Never Have I Ever
Chapter 21 - Let's Just Forget the World
Book- TRR
Series- Never Have I Ever
Pairings- Bertrand x MC
Chapter Synopsis- Bertrand has a surprise for Riley.
Chapter Warnings- language, drinking, innuendo -but mostly this is a fluffy chapter
Rating - Mature
Word Count- 1,830
A/N - once again, sorry it's been a while since I've posted a chapter. I included a snippet of what happened in chapter 20 to refresh your memory.
A/N 2- submitting for @choicesprompts flufftober event
Song Inspiration - this song is absolutely perfect for this chapter and gives me all the feels. Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol.
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When they arrived back at the estate, it was already dinner time. Riley quickly popped into Max’s bedroom to check on him, and found him sound asleep in bed.
“I’m starving.” Riley sighed as she made her way toward the kitchen, taking a seat beside Bertrand at the bar.
“What would you like to eat? The chef has left for the night, but I can call and have something delivered for you.”
“Anything.. But you pick! I am mentally drained and honestly don’t think I could make another decision tonight if my life depended on it.”
Bertrand opened his mouth to protest, but paused as an idea hit him. “I know just the thing,” he smiled shyly and pulled out his phone.
He was going to have to step way out of his comfort zone for this.
Chapter 21- Let’s Just Forget the World
After half an hour of bustling around the estate, Bertrand was finally ready to let Riley into his room to show her what he had been working on. He paused outside of the closed bedroom door nervously, starting to have second thoughts. “Why don’t we just go out and pick up dinner instead?”
“Nuh-uh. I have got to see what you’ve been up to. Now let me in.. before I make you,” she smirked teasingly, tracing her fingers down the front of his chest.
Bertrand sucked in a sharp breath and a shiver ran down his spine at her touch. There was no way he could say no to her. He had already accepted that fact. “Alright,” he grinned, reluctantly stepping aside.
He slowly swung the door open and Riley gasped, throwing her hand over her mouth. “Bert..” Her eyes began welling up with tears as she stepped toward the sitting area of his bedroom which had been converted into a blanket fort, with pizza, wine, and pillows on the floor. Fairy lights, which she was pretty sure he got from Max, were laid across the top of the blankets, casting a warm glow around the room.
Bertrand watched her face with a mixture of hope and apprehension. He had never done anything so ridiculous or sentimental for anyone before and it was terrifying. “I.. I just thought that-”
Riley immediately engulfed him in a hug, squeezing tightly and burying her face in his chest. She sniffled and when she pulled back she was grinning ear to ear. “You did this?”
“I.. Yes.”
“You, Bertrand Beaumont, made a blanket fort.. for us?”
He felt his cheeks heat up and he opened his mouth, not sure what to say. “If you don’t like it, we can go to a nice restaurant or something!”
“This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me!” She wrapped her arms around him again, squeezing tightly. “I’m so touched that you would share such a special family tradition with me. Thank you.”
He grinned, shocked that she recalled the story he told her about he and Maxwell doing this with their mother when they were young. “You remember?”
“Of course I do! I remember everything you say, Bert.” She laughed at his skeptical smile, “I mean, most things. I’m sorry I can’t remember things like King Leopold’s favorite goldendoodle’s middle name.. but when it comes to you, I remember everything.”
He chuckled as his cheeks pinkened, “You’re just flattering me.”
“I’m not, but I accept your flattery.”
The two sat beside one another under the blanket canopy and Bertrand poured them a glass of wine while Riley placed a slice of pizza on each of their plates. She was absolutely radiating excitement and Bertrand couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.
“What?” She grinned in his direction before taking a sip from her glass.
Bertrand shook his head, chuckling. “Nothing.”
“Are you laughing at me?!”
“I am not. I’m just..I just feel..”
He looked away shyly and she took his hand. “Feel what?”
He met her eyes. “Happy.”
Her heart swelled and she rubbed her thumb across the back of his knuckles. “Me too.”
Bertrand looked up at the blanket draped over their heads, grinning thoughtfully. “This is the silliest thing I have ever done in my entire life, but I cannot imagine anything else I’d rather be doing right now.”
Riley laced her fingers with his and squeezed. “Me too.”
Once they were full of pizza and wine, they lay on their backs in companionable silence. Riley turned to face him. “So what should we do now?”
“Are you ready for bed?” He yawned, “I’m afraid I had a bit too much wine and my eyelids are getting heavy.”
“No way! I have a tipsy Bertrand Beaumont in a blanket fort.. We have to do something fun.”
“Oh?” His mouth went dry as he pictured what type of fun she had in mind.
“Let’s play a game!”
“Oh.” He realized that he sounded way too disappointed, and tried to correct that. “Alright, what did you have in mind?”
She leaned closer and grinned. “What about, never have I ever?”
He gulped, “I uh.. I believe we’ve played that one before.”
Riley rolled onto her back, a light-hearted laugh escaping her. Her eyes traced the intricate pattern and stitching of the quilt that rested over the chair backs, forming the ceiling of their blanket fort. She couldn’t hold back a smile as she continued to gaze straight up, too overcome with emotion to even glance at the man beside her. She could feel his eyes on her and hear his steady breathing, and she closed her eyes, inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne.. Subtle notes of bergamot and sandalwood and the natural pheromones on his skin that both comforted her and drove her wild.
