A/N - Came to me in a writer's block moment. Just short and sweet. Remember I own nothing but my own musings but love the characters that Smallville PTB have invented. PLease r/r. ONESHOT

Propping up the pillows on the bed, he leaned back and picked up his phone. He sighed and figured the time across the country. Being a world business traveler had its perks. The fancy room, the best cuisine, the invitations to the beautiful people parties. But it was this time of night that he hated. He pulled up the contact list and skipped over name after name. Clark. Hitting send, he waited until he heard a busy signal. Trying again, he heard another busy signal. Lana's probably talking to Clark. Dad. No way. He pondered for a moment before hitting send.

"Chloe Sullivan." She lazily answered as she rubbed her eyes.

"Hard at work?"

"Huh? Lex?" Chloe sounded partly perturbed and confused.

"I'm sorry, I thought you might be awake. Never mind." Lex started to hang up the phone, but heard her adjusting on the other end.

"No, it's ok – what's up? I think Clark and Lana are doing some project together tonight." He could still hear that she sounded groggy but was waking up.

Thinking about telling her he had already tried them, he changed his mind. "No, I kind of wanted to talk to you."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing – just wanted to talk."

"Lex, you never just want to talk."

"Ok, you got me. I'm just…"

Chloe was amused the lack of words for the younger Luthor. He was always so much more verbose. "bored? Looking for some verbal judo lessons?"

"Lonely." Lex halfway smirked at himself for the admission. He didn't hear a response and got concerned. "Chloe?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Lonely and you call me? Couldn't you get a date or something?" Chloe was sitting up, getting a kick out of taking advantage of the situation that she could.

"Haha. Actually, I did and I cancelled. Didn't feel up to it." Lex could hear her giggle a little and cover the receiver.

"Sorry to hear that. Actually, I could use a date because I'm hungry right now."

"What do you want?" Chloe thought about the way he phrased that statement – so many things she could say.

"Well Mr. Luthor, I could really go for a rose petal filled bubble bath in a two person tub."

She heard him take a huge breath as she giggled again. "Very funny. I'm going to regret this, but who's the two person tub for besides you?"

Chloe smiled and put her fingers over her lips innocently. "Who do you want it to be for?"

"Chloe, you're killing me."

"You said you were lonely. I was just livening up the conversation."

"That's for sure." Lex took another breath. "But really, what do you want to eat?"

"I don't know – I think I may just go down stairs and grab a pastry from the kitchen."

"You planning on paying for it tomorrow?"

"Lex, you don't own the Talon anymore, why would you care?"

"I'm just kidding. Hey, hang on a minute." Chloe waited as she could hear Lex put the phone down and move about the room. She still wondered why the man that had been recently putting the moves on Lana was calling her. She took time in his absence to get more dressed.

"Sorry, I was ... Chloe? Chloe?" Lex waited and wondered what happened. He could still hear her in the background. Coming back on the phone, she sighed. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I had to get a shirt on before going downstairs."

"Chloe."

"Ok, I won't go there again. Anyway, I'm heading downstairs."

"What kind of pastry are you having?" Chloe could hear a door close and people's voices in the background and wondered what Lex was doing.

"I don't know. Lex, where are you?"

"Well, if you must know I'm now in the all night bakery downstairs in the hotel. Now what are we having?"

"We? How sweet – you're going to eat with me. Umm, they have a cherry turnover?"

"Cherry? Could we please quit with the innuendos? Umm, they have chocolate here." He could hear her giggle at the cherry comment and listened to him rattle off the rest of the bakery counter where he was.

"Wait – get the Chocolate Éclair – that sounds like a winner." She heard Lex ask for one as she pulled one off the rack in the kitchen. "Where are you headed?"

"Back to the room. How about you?"

"Same."

"With or without the shirt?" He paused not hearing a replay. "Sorry."

"No, I was eating. And you are a pervert."

"Hey, you started it, Miss Rose Petal Bath." They both laughed as they headed back to their respective rooms.

"Anyway, so what is exactly going on with you and Lana? And don't give me some Luthor line. I know you – I can tell when you're lying – your lips are moving."

Lex let out a huff of irritation. "None of your business."

"She's my friend."

"Has she talked to you about it? Because I figure if she hasn't approached you then I have no reason to divulge anything."

Chloe knew he was right. She thought of another way to word it. "You know Lex, you always want what you can't have. What if Lana gives you everything you want, where's your challenge then? Because when all is said and done, you know that's all it is to you - the challenge."

"You don't think I really just care about her?"

"I remember how you looked at me a couple of years ago and how you look at her now. It's just the same. Except that you might actually get what you want with her."

"Are you saying that you never would have succumbed to me that summer?"

"No, I wouldn't have." Lex stopped and thought about it. He had tried everything short of committing what would have been a huge crime getting to know Chloe while she was in hiding but left it alone when she returned to Smallville. She's right – she never gave in. He still thought about her though.

"Sounds like a challenge." Chloe looked at the phone in amusement.

"Maybe it is." There – take that.

Lex smiled to himself. He had an opening. "Well then Chloe Sullivan, I'll see when I get back."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Definitely."

He heard Chloe giggle slightly. "So are you done eating?" Chloe wadded up her napkin and crawled back in bed.

"Yes. I'm actually going to try to sleep some."

"Good, get some sleep. You need to be rested for your challenge. Goodnight Lex."

Lex nodded to himself at her statement. "Goodnight Chloe, who likes rose petals in her bath."

Chloe looked at the phone when she heard him click off. Was he serious? He couldn't actually be interested in her. She threw the phone on the nightstand and went to sleep, without thinking anything of it.

Lex laid the phone down on the table and pulled back the covers. He closed his eyes and pictured a bathroom full of candles and a blond in a robe and fell asleep.