. The detective asked a few questions here and there with your co-workers, very discreetly and non-intrusively. He also followed you around in order to get some of your habits."

"Why not just ask me?" Her bright gaze was compelling. He decided to tell her the truth.

"Most women find it impressive and flattering when a man takes so much interest in her." He shrugged. "I was hoping you might be impressed as well."

"Lex, I am more knowledgeable than most when it comes to the things you're capable of doing. I'd have been more impressed if you'd done the stalking yourself. Anyone with the money to hire a detective can get that information. Hell, I have a hacker friend who could get all of that by breaking into your credit card history."

"Point taken."

"Not toally." She shifted up to her knees. "Leave my personal life alone. I want my friends and lovers not to be interfered with. Is that clear?"

"Crystal."

"Now, just a few more questions about the job."

"Shoot."

"Are you going to call on me and tell me when you want a Jimminy Crickett? Or do you want me to make my own calls?" He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Are you just going to be showing up at my place or summoning me like you had been before?"

"Do you trust me?"

"About as much as I trust most men."

"Then I'll show up at your place from time to time or summon you at the beginning, but you'll get to know me as a co-worker and figure out when to say something."

"Okay, now I do think I should be present at the office if in no other capacity then to see and be seen by employees. If they get used to me, there is less of a mystery and they'll open up more." Before Lex could answer, she continued. "I want to take a look at your apartments today if possible before I make my final decision."

"Agreed on both parts."

"Alright, is there anything you want to clear up with me?"

"Not right now, but I'm sure we'll figure it out as we go."

"Okay. How bout the apartments?"

"I'll have my driver take you and call the managers to let them know that you'll be coming and to let you in. Just let the manager know which one you'll want. When they mention rent, don't be surprised; they won't know I'm paying it."

"Just as well, I'd rather not be thought of as your mistress."

"People will say it anyway when they see us together."

"I can deal."

"I can date."

"Me too."
*

Lex took his leave and Chloe put on her shoes and coat. She didn't know where Lex had gone, but the limo waiting outside was empty. The driver touched his cap politely and opened the door for her. She had grabbed a tablet of paper and a pen to jot down notes. When they reached the first building, Chloe was a little overwhelmed by its size. She was shown three different apartments, the only empty ones in the building. Each was plushly carpeted and had stainless kitchens. They were all very contemporary, very beautiful, and really not her style.

The next building was slightly smaller and closer to the business district. It also had a couple of smaller shops nearby that gave it a neighborhood feel. The building was brick and there was only one aparmtent open. It was slightly smaller than the others with hardwood floors, high ceilings, updated plumbing but a more classic feel to it. The bathroom was cozy with a large, porcelain bathtub. She liked it a lot. It was obviusly new, but the claw-feet and high sides appealed to her in a victorian way. The windows were enormous and held a view of the shops and part of one of the parks. It was on the corner and she knew that this would be the place she'd choose. She saw the other places just in case, but eventually called the manager of the brick building and told him that she wanted that apartment. She called Lex next and told him that she'd need a check to give the landlord.

"Let me guess, the brick building near the boutiques?"

"You know me too well."

"I had to give you options or it wouldn't look as good to you." He laughed a little. "I'm glad you picked that one, you'll like the manager and the tennants are mostly quiet."

"I forgot to ask, does it allow pets?"

"Yeah, with an extra deposit, but I'll take care of that too. Are you thinking of getting a cat?"

"No, a dog. Looks like this job might give me time for one. I'll just have to make certain that I can have someone look after it when we're traveling."

"I can hire someone to walk him or her."

"I'll just get Clark to do it. He's good with animals."

"What about Lois?"

"Not so much. She is too high strung, and they can sense that." She paused.
"Should I bring the papers by the office? Or would you rather I not make an appearance there just yet."

"The Baxters are here right now so it probably wouldn't be the best time, but seal the papers in the envelope and give them to my driver. I'll wire the money directly into your account so you can write a check for the first month's rent and deposit and all that."

[kitten]

*is waiting for smut*

[Janet]

Good progression. :)

Lex isn&#39;t going to interfere with Chloe&#39;s personal life? Ha.

This&#39;ll be interesting to see.

More please. :biggrin:

[hfce]

i am loving this. :wub:


Hope :chlexsign4:

[randa]

i like the plot, so now that the few loose ends were tied up... :biggrin:


randa

[Chimera0523]

So Chloe accepted. Good for her. Hmmm… I wonder how much apartments in downtown Metropolis would cost. I eagerly await your next post. :biggrin:

~Michelle

[autumngold]

It&#39;s cute how Lex knew which apartment Chloe would pick&#33;&#33; Now he just needs to get her a dog&#33;&#33; That would be sweet&#33;&#33; :biggrin: Thanks for the update&#33;&#33; I can&#39;t wait until Lex and Chloe&#39;s relationship becomes exclusive&#33;&#33; :yay: :chlexsign3: :yay:

[buddyfozzy]

Originally posted by autumngold@Dec 7 2004, 03:04 AM
It&#39;s cute how Lex knew which apartment Chloe would pick&#33;&#33; Now he just needs to get her a dog&#33;&#33; That would be sweet&#33;&#33; :biggrin: Thanks for the update&#33;&#33; I can&#39;t wait until Lex and Chloe&#39;s relationship becomes exclusive&#33;&#33; :yay: :chlexsign3: :yay:
Exactly what I was going to say&#33;

Wonderful chapter&#33; :yay: :worship2: :yay:

[sydsvaughn]

I&#39;m so enjoying this ... please post more soon&#33;&#33;

SaraC

[tiger04]

the smut would be where? Is Lex going to get Chloe a dog? I liked that lex knew which building she was going to pick. Great update. more soon please

AT

[estrellalily]

:huh: uhhhh, where was the smut? there was none&#33; no smut, smutless, totally and completely with out smut.

please update again soon, with smut :blinkkiss:
~estrellalily

[Nicki]

I would love to see Chloe get to know Michael a little more and make Lex jelous :devil:

[lexchloe]

:wub: That was nice. I liked how he fed her the sushi, very couply. I&#39;m glad she took the job, can&#39;t wait for sparks to start happening. more soon please.

[zelda]

Author's note:
Okay, this may seem like a regular, plot-driven chapter, and it is, up until the end. It's been a few years, and I wanted to give the feeling of Lex's frustration and Chloe being completely oblivious to it. It's a little dark, and more than just a little kinky.

Chloe packed up her apartment in two days. She'd arranged to have her things moved by Lexcorp, but she wanted everything clearly labeled so there would be no mixing up. She listed the contents of each box on the outside with a big, black Sharpie marker and had everything from her good china, to her more delicate articles of clothing packed and ready. She had rented a car, refusing Lex's offer to hire a driver for her and left for Smallville on Thursday morning. She'd had her power, cable, and internet turned off and left her key with her landlord. He'd been fairly understanding since he'd heard about her company being taken over, and he said he would refund a portion of her security deposit. She hadn't asked for more than that. She was cutting out two weeks before the next month's rent was due.

The trip to Smallville seemed to take a lot longer than it used to. Things had changed over the years, she didn't usually take the time to notice them when she came back, but this time she noted all of the new housing developments that had sprung up. All appeared to be owned by Lexcorp. It still looked like Kansas farmland, and the old sign that proclaimed it to be a meteor haven was still present. Before going to her father's house, Chloe drove past the Kent's farm and got out of her car to look at it for a few minutes. It brought back many bittersweet memories. Kissing Clark on her first day of school here, long conversations and beautiful sunsets. It was also the place where she'd nearly been murdered by a man who professed to admire her. She pushed away the unhappy thoughts and looked up to Clark's old bedroom window.

The screen door opened and a familiar red-haired figure looked out.

"Mrs. Kent?" Chloe started forward and Martha Kent stepped out onto the porch. She shaded her eyes from the snow glare then waved enthusiastically. Chloe hurried up the front steps and into a warm hug. "I didn't meant to disturb you, I was just driving by and got nostalgic."

"You can come by anytime." The woman's words were warm but filled with a loneliness that showed around her eyes and mouth. Her husband's death four years earlier had been a painful blow. Jonathan Kent had been the very picture of masculine health and vigor. It had shocked the whole town when he'd died suddenly. This farm had to be pretty lonely now. Martha welcomed her inside for a cup of hot coffee and a piece of pie. Chloe enjoyed the opportunity to share a little company, and a bit of the past.

"I just spoke to Clark a few days ago," she said, sipping at Mrs. Kent's excellent coffee. "He's promised to make manicotti and sausage for me sometime soon."

"I heard about your company closing down, I'm sorry that happened."

"I've already got another job, one that pays better, in fact." She smiled.

"Looks like Dad and I will both be working for Lex now." She couldn't help but notice the way that Martha's brow wrinkled slightly. "I know he's the one who put me out of a job, but he was good enough to offer up a better position to make it up to me, and besides, part of my job is to tell him when he's being a jerk."

"Really?"

"It's kind of a moral advisor position."

"Are you sure you know what you're getting into?" she asked. Then shook her head and patted Chloe's arm. "You're a smart girl, I didn't mean anything by that. I just remember working for Lionel all those years ago but I know Lex is a different man."

"Why don't you come with me tonight?" she asked. "We're having a little birthday party for Dad and I'd love to have you along."

"Your father already asked me to come, but I don't want to intrude on a family thing." She looked away with what appeared to be shyness.

"We're having extended family over as well, so that means you too." With a little more convincing, Martha agreed to come and Chloe happily noticed what appeared to be a little bit of flirting happening between her father and Clark's mother. Lana and her husband, Jason, came as well as a few friends from work. The party was boistrous and lasted well into the evening. When Martha Kent left, Gabe Sullivan walked her to her truck and they spent a few minutes talking before she drove away. Lana and Chloe exchanged looks and she felt like it was high school again.

Chloe slept in the guest bedroom and she and her father talked all morning about her plans. When it was time for her to leave, she hugged and kissed her dad and made him promise to come see her new place. She also hinted that perhaps he should make the trip to Metropolis with Martha Kent so they could make an evening with Clark, Lois and herself. Gabe swatted her playfully and told her to mind her business.

Chloe was smiling happily when she left Smallville behind, but she was excited to return to the city. She didn't, however, envy the task ahead of her. She hated unpacking and moving, she was just glad that she didn't have to do the lugging and carrying herself. The manager of her building was a friendly man in his forties who lived on the first floor and worked for a Lexcorp-owned company. He handed her the keys and walked up withher. She invited him in, apologising ahead of time for the state the place would be in. He gave her a funny look but agreed.

"A final walk-through is always a good idea. If you don't mind, I'd love to see how the place came out." Chloe was slightly confused until she opened her door. To say that her things had been unpacked was an understatement.

The place was spotlessly clean, and all of her things had been put away. The kitchen was filled with her dishes and utensils, her bedroom was freshly painted with the colors that she'd picked out and bought, there were new drapes at the windows and other little 'improvements'.

"Oh my God."

"Everything looks nice to me," the manager said. "If you have any problems, give me a call."

"Where's my phone?"

"I saw one in the kitchen, and I think that's another one by the bed." The man took his leave while Chloe walked around her apartment in shock. She opened her drawers and saw that all of her clothes had been put away, including her undergarments. She got an odd shiver thinking of a handman pawing through her stuff. The phone on the bedside table rang and she picked it up. There was only one person it could be, since she didn't even know her own number yet.

"Do you like it."

"I'm beyond speechless, Lex."

"That doesn't sound very positive to me."

"Lex, I think we need to have a litle talk about Chloe's personal space." She didn't realise that it had made her angry until she'd heard the smug satisfaction in his voice.

"Are you angry with me?" He sounded surprised. "I just saved you hours of work."

"Lex, there are some things that a lady prefers doing on her own."

"What? like lugging boxes that weigh a ton, or painting and hanging curtains?"

"Painting and lugging aside, Lex, yes. I would have preferred to put my dishes away myself. I'd have preferred to arrange my room on my own, or pick out my curtains, or put away my panties!" The last word was almost a shout. "You had strangers going through my stuff without my knowledge."

"I insisted that women do the unpacking and decorating."

"Strangers!" She was working herself up now. She walked with the cordless phone into the kitchen, there were some new items there, a new blender and coffee maker. She opened the fridge and it was stocked with fruit, vegetables, bottled water, and a bottle of Reisling. "Lex, I know you were trying to do something nice here, but all this wasn't necessary."

"I know it wasn't necessary, I just wanted to do it." His own voice became a little sharp.

"That's what you do; whatever you want. Not to mention that it was an invasion of privacy. I told you I wanted to have a private life."

"Your apartment didn't involve your friends or lovers."

"Lame excuse. I appreciate the gifts, but you need to take them back."

"I can't take back the food."

"Fine, but I'll pick out my own stuff, I'm a capable woman and I can do this myself."

"You sound like a petulant child."

"And you sound like an overbearing husband. I'll make a list of the stuff I'm keeping and I'll pay you for them. The rest needs to go."

"Fine, goodnight, Chloe."

"Goodnight, Lex, I'll speak to you on Monday."

Chloe hung up the phone and walked through her place. The heat had been turned up and it was a comfortable temperature. The kitchen was beautiful, but not everything was as she would have chosen it. She would return the coffee maker and find her old one. She would also choose a different set of pots since stainless was more her style than copper. She went into the bathroom and wasn't surprised that someone had taken the liberty of choosing a whole new style. The shower curtains were sheer white with a clear liner, there was a thick bathmat and white curtains. It was nice, but little romantic for her taste. Her kimono was hung on the back of the door, and she undressed, putting it on, along with her sherpa slippers. She puttered around, making lists of what was staying and what was going. She also though about Lex, and Martha Kent's words. Did she really know what she was getting into?"

Lex stared at his phone. He hadn't recieved the thank you that he'd expected. He'd gone to a lot of trouble to hire decorators and painters. He'd had to go to the staffers at one of theose television shows and offer their crews a bundle of cash and the promise for some sponsors in order to move and unpack all of her things. He'd seen the shows where someone got surprised by a new bedroom or a newly designed livingroom. Hell there was even a show where a completely new house was built in a week. She should have been happy. Grateful. But she was pissed. She'd basically told him where he could shove his gesture. It angered him, and, to his shame, excited him. He reached for the phone and opened his address book. He dialed a number and waited impatiently for the line to be picked up.

"Hello?"

"Martinique, it's Mr. Lambert. Do you have some time."

"I do, Mr. Lambert. Would you like me to send over something special?"

"Tonight I have something specific in mind."


Less than an hour later, Lex was waiting in his suite at the Plaza in Metropolis center. He kept a suite there for visiting guests, and his own occasional needs. He waited, with the lights dimmed, until he heard a soft knock.

"Come in," he called out. He'd left a key at the front desk and the name
"Joan", the desk knew him, and didn't ask why Joan looked different each time she came in. They just gave her the key and she went to the suite. Tonight, the door opened and he saw her silhouetted there. She looked just right. She stepped in, shyly, a little submissively and closed the door behind her.

"You wanted to see me?"

"You pissed me off tonight." She jumped a little and fidgeted with her hands, nervously. "I gave you a gift you unappreciative bitch. I tried to do something nice for you and you got angry and had the nerve to tell me off."

"Well, the gift was-"

"Shut up," he snapped. Her hair and body shape were perfect. He'd kept it dark because tonight he needed the fantasy to be as realistic as possible. He stood up and crossed the room to her. She flinched when he approached. Good, she should be scared. He siezed the back of her hair with his fingers and closed his eyes. He kissed her harshly on the mouth, but moved to her neck and shoulders. She put up her hands in protest.

"Sir, I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
Hurt. Yes, he'd been hurt by her rejection.

"Just be quiet."

"I really did like it, I just didn't know how to say it." He was pulling up her skirt and finding that she wore no panties. Good, that was right. He pushed his finger inside and she gasped. Her legs started to tremble a little.

"Tell me you're sorry again." She did. "Tell me you want me." She did that too. He pushed her down to the floor and sheathed his throbbing erection in latex before slipping inside her. He kept his eyes closed when he started thrusting. She eventually put her arms around him and started to move her hips against his. She was moaning like she was trying to hold back and he moved harder against her. "Tell me you love me."

"I love you." she gasped out before crying out in ecstasy. Lex came hard, with bruising force against her hips. He could feel the burn of the carpet beneath him, and he rolled off her, pulling his pants up. She made her discreet exit, picking up the envelope on her way out. He'd be sure to ask for her again. He knew he'd need her soon. He panted and lay on the carpet for a few minutes before showering and heading back to his own place. He'd probably only get a few hours of sleep, but at least he'd sleep tonight. Jerking off didn't work anymore to ease his tension. Not after he'd gone through one of the boxes she'd left. It had been labeled 'Bedroom' and it had contained her undergarments, a box of photographs, a pair of watercolors, framed and matted. It had also contained a small, rectangular box. 'Discreetly packaged', was the phrase that came to mind, and he'd opened it, knowing that the decorators would be there any moment.

It was a soft pink color. It had three speeds and he'd tried them all, holding it against his neck. She must have cleaned it regularly because it had no odor. He'd wondered how often she used it. Was she as hard up as he was? Did she have to use it every night in order to get some relief. He'd wondered about it, with the damned thing whirring against his neck when he'd heard the knock and the singsong voice of the design team's leader. A tall, gay man with perfect hair and clothes.

Lex had slipped the item back into it's box and into his pocket. He'd had to button his jacket over his raging erection before giving quick orders to the group. After they'd gone, he'd returned and slipped it into the bottom drawer of her dresser, a place he imagined that she'd kept it. Since then, since touching a little bit of Chloe's sexuality, and holding it against himself, he'd been unable to sleep for more than a few hours. His skin was starting to
pucker from the cold showers. Tonight had been a relief for him. The fantasy would last a little longer until he could have the real thing.

[kitten]

:wub:

If he wasn&#39;t so hot he&#39;d be creepy. Poor Lex, so many wires crossed. Father, enemy. Wife, enemy. Lover, enemy.

He needs a therapist . . . a straight, male therapist. He ends up sleeping with a lot of women.

More please?

[hfce]

Oh my Lex is nasty. :lol: Chloe lighten up he was trying to be nice the Lex way. If I where you instead of yelling fullfill his fantasy. :blush:



Hope :chlexsign3:

[Béatrice]

Obsessive Lex is creppy and also sexy. :devil: Please more. :worship2:

[Kit Merlot]

I do love Lex, but he is freaking me out. His obsession with Chloe is intriguing, but also frightening. :devil:

But I also think that Chloe is being hard on him, because she is denying her attaction to him :biggrin:

Excellent&#33;

[Blackberry]

Lex.. tsk tsk repressing yourself is not a good thing&#33; You see what it&#39;s done to you? *shakes head*

lol the things i want to say to that guy....

Update soon&#33; ^____^

BB

[lexchloe]

I :wub: Lex with a love that knows no bounds but he totally creeped me out in that chapter :ohmy: &#33;&#33; He&#39;d better be careful coz if chloe finds out she might end up freaking and the Chlex will die before its even started. Can&#39;t wait for more.

[buddyfozzy]

Lex was a little scary in this chapter, but I felt sad for him. Chloe was too harsh with him, he was just trying to do something nice for her. :cryblue: :cryblue: :cryblue:

Wonderful chapter :wub: :wub: :wub:

[chril1]

ok firstly this fic rocks

secondly lex just freaked me out....fix it

great

love lea
xxx

[Chimera0523]

Hmmmm... Lex, i thought you had more control than that. :blush: Great post&#33;&#33;

~Michelle

[asharnanae]

:biggrin: HOT DAMN&#33;&#33; this is one FANTASTIC story&#33; I LOVE IT&#33;&#33;&#33; please please please updte it soon&#33; :worship2:

[zelda]

Okay, for those who thought Chloe was being a wench for yelling at Lex, just imagine if you had a vibrator packed away somewhere and you found out that strangers had been going through your stuff without permission. Wouldn&#39;t you be peeved? And she did understand that he was trying to be nice, but he just went a little overboard and kinda crossed a line.

They&#39;ll get through it.

Promise.

[buddyfozzy]

Hmm, I hadn&#39;t thought of that. Yeah, she should be pissed&#33;&#33; :mad: :mad: :mad:

[sydsvaughn]

Hell, that happened to a friend of mine and she wouldn&#39;t speak to the guy for a month. (They&#39;re happily married, three years now by the way)

Lex is creepy, but I am looking forward to how he works through this and of course, the Chlex&#33;

SaraC

[hateSmallvilleLoveChlex]

Dude, I don&#39;t let my mother or even my sister unpack for me&#33;&#33; I have to know where my things are. I want to chose how things are organized. I don&#39;t care how much I liked someone I would be pissed&#33;

It was a nice thought but still personal space. Lex would hate for someone to move, touch, and change his things. To do that to someone else shows a lack of respect.

[autumngold]

Originally posted by nonky@Dec 7 2004, 03:59 PM
:wub:

If he wasn&#39;t so hot he&#39;d be creepy. Poor Lex, so many wires crossed. Father, enemy. Wife, enemy. Lover, enemy.

He needs a therapist . . . a straight, male therapist. He ends up sleeping with a lot of women.

More please?
I can&#39;t say it better than that&#33;&#33; Lex, either admit how you feel to Chloe, or stay out of her stuff&#33;&#33; Love the new chapter&#33;&#33; :wub: :chlexsign2: :wub:

[Thessaly]

Wow. Lex really has to get over this prudishness.

Fantastic. And yet slightly disturbing. The best kind of fantastic, I think you&#39;ll find.

Thessaly*spasming slightly with the need for an update*

[zelda]

Author&#39;s note: okay, had to bring in a little complication.

Chloe&#39;s first day officially working for Lex came with a lot of surprises. First was her office. It was located on the opposite side of the building to Lex&#39;s. She wasn&#39;t certain why she expected to be close to him, but to be so far away seemed a little odd for an advisor. Her office was small the walls were made mostly of glass. The blinds that covered all four sides gave the illusion of privacy. She couldn’t help feeling a little exposed since the location was central and anyone who walked onto the floor would need to pass her office.
The temptation to shut all of the blinds had to be repressed. Chloe didn’t want to hide from anyone, but she didn’t look for ward to seeing any of her former co-workers. When she finally did, she got her second surprise of the day.
“Chloe?” The voice startled her and she turned around. “I thought that was you.” Michael Baxter stood in her doorway with an expression of surprise.
“Hi.” It was a stupid thing to say, but it was the only thing she could think of. She was unpacking her pictures and placing them on her new desk. “What are you doing here?”
“I was just going to ask the same thing, but I’m guessing our answers will be identical.” He stepped forward. “I’m working for the department that the Baxter technology went to.”
“Lex offered me a job too. I just started.”
“I tried to call you the other day but your phone was disconnected. I guess I assumed you’d moved to greener pastures.”
“I guess I did, in a manner of speaking.” She put down the picture she’d been holding. “My Dad’s birthday was earlier in the week so I went home to celebrate. I’ve been a little incommunicado.”
“Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you around, then.” Michael looked like he wanted to say something else, and they had a moment of awkward silence.
“Yeah, stop in sometime.”

