Chapter 16 [Luthor Mansion—Half an Hour Earlier] [A/N: Chlex alert!]
Lex studied his laptop's screen. Day's trading had buoyed up LexCorp's stock. Potential and promise rang forth from most plants' monthly reports. Jasmine and Harry had the Metropolis and Smallville plants at the top. Even the lagging plants' production picked up slightly….
…even the Tokyo plant….
Gabe's a miracle worker. He brought up Gabe's employee record. Hard work, dedication and commendations highlighted the account. Several locations had benefited from Gabe's hard work and insight. Bad jokes elicited reactions amidst employees. Admiration and respect more than made up for them though. Definitely see where Chloe gets that inner fire from. His mind turned to the Seattle plant and its issues. If it wasn't for Harry's issues, I'd send him up there. His fingers tapped the desk. The plant's beyond needing a kick in the pants. Walters has shown he can't handle the pressure. He leaned back in his chair. He's been up there a while. I'd like to send Gabe up there now. Sam and Chloe would need a place to live. Mr. Reynolds wouldn't approve of them living here with me of course. Give it the first quarter of next year. If things are still what they are, send him in May. They'll be graduated. Gabe can choose without worry. Sam can work at the Talon and do her symphony music. Chloe can work for the Daily Planet.
Knocking interrupted his thoughts.
"Yes? Murphy?"
A slender dark suited butler opened the door. He bowed at the waist. "Pardon me, Master Lex. Miss Sullivan's here to see you. I know you're busy. Might I let her up to see you?"
Lex's mood perked up. "Of course. Thank you, Murphy. Bring some coffee up if you would? I appreciate it." He watched the other man depart. Chloe's here? Wonder if this has to do with the trip tomorrow?
"Hey, Lex." Chloe strode into the library. "Sorry if you getting ready for New York. I had a copy of the Planet to drop off. If we were leaving on Friday, Clark'd have the next Torch ready." She raised a newspaper in her hand.
"Maybe you should bring that for Jameson. I'm sure he'd appreciate that." Smirk spread with demonstrative flair across his face. Satisfaction warmed his heart. "There are Peter's photos from Monday."
"And today's article too!" Canary feathers seemed to sprout from her mouth. "Sheriff Adams is cursing up a blue streak in the hospital. I'm sure New York is too."
"Let them. It doesn't matter." Lex allowed a coy shrug. "You packed?"
"But of course! Clothes are laid out across the bed. Just have to throw them into my bag. How's Sam going to get to school and work? Usually, Dad or I bring her." She watched Murphy wheel in the coffee service. "Thanks, Mr. Murphy."
"It is my pleasure, Miss Sullivan. Master Lex, dinner will be ready in a half hour. Might I set one or two places tonight?" Murphy stopped the cart by the end table. He poured two mugs of coffee.
"I think two places tonight, Murphy. Thanks." Lex fixed his mug. "I'm having her stay here while we're gone. Higgins will drive her to school, the Talon and back. Figured with your Dad out of town you'd like dinner, Miss Sullivan. The turkey's really good."
"Yeah? I'll have to try it and let you know, Lex." Sauciness spiced her reply. She took a draught from her mug. "Coffee's great. French roast?"
"Life's too short for watered down caffeine, right?" Smirk widened across his face. "Only the best especially for a high school double Pulitzer winner." His hand raised the mug in toast to her feat.
Her mug touched his. Sparkle glinted between their eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. She felt as if she were floating. "And don't you forget it, Billionaire Boy." She caught herself albeit a word too late. A big caffeinated gulp attempted to drown Sentiment in its flow.
"Billionaire Boy?" His eyebrow rose. Spunk jarred him to be honest. Still, he liked the response. "Well, there is the banquet for the winners. Peter's going with Gwen of course. Last I checked, you didn't have a date."
"A date?" She sucked in a deep breath. Hope cheered. Inside, she jumped up and down. "Are you asking me? Not that I mind…I…" Shyness weighed down her tongue. For a few heartbeats, Speech escaped her…heck Breaths became harder to come by.
Gabe's objections rang in her mind anew. Their tide crashed up against her heart's wall….
The wall held firm. Her heart raced.
"Yeah. I'm asking." Earlier plans and consideration put himself as Plus 1 for the evening…a night among friends….
…pity his heart ignored the memo….
She closed her eyes. Her hands came to rest on each of his ears. Her lips pressed down hungrily on his. Passion roared and gushed from her into him…
…and he took it all in. His lips pressed right back onto hers. His arms wrapped around her waist. Nothing else existed. Nothing else mattered. Only her and him existed at that moment.
Desiree and Helen Who?
She pulled back. Conspicuousness' pink shaded her cheeks. She bit her lip. "Lex, I…." Her eyes met his. "I shouldn't have. I'll…." She started to turn away.
His hand grabbed her arm. "It's fine, Chloe." Acceptance…and Desire showed in his eyes. Once again, Amor grabbed onto him. This time, however, neither Kryptonite Pheromones nor Seduction pushed it. He sucked in a composing breath. Gabe's words echoed to him as well. "Your Dad might not agree."
"Lex, I'm five months away from graduation. I just turned 18. I'm working an adult job after school." She looked him in the eye. "Besides, Dad's going to be gone for what? Two months in Tokyo? He comes back in February. It's just another two or three months after that." She shook her head. "I mean look at Clark and Lana, right? They're engaged. They can hold back. So can we."
