Pepper and Holli slinked into the ballroom arm in arm. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the BLISS women that scurried about the large area and saw that they wore similar mini-dresses as Holli, and had their hair up in just as intricate updos. She recalled Holli tempting her to do her hair just as these full-figured beauties, and there was a part of her that wished she had taken her new friend up on her offer. No matter, she thought. Her vibrant green eyes continued to scan the area for Max. She wanted to thank him for the new dress.
Pepper’s painted lips curled in satisfaction when she saw that more and more heads had turned and had begun to look at her and Holli. They truly were a sight to behold and the CEO turned her head to smile down at her new friend.
A incredibly fit man wearing the standard BLISS waiter uniform approached the pair and handed both Pepper and Holli each a glass of wine. Pepper thanked the man and took an immediate sip, while the waiter and Holli grinned at one another.
“Oh, dlelish!” Pepper declared, “My compliments to the sommelier.”
“BLISS owns a vineyard in California,,” Holli explained, before taking her own sip of the wine. “Max signed off on the deal personally.”
“Of course he did,” Pepper murmured. Her eyes then began drifting over the throng of people. She could see that other women had decided to show a little more skin that night, and a part of her was relieved that she wouldn’t have been the only one. A larger part of her wanted Max to see her in the dress he had picked out. Taking another sip of the wine, Pepper then wondered out loud, “Now, where is that man?”
“Speak of the devil and he will appear in moments,” Max announced, and Pepper turned her head to see the BLISS CEO appear from seemingly out of nowhere.
“Max!” Pepper exclaimed, and a pleased smile formed on her glamorously made-up face.
He had two BLISS girls on his arms, one a tad older by the looks of it and the other younger than even Holli. Their extremely augmented bodies were squeezed into the same tight little mini-dresses as Holli, and each woman’s hair was as intricately made up. Max uncoiled his arms from around their waists, but not before giving each a gentle swat on their round asses.
“Remember, just as we talked about. Now shoo. Ms. Potts and I have much to discuss!” he said in a commanding voice, before turning his attention to the redhead before him. Pepper gazed up at the suave Frenchman, a tad discombobulated that he had appeared so suddenly. He drank in her scantily-clad form, which caused her body to tingle once more in pleasure. It was as if ever since she had left Max’s office that morning she had a cloud of arousal permanently surrounding her, and she loved the way he was looking at her. Pepper batted her eyes and smiled back at him, trying her best to not show how utterly turned on she was.
Max recognized this all-too familiar wanton look and his wolfish grin only grew. Seeing her slender body squeezed into the ulta-revealing red and gold gown he had picked out was exhilarating for him. It was a far departure from her conservative business attire, or even the long, flowing frock she had worn just a night prior. Not only did she look drop-dead gorgeous in her gown, but there was a change in her overall demeanor that excited him. There was a definite change in Pepper Potts that he recognized all too well in his other conquests, and it meant that his plans for her that had been set in motion weeks prior when she had first set foot on the new BLISS vessel were coming along swimmingly.
“Pepper, if I may be so bold, I must say you look absolument gorgeous tonight,” Max complimented, as he reached over and grabbed her by the hand. He leaned down chivalrously and gave it a light kiss, “It is good to see you letting your hair down while on vacation.”
“Well, thanks to Holli here, I’m actually wearing it up tonight!” Pepper declared, glancing hotly over to Holli and the three all laughed lightly at Pepper’s joke.
“Ah, yes,” Max said, embracing Holli. He leaned down to kiss her on one cheek, followed quickly by the other cheek, “Sweet little Holli. You did such a magnifique job helping the great Pepper Potts. You will be rewarded.” Holli raised her perfectly sculpted eyebrows knowingly at her employer and a pleasant tingle flowed through her body at what was to come later that evening.
The redhead looked on completely enraptured as he watched Max behave like the perfect gentleman for her new friend, but after some time she wanted his attention for herself. She smoothly cut into the man’s conversation.
“And thanks to you,” she winked “I have this beautiful gown! How very generous, Max. Thank you!”
Both Max and Holli looked over at Pepper and smiled at how comfortable she appeared in their company. She’d come a long way since embarking on the ship a day prior. The woman who stood before them moved like she belonged with them, they both thought and continued to concentrate on the scantily-dressed CEO. Pepper quivered under Max and Holli’s combined gaze,and she slowly brought her hands to the sides of the dress, accentuating the bare panels with golden trim that revealed her pale flesh beneath. The one-time level-headed woman cooed out teasingly, “I especially like the sides. Very daring. Don’t you think, Max?”
