Stay

by Emily Evans

  It made her shiver. Exciting. Mia leaned forward and placed a kiss on his chest.

  He kissed the side of her neck. Teeth. A bite. Sucking.

  Mia squirmed. Her legs tensed.

  Alexi kissed down her neck to the top of her shoulder, missing no spot. He slid his palms up her back.

  Wow. Enthralling. Yes.

  Greek language sounded through the intercom on the wall.

  Alexi stilled immediately. The sensations still echoed through her though he dropped onto the bed and fell back against the pillows. He threw his arm over his eyes.

  Groaning, she leaned down and whispered urgently in his ear, “No. Ignore it. Niko can just go away.”

  “That’s not Niko. That’s my father; he arrived earlier,” Alexi said in Greek.

  The effect was the proverbial splash of ice-cold water. Mia’s eyes widened, she pulled away, and hopped from the bed, holding her dress up. Here? Where were those voices coming from?

  They must be in the house if they’re using the intercom. Shoes. Shoes. Where were they?

  That’s Alexi’s shirt.

  Mia grabbed it and tossed it to him. Lifting her bra strap back in place, she reached behind herself to zip up the dress but couldn’t get the closure up completely. She struggled and jumped. Ouch. For heaven’s sake. She had zipped up some of her hair.

  How close were the voices?

  She turned around, shoved her hair out of the way as best she could, and looked over her shoulder at him with a plea. “Fix me,” she insisted and walked to the edge of the bed.

  Alexi gently untangled her hair, and placed a kiss in the middle of her back.

  Shiver.

  Then, he pulled up the zipper.

  Mia stepped two feet away from him, then turned back to shove at his shoulders so he’d get off the bed. “Look decent.”

  Alexi slid off and watched her, groaning when she bent over to smooth the top blanket. She smiled at his expression. It wasn’t reverent at all. She liked it a lot.

  “They’re joining us for movie night.”

  “Alexi. Why did you bring me in your room if they were on their way up?”

  “I wasn’t thinking. My mind stopped when you—”

  “Shhh, don’t say it, people will hear.”

  Alexi held out a hand. “Let’s go sit down.”

  She still felt flustered. “I need a jacket.”

  He went to the closet and grabbed a sweatshirt. “You want to wear this?”

  Mia nodded.

  He helped slide it on her and pull her hair out of the neckline. The sweatshirt was too big, but it was warm and modest. It said ready for a cold theater, not a hot night.

  They moved into the recreation room, and shut his door behind them. Good. Everything was in place.

  “When did your father get here?” Mia asked as they grabbed a seat on the couch. She poked through the media folder, preparing to debate tonight’s movie choice. “Let’s just download something.”

  “Late last night. Niko and I were up watching American football. We had to record some of last Thursday’s games. We were busy planning to get you back.”

  “You chose us over football? Forget what I ever said about Americanizing you. You are perfect just as you are,” Mia said, laughing and meaning it.

  She gave him a kiss.

  Chapter 36

  Alexi’s father was tall like both his sons, but with darker hair and dark eyes. Mia was interested in making the right impression, but she wasn’t eager to meet his father. She found his indifference toward Alexi and Niko’s hatred for their stepmom difficult to understand. At least she wasn’t here. Plus, he’d moved Alexi out of a school to send him to Niko as a bargaining chip in a contract. Her parents would never have done any of the above. So, as her parents taught her, she planned to say nothing at all because she already knew she couldn’t say something nice.

  Alexi’s father turned to Niko. “With Hope expecting, you certainly won’t need Sacha around. He’ll need to return to Europe. I spoke with the boarding school.”

  Mia’s hands tightened in her lap, and her insides churned, somewhat sorry she ever learned Greek. Hope crossed her arms over her still flat belly. She must have picked up several Greek words recently, what with being exposed to so much of it.

  “After the wedding in Greece, Sacha can stay in Europe.” Alexi’s father turned to Hope and continued in English. “Will your parents be able to make it to the wedding?” Hope looked perturbed at the question and bit her lip.

  “Hope’s getting married in Texas,” Mia said.

  Hope sent Mia a grateful wink. Alexi sat still and stiff beside her. Mia was startled by the change in his demeanor. It was like when he first had arrived here. She hadn’t realized how much he’d changed until she saw him with his dad. There was no way Alexi was returning to boarding school all alone to become more jaded and less happy. What was his father after? Was there a new contract in the works? Alexi was legally an adult in the U.S. and in Greece. He couldn’t make him go. Right?

