A/N: What you've been waiting for - Shelby comes home.
A/N #2: Thank you for all your comments! They're all appreciated and encouraging. :)
It seemed to take ages for one o'clock to arrive. Santana had been up with Beth since shortly after five and had tried to pass the time by cleaning the entire condo, by finger painting, by re-cleaning the kitchen after their finger painting, by jogging two miles on the treadmill during Sesame Street, by making lunch and cleaning the kitchen again while she called Puck to ask him to babysit at his place for a few hours so she and Shelby could "reunite." Of course, he agreed immediately. Santana knew he would if she hinted that she was looking for some quality alone time. He was a good guy friend, even if he was a horndog. Giving Beth a bath and dressing her in one of the new outfits she had picked out for the holidays passed another thirty minutes.
She killed the last hour by showering while Beth scooted around the bathroom on a plastic pony with wheels. Since she had the time, she spent it drying and styling her hair, flat ironing it and clipping it to the side. She even broke out her mascara and lip color for the first time in weeks. She had gotten lazy with herself in light of taking on more domestic responsibilities and now felt a tad guilty about all the times she judged those women at the grocery store in yoga pants with messy hair and circles under their eyes. Now she understood them, and it was nice to dress up a little. She was in jeans and a heather grey sweater, but they were dark washed skinny jeans and the sweater was cashmere – a gift from Shelby she had opened yesterday – and her lingerie was satin.
She didn't really know why she felt compelled to put the extra effort into her appearance. Shelby had only been gone for a day. But there was something mildly exhilarating about looking nice just for the person she loved upon her return. She contemplated whether or not there was enough time to mix up a batch of chocolate chip cookies to have baking in the oven, but it made her feel a bit too much like Cher from Clueless, so she settled for lighting the apples-and-cinnamon candle Shelby had brought home last week – a gift from one of her voice students.
It was pushing one-thirty when Shelby texted her from the garage asking Santana to unlock the front door. Unduly excited, Santana pulled on a pair of black heels that hadn't seen the light of day in weeks and scooped up Beth to sit on her hip on her way to the door. She flipped the locks and stepped into the hall to wait.
When Shelby finally made it to the last landing, Santana couldn't stop her grin. Shelby hadn't noticed them yet, focusing on making it up the last six stairs with her suitcase in one hand and a Lima Bean cup in the other.
"Welcome home."
Shelby looked up, her face lighting up immediately. "My girls."
Santana walked the few steps to meet her at the top of the stairs, bouncing Beth a little until she reached for Shelby. Santana traded the toddler for the coffee cup and suitcase, watching Shelby greet her daughter by covering her with kisses that made her giggle and strain to get away, but as soon as Shelby eased up, Beth nuzzled her face into her shoulder, holding on tightly.
Shelby's attention shifted to Santana, who was helping herself to Shelby's caramel latte. It was still hot; she must have stopped on the way home.
"Don't drink my caffeine."
"Just a taste," Santana said with a smile. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too." Shelby leaned forward, kissing Santana gently. "You look so nice."
Santana plucked at her expensive sweater and tossed her hair. "What, this old thing? Just something I found lying around."
"I have good taste. How's it look from the back?" Shelby had an eyebrow arched. Santana liked this game. They had learned to be creative with their flirtations when an alert toddler was present. They were never grossly inappropriate, of course. It was fun to be subtle.
"I'll let you be the judge." Santana pulled the handle up on Shelby's suitcase and turned, walking back to their door, making sure to add a little more swing to her hips than usual.
She took Shelby's suitcase to their bedroom, stealing another drink of her coffee when she was out of eyesight. When she returned, Shelby was on the couch with Beth tipped nearly upside down from her lap. Santana forgot about their little game and joined them on the couch, sitting sideways to watch them play.
"The place looks great. Everything go okay?" Shelby had paused between sentences to lean down and kiss Beth's tummy, making her giggle again.
