James knew what she was talking about, even before he turned around to face her. His eyes closed briefly for a moment and his heart sank. He should have foreseen this moment and not been so damned worried about choice. He wrung his hands a moment, shoved the cloth back into the water and let it sink before turning around

"Know what?" he asked

"It says here, third page," she said, "The only way to give me the release I need is to have intercourse. That's why Fury gave you that pack of condoms." She pointed at the box on the mantel and he let out a sigh. There was no real point lying about this, she had read the truth.

"I knew," he said, watching her closely.

She began to pace then, back and forth across the floor, which admittedly wasn't that far. The press of her lips together was telling of her mood and the slight frown between her eyes was equally as fortuitous. She stopped and turned to look at him. "Am I really that repulsive?" she barked. "Anyone else would be glad of the opportunity for a fuck but not you!" Her pitch rose and he could see she was truly angered.

His response was far less controlled than he wanted it to be, "I am not made of fucking marble Natasha!" he snapped. His arms folded over his chest and he regarded her keenly, "I am as much flesh and blood as those men who would want 'a fuck' as you put it," he repeated the phrase with such derision that her head snapped up, green eyes smouldering.

"Then it's personal!" she said. Her face screwed up in anguish and she shook her head, "How could Fury give me to you, when you cannot even bear to do what needs to be done!"

He realised then exactly what she was getting at and he looked at her, anger fading from him. His hand unclenched and his head tilted to the side a little. The sting of shame flooded through him as he realised that she was exactly the opposite of what she was saying. She was magnificent. Even when her anger was being directed at him, she was beautiful. Sharp green eyes looked as though they wanted to pierce right through him. He was utterly lost. Stepping forward, he laid both hands on her shoulder and drew her against his chest.

She resisted for a fraction of a second before leaning against him. He could feel her tears soaking through the fabric of his T-shirt and he realised how deeply this had affected her. When his nose was buried in her red curls, he whispered close to her ear, "You are far from repulsive, any man would find you attractive, myself included. Your body is lovely, your manner enticing and I have been a fucking idiot."

"Then why…?"

"Only my doubts have kept me in place," he whispered softly. Her response to that was to tilt her head up and press her soft lips against his, initiating their first kiss since the beginning of this ordeal. Never had he expected her lips to be so warm and welcoming. Then she broke it and he found herself looking into her green eyes once more.

"You didn't choose me, but if this is your wish then I will no longer deny it," he said.

"I didn't choose you, I don't care!" was her response, "I need you regardless of whether you need me or not," she said, her slender finger running over his stubbled jaw.

He startled her when he swept her up into his arms. "Don't make assumptions about my needs," he said, though there was no sting in his words this time. He headed to the lounge first, pausing to let her grab the pack of condoms on the mantelpiece before carrying her off to the bedroom.

"You know we don't need these…" she said as he laid her down gently.

He nodded and tugged the T-shirt he was wearing over his head. "I didn't know if you still wanted something between us," he said as he placed the T-shirt into the wash basket. She shook her head but placed the packet on the bedside table anyway. It was when the packet hit the floor that he became aware of her looking at him, or rather his now bare chest. He smirked at that. "I'm up here, Natasha," he said.

She flushed at that and he dared to laugh a little as he held her eyes. He continued to do so as he undid his belt and he saw the subtle shift in her gaze as the drug took effect.

He made his way over to her, trousers undone. Her lips pressed a kiss to his side as he crawled and a shudder passed through him which had nothing to do with the cold, his muscles quivering at the soft sensation. In one swift movement, he removed his pants and underwear and stretched out on the bed, utterly naked. While he had done so, she followed suit and lay back beside him. She was every bit as gorgeous as he had said she was. Her undulating curves were utterly divine and he longed to run a hand over them.

There was no holding back, he did just that. Her soft skin felt all the smoother for the callouses on his palm she didn't seem to mind all that much. Nor did she mind his erection, pressing into her side.

His face descended and their lips touched, a hot, open mouthed kiss in which they vied for dominance, he swiftly one this round, his tongue invading, claiming. Natasha gasped into his mouth and he swallowed her breath, his hands now on her breasts, teasing her beyond reason. He teased her nipples with the tips of his right hand before stroking down her flank to squeeze her bum. Finally, he pressed his fingers to her drenched core and she bucked against his hand without shame.

When he finally moved between her legs, she wrapped her arms around his waist, encouraging him on. He didn't need it. Carefully, he pressed into her, his mind screaming incoherently about it. He was aware of how wet she was, how tight she was and how she quivered around him as he neatly thrust into her. Her legs parted, urging him to enter her further. He locked his eyes on hers and he slowly began to move within her. The flare of the drug inflamed her eyes and she was spurred to move with him.

Her climax, when it came shortly after, nearly had him seeing stars too. She clenched and bucked around him so tightly that he was nearly undone too. He watched her fade from herself nand although the sight was the hottest thing he had ever seen, he was forced to shut his eyes lest this end before he could sate her. Once he knew was not going to be enough. Biting into his lip, he continued the slow thrusts into her. Her nails dug into his shoulders, and he knew where they hit the flesh, there would be marks that would not fade for a long time.

After the second time, she went boneless in his arms. He wasn't entirely sure she was completely conscious and so he left it there. She appeared to be spent and that was what mattered! He settled beside her once more, watching her return to herself again. "Stay with me a while?" she asked. He could only nod at that, he was in no fit state to move anyway and he was tired from the unbroken sleep the previous night.

Carefully, he pulled the covers over them both and she wiggled into his arms. Her hand pulled his arm, the metal one, over her and she let out a sigh. Laying on his side like this, with her warmth pressed up against him was a surprising comfort and it did not take long for him to drift into a comfortable slumber.