It's Monday Morning and the time is 8:53am. I am both nervous and excited about starting my new job. It's a job like no other which may involve anything. Most women would kill to be in my position right now. Then again, I'm not most women.

I walk up the marble stairs to Mr Stark's office, gazing around in wonder at the expensive décor. 8:57. The receptionist is nowhere in sight and the place seems eerily quiet. Well, this is it. I push open the door and there he is looking incredibly handsome in a crisp open shirt and a freshly pressed suit. His signature goatee is neatly shaven and trimmed.

"Do you ever knock?" he asks, interrupting my inappropriate thoughts.

"Good morning to you too Mr Stark" I say sweetly.

"Make us a cup of coffee Potts".

"I really hope that's not all my job entails" I mutter.

"No definitely not, you are at my every beck and call now" he grins mischievously.

It's hard to tell if he's joking. I don't think he is.

I ignore his last comment.

"How do you take your coffee Mr Stark?"

"Black, four sugars".

I can't help myself.

"That can't be good for you Sir".

"I'm not a sir!"

"Don't change the subject!"

"Then don't call me Sir!"

We both glower at each other until I turn on my heel, defeated to make his coffee. Still scowling, I can't believe how my first day has started. It's only 9:15 and we are already arguing. I make the coffee, only putting in two sugars. I bet he won't even notice and if he does it serves him right for winding me up so quickly. I smirk and think to myself how much of this facial expression I seem to be doing recently.

I take the coffee back to my new boss but I don't see him stand up to receive it and the mug pushes into his chest, spilling all over his shirt, desk and the floor. We both stand there frozen until I let out a gasp at what I've just done.

"I'm sorry Mr Stark!" I squeak.

"Are you?"

"Yes!" I snap and go to grab some towels from the kitchen.

I am blushing yet again and tears threaten to fall but I busy myself cleaning the floor as best as I can. I look up and immediately wish I hadn't. Mr Stark is pulling off his sodden shirt in exchange for another and the sight of his bare, muscly chest has my heart racing. He sees me looking and suddenly I understand why people want the ground to swallow them up. I blush furiously and scrub the floor harder.

"Like what you see, eh Potts?"

"No Mr Stark I don't, you are too cocky for your own good!"

What the hell am I doing? I am almost certain he will fire me now. He is silent and I have no idea what to say to redeem myself.

"No one's ever said no to me before" he muses.

I can't help it but I start to laugh and to my surprise so does he.

"Mr Stark, I'm sure you have work to do and so do I"

"Yeah, I do but I mostly work from my house in my workshop" he says as he walks towards the door.

"Where are we going?"

"To my house, I need to give you the tour, it's where I do all of my work so you will spend most of your time there".

That seems reasonable enough. He picks up his mobile and begins to talk.

"Hey Happy…yeah, yeah I know…Okay that's fine, see you in a min, bye".

Tony Stark isn't the mean heartless pig the tabloids make him out to be. He says hi to all the staff we walk past, with me in his wake and they all smile and greet him: "Good morning Mr Stark, Miss Potts". I can't believe they know my name; it's only my first day.

We step outside and there is a sleek limo waiting for us.

"Seriously?" I ask.

"Well, unless you want to walk Miss Potts, what's wrong with my top end car anyway?" he looks hurt.

"It's not a car, it's a paparazzi magnet" I shoot back.

"Are you getting in Tony?" asks a man, sticking his head out the window.

"Uh… yeah, Miss Potts was just admiring the car" he smirks.

The man gives me a bemused look.

"I'm Happy Hogan, Tony's driver" he offers.

"Pepper Potts" I say without thinking, hoping Mr Stark won't pick up on my nickname.

"Cute nickname"

I pretend not to hear him and get into the car.

"Not so shabby after all"

"I didn't say it was shabby"

"Whatever Pep"

I shoot him a look.

"Whoa, anyone would've thought I called you a vegetable!"

"Do people drive you around everywhere?"

"Yes"

"Yes?"

"Yes"

God he's so infuriating! I glare at him and he grins and cocks his head to one side.

"What?" he asks innocently.

