Chapter 12
Tony opened his eyes and he was thrilled it was Friday. This Friday would be the first Friday night that Pepper wouldn’t leave him after work was done. He was going to be able to hang out with her. It scared him how much he cared for Pepper. He thought of the way she was looking at him the night before when they were cooking and it made him smile. How did he go so long without realizing how amazing Pepper is? Pepper being around also added increased sexual frustrations for him. He opened his private server and brought up the picture Pepper had sent him. She was smiling so big and looked so Happy. He wondered if he could make her smile like that one day. He wondered why Pepper has sent him that photo. She’s never done anything like that before. Tony wasn’t sure if Pepper was actually into him or if it was just a physical thing. He thought about what Rhodey said about Pepper being in love with him. He didn’t believe it. There was no way Pepper would ever seriously consider exploring whatever this was with him. She was such a distraction to him and he didn’t know how he was going to continue to live this way. It drove him nuts that he couldn’t kiss her whenever he wanted and be with her and it made him even more crazy when she wasn’t with him. He hadn’t felt that way for someone in a long time and he refused to call it what it was. Some people just weren’t made for relationships and he was one of them. Love had chewed him up and spit him out and he wasn’t going to change his mind. But with Pepper here he could pretend.
“Tony are you up yet? We have a meeting in two hours?”she asked as she peeked her head into his bedroom.
“Yes I’m awake” Tony said as he sat up. Pepper came into the bedroom and handed him a cup of coffee.
“Thanks” he said taking it from her hand.
“You know Pep you don’t have to bring me my coffee but I love that you do” he said.
“Well I know you’d bring it for me if you were getting yourself coffee” she said.
Tony’s phone buzzed and he looked at it. It was a text from Emilia an old lover of his. It was a picture of her topless and making a very sexy face and it said “when can I see you?”
She and him had an arrangement to shack up when they weren’t dating anyone and he was never dating anyone. Based on her text it was clear she wasn’t either. He didn’t text her back just yet. He didn’t know what to do. His sexual frustration was getting increasingly worse and it was making him insanely stressed and then there was Pepper and he thought how badly he wanted to spend the night hanging out with her. He was trying to see if there was a way he could do both.
“Who's that?” she asked.
“Emilia” Tony said. He saw no point in lying to Pepper.
“I guess you won’t be home tonight” she said as she rolled her eyes.
“Why are you jealous?” he said. Being a jerk was his go-to defense.
“Jealous of what? Her fake breasts? Her fake tan? Her fake cheeks? And her fake ass? Nah I’m good” Pepper said.
She left out the part about being jealous of her sharing a bed with Tony and getting to kiss Tony.
“Jealous that she slept with me is what I meant?” he asked.
“Why would I be jealous of that? You’re one bimbo away from it falling off” Pepper said as she headed down the stairs.
Pepper was in the kitchen trying to convince herself that she wasn’t jealous that Tony was going to sleep with Emilia. She wanted him so bad and for so much more than sex but Tony was never going to change. We’re better as friends, she reminded herself.
“What are you up to tonight? Because my original plans were that we would hang out” Tony said joining her in the kitchen.
Pepper jumped out of her skin she did not expect Tony to be showered and dressed so quickly.
“Sorry I didn’t mean to scare you” he said putting his hand on her back. Pepper felt a jolt of electricity from his touch and pulled away.
“Tony I’m not doing anything. I’m still trying to unpack some stuff. You should go and have a good time with Emilia. I know how long it’s been since your last lady friend was here. And the longer between lady friends the harder you are to deal with. You obviously need this, you should go”
“You’re keeping track of when I have sex?” he asked Pepper.
“Ok that’s tmi and weird” Tiffany said as she poured herself some cereal and milk and sat down to eat.
“I have to keep track of everything you do Tony. Perhaps you catch something. You’d never remember the girls name who gave it to you or when it happened. Remember what happened with Vanessa from that charity event?” Pepper stated.
“Ok fair point but I didn’t agree to anything yet” Tony said hoping to get a smile out of Pepper. He was regretting being honest with her.
“Why not?”she asked.She was honestly surprised by the fact that he didn’t immediately jump at the chance.
“I wanted to see what you were doing first” he said staring into her eyes again searching them.
Pepper thought about this for a moment. She was planning her next move. She didn’t want Tony to win, like he always did.
