Arizona grabbed Callie's hand, stopping her before she'd finished the number. "I'm not an intruder," she insisted. "I…I work here."

Callie cocked a skeptical eyebrow. A face like this...she would have noticed. "Identify yourself."

Taking a deep breath, she met Callie's gaze. "I'm Arizona Robbins. I'm a designer, doing the decorating in the new day care center. I just started this week."

"Ah." Callie replaced the receiver, her dark eyes scanning the scintillating azures. "You're related to Teddy, aren't you?"

Arizona nodded, looking stubborn but resigned. "I know she worked for you."

"For a few weeks, yes." Callie's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. They were still filled with the wary cynicism Arizona had noticed in the picture. "I suppose you were just sightseeing then? Taking a look at where your sister once worked?"

Arizona looked into Callie's face with hope, but immediately saw that she was mocking her. "I've told you who I am. You can see that I'm not a threat to you in any way. Why don't you let me go?"

The fingers that held her arm moved, feeling more like a caress than a punishment. A tiny shiver slithered down Arizona's spine. Suddenly Callie's smile seemed dangerous in a whole new way.

"We're all alone, you know," Callie said softly. "The night cleaning crew hasn't even arrived. Except for Security down on the first floor, there's only you and me."

"That's exactly what's worrying me," Arizona retorted, giving her an impudent frown. "You do have a reputation, you know."

Callie stared at her for a moment, and then she laughed aloud. "I have a reputation," she said, chuckling. "You're the one I caught rifling through my files." She grinned at Arizona. "Are you trying to say we're a pair of reprobates? Birds of a feather?"

Arizona wasn't trying to say anything at all. She was still too busy trying to recover from the stunning effect Callie's laugh had on her nervous system. She was just too sexy for her own good…well, for her good, at any rate. Arizona could see why her sister had been tempted into having an affair with the woman. But that very fact made it doubly imperative that she not do the same.

"Well, don't worry, my fastidious little burglar," Callie said, her laughter dying away. "I'm not attempting a seduction. I'm only considering a little blackmail."

That startled her. "Blackmail?"

"Yes." Her hand slid down to catch hold of Arizona's fingers. "Here's how it works. Do what I want you to do — or go to jail."

She scoffed at Callie. "No one is going to throw me in jail for visiting your office uninvited," she told him, tugging to get her hand free but having no success. "You think not? Even though the local authorities happen to owe me a favor?"

Arizona's shoulders sagged. She knew very well Callie came from a wealthy and influential family and she had no doubt what she said was true. If she wanted her inconvenienced for a while, she would be inconvenienced.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked, glaring at Callie.

"Nothing very terrible," Callie said soothingly. "All I need is that you come with me to a party I have to attend tonight."

Arizona searched her eyes, looking for the catch. "That's it?" Callie's slow smile reappeared. "No. There's one more thing." she raised her fingers to her lips. "You have to pretend to be in love with me," Callie said, just before she kissed them.

You're crazy," Arizona said breathlessly. She could still feel the kiss on her fingers and the area tingled. "I…I can't do that."

"Then you'll go to jail."

Callie finally let go of her fingers and she backed a step away.

"Why?" Arizona asked simply. "Why do you want me to do this?"

"Because I'm about to walk into the lion's den," Callie told her smoothly. "And it occurs to me I could use a shield."

Arizona shook her head. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at deciphering riddles. Why don't you just tell me?"

"You'll figure it out soon enough. But first things first," Callie added, looking her up and down. "You'll need to change."

"Sorry," Arizona quipped, tossing her head. "I kind of like me the way I am."

"Your clothes," Callie explained patiently. "The party is at the Cascade. Your skirt and sweater aren't dressy enough." Reaching into a closet at the back of her office, Callie pulled out a dress and held it up for Arizona to see. "What do you think of this? I'll bet it will fit."

She gasped softly. Turquoise silk as soft as gossamer floated over a royal blue sheath with a snug, beaded bodice. Involuntarily, Arizona reached out to touch it. "Oh," she said softly.

"Here. Put it on."

She looked up into Callie's eyes and then her chin lifted rebelliously as she backed away. "I haven't said I would do it yet," she reminded her.

Callie sighed. "You'll look fantastic in this thing and you know it. Certainly it will look better than prison stripes. Come on, Arizona." Her mouth twisted cynically. "Be my love."

Arizona flashed Callie a glare but then bit her lip, thinking. "Tell you what," she said at last. "I'll make you a deal. I'll do it if you promise…" She paused. Should she admit what she'd been after? But Callie probably already had guessed. "If you promise to let me have Teddy's letters."

Callie's eyes were suddenly flat and expressionless as tinted glass. "You mean the contents of the folder you were reaching for?"

Arizona nodded.

Callie looked at her quizzically. "There is only one letter in that folder," she said slowly. "And you don't want to see it. Though I can understand why Teddy might want to get it out of my hands." A wry smile played with the corners of Callie's mouth, but her eyes were cool. "What's the matter? Doesn't she trust me?"

Arizona flushed. "She would like to have her letter back. If you were a gentle woman…"

"But I'm not, so the question is moot." Callie shook her head. "Sorry, Arizona. That folder must stay here in my office. And we need to get to the party."

"But…"

"Get dressed, Arizona," Callie said quietly, touching her cheek with her forefinger, setting off a trail of sensation. "We're late. And I plan to make quite an entrance."

AN - So what do you guys think? Jail or party? Also sidebar, this story will have faster updates because as I said this idea has been in my head for a long while now and it just keeps flowing easily.

AN - Thank you for the encouragements. Keep the love coming..

XD RITA