A/N: Might be continued with a second part...


Jane was glad when they finally retreated to their warm and cozy hotel room. When Maura talked Jane into joining her on a business trip she wasn't that happy at first. A whole weekend packed with conferences and lectures on Pathology wasn't something Jane was looking forward to.

On the other hand, she didn't have to attend the official meetings and three days with Maura was quite a pleasant thing and it turned out that the pathologist's duties were only scheduled in the morning hours which gave them plenty of time for the rest of the day.

Though Jane secretly admired the snowy streets of New York, she was glad when the warmth of their hotel room welcomed her with open arms, caressing her icy cheeks that immediately flushed.

It was their first day in NYC and Jane felt worn out already. The past few weeks had been hard on all of them and both women appeared to be happy to escape their familiar environment.

Jane watched Maura undress; stunned by the honey-blonde's appearance. She seemed so much happier. There was no one around who she had to stick up to. No one who would judge her by what she was doing; no one would doubt her authority.

She almost seemed radiant; her striking beauty stood out effortlessly against the dull wintry days of the city and everything else.

'Well, it's not that cold in here,' Jane heard her saying and it took her a couple of seconds to understand that Maura was actually talking to her.

'Jane?' she asked again with a smile on her face.

'What? Oh, right...' she answered with a nervous laugh and turned around while she start to take off her scarf.

What the hell? She thought.

'Are you alright?' Maura asked amused and sat down on the edge of their king sized bed and Jane didn't see any other bed anywhere close; she certainly didn't mind. She took her coat off and ignored their suitcases on the floor. She wasn't sure if unpacking was really necessary; she sat down next to Maura who let herself fall back on the bed with closed eyes; it took Jane just an instant to join her like that.

'God, I'm so tired,' Maura said and yawned. Being out in the cold almost all days didn't seem that bad but now that she was cozy and warm she felt exhausted. She was also aware of Jane's slender body so close to her own.

She didn't resist when she drifted to sleep and felt perfectly comfortable; she opened her eyes almost an hour later and met Jane's dark eyes, watching her quietly. Her head rested on her hand and she was laying on her side; snuggling to Maura.

'Did you watch me sleeping all the time?' Maura asked sleepily.

Jane's eyes never left her and Maura noticed how calm the detective suddenly seemed to be; her eyes looked so warm and calm.

'Yes,' she said calmly with a lovely smile on her lips.

And all the time I've been trying not to kiss your soft lips.

'You're beautiful,' Jane said and Maura was stunned for a moment. She heard Jane saying that a couple of times already, but this time it was different. It was deeply intimate and Maura knew it wasn't just casual kindness between friends.

It was the truth spoken by a woman in love.

For an instant Maura didn't dare to move and remained motionless while her best friend watched her with an expression that was still unknown to Maura.

'Thank you,' she whispered and thought of all the things she wanted to say to Jane but the words refused to cross her lips. Their eyes remained locked longer then they should've; too long for a casual glance between friends.

Maura was touched by the serene expression on her friend's face; knowing that the detective always had problems with relaxing or showing emotions.

Without another word Jane's right hand reached out and gently tucked a few strands of honey-blonde hair behind her friend's ear and softly touched her cheek while doing so.

Maura knew that something was different. They always smiled at each other, always laughed together or simply cast glances at each other and never failed to understand the other one on a non-verbal basis. And they always touched each other; fell asleep in one's arms or snuggled up on the sofa, but still there's always been something between them. An invisible wall that kept them from going too far.

Though tonight it seemed to break down and Maura enjoyed the change; she was actually quite surprised by her own reactions.

She felt her heart racing against her chest and inhaled deeply: closing her eyes for a moment.

'Someone's getting weak here...' Maura said with a smile and Jane didn't seem bothered at all.

'Don't tell anyone,' she whispered softly and Maura caught a glance of the real Jane Rizzoli; the one who's not a homicide detective or a victim hunted by a killer.

Maura laughed quietly and her nervousness appeared to return; she had to find a way to get out of this without getting into an awkward situation.

'We gotta get up early tomorrow,' she said.

'You mean, you have to get up early...' Jane answered.

'Right,' Maura said and sat upright; immediately missing the warmth of Jane's body though it wasn't cold in the room at all.

'I'm going to take a shower,' she said and got up to get her suitcase. She was quite tired actually, but she needed a few minutes to think.

It's not as easy as you thought it might be, she told herself.

'Don't you want to get your clothes out of your suitcase?' Maura asked and took her toiletries bag to the adjoining bathroom.

'In a minute,' Jane said and now laid flat on her back; staring at the ceiling. She heard Maura in the bathroom and turned to face the door; she didn't close it and Jane had an unfettered view of the bathtub, she spotted her own reflection in the mirror at the wall.

Her face was lit up by the light of the bathroom only since she switched off every other light when Maura had fallen asleep and the little light on the nightstand didn't really make a difference.

She sighed and got up from the bed to get her suitcase after all; she was to tired to get engaged in a discussion of the necessity of unpacking when you're staying for three nights only.

'Oh damn,' Jane said more to herself and was surprised when Maura appeared by the doorframe; dressed in nothing but a towel; her hair loosely tied together.

'What's the matter?' she asked and she didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that she was almost naked.

'I... yeah,' Jane said and turned around; away from Maura.

Damn you, woman!

'Just forgot my PJ's,' Jane said and was about to take out a plain shirt when Maura walked into the room; her towel way too loose around her body.

'You can have one of mine,' she said and started going through her suitcase; completely ignoring the fact that Jane just raised and eyebrow at her and was, in addition to everything, quite distracted.

