There was a long pause before Pepper said, "Tony." Her anger was evident in her voice. When he still didn't turn around, she said, "Tony, look at me."
Tony reluctantly swung around on his stool, knowing he had no choice but to face this. He wanted to run, but there was nowhere to hide. What would be the point of running, anyway? Running would only delay the inevitable.
Tony's eyes looked pained when they met Pepper's.
"Last night?" Pepper demanded.
Tony tried to act nonchalant, but he knew his eyes betrayed him. He tried anyway. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you," he said, as if he didn't know exactly what she was upset about. "I had this conversation with that annoying reporter girl last night. Apparently-"
"Tony." Pepper's face was getting redder. "Last. Night. You said you didn't remember."
Tony's eyes shifted as he desperately tried to think of some way to get out of this, but he didn't see one. Eventually, he sighed. Resignedly, he said, "I know."
Pepper's head spun. He did remember. Why had he said he didn't? If he was lying about that… what else was he not telling her? What else was he trying to hide?
She glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest again. "You lied to me."
Tony stood up from his stool. "I know, Pepper, and I'm sorry. It's just that-"
"Why would you do that?" Pepper demanded, her voice heated. "It's me, Tony. You never lie to me."
Tony threw up his hands. "I don't know, Pepper. It was stupid, and-"
Pepper talked over him. "Do you not get it, Tony? Of all the things to lie to me about, you lied to me about this? I mean, last night was probably the single most important thing that had ever happened between us, and you were just going to pretend it never happened? I don't understand-"
"Pepper," Tony cut her off this time, "would you let me explain? I-"
"No, I don't want you to explain!" Pepper yelled. Tony looked stunned. Pepper rarely raised her voice, and almost never did it with him. He didn't quite know what to do.
Pepper took a deep breath to get her voice under control before saying in a more measured tone, "Look. Obviously, last night didn't mean as much to you as it did to me. If you want to just go on pretending like it never happened, then so be it. I can do that. I get it, Tony. It was stupid of me to think you might care. It was stupid of me to think you might feel the same thing I do, because obviously-"
Tony cut her off the only way he could think to in that moment: by walking up and kissing her.
His lips met hers hard, and he pulled her to him. Tony kissed her hungrily, not knowing if he'd ever get the chance to do so again.
Pepper stood still for a second, shocked. But as she felt Tony's arms pull her to him, she gave in. She kissed him back with passion. Her hands tangled in his hair and her lips pulled at his, conveying both her anger and her desire, her fury and her need.
This kiss was so much more than their kiss last night. This one was an acknowledgement that they both wanted the same thing. It was a capitulation, a submission to the pull they had both felt for so very long. It was a release of the tension they'd let build up over the years. It was Tony asking for forgiveness and Pepper granting it to him in full measure, no questions asked.
It was more than either of them had ever hoped for, and it was perfect.
At last, Tony had to pull his lips off hers and come up for air. Unwilling to totally break the contact, however, he left his forehead on hers, his eyes still closed and his arms still around her. After a second, he whispered, "I do care, Pep. I really do."
Pepper smiled. "I know, Tony," she whispered, pressing her lips to his again for just a second before pulling back, a ghost of their previous kiss. "I know," she repeated. "But then, why lie to me?"
Tony reluctantly pulled his head off hers. He opened his eyes, and in them Pepper saw all the doubt and the vulnerability that he was usually so good at hiding. He shrugged. "Because I was scared."
Pepper smiled sadly, unsure what to say to that.
Tony continued, "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not so good at the whole relationship thing." He was relieved when Pepper smiled at that. "I didn't want to mess this up. I was scared I would ruin whatever we had. So, it was just easier to pretend it never happened." There was a pause before he added, "I was scared because I don't want to lose you."
"Oh, Tony," Pepper sighed, his name sounding like a prayer as it came from her lips. "Why couldn't you have just said that?"
Tony shrugged, unable to defend himself. All he could do was look into her eyes and hoped she understood all he couldn't manage to say.
Pepper did understand. She knew him better than anyone, so of course she understood. With a smile, she reached up and kissed him again, lightly this time, softly and full of promise. "You're not gonna lose me, Tony," she whispered against his lips. "Not ever."
Tony smiled. "Promise, Miss Potts?"
Pepper smiled too. "Promise, Mr. Stark."