A/N: Someone suggested a weekend getaway prompt, and this is what her plotbunny generated. It will eventually be 2-3 chapters. Reminder: Established Shelby/Santana and they've been dating and living together for several months post-graduation. This is loosely set the winter following graduation.
A/N #2 (10/15/12): This has been "moved" into Invincible's main story. FYI. Track that one for updates on this relationship!
Santana gave up and pulled out a chair at the kitchen table. She had to bite her tongue. Shelby had made four trips back into their condo. They hadn't even made it out of the garage yet.
"And you have both our cell numbers?"
"Yeah. You already checked my phone the last two times you came back," Puck said. Santana could tell he was fighting to keep his cool, too. He met her eyes and she gave him an apologetic look.
"And the number – "
Quinn cut her off, far less patient than Puck. "For the resort, the resort's spa, and the resort's three restaurants. And yes, also for her pediatrician, the walk-in clinic, the pharmacy, poison control, a heating repairman, an electrician, and a plumber. You put them in our phones a week ago."
"And put the list on the fridge," Puck added.
"And in the bathroom."
"And Beth's room."
"And on the TV," Quinn finished, pointing at the printout taped to the center of the television's screen.
"I promise we can handle this, Shelby," Puck said earnestly.
"I don't want any funny business between you two," Shelby said, gesturing between Quinn and Puck. "I don't want you distracted."
Puck only smirked, but Quinn scoffed in disgust. "Please. That ship has sailed."
Santana met Puck's eyes again. They both knew Quinn had someone waiting for her back in Connecticut – someone named Bianca.
"And – "
Everyone had had enough, Santana included. She cut Shelby off firmly. "We're going to lose our reservation if we arrive too late. Darling."
She saw Shelby's back stiffen at her tone, but it had worked. "Fine. Let me just check on her one more – "
"Don't you dare wake her up on purpose just so we have an excuse not to leave."
Shelby shot her a look over her shoulder. It lacked the bite she knew Shelby intended it to have – one more for show than anything truly meaningful. "I won't."
When they made it out the door for the sixth time, Santana made it a point to beat Shelby to the driver's seat of her car, pulling out of the garage and getting on the road before Shelby could protest and demand to go check one more time.
"She'll be fine," Santana said after a few blocks, noticing Shelby's anxiety.
"I've never left her for more than a night. What if she forgets me? Or you?"
Santana was glad her eye-rolling was hidden behind her sunglasses. She was also glad her own worry, stoked by Shelby's comment, went unnoticed. "She isn't going to forget us. We'll be back on Sunday."
"Three nights."
"Mhmm," Santana said, reaching across the console to entwine her fingers with Shelby's. "Three whole nights. Alone."
It was a long drive to the resort in northern Michigan, but the weather and road conditions cooperated well enough that they made decent time.
"Shut. Up." Santana exclaimed as they pulled onto the property. She was glad Shelby was now behind the wheel so she could gawk. It was already dark due to the winter month, and the windows of dozens of cottages, houses, and villas glowed welcomingly.
They made their way up a winding road after checking in at the main lodge, Santana watching house numbers until she spotted their assigned cottage. "There, on the left."
Shelby pulled into the driveway and killed the engine, popping the trunk as she exited. "This is so cute," she said, looking up at the grey-blue house.
Santana hefted their suitcase out of the trunk and slammed it closed. "Let's go check it out."
A few seconds later, they were inside, luggage forgotten by the door, shoes and coats left in the foyer.
"It's so…open." Santana turned slowly, taking in the warmth and expanse of the main living room that spilled into a kitchen and dining room. She was so taken aback by her surroundings that she didn't even notice Shelby had disappeared.
"Santana? You have to come see this."
Shelby sounded so far away. "Where are you?"
"Upstairs."
