Title: Dangerous Game
Author: Not An Addict
Rating: We’ll say PG-13 for…um…imagery, and the occasional naughty word
Category: General
Pairing: Chloe/Lex. Is there any other pairing? Answer: none worth writing about.
Spoilers: I sure hope not, because I can’t find any
Summary: A trip to the theater on Chloe’s birthday adds a layer to Chloe’s and Lex’s relationship. Slight romance/friendship with a whole lot of UST. Remember: UNRESOLVED sexual tension. Nothin’s actually gonna happen here, kiddos.
Disclaimer: I don’t own any of this, except Arthur Rumsfeld and any of the other random people you don’t recognize. Much as I wish I owned both Lex Luthor and Jekyll & Hyde, the nice men in white say that I don’t. Maybe someday they’ll let me out of this padded room . . .
Author’s Note: Ah, the one that started it all. This was actually the first fic I started but it kind of came in fits and starts for a while, so I ended up writing a few other stories while I was waiting for this one to completely form. I was intending this as the beginning to another fic, but the more I wrote the more I felt that it was its own story, so I decided to let it stand alone. The future of what was intended to be the sequel is hazy, but it may get written someday. Let me know if you’d like to see some kind of a follow-up. For those poor, easily confused souls (like myself), the first chapter is from Chloe’s POV, the second is from Lex’s, and the third is from both. And I didn’t know when Chloe’s birthday was, so I decided it was in October. I hope you enjoy.
LUCY:
I feel your fingers
Cold on my shoulder -
Your chilling touch,
As it runs down my spine.
Watching your eyes
As they invade my soul -
Forbidden pleasures
I'm afraid to make mine.
The leather seats of the Jaguar squished pleasantly as Chloe shifted in her seat. Normally she would have made some kind of snarky comment about how the seats alone had probably cost more than the house her father, Lana and she shared. But she was preoccupied at the moment with thoughts of that evening, trying to sort out her feelings.
****************************************
Chloe dropped her bookbag by the stairs and walked into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. Here she was, seventeen years old today, and not a single person was there to help her celebrate her birthday. Her father had left for Denver a few days ago on a last-minute business trip. Clark had to help his father vaccinate their cattle herd before the really cold weather set in—her mind boggled that one of her friends could actually legitimately use that excuse. Pete had gotten the flu, and because most of the staff at the Talon had caught the same bug, Lana would be working late. ‘Well, at least it’s Friday,’ she thought. ‘We can always do something this weekend.’ At the sound of the doorbell, Chloe jumped up. ‘Maybe someone made it over after all.’ The last thing she expected when she opened the door was a deliveryman standing there with an envelope and an expensive-looking box.
“You Chloe Sullivan?”
Chloe nodded slowly. “Yeah, that’s me.”
The man grinned and held out an electronic clipboard. “Happy Birthday. Sign in the window, please.”
Scrawling her signature with the stylus clipped to the side, Chloe glanced at the emblem on the man’s uniform. A line sketch of the Roman god Mercury, winged shoes and all, was stitched above the words Mercury Messenger Service, Metropolis. ‘Metropolis? Why am I getting something from Metropolis?’ She knew it wasn’t from her dad—he’d given her a new case for her laptop before he left. Pondering, she handed the clipboard back and took the box and envelope in return.
Once she closed the door, she brought the items into the kitchen and set the box on the table. She turned the envelope over in her hands, wondering whom it was from—the back showed only the words, “Ms. Sullivan.” When she spotted the seal holding the envelope closed, she realized she should have known. Who else ever called her that? She scanned the raised initials several times before snapping back to normal.
“Get a grip, Chloe,” she muttered to herself. “It’s not like it’s going to bite you.” Even so, her hands weren’t quite steady as she ripped open the expensive paper.
Her eyebrows raised at the elegant scrawl she recognized as Lex Luthor’s own handwriting. So the resident billionaire had taken the time to actually write the note himself. Interesting. As she scanned over the words, her eyes widened slightly. Her gaze was drawn to the box still sitting on the kitchen table; slowly she walked over to it and drew the lid off. She felt like her eyes were going to pop out of her head as she lifted the silvery blue silk out of the box. Slightly dazed, she read the formal-sounding note again.
