Page 225 of Out of Bounds

"She didn’t mean that," one of her friends lied. "She’s just drunk."

"You know what?" I shoved my hands in my pockets, watching this drunk girl up on the counter that had no idea what she was in for.

Amelia jutted her chin. "What?"

"I bet you’re the sweetest girl in the whole world when you’re not drinking.”

She stared at me for a moment and glanced back at her friends.

“I bet you’re so caring and so nice,” I continued. “And I can tell you that there are atonof football players that love that shit."

Her eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"And you’re right. I can be a meanbitch."

Zariah tried to take my arm but I shook her off.

"I can be the meanest fucking bitch you know," I stated plainly. "And Ryan Crosslooovesmean bitches. I could go to him right now and get you kicked out of this party. All yourfriends, banned from everything football for the rest of their college existences. I could tell him about your benchwarmer brother and there’d be hell to pay." I took a deep breath. "And you knowwhat?He’d be the happiest man in the world doing that for me." I went back to the table and picked up the beers again. "But I’m not going to do that."

There were audible sighs of relief from her friends but Amelia was silent.

"Ryan gets thirty seconds of free time a week and I’m not wasting it on something this stupid,” I said. “I don’t care about arguing anymore. Argue with yourselves. I’m not wasting the energy."

With that, I walked back to our table, beers in hand, and Zariah hurried up to me.

"Wow, Kass," she whispered.

I just shrugged it off and dropped off the beers in the middle of a hot debate between my friends. I tossed King a beer and passed around the rest of them before Ryan looped his finger through my jeans loop.

"Hey, art girl."

“Water bottle for you.” I smiled. “And a lemonade we can split. Half the sugar.”

His eyes lit up and he tugged me closer.

My heart beat in my chest. God, he was so good to look at. And with that pleased grin on his face, not the usual, exhausted one, When I took my seat, he pulled my chair to him.

"What’re we arguing about?" I asked, resting my head on Ryan’s arm.

Adam put down another card. "I’m giving them the cold, hard truth. This friend group isn’t going to last after college."

"He’s being negative for no reason," June retorted, carefully placing a card in the middle of the table.

"It’s not negative, it’srealistic."

"What are you going to do with the thousands of kids you’ll have?" Zariah pointed out, opening her beer. "It’d be easier if you just dropped them off at Kassie and Ryan’s place."

"Thousands of kids? Is that a joke?" Adam demanded and I burst into laughter. His mouth fell open. "Fuck no, I’m not having kids."

I smirked. “One hole poked in a condom…”

"He’s never wanted kids," Ryan confirmed.

"Nobody’s taking child support checks from me." Adam picked up a wild card. "Confirmed bachelor for life."

Everybody started talking again and I snuggled against Ryan, putting down another card on the pile. He was so warm. Gently, he kissed my hair, and my pulse raced again, all for him.

"Ryan?" I asked, my voice low.

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