You are all so encouraging. Thank you very much!

Chapter 3

Maura woke up alone in bed, with signs of Jane's body still obvious in the bed. She extended her arm and dropped her hand over Jane's spot, smiling as she remembered Jane's sincerity the night before.

She got out of bed and walked into the kitchen, looking for Jane. Through the sliding door, she saw Jane standing in the same spot as last night; the only difference was the cut off shorts she was now wearing. Maura once again watched Jane for a few minutes, noticing that Jane's posture was less commanding and more relaxed than usual.

At the sound of the door sliding open, Jane turned immediately. Her face was relaxed, but showed signs of recent tears. Maura walked to Jane's side, wrapped her arm around Jane's waist and dropped her head on Jane's shoulder. "What can I do, Jane?"

"I'm fine. I just needed a good cry and I got one out." A calm, unstrained breath further loosened Jane's posture. "Thanks again for last night."

She turned to face Maura and shot her a wobbly, goofy smile that made Maura giggle. "Let's eat breakfast and park our asses on the beach for the day."

Nodding, Maura reached up and ran her thumbs under Jane's eyes to wipe away the remnants of tears. "That sounds perfect."

"Sweet. My pale ass needs some sun and so does yours." She gave Maura's ass a light smack.

"Whatever you say, Jane."

The two women ate breakfast and headed out to the beach. After an hour of lounging, Jane's boundless energy refused to let her remain still. Her sudden quick movements pulled Maura's eyes away from her book.

Drawing single eyebrow up, Maura peered at Jane. "Yes, Jane?"

"You want to have a frisbee catch?"

"Okay-as long as you don't yell at me if I throw it poorly."

"Never." Jane cocked her eyebrows and jumped up with the frisbee in hand. "Let's do this thing, Dr. Isles."

Jane jogged about twenty feet away and then turned to Maura who had moved a few feet from the blanket. "Ready?"

"Yes. Throw it."

Jane sent the frisbee directly at Maura who caught it between two hands firmly slapping on each side of the frisbee. She seemed surprised herself and looked up at Jane, with a proud smile across her face.

"Good catch. Now let's see that sweet arm."

Maura gripped the frisbee securely and threw it toward Jane. It took a sharp downward turn about ten feet in front of Jane. "Damn it! I'll get it."

"No. I got it." Jane started to move toward the frisbee and so did Maura. They locked eyes and simultaneously decided it was some sort of race.

"I said I'll get it, Jane." The two women sprinted to the frisbee. As they approached at the same second, Jane caught Maura from behind as Maura bent to grab the frisbee. She wrapped her arms around Maura's waist pulling her off the ground and spinning her.

"I thought you were going to get it, Maura."

"Jane!" Maura wiggled and thrashed, but Jane bowed her body back and spun them around. "Jane!"

"Okay. Okay." When she dropped Maura, Maura immediately spun around and punched Jane in the shoulder, releasing an adorable sound of frustration. "Mmmpphhh."

"Hey! I was being chivalrous and getting the frisbee that you threw directly into the sand. I was going to show you how to throw it, but now I don't know if I should."

"Fine. You're the one who is going to suffer if I continue to mis-throw."

"True, but you are the one who will have a lousy frisbee throw for the rest of your life."

"I can teach myself."

"I don't doubt that, but since we don't have all day and I'd like to take a dip pretty soon, why don't you let me show you?"

Drawing a fake pout, Maura agreed. "Fine. Thank you."

Jane walked behind Maura. "You're making the same mistake a lot of people do and holding onto the frisbee for too long. I think you might also be holding it incorrectly. Here." She reached around Maura and corrected Maura's grip on the frisbee. Maura's body immediately reacted, but remained calm, so as not to upset Jane.

"Now, release it about a quarter of a second sooner. Try to throw it in the straight line. Go ahead."

Maura threw the frisbee and just like before, it went sailing directly into the sand. "Ugh!"

Jane ran to the frisbee, dusted the sand off it and jogged back to Maura.

"Here. Don't get frustrated. Try again. You're still releasing it too late."

"Okay." She stepped one foot forward and stared at her hand gripping the frisbee while whispering, "Release it a little bit sooner."

Jane smiled at the adorable display in front of her. Maura moments like this were some of her favorites. She watched as Maura continued to line up her throw and repeat Jane's advice. Her eyes would not obey her brain and scanned up and down Maura's firm body in a purple bikini that fit in all the right ways. Of particular interest was Maura's right butt cheek which was extra exposed by her shifted bottoms. When the tingle all over her skin became too strong to ignore, Jane realized she was gawking at Maura.

