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14: What Makes A Man
Natasha did indeed have one of the deepest sleeps she ever had in a while. Steve was truly amazing last night and she couldn't help but smile at the memory. Burrowing herself further in the pillow with her eyes still closed, she considered going back to sleep because it was Saturday after all. But the warmth of Steve's strong arms wrapped around her was gone and Natasha didn't like it. Where the hell was he?
She heard the sound of pencil scraping on paper and slowly opened her eyes to find her boyfriend sitting on the armchair to her left with a sketchpad. He was drawing something and it was obviously Natasha.
The redhead frowned when she saw how much attention Steve put on his work and not her, "Steven, come back to bed." She mumbled in a husky voice.
"Stay still, darling. I'm about to finish this drawing." He replied without looking up from his sketch.
"I need you back in bed now." She insisted with her best commanding tone.
Steve met her eyes briefly before going back to his drawing, "Just one second."
"Now! Or you can sleep on the couch tonight." She threatened and immediately he dropped everything and joined her in bed, enveloping her in his arms right away.
He pecked a kiss on her lips and held her body closer, "I'm sorry. I just wanted to capture how beautiful you look while you were sleeping." He said, giving her another loving kiss.
"It's okay…" She murmured, snuggling into his chest. "But you do know that I hate waking up without your arms around me."
"I do know that, sweetheart." He softly ran his fingers through her crimson curls. "I'll try to stay in bed with you until you wake up, okay?"
Natasha smiled up at him and brought his lips down to hers again. The kiss started slow and sweet, but it soon turned more heated when he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. Her hands tugged at his sweatpants, trying to pull them down as his lips continued trailing kisses down her neck and breasts. She moaned in his ear when she felt the tip of his cock grazing at her entrance.
"Natasha... I need you." Steve whispered, mouth closing in on her nipple and lightly sucking it, causing Natasha to throw her head back in pleasure.
Before things could get more intense, the bedroom door suddenly swung open, effectively startling the pair. Steve quickly pulled his pants back up and threw the blanket over Natasha's naked body, covering her with his large frame before turning to the intruder. His brows furrowed when he saw a middle-aged blonde woman with the same pair of blue eyes standing at the doorway.
"Mother?" Steve questioned with a frown, "What are you doing here?"
"Well, a mother doesn't need an excuse to visit her son." Sarah Rogers casually replied, "But I can see that you are rather occupied, so I will go and wait for you downstairs."
That said, Sarah turned around and walked out of the bedroom, leaving the shocked couple to process what just happened. Natasha wrapped the white sheet around her naked form as Steve got up from the bed and went to the closet to get them some clothes.
"That's your mom?!" Natasha promptly asked as Steve gave his shirt for her to wear.
"Yeah." He nodded sheepishly, pulling his white t-shirt down. "I had no idea she would be coming here today."
"Well, you did leave the gala early last night." His girlfriend reasoned, "Maybe she's here to check on you. Wait, does she know about us?"
Steve shook his head, "No, I haven't told her. Though now I guess she must know something is up because I had never let any woman stay here before, not to mention, sleep in my bed."
"Perhaps now it's time for me to meet her and have a proper introduction?"
"I agree. But I do know one thing, love..." He pulled her closer, looking into her beautiful green eyes, "My mom will like you as much as I do."
Natasha smiled in return and couldn't resist kissing him again. Her boyfriend was always so sweet and charming, how could she not fall in love with him? Love. She kept finding herself naturally repeating the word in her mind lately each time she thought of Steve and the way his baby blue eyes sparkled everytime he looked at her, or saw her smile. Staring back at the man in front of her, Natasha couldn't wipe the happy smile off of her face. Yes, she loved him. And she was pretty sure he loved her too.
Steve interlaced their fingers together and they both took a deep breath before heading downstairs to meet Sarah. Natasha was slightly anxious to face Steve's mom because the woman did just discover about their relationship in the most awkward way. Hopefully it wasn't too awful of a first impression and his mom didn't hate her.
"Mother?" Steve called out and Sarah turned at his voice. Her face was stoic as she regarded the young couple. "This is Natasha Romanov, my girlfriend."
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Rogers." Natasha said and offered her hand for Sarah to shake.
She took it but remained distant, "Nice to meet you too, Natasha."
