Arranged Affair

Chapter One :Decision

"Oh - yes. I'm fine, Mr. Stark. Just a little tired, I guess."

She took a small sip from her glass and sighed a little. She felt better now that he got her that drink... When she looked back at him he had his eye-brow up and his eyes were staring at her moistened lips. She licked them and blushed, her cheeks and neck reddening further when he whistled slowly.

"Let's dance." He said and got up to his feet, holding his hand up to her and waiting for her to take it.

She slowly shook her head in sign of 'no' and took another sip from her vodka martini.

"Come on, Pep." He coaxed her gently. "You know that I'm a better antidote than the drink in your hand."

She considered for a few seconds - like, really considered it, but she didn't want the scene from the Firemen's Benefit to repeat, so she finished her drink and smirked at him.

"Maybe later." She told him sweetly, turned on her high heels and left him there with his mouth slightly open.

She didn't know why she said that because she wouldn't let him near her again. It was hard enough to keep her distance now, after just a couple of months after her promotion. It was hard because she didn't see him all that much now - she saw him just a few times a month when he'd concede to attend a meeting.

Anyway, there were better ways to not think about him that night. She planned to find the man whose eyes captured hers. She had a feeling that it won't be a long search, though.

She was right in the end. A handsome, tall man with honey brown eyes and light brown hair and with a charming smile introduced himself as Harvey Ross . His lips were warm and soft against her hand and his touch was downright addictive. She told herself not to get too deep into this because she still didn't know whether or not she wanted to have an official relationship. She had waited for Tony to make the first step, but as months passed and nothing came she began to search for another man. A man who could make her happy despite the fact that she still loved her former boss very much... He wasn't Tony, that was certain, but he was very handsome and he had a very good sense of humor. He was dressed in a black Armani suit, complete with a black tie.

He looked... delicious. Pepper couldn't remember one time when she felt like that with another man.

"Would you like to dance, Virginia?"

It was going to be different, but as his warm hand took hers and the other went around her waist she let herself dream. He smelled totally different from the man she was used to, but that was okay. She carefully placed her hand on his upper arm and smiled at him warmly.

"So..." He started and gave her a shy smile. "You're the big CEO now, huh?"

Pepper took a deep breath and responded back.

"Kind of." She admitted with a small laugh. "How about you? Where do you work?"

"I'm a doctor." He replied casually and swirled her around. "I've just been transferred from New York here."

"That's nice." Pepper looked around, hoping that no one familiar would catch her dancing with the handsome new doctor.

"Thank you. Hey, would you like to talk more over a drink or something?" He raised an inquiring brow at her and waited for her answer.

But Pepper's attention was not on him anymore. She had just spotted a very familiar face watching her intently from another group of males. Rhodey was there too, she realized. But it wasn't him that bothered her the most. It was the furious look in Tony's eyes that made her flinch.