Disclaimer: I don't own these characters at all. They aren't mine or anything of that nature.
"What if I want something else, something infinitely more delicious than a simple doughnut?" Lex asked as his gaze traveled down to Chloe's mouth. Unthinking, she licked her lips.
That was all it took for Lex. He closed the gap between them and kissed Chloe. His kiss was soft at first. It felt to Chloe like he was giving her a chance to reject him. Instead of rejecting, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. She parted her lips and Lex instantly responded. He tasted yummy. Granules of sugar stuck to his lips and Chloe could feel the soft friction of them between their lips.
She'd heard people talk about being melted by a kiss and now she knew what they meant. Lex's tongue searched Chloe's mouth, with varying pressure. It was the perfect kiss. Suddenly Chloe wasn't content to simply be kissed, so she kissed Lex back. She pushed softly at his tongue with hers and felt its velvety texture. Chloe's hand crept down Lex's back and felt for the hem of his t-shirt. She wanted to touch him badly.
Lex came back to his senses when he felt Chloe softly touching his back. He stopped kissing her abruptly and pulled away. He was surprised to find himself panting. He'd been so lost in kissing Chloe that he hadn't given a thought to where they were or who could possibly see them. For one glorious second he saw his own longing mirrored in Chloe's eyes before she hid it. That cured him of any idea that she'd kissed him out of pity. She wanted him and that knowledge did something strange to Lex. It made him feel oddly small in the world. He knew about being humble, he'd just never felt the emotion himself. Knowing that Chloe wanted him gave him that feeling.
Lex stood up and smiled at Chloe. She had no idea what he was feeling. When he wanted to Lex could be a wall and hide his emotions better than anyone she knew.
"Uhm…" She began but didn't really know what to say.
"I'm sorry, Chloe. I never should have done that here." Lex told her in his normal emotionless voice. Chloe's heart sank.
"It's ok. Heat of the moment and all, right?" Chloe tried for humor to hide her embarrassment.
"That may be true, but I have a responsibility to think before I act. Anyone could have seen us or taken our picture. I hope that we won't end on the newsstand tomorrow morning." Lex told her.
"Oh." Chloe said, as realization dawned on her. "You're worried about your reputation?" She asked. "I seriously doubt that a little bookstore clerk like myself rates very highly on the scandal scale. Don't worry about it, Lex." Chloe told him. As usual she used sarcasm to hide her embarrassment. She'd been trying to feel him up only moments before.
"No, you misunderstand." Lex told her shaking his head. He sat down on the bench next to her. "I wouldn't want the media to put any strain on our relationship. It's hard enough to be with someone without their interference."
"Be with someone? I..wait.." Chloe started. "Are you saying?" She trailed off as she wagged a finger between them.
"What, Chloe?" Lex tilted his head as he looked at her. "I would say we can be friends with benefits but somehow that seems so…cheap. We all know that I am anything but cheap." Lex told her with a soft smile.
"Friends with benefits?" Chloe was still a little dazed by the sudden turn of events.
"I thought that you were hip to the youth these days. I was referring to friends that occasionally indulge in carnal activities with each other." Lex informed her condescendingly.
"I know what friends with benefits are. I'm not stupid." Chloe bit her lip nervously. "Are you, what, asking me out on a date?" Chloe asked.
"Is that what you want?" Lex searched her face.
"I'm not sure." Chloe suddenly felt a little suffocated. The thought of dating Lex was appealing, but also intimidating. "Honestly?" Chloe asked Lex.
"Of course. I always want you to be honest with me." Lex told her, feeling a little nervous himself.
"Dating seems so high pressure. I want to hang out with you and be around you." Chloe struggled to explain what she was feeling. "I feel like I already know you pretty well. It's hard to explain it."
Lex reached over and grabbed Chloe's hand. "I understand. I'm sorry that I put pressure on you. That was never my intention. Clearly I overstepped the bounds of our friendship. I just hope this won't damage that friendship because it means a lot to me." Lex explained and stood up to leave. Chloe tried to stop him from leaving but was cut off when his cell phone rang.
"I have to take this. Bye, Chloe." Lex said, the sadness evident in his voice.
Chloe sat in her apartment feeling horrible. She'd never felt like anything had gone more wrong than things did today with Lex. She hadn't meant what she'd said the way he took it. She just didn't feel like the two of them needed the dating step. She felt like she already knew Lex well enough to move right to a relationship and now he hated her. She wanted to cry, but seeing as she'd already cried three times tonight, she refused to give in. She sniffled loudly and reached for her phone. She wanted to call Lois to tell her what happened but was scared that Gage would answer the phone. He was the last one she wanted to talk to. Eventually around 2:30 in the morning she drifted off to sleep.
"What happened to you?" Bessie asked loudly when Chloe showed up to work the next day.
"Nothing." Chloe told her with a small sniff.
"Somehow I don't believe that, but since it's early and I have the rest of the day to get it out of you, I'm content to let it go." Bessie grinned at her. "Coffee?" She offered Chloe a mug.
A half hour later, Chloe had told Bessie most of the story when a customer walked in. Chloe looked up to find an attractive man standing before her. She felt a pang of disappointment because secretly she was hoping to find Lex standing before her. He was blonde with a friendly face. When he smiled at Chloe she smiled back.
"Hello. I was wondering if you did special orders?" He asked and Chloe was immediately in awe of his sexy British accent.
