Chapter 1:
Maura inhaled the warm sweetness of the hot chocolate as she stirred the contents of her mug. The warmth of Jane's cozy apartment and the brunette's easy demeanor instantly began to melt away the stress of Maura's failed romantic escapade from earlier that evening.
"Boring?" Jane questioned once again. Maura heard herself audibly sigh, frustrated that Jane was still latched onto the subject. "Boring. That's the reason you ended a date with a guy who has an annual salary in the high six figures and owns a hut in the Virgin Islands. Boring? Really?"
"Jane," Maura groaned, "will you please just leave it alone? He simply did not stimulate me physically or intellectually. The man was dull." Maura's eyebrows knit together in offence as Jane let out a laugh.
"Dull? And this is coming from the human encyclopedia? Wow..." Jane turned her eyes back to her cup, shaking her head and smirking unabashedly.
"I will have you know that I am an exceptionally exciting person." Maura huffed, scraping the corners of her mind for something dashing and daring to throw in Jane's face.
"Oh really?" Jane guffawed, staring into Maura's defensive eyes. "Prove it." Jane challenged, crossing her arms over her chest and raising a sleek, dark eyebrow over glittering brown orbs.
"Well..." Maura searched, "I...I am a cheese aficionado! I try the boldest flavors from all around the globe!" she hollered, jabbing a vengeful finger in Jane's chest.
"Ha!" Jane couldn't even try to contain her laughter. "Cheese. That's all you've got? Wow, Maura, you're even less exciting than I thought!" Maura's eyebrows knitted together and the corners of her mouth dove downward in an utterly hurt expression. Immediately, the laughing smile went from Jane's face and her eyes softened and she reached out a hand, placatingly rubbing Maura's shoulder.
"Aw, Maur, I didn't mean...I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I just think," she paused, looking towards the counter and the can of whipped cream poised there in order to top there drinks, and a devilish smirk crept across her lips. "I just think you need to get a little out of your comfort zone and live a little!" she hollered as she lunged for the bottle, and in one smooth motion strode into the doctor's personal space and coated the left side of her neck with a generous dollop of whipped cream. Maura shrieked and instinctively looked down to see if any of the frothy white stuff had contaminated the rich purple silk of her dress. When she found the coast clear, she returned her gaze to Jane, who was still very much in her bubble, and grinning devilishly. Maura had seen that look before in the eyes of many men. But she had also seen it in Jane before. She had often caught the detective staring at her for a little too long, leaning into their hugs a little too much. So, naturally, putting the evidence together, the doctor came to the only plausible conclusion.
"Well," Maura simpered, "then why don't you help me do just that." the doctor raised her hand and gathered the silky blonde waves of her hair and slowly, tantalizingly pulled them away from her neck, and tilted her head slightly to the right, tightening and smoothing the muscle and skin the cream rested on.
Maura watched as shock, chased by what looked like fear, flared over the detective's eyes. Soon, however, the emotions simmered down to a slow, deep, burn. Jane inched impossibly closer and bent her head, catching Maura's eyes once again, as if looking for assurance. For her part, Maura smirked and raised an eyebrow, giving Jane all the permission she needed. The detective's head continued its downward motion and she paused briefly above Maura's skin to appreciate the delicate spicy fragrance of what was surely very expensive perfume. Sick of wasting time, Jane parted her lips and wrapped them around the cream-coated patch of skin. Letting her tongue venture forward, her taste buds were greeted first by the smooth, sweetness of the whipped topping, but, as her tongue delved further, the saliva was sent rocketing to her mouth as she got her first taste of Dr. Maura Isles.