"Come on, Potts. One last dance," he suggested as he led her back to the dance floor as the band started to play something slow by Chicago.

Pepper acquiesced to his request far easier than she ever had before. Unlike the swing from earlier or even the Firemen's Benefit, she relaxed this time, wrapping both her arms around Tony's neck as they moved.

The smile was unmistakable on Tony's lips when Pepper wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands slid around her waist and pulled her closer to him, feeling none of the tension that he had felt the last time.

"I knew you could relax around me," Tony said softly as he was looking into Pepper's eyes.

"I never said I couldn't." Pepper returned.

"You didn't need to say it…" Tony whispered. "And I believe I owe you something," Tony said as he brushed his fingers lightly against her cheek and closed his eyes as he leaned in and captured Pepper's lips in a deep passion filled kiss that should have happened on that night on the roof. As the music stopped and before he got pulled down too deep, Tony backed off to gauge Pepper's reaction. When he didn't immediately see what he was looking for or expecting, he let go of her waist, backed up and turned to leave, fearing he had just ruined the best thing in his life.

When Tony kissed her, Pepper was a little surprised at first but gave in quickly considering it was something that she wanted for a very long time. But when Tony looked into her eyes, she was still stunned until he started walking away looking broken. How could so many things go so wrong so quickly?

Pepper started to run after Tony. No sooner she had left the confines of the tent and managed to catch up to Tony, the sky opened up once again.

"Tony, stop!" Pepper cried out as the rain soaked her hair and her blouse, making it stick to her.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…" Tony said in his own defense but was quickly cut off by Pepper capturing his lips in a kiss with equal passion to his own.

Tony was caught off guard for a moment but quickly recovered as he pulled Pepper close to him; just the sensation of her body next to his was sending him over the top. Only his last conscious thought kept his mind working as he parted from the kiss and enjoyed the sight of Pepper soaking wet in front of him with only the little flowers embroidered on her blouse keeping him from getting a full few of her treasures.

"We should get inside," he told her as he took her hand and ran inside for the motel room to get out of the rain and back to that kiss.

Once they were back in the room, Tony locked the door behind them and took Pepper back into his arms, walking backwards until he fell backwards on to the bed with Pepper on top of him. He inched back so they would not fall off before he rolled on to his side, never letting his lips break from hers as he pressed her body close to his.

Pepper was quickly losing all of her rational mind as her passionate side took over. Just Tony's kiss was sending her over the edge. "We should get out of these wet clothes," she whispered to him softly. "Care to help me?" she added as she backed off a little bit, unbuttoning her top button.

Tony had to make sure that he heard her right first even though her actions were reading loud and clear and his body was responding to it. "Are you sure about this, Pepper?" Tony asked a little hesitantly as he sat up and glanced at the small buttons on her blouse at first and then back up to her eyes. "Because as much as I want this, I have to know you're sure because you mean way too much to me for this to be a hurried ride."

Pepper toyed with the edge of Tony's t-shirt before her eyes locked on his as she lifted it off over his head and tossed it off the edge of the bed. "I have never been surer of wanting anything else in my life." She told him with total honesty as her fingers caressed the bare skin of his chest just past the reactor. "I want to be with you." Pepper whispered before she moved to capture Tony's lips again.

Those six words sent Tony's head spinning and all his blood quickly rushing south. He was nearly about to bend her backwards on the bed when one thing smacked him upside the head and he stopped.

"Is something wrong?" Pepper asked since she was a little confused that Tony had all of a sudden backed away from her.

Tony's cheeks flushed with the pink tinge of embarrassment. "I want this more than anything else in the world but there is a slight…hiccup." He sort of stammered out.

"What's this so called hiccup?" Pepper asked now that she was a little disappointed how the mood quickly shifted.

Tony swallowed hard. "Well, when we left for the convention…and forgive me for how I am phrasing this…I wasn't exactly expecting to get lucky so am somewhat…unprepared." He admitted as he cringed slightly.

A smile spread across Pepper's lips as she had to stifle a bit of laughter as she grabbed her purse. "I would have thought that a playboy would have always had preparations," she said softly as she reached into her purse and pulled out two small foil packets. "My mother had always said that you can't always rely on the guy to be prepared."

Tony saw what Pepper had pulled out and it went right to his head. "Were you planning this?" he asked incredulously.

Pepper shook her head 'no' as she pulled him close again to get the kiss back that was interrupted.

Tony followed as Pepper laid back and stretched out along the bed diagonally, only breaking the kiss for a second. "Do you realize how much this is turning me on right now?"