"We do. What did you have in mind?" Chloe asked. Everything proceeded normally. He placed his order and Chloe was finished checking him out.
When she was done she went over and finished telling Bessie the rest of the story about Lex.
"So, it's all just a big misunderstanding?" She asked.
"Yes. It just all came out wrong. I was obviously flustered after our impromptu makeout session. But now I don't know how to fix it." Chloe told her.
"What about Gage?" Bessie asked.
"What about him?" Chloe shot back quickly.
"OOOKKK. I'm sensing a little dislike on your part. I meant, what was going on with the memory thing. You told me that you felt like you knew him, but then he switched to liking Lois?" Bessie said a little confused.
"I don't know what's going on with Gage. He seems confused himself. First he liked me and now he likes Lois. I don't really know what to think about it. I mean, when I was with him I felt like I knew him. It was the oddest thing. It almost seemed like I knew him somehow, but I don't think I did." Chloe shook her head as if trying to sort it all out.
"I know, but what about that strange dream thing and then when you were kissing and you flashed to another time memory thing? That is a little odd." Bessie thought about it for a moment. "Ohh…I know. You were lovers in a past life. Epic love, though. That's the only way it would come through and affect you now."
"Maybe, but then why did he suddenly want Lois?" Chloe asked as she thought about it too. She didn't really believe in reincarnation, but she hadn't believed in aliens until she met Clark either.
"That's a good one. Let me think about it and I'll get back to you. I have a friend who is really into this stuff. I'll talk to her and see what she thinks." Bessie told her.
"Thanks." Chloe said with a smile. She was really glad she had Bessie right now. Otherwise she'd be all alone in the world.
Lex leaned against the window in his office. He had a breathtaking view of Metropolis but all he could see was Chloe. He had thought he'd seen lust in Chloe's eyes but maybe he'd just imagined it.
"The desperate longings of a man in love." He said to himself. He sighed heavily.
"Mr. Luthor, there is a man here to see you." Lex turned around and pushed the button on his intercom.
"Who is it?" He asked curter than he meant.
"Rafael Savonrola." His secretary told him. Lex was mildly surprised. The Savonrola's were one of the richest in the world and it was no secret how much they hated the Luthor's.
"Send him in." Lex said. He sat in his chair and awaited his guest's arrival.
"Lex Luthor." Rafael offered his hand to shake. "It's been a long time." He said.
"Let's get to the point. Why are you here?" Lex asked rudely.
"Blunt. Direct. I like that." Rafael said. "You're right though, I do have a purpose." He said as he sat down in the chair in front of Lex's desk. "You recently fired a reporter named Chloe Sullivan. I wonder if you know where I can find her now."
Lex couldn't have been more surprised. He didn't bother correcting him about Chloe being fired.
"I don't make it a habit of giving out information about my employee's whereabouts. Sorry that I can't be of any help." Lex stood, wanting to be rid of Rafael.
"It is very urgent that I reach her. I'm concerned for her safety." Rafael said.
"Is that a threat?" Lex asked with cold menace in his voice.
"No, it's a simple statement of fact." Rafael said. He stood up to leave and looked back at Lex. "I would also add that your safety is in question as well. If things are as I fear, then many people are in danger." He told Lex enigmatically before leaving the room.
…Lex was smiling at her. She smelled the flowers and the wind blew on her face. She smiled back as Lex feeling a little shy. She looked down and noticed her clothes. They were old, from another century even. Her skirt was large and round. Lex was wearing a tuxedo, but it wasn't what they looked like now a days.
"Which is your favorite?" Lex asked Chloe quietly.
"Daisies." She replied. There were butterflies in her stomach from being this close to him. She'd loved him for so long and never had the courage to give him any sign. Besides it didn't really matter how she felt about him because her father could marry her off to whoever he wanted.
"Daises it is then." Lex told her and turned to the owner of the flower stand. He bought her a bouquet of daises and handed them to her. Chloe took them and inhaled deeply, trying to get a good scent from them
"How are they?" Lex asked.
"Perfect." Chloe told him. As she was looking up at him, his face suddenly morphed into Gage's. Chloe jerked reflexively, causing her to wake. She pushed herself up on her elbows and looked over at the clock. It was 4 am. Her dream had been weird. She felt like she'd actually been there. She could remember the smell of all the flowers floating on the wind and the feeling of the sun on her face. With Lex the memory had felt so natural and right and then when it turned to Gage it had begun to feel wrong.
Frustrated and wide awake, Chloe got up. She sat on her couch with a glass of water and looked around her apartment. She once again caught sight of the picture with Lex, Lana and Clark. It made her think about Lex and she wondered what he was doing right now. Probably he was sleeping. That was what sane people did at 4 am, but not her. Thinking about Lex filled her with despair. She needed to talk to him and explain what she'd meant. She looked at the clock. 3 minutes had passed. She wasn't sure that she'd be able to wait until the morning to talk to Lex. She needed to do it now because it was killing her. Normally, she wouldn't even consider it but she needed to see Lex now. She couldn't explain it and wasn't sure she even cared about explanations anymore. Grabbing a light jacket and some flip flops, Chloe set off to find Lex.
a/n: ok. So I have figured out exactly where I want to take this story. It might get a little weird, but bear with me because it should be good. Thanks for reading and reviewing and I know I gave you another cliffie. But that is what makes you guys come back for more! Thanks again! Please REVIEW!