"Maura! You are thinking too much. Just throw it!"

Maura stopped her practice movements and leered at Jane. "You are so impatient! This is my process."

"Just throw the damn frisbee!"

Maura released the frisbee and it flew in a perfect straight line, before drifting slowly to the sand.

"Yes!"

"Perfect!" Jane held up her hand for a high-five and Maura enthusiastically responded.

The two women continued to throw back and forth until the afternoon sun became too much. After running to the shore line, they both dove in and rose a few feet away from each other.

"God. I needed that!"

"Me too. Frisbee was fun though. Thanks for teaching me how to throw correctly."

"No problem. As always, you were a very fast learner."

"Thanks, Jane."

They continued to tread water and Jane paddled a little closer to Maura. Maura's initial reaction was to back away, thinking Jane was planning on splashing or dunking her, but the serious look on Jane's face held her in place.

When Jane stilled, she was less than a foot from Maura. "I want to take you to dinner tonight."

Jane's wording and demeanor made Maura feel like she was asking her on a date, but she ignored the thought. "That sounds nice. Do you have specific place in mind?"

"Yeah and before you ask, it's a casual place."

"Oh, you just know me so well, Jane." Maura splashed Jane.

"Yeah, well. I'm sure you snuck at least one dress in your bag, but you can keep it casual."

"Okay. Thanks. That will be really nice."

They stayed in the water for a few more minutes, allowing the water's movement to occasionally toss their bodies against each other. Sometimes it would be as subtle as a hand brushing against a forearm-other times knees and thighs would bump. Regardless of the point of contact, both women reveled in every collision.

They returned to their blanket and eventually headed back to the house to get ready for dinner.

After showering, dressing and primping, Maura walked into the kitchen and was stopped short by the site in front of her. "Jane, you look beautiful." There wasn't anything particularly different about Jane's appearance, except for the slightly form-fitting clothes and the color in her face, but Maura couldn't take her eyes off of her.

"Thank you. You do, too, of course. I don't know why I thought you could keep it casual. Your dress is very pretty." Maura beamed as Jane looked her up and down.

"Thanks. And this…" Maura pointed at herself. "is a casual dress."

"Riiiiiggghhht. Anyway, we have a while until our reservation, so I figured we could have a glass of wine and then head out." She held up a glass of wine toward Maura.

As she accepted the glass of wine, Maura noticed that Jane's face had the same look as earlier in the ocean when she asked her out. There was something both calm and expectant in Jane's eyes, but Maura couldn't quite define what it was. "Thank you." Still lost in her thoughts and in Jane's gaze, Maura stumbled a little as she stepped back. Jane braced her by grabbing her waist. The contact made them both jump.

"Whoa. Umm. Thanks." Maura brought her fingertips over her own jaw line, as her eyes lingered to the side.

"You're welcome."

"Do you want to sit in here or outside?"

"In here is fine."

Maura moved toward the couch, but then noticed that Jane was standing still in the kitchen, staring blankly at the floor. Maura internally sighed, worried that another moment would be ruined by the Casey situation. She took Jane's glass out of her hand and put it on the counter. "Hey. Talk to me."

Without moving, Jane responded. "I don't know what to do, Maura."

Emotionally exhausted by the prospect of being dragged through another endless conversation about Casey, Maura was direct. "About Casey?"

Jane's head and gaze lifted slowly, and her dark eyes locked into Maura. "No."

Narrowing her eyes, Maura quickly replied. "You're not stressing about his proposal?"

"No."

Maura's heart fell to her feet and the room around her began to spin recklessly. For the first time since Jane had told her about Casey's proposal, she felt, with one-hundred percent certainty that Jane was going to accept. Her mind started to run through all the things she would no longer get to have with Jane. Her body felt heavy, as though she were rapidly losing oxygen-her muscles were useless, her blood was poisoned.

Jane's hand on her shoulder stopped her distraught train of thought. "I knew I was going to say no the moment he gave me that hideous ultimatum."

Maura could feel her body regaining strength and balance. "I don't understand Jane. What is it then? You don't know how to tell him?"

Jane let out a quick, high-pitched chuckle and rubbed the back of her neck. Her eyes fell back to the floor for a second, before coming back up to meet Maura's. There were un-shed tears in her eyes, and Maura could see her reflection clearly in the glassy, dark brown irises.

