Page 228 of Out of Bounds

"That’s in two weeks, Ryan," Cleo reminded me, irritable.

"I want it moved up today. Before the zoo opens. Before anyone else gets there. Whatever you want, I’ll do it. Anything."

Hang up the phone. Don’t do this. Go back to bed.

"Anything?" Cleo pressed.

Fucking go back to bed.

Slowly, I nodded. "Anything."

"Even a meeting with the analysts on staying for the rest of your college career?" Cleo pushed and I could hear blankets shifting. "Miles, stay there. I’ll be right back." There was another moment of silence before a door closed. "You’ll do the meeting?"

It wasn’t a declaration that I was staying at Marrs but it was the one thing that Cleo knew she couldn’t have budged me on. I gazed ahead, feeling like the biggest bastard in the world.

"Alright," I answered finally.

While Cleo typed on her phone and the keyboard clacked in the call, my mind whirled. If I kept Kassie moving in the morning, she’d forget about the appointment. If I kept her busy, she wouldn’t remember. It was shitty. It was underhanded. And Kassie didn’t deserve it.

Was this the kind of man that I wanted for her?

"Wait." I lurched forward. "No, never mind. Cancel it."

"Ryan…I already woke them up."

What if Kassie remembers the appointment?

I held my head in my hands and tried to keep the ache out of my voice. "Okay. Yeah. Do it."

The walk back to the bedroom was a slow one. I still had time to change it. I could forget all of this ever happened and never bring it up again but I sat on the edge of the bed and watched her sleeping for a moment, unable to get rid of the single question that brought the insomnia back.

What if Kassie left?

"Hey?" I whispered. Kassie didn’t move. Slowly, I reached over and placed my hand on her cheek, cradling her face. "Baby? Come on, you have to wake up."

"Hm?" She blinked at me, this beautiful, exhausted girl. "Ryan? Is practice today?"

Kassie won’t remember.

It didn’t make me feel any better. Fuck, what would? I reached for her hand and gently kissed her knuckles. "We have to get up."

"Right now?" She yawned and reached for me. "Come cuddle."

That’s what I should’ve done in the first fucking place.

"I have a surprise."

"A surprise?"

You have a phone call today.

"Yeah but we have to get moving."

Stretching, Kassie finally got out of bed and shook herself, trying to wake up. Only in my shirt. Nothing else. And that ass was hard to look away from. She glanced back and caught my eye with a grin. "Morning, handsome. Did you sleep okay?"

The truth slipped out of me. "No."

"Why not?"

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