Chapter Text
Ann could feel the carefree smile tugging at her lips almost painfully as she looked around the bright beach, felt the warm sand under her feet, and the pleasant breeze that gently stirred her hair. She turned towards the ocean in the distance, inhaling deeply as a sense of freedom and happiness spread within her body.
It was an easy decision to start running towards the ocean as fast as her feet would carry her – she couldn’t wait to dip her toes in the water. For a moment, Ann thought to hear a voice, slowing her run to look around but seeing no one on the rather deserted beach. She wanted to pick up speed, but there it was again, more clearly.
“Ann.”
She halted entirely now, looking around for the source.
“Ann!”
Tilting her head, she felt a firm hand on her shoulder in that moment, shaking her insistently as the beach around her disappeared at once. Ann opened her eyes.
Catherine groaned. “Finally! I thought I’d never get you to wake up.” She grinned. “We’re landing in a few minutes.”
Ann looked around herself, still a little slow with the remnants of sleep clinging to her as she took in the seats around them, the other people who were either asleep as well or busying themselves. Right.
It felt like they’d been on this plane for a lifetime when in reality it had only been a bit over 10 hours on their direct flight from Manchester to California. It was terribly boring, the worse the longer the flight was, so Ann generally made it a habit to sleep for at least some of it so the time would fly by quicker.
Though with the time zone they were entering that was behind the UK by 8 hours, it also made sense from a practical standpoint with the jet lag in mind to get some sleep to ensure she would stay awake throughout the day to help her body ease into sleep at the local time. The few times Ann had travelled to countries like the USA, she had done relatively well handling the jet lag this way, even though she knew this strategy didn’t work for everybody.
They had also taken a later flight for that reason so they could stay up longer the night before and sleep in a little later in the morning to prepare themselves for the shift in time on US ground.
“Excited?” she asked Cath, shifting in the seat that was becoming more than a little uncomfortable at this point. Even first class seats could only do so much to make her comfortable when all she wanted was to get out of this confining plane and move her legs freely on solid ground.
Catherine smiled. “Very. I think this tournament you’ve picked will be amazing… even if your primary reason for suggesting it was so you could get laid.”
Ann swatted her shoulder, rolling her eyes even as a grin spread on her lips against her will – she guessed there was some truth to the statement. She still remembered when Anne had contacted her just a few weeks after their first encounter in Puerto Rico and suggested a beach volleyball tournament at Venice Beach, California to Ann, asking if she would participate in it.
Neither Ann nor Catherine had noticed this particular one, but upon Anne’s suggestion that she would be there, well, Ann had been quick to ask Catherine if she’d be up for it. Everything had been organised swiftly from there on, and Ann knew that the excitement was not solely buzzing through her veins because of the prospect of a thrilling competition with other skilled players at the tournament, or because of the opportunity to visit the beautiful sunny California.
No, it would be foolish to try and deny that she was equally ready to see Anne and drag her to her room so she could alleviate this tension that seemed to have been coursing through her body more or less consistently ever since they’d parted in Puerto Rico. Anne had left a lasting impression, to say the least.
She bit her lip as she thought back to their night together in Anne’s room, feeling her body heat up at the mere memory of it. Oh, she couldn’t wait to see her again – and kick her ass in a rematch, of course. Ann grinned.
****
Anne was pleased; their journey had gone exceptionally well with little delays at the airport, and now they were in a taxi driving them to their hotel, due to arrive around 1pm local time – just like Anne had planned. Taking the time difference into account, she’d given their itinerary good thought to ensure it worked well for them and gave them plenty of time on their first day as well. After all, they were paying premium price to stay in this hotel, so they may as well make the most of their first day by not arriving too late.
Her sister had groaned when Anne had revealed that meant taking the early 9:30am flight from Manchester, arriving roughly 10 and a half hours later – 8pm by UK time, but a decently early 12pm in Los Angeles.
It had all gone smooth, her organisation neat as always – remembering their last trip to Puerto Rico and what Marian had ‘planned’ for them, Anne had not made the same mistake of leaving it to her twice and had taken control of this trip.
