He was accustomed to cold, but never like this.

He had known loneliness.

However, being alone and missing the person of your heart, is a chill like no other.

Opening the elevator door, Steve Rogers walked onto the tower floor he shared with Natasha Romanoff in a somber and forlorn mood. He missed her presence more than words could say. Having the entire floor as their living quarters, the expanse of space somehow seemed to make him miss her all the more.

Natasha had only been gone for a week. It felt like forever. The bond between them had been growing steadily, but both of them were still somewhat surprised by the intensity of their latent emotions. Ever since the two of them had been led on their island journey to embrace their feelings for one another, choose the salvation of Christ and find love, they had been enjoying the slow progression of their life together. Although Steve and Natasha had yet to verbalize it to one another, they were at the point at which neither of them wanted to be apart from the other.

As The Black Widow, perhaps the best female espionage agent in the world, Natasha would often accomplish the impossible. Granted, so far the new missions she had been taking had not been those which were extremely volatile or dangerous. Still, they were very significant in gathering information, and both The Captain and The Black Widow were still trying to learn how to manage the time between love and work in this new world around them.

One aspect of their relationship which was particularly surprising to Steve was just how attentive that Natasha actually was. Nothing escaped her attention. She seemed to make a point of remembering every single little thing about him … except it seemed, for his birthday.

T'challa, Ororo, Sam, Misty, Kal-El and Diana had taken him out for a long brunch. They would have kept him out all day, celebrating, exercising and relaxing, had he not purposefully cut short the festivities. Their company was good, but he was missing his Natasha, and he wanted some time to brood by himself.

In truth, it was unfair to think that Natasha had forgotten his birthday. As Steve laid his shield down and opened a window, he again told himself that Natasha was simply on a mission. He, above all, had been trained that the mission always came first. Of course she couldn't be here for him on his special day. The Black Widow may have been the best operative the espionage business, but maybe even she wasn't that good.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, there was a knock at the door.

Steve tensed, but his combat instincts didn't kick in. Still, he walked over and opened the doors warily. There were three men in dark ultra expensive suits standing in his doorway with a large light red floor standing package behind them.

"Can I help you, gentlemen?" asked Steve.

"Captain Rogers, it's truly an honor to meet you," the lead man said respectfully.

"You're a living legend," the second man said with a slight nod.

"The Sentinel of Liberty," said the third.

"Do you guys know a man named Phil?" Steve asked with a smile.

"We're here on behalf of The Trinity group. Our interim Director of Communications Ms. Natanya Romanyanova felt it would be a good media relations gesture for us to establish a positive connection with the one and only Captain America. We hope to perhaps garner your attendance at some of our media events in the future."

"What's in the package?" asked Steve.

"Unknown, sir," the lead man said as he handed Steve a small thin computer pad. "This is a postcard. It's coded with a password only you can unlock. Our task was simply to deliver this gift to you. May we bring it in?"

"Sure," said Steve, stepping back to allow them to enter.

As the two secondary emissaries pushed the rather large unmarked package from the back, the lead man guided it from the front. At first glance, it seemed too large to fit through the double wide doorway, but when turned sideways, it slipped through perfectly. The three men positioned it just inside the loft and then turned to Steve.

"On three guys," the lead man said. "One, two, three …"

The three men burst into near perfect harmony.

"Happy Birthday to you … Happy Birthday to …"

"Oh, okay, guys. Okay," Steve interrupted them. "My barbershop quartet has been dead for a lot of years, so, you're making me a little jealous here."

"Of course, sir," the lead man replied cordially. "Happy Birthday, Captain."

"Thanks, guys," Steve nodded as they exited the loft.

Left alone, Steve smiled to himself. However, he was still somewhat crestfallen. So she had sent him something. Still, it wasn't her. He wanted her.

Steve stared down at the inert pad in his hands. A password that only he would know. He paused for a long moment, then, he keyed in his first thought. He got it.

'Practice.'

He was correct on the first try. As the entry keys disappeared, an image immediately filled the screen. It was a breathtaking photograph, one obviously orchestrated just for him.

It was a pin up of Natasha Romanoff, in a sexy stylistic pose. She was laying back with her legs raised, wearing only white lingerie with velvet coloring, her cute pumps having rounded heels as if for a festive occasion. Natasha was staring at the camera with her eyes focused and a red lipstick which matched her hair color perfectly.

The caption read:

'Happy Birthday, Soldier! Love, Nat'

Steve smiled, and gave a little laugh with his boyish grin. He couldn't help but admire her beauty immensely, and he thought that maybe he might draw a replica of the photo while he waited for her to complete her mission and return. Then, he tossed the pad onto a wide table next to the cake, again crestfallen.

She had remembered. He was glad. But, she wasn't here.

Just as the pad slid to a halt, the package began to move. As Steve watched, it started to split apart at the edges. In seconds, each of the four sides were splintered and fell to the sides. Inside was a tall, full extended height cake, red white and blue of course, with the words 'Happy Birthday Soldier' iced along the side of it.

