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.
***