Hey guys, I'm trying to decide whether to spend more time on this story or my other one (PP to the Rescue.) Let me know what you think I should do. Warning: so this chapter is KINDA smutty. Not as smutty as some so if sex and stuff like that offends you...just to be safe skip this chapter and wait for the next one to start reading again.

Chapter Four

"Really? No comments? Questions? Concerns?" The King of Cool, Tony Stark was starting to get nervous. He was usually great at remaining calm and collected under pressure but not knowing what was going on in Pepper's head about his confession...this was a different kind of torment. As he was losing consciousness after Pepper walked out on him earlier, he made a promise right then and there that if he survived, he would tell her how he felt. She deserved to know how much she meant to him. But now that he actually had said the words to her, he was beginning to regret it. What if she didn't feel the same way? What if his words scared her, and she left and never came back? He would much rather keep her close and keep his feelings to himself if it meant losing her all together. Not that he had much time left anyway due to the palladium poisoning but still. Losing her now would kill him faster than the palladium ever would.

He dared to take another quick glance at her before averting his eyes to the floor again. She was simply sitting there, staring at him. He couldn't get a read on her. He couldn't read her at all. Maybe she didn't actually hear him the first time he said it, and when she asked him to repeat it, he should have made something else up because she obviously didn't love him back. Not that Tony could blame her. Why would she love him? He was arrogant, self-centered, narcissistic. Those were only a few of his undesirable traits, and there were thousands. He didn't know why she stuck around him all these years. She was perfect. She deserved so much better than him but he was a selfish man. He just couldn't let her go. He would hold onto her as long as possible by whatever means necessary. He couldn't sit in silence any longer while she decided she wanted to leave him for good.

Tony rubbed at the back of his neck. He still couldn't bring himself to make eye contact with her. Seeing any rejection reflected in her eyes would destroy him. "Look, Pep...just..." He was about to tell her to forget it, that it was merely a joke and have a good laugh with her about the whole thing when he felt her warm body climb into his lap. Her arms went around him again. She was trembling. It was as if she was coming apart in his arms. Oh shit. She was crying for the hundredth time today because of him.

"I can't lose you, Tony. I can't. You're all I have." He could feel Pepper's tears against his cheek. Her hot breath shuddering out of her against his ear made him shiver. "Promise me you won't give up." She tightened her grip around his shoulders, clinging to him like her presence was the only thing keeping him where he was, and it may have been. "Promise me you'll keep fighting."

Tony circled her shaking body with his arms, hugging her back just as fiercely. He didn't want to die. He wanted to live. He wanted to live for her. "I promise." He was about to apologize for making her cry but his words were silenced when Pepper's lips closed over his, shutting him up. The first kiss they shared was short and sweet but this, this was knock your socks off amazing. For the second time in one day, Pepper was straddling his lap. That in itself was great but now as she was forcefully pressing him back into the side of the bed devouring his mouth with hers, demanding he respond to her, he knew he wasn't going to die. He couldn't die because she wouldn't let him.

Being who he was, he had been with tons of women but he honestly could say he has never felt like this before. Pepper wasn't just one of his one-night stands, and he was glad he hadn't fucked up by taking her to bed back when he didn't know how to treat a woman. If he had made his move before finally figuring his shit out while being held captive in Afghanistan, he would have hurt her. Pepper Potts was not just another notch in his bedpost, and he was going to prove it to her by giving her the most pleasurable experience of her life...as soon as she let him but right now he was just going to lie back and enjoy the ride.

At least Pepper was no longer crying. She was currently nipping and kissing her way up his neck, still holding him in place as she worked him over. He tried to move into a different position but she forced him to remain still. He loved this side of her. It's one of the many reasons he made her CEO of his company. She knew what she wanted, and she went for it.

Unlike most of the people who worked for Tony, she wasn't afraid to go toe to toe with him. If she didn't like what he was doing, she told him so and didn't hold back. She didn't bullshit him. It had caused quite a bit of tension in meetings where people who didn't understand their relationship thought he was going to fire her on the spot for making a scene. But her determination and stubbornness only made him want her more. Never once had he wanted to fire her. There was more than one occasion where they were at each other's throats, and he wanted nothing more than to bend her over the table and fuck her. There was nothing like getting a hard on during an important business meeting because of a tongue thrashing from the bullheaded Pepper Potts.

Speaking of Pepper, her hands were threaded through his hair, and she was currently grinding on him in a way that made his eyes roll back in his head. It wouldn't take long like this and he would finish before they even started. When her teeth and tongue grazed his ear lobe, everything whited out for a second. Well, if he died now, at least he would die happy.

