Jane
Lunch was surprisingly delicious. When I first left the apartment with Maura two hours ago, I could not have been less excited about the prospects of the afternoon. Dining with Maura's collegiate uppity ups was the last thing in the world I wanted to do. Waking up this morning I had actually entertained the idea of refusing to go and instead make my way to the beer pong slash barbeque on campus, but how could I? I dreamed of Maura all night and woke up to the sound of her voice and her warm body sprawled across my back. There was nowhere else in the world, and no one I wanted to spend time with more than the woman next to me in that huge ridiculous bed. I actually thought I might get lucky before we left the apartment this morning. But Maura was having none of it, despite my best efforts in the shower. This was a fact I had not been please with, not at all. But Maura in all of her grace let me rub her expensive smelly good lotion all over her body, and she even let my hands linger in all the places I loved best smiling at me with all the beauty a sunrise had to offer. I smiled again thinking about those few moments. God I loved that woman.
Maura was sitting next to me at an opulently decorated dining table in a room nearly as big as the ball room last night. There were many dining tables situated in the room and a stage at the far end with a podium and a projection screen behind it. But except for the five Deans, Joy, Maura and I, the room was absent any other bodies. I didn't mind, I was enjoying this more than I could ever have imagined. The conversation had not been all about science and boring bullshit I didn't care about unless it was helping me solve a case, and the deans weren't insufferable know-it-alls like I expected. Three of the deans were older men, well into their grey hair and balding heads. They were wearing very old looking suits and they smelled of mothballs. One dean was a woman a few years older than Maura and I; she was dressed nicely in a fashionable black skirt and a red silk blouse with puffy shoulders. I actually thought the puffy shoulders were ridiculous, but I kept that to myself. The woman had a poise and soft spoken manner that reminded me of Maura's mother. I decided I liked the woman immediately. The last Dean was younger than Maura and I, an awkward, tall, stick thin, gangly looking man that seemed nervous of his own shadow and stuttered a bit when he spoke, which wasn't very often. Maura had attempted to give him words of praise over his many accomplishments in his young life. I was sure Maura was trying to get the young man to feel more comfortable, but it didn't work. The boy had blushed hard under Maura's compliments and accidently spilled his water all over himself and the table. I had actually chuckled at that, but after receiving a particularly stern gaze from Maura I covered my laugh with a cough and took a sip of my own water.
I noticed Joy smiling at me across the table when I returned my water glass to the table. It was an odd sort of smile. The kind of smile Maura gave me sometimes when I had done something silly to amuse her. It made me a little uncomfortable actually and I quickly turned away my gaze, I didn't want Maura to see me looking at Joy. Maura had become unnervingly testy about me around other women and I didn't want to push her buttons. I noticed Maura studying me out of the corner of my eye, I couldn't see her face clearly, but I knew she was watching my reaction to the other woman's smile. That made me even more uncomfortable. The last thing I needed was Maura in another rage like last night.
I was saved by an outburst of raucous laughter from the fat jolly Dean they called Professor Camden. That guy was awesome. Nothing about him spoke of uppity professionalism, but apparently he was one of the leading minds behind the research of some something or another that was the latest cutting edge technology in forensic sciences genetic mapping of chromosomes and something something blah, blah, blah. The point is the man was some sort of genius in Maura's world, but he was loud, and often obnoxious! He was nothing like I would have expected had I read his accomplishments on a piece of paper. He was quick to a quip or joke, often inappropriate, and reminded me more of a bad Santa Claus than the Dean of any Science Department. I found myself laughing at all of his jokes, even the unseemly one's that no one else seemed to find that funny. I received more than a few raised eyebrows from Maura but I didn't care, that guy was the best part of this meal, well that guy and Maura's unbelievably sexy body sitting next to me.
Maura had chosen a pretty red light cotton sun dress with spaghetti straps, revealing just enough of her cleavage to not be called inappropriate, but enough to receive more than a few appreciative glances from everyone at the table, especially me, but not Joy I did notice. I didn't find myself getting angry like I usually did when the men checked her out. I knew where Maura was going to lay her head tonight, and it would be right next to mine. Let the men have their looks, beautiful women were put on this earth to be admired anyway. Hadn't I admired Maura countless times over the years, and for far more than just her beautiful mind! Besides, Maura was crazy sexy today and I couldn't be more proud that I was the one sitting next to her. I let my mind think about all the things I'd like to do under that sexy little red sundress.
My thoughts were broken by another boisterous laugh from Professor Camden. "...and then the woman says 'I'm sorry professor, but I'm here with my lesbian lover'" professor Camden said in a high pitched voice meant to imitate a woman. He laughed all over again and slapped the professor next to him so roughly the poor man dropped his spoon into his soup and got splashed in the face. "You should have seen the look on this one's face!" Professor Camden said shaking the man's shoulder so roughly he looked like a rag doll in the hands of the much larger man. I couldn't stop from chuckling to myself, the smaller professor looked like he wanted to die, but Santa Clause was just so funny.
"I bet you two get a lot of that!" Santa Claus said pointing a short stumpy finger between Maura and me. I was going to joke along with the professor, but Maura didn't seem amused, at all!
"A lot of what, Professor?" Maura asked coolly. The level threat of her tone was lost on the good professor. He continued on as jovial as ever, oblivious to the turn Maura's demeanor had taken.
"Ahh you know, horny guys trying to get between you two! I bet you get a lot of offers for threesomes huh? Just look at the two of you, I can only imagine what you guys must get up to behind closed doors!" Santa Clause laughed again from deep inside his soul. His large round belly giggled and shook as the laughter took him.
