As they drove in to Metropolis, the sun was beginning to set over the
buildings which gave the city an otherworldly glow. Lana gazed out the
window at each passing building, her excitement growing with every block
they passed.
"I never asked where we're staying?" Lana saw so many big hotels; she just knew that wherever Lex stayed, it would be the best one.
"Sorry, not at one of those, I hate hotels. I have a place here in town; we're staying there." Lex maneuvered the silver car down another street and pulled up to the largest building Lana had seen so far. It was all glass and steel and had to be well over 100 stories tall.
"90 floors actually, leaving off the 13th, of course," Lex answered her unasked question.
"Wow, this is amazing. How far can you see from the top?" she inquired a little breathlessly as Lex swung the car into the valet drop off.
"I don't know. I've never checked. You'll have to tell me."
The valet rushed forward to open Lana's door and help her out of the car. Lex pulled the three bags out of the back seat and handed them to the valet along with the keys.
"Mr. Luthor, so good to see you again, sir." Lana watched as the valet fawned over Lex, who peeled off some bills for the man without even a glance.
"This is Ms. Lang. She'll be staying here for a few days on business," Lex informed the doorman, who had rushed forward to take the bags from the valet.
"Very good, sir. Ms. Lang, I'm Phillip and if you need anything while you're here, just let me know," the doorman told her as he hit the elevator button for them.
"Thanks, Phillip, I'll remember that," Lana smiled at him as she stepped in to the elevator. Lex followed a few steps behind her.
Lex hit the appropriate button and Lana eagerly peeked around to see what floor they were going to. Lex must have seen her because he leaned a little to his side, effectively blocking her view of the number pad.
"Lex, stop it." She grabbed his shoulders and leaned around him, laughing. "The top floor, we're on the 90th floor?" she sputtered as he chuckled softly at her.
"Yes, my father says that the view is always better from the top down, not the other way around, so the top floor it is."
Lex was amazed that she could change so fast. Here in the elevator she was like a child, excited about getting a new toy. He wondered where the coy, flirtatious woman in his car had gone and if she would be back. That Lana made him nervous, but he kind of liked it.
The elevator doors slid open noiselessly as a soft chime sounded their arrival at the top floor. Lana didn't know what to expect, but was stunned anyway. She was greeted by marble and leather and full-length windows along the far wall. Lana knew that she was gawking like the small town girl that she was, but she couldn't help herself. She staggered off the elevator and let her gaze follow the two, huge, marble columns up and up; it seemed like they would never end. The ceilings had to be at least 16 feet tall.
Lana had to walk up three steps just to get to the landing for the living room and was amazed at what she saw; everything was white. White marble floors and white furniture. White walls with white artwork. The most eye- catching items were the white, silk drapes that hung from the edge of each windowpane and covered the far wall. The drapes seemed to melt seamlessly into the marble on the floor.
"Lex, this is amazing," Lana couldn't think of any other word for it.
"My mother decorated the penthouse and I just left it. I guess it's retro now," he joked, but every time he stepped in here, he was reminded of his mother and how much he missed her. He could still recall sitting on the steps and watching her direct the decorators around the rooms, making sure each space was just as she wanted it.
His father had only been back here once or twice since she'd died; declaring he'd always hated the place, so why come here now? But Lex loved it and had lived here until moving to Smallville. He kept this penthouse and stayed here when he came to town, never with his father. He liked the memories of his mother here much better.
"I'm sorry. Is it hard for you to be here?" Lana was staring at him, seeing his sadness and offering sympathy. She'd unconsciously moved closer to him and gently laid her tiny hand on his arm.
"No, it makes me remember her. I can see her here, moving around and laughing and talking," he replied softly, gazing at Lana, who almost seemed to be part of the decorations. She was small and dark against the large, white starkness, but just as perfect.
"That's nice. I don't really have those tangible memories of my parents." She blinked away tears, not quite sure for whom she cried, herself or Lex.
"What memories do you have?" Lex asked in a soft, almost reverent, tone, afraid to break the spell that was surrounding them.