"Yeah, everything was fine." Santana felt warm as she watched them play. It wasn't due to the thermostat being too high or her sweater, or even her excitement that Shelby was home. It was deep, internal, emotional warmth. She was…purely happy.
"What?" Shelby asked with a coy smile.
"What do you mean, 'what'?"
"You're staring. Ahh, no no no, we don't pull hair," Shelby said as she leaned toward Beth and worked on prying her fingers off her hair.
"I'm just…really glad you're home."
Shelby reached over and squeezed Santana's knee. "Me, too. A-plus, by the way."
Santana tilted her head, confused.
"You looked just as good going as you did coming."
Santana gasped, knowing her reaction to the innocuous comment would freak her out.
"Oh my God! No, I didn't mean…I meant…oh God." She looked down at Beth as though she would be equally horrified by her unintentional pun. "Lalalalala, you didn't hear anything. Lalalalala."
Santana laughed and scooted closer to the two so she could put her arm around Shelby comfortably. "Freudian slip?"
Shelby was still blushing. "Apparently I've had something on my mind. I can't believe I said that."
Santana wiggled her fingers under Shelby's hair to rub her neck. "She won't know that word has double-meaning for at least ten more years. I don't think you've scarred her for life."
"I know, I know. You know we just try to be careful."
"And I think we do a pretty good job. I don't think we really have to start worrying until the first time she walks in on us."
Shelby groaned. "I'm still haunted by the memories of seeing my parents."
Santana made a face. She really didn't want to imagine Shelby's parents having sex, but she supposed she brought it upon herself with the topic. She would change it. Slightly.
"Puck is going to pick her up around five." She said it with an airy tone and a nonchalant fingernail down the side of Shelby's neck. She felt her shiver.
Shelby glanced at Santana's lips before looking back at Beth. "You get to see your Noah tonight. Are you excited?" Beth clapped her hands. "Mama's excited, too. Yes she is."
Santana laughed at the voice Shelby was using. Her emotions were a jumbled mess. Shelby as a mother was incredibly sexy, but she felt wrong thinking that way. She wanted Beth to magically fall asleep right now so they could put her in her room to let Santana show Shelby just how much she's missed her the last few weeks, and yet she wanted to watch them play pat-a-cake all night.
They had been together for months, Santana realized, and she still could be caught off-guard by her own feelings. She wondered if it was normal. She wondered if it's what true love really was. Had she been in love before? Of course she had. But never would she have imagined the levels of attraction she felt just by watching Shelby interact with Beth. It made her feel oogy and weird, but something about it made her heart and stomach flutter like she was falling in love all over again.
"I love you," Santana blurted, a bit lacking of the usual grace that came with the statement.
Shelby let Beth off her lap and swatted her behind to send her tottering away to be able to side sideways on the couch, mirroring Santana's position. "I love you, too," she said, a hint of a laugh in her voice, having caught the urgent tone. "You okay?"
Santana nodded. "Yeah. I just…sometimes…" She cut herself off, leaning forward to kiss Shelby, fully, properly. She framed Shelby's face with her hands, holding her there as she tried to channel every feeling, every emotion, every ounce of passion and love into a single kiss. She knew it would take thousands to ever convey it all. Perhaps millions. She didn't pull back until she heard the faintest of whimpers from Shelby.
"Wow. Okay," Shelby said, a little short of breath.
"Uh huh," Santana replied, feeling lightheaded.
"So, what do you want to do 'til five o'clock?"
Santana brushed her thumb along Shelby's lower lip, letting her kiss it before dropping her hands back to her lap.
"Tell me about New York."
By four o'clock, Santana's heels were off and things had begun to settle back to normalcy. But when Shelby pushed to her feet from her spot on the floor where she had been helping Beth figure out some fancy new toy, saying she was going to go take a shower to wash off the travel, they were reminded of what they were waiting for.
It was a miracle Santana didn't burst into tears when their doorbell rang fifteen minutes early. Shelby was still in a towel last Santana [agonizingly] noticed, so she pulled the bedroom door closed before opening the front door.
