A/N: Thanks to my wonderful beta, Phillygirl27! This chapter wouldn't be possible without her! The rating for the story has changed to M due to the smutty goodness at the end.

Chapter 8

Carlos noticed that the events of the past few days had left Stephanie in a funk. She was still training hard, but some of the spark had left her eyes. Hoping to take Stephanie's mind off her recent trials, Carlos began planning the perfect date night for her. With the help of Ella and Luis, he enacted 'Operation Make Babe Happy'.

The first thing he did was bring Stephanie two dozen red roses and ask her for a date. She readily accepted and they agreed that an 8:00 pm pick up time would be best. The flowers were a very romantic gesture and she couldn't help but admire their beauty. Stephanie wondered what else Carlos had planned for their date and the anticipation was killing her. Thankfully it was only two days away.

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On Friday evening precisely at 8:00 pm, Carlos knocked on Stephanie's apartment door. He was anxious to show his Babe a good time and he hoped she would be pleased with his plans. Stephanie opened the door and all the blood in his body traveled south. She had on a black cocktail dress with a hem length that should have been illegal. The neckline was cut low enough that he could get a glimpse of her luscious cleavage. Carlos' mouth was dry and he had to clear his throat to speak.

"Babe," was all he could manage.

"You like? Ella helped me pick it out. The thing I like best is the skirt," she said doing a little twirl for him.

"It looks great on you," Carlos complimented.

"You don't look so bad yourself," she said while planting a kiss on his cheek.

Carlos held out his arm, "Are you ready to go?" Stephanie clasped his arm and followed him out the door.

When they got to the elevator, Carlos pushed the up button. "Are we going to your apartment," Stephanie asked.

"We're going a little further north," he replied. Stephanie was confused, but held tight to his arm as they entered the elevator.

When the doors opened and they stepped out, Stephanie couldn't believe her eyes. She knew they were on the roof of the RangeMan building, but it had been transformed into a romantic outdoor bistro. Twinkling fairy lights crisscrossed the outdoor space and a table for two had been set up in the middle. Soft jazz music played from hidden speakers, while champagne chilled in a silver bucket.

"Oh, Carlos," Stephanie gushed, "this is so wonderful! I can't believe you did all this for me."

"You're worth the effort, Babe. I know you've been through a lot lately and I wanted to do something special for you."

Stephanie threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. "Maybe I can do something special for you later," she whispered in his ear.

"Babe!"

Stephanie just winked at him and glided over to the table.

After a sumptuous meal of filet mignon and roasted root vegetables, and several glasses of champagne, Carlos and Stephanie were slow dancing under the lights. They held each other tightly and enjoyed the closeness of one another.

"Stay with me tonight, Babe."

Stephanie looked into his eyes and nodded her head in agreement.

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Stephanie entered Carlos' penthouse snuggled into his side. It had been awhile since she had been with a man, but she knew without a doubt Carlos would take care of her. He had been nothing but tender and caring with her and she couldn't wait to know him on a more intimate level.

As they entered his bedroom, Carlos looked deep into Stephanie's eyes and said, "We're going to do this, Babe, and it's going to be good."

Carlos tenderly took Stephanie's face in his hands and kissed her. He let his hands wander down the sides of her neck and onto her shoulders. Slowly unzipping her dress, he caressed the skin that was revealed. He gently lowered her dress to the floor until she stood before him in just her panties and bra. "You're beautiful, Babe." He spoke almost reverently.

Stephanie was on fire; her need for Carlos overwhelming. "You're over dressed," she told him, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it out of his waistband. Licking her lips, she slowly began unbuckling his belt, but her hands were shaking. "Let me help you," he groaned as he quickly divested himself of the rest of his clothing.

Stephanie looked him up and down, her eyes widening as they snapped back to Carlos'. She had never seen an erection as large as his and she wondered if it would fit. Carlos noticed her look of disbelief and knew what her concern was. He gave her a blinding 200 watt smile, "Trust me, Babe, it'll fit."

Drawing her into an embrace, Carlos expertly unhooked her bra then whispered, "I hope these aren't your favorite." Stephanie gasped as he ripped the panties from her body. Carlos then moved them effortlessly towards the massive king bed and gently laid Stephanie down. He reached into the nightstand for a foil pack and quickly donned the extra protection for his Babe.

Leisurely parting her legs, Carlos said, "I wanted to take this slowly, but I can't wait to be inside you."

"I can't wait either," she replied. "Make love to me, Carlos."

With a growl, Carlos positioned himself over her, paying homage to her delicious breasts. He knew from their time in the hot tub how sensitive they are so he lightly nipped each hard nub. As he moved upward, he looked into his Babe's darkened blue eyes. They were bluer and deeper than any ocean, and he realized he wanted to swim in them for a long time to come; maybe even the rest of his life.

Carlos took a deep breath as he let his cock brush Stephanie's entrance, checking one final time that she wanted this as much as he did. Stephanie lifted her hips in encouragement and he blissfully complied. He easily entered her and paused to let her adjust to him. Stephanie whimpered and moved impatiently under him. "Mine!" was his only thought as they set up a rhythm as old as time.

Stephanie could feel the building of her orgasm as Carlos continued thrusting. She was overcome with emotion as he reached between them to massage her clit. "Oh, god, Carlos, I'm going to come," she moaned. "Come with me, Babe," he growled. With a final thrust of his hips, he followed her over the edge.

Coming down from his high, Carlos rested his forehead against Stephanie's and gently kissed her. Rolling to his side, he spooned Stephanie as their breathing returned to normal. "That was incredible!" Stephanie said as she settled in next to him. "It certainly was, Babe," Carlos agreed as he squeezed her tightly, "it certainly was." As they relaxed and drifted off to sleep, they both were amazed at how right this felt.