Blue jeans, white shirt, walked into the room you know you made my eyes burn… - "Blue Jeans" – Lana Del Rey

A/N: That line always reminds me of Oliver and Chlollie ;D

"What do you mean you haven't had sex?" Lois asked incredulously on the following Monday evening. She and Lucy had arrived at Chloe's apartment to help her pack for her trip to Star City, and Chloe decided to pick their brains.

She handed out cups of the coffee she had brewed and sat on the sofa beside Lucy. "I mean that we spend a lot of time together, and we've had several date nights, but we're still in the snuggling, hand holding and good night kiss stage of the relationship." She leaned back against the cushions and pulled her feet up to curl under her. "I thought maybe he was waiting until I had my physical with Emil, but that was two weeks ago. Then I thought he was waiting for me to make the first move."

"And did you?" Lucy asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"I told him he could stay with me last night when we were hanging out here," Chloe replied. They'd stayed in to cook together since Clark had gone to Smallville for a few days. "He stayed but nothing happened."

She'd been awake for a couple of hours after he fell asleep, feeling both puzzled and frustrated by his disinterest. In the morning it was clear that disinterest wasn't the issue since she woke to feel him snuggled up behind her and obviously very happy to be there. It led to a serious make out session, but it didn't go any further before Oliver got up to get ready for work.

"That doesn't make sense," Lois said, looking as confused as Chloe felt. "He was around all weekend after your graduation last week, and trust me – that man looks at you like rainbows shine out of your ass. He's crazy about you. Everyone noticed it. I figured you two ran Clark off with all your sexcapades."

Oh, how I wish, Chloe thought as she sipped her coffee. She had vivid recall when it came to her sexual history with Oliver, and she was eager to repeat all of it. She knew he wanted her, so she didn't understand why he kept backing off. She'd almost asked him about it this morning; an overseas phone call on his cell had interrupted the moment.

"Maybe he planned something special for this trip," Lucy suggested. "You're leaving in two days, right?"

Chloe nodded. "Early Wednesday morning. I think we're coming back on Sunday." Based on some hints Oliver had dropped for weekend plans, Lucy could be right.

When they were ready to look through Chloe's closet, Lucy pulled out a bag she'd brought in. "Monique picked out a few things for you. Another designer I know also sent over a couple of outfits."

"What? Why would they do that?" Chloe asked, surprised.

"And what about me?" Lois demanded, pulling the bag forward to take a look at the contents.

"When you start dating a hot billionaire and are featured in Style Watch on Metropolis Online, and the ladies of Real Housewives of Star City discuss your fashion choices on national television, I'm sure Monique will care what you're wearing," Lucy said, raising a brow at her sister. "She doesn't mind if I raid the fashion closet now and then but her interest in dressing Chloe is motivated by potential publicity. When I mentioned that she was jetting off to Star City with Oliver, she pulled a few items. Same for the other designer."

Chloe knew about the photos in Metropolis Online, but she hadn't heard about being mentioned on TV. "Who are the Real Housewives of Star City and why do they care what I'm wearing?"

It wasn't creepier than being secretly photographed when she wasn't paying attention, but it was bizarre to think she drew that kind of attention now. Paparazzi had snapped a few shots of her on the street with Clark or her cousins, although the majority of the photos had been of her and Oliver. Thankfully they were flattering, and she made a mental note to pick up a thank you gift for Lucy while she was in California.

"Rich housewives in Star City – it's a reality show, Chloe. And I guess they care because it's Oliver. One of the newlyweds dated him a couple of years ago, and another woman on the show just started a fashion blog. They were all on some morning show talking about the show and the blog, and I think that's why you and Oliver came up." Lucy started laying the clothes out across Chloe's bed. "Don't worry, it was mostly good. The ex was a little snarky, but the others liked your sense of style. They showed a photo of you from your first night out with Oliver and another one from your graduation party, which caught Monique's attention."

