- Super long chapter to make up for my absence. Don't know why this one was so hard to get out of my head and onto the screen.
Jane and Maura made their way back down the dock to their bungalow after dinner, Maura wobbling unsteadily on her heels. She grasped Jane's arm and leaned into the brunette, she was giggling lightly at something one of the other restaurant goers had been wearing. Jane reveled in the feeling of the blonde's weight on her arm, her head warm and fuzzy from all the wine they'd had with dinner.
Maura slid her arm around Jane's waist, trailing her fingers over Jane's exposed back. Jane shivered and leaned down, nuzzling into Maura's neck. They reached the door to their bungalow and stood facing each other.
"Dinner was lovely." Maura breathed, standing just a few inches from Jane.
"It was. Although, you know, you made the reservations." Jane pointed out. "And dressed me. So I don't really know why you're thanking me."
Maura grinned and leaned in to softly kiss Jane. Jane smiled against the blonde's lips and pulled back.
"Thank you for this dress that you claim you didn't buy for me, but I know that you secretly did." Jane said with a grin.
"You're welcome." Maura answered easily, moving forward to wrap her arms around Jane's neck. "It was a great choice. I've wanted to tear it off of you all night."
"Looks like it did its job then, huh?" Jane asked, smirking.
Maura's hands were already on Jane's sides, one reaching for the hidden side zipper of the dress. She pulled it down, slipping warm fingers against Jane's ribs.
"Inside." Jane mumbled against the blonde's lips. Maura nodded her agreement and pulled out the key to the door, turning it in the lock and pushing the door open. Maura pushed the brunette through the door and closed it behind them.
Jane turned and kicked off her heels, she grabbed Maura's hand and pulled her towards the bed. She stopped short when she saw the steps up to the bed covered in red. At first her wine addled mind thought it was blood, but then she realized that was ludicrous. At second glance she saw that it was red rose petals scattered on the floor and up the steps to the section of the bungalow with the bed. There was a larger pile of the petals on the bed in the shape of a heart.
"Too much?" Maura asked with a smile.
Jane laughed and shook her head. "No, it's adorable."
"You're adorable." Jane said, moving forward to capture the blonde's lips.
—
"Let's go shopping!" Maura said enthusiastically, plopping down on the bed beside Jane the next morning.
"Maura…" Jane groaned, pulling a pillow over her face.
"C'mon Jane. I want to check out a clothing shop the concierge told me about."
"I was thinking about going to the gym." Jane replied, her sentence muffled by the down pillow over her head.
"Hm?" Maura teased, pulling the pillow off of Jane.
"Gym?" Jane asked, a pleading smile on her face. "It works perfectly, you can shop and I can fit in a workout."
Maura rolled her eyes. "Oh I suppose." She leaned down to kiss the brunette. "Besides this way I don't have listen to you whine about how many pairs of shoes I'm going to buy."
Jane grinned back at the blonde. "It's a win-win!"
Maura got dressed and Jane made a show of hunting for her workout gear in her suitcase.
"I'll be back in a few hours. Call if you want to join me after your workout." Maura called as she picked up her purse.
"Okay, see ya." Jane replied. She waited a few minutes until she was certain Maura was gone and slipped on a pair of shorts and a tank top. Jane had decided that she was on the hunt for a present for Maura and a trip to the gym was a good cover. She knew that Maura could shop for a long time and likely wouldn't be back before Jane.
Jane locked the door to their bungalow and made her way to the main building of the hotel. She stopped at the concierge to inquire about jewelry stores close. The man at the desk gave her a list of a couple to try and Jane set off, unsure exactly what she was looking for.
The taxi pulled up in front of the first shop on the list and Jane appraised it, it didn't look like much from the outside but from living in Boston she'd learned that you couldn't judge a book by its cover. Some of the best meals she'd ever eaten were at tiny hole in the wall places that most people passed right by.
A bell on the door jangled as Jane walked in and she waited as her eyes adjusted from the bright sunshine outside to the darker interior.
"Hello?' A woman called from the back of the store. "Oh crap," Jane thought. "I didn't even think about the fact that they might not speak English. Well this should be interesting."
"Hello." Jane answered, making her way over to the jewelry case closest to her.
"How can I help you miss?" The woman asked, making her way towards Jane. She was an older woman, probably in her 60's, and she was much shorter than Jane. Jane was relieved that they would at least be able to understand each other.
"I'm not really sure, to be honest." Jane replied, gazing at the simple gold bracelets in the case that she was in front of.
