Hello all!
This chapter's a bit racy, but not explicit. Only suggestive. Still- I thought I'd offer a fair warning.
And my,my,my- I am a cruel mistress sometimes! But all in the name of keeping things lively and the story interesting! (That's always the hope, anyway!)
Happy Reading! :)
"Tony," I heard someone call softly. It was a familiar female voice. Vanessa, I instantly thought, cringing. But then I realized- it wasn't a British female voice. It was American. So I opened my eyes, noticing instantly that the room was filled with bright morning light, and rolled over to find Pepper beside me, sitting up, her legs tucked underneath her, wearing nothing but a bed sheet. A ray of sun was hitting the bed and making her perfectly bed-tousled red hair sparkle with a glittery, gold-flecked shimmer. Her creamy, freckled skin radiated from the light, giving her a sort of ethereal glow. In a word? She was beyond gorgeous. (Okay, two words. Whatever.)
She smiled warmly at me.
I looked at her in surprise and slowly raised myself up to lean my back against the headboard. At that moment, I realized that I, too, was currently only covered by the bed sheets. This made me smirk. "Well, hello there," I purred to her, admiring her beauty.
She giggled. "Hello, yourself," she replied, her crystal clear blue eyes sparkling.
"By any chance, did, uh...did we?..." I started to ask, leaning forward and gesturing between us.
Pepper gave me an amused smirk, and nodded in confirmation. "We did," she affirmed. Then she rolled forward onto all fours and started to crawl seductively toward me, allowing the sheet to slide off behind her. I whimpered as I watched more and more of her body become exposed to me. The delectable curves she'd kept hidden away all these years were suddenly in living color right in front of me, and it was all I could not to devour her on the spot. She climbed into my lap to face me, wrapping her arms around my neck and straddling my hips, our faces millimeters apart. "All night long," she finished in a sultry whisper before softly kissing my lips.
I moaned, letting myself fall as I melted into the moment. The taste of her kiss ignited me, and I flicked my tongue into her mouth as I ran my hands up her thighs and around her behind. I lightly smacked it and then gripped it and yanked her to me hungrily, grunting lustily. She inhaled sharply, and then moaned into my mouth in response. I briefly broke off to gently comb a few stray locks of her hair back behind her ears with my finger tips. I nodded. "Yeah, come here, baby. I need you," I muttered to her in a low, gravely rumble, before going in for another kiss. She smiled and kissed me again, arching her back to press more of our bare skin together, her warmth and the scent of her skin permeating my senses, making my desire blaze.
I left her lips behind, and began to trail kisses and tongue flicks down her neck and across her chest. She rocked her head back and closed her eyes, a pleasure-filled smile spreading across her mouth, as she pulled my head further into her body. "God, I wish I could remember last night with you," I mumbled wistfully, raising my head to look at her after a moment.
She raised her head, and looked at me curiously in return. "You don't remember last night?" she asked, furrowing her brow.
I smiled at her impishly and shook my head. "Believe me, I desperately want to," I told her regretfully.
She smiled coyly. "Well, then," she said. "I'll just have to jog your memory, won't I?"
I smirked curiously at her as she adjusted herself in my lap, so she could use her body to sheathe the physical product of my arousal. And yeah. It felt amazing. I moaned loudly, and wrapped my arms back around her as she began to roll her hips back and forth.
"Now, do you remember?" she asked teasingly, as she began to settle into a rhythm.
I bit my lip, and swallowed hard. "J-just, um, keep doing wh-what you're doing. I'm sure you're...mmmmmmm," I moaned, a wave of pleasure coursing through me, cutting off my words. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, trying to keep my composure. I began again. "...doing an excellent job of recreating...the experience," I said, finally, my words strained. I popped my eyes open to look at her once more, as she continued to move.
Pepper chuckled and kissed me again. I moaned into her mouth. And then, a few moments later, I slowly broke the kiss. "What you're doing feels amazing, baby," I purred. I tucked my legs underneath me, and held her to me, one arm around her hips, the other protectively on the back of her head, as I rolled her gently onto her back. "But I'd say it's time I start pulling my weight around here, huh?" I asked, as I settled in over the top of her.
She smiled. "You just can't help yourself, can you?" she teased. "After last night, I'd think you want someone else to drive for a while."
I smirked, looking at her bemusedly. I shook my head and sat back on my haunches.
She frowned and propped herself up on her elbows. "What's the matter? What's wrong?"
