Page 193 of Out of Bounds

Red Undereye Paint

I pulled up my hair into a bun and carefully walked around June’s living room, with the paintbrush in my hand, getting a good look at Zariah’s poster, trying to figure out exactly where I could squeeze the Marrs crest on.

June’s boyfriend—June’srealboyfriend—had dropped off sushi a couple of hours ago and June, Zariah, and I had taken advantage of the lack of a football schedule to get Zariah’s posters done for her semester as an RA. They were looking great. After months of sketching out the Romans’ amscot, I was becoming a pro.

"Kass!" Zariah called from the kitchen. "Your phone’s ringing!"

I perked up and stuck my tongue out at June while she giggled from the couch. "Should I ask who it is?"

"Slut number two!"

"Perfection." I hurried to the kitchen, off to my phone buzzing on the counter, with that cute picture of Ryan in his car, with my hand along the side of his jaw. Oomf. He looked good. But he wasn’t calling - he was video chatting. I turned the volume down on the stereo and answered the call.

For a moment, the call blurred for a second before Ryan appeared on my phone screen, half-lidded and grinning down at the phone. With…red paint smeared under his eyes.

"Ryan?" I cocked my head to the side. "What’s up with the paint?"

For a moment, he didn’t say anything. He just sat back in a comfy chair outside and smiled at the camera.

"Ryan?" I repeated and checked the settings. "Did you put mute on?"

"I can’t believe he knows how to call someone," Zariah laughed and her and June hurried over to crowd the call.

"Where are you?" June asked before I could.

"Where’s the guys?" Zariah pressed. "What’s that red stuff below his eyes?"

I frowned. "I don’t know, he hasn’t said anything yet."

"Hey, babygirl," Ryan said with the thickest voice known to mine, the throatiest timber that ever existed, a tone that sent a thrill up my spine and my thighs squeezing together. He tilted his head to the side, smiling down at the camera.

"Are you…?" I blinked.

"I think he’s drunk?" June whispered.

He shifted up in his chair. "I’m at a stop light party." He settled back in his chair, abandoning the previous efforts. "Green is for single…yellow is maybe…red’s taken."

Aww.

I bit back the smile. Ryan wanted to let everyone know he had a girlfriend. Of course he did.

"Did you put that on right before you called Kass?" Zariah pressed and I shoved her out of the frame, trying not to laugh.

"Be nice," I urged. "He’s drunk."

Ryan stood up and for a moment, all the camera was looking at was the worn away porch of someone’s house party. He bobbed in and out of view. Music pulsed from the phone and I could hear the clink of glasses before he emerged with a beer in view.

"I bought you something!" he shouted.

"I thought you’re at a party?"

"It’s not a gift because youneedit," he said, like he didn’t hear me. Which he might not have. Gingerly, he put the phone down on the table in front of him and reached down for his belt buckle, loosening it.

"Uh…" June shot a look my way. "Where’re the guys?"

"Ryan!" I could’ve smacked my forehead. "Wait, Ryan!"

Instead, Ryan propped the cap of the beer against the metal buckle, tightening his hold on the bottle. His muscular arms were in perfect view. Definitely not what I was focusing on. The beer fizzled when the cap flew off, off to who knows where. I stared in disbelief as he slipped the belt back in place and took a swig of the beer.

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