"Well, I remember feelings, warmth and fun. Happiness mainly. Smells too, my mom smelled like roses, always like roses. I remember that my dad used to hug me so tight I thought I couldn't breath and how safe that felt."
Lex knew even though she was looking right at him, she wasn't seeing him, but recalling each, precious memory. Her eyes were very dark and cloudy and far away. He slowly lifted his hand and gently ran a finger down her cheek, wiping away a stray tear that had escaped. His touch seemed to bring her back to the present and she focused on him once again.
"Lex," Lana whispered in a soft, inviting voice. He felt himself being pulled into her and knew that he should stop himself, but couldn't, honestly, didn't want to. Lex leaned down slightly, his eyes riveted to her parted lips, which were waiting for his to capture them. Somewhere an alarm went off in his head, but he ignored it.
Lana leaned further toward Lex, willing him not to stop, but to come to her. She wanted him so much; she was afraid that she would really cry if he stopped. Her heart pounded like a drum in her chest and her hands shook slightly, so she gripped his arm tighter, digging her nails into the soft folds of his leather coat.
Just before his lips touched hers, he stopped and tried to gain some kind of control. "Lana, this is not a good idea," he breathed the words into her waiting mouth.
"I think it's a great idea. The best one I've had in a long time," she whispered back.
Lex knew that something wasn't right about this, but his foggy brain couldn't figure out what it was. What about Clark, he finally asked himself?
Clark! Lex pulled back and stepped away from Lana and took a few, deep breaths. Too close, he berated himself.
"Lex, what . what is that noise?" she hissed already missing his heat close to her.
"What noise... oh damn, the alarm, I knew that I forgot something," he spun around and walked to the wall pad where he punched in the code to deactivate the alarm system. He knew that a security team would be there any minute.
"You can use the room down at the end of the hall, so why don't you go and get settled? Security should be here to check the alarm," Lex threw at Lana over his shoulder, not wanting to face her just yet.
Lana wanted to say something that would call that moment back, but she knew that it was gone. For now, she amended silently as Lex strode away to answer the questioning guards that had just stepped out of the elevator. She grabbed her bags and went down the hallway that Lex had indicated.
The room was incredible and Lana never wanted to leave it. It was as white as the living room with a huge, four-poster bed draped in white gauze and white lace. Lana jumped up on it and laid back, spreading her arms wide, but still not touching the sides of the large bed. She idly wondered what Lex's room looked like. Was it all white like this one or was it the one room that was different, that stood out? She smiled wickedly to herself as she imagined how flustered he would be if she walked in there right now and stretched out on his bed. What had gotten into her, she wondered? None of this was like her. Not the being attracted to Lex part, it was impossible not to be, but acting on it, that was definitely not her.
But somehow, here and now, she didn't care if it was like her or not. She didn't want to be the good girl who everyone knew in Smallville, angelic, sweet, boringly perfect Lana. She didn't want to be predictable or practical; she didn't want to be the girl who only had pastels in her closet. She wanted to be the woman who was going out with Lex Luthor tonight, who belonged in Metropolis.
Lana jumped off the bed, grabbed her bags and began to unpack. She had several things that needed to be hung up, so she headed towards the closet with them. When she saw that the closet was as big as her room at home, she gaped in astonishment. Lex had said that most clubs didn't get started until late, so they could grab a bite first and then, see whichever group she wanted to first.
She spent a good, ten minutes trying to decide which dress she should wear out. Lana finally selected the one that she thought would be the most appropriate. She smiled to herself in the bathroom mirror as she imagined each second of tonight.
*************************************
Lex slammed the bedroom door harder than he'd intended to. Whatever was going on was way out of control as far as he was concerned. First, he had somehow gotten talked in to bringing Lana with him to Metropolis when he'd only wanted to come in order to insure that the serum was delivered to Lionel. Then, he'd gotten drawn in to a dangerous conversation with her about what had or hadn't happened last year. And, last, but most certainly not least, there'd been the almost-kiss in the entranceway.
It was just being here and talking about his mother that had made him so vulnerable, he tried to convince himself. Of course, Lana staring at him with those big, brown eyes and leaning into him like that hadn't helped. Then, there was the way that she'd whispered his name and dug her nails into his arm.
