Despite their meals being long since finished, Tony and Scarlett remained in the back room of the restaurant chatting and drinking. They'd argued over dessert to a point where the waiter interrupted to ask if they made a decision. Deciding against it, they kept exchanging stories, which increased in silliness the more they drank. Neither was willing to let the other know they'd had enough liquor.

"Waiter! Waiter?" Tony shouted to the waiter just outside the door. He didn't turn toward them. "Scarlett, he's not listening to me."

"You've been calling him on repeat for the last hour. I can't blame him for tuning you out. Lord knows I have." Scarlett smirked, bringing her glass to her lips. Her cheeks were rosy from liquor and the pain was but a mere memory. What anxiety? No anxiety here! Tony was feeling the liquor too. She was pretty sure he hadn't stopped smiling in the last half an hour.

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm a delight." Tony waved toward the waiter. "I need some attention over here!"

"Are you not getting enough attention from literally everyone around you?" Scarlett rolled her eyes and set down her glass. Tony stood and bumped the table and she grabbed his arm to steady him. "Careful, drunky mcdrunkerton."

"Let go, I'm busy." Whining, Tony tried to tug his wrist free.

"Leave the poor waiter alone, Stark." Scarlett giggled as she pulled his wrist again.

"No! No, Scarlett." Laughing, Tony feigned sadness and he tugged so hard that her backside lifted off of the couch. She gasped and swatted at his arm to get him to stop. "I cannot keep listening to these same songs over and over! It's killing me. Boring a hole into my skull."

"You're being dramatic… though… it is getting repetitive. But you're being very dramatic about it." Scarlett let go of Tony's wrist as he tugged on her again. He stumbled and fell onto the floor right on his ass. She cackled with laughter, holding her stomach because it hurt to laugh that hard. Tony laid on the floor and stared at the ceiling, rolling onto his side he was laughing so hard. Then he sat up and rubbed the back of his head. Mustering the most pathetic look he could manage in hopes of sympathy, he stared at Scarlett, but ended up laughing again.

"You're too mean to me." Tony attempted to get back to his feet.

"Stark, the music is fine. When our waiter comes to change our glasses or ask if we want coffee or something, we'll ask him to change it."

"How is it? How is it that you have been drinking with me for hours? And just spending time with me for hours? And you seem to be fine. You can't stand me, remember? So he should be just fine." Tony stumbled to his feet. He was just drunk enough to be having a fun time. A little falling all over himself, but not so much so that it was a problem.

"I hope you leave one hell of a tip for putting up with you."

Tony walked backward toward the door, pointing at her.

"Hey, I always leave a good tip. Always. But believe me, it's different from the tip I plan on giving you later. Not just the tip, in that case." Winking, he turned and rubbed his hands together. "Now if you leave me alone for a minute, I can put on some Sabbath. I know it's hard but try to keep your panties on." Tony teased, regaining his usual swagger. "Hey, can we change the music…?

Picking up one of the ruby colored ornamental pillows lined with a golden fringe, tongue between her lips, Scarlett aimed and threw the pillow at the back of Tony's head. It bounced off of him and across the room. Tony stopped in his tracks, cocked his head, tried not to laugh, then turned on his heels.

"Trust me, my panties are firmly affixed where they belong." Scarlett then spoke over Tony. "Plus, I have an objection. Please don't make me listen to Ozzy Osbourne right now. If we're going Black versus Blue, I'm definitely going Blue."

"Oh, don't start with me." Tony couldn't resist the temptation of the argument. Fans of Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult had a notorious rivalry back in their height. "Black Sabbath is…"

"Popular and overrated? Like you?"

"Oh, below the belt!" He laughed. He could have argued about it all day so he was glad when she stopped him. Tony retrieved the pillow she'd thrown and swatted her leg with it.

"I thought that was how you preferred it." She grabbed the pillow to stop him. Tony stopped tugging the pillow to consider that.

"Okay, I can't argue with that." Letting go of the pillow, Scarlett lost her balance and nearly fell off the couch. Tony snapped into action and grabbed her arms to steady her but also wobbled. She hissed as he grabbed the scrape on her arm.

"That's worse, that's worse!" She shoved at his hands.

"You were falling. I was helping." Tony adjusted his tie and loosened it. It was stifling in there. At least on this end of the room next to Scarlett.

"You're the one who made me lose my balance!"

"Yeah, you didn't exactly help me off my ass so… I figured I'd be the better person here."

"Well, if that's the case, we're both losing." Scarlett laughed. Things quieted briefly. Then Tony got back up as the mandolin song repeated. His eye twitched.

