È per l'amore che non ho, È per l'amore che vorrei, È per questo dolore, È questo amore che ho per te, Che mi fa superar queste vere tempeste. Josh Groban's Oceano ripples throughout the room.
The tickle from stray droplets only sharpens her focus that much more. The burn slowly transitions into a quiver within her quadriceps femoris muscle as she holds Hasta Padasana. The hand-to-foot pose is the second to last pose in Surya Namaskar. One of many advanced sequences she's perfected.
Maura never agreed that you absolutely had to listen to dongs and wind chimes while practicing yoga. Even though it's her favorite song on the album, she rarely listens to it. Only when she needs to think. Or stop thinking. Lately, she hasn't been able to pinpoint which.
I could have simply said no. I quite enjoy doing that as I recall. No good can come from this. No good ever comes from spending too much time with one person.
And she'll probably slow you down with incessant babbling or jokes. God, one of these days I'm actually going to laugh at one of her ridiculous jokes and there will be no undoing that bell. Or however that saying goes, Maura tells herself as she pushes the power button on her stereo remote.
She opens her closet doors and retrieves her Asics. Tried, tested, and true. She probably won't switch to a different running shoe brand in this lifetime.
Soft cotton dabs at her neck as she takes the stairs toward her kitchen. 5: 55 am she sees on the oven. "How'd you sleep?" she asks the hefty heap. Bass just lifts his head leisurely to look up at her. Perhaps if he could talk, he'd say "Like a rock but, based on your tone you probably spent the night obsessing over some human aspect that I don't understand?"
She retrieves his dandelion greens, spinach, and parsley to place before him. "Come on Sweetie. Eat up". She's had him since he was roughly the size of a chocolate chip cookie. He's not exactly the only constant thing in her life but he is the only constant that doesn't seem to annoy her or trap her in anxiety-inducing social interaction. He's just Bass.
She pats his shell and returns to the fridge to get the ingredients for her post-workout smoothie. Another aspect of her morning routine that's been perfected with time. Movement catches her eye from the window near the front door.
Hmm. Her time management certainly improved. She thinks.
A few minutes later Jane and Maura run side by side. Great, now she's not talking at all. Fortunately, I know a plethora of fascinating factoids. "Did you know that in the Victorian times around the mid 18 to 19 hundreds, runners drank champagne as an energy drink?"
Jane looked stumped. "No, but I bet you're gonna… tell me all about it," she said sounding a bit winded. She was keeping excellent pace with Maura considering they've been running for a good 25 minutes.
"It was thought that alcohol was a performance enhancer. The tradition dates all the way back to Ancient Greece and China. Incredibly, they would also take drugs such as heroin and cocaine to enhance their performance." she adds sounding considerably less wheezy than Jane.
"Hm. Well I can't blame them for wanting to be tanked for a marathon"
Tanked? What do aquatic animals have to do with- "I'm kidding Maur" she added, mid her thoughts.
"Oh" Maura stated dryly. Maur? A slip of the tongue no doubt. Although, I can't help but want to hear her say it again. No no. I will not allow myself to get so held up on this.
And if that's how she feels about running then why would she insist on joining me? I do not understand people. Jane most of all. It certainly doesn't help that what I've heard about her at the prescient does not correspond with my findings at all.
Hard-headed? Please, we've only disagreed once since we started working together and she quickly came around on the matter if I recall correctly. Confident, perhaps but I couldn't tell with her rambling and stammering at times. Dominant? No. Maura thinks with a small chuckle.
Jane didn't seem to notice. There's no denying she's attractive. Athletic build. Pleasing bone structure. I simply must add a clause to get her in a Zak Posen. With those stunning legs, she'll look good in just about anything I put her in.
"Oh, fuck are you ok?!" Jane yells and Maura turns quickly to find a half-naked blonde woman clutching her ankle. Ok, she's wearing a sports bra and running shorts.
Jane quickly moves to crouch beside her. "Ah! I think I twisted it" the blue-eyed woman says looking at Jane. Jane moves her hand to her leg.
"May I?" Maura asks, bending down.
"Yeah she's a doctor" Jane adds. The woman nods her head with her eyes shut and reaches for Jane's hand.
Maura purses her lips inadvertently and moves to examine her ankle.