'How many do you have?' Jane wanted to know. 'One for each night?'

'Don't be silly,' Maura said and passed Jane a black piece of fabric that was so small that Jane knew she wouldn't like it.

She held the 'thing' up with both hands to examine it properly.

'Seriously?' she asked and kept looking at something that looked like a tiny black dress; made of thin fabric. Jane had to admit that it was indeed quite soft and she appreciated the fact that it was long-sleeved.

Won't make much of a difference though if that thing barely covers my ass!

'It'll look good on you,' Maura said and smirked at her.

'No way I'm gonna wear this!' she protested.

'Come on,' Maura said and Jane asked herself if there was a hint of begging in her voice.

'I could as well sleep without it,' Jane said and dropped the tiny dress on the bed; Maura looked up and said perfectly content 'Fine' before she turned around to enter the bathroom. Jane watched her disappearing; she sighed again and picked the dress up.

A smile crossed her lips when she recognized the familiar scent of Maura that the fabric was carrying.

What the hell am I doing here?

She heard the sound of running water and noticed that the door was slightly ajar.

As soon as Jane finished unpacking she sat down on the bed and held the dress in her hands.

She knows exactly how to get to me, Jane thought.

She listened to the sound of running water and started taking off her clothes; she wouldn't be distracted at the moment. She undressed in silence and abandoned everything but her panties. She put the negligee on and was surprised by how neatly the soft fabric hugged her skin. It fitted perfectly and the scent of Maura was still lingering on it; on her own skin. She liked the thought that it had also covered Maura's bare skin at night.

Just as she'd expected it, it barely covered her derrière and her bare legs were left entirely exposed. She got up and entered the other room to catch a glance at herself in the mirror.

She was startled by how beautiful she suddenly considered herself.

She's really getting me weak now...

Jane unfastened her hairband and her dark curls fell loosely over her shoulders. She always thought that being dressed like this would make her feel awkward but tonight there was no one to complain about her choice of clothes.

She silently walked back into the room; a shiver running through her body. She took a deep breath and felt the nervousness creeping into her mind, her heart pounding in her chest.

Why the hell am I nervous?

She kept telling herself that all she wanted to do was wait until Maura was done though she knew that she had quite a few things on mind that she'd love to do. She noticed that the bathroom door was open and she froze on the spot; amazed by what she saw.

Jane found Maura sitting on the edge of the bathtub; all Jane could see was her back, the towel was wrapped loosely around her wonderful body. Her hair was still tied together, just the way it'd been before she went to take a shower. Jane's eyes were fixed on the beautiful woman in front of her and there was a sudden urge to reach out and touch her.

She wanted to place a kiss on the back of her neck; let her fingers softly wander up her spine and cup her soft breasts with her hands as she snuggled up from behind. She was craving for Maura's body to lean into her own; wanted to feel her defenses fade when she became wax in her hands; slowly melting away by passion.

Jane felt another wave of emotions running through her suddenly tensed body; inhaling sharply as she moved toward the door and all she noticed was Maura and she reached a point of not giving a damn about her doubts or what anyone else might think.

How many nights had she imagined the sound of her own name crossing her friend's lips in pleasure? It caused her endless minutes of pure desperation, knowing that she might never hear it. She wanted to hear Maura scream her name; wanted to feel her body shivering in her arms, feel her hot breath on her bare skin.

Maura lifted her head and looked into the mirror, meeting Jane's eyes as she slowly entered the bathroom.

Yes, I've been right after all, Maura thought.

She instantly held her breath when she felt Jane's strong but soft hands on her shoulders; sensing the twist in her stomach. Her body tensed slightly and Maura closed her eyes, waiting.

Don't stop, she thought.

Her heart started pounding inside her chest as she felt Jane's hands sliding down her sides; a sigh escaping her lips when her fingernails trailed up her spine slowly. Her back straightened a little and Maura leaned back against Jane's hand; asking for more. A smile crossed Jane's lips but she didn't dare to speak. She leaned forward and lingered above the warm skin of Maura's neck; taking in her scent. She watched Maura drawing away from her lips only to surrender the next moment.

Jane placed a feather-light kiss on the back of her neck and Maura bit her lip; turning around slowly and Jane didn't move at all and their bodies were only inches apart and Jane felt the warmth of Maura's body.

The blonde looked up to face Jane; her cheeks were slightly flushed.

'Take it off,' she whispered and before Jane's brain registered the order she felt Maura's hands gently sliding up her sides; lifting the dress while she did so, revealing a perfectly flat stomach.

This time Maura placed a soft kiss on Jane's hipbone which made the though detective sigh with a hint of desperation. She lifted the dress above her head; her dark curls covering her shoulders. Her left hand gently touched Maura's cheek, tucking a strand of honey-blonde hair behind her ear before she cupped her face and kissed her lips.

Their kiss started slowly; turning more passionate with every second. This was what they'd been trying not to do through the past year; now that they finally stepped over the edge, there was no way back and neither one wanted to. Maura got up without breaking the kiss, meeting Jane at full height. She dropped her towel and wrapped her arms around Jane; closing the distance between them. She let herself fall and met Jane skin on skin. She suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotions when she felt her breasts on her own; felt her heartbeat against her own chest and Jane's strong arms tightly wrapped around her body.

Maura closed her eyes and slightly parted her lips; their tongues meeting hesitantly at first. Jane reluctantly broke the kiss; panting for air. She laid her head on Maura's shoulder and closed her eyes; following Maura when she took her hand and lead her out of the bathroom.