Sorry for the long absence! School got to me, then work, and then I lost my writing mojo. My friend DreamWithinADream wrote a really good Steve/Darcy/Bucky fic, you should check it out on AO3! She's encouraged me to keep writing, although this story is a mess without a beta. So last time we left Steve and Dani, they were in Monaco. This chapter was supposed to be a lot longer, but I realized I needed to split it in half. Still working on the end of this monster mega chapter that's been split up, but I didn't want you thinking I had abandoned the story.

XOXO,
Blue

Steve and I laid on the couch, cradling each other, talking and gazing into each other's eyes for what seemed like hours. His hot skin against mine felt like heaven, knowing this man saw past all my flaws and loved me regardless.

We were in love.

In love!

I had thought for so long I could love Steve, and now, he loved me back!

When I started getting sleepy again and yawned, we sat up, holding hands

"I think the sun's coming up," I said.

"Wanna try to rest some more? Or seize the day?'

"Mmmm…. seize the day. I can sleep on the plane ride home."

I got dressed, put on some sunscreen and Steve had sent our discarded clothes to the laundry from last night, and they promised to have them back in the afternoon. I put on my bikini under my dress just in case we found a place to take a dip. Steve and I went to walk through le Rocher, the "old city" of Monaco, which was rustic and charming. We had an early lunch overlooking the Riviera together. We found a restaurant with outdoor dining, and we took plenty of pictures on our phones. Steve and I searched for the staircase to lead to the Crique Ciappaira, a strip of beach that could only be reached by going down a steep wooden staircase in the cliff. I was expecting it to be filled with tourists, but it was picturesque, like something from a movie, a small beach at that, only about sixty feet in length, and it was bordered by giant rocks and the cliff behind us. I had brought along towels in my bag, some sunscreen, and waterproof phone cases. Steve and I sat down on the beach and watched the waves as a few other couples had made the trek down as well, but they seemed like locals.

"I can't wait to tell everybody about this beach," I admitted. "This is so cool! How many people find this when they come to visit here?

"Not enough," Steve said. "Hey, you want to swim out to those rocks over there?" he pointing at some rock formations that were large enough for two people climb up on.

"Let's do it," I said, taking off my sundress, kicking off my shoes.

Steve and I put our cameras into a Zip-loc bag (even though we had waterproof cases, you could never be too careful) and we started the swim through the surf. The surf wasn't so bad, but when we got to the rocks, they were more slippery than I thought when we went to climb them. A couple of college-age guys were climbing the highest point of the rock, but I wanted to just lay down in the sun.

"I really like this," I sighed, laying down on my back. "Thanks for suggesting it."

"Not a problem," he said, getting his sunglasses out of his pocket in his trunks. He got mine out, too, handing them to me, and picked up my hand to kiss my wrist. "It's nice to be able to tell you I love you."

"Same. I love you."

"Hey, Dani… question… do all of your swimsuits look like that one?"

"No, you saw the one I wore last night, that one's pink, this one is navy, and then, I brought one that's got stripes on it-"

"No, I don't mean the color. I mean… is it normal for women to wear those to show their stomachs like that?"

I rolled my eyes, but smiled. Of course, his 1940s was coming out. "Bikinis were a thing in the forties, too. Just wait until we go to Larvotto Beach, women will be sunbathing topless."

Steve groaned. "Please, don't take your top off in public."

"I won't," I promised, grinning, despite the pained look on his face. "I've got headlights going on right now."

"I know I sound awful, but those guys up there… I think they're watching you."

I shrugged. "Probably because I'm so pale right now, I'm blinding!" I looked up at the boys that had climbed the rock, and they saw me. One of them leapt off into the ocean, and we watched him fall. The other one jumped seconds later.

Steve and I laid on the rock in the sunshine, and took some pictures, some of ourselves, others of the yachts on the horizon. I dozed off for a moment from the jet lag.

I woke up to Steve shouting my name. He was gone from the rock, but his voice came from above. He was at the top of the tall rock, and waved at me before leaping off into the water. I screamed, but he came up just fine.

By the time I had started to dry off, Steve and I decided to swim back to the beach. I wanted a short nap back the hotel/apartment.

The climb up the stairs on the cliff was my workout for the day.