Santana found a set of stairs and followed them up, leading to a spacious bedroom. "I don't know what else could be better than…" She drifted off when she found Shelby. She was standing out on a snow-covered balcony, leaning against its railing. Santana joined her, wrapping her arms around Shelby from behind to keep them both warmer against the chill.
There were no streetlights, no illuminated billboards, no glaring fast food signs. The twinkling lights of the resort faded into darkness, making it impossible to tell where they ended and the stars of the night sky began. It was silent, too, save for the quiet rustling of bare tree branches in the wind. As much as Santana wanted to comment on the beauty and solitude, she couldn't bring herself to break the silence.
Shelby apparently felt the same. She leaned back into Santana's embrace and covered her arms with her own. Santana sighed and turned to rest her cheek against Shelby's back. She was about to close her eyes when something in the corner of the balcony caught her attention. She smiled. She knew how they would be spending their evening.
"Come on," Santana said quietly, hating to break the moment, but they were both starting to shiver. "I'll go get our stuff."
"Sure you don't need help?" Shelby asked as she sat on the end of the bed, blowing into her hands to warm them.
"Nope. Be right back."
Santana retrieved the suitcase and hauled it up the stairs to flop it onto a chair in a corner of the room. "Warming up?"
"I'm fine," Shelby said with a smile. "Can you hand me my purse? I just want to check in."
Santana tossed Shelby's oversized black designer bag to her and unzipped the suitcase, digging through her clothes until she found what she was looking for and disappeared into the adjoining bathroom. "I'm just going to change real quick."
The bathroom had the same balance of opulence and down-hominess as the rest of the cottage. It was all wood and porcelain, with a wall-length counter that had two sinks, a whirlpool tub, and a double-sized walk-in shower that had two showerheads.
Santana stripped out of her travel clothes and into something more befitting of a different climate and freshened up at one of the sinks.
"Everything good at home?" she asked through the door as she folded up her discarded clothes.
"Yeah, they're about to give her a bath. Said everything went fine."
"See? Nothing to worry about." Santana pulled the bathroom door open and leaned against the doorframe. "Now you can focus on other things."
Shelby did a double take. "Why are you in a bikini?"
Santana pouted her lips. "You don't like it?"
"I didn't say I didn't like it," Shelby said as she stood up and crossed the room. "I asked why you're wearing it. It's freezing outside."
"Then maybe we should figure out a way to keep me warm."
Shelby smiled and started to reach for her, but Santana leaned away to reach behind the door and pulled one of the complimentary bathrobes off a hook. "This should do the trick." She slipped the robe on and moved past Shelby to sit rather demurely on the edge of the bed, though she intentionally left the robe untied.
"Yours is on the counter," Santana said, nodding at the bathroom.
"Santana – "
"Just go put it on, please?"
When the door closed behind Shelby, Santana jumped off the bed and jammed her feet into her Uggs. She pulled the balcony door open and almost lost her breath when the frigid air hit her. Swearing, she tied her robe and kicked away snow to make a path to the corner of the balcony. It was heavy, especially with the several inches of snow on top of it, but she was able to flip the cover of the hot tub back, steam pouring out. She was relieved that it was, in fact, filled and functioning. She found the controls and turned it on properly before running back inside. She grabbed the simple wooden desk chair and set it next to the hot tub and returned to the room again, closing the door behind her as she pulled off her boots, deciding at the last second to hit the light switch to kill the lights so it would be darker on the balcony. By the time she was done, she was absolutely frozen and hoped it would be worth it.
When Shelby reemerged from the bathroom in her own bikini and open robe, Santana thawed immediately.
"So is this part of a game, or…why is it dark? Santana?"
"You'll see. Come on." Santana took Shelby's hand and led her through the bedroom toward the balcony.
Shelby stopped her when she reached for the door. "What are you doing? We'll freeze."
"No we won't."
"It's fifteen degrees right now; yes we will."
"Just trust me. And walk fast." Santana slid the door open and pulled Shelby out, both of them gasping from the cold. Shelby closed the door and Santana led them through her cleared path.
