Author's Note: At the top this time with a caveat. This story is rated M and this chapter is why. If you don't want to read the detailed smexy, skip this chapter. It's hot.

Additional Note 11/15/12: My PC crashed and I lost the work I'd done on Chapter 15 after I was forced to do a systems restore. Gah. So, I have to recreate Chapter 15 from scratch. There will be, unfortunately, a delay. Sorry, folks!

... ...

This hadn't gone at all the way Loki had planned it. He'd thought to apologize, confirm that he felt nothing but gratitude for the woman, acknowledge his appreciation for her beauty and compassion, and that would be that. His first inkling that he might be in trouble was when he'd found himself fisting his hands when he'd realized she was Stark's closely held passenger upon their arrival. But that was only the barest hint that things were not going his way. Loki looked down at the woman who had dozed off in his embrace. Well, not going as he'd planned, at any rate. "What have you done to me, sweet girl," he murmured to himself.

Kara sighed and snuggled in closer, her lips rested against his neck. It felt so right, like nothing he'd ever imagined. Not that it mattered. Eventually Odin would decide he'd stewed long enough, have him retrieved, and likely throw him in the dungeons for a good thousand years. Loki grimaced. Or exile him to Jotunheim and let those he'd truly wronged take out their wrath upon him. The dungeon was infinitely preferable. That, at least, he had a hope of surviving long enough to be pardoned. Though not within Kara's brief lifetime. Warm lips trailed up his neck to his jaw. "Why so sad?" she whispered.

He turned so they could look at each other comfortably. "I have no say in my fate. Or yours. I have no future and my past is a lie."

It's not a lie, Loki," Kara insisted. "It's a mess, but…"

Not wanting another lecture, Loki captured her lips and kissed her until she gasped for breath. "Done preaching to me?" he asked.

"I'm not preaching…I just hate that you're so unhappy."

"There's naught that can be done about it. Though you could make me feel much better about my present."

She gave him a suspicious look. "Could I? How?"

Loki chuckled. She could read him like one of the well-worn books that Stark had lent him. "It occurred to me that I owe you the gift of my life. I'd like to give you an equal gift, or as equal as one can get without your life being on the line."

Kara's eyebrows rose. "Why do I think you're going to say something totally outrageous?"

"Because, as they say, you have my number."

"No doubt. Okay, go ahead, be outrageous so I can shut you down and we can move on."

"I hope you'll give my proposal greater consideration than that."

"Loki, out with it. Don't test the redhead's patience. You do realize this hair color is mother nature's way of warning men not to cross us?"

He laughed. "I did not know that, but I am grateful for her kindness in giving that warning." Sobering, he caressed her soft cheek. "You have only half a life because you fear you will lose control and hurt any man you become close to."

"It's more of a life than…"

"Shhh," he said, placing two fingers across her mouth. "Don't berate yourself. I don't appreciate it any more than you do when I do it." He waited for her agreement. "I propose that I show you that you can trust yourself. That you can lose yourself in pleasure without one of these flashbacks, that you can, when you find the right man, give your heart without fear."

"I don't know, that would be so dangerous."

Nodding, Loki kissed the side of her mouth. "I know it. That's what makes it a worthwhile gift. Don't start," he told her as she frowned and opened her mouth to object. "Kara, if it seems you are starting to panic, having one of these attacks, I will do two things. First, I'll shift forms. That will pull your energy back to protect you from the cold. This will give me time to shift myself from this room into another so that you can't focus your fire upon me. I should be safe enough."

Kara frowned thoughtfully, then sighed. "Should be. But what if you're not?"

"There's a good chance that Odin will exile me to Jotunheim. I would not survive it. Truthfully, dying at your hands would be preferable except for the knowledge of the anguish it would cause you." He frowned as she set her jaw into what he'd come to recognize as her stubborn expression. "Kara, please. You need to know. Don't tell me you haven't envied other women their loves. I cannot believe that a woman as compassionate as you does not wish for love and a family of her own."

"Of course I do. I-I'm not sure about kids, I've never really spent any time with small children or babies. But love, of course I…want that." He stared as tears welled up in her eyes. "Do you really think he'll do that to you?"

"I don't know. I suppose it depends on how helpful he feels I've been in preventing the Chitauri's masters from pursuing their invasion plans."

"Why won't you explain what really happened, what your plan was? I understand that it didn't turn out totally the way you expected, but if we knew what was supposed to happen, maybe…"

"Leave off, sweet Kara. Please." Loki frowned sternly at her until she nodded. "Now, will you welcome me into your arms, my lady?"

