Guardian Angel - NC17 - Chloe/Bruce - Chapter Fifteen
Title: Guardian Angel
Category: Smallville/Batman [Crossover]
Rating: NC17
Genre: Romance/Humor/Drama
Pairing: Chloe/Bruce Wayne
Word Count: 3,303
Summary: Her guardian angel was a dark man with a fetish for rodents. Figures.
Previous: Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen,
dhfreak
XV.
When Oliver stepped inside her apartment, she had to do something to get the immediate frown off his face; it spelled all kinds of disappointing news. So she hugged him, giving an extra squeeze, and saying, before he could utter one thing, "What a great surprise! I wasn't expecting you guys out this way…"
She turned then to Victor and AC, giving each of them a hug too and trying to buy herself as much time as possible.
"Hey! Why didn't I get a hug?"
Chuckling, Chloe looked at Bart over her shoulder. "Maybe because your arms were full of whatever was left in my fridge!"
He grinned, opening his arms to her. "They're empty now, mamacita!"
Rolling her eyes, she walked back to him and hugged him tight.
"So, how was the latest crime-fighting, save-the-world adventure?" she wondered, looking between her new arrivals.
Victor and AC both tried to answer her question, doing their best to talk over each other. AC was quick to bring up their successful mission to take out an oil rig that was disturbing a pod of dolphins, while Victor questioned how 'successful' it was seeing as they were nearly caught and he had to spend entirely too much time rewiring himself, as well as complaining that computers and water were not a good mix. Personally, Chloe enjoyed their back and forth banter; not only because it was familiar, but because it kept Oliver from saying what he so obviously came to say.
As much as she tried to pay all of her attention to Victor and AC however, Oliver wasn't giving up on his plan.
He continued to stare at her, his expression less than pleased, arms crossed over his chest. "Interesting choice of living, Chloe. It's very…"
"You can say it, Oliver." She smiled knowingly. "It sucks."
Giving a sheepish grin, he nodded, loosening his arms and letting them fall to his sides. With a shake of his head, he wondered, "What are you doing living in this part of town?" He raised a brow. "The crime rate in Gotham is ridiculous, but did you really need a front row seat?"
"Well it certainly comes in handy," she said nonchalantly.
His lips pursed disagreeably. "If you needed money for a better place, I would've gladly-"
She lifted a hand to stop him right there; partly because her pride reared up and partly because she didn't need to hear anymore. "I know." She shrugged. "Trust me, I do. But… I didn't want anybody's help." She raised both her hands when he went to interrupt again. "I wanted to do this on my own. And…" She looked around. "This was the best I could do."
He frowned, casting his eyes around disapprovingly.
Taking a bite out of an apple, Bart whispered loudly against her ear, "This is where you get told."
She glared at him sidelong before beating Oliver to the punch. "You want me to move back to Metropolis, or even Star City," she said, before his mouth had even opened. "I know. Both of them would be safer and you're aware of some of the trouble I've gotten into…" She bobbed her head side to side, saying, "Which is a lot more than usual, and yes, that's saying something…" She shook her head to stop him from continuing where she left off. "This place is below me; just driving through you knew that it wasn't safe enough." She imagined herself what he might've seen. "But just a tip, Dolores on the corner of 5th, isn't half bad for a lady of the night."
Victor coughed into his fist to hide his laugh.
Smiling lightly at Oliver, who was raising a brow at her now, she nodded. "I'd be better off in the Watchtower from the safety of my desk… And you're only looking out for me. You want the best for me and you don't think I'm reaching my full potential."
With a slight nod, Oliver grinned, like everything was figured out and he'd gotten his way. "Exactly. So-"
"And maybe you're right, on some things, some level. But…"
His face fell knowingly.
Her brows hiked with meaning. "I'm not leaving… And you can try dragging me out, but you'll only find me back here the second you turn your back." She shrugged. "I like it here. It's not all that safe, it's not much to look at when you're in the thick of it, and I spend entirely too much time looking over my shoulder." Putting her hands on her hips, she lifted her chin and stared at him squarely. "I appreciate your concern; I really do. And I know you're only trying to help. But this is my life and I've made my choice." She smiled warmly. "If it makes you feel better, I have a new apartment in a much less crime-active part of the city. It's not exactly a high-rise penthouse with top of the line security, but it'll do..."
