The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden(79)

She slows down when she reaches the street to check for cars and I catch up with her, panting loudly.

“Are you crazy?” I ask as beads of water fly everywhere. “It’s f*cking colder than hell out here.”

She jumps back, startled as rain streams down her body and her hair sticks to her cheeks and neck. “I didn’t know you followed me. You didn’t have to.”

I lace my fingers through hers and we jog across the street, water soaking our clothes and dripping in our hair. I hold my arm above her head, protecting her from as much rain as possible. Cars zip up and down the street as we sprint up the sidewalk toward my dorm building. When we reach the trees in front of it, I guide her toward the side entrance, but she slips her hand from mine and jumps out from under the trees into the downpour of the rain.

“Callie, what the hell are you doing?” I call out as icy raindrops shower from the branches and down the back of my neck and face.

She closes her eyes and spreads her arms out to the side of her, tipping her head back as she spins in circles, and her wet clothes cling to her body. Rain pours down on her face and drips from her hair, which has slipped loose and hangs down her back. Her jacket falls from her shoulders and the water cascades down the bare skin of her arms.

I inch forward, unable to take my eyes off her. The way she moves, the way the rain covers her body—I’m enthralled by it. Ducking my head, I step out from the shelter of the tree and into the rain with her. I don’t understand it, but I need to be near her. I’ve never felt this way before and it’s exhilarating and f*cking terrifying because I’ve never needed anything from anyone.

I stop in front of her in the middle of the muddy grass and her eyelids lift open, her lashes fluttering against the raindrops. She starts to raise her head up, but I cup her face in between my hands, holding her in place. I tip my head forward and bring my mouth to hers. Sucking the rain from her bottom lip, I taste her slowly, feeling the warmth of her breath against my mouth.

“Kayden,” she murmurs, shutting her eyes as her fingers travel up my back and knot through my hair.

I open my mouth and slip my tongue deep inside hers as my hand tangles through her wet hair. My other hand slides down her neck, leaving a hot trail as I feel my way along her wet clothes and body down to her hips. I scoop her up and she gasps as her legs latch around my waist. The heat of our bodies warms up the coldness from our wet clothes as we cling onto each other. Holding her tightly, I secure my arms underneath her ass and kiss her fiercely as the rain nearly drowns us. Heading across the grass, I crack my eyelids open every once in a while to make sure I’m traveling in the right direction of my dorm building.

I luck out and someone is walking inside as we reach the entrance. I catch the door with my foot, before it closes, maneuver it open, and get us into the hallway without putting her down. There are people inside, watching us curiously, but I don’t stop. This is one of those moments that it would nearly kill me if I pulled away.

As my hands wander across her body, I feel everything. The way my heart jumps inside my chest, the way her hands in my hair make my breathing rapid, the excitement to get her in my room, the eagerness to touch more of her, to make her moan, the way she clings to me, trusting me, needing me.

No one has ever needed me before because I’ve never let anyone that far in.

Callie

I’m dancing in the rain, just like I’m supposed to. It’s cold, yet it feels wonderful because it was my choice. As I’m spinning around in circles, Kayden walks up to me with fear and want in his eyes. The look scares me and excites me. I don’t know if I’m ready for what waits on the other side of that look, but I want to find out.

He cups my wet cheeks and kisses me deliberately, like he’s memorizing every second. It’s the perfect kiss and I pretend it’s my first, kissing him the way I want to.

He picks me up, with his lips fastened to mine as he carries me toward his room. I grip onto him, telling myself that I can make it farther this time, that I just need to trust him.

He somehow gets the door to his room open without putting me down and he stumbles inside and shuts the door. Laughing against my lips, he kicks something out of the way and it hits the wall with a thud. I lower my feet to the floor as his hands sneak under my shirt and his palms are cold against my skin. I trace my fingers through his wet locks, down his broad shoulders and to the bottom of his shirt, along his lower abs.

He winces at my touch and I recoil my hand back. “I’m sorry,” I say.