"Dammit!," he cursed. This wasn't getting things under control. He was tempted to just turn around and take Lana back to the relative safety of Smallville right now, but that would tell her that he couldn't restrain himself and he most assuredly could. His father had always told him never to show weakness and Lex believed that, especially when it came to women.
"Okay, so just do it then. Dinner and a nice, crowded, noisy club is sounding better all the time," he reasoned as he stalked toward the closet and pulled out some black trousers and a dark gray sweater.
As he got ready, things began to look less grim. What had happened before was just one of those things, one of those movie things. The setting was perfect and they had both gotten carried away. If he knew Lana, she was probably hiding in the closet, afraid to face him now. She would be as embarrassed as he was annoyed and he would tell her to forget about it and it would be over.
As Lex smoothed his slacks, he felt much better about everything. It was just one of those things, nothing to really worry about, he decided. He grabbed his cell phone and wallet, opened the door and strode out in to the living room. The lights were off and as he went to flip them on, a movement by the windows caught his eye.
"Lana?" he called out her name in the dark room. His eyes adjusted and he realized that she was standing on the balcony and the curtains blowing in the wind was the movement that he'd seen.
"You can see every light in Metropolis from here. But don't turn on the lights, come and look." Lana held out her hand and motioned him to join her.
Lex hadn't really ever stood on the balcony and stared at the lights; he didn't see the point. But he didn't want to be rude, so he shrugged and went out on to the balcony, positioning himself several feet behind Lana.
Without turning around, Lana proceeded to point out different buildings and what they were. She sounded just like a tour guide, but Lex hardly heard a word that she was saying. As Lana spoke, his eyes wandered up from the high heels with the tiny, ankle straps on her feet to the sheer, black hose that encased her shapely legs to the hem of her silky, black dress which hit well above her knees. The smooth fabric clung provocatively to her soft curves all the way up to where the dress dipped below her lower back, exposing a tantalizing amount of smooth, sunkissed skin.
Her dark, glossy hair hung loose and straight down her back and Lex had the irresistible urge to reach out and stroke it. So much for getting things under control, he admonished himself.
"Are you ready to go?" he asked more harshly than he'd intended.
Lana stopped mid-speech, whirling around to face him, and Lex instantly wished that he'd kept his mouth shut. The dress was just as form-fitting in the front as it was in the back, but it covered flesh rather than exposed it, reaching up around her neck and concealing her slender arms with long, flared sleeves. The style should have been modest. However, it was anything but. It teased and promised a number of untold delights.
"Is something wrong?" Lana asked uncertainly. She wasn't sure why, but Lex looked angry and dangerous, which was not part of her plan for tonight.
"No, nothing, let's go," Lex barked and turned around without waiting to see if Lana had followed him. When he reached the elevator, he turned back and saw that she was still standing on the balcony. Damn, he cursed to himself. Most people jumped when he used that tone; he had modeled it perfectly after his father's.
"Lana, are you ready?" he tried again, gesturing toward the elevator.
Lana just tilted her head to the side as she spread her arms and leaned back against the balcony railing. "No, I'm not."
Lex tossed his coat over the chair as he stalked back on to the balcony to face her.
"Alright, Lana, you win. Whatever it is, I'm confused, totally confused." Lex threw up his hands in surrender.
"Win? Is this a game, Lex? Did I know we were playing?" Lana laughed and leaned her head back so that she could see the stars.
"Did you know . you started it! What is with that dress, Lana? I know that it isn't yours. They don't even sell anything like that in Smallville."
Lana dropped her head back down and slowly flicked her tongue over her lips before answering, "So, do you like the dress or don't you? I can't tell."
"Do I . Lana, I swear, I will put you back in that car ."
"You sound like your father again, Lex," she interrupted.
"Yea, well, I sure don't feel like it," he countered, hoping that she would get the point and stop staring at him like she was a cat and he was a big, fat mouse. He was used to being the predator, not the prey.
But she didn't look away; her eyes stayed locked on his. "Good, I don't want you to feel like that either."