He stared at her, eyes narrowed as he thought it over before finally, he nodded. "You're right. I can't make your decisions for you and I can't keep you locked up in a safe haven somewhere…" His mouth quirked. "Although I'd like to…"
She laughed shortly, knowingly. "Thank you though, really… I know how difficult it must be for you to think of me back here, especially having seen it first hand, but I promise you that it's a lot better than it looks…"
"Highly doubtful, 'Tower," he said, nodding. "But I'm willing to trust your judgment."
Bart gaped. "What?" He looked between them. "That's it? Where's the fighting? The screaming? The grounding of epic proportions!"
Oliver snorted. "She's a grown woman, Bart. I can't force her to do anything she doesn't want to do."
He scoffed. "Last week you grounded me! You said I was getting out of control and you took back my credit card! I went without burritos a whole day!"
He blinked back unapologetically. "You stole that credit card out of my wallet because you couldn't wait the five minutes it took for me to finish my business call, you cleared out an entire burrito vendor, and you stained my new white couch…" He raised a brow. "Would you rather pay the money back and replace my furniture?"
Burt frowned. "No…"
"Good. Then it's settled." He turned his attention back to Chloe. "Now, even if you're not coming back with us, do us a favor and at least have dinner with us…?" He grinned warmly, the same charming and crooked smile on his handsome face that she remembered so well. "Or at least me. I want to be caught up on everything going on here, and that includes your job, your late-night sleuthing, and what you seem to be doing with an old Excelsior classmate of mine…"
Chloe laughed, feeling her face warm up. "Oh, so… You know Bruce then?"
He smirked. "The stories I could tell you…"
Her own smirk greeted him. "You mean the stories you will tell me!"
He laughed. "Dinner, Chloe. Be ready at eight." With a wink, he turned on his heel. "C'mon, guys, pack it up."
"Aww, man," Bart complained. He raced around Chloe twice before landing a kiss on her cheek, shooting the guns at her, and promising to pop by for a visit really soon.
Disappointed she hardly had any time to visit with AC or Victor, she shook her head. "You guys need to visit more, or call!"
The likelihood of them being at dinner were slim; Oliver was careful not to have them associated with him too much. She was surprised he'd brought them along in broad daylight in the first place. But if Bart had been right and she hadn't been able to convince Oliver otherwise, she imagined he would have needed their help loading her stuff up to bring back to Metropolis. Or at least to talk her down while the movers did all the work. Still, it was nice seeing them.
"Skype," Victor told her. "You need to stay in contact."
"I will," she promised.
Hugging them all goodbye, she watched them go before closing the door and putting all the locks back into place.
Checking the time, she decided a shower was in order. She had to meet Oliver for dinner in two hours and while she'd had two separate occasions that needed pricey and gorgeous gowns to dine with the rich and infamous, she couldn't say either of them were fit for an evening out with an old friend. But Oliver, being the sometimes extravagant man he was, wouldn't want to meet in some low key restaurant, not when he could offer her better in a city he doubted she'd seen the finer side of, even if he did know she was getting somewhat cozy with the local billionaire.
Funny, she thought, as she went through her wardrobe, she was going out with a handsome, charming, charismatic man tonight, but not one butterfly stirred in her stomach. There wasn't a fluttering in her chest like when Bruce Wayne gave her his undivided attention, or even a familiar clenching of her gut like when she heard the raspy voice of Batman beside her. Oliver was an old friend though, while Bruce was… Well, there wasn't a label to put on that yet. And she wasn't sure she wanted to delve too deep into it looking for one. Maybe, after Oliver shared a few stories, she'd get a better idea of what she wanted that label to be though. Because despite what Alfred told her, she couldn't say for certain that she was ready to walk down that path.