"Is that a…we have a hot tub?"
"Yep. On the count of three, drop your robe on the chair and get in before we die."
"Oh God, you're serious."
"One, two, three!" Santana moved without waiting for Shelby. She had to commit to it or she wouldn't be able to abandon the bathrobe. She threw it on the chair and all but ran up the three stairs that led to the hot tub, stepping up and right into the heated water, sinking to her chin.
"Fuck," Shelby said, showing up in the water a second later. "You're crazy."
"I'm romantic."
"Freezing our asses off isn't romantic."
"Give it a minute. Don't doubt me." Santana reached out under the water and found Shelby's arm, using it to pull herself alongside Shelby. "Better?"
"Yeah," Shelby said, visibly starting to relax. "Though I think we're going to get hypothermia when we get out."
"Then maybe we'll just have to stay in here all winter," Santana said as she slipped her arm around Shelby's waist, pulling her closer.
"Or all weekend," Shelby replied.
"Good enough for me." Santana slid down her sit a bit so she could rest her head on the edge of the Jacuzzi so she could gaze up at the sky. "So many stars."
"They're beautiful."
Santana grazed her fingertips up and down Shelby's side, enjoying their nearness.
"We haven't been alone together in so long." Shelby's voice was quiet.
Santana let her fingers trail higher, grazing the side of Shelby's breast. "That's why we're here." She bit the inside of her cheek when she felt Shelby's hand appear on her thigh.
"Then I guess we better make the most of it."
Santana had meant for the hot tub to just be warm relaxation before spending quality time together in bed. Though if Shelby had other plans, far be it from her to stop her, and the fingers tickling her inner thigh seemed to indicate her intentions. "If you insist."
Shelby's touch trailed between Santana's legs, the sensation dulled by the water and fabric, but it made Santana tremble anyway. Shelby teased her until Santana finally whimpered a "Please," and Shelby complied, sneaking her fingers under Santana's bathing suit to graze her body. But the moment she appeared, she was gone, and Santana felt her drift out of her embrace. She didn't particularly care where Shelby was going. She knew she wasn't leaving her or stopping, so whatever it was would be worth it. She kept her eyes on the stars, waiting.
Shelby didn't keep her waiting long. She felt hands on her waist and then on her bikini bottoms, grasping them to ease them down her legs. It was easy in the water, a simple nudge from Shelby and she floated up just enough to slip them off. Shelby disappeared again, just for a moment, and then Santana felt hands on her knees, parting them slowly as she saw Shelby at the edge of her vision, just before warm lips connected with the chilled, exposed skin of her neck. Santana let one of her arms drift through the water to rest against her back, pulling her closer as her touch traveled up her abdomen, pushing the triangle top away to cover Santana's breasts with her hands.
Steam curled around them, sometimes clouding Santana's view of the night sky, and she was starting to wonder if it was they or the Jacuzzi heating the water. She sighed and trailed her fingers along Shelby's back, tilting her head slightly to encourage Shelby to continue her attention to Santana's neck. She did, and Santana was so distracted by it that she didn't notice the hand that trailed back down her stomach to slip between her legs until fingers were pressing against her purposefully.
Santana fought to keep her eyes open. She knew she would see stars either way, but the moment was too surreal to miss. Shelby had moved to work on warming the other side of Santana's neck, though had already been quite effective at doing so with the two fingers making slow circles underwater.
Shelby finally coaxed a moan out of Santana when she slipped inside just briefly. The movement and their buoyancy lifted Santana and she caught herself with a leg around Shelby's waist, settling herself back on the seat with Shelby as her anchor.
The circles were quicker now, and Santana pressed her hips into the touch and heard Shelby's quiet moan, the one that meant she was truly enjoying herself. Shelby's free arm slid around Santana's waist to pull herself closer, until their bodies were flush and her hand was pinned in place. She caught Santana's earlobe between her lips and Santana gasped in pleasure, unable to discern if the stars she was seeing were those above them or created by Shelby.
