Plenty more to come! This story is a crazy roller-coaster ride, isn't it?

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I couldn't help it. I had found it physically impossible to wipe the grin off my face. And when I'd gone to bed a few hours after Tony had left, there I was, staring up at the ceiling still grinning. I couldn't believe how he had swooped in, like some kind of superhero, and saved the day so selflessly. In my mind, it was just more to add to the proof that deep down, he really was a good man.

I knew I needed to get some rest, as he and I both had a big day planned, but I couldn't get our conversation out of my mind. Or, more to the point, the moments between us. I kept going back to how it felt to be in his arms, and gazing into his eyes. The world seemed to stop for those few moments, and it felt like he and I were the only two people on the planet. I felt so...protected in his arms, too. If I closed my eyes, I could still feel them around me. And it felt heavenly.

That, combined with the images saved in my memory banks of that oh-so-steamy dream I'd had about him was quite effective in helping me to happily drift off to sleep. And I hadn't slept that well in weeks, honestly. So, the next morning, excited for my fresh start with Tony, it was easy to jump out of bed and cheerfully ready myself for the day. Truth be told, I was also secretly looking forward to spending time with him, just the two of us. The times when we were together, just him and I, were never boring, to say the least. What can I say? Life with Tony Stark was exciting, and, still feeling the effects of the day before, I couldn't wait to experience more.

That's why, when Happy pulled the town car Tony had arranged for me up to the mansion that morning at 9 am, and I spotted the Lamborghini sitting in the driveway, my stomach fell to my knees. Great, I thought, glumly. Looks like the obnoxious, playboy billionaire mask has officially been put back on, as I knew that the only time Tony left any of his cars in the driveway was when he'd brought someone home from his night on the town, and he was in too much of a hurry to get the evening's festivities under way to park it properly in the shop.

"Looks like he's wasted no time in throwing you right back in it, huh?" Happy quipped, and he and I exchanged wry, knowing smiles in the rear view mirror.

I took a deep breath, bracing myself for whatever I was going to find in that house, as Happy exited the car, and came around to let me out of the backseat. I thanked him, and squared my shoulders, holding my head high, as I walked to the front door and entered.

"Good morning, Ms. Potts," JARVIS said pleasantly.

"Good morning, JARVIS. Is Mr. Stark..." I started to say, but was stopped by very tell-tale sounds coming from the first floor guest room. I pursed my lips with exasperation and frowned, as my happy-go-lucky mood was quickly being doused with disdain for having to walk in on yet another one of Tony's boisterous love making sessions with some bimbo he'd obviously found after he'd left my apartment. And, apparently, it had gone into overtime. Which was unusual, but not entirely unheard of. It had happened only a couple of times in the past, simply because Tony had stayed out far past closing time at the club, and his night hadn't yet ended, though you'd assume that the sun rise would be an indicator, like it was to the rest of the human race, that it was time to shut it down. He'd be wrapping it up soon enough, I imagined, and passing his used up plaything off to me to dispose of, I had full confidence. But why did it have to be THIS morning? Is this some kind of a joke?, I asked the heavens, sighing heavily. And then it hit my ears.

"Oh! Yes! Yes! Oh! God! Yes!" I heard from an all-too familiar British female voice. I gasped, my mouth agape and my eyes wide with disbelief. How in the name of all things holy did she get brought back in here?

I suddenly was sick to my stomach, and it felt like the floor was giving way under my feet. I stumbled over to the sofa to quickly sit down, when suddenly, I heard laughing and muffled talking coming from behind the door. Then, it opened abruptly, and I saw Tony appear, all sweaty and mussed, wearing nothing but some black suit pants. He spotted me, and stopped dead in his tracks, looking at me with wide eyes.

"Pepper!" he said, in surprise. "You weren't supposed to be here until..."

I languidly looked down at my watch as he spoke. "It is now nine o' three, Tony," I said plainly, looking back up at him with pursed lips.

"Wow, it...it is?" he said breathlessly in disbelief, running a hand through his sweat-dampened hair.

"Ahhh, yes. Time always flies, doesn't it?" I quipped, giving him a patronizing smile.

