Page 188 of Out of Bounds

"But I don’t think you wanted to hear that," I said slowly. "Which is confusing tomebecause why thefuckwould you ask?"

Brad didn’t say anything. I didn’t expect him to.

"Unless your looking for another viral moment? Maybe get something good of Ryan losing his temper?” I suggested. “Which—we’rejustgetting past the last viral bullshit. People don’t haggle us at the grocery store anymore. I’d hate to lose out on that.”

He was still silent.

Where’d that arrogance go?

“And here’s the thing,” I continued, my voice dropping low. “My boyfriend is so good at being presentable. Better than me every day of the week. And he works so hard for his team image. But I don’t have to worry about any of that. So I don’t need to stop myself when I ask what the hell are you trying to fuck with him for?"

"We apologize," Noemí tried to say.

"You don’t have anything to apologize for." I smiled at her. "Noemí, you’ve been wonderful. We’ll tag you in everything. We’ll take photos."

Her cheeks flushed pink.

"No, I want an apology but I don’t want it from you." I put my elbow on the table and watched Brad with my head in my hand.

Brad tapped his pencil against the desk and he wet his lips. "I’m sorry."

"You’re sorry, what?" I pressed.

I could feel Ryan’s eyes burning from the side but I couldn’t look at him yet.

"I’m sorry, ma’am," Brad mumbled.

"But you’re not apologizing tome." I finally looked over at Ryan and found a football ball player breathing in slowly, watching me with smoldering eyes. That look alone made me press my thighs together but I kept steadfast and nodded towards him. "You’re apologizing tohim."

"I’m sorry…sir," he finally said.

A grin tugged up on Ryan’s lips and his eyes trailed down my face, landing on my lips. "No harm done."

"Exactly." I beamed and pushed up from the chair, hovering over the red button again. “Want to get this going again?”

"I—uh—need a few—" Brad shoved off his headphones and pushed up from the table, turning back to say a couple of words. "I just need to use the restroom. I—I’ll be right back."

I smiled. "I’m sure you will."

Noemí stared at me while the door closed shut and her mouth slowly dropped for a shocked grin. She mouthed two words.Holy. Shit.

"We’ll actually take the photos," I assured her.

"Can I take five too?" she blurted out, trying not to laugh. "I’m so sorry, the producers are right over there, and I’m going to freak out if I can’t tell anyone about this."

Ryan answered, still gazing down at me. "You’re welcome to take five."

The moment the door closed, Ryan reached over and grabbed both arms of my chair, yanking them around to face him head-on and dragged them forward until our knees were an inch apart.

He tilted his head back, watching me. "Kassie."

"Why are you saying that like you don’t have a boner?"

A pleased sound emitted from the back of his throat. "You can tell."

"Uh—duh," I teased him. "Could practically hear it bulging against the zipper."

"You don’t have to defend me," he repeated and reached out to wrap his fingers through my hair, tightening his hand to a fist. The breath caught in my throat. All those little pinpricks of pleasure shot across my skull. He pulled me back, still gazing down at me. "But it’s so fucking hot when you do."

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