“Tony just give me your phone” Pepper said exasperatedly.
“Why?” he asked in confusion as he handed it over anyway.
Pepper opened the text from Emilia and she was taken aback by the topless photo. She opened the text bar and wrote TONIGHT!!! And hit send.
“There now it’s done” Pepper said handing him back the phone.
“Or you guys could just bang. You’re both clearly sexually frustrated and nothing seems to satisfy the urges because you want each other” Tiffany said as she headed out front to meet Happy.
Pepper felt herself flush and she hurried to the bathroom. She did not want Tony to see that. She didn’t want him to think that she thought about sleeping with him at least once a day. She closed the door and splashed her face with water. She squeezed her eyes shut. She wanted to go out tonight and have Tony come home to her not being home and wonder what she was up to. But he didn’t care. She didn’t know why she even bothered.
“Pepper you ok?” Tony asked from outside the door.
“Yeah I’m fine. Are you ready to go?”she said with a smile. She was starting to wonder if moving in was a mistake.
“Are we good Pep?” he asked as they piled into the car.
“Yes Tony”
“Because you seem mad. Are you mad?” Tony asked as he turned to look at her in the backseat.
“Another lovers quarrel?” Happy asked as he drove.
“Yes” Tony said at the same time that Pepper said no.
“You’re mad at me and I didn’t even do anything” Tony said he said sliding closer to her.
Pepper looked up at him and put her hand on his arm trying to be as sincere as possible.
“I have no reason to be mad Tony. You should let this go and be happy that I’m the best assistant ever. Tony how many personal assistants do you know that actually help their boss get laid?” Pepper asked.
“I don’t need anyone’s help getting laid. I was undecided on what the plans were for tonight” he said with a tone of annoyance.
“Tony since when do you pass up sex?” Pepper asked.
“I don’t know and why do you care?” Tony said.
Happy looked at Tony in the mirror and Tony gave him a look. Happy parked the car and they got out.
“I don’t care Tony. You’re the one who thinks I’m mad at you. I told you I’m not mad but if you keep going with this I’m going to be” Pepper said as she walked in ahead.
Happy gave Tony a confused look.
“Emilia text me” Tony said with a shrug as he hurried to follow Pepper.
Tony was lying in Emilia’s bed reflecting about his day when she came out of the bathroom. She got back into bed and she was pawing him and leaving kisses on his chest. It was obvious she wanted a round two. He let her continue to grope him while he laid there. He thought about how his day started with Pepper and she was so pretty and Happy and Emilia text him and everything went south. He wondered if telling Pepper was the right thing to do. He wanted to cancel the plans Pepper made for him with Emilia but at the end of the day he was so stressed he couldn’t take it anymore. Pepper went home and he went straight to Emilia’s and fucked her so hard he thought he was going to break the bed. She loved it. She was wild and screaming for him and yet all he could think of was Pepper sitting on the couch at home.
“I have to go” Tony said sitting up suddenly.
“What? Why? We just got started. You’re not going to spend the night?” she whined.
“I can’t. I’ve got to get home to my daughter” he said simply as he started collecting the pieces of his clothing and putting them back on.
“Tony it’s only eight o’clock” she whined.
“I know. Sorry” he said putting his shoes on.
“I’m still around for a few days if you want to do it again” she called after him.
“Maybe” he lied.
Tiffany sat on the couch with Pepper who had on a documentary about serial killers. She needed something to distract her from the feeling of dread she got from thinking about Tony and Emilia.
“Are you ok?” Tiffany asked her as she pulled her knees up to her chest.
“I’m fine” Pepper lied as she put her attention back on the television screen.
“You know Tony digs you a lot right?” Tiffany said.
“Yes your father and I have an attraction to each other but he’s not capable of a healthy stable relationship. We’re better off as friends” Pepper said as she imagined him and Emilia tangled together. She used to not let this bother her but for some reason her jealousy lately has been showing it’s ugly green face.
“If you guys are better as friends then why are you scared to bang him? You guys can bang and still be friends. What are you afraid of?” Tiffany asked.
“He’s my boss. People are constantly already whispering about me and wondering if I’m sleeping with your father. I’m trying to get rid of that stigma and not add to it” Pepper explained.
