A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Sorry this hasn't been updated.
It was 6:59, and Chloe found herself running around frantically trying to find her other black pump. Finally she found it, next to the bathtub. The bell rang at exactly 7:00, and she cursed Ethan for being so punctual. "Coming!"
She opened the door and gave a shaky smile. "Ethan, I'm almost ready . . ." Her words stuck in her throat as she took in his appearance. He looked . . . nice. Ethan had on a black tux and she took a deep breath. Boys in tuxes always got to her.
Ethan was thinking the same thing. Chloe was wearing a lower cut, dark purple dress with a dangerously high hemline.
She had bought the dress on a splurge. Chloe would have never worn it usually, but things with Ethan were different. She wanted to impress him.
He held out the freshly picked daisies as an offering to her. "You didn't seem like a red rose kind of girl. More like a breath of fresh air."
She buried her face in the flowers, trying hard to conceal the blush spreading on her cheeks. "Not to sound unoriginal, but I'll go put these in water."
Chloe turned and headed quickly toward the bathroom tap. With no vase in sight, she stuck the daisies in a clear plastic cup and filled it with water.
She spotted her purse lying on her bed and made a grab for it. Ethan held out his arm, and she took it gratefully. Her pumps weren't the easiest to walk in.
Chloe attempted a confident smile. "So, where to?"
He grinned, and Chloe saw something mischievous in his eyes. "Well, I thought we would head on over to this great restaurant. The best in town. It's always hoppin'."
Ethan put his two fingers to his mouth to give an earsplitting whistle. No cab gave any intention of slowing.
Chloe patted Ethan on the chest, and said, "Step aside."
She waved her hand in a wave. "Yoo-hoo! Taxi!"
A taxi from the farthest lane away from them cut across three lanes to come to a stop directly in front of them. The driver was a man of about 65, and he tipped his hat to them. "Evenin'."
Ethan shook his head ruefully. "Sometimes, being a woman looks pretty appealing." At Chloe's look, he wiggled his eyebrows up and down and helped her get in. "Then again, maybe not."
Ethan gave the driver instructions and settled back against the seat. The drive lasted about 20 minutes, but Chloe was entertained the entire way there. Ethan told her about his crazy family coming in to town. By the time they pulled up to the restaurant, Chloe's sides ached from laughing so hard. She gasped, trying to catch her breath. "Stop! I can't laugh anymore!" Her laughter died away as she saw where they had arrived. "Where are we?"
They had pulled up to a restaurant, yet it just looked like a very large house. The paint was peeling, and the sign looked cracked. Chloe felt just a tremor of apprehension. Ethan saw the feelings that floated across her face, and took her hand firmly, pulling her out of the taxi. "Trust me, you'll like it."
Ethan hadn't lied about the place being popular. People were crowding the doorways, waiting for a table. The noise was boisterous, and Chloe had the distinct impression of being home.
The waitress instantly recognized them. "Mr. Sommerlan, your table is right this way."
She led them to the best table in the place, the one in the corner away from some of the noise. She pulled out her pad, and said, "So, what would you two lovebirds like?"
Chloe blushed. Ethan still hadn't let go of her hand. "We'll start out with a plate of nachos. If that's ok?" His question was directed at Chloe, and she nodded. "And I want a beer. Chloe?"
She thought carefully, and then smiled. "I'll take some coffee, black."
Ethan laughed when the waitress had left. "Do I have a coffee junkie on my hands?"
Chloe grinned. "You caught me. I'm dying because I've only had one cup all day."
The food and drinks were brought out promptly. Chloe felt herself relax in the comfortable atmosphere. People came by that Ethan knew, and he laughed and joked with each of them. A little boy ran by, slipped, and fell hard on the ground.
Ethan was instantly out of his seat, checking the kid over. The kid looked more stunned than hurt. Ethan gave him a manly handshake, and pronounced him ok. The little boy smiled, continued on his journey, and Ethan sat back down as if nothing had happened.
Chloe sipped her coffee and observed. She observed the way his arm fit around her shoulders. She observed how he talked to everyone that stopped by with kindness. Finally, she observed how the strange feeling kept growing inside of her, and she felt like her heart would burst. When they left, her head drifted to his shoulder, and stayed there.
Chloe felt like a teenager with a crush. They talked of more serious things now, like of Clark/Superman and of Chloe's mom. When he walked her up to her hotel room, she was reluctant to go inside.
Ethan smiled. "Well, I delivered you to your room, safe and sound."
Almost in a dream, Chloe leaned over and kissed Ethan full on the mouth. It was soft and sweet, yet it heated her entire body and made her heart sigh. When they pulled apart a few moments later, Ethan gave a shaky laugh. "What was that for?" Chloe still realized her hand lay in his.
"For making that kid who fell feel better when no one else did. For taking me to a restaurant that reminded me of home. For letting me forget everything that has happened recently, and for giving me butterflies in my stomach, which hasn't happened in a long time."
Ethan let a small smile play across his features. "That's a pretty long list. I think it deserves another kiss."
She gave him what he deserved. By the time she looked at her watch, it was 11:30. "So, I'll see you at the Planet?"
He nodded. "I'll be there." Showing a great effort, he released her hand. Chloe opened the hotel door slowly and entered into the comforts of her hotel room.
The TV was still blaring from when she had left it on, and the room was ice- cold, but she didn't notice a thing. She slid down the door until she was sitting on the cold hotel floor, not worried about her dress.
Chloe thought about all she had experienced that night, and sighed loudly. She set the alarm on the clock and got into bed, positive that she would experience some wonderful dreams.
Chloe was asleep minutes later. Even in sleep, she was smiling.
A/N: It turned out more lovey-dovey than I planned, but Chloe and Ethan deserved their own chapter. Oh well, I think it's pretty darn good. Review.