  Alexi’s eyes hardened. “I’m staying here if Niko will have me. If not, I was thinking I could rent Hope’s loft, or Mia can help me pick a place.”

  Mia relaxed. He was on the same page. She straightened as the thought hit her—Alexi in his own place. Cool. Parties plus alone time. She grinned.

  Hope shook her head. “Of course, Alexi can stay with us.”

  Mia wrinkled her nose at Hope, and Niko nodded.

  “After Mia and I pick a university, I’ll select a property for us there,” Alexi said.

  Mia didn’t look at him. She’d save her response to that comment until they were in private. As if her parents would let them live together.

  “It’s settled then.” Niko sounded pleased. He glanced at his father, who was shaking his head, and said, “I think the kids are going to watch a zombie movie if you want to stay and join them. Or you could join me for scotch downstairs.” His father rose and followed Hope and Niko from the room.

  Mia relaxed as they left. “It’s not zombie night, but it’s good to know what’ll give us movie night to ourselves. Who’s turn to choose? Mine?”

  He let her choose and only distracted her a little during the movie with his kisses until the credits rolled and he gave her a nice long kiss. “I should take you home now.” Alexi rose then scooped her up.

  Mia kissed his neck, duplicating what he had done to her, using her teeth and her tongue.

  He fell back to the couch.

  She pressed her hand into the leather; it gave beneath her palm. “This is a softer landing than the one you gave me the day we met. The tile in the foyer was hard when you dropped me.”

  “I never dropped you.” He put a hand behind her head to pull her down for a kiss. “I’ll never drop you.”

  Mia smiled against his mouth and then, enjoying the feeling, leaned in closer. The phone clipped to his waist dug into her side. Pulling back, she lifted it up. “Tell me.”

  “I knew you thought you were texting a girl.”

  “I knew you knew, Sacha.” She slapped his arm and put the phone down.

  Alexi grinned, and his eyes glinted. “You have to call me Sacha in a nice voice sometimes, too. You always say it in the mean voice.”

  “Sacha deserves the mean voice.”

  “No, don’t say that. I loved your texts to me. It’s one of my favorite things about you. You were so friendly and willing to help before you’d even met me. Especially when I realized later that you thought you were welcoming a non-showering smoker.” He leaned back and smiled at her.

  Mia put a hand on either side of his face so she could pin him down with her gaze. “I looked forward to your emails. I liked you, Sacha, before I met you. As soon as I saw you, I wanted you. After I got to know you, it became real. It became more. You fascinate me.” She placed a sweet, sincere kiss against his mouth. “Your plans fascinate me too. You’ve made a lot of them for us. This means you’re staying for sure?”

 
; “If you’re here. I’m here.” He looked at her, his confident blue-gray eyes almost vulnerable. “Do you want me to stay?”

  “Always.” She leaned close to whisper in his ear, “I’ll always want you to stay.”

  Book Club Topics/Questions

  It’s difficult being the foreign kid in the room. What are some great ways you’ve seen them welcomed?

  What does it mean to be a Generation Z teen in America?

  Alfred Lord Tennyson said, “'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” The movie Fired Up said, “You gotta risk it to get the biscuit.” Thoughts?

  Note to Readers

  Thanks for reading! You’ve changed my life. I hope you’ll leave a review. I do my best to read them all and value your thoughts. Best regards, Emily

  Emily’s Newsletter Sign Up http://eepurl.com/ccipnv

  Other available books by Emily Evans:

  Stay

  Dancers, Quitters, and Garden Gnomes

  Accidental Billionaire

  The Accidental Movie Star

  The Accidental TV Star

  Accidental Action Star

  Accidental Rock Star

  The Boarding School Experiment

  Prep School Experiment

  Do Over (also in audio)

  The Kissing Deadline (also in audio)

  The Prince with Amnesia

  Whenever

  Epic Escape (audio only)

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks to Editors Tracy Seybold and Ailsa Campbell.

  Thanks to Proofreaders Ailsa Campbell, Brian Gawley wabbles2001@yahoo.com, and Stephanie Diaz.

  Thanks to Michelle, Joellen, Gail, Barbie, Stacy, Teresa, Jennifer, Veronica, Wayne, Brennan, Joseph, Mishann, Megan, Rachel, Darlene, Heather, Jeff, Trevor, Aunt Bettie, all my aunts, uncles, Mom, and Dad.