Alexi slid one hand beneath her hair and kissed her. A sweet, quick brush. He deepened the kiss. He moved her to get closer, and his side hit the steering wheel.
Alexi sighed and let go. “I should have brought the limo.”
He turned the key. She ran her fingertips down his leg, then her nails. His finger ran along the top of her hand. Her nails were a coral color. They sparkled when she reached for the radio, and a pop tune filled the car.
She looked up. They hadn’t left her driveway.
Lifting her distracting hand into his, Alexi placed it on the gearshift and shifted the car into drive.
“How did you say thank you for this? Or did Niko give it to you because you’re letting Hope paint you? Thank you for that, by the way. I know it’s not your thing.”
Alexi kept his gaze on the road. “I picked it up. It seemed like a good idea now that the limo’s a bad idea.”
Mia removed her hand and put it into her lap. “You picked it up?” No one she knew went and picked out their own car.
“Our mother left both Niko and I money, separate from our father’s businesses.”
That sounded like he was well-off. Not like the sibling of someone well-off, or the kid of someone with money. Like he had money. They weren’t in the same place at all. She frowned and felt kind of weird about it.
The car had a smooth ride, odd for something so low to the ground. It covered the distance to Niko’s quickly.
She was just going to put it out there. “You’re rich.” It came out like an accusation.
He pulled into Niko’s driveway. “You knew that.”
“No, I knew your family did okay. That’s Niko, not you. I didn’t know you had money, yourself. Um, I—” Mia looked out the window and put a hand to her hair. She connected so well with him at times, and then there were times when it was as if she didn’t know him at all.
Alexi shut off the car and turned her toward him. “Talk to me, what’s going on?”
“I don’t know.” She pulled away, opened the car door and stepped out.
Alexi took her hand and led her upstairs. The rec room felt familiar, but different, too. He spun her toward him, “I didn’t know that you didn’t know. I wasn’t deceiving you.”
“It’s not that.”
“You are mine,” Alexi said. “You’re necessary to me, necessary to my happiness. I’m yours. The rest doesn’t matter.”
His words crushed the disconnected feeling she’d had and made her melt. “You make me happy, too.”
Alexi touched the bottom curve of her lip, sending heat through her with just a touch. “You’re too tempting, and it’s too frustrating.”
“Too tempting is a good thing.”
“Not when I promised Niko I won’t sleep with you while we’re in high school.” He sounded annoyed with himself.
Mia turned to look him in the eyes. “What?” Three levels of frustration hit her and she shook her head.
“I promised Niko—”
“No, I heard you. I don’t understand. Why does Niko get a say in something that’s between you and me?”
“I knew your decision when I made the promise. You told it to me the night of the bonfire.”
Mia gave him a look filled with her opinion and bit her lip. “I decided to wait until I found someone I wanted with my whole heart, and then even if something happened later, and we broke up, I’d have no regrets.” She caressed the side of his jaw. “Without doubt. I had no intention of waiting when I chose you.”
Alexi stood and ran a hand through his hair. “Mia.” He continued with something in Greek she couldn’t quite catch.
She wrapped her arms around his waist. “It’s your decision as much as mine, and I respect it.”