The graduation party dress was one of Monique's designs from her summer line and had been a graduation gift from Lucy. Vintage inspired heavy silk, it featured a slim, sleeveless design that hit just above the knee. A few large, abstract flowers in varying shades of blue, creamy white and yellow broke up the blood orange shade of the dress, and Chloe had felt fantastic wearing it.

Lois was already online looking for the morning show clip in question, which they watched while they were putting together options for her trip. Lucy was right about the women being mostly complimentary. The blonde woman who ran the fashion blog remarked that when she heard Oliver was dating a college co-ed she thought of pajama pants or disposable discount store fashion, and one of the hosts joked that it was Oliver so she'd expected Frederick's style club wear. They all weighed in on the photos, praising her bold color choices. One woman didn't like her shoes, and the ex-girlfriend stated she thought Chloe was trying too hard and could benefit from dropping a few pounds, a comment that drew criticism from the hosts and two of the other women.

"What a catty bitch," Lois fumed. "She'd look like a swizzle stick without the boob job, and that auburn hair she keeps tossing around screams extensions. Oliver definitely had a type before you came along, and it was Tramps-R-Us. She's probably intimidated by things like class and an educated mind."

"I checked out the comments after it aired on Friday," Lucy told them. "Fans think she's jealous, and they're probably right. She's known for her drama. Most people are saying you look cute together and the way he looks at you is sweet – even the host mentioned that."

"It's still weird," Chloe said, crossing her arms defensively. "Here the focus was on my kidnapping and the story I landed while there it's what I'm wearing." Logically she knew her weight was fine but having attention called to it on a national news show wasn't fun.

"Oh, everyone there was talking about your kidnapping while you were in the hospital, but I think the Star City angle was on Oliver and the millions he offered for your return. They were calling you his girlfriend long before he confirmed it." Lucy studied one of the tops before her, added a scarf, and then tossed it aside. "But you realize that you're going to get more attention there, right? There's some interest in him here in Metropolis, but he's a lot more important in Star City."

Chloe nodded. "I know." Oliver had mentioned it almost apologetically the night before but said they'd be leaving Star City early on Friday afternoon. She wondered if he saw that clip beforehand and guessed he probably did.

Lucy had a good sense of Chloe's personal style. She helped her put together some casual ensembles for daytime, a few date night inspired options, and they included two dresses. One was the fuchsia dress Chloe had been saving. The other was from Monique's summer collection – a royal blue dress with cap sleeves, a tightly fitted waist and a short structured skirt that fell away from the hips in flattering folds. Like her graduation dress, the focal point was an abstract floral design in shades of green, periwinkle, and cream with a few small orange flowers scattered across the skirt.

"It feels wrong to get freebies like this." Chloe turned in the mirror to check the dress from the back. She still had some money saved up, but not enough to buy dresses like this. Once she added heels her legs were going to look twice their actual length, and strategically placed tape showed her cleavage off to advantage since the low neckline made wearing a bra impossible.

"Monique said sales are picking up on the orange dress ever since you were photographed wearing it," Lucy told her. "If dresses look good on real people in real world settings, that's good advertising, and that dress looked great on you. So does this one."

There was a certain art to being fashionable that Chloe was only now beginning to appreciate. It seemed like such a frivolous career, but she could see how much care and research Lucy put into it. Chloe had always been careful to dress well for work, and she didn't think her street style had ever been offensive, but she was learning a lot from her cousin on how to incorporate trends and use accessories. She doubted she'd ever like shopping as much as her cousins, but she was definitely enjoying the fruits of their fashion labor.


Chloe went straight for the balcony when they arrived at Oliver's penthouse in Star City, breathing in the salty air from the bay. "I forgot how good the air smells here."

Oliver wrapped his arms around her from behind and brushed his lips against her temple. "I miss California sometimes, but I'll be honest – two years on that island was enough sea air for me."

