"Earth to Jane," Maura stepped closer to Jane who hadn't spoken in a few minutes. "Are you doing alright sweetie?"
When Maura spoke it took Jane out of her thoughts, "Oh sorry, I just sort of zoned out there for a minute. You're absolutely breathtaking."
"You do realize I just woke from a nap, I hardly doubt this is me being breathtaking."
"Oh trust my instincts, you have this sort of glow about you, looks like your lover gave you one hell of a ride," Jane smirked, stepping closer to Maura, brushing the hair out of her face.
"My lover is quite intense in bed, I'm still sore from what happened up there. I didn't realize how much more intense the sex could get."
"I quite enjoyed myself, having you in this sexual way sure makes me feel even more connected to you."
Maura placed a kiss to Jane's jawline, "Intimacy is very important and I'm glad we have that along with such passionate sex. Both are very important in a relationship, at least one with me," she pulled away before looking into Jane's eyes. "It's quite interesting how we are reserved to touching with anyone else, but when it comes to each other it's like second nature to us."
"I often wondered the same thing, why I always loved your contact more than anyone else's, how you never seemed to mind when my hand rested on your back whenever I was leading you through a crowd."
"It was always very comforting, I do appreciate all the gestures you do showing me just how much you care for me, no matter how small," Maura smiled.
"Speaking of gestures," Jane stepped away from Maura and gave her a Post-it note. "Go ahead, read it."
"A home cooked meal is the quickest way to my heart. Even if it's reheated I know you made it out of nothing but love." Maura read the post it note, before glancing up at Jane, eyebrow raised. "What's this for Jane?"
"I had an idea while you were sleeping, this is the start to a little game to occupy our time for the evening. Like a scavenger hunt, you have to follow the clues on the post it notes it'll lead you to the next item."
As Jane explained herself a smile grew on Maura's face, "Aah I see, I'm very flattered that you thought of something like this."
"I want to have fun tonight in a way we never actually did before."
"You mean a night where you make the decisions, I know more times than not we end up doing things I enjoy instead of what you like to do."
"You know why I do what you want to do?"
"No, why is that?"
"Because I enjoy your company so much, that's why. And my ideas are always staying in and being okay with doing nothing. We'd not go anywhere together if I was in charge of the planning," Jane shrugged. "Anyways, let's get back to the scavenger hunt. Where do you think this note leads to?"
"Pretty sure it leads to the fridge, I wouldn't dare leave leftover food out on the counter top," Maura leaned up to place a kiss to her cheek, she headed over to the fridge and opened it. There was a container with leftover food from the night before and a note on it. "This food gets paired with something red or white, it leaves you feeling much delight." The note made Maura grin brightly at Jane's successful effort to rhyme, she took out the container of food and then picked out the wine bottle with the sticky note left on it. It was the same wine that they shared on Christmas Eve.
"You're so sweet and divine just like this wine, I take pleasure in knowing you're mine," Jane spoke out loud the words she memorized on the Post-it. "Now we take the time to sit and eat, then you'll be rewarded with a tasty treat."
Maura turned to Jane, "You recited that word for word. Do you remember what you put on every sticky note?"
Jane nodded, "Of course I did, but this was one of the ones I really liked, some of my best work of poetry," she put the food in the microwave to reheat it and then helped Maura pour the wine into two glasses. "So, you seem to be liking this so far."
"Well, you put a lot of thought into this and I'm quite excited to see where this whole thing leads," Maura went to go sit at the table waiting for Jane to come over.
Jane put the food on two plates, grabbed some utensils and headed over to the table to sit across from Maura. "It's amazing how leftovers can still smell so good when it gets reheated."
"It does smell very delightful. And it'll still tastes pretty amazing, even after a day. So I do want to ask, what exactly made you want to create this scavenger hunt for me?" Maura asked as she sipped at her glass of wine.
"Well for starters you've been so great to me these last couple of months since we started dating, hell you've been so good to me ever since we met. I want to show my appreciation for it, for everything. I love you Maura."
"I love you too, it's very thoughtful this whole thing. I'm glad that you wanted to do something special for me."
"You deserve it, more than anyone," Jane beamed before she focused on the food in front of her.
The dinner was spent in comfortable silence, they both kept glancing up at each other smirking at one another. Jane felt Maura's foot slowly run up her leg, causing shivers to run up and down her body.
Jane put down her fork, "Maura what are you doing?"
"I'm not doing anything," she spoke so innocently, not retracting her foot.
