CHAPTER FOUR

Disclaimers in Chapter One

"Why, oh, why in Zeus' name was I cursed with an imbecile for a husband?" Psyche implored the heavens for an answer as Cupid sheepishly looked at her.

"I tried, I swear," he replied, pacing back and forth.  Yet, he made sure that he was a good distance away from his wife for fear of her rather unpredictable temper.

"Well, good job," she said sarcastically, trying not to throw anything at him.  "You hit only one of our targets!  You were supposed to hit her, too."

"I might as well try hitting the Road Runner," he defended himself.  "That girl went all ninja on me when Luthor's ass fell.  All stealthy and shit."  He emphasized on Chloe's speed by waving his hands around frantically.

Psyche glared at him.  "Will you watch your mouth?  It's bad enough that you're proving yourself to be incompetent; I don't need to be given proof that you're uncouth, too."

"Sorry," Cupid mumbled, tucking his hands behind him.  "Look, I'm sorry that our plan didn't go as expected.  I'll figure out a way to hit her when she crosses paths with the billionaire again.  Which I don't doubt given his new found obsession with her."  He grinned in an effort to alleviate Psyche's anger.

Psyche rolled her eyes.  "Besides," he continued slowly.  "What are we going to do with his gold-digging fiancĂ©e?"

"I didn't think of that," she grumbled, frustrated that she did not have all grounds covered.  "Well, we can always set up her up with someone else?"

Cupid stuck his tongue out.  "Honey, the only way that woman is going to be happy is money," he informed his wife.  "Who else in this little circle could possibly have as much money as Lex Luthor?"

Psyche looked at his husband as if he was born yesterday.  "Cupid, three words:  You are slow."

"What do you mean I'm slow?" he demanded with his hands on his hips.

His wife only smiled evilly.  "Well, you are," she declared once again.  "Look, forget about it for now.  I'll tell you later.  Right now, we ought to concentrate more on Chloe."

"Fine," Cupid mumbled.  "But you'll tell me later, right?"

"Yeah, sure."

With that, she waved her hand and looked at the viewing glass again.

"Wait, wait," Lana Lang interjected her best friend's story as she handed her a cup of steaming coffee.  "Did you just say that Lex Luthor, as in co-manager of the Talon Lex Luthor, admitted to falling in love with you?"

Chloe half-smirked, taking the serving of caffeine.  "Yep."

"As in LuthorCorp scion Lex Luthor?"

The reporter responded with an exasperated sigh.  "Lana, how many other Lex Luthors are there in Smallville?"

"Sorry," the brunette mumbled as she leaned on her elbows over the counter.  "I'm just finding it hard to believe.  No offense."

"None taken," Chloe responded.  "I can't believe it, either.  One minute, he's talking to me casually.  Then he passes out, and then bam!  He wakes up in love with me.  How Wall of Weird is that?"

Lana shrugged.  "Very," she said hesitantly.  "Though I'm not that surprised really.  Well, surprised at the delivery, but not at the message."

Chloe stopped in mid-sip.  "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is," the Talon owner explained.  "That I've always sensed some UST between you and Lex."

"UST?"

"Unresolved sexual tension," Lana grinned.

"You've got to be kidding me," Chloe mock-gagged, pushing the cup away in a dramatic show of appetite loss.  "The only tension between that man and me is his fear of reporters."

"Yeah, that's why he was so eager to let you interview him."

"As a favor to Clark," the blonde pointed out. 

"Doubt it," Lana shook her head.  "Lex has a strict policy against reporters.  Even the Talon contracts contain clauses about those things.  I don't think that little interview was a favor to Clark at all."

"You are delusional," Chloe argued.

Her friend shrugged.  "Hey, just calling it as I see it."

"Well, I better see you later before you spout out any more of your crazy theories," Chloe half-joked.  She stepped off the counter stool and walked away.

Lana stared at her friend as she left the Talon.  In her mind was only one thing:  playing matchmaker for Chloe and Lex.