Lana waited to see how Lex would answer, but he didn't. He just stood before her, returning her brazen gaze. Finally, he shoved his hands in to his pockets and asked in a cool voice, "What do you want me to feel, Lana?"
"I want you to want me, Lex. As much as I want you," she responded honestly.
He should have been prepared for her frank reply. But he'd thought that when he'd put it to her bluntly that she would back down. He was stunned that she hadn't and equally stunned by her words 'Want her?' Was she kidding? "Since when, Lana? This is a little out of character, isn't it?"
"Out of character for whom Lex? The sweet girl who never does or says anything she really means or wants or the one who wants something and goes after it?" Lana let her arms drop away from the railing and tilted her head to the side.
"I don't think that it's so wildly out of character. I wanted The Talon saved and I got it, I wanted to come to Metropolis with you and here I am, I want you and well .," she trailed off suggestively, letting her eyes drop to his mouth.
"What about Clark, Lana?" Lex used the best weapon in his arsenal to deflect Lana's advances. He figured that its chances of success were good since it was the same argument that he used with himself every time that he had a stray thought about Lana.
"What about him? I like Clark, very much, he's sweet and nice and has impeccable timing. He's cute too, but I'm not with him, my choice as well as his, I guess. So, what about him?" Lana queried as she slowly walked towards Lex.
Lex struggled mightily to retain his composure. "He's crazy about you, Lana, has been since I met him. And just because you two have had some . obstacles along the way that doesn't mean that his feelings have changed."
Lana listened to Lex tell her why what she wanted was wrong, but noticed that he didn't back away as she got closer to him and knew that this was a good sign.
"I can't help that. Like I said, I care about Clark and if things were different, then I might not want to be here with you. But I do. If things were different, then I might not be so attracted to you either. But they aren't," she concluded softly as she stopped in front of him and laid a hand on his chest.
Lex didn't wait to decide or to stop himself. He reached down and ran his hand along her cheek and his thumb over her parted lips just before he leaned down and closed his own over her's. Her body molded to his and her hands went around his neck so that she could pull herself up on tiptoe.
Lex slid his other hand around Lana's waist and steadied her against him, pulling her tighter into him as he did. Lana moaned as his probing tongue touched her's, hot and invading. His mouth slanted again and again over hers, while his hand tangled in her hair. She felt like she was falling and loved it. It wasn't like anything that she'd experienced with Whitney or even the few times that Clark had kissed her. It was hungry and demanding. She couldn't just sit back and watch, Lex made her participate, demanded it of her. It was overwhelming and she loved it.
Lana ran her hands over Lex's shoulders and felt the muscles strain and stretch the fabric of the sweater. She moved one hand down the arm he had wrapped around her waist, squeezing any time he loosened his grasp on her a little. The other hand traveled of its own volition up his shoulder to his neck and then, to his head. She was used to the feel of hair sliding between her fingers, but this was different. Lex's head was soft and smooth and Lana loved the feel of it under her hands.
When she ran her nails lightly along the base of his skull, he groaned into her mouth. She chuckled at his reaction. "Sorry, I have to remember that one."
"Remember what?" Lex lifted his head and stared at Lana's swollen lips, swollen from his thorough ravishment of them, he reminded himself.
Lex dropped his hands from her and backed away a few steps. "That was a big mistake . it's just the whole setting, the balcony at night, that's all."
Lex wanted to retreat to his room and gain a little control after that kiss. It had left him shaken and that wasn't good. He had been with a lot of women; he had attracted them for a long time. Some had been attracted to him, but most to who he was and his money and position. He had quickly learned to separate the two and realized that most fell into the latter category, no matter what they said.
But this was different; Lana had never been impressed with his name or with his money and position. He knew that she wasn't standing there, lips parted, eyes glazed because she wanted his money. He knew it was because she wanted him and truth be told he wasn't too comfortable with that.
Lana could tell that Lex was already regretting the kiss, probably thinking of Clark again, she mused.
"Okay, if you say so. I'm starved. Are you ready?" she sauntered past him, grabbed her shawl from the sofa, and continued to the elevator, not daring to look and see if Lex was staring at her or not.