"Something for you? Or someone else?" The woman asked, her dark eyes appraising Jane.
"Oh, um, someone else. A friend." She lied easily, she wasn't sure that she wanted to have that talk with some random Tahitian woman.
"Tahiti is famous for it's pearls." The woman informed Jane in her lilting accent. She led Jane to another case and stepped behind the counter to remove a necklace. It was a simple silver chain with a smoky, grayish pearl at the center.
"Hmmm." Jane mused to herself. The necklace was gorgeous but she wasn't sure it was exactly Maura.
"We also have other colors of pearls, not all of them from Tahiti though." The woman continued pointing Jane to a different case. As Jane made her way to the case that the woman was pointing to another case caught her eye. This one was filled with an odd assortment of jewelry, most of it looked much older than the pieces in the other cases.
Jane stopped and allowed her eyes to glide over the necklaces in that case. Many of them were yellow gold. There were a few men's watches and wedding bands thrown in for good measure. She was beginning to walk away when a silver glint caught her eye. She stopped and bent down to get a better look. Hidden among a few gaudy oversized rings was an antique looking white gold, diamond ring.
"Excuse me?" Jane asked, turning to face the woman. "Could I see something from this case?"
The woman bustled over to where Jane was standing and Jane pointed at the ring. The woman reached inside the case, moving the other rings aside to pick it up.
"Ahh," She said with a knowing look. "This is an antique 1930's engagement ring. It was sold to me by a woman a few months ago, it was her mother's ring."
She handed the ring to Jane and Jane turned her hand, so that the center diamond caught the light. The band was thicker than many current ring's bands and the diamond was flatter but still fairly good sized. There were many smaller diamonds that wound their way around the biggest diamond and down the sides of the band.
"I didn't know you were looking for a ring." The saleswoman said as Jane admired it.
"Neither did I." Jane said, mostly to herself. This ring was definitely not your typical Tiffany's solitaire engagement ring with one giant diamond, it was more understated but in some way more beautiful because it was unlike so many of the modern rings.
Jane had come in thinking that she would get Maura some meaningful gift, perhaps a necklace. They had somewhat accidentally discussed marriage the other day but Jane honestly hadn't given the idea much thought since then. Why then, did she seem so drawn to this ring?
"This ring has about a carat and half worth of diamonds in it." The woman said, smiling warmly at Jane. "It's a gorgeous ring. Very unique. You don't see very many like this anymore."
"It is beautiful." Jane agreed. "How much is it?"
She gritted her teeth in anticipation of the woman's answer, she couldn't even believe she was considering buying an engagement ring. Although even if she bought it, it wasn't like she had to give it to Maura right away.
Jane was so lost in her thoughts she didn't hear the woman reply.
"I'm sorry?" She asked, shaking her head to clear it.
"Eleven thousand."
Jane unclenched her jaw. That wasn't as horrible as she'd been expecting. "What size is it?"
"A six I believe."
Jane was fairly certain that that was the size Maura wore because the blonde had mentioned it on a few occasions, in passing, to Jane. Jane smiled to herself, or perhaps not exactly in passing.
"I'll take it." Jane said, handing the ring back to the woman, wondering if her impulsivity was a good idea.
The woman smiled knowingly and eyed Jane carefully. "Must be a very close friend."
Jane blushed but didn't respond. She reached in her back pocket and pulled her credit card out of her wallet. She didn't spend so much money on a regular basis, but for some reason she was feeling quite content with her decision to buy the ring. It just seemed so right, she was surprised how little time it had taken her to decide. The woman tucked the ring in a black velvet box and swiped Jane's credit card. She handed Jane the credit card receipt to sign and then handed her the tiny box. Jane took it , running her fingers over the outside, amazed at how heavy it felt to her.
"Thank you miss." The woman said, bowing her head slightly before smiling at Jane. "Enjoy."
"Thank you." Jane replied before heading out the door, bell jingling as she left.
—
When Jane got back in the taxi she texted Maura asking where she was at. She got the name of the shop and gave it to the taxi driver. She flipped open the velvet box and examined the ring again, the gems sparkled even more out in the sunlight. She admired it for a few minutes before snapping the lid shut and sliding it in her pocket.
The cabbie caught Jane's eye in the rearview mirror and grinned. "Ahhhh, vous êtes amoureux."
"I'm sorry?" Jane asked. "I don't speak French."
"You are in love?" He asked.
Jane flushed and smiled. "Yeah… I suppose I am."
The cabbie gave her a mega-watt grin and returned his gaze to the road.