"Ouch!" she exclaims, pulling her foot out of Maura's grip.
"I suspect you have a partial tear in your anterior talofibular ligament" Maura states.
"And that's Maura talk for sprained ankle. I think you can hold off on amputation though." Jane says, eliciting a giggle from the injured blonde. Maura's glare goes unnoticed.
"That's what I thought... Zoe," she says with her hand extended to Jane. Jane takes her hand.
"Jane… and this is-"
"Doctor Isles. Is there anyone you could call to assist you to the hospital? We really must be going" she interjects. Jane's mouth drops open.
Zoe stammers a little and struggles to hold Maura's gaze. "Uh, yeah, I c-can call my brother. He lives a few blocks away" she says as Jane helps her to her feet.
"Well, we'll wait with you till he gets here. Won't we?" Jane asks the last bit with a scolding look in Maura's direction. Maura just glares back. She crosses her arms and leans against a parked car.
The tension seems to ease a bit as Zoe goes into detail about her fall. Maura refrains from agreeing too enthusiastically when she says she was being stupid and didn't pay attention to where she was running.
For heaven's sake, she can stand perfectly fine on her uninjured leg. Must she clutch onto Jane like she's about to become airborne? And the giggling, can her sibling just get here already?! Honestly, before we have to keep her.
A distressed-looking man comes jogging over and if Maura did guess she would say that he had the misfortune of sharing DNA with this woman. They share pleasantries and all Maura can think is: That's nice now take your dimwitted clinger for a CT scan.
"Thanks again- wait!" Zoe yells, forcing her brother, who was acting as her crutch, to turn them both around. Maura sighed audibly. Jane frowned at her and turned her attention to Zoe.
"You were so nice… Both of you" Zoe adds and glances at Maura quickly before continuing. "Maybe we can get a drink sometime? Would you put your number in there?" she asks, handing her phone to Jane.
Maura places her hands on her hips. Her eyes are dark and narrowed on the opposing blonde. Normally I would imagine giving her a spanking across my knee. But Zoe is invoking quite a different stirring within me.
"Sure," Jane says with a warm smile, taking her phone.
A questionable sound escapes Maura's throat but she quickly covers it up with a cough. This is ridiculous. Why is this bothering me so much? It didn't bother me quite to this extent when my other subjects went so far as to have other relationships outside of the contract.
Yet I am furious with Jane for giving her details to this woman. Zoe could even be seeking a platonic friendship for all the evidence suggests thus far. It's bad enough that it takes so little for me to become outraged where Jane is concerned but now I'm also leaping to conclusions?
Zoe and her brother walk toward his car. "Do you know her?" Jane asks with a confused look.
"Who? Zoe?" Maura asks.
"No, the other injured woman we just came across who you were mean to," Jane said sarcastically.
Maura started jogging and Jane moves to catch up.
"I'm always mean. You said so yourself."
"Not this mean. I'd think that as a doctor you'd be nicer-"
"She wasn't my patient Jane. If she were she'd be dead and the least of her worries would be a sprained ankle"
"Gah! Let's just talk about something else" Jane says defeatedly as they make their route back to Maura's house. They lost 10 minutes due to their little blonde delay.
"Excellent idea. I want to discuss the contract-"
"Not here!" Jane objects, looking around her cautiously.
Maura of course had no intention of discussing something so sensitive out in public but she has come to enjoy the way Jane squirms when she's embarrassed. It's quite amusing.
They get back and Maura retrieves the chilled pitcher with green liquid from her fridge. They made excellent time despite their delay. She pats her forehead with a towel before pouring two glasses.
"Uh- hu" Jane protests. "I'm not drinkin that snot. Looks like it stinks… and smells like it looks" Jane says after a dramatic sniff toward the glass still in Maura's hand.
Maura stares her down. Jane has tested her patience today and it's not even 7 in the morning. Introducing her as Maura. The crack about the way she talks with Zoe and worst of all, giving her number to the latter. She narrows her gaze and leans in.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way"...
Later that day Maura finds herself jotting down notes to add to the contract. The same contract that's worked well for 8 years without any alterations on Maura's part. "What am I doing?" she utters into her office.
