Beneath the Ice Ch. 04

"Charlotte, look at me." Alexei's strong hands landed on her shoulders and turned her, tugging gently on her wrists until she lifted her face. "I'm sorry if I went too far. We don't have to plan anything for Zoe's birthday. Or mine. Or yours."

"That's not it."

Alexei blew out a breath and drew her into his arms, hugging her tight. "Then what? Do you want to spend Thanksgiving with Sarah?"

"No. I mean, yes, I've always done that, but that's not it."

"Then what?"

Charlotte sighed and pressed her hands to his chest until she could look him in the face. "I just-- don't you think this is moving a little fast?"

"Is it?" He lifted one shoulder and shook his head. "I don't think so. I want to be with you."

Her heart skipped a beat and Charlotte bit her lip. At her continued silence, Alexei sighed and ran his hand over her head, smoothing the loose waves from her face.

"We can take a step back, if you want."

"What?" Charlotte gaped at him. "You want to break up with me now?"

He chuckled and tugged her against his chest. "Of course not. But you are obviously concerned about things and I don't want to push you. We can spend more time together, or less. Whatever you're comfortable with."

"I don't want to spend less time together." As she said the words, she realized how true they were. Why she'd freaked out a minute ago, she didn't know. Letting out a shaky breath, she put her arms around his middle and squeezed. As much as she could, anyway. The man was a slab of marble. All the muscles... she recalled how he'd looked that one day in the hall, and she could touch him now. Him and all his muscles.

"Okay. We will spend more time together then." He dropped a kiss on her head and took a step back. "But I won't mention birthdays again, I promise."

She smiled. "Well, we'll have to talk about Zoe's at least. Your idea was good but we can't have a party like that here. There's not enough space."

Alexei nodded. "You're right. We'll figure something out." Another quick kiss and he released her, heading for the door. "I'll see you in the morning, yes?"

"You-- you're leaving?"

He looked up from slipping his shoes on and cocked a dark eyebrow at her. "Shouldn't I? It's late."

"Well, yes. It is late, I suppose." She glanced at the clock over the stove and back at Alexei as he straightened.

"Do you want me to stay? We haven't talked about that before."

Charlotte's cheeks flamed and there wasn't a thing she could do about it. Letting out a breath, she moved closer to him. "No, we haven't, but I would be okay with it. If you wanted to. Sometimes."

"Sometimes." He reached out for her hands, drawing them up to his lips. All the while, he kept his gaze on her face, barely banked fire glowing in his golden-brown eyes. "I'm sorry I left last night."

Charlotte looked, unable to keep from remembering every moment in her bed before she'd fallen asleep. "I understand why you did. I think, um, I think Zoe would be fine if you stayed though. Sometimes."

"Sometimes." Alexei tugged until she was in the circle of his arms, his hard chest under her cheek. "She is used to seeing me every morning already."

"Yes. She is."

They stood like that for a few minutes, not speaking. Charlotte's body started to relax, from her shoulders to her feet.

"I will stay, sometimes." Alexei lifted her chin with one hand and brushed his lips over hers. "But not tonight."

Charlotte was okay with that. She was exhausted after their talk tonight anyway, and her emotions had bounced around a lot in the past hour. Besides, she told herself, if Alexei was planning things for her birthday next year, they were obviously in no rush. Never mind how much she wanted everything this heat between them promised.

"Good night, Alexei."

He kissed her, long and slow, teasing her lips, and giving her bottom lip a gentle bite before he drew away.

"Good night, lyubov."

One more quick, hard kiss, and he was gone.

─────

Alexei: I forgot to ask this morning, do you have plans on Monday?

Charlotte: The usual, sleeping in, grocery shopping, laundry... why? You want a piece of this glamorous life?

Alexei: Always, but I'm wondering if you'd like tickets to the game that night. For you and Zoe. And Sarah or another friend if you want.

Charlotte: Really? I think Zoe would love that. I'll check with Sarah. Can I get back to you later?

Alexei: Of course.

Charlotte: Thank you, Alexei.

─────

Sarah was busy on Monday but Zoe was beyond excited to go to Alexei's game. Even more when they made their way to the ice level seats. Zoe stared around them with her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. To be fair, Charlotte was a bit in awe as well. She'd attended sporting events over the years, high school football, the occasional baseball game or anything else when tickets came up. She had been to one or two hockey games as well, though they'd always been the less expensive seats, never this.