"Thank you," she said upon opening the door, Puck's knowing smile greeting her.
"Hey, I gotta do what I can to help my lezbro get laid."
Santana rolled her eyes but replied, "Seriously, thank you."
"Besides, I'm not gonna turn down time with my little boo. Where is she?"
"In her room. I'll go get her, make yourself at home." Santana left Puck in the foyer to shoo Beth out of her room, a task that was more taxing than it needed to be, so she opted to pick up the little girl and carry her, a small backpack of a few babysitting supplies in her other hand.
"There's my munchkin!" Puck said when they returned. Santana noticed Beth's eyes light up in recognition and it made her smile. Their family unit sure was nontraditional, but if Beth was happy, it was all that really mattered.
Santana passed her to Puck, the toddler immediately grabbing for his mohawk, latching on and pulling. Puck laughed and growled at her playfully.
"That's where she's learning that! Don't encourage her to pull hair, you moron," Santana said, kicking his shin.
Puck laughed but listened, wiggling her hands off his hair to turn her around in his lap, her back to his stomach. "Fine."
"What is going on out here?"
Puck looked up and Santana turned, both of them gawking. Santana felt Puck's elbow jab into her side, and she turned, punching his shoulder.
"Hey! No hitting," Shelby said, taking a few quick strides across the room to pick up the girl and whisper what were probably comments about being nice to people and hitting being bad.
Shelby (and Beth) had their backs turned, and Puck was still staring so Santana punched his shoulder again. "Damn, Satan. Lay off."
"You lay off." Santana grabbed his chin, forcing his head to turn from where his eyes had been glued to Shelby's ass. She didn't know where that wine-colored blouse and those high-waist black slacks came from, but she sent her silent gratitude to the designers. She doubted it possible for more flattering pants to exist.
"So, you beautiful ladies going to Breadstix?"
Shelby turned, and Santana was glad Puck had managed to stop drooling. "No, we're staying in this evening. Would you mind calling before you come back? Just in case we do decide to go out and lose track of the time."
"Sure, no prob." Puck waited until Shelby had looked away before he waggled his eyebrows at Santana.
"Are you ready to go play at Noah's?" Shelby asked Beth, retrieving her tiny coat from the nearby coat closet. She set the girl down to tuck her arms into the sleeves and zipped it before pulling mittens over her hands. "Be a good girl."
Santana handed Puck the backpack, urging him to take his leave. "Make sure you try both our phones if the one doesn't answer. We might not hear it ringing."
Shelby straightened from her crouch and gave Santana a look that told her to shut up, but Santana could only smile in response.
"Okay, come on, Booger," he said, scooping her into his arms. "Let's let your two gorgeous mamas enjoy their evening." Puck winked at Shelby, and Shelby looked away, cheeks burning.
"Thank you, Noah," Shelby managed, unable to meet his eyes.
Santana walked him to the door, following him into the hall to pull the door almost closed behind them. "I owe you big time," Santana said quietly.
"No you don't," Puck replied. "You two deserve a break now and then." His tone was sincere and Santana smiled.
"Remember to call first."
Puck laughed. "I will."
"Bye. Bye, Smoochy!" Santana added with a finger bop to Beth's nose.
When Santana returned, she was startled by Shelby's hand catching her wrist before she was even completely through the doorway. She was pulled through, the door slamming closed behind her before she was backed into it. The two deadbolts clicked mechanically into place and Santana let her head tip back against the wooden door to look up at Shelby.
"He knows what we're doing, doesn't he," Shelby said, her hands on Santana's waist, fingers already slipping under the edge of her sweater.
"Yes," Santana said, her pulse already speeding up. She wanted to reach for Shelby, but her arms felt too heavy.
"Did you tell him?" There was the tiniest glint of danger in Shelby's eyes. It made Santana's knees weak.
"Not…explicitly," she said, shivering as Shelby's hands moved along her lower back under her sweater, easing her hips away from the door slightly.
