Keeper
Over ten years before Avengers Pepper made the decision to say yes to a certain eccentric and ridiculous billionaire. He told her she had great shoes and amazing legs and gave her a ten thousand dollars bonus for noticing an accounting mistake, asking her this: you think you could manage me, too? It sounded like challenge, so she said the famous yes that made her family, friends and later most of the world question themselves why.
At first, it was just a gut feeling and Pepper couldn't answer that question herself, but later, at some point, she understood.
Tony, Mister Stark back then, wanted her to be his keeper, that's for sure. Managing his meetings, taking care of his affairs and of the women who happened to be around ever other night, taking care of him. But then – he invited her into his house, introduced her to JARVIS and the bots, let her in his most intimate spaces, let her see him behind the mask – he wanted something more.
Pepper was his keeper, she was his lover, too, but none of that worked out. He has a different PA now, and he has Steve.
They will never stop being family.