"You're so infuriating!" I blurt out and I swear I hear Happy splutter.

"Me? Infuriating? Never!" he gasps dramatically.

"We're here" Happy declares before I can reply.

Tony leaps out like a child and rushes round to open the door for me. I straighten my skirt and thank him.

"You're welcome Pepper" he smiles.

My legs feel like jelly.

"Only my friends call me that" I admit.

"Aren't I your friend?"

"You're my boss"

"… and your friend"

"You're impossible!"

"… but incredible!"

"Don't flatter yourself Tony"

I realise my mistake. Maybe he won't notice.

"You called me Tony!"

Wrong…

"I thought we were friends?" I smirk.

Once inside, I can't help but gawp at the sheer size of his house. More like mansion. Tony (I might as well call him that now) looks at me.

"Impressive isn't it?" he says proudly.

"A bit big for just one person living here though"

"Is that a hint that you'd like to move in with me Potts?"

"No!" I snap.

"You snap a lot you know…"

"No I don't!"

He smirks and I smile sardonically.

"My workshop is down here"

Glad for the change of subject, I follow Tony downstairs to a glass door. He punches a code in and it hisses open.

"Good afternoon Mr Stark, Miss Potts, Sir your equipment has arrived"

I nearly jump out of my skin as a voice booms through the room robotically.

"Where is that coming from?" I whisper.

"It's JARVIS, he runs the house" Tony whispers back.

He is mocking me yet again but I decide to ignore it.

I wander around the messy oversized basement, taking in all the tools and various pieces of metal strewn across the desk. It's a builder's heaven.

"What exactly do you do in here?" I ask.

"Good question, I'm working on something big"

"Which is?"

"Curiosity killed the cat Potts"

"Good thing I'm not a cat then Mr Stark"

"If I told you then I'd have to kill you"

I roll my eyes.

"Surely as your assistant I'm entitled to know what you're up to."

"None of the others knew"

"Others?"

"Other assistants"

"What happened to them?" I ask boldly.

"They left"

"Why?"

"Said I was too much of a handful!" he mumbles.

"I laugh.

"Surely not, you're anything but Mr Stark"

Thank you Miss Potts I think so too.

I look at him, wondering if he is serious. He definitely looks sombre. All of a sudden his face splits into a grin.

"Gotcha!"

"Thank God for that, I was starting to think your ego was overinflating!" I exclaim cheekily.

"Most unkind don't you think, wouldn't want to bruise it now"

"Someone's got to"

"I have both feet planted firmly on the ground"

"So I see" I glance at his feet to enunciate my observation.

He scowls and then grins at me; weird man.

"I thought you were going to show me what you do down here?"

"I didn't say anything of the sort"

"I want to see"

"Begging now are we Miss Potts?"

"No…"

"All the women beg for me Potts, just didn't figure you'd be one of them"

"Stop, I don't want to know!"

"But you begged"

"Stop stroking your ego!"

"You could stroke it for me?"

By now I am flushing crimson and I can't stop it. He is so inappropriate.

"Stop changing the subject, what new weapon have you created?"

"It's not a weapon actually, it's something much better"

Before he can go on, JARVIS interrupts causing me to visibly jump and Tony to smirk.

"Sir, Obadiah is approaching the premises, shall I allow him entry?"

"No, let's leave him standing outside for a bit!"

"That would be most unkind Sir"

"I was joking JARVIS, I would never do such a thing"

"It sounds like something you would do in future endeavours Sir, in fact, I recall a drunken moment…"

"Shut up JARVIS!"

I can't help but laugh.

"Even your robots take the rise out of you!"

"No rest for the wicked" he sighs.

"I'm sure it's a hard life being a billionaire"

He smiles and turns on his heel.

"Stop being a bully and let's go meet Obie"

Obadiah is a smart, balding man who regards Tony and me with a steely glare as we enter the room. He gets up and shakes my hand briskly.

"Ah, Virginia Potts, new assistant I hear?"

No one's ever used my real name before except my mother. I find myself blushing and feeling uncomfortable.

"Nice to meet you Sir and yes I will be assisting Mr Stark"

"Well good luck with that; he is a scandal in himself"

I'm not sure what that means so I just smile politely.

