A Secret Worth Keeping

Chapter 4

Danielle sighed loudly and moved forward to set down her glass. As she leaned back with a little more tension in her body, Stefania shifted slightly to look searchingly into her eyes.

"Bella, are you okay? What's going on?"

"I...I just..." started Danielle, losing some of her resolve. "I guess there's just something I need to tell you. And I don't know what you're going to say so I'm scared. I don't want this to change what we have, and I don't want to lose you as a friend. God, if that happened, it'd break me." All the words rushed out of her mouth, and she ended with a quiver in her voice. Stefania took a second to process everything that had just been said. From her body language, she was concerned the younger woman was ready to bolt, but from her words, Stefania felt a glimmer of hope.

"You know you can tell me anything," she implored softly. "I promise you, you're never going to lose me."

"I love you, Stefania" she blurted out.

"I love you too, Danielle. You know that."

"No, I mean...yes, I do... but I love love you! Like, I want to be with you!" Danielle was shaking now, but knew that since she started, she had to get everything out on the table. There was no stopping or going back now. "I wasn't expecting to feel this way, and I kept trying to convince myself that I was just getting caught up in Maya and Carina's relationship, but over the past few weeks, all I can think of is how I want to be with you...as more than friends. Ugh, this is so confusing." Those words came out with a sigh and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Brushing it away, she continued, "And I know you probably don't feel the same way, but for my own sanity I just had to get it out there so that you know how much you mean to me. But I understand if you want me to go. I-..."

Danielle's stream of words was effectively cut off as Stefania crashed forward and met Danielle's lips in the softest, most passionate kiss. Momentarily shocked, the blonde froze before melting against the Italian, cupping her face in her hands and pouring what felt like months of uncertainty, emotion, and sincerity into the kiss.

"Oh bambina, I love you so much. You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that!" Now Stefania was crying softly, tears of joy mingled with disbelief.

"You have?" inquired Danielle, smiling widely through her own tears.

"Assolutamente. I realized my true feelings this summer when you were away with Alisha. I missed you so much and couldn't wait to see you again! That's when I knew I was falling...hard," the brunette admitted with a chuckle. "I had no idea if you felt the same way, though. Well, up until the day you came to visit me after I became a series regular. I felt like something changed that day."

"Yep, that's exactly when I realized I liked you, like as more than a friend," confirmed Danielle, "I wanted to kiss you so badly that day...and that scared me."

"Does that still scare you?"

"Absolutely not," Danielle whispered against her lips, as she captured them again with her own, this time slowly sliding her tongue into the Italian's mouth.

Stefania pulled the blonde onto her lap in one swift move, deepening the kiss and fighting for dominance with her tongue. She ran her hands up and down Danielle's back, sometimes moving one hand up to cup her neck, or angle her jaw.

The next couple hours flew by as they basked in the comfort of each other's arms; whispering sweet comments to one another, and telling all the details of each of their stories...all the while interspersed with intense make out sessions, making up for lost time. After one particularly heated session, Danielle reluctantly pulled away to take a breath and calm herself.

"Baby, as much as I love this, and trust me, I want to know everything about you," she ran her eyes slowly down her body, back up to her lips, and finally meeting her eyes again, "I need to take this slowly. I want to love you in the way you deserve."

"Bella, I am perfectly okay with that," Stefania replied softly. "Besides, I know you'll be worth the wait" she followed up with a seductive glance, meeting Danielle's eyes with a wink.

"Oh really, now?!"

"No question about that. But I do have two questions for you..."

"Okay...?"

"Danielle Kathleen, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Nothing would make me happier! Of course, I will," uttered the younger woman adoringly, dropping a peck on the brunette's lips. "And question two?"

"Will you stay the night with me? No funny business, I promise!" she reassured, noting the hesitancy in her girlfriend's expression. "I just want to hold you in my arms, and rest. I know we're both exhausted."

"Honestly, that sounds amazing. I would love to stay," replied Danielle. "Although, I might need a toothbrush and some pyjamas."

"Done, and done," laughed Stefania. "Come on, let's go find what I have."

Stefania pushed the blonde off her lap, reaching again to intertwine their fingers, and led her upstairs to the master bedroom. She quickly found an extra tank top and shorts, and pulled the same out of the drawer for herself. It took a while to get ready for bed as they did an unknown dance around each other in the bathroom, not used to the other's routines. It didn't help that when Stefania moved past Danielle, her hands often ghosted around the other girl's hips, sending shivers through their bodies and causing them to pause for more than one deep kiss.

As they finally crawled under the soft covers of Stefania's bed, they instinctively reached to pull one another closer. Danielle felt arms encircle her waist, as she rested her head on the taller woman's chest and wrapped her right arm around her, too.

"I've never felt so much like I'm home as I do right now," whispered the blonde. "I love you, Stefania."

Tears pricked at the brunette's eyes as she heard the tenderness in Danielle's voice. She tightened her arms, and dropped a kiss on the blonde head resting below her chin. "I love you too, bella. I can always be your home."

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And that was how they found themselves this morning. Danielle completely enamoured by the beauty lying beside her, and Stefania slowly stirring from a deep and restful sleep. Her eyes finally opened and focused on the gorgeous face turned towards her, a smile slowly spreading over her face as she remembered exactly where she was and how her life had changed for the better the night before.

"Good morning, beautiful," hummed Danielle in a slightly raspy morning voice.

"Buongiorno, bella. Baciami, per favore," came the equally raspy reply.

Danielle laughed as she leaned in and kissed her girlfriend. It was true, she knew very little Italian, but that single word request had become so familiar when filming their scenes, that nothing was lost in translation now.

They lay still for a few minutes, just admiring each other and silently processing how much of a change this big step would make in their lives. A wonderful change, no doubt, but one that would take a little getting used to. Danielle reached for her phone from the nightstand, and snapped a picture of the sleepy-eyed beauty facing her.

"What was that for?" laughed the Italian, once she realized what Danielle had done.

"I know I won't forget this moment, but I wanted to just to be doubly sure" she responded sweetly, before mischievously adding "And I also need a new phone background."

"Danielle! Oh, stop it!" scoffed Stefania, truly amused. "But you're not going to show people, right?"

"No. Not for now. But maybe we should at least tell some of our friends and family soon?"

"Yes, definitely. Soon." affirmed the brunette, as she reached out and ran her fingertips up and down Danielle's arm. "What about the fans, though? Do we tell them?"

"That's one secret we'll never tell," replied the blonde with no uncertainty, "I think it's one worth keeping!"

THE END.