It all started with a game

Chapter 24

There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment.
~Sarah Dessen

A/N
Above is the couple card for Liam and Sapphire from It All Started with a Deal. Let me know what you think :)

Chapter 24
Ryder's POV
I had a routine when it came to sex, the same routine everytime. Once she finished, I told her to leave and took a shower. I didn't stay for conversation, I didn't try to spare her feelings, I didn't walk her to the door, and I most certainly did not cuddle. I took a shower, and I scrubbed the scent of her off of me, removing her touch inch by inch. And I absolutely didn't sleep with the same person twice, not in the same day, not in the same week, month, lifetime. I didn't do repeats.

Or at least, I used to not do repeats, but so far it's only been one night with Beatrice and I have most certainly repeated, four times. And I was breaking every rule I ever had because I'm cuddling with her, and I'm talking to her and I haven't showered or even felt the need to. I should feel the need to shower, I should feel the need to scrub her smell off of me but I didn't, in fact, I wanted our scents entangled with each other as one. My whole bed smelled like her, citrus and honey, and I never wanted to wash my sheet if it meant getting to fall asleep to the familiarity of her.

She's lying on my bed, completely naked, with only my white flat sheet covering her bottom. The light from the window is casting on her like a halo and she's laughing at something I'd said and my goodness she looks perfect and thag is all I can think about.

Beatrice took a bite of another strawberry, the juice dripping down her chin. She licked it off while I tried to have a little bit of respect and not ogle her but it wasn't working very well. "Is it a turtle?" She guessed, swaying her feet back and forth in the air.

I continued tracing my finger along her back, trying to draw a bear but Beatrice was horrible at this game and hadn't guessed a single one right yet. "Nope."

She propped herself up on one elbow, her body sinking into the mattress. "Is it an elephant?"

"How did you go from turtle to elephant?" I laughed.

"It's not my fault you're terrible at drawing."

"You're just a bad guesser."

She stuck her tongue out at me before setting the bowl of strawberries on the nightstand. "Okay, I give up. My turn." She grinned, sitting up.

I mimicked her prior position, laying facedown on the mattress. She trailed her finger down my bare skin, her nail gently scraping the surface. I shivered at the light sensation, the action cracking Beatrice up as she nearly fell off my mattress in laughter.

"Shut up," I mumbled, burying my face in a pillow.

"Come on, it's cute," she giggled.

The compliment only succeeded in making me more embarrassed. Beatrice continued her drawing, tracing various shapes onto the canvas.

"The beach?" I guessed.

Her nose immediately scrunched as she gave me a dirty look. "No," she lied.

"I told you, you're just a bad guesser," I teased.

"I am a fabulous guesser, I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm going again, you definitely cheated."

Beatrice started her second drawing, sticking her tongue out ever so slightly as she focused on the detail so it would be harder for me to figure out.

It was a crab, but I'd let her have her fun. "An octopus?"

"Ha, no! See, you're horrible at this."