"Here we are, munchkin." Charlotte patted her daughter's head, turning Zoe towards their seats.

Zoe clambered up into hers and faced the ice, resting on her knees. Charlotte reached over and unzipped Zoe's jacket, pulling it off while Zoe continued to take in the sights. She exclaimed at the lights, the banners hanging overhead, and the video playing on the giant screen hanging over center ice.

"Where's Grumpy? I can't see him, Mommy."

Charlotte chuckled and patted Zoe on the back. "None of the players are out on the ice yet, sweetie. I'm sure he'll come say 'hello' when they're ready."

Alexei hadn't said anything about it, but Charlotte suspected he'd chosen these seats for them because they were so visible. So long as the Blackhawks were playing at this end of the ice, anyway.

Even as she made herself comfortable, Charlotte looked up to find the players from both teams filing out onto the ice in front of them.

"There, Zoe. Look."

Zoe was on her feet a second later, hands and face pressed right up to the plexiglass separating them from the ice. "I can't see him, Mommy."

Charlotte grinned and tugged her phone out to take some pictures. Zoe's first game was a milestone, for sure. As she did that, the players started to circle the ice in front of them. Several swooped past without a second glance, then Alexei's big form approached, a rare grin on his face.

"Grumpy!" Zoe screeched and pounded on the glass.

He slid to a stop before Zoe and pressed his fist to the glass. She grinned and 'bumped' her fist back against his.

"Do you like your seats?" His voice was muffled through the glass and with the noise of the crowd around them.

"They're awesome! I can see everything!"

"I have to go warm up but I'll come see you before I go, okay?"

Zoe nodded and waved as he shifted back on his skates. He glanced over at Charlotte and gave her a look. He said nothing, didn't wink or anything, but Charlotte's skin warmed from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. As he skated away, she let out a shaky breath.

"Yay!" Zoe hollered and pounded on the glass a bit more, making a few of the surrounding fans laugh.

Charlotte sighed and tugged on her daughter's arm. "Come on, sweetie. Sit back down. You can get up again when Alexei comes back."

Zoe wriggled back into her seat without protest and watched as the players skated more laps, stretched, and started some puck handling. She stayed on her knees the whole time, her little hands clenched hard around the seat armrests and her eyes wide as she took everything in. Several of the other players waved as they came by and Zoe waved back. Charlotte shook her head with a smile and took more pictures, happy to have a fun night out for once.

Alexei did return as promised before all the players left the ice following their warm-ups. Zoe jumped back to the ground and smacked her hands on the glass.

"You're the best player ever!"

Alexei laughed, the sound carrying, and warming Charlotte's heart through-and-through. "You think so?"

"Yes!"

"The game hasn't even started yet. Just wait and see, you might change your mind."

Zoe scowled and shook her head, her braid swinging behind her. "No. Only you, Grumpy."

He bent low, his smile still there on his face. "I won't be able to say 'hi' during the game, okay?"

She nodded, her expression solemn. "Can I still cheer loud?"

Those nearby that could hear the conversation laughed, making Charlotte blush but Zoe was in her own little world with her Grumpy.

"You'd better. I'll still hear you, zaya."

Zoe nodded and offered her little fists up against the glass again. He bumped them, then his gaze shifted as he did the same for the other fans lined up along the glass. He skated back, waving and smiling at a few more people in the lower crowd, and before he turned away, his eyes landed on Charlotte.

Again, he gave her a look, but it was enough. Anything more and she could not be held responsible for her actions. As it was, she bit her lip and sat on her hands to keep from trying to scale the glass divider.

He drifted across the ice with the last of his straggling teammates and they all disappeared down the tunnel.

Zoe climbed back into her seat and Charlotte pulled her close. "Let's take a picture, sweetie."

With a grin, Zoe tucked her head under Charlotte's and she angled the phone to get both of them in the screen.

The ice cleaner and some of the videos playing on the big screen kept Zoe's attention for the next twenty minutes. Charlotte snapped a few more pictures of Zoe enjoying the new experience and sent the picture of the two of them to Sarah, who responded with a thumbs up emoji.

