I really enjoyed reading this great chapter!! I love how at ease Chloe can be around the social elite!! What is going to happen with Clark, however? Please update soon!! Please!! :biggrin: :chlexsign3: :biggrin:
I really enjoyed reading this great chapter!! I love how at ease Chloe can be around the social elite!! What is going to happen with Clark, however? Please update soon!! Please!! :biggrin: :chlexsign3: :biggrin:
Just loved it, as usual. The instant-messaging convo was a nice touch, very endearing and also in character. I like this bit:
Just enough snark to prevent it from getting -too- sappy.AJL1980: I have to go, Clark's here.
ArabicaBeanz: Woo-hoo
AJL1980: Be nice.
ArabicaBeanz: Aren't I always?
Anyway, can't wait to see how they deal with Clunk, so update soon!
Fabulous. I have followed this story and its predecessor from the start. It is by far one of my favorites. I can't wait how they make it all work. I just love the interaction between them, very realistic. Can't wait for another update.
Loved it. Glad to see that chloe can handle herself in Lex's world. Can't wait for more.
I tried to drown my sorrows, but the little buggers learned how to swim.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Amazing building and another excellent chapter. It makes me so happy when you update :blush:
A/N: This one picks up mid-flashback in case you were wondering. It also switches to Clark’s POV as I did earlier with Gabe, just to keep you on your toes. Apologies to the Clark haters, it just does not fit the story here. You’ll see why later. Again, thanks for all the lovely FB.
BTW, rating is still R.
Chapter 8
"You're dating Chloe Sullivan?"
"Funny how things work out, eh?"
"How could you guys be dating? She lives in California!"
Lex smirked. "Well, the telegraph is very reliable these days and the stagecoach delivers mail every two weeks."
Clark glared at him. "You're joking about this?"
"I'm just trying to lighten you up a bit, you look a little stunned. Is there a problem, Clark? Do you have a problem with Chloe and I dating?"
"Uh…No, I…I guess I'm just surprised. I never pictured you and Chloe together. Is it… um, serious?"
Lex only smirked at him and Clark seemed to decide not to ask anything more on that point.
"So… if you and Chloe are together, why do you care if she and I are friends?"
Lex leaned forward at his desk, propping himself on his elbows.
"Because, as much as I consider you a friend, Clark, I won't have you continuing to play this martyr card where Chloe is concerned."
"I don't know what you're talking about." said Clark but Lex ignored him.
"Chloe has a lot going for her now but this one mistake from her past still weighs on her, even if she won't admit it. I would hope you would not continue to make things worse by making her feel guilty, especially after all this time. Clark, each of us had our roles back then and we all played them. Let's not forget that. Let's also not forget that in over six years, any *sensitive* information that Chloe found has stayed hidden. I don't think that *anyone* has ever shown her appropriate appreciation for that." Lex looked pointedly at Clark for a beat before continuing.
"You've come to me a number of times in the past few years for my help. Now I'm asking you for this. I'm only going to ask once."
Lex let his words sink in. Even someone as dense as the farm boy would have to see the implication. Lex would not stand for Clark treating Chloe with anything less than full respect.
"So what do you want me to do?" whispered Clark.
"Stop being an ass for one thing. We can move on from there."
*****
Metropolis Planetarium…later that evening…
Clark dipped his napkin in a glass of club soda and rubbed furiously at his tie. He cursed under his breath, that damn waiter should have told him that the shrimp thing was so… drippy. Now how was supposed to look like a serious journalist at this thing with cocktail sauce on his tie?
“Dammit’ Clark slowed down his rubs when he remembered that, with his, strength, he’d rub right through the tie in no time. Mentally he thanked his mother for always talking about club soda as a stain cure all when he looked down and found the spot just about gone. Just about would have to do for now.
Clark was already more than a little uncomfortable to be covering this event for the Metropolis Star, a small weekly paper that had hired him shortly after he finished at Metropolis U. The pay was awful and the tiny paper's circulation hardly worth writing home about but it was a job and it gave him experience. And experience was what all the editors at the larger papers had told him that he needed to get before they'd even think about hiring him. With Lex Luthor as a personal reference or not.