Shaking it off, she told herself to focus. She had a dinner with a friend tonight and Oliver would be asking a whole lot of questions that she might want to be careful in answering. She loved her heroes, but she wasn't so sure her latest on the list of defenders wanted her to spill any word of his existence. She would just have to see how it went before she made any decision on it though.
oOo
He couldn't stop staring.
His dinner partner, a work associate that he'd been intending to charm and impress, went completely ignored as he stared across the room at the woman who'd captured his attention.
Her head fell back, blonde hair spilling over her shoulders, and that musical laugh of hers drew him right in.
The man across from her grinned, proud to be the source of her amusement, chuckling under his breath and twirling the wine glass by the delicate stem held between his fingers.
Bruce felt a sudden stab of envy. Here he was, sitting across from an older Asian man who wouldn't stop complaining about the food, and there Oliver Queen was entertaining the woman who'd seamlessly taken over Bruce's every stray thought.
"Excuse me, Mr. Mashimoto, but I've just seen an old colleague of mine," he excused, standing from his table and buttoning his suit jacket. "I'll be right back."
Waving him off dismissively, the man flagged down a waitress. "My rice is too dry," he complained.
Forcing himself not to roll his eyes, Bruce crossed the room, jaw ticking as Chloe ducked her head, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, her smile wide and happy. As he drew closer, Oliver noticed him, raising his chin in recognition, his smile widening.
Bruce stopped just behind Chloe's chair, hands wrapping around the back. "Oliver," he said, tipping his head slightly. "I didn't expect to see you in Gotham…" He stared searchingly. "Last I heard, you were pushing papers and butting heads in Metropolis."
Chuckling, Oliver nodded. "I was." He waved a hand to his companion. "But Gotham's recently stolen a good friend of mine. I believe you know Chloe…" His brows hiked meaningfully. "Funny you should come over actually, I was just telling her a few stories from our youth… Back when Excelsior was lucky enough to house the both of us."
Chloe sat back then, her bare shoulders brushing the tips of his fingers. Looking back at him, she smiled. "Knowing you now, I'd never guess how mischievous you were…" Her green eyes danced with mirth. "Are you busy? Or can you sit with us?"
Bruce's eyes wandered from her eyes to her mouth where her white teeth were now biting into her ample pink lip.
He cast a glance back at Mashimoto, who was completely oblivious to him, focused entirely on the bowl of rice they'd brought him to replace what he had deemed dry. "A few minutes," he said, before stealing a chair from a nearby table and taking a seat. He looked between Oliver and Chloe before settling his eyes on his old classmate. "How long have you two known each other?" he wondered, his voice a little sharper than he meant for it to be.
Oliver grinned amusedly. "She's my ex-girlfriend's cousin," he explained, returning his eyes to Chloe. "We agreed on shared custody, even if Chloe tends to pick up Lois' calls more often than mine."
Chloe laughed lightly. "That's because Lois calls constantly and if I didn't pick up, I have every reason to believe she'd hop a plane down here with the excuse that she was only looking out for me…" She shook her head. "No offense, but you guys are entirely too protective."
Bruce raised a brow. "You are in Gotham," he reminded. "And I get the feeling your self-preservation skills are a little on the lacking side."
She scoffed, staring at him with wide eyes. "You too?"
He half-smiled before looking over to Oliver. "Did she tell you she was with me when the harbor blew up?"
Oliver nodded. "The yacht, Wayne? You always were flashy."
Ignoring the jab, he instead said, "We headed back in so she could get the story… Traded her high heels in for sneakers and off she went…" He turned his gaze back on Chloe, pensive.
Chloe reached out and tapped his hand. "If I remember correctly, it was your idea to get back… And you, as much as me, wanted to know what happened and how to fix it."
"From the safety of my office," he argued.
She scoffed. "Where's the fun in that?"
Both men laughed deeply at her love of danger.
The ringing of her phone caught her attention then and Chloe turned it over to see Lois' name staring back at her. "If you two will excuse me…" She stood from her seat, smiling amusedly as they both rose with her, like gentlemen. "I'll be back in a few. Powdering my nose," she said, before winking and turning on her heel, answering her phone as she went.