“I think you two are more than just a bang and not that it wouldn’t be tough but I think it’s worth exploring. You guys are good together. He needs someone like you” Tiffany said and just then the door opened and it was Tony.
Pepper felt her heart jump again. She was so happy. She thought for sure he would stay overnight.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I wanted to be home with you guys” he said as he sat on the couch.
“Sorry Tony I have a lot of schoolwork to finish. Goodnight” she said as she retired to her room for the night making sure Pepper could see the look on her face as she did.
“Did you enjoy yourself? You seem more relaxed” Pepper said bracing herself for some gross details he was about to give.
“It was ok. I mean yeah obviously I got a release but I really wasn’t into it. She wanted a round two and I just wanted to get out of there” Tony shared.
“You left Emilia? She’s one of your favorites. I thought she was a smoking hot 10.5” Pepper said repeating his words and looking away from him again.
“Do you always remember everything I say?” Tony said desperately trying to catch her eyes.
“Every word” she said.
“You’re an 11. I'd rather sit here and look at you knowing I can’t touch you then be there banging her” Tony said. Pepper felt herself blush hard. She was not expecting that.
“You want some wine?”she asked changing the subject.
“I’d love some” he said as he slid closer to her on the couch.
She filled his glass and refilled her own.
Pepper was checking Tony out when she knew he wasn’t looking. She could feel a sentence forming in her mind and she knew there was no stopping it from coming out.
“What if you could touch me? What would you do?” she asked. Tony was shocked. He looked at Pepper and he was sure it was the wine talking.
“I would have probably made love to you a thousand times already and I would never wanna have sex with anyone else. Guys like me never get to sleep with girls like you” Tony said forcing her to meet his eyes.
Pepper felt those butterflies again. He used the term make love in reference to her and have sex in reference to other women.Pepper didn’t know what to say she kept staring at him and his eyes were baring deep into her.
“I’m going to put my pj’s on. I’ll be right back”she said because she didn’t know what else to say.She was so flustered she had to get out of the room and away from Tony for a minute. She dashed into her room and found her cute pajamas. She came back out on sat down on the couch with him. She saw he had taken his jacket off and now he was struggling with his tie.
“Here let me help you” Pepper said as she slid over next to him in her silk sleep shorts and camisole. She grabbed the tie and untied it swiftly. Tony was giving her those eyes again and she was fighting with everything she had to not seduce him on the couch like Tiffany suggested.
“Can I ask you a personal question?” Tony asked. Pepper nodded.
“When’s the last time you had sex?” he asked.
“A few months ago” she lied. It was actually six months but she didn’t want Tony to know that.
Tony was taken aback by her admission. He didn’t think she was very promiscuous.He couldn’t recall her last date or night out. He found himself wracking his brain to think of who it could be. He was insanely jealous but he didn’t say a word.
“Look Pep don't hit me I don’t mean this in a gross way but I want you to know that if you’re ever having any urges I’m here for you to use. It would never change how I feel about you” Tony shared.
“I don’t think I’d ever be that desperate but thanks”Pepper said as she smiled at him.
“Hey don’t knock it till you try it” Tony said with a wink.Pepper just laughed it off when she really wanted to be sitting on it right at that moment.
“You should go and get comfortable” she said motioning to the fact that he was still in a suit.
“Be right back” he said.
Tony stood in front of his mirror and he didn’t even realize how aroused he was. He took off his suit and put it in the dry clean bag and tried to think of the least sexy thing he could imagine. And Bruce Banner popped into his mind more specifically the time he used his shower in his workshop and he saw him naked. He looked down and it was back to normal. He took a deep breath and went back down to Pepper.
Pepper was laying on the couch with her legs stretched out and when he was ready to sit she pulled them up and she was changing positions.
“Hey don't move if you’re comfy. You can put your feet on my lap” he said as he looked down at her cute feet. Pepper put her feet back into his lap and they continued scrolling through Netflix trying to find something to watch. And then Tony couldn’t resist and started rubbing Peppers feet.
“I do have a foot fetish. You have really cute feet” he said as he continued to massage them.
“I could get used to this” Pepper said as she smiled at him.
“If you want it just tell me anytime. I love doing this for you” he said.
Pepper felt her heart flutter again. She finally decided on something to watch and she couldn’t look at Tony the rest of the night. He was just too tempting.