Chapter 19
Harry sat on the most expensive couch he had ever seen. He had bought Tony a new one after drunkenly showing off his magical skills and accidentally setting the old one on fire. The cushions were deep, the leather was soft and buttery, and the price he paid could have fully furnished two normal houses. Tony had insisted they watch the news. Since becoming a full-time superhero, Tony was always on the lookout for any type of decent action. The new TV was even bigger than the last. Of course, Harry wouldn't have needed to buy that as well if he hadn't soaked the last one when trying to extinguish the couch fire. Tony had mounted it on a wall of inch-thick glass panels that overlooked the Malibu coastline. Suddenly, the brunette anchorwoman on the news began talking about their company.
"Sales of Harry & Tony's Hangover Cure are breaking every record on the books. The supplement, which some critics have called a 'miracle in a bottle,' is flying off store shelves faster than distributors can restock them. The only thing growing faster than demand is the number of imitators."
The feed cut to a video of a mob of college-aged idiots hooting and waving the little glass vials at the camera. Several were already holding up empty bottles as trophies, probably from their previous night's activities. One frat boy chugged an entire red cup full of beer and immediately tried to do a backflip off a ping-pong table. The camera caught the moment he landed face-first on the linoleum.
Tony cackled loudly at the amusing sight. "That's a lawsuit waiting to happen."
Harry chuckled as the guy groaned while his friends pulled him to his feet. "They're not even paying for that product placement," he said. "It's free advertising."
Tony waved a hand. "It's better than a Super Bowl commercial. The only thing better is if there had been some hot chicks partying as well. Jarvis, remind me to double the advertising budget anyway. Also, get legal to put out a statement. We don't want it to seem like we endorse over-consumption. Tell them to do a whole 'drink responsibly' thing."
"Good thinking," Harry said and finished off his beer with a burp.
The anchorwoman's smile seemed a bit brittle. "Sources say the company is unable to keep up with demand. In fact, the makers of the Hangover Cure are reportedly ramping up production by fifty percent. We reached out to Harry Potter, the product's co-founder, for comment, but received no response."
Tony turned down the volume and shook his head at the anchorwoman. "That's the face of a woman who doesn't drink, or else she'd be on our side," Tony said. He turned to Harry. "You hear that? 'Unable to keep up with demand.' That's the sound of money being left on the table, my friend."
Harry nodded and crushed his empty beer can. "I know. We're running at max capacity at the bottling plant. There's literally not enough raw ingredients in the L.A. area to meet our current rate of growth. I already ordered ten new mixing tanks that I'll have to slap some runes on."
Tony grinned wider. "That's a good problem to have. It's the best problem, in fact. I've got six hedge fund guys calling me every morning. Three from Singapore, one from Dubai, and at least two angry old-money types from New York. They all want a piece. They're foaming at the mouth. You could name your price, double it, and they'd still fight over the scraps."
Harry looked at the TV again. "I'd prefer to keep it just you and me. I really don't want anyone else to have a say in what we do."
Tony smacked his shoulder and took a swig from his own beer. "Neither do I. I had had enough of that at Stark Industries. However, we do need to crank up production. You know what comes after demand outstrips supply?" He gestured like a magician revealing the end of a trick. "Premium pricing. You want this stuff? You'll have to pay through the nose. It's capitalism. Just because we sell it at a reasonable price doesn't mean everyone else will. I stopped at a convenience store earlier today, and they were selling them for twenty bucks a pop at the counter. High prices reflect poorly on our brand, even if we're not the ones doing the mark-ups."
Harry thought about it. "We'll have to get another plant … or two. Maybe somewhere in the Midwest, and maybe one on the East Coast."
Tony nodded. "I'll call the lawyers. You call your suppliers and find a way to get the raw stuff shipped in bulk. Make it a global operation."
Harry almost laughed at the idea of going so big so soon, but Tony was already sending texts to someone. Harry's phone buzzed a second later. It was an email from the plant foreman. The subject was "Overflow." The body was a single sentence. "We're going to run out of room by Thursday." They were bottling so much product that they were running out of space to store it between shipments.
Harry set the phone down. "So, we're really going to expand so soon after starting?"
Tony was already standing, phone to his ear. "We're going to change the world, Harry … or at least make it a lot less hungover."
Harry looked at the ocean outside the glass wall. The sun was setting, and the sky burned orange. The waves were rough, and the water was a stormy gray. Harry grinned and grabbed an empty sample bottle off the table. He held it to his nose, sniffed it, and grimaced at the smell. "Still gross," he said, wrinkling his nose. "But as long as it works …"
Tony didn't even look up. "That's all that matters," he said. "That's all anyone wants … a little bit of magic in a bottle."
They sat there for a while longer, watching the news talk about them like they were some kind of story. Harry didn't mind it as much as he thought he would.
Metal and Magic
Natasha left Fury's office in a mood that was somewhere between boredom and annoyance. She had delivered the status update, heard the usual chain of sarcasm and impossible requests, and watched Fury's one good eye twitch every time she corrected him. Now, in the outer corridor, the air smelled like gun oil and cheap cologne. Natasha moved through the noise and security checks with an easy, feline stride.
At the end of the hall, Maria was perched at the empty reception desk, one leg crossed over the other while looking through her phone. She wore a gray pencil skirt and a powder-blue blouse that should have looked bland, but on her it looked quite sexy. She didn't acknowledge Natasha at first, but that didn't stop her from opening her mouth.
"Did you get what you wanted?" Maria asked, never looking up from her phone. She knew Natasha was trying to get permission to go on a leave of absence from other missions so she could focus on Harry.
"Mostly," Natasha replied, pausing at the water cooler. She poured herself a paper cup and drank it all in one go.
Maria set her phone down. Her smile was like a razor. "Fury never gives up anything without a good reason."
Natasha shrugged. "Anyone can be persuaded."
"Is that how you hooked up with Harry?" Maria asked. The question was too casual, which meant it was loaded.
Natasha pretended to ponder. "He doesn't seem like the type who needs much persuading. At least not with me."
Maria gave a light laugh, slightly clipped at the end. "I guess so. You've always had a way with men … and they've certainly had their way with you."
Natasha smiled back, her lips flat and unmoved. "Now, now, Maria … Don't sell yourself short. He seems to like you well enough, so I don't think he's too picky."
Maria picked up her phone, flicked her thumb, then set it down again. "He was picky last night," she said. "He picked me."
Natasha imagined gouging Maria's perfect teeth out with the corner of the reception counter, but she didn't let it show. "You two must have had a lot to talk about."
Maria stretched her arms overhead. "It wasn't all talking," she said. She arched her back so her blouse rode up, flashing a strip of her toned stomach. "I was so tired after, I almost overslept my meeting with Fury. It was worth it, though."
Natasha leaned against the water cooler. "He must be getting good practice with all the… team building."
Maria snorted. "You're funny. I think that's why he keeps you around. I'm more of a hands-on learner."
Natasha thought about a dozen ways to ruin Maria's day, but it wouldn't help. Maria was already glowing and basking in her pathetic little win. So Natasha went for the long game. "You should let him rest tonight," she said. "He's out on another emergency with Stark. They're somewhere in the Caribbean."
Maria's eyes flashed. "That's fine. I'll just stay at his place and wait for him." She stood and smoothed her skirt. "Maybe I'll cook him breakfast in the morning. He really loves it when I do that, you know."
