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Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 01

By: MugsyB



No way is this a follow-up to "Number's Game," featuring none other than the popular friend, Drew Stamenski?!? *gasp*

It took a while, and hopefully it's what everyone's been wishing for. I actually started this before this season's trade deadline and wouldn't you know it? Our beloved "Drew Stamenski" was traded. Still, I wasn't about to change the entire story around because the team let him go, so just ignore the current roster and enjoy this story!

To those new to my stories, there is a longer note in my profile, if you'd care to check it out, about the sequence of events for these characters. This story does stand on its own but there is more to the supporting cast than what is written here.

Thanks, as always, for your wonderful support and enthusiasm.

P.S. PennLady, I think you know what to do. ;)

Happy reading!

M. 

****

Anatoli Strelkov stared at the food he gathered on his plate. A frown lined his forehead and he looked for all the world like a lost puppy. Drew Stamenski rolled his eyes as he rubbed a towel over his arms.

"Sara's here, you're here. Go talk to her." Drew jerked his chin in the direction of the crowd. He knew Anatoli knew exactly where Sara was without looking.

"I not know what to say."

"Yes, you do."

Anatoli shrugged, his eyes darting around. Then he waved his hand at the crowd in general. "Not here. Too many people. She would not want talk to me here."

Drew agreed with him on that. "True. So talk to her somewhere else."

Anatoli frowned, confused. "I should follow her?"

"Don't be stupid." Drew felt like an ass the second the words left his mouth. The surprised look on Anatoli's face made him feel worse. They were friends; he shouldn't have snapped no matter how he felt that day. So he tried again. "Look, I'm sorry. Last thing I'll say: I'd try again."

With that, he walked off, leaving it to Anatoli to figure things out with Sara. Drew wiped at his wet hair with an absent-minded gesture as he stalked away. He'd just had the last shift in the dunk tank and his ears still felt like he was underwater. He ran his hand through his hair and flicked water droplets away from himself.

"Hey! Watch it!"

He stopped short and turned to see a woman juggling a large box. With water on her face and arm.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry!" Drew hurried to her side and dabbed at the wet spots with his towel. "I didn't even see you there."

She scowled and tried to move out of his reach. Drew's face flamed with embarrassment as he tried to dry her off. Then he noticed her balance shifting and the box she was carrying slipped.

"Oh!" She stumbled and tried to keep a hold of it.

Acting on instinct, Drew scooped the box out of her arms. She jerked back a step, off-balance by the load disappearing. Drew looked down and gave her an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry."

She stared back at him but the scowl was gone. "It's fine. I can take it back now."

"You could barely hold it." Drew lowered his arms a little and tested the weight in the box.

Her hands went to her hips. "I was managing just fine until you got me wet!"

Drew opened his mouth to reply but the first thing that came to mind wasn't something he could spout off to a complete stranger. At his hesitation, her face colored and her mouth opened into a surprised little 'O.' Drew watched the change in her expression and couldn't help smiling. It turned into a grin and then he was laughing. She held her frown for a second longer before clapping her hands over her mouth to hold back her giggles.

After a minute, Drew had to set the box down or risk dropping it on his foot. The woman dropped her hands to her stomach as full laughter left her and Drew laughed right along with her. When they both calmed down and caught their breath, Drew held his hand out towards her.

"I'm Drew Stamenski."

She gave him a shy smile and color bloomed on her cheeks again. "Mina Jenkins."

"Nice to meet you, Mina Jenkins." He squeezed her fingers before letting go.

Now that they were past his embarrassing gaffe, Drew took a moment to study her. She was several inches shorter than him and her round face was framed by a riot of golden brown curls. Her dark lashes were lowered over sky blue eyes as she chewed her bottom lip. She wore a Capitals jersey and jeans, which revealed none of her figure to Drew.

"Who are you here with?"

She glanced towards the main area where everyone was still milling around. "My friend, Hilary, invited me. She's dating–"

"Mark Gaines!" Drew laughed. "I know Hil. She's great."

Mina smiled. "Yeah."

"How do you know Hilary?"

"We went to college together." She shifted on her feet and glanced back down the hall. "I'm sorry, but I should probably get this out there."

"Oh, right. Sorry." Drew stooped to help her pick it up. He frowned as she tried to balance it in her arms again. "Uh, do you want some help with that?"

"I'm fine. Thanks anyway."

In spite of her assurance, Drew trailed after her for a several steps. Then he stood and watched her make her way to a nearby table. Someone took the box from her and she smiled in thanks. He stood there watching her move around and chat with a few other volunteers until someone nudged his shoulder.

He turned and smiled at Cole Janizak, the Capitals team captain. "Hey, Cole."

"What's going on?"

Drew shrugged. "Not much. I was just going to dry off and change."

Cole nodded. "Listen, can you do me a favor? I've got to go pick up the kids and she insists that she has to stay here for the rest of the benefit. I just don't want to leave her alone."

Drew lifted his eyebrows and glanced back to where Nancy was sitting behind a table, surrounded by several players' wives. "I think she's all right."

Cole followed his gaze and nodded as a soft expression spread over his face. "Yeah, she's just been real tired lately."

Drew clapped Cole on the shoulder. "I'll keep an eye on her. You'd better go if you have to."

"Right. Yeah. Thanks, man! I owe you one." He hurried away.

Drew glanced out to the crowded arena once more and when he couldn't see Mina Jenkins, he shrugged and headed to the locker room. After drying himself off and changing, he rejoined the crowd.

The rest of the afternoon passed by in a bit of a blur. He tried to stay close to Nancy but she kept sending him off to one station or another. Before long, he was left sitting alone at one table and the crowd had thinned out considerably. He let his eyes scan the crowd and that was when he spotted Sara speaking to Anatoli.

Drew smiled as they conversed for a minute and then started to walk out together. It was all Drew could do to keep from shouting encouragement to his friend. That was the last thing Anatoli needed; he looked nervous enough as it was.

So he watched Anatoli and Sara leave together and smiled to himself. He hadn't meant to snap at Anatoli earlier but he'd spent enough time with the younger man to realize how over the moon he still was for Sara. He felt a sharp tug somewhere in the vicinity of his heart and frowned.

He'd never have admitted it out loud to anyone, but he was jealous of Anatoli. Oh, he liked Sara well enough, but he was more jealous of the closeness they shared, rather than the woman Anatoli had. The same went for his other teammates and their girlfriends or wives. Sometimes it bothered him to not have a hand to hold or a secret smile to share. An image of a shy smile and round pink cheeks came to mind and he scanned the sparse crowd again.

Useless thoughts. Drew let his breath out and ran a hand over his hair. Most of the players had left and only the event organizers and a few hangers-on lingered now. Nowhere did he see Mina.

He wandered over to the table where Nancy Janizak was maneuvering her very pregnant self around as she tidied up.

"Drew! What are you still doing here?" She looked up with a smile.

He returned her smile and bent to scoop up the flyers she'd dropped. "Here you go."

She groaned and thanked him. "You're an angel. I can't believe how uncoordinated I've become over the past few weeks."

Drew eyed her belly with a smirk and she swatted him with the handful of flyers. He laughed and slung an arm around her shoulders. "You're beautiful, Nancy."

"And you are a flirt, Drew Stamenski." She tipped her head back and poked him in the ribs. "You're just lucky Cole isn't around."

"He's not back yet?" Drew looked around and couldn't spot any of his teammates inside the arena.

"He called a little while ago. There was some traffic snarl on 395 so he's running a little late." Nancy moved away and stacked the last of the flyers. "You didn't answer me before. Why are you still hanging out here?"

Drew's smile slipped but he covered it with a shrug and leaned one hip on the table. "I wanted to make sure you didn't attempt any heavy lifting alone."

Nancy rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid." She straightened and put her hands to the small of her back as she stretched. "Really, Drew. You don't need to stay. Go home. You guys have an early practice tomorrow."

It was on the tip of his tongue to say that he didn't want to go home but that would just open the door on a whole conversation he didn't want to have. Nancy was nice and she and Cole were good friends of his, but he didn't want to burden them with his sob stories.

"I guess I should get home and unwind." Drew stood up and looked around before holding his arm out towards Nancy. "Do you want me to walk you out?"

Nancy grinned and slipped her hand through the crook of his arm. "Such a gentleman. You can walk me out if you don't mind the slow pace." She glanced at her watch. "Cole should be back soon."

"Great."

Drew walked with her up the stairs and out through the concourse. A few people passed them, calling out greetings as they made their way through the building.

Nancy had to stop at one point to catch her breath. "I'm sorry to slow you down with my waddling."

"It's fine." Drew patted her hand. "We're not in a hurry."

Nancy groaned as she rubbed a hand over her stomach. Drew grimaced as he watched. He was happy for Cole and didn't have a problem with kids but the whole pregnancy thing kind of creeped him out.

Nancy noticed his expression and started to laugh. "You play a game that involves flying teeth and bloody gashes and the baby kicking me grosses you out?"

Drew cringed and looked away. "Don't talk about the baby kicking. I prefer to think of the stork delivering them to the front door."

They laughed together and continued on their way. Outside in the loading area, Cole was standing next to their vehicle, leaning in the back window where he spoke to the kids.

"Hi, honey!" Nancy waved as Drew guided her down the steps.

"Hey, guys." Cole hurried over and pulled his wife into a hug as she reached the bottom step. He flashed a grin at Drew. "Thanks for taking care of her."

"My pleasure." Drew smiled. "I'll take any opportunity to spend some time with a beautiful lady, no matter how brief."

Cole snorted with laughter and Nancy gave him a playful scowl. "You don't think I'm beautiful?"

Cole gaped and shook his head as he stammered. Drew laughed and winked at his teammate when Nancy turned to give him a hug.

"Thanks, Drew, for the walk and the compliment." She threw another narrow look over her shoulder at a now disgruntled Cole.

"You know I think you're gorgeous," Cole tried again as Nancy stepped back. "No matter how big you are."

Nancy shrieked and smacked him on the arm and Drew looked on, howling with laughter. Cole followed his wife to the waiting vehicle, still trying to backpedal. Drew watched them go. It was fun to see his captain so out of sorts and Drew knew that Nancy wasn't really upset. Even as they settled into the vehicle, Drew saw them lean towards each other to share a kiss.

Again, Drew felt that tug behind his ribs and exhaled on a long sigh. Nancy waved as the vehicle moved away and Drew lifted a hand in return. Then they were gone and he was left with no choice but to head home himself.

Normally he'd head inside to the parking garage but he'd taken the Metro today, figuring it would take longer to get home. He scuffed his toe on the step and loitered for several minutes until he heard someone come out of the building behind him.

"Hello again!" Drew grinned and hurried over to Mina's side.

She looked up at him as she adjusted her jacket and handbag. "Oh, hi."

OK. Not quite the reaction he'd expected but he'd had worse. "Are you leaving?" He could have smacked himself in the head for the idiotic question.

But she smiled at him and nodded. "Yeah. I've been here since before noon. I'm exhausted."

"I can imagine. I don't get out of bed before noon some days."

"I'll bet." Her smile turned into a smirk and she glanced around. "Are you waiting for someone?"

"No. I was just going to walk to the Metro. Where are you headed?"

"Uh, I'm not really sure. I think it's Arlington."

At Drew's raised eyebrows, she gave a little laugh. "I'm staying with Hilary but I don't know my way around very well yet."

"Yeah? You just moved here?"

She nodded and looked away, chewing her bottom lip. She peeked back up at him and a pretty blush stained her cheeks.

Drew found her very intriguing. Then again, he could just be using her as an excuse not to go home. "Where's Hil? I haven't seen her for a while now."

"She went home with Mark."

"And left you to find your way alone?" Drew tsked and shook his head.

"Well, we came together on the Metro and I thought I'd be able to figure out how to get home on my own. Plus, I think Hilary just wanted some time alone with Mark."

Drew scoffed. "Please. They spend every waking hour together."

Mina laughed. "I don't know about that. It was just us girls last night."

"Just you girls." Drew nodded and a smile spread across his face. "Sounds...nice."

Mina looked away. Drew chuckled as he watched her and admitted that he liked to see that pretty shade of pink on her round cheeks.

"Well, you must be busy." She hiked her bag higher up on her shoulder and turned to go. "It was nice meeting you."

He stared at her as she walked down the steps. Had she just blown him off? He hurried after her, wanting to know more about her.

"Did I look busy?"

She started at his appearance by her elbow. "N-no. I just...I thought you'd be..."

"Busy?" Drew raised his eyebrows at her.

She smiled and looked away. "So you're not?"

"No. Are you?"

"No."

They continued walking at a steady pace towards the Metro until Drew let out a nervous laugh.

"We have to talk, Mina, otherwise I'm just a creepy guy following you to the Metro."

She laughed and glanced at him. "What do you want to talk about?"

Drew shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Do you want me to show you the way to Hilary and Lena's? I've only been to their apartment once or twice but I think I could find it."

Mina hesitated before answering and Drew didn't blame her. It must seem a little strange to her that a perfect stranger was offering to take her home.

"If not, no big deal." Drew smiled, hoping he was putting her at ease. "We're both headed to the Metro though."

Mina glanced towards the station entrance and nodded. "That's true. And it would be nice to have some protection." She smiled a sly little smile at him. "Even if you are only a hockey player."

"What?" Drew gaped at her.

She laughed and continued walking on to the Metro. Drew followed, impressed with her teasing.

"Hey, I'll have you know most of us are tougher than we look."

Mina laughed again as they went down to the station. They waited for the train and Drew continued to try to convince her that he wasn't a wimp.

"I never said you were a wimp," she protested.

"It was implied." Drew smiled and winked, which made her cheeks color again.

Mina gave him a shy smile. Drew stepped closer to her as the train whistled into the station. They boarded and found seats next to each other.

"So where did you go to college?" he asked.

Mina glanced over with a smile. "Didn't Hilary ever tell you?"

Drew laughed and shook his head. "She might have but I probably wasn't listening."

"We went to University of Maryland, in Baltimore."

"Ah, and what was your major?"

"Architectural Engineering."

Drew let out a low whistle. "I'm impressed."

Mina grinned. "Don't be. I dropped out after two years and switched schools. I went to Baltimore International College."

Drew frowned. "Isn't that a cooking school?"

"Yup."

"You're a chef?"

"I try to be."

"That's so cool!"

Mina's cheeks turned pink as Drew grinned at her. "You think so?"

"Sure. I'm always impressed by people who can cook." Drew laughed. "Hell, the best thing I can manage is spaghetti."

"I like spaghetti."

Drew glanced at her and winked. "I'll remember that."

She laughed again and looked away.

"So you and Hilary stayed friends even after you switched schools?"

"Oh yeah." Mina nodded as she fiddled with the strap on her purse. "We were roommates up until she finished her undergrad program and moved to Arlington. Then we kept in touch as much as we could."

"That's nice that she only moved to Arlington." Drew shifted in his seat and slung an arm across the back, behind Mina. He smiled when she tensed at the motion but she relaxed after another few minutes. "It would have been harder to stay friends if she'd moved to Seattle or something."

"That's for sure," Mina agreed. "What about you? Playing hockey must make it tough to keep in touch with friends."

Drew shrugged. "With my old friends from home, sure. The guys on the team are my friends too and getting along with them makes it easier to travel and all that."

"That's good."

They fell silent as the train pulled in and out of another station. They disembarked at the next one to switch to the Orange line and sat next to each other again for the longer ride. Drew took up the same position, his arm slung across the seat behind Mina, without touching her.

He watched her out of the corner of his eye, smiling as she twisted her purse strap nervously around her fingers.

"If Hilary's out with Mark tonight, what are your plans?" he asked, breaking the silence as the train rattled around them.

Mina glanced up at him with a shrug. "Probably some more unpacking."

"Must be crowded with all three of you in that apartment together." Drew smiled as he imagined Mina, Hilary and Lena trying to sort out living arrangements.

"Oh, no. Lena's in the process of moving out." Mina turned to him with a smile. "I would have thought you'd have heard."

"Heard what?" Drew was surprised. From what he knew of Hilary and Lena, they were very close and hadn't been any reason to move apart. Then again, Lena had just become engaged to his teammate. "Ah, right. She's moving in with Obie."

Mina nodded. "I don't think she'd planned to move in with him so soon but when I needed a place to stay, it seemed to work out."

"Right." Drew's smile slipped as he felt that all-too-familiar twinge in his chest. He really should stop being jealous of his teammates and their happiness in love.

The two of them fell silent again, Drew sinking into his thoughts as Mina stared out the window.

"I think this is my stop."

Mina's voice broke through Drew's musings some time later and he looked over in surprise. He got up with Mina as the train stopped. She looked over with a half-smile and a question in her eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked. "Do you live around here too?"

Drew laughed and shook his head. "Not very close, no. I want to make sure you get home all right, since you're new in town and all."

Mina lowered her lashes in a shy gesture. Drew felt his heart skip a beat and let his smile widen as he exited the train with Mina. They walked out to the street and Mina pulled her coat tighter around herself as she looked around.


Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 01



"I think I know my way." She turned and smiled up at Drew. "You don't have to walk me home. I'm sure I can manage from here."

Drew nodded, the smile never leaving his face. "Do you know of any restaurants in the area?"

"Restaurants?"

"Yeah. I'm kind of hungry and I think I'd like to eat before I head back home." He shoved his hands in his pockets, not taking his eyes off Mina's upturned face. She's really very pretty. The thought was so outside what he'd had on his mind lately that he surprised himself. "Would you like to come to dinner with me?"

Her eyes widened and she caught her bottom lip between her teeth. Drew leaned closer without even realizing it as he waited for her response. He hadn't thought about asking her to dinner before, but now that she was about to leave, he found that he wanted to keep talking to her.

"My treat, of course," he added when she still didn't speak. "You must be tired after that day. The last thing you want to do is make your own dinner, right?"

Mina opened her mouth to respond, glancing over her shoulder as she did. "You have a point there." She looked back up at him and smiled. "All right, Drew. I'd love to have dinner."

"Awesome! Let's go."

They walked up the sidewalk a few blocks until they found a restaurant they both agreed on. As it was still early for the dinner hour, the restaurant wasn't too busy and they were seated right away. After the waiter took their drink orders, Drew leaned his elbows on the table and smiled at Mina, who was half-hidden behind the menu in her hands.

"What brought you to Arlington?" he asked.

"I found a job at a restaurant in D.C. and Hilary offered to have me stay with her until I could find my own place." Mina's eyes scanned the menu as she spoke. "I think she wanted to give Lena a reason to move out."

Drew's eyebrows shot up. "Lena didn't want to move out?"

"I didn't mean it like that. Lena said she was nervous about leaving Hilary alone after moving out." Mina looked up and smiled. "I think she was being a bit overprotective but there's nothing for them to worry about."

"Right." Drew nodded as he considered. It had been hard for him at first after getting his own place. He spent so much time training and traveling that it didn't even register anymore. Lately, he'd had more thoughts about wanting to come home to someone, but for the most part, he didn't mind the quiet at his own townhouse. "Are you close with Lena as well?"

Mina shrugged. "Sure. Every time I'd visit Hilary, I got to know Lena a little better. She's a great friend."

"She's been good for Obie too." Drew grinned. "I don't know how much you know about him, but he's a bit..." he paused and lifted a hand in the air as he considered the right term for his larger-than-life teammate.

"Boisterous?" Mina offered and Drew laughed. "He's got a big personality?"

"Yes, he does."

The waiter returned with their drinks and Drew asked if Mina was ready to order. She nodded and the waiter took their orders before smiling and leaving them alone again.

"I like Anatoli," Mina said as she twirled the straw in her drink. "I've met him a few times over the past year or so and he's really good to Lena, which is what matters."

It took Drew a second to realize who she was talking about. He and the other guys on the team always just referred to Anatoli Oborotenski as 'Obie.' There was the other Anatoli on the team, Anatoli Strelkov, but he was Anatoli, or Tolya, and one of Drew's closest friends.

He's also someone else who just found the love of his life. Drew let out a little sigh at the thought. He needed to get over this funk. He looked up to see Mina watching him with bright eyes. His stomach lurched.

"Yeah. Obie's great and he and Lena are really good together." Drew sipped his drink. "I must say though, I was surprised that he'd proposed."

Mina's eyebrows went up. "Really?"

"Don't get me wrong, I love Lena. She's great and just as good for Obie as he is for her. But for as long as I've known him, he'd always talked about marrying a Russian woman."

"Oh." Mina nodded. "Well, I suppose that's what he would have been expected to do."

Drew nodded. "I'm glad he met Lena though. Like I said, they're good for each other."

Mina smiled and swirled her straw around as she stared at the bubbles fizzing to the surface. "I think they're perfect together."

Drew watched her, saw the starry look in her eyes and smiled. She was a sweet woman and obviously loved her friends very much if she felt that strongly about Lena and Obie as a couple.

"They are," Drew agreed, and it was the truth. "What about you? Any boyfriends I need to worry about?"

Mina's eyes snapped to his face.

Realizing what he'd just said, Drew felt heat crawl up his neck and he gave a nervous laugh. "Uh, that's not...I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

Mina just stared at him and he cleared his throat.

"I just meant, you know, a boyfriend might not like that you're out to dinner with another man. That's all."

"Oh, right. That makes more sense."

Drew blinked, her words unexpected.

Mina shifted in her seat and shrugged. It lifted and moved the curls on her shoulders until they slid down her back. Drew watched the motion and traced the revealed line of her cheek down her neck to the line of skin above the Capitals jersey she still wore. He swallowed, his throat feeling dry.

"I'm not seeing anyone." Her voice was quiet and after another moment, she lifted her eyes to his face. "And you? Any jealous girlfriends?"

Drew laughed and shook his head. "No. Dating is tough in my line of work."

Mina nodded. "I can imagine. Any job that involves so much traveling would be."

"It's all right though. Like I said before, I have a good time with the guys on the team and I'm in no hurry to meet someone and settle down."

Mina looked away as she nodded. Drew saw the frown appear on her face and wondered if he'd said something wrong.

I should change the subject, he thought and reached for his drink again. Relationships are tricky topics even with good friends, never mind someone I've just met.

"Tell me about cooking school." Drew set his drink back on the table, the ice clinking the glass. "What made you change?"

Mina turned back to face him with a genuine smile on her pretty face. She told him all about her love for baking and cooking growing up. Her mother had died when she was little, leaving her father to raise her and her brother and sister. Mina was the middle child but had taken on more of the older sibling role. She'd cooked, kept house and been the more responsible one.

"What I remember of my mother isn't a lot," she said. "But I have very clear memories of the smell of fresh baked cookies or spicy dinners. Cooking and baking as a teenager made me feel sometimes like she was still around." She blushed and looked across at Drew with lowered lashes. "That sounds silly, doesn't it?"

"Not at all." Drew shook his head. "I think it's great that you have something like that to keep her close to you."

Mina's shy smile turned to a full-blown grin that made Drew blink in surprise. It changed her entire appearance, making her eyes seem brighter. "That's just how I see it," she said. "Sometimes when I'm experimenting with a new recipe, I can almost hear her telling me to add more cilantro or use less salt."

Drew grinned, drawn in by her enthusiasm.

"When I was living in the dorm at Maryland, it killed me not to be able to cook or bake on my own time," she went on. "I took a night cooking class through a community center and found myself looking forward to that more than my regular classes or the school social events. I hadn't realized until then just how much I'd missed it."

Drew nodded. "I can see that. So you decided to follow your passion."

"Exactly. I tried to do both for a bit because when I first told my dad about wanting to leave Maryland, he pitched a fit like you wouldn't believe. He didn't want me to turn my back on a promising career for a hobby."

Drew chuckled. He knew all about family expectations and disappointment.

"But after another semester, I just couldn't take it." Mina sighed and sat back in her seat. "My dad and I fought for weeks but I left the university and enrolled at Baltimore International without his help."

Just then, the waiter appeared with their meals and they spent a few minutes savoring their first bites.

"Your dad must have got over the change eventually." Drew reached for his drink as he spoke.

Mina nodded. "Yeah. It took him a while but he came around."

"I'm sure he just wanted what was best for you," Drew said. "It's hard for anyone to watch a loved one make such a drastic change or decision without being able to do anything about it. It would be doubly hard for your dad, being a single parent and all."

Mina watched him as he spoke and he felt suddenly uncomfortable under her scrutiny. He hadn't meant to go on about it but more than anything else, he could relate to family drama.

"I agree and like I said, it took a while, and a lot of phone calls and tense family gatherings, but we got there." She smiled as she glanced down at her plate. "He likes the fact that I'm a chef now. He puts me in charge of all the meals whenever I'm home."

Drew laughed. "Don't tell me, he's a mac and cheese kind of guy."

Mina shuddered but smiled as she nodded.

They finished their meals with light chatter flowing between them. After Drew paid the bill, he asked if she wanted company on the way back to her place. She agreed with that adorable shy smile of hers and they walked out of the restaurant together.

"What do your brother and sister do?" Drew asked as he zipped up his jacket.

"My brother, Adam, he's at Georgetown." Mina hiked her purse up her shoulder and shoved her hands in her coat pockets. "Alexis works in Baltimore at an art gallery."

"Oh yeah? Is she an artist?"

Mina rolled her eyes. "She likes to pretend she is, or at least she acts like she knows everything there is to know about art."

Drew chuckled at her tone. "You seem unimpressed with her supposed knowledge."

Mina shrugged. "Lexi has always been overly concerned about what other people think of her. She didn't speak to me much until I finished at BIC and got a job at a high-end restaurant in Baltimore." Mina glanced up at Drew. "She didn't want to be associated with a simple line chef."

Drew nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He liked listening to Mina talk, no matter what it was about. It was also a comfort to know that other people's families could be as difficult as his own.

"Where are you working now?" Drew asked, wondering if her new restaurant would be fancy enough for her sister.

Mina hesitated before responding and Drew wondered if he was being too pushy.

"I won't harass you at your work, Mina." Drew gave her a sideways grin that made her smile.

"I didn't think you would," she replied then she sighed. "I don't actually have a job lined up yet but I've got resumes into a bunch of places."

"Oh, all right." Drew wanted to ask why she'd lied but as they'd just met a few hours ago, he could understand her wish for privacy.

They walked in silence for a bit until Mina spoke up.

"I've been going on and on about my family, Drew. Why don't you tell me about yours?"

He glanced down to see her face turned up with a broad smile.

"What do you want to know?"

She shrugged. "Where are you from?"

"I grew up in Boston."

"Oh, there are some fantastic restaurants in Boston."

Drew laughed. "You would know."

She flushed at his laughter but looked pleased.

"My parents still live there in the same house I grew up in." He shook his head. "I keep offering to buy them a new place, something smaller and easier to maintain."

"You have brothers and sisters?"

Now it was Drew who hesitated before responding. "Uh, I just have one younger brother. Carter. He's at Boston College." For the moment. The negative thought barged into his mind before he could stop it.

"Your parents must like having him stay at home."

"Yeah, I guess so." Drew left out the part about his brother having moved out to live in the dorm at first. She didn't need to know all those details. He drew in a breath and smiled at Mina. "So what's your brother's major?"

"He's playing basketball, that's his major."

Drew laughed. "That's cool. I could have said the same thing about my time at Boston College, except I played hockey."

Mina grinned up at him. "You didn't have any studies at all?"

"Technically I majored in history but I'm not really pursuing that now, am I?"

Mina laughed and shook her head. "You've got me there. My brother is technically majoring in criminology."

"Ah. So if he doesn't make it to the NBA, he'll–"

"Be a cop, like our dad."

"You're dad's a cop?"

Mina nodded. "He was really happy when Adam decided to follow in his footsteps, even with the basketball scholarship."

"I can imagine." Drew wished his brother had more of an inclination to major in anything except partying. He'd always thought Carter would make a good lawyer, since he enjoyed arguing with Drew and their parents so much.

Their conversation turned to other topics after that. Mina told him about her adventures in moving to Arlington and Drew explained about his hockey season. Before he knew it, they were outside her apartment building.

She stopped and turned to him, her shy smile back in place. "Thank you so much for dinner."

"It was my pleasure." Drew grinned at her and had to order himself not to embrace her. They'd just met and he already knew she'd be far too shy for a good-bye hug. "I'd love to do it again sometime."

Mina's cheeks colored and she looked down, her hands twisting around her purse strap again. Drew chuckled and took a step back to give her the space to feel comfortable.

"I'd like that." Her voice was barely above a whisper but Drew heard it and his grin grew wider.

"Can I call you?"

Mina nodded and fished out a piece of paper and pen from her purse. She wrote her number down and handed it over. Their fingers brushed together as she did and Drew felt his heart jump at the tingle.

"Well, thanks again." Mina walked up to the building entrance. "Have a good night!"

Drew lifted a hand in a wave and watched her through the window until she'd walked across the building lobby to the elevator. Then he turned around and headed back to the Metro. He lived in Arlington as well, only a couple stops away and he was home in a half hour.

He was so lost in his thoughts and the memory of meeting Mina that he didn't notice the shadowy figure on his front stoop until he'd almost bowled the person over.

"Jesus, Drew, watch where you're going!" A familiar voice griped at him and Drew focused on the younger man's face.

"Carter!" Drew gaped at his brother. "What the hell are you doing here?"

****

Mina floated up to the apartment after her dinner with Drew. When she'd arrived in Arlington a month ago, she'd never have imagined meeting someone like Drew. She'd been pretty sure that Lawrence had screwed her up for good.

At the thought of her ex-fiancé, her good mood disappeared and she was scowling as she unlocked the apartment door.

Boxes lined the hall all the way down to the bedrooms. In Lena's bedroom, she knew there were several stacks of smaller boxes waiting to be unpacked and put away. The only things she had unpacked were her kitchen things. It was, after all, where she spent most of her time.

With a sigh, Mina put her purse and keys away and hung up her jacket. Then she stood in the middle of the living room, wondering if she had any remaining energy to unpack some boxes.

Well, I suppose I have nothing better to do. She moved to the first box in the hallway.

Some boxes she would leave mostly packed. She meant to get a storage locker once she had a job to ease the space issue in the apartment. Hilary and Lena had been fantastic about welcoming her into their home. Mina had been sleeping on the couch or in one of the other two's beds when they weren't home.

Lena insisted that it was fine and Mina wasn't ousting her from the apartment.

"It's time I moved in with Anatoli." Lena had smiled and blushed as she glanced at the ring on her left hand. "He's been bugging me about that for longer than we've been engaged."

Mina had always liked Lena and knew why she and Hilary were such close friends. She was jealous sometimes of the closeness they shared. Mina and Hilary were great friends as well, but they had grown apart some since their college days.

For now, Mina checked each box for the necessities she'd require while living with Hilary and she left the rest packed up. The first couple boxes were easy to sort through. Some photo albums from her youth, mementos from high school and university. One box had garish costumes that she'd accumulated over the years for Halloweens. Then she got to the fourth box and all the breath left her in a rush.

Sinking onto her backside on the floor, she stared at the silver-framed picture of her and Lawrence. He'd arranged for the photographer after she'd accepted his proposal and she'd been so impressed with the surprise. Of course, the photographer had turned out to be his lover and the last time Mina had seen her, the woman had been in Lawrence's arms.

It took all of Mina's strength to set the picture down and not hurl it across the apartment. With shaking arms, she levered herself up off the floor and stumbled down the hall to Hilary's bedroom. Her friend had told her earlier that she wouldn't be home tonight and so Mina was free to collapse on the bed and burst into tears.

There she remained, falling into a fitful sleep only to be woken sometime in the middle of the night by a noise in the hall. Mina sat up in bed and rubbed her bleary eyes. There was a light shining under the door to the bedroom and she wondered if Lena or Hilary had decided to come home. A glance at the clock revealed the time was just past midnight. She got up and walked across to see who it was.

"Hello?"

"Oh, hey Mina." It was Hilary standing over one of the boxes in the hall. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

Mina shrugged and brushed her unruly curls off her face. "S'ok. What are you doing home?"

"Mark was starting to feel sick," Hilary explained. "A cold or something. They have a game tomorrow so we thought it'd be better for him to get some uninterrupted sleep tonight."

Mina nodded and came out of Hilary's room. "Sorry. I was sleeping in your bed."

Hilary eyed her and frowned. "Are you OK? Your eyes look kind of red."

"I'm fine." Mina tried to move past her friend to the kitchen but Hilary stopped her with a gentle hand.

"You're not fine. Did Lawrence try to call again?"

Mina winced at the mention of his name and shook her head. Hilary released her but followed her into the kitchen as she went to pour a glass of water.

"What's up?" Hilary stood beside her with her arms crossed over her chest.

Mina sighed and jerked her chin at the box just outside the kitchen doorway. Hilary glanced at it and walked over until she could see the picture resting on top.

"Oh, Mina." She sighed and lifted it up. "Do you want me to get rid of it?"

Mina shrugged. Hilary took that as acquiescence and left the apartment to dispose of it directly down the garbage chute. When she returned, Mina was sitting at the kitchen table with her head in her hands. Hilary came over to sit with her and rubbed her shoulder with one warm hand.

"I thought I'd be over it by now," Mina muttered. "I didn't think it could still affect me this much."

Hilary exhaled. "Believe me, Mina, I know how it feels to be betrayed like that."

Mina looked up with a watery smile and nodded. She knew all about Hilary's past romantic troubles. "Does it get easier?"




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 01



"In time." Hilary smiled and gave her arm a squeeze. "You just need to remind yourself that you're better off without him."

"And that he never deserved me."

"Too right," Hilary agreed in a firm tone.

Mina laughed and let her friend pull her close for a hug.

"Was I wrong to drag you to the benefit today?" Hilary asked.

"No, I had a great time." Mina pulled back and smiled. She wiped her cheeks and drank some more water.

"It wasn't too much?"

Mina shook her head. "It was just what I needed. You were right. I'd been wallowing for long enough."

"I have been known to be wrong on occasion." Hilary gave her a wry smile. "You were engaged to him, Mina. It takes more than a week to get over it."

"To be fair, we've been broken up for almost two months."

Hilary nodded and patted her hand. "Days, months, whatever. Everyone heals at a different rate." She gestured at herself with a cynical laugh. "Took me years. Hell, it's still taking me years!"

Mina laughed at Hilary's self-deprecating comment and shook her head. "Come on, Hil. You know that's not true. You've been with Mark how long now? And you never think about him betraying you, right?"

Hilary nodded. She had been with Mark for long enough now to have let go of most of her relationship hang-ups. Mark was a great guy and worthy of Hilary's newfound trust and affection. Mina hadn't believed the transformation in her friend until she'd seen it with her own eyes. Of course, she'd been there when the worst had happened to Hilary as well.

"Thanks for letting me stay here, Hilary."

Hilary smiled and pulled her close for another hug. "Anytime, friend."

They squeezed each other tight until Hilary pulled back.

"Hey, how about we watch a movie, now that I've got you up." She grinned. "You make the popcorn!"

Mina laughed but agreed. Ever since coming to Arlington, the pain of Lawrence's betrayal was easing by leaps and bounds.

When she'd first found out about Daisy – the photographer – she'd been devastated and barely able to function day-to-day. That had turned to anger, which had led to her being ousted from her shared home with her former fiancé. He'd even helped her pack. She'd held on to her fury until she'd arrived at Hilary's apartment, when the wallowing in sadness and self-pity had taken over.

She'd meant it when she'd said the benefit had helped. Meeting Drew had been a huge boost as well, though she wasn't foolish enough to consider him as anything more than a friend. He certainly hadn't made any overtures for anything more anyway.

Putting it out of her mind, Mina sat down to watch a comedy with her friend.



Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 02



The first thing Drew did was call his parents. They were frantic with worry. After he told them that his errant younger brother had turned up literally on his doorstep, they calmed down and Drew put Carter on the phone. Carter took his mother's tirade in stride and handed the phone back to Drew when she stopped yelling.

"Hey, Mom."

"I don't know what I'm going to do with that boy!"

Drew exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose as he walked down the hall. "Well, for starters, he's not a boy anymore." He walked into his office and shut the door behind him.

"He could act like an adult from time to time!"

Drew couldn't argue with that. "Look, this isn't what any of us would have wanted but at least he's not out there alone somewhere."

His mother let her breath out on an anguished sigh but she agreed. "This is the last thing you need to be dealing with, Drew. We'll book your father on the first flight tomorrow and he'll come bring Carter home."

The first thing out of Carter's mouth after 'hi' had been, 'I'm not going back there.' Drew had believed Carter when he said he'd rather hitchhike across the country than go back to Boston. Drew explained as much to his mother who fell silent.

"Mom?"

"I don't understand what we did wrong, Drew." Drew could hear the tears in her voice and his heart twisted in his chest.

"Oh, Mom. You guys didn't do anything wrong. Carter is a smart kid and he's known all along what he was doing."

"But he got kicked out of college, Drew! Do you have any idea what that means?"

"Yeah, it means he's gotta work that much harder to make a living in this world, the same as millions of other people." Drew paused and shook his head. "Even with a post secondary education, there's no guarantee he would have had it easy, Mom."

"I know that, Drew, I just don't know why Carter would throw it away for a party!"

Drew sighed and shook his head. He walked around his desk and flopped into the chair. "I don't know, Mom. Just because he got straight A's in high school doesn't mean he's always going to make the right decisions in life."

She let out a weak laugh and sniffled. "You're right, Drew. You always were smarter than the rest of us."

"Ha! I don't know about that."

"Really, Drew, you can't handle Carter right now. You've got the end of the season coming up and you need to focus on hockey, not your brother."

"I can manage. I'm not going to make this a vacation for him." Drew clenched his jaw. "He's going to get a job and work every damn day and then he'll be too exhausted to party."

"How are you going to make him do that?"

"I'll hire a bodyguard if I have to."

His mother laughed and Drew smiled. "You can't do that, Drew. Just don't tell Carter and Dad will come get him tomorrow."

"Mom, you know he'll just take off again and next time, we might not know where he'll end up." Drew knew Carter was obstinate enough to do just that.

"You're right." She let out an enormous sigh. "What do we do?"

"Like I said, I'll make sure he gets a job and goes to it."

"How are you going to do that and work yourself?"

"I'll manage, Mom. This can't go any further though, you have to agree with that."

"I do, Drew."

"All right then." Drew rubbed his forehead. "Do you want to talk to Carter?"

"No. I'm still too angry. Just tell him to behave himself and be grateful that he has such a gracious brother."

Drew barked out a laugh. "Sure thing, Mom. Try to get some sleep tonight, all right?"

"I will. Thank you, dear. I love you."

"I love you too, Mom."

After he hung up the phone, Drew shut his eyes and rested his head on his chair for several minutes. Then he got up and went to talk to his brother.

Carter was out cold on his couch, snoring away. Drew glared at him and then his face softened when he thought of how long a day Carter would have had. He'd traveled by bus from Boston, switching lines in New York. His brother was nearly ten years younger than him and the two of them had never been very close. By the time Carter stopped being a brat, Drew was leaving for college. Then he'd joined the NHL and had hardly seen any of his family.

With a sigh, Drew grabbed a blanket from the closet and covered Carter up. He could stay on the couch for tonight and Drew would move him into a guest room tomorrow.

God, I have a game tomorrow night. Drew groaned as he walked up to his room. He flopped on his bed without undressing and threw an arm over his eyes. What a day.

His thoughts turned over the events of the day, from the benefit to meeting Mina. A smile touched his lips as he thought of her and her shy smiles. He wanted to see her again but now that he had Carter to deal with, he didn't know when or if he could make that happen.

The last thing she's going to want to do is deal with my family melodrama, he thought.

Still, he'd try to call her tomorrow and set a time to see her. It might be more complicated but Drew could use all the friends he could get right now.

****

In the morning, Drew woke up to the sound of a frying pan clanging on the stovetop. He jerked upright and glared at the bedroom door. Memories of the previous night washed over him and he groaned. He laid back down until another ominous bang sounded from the kitchen.

With a grumble, he got up and changed before walking downstairs. "What the hell are you doing?"

Carter turned from the stove and grinned at Drew. "Morning, bro. You want scrambled or sunny-side up?"

Drew scowled at his brother. "You're cooking?"

"Sure. I can make something else if you want. Omelette? French toast? Eggs Benedict?" Carter stopped and frowned at Drew. "Well, I could make Eggs Benny if you had English muffins but dude, your pantry needs some lovin'."

Drew held his hand up to stop his brother's speech. "When did you learn how to make Eggs Benedict?"

Carter shrugged and turned back to the pan on the stovetop. There were onions and mushrooms sizzling together in the pan. "I picked it up. So you want something to eat or not?"

Drew stared at his brother for another minute before shrugging. "Fine. Just eggs, scrambled, and I'll make some toast."

"Sit down!" Carter exclaimed when Drew made a move for the toaster. "I'll do it. It's the least I can do after you letting me crash here."

Drew eyed Carter with suspicion but let the younger man have the room to work. "And how long exactly are you planning on 'crashing' here?"

Carter glanced at him and flushed under his scrutiny. "Uh, I hadn't...thought about it."

"Oh no?" Drew raised his eyebrows and sat down at the kitchen table. "When were you going to think about it?"

Carter didn't say anything for a minute as he worked over the stove. Drew watched him move around, letting the question hang. Carter finished with that pan and whipped out another, smaller one. He cracked two eggs into it and started swishing a spatula through them. In minutes, Drew had his requested scrambled plus toast, and Carter even knew where the butter and jam were.

While Drew dug into his breakfast, Carter finished up with his omelette and joined him at the table. Neither said anything while they ate and Drew watched his brother as they sat there. After, both brothers stared at each other until Drew let out a sigh. 

"Carter–"

"Don't make me leave, Drew."

Drew blinked, taken aback by Carter's soft plea. "I wasn't going to say that."

Carter nodded but still looked apprehensive.

"But you can't just stay here and expect to sit around all day."

"No. I totally agree. I'm going to start looking for a job today."

Drew shook his head. "What?"

"I know a bunch of places I can work at. I've already made copies of my resume and I'm going to start handing them out."

Drew narrowed his eyes at Carter. "What's going on, Carter? And I don't just mean with your spontaneous job search. What's the deal with Boston College? Why'd you just take off on Mom and Dad?"

Carter looked sheepish for the first time since his arrival. "I didn't mean to worry them."

Drew snorted. "Yeah, well, you did."

"I'll apologize."

"Fine, but Carter, how'd you manage to get yourself kicked out of college?"

Carter gave a noisy sigh and stood up. He started to clear the dishes and clean up the mess he'd made. Drew watched him and was about to demand more answers when Carter started talking.

"I didn't like it, bro. College was never right for me." He shrugged. "I didn't know what I wanted to take and I felt like such a jerk making Mom and Dad spend the money to send me. The only thing I felt good doing was hanging out with the guys."

Drew frowned. 'The guys,' as he called them, were his band of legal-age friends who'd taken it upon themselves to get Carter drunk every other night. The first incident had ended with Carter tossed from residence and put on probation at the college. After that, his nights of partying with 'the guys' were off-campus but still affected his studies.

"Whether or not you liked it, Carter, you should have given it a chance." Drew got up and paced around the kitchen. Even as he spoke, his own words bothered him and he couldn't understand why. "You shouldn't have partied like an idiot and forced the school to kick you out. That was stupid. Don't you know it could affect your chances of getting into a school in the future? Any school?"

Carter looked abashed as he set down the pan he'd been wiping and faced his brother. "I guess...I guess that's something I'm going to have to live with."

Drew whirled around and glared at his bother. "Yeah. I guess so."

They faced each other in stony silence for a long moment and then Drew jerked a hand back through his hair.

"You're going to get a job." He pointed a finger at Carter, who nodded. "And a full-time job at that. I don't want you working two shifts a week somewhere and then sitting on your ass the rest of the time."

"Totally." Carter nodded again.

"And you'll pick up after yourself. I'm not a maid."

At that, Carter grinned and his eyes darted around Drew's less than tidy kitchen and the living room beyond. "Obviously."

Drew scowled. "And no attitude, you got it?"

Carter nodded and held up his hand in a boy scout salute. Drew swore and stalked out of the kitchen.

Upstairs, Drew got ready for his day. He changed and left the house to head to the practice arena. There was a brief practice and a team meeting followed. After practice, most of the guys were talking about what a good time they'd all had at the benefit the day before.

Drew found Cole and socked his friend in the shoulder. "Did you grovel all last night?"

Cole turned to Drew with a grin. "A little. Nancy's pretty easy going and she let me off with a warning."

Drew laughed. "You're a lucky man, Cole."

"Don't I know it."

Anatoli walked over and Drew could tell by his wide grin that he and Sara had worked out their differences.

"Hey, Anatoli." Drew smiled at the Russian. "You look tired. Late night?"

Anatoli laughed but color rose in his cheeks and it made Drew and Cole laugh. They teased Anatoli until the coach came in and they all sat down. The meeting was also brief, a quick rundown of the team they were facing that night, the St. Louis Blues, and then they were sent off for the rest of the day.

Most of the guys would head home to rest and then return for the game. Drew wanted to do the same. He'd had so much on his mind lately that his game was suffering. He could focus with the best of them but it had been a difficult time for the entire team over the past few months.

As he drove home, his thoughts turned to Mina and he wondered what she was up to today. He found himself wanting to talk to her and tell her all about his surprise visitor last night, family drama or not. He glanced at the clock and figured he could squeeze in at least a phone call. By the time the phone was ringing in his hand, he was grinning.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Hil, it's Drew."

"Drew, what's up? How was practice?"

"It was good. Hasn't Mark called you yet?"

Hilary laughed. "I just got off the phone with him. He says he's going straight home to sleep."

"What a wimp."

"Hey! That's my boyfriend you're talking about, Drew."

Drew laughed. "Yeah, yeah."

"So what's up?"

Drew felt a prickle of nervousness and tried to brush it aside. "Uh, I was just calling to talk to Mina, actually."

There was a pause before Hilary answered.

"You know Mina?"

"Yeah, we met at the benefit yesterday and got to talking." Drew frowned as he considered that Hilary hadn't known that. "Is she around?"

"Yeah. She is. She's...uh, just one second."

The sounds through the phone became muffled and Drew assumed Hilary had covered the mouthpiece. A few seconds later, Mina came on the phone and Drew felt some of his tension ease.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mina."

"Drew? Hi. What are you...I mean, is everything OK?"

"Yeah, of course. I said I'd call you, so I am."

She gave a light laugh. "Well, yeah, but you're also a guy so you'll have to forgive my surprise."