The rest of the morning was filled with getting settled and organized. A few employees stuck their heads in to say hello. Mostly women. Chloe got the feeling that Lex’s office wasn’t one where a lot of socializing was encouraged. Lex was in meetings all morning so she didn’t see him until around noon when he passed by her office with a quick wave. She was tempted to call out to him, but resisted. He was throwing her into deep water to see how she’d swim. Well, she certainly wasn’t a sinker by nature, so once she had her office arranged to her liking, she took a walk around the floor.
One of the first things Chloe noticed was the lack of idle chatter in the air. The physical placement of offices had many walls and doors that kept the executives and workers in their own space. She wasn’t certain if he was intentionally putting up barriers or not. The break room was tidy and empty. It had a coffee machine, soda machine, snack machine and refrigerator. There were a few tables and chairs, but no sign of crumbs or coffee rings that indicated anyone used it. If she hadn’t been here with the intention of breaking down some barriers, she’d have probably gone nuts. She was social by design, downright nosey, in fact. Being without the interpersonal office friendships would have been a little rough.
At the end of the day, Chloe made an effort to say a cheerful goodbye to the people who’d greeted her, and smiled at everyone. When she walked into her apartment, her phone was ringing. She rushed over to it and picked it up.
“Hello?”
“You sound out of breath.” Lex’s voice was polite, but lacked its usual warmth. “Did you run up the stairs?”
“No, I just got in, I had to stop for a couple of things at the store,” she answered, setting down her bags. “What’s up?”
“I just wanted to call and see how your first day went.”
“Well, I certainly have some ideas for getting to know your employees.” She took off her coat and draped it over a chair before unpacking her bags and setting a bag of tortilla bread on the sideboard. “I think a few small changes would be good-” The sound of someone knocking on her open doorway startled her. She’d forgotten to shut the door all the way in her rush for the phone. “Come in.”
“Is someone there?”
“Yeah, can I call you back?”
“I’ll just see later.” Lex sounded even more distant.
“Okay goodnight, Lex.” She turned and greeted Michael Baxter for the second time that day. “Hi.”
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” He nodded at the phone in her hand. He was dressed in jeans and a beige sweater. His parka was slung over his arm.
“Not at all,” she said, gesturing to one of the stools in front of the island in her kitchen. She put the phone back on its cradle and sat opposite him. “Now don’t be offended by this question, but do you mind my asking how you found me?”
“I live near here and I saw you get out of a cab. I called out but you didn’t hear me. I also missed you at the elevator but I noted the floor and came up. It was just luck that your door was open and I heard your voice.”
“I’d love to think that you’re just welcoming me to the neighborhood, but I get the feeling that something was on your mind today.” She also had a pretty good idea what it was, but she wasn’t going to offer explanations until asked.
“You’re right. I did, but I don’t think I really have any business asking.” Chloe just shrugged and went to the fridge. She pulled out a bottle of Australian Shiraz and offered him a glass. He accepted and she poured two. Then she took out a covered casserole dish with leftover chili in it.
“I’m making chili wraps tonight, would you like to stay for supper?”
“What are chili wraps?”
“You fry up chili mixed with rice and serve it in a tortilla with all the regular fixings.”
“Okay, I’m game.”
Chloe took out the steamed rice she had leftover from her Chinese food delivery and mixed it with the chili. Then she put the mixture into a frying pan and set a plate on top of it. The tortilla bread went onto the plate, and then she placed the cover to the frying pan over the bread.
“This way, everything is heated together,” she explained. Michael nodded and sipped his wine. He looked around the apartment.
“This is a pretty nice place.” He made an effort to sound light, but Chloe knew what he wanted to ask.
“Michael, just ask what you want to ask, if it’s none of your business, I’ll tell you, but I’m not going to lay out all the details of my life to make it easier.” She surprised herself. If she’d been working for the Baxters, she’d have never said something like that, but she was eager to clear the air on her own terms.
“Okay, well I have a sister, Jillian, and she was dating Lex.”
“I know, he told me.” Michael didn’t look surprised.
“Well, she said that he was seeing her to get inside information about the company and that it was the reason we were taken over.” Before she could reply, he continued. “Andy blew up at you the other day, and afterward, Jillian heard about it and made a few accusations saying that Lex had told her there was a spy at the company and it hadn’t been her.”
“Are you asking me if I gave information about Baxter to Lex in exchange for this job?” Michael looked uncomfortable, but he nodded.
“Yeah, I mean, I know we weren’t paying you enough to afford this place. And a few people mentioned that they’d been given an early warning to look for other jobs.”
“I’ll tell you this, and I don’t wish for the details of my life to come up at family discussions, I was honest when I said I had known Lex for years. We haven’t exactly been friends, but we both had common problems with his father. I’ve had very little contact with him over the past few years, and he did offer me a job when I first came to Metropolis, but I refused.” She stirred the chili with a wooden spoon before replacing the covered plate. “I did hear about the buyout before Monday, but I didn’t even see Lex until after the papers were signed. He called me and told me about it, then offered me the position. I was really angry at first, and refused.”
“When was this?”
“Friday night,” she said. “I told some of my friends about it so they wouldn’t be blind-sided on Monday. I didn’t like being out of a job either.”
“But you agreed to work for Lex.”
“Yeah, he drew up a good offer and I accepted it, but I’m no spy and I had no idea until it was too late.”
“Now about you and Lex-” He looked around the apartment again.
“Now you’re overstepping,” she said quietly. “You’re not my boss anymore, and we’re not close enough for you to pry.” She paused. “I already told you that Lex is an old acquaintance.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything improper.” Michael looked contrite. Chloe narrowed her eyes and turned back to the stove.
“Yeah, I think you did, but just in that way that people try to get personal information by making an implication and forcing them to deny it out of defense.” Before he protested, she handed him a plate. “I’m not angry, Michael, I’m just being clear, I don’t talk about my really personal life with co-workers, and I won’t share information to quell a rumor.”
“I can respect that, and I apologize.”
“Forget about it.” She smiled again. Now, do you like jalapenos?” She was impressed with herself. She’d remained cool and businesslike and had made good points. This new job was doing wonders for her self-esteem.
They ate the wraps while watching the news. The top story had them both speechless. Apparently a near-fatal helicopter crash was averted by a man who could reportedly fly. He’d flown up and caught a reporter who’d fallen from the roof, then the machine itself. He’d returned both to the top of the Daily Planet, and then flown off into the night. If the news crews hadn’t had multiple eyewitnesses and a few home videos capturing the sight, Chloe wouldn’t have believed it.
Chloe was reaching for her phone when it rang. It was Lois.
“Chloe, the most amazing thing happened to me today…”

[Béatrice]

Between Chloe and that Michael, it&#39;ll only be professional, isn&#39;t it? Because Lex would be devasted. :chlexsign3: Please next time, could we have more CHLEX&#33;&#33;&#33; Pleeeeeeease. :worship2:

[hfce]

Please dont make this into a triangle. Please oh please oh please. I am wearing thin on it.



Hope :chlexsign4:

[zelda]

No triangle, Promise, but it doesn&#39;t mean smooth sailing immediately.

[buddyfozzy]

Wow, I&#39;m surprised Chloe didn&#39;t throw Michael out. And I&#39;m glad he didn&#39;t ask her out, I really thought that was where it was headed.

Wonderful chappie&#33; :worship2: :worship2: :wub: :wub:

:chlexsign3: :chlexsign3: :chlexsign3:

[autumngold]

Will Chloe recognize Clark as Superman? I think it would be really cool if she did&#33;&#33; Thanks for the great update&#33;&#33; I can&#39;t wait to see what Lex has in store for Chloe next&#33;&#33; :yay: :chlexsign3: :yay:

[Blaire023]

ah hahahhahahahahaha, that&#39;s just funny

[lexodus]

Michael seems like a nice guy, but let&#39;s face it: when it comes to a Chlex fic, the nice guys finish last. Don&#39;t mess with tradition, okay? :devil:

[lexchloe]

:yay2: Nice update. Why is Lex being all distant though??? Glad that there won&#39;t be a triangle even though Michael seems nice. Hope Chloe recognised Clark, oh the wakiness that would lead to. :biggrin: :chlexsign2:

[sydsvaughn]

heck, I&#39;m looking forward to this immensely&#33;&#33;

more soon please&#33;

SaraC

[sexi_angel_babee]

:chlexsign1: ewwwwwwwww for michael. yay for chlex. ewwwwww for michael, yay for chlex. more chlex more chlex&#33;

[zelda]

It&#39;s coming as quickly as possible&#33; Personally, I&#39;m so impatient I have to make myself stick to my storyline instead of skipping right to the lovin&#39;

[zelda]

After Michael left, Chloe decided to go to bed. She watched a few news spots but after getting a firsthand account, there wasn’t much that could top it. At around Two AM, her phone rang. She reached for it, clumsily and answered.

“’Lo?”

“Chloe, Lex.”

“Wha’s wrong?” she yawned, trying to blink her way awake.

“Can’t sleep.” He sounded tired. “Can I come up?”

“Where are you?”

“On the street outside your building.” Chloe threw back the covers and went to her bedroom window, she saw no one on the sidewalk. He must have figured out what she was doing because he added,. “The other side.”

“I’ll buzz you in.” Chloe went to her door and hit the button to unlock the front door, then she disengaged her deadbolt and chain lock. Running her hands through her hair, she turned on a couple of lamps and took out a couple of glasses from her cupboards. Lex knocked softly before opening her door. He didn’t ask if it was a bad time. It didn’t matter and they both knew it. This was her job, her real job. Taking care of Lex’s mental health.

“I guess Lois must have called you.”

“Yeah, wonder if it’s a fluke.”

“You mean, just a passing stranger like the people who were affected by meteors in Smallville?” He took off his overcoat. He was wearing jeans, sneakers, and a sweatshirt.

“Who knows,” Chloe said, eyeing him sideways. “But tell me what’s on your mind.”

“It’s just been a rough week, I guess.”

“Liar,” she said with a smile. “What’s up?”

“I don’t want you to be mad about the apartment.” He sat down on her couch. She poured him a glass of milk and one for herself. She set his in front of him.

“You couldn’t sleep because of that?”

“Well, partially. And it has been a really long week.” He shrugged, I guess you were the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

“I’m not mad at you, Lex.” She took a sip of her milk and he did too. “I was angry because I felt like so many things had gone out of control all at once, then I was kind of blind-sided. I know it was a gesture on your part, and it was thoughtful, but the decorators didn’t really know me, so I didn’t feel like I was coming home.”

“A sense of home must be very important to you.”

“You know what it’s like to grow up with only one parent. Dad tried his best, but he can’t work and be home at the same time. At least I was lucky enough to have a parent who cared enough about me to make the effort.”

“Pretty sorry pair we are, huh?” Lex slid off the couch and stretched his legs out in front of him on the braided rug.

“What else is bothering you?” Chloe got up and sat on the couch behind him. She made him face forward and began to rub his neck. Her voice grew soft and she asked him simple questions. Before long, Lex found himself relaxing. Her fingers found the knots in his neck and shoulders, and her voice soothed and prodded just as gently.

“So what’s my problem, Doc?” He asked, with as much joviality as he could muster at nearly three in the morning.

“Honestly, Lex, I think you really need a few good night’s rest. And you’re going through a cycle of less sleep, more stress, and then each making the other one worse.”

“Do you have anything stronger than the milk to help me sleep.”

“I’m working on it right now.” She nudged his shoulders backwards and made him lean against her folded knees. Then she wrapped her arms around him and leaned her cheek against his. “You don’t get enough affection from your friends and family.” The simple statement, paired with the odd embrace, made Lex’s pent-up exhaustion loose. He sighed and leaned his head back against Chloe. She wasn’t offering him anything more tonight, but it was what he needed.

Lex felt close to her, closer than he had to any woman in a long time. Their encounter a few years earlier had forced them into a kind of intimacy that people usually work on for a long time. They were never friends. They still weren’t, exactly. But they were close. The feeling of Chloe’s soft cheek pressed against his face did not stimulate him, sexually. Or at least, not any more than her general presence did. When she stood up and took him by the wrist, he allowed her to tug him to his feet.

Chloe brought him to her bedroom and told him to strip down to his boxers. Then she went to the bathroom and grabbed a spare toothbrush. When Lex came out of the bathroom, his head was practically reeling from sleepiness. It was a feeling he hadn’t had in weeks. The few hours of sleep that he’d been stealing had only occurred after laying awake anxiously awaiting morning. Chloe slept in a queen-sized bed with soft sheets and a thick, down comforter. She sat on the end of the bed and gestured for him to get in.

“I’m usually not this easy,” he joked.

“Me neither,” she replied. “But you can trust me, I won’t put the moves on you.”
Lex crawled under her covers and turned over onto his side. Chloe crawled up behind him on top of the covers.

“I don’t want to oust you from your own bed,” he said with a jaw-popping yawn.

“I’ll get under the covers later; just go to sleep.”

Lex realized, as he started to drift off immediately, that this one small problem of sleeplessness had such a simple solution. When he wasn’t weighed down by his anxiety, he could sleep. But he hadn’t really let go of his problems, she’d just made him feel like they weren’t as close. She was an oasis from the other pieces of his life. His own private little pocket of peace. He felt the weight of her arm draped over him and the slightest tickle of her breath. As he instinctively fought to stay awake, she whispered to him.

“Let go, I’ll look after you for tonight.” He was helpless after that.
Chloe felt the tension leave Lex and his side start to rise and fall evenly. She hadn’t expected her night to end up like this. Her boss was sleeping in her bed, and she was spooning him and caring for him like a child. He had no one to care for him, she realized. Care. To care for someone meant giving up a part of yourself and making another person’s needs your own. In their own, twisted ways, they’d done that, a long time ago. She’d made sacrifices for him, and he’d done the same for her. They’d been acquaintances then, now they were something else altogether.

[hickchick]

awwwww, that&#39;s so sweet. Chloe taking care of Lex.

i love where this story is going.

please update soon&#33;

[lexchloe]

AWWWWWW :wub: That was lovely. Can&#39;t wait for more Chlexy closeness.

[kitten]

:yay:

I love your tough, stubborn Chloe and the vulnerable side of Lex. It&#39;s nice that she&#39;s realistic about him and that he lets her do her job. I suspect it won&#39;t be long before they have to admit they&#39;re more than working together.

Wonderful chapter.

[zelda]

Don&#39;t forget, Nonky, this is Lex we&#39;re talking about. He doesn&#39;t just fall in love like a normal guy.

[Béatrice]

Awwww so sweet&#33; :wub: MORE&#33; :yay2:

[hfce]

Awww that was so sweet. But knowing the two of them they wont admit they are falling for eachother.



Hope :chlexsign1:

[buddyfozzy]

Aww, that was so sweet&#33;&#33; :wub: :wub: :wub:

[Chimera0523]

That is too cute, I love it. :biggrin: Chloe is just what Lex needed. I hope it becomes something that Chloe also needs from Lex. Keep up the great work.

~Michelle

[Janet]

Hush little Lexy don&#39;t you die, I&#39;m gonna sing you a lullaby....


Cute Chlex&#33; :)

Keep going Zelda&#33; :chlexsign3:

[randa]

wonderful update.
i like their relationship right now, it just seems right for them.


randa

[AlabamaWorley]

I can&#39;t believe I&#39;m just now coming in on this. You&#39;re doing a great job, I&#39;m totally drawn in. Come back soon&#33;

Oh, and if someone had been through my panties and my *ahem* private things, I&#39;d be in tears. Lex should have known that, considering he went through her things personally and... um... borrowed them.

[autumngold]

I love how seriously Chloe takes her job&#33;&#33; Hopefully Lex will come over often to sleep&#33;&#33; :biggrin: Thank you for the incredible update&#33;&#33; Post more soon please&#33;&#33; :yay: :chlexsign3: :yay:

[newbatgirl]

Hey, I am looking for a new job, where can I get me one like Chloe&#39;s?

Nice update. Lex freaked me out in the previous chapter though.

[sexi_angel_babee]

awwwww thank u... u make me happy wit more chlex..... awwwww..... :chlexsign1:

[tiger04]

that was very sweet. I can&#39;t wait for the next chapter.

AT

[sydsvaughn]

There&#39;s nothing more I love than Chloe taking care of Lex and vice versa.

Please, update soon&#33;

SaraC

[zelda]

The first thing that Lex felt, upon waking, was skin. Bare skin, slightly cool, resting on his shoulder. The skin was on a slender arm that was carelessly draped over him. Then he felt the slight tickle of breath against his back, then bare toes against his calf. After his initial thoughts of escape, he remembered where he was. Chloe’s bed. So that meant it was Chloe’s arm, and Chloe’s breath, and Chloe’s surprisingly sharp toenail digging into him. He moved his leg slightly.
“Hmmmph.” The noise came from behind Lex and he felt steady pressure on the back of his shoulder blade. It was her forehead. Chloe was sleeping against his back with her face resting against him. He smiled and stretched carefully. She moved and flopped onto her back. He turned to look at her but she was already smushing the pillow against her face. She was still sleeping soundly and oblivious to him. He rolled onto his other side and looked at her. He could only see half of her face, which was slightly marred by pillow wrinkles.
Moving carefully, so not to disturb his sleeping companion, Lex pressed carefully closer to her. She moved onto her side and turned her back to him, which disappointed him for a moment until she made a backward scuttle to reclaim his warmth. Chloe Sullivan was a sleep nomad. Moving instinctively, unconsciously to the most comfortable sleeping positions and spots. Generally, sleep nomads were difficult to share a bed with in Lex’s experience, mainly because they were notorious pillow and blanket thieves. Knowing this about Chloe amused him. She shifted slightly and Lex stopped being amused.
Chloe’s bottom had found a niche to settle into. That niche, unfortunately, was her employer’s pelvis. Lex’s already-present morning wood came to full attention with speed that would put the most disciplined soldier to shame. Shit.
Lex knew he would need to move soon before this became embarrassing. But briefly, before Chloe woke, Lex leaned close and put his arm around her. He held her, like she’d held him the previous night, and enjoyed her closeness; the illusion of intimacy that their positions afforded him. She stretched then, and arched her back indicating her impending awakening. The cleft of her bottom, clad in only her cotton pajama bottoms, pressed right against his erection. He throbbed in response to her. Lex squeezed his eyes shut and gave in to one, gentle, push against the pressure before rolling away from her and off the bed.
Chloe woke, cool. She absently pulled the covers closer and blinked at the dreary winter morning. She’d been having a pleasant dream, the kind that was more filled with sensation than image. She turned over when she heard the shower turn on in her bathroom. Suddenly she remembered the previous night. Lex. She looked at the clock. It was almost Eight Thirty. She’d slept much longer than she’d intended, but felt really refreshed. She got out of bed and slid her feet into her slippers. Then she turned up the thermostat a few degrees before heading out to the kitchen to make coffee.
“You look rested for once.” Chloe said it, glancing up from her cup of coffee and the morning news.
“Now I know what all the fuss is about,” Lex said with a small smile. “I thought sleeping was for losers.”
“You’ll be an addict now.”
“Speaking of addictions…” he trailed off. Chloe pointed to where her collection of coffee cups hung from hooks under her cupboards. Lex poured himself a healthy dose of caffeine. “I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t working before seven AM.”
“Feel decadent?”
“Almost.” He nodded to the television. “Anything happening in the world?”
“Wouldn’t know. All I’m hearing about is Superman.”
“More sightings?” Lex sat beside her on the couch and began putting on his shoes. Chloe fought back the slight disappointment and nodded.
“He single-handedly captured a bunch of criminals performing various crimes ranging from petty misdemeanors to potential felonies.”
“Equal opportunity hero.”
“No crime to big or too small.” They sat in silence until the commercial break.
“Are you coming to the office today?” Lex asked, getting up and bringing his coffee cup to the sink.
“Not until later, but I’ll be staying late. I don’t want an audience when I draw up a couple of plans.” She leaned back and tilted her head in order to see him. “I’m calling a friend of mine whose sister is a decorator. Most of the stuff here is nice, but I’m having the bathroom re-done.”
“I’m sorry about that, Chloe.”
“Forget it.” She shrugged and returned to her coffee cup. Lex was uncertain how to end their conversation. He didn’t need to say “I’ll call you” or “I had a good time”. He didn’t even need to ask when he could come back. The knowledge that he could come here anytime and be with her gave him another illusion. Power.
“Stop in when you do get to work. I have tax forms that I didn’t want everyone in Human Resources to see.”
“Okay.” Lex took his leave and Chloe took her turn in the shower. She thought about the bathroom and how she would change it. The walls were pale blue and she wanted something darker. The blinds at the window were fine, but the floaty, sheer, shower curtains would have to go. It was so utterly romantic in here that all Chloe could think about is how Lana would love it. She called her friend, Gina, who gave her the decorator’s number. She explained her situation and that she was just looking to go through some catalogues since everything had been professionally done, she didn’t want her bathroom to look amateurish.
Gina’s sister, Beverly, spoke to her briefly and agreed to send over one of her assistants with a few catalogues and suggestions. It usually took more time to get a home visit, but she told Chloe that Gina had been grateful for her warning about the buyout at Baxter. Chloe felt a little guilty and admitted that she’d been hired by Lex. Beverly didn’t seem bothered by this and told her that a couple of the other companies that developed software had been able to come up with some open positions and Gina was now working for one of them.
At around Noon, Chloe buzzed in a young woman named Clarissa. She came bearing a bag with several heavy catalogues in them. Before she opened one, she asked Chloe how she felt about the current décor.
“I like a lot of the things that the team did, considering the fact that they have no idea who I am. It is contemporary without being cold, but the bathroom is a little girly for my taste. I’m not a romantic.”
Clarissa walked through with her and refrained form making any comments.
“Is it just the bathroom then?” she asked, when she’d seen everything.
“Now you mention it, there are probably a few things I might change about the place, but for now, just the bathroom.”
“Tell me about the bathroom you’d want if you could have anything?”
“A bathroom I can relax in,” Chloe began. Then she closed her eyes and tried to picture it. “Steamy, warm, smells like lit candles, a little dark, maybe some darker colors, I guess. But comfortable”
“If you don’t mind my saying so,” Clarissa began. “This bathroom says ‘romance’, you want one that says ‘Sex’.”
“What makes you say that?”
“The kimono,” she said, pointing to the dark robe. "The candles, the empty wineglass, and the radio.”
“That says ‘Sex’?” Chloe asked, scratching her head. “I kinda thought it said, ‘Potential alcoholic who’s far to lonely and needs a man’.”
“That means sexy.”
“Okay, Sexy it is.”
“Sexy it will be.”

Author&#39;s note:
Yeah yeah, ending with a bunch of boring stuff about the bathroom, but it will be worth it later.

[autumngold]

Originally posted by zelda@Dec 11 2004, 10:24 AM

“If you don’t mind my saying so,” Clarissa began. “This bathroom says ‘romance’, you want one that says ‘Sex’.”
“What makes you say that?”
“The kimono,” she said, pointing to the dark robe, the candles, the empty wineglass, and the radio.”
“That says ‘Sex’?” Chloe asked, scratching her head. “I kinda thought it said, ‘Potential alcoholic who’s far to lonely and needs a man’.”

I must be odd&#33;&#33; You had Chloe and Lex together in bed, yet this was my favorite part of the whole chapter&#33;&#33; Not that I&#39;m not going to want more Chlex romance soon&#33;&#33; Thanks for the update&#33;&#33; :yay: :chlexsign3: :yay:

[lexchloe]

:biggrin: Great update. I really liked Lex watching her sleep and then his........... &#39;reaction&#39; to her closeness. :devil: More soon please.

[zelda]

Coming next...slightyl longer chapter with a few surprises. Unless everyone figures stuff out before the end of the chappie. I&#39;ll keep my foreshadowing to a minimum.

[lexchloe]

:yay: :yay: *watches post eagerly for signs of upcoming update.&#33;&#33;*

[buddyfozzy]

I love morning Chlex :wub:

Great update, I&#39;m patiently waiting for the next time they meet.

[hfce]

More please that was nice. :D


Hope ;)

[tiger04]

Thanks for the wonderful update. i really liked the part with lex waking up with chloe. Please update with more soon

AT

[kitten]

Originally posted by buddyfozzy@Dec 11 2004, 04:52 PM
I love morning Chlex :wub:


Ditto.

And please log my vote for sexy bathroom that compliments a naked billionaire. Because I suspect Lex Luthor is going to end up in a bath at Chloe&#39;s place soon enough. :applause:

[Béatrice]

Graet update&#33;&#33;&#33; :biggrin: Now I am looking foward to reading the next chapters. :yay:

[lexodus]

Originally posted by autumngold+Dec 11 2004, 11:24 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (autumngold @ Dec 11 2004, 11:24 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-zelda@Dec 11 2004, 10:24 AM

“If you don’t mind my saying so,” Clarissa began. “This bathroom says ‘romance’, you want one that says ‘Sex’.”
“What makes you say that?”
“The kimono,” she said, pointing to the dark robe, the candles, the empty wineglass, and the radio.”
“That says ‘Sex’?” Chloe asked, scratching her head. “I kinda thought it said, ‘Potential alcoholic who’s far to lonely and needs a man’.”

I must be odd&#33;&#33; You had Chloe and Lex together in bed, yet this was my favorite part of the whole chapter. [/b][/quote]
Me too&#33; I love how you described it.

I can&#39;t wait for more.

[Smallville_Sitton]

That was wonderful&#33;&#33;&#33; I personally loved Lex waking against Chloe. Upate soon...with smut please.


SS



:chlexsign4: Chlexy, Chlexy, Extra Sexy&#33;&#33;&#33;[FONT=Arial][COLOR=purple]

[hateSmallvilleLoveChlex]

I loved the whole update but especially the "sexy bathroom" part. Please update again soon.