Steve instinctively wrapped his arm around Natasha's waist, as if wanting to show his mom that he would support and protect his girlfriend no matter what the elder woman thought of her. His eyes found Natasha's, giving her a little encouragement and silently telling her that he would be with her whatever the outcome was.
"So, this is why you left the gala early last night?" Sarah inquired, not missing the way her son had gone into a protective mode, "And you didn't even bother telling me."
"Sorry about last night, mother, but something came up."
"I think I saw her at the gala too. Was she the last minute guest Tony added to the list? Why didn't you introduce me to her last night?"
"Well, I... We..." Steve stuttered, glancing briefly at Natasha, "We haven't actually announced our relationship yet. We're keeping it a secret for the time being, only Tony and Natasha's best friend know about us."
"Why?" Sarah looked at the pair, "Is there something you two are hiding?"
The couple shared a nervous, panic look and Sarah immediately knew they were covering something up. "It must be something really serious."
"It's rather complicated, mother..." Steve finally replied.
"I've got all the time in the world, Steven." Sarah countered and moved to sit down on the couch, "You better start telling me everything right now, darling."
He let out a sigh, "Alright, we'll tell you everything."
His mother leaned back on her seat and gestured for the pair to start talking.
"Well, so our relationship isn't quite like what most people have..." Steve began, "It's... well, it sort of—"
"It's frowned upon in most society." Natasha chimed in, "We met at the university, but... um..."
"I'm her teacher and she's my student." Steve blurted out.
Sarah's eyes widened in surprise. Well, she certainly didn't expect that. When she walked in earlier on her son with a girl in his bed, she had assumed that would be the only surprise for her today. She thought Natasha was one of Steve's co-workers, or that she was also from high society, perhaps a friend of Tony. It never even occurred to Sarah that she would be Steve's student.
"This is why we don't tell anyone about our relationship." His voice brought Sarah out of her reverie.
Slowly nodding her head, she got up from her seat and turned to Natasha, "I think I need to speak privately with my son, Natasha."
Without waiting for a reply, Sarah made her way into Steve's office, knowing her son would soon follow. Steve frowned, all the while contemplating what his mother would say to him. Sarah Rogers could be tough, and Steve was concerned things might not have ended up as well as he hoped.
"You can do it, Steve." Natasha assured, squeezing his hand gently while her other hand reaching up to cup his cheek. "We can do it."
Steve kissed her deeply, "You know I'll fight my mother to be with you." He whispered against her lips, "You know that, right?"
She softly chuckled, "Don't fight her, Steve. Try to convince her of our relationship instead. Just like we did with Clint and Tony."
"I'll do my best for us, love." He vowed, kissing her again.
Steve reluctantly let go of her and walked into his office, ready to have the talk with his mother.
Sarah stood waiting for her son and at the same time, trying to process what she just heard. She could definitely see that Steve was very attached to this Natasha girl. A part of her was glad to know that he had finally found someone, but she never imagined the person would be his own student.
Though in all honesty, Sarah only wanted her only son to be happy and Natasha did seem like a nice girl. She could already picture the young woman as her future daughter-in-law and the mother to her grandchildren.
"So..." Steve spoke up, closing the door behind him.
Sarah turned to face him, "I won't bother lecturing you about how inappropriate this whole thing is because I know you're going to ignore it anyway."
"You know me too well, mother." He shrugged, "I want to be with her and only her."
"It's wrong, Steve. Morally wrong." Sarah retorted, "It could end your career, and if this gets out to the press, it will destroy your life and hers! There were people who saw you two together last night, even a few of my friends were wondering who she was."
"That's why I left the gala early. I don't wanna risk the paparazzi taking pictures of us." Steve explained, "Really, mom, you don't have to worry about this. I've made sure there was no photo evidence of Natasha and I, and no one knows about us."
Sarah sighed in resignation, not completely surprised at how stubborn Steve would be. "Okay, I want you to tell me everything from the beginning."
Steve began telling his mother how it all started- the first time he met Natasha, the instant attraction, as well as his feelings for her that only got stronger with each moment they spent together. Sarah quietly sat and listened to the story, letting her son go on and on about how much he wanted to spend every minute of his life with Natasha.
When Steve finished, Sarah took a moment to watch him closely, "I still think this is wrong." She continued, "But I also want you to be happy, Steven. If Natasha is the only one who can give you that, then so be it." She kindly smiled at his relieved expression and added, "Besides, this is the first time I've ever seen you smile that much when talking about a girl."