Shelby smiled and leaned close, her lips brushing the edge of Santana's ear. "What did you tell him?"
Santana bit her lip. Shelby was the queen of teasing when she wanted to be. She really hoped she wouldn't tease her all evening. "I said we needed time to reunite."
"Then let's reunite."
Santana moaned into Shelby's kiss. It was slow, and sensual, and deep, and gave her enough motivation to reach up and run her hands through Shelby's hair. She pushed away from the door with her shoulders and forced Shelby backwards to get to the bedroom as quickly as she could. For being so calculated seconds earlier, Shelby's hands were now roaming freely, as were Santana's, and Santana knew exactly where she wanted hers to be. She ran them down Shelby's back, right to her ass that looked so perfect in those pants.
When Shelby bumped into the bed she made a move to sit, but Santana wrapped her arms around her waist to stop her and then took a step back. She started unbuttoning Shelby's blouse, stopping when the buttons disappeared under the high waist of the pants. She whistled at the expensive lace bra that she revealed. It was definitely new, too.
"You like?" Shelby asked.
"Gorgeous," Santana said, mesmerized as she slipped her hands into the opened shirt, fingers tracing the pattern of the lace over Shelby's breasts, drawing a quiet moan from her. Santana felt hands on her waist undoing her jeans and her heart raced, eager to move things along, but she checked herself, knowing they had plenty of time. Those same hands ran along under her loosened jeans before disappearing. She was so focused on the intricate lace pattern that she didn't notice Shelby's hands working below her own, undoing the twin buttons on her pants and then finishing the rest of those on her blouse.
Santana's chin was lifted and she was pulled back into a kiss, one growing increasingly demanding. Realizing Shelby's shirt was open, she slid her hands up to her shoulders to push it back and off. She moved automatically to the bra clasp, but hesitated, opting to leave it on to see if she had bought a matching set.
Shelby's hands were under her sweater again, pulling it up until Santana lifted her arms to let her take it off completely, forced to break their kiss. The move dislodged the clip in her hair and Shelby carefully removed it, tossing it onto the nearby dresser. She smoothed Santana's mussed hair, a gentle smile gracing her plump lips.
"So pretty," she said as she moved her hands to Santana's face, framing it a moment before letting them drift lower, meandering down her shoulders, slowing as they moved over her breasts long enough to make Santana bite back a moan, down her stomach and around to her hips to grasp the waist of her jeans, working the tight denim lower.
"Should have worn a dress," Santana joked, wiggling to help them down her thighs.
"I don't mind working a little for it." Shelby sat down on the edge of the bed to push them off the rest of the way, Santana hating herself for wearing skin-tight denim for this. What was she thinking?
They were finally clear of her feet and Santana kicked the troublesome garment aside just as Shelby pressed a kiss below her navel. The rush that came with the sensation made Santana wobble and she grabbed Shelby's shoulders to steady herself. Once she regained her balance, she slid her palms along her shoulders to her neck, holding her softly. Shelby's hands were traveling up and down her thighs, her kisses covering a lot of territory on Santana's abdomen. Just when Santana was ready to ask for more, Shelby stood up again.
Shelby bent slightly, bringing one foot up to pull off one heel and then the other before hooking her thumbs into the sides of her slacks, which were barely staying up on their own.
"Do you want to take them off?" Shelby asked, hesitating.
Santana shook her head, unable to take her eyes off Shelby's pants, desperately wanting to see what was under them. "You can."
Shelby pushed her slacks over hips and they fell to the floor. Santana reached for her immediately, hands on her waist for a moment before wandering lower to trace the edges of the slight piece of black lace.
"These are new."
"They are."
"I don't really want to take them off."
"So don't."
Santana felt a growl in the back of her throat and she leaned in to recapture Shelby's lips, letting her fingers trace the intricate design lower, slowing when the thin fabric betrayed just how turned on Shelby was. They both moaned, Santana teasing her, touching her ever so lightly.