"Show me," Pepper purred in his ear.

"Absolutely…" Tony nearly growled as his lips met hers. As they kissed, Tony's hands ghosted up Pepper's side and over her breasts on his way to the tiny buttons, popping each button open slowly with his fingers and slipping inside to caress her breasts over the white lace bra she was wearing. As her blouse fell open, Tony left Pepper's lips and started to make his way down her jaw and neck until he met the delicious up swell where her breasts began before going back up to her lips when his strong hands took the place of his lips.

Pepper arched her back into Tony's touch. The sensual mixture of strength and gentility in his hands was turning her to putty in them. Her fingers ran down his side until she slipped her small hand beneath the waistband of his jeans to find his rear, one she would love to bounce quarters off of. She kneaded him for a few moments before going back up his stomach, stopping at his jeans and nimbly popping the button open and unzipping the fly to slip her hand inside to caress his ever more prominent arousal.

Tony couldn't even try to hide the groan of pleasure when Pepper touched him. His hand quickly slid down her back and unhooked her bra with definite skill that most women didn't possess. As he slid her bra down her shoulders, Tony pulled her against him so he could feel her soft skin against his, her breasts pressing against his chest just enough to drive him mad. Once the bra that was in the way of his enjoyment was out of the way, Tony moved back down to her breasts, taking them in his mouth with deep passion filled kisses as his hand slid over her hip and down her bare leg before sliding up her inner thigh to the warm juncture between her legs under her skirt. With a combination of his nimble fingers and strong hand, he caressed and played with Pepper's most secret and treasured spot, feeling how wet she was getting even through her lace panties.

Pepper gasped when she felt Tony's fingers stroking and playing with her sex. She had been alternating between his chest, backside, ears and prominent arousal but when he touched her, she slipped her hand inside his boxer briefs to stroke him far more thoroughly and she swore that she heard him stop breathing when her hand touched him. It was in that second that she pushed both his jeans and his underwear down his legs to free him from his constraining prison.

Tony kicked off his jeans once Pepper pushed them down but something wasn't very fair to him. Pepper still had way too much on. He captured her lips once more as he popped open the button on the jean skirt and slid it and her panties off, giving him uninhibited access. He gazed at her for a moment in all her beauty, the gorgeous pink blush along her breasts and in between her legs, he red lips and beautiful hair. If this was heaven, he didn't want to leave. While her hand was still stroking him bringing his already highly developed erection even further and testing his self control, he captured her breast with his mouth once more as his fingers played with the warm wetness between her legs, slipping a finger inside of her.

Pepper's hips reflexively moved with Tony's finger inside of her and it was then that she wanted him inside of her desperately. As she kissed him deeply, she unrolled the condom over his arousal as her hint that she was ready.

Tony was damn lucky that he didn't lose it right then and there when Pepper put the condom on him. He gently rolled her on to her back, lying between her legs for a moment just kissing her and caressing her before he slowly pushed himself inside of her, not moving at first but letting her body get used to him.

Pepper's breath caught when Tony slid inside of her. From what she felt, he fit so well inside of her. She let her legs fall open a little wider for him before she wrapped them around his hips.

Tony started to thrust slowly inside of Pepper, wanting to draw this out as long as he possibly could. For once, he was glad that he and Pepper were nearly the same height because it meant he could kiss her at the same time as they were making love.

He continued to thrust slowly inside of her, only speeding up slightly when he felt Pepper's body grasp his as he brought her to and over the edge of orgasmic bliss. Pepper held on to Tony so tightly as waves of ecstasy swept over her, continuing even when she felt Tony join her as well.

As the waves of bliss subsided, Tony reluctantly withdrew from Pepper and ducked into the bathroom only for a second to get rid of the used condom before climbing back into bed beside Pepper. Pepper pulled the blankets over their heated bodies as she curled into Tony's shoulder pleasantly exhausted.

When she laid her head on his shoulder, Tony wrapped his arms around Pepper, holding her close as exhaustion claimed them both.

The next time that Pepper looked at the bedside clock, it was just past two in the morning. She had awoken from a pleasant dream still safely curled in Tony's arms as he slept. She watched him for a moment, seeing how he seemed truly at peace rather than what he usually was after sex…quick to get away from whatever Barbie doll he brought home and out of sight until she left. Pepper knew this time was different. She knew deep down in her heart that this was where both of them wanted to be with absolutely no desire to leave.

Tony's lips were parted slightly as he slept, snoring slightly. Pepper smiled to herself as she reached up and kissed his lips gently at first but deepened it with a bit more passion.

