Chapter 32
Callie had been buried in back-to-back meetings all morning. Her jacket lay draped over her chair, long forgotten, while her vest was tossed haphazardly onto the couch. The once-pristine knot of her tie now hung loosely, dangling like a noose around her neck. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her shoulders, and she felt the tension knotting in her muscles. It wasn't even 1:00 p.m., and she was already drained. She was in the middle of a heated argument with one of her more stubborn board members when the sharp beep of another line cutting in caught her attention.
"Ms. Torres, I'm sorry to bother you," came her assistant's voice over the intercom.
Callie squeezed her eyes shut, biting back the urge to snap. She ran a hand through her already messy hair, tugging slightly at the roots in frustration. Why now?
"Then don't," she almost growled, but quickly swallowed the words, trying to calm herself. She needed composure, not a meltdown.
Taking a deep breath, she forced her voice to steady. "Yes?"
"There's an Arizona Robbins here to see you."
Suddenly, the weight of the day lifted ever so slightly. Callie's pulse quickened at the mention of Arizona's name, the stress melting away like ice under a warm sun. Without hesitation, she replied, "Please, send her in."
But first, she had to finish what she started. Switching back to the call with her board member, Callie's tone sharpened like a blade. "Mr. Smith, it is 2:17 p.m. You have taken about an hour and seventeen minutes more than we had scheduled to discuss this issue. We are going around in circles. You've used up every ounce of patience I had today—more than I usually give anyone. Either you get on board with the direction we're headed, or I expect your resignation on my desk by 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. The choice is yours."
With that, she hung up, feeling a slight pang of satisfaction as she severed the call. Her heart pounded from the confrontation, but that didn't matter now. The door clicked shut behind her, and she turned her head, her gaze immediately softening at the sight of Arizona standing hesitantly by the door.
Right, Arizona. Callie had almost forgotten she was here amidst the chaos. She straightened up, trying to shake off the remnants of her earlier tension.
"That sounded rough," Arizona said, her voice soft and tentative, a small smile playing on her lips. "Are you okay?"
Callie pushed herself away from the desk and walked toward Arizona, crossing her arms loosely over her chest. "Yeah," she admitted, her voice weary. "A little bit." The exhaustion in her words was palpable, and without thinking, she dropped her head forward, letting it hang for a moment as if the weight of her day was finally too much.
Arizona closed the gap between them in an instant, her hands moving gently to the back of Callie's head, stroking through her hair in soft, soothing motions. Callie's eyes fluttered shut at the comforting touch, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips despite everything. Instinctively, she reached out, slipping her hand around Arizona's waist, pulling her closer.
"Enough about me," Callie murmured, her voice quiet but warm, the stress of the day melting away in Arizona's presence. "How are you? Did you get here okay?"
Arizona's smile widened at Callie's concern. Even when she was buried under stress, Callie was still attentive, still focused on her. "Yeah," Arizona replied, her tone light. "Teddy and I looked at a bunch of buildings today."
"Yeah?" Callie's brows lifted in curiosity. "Initial thoughts?"
Arizona tilted her head, thinking. "Hmm, I liked a few of them, but Teddy... well, she had negative feelings about some of those places. We have a lot to sit and talk about before making any decisions."
Callie nodded thoughtfully, her thumb rubbing absentmindedly along Arizona's waist. "I agree. It's a big decision. You should be absolutely sure before signing anything. There's no rush—this is your investment, your future. Be certain it's the right fit."
"Thank you again for sending me that list of spaces you don't own," Arizona said, her expression grateful. "It helped us narrow things down."
"Of course," Callie replied, her voice softening even more. As she spoke, her eyes drifted down to Arizona's lips, a sudden and undeniable pull tugging at her. Her gaze lingered there for a moment, drawn in like a magnet, the air between them thickening.
Arizona's breath hitched in her throat as their eyes met, and Callie realized she wasn't the only one feeling the tension. The unspoken connection between them buzzed with energy. It was as if the room had shrunk, and the only thing left was the heat between them. Callie didn't even have to ask—Arizona was already leaning in, closing the small distance between them.
Without hesitation, Arizona pulled her closer, their lips crashing together in a kiss that was hungry, needy, and filled with the passion they had been keeping at bay for too long. Callie's heart raced as the world around them seemed to blur into nothingness. She responded eagerly, her hands moving to grip Arizona's waist tighter, pulling her body flush against hers.
