Chapter ten: Pardon My French



Chloe Sullivan watched as an array of emotions flashed over Lex's face. First surprise, then realization, followed closely by a sheepish look.

'Well, as sheepish as Lex Luthor can get, I suppose,' she thought to herself, not quite believing how adorable the man looked right now. "What did you think I was talking about?" She questioned, wondering what had been going on in his head that a simple revelation could get such an interesting response from him.

This jerked him out of his reverie, and his head snapped up to stare at her as his brain tried to process what she had just said. "What? I-uh…," clearing his throat, he stood up, offering her a hand. "How did this happen?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

Chloe eyed the man with a hint of amusement. "Very subtly, Mr Luthor. But this once, I'll let it slide." Taking his hand, she got to her feet, holding onto him just a bit longer than necessary. "After all, you did Speedy Gonzales all the way over here. As for how Mac was sent to pc-heaven…," she trailed off, shuffling her feet nervously. "You wouldn't believe me if I told ya."

Lex just nodded, not really listening, too busy reminding himself of the calls he had to cancel now that the situation was under control (his ego didn't allow him to think of the situation as non-existing). Finally glancing at the blonde, he could see that she was staring at the ex-computer. Instinctively, he told her. "I'll buy you a new one."

Chloe frowned up at him. "I wasn't worrying about that, but thanks."

"Then what were you?"

"Was I what?"

"Worrying about."

Walking past him, she opened a few windows, trying to get the smell of burned plastic out of the office. "All the articles of the next Torch edition were on that pc. There's no way we're gonna get everything finished before the deadline."

Lex felt something tug at his heart as he saw the defeated look on the young woman's face. Normally, it wouldn't have made any difference to him if some school paper got into trouble, but he knew how much she cared for the Torch. Her Torch. "I've never know you as a quitter, Miss Sullivan," he remarked, mentally kicking himself for automatically switching back to formal names.

Leaning against the desk in front of him, she accidentily took his comment the wrong way and gave him an angry look. "What am I supposed to do? What can I possibly scrape together in two days? Let's say that I miraculously manage to fill a whole edition! It would be sh#t! Pardon my French, but come on!" She said, quickly turning from slightly depressed to downright irritated. Her hair flipped from side to side as she motioned wildly in the air, talking with her hands in that passionate way of hers, and Lex could feel himself becoming turned on by the fire in her eyes. "The Principle is gonna love taking my baby away from me. He already thinks of it as crap! What were his exact words again? Ah yes: 'It's a disgrace to Smallville High and it's a wonder that people even read this ridiculous excuse of a school paper.' That ass! Do you think it's crap?"

All he could do was shake his head dumbly. He had to get her to calm down, because his body was having an, although not unpleasant, rather inappropriate effect to the way her chest heaved as the delicious blonde in front of him continued on with her heated rambling. "Maybe I can help."

Taking a deep breath, she just stared at him like he had just said the most absurd thing in the history of Smallville. "You should loosen that tie because it's cutting off the oxygen to your brain, Luthor. Don't you hate reporters? And now you're suggesting you do some reporting of your own?" She huffed. "Excuse me for being skeptic, but this is not something I hear everyday."

"Actually," he replied, correcting her. "I had something else in mind."

Narrowing her eyes, Chloe eyes him suspiciously. "And what, pray tell, does the great Lex Luthor have in mind?"

A small smirk crept upon his handsome features. "An interview."

"You're offering me an interview?" she asked in disbelief, not quite trusting her own hearing. This only served to widen his smirk.

"A long interview. We want to fill the Torch, right?"

'I can think of something else you can fill.' She frowned inwardly. "Where the hell did that come from!?' "Right."

"When did you say the deadline was?"

"Four PM tomorrow."

"I can't tonight. I have business in Metropolis, so in the morning-"

Chloe cut him off. "But what about school?"

Raising an eyebrow, he asked her with false hurt. "You'd rather be in school than spend time with me?"

"Nooo," she stretched, soudning slighty annoyed. "It's just that I'm surprised that Lex Luthor would openly admit to corrupting an innocent girl."

He let out a laugh. "Miss Sullivan, you are neither innocent, nor a girl anymore."

Chloe glared at him, but couldn't help but feel proud that he didn't think of her as some little girl, but as a woman. Granted, young, but a woman nevertheless. "So, when should I come?"

Images of her 'coming' flashed through his mind, and he had to bite back a groan. "How about ten AM? Would that work for you?"

"Yes, it would."

By this time, he was already halfway to the door. "It's a date," he said; back still towards her to hide the large smile that had taken over his features. "Till then, Miss Sullivan."

"Yeah, till then." Just as she sat down behind her desk, her attention was once again pulled towards the doorway.

"Oh, and Miss Sullivan?"

"Yes?"

"Have a good night."

Matching his smirk with one of her own, she nodded. "You too, Mr Luthor."

And he was gone.



TBC

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