The taxi stopped, and the driver turned to them. Anne frowned at the outrageously cheeky price he was asking for their relatively short drive from the airport, briefly wondering if he was trying his luck considering from the expensive hotel he’d just stopped to drop them off at, he must know they had plenty of money and it wouldn’t hurt them. While she didn’t appreciate it if that was the case, she knew how utterly ridiculous it would look to discuss the fare with this man while parked in front of the Ritz-Carlton where one night’s stay cost a couple of hundred dollars – likely more than he made in a week.
So she paid, noticing her sister’s knowing expression as she raised an eyebrow before the door at Anne’s side was opened and the concierge politely greeted them. As would be expected in such a fine establishment, he immediately took care of the luggage for them, while another man rushed to the double door leading inside, holding it open for them as he smiled courteously.
A content smile grew on Anne’s face as she took in the lobby around them, the black marble floor, white walls that were accentuated by warm lights, and the overall sleek modern interior design that invited anyone to take a seat on the dark blue sofas nearby to take a break from their travels.
It was a straight line from the entry to the reception desk, and the woman there smiled welcomingly at Anne the moment they made eye contact. Anne almost felt underdressed in this place with her jeans shorts, dark grey tank top and the baseball cap in her hand that she’d taken off when entering, but from experience she knew that many people staying at these sorts of places tended to often wear casual clothing if they weren’t going to a business meeting.
A sense of gratitude took a hold of her as she approached the desk and thought how nice it was that they could afford staying in this place. They didn’t always book these outrageously expensive hotels when they went to tournaments – they weren’t always available depending on where they went, and if they played several times a year it would cost too much anyway. But when they did, Anne always made a conscious effort to remind herself that she was fortunate to have the income to afford it.
It was only minutes after that they were shown their rooms. It was rather busy this mid-September, so Marian’s room was not directly next to Anne’s – she grinned thinking that that may be beneficial as her thoughts went to Ann and she recalled their thrilling encounter in Puerto Rico.
It had been a quick decision to ask Ann if she would be present at this tournament being held at Venice Beach as soon as Anne heard of it and knew she wanted to participate. Ann had been exciting – to play against as well as in the bedroom, and Anne knew she was definitely up for the additional thrill Ann’s presence here would provide. She was glad that Ann seemed to be of a similar mind, having quickly confirmed she would join the tournament.
As expected, the rooms were perfect. They were a good 34m² in size, just right in Anne’s opinion – she knew there were suites that were double that or more, and while the lavish luxury of a room the size of an entire small house could be appealing, Anne didn’t see the point for herself when she was out so frequently anyway. A sturdy, comfortable bed was much more important, she thought with a smirk.
The room was held in bright colours, mostly whites with a few colour accents like orange here and there, the decorations minimal to give a lively touch without disturbing the sleek orderly look the room had been designed to have. There was the king size bed, of course, a desk, a wooden counter with a flatscreen tv on it, minibar, a small turquoise armchair in the corner, and the grey marble bathroom. The room had air conditioning too, which could be expected in this price range.
It also had a small balcony with a view straight out to the marina. Anne approached the large floor-to-ceiling window straight away, opening it to step outside. It was pleasantly warm, no clouds in the sky as her gaze fell to the marina and all the ships harboured there. It was a breath-taking sight – she needed to remember to take pictures for her aunt.
Just then she heard the buzzer on her door, turning to quickly go and open it. It was the concierge with her luggage, smiling politely as she directed him to bring it inside, thanking him as he wished her a pleasant stay before leaving.
Anne sighed as she sat at the desk and took out her phone – it was already past 9 in the evening at home, and she was starting to feel tiredness creep up on her as she yawned. It would be a little bit of a struggle to remain focused and awake through the rest of the day, but Anne knew the discipline was needed to combat jet lag and sleep at the local time later. If she lay down for a nap now, that would not work and may screw her entire performance this tournament.
