Chapter Two
Jane stretched as she emerged from Maura's vehicle, glad to have only a few more hours of daylight. She was looking forward to a relaxing evening with Maura and a comfortable bed for a long snooze. It wasn't until she fell asleep during the drive she realized how tired she really was.
Maura tossed the car keys to Jane and said very nonchalantly, "I drove. You unload." Maura stepped to the cabin door and opened it, leaving it open enough for Jane to lug the bags through.
"Maura, how many bags do you need for one weekend?" Jane complained. She knew she must look like a pack mule. "I have one duffel bag and the other seventy bags are yours."
"Three, Jane. I packed lightly."
"Three? We're only here till Sunday."
"I like to be prepared." Jane dropped the bags in the middle of the floor. "Where do you want me?" she asked, grabbing her own duffel. Maura paused for a moment before answering.
"The bedroom is that way. Take mine, too, will you please?" Jane picked up all the bags and staggered toward the bedroom.
"I feel sorry for any man you marry," Jane said, rubbing her back as she walked back into the living room.
"How's that, Jane?"
"He'll need major muscles to carry your luggage for you, unless you plan on staying home a lot." Jane sat down on the sofa and tried to stifle a yawn.
Maura went into the kitchen and checked the refrigerator. The supplies had been delivered. She pulled a pre-made salad out of the refrigerator while opening a beer for Jane.
"Here you are."
"Thanks, M." Jane sat with her head against the back of the sofa, her eyes closed.
"We can eat salad while your mother's gnocchi warms up in the oven, Jane."
"No thanks, M. I'm pretty tired. A couple of beers should be fine. Go ahead and eat, if you're hungry."
"No, I think I'll put the salad away and pour myself a glass of wine. Do you want to watch a movie, Jane?"
"I'm too sleepy, M. Why don't you watch one of your most boring and gory medical documentaries and I'll try to keep up?"
"You'll fall asleep."
"I'm going to fall asleep anyway, M. You might as well watch something interesting."
Maura considered the thought and settled herself next to Jane with her wineglass. She brought up the selection on the DVR and read aloud: "Dr. Mayne repairs a perforated bowel," "Dr. Chandler resects a bowel," and started to make her choice when Jane pulled the remote from her hand.
"No bowel operations tonight, please. Watch one of your nature segments."
"I do have one on the Serenghetti, Jane. Want to watch it with me?"
"Sure." Jane drained her beer and sat back. She knew she'd be asleep shortly. Maura started the nature documentary and snuggled against Jane. Jane put her arm around the medical examiner and drifted off to sleep.
Hours later Jane woke, alone and stiff on the sofa. The cabin was dark. Grabbing her cell she noted it was already 1:43 a.m.
"Oh, I'm not too tired," she thought. "Let's explore the rest of the cabin."
Like Maura the cabin had an understated elegance. Although smaller than expected the cabin did have its luxury appointments. Jane noted the rain forest shower in the master bath and smiled. It would be just like Maura Isles to have a rain forest shower in a cabin, she thought. Other families would have just a claw-footed tub, left over from the grandparents' days.
She walked quietly through the cabin and came back to the living room. Her stomach growling Jane headed for the kitchen. Ah, a fruit and cheese tray. Jane grabbed a small plate and helped herself. Taking her snack she headed for the only room she hadn't yet inspected, Maura's library.
Or workspace, Jane amended as she gazed around the room. It had corners filled with bookshelves and overstuffed chairs as well as a workspace for Maura's computer and extra medical journals. Jane sat down in the chair and looked at the desk.
It's certainly Maura's space, she thought. Everything looks the same as it does in her office, even down to the handwritten notes. Jane chuckled as she picked up a small piece of memo-sized paper.
"To-do list," Jane mumbled and scanned the list. "This must be the one she wrote earlier today when she invited me to the cabin this weekend." As she reached the bottom of the list and saw her name scribbled there, Jane felt a jolt go through her body.