"I...can't believe I don't remember that," I told her. I began running my finger tips up and down one of her thighs as I tried desperately to recall how she and I got to this place. Then I looked at her, frowning. "I don't get it, Pep. Being with you is like..." I trailed off, shaking my head.
"What you've always wanted?" she offered, cocking an eyebrow knowingly.
I smiled and nodded. "Yeah," I said, admittedly.
She reached out a hand, and I took it, interlacing our fingers. "Come here," she murmured softly, pulling me back her way. I obeyed, propping myself back over the top of her. But I was still bewildered and lost deep in thought, so I didn't resume. I could feel her gaze at me for a moment, before she cupped my cheek and turned my face to hers. "It's okay," she murmured assuredly.
I studied her face for a moment before I slowly shook my head. "Pepper," I said. "I've...thought about us...being together...a lot," I began to explain.
She nodded. "So have I," she replied, smiling.
I smiled back at her admission, and then continued. "That's why it makes no sense that I have no memory of any of this," I explained. "Making love to you would be..." I sighed, studying her eyes. "Unforgettable," I resolved, my voice wistful.
"Tony," she said softly. "Stop thinking so much. Just be here, now. With me. Please? Let's enjoy the moment while it lasts, hmmm?" she murmured, tenderly.
I nodded and slid down to her side, wrapping her in my arms. She smiled up at me. I cradled her head in the crook of my arm, and looked down at her, studying her for a moment, silently. After a moment, she raised a hand to run the pad of her thumb over my furrowed brow, which I didn't even know was like that.
"What's with the scowl?" she whispered, softly smoothing it out with her thumb.
I smiled sheepishly. "Was I scowling?" I asked. "I didn't even notice."
She nodded and studied my face some more, her fingers tracing along my brow and around one eye, down my nose, across my lips and chin, and down my throat to rest on my chest. I smiled softly at her, looking deeply into her eyes, loving her affection.
"I see it's back, finally," she whispered.
"What is?" I whispered back.
"The light in your eyes?" she replied. "It's been gone for a while."
"It has?" I asked, pretending not to know what she was talking about, though I had a hunch it had been missing, too.
She nodded. "Mmmm hmmm. And I've missed it," she said. A moment passed before she spoke again. "It's because of her, isn't it?" she asked.
I felt the familiar pit grow in my stomach, and I frowned. "I don't want to talk about it," I said.
Pepper shook her head. "No, Tony. Don't do that. Don't shut me out," she warned.
"I'm not, Pep," I argued. "Truth is...I can't talk about it."
She tenderly smoothed the pad of her pointer finger across my lips, which I gently kissed as it passed over them. She smiled. "You can," she encouraged. "You can tell me anything."
I took her hand in mine, and looked at her intently. "No, Pep. I can't," I said. "If I do, she'll..."
Just then, the door was kicked open, smacking the adjacent wall with a loud bang. And Vanessa, along with the goon brothers, marched in. Pepper yelped in fear, and I shielded her in my arms.
"No!" I barked. "What the hell are you doing here?! Please! I didn't tell her anything!" I cried.
But Vanessa ignored me, and grabbed Pepper by the hair, pulling her off the bed and out of my grasp. I tried to reach for her, but my arms were being pulled back as I was lifted off the bed and pinned against the wall.
Vanessa slammed Pepper against the opposite wall, and she crumpled to the floor, sobbing. "Why are you doing this?!" she begged Vanessa.
"Shut up, you little tramp!" she shrieked. She turned her fiery eyes to me. "I warned you!" she seethed. "Even one utterance to her of my plan, and she dies!"
"Vanessa, stop this!" I pleaded. "She's innocent! She knows nothing!"
"Tony, what are you talking about?! What plan?!" Pepper asked.
"Pepper, listen to me, okay? It's gonna be alright! Just hold on!" I assured her, though I had no idea how I could make any of that true.
Just then Vanessa yanked Pepper up off the floor, and produced a gun, holding it to Pepper's head. Pepper flinched, putting her hands up in surrender, and began shivering and whimpering in terror. "Any last words, sweetheart? Before lover boy watches your brains splatter?" Vanessa hissed at her.
Pepper glanced at me, eyes pleading for me to do something, and I struggled to break free again. But she saw it was hopeless. So then, in one quick move she took a desperate swipe at Vanessa's hand, successfully knocking the gun out of her grip. Vanessa growled, and Pepper scrambled to pick it up, falling to the floor. They both struggled to retrieve it. But Pepper got a hold of it and put her finger on the trigger. The first chance she got, she pulled it, firing straight at Vanessa's chest. Her body was knocked back from the concussion and slumped, lifeless to the floor.
