Callie had an inkling that she officially knew what Arizona had felt like yesterday.
And by that, she meant she definitely knew what Arizona felt like yesterday when she had been avoiding her, because now she was the one being avoided. She knew avoidance when she saw it, as it was her main tactic of dealing with a situation that she didn't particularly want to walk through.
Arizona was a huge beacon that she avoided – probably the biggest one.
But she was done with that now; she had decided that last night. Because after their argument –
And watching Arizona dance with that woman.
That's irrelevant right now.
Is it? Because it felt like a pretty big deal last night.
Shut up. –
She had taken a long shower, to think over everything. After doing her best to collect her thoughts all day the previous day, trying not to get distracted by Arizona, despite the fact that the blonde was right there the whole time, she'd basically come to the conclusion that something had to be done. She just didn't know what exactly that was going to entail.
All Callie knew for sure was that avoiding Arizona and trying to keep to herself felt like shit. It never really felt good to do, even when they were just neighbors. It was never fun or even particularly easy. But doing it yesterday after they'd become friends or – or whatever they had become?
It sucked.
And she also knew that waking up yesterday had felt like utter heaven. She wasn't a person who typically used words like that to describe things, but it was. All she'd known for those first few seconds in the morning was that Arizona was there, all warm and pressing against her so intimately. So right.
She smelled ridiculously good, and Callie's thoughts trickled in, unfiltered in the morning daze, that she had wanted to have Arizona in her arms like that for so long. And her skin felt so soft under her lips…
Mostly, she knew that watching Arizona dance and flirt with another woman made her feel sick to her stomach, and she couldn't handle that again on the trip.
So, they needed to talk. She didn't even know exactly what she was going to say, but some form of communication had to take place about what had happened or was happening between them.
Callie wasn't entirely sure how to start that conversation, though. Especially because she was experiencing that whole avoidance thing. And had been for the last couple of hours, ever since Arizona had handed her the keys with a quietly huffed out, "You can drive, I'm not feeling well."
She hadn't even been able to get a word in, because every time she tried to speak to the blonde, she was ignored. Granted, she had only tentatively tried twice, because she got it.
If anyone understood wanting or needing to take time to cool off or figure out the next step, and wanting some alone time to do that thinking, it was Callie. So, she let it go, as much as she could, and figured Arizona would talk to her when she was ready.
Not to mention there was that absolutely gnawing feeling in her stomach about how late Arizona had been out the night before.
As Callie flipped on the windshield wipers – a tiny drizzle that had been going on for the last ten minutes was quickly elevating to something more – she snuck a look at the blonde. Who sat in the passenger seat with her arms crossed over her waist and she was staring straight out the window, a very clear frown on her face, her forehead crinkled in thought.
She looked tired, and this was the first day thus far on the trip that Arizona wasn't up early, ready to go practically before Callie even woke up. In fact, Callie woke up at almost ten in the morning and Arizona had still be asleep.
It made a bit of sense, she thought, given that Arizona hadn't come back until after two in the morning. Which – Callie didn't even know what to think about that. Because what the hell had Arizona been doing out that late?
Yeah, gee, I wonder what she was doing out that late after dancing with that pretty brunette who had so obviously been interested in her.
She – you don't know anything.
I know that Arizona was out for hours after you saw her. And looking pretty cozy with that woman who wasn't too afraid to dance with her in public, like you were.
She didn't even want to dance with me. And nothing is set in stone.
Mhm. Let's run through the info. Arizona was drinking, presumably having a good night out – aside from the interaction with you – dancing closely with that girl for dance after dance after dance. She came stumbling back hours later, sleeping late, and looking exhausted this morning. It all adds up.
I don't want to hear it.
If Callie kept letting her mind wander down that road, she was going to go crazy. And the truth of the matter was, so what if Arizona did… hook up with that woman in the bar? Callie certainly had no claim on her.
It wasn't like one night of snuggling changed anything between them. It wasn't like Arizona had any of those same feelings for Callie that she had for the blonde. It wasn't like the confirmation that Arizona hooked up with another woman because Callie had been too far gone in her own head to pay proper attention to her and be the friend that Arizona expected her to be would, you know, destroy her.
Yeah.