They pulled up in front of the shop Maura was at in a few minutes and Jane thanked the cabbie and paid him.
"Good luck!" He called cheerfully as she got out.
She grinned and made her way up to a cluster of shops and entered the right one. She found Maura standing in front of a mirror towards the back of the shop, holding a light purple dress up in front of her body.
Jane came up behind the blonde, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Hey there."
"Oh! Hello Jane." Maura glanced at the brunette in the mirror, smiling. "Did you enjoy your workout?"
"Yeah, it was pretty busy so I didn't stay that long." Jane replied. "Have you found anything?"
"Of course." Maura answered breezily before putting the dress she was holding back on the rack. "I've already sent most of it back to the hotel."
"Ahh, of course you have." Jane grinned.
"I'm just going to try a couple of things on and then I think I'll be ready to go." She grabbed a few hangers and moved toward a dressing room in the back corner.
Jane followed her and slipped in the room behind the blonde quickly.
"Jane!" Maura hissed. "Do you think this is a good idea?"
"Sure."
Maura glared at the brunette but broke into a smile after only a few seconds.
"Don't worry, the saleslady was busy with a couple of other people. She won't even notice." Jane assured Maura, moving forward to wrap her arms around the smaller woman. She rested her cheek in Maura's hair, breathing in her scent. "Besides you might need help getting undressed."
Maura snuggled her face into Jane's neck, giggling lightly. "You are really no help, whatsoever Jane."
"What?" Jane asked, pretending to be incredulous. "I am very good at getting you undressed." She moved down, sucking lightly on the blonde's earlobe. Jane heard Maura's breath catch and moved down to suck on the sensitive skin of her neck.
"Jane!" Maura half-heartedly batted Jane away. "At least help me by unbuttoning me."
Jane grinned and happily did as she was told, reaching behind Maura to unbutton her sundress. She slipped it over the blonde's head.
Maura moved forward, kissing Jane lightly before turning to grab the shirt she was trying on off the hanger. "I really do want to try these on."
Jane smiled and backed up against one of the walls, watching Maura adjust the shirt and pull on a pair of shorts.
"What do you think about these shorts?" Maura asked, turning to look at the short tan shorts from a different angle.
"I like everything you wear." Jane replied before coming to place her hands on Maura's hips. "But these are very nice."
Maura grinned in Jane's direction before returning her gaze to the mirror. "Hmmm." She mused. "Maybe if I buy them it will force the weather to get warmer in Boston."
"Ugh." Jane groaned. "I'd kind of forgotten that it's still cold back home. Don't you just want to stay here forever? I'm sure we could find jobs."
Maura laughed before slipping out of her outfit and into another one.
"I highly doubt that we could find jobs like we have at home, here." She answered.
Jane shrugged. "Oh well, it was worth a try."
After a few more outfit changes Maura gathered up her purchases and stepped out of the dressing room. Jane waited a few seconds before slipping out too. Maura paid for the clothing and they made their way back to the hotel.
Later that evening as the sun was setting Jane suggested that they take a walk on the beach. They hadn't really spent that much time on the sand since they had a private dock and ready access to the water. Maura happily agreed and the pair set out when the sun was low in the sky.
Jane enjoyed the heat of the sand beneath her feet and the feeling of Maura's hand in hers as they strolled along the beach. They talked some, but both seemed happy to simply enjoy each other's company and the setting sun.
"Do you want to sit?" Jane asked after they'd walked for a while. "The sky is gorgeous." She looked up at the reds and oranges fading into magenta then dark blue.
"It is." Maura agreed and they settled onto the sand. Jane dug her toes into the sand and turned to look at Maura. She was gazing up at the setting sun, her face content, blonde waves splayed out across her sun kissed shoulders. Jane smiled as Maura turned to look at her.
"What?" She asked, her expression flickering to uncertainty for a moment.
"Nothing. Just, you're beautiful." Jane replied with an easy smile.
Maura broke into a grin. "You really know how to win a girl over."
Jane laughed and suddenly it struck her, she should propose. What?! She'd almost exclaimed the word out loud she was so startled by the thought. She tried to regain control of her facial muscles, and she turned her gaze back to the sunset. Was now the time? She hadn't even though of it happening this way. But maybe that was okay? The element of surprise and all of that.
She could feel the weight of the jewelry box in her pocket. She hadn't taken it out since the taxi ride that afternoon.
"Jane?" Maura asked, interrupting Jane's internal monologue.
"Yeah?" She asked, swinging her gaze back to the blonde.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" Jane asked.
"Well, you're sort of clutching at the sand for dear life." Maura pointed out with a concerned smile.