More so than you know. He mused over Clark's and Lana's abilities. Respect held them in check. Still, they could've slept together by that point. However, they wanted to do things the right way. "As you said, it's another four months now, Chloe. And for Sam and for you." A shrug lifted and dropped his shoulders. "It's not like you girls don't have a place. With the Parkers moving into their own place, there are rooms here in the mansion for you."
"A room for me?" Words excited her to say the least. Offer, however, overwhelmed her. Will Ms. Jenkins be okay with that? She's making Peter and Gwen move. Well, I can have a relationship with Lex and still be fair! "I just have to ask one thing, Lex. I'm sorry." She took his hands in his.
He gazed deep into her eyes. Observation noted the trembling hands. Reluctance painted itself across her face. "This wouldn't happen to be about Cassandra Jenkins, would it?"
Admission raised a guilty eyebrow. "She's making Peter and Gwen move, Lex. She doesn't want him taking favors or being influenced by you. I can see her objecting to this." She took a deep breath. "I really don't care." She squeezed his hands. "But whether this is her or someone else, I have to have my own mind and have to get my own two cents in."
Smirk broke through Frustration's overcast on that note. "I think you know my answer on that, Chloe." He returned her hand squeezing with his own. "I've played the field. You know that. Those women had agendas. I hurt them. They hurt me. If it got too hot, I had to get away. Desiree and Helen taught me lessons in that regard. Look at what happened with the Talon. Look at what nearly happened to Lana, you and Clark." He shook his head. "No. I need someone who's going to be strong but also unflinchingly honest. I need someone who can speak her own mind…." His eyes rolled.
"Even when you don't want to hear it?" Her eyebrow quirked. She studied his face. Honesty and Necessity dispensed with Snark's quips and rejoinders. Will he agree? Am I really saying this? Like he'd ever agree to this?
He let go of her hands. He considered the fireplace poker. Thoughts and considerations rummaged about in his mind. He stuck the poker into the fire. He watched sparks dance above the charring log therein. Then, he fed Flames' appetite with a fresh log. "Yes, Chloe." He turned back to her. "Even when I don't want to hear it. Honesty is your strength. Don't ever lose that. Besides, the Yes Men get tiring. I need the Sullivan Snark to keep me on task."
"Sullivan Snark…I like that." She walked up to his side. "Thinking of potential sparks?"
"I think there'll be enough time for that." Another snort punctuated his response. "We do need to respect your Dad too. And there's Mr. Reynolds." He shook his head. "I can hear the accusations."
"Of what? Seduction? Lex, who cares? People will talk. I'm of age. I. Choose. You." Her lips pressed the point onto his cheek. "As long as you respect me, we're fine. I respect you too. Dad and I argued about you the other night. I stood up to him. He stormed out. Look. He just needs to see that I'm more than just a notch on the bedpost. So does everyone else."
"Exactly my point. There are women twice your age trying to get into bed with me for money. You aren't. Your Dad's my best on site foreman. I value him as more than just an employee. That's why I sent him to Tokyo." His hand brushed the hair away from her right ear. "And can I be honest?"
"Absolutely, Lex." She steeled herself. "I wouldn't want anything else. Is my Dad okay? He's not going to stay over there? Is he?" Panic flared up inside of herself.
"No. He's still due to come back at the beginning of February. Chloe, there are problems at the Seattle plant. He's done great things here. Harry, Jasmine and I think your Dad's the man to fix things up there. It would be permanent." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't want people to think it's just because of us. Gabe Sullivan is my version of Mr. Fixit. He just has that knack for smoothing things over…. just don't get him started with the jokes…."
A playful snort escaped her lips. "I know better than that. Yeah, that's Dad all right. The problem is he'll see it that way. Maybe Jasmine and Harry can help you to talk to him? Then, there's Sam and me at the house. If Dad's leaving, he'll want to sell the house. Unfortunately, Mr. Ross isn't going to let her do what Lana's doing at the Kents. Sam doesn't drive."
"That's easily dealt with. As I said before, you both can have rooms here. I can also buy the house from him. Samantha and you can live there as long as you need to. Then, I'll sell it. I could also rent it out." The second option appealed to him. "In fact, you just helped in that regard. It'll help if you both are staying in the house at least with appearances. As Clark said once, this is Smallville."
"People gossip and talk. They can't help it." She rubbed his arm. "Thanks for thinking of my Dad too. I know he doesn't like this. I love him. My Mom put him through Hell when she took off. I don't want to hurt him again."
"That's the last thing that's going to happen." He regarded his mother's portrait. "She always looked at LuthorCorp as a family in addition to a business. Dad parrots the words. He says it for PR and nothing else. I take after Mom. You remind me of her. Maybe that's why there's the attraction?"
She relaxed. Compliment resonated with her. She understood its impact immediately. "I hope so." She looked up at Lillian's visage. "She sounds like an impressive woman."
"You can ask the Kents or the Duboises about her. They knew her personally. Mr. Dubois called her 'Aunt Lillie'." He took her right hand in his left one. "She'd want me to have someone like you around. I want you around." He looked her over again. "I owe you an apology."
"Oh for what? I'd let you know if you did anything…" Curiosity and Panic unsettled her.
He squirmed. "I can't believe I looked down at you as a kid." His eyes took in her print blouse and red slacks.
"Lex, I was a kid. I dressed that way. I kind of acted that way. It's okay. Time to move forward. Right?" She took another draught from her mug.
Cell phone buzzed in his pocket.
"Lex, that might be business." She stepped back. "Priorities, right? Important thing is we understand each other."
Appreciation prompted a nod from him. "Thanks. We'll pick this up again." He put the phone to his ear. "Lex Luthor."
Real World butted in. Still, Relationship's foundations had been set….