If I Got Everything That I Wanted (Book 2 of Love, Monsters and Magic)

Chapter 5

 Pepper bolted into an upright position and her hands flew up to cover her face. She peered out over the top of her hands to glare at me with a shocked expression. Her eyes twinkled in the soft light of the lounge as a even softer quiet rose in the air around us. It was Pepper who broke the silence, because I was, for the first time in my life, quiet.

“Are you- You're joking and God, this really isn't the type of thing to joke about.” She mumbled through her hands and even with the barrier of her tiny hands, she still managed to portray a pissed off tone. That was his Pepper; always on the defensive state.

“This is one of those rare occasions that I'm not teasing, and I'm not joking. I'm 110% serious about this. Marry me, Pepper.” Her breath hitched as I fumbled around in my pocket for the little black box that contained the key to the rest of my life.

“Oh, God Tony.” She choked out when she saw the box. I smiled up at her, holding out the box towards her and pulling back the lid to reveal the sparkling ring. She gasped once again at the sight. I'm just going to go ahead and assume that I made the right choice on the ring. “You actually listened to me.” She whispered, lifting he head to look at me but her eyes never leaving the precious ring.

“I usually do.” I mused. After a few moments she lifted her gaze to meet mine with an expression close to uncertainty in her eyes.

“You want to this? You want this?” Ah, that explains where the uncertainty came from.

“Yeah, I do. I don't think I've felt so right about anything in my life, which is saying a lot.” I pointed out and nodded in unison. “I love you, Pepps. I really do, although I may not always show it. I do.” I told her, my voice dripping with sincerity. She held my gaze for a while, who knew how long for. Time was merging into an unimportant blur of seconds and minutes merging together forming hours.

“Yes.” She whispered.

“Say that again.” My chest heaved in an almost desperate gasp for air and I released the breath I had realised I was holding.

“Yes, Tony, I'll marry you.” She hummed. I plucked the box from her fingers, pulling the ring from its cushions and slipped with carefully on to her finger while she stared in awe. A smile of my own grazed my lips. If her hand where a jigsaw puzzle then that ring would be the final piece. The ring looked as though it were made for her and her alone.

“That's- Pepper, that's-” I never got to finish my thoughts because Peppers lips captured mine in a passionate kiss that, God, what was I even trying to say? Stretching one of her long legs over my legs she nestled herself comfortably into my lap. I welcomed the rough but velvety stroke of her tongue deep in my mouth as she pressed me back down into the cushions without any hesitation. Her fingers tugged through my hair, the distinct shape of the ring on her finger running over my scalp. My hands instinctively made there way to sit on her hips as she pulled me closer by a firm tug of my hair. We were so caught up in the heat of this spectacular moment that I was vaguely aware of my phone ringing somewhere in the room. Nothing else was important at that moment, only Pepper, but God, that Iron Man ringtone was beginning to get on my nerves. Eventually, it stopped and I let a sigh of relief pass from my mouth and into Peppers. But, then it started to ring again. Whoever it was, seriously needed to learn to take a hint as it went on ringing for the FIFTH time in less than five minutes.

“Sir, Doctor Banner is on line. Do you wish to talk to him or shall I proceed to block all further calls for the time being?” JARVIS' voice rang out for the room. Pepper pulled back with a huff, still with a hand firmly twinned in my hair.

“Deal with him. I'll be in your room.” She ordered with a devilish smile as she climbed from my lap with an unnatural amount of grace. I nodded, my mind in a trace as I watched her hips sway as she left the room but not in a hurry. She knew she's caught my attention with that ass. Damn.

“Sir,” JARVIS pressed.

“Yeah, right, JARVIS. I'll take the bloody call. This better be good.” I warned. I followed the annoying blare of noise until I found my phone. It reminded me of the time when S.H.I.E.L.D gave Steve a cell phone and when he wasn't looking, I altered the ringtone and proceeded to phone him in the next meeting. He nearly jumped out of his skin but that wasn't nearly as funny as the lovely shade of red his face went with 'The Star Spangled Man With a Plan' started blaring proudly from the clever little contraption's speakers. I snatching up my cell and holding it too my ear, I answered it and put in no attempt to hide my annoyance as I spoke. “Banner.”

“Eh, hey, Tony.” He greeted with his usual nervous tone.

“Hey, d'you want something?”

“I just wanted to know; where are you?” He laughed lightly.

“Stark Towers, why?” I informed him trying to hard not to think of Pepper and her distinct lack of clothing in my bedroom-

“Oh,” Banner cut in and interrupted my thoughts. “I thought you were still on the ship. My apologies.”

“Out with it, Banner.”

“I spoke with Natasha and well, I just wanted to ask how it went?” At that my tone lightened, I was only too happy to talk of my new engagement.

“Great, Brucey. It went well. She said yes.” I told him proudly, the smile on my face evident in my voice.

“That's wonderful, Tony. Congratulations, I'm happy for you, for you both.” His voice was dripping with sincerity, it was almost sickeningly sweet, but I brushed it off.

“Thanks, Bruce. I'll send out word to Fury in a day or two and have you and the team shipped over but in the mean time if you'll excuse me-”

“Hah, stop there Tony. I'll talk to you then, but for now, enjoy your evening.” Bruce said with a soft laugh. If it was Steve I was talking to, his face would have gone a delightful shade of pink. As far as Steve is concerned, sex is taboo and should not be a casual topic of conversation. The man's still living in the dark ages.

“Yeah, you too, Banner.” I returned the curtsey before cutting the line dead. “JARVIS?”

“Sir.”

“Be a doll and block all incoming calls for this evening.”

“Very well, sir. Will that be all you require?”

“From you, yeah.” I replied as I made haste to my bedroom. I had some unfinished business to attend to with my fiancée and I did not want to waste another second.