We took a cab back to the hotel. I sighed in relief as we walked into the lobby, holding hands, to the elevator bank. I slid into his arms as we got into the elevator. "That little beach was amazing," I told him. "Like something out of a movie fantasy. Thank you for taking me. Even though I was wheezing the whole way up the stairs."

"I love the way your face looks this whole trip," he admitted, kissing the top of my head. "I love seeing you happy."

I squeezed him with my arm around his middle.

He kissed my temple gently. "I just want to make your face look like this everyday."

The elevator dinged and we were on our floor. "You do," I promised. Steve took my hand and led me out of the elevator to our suite.

At our door, I leaned in for a kiss, closing my eyes. His lips met mine. Everything I had wanted on that little strip of beach by the cliffs was him. I wished we had been completely alone, deserted. His kiss intensified as I ran my microchipped bracelet over the door lock, and heard the click. His hand snaked up the back of my neck and I released my head into his palm as he backed me inside the apartment.

He guided me into the apartment, his lips never leaving mine, his hand tangling in the hair at the nape of my neck as our tongues brushed gently in the kiss. Kissing him was amazing. And we loved each other, it made it even better.

My butt bumped into the kitchen wall. "You make me so happy. I love you," I sighed.

"You make me happy, too. I love you," he murmured, capturing my lips in a kiss. He was getting better at being the dominant partner, I think it came naturally with a little practice with me. His hands cupped my butt and lifted me up off the floor, I wrapped my legs around his middle. He carried me into the bedroom, and his lips never left mine. I tugged my cover-up over my head, tossing it for the floor. He laid some open-mouth kisses along my collar bone, down my breasts, now that I was in my bikini alone. I made quick work of the top in the middle of my back, exposing my breasts, which he quickly bathed in kisses. I gasped in anticipation of his mouth finding my nipple, sucking on it, his mouth engulfing it, his tongue swirling around the tip. His mouth sucked greedily on my nipple, it pebbled in his mouth. I held onto him, his t-shirt knotting in my hands, my legs wrenching around his middle, squeezing. I tugged his shirt up, and his hands tentatively released my ass, and I released his middle with my legs. He guided me over to the bed, and I backed up, pulling his hand, until I reached the bed. He and I climbed onto the bed together. Steve climbed on top of me and kissed me harder.

His pale skin was starting to bronze from our time out at the beach, his body hot under my hands as always.

"You looked so incredible when I saw you down on the rock, laying there. All I could think of was you, naked, laying down, and all I wanted…"

"Yes?"

His eyes darkened, and I shivered. His two days worth of whiskers only made him more dangerous. "I wanted your legs open so I could taste you."

"Steven…" the shivers running down my back made my head roll back in a sigh. His hands tugged at my bottoms. I wished I was in my string bikini for once, the tugging got harder.

"Steven, stop!" I cried, my legs unwrenching from his waist. "I want to wear this again. On this trip, possibly?" He could have hurt me, pulling and tearing the swim fabric and lining. I didn't doubt that he could do it, though.

"I'm sorry," he said, and kneeled down. "I got carried away."

"Oh honey…" I sighed. "I love that you get so hot for me you want to tear my clothes off. Just remember I'm a poor grad school student, I can't replace things that easily."

"I will." His fingers very gently worked under the elastic of the bottoms, and I lifted my hips off the bed. His breathing intensified as he gazed at my newly exposed skin. I felt his fingers slide down my thigh and into my cleft. His fingers slid inside me and his thumb slid up to my clit.

He knew exactly how to touch me, now. No fumbling and curiosity anymore. He could tease me and light me on fire. My eyes rolled up in my head and my back arched against the managed to slid his free arm under my shoulders and pull me close, catching my mouth in a kiss. I gripped his shoulders, sliding into the kiss, one hand sliding up the back of his neck to his short hairs while we kissed. I could feel his cock hardening through his swim trunks against my thigh. "Right now," I whispered. "Don't make me wait."

"Can you wait just a minute?" he murmured into my ear, his lips brushing under my earlobe. His fingers slipped out of me, and he pulled away.

"Steve!" I cried as he got up from me.

"One of us has to be responsible," he replied.

"I'm on the pill," I said. He turned around and grabbed my ankles.

He yanked me down so that my hips were at the end of the bed and I gasped.

