The next morning, Callie woke up in her hotel room and couldn't wipe the smile off of her face. She'd meant what she'd said to Arizona, the date had been perfect. It was a weird thing, going on a date with someone that you knew so intimately. There was no awkward small talk, but instead a weird pressure to make the date somehow different from all the other time that you spent together. But Arizona had managed to strike a perfect balance, giving her a very quick introduction to the city, as well as having her laughing, talking about their emotions and most definitely leaving her wanting more.

And now it was her turn. In truth, she'd already got a spark of an idea for their second date part way through the previous evening, but she wasn't going to let Arizona know that. Not right away, anyway. Now all that she had to do was trust her ability to google, and their second date would be good to go.

She got out of bed and stretched, putting the coffee machine on before jumping in the shower. By the time she got out, her coffee was ready, and she took the mug over to the window, admiring the view of the city.

Picking up her phone, she smiled when she saw that she already had a message from Arizona.

A: Morning beautiful. I can't seem to stop smiling x

Grinning, the brunette typed back a reply.

C: Might that have something to do with those dirty thoughts you took home with you last night? x

The response was almost instant.

A: Well that's something you'll just have to wonder about Calliope. But I can safely say that you've put a massive smile on my face x

Deciding not to press the issue further, the brunette decided instead to admit that Arizona was having exactly the same effect on her.

C: Don't think I won't be asking for those details sometime. And I haven't been able to get this dumb smile off my face since you left last night x

A: I love that smile x

C: Well I'm smiling it in the direction of your apartment…at least I think it's the right direction. Still haven't quite got my bearings around here x

A: Lol. Well the sentiment is there anyway. And I'm smiling right back at you. Definitely in the right direction :P x

C: Very funny Robbins. Now I need to stop sitting here thinking about you and start thinking about where I'm gonna take you instead x

A: ok, just let me know the plan x

C: You can just wait and see x

A preliminary search of the internet suggested that there were in fact multiple locations that would fit with Callie's plan. Reading through the reviews of a few of them, she discounted any where the bad outweighed the good, and jotted the names of others down on a note pad, with a star next to any that specifically mentioned catering for gay clientele.

She was just pouring herself a second cup of coffee when her phone rang. She was about to scold Arizona for disrupting her planning, but at the last second glanced at the screen and realised that it was in fact her sister calling.

"Hey Aria" she answered brightly.

"Hey! How's it going in the Big Apple?"

"It's good. Yesterday I rode the subway, saw Times Square and ate fro-yo, I'll be a local in no time"

"Sounds great Cal" Aria laughed "and you're doing ok, yeah?"

"Yeah, I really am"

"I'm so glad"

"Aria…have you told anyone where I am?" Callie asked hesitantly.

"Nope" her sister answered brightly "that's for you to do whenever you're ready"

"Thanks" Callie replied gratefully.

"So this was actually just a quick call to let you know I'm flying out to China for work tonight, kind of a last minute thing, so my cell is going to be out of action for a week. If you need me, just drop me an email, ok?"

"Sure, but China? Seriously?"

"Yeah, Dad's trying to break the deep sea shipping market so he wants me to go over there and make some initial contacts"

Callie laughed "Smart move, sending the smiley approachable member of the family"

"I have my uses"

"Well I hope you find some time to fit in some sightseeing. And to bring me back a present, obviously"

"Sure thing Cal" Aria chuckled "and if all else fails, I'll pick you up some chopsticks from the Panda Express at the airport"

"Very funny"

"I try my best. So anyway, I'd best go pack, but I'm really glad you're doing ok, and I mean it, email me if you need me and I'll find a way to call"

"Will do. Take care Aria"

"You too"

Callie hated to admit it, but she was slightly unnerved by her sister's phone call. There was an element of security to knowing that Aria was just a phone call away, like she wasn't quite so alone. An email just wasn't the same, and so now she had to go a week without any back up. Giving herself a shake, she focused on Arizona. She wasn't alone, she had the blonde. Arizona wasn't going to walk away from her, she'd been just as keen on their second date as Callie herself.

Focusing her attention back on plans for their date, she looked at her shortlist again. She must have spent half an hour browsing through photos and re-reading reviews, determined to get the decision absolutely right. Having finally made her choice, she called up and booked a table for that evening.

Feeling pretty pleased with herself, she decided to take the opportunity to take a walk around the neighbourhood and just take in her surroundings. The weather was pleasant, and she found herself heading towards Central Park. Once there, she wandered for an hour, finding herself constantly amazed that such a peaceful green space could be located in the middle of such a busy city.

Taking a slightly different route back to the hotel, she stopped for a bagel, wincing slightly at the inflated prices when compared to the stores in Newport. Better get used to it, she told herself, this is New York after all. She picked up a bottle of wine from a local store, figuring that a glass might help calm the nerves that she would inevitably feel later in the run up to her date with Arizona.

Callie got back to the hotel feeling refreshed, and her mind feeling cleared of the doubts and worries that she was experiencing earlier. Turning to the closet that she'd unpacked her clothes into the day before, she screwed up her nose in displeasure. Her choices were seriously limited. When she'd packed her bag on her way out of the house, she'd just been focused on getting out as quickly as possible. And besides, for the past few years it wasn't like she'd had much reason to get dressed up.

So she really only had one dress. It was a killer dress, but once she'd worn it, it wasn't like she could keep putting it on for future dates without it losing impact. Still, right now money was tight, and she didn't think she could justify spending anything on an outfit for a single date. So the killer dress it was.

Checking her phone, she saw that she had new messages as well as an email. Opening the email first, her eyes widened when she saw who the sender was.

From:

To:

Hi Callie

I've been passed your details, and I understand that you've recently moved to the city and have experience in journalism.