Callie narrowly avoided hitting her head against the steering wheel to rid her head of her own thoughts as she drove slowly. The road ahead of her was clear as far as she could tell – it had been a while since she'd seen any other cars – but the rain was now coming down so hard, she could hardly see a couple of feet ahead of the car.
Eyes narrowed on the road, she sighed, reluctantly flipping on the blinker and pulling over onto the side of the road. After a few moments of searching out the windshield, but there was nothing but gray outside and the fast, harsh beating of rain against the window. It was in so much of a downpour that she really couldn't see anything.
Aaand that cemented it, she thought, cutting the engine. They were stuck.
Slightly static-y music still filtered in through the radio, getting a bit messed up with the rain. Hardly thirty seconds went by before she heard Arizona huff out a breath, the way she did when she was frustrated.
It was almost childish, and somehow endearing – which was such an alarming thought to have.
Arizona turned to give her a questioning look, wavy blonde locks moving with the motion. She'd showered before they left on their late start of a morning, but unlike most mornings, she hadn't dried her hair. It was still a little damp.
It was the first time that Arizona had even acknowledged her and looked directly at her today, and she almost hated how good it felt, but she couldn't because, it just felt good. A pleasant, relieved feeling, and she took a deep breath, before she gestured outside, "Do you want to drive in this?"
She watched as Arizona bit the inside of her cheek and her eyes darted out to look at the rain, before she sat back against the seat, shaking her head, but not saying anything.
Which just made Callie blow out a breath, because she might not know exactly what she wanted to say, but it would kind of be nice to hear Arizona's voice. And to maybe hear that she hadn't completely fucked up yesterday and last night.
Well if you weren't so afraid of your own feelings…
I don't want to hear from you. And if you're so serious about the talk of feelings, where were you when I could have used some courage, yesterday?
Oh, smothered in the back of your mind, as usual.
Holding back a groan, she turned in her seat slightly to reach for her bag in the backseat. As soon as it was settled in her lap, she unzipped the pocket to pull out her iPod, only to catch the way Arizona rolled her eyes at her, and mutter something indecipherable under her breath.
Confused, she gestured again to the rain outside, "What? We don't know how long it's going to be like this."
She had thought Arizona was going to go back to ignoring her, but instead, the blonde crossed her arms over her chest and turned in her seat to face Callie, "So of course you're going to listen to your iPod by yourself instead of talk to me like a normal person."
Dark eyes narrowed, and she tossed her iPod back into her bag, "What is the problem now?"
Because she really couldn't fathom it. Arizona wanted space today, Callie was giving her space. Arizona wanted to stay out all night with some random girl from the bar, and Callie wasn't going to say anything.
Not that you have a right to.
Shut. Up.
But she seemed to have spurred the fight in Arizona, and those blue eyes darkened as she set her jaw, "My problem? My problem?"
"Yes, Robbins, your problem," she kept her voice low, releasing a sigh and turning to look at Arizona more closely.
Blue eyes were glaring at her, "I told you yesterday what my problem was, Callie. You – you ignore me all day, and then flip out on me last night. I don't even know what happened!" the words left her loudly, and her desperation was clear. Clear enough to cut through any other confusing, messy, upsetting feeling, and enough to leave Callie with a serious feeling of guilt.
She couldn't even configure a response when Arizona continued, her voice returning to a near whisper, "I thought we were getting closer. I thought we were… friends, at the very least. I thought we were really past that whole thing where you were my avoidant, kind of bitchy neighbor. And then yesterday, you went back to acting like you didn't even want to be in the same room as me."
Long moments ticked by when Callie's eyes tracked over Arizona's face, taking in her words and the meaning behind them. How sincere Arizona was – and how sincerely she thought that Callie didn't even want to be in the same room with her.
When that was the last thing on Callie's mind.
Yeah, because all you want is to be in the same room with all. All of the damn time. And that is the real problem.
But she couldn't just say that. She couldn't, because the idea of saying that made her tongue feel too heavy to move and nerves creep up through her stomach. And her chest hurt with the fact that this was really what Arizona had thought. Then again, what did she expect the blonde to think?