"I can't take it anymore."

"No, Tony, don't torture me with Ozzy!" She whimpered pleadingly. Well, that was a delightful sound. Tony stared down at her. His stomach churned as he saw that red lower lip pouting up at him, her big blue eyes. That dress was torture. That sound was out of his dreams. He reluctantly sat back down.

"That's evil, for the record." Tony picked up his glass but didn't drink it. "The music has to change. So if not Ozzy, what should it be? And if you say anything about Don't Fear the Reaper I'm going to lose my mind."

"That's like the only Blue Oyster Cult song I don't like." Scarlett laughed and held up her hands as he reached for the pillow again. She couldn't deny that she was having a genuinely nice time. Probably the best time she had in years. Which was a little sad, really.

"Oh, come on, Scarlett, that was their…"

"I wasn't going to suggest them! I swear."

"Then what? If you even start on me with my taste in music… You're impossible to argue with."

"Me? I'm the impossible one?" Scarlett's mouth hung agape. "After all that's happened today I'm impossible? You kidnapped me!" Tony threw his hands over her mouth to stifle her, eyes wide. He glanced over at the waiter and sighed with relief as the waiter paid them no mind.

"Get me arrested, why don't you?" Tony pulled his hand away. "And yes. You are impossible. Every little thing has to be an argument!"

"Because you keep talking over me! I have to fight to get a word in edgewise." Scarlett laughed, wiping her mouth and then checking her lipstick. It stayed on surprisingly well.

"What is this? Do I have cooties?"

"Are you twelve?" Scarlett scoffed. "But yes, you do have cooties. I haven't been immunized since I was like… nine." Tony couldn't help his laughter. "And you continue to interrupt me!"

"Fine. I won't interrupt this time. Though I don't think we're going to find common ground musically at this rate." Tony smirked as she opened her mouth to speak and he kept going over her. "Don't try to convince me otherwise."

"One more time, Stark? And I'm sending you straight to the moon." She made a fist and shook it threateningly.

"If I'm twelve then you're eighty. What is with these references?" Tony's face was hurting from smiling so much. He hadn't had this much fun in years. Scarlett was a ball of fire. He wasn't sure that he'd ever kept this kind of conversation, not since he was a kid. Tony was treated either like a celebrity or a danger to himself half the time. Even by his friends.

"The Honeymooners is a classic, I'll have you know."

"...my mom loved that show." Tony leaned on his elbow on the couch. "Surprised, is all."

"I was going to suggest we compromise before we drive the waiter completely mad." Scarlett tapped the pillow between them, the only thing really keeping them apart.

"I don't think we're ever going to agree on anything." He gently grasped her hand and looked at the wound on her arm. He'd inadvertently grabbed it earlier when trying to help her up. He hoped it hadn't hurt her.

"It's not my fault you have terrible taste." Scarlett didn't pull her hand free but she picked up her glass of water. She had to clear her head. This was intoxicating and not just because of the liquor. She never let her eyes leave Tony. He was nice to look at.

"Impossible!" Tony gasped, insulted. "You've seen my house. My clothes!" He stood and took off his jacket, draping it over the arm of the couch and then gestured to himself. It was a nice vest and button up. "Not to mention that stunning little number you have on that I picked out." Tugging on her hand, he urged her to stand and tried to make her do a twirl to show off the dress.

"Just because you can afford designer clothes and a stylist doesn't mean you have good taste." Scarlett argued, swatting his hand away. "Also you can have perfectly fine taste in clothing and terrible taste in music." Scarlett sat back down and he grabbed her hands and pulled her back up. She sighed.

"Come on, Scarlett. Do a little turn on the catwalk for me…" He grinned and then pouted to try and get a response. Scarlett would have given into those big brown puppy dog eyes too if he wasn't such an ass. That and the need behind those puppy dog eyes was obvious. Also, it was kind of fun to watch him squirm. It only made that sexual tension so much worse. At some point she was certain her clothes were just going to spontaneously combust.

Scarlett sat back down and he huffed. "Come on, sit down, Stark." She patted his spot on the couch and he nearly sat on her hand. Scarlett wasn't sure she'd had this much fun in years. Scott was never fun anymore. All he did was yell at her and blame all their struggles on her. They hadn't had fun sex in ages. And even then, his idea of fun never quite matched hers. Scarlett was adventurous. Scott had been a little boring.

She was certain that Tony Stark would not be boring.

God, she couldn't think like this. This was not what she was supposed to be doing. Hadn't she ruled out the possibility of sleeping with him for this precise reason?

