The box was roughly the size of a washing machine, and about the same weight. After bringing up a dolly from the garage, Tony managed to move the thing into the living room. He took off his coat and tossed it over the back of the sofa, then leaned over to read the label on the package while Pepper sighed, picked up the coat and hung it tidily in his bedroom closet.
When she returned to the living room, Tony had already begun peeling off the strapping tape and pulling the flaps up on the box. "One thing I'll give them credit for is secure packaging. We may need a flamethrower to get in here."
"I'm sure it's all a matter of discretion," Pepper murmured, worrying about whether or not Jarvis's house vacuum could handle Styrofoam peanuts or not.
Tony snorted. "Yes indeedy. Don't want your Big Daddy Jericho going off during a postal inspection. I'm sure they keep records of those addresses."
"That's . . . perverted," Pepper protested.
Tony paused and looked over at her, one eyebrow arching up. "We're opening a huge box of sex toys and you're realizing it's perverted only now? All the more reason to get into this package to my way of thinking. You need an education, Potts."
"Oh and you're the doctor of depravity I guess, oh CEO of Stark Industries, Naked. Frankly, it should be Stark Naked Industries. More impact," Pepper muttered, crossing her arms over her chest and not offering to help in the least.
"Nah, I grant you the Stark Naked is a nice play on words, but you just can't beat SIN for an acronym. All right, let's see what's in the magic toy box, shall we?"
Pepper felt herself blush again as Tony leaned over into the box and began sweeping pastel packing peanuts everywhere. "Oh yeah, and here we have . . . a nice big bottle of Sex Sauce. Okay, gotta re-name this. Right now it sounds like something you'd put on Chinese food."
"Sex Sauce?" Pepper echoed weakly, taking the bright pink bottle from Tony as if it were a live hand grenade. She stared at the label, which showed a woman's bare stomach, and a puddle of pink goo on it. "It looks like liquid bubble gum."
"Gives a new meaning to 'blow me,'" Tony pointed out cheerfully. "Think Stark Industries—what would my engineers call something that looked like that?"
"Toxic?" Pepper offered, setting the bottle down. He made a face at her.
"Oh come on, Ms Frowny-Pants, try to get into this, please? I was thinking Rocket Fuel."
"Or Ride Glide," she retorted, earning a thumbs up from her boss.
"Atta girl! Okay, what else is in here . . . ha! The infamous five fingers of fun—" came his gleeful exclamation as he pulled out the latex glove with the vibrating pads on the tips. Experimentally he slipped it on, tugging it into place and flexing his hand. "A bit snug, but I'm sure that enhances the sensation. Come here."
"No."
"What, you don't want to be the first woman of Stark Industries, Naked to experience the Tickle Me Tony first hand, as it were?"
Pepper eyed the arm extended towards her with a wry expression belied by the glint of humor in her eyes. "Mr. Stark, I think I'll pass on that privilege. I'm ticklish enough as it is."
"And that confession was a fatal mistake, because now I'm more determined than ever to draw you into my clutches," Tony turned his gloved hand and beckoned to her with his index finger. "Damn, this thing makes me look like the most obscene villain in history."
"Which may or may not be the case," Pepper told him as she glanced at the box. "You're having waaaay too much fun with this stuff."
"And we can have even MORE fun once you come over here. I'm not going to hurt you, promise. I'm just curious as to how this thing feels," Tony used his most coaxing tone, batting his eyes as well. The combination was nearly impossible to resist, and Pepper gave a sigh, stepping over warily.
"I'm going to regret this . . ." came her little whimper.
"You can trust me—" Tony told her. "Just because I have a glove with oscillating buttons with three different speeds and the inside knowledge of your personal susceptibility is no cause for alarm, really."
"Un-huh," Pepper muttered, squeezing her eyes tightly and stiffening up her entire body. Amused, Tony reached out his index finger and gently poked her shoulder.
She snorted. "Am I IT now?"
"Shhhh—" Tony replied, and cupped her shoulder with his hand, letting the little vibrating tips caress her through her jacket and blouse. Pepper looked down, her mouth twitching.
"Anything?" he asked, hopefully.
She shook her head. "I'm afraid not."
"Padding. Take the jacket off and I bet that will help."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then I'll whine and nag until you sigh and give in."
