Okay, that put things in the right perspective: he was more than capable of being dared. "They don't call me Iron Man because of the armor," he quipped. Assuming "they" meant primarily "him" and because he really couldn't resist the innuendo. "Still not into the pain deal. It sucks." He meant to be light and flippant, but it came out more serious than he intended.
Didn't stop him from being dared, from jumping with her and taking the pain with the freefall and the risk of snapping bones and drowning with the need to impress and hopefully see her without the bikini. Or at least with it wet and clinging to her. So he had a one-track mind, even in the middle of a secluded lake being deliberately reckless with her...
Well. Maybe that was "especially" rather than "even".
The nightlight in his chest reflected eerie blue against the walls and the water, and he floated on his back a moment, watching the play of lights and color and enjoying the resonate properties of the cavern.
Twisting, he stretched into an easy front crawl and joined Pepper at the rock, glancing at the offered array of food: that was Pepper, prepared and ready to offer food and drink. "Or we can go again now and then do stuff with food and drink," he suggested.