{ Ms. Sullivan,
In honor of your birthday I would like to invite you to an evening at the Metropolis Playhouse for the touring production of “Jekyll &Hyde”. The show begins at seven-thirty, so I’ll arrive at your house by four; should you choose to decline I will understand, although I certainly hope you will accept my invitation. Please accept the contents of the box as a birthday present regardless.
Sincerely,
Lex Luthor }
Chloe’s love affair with Broadway musicals was one she kept well hidden. A coincidence, then? If it had been any other show, perhaps. But the odds of picking her favorite one? She thought it over, and she couldn’t remember ever mentioning anything about the show to anyone. How could he have found out, then? As soon as she posed the question she rolled her eyes. He was a Luthor; he could find out anything he wanted to. And then it really hit her—Lex Luthor was inviting her to the theater. Immediately, her journalistic mind began hunting for possible angles. What did he want? How did she play into it? Try as she might, though, she wasn’t able to come up with an answer.
Maybe he wanted to talk about her meteor theory again. But why would he bother to take her all the way to Metropolis? Easier to just visit her at the Torch offices like he had last time—it’s not as if she required buttering up to discuss that particular topic. Maybe he felt guilty for having sent her father away when it was her birthday. Well, that made sense, even if it was slightly bizarre to consider a Luthor having a conscience.
Even so, this didn’t seem to be a satisfactory motive for his actions, and it made her nervous to . . . wait a minute, nervous? She bristled. It wasn’t like she was some cheerleading bimbo—she was Chloe Sullivan. She didn’t back down from a challenge; she could cajole, press, or intimidate information out of just about anyone; she confronted meteor-mutated, insane people with disturbing frequency; and she certainly wasn’t going to be intimidated by some pretty-boy billionaire. Besides, she thought, grinning wickedly, maybe she could talk him into another interview while she was at it. Glancing at the note again, she felt herself waver towards indecisiveness, but shook it off. If nothing else, it was her birthday. And while she wasn’t sure if an evening with Lex Luthor would qualify as ‘fun’ exactly, it would definitely be interesting.
She glanced at the clock, cursed under her breath. Two-thirty, leaving her with an hour and a half to prepare for what was apparently a fairly formal outing. She’d never be able to get ready in time on her own. There was only one person to call, and she shot a quick prayer to the powers that be that she wouldn’t be too insanely busy. Grabbing the phone, Chloe dialed quickly, letting out a silent thanks when the voice that answered spoke in the unhurried tones of someone in the middle of a lull.
“Hi, Lana? I have kind of an emergency…”
************************************
When she heard the unmistakable sound of one of Lex’s absurdly expensive cars pulling into the driveway, Chloe checked her appearance one last time. Leave it to him—or, more likely, his personal assistant—to provide down to the details: in the bottom of the box she had found shoes, a small glittering silver bag, and a long, dark wrap to shield her silk-clad body from the chill air. With Lana’s help—Chloe didn’t even try to fool herself into thinking she could have done it on her own—she had pulled her hair up into a soft twist. Her makeup was slightly more dramatic than her usual, but still subtle enough that she felt comfortable. It was fairly amazing, but the time she had spent with Lana getting ready had been . . . relaxing. Lana was her only real female friend, and it had been nice to be able to fuss over hair and makeup and clothing with someone. She shook her head in disbelief—she was actually grateful for Lana’s chronic sweetness.
Chloe had been dying to talk to someone about what she was doing tonight, and somehow she didn’t think that Pete and Clark would be too keen on the idea of her going on a date with Lex to Metropolis. Woah. Date? She laughed nervously. This wasn’t a date. It was . . . well, she didn’t really know what it was, but it was definitely not a date. In the back of her mind, a tiny voice whispered to her. ~Of course it’s not a date. You’re not dreaming.~ Please. Like a date with Lex Luthor was at the top of her wish list. She rolled her eyes and pushed the thought out of her mind.
