"Woah…" he said softly lying back against the pillow. He looked over at her as she pulled the duvet up around her, she sat back against the headboard.

"Yeah" she said uncertainly, avoiding his gaze.

"Pen" he reached out and took her hand. "What's wrong?"

"I can't believe that just happened…" she whispered.

"Really? I thought we were heading this way for a while now." He said shrugging.

"What?"

"Don't you remember the first time we met, I tried to hit on you? Over the years we've just been getting closer and closer to this." He smirked. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist this forever." He gestured to himself. "May-December thing remember?" She groaned and slapped him with no real intent. She rested her hand on top of his and stroked it with her thumb as he laughed. "I knew you'd bring that fire to the bed room."

"Wow my standards have lowered." She laughed, finally looking up to him. "So, every inappropriate comment you made, you were…" she trailed off.

"Ruthlessly flirting."

"I am… oddly flattered."

"I'm glad to hear it boo." He said leaning in to kiss her bare shoulder. "So glad…" he muttered as he continued his path of caresses.

"Uh you are a little too good at that…" she moaned. "…don't make any smart comments about having a lot of practice or I'm out of here." She said more sternly.

"I am not saying a thing that could make you leave this bed." he said in a deep tone that made her stomach flip.

"Mami why are you doing that?" Alex asked sceptically from over his eggs.

Penelope froze on the spot, coffee pot in hand.

"Doing what?"

"Humming." The teenage boy said with such scorn you'd think she had committed a crime.

"Do I need a reason to hum?"

"This early on a Saturday, yes." He said plainly.

"I am just happy papito" she leaned over and kissed the top of his head.

"Hey, watch the hair!" he said fixing the non-existent mess.

"Oh sorry!" Penelope laughed.

"I have to agree you are in a very good mood." Elena added.

"I think you had a good night." Lydia called out from the kitchen. Penelope felt her blood run cold.

"What Mami?" she said in a strangled voice. Her mother breezed into the room with a plate of extra eggs.

"It looks like you had a good night with Jill?" her mother continued, and she relaxed minutely.

"Oh yes. Great night, you know few drinks lots of dancing." She laughed, dancing on the spot. "You know your Mami still has moves."

"Please. Stop" Alex said, horrified. She smiled and kissed his cheek quickly.

"Ok why are you so happy?" Elena put down her fork, staring at her mother pointedly.

Penelope looked around at them all and took a deep breath.

"If you must know…" she started "…I came to a realisation last night. I deserve to be happy."

Alex just looked more perplexed.

"Good for you Mami. I mean it shouldn't have taken you this long, but any empowerment is good." Elena said encouragingly.

Lydia said nothing just looked on, this began to unnerve Penelope.

She was about to question her silence when the door opened.

"Morning family Alvarez." Schneider said letting himself into the room and taking up his seat beside Alex.

Penelope felt a blush begin to grow on the back of her neck. He hadn't even looked at her and she was beginning to crack. Picking up two empty juice glasses she took herself to the kitchen as everyone greeted him.

She stood staring into the fridge as she thought back to a few hours ago.

"I said don't look." She repeated pulling the covers awkwardly around herself as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Why not? I've been doing a lot more than looking for the last…" he leaned over and pressed his phone. "…three hours."

"Yes, but it's different when you're getting dressed. It's more awkward." She hissed finding it harder to get her bra on than she ever had before. She didn't even notice him moving to sit beside her.

"God you're beautiful." She turned at the whisper.

"you actually mean that…" she half-asked as she turned back to him. "… you're not joking."

"Of course not." He said.

"Pen…" he paused. "…what made you come up here last night?"

She looked at him for a second, unsure where this conversation could lead. Where she wanted it to lead.

"What made you kiss me earlier?" she countered.

"I thought you wanted me to."

"Oh…"

"I have wanted to… to kiss you for such a long time, but it never seemed… right." He continued. "It never seemed like you would take me seriously."

"It is pretty hard to take you seriously." She said gently, still processing everything. He continued, choosing to ignore her.

"But today, in the kitchen, something was different. I could tell you had thought about it too."

She just sat in silence for a few seconds, trying to get her mind to slow down.

"and… what is… it?" she asked slowly.

He grinned at her, and she waited for the juvenile response she had come to expect.

"Something new…"

"Are there some eggs left?" Schneider came into the kitchen behind her.

"Too late, Alex got there before you."

"Well I would have been earlier, but I over slept." He moved around the island to stand in front of her.

"Busy night?" she smirked.

"You could say that." He nodded. "I met this woman…" he grinned.

"Oh yeah?"

"…she is amazing. Small and fiery." She laughed.

"What are you two talking about." Lydia said coming into the kitchen with the breakfast plates.

"eggs."

"Fire."

They said over each other, Penelope grinned at her mother as Schneider averted his gaze.

"Eggs and fire. Queeeeeer." Lydia replied.

"Right kids, time to go. Bye Mami, Bye Schneider." Penelope flew out of the kitchen and kissing her children's heads she passed them their bags ushering them out quickly.

"Have a good day mis amores." Lydia called after them. Penelope grabbed her own bag and turned to leave just in time to hear her mother say, "Come sit Schneider, I saved you some eggs."

Penelope put down the file and picked up her lunchbox just as her phone rang.

"That was just cruel and unnecessary." Said a whispered voice as she answered the phone.

"I am so sorry! I panicked." She replied stifling a laugh.

"We agreed not to tell your family about last night and at the first second you leave me alone with your mother."

"You spend every day with my mother" she said, "Why was today different?"

"Today I had the threat of you cutting off my favourite appendage if I told her we had hot, torrid sex all night last night."

She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks as she looked around to see if anyone in the small office had overheard.

"I will do worse if you ever say that again!" she hissed. "To anyone."

"Hey boo you can't deny it. You tasted the sweet Schneider loving and now…"

"Nope! You need to stop speaking right now." She said, infusing a strong accent to scare him. It didn't work.

"I know you said you don't want to let your family involved but I don't think I can take this pressure." He continued. "I tell Lydia more than I tell any of my therapists. How can I keep it from her that her wildest dreams may come true?"

"Her wildest dreams?"

"Eh me officially in the family." She smiled as she pictured his exasperated expression.

Her whole body froze as she realised she was standing in the middle of her work place smiling as she thought about Schneider. Had she fallen for Schneider?

"Pen?" he said interrupting her revelation.

"Sorry I'm here. Just don't get too ahead of yourself. We haven't even talked about last night yet." she said trying to bring some balance back to her mind. She was very aware of the pause in the conversation from his end.

"How about I come and meet you after work. There's this amazing vegan chicken wing pop up right around the corner from your offices."

"You can come and take me for human food." She retorted. "None of your blended hipster mush."

"I can tell already you're going to try and repress the real me Pen." She could hear the smile on his face.

"I better go I told Lydia I would be back for lunch."

"I'll see you later then." She said quietly.

"See you then." She could still hear the grin that was obviously on his face