You'll appreciate that we get a lot of people interested in working for the Times, and I'm afraid we don't currently have any internships that I can offer you.

However, we here at the Times place a lot of value in local journalism, and people who have an eye for a story. So I have an offer to make you.

We're always interested in features and op-eds that are gritty and resonate with people. So if you can pitch me a piece that I think my editors will be interested in, I could find you a slot. The topic can be anything, but I want you to think about things that America needs to know about.

I don't expect people to work for nothing, so if you can sell me the pitch, I'll pay you a retainer fee for the article and then more on completion.

So please have a think about whether this is something that you'd be interested in. My offer won't expire, so take your time and see what you can come up with.

Best wishes

Jackson Avery

National Correspondent

New York Times

Callie's mouth gaped. When Arizona had said that she'd get Maggie to pass on her details, she hadn't really expected something to come of it. But here it was, in print, an actual offer to produce a serious piece of journalism. This was the single biggest career opportunity that she'd ever had. There were a million ideas that she'd always wanted to write about, but the most overwhelming thing about Jackson's offer was that it gave her the time to really think through what she wanted to focus on.

She immediately typed back a response, acknowledging that he'd said to take her time, but that she was definitely interested and would get back to him fully once she had a pitch to make.

As soon as she'd sent the reply, she could feel the doubt creeping in. Maybe he was just being nice. He probably sent emails like that to thousands of people, getting their hopes up only to never see it through. And what did she really know about gritty features? The grittiest anything ever got at the Newport Times was when a local mayoral candidate had a brief affair with his assistant. Hardly national headline grabbing stuff.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to her texts, hoping to calm herself down. She smiled when saw that the messages were both from Arizona. It gave her an immediate boost to know that she wasn't the only one who was excited about their evening.

A: Just checking in to see how the planning's going x

A: And also yes, I just wanted an excuse to speak to you x

The second message in particular did more to reassure Calliethan Arizona could have realised. It wasn't that Callie doubted the blonde, but more that she doubted herself and her ability to keep someone like Arizona interested. So hearing that she wasn't the only one who was…needy, for want of a better word, made the brunette sigh in relief as she replied to the texts.

C: You don't need an excuse to talk to me. But all you need to know for now is that I'll pick you up at 630 x

A: Awww come on. Just a little clue? Please? X

C: Nope the time's all you're getting for now. Dress code in an hour if you're good x

A: Calliope, I think you know I can be very, very good….x

C: Oh I know that very well Dr Robbins…just like you know how bad I can be…so I'd suggest you wait very patiently. You know what they say about those who wait…x

A: God you're a tease x

A: And I love it x

Callie smiled. This wasn't quite the direction that she'd expected the conversation to go in, but god it was making her feel alive again. The way that Arizona could get under her skin with no more than words sent shivers down her spine. She contemplated trying to cool down the conversation, but figured it was an incredibly pleasurable, if not more than a little frustrating, way to build up to their date. So she decided to continue.

C: Oh yeah, you like being teased? X

A: By you…yes…x

C: Well if I was being bad, I'd tell you that I'm currently picking out the underwear I'm gonna be wearing tonight…x

The brunette wasn't lying. As she typed, she pulled out two matching sets, both of which went perfectly with her dress.

A: …and if you were being good? X

C: I'd ask you red or black? X

A: I don't even care if this is secretly a roulette question. Red, every time. I always think of the way it looks against your skin x

C: In that case I'll make sure the red is very, very close to my skin. It's a good choice. It makes me think of a lot of things x

A: Oh yeah? Tell me more…x

C: Red is the colour your lips go when I kiss you so hard you can barely breathe. Red is the colour of the marks I leave on your breasts when I suck them hard into my mouth. Red is the colour of the scratches I leave on your back when I dig my nails in as you fuck me til I scream. Yeah…I really like red x

A: Fuck Calliope, do you have any idea what you do to me? X

C: I do if it's anything like what you do to me. I've been wet ever since you whispered in my ear last night x

A: Jesus. How the hell am I meant to keep my hands off you? X

C: I don't know. God I want to feel you. Nobody has ever made me feel like this. I ache for you x

A: You know I could sort out that ache in a second. I would use every bit of my body to take care of you x

C: You're so fucking hot. I want you so much x

A: This might actually be killing me. I'm gonna need to take a cold shower x

C: If I wasn't imagining you naked before, I definitely am now x

A: We need to cool this down, don't we? X

C: The tiny bit of me that's still logical says yes. Because my willpower is really being stretched now x

A: I could persuade you to break that willpower, couldn't I? x

C: Yes x

Callie swallowed. Her answer was truthful. No matter how much willpower she had, Arizona would always be able to break down her defences. She wanted to wait, to take things slowly, but god the feelings that the blonde evoked in her were like nothing she had ever experienced.

A: But I won't. Because I know we're doing the right thing. Just…god it's really hard right now. One word from you and you know I'd be all over you in an instant x

C: I'm glad we're both there x

A: Me too x

A: Have I earned a bit more info about tonight yet? X

Callie laughed, the sexual tension broken, at least for now.

C: I guess you have. Wear a dress, and shoes that'll be comfortable if you have to spend a few hours on your feet x

A: Now I'm intrigued…x

C: And you can stay intrigued for the next couple of hours x

A: Dammit Calliope x

C: See you at 7 x

The brunette put her phone down and exhaled. Despite her comments when Arizona had mentioned a cold shower, she too found herself in need of one. The cold water provided just enough to take the edge off of her feelings of extreme arousal.

Getting out of the shower, she poured herself a glass of wine and stuck on some music, and began the gradual process of getting herself ready.