Standing in front of the mirror, she glanced at her reflection. Unable to resist, she allowed herself one giddy twirl before collecting herself again; not a moment too soon, either, as the doorbell rang the moment she stopped. As she walked to the door she marveled to herself how he even managed to make the ring of the doorbell echo with his self-assurance. As a result, when she opened the door, the customary smirk that he wore was mirrored on her own face.
“Ms. Sullivan,” he nodded.
Slightly annoyed, Chloe replied, “Mr. Luthor.” Placing emphasis on the formal address, she took the arm he extended to her and shut the door behind her, trying to figure out if she had really just seen amusement sparking in his eyes. She had to fight against saying his next line along with him.
“Please, call me Lex.”
“Then you’ll have to call me Chloe. After all,” she shot him one of her patented Chloe grins, “an evening at the theatre with Smallville’s most handsome bald billionaire would be even better if we were on a first name basis.”
Lex merely raised an eyebrow as Chloe turned slightly pink. She hadn’t really just been flirting with Lex Luthor, had she? Well, so what if she was? He was looking damn sexy in that dark suit; her lips quirked at his irreverent lack of a tie, opting to leave the top two buttons of his deep blue dress shirt unbuttoned, exposing the strong line of his throat. Harmless flirting, that’s all it was, and after all, it was her birthday. If a girl couldn’t throw caution to the wind on her birthday, then when could she?
Even so, she felt more than a little self-conscious with Lex looking at her like that. She had to break eye contact. She glanced away and couldn’t help the hungry look that crossed her face when she saw the car. Lex followed her gaze and, with her arm still in his, led her over to where he had parked.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d prefer the limo or the Jaguar,” he began.
“What made you choose this one?” she asked, her eyes still devouring the image of the very, very sexy car in front of her.
He shrugged gracefully. “I like to drive,” he said simply. Taking in her look, he cocked one eyebrow again. “I take it I made the correct choice, then?”
In answer, she finally pulled her gaze away from the car to flash him a giddy smile. He laughed as he opened her door, the noise surprising them both. Before the moment could become tense, Chloe spoke up.
“Well, the limo is nice and all, but…” she glanced down at her dress, then at the car, before looking back at him with an exaggerated air of vanity. “This one matches my dress.” With that, she grinned and slipped into the seat.
Lex seemed amused as he closed her door before walking around and slipping into his own seat. The car purred to life and he put it in reverse, backing out of her driveway. They reached the edge of Smallville at a reasonable pace, and Chloe tightened her seatbelt. She caught Lex’s curious look and raised her eyebrows at him.
“Don’t trust me, Chloe?” he asked, faint amusement in his voice.
Chloe tried for a serious look as she answered him. “Well, Lex, you’re not exactly known for your stellar driving record.” He let out a dramatic sigh.
“Man, you drive off one bridge…” He shot her a sly look from the corner of his eyes.
It took an effort, but she managed to keep her serious expression in place.
“I just wanted to make sure I was strapped in nice and tight. After all, a girl ought to be able to live a little on her birthday—and I’m damn well not going to let you drive like a little old lady all the way to Metropolis.” A wicked grin took over her face. “Step on it already, Lex!”
Lex looked at her, apparently surprised at the demand, but then shook his head and let the corners of his mouth turn up. “Anything to oblige a lady,” he murmured, and slammed down on the accelerator. Chloe only had a few seconds to savor the feeling of being pushed back into her seat before Lex spoke.
“So…you think I’m handsome, eh?” he smiled at her. It wasn’t a smirk, but an actual, honest-to-god smile.
And Chloe threw back her head and laughed.
************************************************
As they pulled up to the front of the playhouse, Chloe was amazed at how the trip had flown by. Interesting . . . she would have thought that a three-hour drive—well, with Lex’s driving, it had been closer to two—in formalwear, sharing company with Lex Luthor, would have been excruciating, or at the very least, mildly uncomfortable. Instead, the two of them had talked the entire way, covering every topic from ancient history—he had been surprised by her wealth of knowledge on that subject—to popular culture—both of them agreed that the ending of Hannibal had been much better in the book than in the movie. The laughter that had caught them both off-guard earlier had quickly become commonplace. They agreed, or at least managed to agree to disagree, on every topic except for the one they had been discussing for the last half-hour. Neither side was willing to cede any ground in this argument.