Okay, in your stubborn, thick-headed defense… you had really thought Arizona was going to know what you were thinking. I mean, you woke up with her already awake and feeling your lips on her neck. You kind of way overreacted and really showed your cards with the whole jealousy over the girl in the bar thing last night.
Still…
Callie sighed, shaking her head lightly as she felt that guilt still. She bit her lip, trying to think of the right thing to say before words were just falling out, "We are. We are past it. And while I am your bitchy neighbor – and don't you forget it," she managed to crack a small, teasing smile, when she say the tentative hopefulness on Arizona's face, before she pushed on with a deep breath, "We did become friends. Uh, or something." Waking up with your arms wrapped around her, lips pressed to her neck. She felt herself blushing, heat from the memory eating up through the guilty, before she cleared her throat and looked away, out at the rain as if she water could hit her and cool her down, "I don't know. I'm sorry that I was acting the way I did yesterday. I can be weird sometimes like that, and it's not really an excuse, but it's the truth."
She waited for Arizona to say something back, and she didn't even know if the blonde was going to accept her apology, because she could clearly remember – in spite of her tequila shots – how genuine Arizona was when she had said that Callie had hurt her feelings last night.
After a few moments beat by, Arizona sighed, which drew her gaze back to her. It never really could stray for long, anyway, "I of all people know you can be weird like that," the blonde's voice was lighter than it was and she reached out to lightly push at Callie's shoulder, which made her feel like a hundred times better.
Then Arizona continued, "And I accept your apology, on the condition that you explain why. Because I still don't – I don't get it. What happened to make you act like that all of the sudden?"
The hands she had touching the bottom of the steering wheel, gripped it tightly, and dark eyes took in Arizona, somewhat incredulously. How did she not know? Callie could swear that everything was worn right on her sleeve. Every time she was "weird like this" it was a direct correlation to whenever something happened between herself and Arizona that ventured beyond purely friendly territory.
But she remembered how honestly caring Arizona had been when she had asked Callie if she was okay yesterday morning, and she felt like crap again. Arizona might not have been observant about her feelings – which Callie was grateful for – but she was a caring friend to her, even when Callie could acknowledge she was acting like a brat.
She owed her an explanation at the very least. Some sort of an explanation, anyway.
Feeling those nerves come back to eat at her insides, she took a deep breath, fingers tightening around the wheel before she forced them to go slack, "I'm – I act out," Christ, like you're fucking five years old or something? Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to continue, and stared out at the rain so she wouldn't have to see Arizona's reaction, "When I feel… scared," she finished with a mumble.
It was the truth, at the very least.
Arizona shifted in the seat next to her, and Callie swore she felt her lean a little closer, before she practically felt the blonde's whisper across her skin, "What are you scared of?"
A choked cross between a scoff and a laugh made its way out of her throat before she closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the center of the steering wheel, enjoying the cool plastic, as if it could slow her racing thoughts. Her racing heartbeat.
What am I so afraid of? How the hell am I supposed to answer that?
"The fact that I want you more than fucking anything or anyone and you're – you're a woman? The fact that I want to kiss you again more than I ever did before? The fact that I have no idea how to get you out of my system?" Those would probably all do.
She couldn't even begin to say any of those things, and instead shook her head lightly, her voice coming out as hardly more than a murmur, "A lot of things. Specifically yesterday…" she sucked in a breath and blew it out slowly, "Waking up, like that. With you. I know – it was just cuddling or whatever, but I've never really been that close with someone before," she barely managed to get out, her voice quaking.
Never really been that close with another woman before, which was true. But physically, she'd been closer to men. That wasn't what she'd meant, though.
She'd meant close as in… fuck. Intimately, emotionally, close. Without even having to do anything beyond sleeping with each other. Literally, sleeping.
When there was no response for nearly a minute, she could feel herself start to panic. Had she said too much? Had she just given herself away for real? Was Arizona laughing at her, because she realized that the girl who had been so rude to her, or avoidant, or everything else she ever was, had only done it because she was basically a scared little girl when it came to getting real with her feelings?
Slowly, she cracked open her eyes, and turned her head just enough to get a glimpse of the blonde in her peripheral vision, nervous at what she would see.
But she saw Arizona sitting there with a small smile on her lips, and her cheeks slightly flushed. It made Callie's heart pound quickly in her chest, and she didn't know exactly what it meant when she was simultaneously hopeful and terrified.
