ONE WEEK AND FIVE HOURS AGO

Jane turned her body into Maura's. Her scarred hands tangled themselves immediately in blonde hair as their breathing became ragged. They clutched at each other frantically, all hesitance and fear from previous minutes lost. Maura tugged at the hem of Jane's shirt, begging for entry. Jane pulled Maura closer, allowing Maura's hands to roam Jane's bare skin beneath the fabric.

Maura was suddenly ravenous; gripping Jane's hips roughly, Maura turned Jane against the island in the kitchen, pinning her back against the edge of the counter. But she couldn't stop there if she wanted to. Maura pushed Jane onto the countertop, Jane's hair falling into her face as she looked down into Maura's eyes, gauging their intention. Maura stood on her toes to kiss Jane's swollen lips. Jane held her close. Tongues intertwined and breathing was uncontrollable. Maura reached a hand upward toward Jane's chest and with a single finger pressed Jane back against the counter. Jane lay against the cold surface without question.

"Jane, I'm going to taste you." They had never broached the matter before but there was something about that night that made all the difference. Jane had never attempted it with a woman and from the lilt in Maura's voice, it was clear that she hadn't either. This was new to everyone in every possible way.

Jane nodded.

Maura pulled at Jane's belt buckle and then button releasing the pants from confinement. She pulled them slowly from Jane's hips watching her carefully, testing Jane's commitment the experiment. Jane and Maura watched each other closely for any hesitation. They may be sleeping together for fun but this would take what they had to another level. An intimate one. This would change things. Wouldn't it?

Jane's pants and belt hit the hardwood floor of her kitchen with a satisfying clank. The thin slip of material of Jane's panties was the only thing between Jane's bare skin and Maura's mouth. Maura inched forward, her eyes never leaving Jane's except to glance down at her canvas only briefly to advance her work. With every slow, hesitant movement, Jane's excitement grew. Doubt was erased by Maura's touch. And when Maura's mouth finally reached its destination, Jane's gasp was involuntary.

Jane lay her head back, relaxing into the pulses of pleasure that Maura's tongue was inducing through her body. Her gasps and pants increased with each roll of Maura's tongue. When Maura ran her nails across Jane's muscled torso, Jane's breath caught in her throat as she reached an entirely new level of ecstasy. Maura's efforts redoubled. Jane grasped the back of Maura's head, pulling her closer as her orgasm neared. All fear, doubt, and hesitation was gone. Completely uninhibited, Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's legs, pulling her closer, overwhelmed with the desire to be nearer.

With a final swipe of her tongue, Jane peaked. With each thrash of her orgasm, her cries echoed through the small apartment. Jane's fingers seized Maura's hair, her fingers pulsing; every clutch matched the pulsing through Jane's body. Seconds drifted in and out as Jane's orgasm extended. When it subsided at last, Maura pulled away from the open space between Jane's legs. Jane brought both hands to her face, and through her hair, drunk with the feeling.

"Well that was…invigorating." Maura said proudly, both hands on her hips. Jane couldn't keep herself from turning onto her side and laughing.

"What?" Maura was smiling but she was at a loss. "What's so funny?"

"You," Jane said between snorts. Even as Maura waited for a better explanation, Jane could see the lost look on the blonde's face. Composing herself, the brunette sat up, swinging her legs off the edge of the counter, and pulled the blonde toward her. Still chuckling in her chest, Jane pulled Maura's lips onto hers.

"I still don't know why you're laughing." Maura concluded.

"Because you're adorable." Jane regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. She knew they were real. They hinted at the feelings that Jane was already feeling for her blonde. I'm going to scare her away. Jane chastised herself. Take it easy. But when Maura smiled widely at her, those concerns melted. Closing the distance between them again, Maura kissed her heartily in reply.

"Jane?" Maura asked after a time.

"Hmm?"

"Tie me to your bed."

Jane stopped, pulling away from Maura's embrace. The detective studied Maura's expression.

"You're serious."

Maura's devilish smile grew at the corners of her mouth. Jane smiled in spite of herself. The questions, the worry, the hesitations began to ebb. They droned on in the back of her mind, begging to be adhered to, but Maura's taunting stare was leading her into the bedroom and her eyes were silencing everything but Jane's desire. I should stop. If we do this, I won't be able to stop. If she lets me do this…I can't…ah, fuck it.

And Jane did just that.

An hour later, Jane woke to nothing in particular. She watched her blonde beside her breathing deeply, completely lost in a dream. She lay on her back, head tilted toward Jane. Her mouth parted slightly. Jane suppressed the urge to kiss her.

You're in too deep, Janie. Jane turned away from Maura, mentally distancing herself from the woman. Unable to keep herself from turning back, Jane removed herself from the bed entirely. She swept into the kitchen seeking solace in a glass of water. She turned on the light above the stove as she poured water from the tap into her glass. She took one sip before dropping the glass to the countertop in frustration. Jane held herself over the counter, pressing her palms into the hard surface.

Fun. This was supposed to be fun. Not painful. There weren't questions anymore, not after that night. Now, there was only a longing, a burning desire to be more to Maura than a fling. She wanted more of Maura. The agonizing truth was that she knew she couldn't. This wasn't the plan. Jane didn't intend on falling in love with Maura.

"Are you alright?" Maura's husky voice called from the doorframe of Jane's bedroom. Her voice was riddled with concern.

Jane cleared her throat, ridding it of the emotion that clogged it. She turned her head in Maura's direction but thought better of it and returned to hover over the counter. "Yeah, I'll come to bed soon."

"Jane?" The brunette could hear Maura advance toward her through the kitchen.

"I'm fine, Maura." Jane tensed. She could feel the other woman near like her body was tuned to it.

"I don't believe you."

"Well, you should."

"Talk to me," Maura knew better than to reach out; she knew better than to touch her.

"Why?" Jane finally turned around to face the blonde. Her confidence rose alongside her frustration. The dim light from the stove cast harsh shadows across Maura's face. It made Jane want to reach out. The way her hair fell into her face, the way her mascara smudged at the edge, the way her eyes begged for an answer all made Jane want to take her into her arms and then directly into bed.

"Because I'm here." Maura's voice was calm whereas Jane's had taken on an edge.

"That wasn't the point though was it?" Stop talking, Jane. Just stop.

"What wasn't the point?"

"Us. We aren't supposed to be close. We were just supposed to have fun. That was it."

"You aren't having fun anymore."

"It's getting too real, Maur."

"Yeah…" Maura considered for a moment. "It is."