Chapter 4
Chloe walked into the ballroom confidently, her head raised. It wasn't hard to spot Lex. He was at the center of attention. Chloe started to walk toward him when he caught her eye. He said something to the group and then made his way to her.
"Chloe, I'm glad you could make it. You look magnificent," Lex told her.
Chloe smiled. "Thank you," she said, taking Lex's offered arm.
"How was the limo ride?" Lex asked, walking Chloe across the floor.
"Boring," Chloe said, looking at Lex out of the corner of her eye. "It would have been better if I had someone to talk to."
Lex chuckled, and placed his hand over the one she had draped on his arm. "If I hadn't had more pressing needs I would have picked you up myself."
Chloe stopped walking and turned to Lex. "How long do we have to play nice until I get my interview?"
Lex hid a smile. "You have my word that before this night is over you will have your interview."
"Good," Chloe replied with a nod of her head. "Now why don't we see exactly what I've gotten myself into."
A soft classical melody drifted over the room as Lex led Chloe from group to group of rich looking people. Everyone seemed to accept Chloe. Not only that, many adored her.
"Why Lex, I didn't know you had a girlfriend," an older woman said fondly.
Lex smiled at the woman. He had known her for many years. "Mrs. Holden, allow me to introduce, Chloe Sullivan. Chloe's a reporter. She's also the daughter of my head plant manager Gabe Sullivan."
Chloe shot Lex a look, then smiled at the woman. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Holden."
"You're a very beautiful young woman, Chloe," Mrs. Holden exclaimed.
"Thank you," Chloe replied, running her hand along her thigh to smooth a wrinkle.
"You're a reporter?" Mrs. Holden asked, her eyes shining.
"Yes. I'm head editor for the Torch at Smallville High, and I've had a few by lines in the Smallville Ledger," Chloe explained proudly.
Mrs. Holden smiled. "You must be very talented."
"That's the reigning theory," Lex told the woman, breaking into a smile. "Now you'll excuse me if I take Miss Sullivan to get a drink."
"Of course," Mrs. Holden told Lex. She leaned in a little closer and lowered her voice, "You'd do good to keep this one, Lex."
Lex smiled and bowed his head before leading Chloe to the other side of the room.
"What was that?" Chloe asked harshly, as soon as they were out of earshot of Mrs. Holden.
"What?" Lex asked, nodding to a small group of people.
Chloe stopped walking. "You practically told her we were dating," she said, tucking a strand of golden blond hair behind her ear.
"Did I?" Lex asked, amused by Chloe's reaction.
"I didn't come here to parade as your trophy girlfriend. If you want a trophy girlfriend stand in, try Lana," Chloe said hotly, narrowing her eyes at Lex.
Lex moved a step closer to Chloe so that he was almost towering over her. "Why did you come, Chloe?" he asked, looking her in the eye.
"I never pass up a chance for an interview," Chloe said, matching Lex's penetrating look. Her arms were straight at her sides, and her hands were balled into small fists.
"And the idea of spending a few hours with me in this setting wasn't at all appealing?" Lex asked, his eyes daring Chloe to answer.
Chloe huffed and spun on her heel. "You are so infuriating!"
Lex laughed and reached out to take hold of Chloe's arm. "Chloe, it was a misunderstanding. I didn't mean to imply anything."
Chloe looked at the hand on her arm, and slowly turned. "You're forgiven."
Lex's eyes shone. "I'm forgiven? How very kind of you."
"I try to do at least one good deed a day," Chloe said. Her face remained serious until Lex smiled, then she followed suite.
* * *
Chloe was talking to a group of older ladies. Her hands were clasped in front of her, her small blue purse between them. She was smiling a bright smile that took Lex's breath away, and every once in a while her lips would part to speak or laugh. She seemed totally at ease in this environment.
Lex's ears perked as a new song came over the room. More than half an hour ago people had started to dance. Now it was his turn. He strode over to Chloe.
"Excuse me ladies," he told the group before turning to Chloe. "Would you give me the pleasure of a dance?"
Chloe smiled and rolled her eyes at Lex's offered arm. "Sure, Lex."
Lex led Chloe onto the dance floor and into his arms. "You seem comfortable with these people."
"You mean with your kind of people, Lex? Just say it," Chloe told him, her hands resting lightly on Lex's shoulders.
Lex smiled down at Chloe. "Okay, Chloe. My kind of people."
"The first step to acceptance is admittance," Chloe beamed up at Lex. "Why would you think I wouldn't feel at ease here? I'm not a small town girl, Lex. No more so than you're a small town guy."
Lex repositioned his hands on Chloe's waist as they swayed to the music. "I am definitely not a small town guy, Chloe."
"Lex, we both come from the big city. As hard as it is to believe we both grew up in similar ways. Granted you had millions more than we did, but we were both forced to come to Smallville," Chloe went on.
Lex elicited a sly grin. "I didn't realize we had so much in common."