"Ouch!" Drew laughed with her. "I thought we were friends."

"Then I can be honest with you, right?"

"Touché. I should have known I'd have to watch myself around a smart woman like you."

She laughed again, less nervous this time and Drew drank up the sound. Listening to her was a balm to his muddled thoughts and without even thinking about it, he took the exit ramp that would take him towards her apartment building.

"I was wondering if you'd like to get some lunch."

"Lunch?" Mina sounded surprised. "Don't you have a game?"

"Yeah, but it's not until tonight."

"Hilary told me you guys usually sleep in the afternoon before games."

"True, we do that but I have some time before I do." Drew flicked his signal on and turned at the intersection. "And I need to eat."

"We all need to eat," she murmured.

"So you'll come out?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"Great!"

"Do you want to meet up somewhere?"

"No, I'll come pick you up."

"Oh, OK. How long until you can be here?"

"Can you be ready in five minutes?"

Mina laughed. "I guess so, as long as you don't expect miracles."

Drew blinked, surprised by her response. "Well, I'm just turning onto your block now."

"What?" She laughed again. "You said five minutes!"

Drew laughed. "I'll take the stairs. See you soon!"

****

Mina hung up the phone, still laughing. Hilary stood before her with a worried look on her face.

"What?" Mina asked.

"Why didn't you tell me you'd met Drew yesterday?"

Mina shrugged and walked past her friend to the bedrooms. She needed to change out of her sweats into something else. Drew wasn't giving her enough time for more than a change of clothes, damn the man.

"Come on, Mina. We were up for hours last night. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't think of it." Mina flicked through her half of the closet she was sharing with Lena and pulled out jeans and a top. "Really, Hil. I wasn't keeping it from you but when you came home, we talked about Lawrence and then school and whatever else and I just didn't think about Drew."

That wasn't the whole truth and Mina did feel bad for not sharing. Meeting Drew and having such a great time with him still felt a bit surreal and she hadn't wanted to share just yet.

Mina changed in a hurry and then crossed to the bathroom to straighten out her hair. Hilary followed, still with a worried expression.

"You met at the benefit?" Hilary asked.

Mina eyed her reflection and winced. Her hair, unruly at the best of times, was an absolute disaster at the moment. She'd tied it up after her shower this morning and after working on several boxes, it was stringy and wild at the back of her head. As she yanked out the elastic and wet her fingers, she smiled at Hilary in the mirror.

"Yeah. We met there and ran into each other later outside the Verizon Center." She winced as her fingers got caught in a tangle. "We took the Metro home together and he–" She broke off when she realized how it was going to sound to Hilary.

"And he what?"

Mina sighed and finished sliding her fingers through her hair, taming it somewhat. "He suggested we go for dinner and we did."

Hilary's eyes popped open wide and she let out a low whistle. "Wow."

Mina frowned at Hilary's surprised expression and put her hands on her hips as she faced her friend. "'Wow' what?"

"Nothing. I think that's great. I mean, you're both single, and he's a good guy from what I know of him." Hilary grinned. "Good for you, Mina!"

Mina rolled her eyes and turned back to the mirror. She finished winding her hair back into a bun and then dug out her make-up bag to do a few quick touch-ups. "It's not like that, Hil. We just talked and ate and he walked me home. He was fun and funny and it's kind of nice to have another friend in town."

Hilary didn't say anything and Mina glanced over at her in the mirror.

"What?"

Hilary shrugged and twirled a blond lock around one finger. "Did you tell him about...?"

Mina frowned and finished brushing concealer over her face. "No. I didn't tell him I was cheated on by my fiancé and that's the real reason I moved from Baltimore." She finished with some lip gloss and straightened. "It didn't seem like a casual first-time out together conversation."

Hilary's eyebrows shot up. "So it was a night out?"

"No!" Mina flushed and pushed past her friend just as the apartment buzzer sounded. She hurried down the hall to buzz Drew in. "It wasn't a date. And his isn't a date."

"OK, Mina. I don't mean to pry, you know that."

Mina faced Hilary and hugged the other woman. "I know. Don't worry. We're just friends." Mina rolled her eyes as she moved back. "Believe me, Drew didn't seem the slightest bit interested beyond that."

Hilary opened her mouth to say something but closed it again. "As long as you're all right, then I think it's good. You do need to get out and see other people, friends or not."

Mina smiled and embraced Hilary again. Then she pulled away and had just put her shoes on when a knock sounded on the door.

"Hey, Drew!" Hilary opened the door with a wide grin.

"Hi, Hilary. How's it going?"

"Great."

Drew walked into the entryway and looked around at the boxes. "Wow. Looks a little cramped."

Hilary laughed and waved a dismissive hand. "It's not so bad. Besides, I'm hardly ever home between work and seeing Mark."

Drew lifted an eyebrow with a smirk and Hilary blushed. Mina watched this entire exchange with interest. Hilary had had a hard time talking to any guys after all that had happened to her in the past and this friendly, casual conversation between them was just another example of how much Hilary had changed since that first incident all those years ago.

Then Drew spotted her and his grin widened. "Hi, Mina. You look great!"

Mina blushed and lifted a hand to her hair, hoping it was still in place. "I don't know about that. You didn't give me much time to change and all. I've been unpacking all morning."

Drew looked around at the unopened boxes and they all shared a laugh.

"If you're ready, let's go. I know just where I want to eat." Drew opened the door again.

"OK. I'll see you later, Hil." Mina pulled her jacket on and smiled over her shoulder at Hilary.

"You kids have fun!" Hilary waved and shut the door behind them.

"Where are we going?" Mina asked as they left the building.

"There's a great Greek place not far away from here." Drew bounded down the steps to the street and opened his car door for her.

Mina laughed and slid into the passenger seat with a smile. "I like Greek."

"Great." Drew got in and started the car.

They didn't speak much on the way to the restaurant and Mina felt nervous. She didn't know why. She believed what she'd told Hilary, that they were just friends, but being alone with Drew again made her hyper aware of how eligible he was.




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 02



He was an imposing figure, not surprising since he was a hockey player. Mina wasn't short, at five-foot-eight, but Drew towered over her. He was also broad and muscular, which made him appear even larger. He had brown hair cropped close to his head and grey-blue eyes with a dark fringe of lashes surrounding them.

"How was the rest of your night?" he asked.

Mina shrugged. "Uneventful. I just sorted through a few boxes."

Drew chuckled and glanced sideways at her. "It did look crowded in there."

"Yeah, I feel so bad about taking up so much space." Mina sighed. "Hilary says it's fine but I'm trying to make as much room as possible. Once I get a job, I'll rent a storage locker for a lot of it, I think."

"You could just start using some of them for furniture," Drew suggested with a smirk. "You know, just drape a tablecloth over a few of the boxes, stack some for a bookcase or something."

"Oh yeah, that's brilliant!" Mina gushed with no small amount of sarcasm.

Drew laughed and reached over to nudge her shoulder with one hand. Mina's heart gave a solid bump against her ribs but she couldn't keep the smile from her face.

They pulled up in front of a small restaurant called Santorini's in another few minutes and Drew led the way inside.

"Greek is one of my favorite game-day meals," Drew said as they sat down.

"Yeah? I enjoy Greek. It's fantastic food to cook." Mina picked up the menu and started to scan the items. "I love to experiment with the herbs."

The two of them decided quickly what they wanted and when the waiter had taken their orders, they sat back and smiled at each other.

"How was your night?" Mina asked as she reached for her water glass.

Drew sighed and lifted a hand to rub his forehead. Mina raised her eyebrows in surprise but waited for him to explain.

"I've had better, I suppose."

"Uh-oh. You want to talk about it?"

"No. Yes." He let out a weak laugh. "I should otherwise it'll distract me tonight when I should be focused on the ice and the puck."

Mina smiled and nodded. "You can tell me if you want, or not if you don't want."

Drew looked up and a real smile spread across his handsome face. "Thanks, Mina. This is why I wanted to see you today."

She was taken aback by his admission and let out a nervous laugh as her face colored. "Because I talk so much you don't have to?"

"No." Drew reached over and patted her hand. "Because you're a good listener and won't force me to talk."

"Oh."

A moment of silence descended and Mina met Drew's smile with a shy one of her own. Then he sat back and drew in a deep breath.

"My brother surprised me last night by showing up on my doorstep."

Mina gaped in shock. "Isn't he in college?"

"He was. Apparently he's been...unceremoniously evicted."

Mina couldn't even smile at his attempt to be clever. "Holy cow, he was kicked out?"

Drew cringed and Mina felt bad for being so blunt.

"I'm sorry, Drew, I–"

"No, it's fine. It's the truth and it sucks, but it is what it is." He took a drink of his water and stared at the shifting ice cubes. "Anyway, he took a bus here from Boston, without even telling my parents where he was going."

"They must have been out of their minds with worry." Mina shook her head.

"They were. I talked to my mom last night and so did Carter."

"What's he doing here?"

"He said he didn't like college, that the atmosphere didn't suit him." Drew frowned. "I told him he should have given it more of a shot. He's only just turned nineteen, for Christ's sake. What does he know about what suits him?"

Mina offered him a sympathetic smile. She didn't know what to say but it didn't seem as though Drew expected a response.

"Anyway, he said he's already got a plan to get a job here and he won't be any trouble for me." Drew sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I don't know about that. I already feel short on sleep."

"He doesn't want to go back to Boston?"

Drew shook his head and drank some more water. "He said if I tried to send him back, he'd hitchhike to California."

"Well, all right then." Mina sat back in her seat.

Drew chuckled at her expression. "You see my dilemma."

"Oh Drew, there's nothing you can do, really. He's nineteen and like it or not, he's an adult and doesn't have to get approval for any of his decisions."

Drew nodded. "I know but it's so hard to watch him make these decisions without any thought."

Mina bit her bottom lip. She'd had this argument with her father many times. "I can't imagine what it's like to see your brother kicked out of college but if he wasn't applying himself, then in the end, it would have been a waste anyway. He might have flunked out this year or next and it wouldn't have been any different."

Drew nodded, still frowning at his water glass. Mina sighed and reached over to pat his hand. He looked up at her touch and when she would have sat back, his fingers closed over hers. She sucked in a breath and felt her face grow hot as Drew met her gaze.

"I'm so sorry, Mina. This is probably what you went through with your dad."

Mina blinked, shocked that he'd thought of that. "Yes, well..." she paused and cleared her throat when her voice came out husky. "At least I had a plan before I left the University of Maryland."

Drew nodded but didn't release her hand. To Mina's wonder, he began to stroke his thumb back and forth over her knuckles. His eyes dropped to their fingers as he did and he let out a slow breath.

"We talked a bit this morning and Carter does seem to have a plan. He's agreed that staying with me isn't a free ride."

"That's good." Mina was having a hard time focusing on his words as he continued to rub her fingers.

"I just wish he'd put more thought into this."

Mina nodded. "Yes, thought would have helped." God, she felt like an idiot.

Just then, the waiter showed up with their meals and they were forced to separate their hands.

Drew smiled at her over their plates. "Thanks for listening, Mina."

She offered him a weak smile in return, still confused and muddled about what had just happened. "Hey, what are friends for?"

Drew's smile widened and he nodded. They dug into their meals and conversation turned to lighter topics. Mina quizzed him about his game that night and about playing hockey in general. He was very animated as he talked about his career and Mina enjoyed the way his face lit up.

An hour passed almost without them noticing and Drew drove her home. He got out to walk her up to her apartment and she laughed.

"It's broad daylight, Drew. You don't need to see me to my door."

"I guess you're right." He gave her a sheepish smile as they paused on the front steps of the building. "Thanks for coming out, Mina. I had a good time."

"Me too." Mina was flushed with pleasure from the time they'd spent together. Aside from the confusing hand-holding, Drew was enjoyable company and they'd had no problems keeping a conversation going.

"Are you going to watch the game tonight?" he asked.

Mina laughed. "Lena's coming over and we're all going to watch it together."

Drew grinned. "Awesome. I'm number 39."

Mina rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "You think I'm going to watch only you?"

"You should." The grin he gave her now was something that she just wasn't sure of.

Drawing in a deep breath, she turned and walked up the first step. Drew stopped her with a hand on her arm. She turned back and froze when he leaned closer. He kissed her cheek and closed his arms around her in a hug.

"Thanks again, Mina. For everything."

"Sure," she managed to squeak out.

Drew pulled back with a smile and released her. "Enjoy the game."

"I'll try."

Drew laughed and waved as he walked back to his car. Mina watched him go and lifted a hand to her cheek after his car had disappeared around the corner.

Well, that was unexpected. She let out a breathless laugh before going upstairs.

Hilary was home and all but vibrating with eagerness to know what happened over lunch. Mina laughed as she took her shoes and coat off.

"It was lunch, Hil, not international espionage."

Hilary rolled her eyes. "You can tell me over coffee. You want some?"

"Sure." Mina followed her into the kitchen and sat down while Hilary made a pot of coffee.

"What did you guys talk about?"

Mina smiled. "His family, the game tonight, my job search. Normal stuff."

Hilary sat down across from her. "And?"

"And what?" Mina shrugged. "It was lunch, Hilary, nothing more."

Hilary let out a noisy sigh and propped her chin in one hand. "You're no fun. I want some juicy details!"

Mina laughed. "Juicy details? Hilary, you're in a relationship. What do you need from me?"

"I know I'm dating Mark but we're like an old married couple already."

Mina laughed and shook her head. "Hardly!"

Hilary grinned. "I have to live vicariously through my single friends. Right now, you're the only one!"

"Well, I hate to disappoint you, Hil, but we're just friends. We had lunch. That's all." Mina drew in a breath and smiled. "Besides, I already told you he doesn't think of me as potential girlfriend material."

"Hmm." Hilary didn't sound convinced. "I don't know. I saw the way he looked at you when he came in."

Mina blushed but shook her head to hide her pleasure at Hilary's comment. "I think you must have been imagining things."

"Maybe, maybe not." Hilary leaned forward, her expression sober, and touched Mina's arm. "Just be careful, Mina. Drew's a nice guy but I don't want to see you get hurt again."

Mina tried to laugh it off and make a flippant comment but her mind was blank. She returned Hilary's earnest smile and patted her hand over her arm. "Thanks, Hilary. I know you're just looking out for me."

Hilary nodded and got up to pour their coffee. Mina went to change into her sweats to unpack some more boxes. They chatted over the boxes and mugs of coffee about topics other than Mina's love life, or lack thereof.

Later, Lena showed up and they spent a noisy hour in the kitchen making dinner. Mina took it in stride, even though their ultimate decision to make nachos and dip as a side dish made her cringe. She wasn't a tyrant in the kitchen and mostly, she just enjoyed spending time with the girls.

They sat down to watch the game and Hilary must have told Lena about Drew because Lena sprung it on Mina just before the game started.

"I hear you went out with Drew Stamenski today, Mina."

Mina looked over at Lena before shooting a glare at Hilary. "I guess there's no hoping that Hil can keep a secret."

Lena grinned. "Not from me, she can't."

Mina sighed. She wasn't upset since Lena was her friend as well. "Yes. We went out for lunch. But it wasn't a date."

Lena's eyebrows went up. "Did I say anything about a date?"

Mina flushed. "It was implied."

The other two women giggled and nudged Mina with teasing hands.

"Don't be like that, Mina. We think it's great, date or not." Hilary gave her a quick hug.

"Yeah," Lena agreed. "Drew is a great guy and I think it's good for you to make new friends."

"Thanks, Lena." Mina smiled. "It has been fun spending some time with Drew."

"Did you tell him we'd be watching the game tonight?" Hilary asked as she came back into the living room with a bowl of popcorn.

"Yeah and he told me I should watch for him." Mina reached for the popcorn so she missed the look exchanged between Lena and Hilary.

A few minutes later, the game started and the women chatted in between the action on screen.

Mina enjoyed the evening with her friends. It was the first time in a long time that she hadn't thought about her impromptu move from Baltimore. She spent more time engrossed in the game than worrying about finding a job. She'd never paid much attention to hockey before. Growing up, her brother had always played basketball so, by default, she'd followed that more than the other major sports.

After the game was over, she felt exhausted. Lena and Hilary had kept her up to speed on what was happening on ice and they'd pointed Drew out several times to her. Mina took their teasing in stride and didn't bother mentioning the little thrill she got from seeing him in action.

Maybe they were just friends and wouldn't be anything else. Maybe she liked him a little more than that and he didn't think about her that way. For now, he was a pleasant distraction and if she had to have a distraction, one like Drew was better than anything else she could think of.

****

After their win against the Blues, Drew and the team had a short road trip to Florida. Drew called Mina before he left on Saturday and they spoke for over an hour. She told him about spending all day Friday going to various restaurants to see who was looking for a chef. She found a few prospective places and set up interviews with several.

She asked about Carter and his job search and Drew said he'd hardly seen his brother. Carter had left him a note just that morning saying he had a few interviews, which Drew wondered about since it was a Saturday.

Mina laughed. "Depending on what sort of work he's looking for, lots of places are open and would conduct interviews on Saturdays."

"Like where?" Drew grumbled. He was having a hard time with Carter already and it had only been three days. At least the house was clean and Carter hadn't left any of his things lying around. Drew's worries centered on what Carter spent his time doing when he wasn't at home.

"Oh, retail stores, restaurants, galleries, museums..." Mina listed several places of employment and none of them sounded like something Carter would be interested in.

"I guess."

Mina fell silent and Drew wondered if he'd said something wrong.

"Mina?"

"You just have to try to be patient, Drew," she said. "Carter sounds like a smart kid and I know it's hard for you, but you have to give him a chance to do what he said he'd do."

Drew nodded. He could see the logic in what Mina said but his judgment was clouded by the fact that it was his little brother they spoke of.

"I'm sorry, Mina. I shouldn't be whining so much about Carter."

"It's all right." She gave a little laugh. "I don't mind, really. Besides, you listen to me go on about my dad and sister enough."

"You hardly ever complain about them."

She laughed again and Drew smiled. He felt better after having spoken to her and almost regretted the fact that he had to leave. He wanted to see her again.

"Can I take you to dinner when I get back?" he blurted.

"Sure. When will that be?"

"Tuesday. I have a game Wednesday so we can go out Tuesday or Thursday, whatever is better for you."

He was treated to her bright laughter again.

"Drew, I don't have a job yet. My schedule is wide open."

"Great! Then you can fill it up with lunches and dinners with me until you find a job."

"And end up even chubbier in the process."

He scoffed. "You're not chubby."

She fell silent again.

"And anyway, if you want to do something besides eat, we can go see a movie, or go to the museums." Drew paused as he considered the countless other activities they could do in the D.C. area.

"I've never been to the National Archives."

Drew smiled. "I'll take you there when I get back on Tuesday and we can have dinner after."

"Sounds great."

"I'll call you when I get home."

"OK. Have a safe trip, Drew."

They hung up and Drew sat in silence for a long time afterward, holding the phone against his chest.

What was it about Mina that drew him in? All of a sudden, she was the first person he wanted to call when something was on his mind, good or bad. He enjoyed her shy smiles and sweet laughter and spent a lot of time wondering how he could see her again.

"Drew?" Carter's voice broke into his silent reverie and Drew sat up straight.

"I'm in my office."

Carter walked in and he had an enormous grin on his face. "Hey! I got a job!"

Drew smiled. "That's great. Where?"

"The Verizon Center."

Drew laughed. "Oh man. You name dropped, didn't you?"

Carter looked unashamed as he nodded. "Only once. And it's not like I'll be running the team. I'll be working in concession."

"That's great, Carter." Drew stood up. "How often will you work?"

"I told them I could work all the games and events." Carter followed him out of the office and down the hall.

Drew's bag was packed and waiting by the front door. He paused to pull his jacket on and listened as Carter described his job hunt. He was the most animated Drew had ever seen him and he wished he had more time to talk with Carter before he left.

"That's awesome, Carter. I'm glad you're happy with that."

Carter shrugged. "It's a job and it's not forever. I thought it would be good since it's right on the Metro and I don't have to worry about a car or anything."

"Very wise." Drew checked the time and sighed. "Listen, I have to go. You have my cell number and my itinerary is on the fridge."

Carter nodded. "Yeah. Have a good trip, bro. Don't worry about anything."

Drew snorted. Carter might as well advise him to take up ballet for all the good it would do. Still, Drew had no choice and he left the house and his brother behind.

This was going to be the longest three-day road trip he'd ever had.

****

Mina had finally worked through the bulk of the boxes and Lena was just about done moving all her stuff out. Both Lena and Hilary had taken a few days off work to get Lena moved into Obie's place for good. Since the team was gone for three days, it was a good opportunity to move and then commiserate over the changes in their lives.

They ended up drunk and disorderly on Sunday night – Lena's last night in the apartment – and Mina hadn't laughed so much in ages.

"Did I ever tell you guys about how Lawrence proposed?" Mina asked and shook her head when Lena gestured at her half-empty glass with the wine bottle.

"No! Tell!" Hilary hooted with laughter before Mina even had a chance to say anything.

Mina cast her mind back and recalled how Lawrence had just assumed they were engaged since she'd moved in with him. "It was so unromantic. I came home after work one night and I'd only been living in his place for two weeks. He was still up and we talked for a bit before he told me he'd booked the Tremont Plaza for August."

Hilary scoffed and Lena gaped in surprise. Mina smiled at their expressions and continued with her narrative.

"I asked what for, and he said it was a good place for the reception. He went on to say he was considering St. Joseph's for the ceremony but we'd both have to be there to meet with the pastor."

"He had it all planned already?" Lena asked.

"Yup. Right down to the shop he figured I could buy my dress at."

"Oh my God. What a jerk!" Hilary exclaimed and they all laughed.

"I got mad and said I didn't want to talk about it since we weren't actually engaged. Then he got mad and asked what I was doing there if we weren't going to get married." Mina waved a hand as the memories fogged up behind her current inebriation. "We fought some more and then slept apart that night. I worked all the next day and when I came home, he still wasn't talking to me. The next morning after that, I got up to leave for work and he'd left something in the kitchen for me."

"What?" Lena asked, leaning forward.

"He left the ring in a box on the table with a note that said, 'Here. Now we're engaged.'"

Hilary and Lena's jaws dropped in equal expressions of disbelief. Mina laughed. What else could she do at this point? It was ridiculous, looking back on it, how she'd started to cry at the sight of the diamond solitaire. She'd thought it the most thoughtful, lovely gesture he'd ever made.

What a clueless fool I was. She shook her head and downed the rest of her wine.

"Wow." Lena leaned forward and put a hand on Mina's knee. "All I can say, Mina, is that you're better off without him."




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 02



"Ditto."

The three women toasted to that and then conversation turned to how Obie had proposed to Lena.

"I bet it was more romantic than mine," Mina commented with a grin.

Lena blushed but giggled like a young girl. She stared at the ring on her hand, her expression filled with wonder, as if she still couldn't believe the ring was there.

"It was romantic, for him." Her gaze grew distant as she remembered. "We'd had an argument one night before the All Star weekend."

"About what?" Mina asked.

"I don't even know. Something stupid about our summer plans. He was mad that I brought it up before the season was over and I was mad that he didn't want to make plans with me." She shrugged. "It doesn't matter now."

Hilary snorted with laughter. "Not now that you've got that rock on your finger."

"Oh, shush, Hil!" Mina admonished.

They all giggled and then Lena continued.

"I hadn't planned on going to the All Star game in Raleigh and after the fight, I definitely didn't know if Obie would want me there. He called that Friday night and we talked for hours. He apologized and asked if I wanted to come for the weekend but I figured he'd be super busy."

"They were busy," Hilary agreed. "Mark only called me once all weekend."

"I had booked the whole weekend off of work too. So Saturday, I was just hanging out at home when this limo driver showed up." Lena blushed at the memory. "He said he was there to take me to the airport, on Obie's orders."

Mina and Hilary leaned closer and listened with their breath held as Lena continued.

"Once I got over the surprise, and called Obie to confirm this guy wasn't a psychopath, I packed a bag and the limo took me to the airport." Lena smiled, a soft look coming over her face as she thought about it. "A limo driver was waiting for me in Raleigh and took me to the hotel. I was thinking I could just chill for the night, get all relaxed for when he was done with the skills competition."

Lena paused and shook her head, her hair falling over her flushed cheek. Hilary and Mina exchanged a look and held back their giddy giggles until Lena continued.

"When I got to the hotel and Obie was waiting for me in the room. There were candles lit all over the room and flowers on every flat surface." Lena glanced up, stars in her eyes. "And Obie was there, wearing a black suit, on one knee in the middle of the room. He looked at me and said he didn't want to fight about our summer plans anymore. He just wanted to be with me for all the summers from now on."

Mina let out her breath on a long sigh. "That's so romantic."

Lena grinned and nodded. "It was. I started crying and couldn't even say anything when he pulled the ring out." She laughed, lost in the memory and after another moment her eyes refocused on her friend's faces. "He said he'd been waiting for the right time."

Hilary scoffed and nudged Lena with a foot. "He was waiting for the courage and when he thought he'd screwed up, he asked."

"Hilary!" Mina exclaimed in shock but they all laughed anyway.

"Just you wait, Hilary." Lena narrowed her eyes on the blond. "Your time will come."

Hilary gasped and tried to brush it off but Mina had seen the looks Mark gave her and the way Hilary looked at him. At the very least, Mina didn't think she'd have a roommate for much longer.

"I don't want to talk about me." Hilary waved her hand in the air in dismissal. "We need to find a man for Mina."

Mina gasped as Lena burst out laughing.

"She has a man, she just doesn't know it yet."

"No, I don't!"

"Oh come on, Mina." Hilary rolled her eyes as she topped up her wine glass. "We've known Drew for a while now and he doesn't ask just any girl to dinner and lunch and he doesn't call anyone for hour-long talks about nothing."

"And he sure as hell doesn't like talking about problems with his brother," Lena added to which Hilary solemnly agreed.

"It doesn't mean anything, you guys." Mina shook her head. "We're just friends."

"For now." Lena gave a knowing nod.

"Mina! You should call him!" Hilary exclaimed.

"What? No!"

"Yeah, you should!" Hilary jumped up and ran for the phone. She shoved it in Mina's hand but Mina handed it back, shaking her head. "Fine. I'll call him."

When Hilary started to dial the number, Mina shrieked and tried to chase her friend down. But Hilary was too quick and Mina had had too much to drink for agility.

"Hi, Drew?"

Mina stopped and stared at Hilary with her mouth hanging open.

"Yeah, it's Hilary. How's it going?"

Lena stifled her giggles as Mina sank back onto the couch beside her.

"Oh, fine. Me and the girls are just hanging out, having a few drinks." Hilary grinned and pointed at Mina. "Yeah, she's here. Hold on!" She held the phone out to Mina who shook her head.

"No!"

Hilary narrowed her eyes. "Yes! Take it right now or I'll tell him you've been fantasizing about him in his underwear."

Mina snatched the phone from her friend's hand before Hilary could say anything else. "Hi, Drew."

He was laughing when she put the phone to her ear. "My underwear, huh?"

Mina slapped a hand to her forehead and groaned. "Oh God. You heard that?"

"Sure did. I want to hear more."

"Oh, hell no. I'm not drunk enough for that."

Drew laughed again, a deep, rich chuckle that lit up all of Mina's insides. "You're drunk? That's what this is? A drunk dial?"

"No. Hilary called you."

"And yet here we are, talking."

"Yeah."

There was a moment of silence.

"So tell me what kind of underwear you imagine me wearing."

None. She opened her mouth, almost saying the word out loud and stopped herself just in time.

"I don't picture you in your underwear," she managed to get out.

She was rewarded with another deep chuckle.

"Too bad. I was going to tell you all about what I imagine."

Her mouth went dry. Her mind was a complete blank.

"Mina? Did I scare you off?" There was laughter in his tone.

Mina sighed and wrapped an arm around her middle. "No."

"Good. How's your weekend been?"

Mina let her breath out. "Fine. Busy. We've been moving Lena's stuff into Obie's place."

"Oh yeah. He was complaining about the woman taking over his life."

Mina giggled. "That's funny. Lena was just telling us about how he begged her to move in and marry him."

Drew hooted with laughter and Mina couldn't help but smile. Hilary and Lena laughed and got up to give her a few minutes alone in the living room.

"I'm glad you're having a good time with the girls," Drew said.

"Yeah. Me too. How's the road trip going?"

Drew exhaled. "All right. I would have preferred to win last night."

"Well, you can't win all the time."

"Thanks, Mina." He chuckled. "I didn't realize."

Mina laughed. "Oh come on, Drew. I was just kidding. You know I'll cheer for you."

"Really? That's great. I appreciate that."

Mina beamed at his words. They chatted about nonsense a little longer and when Drew tried again to get her to fess up about the underwear thing, she laughed and ended the call. Hilary and Lena rejoined her in the living room and both women had knowing smiles on their faces. Mina laughed it off but she was secretly pleased that they thought there was something more to her friendship with Drew. Even if there wasn't.



Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 03



Thanks to everyone who's been reading and commenting so far. I'm glad you're enjoying it.

I want to take a second to thank PennLady for her help editing. She's brutal but fair. ;) I kid, I kid...

I hope you all enjoy the rest of the story. Hope you're comfortable. It's not going to be a quick romp, in case you hadn't already figured it out. In any case, thanks as always for your support.

Take care and happy reading!

M. ;)

****

Drew was excited to get home after his game against Tampa on Monday night. He was eager to see how Carter had fared without him around and he couldn't wait to call Mina and make plans for the next day. He had another, longer, road trip coming up and he wanted to get in as much time with her as he could. His desire for her company surprised even him.

First things first, he reminded himself.

He drove home late Monday night and when he got to his townhouse, the place was dark. He went upstairs and checked on Carter, who was sprawled out across his bed, snoring like a buzz-saw. With a smile, Drew left him to it and settled into his own room for the night.

In the morning, Drew found a note on the fridge from Carter.

"Good road trip, bro! I'll see you after work. C."

Drew smiled and went about his morning routine. After a jog through the neighborhood, he made himself a light breakfast, then showered and changed. He forced himself to be patient and wait to call Mina but it was a challenge. At last, a few minutes past noon, he relaxed in his office and dialed her number.

"Hello?"

"Mina? It's Drew."

"Hey, welcome home."

"Thanks. Did you watch last night?"

"Watch what?"

Drew rolled his eyes. He could hear the teasing note in her voice. "You cut me real deep just now, Mina. I'm crying over here."

"Oh, you'll get over it." She giggled and Drew straightened up in his seat as heat surged through his veins.

Calm down, man. It's a just a friendly conversation.

"So what are you up to?" he asked.

"I just got back from an interview at Washington Golf and Country Club."

"Oh really? How'd it go?"

"I think it went well. I have a few more interviews lined up this week so I'm hoping something pans out."

"I'm sure it will."

She laughed. "You're nice but you don't even know if I can cook or not."

Drew scoffed. "Please. I don't need to try your cooking to know you're amazing."

"Oh, Drew. That's very sweet." She hesitated before going on. "I'll have to make you dinner sometime."

"I'd love that." He grinned and rocked back in his chair, folding an arm behind his head. "Are you still up for the National Archives today and dinner after?"

"Of course. I've been looking forward to it."

"Great. I'll come pick you up in an hour then."

"Great. See you then."

Drew hung up the phone, feeling better than he had in weeks. Between the drama with his family and his increasing jealousy over his teammates pairing off, he'd been pretty miserable. Now he was making new friends and his brother seemed to be getting his act together.

Life is good.

****

Mina was excited to see Drew again, even though she told herself that they were just hanging out as friends. Nothing more. Still, she took extra care with her appearance, choosing a pair of jeans that she knew made her butt look smaller. Her hair, for once, was behaving and all she had to do was rub some smoothing mousse through it to tame the flyaways. Then she touched up her make-up and dabbed lip gloss on her lips.

She was grateful that Hilary was at work. She loved her friend dearly but her incessant teasing about Drew since Sunday night's phone call had been a lot to handle.

She straightened up the kitchen while she waited for Drew. Out of habit, she contemplated new recipes as she went along. The phone rang as she stood before the pantry with a box of bow-tie pasta in her hand.

"Hello?"

"Hello, sweetheart!"

"Hi, Dad. How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you settling in?"

Mina smiled and set the pasta down. "All right. Hilary and Lena have been good about helping me move and unpack."

"Great. That's just great, Wilhelmina."

He was the only person in her life who insisted on using her full name. He said it reminded him of her mother so who was she to deny him such a simple thing?

"Your sister called me earlier and she wants to plan a dinner for my birthday."

Mina rolled her eyes and moved to sit at the kitchen table. "Of course she does. What does she need me to do?"

Her father chuckled. "The usual, I imagine. Don't stress yourself over it. You know I'm good with whatever you make."

"I know. Well, do you have any special requests this year? Maybe a cream puff tower cake instead of strawberry shortcake?"

"Hmm, I might have to think about that."

Mina laughed. "Sure, Dad. Just let me know."

"Alexis thinks that Sunday the twenty-seventh would work best."

"Did she check with Adam to see if he could make it home from school?" And she might have asked me first. I could be working! Mina tried not to let her frustration with her older sister seep into the conversation.

"I talked to him last night and he's fine with it. Can you make it?"

"I think so, Dad. I don't have a job yet but I'm sure one night won't be a problem, especially if it's a Sunday."

"That's what I told Alexis."

Mina smiled. In spite of their difference of opinion when she'd left the University of Maryland, he wholeheartedly supported her career now. She suspected that her ability to cook and bake was another strong reminder for him of her mother.

She chatted with her father a little longer about what was going on in his life. She told him about helping Hilary and the others at the Capitals benefit and he was impressed that she'd got to meet some of the players.

"You know I've always been a Redskins fan, but those hockey guys, they're not bad either."

Mina laughed. "Nice, Dad. I'll be sure to mention it to Drew when I see him later."

"See who? You're dating?"

Mina could have smacked herself. Before she could say anything else, her father went off again.

"Oh, Wilhelmina, how wonderful! You have to bring him to dinner. Will his schedule allow it? I think it's fantastic that you're dating. It's about time you moved on from that rat bastard."

Mina stifled her laugh with one hand and let her father go on for a while. The apartment buzzer went off, saving her, and she said her good-bye in a hurry.

"I love you, Dad. I'll call you later!"

"Have a nice time, sweetheart. And don't forget to tell him about my birthday dinner!"

Mina ignored that last comment as she hung up and walked over to buzz Drew into the building. She opened the door to his knock and flushed when he gave her a dazzling grin.

"Hi." He stepped into the apartment and wrapped her in his arms for a warm hug before she could even catch her breath. "I'm so happy to see you."

Mina laughed and disentangled from his grasp. "Why?"

He smiled and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Because I like spending time with you. Is that all right?"

Mina nodded. What else could she do? She might have preferred an answer along the lines of 'I can't stop thinking of you naked,' or 'because I need to make love to you now.' She couldn't admit those thoughts to herself, let alone Drew.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. I just have to grab my purse. One second." She hurried down the hall and Drew whistled as he looked around.

"Nice to see you got most of the boxes cleared up."

Mina laughed as she came back down the hall. "I know. It's been easier since we moved the last of Lena's stuff out."

"Right. I'll have to ask Obie about that tomorrow."

Mina raised her eyebrows as she slipped her shoes and jacket on. "Do guys really talk about stuff like that?"

Drew shrugged and held the door open for her. "Sometimes. We're not like chicks, that's for sure."

Mina laughed and gave him a friendly push before they left the apartment. They walked downstairs and out to his car, where Drew held the passenger door open for her as well. If he kept up with this gallant act, Mina thought, she would be a long way towards being smitten with him.

Oh, who am I kidding? Mina settled into the car for the ride.

The National Archives were interesting but spending time with Drew was more fun. He told her about the road trip, lamenting their loss to the Florida Panthers and almost glossing over their success in Tampa.

She bumped him with her elbow as they walked. "You'll get the next one."

He grinned and threw an arm around her shoulders. Mina's breath left her in a rush but she didn't pull away.

"Thanks, Mina. You're very supportive."

She laughed to cover her nervousness. "I try."

They continued to move around, checking everything out and Drew kept his arm around her. When a spot opened up in front of the Declaration of Independence, Drew grabbed her hand and tugged her over.

Mina went along with him but she might have been staring at porn for all she knew. Drew's fingers were warm around her hand and he didn't let her go, even as they moved on to look at something else.

By the time Drew suggested dinner, she was feeling light-headed.

"What do you feel like eating?" he asked, his hand still wrapped around her fingers.

"I don't know. What's around here?"

They couldn't agree on anything nearby, so they decided to drive back to Arlington to an Italian restaurant that Drew said he liked. Drew didn't let go of her hand until they were back in his car.

"How's Carter doing?" she asked in an effort to take her mind off what was happening.

"I think he's doing really well." Drew sounded pleased and Mina smiled. "He's been keeping my place cleaner than I ever did and going to work nearly every day."

"That's great."

"It is. I was so worried about leaving him alone so much, and sure, it's only been a week, but I think it's a good start."

"I think so too."

He smiled at her and she returned it in kind.

"How was your day? What else have you done?"

"Not much." She shrugged. "My dad called about his birthday dinner."

"When's his birthday?"

"It's March twenty-ninth but my sister is planning a dinner for all of us together on the twenty-seventh. It's easier for us to get together on weekends." Mina flushed as she recalled her father's parting comment.

"What?"

Mina glanced over to see Drew giving her a strange look. "What, what?"

He laughed. "You have a funny look on your face and your cheeks are pink." As he spoke, he reached over and brushed a finger down said cheek.

Mina drew in her breath and stared at him. "I was...uh, my dad, he..." She stopped and shook her head, trying to gather her thoughts. "He said I should invite you."

Drew's eyebrows lifted and he smiled. "Why? I mean, don't get me wrong, that's very nice and I'd love to meet your family."

Mina laughed. "I mentioned how we met at the benefit and he was pretty impressed that I got to meet some professional athletes."

"Ah. So he wants one to come to his birthday?"

Mina shrugged. "I think he was glad I was making new friends and suggested I invite you." That wasn't exactly how it had played out but she didn't expect Drew to want to go. It's not like we really are dating, anyway.

They chatted about other topics until they arrived at a small Italian restaurant near Drew's place. It was busy inside but they only had to wait five minutes before they were seated. The waitress was prompt, taking their drink orders and returning in minutes for their meal requests.

After she'd gone again, Drew smiled at Mina across the candlelit table. "You never did tell me what your specialty is."

"Specialty?" Mina grinned and sipped her wine. "I don't really have one. I guess I love baking more than anything but I never concentrated in one specific area."

"No? That must be why you don't mind eating out with me so much." Drew winked as she laughed. "Either that or you're like a lot of people. Once you're done at work, you don't want to come home and do the same thing all over again."

"Sometimes. I wouldn't have turned to cooking school if I didn't love it though." Then she smiled. "It'd be hard to get away from cooking outside work, unless I end up marrying someone who cooks."

Drew leaned forward on the table with a mischievous grin. Mina felt her breath catch. "I know someone who can cook."

"Oh yeah? Who?"

"One of the guys on the team, Brody. Did you meet him at the benefit?"

Mina blinked, not prepared for him to name a real person. She'd been expecting more teasing. "Brody? No, I don't think I did."

"He's a nice guy. I could introduce you two."

"Because he can cook?" Mina had to laugh at that. "Thanks, Mr. Matchmaker, but I'm looking for more in a guy than his kitchen prowess."

Drew raised his eyebrows and his grin turned wicked. "Such as?"

Mina drank some more wine, her mouth feeling parched all of a sudden. "Oh, well, you know...the usual things. Sense of humor, romance, good looks, fast car, fat wallet."

Drew laughed. "High standards, indeed."

Mina looked down and shrugged, the picture of innocence. Their meals arrived in another few minutes and they chatted in between mouthfuls. After dessert, Drew asked if she wanted to come over and meet Carter.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah, why not?" Drew smiled and helped her with her coat as they got ready to leave. Then he took her hand in his as they walked around the block to where he'd parked.

It took about ten minutes to get to his townhouse and the main floor was lit up, revealing that Carter was at home.

"Hello?" Drew called out as they walked inside.

"Hey!" Carter called back from somewhere out of sight.

Drew gave Mina a rueful smile and took her coat from her. They walked into the living room where Carter was sprawled out on the couch, wearing nothing but some ratty sweatpants while he watched TV.

"Jesus, Carter. Can't you put a shirt on?" Drew asked.

Carter snorted with laughter. "What for? It's just you." He looked up and leapt to his feet when he saw Mina standing beside Drew. He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at Drew. "You couldn't warn me?"

Drew laughed and Mina grinned at the younger man as his face turned red. Mina could see the resemblance between them. Drew still had several inches on his little brother but their faces were almost identical.

"Carter, this is Mina." Drew put an arm around her shoulders. "Mina, this is my brother, Carter."

"Nice to meet you, Carter. Drew's told me all about you."

Carter managed a weak smile for her before he turned a glare on his brother. "Really? He's told me nothing about you."

Mina glanced up at Drew who smirked at Carter. "I don't think you need to worry about who I'm spending my time with."

Carter sniffed and looked around, presumably for something cover up with. He settled on a throw pillow from the couch and faced them again.

Drew shook his head and turned, Mina still tucked against his side. "I'm taking Mina on a tour of the house. You can use the time to get dressed."

Carter stuck his tongue out and Mina had to laugh at the gesture.

"He seems like a nice guy," Mina commented as they walked upstairs.

Drew smiled and let his arm fall from her shoulders. "He is a good kid. He just managed to get into all kinds of trouble this year."

"I'm sure the worst is over now." Mina patted his arm in comfort.

"I hope so."

Drew led her down the hall, showing her glimpses of his room and his brother's. There was another room, empty of anything except some boxes and athletic gear. Downstairs was the large living room and kitchen, where Carter – now dressed – was making popcorn. Down a back hall was Drew's office and he flicked the light on as they walked inside.

"I actually spend most of my time in here." Drew walked around to sit behind the desk. "I'm always emailing my friends and family or checking out my fantasy pool stats."

"Fantasy pools? Not for hockey." Mina affected a scandalized look.

He laughed and shook his head. "Naw. Football and baseball."

Mina nodded and wandered around, checking out the pictures on the walls. There were photos of him from Little League and older as a hockey player in college.

"You have a very nice house."

Drew beamed at her. "Thanks. I'm glad you like it."

She walked over and leaned a hip against the desk. "Where do you spend your summers?"

"I usually head back to Boston to spend time with my parents and Carter. With Carter here now, I might see if my mom and dad will visit us instead."

"That's a good idea. I'm sure they'd love that."

"You think so?"

He didn't sound sure. Mina moved closer and pressed a hand to his shoulder as she nodded. "I do think so. Parents just want what's best for their kids."

Drew sighed and let his head fall back on the chair. He reached up and clasped her hand in his before she could pull away. "It's gotta be hard for them when one basically runs away."

Mina nodded and gave her hand a little tug. Drew wouldn't release her. He held her hand and drew it down from his shoulder as he stroked his thumb over her knuckles. Mina moved closer and perched on the edge of the desk in front of him. She told herself to remain calm and that Drew was only reaching out for comfort.

He's just going through a tough time right now. He wants a friend and he's not thinking any different.

"Well, at least he didn't just take off across the country like he threatened to." Mina offered Drew a small smile. "He came here because he knew you'd be able to help him. And probably because he knew you'd be a safe haven until he could figure out what he wants."

"You think so?"

Mina laughed at his confused expression. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You're not the father, you're just the big brother."

He laughed and lifted his eyes to hers. "Carter's almost ten years younger than me."

Mina raised an eyebrow and gave him a wry smile. "That still doesn't make you his father."

"Touché." He grinned and squeezed her fingers, sending a frisson of sensation up her arm. "I have to be careful around women like you."

"Women like me?"

"Yeah. Smart women, they intimidate me."

Mina had to laugh at that. Six-and-a-half feet of pure athleticism and he was intimidated by brains?

"Don't mock me!" He tugged her hand and she gasped out a laugh before bracing herself on his shoulder. "I might not be as smart, but I know some things."

"Like what?" Mina tried to sound nonchalant and straighten up but Drew's other arm came around her waist and tugged her down onto his lap. "What are you doing?"

"Overpowering you." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She blushed and tried to pull out of his arms. This was not going how she'd thought it would. His actions right now were decidedly more than friendly.

"Show off your brains now, smarty pants," he teased, his grasp ironclad.

Mina laughed and struggled against his hold but to little avail. Flushed, flustered and unsure of what was happening, she sagged against his chest. "Fine!"

Drew chuckled as he held her close, his grip loosening at her apparent surrender. A thought occurred to Mina and she pushed her hand between them to tickle his sides. He gave a surprised yelp and all but pushed her off his lap.

She laughed and went after him again. He dodged her outstretched hands, almost upsetting his chair in his efforts to get away from her. She chased him out of the office and down the hall where Carter eyed them suspiciously. Drew fended off Mina by grabbing her wrists and holding her away from him.

"How old are you two?" Carter asked and rolled his eyes.

Drew and Mina exchanged a look before dissolving into laughter. They agreed to a truce and joined Carter in the living room.

Mina's heart was a long time in settling down following all that. After a few minutes, the conversation turned to Carter's work and Drew's season.




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 03



"I couldn't believe how little food you had here when I moved in," Carter said around a mouthful of popcorn. "I was lucky I found eggs that first morning."

Mina laughed as Drew sputtered in indignation.

"I'm traveling half the time. I don't have time to double check my pantry and fridge." He frowned. "Let alone grocery shop every day."

Carter rolled his eyes. "You don't have to shop every day. If you leave me some cash on Fridays, I can do the grocery shopping for the week."

Drew eyed his brother with a smirk. Carter had the grace to flush under his gaze, both of them recalling Carter's less-than-responsible days.

"When are you home for dinner again, Drew?" Mina asked.

"Thursday. Then I have games Friday and Sunday."

"What about you Carter? Do you have Thursday or Saturday night off?" Mina smiled at Carter.

"Uh, I'm off Saturday, I think. I'd have to double check my schedule. Why?"

"I think I should come cook you both a proper meal."

Drew grinned at her. "What for?"

She shrugged and felt her cheeks warm. She didn't know herself why she'd suggested it except that so far tonight, she'd been enjoying hanging out with both brothers. "I just want to do something nice for you. All this time you've been buying me meals and this is how I can repay you."

"Awesome!" Carter exclaimed and leaned over to exchange a high-five with her.

