"This is a Chianto Classice from Antinori Pelloli. This one is peaking and I was only so lucky to get my hands on one!" Maura said happily as she popped the cork on the bottle of wine. I of course couldn't care less about wine or its 'life cycle' as Maura had explained it on one rather long and boring monologue that I had tried so desperately to appear interested in. Now once again I was forced to feign interest.

"Peaking?" I asked. Raising my eye brow a little at the glass Maura handed me that was more than half full I noticed.

"Yes peaking," she said patiently smiling at me. "Peaking refers to the year when a wine reaches its optimum ripeness. When all flavors coalesce into a prefect symphony of flavor. It is the epitome, the apex of the life of a wine. We are lucky to have this opportunity to sample this one, most of the bottles from this vineyard are either owned by private collectors or were consumed before their prime. If we were to drink this bottle a year from now if will have turned."

I tried not to roll my eyes. Maura's face was bright with excitement like a kid that got their favorite toy on christmas morning. I'd rather be slumped in an old arm-chair drinking beer and watching the game, that was my idea of relaxing. Maura however had a much different view of what was relaxing and that included 'fine wine' and what she refered to as a rousing game of chess. I found the only thing 'rousing' about a game of chess is how frustrated Maura always got when she lost, which wasnt very often, but all the same it was amusing to watch her squirm.

"Fascinating" I said lifting the glass to my lips preparing to take a sip.

"WAIT!" Maura cried, grabbing my wrist. A bit of wine sloshed down my white shirt.

"Jesus really?" I said setting down my glass on the marble counter top and unbuttoning my shirt.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Maura said moving around the counter to help me with my shirt.

"Here let me take it," she said gently pulling the shirt off my back. I caught a whiff of her expensive perfume. She did always smell so good.

"Its ok, I've had that shirt for years, I'll wash it when i get home." I said taking the shirt from her hands and balling it up.

The look Maura gave me was something very close to patronizing amusement.

"Give me the shirt, I'll take care of it. " she said reaching behind my back and pulling the balled up shirt out of my hands. I was wearing only my bra and the closeness of her body against mine made me shudder a little.

Maura must have felt my body tense because she looked up at me with those beautiful eyes of hers, her face right next to mine and I thought I saw the slightest twinkle of some unspoken amusement. I didn't want to think about what was so damn funny, but the air around what little space was between our bodies had become thick with an energy that made my skin prickly with goosebumps.

Maura's eyes ran over my body quickly, just a glance, but as she turned away I thought I saw something that looked like lust.

"I don't have any white wine so I'll have to neutralize the stain with salt instead." she said walking around to the sink and grabbing up a salt shaker.

Her back was to me as she worked on my shirt. I allowed myself to sit in one of her bar stools leaning back to get more comfortable.

"Can i drink the wine now?" I asked reaching for my glass.

"Not yet." she said glancing at me over her shoulder, "It needs to breath."

As far as I knew wine didn't have lungs there for it had no need for breath, but saying so I knew would only draw out some other long lecture about the life of wine and all its 'needs' so I decided to just nod my head and sit back and relax until I had permission to drink what was no doubt very expensive wine.

Maura finished with my shirt and layed it out across her dining room table to dry.

"Let me get you a shirt." she said turning toward me again. Maura herself was wearing heels, a black silk blouse and a rather close-fitting black knee-length skirt. Her body, I couldn't help but notice, was immaculate. Especially her legs, god those legs.

I hadn't realized i had zoned out taking her in but I was brought back too when she called my name.

"Jane?"

I jumped in my chair

"yeah, I'm right here"

"I was asking if you wanted a negligee?"

"A whhhhaa" I asked

"Come with me, "she said grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the chair. "We'll find something together."

Maura's room was toasty, and of course it was perfectly decorated and made up. I noticed the gas fire was going and classical music was playing softly from an ihome on her nightstand.

"so this is your bedroom?" i asked looking around suddenly feeling extremely out-of-place in my old work boots and slacks I had bought three years ago from J.C. Penny.

"yes, do you like it?" she asked rummaging through her chest of drawers.

All of her bedroom furniture matched, it was some sort of dark reddish looking wood and it all looked hand carved and antique. I wanted to ask where she got it but i felt small enough already and the answer would only make me feel even smaller.

"Ummm, it's...very tidy." I managed to say hoping I didn't sound to silly.

"Thank you," Maura said as if i had just given her the greatest compliment ever. She pulled a top out of a drawer that looked a lot like something a supermodel would wear in a victoria's secret underwear add. "How about this?"

"seriously?" i asked, cocking my head to the side and wishing more than anything i had a beer.

Maura looked a bit crestfallen. "What's wrong with it?" she asked looking it over. "I bought it from Francesca's. It's silk and very comfortable."