She flings her pen to her desk and leans back. She closes her eyes and inhales deeply. Focus. But her focus had left along with her patience it would seem.
The hypocrisy! I'm mean but she- she. With those comically long legs and those ridiculously wild curls- like some kind of Eris! Fitting since she was the Ancient Greek goddess of discord and chaos. Maura takes another deep breath to compose herself.
Jane is also quite strong. She would have to be after what she endured with that case she told me about. I don't even want to imagine what it must have been like to have a serial killer torment you. Though we all have our burdens to bear.
She's family-oriented. Her mother is nice enough. She certainly treats me with more kindness than I'm used to. Though I shouldn't encourage it, people have a way of attaching themselves emotionally and it always ends in some kind of heartbreak.
Her brother certainly bears a resemblance. Frankie has her eyes. I wonder what her youngest sibling looks like. Does he also have dimples like her? No, I don't care. Not really.
Although those soulful brown eyes. They're becoming harder to look into without losing myself- listen to me? I don't speak like this! Maura clenches her fingers on the armrest of her chair. I want to fuck her. That's it. Not one loving nor romantic thing about it. I want to make her mine as I have others before her.
Jane is no different. She feels a jolt in her stomach and her eyes shoot open. She's alone yet aroused. She sits up in her chair and clenches her thighs together. Her leather skirt squeaks slightly with the action. She glances to her open door and blinds where unsuspecting lab techs and personnel pass by.
"Get. A. Grip." she tells herself before clicking her notes tab closed and opening the autopsy report on her laptop.
"Hey, Ma thought you'd like this salad," Jane said as she casually strolls in. Maura crosses her legs tightly in response.
"You didn't come up for lunch so I figured you were working so much you forgot again". Jane placed the plastic container with the salad on Maura's desk.
"That you forgot again" Maura corrected.
"Are you mad at me?" Jane asked.
"Don't be absurd" Maura stated, finally looking away from her computer and making eye contact.
"That's a non-answer" Jane stated. Damn her interrogative background, Maura thought.
"I have quite a lot of work to do and your presence is becoming distracting. That's all"
Jane walked right up to Maura's desk and leaned forward. Her piercing brown eyes left no escape for Maura's gaze. Maura squeezed her thighs to the point where she was sure she would cramp up at any moment.
"Well, since you're distracted… I should help you focus" Jane ended with a dimpled grin.
Maura narrowed her eyes on Jane. She uncrossed her legs. Jane glanced down at Maura's thighs under the glass table. The tension between them was palpable.
Maura could feel her panties becoming even more ruined as she imagined Jane's mouth on her core, just like that night. She's certainly starting to show that confidence that everyone's been talking about. A little cocky for my taste though. Perhaps she needs a lesson? Maura pursed her lips in thought.
She clears the arousal from her throat. "That's kind of you detective but I'm sure my focus would improve greatly once you return to your work," Maura says just before her office phone rings. "Doctor Isles".
Jane leans off the desk and retreats to the door. Maura covers the mic in the phone "7. My house tonight? I have some additions for the contract" Maura added.
Jane nodded in agreement and winked at Maura before exiting her office. Maura rolled her eyes at the gesture but then smiled a small smile.
At the end of the day, Maura was going over some findings that her employees logged in the lab. "Those results just came back for you doctor. No matches, unfortunately."
Maura looked up from her microscope and took the file Susie was offering. "That's a pity," Maura said before closing the file and returning focus to her work. Susie's presence was still lingering after some time. Maura looked back up.
"Was there something else, Senior Criminalist Chang?" Susie clasped her fingers together and took a step closer.
"It's the BPD picnic this Saturday. I was just wondering if you were going to be the team Captain when we play Volley Ball? Or would you prefer that fall to me?" Susie asked.
Maura frowned. "I won't be attending. You may choose amongst yourselves for the team captain or you may tell them I said that you are to fulfill that role. Either way, it doesn't faze me" Maura said as she gathered her folders on the table to be filed.
"Oh, I'm sorry I thought you knew. Attendance at the annual picnic is mandatory. Lieutenant Cavenagh insists that both the upper and lower levels of BPD be there."
Maura huffed. "I suppose I'll take it up with Lieutenant Cavenagh then," she said walking out of the lab toward her office to call upstairs. Susie watched the doctors retreat with confusion.