Then Arizona let out a little giggle, dimples popping, "Aw, big bad Callie Torres, scared by cuddling," and her tone was gentle and teasing in a good-natured, cute Arizona Robbins kind of way. No extra meaning to it or anything.
Callie's breath left her in a quick, harsh exhale, expecting to feel relieved that the blonde didn't think anything beyond the simple cuddling part of her confession. But… she didn't feel relief. Instead, she felt almost overwhelming disappointment, because she'd managed to say – to say… something that felt like a confession to her.
But she supposed she couldn't blame Arizona for not thinking the same thing.
With another deep breath, she lifted her head from the steering wheel, and forced a smile, "You caught me." Her hands slid down into her lap as she asked, "So. Do you forgive me?"
Arizona was smiling softly at her now, in a comfortingly familiar manner, "Yes, Callie, I forgive you. How about next time you get scared, you just tell me, though? That kind of makes things a little easier, and we can avoid the train wreck that was yesterday."
Callie flashed her a much more natural smile this time, because it was difficult to still feel all uncomfortable with Arizona giving her that grin, "I can promise you that I don't want to have a repeat of yesterday or last night. As much as I'm surprised by this, it's a lot harder to not talk to you than I ever thought it would be," she confessed.
And the confession came with a strange lightness that eased the way her stomach felt all tied up in knots. Huh. Very weird.
Arizona took it all in before nodding slightly and that smile on her lips grew so much that her dimples deepened, and it was back to looking like that sunshine grin, "I knew you liked me."
Dark eyes rolled of their own accord, "You wish," but it was the most unbelievable way she'd ever said it, even to her own ears. But it was nice to have things getting back to normal.
For a moment, she watched as Arizona's hand came to sit over her stomach for a moment, before she thought about how the blonde had resolutely remained in the passenger seat at the only stop they'd made today, at a convenient store.
Biting her bottom lip, she reached for her bag again, reaching in as Arizona asked, "Wait, are you actually going to listen to your iPod now?"
"When I have this kind of riveting conversation?" she tossed back, lifting her eyebrow as her hand came into contact with what she'd been looking for.
Arizona was attempting a very adorable fake scowl, "Shut up."
Until she pulled out the bag of Peanut M&Ms she'd purchased earlier and tossed them into Arizona's lap, and she enjoyed the surprised smile that graced her lips, before Arizona threw her a questioning look, holding the bag up.
Callie shook her head and reached up to tap against the wheel again, feeling herself flush as she grumbled, "I – they were on sale at the convenient store. I thought they might come in useful at some point."
She heard Arizona open the bag before she hummed, her voice full of what Callie could only say was affection, "You like me, Calliope Torres. And I know it."
This time, it wasn't even the accusation that gave her pause this time, but the fucking name, "Where did you hear that?" she demanded.
"That… you like me?" Arizona asked, and looked too innocent to be actually innocent at the current moment.
So she narrowed her eyes in exasperation, "No; Calliope!"
The grin that took over Arizona's face was fast and lethal, she fucking swore it was the smile alone that made her heart beat uncomfortably fast in her chest yet again, as the blonde just said, "We're neighbors."
It was the same defense she had used when Arizona questioned why she bought her the tea and why she knew so much about her, but it didn't mean she couldn't argue with it, "And?"
Arizona dragged the silence out for a few moments before shrugging, "And I've seen your mail once or twice."
Great. Inwardly, she groaned, but didn't push the issue any more. In her experience, people tended to mock her name more when they knew it bothered her.
But Arizona simply continued anyway, "I mean, I don't know why you feel embarrassed by it; it's a very pretty name, Calliope."
"It brings back very bad flashbacks," she informed the blonde, who seemed interested, but Callie shook her head, "Another word about the name, and I'm getting my iPod," she warned.
Oh, you're such a wimp at this point that you wouldn't be able to ignore her and listen to your music, anyway. And you don't even want to.
I – you… I can do whatever I want.
But she made no move toward her iPod, anyway.
Arizona groaned, taking a moment to eat some of her candy before sighing, "When is this rain going to end? I had plans for today, you know."
Curious, she narrowed her eyes, "What kind of plans?"
