Ch50. Party 1

Natasha came home from her meeting with Clint, and she didn't manage to even take off her shoes when Tony almost flew into the hall.

"Nat! Prepare yourself! In two hours we must attend a party full of snobs!" He exclaimed with feigned horror in his tone.

Natasha looked blankly at him while the words registered in her brain... and released a long-suffering sigh. She really didn't feel like going to a party of rich men today. The day was so good so far. Why ruin it?

"Now? You agreed to attend a-"

"I didn't agree to anything!" Tony said as if offended that she came to that conclusion. "Pepper needs me to show in public. I had no idea about this an hour ago, I swear!"

He came closer to Natasha and pulled her into a kiss.

"Mhm~, I have a better idea about how to spend our evening." Natasha whispered, suggestively looking into Tony's eyes with a special sort of hunger while her right hand slowly trailed down on his back, heading...

Tony suddenly caught said right hand and apologetically smiled at Natasha. "Sorry, but no can do. I can either show up today or I can show up later on a much more important event. I'd rather go for the least troublesome option. I can't afford to skip it."

Natasha released a long whining sound from the back of her throat while putting her forehead on Tony's shoulder.

"And you need plus one." She sullenly said.

"Yes." Tony sheepishly replied. Having a plus one was kinda important at these events. "Well, I can go alone if you are really tired..."

"No!" Natasha strongly exclaimed, her embrace possessively tightening a bit. "As your personal assistant," Tony barely held himself from calling out bullshit, "it is my duty to prevent any gold-digging hussy from trying to get into your bed." She righteously declared.

Hearing her, Tony chuckled and kissed her forehead, "That's my girl. Your dress is already in our room." He turned around and walked away, leaving Natasha standing in the hall, looking at his back in quiet bafflement.

"My dress? ... So, he never really counted on the possibility of me staying home?" Natasha's lips twitched as she shook her head and fondly mutered, "Bastard."

...

An hour passed and Tony in an elegant suit was waiting in front of his Malibu house with Natasha standing next to him, her arm hooked around his.

She was wearing a simple black dress with a frilly skirt and open back. It was nothing extremely fancy but it was elegant enough for such a party. She was not dressing to impress a man so there was no need to go all out. Natasha would be pretty happy not standing out at all and just cling to Tony's arm all night.

Tony was fine with her 'plain' dress. She was gorgeous enough as it was. Even in that quite plain dress she just oozed sex appeal and magnetizing confidence that just drew people in. It was in her body language and how she carried herself. It was ingrained in her to such a degree, Tony doubted she even consciously recognized the fact.

So... no. He didn't need her to dress frivolously. Not for a party with multiple single and despairing millionaires attending these events only to find a new gold-digge-, ahem, female friend to spend their money on.

If Tony felt the urge to see her in something fancy, he knew Natasha would happily dress up for him and then quite eagerly let him take it off piece by piece as foreplay. There was no need to attend a party if he wanted to see his girl all pretied up.

The car finally arrived and Tony was a bit surprised to see Happy driving it.

His surprise quickly faded as a grin spread through his face while he led Natasha towards the car and they took a seat.

"Hello, Happy! Didn't expect you here. Wouldn't you be much happier spending your night in bed with Pepper than playing a driver for us?" Tony tactlessly greeted in his usual manner, causing Happy to actually chuckle.

"Yeah, I definitely missed this sass, Boss." He started the engine and the car slowly moved forward.

Tony's grin only widened at that. "Of course, you did. I paid you enough to deeply miss my charming personality."

Even Natasha cracked a small smile at that. Trust Tony to completely destroy any semblance of seriousness with his remarks...

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Hogan." She politely greeted, "I hope we are not a bother."

"Oh! No. Not at all, Miss R... I actually have no idea if you prefer Rushman or Romanoff. I heard you go by both. The latter is your original name while the other is from your adoptive family?" Happy confusedly half asked, half stated, not too sure himself.

He didn't get much contact with Tony's new assistant and he only know about her from what Pepper told him. They met a few times but there was never any meaningful conversation between them. There was never a chance for that.

He was now working as Pepper's bodyguard and chief of security, for which he was extremely grateful that Tony 'promoted' him into the position as he now could be with Pepper most of the day, but it also meant he no longer hung around Tony's house... at all.

These months were just so busy and Happy had no time to meet with Tony. That was partially a reason why he wanted to be Tony's driver for tonight.

It definitely did not have anything to do with the marvelous buffet for drivers that will be served at the parking lot outside the party...

"I prefer Romanoff but feel free to call me Natasha, Mr. Hogan." Natasha gave the man a polite smile into his rear-view mirror.

"In that case, call me Happy. Everyone does anyway." Happy said with an apparent relief in his tone.

From what Pepper told him, she was very afraid of Natasha having an ulterior motive for starting a relationship with Tony. But from Happy could see, the woman was fine. He had a nose for harlots and Miss Romanoff didn't set off his gut feeling.

Happy fancied himself a simple man and that was enough for him. Natasha passed in his books.

His purpose for this evening was half done. Now only stuffing himself with good food remained.

"Oi, get your own girl! This one is mine!" Tony butted in, exclaiming in a joking exasperation.

"Eh, Miss Romanoff is gorgeous, Tony, but I have a ban on flirting with other women." Happy nonchalantly replied, too used to Tony's antics to really take it to heart.

"Oh~, poor you." Tony almost cooed, "Pepper is keeping you on a tight leash, isn't she?"

Happy snorted, "Well, there are certain benefits included."

He knew why he was obedient to Pepper. She knew how to reward him for his efforts and their marriage was that much happier for it.

"That sounds like your relationship with Mrs. Hogan is going great." Natasha quickly added as she gave Tony a meaningful look, stopping him from saying something crass.

"Couldn't wish for a better woman." Happy fondly said with a soft smile etched onto his face and the car descended into silence.

It wasn't the driver's job to chat with his employer and Tony was certainly occupied enough once he started making out with Miss Romanoff, utterly ruining her light make-up as he showered her with soft kisses in between their make-out session.

Happy was actually surprised the woman was not protesting at all and even seemed to be eager to return Tony's passion in equal measures.

At times it was hard to say who was in the lead but after twenty minutes, Tony ended up being defeated as Miss Romanoff straddled him, setting the pace for their kissing and Happy had to lift the barrier between the driver's seat and the passenger space when the two started to fondle each other.

With Tony, Happy could not be certain the two won't have sex right there and then, uncaring about unwilling spectators. He was certainly used to these things happening often in his service as Tony's driver but he didn't need to see that.

But... he never saw Tony so passionate and obsessed with a woman. Happy saw the looks Tony gave Miss Romanoff and the tenderness with which he tried to handle her.

Unlike Pepper, Happy was certain this redhead will be great for Tony.