"Seems like you're trying to find a way to seduce me."
"Oh, trust me Jane, if I wanted to seduce you I could do much better than this."
Jane leaned forward resting on her elbows, "Ah, and do you care to show me what you mean exactly?"
Maura leaned forward as well, "Maybe, I was promised a tasty treat after dinner."
"I was thinking more of a delicious dessert that's in the fridge. Something edible."
"I think you are pretty edible."
"Maura," Jane gasped, her face feeling so flushed in this moment. "You know if we start this now the scavenger hunt may never get done by midnight."
"Why does it need to be done by midnight?"
She leaned back in her chair, "Just because."
"Mhm, you know that's not exactly the best reasoning, but it must be important."
"I just would rather not get distracted because I'm so tempted to just wipe everything off of this table and take you on it."
It was Maura's turn to flush at Jane's words before she raised a brow, "But that would just make a mess."
"Don't you ever get that urge to just take someone right there and then on the closest possible surface?"
Maura looked down and spoke softly, "Perhaps."
"Uh huh. Care to tell me?"
"It's a really bad thought you know, the place I'd want to just take you."
"Where is that?"
"At work, sometimes when I'm upstairs and you give me a certain look, I wouldn't mind just clearing your desk and fuck you on it."
Jane grinned, "Wow, I didn't realize how much of a dirty side you had there Maur. Too bad that's not a very private place."
"It's not but you're really sexy when you are working through a case, you know sometimes I watch your interrogations through the glass because the intensity you have is a huge turn on and it delights me in a way. Then there's when you come into my office with a family or personal problem, you pace and I just want to take your mind off of everything, stopping you and taking you on my desk to make you feel better."
"Shit Maura," Jane groaned, this conversation was turning her on. Thinking about Maura taking her in her office, it was a thought that crossed her mind every now and again, even though Maura's chairs weren't the comfiest. "You know that wouldn't be so bad, your office does has blinds, and a door that locks."
"It is unprofessional to have sex at work though, so don't get any ideas Jane."
"You just put those thoughts in my mind babe. You're really sexy too you know, when you're working, especially when you are wearing those black scrubs. Mm," Jane licked her lips.
"I did tend to notice you stare at me more when I'm wearing those."
"So hot, that's why," Jane stood up from the table and started to clear it, once she got on Maura's side, she kissed the side of her head.
Maura watched as Jane went into the kitchen to put the dishes in the sink. She grabbed the dessert from the fridge and brought it over. "Are those..."
"Chocolate covered strawberries, yes," Jane smirked as she sat down next to her. "I just so happened to make them myself," she took one off of the plate. "Care to try one?"
"Since you went through this effort to make them yourself, most definitely," she took Jane's hand, pulling it closer to her lips before taking a bite out of the strawberry. Maura licked her lips after swallowing the bite. "Mm, now that's delicious."
"Why must you do things so seductively?" Jane asked as she finished the strawberry.
Maura shrugged, "I wasn't meaning to, it just happens."
"Mhm, I'm sure that it does," Jane handed Maura a strawberry before eating one herself.
"So, when does this next Post-it note come into play?"
"One has to finish the dessert to get to the bottom? Getting a little anxious, are we?" Jane raised a brow and Maura shook her head.
"Anxious, no, just curious is all," Maura smiled warmly as they continued eating their dessert.
Once they were finished Maura glanced up at Jane, "There's no note Jane."
"You should probably look underneath the plate Maur," Jane flashed her a polite grin. Maura lifted the plate and nodded, grabbing the note from the bottom.
"One thing I admire the most about you is your beautiful mind. What you think is smart and sophisticated, where next to check is somewhere comfy and nice, upon where I fell for you, my perfect mate," Maura read the note and smiled. "Well this clue seems to need my mind to figure out what this next item is. I might just so happen to understand where this comfy place is. Am I correct in thinking about the couch, where we often relax underneath a blanket perhaps?"
"Go ahead and find out," Jane smirked. Maura got out of her chair and went into the living room, she sat upon the couch and pressed down on the cushions, trying to find where this hidden item was. She looked underneath the stack of blankets and the seat cushions before thinking a moment, getting off the couch and looking beneath it. She seen a box and a sticky note on top. Maura removed it and sat on the couch where Jane appeared, sitting next to her. "I knew you'd find it in no time."
Maura took the top off of the box, she'd look at the note later. She grinned to herself as she looked at the item, it was a chess board, which looked like it had hand carved and painted pawns. It looked a little worn, but it had an antique feel to it. "Jane, this is beautiful."