"Jane." I'm on Maura's to-do list? No, she must have meant to remind herself to ask me about this weekend, not put me on her to-do list. I'm reading too much into this. Jane sat and thought for a moment. Long ago she realized her feelings for Maura were deeper than just friendship but never acted on it.
Maura took Jane's breath away every time she looked at her. Her feelings got the better of her not long after they started working together. When Charles Hoyt came after Jane a second and then a third time Jane knew she wanted Maura in her life for the rest of their days. She dreaded the day Maura met the man she'd fall in love with, because Jane knew she'd be relinquished to just the friendship stage. When the children came along Jane knew she'd morph into "Aunt Jane" who sent funny cards and gifts for birthdays and other celebrations. The closeness she enjoyed with Maura now would be only a memory.
Jane got up from her chair and decided to go to bed. Not wanting to disturb Maura's sleep she walked into the second bedroom and climbed under the covers. Her hands behind her head Jane stared at the ceiling for a long period of time. She only wished Maura had the same feelings for her.
Maura awakened early. Realizing she was sprawled across the bed and that she was alone she jumped up and wrapped her robe around her. I hope Jane didn't sleep on the sofa all night. Although it's comfortable enough I wanted her to have a good night's sleep.
Not finding the detective sprawled out in the living room Maura went into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. As the caffeine enriched aroma wafted through the cabin Maura heard stirrings in the second bedroom. A moment later one bedraggled detective sleepily walked out.
"Morning," Maura smiled. She was struck by Jane's beauty each morning. It didn't matter if Jane wore running clothes or her standby pantsuit, she rocked each outfit as far as Maura was concerned.
"Sleep well?" she asked Jane. Maura was suddenly overtaken by the crazy urge to reach up and kiss the detective hello but knew she needed to resist.
Heavens, I must get hold of myself, Maura thought. If I do something crazy I'll scare Jane completely away.
"Mm huh," Jane mumbled. She took the mug of coffee Maura held out to her and took a long sip.
"I slept in the other bedroom. I didn't want to disturb you."
"That's okay, Jane, you could have come in any time."
"I woke up on the sofa shortly after one."
Maura nodded. "I couldn't wake you when my program was over so I went onto the computer for a short time then headed for bed. You were snoring away, Detective."
Jane smiled. "I saw your library in there, Maura. I kind of toured the place when I woke up."
"You couldn't find something you needed, Jane?" Maura asked.
"No I was suddenly wide awake. I should have known you'd have a rain forest shower in your bathroom," Jane teased.
"That's okay, the bath attached to your bedroom is rather provincial so it balances out," Maura said in an arrogant tone. She smiled, knowing Jane was only teasing.
"It's quite relaxing to take a shower with a rain forest around you. At the rate of current destruction it won't be long before a rain forest shower will be the only reminder of what we used to have."
"Yes, Maura speak, that's true. The rest of the hoi polloi will be taking baths in claw-footed tubs."
"How did you know?"
"Know what, Maura? My grandparents had an old-fashioned bathtub when I was a kid."
"No, that I had a claw-footed tub in the other bathroom."
"You do?" Jane was amused. She raised her eyebrows at Maura.
"I must alert the media, I don't want anyone to think Maura Isles is too hoity-toity for the rest of us."
Maura reached out with a playful slap on Jane's on the shoulder and Jane tried to deflect. Grabbing Maura's shoulders Jane tried to put her in a headlock but the doctor would have none of it. Before both knew it they were standing in a close embrace. Jane looked down into Maura's eyes and wished she could close the gap and kiss her…and Maura did just exactly that.
Maura stared up at Jane, wanting desperately to kiss the dark-haired detective. She wanted to run her hands up and down Jane's body and slip her fingers under the other woman's t-shirt. She knew Jane's abs were ripped, she'd seen Jane's torso during yoga class. Maura longed to scratch her nails over Jane's stomach and watch the muscles contract. Instead she tipped her head up and captured Jane's lips in a light kiss.
TBC