"Well, while you're at the office today, I'm meeting some former co-workers for a beach day." She'd packed her new green bikini and was eager to soak up some sun and hopefully put a little color back into her pale skin. She missed the sun-kissed glow she achieved during her summers here.

"The public beach?' When she nodded, he said, "My driver can take you whenever you're ready."

Chloe turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Oliver, it's a little hard to fly under the radar with a personal chauffer. I was thinking I'd just take a cab." Her new bikini was very flattering but she was hoping to avoid being photographed in it and discussed by celeb watchers.

"Okay. I have a meeting that may run into dinner, but I'm going to try to get back as early as possible." He linked his fingers in the small of her back, keeping her close.

"That's fine. My friends mentioned going for happy hour margaritas and Mexican food later, so I might join them. Just call me when you're headed back." She scraped her nails through the short hair at the nape of his neck, smirking when his hands pressed into the small of her back in response, pulling her hips closer to his.

Oliver had removed his jacket, but he was still wearing his crisp white shirt and tie, a combination that always looked very good on him. The morning sun favored him as well, intensifying the combination of blonde hair, tanned skin and dark eyes. He looked almost too good to be real as he smiled down at her, a literal golden boy. It was one of those moments where she felt like pinching herself.

"Happy hour, huh? There's a place downtown called The Cantina that has a great happy hour menu and live entertainment Wednesday through Saturday. It's pretty standard Mexican fare but the food is good and they have the best margaritas in the city." His phone rang and he sighed. "Duty calls."

"I've been there," she said as she followed him back inside. "We used to go after work, so that's probably where we'll be."

Chloe changed into her bikini while Oliver was on the phone. She threw on a pair of very short denim shorts, a loose, low cut brown tank top and slid her feet into thong sandals. Then she packed her beach bag and grabbed a hat and sunglasses.

Oliver was sliding his suit jacket on when she walked back into the living room. He turned and whistled. "Need some help with your tanning lotion before I go? Because I'd be happy to donate my services."

She arched a brow. "I think I've got it covered." If he put his hands on her like that, she doubted he'd make it into the office. Whatever his reasons were for their current celibate state, she was certain a lack of sexual interest wasn't one of them.

He walked over and ran his hands over her hips, dipping his head to kiss her neck. "Do you now? Who are you meeting again?"

Chloe stifled a giggle when his tongue darted out and hit a ticklish spot. "Just a few friends enjoying their last summer off before joining the real world. We all interned together." A few of them had found jobs, but most were still interviewing, so their days were largely free.

He nipped the skin beneath her jaw and then captured her lips in a slow, very thorough kiss. "Have fun. I'll text you later." He grinned at her playfully as he left.

Smug bastard – he knows exactly what he does to me, she thought, amused in spite of the unresolved sexual tension that was slowly driving her crazy.

Chloe took a cab to the public beach and spent the morning and early afternoon hours relaxing and chatting with her former co-workers. She'd only kept in contact with one of them, a girl named Emily. She had invited her boyfriend Caleb, Caleb's roommate Rob, and two other former interns, Jenna and Britt. They all asked a lot of questions about her kidnapping and the story she broke on the jewelry heists, but she was thankful that they weren't being nosy about her relationship with Oliver.

With careful application of sunscreen, Chloe managed to tan a little without burning. Oliver texted her when he had breaks, and she knew she smiled every time her phone buzzed. Emily gave her a knowing look but didn't comment on it until they were alone.

"He seems to make you really happy," Emily said, pulling her dark hair into a bun and securing it with a few pins. The others had already gone into the water.

"He does," Chloe replied softly. She'd been trying to keep her feelings in check; she'd reminded herself not to fall too fast or too hard. However, with each day that passed it was getting harder to deny that he stirred something within her, an emotion she recognized but didn't want to give a name to even in her own head.