"It's just that we lose every year…" Susie called after Maura. She halted and turned to look back at Susie. "I know that you prefer not to mix your personal life with your work and I respect that… but ever since detective Rizzoli became Law enforcements team captain… we haven't beat them since," Susie said hurriedly.
Jane is the team captain. It might be quite thrilling to have her team lose against my own. Although I know nothing of the sport. How difficult could it be? I'm sure once I grasp the science behind it, I would excel at the practical aspect as well. Maura told herself and hid the smirk creeping up on her face.
"Fine. Although I do not fraternize outside of work… I will take up the role of team captain on Saturday." Maura conceded. Susie lit up with excitement.
Susie did a little dance and Maura looked at her employee with perplexion. Susie grew bright red and thanked Maura before scurrying away.
Maura made a mental note to research the sport of Volleyball once she had the time but it was time to get home. Home to a more pressing matter.
Maura got home and put her blazer and purse away before her phone rang. Jane.
"Isles" she answered as always.
"Hey it's late so I figured I'd pick up some dinner on my way over? How's Chinese?" Jane asked, her end sounded busy with restaurant workers.
Dinner? Did I suffer a head injury during the time we started courting? Her stomach rambled. She did miss lunch and it was almost 7. She hasn't had Chinese for a long time. It's rather unhealthy.
"Hello?"
Maura sighed. "Fine. If you must but order vegetables as well. A rice dish for me, no noodles and ask them to cook it in sesame oil. I'll reimburse you once you get here" she conceded.
"Got it, and you don't have-" Jane said before Maura hung up.
"Just be grateful you're incapable of such rambling or you'll ve made for a fascinating speed bump," Maura said, patting Bass' shell.
A few minutes passed and Maura refrained from telling Jane that it was 11 minutes past 7, their agreed-upon time. The bag she was holding smelled much too good.
Jane went on about how she would not accept Maura's attempt to pay her back for the food and Maura eventually gave up. She readied two plates, ignoring Jane's barbaric suggestion to eat out of the containers.
They start eating and Maura goes quiet. She forgot how much she enjoyed the cuisine. Jane had a strange smile on her face and looked right at her.
"What?" she asked finally.
Jane shrugged with a smile. "Nothing. You've just never been this quiet. This place makes the best spring rolls" Jane said picking one up with her chopsticks but it quickly slipped and dropped back into the box.
Maura sighed at the sight. "Your grip is wrong, here" she placed her hand over Jane's and demonstrated where her fingers need to apply force.
An unmistakable electric feeling generated from the simple touch and Maura froze. Jane just looked at her. "Like this?" Jane asked softly, moving the sticks together and Maura could feel the movement under her hand.
Maura cleared her throat and brought her hand back. "Better".
Jane stood and placed the six-pack of beer she bought, into the fridge but not before opening one for herself. Maura watch her quietly.
"You want one?" Jane asked, raising her bottle.
Maura pushed her near-empty plate to the side and shook her head. "I don't drink beer. I'll have some wine" she said, sliding off of the barstool.
Jane leaned on the other side of the kitchen table and watched Maura as she retrieved a bottle of white. "That's because you haven't had my beer"
Maura popped the cork with ease and poured herself a glass. "Is that so?". Jane hummed in agreement and took another swig of her beer. Where did all this confidence come from?
"The contract," Maura said, motioning to the dining room table. She stepped out of her heels and the relief was instantaneous.
Maura took her seat and opened the binder where they last left off and Jane followed her lead.
"I'm adding a clause. I want to dress you in something more suited for someone with your features. Say every other weekday?" Maura said, almost licking her lips as her eyes landed on Jane's collar bone under her white button-up.
"Forget it," Jane said with a snort. Maura stiffened, her lips formed a tight line. "I am not showing up to work in pencil skirts and dresses. Do you know how ridiculous I will look doing my job? Not to mention having to explain to you how your vintage Ple de Poop got ripped when I tackled a purp. Nope," she added, sipping her beer.
Maura tilted her head. "Two days a week and you have my word that I won't pester you if they get damaged during your duties" Maura conceded. She's determined to see Jane in something worthy of the host.
