"So how did you feel sharing the ring with a convict?" AJ asks, giggling as she presses close to Mike in bed that night.

Mike rolls his eyes and hugs her tighter. "It was definitely a challenge," he says. "I was afraid if I said something wrong, he might shank me."

"Or if you looked at Rhea the wrong way," AJ says with a giggle.

"My life flashed before my eyes when I realized we didn't have enough chairs," he sighs.

"Poor baby," AJ murmurs, shifting to straddle him, linking her arms around his neck and kissing him. "Let me make you feel better."

"Well," Mike sighs, staring up at her with a vague smirk. "I guess you can try."

She nuzzles her nose against his and chuckles. "Did you appreciate hearing that Gargano's injury meant Lumis wasn't at the show this week?"

"Actually, yeah," Mike says. "Karma always comes around." He strokes soft circles against her skin, grinning when she leans in to kiss him.

"I should say so," she muses, running her fingers through his hair.

"So how did the kids enjoy their first week of 2023?" he wonders, smiling as she tucks her face into his neck.

"I think they enjoyed it," she says. "There was a little confusing over what a new year meant, and why we couldn't stay in the old year, but I think George kind of gets it now. Sara tried to help explaining to him and only succeeded in confusing me, but we worked through it."

He chuckles. "I wish I was here for that." He sighs and trails his knuckles up and down her spine, enjoying the way she hums and shivers against him.

"Yeah, if the kids weren't so demanding of answers, I'd have recorded it for you, but George was very confused and clingy and I couldn't get to my phone."

"It's ok," Mike murmurs into her hair. "I know you've got your hands full with them both. I wouldn't expect you to make things more complicated by trying to film things for me."

She smiles and pulls away, staring into his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too," he manages to say just before she kisses him, carding her fingers through his hair and holding him in place as she lightly trails light touches down his chest.

She smiles into their kiss as he meets her halfway, squeezing her hand and sighing into her mouth. "While the house is quiet," she murmurs, shifting and pressing kisses along his jaw, down to his chest.

He closes his eyes and breathes, enjoying the feel of her against him. "AJ," he murmurs, exhaling sharply as she guides her way back up and kisses him on the mouth again.

"Now it's time to make our first week of 2023 special," she says, grinning at him as he nods eagerly.

"Yes, let's."

She laughs, then gasps as he grips her and rolls her against the pillows, touching her. She whimpers and sighs, guiding him back in for another kiss. "Love you," she breathes against his lips.

"Love you," he echoes back and she trembles against him as his fingers graze over her, teasing, gentle.

"Oh," she breathes, smiling up at him.

He smiles back at her before easing her up into his arms, kissing her intently.

Later, they're dozing in each other's arms, AJ breathing steadily against his shoulder. Mike drifts between sleeping and watching her, settled and happy.

For the first time in his life, he realized he's relieved to have a little time off, to spend more time with his family. He blinks a few times, brushing the hair out of her eyes, lost in thought.