My tense muscles relax. "Always?"
"Unless someone changed the definition of always so that it means sometimes."
I don't bother with a comeback. There's too much to take in. This place is beautiful, and I'm the first girl Miles has ever brought here. I try not to let it mean anything. My heart thuds against my chest.
I pull my arms over it to keep all the warmth in my body.
Miles slides his arm around my shoulders. "Cold?"
"Yeah."
"Come here." He slides into the backseat, pulling me with him.
His body is close to mine. Inches away. There's just enough light to make out the expression on his face. He looks sad. But I don't know what that means.
He's warm, and he smells good. I need that, need him comforting me.
His fingers skim my chin. He guides me into a kiss. It's soft and sweet, the kind of kiss that should mean I love you. But this one can't.
That's not possible.
I tug at his leather jacket. I need him closer. I need it to mean I love you.
When the kiss breaks, Miles stares into my eyes. "Are you okay?"
I shake my head. He shouldn't ask things like that. He shouldn't act so damn sweet.
"What is it?"
My lungs fail me. My vocal chords fail me. My mouth is sticky and confused. There's no easy way to explain this, but I want to try. "My parents… they erased my sister's existence from the house. It's not right."
"They're trying to cope."
"I know. But that doesn't make it easier."
He runs his hand through my hair. "They care about you. Let them."
I close my eyes. His touch is delicate. His voice is soft. But he's never going to love me and he's better off alone.
I pull back. "Who the hell do you think you are to tell me to let someone care about me?"
He doesn't falter. "Fair enough."
It doesn't bother him. I hate that it doesn't bother him.
His lips skim my neck. Heat surges through me. All I need to do is close my eyes and surrender to his body against mine. It doesn't matter if he'll break my heart later. It doesn't matter that my parents are erasing my sister's existence.
This moment is the only thing that matters.
I lean into his lips. He moves faster, scraping his teeth against my skin, tugging at my cardigan.
"This is all I can offer you," he says.
Every place he touches is on fire, desperate for more of him, whatever he can offer. "I know."
He pulls my sweater over my head. "You've hurt so much. I can't bring myself to add to that."
His eyes find mine. They're dead serious, and there's such a sweetness to his gaze. He does care about me, even if it's only enough not to completely discard me.