Coming Home (Sequel to This Time Around)

Chapter Thirty-Three

McKenna nodded. "It's fine, as long as she stays out of trouble."

"That's never a problem." Pepper held out her arms and Aislinn willingly went to her. "Where are the little ones?"

"We thought it would be easier if they stayed with a sitter and ours is a gem," McKenna explained.

"Oh, I was looking forward to seeing them, but Tony gets nervous when I'm around babies, so it's probably just as well." She shifted Aislinn in her arms and smoothed a wayward curl from Aislinn's face. "And Uncle Thor will be here soon as well."

"Thor?" Loki's back straightened ever so subtly. "Is there something going on that you're not telling me?"

Pepper shook her head. "No. We wanted to welcome you home, Loki. All of us." She smiled at them both. "Now, go and sit and I'll be back in a bit with your daughter. I promise."

"Thor was just as upset as I was," McKenna told him as Pepper set Aislinn down and took her hand to lead her around the fully stocked wet bar and out of sight.

Loki sighed softly, slipping his hand free to move toward the wall of windows opposite the bar. "Right here," he said softly.

"Right here, what?" She joined him at the windows.

"I was flying by here when Barton shot an arrow at me." He glanced down at her, then tapped the glass. Just beyond it, Steve held Selig and was pointed out something. Selig smiled and they both laughed. "I caught it, only to have it explode and blow me off my aircraft. I landed there-" he tapped the glass-"only to have the beast slam into me and send me flying over there."

'Over there' was the wall alongside the bar. "I hit that, hit the floor, and when I stood up-"

"To remind him who he was messing with," she said, smiling at him.

"Right. He grabbed me by my ankle and slammed me into the floor," he crossed about halfway over the floor, "right here and right there. And more than once."

"Poor baby," she told him, coming up behind him to slip her arms about his waist. Pressing her cheek into his back, she added, "Is that why you were all banged up when you landed in my apartment?"

"No. That was something entirely different. It is, however, why I needed the Advil so much." He turned in her arms and draped his about her. His eyes softened and he leaned close to brush her lips with his. "I hate coming here."

"No one is going to Hulksmash you tonight, love," she murmured, giving him a gentle squeeze. "I promise."

He leaned in to nuzzle her, whispering, "How long do we have to stay? Until after cake?"

"Until after cake, if there is any."

"I hate waiting for cake."

She smiled as he brushed a kiss along the curve of her neck. It was a long-standing joke between them that dated back to their own wedding, when he wanted to get their wedding night started but she made him wait until after their cake had been brought out. Ever since, whenever he wanted to leave because he was feeling romantic, he asked about cake.

With a sigh, she melted against him. Ever since his return, he was as quick to reach for her as she was to melt into his embrace. It reminded her of when they first fell in love and couldn't get enough of one another. Keeping her hands to herself was nearly impossible and he seemed to have the same problem, which was fine with her. She still wasn't entirely convinced she wasn't just in the midst of some amazing dream.

He nipped the slope of her shoulder and she shivered against him. "Loki..."

"What?"

"Anyone could walk in."