Her heart was bursting from the unbelievable feeling of normalcy, contentment, and utter joy she felt just laying beside him.
“Never have I ever.. Done anything like this before.”
“Like what?” Bertrand asked.
“Blanket forts! Camping on the bedroom floor.. None of that.”
Bertrand smiled, “I suppose you got me there. For once, there’s something I’ve done that you haven't.”
Riley laughed, and Bertrand sat up slightly and took a sip of his wine. He lay back down, thinking for a moment before grinning. “Never have I ever.. received a gift on Valentine’s day.”
Riley’s mouth dropped open. “Never? Not even from a little secret admirer in school or anything? I find that hard to believe.”
“Nope. Go ahead and drink,” he nodded to her glass of wine. “I’m certain you have received loads of Valentine’s gifts.”
Riley took a sip of her wine and shook her head. “I’ve had a few. Not for a while, but..”
“So what were your best and worst Valentine's gifts?”
“Oof, that’s a tough one,” she groaned with a smile. “The worst was probably from a boyfriend I had in highschool. He gave me a bouquet of fake daisies that were missing half of the flowers from the stems. And inside the middle was a jewelry box. But when I opened it, there was just a condom inside.”
Bertrand made a face. “Wow. That is.. quite a presumptuous gesture.”
“One that got him nowhere,” she rolled her eyes. “The best Valentine’s gift was probably when I was in elementary school. This cute little boy with curly hair, Jordan McCall.. He gave me a plastic ring he had won at the arcade and a bunch of wildflowers he picked from his yard.” She turned toward Bertrand with a smile. “It’s the thoughtful things that mean the most, you know? Something that you put your heart into.”
Bertrand smiled at her for a long moment, but feeling like he had been staring too long, he cleared his throat and looked away. “Um, it’s your turn.”
Riley tapped a finger against her lips in thought. “Ok. Never have I ever.. had sex with my brother’s best friend.”
Bertrand’s mouth dropped open and his face flushed bright red. “Riley!”
She couldn’t stop her laughter and handed him his glass. “Drink up!”
He took a sip, unable to meet her eyes while a small smile pulled at his lips. “That was a cheap shot.”
“I came to win!” Riley nudged him and grinned, “Besides, I can’t help it. I love making you blush.”
“I'm glad that my humiliation amuses you.”
She rolled onto her side to face him and put a hand on his arm. “It’s cute. It totally gives me butterflies.”
Bertrand blushed deeper and looked away as butterflies of his own swarmed his insides. He tried to change the subject. “So, I suppose we’re tied.”
“Not for long,” Riley smiled cheekily. “You’re going down, Beaumont.”
“Oh really?”
“Really! Hit me with your best shot.”
Bertrand thought for a moment before a confident smirk alit his face. “I definitely have you now Ms. Brooks. Get ready to take a drink. Never have I ever.. had sex with someone because I felt bad for them.”
Riley met his eyes with confusion and she shook her head. “Never.”
Bertrand arched an eyebrow skeptically. “What do you mean? What about.. You know..” He gestured at himself.
Riley’s heart sank. Had he thought this the entire time? “No, Bertrand. That’s not why I- no, never.”
His mind was racing as he asked, “Then.. why?”
Riley chewed the inside of her cheek, trying not to cross the line they had been tiptoeing toward for the last couple months. Screw it. “Bert, I had sex with you because I wanted to. I wanted you.”
His jaw dropped and he was nearly rendered speechless. “You- really?” Like, you really actually wanted to- not as a lesson, but like- really?”
Now it was Riley's turn to blush for once. She hugged her knees to her chest and smiled shyly. “Yes.”
Bertrand stared straight ahead, mind reeling. The silence between them stretched, neither knowing what to say now.
Riley took a deep breath and reached out, grasping his hand. She looked directly into his eyes as she spoke. “Never have I ever.. told someone that I was in love with them.”
Bertrand released a breath, his eyes searching her face for a few moments. He was certain his heartbeat was loud enough for the entire duchy to hear.
Bertrand rested his hand against her cheek, swiping his thumb gently across her bottom lip. His eyes were full of a deep longing and affection she had never seen from anyone before.
“Riley..” he breathed out softly and pressed his lips against hers, cradling her face with his hands. The kiss was tender, yet passionate and nothing like anything they had ever shared before. He lay her back against the soft pillows and blankets on the floor, relishing in the fact that it was really Riley kissing him. Her perfect, soft, gorgeous lips were actually against his. She had wanted to kiss him as much as he wanted to kiss her, and as unbelievable as that was, it was amazing and perfect. Bertrand was so overcome with emotion, he thought he might burst.
They broke apart after a few moments, and Riley leaned forward giving him one more soft kiss before snuggling up to his side and resting her head on his shoulder. Bertrand wrapped his arm around her, resting his hand against her lower back and tracing soft circles with his fingers. The minutes stretched on as the two lay together on his bedroom floor.
“Riley.. I.. really need to tell you something.” Bertrand murmured softly. When she didn’t respond, he raised his head slightly to look at her. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was slow and steady. She was sound asleep in his arms and everything was right with the world. Heart in his throat, he kissed her head and whispered. “I love you.”












