AN - So someone asked for longer updates, so here ya go...
The Cascade was a swanky private club and Arizona was very glad she'd worn the blue silk dress — though she assumed it must belong to one of Callie's many rumored paramours. Callie had been right — it fit like a glove. And when Arizona had seen the look in Callie's eyes as she came out of the ladies' room all ready to go, she'd felt the kind of thrill she used to get as a kid at the fair when the roller coaster went into a steep dive.
She glanced at Callie as they made their way toward the lobby, noting that Callie looked awfully good herself. Then she had to smile. What a hypocrite she was! After all, if Callie were a troll, Arizona probably would have called her bluff and opted for the cops. But Callie was attractive. In fact, she was downright gorgeous, and here she was, wondering how a small expedition to retrieve her sister's love letters had turned into this.
They hesitated just outside the entrance. Callie had explained that the party was being given for her by her mother, and Arizona was just a little nervous. Mrs. Torres was famous for her philanthropy — and for her tough exterior. A small orchestra was playing a Strauss waltz against a background of the clinking of expensive crystal mixed with light conversation. Arizona shook her head. The party even sounded upper crust.
"Ready?" Callie asked, as Arizona folded her hand into the crook of Callie's arm.
Arizona looked up into her brown eyes and wrinkled her nose. "I don't know," she said impishly. "Pretending to be in love with you won't be easy."
Callie laughed softly and Arizona felt a warm glow spreading deep inside.
Funny, but Callie had been laughing a lot and she found she really liked it. Callie's humor had improved ever since her eyes had lit up at the sight of Arizona all dressed up.
It had been a long time since a woman had looked at her like that. It had been a long time since Arizona had made any attempt to produce that sort of reaction. Her last romance had left her with so much pain, she had pretty much decided relationships weren't worth the risk, and she had dressed accordingly. But Callie was reminding her of what it was like to be admired by an attractive woman — how delicious it could be.
"If we try real hard," Callie said, leaning close so that her warm breath tickled her ear, "I think we can work something out. Practice makes perfect."
Arizona heard the sensual promise in Callie's tone and she spared her a fleeting smile, though a voice inside her was scolding, "You should not be flirting with this woman!" and she knew it was right. But she told herself they were just getting in the right mood for the parts they were about to play. And she almost believed it.
They swept into the room. For a moment, Arizona was blinded by the flash from the chandeliers, but as her vision cleared, she realized they were strolling into a small crowd that parted like the Red Sea at their approach. And then they were standing in front of a tall, regal woman with iron gray hair and proud brown eyes.
"Mother," Callie was saying. "I would like you to meet someone very special. This is Arizona Robbins. She has graciously consented to be my wife."
The woman had to be shocked by the news, but she didn't let it show.
"Well, Calliope," she said softly. "You might have let me know."
"I wanted it to be a surprise," Callie told her smoothly.
"Oh, I'm surprised," Mrs. Torres said, fixing Callie with a steely glare. "Surprised and utterly unconvinced."
Despite her harsh words, Mrs. Torres stretched out a hand and took one of Arizona's.
"Come sit with me, my dear," she said firmly. "I want to get to know you. And I want to hear every detail of your supposed love for our Calliope."
Arizona's heart began to race. She hadn't been prepared for quite this hostile a reception and she looked to Callie for a rescue. Luckily, she obliged.
"Later, Mother," Callie said, just as firmly as her mother had spoken. "Right now, I think Arizona and I should lead the others in a dance."
Arizona noted the look between the two of them and instinct told her she was being thrust into an argument that had been going on long before she arrived. But there was no time for analysis, as Callie was taking her into her arms and she was immediately intoxicated by her clean womanly scent.
'"Calliope..." She breathed out and it immediately deepened the color of Callie's eyes. Callie pulled Arizona closer and started swaying to the romantic music beat. It was like so natural to them, they fit each other perfectly, Callie noticed as her eyes bore much deeper into the soulful azures in front of her.
For a few minutes the rhythm of the music and the power of Callie's body against hers threatened to send her reeling. But Arizona regained her senses slowly, and as she did, she realized they were the only ones dancing, and that all the others had formed a circle around them and were staring intently.
"It's almost all women," she whispered as she looked around the room. "Calliope, what is going on?"
"It's a marriage mart," Callie told her with a grimace. "My mother's idea. She's brought in every eligible woman she could find — daughters of her friends, mostly. I was supposed to pick a bride from among them."