"It's pink, like hot pink, and it's got...frills."

"Its cute," she said smiling

"Oh maur, don't you have like a t-shirt or something more practical?"

"I don't own any t-shirt, and this is practical for sleeping."

"This," i said pulling the thing out of Maura's hand "is not my style, and it's not practical for anything but maybe...well never mind."

"You're being silly put it on." she said poking me in the ribs "Come on," she teased trying to pull the thing over my head.

"Maur, Maur stop it...i dont wanna wear it." I struggled unable to help myself from giggling.

Maura was laughing outright now while she wrestled with me. I could have overcome the shorter more fragile woman in an instant but i didnt want the fun to end to quickly. I let her jostle me around the room for a bit enjoying the way she laughed, the scent of her perfume, and touch of her body against mine. Her laughter was infectious and I found myself unable to stop giggling at the smaller woman's attempts to wear me down. I was bumping into furniture all over the place laughing even harder every time.

Maura's hands were all over my body grabbing and feeling and if I didn't know any better I would say she was exploring me a bit more than a platonic friend would. I didn't mind, I was thrilled that Maura was enjoying herself. After the week we had had this silly exchange was everything the doctor ordered.

"Janie put...it...ON!" Maura fussed finally pulling the pink frilly silky monstrosity over my head.

A triumphant grin spread across her pretty little face as she stood back to survey me. We were both a little breathless form the excursion around the bedroom. I would never tell Maura but I had let her put the top on me, even though I hated it I would have dressed up as Santa Clause if I knew it would make her smile.

After a few moments Maura's merry grin turned into some else, something far more...well...sexual. Whether consciously or subconsciously I watch Maura's grin transform into an expression I had only ever imagined in my dreams. I watched with shocked pleasure as she slowly and deliberately bit her bottom lip.

"Well look at you, big bad detective Rizzoli all pretty in pink." Maura said, then she burst into laughter again. "I wish I had a camera right now...Frost would die to see this."

I felt my face flush with embarrassment. I grabbed her around the waist and pushed her against the wall pressing my hips into her and lifting her arms above her head pinned her there by her wrist.

Her body wriggled against mine as she struggled to release herself from my grasp. I wasnt holding her wrist tight enough to hurt her but i was enjoying this a lot more than i would have admitted to anyone out loud.

I didn't think of Maura as weak, never that. She was the smartest most capable person i had ever met, Maura could out brain me any day of the week. But physically i had the upper hand and for some strange reason in this moment i loved that i could bend Maura to my will if i so desired.

Maura struggled for a few seconds longer eventually giving up with a sigh and a pout on her face.

"Janie!" she whined looking up at me with hazel eyes full of feigned anger.

"Maura," i replied in a high-pitched whine trying to imitate Maura's tone. That might not have been the best idea because seconds later i felt a sharp pain on my neck.

I jumped back holding my neck, my eyes i knew were wide with shock. "you freaking bit me!" i exclaimed more in disbelief than anything else.

Maura only smiled haughtily, "You're not so bad ass now," she smirked.

I grabbed her around the waist as she tried to bolt around me and pulled her close, holding her little body tightly as she struggled and fussed.

"Stop it Janie...Jane...JAAANE!" she squealed between giggles as I wrestled her down on her bed.

"Take it back," I said playfully biting at her neck.

Maura's giggling and squealing got even louder now as i continued to nip and her neck and ears. She smelled sooo good, I couldn't resist letting my tongue glide over her soft smooth skin a few times and filing away the taste of her in my memory bank. I thought I felt her body tighten a little when my tongue touched her skin and the slight quickening of her breath wasnt lost on me.

"Take it back Maura, " i repeated wrapping my arms around her and holding tight so she couldn't wriggle away. I look down at her beautiful flushed face and smiled. Her cheeks were rosy from our little game and her eyes were shiny with excitement. One of my curls fell into her face and she giggled again, gently brushing it behind my ear.

"You are a badass,"she consented with a pleasant smile. Her small soft hand cradled my face maneuvering it so i was looking directly into her eyes. "except when it comes to me." she said softly.

My heart melted, everything about that statement was true and absolutely not true at the same time. Maura did make me softer, more vulnerable, more open-minded, and god knows more patient. But i wasnt any less of a bad ass because of her...if anything god help the idiot who thought they could take her from me.

"I'm twice the bad ass because of you." i said matter of factly cradling my face in Maura's hand and kissing her palm lightly. "I'd never hurt you, but i would do anything to protect you."

The smile that slowly spread across Maura's face was the most beautiful vision i had ever seen. Even sweaty and frazzled she was just sooo freaking pretty.

"I know you would." She said barely above a whisper.

"Excuse me, i just wanted to ask Dr. Isles if i could borrow a cup of sugar." Angel rizzoli asked from the bedroom doorway.