Steve only grinned. It was nice. A good gesture.

It wasn't her.

Without sparing the cake a backward glance, Steve turned and started to make his way toward their bedroom. Then, there was the slight wisp of mechanics in motion. Surprised, Steve turned back around to stare at the cake.

As he watched, the cake began to rearrange itself. With a dramatized set of bright sparkles, the panels on which the circular cake was situated separated, extended outward, and then began to lower, opening up to reveal …

Steve's pin up ... the photo … three dimensional … in real life.

Natasha was there. She was in repose, holding the exact same position in which the photograph had been captured. A slender pole positioned in the middle of the white platform she was laying on helped her maintain her balance as she gazed at him, and she held the moment, simply letting him enjoy the view.

He … was … mesmerized.

"Happy Birthday, Soldier," Natasha whispered seductively.

"You shouldn't be here," Steve said with a smile. "You're on a mission. That's supposed to come first."

"I'm multi-tasking," Natasha said as she smoothly swung her legs over the edge of her display and stood up on her high heels. "You're welcome."

"Thank you," Steve said with a smile.

"You shouldn't thank me yet," Natasha said with her trademark raised eyebrow as she started to step down. "You haven't gotten your gift yet."

"Which is?"

"My birthday suit."

Steve couldn't wait another moment. Snatching Natasha off of the display, Steve kissed her passionately as he spun her around and slammed her back against the wall next to their bedroom. In her mind's eye, Natasha happened to remember when he had slammed her against the wall of the hospital room so long ago, and the hot rush of sensual heat which had shot through her body back then. This time, the rush was much more intense. Responding instantly, she wrapped her slim legs around his broad waist as she gripped his neck tightly and kissed him back. When the two of them finally had to break for air to breathe, they laid their foreheads against one another heatedly.

"Is that a shield in your pocket, or have you been missing me?" Natasha whispered coyly.

"I've really missed you," Steve told her truthfully, realizing that he had been wanting to tell her that for days.

"Care to show me how much?" she mused.

With a little grin at her words, Steve lifted Natasha off the wall and carried her over to lay her down on the small table beside his cake.

"I think I'll have my cake … and eat it, too," he whispered huskily.

With those words, he leaned over, took a bite of cake icing, slid her panties aside, then bowed between her legs.

Oh ...

Oh, he wasn't really …

Oh, he wasn't going to …

Bozhe moi!

Instantly, her back arched high up off the table as her legs began to tremble. The contrast of the cool icing against his hot tongue sliding over her innermost sensitivity was an immediate sensory overload. She gasped loudly.

He was going to push her over the edge in record time, which in and of itself was quite a feat. As adept as the brilliant mind of the greatest soldier in history was, he had applied those skills to learning her body ever since the first time they had made love. He knew exactly how to tease, appease, and please her at his command. Sometimes, it almost seemed as if she were his canvas and the premier artist was working on his masterpiece.

Usually, Steve was always a little more reserved in their sensual play, and Natasha would enjoy drawing him out of his comfort zone. Today, on his birthday, it seemed that he was feeling a little more adventurous.

In just seconds, Steve had Natasha's body exploding from the inside. The Black Widow had writhed in pain before, but only The Captain had ever made her writhe in pleasure. She climaxed hard, both hands snatching hold of the back of his head as she gyrated against him.

Looking down at him, Natasha watched as Steve started to kiss his way up her body. He reached her navel and slipped his tongue inside, making her hiss at the sensation. Then, he started to lick his way back down toward her sensitivity again.

Oh, no, she wasn't going to just take all this pleasure lying down. She always gave as good as she got, and he was going to get it.

"Stand down, Soldier," Natasha whispered.

Moving quickly despite her shaky limbs, Natasha sprang up and roughly grabbed Steve by his wide shoulders. Pushing him up to tower over her while she sat on the edge of the table, Natasha hurriedly lifted his grey shirt up over his head and off, tossing it to the floor.

Resisting the urge to take a moment admiring the sculpted torso which she always enjoyed running her hands over, she then made short work of his pants and helped him step out of them. Grabbing hold of his waist, she forced him back against the side of the table beside her. Then, Natasha slid off the table and dropped down to her knees in front of Steve.

She slid his length to the side and pushed him along the edge of the cake, coating his manhood in tasty frosted icing, making him wince with a grin at the sensation. Then, she proceeded to sensuously lick and suck him dry, cleaning off every drop of the birthday cake. Natasha continued on him, taking him in deep, planning to bestow upon him the same favor he had given her.

The soldier knew his limits, and he knew that he couldn't take much more of this from the spy. With a loud groan, Steve reached down, easily lifted Natasha up into the air by her slim hips with his super soldier strength, and laid her back down on the table. Then, using one hand to lift her perfectly rounded derriere at an upward angle, Steve slid deep into Natasha in one smooth stroke.

