DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rizzoli & Isles nor any of the characters from the show. I am writing this purely for entertainment, not profit. Rizzoli and Isles are property of Tess Gerritsen and TNT.

Please find the full disclaimers in the beginning of Chapter 1.

Chapter 23

Lunch was brought to them in the bungalow, and after they finished, Jane motioned to the huge hammock inviting them to the porch. Jane laid down, and Maura joined her. The soft sea breeze was blowing, and with the light rocking of the hammock, the only sound being the ocean waves, they really disconnected from the world.

Jane thought she had napped a few times, but she always opened her eyes to the same sounds filling her ears, the same view, and it felt more relaxing than anything she had ever experienced in her life. Maura was relaxed by her side. And if this was not paradise, Jane was not sure what was it.

Jane checked if Maura was awake, and seeing she was, squeezed her gently closer against her, kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you…"

"For what?" Maura asked quietly.

"For bringing me here. For being here with me. This is paradise…"

"It is, isn't it? But I should be the one thanking you, for coming with me… For being with me here…"

"Always, Maura." Jane leaned forward to kiss Maura leisurely.

"Can we spend the rest of our lives here?" Jane asked, when they broke the kiss.

Maura chuckled. "We might consider that. But, right now, we should move to the spa area… I have massages booked for both of us."

"I can totally get used to this…" Jane teased, sitting in the hammock and helping Maura to her feet.

They walked to the spa area, where two masseuses were waiting for them, with massage tables set up side by side.

After the massage with delicious oils, they were directed to the sauna space, before being moved to a tub filled with rose scented water to finish their treatment.

"God, I feel like I left my body behind…" Jane stretched lazily as she waited for Maura to put on her sandals.

"We both needed this…" Maura smiled beatifically at Jane. She felt light and airy.

A light dinner was brought to them to enjoy while watching the sunset.

"I love that we don't have to interact with anyone… It feels as if it is just the two of us…"

"Well, it kind of is…" Maura raised her flute with champagne. "To us!"

"To us!" Jane clinked hers to Maura's and drank, satisfied.

Watching the sky slowly change colors, with the light waves crashing on the sand as their soundtrack was just mesmerizing.

It was only when darkness fell, and the first stars became visible on the sky, that Maura removed the tray and left it by the bungalow door, before locking it down and walking back to Jane.

She stopped in front of Jane, offering her two hands, that Jane took before standing.

"Where are we going?" Jane asked, curious.

But Maura just moved her arms around Jane's neck, looking up to whisper: "Dance with me?"

Jane could have replied there was no music. But the song of the sea was alluring enough for her to understand Maura's request. She moved her two hands to pull Maura's body gently against hers, as they swayed slowly, barely moving in place.

Maura's face found its place by the crook of Jane's neck, inhaling deeply Jane's unique scent. It soothed her deeply because it was the smell she associated with unconditional love. But at the same time, it stirred in her the need, the want, and the desire she had been keeping at bay for the past few months.

She sighed deeply, and Jane noticed.

"Are you okay?" Jane whispered against her ear, not stopping their swaying.

"Hmm hmmm…" Jane felt Maura's humming against her skin. "Just thinking the opportunities that I missed due to my obsession."

"Obsession? What do you mean?" Jane continued the conversation in her low voice, never stopping their light swaying.

"I have been obsessed with the new foundation program for the past few months… It was the only thing I could put my energy on for three whole months. I feel guilty…"

"If someone knows what obsession is, it would be me, Maura… And you were far from obsessed. Very focused, for sure… But you never forgot about the other things while you were doing it…"

"I certainly didn't put the focus on us…"

"We were together in that project, my love…" Jane tried to appease her. "I was part of it, not excluded from it…" Jane kissed the top of her head.

"I just feel that it is almost as if I had not learned my lesson, that life passes through us too quickly… That things can happen in the blink of an eye… And that we should never leave anything to do later…" Maura sighed again.

"We know all of this, Maura… But if we make all our decisions that way, they will likely be hasty and precipitated. It actually takes way more effort for us not just to jump to action…"

"What if… What if now I am ready to jump to action?" Maura asked in a small voice.

Jane chuckled, and paused their swaying for a moment, and Maura moved her head just enough to look up at Jane.

"Are you?" Jane asked, her voice deep and low.

"I am… It is becoming harder and harder to be this close to you all the time… And don't get as close to you as I possibly can be…" Maura blushed lightly as she whispered back. "Are you?" Maura asked, sheepishly.

"I think we achieved what we had set to achieve when we decided to take things slow… That we could feel as comfortable with our bodies as we were with everything else… So yes, I have also noticed that day after day it is harder to keep my hands off you… Or my eyes… Or my thoughts…" Jane grinned and Maura chuckled to her antics.

"I love you so very much, Jane Rizzoli…"

"I love you more, Maura Isles…" Jane looked lovingly at the woman in her arms.

Maura pulled lightly on Jane's neck, and moved to her tiptoes, so they could meet in the middle in a slow, deep, sensuous kiss, that lasted forever and left them both feeling lightheaded.