"I know you already have one, but this is the one I had growing up, when Ma realized I was skilled enough for chess one of my birthdays she had gifted me with this, she found it at one of the antique thrift shops. Now since we're living together and I didn't want to give it up, thought it'd be a great idea to include it in the scavenger hunt."
Maura rested a hand on Jane's knee, "That's so nice of your mother to go out her way to find something you enjoyed doing. It's definitely a magnificent find, I can't wait to challenge you to a game one of these days. I can see now why you added the words check and mate into your note. Seems like you have a very beautiful mind as well," she leaned up to give her partner a kiss.
"You might be rubbing off on me there Maura."
"I don't mind if I do," she whispered, as she ran her hand up Jane's thigh. Jane groaned, she leaned her head back.
"Maura..." she whined, moreso of how aroused she felt over the one little touch. "There's more scavenging to do."
"You really should relax Jane. There's more than enough time to finish this hunt before the evening is out," she whispered, lips nipping at Jane's earlobe. "Ten minutes, that's all I'm asking. Ten minutes is all I need to make you come."
Jane whimpered at Maura's words and nodded, how could she refuse her beautiful loving partner. "Okay, just ten minutes."
"Just ten minutes," Maura nodded, her hand reaching up towards Jane's crotch. Her thumb running gently against her covered center. She tugged off Jane's pants and grabbed the thing of her underwear with her finger, pulling it down her thighs. Jane watched as Maura's head disappeared between her legs, lips nipping at each thigh lovingly before she let her tongue slowly drag along Jane's entrance.
"Fuck," Jane groaned, head tilted back, fingers threading into Maura's hair. Maura hummed in delight at Jane's obvious arousal. Her tongue teasing her as she found her bundle of nerves. "Oh God, right there Maura..." she could feel herself twitch against Maura's tongue and lips. Her lover's tongue swirled around teasingly before taking it into her mouth, sucking lightly. Jane whimpered, thrusting her hips upwards as Maura continued pleasing her. "So close..." she cried out, "I'm so, fucking... close..." Jane felt her legs quiver right before her orgasm, shouting Maura's name in the process. "For fucks sake," she muttered as she tried to get her heartbeat to slow. She licked her lips as Maura's head moved from in-between her legs so she could see Jane, a look of approval written on her face. "You are so fucking incredible Maura Isles."
"And you my dearest Jane Rizzoli sure know how to come so quickly."
"It's because of how talented you are with that tongue of yours," she smiled, licking her lips. Jane looked at the time, "Maybe there is enough time after all for a distraction."
"I'm ready for the next part of the hunt. Here's the deal if we finish early we'll find ourselves in bed fucking until the new year arrives."
"Maura, you really need to watch your language," Jane teased her partner earning a nudge in the ribs from Maura. "But I think we have ourselves a deal."
Maura smirked before looking down at the next note, "You get your knowledge from lots of reading. On the shelf with all of your books is the next place you shall look." Maura got off of the couch and went into her study where she approached the bookshelf, Jane in tow. She leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms. There on the bottom shelf appeared a box, wrapped so neatly.
Maura picked up the box, wondering what it could be. Jane's note didn't quite give a hint of what was over here. She took off the bow and then took off the top of the box. It was a Polaroid camera, shiny and new. "Jane this gift is amazing. Thank you."
"Of course, I thought about it the night you got me that scrapbook for us. Figure I'd get a camera so we can capture more moments together. Plus you take pretty amazing photos, might as well broaden your horizons for such talent. Talented like your mother, another talent besides your smarts which I appreciate, your more artistic side," Jane explained the meaning behind the present.
"What did I ever do to deserve you Jane? This is more than amazing."
Jane wrapped an arm around Maura kissing the side of her head, "You mean the world to me, that's why."
Maura nodded, tears falling down her cheeks, "You mean the world to me too Jane, I love you so much."
"I love you too baby," she handed the next note to Maura. Maura read it and her eyes brightened as she went to the next location. Maura quite enjoyed this expedition finding the rest of the sticky notes along with items that held a lot of meaning to her or to the both of them.
These notes all led to a nice bubble bath, Jane started up for her, but Jane didn't join her she disappeared. Maura had wondered where her girlfriend had gone to. She changed into this dress Jane had gotten for her something new to wear. There was another note as she went to grab the lotion she usually put on after a bath. It was telling her to go back downstairs to find one last surprise. She followed the instructions and headed down the stairs, the main lights were off but she seen a flickering of what she assumed were candles.
