Chapter Four

Better Than the Real Thing

"I swear to God," Natasha snarled. "If you had hit me –"

She froze again as her eyes drifted down to his exposed manhood. The sight of it took her breath away. She stopped again, this time for good. Wow, Natasha thought as she forced herself to inhale. Suddenly, she wasn't angry anymore.

"What were you looking at anyway?" she asked, trying to deflect the focus back on to him. She was also curious about what type of girl turned him on.

Steve's own reflexes kicked into gear. He pushed his mouse and clicked several times before she could make her way over to his computer.

Despite his speed, his moves had been panicked and clumsy. Natasha could tell from the frightened look on his face that he hadn't been able to hit the red "X" to close whatever website was looking at. Leaning over his shoulder, she finally saw what was on his screen.

"Holy shit." Her mouth dropped open, and she took a step back. "Never figured you were into balloons."

"What," he said as he looked back at his screen again. "No!"

"That's okay, Steve," Natasha said unconvincingly. "We all have our kinks."

"No! You gotta believe me! I'm not into that stuff!"

"What were you looking at, then?"

Steve stopped and lowered his head, too embarrassed to give her an answer.

"Look, it's fine. Whatever floats your boat."

"I, I wasn't looking at...balloons," he said before looked up into her eyes. Steve sighed and clicked the "back" button on his browser. "I was looking at you."

Natasha raised her hand over her mouth. "Steve..."

"I like you, Nat. Always have."

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"You were mad at me for being such a creep. I didn't wanna make things any worse."

"That's not why I was mad." Natasha stopped herself, too shy to disclose her insecurities with him. She took a step forward and leaned down toward the monitor again. It would be easier if she could divert the discussion toward anything else, even pictures of herself.

"God," she said as she looked over the pictures. With their professional lighting and editing, they only made her feel worse about herself. "I look like a big plastic Barbie. They airbrushed the shit outta me."

"They didn't have to," Steve said as he stood up and moved in close to her.

Natasha made eye contact with him, and time seemed to come to a stop. She felt her spine straightening, and she was unable to do anything as she was overtaken by a mutual feeling of desire.

Steve brushed her short red hair aside and laid a gentle kiss on her lips. He wrapped his arms around her, as he moved to embrace her from behind. She felt his breath on her neck, before he began to kiss her there as well. It had all come so fast, and she could hardly believe what was happening. It was like something out of a dream.

"I'd like to make love to you. Ma'am."

Natasha giggled at his formal address. It was as if Steve had nervously fallen back on propriety, after being so forward with her. His awkwardness was cute. But it was nothing compared to the gentle but decisive force of his arms, as he proceeded with another surge of confidence.

"But you just...Can you go again so soon?"

"I'm a Super Soldier. I can go on when other men can't."

Natasha suddenly felt weak in the knees. She almost fell, but Steve held her up and brought her over to his bed.

He didn't lay her down though. He stayed behind her instead and bent her over the side of the bed.

What's this? Natasha thought. For some reason, she had never imagined Captain America liking any position besides straight missionary.

Steve laid a kiss on her cheek as he slid his hands down her sides and to her hips. He then reached forward to caress her stomach. "So soft."

What does he mean by that? Natasha's pleasure ceased, and she became tense as she felt his fingers sinking into the flab on her belly. She pulled her own arm in and brushed his hand off. Her move was unclear though, and it failed to send the message that she wanted him to stop.

"Bet those pictures can't compare to the real thing." Steve's other hand slid across her back and clutched the waistband of her sweatpants. He slowly pulled her pants down, exposing her thong.

In seconds, he would see her bare ass again. Up close, with all of its ugly details right in front of his face. The fact that he was coming off of those perfectly airbrushed pictures of her would make her body look even worse. He wouldn't be merely turned off. He'd be disappointed.

"Stop it," Natasha said as she stood up and pushed him away. She quickly turned to face him as she pulled her pants back up.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked. Steve's mouth hung open, and he looked both confused and concerned.

"No...It's not you. It's me..."

He reached out for her, but Natasha took a big step back.

"I'm sorry, Steve. I can't do this right now."

She turned and ran for the door.