"Baby…" I half-protested as his fingers slid up my inner thigh and back into my lips, making me clench up and gasp. His other hand parted my knees and I closed my eyes, biting my lip as his tongue slid up my wetness. I gave into my moans, breathing them out as he pleasured me with his mouth, finally articulating his name as waves of orgasm took over me.

I wanted to lay there and just let the orgasm make me feel all floaty and tingly, but I knew I had work to do. I pushed myself to sit up.

"Take your trunks off," I breathed, still trying to get air into my lungs. He pushed his trunks down obediently, his erection popping out as I scooted back onto the bed. Steve climbed up on top of me. I pressed hand to his chest. "Your turn."

"What?"

"Lay down on your back."

He did as I told him and I put my knee between his, then the other one. He was watching me, and his cock was erect and beautiful. I cupped a hand around the base and took a lick up the underside of it. It only took a moment for me to take half of it into my mouth while I pumped the base with my hand.

"Dani- ah, God, Danielle!" Steve cried out. I glanced up and his eyes were shut, and I swirled my tongue around the head while it was nestled inside my mouth, tasting the salt of his precome, my eyes closing. His fingers stroked my hair. "Dani, stop."

"Do you not like what I'm doing?" I asked, popping his cock out of my mouth.

"No, I love it, but… you swear you're on the pill?"

"Yes, I swear. And I've got the morning after pill in my suitcase. You want to come inside me?" I asked, getting up on my knees to climb up his body. He started sitting up.

"Are you okay with that?"

"Just this once," I said. I didn't have a lot of time to think about where I was in my cycle. He wrapped his arms around me and he gripped his smooth cock, holding it up for me to lower myself down onto. His lips met my collarbone as I threw my head backwards. I wished I could live in this moment forever.

When I woke up, I was sore as hell. Steve had gotten up from the bed as I dozed off and was in the living room. There was a wet spot in the bed, and it reminded me to grab my phone to check my period calendar app. My fertile week was a few days away. I got out of bed and went to the bathroom, finding my birth control compact, measuring it against my cycle. I hadn't missed a dose, not since I had gotten on it back in December. I looked at the Plan B pill in my cosmetics bag. I had taken it a few times in the past, the last time was after that weekend in New York with Steve at Tony Stark's party when he had pulled out on the way home on the train. I gotten so nauseated. It was miserable. I was in the Côte d'Azure with Steve, and he had pulled so many strings to give me a memorable vacation in one of the most luxurious spots in the world. I didn't want to be nauseated and sick for a moment. I wanted to remember this amazing trip to Steve. This trip was so short and I didn't want to waste a second. I could take it on the way home, within 72 hours as prescribed while I slept on the plane, I could take a Benadryl with it and sleep through most of the nausea. I was already on birth control and doing great with it. I didn't have that much time left anyway. I put my pills back and took another quick rinse-off shower. I could see Steve had been in here earlier with the dots of water on the tiles, I didn't blame him.

I hadn't slept a long time, though. I rooted through my suitcase and found another swimsuit and my cover up.

"Hey," I said, walking out into the living room where Steve was eating some kind of chicken sandwich, probably from room service.

"Hey," he said, grinning as I entered the room.

We didn't say anything to each other as I sat down beside him, and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Do you want to do anything right now?"

"Can I have a bite of your sandwich?" I asked.

"Hey, I don't share food!" he cried, laughing, holding the sandwich away from me.

"Okay, Joey Tribani!" I laughed.

"Who's that?"

"Pop culture reference. Do you want to go back to the beach?"

"Crique Ciappaira?"

"No, I was thinking Larvotto Beach," I said.

"If you're up for it, I'm up for it," he said.

"I'm ready to go."

By the time the car service took us to the beach, we found out it was a pebble beach, not a sand beach. As I predicted, Larvotto had topless women sunbathing in the last rays of the afternoon. I entered Steve's combination to his personal phone (I knew to never touch the phone S.H.I.E.L.D gave him) and snapped a few pictures of the sunbathing beauties when he wasn't looking and a selfie of me grinning conspiratorially with him in the background, the camera in my sunglasses reflection. He was in the background, eating an apple and gazing out at the sea. I was looking a little pink from the sun, while he was bronzing like a Greek God. Hey, I was the Greek one! I supposed that was an effect of the super soldier serum on him. Daddy's side of the family sended to sizzle like bacon in the sun, me included. I applied some more sunblock and hid under the shade of the beach umbrella.