Natasha smiled politely. "I didn't know you could cook."
Maria smiled right back and smirked. "You'd be amazed at what I can do if I put my mind to it." She turned and walked away, her hips swaying with the subtle confidence of a woman who thought she'd already won.
Natasha waited until Maria was out of sight. Then she reached for her phone and dialed Harry's number, but didn't hit send. She stared at the screen for a long moment, then put the phone away and walked down the hall, heels clicking like tiny gunshots. This wasn't the time to be rash. She needed to stop and think for a moment. Natasha was not losing to a woman who thought a breakfast omelet was the endgame … not a chance.
Metal and Magic
Harry was eating leftover Thai food on the couch when his phone rang with an incoming call from Natasha. He hadn't heard from her in a few days and thought that she might have been out on another mission. "Hello?"
"Hi, stranger," Natasha said. Her voice was sweet, which meant she was about to manipulate him.
Harry put his fork down and wiped his lips with a paper napkin. "Hey Natasha. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me," he teased.
"Not a chance. I've been down in San Diego. My cousin went down there on vacation, and I decided to drop in on her," she said, providing an obviously fake explanation for her absence. It sounded so believable coming from her soft, sweet, lying lips. Harry couldn't help but smile. "I'm back now, and I was hoping we could make up for lost time."
"Is that so?" Harry said through his smile.
"Yep! However, that's not why I called. I have a heavy dresser in my bedroom and no one to help move it. Do you think you could spare a minute?"
Harry was not fooled by the bait, but he wasn't about to say no. "Sure. I'll be there in an hour."
"That's perfect," she purred. "See you soon, Harry."
He quickly finished his food, brushed his teeth, changed into a clean shirt, and drove to her place. The traffic was as bad as always, but he made it with a few minutes to spare. He pulled into the driveway of the small, unassuming house and turned off the ignition. Harry didn't bother knocking. They were supposedly dating after all. He stepped inside, and the cool air smelled like vanilla.
"Natasha?" he called out after not seeing her in the living room.
"I'm in the bedroom!" she yelled back.
Harry walked down the hall, which was lined with black-and-white photos of European cities. They were all generic space fillers. The place was cleaner than any apartment he had ever seen, but he wasn't surprised. Natasha didn't even really live there.
When he got to the bedroom, the door was half open. He pushed it wider and nearly lost his balance. Natasha was perched on the edge of her bed, legs crossed, wearing what could only be described as a strip of red silk glued to her body. The fabric clung to every curve, and the neckline dropped so low her breasts looked like they might burst free at any second. The hem didn't cover anything. Harry could see the tops of her thighs, and when she uncrossed her legs, he got a flash of shaved pussy lips.
She smiled at his reaction. "Do you like it?"
Harry stared, then smirked. "You said you needed to move a dresser."
She slid off the bed and approached. The red silk did little to hide her body. The curves were all incredible. The skin was flawless, and every movement was deliberately sexy. She stopped right in front of him and leaned in close enough that he could feel the heat of her skin.
"I did," Natasha said, her voice low and husky. "But I thought you could help me with something else first." She grabbed his belt and pulled him into the room. The door closed with a soft click behind him.
Natasha yanked Harry's belt so hard that his hips slammed into hers. He caught her by the waist, and she twisted, pinning his arms against his sides. Her mouth found his, and she bit his lower lip, just hard enough to hurt. Harry tried to say something, but her tongue slid into his mouth and muted him.
He barely noticed her walking them backward until the backs of his knees hit the mattress. Natasha shoved him down. Harry landed on his ass, and she climbed onto his lap. The silk nightgown fell open at the front, exposing both breasts. Harry stared at the perfect curves of her breasts, and the pink circles of her nipples were already tight and rosy.
She planted her knees on either side of his thighs. Her bare pussy was right there, already wet enough to glisten. Natasha started grinding against the bulge in his jeans. The friction felt incredibly good. Harry gripped her ass, and she drove herself down harder, rubbing her pussy against his covered cock. She made a low, rough sound and pressed even harder.
"Jesus, Natasha," Harry groaned as he played with her naked ass.
"Don't talk," Natasha told him.
He didn't, and she ground faster. The motion made her breasts jiggle and then bounce, and Harry couldn't help but reach up and squeeze them. The skin was soft, warm, and heavy, and Harry's fingers easily found the crinkled tips of her nipples. He twisted her nipples, and Natasha shuddered, then smacked his hands away and pinned them on her bare thighs.
She leaned forward, her breasts swaying inches from his face. "You're going to do exactly what I say," Natasha told him. She left no room for debate.
"Sure," was all he could say, but she pressed a finger over his lips, then kissed him again. The weight of her body kept him pinned, and her hips never stopped moving.
She released his wrists and went for his jeans. She had his fly open before he could blink. She yanked them down, taking his boxers with them. Harry's cock sprang out, flushed and already leaking from the tip. Natasha looked at it, then at Harry. She smirked, obviously liking what she saw.
"God, I love how big you are," she said. Then she slid off his lap, dropped to her knees, and wrapped her hand around his cock. She stroked it slowly and deeply, working it from the base up to the head. Natasha then put her mouth on the head and started sucking him, hard and fast.
Harry groaned as he felt her tongue sliding along the underside of his shaft. She took him deep, almost all the way down her throat, then pulled back and swirled her tongue around the head. Natasha's hand worked the shaft at the same time, twisting in perfect rhythm. The pressure built too fast. She sucked harder, then popped him out of her mouth, a string of saliva stretching from her lips to his cock.
She licked her lips. "Lie back," she ordered.
Harry eagerly followed her request. Natasha peeled off the silk nightgown in one smooth move. Her curvy body was a work of art. Her breasts were large and heavy, with wide, perfect areolas and dark pink nipples. Her stomach was flat, her hips wide, and her thighs were pale and shapely. Her pussy was hairless, smooth, and blushing pink with arousal.
She straddled him again, but this time she didn't grind. She just held herself above his cock, letting the tip of his head rest against her open slit. She leaned forward and let her breasts dangle over his face. "You can touch them now," she said, her voice softer now.
Harry cupped both breasts and squeezed. The weight was perfect, and her nipples were as hard as beads. He put one in his mouth and sucked, while his other hand went to her ass. Natasha moaned and started stroking his cock again, teasing him with slow jerks of her hand. The head mashed into her damp slit, and she used it to massage her clit. She liked to be in control, and Harry could tell she was holding back.
He let go of her nipple, kissed the underside of her breast, and said, "You can do whatever you want to me."
Natasha looked at him with a predatory smile. "Good."
She shifted her hips, rubbed the head of his cock up and down her wet slit, then hovered with it poised at her entrance. Instead of sitting down, she planted her feet on the bed, squatted over him, and spread her pussy with two fingers. The lips parted, revealing shiny, pink flesh. Her clit was visible. It was hard and begging for attention.
Harry watched as she lowered herself, very slowly, until the tip pressed against her opening. Then she stopped. "You want it?" Natasha asked, her voice ragged.
"Yeah," Harry shuddered as he caressed her silky smooth thighs.
She didn't move. She made him wait. The tension made his whole body shake. After a full five seconds, she dropped her hips and took him all the way in, bottoming out with a slap of flesh. Harry almost came right then. The heat and tightness of her pussy were unreal. Her flesh pulsated around him, squeezing in perfect waves. Natasha leaned forward and kissed him, soft this time, and started rolling her hips.