"Please?"

"I'm not going to parade around for you."

"Please, Scarlett… call me Tony. I need you to call me Tony."

"Why is it so important to you? We've been over this."

"I know. And I'm starting to lose my mind."

"Oh, you lost it awhile ago." Scarlett pulled her hands back, uncomfortable with this sudden closeness. He chuckled, delighted.

"I thought tonight was going to be torture. Like the kind they use rusty tools for." Tony rested his chin on his palm, leaning against the back of the couch.

"Wow, tell me how you really feel."

"No, hear me out." Tony continued and snatched her scotch glass from her hand as she reached for it. "Just listen to me."

"I can do both."

"I'm having a really nice time."

"So?"

"I'm… not bored." Tony smiled brightly. His whole face shifted when he smiled. She hid the shivers. "These types of outings usually bore the hell out of me. I'm the worst date."

"It's not a date." Scarlett argued.

"You know what I meant." He rested his hand over hers. He wanted a similar confession from her. He wanted confirmation that this was something.

"Maybe you're more easily entertained than you thought."

"Admit it. You like me." Tony set her glass back down on the table. "And other than you refusing to call me Tony? I like you."

"Why do you keep stealing my liquor?"

"Because I need to know you're capable of listening to me without scotch."

"It certainly makes it easier." Scarlett argued. Tony laughed. She wasn't going to admit anything.

"Come on. Let's figure out music."

"Fine. What about blues? Or jazz?" Scarlett really was trying.

"Nat King Cole?" Honestly, he was just listing names. He didn't care what they decided on.

"Tedeschi Trucks?"

"Beginning to think you're only about the guitar. BB King?"

"I appreciate any talented musician. What about Ella Fitzgerald?"

"Scat's not really my thing." Tony laughed as Scarlett immediately came to her defense. "She's incredible, I'm just not in the mood!"

"Fine, no blues or jazz then."

"What else is left?"

"What about Elvis? You can't possibly hate Elvis."

"I don't, but I have others I prefer from that era. Crooners and all that." Scarlett didn't go back for her scotch. She really was being stubborn so she threw Tony a bone.

"Ah, now that I can get behind. Always a big fan of the rat pack." Tony sighed with relief. He tapped his fingers on the arm of the couch.

"Finally, something we can agree on." Scarlett was amused. Even drunk and splayed out on the couch, he still looked expensive.

"So we'll put on some Sinatra."

"I much prefer Dean Martin."

"Seriously? Are we arguing over this?"

"I'm not arguing, I'm just talking!" Scarlett was amused by his frustration.

"Must you make everything difficult?"

"What? This is a learning experience."

"And what are we learning?"

"That you have terrible taste." Scarlett giggled and Tony sighed. "We don't know each other, that's all. I think it's… interesting to learn more about you." She continued very quickly before he could absorb what she said. "Fine. Sinatra. We'll compromise."

"I'll do you one better. Bing Crosby." Tony suggested and leaned to rest a hand on her shoulder. He watched his hand and it took all of his self control not to caress it slowly down her arm. "Sound fair?"

"Fair." Scarlett agreed. "The voice of an angel, that one." Tony stood and approached the waiter who had turned to watch them in amusement. Turning around, Tony warned her with a glare. "No pillow throwing."

"Just go before this mandolin kills me."

"I knew it was driving you crazy."

"Oh my god, just go." Scarlett laughed and then refilled both the glasses of scotch. Tony spoke with the waiter who agreed to change the music for them. Then Tony closed the door behind him to offer them privacy. The music switched overhead.

"Every time it rains it rains pennies from heaven…" Tony sang, snapping his fingers with the music as he sauntered back to Scarlett. That was much better.

"You're ridiculous." She was surprised he could sing at all and that it sounded pretty nice.

"So I've been told. By you. Too many times tonight." Tony pointed to the glass of scotch she was sipping from. "I'm over scotch. Bottle of wine?"

"Are you getting too drunk on scotch, Stark? Worried I might take advantage of you?"

"No, but a nice cabernet would fit this music much better…"

"Pretty confident they all drank scotch like it was going out of style." Scarlett watched curiously as he made his way to the unmanned bar. "I'm confident you're not supposed to be back there."

"Who cares? I'm good for it, we both know that." Tony used the barstool, sat on the bar, and climbed over it.

"You do know that places have rules for a reason, right?"

"Says the woman who confessed to committing crimes multiple times tonight."

"Crimes that are well past the statute of limitations. I'm not stupid." Scarlett chuckled.