… …

Kara took a deep breath. She'd almost blurted out that she already loved…him. So stupid. Everything she did with this man had been so very, very wrong even though it felt so incredibly right. He had a point. She did need to know and even if she didn't have a future with him, if he was right and she could control her fire, she would have memories of what it was like to have him love her, if only physically. It would have to do. It was selfish, it was greedy, but she wanted anything and everything she could get from him. She swallowed nervously. "Yes," she finally managed.

"I won't pretend I don't get anything out of this," Loki murmured as he nudged her face to the side and nibbled on her earlobe. "I fully expect you to be an amazing lover."

She nearly choked on her laugh. "Don't expect too much, I have no idea what I'm doing."

"Good. Women who think they know what they're doing generally…do not. Don't suppress your instincts and you will be perfection itself."

"My instincts…"

"Will serve you well," he scolded. "Don't confuse an instinctive reaction to pleasure with protective instincts. I promise you, your body will know the difference, hmm?"

Gasping as he began aggressively nuzzling and suckling the skin of her neck, Kara muttered "H-hope you're right."

Dratted man laughed outright as he began unbuttoning her blouse. "About this, I'm never wrong," he assured her. Loki pushed the material back to expose her lacy underwire bra. His eyebrows rose. "Quite lovely." He lazily traced the line of her breasts above the material and smiled as she felt her cheeks heat. "Ah, did perhaps one of the other ladies insist you have this?"

Closing her eyes Kara admitted it. "Yes, Pepper and Nat both insisted I needed new underwear."

"Let me guess, the lovely Black Widow then raided your belongings and absconded with all of your practical underclothing so that you could not continue to wear it," he said as he played with the front hook that was all that restrained the full globes beneath.

"Except for some designed for exercise," she agreed, gasping again as he flicked the hook open and the material parted. Kara watched his expression as her breasts were bared. She'd stopped monitoring his emotions. She really didn't want to know it was only lust; she told herself that she understood that he could not possibly feel anything more for a woman who would be dead in fewer years than he would generally bother to count.

His eyes brightened and his lips curved into a smile. "Beautiful," he said as he caressed the exposed flesh. "Abundant, soft, so very…enticing," he whispered as he leaned down. She shivered as he flicked one already hardening nipple with his tongue then nipped it lightly. "You liked that."

"Yes," she managed, a quaver in her voice.

Loki looked up at her and smiled. "Don't be afraid, I will manage to stop if you ask." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Don't say stop, though. It's too easy to tell yourself your partner is saying 'don't stop'. If you're afraid or panicking or if anything hurts, say 'hurts' as loudly as you can manage. I will stop, I swear it."

"O-okay."

"Good." His head dipped back down and his lips closed firmly around one nipple. He tugged at it until she found herself whimpering. His eyes flicked up for a moment, assessing until she smiled. "That's my girl," he said, releasing it and moving to the other. She could feel her insides beginning to tighten…an ache growing at her core. Loki's teeth nipped the flesh of her other breast before he began teasing and suckling that nipple into hardness. She couldn't hold back a moan as the incredible feeling traveled from her breast down to her sex. "My Kara enjoys titillation," he said, sounding terribly smug. His long fingers closed over both globes and massaged them somewhat roughly.

Kara moaned even louder when he slid an arm beneath her, took the first nipple back into his mouth, and trailed his long fingers down her body to tease under the waistband of her jeans. Embarrassingly enough, she could feel wetness gathering in her panties. "God, Loki. What are you doing to me?" she asked breathlessly.

He glanced up from his task and smiled. "I am going to make you absolutely shatter with pleasure, love." She shivered, wishing he could mean that word as more than a casual endearment.

Both of his hands were at her waist now, unbuttoning and unzipping the denim fly. Then he slipped one hand behind her and easily lifted her lower half up so that he could slide the material off of her hips and down her thighs. "So strong," she was surprised into saying aloud. He gave her a questioning look. "Didn't realize how physically strong you were."

"Ah. Does that frighten you?" he asked.

"No, it's…kind of nice."

"Good." The ridiculous lace panties that Nat had insisted were an appropriate match for the bra were removed next. Loki's smile widened when he felt the now soaking wet crotch. "You want me."

Her laugh seemed to surprise him. "I never said I didn't," she smiled. "Why do you think I kept messing everything up?"

… …

Comprehension dawned. "You've wanted me from the first day I kissed you…or before."

Kara's blush deepened, spreading down her neck and those oh so full and tempting breasts. "Yes, but I told myself I couldn't have you…on so many levels, for so many reasons."

"Good." Loki smiled as his lady's jaw dropped. "It is not conceit, Kara. I'm simply glad I'm not convincing you to accept something you truly didn't want."