She never took her eyes off his. "You better last until I cum first …," she said. " … or I'll be pissed."
Harry dug his fingers into her ass and tried not to explode inside her. She rode him slowly at first, rolling her hips in circles. She then moved faster, jerking her hips from front to back. Her large, perky tits swung with every bounce. She reached back, grabbed his balls, and squeezed lightly. The sensation was enough to make him bite his lip.
He felt her pussy get even tighter as she neared her own orgasm. Natasha ground herself against him, and Harry reached between her legs and rubbed her swollen, aching clit. She let out a guttural groan and slammed her hips down, shuddering as she came. Her pussy clenched, and Harry couldn't hold back. He came inside her, pumping her full of his seed.
Natasha stayed on top, letting her contracting pussy milk every drop from his bloated sack, then she leaned down and kissed his lips. She didn't say anything for a while. Harry just breathed and watched her healthy tits jiggle in front of him.
After a minute, she slid off him and lay next to him on the bed. Her legs were open, her pussy leaking his cum onto the sheets. She looked over at him, her eyes heavy. "Are you up for another round?" she asked through heavy breaths.
"You better believe it," Harry said, as he cupped a breast and gently rubbed circles over her nipple with the pad of his thumb. Natasha shuddered and grabbed his cock.
Harry kicked off his shoes and then his jeans the rest of the way and pulled his shirt over his head. Natasha was already fingering herself with two fingers inside her pussy and a third circling her clit. Her breasts bounced with the motion, and she didn't break eye contact. She wanted him to watch.
He climbed on top of her, shoved her thighs apart, and lined up. Natasha dug her nails into his hips and pulled him in, hissing as his cock slid inside. Her silky walls stretched around his girth, and a pulse of pleasure raced up her spine. Her pussy was even tighter now and slick with their mixed fluids. He started moving, angling his thrusts to hit her favorite spot, but she locked her ankles behind his back and forced him deeper.
She kissed him hard, letting their lips dance together before sucking his tongue into her mouth. The thick smell of sex hung in the air and made their heads swim. Natasha wrapped her arms around his neck, and her muscles flexed with every thrust.
He tried to pace himself, but she wouldn't let him. Natasha rolled him over, straddling his hips again. She rode him like she wanted to break him in half. Her pussy squeezed him in rhythmic waves, and her hips slammed down, grinding hard on every downstroke.
Harry grabbed her ass and pulled her down even harder. She leaned forward, the swing of her breasts putting her nipple right at his mouth. He sucked it in and gently bit it. Natasha moaned, grabbed the back of his head, and pressed him deeper into her chest.
She shifted her weight and bounced on his cock, using him as leverage. The wet, sticky sounds of her pussy filled the room. She braced herself on his chest, and Harry switched to her other nipple, sucking it until it turned dark pink.
Her pussy clamped down, and Harry felt her orgasm start. She wailed, a short, pleasured sound, and her whole body shook. The grip of her pussy was relentless. It set off his own orgasm, and he groaned, grabbed her hips, and emptied inside her. Spurt after spurt of hot, thick cum coated her insides. Natasha stayed on top until his cock softened and slipped out. She collapsed next to him, her chest heaving. For a while, they just lay there, breathing heavily.
She curled into him, the insides of her thighs sticky with their combined mess. Harry didn't bother cleaning up. He put his arm around her waist and closed his eyes. Natasha rested her head on his shoulder. "That was exactly what I needed," she murmured.
Harry yawned and held her tighter. "Me too."
Natasha smiled, already drifting off. She kissed his neck and snuggled in deeper.
Metal and Magic
It was pitch black when Natasha woke up again, but she didn't want to move. Harry's face was resting between her pillowy tits, and his slow, steady breathing was pleasantly tickling her skin. Her body was pressed tightly to his, and her face was buried in his messy hair.
Natasha heard Harry's phone begin to vibrate. She quietly slid out of bed with a predatory stealth, rummaged through his jeans on the floor, and came up with the phone. The screen lit her face in blue light. It was Maria.
Natasha smirked, scampered out of the room, and answered the phone before Maria could hang up. "Harry's phone," she said in a sickly sweet voice.
There was a long pause, then Maria's voice answered, sounding brittle and forced. "I thought he was supposed to be resting tonight, Natasha?" The way Maria said her name made Natasha smile with vindictive pleasure.
Natasha poked her head into her room and saw Harry in bed, sound asleep. "He is resting. He looks quite peaceful. Sorry, but did you need something?"
Natasha thought she heard Maria snarl, but her voice came out flat. "Just tell him I called."
Natasha made a thoughtful noise. "Will do. Oh, and Maria?"
"Yes?"
"Maybe wait a while before you try again. He's really, really tired."
She ended the call, slipped back into the room, and put Harry's phone back into his jeans pocket. Natasha then crawled back in next to Harry, kissed his shoulder, and closed her eyes. Harry immediately scooted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. Natasha smiled widely. She always enjoyed winning.
Chapter 20
Harry woke to the sound of his phone. It buzzed in the pocket of his jeans. He leaned over the side of the bed and reached for it blindly. Natasha's hair was in his face, and her entire torso was draped over him. Her body was soft and warm, and all he wanted was to fall back asleep and continue using her as a blanket. He fumbled for the phone, finally got it, and saw Tony's name on the screen. Harry groaned.
He tried to slide out from under Natasha, but she had him pinned. He moved carefully, shifting her arms and legs one at a time. He did it slowly, keeping his breathing shallow, so he didn't wake her. The light from the phone made her skin look extra pale. She mumbled, rolled to her side, and immediately burrowed into the blanket, still half on top of him. Harry rested his head on an elbow, flipped open the phone, and answered.
"Yeah," he whispered, his voice dry and scratchy.
"Get your ass home," Tony said. "We have a situation."
Harry sat up and rubbed his eyes. "What kind of situation?"
"The kind where you and I are the only people who can deal with it. A bus full of college kids has gone missing. It's a cartel thing. I've got the details, so just get here."
Harry glanced at Natasha. She hadn't moved. He took a slow breath. "I'll be there in a minute," he said.
"Got it," Tony said, and then hung up.
Harry lowered the phone and stared at the wall for a second. He felt bad, leaving Natasha like this. She looked peaceful, curled up in the sheets. He didn't want her to wake up and realize he was gone while his car was still parked out front. He was sure that would lead to questioning, and a girl like Natasha would immediately know that his excuse was complete bullshit.
He held out his hand, and the Elder Wand appeared in his palm. It felt familiar and comforting. He pointed it at Natasha and whispered, "Somnus." Her breathing slowed even more. She looked dead to the world, except for the pink in her cheeks and the little tremble in her lips every time she exhaled.
Harry stood, careful not to make a sound. He found his pants and shirt and put them on in the dark. He double-checked that his phone was still in his pocket. He looked back at Natasha one last time. She hadn't moved. He suddenly had the urge to bend over her and brush away a bundle of hair that was lying over her face, but he didn't. That was way too cheesy for a world-class ladies' man like him.
He walked into the living room, shoes in hand. He put them on, tied them tight, and stood up, stretching. Sure that Natasha would stay asleep for at least a few hours, he turned on the spot and vanished.
He reappeared in his bedroom, next to the glass-lined wall. It was dark inside and out. The house was dead quiet, and Harry moved through the hall and into the living room. Tony was in the kitchen, drinking an espresso and watching the sun bleed over the horizon.