"I'm very happy with her, mom."
Sarah walked up to her son and hugged him tightly, "So, are you really serious about this girl?"
"Mom..." Steve pulled away, smiling affectionately as he thought of Natasha. "I love her, mom." He admitted, "I really do love Natasha. I haven't said it to her yet, but that's how I feel about her."
"Then you have my blessing, Steven."
His face lit up and he gave her a kiss on the cheek, "Thank you, mother. Would you like to stay and spend some time with us?" Steve suggested, "You can get to know Natasha a little more."
Sarah agreed with a smile, "That would be lovely, dear."
Steve's mom did spend the day with the couple. Sarah mostly observed Natasha, trying to determine whether or not she was good enough for her son. As it turned out, Steve was right about Natasha. Sarah already liked her, even if she only just met the young woman. She could see that Natasha genuinely cared about Steve, not his money or status. Her son's girlfriend also seemed quite mature for her age and Sarah liked that the girl was able to keep Steve in line. They were both clearly in love with each other. With the way Steve smiled and how his eyes instantly brightened whenever he looked at Natasha made Sarah believe that her son had found the one person he would spend the rest of his life with. And really, who was she to deny a true love?
"I will cook dinner for you guys." Sarah announced, "It's not everyday I get to sit for dinner with my son and his girlfriend."
Steve had a boyish grin on his face, "Can you make the seafood risotto? And the lobster bisque?"
"Of course, sweetheart."
The couple was helping Sarah preparing their dinner when Steve suddenly got a call from Tony who needed his help with some urgent business matters. So Steve let Natasha take over the stirring-of-the-risotto duty.
"I trust you with my favorite risotto." He told her with confidence.
"I'll try not to burn it." She joked and Steve chuckled, leaning in to kiss her lips before retreating into his office to resume his conversation with Tony.
Meanwhile in the kitchen, Sarah was showing Natasha the technique to her signature seafood risotto. Natasha eagerly listened to her instructions, seeing it as a chance to win Sarah's heart and get her approval.
"I never thought it would be this easy." The young girl exclaimed, starting to feel more at ease around Steve's mom.
"Most people think it's hard to cook a perfect risotto but it's actually quite simple." Sarah replied, "So, Natasha... Can I ask you something?"
Natasha turned her attention to the woman, "Of course. Anything, Mrs. Rogers."
"I apologize if I'm being too direct but I need to know... Do you love him, Natasha?" Her voice was honest yet curious. "I realize it might still be too early in your relationship to use that word, but I just want to make sure that you won't break my son's heart."
"I won't break his heart, Mrs. Rogers." Natasha promised. Why would she break his heart? She loved Steve! "I love him." She admitted out loud, lightly blushing at the fact that she just confessed her feelings for Steve to his mom.
Sarah smiled fondly at her, "That's all I need to hear."
"So, you're okay with Steve and I dating? I mean, with the difference in our social status, also the whole teacher/student thing..."
"Sweetheart, who am I to deny my son's happiness?" Sarah kindly offered, "I only want Steve to be happy and I can see that you are the reason he's smiling so much. I've never seen him looking at anyone the way he looks at you, dear. It's love, Natasha, and as long as you don't break his heart, I've nothing against you dating my son."
Natasha couldn't help but smile, "Thank you, Mrs. Rogers. I promise I won't break Steve's heart."
"You can call me Sarah, my dear." She said, hugging the younger woman, "And take a good care of him, Natasha. He needs you more than you know."
"I will do my best."
Steve came out of the office just as Natasha and Sarah finished setting the table. The appetizing smell of his favorite food instantly made Steve's stomach rumble with hunger and he grinned excitedly when his eyes fell on the delicious dishes.
Dinner was a lovely affair and conversations flowed easily among the three people. Steve couldn't be happier at seeing his mother and the love of his life get along very well. When Sarah told him that Natasha was the one who made the seafood risotto, Steve showed his appreciation with a loving kiss to Natasha's lips and kept on praising his girlfriend for her great effort.
Unfortunately, Sarah had to leave right after the meal because there was a company crisis on the other side of the world that required her immediate attention. She bid the couple goodbye and promised to come visit again in the near future.
Finally alone with Natasha again, Steve spoke up, "So..."
