Danielle sat back on Stefania's couch with a grin, watching as Jeff came nose to nose with a black-and-white Great Dane puppy who was already five times her size. The puppy's tail wagged frantically as he sniffed Jeff, and he lowered his chest to the ground in a position Stefania said was called a "play bow". Danielle gazed over at Stefania, who watched the scene with a delighted expression.

—I didn't realize when I hooked up with you that I was signing up for life at a doggy orphanage,— Danielle said good-naturedly.

She chuckled as Jeff swatted the puppy's nose with her oversized paw, making him stumble backward before seeking refuge in Stefania's lap. At fifty pounds, he was all baby, but far too large to be cowering on top of Stefania like a scared little mouse.

—Not an orphanage.— Stefania laughed as the puppy showered her face with kisses. —Just a foster mom.—

Danielle watched Stefania's joy as she interacted with her beloved cat and the homeless puppy she had just diagnosed with elbow dysplasia.

A year ago, she would never have guessed that she could so quickly and easily fall in love, and with someone like Stefania. She had the biggest heart Danielle had ever known, especially with animals. Danielle had found herself becoming an animal lover, just because Stefania's enthusiasm for them was so infectious.

Stefania liked kids, too. And though Danielle had always felt intimidated by babies, more and more she found herself sneaking peeks at women holding the little squirming, bald creatures, wondering whether her future might hold even more surprises for her. She had to admit, when she thought about starting a family with Stefania, the idea held a lot of appeal. And her mother would be ecstatic.

—Well, you're a wonderful foster mom,— Danielle murmured. She met Stefania's grin with a tender smile of her own. —Hamlet seems to think so, at least.—

—Jeff isn't so sure. She's never thrilled about sharing me.—

Danielle settled back against the couch cushions with a contented sigh. She was pretty sure this was the happiest moment of her life.

It wasn't as though she hadn't enjoyed countless other happy" even blissful" moments since that first night in the elevator with Stefania.

And it wasn't even like this particular moment was specifically happier than any of those. It was just that ever since she met Stefania, every day was better than the last, and with each moment they were together, Danielle felt her hope and excitement about the future grow. Tomorrow she would be even happier than today, and even more in love.

After everything they'd experienced together, she trusted Stefania more than anyone else in the world. And she knew Stefania felt the same way, which was the most powerful gift Danielle had ever been given. Yet Danielle yearned for something more.

She watched Jeff make a tentative circle around Stefania's feet, flicking her tail in what looked like irritation. She meowed while Hamlet wriggled around on Stefania's lap. With a smile, Danielle said, —I'm glad Jeff learned how to share you with me.—

—Yeah, she says you're family now.—

Danielle felt an unexpected rush of emotion at the sentiment. She did feel like they were a family now. It was amazing how much she had come to depend on the idea of sharing her life with someone. Knowing now how wonderful it was to trust another person, she marveled at how much she missed out on those many years she spent alone. She could find that depressing, except that it all led to her meeting Stefania. She couldn't imagine wanting to be with anyone else.

Thinking about the possibility of starting a family with Stefania someday brought up thoughts of her parents, and even her brother. She had been close to all of them once, and all the recent changes in her life made her yearn to repair some of the damage she had done to their relationship by closing herself off from them after college. Part of her new desire to build bridges was knowing how important family was to Stefania, and seeing how happy it made her when Danielle reached out.

Besides, if they did do something crazy like have kids someday, those babies deserved to have grandparents.

Danielle's musing came crashing to a halt when Hamlet leapt onto the couch and clambered onto her lap. Large, clumsy paws gripped at her thighs, and a wet nose pressed against her cheek. She could feel the wagging of his tail vibrate throughout his entire body.

—Hamlet!— Stefania said, and rushed to the couch to take hold of his collar. —Off.—

Danielle couldn't imagine what her reaction to the puppy's playful enthusiasm might have been before she met Stefania. Now she laughed instinctively, even as she gasped for breath when a large paw landed on her stomach. The dog came home with Stefania a week ago, and it was already clear that he had decided to bond with Danielle. She didn't know what to make of that, but to her surprise, it made her feel pretty damn good.

—I'm so sorry,— Stefania said. —He definitely needs to learn some manners.—

—It's okay,— Danielle said as Hamlet finally hopped off the couch and struck a loyal pose next to her on the floor. She reached out and fingered his floppy ears, then gave his head an affectionate stroke. —I get it. I was socially awkward before I met you, too.—

—And look at you now.— Stefania leaned over and kissed her, smiling against her lips.

Danielle considered her life: a former workaholic desperately in love with a sexy stripper-turned-veterinarian, flanked by a giant puppy and a spoiled cat, having idle thoughts about family and babies on an uneventful Wednesday evening. With a grin, she agreed, —Look at me now.—

———

That weekend, Danielle tested her resolution. They were having dinner at her parents' house, these days a regular happening. From the moment her father opened the door and invited them in, Danielle forced herself to relax and reach out to her family. She greeted her father with a hug, then gave her mother a kiss on the cheek.

Stefan earned a mock punch to the arm, which he deflected with an expert block. Danielle grinned at him, allowing herself to take pleasure in the familiar routine. To her surprise, he returned her warm smile.

—You guys really got a Great Dane puppy?—

Danielle blushed. Obviously her mother had shared some of their phone conversation of the day before. She caught Stefania grinning at her, and said, —We're fostering a Great Dane puppy. Until we can find him a good home.—

—That's so cool. Maybe I could meet him? I've been thinking about getting a dog.—

—Think about it once you've moved out of here for good,— Danielle's father said as he shut the door behind them. —Until then, you can visit Danielle's dog.—

—Well, he's not really—— Danielle protested, until she could see that nobody was listening to her.