"The usual," Pepper noted glumly. She peeled her suit jacket off and draped it over her arm, holding the other one out as if ready to receive a vaccination.
Tony snorted. "Yeah, that's SO romantic, Potts—I can tell you're really in the mood."
"I didn't say I was going to be a willing guinea pig."
"Perks of being the boss," he gloated and cupped her shoulder again. This time she quivered, nostrils flaring for a second. Encouraged, Tony let his gloved hand slide across her shoulder blade and along her spine.
Pepper yodeled. At least, it sounded a bit like a yodel, running from a low burble all the way up to a Minnie Mouse squeak. Fascinated, Tony moved closer and let his buzzing fingertips move down her flank.
The yodel shifted into a series of bubbly gasps, and when his hand circled a firm buttock, Pepper huffily tottered out of reach, gasping for breath.
"Experiment OVER," she announced, looking flushed and indignant, little tendrils of hair escaping from her bun.
Tony grinned, pleased. He looked at the glove, flexing his fingers and purring. "Oh yeah, this shows a lot of promise. We'll keep this one."
"Fine. Just keep it—" she gestured, "Over there. And to yourself."
"Oh now who's making perverted statements?"
She rolled her eyes at him, and Tony peeled off the glove, setting it aside.
Digging deeper into the box, he pulled out a little silk bag and examined it. Pepper had found the invoice and was looking it over, making a moue at some of the names.
"What's this--ooohhh, nice. The bondage thingies."
"Consensual Confinement Restraints," Pepper corrected him as she read the name off the list. "Four lengths of Velcro-ended silk ties with a gag and or blindfold included."
"Just what everyone needs for a weekend getaway. Or maybe not a getaway exactly, since that would defeat the point, ever been tied up, Pepper?" This last came out in a rush; Tony was pretending to examine the kit closely, keeping her in the corner of his eye.
She hesitated a fraction of a moment too long. "You mean for erotic purposes?"
"Ah, yeah. There are other kinds?" Tony asked, startled for a moment.
She smirked. "Well I and my friends once tied ourselves to a tree in front of city hall to protest the closing of a park in my home town."
Tony blinked, trying to picture it. "Okay, I guess that counts, but that's not what I meant."
"I know," she replied. "But that falls under the 'none of your damned business' clause."
"That translates to 'no' in the Pepper Potts lexicon then," Tony told her smugly. "You could have just said so."
"Yes, well not everyone is driven to kink, like—" she hesitated.
Tony looked over at her, his expression fleetingly serious. "—me. Sue me. I like certain things, and I don't think I'm the only man on the planet who likes women to wear high heels to bed. That's not kinky, that's just a . . . red-blooded, healthy masculine fetish."
"Riiiight," Pepper scoffed, but her cheeks were pink and her eyes bright. "I'm just not interested in being tied up," she murmured in a voice almost too low to be heard. "It just seems . . . dangerous and sort of silly."
"Pepper, Pepper, Pepper. ALL sex is dangerous and sort of silly when you get right down to it," Tony replied, undoing the package and pulling out the ties. He looked as if he were doing a magic trick and Pepper smiled against her will.
Her small smirk encouraged him, and Tony laid the brightly colored silk strips along his arm, smoothing them down with one hand. "Besides, there are two sides to the whole thing anyway; the tie-er and the tie-ee. It's a little easier to be the tie-er . . . or so I've heard."
"Oh really?" came her little reply. "And you heard this where exactly?" Pepper shot Tony a skeptical look as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Tony tried for a lofty glance that didn't quite work. He gave a careless little shrug instead, and fished out the blindfold, fingering it gently.
"Oh long and meaningful discussions here and there, but I think you're really missing my point Potts, which is that something like this is not only a consensual deal, but also one with more than one role. Yin and Yang so to speak. Something that Stark Industries, Naked should fully endorse in the name of inclusive marketing."
"Oh I get it, Mr. Stark," Pepper replied in a slightly shaky voice. "You and Major Rhodes probably got drunk at some party or bar and had a raunchy discussion or two where somewhere down the line you mentioned bondage. I don't think that qualifies as an informed discussion on the matter."