Around three they parted ways with a plan to meet back up at The Cantina at four-thirty. Chloe returned to Oliver's penthouse and showered quickly before drying her hair and straightening it. The sun had provided her with a natural glow so she kept her makeup minimal and dressed in dark wash jeans, a loose, leaf green camisole with thin spaghetti straps, and wedge sandals in beige. Blessing Lucy's attention to detail, she quickly slipped on an orange bracelet formed of interwoven leather strips with gold accents, a pair of gold earrings, and transferred her personal items into a small, orange leather bag before heading out the door.

When she arrived at the restaurant, Emily was already there with Caleb and Rob, and they had managed to snag a table outside where the band would start playing around five-thirty. They ordered nachos and margaritas while waiting for the rest of their party.

She didn't do this type of thing as often in Metropolis, mostly because she had far fewer friends there. Chloe was extremely selective about her inner circle due to the secrets she kept. Between school, her internship and sidekicking for Clark, she didn't have a lot of spare time anyway, and what little she had she usually spent with Lois. It was a reminder that while her life had more balance in Star City, she wouldn't trade her life in Metropolis for it.

And now she had Oliver. He texted her a few times throughout the evening, and she found herself occasionally checking her phone as she ate quesadillas, chips, and sipped margaritas.

It was around seven when she felt a familiar hand on her shoulder. Turning, she saw Oliver standing behind her. "Hey." She stood up and leaned into him when he slid an arm around her waist. "I didn't think you'd be finished before eight."

"We finished earlier than I thought we would," he said, smiling down at her before turning his attention to her friends. "I hope you don't mind that I'm crashing."

Chloe tried to hide her amusement as the women all rushed to assure him that was fine. Not that she could blame them for being a little star struck – in blue jeans and a casual white button down, he looked like a walking Lana Del Rey song. The waitresses apparently thought so as well, and the service picked up at their table in a very noticeable way.

They stayed for another hour, enjoying the band and chatting with her friends as Oliver nursed a Corona. He talked sports with Caleb and Rob, and when Emily mentioned doing a write-up for a restaurant opening the following night, he said he was one of the investors.

"Shouldn't you be there?" Chloe asked him. He hadn't mentioned going out the next night, but she didn't want him to avoid commitments because she was with him.

"Probably," he allowed, "but it's up to you. I was going to talk to you about it tonight."

She guessed that meant it was a red carpet type deal and he wasn't sure if she would be comfortable with that. Before they left, she made plans to meet Emily the next day. Emily was freelancing for area online publications, but she told Chloe she liked spending a few hours at the beach every day while she could. Chloe couldn't blame her since she was going to miss beach days when she got back to the grind of city life.

Back at Oliver's penthouse, they sat out on his balcony and talked about his day and the restaurant opening. Oliver confirmed it was a high profile opening. Chloe knew that if she and Oliver kept seeing each other that events like this would come up. She wasn't crazy about the attention but she had no intention of hiding either. He'd invested due to the chef being a friend, so she didn't want to be the reason he didn't publicly show his support.

"I have a dress I can wear," she told him, explaining how Monique had donated to her wardrobe. Since the designer wanted publicity, Chloe decided that was the best place to wear the dress.

When they moved inside to the sofa, Chloe pushed him to sit and placed her knees on either side of his hips, settling into his lap. Slow kisses turned heated very quickly, but when hands began roaming Oliver suddenly pulled back.

Chloe couldn't contain her frustration. "Oliver, I didn't come to Star City so I could sleep in your guest room." She hadn't intended to be so blunt about it but he was literally killing her at this point. Talk about words she never thought she'd have to say to Oliver Queen. The irony would have been funny if not for the sexual frustration that went along with it.

Oliver took a breath and let it out slowly as he gently shifted her back a little in order to see her face more clearly. "I want you, Chloe, but the first time I make love to you I don't want anyone in the next room, and I don't want either of us to have anywhere to go the next morning. Trust me, this isn't any easier on me."

Chloe's heart leapt wildly at his choice of words, and she ruthlessly tried to squash the butterflies rising in her stomach. Don't read into it, she warned herself. Just don't. Lots of people use different terms for sex.

