He turns to me, putting his iPad and phone away. “Temppeliaukio Church. It’s one of the most famous churches in Finland. But I’ll keep the reason a surprise.”
“If you mean the one that’s embedded inside rock, then I know about it already. I just had no idea how to pronounce it,” I shrug and hide the playful smile forming on my face with a coffee cup.
Jasper rolls his eyes. “That kinda just ruined my surprise.”
“Well, the Rock Church is only one place, right?”
“True. How much research have you done about Helsinki?”
“Not much, as it was never our plan to stay here,” I tell him. “But I happened to see a post about theTop Five Places to Visit.”
“Which other places were included?”
“The Helsinki Cathedral, the amusement park, some type of a fortress on an island, and I can’t remember the fifth place.”
“We’ll see the cathedral for sure. The amusement park is closed during winter, so we’ll skip it. Let’s see how windy the weather is closer to the sea before we decide if a trip to that sea fortress is worth it today.”
“Don’t people live there?”
He nods. “They do, but I prefer it during the summer.”
“I don’t know if I’ll ever visit Helsinki during the summer, so I want to see it today, if possible.”
“Sure,” he quips and starts scrolling on his phone again, turning away from me.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“No,” is the only answer I get.
I get up from my seat and walk next to him. Jasper turns his attention to me, and I feel my heart beginning to race. His face is downcast, and the sparkle that I love seeing in his eyes is gone.
“Hey, is something upsetting you?” I ask him.
“It’s just that—” He runs his hand over his face. “—I don’t want to think about you not returning to Helsinki ever again. Even it being a possibility makes me upset.”
My heart feels ready to burst at his words, pleasure coursing through my veins at knowing he wants me beyond the holidays. “You want me to travel here with you again?”
“I know it’s wild to say that after only a few days, but yeah, I do.”
“I would like that, too,” I admit, saying the words that make me feel both elated and scared. “You have no idea how much.”
“I have a feeling I do know exactly how much.”
Bending over, I eagerly close the distance between us. Jasper’s breath is hot against my skin as I cup his cheeks in my palms, pressing my lips to his in a soothing kiss. It’s unhurried and sweet, yet filled with the intensity I feel every time our lips touch.
Jasper pulls me toward him, and I climb into his lap. Our bodies are pressed close as our mouths move together in a kiss that is more passionate than any we’ve shared before. He has his hands around my middle, gently caressing my back while I can feel his heart pounding through his white t-shirt. I’m enveloped in his embrace, feeling safe with Jasper.
Eventually, we both pull away, still holding on to one another, looking into each other’s eyes. There are no words said, but I have a feeling that we’re realizing that this is quickly becoming more than a casual holiday fling.
* * *
Hours later, after seeing many more Helsinki landmarks, we’re finally walking toward Senate Square, where the Helsinki Cathedral is located. In photos of the Helsinki skyline, the cathedral is the most prominent building. Like they made sure no other buildings would ever be taller than the grand structure.
The moment I see the building behind the corner, I let out a delighted shriek. “I can see it!”
“Sometimes it amazes me how excited you get over small things.”
“It ain’t that small.”