Tony watched her quietly for a long moment, his cheeks slightly red, his dark eyes wide as he waited for her to finish. Quietly he came closer, holding her gaze as he did so.
"Actually, that wasn't a topic I've shared with him, not that we haven't discussed a few predilections or two. Most men," Tony sighed, "Tend to be slightly kinky anyway."
"I hadn't noticed," came the dry retort and a glance at the box.
That brought an answering rakish grin; Tony ran a hand through his hair. "If you didn't want to be the tie-ee you could always be the tie-er. I'm oh so willing to be your first, Ms. Potts."
It was a typically outrageous Tony Stark offer, and Pepper started to laugh, but the sight of his shyly sincere expression cut her off short and she blinked.
They stared at each other for a long moment, the mood shifting from silly to serious in the quiet.
"I can't do that, Tony!" Pepper finally blurted. "It's crazy! It would be wrong, and dangerous and after all that you've already been through . . ."
"Different situation," he bluffed a bit. "Besides, this would be with the full understanding that you'd let me go if I wanted it. Considering the excellent care you always take of me, I have complete confidence in you, Pepper."
She made a very slight spluttering noise. "That's totally different! Picking up your dry-cleaning and making sure you have cheeseburgers is not in the same league as . . . this."
"True, but if I trust you to dress and feed me, then this is sort of the next logical step."
Pepper bit her lips as Tony took one of the ties and fashioned it into an elaborate bow, then placed it at his temple and batted his eyes coquettishly. She stepped over and took it from him, smoothing it out again, her fingers stroking the silk very slowly.
"But the absolute BEST thing about it? You'd have me at your mercy," Tony reminded her in a little whisper. "Think of it—totally in your power for once."
"Okay, that's tempting," Pepper admitted softly.
Tony pointed a finger at her. "No feeding me lima beans."
"Oh darn, and that was third on my list," she told him, deftly shaping one end of the closest tie into a hangman's noose. Tony eyed it warily.
"Third?"
"Yep. You'd be so tired and compliant by then that Lima beans would actually taste good."
"Now I'm . . . a little worried."
And Pepper smiled once more.
The subject didn't come up again until the weekend; Pepper had managed the schedule so efficiently that both she and her boss found themselves with nothing officially on the agenda after four in the afternoon on Saturday. During the jet flight back from the Cal Tech expo, Tony noted the situation with something akin to glee; he shifted closer to Pepper on the plush upholstery of the Lear and gave her his most winning smile.
"It looks as if we're between engagements, Ms. Potts. Are you free to spend some . . . quality . . . time with me?"
Pepper murmured an absent agreement, her attention focused on a particularly difficult email. When she finally straightened out the Chinese translation and looked up, Tony Stark had already stretched out and laid his head in her lap, his expression slightly blissful.
"I'd say 'be gentle' but that's sort of cliché, and in truth, I might like it rough, although I have trouble picturing you vicious—it's like trying to imagine Cinderella with a whip."
"I'm not Cinderella—unless you're talking about the beginning of the story where she's doing everything for the cruel stepmother. That Cinderella I can totally relate to," Pepper murmured dryly.
Tony snorted. "So you're implying that I'm some sort of wicked step-mother, is that it? Well I occasionally deserve the wicked part, and I've been called a mother quite a few times in my life, but as for the rest of it—"
"As for the rest of it you're off the hook," came Pepper's reassurance. "I hope you'll return the favor?"
"Live a little," Tony murmured, his eyes still closed. "Besides, admit it; you're intrigued. You'd love the opportunity to have me helpless and in your power. I know you would."
"It would go a long way in making up for years of abuse on your part," she agreed, stroking his hair. "Especially the whole harem girl costume last Halloween."
"You would have looked so hot," Tony sighed. "My 'I Dream of Jeannie' fantasy come to life."
"Dream ON," Pepper growled softly. "I'm not going to call you 'master.' Not now, not ever."
"Ah, but I can call you 'mistress," Tony purred back. "In fact, I'm looking forward to it."
Pepper said nothing for a moment, then gave a deep sigh. "You really want this, Tony?"
"Yes," he told her in a low, slow voice as he finally opened his eyes. "I do. I don't have the first clue how it all works, but there isn't another person on the planet I trust more than you, Pepper."