Chloe took a deep breath. "Well, if you paid more attention to other Smallville teens than Lana and Clark you'd learn a lot."
"I'll have to take your advice," Lex admitted, looking deep into Chloe's eyes.
Chloe blushed and laid her cheek on Lex's strong shoulder. Lex smiled into her soft, golden hair.
"I hope this night wasn't as horrible as you had anticipated," Lex said a few moments, his voice teasing.
Chloe looked up at him with a smirk. "Oh it was, but the interview will make up for it."
"Did I agree to an interview?" Lex asked, looking as if he had no idea what Chloe was talking about.
"You know you did, Lex, and don't think you'll get off the hook that easily," Chloe challenged him, her eyes full of defiance.
Lex chuckled. "Oh that interview."
"Yes that interview," Chloe said, before narrowing her eyes at Lex.
"What?" Lex asked, looking down at the petite blond.
"Are you flirting with me?" Chloe asked, not taking her eyes from Lex's.
That comment earned a full-out laugh from Lex. "You don't miss anything do you, Chloe?"
"A trait of a good journalist," Chloe replied, still looking intently at him. "So, was that a yes?"
"What do you think?" Lex asked as the song ended.
Chloe stepped back and began to walk across the room. The way she carried herself demanded that Lex follow her. "I think it's time for more drastic measures." Chloe said, stopping in a corner of the room.
"And exactly what measures would those be?" Lex asked, humor in his voice.
"This," Chloe said, raising to her tiptoes to plant her lips on Lex's.
Lex's eyes grew wide at Chloe's forwardness. After a moment his lips responded to the gentle pressure, but he ended the kiss quickly.
"This is neither the time nor the place," Lex said, glancing around himself at his business associates.
"Don't worry, no one saw," Chloe said harshly, brushing past Lex.
Lex shook his head in an effort to shake away the confusion of Chloe's quick mood swing. Lex sped up his stride and quickly overcame Chloe. "Chloe, as much as I would love to keep kissing you, you must agree that the appropriate place to carry on that activity is not in front of a ball room full of my colleagues."
Chloe turned and raised shot Lex her best sexy look. "You want to keep kissing me?"
Lex shook his head again, this time in amusement. "You really pick and choose what you want to hear, don't you?"
"It's always worked for me," Chloe replied, a bright smile taking over her face.
Lex smiled back and placed a quick kiss in Chloe's cheek. "We'll talk after everyone leaves."
Chloe continued to smile as Lex walked away, back into the crowds of people.
Chloe walked into the ballroom confidently, her head raised. It wasn't hard to spot Lex. He was at the center of attention. Chloe started to walk toward him when he caught her eye. He said something to the group and then made his way to her.
"Chloe, I'm glad you could make it. You look magnificent," Lex told her.
Chloe smiled. "Thank you," she said, taking Lex's offered arm.
"How was the limo ride?" Lex asked, walking Chloe across the floor.
"Boring," Chloe said, looking at Lex out of the corner of her eye. "It would have been better if I had someone to talk to."
Lex chuckled, and placed his hand over the one she had draped on his arm. "If I hadn't had more pressing needs I would have picked you up myself."
Chloe stopped walking and turned to Lex. "How long do we have to play nice until I get my interview?"
Lex hid a smile. "You have my word that before this night is over you will have your interview."
"Good," Chloe replied with a nod of her head. "Now why don't we see exactly what I've gotten myself into."
A soft classical melody drifted over the room as Lex led Chloe from group to group of rich looking people. Everyone seemed to accept Chloe. Not only that, many adored her.
"Why Lex, I didn't know you had a girlfriend," an older woman said fondly.
Lex smiled at the woman. He had known her for many years. "Mrs. Holden, allow me to introduce, Chloe Sullivan. Chloe's a reporter. She's also the daughter of my head plant manager Gabe Sullivan."
Chloe shot Lex a look, then smiled at the woman. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Holden."
"You're a very beautiful young woman, Chloe," Mrs. Holden exclaimed.
"Thank you," Chloe replied, running her hand along her thigh to smooth a wrinkle.
"You're a reporter?" Mrs. Holden asked, her eyes shining.
"Yes. I'm head editor for the Torch at Smallville High, and I've had a few by lines in the Smallville Ledger," Chloe explained proudly.
Mrs. Holden smiled. "You must be very talented."
"That's the reigning theory," Lex told the woman, breaking into a smile. "Now you'll excuse me if I take Miss Sullivan to get a drink."
"Of course," Mrs. Holden told Lex. She leaned in a little closer and lowered her voice, "You'd do good to keep this one, Lex."
Lex smiled and bowed his head before leading Chloe to the other side of the room.
"What was that?" Chloe asked harshly, as soon as they were out of earshot of Mrs. Holden.
"What?" Lex asked, nodding to a small group of people.
Chloe stopped walking. "You practically told her we were dating," she said, tucking a strand of golden blond hair behind her ear.