It didn't matter, though. All that mattered was Shelby and the stars and their intimacy. When her heart slowed, she tore her eyes off the sea of stars to meet Shelby's waiting gaze. Shelby kissed her, stealing her breath again. When they parted, Shelby rested her forehead against Santana's, both of them breathing hard.
"I love you," Shelby whispered before brushing her lips along Santana's again.
Santana felt her heart flutter. They professed their love to one another often, but sometimes Shelby said it with such conviction that it made her feel as though it was she who held her to the earth, not gravity. It was those moments that told her the sacrifices and hardships they went through to be together were worth it. It was those moments that made her feel as though she could conquer the world. She was so head over heels in love that she barely believed she could be so lucky.
"I love you, too." Santana lifted her chin to bring their mouths back together in a slow, deep kiss. Her arms wrapped around Shelby's waist and she pushed herself off the seat, letting them drift to the other side of the Jacuzzi until Shelby was on the bench. Her wandering hands found the ties at the base of Shelby's neck and the middle of her back, pulling at the strings until her top drifted away in the swirling current.
Santana was working her kisses down Shelby's throat and she contemplated just how much she could do in the hot water. She trailed her lips down the middle of Shelby's chest until water was up to her chin. A glance up and she saw Shelby's eyes were closed, and, steeling herself against the heat, she took a deep breath and slipped beneath the water, just enough to catch the tip of Shelby's breast between her lips. She felt rather than heard Shelby's quick inhale, and she imagined the moan she felt vibrate in her chest. She didn't want to let go, but it was getting too hot, and she needed to breathe, so she swirled her tongue one last time and came up for air, barely getting a breath before Shelby's mouth was covering hers, stealing it.
Santana pulled away quickly, desperately needing to breathe. She felt a shiver run through her, and she realized it wasn't from Shelby. She hadn't fully thought through what going under water would do. Now her hair was soaked and exposed to the below-freezing air. She was cold, and getting colder, fast.
"Let me finish this inside so I don't freeze," Santana said with a laugh, her teeth already trying to chatter.
"Okay," Shelby said, still breathing hard. "We're just going to have to make a run for it, aren't we."
"It's only a few feet; we'll make it. I hope." Santana found the lower half of her bathing suit and the top half of Shelby's floating in the tub and balled them in her fist as she swam to the edge nearest the cottage. "I'm going straight for the shower. Meet me there."
With that, Santana pulled herself out of the hot tub, feet landing on the frozen deck. She moved fast, grabbing her robe off the chair. She didn't even bother putting it on, throwing open the glass door and making a beeline for the bathroom. She yanked the shower stall's door open and cranked the faucets wide open, throwing the mismatched bathing suits in a sink and her robe on the counter before jumping under the downpour from the waterfall-style showerhead as soon as it was warm. She had just pulled off her displaced bikini top when Shelby showed up a few seconds later, crashing in as unceremoniously as Santana had.
"Fuck, it's freezing!" Shelby said, spinning in place under her showerhead to let the hot water flow over her.
Santana smiled and reached across the shower to pull Shelby under her own cascade of warm water, hands immediately moving to Shelby's swimsuit bottoms to push them over her hips. They fell to the floor and she grabbed Shelby's backside playfully, pulling her closer.
"Your ass is cold," she said with a grin, easing her grip into a gentle massage.
Shelby dropped her head to Santana's shoulder, still shivering a little. "Can't imagine why."
"My fault. Guess I should make it all better." Santana adjusted her stance to slip her thigh between Shelby's, lifting her knee just enough until she was flush against Shelby.
"Oh…" Shelby said, voice muffled against Santana's shoulder.
"Better?"
"A little."