"What if it doesn't . . . do anything for us?" she murmured. "I mean, you've done some interesting things in your life I'm sure, but my tastes have always been pretty ordinary, you know."
"Oh I don't know about that," he shot back, eyes twinkling. "As I recall you were the one who got creative with the Cool Whip, and you were the one who invented backseat night down in the garage."
Pepper blushed; a charming sight at any time but particularly sweet in the faint afternoon light streaming in from the jet windows. "Those weren't kinky—they were . . . creative."
"Vanilla spice."
"It's not the same," Pepper commented again, but softly. "This is the feather versus the whole chicken analogy, Tony."
He batted his eyes up at her. "Then let's have chicken tonight."
00oo00oo00
It took a while for them to work their way to the bedroom. Pepper, Tony knew, was still shy about initiating things, and frankly he enjoyed re-seducing her from the front door and into the house. First came the kisses, then down came her hair, free from whatever bun or band she might be wearing. Tony could slip her out of her jacket by the end of the foyer, always aware of her capacity to do the same to him, and bit by bit the two of them would usually leave a clear trail of discarded clothing all the way to the newly redecorated master bedroom.
Gone was the California king bed and minimalist furniture, replaced by a regular king and an ocean theme in cool blues and pale greens that complemented the spectacular full wall windows to the sea.
The windows were slightly tinted to filter out the heat of the day and to keep their privacy; Pepper had insisted out of natural modesty. At the moment the sun was just beginning to set and the brilliant hues of orange, gold and red were lighting up the western horizon, spilling across the glittering water.
Neither Pepper nor Tony noted the beautiful view outside as they spun into the room, arms entwined, kissing urgently, the two of them far more focused on each other than their surroundings. They'd been lovers for only a few months now, and Tony still was just as impatient as their first joyful, magic night; just as rough on her clothes as well.
"Stop pulling!" she laughed in frustration.
"Stop wearing difficult things to get out of!" he shot back, nibbling her neck as he struggled to undo the buttons of her blouse. "Easy access—ever hear of it, Potts?"
"I need . . ." she argued between kisses, "to look . . . professional . . . NOT . . . slutty."
"Beg . . . to differ," Tony growled back, "Slutty . . . is IN."
Pepper laughed at that and pressed her hands on either side of the arc reactor on his chest, pushing him back towards the edge of the bed. "You know what, Mr. Stark? If you want me to tie you up, then you'd better get used to following directions right now. Sit, and be patient."
This was delivered in a soft, amused and slightly commanding tone; Tony bounced on the edge of the mattress, slightly stunned but clearly intrigued as well. He folded his hands on his lap and looked exactly like a boy sitting outside the principal's office.
Pepper drew in a breath and quickly undid her blouse, setting it neatly on the top of the blanket chest near the door. "All right then."
"Wow," Tony murmured watching her. "I can actually state that this is hot. What does that say about me?"
"Ah. No talking," Pepper told him, feeling a warm little thrill when he clamped his mouth shut. The sight of one of the world's most powerful men struggling not to squirm gave her a flush of confidence, and Pepper mentally thanked Jarvis for the articles he'd found for her on bondage.
Maybe this was going to work.
Pepper stepped into the bathroom, letting her voice carry as she did so. "Stay put, and I will be out to deal with you in one minute."
"Jesus," came the low whimper. Pepper smirked at her reflection in the huge mirror, reaching for the lingerie drawer on her side of the vanity. Carefully she finished undressing, fished out the filmy black teddy and slipped it on, smoothing her hands on the little pink bows that ran down the sides. It was not her sort of garment at ALL, Pepper knew—too overtly erotic for the most part—but she suspected the very shock of it would take Tony by surprise.
At least, that was what her quick research had indicated.
Pepper swept her hair up into a quick French Twist, clipped it, and ran a tube of hot brick colored lipstick on her mouth, trying not to let her nervousness show through. She'd faced down board rooms, irate heads of state and even the Vice President of the United States at one point—tying Tony Stark up should be a piece of cake after that.
When Pepper stepped out of the bathroom and stood there, Tony found himself unable to speak for a long moment. It wasn't that he didn't have things to say; given what Pepper was almost wearing along with the hot-eyed stern expression on her face, Tony was sure if he opened his mouth he'd be babbling like a complete idiot.