Mina laughed and slapped his hand. "Don't get excited, it'll be something simple. I'm sure you guys would go more for a home-cooked classic."

"As long as it's not our mom's tuna-taco casserole." Carter made a face that Drew mirrored.

Mina wrinkled her nose at the name of the dish. "I can assure you, it won't be."

"Then I'm in." Carter reclined back on the couch with the bowl of popcorn on his stomach. "It'll be fun to see a real chef in action."

Drew rolled his eyes. "Come on, Mina. It's getting late. I'll drive you home."

Mina nodded and said good-bye to Carter. "It was nice to meet you."

"You too. See you Saturday!"

Drew and Mina didn't say much on the short drive to her apartment building. Drew walked her inside to her door and she felt heat prickle her neck and face and all over her torso.

Who am I kidding? She wondered as she fumbled in her purse for her keys. I'm hot all over and it's all his fault.

"Thanks for taking me out today." She lifted her face to smile at him.

"It was my pleasure." Drew leaned one shoulder against the wall beside her door. "I think next time we should go to the Museum of National History."

"I'd like that." She jingled the keys in her hand. "Hopefully I'll have to schedule around my job."

Drew smiled and nodded. "You'll get something soon, don't worry. If not, I'll hire you as my personal chef."

Mina laughed. "That's very thoughtful."

They fell silent as they looked at each other. Mina blinked and she turned to slide the key into the dead bolt.

"Well, thanks for driving me home." Could he hear the waver in her voice? She looked up with another smile for him. "Have a good night, Drew."

Before she knew it was happening, he pulled her into his arms and pressed her close to his body. She sucked in a sharp breath, filling her nose with his masculine scent of fresh soap and aftershave.

"I'm so glad we met, Mina." His words were low and his breath brushed over her ear as he spoke.

"M-me too."

He didn't say anything else but his hands moved lower down her back until he was tugging her still closer with an arm around her waist. She sucked in another breath, hoping to clear her head. Drew lifted his head and she felt his breath brush over her forehead.

Their eyes met and for a moment, Mina thought he meant to kiss her. Then he pressed his lips to her cheek and stepped back.

"Have a good night."

"You too." She watched him walk down the hallway until he disappeared into the elevator.

Holy shit. So much for wallowing over her ex-fiancé.

****

Drew walked out of Mina's apartment building and got into his car without thinking about what he was doing. He sat in the driver's seat, his hands clenched around the steering wheel and stared out the windshield.

What the hell just happened up there?

He'd been enjoying Mina's conversation, like always, and he'd given her a hug goodnight. Then he'd inhaled her sweet, floral scent and felt her soft hair tickle his lips. After that, it had taken every ounce of his self-control not to push her against the wall and wrap her legs around his waist.

He shook his head and turned the key in the ignition. He felt over-warm and his brain was fuzzy.

All this time he'd been spending with Mina had – he thought – been friendship. He'd always found her attractive but he hadn't thought there was a possibility of being with her as anything more than friends. She'd never said anything about wanting to date.

He scowled as he pulled away from the curb and pointed his car towards home.

What changed? Did she give me a look or something?

Drew went over the day in his mind but nothing stood out. Unless he counted the hand-holding, the romantic restaurant and the little tickle match they'd had. His blood surged as he recalled how she'd felt half-sprawled across his lap.

"Dammit," he breathed. "I'm such an idiot."

He wanted to turn back around and go talk to Mina but it was late and he had a morning practice. Hell, he had playoffs coming up and the last thing he needed was something like this screwing with his head. He also needed to figure out what to say to her so he wouldn't ruin what they had. With his mind as muddled as it was right now, he'd be lucky not to spout gibberish at her.

With a smile, he headed the short distance home. The house was dark when he pulled up and inside, Carter had tidied up before going to bed. Drew looked around the house and shook his head before heading upstairs to bed.

****

The morning didn't offer any new insights. Drew got up and went through his routine before heading off to practice. All the way, he couldn't stop thinking about Mina and what she'd think if he tried to kiss her. Then he'd start thinking about how it would be to kiss her. Then he'd scowl and tell himself to calm the hell down.

At the arena, he didn't say much to the other guys, even when Anatoli plunked down on the bench next to him.

"Why sad face?"

Drew blinked as he looked up at his friend. "Sad face?"

"Yeah. You look sad." Anatoli made a mopey face to demonstrate.

Drew laughed and punched the Russian in the shoulder. "I'm not sad. Just thinking."

"Ah." Anatoli nodded as if he knew just what Drew meant. "You need girlfriend."

It was all Drew could do to laugh at that. He recalled some of the conversations they'd had over the past few months and Anatoli's turmoil over Sara. Drew had been supportive of Anatoli through the ups and downs and considered the man a good friend. He just wasn't ready to talk about Mina with him.

"Is Sara coming to the game tonight?" Drew changed the subject.

"Da." Anatoli nodded with a grin as he jerked the laces on his skates. "You invite woman to game, Drew."

"What?"

"You bring woman to game." Anatoli shrugged. "A date."

Drew smiled. "Anyone you think I should ask or are you saying I should just pick a random woman off the street?"

Anatoli laughed and gave Drew a shove. "Don't be stupid."

With another laugh, Drew finished getting ready and the two men skated onto the ice with the rest of the team. Practice was short and the coach held a brief meeting before they were all dismissed.

As he walked to his car, Drew thought about what Anatoli said. He wondered if he could get Mina to come to a game. He'd probably have a better chance of getting her to accept if he asked now, before she had work obligations. She could go with Hilary or Lena, since they attended as often as they could.

He slid into his car and pulled his cell out before starting the engine. He hit two on his speed dial and waited for someone to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hilary, it's Drew."

"Hey, Drew. You guys are done practice already?"

"Yeah, I'm just leaving. Hey, listen, are you going to the game tonight?"

"I hadn't planned on it." Hilary gave a light laugh. "Mark said he thought I've been attending too many games."

"What?" Drew laughed. "Are you kidding?"

"No, he said it, but I'm pretty sure he was kidding."

"He'd better have been!" Drew shook his head. "Do you want to go? I can get tickets for you and Mina."

"Ah, now the truth comes out."

Hilary's knowing voice made Drew feel warm under the collar. He frowned and turned the key in the ignition. "What are you talking about?"

"Please, Drew. I live with Mina. I know how much time you've been spending together."

"So? We're friends. I like hanging out with her."

Hilary didn't answer right away and Drew heard her draw in a breath before she spoke.

"Listen, Drew, I think it's great that you guys are spending so much time together, really. But Mina, she's...well, she's had a tough time recently and I don't want her to get hurt."

"I don't want that either." Drew felt his chest constrict at the thought. He wanted to wrap Mina in his arms and make her laugh morning, noon and night. The strength of the sudden thought surprised him.

"OK. Good."

They fell silent.

"Uh, so...can I talk to Mina?"

Hilary laughed. "She's out at an interview."

"Oh. All right."

"I'll tell her we're going to the game tonight and get her to call you later."

Drew laughed at that. "You're the best, Hilary."

"I am, it's a hard life." She sighed. "Hey, when you talk to Mark again, tell him I have my own methods for getting to the games. I don't need him anymore."

Drew laughed again. "Oh no. I'm not getting involved in your drama."

Hilary sniffed. "Chicken."

"You got that right. Thanks again, Hil."

"No problem. See you later!"

"Yup. Bye."

Drew hung up and headed into traffic. He thought about what Hilary had said and wondered what it was that had brought Mina to D.C. He told himself that Mina would tell him in her own time.

For now, he'd keep seeing her as often as he could and hopefully figure out if she felt anywhere near the same for him as he did for her.

****

Mina came home from her fourth interview since moving with a little hop in her step. She burst into the apartment and called for Hilary. Her friend answered from the living room.

"Hey, you look excited." Hilary smiled at her as she muted the TV. "The interview went well?"

Mina shook her head and plopped down on the couch beside her. "Not at all."

Hilary frowned. "Then what's with the excitement?"

"The country club called back and I got the job there!"

"Oh, Mina! That's fantastic!" Hilary threw her arms around her friend. "Congratulations. When do you start?"

Mina pulled back with a grin. "They need me for the lunch hour tomorrow and then I'll be put on the regular rotation next Wednesday."

"That's great, Mina. I'm so happy for you."

"Me too!" Mina laughed, feeling euphoric. "Ugh, you would not believe the interview this afternoon, though."

Hilary grinned. "Wait, let me open a bottle of wine and we can celebrate while you tell me all about it."

Mina agreed and they settled back on the couch in a few minutes with glasses of wine. Mina told Hilary all about the interview at the restaurant in nearby Alexandria. The owner of the place had touted it as a five-star restaurant worthy of foreign dignitaries and celebrities. In reality, it was a saloon-style restaurant and bar with waitresses who wore bikinis. She'd stayed for ten minutes just to be polite and then walked out. She'd walked around a nearby mall until the call came from the Washington Golf and Country Club.

"I should call Drew," she said and sipped her wine. "He said he wanted to know the second I found a job."

Hilary raised her eyebrows and Mina didn't miss the look her friend gave her.

"What?" Mina felt heat creep up her neck.

Hilary shrugged. "Nothing. That's funny that you say you want to call him because he called here earlier for you."

"He did?" It was ridiculous how excited she was by that.

"Yeah." Hilary paused as she studied Mina. "He wants you to go to the game tonight."

"Really?" Mina was surprised. She'd never thought of asking him for tickets and didn't think he'd care one way or another if she went to a game. "Well, I don't know. I mean, I wouldn't want to go alone."

Hilary laughed. "He invited me, too."

"Really? Great, then we can definitely go."

"Sure." Hilary got up and gestured at the phone on the table. "Go ahead and call him back. The players all usually start their naps about now."

Mina reached for the phone, her mind a jumble of thoughts. Drew answered after two rings.

"Hi, Mina!"

Mina felt a flush spread through her entire body at his excited tone. That, and the fact that he knew it was her without asking. Then she reminded herself about caller display and told herself to stop romanticizing everything.

"How are you? I'm not interrupting your nap, am I?"

"No. I was waiting for you to call first."

"Oh. OK."

"Did Hilary tell you I called?"

"Yeah, I was just talking to her."

"And? You'll come to the game?"

"Yes, I'd love to. Thanks so much for offering. You really didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to. I thought I should get you to come to a game now before you're the hottest chef in D.C. and I have to book you months in advance."

Mina laughed. "Well, I won't be the hottest chef. At least, not in D.C."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I got the job at the country club!"

"Holy crap! Mina, that's awesome. Congratulations!"

"Thanks."

"I'm so happy for you. I know you'll be great."

"Thanks, Drew. You're sweet." Mina grinned at his praise.

"I try to be."

"You don't have to try."

"What? A compliment? Are you feverish, Mina?"

Mina grinned. "No, but I have been drinking."

"Drinking?!" Drew burst out laughing. "It's not even one o'clock!"

"I know, but Hilary wanted to celebrate my job."

"Good call, Hil. Tell you what, why don't we go out after the game and celebrate properly."

"Go out? Where?"

"There's a place not far from the Verizon Center. We can get a whole bunch of us together and go."

"Oh, I don't know. Won't you all be tired?"

Drew laughed. "I'll tell the guys you said that. I'd love to see their faces."

"Oh, don't do that."

"I'm just teasing, Mina."

Mina sighed. "I should have know your sweetness wouldn't last."

"Baby, you have no idea just how sweet I can be." Drew's voice dropped an octave and his words sent a shiver skittering up Mina's spine.

"I...uh..." She paused and licked her lips, unsure of how to respond. Hilary walked into the living room just then and Mina looked away. "I have to go, Drew."

"OK." He sounded disappointed. "Well, I'll call you before the game and we can set up a time to meet."

"Sure. Bye!"

Hilary gave Mina a funny look as she sat down beside her. Mina smiled but Hilary just raised her eyebrows.

"Was Drew excited that you're coming to the game?" Hilary asked.

Mina nodded and glanced down at the phone in her hand. "Yeah. He was happy for me about the job, too."

"Of course he is." Hilary patted her knee. "He'll probably buy you flowers or something."

"Oh, please." Mina waved off Hilary's comment. "I don't even think my dad would do something like that, never mind Drew."

Hilary just smiled and shrugged one shoulder. "I'm looking forward to the game."

"Yeah? When was the last time you went to one?" Mina set the phone down on the table and made herself comfortable on the couch.

"A few weeks ago." Hilary pursed her lips as she tried to recall. "I wish I could go to more but my shifts have been crazy lately."

"That happens."

Hilary nodded. "Yeah. And to make things worse, Mark won't get me tickets if he thinks I've been working too hard."

"What?" Mina laughed. "That sounds backwards!"

"Tell me about it. He told me last weekend that I should use my nights off to get some relaxation in, instead of going to a game."

"Aw. I'm sure he means well, Hilary."

Hilary's features softened and she smiled. "I guess."

"He loves you, Hil. He just doesn't want you to end up burned out."

"Yeah." Hilary stared at a spot over Mina's shoulder for a moment.

Mina grinned. She'd never seen Hilary so moony over a guy since their earliest days in college.

"So anyway..." Mina murmured, breaking through Hilary's thoughts.

Hilary's eyes snapped back to her face and color stole over her fair cheeks. "What?"

"Drew suggested we go out after the game to celebrate my job."

Hilary grinned. "Did he? Fascinating!"

Mina frowned but chose to ignore Hilary's comment. "He said he'd call before the game and set up a time and place."

Hilary waved a hand in the air. "I know where. We always go to the same place."

"OK." Mina shrugged with a smile. She found herself looking forward to a night out. For once, things were starting to go her way. She had a new job, her friends were amazing and she was going to a hockey game.

Several hours later, the girls started to get ready. They chatted and laughed as they selected their outfits and did their hair. Mina told herself she was just excited at the prospect of a night out, that she wasn't dressing to impress Drew.

They were just about to leave to grab dinner before the game when the buzzer went off. The two women exchanged surprised looks before Hilary went over to answer.

"Yes?"

"I've got a delivery for Mina Jenkins," a man replied.

Mina frowned and shrugged when Hilary turned to her with a bewildered expression.

"All right, come on up." Hilary let him in and the two of them moved around, gathering their shoes and coats.

The man knocked on the door a minute later and Mina pulled it open to reveal a massive bouquet of flowers.

"Oh my God."

The bouquet moved aside and Mina's eyes flicked to the delivery man's face. He gave her a brief smile.

"Mina Jenkins?"

She nodded.

"These are for you. Enjoy!" He handed the flowers over and walked away.

Mina stared at the bouquet in her hands and inhaled. It was an assortment of carnations, peonies and gerbers, all bright colors and fresh scents.

"Holy crap, Mina. Who are those from?"

Mina carried the bouquet into the kitchen. Hilary followed and waited as Mina searched for the card.

"'Congratulations on the job, Mina. I know you'll be great. Drew.'" Mina read the card, her face growing warmer with each word.

Hilary stared at her and Mina stared back. Then Hilary hooted with laughter and threw an arm around Mina's shoulders. "I told you he'd send you flowers!"

****

The game was like nothing Mina had ever experienced before. She'd watched hockey games on TV but she'd never been to one, even at the junior level. There was something different about the air in the arena and the sound of the crowd, right there around her on all sides. She found it intoxicating.

And then Drew skated onto the ice.

Her heart leapt in her chest the first time, and the second, until she managed to control her reaction to seeing him vault over the boards to join the fray. She laughed at herself; she'd never considered herself one of those woman to fawn over a man. Indeed, it had been one of her significant failings as a partner, according to Lawrence. That, and her weight.

Even that brief unpleasant memory wasn't enough to bring her down from the high during the game. The Capitals won and the noise of the crowd was deafening as the players filed off the ice following the last period.

Hilary leaned close to Mina and bumped her arm against Mina's. "How'd you like your first game?"

"It was awesome!" Mina grinned. "Way better than sitting at home and watching."

There was a laugh from the row behind them. Hilary and Mina turned to smile at Lena and the woman next to her, Sara.




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 03



"Yeah, but at home we can watch in our pajamas with a nice bottle of wine." Lena winked.

"Or a big bowl of popcorn," Sara added.

Mina turned her eyes to the other woman with a smile. They'd just met but Mina recalled seeing her at the benefit a couple weeks ago. Sara was dating Anatoli Strelkov and she was good friends with Drew.

"You can get popcorn here," Hilary pointed out.

Sara nodded with a wry smile. "Yeah, but it's just not the same."

Lena grinned and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "No, it's not. And I for one prefer seeing the games live."

Mina and Hilary exchanged a look. "You would. Your man is the star," Mina said.

They all laughed at that, no arguments voiced by any of them. Around them, the arena was emptying. Employees of the Verizon Center moved through the rows, cleaning up garbage and gathering items left behind.

"What's the plan now?" Lena asked as the four of them stood.

"We'll meet the guys at the bar," Hilary replied. "They shouldn't be too much longer."

The others agreed and they filed through the building with the lingering crowd until they hit the street. They chatted for the few short blocks to the usual spot and found a table big enough. The men filed into the bar less than a half hour later and Mina didn't bother to hide her pleasure when Drew made a beeline for her side.

His arms went around her, all but hauling her out of her chair to embrace her. "Hi, you."

"Hi." She inhaled as the scent of his aftershave swirled around her head.

"I've been wanting to do this all day." He tilted his chin down to meet her gaze. "Ever since you told me you got that job."

She managed a breathless laugh. "Well, thank you. And thank you for the flowers. They're lovely."

He grinned and pulled her close again. "You're welcome."

Mina wasn't sure how long he held her like that but someone cleared their throat and they pulled away from each other. The others around the table were looking at them with amused expressions and Mina felt her face heat. Drew laughed and let her go. He took the empty seat next to her as conversation rose around them, all talk focused at first on the game.

"Did you enjoy the game?" Drew asked.

Mina turned to him and smiled. "Yes. It was a lot of fun."

His eyebrows shot up and he smirked. "That's all you have to say? It was fun?"

Mina knew exactly what he as angling for and pasted an innocent smile on her face. "Yeah. Why? Was there something else I should be commenting on?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that I had two points?"

Mina shrugged and reached for her drink. "I don't know about all that stuff. You were on the ice skating around an awful lot."

Drew's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "'Skating around...?' Are you kidding?"

Mina couldn't keep a straight face any more. She laughed and bumped her shoulder against his. "I'm kidding. You should see your face, Drew."

He scowled. "It's not nice to tease."

"Isn't it?"

Drew eyed her without speaking and before she could react, his arm went around her shoulders. He pulled her close to his side and she caught her breath at the glitter in his eyes. "You should be careful who you tease, Mina."

"I should?" She was aware of how simple she sounded but it was a miracle she managed any words at all. Once again, the others at the table faded into the background, along with all the noise and bustle of the bar.

Drew leaned his head closer so that his breath brushed over her cheeks and lips. "Yes. Not everyone will let you get away with it."

"Are you saying you won't?"

He shrugged but didn't move away. Mina stared into his eyes, now a stormy grey-blue, and felt her stomach clench.

"Drew, leave Mina alone!"

It took a long moment before Mina managed to look away from Drew's face. The protest had come from Obie who gave them an unabashed grin.

"Oh, hush." Lena patted her fiancé on the arm. "Mina can handle Drew fine on her own."

Mina avoided meeting Drew's hot gaze again. She could feel his eyes on her as she straightened in her seat but she still couldn't look at him. He kept his arm around her as the waitress approached the table with a round of drinks.

Drew's fingers closed around her shoulder as he lifted his glass in the air. "I'd like to make a toast. We're all here to celebrate Mina's new job and I want to be the first to say that I think she'll be huge success." He dropped his eyes to her face and Mina smiled at him, flattered by his praise. "Congratulations, Mina."

The others around the table echoed him as they lifted their glasses.

"Thank you." Her eyes darted around to the faces gathered. "Thank you," she whispered again, for Drew alone.

He grinned at her and dropped his mouth to kiss her cheek, very close to her mouth, where he lingered for perhaps a moment longer than was 'friendly.' They shared another long look before Mina felt sweat prickle between her shoulder blades. She shifted in her seat and swallowed half her drink in one gulp.

Conversation resumed and this time, she and Drew joined in. Well, Drew joined in and Mina just tried to follow the string of topics. She was aware of Drew's hand on her shoulder, of the weight of his arm around her back, the heat of his body next to hers. She shivered every time he laughed and sucked in a breath any time he moved.

God, I'm a wreck, she thought and downed another drink. She felt Drew's hand close on her shoulder and she glanced up at him.

"Are you all right?" he asked in a low tone.

No one else at the table was paying them any attention. "I'm fine."

"You haven't said much." Drew gave her a crooked smile that she found so endearing it frightened her.

She dropped her eyes to her now empty glass and shrugged. "I don't know what to say."

"About what?"

She shrugged again. "I don't know. I think I'm tired." She raised her eyes to his. "It's been a long day."

"You want me to take you home?"

Mina told herself it was her imagination that Drew sounded hopeful as he asked but she nodded. She didn't want to stay here any longer, trying to pretend everything was normal when her attraction to Drew was muddling her thoughts of being his friend. It made her heart twist in her chest to think that he might not feel any attraction to her. All of it together confused her since she'd been telling herself for two months that she wouldn't be ready to see anyone so soon after the disaster with Lawrence.

Drew pulled his arm from around her and reached into his back pocket. "Here's our share for the tab."

"Where are you going?" Hilary asked, her eyes on Mina's face. Mina met her gaze and smiled to reassure her friend.

"I'm going to drive Mina home," Drew said as he stood up. He helped Mina with her coat and the two of them walked away after making their good-byes.

Outside, Drew reached for her hand and Mina let him take it without thinking. They walked around to the parking lot and got into his car.

"Are you sure you're all right, Mina?" Drew asked after they'd been driving for about fifteen minutes.

Mina unclenched her hands from around her purse straps and gave Drew a weak smile. "I'm fine. Like I said, it's been...a crazy day."

"But good crazy, right?"

Mina let out a light laugh. "Yeah. Good crazy."

Drew grinned and stretched out a hand until his fingers closed over hers. She tensed as he unfolded her fingers from the strap and tangled their hands together. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared down at their hands and she could think of nothing intelligent to say.

At last, Drew pulled up to her apartment building and turned the car off. He turned to face her, their fingers still intertwined. Mina looked up and smiled at him, a look he returned.

"I had a good time tonight," he said.

She nodded. "Me too. Thanks for getting me tickets."

"Anytime."

"And thank you for the flowers." Mina looked down. "You really didn't need to do that."

His fingers tightened around hers and she followed their movement as Drew pulled her hand up to his mouth. "I wanted to." As he spoke, his eyes were on her face and he pressed a light kiss to her knuckles.

She swallowed as she watched his lips touch her skin. "Thank you."

He grinned. "You already said that."

"Did I?" She'd probably need help remembering more than her own name at this point in the conversation.

"I guess I'll see you on Saturday then?"

Drew's question brought her eyes back to his and she was confused.

"Dinner. You said you were going to come over and cook for me and Carter."

"Oh." Mina gave a jerky nod as she remembered. "Right. Dinner. Yeah, I'll see you Saturday."

Drew smiled and let her hand go. Mina stared at him before nodding again and getting out of the car. She hurried up and into the building as Drew started his car behind her. Once the door closed behind her, she turned to see him still sitting at the curb. She lifted a hand in a wave and ran for the elevator.

Stupid. She shook her head as tears pricked the backs of her eyelids. "Stupid," she muttered and punched the button for her floor. She was stupid to have thought for even one second that Drew felt anything beyond plain old friendship for her.

If she wanted a guy to help her get over Lawrence, Drew wouldn't be him. 



Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 04



Thank you again to everyone who's followed along with Drew and Mina so far. I'm glad you're enjoying it – and that you're being so patient. ;)

One thing I wanted to mention here, just in case you don't all check my profile page, I have a new blog where I'll be posting all my story updates and publication news from here on out. The website is listed in my profile so please, if you're interested, check it out.

Also, several people have asked about the "Ice" stories that have been removed from my site. Again, this info can be found on my profile page. I also have information about that at my blog site, if you visit me there.

Thank you for your time and now back to our regularly scheduled program. :)

Take care and happy reading.

M. ;)

****

"What's with you, bro?"

Drew looked over at Carter, who stood by the coffee pot. It was the morning following the team's loss to division rivals, the Carolina Hurricanes, and the morning before Mina was to come over to cook them dinner.

Is it wrong that I care more about Mina coming over than the loss last night? he asked himself before he frowned at his brother's words. "What are you talking about?"

Carter scoffed as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "You've been moping around here all morning. Don't tell me it's because of the game."

Drew scowled. "No, but thanks for bringing it up."

"No problem." Carter grinned and at Drew's continued frown, he rolled his eyes. "Come on, Drew. What's going on? I'm going to work, cleaning up after myself. What else do you want me to do?"

Drew blinked, taken aback by his brother's comment. Here he'd been worrying more about his burgeoning relationship with Mina and Carter thought he was mad at him?

"Carter, it's not you."

Carter raised his eyebrows and moved around to sit at the kitchen table. "If the next words out of your mouth are 'it's me,' I am so out of here."

Drew laughed and sat down across from his brother. "I'm sorry if I've been cranky lately but I've had some things on my mind."

"Like...?"

Drew shrugged. "Like work and traveling and you. I won't lie and say I'm not worried about you but it's not all about you."

"Good." Carter sipped his coffee and narrowed his eyes at Drew through the steam rising above the rim.

Drew glared back at him. "What?"

"Nothing."

The brothers fell silent after that and Drew rubbed his chin. He reached for the newspaper and scanned the headlines. He gave up after rereading the same article several times without recalling a thing and tossed the newspaper down.

Carter laughed. "Chill out. You're off today, I'm off, Mina's coming over and you know you're always more relaxed when she's around."

Drew opened his mouth to retort but nothing came to mind. He shrugged and pushed himself away from the table, Carter's laughter ringing in his ears.

As Drew wandered down to his office, he thought about what Carter had said. He hadn't lied; being around Mina did relax him. And she stirred him up like no one else he'd ever known. Ever since the last time they'd seen each other, when they'd been alone in his car and he'd wanted to take her clothes off, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her.

They'd talked on the phone a few times since that night. She'd called to let him know how her first day at the country club was and had asked how things with Carter were going. Even as his body had reacted to her voice and laughter, his mind was eased by the way she listened and offered support. He liked to think he did the same for her but he could never be sure.

Tonight would be interesting, to say the least.

As promised, Mina knocked on the front door at four. She carried two bags filled with food and laughed at Drew's expression.

"I had to bring everything I'd need," she explained. "I didn't know what you'd have or not."

Drew nodded even as he took one of the bags from her and carried it into the kitchen. Carter followed him with the other bag, leaving Mina to pull her jacket and shoes off.

"What have you guys been up to today?" she asked as she walked into the kitchen.

Carter shrugged and stood to her left as she began to take supplies out of the bags. He watched her place everything on the kitchen table, interest sparking his gaze. Drew frowned at his brother and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I just hung out, watched TV," Carter said. "I haven't had a day off since I started working so it was great."

"And you, Drew?" Mina's eyes lifted to Drew's face and she smiled.

Drew felt his temperature rise at her look but he managed a responding smile. "The same for me. No practice or meetings today so I just did my workout and not much else."

"Good for you guys." Mina turned her attention back to the bags. "You don't want to spend all your time working."

"What are you making?" Carter asked.

Mina grinned. "You'll see."

Both brothers groaned, neither being the patient type. Mina just laughed at them and asked where the cutting board was. Carter pulled it out for her while she put on the apron she'd brought with her.

Drew took one look at her when she had it tied on and clenched his jaw. His mind swept over every possible scenario that could play out in the kitchen. If he was alone with her. Which he wasn't.

God, this is going to be a long damn night.

He was right, for the most part. He felt like an outsider with Carter and Mina in the kitchen. Carter seemed extra chatty and Mina more than willing to talk about what she was doing as she prepped the meal. Drew sat down at the kitchen table and occasionally participated in the conversation but for the most part, he just watched Mina.

She has no idea how sexy she looks in that damn apron. Drew let his eyes drift over her bottom and up to where the strap rested against the bared skin of her neck. She has no idea that she's torturing me.

He gritted his teeth and tried to focus on something else. The smell of the food cooking hit him a few minutes later and his stomach gave a loud rumble.

"Any chance of a sample?" he asked.

Mina turned around with a grin. "You're hungry?"

He returned her smile. "Hey, what'd you expect? I'm a growing boy."

Carter snorted and threw a smirk over his shoulder. He stood at the stove, stirring some sauce in a pot at Mina's direction. "I'm the growing boy. You're more like the old man who didn't say no to that last piece of pie."

Mina burst out laughing as Drew's jaw dropped. He picked up one of the dinner rolls in a basket on the table and chucked it at Carter's head. Carter complained and Mina kept laughing even as she picked up the roll and tossed it in the garbage.

"All right, all right. Settle down, kids." She walked over and rifled through one of the bags. "Here, munch on this."

Drew stared at the carrot in her hand. "Really? You haven't got anything...heartier?"

Mina lifted an eyebrow and shook her head. "It's all for dinner. This was going in the salad but I'm sure we can live with the sacrifice."

Drew laughed. "Thanks, Mina." He reached for the carrot and closed his fingers around hers. "And thanks for coming over. I'm happy to see you."

"M-me too."

He found her stammer endearing and gave her hand a little tug until she was forced to move a step closer to him. Then another, and another until she stood between his legs. He stared up into her face and smiled when he saw her cheeks color with something other than the warmth of the kitchen.

"I can't wait to spend some time with you. Alone."

The color in her cheeks deepened and she bit her bottom lip. Drew narrowed his eyes at the sight and reached up with his free hand to touch her face. Her eyes widened but she didn't pull away as Drew ran his thumb in a light caress over her lips.

"Uh, you guys know I'm right here, right?" Carter's voice drifted over to them.

Drew dropped his hands, feeling flustered. He had forgotten his brother was in the kitchen with them. He'd been so intent on Mina that everything else had faded to the background. Mina turned around with a hand to her cheek and returned to Carter's side. Drew watched them but after that moment with her, he didn't mind watching her talk and laugh with his little brother.

Dinner turned out to be a simple meal of chicken stir-fry and toasted garlic rolls. For dessert, Mina made a raspberry mousse cake that Carter couldn't get enough of. Carter raved about Mina's skills and grilling her about how she'd learned one technique or another. Drew had never seen his brother so animated.

"That slicing thing with the zucchini, that's gotta be something they taught you in college," Carter said.

"You know, it's strange to think back on it." Mina leaned her elbows on the table as she thought about Carter's comment. "But I have a hard time remembering what I learned at BIC or with my mom." She smiled and Drew couldn't help but notice the soft look that came into her eyes when she talked about her mother. "My mom wasn't a trained chef or anything but she'd cooked and baked all her life for her siblings and then for my dad and us kids. She learned all kinds of short cuts, just out of necessity, and whenever I spent time in the kitchen with her, I learned the same things."

"You mean that slicing technique?" Carter leaned forward.

Mina shrugged. "I think that was her. So much of what I do is habitual and I don't even think about it when I'm doing it."

"Like when I play," Drew added. "I'm not thinking about the puck and my stick and the other guys, at least, not specifically. I'm just doing what I do and I know that's how I make it work."

"Right." Mina smiled across the table at him. "It's just second nature."

Carter let his breath out and frowned. "I wish I had that kind of talent."

"With what?" Drew asked, curious about his brother's enthusiasm. He'd never seen Carter so interested in a subject.

Carter shrugged. "I don't know. Anything. When I was at Boston College, everyone kept asking what my major was going to be and everyone I talked seemed to know exactly what they were going to do."

"You didn't?" Mina asked.

Carter shook his head. "When I was younger I wanted to be a hockey player like Drew."

Drew blinked, surprised. "You did?"

"It was pretty obvious early on that I didn't have his level of skill." Carter grinned at Drew. "I was lucky to stay upright on skates half the time."

Drew chuckled as he recalled winters of Carter tagging along after him to the neighborhood rink.

"Then for a while I wanted to be a doctor like dad," Carter added. "But before I got to high school I knew that was too much for me. I didn't like the idea of working with blood and broken bones all day long." He shuddered and let out his breath on a sigh. "And then I finished high school and going to college was just what everyone was doing. So I went."

Drew sighed. "For less than a year."

Carter turned to him with a frown. "Yeah. I told you I didn't fit in there. It wasn't right."

"No, it was your partying that wasn't right." Drew raised his eyebrows with a smirk. "If you'd actually attended class and studied, you might have found something you liked."

"And I wouldn't be here?" Carter asked.

"Right." Drew nodded in agreement.

Carter's expression turned stormy and he jerked back in his chair to stand up. "I'm done. Thanks for dinner, Mina. It was great." With that, he stalked from the kitchen and stomped all the way upstairs to his room, where he slammed the door.

Drew looked over at Mina, mystified. "What was that all about?"

Mina gave him a half-smile and stood up to clear the dishes from the table. "He thinks you don't want him here."

Drew snorted. "Well, I don't, not really."

Mina flashed him a look over her shoulder as she carried the plates to the counter.

"What? I don't. I meant it; he should have stayed in college."

"Whether or not you agree with his choices, they're made, Drew. You can't change things now." Mina turned on the taps over the sink and looked around. "Where's your dish soap?"

Drew got up and pulled the bottle out from under the sink. He leaned a hip against the counter beside her as the sink filled up with water and suds. "You think it's a good thing that he's here?"

Mina glanced up at him and shrugged. "I don't know about it being a good thing, but again, it was his choice to leave school and he is here."

"But why do you think he's mad now?"

"Because you said you don't want him here."

"I don't! College is where he should be at nineteen years old."

Mina sighed and shook her head. She pulled her hands out of the soapy water and turned to face Drew. "Did you listen to a word he said, Drew? He doesn't know what he wants to do. He hasn't since he realized he couldn't follow in your footsteps."

Drew frowned as he thought about what Carter had said. "Not everyone can play hockey."

Mina lifted an eyebrow and smirked as she turned back to the dishes. "Not everyone has a big brother in the NHL that they worship."

Drew froze, stunned by Mina's words. "You think he worships me?"

"It's obvious that he used to. Whether or not his feelings about his big brother the pro athlete are the same as they were when he was a kid is something I couldn't tell you." She paused and glanced up again. "I think it's clear that he still looks up to you, which is probably why he chose to come here instead of taking off on his own."

Drew mulled over Mina's words and took the towel she handed him without protest. They were silent as she continued to wash and clean up the kitchen and he dried the dishes and put them away. After that was done, Drew suggested they watch a movie.

Mina's eyes went to the clock over the stove and color stained her cheeks. Drew remembered then that they were alone in his kitchen and his body's reaction was instantaneous. He took a step closer to her and put his hands on her waist. She sucked her breath in through her teeth and Drew grinned.

"Thank you, Mina. For everything. Dinner was fantastic and you're so smart, especially when it comes to my brother." Drew paused and shook his head with a rueful smile. "I don't know how you do it."

She smiled. "It's a gift."

"Yes, you are."

Her smile disappeared and she looked away. "It's getting late. I should go."

"It's only nine. Come watch a movie with me."

Without waiting for her response, he took hold of her hands and tugged her into the living room. He pulled her down to the couch beside him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he reached for the remote control. After a quick search, he found a movie – some comedy – and turned to Mina with a smile.

She stared back at him, her eyes wide. As he stared at her, scanning her face from the wispy bits of hair that had escaped her ponytail to the bottom of her round chin, she drew in a shaky breath. Her tongue came out to sweep across her bottom lip and Drew's eyes were drawn to the movement.

What happened next felt as natural as breathing, as if they'd been doing it all along. Drew slid his hand over her cheek and pressed his fingertips to the base of her neck. His arm tightened around her shoulders and Mina tilted her chin up at his gentle urging. Their eyes never left each other's as he brushed his lips over hers.

It was just a brief touch, that first contact. Drew felt her rush of breath against his lips and his mind misted over as if he'd just slammed back a bottle of whiskey. The next kiss was harder and the last clear thought he had was how she tasted of raspberries.

****

Mina let her eyelids fall when they suddenly felt too heavy to keep open. Drew's lips moved over hers and she opened her mouth on the second pass of his tongue over her bottom lip. His tongue sank into her mouth and she could have sworn she heard him groan.

After that, she was lost to the heady taste of him and the feel of his hands on her body. She reached up to grab his shoulders, her fingers closing into fists in his shirt. Drew's hand moved on her neck and Mina twisted in his grasp, lying back over his arm with her head propped on the back of the couch.

Mina worked her arms up to link her hands behind his head as Drew dropped his hands to grab her hips and pull her closer. All the while, his mouth twisted on hers, taking the kiss deeper and muddling her senses. His tongue stroked alongside hers and a whimper escaped her. Drew's mouth moved down, trailing kisses over her chin and down the side of her neck.

"Oh God."

The words fell from her lips and Mina squeezed her eyes shut as Drew found a sweet spot on her neck and sucked. Her fingers flexed against his chest and his lips stopped moving against her skin. Mina froze, afraid she'd done something to break the moment. Drew lifted his head and dropped feather-light kisses over Mina's nose and closed eyelids.

"Open your eyes," he whispered, his breath warm on her lips.

Mina bit her lip but did as he asked. She was rewarded with a heart-stopping grin and a wink. Drew pressed his lips to hers and didn't look away from her eyes. He kissed her again, never shifting his gaze. Mina felt her body warm from the top of her head to the tips of her toes at the look in his eyes.

It was hungry.

Mina shuddered and Drew chuckled, kissing her again and again until Mina's fingers clenched in his shirt. Then she was sliding down the couch and Drew was shifting to lie with her. He kissed her hard, his tongue sliding over her lips before delving inside. Mina let him in with a tiny moan, her jaw going slack. Drew sucked her bottom lip between his teeth and gave her gentle nibbles there. Breath hissed through her teeth at the sensation and her eyelids fluttered closed again.

"Look at me, Mina."

His voice broke through her daze and Mina caught her breath before opening her eyes. He was staring down at her, his broad body all but blocking all the light from her. He loomed large over her and his face was dark but she wasn't frightened. No, the shiver that rippled through her body was a reaction to the weight of him on her legs, her stomach and against her ribs.

As she stared at him, he didn't move. She could hear his breath coming harsh through his lips and his hands were tense where they rested against her hips. His eyes were shadowed but she could see enough of him to see the muscles in his throat work as he swallowed.

Biting her lip, Mina lifted her chin and stretched herself from top to bottom. Her move shifted them on the couch so that Drew's thigh slipped between hers. Drew became even more still, if that were possible, and Mina couldn't help but smile.

Some distant part of her mind reminded her that they'd only met a couple weeks ago. That she hadn't been with any man except Lawrence. That she should feel nervous and had always felt nervous with men, because of her self-image, her lack of experience and her overall shyness. Instead, her desire for Drew made her feel brave and attractive.

Maybe it's the look on his face right now, she thought. A look that was dark and filled with intent.

He would make love to her right now if she let him.

"Mina–"

She stopped him with a kiss and when she drew back, he would have tried to speak again. She lifted her hand and traced her fingertips across his lips. Her action stopped him from saying anything. His eyes said it all.

Then he kissed her again and this time he was ruthless, demanding and she gave in to it. He thrust his tongue into her mouth as his hands moved on her sides. Just as his fingers made hot contact with her bare skin, he pushed into her with his hips and she felt his arousal against her body.

Oh yes! Mina only mouthed the words but Drew must have known what she was feeling because he moved like that again, and again, until they were both thrusting and pushing like a pair of teenagers discovering their bodies for the first time.




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 04



Mina's hands clutched the shirt at his shoulders and she began to bunch the fabric in her fingers. Drew moved his hands again, one moving down to cup her bottom and the other further up under her shirt. She felt his fingers tickle over her ribs and screwed her eyes shut tight even as she turned to seek his kiss again.

He licked her lips and teased her before sealing their lips together again. His body kept moving against hers and she arched under him, reveling in the weight of his body rubbing all over hers. His hand moved over, his palm flattening on her ribs and he slid it up until he cupped her breast.

Mina broke away from the kiss with a small cry, twisting her body to meet his bold caress and Drew clamped his lips to the soft skin just below her ear. She heard the rasp of his rapid breath and knew his chest was heaving with her own.

God, she wanted his touch. She wanted to feel his hand on her bare skin, wanted her bra off.

"Me too," he growled in her ear and that's when Mina realized she must have spoken out loud.

Mina turned her head back, her lips seeking his and he kissed her, long and deep. He slipped his hand up and she felt the soft touch of his hot fingers on the skin over the edge of her bra. She groaned into his mouth, moving towards his hand, wanting to feel more. His hips thrust hard up between hers and she tilted her pelvis in response. Drew's finger dipped below the line of her bra and pulled down on the fabric.

The sound of a door closing, followed by the running water of a toilet flushing shattered the moment. Drew jerked his hand out from under her shirt and his head lifted. Mina pushed on his shoulders and turned to look across the room, as if Carter might walk in any second.

Drew looked down at her and they were both breathing hard, trying to catch their breath. Mina met his gaze and wondered how she must look just then. All her insecurities and doubts swept through her and she felt a bone-deep embarrassment grip her. She gave a weak laugh to cover it up and her eyes darted away from Drew's.

"I guess..." He started to speak and stopped to clear his throat. "I guess we shouldn't...uh, with Carter in the house."

Mina nodded and let Drew help her up into a sitting position. She lifted a hand to her hair and she grimaced at the mess she felt. Drew's deep chuckle drew her gaze and she flushed at the look he gave her.

"You look..." His eyes flicked back and forth over her face before resting on her lips, which she knew must look pink and swollen from his kisses.

"I'm a mess," she muttered.

Drew leaned closer and closed his hands around her wrists. He tugged her hands down and brought her fingers to his lips. "You look beautiful."

Mina blushed and looked away. Drew squeezed her fingers and she felt him kiss her knuckles, one by one. With a sigh, she faced him again and managed a small smile. Drew smiled back and cupped a palm against her warm cheek.

"Would you like me to take you home now?" he asked.

She nodded and he got to his feet, pulling her up with him. At first, he didn't move and Mina gave him a curious look. He grinned and yanked her towards him. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her right off her feet in a tight hug.

"Drew!" She gasped and tried to push him off of her.

He laughed and set her back on her feet. He cupped her head in his hand and kissed her once more. Finally, he let her go and they walked down the hall to put on their coats and shoes. Mina had taken the Metro and then walked the short distance to Drew's house. She was grateful for the ride home because the way her mind was spinning right now, she'd have taken the Metro back to downtown D.C.

As Drew pulled up in front of her building, Mina turned to him with a smile. He leaned over the console and cupped her face in both of his hands.

"I had a really great time tonight, Mina."

"I did, too."

"You're an amazing chef and I'm really glad you get along with Carter."

Mina smiled at his praise. "Carter's a good kid. You should give him a chance."

"I will." Drew pulled her closer. "But I'm more interested in you right now."

"That's just because I made out with you on your couch." The words flew out of her mouth before she had a chance to think about them.

Drew laughed and kissed her. It started out as a light kiss and turned into something hotter and more intense in seconds. Mina reached for Drew, her fingers closing on his jacket and she wanted to crawl into his lap. The thought jarred her back to their surroundings and she wrenched her mouth away from his.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his breath coming fast. "A car isn't the best place either."

For what? Mina wanted to ask but restrained herself. She didn't want to sound like an inexperienced girl. She cleared her throat and offered him a smile. "Thank you for the ride."

"You're welcome." He grinned and sat back, releasing her. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"OK. Good night." Mina climbed out of the car and reached into the back for her half-empty bags. "Bye." She waved to Drew and hurried inside her building. This time, she didn't turn around to look at him waiting by the curb. She rushed to the elevator and didn't look back.

****

The following night, Drew had a game but called Mina when he was driving to the arena. She sounded out of breath when she answered.

"Am I interrupting?" Drew asked with a laugh.

"No, I was just getting ready to leave."

"Leave?"

"Yeah, the club called me. One of the cooks called in sick and they need someone to come in." Mina was still breathing hard and Drew heard some clanking noises in the background. "I wasn't prepared to go to work today. I'm not supposed to join the rotation until Thursday."

"Right." Drew filed that information away. He had a stretch of away games coming up but he'd be back to Washington in between a couple of them. He was already planning to spend more time with Mina.

"It's good though," Mina said. "Hilary's going to the game and I would have just sat around doing nothing at home."

"Hilary's going to the game? Is she going to be home after?" Drew tried to keep the eagerness from his voice. Mina was so distracted she didn't notice.

"I doubt it. She mentioned something about Mark leaving on a road trip and she usually goes to his place before he leaves."

Drew chuckled. She was distracted enough that she'd forgotten he was part of the same team as Mark and would be on the same road trip. "OK. Can I call you later then?"

"Sure. I'm sorry. I'm not really listening, Drew." She gave a light laugh. "I've got to get my pants out of the dryer and I still have to find my work shoes–"

"Don't worry about it. Good luck at work and I'll talk to you later."

"OK. Have a good game!"

"Thanks. Bye."

"Bye."

Drew hung up and continued driving towards the Verizon Center. He couldn't get last night out of his head. Even though Carter was still ignoring him this morning and stomping around like a ten-year old, Drew couldn't stop smiling. He hadn't meant to take things as far as he had but the way Mina had responded had obliterated any shred of self-control he might have once had. Just knowing that she felt as attracted to him as he was to her was a relief. And the biggest turn-on in his life.

He parked underground at the arena and walked through the building towards the locker rooms. When he sat down on the bench next to Anatoli, the Russian gave him a strange look.

"What?" Drew asked, unable to wipe the grin from his face.

"You whistled."

"What?"

Anatoli laughed and reached back for a shirt. "You come in, you whistling."

"Was I?" Drew shook his head. "I didn't realize."

"You're happy?"

"Yeah. I am."

Anatoli bumped his fist into Drew's shoulder. "You have girlfriend!"

Drew laughed and shook his head. He liked Mina and she sure as hell knew how to turn him on, but he didn't know if he could call her his girlfriend. Not yet, anyway.

Maybe I'll ask her later, he thought and went back to getting ready, unaware that he was humming and whistling to himself.

The game started up and Drew was pumped. He was always pumped before a game but there was some extra energy flowing through his veins and the entire team seemed to be feeling the same way. They blasted onto the ice and took an early 2-0 lead before the first intermission.