So she connected to the hotel’s Wi-Fi, deciding it was a good opportunity to check if her aunt was up for a little call. And perhaps after that she could quickly unpack and check what Marian was up to, no doubt turning her room into a battlefield and disturbing the orderly setup with her chaotic unpacking.
****
Despite her extended nap on the plane and the lie-in this morning, Ann still felt a little tired when they arrived at their hotel a little after 4pm. She guessed there was only so much she could do to combat the jet lag on the first day, and she knew she would have to keep herself busy for the remainder of the day if she wanted to stay awake until it was time to sleep.
It certainly helped when they entered the hotel and the beautifully designed lobby area caught her attention. The tall building had already been quite the sight from outside, and she knew from pictures online that the marina on the other side was lovely too, something to look forward to for sure.
Ann was happy that the interior was just as inviting, the elegant minimalistic design fitting the modern sophisticated look they were going for. As Cath talked to the receptionist and checked their details, Ann looked around, licking her lips as her thoughts went to Anne and she wondered if she may run into her.
She knew that Anne was staying at the same place since Ann had decided to be forward and ask her in their e-mail correspondence and had then gone right ahead to book the same place for herself and Cath. However, it hadn’t felt appropriate to ask for Anne’s phone number or any other details, so Ann didn’t know if she was even already here or not.
Considering the practise matches for the tournament started tomorrow, though, and that it was already rather late, it was likely Anne was already present. The thought sent a surge of excitement through Ann’s body as she imagined running into her in the hallway, how she would likely notice brown eyes flick down her body before her lips would no doubt curve into one of those infuriatingly hot arrogant smirks.
Any tiredness in her bones was forgotten as she silently wished for that to happen so she wouldn’t have to wait until tomorrow to meet Anne and feel her hands on her aching body. Ann gently shook her head at herself, biting her lip at her own depravity.
As they were brought upstairs to be shown to their rooms, Ann wondered if she should have asked Anne for her number. It would certainly make it easier right now to get in touch, even if it would no doubt boost Anne’s massive ego further if she got a message by Ann so soon showing her exactly how ready for her she was. But really, it wouldn’t have been appropriate – they barely knew each other, and while the sex had been amazing and she’d enjoyed herself spending time with Anne other than that too, she wasn’t Anne’s friend, or anything more than a fun tournament fling.
Anne was a player, that much was obvious, and Ann didn’t need to know her well to be aware that at the end of the day, she was just another conquest. Not that there was anything wrong with that; Ann wasn’t averse to some innocent, no-strings-attached fun in the bedroom occasionally. Especially if the woman taking her to bed was as handsome as Anne. And skilled with her hands and mouth alike, Ann thought as a shudder ran down her spine.
The fact that Anne had gone out of her way to contact her after Puerto Rico certainly was a big compliment coming from someone like her, solid proof that she had enjoyed herself just as much and was eager for a repeat. But – Ann reminded herself – she would not read too much into it. Anne was ridiculously hot, and they had great chemistry in bed; that was the beginning and the end of it.
****
After some quick unpacking and a shower on Ann’s part, Ann and Cath met up in her room to decide what to do. It was already approaching 6, so late enough to go for dinner, they decided after a brief discussion, settling on the restaurant located at the outside area of the hotel with a beautiful view on the marina. That’s what they’d seen on the internet and the little brochure in their rooms showing off what amenities the hotel had to offer.
The weather was good, a pleasant warmth and a soft breeze enveloping them as they stepped outside and were led to a free table. Parasols shielded the tables from the sun, the palm trees nearby enhancing the holiday vibe. The view was even more stunning than on the photos Ann had seen, the early evening sun painting everything in a warm glow, the marina right to their side as they sat on the cushioned benches at a table facing each other.
The waiter handed them the menus to browse, but Ann almost found it hard to focus when the stunning view kept distracting her, inviting her to just linger and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of this beautiful place.
“It’s amazing here, isn’t it?”
She tilted her head back to her friend who was smiling dreamily. Ann nodded as a grin grew on her face. “It is. I’m so happy we’re here.”