"I need to sit. Or lie down," Shelby said between kisses.
Santana nodded. "Lie down."
They moved together, a little awkward as neither wanted to relinquish their kiss as Shelby worked her way backwards up the bed, Santana following on her knees until their pillows were under Shelby's head. Santana supported herself, hands sinking into the mattress on either side of Shelby, their kiss their only physical connection. Her elbows almost gave out when Shelby's hand pressed between her legs, her wide stance making it easy.
She twisted away and moved a few inches backwards, enough to be out of Shelby's reach and to trail kisses down her chest, starting at her collarbone and ending in the valley between her breasts. She had two choices and she chose the left, teasing the sensitive tip of Shelby's breast through the delicate lace with her tongue. Santana glanced up at her to see Shelby's head turned to the side, eyes closed, repeatedly biting her lower lip. When Shelby's hand moved to her unattended breast, Santana pushed her aside and gave it equal treatment.
Santana felt Shelby's hips twisting beneath her and she decided to stop teasing so much. She moved off Shelby, lying down next to her where Shelby immediately pulled her into a kiss. Santana rested her hand on Shelby's abdomen focusing on their kiss until Shelby pulled back.
"Please touch me," Shelby breathed before resuming it, begging Santana with the passion of her kiss.
The request and the tongue playing with her own made Santana groan and she turned her wrist, sliding her hand straight down over the slick lace. Shelby moaned her appreciation. The assuredly expensive piece of lingerie might as well have been invisible for all either of them cared. Santana pressed her fingers against Shelby firmly, holding still until Shelby thrust her hips upwards. She moved slowly, working into an unhurried but steady rhythm.
Shelby abandoned their kiss, needing to breathe more deeply. Santana rested her cheek on the pillow, content with watching Shelby's face as she pressed harder and moved a little faster. Shelby's right arm was pinned between them, but that didn't stop her from working to wedge her hand between Santana's thighs, painfully lower than Santana wanted her to be, but it was about Shelby right now. Shelby's other hand ran up Santana's arm, holding her elbow briefly before following her forearm down to her hand, fingers weaving between Santana's to double her efforts.
Santana sat up just enough to look down at their entwined fingers, the eroticism sending a wave of heat through her. "Fuck," she whispered, unable to restrain the desire to press harder, to move faster.
Shelby moaned, loudly, and Santana propped herself up on her bent elbow to give herself better leverage and to watch it play out in Shelby's features. Her eyebrows would draw close and then shoot up as though surprised. She kept licking her lips and pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. Her mouth would twitch into a smile and then fall slack as she moaned. She felt Shelby move their hands lower, curling their fingers. She twisted her wrist slightly, enough that she could get her pinky and ring fingers under the thin piece of lace, moving it out of the way just as Shelby pushed their hands the last few centimeters, guiding the tips of their middle fingers just barely inside. Santana took over for a moment and Shelby let her, easily pressing them deeper.
Santana closed her eyes. It felt awkward but perfect. She wondered how it felt for Shelby – no different than when it was only Santana's? Or her own? All Santana knew is that it was one of the sexiest things she had ever experienced. She felt pressure on the back of her hand and she pressed the heel of her hand against Shelby, hard, and received a moaned "Yes" in return. There was a push and pull on her hand and she followed Shelby's lead, easing them back into a coordinated rhythm.
When opened her eyes, she was surprised that Shelby was looking up at her, though she was struggling to focus. She held Shelby's gaze for a moment before leaning down and kissing her. She made it a point not to kiss away her breath, giving her ample opportunities to gasp for air as Santana took over dictating their pace, speeding up bit by bit until every exhale came with some jumble of affirmations and curses, until all Shelby did was moan, until she fell silent, back arching, the nails of her trapped hand digging into Santana's thigh.