"Why the hell didn't we do this sooner?" Tony panted. "I should have kissed you back on the roof that night because this...this is great. No wait. That's not the right word. What word am I looking for? Awe-inspiring? Sensational? Mind-blowing?"

He heard Pepper giggle and it made him smile. God. He loved her laugh. Just one of the million things he loved about the woman who was on top of him. When her fingers traced the outline of his goatee up to his ears, he sighed, letting his eyes close as he reveled in her touch.

"Why don't you use that amazing mouth of yours to do something other than talk for once?" she asked. "Do you need some suggestions because I have a few."

His eyes flew open. Holy fuck. This was so damn hot. The way she was looking at him was making him absolutely crazy. He couldn't remember a time he was more turned on. There had been too much sexual tension between them both for far too long. Part of him wanted to rip her clothes off and fuck her into oblivion but most of him wanted to take his sweet time and make it last as long as possible. The payoff of hearing her screaming his name was worth the wait. He noticed Pepper watching him intently and decided to have a little fun with her. Slowly, he traced his lips with his tongue, rewarded when Pepper's own lips parted in kind, her breathing speeding up. He hoped she was imagining what he was planning to do. "I can think of a few things to try."

When she leaned in to capture his lips again, he decided it was his turn to take charge, hoisting her up over his shoulder as she kicked her legs in her air. "Anthony Stark!" she shrieked as she smacked at his back playfully. "Put me down now before you hurt yourself!"

He obeyed, depositing her on the bed before climbing on top of her. He decided to slow things down for the moment as he admired the beautiful woman underneath him. Her lips were swollen from the intensity of the kisses they shared. Her cheeks were flushed, bringing out the freckles on her cheeks and nose. Her eyes were the most stunning blue. Not only was there passion reflected in those eyes but worry. She was scared for him. Of course she was. He had just told her he was dying. Shit. He was dying before she rescued him. She needed to know he was okay.

He leaned forward, rubbing his nose against hers. Pepper smiled as she nuzzled him back. "I'm fine, Pep. I swear. I would tell you if I wasn't. Right now, in this moment, I have never felt better. I will tell you if that changes. No more secrets between us. Okay?"

Pepper bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Okay."

"Unless of course we are talking presents. Then it's okay to keep a secret or two. Or possibly planning a fun night out on the town. I've got an idea for something we have to do one of these days..."

While he was rambling on as he often found himself doing, Pepper decided he was talking too much, and took the reigns back from him. He found himself on his back with her on top, her lips roaming over his jaw, her fingers popping the button on his jeans. He didn't even know how she pulled that one off. Not only saw she demanding but sneaky. He liked that. "Getting impatient, Potts? I guess I should follow your lead. You are the boss, now, right? You make the rules. Although this is my house so maybe I should be in charge."

"But this is my bed..." He cut her off, covering her lips with his own. Her mouth obediently opened under his, their tongues entwining in a dance that was brand new and yet utterly familiar. It was like they were made for each other. Her kisses were intoxicating, better than his favorite Scotch. He could get drunk on her every night. Hell, every day. Several times a day. Honestly, all day long if he was being honest with himself. He sank his teeth into her neck, drawing a yelp of pleasure from her as he sucked at her skin. She was so soft and delicious. He wanted to feast on her all day.

When she pulled away from him, he almost whimpered from the lack of contact but when he realized what she planned to do, he decided he was okay with it. Pepper smirked at him as she removed her shirt, revealing the black lace bra hidden underneath. Tony's soul left his body. His interest was clearly written all over his face among other more intimate places because Pepper sat back, watching his reaction as she traced her flat stomach with her hands, slowly bringing them up over her breasts, stopping to give them a firm squeeze. Just her touching herself was going to make come. Now that would be embarrassing for his sex god reputation.

"Like what you see, Mr. Stark?"

Tony's mouth went dry. Never before in his life had he seen a more breath-taking sight. Pepper Potts was the most beautiful woman in the world. And she was all his. He couldn't find the words he wanted to say. She rendered him completely, utterly speechless. He settled for nodding enthusiastically. When she undid the clasp of her bra and slipped it from her shoulders, his eyes went wide at the sight of her perky, supple breasts. He would be lying if he said he never fantasized about what they would look like but this was better than his dreams.

"How about this? Is this better?" She titled her head to one side and then the other way as she gauged his reaction.