[chril1]

will chloe become an alcoholic? ahh well the best bit was most definately the bed scene, and as a nomad i found it very true to life not only is it pillows and blankets but space too, oh well tough for them


sooooo, more? :blush:

love lea
xxx

[zelda]

Chloe made several selections from the catalogues, but left the details to Clarissa. The young woman promised to return by the weekend with an estimate for time and cost. A few items would need to be ordered, but once everything arrives, the room could be done in a day or less.
Lexcorp offices were still buzzing with the latest Superman news when Chloe arrived. She’d dressed in a dark wine-colored wrap dress in soft cashmere. It had been a gift from her father who knew she liked soft things. As promised, she stuck her head in Lex’s office.
“You had some papers for me to sign?” He looked up from his computer screen and beckoned her forward. He handed her a folder and she began to read and sign the forms.
“You talked to a decorator?”
“Yeah, they’ll probably be able to get it done next week. Possibly even in one day if the painting gets done early.” She finished the forms and handed them back to him. “I’ve also got a list for whomever bought appliances and all that. If he or she can just give me a bill for the pieces I’m keeping, I’ll box up the rest.”
“Do me a favor, Chloe,” Lex said, Leaning forward. “Donate the pieces you don’t want to a homeless shelter or something. I’ve no use for them. As for the rest, you can drop it with my assistant, Ian. He’ll get you a bill if you still want to pay it.”
“You give a pretty decent salary, Lex. I don’t think it’ll be a problem.” Before Lex could reply, a man in a dark suit opened the door and walked in, unannounced.
“Mr. Luthor, We need to evacuate the building.”
“You think it’s real?”
“There is definitely a good possibility this time.” Lex rose from his desk and picked up his briefcase. Then he walked around and took Chloe’s arm.
“Come with me.” His grip was firm and he tugged her toward the hallway that led to his private office. The man followed, speaking into his cuff. He was giving orders to activate an alarm.
“Lex, What’s going on?”
“Bomb threat. This time it actually appears to be plausible.” Lex was calm, but walking quickly toward the express elevator. He pressed the button and as the doors opened, Chloe could hear the fire alarm going off. The security guard got in the elevator with them and stood directly in front of the door. Lex shifted so that Chloe was slightly behind him. Her heartbeat increased.
“How many of these do you get?”
“Every few weeks someone will get pissed and try to disrupt our workday with a bomb threat. We have security that scans all areas of public access and dogs search on the weekends.”
“You’re in that much danger?”
“Rarely. This is the first time in over a year that there has been any credibility to a threat.” The doors opened and they got out on the bottom floor. The guard took them through the back lobby exit. People were starting to rush from the building. The crowd was nervous and agitated, Chloe knew how they felt. Lex’s had was still fastened around her arm like an iron band. He handed her his heavy briefcase. “Hold this.” He dug out his cell phone and pressed a few buttons.
“Where are we going?”
“We’re evacuating.” He said, calmly. Then he began speaking. “This is Mr. Luthor, I’ll be working from home today, there’s been a problem with the office here. Please have lunch ready for about a dozen people. Soup and sandwiches will be fine.”
Chloe shifted the briefcase under her arm and looked at her watch. “Who wants you dead these days?”
“If someone wanted me dead, they wouldn’t call ahead. They want something else today.” They reached the street. “Daniel, where’s the limo?” He paused in the doorway and stood with Chloe by his side. Daniel was already talking on his radio. He was asking for the driver, a man Chloe knew to be named Milo. He didn’t appear to be getting a reply.
“Sir, we can’t locate Milo, we’ll need to get another car.”
“Just hail us a cab, we should get to my place,” Lex replied. His forehead was creased with tension. Chloe knew why. If a bomb wasn’t meant to kill him, it could be meant to get him out of the building. She looked around them for possible assailants, but people were pouring out of the building in large groups. Daniel had managed to stop a cab and was gesturing for them to step away from the relative safety of the doorway. Lex took Chloe’s hand and she shifted the weight of the case again.
In retrospect, Chloe was pretty sure she heard Daniel’s shout of alarm just before the big man fell backwards into the cab. Lex spun around to grab her but she was already turning back to the building. Directly in front of her was a person dressed in black. He wore a ski mask over his face and shouted something she couldn’t hear. People were screaming and there was a loud noise. Chloe felt the hit like she’d been punched and fell backwards, striking her head on the sidewalk. She heard Lex shouting before her body hit something solid and she landed on the ground. She was looking up at Lex who had drawn his own gun from his shoulder holster and watched helplessly as he was shot in the chest and slammed into the side of the taxi. Blackness.

Chloe felt a burning in her side when she tried unsuccessfully to move. She was very cold. Icy wind was whipping at her bangs and one of her ears felt numb. The other was warm, along with the side of her face. She opened her eyes and saw bright blue. She couldn’t move because a strong pair of arms was holding her. She turned her head and saw the asphalt rushing toward her again. The speed made her feel nauseous, then the slightest impact when she hit the ground. Moving again. Someone shouting for help. Then she was placed on a stretcher and looked into a pair of pale eyes. Then she blinked and a woman was leaning over her asking questions and trying to remove her dress.
When Chloe woke again, she was in a hospital bed. Someone was talking in the room. The voice was familiar.
“No, they’re just waiting for her to wake up. The surgery was minor, only a small piece of metal actually hit her.” Chloe blinked a few times to try and focus her eyes. Familiar, long brown hair . Lois’ voice. Instant comfort. If her cousin was around, she was safe. Lois wouldn’t let anything happen to her. “I’ll have her call you when she wakes up. Love you too.”
“Was that Dad?” she croaked. Lois spun around and grinned.
“Can’t keep you down and out for long.” She sat on the edge of Chloe’s bed. “How’re you feeling?”
“Thirsty.” Lois used the remote to elevate Chloe’s top half and handed her a glass of water. She couldn’t move her right arm because it was strapped to her side with a sling and bandages. “What happened?”
“You, my peach,” Lois said in a mockingly stern manner, “have been shot.”
The memories came back.
“Lex?”
“He’s fine, he and the driver were both wearing bullet-proof vests. Maybe you should invest in one too.” Lois smiled at her. “Too bad you were out of it, honey; you were rescued by Superman. He must have been at Lexcorp because of the bomb but he got there before the gunman could get off any more shots.”
“Do they know who it was?”
“Yeah, but the guy is a professional, he says he was hired anonymously.” She brushed her cousin’s hair back from, her face. “You’re really lucky. The police Detective said that the briefcase you were holding had Lex’s laptop in it that had titanium in its case. The bullet hit that and was deflected off to the side. It hit you in the ribs and broke one but it missed your lungs.”
“How long have I been out?”
“About twelve hours. I didn’t think you’d wake up this soon.” She gave Chloe some more water. “The doctor said you might feel nauseous from the anesthesia, so drink slow.”
There was a knock at the open doorway and Clark stuck his head around the curtain. He pushed his glasses up his nose shyly.
“I came as soon as I could,” he said, holding out a slightly rumpled bouquet of flowers. “I hope I didn’t miss anything good.”
“She’s already dressed if that’s what you mean,” Lois said with a smirk.
“Your timing was perfect,” Chloe said, looking at him intently. He pulled at his collar and she added, “I just woke up.” She pushed back the covers on her bed and sat up slowly. Lois took hold of her good arm.
“Do you want me to call a doctor for you?” she asked. “Are you in pain?”
“Of course I’m in pain,” Chloe said. “I’ve been shot and cut open. Two things I really don’t like. But I’d like to get the Hell out of here if possible.” She reached for the cotton hospital robe that hung beside her bed.
“I’ll go get someone,” Lois said, walking out the door. She gave Clark a meaningful look.
“Don’t try to stop me, Clark. I really don’t like hospitals and I’d just rather get some drugs and go home.” He frowned. “I know you’ve been dying to get a look at my ass, so here’s your opportunity, help me with this robe.”
Clark helped with the robe but averted his eyes. Chloe couldn’t help but think that if it had been Lex, he’d have peeked. He also pushed her gently back to the bed.
“You need to wait until the doctor says it’s okay to go. And I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be by yourself. The drugs they’ll give you will probably keep you groggy and I don’t want you hurting yourself.”
“You’re such a worrier.”
“You’re really accident prone.”
“You mean murderous psycho-prone, right?”
“Right.” Clark ran a hand over her hair. “So why don’t you come home with me, or Lois and let someone look after you for a change.” His face was so serious that Chloe couldn’t help herself.
“Is there a sponge bath in it for me?” He smiled.
“Play your cards right.”
“I just really hate hospitals. I’m never in them unless something really horrible and traumatic has happened. Either I’ve been buried alive, or thrown out a window, or received a concussion from a boyfriend who’s decided to kill me. Twice for the last one, in fact.”
“I understand, but you’ll need prescriptions for the nice narcotics that the doctor will write for you.” Clark spoke to her as if she were a four-year old. “You know, nice Vicodin, maybe some Oxycodone,” he coaxed.
“Okay, I’m sold.”
“There’s my good little druggie.”

[kitten]

:ohmy:

Is Lex really okay? He is right?&#33;

[zelda]

A/N: Just a little short chappie to close up the last one. More soon.

Chloe requested, and was given, her discharge paperwork and some prescriptions to fill. When Clark pushed her out the door in a wheelchair, they were both surprised to see Daniel, Lex’s security guard, waiting out front.
“Daniel, how are you feeling?” Chloe started to rise out of the chair. Clark kept her down with a hand on her shoulder.
“I’m fine, Miss Sullivan,” he answered. “Just a little bruised.”
“Can I see it?” Chloe had already been given a dose of painkillers by the doctor. She smiled hopefully at the man. He glanced around to make certain he wasn’t being observed and shrugged. Then he walked forward and unbuttoned his shirt above his sternum. He pulled the edges of the shirt apart and Chloe saw a large purple mark marring his skin. “Wow, bet that hurts.”
“I doubt it hurts nearly as much as yours does, Miss.” He nodded dismissively at Clark. “I’ll take it from here.”
“Really?” Clark’s voice was firm and the man paused.
“Mr. Luthor gave me instructions regarding his employee’s care, and I need to follow them.”
“What would these instructions be?”
“I’m afraid I can’t discuss that. But I’ll just tell you that she’ll be given the best possible care, so if you could just let go of her, we’ll be off.” Chloe raised her eyebrows at Daniel’s words.
“Fraid you’ll just have to make me,” Clark replied, civilly. “Someone has recently tried to kill her and Lex wasn’t able to stop it.”
“Hang on,” Chloe cut in. “Daniel, I appreciate you trying to help, and trying to do your job, but I’m not going anywhere with you until I’ve heard what this plan is. And you can say it in front of Clark.” she looked up at her friend. “He’s family.”
Daniel debated with himself visibly. He looked at Clark, sizing him up, then a Chloe whose eyes were slightly dazed, and back to Clark.
“He’s hired a private nurse to help you recuperate at your apartment. He’s also put me on your security detail. That is,” he added, “if you don’t want to go to his penthouse where his personal staff can look after you.”
“So much for the sponge bath, Clark.” Chloe elbowed him with her good arm.
“Where did he hire the nursing staff?”
“All from the same company that cared for his mother. They’ve all been checked out by me, personally.”
“It’s up to you.” Clark looked down at her. “I don’t know how comfortable you’ll be with strangers in your apartment.”
“I don’t want to take you away from your work, Clark. I know you’re in a cutthroat business.”
“I’m in no danger of losing my job if I help you out for a little while.”
“If it will make you feel better, I promise to call you to sack out on the couch if I get nervous.” Chloe squeezed his hand and he lifted it, kissing the back.
“You’d better.” Then Clark lifted her out of the Wheelchair and walked to the limo that was parked at the curb. When Daniel opened the door and turned with his arms out, Clark hesitated.
“It’s okay, Kent.” Chloe said. “You can pass me off this time.”
Daniel settled her in the back of the long car, being careful not to jostle her arm. Then he made a brief stop to fill her prescriptions before instructing the driver to go to her apartment building. Chloe was already getting drowsy and didn’t protest Daniel carrying her upstairs. The nurse was a handsom woman in her fifties with graying, black hair and a slight Spanish accent. Her name was Maria and she helped Chloe settle into bed. Sleep fogged her brain as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Lex’s cell phone rang and he glanced at the caller ID before answering.
“Is she home?”
“Yes,” Daniel answered. “The nurse helped her to bed and she’s sleeping already.”
“Any problems?”
“She had a friend with her at the hospital, Kent, the one you mentioned. He didn’t want to let her come with me.” He paused. “He wasn’t very confident that she’d be safe. Though I’m not sure why a reporter who lives alone thinks he can do it better.”
“Clark is a man blessed with great timing.” Lex stood up stiffly from his desk. His own muscles were sore from the impact of a bullet at point blank range, even with the vest. “I’m sure Chloe would have confidence in him, but I’d feel better having her under my protection.”
“She’s safe, sir.”
“Have you located the driver yet?”
“No sir, and the police haven’t been able to get anything more from the assassin.”
“Why not?”
“He’s dead. Poisoned most likely. Just found a few hours ago at bed check.” The man’s voice was slightly bitter. “Though I’d have liked to have gotten a little more information from him, I can’t say I’m sorry he’s permanently out of commission.”
“I don’t blame you, Daniel. I’ll be feeling this shot for a week or more at least.” He rubbed his chest where his own bruise hovered over his heart. “And the nurse?”
“Maria, she’s an RN with a black belt in several martial arts and a former Marine. Chloe’s as safe there as she’d be anywhere. And we replaced the windows in her bedroom with the bulletproof glass. The living room will be done first thing in the morning.”
“Did you fax over that list I requested?”
“I emailed it about twenty minutes ago.” Daniel spoke to Lex for a few more minutes before hanging up. He was Lex’s head of security, but he’d been placed as Chloe’s watchdog until the person responsible for the attempt on their lives was caught. When Lex had heard Daniel’s warning, he’d turned and seen their assailant. The man had fired his second shot at Chloe as she turned around, then the third at Lex, himself. It made little sense since it wasn’t exactly a secret that Lex was usually armed. Particularly if he was the target. Taking out Daniel has been wise, but shooting Chloe and almost allowing Lex time to take his own shot had been beyond sloppy. It suggested that Lex might not have been the only target.
Lex had had the wind knocked out of him by the force of the bullett hitting him in the chest, but he hadn’t been knocked out. When the gunman saw him start to get up, he’d walked over to him calmly and aimed his gun at Lex’s forehead. A streak of red and blue had passed before his eyes and there was someone standing in front of the bullet. Then the gunman was down and Metropolis’ new superhero was checking himself and Daniel before scooping up Chloe’s limp form from the ground. Then he’d risen into the air and disappeared.
Lex had seen the blood staining Chloe’s side, and the boneless way her body had looked in Superman’s arms. He’d been sure she was dead. A police officer had already picked up his gun or he was certain that he’d have shot his assailant dead in the streets. Chloe was gone and he couldn’t even touch her. After calling the hospital and then her father with the news that she was alive and in stable condition, he’d arranged for her protection. He’d come close to losing her before, and he was determined that no one was ever going to take away what was his.

[Janet]

Clark spoke to her as if she were a four-year old. “You know, nice Vicodin, maybe some Oxycodone,” he coaxed.
“Okay, I’m sold.”
“There’s my good little druggie.”

^ absolutely adored that interaction. :biggrin:

Great updates&#33; Looking forward to more and more and more.... Keep Chloe safe though&#33; I don&#39;t want her getting shot again :(

[autumngold]

Love the update&#33;&#33; :wub: Thank you for having Clark, I mean Superman, save Lex&#33;&#33; However, I really wish Chloe had gone to Lex&#39;s house to be taken care of&#33;&#33; :biggrin: ;) It&#39;s wonderful how Lex already considers Chloe "his"&#33;&#33; Can&#39;t wait for your next chapter&#33;&#33; :yay: :chlexsign3: :yay:

[hateSmallvilleLoveChlex]

:yay: Rock on&#33;&#33;&#33; I got to read three fabulous updates in one day&#33;&#33; :yay:

How excited am I that Lex sees Chloe as his. I hope Chloe and Lex realize that Clark is Superman. I can&#39;t wait for Lex to visit Chloe either. Keep up the good work.

[Thessaly]

Hurrah&#33;

More&#33;

All the drama has wiped out my vocab. Love the interaction and Superman&#39;s Lex-saveage.

Thessaly

[Béatrice]

ooooohh That was really good. :biggrin: I&#39;m glad that both Lex and Chloe are fine. I wish Lex was the one to nurse Chloe&#33;&#33;&#33;
Please I want more. :chlexsign3:

[kitten]

:blush:

That&#39;s it. I&#39;m starting a banking system of hugs for Lex. He bloody well needs them more than anyone I know.

Thank you for the little update. I was worried about him.

[lexchloe]

:yay: Drama, suspense, update&#33;&#33;&#33; That was great. Is somone trying to kill Chloe??? Why are people always trying to kill that girl :nobad: Hope Lex drops by her place to give her some TLC Lex style. More please.

[chril1]

omg more please

love lea
xxx

[hfce]

I can understand someone after Lex. But why are they after Chloe. Do you think her old boss is behind that? Hmmmm ;) Great update and I am glad Chloe and Lex are safe.


Hope :)

[Chimera0523]

So Clark decided to rescue someone who’s initials aren’t LL for once. Great chapters. :biggrin:

~Michelle

[sydsvaughn]

Heck ... I&#39;m waiting to see Lex get all protective over Chloe ... and the lovely, &#39;tension&#39; that all that brings&#33;&#33;

Great update&#33;

SaraC

[buddyfozzy]

Wow, what a set of updates&#33; I wonder who&#39;s behind all of this and targeting Chloe as well as Lex. I loved the last line with Lex calling Chloe his. :wub:

Wonderful updates&#33; :worship2: :chlexsign4: :worship2:

[AlabamaWorley]

*squees and claps*

I love it&#33; Awesome Chlex stuff, plus cool Supes/Clark and Lois. I especially liked the way you did the part when Chloe was flying and didn&#39;t know what was going on. Come back soon&#33;

[tiger04]

Love lex wanting to find out who is trying to hurt her. Does it have something to do with her old job-like one of them is trying to kill her becuase the are mad about the takeover?

Hope you post more soon.

AT

[zelda]

A/N Okay, just a little necessary closure in this chappie for the Chloe/Clark saga.

Chloe woke to the feeling of a hand on her forehead. She opened her eyes and blinked. Lex was looking down at her with an expression of...gentleness and concern. She blinked again. Bald head, purple shirt, definitely Lex, but the expression was definitely new.
"How are you feeling?"
"Oily," she rasped. "I need a shower." She started to sit up and Lex put an arm around her shoulders. She felt the burn in her side when she tried to use her abdominal muscles. "I forget how everything&#39;s connected."
"What?"
"In the body, I mean. You rip up a few muscles along your ribs and every other damned part of you pulls at it."
"Want some drugs."
"Marry me?"
"I&#39;ll take that as a yes." Lex chuckled and got her a glass of water from the bathroom. Then he opened the bottle of painkillers. "You&#39;ve got to take some antibiotics too. Maria said you were feeling a little feverish last night, not uncommon post-surgery, but make sure not to miss a dose."
"Right, right, whatever," she mumbled, reaching for the glass. "Drugs now."
"Yes Ma&#39;am." He held the glass for her since her hand was shaking and popped the pills into her open mouth like a baby bird. She swallowed them and finished the glass of water. "Do you want me to get Maria?"
"No, Just help me up."
Lex pushed the blankets down Chloe&#39;s legs and was pleasantly surprised to find that she wasn&#39;t wearing pajamas, just a longish t-shirt that had ridden up to her hips. Today, however, she was wearing panties.
"I know what you&#39;re thinking," she said, echoing his thoughts. "But I didn&#39;t need to make Maria&#39;s job any more uncomfortable by sleeping in the buff."
"Do you usually?" he asked, keeping his tone light. He took her ankles in his hands and swung them over the side of the bed. She only grunted in reply and gave him a cranky look. He laughed at her expression.
"God, I can&#39;t imagine how bad I must smell right now."
"I remain unoffended."
"Whatever. Bathroom." Chloe pointed in the direction of her bathroom. Her right arm wasn&#39;t in a sling anymore, but a few ace bandages were carefully wrapped around her midsection and over her arm, keeping it immobilized against her side. She vaguely remembered someone with a stethescope telling her that she&#39;d need to keep from stretching her side until the surgical incision healed. She also had a broken rib and the less she moved her side, the better she would feel.
"As my lady commands." Lex helped her to her feet. She was shaky. "Maybe you shouldn&#39;t walk yet." He had a funny tingle in his stomach when she didn&#39;t resist him holding her injured side against his chest. He sat her back down on the mattress and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, placing his other arm under her knees. "Okay, I&#39;ll try to make this as painless as possible." He lifted her straight up, trying to keep her side and arm still against him. He knew how a healing injury could hurt.
Chloe sucked in a short breath, but made no other complaints. Lex carried her to the bathroom and set her down on the toilet seat. He was on one knee in front of her.
"You okay now?"
"Just help me with the bandages, I&#39;ll be careful not to move too much, but if I don&#39;t have my arm free soon I&#39;m going to go crazy."
"Okay, but I&#39;ll send Maria in here to help you get cleaned up in a few minutes." Lex&#39;s hands were very gentle and efficient. He unwrapped her like a present and noted the odd patterns that the elastic bandage had left on the skin of her arm. He balled up the bandage and was about to stand up. Chloe put her hand on his shoulder.
"Wait," she said. "I wanna see where you were hit."
"You don&#39;t want to see my bruise."
"Show me yours I&#39;ll show you mine."
"I&#39;ve already seen yours," Lex said with a smile. "You were unconscious for quite a while in the recovery room." He smiled when she narrowed her eyes at him. "I&#39;m just kidding."
"Lemme see." Her small hands tugged at the bottom of his shirt. He was dressed down in casual, black trousers with a long-sleeved gray jersey. "Come on," she coaxed. "Daniel let me see his."
"What did you show him in return?" Lex&#39;s voice had an edge to it.
"Nothing, but I did agree to go with him without a fight." She tugged again with her good hand. "Come on, can&#39;t get the beads any other way. Mardi Gras special, let&#39;s go." Lex laughed at her reference to the New Orleans celebration. Women were given beads when they lifted their tops. So he complied, standing up in front of her and lifting the hem of his shirt all the way up. He had a bruise like Daniel&#39;s. Lex&#39;s was almost dead center, just slightly to the left under his pectoral muscle. Chloe brushed her fingers over it, gently. It was slightly swollen and must have hurt, but Lex didn&#39;t make any noise.
"Your hands are cold," he said. Chloe saw, with a detached amusement, his nipple bead up and tighten. She giggled and flicked it with her fingernail. He slapped her hand smartly and yanked his shirt down. "Don&#39;t get fresh, you don&#39;t have any beads to give away."
"He got you right over your heart." Chloe&#39;s face lost its humor. She pressed her palm flat over the spot and Lex covered her hand with his.
"I&#39;m okay." He pressed her hand into him and she felt his heartbeat, strong and steady, under his ribs. He saw her eyes start to fill with tears. He&#39;d known this was coming. The shock had worn off, and the trauma was setting in. The Oxycodone hadn&#39;t had time to goof her up yet. He pulled out a handkerchief and dadbed at her eyes. "And you&#39;re okay. That&#39;s what&#39;s important."
"What if you hadn&#39;t been wearing the vest?"
"I wear it pretty often when things get tense. This isn&#39;t the fist time somene&#39;s shot at me."
"I guess I&#39;m the newbie." More tears fell. Lex knelt in front of her again. He cupped her face in his large hand, stroking his thumb over her cheek.
"Don&#39;t dwell on what might have happened. I&#39;ve never found that to be an effective way to spend time." She looked away and he tilted her chin back to face him. "Are you having nightmares?"
"I&#39;ve been having nightmares for a long time. I just have nights of quiet sleep to break them up."
"I know the feeling."
Lex left and sent Maria in to help Chloe get undressed and wash. he went to the office and suffered the inevitable questions and gestures of concern. His mind was on Chloe and how he could keep her safe.

