An hour later found them deep in a wooded area with Maura listing the scientific name for nearly every plant they passed while Jane struggled to remember exactly where their destination was.
"Where are we going?" questioned Maura.
"It's a surprise, Frankie and I found it when we were kids. You'll like it, I promise," said Jane as she swatted a bug away from her head.
Eventually Jane recognized their surroundings and began to pick up her pace. Maura could hear the water before she could see it and knew Jane had brought her to a waterfall.
They stood watching as the water poured off one side.
"It's beautiful Jane. Thank you for bringing me here," said Maura as she watched the mist.
"Come on!"
Maura followed Jane down the rather steep hill to the edge of the water and watched as Jane began taking off her clothes.
"Jane, what are you doing?"
"I'm going to go swimming what does it look like I'm doing?"
"You're not wearing your bathing suit."
"So, my bra and panties will dry. You can come in too, but I understand if you don't want to ruin yours. They did look super expensive compared to mine," Jane smirked as she said the last bit.
"First, thank you for noticing my good taste, but second stop looking at my undergarments, and third I've never done anything like this before."
"Don't be nervous, I won't let anything happen to you."
Maura tilted her head in concentration and then shrugged her shoulders as if giving in. She began removing her clothes and walked to where Jane was waiting for her.
"Want to go jump off the smaller ledge?"
Too scared to speak, Maura just nodded her head. As they approached the edge Maura saw Jane prepare for her jump.
"Wait!" Maura yelled.
Jane turned to face her just as Maura slipped her hand into hers. Jane smiled warmly at her tightening her grip.
"On three! One, two, three!" Squealed Jane.
Both women jumped into the water hands firmly grasped to each other. Maura screamed for a second, but broke the surface with a beaming smile.
"That was exhilarating!" Maura yelled as Jane swam around her.
The two lazily floated and swam around for a couple of hours before deciding skipping breakfast was a bad idea. They dressed and decided to make their way back. Maura kept stealing glances in Jane's direction hoping to make eye contact. She wanted to see if the romance of the situation was lost on the brunette or if it was done on purpose.
"Where have you two been? Everyone is down at the lake swimming," said Angela.
"We apologize Angela, Jane took me to see the most amazing waterfall and we swam for a bit. I hope we didn't ruin any plans," responded Maura.
Meanwhile, Jane was rooting around in coolers looking for something to end her hunger pains.
"Ma, where's the food?" asked Jane interrupting the two women.
Angela ignored her daughter and continued, "Oh no darling, we just had a quick breakfast and then they went swimming. I stayed back here to clean up and read in the hammock."
Maura smiled as Jane walked up next to her and offered her a granola bar. When she took it her fingers brushed Jane's and a shiver went up her spine. Jane was already on her second granola bar before Angela told her to calm down that she would make them something to eat. Jane kissed Angela on the cheek and stealthily slipped her hand into Maura's and pulled her in the direction of the hammock. Jane softly pushed Maura onto it and took a seat beside her. Their weight in the fabric meant their bodies were pressed tightly up against one another and Jane leaned both of them back so their legs were dangling off the edge.
They swayed in the wind for a few minutes until Jane spoke startling Maura.
"I'm really sorry about everything and I'm really glad you're here."
"I'm glad I'm here too Jane."
Jane turned to smile at Maura, but was shocked when she felt lips on her cheek. Jane gave Maura one of the biggest, goofiest smiles she had ever seen and quickly kissed her back on the cheek.
The rest of the day was spent playing tug-o-war in which Frankie and his date got covered in mud, more swimming, and just general laying around. Jane never let Maura out of her sight and rarely released their hands.
"Let's go to the little town and do some shopping, how bout it girls?" Angela asked everyone.
Everyone nodded and the boys high fived, everyone knew they would come back to two very drunk Rizzoli boys. Normally Jane would have stayed behind too, but when Maura smiled that smile she was already preparing to change her clothes into something slightly more presentable.
The women walked around the town. Jane and Maura had gotten to know Lydia and Sarah a little better and decided they weren't so bad after all.
Maura found an old record shop that she wanted to go into while everyone else went into what appeared to be a giant basket store. Jane followed, but excused herself to go to the restroom.
When she got back it was to find a very attractive man wearing board shorts and a polo chatting with Maura. He was touching her arm and leaning slightly into her personal space. Fire spread throughout Jane, but as she started to stomp over there and throw him off her girl she realized one crucial fact. Maura wasn't her girl. It was as if someone had thrown a bucket of ice water on her.
"Baby, this Geoffrey. He is also on vacation here. Geoffrey this is my girlfriend Jane," Maura said this all while walking towards Jane and interlocking their hands in a very territorial handhold.
