Chelle
If there was one thing I loved about being with Tony Stark - genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist - was knowing that he wasn't like everyone painted him to be. Sure, we had started as a one night stand, things were different now.
I hadn't known at the time, but I was the first girl Tony had been with after his breakup with Pepper Potts, the CEO of Stark Industries, and oddly enough, it had been her who I had woken up to cleaning up his trash as she referred to me as. To be honest, it hurt, but I knew Tony's reputation, and I knew that the two of them had been an item, so I pretended to let it slide, bitching off to her as I got dressed and left.
I hadn't expected to hear back from Tony. I hadn't even given him my number, but he's Tony Stark. He could get the President of the United States' cellphone number if he wanted. So when I answered the phone and heard his voice on the other end, I nearly lost it. It took everything I had to remain calm. He wanted to see me again. It had been months since he'd seen me, but he said he couldn't get me off his mind, and I had to hold a pillow over my face to stifle a squeal. I was that excited.
To make a long story short, we started seeing each other exclusively. Not that I was seeing anyone else, I didn't have time for that, but we both decided we wanted to see where this went with the two of us. I found it odd that even though we had slept together the first night we met we hadn't done more than kiss. When I brought it up, he had turned to me, taking both of my hands in his, holding them up and looking down into my eyes. I felt butterflies even before he started speaking.
"We've got a good thing here. I don't want to jump right into things. It's not like me, not at all, but you're special."
I never really felt that I was special, not to anyone else in the world, not since I was younger anyway, but I could tell he meant it. According to public knowledge, he'd only had one other serious relationship, so I knew he was selective. I wish I had been more selective in my choice of men. I liked attention, and it didn't matter where I got it, but with Tony, he gave me real attention, real affection, and I fell hard for him.
I knew who he was, every bit of him. I knew when I had slept with him the first night that he was Iron Man and one of the superhero team the Avengers. I have to admit, that was part of the allure toward him. He knew that, and he used it to his advantage, but I didn't mind. I wanted him and I wasn't going to hold back. Not like I hadn't before. But we were now in a serious, committed relationship and I couldn't be happier.
When we had made love for the first time, I had been utterly mesmerized. Our first night together had been a whirlwind of skin and sin, I barely remembered it, but I knew I'd never forget our first time. He was so intent on fulfilling my needs, I fell in love with him even more. Even though I hadn't told him I loved him yet, and of course he hadn't done the same, I knew we both felt the same.
I guess it was fear holding me back. I had lost the one person who had meant the world to me when I had been a teenager and was afraid to let someone else in, but he made it easy to fall for him. Telling him was another story. I didn't want to ruin what we had. I was happy, and I could tell he was happy too. He introduced me to Steve Rogers, Captain America, after we'd been together a little over two months, and I immediately wanted to hook him up with my best friend.
Tony had joked around about it with Steve, saying we needed to get him a girl, but I had taken it seriously. Later that night when I was laying in his bed, tucked in his arm and my head rested on his chest, my fingers softly tracing the scar tissue around his arc reactor. I loved that thing, knowing it was what was keeping Tony alive, keeping shards of shrapnel from entering his heart and killing him. I didn't want to lose him, knowing I was truly in love with him. That's why I loved the glowing blue orb more than almost anything in this world.
"Tony?"
"Hmmm?" he asked, sleep wearing heavy on his voice.
"Captain America really does need someone in his life." I knew the story. Frozen in ice for seventy years, leaving everything he knew behind. He deserved better than that.
Tony pulled his head back. "Laying in bed with me and you're thinking about my best friend. Ouch."
Sliding over on top of him, I sat on his lap, looking down at him, hands resting just beneath the blue light. I knew his sense of humor, and knew that his pride really wasn't hurt like he was feigning, so I continued. "You said he needed a girl at dinner. I know someone who would be perfect for him. Do you think he'd like older women?"
Tony laughed, his body rumbling beneath mine. "What, is she 100?"
"No," I giggled, shaking my head, absentmindedly letting my hands move along his stomach. It was a lot to always remember that he was actually 95 years old and not the 25 years he actually looks. "I was thinking about Erin." He hadn't met Erin yet, but I talked about her enough, he may as well know her.
Tony's hands slid up my thighs, fingers grazing under the soft material of my panties. "You may be onto something here."
Leaning forward, I pressed my lips to Tony's, sliding my arms under his neck, hugging him tightly to me, mumbling against his lips, "I love you, Tony!" My eyes closed tightly, afraid to look at him, afraid to move.
"What was that?"
I couldn't tell from his voice what he was feeling. It was silent and steady, nothing but the question it was. Pulling back slowly, my teeth holding my lip tightly to keep it from trembling. Swallowing, I opened my eyes, looking down at him. "I... uh..."
"Chelle..."
"I didn't mean to say it, Tony."
"You didn't?"
He had heard me. I still couldn't tell how he was feeling. I felt so naked, sitting there on his lap, wearing only my silky boy cut panties and a tank top. I felt vulnerable. I was so sure I was about to lose him and everything we had together. Unable to find the words to try to salvage what I had said, I pulled myself from where I was sitting on his lap only to be stopped by a firm grip on my wrists.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Blinking down at him, I slowly turned my head to the side.
"Why did you say it if you didn't mean to?"
Tears were stinging my eyes. I wished I could reverse time. I wished with everything I had that I could. "It came out." That had to be the dumbest thing I've ever said.
"Did you mean it?"
I couldn't look away from his eyes, held fast by their gaze. "Yes, but I-" I whispered, but was cut off by him his fingers pressing to my lips.
"Say it again."
I blinked down at him. "What?" My question came out a mumbled breath against his fingers.
"Say it again, baby."
Not thinking, I licked my lips and licking his fingers in return. I caught a glimmer of a smile in his eyes, but wasn't quite sure. "I love you." It came out shy and timid, and maybe even more of a question than me telling him how I felt about him, but I said it again.
"Do you?"
"Tony, please..." I turned my head away and he laced his fingers around the back of my neck, turning my head back to face him.
"Say it again."
"Now you're just being mean, Tony," I choked, my voice failing on me.
"Say it."
Taking a short breath, I pursed my lips momentarily before telling him again, still only able to whisper. "I love you, Tony."
The smile spread across his face and I was sure I was dreaming. "I love you, baby."
I tried to focus on him in front of me, his hand on the back of my neck, his other hand holding my hands, laying beneath me as I sat on his lap. "You... you do?"
Pulling me to lay beside him on the bed, he ran his fingers through my hair, smiling more softly at me. "I didn't realize that is exactly how I feel about you until just now. But yes. I do.."
Smiling softly, I accepted the kiss he gently pressed to my lips, pulling my body to his.