Lex took Chloe’s hand to help her from the car—he had managed to make it around and open her door before the valet even got there—and shot her a pitying glance.
“It’s a shame you insist on clinging to such an obviously incorrect assumption. And here I was just beginning to think you were cultured.”
Chloe glared at him as he slipped the valet a tip. “First of all, it’s not incorrect. Second of all, it’s not an assumption; it’s a fact. The sky is blue: fact. The earth revolves around the sun: fact. Lex Luthor is bald,” she added, smirking, “fact. Grover is, hands down, the coolest Muppet: FACT.”
“That you can even think that indicates only that you are in serious need of therapy,” Lex commented, seemingly oblivious to the stares of the other theatre patrons as he and Chloe crossed the lobby.
Chloe could only roll her eyes at that. “And what, pray tell, was so great about the Swedish Chef?”
“He taught a valuable lesson about the benefits of an ethnically and culturally diverse environment,” Lex stated smoothly.
Her mouth opened and closed twice before she could say anything. “I . . . I can’t even respond to that.” Chloe shook her head, gazing straight in front of her, vaguely dazed by his absurd logic. She could actually hear the smirk in his voice as he deliberately misinterpreted her words.
“Wise of you to admit defeat.”
She spun to face him, about to tear into him. Instead of the arrogant look she was expecting, however, his face was decked out in a boyish grin. Unable to resist, she felt her annoyance fade, and she couldn’t help but laugh.
“Lex,” she said, shaking her head in mock-exasperation. “Don’t you know that a girl is always supposed to get whatever she wants on her birthday?” she teased. Lex’s expression changed instantly into a well-honed look of contrition, serious with just enough charm that you wouldn’t even consider doubting his sincerity. The overall effect, however, was ruined by the mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Of course, how thoughtless of me. You are, naturally, correct in this and every other matter.”
“And about time you noticed,” Chloe replied, her exaggeratedly self-satisfied expression drawing another laugh out of Lex.
They had, by this time, reached the bottom of the grand staircase they would have to ascend to reach Lex’s private box, and she stepped slightly in front of him to get a closer look at the elegant marble steps. Suddenly feeling Lex’s hands on the material at her collarbone, Chloe, alarmed, glanced at him over her shoulder. It was when he merely raised one eyebrow at her, the corner of his mouth slightly quirked up, that she realized that he was only helping her out of her wrap. She whipped her head forward again, blushing profusely at having presumed that he was . . . well, whatever. Just as the fabric cleared her shoulders, she heard Lex’s annoyed, but resigned, voice behind her.
“Damn, he’s spotted me,” he muttered. She glanced at him again over her shoulder and saw that his eyes were fixed on something ahead and to their right. Following his gaze, she saw a portly, older gentleman plodding his way through the other patrons, heading straight for them.
As if sensing her unspoken questions, Lex leaned his head closer to hers; Chloe couldn’t help but shiver as the low rumble of Lex’s voice invaded her ear.
“Arthur Rumsfeld. Deals with the major financial contributors to the playhouse. Never seems assured that they’re being taken care of properly unless he sees to it himself.” He sighed resignedly, and Chloe jolted slightly as the cascade of warm breath rushed into her ear. “This may take a few minutes,” he continued apologetically.
“Oh, well, if it’s all the same to you, I’ll leave being fawned over to those with more experience,” she said quickly, stepping away. Then, seeing that Lex was about to protest her leaving him alone to deal with this man, Chloe shot him a grin, her eyes twinkling. “Besides, this way you’ll have to hurry along after me. Not a lot of time to chat—more’s the pity.” With that, she winked and walked off, leaving Lex holding her wrap, just as the heavyset little man finally reached him.
