Author's note: Thank you very much for the messages and reviews... And for your Rizzles patience that will be rewarded very, very soon now.

...

"As much as you certainly don't share her wisdom, you do look like Athena." Maura Isles.

Chapter Ten – i'saste kalesme'ni ston ga'mos mas*

The moment Jane found herself alone in the fitting room, her life stopped and she took her time to analyze every single thing that had happened to her since she and Maura had arrived in Greece. She wasn't in the mood for introspection but the Skype session with her mother the day before had caused a big wave of discomfort to spread over her mind and she didn't know what to think anymore.

She nonetheless started getting undressed yet rather absentmindedly. The music that was playing in the background rocked her thoughts and accompanied her furtive movements in a very random way.

The cotton of her short pants brushed her ankles before landing by her feet. She pushed the piece of clothing in a corner, grabbed the dress and raised an eyebrow at it. Oddest personal choice she had ever made.

She had stepped into the small shop certain that she would try on one of their linen pants but for a reason that she had a hard time to understand, she had instantly grabbed a dress instead. Maura's quiet smile before such a choice had been worth a thousand words. A sparkle of delight had lit up her hazel eyes but she hadn't said anything.

She had let Jane do then she had gone herself for a dress as well.

Why had her mother had to be so mysterious? The question rose in Jane's blurry head for the umpteenth time as she adjusted the dress and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Why had she said that? Everything had gone smoothly then all of a sudden Angela had had to come up with a somehow mysterious speech about tolerance and love. It did not make sense whatsoever and it had actually obstructed the smooth and peaceful days Jane was having in Greece.

"Dammit."

She barely had time to curse between her clentched teeth. Someone knocked on the wall next to her very basic fitting room.

"Jane, are you alright? You have been in there for the last twenty-five minutes already..." Maura's voice betrayed an ounce of timidity and uncertainty. "Are you... I mean, can I see it?"

They had spent a nice evening after the Skype connection. Just as planned, Jane had taken Maura to have a kebab by the main square of Oia. They had sat at the counter and observed the ballet of buses coming and going while savoring their sandwiches. After a short walk through the quiet streets, they had headed back to the hotel and it was when Oula had invited them to the wedding.

A completely unexpected event that yet they hadn't been able to turn down. As a matter of fact, the invitation had really touched them. Oula barely knew them yet she had decided to invite them to her cousin's wedding. Not for the ceremony but for the party that would take place afterward in the evening on a small square of Oia.

There would be a buffet and local musicians. It was a Greek wedding, a traditional one. She had assumed that Jane and Maura might be interested in seeing how the Greeks celebrated a union like the one of her cousin. Fair idea, adorable if Jane had to be honest. She was rather curious to learn a bit more about the hellenistic culture.

"Ahem yeah... I mean, sure. I'm sorry."

The heavy curtain made a very loud noise as Maura pulled on it to step into the small fitting room. She didn't mock Jane. As a matter of fact, Maura never mocked her, unlike others, when she tried to be a bit more feminine. It was a nice little change. Growing up with brothers only and working in a male environment had its disadvantages.

"You look very, very pretty." Maura made a step towards Jane and positioned herself just behind her so she could have a better view over the piece of clothing. "No... Actually you aren't pretty but gorgeous. I wasn't too sure about a white one but it beautifully contrasts with your olive skin. You almost look Greek... Excellent choice."

The compliment made Jane blush. She tried to run a hand through her hair but got stuck midway as she realized that she was wearing it in a ponytail. Doing her best to avoid Maura's look on her, she focused on the piece of clothing and properly observed it this time. She had been too lost in her thoughts until now to do it.

It was one of these typical Grecian dresses that could be found in every single shop on the island: empire waist, ankle-length, a light tissue embracing her curves with grace.

"What about you? I didn't see yours." Jane nodded at nobody but herself then looked at her friend.

She would buy it. Chances were that she would not wear it ever again after the wedding but she had to admit that she found it pretty and that it suited her. Besides, she had only packed very casual clothes. She hadn't assumed that they would attend a wedding at some point during their vacations.

"I will buy the knee-length emerald green one. It seems to be a good combination with yours: we will be wearing the same style of dress but not the exact same one either. There is nothing worse than a couple who is too match-y. It is one major faux-pas!"

The words passed Maura's lips before she had a chance to realize what she had just said. They hit the air with an insolent eloquence and immediately caused her cheeks to turn red like a brick.

