Stay

by Emily Evans

  Solved. She should have brought this to her sister sooner; she wouldn’t be here a fraction of that time. Her appetite returned in a rush. “Yes, thanks.” Mia picked up her fork.

  Niko stiffened, his arms tensed around Hope. “I would never take your money.”

  “I told Mia she was dependent on you.” Alexi finished his wine. “I think it’s why she’s going on about the money.”

  “Mia’s sensitive. You have to take better care of her feelings.”

  Alexi raised his eyebrows.

  Hello. Sitting right here.

  Niko nodded. “One of Hope’s paintings is featured in a charity show tomorrow. You know how people can be at those things. Go with us, and help me watch out for Mia.”

  Alexi tensed, looking like he’d rather take back-to-back trips to Greece in coach class than go with them. His gaze fell on her and he nodded.

  Chapter 12

  Mia had been to a million art shows with Hope while growing up. But rather than diving into the evening, she was checking the door for Alexi, who was late.

  And then, there he was. Alexi appeared at the entrance and exchanged a few words with the hostess. He wore a dark suit with an open collar shirt. He had a sophisticated air, unlike any guy at school. It was more than his looks. He was unique, he surprised her, he was fun. His being there made the art pop against the white walls, the bright lights brighter, and the guest chatter quieter.

  He weaved through the crowd, which wore a boatload of black: cocktail dresses, skinny jeans and turtlenecks, yep, turtlenecks in Houston’s heat. He worked his way around several walls that made up the maze of the art display. Mia guessed he was headed to Hope’s section and went that way.

  Hope’s painting hung alone on a large white wall. It was colorful, complex, amazing. Hope stood nearby wearing a blue dress, no paintbrush in her hair, looking gorgeous. Niko wore a dark suit with a tie, very handsome.

  Alexi grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and altered his course toward them. She was almost there. He took a sip and assessed the liquid with a frown.

  “Need a refill?” The woman was heavily made up and thin to the extreme. She leaned against her portly date.

  Alexi walked past without bothering to reply. Two steps later, a waitress stopped him.

  Her pierced tongue licked her lips, and she swung her platinum hair over her shoulder. “Another?” She emphasized the first syllable and then offered a second glass of champagne with a wink.

  He already had a glass.

  Alexi placed his half-empty on the tray and took the offering. The waitress popped a cherry into it and walked off with another wink.

  “So what do you think of this piece?” a nearby woman asked him. She was maybe early thirties, slinky silver dress, attractive. The woman pointed to the nearest wall with a modern abstract. Not Hope’s work.

  Jeez. He was never going to get here.

  Alexi gave the painting a cursory inspection. “It’s crap.”

  The woman gave a throaty laugh and moved closer. “You’re missing the undertones. It’s a symbol of crashing societal norms.”

  It was pretentious garbage.

  Alexi didn’t reply.

  The woman eyed his glass. “What are you drinking?”

  “What country imported this?” He sounded displeased.

  The woman linked her arm into his. “I know a place that serves better.” She met his gaze with a direct stare. She touched his arm.

  Mia was behind them, but almost there.

  Hope hurried over to him. “Alexi. Sorry to interrupt your conversation, glad you made it.” Hope gave him a hug that dislodged the woman’s clinging arm, and kept an arm around him. “Sorry, family business. You’ll need to excuse us.” Hope shook her head at the lady.

  Alexi frowned. Mia paused her progress, hiding in the crowd, to listen.

  Hope looked around. Her face blushed. She bit her lip and didn’t meet his eyes when she spoke. “You’re a lot like Niko. And as you get older, you’ll get more handsome, like he is. So sometimes, people seem like they’re being nice, but they’re not.” She patted his arm and looked at him with wide eyes. “Understand?” Her expression said, please say you understand, I don’t want to explain it to you.

  Alexi shook his head, looking clueless.

  Awesome. Mia covered her mouth. Hope had just said he wasn’t as handsome as Niko, but maybe he’d get there? She bet he’d never heard anything like that before. Her lips quirked.

