Author's note: thank you very much for all the reviews!

Chapter Eighteen: How To Spend The Night In Maura's Arms

The warmth of the bed sheet brushed her skin deliciously. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as if to enjoy even more the comforting feeling. A smile on her lips echoed Maura's hand as it slid on her hip to rest there.

She bent over and captured the honey blonde's lips in a deep kiss. Not so long, though. As she broke apart, Jane pouted and locked her eyes with Maura's hazel ones.

"You're tired, aren't you?" Her hoarse voice betrayed her very own fatigue.

Maura shrugged timidly until her pout melted into a timid laugh and she finally nodded.

"I am dead tired!"

Jane rolled her eyes and embraced the relief brought by such confession. It was almost 4am and the day had been long; intense, to say the least. They had got married. The whirl of feelings hadn't gone yet and was still carrying the exhilaration of their grins.

"Gosh I was afraid it was only me and I didn't want you to take it bad." The brunette laughed and let her wife settle against her; in her arms. Absentmindedly, she began to caress the blond curls; staring at the wall in front of her. "Do you mind if we just..."

Maura shook her head – giggled – then planted a kiss on Jane's shoulder blade.

"No! To be honest, I would be worried to fall asleep right in the middle of it if we gave it a try. I am sorry, though. It is probably not the honeymoon you were thinking about."

Jane laughed. Considering that she was as exhausted as the medical examiner, she didn't really need apologies.

"Let's just accept we're an old couple who doesn't even make love anymore to celebrate their wedding."

Maura rolled on her back – turned the light off – and settled back in Jane's arms. Her leg slid there, just between her lover's ones. Everything was so quiet all of a sudden that it was almost deafening. She still could hear the music in her head, the laughter; the clinking of glasses. Her loud happiness. The whole day was speeding past in front of her eyes.

"How about tomorrow morning? Anyway, we have all our life to celebrate it... But just don't say to Amy that nothing happened tonight. We both know what her reaction could be."

Jane's laugh melted in the kiss that she planted on Maura's temple. She closed her eyes again before settling in the crook of the scientist's neck.

"I know better now than telling anything to Amy. And when I say anything, I mean it."

With a sleepy voice, Maura moaned away the remark.

"I see that you are learning fast."

...

Jane let Amy lead her to the center of the room where most of their relatives and friends had already gathered. The socialite abandoned her there – right in the middle – then yelled at Maura.

"Will you drop this French toast already, Yankee? Goodness, I don't want to know what you did all night and morning long that you suddenly need to eat so much. Come and join us, now! Just in case you haven't noticed it... We are waiting."

Maura blushed – reluctantly put back the food in her plate – and walked to the other side of the Bed & Breakfast restaurant for a picture of their whole group. She pulled on her cardigan and adjusted her skirt.

"We went to bed at 4am, Amy. It is 10.30am... Believe me, we haven't done much." Maura hissed between her teeth – as discreetly as possible – as she squeezed in between her cousin and Jane. "We actually lack of sleep. Right, honey?"

Jane passed a hand on her nape and nodded at Maura. Not that they hadn't caught up – as promised – once waking up and even twice if she took into account their rather intimate encounter after in the shower but she would probably need more than one cup of coffee to make it through the day.

She also missed the contact with Maura's flesh, the warmth of her kisses; her short breath dying in a wave of whispers against her shoulder as her nails dug half-moons in her back, carried away by pleasure.

If it weren't for their respective families and friends, Jane would have grabbed the blonde by the hand – without any warning – to retreat then to their bedroom for the rest of the day.

But reality sadly had a different schedule to offer.

She thanked the owner of the Bed & Breakfast who had taken the pictures and checked them right away along with half of the group that wanted to make sure each of them didn't look ridiculous. It was a nice morning, a joyful one. In spite of the lack of intimacy, Jane had to recognize that it had been quite a while since she had felt so fine surrounded by her beloved ones.