Then the game started and Zoe did indeed cheer as loud as she could. She also complained when she couldn't see Alexei, and startled the first few times the players slammed into the boards near them. The first time it happened, she scrambled into Charlotte's lap, her fist at her mouth and her little brow wrinkled.

"It's okay, sweetie. No one's hurt, see?" Charlotte pointed out how the players continued to move with ease after any contact with the boards, or each other.

She couldn't deny that it was loud and jarring when they slammed into the boards right in front of them. But they both got used to it as the game wore on, that and the noise of the crowd around them. The cheering and excitement was infectious, and Charlotte cheered along with Zoe and everyone else when the Blackhawks scored.

Charlotte took Zoe up to the concourse for a snack and drink before the first period ended, not wanting to get stuck in any long line-ups. When they returned, Zoe laughed at the antics of the mascot, a big red-tailed hawk, named Wings, during the intermission show.

During the second period, there wasn't as much action right in front of their seats and Zoe started to yawn and lean against Charlotte in between sightings of Alexei. Charlotte had let Alexei know that they'd probably leave the game early. He agreed that Zoe wouldn't be able to stay up all the way through. So as the second period came to an end, Charlotte bundled Zoe up and they left the arena.

As expected, Zoe fell fast asleep on the drive home and Charlotte had a heck of a time getting her daughter's dead weight up to their apartment. She wasn't a big kid, but Charlotte wasn't exactly a weight lifter so it was a challenge all around. She managed and collapsed onto the couch with a groan after tucking Zoe into bed.

She turned on the game, only to find the third period nearly over, and the score at 3-2 for Chicago. She watched the rest of it, yawning and rubbing her eyes. It might be a long day at work tomorrow, but it would be worth it for all the fun they had.

A little while after the game ended, Charlotte sat up on the couch at the sound of a key in her lock. She smiled as Alexei stepped inside and locked the door behind him. He kicked his shoes off and hurried to her, sweeping her right up into his arms and planting a kiss on her that curled her toes. She barely had a moment to admire his broad shoulders in the white button-down shirt and tailored black pants from his game-day attire.

"Hi."

He rubbed his nose alongside hers and hummed what might have been a similar greeting before sealing his lips on hers again.

Charlotte let him steer the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck as he settled back on the couch. In seconds, she was sprawled across his chest, his fingers tangled in her hair and their hearts beating double time together.

He drew back after another minute and rubbed his thumb down her flushed cheek. "Did you enjoy the game?"

"I did." She smiled and reached over for her phone on the coffee table. "Look at the pictures I got."

Alexei's smile came out in full force and Charlotte stared at him as he flipped through the pictures of Zoe enjoying her first NHL game. He chuckled at a few and forwarded a couple of the shots to himself before setting the phone back on the table.

"I'm glad you had fun. I'll get tickets for you any time you want."

"I think we'd both love that." Charlotte snuggled up against him, setting her cheek on his chest. "Though, not all the time. The late nights won't be good for either of us."

He murmured in agreement, one hand sliding through her hair and the other rubbing in long, slow strokes up and down her back. The longer they lay there, quiet and warm, the longer his strokes became, until he was grasping handfuls of her ass and dragging her up for his kisses. She obliged, arching and offering her mouth to his.

Minutes, or hours, later, Charlotte found herself under him instead, and one of his hands had slipped beneath her shirt to rest on her bare skin. She shuddered when he rubbed his thumb over her lowest rib and lifted his head. Both of them were panting and she was pretty sure she knew what the hard weight was pressing against her thigh.

"I should go." His voice was hoarse and his eyes so dark.

She groaned and tried to tug him down for more kisses. God, she'd never get enough of his kisses.

"Lyubov..." He matched her groan and dipped his head to cover her mouth, his tongue tangling with hers.

She opened under him, angling her chin up and drawing him down. He was much too strong for her and pulled back, settling all the way at the other end of the couch. He scrubbed his hands over his face and gave her a hot look before standing up.

"Alexei?"

He held a hand out to her and she took it, standing on weak legs as he pulled her up. He wrapped her in a hug and she knew he wasn't unaffected by the way his heart raced under her cheek.

"I'll see you in the morning, yes?"

She sighed and wrapped her arms tight around his middle before following him to the door. Her body was humming with everything they'd done already and with the need she still had for him. She shifted from foot-to-foot, wringing her hands together as she watched him slip his shoes on once more.