"You look like hell," Tony said without turning around. "You had a good night?"
"Natasha was very energetic. What's the job?" Harry grunted.
Tony handed him a glass of water, and Harry drank half in one go. The espresso machine hissed, and Tony refilled his own cup. "Six hours ago, a bus of American college kids got taken outside Mexicali. The whole group, consisting of the nineteen students, one driver, and the local guide, is now in the hands of some locals who think ransom is a viable business model."
Harry set the glass down. "How much time do we have?"
Tony shrugged. "It depends on whether they want to make a statement or if they're just in it for the money. Jarvis says we probably have at least three hours before they start mailing back fingers."
"My calculation is based on similar incidents involving this particular cartel," Jarvis explained his reasoning. Harry nodded.
Tony sipped his coffee. They were among the few alive who could be nonchalant about threats of dismemberment. "Are you up for a cross-border operation?" Tony asked.
Harry nodded. "What's the plan?"
Tony's eyes glinted. "Now you're speaking my language." They walked down into the workshop and found the two suits, side by side. They were both gleaming from a fresh coat of paint.
"We go in, get the kids, and get out. I'll admit, it's not much of a plan, but that's all I can come up with without knowing the specifics," Tony said. "You want to do it loud or quiet?"
Harry considered. "Loud," he said.
Tony smiled. "I figured you'd say that. Suit up!"
They both suited up in silence, except for the clicking of servos and the whir of the automated armor assemblies. Harry stood still and let the mechanical arms click pieces of armor into place. The suit felt heavier since he was tired, but it still fit perfectly.
Jarvis piped in. "Flight plan uploaded, gentlemen. There is a heavy tailwind over the border."
Tony closed his faceplate. "Let's not keep the kids waiting."
Harry fired the suit's thrusters, and they left the house in a two-man streak of color, rising up and banking south before the sun had fully cleared the ocean. The city fell away below them, and the lights grew dimmer as they gained height. Tony led the way, flying just above the clouds. Harry followed, matching his speed as the adrenaline burned off the last traces of sleepiness.
Tony's voice crackled in the comm. "By the way, I hope you told the Russian spy you wouldn't be home for breakfast."
Harry smiled despite himself. "She's fine," he said. "She won't be waking up any time soon."
"You've been spending a lot of time with those two SHIELD broads. Don't tell me you're getting mushy on me."
Harry snorted. "Who do you think you're talking to? I'm god's gift to women, and it would be a travesty if the sexy ladies of LA were denied access to my supreme manliness. Besides, I'm just pumping them for information. In fact, when I get back, I may do a little more pumping."
Tony banked right, dropping lower. "That's the spirit. Save the romance for after the heroics."
Below them, the border came into view. There was a fence that separated American farmland from the Mexican city. They followed the gray highway that stretched south into the dust. Harry felt the old thrill build up in his chest. It was the same every time. He felt anticipation as the minutes passed, and he steeled his nerves.
Tony slowed, letting Harry pull up next to him. "You ready?" he asked.
Harry checked the HUD as Jarvis ran his scans to make sure the suit was battle-ready. He nodded. "You know it."
They angled down together as the city of Mexicali sprawled out below them. The sun had barely risen, and the city was just coming to life.
Metal and Magic
Harry and Tony hovered fifty feet above the cantina at Jarvis's waypoint. Below, the cantina looked like a square of concrete and peeling stucco, sandwiched between a tire shop and a small store. A few battered pickups were parked in front, and the only signs of life were three dogs sleeping under one of the trucks and a kid on an old bike, circling the lot in slow, lazy figure eights.
Tony adjusted his hover and peered straight down. "Are you sure this is the place?"
Jarvis answered without hesitation. "This is where the last phone signal originated. I triangulated the signal to this point, sir."
Harry rolled his neck, then scanned the parking lot. The bus was nowhere to be seen. "Do you think they took the bus as well?" Harry asked him. He ignored the kid on the bike, who looked up at them with wide, excited eyes.
"Probably. That's a lot of people to move. They were likely forced to hand over their phones, and they were turned off after being collected." Tony twisted, the servos in his suit whining with the motion. "It's not a great way to start your weekend."
Harry turned in midair, his visor mapping out the nearest roads and alleys. The whole town was a grid of small buildings, shops, and houses. The nearest road out of the city was a pot-holed, two-lane blacktop that ran south, then vanished into the mountains. "If you were a cartel, and you wanted to disappear a bus full of drunken idiots, how would you do it?" Harry asked.
Tony didn't even think about it. "As fast and with as little drama as possible. They'd stay off the main highway, avoid checkpoints, and keep it quiet."
Harry eyed the empty parking lot. "So, you think they planned it?"
"Very likely, sir," Jarvis replied. "They've likely committed similar acts before."
"I have a feeling they went down that road," Harry said, pointing. "It's close to the cantina, and it's the quickest and easiest way out of town. It's not easy to hide a bus in the city."
"Let's follow it and check it out," Tony said, and they began to fly slowly over the two-lane road.
They drifted higher as Jarvis ran his scan. The sky above was cloudless, and the early morning wind jerked his suit on occasion. Harry tried to picture the missing college kids. They were likely hungover, sunburned, and probably still in last night's clothes. He could practically see everything that happened. They had been packed tight onto the tourist bus and suddenly ambushed by men with guns. This type of thing wasn't new for the area. He'd read too many stories like this in the LA Times. There were even travel warnings to dissuade Americans from coming here.
They left the city behind and continued down the road. They had traveled for some time, and Harry was just about to suggest going back when Jarvis interrupted his thought. "There," Jarvis announced, and the HUD painted a bright yellow path down the highway and then off onto a rutted dirt track.
"There were two other vehicles in pursuit," Jarvis said. "Based on tire pattern analysis, the bus exited first, followed by two trucks."
"Are you sure, Jarvis?" Tony asked.
"Yes, sir. The size and width of the tire tracks indicate that it was likely made by a bus. The tracks are fresh."
Harry was already angling west along the dirt track. He gunned his thrusters and pointed down the length of the dirt road, which ran like a scar through the desert. "Let's follow the path and see where it goes."
Tony kept pace. "You want to take point, or should I?"
"Let me," Harry said. He rolled forward and dropped his altitude to one hundred feet, following the road.
The desert outside the city looked very inhospitable. Everything except the mountains was flat, brown, and crumbling. Even the cactuses looked like they were dying of thirst. The dirt road was dead-straight, and for twenty miles, there was nothing but scrub and the occasional chunk of shredded tire. Harry's suit cut through the heavy wind with a low whistle, and the visor auto-adjusted for the sharp glare.
The tire track was easy to spot. The bus had left the dirt road at a shallow angle, and the twin sets of ruts were deep and fresh. The tire tracks ran parallel for a bit, then turned southwest, into a sea of dry brush and brown, rocky dirt.
Tony dropped next to Harry, close enough that their shoulders were almost touching. They slowed to a hover, just above the track. Jarvis flagged a spot ahead, where the brush was flattened in a wide arc. "The vehicles stopped here, sir. I am detecting traces of blood and several fresh footprints leading away from the tire marks."
Harry landed and scanned the ground. There was a red rag, two spent casings, and several large stains that looked dark and sticky. "Someone got shot," he muttered.
"That's not a good sign. We need to find them fast," Tony told him.