  Hope blushed harder, and folded her arms across her chest. She looked upward and whispered the rest toward him in a rushed voice. “That woman doesn’t want to talk to you about art. She’s making a pass at you. The British would say she fancies you.”

  Alexi’s expression said, Duh.

  Hope patted his arm again. “Don’t worry about it, it was nothing you did. I’ll tell Niko he needs to watch out more for you. Or we can get Mia to help. That’s it,” Hope sighed, and her posture relaxed. “Mia’s really good at this kind of thing. You know, when it’s awkward.”

  Yeah. She was. She liked to keep the peace, and being on the cheer squad had honed those skills. Her teammates knew drama. Hope looked over to where she’d been standing a few minutes ago. Mia tried to make it look as though she’d just walked up and popped into their circle. Her cinnamon-colored cocktail dress swished around her knees. “Hey guys, what a crowd.” Mia patted Alexi’s lapel. “Look at you, in your European suit.” She took his drink, swallowed some, and then choked a little. Holy alcohol. How’d he get that? “Nasty cherry.” Mia stuck her fingers into his glass, yanked it out, and tossed it onto a passing waiter’s tray.

  “Mia, that woman over there.” Hope darted her eyes to the right then lowered her voice. “By the plant, she’s, um, she…” Her voice dropped off.

  Had that woman said even more than she’d heard? Mia narrowed her eyes at the woman in question. “The one dressed like a disco ball? Did she say something about your painting?” Mia placed a hand on her hip. “No one who dresses like that can say anything about your vision. She must not have had her glasses on when she—”

  “No, that’s not it.” Hope glanced at Alexi and blushed. She bit her lip again and pushed her hair behind her ears. “She—”

  “She wants me.” Alexi took his glass back from Mia and took a sip.

  “Oh.” Hope blushed, and her gaze searched the room.

  “Ah,” Mia said. “I got this.”

  “Okay.” Hope smiled at her, made an uncertain motion with her hand, and scooted away.

  “I got your back,” Mia said. “I had to put off that old goat over there myself.” Mia pointed to a man with a cane who still seemed interested. Old pervert. “At least yours was attractive.” Her eyes focused on his drink, and she hooked her arm though his. “How’d you get the drink?”

  Alexi shrugged with wide, innocent eyes. “The waiter.” He looked in the direction where Hope stood with Niko and then down into her eyes.

  Having that much of his attention made her pulse stop and kick back on double-time.

  “Hope warned me that as I’m almost as handsome as Niko, I could get hit on again.”

  He surprised a small laugh out of her. “That’s actually a huge compliment, because, trust me, no one compares to the perfect Niko.”

  “Am I still the most beautiful in your eyes?” Alexi asked against her ear. His lips brushed her skin.

  Panic. Mia took a step away and dropped his arm. “Only if you find me a drink.”

  Alexi immediately offered her his glass.

  Mia laughed. “Yep, you’re beautiful.” She took a drink.

  Hope and Niko joined them. Hope wore the remnants of a blush. Niko narrowed his eyes at Alexi and gave him a warning look. “Are you two doing okay? Are you watching out for Mia?”

  Alexi nodded.

  “Absolutely,” Mia said. “I was just about to take Alexi to see some sculptures. I saw one turtle-roach hybrid.” She linked her soft arm through his again
. “You gotta see it.”

  He turned toward her with interest on his face.

  “You doing okay with the whole art scene?”

  He stilled. “It’s different. And some of it’s the same. Hope is talented. My stepmother…” He pinched his lips. “She is not. The artists in her circles are not.”

  Mia sensed the thaw toward her sister and squeezed his arm.

  ***

  Tap, tap, tap. Mia rolled over with a groan. “Okay, one minute.”

  Alexi waited for her, stretching out in the game room. Mia liked this part of the morning the best. Look at his legs, those nicely defined muscles. She’d given up being embarrassed whenever he caught her staring. Frankly, she was not the only one who stared, and she guessed he must be used to it. It must be a part of being that beautiful.

  Alexi sat on the carpet and motioned Mia over. She sat cross-legged in front of him. She knew he wanted her to stretch out her legs and brace her tennis shoes against his, but it was early. He could do the work. She leaned back on her palms, sinking them into the deep carpet. Alexi used his hands to uncross her calves, pulled them straight out then propped his tennis shoes against hers.