"Do you understand?" he asked softly, holding her gaze, his hands rubbing circles against her hips. "I made plans for us this weekend, if that helps."

She knew they were leaving on Friday afternoon, but he hadn't told her where they were going. Sighing, she leaned forward and brushed her lips against his before wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head against his shoulder. "Okay."


The red carpet was a little intimidating, but it helped that Chloe knew she looked good. She was wearing the short, royal blue dress Monique had given her, and she was careful to drop the designer's name when they were stopped by an entertainment reporter that Oliver knew well. Inside they were greeted by the hostess and shown to a prominent table, and the chef came out to shake Oliver's hand before returning to the kitchen.

"Oh, yay," Chloe muttered when she spotted a tall, auburn haired woman in the crowd. "The Real Housewives are here."

Oliver grimaced as he handed her a menu. "You saw it, didn't you?"

"I may not pay attention to that sort of thing, but Lois and Lucy do," she informed him dryly. "Eventually I'll hear about things like exes and their opinions of me."

"For the record, she has no idea what she's talking about, which is par for the course with her," he replied dismissively. "You only just gained back what you lost while you were in the hospital."

"It was only ten pounds." He'd nagged her about proper nutrition while she was in the hospital and Martha had done the same for the remainder of her recovery time at the farm. It was like they had agreed to tag team her on the topic. Now that she thought about it, she suspected they might actually have had that discussion.

"Which is a lot for someone your size, and you were perfect before that." He smiled warmly as his eyes roamed over her before returning to the tempting décolletage revealed by the plunging neckline of her dress. "You still are. You look amazing tonight and I'm the luckiest guy in here."

She could feel the flush creeping up her neck. The way he looked at her, like he wanted to taste every inch of her body, wasn't helping her to back burner the topic of sex. Picking up her menu, she carefully perused it as she asked, "How long did you date her?"

Chloe knew she could go online and find out everything she wanted to know, but she'd promised herself she wouldn't start digging into Oliver's relationship history. She had a feeling Google wouldn't be kind and she also didn't think it was fair to Oliver. He was very transparent with her, so she felt the best way to handle her curiosity was simply to ask.

Oliver shrugged. "A month, maybe? It wasn't serious."

He said the same thing about most of the women in his past. She was beginning to see why the media was fixated on the idea of him having an acknowledged girlfriend. Even more interesting to them was the fact that she wasn't a celebrity; investigative journalism and kidnappings aside, she was a normal girl who'd somehow managed to catch and hold the interest of a renowned playboy. They occasionally talked about her like she was a unicorn, something that she and her cousins had laughed about.

One entertainment news site had even started a Relationship Days counter that totaled the number of days it had been since the press conference where he'd offered the reward money. Since no one knew exactly when their relationship had started, and the public argument at the Ace of Clubs made them think there had been a breakup beforehand, they'd landed on her kidnapping being the event that brought them back together and started the clock from there.

Seventy-six days. It was a day less than the counter, but that's how long it had been since she woke to find Oliver at her bedside, and he hadn't strayed very far since then. The counter was all in fun and not malicious in nature, so she didn't mind seeing it. Oliver rolled his eyes and muttered something about it being a slow news day when he saw it, though she didn't think it really bothered him either.

If the media had the whole story then it would make a little more sense, but they had no way of knowing that Oliver wasn't exactly what he seemed. Sometimes she wondered if Oliver would have even noticed her at the club that night if he hadn't first encountered her in the alley. That meeting nearly two years ago had made an impression.

However, the what if game was both a slippery slope and a rather useless exercise – given her connection to Clark and Oliver's own vigilante team, it was likely they would have crossed paths sooner or later even if he hadn't bought The Daily Planet. She and Clark still would have been investigating the jewelry heists, and she bet Oliver would still have done his own investigation into the crime spree. They might have met up in that warehouse the same way, or maybe they would have gotten to know each other better at the barbecue.