Mostly because he was a complete idiot. All the synapses in his brain had fried away at the sight of her in a black lacy La Perla teddy, those incredible legs of hers showcased in ways that should have been outlawed in several states.
His jaw slackened, and Tony was sure he would drool if he didn't clamp it closed again. He blinked rapidly, and kept his hands in his lap now for camouflage.
Pepper put her hands on her hips; the gesture tightened the teddy across her elegant chest as she did so. "So. Did you move?"
He managed to find his voice, rasp that it was. "Um, no. Not unless you count personal hydraulics."
That nearly got a smirk out of her, but Pepper Potts had one of the best poker faces in the state. She lifted her chin imperiously and let her gaze slide over him in a way that had Tony quivering.
Really. It was . . . intense.
"I don't believe you," she told him in a flat tone. "You can get away with that flippant crap the rest of the time, Anthony, but don't you dare try it with me."
Tony froze. Pepper had never EVER spoken to him this way, and for a moment his anger rose up, but she strode over to him, pressing up against his knees and the warm scent of her perfume and musk left him just a tiny bit dizzy.
She reached down, caught his chin and tipped his face up, her lips barely brushing his. "Is this what you want?" Pepper demanded in a whisper.
He swallowed, hard. "Yes."
"Say it again, Anthony."
"Yes," he replied quickly. Pepper let her fingers slide from his chin to his hair and pulled it; not enough to hurt, but enough to get his attention.
"The answer should have been 'Yes, Mistress'. I'm disappointed in you. You're usually smarter than this, Anthony," Pepper sighed.
Tony's jaw worked for a quick second, and he blinked again, the rush of heat and confusion disorienting for the moment. Where was his sweet gentle lover and who was this cold, erotic bitch?
"Yes Mistress," he mumbled. Pepper dropped her hand into his lap, sliding between his fingers to stroke the prominent bulge rising along his fly, and Tony gave a little groan.
Damn. Score one for the cold erotic bitch.
Pepper's hand slid up from his crotch to his chest, and she stepped back, licking her lips.
Oh THAT did evil things to him. Tony wanted to lick his lips. He wanted to lick her lips. He wanted to lick HER, starting at her toes and ending at her hairline.
The problem was, this was too fascinating to quit. Pepper was taking this request of his far more seriously than he ever thought she would, and Tony had to admit that he was painfully hard now.
"Take your clothes off, Anthony and don't keep me waiting."
"Ooohyeah. Um, Mistress," he added quickly, rising to undo his belt and get naked.
Pepper moved around him, mostly to work off the flutters in her stomach and keep from showing her nervousness. So far Tony was playing along perfectly; given his responses, this truly was a thrill for him, and the tender part of her was pleased to be able to make him happy.
The other odd feeling inside her though was harder, much harder to admit to, and Pepper tried not to think about it at the moment.
You like it, came the treacherous little thought and she pushed it aside. It popped up again as she took the clothes from Tony's outstretched hands and carelessly threw them to the floor. You are getting hot yourself at ordering him around.
She pointed to the middle of the bed, and kept as serious a face as possible. Tony hung on her every gesture, and shifted immediately, spreading his arms wide.
"I'm all yours," he rumbled, dark eyes bright.
Pepper hesitated, thinking back on what she'd read.
To keep the upper hand, do the unexpected.
"Oh yes you are," Pepper told him, and moved to deftly wrap one of the Velcro bindings around his left ankle. Tony propped himself up on his elbows, clearly puzzled, but not protesting as she fastened the other end to the post of the footboard. Then Pepper did the same to his right ankle, taking her time to make sure the bindings were secure.
"Snug," he muttered, looking a bit more wary now. Pepper reached over and gave his erection a quick stroke; it bobbed in her hand. Tony smiled, and Pepper shifted to reach for his hands.
"You need to learn to keep these to yourself," she told him, and wrapped his wrists, binding them together and tugging the bond tightly. Tony lay back, his naked body tense now, the smile gone from his face.
"Whoah. Okay, getting nervous—"
"Shhhhh--" Pepper leaned over to kiss him. She kept kissing him until she felt him relax a bit, and then stroked his hair back from his face. She nipped his lips and let one hand slide down his bare stomach. "I think you need more patience, Anthony. You can't always have things quickly, you know. Sometimes things have to be . . . . slow."
