"I have an idea. Let's do something," Ryker drawled as he tapped his foot on the ground while sitting on the couch in my living room.

I rolled my eyes, "Do what?"

He leaned forward so his elbows rested on his knees and he looked at me from where I was sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace.

"Let's have a staring contest. Whoever blinks first loses," he said.

I raised my eyebrows, "Seriously?"

He nodded, black hair falling in his eyes, "Since when do you back out of challenges?"

Ugh, he was right and knew just the thing to say to make me comply.

"Fine," I mumbled, "but beware; I am a master at this."

He smirked. "Sure. If you win, I'll wear a t-shirt to school tomorrow with a bandana around my head so everyone will see the 'tattoos'," he used finger quotes around that, "but if you lose, I get to give you a tattoo and you have to display it."

"Deal," I said and got up to shake his hand.

Ryker's large hand engulfed my small one and we shook, never breaking eye contact. He patted the spot next to him on the couch and said, "Sit down."

I sat down next to him and we turned to face each other, both of us sitting criss-crossed applesauce.

"Close your eyes. On the count of three, open your eyes and the contest will begin," he said.

I started to get giddy thinking about how I was going to win. Xander and I always had staring contests and I never lost. I've even played against my mom and beat her every single time. This would be no different. Ryker was in for a surprise if he thought he could seriously beat me.

I smiled when I realized that he would have to let his tattoos be out in the open tomorrow at school.

"One."

I shut my eyes.

"Two."

I took a deep breath.

"Three."

My eyes snapped open and locked on intense blue ones. I smirked, waiting for his eyes to blink. A few seconds went by and my eyes started to burn. I could deal with the pain a little longer if I had to.

More seconds ticked by and Ryker still looked relaxed and content. His eyes didn't seem to be bothering him at all. Mine stung a little, but I could keep going for a while. By now, Xander and my mom would have lost, blinking their eyes.

I wasn't worried yet, it's only been like twenty seconds so I knew I could keep my eyes open.

Suddenly, Ryker dropped his face, leaning close to mine. I forgot about the contest as I sucked in a breath. Ryker smirked and tilted his head, lowering his lips towards mine.

I slammed my eyes shut and waited for the inevitable kiss. I felt Ryker's lip piercing graze across my bottom lip as his mouth moved against mine.

"You lose," he breathed.

My eyes flew open and landed on Ryker who was leaning back against the arm rest with his arms crossed behind his head. His long sleeved shirt rode up, exposing his six pack again. I dragged my gaze back up to his smirking face.

I jumped up, standing on the couch so I was towering over him. I jabbed my finger down so I was pointing at him and yelled, "You cheated!"

"No I didn't. You shut your eyes all on your own. I didn't," he said nonchalantly.

"B-But-"

"No buts."

My face ignited on fire as I said, "You can't do that. You sabotaged me!"

He shrugged. "There were no rules. I won fair and square."

Then he reached in his pocket and pulled out a marker. His legs unfolded underneath him. Before I could move out of the way, one of his legs swept out, right into my legs. I was knocked off my feet and fell. There was no time for me to react and try to catch myself.

A tattooed arm flashed out, wrapping around my waist. I was yanked against something hard and sturdy.

Ryker's jean clad legs stretched out on either side of my legs as his arm laid across my stomach. My back was pressed against his chest. I scrambled to get away from him, but his other arm wrapped around me as well. I was trapped sitting in his lap.

"Sit still," he bit out.

I stopped squirming at his tone. Goosebumps spread down my arms as his breath blew my hair.

He removed one arm to uncap the marker. He shifted to allow room between his head and me so he could use his teeth to uncap the marker. Then he took my arm that didn't have a cast on it, and stretched it out. He laid it against his leg as he rested his head on my shoulder. His hair tickled my nose and I sneezed.

"Shit," Ryker cursed, wiping his face with the hand holding the marker.

I smirked.

My smile immediately fled as Ryker put his chin back down on shoulder and pressed the tip of the marker to the inside of my wrist. I couldn't see what he was drawing because his arm and huge hand were pressed right up against mine, blocking the view of my wrist.

I sat still for what seemed like forever. The muscles in his forearm clenched in the tight shirt against my arm as his hand skillfully painted something on my skin.

He shoved his hands under my armpits, plucking me off the couch. He stood up and dropped me back down on the couch where he had just been sitting. I shivered with the sudden absence of his warmth.

"Done," he said, going into the kitchen.

I stretched my arm out in front of me and gaped.

Across my wrist in neat, black calligraphy, Ryker had written one word.

Mine.

And coming off the tail of the "e" was a very detailed feather. It was as if his hand has drawn the feather thousands of times before.

I traced the feather with a delicate finger. Then I slapped my hand over the entire tattoo. I couldn't let anyone see it. I leaped off the couch, running into the kitchen where Ryker had just gone.

I found him looking through the contents of my fridge. He was so tall that his head, as well as his neck, were visible above the open door.

I gasped as I stared at his neck. The feather tattooed on his neck looked exactly like the one on my wrist.

"What kind of trick are you trying to pull?" I demanded from the doorway, putting my hands on my hips.

Ryker slowly shut the fridge after grabbing an apple. He tossed it in the air multiple times before taking a bite. He chewed, staring right at me, and swallowed.

"You lost. The deal was that if you lost, I'd give you a tattoo, and that's what I did," he said, taking another bite of the apple.

"That's not what I meant," I growled.

He swallowed again and quirked an eyebrow. I took that as my invitation to continue.

"Why did you write this?" I said, lifting up my wrist for him to see. I pointed at the word and waited for him to explain.

"You're a smart girl, I think you can figure it out."

I gawked at him. Then I strode over to him with a determined look on my face. I snatched the apple out of his hand, taking a huge bite out of it. His eyes narrowed.

"Don't test me," he said, voice dropping several degrees.

I took another bite from his apple and chucked it in the garbage can over my shoulder. I honestly didn't think I was going to make the shot, but I did it anyway. When the garbage can echoed behind me with the sound of something clunking to the base of it, I smiled in satisfaction.

Score one for Eve.

"You asked for it," Ryker warned, blue eyes flashing. My heart dropped into my stomach at his words.

Great.

~*~*~*~

Hey guys! Short chapter again. Make sure to vote and leave a comment about how you think my story is. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it! :)