As Drew paced around before heading back onto the ice for the second period, his thoughts turned to Mina. He wondered how her shift at the country club was going. The thought made him smile and that was how Anatoli and Mark found him as they approached from the locker room.

"Stams, what's the deal?" Mark asked and flicked his stick against Drew's shin pads. "You've been grinning like an idiot all night."

"Have I?" Drew shrugged. He didn't think he had been but he knew the best way to get through the ribbing was to downplay it.

"He has girlfriend," Anatoli spoke up and Drew shot him a dirty look.

"Ah, Mina. She's cute." Mark nodded his approval.

Drew shook his head. "You've got a girlfriend already, Gaines."

"Careful, Stams." Mark grinned and whacked his shin pad again. "That sounds a lot like jealousy."

Drew scowled as Anatoli started to laugh. Several more of their teammates began to file out of the locker room. Drew shoved any snappy comebacks he had to the back of his mind and turned his thoughts to the remaining game as the music began to play.

The level of intensity remained high throughout the second period and well into the third. The Blackhawks managed to score once but the Capitals still skated off with the victory.

Drew hurried through his post-game ritual and ignored the chatter of his teammates. He was eager to get out of the locker room and call Mina. He hoped she'd be home from work and up for a late night visitor. Without Hilary around, they'd be alone in her apartment. He tried to tell himself it was just because he liked spending time with her but really, he wanted some uninterrupted time with Mina so they could continue what they'd started last night.

His blood started to pump a little faster at the thought and he had to stop himself from running to his car. He called her apartment as he started the engine and the phone rang a couple times before going to the machine. He didn't leave a message and started to pull out of the parking garage. He called again in a few minutes and there still wasn't an answer.

Is she not home yet? He decided to head to her place anyway, thinking she might just be in the shower. That thought stirred all sorts of images in his head and he forced himself to keep from speeding.

At her building, no one answered the buzzer and Drew was stumped. He tried calling, but there was no answer, so he had to conclude that she wasn't home yet. He was about to go back and sit in his car to wait, when someone came out of the building. Drew hurried inside and went up to her apartment. There was no response to his knock and he made himself as comfortable as he could on the floor to wait for her.

He wasn't waiting long before the elevator doors dinged and Mina walked out. She stopped short when she saw him and Drew scrambled to his feet with a sheepish smile on his face.

"Hi." She smiled as she came forward.

"Hi. Is it OK that I'm here? I tried calling but there was no answer."

"No. I mean, yeah, it's fine that you're here." She pulled her keys out of her purse. "I was at work later than I thought I would be."

She let them into the apartment and Drew grinned at her chef's smock when she pulled her jacket off. It was splattered with red and orange stains and she had a distinctive aroma of garlic and onion hovering around her. Her face was flushed and her hair was more unruly than usual, escaping from her bun at all angles.

To Drew, she'd never looked more appealing.

"Would you like something to drink?" She walked into the kitchen. "You probably don't want coffee but we've got juice or iced tea."

Drew shook his head and followed close behind her until she pulled the fridge open. When she turned to look at him, he hauled her into his arms, ignoring her squeak of protest.

"Oh, Drew, I'm filthy and I stink!" She pushed on his shoulders but Drew wouldn't let her go.

"I don't care." He dropped his head to her neck and inhaled. He caught her natural scent beneath all the smells of the kitchen. He pressed a kiss to her warm skin and felt the shiver go through her. With a smile, he kissed her again before lifting his head. "I like how you smell. And how you look."

She blushed and dropped her lashes. "That's nice but I know I'm a mess right now."

"I like it," Drew repeated and kissed her on the mouth. He kept it brief, otherwise his base urges would take hold and he'd have her pressed against the cupboards before either of them could blink. So he let her go and stepped away.

She blinked and glanced at the fridge that remained open beside her. She closed it and crossed her arms over her torso, hugging herself. "How was the game?"

"Great. We won."

"Congratulations." She gave him a warm smile. "I wish I could have watched it."

"There'll be plenty of other games you can watch." Drew waved a hand in the air. "How was your night?"

Mina sighed and turned around. She walked over to the sink and ran the water to wash her hands. "It was great. I mean, it was crazy busy and I haven't worked in that kind of environment for a while, so it was a bit of an adjustment."

"You look like you survived a battle." Drew eyed her smock as she turned around.

She laughed and followed his gaze. "Yeah. It seems that way sometimes." She dried her hands and wandered out to the living room. "But I love it. Once I got over the surprise of getting called in at the last minute, I settled right into a routine."

Drew followed her and sat down beside her on the couch. He listened as she recounted tales from her night. She was so animated, her eyes shining and her cheeks dimpling every other second. He clenched his hands into fists to keep from reaching for her. He wanted to listen to her as much as he wanted to stretch their bodies out naked together.

Mina paused and drew a breath. She smiled at him and reached out to touch his arm. "I'm sorry. I've been rambling on about my work and you must be exhausted after your game."

Drew shook his head. "I'm not tired. I like to listen to you talk."

Mina looked away. Drew shifted closer to her on the couch and swallowed when she let him take her into his arms.

"Drew..." She sounded hesitant. "I smell. Really, you don't have to pretend it's all right."

Drew laughed and shook his head. "I meant it before. I like it."

He dropped his head to the space where her neck met her shoulder and took in a deep breath to prove his point. Mina shuddered in his arms and he felt her hands land on his thigh. His body hardened in an instant and he opened his mouth on her skin. A weak sound escaped her as he licked her throat and then sucked on the spot.

"Drew..."

Her voice sounded husky and there as a note of something in her tone that sounded almost like panic. Drew lifted his head and looked into her eyes. She stared back and he could see how her pupils had expanded but that didn't mean something wasn't bothering her. Drew might be horny for her but he wasn't a jerk.

"What's wrong?"

She blinked a few times and dropped her chin. Drew had both his arms around her and didn't want to let her go. Since she wasn't trying to move out of his embrace, Drew didn't release his hold but he didn't try to kiss her again.

"Last night..." she began and stopped to clear her throat. "Last night was great."

Drew's eyebrows came together. "But...?"

"But I...I'm not sure...that is, I just don't know..." She trailed off and bit her lip as she glanced up at him through her lashes. He knew she wasn't trying to get a reaction from him but she did and Drew had to lift one of his arms away from her to rein in his lust.

"You don't know if you want to be with me?" he asked, hoping he sounded casual.

Her fingers closed on his thigh and she met his gaze full-on. "No! That's not it. I like being your friend."

Drew let his breath out and nodded. "Friend."

Mina shook her head, her fingers still tense on his thigh. "No, that's not right either. I mean, I like being your friend and I like you."

"That's good because I'm wild about you." Drew hadn't meant to admit that but the words had just popped out. Now he felt his face grow warm while Mina's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in surprise. He straightened his shoulders and put both his arms back around her. "I mean it. I can't stop thinking about you. I want to be more than friends but I don't want to do anything that you're not comfortable with."

Something flickered in her eyes at that and she looked away for a second. "I didn't know that."

Drew laughed and gave her a gentle squeeze until her eyes met his again. "Last night didn't make it obvious?"

Color stained her round cheeks and Drew had to resist the urge to kiss her.

"I had fun last night," she whispered and met his eyes. "I...it was a lot of fun."

Drew grinned at her choice of words. Fun wouldn't have been his first choice for a description but he agreed with her.

"I just don't know." Again she had to stop to gather her thoughts. "I never told you the real reason I came to Arlington, Drew."

Drew shook his head, recalling Hilary's warning from not too long ago. "I thought it was because of work."

Mina bit her lip. "When we first met I didn't want to give you my whole sob story." She shrugged one shoulder. "I still don't want to but I think I should."

Drew smiled and brushed his fingers across her cheek, moving tendrils of her curly hair out of her eye. "You don't have to if you don't want to. You can tell me whatever you want in your own time."

"You're making this easier for me," she whispered and smiled. "You're making me like you even more."

He grinned and dropped a kiss on her nose before moving back. "Good."

She let out a shaky breath and began to explain. Drew frowned as she told him about her cheating ex and the way he'd driven Mina from their home in Baltimore.

"The worst part is that I think they were together for several months before we even moved in together." Mina shook her head. "I was so stupid and blind. I was just so amazed that anyone would want to marry me that I didn't see all the ways he was hurting me."

"Mina, I'm so sorry."

Her eyes snapped back to his face and she lifted her hands from his leg. "I didn't tell you so you could feel sorry for me."

"I don't. I'm just sorry you had to go through something like that." Drew wouldn't let her go even though she seemed to be upset with him now. "And I don't think you're stupid. People do react differently when they're in love. There's no fault in that."

"There is when you love someone who cheats on you." Mina tilted her head to one side. "Do you know why I told you this?"

"Because you're afraid I might hurt you too." Which would never happen.

Mina shook her head. "No. Well, yes, but that's only a small part of why. I think I know you well enough by now to realize that you're not a cheater." She paused and drew in a deep breath. Her hands returned to rest against his thigh and Drew swallowed with some difficulty. "It hasn't been that long since I found out what Lawrence did, Drew. It was about two months ago that I discovered their affair and I've only been in Arlington since early February."

"OK."

Mina's eyes scanned his face. "I don't want to rush into something and end up hurting you."

Drew pulled his head back and gaped at her. "You don't want to hurt me?"

She nodded. "I'm not sure if I can...I mean, we're friends and I really love spending time with you and if we...if something happens..." She shook her head, at a loss for words.




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 04



Drew fell silent as well as he absorbed her confession. He felt awful for the hurt she'd suffered but he was glad it had brought her into his life. He didn't want to lose her friendship either and wouldn't do anything to cause her pain. At the same time, his desire for her wasn't going to go away and he didn't want to lose the opportunity to make something out of this thing between them. But Mina was saying she didn't know if he would be anything but a rebound to her.

Drew cleared his throat and Mina met his gaze. "I appreciate your honesty, Mina."

She nodded but looked apprehensive.

"And I'm a big boy. I think I can handle whatever you throw at me." He'd meant his words to be light and funny but Mina didn't smile. "Hey, come on. You were honest and so am I. I don't want to stop this."

"You don't?" She sounded incredulous and her brows drew together as he studied her face. "You don't think it might be a bad idea, getting involved with a woman who just got cheated on by her fiancé, had to leave her home and chose to move to a new city?" 

Drew smiled. "I don't think it's a bad idea to spend more time with Mina; a smart, attractive, talented woman who makes me smile whenever I'm with her."

Mina's color deepened with each word and at last a smile broke over her face. Drew pulled her closer and she lifted her hands to his shoulders.

"You don't think it's a bad idea to get involved with someone who will often smell like garlic and burned food?"

Drew grinned. "You don't burn food. And it's definitely not a bad idea to get involved with a chef."

Mina's hand slid higher until she clasped her fingers together behind his head. "You don't mind that I'm not a big hockey fan?"

That stumped him for a second. "Well, that's just something we'll have to work on."

Mina laughed and dropped her head to his shoulder. He hugged her close, not even minding when her wild hair tickled his nose.

"I think I could settle for you being my fan, at least," he added.

"I can live with that."

Drew froze, afraid he'd misheard her. "What are you saying?"

Mina turned her head and he leaned back to look into her face. "I'm saying that if you're brave enough to take a chance, then so am I."

Drew could have shouted to the heavens. He settled on a kiss instead. A kiss that turned into a second and a third, each one hotter and more thorough than the last. Drew tugged on her and sat back against the couch. Mina followed him and Drew pulled her leg until she sat across his lap.

Their kiss broke at last, both of them drawing in ragged breaths. Drew cupped her cheek in his hand and looked at her, taking in her darkened eyes and her flushed cheeks. He dropped his gaze to her swollen lips and stifled a groan at the glisten of moisture on her full bottom lip. Mina drew that lip between her teeth and Drew felt the tug through every nerve ending in his body.

"Jesus, Mina," he breathed. "You're gorgeous."

She gasped on a laugh and shook her head. When she would have pulled out of his arms, he tightened his hold and kept her right where he wanted her. She braced her hands on his shoulders and blinked down at him in surprise.

"You are. Take my word for it."

Another breathless laugh escaped her and Drew lifted his head to kiss the underside of her chin. Her laugh turned to a gasp and she moved her head back even as she gave it a feeble shake in disagreement with his statement.

He reached up for her hand and pulled it down between them. "Would I be like this if I didn't really think you were gorgeous?"

Her fingers splayed over his arousal and she made a surprised sound before jerking away from him. He kept hold of her wrist and pressed her hand down as he lifted his hips as much as he could.

"Drew, please..." she whispered and tried to take her hand away.

He could feel the warmth rising from her body in waves. If he were feeling poetic, he would say that he could feel their heartbeats starting to hum in time with each other. As it was, he could feel the flexing of her fingers on him and he couldn't stop his body from rising to her touch.

"You do this to me, Mina," he said, his voice strained.

He released her wrist and she kept her hand on him. Their eyes met, hers wide with surprise and his narrowed as he fought to restrain himself. She moved her hand to stroke him once and he sucked in a breath through his clenched teeth.

With another stroke, she swayed towards him and Drew grabbed her chin in one hand before taking her lips in a fierce kiss. He swept his tongue into her mouth and she moaned deep in her throat. He drank in the sound and thrust his tongue alongside hers, mimicking the move he started to make with his hips.

When her fingers pressed harder on him, his hips jerked up. The movement jostled her until she was settled against him, their torsos pressed together from hip to shoulder. Drew closed his arms around her and Mina twisted her lips over his, demanding more. Drew was only too happy to give her what she wanted.

Her fingers clutched at his sweater before sliding to the hair at the back of his head and then back again. She rocked against him, her breasts pushing on his chest and her stomach brushing against his. He loved feeling her writhing against him, losing control just as he was.

He slid one hand up into her tangled hair and pulled her head back. She blinked at him and tipped her head back, exposing her throat to him. He licked her just below her jaw and smiled when he felt the muscles convulse as she swallowed. Her fingers moved to the back of his neck and he felt the scratch of her nails when he dragged his tongue down the side of her neck. He lapped at her, enjoying the sounds she made and the breathless little gasps that escaped her.

Suddenly she jerked away from him and sat back on his knees, her chest heaving. Their eyes met for a startled second and then she was reaching for the bottom of his sweater. Drew reached for the buttons on her smock at the same time. Mina pulled his sweater up and laid her palms flat against his chest. Drew started at the first touch of her hot fingers on his bare skin and sat back so he could pull his sweater off. Then he returned to undoing the buttons of her smock.

He pulled each side apart and groaned at the sight of her bare skin, only her breasts covered by a white bra. "You don't have a shirt on?"

She laughed and his eyes were drawn to her face. "It gets too hot in the kitchen for too many layers."

Drew swallowed and pushed the smock back over her shoulders. Mina reached back and pulled it off and Drew lifted his hands to her ribs. He placed his palms against her body, just beneath the tempting curves of her breasts. He watched her indrawn breath move her body and he shifted his hands higher until he palmed both her breasts. Her hands lifted to his arms and he felt her fingers slide up to clutch at his biceps as he gave her a tentative squeeze.

"Drew!" She arched her back, pressing her body into his hands.

With an unfamiliar sound, Drew moved his hands up to her shoulders where he grasped the straps of her bra. He leaned forward and kissed her again, savoring her whimpering moans as he hooked his fingers under the straps and tugged. For a second she clamped her arms to her sides, stopping the unveiling of her body and Drew froze.

He kept his lips on hers but for a long moment, they simply breathed the same air, both of them struggling for some semblance of control. Then he felt her relax and he pulled away to look down as he pulled the cups of her bra down. The flush on her face trailed down her throat and over the luscious swells of her breasts and Drew licked his lips when his eyes dropped even lower.

The sound of muffled laughter and a key clinking into the dead bolt shocked them both. With a cry, Mina leapt off his lap and grabbed her smock from the floor. Before Drew could even blink, she bolted down the hall towards the bedrooms. Light spilled into the front hall from the opening door and Drew looked around for his sweater. He managed to jerk it over his head before Hilary and Mark came around the corner.

"Drew!" Hilary sounded surprised. "I didn't know you were here."

Mark grinned at Drew from behind Hilary. "Hey, Stams. What's happening?"

Drew narrowed his eyes at his teammate and shifted on the couch so neither would see his current physical state. "I came to visit Mina after the game."

"Where is she?"

"She's changing out of her work clothes." Drew was amazed he was able to think up a coherent response when his head was still fogged up with desire. "She just got home." OK, not quite the truth, but neither Hilary or Mark needed to know just how long they'd been alone in the apartment before they got home.

Just then, Mina came walking down the hall. She smiled at Hilary and Mark and Drew was relieved to see that she didn't appear flustered.

"Hey, guys. I thought you weren't going to be home tonight, Hil," Mina said.

"I'm not. I just forgot a few things and Mark drove me over." Hilary grinned and glanced sideways at Drew. "We'll be out of your hair before you know it."

Mina did blush then and Drew stood up from the couch, having gathered his self-control again. "I was just going actually. Mina's exhausted and I don't want to keep her up."

Mina smiled at him and nodded. "I'll walk you to the elevator."

They left the apartment, ignoring Mark and Hilary's knowing looks. Drew took her hand in his as they reached the elevator. He kissed her knuckles, lingering on each one before turning her hand over and kissing her palm.

"I'm sorry we got interrupted," he murmured.

She smiled and nodded. "Me too. Our timing stinks."

Drew scoffed and straightened. "Our timing is fine, it's everyone else's that isn't."

Mina laughed. She went into his arms when he hugged her and lifted her face for his kiss. The elevator slid open beside them and Drew kissed her once more before walking in.

"I'll call you tomorrow."

Mina nodded and pressed a hand to her hot cheek. Drew grinned at her until the doors closed in front of him, blocking her from sight. Then he leaned back against the far wall and closed his eyes.



Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 05



Mina didn't get a chance to see Drew again for several days. He called her the day after their aborted make-out session at her apartment and they talked for over an hour. He made her laugh like no one else and she'd almost been sad to hang up but she'd been called in to work again that night.

"I leave tomorrow," Drew said before they hung up.

"I know." Mina smiled at his dejected tone. For someone who loved his job, he sounded disappointed to be heading out of Washington to do it. "We'll see each other soon."

Drew laughed and the deep rumble of it warmed Mina all the way down to her toes. She squeezed her eyes shut and had to turn away from the mirror in her room. She couldn't face herself when her infatuation for Drew got the better of her.

"I'll be back on Friday night."

Mina scoffed. "Oh yeah? How late?"

"Probably after one in the morning."

"Hmm, so technically you'd be home very early Saturday morning then?"

"I guess. What's your point? You won't be waiting up for my call?"

Mina laughed. "Actually, I probably will be up. I'll have the dinner shift at the club and Friday nights always go pretty late."

"Awesome. Then I'll come over when I'm back."

"Hilary will be home."

"Oh, right." He paused and then cursed under his breath. "And Carter will be home."

Mina stifled a laugh at his annoyed tone. "Why don't we go to the museum on Saturday?"

"Which museum?"

The Museum of I Want You Bad. Mina grinned and shook her head at her thoughts. "I don't care. I just want to spend time with you."

"I want that too." He blew out a noisy breath. "All right. We'll figure something out. I should let you finish getting ready."

"All right. Have a safe flight."

"I'll call you when I land."

"OK. Bye."

"Bye."

Mina was smiling as she hung up the phone and got ready for her shift at the country club. She had hoped to have more time to acclimate before being thrown to the wolves, so to speak. She was happy to have something other than her confusion over Drew to occupy her mind.

"Oh shoot." She met her own gaze in the mirror and frowned. She'd forgotten about the birthday dinner for her dad. She still had a couple weeks but she always liked to have something planned ahead of time.

"Everything all right?" Hilary poked her head in the doorway.

"Yeah. I was just thinking about my dad's birthday." Mina faced her roommate. "I still don't have a plan for his dinner and I don't know what to get him."

"I thought you just cooked him his favorite dinner every year?"

Mina laughed. "Yeah. I cook a variation of mac and cheese every year. I always try to sneak something more healthy past him too."

Hilary grinned. "Well, grind up some cucumber and throw it into the cheese sauce. He probably wouldn't even notice."

Mina wrinkled her nose at the thought and moved out of the bathroom. Hilary followed her into her bedroom and fiddled with her belongings on top of her dresser.

"So how are things going with you and Drew?" Hilary asked.

Mina looked over and fought the blush, to no avail. "Fine. We're just hanging out."

Hilary rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh please. Mark and I saw the way you two looked at each other last night. That's not just hanging out."

Mina looked away, shaking her head. She felt foolish denying it since she and Drew had talked it over last night. She told herself it was just too new and she wasn't ready to hash it out with Hilary yet. "We're not...it's not like that."

"Mina, look at me."

Mina forced her eyes up to her friend's face. Hilary was smiling and didn't look like she was judging Mina at all.

"It's OK if you like Drew, you know. It's OK if you spend time with him and kiss him and even sleep with him."

"Hilary!"

"I mean it. You were hurt, Mina. That's not a reason to give up all hope of a happy ending."

"I haven't." Mina scowled and reached for a pair of her work pants. "I just...I don't think I should be rushing into dating someone else."

"Why not?"

Mina sighed and faced Hilary as she pulled the pants on. She outlined the same reasons she'd given Drew the night before and Hilary was frowning at her when she was done.

"Don't take this wrong way, because you know I love you, but that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"Excuse me?" Mina straightened to her full height and stared at her friend.

"It's dumb. You think you like Drew because you're on the rebound? And that it won't work because Lawrence cheated on you?" Hilary scoffed and flicked her blond hair over her shoulder. "Believe me, no matter how much it hurt, only you will keep yourself from being fully invested in a new relationship."

Mina opened her mouth, ready to argue the point when she remembered Hilary's past heartaches. Her friend was right and Mina knew that, but that didn't erase all her doubts and past insecurities. It wasn't just the fiasco with Lawrence. Mina had always had self-esteem problems and being cheated on had just made her feel all over again that she wasn't a catch.

"I have to finish getting ready for work," she mumbled and turned away from Hilary.

"I'll be home later if you want to talk," Hilary replied and walked out of the room.

Mina let her breath out when she heard her roommate's retreating steps. She finished changing her clothes and swept her hair into a tight knot at the back of her head.

All through the rest of the night, her mind was torn in two directions. She knew she should be giving all her concentration to her work but she couldn't stop picturing Drew's face as they'd talked last night. Then her mind would turn to the way he'd looked at her and touched her.

Focus! she ordered herself and moved around the other employees in the kitchen. She finished up the entree before her and moved on to the next task.

Somehow, she managed to get through the rest of the dinner shift and before she knew it, she was wiping down her work surface. Tendrils of hair framed her face and she knew she was flushed from the heat of the grills and ovens.

Cleaning her work space took minimal concentration so she let her thoughts turn to Drew. She figured he must be done with his game now and might even be relaxing in his hotel room. She smiled and she glanced at the clock on the wall, wondering if he'd still be up when she got home. She wanted to call and tell him all about the marinara sauce that had just about painted her from head to toe.

"Good job tonight, Mina," a voice broke into her thoughts.

Mina turned to see the general manager of the clubhouse walking towards her. She smiled as the man stopped before her and reached out to shake her hand. "Thanks, Mick."

"I'm glad you've been fitting in so well here." Mick glanced around at the few kitchen employees helping Mina clean up. "I'm sorry you've been thrown right into the thick of things the last couple days. I know we'd discussed you picking up the rotation this Thursday."

"It's all right." Mina shrugged and continued to wipe her surface down. "I like working and I was glad to get a jump on things here. Even if I am just going to crash the second I get home."

Mick laughed and clapped her on the shoulder. "Good for you. I promise, I won't call you in tomorrow. Jerry says he'll be back to a hundred percent so you're off the hook."

"Great. So back to the plan then? I'll come in for the lunch hour on Thursday?"

Mick nodded. "Sounds good. I'll see you then."

"Thanks. Have a good night."

"You too."

Left to her task, Mina finished up quickly and headed home. Hilary was asleep when she walked into the dark apartment and Mina crept around as quietly as she could. She located the phone and washed up before going to her room.

Once alone in bed, Mina bit her lip and rubbed her thumb over the numbers on the phone. She wondered if she should try calling or if she'd just be waking Drew up. After another minute of stewing, she called him.

If he's sleeping, he'll have his phone off, she told herself.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Mina." She blushed even though he couldn't see her.

"Hey! What's up? Are you all right? You don't usually call so late."

Mina giggled at his concerned tone. "I know. I just got home and wanted to see how your game was. I missed it tonight. It was a crazy dinner!"

"Oh, well, we won," Drew replied. "I didn't score but the win still feels good."

"Oh gawd, are you always this subdued when you win so close to the playoffs?"

"How do you even know about our schedule? Aren't you a self-professed hockey snob?"

Mina gasped in mock indignation. "I never said I was a hockey snob! I just didn't watch it growing up. And I've learned enough just from living with Hilary and spending so much time with her and Lena."

Drew chuckled. "I bet you get pretty sick of them talking hockey."

"No, they're not so bad. Mostly they talk about whatever boneheaded play Obie or Mark tried to pull."

Drew hooted with laughter and Mina giggled with him, trying to stay quiet. "That's awesome. I'm going to bug Mark about it tomorrow."

"Oh, leave him alone, Drew."

"I'll go easy on him."

A moment of silence settled and Mina turned her cheek to the cool edge of her pillow.

"I'm glad you called, Mina."

"Are you? I was afraid I'd wake you up."

"No. Our game was done about an hour ago and I was sitting up with some of the guys for a while." He paused and Mina heard some rustling noises.

"Where are you now?" she asked.

"In my room."

"Who's your roommate?"

"I don't have one this trip."

"Oh. I thought you always did."

"Not always. Usually I room with Tolya but we all got shuffled around a bit and there were a couple extra rooms. We drew straws and I won."

"Lucky guy."

"You have no idea. Tolya snores like a broken tractor."

Mina laughed. "That reminds me of–" She cut herself off when she realized where her train of thought had taken her. Lawrence snored, that's what she'd been about to say.

"Reminds you of what?" Drew asked.

"Uh, this one roommate I had at Maryland." Mina struggled to change the subject. "So shouldn't you be getting to bed?"

"I am in bed."

That left Mina unable to speak for several seconds. She heard Drew's soft chuckle and wished she could crawl through the phone to lie in bed with him.

"Mina? Where are you?"

"I'm at home."

He laughed and warmth flooded her. "Well, obviously. I meant, where in your apartment."

"Oh." Stupid, simple Mina, she thought and wanted to smack herself. "In my room."

"In bed?"

"Yeah."

There was a pause and Drew laughed again. "You're not really good at this, you know that?"

"At what?"

"Phone sex."

"What?!"

"Phone–"

"I heard you!" Mina all but shrieked and then clamped a hand over her mouth. "I can't believe you just said that."

"What's wrong with phone sex? It's perfectly safe, I assure you."

Mina couldn't help but giggle. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

Mina sighed and rubbed her eyes. "We...we haven't even..." She trailed off, unsure of how to word it. She was burning with embarrassment and she was very glad that Drew wasn't in the room with her.

"I know we haven't," Drew said. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I was just...it's late, and I was thinking about you before you called. My mind just went there automatically."

"Of course it did. You're a guy."

"I'm glad you've noticed."

Mina laughed and slid beneath her bed covers. "I noticed. I just don't think we need to do that."

"What? Phone sex?"

"Stop saying it!" Mina hissed but she was struggling not to laugh.

"Phone sex. Phone sex! Phone, phone, phone, sex, sex, SEX!"

Mina gave up trying not to laugh and just muffled the sounds in her pillow. "You're impossible."

"It's probably best that you accept that now."

Mina rolled her eyes and settled back against her pillow. "I suppose you're right. Lucky for me, you're not here right now so I could just hang up if you keep teasing me."

"No, don't hang up."

Mina was surprised by his urgent tone, as if he was worried that she would end the call.

"I...I like talking to you." He sounded so adorably hesitant that Mina's insides turned to jelly. Then he spoke again. "Even if it's not about sex."

"Good night, Drew."

"No! Mina, wait, don't go!" He laughed.

She relented and told him to change the subject.

"Ah, all right. I'm in a really nice hotel."

"Are you?"

"Yeah. It's good, as far as hotels go." He paused and Mina could picture him looking around, appraising. "Comfortable but not cheap."

"You'd be the best judge, I guess. Always traveling and staying in so many different places."

"You don't travel much?"

"I haven't." Mina shrugged one shoulder. "I've always wanted to travel to Europe and especially Italy, to research."

"Oh yeah, that'd be an awesome trip."

Mina laughed. "Sure, but I'd probably come back weighing an extra thirty pounds."

"Naw. All the traveling would keep you slim."

That's assuming I'd be slim before going, Mina thought but didn't say out loud. She didn't need to let all her insecurities out around Drew.

"What about Asia? Would you ever want to go to China or Vietnam to see how they really prepare their food?" Drew asked.

"I guess. I spent more time learning about French and Italian food than Asian though."

"I'd love to see how American versions of certain things differ from the real deal."

"Really? Not a lot of people think of that."

"Oh yeah. I mean, even here, we travel to all these different cities and I love trying the independent bistros and restaurants instead of the big chains."

"Me too." Mina smiled and rolled to her side as she pulled the covers up over her shoulders. "I love discovering new unknown places. I feel like the Indiana Jones of food."

Drew laughed and Mina drank in the deep sound. She couldn't believe how much she enjoyed talking to him. The phone sex thing had thrown her off but now she could spend hours on the phone with him. She would have, and he might have as well, but both of them started yawning a few minutes later.

"I guess we should get some sleep," Mina said. "You've got another game tomorrow night, don't you?"

"Checking up on me, are you?"

"No! I just, Hilary said something..." she broke off when she heard Drew chuckling. "Jerk."

"Oh come on, I'm not teasing you about sex anymore."

"That's true."

"I could go back to that, if you want."

"Good night, Drew." Mina ignored the heat in her face and shifted to turn off the phone.

"No! Mina?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for calling. I missed you."

Mina smiled and kept on smiling even after the call ended. She slept, dreamt and woke in the morning, all with the same smile on her face. Apparently, it was never going to go away.

****

Drew had never been so fidgety on a flight before. Anatoli kept giving him sideways glances and Drew tried to laugh it off but it wasn't working. He wanted to land so he could call Mina. It had only been two days since they last spoke but he missed the sound of her voice, the cadence of her laughter and the way she comforted him.

Jeez, when did I become such a sap? He turned to look out the window.

He'd spoken to Carter every day and worried that his brother had been home each time he'd called. There'd been no tell-tale noises of a party in the background and Drew had to remind himself that Carter was trying to be responsible. It didn't make Drew stop worrying about leaving Carter alone so much and Mina was the only one who seemed to be able to alleviate his fears.

As if reading his mind, Anatoli pulled his ear buds out and looked at Drew. "You worry too much."

"What?" Drew looked over at his friend.

"Your brother, he is good."

Drew smiled. "Yeah. He's a good kid."

"Then why you worry?" Anatoli started to wind the cord of his ear buds around the iPod. "He is good but you think he is doing something wrong?"

"No. Well, not exactly. I just..." Drew shrugged and rubbed the side of his neck. "I don't like leaving him alone so much. He's very young."

"He is nineteen, no?"

"Yeah."

"Is old enough."

Drew laughed. "Old enough for what?"

Anatoli shrugged and tucked his iPod into his backpack. "Old enough. He is not kid anymore."

"That's true."

They fell silent for a moment. Then Anatoli nudged him with an elbow and when Drew looked up, the Russian was grinning.

"How is Mina?"

Drew nodded. "She's good."

"You miss her."

"I guess. We've been spending a lot of time together."

"Is good, Drew." Anatoli nodded. "I like her."

Drew raised his eyebrows and Anatoli laughed.

"Not like her like that! She is nice. I like her with you."

"She is nice." Drew glanced down at his hands that itched to dial her number. Had they really only known each other a couple of weeks? He'd already forgotten how he spent his days off before he'd met her. All this time he'd been so eager to find someone to spend time with, like all his teammates and now he had her, he was afraid of letting go.

How lame is that? He shook his head with a rueful smile.

"What?" Anatoli asked.

Drew looked up and shrugged. "Nothing. Mina is nice. She's better than nice. She's great. I don't know..."

Anatoli's eyebrows lifted. "You don't know?"

"I don't know if she thinks I'm great too."

Anatoli smirked. "You ask?"

"I can't ask her that."

"Why not? You tell me to tell Sara how I feel. You do same."

"This is not the same thing." Drew shook his head. "You and Sara...you'd been together for a long time. Me and Mina, we just started hanging out."

"Hanging out?" Anatoli shook his head. "You not hang out. You like her, you tell her."

God, he made it sound so easy. Maybe it was, but Drew reminded himself of the knots Anatoli had worked himself into just a month ago over Sara.

"Can we talk about something else?" Drew grumbled.

Anatoli laughed and nodded. Their conversation moved on to the upcoming game versus New Jersey. After that, they'd be heading home to D.C. for a couple nights before their next game in Philadelphia. Drew was already planning how he could spend the time in between practice and meetings with Mina. He reminded himself that her schedule might not allow the same time off but he was pretty sure they could get together at least once.

The plane landed in New Jersey and the players boarded the bus to the hotel. Drew called Mina as soon as they were all sent to their rooms to settle in.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mina."

"Hi, Drew."

Heaven help him, but she sounded excited to hear from him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just unpacking the groceries. Where are you?"

"I'm in my hotel room in New Jersey."

"Ah. Right, Hil said something about your game."

Drew scoffed. "Don't act like you weren't following my schedule yourself."

Mina laughed, the sound the very thing Drew had been aching to hear for hours. "You'd be wrong there but you'll be happy to know I watched your entire game last night."

Drew groaned and covered his eyes with one hand. "I wish you hadn't."

"Oh, one loss doesn't mean I'll stop liking you."

His heart rate spiked. "What about two losses?"

She laughed again and Drew felt his blood surge to every extremity in his body. "Hmm, maybe after four losses we'd have to talk."

"I'm so glad to hear it." He was a bit relieved to hear her tease him. After their last conversation, when he'd freaked her out with the mention of phone sex, he'd been worried she wouldn't want to talk again. "Are you working tonight?"

"Yeah. Then I'm off tomorrow and working the lunch shifts over the weekend." She paused and Drew heard some clattering noises as she moved things around while unpacking. "When are you back?"

Drew grinned. "I'll be back home late Friday night, remember?"

"Oh yeah. You mean early Saturday morning."




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 05



"Semantics," he replied. "And you're working Saturday until when?"

"I guess it'll be around two or three, depending on how busy it gets." There was a loud bang and she squeaked. "Shoot. I just dropped the pasta sauce."

"Pasta sauce? Don't you make your own?"

She laughed. "Usually but sometimes I don't want to make all the effort for a quick meal. Plus, this way Hilary can make her own without me around."

"Makes sense. Well, I'll let you go so you can clean up. Can I call you later?"

"Uh...OK. Sure. I'll be home later."

"All right. Bye."

Drew hung up the phone and moved around his room, unpacking a few things. He felt better after even that brief conversation with Mina. Someone knocked on his door in another few minutes and he went down the hall to hang out with some of the players in another room.

****

Mina stared at the phone in her hand after Drew hung up. She'd thought he'd been angling towards asking her out after he returned home but ended the call without another mention of it. The red sauce spread in a puddle at her feet and she ignored it until it reached her toe.

"Crap." She backed out of the mess and grabbed a ratty towel from the cupboard to start mopping it up. After the mess was taken care of, her thoughts turned back to the phone call.

They hadn't talked in a few days, not since that phone call when he'd suggested phone sex.

Well, not so much suggested as mentioned. She sighed and finished unloading the groceries as her mind spun in circles.

She'd been afraid to call him so late at night again, which she knew was silly. They'd always been able to talk about anything before they'd first kissed and why shouldn't they be able to now?

Because he's a guy and you have kissed, she reminded herself.

Then she felt bad for thinking that way about Drew. So far, he'd been a perfect gentleman, paying for meals, walking her to her door, not pushing for more physically. When she'd asked him to change the subject the other night, he had. She just couldn't erase the thought that he hadn't called her again without the guarantee of some hot phone sex.

"Stupid," Mina muttered to herself.

The phone rang, distracting her from her circuitous thoughts.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Mini!"

Mina cringed at the sound of her sister Alexis' voice as well as the nickname she despised. "Hi, Alexis. How are you?"

"I'm wonderful. I just had the biggest sale of the year go through."

"That's great . Congratulations."

"Yes. It is pretty great."

Mina rolled her eyes. And you're so modest. "So what's up?"

"I'm just calling to remind you about Dad's birthday. You haven't forgotten already, have you?"

"Of course not. It's only a week and a half from now."

"Well, I know you're busy at that new restaurant and I don't want you to forget about Dad."

"I never would." Mina clenched her free hand into a fist. "And it's not a restaurant, it's a country club."

"Tomato, to-mah-toe." Alexis' tone was one of dismissal. "You're not planning on making that awful heavy macaroni monstrosity, are you?"

"It's Dad's favorite. Of course I'm going to make it." Don't get mad, she doesn't care. Don't get mad... Mina repeated it to herself as Alexis sniffed.

"Well, I just think you should give a little consideration to his health, Mini."

"I always do," Mina replied. "I use whole wheat pasta, low-fat cheeses and skim milk."

"Still, all that cream and gluten..." Alexis let out a disgusted noise that made Mina want to throw the phone across the room.

This was an all too familiar conversation with her sister. Her work was never good enough, no matter how elite the restaurant or club; her food was never 'healthy' enough and all Alexis could do was count the possible calories. Never mind that Mina always used the healthiest and most natural alternatives she could find.

"I should think you'd want to avoid the fattening ingredients, Mini."

Mina bristled and decided she'd had just enough of this topic with her sister. "I'm kind of busy right now, Lex. Was there anything else you needed?"

"Oh, well...you have plans for a cake?"

Mina shook her head. Alexis just didn't want to let up. "Yes."

"And what's that going to be? Something equally unhealthy, I imagine?"

"Alexis, I have to go. I'll see you next Sunday."

"Fine. I'll see you then."

Mina ended the call and rubbed her closed eyes for a moment. Her blood pressure was up from just that two-minute conversation and all her warmth from speaking with Drew had fled. How did Alexis manage to do this to her every time?

I am an accomplished chef and I don't need her approval, she told herself as she paced around the apartment.

Somehow her older sister managed to reduce her to the self-conscious, overweight child she'd been growing up.

"Who am I kidding?" Mina mumbled and sank onto the couch. She'd never really gotten over her sister's teasing and belittling comments. It wasn't surprising considering Alexis chose to remind her every time they spoke or saw each other.

No wonder Lawrence hadn't wanted to marry me after all, she thought and felt her stomach clench. She hadn't thought about her ex-fiancé in days. Then a new thought occurred to her. Maybe that's why Drew was so quick to let the sex thing go. 

Mina covered her face with her hands, hating her weakness and cursing her sister out for making her feel like a chubby ten-year-old all over again.

The phone rang again, making her jump. She shook her head and picked it up to answer. Grand freakin' Central station here today.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Mina?"

"Yes."

"Hi, Mina. It's Carter."

"Oh, hi Carter." Mina frowned a little at the sound of Drew's brother's voice. "What's going on?"

"Not much. Uh, are you busy?"

"No. What's wrong?"

Carter laughed. "You know, that's the first thing Drew asks me every time I call him too."

Mina smiled. "That's just because he worries about you."

"That's putting it mildly." Carter's tone was dry but not annoyed. "You're not on your way out or to work or anything, are you?"

"I work later but I don't have to leave for a couple hours."

"Uh, do you have a day off anytime soon?"

Mina's forehead wrinkled as she tried to figure out where Carter was going with this. "I'm off tomorrow, why?"

"Are you? Would you...I mean, can I...uh, can I talk to you tomorrow?"

"Talk? What's going on, Carter?"

"I just...I want to talk to you about your job."

"My job?" Now Mina was confused. "What for?"

"Well, I really like to cook and I had a really good time when you came over last weekend to cook for us."

"Oh. Me too."

"And I was kind of hoping maybe you'd help me out," Carter said and his next words came out in a rush. "I mean, not give me a job or anything but I thought you could tell me what you did for school and stuff and I think it'd be cool to learn all that stuff you do."

"Really? You're interested in going to cooking school?"

"Yeah. Is that totally lame?"

Mina laughed. "Of course not. I think it's wonderful."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

"Awesome. So can you, uh, I mean, can we meet up tomorrow? Would that be OK?"

"Of course. You want to meet for lunch somewhere? There's a great little Greek place near your house."

"OK. Sure. What time?"

"Let's try for eleven-thirty, maybe beat the lunch rush."

"Cool. Thanks, Mina."

"Well, don't thank me yet." Mina smiled, thinking Drew would be so pleased that his little brother was at last showing interest in something.

"Oh, hey, don't tell my brother about this, OK?"

"Why not?"

"I just don't want him to freak or anything."

Mina grinned. "If he does freak, it'd be a good freak."

Carter laughed but insisted she keep his secret anyway. "I just don't want to tell him anything yet. I mean, it might not work out, right?"

"That's true. All right. I won't say anything for now but I really think you should tell him. He'd be happy for you."

Carter snorted and Mina could picture that classic teenaged eye-roll. "Maybe. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure thing. See you tomorrow."

"Cool. Later!"

Mina laughed as she hung up the phone. That had been an unexpected but pleasant surprise. She wished she could tell Drew all about it but she understood Carter's reluctance to share. She'd help Carter out any way she could and when Drew found out, he'd just be glad that his brother had chosen a direction for his future.

After another hour of lazing around the empty apartment, Mina started to get ready for work. She was just yanking her pants up when the phone rang yet again.

"Sheesh." Mina shook her head as she reached for the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, you."

Drew's deep voice made her stomach churn and she couldn't help but smile. "I said I'd call you later."

Mina laughed. "This is later, I guess."

"Too late? Not late enough?"

"It's just right. Although I am in the middle of getting dressed for work." Mina tucked the phone between her head and her ear as she spoke.

Drew made a strange noise and then cleared his throat. "How 'in the middle' are you?"

Mina felt warmth swamp her body, even though she was standing there with no shirt on. "Uh, well...maybe I shouldn't say."

"Oh no, I think you should."

Mina laughed to cover up her discomfort. This was definitely not the time or place to be starting this sort of conversation. She hadn't even adjusted to the last time things had gone down this path. "I'm getting ready for work. It's not exciting, trust me."

"And trust me when I say that thinking of you getting dressed – or undressed – is very exciting to me."

"Well, I...well..." Mina was flustered and twisted around to pull a shirt on. He couldn't see her but something in his tone made her feel more than half-naked. She couldn't decide if she liked it or not.

Drew chuckled. "I'm sorry. I'm pushing again, aren't I?"

"No. Not really. I just...there's no time to...properly discuss my current state of dress."

Another laugh, one that sent tingles from her head to her toes, and into every space in between. Gawd, if this keeps up, I'm going to cut a finger off tonight.

"All right, I'll let it go. Did I say I'd be home this weekend?"

"Yes. Several times." Mina smiled as she straightened her shirt. "What of it?"

"We need to go out Saturday night."

She laughed at the way he phrased it. "Do we?"

"Yes. It'll have been a week since we've seen each other and I'm overdue for some quality time."

Mina's heart gave a thump against her ribs at the mention of 'quality time.' "What did you have in mind?"

"A movie? Maybe dinner?"

"You seem intent on fattening me up even more."

"Don't do that." His voice dropped low.

"What?"

"You're gorgeous, not fat."

"Oh." Mina hadn't been expecting that. Ever since their first conversation today, she'd felt off balance. This wasn't helping her regain her equilibrium. She couldn't let herself start to believe him, no matter how nice it felt. That would be a dangerous road.

"Mina?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you up for dinner and a movie on Saturday?"

"Sure." She could handle that. It helped that they wouldn't have much of an opportunity to be alone, what with Carter living at his place, and Mina sharing Hilary's apartment.

"Great. We'll figure out what to do on Sunday then."

"Sunday?" Mina laughed.

"Yeah. And Monday, come to think of it. Oh, hey, when's your dad's birthday dinner again? I want to double check the practice schedule but I'm pretty sure I'm free that weekend."

"What?" Mina froze, staring at the wall. "What are you talking about?"

"Your dad's birthday. You told me a while ago that he wanted me to come."

"Well, yeah, but that was...he doesn't..." Mina didn't know how to finish the sentence.

"I don't mind. I told you I'd love to meet your family. It's the Sunday right? Not this weekend, but next?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, the twenty-seventh."

"Cool. I'll double check but that's in between games and I think I'll only have a morning practice or meeting."

"OK."

"Well, I'll let you get back to getting dressed." He paused and Mina remained where she stood, wondering how things could have shifted so drastically. "Are you still undressed?"

A breathless laugh escaped her and she shook her head. "N-no. I've got my shirt and pants on now."

"You mean you were topless before?"

"Don't say it like that, I had my bra on." The words were out before she could stop them and Mina clapped a hand to her forehead.

"Mina." The way Drew said her name was like a caress and she felt a tingle spread through her body before settling low in her belly. "You just don't know, do you?"

"What?" Don't know how unattractive I am in a bra? How this will never be more than a fling because of your career and my hang-ups? All that and more?

"I'll tell you soon. Have a good night." With that, he hung up.

Mina dropped the phone onto her bed and fled to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face before she spontaneously combusted. She was in so far over her head, it wasn't even funny. She'd always thought Lawrence was out of her league, never mind that he was a lying, cheating bastard. Drew – friendly, handsome, athletic Drew – was in the stratosphere.

She had been wrong before when she thought she might hurt him. She already knew she was the one who was going to get burned.

****

The following morning, Mina paced the apartment wondering if she should confess her worries to Hilary. Her friend was tidying up the living room and doing her share of the chores. She straightened and brushed a loose strand of honey-colored hair out of her eyes. Turning, she grinned when she saw Mina looming in the doorway.

"Hey. I was wondering when you were going to get up."

Mina smiled. "I had a late night."

"I figured." Hilary abandoned her wrestling match with the vacuum cleaner and left it in the closet for the moment. "How about some coffee? I could use a break."

Mina laughed. "A break? You've been cleaning for half an hour."

"Long enough." Hilary turned and walked into the kitchen. "So what are your plans today? Are you working?"

"No shift today but I am going out for lunch." Mina slid into a seat at the kitchen table and rested her chin in one hand.

"Oh? With who?" Hilary pulled out the coffee and poured several scoops into the top of the coffee maker.