Bruce watched after her, the sensual sway of her hips drawing his eyes. His brows knotted as he took his seat once more.
Oliver stared on at him thoughtfully. "She's not your usual type," he noted, his voice just a little less friendly than before.
Bruce's eyes fell before he finally turned back to his old friend. "She's not yours either."
The blond billionaire stared at him a long, searching moment. Letting out a long sigh, he sat forward. "Listen Bruce, I appreciate a good time as much as anybody. I think the gossip section will prove that." He offered a sarcastic smile. "But Chloe is not the woman you take out for arm candy…" He shook his head. "She's a friend of mine; a very good friend. The kind I'd trust my life with. So when I say that she's not your type, what I mean is… Don't hurt her." He raised a brow. "Or all the money in the world won't help you."
Bruce's lips curled at the corners. "Do you always hand out threats for the safety of your friends?"
He drew his wine glass up in his hand. "Are you digging, Bruce?" He smirked. "Worried you might have some competition?"
Was he? Possibly. But he chose not to dwell on that much, seeing as he'd been trying so hard to pretend whatever it was he felt for the blonde, beautiful reporter was only and could only be curiosity.
"Do I?" he wondered. Something inside of him deemed it necessary knowledge.
Oliver looked past him to see Chloe was on her way back. "Chloe is a friend," he said firmly. "Nothing less, nothing more." He cut his eyes to him. "I respect her in every possible way. And I expect you to do the same."
"I respect her," Bruce agreed, standing with him as she approached. As far as he was concerned, Chloe fairly demanded respect. It was one feeling he wouldn't question when it came to her. All the other feelings he had toward her weren't so easily distinguished.
She smiled when she met them. "Lois says hi," she offered to Oliver. When she looked at Bruce, she told him, "You don't want to know what she said to you, and to be honest, until you've met her, I'm pretty sure her sense of humor is… off the wall, to say the least."
Oliver laughed agreeably.
"It's fine." Bruce reached for her, his hand smoothing along her hip.
She stilled, her eyes rising to his and her amusement fading. As her tongue dabbed her lower lip, he was momentarily distracted. Clearing his throat, he said, "I should let you and Oliver catch up… I have a business associate who's probably wondering where I wandered off to."
"Oh…" She frowned disappointedly. "Well, it was great seeing you. I…" She glanced away, at Oliver, before saying softly. "I meant to call…" She cast her eyes down. "Things have been hectic and I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted…" She raised her gaze to him. "But after I talked to Alfred and…" She smiled. "Oliver filled me in a little…" She tipped her head. "I don't have a lot of free time, but if you're willing, I'd like to spend some of it with you."
Bruce briefly wondered if Oliver had been so encouraging or if she'd simply put together what she wanted from their stories at Excelsior to gather her own opinion of him. Not bothering to ask, and decidedly not looking a gift-horse in the mouth, he nodded. "I'd like that."
She grinned brightly. "Good… I still have to convince your caterer to tell me what exactly he's doing to make those cucumber sandwiches so good."
He chuckled lowly, shaking his head. "Have a good night, Chloe," he said, before leaning in and pressing a lingering kiss to her cheek. He heard her breath catch and his eyes fell closed momentarily. When he stepped back, he nodded farewell to Oliver. "Have a nice visit, Queen."
"I will." He raised his wine glass in goodbye. "If I get a chance, I might stop by Wayne Enterprises before I leave. If I don't, then I hope you'll keep an eye out on our mutual daredevil here…" He nodded his chin toward Chloe. "She has a habit of courting danger."
Chloe rolled her eyes.
"It'd be my pleasure," he assured, giving Chloe's hip one last squeeze before he turned and left.
He felt her eyes on him as he walked away and his mouth quirked.
Maybe Alfred was right after all…
Maybe taking a chance with Chloe was exactly what he needed to do; even if he had absolutely no idea where it might lead. Though he had the encouraging thought that it could only be good for the both of them, and that was what steeled him to the fact that whatever it was he was beginning to feel, he wouldn't push it away or ignore it, no matter how much his previous heartbreak warned him.
