The Redemption of Callie & Kayden

get my stuff.”
    Callie pushes up from me and starts to kneel, with the sheet pressed against her chest. I grab ahold of the edge of the sheet and tug it down, then brush my finger over her nipple. She shivers and I feel gratified as she gives a shy smile, backing off the bed, naked.
    She searches for her clothes, trying to cover her body with her hands. She is so small, thin, fragile. I can’t help but think about how she said she made herself throw up and how I think maybe we need to talk about it, since we’ve been talking about my problems so much.
    “Callie, please,” Seth begs, sounding hoarse and hung over. “I really need to get my stuff.”
    “Just a second.” Callie grabs a pair of shorts and a T-shirt from one of the bags Seth was carrying yesterday. She gives me another reserved smile before retreating toward the bathroom. “Will you let him in when you’re dressed?” she asks, as I slip my boxers back on.
    I eye her over. “What are you doing?”
    She combs her fingers through her hair. “I’m going to take a shower. I have sand in my hair from last night.”
    A slow smile spreads across my lips. I know I’ve been kind of intense with her and she’s probably sore as hell, but I can’t help it. As images of her in the shower, the hot water dripping down her body, hair, nipples, appear in my head, I decide I need to take a shower with her. Besides, everything is perfect right now and I want to drag it along for as long as I can before we have to return to real life and our problems. “Yeah, me too.” I stand up from the bed and she pulls a perplexed look from the doorway of the bathroom. She doesn’t get what I’m saying and I don’t expect her too. She’s innocent and sweet and her mind doesn’t instantly wander to the gutter like Daisy’s would.
    I walk toward her, loving that she’s biting her lip. “You look lost,” I say as I reach for her arm.
    Her gaze skims to my chest and for a second I feel self-conscious. “That’s because I am. Do you want to take a shower first? I can wait if you need to?”
    I smile and it’s real, not plastered on. Touching my fingertip to her bottom lip, I bring my other hand up to her bare hip. “I’m saying I’ll take a shower with you.”
    She lets out a startled gasp and I’m worried I’ve pushed her a little too far. Then her cheeks turn pink as her eyes quickly roam over my body and she chews on her bottom lip. She doesn’t say anything when she meets my eyes and I can tell she’s curious.
    “Don’t worry.” I lower my finger from her lip. “It’ll be fun. All soapy and wet and slippery.” Her eyes enlarge as my fingers envelop around her hips and I scoop her up. She lets out a giggle and I smile as I back us into the bathroom.
    “Wait a minute,” she says right as I’m about to kiss her. “We need to let Seth in. He’s going to get upset.”
    Begrudgingly, I walk back to the bedroom door and unlatch the lock. Then I hurry back to the bathroom, still carrying Callie, who keeps giggling every time my fingers touch her stomach. As I’m kicking the bathroom door closed, I call out, “Seth, you can come in.” Then I seal my lips to hers and kiss her until we run out of air. Then we part, breathing ragged, and her fingers are brushing the nape of my neck.
    I glance around, ready to turn the shower on. “Wait, where’s the shower?”
    She points over her shoulder at the corner of the wall that’s framed with a narrow doorway. “I think it’s back there.”
    “That’s not a closet?”
    She shrugs. “I don’t think so. If it is…” Her eyes wander around to the sink, the toilet, and the towel rack. “Then I’m thinking there’s not one.”
    Cupping her ass to hold her weight, I walk around to the doorway and round the corner. There’s a small section that dips back with empty rods and shelves. I veer to the left because it’s the only place to go and the room opens up. There are frosted glass windows on the wall and the ocean is right outside. There’s also a massive oval tub in the corner that is raised up on a rectangular podium that is framed by tile steps.
    Callie frowns. “There’s no shower?” She tries not to smile. “That sucks. I was seriously warming up to the idea of it.”
    I give her a gentle pinch on the back of her leg and she squeals and clutches onto me. I make my way back to the tub without setting her down and turn the faucet on.
    “What are you doing?” she asks, watching the water