"So..." She returned with a playful grin, "I think your mom is cool."
"Right?! And she approves of us!"
"I was afraid she would hate me, or that she wouldn't want me to be with you." Natasha confessed and Steve immediately pulled her into his arms.
"Of course not. She likes you a lot." Steve confirmed, kissing her sweetly as his thumb gently traced along her cheekbone. "As much as I like you. No, wait... less than I like you, because what I feel for you can't be measured." He finished with a charming smile that he reserved only for her.
Natasha let out a hearty laugh before giving her boyfriend an affectionate look, "I like you a lot too, silly."
A flirty smile appeared on his face and Steve leaned closer to whisper in her ear, "How about we go upstairs so I can show you how much I really like you?"
She giggled and teased him further by brushing their lips together, "Only if you carry—"
Steve didn't let her finish as he easily swooped her off of her feet and carried her up to their bedroom. Natasha's hands circled around his neck, pulling his face down and kissing him passionately. He moaned into the kiss and returned it with the same intensity.
They managed to make it to the bedroom without too much trouble. With their lips still locked together, Steve set Natasha down on her feet and they quickly began undressing each other. Once they were both naked, she pushed him down on the bed and straddled him, deliberately rolling her hips so that her wet center was rubbing against his hard length. Steve groaned into the kiss, his hands settled on her hips and he pulled away to look into her eyes.
Natasha found herself gazing back into Steve's sparkling blues and suddenly she couldn't hold it anymore, "I think I'm in love with you." Her voice was soft and she was pretty sure the sound of her beating heart was louder than her words.
But Steve must have heard her confession because his eyes widened and he grew very quiet. Why didn't he say it back? Or maybe he didn't feel the same way as she did? Right away Natasha felt like an idiot, thinking she had made a mistake for saying those words to him.
She looked away, disappointed. "I... Never mind. It's stupid, really... I... I'm sorry for ruining the night and-"
He immediately silenced her rambling with a passionate kiss. "I love you too, Natasha Romanov." Steve whispered between kisses, "I love you with all my heart and I was supposed to say it first." He stared into her stunning green eyes, "I've been meaning to tell you for a while now, trying to find the perfect time... I just never thought you'd say it first."
Natasha smiled and playfully bit his lower lip, "Well, you're too slow, old man."
He chuckled and kissed her again, "I love you."
Without breaking the kiss, Steve sat up and pulled Natasha closer until their bodies were pressed together. His lips reverently marked every inch of her skin, setting her body on fire. He murmured soft words of how much he loved her with each kiss and Natasha cried out when she felt his finger reached between her legs and started teasing her sensitive bud.
"Steve…" She pleaded, "Baby, please…"
"Part your legs for me, darling."
She complied, parting her legs wider for Steve to gently guide his cock into her entrance. A soft whimper escaped her lips as he filled her up completely and spread her open.
"You feel so good, Natasha..." He breathed, blue eyes burning with desire as he began a slow rhythm of moving her up and down his length. "So perfect."
Natasha shut her eyes and moaned a string of Russian words, her body shaking with pleasure.
"Open your eyes for me, sweetheart." Steve mouthed into her lips, "Look at me."
She did as he asked, opening her eyes to find Steve looking back lovingly at her. Natasha looped her arms around his neck and began to ride him, red lips parting in pure bliss as she met his every deep thrust. Steve kept his gaze on her the whole time, watching the woman he loved lose herself in him. He marveled at her beauty and how perfectly fit they were together. Yes, he could definitely do this with Natasha for the rest of his life.
"Hold on to me, baby."
He picked up his pace and thrust harder into her, hitting all the right spot. She screamed out his name, her fingernails raking over the expanse of his back as he continued pumping his cock in and out of her. Their bodies shook as they both reached their euphoric high. Natasha came hard, shouting cries of pleasure in both English and Russian. Steve soon followed, his scream was muffled against her neck as he emptied himself inside her.
The lovers clung tight to each other as they tried to catch their breaths and slowly came down from their high. Steve pulled out of her after a while and laid Natasha down on the bed before kissing her over and over again.
"I love you, darling." He whispered sweetly, "I love you so much, Natasha, the love of my life... I love you."
AN:
- Thanks to my dear friend and my proofreader and my cowriter, sleeplessinbudapest.
- sleeplessinbudapest is also putting this story on Ao3
- Please kindly leave a review.