"One day a week, no heels higher than 2 inches or shoes that are foot homicide and you try my beer?" Jane said unwaveringly.
Maura mulled it over. She'll get Jane to wear whatever she says eventually once they get to the business end of the contract but this will do for now.
"Fine" Maura said, moving her pencil down to the next agenda.
"Also I'll do it. The laser hair removal" she ads.
"Excellent. I'll make the appointments." Maura's eyes followed the last clause she added. She took a sip of her wine before clearing her throat.
"What happened today with the runner can't happen again. You are not to fraternize with anyone outside of this contract" Maura stated.
Jane's mouth dropped open. "Wa Zoe? She didn't. That wasn't-"
"Whatever it was, it is no more. And once you sign this contract, you won't be dating or thinking about dating anyone else"
"I thought you said this wasn't romantic in any way? That we're not dating" Jane said loudly.
"Were not" Maura stated.
Jane snorted. "D'yeah well, coulda fooled me. So what I'm not allowed to talk to anyone else?"
"Exactly"
"Does this apply to you?"
"I don't date so, yes" Maura stated.
Jane went quiet for a bit. She stared at the window and took another gulp of beer before placing the empty bottle on the table.
"Fine. But I have one condition" Jane said.
"What might that be?"
"Once a week you go out with me. Like on a date. Dinner, movie, dancing- whatever we decide but it cant be museums or something lame. I want a real date- with you."
"Jane I told you… I don't date" Maura stated firmly.
"No exceptions. Those are my terms take it or leave it" Jane said, not breaking eye contact with Maura.
The audacity. She's beginning to get on my nerves. This is a mistake. I know it is. But I can't go through another day like today. I can't for the life of me see her with anyone else.
"Alright. One night a week. Lasting no longer than two hours." Jane practically bounces in her chair. Maura rolled her eyes. "Stop that. For the record, I do not line dance, drink alcohol off of another person's body, or eat from a Mobil restaurant" Maura stated bitterly.
"Yess!" Jane yelled.
"That concludes our contract," Maura said, adding the notes. "I'll have my lawyer finalize it before we sign.". Maura exhaled and bent down to stroke the side of her foot. She loved her shoes and they weren't that uncomfortable she was exhausted and felt it in her feet tonight.
Her eyes caught Janes and before she knew it Jane reached down and brought her foot to her lap with such gentleness.
"Wa what are you doing?" Maura asked, switching her weight in her chair.
"Relax. I've been aching to do this since you took them off" Jane said as she moved her thumbs in precise circular motions on the sole of Maura's foot.
Any notion of objection disappeared as she felt Jane's strong fingers on her alabaster skin.
She dropped her head back to the chair and uttered. "Fine" softly.
Good heavens, that feels incredible. Did she grow up in a massage parlor? Wow. Maura thought as Jane took her other foot and paid it equal amounts of attention.
"You're being especially tentative to the Tibialis posterior and… flexor digitorum longus" Maura all but moans out. She hears a giggle and opens her eyes, which she hadn't noticed she had shut.
"If that's your google mouth for your doing a good job, I'll take it," Jane said with a grin. Jane stopped her movements after a few minutes and Maura's feet remained in her lap. Maura nearly protested but quickly came to her senses.
Maura leaned back in her chair and looked at Jane seated across from her. An overwhelming desire started to burn inside her. What did Jane look like underneath those frumpy clothes?
"What?" Jane asked, jerking Maura from her thoughts.
"It's getting late. I'll let you know when the contract is ready to sign" Maura said as she placed her feet on the ground and stood up.
"What were you just thinking about?"
Maura ignored her and placed her wine glass in the sink.
"I wanna know what's on your mind," Jane said as she advanced toward Maura.
Maura turned around and leaned against the counter. "You couldn't handle what's in my mind. Trust me"
"Try me," Jane said. "Do you think about doing things to me?" she added.
"I think about doing everything to you," Maura said breathily.
Jane bit her lip. "Say them. I'm tougher than you think…"
The distance between them is lathered with tension.
"For now. I want you to take off your clothes" Maura said.
Jane started breathing visibly heavier. Maura smirked.
Jane started removing her holster with her gun. Followed by her cuffs and badge. "Do you get off on telling people what to do?" Jane asked as she slowly started unbuttoning her shirt.