Chloe started to slowly climb the stairs, glad to get away from Lex and his alarming affect on her. ‘What’s wrong with you?’ she thought sternly. ‘Get a grip. Flirting, fine. That’s harmless. But this . . . this is dangerous. Crossing the line into physical attraction is entirely too much. You are not attracted to Lex Luthor. You are NOT attracted to Lex Luthor!’
Her internal monologue paused when she reached the landing of the staircase, where it split into two directions, and she realized she had no idea which way to go. She turned to look down the steps and there he was, standing where she had left him, watching her. She thought she read something in his expression, but before she could identify it their gazes met and his lips quirked up slightly in that half-smile that she was beginning to crave. As he climbed the staircase she felt her eyes tracing the smooth motions of his muscles underneath his clothes. Without warning a flash of those same muscles, naked and pressing her down into the mattress washed through her mind. When she caught herself, she groaned silently.
‘Ok, so you ARE attracted to Lex Luthor. Way to go, Chloe. You’ve gone from unavailable best friend to unbelievably unattainable billionaire playboy. Well . . . you’ll just have to deal with it, that’s all. You’ve done it before. Just . . . deal with it.’
By the time Lex reached the top of the stairs, Chloe had capitalized on her finely honed skills of self-preservation and cloaked herself in her trademark smile. Lex offered her his arm, and when she took it he began leading her up the twisting right-hand staircase. She glanced at him again, and a puzzled frown settled over her features when she realized that both her wrap and the coat he had been wearing earlier were absent. He noticed her expression and raised one eyebrow.
“I was just wondering where our coats went,” she replied to his unspoken question. “You didn’t have enough time to have checked them.”
His mouth moved into a mocking grin. “Well, one of the benefits of having Arthur fawn all over you, as you so eloquently put it, is not having to hassle with checking your coat. They’ll be brought back up to us at the end of the show,” he added as they exited the staircase, steering her left down a hallway elegantly draped in deep red and gold.
“Oh. Well, that’s . . . very nice of them.”
Lex chuckled at that and gestured to one of the doorways on the right. At his cue, Chloe walked ahead into the box, her eyes widening appreciatively. The small area was a study in understated elegance. Two small, plush chairs faced the stage, upholstered in the same wine colored velvet that draped the hallway and walls of the box. A delicate table laden with fruit, bread and cheese sat tucked under the ledge in front of the seats. Soft lights were mounted on the walls, casting a gentle golden glow. It was the reflection of that glow that brought Chloe’s eyes to the ice bucket in an elegant silver stand perched next to one of the chairs, housing what looked to be a bottle of undoubtedly expensive champagne. She raised her eyebrows at this and turned to Lex, who had followed her in. He grinned roguishly and pulled the left chair out slightly, indicating that she should sit.
“I realize you aren’t exactly legal to drink yet, but I figured a glass or two of champagne wouldn’t hurt. And before you say anything, I realize that I will, in fact, be driving later; but rest assured, such a small amount of alcohol will in no way incapacitate me, especially not three hours later.”
“And if I choose to decline your kind offer?” she asked as she took the seat he offered.
Lex simply shrugged casually. “Then we won’t drink.” She looked at him questioningly, prompting a smile out of him. “Yes, Chloe, we. This is your celebration. I’m just here to make sure you enjoy yourself. It’s as simple as that.”
“Thank you, Lex,” she said. She waited for a moment before letting a grin light up her face. “I was just making sure.” She looked at him expectantly. “Well, aren’t you going to pour us our drinks?”
Shaking his head and laughing, Lex opened the champagne with a satisfying pop and filled the two flutes that were held in the bottom of the stand. After returning the bottle to the ice, he handed her one of the glasses and lowered himself into the chair next to hers. She found herself transfixed by his gaze as he held up his glass in a toast.
“Happy Birthday, Chloe. May all of your wishes be granted, tonight and always.” His eyes never releasing hers, he tapped his glass to hers. Moving slowly, Chloe mirrored his motions and brought her glass to her lips for a small sip. Before she realized it, she voiced the question she had been pondering all night.
“Why did you do all this, Lex?”