Harry knelt down for a closer look. "It looks like there may have been two. There are two drag marks in the dirt, but they only go for like ten feet or so."
Tony fired his thrusters. "Let's get above and scan."
They went up together, following the tire tracks as they continued down the trail. After two miles, the track led over a low hill, then dipped into a valley. Harry's HUD painted a red outline around a single bus parked in the shadow of an abandoned factory. A truck was parked next to it, and two men stood guard by the rear hatch. Both were armed.
Tony's quiet voice came through his comms. "There's our prize."
Harry checked the rest of the valley. There were only two buildings left standing, both crumbling shells. Nothing moved except the two men and a mangy, stray dog limping down the road.
"Any sign of the kids?" Harry asked.
Jarvis zoomed in. "They are inside the bus. I detect nineteen live signatures. The remainder may be inside the building, or … otherwise accounted for."
Harry didn't want to dwell on "otherwise." He looked at Tony. "Tell me when."
Tony cracked his knuckles, which made the suit pop and creak. "When."
Harry nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
He dove first, dropping like a missile toward the parked bus. The guards heard the whine of the suit at the last second and looked up, shielding their eyes from the sun. Harry hit the ground in a sliding tackle, catching both men in the back of the knees. They crumpled and went down. Tony landed behind him, stepped on the first guy's hand, and crushed the pistol flat with his boot. The man howled.
Harry took the second guard by the throat and lifted him. "Where are the other two?" he demanded. The man spat onto his visor, so Harry slammed him into the side of the bus, denting the metal. The guard was immediately knocked unconscious.
Tony pulled the bus hatch open. Inside, the college kids were huddled on the floor. They were scared and shaking, but all of them were alive. Tony said, "Stay in here and stay down."
Harry threw the guard onto the ground, where he lay, unmoving. Tony turned to those in he bus and asked, "Do any of you know what happened to the other two?"
One girl in a Stanford sweatshirt raised her trembling hand. "They shot our driver and guide. They threw the bodies into the back of a truck and drove it away."
Tony sighed and nodded. Sadly, it seemed that not everyone would be going home safe. Harry checked the building. Several more armed men stood inside, arguing over the bags and money they had stolen from the group. They hadn't seen the commotion outside.
"I'll go deal with them," Harry told Tony.
Tony nodded. "Be careful."
Harry crept toward the building. His suit's stealth mode wasn't silent, but it dulled the sound of his footsteps. He pressed against the ruined wall, then peeked through the gap. One of the men was pacing and muttering. Another was laughing and shaking his head while three more dug through purses and backpacks. Harry smiled, then used the suit's external mic. "Hey, fellas," he called out.
The closest two spun, guns up. Harry grinned and blew through the wall with a powerful burst of his thrusters. The cinderblock crumbled, and two of the men tumbled back. One tried to fire, but Harry caught his arm and twisted until it snapped. The gun tumbled to the ground while he held his ruined arm and screamed. The second guy pointed his gun right at Harry's head, but Harry's hand struck quicker than a flash. Harry grabbed the handgun and crushed it into scrap, right along with the man's trigger finger. As he screamed, Harry kicked him right in the knee, and he heard a sickening pop. The guy dropped like a sack of potatoes.
By then, the other three were on their feet. Their guns swung up, and Harry's wand appeared in his hand. With a flick of his wand, the three guns turned into rattlesnakes. The men's eyes went comically wide, and they squealed like scared girls, dropping the snakes. Harry flicked his wand again, and the snakes vanished. He then swirled his wand, and the three men rocketed up into the air. Their heads crunched hard against the rotting ceiling, and Harry swung his wand to the side. Their bodies followed the swing of his wand.
Tony was patiently waiting when he heard a loud crash of glass. Suddenly, three men landed near the back of the bus, unconscious, bleeding, and covered in glass. He chuckled and shook his head. A minute later, Harry came walking out carrying two dozen bags and purses. He tossed the bags into the back of the bus, then went back inside. He returned, dragging two unconscious men by their ankles, and dumped them on the dirt. "We'll drop them off at the border with the rest of them," Harry said. He then did some fancy wand work.
"Good thinking," Tony said as he watched all seven men levitate into the air, line up side by side, and then be securely wrapped in ropes with their arms by their sides. All seven dropped like a sack of dirt.
Tony amusedly shook his head and loaded the unconscious men into the bus. He pointed at the driver's seat. "You drive, I'll follow from above," Tony said.
Harry looked at the bus. The windshield was shot out, but it would still move. He went to the driver's seat, turned the key, and fired up the engine. The battered bus shuddered to life.
He hit Tony up over the comms. "Let's get them home."
They took the dirt track with Harry leading in the bus and Tony trailing from above. The sun was fully over the horizon now, and the desert looked bright and endless. Harry watched the road for any sign of trouble, but there was nothing but dust blowing in the hot wind.
As they rolled back into the city, Tony pulled up over the bus and sat on the roof with his legs dangling over the broken windshield. Harry chuckled. "Move your legs, idiot! I can't see!"
They dropped the kids and cartel members at the border, made sure the authorities had them, and then headed home, flying north over the highway. Harry felt the adrenaline fade, replaced by the satisfaction of another successful mission.
"Nice work, Harry," Tony said over the comm. "In celebration of our heroism, I say we hit up the strip club tonight. I'm sure the girls miss us."
Harry laughed, let Jarvis autopilot the suit. "That sounds like a plan."
Metal and Magic
Harry apparated into Natasha's house, carrying a white paper bag and a cup of coffee, and peeked into the bedroom. Natasha lay facedown across her mattress, her hair spilled across the pillow, and the sheet was twisted around her bare legs. He set the bag and cup on her dresser.
Harry's wand appeared in his hand. Her skin showed faint red pressure marks from the sheets, and she was breathing slowly and steadily. He pointed his wand at her and whispered, "Finite." His wand then disappeared from his hand. She twitched, jerked, then went limp again. After a few seconds, her breath caught, then she groaned. Her eyes fluttered open, and she yawned.
"Mmm. Why are you out of bed and dressed?" she tiredly asked.
Harry smiled at her and showed her his offerings. "I got you donuts and coffee," he told her. He heard her stomach rumble.
"Coffee?"
"Yep," he said easily, and she flopped onto her back, her naked breasts stretching upward when she placed both hands behind her head. She really knew how to tempt him.
Harry grabbed the bag and the coffee cup and brought them to the bed, careful not to spill. Natasha sat up, letting the sheet fall to her lap, and not bothering to cover herself. She took the cup, sipped, then leaned back on the pillows with the cup balanced on her stomach.
He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Donut?" he asked, shaking the bag.
She reached for the bag. "What kind?"
"Cinnamon twist and chocolate. I also got you a croissant, but it's not very good."
"You know what I like," she said, tearing the cinnamon twist in half and handing the larger piece to him. He ate it in silence, while happily checking out her curvy form.
Natasha stared at the ceiling, chewing slowly. Her eyes looked tired, but he could tell that she was still as sharp as ever.
"Are you still tired?" he asked her, and Natasha shook her head while chewing. "I guess I just wore you out last night," he teased.
She swallowed, took a drink of her coffee, and stuck her tongue out at him. She then got out of bed, placed her coffee on the dresser, and padded naked across the hardwood floor to the bathroom. He heard the clatter of her toothbrush and the tap water running. The bathroom door was left open.
