He thought she looked amazing. Steve watched Lauren croon her way though her set of show tunes, and while her singing was sweet, the way she filled out her snug little black dress was mighty fine too. Something about the swing of her hips and the way she flaunted her smile had him feeling pleasantly possessive, and Steve glanced around the rest of the crowd, making sure everyone's admiration was respectful.
It was strange, he mused. He'd never actually felt this way about anyone before, this sense of protectiveness. Maybe it was because he knew how much bigger and stronger he was than Lauren. Maybe it was because he'd honestly committed himself to making her happy.
Or just maybe, he acknowledged to himself, it was because he was in love with her. All of her—her long toes, the spattering of freckles across her shoulders, the way she made paperclip chains or sang in the shower. She nagged and teased and cuddled and cooked and Steve ate it all up.
It dawned on him that he was happy, and that made him nearly laugh aloud. Happy. Steve hadn't thought he'd ever be happy again, not when he'd first been revived. For such a long time his life had consisted of getting knocked down and getting back up again. He'd been lucky in having friends; people who believed in him, but on the whole, 'happy' hadn't been an adjective he'd encountered too often. Steve knew he had purpose, and talent and determination, but happiness?
Lauren finished her last number and belatedly he clapped along with the other people in the audience, beaming as several appreciative listeners whistled as well. She blushed and hugged Mel, who was beaming, and looked to where he was sitting. Steve rose and came over to her, feeling yeah—happy.
"I think these are for you," he told her, handing over a bouquet of roses wrapped in green tissue. Lauren bit her lips as she took them, and Mel gave a hoot, pushing up his thick glasses.
"Ya first stage door Johnnie!"
"My only," Lauren smirked. "Mel, this is Steve; Steve, Mel Fine."
Steve made sure his handshake was gentle. Mel peered up at him, blinking. "Hoo boy, a regular linebacker! How do ya get through doors with them shoulders, kid?"
"Sideways," Steve offered, slipping an arm around Lauren. "Thanks for doing such a good job up there with her, sir."
"My total pleasure," Mel beamed. "It's a thrill to play songs with real lyrics and a singer who can sing 'em."
"They're my favorite songs," Lauren admitted with a shrug. "My dad used to play them and I've loved them since I was a kid."
"Good taste," Mel patted her hand. "Listen, I think I can get you steady work if you're interested. Buddy of mine's opening a retro lounge in a few months down in the reconstruction zone. I know he's lookin' for acts and if you're interested . . ."
Steve felt Lauren hesitate and knew she was torn; it was a great chance, but with Joe's recovery coming up, not the best timing. "A few months?" Lauren murmured thoughtfully. "Sounds great, but I've got some commitments right now . . ."
"Still, it wouldn't hurt to call," Steve carefully murmured. To Lauren he added, "Things change, and it's a heck of an opportunity."
She nodded. "No promises, but thank you Mel!"
After Lauren had changed and picked up her check, Steve helped her onto the bike, stealing a quick kiss as he checked the strap of her helmet. They rode back to Time Was through the dark streets, weaving through the thin traffic.
Lauren slid off the bike and shook her hair free after handing him the helmet, her smile bright. "Sleepy?"
"Not really," Steve admitted, following her inside. The semidarkness engulfed them and Steve thought to follow Lauren up, but she moved away from the back stairs and into Time Was, passing through the shadows. Curious, he moved towards her, aware of how different the bookstore looked at night. The iron grille lattice across the big front window cut the streetlight's glare into diamonds of brightness against the linoleum floor, and the scent of leather and coffee hung lightly in the still air. "Lauren?"
"I love this place," she murmured, looking over her shoulder at him. "I used to spend the summers here with my mom and grandpa while dad went on tour. After he killed himself, mom and I couldn't afford to stay in Queens so I talked her into letting me live with Grandpa while she stayed with friends and looked for work. I got to know the whole neighborhood here. I know this store better than anyone, Steve—where the fuse boxes are, the roof access, all of it. It's my home."
He felt a deep pang in his chest. Moving closer, Steve pulled her into his arms. "It's a great place."
"Yep, Lauren told him quietly. "It's gotten even better since you're a part of it, Steve. This past year has been one of the best, and considering we almost got invaded by aliens, that's saying something!"
They both laughed, still holding each other in the semi-darkness, and Steve sighed. "This place is the first one that's felt like a home to me since I came back. Maybe that's overly-sentimental but it's true, and while at first it was because of the décor, that wasn't all. There was Joe, and there was . . . IS . . . you."