Usually Clark enjoyed the work, even though, working at a weekly, he felt he was more often recording the news, than reporting it. Either way, though, it got his name into print. At events such as these, and more precisely, among people such as these, he never felt comfortable. Something about rubbing shoulders with the Metropolis elite made him uneasy, perhaps because many of them with their power and wealth, reminded him eerily of Lionel Luthor.
When his editor assigned him this opening, Clark had almost begged off or given some half-hearted excuse. But he knew it would not be good for his career so he came and set about getting enough facts about the place to string together in story before leaving, preferably as soon as possible.
He tossed the used napkin onto the bar, ready to do just that, when he spotted a familiar bald head in the crowd a few feet away. Lex. Clark wasn’t surprised to see his friend here; this was his crowd after all, and he was major contributor to these things. But Clark was unprepared for to see Lex wrap his arm around a small blonde at his side.
‘No…’ thought Clark. 'It can’t be… She’s…'
The blonde turned slightly to say something to Lex and Clark nearly choked. It was Chloe all right, but not the Chloe Sullivan he remembered. The Chloe that Clark remembered had certainly been attractive. All flippy hair, soft curves, and quick smiles. Of course, as a teenager, Clark’s taste had run to darker hair and longer limbs so he seldom thought of Chloe as anything more than a pretty friend, at least not without some meteor-driven inducement. *This* Chloe was not someone many men would be able to miss, even him. She exuded, no…radiated sensuality.
‘It’s the dress.’ Clark thought to himself, in an attempt to convince himself that he was not thinking of Chloe Sullivan as some kind of sex object. The gold silk she wore was making things look… different, that’s all. He cleared his mind and focused on making his way over to great the couple.
When he was just a few feet a way, Lex leaned down to kiss her and Clark hesitated again. Perhaps now was not the time. But it was too late. Lex spotted him as he straightened up from kissing Chloe.
Lex. Kissing. Chloe. Clark had tried not to think about Lex and Chloe being together despite the fact that he had known about it for months. He just could not wrap his brain around the idea. Now he had no choice.
Lex said something to Chloe and she turned around, her familiar green eyes wide.
Lex saved them both from the uncomfortable silence that was sure to follow. “Clark, good to see you. Are you here for work?”
Clark nodded. “Yeah…I’m um... here on assignment for the Star.” Suddenly he felt a bit inadequate; he knew that Chloe worked for a far more prestigious paper. “Hey, Chloe. How are you?”
“Hi, Clark. I’m good, thanks. You?”
“I’m fine. You, um… look really great. A lot older… um, I mean in a good way, of course…” Clark felt his cheeks coloring. This wasn’t going well.
Chloe smiled and rolled her eyes. “I know what you mean. Thanks, Clark.”
“Didn’t we go over how to compliment a woman when you were 16, Clark?” quipped Lex.
Clark relaxed a bit at the joke. “Yeah well…So, what are you doing in town?” he asked Chloe.
“I needed a vacation,” replied Chloe, leaning back into Lex a bit. “And Lex needed a date for this thing. We decided to help each other out.”
“How long are you in town for?”
“A week,” replied Chloe, her eyes flashing back at Lex. “Maybe less if my host makes good on his threat to make me sleep on a cot in his study.”
Watching the two share a look, a thought shot through Clark’s mind. ‘OK, maybe it’s not just the dress.’
“I warned you before you came out here, you decided to risk it anyway.” shrugged Lex.
From the looks between them, Clark doubted that Chloe would even get to see Lex’s study during her stay, let alone sleep there. ‘And I really need to stop thinking about that, right now.’
“Um… Chloe? Do you think you and I could chat somewhere? There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.” Clark’s eyes darted briefly to Lex, who only nodded, almost imperceptibly.
“Sure, why not?”
“You don’t mind if I borrow your date, do you Lex?” Clark asked, in attempt to keep things light.
“The fact that you think I have *any* say over what she does only proves to me that you two have a lot of catching up to do, Clark.” To Chloe he said, “You want another drink?”
“Club soda this time. I need to pace myself if I’m going to make it through this night.”
“Coming up.” Lex leaned down and placed a quick, chaste kiss on her lips before disappearing through the crowd, leaving her alone with Clark.
The smile she had given Lex faded from Chloe’s face as he left and she turned to Clark with a carefully blank expression.
“Let’s take a walk, there are too many ears around here,” she said.
As the walked away from the center hall, Clark cleared his throat. “So…you and Lex?”
“Yeah, funny how things work out, huh?”
