Page 75 of From Helsinki with Love
“Sure. Finland only has one member in the club, and a total of thirty players and one coach are members at this moment.”
“Your dad never joined the club?”
He shakes his head before proudly telling me, “Nope. Finland only won its first Olympic gold this year.”
“No way! So basically, you and other players on that winning team are the only ones who can join the club?”
“That’s right,” he nods.
“I’m so proud of you, Jasper.”
Jasper blinks back the moisture in his eyes. Clearing his throat, he whispers, “I would do anything to hear those words again.”
“I bet many have said they’re proud of you, right?”
He shakes his head again, staring into my eyes. “What I meant was that I would do anything to hear those words fromyouagain.”
A sudden warmth spreads throughout my body at his words. The way he looks at me, with such intensity, is exhilarating. I have never been the type of woman who is easily swept off her feet, but Jasper is different. He's charming, funny, and a total badass on the ice. And now, he's looking at me like I’m the only woman in the world.
“Jasper,” I say softly, “I’ll tell you every day, because I’ll mean it every single time.”
He reaches across the table and takes my hand in his. His palm is warm, and his grip is firm, making my heart race. “I want to make you proud, and I want to be the kind of man who deserves your praise.”
I feel a lump form in my throat as I realize how much he means to me. “You deserve everything you want, Jasper.”
There’s a charged silence between us after my words before he speaks, “And so do you, Vivian Isabel Powers. You deserve so much more than I can offer, but I’ll die trying to make your hopes and dreams come true.”
21
I’VE NEVER HAD SEX IN THE ICE HOTEL BEFORE
VIVIAN
After the intimate dinner, we walk to the bar at the all-year-round hotel. In Finnish, Jasper orders us hot chocolates with Minttu, a peppermint liqueur, which is another local specialty. There’s something sexy about a man who can speak more than one language.
When we are about to sit down on a comfy-looking couch next to the fireplace, my phone rings. I dig it out of my pocket and see it’s my mom. I turn to Jasper. “It’s my parents. I’ll be right back.”
Walking to a window nook away from everyone, I answer my phone. “Hi, Mom. Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year, Pumpkin. Let me put you on a speaker, so your dad can talk with us, too," my mom says before I hear a rustling sound.
A moment later, my dad's voice can be heard over the phone. "Happy New Year, my little pumpkin. We just wanted to check in on you and see how your trip is going."
“It’s going well. We're actually in Lapland, just finished dinner, and are having drinks by the fireplace.”
"We? Have you found a friend to travel with?" Mom asks curiously.
I then realize I haven't told them about Jasper yet. I look over at where he is, watching him from a distance, smiling as I admire the man who has shown me the best time ever. "Well, I actually met someone. Someonespecial. He's amazing, and I'm sure you would approve of him."
"That's wonderful news, Pumpkin," my mom says, sounding genuinely happy for me. "Tell us more about him. What's his name? Have you two been doing anything fun together? Snowboarding or skiing?"
"His name is Jasper and his family lives in Helsinki. He plays in the NHL, so no, he didn’t join me on the slopes as he can’t risk an injury during the season."
That catches my dad's interest. "A hockey player, you say?"
"Yes," I say nervously, waiting for him to connect the dots.
There's a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and I can almost hear my parents exchanging glances.