Stefania gave her a long-suffering shake of the head, and Danielle rolled her eyes. Like Stefania would be devastated if Danielle decided she didn't want that big lug of a puppy to leave.

—Is there anything I can do to help with dinner, Kathie?— Stefania asked.

Danielle's mom lit up at the suggestion and took Stefania by the arm. —I have some potatoes that need peeling, if you're interested.—

—Sounds like fun,— Stefania said, and let herself be led to the kitchen.

—I used to be the official potato peeler for my mom, too.—

Danielle could hear her mother ask Stefania a question, but didn't catch the words. She watched her lover go with a smile, unable to believe how quickly her parents seemed to have accepted her into the fold.

As though sensing Danielle's thoughts, her father stepped close and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. —You look happy.—

—I am,— Danielle said honestly. —Things are going really well.—

—And I suspect we have Stefania to thank for that?—

Stefan shot her a grin full of insinuation but kept a lid on the rude comments. Danielle sensed that he was trying hard to get along with her, and that it was probably due in large part to how hard she was trying to get along with him. She gave both Stefan and her father a smile, and said, —We definitely have Stefania to thank for that.—

—Tell me, does Stefania like playing Boggle?—

Danielle laughed at the mention of her father's favorite word game.

—I don't know that I'm aware of Stefania's feelings on Boggle.—

Her father widened his eyes and led her into the den. —You two have never played?—

Danielle raised her eyebrow at Stefan, warning him not to go anywhere with that comment, then told her father, —No, we haven't.—

—Well, Danielle,— her father said in a serious voice, —she has to play Boggle if she's going to be part of this family. I'm still looking for someone to dethrone me.—

Danielle's heart swelled at her father's acceptance of Stefania's role in her life. She could see he was fast pushing past the initial discomfort of this new part of his daughter's life, and she was grateful for it. —Don't I get another shot at taking the title?—

—Of course you do,— her father said. He looked extraordinarily pleased, and Danielle wished she had thought of inviting him to play a game of Boggle sooner. They used to play all the time when Danielle was a teenager, and she loved it. Why had they ever stopped?

—Am I going to be able to get in on this action?— Stefan asked.

—Only if you're ready to get your kicked,— Danielle said. She sat down at the round oak table in their den, staring Stefan down as her father got the well-worn box out of their gaming cabinet.

—We'll see,— Stefan said. He cracked his knuckles, drawing a wince from Danielle. He knew she hated that.

—It's cute to see you two fighting over second place,— Danielle's father said, and opened the game.

Danielle looked up to see Stefania watching them from the kitchen, gazing out over the bar to meet Danielle's eyes. She was laughing at something Danielle's mother was saying, and her face shone with happiness that Danielle could see from across the room.

I love you, Stefania mouthed silently.

I love you, Danielle mouthed back. She caught her brother looking at her, but he just gave her a friendly smile, and she couldn't help but smile back. When she returned her gaze to Stefania, she was busy at work in the kitchen with Danielle's mother.

And she was positively radiant.

Danielle was filled with a joy she had never known before. She felt almost wholly content, surrounded by people she loved and who loved her in return. As her father set up the game on the table, handing out pencils and paper, Danielle made an important decision.

She couldn't imagine her life without Stefania. And she was going to do whatever it took to make sure she wouldn't need to.

———

Stefania lay on her side in bed, gazing at the alabaster skin of Danielle's shoulder bathed in the soft moonlight. The ethereal light made her look as though she were glowing, which seemed appropriate, given the amazing time they'd had with Danielle's family that evening. Unlike their early visits with Danielle's parents and brother, when Danielle had been uncomfortable and everyone seemed closed off, tonight was like being part of a real family again.

Watching Danielle and Stefan tease their father for winning yet another Boggle game warmed Stefania thoroughly. And helping Kathie prepare dinner was a great time. She got to hear stories about Danielle that she wasn't sure her lover would have ever disclosed, and she also had an opportunity to tell Kathie more about herself. Stefania wanted so badly for Danielle's family to like and accept her because she planned on being in Danielle's life for a very long time.

Danielle mumbled, a small, sleepy sound, and turned slightly so that the comforter slipped off her upper body. Stefania touched her back gently, not wanting to wake her but eager to reconnect. Her skin was soft and warm, luring Stefania forward so she could plant a feather-light kiss on the nape of her neck. Funny, but when Danielle slept, Stefania missed her.

So much had changed since they'd met. Dancing at the club was a distant memory, and she was finally a veterinarian working at an incredible practice, making a difference, and helping animals. She was also deeply in love, and madly in lust. Nobody ever made her feel like Danielle did, in bed or otherwise. At some point in the past few months, Stefania had almost stopped expecting the other shoe to drop. She found herself able to enjoy where life was taking them, and though the fear of losing someone she loved would never disappear completely, she could do nothing but hold on tight and let things happen. Danielle had shown her so much courage, Stefania knew she had to do the same.

Danielle. If Stefania felt different now, Danielle was practically a brandnew person. Stefania had watched the past few months with breathless delight as her lover transformed before her eyes from a tightly controlled workaholic to a warm, passionate partner who made her feel safer than she ever had before. With the difference their time together had made already, Stefania was certain they both had much to look forward to.

No doubt more than either of them could imagine.

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I have a new adaptation ahead I know you will like it, it is already available in my profile (smut warning).