Their connection might have evolved differently, but she had a feeling that any of those paths might eventually have led to the same place. She could what if their new relationship to death, looking for reasons to hold back, or she could concentrate on her present reality. She was choosing the latter.

Chloe enjoyed the evening more than she thought she would. The food was delicious and Oliver was extremely attentive. They were occasionally interrupted. Emily sat with them for a few minutes in order to get a few quotes about the restaurant, and the famous housewives couldn't resist stopping by their table to say hello since most of them knew Oliver. The fashion blogger gushed over Chloe's dress, and Chloe mentioned that her cousin interned for the designer. Even the ex was faux-friendly, though Chloe suspected she'd be a topic of discussion on the show at some point. When Oliver met her eyes, she raised a knowing brow. His lips twitched, and she could tell he was thinking the same thing as he reached across the table for her hand and gently played with her fingers.

Back at his place, Oliver put on some music and danced with her on the balcony. It was almost the perfect end to their evening. Almost.

One more night, she thought.


Oliver's weekend surprise turned out to be a trip to a resort vineyard in Napa. The resort was five star level and included a spa, an award-winning restaurant, a café with an espresso bar that Chloe couldn't wait to try, a wine bar and tours of both the vineyards and the cellars for wine tastings.

Their suite was gorgeous – a king-sized bed with sumptuous white linens and an array of purple and gold silk pillows dominated the bedroom, and the large bathroom had both an oversized granite tub and a separate shower. A smaller dressing room also connected to the bathroom – the large wardrobe and vanity made Chloe wonder if the suite was used for brides. She'd noticed bridal event services offered in the brochure.

The living room boasted dark antique furnishings, a white sofa and armchairs, a wet bar and a top of the line entertainment system that Chloe doubted they'd even use. French doors led to a large balcony with a table and chairs that would be perfect for breakfast since it offered vineyard views.

"You have a spa appointment in thirty minutes," Oliver called out.

Chloe was busy hanging her clothes in the wardrobe but paused to walk back into the living room. "What exactly do you have planned for tonight?"

He smiled at her. "You'll see."

Her appointment turned out to be a full service spa treatment including a sea salt scrub and grapefruit wrap, a hot stone massage with essential oils, a scalp treatment and massage, and a manicure and pedicure. By the time they sat her down with a glass of wine for her appointment with the stylist, she'd achieved a blissed out level of relaxation.

With her hair and makeup done, she returned to the suite to find a note on the bed from Oliver saying that when she was dressed she could meet him downstairs in the wine bar. There was also a very distinctive blue box beside the note. She opened it to find a small pair of diamond and pear shaped sapphire drop earrings. He'd hinted that he had a graduation gift for her, and she suspected this was it.

Chloe slipped on the fuchsia dress and the peacock blue heels and then put on the earrings. They were perfect but they were also probably far too expensive. She doubted she would win that argument since Oliver seemed to love spoiling her – a small and very feminine part of her could even admit to enjoying it. With one final look in the mirror, she took a calming breath to slow her racing heart before she went downstairs.


Oliver couldn't take his eyes off of Chloe when she entered the wine bar. She was glowing - a vision of loveliness in the figuring hugging pink dress that left one shoulder bare. He recognized the heels, too – she'd still been wearing them the first time he took her to bed, and the memory made his gut tighten in response.

When she stood before him, she raised a brow. "Did Lucy pick out your clothes for this trip, too?"

Glancing down at the dark pink shirt he wore with his black dinner jacket, he grinned. "She might have sent me an email with a picture of your dress." Brushing her hair back, he added, "Those earrings look just as good on you as I thought they would. Happy graduation."

"They're too much, Ollie. And you gave me that new laptop that Victor upgraded," she said. But she was smiling, so he didn't think she was upset about it.

Oliver tilted his head and pulled her closer. "The laptop was more a gift from the League. Do you like them?" When she nodded, he raised her hand and kissed her palm. "I wanted you to have something just from me. Something more personal."

