Again, thanks for the great support. Here's the next update to bridge us into Stephanie meeting the rest of the Mañoso family.

By the way, I'm halfway through the next update for 'Heated'. If you're waiting for an update to another one of my stories, fear not. I'm working on it.

Disclaimer: The Plums universe belongs to JE.

I sat there stunned for what felt like an eternity. It seems that my brother and Steph are taking thing a whole lot more seriously than I ever thought. Don't get me wrong. I like Stephanie and I know she's a good person, but my brother's already had his heart broken. I don't think he would survive another heartbreak. I'm not talking about his divorce. He loved Rachel at some point, but he wasn't in love with her. No, what broke his heart was the fact that he wouldn't get to see his little girl grow up. Sure, Rachel lets him visit. But it's not the same. And now Stephanie has the power to make him immensely happy or destroy him and she doesn't even know it. For the first time since the idea formed, I began to doubt the genius in my plan.

"I'm sure everyone's just blowing things out of proportion." Mary Lou's comment brought me out of my internal musings.

"What?" I asked as I took a bite of my cheeseburger, mostly to keep my mouth occupied.

"The gossip." Mary Lou clarified. "The Burg tends to exaggerate things."

I nodded as I shot Steph a look. I was going to talk to her, because as much as I like her I won't let her mess with my brother. Carlos is a really good guy and he deserves happiness more than anyone I know.

"I gotta get going." Mary Lou said as she scooped up her little boy. "Nice meeting you." She said to me and I flashed her a small smile in return. "Call me." She told Stephanie before she left.

"I need a refill." Stephanie mumbled as she moved to slide out of the booth. I let her slip away. For now.

As we drove back to Rangeman I waited her out. Not one to disappoint, as soon as she cut the engine she turned to look at me. "Okay, out with it."

"What?" I played the innocent card, just because I was still trying to gauge her intentions towards Carlos.

"Don't give me that." She said, huffing out a groan of annoyance. "It was just a kiss."

That's when I let her have it. I don't want any confusion. She's an adult and so is my brother. If they pursue a relationship, that'll be their decision and I'll be happy for them. But she needs to know the potential damage she could leave behind if she decides to move on once Carlos's mess is resolved. "Look, Stephanie." I stared at her, hoping I was meeting her eyes behind the dark shades. "I like you." It's the truth. We really hit it off since the first day we met. "But Carlos is my brother."

"Mariela…" I held up a hand so she wouldn't interrupt me.

"He's big and he's strong on the outside." Everyone thinks he's a badass and he is to a certain level. But that's out on the field. Emotionally he's not that buff. "But if he opens up to you and then you change your mind…" I paused so she could absorb the seriousness of the situation. "He'll die lonely before he ever lets anyone in again."

"I…" She nodded her understanding as she pushed her sunglasses off her eyes. "Hurting him is not my intention." I believed her. I saw sincerity in her eyes and heard it in her voice.

"Do you have feelings for him?" I know it's soon, but from my personal experience it doesn't take much to fall hard for someone. I knew Bobby was the one about one second after I met him.

"I don't know." Stephanie shrugged. "We're just getting to know each other." She said she didn't want to start anything with anyone so soon after her divorce. I know it must have been hard for her. I would probably lose it if I came home to find my husband fucking some slut on our dining table. Just the idea of it makes me see red. "But, I do have to admit he's a great kisser." She smiled softly and for some reason that lightened up the mood.

"Hey!" I said with false indignation. Like I said, if they decide to pursue a relationship then that's all on them. I just wanted to make sure she knew what the consequences could be.

"All joking aside, I understand where you're coming from."

"Good."And with that we left the conversation behind us.

I rode up the elevator with her, but I unloaded on the third floor. I walked towards my husband's office to pay him a quick visit.

"Hey, Baby." He looked up from the file in his hands as he waved for me to come closer. I walked around his desk and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Oh, wait a minute." Bobby said on a playful growl. "I want a real kiss." He said just before his lips met mine. The kiss started out slow, but quickly turned heated. For some reason, lately he's been quite amorous.

"Not that I'm complaining." I said on a breathy chuckle. "But what's gotten into you lately?" We share a very healthy sex life, but the sudden spike in his libido is out of the norm even for him.

He shrugged his massive shoulders. "I don't know." His lips left a trail of wet kisses across my jaw. "There's something about you lately that just makes me go wild." I felt his hands sneak under the hem of my shirt and smooth over my skin.

"Is that so?" I crawled on his lap and crushed my lips against his. I have no idea what he's talking about. I feel the same and I'm not doing anything different to myself. Hell, I haven't even bought new lingerie.

"Mmhmm…" His moan was lost in our kiss and I was just as equally lost that I neither of us noticed we had company until a man cleared his throat.

"Sorry to interrupt." Diesel said, doing a great job of hiding a smirk. "I was just wondering if you needed anything else before I went to lunch." He said to Bobby.

