Out of Bounds | Book 3 in USC series

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟖.

She looked beautiful, even with the pimple cream drying on a few of her pimples, her hair in a messy bun, and the glasses that keep falling down her face. My cute little nerd.

Jora turned towards the screen again, shaking her head softly to herself. " You are right, I'm sorry," she apologizes softly. Something rags on her as she swallows, conflicted with whether she should say what was on her mind.

" I'm just scared, okay." There it was.

I was scared too. Sacred of fucking up again, making the same mistake and losing her for good.

Dropping my head, I shake away the thoughts, not
allowing myself to ponder on the negative and the past and focus on our future.

" I see that you are trying and I appreciate your efforts. It's just hard." Satisfaction courses throughout my body at her words, my efforts weren't going unnoticed and that's all that matters.

This was hard though. Extremely hard and overcoming this obstacle wouldn't be easy. Hell, bench pressing three seventy-five was easier than this.

Hanging my head, I feel my muscles strain in my arms as a result of gripping the countertop so hard. " I'm sorry, Cat," I apologize, and I would continue to apologize if that's what she wanted.

Jora stared at me through the screen, smiling softly until we were interrupted by an eavesdropping, annoyingly happy at nearly— you know what it didn't matter what time it was, they were just annoying.

That sounded bitter— okay, I was bitter.

And Jora was eating that shit up for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as she teases me along with our best friends for not getting any of her goodies. " You are just upset that I am not giving you any," she rubs in the three months of celibacy that she'd sworn me too. " Don't be a hater."

I wouldn't be a hater if I was getting some.

But it didn't matter because once these three months were up, I was going to give her pure hell. She was going to have to beg me to stop.

The thought that Jora wasn't getting any either made me feel better once the thought popped in the back of my mind.  " I'm not hating," I say rather unconvincingly, I realize.

Dominic chuckles which is soon followed by the sounds of kissing and I roll my eyes— they were so inconsiderate of my current predicament. Some friends they are.

" You are, baby." Suddenly my frown is turned upside down at Jora's choice of endearment. " And that's okay."

I was taking it, even if it was in the form of teasing.

Leaving the two sappy and happy love birds in the kitchen. I turned down the hallway and entered my room. The sun was shining brightly through my window. Thankfully it wasn't burning me due to the protective tint over the glass as I stood in front of it, soaking up the morning view.

Sure it wouldn't be much of a view when San Francisco goes through that foggy phase. We were on the highest floor, which meant that we were practically in the fog. The view of the Golden Gate bridge made up for it.

" Helloooo!" Jora calls out.

" Did you forget about me?"

Looking down at my phone screen, I smiled. " Of course not, Cat. Just admiring my view."

She smirks and I can already sense the remark before she says it. " I'm down here, not out there," she says something along the lines of what I was thinking.

"  Hey," I pointed at my screen as she scrunched her nose up cutely, " I said a view, not the prettiest view," I emphasized as she playfully swooned, eyes twinkling,