I'm Iron Man, And I'm Agent Coulson

Chapter 2 Get on the Goddamn Plane

Next Day

"(Y/n), you awake?" Pepper asked, while she grabbed a cup of coffee off the counter, and leaned against it. Her manicured hand smoothed out her light periwinkle blue dress, and pushed her strawberry blonde hair behind her ears, "and I thought you were flying back with Tony from Vegas last night?"
I smiled at her constant need and daily strive for perfection as she fidgeted with her hair and dress, but I already thought she was perfect.

Three years ago when James called in a favor and got me an interview with Stark Industries, Pepper Potts and I liked each other almost immediately, which was weird considering we were complete opposites, but after just a few questions, Rhodes's recommendation, and some laughter, she hired me right on the spot, and quickly began showing me around the facility.
I was in complete awe of it all, not just at getting a new job, but because she took a chance, and we got along so fast. I wasn't great at meeting new people, or accepting of new relationships, but I found a quick friend in her.
That day, while we walked around Stark Industries, I was flabbergasted by all the new tech, and multiple projects going on in the background, many of them coming from Stark's own mind. I remembered my eyes widening as people worked with holograms, taking a part weapons, or something else destructive, and I gasped quite a bit while she explained all she could about the infamous Tony Stark and his company.
She seemed taken aback by the knowledge I already had about Tony, but I reminded her that Rhodes wasn't just my superior while I was in the Marines, but a friend, which made things fairly easier for both of us after that.
Rhodes was a little surprised Pepper had hired me, since I had no job experience for the type of work I would be doing, and warned me about Tony's eccentricity, his filandering, and his constant need to be the center of attention, but I'd already prepared myself for his quirkiness.
Plus, because of Rhodes, I'd already met the enigmatic bachelor a few times, and in those few times he'd displayed his flirtatiousness, and joys of being the center of attention. Of course, back then, I brushed off his flirtations, and lewd comments, but noticed a small flutter in my stomach each time I met him at a dinner or business conference. I ignored it, at first, because Anthony Stark was nothing more than an intelligent man-whore, at least I thought so.
Then a few days later, with Pep leading the way, she introduced to me to the odd playboy, under different circumstances in his Malibu home, and something a little more flickered in my chest and stomach.

In the beginning I just laughed at his demeanor and constant flirting, but as that first year flew by, I noticed my heart beating faster when he smiled at me, the butterflies that erupted in my stomach when he touched me, and the goosebumps. It took me a little over a year before I realized I sorta liked Anthony Edward Stark.
At that time, I did everything and anything in my power to move passed it, especially if I wanted to keep my job, and stay sane, and for a while I did.
He didn't give me much time to think about anything, besides keeping him alive and somewhat sober, but the overwhelming feeling scared the living shit out of me, and I didn't want any part of it.
Sure, I'd experienced crushes before, dated a childhood friend in high school, and had one relationship after I left the Marines, but they were nothing compared to what sparked between Tony and I, and that spark only got bigger as our relationship changed from employer and employee, to friends.
I'd always prided myself on staying away from those kinds of relationships, too busy, and too damned uneasy about the idea of having someone take over your life. I was more comfortable going out to a bar, or meeting someone at the various gyms and martial arts classes I went to, enjoying an evening with a stranger, with no strings attached. That didn't happen very often either, but the idea of a relationship, a real one, just made me think about my mom and dad, and I sure as hell didn't want to end up in a grave like they did.
Yet, those little feelings for Tony never really passed, or faded. Instead they seemed to grow a little stronger, making my job a little harder to do, but I belonged here, with him, with Happy, James, and Pep, regardless how restless my heart got.
Maybe it was his flirting, our friendship, or his dark brown eyes and hair, who knows, but one thing I did know for sure, was that there was no way in hell anything could or would happen between us, and I accepted that.
It'd taken me twenty some odd years to find a niche, to find my place in the world, and another family to belong to, which was welcomed considering the only family I had left, died years ago. This, my job, my apartment, and my friends, were my home, and I wasn't going to ruin that, for anything, least of all a man.
Besides, I was a grown woman, too old to be experiencing the weight of a crush.