"I never asked where we're staying?" Lana saw so many big hotels; she just knew that wherever Lex stayed, it would be the best one.
"Sorry, not at one of those, I hate hotels. I have a place here in town; we're staying there." Lex maneuvered the silver car down another street and pulled up to the largest building Lana had seen so far. It was all glass and steel and had to be well over 100 stories tall.
"90 floors actually, leaving off the 13th, of course," Lex answered her unasked question.
"Wow, this is amazing. How far can you see from the top?" she inquired a little breathlessly as Lex swung the car into the valet drop off.
"I don't know. I've never checked. You'll have to tell me."
The valet rushed forward to open Lana's door and help her out of the car. Lex pulled the three bags out of the back seat and handed them to the valet along with the keys.
"Mr. Luthor, so good to see you again, sir." Lana watched as the valet fawned over Lex, who peeled off some bills for the man without even a glance.
"This is Ms. Lang. She'll be staying here for a few days on business," Lex informed the doorman, who had rushed forward to take the bags from the valet.
"Very good, sir. Ms. Lang, I'm Phillip and if you need anything while you're here, just let me know," the doorman told her as he hit the elevator button for them.
"Thanks, Phillip, I'll remember that," Lana smiled at him as she stepped in to the elevator. Lex followed a few steps behind her.
Lex hit the appropriate button and Lana eagerly peeked around to see what floor they were going to. Lex must have seen her because he leaned a little to his side, effectively blocking her view of the number pad.
"Lex, stop it." She grabbed his shoulders and leaned around him, laughing. "The top floor, we're on the 90th floor?" she sputtered as he chuckled softly at her.
"Yes, my father says that the view is always better from the top down, not the other way around, so the top floor it is."
Lex was amazed that she could change so fast. Here in the elevator she was like a child, excited about getting a new toy. He wondered where the coy, flirtatious woman in his car had gone and if she would be back. That Lana made him nervous, but he kind of liked it.
The elevator doors slid open noiselessly as a soft chime sounded their arrival at the top floor. Lana didn't know what to expect, but was stunned anyway. She was greeted by marble and leather and full-length windows along the far wall. Lana knew that she was gawking like the small town girl that she was, but she couldn't help herself. She staggered off the elevator and let her gaze follow the two, huge, marble columns up and up; it seemed like they would never end. The ceilings had to be at least 16 feet tall.
Lana had to walk up three steps just to get to the landing for the living room and was amazed at what she saw; everything was white. White marble floors and white furniture. White walls with white artwork. The most eye- catching items were the white, silk drapes that hung from the edge of each windowpane and covered the far wall. The drapes seemed to melt seamlessly into the marble on the floor.
"Lex, this is amazing," Lana couldn't think of any other word for it.
"My mother decorated the penthouse and I just left it. I guess it's retro now," he joked, but every time he stepped in here, he was reminded of his mother and how much he missed her. He could still recall sitting on the steps and watching her direct the decorators around the rooms, making sure each space was just as she wanted it.
His father had only been back here once or twice since she'd died; declaring he'd always hated the place, so why come here now? But Lex loved it and had lived here until moving to Smallville. He kept this penthouse and stayed here when he came to town, never with his father. He liked the memories of his mother here much better.
"I'm sorry. Is it hard for you to be here?" Lana was staring at him, seeing his sadness and offering sympathy. She'd unconsciously moved closer to him and gently laid her tiny hand on his arm.
"No, it makes me remember her. I can see her here, moving around and laughing and talking," he replied softly, gazing at Lana, who almost seemed to be part of the decorations. She was small and dark against the large, white starkness, but just as perfect.
"That's nice. I don't really have those tangible memories of my parents." She blinked away tears, not quite sure for whom she cried, herself or Lex.
"What memories do you have?" Lex asked in a soft, almost reverent, tone, afraid to break the spell that was surrounding them.
"Well, I remember feelings, warmth and fun. Happiness mainly. Smells too, my mom smelled like roses, always like roses. I remember that my dad used to hug me so tight I thought I couldn't breath and how safe that felt."
