The Fall - Book 1

122. Unless you have other plans....

JUNE 27, 2019 — AVENGERS COMPOUND — RÉA

The ringing of my phone wakes me; I see Pepper's name on the screen.

"Pepper?" I answer quietly, since Bucky's still asleep.

"Good morning, Réa. Sorry if I woke you."

"Is everything alright, Pepper?"

"Everything's fine, sweetie," she replies. "I was just wondering if you'd like to come up and have breakfast with me in my suite?"

"Umm...sure. What time?"

"Can you come up now?"

I hesitate. "Could I have twenty minutes?"

"Sure. See you in twenty."

"Okay. Bye," I say, and hang up.

I see that it's a few minutes past nine o'clock. I set my phone back on my nightstand and stretch.

"Twenty minutes?" Bucky asks as he stretches beside me.

The raspy tone of his voice causes a tendril of desire to unfurl in my belly.

"Y-yeah," I stutter as I turn to look at him, my brain basically short-circuiting as I take in his handsome face, sleep-disheveled hair, and bare chest.

"Doll?"

"Huh?" I ask, snapping my eyes back to his.

He smirks knowingly. "Twenty minutes?"

"Oh. Right. Um...Pepper invited me to have breakfast in her suite. I told her I'd be there in twenty minutes. Well, probably more like fifteen now." I pause, looking him over. "Unless you have other plans...."

He shakes his head, a small grin on his face.

"Later, Réa," he says, pecking me on the lips. "Go have breakfast with Pepper; I'll see you in a little while."

I pout a little, but I nod. "Okay."

I climb out of bed and head into the bathroom. I turn on the shower, brushing my teeth while the water heats; after a quick shower, I dry off and return to the bedroom. Bucky's lounging in bed, and I can feel him watching me as I get dressed, opting for black leggings and a gigantic, sage green, long-sleeve shirt. I slip my feet into a pair of black alpargatas then go over to Bucky, pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

"See you later. I love you."

"I love you, too. Have fun with Pepper."

I exit my suite and head up to Pepper's, knocking on the door. She opens it and I follow her into her living room, where I see breakfast set up at the coffee table...and four rolling racks of formal gowns, plus a changing screen and a three-panel, folding, full-length mirror.

"Are you and Tony going to an event?" I ask as we sit down to eat.

"We are," she says. "And so are you."

I freeze, my eyes widening. "I...m-me...what?" I shake my head, panic blooming in my chest. "N-no...no. I can't. I c—"

"Réa, sweetie, look at me. Take deep breaths," Pepper says soothingly.

I lock eyes with her, and do my best to breathe slowly and deeply, in through my nose and out through my mouth. When I've calmed down, Pepper speaks.

"This event was Bucky's idea; it's a surprise, but you'll really enjoy it. Bucky would never do anything to make you uncomfortable; neither would I, and neither would Tony. You just have to trust me. Okay?"

I hesitate, thinking about her words.

"Okay," I quietly reply.

"Great!" She claps her hands together. "So, breakfast, then Nat and Wanda are going to join us in here."

I nod, and tuck into my breakfast.