Swept away by the intensity of his extreme depth inside her, she gasped loudly. Her legs locked around his waist tightly. Leaning up to wrap her arms around Steve's shoulders, Natasha pressed her face into his neck and bit down before sucking hard on his skin.

This was the bite of his Black Widow.

Steve smiled. So did Natasha. For a woman that had spent the majority of her life in the cold, experiencing the ability to feel like this was glorious.

Then, all motion stopped. Steve leaned back from Natasha as he loomed over her, gazing down deeply into her eyes.

With him having drawn her complete poise and focus, Natasha stared back up at him. Only The Soldier could interrogate The Spy like this. She knew what he wanted. She wanted to give it to him.

Three little words. Words she had never spoken in her life. She believed they were for children. At least she had … until Steve.

Her lips started to move, but no sound emanated from them.

While Natalia the woman hesitated, Natasha the widow took action. Unable to verbalize how she felt about him, she would show him. Actions spoke louder than words.

Pushing her weight up and forward, Natasha flipped Steve over onto his back underneath her, still keeping their bodies joined. Placing her small hands firmly on his broad muscular chest to hold him down, she gave him three hard thrusts, taking his entire length out of her body and then plunging him deep into her depths. This time, it was Steve's turn to groan loudly.

Quickly catching on to the fact that his lady love was trying to tip him over the edge, Steve's large hands slammed onto Natasha's slim sexy hips and gripped hard enough to stop her movement. To her extreme pleasure, Natasha's plan backfired. With his holding her still with his length buried inside her depths, feeling his body spike caused her own to climax with a strikingly powerful release. It quickly rushed through her like a tidal wave, and she lost control.

'Ya lyublyu tebya,' her mind whispered.

Moments later, breathing heavily, the two of them laid their foreheads against one another, still caressing each other's skin gently. After a long enjoyment of blissful afterglow, Steve lifted Natasha, still keeping them joined, and sat down on their sofa near the middle of the outer room. Sitting on top of him as he laid back, she stared into his eyes, wanting him to have heard the words in her mind, wondering if she had whispered them aloud.

For the moment, as if discerning her thoughts, Steve gave her a soft smile. For now, it was enough. However, just having the desire between the two of them to say these words, revealed the truth. Sooner or later, they would have to face it.

With a gentle languish love, Steve and Natasha kissed and continued caressing as their passion overtook them again … and again … and again ...

3 hours later, their whirlwind of lovemaking had finally slowed to a soothing breeze. Their sofa had been completely rearranged, the pillows had been tossed around haphazardly, and her birthday outfit was simply nowhere to be found.

Lying sprawled on their sofa, Steve and Natasha were still kissing, their lips lazily sliding all along each other, basking in a warm afterglow. Their legs were still tangled together, with them on their sides facing each other. His hands rubbed possessively over her slim hips and firm derriere, while her fingers slid along his muscular shoulders and tangled in his golden hair. They only broke for air at the sound of a single ping from her watch.

"Do you have to go back?" asked Steve.

"I need an extraction plan to get out of your arms, Rogers," Natasha answered as she planted another succulent kiss on his lips before starting to untangle them.

"You know what, Romanoff," he said, drawing a smile out of her as she sat up on the edge of the sofa.

"I was supposed to only be here for only one hour. You kept me for 3. I missed my flight."

"You let me keep you. So knowing you, I'm sure The Black Widow has a backup plan."

"Hmmm, I think we have the second of those 3 Falcon packs tucked away for safe keeping here, don't we?"

"We do," Steve answered. "But I want to know your plan. Do I need to interrogate you?"

"That could be interesting," Natasha answered him with a raised eyebrow. "My backup extraction is a low level military flight," she relented and explained with a grin as she stood and began to get dressed. "Transit scheduled. I'll make a seamless reinsertion into my objective."

Wrapping a towel around his waist, Steve stood and walked with her as she dressed. 3 hours of lovemaking, and she was ready to go in 3 minutes. Her appearance was flawless. Her makeup had been reapplied, the business dress she had put on didn't show a wrinkle, and not a strand of hair seemed to be out of place. Slipping on a black and red flight suit over her business attire, Natasha had Steve help her put on the falcon pack. The two of them walked over to their window wall and stood together as the glass opened.

"You sure about this?" asked Steve.

"Yeah," said Natasha. "It'll be fun," said Natasha, stepping off the ledge of the large window and beginning to soar into the air.

"We'll be hard pressed to top this visit on your birthday."

"Mile high club?" asked Natasha.

"Sure," smiled Steve.

"Next birthday mission?"

End

Author's notes:

To all readers,

I hope you and your families are all doing well. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this story in its entirety. This most recent chapter was written for a Romanogers celebration event. To explain the timeline placement, it will occur in the ongoing story "Paradise: Genesis" in future chapters. Consider it a glimpse of future stories to come. Please enjoy it!