"Carter." Mina thought about what Carter had said and figured telling her friend what was going on couldn't hurt.

"Who's Carter?"

"Drew's younger brother. He's been staying with Drew for the past few weeks." Mina smiled when Hilary tossed her a surprised look. "I thought I told you about that."

"I probably forgot." Hilary shrugged. "Why are you having lunch with Drew's brother?"

Mina explained about Carter's situation and his desire to maybe go to cooking school. Hilary nodded and frowned a little when Mina said Carter didn't want her telling Drew about it.

"That's not a good idea," Hilary said.

"What do you mean?"

"Keeping a secret from Drew about his own brother. I think you should tell him."

"But Carter asked me not to." Mina straightened in her chair. "I don't see the harm. It's not as if I'm helping him flee the country or anything."

Hilary smiled. "That's true. I don't know. From what I know of Drew, he seems pretty invested in his brother and his troubles. He might take a secret like this the wrong way."

Mina had been thinking the same thing but she kept telling herself that Carter was also within his rights to keep some things from his brother. It was a tough balancing act and she was conflicted about getting in the middle of things.

"I don't know. I won't see Drew until tomorrow anyway." Mina shifted, wanting to change the subject.

"How are things with you two anyway?" Hilary leaned forward on the table with a wide grin. "You two looked pretty cozy the other night."

Mina blushed and shook her head, unable to think of an intelligent rejoinder.

"Mina, relax. I'm just teasing. I already told you I think it's a good thing that you're dating."

"I never said we were dating."

Hilary rolled her eyes and got up to pour the coffee into two mugs. "You're dating. It doesn't mean you're going to end up married."

Mina snorted. "Don't I know it."

"We should watch the game tomorrow night." Hilary carried the two mugs back to the table and retrieved the cream and sugar.

"Aren't you working?"

"Aw, crap. I am. Well, you could go watch it with Lena."

"No. I think I'd rather just take it easy at home." Mina sipped her coffee. "I'm not used to working full shifts anymore. I didn't realize how long I'd been off work."

Hilary nodded. "I guess it had been a while."

They fell silent a moment, recalling her sudden move to Arlington from Baltimore. Mina didn't like the direction her thoughts took after that and turned to other, lighter topics. "So when are you going to move into Mark's place?"

Hilary sputtered and set her coffee mug down as her cheeks turned ruby red. Mina laughed, happy to have caught her friend off-guard.

"We're not even talking about it!" Hilary exclaimed and wiped her mouth.

"Oh come on, not even a bit?" Mina cocked an eyebrow at her over her mug. "Not even now that Lena and Obie are planning their wedding?"

Hilary started to shake her head then stopped. She pursed her lips and fiddled with the handle of her coffee mug. "All right, fine. I guess it's been mentioned once or twice." She shrugged and met Mina's gaze. "I don't think I'm ready, that's all."

"Hey, I'm not judging. I think it's wonderful that you're in love with an amazing guy like Mark. I know he'd be the last person to make you do anything you wouldn't want to do."

Hilary smiled, a soft look coming over her face and she nodded. "He is pretty great."

"I just think you might find you're more ready than you think soon." Mina gave Hilary a knowing wink and lifted her mug to her lips.

Hilary rolled her eyes. "Yeah. I'll be ready for moving in with Mark as soon as you're ready for Drew to sweep you off your feet."

Mina tried to laugh it off but couldn't. She sighed. "I think he already has."

Hilary chuckled and reached out to pat her hand. "I think so too. Just go with it."

Mina sighed and touched her cheek. What else could she do but go along for the ride? In a few short weeks, Drew had managed to become a better friend than Lawrence had ever been, a more considerate man than she'd ever dated, and someone who turned her insides to goo. Also something Lawrence had never been quite able to do.

Hilary frowned and pointed a finger at her. "Stop comparing him to Lawrence. Drew is nothing like that snake."

Mina stared. "How did you–"

"I can see it in your face. Give Drew a chance. Don't let what happened with Lawrence taint your view of other men."

Once again, Mina had to agree. Hilary had already been down that road. As hard as it might be, Mina knew she had to try. Rebound or not, she needed to give things with Drew a chance.

"I suppose I should get ready for lunch," she said and set her mug down. "Will you be around later?"

Hilary nodded and Mina walked down the hall to the bathroom. An hour later, she walked into the Greek restaurant where she and Drew had had their second outing together. The smells of garlic and herbs hit her and she took a deep breath before spotting Carter in a corner booth.

"Hey, Carter," she said as she approached. "How are you?"

"Great. Thanks for coming, Mina." He grinned at her.

Mina took her coat off and sat down. The waitress came by and took their drink order. In another few minutes, she returned and both Mina and Carter were ready to order their meals.

"So, you want to be a chef?" Mina asked with a smile after the waitress was gone again.

Carter nodded. "I think it would be so cool. I mean, I saw all that stuff you were doing that night you came over and I want to learn all that."




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 05



"It's more than just learning how to chop, you know." Mina was glad he appeared so eager to learn but she felt the need to caution him. "You'd also be learning about different food groups, and what works together, and what doesn't. Technique is a small part of it."

Carter nodded. "Yeah, I get that. What else can you tell me?"

Mina grinned and started to outline everything she could recall from her time at Baltimore International. They discussed how he'd have to learn about the different cuts of meat and he assured her he'd be all right with that, as long as the animal was already dead. She also warned him that it wouldn't be like a cooking show, where he'd be rich just for swearing and throwing things in a kitchen.

"You'll start at the bottom of the ladder," Mina said. "It could take a while to build up a resume and reputation."

Carter nodded, not in the least deterred by all she'd told him so far. They talked some more as their food arrived and Carter was incessant with his questions. Before she knew it, an hour had passed and Mina was impressed with his enthusiasm.

"So how does BIC work? Do you think you could put in a good word for me?" Carter asked as the bill arrived.

Mina smiled as she fished out her wallet for her share of the bill. "I don't think it would help. You can check with the admissions office about the fall semester. They might even have some spots open for the summer program to get you a jump on things. You'll have to look into funding and figure out where you'll live, as well."

Carter nodded and chewed on his bottom lip as he considered. Mina watched him and reached out to pat his hand.

"I still think you should talk to Drew," she said.

Carter shook his head. "No. He'll probably think it's a lame idea."

"I don't think so. Drew cares about you. He just wants what's best for you."

"Yeah and what if he doesn't think cooking school is the best thing for me?"

Mina sighed. She could relate to that but from all she knew of Drew and Carter, there was no reason to think it would be like her history with her father. "Just think about telling him. I won't say anything for now but I've got to be honest, I'm not sure how I feel keeping anything from him."

Carter nodded and promised to think about it. They stood up and walked outside. Carter surprised her by giving her a hug and thanking her again for meeting with him. Mina grinned as she patted his back and watched him walk away.

Shaking her head, she turned and headed home. Drew and Carter were lucky to have each other and she was lucky to have met them both. She couldn't wait to see Drew again and couldn't wait to see how Carter would do at cooking school.

****

The game against the Devils was intense. New Jersey was in the midst of a climb through the standings, fighting tooth and nail to get into the final playoff spot. Drew and his teammates weren't sitting back on their heels but they were struggling against the Devils.

At the second intermission, they were trailing by two goals. Drew leaned back on the bench and closed his eyes. He wanted to focus, he needed to. They were so close to the playoffs and they couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

The coach came in and spoke to all of them. Drew listened and nodded along with his teammates. They were at least all in agreement about what they needed to do.

Skate fast. Hit hard. Score some goals.

Drew shook his head with a rueful smile as he thought about it. It sounded easy but the reality was never so smooth. Still, they suited up and headed back onto the ice to do their part to make it happen.

In the first five minutes the teams went back and forth between both zones. It was fast and the Devils weren't sitting back on their heels. Then Drew found himself sailing through the air when one of the defenders upended him with a blatant trip. The crowd erupted in boos and catcalls as Drew took a deep breath and got to his feet again.

"You good?" Mark skated alongside him as he coasted towards the bench.

Drew nodded, unable to speak as he still took great, gulping breaths. He hadn't had the wind knocked out of him like that in a long time. Mark tapped his stick against Drew's pads as Drew reached the bench and sat down.

One of the trainers came down the bench and leaned over Drew's shoulder. "You all right?"

"Yeah." Drew managed the single word along with a nod. He straightened with a grimace and stretched his neck. "Yeah. I'm all right."

He leaned forward and draped his arm over the boards as the power play started up. There was a scramble in front of the Devils goalie and then the puck shot to the blue line. Gaines caught it and settled it down before passing off to Jimmy Schwartz. They kept it at the line until the forwards rotated and then passed up to Obie.

Drew held his breath as the Russian took a shot. A Devils defenseman dropped to a knee to block the shot and the puck bounced off of him. Another Devil moved in and sent the puck soaring up ice. The players headed for the benches for a line change.

The coach moved down and touched Drew's shoulder. "You good for the next shift, Stams?"

"Yeah." Drew had his breath back and itched to join the power play. Not that he'd complain if they scored before he could get out there.

There was another drive towards the Devils' net, a scramble in the neutral zone, and then an offside was whistled.

"Change it up!" Coach hollered and Drew vaulted over the boards.

Brody won the face-off and the guys wheeled the puck around and into the Devils' zone. Drew chased after it and fended off a hit from a Devils' player. Then he found himself pinned to he boards, scrabbling at his feet for the puck. There was a flash of white in the corner of his eye and he managed to snag the puck. He twisted, fired the puck at Brody and skated to the front of the net.

His teammates cycled the puck for a second and Drew narrowed his eyes at the black speck. The defenseman shot it right towards the net and Drew angled his stick down. The puck just missed his stick but his body blocked the goalie's view and the puck went in.

"Yeah!" Drew pumped his fist as he skated towards his teammates.

There were backslaps and fist bumps all around and they all skated towards the bench for more high-fives. It wasn't a game-winning goal but it sure seemed to energize the whole team. Drew took his spot on the bench and leapt to his feet less than a minute later when Obie scored the equalizer.

After that, it went to overtime and everyone on the team was wound up. Drew's leg jerked up and down as he sat on the bench, watching the ice crew without really seeing them. Someone nudged him on one side and he slid down to make room on the bench for Jimmy. At last, the horn sounded and the five minute overtime period was under way.

It was a shot from defense star Mark Gaines that won the game and the Capitals were ecstatic. Drew was elated as they filed off the ice and headed to the dressing room. Everyone was chatty and laughter permeated every corner of the locker room. Drew was with the rest of the guys in feeling like it was a huge win. He also couldn't wait to get home to Carter and Mina.

He hurried through his shower and was the first guy onto the bus after he was done. He pulled out his cell and when he turned it on, he noticed a missed call from Mina. He found that odd since she'd known about his game. He dialed her number and tapped his knee with his free hand while he waited for her to pick up.

"Hello?" Her voice was strained.

"Mina? What's wrong?"

"Drew?"

"Yes, it's me. Are you all right?"

She gave a little laugh that didn't sound genuine and Drew clenched his hand into a fist.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."

Drew sucked in a deep breath and leaned his head on the head rest. "Mina, tell me what's going on. You're kind of freaking me out here."

She laughed again and it sounded a little better this time. "I'm sorry, but it's all your fault, you know."

"My fault?"

"Yeah. I was watching the game and saw you fall on the ice."

"Fall?" Drew frowned as he tried to recall. The trip and his tumble to the ice came to mind and he laughed. "Oh, jeez. That was nothing."

"Nothing? It took you forever to get up and then you just sat on the bench!"

"What are you talking about? I skated after. I was on the ice for the goal during that power play."

She was silent a moment. "I, uh...I shut the game off after that."

"What? Why?"

"Because I didn't want to see you get hurt again."

Now Drew was the one who fell silent. "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry it freaked you out so bad, but really, it was nothing. I'm fine."

She let out a noisy breath and Drew smiled to think that all her worry was for him, misguided as it was. "So you say. Drew, you flew through the air."

"I know. It was pretty awesome. I'll have to catch some highlights tomorrow."

"Are you kidding me?"

Drew laughed. "I'm sorry. I know you're not used to hockey but that's not even the worst thing that's happened to me."

"Oh God," she moaned. "I can't handle this."

"Oh come on now. You're a tough chick, you can handle anything." He said it because he knew it would get her mind off his fall.

"'Chick?' You did not just call me a chick."

"You're right. I called you a tough chick."

"Oh, Drew Stamenski, you are so lucky you're not here right now."

Drew sniffed. "That's funny. I was thinking exactly the opposite."

Mina was silent a second before responding. "Do you promise me you're OK?"

"Yes, I promise." Drew couldn't stop grinning now.

"I don't believe you."

Damn, she's stubborn. He looked up and waved Mark over. "Mark, tell Mina that I'm all right after that trip in the third."

Mark laughed but took the phone when Drew handed it over. "Hey, Mina. What's up?"

Drew watched Mark's face as he spoke to Mina.

"Yeah, it was a dirty hit, for sure." A pause. "No, I think he was winded, but that was the worst of it." Mark's eyes dropped to Drew's face and he smirked. "Well, that depends on how you define OK. He's got the same ugly mug I've always seen on him."

Drew laughed and flipped his teammate off.

"I promise, he's fine. Don't worry. He's tougher than he looks, Mina." Mark chuckled. "Yeah, I will. All right, have a good night." He handed the phone back and made himself comfortable in the seat next to Drew.

"Mina?" Drew held the phone to his ear. "Better now?"

"Yeah." Her voice was soft and Drew let his breath out. "I've just never seen anything like that before."

"How many games have you watched? You've seen enough to know when a hit is really bad or not, haven't you?"

"Sure, I've seen some hits, but I don't think I've seen a guy fly through the air like you did tonight. I'd have remembered that."

Drew chuckled. She made it sound so dramatic.

"Don't laugh, please. I'm not used to all this. I can't tell the difference between a normal hit and a dangerous one."

"Isn't Hilary there?"

"She's working."

"Ah. I'm sorry. I'm not trying to make fun."

She sighed. "I know. I wish you could understand it from my point of view."

Drew paused as he considered. He'd always been surrounded by the sport so hits, trips and falls were just part of the game. He supposed to someone like Mina, whose experience with sports was limited to basketball, a non-contact sport, hockey could seem downright brutal.

"I'm sorry. I'll try harder not to get tripped up next time."

Mark snorted and Drew elbowed his side while Mina laughed.

"Thanks, Drew. Are we still on for tomorrow?"

"Absolutely." Drew grinned, excited to see her the next day. It felt like months since they'd last seen each other. "Have a good night and good day at work tomorrow."

"Thanks. Have a safe flight."

"All right. Bye."

"Bye."

Drew snapped his phone shut. Mark gave him a look as he tucked the cell into his pocket.

"What?"

Mark shrugged. "She was pretty worried."

Drew grinned and leaned his head back again. "Yeah. She was."

Mark chuckled and the bus soon filled up with the rest of their teammates. They headed out of the parking lot in another ten minutes.



Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 06



A thousand thank-yous and hugs to all those reading and commenting. I'm glad you're all enjoying this.

A super-duper-extra-big thank you and bear hug to PennLady for her help. I know I'm difficult sometimes but I appreciate the encouragement and editing, even when I say it's my least favorite thing to do. Ever. ;)

Also just a quick note to ask you all to be patient. Real life is interfering big-time with my writing. I'll do my best to keep up with regular posts until this is finished. Thank you for your support!

As always, take care and happy reading!

M. ;)

****

It felt to Drew like he had to wait ages before Mina got home from work. The lunch shift for her went to two-thirty but depending on business, it could be much later before she got home. A Saturday meant it probably would be busier than usual.

Jesus, it could be four before she calls me, he thought and stopped himself from throwing his computer mouse across the room. He allowed himself a rueful smile at how melodramatic he was being. She'll get home when she gets home. Deal with it.

Then he heard the front door open and scowled before rising from his desk. He walked down the hall just as Carter turned from the closet. He started when he saw Drew and smiled.

"Hey. How's it going?"

Drew crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at his little brother. "Where have you been?"

Carter smile disappeared. "I was at work."

"There are no events at Verizon Center today."

Carter shrugged and brushed past him on his way to the living room. "There was a meeting this morning."

Drew followed and sent a pointed look at the clock on the wall.

Carter scowled and mimicked Drew's stance, with his arms crossed. "I went out for lunch with a couple people from work after. So what?"

"So you agreed to no partying," Drew replied. "And here it is, not three weeks later."

"It was lunch, not partying and I don't remember agreeing to not make friends."

Drew scoffed. "Yeah, and you've had so much luck with your friends in the past." Drew knew in some distant corner of his mind that he was being a little hard on his brother but he'd been annoyed to find Carter gone first thing this morning and now his brother was being very defensive. Because you're being pushy, a voice in his head spoke up.

"What the hell is your problem, Drew?"

"My problem is you not being where you say you're going to be and going out with so-called friends that I don't know."

Carter threw his hands up in the air and turned away. "I don't believe this. I went to work and out to lunch. How is that not telling you? You're worse than Mom and Dad!"

Drew frowned. "Why? Because I want what's best for you?"

"I'm an adult. You can't tell me what to do."

"I can if you want to keep living here!" Drew snapped.

Carter's mouth dropped open. Then he rushed past Drew without a word, heading for the stairs. Drew let him go, feeling like the world's biggest jackass for snapping. He rubbed his eyes and walked over to slump on the couch.

I'll go up and talk to him in a bit, he told himself. When we've both calmed down.

He knew he needed to apologize. He'd just done exactly what he'd said he wouldn't, what his parents had done to drive Carter away. If Drew didn't make things right, Carter could end up gone and none of them would know where to find him.

"What is wrong with me?"

No answer was forthcoming and Drew rested his head on the couch with a sigh. Was he agitated because of the late night and almost no sleep? Was he annoyed that he had to wait hours before he could see Mina? Had he really been ticked about Carter disappearing so early this morning?

The answer is 'D,' all of the above.

After a few minutes, he went back to his office to make sure his computer was off. Then he made himself lunch and watched TV. When he figured enough time had passed, he walked upstairs and knocked on Carter's door.

"What?" It was more of an unintelligible grunt than a real word.

"Can I come in?"

"What for? Another lecture?"

Drew winced. He supposed he deserved that. "No. Just to talk."

There was a pause. "Fine. Come in."

Drew opened the door to find Carter sitting on the floor beside his bed. There was an open magazine on his lap and a discarded Men's Health beside him. He glared up at Drew, his chin jutted out at a stubborn angle that Drew recognized.

"So? What do you want?" Carter asked.

Drew walked in a few steps and offered his brother a smile. "I'm sorry, Carter."

Carter's eyes widened for a second before narrowing again in suspicion. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I shouldn't have given you such a hard time before." Drew moved closer and sat down on the edge of the bed. "And I didn't mean to threaten you."

Carter didn't look at him and offered no reply.

"I just...I really do want what's best for you." Drew rubbed the side of his neck. "I don't mean to be so hard on you."

Carter let out a sigh and nodded. "I know."

"You know Mom and Dad didn't want to drive you away either."

Carter made a derisive noise. "I don't know about that. They weren't exactly sociable."

Drew chuckled. "They're parents. They're not supposed to socialize with you."

"They didn't need to make my life miserable either."

"Oh, come on. They couldn't have been that bad, Carter."

Carter twisted around to look up at Drew. "Oh no? They used to wake me up early in the morning even if I didn't have a morning class. Which they knew because they had copies of my schedules. They'd call my profs every day to find out what assignments I had coming up and whether or not I'd been in class."

Drew's eyes widened but stayed silent as Carter went on.

"They drove me to and from school and would come looking for me if I wasn't outside at the end of the day. They'd argue over and over that I didn't need to study in the library so I wasn't even allowed to stay and do that. When I tried to argue that I had my license, they wouldn't let me drive their cars and working part time at The Gap didn't really earn enough for a car of my own." He ticked those and several other points off on his fingers. By the time he was done, he was irritated again and Drew had to lay a calming hand on his shoulder.

"They made me feel like a ten year-old." Carter let out his breath on a long sigh and looked up with a half-smile. "No lame jokes about me being so much younger than you, OK?"

Drew laughed and cuffed his brother on the same shoulder he'd been patting in comfort. "You are still young and anyway, look at it from their point of view. All I cared about was hockey. When you came along and didn't like hockey, they probably didn't have any clue what to do with you."

Carter tried to frown but started laughing. "Remember my first skating lesson?"

Drew grinned. "Yeah. Mom thought you'd skated over your own leg and just about keeled over."

The brothers reminisced for a little while longer. When a moment of silence fell between them, Drew clapped Carter on the shoulder.

"You're all right, Carter."

Carter punched Drew's leg. "Thanks. You're a decent guy sometimes too."

Drew got up with a laugh and walked to the open doorway. "So we're good?"

"Yeah." Carter grinned. "As long as you don't turn into Mom."

"Right. The day I turn into Mom is the day you become President."

Drew walked away with Carter's laughter echoing behind him. As he reached the main floor, he realized Mina still hadn't called him. A glance at the clock showed him that it was almost three. He scooped the phone into his hand as he sat on the couch and just stopped himself from dialing Mina's number.

She said she'd call when she got home, Drew reminded himself. He didn't need to turn into one of those needy people just days after they'd first started something.

Even as he was clutching the phone and willing it to ring, it rang and he jumped about a foot off the couch.

"Mina?" He said her name without thinking about it.

There was a low chuckle in response. Not Mina.

"No, is Tolya."

"Oh, hey. What's up?"

"Sorry I not Mina."

Drew laughed and rubbed his eyes. "It's all right. I was just...I thought she'd be calling me now, that's all."

"OK. You busy?"

"No. What's going on?"

"I go with Mark and some other guys to have dinner. You should come."

"Dinner? I had planned on going out with Mina."

"OK. If she not call you, you come to dinner."

"Yeah. Maybe. Where are you guys going to be?"

Anatoli named a restaurant nearby in Arlington and Drew agreed to meet up with them if he didn't hear from Mina in the next hour or so. After they hung up, Drew didn't know what to do. He wanted to talk to Mina, see her, hold her. But she could still be at work for all he knew.

He dropped his head back against the couch with a groan and squeezed his eyes shut. What was wrong with him? He'd been perfectly normal before coming home. Then he'd discovered Carter gone from the house so early and it had ratcheted his tension up several degrees.

No. He shook his head. That wasn't fair. Carter hadn't done anything wrong and he'd lashed out at his little brother for no good reason. Maybe I am going crazy.

"What are you doing?"

Carter's voice startled Drew and he jerked upright. Carter was staring at him with narrowed eyes.

"What?"

"You're just sitting there with the phone on your lap. What are you doing?"

Drew looked down and set the phone on the coffee table. "Uh, I was just waiting for Mina to call."

Carter lifted his eyebrows and smirked. "God. I didn't know I had a big sister."

Drew glared at him. "Don't you have something else to be doing?"

"Nope." Carter grinned and walked away with a laugh. "Just call her, you doofus."

Drew glanced at the clock on the wall and shrugged. Then he picked up the phone and dialed her number. There was no answer but he left a brief message. After that, there was nothing to do but choose to mope around his house or go out with his friends.

****

Mina woke up and blinked bleary eyes as she rolled over. The stench of cooked grease and onions wafted up to her nose and she grimaced. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. Looking down, she realized she'd fallen onto her bed with her work clothes on. And fallen asleep.

"Oh crap." She turned around to look at the clock. She'd come home from a grueling shift at the club and had only meant to lie down for a few minutes before showering. She'd meant to call Drew but now it was after six.

"Double crap!" She scrambled off the bed and searched for the phone. She found it in the living room and dialed Drew's house.

"Hello?"

"Carter, it's Mina."

"Hey, Mina. What's going on?"

"Not much. Is your brother there?"

"No, he went out to meet some of the guys from the team for dinner."

Mina straightened and blinked in surprise. She hadn't been expecting that.

"Oh. OK. Can you tell him to call me later then?"

"Sure thing. Hey listen, thanks again for meeting with me the other day."

Mina smiled. "No problem. Have you told Drew about it yet?"

"No." She could almost picture his pout. "I will though."

"Good. You should."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Well, I'd better go."

"I'll tell Drew you called."

"Thanks. Bye."

"Bye."

Mina hung up and held the phone against her chest as she looked around. She wondered if she should be upset about Drew going out with the guys. She dialed into their voicemail then and retrieved the message from Drew.

"Hey, Mina. I just thought I'd check in and see if you were home yet. Obviously not. Anyway, call me when you get in and let me know when I can come pick you up. Hope your day wasn't too hectic. Talk to you soon."

Mina hung up and tossed the phone beside her on the couch. She sighed and reached up to release her hair from its messy ponytail. She figured she might as well shower and eat something for dinner, since it didn't appear that she had any plans now.

She was eating a sandwich and staring into space, even though she had a newspaper open in front of her, when Hilary came home.

"Hi!" Hilary strode into the kitchen and set down a bag on the counter. "I thought you were going out tonight."

Mina frowned and snapped the newspaper closed. "I was."

Hilary stopped pulling the items out of the bag and turned to face Mina. "What happened?"

Mina shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. "I fell asleep when I got home from work and forgot to call Drew. Then when I did call, he'd already gone out with some of the guys from the team."

Hilary nodded. "Yeah. Mark told me he was going out too." She paused and cocked her head at Mina. "Are you mad at Drew?"

Mina huffed out a sigh and stood up. She put her dishes in the sink and brushed her hands off. "No. I'm annoyed. Is that wrong?"

"Not exactly. But you did fall asleep without calling him." Hilary's tone was light, not accusing.

Mina sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I guess I'm a little hurt that he didn't wait for me to call him. He just went out with someone else."

Hilary smiled as she continued to unpack the bag. "You don't want him to be one of those lame guys who sits around waiting for your call, do you? At least he didn't go out with another woman."

"That's true."

"Did he call?"

"Yeah, he left a message a little before I got home but I just crashed on my bed without calling or checking the phone or anything." Mina shook her head and straightened her shoulders. "You're right, Hil. I'm being silly."

Hilary nodded with a smile and folded the bag before stowing it in the closet. "Well, he'll probably call when he gets home later. I doubt they'll be out to dinner very late." She stopped and turned to Mina with a grin. "In fact, I'm going over to Mark's tonight. Why don't you call again and suggest he come here after dinner? Then you can work out your differences."

Mina's face was on fire before Hilary stopped talking. Hilary hooted with laughter and gave her friend a sympathetic pat on the shoulder before flouncing out of the kitchen. Mina glared after her and touched a hand to her cheek.

Just the thought of a whole night alone with Drew made her heat up to dangerous levels. She didn't even know if she was ready for all that implied. All she could do at this point was hope that Drew would call her after he got home. If he didn't, then they'd just have to wait for another opportunity.

Later, after Hilary had left her alone in the apartment, Mina flipped through the channels, looking for something to watch. The phone rang, scaring her almost out of her skin. "Hello?"

"Mina. It's me."

She let out a long sigh. "Drew. Hi. I'm so sorry I didn't call you before."

"That's OK."

"No, it's not. I came home from work late, right after you'd called, I think, and I just crashed. I didn't wake up until after six."

"Really? Wow. I didn't think chefs were allowed to sleep during the day."

She heard the teasing tone in his voice and rolled her eyes. "Well, we can't all be hockey players, can we?"

"Thank God. I don't think I'd enjoy kissing someone with a playoff beard."

Mina blinked and then burst out laughing. She heard Drew's rich chuckle from the other end and felt her tension ease.

"I am sorry, Drew."

"It's fine!" He laughed. "I'm sorry for ditching you."

"You didn't ditch me. I fell asleep and stood you up."

"You're right. You did stand me up. I'm a mess over here and it's all your fault that Carter is now looking at me like I'm a lunatic."

Mina stifled a giggle with one hand. "I'm sorry you're a lunatic."

"That's what you got out of all that?" He sounded outraged and Mina laughed harder.

"Well, I am sorry about that."

He grumbled something unintelligible. Mina stifled the rest of her laughter and drew in a deep breath.

"Did you have plans for the rest of the night?" she asked.

"Just sleep. Why?"

"I thought maybe you'd want to come over. We could watch a movie or something." She squeezed her eyes shut. That's great, Mina. Very sexy. She so wasn't used to doing this.

"Sure. I'll be over in a few."

"OK. See you soon."

Mina set the phone down and hurried to the bathroom to check her hair. She smoothed a few errant strands and changed out of her flannel reindeer pajamas. It was way past Christmas anyway.

Drew buzzed her apartment not long after that and the butterflies in her stomach turned frantic. She swallowed her nerves and went to let him in. The second he walked in her door, she felt dwarfed by his presence. It hadn't been that long since they'd seen each other but he overwhelmed her with his size, his teasing grin and the way he reached for her before the door was even closed.

"Hi," she whispered and wrapped her arms around him.

"Hi yourself." He hauled her off her feet, making her feel dainty on top of all the rest.

He started to walk her backwards, into her living room, and she laughed. "The door..."

With a grumble, Drew spun around, keeping her in his arms. Mina laughed as he kicked the door shut and released her long enough to pull his jacket and shoes off. When he reached for her again, he lowered his head for a kiss and Mina turned her face up to accept it.

Before she knew it, the kiss turned wild and she clung to his shoulders as he pushed her up against the door. His tongue sought hers and she moaned low in her throat as they tangled. Drew shifted his stance and Mina felt her heart skip several beats when his thigh thrust between her legs. Then his hands moved up her sides and she pressed her back to the door as he cupped the swells of her breasts.

"I've missed you, Mina," he murmured and pressed kisses to her cheek and chin.

Mina smiled as she tried to catch her breath. When he squeezed his hands around her she gasped and looked down to see him grinning at her.

"Did you miss me?"

"You were only gone for a few days."

He gave her a mock-outraged scowl and let her stand on her own two feet. He didn't step back. Instead he loomed over her, crowding her against the door. Mina left her hands on his shoulders and shivered at the dark look in his eyes.

"A few days too long."

She smiled. "Don't you love your job and traveling with the team and all?"

"Sure. But they don't kiss like you do." To punctuate his words, he dipped his head and brushed his lips against hers.

Mina giggled, breaking the moment and Drew moved back and raised an eyebrow. "You've had much time to compare the way I kiss with your teammates?" she asked.

At Drew's expression, Mina laughed again and stepped away from the door. He followed her to the living room and they sat down on the couch.

"What are you in the mood for?" The second the words left her mouth, she regretted them.

Drew chuckled and pulled her into his arms. "Whatever you want to watch is fine with me. I'm just happy to be here with you."

Mina met his eyes and melted a little at the warmth she saw there. "When did you become such a romantic?"

He shrugged. "I'd say around the time you agreed to give us a chance."

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh.'" He leaned close and kissed her.

Mina relaxed in his embrace and kissed him back. His arms closed tight around her and she bowed to the pressure, settling against his chest. In spite of the heat that sprang up between them, he kept the kiss gentle and light. Mina felt her body straining, demanding more but Drew broke the kiss and touched her cheek with one hand.

"Where's Hilary?"

Mina blinked, the mention of her roommate scattering the fog around her brain in an instant. "She's out."

"Maybe we should just watch a movie for now." Drew smiled as he brushed another kiss over her lips. "We don't want to get caught like last time."

Mina laughed and nodded. It was on the tip of her tongue to say that Hilary wouldn't be back tonight but her courage failed her. She got up and picked a movie out of the collection on the shelf. Then she snuggled against Drew's side on the couch and let her self-conscious fears fade to the background as the movie began.




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 06



Her eyes started to feel heavy not twenty minutes in. Maybe it was the warmth of Drew's body or the way they'd shifted until they were stretched out on the couch together. Either way, she wasn't going to last long and she felt bad for drifting off when she was supposed to be spending time with Drew.

Rolling her head, she offered him a sleepy smile that he returned. "You look tired."

He chuckled and nodded. "Yeah. A bit. I was up early and then had a fight with Carter."

Mina's eyes widened. "Oh? About what?"

"He was gone when I got up and I overreacted when he got back."

"You? Overreact?"

Drew frowned and squeezed her sides until she laughed and pushed him off. "I assumed he was off getting into trouble."

Mina lifted her eyebrows. "That seems harsh."

"You don't need to tell me that." Drew let out a noisy breath and rubbed his face. Mina followed the movement of his hand and bit her lip when she saw the shadow of stubble on his chin. He looked tired, true, but he also looked just as attractive as always. She'd been stupid to think she could invite him over and still control her body's response to him.

"I was really hard on him when he came home and we fought." Drew smiled at her and rested his head on the pillow they shared. "I apologized after and we talked. There's such a difference in our ages that I forget he's not a kid anymore."

Mina nodded. "I can see that."

"And even though he's been trying really hard the last few weeks, I just assumed the worst about him the first time I didn't know where he was."

"Where was he?"

"Just out to lunch with some friends." Drew shrugged. "It was nothing and really, I was stupid for assuming he was getting into trouble in the middle of the day."

"It will take some time for you to completely trust him, I suppose." Mina hoped she sounded supportive.

Drew chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Yeah. Or I could just give my brother the benefit of the doubt."

"That too."

"You're being very diplomatic about this."

"Hey, I'm the last person to judge you for being occasionally unreasonable with your family."

"Why do you say that? Do you have an errant younger sibling?"

Mina laughed. "Naw. Adam's a typical college kid. So far all he does in college is play basketball and study. Or so he says."

"Well, if you don't get any worried phone calls from your dad, I'm sure that's the case."

"Oh please. I don't think Adam's a complete innocent but he's just smarter about how he parties."

Drew chuckled. "You're probably right."

"I know I'm right. I visited Adam once in his sophomore year and couldn't find him in his dorm room. Instead, he was at a frat house, losing a drinking game."

Drew laughed and Mina gave him a wry smile.

"There are worse things he could be doing, for sure." Drew grinned and gave her a squeeze.

Mina laughed and nudged him with an elbow. "You just have such high expectations of your bother."

"That's a bad thing?"

"No, but maybe his standards are different."

"Yeah, lower."

"Don't be judgmental." Mina shifted and lifted herself onto one elbow. "You're a pro athlete and that demands a lot of time and dedication. Carter's just trying to figure out what appeals to him while struggling to meet yours and your parents' expectations."

Drew's eyes widened. "How do you know so much about it?"

Mina hadn't meant to say what she had but she supposed she was frustrated on Carter's behalf. That and she understood what he was going through.

"It's not as easy for someone when they don't know what they want to do with their lives." She glanced at his face and looked away. "I chose to major in something that I thought would make my father proud and my sister jealous. It made me miserable."

"Becoming a chef made you miserable?"

"No. I told you I studied Architectural Engineering first."

"Oh right." Drew shook his head. "I can't imagine you being anything other than a chef."

Mina smiled. "Me either. Now. But it wasn't an easy decision for me. Leaving Maryland, knowing I was going against my father's wishes... It was scary and for a while, I assumed he thought I was a big failure."

She saw understanding dawn in Drew's eyes and laid her head back on the pillow. They were almost nose to nose but she didn't want to kiss him. At least, not yet.

"He doesn't think you're a failure."

Mina nodded. "He was shocked when I told him I'd left Maryland and gone to BIC instead."

"Shocked. That's what me and my parents were when Carter quit."

"It's not exactly the same as what I went through but I think I know the place Carter's in right now." She left out the part about his desire to be a chef, thinking Drew would have brought it up by now if he knew. She made a mental note to talk to Carter again and get him to tell to his brother about it. She didn't like keeping anything from Drew, not with everything being so new between them.

"I guess you would." Drew let out a sigh. "I'm sorry for dumping all over you. Again."

Mina grinned. "You're not dumping on me. We're just talking. And one day, I'm going to rant and rave about my family, just you wait."

Drew laughed. "You don't complain about your family."

"I haven't yet." Mina's last conversation with Alexis drifted through her mind and her grin faded.

Drew picked up on it right away. "What?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. I was just...I was thinking about my dad's birthday."

"Oh yeah? That's next week, right?"

"Yeah. Listen, you don't have to come if you don't want to."

Drew lifted his eyebrows and smiled. He slid his arms around her and brought their bodies closer. "Why wouldn't I want to come and meet your family?"

She sucked in a breath but didn't fight his hold. "I don't know. Because families are crazy?"

"Well, I know mine is. It'd be nice to have a comparison."

Mina shoved him with one hand. He didn't budge an inch.

"Is there some reason you don't want me to come with you?"

Mina looked down, letting her eyes trail over his chin and down his neck. Before she knew she was doing it, she leaned forward and pressed her nose to the open collar of his shirt. She felt and heard his sharp inhalation and smiled. It still wasn't enough to distract him.

Damn his focus.

"Mina..."

She sighed but didn't move. "I love my family. They're a lot to deal with sometimes."

"I get that."

She smiled. "I know. My dad's pretty good but he'll probably give you a hard time about not being a football player."

"Ah. He's a Redskins fan? Not surprising."

"Yeah. Adam, well, he's into basketball so you can expect a lot of that in the conversation."

"I can handle that. What about your sister? Does she have a third arm or something?"

Mina laughed. "No. She's perfect." Her heart twisted when she thought of introducing the two of them. Alexis was a consummate snob who dated lawyers and doctors who had an appreciation for the arts. Every man she'd ever dated was beyond good-looking. Somehow Alexis managed to date models who masqueraded as lawyers and doctors.

"You don't sound like you mean that."

Mina shrugged but refused to lift her head to meet Drew's gaze. "I love Alexis."

His chuckle rumbled through his body to hers and she shivered.

"You should try again and sound less like you're convincing yourself."

"You think I don't love my sister?"

"I think you find it very hard to admit that."

Mina fell silent. All this time she'd been the empathetic, smart one when it came to families. Now Drew was calling her on her issues with Alexis and he hadn't even met her.

"Alexis is difficult. I think on some level she resented me for becoming the responsible one after our mom died."

"Why?"

"I don't know. She's the prettier, more successful one."

"Was she always?"

"What? Prettier?"

"I doubt she is but I understand how women don't always view themselves accurately."

Mina wanted to punch him for his dry words but she smiled into his chest instead. He was being sweet and patient and it made her like him more with each passing moment, in spite of the danger to her heart.

"She always made straight A's in school and she went to the most prestigious arts university on the East coast. Dad was very proud of her and talked about me following in her footsteps all the time."

"Ouch." Drew shifted and Mina went with him until they settled again, legs tangled and bodies warmer. "I'm sure he didn't mean it that way."

"No. He didn't, but it did affect my choices after high school. Once I got away from home and away from Alexis, I realized what I really wanted to do, and I did it. I was lucky to have that."

"But?"

"Why do you think there's a but?"

Drew's hand slipped from her waist to the swell of her bottom and Mina's breath caught in her throat. "Tell me there isn't."

"Uh, well, I guess..." She cleared her throat and tried again. "I was lucky but nothing I did ever impressed Alexis. Whenever we'd all get together, she'd one-up me. Like, when I passed my first course at BIC with flying colors, she said she was interviewing to become manager of the gallery she worked at. Or when I said I was dating Lawrence, she announced she was engaged."

"She's married?"

"No. The engagement ended about six months later." Mina sighed and leaned back to look into Drew's eyes. "It's very frustrating to be around her."

"I can imagine." He smiled and gave her a light kiss. "I still don't see how that would affect my decision to meet your family. If anything, I want to meet her and then spend the rest of my time ignoring her."

Mina laughed. "Oh God, that would probably drive her insane!"

"Then that's what I'll do."

Mina kept laughing as she imagined her sister's reaction to that. She hugged Drew tight after a minute. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being such a good listener."

"It's the least I can do."

He hugged her back and then they repositioned to keep watching the movie. Mina let herself relax against him, feeling better for having shared some of her family issues. She knew she was in danger of falling hard for Drew but he made it seem so much less scary than she would have thought.

After several minutes, she realized his hold on her had loosened. Twisting, she glanced back to see his eyes closed and his mouth hanging open. Mina grinned, smitten at the sight of him sleeping.

She eased herself out of his grasp and stood up. She hurried to her room and returned with a spare blanket to cover him. Then she turned the lights and TV off and went to bed.

****

When Drew woke up, he had the strangest feeling that he wasn't in bed. Then he opened his eyes and jerked upright.

"What the hell...?"

He stared at his surroundings and rubbed his eyes as if that would change the setting. Then he remembered Mina's late-night invitation. Obviously, he'd fallen asleep and Mina had let him sleep. He didn't know whether to be grateful or disappointed.

Then his cell rang and he almost jumped out of his skin. He fished it out of his pocket, amazed he hadn't crushed it during the night. "Hello?"

"Drew! Where the hell are you?"

"Good morning to you, too, Carter."

"Don't give me that. You didn't come home last night!"

"Last time I checked, that wasn't a crime." Drew swung his legs off the couch and stretched his free arm out.

Carter scoffed, his teenaged outrage apparent even over the phone. "This from the guy who flipped out when I went for lunch with friends."

"Was there something you wanted?" Drew had just woken up and had a crick in his neck from the damn couch and he was in no mood for his brother's attitude.

"No. I just wanted you to know what it feels like to be irresponsible."

"Oh please. This doesn't even come close to your antics."

Carter snickered. "No, but it's a start. I'm working later so I won't be here when you get home."

"How do you know I'm not on my way now?"

"Because usually when a dude spends the night at his woman's house, he doesn't leave at first light." With that parting shot, Carter hung up.

Drew sputtered and stared at the phone in his hand. If there'd been any way to throttle Carter through the phone line, he would have. He settled for snapping the phone shut and tossing it on the table in front of him. He sighed and rubbed his face.

Looking around, he wondered where Mina's room was. He wondered if she'd be mad if he woke her up. Nature calling distracted him. When he left the bathroom, Mina was just coming out of her room across the hall. They stopped and stared at each other.

Drew drank in the site of her sleep-warmed face and messy hair. She put a hand to her hair and frowned when she felt the tangle. With a grin, Drew swept her into his arms and kissed her.

"Good morning, beautiful."

She groaned and shook her head even as she wrapped her arms around him. "Good morning, you rotten liar."

Drew laughed and pulled back. He smoothed a hand over her wild curls and cupped her cheek. He leaned close enough that their noses bumped. "I never lie."

Mina's cheeks darkened to an attractive shade of pink and Drew gave in to his urge to kiss her. She made a small sound at the back of her throat and Drew smiled against her lips. Her hands clenched into fists, gathering his shirt between her fingers. Drew moved his hand and angled her chin up so he could take the kiss deeper.

He swept his tongue over her bottom lip and held back a growl when she parted for him. He traced her lips again before sliding between them. Her mouth was sweet and so hot. Drew lifted her into his arms and pressed her against the wall next to her open doorway.

Her legs came up to wrap around his waist as he nipped her bottom lip before slipping his tongue back into her mouth. She tangled her tongue around his and he moaned low in his throat. He felt the pulse of her heat against his body and pushed harder against her. She returned his kiss and her hands moved over his shoulders and down his back.

Drew pulled away and they looked into each other's eyes without speaking.

"Did I say good morning?" he asked.

Mina laughed, a sound that always made him feel more than should be legal. "Yes. Then you lied to me."

He narrowed his eyes and brought their lips together again. "I never lie. You're beautiful."

She started to shake her head but Drew stopped her with one hand.

"You. Are. Beautiful. Say it with me."

"You are beautiful," she echoed and he saw the impish glint in her eyes.

"You're going to pay for that."

She grinned and then shrieked when he carried her into her room, dropping them both to the bed. He laid himself over her and trapped her hands against the bed on either side of her head. She looked up at him, biting her lower lip like she did whenever she was nervous.

Drew didn't want her to be nervous. He wanted her to be putty in his hands. He wanted her moving against him and making those little mewling noises she had before. And he wanted her to do it naked.

He wrapped one hand around her wrists above her head and reached down to lift the bottom of her shirt. It was thin cotton and did nothing to disguise the way her nipples perked at his touch. He stroked the smooth, warm skin of her stomach and grinned at the way she trembled.

"Drew..."

"Quiet. I'm busy."

She let out a breathless laugh that made her stomach jump under his touch and he laid his palm flat on her skin. She sucked in a breath and he watched the way her body moved with that. Then he moved his hand up, lifting the shirt out of the way as he did. He paused with his thumb and forefinger just brushing the underside of her breast and looked up at Mina's face.

She was flushed and still biting her lip. Her eyes met his and he saw the fear there. But she wasn't just scared. He saw the way her pupils widened the longer they stared at each other. When he moved his hand higher to brush her nipple with his palm, he saw the dark in her eyes expand.

"You're beautiful," he said, his voice hoarse.

She blinked and he squeezed his hand around her. Her lips parted on a sigh and she nodded once.

"What? No protest?"

"You told me to be quiet."

Drew chuckled and released her hands. He needed both of his to do what he wanted. He grasped the bottom of her shirt and pulled it off. Mina's hands fluttered around herself and he brushed them aside before lowering his head.

He inhaled her warm scent for a moment before pressing a kiss to her bared collarbone. He stroked his hands down her sides and kissed her again, lower this time. She twisted in his grasp, and he smiled against her skin before kissing the soft swell of her breast. He held her down and dragged his lips across her breast until he teased the edge of one nipple. He had the brief thought that his stubble might bother her but her hands closed on the back of his head and he figured she must be all right with it.

He closed his mouth over her nipple and sucked hard. She gasped and arched right off the bed. Drew shifted his weight over her in an effort to hold her down. He wasn't near done with her yet.

No. I'm just getting started.

****

Mina didn't know what she'd expected from Drew when they woke up this morning. She feared that he'd be upset about her leaving him alone on the couch but she thought if he had been pissed, he wasn't now.

His hands held her down as his tongue swirled over the tight tip of her breast. She gasped and her fingers flexed in his hair as he sucked her nipple between his lips. His mouth was hot on her skin, his touch just what she'd imagined. What she knew. They'd already gone this far before and now she squirmed beneath him, wanting more contact.

As if reading her thoughts, his hand slid down her body and slipped inside her pajama bottoms. She moaned when his fingers slid over her bare bottom and squeezed.

He lifted his head then with a strangled sound and he met her foggy gaze. "You're not wearing underwear?"

She stared at him. "No. I'm wearing my pajamas." She sounded simple but she didn't know what the big deal was. Didn't everyone sleep commando?

He moved to his knees and tugged her bottoms down. Mina gasped and tried to clutch the fabric and keep them on. Drew was faster. She was shucked out of her pants before she could stop him and she felt heat suffuse every inch of her skin.

"Jesus, Mina."