Cath’s smile widened before her gaze flicked back down to the menu in her hands. “Me too.”
As expected, the food was delicious. For starters, they had shared the cheese and charcuterie platter, enjoying the variety of cheeses and salami, prosciutto, and jam with a glass of white wine each. It had been a good choice so their bellies would still have plenty of room for the main course. Here, Ann had chosen the seared scallops after many minutes of browsing the menu, frowning over which dish to pick with so many appealing options. This one had been a delicious choice, the truffle corn puree harmonising well with the scallops, the garlic butter, and the squash.
Even though her belly was pleasantly full now, Ann could appreciate that Cath had also made a solid choice. The polenta chicken she had ordered had looked mouth-watering as well, and Cath had confirmed it had been cooked perfectly to retain its juiciness. The dish had been rounded off by a chimichurri and a watercress salad. Perhaps Ann would order that one next time, she thought to herself as they sat together for a little while longer to let the food settle and finish the bottle of wine they had ordered between the two of them.
It was approaching 8 when they paid their bill and left with smiles on their faces, the mid-September evening sun setting the scene for a relaxed remainder of the evening before they could focus on their matches from tomorrow morning. Even as her tiredness started reminding Ann that at home, it was already 4am in the morning, she found herself energised by the day they’d had and being in this beautiful place.
They were walking through the lobby towards the elevators and stairs when Ann’s gaze was suddenly drawn in by an unexpected sight, her heartrate immediately picking up as her eyes lingered on her muscular frame as she’d just rounded the corner in her tightly fitting tank top and unfairly hot shorts as her long brunette hair fell over her shoulders.
Then, finally, her intense eyes locked onto hers before that trademark grin grew on her lips, the one that let Ann know she knew exactly what depravity had popped into her mind the moment she’d laid eyes on Anne. It seemed like their encounter only added fuel to Anne’s ego as she seemed to walk towards where Cath and Ann had stopped next to the elevator with even more swagger in her step. Ann swallowed thickly as she felt herself become wet at the mere sight even as she wanted to groan simultaneously at how infuriatingly confident Anne was to the point where Ann still didn’t know if she should fiercely kiss her to put her in her place or roll her eyes. Or both.
Cath stopped talking as she seemed to take notice of Anne approaching. Ann heard a chuckle next to her, tilting her head to see Cath grin. She was about to comment when Anne reached them.
“Hey there.” She smiled at the both of them, but her gaze lingered on Ann, shamelessly checking her out.
“Hey. How are you liking this place?” Cath responded since it seemed like Ann had lost her ability to speak momentarily.
“It’s great. The rooms are amazing… especially the bed.” She winked at Ann who rolled her eyes, seriously considering just walking away.
Cath chuckled. “Mh, a very important quality for sure.”
Her best friend was enjoying this far too much, Ann was convinced. But she would set this straight, put Anne in her place with a teasing comment-
When Anne suddenly moved close, Ann’s breath hitching as she inhaled her scent as she leaned close to her ear.
“Room 704… come over in around an hour.”
She moved away, smirking before raising her voice and turning to Catherine, “Have a nice evening.”
With that, she moved past them, with Ann’s gaze following her, dropping to her bum that was accentuated by the fit of her shorts.
“Looks like you’ll be busy tonight, mh?”
Ann tilted her head to meet Cath’s amused gaze. Licking her lips, she couldn’t deny the excited race of her heart as the elevator arrived and they entered.
“I guess so. Part of me thinks I should let her dangle a little for being so insufferably smug, though.”
Ann found a grin play around her lips as she met Cath’s gaze in the mirrored walls of the elevator as they were on their way up.
“Aw, you’re not gonna go? You might bruise her ego too much for her to ever recover, Ann.” She let out a little laugh.
Ann’s grin widened momentarily before faltering as she licked her lips. “I’m not that cruel. But letting her wait a little, on the other hand…”
“Is fair.”
Ann nodded, even as she inwardly realised that waiting longer would likely be as much of a tease for her as it would be for Anne.