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Maura has been dating Detective Jane Rizzoli for more than a month when she finally decides that she will have to say something.
At least, she thinks that they are dating. She sees Jane at least once a week. The woman either comes over for dinner or takes Maura and Mae out. On several occasions, Jane had been at her house for dinner more nights than she'd been on her own, though she'd never stayed over.
In fact, they haven’t even kissed, let alone made it to the bedroom.
Maura is starting to wonder, and wondering is leading her down a path that she doesn't enjoy.
So, she arrives in the living room one evening after putting Mae down and settles down next to Jane on the couch.
“She had a good time,” Jane says. Her arm comes over the back of the couch, almost, but not quite like a move.
Maura redoubles her determination. “We both did,” she says. “Jane…”
“Uh oh,” Jane says, pulling her arm back so that she can turn a bit to look at her. “Whenever anyone says my name in that tone, it’s a bad sign.”
Maura shakes her head. “No. It’s nothing negative. I just wanted to talk to you.”
Jane’s eyes search Maura’s face intensely. “Sounds negative,” She says quietly.
“No,” Maura assures her. “I’m…” she takes a breath. “I’m concerned that you might not be attracted to me, and you don’t know how to broach the subject.”
Maura looks up into Jane's eyes, waiting for an answer. For several seconds it looks like Jane has simply short-circuited.
“Jane?”
“You…think I’m not attracted to you?” she asks slowly.
“If that’s the case,” Maura says quickly, “I don’t want you to feel as though you can’t tell me. Or as though your lack of romantic feelings for me would mean you couldn’t still see Mae, if you wanted-”
“No!” Jane cuts her off, reaching out to take her hands. “No, Jesus, Maura. I’m so sorry that I made you think that. I-” she breaks off, looking away.
She looks discouraged. Maura wants to take her face in her hands, but before she can, Jane starts to talk again.
“My parents split up when I was in 8 th grade,” she says, running a hand through her hair.
“Oh,” Maura says, frowning. “I’m sorry.”
Jane shrugs. "It's okay," she says. "My Pop was kind of an asshole to me. I didn't miss him…but my little brother did."
She looks at Maura, giving her a little smile. “He was about Mae’s age when Pop left, and he would go over to his apartment every other weekend or so. And my Pop had, like, a new girl there every time.”
Jane shakes her head, and Maura moves a little closer on the couch. This is the most open that Jane has ever been.
"It messed him up," Jane says slowly. "I think it messed him up more than we even knew. And I don't want to..." Jane trails off, looking back up at Maura, though this time her eyes don't make it farther than the doctor's lips. "I'm so attracted to you, Maura. I'm sorry that you've thought that I wasn't. Or that I was using you to…get to your kid…which is gross."
Maura laughs. “That wasn’t what I meant,” she says. “And the fact that you have never excluded Mae from our outings is one of the things I find so attractive about you. You genuinely seem to care about her.”
Jane frowns. “Of course I do,” she says. “And I would never tell you or her that you couldn’t be with each other. I’d never want Mae to think that her mother cared more about some woman than she did her. I’d never want to be that woman.” She links their hands together again, looking down at the connection like she too felt the spark that jumped between them.
“You are not just some woman ," Maura says with a smirk. "Nor are you one of many in a string of-"
“No!” Jane says, eyes widening. “That’s not what I meant at all!”
“I know,” Maura says. “I know.”
Jane’s eyes wander over Maura’s face again, focusing on her lips…again.
Maura’s smile widens. “Go ahead, Jane,” she says quietly, and as soon as the words have left her mouth, Jane’s lips are on hers.
She expects the detective to take over, now that Maura has given her consent, but she is surprised.
Jane’s hand comes to cup her cheek, but the kissing does not become any more or less aggressive. It’s Jane who pulls away first, biting her lip, and looking both surprised and excited.
“I…should go,” she says, her voice lower than usual.
Maura only hesitates for a moment. “You don’t have to,” she says, watching her words make her companion shiver.
“Thanks,” Jane says, though she stands, and Maura knows she is going to decline. “I really should get back to Jo Friday, though.
Maura stands too. “I didn’t mean to be so forward,” she says.
“No,” Jane answers to quickly, and then she looks like she could kick herself. “No, you’re not. God. You’re not.”
Maura laughs, and Jane relaxes. When she holds out her arms hopefully, Maura steps into them, and they kiss again. It is the same, sweet, soft thing, although this time, Maura has the added benefit of feeling Jane’s hands on her waist.
No wait, they’ve moved to her hips.
When Jane pulls away this time, her eyes stay shut a little longer.
“I’ll call you,” she says, blinking foggily. “Is that okay? Can I call you tomorrow?”
“Mmm,” Maura says, “I’d rather see you tomorrow.”
Jane blushes faintly. “Okay,” she says. “Can I take you out?”
Maura nods. “I’ll find a sitter,” she says. “One with the appropriate amount of training.”
Jane chuckles, and the two of them walk to the door hand in hand.
This time, when they kiss, Jane presses her gently against the doorframe, and Maura responds by putting her arms around the detective’s neck, she is rewarded with a growl that makes her knees weak.
“When you come to pick me up tomorrow,” Maura says, putting her mouth right up to Jane's ear.
“Bring Jo Friday.”