Santana nearly lost it just from Shelby's experience. Her body was throbbing and she really, really hoped Shelby would be up for reciprocating. Quickly. Her arm grew tired of supporting herself so she laid back down, pressing herself closer to Shelby, the frenzy of the last few seconds having inadvertently pushed them apart. She kissed Shelby's shoulder, trying her hardest to be patient.
Finally, Shelby eased their hands back and detangled their fingers. Santana shook her hand out, flexing her knuckles that had grown a tad sore. She was still distracted by working out the pricks of pain when Shelby shifted and rolled Santana onto her back, covering her mouth with a long, languid kiss. The hand that had been trapped between her legs was no longer trapped, and it ran right up the inside of her thigh to press against the ache that had been neglected for far, far too long.
Santana whined through their kiss. She knew she would be done in a matter of seconds, but she wanted to actually feel Shelby, and her panties were not nearly as barely-there as Shelby's had been. She groped for Shelby's hand, grabbing it to guide it under them and right back to where it had been, just without the rude piece of satin separating them.
Shelby smiled through their kiss. Santana didn't care if she was being smug. Yes, she wanted her. Yes, she needed her. Yes, she drove her crazy with desire. The sensation of Shelby finally touching her after so long made Santana choke back a sob.
Shelby noticed it and her arrogance disappeared and was replaced with gentility, letting her kisses drift from Santana's lips to her cheek, to her ear, down to her neck as she caressed her tenderly.
"Please," she whimpered, pushing hard on Shelby's hand. "I need you."
In a heartbeat the gentility was gone. Oh, she was still gentle, but her fingers pressed firmly and moved quickly, the sudden change making Santana groan. She was brought to the edge in second, and she felt a tongue tracing the shell of her ear.
"Come for me."
It was whispered so quietly she barely heard it, but it registered and her body reacted immediately, abs clenching as she tried to fold into herself and around Shelby as bliss flashed through her like lightning. She managed to find the back of Shelby's neck and she pulled her down, letting their kiss muffle her moaning as the pleasure ebbed and flowed.
When she couldn't breathe anymore she tore her mouth away, Shelby's kiss moving to her neck. Santana squeezed her thighs together, never wanting to let Shelby go. They stayed locked that way until Santana had come down fully, and she lifted her knee enough to let Shelby reclaim her hand.
"God damn, I missed you," Santana said, still a bit winded.
Shelby laughed and rolled onto her back, letting her hand fall into Santana's upturned palm. "I was only gone for a day."
"You know that's not what I meant."
"You mean you didn't miss me after being gone for a day?" Shelby let her head loll to the side, pouting at Santana.
Santana shook her head. "I just missed the sex."
Shelby scoffed. "Mean."
"You know I gotsta get my mack on the regular."
"And you know I gotsta hate when you talk like you're from 'the hood.'" Shelby made air quotation marks with her free left hand.
Santana laughed and pushed herself up to kneel on the bed next to Shelby, taking a moment to catch her breath again before shuffling down a little to reach for the lacy panties that had definitely fulfilled their purpose.
"Now what are we doing?" Shelby asked as she tilted her hips to let Santana pull them down her legs.
"Enjoying each other."
She reached behind her own back and unhooked her bra, tossing it over the edge of the bed before shedding her own underwear. "No, no, let me," Santana said, noticing Shelby starting to reach behind her own back.
She could feel Shelby's eyes on her as she turned and swung a knee over Shelby, sitting back against her thighs. She was busy enjoying that peek-a-boo lace. Santana trailed her fingertips around the cups of the bra, drawing a quiet but quick inhale from Shelby. Satisfied, she ran her hands along the band until Shelby sat up just enough to let Santana unhook it, falling back to the mattress as she pulled it away. Santana had missed those breasts, and she covered them with her hands the moment she dropped the bra. Shelby's back arched a little and Santana finally looked up to see Shelby smiling at her.
"Whatcha doing?" Shelby asked, glancing quickly at the hands on her breasts.
Santana moved her hands and settled half on, half next to Shelby, snuggling contentedly against her, finding her lips for a slow kiss.
"Enjoying you."