I did find myself laughing with him this time. I knew the man didn't mean any harm. He was just one of those people that said whatever was on his mind. He hadn't meant to cause any offense, and truth be told, I did spend a good portion of my days imagining what I wanted to get up to with Maura behind closed doors. Professor Camden's antics however didn't seem to amuse the greater majority of those at the table however. The professor next to him looked very uncomfortable, the young boy looked like he wanted to hide under the table, the woman seemed shaken a bit, but the last professor chuckled a little to himself. Joy, damn her, was smiling slyly.
"Professor Camden, I should hope most others have more interesting things on their minds than what happens between Jane and I behind closed doors." Maura said narrowing her eyes a little. I could tell she was in no mood for the direction of the conversation, and Santa Claus was so clueless I was afraid this lunch might get a little ugly. There was a chilly air around Maura, I don't know if anyone else noticed, but I sure as hell did. The subject needed to be changed immediately and I moved to do just that.
"I'm not much into sharing Professor Camden. I'd do anything for Maura, but I don't think she would care for anyone else in our bed!" I said smiling at Maura. Maura's lips actually broke into a tiny little smile of their own.
"I can tell you though that this lunch has been wonderful and I can't wait to see the rest of your beautiful campus!" I said brightly. I hoped that was enough to move the conversation forward in a safer direction.
"I glad you mentioned the tour Jane. I have some exciting things to show you I think you'll appreciate. Professor Oglesby will show you around the science departments Dr. Isles and I will show Jane around the school of criminal studies and law enforcement. I think you will both be excited about the advances NYU is making in both fields." Joy said smiling. I was shocked a little.
"You have a whole college of law enforcement?" I knew I sounded bewildered but I couldn't help myself. Who knew NYU even offered such a program. Those types of degrees were usually only offered at community colleges and what not. I hadn't expected to be offered such a treat from one of the finest academic institutions in the country.
Joy seemed quite pleased with my excitement. Her smile covered her entire face. She looked something like a grinning cat that was up to no good, but I barely noticed. I wanted to see what she was talking about.
"Oh yes, we started the program over five years ago. We've held classes and lectures for members of the highest law enforcement agencies around the world. We have an entire warehouse full of brand new weapons and self defense technology that hasn't even been released yet. Perhaps you would like to see how it all works?" Joy said pleasantly. Her eyes were just so blue and sparkly in her excitement.
I must have looked like a child with a treat because I could feel myself bouncing in my seat. I loved weapons, and I imagined I'd love weapons that hadn't even been released for police issue even more. Ohhh, Frost and Korsack were going to be so jealous.
"WOW! Lead the way Joy, you just made my day!" I said excitedly as I turned to Maura. All good feelings I had were wiped away when I saw the expression on Maura's face though. Her eyes looked like ice cubes and her face was stone cold and unflinching.
"Oh Boy!" I thought. I prayed silently to myself. I prayed to every god I'd ever heard of and made some up on the spot and asked with all the force of my will that Maura not feel the need to drag me into a closet and unleash whatever storm was building in her head onto me. I had seen that same face before just last night, and I didn't want to see it ever again, especially not now when I had been offered such a treat. I was suddenly taken with a fit of nerves. I decided to intercede quickly again before Maura's wrath built up enough to bubble over onto all of us.
"Babe, that's sounds great doesn't it?" I said leaning forward in my seat and placing my hand over hers on the table. I squeezed her fingers lightly and gave her my best smile. I didn't know what she was thinking that was making her so angry, but if she needed reassurance that I would never betray her, I would give that to her in spades. Hell if she wanted me to prop her up on the damn lunch table and make her cum for me in front of everybody to prove to her and present company that I was hers and hers alone I could get down with that too.
Maura moved her head slightly and fixed her eyes to mine. She was looking deep inside of me I could tell, searching, grabbing for whatever she needed to get over the hump of her rage. I tried to communicate all of my love for her silently through my eyes, the way I had done for so long before the idea of saying how much I loved her out loud was an option. Maura really was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. All thoughts of any other women faded from my mind like an apparition, I loved Maura, and I know she had to understand that. I thanked every god in every heaven for giving Maura the character to overcome her feelings enough to smile at me.
"Of course love! You have fun." Maura said squeezing my hand lightly.
I was excited all over again, but I didn't want to show it too much. I was mostly relieved. At least I wasn't being dragged into a closet and bombarded with the furies of hell. God only knew what Maura had in store for me later, but at least for now I didn't have to walk around the science departments pretending that I cared, and maybe, just maybe, I'd get to play with some toys most of the world didn't even know existed.
"That's wonderful," Joy said happily standing up and gathering her briefcase.
The rest of us stood too. I shook each professor's hand and thanked them politely for the lunch and their company. They were all very gracious in their own way. I took Maura's hand as we walked toward the doors of the dining hall. I noticed her palms were sweaty, I didn't know why but it was a little odd. Before we all broke off to go our separate ways on our separate tours Joy stopped at the door and turned to face Maura. She had a weird smile on her face that I couldn't quite place, but I did notice her eyes run over Maura's and my hands interlocked.
"Don't worry Dr. Isles," Joy said smiling that weird smile, "I'll get her back to you in one piece," she said turning that smile on me. Why did I feel my own hands begin to sweat?
I looked over to Maura whose face was all anger again but covered in her best smile. It was unnerving. I don't know if anyone else picked up on how furious she was, but I sure as hell did. I knew Maura too well to be fooled. She was a bomb ready to explode.
"You better!" was all she said. Maura's voice was so icy I felt my blood run cold.
"Oh lord Jesus" I thought to myself as Joy opened the door.