Jane looked down at her hands and laughed. "Oh, yeah I guess I was." She unclenched her hands, picking up some of the sand and sifting it from hand to hand. Then she rubbed her hands together, shaking the sand off of them before reaching into her pocket. Her fingers closed around the velvet box but she couldn't quite bring herself to pull it out.
C'mon Rizzoli, stop being a wuss. Pull the box out.
She took a breath and pulled it out, keeping it hidden in her hand. She turned back to face Maura and swallowed hard. "Maura?"
Maura turned to face Jane again, a slight smile playing on her lips.
"I…uh." Jane stammered. Her mind was blank. How did people usually do this? They surely didn't just jump straight to the 'marry me' part. There had to be some sort of lead up, but Jane couldn't for the life of her figure out what that was supposed to be. "I… I have a question to ask you."
Maura nodded slowly. "Okay. Ask away."
Jane shook her head slightly, trying to clear it. "I got something for you. I mean…" Jane mentally smacked herself on the forehead. Idiot what are you doing? She played with the box in her right hand and she noticed Maura glance down. She looked back up at Jane, eyes widening. Now you've done it, Rizzoli. Spit it out!
"Would uh… Will you marry me, Maura?" She asked, thrusting the box towards the blonde, flipping it open.
Maura glanced between Jane and the box that now lay open in Jane's hand, her mouth agape.
"I…" She stuttered. "Oh my gosh, Jane."
Jane picked the ring up out of the box, noticing that her hands were trembling. She looked back up at Maura, who was staring at Jane with tears glistening in her eyes.
"Yes!" Maura practically shrieked, throwing herself at Jane. "Of course I will!" She pulled Jane into a tight embrace and kissed the shell shocked brunette. She pulled back and took Jane's hand in hers.
"Aren't you going to put the ring on my finger?" She asked, smiling shyly. Jane grinned and took Maura's left hand in her right, sliding the ring easily onto the blonde's finger. It fit perfectly.
Jane pulled Maura in for another kiss and she felt wetness on Maura's cheeks. She pulled back and wiped away the tears with her thumb while Maura beamed at her.
"Oh my God. How do people do that? I thought I was going to have a heart attack." Jane exclaimed, letting out a deep breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.
Maura continued to grin at her, "You know its highly unlikely you could give yourself a myocardial infarction from nervousness."
"Yeah, well it seemed less unlikely a minute ago." Jane retorted with a grin.
Maura brought her hand up in front of her, examining the ring that Jane had put on her finger in the waning sunlight. "This is really gorgeous, Jane."
"Thanks." Jane grinned sheepishly. "I honestly didn't plan on buying a ring and proposing to you, but I saw that ring and I just felt like I had to have it."
"It's lovely." Maura replied. "Art deco, 1920's, if I'm not mistaken." She said, turning her hand to admire it from every angle. "About one and a half carats, maybe?"
Jane stared at the blonde in disbelief. "What, were you a jeweler in another life?" She asked.
Maura grinned at Jane. "No. I'm not sure that I believe in reincarnation."
Jane rolled her eyes, wondering how this had become a philosophical discussion.
Maura grinned widely again and placed a soft kiss on Jane's lips. When she pulled back she reached down the neckline of her sundress, pulling out something that Jane couldn't see. She gazed up at Jane, her eyes dancing.
"Maura?" Jane asked slowly, drawing her name out.
"I have something for you as well." Maura said lightly, opening up her hand. Jane looked down and saw a platinum band sitting on the blonde's upturned palm.
She glanced up at the blonde in disbelief. "Wait, did you just pull that ring out of your cleavage?"
Maura laughed deeply and smiled at Jane. "Yes."
"How could I possibly turn down a marriage proposal from a woman that pulled the ring out of her bra!?" Jane asked with a laugh.
Maura held up the ring between her two fingers. "Will you marry me, Jane?"
"Yes. Absolutely." Jane replied with a grin and Maura slid the ring on her finger. She looked down at the simple platinum band that Maura had gotten her. On closer look, it actually had a slight design of swooping lines that turned into curlicues. It was beautiful, yet understated.
"I love you Maura Isles." Jane said, kissing the blonde lovingly.
"And I love you, Jane."
- AHH! I didn't exactly go into this chapter with the knowledge that I was going to have them propose to each other.. but that's what happened so there ya go! I hope you enjoyed it. And if you're interested in the style of ring that Jane got Maura (and that I spent waaay too much time researching) do a google image search for art deco engagement rings to see some examples. :)