Jane stared at Maura for a second and suddenly it dawned on her. Maura isn't interested in him. She saw Maura's forced smile and politeness and let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. Maura turned to Jane waiting for her to say something. Geoffrey just ogled both women, obviously picturing them both together and naked.
"Jane?" Maura finally questioned after Jane failed to say anything.
Maura let out a surprised squeal as she felt Jane's hands on her back pulling her against the taller woman's body. She opened her mouth to ask what Jane was thinking but was silenced when Jane's lips touched hers. Maura immediately melted into the kiss, immediately noting the addictive combination of strength and tenderness. Jane was kissing her like she would break, but also as if it were her job to hold her together at the same time. Maura tried to deepen the kiss by pulling Jane closer by her hips, but just as quickly as it started it was over.
"Oh my god, Maura I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have, I'm so sorry," Jane said as she backed up never looking Maura in the eyes.
Maura turned to Geoffrey and said goodbye as she followed Jane's retreating form.
" Jane, please stop walking. Please," begged Maura as she trailed behind Jane.
Just then Angela walked up to them carrying three absurdly large baskets. Lydia and Sara were both right behind her and eagerly lifted the teddy bears they bought that resembled both Frankie and Tommy oblivious to the tension between the two women.
Maura took advantage of Jane's private nature and her mother's presence by taking a hold of Jane's hand. She was correct in her assumption that she wouldn't pull away so as not to alert her mother of the situation. Without even a hint of hesitation Maura stepped in front of Jane and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips.
"I'm going to run into that store right there and use the restroom, will you wait for me?" asked Maura innocently.
Jane nodded her agreement and watched with a shocked expression as Maura sauntered away.
"Well aren't you two the cutest couple," said Angela with obvious delight.
Jane couldn't seem to calm her heart rate or make her head feel as though it would stop spinning. She had no idea what had just happened and Maura needed to come back before her Mother figured out something was wrong.
"Jane, Jane are you okay?" asked Angela with a worried look on her face.
"What, yeah Ma, uh, sorry," Jane responded.
When Jane saw Maura coming back out of the store everyone could see the relief on her face and the shy smile she was trying desperately to hide.
"I thought I would treat everyone to dinner tonight so I ordered us three pizzas while I was in there. They deliver, which is surprisingly convenient," said Maura.
After everyone said their thanks they made their way back to the campsite. As they pulled up they heard a sound very similar to screeching and wailing. Making their way towards the campfire they saw both Tommy and Frankie standing on the coolers with beers in their hands singing a horribly off key rendition of Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer.
"You drunken slobs had better not drank all the beer," was all Jane said as she dodged their playful attempts at passing her their beer microphones.
Maura couldn't stop laughing as Lydia and Sara tried their best to keep their dates under control. Jane grabbed a beer and silently headed to her cabin, Angela's angry voice was the only thing she could hear as she closed the door.
A little less than ten minutes later the door opened and in walked a very happy Maura Isles.
"You kissed me," she stated as she lowered herself to the bed.
"Wow, you are direct aren't you?" said Jane.
"Yes, I find it saves time. Are you going to kiss me again?"
"Maura, I didn't plan on kissing you the first time. It just sort of happened."
"I kissed you, or did you not notice?"
"I noticed," said Jane as she shifted uncomfortably.
"I enjoyed you kissing me. I would very much like to do it again."
"That was the first time I kissed another woman," said Jane as if she was revealing a huge secret.
"Mine too. Let's do it again," exclaimed Maura with a beaming smile.
Jane propped herself up on her elbow so she was looking down at Maura who was lying on her back. She could see the combination of excitement and nervousness on her face and knew she had the same expression. Maura brought her hand up and rested it on Jane's hip waiting for her to close the distance between them. The anticipation was killing her and as she lifted up to be close enough to feel Jane's breath on her lips she heard Angela yelling her name.
"Maura the pizzas are here! I can't sign your name for you dear!" yelled Angela.
Jane huffed and sat up allowing Maura to get to her feet. Both maintained eye contact until Maura stumbled out the door and made her way to the delivery boy. Jane watched from the cabin door.
Jane watched as Maura smiled at the very smitten teenager who handed Maura the pizzas. Maura smiled as she gave him what Jane knew was a very large tip. Maura didn't even have time to fully turn around before the boys ran up to her and each grabbed a pizza yelling about how awesome she was. Jane noticed Maura's attempt to hide her pleased smile and couldn't help but smile herself. Maura looked up just in time to see Jane stare at her with open adoration. It was at that moment that Jane made her mind up, she was going to woo Dr. Maura Isles. And she was going to woo her good.