“That’s weird, that’s what he said.”
Chloe shrugged.
“I never would have… uh… figured you two for a couple.”
“Then it’s a good thing it wasn’t your call.” said Chloe, her smile contrasting with her somewhat chilly tone. By this time they reached the area where the floor began to slope gently up into a catwalk, near the great sphere. “Well, we’re reasonably alone, now. What did you want to talk about, Clark?”
Clark inhaled deeply them immediately regretted it because he caught a whiff of the body wash or lotion or whatever it was that Chloe was wearing he was distracted by the thought that it smelled very familiar, comforting even.
“Clark?”
“Yeah, sorry. I’ve been meaning to call or email or something to talk to you about this but I couldn’t find the right words. I guess I just better say it. I’m sorry for the way I treated you, Chloe.”
There, he had said it.
“You’re going to need to be more specific there, Clark.”
OK, not quite the response he had been hoping for. “I mean… um… Look, this isn’t easy for me, Chloe.”
“I wasn’t aware that it was supposed to be easy,” she replied.
Clark blinked and tried to regroup. “I meant that I was sorry for how I reacted to the whole Lionel thing. You’ve apologized more times than I can count and then after everything that happened with him trying to get back at you… I made it worse by treating you like you deserved all of that. I realize that now.”
Chloe stared at him for a beat before looking away. “Come to this realization all by yourself, did you?”
“Does it matter?”
She let her eyes slide back up to his face. “No, I guess it doesn’t. Not after all this time.”
“I really am sorry, Chloe. It wasn’t fair of me to treat you as if I couldn’t trust you… when it was really me hiding things from you, Lex, and everyone else.”
This was it. There was no turning back now. Chloe had clearly not been expecting that, judging by the way her eyes widened. He had finally surprised her. She seemed to relax a bit, hopefully letting down the carefully constructed shield that had been there before.
“Well, of all the things I expected you to say, that wasn't one of them."
It was now Clark's turn to shrug at her.
"You should know, I haven’t said anything," she continued. "Despite all that’s happened and how angry I’ve been at you over the years, I never did that. I know what’s at stake, Clark.”
He nodded at her, unable to speak. In spite of everything, he still owed Chloe Sullivan a lot.
“I also know that it must get pretty lonely at times. Right?” she added.
“Yes, it does,” breathed Clark.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You don’t have to apologize to me anymore, Chlo. I mean it.”
Chloe nibbled on her lower lip and looked up behind her, at the great sphere, then back at Clark. All of a sudden she looked very young to him, more like the Chloe he remembered.
“I haven’t been upstairs yet,” she said. “Care to show me around?”
“I’d love too.”
Clark grabbed her hand lightly in his and led her up the ramp. Like the most of the structures in the building, the ramp itself was an exhibit. It was designed as a “cosmic pathway” transforming time into footsteps. The ramp told the story of unfolding time, from the Big Bang 13 billion years ago to the present. Every time you moved an inch up the ramp, 3.6 million years went by. It was humbling just to walk on it.
Clark knew from the Planetarium brochures that the pathway was supposed to invoke a sense of awe at the sheer size of space and time and even make the visitor feel incredibly small and alone comparatively speaking. Oddly enough, Clark found himself feeling quite the opposite.
They walked in silence just reading the descriptions along the path and taking it all in. Finally Chloe spoke.
“Do you know…where?”
“I have an idea. I’ve gotten messages and some other clues about where I come from. I learned a lot that year I took off after college, in fact.”
“If you ever want to talk about it… I know you must have your parents and everything but if you ever need anyone else, I’m here. I’m not a big believer in fate, you know. I think we make our own destiny in one way or another but I like to think that you’re here for a reason. Maybe… maybe by talking about it with someone else, you can figure it out.”
“I appreciate that, Chlo. It means a lot that you understand this and Lex too. I’m glad that you both still want to be my friends.”
Chloe nodded. They had reached the top of the ramp. The entrance to the space theater was at their right and a small crowd had gathered waiting for the next show to begin.
Chloe looked over the railing down to the floor beneath them. “Lex will probably be wondering where I am. I should get back.”
“Yeah, and I should get going. Can I stop by the penthouse and see you before you leave?” She nodded in response.
Clark squeezed her hand again and leaned down to kiss her cheek. When he straightened, he gestured behind them at the theater, “Someday I’d like to show you…where. At least as much as I know anyway.”