"Did I?" Lex asked, amused by Chloe's reaction.
"I didn't come here to parade as your trophy girlfriend. If you want a trophy girlfriend stand in, try Lana," Chloe said hotly, narrowing her eyes at Lex.
Lex moved a step closer to Chloe so that he was almost towering over her. "Why did you come, Chloe?" he asked, looking her in the eye.
"I never pass up a chance for an interview," Chloe said, matching Lex's penetrating look. Her arms were straight at her sides, and her hands were balled into small fists.
"And the idea of spending a few hours with me in this setting wasn't at all appealing?" Lex asked, his eyes daring Chloe to answer.
Chloe huffed and spun on her heel. "You are so infuriating!"
Lex laughed and reached out to take hold of Chloe's arm. "Chloe, it was a misunderstanding. I didn't mean to imply anything."
Chloe looked at the hand on her arm, and slowly turned. "You're forgiven."
Lex's eyes shone. "I'm forgiven? How very kind of you."
"I try to do at least one good deed a day," Chloe said. Her face remained serious until Lex smiled, then she followed suite.
* * *
Chloe was talking to a group of older ladies. Her hands were clasped in front of her, her small blue purse between them. She was smiling a bright smile that took Lex's breath away, and every once in a while her lips would part to speak or laugh. She seemed totally at ease in this environment.
Lex's ears perked as a new song came over the room. More than half an hour ago people had started to dance. Now it was his turn. He strode over to Chloe.
"Excuse me ladies," he told the group before turning to Chloe. "Would you give me the pleasure of a dance?"
Chloe smiled and rolled her eyes at Lex's offered arm. "Sure, Lex."
Lex led Chloe onto the dance floor and into his arms. "You seem comfortable with these people."
"You mean with your kind of people, Lex? Just say it," Chloe told him, her hands resting lightly on Lex's shoulders.
Lex smiled down at Chloe. "Okay, Chloe. My kind of people."
"The first step to acceptance is admittance," Chloe beamed up at Lex. "Why would you think I wouldn't feel at ease here? I'm not a small town girl, Lex. No more so than you're a small town guy."
Lex repositioned his hands on Chloe's waist as they swayed to the music. "I am definitely not a small town guy, Chloe."
"Lex, we both come from the big city. As hard as it is to believe we both grew up in similar ways. Granted you had millions more than we did, but we were both forced to come to Smallville," Chloe went on.
Lex elicited a sly grin. "I didn't realize we had so much in common."
Chloe took a deep breath. "Well, if you paid more attention to other Smallville teens than Lana and Clark you'd learn a lot."
"I'll have to take your advice," Lex admitted, looking deep into Chloe's eyes.
Chloe blushed and laid her cheek on Lex's strong shoulder. Lex smiled into her soft, golden hair.
"I hope this night wasn't as horrible as you had anticipated," Lex said a few moments, his voice teasing.
Chloe looked up at him with a smirk. "Oh it was, but the interview will make up for it."
"Did I agree to an interview?" Lex asked, looking as if he had no idea what Chloe was talking about.
"You know you did, Lex, and don't think you'll get off the hook that easily," Chloe challenged him, her eyes full of defiance.
Lex chuckled. "Oh that interview."
"Yes that interview," Chloe said, before narrowing her eyes at Lex.
"What?" Lex asked, looking down at the petite blond.
"Are you flirting with me?" Chloe asked, not taking her eyes from Lex's.
That comment earned a full-out laugh from Lex. "You don't miss anything do you, Chloe?"
"A trait of a good journalist," Chloe replied, still looking intently at him. "So, was that a yes?"
"What do you think?" Lex asked as the song ended.
Chloe stepped back and began to walk across the room. The way she carried herself demanded that Lex follow her. "I think it's time for more drastic measures." Chloe said, stopping in a corner of the room.
"And exactly what measures would those be?" Lex asked, humor in his voice.
"This," Chloe said, raising to her tiptoes to plant her lips on Lex's.
Lex's eyes grew wide at Chloe's forwardness. After a moment his lips responded to the gentle pressure, but he ended the kiss quickly.
"This is neither the time nor the place," Lex said, glancing around himself at his business associates.
"Don't worry, no one saw," Chloe said harshly, brushing past Lex.
Lex shook his head in an effort to shake away the confusion of Chloe's quick mood swing. Lex sped up his stride and quickly overcame Chloe. "Chloe, as much as I would love to keep kissing you, you must agree that the appropriate place to carry on that activity is not in front of a ball room full of my colleagues."
Chloe turned and raised shot Lex her best sexy look. "You want to keep kissing me?"
Lex shook his head again, this time in amusement. "You really pick and choose what you want to hear, don't you?"
"It's always worked for me," Chloe replied, a bright smile taking over her face.
Lex smiled back and placed a quick kiss in Chloe's cheek. "We'll talk after everyone leaves."
Chloe continued to smile as Lex walked away, back into the crowds of people.