"I used to… but with time it lost the effect… I grew bored more easily… Until" Maura watched as Jane's shirt dropped to the floor. Exposing her bra-clad breasts.
"Until what?" Jane asked as she slowly went to remove her boots and socks.
"Take off your pants" Maura instructed, Jane just stood there. She seemed modest but she wasn't exactly covering her body with shaky limbs.
Maura hoisted herself up on the kitchen island. She watched Jane, who was standing a few feet away, intently. "Don't make me ask for a second-time detective" she warned.
Jane bit her lip and unbuckled her belt. She hooked her thumbs underneath the fabric of her slacks and pushed them down until they dropped to her ankles where she kicked them aside...
Maura gripped the marble beneath her hands tighter as her eyes landed south. Jane was wearing navy blue hipster panties. Her elegantly log legs seemed to have a golden glow against the color of her underwear.
"Touch me," Jane said just above a whisper. Her voice was becoming raspier than usual. Maura's eyebrow quirked at Jane's words.
"Patience," she said. "Brasier. Off," she said, leaning back on the kitchen island, her feet dangling as she watched.
Jane swallowed and reached behind to unhook her bra. Maura's eyes missed nothing. The way her muscles moved within her lean arms. Her abdomen rippling with nerves and excitement.
Her bra landed on the floor and Jane placed her palms on her thighs. Maura has always had a unique appreciation for the female form but Jane's features were taunting. Begging to be touched. To be ravished.
"You're gorgeous" Jane started dragging her fingertips from mid-thigh all way up to cup her breast, all the while looking Maura in the eye.
"I don't take compliments very well… and I also never do anything like this… displaying I guess. But with you, I want to… I need to" Jane added in a whisper, slowly massaging her bare breast. Her voice was hardly holding up.
"Now the panties… tell me…" Maura began, tilting her head "Are they coated with your arousal, Jane?"
Jane nodded. "Take them off" Maura instructed.
Jane hooked her thumps in and dragged her panties to her ankles where she stepped out of them. Her hand seemed to instinctively move to cover her sex but Jane slowly placed her arms behind her back and shut her eyes.
Maura spread her thighs a little more to accommodate the heat now emanating between them as she took in the sight of Jane's naked body. Her eyes lingered over dark curls and her mouth watered like never before.
Maura slowly slid off the table and Jane's eyes flung open. Maura advanced toward Jane who started breathing heavier. "Are you nervous?" Maura asked as she came to a standstill in front of her.
Jane nodded. "Good," Maura said as she circled Jane. She traced her index finger along Jane's bare ass and chuckled lightly when goosebumps formed instantaneously.
"Oh god," Jane breathed out.
Maura came to face Jane once more and traced her heaving abs with both her hands. "I'm not taking you to the soba za podnošenje" Maura said simply. "But I am going to fuck you" she added.
Jane's mouth fell open. Her pupils were pitch black and Maura could see her pulse thumping in her neck. "The… um… the what?" Jane stammered.
"It's a Serbian dialect. Meaning room of submission" Maura said close to Jane's ear and an unmistakable whimper escaped the detective's throat. "It's upstairs. I'll show it to you afterward" Maura whispered. Jane seemed to melt when she whispered. Especially when she did it close to her ear.
"Maura" Jane breathed out. Maura responded by dragging her fingers through Jane's folds at an agonizingly slow pace. She was slick with arousal. Jane moaned loudly. "Fuck Maur"
In the past Maura made the others call her Mistress. It felt empowering at first but soon enough it was just a reason for them not to call her by her name. Hearing her name on Jane's lips made her want to hear Jane scream it all night.
"Just so you know, your safeword is begonia," Maura said, walking toward the nearest spare bedroom. Her hips swaying beneath her leather skirt.
Did you guys enjoy jealous Maura? Sorry for the delay. It was my birthday weekend and I got laryngitis lmao. 22 sucks so far ngl. Hope you enjoyed Maura's pov as much as I enjoyed writing it. I started Janes pov on the same chapter so I may post it soon once I figure out how to add something new to it :)
P.s. To anyone reading this from Ukraine, you are not alone. Stay positive and be safe. No storm lasts forever. Love, thoughts, and prayers from South Africa. 3