It was 6:59, and Chloe found herself running around frantically trying to find her other black pump. Finally she found it, next to the bathtub. The bell rang at exactly 7:00, and she cursed Ethan for being so punctual. "Coming!"
She opened the door and gave a shaky smile. "Ethan, I'm almost ready . . ." Her words stuck in her throat as she took in his appearance. He looked . . . nice. Ethan had on a black tux and she took a deep breath. Boys in tuxes always got to her.
Ethan was thinking the same thing. Chloe was wearing a lower cut, dark purple dress with a dangerously high hemline.
She had bought the dress on a splurge. Chloe would have never worn it usually, but things with Ethan were different. She wanted to impress him.
He held out the freshly picked daisies as an offering to her. "You didn't seem like a red rose kind of girl. More like a breath of fresh air."
She buried her face in the flowers, trying hard to conceal the blush spreading on her cheeks. "Not to sound unoriginal, but I'll go put these in water."
Chloe turned and headed quickly toward the bathroom tap. With no vase in sight, she stuck the daisies in a clear plastic cup and filled it with water.
She spotted her purse lying on her bed and made a grab for it. Ethan held out his arm, and she took it gratefully. Her pumps weren't the easiest to walk in.
Chloe attempted a confident smile. "So, where to?"
He grinned, and Chloe saw something mischievous in his eyes. "Well, I thought we would head on over to this great restaurant. The best in town. It's always hoppin'."
Ethan put his two fingers to his mouth to give an earsplitting whistle. No cab gave any intention of slowing.
Chloe patted Ethan on the chest, and said, "Step aside."
She waved her hand in a wave. "Yoo-hoo! Taxi!"
A taxi from the farthest lane away from them cut across three lanes to come to a stop directly in front of them. The driver was a man of about 65, and he tipped his hat to them. "Evenin'."
Ethan shook his head ruefully. "Sometimes, being a woman looks pretty appealing." At Chloe's look, he wiggled his eyebrows up and down and helped her get in. "Then again, maybe not."
Ethan gave the driver instructions and settled back against the seat. The drive lasted about 20 minutes, but Chloe was entertained the entire way there. Ethan told her about his crazy family coming in to town. By the time they pulled up to the restaurant, Chloe's sides ached from laughing so hard. She gasped, trying to catch her breath. "Stop! I can't laugh anymore!" Her laughter died away as she saw where they had arrived. "Where are we?"
They had pulled up to a restaurant, yet it just looked like a very large house. The paint was peeling, and the sign looked cracked. Chloe felt just a tremor of apprehension. Ethan saw the feelings that floated across her face, and took her hand firmly, pulling her out of the taxi. "Trust me, you'll like it."
Ethan hadn't lied about the place being popular. People were crowding the doorways, waiting for a table. The noise was boisterous, and Chloe had the distinct impression of being home.
The waitress instantly recognized them. "Mr. Sommerlan, your table is right this way."
She led them to the best table in the place, the one in the corner away from some of the noise. She pulled out her pad, and said, "So, what would you two lovebirds like?"
Chloe blushed. Ethan still hadn't let go of her hand. "We'll start out with a plate of nachos. If that's ok?" His question was directed at Chloe, and she nodded. "And I want a beer. Chloe?"
She thought carefully, and then smiled. "I'll take some coffee, black."
Ethan laughed when the waitress had left. "Do I have a coffee junkie on my hands?"
Chloe grinned. "You caught me. I'm dying because I've only had one cup all day."
The food and drinks were brought out promptly. Chloe felt herself relax in the comfortable atmosphere. People came by that Ethan knew, and he laughed and joked with each of them. A little boy ran by, slipped, and fell hard on the ground.
Ethan was instantly out of his seat, checking the kid over. The kid looked more stunned than hurt. Ethan gave him a manly handshake, and pronounced him ok. The little boy smiled, continued on his journey, and Ethan sat back down as if nothing had happened.
Chloe sipped her coffee and observed. She observed the way his arm fit around her shoulders. She observed how he talked to everyone that stopped by with kindness. Finally, she observed how the strange feeling kept growing inside of her, and she felt like her heart would burst. When they left, her head drifted to his shoulder, and stayed there.
Chloe felt like a teenager with a crush. They talked of more serious things now, like of Clark/Superman and of Chloe's mom. When he walked her up to her hotel room, she was reluctant to go inside.
Ethan smiled. "Well, I delivered you to your room, safe and sound."
Almost in a dream, Chloe leaned over and kissed Ethan full on the mouth. It was soft and sweet, yet it heated her entire body and made her heart sigh. When they pulled apart a few moments later, Ethan gave a shaky laugh. "What was that for?" Chloe still realized her hand lay in his.
"For making that kid who fell feel better when no one else did. For taking me to a restaurant that reminded me of home. For letting me forget everything that has happened recently, and for giving me butterflies in my stomach, which hasn't happened in a long time."
Ethan let a small smile play across his features. "That's a pretty long list. I think it deserves another kiss."
She gave him what he deserved. By the time she looked at her watch, it was 11:30. "So, I'll see you at the Planet?"
He nodded. "I'll be there." Showing a great effort, he released her hand. Chloe opened the hotel door slowly and entered into the comforts of her hotel room.
The TV was still blaring from when she had left it on, and the room was ice- cold, but she didn't notice a thing. She slid down the door until she was sitting on the cold hotel floor, not worried about her dress.
Chloe thought about all she had experienced that night, and sighed loudly. She set the alarm on the clock and got into bed, positive that she would experience some wonderful dreams.
Chloe was asleep minutes later. Even in sleep, she was smiling.
A/N: It turned out more lovey-dovey than I planned, but Chloe and Ethan deserved their own chapter. Oh well, I think it's pretty darn good. Review.