We sat on the beach lounge chairs, watching the surf, holding hands in the space between as the sun started to set.

"Why don't we do something you want to do?" I suggested after we sat together in a happy silence as the sun dipped below the horizon to the west. We walked back to the parking lot, and I shivered a little under my coverup as we waited for the car service.

"What I want to do?" Steve repeated. "Okay… How about we go home for dinner and then to the casino?"

"Let's ask the concierge if he knows about the dress code policy," I said. "But I'd do that."
Back at our hotel we checked with the concierge about the casino. "Jacket and tie after seven, dark colors only," he said in his British-tinged Monocan accent. "Appropriate attire at all times for the ladies as well, but the gender type isn't enforced."

"Do you have a jacket and tie?" I asked Steve.

"I do, but we need to find something for you."

"There's also a late showing of Hamlet in English at Fort Antoine tonight," the concierge suggested. "You could also book a spa session here."

"Let's consider it," Steve said. "We don't have to go to the casino."

"I have a long, dark dress that would do," I said.

"That should suit the dress code at the casino," the concierge said.

"Okay, take me gambling, Stevie," I replied.

Steve and I rushed upstairs to our penthouse to change clothes. I put on my sole statement necklace and rhinestone earrings and we took a car to the casino.

The casino was gorgeous in the last rays of the sunlight. I shivered a little, since the temperature was dropping, but we made it inside quickly.

"Okay, What are you gambling?" I asked as he paid for some poker chips.

"Two hundred Euro. That should be okay to start off with."

I gulped at the amount of money he was gambling tonight, but didn't say anything. I took is arm and we went into the different parlours. Steve started off at the low end of the blackjack tables, he handed me his credit card and told me to buy a double scotch neat and whatever I wanted at the bar. I did as he asked, and found a bar nearby. "Can you open a tab for Rogers?" I asked the bartender, handing over his card.

"Are you his wife?"

"Something like that," I muttered.

I gave Steve his scotch and watched him play a few hands before becoming curious about the grounds. "Why don't you have fun and go explore the casino?" He suggested. "This is going to get boring for you really fast."

I got a fresh white wine spritzer and started my personal tour. I could see the pool, all lit up, and the cabanas. Parties were going on, and I went back inside. I glimpsed into the different parlours to see one that was roped off. I guessed that was the high roller table and the VIPS. I also some some extravagant dresses on women that looked like they belonged on a Hollywood red carpet. Mine looked too casual, but it was long and dark. They hadn't thrown me out for it.

I went to check on Steve to see if he was okay, if he had busted, but his spot at the table had a bald old man sitting there. He was gone. "Someone just moved up, the blond gentleman?"

"Oh? You're kidding!" I cried. I checked around the different parlours and found Steve at one of the tables, playing against different people, his tie loosened.

When the dealer finished the game, I approached him. "You moved up?" I asked, gazing at his growing pile of chips in front of him.

"Sure did," he mumbled, slipping an arm behind my back.

"I am so proud!" I cried.

"Monsieur, are you in?" The dealer asked Steve.

"I'm in," he said, shoving a few chips forward. "If you want to go back to the hotel or something because this is getting boring, that's fine."

I decided to wear myself out and try to stay beside him as he won.

The pile grew and grew, and I was getting tired. "Go home and rest," Steve instructed me. "I'll probably be here late tonight, don't wait up."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure," he said.

Back at the hotel, I stopped by the front desk to order some dinner with a Demi-carafe of red wine before taking the elevator up.

I called Alissa to check on Lourdes Marie.

"How are you doing?" Alissa asked. "I am so jealous you're in Monaco!"

"It is amazing. So much wealth. Stupid amounts of it. And the riviera is so perfect! But anyway, how's my baby?"

"She came out to play some this morning. She can be so sweet!"

"Isn't she?"

"How's Steve? Your other baby? Getting a lot of action in, hmm?"

I blushed. "Um, duh. The world is not ready for him, I swear. Everybody watched him on the beach today when we went swimming when he took off his shirt. He took me to le Rocher, the old city, and we had so much fun. We went to this little strip of a beach and he went cliff diving."

"Did you?"