In one swift movement, Callie lifted Arizona up and placed her on her desk. Arizona let out a small gasp, but it quickly turned into a soft moan as Callie sat her on the edge of her desk, never breaking their kiss. Papers crumpled beneath them, pens clattered to the floor, but neither of them cared.
Callie deepened the kiss, her hands roaming along Arizona's back, pulling her impossibly closer. She could feel Arizona's fingers threading through her hair, tugging lightly in a way that sent electric shocks through her entire body. The heat between them was overwhelming, an inferno that had been building for months.
For a moment, Callie forgot about the meetings, the stress, the exhaustion—everything that had weighed on her just melted away. The only thing that mattered was the feel of Arizona's lips against hers, the warmth of her body, and the way they fit together like two puzzle pieces that had always belonged.
But just as quickly as the fire had ignited, a sliver of reality slipped back in. Callie pulled back slightly, breathless, her forehead resting against Arizona's as they both caught their breath. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, everything was still—silent, except for the sound of their ragged breathing.
Callie could feel her member getting harder in her pants as it fought to get closer to the source of heat, the source of pleasure. The last time she had had sex was with the blonde in the back of her rental car on the day of Arizona's father's funeral, where she thanked her for sex, got her pregnant and their baby passed away, that sent a horrible shiver down her spine. She pulled away and rested her head against the blondes as they both caught up on their breathing.
The both of them looked at each other, both of them wanting more but knowing it would be wrong. Callie pulled away first and straightened up the blonde's dress before turning around and fixing her own penis in her pants. She looked at the clock on her wall before hearing the blonde's stomach growling.
"We should fix that," she said before grabbing her coat and entering the bathroom to fix her hair. She saw the top of the blonde's head as she hugged her from the back and placed a soft kiss on her neck.
She saw the blonde gulping before she spoke. "I want us to be together, I want to finish what we started and god, I want so much more with you. But I want to be at a better place, financially, mentally, emotionally before I can let you in."
Callie nodded before turning around and placing a soft kiss on Arizona's lips. "Take all the time you need B. I'm right here. This time it will be different. This time I will make you a priority, I will make you the most important thing in my life. I will make you feel wanted, needed. I promise you; we will be better this time. When you're ready, I'll be here. Till then, whatever you need, just ask, okay?"
Arizona nodded as she felt the brunette gently wiping the tears that left her eyes. she didn't even know she was crying.
"Do you need a minute in here? Or are you ready to go? We could even spend more time in here, get take out?"
Arizona let out a dee breath. "I'm ready. Is my lipstick okay?"
Callie leaned forward and fixed the corner of the lips before smiling down at her. "Is the kissing okay? Cause I would like to kiss you again, and hold your hand when we walk and fix your hair, play with the strap of your dress." She admitted.
Arizona gulped; she did not expect to hear that. Callie had never outright told her how she felt, she had to guess what was going through her head or ask her a million questions before she got to the bottom of it.
"I think I could live it." She raised her eyebrow. "As long as I get to run my hand through your hair, fix your tie, hold you when I want to especially your broad shoulders, kiss you every time I see you, bite your lip a little."
Callie leaned in and issued er again, her hands going to her waist. "I guess I have to live with it too."
Before the blonde could say something cheekier, her stomach grumbled. "Okay, I'm going to end this game and take you out to lunch. I'm pretty sure the both of us could go on for hours."
With that the brunette took her hand and lead them out.
They walked hand in hand to a nearby Italian place, the kind of cozy spot you could easily miss if you weren't paying attention. The streets buzzed with life, but inside their little bubble, it felt like they were the only two people in the world. As they strolled, their conversation flowed naturally, filled with small talk, jokes, and gentle teasing. They poked fun at each other about everything and nothing at the same time. Arizona grinned as Callie playfully nudged her with her elbow.
They entered the restaurant, and the familiar scent of garlic, fresh bread, and herbs enveloped them. Arizona immediately felt at ease. She wasn't sure if it was the atmosphere or the company—or both—but everything about this moment felt right.
