Unexpected

Goodbyes on the Line

Loki's eyes widened at my words seemed to strike him, searching my face for a moment like he was trying to find a proper response, before the emeralds of his eyes slowly dropped down to linger on my lips. I froze at his entranced look, suddenly feeling the air between us change. His irises seemed to darken a shade as he slowly leaned closer to me. Heat rose to my cheeks as my lips parted slightly as I felt the barest brush of his breath against them, tantalizing me as my heartbeat kicked up a few notches.

My eyes fluttered closed as our lips connected in a long, slow kiss. We pulled back for only a moment before diving back in, Loki leading me into a storm of quick, passionate kisses that seemed to steal my very breath. My fingers crawled up his torso until they reached over his broad shoulders, tangling around the tips of his long hair. It was softer than I remembered. One of Loki's arms snaked around my waist, his other hand caressing my jaw, his heated kisses setting my whole body on fire.

After a few minutes we broke apart, Loki leaning back and smirking at me as I stared at him dazed, "Now, darling, where did you learn to do that?"

"Do what?" my voice sounded wispy and breathless, my mind still trying to catch up from the sudden passionate storm of kisses from the man in front of me.

"Leave me speechless." He answered, his thumb running over my lower lip as he continued to caress my jaw, making my whole body thrum with the simple yet strangely seductive gesture, "There are many in the realms who would love to have such a power over me."

Curse that silver tongue of his, making his words so smooth and suave that I could hardly help but grow rosier. Gosh, I felt like I'd fallen under a spell, like his gaze had caught me in a trance that I honestly didn't want to break from. Loki smirked again, drawing my face towards his once more when my ringtone started blaring suddenly, alerting me to the fact that I had a call.

In my surprise, I jerked away from Loki's leading hand as I scrabbled for my cellular device as the very particular, personalized ringtone sang, "Who's strong and brave here to save the American Way?"

My blush returned full force as I cringed at the song as I snuck a peek at Loki out of the corner of my eye. His brow had darkened again as he repositioned himself, his line of sight focused on the phone in my grasp. I'd just finished assuring Loki that there was no need for him to be jealous of Steve and now here was the star spangled man with a plan himself calling me as the 40's singing girls continued with the next line of their song, "Who vows to fight like a man for what's right, night and day?"

I threw Loki and apologetic look before quickly answering the call, putting the phone up to my ear. It's not like I couldn't answer it. It wasn't like me to miss or ignore a call. If I didn't answer I didn't doubt that Steve would've been worried or suspicious at the very least. The last thing I needed was for Rogers to be worried or suspicious of me when I had none other than Loki sitting beside me on my couch in my apartment that was right across the hall from his!

"Hey?"

"Hey Penny." Steve's greeting was short and sharper than usual, making me raise a brow in surprise. What was wrong with him? He sounded upset.

"What's up?"

"We're almost back to D.C., thought I should let you know."

"Okay, that's good to know, but isn't what I meant. I meant what's up with you? You sound angry. What happened to get you all ticked off? Did something about the mission go wrong?"

"Why don't you ask Natasha, or better yet, Fury?"

I was startled by Steve's bitterness, before rolling my eyes and sighing. Fury and Natasha were secretive spies at heart. They had few qualms over misdirecting information or running covert operations within covert operations, something that the straightforward soldier Steve didn't care for in the least. This wasn't the first time that Fury's occasionally subversive tactics and orders had gotten under Steve's skin when he realized what the jig behind the scenes and playing in the shadows was.