Mina squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her hands into fists. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been naked with a man. Even her last several times with Lawrence, he'd only lifted her nightie to make love to her and that was it. She didn't want to look into Drew's face and see the disappointment.

His hands smoothed over her hips and down the outsides of her thighs. Her breath caught in her throat when his fingers curled under her knees and parted her legs. She tensed, wanting to keep her legs together but again, Drew proved too strong for her. He eased one leg aside and she felt the heat of his palm on the inside of her thigh this time.

She'd never know what would have happened next because the front door to the apartment opened and slammed shut.

Drew's hands froze on her body and Mina's eyes flew open to meet his.

"Is that Hilary?" He sounded dazed.

Mina didn't reply. She jumped off the bed and scrambled for her discarded pajamas. She glanced at Drew who was looking around himself, as if surprised to find himself on her bed.

"I'll be right back," she said and fled from the room.

Hilary was in the kitchen, humming as she started to gather the implements to make her lunch to take to work. She looked over when Mina walked in and smiled.

"Hey, you. Good morning!"

Mina smiled and wondered how she appeared. "Morning. I didn't think you'd be back so early."

Hilary shrugged and glanced at the clock. "I'd hardly call nine early but I have to work in a bit and I needed to come home." She finished with the vegetables and put them back in the fridge. "Unless you wanted me to stay away longer."




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 06



At Mina's blush, Hilary laughed. "Is Drew here?"

"He...I..."

"Oh, Mina, don't worry about it." Hilary waved a hand and opened the pantry. "I don't care if he's here. Where are else are you supposed to do it?"

Mina covered her face with her hands. She wished Hilary would keep her voice down.

"I'm just going to shower and get dressed and then I'll be out of your hair for the rest of the day." Hilary winked at Mina over her shoulder. "You can go right back to whatever it was you were in the middle of doing."

"Hilary, please!"

"Please what? We're all adults."

"That's not...I mean, Drew is here but we haven't..." Good grief, Mina couldn't even bring herself to say the words. And they hadn't even done the deed yet. At this rate, she was going to be a wreck if it ever happened.

Just then, footsteps sounded in the hall seconds before Drew appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. "Morning, Hil."

"Hello, Drew." Hilary bestowed a wink on him as well. "I hope you had a good sleep."

Drew's eyes flicked to Mina's face and he smiled. "I've had better."

Hilary laughed and finished with her lunch. "I've got to finish getting ready. I'll talk to you two later." She walked out of the kitchen with a wave.

His friendly smile dimmed as Mina faced him. "You knew she wasn't going to be home all night."

As he didn't phrase it as a question, Mina wasn't sure how to respond. "I knew she was going to Mark's."

"Why didn't you say anything?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

Mina shifted from foot to foot. She knew she could have said something but she was still so unsure around Drew. "I wasn't ready."

His eyes widened but other than that, his expression didn't change. "You seemed ready enough a few minutes ago."

Mina's face flamed and she looked away. "That was unexpected."

"And unwanted?"

"No!" She swung around to face him. "I just...I don't know how to be around you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You're just...you're so incredible. I don't know how to react sometimes."

"React?" He frowned. "To what?"

"I don't know." Mina threw her hands in the air. Until now, she'd thought she'd had a pretty good handle on her insecurities. "Everything."

"But we have a good time together."

"I know." Mina hugged her torso. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Just tell me what's wrong."

The warmth in his voice brought a prickle of tears to her eyes. Drew made a noise and stepped close enough to put his arms around her. Mina didn't resist the pull of his arms and rested her cheek on his chest. The steady thump-thump-thump of his heart calmed her own frantic heartbeat.

"I'm sorry," she tried again. "I like you. Very much."

She felt his lips brush across her forehead and suppressed a shiver.

"I like you, too."

They didn't say anything for a long moment. Then Drew took a deep breath and leaned back. "I should go. You have to work today, right?"

Mina nodded and glanced at the clock. She should be getting ready right now.

"Will you call me when you get home later?"

"Yes."

He lifted an eyebrow and she laughed. "I promise! I won't fall asleep this time."

"All right."

They walked out of the kitchen and Drew pulled his shoes and coat on before reaching for her again. They hugged and he kissed her before leaving. Mina stood in the front hall for a long while, staring at the door.

"What is my problem?" she whispered but the door couldn't tell her so she turned and walked down the hall to her bedroom.

After Hilary was done in the bathroom, Mina was still lying on her back, staring at the ceiling. "You all right, Mina?"

Mina held up her hand and gave Hilary a thumbs-up. Hilary laughed and walked in to sit next to her. "What happened? I thought Drew was going to stay?"

"I have to work."

Hilary sighed and nudged Mina's shoulder. "Mina, help me out here. You're not acting like someone who just had the best sex of her life."

Mina shot upright and glared at her roommate. "I did not have sex last night!"

Hilary grinned and winked. "Fine. This morning, then."

"Hilary! I...we didn't..."

Hilary laughed. "I'm sorry. You should see your face!"

Mina flopped back on her bed and pulled a pillow over her face. Her next words were irritated and muffled.

"What? You have a pillow on your face."

Mina pulled it away. "I said I'm so happy I amuse you."

Hilary made a face. "What's up? Why did Drew leave?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"OK. I guess I should get to work anyway. And you said you're working?"

"Yeah."

"I was going to go straight to Mark's after but I can come home." Hilary patted her leg. "We can see if Lena's free and have a girl's night, just the three of us."

Mina smiled. "No. That's all right." She let out her breath and sat up. "I should call Drew later and try to make it up to him."

Hilary's eyebrows went up and she opened her mouth, clearly wanting to ask more questions. She pursed her lips and stood up. "I'll talk to you later then. Have a good day at work."

"Thanks, you too."

Hilary stood and left Mina alone. After a few more minutes of wallowing, Mina forced herself to get up and get ready for work.

****

Drew and Mina didn't see each other again until the following weekend. They spoke on the phone but between Mina's shifts and Drew's practices – and one out of town game mid-week – they didn't have the opportunity to be together. If Drew was being honest, he was afraid to push Mina to go out.

She'd been so strange Sunday morning. Drew had thought everything was going so well. He'd certainly been enjoying himself. Instead, their time together had ended with him overhearing the women's conversation and losing his...interest in sex in an instant.

Drew suspected there was more to Mina's hesitancy than she was letting on. It killed him that she still didn't trust him enough to share. He tried to be fair and often reminded himself that they hadn't known each other for very long, no matter how comfortable they felt around each other.

Apparently not comfortable enough. Drew scowled at his blank computer screen.

It was early Wednesday morning and he was loitering around his house before he had to leave for the arena. There was to be a brief team meeting and then a bus would take the team to Philadelphia for the game.

He was still glaring at his computer when Carter found him.

"Drew? What are you doing?"

Drew looked up to see his brother standing in the doorway. "Nothing. What's up?"

Carter smiled and looked nervous. Drew smiled and stood up. "Come on, Carter. You can tell me."

"I just...I took a few days off this weekend and I was wondering..."

"You're not having a party here." Drew smirked and clapped his brother on the shoulder as he walked past to the hallway.

"I don't want to have a party, jackass."

Drew laughed. "I didn't think so."

Carter followed him to his room and Drew finished packing a few things in his carry-on bag. They'd only be gone for the afternoon and night but he liked to take enough to occupy his free time.

"I swear it's not about a party."

Drew glanced up as Carter spoke. "OK. What's up then?"

"I booked the days off and I was hoping I could go home. To visit Mom and Dad."

"Really?" That had not been what Drew expected at all.

"Yeah." Carter flushed. "Do you think they'd be up for it?"

"Are you kidding? Mom will be thrilled." Drew grinned and zipped his shoulder bag closed. "Why don't you call her?"

Carter smiled and rubbed the side of his neck in a nervous gesture Drew recognized. "Well, I would but...I haven't really...uh, I mean, I don't have enough money saved up. For the bus."

Drew's eyes widened but the grin stayed on his face. "You need the cash?"

"Yeah. I promise it's for the trip home."

Drew blinked. It hadn't even occurred to him that Carter would lie about what the money was for. By Carter's expression, he realized that Carter at least thought that was what he suspected. "I believe you. Of course I'll lend you the money."

"Really?" Carter took a step forward, his expression eager. "I'll pay you back, I promise."

"I know you will." Drew came closer and gave his brother a quick hug. "Call Mom now and tell her. We can make the arrangements tomorrow when I'm home."

"Really?"

Drew laughed. "Don't look so shocked. I can be a nice guy sometimes."

Carter bolted from the room with an excited smile. Drew followed and heard his younger brother on the phone. Another few seconds after that, he heard his mother's responding shriek, even through the phone. When he rounded the corner to the living room, he saw Carter holding the phone away from his ear with a grimace.

"I'm heading out, Carter. I'll see you in the morning."

Carter waved him off and Drew returned the gesture before walking out. As he got into the car, he dialed Mina's number on his cell. She answered after two rings.

"Hi, it's me."

"Drew, hi!"

Drew felt his blood warm at the sound of her voice. In spite of how they'd parted last Sunday, his reaction to her voice was the same. She turned him on, plain and simple.

"I thought you were leaving town today?"

He chuckled. "You make it sound like I'm fleeing the law."

Mina laughed. "I didn't mean to."

"I know. I'm just leaving the house and wanted to tell you something."

"Oh? What?"

Drew opened his mouth to tell her all about Carter's desire to visit their parents but decided that he didn't want to talk about his brother. Not this time. "I wanted to tell you that I'll be thinking of you tonight."

"Won't you be playing a game?"

"Only for a few hours." Drew settled into the driver's seat and started the engine. "The rest of the time is all for you."

There was a breathless laugh that came over the line and Drew rested his head on the seat. He closed his eyes and drank in the sound of her laugh.

"Do that again."

"Do what?" She sounded out of breath.

"Laugh."

"Tell me something funny."

"I'm thinking of shaving my head and tattooing a bald eagle on my forehead."

She burst out laughing, just like he'd hoped she would. "That's very patriotic of you."

"I thought it would let team management know just how much I want to stay a Cap."

"Indeed. Or you'd look really foolish after your trade to the Canadiens."

Now it was his turn to laugh.

"You're not really going to be thinking of me tonight, are you?" Mina asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you'll be busy."

Drew straightened in his seat. "I told you, the game only lasts a few hours. After that, it's all you."

"After. You mean later."

"Yeah." Drew had his hand on the shifter, ready to leave but something in Mina's tone made him pause.

"Later, when I'll be alone in my apartment."

Drew cleared his throat. "Yeah."

Mina giggled, the sound sending a tingle through Drew's body right to his groin. "Are you going to call me later?"

"When I'm on the bus full of men?"

"Oh, I forgot about them. I guess you will have to just think about me alone in my room, on my bed, with no one to keep me warm."

"Won't Hilary be home?"

"You want me to cuddle with Hilary?"

"I hadn't thought of that, but now that you bring it up–"

"Drew Stamenski!" Mina hooted with laughter and Drew grinned. "If you don't stop that train of thought right now, I'm hanging up and calling Mark."

"Just as well. I wouldn't want to share you anyway."

There was a pause and Drew decided he couldn't waste anymore time. He needed to leave for the arena. "How about I call you tomorrow?"

"I'm working the long shift, lunch to dinner."

"Ouch. What about Friday?"

"Don't you have practice and a game?"

Drew chuckled. "How do you know so much?"

"My two closest friends are dating two of your teammates. I hear things."

"Oh please. Like you're not spending every moment thinking about me."

"Hmm."

Drew scowled at her hesitation. "Mina..."

"I suppose you're right. I do think about you a lot."

"Oh yeah? Like when?"

"Like when I'm watching a game."

"Too easy. Tell me another."

Mina giggled. "Um...I think about you when I'm reading the newspaper?"

Drew scoffed. "Try again."

"All right fine. I think about you when I'm in the shower."

Drew just about swallowed his tongue. He hadn't been expecting that, no matter how much he teased her. Maybe she was starting to come out of her shell. "All right. As long as we're clear on that."

"OK. Have a safe trip, Drew."

"I will. You too."

Mina laughed as they ended the call and it was several minutes later when Drew realized he'd told her to have a safe trip as well. He groaned and shook his head. Oh well. Nothing I can do about it now. He grinned and tightened his hands on the wheel. Except make her pay for it later.



Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 07



The girls watched the game against Philadelphia together that night. Lena decided to spend the night since none of them had to work early the next day. There was a full bottle of wine to share and several plates and bowls of munchies.

"At this rate, the guys are going to start thinking we're alcoholics," Mina commented as she polished off her first glass of wine.

Hilary snorted and shook her head. "Hardly. Have you seen how much they put away on their off-nights?"

Lena nudged the blonde with a toe. They were sprawled out on the couch and Mina had the easy chair all to herself off to one side.

"Come on, Hil. You know as well as I do that they don't really tie one on during the season," Lena said.

Hilary grinned. "Yeah, but we both know they sure make up for it in the off season."

The two women dissolved into laughter and Mina shook her head. "Maybe it's time to take a break from the wine."

Lena and Hilary protested but Mina ignored them. She carried the wine to the kitchen, stoppered it and returned with fresh snacks. As the game resumed at the end of the first intermission, the women forgot about their drinks and focused instead on hockey.

Less than two minutes in, the three of them were on their feet screaming as a goal went in off Drew's stick. Mina stared at the screen, her hands at her throat as her heart threatened to pound right out of her chest. Hilary and Lena jostled her from one side and they all laughed, excited for the commanding 3-0 lead the Capitals had just taken.

If someone had told Mina a year ago that she'd be so emotionally invested in a sport she'd never had any interest in before, she'd have told them they were crazy. Now, grin wide across her face, she felt exhilarated just from watching the game on TV. She watched Drew as the camera panned in close on his face as they announced the goal. She couldn't wait to tell him how proud she was of him.

Who knew their tentative friendship would have changed so much in such a short amount of time? In another few days, they'd be driving to Baltimore for her father's birthday celebration and she'd be introducing him as her boyfriend. She clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the giddy giggle that rose up in her chest.

Lawrence-Shmawrence. She clasped her hands together in her lap and settled back to watch the rest of the game, the brief thought of her ex-fiancé not enough to erase the smile from her face.

She almost wished she didn't have to work the next two nights. Drew would be off again for a brief trip to Eastern Canada and then it would be time for the trip to Baltimore. At this rate they wouldn't have any time alone together, ever.

At the second intermission, the women started to discuss Lena's wedding plans.

"I think Obie is more interested than he pretends to be," Lena mused as she curled a lock of brown hair around one finger. "I don't push anything on him, what with the end of the season coming up, but whenever I bring something up, or if he sees me making notes, he asks me about it."

"I should hope he'd be interested." Mina smiled.

"Yeah." Lena grinned and set her empty wine glass down on the table. She'd been nursing her last inch of wine for about fifteen minutes. "I thought he'd argue with me over everything."

Hilary laughed. "That sounds about right."

"And he's not?" Mina asked. She couldn't help but recall the aborted plans she'd made with Lawrence. He'd done most of it. In fact, he'd had most everything planned before he'd deigned to put a ring on her finger. She shook her head at the memory. How stupid she'd been to think it was his way of being romantic and considerate.

"We haven't gone too far with the planning, so there's not much to argue over," Lena said. "So far, we're just trying to figure out how to do this between the two countries."

Mina nodded. Since Obie was a Russian and Lena American, there'd be some international paperwork to take care of. Lena was smart and organized and Mina had no doubt it would all be sorted in time.

"Does he want a Russian Orthodox ceremony instead of a non-religious one?" Hilary asked.

Lena shrugged. "He hasn't come right out and said it, but I think he does." A soft smile settled over her features. "To be honest, I want one too. My family isn't religious or steeped in tradition. They wouldn't care one way or another and I like the idea of giving that to Obie."

"He'll love that." Mina smiled and reached out to squeeze her friend's knee.

"You think so?"

The other two nodded.

"I've been talking to his family a lot and they've been super helpful with getting me information from Moscow." Lena straightened and grew more animated as the discussion went on.

Mina reclined back in her seat and thought about her relationship with Lawrence. She'd never felt that way about him. She'd flipped back and forth between resignation and excitement over someone wanting to marry her. She'd honestly thought she could do no better than Lawrence.

Now she was dating Drew and she hated always comparing the two but what other measure did she have? She'd only ever been with Lawrence and other dates had been just that, single dates. Nothing beyond handshakes and hugs. No wonder it was so hard for her to believe that Drew thought of her that way.

If he does at all, she added and pursed her lips as the game started back up again.

****

Sunday rolled around much faster than Mina would have thought. Days went by in a blur of work, hockey and sleep. Before she knew it, she was packing her supplies in the kitchen when the apartment buzzer went off.

"Hey, it's me," Drew's deep voice came through the tinny connection.

"Come on up." Mina pushed the button to let him in.

A minute later, he walked into the kitchen and she turned to him with a smile.

"Hey, stranger."

He laughed and pulled her close for a hug. "No kidding. I don't ever want to go this long without seeing you again."

Mina laughed and hugged him back. No matter how her doubts swirled through her head in a constant tangle, Drew always made her feel better when he was around.

"You might change your mind in a few hours."

Drew shook his head and released her. She moved away to finish stuffing the ingredients for her father's cake into her bag.

"I'm looking forward to meeting your family, Mina."

She glanced at him with a smile. "You say that now..."

He laughed and shook his head. "Come on. You've heard every dirty detail of my family and you're still with me. I think I can handle whatever yours throws my way."

"Well, I've prepped you as best as can be expected." She faced him with a smile and put her hands on her hips. "Just remember not to be insulted when my dad says hockey's all right for some guys, and don't mind my brother when he starts ranting about March Madness."

Drew cocked an eyebrow at her and crossed his arms over his chest. "And your sister?"

Mina frowned. "It'd probably be best if you could just avoid her."

He laughed. "That might be kind of hard to pull off since there'll only be five of us there."

"Just don't get into a debate over art with her."

"Oh please." Drew scoffed and waved a hand in the air. "The only thing I know about art is that it goes on the wall."

Mina laughed. She finished packing and grabbed her purse and coat before they left.

The drive to Baltimore was uneventful. There was a minor traffic snafu on I-95 but after that, it was smooth sailing. They got to Mina's childhood home in a southern suburb of Baltimore around two in the afternoon. Mina was relieved to see that only her brother and father were at the house when they pulled up.

Carl Jenkins walked out onto the front porch and waited with a wide grin as Mina and Drew walked up to the house.

"Hi, Dad!" Mina hurried up and into his arms.

"Wilhelmina, it's so good to see you, sweetheart!" He squeezed her until she saw stars and then set her back on her feet as he scrutinized her face. "You look thin. Are you eating enough?"

Mina laughed and brushed his hands off. "Of course I do. I'm a chef."

He tsked and nudged her chin with one hand. "I know you make food for everyone else, sweetheart, but I never know if you eat it yourself."

"Occasionally, Dad."

"And who's this, now?" He turned to Drew with a smile as he slung an arm around his daughter's shoulders.

"Dad, this is Drew Stamenski. Drew, my dad, Carl Jenkins."

"Hello, Mr. Jenkins. I'm so happy to meet you at last." Drew stepped forward and held his hand out.

Carl shook it and grinned. "Carl, please. And it's great to meet you, Drew. Even if you are just a hockey player."

Mina gasped and elbowed him in the side side. "Dad!"

Drew and Carl laughed together and they all turned to walk into the house. Mina spotted her brother in front of the TV and set her bag down in the kitchen before walking out to the living room.

"Hey, Adam!"

He lifted a hand in a wave without turning his face away from the screen. Mina sighed and walked over. She blocked his view, ignored his protests and planted a kiss on his forehead.

"Gah! Mina, come on!" He waved his arms around and Mina laughed as she kissed him again.

"Take a break for two seconds, Adam," Mina said. "I want you to meet someone."

Adam's eyes flicked from the screen to her face and he grinned. "Oh yeah, Dad said you were bringing your boyfriend."

Mina laughed and waved Drew closer. "Drew, this is my brother, Adam. Adam, this is Drew."

Adam stood up and shook Drew's hand. Then Drew glanced at the TV and his eyes widened.

"Oh wow, VCU is leading?"

Adam nodded and the two men settled onto the couch. Mina watched them, a wry smile on her face, as they started talking as if they'd been friends for years. She left them there and walked into the kitchen. Her father followed and they talked about work while she started to pull everything out for the cake.

"It's been a busy week for me," Mina said as she donned her apron. "I can't believe how many functions have been held at the club since last Monday."

Her father nodded as he walked over to grab a beer from the fridge. "Would you like something to drink?"

"I'll just have an iced tea, thanks." Mina grabbed a bowl from his cupboard and started to dump the dry ingredients into it.

"Are they short-staffed at the club?"

"No. I don't think that's the problem. They're just busier than I'm used to."

"Didn't Creston's ever get busy like that?" Carl sipped his beer and made himself comfortable at the kitchen table as Mina continued to measure out ingredients for the cake.

Mina recalled her days at the upscale restaurant in downtown Baltimore and shook her head. "Creston's always did more business over the lunch hour than anything else. Dinners went much smoother. The club though, I never know when it's going to get crazy."

"It's only been a couple weeks. You'll adjust."

Mina smiled at her father and nodded. "You're right."

"So what are you mixing up there?"

Mina laughed. "It's a surprise."

"But it's my cake!"

"You'll like it, trust me."

"I really liked that raspberry thing you made when you came to my place, Mina," Drew spoke up as he walked into the kitchen.

"Drew, I'm so sorry, I didn't even offer you a drink." Carl jumped up and walked to the fridge. "I've got beer, iced tea, soda...?"

"I'll have a beer, thanks." Drew winked when Mina glanced over her shoulder at him.

"Had enough of basketball already?" Mina asked.

"No." Drew accepted the bottle from her dad and sat down at the table across from him. "I just like to watch you work."

Mina smiled and turned back the bowl. It took her a minute to remember what she'd just added to the mix and she cursed herself.

"I love to watch her cook, too," her dad spoke up. "When she really gets going, it's like watching an artist at work."

"Hardly," a new voice scoffed from the kitchen doorway.

Mina tensed at the sound of her sister's voice but managed to paste a smile on her face as she turned from the counter. "Alexis, hi."

Her sister was wearing an immaculate outfit of a tailored floral blouse and a fitted black pencil skirt that showed her slender curves off to perfection. Her hair was arranged into an elegant style and all together, she looked like she'd just come from a photo shoot. "Hello, Mini." She grinned at Mina before her eyes slid across to Drew. Her manicured eyebrows rose and she walked forward. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Drew Stamenski." Drew stood up and held his hand out for her to shake.

Mina watched as her sister barely grasped his fingers. Drew shot Mina a look that made her grin.

"So nice to meet you, Drew. What brings you here today? Are you a friend of my father's?"

Drew grinned and shook his head. "No, I'm Mina's boyfriend."

Alexis laughed, a sharp sound that set Mina's hair on end. "You're kidding."

Mina wanted to look away but couldn't. She felt her face burning as she looked at Drew, waiting for his response.

His smile faded and he shook his head. "Why would I kid? I'm here with Mina. We've been dating for about a month now."

Mina opened her mouth to protest but she kept quiet. OK then. I guess we've been together for a month, she thought and bit her lip.

"Well." Alexis seemed at a loss for words. "How nice." She spun towards Carl and leaned down to embrace him. "Happy birthday, Daddy."

As Carl and Alexis chatted, Drew walked to stand beside Mina at the counter.

"A month?" she whispered when he leaned close to observe her work.

He grinned and nodded. "Is that a problem?"

Mina looked up and met his gaze, her eyes going back and forth across his face, looking for any sign of mockery. She should have known better. In a month she'd gotten to know Drew so well that she knew he wouldn't lie. She wanted to kiss him and wrap herself around him but didn't think that would go over so well with the family.

As she stared at Drew's eyes, she saw his pupils expand and wondered if her thoughts were plain on her face. She dropped her eyes to the measuring cup in her hand and Drew cleared his throat before taking a step back.

"So what are you making, Mini?"

Mina tensed at her sister's question and just about threw the measuring cup at Alexis' head. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at her father. "It's a surprise."

Carl laughed and stood up. "Come on, Lexi. Let's join Adam in the living room and let Mina work her magic."

Alexis looked like she wanted to protest but Carl had an arm around her shoulders and none-too-gently hauled his oldest daughter out of the kitchen. Carl was a jovial man, easy-going and considerate of all his kids but he knew when Alexis was getting under Mina's skin. He winked at Mina as they walked out and Mina smiled in gratitude.

"Wow. You weren't kidding."

Mina giggled at Drew's amazed tone. She glanced up and nodded. "Yeah. She's a piece of work, all right."

Drew shook his head and took another sip of beer. "What are you making?"

"A strawberry torte." Mina measured the last of the dry ingredients and set the bowl aside. "It's early for strawberries, I know, but there were some really nice ones at the market yesterday so I picked them up."

"Does your dad like strawberries?"

"Yeah. They're one of his favorites." Mina smiled. "He used to complain if my mom didn't buy any at the market on weekends."

"Does he buy his own now, do you think?"

Mina shrugged. "I guess he must."

For a while, Mina worked in silence, Drew watching her as she measured out this or that and started mixing things together. She didn't feel uncomfortable with him there. If anything, she liked his silent companionship. He sipped his beer and watched her hands but left her more than enough space to maneuver and reach what she needed.

After a short while, she slid the cake pans into the oven and set the timer. When she straightened and brushed her hands down the front of her apron, she heard the click of Drew's bottle landing on the counter. As she turned to face him, he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms.

"Drew!" she squeaked and tried to push him away.

"Please, Mina. Just one kiss."

She looked up to his stormy blue eyes and swallowed. She felt weak when he looked at her like that. "One?"

He nodded, his eyes sliding to her lips. "Watching you work, listening to you talking to yourself as you measured things out...I can't take it anymore."

Mina's eyes widened as he spoke. "I talk to myself?"

He chuckled and she felt the vibration all through her body. He'd pulled her right up against him and she clutched at his shoulders.

"Please, Mina."

Before he could say another word, she lifted onto her tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his. She meant it to be a brief peck but Drew's hand closed on the back of her head and he licked the line of her lips. She gasped and his tongue slid into her mouth.

Mina let her eyes closed as she gave in to his kiss. His fingers slid through her hair and down to her nape as he took the kiss deeper, licking at the inside of her mouth. She thought she'd melt from the way he languished inside her, tangling around her tongue before retreating. He placed little nibbling kisses along her bottom lip and she let out a breath, feeling light-headed.

"Oh, jeezus," Adam grumbled as he walked into the kitchen. "Get a room, you two."

Mina sprang back from Drew, her face and entire body on fire. "Shut it, Adam."

Her brother smirked and went to the fridge to grab two bottles of beer. "Are you going to keep making out in the kitchen or are you going to be sociable and come out to the living room with the rest of us?"

Mina scowled at him. "I'm going to come out there to kick your ass if you don't shut up."

"Ha! You could try!" He laughed as he walked out of the kitchen.

Drew laughed and reached over to give her hand a squeeze. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Mina turned to him with a smile. "You didn't. Adam's just being a jackass."

She reached behind her back to untie the apron and draped it over a kitchen chair. They joined her family in the living room where conversation ebbed and flowed between Adam's shouts at the TV.

"Adam, give it a rest," Mina said at one point and grabbed the remote control before he could react.

"Hey!" he whined.

"I'm just muting it. Relax, you spaz."

Alexis tsked at them and offered Drew an apologetic smile. "They aren't always like this."

"Oh come off it, Lexi." Adam turned on her. "You're not exactly innocent either."

The look Alexis turned on her brother was livid and Mina hid her smile behind a hand as she settled back on the couch next to Drew. He dropped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a smile when she glanced up at him.

"Enough, all of you!" Carl overruled them and gave Drew a rueful smile. "They don't usually act this way in front of company."

"Come on, Dad. Drew's not company. He's with Mina and I'm sure she prepped him on all our shortcomings." Adam laughed at Mina's expression.

"Tell us about yourself, Drew," Alexis broke in before Mina could offer a retort to Adam's comment.

Mina looked over at her sister in time to see Alexis sweep Drew with a considering look. She felt Drew's hand tense on her arm and wondered if he'd noticed it too. Stay calm, Mina. It's only a few hours. Mina took a deep breath and remained silent.

"What do you do for a living?" Alexis asked.

Adam snorted. "He's a hockey player, Lexi. He plays for the Washington Capitals."

"Really?" Alexis sounded impressed and the look she sent Drew's way this time was much more interested, as was the smile on her face.

Drew glanced at Adam. "I didn't know you followed hockey, Adam."

"I don't really. Dad told me that you were a hockey player and I recognized your name then."

"I'm so pleased that you're impressed." Drew's tone was dry and Adam grinned while Carl laughed.




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 07



"Sorry, Drew. We were never a hockey-loving household," Carl said. "I'm a die-hard Redskins fan and Adam's always had a head for basketball."

Drew shrugged. "That's all right. I'm a football fan myself. I grew up watching the Patriots with my dad."

Carl narrowed his eyes. "Patriots, huh? Well, I'll let that go so long as you treat my daughter well."

"Dad!" Mina exclaimed as Drew and Adam laughed.

"I'm just teasing, sweetheart." Carl winked at his daughter and Mina shook her head. "Those teams aren't exactly rivals."

"So how long have you played for the Capitals?" Alexis broke in, her question so out of the blue that everyone seemed surprised.

"Almost six years."

Alexis pursed her lips and tipped her head to one side. "However did the two of you meet?"

Mina bristled at her tone, as if there was no way someone like Drew would ever look at someone like Mina twice. She opened her mouth to snap something in response but Drew's hand tightened on her shoulder again.

"We met at a Capitals' benefit, actually," Drew replied.

Carl nodded. "Ah right, I remember you mentioning that, Wilhelmina."

Drew glanced at Mina's father with a smile. "Right. We went to dinner that night and we've been together ever since."

Mina smiled at Drew's simple explanation, pleased beyond words that he kept classifying them as having 'been together' for so long. She'd been counting it from their first kiss, if that, but she liked his definition better.

"What were you doing at a hockey benefit?" Alexis sniffed and offered Mina a weak smile. "Were you serving the food or something?"

"I'm not a waiter, Lexi, as you very well know," Mina said, hoping she sounded more patient than she felt.

"Waiter, cook, whatever." Alexis waved a dismissive hand in the air.

"Chef, actually." It was Drew who responded this time and Mina glanced up to see him giving Alexis a narrow look. "And she wasn't there as a chef anyway."

"No. My roommate, Hilary, and her friend, Lena, both date other players on the team and they asked if I could help out that day."

"That's cool," Adam spoke up. "Did you meet many of the players?"

"A few." Mina nodded as she tried to recall. She'd met Obie and Mark, but then she'd known them from the weeks after moving anyway. Of course, there was also Drew, but she recalled being introduced to the captain of the team, Cole, and a few others.

"But you only had eyes for Drew?" Carl added with a wink.

Mina laughed. "Actually, I thought he was a bit of a creep at first."

"What?" Drew sounded so scandalized that Mina had to laugh again.

"I did! You practically followed me home from the Verizon Center that day."

"Oh, don't you twist it around!" Drew laughed and tapped a finger against her chin. "I offered to help you get home since you weren't familiar with the city yet."

"That's true," Mina conceded, still smiling. "You did take me to dinner to make up for it."

Drew nodded. "Got that right. Then I couldn't get rid of you."

Mina gasped in mock outrage and poked him in the ribs as he laughed with her father and brother. Alexis watched this entire exchange with the same perplexed look on her face. When everyone fell silent again, she spoke up.

"But I don't understand. What did you two even have to talk about?"

"What do you mean?" Drew asked.

"Well, you hardly have anything in common, other than a few random friends, it seems." Alexis sniffed.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Mina asked, unable to stay silent.

Alexis shrugged and let her eyes slide over Drew again. Mina wanted to push her sister right off her chair but it wouldn't do any good. Alexis would probably be happy to have received such an immature reaction from 'Mini.'

"Yeah, really, Lexi." Adam turned a frown on his sister. "What's up your butt?"

Alexis glared at Adam and lifted her nose even higher in the air. "Nothing is 'up my butt,' as you so crassly put it, Adam. I'm just curious about Mina and her so-called boyfriend."

Mina gaped at her.

"I'm not so-called," Drew spoke up. "I'm Mina's boyfriend. I don't know why you find that so hard to believe."

"Has she told you about her past?" Alexis asked with an innocent expression.

"You mean the lying, cheating scumbag who was stupid enough to let her get away? Yeah, she did."

Adam hooted with laughter while Carl raised his beer with a hearty, "Hear, hear!" Alexis had a look on her face like she'd just stepped in dog poo. Mina loved it.

"If you're surprised that she'd be dating again so soon, I guess I can understand that," Drew went on. "As a sister, I'm sure you're just concerned about her happiness."

Mina wanted to laugh out loud at the look that crossed her sister's face at that. A mix of outrage and surprise at having been one-upped by a virtual stranger.

"But you don't have to worry about us. I plan to take very good care of her."

Mina's heart swelled and she looked back to see Drew watching her with an intense expression. She bit her lip and dropped her eyes, uncomfortable with what she saw there, what anyone in her family could see if they chanced a look at him.

Just then, the oven timer went off and Mina scrambled off the couch to check on the cake, glad for the distraction.

She spent the remainder of the afternoon in the kitchen, finishing the cake and prepping everything for dinner. Her father and brother stopped in once in a while to check on her progress and Drew sat at the kitchen table for a while to keep her company. They spoke little but Mina hummed inwardly at his silent support.

All the scenarios she'd imagined for this day had not even come close to what Alexis had pulled. Drew had managed to handle her sister with an ease that amazed her. Lawrence had ended up taking the silent road when confronted with Alexis' rudeness and snobbery. In the last few months of their time together, he'd even opted out of coming to her father's house for visits if he knew Alexis was going to be there. Not that Mina could blame him. As she'd told Drew, her sister could be difficult.

A short while later, they were all gathered at the table, chatting as Mina served up the baked mac-and-cheese.

"Is there salad?" Alexis asked in a lofty tone, her nose wrinkled as if the smell of the meal bothered her.

Mina rolled her eyes but indicated the bowls right in front of Alexis; one filled with salad, the other filled with a medley of fresh vegetables. Drew met her gaze and winked. Mina smiled and handed him a plate before settling into her seat.

"Thank you so much for all this, Mina," her father spoke up before he'd taken his first bite. "I know you don't like making this meal as much as the rest but I'm glad you make the effort for me."

Mina smiled, touched by her dad's words. "Of course, Dad. I love making your favorite meal."

"Wait until you see dessert," Drew added with a grin.

Carl laughed. "I know. As much as I love this, birthday cakes always take the cake."

They all laughed at his joke and dug in to the meal. A short while later, Mina cleared the dishes and put the finishing touches on the cake. Everyone sang 'Happy Birthday' as she carried it out and her dad looked pleased with everything.

"What is that?" Alexis asked as the song died away.

Mina glanced at her as she set the cake down before her dad. "It's a strawberry torte."

"I thought you were going to make something healthy for a change." Alexis crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.

Adam laughed and nudged Alexis with one hand. "It's strawberries, light cream and probably angel food cake. Right, Mina?" At her nod, he looked at Alexis again. "See? Mina's always on the ball."

Mina was grateful for her brother's input and handed her father the knife to cut the cake. He sliced into it, "accidentally" getting cream on his fingers as he scooped each piece. Mina scolded with a grin on her face and laughed when he did it again.

"At least keep your fingers off Drew's piece, Dad," she warned. "He's not family and might not like your cooties all over his dessert."

"He's not family yet," Carl replied with a wink for Drew.

Mina and Drew exchanged a startled look and Mina was the first to break eye contact. Drew cleared his throat and thanked Mina for his piece of cake.

"Don't tell me you're considering marriage?" Alexis blurted and Mina felt her face burn with shame.

Could this get any worse?

"Why should that be such a shock, Lexi?" Carl asked.

"Mini just got dumped." Alexis turned her gaze to her sister. "You can't be ready to take that chance again so soon."

Mina didn't know if she was more bothered by Alexis' accurate observation or by her delivery. Either way, she felt the prickle of tears behind her eyes and scooped a forkful of cake into her mouth so she wouldn't have to reply.

"We've been dating for a month," Drew spoke up, saving Mina. "Not really long enough to seriously consider marriage. And anyway, I'd never try to rush Mina into anything she wasn't ready for."

Mina threw him a grateful look.

"Well said, Drew." Her father leaned over and clapped a hand against Drew's shoulder. "I was just kidding around, anyway."

"I'm relieved," Alexis piped in.

"Why?" Adam asked around a mouthful of strawberries.

She shot him a disgusted look before facing Mina and Drew again. "You're obviously not right for each other. It would be a disaster."

Silence fell over the table and Mina gaped at her sister. She knew Alexis well – they were family after all – and she was well aware of Alexis' ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Often, her sister claimed ignorance that her words were hurting anyone. But this was a stunner.

"Alexis, please." It was their father who spoke up first. "Let's just finish our cake and have a drink together before Mina and Drew have to head back."

Alexis scoffed and pushed her plate – with its sliver of cake on it – away from her place with a pointed look.

"You going to finish that?" Adam asked even as he scraped the last of his cake onto his fork.

"Of course not. Mini never considers my diet when she makes dinner here," Alexis replied with a glare at her sister.

"OK." Drew set his fork down and leaned forward to look Alexis in the eye. "What's with the 'Mini' thing? Her name's Mina."

"Wilhelmina, actually," Carl added and Drew smiled at him before turning his attention back to Alexis, who looked shocked.

"Well? Everyone else is calling her by her proper name," Drew said. "Why can't you?"

"Mini is her name." Alexis gave him a sickly sweet smile. "I've always called you Mini, haven't I?"

"That's true, even when I asked you to stop," Mina replied in a dry tone.

Drew shook his head. "But why 'Mini?'"

"Drew, it's fine." Mina laid a hand on his arm but he wouldn't look at her. "I don't care what she calls me, really."

"Yes, you do." Drew put a hand over hers. "I see the look on your face every time she says it and you don't like it. So I want to know why she insists on using it."

"I call her Mini because she's obviously not," Alexis snapped.

Mina sucked in a breath.

"Excuse me?" Drew's muscles tensed and Mina pulled her hand away from his arm.

"Look at her." Alexis waved a hand in Mina's direction. "She's always been overweight and then she chooses to be a cook."

"Chef," Mina corrected in a low voice and looked down at her hands clenched in her lap. Why was this happening now? It had been such a pleasant day so far, in spite of her sister's jibes. They'd almost made it out of the house without a scene.

"That's right." Drew did look at Mina and she dared a glance at his face. He looked angry, though she knew it wasn't at her. "She's a chef, not a cook, and she's not anorexic. So what?"

Alexis drew back as if he'd struck her. "Are you calling me anorexic?"

Adam barked out a laugh that he stifled quickly at their father's pointed look.

"I never said anything about you," Drew replied. "We're talking about Mina. And I happen to like the way she looks. Very much so."

Mina felt heat flood her at Drew's words. She didn't pull away when he reached for one of her hands.

"As for the stuff she cooks and bakes," Drew went on, "I've watched her prepare meals and she uses everything light and low-fat when she can, without sacrificing flavor. She also uses the freshest and most natural ingredients possible. Just because you don't like what she makes is no reason to insult her. You barely ate anything she made tonight so what makes you the authority on how healthy her food is?"

"I don't have to listen to this!" Alexis gasped in outrage but she didn't move from her seat.

"You're right, you don't. And Mina doesn't have to listen to you trying to belittle her at every turn."

Mina squeezed Drew's hand and tried to think of something to say to defuse the situation. She felt bad for putting Drew in this position and she was embarrassed for the way they were speaking to each other.

"All right, I think that's quite enough," her father rumbled from his end of the table. He fixed Alexis with a firm look before turning a smile on Drew.

Drew met her father's eyes with an ashamed look on his face. "I'm sorry, Mr. Jenkins."

"I told you, it's Carl. Don't worry about it. Let's all just finish our cake and enjoy the rest of your visit."

Drew nodded and Mina managed a weak laugh when Adam asked for another piece of cake. She shoved the whole platter in his direction and smiled as he sliced off nearly a quarter of what remained. All of a sudden, Alexis pushed back from the table.

"Excuse me. I'm not hungry anymore." She stalked away, leaving the rest of them to exchange surprised looks.

Carl sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Don't mind her. She's a bit...dramatic sometimes."

"I feel bad for what I said." Drew's voice was low.

Adam scoffed and licked his fork clean. "Don't be. Sometimes she needs to be taken down a peg."

"Adam." Carl tried to look stern but Mina could see the weariness in his face that told her he agreed, at least somewhat.

"It's true. She's had a stick up her ass for years, she always insults Mina and it's about time someone let her have it."

Mina smiled and shook her head. Drew's fingers closed around hers and she looked up to see him giving her a tentative smile.

"I'm sorry," he mouthed.

She shook her head and pulled her hand away. "Don't worry about it." She stood up and cleared the last of the dishes.

In the kitchen, she loaded the dishwasher and did a quick clean before packing the remains of her supplies and utensils in her bag. She was just folding the towel over the oven door handle and heard footsteps behind her. She straightened and turned to find Alexis standing just inside the kitchen doorway.

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah. It's a long drive back to Arlington." Mina braced herself for whatever Alexis meant to say next.

"You didn't have to move away from Baltimore, you know."

"Yes, I did. I couldn't stay here and chance seeing Lawrence and his girlfriend together." Baltimore was a large city and the chances of running into two people without planning it were slim-to-none. Mina knew Alexis wouldn't understand that Mina had left to change her perspective, to start over somewhere new, so she didn't bother trying to explain.

Alexis arched an eyebrow. "It would serve you right for letting him get away with cheating on you for so long."

"I didn't let him get away with it, Lexi."

"Well, you certainly didn't do anything to stop him."

"I didn't know he was cheating! What should I have done?"

"Don't get upset just because I'm calling you on it." Alexis crossed her arms over her chest.

"Calling me on what? Falling for a cheater's lies? Yeah, I'm sure I'm the first woman who's done that."

The two sisters faced each other for a long, tense moment before Mina sighed.

"I don't want to argue with you, Lexi. It's been a long day."

Alexis stared back at her and nodded. "Have a safe drive."

Mina had expected another snide remark but nodded in spite of her surprise. She followed her sister from the kitchen. She hugged her brother good-bye and told him to behave himself. He laughed and shook his head as he refused to agree to anything. Her father walked them to the door.

"It was very nice to meet you, Carl," Drew said and shook his hand.

"Same to you, young man." Carl grinned. "I hope to see you again soon."

"Not too soon," Mina added with a smile. "Playoffs start in a couple weeks."

The men laughed and nodded. Mina stepped forward into her father's arms and gave him a tight hug.

"See you later, Dad."

"Thank so much for coming all this way, Wilhelmina." He patted her on the back and kissed the side of her head. "I love seeing you so happy again."

Mina blushed, well aware that Drew could hear their exchange. "I'm doing my best."

Her father chuckled and stepped back, releasing her. "You always do." He glanced up at Drew and grinned. "Drive safe and call me tomorrow."

"I will. Bye, Dad."

Mina and Drew left the house and waved when they got into the car. Carl waved back before walking into the house.

For the first part of the drive, neither one of them said much. They talked about the mild evening and the light traffic – so far – on the way back down the interstate, then fell silent. Mina was lost in her memories of what had just happened and wondered if Drew was still upset about what Alexis said.

Drew was the one to break the silence when they were still about a half an hour from Arlington. "I'm really sorry, Mina."

Mina looked over at him in surprise. "Why?"

"I shouldn't have gone off on your sister like that."

Mina's eyes went to his hands and she watched, fascinated as his fingers tightened and relaxed around the steering wheel. "She shouldn't have said most of what she did and I'm sure she's not sorry."

Drew swore under his breath and Mina couldn't help but smile. "I didn't believe you when you told me about her."

Mina laughed. "I gathered."

"I mean, I complain about my family so I thought it was like that. You know, you complain, but in the end, they're really not so bad."

"My family is pretty good."

Drew snorted and tossed her a sideways glance. "Your dad and brother are normal. Your sister..."

Mina grinned. "I told you. She's a piece of work."

"Why is she like that?" He stopped and looked her way again. "I'm sorry. I know she's your sister. I didn't mean–"

"No, it's fine. I know what she's like." Mina stared out the windshield. "I don't know why she's that way. We all missed my mom after she died but even before that, Alexis had this attitude, like she always had to be the center of attention."

"That never bothered you?"

"It didn't until she started to get mean about it." Mina shrugged. "What can I do? She's my sister and I have to deal with her."

"I don't know. Maybe if you stood up to her a bit more she'd back off."

Mina frowned. "I find it's easier to ignore her."

"I don't think it works. You don't have to be rude like I was." Drew glanced her way. "I am sorry about that, Mina. I never meant to ruin your dad's birthday."

Mina gave him a weak smile. "You didn't ruin it. His birthday isn't today anyway and Dad told me earlier that he had plans to go out with the guys from work on Tuesday. And he told me a lady friend of his offered to make him dinner on Friday night."

Drew grinned. "He's got a date? Awesome."

Mina smiled, remembering the way her dad had blushed and avoided her gaze when he'd confessed to her in the kitchen earlier. "Yeah. I think he's really nervous. I'll have to remember to call him later this week."

"You should."

They fell silent for several minutes. Then Drew exhaled on a noisy breath and reached for her hand. Mina let him clasp her smaller fingers and ordered her body to remain calm.




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 07



"I think you let your sister get away with too much."

Mina sighed. "What do you want me to do? I told you, she's my sister. She's not going to change now."

"Not as long as you let her walk all over you. I'd never put up with attitude like that from my brother."

"Your brother worships you, there's a difference."

"You worship your sister? Is that why you don't tell her what you really think?"

"No, I do not worship her." Mina yanked her hand away from his. "But I do love her and I don't want to sink to her level."

"No, you'll just let her call you that stupid nickname and say that you've never got over being fat?"

It was the truth but Mina still felt like someone had backhanded her when he said that. "What's your point?"

Drew looked at her and frowned when he met her stony gaze. "What?"

"So she calls me an accurate nickname and I know I'm fat? So what?"

"Mina, I don't think you're fat. You're beautiful."

She scoffed, feeling tears prick the backs of her eyes.

"Don't do that. You know I've never said anything otherwise."