Arizona stared up at her. "You're not serious!"
Callie simply shrugged lightly, as though it was nothing really out of the ordinary. "I have certain responsibilities, according to my mother. One of them is to marry and procreate. Carry on the family name." Her mouth twisted. "Something I have resisted for a good long time. She's almost as disappointed in that as she is in the fact that I went into law instead of medicine."
Arizona let herself relax a little closer to Callie. "Partial to doctors, is she?"
"Definitely. I come from a long line of them."
"I see. So you're a rebel."
"I prefer to see myself as an independent thinker." Callie gave her a quick smile. "But since I failed her there, she thinks I owe her a wife and family. And she is annoyingly proactive about it."
Arizona finally thought she understood. "So that is why we're pretending…."
Callie quickly stopped her words with a kiss and Arizona gasped. It was short, it was over as soon as it started but it left both of them panting.
"Quiet," Callie reminded her with a significant look. "The point about pretending is that you do it secretly."
Then her gaze dropped to Arizona's lips and her eyes darkened. "But to be convincing, we really ought to do more of that kissing," Callie murmured, and immediately followed through on the suggestion.
This was the pretending part, Arizona reminded herself groggily, yet it was hard to keep that in mind when Callie's mouth was so hot and her tongue was searching for a response from hers. The room faded and all she could concentrate on was the sense of Callie, so intimidating, so strong, and so very delicious. There was nothing gentle in the kiss, it was ferocious from the moment it started, it was all what Callie had imagined it would be from the moment she laid eyes on Arizona. But it was also forbidden, deep down Callie knew if she tasted Arizona once, she would need more, that whatever it is between them isn't just some spark, it's a full blown fire and for the first time in her life, Callie Torres was out of control. With her chest burning with untamed desire Callie drew back just for a millisecond and then descended on Arizona again, lips meeting lips again with a passion that was threatening and consuming at the same time. Callie had never felt this much desire with just a kiss...she needs so much from this.
But all that came to an end as the music died away and those watching crowded closer. A tall, redheaded woman with a superior air was the first to speak.
"Is this true, Callie?" she demanded, stepping forward. "Are you really engaged?"
Callie draped an arm around Arizona's shoulders in a protective gesture. "It's true, Penelope. I'm finally spoken for."
The woman was furious. "I flew all the way out here from Boston for nothing!"
"You poor dear. Your arms must be killing you." A pretty woman in scarlet joined them, giving Callie a grin and the complaining woman an arch look. "And you really ought to go wash those bugs off your teeth, Penny. Such an ugly sight." She pretended to shudder, but all the time she was looking Arizona up and down.
The woman named Penelope retreated, outraged, along with all other 'suitors' who take take it as their cue to let the 'newly engaged' couple alone, but the newcomer stayed, offering her hand to Arizona.
"Hi. I'm Aria. And I must say, you look almost as good in my dress as I do."
"Your dress?" Arizona turned to Callie in alarm, but she was smiling at the woman named Aria with obvious affection. "Meet my kid sister, Arizona," she said. "Sorry about the dress, Aria. It was an emergency situation. I shanghaied her to come to this party and she didn't have time to go home and change."
"You mean, this is your sister's dress?" Arizona was finally getting the picture.
Aria laughed, reading her mind. "You thought it belonged to one of her old girlfriends, didn't you? It's mine. I keep a few items of clothing at Callie's office for the times I'm in town and need a quick change." She patted Arizona's arm. "Don't worry, Arizona. Callie's reputation as a womanizer is highly overrated. I've seen her home with a book to keep her warm many a night and…"
"Aria is quite a little storyteller," Callie interrupted, taking Arizona's arm and maneuvering her away from his sister. "Which reminds me. It's about time to tell some stories to my mother."
"Do I have to?" Arizona dreaded this. "We really didn't plan anything and..."
"Just tell her the truth," Callie said.
She frowned, not sure what Callie meant by that. "What? That we met tonight and fell madly in love?" Arizona asked helplessly.
Callie's soulful brown eyes were hard to read. "Is that the truth?"
Arizona hesitated, not sure if Callie was mocking her, or just teasing. But it was too late to find out as Callie was presenting Arizona to her mother again.
AN - So what do you think? Will Lucia be convinced? Or do our girls need to try harder? How will the night end?
AN - this is not a G!P story but I'm planning another G!P story so don't ya guys worry. But this is just a sweet, fiery edition.
XD Rita