He gave me an impish grin, and waggled his pointer finger at me. "Yeah, um, just...just hold on, okay? I'll, uh...I'll just be a...second," he said, disappearing behind the bedroom door again. I let out an exasperated sigh and stood up off the couch, folding my arms impatiently. I could hear their muffled voices talking again, and Vanessa giggling. A few minutes later, they both emerged this time, dressed, but flushed and disheveled. Tony was wearing what must have been his shirt from the night before now, unbuttoned and untucked, with his white undershirt underneath. And Vanessa was wearing some tiny little dark blue velvety thing that looked like she'd cut it from my grandmother's drapes. He was holding her hand, and he flashed me that same impish smile from before. "Pepper, you remember Vanessa?" he said, gesturing awkwardly to her, as he led her past me to the front door. I glared. Vanessa looked at me with a slimy, smug smile.

They were almost out of sight when she yanked him to her, and smashed their lips together, coiling herself around his body like a snake. Tony gave a surprised, but approving moan and melted into her kiss, enveloping her in his arms as well. His eyes were closed, so he didn't notice Vanessa's pop open and flick over to me, the corners of her mouth quirking up as she and Tony sucked face. I huffed and averted my eyes, and she closed hers once again to finish off the kiss.

She slowly broke off with a raspy, sultry moan, and gazed at him with an over-sexed smolder. "Just a little something to remember me by, darling," she purred, brushing a finger tip over his lips. "Until next time, perhaps?"

Next time?!, I thought, in astonishment. Oh, you REALLY think you're something!

"Trust me. After last night? I have more than just a kiss to remember you by," Tony purred back, and I put a hand over my mouth to keep from retching.

Vanessa giggled with forced, syrupy-sweet tinkling laughter, and Tony grasped her hand once again to lead her the rest of the way to the front door.

I stood, glued to the floor, trying to calm the gnawing in my stomach. I heard their hushed voices at the door, and there was a long pause (another disgustingly sloppy kiss, perhaps?) before I heard the door open and Vanessa finally leave. Then I heard Tony stroll back into the living room.

He stopped once he'd reappeared in my line of sight, and shoved his hands in his pockets. He said nothing, but had a big stupid-looking grin on his face, and gazed at the floor in thought. Then, he sighed dreamily and shifted his eyes to somewhere above him, nodding with what looked like great satisfaction.

"Is that it? Can we go, now?" I asked with annoyance.

"Huh?" he said, shifting his eyes over to mine. Then his eyebrows shot up in recollection. He snapped his fingers. "Oh, right! Our little shopping trip..."

"Right. The very same shopping trip that was planned so that I could gain the necessary tools to be able to do my job. That I am now officially on the clock to do. And have been since 9 am this morning. Per your request," I said curtly.

"Alright, alright, Potts. Stop busting my chops," he said, waving a hand at me and grinning. "I'll take you shopping. Just give me a second to uh, spray down?" he said, smirking.

I looked at him with a disgusted grimace. "Uck. Go," I insisted, waving him away. "Please. Get the club stench off of you. I can smell it from here."

He chuckled and winked at me before jogging up the stairs to his bedroom, my eyes following him up the stairs until he disappeared. Then I closed them, and let out a weary sigh. Hearing the shower upstairs turn on, I ambled over to the sofa and sat down heavily, my energy level vastly different from only minutes ago when I'd arrived.

"JARVIS? Bloomberg morning report, please?" I requested, and the projected TV screen blipped on above me. Business news and stock reports were just the kind of dry fodder I needed to pry my mind away from its current focus- the images of Vanessa's tongue in Tony's mouth, and him enjoying it.

My only saving grace was that I knew the tech conference was going to be done in a couple of days, and Vanessa would be winging her way home, and getting out of Tony's life for good. Okay, so she's come back around unexpectedly, I reasoned. Doesn't matter. She's an exceptionally shiny object that just happens to keep popping up in front of him, so he's allowing himself to be occupied with her for that reason. And that reason, ONLY. I just have to keep telling myself she'll be gone in few days, and things will go back to normal around here.

I took a deep breath, and calmed my nerves. "You can do this," I affirmed. "Just stay focused."