Mina couldn't argue with that logic. He'd always been a perfect gentleman. He'd been a wonderful friend and was great with her family. He did tell her she was beautiful and he made her feel desired every time he touched her or kissed her. But her insecurities wouldn't be erased by a few weeks in a handsome man's company.

"You're right, Drew. You've never done anything."

A tense silence fell between them.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Drew asked in a tight voice.

"It means you haven't done anything but say that I'm pretty and that you like me. How am I supposed to believe you?"

Drew darted a glance at her. "When have I ever done anything to make you think I don't want you?"

Mina turned her face away, staring out her window in silence. All of a sudden, the car veered to the side of the road and slowed to a jerking stop. Mina turned wide eyes on Drew and gasped when he unsnapped his seat belt to reach for her.

"What are you doing?"

"Proving it," he growled and covered her mouth with his.

Mina pressed her palms to his shoulders, trying to push him away. She already felt worked over and vulnerable following that dinner. She didn't want to give in to what Drew was offering her. Then his tongue swept into her mouth and her doubts were swept away.

He kissed her hard, holding her close as he delved inside and tangled his tongue around hers. She met him, stroke for stroke and squirmed in her seat. Drew's hand dropped to her backside and squeezed. She jumped in his arms and broke their kiss. Drew lowered his head and pressed hot, open-mouthed kisses to the column of her throat.

Mina turned her head to his as he lifted his mouth from her neck. Their lips met again and Mina dared a look into his eyes as he nibbled on her bottom lip. His gaze was dark and Mina trembled in his arms as he stilled against her.

"Do you believe me now?"

Mina didn't remember what the question was. Her mind had turned to jelly. Drew smiled, a slow, wicked smile that promised all sorts of things, and his fingers tightened on her butt. Slowly, their surroundings returned to Mina's vision and she felt her face heating up.

"Can we go?" she whispered.

Something flickered across Drew's face but he didn't release her. He dipped his head and kissed her again. It was a slower kiss and by the time he pulled away, Mina had stopped caring again that they were in a car on the side of a busy interstate.

At last he let her go and moved back to his seat. He didn't start the car right away. His hands gripped the steering wheel and he took several deep breaths before reaching for the ignition.

"We're not done, Mina."

"No?" She felt like an imbecile but didn't know what else to say.

"No." He started the car and buckled his seat belt. In another minute, he merged back into traffic and they continued on towards Arlington.

Mina twisted her hands together in her lap and kept darting glances at Drew. She wanted to know what he was thinking but was afraid to ask. They remained silent as Drew drove and Mina didn't pay attention their surroundings until they were moving through Drew's familiar neighborhood.

"What are we doing here?" Mina asked. "I thought you were taking me home."

"Hell, no." Drew sounded so disgruntled that Mina started. "I told you we weren't finished."

"Drew..." Mina let out a weak laugh. "You're kind of freaking me out here."

He glanced at her just enough so she could see the look on his face. It did nothing to settle her nerves.

"Did I mention that Carter went to Boston this weekend?"

"He did?" Mina's mouth suddenly felt filled with cotton.

"He won't be home until Monday."

"Oh." You're a genius, Mina. Say something else that'll wow him.

They rolled up to Drew's house and he parked the car. He turned to face her before they got out.

"I want us to be alone together, with no risk of anyone interrupting."

Mina felt her insides flutter at his announcement but she managed to get out of the car with him and walk into the house. She took her coat and shoes off and they stood in his front hall, facing each other.

"So you think we haven't had sex because I don't find you attractive enough?" Drew asked.

Mina flinched at the blunt question. "It sounds so terrible when you put it that way."

"But it's true, isn't it?"

Mina shrugged. "I don't know. I know you think I'm being stupid but you heard my sister. I'm not the pretty one, I never have been. I know I'm not going to win any beauty pageants."

"That's stupid."

"That doesn't make it untrue."

"Yes, it does." Drew stepped forward and gripped her arms in his hands. "Mina, it was all I could do to keep my hands off you tonight. Never mind all the other times we've been together."

Mina looked into his face and smiled. She had a hard time not touching and getting closer to Drew as well.

"I don't know why you've let your sister's opinions ruin the way you see yourself." Drew pulled her closer and put an arm around her waist. "Has anyone else ever made you feel that way?"

The second he asked, Mina could tell he knew he'd stuck his foot in his mouth. He frowned and put his other arm around her. "Your ex was an asshole who didn't know how wonderful you are."

Mina tilted her head back to look into his face. "You didn't even know him."

Drew shrugged. "I know enough. He was crazy to cheat on you, Mina."

"You think so?" Mina hated how unsure she sounded. She wanted to be this strong, confident woman that Drew seemed to see in her but she'd been the shy, quiet girl in the corner for so long, she didn't know how to be any other way. She was still adjusting to the fact that Drew had kissed her – two weeks ago.

Drew sighed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I know so. Mina, believe me. You're incredible. And you're beautiful. And talented, sweet, caring..." He punctuated each word with a kiss on her head, cheek, nose, closed eyelids.

Mina melted more with each warm breath over her skin until she all but hung from his grasp.

"You're also sexy as hell."

Mina gasped out a laugh and tried to shake her head. Drew closed his hand on her chin to hold her in place and she froze at the dark look in his eyes.

"Say you believe me." His voice was low and rough.

She swallowed, her voice stuck in her throat. His eyes narrowed and he leaned closer. Mina angled her chin up and let her lips part. She wanted him to kiss her again, to make her forget that she'd ever felt less than adequate but he held off, his breath washing over her lips.

Drew chuckled and when he spoke again, she felt the feather-light touch of his lips against hers. "Say that you believe me when I say you're sexy."

Mina's eyelids fluttered at the touch of his lips but she nodded – as much as she could with Drew's hand tight on her face. "I do."

Drew might have said something after that but to Mina it sounded like a growl and then his arms were around her back. She groaned and threw her arms around his shoulders. Their lips came together and Drew thrust his tongue into her mouth. Mina parted for him with no hesitation, letting his tongue in and meeting his questing thrusts with her own.

She might not really believe him and she was still terrified that he'd shake his head and decide she wasn't right for him. But she'd do her best to ride the wave as long as she could.

Drew turned and Mina was dragged along in his embrace. She caught her toe in the runner on the floor and Drew's hold tightened as he kept her on her feet. He pressed her to the wall next to the stairs and she moaned low in her throat as Drew pushed his body right up to hers.

His kiss was turning her brain to mush but it was so very nice to dissolve like that. Mina threaded her fingers through his hair and he made a noise against her mouth. She responded in kind when he dropped a hand to clutch her ass. She bent her leg and hooked it behind his. Then they were pressed together where they were both aching for it.

Drew tore his lips away from hers and stepped back. Mina made a weak protest, her fingers feeling clumsy on his neck. But Drew only moved back far enough to lift her into his arms and start up the stairs.

"Oh, Drew, put me down," she whispered, her voice hoarse.

He ignored her, rushing up the stairs with her as if she weight nothing at all. He paused just inside the doorway of his bedroom and dropped his head for another kiss. Mina lifted her face and let him kiss her concerns away. She melted at the soft pressure of his lips on hers and the sensual glide of his tongue inside her mouth.

"Mmm...bed..." He carried her the last few steps to his bed.

They tumbled down together and Mina didn't want to let him go as he moved up to keep on kissing her. She sank into the covers and kissed him back, letting herself go. Every thrust of his tongue against hers was met with an answering push. Every sweet little nibble she gave to his lips was met with another hard kiss from him.

"God, you're unbelievable, Mina."

Mina didn't know if she could blush any hotter – or maybe she was just overheating from everything he was already doing to her. She blinked as he lifted himself over her and she found him staring down, his expression inscrutable in the dim light of his bedroom. His curtains were drawn but the late evening sunlight was casting an orange glow over the room. Drew looked so handsome in this dusky glow and Mina moved her hand to trail trembling fingers over his cheek. She moved on to trace the outline of his lips, shining with the moisture from their kisses.

Drew stopped moving, his eyes widening just a bit. Mina met his gaze and bit her bottom lip. His eyes darted to her mouth and he lifted his hand to brush over her lip, loosening it from her teeth. Then he sank the tip of his finger into her mouth and she closed her lips around it. Their eyes met again as she flicked her tongue over the tip.

She had so little experience with men – Lawrence had never been terribly adventurous with her – but she could tell from the way Drew's breathing hitched that he liked it. So she licked his finger again and he jerked his hand away to kiss her instead.

All of a sudden, his hands were everywhere. He slid hot palms up her waist and under her shirt until his thumbs brushed against the underside of her breasts. Mina arched against him, as much as she could with his weight coming down to settle on her body. He cupped his hands over her breasts and rubbed his tongue against hers as he flicked his fingers over her tight nipples.

Mina moaned and tried to move again but Drew held her down. He shifted as she struggled and trailed hot kisses across her cheek to the soft spot just beneath her ear. Mina turned her head as he caressed her skin with his tongue and stroked her with strong hands. She fisted her hands in his shirt and pulled the fabric up until she felt the hot skin under his clothes.

His hands and mouth froze as she shoved her hands under his shirt, dragging it up his back. She bit her lip to hold back a moan at the feeling of his skin covering all those taut, tense muscles. She dragged her nails over his skin in a light caress and grinned when she felt the answering shudder in his body.

"You want to play that game, do you?" Drew's rough voice was in her ear and she shivered as his breath tickled the hairs there.

He sat up and pulled his shirt off. Mina drank in the sight of his bared torso and her breathing started to speed up. Drew gave her a wicked grin that she was starting to know all too well before he reached for her top. She clamped her arms to her sides for only a moment before letting him sweep her shirt off over her head. Then they reached for the front clasp of her bra at the same time. Drew scowled and brushed her hands away. Mina giggled and bit back another moan as he released the catch and slid tentative fingers over her bare skin.

"I was so mad when Hil and Mark walked in on us last time." He didn't take his eyes from her bare chest as he spoke.

Mina let out a breathless laugh and then sucked in a breath as his fingertips danced over the pebbled skin surrounding her nipples. He smiled and circled the tip of one breast over and over. Mina got over the shock of his touch on her bare body fast and lifted her back to force him to touch her where she wanted it most.

Drew chuckled, a deep sound that sent a shiver chasing up her spine. She settled back against the bed and pouted as he moved his hands away. Then his hands found the button at the waist of her jeans and her immediate reaction was to clutch his wrists. His eyes flew to her face and she stared back at him.

The light in the room had gone a fraction darker so she could no longer see the blue of his eyes. She could still make out the seductive curve of his lips and she answered his smile with her own but she still couldn't move her hands.

Not that it mattered. Drew made a quick move and yanked her hands above her head with one of his hands. With his free hand, he popped the button free and dragged the zipper down. Mina squirmed and squeezed her eyes shut as he tickled the skin of her stomach just above her pants. She felt the bed dip and Drew let her hands go as he reached for either side of her jeans. Before she could think to stop him, he grasped her pants and underwear and pulled them down her legs, leaving her naked on his bed.

"You're gorgeous." His voice was a low growl and he dragged his hands up the outside of her legs as he crawled back over her body.

As he settled against her, his lips seeking hers, Mina dug her fingers into the small of his back. She felt so exposed and vulnerable and yet, with his body holding hers down, with his breathing catching as her hands started to explore him, she felt safe. He made her feel cherished and lovely and she liked it.

His sexy kisses and seeking hands gave her courage and she crooked a knee so he was pushed against her core. He wrenched his lips from hers and pressed his forehead to her shoulder. Mina smiled and bit the inside of her cheek as she lifted her hips to meet his. His hands came down to push against her hips but when she made the same move again, he let her. Then he thrust back and all her breath left her body in a whoosh when she felt the hard length of his arousal.

"Jesus." His breath washed over her skin, tingling against her naked breasts.

She didn't know what he was trying to say so she stayed silent as they undulated against each other for several long moments. Mina felt braver even as she became lightheaded. She pushed her palms flat against his shoulders and slid her hands down his back. Without stopping, she shoved her hands into his pants and curled her fingers into his ass.

He jerked up against her and they moaned together. Drew lifted his head to kiss her, his tongue thrusting in time to his hips and Mina hooked her leg behind his as they moved. He started to rub her in just the right place and she made a strangled sound in the back of her throat.

If he keeps this up, I'm going to– Mina let out a cry when Drew moved off of her.

He laughed, the low rumble making her shudder. He kissed the corner of her open mouth and licked her lips as she gasped for breath. As he slipped a hand over her ribs and across her hip, she twisted in his grasp.

"Drew, please!" She didn't know what she was begging for but she thought it was better than cursing him out for stopping like he had.

"Relax. I just want to feel you on my fingers when you come."

She let out a groan at his hot words and turned her face to his. He obliged her with a deep kiss, his tongue sweeping into her mouth and sweeping aside every last doubt she had.

His fingers slid through her damp curls and he stroked her. On the second pass of his fingers, she tensed, right back to hanging on the edge of an orgasm. Then he pushed his fingers into her body and within a few quick strokes she was gasping and thrusting up to meet his hand. He ground the heel of his hand against her and she opened her mouth on a keening cry. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth as she came, crying out and bucking against him.

He stroked her through the climax until she collapsed with liquefied limbs back on the bed. His touch grew lighter as she whimpered and tossed her head from side to side. She thought she begged him to stop, told him she was too sensitive for more and he at last moved his hand to clasp her hip.

For a long moment they kissed, just kissed. The held each other with tight hands and let their tongues slide and tangle together in a slow rhythm that had Mina gliding back to orgasm again.

This time when Drew pulled away, it was to shuck his own jeans off. Then he rolled over her and Mina parted her legs. There was no more need for teasing touches and searching kisses. They both wanted this. Mina knew it by the hot, heavy weight of his erection digging into her thigh.

"God, Mina, I can't..."

Mina shook her head and cupped her hand around the back of his neck. She kissed him, rubbing her mouth on his and nipping his bottom lip with her teeth. They opened their eyes and stared at each other. When Drew moved his hips and rubbed against her now, it was hot skin to hot skin and they both savored the sensation.

"Drew, please."

Drew's eyebrows pulled together in a frown as he kissed her, his tongue dancing over her lips before sinking into her mouth. She planted her feet on the bed and lifted her hips until she felt the hard head of him prodding her opening. His eyes flew open and he stilled her with a hand on her hips.

"Drew..." She didn't care how desperate she sounded.

"Please, I'm not going to last if you keep this up." His voice was strained and Mina felt a brief moment of exultation that she'd managed to work him into such a frenzy.

"I don't want you to last," she breathed, their lips touching as she spoke. "I want you inside me."

Drew's eyes squeezed shut and she watched as the muscles in his throat worked. She arched, drawing him inside of her. His fingers dug into the flesh of her hip and she froze, afraid she'd pushed him too far. Then he relaxed his hand and sank into her, pushing hard and all the way in with a single stroke.

She cried out at the sensation and he groaned, his body trembling with the effort to control himself. Mina wrapped her arms and legs around him and struggled to catch her breath. But Drew moved, apparently coming to a decision.

His first movements were slow, deliberate and he planted tender kisses on her face and lips as he thrust. Mina gasped and fought to remain calm as he started to increase his pace. He sank deep in one thrust that had them both groaning out loud. Then he withdrew and sank in so slowly, Mina thought she was going to die.

Somehow, she stayed alive and felt her body stir towards climax as he rubbed her in all the right places. His hands tightened to almost painful holds on her hips and his pace grew frantic. Mina clutched his shoulders and pressed her head back against the bed. She cried out when he dipped his head to kiss her throat. Then he nipped the skin of her collarbone and she gasped at the pleasurable hurt.




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 08



When Drew woke up, he worried that it had been a dream. Then Mina let out a soft snore and the tickle of her breath against his chest brought every memory back. In HD. And surround-sound. He grinned, immensely pleased with himself and rolled over to curve his body around Mina's. She made a muffled noise and relaxed into him, her nose pressed to the hollow of his throat.

Drew was content for the moment to just hold her close. He didn't want to wake her while she looked so peaceful and relaxed, and he loved being able to study her close up without her avoiding his gaze.

Well, he thought. Now I'm going to look my fill, whenever I want to.

He grinned, still elated over what had happened. After meeting her family and dealing with her sister, he'd felt bad for snapping. He'd been afraid that he'd ruined the entire day for her. Then to have her doubting his attraction, after all that they'd done together -- that had bothered him more than he cared to admit. He hoped their night together had rid her of that doubt at least. Not that he'd object proving it to her. Over and over...

She stirred again and he looked down to see her beautiful blue eyes blinking open. Dawn was just creeping through the sky and lent a dusky glow to the room. He smiled and squeezed Mina closer, wanting to devour her. She let out a breath and shifted against him. Then her eyes widened and Drew chuckled when he saw the color fill her round cheeks.

"Yes," he rumbled in a rough voice. "You're naked." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "And so am I."

Mina laughed and shook her head, her untamed curls tickling his chin. He lifted a hand from her bare back to smooth a palm over her hair. She met his gaze again and he dropped his head to kiss her on the mouth. A soft sigh escaped her and he bit back a groan.

"What time is it?" Her voice was husky from sleep and Drew sent a stern order to his lower extremities to behave. For now.

Drew craned his neck and checked the red digits on his clock. "It's just after six."

"Are you kidding me?" She sounded more awake now. "Why are we awake?"

Drew laughed. "Hey, it's not like I woke you up."

"Oh? Is there someone else in bed that did?" She rolled over -- or tried to. There was no way Drew was letting her out of reach.

"No one else is here, Mina."

Drew pulled her back towards him and she tried to wriggle away. He laughed and grabbed her, pinning her to the bed by laying his body over hers. He watched her eyes widen and his gaze dropped to her mouth when she ran her tongue over her bottom lip.

"Fine." Her voice was a whisper and Drew couldn't look away from her lips. "No one else is here, so what are you doing up?"

"I wanted to see you again." The words were out before he could put much thought into them and when he heard the catch in her breathing, he dragged his eyes to hers.

"I haven't gone anywhere," she murmured.

He grinned. "No. And you're not going to." With that, he dropped his head and kissed her. No more playing around, no more chitchat about the hour. He swept his tongue inside, tasted the tang of sleep and delved deeper.

She made a sexy little noise against his mouth and he lifted his head. Her gaze when she opened her eyes was glazed and he couldn't help but laugh. She swallowed and blinked a few times. The look she tried to fix on him appeared stern but Drew was so satisfied with having her naked underneath him that nothing could ruin his mood.

"Something wrong?"

She narrowed her eyes further. "I'm not sure I like how bossy you're getting."

His eyebrows shot up. "Oh yeah? And what are you going to do about it?"

He'd forgotten all about how she'd attacked him in his office weeks ago. She tickled his ribs and he let out a yelp before scrambling off of her. She giggled and followed and they wrestled for a minute or two, the blankets tangling around their legs.

Drew was breathing hard when he managed to close his hands around her wrists and pin them to the bed on either side of her head. He glared down at her and felt his body respond when he saw the playful grin on her face.

"You'll pay for that."

She scoffed and Drew did the only thing he could think of: he kissed her. He parted her lips and thrust his tongue into her mouth. She moaned and lifted her chin, kissing him back with enthusiasm. He pulled his lips away and pressed kisses to her soft cheek. Trailing kisses over the curve of her chin and down her neck, he smiled when she arched to let him have more room.

He dragged his tongue over her flushed skin, loving the sweet, warm taste of her. She shuddered and he lifted his head to look into her face. "Cold?"

"No." Her voice sounded strained and all he'd done so far was kiss her. He wondered what she'd sound like if he did more. Or maybe he'd just kiss more of her.

He bent his head, intent on savoring every last inch of her. She moaned and writhed in his grasp and when he teased the tight nipple of her breast with his tongue, she bucked up against him. He chuckled and swirled his tongue over the tip before clamping his lips down and sucking hard. She cried out and he released her, licking her to soothe the spot.

She wouldn't hold still and Drew lost some of his focus as her luscious body moved and twisted beneath him. He felt her legs shifting under his and slid his thigh between hers to try to immobilize her. Instead she groaned and thrust her hips up to meet his. When his aching erection brushed against her core, he lifted his head and cursed under his breath.

"Stop squirming," he ordered.

She blinked up at him, giving him a look of mingled annoyance and innocence. "I can't help it."

"Try."

She pouted and he moved up to capture the offending lip in his teeth. Her gasp made him smile and when she went limp under him, he released her hands to clasp his fingers around her breasts. He released her and moved back down to her chest. He trailed kisses over her breasts and moved lower.

She kept squirming as he teased her with light kisses around her belly button and just below it. When he grasped her knees and pulled her legs apart in an abrupt move, she stilled. He couldn't stop now, even if she had kept on twisting under him.

He kissed her, where she was already so wet for him. God help him, she was sweet and pliant and the strangled cry that left her was all the reward he needed. He licked her over and over until she started to move again. She gasped and moaned and Drew felt her fingers sliding over his head and shoulders as he devoured her.

"Drew!" she cried out and arched up into his mouth.

He held her down and kept tasting her as she came hard. Her body undulated under his hands as the waves of sensation wracked her.

He lasted about ten seconds before he couldn't take any more. He dropped her legs and moved up, fitting himself to her with no effort. As he brought their mouths back together in another kiss, he drove deep, feeling the coiling tension of his own impending climax rise with sudden sharpness.

No! Not yet. He struggled to control himself.

He'd lost it so fast the night before and he wanted to make this time last, for both of them. He slowed his movements even though he could feel her moving under him, feel her fingers clawing at his back. He lifted his mouth from hers and cupped her face in his palm.

"Mina, love, open your eyes."

She did and gave him such a sweet, relaxed smile that he was undone. He couldn't help the way his body started to move then. She bit her lip and wrapped her legs around his waist. Her amazing body rose and fell under his and they moved together in such a rhythm that he felt like they'd been together for years.

Drew dropped his forehead to rest against hers as he thrust into her hard. He was no longer in control, if he ever had been. He was tumbling headfirst into love with this woman and she was coming apart around him.

"Drew, oh God, Drew!"

Drew kissed her and at the frantic meeting of her tongue with his, he came. He drove himself into her, wanting to sink even deeper inside.

The pulsing climax faded after several long, drugged moments and Drew moved to lie beside her. He didn't have the energy to lift his head. He collapsed face down and just managed to turn his face towards her. She rolled to her side and stared into his eyes.

"Hey, you can't go back to sleep." The smile playing around her lips told him she wasn't really scolding. "You woke me up now you have to entertain me."

He smirked. "I thought I just did."

Her laughter was the last sound he heard before drifting off to sleep.

****

The next time Drew woke up, he was alone. He rubbed his eyes and looked around. The bed was messed up from their slumber and Mina's clothes were still lying in a pile on the floor. He shrugged, figuring she couldn't have gone far without her pants. Then he grinned, imagining her strolling naked through his house. He liked the image.

He got up and used the bathroom before pulling on a pair of pajama pants. He thought he heard noise from the kitchen so he headed downstairs to find his girlfriend, a thought that made him smile. She was listening to the radio as she sat at the kitchen table, an empty plate and a newspaper spread out before her. She looked up as he walked in and he stopped short when he saw what she was wearing.

Her eyes dropped as she saw the direction of his gaze. "Uh, you don't mind, do you? I saw it in your closet and wanted to try it on."

"Hell, no." He strode forward and bent to give her a kiss. "I love seeing my jersey on you."

She grinned and reached up to put her arms around his neck as she kissed him back. "As much as you love seeing it off of me?"

Drew made a low growling noise of appreciation. Mina laughed and dropped her hold on him. "You should eat something. You look weak."

Drew straightened as she winked at him and he had to wonder where this new impish, confident Mina had come from. He liked her. Of course, he'd liked Mina from the beginning, shy smiles and blushing cheeks and all.

"What have you eaten?" He walked over to the pantry to get the cereal out.

"Just some toast." Mina folded the newspaper and pushed it aside to make room at the table for him. "How did you sleep?"

Drew sat down across from her and grinned as he poured milk into his bowl of cereal. "The first or second time?"

She laughed but color rose up her neck to stain her cheeks and Drew was oddly comforted by the sight of it. His Mina was still there. Or rather, she was the same Mina he'd always known. Just half-naked in his Capitals jersey.

"I can't believe you slept so late."

Drew glanced at the clock on the stove and groaned. "Oh man. Why didn't you wake me?"

Mina raised her eyebrows. "Are you kidding? I tried. After the third attempt, I gave up and came downstairs."

"Really?"

She nodded and leaned her elbows on the table, propping her chin in her hands. "You were in a dead sleep. What's wrong? Did you miss practice?"

Drew shook his head and finished his mouthful. "Naw. I just don't like to let my sleep schedule to out of whack."

"I'll remember that the next time you wake me at dawn to molest me."

Drew almost choked on his next mouthful, earning laughter from Mina. Drew cleared his throat and leveled his spoon in Mina's direction. "Don't make me come over there."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll do it again."

Mina opened her mouth and Drew waited for some saucy retort but instead her cheeks turned pink. Chuckling, Drew scooped more cereal into his mouth while Mina continued to stare at him.

"Do you have practice today?" Mina asked after the moment passed.

Drew shook his head and swallowed another mouthful. "There's an optional skate right now."

Mina cringed and offered him a smile. "Sorry for making you miss out."

"Oh, I hadn't planned on going. I knew I'd have you here to entertain."

"What?"

Drew just smiled as he continued to down his cereal. When he was done, he took both their dishes to the sink and turned to face her. "I don't have a practice until tomorrow, and then I don't have a game until Tuesday."

"Oh?"

"What are your shifts like?"

Mina shrugged. "The usual. Dinner tomorrow, lunch Tuesday and Wednesday. Off Thursday, then dinner on Friday."

"So you're free all day today?" Drew walked over to stand beside her chair.

Mina tilted her head back to look up at him. "Yeah."

Drew grinned and put one hand on the table and his other on the back of her chair. He leaned close, forcing Mina to lean back to keep their gazes locked. "Then you're staying here with me. All day."

She looked surprised, either by his nearness or his announcement. Then a slow, sexy smile curved her lips and she arched up to bring their mouths together. "Have I mentioned what your bossiness does to me?"

Drew bent down and slipped his hands under her butt. She yelped and jumped a little, which was just the leverage he needed. He hoisted her into his arms and she wrapped her arms and legs around him to hold on.

"What are you doing? Put me down before you hurt yourself."

Drew scoffed and started to walk out of the kitchen with her in his arms. In this position, her jersey started to ride up and his hands were filled with the bare bottom he adored. Mina clutched at him and buried her face in his neck.

"I've got you." He pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"I'm too heavy," she replied, her voice muffled.

"No, you're not." He stopped on the bottom step and looked into her face. She gave him a shaky smile and he felt her arms and legs flex around him. "Do I seem like I'm struggling or something?"

She hesitated and he felt her limbs tighten again before she shook her head 'no.'

"Then stop arguing and kiss me."

"Bossy." But she did what he said and he started climb the stairs, taking care with each step as he tasted her luscious lips.

He managed to locate his bedroom and set Mina on her feet. Before she could voice a protest, he whisked the jersey off over her head and grinned when he saw her naked body.

She crossed her arms over her chest, which surprised him a little. Drew wanted that sassy Mina who'd greeted him this morning. It hadn't been that long since she'd faced him in the kitchen, naked but for his jersey.

Still, Drew could be patient with her. He stepped close and pulled her hands away from her body so he could look at her. At all of her.

He left one hand at her side and traced the curve of her hip, over her stomach. He smiled when her stomach jerked as he dipped a finger into her bellybutton. Then he moved on, smoothing his palm up over her ribs to cup one perfect breast. He caressed her with slow touches, leaning close to kiss the side of her neck.

She let out a sharp breath and Drew smiled against her neck before opening his mouth to lick the soft skin beneath her ear. She lifted her hands to hold his biceps and he moved a step closer so he could feel every inch of her body against his, from knees to chest. When she swooned in his arms, he lifted her and laid her down on the bed.

After that, he couldn't be patient anymore. He didn't take the time to caress every inch of her. He let her know how sexy and cherished she was in another way. Judging by the way she screamed his name some long minutes later, he figured he'd made his point.

****

Mina had a hard time concentrating at work the next day. Whenever she had a quiet moment, which wasn't often, she heard every whispered word and felt every gentle caress from the night before. From the day before too.

Oh hell, from the past several weeks. Mina grinned and hurried to the end of the counter to grab a bowl of diced peppers.

A few hours later, her shift was winding down and she found herself more awake than when she'd arrived at the club. It was a surprise considering how late Drew had kept her up the night before.

And considering how often he woke me up during the night, she added silently. She bit her lip and glanced around to make sure no one was looking at her. She could feel the heat creeping up her neck and she worried if someone looked at her, they'd be able to tell what she was thinking about.

She hurried through the rest of her closing duties and waved at her coworkers as they all scattered from the building. It was dark out, well past the dinner hour and Mina turned towards the sidewalk, intending to walk to the Metro, like always. A car horn honked and she whirled around at the sound of tires crunching over gravel.

Drew pulled alongside her in his car and leaned out the window with a grin on his face. "Hey, good-lookin'."

"Drew!" Mina laughed and stepped close to his door. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to drive you home."

She raised her eyebrows and glanced at her watch. "How could you have even known when I'd be done? I don't even know half the time."

Drew's grin turned sheepish. "I got here about forty-five minutes ago."

"What? Why?"

"I didn't want to miss you in case you were done earlier."

Mina stared at him, her heart pounding. She couldn't figure him out and she wasn't sure that there was anything to figure out. On impulse, she leaned in through his open window and kissed him. He let out a soft groan and slid his fingers into her hair, still up in its ponytail and tried to draw her closer.

"Drew..." Mina pulled away with a sigh and straightened as she tried to catch her breath.

"Get in. I'll drive you home."

Mina bit her lip at his husky tone but hurried around the front of his car and got in the passenger side. Before leaving, Drew reached for her again, capturing her mouth in another breathtaking kiss.

They spoke little on the drive to her apartment building. Mina let her head rest against the seat, feeling exhaustion seep into her bones. After such a full and busy weekend, and after that crazy dinner shift, she was very tired and ready for a full night's rest. Her face warmed as she wondered how she could break it to Drew that she needed her sleep tonight and not more of his...intense attentions.

"I wonder if Hilary will be home," she murmured, breaking the silence.

"Probably." Drew winked at her. "She's always around to spoil our fun."

Mina smiled and reached a hand over to touch his arm. "This time, it wouldn't be spoiling."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm tired. I think I...I'd just like to sleep tonight."

Drew smiled and picked up her hand, carrying it to his lips. "I guess I can give you up for one night."
Mina shivered as his warm lips touched her knuckles. "You're not upset?"

"No, of course not." Drew chuckled and squeezed her fingers. "Don't get me wrong. If you'd let me, I'd be all over you every night."

Mina blinked and clenched her thighs together when Drew's words, spoken in his sexy deep voice, sent a jolt straight through to her core. "You would?"

Drew glanced at her again and nodded once. "I don't know why you find that so hard to believe."

Looking away, Mina lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "I don't know. Maybe because I've never had someone tell me that before I met you."

"Forgetting for the moment that your ex-fiancé was a slimeball of the first degree, who else has treated you so badly that you can't believe me when I say I find you irresistible?"

Mina smiled but still didn't look at him. "Is Carter home?"

Drew laughed and shook his head. "Oh no, you don't get to change the subject."

"Don't I?" Mina whined and Drew just laughed again. "Fine. There really was no one else. I dated in high school and in college a bit and most of the guys were OK but there was no one special. Then I met Lawrence."

Drew didn't say anything at first. He glanced sideways at her and she met his gaze. "Then your fiancé took every opportunity to make you feel less than attractive?"

Mina blinked, surprised by the question. "He...no. Not at first. He was the first guy who ever made me feel attractive." Mina fell silent as she thought about her first few months of dating Lawrence. She'd just finished at Baltimore International and was working full time for the first time in her life. Then Lawrence had swept her off her feet and made her feel things she'd never experienced before. "He was the first guy I...wanted to be attractive for."




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 08



Drew glanced at her and nodded. "So, he was your first."

Mina felt warmth suffuse her cheeks but she nodded without speaking. In another few minutes they were parked in front of her apartment building and Drew reached to shut off the engine.

"You didn't need to tell me that," Drew said in a quiet voice.

Mina twisted her hands together in her lap and gave a jerky nod. "Yes, I did. You need to know that this...what's between us, you and me, it's as new to me as anything else."

Drew reached for her hand, stilling their nervous twitching. She looked up as he turned in his seat to face her. "It's new for me, too, you know."

"Is it?"

He laughed at her incredulous tone and nodded. "Yeah. I've dated and slept with other women, I won't lie about that."

Mina managed a smile at his small confession. "You don't need to lie to me about your conquests, Drew."

"They weren't conquests," he protested and sighed when she giggled. "Fine. You can tease me all you want. It doesn't matter. None of them mattered."

"What are you talking about?"

"The other women I've dated or slept with." Drew pulled her closer. "They didn't matter to me. Not like you do."

Mina caught her breath and fought the urge to look away from his eyes, so intense.

"You're new to me, Mina, and everything we've done and everything we are to each other, I've never experienced this before."

Mina still didn't have anything to say. She was locked in his blue-grey eyes and couldn't think of a response.

"You're not like any other woman I've been with," Drew went on, his lips curved in a sexy smile. "You're so talented and smart you make me feel inadequate."

Mina opened her mouth to protest but Drew laid his fingers on her lips to silence her.

"I'm not done. You're such a good person and all your friends love you. Jeez, even my own brother likes you more than he likes me, I think." Drew chuckled and Mina smiled under his hand. His eyes were drawn to the movement of her mouth and Mina froze. "And you're so beautiful and don't even realize it. You make me want to do things to you that I've never considered before."

"Like what?" Mina forgot all about being embarrassed under the heat of his gaze. Just like their first night together, he made her feel some of what he saw in her.

Drew's grin turned wicked and Mina suppressed a shiver. "You're too tired tonight for me to show you."

Mina stared at him as he dropped his hand back to her lap and they tangled their fingers together. "I am."

"You are."

For a long moment, they stared at each other. Mina felt the warmth in the car rising and the rasp of their breathing grew more rapid with each passing second.

Then Mina scrabbled for her door handle. "God, I hope Hilary isn't home right now."

Drew laughed but followed her out of the car and into her building. The elevator ride was tense. Mina kept from reaching for Drew, knowing if she did they could end up in a very indecent embrace right in the elevator.

Mina almost dropped the keys while they stood in front of her door but she managed to get the door open and Drew followed her inside. Mina turned towards him as he locked the door behind them but a voice carried out to the hall and they froze.

"Hey, Mina!"

Mina's jaw dropped and Drew clamped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing. "Uh, hey, Hilary."

Hilary walked out of the living room and stopped short when she spotted the two of them just inside the door. Mina met her friend's gaze and could think of nothing to say. Hilary glanced from Mina's face to Drew's and grinned.

"Well, I'll just be on my way, then."

"What? No, you don't have to--" Mina hadn't intended to run her roommate out of the apartment.

Hilary laughed and waved off her protest. "Don't worry. I was going to go over to Mark's anyway. I would have left earlier but work ran late and I needed to come home first."

Mina and Drew moved out of her way as Hilary grabbed her coat and slipped her shoes on. "I'll see you tomorrow sometime." She winked at Mina before she left them alone again.

Drew moved closer to Mina as silence descended over them. "Are you sorry she's gone?"

"No. Should I be?" Mina grinned as he slipped his arms around her waist.

He chuckled and shook his head. "You said you were tired."

"I did, didn't I?" Mina sighed and tried to step back out of his arms. He didn't let her go. "You should probably go home then, so I can get some sleep."

Drew narrowed his eyes and backed her up against the wall. Mina's breath caught in her throat as she stared up into his face.

"I'll make sure you get a really, really good sleep, Mina."

Mina shivered and nodded. Then he kissed her and she wasn't tired at all anymore.

****

When Drew got home in the morning, Carter was there, unpacking his bag in his room. "Hey, Carter. How was the trip?"

Carter turned to his brother with a smile. "It was really good, actually."

Drew chuckled as he walked in to sit on the end of his brother's bed. "You sound surprised."

"I am, a little, I guess." Carter shrugged and turned to toss some clothes into his pile in the corner.

Drew eyed the pile and Carter met his look with a grin. "Tell me what you did this weekend."

Carter shrugged again as he continued to go through his bag, emptying the dirty laundry. Drew lifted a foot and gave him a playful kick in one leg.

"Come on, Carter. Why won't you tell me?"

"It was just a weekend." Carter swatted his foot away. "Thanks for getting me a plane ticket instead."

Drew grinned. He'd called and made the arrangements after Carter had asked him about borrowing money for a bus ticket. It didn't make sense to waste so much time traveling when Drew could easily afford the plane fare. "Mom and Dad picked you up on time and everything?"

"Yeah." He didn't offer anything more than that as he carried his bag to the closet and stuffed it on the shelf.

Drew sighed. "Jeez, what's the big deal?"

"No big deal. Nothing happened. They picked me up, we went home. I told them about my job and some of the new friends I've made. They told me what they've been doing and what all the neighbors are up to, and that's all."

"Did you see any of your old friends while you were there?"

Carter frowned and shook his head. "No. I didn't think Mom and Dad would like it if I did and I didn't want to, anyway."

Drew shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. The damage is done now so it doesn't matter."

"I thought we were past all that?"

"We are."

"You don't sound like you are." Carter crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at his brother. "Here you are, harping on me about my friends and you haven't even been home five minutes."

Drew glanced at his watch. "It's been ten minutes, at least."

"Oh, go jump off a bridge, Drew." Carter stomped out of the room and down the stairs.

Drew rubbed his forehead. He supposed he could have handled that better. He stood up and followed Carter downstairs and into the kitchen.

"Carter, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you a hard time."

Carter didn't look at him as he pulled a glass out of a cupboard and turned on the taps in the sink.

"I really do want to hear about your weekend."

Carter snorted as he filled the glass with water and took a sip. Finally he faced Drew and smiled. "It was a good weekend. Mom and Dad seemed really happy to see me."

"Of course they were. They missed you."

Carter rolled his eyes. Drew laughed and cuffed him on the shoulder before sitting down at the table. Carter sat down across from him and started to tell him about his weekend.

"It was a good weekend. We had a long talk the first night." Carter paused and shook his head with a rueful smile. "I had it coming, I guess. But they didn't yell and neither did I. We just talked. I don't think we've done that in a long time."

Drew smiled. He could see the change in his brother already. Up until now, he'd been so involved his own views on his brother's life course to notice how Carter had grown in the past month. He was still a kid in Drew's eyes but he wasn't as aimless as Drew had first suspected.

"After that first night, we just sort of fell into our old routine," Carter went on with a smile. "I slept in, Mom banged on the door in the morning to wake me up. Dad and I watched the Red Sox game and Mom complained about no one helping with dinner."

Drew laughed with Carter and shook his head. "And that was just Saturday?"

"Yeah."

Carter went on to talk about the rest of the weekend and Drew smiled and laughed at his narration. After they were done talking, Drew offered to take Carter out for lunch. They went to a nearby restaurant and hours passed without Drew noticing the time. He'd forgotten how much fun it was to be around his brother. He promised himself that he'd make more of an effort when summer hit. It might even be more fun to have his little brother around. Add in all the extra time he'd have with Mina, and this summer was shaping up nicely.

****

Mina let herself into the apartment the afternoon following her shift on Wednesday. She was so tired and she wanted nothing more than to sink into the bathtub with a good book.

"Hilary? Are you here?" she called as she hung up her coat.

There was no answer and Mina sighed into the silence. She loved her roommate and would be forever grateful that Hilary had let her move in when she'd needed to. Hilary had an annoying habit of wanting to hang out all the time when they were both at home and it was getting to be a bit much for Mina. Over the past week or two, Mina had found herself excited at every opportunity to have the apartment to herself.

She made herself a quick dinner of a salad and a sandwich before changing out of her work smock. Then she ran a bath, as hot as she could stand it, and dumped in more bubble bath than she needed. She was just securing her hair on top of her head when the phone rang. With a sigh, she wrapped a towel around herself and hurried down the hall to grab the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey there, beautiful."

Mina grinned. "Hey yourself, you handsome devil."

"Capital, Mina." Drew let out a sigh. "I'm a Cap. I thought you'd learned enough about hockey to know at least that."

Mina giggled and walked back to the bathroom. "I do know that. I won't call you a handsome devil anymore."

"You can still call me handsome."

"Maybe."

Another sigh. "When did you get this way?"

Mina laughed and hung the towel up before testing the water with one toe. "Oh, stop your whining. You know I think you're the sexiest beast out there."

"I won't argue with that."

Mina stepped into the water and sank down with a sigh.

"Are you all right?" Drew asked.

"Oh yes. Much better now."

"Now? Rough day?"

Mina rested her head on her bath pillow and closed her eyes. God, this is good. "Not rough, just long. Plus, I was up late watching the game last night so I was really dragging it today."

Drew chuckled and Mina warmed all through her body, never mind the hot bath water making her skin tingle.

"That's nice that you stayed up to watch me play. Even though you had to work this morning."

"Pssh," she scoffed. "I stayed up to watch Brody play. You did tell me he was single, right?"

"What?!"

Mina laughed at his outraged tone and sank deeper under the water. She kept the phone above the bubbles and brushed some away from her face when they floated close.

"Oh, you are going to pay for that remark."

"I'm not afraid of you."

There was a pause and Mina bit her lip.

"Are you happy with me, Mina?"

She sat upright, water sloshing over her body and up the sides of the bath. "W-what?"

Drew chuckled. "I don't mean to catch you off guard but I was just thinking that you sound different these days."

"Do I?" She didn't think she did. She felt different, she knew that much. She wasn't just tired from work and staying up for hockey. She felt better about herself and her life than she had in ages. Part of that was Drew but most of it was her. She'd shaken the last of her doubts over what happened with Lawrence and she was moving forward for the first time since he'd broken her heart.

"So?"

"Drew, you're unbelievable."

He chuckled and Mina relaxed back against the tub with a smile. "You are. I mean it. I'm so glad that you were that creepy guy who followed me to the Metro that day."

Drew laughed louder and Mina joined him this time. "I didn't think I was all that creepy."

"No, but if you'd been any creepier, I would have run away screaming."

"I don't know if I like you teasing me."

"Too bad. I'm a new woman with you." Mina cringed at how cheesy her statement sounded but Drew just laughed again. "Well...you know what I mean."

"I do. I'm glad you're happy."

A beat of silence passed.

She couldn't not ask. "And you?"

"Me, what?"

"Are you happy with me?"

"More than you can imagine."

Mina sank down until the bubbles tickled her chin. "Good."

"It is good. I could have ended up dating Brody myself."

Mina laughed and sputtered as she inhaled some bubbles.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She coughed and pushed the foam away from her face. "I just swallowed some bubbles."

"Uh...OK. Dare I ask?"

Mina laughed. "I'm having a bubble bath. It was all I could think about while I was finishing my shift today."

There was nothing but silence on the other end of the phone. Then she heard Drew suck in a breath.

"You mean to tell me that you're in the bathtub? Naked?"

Mina stifled a giggle. "No. I'm wearing bubbles."

"Christ almighty. Are you trying to make me pass out?"

Mina laughed. "No. You could hurt yourself. I wouldn't want that so close to playoffs."

Drew groaned and Mina laughed harder. She loved this new feeling of confidence and having this kind of power over Drew was a heady sensation.

"I'm sorry. I'll stop talking about how naked and wet I am right now."

"Mina..."

"Tell me about your day. Did you have practice this morning?"

"Who the hell knows? I think I forgot my name two minutes ago."

"Maybe we should hang up before you lose your mind completely."

Drew laughed. "Sure. I'll just drive over and check your state of undress for myself."

Mina let out a sigh. "Oh, Drew, as much as I'd love to see you, I think I'm too tired for anything but bed after this."

"If you make that sound again, I'll leave you alone."

"What sound?"

"That little sex moan you just did."

Mina laughed and swiped at some bubbles floating her way. "I did not make a sex moan."

"Yes, you did. I'm something of an authority on your sex moans."

"I guess you are."

"So? Let's hear it."

Mina giggled, unsure what sex moan he meant but she did her best to duplicate it. "Oh, Drew."

"OK, stop. Just stop. I've got to go."

"Did I do it wrong?"

Drew let out a dry laugh. "No, you did it just right. Too right."

"How could I have done it too right?"

"Everything you do and say turns me on when you're not even trying. But when you do try--" Drew broke off on a long groan and Mina squeezed her legs together as heat tingled up her thighs. "You're just mind-blowing."

"Oh."

Drew chuckled. "I'll let you go for now. Enjoy your bath and know that I'll be over here. Naked."

Mina bit back another moan. "You will?"

"Oh yeah. Good night, Mina."

"Good night."

Mina ended the call and dropped the phone on the floor. Then she sank under the water, letting the bubbles cover her as she tried to control her heartbeat.

****

Mina and Hilary went to the Capitals' game on Thursday that week and Mina was hoarse before it was over. She didn't know if it was her excitement over watching Drew play or the fact that the playoffs were fast approaching and everyone was feeling the excitement. There was a charge in the air of the Verizon Center and even when sitting still, Mina could feel the pulse of the place in her chest.

She leaned against Hilary's side with a smile. "Is it always like this?"

Hilary laughed. "No. Not always."

"Thank God. I don't think I can handle a full season of this."

Hilary turned to give her a look, her blue eyes twinkling. "You mean to say you'll be around for a full season?"

Mina gaped as she realized what she'd said. Hilary laughed and hugged her close.

"Ah, relax. I'm just teasing."

Mina grinned, having too good a time to be embarrassed. She liked thinking of her and Drew making it a whole year. Until now, she hadn't let herself think that far ahead and her comment had just slipped out.

The noise of the crowd rose around them as the guys took to the ice for the third period. The game was intense, never mind the heightened excitement of the crowd. Even Mina could pick that up with her inexperienced eye. The Capitals were playing a Western Conference team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Capitals started the last period of regulation with a one-goal lead. The Blue Jackets were playing desperate hockey, knowing this game was their last chance to stay in playoff contention.

The game wore on, the clock ticking the minutes down. Mina's heart was beating hard in her chest and she felt short of breath on every scramble in front of the Capital goalie. Just when she thought they might make it to the buzzer with the lead, there was a quick scramble to the left of the Capitals' goalie. The Blue Jacket forward controlled the bouncing puck, made a shot and tied the game.

"Aw, dammit!" Hilary threw her arms up in the air while Mina tried to catch her breath.