Once her feet made contact in the carpeted area she smiled in delight as she seen Jane standing there by the couch a smile on her face, highlighted by candle light, it smelled like lavender with a hint of vanilla. "Hey, did you enjoy your bath?" her voice low.
Maura nodded, "Yes it was very relaxing, what's all this about Jane?"
Jane extended her hand and led Maura to sit down on the stool by the kitchen island. "You're so beautiful in the candlelight Maura. I have something that I want to say, that I need to say."
"Alright Jane, you have my full undivided attention. I'm listening."
Jane flashed a smile, trying to not appear nervous to give herself away.
"Ever since I met you Maura, you always manage to put a smile on my face, there was always this way about you, your awkwardness at human interaction then you became one of the most important people I've met in my lifetime. I'll admit a part of me was taken by you the first time I ever laid my eyes on you, but I was uncertain of what that all meant. You were this smart, incredible woman that I was able to get to know. I always found myself wanting to know more, wanting to spend every minute possible in your presence. You've always had this way about you, you were special, so special and wonderful that eventually I couldn't stop thinking about you. Everyday I spent with you was better than the last, yes sometimes things weren't perfect, even when we fought I still wanted to be near you. It took me years to admit my feelings for you because one I was scared you wouldn't feel the same and two, you are the most wonderful person that I thought deserved the world and why would you settle for me. When you returned my feelings at first I thought I was dreaming but then I realized you came into my life for a reason, I fell so hard for you that everything was sort of scary for a moment until I realized how simple it was, we didn't force ourselves to connect, it just sort of happened. You are the most amazing person, and I'm glad things are turning out better than I could have ever imagined. I love you Maura and I have for so long. We are meant to be together and there will never be a day where I don't want you with me. You're a huge part of me, and I'd be so lost without you," she squeezed Maura's hands, thumbs stroking her knuckles.
She placed a kiss on each of Maura's hands before kneeling down, Maura felt the tears running down her face, at Jane's speech and now at her actions. She released her hands from Maura's, her hand slipping into her pocket and pulling out a small box, as she got down on one knee and opened it and looked into Maura's eyes. "You are my partner, the only person I want to wake up and go to sleep next to for the rest of my life. The person I want to spend all of the rest of my days with. Maura Dorthea Isles, will you marry me? Will you be my wife?"
Maura looked deep into Jane's eyes and nodded, more tears running down her face than before. "Of course Jane, of course I'll marry you. I would love more than anything to have you as my wife, to spend the rest of my life with you," she was surprised she could get her own words out because of how choked up she was at this moment.
Maura was the happiest she had ever been, and it was all thanks to this wonderful and amazing woman in front of her. Jane slipped the ring onto Maura's finger as she stood up, Maura threw her arms around Jane's neck almost knocking Jane backwards as she placed her lips against hers with great force. Jane enjoyed the contact even as Maura managed to wrap her legs around Jane's waist.
Jane was in love with Maura and this was a dream come true. Jane placed Maura on the countertop, resting her hand on her thigh. "I love you so damn much Maura," she whispered against her neck. "I'm so glad you said yes."
"Did you have doubts that I wouldn't accept your proposal?" Maura asked softly, as she looked into her now fiancée's eyes.
"Some perhaps, but all those doubts and fears left me the moment before you said yes. The way you looked at me during my speech those fears settled. I'm the luckiest person alive right now."
"I'm also the luckiest person, lucky that I get to marry my best friend, be with you for the rest of our lives. I believe we're both about to get even more lucky."
Jane smirked, eyes darkening at Maura's words, she knew what they meant. Maura pulled her as close as she possibly could, kissing her like her life depended on it. Their life depended on each other's, you couldn't get Rizzoli without her Isles.
Maura said yes, hooray! I mean why wouldn't she, it's an offer anyone wouldn't be dumb enough to refuse. I hope you liked the event leading up to the proposal. It took me awhile to get Jane's Post-it notes just right, figured if I kept on trying to do more it'd take me even longer to post this chapter. I did a note like every other day so I could get it to flow and sound right. I ran out of ideas, but wanted the hunt to go on a little longer.
Hope you liked this story and be on the look out for a third one connected together with this and Don't Dream It, Be It. Wedding planning and all that, plus other romantic developments. Your words mean a lot to me, and I am trying to update my other stories soon. Until next time, hope things are going well with all my readers and followers. You guys inspire me to keep going. I love you all.