She wandered outside to the empty observation deck which overlooked a wooded area and the ocean to get a breath of fresh air from the overwhelming smells of expensive cologne and perfume and to get a few minutes of quiet from the cacophony of backstabbing and social climbing. She knew why Tony didn't show up to these events any more than he had to, but she played nice and agreed to accompany him for a few hours. She rubbed her sore neck. She didn't appreciate this afternoon's AIM antics when she had to attend a gala wearing backless dress Pepper had picked out and bought it because she looked 'too amazing in it not to buy it.,' Pepper's words. She only hoped when she asked Tony to apply the concealer and makeup over her bruises she couldn't reach to see, he blended it well. It wouldn't do for Black Widow to have marks on her even though she fought crime alongside the rest of the Avengers. It was okay for Tony or even Steve to show up with the occasional black eye, but she wasn't allowed to ever have a boo-boo. Misogyny was alive and well and living in New York. She left her hair down to help cover her injuries.

She heard the door open, from the gait and the cologne she instantly knew it wasn't Tony; he had better taste. She and Pepper made sure of it. She nonchalantly made sure her Widow Bites Tony had made to look like matching bracelets were armed and just to be sure her company was just a guest and not yet another bad guy. She really didn't want to have to deal with another baddie's crap today.

As the new arrival walked onto the wooden deck, he loosened his tie with one hand. In the other he carried a tumbler of bourbon. He stopped a few feet from Nat and looked around, "Beautiful night, isn't it?" He stood perfectly in her peripheral vision so she could keep an eye on him.

Nat took a deep breath, steadying herself against what was either going to be an attack or a terrible come on line; sometimes they could be considered the same thing, "It is." She still had her back to the man, looking out to the lake. The moon hung so massively in the sky it was almost as if one could reach up and touch it. The stars were bright and twinkling and could easily be seen without the air pollution from the city.

"A little chilly though," the man said.

"Not particularly." Bohze moi, Nat thought, is he seriously going to do the whole aren't you cold bullshit?

"Really? I found it rather chilly, you can see your breath after all."

"We went swimming in this weather when I was younger," Nat smirked.

"Really," he asked. "Where are you from?"

"Russia."

"I never would have guessed." He took a long pull from his drink, finishing it off, "You don't have an accent… at all really," he said thoughtfully. Nat just smirked, still not facing him. She could tell he wasn't going to take a hint.

"I was trained that way," she responded evenly.

"Holy shit! I just realized who you are! You're the girl Avenger. Didn't you come with Tony Stark?"

Nat rolled her eyes, "Yes, he's around here somewhere."

He took a few steps closer to her and she turned around to face him, "Now, why would Stark ever leave such a beautiful thing by herself?"

"Why do you ask? Do you think I'm scared to be alone," she asked demurely.

He cleared his throat. He stumbled over his words looking for the right thing to say. "No, just all by yourself out here, you might be eaten by wolves."

"Wolves," Natasha asked incredulously with one eyebrow raised; if it went any higher in disbelief, it might fall off her face. Nat was having far more fun than she should be dealing with this idiot. She decided to turn it into a game, especially since she heard Tony sneak out the door.

"Y- Yes. I overheard some of the others say there were wolves in the area." She heard Tony snort quietly.

"Well, they're not wrong." Nat smiled that smile that she reserved for marks. The smile that made men and women want to do her bidding. It usually accompanied a look of pure lust that, only if you'd seen the real thing, you'd never be able to tell the subtle differences. The smile that made marks think they were in control, but that was the furthest thing from the truth. Quicker than the man had probably ever seen a woman move in his entire life she pushed him against the railing of the deck. She looked into his eyes as she neatened his shirt and tightened his tie, placing it neatly back in place. She even adjusted his tie pin. The whole time she had him pinned to the railing with just her hips. He didn't know whether to be turned on or terrified. "You never told me, what's your name?"

"Br—Brandon Lovett."

"Well, Mister Lovett, I want to ask you a very important question. Consider all of what you know about me. Much of which you heard probably has some ring of truth, I'm sure." She ran her hands over the shoulders of his jacket, wiping off imaginary fuzz, "What ever gave you the idea that I'm not a wolf?" His eyes widened comically. Nat then stepped back and gave him plenty of space to run back to the party.

"Remind me to bring you to the next board meeting. I think you made him piss himself," Tony said coming out of the shadows. He meandered to where Nat was standing.

"The bastard couldn't take a hint."

"I know. I hacked the security cameras and got the sound off your comm when you came out here. I worry." He shrugged. "I can't help it." Nat smiled at him, a real smile this time.

"If anything that should make me laugh the next time I get pissed because you guys forget I can handle myself and considering. I was doing it before most of you were even born."

"You know that makes you a cougar, right?" She smacked his ribs and rolled her eyes. "Hey, seriously though," he ran the back of his fingers down her cheek, "you know I'm proud of you?" She smiled up at him. He leaned down and kissed her gently.

"What do you say we grab Pep and blow this joint? We can have nice drinks at home, get into bed and snuggle."

"Snuggle, huh?" Nat leaned back up to kiss Tony, running her hands over his chest and down his ass.

Pepper was suddenly in their comms, "Only if we get to slowly take Tasha out of that dress. I've been fantasizing about it all night."

"Deal. Tasha?"

"I may need convincing," she said teasingly shrugging her shoulders.

"We'll start in the limo. Where do you want me to meet you?"

"Wow, Pep aren't you the eager beaver."

"Shut up, Tony, or there won't be any 'snuggling' for you," Pepper growled back suddenly appearing behind them.

"How the hell did I get involved with two redheads?"

"Luck," Nat said questionably.

He kissed Pepper as soon as she would let him. He ran his fingertips over Nat's bare back and kissed her again, "Yup, definitely luck."