“Definitely, mon cher,” Max grinned wolfishly. Holli giggled her approval.
She laughed lightly and teased, “And what do you think of my hair and makeup. You didn’t give any advice on that, now did you?”
“Non, I did not, but luckily for the both of us, ma petit beauté, Holli here is so talented,” Max smiled, “I am so, so happy that you have become fast friends. I’d feared you two might ‘ave gotten off on the wrong foot, no?”
“Well…um...” Pepper stammered, recalling how frustrating she had been earlier that day. She looked over apologetically at Holli, who smiled brightly at her, as if in encouragement. She then recalled who had helped her through this and she returned Holli’s smile, “I suppose we did. Yes, I was being irrational. Maybe I didn’t sleep well last night.”
“Hmmm,” Max nodded his head, “Perhaps you simply are not used to relaxing. Trust me, I know the strain of running a company. Fortunately, my work allows me to be on board this luxury liner surrounded by beautiful people, much like yourself and mon cher Holli here. I imagine Stark Industries is not nearly so accommodating. Or am I sorely mistaken, Pepper?”
“You’re right, Max,” Pepper said, flashing a wide smile, but then she caught herself, and stammered out, “Of course you’re right. I mean, Holli is very beautiful.” she recalled being naked in front of the girl she had just met and how Holli had so generously helped her into the form-fitting gown. She blinked her eyes rapidly and continued, “And I was quite, um, foolish to question the, um, augmentations that Holli and the rest of your female staff have all received. It all makes perfect sense after you and sweet little Holli explained it to me. As for Stark Industries, it’s like any position where one finds oneself in a position of authority really. It has its ups and downs. A, ah, strain, as you put it. But it can also be very rewarding too.”
She took a quick sip of her champagne, and looked down sheepishly. She desperately hoped that her answer satisfied the man. Little did she realize, but his opinion of her was suddenly very important to her. She looked over to him and saw that he was nodding, and she smiled in relief. It was as if a weight had been lifted from her. He grabbed his drink from the table and with a warm smile he held it out.
“To the strain of leadership,” the Frenchman charmingly toasted.
“To the strain of leadership,” Pepper smiled back at him. The pair clinked their glasses and took a healthy drink. Pepper smacked her lips together and let the pleasant tingle that the alcohol had brought on flow over her. She looked at Max and batted her curled eyelashes at him, “You have wonderful taste in champagne, Max. Holli here has told me that BLISS has its very own vineyard.”
“That we do,” Max said, “There were some on BLISS’ board of directors who urged me not to buy the vineyard. It has been quite a profitable side venture for my company, and I make sure to gift the men and women on the board with a bottle every single year to go along with their Christmas bonus!”
Pepper’s face lit up and she laughed louder than she may have meant to. When her laughter died down she murmured out, “Oh, Max, you scoundrel! I would just love to see the look on the fools’ faces!”
“Quite right, mon cher. But the best part of it all is that it comes with the additional benefit of sharing the, er, fruits of my investment with gorgeous creatures like yourself,” he let the compliment float in the air for a brief moment. His charming smile had disappeared and the suave Frenchman looked at the redhead in a most suggestive manner.
Pepper’s eyes became lidded and she took a dainty step towards him, when suddenly the lights in the room dimmed a few times. Max looked up at them, his smile never leaving his face, while Pepper looked far more surprised. She shook her head and caught herself. What had she been about to do... The CEO cut herself off at the very thought of it. Still, whatever might have happened, it hadn’t, and really, it had all just been a bit of fun. Certainly nothing for her to worry about. It was as Max had said. She was on vacation and could let her hair down, and Max was so very smart.
“I guess that means dinner is almost ready,” Pepper murmured to Max.
“Oui,” Max said, shaking his head, “And I had been so enjoying our conversation. Perhaps after dinner we may continue it, no?”
“I would love to!” Pepper exclaimed, but realized how she must have sounded. She looked down for the a moment, before looking back up. She burned with both embarrassment and nervousness that she had come on too strong to the man. Finally, she murmured, “That is...I mean, if you aren’t too busy.”
“For you, mon cher, Ms. Potts,” Max grinned, “Anything.”
Pepper laughed and batted her eyes at him once more. She then cooed out, “Max, how many times do I have to tell you. Please call me Pepper!”
He reached out and took her hand once more, kissing it, “I shall see you later...Pepper.”