[Next: Chapter XVI.]
Category: Smallville/Batman [Crossover]
Rating: NC17
Genre: Romance/Humor/Drama
Pairing: Chloe/Bruce Wayne
Word Count: 3,303
Summary: Her guardian angel was a dark man with a fetish for rodents. Figures.
Previous: Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen,
dhfreak
XV.
When Oliver stepped inside her apartment, she had to do something to get the immediate frown off his face; it spelled all kinds of disappointing news. So she hugged him, giving an extra squeeze, and saying, before he could utter one thing, "What a great surprise! I wasn't expecting you guys out this way…"
She turned then to Victor and AC, giving each of them a hug too and trying to buy herself as much time as possible.
"Hey! Why didn't I get a hug?"
Chuckling, Chloe looked at Bart over her shoulder. "Maybe because your arms were full of whatever was left in my fridge!"
He grinned, opening his arms to her. "They're empty now, mamacita!"
Rolling her eyes, she walked back to him and hugged him tight.
"So, how was the latest crime-fighting, save-the-world adventure?" she wondered, looking between her new arrivals.
Victor and AC both tried to answer her question, doing their best to talk over each other. AC was quick to bring up their successful mission to take out an oil rig that was disturbing a pod of dolphins, while Victor questioned how 'successful' it was seeing as they were nearly caught and he had to spend entirely too much time rewiring himself, as well as complaining that computers and water were not a good mix. Personally, Chloe enjoyed their back and forth banter; not only because it was familiar, but because it kept Oliver from saying what he so obviously came to say.
As much as she tried to pay all of her attention to Victor and AC however, Oliver wasn't giving up on his plan.
He continued to stare at her, his expression less than pleased, arms crossed over his chest. "Interesting choice of living, Chloe. It's very…"
"You can say it, Oliver." She smiled knowingly. "It sucks."
Giving a sheepish grin, he nodded, loosening his arms and letting them fall to his sides. With a shake of his head, he wondered, "What are you doing living in this part of town?" He raised a brow. "The crime rate in Gotham is ridiculous, but did you really need a front row seat?"
"Well it certainly comes in handy," she said nonchalantly.
His lips pursed disagreeably. "If you needed money for a better place, I would've gladly-"
She lifted a hand to stop him right there; partly because her pride reared up and partly because she didn't need to hear anymore. "I know." She shrugged. "Trust me, I do. But… I didn't want anybody's help." She raised both her hands when he went to interrupt again. "I wanted to do this on my own. And…" She looked around. "This was the best I could do."
He frowned, casting his eyes around disapprovingly.
Taking a bite out of an apple, Bart whispered loudly against her ear, "This is where you get told."
She glared at him sidelong before beating Oliver to the punch. "You want me to move back to Metropolis, or even Star City," she said, before his mouth had even opened. "I know. Both of them would be safer and you're aware of some of the trouble I've gotten into…" She bobbed her head side to side, saying, "Which is a lot more than usual, and yes, that's saying something…" She shook her head to stop him from continuing where she left off. "This place is below me; just driving through you knew that it wasn't safe enough." She imagined herself what he might've seen. "But just a tip, Dolores on the corner of 5th, isn't half bad for a lady of the night."
Victor coughed into his fist to hide his laugh.
Smiling lightly at Oliver, who was raising a brow at her now, she nodded. "I'd be better off in the Watchtower from the safety of my desk… And you're only looking out for me. You want the best for me and you don't think I'm reaching my full potential."
With a slight nod, Oliver grinned, like everything was figured out and he'd gotten his way. "Exactly. So-"
"And maybe you're right, on some things, some level. But…"
His face fell knowingly.
Her brows hiked with meaning. "I'm not leaving… And you can try dragging me out, but you'll only find me back here the second you turn your back." She shrugged. "I like it here. It's not all that safe, it's not much to look at when you're in the thick of it, and I spend entirely too much time looking over my shoulder." Putting her hands on her hips, she lifted her chin and stared at him squarely. "I appreciate your concern; I really do. And I know you're only trying to help. But this is my life and I've made my choice." She smiled warmly. "If it makes you feel better, I have a new apartment in a much less crime-active part of the city. It's not exactly a high-rise penthouse with top of the line security, but it'll do..."