Chloe knocked on Clark&#39;s door on Friday night, a full week and a half after the shooting in front of Lexcorp. True to his word, he&#39;d made manicotti with sausage for her and, at her promise that she was finished with the painkillers, he poured her a glass of wine. They ate and talked and he asked her about her work.
"So you never really explained what it is you do for Lex." Clark regarded her over his own empty plate. He broke off a piece of garlic bread and sipped it in the remaining sauce on Chloe&#39;s plate.
"I know," she replied. "And technically, I can&#39;t. I signed a contract with a privacy clause. But I can tell you that I do work as an advisor of sorts, and I was starting to try and improve the employee morale at Lexcorp. There is still residual fear that runs deep in any employees who worked for Lionel." Chloe shivered. "Even when he was at his most charming, he always gave people a chill, and they have that same fear about Lex."
"Are you certain it&#39;s unfounded?" Clark&#39;s voice was gentle, and he seemed earnest in his concern.
"I know you two haven&#39;t been close, but you do remember when you were friends, and how caring he can be."
"I also remember how he used a teenager to trick his father with some disatrous results." Clark leaned forward. "I remember the bruises, Chloe, and I remember what Lex and I talked about afterward in the barn."
"I left, I didn&#39;t want to hear that conversation, but Lex and I made peace." She picked up both Clark&#39;s and her plate and took them to the sink. Her arm wasn&#39;t strapped down anymore, and she was feeling a lot better. She ran water in the sink over the dishes and heard Clark walk up behind her.
"Chloe, I never really asked you this, but after everything that happened, did you and Lex become lovers?"
"No. But I can&#39;t easily put a label on what we are now."
"You care about him?" Clark put his hands on her shoulders. "Dumb question, I know you do, and I know it&#39;s mutual. I just want to make sure you don&#39;t get hurt. I mean you&#39;ve only worked for him for a little while and you&#39;ve already been shot."
"Clark, I&#39;ve had worse things happen to me because I just lived in Smallville. The world is a dangerous place, and I jsut happen to be one of those people who attracts trouble."
"Like a magnet, I know."
"Spoken from the man who pulled me out of an early grave." She turned around to face him. "I appreciate you being concerned. And I just want to say thanks for being..." She trailed off.
"What?"
"You. Just for being you." Clark smiled his beautiful smile at her and kissed her forehead. "Anyway, I should go before security comes looking for me."
"Are those guys making life difficult for you?"
"Not difficult, just a little crowded." Clark shut off the water and held her by the arms.
"I was friends with Lex for a long time, and I trusted him. For the most part, he&#39;s worthy of trust, but he&#39;s got a few weaknesses that are a little stronger than he is. I want you to remember that." Clark&#39;s forehead wrinkled. "There&#39;s a darkness in all of us, I just think lex is dealing with more than his fair share, and maybe you&#39;ll be the one to help him get rid of a little bit of it. But if you think you&#39;re in danger, just walk away."
"I&#39;ll keep that in mind." Chloe answered him, but her mind was running over a single thought. People don&#39;t walk away from Lex Luthor if he doesn&#39;t want them to.
"I love you, Chloe."
"I love you too." Chloe hugged her friend tightly. He returned her embrace gently. The words he&#39;d said were what she&#39;d longed to hear in highschool. Now he said them honestly, and in the way she wanted to hear them as an adult. he was her best friend, and she&#39;d lie down in traffic for him, but her delusions of romance were long gone. Chloe Sullivan and Clark Kent just weren&#39;t suited for each other.
Chloe declined Clark&#39;s offer to walk her to the curb where her car was waiting. Lex had insisted that she be driven averywhere by one of his staff members until the person behind the attempts on both of their lives was caught. She nodded to the driver who opened her door for her and as he got back into his own seat, she looked up at the window where she saw her friend&#39;s broad silhouette.
"I understand why you had trouble trusting people," she said softly. " I just feel bad that you felt like you couldn&#39;t confide in me back then." She shook her head and got into the back of the limo. "I know you can hear me, Superman." She shut the door and the driver pulled away from the curb. On the ride home, Chloe absently rubbed the bullett wound and surgical incision. It was itching but healing rapidly now. Her muscles around the point of entry would be a little lame, but her arm was back to almost full motion without pain and Maria wasn&#39;t staying with her anymore. Chloe appreciated all of the work the woman had done, but was very glad to have her space to herself again.
At the apartment building Chloe greeted her personal security staff. One in the lobby and one on her floor down the hall from her place. She went in and immediately relaxed. Her bathroom was going to be finished the next day and she was looking forwad to Clarissa&#39;s work. She dropped her jacket over the back of her couch and walked into her bedroom. She removed her shoes and didn&#39;t bother to turn around when she heard his voice.
"When?"
"Back in school," she answered, going to her closet. She saw him in her mirror when she opened the door. Clark wasn&#39;t wearing his glasses, but he was still in his work clothes. She&#39;d wondered if he&#39;d change into his costume for her. "You can only show up only so many times and save the day before people start wondering where your truck is." She laughed a little. "But I don&#39;t think anyone else really figured out the details. I was the only one who&#39;d witnessed a lot of the things you&#39;d done and also knew about the weird timing of your illegal adoption that happened to coincide with the meteor shower." She put on her slippers. "And don&#39;t forget that there was a crop duster who&#39;d made a statement about seeing something else fall that day. He may have been uncorroborated, but it did add up."
"No one else knew?"
"Lana was no fool, I think she may have known that you had unique gifts, but she probably attributed them to exposure to meteor rocks instead of an alien DNA."
"Why didn&#39;t you tell me?"
"You didn&#39;t seem to want to alk about it. Besides, I figured you would always be worrying about me and whether or not I was going to tell." Before he could ask, she cut in. "I didn&#39;t. Not to anyone."
"I believe you." He turned toward the window, the way she assumed he came in, then turned back. "You understand that I&#39;ll be looking after you."
"I never doubted it for a second."

[lexchloe]

:wub: + AWWWWW for Lex being so gentle with her and the continuation of the chlexy closeness and AWWWW for the Chlark. I love how she knew but didn&#39;t push him on it and how he&#39;s going to be looking out for her. Can&#39;t wait for more.

[hfce]

Aww the Chlex scene was sweet. To bad she didnt have any beads for him. :lol:



Hope ;)

[buddyfozzy]

Aww, wonderfuul chapter :wub: Lex being gentle with her is so sweet. :wub: :wub: And I loved the part with Clark and telling him that she knows. :biggrin:

[AlabamaWorley]

I am so in love with the Chlark friendship in this fic. I so wish they&#39;d do that exact thing on the show. The Chlex scene was cute, too.

[autumngold]

The Chlex scene is fabulous&#33;&#33; I love how Chloe rested her hand on Lex&#39;s heart to feel it beat&#33;&#33; Thank you also for having Chloe be smart enough to figure out that Clark is Superman&#33;&#33; Perfect&#33;&#33; Post more soon please&#33;&#33; :wub: :chlexsign4: :wub:

[zelda]

More soon...Chloe feeling very sexy, naked, in public.

[zelda]

A/N: Every woman needs to feel the power of her sexuality, this is Chloe&#39;s day to feel that. And thanks to Queen of Tact for giving me the idea for a song mentioned in here.

Chloe spent all of Saturday out of her apartment. She wanted to come home to a completely finished bathroom rather than seeing it in the deconstructed stages. She went shopping, and stopped at a day spa. Inspired with the perfect way to waste a day, she signed up for a day packace that inluded a swim in the mineral pool, a soak in the hot tub, a hot stone massage, a seaweed wrap, manicure, peticure, and something called &#39;Winter beauty special&#39;.
The seaweed wrap came first with someone working on Chloe&#39;s feet, scrubbing and sloughing away the dead skin. They carefully peeled away layers of toughened callouses and clipped, filed, and painted her toes. The attendants gave her a pair of soft slippers to wear on her newly sensitive feet. After being unwrapped, they went to the warmed room set up for the hot stone massage. The masseure was a tall, lean man who looked like he might be a buddhist. Instead of orange, he wore white, cotton pants and a loose shirt. His hair was dark and cropped to almost a crew cut.
Chloe allowed him to help her onto the table and remove the sheet that she&#39;d wrapped around herself. She told him about her recent bullet wound and he promised to use extra care around the sore area. Since he was using mostly the hot stones, and pressure points, he wouldn not be rubbing where the stitches were. As he worked on her, silently. Chloe closed her eyes and a little fantasy started in her head. A fantasy that the hands on her body weren&#39;t those of a stanger but of someone closer to her. When the massage was done, Chloe was feeling very relaxed and warm. Next, she was escorted to the &#39;Beauty Room&#39; where she got her peticure and something unexpected; a bikini wax.
"Did I sign up for this?" When she saw the attendant coming toward her with the heated wax and cloth strips, she automatically crossed her legs.
"It&#39;s part of the &#39;Winter Beauty Package&#39;," she&#39;d replied. Noting Chloe&#39;s nerves, she handed her a glass of fruit juice and a couple of advil. "Take these beforehand and wait while I set up. We&#39;ll do your nails while they&#39;re kicking in. Then take them afterward." Chloe still looked skeptical. "We also use a lotion that helps to make the area less sensitive." Eventually Chloe agreed and when discussing the...thoroughness of the waxing, she was offered bikini to brazilian, she made her choice.
"Well, you can take most of it off," she said, a little uncomfortable when discussing her pubic region with a woman who was going to have her hands on it. "But can you leave me...uh..." She was lost for words and the attendant leaned forward conspiratually.
"You want me to leave you a &#39;landing strip&#39;?"
"Uh, yeah." Chloe felt silly. But she hadn&#39;t been completely bald &#39;down there&#39; since she&#39;d hit puberty. It didn&#39;t turn out to be as bad as she&#39;d feared. After beihg shot, she wasn&#39;t really certain why she&#39;d been so chicken in the first place. With her hands massaged and nails painted she tried not to think about the woman hovering between her legs; instead she listened to the soft voices of the attendants while they chatted and giggled.
After the beauty room, Chloe was escorted to the hot tub where she soaked away any residual aches and pains. She promised herself that she&#39;d come back here at least once a month from now on. The final stage of her visit was a swim in the mineral pool. Swimming was one of the recommended exercises to get her muscles back in working order. Her doctor thought that something low-impact might make her feel better. It did. Chloe swam a few laps in the mineral water surrounded by dim lights and candles. The room was private and the pool was narrow. The windows were frosted and there was an attendant stationed at the door to retain the privacy of the swimmer. Because, afterall, one couldn&#39;t completely relax in a mineral swim while wearing a swim suit.
It was a singularly sensually exciting thrill to skinnydip in the middle of the day. Chloe felt her skin tingling and didn&#39;t know if it was because of the minerals they put in the water or because she felt decadent. This was what she imagined it would have been like to be Roman royalty. The room had a definite romanesque feel to it with its gray marble and draped fabrics in whites and gray. It took a few minutes to get past her shyness in order to float, naked, on the top of the pool. She lay her head back and allowed just her face to peek above the water. Then she kicked the bottom gently and allowed her legs to rise to the top, arching her back to break the surface with her body.
Opening her eyes, Chloe was slightly startled to see that the ceiling was covered in mirrored tiles. She hadn&#39;t really looked at herself naked like this in a long time. She stared up at herself, breasts and thighs breaking the surface of the water, the rest of her blurred by the low light on the water. This kind of thrill went beyond feeling sexy. She felt like a Goddess. Her freshly waxed, rubbed, wrapped, massaged body looked really good, she admitted to herself. And though the spa was seriously expensive, it was a luxury she was going to pay for. This feeling was too good to waste.
Chloe got dressed and, at the suggestion of the bikini waxer, left her underwear off. Sometimes the elastics could irritate the sensitive skin. Then she asked her driver to take her to a local cafe where she met Lois for an early dinner. All her cousin could talk about was Superman and her interview with him. Chloe noted the way her cousin&#39;s eyes lit up when she talked, and her pupils were dialated. Wow, she was really into aliens. Not that Chloe could blame her, after all, she&#39;d spent a few years being into the same guy. Lois was even more high strung that Chloe, herself. Chloe decided to take her to the spa sometime and told her about the place, leaving out the details of her bikini wax.
After dinner, Chloe took her purchases home and dismissed her driver for the night, telling him she wouldn&#39;t be leaving again. The faint scent of fresh pain greeted her when she opened the door. They&#39;d used fans and de-humidifiers to try and dry the bathroom&#39;s paint so it wouldn&#39;t smell. She didn&#39;t mind it. Turning on her cd player, she put in her Natalie Merchant disc and the soft vocals began to wash over her. The day had been heaven, and now she was ready to see her bathroom. As the soft sounds of "My Skin" washed over her, she opened the bathroom door.
Lex was in his apartment when there was a knock at the door. He answered it and saw a man dressed in a courier&#39;s uniform.
"Evening, sir," he said politely. "Delivery for Mr. Luthor."
"Isn&#39;t it a little late to be making deliveries?" he asked. The man looked at him oddly.
"My company delivers urgent packages twenty-four hours a day," he narrowed his eyes. "You&#39;re not expecting this?"
"Should I?" Lex became suspicious. he looked at the front of the package. It was a large envelope marked &#39;Urgent&#39; and &#39;Photographs, do not bend&#39;.
"I guess not." He asked for a signature and left. Lex kicked the door shut behind him and shook the package gently. Because of recent events, he picked up his leather gloves and put them on before opening the package. No suspicious powder fell out, and nothing sizzled or exploded so he slid out the manilla envelope inside the courier&#39;s plastic one.
Lex popped open the tab and flipped up the lip of the envelope, Then he shook out the contents. They were indeed photographs. 8X10 glossy, full color photographs. When he realized the subject of them, he grabbed his keys and cell phone before running outof his penthouse and to the stairs. The elevator would take too long. While he pounded down the stairs he dialed Chloe&#39;s number. The call didn&#39;t go through and when he tried his security personnel at her apartment, neither picked up his cell phone. Lex broke several speed records crossing town to get to Chloe&#39;s building.
When Lex arrived, he saw his security man, Ben, at the front door. The man was sitting at his post, looking unconcerned. he approached and grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Why didn&#39;t you answer your phone?"
"It hasn&#39;t rung, sir." Lex didn&#39;t bother to argue, he just ran up the stairs with the guard in pursuit. Both men had drawn their guns. On Chloe&#39;s floor, the second guard was slumped in his seat with a dart in his neck. Lex ran down to Chloe&#39;s door which stood slightly ajar. He held up a hand and told the remaining guard to watch the door. The man wisely didn&#39;t argue. Lex pushed the door open and walked cautiously into the livingroom, checking all corners for a possible assailant. he saw her shoes and several shopping bags on the floor. Most of the lights were dimmed, but he heard a faint sound from the bathroom and saw light trickling underneath.
Lex approached the door and held his breath, feeling a trickle of sweat run down his back, he tried the doorknob, it was locked. He backed up a step and raised his gun. Then he kicked the door right above the knob where the lock was located. The door gave way and crashed open. The sight that greeted his eyes mande his heart stop for a few beats.
"What the fuck&#33;" Chloe said after she&#39;d stopped screaming. She&#39;d been taking a bath in her freshly re-decorated bathroom when Lex had broken down her door. "Ever heard of knocking?" She had her arms crossed over herself and fished her earphones out of the sudsy water where they&#39;d fallen. Behind Lex, Ben jumped in the doorway with his own gun out. Chloe screamed again and threw a shampoo bottle, striking Lex in the shoulder. "Get out&#33;" Ben backed away.
"I&#39;ll check the rest of the building."
"Do it, then come right back here. We&#39;ll be waiting."
"Fuck that&#33;" Chloe&#39;s face was buring with rage and embarrassment. "Give me my towel and put that thing away." She pointed to his gun. Lex just stared at her with a mix of confusion and relief. She was alive. Alive, pissed and completely oblivious to what was happening. She&#39;d been used as a warning. Someone was toying with him. Someone who could have done a lot more than just open Chloe&#39;s apartment door after drugging her guard. Lex tucked his gun into the back of his pants, then he grabbed a large towel in one hand and Chloe&#39;s arm in the other. She squealed in protest when he hauled her out of her soapy bubbles. He shoved the towel at her and she grabbed at it frantically. Then, with a slippery, protesting Chloe in tow, he dragged her across her apartment to her bedroom. When they walked in, she immediately started to fight in earnest.
"Stop struggling," he snapped, letting go of her arm. He saw a genuine look of fear in her eyes as she struggled to wrap the towel around her body. She was backing away from him. He realized how this must seem to her. "Chloe, it&#39;s not what you think." He held his palms out to her and stepped forward. She backed into her dresser. "Just get dressed, I&#39;m taking you to the penthouse." She didn&#39;t move. "Chloe I&#39;m not here to hurt you." He knew what she must have thought, but he didn&#39;t have time to explain things. he&#39;d tell her once she was safely at his house. He went to her closet and opened the door, then he pulled out a brown sweater and a pair of jeans from a shelf. "Put these on."
"What are you doing here?" Her voice was a whisper. "Lex what&#39;s going on?"
"I&#39;m just trying to keep you safe. Please trust me." She eyed him warily, but nodded. He turned around while she dried off and pulled on the clothes. He tried to call the penthouse but his phone was getting no signal. He racked his brain with posibilities. Someone could have put a digital disruptor on the roof. It would work to kill all wireless signals, cellular, satelite, everything. He picked up her land line phone. There was no dial tone, the hard line could have been cut easily. He turned back around and saw Chloe slipping her feet into her sneakers. She was opening drawers and pulling out various items of clothing. "Leave that, he said, agitated. I&#39;ll have a staff person come by and get your things for you."
"No more strangers going through my stuff," she said, firmly. It was raising his bloodpressure just to be standing here when they should be leaving.
"Look, forget about your vibrator, just come with me now." Chloe froze and stared at him. Fuck. Lex heard Ben cme back in.
"No sign of anyone still here. I&#39;ll bring the car around."
"We&#39;ll take mine, just follow us to the penthouse and increase security there for the night till I can sort this out." he didn&#39;t look at Chloe, just took her by the wrist and dragged her, since she was reluctant to go with him, out the door and down the stairs. When she saw the guard who was now lying on the floor being tended by another member of the security staff, she gasped.
"Tell me what&#39;s going on."
"In the car."
Chloe got in the passenger door of Lex&#39;s Porche. He drove over to the Penthouse, giving her the basic facts. He told her that he&#39;d recieved some personal photographs of her, like someone had been following her, and had gone to her apartment where he&#39;d found the unconscious guard and her door standing open.
"Someone was in my place?"
"Maybe, or they just opened the door to scare me."
"You?" Her tone was incredulous. "I&#39;m the one with the broken bathroom door."
"Sorry, I thought you were in danger."
"Next time, knock."

[hfce]

Oh my Lord that was good. But Lex is in real big trouble. She will ask how he knows about her vibrator. :lol: More please...



Hope :)

[crankychick]

:clap:
Okay, I&#39;m laughing, I&#39;m anxious, I&#39;m curious and I want to know more&#33; Love your story
:clap:

[lexchloe]

:worship2: :yay2: Wow, the mystery continues. So it seems like someone&#39;s trying to get at Lex by messing with Chloe, or is someone trying to get at Chloe and messing with Lex is an added bonus?? :huh: Nice chapter, can&#39;t wait for more, especially how Lex explains the how he knew where her vibrator was. :devil:

[asharnanae]

:ohmy: EEEEPPPPPPP&#33;&#33;&#33; no, let them be safe&#33;&#33;&#33;



DAMN GOOD CHAPPY&#33;&#33;&#33; :chlexsign1: :blinkkiss:

[AlabamaWorley]

:yay2: More please&#33;

While I wait, I&#39;m off to track down that spa...

[S.Ann Smith]

:biggrin:

awesome story Zelda... more soon please

[Béatrice]

Who&#39;s trying to hurt Lex? That may be Michael&#33;&#33;&#33; :huh: OooohChloe&#39;s gonna stay at Lex&#39;s. Yupee&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; I can&#39;t wait to see how Lex will explain himself about the vibrator. :lol:
Bravo Zelda. :clap:

[kitten]

:devil:

You&#39;re so evil. How is Lex supposed to explain his intimate knowledge of Chloe&#39;s &#39;friend&#39;? And after pointing a gun at her and letting a guard see her naked?

It better be good. :wub: More please.

[Chimera0523]

Great updates&#33;&#33; :chlexsign3: Lex is so cute when he is worried. I hope nothing else too bad happens to them. Yea, Chloe is going to be staying at Lex’s penthouse for awhile. Something’s got to happen with them living so close.

The cats out of the bag with Clark. I can&#39;t believe that he thought that he could hide who he really was from Chloe. She was he best friend and a damn good reporter.

Keep up the great work. :biggrin:

~Michelle

[buddyfozzy]

Great chappie&#33; I like that Chloe will be staying with Lex. :biggrin: :biggrin:

[SinnerSaint]

Lex is a dead man walking unless he can come up with a really good reason he knows about Chloe&#39;s little stress relief partner. I cannot wait to see how that whole conversation goes..." Well , Chloe while I was going through your underwear I ..." Yeah . He is pretty much a dead man. Poor Lex.

[autumngold]

This story keeps getting better and better&#33;&#33; Poor Chloe, someone was close enough to her to take her picture&#33;&#33; Icky&#33;&#33; But Lex kicking in her bathroom door was just funny&#33;&#33; And his comments about her vibrator-oh, he&#39;s in trouble&#33;&#33; Post again soon please&#33;&#33; I love this story&#33;&#33; :wub: :chlexsign4: :wub:

[campbti]

Wonderful. Loved Lex taking action and Chloe&#39;s day of beauty, man I need another one of those it has been way too long. Can&#39;t wait for more. This is really an amazing story. Update soon, I am dying to know where you are going from here.

:chlexsign2:

[sydsvaughn]

really enjoyed this update.. and I want a day at that spa...

bring on Lex explaining about Chloe&#39;s &#39;secret friend&#39; ... :)


SaraC

[zelda]

