A Secret Worth Keeping

Chapter 3

Danielle pulled her Prius into the driveway and parked behind Stefania's Mini. She reached into the back seat and pulled out the bottle of sweet white wine she had picked up at the liquor store just down the street; she had a feeling some liquid courage might be needed tonight! She soon reached the front step with a spring in her stride and a nervous smile on her face.

Just as she lifted her hand to knock, the door quickly swung open and Stefania reached to pull her into a quick welcoming hug.

"Hi, beautiful! Please, come in" she said quietly beside Danielle's ear as she held an arm around her waist. Pulling away and looking into Danielle's eyes, the brunette realized the nervous hesitancy in the blonde's stance.

"Uh, yeah, thank you" stumbled Danielle, as she held out the bottle of wine, "this...um, this is for you. Thought it might go well with the tiramisu."

"Aw, that was sweet of you! Oh wow, good pick- this is one of my favourites" she exclaimed as she recognized the label, "come, let's eat. I can't wait for you to try this."

Danielle kicked off her shoes, hung up her coat, and followed Stefania the few steps into the kitchen. She couldn't help but run her eyes up and down the tall woman's body, silently appreciating how good she looked even in the cozy clothes she had changed into. Glancing around, Danielle noticed plates laden with the Italian dessert already set out on the island, and a couple of candles burning on the countertop. She couldn't help but feel at home.

Stefania stood precariously on her tiptoes, reaching into a tall cupboard to bring down wine glasses. The stretch caused her sweatshirt to ride up slightly, exposing a section of soft olive skin. Nearly out of instinct, Danielle took a couple steps forward and put a steadying hand to her waist...maybe to ensure Stef didn't lose her balance and drop the glasses, maybe just to have an excuse to touch that indeed-soft skin. At her touch, Stefania spun around with a look of surprise, her face only inches away from sea-blue eyes and upturned lips. Oh, how easily she could have just leaned forward to close the distance between them and do what she had been wanting to do for months.

Suddenly, as if realizing where her hands were still resting, Danielle stepped away and lowered her head, but not before her face flamed red. "Sorry, you uh...you just looked like you might fall over," stuttered Danielle, completely flustered for the second time in under an hour.

"Se mi tocchi di nuovo, potrei semplicemente cadere," Stefania breathed softly as she turned to set the glasses on the counter and reach for the wine.

Danielle laughed quietly, "there you go again saying something that sounds beautiful but I have no clue what it means".

"Well, Miss Savre, maybe that's why you should have kept learning Italian in quarantine, no?" Stefania teased playfully, earning rolled eyes and a laugh from Danielle, and completely lightening the mood again.

"Yeah, yeah, but then I wouldn't have as much fun trying to guess the cute things you say" retorted the blonde. "But seriously, can I eat this tiramisu? It looks insanely good."

"Of course! Let's take it to the couch, though. I want to be cozy and comfy!"

The two spent the next half hour slowly savoring each bit of the delicious dessert. It was true, the wine Danielle had picked complemented it perfectly, and helped them both relax after a stressful day. All of the stress Danielle had felt earlier melted away, and chatting with Stefania was just as relaxing as she had originally hoped her night would be. They talked about everything that had happened on their respective sets that day, how excited the fans had been after the premiere, and what they hoped the rest of their season would look like. Stefania also shared how she was worried for her own family back in Italy, as it seemed cases of the Coronavirus were spiking again. For a while, Danielle just quietly listened as it seemed the other girl really needed to unburden her worries on a listening ear. At one point, when Stefania got choked up with homesickness, Danielle immediately reached out and took her hand in an attempt to be comforting. Stefania paused in her train of thought, glanced up through misty eyes, and then intertwined their fingers together before continuing with her thought. It wasn't really the first time they had held hands like this- granted, most other times were on-set- but there was a tenderness and electricity in their touch this time, which was not missed by either woman.

They had begun the conversation sitting cross-legged and facing each other, but as they finished their food and became more relaxed, the pair had naturally gravitated closer together so they were sitting side by side, shoulders touching. Continuing to sip on their wine, the conversation moved on to lighter topics; small talk with moments of comfortable silence in between. It was in one of these quiet moments that Stefania began to run her thumb over the back of the smaller woman's hand. Danielle felt a rush of heat through her body at the tenderness of the simple gesture. If she wasn't careful, she'd open her mouth and everything she was thinking would just pour out. Maybe it was time to put the wine down. Besides, she'd need to get an Uber home if she had any more, anyway.