He stared at her, eyes narrowed as he thought it over before finally, he nodded. "You're right. I can't make your decisions for you and I can't keep you locked up in a safe haven somewhere…" His mouth quirked. "Although I'd like to…"
She laughed shortly, knowingly. "Thank you though, really… I know how difficult it must be for you to think of me back here, especially having seen it first hand, but I promise you that it's a lot better than it looks…"
"Highly doubtful, 'Tower," he said, nodding. "But I'm willing to trust your judgment."
Bart gaped. "What?" He looked between them. "That's it? Where's the fighting? The screaming? The grounding of epic proportions!"
Oliver snorted. "She's a grown woman, Bart. I can't force her to do anything she doesn't want to do."
He scoffed. "Last week you grounded me! You said I was getting out of control and you took back my credit card! I went without burritos a whole day!"
He blinked back unapologetically. "You stole that credit card out of my wallet because you couldn't wait the five minutes it took for me to finish my business call, you cleared out an entire burrito vendor, and you stained my new white couch…" He raised a brow. "Would you rather pay the money back and replace my furniture?"
Burt frowned. "No…"
"Good. Then it's settled." He turned his attention back to Chloe. "Now, even if you're not coming back with us, do us a favor and at least have dinner with us…?" He grinned warmly, the same charming and crooked smile on his handsome face that she remembered so well. "Or at least me. I want to be caught up on everything going on here, and that includes your job, your late-night sleuthing, and what you seem to be doing with an old Excelsior classmate of mine…"
Chloe laughed, feeling her face warm up. "Oh, so… You know Bruce then?"
He smirked. "The stories I could tell you…"
Her own smirk greeted him. "You mean the stories you will tell me!"
He laughed. "Dinner, Chloe. Be ready at eight." With a wink, he turned on his heel. "C'mon, guys, pack it up."
"Aww, man," Bart complained. He raced around Chloe twice before landing a kiss on her cheek, shooting the guns at her, and promising to pop by for a visit really soon.
Disappointed she hardly had any time to visit with AC or Victor, she shook her head. "You guys need to visit more, or call!"
The likelihood of them being at dinner were slim; Oliver was careful not to have them associated with him too much. She was surprised he'd brought them along in broad daylight in the first place. But if Bart had been right and she hadn't been able to convince Oliver otherwise, she imagined he would have needed their help loading her stuff up to bring back to Metropolis. Or at least to talk her down while the movers did all the work. Still, it was nice seeing them.
"Skype," Victor told her. "You need to stay in contact."
"I will," she promised.
Hugging them all goodbye, she watched them go before closing the door and putting all the locks back into place.
Checking the time, she decided a shower was in order. She had to meet Oliver for dinner in two hours and while she'd had two separate occasions that needed pricey and gorgeous gowns to dine with the rich and infamous, she couldn't say either of them were fit for an evening out with an old friend. But Oliver, being the sometimes extravagant man he was, wouldn't want to meet in some low key restaurant, not when he could offer her better in a city he doubted she'd seen the finer side of, even if he did know she was getting somewhat cozy with the local billionaire.
Funny, she thought, as she went through her wardrobe, she was going out with a handsome, charming, charismatic man tonight, but not one butterfly stirred in her stomach. There wasn't a fluttering in her chest like when Bruce Wayne gave her his undivided attention, or even a familiar clenching of her gut like when she heard the raspy voice of Batman beside her. Oliver was an old friend though, while Bruce was… Well, there wasn't a label to put on that yet. And she wasn't sure she wanted to delve too deep into it looking for one. Maybe, after Oliver shared a few stories, she'd get a better idea of what she wanted that label to be though. Because despite what Alfred told her, she couldn't say for certain that she was ready to walk down that path.