Lauren nodded, and gave him a serious look. "I've never been in love before, but . . . you make me even happier than this place does." She laughed awkwardly, "Okay, that sounded weird, I know—"
Steve didn't let her finish, sweeping her up in his arms and kissing her welcoming little mouth with all the tenderness he could. Lauren wrapped herself around him, and within moments their embrace became something more breathless and intimate, the two of them entwined in the soft grey light, clinging to each other tightly.
-oo00oo—
Steve was the first to wake this time, and it was early enough for him to savor the feeling of being curled around Lauren in the grey dawn. Outside it looked like it might rain, and he almost wished they could sleep in, but it was Sunday and that meant services as well as the late morning crowd downstairs.
He buried his nose in the silky strands of Lauren's hair, feeling blissful and aroused by the press of her bottom against him. Steve knew some of his teammates considered him a prude, old-fashioned and out of touch when it came to things like sex, but at the moment he was pretty sure he was anything but. Neither he nor Lauren had even bothered with pajamas last night, and out of the fifteen condoms they'd started the weekend with, only nine were left, including the ones Stark had given him, which Steve was determined not to use.
Apparently the damned things had the SI logo on them, and if anything was a mood-killer, that was, Steve acknowledged sourly.
Still, matters were looking good this morning, given that Lauren was giving little purrs and pushing back against his hips. She rolled over to face him, eyes still closed, but smiling just the same. "Morning."
"Morning. Did I wake you?"
"Part of you did. Does that thing ever sleep?"
"Not around you," Steve admitted, feeling breathless as Lauren reached down and curled her fingers around as much of him as she could. "And that's not exactly discouraging it . . ."
"Not meant to," she murmured. "Shhhh, just lie back and let me have fun . . ."
Steve hesitated, but Lauren had already disappeared under the coverlet, and seconds later both her hands were caressing him. He rolled onto his back, slightly dazed, and lifted the coverlet again, flinging it off. Lauren looked up at him, startled. "Did I hurt you?"
"No," Steve muttered thickly, "No, I just . . . wanted to . . . uh, see . . ." It was embarrassing to admit, but she smiled and nodded, shifting until she was straddling his legs, her hair draping around her cheeks as she nuzzled him.
Steve felt himself stiffen even more, felt a flush of excited awkwardness cross his face. She wasn't going to. . . She . . . ohhhhh . . . .
She definitely was. Steve gave a gasp as Lauren licked his shaft, and when she took the big plum head into her mouth, he groaned loudly, his face red, his prick fiercely hard. Lauren gave a little hum and slowly began to suck, her red hair brushing his hips with each bob as Steve fought the urge to climax then and there.
Hell of a turn-on.
Doctor R had told him he would discover a few and Steve knew logically he would, but the difference between assumptions and realities, particularly slick, warm, slow reality was incredible. Lauren, his Lauren doing this to him . . . Steve tried to keep his hips still but couldn't; he rocked up, lifting her slightly and throwing off her concentration for a moment, but she merely slowed a little and began to work a sweet counter-rhythm, the stroke of her lips driving him to sensual insanity.
He fought to stay in control, but a while later when Lauren let her tongue slide over the underside of his shaft Steve gasped and reached blindly for her shoulder, feeling the need to warn her that matters were about to become critical. "Baby . . ." he managed, his tone hoarse. Steve felt his thrusts speed up, felt the rush of overwhelming pleasure charging up through his damp, naked body and heading for that critical point beyond any control.
The rush of orgasm surged through him and Steve clutched the sheets, feeling himself gush thickly, and the sight of Lauren swallowing, licking him clean left him utterly spent and stunned that something so raw and animalistic could be so loving and in its own way, beautiful too. She kissed his softening cock, and moved to stretch out next to him long moments later, and Steve pulled her into his arms, kissing her face, tasting traces of himself on her lips.
"Lauren," he began, unsure what to say, how to thank her for the pleasure she'd given him, but she grinned, brushing his bangs to one side.
"That was fun," she murmured. "I sort of hoped you'd enjoy it."
That made him laugh, and he rolled his eyes. "Enjoyed it? Kind of an understatement, sweetheart! I was . . ."
"Blown away?" she offered, smirking, and Steve laughed again, warm happiness in it.
"Can I . . ." he began, but Lauren shook her head, smiling with a hint of regret.
"Steve, my period's about to start, so I'm liable to be a little cranky today. Did you want to go to church with me this morning, or just sleep in?"
"Church," he murmured. "Yours or mine?"
"Yours," Lauren suggested. "After that we'll go get breakfast and see Grandpa?"
"Good plan," Steve agreed contentedly.