fic: Right Now
Chapter 12 - Vulnerable
“No. No! Of course I want this - you,” he says and points at the space between them. “It’s not like I am against… sex, but I’ve got everything prepared and this… this - I don’t really know.”
She arched one elegant brow and studied his face very carefully. He’s frozen that she might not believe him entirely and he wants to smack his head against the wall again, because he thinks that this relationship going between them is too fragile, too delicate for him to fuck it up from a mistake.
He slowly sits down on the edge of the mattress and looks at her with wide eyes. Pepper doesn’t say anything for a couple long minutes, just stands there breathing and studies him.
“You okay?” He asks in a raspy tone and moves to take her in his arms.
His hand trembles softly when he touches her cheek hesitantly and he looks upset.
“You’re scared.” Pepper says and looks at him longingly. It’s not a question as much as it is an affirmation.
Tony nods lightly and captures her lips in a deep kiss. Her eyes close involuntarily when she feels the firm press of his lips against hers. He wants to stop and tell her how much he loves her and that he’s just a fool in love. It’s his first real love and if he thinks better he knows that he’ll fuck this up like everything else because he’s thirty-five for god’s sake and he’s never been into a serious relationship before.
Instead of saying those words he’s entirely focused on the sweetness of her lips. He’s tasted her before but he’s sure she’s never tasted this… sweet.
Pepper wraps her arms around his shoulders and one hand lands in his thick, brown hair, tugging gently.
When they broke apart he was panting and his hand couldn’t stop caressing her cheek.
“Do you think I’m really good enough for you, Pepper?”
Pepper looks up at him in surprise, his question quiet and his eyes bleary.
“Because I don’t think I deserve you. You’re such a great woman, Pepper. I don’t know if anyone on this planet deserves you. Least of all me. Tell me please why.”
“You are an amazing man, Tony Stark. You’ve always been, just that you were too self-centred to actually acknowledge that. And yes, you’re right, you don’t deserve me but you try and that’s what matters.”
“Thanks for giving me that much credit. I really wish you’d know how much I care for you.”
Pepper raises another elegant brow and gives him that Mona Lisa smile.
“Only?” She asks, smiling a bit more.
“Uh, no. I care deeply for you. Enough?”
She kisses him deeply and takes encouragement in the sound of his groan against her lips.
“For now…” She replies breathlessly and snuggles closer in his warm embrace.
“No. No! Of course I want this - you,” he says and points at the space between them. “It’s not like I am against… sex, but I’ve got everything prepared and this… this - I don’t really know.”
She arched one elegant brow and studied his face very carefully. He’s frozen that she might not believe him entirely and he wants to smack his head against the wall again, because he thinks that this relationship going between them is too fragile, too delicate for him to fuck it up from a mistake.
He slowly sits down on the edge of the mattress and looks at her with wide eyes. Pepper doesn’t say anything for a couple long minutes, just stands there breathing and studies him.
“You okay?” He asks in a raspy tone and moves to take her in his arms.
His hand trembles softly when he touches her cheek hesitantly and he looks upset.
“You’re scared.” Pepper says and looks at him longingly. It’s not a question as much as it is an affirmation.
Tony nods lightly and captures her lips in a deep kiss. Her eyes close involuntarily when she feels the firm press of his lips against hers. He wants to stop and tell her how much he loves her and that he’s just a fool in love. It’s his first real love and if he thinks better he knows that he’ll fuck this up like everything else because he’s thirty-five for god’s sake and he’s never been into a serious relationship before.
Instead of saying those words he’s entirely focused on the sweetness of her lips. He’s tasted her before but he’s sure she’s never tasted this… sweet.
Pepper wraps her arms around his shoulders and one hand lands in his thick, brown hair, tugging gently.
When they broke apart he was panting and his hand couldn’t stop caressing her cheek.
“Do you think I’m really good enough for you, Pepper?”
Pepper looks up at him in surprise, his question quiet and his eyes bleary.
“Because I don’t think I deserve you. You’re such a great woman, Pepper. I don’t know if anyone on this planet deserves you. Least of all me. Tell me please why.”
“You are an amazing man, Tony Stark. You’ve always been, just that you were too self-centred to actually acknowledge that. And yes, you’re right, you don’t deserve me but you try and that’s what matters.”
“Thanks for giving me that much credit. I really wish you’d know how much I care for you.”
Pepper raises another elegant brow and gives him that Mona Lisa smile.
“Only?” She asks, smiling a bit more.
“Uh, no. I care deeply for you. Enough?”
She kisses him deeply and takes encouragement in the sound of his groan against her lips.
“For now…” She replies breathlessly and snuggles closer in his warm embrace.