Shaking it off, she told herself to focus. She had a dinner with a friend tonight and Oliver would be asking a whole lot of questions that she might want to be careful in answering. She loved her heroes, but she wasn't so sure her latest on the list of defenders wanted her to spill any word of his existence. She would just have to see how it went before she made any decision on it though.
oOo
He couldn't stop staring.
His dinner partner, a work associate that he'd been intending to charm and impress, went completely ignored as he stared across the room at the woman who'd captured his attention.
Her head fell back, blonde hair spilling over her shoulders, and that musical laugh of hers drew him right in.
The man across from her grinned, proud to be the source of her amusement, chuckling under his breath and twirling the wine glass by the delicate stem held between his fingers.
Bruce felt a sudden stab of envy. Here he was, sitting across from an older Asian man who wouldn't stop complaining about the food, and there Oliver Queen was entertaining the woman who'd seamlessly taken over Bruce's every stray thought.
"Excuse me, Mr. Mashimoto, but I've just seen an old colleague of mine," he excused, standing from his table and buttoning his suit jacket. "I'll be right back."
Waving him off dismissively, the man flagged down a waitress. "My rice is too dry," he complained.
Forcing himself not to roll his eyes, Bruce crossed the room, jaw ticking as Chloe ducked her head, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, her smile wide and happy. As he drew closer, Oliver noticed him, raising his chin in recognition, his smile widening.
Bruce stopped just behind Chloe's chair, hands wrapping around the back. "Oliver," he said, tipping his head slightly. "I didn't expect to see you in Gotham…" He stared searchingly. "Last I heard, you were pushing papers and butting heads in Metropolis."
Chuckling, Oliver nodded. "I was." He waved a hand to his companion. "But Gotham's recently stolen a good friend of mine. I believe you know Chloe…" His brows hiked meaningfully. "Funny you should come over actually, I was just telling her a few stories from our youth… Back when Excelsior was lucky enough to house the both of us."
Chloe sat back then, her bare shoulders brushing the tips of his fingers. Looking back at him, she smiled. "Knowing you now, I'd never guess how mischievous you were…" Her green eyes danced with mirth. "Are you busy? Or can you sit with us?"
Bruce's eyes wandered from her eyes to her mouth where her white teeth were now biting into her ample pink lip.
He cast a glance back at Mashimoto, who was completely oblivious to him, focused entirely on the bowl of rice they'd brought him to replace what he had deemed dry. "A few minutes," he said, before stealing a chair from a nearby table and taking a seat. He looked between Oliver and Chloe before settling his eyes on his old classmate. "How long have you two known each other?" he wondered, his voice a little sharper than he meant for it to be.
Oliver grinned amusedly. "She's my ex-girlfriend's cousin," he explained, returning his eyes to Chloe. "We agreed on shared custody, even if Chloe tends to pick up Lois' calls more often than mine."
Chloe laughed lightly. "That's because Lois calls constantly and if I didn't pick up, I have every reason to believe she'd hop a plane down here with the excuse that she was only looking out for me…" She shook her head. "No offense, but you guys are entirely too protective."
Bruce raised a brow. "You are in Gotham," he reminded. "And I get the feeling your self-preservation skills are a little on the lacking side."
She scoffed, staring at him with wide eyes. "You too?"
He half-smiled before looking over to Oliver. "Did she tell you she was with me when the harbor blew up?"
Oliver nodded. "The yacht, Wayne? You always were flashy."
Ignoring the jab, he instead said, "We headed back in so she could get the story… Traded her high heels in for sneakers and off she went…" He turned his gaze back on Chloe, pensive.
Chloe reached out and tapped his hand. "If I remember correctly, it was your idea to get back… And you, as much as me, wanted to know what happened and how to fix it."
"From the safety of my office," he argued.
She scoffed. "Where's the fun in that?"
Both men laughed deeply at her love of danger.
The ringing of her phone caught her attention then and Chloe turned it over to see Lois' name staring back at her. "If you two will excuse me…" She stood from her seat, smiling amusedly as they both rose with her, like gentlemen. "I'll be back in a few. Powdering my nose," she said, before winking and turning on her heel, answering her phone as she went.
