Author's note: Thank you to AthenaMay24 for the request. I hope it was worth the wait. You, too, Aprilgen.

#4 - Awkward Kiss

Pepper made her way down the steps to Tony's workshop. She had a handful of papers that needed to be signed before the end of the business day. She hoped he was still there and not taking the suit out for a test run. The suit. She still had a hard time believing that her boss climbed inside metal body armor and flew around. She had known about it for a while, ever since she walked into the shop a few months ago and saw him in a struggle with the bots to get out of the contraption. What really bothered her were the bullet holes. Tony Stark had done a lot of foolish sometimes even life-threatening things since she'd known him, but this wasn't like that. He purposefully put himself in harm's way, not to impress a girl or win a bar bet, but to help people. With this would come people trying to stop him by any means necessary. She worried enough when it was their own little secret, but, in true Tony fashion, he hadn't let it remain that way. Now, since he had announced the identity of Iron Man to the world, he would be carrying a target on his back. Since he returned from Afghanistan and especially since the confrontation with Stane, Tony was different. There were no more parties or drunken binges. She hadn't been called upon to "take out the trash" since the Everhart woman months ago. He had changed and Pepper liked this new Tony. She wasn't ready to lose him just as she was getting to know him. Still, there was something else. Tony was as cocky and brash as ever, a walking sound-bite that never disappointed the media constantly looking for one. When they were alone, though, he was...different. That was the only way she could think to describe it. Her mind went back to the day of the infamous press conference. When he told Phil Coulson he preferred saying it was he and Pepper alone on his yacht, there was something in the way he looked at her that let her know he was at least partly serious. Then, there was the speech about if he were a superhero and the girlfriend he would have. He wasn't talking about some random bimbo like the hordes that had hung all over him for years. Something deep down told Pepper he meant her. There were worse things in life than being Tony Stark's girlfriend, but however much he'd changed, it wasn't enough...yet.

Pepper shook her head and chided herself. This wasn't the time to be thinking about such things. She keyed in her security code and waited for the door to open. Luckily, Tony was there, soldering a boot at his workbench. "Tony, I need you to..." She stopped mid-sentence when she saw the box on a nearby table. "What is that?"

"Off-hand, I'd say it was a present," he replied, not looking up from his work.

"A present? Who's it for?"

"Read the card."

Walking the short distance to the table, Pepper laid aside her papers so she could examine the tag. "Me?"

"Yep." Tony placed the iron on its holder. "Are you going to stand there looking or are you going to open it?" He moved to where he could see over her shoulder.

Pepper untied the large bow and lifted the lid. Resting inside the box was the most beautiful pair of Prada shoes she'd ever seen. She was speechless. Pepper gingerly lifted the right shoe to examine it. "How did you..."

"Know you wanted them? Easy. I saw you lusting after them every time we passed the store window," Tony professed. "Plus, they showed up 12 times in your Internet search history in the past month alone."

"You looked at my search history?"

"Okay. You're missing the point here. The important thing is, do you like them?"

"I love them." She picked up the mate. While Tony paid her handsomely for being his Personal Assistant, Pepper had never been able to justify spending that amount of money on something as frivolous as a pair of shoes. "Do you have any idea how much these cost?"

"Kinda...since I bought 'em."

"It's too much."

"Says who?" he rebutted. "I owe you those and about twelve more pair."

"You do know my birthday is months away, right?"

"Yes. You're not the only one around here that owns a calendar."

Pepper took a minute to comprehend what happened. He'd been right. She had been wanting them for the longest time. Now, they were hers. Tony spent $2,000 on a gift for her just because. She was overwhelmed and, to be perfectly honest, as giddy as a kid on Christmas morning. Acting from sheer impulse, Pepper spun around to face Tony and kissed him, not a friendly peck, but full on the lips. When it ended, they stood looking at each other, neither saying a word. The air was electric. Tension was palpable. She balled up her fists in an effort to physically make herself resist the urge to do it again. In that moment, Pepper realized exactly how easy it would be to surrender to her baser instincts, kiss until they were both breathless, and find out how sturdy the couch on the other side of the room really was. It would be so easy to forget everything for a little while...too easy. The full force of what they just did washed over her. She kissed Tony. Pepper could feel herself start to redden and willed it not to happen. She bit her lip and looked down, mentally composing her letter of resignation. Tony was most likely preparing one of his patented barbs and she was certain wanted to go straight through the floor when he did. The silence was growing, but Pepper had no idea what to say.

Finally, Tony spoke. "You, uh, said you needed me to do something?"

Relief cooled her burning cheeks. "Sign some papers." Pepper glanced around for the documents she brought downstairs with her.

"These them?" he asked, picking up the papers from the table top.

"Yes." The more time that passed, the more she was able to gather herself. "I have fax these to D.C. before five."

"Our time or theirs?"

"They didn't say, but I will say theirs just to be safe."

"Now what's the fun in that?" Tony said, plucking the pen from where she'd stuck it in her bun. He scribbled his name where Pepper had marked for him. He gave her a grin as he finished the last one. "Don't you want to live dangerously?" He placed the pen behind her ear. "Take a walk on the wild side?" He wasn't only talking about the paperwork.

"Maybe someday," she replied coyly, letting him know, neither was she. Pepper double-checked the pages and turned to go. She was almost to the door when she heard him call her name.

"Pepper?"

"What?"

"Don't forget your shoes."

She looked to see Tony standing with the shoebox in his hand. "Thanks." Pepper took her gift and placed it under her arm before heading out again. Once she was safely out of sight, Pepper leaned against the wall. She looked at the box. What Tony didn't know was, she wouldn't be able to forget those shoes...or what happened afterward...for a long, long time.

Author's note: My second attempt at pre-relationship Pepperony. I was pleased with how it turned out. Thanks so much to nancyozz for the idea. It made much more sense your way than mine. As always, I would love to know what you think. Reviews are always greatly appreciated. I like to know how this little experiment is going. Let me know if there is one you would like to read next and I will see what I can do. Happy reading and PEPPERONY FOREVER!