But Arizona just gave her a small, secretive smile, "I'm not going to tell you and ruin the possible surprise. In the chance that this rain might ever stop, that is."
Callie hummed noncommittedly, tilting her head as she commented, "Could be a tornado."
And she quickly looked back to Arizona when she felt the blonde hit her arm, an incredulous look on her face, "Why would you say that?!"
She managed to keep a straight face as she shrugged, "Because it could be. Oklahoma is one of the biggest tornado states. Right in tornado alley. And there are times where there is a big storm before one comes."
Arizona's hand was back on her arm, gripping the fabric of her shirt tightly, and she didn't hate the way it made her breath hitch nearly as much as she usually did, as the blonde's voice sounded scandalized, "Calliope!"
The fact that Arizona used her full name gave her more pause barely registered to her for a few moments, which was honestly the most shocking thing to her before she shook herself out of it, "What?"
But those blue eyes were seriously glaring as Arizona nearly growled out, "Stop saying we're going to be hit with a tornado!"
She couldn't help but chuckle a little bit, "We probably aren't, I was just saying we could be."
The dry look she got in response was something she really enjoyed about the blonde before Arizona leaned her head back against the seat, "Well, now you've made me nervous, so it's your job to give me something to distract myself with."
The tone of her words was hardly even near suggestive. There wasn't a wink or even a smirk thrown in Callie's direction, but she still felt her heart flip-flop in her chest at the words. Because the first image that popped into her mind of distracting Arizona was very, very far from anything appropriate, and it was the same tactic Arizona had used when she was scared in the hotel.
With the cuddling and the touching –
Oh and do you remember how your whole hand was on her bare skin on her stomach when you woke up? And she was stroking your arm?
Fuck you, of course I remember!
Her eyes stayed glued to the hand in the fabric of her shirt, and she swallowed hard, telling herself that she could do this, before reaching out – thankfully her hand wasn't shaking nearly as much as she thought it would be. Hardly even noticeable – and loosening Arizona's grip on her shirt, bringing it down to rest on her other hand, that she turned to face palm up.
So that her palm slid against Arizona's, her hand was soft and warm, and the feeling that it gave Callie as she laced their fingers together was undeniably pleasurable, and it made her breath shudder out in a way that she hoped was unnoticeable as well.
This simple contact made her feel like she was… glowing from the inside out. It felt good, it felt right in a way that was indescribable, but it was getting rid of her nerves more easily than she ever would have thought.
It was almost scary, how not scary she was finding this.
And she had no idea what had changed or why or how, but she swallowed down the questions and turned her head to look out the driver's side window so that Arizona wouldn't be able to see the way her cheeks flushed or the small smile that inexplicably wanted to take its place on her lips.
In response, she felt Arizona's fingers flex around hers, and heard her mumble, "This works."
By the time the rain had cleared enough for them to safely drive, Arizona's "plans" were deemed unfeasible by the blonde, and that was how they found themselves at their hotel fairly early in the evening.
They'd just had an early dinner when they walked by the area of the little hotel they were staying at that had the pool and the hot tub, and even though Callie didn't actually want to go in there, there was something about the excited way Arizona had nearly begged her to – and then told her they were going no matter what – that made it easy for her to give in to the blonde.
And it has nothing to do with the fact that you're going to see Arizona in a bathing suit. Sure.
I… didn't say that.
My, my Callie, look at you. You're certainly learning this whole self-acceptance thing.
The bathroom door attached to their room swung open, and Callie had to force herself to not look too eager as she turned her head.
And nearly swallowed her tongue, because…
Holy.
Fucking.
Shit.
Arizona was in a red bikini, and dark eyes started at her feet – with her toenails painted pink – before scanning up those legs that seemed somehow longer now that they were unveiled, and impossibly toned.
Up to her hips, and Callie had never before had the urge to bite the way she felt it now, to do it right there, and the thought of it all made her spine tingle with a strange mix of nerves and arousal.
That cute little stomach, that made Callie's hand burn with the memory of touching it. Stroking it lightly with her fingers, if memory served. And it did.
Her eyes seemed to get stuck on her chest, and she – she had never before had conscious thoughts about wanting to see someone's breasts before. Ever. Not even Arizona's, given her readily accepted denial of wanting the blonde.
