After a not so long drive, Happy pulled over right in front of The Stark mansion in Malibu. Maria sure was impressed. Sure she'd heard from Natasha what the place looked like, but seeing it with her own eyes was something else entirely.

Wouldn't mind living here she thought as she got out of the car.

"Do you need anything else, Tony?" Happy asked.

Tony shook his head. "No, nothing, Haps. You're free for the rest of the day."

"Okay. Thanks, I think I'll go play some golf." Happy said and Tony smiled a bit.

"Where'd you get this one?"

"Work. The hero business." Came Tony's answer.

Happy nodded. "She looks nice. And you look like you're serious this time."

"I am." Tony confirmed.

"Well, that's good. It's been way too long."

Tony put a hand on Happy's shoulder. "Thanks, pal. Don't wanna keep her waiting much longer. Have a good one."

"Yeah, you too. Bye."

Tony got out of the car and started walking to the front door with Maria.

"You took a while. What were you two talking about?"

"Guy stuff." He said with a grin.

Tony opened the door and walked in, Maria right behind him.

"Wow." She muttered.

"Wake up, daddy's home." Tony called in the empty house.

JARVIS' voice welcomed them.

"Welcome home, sir."

Maria looked around.

"You have JARVIS here as well?"

"Yep. Got him everywhere." He said.

She walked further into the house. Then she saw the pool on the terrace. She opened the sliding door and came to the pool. She crouched and dipped her fingers in the water a bit. It was nicely cool.

Tony came to the door and leaned on the doorframe.

"This time, I'm not gonna pass." Maria said and stood up. She took of her shirt and threw it aside. Then she slipped out of her converse, undid the button on her jean shorts and took them off as well. She bent over a little and jumped into the pool.

The cool water around her was really soothing. She swam to the other side under water. She emerged from the water and ran her hands along her hair to get it out of her face. She turned to face Tony and when he saw her, he just stood in the doorframe speechless.

And what guy wouldn't? Tony thought. In her wet underwear, looking at him with those big blue eyes, her raven hair all wet and glistening in the slowly setting sun.

Maria tilted her head to the right a bit and smiled.

"Come join me." She said.

He said nothing; he just kept looking at her. She started swimming back to him slowly.

She reached the edge of the pool, folded her hands on the ground and rested her chin on them.

"C'mon." Maria smiled and decided to turn his weapons against him. She tilted her head a bit to the right and said "you know you want to."

Tony smiled and came to her. He crouched and gave her a kiss.

"You got me there, sunshine." And just like that he threw himself in the water. With all his clothes on.

Maria started laughing.

"I thought you were gonna take those off." She managed to say between laughs.

"Why waste time? I took my phone out of my pocket when we entered the house and the clothes will dry out." He said.

Maria laughed again and pushed Tony under water. Soon he emerged waving his hands around and yelling in a playful matter.

"Help! People help! She's trying to kill me!"

"Hush, you." She told him and splashed water in his face.

Tony grabbed her and hugged her tightly and gave her a mocking look.

"And what are you going to do now, Ms. Hill?"

She just smirked.

"Nothing. I surrender, oh mighty Iron Man. My strength is no match to yours. Please have mercy."

Their lips locked. When they came apart, Tony said to Maria.

"Now I know you're lying, but okay."

"I would never lie to you, fine sir." She said in a British accent.

Tony grinned.

"Are you sure about that, my lady?"

"Very." Maria answered.

They kissed and then she came out of the water and Tony did the same.

Maria collected her clothes and entered the house with Tony right behind her, dripping wet, leaving little pools of water every where he went.

"Where's the bedroom?" Maria asked.

"Follow me, I'll show you." Tony said and took the lead.

As they were walking the halls of the house, it looked even larger than from outside to Maria. She honestly thought she would need a map not to get lost.

Finally Tony opened a door and they came into a bedroom that was kind of familiar to the one it the tower.

There was a huge bed and one of the walls was completely made of glass. The view was spectacular. The ocean with the huge orange-red ball that was the setting sun. It was really breath taking.

"Here we are." Said Tony and ripped Maria out of her day dreaming.

She smiled at him.

"I could really get used to this."

"And you can." He told her.

"As much as I would like that, I am a SHIELD agent. I have to be at base."

Tony smirked and said.

„One can still dream."

Maria gave him a peck on the cheek.

"I'm gonna take a quick shower, otherwise my skin will get all dry from the pool water."

"Yeah, bathroom is just at the end of the hall. The right door."

Maria walked out of the room and Tony sat on the bed and started browsing on his Stark phone.

"Sir, someone is here to see you." JARVIS told him after a while.

"Who is it?" Tony asked.

"She didn't say, sir."

Tony frowned.

"She?" he asked the AI.

"Yes, sir."

Tony sighed and decided to take a look. He came down the stairs and made his way to the front door through the lobby.

When he opened the door, he couldn't have been more surprised.

"Hey, Tony." She greeted.

He just stood there speechless.

He simply couldn't believe his eyes. He hadn't seen her for quite some time, but it was her, he was sure.

Those hazelnut eyes, long brown hair and that gentle smile.

His voice finally came back and he greeted her back.

"Hello, Maya."