Her question seemed to have thrown him off-guard. He blinked at her, breaking their eye contact, and she took the opportunity to take a fortifying gulp of her surprisingly enjoyable drink—she hadn’t meant to ask the question, but now that she had she wasn’t backing down without an answer. Within seconds, however, he had regained his composure.
“There are a couple of reasons, actually,” he started.
“My dad?” Chloe raised her eyes to look at him again.
He paused again. “Yes, that was one,” he admitted. As she tried to conceal her look of disappointment, he continued swiftly. “I didn’t know he would be gone on your birthday when I sent him, but the fact remains that it’s my fault he isn’t here. Then, when I talked to Clark and I found out that no one else was going to be able to be with you today . . . ” He trailed off, and Chloe couldn’t help the warmth that filled her when she realized that she was being allowed to see Lex vulnerable, without any of the barriers that he usually shielded himself with. “I had too many solitary birthdays growing up. I didn’t want you to be alone today if I could help it.”
Chloe glanced at her drink, considering. When she looked back at Lex, it was with a small smile. “You said there were a couple of reasons?” she prompted.
Lex’s smile of relief spread across his face and charmed a larger smile out of her. “I want to get to know you, Chloe,” he said simply. “I don’t have a lot of friends in Smallville—hell, I think we both know I have exactly one friend in Smallville,” he laughed. “Partly because most people seem to think I’m the Prince of Darkness,” he bowed his head when she lifted her glass in a mocking salute, “but largely because most of the people there don’t have enough intellect or wit to hold my interest for any length of time. I know that must make me seem unbelievably arrogant, but it’s true. Even Clark; don’t get me wrong, he’s a great friend, but . . . ”
“Not likely to sit down and have a discussion with you about anything other than his parents or Lana?” Chloe supplied.
Lex grinned. “Exactly. I can talk to him, but he doesn’t challenge me. He doesn’t often surprise me. You, on the other hand . . . ” He shook his head slightly. “I never know quite what to expect from you.” He gestured to the stage. “I never would have pegged you as a musical fan, for example.”
“Oh!” Chloe said suddenly. “That reminds me.” She leaned forward slightly and crossed her legs. “How on earth did you know that I like musicals? No one knows I like this music, not even my dad. And how did you know I liked this one, especially? Was it just a coincidence, or did you have some kind of motive for choosing it?”
“Ah, she’s gone into reporter mode,” he teased.
“Ha, ha. Funny.” She rolled her eyes. “Seriously, how did you know?”
“You really don’t know, do you?” he mused, an evil little smile playing around his lips.
“Know what???” She had to fight the urge to stamp her foot, settling instead for bouncing in her seat.
Lex cleared his throat. “I, um…well, I suppose you don’t realize that you tend to hum to yourself when you’re wearing headphones, do you?”
She could feel herself paling. “I do not,” she protested, but her voice lacked any real conviction.
“Sometimes you sing under your breath, too.” Although he tried to hide it by bringing his glass up to his mouth, Chloe could clearly make out the devilish smirk on Lex’s face. All the blood that had left her face a moment before now returned with reinforcements.
“Oh, god,” she moaned, squeezing her eyes shut against the blush burning in her cheeks as memories of how many times she had listened to her CDs at the Talon came rushing back to her. Well-kept secret. Right. She opened her eyes again when she felt Lex take her hand.
“Don’t worry, Chloe.” He gave her that half-smile again. “Not many people would peg me as a musical fan, either.” She looked at him blankly, unable to make the connection. Musical fan? She had assumed that he’d merely gotten the tickets in deference to her not-so-secret vice. Of course, her mental state was somewhat impeded by the fact that his thumb was tracing small circles on the palm of her hand. “Think about it, Chloe,” his voice called her attention away from its very pleasant distraction. “I had to be familiar enough with them to know what songs you were singing without having to ask.” Chloe absently nibbled on her bottom lip for a moment before tilting her lips into a lopsided smile.
“I won’t tell if you won’t,” and she held up her glass. Lex’s trademark smirk was back. He tapped his glass to hers again and the chime of glass against glass sounded in synch with his reply.