He was dead. He had to be fucking dead because if heaven was real, this was it. Her breasts were perfect. She was perfect. This entire situation was perfect. And his question about her having freckles on her chest and stomach was now answered. There were so many freckles dotting her milky white skin. And before the day was over, he was going to lick every fucking one of them.

"You are awfully quiet, Tony. Should I be worried?" Pepper asked.

He wasn't about to answer her with words. Actions were much more fun and effective. Her head snapped back, a moan escaping her lips when his hands reached out to cup her breasts, fingers grazing her nipples. They were perfect as if they were made just for his hands alone. Yep. That settled it. There was no one else for him. She was his. He was hers. Forever.

"You are perfect, Pepper." He wanted her to believe him. He needed her to believe him. "Fucking perfect. You always have been. I was a fucking idiot not to see it sooner."

"Tony..."

The way she said his name was like a mantra, and it only made him want her more. Little did she know, she didn't even have to touch him to turn him on. He couldn't count how the number of times she made him hard by just saying his name a certain way and a lot of those times, she had only been asking him to sign something. He ran his hands up the smooth skin on her sides, relishing when she quivered under his touch. Her heart was racing because of him. "Say my name again, Potts. I'll never get sick of the way you say my name. Tell me you want this. I need to hear it."

"Tony!" His mouth found her left breast, sucking the nipple into his mouth. "Oh my God. Tony! Yes, please. I do. I need you. Please." Her hands were in his hair, holding him against her as he sucked and nipped at her. He would never get tired of her taste. He couldn't wait to sample every single inch of her body, and commit it to his memory. Her moans of pleasure escalated as his tongue swirled around her nipple, driving him to move his fingers to the button on her jean shorts. Was she wearing matching panties? His question was about to be answered. This was most definitely the best birthday ever. He was going to touch her now. He needed to touch her. He wouldn't be satisfied until he was buried balls deep in her with her head thrown back as she screamed his name, her nails raking down his back, leaving marks over his skin, claiming him as hers...

"Sir!"

Jarvis' voice broke Tony's concentration, and for the first time in his life, his nimble fingers failed to do what he commanded of them. He must be fucking dreaming. There was absolutely no way Jarvis, the AI he had programmed himself was interrupting the best thing that had ever happened in his life. "Jarvis, I swear to God I will download you into a flash drive and bury you at the bottom of the ocean if you don't stop talking this instant..."

"I'm sorry, sir, but you have visitors," Jarvis insisted. To his credit, he did actually sound sorry.

Tony growled into Pepper's skin. He was finally about to make love to the woman of his dreams, and the AI he created was ruining it for him. "Do I really have to tell you to send them away? Do your job for once or I'll...ah!" One of Pepper's wandering hands slid into the front of his pants and derailed his train of thought. Jarvis was lucky Pepper was so damn distracting.

"I can't, sir. They are manually overriding my protection protocols and coming inside as we speak."

Jarvis' warning made Pepper stop what she was doing. The passion in her eyes was quickly becoming panic. "They are coming inside now? Like right now?" A squeal of panic escaped her lips as she covered her breasts with her arms. In record time, she had unmounted him and shot off the bed, only stooping to scoop up her bra and t-shirt as she ran into the bathroom and shut the door.

The unwelcome visitors had just interrupted what was most likely going to become the best sex Tony Stark would ever have in his life. Tony felt his temper rising. Somebody was going to die today, and it wasn't him. He was going to kill someone. "Who the hell is it?" He growled as he sat up. He wanted to know exactly who he would be murdering in a matter of seconds.

"Miss Rushman and Mr. Fury, sir."

Tony swung his legs over the side of the bed. He was no longer angry, only confused. Natalie showing up didn't surprise him. Not really. Last night before the party started, he told her she could have the following day off because he was planning on spending it in bed nursing what would likely be a massive hangover, but she seemed like the type to ignore his requests. But why the hell was Fury here? And what the hell were they doing here together? It made no sense.

"Sir, just so you are aware, Mr. Hogan has also just pulled up. He has informed me he was worried because neither you or Pepper were answering your phones."

Tony hung his head and huffed in disappointment. Wonderful. Just wonderful. Everyone and their freakin' mother was coming over. He was never going to get laid. Well, not until he confronted everyone and got rid of them. He searched the floor for his disguarded shirt but couldn't find it. It must have gotten lost in his excitement. That wasn't a shock. Pepper had the ability to make his genius brain incapable of processing simple thoughts. Letting out a sigh of disappointment as his eyes passed over the bathroom door where Pepper disappeared, he pushed himself off the bed and headed to his own room. He rifled through his drawers before picking out a plain grey shirt, pulling it over his head before heading for the stairs.