  She liked the feeling of his hands on her legs as he put them in position. She loved his hands; they were kind of rough and direct. Hot. He reached out to her, and she linked her fingers with his. They were warm. He pulled until she groaned and looked up. Then she pulled back.

  They stretched out and headed downstairs for their jog. They varied their runs, but the path to the lake was her favorite. Peaceful. Those tall white herons. Alone with Alexi.

  Niko caught them on their way through the foyer. “I took a call from Dad.”

  Alexi stiffened. Alexi became especially tense when Niko brought up their father. Did he not want to be in America? Did he resent Niko for forcing their father’s hand by bargaining with a contract? Did he miss England? Greece? She eased open the front door, letting in the damp morning air, letting Niko talk to Alexi in private.

  She wasn’t brave enough to ask Alexi about his dad directly. If he wanted to go back home, she’d have to help him find a way. When he left, it would make Niko sad, which would make Hope sad. She didn’t want to think about how it would make her feel.

  ***

  After her shower, she tried on a new purple V-neck top. The shirt made her cleavage look awesome. Just the look she was going for. She opened her door and entered the recreation room.

  Alexi stretched out a hand toward her, his eyes shiny with intent. “Is that the water bra?”

  Mia pursed her lips and slapped his hand away before it could confirm his theory. It was the water bra, darn it. If she couldn’t get past Alexi in the game room without his staring at her chest, there was no way this top would pass Niko’s modesty standards. Mia grabbed a jacket and zipped it up.

  Alexi looked disappointed.

  At school, the new top worked like a magnet on Quinn.

  “Did you know I’m in a band?” Quinn asked. It wasn’t the worst line and it explained the eyeliner and today’s purple-streaked hair.

  Her top matched the purple streak. “What do you play?” Mia tugged at her waistband. She needed groupie-level cleavage for this encounter.

  Alexi walked over, standing close to her side. “Hey.”

  “Hey,” Mia greeted him.

  “Drums.” Quinn ignored Alexi and continued talking. “I also play football. Do you like football players?”

  “Who doesn’t?”

  “I play soccer, too,” Quinn said.

  “You seem more like the rock band type,” Mia said. “You really play drums?”

  “I play everything, and I sing,” Quinn said. “Have I mentioned my band’s amazing?”

  “No. That’s great to have a gift.” Mia smiled at him. Any other guy would sound like he was trying too hard, but Quinn had charisma.

  ***

  Comfortable with the idea that Hope would cover her expenses, Mia went back to accepting the limo ride to and from school. On the way home, Mia asked the driver to stop by Hope’s art gallery. “Come in with me,” she said to Alexi.

  Alexi scrunched his face, but he got out. She couldn’t tell if he didn’t like that they were going into an art gallery, or if he didn’t like that they were there to obtain a check to pay Niko. She didn’t care. She was getting that money; she was not mooching off his family. Mia squeezed his arm and bounced toward the building. She was thrilled to get this taken care of. While she went to the desk, Alexi walked around the gallery, staring at the paintings. They jumped off the walls, vivid and deep. He crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Do you like them?”

  He shrugged.

  “Barbarian.” Mia slapped his arm with the paper check she had retrieved. Hope’s gallery manager handled electronic transfers, but Hope gave her access to the accounting binder with blank checks.

  They went from the gallery straight home to their recreation room.

  “Why don’t you do my nails, like the first day?” Alexi asked from his half of the couch.

  Mia drew in a breath, surprised, and could think of no excuse. Shifting back against the cushion, she stared at his beautiful hands and blurted out the truth. “You’re too hot, and you’re going to be my relative and you’re going to leave. So, it’s better if I keep my hands off.”

  No. She hadn’t said that aloud.

  From his expression, she had.

  The sentiment was true, but she wanted to slap herself. Mia slid toward the edge of the couch, wanting to leave after that idiocy.