Lex knew even though she was looking right at him, she wasn't seeing him, but recalling each, precious memory. Her eyes were very dark and cloudy and far away. He slowly lifted his hand and gently ran a finger down her cheek, wiping away a stray tear that had escaped. His touch seemed to bring her back to the present and she focused on him once again.
"Lex," Lana whispered in a soft, inviting voice. He felt himself being pulled into her and knew that he should stop himself, but couldn't, honestly, didn't want to. Lex leaned down slightly, his eyes riveted to her parted lips, which were waiting for his to capture them. Somewhere an alarm went off in his head, but he ignored it.
Lana leaned further toward Lex, willing him not to stop, but to come to her. She wanted him so much; she was afraid that she would really cry if he stopped. Her heart pounded like a drum in her chest and her hands shook slightly, so she gripped his arm tighter, digging her nails into the soft folds of his leather coat.
Just before his lips touched hers, he stopped and tried to gain some kind of control. "Lana, this is not a good idea," he breathed the words into her waiting mouth.
"I think it's a great idea. The best one I've had in a long time," she whispered back.
Lex knew that something wasn't right about this, but his foggy brain couldn't figure out what it was. What about Clark, he finally asked himself?
Clark! Lex pulled back and stepped away from Lana and took a few, deep breaths. Too close, he berated himself.
"Lex, what . what is that noise?" she hissed already missing his heat close to her.
"What noise... oh damn, the alarm, I knew that I forgot something," he spun around and walked to the wall pad where he punched in the code to deactivate the alarm system. He knew that a security team would be there any minute.
"You can use the room down at the end of the hall, so why don't you go and get settled? Security should be here to check the alarm," Lex threw at Lana over his shoulder, not wanting to face her just yet.
Lana wanted to say something that would call that moment back, but she knew that it was gone. For now, she amended silently as Lex strode away to answer the questioning guards that had just stepped out of the elevator. She grabbed her bags and went down the hallway that Lex had indicated.
The room was incredible and Lana never wanted to leave it. It was as white as the living room with a huge, four-poster bed draped in white gauze and white lace. Lana jumped up on it and laid back, spreading her arms wide, but still not touching the sides of the large bed. She idly wondered what Lex's room looked like. Was it all white like this one or was it the one room that was different, that stood out? She smiled wickedly to herself as she imagined how flustered he would be if she walked in there right now and stretched out on his bed. What had gotten into her, she wondered? None of this was like her. Not the being attracted to Lex part, it was impossible not to be, but acting on it, that was definitely not her.
But somehow, here and now, she didn't care if it was like her or not. She didn't want to be the good girl who everyone knew in Smallville, angelic, sweet, boringly perfect Lana. She didn't want to be predictable or practical; she didn't want to be the girl who only had pastels in her closet. She wanted to be the woman who was going out with Lex Luthor tonight, who belonged in Metropolis.
Lana jumped off the bed, grabbed her bags and began to unpack. She had several things that needed to be hung up, so she headed towards the closet with them. When she saw that the closet was as big as her room at home, she gaped in astonishment. Lex had said that most clubs didn't get started until late, so they could grab a bite first and then, see whichever group she wanted to first.
She spent a good, ten minutes trying to decide which dress she should wear out. Lana finally selected the one that she thought would be the most appropriate. She smiled to herself in the bathroom mirror as she imagined each second of tonight.
*************************************
Lex slammed the bedroom door harder than he'd intended to. Whatever was going on was way out of control as far as he was concerned. First, he had somehow gotten talked in to bringing Lana with him to Metropolis when he'd only wanted to come in order to insure that the serum was delivered to Lionel. Then, he'd gotten drawn in to a dangerous conversation with her about what had or hadn't happened last year. And, last, but most certainly not least, there'd been the almost-kiss in the entranceway.
It was just being here and talking about his mother that had made him so vulnerable, he tried to convince himself. Of course, Lana staring at him with those big, brown eyes and leaning into him like that hadn't helped. Then, there was the way that she'd whispered his name and dug her nails into his arm.