Harry brushed her crumbs from the bed sheets while waiting for her to finish. The water stopped, and Natasha came out, rubbing her face with a towel. She sexily sauntered up to him, her bare breasts bouncing and swaying with every step. She slid her arms around his neck and kissed him. He rested his hands at the small of her back and slid them down, squeezing her bare ass. She murmured into his ear, "I have to go to work soon, but you can fuck me in the shower if you're fast."
He kissed her collarbone, and when she pulled away, she left the towel around his neck. She disappeared into the bathroom, and he suddenly heard water splattering hard into the tub. He followed her in, still holding the towel, and kicked the door shut behind him.
Chapter 21
Maria Hill preferred a nondescript car for stakeouts. The gray sedan she'd requisitioned for the morning was barely four years off the lot. There were no stickers, one old air freshener, and no visible damage. It was the kind of car that eyes tended to sweep past. She'd been sitting in the shadow of a broad cedar tree for thirty-three minutes. The windows were up, and the AC was on low. A paper cup of gas station coffee sat between her knees. She wore tight gray trousers, white sneakers, and a snug olive-colored t-shirt. Her outfit could pass for yoga gear from a distance. She kept her hair in a tight French braid.
She lifted the binoculars again and peered at the small Spanish-style house halfway up the block. The stucco had been freshly patched, and someone had left a flyer on the front steps. Natasha's car was parked in the driveway, nose-first. Harry's car was parked crookedly at the curb, as if it had skidded to a halt in haste. It seemed that her dear, sweet Harry had been in a rush to see Ms. Romanoff. The thought annoyed her. The front walk was swept clean, but the lawn was browning in patches.
Maria scanned the neighboring houses, then the street, then the porch again. There were no joggers, no early morning dog walkers, and nobody so much as opened a curtain. The only movement was a fat pigeon pecking at some spilled potato chips on the sidewalk. Maria checked her phone. It was 7:18 AM.
She set down the phone and flexed her left hand, working out the tension that had been building since the moment she parked. Stakeouts were always less glamorous than movies made them out to be. The best ones happened at airports or busy lobbies, with the target surrounded by dozens of unsuspecting civilians. Suburban surveillance, Maria thought, was a test of one's ability to look at nothing for hours without going insane.
She lifted her binoculars again. Natasha's television flickered for another three minutes, then winked off. The curtain twitched, and Maria caught the shadow of movement behind the glass. She leaned back in her seat and let out a slow, controlled breath. Natasha shouldn't be expecting any surveillance. Still, SHIELD wanted to know … Was Natasha becoming emotionally attached to Harry?
She got her answer a few minutes later. The front door swung wide, and Harry stumbled onto the porch, his shirt half-tucked, and his hair a complete disaster. He looked like someone who had been up all night. Maria didn't have to wonder what they were doing. She already knew the answer. He carried a brown paper bag in one hand and a disposable, styrofoam coffee cup in the other. The rim of his cup was already stained. He paused, squinting at the sunrise, then took a long sip from the coffee and checked his phone. Harry then shuffled a few steps toward his car.
Maria tracked him with the binoculars, noticing how he walked. His stride was loose and careless. He had the body language of someone who'd already succeeded at what he came for. Maria knew that he had gone there for a piece of pussy, and knowing Natasha, Harry had likely gotten more than just a piece.
Suddenly, there was a blur of color. Natasha barreled out after him, barefoot and in a t-shirt and a pair of tiny shorts. She caught up to Harry on the walkway and flung her arms around his neck. The paper bag squished between them and dropped to the ground. Harry nearly dropped the coffee, but managed to keep it upright, grinning like an idiot.
Maria watched as Natasha pulled Harry in and kissed him. It wasn't a simple peck, but a deep, passionate mauling of his lips. It was a slow, wet kiss that went on just long enough to make any neighbor watching from behind their blinds feel both embarrassed and compelled to keep watching.
Maria pressed the binoculars tighter to her eyes. She couldn't lip-read from this angle, but Romanoff's hands were on Harry's shoulders. They moved lower until she had two handfuls of his ass. Harry responded with a little half-laugh, and he squeezed her ass in return. For a moment, it looked like they might start fucking right there on the sidewalk.
Instead, Natasha stepped back, snagged the coffee cup, and took a greedy gulp. She said something, smirked, and handed it back. Harry accepted the cup, smirked, and probably made a wiseass remark. Natasha let go, but not before she landed a quick slap on Harry's left butt cheek, which seemed to amuse him even more. He gave her a salute, scooped up the fallen bag, and opened the driver's door before sliding into the seat.
Natasha watched from the walkway until Harry started the car and pulled away from the curb. She waved, waited for his taillights to vanish, then went back inside, closing the door with a lazy flick of her wrist.
Maria lowered the binoculars and stared straight ahead. She took a sip of the coffee, which had gone cold. Her right hand drummed against the center console. She couldn't lie to herself. Seeing Natasha practically throwing herself at him annoyed her to no end. Maria decided that she really needed to step up her game. 'Maybe a nice picnic,' she thought with a smirk. Her ex-boyfriend really, really loved her picnics.
She pulled her laptop into her lap and opened it up, looking for the file she'd started on Harry and Natasha's operational relationship. She added a new line below the last.
Harry spent the night. Left at 7:24 A.M.
Fury feared Natasha might become a liability due to her growing fondness for him. There were even fears that she might turn. The risk assessment on "turn" had been trending up lately, thanks to Harry's unpredictability and his ability to wrap women around his fingers. Maria made a mental note to update the relevant files.
She scanned the house again. The curtains stayed drawn. Natasha likely wouldn't bother to check for surveillance when she was home. After all, SHIELD agents were watching the place, but Maria had learned in Moscow and again in Islamabad that the best time to get intel was during those unguarded moments.
She watched the house for another fifteen minutes. There was no movement, and Natasha made no calls. She started the sedan, let it idle, then texted "clear" to the ops line. It was standard procedure. She took another sip of her cold coffee, made a face, and poured it out the window. The street was still quiet except for the sound of a distant leaf blower. Maria considered driving by the house for a closer look, but that might tip her hand.
Instead, she pulled away from the curb, turned at the corner, and merged into light traffic. She caught herself glancing into the rearview mirror, just in case Natasha was onto her. As she hit the main road, Maria's phone buzzed with a text from Coulson. "Status?"
She thumbed a reply while steering one-handed. "Potter left. Natasha alone. No sign of comms."
The response was near-instant. "Noted. Debrief at 0900."
She locked the phone and dropped it on the passenger seat. The day would fill up fast. She had paperwork, meetings, and phone calls to make. Harry's business was growing at an unprecedented rate. Fury considered himself lucky that Maria had had the foresight to install herself in his upper management. This early-morning surveillance and the upcoming debriefing would stretch her a bit thin, but she could handle it.
As she made her way to the factory, Maria let herself replay the scene from the porch. The kiss especially irritated her. Still, she couldn't help but smirk, knowing that she was getting one over on Natasha. Hell, Fury might even decide to pull her off the mission. Maria only hoped that she would be put back in the lead. She merged onto the freeway, turned on the radio, and tried not to think about Natasha's hand on Harry's ass.
Little did she know that Natasha wasn't the only one that Fury was uneasy about.
