Page 94 of Meant for Mayhem

“If one day that’s sex, okay.” He shrugged. “If it’s pizza and exploring a new city with Leena...” Another shrug. “Whatever you want, it’s yours.”

Before I could think of anything to say, he disappeared into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

A few minutes later, we climbed into bed from opposite sides, careful not to wake Leena in the next room. I rolled onto my side, facing the window while my mind replayed everything that happened today.

But before I could give in to my anxiety, the pillows shifted behind me.

“Can I hold you?”

The question was so quiet I almost wondered if I’d imagined it. Instead of answering, I scooted backward until my back rested against his chest. His arm settled around my waist, warm and steady, and his lips brushed against my temple.

“I’m sorry life has been so hard for you,” he whispered. “But I’m not sorry it led you here.”

My throat tightened. I’d spent my whole life keeping people at an arm’s length, but Mikko Laaksonen was making it dangerously hard to remember why.

Light filtered through the curtains the next morning, pulling me awake. I turned to watch Mikko pull a hoodie on over his Yeti tee, bag ready for morning practice.

“Good morning, rakas.”

“When are you going to tell me what that means?”

His blue eyes glittered with amusement. “Keep doing your Finnish lessons and you’ll figure it out.”

I rolled my eyes, but he only grinned harder as he walked toward the bed.

“I arranged a car service for you and Leena. They’ll take you anywhere you want to go today.”

My eyebrows lifted. “You did?”

“I left the number on the desk.” He reached into his pocket and held out a black credit card.

“What’s this?”

“A card with your name on it.”

I flipped the card over, and sure enough, my name was printed on the back. “What if I spend too much?”

A corner of his mouth lifted. “I don’t think a second Diet Coke will break the bank.”

“But what about twelve Diet Cokes?”

He leaned over the bed, close enough that I caught the clean scent of his aftershave. But instead of kissing me, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Whatever you want. Just spoil my girls today.”

My heart did something profoundly unhelpful at the sound of my girls.

“I’ll do my best.”

“I know you will.”

He smiled again before grabbing his bag on the way out. The door clicked shut behind him, and I looked at the credit card for another long moment before Leena stirred in the other room.

I hopped out of bed, already grinning when I saw Leena standing at the side of her crib for me, arms outstretched.

“Good morning, sweet girl.” I kissed her cheek, then did it again until she giggled around her pacifier.

She loosened her bite enough that I pulled it from her mouth, leaving it in the crib in hopes she’d try to talk more today. Instantly, she started saying, mo, what I took to mean good morning.

Together, we pulled back the curtains, looking down at the bustling city below us. “What do you think? Should we go explore today?”