When Lex parked in the garage at his building, he came over to open Chloe’s door. She got out and he took her by the hand, leading her to the elevator like a child.
“I’m not going to try and run away anymore,” she said. “You don’t have to drag me up to your cave.”
“If I didn’t believe you, I’d have thrown you over my shoulder.” He didn’t release her hand. “Chloe I’m not letting you out of my sight until you’re behind locked doors.” With his free hand, he drew his gun again and when the doors opened on his floor, he boldly checked the hallway with the gun outstretched. He tugged Chloe behind him and his butler opened the door for them.
“I heard what happened, Mr. Luthor,” said Marshall, the uniformed assistant. “Are you and Miss Sullivan alright?”
“Yes, we’re fine. Please make up the guest room and we’ll be in my study.”
Chloe realized that she’d never seen where he lived before. All of their previous conversations had been at his office. The place was huge, neat, and felt cold. Not the temperature, but the décor. When they got to Lex’s study, he relinquished her hand and shut the doors behind them. He went to his desk and picked up the pile of photographs from the spot where he’d left them.
“What are those?”
“These were delivered to me today just before I went to your apartment.” He gestured to the couch. “You might want to sit down.” Chloe sat. “I’m guessing that some of these were taken as recent as today.”
Chloe stopped breathing. She was featured in all of the photographs. All were very good quality, she noted with an editor’s eye, all had good resolution, and all were very personal.
The first few pictures were from a few days earlier. They were taken through Chloe’s bedroom window. She guessed with a zoom lens. They showed her sleeping in her bed, some were close ups of her face, others had her full-length in bed. She knew when they were taken because one of the shots had captured her daily calendar and had zoomed in close enough to get the date. Others showed her in a store, looking at undergarments. And finally, the last few had her feeling nauseated. They showed her floating, naked in a pool of water.
“This was just taken today,” she said. “Just a few hours ago.”
“Which spa?” She told him the name and he picked up his phone and asked Daniel to get the home number of the owner and to get his security team over there to find out where the photographs were taken from.
Chloe felt tears trickle down her cheeks. The first photo was full length, the next had zeroed in on her face and she appeared to be looking almost right into the camera. The expression on her face was one of surprised admiration. She knew it had been taken when she’d been examining herself in the mirror. The last two were both close-ups of her breasts and hips. The fact that someone had taken a close picture of her freshly waxed body made her ill. She wanted to burn the pictures. She tugged at her collar involuntarily.
“Chloe, no one has seen these but me. I won’t show the ones of you naked to anyone.”
“God, Lex, I could be dead. Whoever took these could have just come into the bathroom and killed me.”
Lex sat on the couch next to her and put an arm around her. She was stiff and didn’t seem to want to be touched. He understood that she probably felt more than a little violated. Someone had entered her intimate life without her consent and was playing a cruel game with her safety.
“I really thought you were.” The words came out before he could stop them. Chloe looked at him with a tear-stained face. “I was certain of it. I just knew that I’d be finding your body in the bathroom. You can’t imagine how relieved I was that you were alive.” He held her face in his hands. “Chloe you&#39;ve no idea how glad I was to hear you scream at me.” He was trying to make her feel better. It wasn’t working.
“Lex, I’ve never felt so unsafe in my life. I can’t believe someone got that close to me without my knowing it.” She closed her eyes as more tears ran down her cheeks. “I don’t think I’m ever going to feel safe again.”
“You’re safe here, with me.” He brushed her tears away with his thumbs.
“For how long?” She gripped his wrists tightly. “Am I supposed to never walk past a window, or go outside? I can’t live like a prisoner, I can’t do it.”
“I’ll keep you safe.”
“You don’t know that you can.” Her voice was cracking. “What if-”
Lex’s mouth covered hers in a warm, passionate kiss. He held her head still and leaned in, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. When she neither responded nor protested, he tilted her head sideways and pushed his tongue past her lips. Her mouth was sweet like she’d been drinking fruit juice. He broke away when he heard her whimper.
“No ‘what ifs’, Chloe,” he said, harshly. “I will not let anything happen to you, I will not let anyone touch you. It just won’t be allowed.” The rough emotion in his voice surprised him. He kissed her again, and pushed her back against the cushions. Now that he had her here, alive, healthy, and close, he couldn’t do anything except act on his impulse.
Chloe hadn’t been expecting Lex to kiss her. She didn’t want anyone to touch her right now. Not when she was feeling so vulnerable; but the strength behind Lex’s kiss and the emotion she felt vibrating off him felt right. She allowed him to press her back against the couch until she was lying flat and he was hovering over her. His knee nudged her thighs apart and he pressed himself against her. She could feel him, hot and hard through both of their clothes. She was helpless to do anything except hold onto him. He was whispering to her between kisses, moving his mouth against her neck. She felt his words as well as heard them.
“No one can take you away from me. No one will ever get close to you. No one can touch you.” His hands were rough. He moved them down to squeeze her breast through her sweater. She arched at the unfamiliar sensation. It had been a very long time since she’d had a lover. Lex seemed almost desperate with her. Chloe was still crying, there were simply too many emotions to contain. Large hands were tugging at the bottom of her sweater and she arched her back to allow them underneath.
Lex’s hands closed over her bare flesh and he groaned before slipping off the couch onto his knees. He bent his head and sucked savagely at the skin on her stomach. Then he moved to her side and ran his tongue over the puckered flesh of her healing bullet wound. He moved up and scraped her taut nipple with his teeth and she sucked in her breath. Chloe’s hands moved down to tentatively touch his neck and shoulders. He seized one of her hands and brought it down to press between his legs. She felt him, hot and throbbing. He held her hand against his stomach, while fumbling with his belt with the other. “I need you to feel me,” he said, his words torn raggedly from his throat. His mouth went back to her skin and he managed to get his pants unfastened when they both heard a knock at the door to the study.
Chloe was covered in Lex one moment, then the next she was pulled into a sitting position with her sweater over her again. Lex had risen to his feet in the same movement and turned his back to the door.
“What are-” Chloe was a little dazed.
“Come in.” Lex’s voice was nearly normal again. He casually tugged his shirt down over his open trousers and aroused state. He perched on the arm of the sofa to hide both from his butler who entered.
“The guest room is ready, Miss.” Marshall was coolly polite. Chloe wasn’t certain that she could move.
“Go with him, get some sleep.” Lex said, keeping his gaze on his butler, not meeting her eyes. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Chloe felt her legs moving as she followed Marshall down the hallway and to the guest bedroom. The room was just as cold as the rest of the apartment. She shivered and rubbed her arms.
“Would you like me to turn up the thermostat, Miss?”
“No, the temperature is just fine,” she said automatically. “I guess I’ll just go to bed. But if you could tell Mr. Luthor that I’d like to be notified if he finds out anything, no matter what the hour.”
“Very good, Miss.”
Chloe had her own bathroom with an unopened toothbrush sitting on the sink and a fresh tube of toothpaste. Staying with Lex was like staying in a hotel. She brushed her teeth and washed her face. Then she went back to the bedroom. A Metropolis Sharks t-shirt was laying out on the bed. She stripped and pulled it on, feeling self-conscious. After today, she was always going to wonder if someone was watching her. She pulled back the covers and slipped into the cool sheets. She sat against the headboard of the bed and tried to bring some order to the thoughts running around in her head.
Chloe’s lips still burned from Lex’s kisses. She hadn’t expected him to have such a strong attraction to her. There had been possessiveness to their groping on his couch. Lex had been kissing her like he wanted to claim her. His words had been so certain, it had made her forget, for just a few moments, that someone might be planning to kill her. His passion had surprised her. Years ago, when he’d used her to fool his father, he’d been aroused, but in control. Tonight, he’d been like a victim to his own passions. Chloe was even more surprised at her body’s own reactions to him. She was still feeling a tingle in her breasts when she turned off the light and closed her eyes, trying to will herself asleep
The door to the guestroom opened and Chloe sat up quickly, hugging the covers to herself. She recognized Lex’s silhouette. He didn’t say anything at first, just looked at her. She couldn’t see his expression, but she imagined that she felt his eyes.
“Can I come in?”

[lexchloe]

:yay: SAY YES Chloe SAY YES&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;.......... *ahem* That was a great update, more soon please. :biggrin:

[kitten]

:huh:

Is there any question that Chloe&#39;s going to say &#39;yes&#39;?

I don&#39;t think so&#33; ;)

Great chapter.

[Béatrice]

Marshall, Marshall, Marshall... WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?&#33;?

Guestroom? :huh: They don&#39;t need the guestroom. Chloe can sleep in Lex&#39;s bedroom&#33;&#33;&#33; :biggrin:

Please come back. :worship2: :worship2:

[hfce]

I am having trouble breathing :drool: my heart is pounding after reading that. :drool: Please Chloe say yes.... :worship2:



Hope :wub:

[AlabamaWorley]

What is that, a trick question?

Awesome chapter&#33;

[autumngold]

Originally posted by lexchloe@Dec 14 2004, 11:57 AM
:yay: SAY YES Chloe SAY YES&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;.......... *ahem* That was a great update, more soon please. :biggrin:
I&#39;m so glad that Chloe is staying with Lex now, and I&#39;m glad that she knows how much Lex wants her&#33;&#33; Please, please let her say yes&#33;&#33; :yay: :chlexsign3: :yay:

[buddyfozzy]

Originally posted by lexchloe@Dec 14 2004, 11:57 AM
:yay: SAY YES Chloe SAY YES&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;..........
Wow&#33; Great chapter&#33; I love it when Lex loses control a little bit&#33; :yay2:

[lexodus]

Originally posted by lexchloe@Dec 14 2004, 11:57 AM
:yay: SAY YES Chloe SAY YES&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;.......... *ahem* That was a great update, more soon please. :biggrin:
What she said. :yay: :yay:

[sydsvaughn]

Um... in case you&#39;re in doubt Chloe, the answer is YES&#33;&#33;&#33;

SaraC

[SinnerSaint]

Is there a woman anywhere who would say no ? *looks around room at all the drooling Chlexers* Yeah. I didnt think so .

[Janet]

OOOH&#33;&#33;&#33;

*clap clap clap*

More dammit... *grumble grumble*


:D

[zelda]

A/N: Okay, I tied up a little of the past and present in this chapter. I felt like Chloe needed to pull some of her strengths around her. I see this conversation hapening because of the feeling of discomfort it would invoke. Chloe and Lex are not close in some ways, and too close in others. I felt the need to bring that out. Plus, Lex soooo had to answer for a few things.

"Yes, what did you find out?" Chloe dropped the sheet and turned on the lamp beside her bed. Lex walked to a chair and pulled it up to the end of her bed. He sat down and crossed ne ankle over the opposite knee. Chloe&#39;s heart sank. "I&#39;m not going to like what I hear, am I?"
"I sure as Hell didn&#39;t."
"Tell me, Lex. Even if it&#39;s bad."
"The spa you visited was torched about three hours after you left, just after closing. It went up like a tinderbox and with it, any evidence of a break-in."
"Was anyone hurt?"
"No, whoever did this is smart enough not to raise the body count any higher than necessary." He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut, as if staving off a headache. "It&#39;s someone professional. Working for someone with a personal grudge."
"Any idea who it might be?"
"Plenty, but too many to narrow down."
"What about me?" Lex looked at her. "I mean, could this possibly be more than a coincidence that they&#39;ve chosen to target me to get to you?"
"Well, it was bound to get around, what with Baxter employees working at Lexcorp, that you and I knew each other. There was also bound to be speculation about your new living arrangements."
"Great," Chloe said, trying to lighten the mood. "I have the stigma of mistress even without the bonus of getting jewelry....or laid."
Lex chuckled, in spite of himself. Chloe visibly relaxed.
"Both can be arranged."
"I know." She rubbed a hand over her messy hair. "So how long am I here for?" The moment was over. She&#39;d aknowledged his attraction, and hers, but was backing off for now. He couldn&#39;t blame her. His affection for her had made her a target.
"Just till tomorow. I&#39;ve got security all over yourplace, and you can go back topak up some stuff. We&#39;ll fly out at noon tomorow."
"Where?"
"London," he replied. "I have business there, I&#39;d just pefer to have you...close so I don&#39;t have to split up my security people."
"Okay."
"No arguments?"
"Oh, we haven&#39;t even begun to argue yet, I&#39;m just not disagreeing with your logic about security." She fixed him with a cool glance. Her spine was growing stiffer. It mean she was feeling better, she knew. Lex seemed to have that affect on her.
"I&#39;d hoped you might be sensible about it," he said. Then he tilted his head and looked thoughtful. "When we were in your roon tonight, you were really afraid of me." He remembered the way her eyes had been wide and filled with genuine fear when he&#39;d pulled her, naked from her bathtub. "Not that I can really blame you," he admitted. "But I have this little suspicion that it might have been an old fear." Chloe glanced away from him for a moment. "Chloe are you afraid of me?"
"Not exactly," she said, folding her legs up under her. She pulled the sheets up around her again, an unconsciously defensive gesture. "When your father had me drugged all those years ago," she began "It gave me some pretty horrific nightmares. Possibly compounded by my allergy to the drug."
"I remember." Lex had asked her about them then. "When I asked, you admitted that they were about me."
"Your father knew what buttons to push in order to trigger memories of the night that I went to your house. He had the wrong idea about what happened, but it was enough with the anxiety for the worst case scenario to play itself out in my dreams."
"You never told me how bad it was."
"It was bad," she said. "It still is."
"You still have the dreams?"
"Not as vividly as when the hallucinogen was in my system, but according to my doctor, the drugs made it so real to me, that it&#39;s more like a memory that just a dream. It felt, smelled, seemed real, so even though I logically know it didn&#39;t happen, when I&#39;m going through something that causes me to be more anxious than usual, the nightmares come back."
"I had no idea."
"It&#39;s not your fault," she said. "I&#39;ve always had nightmares when I&#39;m anxious, now I just have a recuring theme in some of them."
"Me...attacking you?"
"Yeah, so when we were in my room, I just had a sudden flashback, not to that night, but to the dream."
"I wasn&#39;t thinking when I pulled you out of the tub, I shouldn&#39;t have been so rough with you. Not then, not ever."
"Lex, I can deal with the dreams. I haven&#39;t had one like that in a long time. Not even after I was shot." She was trying to reassure him. "The guilt went to your father, not you."
"You should have told me."
"No," she said, plainly. "It really wasn&#39;t any of your business." Chloe could set him in his place so easily when he got controlling and protective. "It&#39;s not in my nature to go running to people with my problems."
"I know you don&#39;t usually need people to look after you, I just feel some responsibility for you."
"Is that why you went through my personal stuff?"
"I think so-" he stopped. Shit. He&#39;d walked right into that. She was glowering at him now. Lex cursed himself. He never got trapped by words. Chloe pulled up his emotions like strings on a puppet and he seemed to have no control over what he said to her.
"Lex," she said quietly. "Don&#39;t even try to defend your actions, because there is no way you get off that easy for doing it." He was speechless. "I don&#39;t care that you came runing to my rescue, or that you wanted to do something nice by having designers fix up my apartment for me. There is absolutely no excuse for looking through my things without my permission."
"I-"
"I said not to try and explain. And don&#39;t try to apologize either. We both know that if you had the opportunity, you&#39;d always make the same choice." She was right. He should have been expecting this conversation, her mental capacity for questioning hadn&#39;t been diminished by fear, or her earlier confession of her dreams. "And what happened on the couch earlier?" Lex would have squirmed under her gaze if he had ever been a squirmer.
"I was relieved that you were okay, and you were upset, and it just happened."
"Try again."
"That&#39;s the truth," he said, meeting her gaze firmly. "I know you think I have some kind of iron constitution when it come to self-control, but everyone has their moments."
"So you want me." It wasn&#39;t exactly a question.
"Yeah, but it&#39;s not like a big secret, you knew I was attracted to you."
"Lex, you&#39;re a born skirt-chaser, just having breasts makes me elligible for attraction. "Did you hire me because you want me?"
"Partially."
"Did you take over Baxter in order to put me out of a job." Lex was silent for a moment. "Don&#39;t think, just answer the question."
"It entered my mind, but it wasn&#39;t the first reason."
"How closely have you been keeping tabs on me before I started working for you?"
"I checked in on you now and then, and I have people on my staff who know my friends and people whose interests I&#39;m interested in."
"That&#39;s a nice way of saying &#39;stalk&#39;," she said. "Who else do you watch?"
"Not telling you that."
"Fine, that&#39;s someone else&#39;s problem,&#39; she said, dismissing his refusal. "But does this person spy on me? Like the way the photographer did?"
"No, not like that." Lex knew where she was going. She was trying to figure out how easy it would be for a person to be watched without their knowledge. Even in an emotional conversation, she still had her wits about her. "No nudie pictures, just keeping up with current events."
"Lex, I want the truth about this," she said, leaning forward. "Have you ever spied on me, yourself?" He hesitated again. "I want to know, and I&#39;ll know if you&#39;re lying about this."
"Yes."
"When?"
"The day I gave you the dress," he said, feeling a tightness in his thraot. Honesty didn&#39;t come easily. "I drove to your house and did the &#39;Peeping Tom&#39; thing. I used a monocular and watched you through your window while you tried on the dress." He was glad that there wasn&#39;t much light. His heart was beating really fast, and he knew he was turning red. "I have no excuse for that either, I just knew that we couldn&#39;t be together because of what had just happened, but I wanted to see you wear the dress. And I didn&#39;t want you to know I was watching."
"You saw me naked?"
"More like topless."
"I&#39;m seriously pissed."
"I know."
"But you know how uncomfortable and exposed you&#39;re feeling right now?" Lex looked up from his palms where he&#39;s been staring. "That&#39;s how I felt when I realized that you&#39;d gone through my most personal items and found something you really shouldn&#39;t have." Her gaze was probably as angry as he&#39;d ever seen it. "I think you&#39;ve made up for a lot of things in the past by what happened after I got out of the hospital." Lex&#39;s blood turned to ice. "And I can forgive you for finding my fucking vibrator, but I swear, Lex, if you don&#39;t stop invading my privacy, I will find a way to put you in a world of hurt." She nodded toward the door. "Now get out. We&#39;ll got to london in the morning, and I don&#39;t ever want to speak of this conversation again."
Lex walked out of the room without another word. He went to his own room and proceeded to lie awake for the rest of the night. She knew. She knew about everything now. She didn&#39;t hate him, but she didn&#39;t trust him either. The most dangerous part is that she&#39;d known for a long time that he&#39;d killed his father.

[lexchloe]

.............no smut??? :puppyeyes: Ok I can deal with that becuase of the mutual revelations in this chapter. A least everything is out in the open now (well almost, she doesn&#39;t know about the look alikes does she?) so they can maybe move on.................................to :smut:

:blush: *aplogises for her inner smut demon*

[zelda]

Patience, my lovelies...All good smut to those who wait. I have to have a dramatic build up before the explosion of smut. *imagine smut flying everywhere...sticking to lampshades, curtains, top of the fridge* going to be difficult to clean up.

[AlabamaWorley]

Oooh... and the plot thickens&#33; I love how they&#39;re with each other but not together. Lex&#39;s bizarre ways of showing he cares are perfect, and Chloe calling him on every point is excellent.

[buddyfozzy]

I loved how Chloe is the only person who can tell Lex off and actually make him feel embarrassed and nervous. Wonderful chapter, even though it was smutless. I can&#39;t wait until they go to London&#33; :worship2: :worship2: :worship2:

:wub: :wub:

[hfce]

Go Chloe :applause:



Hope :chlexsign2:

[lexodus]

:nobad: Bad, bad Lex.
:rage: See what happens when you piss Chloe off?

Great update. I can&#39;t wait for you to make things better for them. Like lexchloe said, we need to move on to the :smut:

[lexchloe]

Originally posted by zelda@Dec 15 2004, 08:47 PM
Patience, my lovelies...All good smut to those who wait. I have to have a dramatic build up before the explosion of smut. *imagine smut flying everywhere...sticking to lampshades, curtains, top of the fridge* going to be difficult to clean up.
:yay: :yay: *lexchloe fears she will explode with anticipation*

[crankychick]

:devil: The smut will go off. I&#39;ll be in my bunk :smut: Great job, zelda - I&#39;m loving your story.

:puppyeyes: Please come soon, smutbomb.

[campbti]

Nice revelations. I think this means its time to put the past away and make way for the future. Still want to know who is threatening them, hints... ?&#33;?&#33;? Really good, update again soon.

:chlexsign2:

[Janet]

OOOOOOH...


Great last chapter&#33;&#33;&#33; Can&#39;t wait for that smut you promise.... :devil: You have lots to live up to now... bwahahahahhah&#33;&#33;&#33;


Loved how everything came out... honesty is your friend Lex.

[autumngold]

I&#39;m so glad that everything is out in the open between Lex and Chloe&#33;&#33; And that they&#39;re going to London together&#33;&#33; :yay: Post more soon please&#33;&#33; I can&#39;t wait to read more&#33;&#33; :wub: :chlexsign4: :wub:

[zelda]

Okay, adventure comes in London along with some revelations. Smut follows shortly after return to States. Expect the explosion then.

[SinnerSaint]

:wub: Wow &#33; I really love how you had Chloe handle that whole conversation/situation. It was just brilliant how you got her to completely trap Lex. She came off as really mature and in charge of the situation instead of just embarrassed about it all.

Now bring me the smut dammit &#33;&#33;&#33; ;)

[chril1]

love this story, and updated so frequently :worship2:

love lea
xxx

[zelda]