Santana pondered her options. She had meant for them to just shed the chill in the shower and take this to bed, but neither of them seemed very eager to leave the bathroom. She knew there wasn't a built-in seat in the stall – she had specifically looked for one earlier – but there was a safety bar behind her. It would have to do. At least Shelby would have something to hold onto.
She turned them around, backing Shelby into the tiled wall. "Cold," Shelby said with a hiss, reaching for the showerhead to angle it towards her shoulder.
"I'll make you forget," Santana said, using the low, purring voice she knew made Shelby weak.
True to form, Shelby's head hit the wall, hands dropping off Santana to grasp the rail behind her. Santana smirked and bent down to be able to bathe Shelby's breasts with attention until Shelby's hips were pressing forward, begging for their own consideration. She abandoned her breasts and stood back up, kissing Shelby hard, almost roughly. She ran one of her hands down Shelby's leg to her knee and back up to fit the palm of her hand between Shelby's thighs, just holding her as she won the battle their tongues were waging. When Shelby conceded and let Santana claim her mouth, Santana claimed her center, too, easily sliding two fingers into Shelby.
Shelby groaned against their kiss and Santana started rocking, the heel of her hand pressing hard against Shelby in the way she knew drove her crazy. Sure enough, a few seconds later and Shelby's leg was around her waist, her kisses and voice and movements urging Santana to keep going.
Santana knew not to stop. She wouldn't stop until Shelby couldn't support herself anymore, and maybe not even then. The shower was wide enough to easily lie down if they needed to. The desire to please Shelby so absolutely made Santana moan and push into her faster, coaxing whimpers and curses from Shelby's lips.
Santana grabbed Shelby's backside with her free hand, gripping it hard. "Still cold?" she asked, breathing hard.
"Fuck," Shelby muttered, changing her grip on the rail. "So hot."
"Yeah you are," Santana said, kissing her again, even harder. She worked her hand against Shelby expertly, hearing Shelby's moans growing urgent. She broke their kiss and dropped her head to Shelby's shoulder to better focus. She changed her angle slightly, rubbing hard, and then Shelby was melting at her hand, moans echoing around them. Santana held her as Shelby's body rocked from waves of ecstasy.
"Ohhh God," Shelby finally said, able to form words again.
Santana lifted her head, a smile on her face. "All better?"
"So much better," Shelby said, her voice thick, as she pulled Santana into a slow, wet kiss.
Santana kissed her back, noticing just how much pleasuring Shelby had turned her on again. She felt for Shelby's arms around her neck and pulled one of them down, dragging her hand immediately between her legs. "I'll be quick."
Shelby opened her eyes and glanced down between them, adjusting her hand against Santana. "You don't have to be."
"I know, but I will be."
Shelby laughed and moved her fingers against Santana and not thirty seconds later, Santana was clinging to Shelby, her moans being those to echo around them this time.
Santana let a few moments pass, savoring the way Shelby was caressing her back before mustering the strength to pull away and turn off the faucets.
"I'm fucking starving," she said as she wrung water out of her hair.
"So romantic," Shelby said with half a smile, doing the same.
"Sorry. I'm famished, honey."
Shelby smiled fully and wrapped her arms around Santana again, kissing her firmly. "That's more like it."
Santana giggled and kissed her back while walking backwards, blindly feeling behind her for the door so she wouldn't run into it. She bumped into it and gave it a push, opening it to let in the unwelcomed cooler air of the bathroom. Shelby finally released her and she fetched a few towels from the nearby cabinet, handing one to her girlfriend before drying herself.
"This place have room service?" she asked, looking at Shelby upside down as she toweled her hair.
"Supposed to. I think I saw a menu in the kitchen."
"I'll go order. What do you want?"
"Doesn't matter. You know what I like."
"Yeah I do," Santana said with a wink as she secured a towel around her body.
Shelby laughed. "That's not what I meant."
"I know," Santana said as she turned and left. "Doesn't mean it's not still true."
To be continued...