Page 112 of Beautiful Secrets

She hesitates, then complies.

We leave the bed-and-breakfast behind and get onto the freeway. I check the console every few minutes. Thirty minutes later, I realize I’m not going to make it unless I go over the speed limit.

If Mika notices, she doesn’t say anything.

In fact, none of us says a word until we pass a big advertisement on the side of the road. Mika watches it go by, and then shifts in her seat, throwing me a wary look.

“What are you doing?” she demands.

I don’t answer. Couldn’t, even if I wanted. The closer we get, the tighter my chest becomes.

When the airport’s sign flashes past, Mika twists in her seat. “Cole—”

“Quiet.”

Her mouth falls open.

“There’s no time for me to pull you over my knee, rabbit, so best you close that pretty mouth of yours.”

Her lips seal. Her face crumples. But she keeps quiet.

Until we’re at the airport’s boarding gate and they announce her flight, which we only barely bought a ticket in time for. Thankfully, no one hassled us—despite the fact Mika was flying to Russia with no carry-on while dressed in yoga pants and a dark tee.

“You know where you’re going?” I ask as I press the ticket into her hand.

She nods, and the motion sets free the tears that had been brimming in her eyes the last half-hour. “Cole…”

“Nah, nah.” I swipe a tear off her face with my thumb. “We don’t know each other long enough for these kinds of theatrics.”

But that just makes her lips tremble.

And who the fuck can resist something so tempting?

Not me.

I’d have to be mad to pass up one last kiss.

Huh. I guess the treatment worked.

I duck my head, slide a hand behind her neck, and kiss her. When I taste salt on her lips, I pull back. “Mika. Mika!”

Her eyes fly open. “What?” she snaps.

“This is what you wanted. Why the fuck are you crying?”

She scowls at me. “Because I will miss you, idiot.”

“Me?” I shrug. “You’ll forget about me the minute you set foot in Moscow.”

Mika shakes her head. “But I do not want to.”

“We all have to do things we don’t want to. Part of life, I’m afraid.”

“But, Cole—”

“You’re gonna miss your flight.” I take my wallet out of my suit jacket, and then slip it over her shoulders. “I left a card in there. Use it for whatever—clothes, food, accommodation.”

She frowns, hard. “Why are you doing this?”