A/N: So sorry for how long it took me to write this. I've been having a little trouble writing fluff for these two, so I'm going to add some suspense to help myself along. Let me know what you think. And another thanks to those that review, followed, and favorited.

Pepper walked slowly into the waves, trying to adjust to the water temperature. Closing her eyes and breathing in the salty air, she realized that she more relaxed than she had in a long time.

The peaceful moment ended when Pepper felt Tony's arms wrap around her waist as he dragged her deeper into the water. Pepper shrieked as the cool water soaked her and Tony laughed loudly. Once they were waist deep, Tony let Pepper go and she splashed him with the ocean water. "What is wrong with you?!"

Tony grinned. "You were just standing there, I had to do something."

Pepper shook her head. "You didn't have to do anything; you wanted to ruin my peace."

Tony shrugged, his chocolate-brown eyes shining with mischief. "Guilty as charged, Pep. But at least you're in now."

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm in now."

For a few hours, the two swam around, dodging waves (Pepper dodged, Tony tried to drag her in), and when they were both tired, they walked back down the beach to the mansion. Pepper walked in and made a bee-line for the shower, wanting to get all the sand off her, but Tony paused and waited to hear the sound of the water running to speak. "Hey, J, how are those dinner plans looking?"

"I have made reservation for you and Ms. Potts at the requested location."

"Great. And what time is it again?"

"Seven thirty, sir."

Tony looked at the clock. It was going on three thirty. That gave him a few hours down in the shop before he got ready. Tony took ten minutes to eat a sandwich from the bunch he had had the fridge stocked with and was about to head to the shop when Pepper, as if reading his mind, poked her head out of the bathroom. "Don't you dare get sand all over that shop! Get a shower first."

"But, Peeeepppppppeeerrrrrrrrr, I want to go down now."

"I don't care, if you get sand all over the floor down there, I will never be able to get it all out."

Tony pouted but made his way over to the master bathroom anyway. Pepper smirked and exited the bathroom in a pair of jeans and an ACDC tee-shirt from the bag of clothes Tony had gotten for her. As much as she liked her own clothes, she had to admit that she loved the outfits that Tony had picked out. She could finally understand why he only wore what he did. It was damned comfortable.

As Pepper was looking through the rest of her clothes, her Blackberry chimed and she was about to grab it, but Tony ran into the room and snatched it away from her. "No, no, no. You are on vacation, you are not taking calls, e-mails, or texts. Nothing."

Pepper sighed and held out her hand. "Give me my phone, Tony."

Tony shook his head. "Whoever it is, they can talk to you later."

"What if it's my sister?"

"Nope. She can talk to you later too."

Pepper sighed and shook her head. "Fine, I won't use my phone, but I expect it back later tonight, or I'll use JARVIS to check my e-mail, texts, and make calls."

Tony scowled. "Fine, deal."

Pepper grinned victoriously before realizing that Tony had failed to put on anything other than a pair of boxer. She blushed and tried to look at anything other than Tony's bare chest. Tony, noticing this, grinned. "See something you like, Potts?"

Pepper looked at her feet, not able to help the small smiled creeping onto her face. "Go get dressed, Tony."

"Are you sure you want me to?"

Pepper rolled her eyes and turned away, grabbing a shirt off the bed and folding it before putting it in the dresser. Suddenly, Tony's arms were around her waist, his lips pressing into the back of her head. Pepper closed her eyes, giving into the part of her that harbored a crush on her boss for but a moment before she sighed. "Let go, Tony."

"Why?"

"We can't do this."

"Why not? We both feel it; I know we do."

"You are my boss, Tony. I don't want to be like all the other assistants. I know what happened. I can't do that."

"You could never be like them. Just give me a chance to prove it! We can go out to dinner tonight. A date. I don't take girls on dates; you know that."

Pepper bit her lip in thought. It was true, Tony didn't take girls on dates and she really hated to hear him beg like that. "Fine. But if I get upset, you let me go back to my apartment for the rest of my vacation."

Tony grinned, as happy as a child, pulling Pepper to him in a hug. "You want need to. I'll make it the night of your life."

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Go get some clothes on, Tony."

"Right. Be ready by seven o'clock." Tony ran from the room and Pepper smiled. In his elated state, Tony had left her phone behind. Pepper lifted it off the dresser and opened the text, frowning at the message. "You looked beautiful today."

Pepper tapped out a quick reply. "Who is this? Tony?"

A new text appeared. "No. You could say I'm your admirer. I loved the sundress." A second later, Pepper got a picture message. The picture was taken from a distance and it made Pepper drop her phone in shock. It was a picture of her and Tony walking on the beach that morning.