But, here she was, with her throat dry as the desert and a wetness settling between her legs from an arousal that surpassed anything that she had felt in… god, she couldn't remember how long. As she wondered what it would feel like to cup her hand over Arizona, to feel the weight of her breast in her hands. To feel –
"Callie, why aren't you changed?" Arizona asked, and her voice took Callie out of whatever chest-trance she had been in.
Dark eyes snapped up to Arizona's face, and she felt her own blush, knowing that it was obvious with how hot it felt burning on her skin, and she didn't even register what Arizona had asked over the buzzing in her ears, "Huh?"
The blonde was just giving her an amused smile as she turned to grab a towel and slip into her flip flops and Callie was presented with her butt.
She bit her bottom lip so hard she was surprised she didn't draw any blood, and tried to take a deep breath to calm herself and her ridiculously raging hormones. It didn't work, but she managed to actually hear Arizona this time, as she asked, "I said, why aren't you, you know, wearing your bathing suit?"
Breath shuddering out, she shook her head slightly, "I, um, didn't pack one," she told her, honestly. "I was just going to sit out there with you because you clearly wanted to go."
Blue eyes stared at her as Arizona's hands came up to her hips, "You're going home for the summer and you didn't bring a bathing suit?"
The hips! God.
Clearing her throat, she fell back on the bed to avoid the temptation of getting lost in looking at Arizona and stared at the ceiling, "Going to Santa Barbara," she mumbled, because it wasn't home; it was a summer house. Which Arizona didn't know, and it didn't matter because, "I already have my bathing suits there. Some there, and a few at school. I didn't think we were going to be swimming on the trip that I didn't plan for," she reminded her, trying to keep her breathing natural as Arizona came closer and ended up standing right next to Callie as she rifled through the open suit case she had on the same bed Callie was laying on.
"Well, I guess that makes sense, but I'm not going to swim alone, while you're being a grump out of the pool," Arizona muttered, and pulled out a white bikini that she pushed towards Callie.
Who just raised her eyebrows and then threw her head back as much as she could while lying down, and let out a laugh, "Robbins. Your bikini isn't going to fit me right. I'm a little bigger, and taller."
She was fairly certain she had a bigger cup size as well, but she could not bring herself to look at Arizona's again. She wasn't sure she would look away before she experienced extreme humiliation.
But Arizona dropped the bikini on her, "Come on, Callie. Don't make me swim alone. It'll fit you fine."
It was the way she requested that Callie not make her be alone that really did it. Especially after the way she treated her yesterday, so she sighed, "Fine."
Arizona's beaming smile was her reward, and she had to admit that it was enough – she was so screwed – and the blonde bounced a little on her heels, "Great! You get changed here, and I'll meet you in the pool, all right?"
She grunted in response.
And found herself walking uncomfortably down the hallway towards the indoor pool area nearly ten minutes later, adjusting at the ties on the bikini.
The bottom fit… all right, she supposed. Her hips were a little bigger, and she had a longer body in general, so she could feel that it was far more revealing on her ass than a typical bikini she would wear.
But the top was not that good, and she suppressed a groan, trying to adjust once more. It covered her nipples at the very least. Okay, it wasn't that bad, but she felt like her breasts were practically spilling out. And they were.
She sighed as she stepped into the pool area and immediately spotted Arizona relaxing in the hot tub, with her head tipped back against the edge, long, soft looking throat on display.
As soon as her flip flops sounded on the floor, Arizona looked up, and Callie nearly stumbled as she placed her stuff on a nearby lounge chair, because she swore she could feel the heat of the blonde's gaze, eyeing her up and down.
When she snuck a glance over to the blonde, she could clearly see the way Arizona's eyes had widened, running up and down her body in an obvious hunger. And she could see the way her throat bobbed as she swallowed heavily, like her throat was dry.
She thought that at some point, the idea that she was turning Arizona on might have frightened her. Probably sometime in the recent past.
But right now, it thrilled her. Unimaginably so. She wasn't going to let herself think too much about it, she decided. No. Callie was just going to let herself feel it. Thinking usually led her to overthinking, which didn't lead to good things for her. For either of them.