"Oh. I do want you, Loki. I-I need you, more than anything or anyone."

Loki felt as if his heart faltered, just for just a second. He'd never felt needed before. "Sweet lady, you honor me," he whispered, dropping kisses on her curved belly. He smiled when he noticed the small hoop that pierced the flesh of the depression of her navel. "Romanov again?" he asked.

"No, that was Pepper's idea," she muttered as her hips squirmed under his now questing fingers.

"Really? I'm…surprised." Shaking his head he resumed kissing the creamy flesh as his fingers parted her already wet folds. After the discovery of the navel piercing, he was not surprised to find the womanly curls well trimmed. Not removed, thankfully. He'd always felt that was disrespectful to a woman's natural beauty. Kara wriggled as his fingers teased her clitoris and he smiled at her gasp. "Have you never pleasured yourself, sweet lady?" he had to ask.

"Not much…I-it, well…"

"The loss of control frightened you, I understand," he told her. "Relax, love. You will lose control to me, but you'll do it willingly and joyfully, and I will not let you harm anyone. Enjoy, it will all be good, I promise you."

"Yes, Loki," she whispered.

He smiled at the trust in her voice. Another novelty. Someone who had believed him and trusted him from the first day they'd spoken. It would be a fitting gift to teach her to trust herself. Loki spread her folds wide for access and dipped his head down so that he could flick her sex with his tongue. Her body jerked in surprise as a moan was wrenched from her parted lips. Keeping her nub bared with the fingers of one hand, he gently pressed his index finger into her canal, slowly, carefully so as not to spook her. She arched her back in response, pressing her sex up against his waiting mouth. "Beautiful," he murmured.

Loki focused his full attention on her clit, her early responses to its stimulation had been…inspiring. She rolled her hips under him as he sucked, teased, and nibbled the small bud. Her juices had soaked the finger gently thrusting in her canal to the point where he felt she could easily tolerate a second. Kara moaned as two fingers thrust deeply inside her and raised her hips to meet them. He smiled as he felt one of her delicate hands fist in his hair as she shivered and began to buck in reaction. She was ready. Pulling away, he had to grin at her reaction. "What…why?" she muttered.

"Shhh," he soothed. "Do you not want more?" Her lips pouted in a way guaranteed to make him smile.

"Yes, I want more of that," she insisted, sounding rather grumpy.

"Ah. As you wish." Dropping back down he resumed his oral attack. He wanted so badly to be inside her, but was realizing she needed to lose control first, while she knew he was still in control of himself and able to escape if needed. Smiling as her whimpers increased, he was rewarded with a gush of fluids as her control finally shattered.

… …

Kara choked back a scream as her body began to spasm. Her insides tightened beyond pain to a pleasure she never could have imagined as Loki continued to lick and suckle her clit. His long fingers had stilled inside her, pressing up and hard against the center of her pleasure as she felt hot fluid soak her thighs. All that she could find the breath to mutter was: "More!"

Loki laughed and lifted his face from between her legs. She flushed as she realized he was soaked with her come. "That is enough of that, I think," he decided. "Felt good, hmm?"

"M-marvelous," she managed with only a slight stutter. He sat up and pulled his shirt off. She hadn't realized he was still fully dressed. The shirt was tossed aside and he was standing beside the bed as his slacks dropped to the floor, quickly followed by a pair of black close-fitting briefs. There was nothing 'brief' about what was revealed and her eyes widened. "Um…oh…my." Reaching up as he knelt back on the bed, she ran both hands over the taut muscles that defined almost every inch of his body. "So…perfect. Like Michelangelo's David, only with, well, much, uh, more."

"Hmm, I've been told that I'm far too scrawny," he mused.

"Humph. I've seen scrawny, Loki. You are not it." She smiled and carefully stroked his erect member. "So hard and soft at the same time," she breathed. "Like a silky velvet." Kara rubbed her thumb around the helmet-like head and chuckled as his abdominals rippled. "You like?"

"Gods, yes." He gasped as she experimentally gripped his shaft and stroked up and down it. "Damn it, woman, stop. This is supposed to be about your pleasure."

"Believe me, I'm pleased."

Loki groaned. "I'm certain, but you won't be if you continue and I cannot…continue, that is, so stop, for now. You can play later." Kara attempted a playful pout and was rewarded by his laugh. "Don't, love. You will undo me. Lay back now, hmm?"