"No. It's not that." She stepped toward Maura and Maura held her position.

"I don't know what to do about this."

Her hand slid along Maura's cheek, firmly resting at the base of Maura's skull, as her lips brushed cautiously over Maura's. The gentle touching of lips turned into soft, sweet kissing, as Maura started to respond. Her hands apprehensively settled on Jane's waist and Jane's grip on the back of Maura's neck strengthened.

As their kissing became deeper and deeper, both women felt themselves slipping. Jane's hand moved roughly down Maura's neck, where she slid her thumb back and forth over Maura's pulse point, which moments later she was spreading kisses over.

Maura's head tilted back and the room began to spin again. She had imagined this moment so many times that she felt lost in some type of purgatory. Despondency and complete elation clashed, resulting in a violent anxiety rushing through her-threatening to fracture her. The cyclonic storm system travelling through her body gained strength as her blazing arousal came into contact with her fear of allowing herself to enjoy the moment.

Jane continued to spread kisses up her neck, reveling in the feminine gasps coming from Maura. When it became too much, Maura released an uncontrollable sob causing Jane to pull back immediately.

"Maura. I'm so sorry. Did I force you? Did I just..."

Raising her shaky hand to her forehead, Maura swept away a few stray strands of hair. "No. No. That's not it Jane. I...I...what are you doing?" She shifted her weight back and forth between weakened legs.

"You didn't like it?" Now Jane's voice was choked with tears, as her fear and anxiety returned.

"I think it's quite obvious that I liked it. I want to know why you did it. Why are you doing this? Why now?" Weighty tears accumulated in Maura's eyes, as she stared unblinking.

Jane's overpowering need to hold Maura emerged and she aggressively pulled Maura into her. Letting Maura cry into her, Jane rubbed her back and pressed her lips into her forehead.

After two solid minutes of crying, Maura withdrew from the hug, but avoided eye contact with Jane.

"Maura." With a gentle, yet firm voice, she repeated, "Maura. Come on. Look at me."

Maura was afraid to make eye contact. "Jane. I'm afraid to believe this is real." Maura's fear was palpable and Jane started to tear up again, as she internally berated herself for being the cause of Maura's hurt.

Staring back at Maura, Jane knew that the only way to fix this was to be completely honest with Maura. "I love you, Maura." Her voice echoed in her eyes as she tried to remain brave.

With her eyes on the floor, Maura continued to bite at her lower lip.

"What I mean is..." She captured Maura's hands and squeezed, causing Maura to finally look up. "I'm in love with you."

Maura's breath caught and took half a step back, still holding onto Jane's hands. "Do you really mean that, Jane?"

"Yes. With everything I am."

Dumb-struck, Maura just stared at Jane, her body now trembling. "Maura?" Jane remained completely still as she waited for Maura to respond. "Maura?"

As if finally able to understand what Jane had said, Maura spoke with a soft confidence. "I love you, too. I'm in love with you, too."

Trapped in endless grins, the two women just stood there, inches apart, until Maura moved closer and reconnected their lips, in a tender, but wet kiss. Talking into the kisses, Maura began to ramble. "I've loved you for so long, Jane. I never thought you could love me like I love you."

At that, Jane pulled back and replied. "Don't say that, Maura. I'm the lucky one. You are so, so perfect. I'm so sorry I've been so selfish for so long."

"Let's sit down." Jane made her way to the couch and looked up at Maura, patting the space next to her, which Maura eagerly filled.

"There is something else I have to tell you." Seeing panic rise in Maura's face, Jane quickly qualified her statement. "It's not bad. It's good. Don't look so scared."

"I'm sorry." As she spoke, Maura fumbled with her dress, straightening it out and running her hands over it repeatedly. "You just have a tendency to retreat and I got nervous."

"That's okay." She stopped Maura's frantic movements by plopping her hand on top of Maura's. "You're totally right and I deserve that." She pecked Maura's mouth. "Anyway, what I was going to say is..."

Suddenly Jane looked shy, and Maura noticed a bashful hue on Jane's cheeks. Still, Maura was too curious to wait. "What is it, Jane?"

A smile was building slowly on Maura's face. "Jane?"

"Well…" Jane leaned in, her mouth almost touching Maura's ear, and whispered, "I think you're really, really sexy."