"Trust me, I'm allowed to touch whatever I want. Thought you figured that out already." Tony browsed the wine that filled a rack of the bar. "Bing Crosby demands a nice cab. If we'd decided on Dino then I'd say we stick with scotch. But we didn't."

"I'm not arguing with you anymore. Get the wine." Scarlett waved him off, swaying to the music.

Tony leapt back onto the bar, a bottle of wine in each hand. "Can't beat a good Napa cab." He held up both bottles.

"You do know you can just walk around, right?"

"This is more fun." He set the bottles down in front of Scarlett. "Need a corkscrew. And some glasses."

"I expected you to try and pull it out with your teeth to impress me."

"Not unless I want to break my teeth. Which I'm sure you'd just love."

"Oh yes. I just love watching over privileged men lose their teeth. Favorite pastime of mine." She rolled her eyes.

"But how would I charm you without my smile?"

"Get over yourself. I've seen hotter."

"You're mistaken, babe. There's no one hotter." Tony searched the bar after hopping onto it again. He grabbed two glasses of wine and a corkscrew then hopped down.

"Keep telling yourself that." Scarlett picked up the bottle of wine and nodded her head in approval. "Your ego is unbelievable."

"That's not the only thing that's unbelievable about me, Scarlett." He placed the glasses down, then took the bottle gingerly from her hands. "Oh, and for the record? If you want to take advantage of me? You'll have to sign up for the rodeo." With a smirk, he pulled the cork from the bottle. Then he poured them each a glass of wine. "Let it open for a minute."

"You're bound to be disappointing when you talk the way you do." Scarlett yawned, then picked up her glass and gave it a sniff. It was nice. Bitter. It would taste better if she waited, like he instructed. "That and I'm far more than you can handle."

"For someone not interested in my wine you sure seem eager to drink it." Tony picked up his glass and tapped his feet to the music. "California sure makes a damn good glass of wine."

"They sure do." Scarlett leaned back comfortably on the couch. "Antsy?"

"Needed to move my legs." Tony set down his glass and then offered her a hand. "This is a great song. I need someone to dance with for it." He practically dared her to get up and join him.

Scarlett considered the proposition then shook her head no and sipped the wine.

"Come on, Scarlett. You're missing out. This is a once in a lifetime chance."

"The kind of once in a lifetime experience that you have offered to an amount of women that I bet you can't keep track of."

Tony grabbed her wrist and then tugged her up off of the couch to standing. "Come on, have fun with me."

"You're going to make me spill my wine, Stark." She laughed, trying to pull away, taking another sip of the wine before he stole it like he had with her scotch so many times. Tony did just that, taking the glass of wine and setting it down next to his. "Why do you keep pouring me alcohol then robbing me of it?"

"Because that glass has too much of your attention. I need that attention on me. Right here, right now." Tony scoffed as she made her way back to the couch. "No, no… we're dancing."

"Stark…" Scarlett stepped back, trying to maneuver her hands away from him.

"Just one dance. Then you can drink your wine." Tony took her hand and spun her around, pulling her into his arms. She couldn't help but laugh, leaning her head back as she tried to pull away. He wanted more than ever to place kisses on that outstretched neck. After a moment of struggle, Tony laced his fingers with hers and managed to keep her in his arms. They swayed together for just a moment. He was surprised by how soft she seemed when she smiled.

"I told you no." Despite her insistence, she couldn't stop smiling. They were practically wrestling upright for dominance.

"What is it? Do you not know how to dance? I'm an excellent lead, I assure you. Just… follow along." Tony urged her hand to his shoulder, slipping his on her waist.

"No, I can dance I just don't want to." Scarlett tried to stop giggling and managed to straighten her expression so she could properly look up at Tony. Even in her heels he was just a little taller than her.

"All I want is to dance to Bing Crosby and you insisted I leave the waiter alone so… you're my only option." He lowered his voice with a sly smile.

"A last resort, am I?"

"There's just no winning with you." Tony chuckled but was pleased she was no longer pulling away. Finally, he had her undivided attention and they swayed together. After a moment of staring into his brown eyes, she pulled her hand away from his shoulder and tried to walk away. Then he tugged her back, urging her to spin into his arms, lose her balance and fall into him.

"Stark!" She scolded, grasping onto him. He helped her straighten up and spun her around properly, hand back on her waist. He really was an excellent lead.

"One song. It's not torture."

"The song changed." Scarlett narrowed her eyes. Tony didn't argue, but he did offer her a pleading look. All he wanted was a dance. What was the harm? With a sigh, she placed her hand gingerly on his shoulder, giving him a shove for good measure.