Metal and Magic
Natasha had always thought that post-mission mornings were best spent alone, ideally with a cup of coffee and a nice, hot bath. Instead, she was standing on a chair in her bedroom, reaching for the ceiling fan. Things had gotten very heated the night before, and in a fit of passion, Harry had tugged her panties off so hard that they flew up and got stuck on top of a ceiling fan blade. Her only consolation was that he had made her some strong coffee, and he didn't judge her for eating four Pop-Tarts while watching Spanish soap operas. When the phone buzzed, she checked the screen and knew exactly who it was. She answered before it could go to voicemail. "What's up?"
"Good morning," Coulson said. There was a dead tone to his voice, which meant he was calling on someone else's orders. "Are you alone?"
She glanced at the closed bedroom door. Harry had already left for work. "Yeah. Go."
"I need a quick status update. Last night with Potter?" There was a hint of something under the surface … judgement perhaps?
Natasha kept her answers clinical. "He slept here and left early. He didn't make or receive any calls." She reached for her own coffee, sipped it, then put the cup down with care. "Is this about the new risk assessment?" Fury had been getting on her case about how much time Harry was spending in her bed.
There was a pause. Coulson's silence was an answer in itself. "Yes. Fury wants you on standby, but that's not why I'm calling."
She dropped into a crouch to stretch her hamstrings, the phone tucked between her shoulder and cheek. Harry had folded her body into a pretzel last night … not that she was complaining. "Then what is?"
There was a soft click, as if Coulson had just closed the door to his office. "Agent Hill scheduled a private evening with Potter. She requested a surveillance blackout. She cleared it with Fury. The official reason is a business dinner, but off the record, Fury thinks she's getting emotionally involved."
Natasha almost snorted, but she forced her face to stay blank. "You want me to follow them."
"I want you to keep an eye on them. Don't spook Hill unless you have to. Fury thinks that she's getting too close to him, and he wants you to assess the situation."
Natasha straightened up and pulled the phone from between her shoulder and ear. "I'm honored," she said, keeping the sarcasm to the bare minimum.
"We're running low on people who haven't already had a fling with him," Coulson said, which almost got a laugh out of her. "Do you have a problem with this assignment?"
"I have a problem with Hill," she replied. Then, realizing how that sounded, she added, "But not the assignment. I'll handle it."
"Thank you," Coulson said, and the line went dead. Natasha scrolled to the top of her call list, deleted the log, and set the phone on the counter.
Metal and Magic
Natasha stayed far behind as she tailed Maria's car. Harry sat in the passenger seat with his window cracked. As usual, he appeared unaware that he was being surveilled by two women at once. Natasha lowered her speed, letting a rusty Civic slip between them. She didn't mind the delay. She was patient.
At the next intersection, Maria turned left toward the foothills. There was little traffic this far from the city. Natasha kept her distance, alternating between watching the sedan and checking the mirrors for counter-surveillance. Nobody followed. The hills faded away the further they went. The houses grew fewer, and the roads were shabbier and patched with snaking lines of tar.
She followed for another twenty minutes, then saw the brake lights flare as Maria's car slowed. Natasha eased off the gas, letting the Civic pull farther ahead. Maria's car turned off onto a dirt drive bracketed by two rotting fence posts. Natasha didn't follow. Instead, she rolled past it, turned onto a cross street a quarter mile up, and cut the engine. She coasted into the shoulder, gravel crackling under the tires.
Natasha immediately jumped into action. She removed the black wig and gold-rimmed sunglasses she had been wearing to help disguise herself. She popped the trunk, grabbed her black duffel bag, and checked the contents. Inside was her sidearm, a pair of large, powerful binoculars, a battered camera with a telephoto lens, and a parabolic mic. She zipped the bag, slung it over her shoulder, and walked into the field.
There was no trail, just a patch of brittle golden grass that stretched to a line of trees. The grass came up to her chest and was dry enough to crunch loudly if she wasn't careful. She moved slowly and avoided making too much noise. She walked bent at the waist, using the tall grass as cover. From here, she could see Maria's car parked in front of the house.
The house itself had seen better days. The white paint was peeling off, exposing the gray, sun-bleached boards underneath. Every window was either broken or boarded shut. Natasha circled wide, using the trees as cover, and found a vantage point at the crest of a shallow slope. She unzipped the duffel and extracted the binoculars. They were military grade, which was a bit much for this assignment, but Natasha liked being prepared. She steadied her elbows on her knees and peered through the glass.
Maria circled to the back of the car and opened the trunk, and Harry followed. Maria pulled out a red-checkered blanket and a battered blue picnic basket. Natasha's jaw nearly dropped. She brought him here for a fucking picnic? She watched as Maria handed Harry the blanket. He took it with both hands and gave her a little smirk. Maria didn't react, but Harry's smile lingered. Natasha couldn't help but smile at his boyish expression.
They didn't go toward the house. Instead, Maria led the way around the back, toward a stand of trees that sloped down into a hidden ravine. Harry followed, the blanket under one arm, and the basket in the other. Natasha kept them in frame as she moved parallel, stepping lightly while the duffel bag smacked against her thigh. She felt a trickle of sweat at her hairline. It was already getting hot.
Maria stopped at the edge of the trees and spread the blanket on a bare patch of dried leaves. Harry set the basket down and opened it. From inside, he pulled a bottle of wine, two clear plastic cups, and a bunch of other food that Natasha wouldn't have minded trying.
Through the binoculars, she could see Harry say something that made Maria shake her head, then laugh. He poured the wine and handed her a cup. Maria sipped and grimaced, probably at the temperature. Natasha repositioned, getting lower to the ground and bracing the binoculars on her forearms. She watched as Harry fished out a pastry and offered it to Maria. Maria bit off a chunk, chewed, swallowed, and then pecked Harry on the cheek. The whole spectacle made Natasha sick.
Natasha stayed there for an hour, watching them eat. Then, as the sun began to set, that's when the real action started.
Natasha focused the binoculars with the tip of her finger. She zoomed in and focused only on the two of them. Maria sat cross-legged and barefoot while Harry leaned back on his elbows. She watched Maria reach across the blanket, set her palm on Harry's shoulder, and then slide her hand up his neck and into his hair.
He didn't object. In fact, he turned his head so she could have a better grip. Maria gripped harder, and the gesture had zero subtlety. Natasha's lips curled up on one side. 'Pathetic,' she snidely thought.
Maria leaned in and pressed her lips to Harry's mouth. It started slowly. Maria's hand moved up, and her fingers threaded through his hair. Harry let her do it. His arms never left the blanket. After a while, Maria pulled away and said something. He chuckled and responded, and Maria laughed, her whole body tilting forward with the movement. Harry grabbed her around the waist and yanked her down onto his lap.
Maria ended up straddling his thighs, her knees pressed to either side of his hips. The red-checkered blanket bunched beneath them. Natasha adjusted the focus and brought Maria's face into sharp relief. The laughter was gone. Her lips were parted, and her eyes were heavy-lidded. She looked like she was about to devour him. Natasha knew that feeling well.
Harry reached up and found the hem of Maria's shirt, and Maria lifted her arms overhead. He peeled it off in one clean motion. Her pale skin practically shimmered in the waning sunlight. She wore a dark bra that showed off a lot of pale, creamy cleavage. Her stomach was flat and smooth, and her skin looked incredibly soft. That annoyed Natasha. Harry trailed his hands up her ribcage and cupped her breasts, squeezing them through her bra. Maria rolled her hips forward and planted herself fully onto his crotch.
