DISCLAIMER: I own NOTHING.

Pepper was right, as always. Her resignation as CEO of Stark Industries had gone smoothly. Sure, there were rumors being tossed around, especially from a certain obnoxious blond Vanity Fair reporter but Pepper was ever the professional and class act and took it all in admirable stride.

It was Friday afternoon around 1:45 when Tony was down in his workshop and got the call that it was all said and done as well as officially inked down on paper that Virginia "Peppper" Potts was no longer working for him in any way shape or form. When he ended the call there was a dull clang in his arc reactor. Just the mere thought that Pepper was "done" with him even in a professional way made him feel completely lost. Tony needed Pepper and although he would have never admitted to it in the past, things were different now, at least he hoped, no prayed that they were different.

It had been seven unbearably long days since his and Pepper's first kiss (kisses) on that rooftop and they hadn't gotten to see much of each other what with Pepper literally taking care of business and cleaning up the shit hole messes he had created including his house that he and Rhodey (okay fine mostly him) had practically destroyed at his birthday party. There had been suggestive comments and ramped up flirting between the two whenever he briefly got to see her or talk to her on the phone but other than that things seemed to be in a somewhat grey area.

With any other woman he would have known exactly what to do and would have done it without a thought or an ounce of effort but this wasn't any random woman in his life this was Pepper and yes, all right, he was in love with her, like really, really in love, in a way his normally genius mind couldn't wrap itself around. Tony didn't know which step to take or what move to make.

"Shit!" Tony shook his hand painfully trying to shake off the electric shock that just zapped him. He attempted to shoot Butter Fingers and Dummy a dirty look and berate them but he couldn't, it was his own fault. He was thinking too much about a certain red headed goddess and wasn't paying attention.

Dummy began whirring around in circles and almost seemed happy. Tony heard faint beeping noises and looked up from his latest creation to see Pepper punching in the code to his workshop. He shook his head and blinked his eyes hard a few times to make sure he wasn't having one of "those" daydreams again. This was

definitely real.

It was an odd but not unpleasant sight in the least. Pepper wasn't in her normal break neck stilettos and business attire that straddled the line of being sexy yet professional. Instead, her strawberry red hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, she was wearing a v neck navy blue long sleeved top, tight light blue jeans and a pair of knee high black leather boots. Tony wasn't used to seeing Pepper like this at all yet she was still so excruciatingly gorgeous it made him choke on a large lump that had formed in his throat.

She walked into the workshop just as she had done thousands upon thousands of times in the past and placed a medium sized box on an empty spot on the table where an old carburetor he was tinkering around with sat, starting to grow dust.

Tony watched in complete silence as Pepper took the small elastic out of her hair and let it tumble down over her slim shoulders. She lightly blew her bangs out of her face and Tony suddenly felt Dummy spin around and hit him in the back

pretty damn hard as Butter Fingers knocked a slew of things onto the floor with a loud clatter. Pepper looked up and smiled and Tony smiled back (wait was he actually blushing too? Pepper would be the death of him and he had no qualms about that whatsoever.) Tony had a strong feeling that Dummy and Butter Finger's actions were no mistake and he made a quick mental mote to thank them somehow.

Tony cleared his throat. "What's in the box?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows playfully.

Pepper laughed and shook her head. "Just something from the office that I thought you might like back." She popped off the top of the box and pulled out a framed Iron Man poster.

Tony had, had everyone in Stark Industries hang one up

in their office, the hallways, and any spot that people frequented (all right so he was a tiny bit narcissistic). Pepper began walking over to the spot in the workshop he had hung his own. "I figured you might want a matching set." She looked down at the poster with a hint of amusement and affection in her eyes.

Pepper stopped short when she looked up and saw the beautiful piece of modern art Tony had so carelessly knocked down to hang his Iron Man photo, back in its rightful place. A soft smile spread across her face and she turned to look at Tony who simply shrugged his shoulders.

"You were right, it looked good there."

"I thought you got rid of the entire collection, sold it all." Pepper said in quiet amazement.

"I decided I wanted it back." He said simply and tossed the greasy rag he was holding onto the work table as he crossed over to her. He tried to act casual and not pay too much attention to the little smirk on her face and the light bouncing around in her ocean blue eyes. He really didn't deserve her love or

admiration at all but what could he say? He was horribly greedy when it came to Pepper Potts.

He took the poster from her and looked at her. "So, why did you

bring this back?" Tony turned the poster around. "Get sick of staring at it all day long?"

Pepper shook her head the smirk on her face becoming mischievous. "No." She stepped closer and took the poster out of his hands and leaned it against the counter beside them. "I figured why look at just a picture when I can have the real thing right in front of me."