"You don't have to go," she blurted as he straightened.

He reached for her and she tilted her head back to look into his eyes as he tucked her close to his chest. "I know, but it's okay, lyubov. I'll be here in the morning."

Charlotte licked her lips and put her hands behind his neck, rubbing her fingers through the ends of his hair. "But, I want you to stay. I'm asking you to."

His eyes darted between hers, his lips parting as if he was going to say something. Instead, he spun her around and pressed her to the door. She sucked in a breath at the contact and stared up as Alexei loomed over her.

"I could stay." His hands slid under her shirt again, squeezing and grazing higher over her stomach to her ribs. "All night. This is what you want?"

His accent thickened, his voice going deeper, the longer they stood there, breathing each other's air and not moving.

"I'll be next to you in bed, touching you. Will you touch me, lyubov?"

Charlotte swallowed and nodded, her head jerking at the quick motion. He lifted one hand from under her shirt and cupped her chin, his long fingers stretching along both sides of her jaw.

"Can you be quiet?"

She bit her lip and nodded again. "Kiss me, please."

He did, brushing his lips once over hers. Not enough. Not nearly enough. She made a noise again and a laugh washed over her lips before he kissed her.

"You can't be quiet, can you?"

"I could, I swear." And now she was begging. She didn't even care, just like she hadn't cared about the shape of her body the last time he'd told her to be quiet. "Please, Alexei." She ran her hands over his chest to the front of his pants. She fumbled with his belt buckle, running her lips over his jaw, scratching herself on the stubble there. "I can be quiet. Please, please stay. I need you."

This time, it was him who made a sound. A deep, low rumbling growl as her hand slid into his pants. Both of them groaned aloud as she cupped him over the cotton of his underwear.

Then their eyes met and she bit her lip at the look in his eyes. His lips twitched and he gave his head a quick shake to one side. Then a giggle escaped her and he pressed his forehead to hers as he covered her mouth with one hand. His body shook with silent laughter, which only made Charlotte want to laugh harder.

They stood there, both vibrating with suppressed laughter until they regained control of themselves. Charlotte gave him a soft smile when he lifted his head, running her fingers through his hair.

"I would like it if you stayed, Alexei." She lifted to her toes and kissed his chin. "And we don't have to do anything requiring silence. Lets just sleep."

He arched a dark eyebrow but nodded once. Removing his shoes again, he followed her to her bedroom after they turned out all the lights. There, they faced each other beside her bed, smiling. Charlotte took a deep breath and lifted her shirt over her head, tossing it to the laundry basket behind her.

Keeping his eyes on hers, Alexei undid the buttons of his shirt, and pulled it off. It joined her shirt in the basket. They reached for their pants at the same time, bending to tug them off. More into the basket, socks too. Charlotte twisted her arms up to reach for the clasp at the back of her bra, but Alexei stopped her. He turned her around and pressed a kiss to her shoulder as he unclasped the strap. Another kiss, a tease with his tongue, as he slipped the straps down her arms.

Then his arms were around her middle and he was nuzzling her neck, his breath hot on her skin. Charlotte shivered, tilting her head to one side and tugging her hair away from her neck to give him more space. His arousal pressed into her backside and she wanted to press back against him. But she had said they could just sleep, and she meant it, because in all honesty, she didn't think she could be silent. She didn't want to be.

"Alexei." She turned in his arms and circled his shoulders with her arms. She pressed her face to his neck and sighed when he rubbed his stubbly chin over her forehead.

"You are beautiful, lyubov moya."

Charlotte smiled and squeezed him tighter. She had never felt as beautiful as she did now, in his arms, with those words and others gliding over her skin. She didn't need more than this to believe him, not in this moment.

"Let's get in bed."

He nodded, kissed her head, and turned to pull the covers back. They climbed into bed and settled together a minute later, naked except for their underwear.

Charlotte closed her eyes and let out a breath. Behind her, Alexei shifted once or twice, his mouth on her neck, her shoulder, the warm shell of her ear. His hands roamed over her bare skin, up to her breasts, down to her lower abdomen. He teased his fingertips along the edge of her panties and she shivered when he opened his mouth on her neck, his tongue tracing hot patterns on her skin.