Notes: Yes, I still exist. Sorry its been so long, but I moved and lost track of some things. Anyway, I'm trying to finish this even though my beta reader isn't reading, so any mistakes are mine alone. I'm reading over each of the chapters I have and publishing them as is...if anyone is even still reading... Anyway againI appologise for taking so long to finish.
Debbie
Chapter 7: Playing Life
Back to the story...
Linda, a waitress at the Talon, felt genuine surprise at the sight of the famous Lex Luthor sitting with that annoying girl at table four. She had not worked at the small café very long, but had learned early on that Mr. Luthor was a partner in the small business. The owner was off at college leaving this place in the hands of the manager Jeremy Briskens. But for Mr. Luthor to come here was unprecedented these days, he hardly ever came to town to socialize with locals. The newspapers often showed mature models and socialites on his arm, not dowdy teenagers.
Totally ignored her current patron, Linda avidly watched her newest source of gossip for school the next day practically hold hands. Keeping on eye on table four Linda edged towards Jeremy.
"Hey, who's the girl sitting with Mr. Luthor?"
"Chloe Sullivan, an old friend of the owners. Table six needs a refill, Linda." Absently the manager waved Linda back to work. He knew better than to draw the attention of Lex Luthor.
At table four Chloe shifted uncomfortably. She could feel the heat of Lex's fingers all the way down to the pit of her stomach.
A small smile twitched at the corner of Lex's mouth. "Let's leave this place." Carefully he slipped his large hand around hers. Standing, he tugged her out of the room. Chloe offered no resistance. The little bit of kindness he had show her touched a desperate need in her, no matter the risks.
The bell on the door rang quietly as they pushed through. Outside a cooling breeze playfully ruffled Chloe's hair. Automatically she headed for her own car, but Lex's hand gently tugged her towards his silver Spider. Chloe ran her hand across the smooth finish of the hood, leaving a line in the thin cover of dust.
"Been driving?" Chloe suddenly wanted to hear his voice.
Chloe sat in the silence, absently twisting her fingers. Lex drove his car without the benefit of music. The well-insolated interior of the car made it possible to hear each movement throughout the vehicle. Under her feet Chloe could hear the faint hum the wheels rolling over the road and feel the car hit small potholes. The bright afternoon sun was high in the sky directly in front of the silver car.
Occasional clouds played havoc with Chloe's eyes, making it brighter and dimmer. The movement of Lex's hand briefly caught her attention as he slipped his dark sunglasses on. He also lowered the visor to block more of the bright light.
Nervously Chloe attempted to turn on the radio, but Lex's hand stopped her.
"I like listening to the sound of you." He flashed her a quick smile before turning his attention back to the road. Chloe's eyes flashed wide in surprise, then sinking back into her seat she closed her eyes and tried to listen for the sound that seems to so intrigue Lex. The only thing she could hear at first was the soft hum from the car, more felt than heard, then slowly the sound her own breath slowly rasping. Over the hums she heard the sound of Lex's soft breathing, of his hands sliding over the leather wheel.
After a minute Chloe let all the sounds except for those of Lex faded into the background. With her eyes closed she began to notice more of what seemed to be Lex. Under the oiled scent of leather and car she could smell something that was uniquely Lex. A custom scent, Chloe thought, not something that any other man could ever wear.
Across from her Lex sat with his eyes firmly fixed on the road, stretching out ahead of him. They were already more than half way back to his mansion.
A part of his mind tried to create a reason for him to bring the girl home. It wasn't as if he ever really spoke to her, even when he was friends with Clark. He had read her articles throughout her high school career, always noting that despite the wildness to her tales, the grain of truth was always there for those who could see beyond the boundaries of the everyday.
But this girl had little to do with him personally over the years; she had always just been one of Clark's little friends. The part of himself that was questioning his actions rudely pointed out the only thing he could do to this girl was hurt her in a way that would hurt Clark.
The growing coldness in him suddenly reared its ugly head. Clark had lied and manipulated him for years, it was only fair that he returned the favor. Since the boy wasn't here, this girl would have to do until Clark returned. He slanted a look at her. Chloe's eyes were shut and he could see her breathing deeply, as if she were trying to scent everything in the small interior of his Spider. Her face had a clear innocence, a trusting look that left all her burdens at the Talen when she followed him to the car.
His coldness cheered, drowning out the noise of the dimming voice of reason. The foolish girl should have never trusted a man like him.