"No, go ahead." With a polite nod my way, Diesel was gone.

"You know, I have a very generous lunch break." My husband cocked his head to the side, silently asking if I wanted to go upstairs to our apartment on the fourth floor.

S&R-Ranger's POV

I decided to take a break a little after one to have lunch upstairs. I was secretly hoping Stephanie was in the penthouse. Eating with her will surely be a hell of a lot more fun than eating by myself.

The apartment was silent, so I loaded my plate with the food Ella left for us and sat at the island to eat. When I was just about done I heard the front door open and close. Shuffled footsteps approached and a second later I spotted Stephanie.

"Hey." I greeted softly, realizing she was feeling the effects of last night's wine.

"Hey, yourself." She mumbled as she snatched a melon cube from my plate. I've never been the type of person who likes to share food from his plate, but surprisingly it didn't feel weird to share with her.

"Are you feeling okay?" Stephanie is fair skinned, but today she has a sort of unhealthy paleness about her.

"I'll be okay in a little while." She said, grabbing another melon cube. I was concentrating on the way she chewed the fruit and was startled out of the riveting show when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

"Yo." I answer without checking the screen. I just didn't want to tear my eyes off of Stephanie's sweet mouth.

"Is that how you greet your mother?"

Oh shit. I grimaced before greeting her properly.

"That's much better." My mother said.

"What's going on, Mom?" As soon as Steph realized I was on the phone with my mother, her eyes flew from the fruit on my plate to my face.

"I've been calling your sister Mariela for the past hour, but she doesn't answer."

I frowned. That's weird, I thought. Mariela always answers her phone and if she missed a call, she'll get back to you in a few minutes. "I don't know where Mariela is."

"She's on the third floor." Babe said. I nodded in understanding.

"Who is that?" My mother wanted to know.

"Stephanie." I said, not wanting to break the news to my mother through a phone call. I told her I got married via the phone once and that didn't go too well.

"Tell your sister to give me a call when she gets the chance." I could tell my mother wanted to know who Stephanie was. Hell, if she knew Babe's last name she wouldn't hesitate to do some research.

"Okay." I said, getting ready to hang up.

"It's Celia's birthday tomorrow."

"I know." Truth be told, I have no idea what date it is. Since this whole nightmare began all the days seem to have blended together.

"Great!" My mother hurried off to remind me that the gathering to celebrate my oldest sister's birthday would be at their house. Celebrations almost always take place at my parents' house in Newark, so I thought the reminder was a bit unnecessary. As if reading my mind, she added. "You're expected to be here." And she hung up.

I frowned at the device in my hand. And she gives me shit for my lack of phone etiquette.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" I asked Babe as I shoved my phone back in my pocket.

She shrugged. "There's not much I can do until the remodeling is done at the shop." Babe said she needs to start acquiring new merchandise for the grand reopening, but aside from that she didn't really have anything to do.

"Good." I grinned at her. "Now it's your turn." My grin grew. "We're expected for dinner at my parents' place tomorrow."

"Why are you giving me that look?" She asked, slight frown in place.

"If you thought dinner with your family was interesting, wait until you meet mine."

S&R-Stephanie's POV

The thought of meeting the rest of Carlos's family made me nervous. It's one thing to get the 'don't hurt my brother or else' talk from Mariela, but it would a whole other story to hear it from the rest of the Mañoso clan.

"Relax." I heard Carlos say, his sweet voice brining me out of my deep thoughts.

"What if they don't buy it?" I blurted out.

"Babe." Carlos was driving and his attention was focused on the road, but I swear I caught a small eye roll. It sort of amazed me that in just a couple of days we've grown on one another.

"Carlos is very private with his life." Mariela added from the backseat. It was then that I realized I wasn't alone in the SUV with him. "Sure, everyone will ask questions, but it won't be anything out of the ordinary." Mari said that mostly the family will just be happy to have a chance to meet me.

"Their dad is a little scary, though." Bobby supplied ever so helpfully.

"No, he's not." Mariela said something in Spanish. The two men chuckled as they agreed.

"Alrighty, then." I said to no one in particular. It sucks not to understand what's being said.

"Sorry, Stephanie." Mariela said she tends to revert to Spanish when she talks about her family.

"Speaking of Spanish, is it the main language in your home?"

"No, I'd say it's more like fifty-fifty."

"Except Abuela Rosa." Carlos said Rosa only spoke Spanish.

"Okay." I nodded and took a deep breath as Carlos slowed to a stop in the driveway of a large two story home. I didn't recognize the neighborhood, but I was pretty sure we were only a few streets over from my old apartment.

"You'll do fine." Carlos whispered in my ear was we followed Mariela and Bobby towards the front door. I will never admit that had it not been for his hand at my back, I wouldn't have gone through the door.

I decided to dedicate an entire chapter to the meeting with the rest of the Mañosos. Some hints were thrown in this chapter, so if you caught them, next chapter will be even more fun for you. Hehehe….