“Anytime, Clark. I’d really like that. I’ll see you around.”
Chloe turned and began descending the ramp again and Clark called out to her.
“Chloe!”
She turned, looking up with one of the bright smiles he only now realized he had missed terribly. ‘It’s absolutely not the dress,’ he thought.
“Yeah?”
“Lex is a lucky man.”
‘You’re damn right he is!”
*****
Lex's penthouse…that night…
"You know, if this were in my apartment, I might never leave it. I can't believe you hardly ever use this," remarked Chloe as she raised her cupped hand and let the water slip through her fingers.
They were sitting in the large whirlpool bath in Lex's master bathroom. When they returned from the reception Lex had suggested that a long soak was the perfect cure for the tension of the evening. He received no argument from Chloe. And that hardly ever happened.
Lex ran his hands over Chloe's damp shoulders, as she was tucked securely in front of him in the two-person plus tub.
"I never seem to have the time for much more than a shower. Besides, this really isn’t very much fun without someone to share it with."
Chloe only laughed in response, a low, sexy sound from her throat that turned Lex on even more than their current positions already had. Determined not to rush things, he tried for some distraction.
"What did Clark have to say?"
Chloe snorted. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious."
"No, why do you *need* to ask, given that you were probably behind his coming to me at all."
Even though he knew she could not see him, Lex rolled his eyes. "I'm not even going to try to deny that, but in my defense, I did tell him to stop being an ass, that could refer to almost anything."
"Nice way to talk about your best friend!"
"He is a friend and I think I know him well enough to say such things in complete honesty. And you still haven't answered my question."
"Short version: we agreed to put the events of the past…where they belong. I wouldn't say that we're the best of friends, but we know where we stand on the essentials. That’s all that matters."
Lex made a noncommittal sound against her shoulder, which seemed to amuse Chloe.
"Are you pleased with yourself?" she asked.
Lex slid his hands lower. "Very."
"Are we still talking about Clark?"
"Who?"
Chloe's laugh turned into a gasp as Lex ran his thumbs over her nipples, gently as first, then he cupped her breasts with both hands and she sank further into his embrace.
"Now I believe I said something about relieving some tension…"
Chloe threw her head back against the crook of his neck and arched into his hands. Her own hands gripped roughly at his legs under the water in an attempt to anchor herself.
"Still…pretty…tense."
"Well, that won't do at all."
Lex could tell Chloe was trying to formulate some sort of response to keep up her end of the banter but his tongue was tracing the ridge of her ear and one of his hands had now reached her lower stomach. He let his fingers dance across the smooth flesh for several long moments until she whimpered impatiently. Figuring that it was about as close to a plea as he was going to get from her at this point, Lex moved his fingers lower to her center, which was even warmer than the surrounding water. He relished the shudder that ran through her the second his fingers found their target and she spread her legs to give him better access.
With practiced hands, he probed and pressed. Though the water added something to her pleasure, he was sure, it also made it difficult to gauge *all* of her reactions to his touches. So Lex closed his eyes and relied on his other senses to tell him how to bring Chloe to where he wanted her to be. He could feel her body start to tense up around his fingers; hear as her breathing got shallower and her words more clipped and more demanding.
"Just…a little more… more…"
“Show me…” he whispered, directly into her ear. She didn’t hesitate. She covered his hand with one of her own and guided his at the pace she needed. He felt her seize up in his arms for a long moment, then collapse back against him, sighing his name.
Even though own body was getting closer and closer to needing a similar release, Lex held her for a few minutes as her breathing slowed. Then he turned her in his arms kissed her deeply.
"Bedroom?" he said against her lips between kisses. He was very surprised when she shook her head.
"No…right here."
:"Here?" his voice came out an octave higher on the syllable because Chloe chose that moment to wrap her fingers around his length.
"Yes, here. You know you want to. You've wanted to since that hot tub in San Diego."
Well, he sure as hell wasn't going to deny that.
"If I recall, it was you who put the brakes on that time, at least until we got up to my room."
"Well, I'm as adventurous as the next woman, but I wasn't about to let our first time be in full view of half of the California Press Association. They were staying at our hotel, too, remember?"