London was cold and rainy. Chloe and Lex disembarked from his private jet and crossed the hangar to a waiting car. Chloe didn&#39;t move away from his touch when he put his hand on the small of her back to guide her into the car. She did not, however, make any attempts to get closer to him. She sat across from him in the car and remained cool. Not cold, just...cool. She looked more than good. She looked strong, elegant, and sexy in a &#39;you-&#39;ll-never-have-a-chance-with-a-girl-like-me&#39; kind of way. She&#39;d stuck to dark colors, knee-high black leather boots, dark raincoat, and tweed dress. She wore a purple brooch on the shoulder of her dress. The color appealed to him, its presence on her made him feel like his territory had been marked. He knew it was a silly thought. But it made him smile.
"Stop smiling at my tits." Chloe didn&#39;t move to cover herself, her hands were still on either side of her, resting on the leather seats, but her eyes, partially shrouded in shadows were on him.
"But they&#39;re so perky." Lex waited for her to react. A blonde eyebrow went up slightly, but her mouth didn&#39;t twitch. He really should&#39;ve had a nap on the plane. He&#39;d barely slept in forty-eight hours and he guessed he was going to crash before long if he didn&#39;t continue a steady infusion of caffeine. "I like your pin."
"Thank you." She opened her briefcase and handed him the files he&#39;d asked her to carry. Since they were traveling together, she was acting as his assistant. They&#39;d agreed that it was the best solution for the sake of security to stay together during the trip and leave any non-essential staff at home. The fewer people in danger the better.
“How did you sleep last night?” He asked, taking the files from her. He glanced at them briefly. “You don’t seem tired tonight.”
“I slept fine, besides, all I had to do was sit on a plane for most of the day.” They were headed for their hotel to check in and try to sleep a few hours of jet lag off. Lex hated losing hours when he crossed the ocean. London was six hours ahead of them so it had been close to Midnight when they’d arrived, but they were still on Metropolis time so Chloe might not sleep well. She looked up from her briefcase at him. “You, on the other hand, look like Hell.”
“Thanks.”
“Will you be able to sleep here?”
“Doubt it,” he said with a shrug. “I’ll just get a little work done.”
“I can’t imagine you’ll be very effective at the meeting tomorrow if you haven’t slept in a few days.”
“How do you know that I haven’t slept?” He leapt on her comment greedily.
“Because you look hollow.” Chloe said, then by way of explanation, she added, “Your cheeks thin out, your chin droops, and you get bags under your eyes. You start to hollow out like a corpse.”
“What a pleasant thought.”
“You want the truth from me. There it is.”
“What do you suggest I do about it?” He set the file down and leaned forward. “Since you’re my advisor and all, I wonder how you’d handle the situation.”
“Well for one thing, lay of the coffee, lay off the booze, take a really warm shower, turn up the heat in your room, do some yoga, then just go to sleep.”
“Yoga?”
“Works for me.”
“You’ll have to show me.”
“Fine.”
The hotel was the best in the city, of course. Lex had booked them in a business suite that had three bedrooms and an office. Chloe tried not to gawk at all of the space that they had. Daniel and Benjamin were sleeping in shifts. They had a smaller staff with them and had notified the hotel security that they needed to be extra vigilant. Lex’s bedroom had a huge bed with heavy drapes hung around it. Chloe’s was similar and each had its own bathroom.
Chloe knocked on Lex’s bedroom door after taking a brief shower. He’d done the same thing and changed into his pajama pants.
“I turned up the heat and drank water instead of scotch.” He smiled with imbecillic male pride, as if he expected to be petted. So Chloe rubbed her palm across his smooth scalp.
“Good boy.” She’d changed into yoga pants and a long, crew-neck shirt. “Now just stand over here where we have some space, and I’ll take you through a couple of basic stretches.”
Lex copied her movements fairly well for a beginner, but she knew that he’d had martial-arts training in the past. His bare, lean chest looked strong in the low light. Chloe caught herself staring at him a few times and had to remind herself that she was still mad.
Lex found himself relaxing in the warm room, feeling the tension stretched out of his muscles. It wasn’t as good as a massage, but it did the job. Chloe moved gracefully beside him, exaggerating her movements when necessary to help him correct his own. She was really quite flexible, he realized which brought him to another train of thought. A much less helpful train of thought.
“I think I’m getting drowsy.” Lex raised his arms over his head and was pleased when he saw Chloe’s eyes dart over his front. He was tempted to flex, but she’d catch him at it.
“Alright, now turn down the covers and lay down,” Chloe instructed, crossing to the desk. She reached for the telephone and called the front desk. She requested a wake-up call for nine in the morning, but to have no calls before that hour. She asked the guest service girl to send all calls to her room instead.
“Our meeting is at noon.”
“If you take more than two hours to get ready I’ll call you a hoochie-boy for the rest of your life. You need the rest, I’ll take care of everything else.” She gestured for Lex to get onto the bed, when he’d complied, she slid her bottom onto the bedspread and reached for his feet. “Put your feet on my lap and lay back.” He complied. “Okay, now turn out the light.” In darkness, Lex could heard her breathing, but he closed his eyes and tried to feel nothing but her hands.
Chloe began with Lex’s ankles and moved her thumbs along each side of his Achilles tendon. She worked around his heels, one at a time, then along his arches. She made an effort not to tickle him, and he didn’t seem uncomfortable. By the time she reached his toes, he was putty in her hands.
“You’re very good at this.” Lex’s voice was thick with drowsiness. “Where did you learn?”
“My dad used to be on his feet all day, so I’d rub them for him sometimes while we watched T.V.”
“Lucky guy.” Chloe didn’t answer. When she finished, she pulled the covers up and dropped them gently at Lex’s waist. She turned to go, he reached out blindly and caught her hand. “Thanks.”
“Welcome.” She’d almost told him that it was her job, and he didn’t need to thank her, but it wouldn’t really be true. Foot massages weren’t in the contract. And helping him sleep wasn’t in it either. She turned to go, but hesitated. She screwed her face up tightly, kicking herself for what she was going to say. “Do you want me to stay longer? Like in my apartment?”
“I’d love the additional presence, but I don’t think I need it, to be honest. You can stay if you like.”
“I’ll be getting your phone calls in the morning, so I’d better stay in my room.” It was business, it wasn’t personal.
Lex drifted off shortly after Chloe left. He was relieved that she hadn’t ignored him like she’d probably wanted to. Instead, she’d acted like a professional and seen to his needs. He needed sleep, she gave it to him. He wanted to believe there had been some warmth to her offer to stay with him. It had to have been more than just business.
Chloe lay in her own bed, staring at the ceiling. She shouldn’t have offered to stay. If she’d just left after the foot rub, or even after the Yoga, she could still fool herself into thinking it was just business. She liked him needing her. She liked the perverse pleasure of putting him to bed; putting him to sleep. He didn’t need pampering, just nurturing, and sometimes she wanted to give him that. Tonight, she’d wanted to hold him, and she couldn’t even convince herself that it was for noble reasons either. She liked the way his body felt, she liked him being close to her. Even with his invasion of privacy, she still liked having him around. It was beyond confusing.
Lex’s business in London consisted of meetings, from noon until three, with the CEO and top staff of a communications firm. Lex was planning to buy some updated equipment to go with the new technology he’d acquired with Baxter Software. Today was about fighting out the particulars. All he was asking of Chloe was for her to look interested and not fall asleep.
“Interested?”
“If it gets really boring, just look threatening. Daniel’s not coming to the meeting with us so they can imagine that you’re my personal security. In fact, you should probably be armed.”
“The way security is these days, you brought weapons into a foreign country?”
“Private hangar, no customs. Anyway, Daniel didn’t technically do that. Our driver works for a company here in London, he has his own stash of weapons.” Lex explained, while riding in the car to their meeting. “If our security team happens to temporarily be associated with the driver’s company, the lines are a little fudged. But our weapons stay on our plane, and don’t really touch English soil.”
“Sounds awfully sketchy to me.”
“It really is, but it’s necessary. I have nothing against London’s law enforcement, they’re clever enough, but the people who’ve been trying to kill us will probably be better armed if they followed us all the way here.”
“Okay, so arm me.” Lex lifted the cuff of his pant leg and removed a velcro strap from his ankle. It had a small, canvas holster that held a shiny little gun. “Oh,” Chloe said with delight. “It’s so cute.”
“Right, well, don’t go snuggling with it, it may be small, but it can kill.” He handed it to her. “Do you have any idea how to shoot?”
“Yeah, my uncle, Lois’ father, taught me when I moved out here. He didn’t want me to own a gun, but he preferred me knowing how to use one if necessary.”
“Sam Lane taught you to shoot? You’re probably better than me.”
“Well, I haven’t been to the base to practice in a few months, but I was a decent shot. Probably better with a smaller gun like this.” She looked it over carefully, then nodded her approval. “Nice, now don’t look.” She began to shift around on her seat and moved the hem of her skirt up her thighs. Lex glanced out the window. Chloe fastened the holster to her thigh and shook her leg, slightly, testing it.
“Comfortable?”
“Not really, but I hardly want it falling down my leg while I’m walking down the street.”
Lex was already getting a hardon. Chloe was dressed in a pinstripe skirt and matching tailored jacket. She had a corseted red shirt that made her breasts look amazing, and now he was packing heat between her thighs. Instead of the boots, she’d worn black, leather pumps with a high, slender heel on them. They made her ankles look tiny and her legs look three miles long. She was almost four inches taller than usual, which gave her an oddly statuesque look, but she was still shorter than he. God she made him feel like a man. A bad man, but a man nonetheless.
Lex said he wanted her to remain mostly quiet, not because she was a woman, but because he wanted the people they were meeting to be distracted. She gave him a dirty look.
“Not because of your looks, these guys have seen plenty of beautiful women, but if you’re quiet, and looking at all of them the way you’ve been looking at me lately, I can keep them off balance.”
“I can’t say I’ve ever been used as an intimidation tactic.”
“Well, these men have expectations of me as the brash, crude American who charges in and works with all of the subtlety of a pack of marauding vikings. You, my dear, are just off-setting that image.”
“Whatever you say.”
Chloe was secretly excited to be Lex’s intimidator. When they arrived at the building for their meeting, She got out first and looked around them, feeling the odd, power and responsibility of being armed. It felt strange. She understood the pull from having used one before, but she’d never carried one concealed. She felt like a secret agent. She was Sydney Bristow, in disguise and ready to take on…well, a bunch of English guys.
With the soundtrack to Alias running through her head, Chloe walked two paces behind Lex. She kept her head up and her stride steady, despite the metal that brushed against her leg. There was a giddy, bubbly feeling inside her as she stood in the elevator, trying to copy Daniel’s usual expression of general disapproval and annoyance.
Lex launched into the details of the business deal, Chloe tried to follow but gave up when they got to the specifics of the products and referred to them by their serial numbers. Lex clearly knew what he was doing, he had perfect recall of each item and rarely had to refer to his paperwork. She understood his fascination with Alexander the Great. They really were very similar. When Lex went into a boardroom, it was with a concise battle plan, he knew his opponents, he knew what they wanted, and he knew how much they were willing to give him. He took that information and always pushed for just a little bit more.
Lex caught some of the men staring at Chloe. All of them gave her several curious glances at some point if they weren’t being directly addressed. When a young man entered at exactly one-thirty with a cart of hot coffee and tea, and some pastries, the men broke for a few minutes. Chloe stood when Lex gave her a subtle gesture and she got them each a cup of coffee. The men allowed her in front of them, and Lex watched as them all looked at her legs when she filled the cups from the urn.
If Chloe had shown the slightest interest in any of the men, Lex would have been jealous. As it was, he was proud. She’d retained excellent composure and manners that they had to respect. Lex did all of the bullying and, as usual, had more than is share of arrogance mixed in. He had a reputation to uphold, after all.
Once the meeting was complete, the CEO extended an invitation to join him for drinks that evening. Lex declined, pleading a meeting in the morning. He and Chloe spoke briefly to each of the men before leaving and got back on the elevator. When the doors closed, she let out a big breath.
“I can see why you like this so much.”
“How’s that?”
“It’s kind of a thrill to go in there and just let the attitude fly.” She shrugged. “It was more fun than I thought.”
“You’re just excited about the gun.”
“Aren’t you?” she asked, innocently. He laughed and placed his hand at her back when the doors opened at the lobby floor. They made their exit to the street where it had started raining again. Chloe peered through the foggy, wet air and potted Daniel across the street. She tugged Lex’s arm and they both crossed to him.
“So tonight, when we get home-” Lex started, but the wet squeal of tires distracted Chloe, she saw Daniel moving toward them and spun to grab Lex. She took a step backwards for momentum and clenched her fingers in his shirt. With a hard yank, she hauled him toward her and the relative safety of the car.
Lex stumbled, but Chloe’s grip kept him moving and they both fell to the pavement. Lex rolled, instinctively over her body, and they stopped just under the bumper of their limo. The popping sound of several bullets being fired left no question to the motive for Chloe’s action. Benjamin shouted and then the sun was blocked out by Daniel’s large frame. He had his hand on Lex’s shoulder, holding him down on the ground, and returned fire.
Lex’s weight pressed down and Chloe fought for breath. Her shoulder hurt from hitting the curb, but her head was cushioned by Lex’s hand. He was pushing her face into his shoulder, and with his other hand, fumbled under her skirt. He found the holster and jerked the gun free. Chloe didn’t even notice. Seconds later, it was over. Daniel was pulling Lex to his feet and shoving him at Benjamin who practically tossed him into the backseat of the limo. Daniel seized Chloe’s lapels and had her up on her feet and flying in beside him. A burning sensation in her ankle had her wincing once her rear hit the seat, but she ignored it as the driver stepped on the accelerator.
Benjamin would stay behind and deal with the authorities, Chloe and Lex would not return to the hotel themselves, but would get directly on the plane and fly back to Metropolis. It was always easier to beg pardon than to ask permission. When it came to safety, getting as far from a person trying to kill you took priority.
“Are you hurt?” Lex moved his hands over Chloe’s shoulders and arms. She brushed them away impatiently.
“Yeah, I think I twisted my ankle, but otherwise, I’m okay.” She reached down and rubbed the slightly swollen spot where she was feeling pain. “You?”
“Fine, Daniel saw quick, but you were closer. Good reflexes.”
“Well, I’ve learned the art of self-preservation.”
“Well, at least it extends to the people in your close vicinity.”
“Forget about it.” They stared at each other as breathing started to slow, and heart rates went back to normal. Daniel rolled down the partition.
“Mr. Luthor, I’ve called the airport, the pilot will be ready to take off as soon as you arrive.” Lex nodded to him. The big man pressed his lips together and had a more annoyed look than usual on his face. “Sir, I’ll have to stay here and sort things out. I shot the driver and there will be trouble if I leave the country.” He nodded to their own driver. “Simon can escort you back.”
“I’ll trust your judgement on this, Daniel,” Lex said. “Thank you.”
The plane did take off almost as soon as they were onboard. Lex and Daniel spoke for a few minutes before the security man drove Simon’s car back towards the security terminal to speak to the law enforcement about the incident. Chloe sat on a couch in the back of the plane with a bag of ice on her ankle. She doubted that is was broken, but it sure hurt like anything.
“How’s the ankle?”
“Shitty, what the Hell happened back there?”
“Something unexpected,” Lex answered. “A really badly botched attempt on our lives.” His forehead wrinkled. “It was going to be a drive-by.” He shook his head. With the level of expertise that got to you in a health spa, I’d expected more.”
“What does that tell you?”
“I guess what it looks like to me, is that our current adversary is cheap and sloppy. Neither is going to be very effective in killing me.”
“It was close.”
“We weren’t expecting amateurs.”

A/N: Smut in next chapter....promise.

[lexchloe]

:yay: :yay: Great update. Really like how things are hotting up subtly between Chloe and Lex. The curiosity of who&#39;s trying to kill them (or him/her) is increasing too. Can&#39;t wait for more. :chlexsign3:

[Chimera0523]

:chlexsign3: Secret agent Chloe to the rescue. Loved the update&#33;&#33; Lex and Chloe are sure racking up the frequent flyer miles. Now I wonder who is trying to off them, sending such armatures. Keep up the great work.

~Michelle

[chril1]

you know London isn&#39;t that bad, i mean yeah so it&#39;s cold..wet...windy..and dark now but in summer it&#39;s...cold...wet...windy...but it is light. damn it-it&#39;s not as bad as it sounds *as she looks at the rain pouring down outside*

my point is, it was a great chapter and i liked chloe&#39;s outfits

love lea
xxx

[Béatrice]

:yay: Graet update. Who&#39;s trying to kill them? I have some doubts about Michael. He&#39;s a Baxter. He lives next to Chloe&#39;s apartment. And he asked her a lot of questions about her and Lex. So...


A/N: Smut in next chapter....promise.
:cool: :cool:

[AlabamaWorley]

I&#39;m suspicious of those Baxters, too&#33; Awesome chapter. For some reason, I just loved that Lex had his hand under Chloe&#39;s head when they hit the ground.

[hfce]

Great update but I think the Baxters are behind this. Am I right? ;)


Hope :)

[autumngold]

I love how Lex and Chloe instinctively take care of each other&#33;&#33; I hope they can get Benjamin and Daniel out of trouble&#33;&#33; Thank you so much for the wonderful update&#33;&#33; I love this story so much&#33;&#33; Hope you post more soon&#33;&#33; :worship2: :chlexsign4: :worship2:

[crankychick]

Lex and Chloe doing yoga? That&#39;s an image that will be stuck in my head all day :yay: :yay: Great chappy&#33;

[buddyfozzy]

Wow&#33; What a chapter&#33; A lot of UTS, but still tenderness with Chloe saying she likes Lex needing her, and Lex saying that Chloe makes him feel like a man. :wub: :wub: :wub:

Wonderful update, can&#39;t wait for the smut&#33; :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay:

:chlexsign4:

[Janet]

Yum&#33; Good chapter. Loved Chloe helping Lex get to sleep. Chloe getting armed was fun. She and Lex should play cops and robbers... ;)

Chloe saved Lexy&#33; yay&#33; :yay2:

[kirt30]

good story

[zelda]

Chloe hobbled around the plane for the first couple of hours of the flight. She made a sandwich for herself and Lex in the little galley kitchen. She handed him a soft drink and sat back down. he was lost in thought, looking at his laptop. When he heard the clink of the glass, he looked up in surprise.
"You shouldn&#39;t be up and around on that ankle till we get it checked."
"I&#39;ll get it checked, Dr. Luthor," she said. "Anyway, it would feel different if any bones were broken."
"You&#39;re an expert?"
"I&#39;ve had a few in my day," she answered. "Eat your sandwich." She settled back on the couch and propped her foot back up on some cushions. Lex looked at the sandwich, then back at her. "I didn&#39;t spit in it."
"I know," he covered, quickly. "It&#39;s just...Thanks." She nodded and popped open a diet cola. Such a small gesture. meat and bread and a little gourmet mustard. But somehow it made him feel something. She&#39;d put a handful of corn chips on his plate and poured him a drink. Not champagne, or scotch, but just ice in a glass and something green.
"It&#39;s mountain Dew."
"Oh." Lex ate the sandwich, and the chips and drank his soda. Chloe&#39;s little touches in his life made him feel so normal. It was almost unnerving. His thoughts went back to their little problem and how he could solve it. He eyed Chloe, now reading a SkyMall magazine. "Be careful with those magazines." He said, reaching into his briefcase and sifting through it until he found what he was looking for. "It can be really easy to convince yourself that you can&#39;t live without a battery-operated towel warmer for your bathroom." Green eyes appeared above the magazine. "Trust me, I&#39;ve spent a lot of time on airplanes and, I dunno, maybe it&#39;s the altitude, but those things can be hazardous." Blonde eyebrows went up briefly before disappearing behind the magazine again.
"Oh, come on, Lex." Her voice wafted over to him. "You don&#39;t think I need &#39;Safe-T-Man&#39;?" She snickered. "He comes with his own carrying case and I get to dress him myself. He sits in the passenger seat and doesn&#39;t tell me how to drive, he&#39;ll also sit on my couch at night so people won&#39;t know I&#39;m a single loser."
"He&#39;s got his own carrying case?"
"Yup."
"Sounds perfect." Lex got up and crossed to her. She automatically lfted her feet to accomodate him on the couch. She dropped her feet back onto his thighs, where he put the pillow she&#39;d been using. "Here, take thins, it&#39;s just a painkiller, it might work on your ankle." He handed her a couple of pills and kept his gaze on the magazine. "Solar powered fountain, huh?"
"Yeah," she said, taking the pills and popping them into her mouth. "You just set it in the nearest pool of stagnant water and voila&#33; instant image change from middle class to elite."
"And just &#036;29.99."
"Who knew that climbing the social ladder could be so cheap." She sipped her soda and swallowed the pills. "I probably should lay off the caffeine for a little bit."
"Right, you don&#39;t want to be up all night."
Approximately Thirty mintues later, Chloe was drooling on his sofa. Lex hadn&#39;t moved, just waited until the sedative had taken effect. he felt a little guilty for not telling her what was in the drugs. He&#39;d given her one painkiller and one tranquilizer. She&#39;d be blissful, pain-free, and out of harm&#39;s way for the next ten hours or so. Taking her gently by the knees, Lex tugged on her so she was laying flat. No reason for her to wake with a stiff neck. Her skirt had ridden up slightly and he took the opportunity to reach up and remove the velcro holster. He was very pleased with himself for not looking up her skirt.
"Is she alright?" Simon came back and nodded to Chloe.
"I slipped her a Mickey."
"Very good, sir."
"I&#39;ll try to keep her from drooling." Lex took out his handkerchief and dabbed at the corner of her mouth. "How long before we reach Metropolis?"
"About three hours, sir."
&#39;Thanks." Lex used the opportunity to make some phone calls. He covered Chloe with a light blanket and went to the first aid kit to get an elastic bandage. He wrapped her ankle snugly and threw out the bad of ice that was dripping on his couch. Three hours. She&#39;d be out of it for longer than that, he&#39;d need to stash her till he could get a few things done. He called his butler and gave him some instructions, then he went back to sit on the couch with Chloe&#39;s feet on his lap. He chided himself for his stupid sentimentality. The damned sandwich and chips had him feeling all domestic. She gave him Mountain Dew for Chrit&#39;s sake and he was suddenly absorbed in pretending. With her napping while her feet were in his lap, he had the guilty pleasure of pretending that everything was normal. Lex was forced to stop pretending when Chloe&#39;s feet got cold and she instinctively rubbed them together. His penis sprang to attention so fast, he thought he might knock her feet to the floor. Chloe&#39;s dreams were pleasant and light. There was a humming sound, like she was near a fan, or something. She was warm and comfortable. She lazily opened her eyes, or at least tried to. She managed to get the open a crack and saw a bleary figure near her feet. He looked familiar and she blinked to focus her eyes. He was aying something to her, telling her to go back to sleep. That seemed like a good idea to her so she closed her eyes again.
Lex ended his telephone call and gently eased out from under Chloe&#39;s feet. Her toes had been resting against hs erection for almost thirty minutes. A wise man would have moved. Now he was in pain. The bathroom light came on automatically, Lex wished he could turn it off, it was bad enough to have to do this at all, but being in a cramped space with harsh flourescents and a huge mirror made it worse. Nowhere to hide. He thought about breaking the light, but he just couldn&#39;t do it.
Sighing, Lex closed his eyes and unbuckled his belt, trying to ignore the loud, automatic fan that buzzed overhead. He was so hard, he felt like he could pound nails. His gut twisted like it did every time he had to resort to this in order to keep his hands off Chloe. It was bad enough that he&#39;d allowed her to rub her feet on him in her sleep. It was his own fault he was in agony now. He was swollen and red, and already dripping with silky fluid. At least it wouldn&#39;t take very long. He wrapped his hand around himself and started to pump his fist up and down. He was jerking himself raw these days and it just wasn&#39;t helping for long enough. His visits with the blonde from the agency were infrequent now that there had been attempts on his life.
Chloe&#39;s face sprang to his mind, The look on her face when she&#39;d pulled him to her, and out of the path of a bullet had him gasping. People could talk about being your friend, they could listen to your problems, they could give you money and support, but until they actually took a risk for you, there was no way to know for sure that they cared. Chloe cared. Lex remembered the feeling of her bare breasts under his hands, and her soft body arching under him on his couch. Her hair, damp from the bath, her skin, slippery with soap and pink from the hot water. Even the memory of her shouting at him just excited him more. He rubbed his fist over the mushroomed head of his erection and tried to imagine the feeling of the substitute&#39;s mouth over it, and he imagined it was her. He came quietly, as he usually did, clenching his teeth against the grunts and moans. When the lights exploded behind his eyelids, he saw her. The same way he had for years ever since the night she&#39;d come to him in his room.
Lex cleaned himself up and washed his hands. years. He&#39;d waited years for Chloe to be his, he&#39;d given her space and a chance to have a life. She hadn&#39;t settled down with anyone else, there had been few men to grace her bed, and now she&#39;d come back to him. She wasn&#39;t going to leave again. Not after how much he&#39;d done to keep her in his life. He opened the door to the bathroom and looked at her, sleeping the sleep of the innocent...well, the drugged anyway.
When the plane touched down, Lex&#39;s Butler, Marshall, was waiting with the limo. Simon sat in the front with him and Lex carried Chloe down the steps and to the back seat. She wasn&#39;t completely unconscious, just in a daze. She had her arms draped around his nec and her head lolled to the side a little.
"Where are we?"
"Metropolis, go back to sleep."
"Okay." They rose to the penthouse. Simon wouldn&#39;t allow either of them out of the car until he&#39;d gotten out and thoroughly checked the garage. Then he opened the back door and helped drag Chloe&#39;s jello body out. Lex picked her up again and she giggled. "To the honeymoon suite&#33;" She was chuckling into his neck. Simon rolled his eyes and escorted them to the door. Marshall had a light snack waiting and her bed prepared. Maria, Chloe&#39;s former nurse and guard, was waiting inside.
"Is she drugged?"
"Yes, just a mild tranquilizer and a painkiller for her ankle." When she frowned, Lex gave her a hard look. "She&#39;ll only get herself hurt if she tried to help. It&#39;s your job to make certain she has no idea that anything is wrong."
"Alright, I&#39;ll get her changed." Lex turned and handed Chloe to Marshall. The butler made no discernable facial movement at being handed a drugged woman. Chloe opened her eyes and smiled.
"Are you my husband?"
"Yes," Marshall replied, deadpan. Lex laughed at Chloe&#39;s experssion of surprise. "You had too much wine at the reception, You just need to sleep. Maria&#39;s going to help you."
"Okay." Chloe was dozing off again. Marshall nodded to his employer.
"Everything you need is in the study, I&#39;ll be there directly sir."
"Simon?"
"Waiting there as well."
"Excellent."

Lex walked up to the apartment door and knocked. It opened and a familiar voice greeted him.
"This is unexpected." Andy Baxter was standing with his shoulder in the doorway to his apartment. He folded his arms across his chest and glared at Lex. "What do you want?"
"Where is she?"
"Who?" Andy was a bad actor.
"Jillian."
*
A/N:
Okay, not too much smut, and a short little chappie, but I just wanted to get the extra stuff out of the way. Coming next...Kaboom&#33;

[hfce]

Great update :biggrin: but who is Jillian and Lex is in trouble when Chloe finds out what he did to her. :lol:


Hope :)

[autumngold]

I knew it was Jillian&#33;&#33; I just knew it was Jillian&#33;&#33; Or are you just teasing? Thank you so much for the new update&#33;&#33; I can&#39;t wait for more&#33;&#33; :wub: :chlexsign4: :wub:

[buddyfozzy]

Jillian? I like this twist, I had never thought of it being her. Chloe&#39;s going to be so pissed when she finds out she was drugged. I guess I can see why Lex did it though. Excellent update&#33; :yay: :worship2: :yay: :worship2:

[Janet]

What&#39;s gonna happen with Jillian? :ohmy:

Lex is a bit of a meanie.... drugging Chloe... *tsk tsk* I know it put her out of pain, but a painkiller alone would have sufficed. Chloe&#39;s gonna be pissed about being drugged.


EDIT: oh, Jillian made the attempt? good&#33; :biggrin: That means Lex isn&#39;t seeing her for -- other reasons.... had me worried for a second.

[tiger04]

:yay: :yay: please please more soon

AT

[sydsvaughn]

MORE MORE MORE

Sorry, my work motto is seeping into fanfic reviews...

SaraC

[SinnerSaint]

That was so awesome &#33; " Are you my husband ?" " Yes" . I laughed out loud and my husband thought I was going crazy . Again. You have to write more of this soon &#33;

[Béatrice]

Great&#33;&#33;&#33; :chlexsign2: I can&#39;t wait to read more. Please come back soon. :yay:

[zelda]

As promised...

Chloe was going to murder Lex. When she woke up, groggy and hung over, she knew immediately what had happened. Maria was sympathetic and she didn’t lie for Lex.

“He said he gave you a tranquilizer and a painkiller.” She handed Chloe a glass of water. “Did he put it in your drink?”

“Uh, no,” she replied, slightly embarrassed. “He gave it to me, I just thought it was asprin.” She rubbed her head and pushed back the covers. She was wearing a pair of silk pajamas. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Maria,” she said, looking at herself. “But I really hope you were the one to see me naked.”

“I was.”

“How did I get here?”

“What do you remember last?”

“Reading a SkyMall magazine on the plane about three hours into the flight.”

“Once the plane landed, Lex brought you here with Simon. He gave you to Marshall and myself, then he went to talk to someone from work.”

“Gave me to Marshall and you?”

“Well, technically he just handed you to Marshall, but I was here to supervise.” Maria nodded to her foot. “How’s it feel?”

“It aches. I still don’t think it’s broken.” Maria checked it and agreed, with the prognosis, but suggested an X-Ray just to be cautious. Since she didn’t know when Lex was returning, Chloe thought it might be better to go along with the idea rather than sit and fume. The waiting room at the hospital would give her plenty of time to plot Lex’s demise.

“What do you want?” Jillian was drunk. Her hair was a mess and she was wearing a pair of chocolate stained sweats.

“Well, for starters I want you to stop trying to kill me and my assistant.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jillian was clearly pleased to have him at her door. She wasn’t smart enough to be scared.

“Why don’t you get the fuck out of here.” Andy blustered from behind her. Lex turned slightly and allowed Simon to walk past him into the apartment. “I don’t recall inviting you-” His words were cut off by Simon’s forearm resting against his windpipe. Jillian turned around and opened her mouth to start shouting.

Lex seized his ex-lover by the throat and pushed her up against the wall and shut the door behind him.

“Jillian, as much as I enjoyed our time together,” he said, stressing the word. “I’m really getting tired of your pathetic attempts to get my attention and injure my staff.”

“You mean your whore.” His gloved hand tightened and she started to choke. He pressed his face close and his voice lowered to just above a whisper.

“Watch it, Jillian, I’ve already lost my patience with you. Don’t make me lose my temper too.”

“You used me to get information and then you got me cut off by my father.”

“So why go after Chloe, why not just me?”

“That bitch-” He cut off her air supply. Jillian’s face started to turn purple. A tiny bubble of saliva formed when she opened her mouth to speak.

“I’m going to ease off my grip, and you’re going to say her name.” She tried to scratch him but he twisted her arm behind her back. He pressed his weight against her. “Let’s try this again.” He relaxed his grip and she sucked in air desperately. “Say her name.”