The remark had had its very own little effect on Jane as well who seemed to be on the verge of passing out.

"Isn't it... Isn't it too dressy?" Jane knew that it wasn't as she had seen women wearing this kind of dress on the streets of Oia by day but she hadn't found any other way to escape Maura's verbal mishap.

"No, not at all." Relief began to appear on Maura's face. She would never thank Jane enough for not paying attention to what she had just said. "You will see that many women will be wearing the same kind of dress, actually... It ahem... You know what? As much as you certainly don't share her wisdom, you do look like Athena in it... A modern version of her... You have her presence, her bearing."

Yes Maura had just compared Jane to a goddess but at least this time she had done it with subtlety and none of them felt embarrassed by the idea. As long as she didn't assimilate them to a couple again, everything would go smoothly.

"You won't tell anyone about this dress, right?" If she knew that her friend wouldn't mock her, Jane had doubts about Maura's photography intentions. She squinted her eyes at her in the mirror and waited for a reply. In vain. Her friend's silence turned out to be a giveaway. She gasped, horrified. "Maura!"

...

For the first time since they had arrived in Santorini, they had decided to have a quiet afternoon and not do much before the wedding party.

Once done with the wedding shopping, they had walked through the streets of Oia before coming back to the hotel to enjoy the infinity pool that, one more time, turned out to be empty.

How come tourists didn't take advantage of it? Most of them seemed to prefer a sunbath from the chaise-longue on their private terraces instead. It was strange but Maura had to admit that she highly enjoyed their singular choice. At least it meant that she didn't have to stress about the potential bacteria present in the swimming-pool.

She stepped out of the waters and walked to her chaise-longue next to a sleeping Jane only to realize that she had forgotten to take her book along. Not bothering to wrap herself in one of the large bath towels of the hotel, Maura grabbed the key to their studio and headed in her bikini to the top floor.

The sun was too hot for her to walk barefoot. She had put on her sandals and enjoyed the way thousands of water drops warmly slid on her skin, going from her nape down to her lower back before embracing the intimate path that led to her inner thighs.

She stepped into the studio and barely held back a moan of despair. Jane really was a messy person. Her clothes lay haphazardly all around – on top of the couch, on the small kitchen table, on the banister that led to the mezzanine – while her different items littered the stairs and the floor. She had this habit to simply put down whatever she had in hand the moment she didn't want it anymore, no matter it didn't belong to the room she was in.

And if this kind of attitude was just fine at her place, it was a very different story in a studio that she shared with a third party. A very organized third party.

Maura grabbed a dozen of items that belonged to the bathroom and walked upstairs to the room. Every day she had to clean for Jane. It was a nightmare.

She walked into the bathroom and proceeded to put the body lotions and the hairbrush on the counter with her usual meticulousness but very soon the lack of sun in the room bothered her. Her bikini felt damp and cold against her skin. Why not putting on a dry one since she was back to their studio, after all? She grabbed the first one she found and got undressed.

"Shit, I'm sorry!"

Jane's voice in her back startled her. Yet instead of hiding herself, Maura turned around to face her friend which caused Jane to immediately cover her eyes and walk backwards only to hit the edge of the bed. The unexpected contact made her lose her balance. She fell down, rather heavily.

"Oh my god, are you alright?" Maura rushed to her friend and helped her to sit up. She feverishly checked Jane's arms as well as her forehead. She wasn't bleeding and didn't look hurt. "Are you in pain?"

"Gosh Maura... Will you please put something on? You're naked!" Jane managed to take her distance from Maura and stood up making sure to avoid looking at her friend. How come she was the one who felt embarrassed while she had clothes on? "I thought you were in the laundry room, I'm sorry. I didn't want to walk in on you."

Maura rolled her eyes but her so-called annoyance didn't fool anyone. The smirk that was playing on her lips was too revealing for that. Jane's reaction was highly entertaining. She put a dry bikini on and shook her head at her friend the moment she finally dared to look at her again.

"You know, Jane... I might start taking it badly and personal if you keep on being so afraid of my body."

Jane snorted and desperately looked all around to find a good excuse to the whole thing. She stopped on the small opened window that overlooked the street. She pointed it.

"The donkeys could have seen you! I'm sure it's not something the Greeks would approve."

...

i'saste kalesme'ni ston ga'mos mas: you are invited to our wedding