"We didn't establish a safe word but I'll take it." Tony whispered in her ear while leading her slowly around the room in their dance. The song was slower, so he pulled her just a little closer, only an inch or so left between them. "Not so terrible, is it?"

"If nothing else, I suppose you're an alright dancer." Scarlett did her best to avoid looking back into his eyes. She wasn't willing to admit that she liked him. She had decided against this part of her plan. She just wanted to know the truth. Which she supposed she could just ask. But there was no way to know if he was being honest. But her body wanted it. It wanted something good. Which was just like her. God, she was a disaster.

"Scarlett?" Tony was waiting for a chance to look into those lovely blue eyes again. She looked up at him and he saw the confusion and fear. Whatever was going on behind them, he didn't care. He was completely bewitched. It was like she'd fallen into his arms that day in the desert on purpose. A silly, fleeting thought. She didn't like him. But women who didn't like him didn't look at him like that. They didn't carry on that long with him or tolerate his snark the way she did.

She was kicking herself. Why did she have to like him? Why couldn't she find her feet and do her job? Except this wasn't a job. This was her life. And it was upside down. She was falling into the arms of a man who she wanted to take revenge on. If he was responsible that was. Scarlett had never felt so lost and confused.

"Do you think I'll remember how you looked when you smile?"

Scarlett felt her stomach do a flip when Tony quietly sang along with the music overhead, never taking his eyes from hers. Cursing mentally, she managed to pull her gaze away but unfortunately, it stopped again on his lips.

"Only forever that's putting it mild…" Tony lowered his voice, singing only for her. Only for them. Everything in his gut told him to stop. He could hear Pepper warning him that she was trouble. And he couldn't care less that she was. The song ended but they'd stopped dancing anyway. They were just holding each other, lost staring.

Scarlett was begging herself to get it together but she couldn't look away from those lips. Hypnotizing, sexy lips with a slight smile beneath that perfectly manicured goatee. His hand crept to the small of her back and was tugging her closer. Her hand, without permission, had rested on his chest and she'd tilted her head to the side in admiration. Her nerves were on fire while the war in her head raged on between logic and lust.

Meanwhile Tony had never been more sure of something in his life. He'd never wanted a kiss more before. He didn't care what trouble she was in. They'd figure it out. He hadn't felt like this in so long that he barely knew how to handle it. As his lips barely brushed against hers, he felt the bundle of nerves in his stomach worsen. Her hand slowly brushed over his lapel and he shivered.

A shrill ringing from his pocket nearly deafened them both.

They slipped away from each other in search of the sound. Tony pushed his hair back as he realized it was his phone. Scarlett turned away from him entirely.

"Are you going to answer it?" She asked, her voice cold, but he swore that she was shaking. Hopefully with need and not fear. Tony gently grabbed her hand and turned her back to him and she didn't resist. He shook his head no and the moment she was facing him that tension skyrocketed between them again. He couldn't help his smile.

"I'll call them back." Tony slipped an arm around her and pulled her close to kiss her. But Scarlett had regained her wits. She narrowly leaned out of the way of his lips and reached into his pocket and grasped his cellphone. Tony stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide.

She studied the phone's interface and turned away from him, then answered the call. Tony reached around her, arms on each side of her to grab the phone.

"Come on, whatever it is can wait…"

Scarlett elbowed Tony playfully then held the phone out of his reach, laughing as his chest pressed to her back.

"Hello?"

"Give it!" Tony laughed, his thoughts were reeling. What had he been thinking? He'd never meant to actually kiss her or any of that. Of course he was attracted to her! But he'd rarely been struck with such an uncontrollable desire to kiss someone like that. This was different. Dangerous. Was it just because she'd rejected him so outright? That had to be it.

"Stop it. Hello? Sorry, Stark can't come to the phone right now…" Scarlett pulled the phone closer to her ear after not receiving a response. There was no voice coming through. Tony grabbed for it again with a laugh and she pulled it close to her chest.

"Wait, hold on, I hear something." Tony grasped her shoulder and they both stopped, his arms around her, her back against his chest. There was a strange mechanical sound. Then there was a shrill scream and they both leapt and Scarlett buried herself against his chest, holding the phone as far from her as she could. Tony couldn't help but enjoy that. That was until the scream ended and a voice finally came through.

"Tony!" Pepper shouted, her voice urgent.

"Pepper?" Tony and Scarlett exchanged a worried look.

"Tony! Tony, I need help!" There was another panicked scream from the other end of the line.