Being pulled from deep sleep by an even deeper kiss was a damn good way to wake up according to Tony. His eyes blinked open for a second before he wrapped his arms around Pepper's waist and pulled her totally on top of him before he sat up and leaned against the head board, already partially aroused again.

Pepper straddled Tony's legs as she stroked him to bring him to full arousal once more, which did not take long at all. Soon after, she found herself deliciously filled with Tony once more and riding through their second mind blowing orgasm of the night.

The sun was shining brightly through the seams of the curtains the next morning. After they had made love for the second time, Tony spooned behind Pepper, holding her body close to his as they slept by a protective arm over her waist. He awoke slowly to the fruity smell of her shampoo in his nose. Not quite willing to leave this dream yet, Tony shifted slightly and snuggled into her warmth perfectly relaxed.

Pepper felt Tony move against her and she woke up with a contented sigh. "It's Tuesday." She whispered.

"I know…" Tony sighed. "Means we can go home now."

Pepper nodded even though she thought things could easily go bad once they got home. "I guess we should get cleaned up before we go," she said with a hint of sadness to her voice, not wanting to leave the comfort of the warm bed beside Tony.

"I can agree with a shower for two," Tony said with a smirk. "Sounds like fun to me."

"Just as long as you don't hog all the hot water," Pepper added in as she reluctantly pulled herself from the bed and walked naked into the bathroom to turn on the hot water.

"Excuse me? Which one of us has been hogging the hot water all weekend and which one of us has been taking very cold and unfriendly showers?" Tony said with a smirk as he followed Pepper into the bathroom.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Pepper said with an innocent smile as she stepped into the bathtub with Tony following behind her.

Pepper had picked up the soap and a wash cloth first before Tony had taken it away from her so he could wash her and she him. An 'innocent' shower quickly turned into something a lot hotter. Washing especially delicate and sensitive spots turned on the fire of desire and arousal for the third time in less than twenty-four hours but was satiated by mere creative touch that was just as powerful as the two times during the night.

After breakfast, Tony walked into the post office and put two quarters into the pay phone and attempted to dial but paused. "Pepper? What's the number I want?"

Pepper smiled as she pulled up the number of the pilot of the jet on her BlackBerry and showed it to Tony with a sigh. He would be lost without her?

"Thanks," Tony said as he dialed quickly and then took Pepper's hand and pulled her close to him. It barely rang once before a less than calm voice answered the phone. "Happy?" Tony repeated. "No, we're fine…We got stranded in a little town here…There is no need to call Rhodey and start a search party…Just send the helicopter…an hour, perfect."

"Something wrong?" Pepper asked as Tony hung up the phone.

Tony sighed as he pulled Pepper into a hug. "Since we didn't show up at the plane and no one could reach our cell phones, Happy went ahead and called Rhodey and was going to send out a search party if we didn't check in today."

"They were just looking out for us," Pepper said as she kissed Tony's lips gently.

"But I have had enough for search parties for a very long time," Tony reminded her. "For now, click your red heels," Tony said before looking down at her sneakered feet, "and say there's no place like home."

An hour and a half later, Tony and Pepper were climbing the steps to Tony's private jet and as soon as they were on the plane, Tony was giving the pilot a cue to get a move on to head back to Los Angeles.

As soon as the plane was in the air, Tony headed back to the small bedroom on the plane, yawning the whole way back. Pepper followed to make sure he was alright.

"Do you feel alright?" she asked with concern as Tony pulled her down onto the bed next to him.

"Just tired," he whispered as he spooned against her again. "You exhausted me."

"Are you regretting it?" Pepper asked as she stretched out and laid down next to him.

"Not one bit," Tony whispered before he fell silent for a moment. "I love you…I love you so much…this has been one of the happiest times in my entire life."

The words rang out like crystal bells in Pepper's ears. They scared her definitely but it was the one thing she wanted more in the world and Tony had just laid his heart out to her. "I love you too, Tony."

"Stay with me tonight?" Tony whispered with a contented sigh as he pulled her as close as he could.

"I would love to."

Gabriel smiled as he watched the Stark Industries jet fly back to California with another couple tucked inside deeply in love. "I may have to reconsider using you two more often," he said coolly as O'Reilly and Jackson sat in front of him with proud smiles. "Two couples happily together and this time I didn't need to bring you back from the dead. Well done."

"Thank you, sir. We tried." Jackson said modestly.

"Well, since you two are still in one piece…here's your next assignment," Gabriel said as he pulled a folder out of his desk. "They are two scientists who need to find the love they once had all over again…"