Tony's left eyebrow raised and Pepper caught him off guard with a long deep kiss. She wrapped her long arms around his neck and his large rough calloused ones encircled her tiny waist drawing her in closer.

Taking her sweet time, Pepper pulled back tugging on his lower lip. A laugh escaped her when she saw the look on Tony's handsome face. His normally coffee brown eyes were black and

glazed over. It was very rare to catch Tony Stark off guard and Pepper was thinking she could get very used to it.

"Well, Ms. Potts." Tony cleared his throat with a sexy groan.

"Technically you don't have to call me Ms. Potts now and I no longer have to refer to you as Mr. Stark seeing as we no longer work with one another." Pepper cut him off. "Considering our new found relationship."

"Relationship?" A quick flash of hurt went through Pepper's now dark blue eyes and Tony quickly corrected himself. "No, no I mean..." Tony's big hand splayed across the small of her back and he crushed her to him for a searing kiss telling her without words that there was most definitely going to be a relationship between them if he had anything to say about it. He felt like a

jackass, big time. It was always Pepper it had always been ONLY Pepper and he knew it he just felt like an idiot for waiting so damn long and ignoring the fact that the only human being for him was literally right in front of him for almost 12 years. When Tony broke away to breathe Pepper's cheeks were flushed and holy hell she really was the definition of out of control gorgeous.

Without stopping to think or take in the situation Tony easily scooped her up and lifted her onto the counter top. Her long perfect legs tightly wrapped around his waist and pulled him flush against her. One thing led to another and her v neck top was on the floor and his own shirt had gone MIA. Her soft

porcelain skin felt fucking incredible against his chest and he was loving the way her black lace bra was scratching against his chest as her slender fingers mussed his hair. They were like two teenagers necking on the couch before her mom and dad came home and Tony could feel his jeans becoming unbearably tight with every passing second. Pepper started nipping at his neck and he let out a loud growl and devoured Pepper's swollen rosy lips.

"You see?" Pepper exhaled heavily. "Now that there is no business to attend to we can focus strictly on recreational matters." She tugged his hair back to look at him.

Tony laid his hands down flat on the counter top next to her luscious thighs that he swore were created simply to make him, a grown man, get down on his knees and beg. He had to stop and collect himself for a moment. His breathing

was ragged and harsh in the best way possible and a practically half naked Pepper Potts was only inches away. Tony Stark a few years ago would have bitch slapped him in that moment and asked what in the hell he was doing. Tony knew (kind of) what he was doing though. Of course it was always Pepper and it always

would be but he didn't want to fuck this up. He would end up crawling into the bottom of an enormous bourbon bottle and drowning if he screwed this up and lost Pepper. After all it had only been one week, one long excruciating week and he didn't want to move too fast and fuck it all up even though he wanted her so bad it physically hurt.

Pepper put her soft but firm hand underneath his chin and titled his head up so he would look at her. "That will NOT be all Mr. Stark." She gave him a knowing smile and Tony was pretty damn convinced that she could read his mind. It was

sexy as hell. Was it even possible for this woman to get any sexier?

The answer to that question was a concrete yes as she leaned in to kiss him again this time soft and tenderly taking all the time in the world. She pulled back barely a centimeter and he could feel and taste her hot sweet delicious breath against his

lips. "Tony, we have been doing this dance for well over 12 years. I'm done dancing."

Tony was pretty damn sure his eyes rolled into the back of his head at hearing Pepper say those words. She kissed him again long and leisurely remembering every inch of his perfect mouth and the groans he let out as she ran her hands up

and down his strong arms.

Just as things started heating up again Jarvis interrupted. "Pardon me sir but Colonel James Rhodes has an incoming telephone call. It seems to be urgent." The

AI said in an almost apologetic tone of voice.

"Take a message." Tony grabbed Pepper's hips and tossed her over his shoulder relishing the little sounds of laughter that came from her. "Tell him I am not to be interrupted for the next 72 hours or longer and that Ms Potts and I are

extremely busy learning a new highly exotic dance that requires no use of being on ones feet."

"Tony!" Pepper chided half heartedly and smacked his leg.

"Yes, sir." Jarvis answered obediently this time sounding somewhat amused and fell silent.

"Just for future reference Pepp, getting rough with me only turns me on more."

Tony turned and quickly walked off with Pepper securely over his shoulder sporting an enormous grin that was almost on the verge of hurting his face. That didn't matter though. The only thing that mattered now was that Pepper was his

and their 12 year dance was finally over.

THE END