"Dammit!," he cursed. This wasn't getting things under control. He was tempted to just turn around and take Lana back to the relative safety of Smallville right now, but that would tell her that he couldn't restrain himself and he most assuredly could. His father had always told him never to show weakness and Lex believed that, especially when it came to women.
"Okay, so just do it then. Dinner and a nice, crowded, noisy club is sounding better all the time," he reasoned as he stalked toward the closet and pulled out some black trousers and a dark gray sweater.
As he got ready, things began to look less grim. What had happened before was just one of those things, one of those movie things. The setting was perfect and they had both gotten carried away. If he knew Lana, she was probably hiding in the closet, afraid to face him now. She would be as embarrassed as he was annoyed and he would tell her to forget about it and it would be over.
As Lex smoothed his slacks, he felt much better about everything. It was just one of those things, nothing to really worry about, he decided. He grabbed his cell phone and wallet, opened the door and strode out in to the living room. The lights were off and as he went to flip them on, a movement by the windows caught his eye.
"Lana?" he called out her name in the dark room. His eyes adjusted and he realized that she was standing on the balcony and the curtains blowing in the wind was the movement that he'd seen.
"You can see every light in Metropolis from here. But don't turn on the lights, come and look." Lana held out her hand and motioned him to join her.
Lex hadn't really ever stood on the balcony and stared at the lights; he didn't see the point. But he didn't want to be rude, so he shrugged and went out on to the balcony, positioning himself several feet behind Lana.
Without turning around, Lana proceeded to point out different buildings and what they were. She sounded just like a tour guide, but Lex hardly heard a word that she was saying. As Lana spoke, his eyes wandered up from the high heels with the tiny, ankle straps on her feet to the sheer, black hose that encased her shapely legs to the hem of her silky, black dress which hit well above her knees. The smooth fabric clung provocatively to her soft curves all the way up to where the dress dipped below her lower back, exposing a tantalizing amount of smooth, sunkissed skin.
Her dark, glossy hair hung loose and straight down her back and Lex had the irresistible urge to reach out and stroke it. So much for getting things under control, he admonished himself.
"Are you ready to go?" he asked more harshly than he'd intended.
Lana stopped mid-speech, whirling around to face him, and Lex instantly wished that he'd kept his mouth shut. The dress was just as form-fitting in the front as it was in the back, but it covered flesh rather than exposed it, reaching up around her neck and concealing her slender arms with long, flared sleeves. The style should have been modest. However, it was anything but. It teased and promised a number of untold delights.
"Is something wrong?" Lana asked uncertainly. She wasn't sure why, but Lex looked angry and dangerous, which was not part of her plan for tonight.
"No, nothing, let's go," Lex barked and turned around without waiting to see if Lana had followed him. When he reached the elevator, he turned back and saw that she was still standing on the balcony. Damn, he cursed to himself. Most people jumped when he used that tone; he had modeled it perfectly after his father's.
"Lana, are you ready?" he tried again, gesturing toward the elevator.
Lana just tilted her head to the side as she spread her arms and leaned back against the balcony railing. "No, I'm not."
Lex tossed his coat over the chair as he stalked back on to the balcony to face her.
"Alright, Lana, you win. Whatever it is, I'm confused, totally confused." Lex threw up his hands in surrender.
"Win? Is this a game, Lex? Did I know we were playing?" Lana laughed and leaned her head back so that she could see the stars.
"Did you know . you started it! What is with that dress, Lana? I know that it isn't yours. They don't even sell anything like that in Smallville."
Lana dropped her head back down and slowly flicked her tongue over her lips before answering, "So, do you like the dress or don't you? I can't tell."
"Do I . Lana, I swear, I will put you back in that car ."
"You sound like your father again, Lex," she interrupted.
"Yea, well, I sure don't feel like it," he countered, hoping that she would get the point and stop staring at him like she was a cat and he was a big, fat mouse. He was used to being the predator, not the prey.
But she didn't look away; her eyes stayed locked on his. "Good, I don't want you to feel like that either."