They settled into a booth by the window, the soft murmur of other patrons surrounding them but never intruding on their conversation. Arizona perused the menu briefly before settling on a pasta dish, while Callie opted for a light salad. Their meals came out quickly, and they didn't hesitate to share bites, stealing tastes from each other's plates between sips of wine. The warmth between them grew with each stolen glance and playful comment.
Midway through their meal, Arizona noticed Callie's phone buzz on the table. The soft vibration seemed to echo louder in the intimate setting. Callie glanced at the screen, her expression shifting slightly. For a second, Arizona felt a pang of worry. In the past, meals had been interrupted by business calls—important ones that took Callie away for what felt like hours, leaving Arizona alone. She braced herself for the moment Callie would get up to take the call.
But instead, Callie hit the cancel button and slid the phone face down on the table.
"You're not going to take that?" Arizona asked, genuinely surprised. "Could be important."
Callie looked up at her, meeting Arizona's eyes with a steady gaze. She reached for her phone and quickly set it to 'Do Not Disturb,' before slipping it back into her pocket.
"It's not more important than what I'm doing right now," Callie said simply, her voice warm but firm.
The sincerity in her words caught Arizona off guard, and for a moment, all she could do was stare at her. Slowly, the small knot of doubt that had formed in her chest unraveled. Callie had always been dedicated to her work, sometimes to the point of putting it above everything else. But now, this was different. Arizona's smile returned, softer this time, touched with a hint of gratitude.
The rest of the lunch went on smoothly, the conversation light but intimate. They laughed, teased, and savored each other's company like they hadn't in a long time. By the time they finished the bottle of wine, the world outside felt far less complicated.
As they stepped out of the restaurant, the afternoon sun cast a soft golden glow over the city. They walked back toward Callie's office, fingers still intertwined. The air was cool but comfortable, and everything felt right.
"Do you want me to drop you off somewhere?" Callie asked as they neared the building. "Or you can take the car. I can have my driver drop you wherever you need."
Arizona shook her head with a soft smile. "No, I'll be fine. I can see that you're trying, and honestly, I had a great time. But your business is important too. You don't need to worry about me."
Callie stopped, turning to face her fully, her brows knitting together slightly. "My business is important, yes. But it's not as important as you," she said, her voice low and earnest. "I just... I want to make your life easier. It's not about what it costs me. I care about you, Arizona. I want to help however I can."
Arizona's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't often that Callie laid her emotions out so openly. She could feel the weight of those words, and for the first time in a long time, she didn't feel the need to push them away. Callie was communicating—finally—and it was exactly what she needed.
"I know, and I appreciate that." Arizona squeezed Callie's hand gently. "But I want to do this on my own, especially in Seattle. I want to start my business, let it make its own money before I start accepting help. I don't want to feel like I'm leaning on you for everything."
Callie nodded slowly, her eyes softening as she listened. "Okay. I get that. But just know, my services are always here. Anytime you need them."
"I know," Arizona said with a smile. "And I plan on taking full advantage of that car whenever possible. But let me make my own way first. Let me tip your driver without feeling like I'm mooching."
Callie chuckled, her smile returning. "Deal."
They walked a little further in comfortable silence, the weight of the conversation settling between them in a way that felt... right. When they reached Callie's building, Arizona stopped and turned to her.
"I should get going. Teddy and I are looking at a few more places this afternoon."
Callie nodded, her hand lingering at Arizona's waist. "Will I see you tonight?" she asked, her voice soft with hope.
Arizona hesitated, and Callie immediately noticed the shift. The insecurity was subtle but there, a flicker of doubt in her eyes. "We could just get dinner," Callie added quickly, sensing Arizona's hesitation. "You don't have to come to my place if you're not ready."
"I'm actually having dinner with Teddy tonight," Arizona said gently, watching the disappointment flicker across Callie's face. "But I can come see you tomorrow for lunch."
Callie's smile returned, this time genuine and unforced. "I'd love that."
With that, Arizona ordered a cab, and as they waited, Callie pulled her close, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. Arizona smiled against her mouth, savoring the warmth of the moment.
When the cab finally arrived, they kissed once more, lingering for just a second longer than necessary before Arizona slid into the back seat.
As the cab pulled away, Callie watched it disappear into the busy city streets, a sense of calm settling over her. For the first time in a long time, things seemed to be moving forward, one step at a time. Life was getting better for the both of them.