Hush Hush Secrets
Pepper Potts had always been a quiet, reserved lady. She was like this ever since she was a little tyke in Elementary school. Yes, she had loads of friends and loved mixing with people, but she never felt like disclosing much. She never wanted to tell anyone what she liked or whom she liked. She just wanted to keep them to herself. Her own, little secrets.
It was the same through High School and College where, even though she learnt to share her space with someone, she remained her reserved self, with the doors to her inner self, where all her deepest and darkest fantasies, fears and secrets lay untouched, shut tight.
But, everything changed when she joined the company. Everything changed when he came or rather barged into her life. Ah yes, him. With his dark, ruffled hair, chocolate brown eyes, perfectly trimmed goatee. With his larger than life personality, his genius, his raw sexuality. With his devil-may-care attitude, his blatant disregard for life, his metal suit-clad alter ego. With his Clive Christian cologne, his Giorgio Armani suit, his Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses.
Since the very day he met her, he began unravelling her and unwrapping her like a Christmas present. Something she didn't know then, but knows now.
Years, months, days flew by and with each passing second, he grew eager and eager to reach the hidden treasure. And with each passing second, she grew happier and happier with the promise of being revealed, a feeling which she never admitted to herself. A secret.
But, every once in a while she would realise the affect he had on her. The way she started blushing when he would oh so poetically say or rather "recite" a sexual innuendo when they had no affect on her before. The way she would let those accidental touches linger a second more. The way her heart ached when he would shut the metal helmet and bid her goodbye. And because of all this, whatever 'this' is, she is here in this position of self-confrontation.
She is currently lying on her bed tucked under the silk sheets, completely naked. She developed this habit of sleeping naked long back, in college maybe, she doesn't remember but what she remembers is that it stuck with her.
She wonders what he would've said if he would've been here and seen her like this, without a stitch of clothing on. He would've approved, she guesses, He would've approved and he would've taken actions to rightly convey his...approval. Smiling to herself, she clutches the navy silk sheets closer to her chest and lets out a deep breath.
She never thought that it would come to this, this unknown place of confusion and secret. She didn't want to admit it to herself, let alone him or anyone else for that matter but, she has to. She knew what this feeling was but she just didn't want to admit that she felt this feeling because if she did, it'll become true.
Oh, it felt like lava. The warmest, most comforting lava, rushing through her veins. It was burning every speckle of doubt and uncertainty and leaving behind butterflies in her stomach. It shouldn't have happened; she promised herself she wouldn't let it happen. But her heart, it betrayed her. He was her boss. Her genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist boss. She couldn't love him.
Ah Yes, yes she loved him. She loved him with all her heart. Loved him because of the man he'd become, loved him because of the man he wanted to be. She loved him because he changed his ways. But, she's not a fool. She knows he doesn't feel the same way about her. But, she can't help but think what if he did? What if he did feel the same way about her? What if he was just good at hiding it?
She turns sideways and looks towards the windows. She can clearly see the Miami skyline through her apartment window on the topmost floor. The night is magical with the full, round moon shining over every skyscraper, giving each of them their own silver aura. Tall buildings remind her of rooftops and rooftops remind her of so many things. They remind her of backless dresses, Vodka Martinis and charity balls. They remind her of midnight dances and almost shared kisses.
She takes a deep breath and thinks of that moment again. The looks in his eyes, the warmth of his almost touching lips. She wonders if maybe, maybe he does love her. Maybe he feels the same and that night was just a way of him expressing it, if only by a fraction.
Yawning and stretching her arms, she closes her eyes and presses her head deeper into her pillow, slowly letting sleep overcome her. She feels lighter and happier having finally said it, if only to herself. Maybe she'll even dream tonight, dream of hush hush secrets.