“Deal.” They both drank, and he gestured to the food sitting in front of them. “I didn’t think we’d have time for dinner. I had anticipated it taking us longer to get here.” He shot her a look and she grinned unrepentantly at him. He tried unsuccessfully to hide his amusement. “Would you like something to eat?”
Chloe nodded and reached for a strawberry, suddenly realizing how hungry she was. She closed her eyes as the first bite hit her taste buds, and let out a small sound of pleasure. Her eyes opened again to find Lex staring hungrily at the fruit she still held in front of her lips. One eyebrow arched. “You know Lex, there’s plenty more fruit right on that table if you’re hungry,” she informed him condescendingly.
Lex didn’t answer, only curved his lips and reached out one hand to loosely shackle her wrist. Without breaking eye contact, he brought her hand to his mouth and bit off the rest of the sweet red fruit, his lips a hairsbreadth away from her fingers, his breath washing over her skin. She blinked when he released her wrist, the same wicked grin still on his face. Then she looked down at the green stem in her fingers and frowned at him. She plucked another strawberry from the pile and glared playfully at his raised eyebrow.
“Nuh-uh, this one’s mine. Get your own.” He chuckled and took a piece of bread. She took another sip of her champagne and her features softened into a small smile.
“What?”
“I was just thinking: when I got up this morning, if someone had told me that by the end of the day I’d be sitting with Lex Luthor enjoying champagne and strawberries, I would’ve tried to have them committed.”
He smirked. “Life’s full of unexpected twists.”
They finished off their glasses and savored another as they ate their fill. After a few minutes they fell back into the comforting randomness of their conversations—who would win in a fist fight: Abraham Lincoln or Aquaman?—before the lights finally dimmed. Chloe was pleased to note that the edge of the box was low enough and the chair high enough to let her sit back and still have a perfect view of the stage. The curtain rose and Chloe found herself swept up from the first verse of “Lost In The Darkness.” Her well-trained brain had long ago memorized all of the lyrics, but seeing it performed live, with such passion and skill, was enough to leave her breathless.
The curtain went down for intermission and Chloe sat stock still, too dazed to even think of applauding. When it finally occurred to her, she became aware that her hand was otherwise occupied. At some point during the performance she had taken Lex’s hand which now lay, fingers entwined with hers, on the arm of her chair. Fighting the heat rising again in her face—lord, when had she EVER blushed this much?—she let go as casually as she could, falling back on the pretense of reaching for her half-full glass of champagne. Glancing back at Lex, she noted the mischievous glint in his eyes and prayed that he would simply let the incident slide. So, she took a small sip of her drink and turned to look him full in the face.
“You know, I never really liked Emma.”
And so during the intermission she and Lex stayed where they were, regaling each other with their favorite and least favorite parts. Before long Chloe had composed herself to engage Lex in a rather heated debate about whether the show was better with “Good and Evil” or “Bring on the Men.” When the second act started, Chloe once again sat riveted to her seat. Her heart raced with the music, and she was oblivious to the tears that ran down her face from Lucy’s death until the finale. This time, when the last chord echoed in the air, she stood and applauded as if there were no tomorrow.
By the time the last actor had left the stage, she was back in control of herself. She glanced to her right, expecting to see Lex, but instead finding only empty space. Before she could wonder about it, she felt his fingers brush over her shoulders.
The song, her favorite from this show, was instantly in her mind. His fingers weren’t cold; no, they were warm, almost hot. But she felt the shiver running down her back just the same. Her heart beat a bit faster as he settled her wrap over her. Had his hands lingered a bit on her shoulders? No, it was just her overactive imagination. She turned to face him, already knowing what she would see, already knowing the danger of meeting his gaze.
Yes, there it was, the next line coursing its way through her head. She wondered vaguely if it were simply part of his mysterious Luthor powers that made her feel like she had no defenses when he was looking at her. It was as if he could see into every part of her soul, straight through the walls she usually put up as though they were made of glass. Yet somehow, it didn’t make her feel uncomfortable; it made her feel . . . powerful. Like she didn’t have to hide. Her gaze slipped down to his mouth; oh, yes, she could imagine the forbidden pleasures that were waiting there. And as much as she hated to admit it, she was afraid of discovering just how much pleasure he was capable of giving her.
