Until Mia (Until Series #1)

Chapter Thirteen

     Casual.
     That was all Drew said in his text about our date for tonight. Casual could've meant a lot of things for a first date. It could mean bowling, movies, or the park.
     As far as a text goes, that had to be the vaguest one I've ever received.
     But still, I found myself dressed and ready for tonight.
     The doorbell rings and I open the door to see Drew waiting for me on the other side.
     "Hey, beautiful." He greets me with a wide smile that touches his eyes before he's pulling me into a hug.
     "Hi." I grin, from ear to ear as I wrap my arms around him and lose myself into his embrace. I bury my face in his neck and inhale his vanilla scent.
     "You look beautiful," Drew tells me when he pulls away, his hands still remains on my hips.
     I must have changed over a dozen times before finally deciding on a floral print cardigan over a burgundy tank top, a pair of dark skinny jeans, and brown ankle boots. I straightened my hair and wore more than just foundation when it came to my makeup.
     "Thank you." I smile. "You clean up pretty nicely yourself," I tell him, doing my own appraisal of his look tonight.
     Tonight he wore a soft white sweatshirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, light-washed jeans, and his signature gold Timberland boots.
     "Thank you." I smile even wider when I see the pinkish color that tints his cheeks at my compliment.      "Are you ready to go?"
     "Yeah." Drew takes a step back when I take a step forward to pull the door shut behind me. I expect him to turn and head for the stairs so we can leave but he doesn't move.
     With the door pressed against my back and Drew pressed against my front, there isn't much room to move. I peek up at Drew from underneath my lashes to see him staring at me intensely.
     "There's just something I need to do before we go."  And I know he's going to kiss me before his mouth crashes against mines.
     The moment our lips touch nothing else seem to matter. Not Celine, not the fact that I owed him fifteen hundred dollars, nothing. The only thing that mattered and the only thing that I was able to focus on was Drew.
     Everything about him appealed to my senses. The way he smelled, always like Vanilla and something expensive. The warmth of his body pressed against the length of mine as he molded our bodies together. And his lips, soft and warm as he worked to get a response from me.
     Not that he has to work hard. I instantly part my lips and his tongue enters with a delicious sweep. The moment my tongue meets his, a low moan escapes from my mouth and Drew presses his body even closer to mines and I deepen the kiss.
     I didn't know I was capable of this much passion. But I am and Drew seems to be the only one who can draw it out.
     I don't protest when he lifts me up and presses me against the door. He guides my legs around his waist and I wrap my arms around his neck. The kiss goes on and on until I hear dragged footsteps getting louder and louder until Drew pulls back.
     My eyes flutter open just in time to see one of my neighbors, an elderly woman who lives a few doors down now hurriedly passing by, shaking her head in the process as she tries not to stare at Drew and I.
     Reality crashes in and I realize that Drew and I are not alone but outside for the whole neighborhood to see. I slit my gaze over to Drew who is watching me with hooded eyes and panting out of breath.
"Now we can go." Drew takes a step back and I unwrap my legs from his waist and Drew sets me back on my feet.
At some point, we arrive back at his house and he leads us through the front door. Drew continues to pull me behind him until we're in the living room which takes my breath away.
There are tiny candles lit and scattered around along with red and white rose petals. The fireplace is lit and in the center of the room is a blanket with a set up of food and champagne glasses.
"What is all of this?" I ask when I'm finally able to find my voice.
"I thought you could use a nice night indoors after everything that happened this morning."
I look around again, trying to remember the last time someone did something as romantic as this for me. It's not that hard to remember.
The answer is never.
I turn back to Drew and smile softly. "This is perfect."
"Yeah?" He raises an eyebrow, seemingly unsure.
"Yes." I nod my head.
He grins even wider and I can't help but smile at the wrinkles that form around his eyes when he does. Drew motions for me to have a seat on the red blanket he laid down so I do and he gracefully sits next to me, one leg laid out in front of him while the other was propped up. I gratefully accept the glass of iced tea he hands me.
"Here's to a nice night indoors." Drew raises his glass and I raise mines before clicking it together then take a sip of my ice tea.
"Can I ask why we're drinking ice tea and water with a set up like this?" I wasn't complaining but this whole décor seemed to be missing a bottle of champagne or wine or something else with alcohol.
"I noticed that you didn't drink anything at my party and how you looked when you saw how hungover I was the next morning and I realized that you don't drink. Not because you're not old enough but because you're scared of becoming addicted like your mom."
I didn't know what to say. He was spot on. I didn't drink because of Celine.
I've seen what alcohol does to people and how it destroys lives. What if I inherit that trait from Celine? What if I took one sip of something and decided I like it.
Would I be able to drink socially or will I have found my addiction?
I didn't want to find out.
All throughout high school, people thought I was lame and boring when they offered me a drink and I turned them down.
They made their own assumption as to why I wasn't being like every other teenager in the world, trying to sneak in a drink whenever I could.
They never thought it was because I've seen the ugliness that was alcohol or that it destroyed my family.
But Drew had figured it out and if I had any doubts in my mind as to why I was falling in love with him, they were gone now.
"You know no one's ever made that assumption before? They just thought I was boring." I admit.
"Well I just want you to know that I get it and tonight I'm not drinking either."
"You don't have to do that because of me."
"I want to."
If my heart swelled anymore I was sure it was going to burst.
"You're perfect."
Drew laughs. A full on laugh that causes his head to go back and it's the most beautiful sight I've seen since walking into the living room. "I'm not, but I'm happy you don't realize that yet. I actually want to ask you something." Drew says after taking a bite of his breadstick. He had made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and I realized he knew about my obsession with pasta.
"What is it?" I ask as I take another sip of my drink, my eyes watching him cautiously.
"I have a back to school performance I'm doing down at the beach in two weeks and I want you there with me."
My heart beat sped up. Attending his birthday party was one thing but an event where there would no doubt be cameras and thousands of people? I wasn't sure I could handle that.
"I don't know..." I admit, letting the rest of my sentence trail on.
"Mia, please? I want to be able to look out into the crowd and see you there."
I tear my gaze away from his pleading eyes. One more second and I was ready to give him anything he wanted. "There's going to be cameras, your fans and paparazzi."
"You can stick with me the entire time. I promise I won't leave you alone until it's time for me to go on stage and you don't have to talk to anyone. Ignore the paparazzi- I do and my fans are cool." He tries again.
"Yeah until they see you with someone with breast." I remember the death threat Layla yelled at a magazine article one time that had a picture of Drew with a girl.
"I got to admit those are some pretty nice breasts." He shocks me by saying and I smack him playfully in response. He clutches his arm as if he was hurt but he's laughing so I know I didn't do any serious damage.
"I can't believe you said that." My mouth is still opened in amusement.
He chuckles once before taking my hand. "Please come. I need you there."
All my reservation vanished. "Okay."
Drew leans over and gives me a quick peck on the lips.
It's over too soon and I want more.
"Are you still hungry?" He asks, his tone takes on a seductive one.
"Not for food." And that's all I have to say before Drew is cupping my face in his hands, kissing me, devouring my lips as if I was the perfect desert after the perfect dinner.