“Chloe.”

“That’s good, now tell me why you were trying to kill her.”


“Andy said there was a possible spy from your work.” Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she was making little animal noises between words. “When I heard her name, I knew that you’d been cheating on me?”

“Jillian, I may not have loved you, but I wasn’t cheating on you.”

“You used to say her name in your sleep.” Lex’s gaze darted to where Simon was duct-taping Andy’s ankles and wrists together. There was already a strip across the man’s mouth to keep him quiet.

“Why did you have someone follow her and take pictures?”

“Andy’s idea.” She was sniffling. “He wanted her to be scared and know what it was like to be spied on.”

“I want the name of the man who did it.” She shook her head so he squeezed tighter. “Tell me, Jillian, I’ve got more duct tape and a lot of trunk space.”

“I don’t know his name, Andy hired him. He’s done work for him in the past.” He made eye contact with Simon who nodded and dragged Andy into the bedroom where their ‘conversation’ was less-likely to be heard.

Chloe sat on the bed in her exam room, waiting for the doctor to bring her a couple of extra elastic bandages and some muscle rub to ease the tenderness of the muscles in her ankle. It was a nasty sprain, and she was supposed to limit her movement and keep her weight off it for the near future. Maria sat beside the door and listened while she plotted against Lex.

Lex and Simon left the apartment and called Lex’s contact in the detective’s bureau. He promised to mail the man a confession on tape that he’d recorded from both Jillian and Andy. He wasn’t worried about it sticking in court. Jillian and her brother were now too afraid not to plead guilty. Next, Lex had to pay a little visit to the seedier side of town. He had the name and address of a former private investigator named Jonesey who had decided that it was more profitable to turn to less-savory activities. Simon went up first; Lex knew when to leave things to the professionals.

The man who was standing in the security man’s iron grip was tall and thin like a flagpole. It explained how he was able to get into the ventillation system at the health spa. He had photographs of many people, mostly women, on his wall. Lex was disgusted to discover that Chloe was there too. He took great pleasure in extracting information from the man. He found out how long he’d been watching Chloe, and how he’d entered the building. Jillian had stolen her brother, Michael’s key and Jonesey had hidden in the apartment while Michael was out of town.

The man had gone into the apartment while the decorators were going in and out. He’d hidden in the closet until she came home and had taken a video from which he had developed still shots to send to her next. Lex took them along with all of his disks. Jonesey hadn’t broken into the apartment, he’d broken out. The guard had been drugged on his way to the stairs. When Lex had all of his information, he leaned close to Simon.

“Just make it look like he left town, the plane will be in the hangar to take you home as soon as you’re finished.”

Lex drove back to the penthouse in the dark blue sedan that he and Simon had driven over. Simon could find his way to the airport with little trouble. He was, after all, a professional. The prints that Jonesey had made of Chloe were sitting on the passenger seat next to him. He debated whether or not to tell her about them. He parked the car and went upstairs. When he opened the front door, Marshall greeted him and took his coat.

“Good afternoon, Sir.”

“Hello, is Miss Sullivan here?”

“She returned about a half-hour ago from the hospital. Maria took her to get some X-rays done.”

“Is she alright?”

“Her ankle isn’t broken, if that’s what you mean.” Lex narrowed his eyes at Marshall. “But if I may, Sir, you might want to be on your guard when entering the guest suite.”

“Thank you.”

Lex approached the open doorway of the suite and caught Maria’s eye. He jerked his head sideways and she took her cue, making a hasty exit. Chloe was sitting on the bed with her foot propped up on a pillow. She looked angry. He stepped into the room and ducked. A box of tissues sailed over his head and bounced off the wall.

“Asshole.” Chloe hopped off the bed and limped toward him. “I can’t believe that you drugged me.”

“It was for your own good.” That phrase was the wrong one to use. She shrieked with rage and picked up one of the crutches from the floor and hurled it at him.

“You drugged me like some horny prom date&#33;”

“You make it sound like I crushed up the pills and slipped them into your drink. I handed them to you and you took them willingly.”

“You said it was just a painkiller for my ankle.”

“One of them was.”

“Lex, I’ve had problems with drug interactions before and you didn’t even think about that.”

“You’re not allergic to Morphine derivitives, only cycilic anti-depressants.”

“How the Fuck do you know that?” She picked up the other crutch and started jabbing him in the side with it. “Did I not make it clear to you that my privacy is a priority.”

“I knew that from a long time ago.”

“Why did you feel it necessary to knock me out?” She hit the spot where he was still sore from the impact of the bullet. He grabbed the crutch and jerked it out of her grasp. She came with it and he caught her against him.

“Because I needed to be certain that when I went to confront the people responsible for the attempts on our lives that you were not going to try to come with me. I didn’t want you harassing the people assigned to protect you, so I gave you something to help you sleep which you needed anyway.”

“That’s not your decision.” She tried to push away from him but he dropped the crutch and held her close.

“Chloe, I’m really tired from my little confrontation with the Baxters.” He saw her eyes widen. “I’ve made certain that you’re safe now and can return to your happy little life. I also took the liberty of removing any traces of your image from the apartment of the man hired to stalk you and burn the spa down.” He gave her shoulders a little shake. “I’m too tired to deal with your tantrums right now, so I’d rather just hear a ‘Thank you’ and be on my way.”

“If you think I’m going to give you thanks for doping me up like a lame horse you’re sadly mistaken.” She was too angry right now, but so was he.
Lex pulled her forward and kissed her hard and angry. His lips were taking, not giving, and his hands pulled her so close she was plastered to him. He pushed her away when he was done and she stumbled back on her ankle.

“You’re welcome.” He took the envelope of pictures out of his jacket pocket and tossed it on the table beside the door before walking out. Chloe sat down on the floor and folded her arms across her chest. She knew that she looked like a child having a sulk, but it was how she felt at the moment. Sulky. Lex might have been correct in his assumption that she’d have tried to go along for the confrontation, but he’d had no right to sedate her. He wasn’t her doctor, and she was tired of him deciding what was best for her without her input.

“The Baxters.” She said it out loud. She didn’t know how many of them had been involved, she’d been too furious to ask questions. But it was over now. If Lex said she was safe, she believed him. No one could be any worse than his father. That thought made her pause. What exactly had he done to protect her this time? Her eyes fell to the envelope of pictures on the table. She hopped over to them and picked them up. Seating herself on the bed, she opened the packet and took out the prints.

When Chloe had stopped crying, she got dressed and went to her apartment with the help of a walking stick that Marshall had given her. It was a beautiful, hand-carved piece that was a lot less awkward than the crutches, and it had a discreet, rubber tip to make it quiet. Coming home was pleasant, if bittersweet. She walked into her bathroom, now cleaned by Lex’s staff. It had been so nice when she’d first seen it. The walls were painted a deep red-violet.

Clarrissa had called the color ‘Bordello Plumb’. There were tall candles in wall sconces and paper lanterns for the lamps. The new shower curtains were still sheer, but instead of white, they were midnight blue. Thick towels in complimentary colors hung on racks, and her kimono waited for her to put it on. Instead of the bath she wanted, Chloe left and called a cab to take her to the office to look for Lex. She needed to talk to him and apologize for shouting. She’d been so angry then, but now it seemed like such a little thing that he’d done.

Chloe took the photographs with her to Lexcorp. She paid the driver and went inside. The guard gave her a funny look. She imagined that she did look a little silly with a bandaged ankle and a big sock on one foot and a tennis shoe on the other. She hadn’t bothered to wrestle on a pair of jeans, but had just pulled on a corduroy skirt that went to mid-calf, and a sweater. She hadn’t even brought a jacket with her because she’d been in such a hurry.

Using her key in the express elevator, Chloe waited while the car whizzed to the top of the building. It opened silently and she looked around. The floor looked deserted, but she was certain that Lex would come here. He was a creature of habit, and tended to retreat to the inner office when he needed to think. Besides, she’d driven him out of his home. She limped slowly down the hallway and was pleased when she saw a light coming from Lex’s open door. She approached and peeked in; she wasn’t prepared for what she saw.

Lex looked down at Chloe’s blonde head as it bobbed over his lap. The warmth of her mouth was a welcome relief. Their earlier argument had made him so tense that he’d nearly run down a pedestrian on his way to his office. Being unable to drive was enough of an excuse to call her. Her real name wasn’t Chloe, but he’d stopped thinking of her as anyone else. She sucked him slowly, expertly, and he sipped at his third scotch. He had a heady buzz going, it was necessary to keep the façade real enough to him. He whispered her name and stroked her hair. A sound caught his attention and he turned his head.

Chloe had seen the pair of legs that were sticking out in front of the couch. She’d seen the blonde head rising and falling. Lex had worn an expression on his face that could leave little doubt about what the mystery woman was doing. She stared, unable to move, or even breathe. Then something even more unexpected occurred. He whispered ‘Chloe’, and she dropped the pictures she’d been carrying. He turned and when he saw her face, she backed up, frantic to get away from the room.

“Chloe, wait.” She stumbled and felt a dull throb in her bad ankle. She heard glass shatter and guessed that he’d dropped his scotch. She moved as quickly as possible but she was only halfway down the hall when he caught up with her. “Chloe, stop.” She jerked away from him.

“Stay away from me, Lex.” He grabbed her arm and spun her around.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to apologize to you.” She spat the word at him. “I felt bad for being so angry so I came to find you.” Behind him, she saw the woman walk past them, not making eye contact. Chloe’s mouth went dry. In the darkened hallway, they could have been mistaken for the same person. She was Chloe’s height and build with the same hair color and style. What made it even more frightening was the fact that the woman wore a pinstriped suit and red shirt, very similar to the outfit

Chloe had worn the previous day.

“Chloe, you have to let me explain.” Lex’s expression was pained. “You don’t understand what’s going on here.”

“You’re using me.” She choked on the tears of angry humiliation that lodged a lump in her throat. “You’re using the image of me to-to get off.” She struck him in the chest with her fists. “You bastard&#33;” She knocked his hand away from her shoulder and stumbled away, no longer feeling any pain. “How long did you keep those photos of me before coming to find me?” She said, turning around. Lex was beside her. “Did you keep a copy for yourself or were the other ones sufficient. She gestured at the pile of photographs in his doorway.

“Chloe, just stop for a second.”

“Stay away from me, don’t ever touch me again.” She tried to brush his hands
away, but Lex clamped them around her upper arms.

“I can’t, don’t you get it?” He pushed her back up against the wall and leaned into her face. Without heels on, she was much shorter than he was. “I’ve been trying to stay away from you for years. I gave you a thousand opportunities to keep me out of your life.” His face was lined with frustration and anger. “You don’t date, you don’t get involved with anyone. If I call you, you come to me, if I knock, you open your door, if I need you, you share your bed with me, and you still don’t get it.”

“Let me go.”

“No, not this time. Not anymore.” He kissed her, pushing his tongue between her lips. He held her still and ravished her mouth while she pushed ineffectively at his arms. He brought both of her wrists over her head and held them there with one hand. With the other, he bunched up her skirt above her knees.

Lex’s mouth tasted like scotch. It was hot and hungry. Chloe felt like she was being devoured. He held her still and when he started going for her skirt, she pushed against him with her body. She felt him, hard against her. Of course he was still hard, she’d interrupted his blow job and he hadn’t gotten off. That’s why he was kissing her now. He broke the kiss and moved his mouth to her neck. He was biting and licking at her throat while he whispered to her in a harsh voice.

“You want this. You’ve been thinking about it since you kissed me on my birthday. It’s why you keep coming back to me.”

“No,” she whimpered. “I don’t.”

“Liar.” She’d stopped struggling, but her mind was still trying to deny him. His hand slipped under her skirt and his cock jumped when he encountered bare skin instead of panties. He stroked her, sliding his fingers between her folds with no hesitation. She was already getting moist. “Good girl, get nice and slick for me.”
Chloe turned her face to the side, unable to look at him.

“Th-this is an a-abuse of position.”

“Position?” He grazed the sensitive spot behind her ear with his teeth.

“It’s an abuse of power. I-I’m an employee.”

"Power?" The word dripped from his tongue. "Let me tell you something about power. I buy and sell companies that have been around for generations, I hire and fire legions of people, I oversee dozens of sub-contractors and contractors within this country and overseas." He placed a tiny, chaste kiss on her cheek before sinking down to the floor. He released her hands but pressed a palm into her stomach. He pushed up her sweater and Chloe felt his breath around her navel. "Thousands of people count on me for a living; I have enough power to unseat the President with a slander campaign, and here I am, on my knees in front of you." He slid two fingers up inside her tight passage. "Now who&#39;s abusing power?"

Chloe gasped when his mouth closed on her sensitive clitoris. It had been way too long since she&#39;d had a lover. her body was craving contact and Lex knew what he was doing. He sucked the little nub between his lips and ran over it with his tongue. Her hands went to his shoulders for support. Seeing his head planted between her thighs wasmore than just a little arousing. He was right, it felt intoxicating to have such a powerful man pleasuring her with his lips and tongue.
She couldn&#39;t hold back a startled cry when her internal muscles gave a twinge. Lex must have felt it with his fingers because he doubled his efforts, causing her knees to buckle.

Lex pressed Chloe back to the wall with his hand on her stomach and she tried to regain her feet, but started to slide downward. Lex met her on the way up and pushed her sweater up to her shoulders. He clamped his mouth down on her nipple and she jerked involuntarily. He soothed the puckered flesh with his tongue and stood back on his feet. Chloe was propped up against him and too weak to do anything but cling to his shoulders in the hope that she wouldn&#39;t embarrass herself. Lex picked up one of her hands and pushed it down the front of his trousers. They were zipped, but the buckle was unfastened and the button undone. His flesh was so hot, it felt like it was buring her hand when she first touched him.

Chloe tried to draw back, but Lex gave her a warning twitch with his fingers and she jerked again, helplessly. He stroked her with his fingers and wrapped her hand around him. He was big. Bigger than she&#39;d expected. He moved her hand up and down his length and she felt all the veins along the shaft, swollen with blood.

"Knew you&#39;d be sweet," he whispered. "Like a ripe little peach." She flushed and kept her face turned away from him. he ran the pad of his thumb against her sensitive clitoris and she nealy doubled over.

"Oh God." Chloe bit her lip to keep from saying anything else. But he kept whispering and coaxing her. His hand was gone from hers, but the kept moving her own, stroking him, touching him. Heripped open a condom packet with his teeth and sheathed his erection in one swift movement. He pulled up the knee of her injured leg around his hip and bent slightly, trying to get a good angle for entry.

"Tell me you want me." She shook her head, even as she curved her pelvis toward him. His mouth went back to her nape and he bit gently. "Tell me you want this." She couldn&#39;t shake her head no, but she kept her teeth fastened to her bottom lip in order to hold back the words he was asking for. She need him inside her, needed it badly, but she couldn&#39;t tell him. She couldn&#39;t say it with words. Instead, she reached down and began to fondle him boldly, squeezing and stroking him. "Fuck."

Lex couldn&#39;t hold back when she started to touch him on her own. It wasn&#39;t a confession, but it was close enough. He fastened his teeth onto her earlobe and lunged forward, driving himself deep into her. She let out a small scream and he felt her fists clench in his shirt. He had to stay still, she squeezed him so tightly that he though he might burst. She was so warm and wet, he thought he could feel her, even through the thin barrier that separated them. He hadn&#39;t had sex without a condom in over ten years not since before Smallville. But now, the thought of not feeling her was almost too much. He fought the urge to remove the condom and instead, hooked one of her knees on each arm and planted his hands against the wall on either side of her. She was spread so wide and open to him.
He began to thrust hard. Up and into her, deeper with each stroke, letting his leverage do some of the work for him.

Chloe wrapped her arms around Lex&#39;s neck and held on tight while he rutted into her like a wild animal. He was making little grunts each time their pelvises came together. She was making sounds of her own. Not on purpose, but sounds were just coming out of her throat. With her legs so far apart, each thrust brought friction against her most sensitive spot and she didn&#39;t bother to hold back the noise when she came, screaming his name. He pounded into her fiercely a few more times before tensing against her with a gutteral shout. She felt him spasm inside her as he slowed his pace until he was just rocking against her gently. His breath on her neck was hot, his own skin was slippery with sweat. Choe&#39;s bangs were soaked with it from where she&#39;d rested her forehead.

Lex let her legs down slowly and held her up while she tried to regain her strength. She couldn&#39;t look him in the eye, she was too ashamed. She&#39;d been furious about what he&#39;d been doing with a woman she had little doubt was a hooker. Then she&#39;d had sex with him in a hallway up against a wall. She&#39;d also never come so hard in her life. Lex was looking at her face. She kept her eyes cast downward. He nuzzled her hair gently and hugged her to him.

"Come back to the penthouse with me tonight." His voice was gentler than it had been in weeks. "Stay with me." He tilted her chin up and made her look at him. "Please." His green eyes had looked naked with need. Not sexual, but the need for closeness. He craved it, and feared her rejection. She nodded without speaking and went with him.

A/N: *Takes off safety goggles and wipes a few smutty specks from them* Okay, there was the explotion, hope you liked it. Stay tuned.

[hfce]

DAMN&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; :drool: that was just DAMN&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; The action and the smut was :drool: :drool:
more please...

Oh one correction, Lex&#39;s eyes are blue.


Hope :blinkkiss:

[Béatrice]

:drool: :huh: :drool: WOW. That was an awesome :smut:

YAY. Shr&#39;ll stay at Lex&#39;s&#33;&#33;&#33; She&#39;ll stay at Lex&#39;s&#33;&#33;&#33; :biggrin:

[kitten]

:yay:

*flogs self for being hopelessly lax in reviewing*

This story gets better and more complex with every update. And you update so frequently as to put me to shame. Aggressively brilliant writing and lots of it. Merry Christmas everyone.

Also, smut from you is always, always welcome. You somehow managed to turn Lex from a weirdo with a prostitute into some of the best Chlex ever.

:worship2:

[asharnanae]

:biggrin: whooweeeeee&#33;&#33;&#33; You dont do things by halfs do ya&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;


FANTASTICO&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;

[buddyfozzy]

Originally posted by nonky@Dec 18 2004, 06:20 PM
You somehow managed to turn Lex from a weirdo with a prostitute into some of the best Chlex ever.
Exactly what I was thinking&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; :yay2: :yay2:

Damn woman&#33;&#33; :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

Well Done&#33; :worship2: :worship2: :worship2:

[autumngold]

:worship2: Wow&#33;&#33; You turned a scene that could have been so creepy into some of the best Chlex ever&#33;&#33; I&#39;m so glad that Chloe left with him&#33;&#33; Thank you so very, very much for the new update&#33;&#33; This story is so good, I can&#39;t wait for your next chapter&#33;&#33; :wub: :chlexsign4: :wub:

[Janet]

:drool: :yay: :drool:

whoa.... :worship2:

No words... :drool:

[lexchloe]

When you promise a smut explosion you certainly deliver&#33;&#33;&#33; That was a hundred different kinds of :drool: :drool: and the best thing was that the last part made it clear that it was more than sex to him and that he needed her which was :wub: . Great update, can&#39;t wait for more.

[Thessaly]

Good grief...

And they both survived?

That was unbelievable. More.

Thessaly

[zelda]

Originally posted by hfce@Dec 18 2004, 06:10 PM


Oh one correction, Lex&#39;s eyes are blue.



[QUOTE]

I thought so too, then I watched the DVD of "Truth" where Allison Mack and John glover do commentary of the episode. The brings up the fact that Kristen, herself, Tom, and Michael all have green eyes. I dug up some pictures and looked close. They are a kind of bluish green, but green nonetheless.

[chril1]

:drool:

love lea
xxx

[AlabamaWorley]

I&#39;m kind of icked out that she let him do her without washing the hooker off of him first, but I guess she didn&#39;t have much choice, what with the big man holding her against the wall. I loved scary Simon, he was cool&#33; I&#39;m glad that Michael doesn&#39;t appear to have actually been involved.

[sydsvaughn]

There&#39;s just something about desperation/anger sex ...

loved it&#33;

SaraC

[SinnerSaint]

:worship2: I bow before the almighty smut explosion...and pray for there to be little smut aftershocks. That was just delicious. Chloe maybe should have made him wash the skank off though , cause umm, well icky . Like Lana icky.

[Chimera0523]

Can I just say HOT&#33;&#33;&#33; :huh: That was great.

~Michelle

[ghostwriter]

*lets out a breath slowly*

Now that was HOT

all i can say is :worship2: :worship2: :worship2: :worship2: :worship2: you are amazing :biggrin:

More soon :cool:

[crankychick]

:worship2: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:
Ay,caramba, was that hot&#33; Great update, zelda&#33;

[Thessaly]

I&#39;m almost looking forward more to the aftermath than I was to the smut&#33; I think I may be ill. Must go and check my temperature.

Please update&#33; There&#39;s no way this is going to be resolved without harsh words and flying crockery. And possibly some counselling. And a promise from Lex that he will never touch the icky hooker again. Other than that, it should be plain sailing.

Thessaly

[zelda]

The penthouse was dark and silent. Marshall, if he was still up and around, was making himself scarce. Lex held Chloe’s hand and led her slowly through the apartment until he reached his bedroom door. He placed his hand on the knob and turned to her.

“I’m going to take a shower before bed. Do you need any help with anything?” He gestured to her bandaged ankle.

“No, the bandage is there for extra support, I can…get ready on my own.” She turned and limped back to the guestroom. Her mind was in a daze, and her feet were on autopilot. She dropped her cane across the bed and started stripping off her clothes, dropping them in a trail to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and attended to her most urgent bathroom needs, then she decided that Lex had the right idea and turned on the shower. Unwrapping the elastic bandage from her ankle, she stepped gingerly into the tub.

The hot water and soap made Chloe feel marginally better. She was still having trouble grasping that the’s just had sex with Lex after his recent romp with a chloe-looker-hooker. Now she was getting ready to spend the night with him. She was beginning to re-think her decision when she heard a knock at the open door of the bathroom.

“Chloe?” Lex’s voice called to her softly. “Are you alright?” He wasn’t afraid that she’d fallen, he wanted to know if she was still okay with her decision.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” She turned off the water and reached for the towel that hung beside the curtain. “Just gimmie a sec and I’ll be over.”

“Sure.”

Chloe dried her face and hair, then wrapped the towel around her body before stepping out of the shower, just in case he hadn’t left. It was stupid to be so modest, especially since he’s already seen her most important bits. More than just seen them. Searching through the bureau, she realized, in dismay, that she’d taken all of her clothes with her when she’d gone back to her apartment. She rooted through the closets and drawers until she found a pair of pajamas and donned the top. It fell to mid-way down her thighs but she had to roll the cuffs up a little.

Leaving the cane and her bandage, Chloe walked back down the hall to Lex’s door. It was slightly ajar and she could see the flicker of a fire against the windows. A feeling of deja-vu came over her. Another time and place, still going to his door anticipating a night spent in his bed. No matter how much time passed, she still came back to this night. It was where they had started. Their relationship had formed based originally on lies, then truths, it went from violence, to gifts, to friendship. They’d gone back and forth between trust and mistrust, she just wasn’t sure where they were now.

Chloe pushed open the door and walked into the suite. The lights were low and she saw Lex sitting on his bed. He was facing his dark windows and watching her in the reflection.

“You’re thinking about that night, aren’t you?”

“The same fluttery feeling in my stomach, coming to your room again,” she said honestly. “Just different circumstances.”

“Right, no blackmail.”

“No blackmail.” Chloe’s hands were shaking so she knotted them in the bottom of the pajama shirt. She crossed the room, walking slowly on her injured ankle. He stayed with his back to her, watching her reflection. When she reached the side of the monstrous bed, she pulled back the covers and slipped underneath. She told herself that she was crazy. She and Lex had a lot of things to discuss before they came to this point. They’d skipped it earlier, but she should insist on it. Tomorrow. Right now she craved the same closeness that he’d asked of her. She needed it after such a passionate outburst as they’d had in the hallway.

Lex felt the bed depress under Chloe’s weight, heard her slide across the satin sheets and under the comforter. She sighed slightly and was still. He stood up and went to the other side f the bed, once she was settled, and lifted the covers, sliding into his own side. He didn’t crowd her yet. Instead, he doused the lamp beside him, leaving only the flickering light from his fireplace across the room.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.

“Not exactly.”

“Come over here.” He scooted over to her and she did the same, with some reluctance and shyness. He rested her on his bare shoulder and wrapped his other arm around her. “Chloe, there’s a lot between us right now. We’ll have to talk about it sooner or later.”

