Chapter 6

The storm: Part III

"It's late. I think we should go to bed," Maura stated and looked at me. She turned off the tv and she told me to follow her. We went in a bedroom which I supposed was her own. Then she started looking for pajamas in the drawer. She offered to give me a pajama and I couldn't say no to her. I had to wear something for bed.

It seemed that I was about to spend the whole night in her house. I just didn't know where would I sleep. In her bedroom!? But where would she sleep then? With me? No, of course not... At least I suppose she won't do that. Don't be silly. Of course she won't! But what if she says that she doesn't mind being in the same bed with me - we are both women after all so it's not a problem. I can't say anything against it because it's her house. But that would be awful! Being in the same bed with her - it sounds like a dream come true, I know - but I was really nervous about it. She was such a temptation even with her clothes on. What could happen when she put some sexy pajamas that reveals her hot body and snuggle in bed with me! Okay, I know! We probably won't snuggle but it could happen. Her sleeping in the same bed with me part, not the snuggling. That was just a thought. A bad, bad thought. I shouldn't think about stuff like that. She's my teacher, she's my teacher. I have to remember that. I was supposed to feel bad about having these kind of thoughts about my teacher but I didn't really. How could I feel bad when she was around me, bended down, shuffling through the drawer to find some clothes.

"Jane," I heard my name and I jumped from surprise. She had found pajamas and she was calling my name to get my attention. My mind was so occupied with thoughts that I haven't heard her the first time.

"Here," Maura said and gave me the pajama. "I will leave you to get dress and I'll come back in a minute," she said and took a pajamas for herself, too. Then she got out of the room and I quickly put mine on.

She came back after a few minutes.

"It looks good on you," she complimented me and I tried not to blush.

"You look good, too." I answered, seeing her sexy pajamas. It was a red satin nightdress that was a bit short, revealing her legs as well as other things. I tried not to stare, looking around the room nervously. I didn't want to take a good look at her because the view was tempting and jaw-droopingly good.

"Well, I usually sleep naked because it's good for the body but since you're here and I am not alone, I decided against it. You're obviously too shy and so I thought to put something on because of you."

I smiled nervously at her, not knowing what to say. Should I thank her about it, I wondered. And how was I supposed not to blush when she shared such an intimate detail about her. She sleeps naked. Oh my! That statement just blew my mind. I was speechless after that. And really, really nervous. I tried my best to stop myself from imaging her naked. Well, I said I tried my best but I failed completely. That was just an impossible task. And now all I could do was to imagine her naked. I just couldn't stop myself. And that sexy pajamas of hers didn't help at all.

"How could she be so hot!" I said to myself, wondering about her sexy body which I was desperately trying not to stare.

"What was that, Jane?" She asked and turned around to face me.

Did I say that out loud?! Uh-oh!

"Uhm... how... how could it be so hot. The weather! You know... It's really warm in here. I mean uh, not the weather outside. Of course. Outside is cold but here... Warm... Yeah. Mhm."

Yep! That was really smooth! Uhg! I hate myself! I just couldn't stop talking. Why was I mumbling such a nonsense? I had to stop blabbering and embarrassing myself in front of her. It was like I was cursed. Cursed to embarrass myself no matter what.

"You will sleep here, and I will sleep on the couch. I hope that's alright for you."

"Oh...Uhm, no. You can sleep here," I pointed at the bed nervously, "on the bed." She raised her eyebrow questionably. "I mean, uh... I can sleep on the couch!" I hurried to clarify. "You, here. Me - on the couch. Get it?" I blurted out and she probably thought I was insane for talking like that - I was blabbering nonsense again. I needed to stop. "That's... that's what I meant. You know... Yeah."

"I can't let you sleep on the couch. It's not very comfortable. You are my guest so I want you to feel comfortable."

"Oh, don't worry about me."

"Jane," she looked at me and came closer, scrutinizing my face. I knew I looked awful - I was probably red from embarrassment and I must look funny in her pajamas. "Relax," she said and took my hands to sooth me. "You seem really nervous. Am I making you nervous?"

"No," I quickly lied. I tried to sound convincing.

"Just relax. Okay? Don't worry, I won't bite."

And just when I thought that it couldn't get any worse, she said that. I pictured her biting my neck. I know she said that she won't bite and I was picturing quite the opposite but I just couldn't help it. It appeared in my mind. A completely unwanted thought so I tried to put it away. To erase the picture from my mind. But it was probably staying there forever. Great, now at school I will always think about her and picture her in that sexy pajamas. I could never unsee that.

"Well, at least I'll try to restrain myself," she added with a smile. "I promise," she winked at me.

She looked so hot! I knew that it was just a joke so I smiled back at her. Or at least I hoped it was a joke. Or maybe she was flirting? Yeah, keep wishing. That was impossible. It was probably just her way to break the ice between us and make me calm down a little bit. But it wasn't helping me at all. These kind of jokes were the reason I was so nervous around her. And the fact that I like her. A lot.

"If you want to, I can sleep with you."

"No!"

Okay, I know she didn't mean it in the way I wished she did, but it still sounded dirty in my head. And in the same time I felt bad because she was treating me like a child. She probably thought that I was scared from the storm thanks to my mother.

"I mean, no need. I can manage... to, uhm... To be alone."

"Okay. I will stay for a while with you then," she stated and lied down on the bed. "Come on, come over here." She called me so I joined her, lying right next to her.

For while we just stood there in silence but soon she broke it and asked me:

"Did you write your homework?"

"Yes. I think I did," I answered her, thinking back.

"You think? You're not sure?"

Alright, if you do your homework but you know it's probably all wrong does that count? I didn't know for sure. My mind was occupied with other things back then.

"Oh, no. I am sure... I mean yes. Yes, I am sure," I clarified.

After that we started talking about school and other things. She asked me about other teachers and my favorite subjects at school. We jumped from one topic to another. At first she was the one who was asking all the questions, but soon I got braver - if I could put it that way - so I started asking her back. And we talked about everything. Once we started talking everything went naturally. I felt more calm, being so close to her and I felt we could talk like that for hours. Maura told me many things about her past - from her childhood to her memories from the university. I told her about my family and my brothers. We shared many things with each other, and I was happy to find out more about her. She was honest and open, and very talkative.

Time flew so fast and when we were done with our conversation it was past midnight. We both turned around, standing face to face, me - looking at her as she was gazing into my eyes.

"Tell me something you haven't said to anyone," I said, hoping she would share some secret with me, something really personal about her. Not that she didn't share enough though.

"Alright," she agreed. "But it's kind of stupid."

"Never mind. Just tell me."

"I have dated a lot," she started and I already didn't like it.

"Define a lot?" I asked her, trying to stay calm even though just the thought that she had been dating was making me feel frustrated.

"It's just a figure of speech. I dated but not in high school though. I've already told you, at school I was the geek. The other students made fun of me and mocked me. But after that I started dating. I felt like I had a lot for catching up to do because... well, because no one wanted to go out with me in high school."

"Ooh, Maura," I took her hand in mine to sooth her.

"That's so sad" I was going to say it but I thought to keep my pity for her to myself. She didn't need to hear that.

"And since I've dated many people, as I had mentioned to you," she continued, "both women and men, I have noticed some common similarities between people. I don't know how to put it in words exactly... I think that many people are afraid of their own sexuality. They just can't open up their minds, expand their thinking and see behind their own prejudices. Even if they did find love in the same gender as themselves, the majority of people wouldn't be able to accept it because it's not supposed to happen. They believe in some stereotype that a man should be with a woman so sincerely that they can't see beyond that stereotype - they just follow it blindly. They accept it for a fact and don't question anything, just take it for granted. I think that most people are afraid to explore their own sexuality. They just hide themselves and run against their own desires. And why? Just because they think it's not right. And I think that's really sad...You know what I mean?" she asked and I nodded.

"It's like closing yourself for love, denying yourself your own happiness. And for what? For some stupid stereotype that society had turned it to something like a grand rule and because of their own prejudices."

"Yeah, it's really sad," I agreed, thinking about her words for a moment. "And I think it's not just about people's sexuality. It's so much more than that. It's age, religion, status. Everything. Most people have so many prejudices about that."

For while we just gazed at each other, thinking.

"You know, Jane," Maura began as she started playing with a lock of my hair. "I have to confess you something. I know you were hitting on me. Or at least you tried," she laughed a bit in the end, biting her lip.

"What are you talking about?" I asked innocently. And how did she find out?

"About the pick-up line," she simply answered.

"Oh."

"You know, you were so sweet when you asked me if I was from Tennessee but then you couldn't bring yourself to say the rest of it."

"You know about that?" I asked, surprised to find out that she knew what I wanted to tell her.

"Yeah. I know what you were trying to say. I know lots of pick-up lines. Actually, I think I know them all by heart."

"Why? Have you ever picked," I started saying but then I left off my sentence unfinished, feeling really silly for asking her. Of course she didn't use pick-up lines to hit on someone, it was the other way around. Boys probably used them on her all the time to hit on her. I had done something so stupid. And now I regretted it but it was too late. I felt really embarrassed about that.

"I am so sorry, Maura."

"I didn't say it to make you feel bad," she said as she let go of my hair, caressing my face as she smiled at me. "I think you were really cute."

"Were?" I asked, smirking.

"Are," she corrected herself, smirking. She looked so calm and happy. Just like me. At least for now I was calm.

The storm outside was still raging. But I felt really nice being in the same bed with her during such a bad weather.

"I don't peg you for a hugger but if you're scared I can hug you," she suggested.

"Okay," I agreed even though I wasn't scared. She was right - I wasn't a hugger but I really wanted to hug her. She came closer to me, pulling me softly in her embrace. It felt really good - I could smell her perfume, feel her soft skin and her body heat. She started making lazy circles around my back and my breath hitched. I think she wasn't doing it on purpose but it felt really good.

"Woow. That one was really loud," she exclaimed, referring to the loud thunder. She even jumped, startled by the loud thunder. "Are you scared?" she asked me as she arched her head and gazed into my eyes. I could get lost in her eyes. She was breathtaking.

"No," I simply answered.

"But I am," she whispered, moving closer to my face. She was close enough to touch my lips with her own. I don't think that she meant she's scared because of the storm - it sounded entirely different to me but I didn't have time to think about it. She moved my hair gently and then slowly brushed my lips with her mouth, kissing me softly. I couldn't help but moan in a response. At first, it seemed she was just testing the waters - a light peck on my lips but then she deepened the kiss, invading my mouth with her sweet tongue. She held my face in her hands, kissing me passionately but then all of a sudden she stopped abruptly.

"I think I should go to bed," she said and she jumped from the bed. "Good night, Jane."

"No, Maura," I said but she got out of the room quickly, closing the door behind her.

I didn't even have time to respond. Everything happened so quickly I didn't even have time to react. I wanted her to stay. I wanted Maura to stay more, to say something about the kiss. And why did she kiss me. But she was gone.

AN: The new chapter is ready! I know that I am not very good at descriptions and my grammar sucks because English isn't my native language but I still hope you like it. Let me know what do you think.