Natasha let out a barely audible snort. "She's such a slut," she muttered. She zoomed in more, and through the binoculars, the details were very crisp. Maria leaned forward and buried her face in the side of Harry's neck, kissing a line from his jaw to his collar. Harry's fingers wandered up her back and under the band of her bra. He held it tight, and Maria responded by grinding against him. She was certainly putting on a performance for him.
Harry then surprised her by lifting her by the waist and pivoting her around, laying her flat on her back on the blanket. He crawled up over her, one knee between her legs, and braced himself on his forearms. Maria ran her hands up his sides, grabbed the hem of his shirt, and tugged it up. He let her pull it over his head, then he tossed it off the side of the blanket. Maria sat up, quick as a flash, and reached behind her back. She unclasped and pulled her bra off in one smooth motion. Her tits popped out, and Natasha took a moment to study the competition. Maria's breasts were perfect. They weren't too big or too small. They were just perfectly perky, round, and topped with pink nipples that were a little lighter than Natasha's own.
Harry smiled at Maria's impatience, and Maria grinned back. She was clearly unapologetic about her eagerness. Natasha watched as Harry ran both palms up Maria's belly and over her breasts. Maria's eyes squeezed shut as he expertly kneaded them. He dragged his thumbs over her nipples, and Natasha watched as the flesh responded. Maria's nipples crinkled and hardened into stiff peaks almost immediately. Maria moaned, and then she reached for Harry's belt. She undid it in seconds, like a true professional. Harry wiggled out of his jeans, leaving only his blue boxer briefs.
Maria lay back and stretched, arching her spine and pushing her chest up to him. Harry leaned over and licked the inside of her cleavage. His tongue flicked her left nipple, and then he kissed the right one. Maria's hands clamped onto his head, holding him in place. She said something that Natasha couldn't hear, but she knew Maria's lips well enough to guess. "Keep going," she probably said, and Harry happily complied. He sucked on one nipple and then bit it, just hard enough to make Maria shudder. Her thighs squeezed his waist.
Now they were really going at it. Maria's body squirmed beneath his, and Harry's hands started exploring. He ran one palm down her stomach and under the waistband of her gray leggings. Maria squirmed more, so he pulled the leggings off in one motion. She wore very thin, white panties, and Natasha saw the outline of Maria's pussy pressed tight to the fabric. A dark, wet spot was growing at the center.
Harry pressed his hand against her crotch, and Maria bucked her hips. He rubbed her through the panties, and his fingers made slow circles against her covered clit while Maria gripped his forearm and held it tight. Natasha watched Maria's face. Every flicker of pleasure was visible and unfiltered. Maria's lips parted, and her tongue darted out to wet them. Harry kissed her again, taking her tongue into his mouth, before moving lower.
He hooked his fingers under her panties and tugged them down. Maria lifted her hips to help. For a moment, the panties clung to her thighs before sliding down and off her ankles. Maria was now completely naked. Natasha dialed the binoculars back, taking in the whole scene. Maria was spread out on the blanket, legs open, and her pussy slick and glistening. Harry was crouched between her thighs. He ran a finger down her slit, parted the lips, and started circling her clit with his thumb.
Natasha's breath caught in her throat. She adjusted the binoculars and zoomed in. Maria's clit was swollen into a perfect pink bead that was peeking out from between her folds. Harry leaned down and ran his tongue from her opening all the way to her clit. Maria's whole body jumped in response. Harry did it again, then sucked her clit between his lips and teased it with the tip of his tongue. Maria's fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him hard against her, and Natasha could see Maria's thighs trembling.
He kept licking her, making her body quiver. He used two fingers to open her up, and Natasha watched as Harry slid two fingers inside. Maria's back arched, and her lips moved, but Natasha couldn't hear the noise. She watched Maria's face as she started to cum. Her eyes squeezed shut, her jaw clenched, and her breath visibly hitched in her chest. Harry didn't stop. He kept his mouth glued to her pussy, drawing out the orgasm. Maria bucked wildly, but he held her hips and pressed in harder.
After a minute, Maria went limp. Harry kissed her inner thigh, her stomach, and crawled up over her, planting a line of kisses up her torso. Maria dragged him down into a kiss, tasting herself on his lips. She was greedy. Her hands went to his boxers, yanked them down, and his cock popped free. Even though she had seen and handled it dozens of times, Natasha couldn't help but be impressed as it bounced around, as stiff as a board. Maria seemed to think so, too, because she grabbed it and began stroking it with enthusiasm. Harry gasped and braced himself on both arms above her.
Maria didn't waste time. She pushed Harry over onto his back and straddled him, gripping the base of his cock and guiding it inside her. She sank down quickly, taking every inch. She seductively looked down at him and started to bounce. The whole time, her hands worked her own tits, pinching and pulling at the nipples. Natasha watched Harry's hands drift up to her waist, holding her in place while she moved.
They fucked like animals. Maria was more aggressive than Natasha would have thought possible. She bounced hard, slamming her hips into Harry's crotch, and Harry met her thrust for thrust. Natasha watched, mesmerized by the erotic sight. She didn't realize that one of her hands had drifted down between her own legs, absently tracing her tingling pussy over her jeans. The other kept the binoculars glued to her eyes. She watched Maria's tits bounce, watched her flushed face, and watched the way Harry groaned and flexed his arms as he felt Maria up. Maria leaned forward, put her hands on Harry's chest, and rode faster. Natasha thought that it was quite impressive the way Maria's hips rapidly jerked back and forth before slowing into a grinding circle.
It didn't take long for Maria to cum again. Maria's rhythm stuttered, her back arched, and her mouth dropped open in a silent scream. Natasha knew what that meant. Maria's whole body spasmed as she came again, her pussy clenching around Harry's cock. Harry groaned, grabbed her hips tight, and jerked his hips up. Natasha saw the exact moment Harry started to cum. His face went blank for a second, and then his whole body tensed. Maria smiled down at him, still working his cock and milking every drop out of him.
Maria's hips jerked a few more times as she rode out her orgasm before she collapsed on his chest. Harry wrapped both arms around her back and held her close. They stayed that way for a minute, catching their breath. Natasha watched the rise and fall of Maria's shoulders. Her own heart was pounding.
She lowered the binoculars, wiped the sweat from her palms onto her jeans, and then raised them again. Maria and Harry were still pressed together, murmuring to each other. Maria ran her hand over his stomach, then up his chest, and rested her cheek on his shoulder. She looked happy and content. Natasha had a sudden urge to march down there and make a scene, but she wasn't here to break cover.
Instead, she watched them for another ten minutes, noting how Maria never let go of him. Finally, Maria sat up, stretched, and reached for the bottle of wine. She took a long swig, then offered it to Harry. He took the bottle and drank from it.
Natasha watched them dress. Maria slipped her panties back on first, then the leggings, and then the shirt. Her face was still red, and her hair was a mess. Harry dressed more slowly, pausing to steal kisses from Maria as she bent over the basket. They packed everything up, then started back up the hill toward the car.
Natasha lay flat on her stomach, hidden by grass, and watched them move off. She didn't move for a full minute, letting her thumping heart settle. She rolled onto her back and looked up at the sky. She felt angry, a little bit horny, and mostly annoyed that she had to watch Hill make moves on her own favorite plaything. Natasha promised that she would get even.
Natasha stood, packed up, and shouldered the duffel. She hiked back to the car, her mind already working the angles. Next time, she'd do the seducing, but for now, she had to report back to Coulson.