"Is everyone coming for a morning walk through the campus after breakfast?" Repressing a yawn, Maura walked back to her table to finish her meal.

She was pouring herself another glass of fresh orange juice – chatting lightly with her mother who had sat next to her – when Amy literally jumped on Jane's lap to catch her attention. Taken aback by the sudden invasion – yet a bit less than the Italian herself – Maura frowned at her cousin.

"My wife isn't a seat, Amy."

The socialite shrugged; not really bothered by the idea. On the contrary.

"Her lap is rather comfortable, though." She turned around and winked at Jane before waving a bit nonchalantly at Constance who had stood up to go and talk to Angela.

"I know that her lap is comfortable. I have tried it more than once."

"Oh God." Mortified, Jane looked down and tried to overcome Maura's sudden oversharing.

Amy didn't miss the hint - as expected - and smirked at the brunette before focusing back on her cousin.

"I bet you did. Twice this morning." She grinned. "Anyway, I am not here to talk about your sexual life. As much as I am sure it is highly interesting... No. I am afraid that my sudden presence at this table is a lot more selfish." Widening her eyes to match her grin, Amy grabbed Maura's hand and patted it. "You will never believe what happened to me last night."

"You found the man of your dreams?"

Jane's question got welcomed by a loud laughter from the socialite who ended up raising a bit of a worried eyebrow when she realized that the brunette was only half-kidding.

"We both know that I am certainly not looking for him, don't we? I mean, you are a detective. I am going to assume that you came to this conclusion six months ago or so when you met me."

Jane hesitated for a few seconds but had no other choice than to finally nod. She had to be sincere with Amy. It was obvious that the British woman was not really looking for anything serious and she did know socialite grinned then focused back on Maura.

"I didn't get laid, forget this option. But I am only leaving tomorrow so I still have hopes something might happen. I mean... There must be an American somewhere interested in me if only for an hour or so!" Amy laughed and swept away her very own statement with a gesture of the hand then turned serious again. "Something better – or at least different – happened to me last night. Some sort of a... Vision!"

Maura squinted her eyes at her cousin. Somehow, she had difficulties to follow her logic. Politely – yet completely lost – she smiled at her cousin then cast a desperate glance at Jane who had quietly managed to grab a French toast in spite of Amy's presence on her lap and had resumed eating.

"You had a vision? Last night?" The medical examiner marked a pause, tilted her head on a side. "I am starting to wonder if you aren't taking something illegal. Amy, are you on drugs? Unless it is alcohol."

Amy pursed her lips – vaguely annoyed – then shook her head. She stole a slice of bread from her cousin's plate then bit into it.

"The only drug I am on is nicotine. You know that I have never been into anything else. Anyway, my clean state is not important because... Drum rolls... I have decided to buy an apartment in Boston!"

The British woman's grin contrasted with Maura's incredulity and Jane's utter surprise.

"You are moving to the United States?"

"Of course not! I would never be able to say goodbye to London entirely. No." The socialite shook her head. "But I am buying a little something to stop by from time to time. Boston is welcoming and it really did strike me last night: I am made for this city. Like... Twice a year."

"You got news from Giovanni, didn't you?" Jane raised an eyebrow at Amy and waited.

For barely two seconds.

Maura's cousin took her cell phone out of the pocket of her jacket and opened her list of contacts as a grin played on her lips.

"From Giovanni – Alex – and Leo. If this isn't a sign that Boston is waiting for me then I don't know what it is."

"Who are Alex and Leo?" Maura frowned and made a face. She was certain that she had never heard about any of them.

"Alex is the barista at this coffee store you took me to and Leo is the dry-cleaner's brother we..." As if stung by a bee, Amy straightened up and avoided Jane's gaze. It was better to focus on Maura for that part. "Your dry-cleaner we met the other day in the street. You know, on Wednesday."

Maura nodded - embarrassed - and rolled her eyes. At this pace, Amy would know every single man in Boston before they hit Christmas.