Working from home.

A/n not mine, thanks to Ms. for beta and adding here and there.

C, thanks for reading ahead for me. And ms k, hope you are having fun with your daughter.

After their morning workout they took separate showers and each was thinking about the night before.

Flashback:

"Knowing each was a wall away that was separating them. Found Stephanie and Carlos unable to sleep, it wouldn't be the first cold shower she had taken since meeting her Cuban man, but wow was it worth it. Carlos heard the water coming on and imagining himself in the shower with his love, he stroked himself till he heard the water turn off. It was mission accomplished and both were able to sleep.

Meeting each other in the early hours, Stephanie already had her liquid gold in her coffee cup, she poured her man one, and they sat down at her table; just like they belonged together.

She had no shame of what she did in the shower, just like he had none for his action in bed or in the shower, both were confident this relationship was it for them, so waiting to consummate, was just icing on the cake, so to speak. No matter how many cold showers or 'hand' time was needed, each were confident in the other enough to be able to look each other in the eye, knowing all was right in their world, they had each other, after all."

They had breakfast Carlos had made for them, their workday had begun. Stephanie had a big dining room table in the 'poker room' as she called it, when it was her turn to host the games this is where it happened.

The room was comfortable, it had a wet bar for drinks and snacks, the table and chairs and a flat screen TV so the sports channel was on for the players to watch the scores in the background; usually a lot of trash talking was involved continually throughout the game.

The poker game had been pushed back to next week at Stephanie's house until this security issues could be put in place to everyone's satisfaction.

So they started in their day, one at each end of the table. 'Silence is golden' came to mind as they worked comfortably together. Keyboards were clicking together; sometimes grins were exchanged as they locked eyes on one another, and went back to work.

You could hear the noise of the grandfather clock as time went on; Carlos called in his morning meeting from the comfort of her den, Stephanie showed him around more, and in there he had privacy. He also noticed every detail of the room, her desk and chair screamed comfort to him, he tilted back and almost put his feet up, he was that much at home here.

Even at his

Stephanie had hardwood floors everywhere in her town home, and he hadn't slipped his boots or even socks back on since working out and showering.

It was pure comfort and while elegant; it also screamed home to him, he could imagine himself being married to Stephanie and living here, the yard was even big enough for a child's jungle gym. Carlos grinned at that thought; home wasn't range man anymore to him; it was here with his other half, Stephanie Plum.

Carlos noticed the paintings on her walls, they all were signed with children's names and had the tags from their after school programs, and the price she paid each child. The colors vibrated off the walls, abstract all of them. Children's paintings were scattered around her home, except for the bedrooms, she had the left the walls bare.

He slept in the most comfortable king sized bed he had felt in his life, she had a pillow top mattress for him to sink down into, the room had brown and cream colors in it, even having its own master bathroom, just as hers did.

Stephanie had told him that sometimes her father just needed a break and came and stayed in his room, that's why men's colors were throughout the room to begin with.

Even knowing that Mr. Plum slept in here, in the same room he stayed in still had him thinking this bedroom was 'his'. And this was his home, where he belonged.

Hank and Hector were on their way with her new windows, bullet proof for them all; the sizes had been faxed to range man last night along with the mayor's house, time to get to work for the guys as well.

They also had with them Stephanie's new panic button and tracker pen as well as a new stat phone that range man used, all numbers were programmed in from Carlos to control room, she could add what she needed for her personal use as well and assign speed dial to the names. Stephanie already figured out Carlos would be her no one on the dial pad; after all he was number one in her life.

She was still grinning about meeting him at 'their' diner on the first day that is until it came to the box she brought home from work. Then shit hit the fan. Hard.

Stephanie let loose a few choice words when finding her files in such disarray; nothing made sense unless it was just a couple of people looking for money like Carl and Eddie told her last night. The safe was stolen, it was found abandoned in a broken in warehouse a few streets over, door open and nothing in it. Just a mess to clean up.

Stephanie insisted on having something for the men to eat when they came to do her window installation, something Carlos never did, think of others and having them a meal, or even a snack. The break room at Range man was there; if you were hungry, go get a sandwich or an apple.

Out came the Panini Grill; she had her pantry and kitchen well stocked, Italian bread, fresh mozzarella cheese; sliced tomatoes, fresh basil, drizzled with olive oil, and for the meat sliced salami and pepperoni. She drizzled on more olive oil and viola! Lunch was ready for everyone to sit around and enjoy.

Hank and Hector were surprised to be invited for lunch; they were just employees at range man, but slowly just as Carlos was changing so were the dynamics of the business. All four of them just sat around and chattered about anything and everything, getting comfortable seeing Carlos like this was intriguing for his men to see. Both Hector and Hank noticed how comfortable he was here, Carlos Manoso found his home, and he was settling down; work was there, but not as important to him as Stephanie Plum was becoming more and more his future.

But here at Stephanie's, the dynamics had changed; now he was slowly becoming the man he always wanted to be; he had found his other half and slowly, like peeling an onion, Carlos's many layers were coming out.

Tomorrow was a workday for the couple, and each were thinking to themselves, 'how many hours would pass by until they could see each other again?' It was going to be hard to be apart tonight even sleeping in separate bedrooms like they did last night just felt to each of them so incredibly right, but tonight there was no reason for Carlos to stay there.

Not blocks away from each other. Not being able to tug on Stephanie's curls as he had been doing. Not being able to run her thumb across his bottom pouty lip.

'Would it be so wrong for him to live there, but have his own separate room?' what would Carlos say if Stephanie asked him to move in? What would Stephanie say if Carlos asked her if he could move in?

Stephanie and Carlos just fit together; seamlessly their lives had already intertwined both personal and business.

Something to think about, but also a conversation was needed ASAP.

As the afternoon wore on, their work from home wound down, Stephanie took Carlos's hand and led him out to the lounger and as he sat down, she settled down right between his legs, comfortable with his arms around her, her head resting on his chest.

No music, just silence as Stephanie thought,' this is it, if I don't ask; he won't know how I feel. What if he says no? What can it hurt to ask?' all these thoughts were racing through her mind, as she took a deep breath, turned around with his arms firmly around her, and asked the most important question to the most important person in her life;

'Know of anyone looking for a roommate?'

'Babe' then he kissed her senseless.

Guess who was moving in?