Bruce watched after her, the sensual sway of her hips drawing his eyes. His brows knotted as he took his seat once more.
Oliver stared on at him thoughtfully. "She's not your usual type," he noted, his voice just a little less friendly than before.
Bruce's eyes fell before he finally turned back to his old friend. "She's not yours either."
The blond billionaire stared at him a long, searching moment. Letting out a long sigh, he sat forward. "Listen Bruce, I appreciate a good time as much as anybody. I think the gossip section will prove that." He offered a sarcastic smile. "But Chloe is not the woman you take out for arm candy…" He shook his head. "She's a friend of mine; a very good friend. The kind I'd trust my life with. So when I say that she's not your type, what I mean is… Don't hurt her." He raised a brow. "Or all the money in the world won't help you."
Bruce's lips curled at the corners. "Do you always hand out threats for the safety of your friends?"
He drew his wine glass up in his hand. "Are you digging, Bruce?" He smirked. "Worried you might have some competition?"
Was he? Possibly. But he chose not to dwell on that much, seeing as he'd been trying so hard to pretend whatever it was he felt for the blonde, beautiful reporter was only and could only be curiosity.
"Do I?" he wondered. Something inside of him deemed it necessary knowledge.
Oliver looked past him to see Chloe was on her way back. "Chloe is a friend," he said firmly. "Nothing less, nothing more." He cut his eyes to him. "I respect her in every possible way. And I expect you to do the same."
"I respect her," Bruce agreed, standing with him as she approached. As far as he was concerned, Chloe fairly demanded respect. It was one feeling he wouldn't question when it came to her. All the other feelings he had toward her weren't so easily distinguished.
She smiled when she met them. "Lois says hi," she offered to Oliver. When she looked at Bruce, she told him, "You don't want to know what she said to you, and to be honest, until you've met her, I'm pretty sure her sense of humor is… off the wall, to say the least."
Oliver laughed agreeably.
"It's fine." Bruce reached for her, his hand smoothing along her hip.
She stilled, her eyes rising to his and her amusement fading. As her tongue dabbed her lower lip, he was momentarily distracted. Clearing his throat, he said, "I should let you and Oliver catch up… I have a business associate who's probably wondering where I wandered off to."
"Oh…" She frowned disappointedly. "Well, it was great seeing you. I…" She glanced away, at Oliver, before saying softly. "I meant to call…" She cast her eyes down. "Things have been hectic and I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted…" She raised her gaze to him. "But after I talked to Alfred and…" She smiled. "Oliver filled me in a little…" She tipped her head. "I don't have a lot of free time, but if you're willing, I'd like to spend some of it with you."
Bruce briefly wondered if Oliver had been so encouraging or if she'd simply put together what she wanted from their stories at Excelsior to gather her own opinion of him. Not bothering to ask, and decidedly not looking a gift-horse in the mouth, he nodded. "I'd like that."
She grinned brightly. "Good… I still have to convince your caterer to tell me what exactly he's doing to make those cucumber sandwiches so good."
He chuckled lowly, shaking his head. "Have a good night, Chloe," he said, before leaning in and pressing a lingering kiss to her cheek. He heard her breath catch and his eyes fell closed momentarily. When he stepped back, he nodded farewell to Oliver. "Have a nice visit, Queen."
"I will." He raised his wine glass in goodbye. "If I get a chance, I might stop by Wayne Enterprises before I leave. If I don't, then I hope you'll keep an eye out on our mutual daredevil here…" He nodded his chin toward Chloe. "She has a habit of courting danger."
Chloe rolled her eyes.
"It'd be my pleasure," he assured, giving Chloe's hip one last squeeze before he turned and left.
He felt her eyes on him as he walked away and his mouth quirked.
Maybe Alfred was right after all…
Maybe taking a chance with Chloe was exactly what he needed to do; even if he had absolutely no idea where it might lead. Though he had the encouraging thought that it could only be good for the both of them, and that was what steeled him to the fact that whatever it was he was beginning to feel, he wouldn't push it away or ignore it, no matter how much his previous heartbreak warned him.
[Next: Chapter XVI.]