"I didn't want my bikini popping off. He doesn't want me topless in public, but nobody really cares on the beaches here."

We laughed. "You sound like you're having so much fun. He really cares to take you on vacation like this."

"He does… okay, I've got to tell somebody this," I said, "might as well be you. Steve dropped the L-bomb today."

"No!" She gasped. "He did? That's great! But wait, did you say it back?"

"Yeah, I did," I admitted, taking off my earrings. "It's been beautiful. It's so amazing to be in love with someone. And the sex it's just incredible too! He's trying out new things and I didn't know men cared if you had your orgasm or not and… you know…" I blushed having told her so much.

"Vacation sex is fun, but don't miss the entire locale," she said. "So is it the best sex ever?"

I sighed dreamily. "It is, actually. I'm so glad I never faked it with him and made him earn it."

"Why didn't I think of that?" She grumbled.

There was a knock on the door, I knew it was my food. I got up to go get it.

"Well, I learned the hard way with Chad."

"So what have you done so far outside your hotel?"

"We went to Prince Ranier's car museum, I told you about that. Steve and I went to the casino tonight, but he had me go home because he was doing so well at the Blackjack table. I think… I know he started with like two hundred Euro tonight, he's up to the ten thousand Euro table by the time he sent me home. We talked about going to Nice tomorrow, and then to the Oceanographic Museum and back to the beach if there's time on our last day. Or getting a couples massage in the morning. I'm running a bath right now, this bathtub is incredible."

"Like a garden tub?"

"No, more like a jacuzzi. And they have bath oil samplers waiting for me. I don't want to leave!"

"I wouldn't, either," she admitted. "The pictures you're posting make me so happy for you. And you're in love on top of that, too! I hope you and Steve have that fairy tale story, you know?"

"I hope so, too," I admitted. "I am so lucky to have him in my life. Really, I am. Okay, I'm gonna take a bath and get some sleep. I'll check in with you on Lourdes Marie before I leave, okay?"

"Alright. Have a great time."

"I will. Can't wait to see you."

"You too. 'Bye."

I hung up with her and shed my clothes to take my bath. Climbing into the tub, I hissed at the feeling of the hot water against my sun-kissed skin, but sank down into it.

I laid in the nourishing, relaxing water for a few minutes, just reveling in this incredible vacation, the magic between Steve and me. Would it carry over to stateside? I watched the yachts in the darkness sail through the bay, their lights dotting the horizon.

I missed Steve terribly at this moment. He'd have tried to wash my hair and scrub my back for me, then after drying his hands off, sketch either a naked me in the bathtub or the boats in the harbor. While I was sore from the frequency of sex we had had, I didn't regret it. I wanted to do it all the time here.

I got out after the water cooled off and dressed in some pajamas and watched some Outlander on the TV. It was almost ten, and Steve wasn't home, yet. I fought the jet lag, but it eventually won.

I woke up to my phone buzzing. Steve had texted me.

Great news. Just wait'll I get home!

I looked at the clock, and it was almost four in the morning. Had he really been out all night? Where are you? When are you coming home? I texted back.

I'm on my way home. Really good news!

Scratching my head, I sat up, and turned on the lights. I got up with a throw blanket wrapped around me and went into the living room. I sat down for a few minutes and started to nod off when the door lock clicked and opened.

"Dani!" He cried, eyes wild. "You're never gonna believe it!"

"What happened?" I murmured.

"I can't believe I did it, either! I made over a million dollars the Blackjack table tonight! I got in with the high rollers, and I did it!"

"You what?" I asked, stunned.

"Nothing but the best for us from here on out!" he said elated. "I managed to win exactly one point one million Euro tonight."

"What?" I cried, wide awake.

"Yes. We can get married and I can give you the life you deserve. You'll have your own home in New York, and we can pay off your student loans and- it'll be the American dream for us. We can get married here."

My head spun. "Married?" I repeated. I coudl return to the US with Steve… as his wife?

I had thought about marrying Steve, although I hadn't spoken to him about it. He was everything I could have wanted in a husband: he was intelligent, hard-working, creative, my knight in shining armor.

"Danielle Conyers, marry me. Right now, right here."

My jaw dropped. "Yes! Yes, Steve, I'll marry you!"

Thanks for reading! Sorry for the cliffie!