Pepper quickly rolled over and shot each of the guys pinning me to the wall in the back of the head, each of them slumping to the floor. I broke away and ran to her. She tossed the gun away, and began to sob uncontrollably, her hands shaking.
I felt to the floor in front of her. "Hey, hey, hey. It's okay," I said, pulling her into my arms. She fell weakly into my embrace, and I shushed her, stroking her hair, and trying to calm her down.
"You were magnificent," I told her. "Where did you learn to do that?"
"I didn't. I just did it. Without thinking," she replied through her tears. She raised her head to look at me. "God, what have I done? They'll come looking for us! We have to get away!" she cried.
I smiled. "My thoughts, exactly," I said. "Hold on."
I left Pepper's side for a moment, and went over to Vanessa's body. I lifted her left hand, yanking the engagement ring off her finger. "Looks like you won't be needing this," I muttered bitterly.
I rejoined Pepper, and she looked at me curiously. "Give me your hand," I demanded.
A slow smile crept across her lips, and she did as I asked. I grasped it, and held up the ring in front of us. "We're running away together," I announced. "Somewhere they'll never find us."
Pepper giggled, her eyes darting from the ring to my face. "O-kay?" she said questioningly.
"But only on one condition," I said, smirking at her mischievously.
She giggled again, and looked at me intently. "And what is that?" she asked.
"That you agree to marry me, Pepper Potts," I said. "I'd say we deserve a happy ending after all of this, wouldn't you?" I asked.
Pepper gasped, and new tears flooded her eyes. "Oh Tony!" she cried, throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me hard. I chuckled and kissed her solidly back.
A moment later, the kiss broke and we both chuckled again. "I take it that's a yes?" I asked.
Pepper grinned. "Yes," she said. "It's definitely a yes." She held out her hand again, and I slipped the ring on her finger.
"You know, I hear there's a beach wedding just waiting for us in the Cayman's," I said, matter-of-fact. "Courtesy of Matthews Energy."
Pepper wrapped her arms around my neck again, and I pulled her back into my arms. "Mmmmm, sounds terrific," she purred. "A destination wedding! How romantic!"
I teetered-tottered my head from side to side. "Yeeeahhhh, and then after, maybe we could just...stay there," I offered.
Pepper looked at me strangely. "You mean...stay there, stay there?" she asked.
I nodded. "Leave all of this behind, and just become resident Cay-manians?" I said, giving her an impish look.
"Wow," she gasped. "You meant we are literally going to run away together, didn't you?" she asked, her excitement being revealed in the broad smile spreading across her lips.
It was contagious. I grinned back at her, and gazed into her eyes intently. "Come on. What d'ya' say, Pep?" I murmured. "You in?"
XxXxXxXx
I wish I had more dream to tell you about. But I'm sorry to say that was the end of the line. Because suddenly, Vanessa's ear-piercing voice rang in my ears, and I awoke to find that none of that happened. And I was, in fact, still under her lock and key, right where she'd left me.
"Oh, Pepper! Pepper!" she shrieked in mockery of what I must have been babbling in my sleep, and cackled. "Let's run away, my darling!" she hooted.
I grumbled, and sat up to face her. I quickly recoiled though, as I realized I was covered in nothing but a bed sheet. Same as she.
My eyes went wide, and I stared at her in horror. "What the hell happened between us last night?" I demanded.
Vanessa gave me a coy grin, and proceeded to slink up beside me. "We celebrated our engagement, of course! Or don't you remember," she chided.
"What?! How?" I asked. "All I remember is..."
"Stumbling back to the room from our little party?" she offered. "Yes, you were quite inebriated, darling. But not too drunk to have your way with me," she said, giggling mischievously, trying to cuddle up to my side.
I quickly climbed off the bed, yanking a blanket off with me, and wrapping it around my waist. "Bullshit. You slipped me something. I know you did," I argued.
"And so what if I did?" she countered. "It sounded to me like you appreciated the little trip it sent you on! Even though it involved that trollop you love so much," she grumbled. But then she flashed me a dismissive grin. "But no matter!" she exclaimed, shrugging. "You got what you wanted, and I..." she said, climbing off the bed to wrap herself around me. "Got what I wanted," she purred.
I pushed her away. "Don't touch me. I'm gonna shower. I need to think," I said, frowning in confusion.
"Yes, you do that, love!" she agreed, calling after me as I trudged to the bathroom. "A nice hot soak will help to clear the cobwebs! And I'll be right here when you come back!" she assured.