Slowing Lex pushed a button on his dashboard, causing the gate closing the Luther estate in to swing open. As the car pulled across the boarder between the state and his private territory everything became slightly quieter and smoother as the rough country road gave way to the perfect pavement of his driveway.
Lex let the car slowly move up the drive, watching for the silly white sheep his gardener was using for maintenance. One was out the now, cowishly munching on one of his boarder flowers. Lex ground to a halt, not really wanting a bloody mess on his drive. Chloe's eyes snapped open, glanced around, started to ask why they were stopped when her eyes locked in on the sack of wool eating Lex's gladiolas.
Chloe blinked twice, glanced at Lex's bland face, and then looked back at the sheep.
"Umm, Lex, are we stopping for a sheep who is eating your gladiolas?"
"Yep." Lex continued to eye the sheep, his face expressionless except for a slight curve at the tip of his lips. The dark glasses covered his eyes.
"Lex, why is a sheep eating your gladiolas?"
Lex heaved a sigh, "Because I have a great idiot of a gardener, who seems to be even now trying to play Bo Peep with his lost sheep." Chloe giggle when she noticed an old man trudging across the lawn, with a Sheppard's hook cradled in his arms.
Lex rolled his window down, patiently waiting for the old man to walk up. He was brown from head to toe, dark brown shoes and pants, slightly stained by plant matter around the cuffs. His lighter shirt was stained with sweat. His brown face was lined by age and sun. His brown hair was spotted by gray, with even more in his beard. Chloe smiled when she noticed the crimson rose stuck in his bushy hair.
"Mr. Luther!" Despite his appearance of age the man deftly hooked the stray sheep and pulled the protesting creature off the drive and out of the flowers. "Sorry sir, Cally escaped while I wasn't looking. Won't happen again."
"Of course, Williams, but please, try to keep them off the drive, I really don't want to run one over."
Lex nodded to the man, rolled up his window and continued down the drive. Chloe twisted in her seat, watching the old man dwindle as he tried to move the sheep back to its fold.
Giggling Chloe said, "Lex that was the silliest thing I've ever seen!"
Lex pulled up close to the front door of the Luther estate, quickly sliding around the car to open Chloe's door. Chloe smiled hesitantly up at the handsome bald man, wondering why she was here. The majority of her relations with the Luthers had been limited to Lex's father and even that had been...a brief association.
Mr. Kent had always believed that Lex was born of the devil, Clark had told her once. She couldn't see it. This man that pulled her out of the Talen had been nothing be kind to her. Maybe her need for human kindness colored her perception, but Chloe hoped it was more a connection of kindred spirits.
Lex climbed out of the small car, smoothly rounding the hood to open Chloe's door. For a long moment he stared down at her, his mind captured by a stray bit of light that set her hair aglow.
Chloe's small hand grasping his brought Lex abruptly back to the present. She was perfect. Of all Clark's friends she was the most vulnerable to his manipulations. Pete and the Kent's didn't trust him enough to allow the kind of revenge he wanted to exact and Lana was too close to his business to mess with. He didn't want revenge to get in the way of economics.
"Lex? Are we going to stand her all day?" Chloe felt Lex start through the palm of her hand as his gaze returned to her again.
A silky smile slid across his lips. "Of course not." He pulled her closer as they turned towards the house and through the door. Lex never once released her hand.
Chloe liked the feel of his hand, large, warm, and dry. She couldn't see his face as he opened the front door, but her imagination provided a gentle image. Some part of her knew this wasn't true, but Chloe didn't care anymore. He was here and right now she needed the human contact.
Lex suddenly wondered why he was doing this. Every time in the past that he brought a woman here it had ended in disaster. His mind flinched a little at the thought of Dr. Helen Brise. She had been working for his father the day they married...the day she tried to murder him.
"Lex, why exactly did we come here?" Chloe voice held a note of uncertainty, she was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable. It was starting to occur to her that she was going to a virtual stranger's house.
"I wanted to be somewhere comfortable so we can talk. Something's obviously bugging you." He smiled warmly down at Chloe. "I figured you came here to talk to Clark," Chloe started a little at the mention of the crush of her younger years, "but I know he's gone. I felt I would be a poor, but adequate stand-in."
She was so caught up in the form of his lips that she never noticed the smile never reached his eyes. Her brief qualms disappeared like smoke in a wind.