She laid back and was rewarded by a searing kiss. Moaning, Kara parted her lips for his questing tongue and slipped a hand behind his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair. Rubbing the palm of her other hand over his chest and the small hard nipples made him moan in return. Her head dropped back as he changed his target to just below her ear. She whimpered as wet heat shot through her yet again. "God, Loki, that is so…"

"Definitely your sweet spot," he said giving the throbbing skin a last nip as he moved back down to her breasts.

"Sweet…? Oh, erogenous zone, we call it."

"I prefer our term. Simpler, more descriptive," he broke off to suckle an already distended nipple, pulling another groan from her. More wetness trickled down her thighs. He moved to the other, tugged on it and flicked it with his tongue. "I do believe you have the largest nipples I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying…and yes, that is a compliment. So beautiful," he finished with a whisper.

"Loki, I-I really think I'm ready," she muttered as frustration built within her.

He smiled, trailing a lazy finger down her abdomen to her already dripping sex. "Yes, you are. But we're going to take it as slowly as I can manage, this time." This time he was able to slide two fingers into her slick canal with relative ease, and he began to thrust them slowly while pressing into her clit with his thumb. She felt her hips lift as the amazing sensations began to spin her out of control. Then he shifted, and his free hand pressed her one thigh up and back and he moved to kneel between her spread legs. Putting pressure on the raised leg with his own, he then moved the other thigh into position, never pausing in the rhythm of his thrusting fingers.

A wave of unease slipped through her. "Loki, I-I'm afraid."

"How afraid, love?" Loki asked. "Nervous or truly frightened?" His hand continued preparing her as he awaited her answer.

"I-nervous, I guess."

"That's all right, then. Being loved is a new experience for you, being nervous is natural," he soothed, shifting his body forward to lean above her on one strong arm. "I won't hurt you, Kara. I swear to you, I will never intentionally hurt you."

Her eyes closed as the sincerity rolled off of him so strongly that it penetrated the shields she'd erected to avoid accidentally reading him. "I know."

Loki smiled and she felt his fingers abandon her sex. He shifted again, and she felt the pressure of something much larger pressing against her dripping canal. "Easy, love. I'm taking it slow." The pressure grew, but true to his word he pressed in slowly, allowing her to adjust to the unaccustomed intrusion at her own pace. It seemed to take a lifetime, but finally he stopped and bent his head to softly kiss her lips. She discovered she was panting when he smiled. "That's not so bad, is it?"

She stared at him, wondering if he'd lost his mind. "Bad?" she managed. "God, no…so…full…feels…" she couldn't find a word to describe the indescribable. Gasping, Kara shuddered as he slowly pulled back, then moaned as he pressed back in, just a bit less slowly than before. She whimpered, knowing that something she wanted and badly, was just out of reach, even if she didn't know exactly what it was.

… …

Loki groaned as he slowly thrust into her wet heat yet again. His sweet lady was whimpering with pleasure, he was certain it was safe to take her more aggressively, but he was enjoying her rapt expression far too much to rush it. Another slow thrust and withdrawal had her hips rocking. He wanted to laugh with the knowledge that he had so much power over her. Power. Damnation. This was not about power, this was about pleasure, her pleasure, and he would not forget it. He put his lips to her sweet spot, and sucked again on the soft skin. He'd already left a mark, but the conservative necklines she favored would not expose it. "So sweet, so sensual," he whispered in her ear.

"God, Loki, please! I want, I want…oh god," she muttered almost incoherently before she subsided into moan punctuated whimpers again.

"Yes, love. It's time, easy now, let yourself go, I won't let you hurt anyone, I swear." She nodded between whimpers and he began to increase the tempo of his thrusts. It was his turn to groan as the friction of her sweet flesh clinging to his cock sent spasms of pleasure through his groin. He thrust harder and faster as her head began to thrash, and found himself moving to a tempo more appropriate for an experienced lover at her passionate response. His head swam with the sensations that ran through him and he found himself losing all control.

Kara's mouth dropped open in a soft scream as he came back to himself, found he was pounding into her with far more force than he had intended. But she was loving it. "Yesss," she hissed, "more, please more…" He laughed and obliged, allowing himself to give her everything he could for as long as he could hold out. Her tensed body began to buck and spasm beneath him, and she sobbed with pleasure. Her small hands gripped him hard enough that had he been mortal, she would surely have left painful bruises. He was at the edge and she was over it and staying over, her orgasm seemed never ending.

Loki let himself go, and yelled as he exploded within her. "Gods, Kara, so…so perfect, love. So…mine." He caught himself, barely, before he collapsed on top of her. The weight of his denser muscles and bones would have done damage. Dropping to the side, he soothed her still trembling body until her whimpers began to subside. "Easy, love," he whispered as he gathered her in his arms. "All is well, rest sweet lady."