Lana waited to see how Lex would answer, but he didn't. He just stood before her, returning her brazen gaze. Finally, he shoved his hands in to his pockets and asked in a cool voice, "What do you want me to feel, Lana?"
"I want you to want me, Lex. As much as I want you," she responded honestly.
He should have been prepared for her frank reply. But he'd thought that when he'd put it to her bluntly that she would back down. He was stunned that she hadn't and equally stunned by her words 'Want her?' Was she kidding? "Since when, Lana? This is a little out of character, isn't it?"
"Out of character for whom Lex? The sweet girl who never does or says anything she really means or wants or the one who wants something and goes after it?" Lana let her arms drop away from the railing and tilted her head to the side.
"I don't think that it's so wildly out of character. I wanted The Talon saved and I got it, I wanted to come to Metropolis with you and here I am, I want you and well .," she trailed off suggestively, letting her eyes drop to his mouth.
"What about Clark, Lana?" Lex used the best weapon in his arsenal to deflect Lana's advances. He figured that its chances of success were good since it was the same argument that he used with himself every time that he had a stray thought about Lana.
"What about him? I like Clark, very much, he's sweet and nice and has impeccable timing. He's cute too, but I'm not with him, my choice as well as his, I guess. So, what about him?" Lana queried as she slowly walked towards Lex.
Lex struggled mightily to retain his composure. "He's crazy about you, Lana, has been since I met him. And just because you two have had some . obstacles along the way that doesn't mean that his feelings have changed."
Lana listened to Lex tell her why what she wanted was wrong, but noticed that he didn't back away as she got closer to him and knew that this was a good sign.
"I can't help that. Like I said, I care about Clark and if things were different, then I might not want to be here with you. But I do. If things were different, then I might not be so attracted to you either. But they aren't," she concluded softly as she stopped in front of him and laid a hand on his chest.
Lex didn't wait to decide or to stop himself. He reached down and ran his hand along her cheek and his thumb over her parted lips just before he leaned down and closed his own over her's. Her body molded to his and her hands went around his neck so that she could pull herself up on tiptoe.
Lex slid his other hand around Lana's waist and steadied her against him, pulling her tighter into him as he did. Lana moaned as his probing tongue touched her's, hot and invading. His mouth slanted again and again over hers, while his hand tangled in her hair. She felt like she was falling and loved it. It wasn't like anything that she'd experienced with Whitney or even the few times that Clark had kissed her. It was hungry and demanding. She couldn't just sit back and watch, Lex made her participate, demanded it of her. It was overwhelming and she loved it.
Lana ran her hands over Lex's shoulders and felt the muscles strain and stretch the fabric of the sweater. She moved one hand down the arm he had wrapped around her waist, squeezing any time he loosened his grasp on her a little. The other hand traveled of its own volition up his shoulder to his neck and then, to his head. She was used to the feel of hair sliding between her fingers, but this was different. Lex's head was soft and smooth and Lana loved the feel of it under her hands.
When she ran her nails lightly along the base of his skull, he groaned into her mouth. She chuckled at his reaction. "Sorry, I have to remember that one."
"Remember what?" Lex lifted his head and stared at Lana's swollen lips, swollen from his thorough ravishment of them, he reminded himself.
Lex dropped his hands from her and backed away a few steps. "That was a big mistake . it's just the whole setting, the balcony at night, that's all."
Lex wanted to retreat to his room and gain a little control after that kiss. It had left him shaken and that wasn't good. He had been with a lot of women; he had attracted them for a long time. Some had been attracted to him, but most to who he was and his money and position. He had quickly learned to separate the two and realized that most fell into the latter category, no matter what they said.
But this was different; Lana had never been impressed with his name or with his money and position. He knew that she wasn't standing there, lips parted, eyes glazed because she wanted his money. He knew it was because she wanted him and truth be told he wasn't too comfortable with that.
Lana could tell that Lex was already regretting the kiss, probably thinking of Clark again, she mused.
"Okay, if you say so. I'm starved. Are you ready?" she sauntered past him, grabbed her shawl from the sofa, and continued to the elevator, not daring to look and see if Lex was staring at her or not.