"Slow . . ." he repeated thickly as her hand encircled his cock, lightly caressing it. Pepper gave a sweet little laugh, utterly amused at how dazed he looked right now, naked, flushed, hands bound and resting against his arc reactor.
"Slow," she repeated, hearing the voice in her head again.
Yep, getting off on this, I'm afraid. Payback is sweet.
00oo00oo00
Forty minutes later, and Tony Stark was going out of his mind.
This wasn't like anything he'd experienced before, and he knew he'd done a lot in his lifetime. Certainly much more than Potts, and yet here
He
Was
Going
Fucking
Apeshit.
He groaned, hips rocking. Pepper laughed.
"Ah-ah. No hurry, Anthony. We like it slooooow, don't we?"
"Jesus," was all he could gasp. The slick sounds of lubricant and her little hum echoed in his head. He looked down, past his bound hands and saw again the rich, sweet evil going on between his thighs.
Pepper sat on the edge of the bed, out of reach, the teddy giving him one hell of an eyeful, and she was stroking his cock, her slender hands and long fingers wrapped around his turgid shaft, moving slowly along the length. When Tony tried to push his hips up and drive himself into her hand, she lightened her grip until he relaxed his ass against the mattress once more.
Then she'd speed up, making it damned good, and right before he could come, Pepper would loosen her grip. She'd play with the head, she'd finger the thick veins, and then slowly, achingly slowly start stroking again.
His forehead was sweaty. "God, pleeeeease--"
Pepper looked up at him, her expression sweetly concerned. "Oh. Do you want to come?"
"Um, fuck YES."
"Ah, you didn't say 'Mistress'," came the chide, and she shifted to lightly tease his balls. "I guess you don't really want a nice strong, gushing orgasm yet--"
"Christ in a sidecar, I swear when I get free I'm going to screw you into next month . . . Mistress," Tony growled, "Seriously, I'm dying here!"
Pepper mock-sighed and let her fingers encase him again. "All swollen and angry . . . maybe it is time—" she admitted, and began to caress him again, this time with deliberate firm strokes.
Tony sighed, rocking his hips up, matching her rhythm, his low-throated growls building to match his pleasure. "Oh yeah, yeah just like that . . . oh God, Pepper honey, ohhhhhhh—"
He couldn't stop talking, but the hunger was so hard, so demanding, and the way Pepper's hands played with him, slick and warm . . . Tony felt the rise through his balls, the sullen inevitable rush of orgasm flaring through his hips and erupting from his outraged cock, spraying thickly upwards in ropey strings as he panted, stomach rock-hard, arc reactor glowing brightly as he strained against his bonds. "Hunnhhhhhh!"
The semen splattered along his hips and thighs, but Tony was too lost in the release to notice; he slumped back against the damp mattress under him, breathing deeply, eyes closing. "Ahfuuuuuuuuuck--"
He felt Pepper untie him, but didn't look up, preferring to stay limp for the moment, utterly drained now. When she undid his wrists, he flexed them, then slipped his arms around her and pulled Pepper on top of him, his hands sliding down the thin silk of her teddy, feeling the heat of her skin through it. "I love you."
She tensed, and he understood why; Pepper still had a hard time hearing it, even now. Tony gave a weak chuckle and opened his eyes, putting on hand behind his head. "Okay, two things. Scale of one to ten, I'd put this little encounter at roughly about a seven thousand thirty-two. Secondly, I owe you as big an O as you just gave me, oh Mistress mine. Just give me a little recovery time, okay?"
Pepper laughed. "Nice try, but you're not tying me up. I'm not into kinky things, Mr. Stark."
"You lie, Ms. Potts; you lie like a Berber carpet. Don't give me that prim and innocent look, noooo, not after putting an entire bottle of Lube of Your Life to work on my poor abused member. Speaking of which, I have great hopes for Stark Industries, Naked. What do you think—want the controlling interest in stock options at the ground level here?"
Pepper bent her head to nibble his earlobe. "Certainly. As long as we can set aside regular R and D sessions for product quality assurance."
"I LOVE it when you talk smutty business to me," Tony told her, and rolled them over for further negotiations."
End