Author's note: thank you very much for all your reviews.

December, 20th:

11.45am

Hilltown Wilderness Adventures

Jane grabbed the brochure and leafed through it as she patiently waited at the reception next to the honey blonde. The ride had been smooth enough – especially for her as she had been sleeping most of it – and they had arrived on time at the small mountain village surrounded by snow and immense pine trees.

"You have the Maple Suite; second on your left while leaving the main building..." A woman in her fifties – all smile – motioned at a couple of cabins by the window. "Lunch is served between noon and two; dinner starts at 6.30pm, until 11pm. Room-service for breakfast and here's the list of the dogs. You'll have to choose them today to make sure they'll be available for your ride tomorrow."

Listening carefully to the recommendations, Maura kept on nodding; key of the cabin in hand. As the woman - Leann as indicated on her badge - finally stopped talking, the scientist turned to Jane and timidly smiled.

"Is there something else you would like to know? Any question"

But the Italian shook her head and – together – they left the reception to walk back to their car they had parked a bit further. The landscape was breathtaking. A quiet world of white seemed to have – all by magic – swallowed the concrete of Boston to replace it by a serene sensation of peace. She might have been a city girl, Jane had to recognize that the mountain spot was perfect for a two-day retreat.

"Holly crap. It's bigger than my place." She dropped her bag by the door as they stepped into the cabin and looked up towards the stairs. She rushed up. "The fireplace's on. You need to see that!"

Maura finally appeared upstairs, suitcases in hand. She smiled and studied the living-room for long seconds before nodding enthusiastically.

The cabin decoration was classic yet rather luxurious. She walked to the bedroom and stopped by the door. A welcome basket was waiting for them on the bed with homemade jam and a bottle of champagne as well as chocolates.

"Do you like it?"

The medical examiner jumped of surprise as Jane's voice resounded close to her ear and she felt a pair of hands slide on her waist; grabbing her from behind. She nodded, looked down at her feet.

If the Italian had been relaxed enough to sleep during the ride, Maura had had to deal with a level of stress that she didn't like at all. The more they had been approaching the cabin village, the more she had been succumbing to a latent panic over this: the master bed. And what they would obviously do in it.

"It is..." She swallowed hard, tried to calm down her fast heartbeats. "Perfect. It is absolutely perfect. Really."

Jane giggled in the crook of her neck before planting a stolen kiss, there. Maura closed her eyes, not that certain to understand how the roles could have suddenly been reversed. She was the bold one – in theory – yet the brunette seemed to feel like taking the initiative, for a change. Although to which scheme did she actually stick to to say that? They had only slept together once.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jane made the honey blonde turn around to face her. She pouted. "You are tired, aren't you? Of course, you are. You worked all week long too and you had to drive all the way here. I'm stupid, I'm sorry."

Maura shook her head immediately, desperate before the false interpretation of her current behavior. She forced a smile – ran her tongue over her lips – but not finding anything worth to say, she kissed her partner on the lips instead. A long, warm kiss that seemed to bring novelty for them knowing it wouldn't be interrupted.

Before she had a chance to understand what was happening, she had got rid of Jane's coat – whool sweater – and tank top. With shaking hands, she vaguely stumbled over the zipper of the detective's pants; the gesture betraying her slight nervousness.

It wasn't slow nor sweet but slightly rough as if all of a sudden, she had succumbed to the invisible frustration led by years of silence; a full week of hesitation. Jane didn't protest, her hands going up and down her partner's curves yet unable to properly stop anywhere. They didn't make it to the bed. The frenzy of their gestures – the strength of their feelings – barely allowed them to step inside the room and lean against the wall by the door.

Maura pinned Jane there, pulling down the Italian's pants before her fingertips ran back up along her hips; her stomach. Her breasts. The heat of her body offering itself to the honey blonde's hands in a silence of moans and sighs.

They just needed it. And now.

Feeling too hot, Maura discarded her very own padded jacket – letting it land on the floor – while her lips wouldn't let go of Jane's ones in spite of her now rough breath.

She didn't wait any longer – did not remember the latent timidity that had made her stress all her way there.

As her hand slid between Jane's legs, the brunette held her breath and bit Maura's lower lip. All of a sudden, her body froze before a quiet moan rose in the air and her hips began to follow the pace that the honey blonde was dictating with her hand.

It was not really how they had imagined it, how they had fantasized about it. There was no candle lit, no long gazes exchanged by the fireplace. Only the intensity of feelings rising in their stomachs and the touch of a flesh against another shivering one. Jane arched her back; her nails digging into Maura's back, through her cashmere sweater. In desperate need of air, the scientist reluctantly let go of her partner's lips only to travel down the olive-skinned throat that offered itself to her mouth; her tongue.

Feeling the sensitivity of Jane under her fingers, the medical examiner vaguely slowed her pace; for a few seconds. She couldn't wait, she wasn't in the mood for teasing. Nor was Jane. All they needed was the release of a tension that had lasted the whole week.

A smirk played on Maura's lips as she gave in.

...

4pm

"How are my favorite Bostonian girls?" A woman in her sixties winked at Jane and put down a big plate in front of her. "Blueberry pie. You need some force after the long hike you both had!"

The brunette gladly accepted the pastry and nodded at the cook. It had taken them a while to finally leave their cabin – several trials that had led both of them ending up naked, halfway between the bedroom and the bathroom – and after an excellent meal, they had taken advantage of the mountain to discover the area a bit. The weather was perfect: low temperatures but incredibly sunny.

"Martha, this pie is delicious... You do realize that it won't make it any easier for us to leave within two days?" Jane grinned at the cook.

They had talked after lunch and hit it off right away. The woman had given them advices about the dogs and the walk they could do in the meantime; in the woods. It was the first time that Jane didn't have the slightest issue to sound friendly to someone she barely knew. An odd sensation. Warm too.

"And how is my hot chocolate, Maura?"

The medical examiner nodded enthusiastically while holding the mug with both hands. She took a sip, let the drink slide on her throat to warm up her whole body.

"It is perfect. You will have to give me your recipe."

Martha laughed lightly and waved at them before leaving back for the kitchen. Maura looked at her going away then observed the room in silence. A few tourists had decided to stop by for a drink and a slice of cake – just like them – to enjoy the heat of the fireplace after a day out in the mountains.

Their cheeks reddened by the wind.

Serene and happy, her hazel eyes stopped back on Jane's dark ones. She plunged into the Italian's gaze with a barely hidden pleasure; a sweet boldness.

"Are you happy?"

Rhetorical question, though. Jane was bimming. She had been over-enthusiastic about everything; not complaining once about anything. A miracle of some sort for the grumpy Italian.

She didn't like the countryside and natural spaces much – Maura knew it – but she nonetheless seemed to fully enjoy their weekend. Even the brief visit to the dogs had been a source of laugh and smiles for the brunette.

"What's not to love? Gorgeous place, awesome food, super nice people..." A timid smile played on Jane's lips as she bent over the table and caressed Maura's hand with hers. "And you."

The honey blonde blushed – looked down for a few seconds – and giggled before such compliment she hadn't seen coming.

It was the first time that Jane opened herself that much. She usually wasn't a very expressive person; even less when it came to this kind of feelings. This new relationship they had barely put words on. It seemed like the distance with their daily references had freed Jane from a thousand things.

"Thank you." Maura's words rose in the air through a meaningful murmur. She bit her lower lip – as if succumbing to a thousand wonders – and kept on looking at Jane for long seconds. Silent ones.

Sweet ones.