And this feeling? It made her feel like herself.
Even as her stomach flipped in excitement, she felt a slow smirk slide onto her face, and she grabbed the bottle of champagne that she'd had in her bag since they'd won trivia night at the karaoke bar, as well as two plastic cups that had been in their room, and made her way over.
She stood next to the hot tub for a few moments longer than necessary, before slowly stepping into the warm water to make sure – yes. Arizona's gaze was definitely on her legs longer than even a casual perusal.
It was legitimate. Like, seriously checking her out.
God, it gave her a ridiculous amount of comfort that Arizona seemed to be affected by her the same way Callie being affected by the blonde.
She settled down in the hot tub, a respectful distance from Arizona – she might have been okay with this, even more than okay with it, on a… mental level, but she could not bring herself to elevate it to a physical one.
Honestly, she wouldn't even know where to go with that. And it might actually cause her to revert into over thinking.
So, she was good with a good six inches or so between them, and she handed Arizona a plastic cup full of champagne, before taking her own, and setting the bottle on the floor behind their heads.
After a few moments, where she could still feel Arizona's gaze on her, and she turned her head to give her a small smirk before she murmured, "I told you it wouldn't fit properly."
Those blue eyes had most definitely been on her own breasts – she could tell because they remained there for a few seconds before snapping to her own eyes – and Arizona blushed, before coughing, "I think it fits fine."
Callie thought it had something to do with the fact that she'd already drank two little cups of champagne before making her way into the pool room, and she could feel the pleasant buzz starting in her mind, as she lifted an eyebrow and vaguely gestured at her chest, "You do?"
Arizona's gaze looked down again, and it took her a few seconds before looking away, "Maybe it's a little small," she conceded. Then she paused, looking deep in thought for a moment, before an extremely curious, interested expression took over her features, and she tilted her head, as her eyes scanned Callie's features.
Cautiously – Callie could hear the caution in her tone – Arizona whispered, "But that isn't necessarily a bad thing."
The heat seemed to rush all over Callie's body at that, and her hand tightened on her plastic cup before she lifted it to her mouth and downed the contents in one go.
This was definitely real. Arizona was definitely flirting with her there, and it was unexpected as much as it was welcome, she was shocked to realize. And for a moment, she wondered if she was out of her depth.
Actually, she knew she was.
Setting her cup down – three glasses in fifteen minutes was more than enough – she turned her head back to Arizona, who was watching her with avid interest as she sipped her own champagne.
And found herself asking, "So, where were you last night? After the… after we talked."
Arizona looked down at her glass, and Callie could see the way her lips pursed in thought for a moment, "I stayed at the bar."
Suddenly, that need to know exactly what had happened despite the fact that it was none of her business and she knew that, came back with a vengeance.
Clearing her throat, she focused on the way the water bubbled up in front of them, "Were you… um. Did you hang out with that girl, the one you were dancing with?"
"Yeah," Arizona muttered softly, almost absently.
Eyebrows drawn together in confusion, she turned to look at Arizona again, and found those blue eyes directly on her chest, again. As Arizona's gaze was about to dart to her face, she quickly looked forward again and feigned ignorance.
She… really didn't know what kind of game she was playing – or, she did, but she'd never played it with Arizona. Never played it in a competition that seemed as high stakes as this.
But she found herself taking a deep breath, pushing her chest out, as much for putting on a bit of a show as trying to calm her nerves, before she rested her head back against the ground. Putting herself out there, so to speak. She was literally inviting Arizona to look. She wanted her to.
Her voice was unintentionally low as she commented, lightly teasing, "You were out late for someone who has such a lackluster response."
She could tell Arizona thought her eyes were closed from the angle she was at by the way blue eyes rolled but then traced over the soft line of her jaw, then down the column of her throat in a way that made Callie lick her lips, before Arizona whispered, "Well, I didn't want to go to the hotel so quickly, after we fought. But I couldn't really enjoy myself that much, either."
Callie felt ridiculously warmed by the admission, and now this arousal that was buzzing through her was coupled with that nice feeling, even has she husked out a whisper – a question she really didn't even want to know the answer to, but it was demanding to be asked from a feeling twisting low in her stomach, "Did you… go back to her hotel?"