He'd bought a set that included a ring, a necklace and a bracelet, but he knew better than to give her all the pieces at once since he had no doubt she would protest his extravagance. He planned to spread them out over her birthday and Christmas.

They enjoyed a glass of wine together at the bar before going to the restaurant. Oliver had reserved the private patio, and he'd ordered a tasting menu that included locally sourced produce, seafood, farm-raised beef, and house made pastas with specialty sauces. Small glasses of wine accompanied each tasting portion, and they finished with a selection of fruit, artisan cheeses, and decadent desserts.

Chloe's eyes were sparkling and her cheeks were a little flushed from the wine, and he couldn't seem to stop touching her – the bare skin of her shoulder was far too tempting. She was so soft and she smelled amazing. He leaned closer and kissed the side of her neck, smiling when she shivered in response.

"How was the spa?" he asked, running his hand down her bare arm again.

"Fantastic and completely over-the-top," she told him. "This place is the perfect weekend getaway."

Lacing their fingers together, he said, "This place was special to my parents. The owners are family friends, and I spent a lot of weekends here with them before they died." It was why he'd wanted to bring Chloe here. He wanted to share those memories with her.

"Then I'm really happy to be here with you," she replied softly, squeezing his hand.

"You make me happy, Chloe." Oliver felt uncharacteristically nervous. "My relationships with women have never been very intimate – physically, yes, but not emotionally. The last couple of months with you though, they've been the best I can remember."

"For me too," she said, her fingers tight around his.

Music was drifting out from the main dining area, and she laughed when he pulled her up to dance with him under the stars.


Chloe was giddy with anticipation by the time she and Oliver went back up to their suite. Oliver had pulled out all the stops on the romance scale lately. She'd never been the subject of so much attention in her life, and while it wasn't necessary, it felt good to be so wanted. When he led her into the bedroom, she stopped.

A huge bouquet of roses in deep shades of yellow, pink and purple stood on the nightstand. The hotel staff had been there for turndown service; petals were strewn across the white sheets and scented candles were waiting to be lit on the other nightstand. She suddenly felt tears burning her eyes.

Oliver removed his jacket and lit the candles before turning back to her. He held out his hand and she took a deep breath as she took it and allowed him to draw her close.

He stared down at her for a moment, and his brown eyes reflected the same vulnerability she knew hers did. "I know you've probably been wondering why I held back all these weeks when it had to be obvious how much I wanted to take you to bed."

She didn't trust herself to speak, so she just nodded.

"There's a Buddhist expression about the difference between liking and loving something," he continued quietly. "When you like a flower, you pluck it so you can enjoy it in the short term. But when you love a flower, you water it daily because you want it to thrive."

Chloe felt like the oxygen had been sucked out of the room, and she couldn't have looked away from him in that moment if the world was ending.

"I wanted to get to know you without the distraction of sex. I've never done that before, but I'm glad I did because every day that passed made me more certain about us. I love watching you thrive… watching us thrive. And I'm probably saying too much too soon, but screw it – with our lives there are no guarantees." He took a steadying breath. "I love you. I think I fell in love with your sass and your bravery that night in the alley because I sometimes thought about you and hoped you were safe. And I fell in love with your wit and humor the next time we met, but I didn't fully appreciate you. Now you have no idea how much I appreciate having you in my life."

Chloe felt tears slipping down her cheeks and wiped them away before trying to speak. "Ollie…"

"You don't have to say anything," he interrupted her. "I know it's only been seventy-eight days, or seventy-nine if we're going by that ridiculous counter, but I couldn't wait any longer. Three months or six months – it won't change how I feel, and I needed you to know that."

She laughed at his reference to the relationship counter. She pulled him down and kissed him, reveling in the feel of his strong arms pulling her tightly to him. When he raised his head, she whispered,"I love you, too, Ollie."

"Yeah?"

Nodding, she pulled him down for another kiss. This time there was no stopping. They undressed each other slowly, and Oliver picked her up to lay her gently on the bed before following. He was a picture of tightly wound control as he touched her. She thought she knew what to expect after being with Oliver before, but this was something entirely different.