It only lasted a moment—barely a sweep of emotions across her face before she was back to her usual snarky self. “Why thank you, Lex,” she breathed with exaggerated gratitude. “I don’t know how I ever would have managed to put my coat on without your help.” She gazed up at him, her look of wide-eyed innocence a mocking imitation of the helpless female. “Why, heaven only knows how I managed to get all of these complicated clothes on all by myself.”
There was a glint in Lex’s eyes complementing the slow, seductive smile that turned up his lips. His voice was low and husky as he leaned forward slightly.
“Well, if you think you’ll need any help removing them, I’d be more than willing to lend a hand.” It was almost too much for Chloe’s already reeling system, so she covered with the only tactic she could think of.
She stuck out her tongue at him.
Lex blinked once, and his lips started twitching. He leaned back, shaking with contained laughter. Chloe rolled her eyes and breezed past him. At the doorway she felt his hand at the small of her back. It stayed there as they walked outside, and she could feel the vibrations when every now and then Lex would start silently laughing again. When they reached the street, Lex’s car was already pulling up. Lex opened the door and helped Chloe in as the valet exited and rounded the car. Once Lex was settled in his own seat, Chloe looked over at him and grinned.
“Y’know, I think I like Arthur.”
“He does have his uses,” Lex agreed as he pulled into the line of traffic heading away from the theater. “So, where to next?”
“Next?”
Lex nodded sagely. “Yes. I have it on good authority that ‘a girl is always supposed to get whatever she wants on her birthday.’ So, m’lady, your wish is my command.” He shot her a glance. “All you have to do, Chloe, is tell me what you want.”
‘Do not blush, Chloe, you will. Not. Blush. He didn’t mean it like that. For the love of God, come up with something quick.’ Considering her options, Chloe started thinking out loud. “Well, first I’d like to get out of this dress . . . ” she began.
After a moment, Lex spoke up. “Like I said, if you want any help with that, just let me know.” She turned to glare at him and he winked roguishly at her. Chloe snorted and continued with her self-narration.
“Other than changing clothes,” a warning glare, “what else . . . I think I’d mostly just like to unwind. I guess we should head back to Smallville.”
****************************************
Lex had obediently headed out of town, and Chloe had sat there, thinking, for almost half of the ride. They had turned on the radio to fill the silence, and gentle strains of classical music filled the car.
Finally, she burst to life so suddenly that Lex swerved slightly.
“Oh!” She turned down the volume on the radio, then swiveled in her seat so that she was facing him. “Watch a movie with me! Please?”
“A movie?” he asked, looking confused. Apparently he had expected something of a grander request after a forty-five minute consideration.
“Well . . . it’s a very specific movie and there are very specific conditions,” she continued.
He looked at her suspiciously. “What movie? And what conditions?”
She shook her head. “Nuh-uh. Promise first, and I’ll tell you the rest when we get to my house.”
“Your house, huh?”
“That’s one of the conditions. Please, Lex?” She gazed at him hopefully, pleading.
He glanced at her and groaned. “Do people ever say no to you when you turn that look on them?” he asked rhetorically. She broke into an ear-to-ear grin.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
And before she knew what she was doing, she leaned across and kissed Lex on the cheek. Sinking back down in her seat, Chloe turned the volume on the radio back up. Once again, the music was the only sound in the car; Chloe sat and hummed along for ten straight minutes until her nerves quieted down.
As she watched the darkness outside of the window, her thoughts drifted back to earlier that day. She had dropped her bookbag by the stairs and walked into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee . . .
At the touch of your hand -
At the sound of your voice -
At the moment your eyes meet mine -
I am out of my mind -
I am out of control -
Full of feelings I can't define!
HYDE:
It's a sin with no name -
LUCY:
Like a hand in a flame -
HYDE:
And our senses proclaim
HYDE/LUCY:
It's a dangerous game!
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