Arizona's eyebrows lifted, and Callie could tell she was amused with the turn in the conversation, and Callie tilted her head from where it was laying against the ground to meet her gaze.
But the blonde simply gave her a small smile and shook her head, "Nope. But it's nice to know you just assumed I would go home with a woman I just met."
Her tone was teasing, but Callie felt herself blush anyway, "There's no judgment. But, I'm not assuming. It's – um, I've heard."
It was apparently the wrong thing to say, as Arizona's eyes widened, and an offended sound left her throat, "You've heard? What people do you know that have gone around talking about who I sleep with?"
Quickly sitting up, she shook her head, insisting, "No, no." And by the time Arizona's gaze was on her in question, she felt her throat tighten up a bit, nerves jumping in her stomach, before she cleared her throat and rolled her eyes at herself, "No, Robbins. I mean, we're neighbors, and my bedroom is next to yours. I have literally heard."
Arizona's cheeks colored a little bit, as she muttered, "Oh." After a few seconds, Arizona smirked, and through her eyelashes, she sent Callie a look, "So, then, you've heard all good things?"
Which was completely unexpected, and it made Callie throw her head back in a laugh. God she… really liked Arizona, "Well, I think we both know I haven't heard complaints."
And she'd spent many nights wondering about what it would be like to be in that bed in her neighboring bedroom. With that thought, she lowered her own eyes to the way the water bubbled over Arizona's breasts.
Jesus. She really didn't think she could fight this at all anymore. Callie definitely didn't know what kind of other worldly dimension she had stepped into where it seemed that Arizona was flirting with her over the women that the blonde had previously slept with, and she was almost flirting back?
She didn't even know. With her body buzzing pleasantly from the reality of it all – and the fact that she realized what they were doing and she wasn't running for the hills or even getting the urge to, really – she rested her head back down.
And only looked back up as Arizona slid even closer.
They were still not yet touching, but she could feel Arizona mere inches away, as well as seeing her so close.
It made her breath hitch in her throat.
The opening of the door to the pool room and a group of guys coming in broke her out of her realization. And if there was something that a woman who was finally accepting the fact that she was attracted to another woman and was comfortably flirting with her didn't want? It was a group of guys who had spotted them in the hot tub and were making their way over, stopping at the group of lounge chairs.
She watched as Arizona's head fell back with a frustrated groan, and it was the only reprieve of her own feelings, seeing that Arizona clearly wanted her. Or at the very least, was interested in this. Whatever was between them, she felt it, too.
Last night, she had been attracted to the man who had asked her to dance. Just as she found these guys attractive, she thought, as she threw them a glance. But she was so uninterested in them that it really made what she was feeling for Arizona real.
There was no interest from her. Only irritation.
As soon as one of the guys came closer to the hot tub, eyeing the both of them with clear interest, Callie felt Arizona's thigh slide against hers. Her bare, soft, warm thigh, and Callie could feel the contact charge through her, stealing her breath, making the arousal she'd felt earlier come back ten-fold.
And then Arizona's voice was low in her ear as she whispered, "So, I'm not really into sitting in a hot tub with a bunch of men. Time for a swim?"
The goosebumps appeared all over her body despite the hot water, and Arizona definitely noticed, as she flicked her gaze downward and a small smile appeared, as she nodded.
But then she shook herself out of this stupor that the blonde's voice and leg had caused. She was Callie fucking Torres, and she was not going to just give Arizona the upper hand so easily.
Despite the fact that her nerves were coming back, there was a new sense of calm and sheer excitement that she had never felt with Arizona. And maybe the heady knowledge that Arizona clearly wanted her, too, or maybe it was that she had been fighting it for too damn long with no results – or a combination of the two – had something to do with it.
Either way, she brought her hand up to cup Arizona's jaw lightly keeping her in place, and she felt the blonde freeze under her hand, wide blue eyes staring at her, as Callie leaned in.
And pressed her lips to Arizona's soft cheek, only millimeters away from her mouth. So close, she could feel her sigh, before she pulled away enough to whisper, "Let's swim."
She knew Arizona caught sight of the smirk on her lips as she stood up. And she was pretty sure she missed the way her breath shuddered out and her hands shook. That was…
Something new.
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