The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden (The Coincidence, #1)

“Only when you feel like kicking some ass?” he teases with a crook of his eyebrow.

My lips twitch to a tiny smile. “Yeah, something like that.”

He turns sideways so he’s facing me and crisscrosses his legs. “Okay, I have another question. I actually just remembered this. I think it was back in fifth grade and your family was over at my house for one of those stupid barbeques my dad has every Super Bowl. Somehow a collector football disappeared from my dad’s display case and everyone thought it was my brother Tyler that did it, because he was acting weird, but really he was just wasted. But I swear to fucking God I saw you walking out to your car with it under your shirt.”

I tuck my feet under my butt as I cover my hands over my face. “My brother told me to do that. He said if I stole it for him he wouldn’t tell my mom that I was the one who broke one of her silly little collector unicorns.” I pause and it gets really quiet. Finally, I work up the courage to peek between the cracks in my fingers. “I’m really sorry.”

He scrutinizes me and then a slow smile forms on his face. “Callie, I’m just messing with you. I don’t care if you did it. In fact, it’s kind of funny.”

“No, it’s not,” I say. “It’s horrible. I bet your brother got into trouble.”

“Nah, he was eighteen.” He draws my hand away from my face. “And when my dad started being a douche, he just left.”

“I feel like a douche. I think my brother still has it in his room. I should make him give it to you.”

“No way.” He’s still holding my hand as he guides my arm toward my knees. I’m very aware of his fingertips touching my wrist right above my hammering pulse and I’m conflicted on whether or not to pull away. “My dad can go without some of his shit.”

“Are you sure?” I can’t take my eyes off his hand on my arm. “I swear I can give it back.”

He laughs softly and then his fingers graze the inside of my wrist, causing my entire body to shiver. “I promise. No harm, no foul.”

“I’m really sorry,” I repeat.

He looks at me with this strange expression, like he’s conflicted about something. He licks his lips and then presses them together, holding his breath.

I’ve often wondered what a guy would look like when he was about ready to kiss me. Would it be the same as my first and only kiss; a glimmer of conquer blazing within the pupils? Or would it be something else entirely different? Something less terrifying? Filled with more passion and desire?

Turning back to the cliff, he frees my wrist and his hand begins to tremor. He flexes it, elongating his fingers and letting out a sigh.

“What’s wrong with your hand?” I ask, struggling to maintain a steady voice. “Did you hurt it climbing up?”

He balls it into a fist and places it on his lap. “It’s nothing. I just broke a few bones a while ago and it gets that way sometimes.”

“Does it effect how you play?”

“Sometimes, but I can handle it.”

I stare at the scars on his knuckles, remembering the night when they were split open. “Can I ask you a question?”

He stretches out his legs and leans back on his hands. “Sure.”

“How did you get the scars on your hand?” I reach out to touch them, the need to feel him so intense it temporarily overpowers my doubts, but life catches up with me and I swiftly move my hand away.

Putting his weight on one arm, he elevates his hand out in front of him. At the bottom of each finger is a thick white scar. “I punched a wall.”

“Excuse me?”

“Not on purpose,” he adds, and then makes a path with his finger along each bump and groove. “Accidents happen sometimes.”

I recollect his dad slamming his fist into his face. “Yeah, I guess they do, but sometimes bad things happen on purpose by the hands of bad people.”

He nods, then gets to his feet, and dusts the dirt off his jeans. “We should head back. I got a killer Literature paper I have to write.” He offers me his hand to help me up, but I just can’t bring myself to take it.

I turn over onto my hands and knees and push myself to my feet. “Now I just have to make it back down,” I say with a sigh as I walk toward the cliff and peek over the edge.

He laughs quietly as he follows behind me. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you down, if you’ll let me.”

My eyes broaden at his words and then at the cliff. What a dilemma. But I trusted him once and I decide to do it again. I just pray to God he doesn’t shove me down and break me, because I’m already in too many pieces and I just don’t know how much more breaking I can take.

Kayden

I’m nervous helping her scale down the cliff and not because I think she’s going to fall. My arm is around her back and her weight is against me. She’s safe and I’m glad she is.

The problem lies inside me. The entire time we’re climbing down, my heart is thumping in my chest. I want to reach over and feel her skin, suck on her lips, even let my fingers graze her ass. I’ve never wanted anyone like this before and it’s fucking scary as hell. For a second, I considered kissing her while we were up on the cliff, but it would have been wrong of me. Not only because I shouldn’t be kissing someone as nice as Callie, but also because I have a girlfriend and it wouldn’t be fair to anyone.

Even though our conversation on the cliff was a minor moment in time, it held more depth than any other conversation I’ve had. When I talk to Daisy, it mostly focuses on shallow things, like homecoming, what she is going to wear, and where the parties are going to take place. That’s how I want my life. Simple. I already have enough complexity locked away inside me to shadow the whole world with darkness.

“Are you sure we’re not going to fall?” Callie grips at my upper arm, delving her fingertips into the fabric of my shirt as she blinks her eyes at the ground. “It feels like you’re going to drop me.”

“I’m not going to drop you. I promise.” I tighten my arm around her back and gently tug her closer. “Just relax. We’re almost there.”

I slide my foot down along the rock toward the next ledge, resisting the urge to grab her ass, and place my hand on her lower back. She reaches her hand down, holding on to me as she stretches her leg toward the lower ridge. Once her foot touches it, she relaxes as she steps down on the one below.

I let go of her as her feet touch the bottom. “See, I told you I wouldn’t drop you.”

Showing off a little, I jump down the rest of the way and land in front of her, ignoring the pain in my calf muscles. “Remind me never to take you somewhere up high again.”

She makes an apologetic face as she brushes the dirt off the front of her shirt with her hands. “I’m sorry, I should have warned you. Although, climbing like that doesn’t seem very natural. It felt like we were trying to be lizards or something.

Unable to help myself, I laugh at her. It’s been a while and it feels good. “So for future planning, what kind of places do you like to go?”

She looks about as lost as I feel. “I have no idea.”

“Well think about it.” I start down the path toward where the truck is parked and Callie follows me. “And the next time I ask you if you want to hang out, you can tell me where.”

Her forehead creases as she stares out at the hills to the side of us. “Is there going to be a next time?”

“Sure,” I say casually. “Why wouldn’t there be?”

She looks at me and shrugs, looking unconvinced. “I don’t know.”

It seems like she knows a lot of things, which is why I should be running away from her, before she finds out about me. But like my father always says, I was never that bright, and I have a feeling I’m not going to be able to stay away.

Chapter 4
#43 Don’t Take Shit From Anyone

Kayden