  Alexi reached over and pulled her toward him. He pushed a throw pillow behind his back and tugged until she lay against his shoulder. Mia stiffened, breathed in his cologne, and then relaxed. Alexi lifted one of her hands and played with her fingers. “You’re right. Until Hope and Niko break up, but then…” His words were a whisper of promise. It was a delicious thought that he felt the connection too, but he was wrong. Hope and Niko would stay together. Mia closed her eyes.

  ***

  The crowd at Mia’s lunch table had lessened considerably. While people were still drawn to Alexi’s looks, his lack of tact had thinned the herd. Mia tried restraining him most of the time, but she had to admit she was glad when he told Kristnaldo not to talk to him unless he’d showered. She never would have gotten away with that. But Alexi didn’t care who liked him and who didn’t. He was fascinatingly foreign, and that had some benefits.

  Alexi shook his tray, examined the gelatin dessert’s movement, then looked over at Mia. Why did he insist on buying tray lunches? The food quality wasn’t going to improve.

  Mia poked her finger at the top of Alexi’s lime gelatin, breathing in the fake citrus aroma. “See how it magnifies things?” She shoved her finger deeper into the bright green Jell-O, then pulled it out and waved it at him. Tiny crystals of gelatin clung to her fingertip. She tapped his mouth with it. “Yum.”

  He opened his mouth, and Mia pulled back with a laugh, then tossed him a bagged lunch. She’d asked Cook to prepare two. Alexi dumped the contents out on the table with a pleased smile.

  Willow strolled over and hopped up on the table beside Alexi’s lunch. He frowned and pushed his meal away from her short skirt.

  Lauren rose to leave. She was on the outs with Willow, who had placed her on the back row at practice and told her she wasn’t bringing the energy. “See you guys at the bonfire.”

  Mia waved at Lauren, but watched Alexi. How would he take Willow now that she’d decided to make her move? She’d yet to see a guy resist. Jake hadn’t. She would bet they’d be giving Willow a ride home after school.

  Alexi ignored Willow and turned to face Mia. “That’s on the Americanization plan. We’ll go to the bonfire Lauren mentioned.”

  “Okay.”

  Alexi’s eyes widened a bit and he grinned. He hadn’t truly expected her to agree. She tried to say no rather often, for his own sake, because Alexi got his way far more frequently than was good for him.
She was glad he didn’t realize how seldom she ever wanted to say no.

  “Bonfire’s going to rock,” Willow said. “I’ll show you around.” Extending a hand, she caressed his shoulder. She just put out her hand and touched him.

  He leaned out of her reach. “I’m going with Mia.” He re-bagged his lunch. “What do you think Cook’s making for dinner?” he asked, excluding Willow.

  Willow wasn’t one to be deterred. “Yeah, but Mia’s like your sister. I can show you the good parts. All the good parts.” Willow leaned forward to give him an extensive view of her cleavage. No water bra there.

  Alexi wrinkled his nose. He rose and walked off, carrying his lunch toward the exit. While not Willow’s biggest fan, Mia winced on her behalf. She needed to control Alexi better. Mia got up to follow. She’d give him a lecture. She grabbed his hand instead, entwining her fingers through his and swinging his arm companionably.

  He let her until a member of the teaching staff walked by and directed a pointed look at their hands, and then he relinquished her fingers with a squeeze.

  ***

  The evening darkness was broken only by the stars overhead and the glow of the bonfire. The quiet was broken by Quinn’s guitar, the crackling flames, and murmurs of their friends.

  Lauren’s parents rarely used their lakefront property in the fall, so it made a perfect un-chaperoned spot for parties.

  Alexi sat beside Mia on a fallen log, at the edge of the woods. “In American movies, this is about the point where we’d lose a few kids to some kind of revenge killer.”

  He was such a movie fan, like her. “In the beginning, it’s only the ones who sneak into the woods for some alone time. Have you ever been to a bonfire?”

  “Don’t you know Prometheus? The Greeks invented fire. It was our gift to mankind.”

  Mia groaned.

  Alexi just smiled. He wore the Texans’ T-shirt she’d bought him. The shirt was her favorite, and it was so rare for him dress casually. It was too dark to make out the color, but the short sleeves made his biceps look amazing—hard and smooth.