“I’ll pick later if it’s okay. I’m still having hooker flashbacks.” Chloe’s voice came out a little harsher than she’d meant it to be. Lex stiffened slightly.

“Do you want to talk about that?”

“Not right now, thanks.” They lay in silence. Then Lex took a deep breath and forced his muscles to relax. “Just try to sleep, okay, I won’t try anything if you don’t want it.”

“Okay.”

The foolish awkwardness of the situations was making Lex feel a little crazy. They were past this&#33; She’d had him sleeping like a baby in her arms once before, and the sex they’d shared had been explosive. Now she was stiff and jumpy. He eased his arms away from her and folded his hands behind his head. Chloe relaxed after a few minutes and shifted, making herself comfortable. It wasn’t much, but it was a step in the right direction. Lex wanted her comfortable here. He wanted her in his bed more often. Always.

Chloe drifted off from sheer exhaustion, both emotional and physical. She didn’t have clear dreams, just hazy imaged and sensations. She began to feel warm all over, and tingly. She woke to feel a heater along her back. A warm, musky-smelling heater. One with smooth skin, and whose breath she felt on the back of her neck. Had he spooned her in her sleep? She opened her eyes. A wide expanse of mattress lay before her. Damn it&#33; She’d migrated to him. One of her ex-boyfriends in college had always complained of that habit.

Lex didn’t seem to mind, if what Chloe felt poking into her backside was what she thought it was. Her pajama shirt had worked its way up her thighs and gave little protection against the hot flesh that prodded her, encased in cotton pajama bottoms. A heavy arm lay over her waist. Her head was still fuzzy from sleep, but her body was pretty awake. Her toes were curled so tightly that they were in danger of cramping. She was also rocking, ever-so-gently, back against Lex and that wonderful organ. She stopped immediately and held her breath. Maybe he was still sleeping, guys got erections in their sleep all the time.

The arm that was draped over Chloe’s midsection didn’t move. But one of Lex’s fingers poked her, ever-so-gently, in the stomach, causing her to squeak involuntarily. She felt his rumble of laughter behind her. He nuzzled her hair gently.

“I’m keeping my promise.” His arm didn’t move and his hand relaxed again, but he didn’t roll away. Neither did Chloe. When her mind was tired, and her body was tired, the feeling of Lex’s arms around her made sense and felt right. She closed her eyes again and dozed lightly. Unfortunately, in her sleepy state, her body made most of her decisions for her, like the one to get all snuggly with her bed partner. Now, it wanted something more than just his warmth.

Chloe woke when Lex’s hand tightened on her arm.

“Wha-” She mumbled, startling awake.

“Jesus, Chloe, I said I’d keep my promise, but for God’s sake, I’m still human.”

His words sunk in and Chloe felt him pressed, very hard and throbbing, against her backside, now bared from the waist down. To be more precise, she was the one pressing backwards against him. The pressure felt good, but it wasn’t enough. She let out an involuntary whimper and arched her back again. She could feel a throbbing in her own lower region that matched his. Lex sucked air through his teeth and moved his hand to her bare hip where it gripped tightly, stilling any more movement.

“Hmm.” It was the only sound she made, a hum of disappointment when she tried, in vain, to reach him again. It was easier when she wasn’t under his intent gaze, to communicate without words. Chloe reached back and placed her hand against Lex’s smooth scalp and pulled his head closer. Feeling his lips against her hair, damp and tousled from going to bed wet. She curved her neck, offering it to him, and his lips pressed against her nape with heavy breath. She removed his hand from her hip and slid it up her belly, under the shirt. Then, with no further encumbrance, she ground herself back against him, harder; and with purpose.

[lexchloe]

*lexchloe raises her hand* ....UM I think the rest of your post got eaten by the computer&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; :biggrin: Nice update. I love the wierdness and uncertainty between them. More please.

[kitten]

:satanwink:

I have a saying that&#39;s pretty appropriate for this chapter: "Lex and Chloe can fight anytime, let&#39;s let them have sex right now and for the next seven chapters."

Actually I just made that up, but I&#39;d really like to see more smut.

Excellent update, as usual&#33;

[autumngold]

More, more, more&#33;&#33; Please&#33;&#33; :worship2: :yay: :chlexsign4: :worship2:

[zelda]

More, more, more&#33;&#33; Please&#33;&#33;

Soon, my pretty. Very soon.

[buddyfozzy]

YAY, you updated&#33; But you can&#39;t stop there&#33; Come back&#33;

:yay: :worship2: :yay: :worship2: :yay: :worship2: :yay:

[zelda]

Lex returned the pressure, pressing against Chloe&#39;s moist, hot center. She burned him through the cotton of his pajamas. The material separating them was so thin, so inconsequential, that he almost lost it.

"Tell me you want me." He brought his hand up to cup her breast. He fondled her hardened nipple and sqeezed her flesh. She only whimpered in reply. That little sound that she&#39;d made before. A helpless, weak sound. She was rubbing against him again and he was still grinding against her. The arm that was underneath her slipped coyly behind her and cupped him, like before, through his pants. He started to pull away but she gave the drawstring a dextrous tug and her hand was on him. She formed no words, just made little breath sounds from her throat.

Lex squeezed her breast again and she arched with another moan. "Tell me, Chloe. Tell me that you want me. Say my name." She still didn&#39;t answer, but renewed her assault inside his pants. He jerked like a puppet on a string and pulled away from her. She made no official protest when he pulled her over onto her back. He placed a knee between her thighs and yanked open the pajama top. In the low light from the fire, her skin was pale as pearl and he stared at her, unashamed. Her little waist and rounded hips seemed perfect for his hands. She stretched her arms above her head and allowed herself to be seen.

The shyness and discomfort that Chloe had been feeling earlier evaporated. When Lex touched her like this, her need far outweighed her self-consciousness. Especially when he stared at her with such heat and hunger. He moved his hands up her ribs, which showed through her skin when she stretched. Then up to her full breasts. His face was partially visible, part in shadow, his expression was intense, posessive. Chloe reached down and tugged his pajamas donw so his cock sprang free. He backed out of her grip and tightened his jaw. "Not till you say it." She made no sound this time. Deciding that actions spoke louder than words, she&#39;d just show him.

Chloe pulled her legs up, giving him an excellent view, and sat up, scooting back on the pillows. She got up to her knees and kept her eyes fastened on his chest, naked, toned and damp with sweat. he sat back on his heels, waiting for her to speak. Instead, Chloe slithered forward, moving her hand up his thigh and keeping her eyes on the prize. Lex caught her wrists but she moved her body to his. She lowered her lips to his neck and bit him gently, then ran her tongue over the spot, tasting his perspiration. She moved her thigh between his legs and nudged his weping erection with her hip, causing it to twitch.

Lex kept holding her wrists, but Chloe decided to fight dirty. With a careful move she&#39;d picked up from her stripper aerobics class (a secret she and Lana would never share with anyone) she pivoted on her knee and turned her back to Lex, sitting on his thigh, and pressing her left cheek against him. She brought the hands that restrained her across her chest and deposited them at her breasts. Then she arched her back and rocked, in a very primitive move, against his loins.
Lex thought he was going to explode. She was using some weird yoga-ninja moves to turn the tables on him. And she still wouldn&#39;t speak. His hands gripped her breasts and pulled her tightly back against him. Then he trailed his fingers down her belly to her slowly gyrating pelvis. “Come on,” he urged. “Tell me what you want and I’ll give it to you.” He stroked her, grazing her clitoris with his fingernail. She had to be ready to break soon.

Chloe had never felt more in control. Her body was singing with pleasure, and she allowed herself to make the little animal noises that she knew he liked to hear; every guy liked to hear, but he’d give her what she needed even without words. He’d given her a weapon in the hallway. She knew how much he wanted her to accept him, and how difficult it was for him to resist. All she had to do was just angle her body a little more to the left…There.

Lex felt her moist sex press firmly against the head of his erection. If it could have jumped from his body, it would have, in order to claim its prize. His hands started to tremble and his breath came in gasps. “Tell me,” he begged. “Just say my name.” Instead, Chloe allowed the tip of him to slide along her slit and then back up to her opening. She was starting to sweat too, but she’d be damned if she would give him what he wanted just yet. The coup-de-grace came when she gently released her hold on him and started to pull away. She bent at the waist and made to crawl toward the pillows. She called his bluff.

Lex fell on Chloe in desperation. He wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her back, slamming his cock into her as far as he could. It was beyond heaven to be inside her. It was Hell and purgatory too. He couldn’t get close enough, he couldn’t move fast enough or hard enough to fill the void inside him. He pounded into her so hard he was seeing stars. She was making the little noises again, sighing and crying out, but no words, not his name. Her muscles clamped down on him like a vice and he screamed like an animal when he pumped his substance into her. The realization hit him like an ocean wave. He hadn’t used protection. God, it felt so good to be skin-to-skin with her. Still he felt empty. She hadn’t spoken.

Chloe slowly detached herself from Lex and slipped out of his bed. He reached out a trembling hand but missed her naked shoulder. He started to call out to her, but she was just walking into his bathroom. He collapsed on his sheets and rolled onto his back. The expensive fabric clung to his sticky skin. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eye sockets and let out a frustrated snarl. She was trying to spite him, show him how much more control she had than he did. She was right; she did. He closed his eyes when he heard the sound of the shower being turned on. When she got out, they would talk.

Lex opened his eyes and looked at the clock, it was nearly five in the morning and the water was still running. He’d fallen asleep. He darted into the bathroom. The shower was running, but there was no sign of Chloe. He started swearing. He strung together a group of words that not only defied most laws of physics, but also insulted many rules of sexual etiquette. She’d given him the slip and left the shower on as a cover. He pulled on his pajama pants and bolted down the hallway, unsurprised to find the guest suite empty. Still cursing under his breath, he went back to his own room and dressed hurriedly in jeans and a sweater. He went to the door and discovered that they keys to his Mercedes were missing.

Shouting to Marshall, Lex flipped open his cell phone to find a message on the screen that read: Please insert SIM card. He began to swear again. She’d stolen his car and taken the card from his cell phone. He couldn’t imagine what else she could do to cause him annoyance and slow him down. That was it. She wasn’t trying to stop him, she was just trying to get a head start. He shrugged into his overcoat and Marshall handed him a cup of hot coffee in a travel mug. The man didn’t ask what was happening.

“Marshall, did you see Miss Sullivan leave?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Did you see her take my keys and my memory card from my phone?”

“She might have been holding it when I saw her, sir.” His answers were non-committal and he avoided his employer’s gaze.

“Do you happen to know what else she might have done?”

“I do have my suspicions sir.” Lex fixed him with a hard stare and he wilted. “She asked me for a screwdriver and where she could find your other cars.”

“And you didn’t wake me up?”

“Well, Sir,” he said as solemnly as possible. “She is my wife, after all.” Lex remembered Chloe’s drugged delusion and almost smiled. Marshall handed Lex another set of keys. “Take my car. I don’t think she knows where it’s parked.”

“Handle the vehicle situation while I’m gone.”

“Consider it done.”

Lex drove Marshall’s plain, black sedan over to Chloe’s apartment. He double-parked hoping to get a ticket for his butler who’d sided with the little blonde minx. The apartment was empty. Lex used his own key to get in. She’d been there recently, the lights were on and her dresser drawers were open with the remaining contents hanging out. She was running for the stronghold, but where would she make her stand? The answer hit him. She’d go back to where it all started. Smallville.

[lexchloe]

:yay: :yay: Excellent update&#33;&#33;&#33; Can&#39;t wait to see what happens when he finds her.

[autumngold]

I hope Chloe knows how much Lex is going to punish her for this&#33;&#33; She&#39;s going to have so much fun&#33;&#33; :biggrin: Thank you so, so very much for this update&#33;&#33; It&#39;s beyond perfect&#33;&#33; Hope your holidays this year are the best&#33;&#33; :worship2: :chlexsign4: :worship2:

[buddyfozzy]

Great update&#33; Lex is really going to pay Chloe back for this&#33; :biggrin:

:yay: :worship2: :yay: :worship2: :yay: :worship2: :yay:

[Béatrice]

How couls she leave him?&#33;? :huh: I hope Lex is going to make her pay. :devil: Please come back. :yay2:

[sydsvaughn]

Power play is on .... I can&#39;t wait to see where it ends&#33;

SaraC

[sylvia]

I can&#39;t believe I missed this story, but now I&#39;m caught up, and it&#39;s been pretty much perfect so far-- all the tension, the fast-paced action, and awesome Chlex interaction, with some cute moments and snippets of humour to boot. Now all they need is to have a good long talk, and some

sex right now and for the next seven chapters

Oh, and I really like your characterisation of obsessive/possessive Lex, by the way. Can&#39;t wait to see how he and Chloe resolve this and many other issues. Update soon&#33;

[chril1]

Please come back.

yeah i need more

love lea
xxx

[hfce]

Wow :ohmy: Chloe just dissed Lex. You go girl. :biggrin:



Hope :chlexsign4:

[randa]

of course it would go back to smallville&#33;
i just read three great chapters and now im waiting for more&#33;


randa

[zelda]

Coming soon......Showdown in Smallville.

[Janet]

Oh you beauteous author.... *fans herself*

now return and have Lex find Chloe&#33; ;)

[Thessaly]

How soon? Now? Oh, all right...

How about now?

Thessaly

[campbti]

Wow, back to where it all started. Very cool. Can&#39;t wait for more.

:chlexsign2:

[Kandya]

Well ma&#39;am like all good students I took notes on what I was reading. I jotted down the good and the bad which consequently happens to be in no order...they are still my notes. Firstly, I love the idea of Martha and Gabe getting together, because why the h*ll not? I still at lost to as why I didn&#39;t think about it. :huh: 2ndly, *pure & simply laziness right there "2ndly" ?* When you were describing Chloe with her gun all James Bond like that was great and just freakin hilarious even though it wasn&#39;t really hilarious. I laughed out loud. 3rdly, :cryblue: I think it sad that Lex still (in a manner) took advantage of Chloe. Very sad about that. I&#39;m hearing music even though there is none, very sad for me but back on topic. 4th, I like the Chlana friendship the whole "stripper aeorbics" was too awesome. 5thly, the closure scene between...well you know who was awesome. I believe it&#39;s probably one of the best closure scenes I&#39;ve ever read. Good job with that. 6thly, the line about "equal opportuntiy hero" is just really funny...and I want to make that apart of my signature if that&#39;s alright with you. I just think its toooooo funny. 7thly, I like the way how you bring up privacy. It&#39;s not redounded. It was casually mention just when it entered the back of my mind. It made me remember it was an issue, but to to the point where you were pound that fact in my head. :hammer: 8thly, you right really good smut scenes. plus I don&#39;t even really like smut scenes...but if I keep reading you fics that could change. :hush: :smut: 9thly, a combo *wham* Maria is crazy cool awesome and I hope to see more of her, AND I like all the bathroom talk. :clap:
Now the bad... :smoker: you switch scenes abruptly and I have to reread bits and pieces to realize "change in scenery" Like there&#39;s no stars "***" or extra spaces between the closing and opening paragraphs of I guess acts. It&#39;s very confusing for me. And way way WAy early in the story you had some sentences, but the only part I remember is "you&#39;d done" and that is very bad :nono: what is reads is "you did done" which makes no since whatsoever. And that&#39;s about it.
Last but not least, sort of, what exactly does the butler mean when he says "she&#39;s my wife?" I just don&#39;t get it. :crygreen: And if you update soon I&#39;ll give you my first born child. :worship2:

ps. I&#39;ll try to break it up or keep it short next time.

[Kandya]

I spelt "aerobics," "opportunity" and "write" wrong. You&#39;re spellings fine though I wouldn&#39;t mind proofing you for spelling since you have to write in word pad and all.

[zelda]

Kandya:

I&#39;m flattered that you liked the story, Yes spell-proofing is an issue with wordpad and thank you for noting the mistakes, I&#39;ll fix them (I&#39;m never good at proofing my own stuff, my eyes skip right over the mistakes because I&#39;m seeing it in my head and I know what I mean to say so my brain just misses the typos.)

Feel free to signatureize a quote, I consider that very flattering.
Lastly
Last but not least, sort of, what exactly does the butler mean when he says "she&#39;s my wife?" I just don&#39;t get it.

It is a reference to when Lex doped Chloe up with tranquilizers to get her out of the way while he went for a little justice. He handed her over to his butler, Marshall and she woke up in a daze. Since she was being carried into a bedroom, she asked if he was her husband and he said "Yes". I forget which page it&#39;s on. He was just making a reference to Lex about her earlier comment and his response.

I&#39;m working on an update right now BTW and it should be done in a couple of hours.

[zelda]

Chloe pulled the Mercedes into the driveway of her father’s house. She didn’t expect him to be home. He worked far too much. She let herself in and hung up her coat, taking her cell phone out of the pocket. She hadn’t turned it on, figuring that Lex would still try to contact her.

“I’m not hiding,” she said to the empty kitchen. Then Chloe made a pot of coffee and brought in her duffel bag from the car. She changed into her sherpa slippers and flannel pajamas. It wasn’t cold in the house, but she needed the comfortable feeling. She wished her father had been there; she needed a hug from him. It’s not like she couldn’t give him one of a thousand excuses for needing one. She’d recently been attacked and stalked and waxed. Though using the bikini wax as an excuse probably would make her dad feel uncomfortable. But still, it wasn’t the truth. And she could never tell him that.

Chloe had just begun to scour the cupboards when she heard a knock at the door. Glancing out the living room window, she didn’t see a car. It meant one of two things, that one of the neighbors had dropped by, or she was about to get a well-needed hug.

“Come on in, Clark.” She held open the door and he walked in, dressed in his stiff blazer and dress pants. “What’s with the glasses, anyway?” The large man shrugged.

“The less of a connection that people who know me can make between my looks and Superman’s the better.”

“Good point. Still not considering going public?”

“The world might be ready for an alien who does good deeds from time-to-time, Chloe, but they’re not ready to think about where he’s been for the past twenty-something years.” He handed her a paper. “I don’t know if you’ve seen this or not, but I thought it might be one of the reasons you weren’t at your apartment last night.”

The Daily Planet’s front page had a large photograph of Andy and Jillian Baxter being led, in handcuffs, by Metropolis Detectives. There was also a photograph that she hadn’t seen before. It was of the day outside Lexcorp, when she’d been shot. Superman was there, holding a squashed pistol in his hands with an angry expression. Lex was on the ground, as was Chloe. Lex had an arm wrapped around his chest but his other hand was on the ground on Chloe’s opposite side. He’d been trying to cover her with his own body.

“The Planet didn’t run these photo’s earlier.” Chloe said, staring at herself, bleeding on the sidewalk. “Just the distance shot of you flying away with me.”

“Superman was bigger news than just another shooting. I checked on Daniel and Lex before I took you away, their injuries weren’t bad.”

“True, we always like to hear about the heroes more than the victims.” She placed her hand on his shoulder. “I don’t know if I ever properly thanked you for stepping in that day. And I know you’ve done countless heroic things growing up in Smallville and probably never got thanked for them either.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Clark.”

“You’re welcome, Chloe.” He took off his blazer and hung it over a chair. “Now tell me what happened to make you take off from Metropolis in a stolen Mercedes and that would make Lex chase you down in a Ford Taurus no less.”

“Long story.”

“You’ve got probably a six hour’s head start, even with the way he
drives. Besides, he had to stop and get a new cell phone.”

“How closely have you been watching us?”

“Just checking up since I heard that the Baxters were arrested. You know that it is being kept quiet that a Detective got a tip and found them in Andy’s apartment, bound, gagged, and with a little tape recorder with their confessions on it.”

“Wow.”

“They both seemed scared.”

“Well, I’m unsympathetic.”

“Me too.” Clark stroked her cheek affectionately. “I almost lost it when I saw you lying on the ground. If I hadn’t X-Rayed you and seen just the broken rib, I might have lost my temper.”

“Okay, now the X-Ray vision is a new one.”

“It’s how I found you underground.”

“Cool. Anything else?”

“You know about the strength and speed. But I can create heat with my vision.”

“Didn’t the former football coach have that kind of pyrotechnic thing going on?” Chloe tilted her head. “If I remember correctly, he tried to toast me with it.”

“That was something else altogether. I create a beam.”

“Must come in handy when your coffee goes cold.” Clark smiled
sheepishly.

“Um, yeah, actually it does.” Chloe laughed and hugged her friend. Glad for the temporary distraction from her thoughts. But Clark brought them back up. “So you’re sleeping with Lex now?”

“In the literal sense, I guess so, but that’s always been more or less part of our agreement and wasn’t sexual. Now that I’ve actually had sex with him, it’s getting more complicated.” To his credit, the stuffy farm boy didn’t bat an eyelash.

“Sex always complicates things.”

“My friendship with Lex had a very weird start. We were forced into a kind of emotional intimacy because of what happened back in school. It brought up a mutual trust out of necessity, but Lex kept confiding in me from time to time and trusting me to keep it to myself.”

“He never made a move?”

“Not really,” she admitted. “Lex can’t do anything without sexual innuendo. It’s like breathing to him.” She shrugged. “I just sort of accepted that part of him. I knew he was attracted to me, he’s never made it a secret, but it’s not like that’s an exclusive thing either.”

“How did it happen?” Clark sat down at the table.

“A lot of tension has been coming up between us, from the shooting in Metropolis to the other one overseas, and we clashed on his protectiveness.”

“You didn’t want his protection.”

“I just didn’t like his methods.” She told him about him tricking her into taking the tranquilizer to keep her sedated and safe. “I was beyond livid and went ballistic on Lex. Then I found out about the Baxters being behind the attacks and hiring someone to stalk me and take pictures of me in my apartment.” Clark was angered when he learned this. “Lex kept that quiet and made sure the photographs weren’t circulated.”

“Has the man been apprehended? I didn’t hear about it.”

“Actually, I don’t know.”

“I’ll check it out when I go back to the city.” He nodded for her to continue.

“Well, I went to find him to apologize but when I got to the office, he-um.” She stopped, feeling her throat tighten. “We had another fight about a woman he was seeing.”

“You were jealous?”

“No, because, in a way, he was trying to be close to me. Or at least
I’m sure he sees it that way.”

“Was he dating a relative?’ Clark’s voice became tense. “No, he was in his office with a hooker who looked and dressed like me.” She blurted it out, relieved and afraid. “He even called her by my name?” Clark didn’t answer; he was speechless. “I was so angry, I went into hysterics, and shouted at him. He shouted back that he’d been trying to stay away from me for my own good. Then the argument turned into something else. Something very unexpected.”

Clark didn’t have to ask what it was. It was obvious by the blush on her face. “Did he hurt you?” he asked, instead. “Did he force you?”

“It was intense. Then we spent the night together.” I was feeling a lot of conflict that night. Afterward, I chickened out and sneaked away.”

“Were you expecting him to follow you?”

“I guess so, I just slowed him down so I could have a chance to think. And maybe take a nap in my old bed.”

“You do look a little tired. How’s the ankle, anyway?” Clark nodded to her foot. She didn’t ask how he knew about it.

“I took the bandage off, as long as I take it easy, I don’t feel any pain.” She rubbed her palm over her face. “I’m sorry for dragging you in the middle of all this, but I’m really glad you’re here.”

“Me too,” he replied. “Now, I’m going to drop in on my Mom and go back to work."

“Tell her hi from me…and my dad.” Clark gave her a quick smile.

“You noticed that too?”

“Yeah, you’re not upset are you?”

“Nope. I mean, she’ll always love Dad, but she deserves to be happy.”

“So if they got married someday, you’d be cool having me as a step-sister?”

“Might make the past feel a little incestuous, but yeah.”

[lexchloe]

AWWW nice Chlarky moment there. More please.

[asharnanae]

“So if they got married someday, you’d be cool having me as a step-sister?”

“Might make the past feel a little incestuous, but yeah.”



hehehehe&#33; that has to be my fave line in a long time, and man&#33; clark said it&#33; "I don&#39;t believe it&#33;" (insert victor meldrew noise)

anyway, great chappy&#33; :blinkkiss:

[hfce]

Ok I liked this chapter but can we have Lex and Chloe time please... :worship2:

[sylvia]

“Might make the past feel a little incestuous, but yeah.”
Really cool Chloe-esque quote there. Love the dialogue. :biggrin: And hey, Clark&#39;s not the asshole he is on the show&#33; I actually like him in this one; he exudes the kind of attitude and character that Superman should have. I like the Chlark friendliness too.

Update soon with the Chlex confrontation&#33;

[Béatrice]

Chlark is good but I prefer to have CHLEX&#33;&#33;&#33; :biggrin: Pleeeease. :worship2: