A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! Hope you enjoy this next chapter!
After recovering from her lapse in concentration Jane hit the showers and quickly dressed. She was walking out of the change rooms just as Maura was walking into the gym. She was stunning. Jane couldn't help but look her up and down; starting with the three inch heels that did things to Jane's libido that heels had never managed to do until she saw Maura Isles in them. Her eyes continued their path up bare, toned legs to the short but not too short dark green skirt, then to the matching silk blouse. Jane noticed the top button was undone and tried not to look too closely as Maura stood in front of her. A gorgeous smile greeted her and Jane noticed how green Maura's eyes looked today when their gaze met. Her hair was down around her shoulders and styled in the usual way Jane loved. Altogether she was a beautiful vision and Jane couldn't help but notice some of the other guys in the gym looking their way. One man started to make his way over and Jane shot him a piercing gaze that made him turn around the way he'd come.
"Be nice, Jane." Maura chided, touching her arm briefly.
"He's a slime ball; you don't need him drooling all over you."
"And who would be acceptable to 'drool all over me' as you so crudely put it."
"Huh?" Jane hadn't expected the question, "Um, I don't know, but not him. You do look amazing. Are we going somewhere fancy?"
Jane began to walk out of the gym, shooting daggers at a man who dared to whistle as they walked past. Maura smiled politely at him.
"Not at first, but later, yes." Maura answered mysteriously, not wanting to give away anything.
"Not gonna tell me, huh?" Jane asked, sliding into Maura's car.
"Nope," Maura replied starting the engine.
Once they arrived back at Jane's, Maura took Joe outside while the detective quickly got ready. She offered Maura something of hers to wear for the non-fancy portion of the evening but Maura was much too offended by all the wrinkles in her clothes to take her up on the offer saying she'd mange with what she had on. That was fine by Jane; she couldn't stop looking and was trying to be careful so that Maura didn't catch her checking her out all the time. Jane dressed in blue jeans and a t-shirt, the M.E saying that would be fine for the afternoon and they could come back to Jane's place afterward for her to change into something more acceptable for the evening.
"You better hurry, Jane, we're going to be late!" Maura called from the living room.
"All set," Jane responded walking out of her bedroom.
Maura watched Jane's face as they pulled into a VIP parking spot at the stadium. Disbelief and joy danced across her features, making her both cute and gorgeous at the same time.
"Maura! How did you? I mean when?" Jane stumbled, not sure what question to ask first.
"I bought the tickets last night." Maura tried not to laugh as Jane's eyes bulged at the news.
"Last night! No way! How did you manage to get tickets to a sold out game last night?" Jane exclaimed.
"I managed," Maura replied, "now let's get in there before the game starts."
Jane got her next shock when they were met by one of the ballpark employees and escorted to box seats. In her enthusiasm she grabbed Maura and kissed her soundly on the cheek earning a startled yelp from the woman that went unnoticed by Jane. The detective whistled at the nearby hotdog and beer vendors causing Maura to scowl playfully at her. Jane just gave her a glowing smile in return and traded her cash for the food and drink. The ballplayers began to file out onto the field and Jane cheered loudly with the rest of the crowd.
Maura joined in the clapping but instead of watching the players she watched Jane and couldn't help but smile at the brunette's happiness.
Maura was again waiting in the living room for Jane to finish getting ready and found herself feeling nervous which she couldn't understand. She and Jane had been out to dinner before and they'd just spent a great afternoon at the baseball game… though Maura had spent most of that time watching Jane watching the game more than she'd actually spent watching the game itself. She couldn't understand why her thought patterns concerning Jane were changing so much in less than 24 hours. She had acknowledged her attraction to Jane a long time ago and pushed it aside where it belonged, but now here it was again and this time it wouldn't leave her alone. It was driving her to distraction and she was afraid that at any minute Jane would notice.
Two minutes later she heard the bedroom door open and Maura automatically stood up to go, setting down the magazine she was looking through as she did so. When she looked up and saw Jane it took every ounce of willpower for her mandible not to hit the floor. Jane was dressed in a stunning dark blue dress that had obviously been tailored to fit her, her dark locks were up in a very becoming twist and she had a light amount of make up on.
"Why are you staring at me?" Jane asked nervously.
"You look amazing," Maura answered, knowing how self-conscious her friend could get.
"Yeah?" Jane asked hesitantly.
"You really have no idea," Maura answered with a light laugh. "You will certainly turn heads tonight."
Jane just shrugged her shoulders as if she couldn't care less. "Ok then, let's get out of here. Where's this restaurant we're going to?"
"Have you heard of Top of the Hub?"
"I heard the views of the Boston harbour are amazing." Jane answered getting into the car.
"The food is supposed to be wonderful as well." Maura replied as she sat down in the driver's seat, trying not to look at Jane's partly exposed thigh the dress now revealed and failing.
"What are you looking at? Did I get something on the dress already?" Jane asked looking down at the material.
"No, of course not," Maura replied, her eyes snapping up quickly as she started the car and shifted into gear pulling out onto the road, "I was just admiring the dress. I didn't know you had anything like it. What made you decide to buy it?" Maura asked, trying not to blush at being caught out.
Jane stared at her for a moment before answering. "Ma." Jane lied. She had been on one of her mother's forced shopping trips when she bought it, but she had been the one to see it and instantly thought of buying it and wearing it for Maura. It had only been a fleeting thought, after all she didn't know if she'd ever have the opportunity, but she'd bought it anyway.
"Well, it really is beautiful," Maura said. She noticed Jane fidgeting around in the seat at her words and couldn't help but smile slightly at her discomfort with the compliment.
Fifteen minutes later they were being seated at a table that did indeed have stunning views of the Boston harbour.
"Wow, the view really is incredible," Jane commented as she opened her menu and began to peruse. "Holy shit!" she exclaimed after a moment, it damn well should be for these prices!"
"Language, Jane," Maura scolded.
"Maura, I'm not so sure…"
"It's my treat Jane, please, now I want you to enjoy yourself."
Maura could tell Jane wanted to protest further, but after a moment she shook her head once and resumed looking at the menu. After a few more minutes the waiter returned with their drinks and took their orders. Maura inhaled the fragrance of the wine before tasting it. Satisfied with her selection she took another small sip before setting her glass down. She supressed a chuckle when Jane tossed the straw in her drink on the table and took a healthy drink of her Long Island iced tea.
"So how was your time with your mom last night and this morning?" Jane had been dying to know how things had gone between them but wanted to wait for the right time to ask in case it hadn't gone well. Watching the Red Sox play the Yankees was hardly the time for that conversation.
"It was wonderful," Maura answered, her eyes lighting up. "We did go to bed almost as soon as we got home but this morning my mother suggested we go to breakfast before her flight and at the country club, she…" Maura started to get teary again just thinking about it.
"What's wrong?" Jane asked concerned, her hand automatically reaching over to cover Maura's.
Maura smiled, "Nothing, sorry. I've been having a hard time controlling myself lately. It's just; she told me things I never thought she'd say. She told me she was proud of my career, of who I am and she said she loved me." Maura paused and sniffed. "Do you know how long it's been since she said that to me?"
Jane said nothing but let her eyes convey all the sympathy she felt for this woman and shook her head in the negative.
"She hasn't said that to me since I left to go to boarding school and she's never told me she was proud of me." Maura turned her hand underneath Jane's to hold it. "I owe that to you Jane. You've given me the greatest gift and tonight is just a small token of my appreciation."
"I didn't make your mother say those things, she chose to say them, and she means them. I may have suggested she be more… forthcoming in her feelings for you but that's all. It was her choice. You don't owe me anything."
Maura smiled through teary eyes and squeezed Jane's hand just as the waiter arrived with their meals. Blinking her eyes rapidly a few times to push away the moisture she smiled at Jane and they both began to eat.
Maura kept stealing glances at Jane as they ate; it amazed her that her friend really had no idea how stunning she was. With her complexion, height, build, appropriate muscle mass and bone structure she was beauty personified…if Maura were given to personifying a concept, which she was not. It wasn't just Jane's external beauty that attracted Maura however; it was who Jane was as a person. Her love, devotion and fierce protectiveness toward family and friends, her passion for her job, how she could communicate the way she felt with just the look in her eyes, the way she understood and accepted Maura unconditionally, weird quirks and all. Before Maura had met Jane she'd never really met anyone that truly understood her, that could see past her practiced scientific persona to the real person underneath and in turn Maura could see beneath Jane's practiced 'bad ass' exterior to the vulnerable woman she kept tightly guarded.
The ME couldn't imagine life without Jane now. A year ago Jane had nearly been taken away from her when she sacrificed herself to get medical treatment for her brother, Frankie. When Maura had come out of those doors and saw Jane shoot herself, the world had stopped. At that moment in time she knew, as one often knows too late, that she loved Jane Rizzoli and didn't want to spend her life without her. She told herself once Jane recovered she would try to find out, cautiously, if Jane would be at all interested in the idea of seeing her romantically. Unfortunately, after the incident in the car, the look on Jane's face when she thought for just a split second Maura might want to sleep with her, she knew Jane wasn't interested. She allowed herself to get her hopes up when she and Jane told Giovanni they were LLBFFs to get him off her back, being in Jane's embrace had felt so right, but once they'd left the garage Jane never brought it up again and Maura was too afraid. So, Maura accepted there would never be anything between them and tried her best to deal with it, but sometimes, like tonight, she would sit and watch Jane and wonder what it would feel like to go home with her, to be loved by her.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Jane asked, eyes catching Maura's.
The honey brunette quickly looked down at her plate, not wanting to risk Jane seeing what she knew must be so obvious at the moment in her eyes. "I was just thinking about what a wonderful friend you are." Maura replied and it wasn't a lie. She had been thinking about that as well.
Jane smiled that smile that Maura was sure she'd only ever seen directed at her and she tried not to melt on the spot. The depth of feeling in those gorgeous chocolate brown eyes was something Maura would give anything to touch.
"You're a pretty wonderful friend yourself," Jane replied. "This meal is fantastic, thanks a lot for bringing me here."
"Thank you for not throwing a tantrum over having to dress up," Maura joked, pushing away her feelings and getting back on more familiar ground.
"Hey! I never throw a tantrum!" Jane defended with a scowl that Maura only found endearing.
"Would you ladies like some dessert, or perhaps another drink?" the waiter asked coming out of nowhere.
Maura looked to Jane for an answer and Jane communicated with her eyes that she was far too full to eat another bite. "No, thank you, just the bill please." Maura responded.
The waiter nodded and went to collect the bill. He was back in seconds and Maura couldn't stop Jane from snatching it up.
"Jesus. Let me pay for some of this Maura. I won't feel right if you pay for everything today. It's not like we're dating or something." Jane joked.
The joke fell flat as Maura looked up sharply and their gazes caught. Silence reigned as they stared at each other before Jane broke eye contact and Maura finally responded. "Don't be silly Jane; I said it was my treat. Dating has nothing to do with it. Friends are allowed to take friends out for a nice meal" Before Jane could object again Maura pulled out a credit card and waved the waiter back over handing both over. An awkward silence fell over the table before the waiter returned with the card. In unspoken agreement both women stood and left the restaurant.
They inhaled the fresh night air deeply as they stepped outside putting the awkward moment in the restaurant behind them. It was a beautiful night outside, a bit brisk, but not too cold and the sky was filled with stars.
"Do you want to take a walk along the harbour?" Jane asked
"I'd love to," Maura answered, smiling.
The two women walked side by side along the water talking about Maura's mother, Jane's family, their pets, work and anything else that came to their mind. After about a half hour they were back where they started and both stopped to lean against a railing and look out over the harbour. Jane turned her head to ask Maura a question but was struck silent by the beauty in front of her. Maura's face was framed by the night sky while the light over the water reflected against her features, her honey brown hair shining in the moonlight. Jane had never seen her look so breath-taking and when Maura turned to look at her their eyes met and she stopped breathing. It wouldn't take much to lean forward slightly and press her lips to the M.E's. Before she could think of all the reasons she shouldn't do it, before her fear could overcome the moment, she leaned forward. At the first touch of their lips she resumed breathing but only for a moment before her breath was again caught by Maura's tongue tentatively exploring her lips and seeking permission to go further. Jane granted it and was staggered by the intensity and need of Maura's exploration but soon found she was returning it with equal passion. Her arms wrapped around the shorter woman and brought their bodies together causing them both to moan into their heated kiss. Maura's fingers were twisted in her hair, hands holding her tightly as if afraid she might run. Jane had no such intentions, she could never remember feeling as good as she did now, and a kiss had never felt so right to her in her life.
Suddenly Maura tore away and stepped back breathing heavily, her eyes were glazed over with desire, but she was shaking her head slowly. Jane saw the desire fade to be replaced with confusion and fear.
"Maura, what is it? What's wrong?" she asked reaching out to touch her.
Maura flinched away and Jane felt like she'd been slapped.
"I-I'm sorry, Jane. I-I just, I can't. That was a mistake." Maura explained, sounding completely flustered and upset.
Immediately Jane's walls went up as the hurt at Maura's words seeped into her soul. For a moment she'd thought Maura had felt the same way, but she must have just been caught up in the moment. God! What an idiot I am! To think she would ever be interested in me!
"Fine, Maura. Whatever you say, I'll see you around then. Thanks for the game and dinner." Jane thought she might start crying and she hated to cry, hated it with a passion. She'd be damned if she was going to cry in front of the cause of her pain.
"Jane, wait! Where are you going? You came with me, let me take you home." Maura pleaded.
"Don't worry about it, I'll get a cab." Jane replied, not turning around to look at her.
"Jane, don't. We can talk if you want; it's not a big-."
"Don't," Jane said warningly, finally turning around to see a distraught Maura, "don't tell me it's not a big deal."
"Jane… I… please." Jane watched Maura's face go through a tumult of emotions in just those three words, but she couldn't deal with it right now. She needed to be alone, to get away from her.
"I'll see you later," Jane said softly, with less anger and more sadness before turning and walking away.