He worshipped her. There was no other way to describe it. His kisses were gentle and loving as his lips found every erogenous zone, and his hands explored her almost reverently. She was so turned on that her first orgasm hit right after his fingers slipped between her legs. She rocked against his hand, shivering and moaning as he buried his face against her neck and lightly bit the skin beneath her ear.

She gave herself a moment to recover, then she pushed him back and slid on top of him, a position he was enjoying very much based on his smile. Chloe began her own exploration – she teased him with soft kisses to his jaw and a swipe of her tongue against his pulse point, pleased when she felt his hips buck up beneath her. She traced the muscles of his arms and chest as she began rocking her wet center against his erection.

When she raised her hips, he positioned himself at her entrance, and she slid down slowly. He held her hands and let her set the pace, his eyes never leaving her face. She could feel her second orgasm coming, and she pulled her hands away to brace them beside his head as she pressed her lip to his a little desperately, sliding her tongue against his and scraping her teeth against his bottom lip as she came again with a cry she stifled against his shoulder, dimly aware that he found his release at the same time.

His arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her in place as their breathing gradually slowed, and she slowly stroked the side of his neck as she rested her cheek against his chest. When she began placing little sucking kisses against his neck, he rolled her beneath him, and she shrieked when he suddenly blew a raspberry against her neck.

Raising his head, still grinning, he cupped her head and stared down at her. "I love you."

She ran her fingers through his spiky hair, loving the disheveled look. "I love you too. Seventy-eight days and counting - I'm kind of fond of that counter," she said, pulling him down for another kiss.

"They'll get bored with it in a few years," he told her between kisses. "Right now, I think we have some time to make up for in bed."

Considering how long it had taken to get him back into her bed, she wasn't about to argue with that.

The rest of the weekend passed in a rosy-tinted blur. From breakfast on their balcony each morning to picnic lunches in the hills of the vineyard, Chloe stored each memory away like a precious gift. They toured the cellars and had dinner in the restaurant again on Saturday night. When Sunday evening came, she was sad to be leaving.

Correctly reading her expression, Oliver pulled her close as the porter loaded their luggage onto a cart. "Don't worry. We'll be back."

The flight back to Metropolis was too short. Oliver's driver met them at the airport and loaded their bags as Oliver helped her into the car.

"Stay with me tonight?' he asked quietly, lacing their fingers together. When she nodded, he smiled and wrapped his arm around her. Chloe settled against his chest and watched the city landscape rush by outside the window, a feeling of contentment spreading through her. Life wouldn't always be this easy for them – logically, she knew that. The vigilante business was hectic on the best days, and they'd have to juggle their relationship against that and their respective careers. It would probably take work, but she couldn't imagine anyone she'd rather work through it with.

A/N – Okay, so the story is mostly done! I think I'm going to add a little epilogue though, to kind of wrap up with the other characters. I wrote some of it, but it may take a few days to get it up. Thanks for sticking with the story, guys. I know I'm slooow. I'm providing some links to my Tumblr below – the dresses and outfits mentioned in this chapter, and some very nice pics of Justin Hartley that fit the chapter. It helps me to visualize things when I'm writing, so that is why I go looking for pics of things. Hope you enjoyed this! I've been editing some stuff in my Chlollie folder on my computer and outlining some new ideas, so I'll be writing/posting more stories as long as you want to keep reading them. Looking at pics and fanvids this week reminded me that these two are my happy place.

poetgirl tumblr com post/126626914219 (Justin Hartley – pretty, pretty pics guys lol – how I imagined him at the Mexican restaurant and their first night at the resort)

poetgirl925 tumblr com post/126626584309/summer-dresses-date-night (The dresses from date nights in this chapter)

poetgirl925 tumblr com post/126626736814/casual-date-night-summer (The outfit from the Mexican restaurant)