"Obie, I'm right here!" Tony says in exasperation.

"Tony, we need to talk about the company… in private"

"Miss Potts can hear whatever you have to say, she is part of the team now" Tony says defensively.

"Tony, its fine" I protest, not wanting to annoy this man whom I am growing to dislike.

"Oh, well okay, there should be a list of errands in my office, last door on the right; you wouldn't be able to run a few for me would you?"

"Of course Mr Stark, will that be all?"

"That'll be all Miss Potts"

Once out of the room, I breathe a sigh of relief. There is something about Obadiah that puts me on edge. Tony seems to like him though. I am determined to find out why he bugs me so much but I go and retrieve the list of errands, Errands? Seriously? Knowing Tony they will be ridiculous requests…I am not wrong!

1. Order Burger King

Really? This is his priority? It's disgusting and greasy. Euegh! What's next?

2. Put up self portrait

I scoff; this must be a joke? But sure enough, leaning against the desk is an intricate sketch of Tony Stark looking quite attractive. No! Remember my mantra!

3. Sort out accounts

4. Print out contracts

5. Answer emails

That's more like it! I bet he hasn't replied to any emails. The list goes on but I decide to focus on these five first; starting with emails.

I fire up a laptop on Tony's desk and open up his email account. 588 emails! So maybe he has never replied to an email. Cautiously, I click on the first one. It's the most recent one from a Phil Coulson. I know exactly who he is from my research. Head of SHIELD and new manager of Stark board meetings. It's a very angry email.

Mr Stark,

As owner of your company, it is compulsory for you to attend the board meetings to confer with our team. You haven't been to a single one thus far and this is one of many emails that I have sent requesting your whereabouts, You better have a good reason for being absent, which frankly will be hard to convince me that you are serious about working with us.

Please get in touch now

Coulson

I bet Tony hasn't even seen this! How can he have not been to any board meetings?! There are about ten other emails from Coulson, demanding to know why he isn't showing up. I make a separate folder for them and look through the rest. Most are from countries around the world requesting stock of his newest weapons. I am baffled as to why he wouldn't reply to these. Surely, they would earn him thousands of dollars? There are even some from crazy women claiming to be in love with him. I am blushing just reading them and have to stop. It feels like an invasion of privacy somehow.

"Hey"

I jump and immediately feel guilty.

"Hello Mr Stark"

"It's Tony"

"You're my boss"

"You said I was your friend earlier"

"So I did"

"Friends don't call each other Mr"

"Fine Mr…Tony"

"I think you misunderstood me Pepper, just Tony, not both!"

"Will you ever answer any of your emails?"

"Will you ever not change the subject when you know I am right?!"

"You make me want to scream you know"

"My charming personality does that to people"

I try again.

"Why don't you attend the board meetings?"

"You're doing it again Potts, I just told you…"

"I cut him off, fuming now.

"Listen to me Tony, take your company seriously"

"I do!"

"Don't interrupt me…give Coulson some credit and actually go to the meetings!"

He huffs like a child and pouts rather adorably I think.

"But they look so boring!" he whines.

"I'll come with you and take notes"

"Really?" his eyes light up.

"Yes, I might as well; I am your personal assistant"

"Great, thanks Pep, I owe you one!" he grins.

I roll my eyes.

"How about replying to the rest of your emails?"

"That's what I've got you for!"

"Tony, you haven't replied to countries asking for you weapons, surely that's your main income?"

"I haven't had time; I've been working on something big"

"What exactly is this big something Mr Stark?"

He hesitates, unsure.

"I'll show you tomorrow Potts, let's call it a day"

I realise it's already 5:30 and I haven't eaten all day.

"Will that be all Mr Stark?"

"That will be all Miss Potts, good night"

"Good night"

And with that, I leave wondering why he wanted me to go all of a sudden. Maybe I annoyed him. Well good, I've lost count of the times he's annoyed me. Let him see how it feels. I can't help wondering if I pried too much into what he was working on. It's obviously taking up all his time and putting pressure on him. I make it my mission to find out what it is and survive day two with Mr Stark.