Lex grinned at the thought as he positioned her against the side of the tub. He leaned over her, teasing her with the way he was pressed against her in all the right places. Lex reached over her and turned one of the knobs that controlled the whirlpool settings. The tub jets sprang to life. Chloe moaned slightly through a bright smile when the warm water bubbled up around them.
“Brilliant.”
“Damn right,” replied Lex, covering her lips with his as he drove himself into her.
*****
Chloe reveled at the feeling of being filled again. The warm water pulsating around them only added to the sensuality of the moment. Why hadn’t they ever done this before? Oh right, she did not have a hot tub in *her* apartment.
She tightened her muscles around him immediately and smiled when he responded with a deep thrust into her.
‘Perfect.’ thought Chloe. True she was young, but she’d had enough lovers before Lex to really appreciate what she had with him. Particularly as they became more and more familiar with each other’s bodies. Case in point… she ran her short nails across the smooth skin of the nape of Lex’s neck. His reaction was immediate.
“Ummmm…”
She then moved both hands down to his chest and stroked his nipples with the pads of her fingers. He moaned again and she was positive that the sharp jerk her made against her wasn’t entirely voluntary.
“Are you trying to tease me, sweetheart?” he rasped.
“Now why would I need to do that, seeing as that I already have you right where I want you?” she whispered back.
They kissed again and Chloe felt Lex slow down and lengthen his movements. The warm water splashed up around their faces each time his body moved against hers. He was torturing her, plain and simple. But it was such exquisite torture. She felt his hands skim down the length of her body to her hips, holding her in place. They parted breathlessly and Lex ran his mouth down her neck, catching some of the water droplets with his tongue.
“Don’t stop…” she pleaded, knowing that any request that he move faster would fall on deaf ears. It was clear that he wanted to prolong the pleasure of this time for as long as possible.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Over the next several minutes, the room grew foggy from the heat of the water and their faces began to glisten with perspiration as well as water. Chloe knew it was sweat because she could taste the saltiness on Lex’s check as she pressed open-mouthed kisses there. She gave up trying to distinguish his moans from hers. It didn’t matter.
His hold on her body was not so tight that she could not try to give as good as she got, and judging by the way he kept choking on her name, her efforts were pretty successful. She doubted that either of them could hold out much longer. She ran her hands down to the small of his back and focused all of her energy on clenching her muscles around him…repeatedly.
“Jesus, Chloe…easy. I won’t be able to hold back…”
“So don’t…I can’t either…”
He leaned forward against her, changing his angle to ensure that when he went over the edge, she would follow. Sure enough, Chloe could feel the tension begin to spread across her body. First in small waves, then in larger tremors that made her vision grow spotty. Her final release came and she threw her head back against the edge of the tub. Even in the water, she could feel it when Lex peaked and the rush of heat filled her.
They were both still trembling when Lex let his head fall against her shoulder, taking in deep breaths of air. Chloe licked her lips and took in some much-needed air as well. Her arms and legs felt like dead weight, both from the water and from utter fatigue. Running her fingertips up and down his back, she finally found her voice. “Lex?”
“Hmmm…?”
“I’m not tense anymore.”
End chapter.
A/N: In case anyone was scared that the Chloe/Clark conversation was anything more than friendship, I added some Chlex lovin’ to make sure you guys know where Chloe’s feelings lie. Everyone cool?
^_^ i loved it!!!! clark and chloe are getting along, and chlex smut, i don't really think i could ask for anything more... cept maybe a proposal from lex.....*hint hint*, and some more smut TeeHee.....
I have this huge dopey grin on my face right now. That was just wonderful!!!
Oh, I guess there was more to that chapter than whirlpool lovin', hunh...
I loved this paragraph:
I read it three or four times, just trying to absorb the meaning of all of that from Clark's point of view. I also really liked how you wrote him and how he and Chloe made up - it was a nice blend of SV Clark and the mild-mannered reporter of his future we're all familiar with.Clark knew from the Planetarium brochures that the pathway was supposed to invoke a sense of awe at the sheer size of space and time and even make the visitor feel incredibly small and alone comparatively speaking. Oddly enough, Clark found himself feeling quite the opposite.
Great chapter!!
That was a great update. And the smut:
Hope :chlexsign2:
"Everyone seems normal until you get to know them. "
Very cool. I loved it all, not just the Chlex part, but the Chlark friendship too. I really enjoy your writing style. Do keep updating, and soon! :)
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