"It happened so fast," she muttered and lifted her face to watch the replay on the big screen.

"Tell me about it." Hilary slumped in her seat with a frown on her face. "They had it and then that."

Mina chuckled and patted her friend's knee. "It's all right, Hil. There's still five minutes and a bit left."

Hilary nodded and both women leaned forward as the puck dropped at center ice again. Neither team scored in regulation and the game went into overtime. Mina gnawed on a fingernail until Hilary batted her hand away. They shared a laugh and turned their attention to the game as the puck dropped on overtime.

Mina noticed the differences in how the plays formed with only four players on each side. She didn't have complete knowledge of how the game worked but even she could tell they formed their rushes differently.

"I don't think I can handle this stress," she said to Hilary, who grinned.

"Just wait. If this goes to a shootout, you'll be tearing your hair out."

Mina's stomach clenched at the thought of the game coming to rest on a shootout. She shook her head and focused on the play unfolding before her. Her eyes went to Drew as he took off with the puck alongside Jimmy Schwartz. They went all the way up the ice, two Blue Jackets in front of them. Drew passed the puck as he kept moving to the front of the net. Jimmy passed to the d-man on the blue line, who passed it back to him.

Mina's heart leapt as someone shoved Drew from one side. All of a sudden the puck sailed across the ice towards him, a picture-perfect lane opening up. Drew dropped his stick and twisted, connecting with the black disc and sending it past the Blue Jackets goalie. The lamp lit, the siren went off and the crowd went ballistic.

Mina and Hilary shot to their feet along with everyone surrounding them. They screamed and threw their arms around each other as they jumped up and down. Mina turned towards the ice and cheered as the team congratulated each other on the win. The crowd didn't settle down until after the game's three stars were announced.

Hilary sighed and sat back down, clutching Mina's arm. Mina sat with her and they shared an elated grin.

"That was fantastic," Mina said.

"Oh yeah. Almost better than sex."

Mina burst out laughing, along with a few people seated around them who'd overheard. "I'm so telling Mark that you said that."




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 08



Hilary giggled. "What? I said almost."

They laughed and chatted together as they made their way out of the arena emptied. They walked to a nearby cafe that was still open and passed the time until the guys called. A little less than an hour later, their phones went off at the same time. Hilary answered her call from Mark and Mina answered hers to the welcome sound of Drew's jubilant voice.

"Oh, Drew, that was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!" she gushed, not embarrassed at all.

Drew laughed. "It was pretty awesome, I'll admit it."

"You want to go out and celebrate? You don't have early practice or anything, right?"

"No. Don't you work tomorrow?"

Mina shook her head, smiling as Hilary busted out in laughter beside her. "Not until the dinner shift."

"Great. I'll come get you in a few minutes. We'll go somewhere, just the two of us."

Mina giggled, liking the sound of that. She loved being the only one he wanted to celebrate with. "I'll see you soon."

She hung up and nudged Hilary. "Are you going home tonight?"

Hilary shook her head. "Hold on, Mark." To Mina, she said, "No, I'm going home with Mark. You and Drew can have the place all to yourself tonight." She winked and Mina gave her shoulder a push.

"I'll see you tomorrow then. Bye, Mark!" she called into the phone. "Great game!"

With that, Mina got up and walked outside to meet Drew. He pulled his car into the parking lot beside the cafe a few minutes later and jumped out to haul her into his arms for a hug. Someone up the street whistled and hooted at them, making them break apart with a laugh. Drew grinned down at Mina and released her. Then they got into his car and headed out of the parking lot.

"So where do you feel like going?" Drew asked.

"Whatever you want. You're the one who just won the game."

Drew grinned and reached for one of her hands. "I did. It was freaking fantastic. I can't remember the last time I scored in overtime. Probably college."

Mina laughed and squeezed his hand between hers. She was happy for him and his elation was infectious. "That's great. It was a really good game."

"I'm glad you had a good time." He winked at her. "Where's Hilary?"

"She went home with Mark." Mina's heart thudded against her ribs and she gave Drew a shy smile. "Do you want to come over to my place?"

Drew looked at her and gave her that slow, sexy grin she melted at. "I'd love to."

Mina grinned and nodded, satisfied. "Good. I don't know if I could handle sitting next to you in a restaurant somewhere and not jumping you."

Drew laughed and his fingers tightened around hers for a moment. "Ditto."

They chatted off and on as Drew wove through traffic and out of D.C. Mina's heart didn't slow down at all as she kept picturing everything Drew would do to her when they got to her place.

And everything she could do to him.

She bit her lip and looked out her window as they slowed at another red light. Drew gave her fingers a squeeze and she glanced over at him. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Mina watched him swallow and she sucked in a breath as they stared into each other's eyes.

Just a look, she thought, her heart taking off at a rapid pace. He turns me inside out with just a look.

She liked it.

"We're almost there," she whispered.

He nodded and the light turned green. They didn't move at first and someone behind them honked. Drew floored the gas and the car took off, making Mina laugh.

Somehow they made it into her building and up to her floor where she fumbled with the keys. It didn't help that Drew pressed against her side, lifting her hair and planting soft kisses all down the side of her neck.

"Drew..."

"Mmm, you smell so good."

Mina let out a breathless laugh as she managed to slide the key into the lock. She opened the door and looked up at Drew with a smile. "That's because I don't smell like the kitchen."

Drew bent and slipped his arms around her waist. Then he lifted her off her feet and walked them into the apartment. Mina sighed and let herself hang in his grip. She no longer felt self-conscious when he carried her. If he liked doing it, then she liked letting him.

"I love when you smell like the kitchen, too," Drew told her.

Mina lifted her arms to his neck and kissed his chin. He made a sound and slammed the door behind them with one foot. Then he started to walk down the hall but Mina protested.

"I need to lock the door."

Drew scowled but set her on her feet and turned back to the entrance. Mina giggled and darted into her room while he did that. She kicked off her shoes and all but tore her jacket from her body. When Drew appeared at her bedroom door, she was undoing the button at the waist of her jeans.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Starting without me?"

Mina grinned. "I was going to arrange my naked body on the bed for you."

Drew blinked and took a step forward. "Don't let me stop you."

Mina laughed and turned away. She glanced over her shoulder as she undid her pants and let them fall to the floor. As she stepped out of them, she swept her shirt off over her head and turned around. Drew didn't let her go any further. Tossing his own jacket aside and whipping his shirt off, he came towards her.

They met next to her bed and Drew lifted her off her feet again. Mina let out a contented sigh at the feeling of weightlessness and then shrieked with laughter as he tossed her onto her bed. He crawled over her, taking her lips in a wild kiss that showed her just how far gone with passion he was.

She moaned, looping her arms around his shoulders as he swept his tongue into her mouth and erased every sensible thought she had. She kissed him back, teasing and tasting him with as much eagerness as he was.

His hands closed on her waist and he slid a palm under her back. She arched to give him room and he let his hand travel lower before he slipped it inside the back of her panties. Mina reached for the waist of his jeans and tugged at the button. Drew laughed against her mouth and lifted his head to look between them. Mina met his eyes and laughed with him as they kept trying to undress each other while still kissing and touching everywhere they could reach.

Somehow, they managed it and Mina felt herself being moved further onto the bed. Drew lifted her and moved her around as if she weighed nothing and it gave her a thrill to have him doing it.

Then he was kissing her again and she forgot about how confident and sexy he made her feel. She just sank into his kiss and twisted in his embrace as he stroked her sides, cupped her breasts and started to tease her nipples. She wrenched her mouth to one side to catch her breath as he squeezed one taut nipple between his fingers. His mouth clamped on her neck, sucking and licking as he moved lower.

Mina's fingers lost their grip on his shoulders as he lifted to his knees and spread his fingers over her chest. His eyes were dark as he looked down at her and he moved his hands lower. His fingers dug into her waist with soft indents and his hands slipped lower until he was teasing her thighs with featherlight caresses.

Mina scissored her legs, trying to move them apart for him. She desperately wanted to feel him between her thighs. Drew let out a low chuckle and grasped her knees. She froze, waiting for him to move her legs but instead he lowered his head to kiss the tops of her thighs.

Oh, this is good too, she thought and closed her eyes.

Except Drew moved on. He kissed her stomach and all around her belly button, pausing to drag his tongue along the curve of her waist. Before she could react, he took hold of her and rolled her onto her stomach. She gasped and tried to lift herself to her elbows but Drew covered her body with his.

Turning her head, she was surprised by his hot kiss as his hands cupped her hips. She squirmed under his heavy warmth and groaned when he pressed the hot length of his erection against her backside. He pulled his lips from hers to trail kisses over her cheek and down her neck to her bare shoulder. He let his weight off of her just enough that she could lift a few inches from the bed. He took the opportunity to push his hands under her and cup her breasts. Mina let out a moan as he teased her nipples and pushed her butt against him to get a responding moan from him.

Then she felt his muscled thigh pushing between hers and she stilled. His hand lowered to her waist and he squeezed her bottom before sliding his fingers between her legs. Mina gasped when she felt his thick fingers part her folds. She was wet and ready for him and she heard his breath catch as he explored her.

"Drew," she moaned and dropped her forehead to the pillow. "Please, oh p-please!" Her plea stuttered when she felt him stroke that one spot that sent her careening close to an orgasm in seconds.

Then his fingers were gone, just when she thought she'd explode. Drew closed his hands on her hips, lifting her just a bit, and she felt him slide his hard length between her legs. She gasped and lifted her hips, wanting him inside her. Now.

He obliged, pushing and sliding deep with a single thrust. They groaned together and Mina barely had time to catch her breath before he pulled back and thrust again. He started moving in a quick rhythm then, pushing her down into the bed. She moaned and writhed under him as he pushed her to the brink again.

He slipped a hand under her to tease her through her damp curls and she cried out, stars bursting behind her eyelids. Drew's breath was hot in her ear as he let out a low laugh.

"Good girl," he growled and she shuddered from his voice and from the thick sensation of him filling her as she came.

"Drew..." His name fell on a moan from her lips as she twisted under him.

With all the fiery sensations going off inside her and all over, she couldn't lie still. He was so big and hot against her back, and he filled her so completely in this position, she wasn't sure she wouldn't burst into flames at any moment. Drew kept stroking her as he pumped his hips against her backside. She writhed, crying out nonsense as he didn't even let her come down from one high to the next.

At last he stopped stroking her and his sweaty palm moved up her side all the way to her face. He closed his fingers on her chin and turned her head to one side. He kissed her, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as he moved within her body. His thrusting was no longer smooth or controlled.

Mina kissed him back and reached with one hand to clutch his hip. He started at her touch and resumed pumping into her with renewed vigor. She dropped her hand to the bed and clutched at the sheets with her fingers. She pressed her body back against Drew, loving every rough and hard edge of his body rubbing against hers. He kissed her, a desperation in his embrace that had her feeling beyond sexy.

Then he twisted away from her mouth and his fingers dug into her sides in an almost painful grip as he lost control. He let out a cry as he thrust, coming hard inside of her. He dropped against her and Mina collapsed beneath him with a squeak. Drew groaned and rolled off of her, both of them shuddering as he slipped free of her body.

They lay like that for several minutes, the only sound in the room their heavy breathing. Mina turned her head to look at Drew and smiled when she saw his arm flung across his eyes.

"Are you all right?" She lifted her hand to his chest and ran light fingers over the thin layer of hair there.

He lowered his arm and gave her a weak smile. "I've never been more all right than I am this moment."

Mina flushed -- or was she overheated from what they'd just done to each other? -- and moved close to rest her cheek on his chest. His arms came up to close around her and their bodies folded together as if they'd been doing this all their lives.

Like we're made for each other. Mina smiled at the romantic thought.

She wasn't afraid of her feelings for Drew anymore and she wasn't afraid of how he made her feel. She snuggled closer and closed her eyes.

****

A week later, Mina hummed to herself as she arranged the plate before her. She squinted, added one more sprig of mint and then slid the plate away. Someone swept in to take the plate and Mina turned to the next one. Her evening at the club had been going well, everyone doing their part to make things happen in a smooth order.

Mick had stopped in earlier in her shift to tell her he was impressed with her first month. They'd spoken for a few minutes and Mina had been flattered by his praise.

"The others have told me how you take so much care with every dish," he'd said and clapped her on the shoulder.

"Well, that's just because I want to make a good impression."

"That you are. I'm really glad you found us."

"I'm so happy to be here." Mina had grinned at the manager. "Thank you so much for the opportunity."

Mick had nodded and let her get back to work. She hadn't seen him again after that. She hadn't noticed anyone else around her. With everyone doing their jobs and everything moving the way it should, the night was flying by. She was just finishing another plate when Mick stopped by her station.

"Mina, there's someone asking for you out front."

Mina looked up at the manager with a surprised look. "What? Someone asking for me specifically?"
Mick nodded and glanced at his watch. "It's about time for your break. He's in the lounge, I think."

Mina smiled, figuring it was Drew stopping in to surprise her. She finished and hurried away, wiping her hands on her apron.

The dining room was busy and buzzed with a low hum of conversation and laughter. Lucky for Mina, the exit from the kitchen was hidden behind a slightly curved wall. It concealed an employees' hallway that led from the kitchen almost straight to the lounge. She was able to skirt the dining room without being noticed by guests until she got to the lobby.

"Hi, Geena." She stopped at the hostess' station. "Mick said there was a man asking for me?"

Geena smiled and nodded. "He's just there, at the corner of the bar." Mina followed her gesture and nodded. She was about to walk into the lounge when Geena leaned closer to say something else. "He's been here an hour."

Mina frowned. "Really? Why?"

Geena shrugged but gave Mina a conspiratorial wink. "I guess he really wanted to talk to you."

Mina smiled and moved on with a quick 'thank you.' She walked through the lounge and grinned as the dark-haired man turned on his stool to face her. Then she stopped short, all the blood draining from her face.

"Lawrence!"

"Hi, Mina." He stood up and took a step towards her.



Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 09



Mina fought the urge to turn around and run back to the kitchen. She took a step back, her fingers knotting together in her apron and she darted glances to either side of her. The last thing she needed was to make a spectacle of herself in front of the customers.

Lawrence stopped in front of her and gave her an impatient once over, his lips drawn into something resembling a smile. "You look...busy."

"What are you doing here?" Mina kept her voice low.

Lawrence's tense smile slipped. "I want to talk to you."

Mina shook her head. "I'm on break. What do you want?"

"We need to talk." 

She stared at him and he stared back. Mina let her breath out and shook her head. "What can we possibly have to talk about?"

He blinked, as if he was surprised that she wasn't going along with him without question. He straightened his shoulders and looked down at her, standing just a little too close, something he'd always done to intimidate her.

"Look, I've come a long way and I think you could at least do me the courtesy of speaking with me like I asked."

Asked? More like demanded. Mina met his glare with one of her own. She clenched her hands into fists at her sides. "Fine. But not here. Come outside."

Without waiting for a response, she turned away and stalked out the front door. He followed as she walked to the corner of the building, away from the main public entrance.

Mina faced him with a frown and crossed her arms over her chest. "What?"

Lawrence sniffed as he looked down his nose at her. "There's no need to be rude, Mina. I've had to take time out of my busy schedule -- you know what tax season is like for me -- to come and find you here."

Mina let out a short laugh. "And I'm supposed to what? Fall to my knees and thank you?"

"Of course not." His expression told Mina that was exactly what he'd expected.

"Then what?" Mina didn't care if she sounded short. "I'm on a tight schedule of my own."

Lawrence's dark brows drew together and a flash of anger crossed his features. "Stop acting like a huffy teenager. You ran away before we had a chance to discuss what happened like calm, rational adults."

Mina scoffed. "I know what happened, thanks. You didn't need to come here for that."

"It's not like you left me a phone number where I could reach you."

"I think it was pretty clear that things were over." Mina was struggling to keep a lid on her anger. She hated that he was getting her so riled up when she thought she'd moved past all this. "We had nothing to discuss."

"You would say that. You never understood everything I was doing for you."

Mina stared at him. "You must be joking. You cheated on me. You told me to pack my shit and get out of your house. Or have you forgotten that?"

He scowled at her. "I did not come here for this."

"Why did you then?" Mina tried to keep her voice level but it was hard. She hadn't been this shaken up even when she'd walked in on him and his lover in bed.

"I think you should come back home with me."

It was all Mina could do not to gape. "You're not serious."

"Would I have come all the way to this pissant country club if I wasn't serious?" It was the first time his control on his temper slipped.

"No." Mina shook her head. None of this made any sense. "Absolutely not. You've wasted your time."

"What are you talking about?" His eyes narrowed on her face and his voice went ice cold.

"I don't want to come back with you. I'm happy here now, much happier than I would have ever been with you. Your home was never mine."

Lawrence made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "You never said that when I told you to move in with me. I gave you that ring when you complained about not being married. What else could I have done to make you feel more welcome?"

Mina let out a short laugh. "It's astounding that you remember it that way."

"Why should it be? It's what happened."

Mina shook her head. He hadn't changed at all, not that she'd ever expected it. "I'm not surprised that you think so. I have to get back to work. Good-bye, Lawrence."

He scoffed and blocked her way, ignoring her dismissal altogether. "Don't be ridiculous. You're not happy here. You can't be."

She met his angry gaze and pursed her lips. "I am."

"That's unlikely. Alexis told me you were seeing someone new but there's no way you're better off with him."

Mina took a step back, shocked at the mention of her sister and figuring out his reason for visiting with those few words. He was a manipulative, controlling SOB and he couldn't stand the idea of her being happy without him. Had he really come all this way just to prove that?

"Why do you want me back?" she asked.

His lip curled just a bit before he could control his reaction and Mina almost laughed. Here he was, proclaiming his supposed desire for her to come home and his disdain was obvious.

"If you don't really care about me coming back, then why are you here? Are you just trying to prove something? That you're such a catch?"

He nodded and gave her his most sincere smile. To her, he still looked like an overdressed, excessively coiffed jackass. "I brought you to live in my substantial house, I didn't mind that you continued to pursue this...career of yours and I was going to marry you, something that means little enough to you since you left without a word."
Mina crossed her arms over her chest and watched him, feeling nothing but relief that she'd managed to get away from him when she had.

He took a step forward, a smug smile on his face. "Don't tell me you don't want that all back, Mina. Who else would ever want to give you what I can?"

"Well, I'd be a fool to refuse that offer, wouldn't I?" Mina shook her head. How had she ever thought of him as kind and romantic?

He scowled. "What else do you want? An apology? Fine, I'm sorry."

This time, Mina stepped closer, getting in his face. "You're sorry you got caught. You're not sorry for doing it."

"I'm hardly the first man to do such a thing. At least I'm here, making an effort." He spoke to her slowly, as if she were an insolent child. "We were engaged, Mina. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"As much as it did to you when you fucked that woman," Mina snapped and whirled away from him.

She stalked back into the building and hurried to the kitchen, avoiding everyone until she was in the kitchen. Once there, she yanked open the cooler door and walked inside. When the door shut behind her, she took a deep breath and bent over to put her hands on her knees. For a few seconds, she thought she might pass out. There was a mixture of adrenaline and shock running through her system and she'd never felt so wound up before.

At length, her breathing evened out and she straightened, her hands at her waist. She checked the ties on her apron and brushed her hands over her hair to make sure everything was all right. Then she exited the cooler and ignored the glances of her colleagues as she walked to the sink to wash her hands.

The rest of the night passed by in a blur. Meals came and went in front of her but she couldn't remember any of it. Mick came by and sent her home early when business seemed to slow down. She went without argument and even the ride home on the bus and Metro was a blur.

At home, Hilary was asleep on the couch so Mina moved around quietly as she got ready for bed. She lay awake for a long time, turning over the conversation with Lawrence in her mind and frowning in the darkness when she considered her own sister's betrayal. Maybe that was a tad dramatic but she'd never thought Alexis would involve herself in her relationships to such a degree.

How dare she tell Lawrence how to find me. Where does she get off telling him anything about me?

Mina rolled to her side, the digital numbers on her alarm clock glowing in her face. It was just past two in the morning and she'd been stewing for hours. She tamped down the urge to call Drew, knowing he needed his rest as much as she did. After some tossing and turning, she fell into a fitful sleep.

****

In the morning, Mina woke up with stiff limbs and puffy eyes. She felt like she'd fallen asleep crying. Renewed anger and frustration surged that Lawrence and Alexis had ruined yet another night's sleep. She double-checked the schedule on her cell phone to make sure she didn't work and then curled up under her covers. She would have stayed there for another several hours had Hilary not come knocking on her door.

"Wakey, wakey, sleephead." Hilary opened the door and walked in.

Mina stayed under her covers and hoped her roommate would leave her alone. Hilary wasn't deterred. She plopped down on the bed beside her and laid a hand on Mina's hip. "It's almost ten. Are you all right? You hardly ever sleep past seven."

With a groan, Mina uncovered her head. "So?"

Hilary smiled and leaned over her. "So, I'm worried. Did you have a bad night?"

Mina sighed and pushed her hair off her face. "You could say that."

"Did someone burn you or did you cut off a finger?"

"Yeah. And I came right home instead of going to a hospital." Mina pushed the blankets off and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Work was fine."

Hilary lifted her eyebrows but didn't say anything. Mina stood up and stretched. She turned to face her friend and put her hands on her hips.

"Lawrence came to the club last night."

Hilary's jaw dropped. Mina might have found her expression comical if she wasn't still so pissed about the whole thing.

"You've got to be joking."

Mina let out a short laugh. "Why would I ever make a joke like that?"

"I don't...holy crap. What the hell was he doing there?"

"He came to talk to me." Mina rubbed her face with her hands and started to describe the entire episode to her friend. When she finished, she sat down beside Hilary and the two of them stared at the far wall for a long moment.

"What are you going to do?"

Mina frowned at Hilary. "What do you mean, what am I going to do? I'm not going to do anything. I told him I never wanted to see him again."

Hilary gave her a smile and put her arm around her shoulders. "I know and I'm so proud of you for telling him off."

Mina allowed herself a smile as well as she recalled the look of surprise on Lawrence's face. It had been satisfying and now that she'd had time to process it, the feeling of closure was also gratifying.

"Are you going to tell Drew?"

Mina shrugged. "Sure. Why wouldn't I tell him?"

"Won't it be awkward?"

"Maybe but it's better than keeping it to myself." Mina smiled and bumped her arm against Hilary. "It's not like I did anything wrong."

"No! No, definitely not. I didn't mean that you did." Hilary let her breath out and shook her head. "I just can't believe Alexis would have meddled like that."

Mina gave a mirthless laugh and nodded. "Yeah."

"You should call Alexis. Or better yet, go to Baltimore and give her a piece of your mind."

Mina grinned, feeling some of the weight on her shoulders lift. "How would I manage that? Hitchhike?"

"No. I'll lend you my car."

"That's nice but I'm not going to confront her."

Hilary sniffed and brushed her hair back over her shoulder. "You should."

"Maybe. Not today."

They fell silent until Hilary stood up and headed for the door. "Well, the offer stands. Just let me know when you need the car."

Mina smiled. "Thanks. You're a good friend."

Hilary nodded and left her alone in her room. Mina flopped backwards on her bed, wondering if she should get up or crawl back under the covers. As it was already past midmorning, Mina didn't want to waste any more of her day. She'd be back to work the next day and didn't have more time off until the following Wednesday. Drew had offered her tickets to the last home game for the Capitals in the regular season on that night and they had plans for the day after.

She smiled as she recalled their last conversation. Drew had been assuring her over and over that he didn't want to neglect her as the playoffs approached but that he might anyway by accident. She'd laughed it off and told him to stop worrying. Hilary and Lena had already explained numerous times how the players focus on the games and practices and little else when it comes to the post season.

"I'm just impressed you've spent as much time with me as you have," she'd said.

Drew had grinned and hugged her. "I couldn't not spend time with you. You're completely addictive."

Mina had laughed and tried to fight him off but surrendered to his kisses instead. He was her addiction as well, but the good kind of addiction, like chocolate or bubble baths.

Mina's stomach rumbled and she decided she needed breakfast before she did anything else. Hilary was watching TV in the living room when Mina walked to the kitchen. She poured herself some cereal and carried it out to the living room. She sat next to Hilary on the couch and smiled when she saw what was on TV.

"You just can't get enough of him, huh?" Mina indicated the screen where ESPN was showing an interview from last night's game featuring Mark Gaines.

Hilary flashed her a grin and shook her head. "Nope."

Mina munched on her cereal as the show went on and Hilary flipped through the magazine on her lap. On the commercial break, Hilary snapped the magazine closed and turned to Mina.

"You're off today, right?" Hilary asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"You want to go shopping or something? Maybe get manicures? Do something fun, just the two of us?"

Mina hadn't realized until then that she and Hilary hadn't done anything like that since she'd moved to Arlington. Between work and Mina's drama, they'd only had a night or two together, or with Lena. "That's a great idea, Hil."

Hilary grinned and nodded. "I'll go shower and change while you call Drew."

She bounded off the couch and down the hall, leaving Mina laughing on the couch. Not that Mina was going to argue. She carried her empty bowl to the kitchen and picked up the phone. Drew answered after the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey there. What's wrong? You sound upset."

Drew chuckled. "Hi. Yeah, I'm kind of ticked right now."

"Why?"

Drew didn't say anything at first and Mina frowned as she leaned against the kitchen counter.

"Drew?"

He expelled his breath on a noisy sigh and Mina could almost picture him rubbing his face like he always did when he was stressed. "I think Carter's keeping something from me."

"Oh? Something bad?"

"I don't know. He's being weird and he's been hanging out with these new friends of his from work."

"He's allowed to have friends."

"I know that. I don't have a problem with him having friends."

"Then what's the big deal? At least he's out of your hair once in a while."

Drew made a noise that might have been agreement. Mina rolled her eyes and walked down the hall to her room.

"I just can't stop wondering if he's getting into his old habits," he said.

"Does he come home in the early morning hours?"

"No. I don't think so."

"Does he come home smelling like booze and slurring his words?"

"No. Not that I've noticed."

Mina smiled. "Then he's probably just being a regular guy and hanging out with his friends. Maybe they play video games or look at dirty magazines together."

Drew laughed. "Oh, whatever. He was probably looking at porn years ago."

"Probably because you didn't hide your girlie magazines well enough, right?"

At Drew's sound of protest, Mina laughed. "Try not to be so hard on Carter. He's just being a normal nineteen-year-old and having a good time with his new friends."

"You really think that's what it is?"

"Yes and I think you're overreacting just a bit about all this."

He didn't say anything for a few seconds and Mina wondered if she'd offended him.

"Don't you ever worry about Adam?" he asked.

"Not really."

"Never? Even though he's on his own and probably going to parties every weekend?"

Mina scoffed. "He's too busy with basketball to party."

"That's what you think. I was in college for sports too and I always made time to party."

Mina frowned. "Well, Adam's not you. And neither is Carter."

Again, Drew fell silent. Mina waited a few seconds and when she opened her mouth to say she'd call him later, he spoke.

"You just don't know what it's like to worry for someone like this."

"Excuse me?"

"You don't understand. Carter's so young and he's my little brother. I just can't help but worry that he's been making some of the worst mistakes of his life."

"I do understand but you're being way overprotective." Mina stifled the urge to yell. He was frustrating the hell out of her. "You keep saying you know Carter's a good kid but you think he's out being a bonehead and partying just because he doesn't come straight home from work every day."

"That's because it's what happened in Boston."

"And look what he ended up doing when your parents rode him too hard," Mina snapped in reply.

Drew hesitated before responding. "Are you mad at me?"

Mina sighed. "I'm annoyed."

"I'm just trying to explain."

"I get that but you're still overreacting."

"I didn't think I was being all that bad."

"Well, you are."

He chuckled. "Don't hold back, Mina."

"I won't."

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to take out my frustrations on you."

Mina smiled and sat down on the end of her bed. "I don't mind listening. You just seem to be coming back to this over and over."

"I know. I can't help but worry."

"Why? Not only is Carter doing everything he said he would, but you also said you would be easier on him and not give him such a hard time."

"I did?"

Mina laughed. "Yes."

Drew let out a noisy sigh. "God, I hate when you're right."

"You should be used to it by now."

"You're right. Again." He chuckled and Mina lay back on her bed with a smile on her face. She loved to listen to his laugh and she loved keeping him on his toes. "OK, change the subject then. What are you up to today?"

Mina told him about her plans with Hilary and they talked a bit about the upcoming playoffs. Drew assured her again that he would do his best to stay a dutiful boyfriend.

"This may come as a shock to you but I'm not going to freak out because you don't call me every day."

Drew snorted. "Maybe I will if I don't talk to you."

Mina grinned. She spotted Hilary passing by her open doorway, finished with the bathroom.

"I've got to go get ready," Mina said. "Have a good game tonight."

"Are you going to watch?"

"Yeah, I think Hilary and I are supposed to meet up with Lena later."

"Cool. Have a good time."

"Thanks, bye."

"Bye."

Mina hurried to the bathroom and showered. She and Hilary left within an hour and Mina forgot about her worries, if only for a little while.

****

Drew was beyond wired as the game against the Florida Panthers started the following week. It was the Capitals' last home game and they were all set and pumped for the playoffs. For now, they had two games remaining against their division rivals.

Time to make a point. He grinned as the music for their intro started and Anatoli sidled up next to him.

"You ready?"

Drew nodded. "Are you ready?"

His teammate nodded and they faced the rest of the team as they started to file out of the dressing room. Their goalie went out first and somewhere in the middle, Drew took his place in the line. Then he hit the ice and felt his blood start to pump a little bit faster.

This was going to be a good game. He could feel it.

And afterward, he'd go over to Mina's and make the most of his few remaining free days before the playoffs started.

The thought of spending a whole night with Mina, the whole next two nights, made his blood race for a whole different reason and as he took his spot on the bench, he couldn't make the grin on his face go away. Mark nudged him on one side and Drew slid down to make room.




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 09



Then the lights went up and the puck dropped and it was on.

The energy in the building was high and Drew could feel the team soaking up the crowd's enthusiasm. They played hard for the first twenty minutes, capitalizing on two power plays. The second period was just as fast. Coming into the third, Drew wondered if they were all a little overconfident. In the end, it didn't matter. Florida made a late effort, but still came up short. Obie put the final nail in the coffin with an empty net goal in the final minute and then it was all over.

Drew had assisted on a couple goals, a good night for him. He smiled as he listened in on the interviews in the locker room around him. The reporters didn't often turn to him and he didn't mind, especially on a night like this, when he was more than eager to just get home to Mina.

The thought made him pause. Home to Mina. Not quite but the thought made him feel good.

With a grin, he finished getting dressed following his shower and hurried from the building. He didn't bother calling ahead to Mina as they'd already decided he'd just go after the game. She'd ended up being called in to work and couldn't come to the game as they'd planned. Drew had stifled his disappointed response, knowing Mina wanted to do her best to meet expectations at the club.

Forget it, Drew. He reminded himself as he crossed into Arlington. She would have come to the game if she could have.

In a short while, he pulled up in front of her building and rang the buzzer. Mina let him in and he raced up the stairs, feeling like he hadn't just played in a hockey game. Mina was waiting with the door open as he hurried down the hall and grinned when he wrapped his arms around her.

"I missed you tonight." He buried his face in her hair and inhaled. She smelled of fresh shampoo and the curly tendrils that brushed against his nose were still damp.

"Did you?" Mina giggled as he nuzzled her neck through the damp curls. "You're such a sweet talker."

Drew pulled back and winked. "Don't I know it."

She led him inside the apartment and shut the door. Drew couldn't get his coat and shoes off fast enough. Once free of them, he swept Mina into his arms. She laughed and tried to push him away, though he knew it was a token effort on her part.

"Don't you ever get tired of picking me up?"

He shook his head and kissed her. When he pulled away, Mina sighed and blinked dark lashes at him.

"I can't keep my hands off you, Mina."

She smiled and he lowered his head to trail kisses down the side of her throat. She shivered in his arms. "You'll forget all about me next week once the playoffs start."

Drew scoffed and set her back on her feet. They walked into the living room together and sat down on the couch. "I won't forget about you."

Mina leaned close to his side. She put a hand around his shoulder and pulled herself halfway across his lap. Drew turned to stare at her. She had been coming out of her shell over the past few weeks and she didn't blush around him near as often as she used to, but he was still surprised to have her making moves on him. As he continued to study her, she bit her lip and color rose in her cheeks.

Ah, there's the Mina I know. He grinned and wrapped his arms around her. "I will be thinking of you. I won't be able to help myself."

"I can deal with that."

Drew chuckled. "I think the worst part is going to be not seeing as much of you as I want to."

A smile spread across Mina's face and Drew felt his heart pound a little harder when he caught the glint in her eye. She leaned closer until he felt her breath against his neck and he suppressed a shiver.

"You can see as much of me as you want right now."

His eyes widened as she sat back to look at his face. "What?"

The teasing smile stayed on her pretty face as Mina pushed herself up from the couch to stand in front of him. Her hands went to the buttons on her sweater and Drew gaped as she popped them open, one by one. She peeled the cardigan off and tossed it behind her. Then she reached for the bottom of her t-shirt.

"Shouldn't there be music?" Drew asked and laughed at her surprised look.

"You want music?"

"I want to see you naked."

Mina laughed and in spite of her confident display, Drew could see the hesitation. He grinned and sat up so he could pull his shirt off.

"What are you doing?" she asked with another laugh as he threw his shirt aside.

"I'm doing my part. You take something off and I'll take something off."

Mina eyed him with a smile and nodded. "All right." Then she whipped her shirt over her head and Drew choked on a breath when he saw her naked torso.

"You're not wearing a bra."

Mina looked down and her hands fluttered around her chest before she shrugged. "Oops. Must have forgotten after my shower." She looked at him again. "Your turn."

"I'm not wearing a bra either."

She burst out laughing. "Then off with your pants, Stams."

Drew cocked an eyebrow at her but her expectant look didn't change. He shrugged and stood up. He undid his button and zipper and let the jeans shimmy down his legs to land on the floor.

"Very nice." Mina stared at his boxers.

He glanced down. "You don't like Wile E. Coyote?"

Mina giggled. "I didn't think you'd like him there."

Drew had to laugh at that. "Take off your pants, sweetness, and I'll do my part to get rid of him."

Mina laughed but did as he suggested, pushing her loose cotton pants over her hips and letting them fall to the floor. Drew just about staggered to his knees before her.

"You're not...wearing any panties?"

"Oh shoot. Looks like I forgot those too."

Drew couldn't stand the tease any longer. He reached for her and dragged her down onto his lap as he sank back onto the couch. Mina didn't fight his hold and when she plastered her luscious naked body to his, Drew let out a groan.

"You've still got Wile E. Coyote on your crotch."

He chuckled and pushed his hands into her hair as he met her gaze. "What are you gonna do about it?"

Mina blinked and caught her bottom lip between her teeth. Then she squirmed off his lap and knelt on the floor beside the couch. Drew sucked in a breath and swallowed with some difficulty as she reached for the waistband of his boxers.

"A little help," she whispered and Drew lifted his hips so she could tug the boxers off.

She slid her hands back up his legs after stripping him, her eyes lowered. Drew watched her, struggling not to reach for her. He wanted her to do whatever she wanted, whatever she was thinking of with that look on her face.

Before he could react, she circled his erection with her hands. His breath hissed out through his teeth and she glanced up at him through her lashes.

"Is this OK?"

Drew wanted to shout 'YES!' but didn't want to freak her out. He'd known from the first that she wasn't a sex kitten. He liked that about her; her shyness, her honesty about her lack of guile. But if she wanted to use him as she learned some new tricks, he wasn't going to complain.

Oh hell no.

"Mina, everything you do is more than OK."

She smiled and lowered her head. Drew watched her lips touch the tip of his member and choked back a groan at the first swipe of her tongue on his heated skin. She made a humming noise and licked him again. He let his head fall back on the couch and pictured oozing cuts and toe jam in an effort to keep from shooting his load.

Mina licked up one side of him and down the other, then did it again, pausing to lap at the tip a few times. Drew dug his fingers into the couch cushion and fought every instinct he had to thrust his hips. Then she sucked the whole head into her mouth and he let out a loud groan. He couldn't take any more of this. He sank his fingers into her hair and gently pulled her away.

She looked up at him with a nervous expression and licked the corner of her mouth. Drew felt his body jerk in response and hauled her up into his arms.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked in a quiet voice.

Drew couldn't speak so he shook his head and pulled her close for a kiss. He twisted his fingers in her hair to keep her head trapped and didn't relent until she let out a tiny moan. She wriggled on his lap until her legs settled on the outside of his thighs.

Oh yes, just where I want you. Drew pulled back to look at her.

She had her eyes closed and her warm breath washed over his lips. Reaching for her hand, Drew brushed another kiss over her lips. She leaned into him and kissed him back, her tongue sliding into his mouth. He angled his head to penetrate as deep as he could, all while he pushed her hand down to grasp his erection.

She gasped into his mouth but he wouldn't let her pull away. Her fingers closed around him and together they stroked his length, once, twice and on the third pass, Drew knew he needed to be inside her.

As if she could read his mind, she lifted her hips and he slid all along the wet length of her. They moaned, breaking their kiss but keeping their faces close together. Her eyelids fluttered open and Drew could see the dark desire in her eyes.

Then he pushed up with his hips and sank into her. Her breath left her on a sigh and he drank it in, licking her lips before delving into her mouth again. They started to move together, rocking back and forth on the couch, their rushed breathing and the couch springs squeaking the only sounds in the room.

When Drew grasped her hips and drove deep, Mina arched her neck and tore her lips from his.

"Oh God!"

She grabbed his shoulders and held on as he did it again. And again. Drew grinned through his haze of lust and desire as he watched her riding him. She was beautiful in the soft glow of the living room lights, with her hair all tumbled around her shoulders and her body flushed that beautiful shade of pink. She wasn't self-conscious anymore and Drew was the luckiest guy on the planet to be the only one who got to see her like this.

With a growl, Drew pulled her head back down and kissed her. She moaned and dug her fingernails into his shoulders. He hissed at the sting but didn't relent. He couldn't stop himself from trying to go deeper, to feel more of her tightening around him. He slid his hands from her hair over her shoulders and down her bare back. She shuddered in his arms and he lifted his eyes to her face in time to see her blink in surprise at him.

"What?"

She shook her head and gave him a slow, sensual smile that made him ease his movements. She shimmied closer and Drew's breath stuck in his throat. They pressed together from chest to hips and he could feel the pounding rhythm of her heart against his ribs. She bent her head and kissed his cheek, slid her lips to his chin and nuzzled the curve of his neck. Then she circled her pelvis against him and Drew gasped.

"Do that again," he demanded.

Mina smiled, her lips tickling the underside of his jaw and did as he asked. He slipped his hands down and cupped her perfect bottom. He squeezed and her rocking move faltered. They paused for a nanosecond, catching their breath and Mina nipped the side of his neck with her teeth. Drew shut his eyes and pushed up hard. She gasped and rocked back into his hands. He held her close and did it again. And again. And over and over until they were both sweaty and panting and straining for release.

It hit Drew like a thunderbolt. He clutched Mina close and pressed his face to the crook of her neck. He felt her arms tighten around his shoulders and heard her breath catch. Then her body arched back and she cried out as she pushed down hard on him. They rode the crest of the wave together, pushing and thrusting until they were both breathless and limp.

After a few minutes -- or a day, Drew was pretty sure he'd lost all sense of time, along with his mind -- Mina sat back on his thighs and cupped his face in her hands.

"Open your eyes."

He blinked them open and smiled up at her. She let out a soft laugh and leaned down to kiss him. A quick, sweet kiss that got under Drew's skin, went right to his heart and took hold. He circled her waist with his arms and pulled her close.

They stayed like that for another minute until Mina pulled back. They disentangled and Mina took his hand to lead him down the hall to her room. He thought she'd want to sleep but as soon as they were on her bed, she wrapped her body around his and started to kiss him everywhere she could reach. Drew wasn't a fighter. He made love to her again and would always, for as long as she wanted him to.

****

When Mina woke up in the morning, Drew wasn't in bed with her. She rolled to her back and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Her bedroom door was open and she heard water running in the bathroom across the hall. She smiled as she pulled the covers up to her chin and snuggled deeper into the bedding.

Neither of them had to work and Mina intended to take advantage. She wanted to be lazy and romantic and stay naked all day. If she was persuasive, she was certain she could get Drew to agree to the same thing. She smiled as she imagined just how persuasive she could be.

A few weeks ago, she'd never have considered lounging naked in bed, waiting for Drew to come in to her room. It felt so freeing and comfortable to be around him now. There was no one point in recent days that had changed things for her. She just knew she wasn't that same shy, soft-spoken doormat she had been.

The door to the bathroom opened and Drew walked out. Mina lifted her head and grinned as he walked -- naked! -- back into her room. He smiled when he saw her awake and slipped beneath the covers to snuggle up against her.

"Got any plans today?" he asked as he brushed soft kisses over her forehead, cheeks and chin.

"No. You?"

"Just this."

Mina let out a contented sigh and rested her head on his chest. They lay quietly together for a long while, just listening to each other's breathing and touching each other's bodies with gentle fingers.

"Are you nervous about playoffs?" Mina was the first to break the silence.

Drew's deep chuckle rumbled beneath her cheek and she smiled. "Not at all. Well, maybe a little but it's more like a nervous excitement, you know?"

"Sure."

"I just can't wait to get out there and go for the Cup."

Mina smiled at his excited tone. "Haven't you been 'going for the Cup' all this time?"

"I guess. Playoffs are different." He paused and Mina lifted a hand to run fingers through the hair on his chest. "Do you think you'll be able to come to any games?"

Mina lifted her face to look at him. "Can you get me tickets?"

"Of course. I'm sure Hilary and Lena will be at the home games, so you won't have to go alone."

Mina nodded and smiled at the look in his eyes, as if she'd just agreed to fly him to the moon. "I want to be there to support you, Drew. A few different nights at work shouldn't be difficult to manage."

"But you've only been there a month."

"Yeah, but when I tell Mick that I need a night off because you're my boyfriend and I'll be going to a game, I'm sure he'll understand. He's a die-hard Capitals fan."

Drew laughed and hugged her close. "Awesome. Tell him I'll get him a ticket to a game, too."

Mina laughed and shook her head. They fell silent again and Mina shifted closer, tucking her head under Drew's chin. His arm slid higher around her back and their legs tangled together in a familiar move.

"How's Carter doing?" Mina asked.

"Good, I think."

Mina smiled and patted his chest in a mock-comforting gesture. Drew chuckled and closed his fingers over hers to still them.

"He had a good time in Boston and I think he's talking to our parents a couple times a week, when he's not working."

"That's good, isn't it?"

She felt his chin rub her head as he nodded.

"It is," he agreed. "I'm glad they're talking. He's been working a lot lately, taking a lot of extra shifts."

Mina chewed her lip for a second, wondering if she should mention it. "Do you think he's saving for something?"

"I don't know. A car, maybe?"

"What about school?"

Drew huffed out a laugh. "I doubt it. After the way things went in college, and how he left, I can't think he'd want to go back."

Mina lifted her head and rested her chin on his chest. "Maybe he's thinking of taking something different or going to a new school. Sometimes it takes a while to figure out what you want to do. I know it did for me."

Drew's brows pulled together in a frown. "Maybe. I still don't think that's it." He exhaled and shifted from under her. "Are you hungry?"

Mina shrugged. "I could eat."

He nodded as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I'll make breakfast."

"You will?" Mina laughed. "I didn't know you could cook."

Drew grinned over his shoulder as he pulled his pants on. "Then you'll be impressed when I whip up the best bowl of cereal you've ever tasted!" He leaned down to kiss her and then walked out of the room.

Mina watched him go and shook her head. She couldn't believe Carter still hadn't told Drew. She didn't know what the big deal was. Drew might be surprised but Mina was sure he'd also be pleased to know Carter had some direction.

With a sigh, Mina got up and pulled on a long sleep shirt before walking out to the kitchen. In spite of what he'd said, Drew seemed to be working on something more complex than cereal.

He stood in front of the open fridge and glanced up when she walked in. "Where's your ketchup?"

Mina wrinkled her nose. "I guess we ran out. I don't make ketchup a priority when I'm grocery shopping."

"What do you put on your eggs, then?"

"Cheese or just salt and pepper, depending on my mood."

Drew frowned and turned back to the fridge. "What am I supposed to put on my eggs?"

Mina laughed. "Guess you'll have to be creative."

Drew grumbled something unintelligible as he bent closer to the fridge. He pulled out eggs, along with a brick of cheddar, mushrooms and some colorful bell peppers. Mina's stomach rumbled when she realized he was going to attempt omelets.

She stifled a giggle as she watched Drew search for a knife and cutting board. At her muffled snort of amusement, he turned and lifted his eyebrows in question.

"Cupboard to the left of the stove." She pointed. "And the drawer beside that has plastic bowls. The knife block is on the counter."

Drew muttered some more and Mina laughed outright. She walked over to the counter to help him.

"No, what are you doing?" He tried to wrest the cutting board out of her hands.

"I want to help."

"But I said I'd make you breakfast." Drew grabbed the bowl she pulled out of the cupboard next. "You cook all the time. I want to give you a break."

Mina grinned and stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. She'd meant to keep it short and sweet but a growl of pleasure rumbled up from Drew's chest. His arm went around her and the bowl clattered to the floor. Mina broke the kiss with a giggle when Drew lifted her onto the counter.

"God, haven't you had enough?" she asked but eased her legs apart to let him move closer.

"Never." He leaned in and nipped the side of her neck.

Mina sighed and let her head tip back to let Drew have his fun. A few minutes of lazy, hot, wet kisses passed and when their mouths came together again, both their stomachs let out hunger sounds. Loud hunger sounds. They broke apart with a laugh and Drew set Mina back on her feet.

"All right. You can help. But I want you naked five minutes after we eat."

Mina rolled her eyes but moved around the kitchen to grab what they needed. In a few minutes, they each had simple omelets on plates with glasses of juice and they sat across from each other at the table.

"Why did you say that about Carter before?" Drew asked between bites.

She finished her mouthful and shrugged. "I just think a bad experience at college doesn't mean he has to give up on college altogether. He's still young"




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 09



"He's a stubborn guy most of the time." Drew tapped his fork on the edge of his plate. "I don't think he'd choose school again so soon."

Again, Mina shrugged. They chewed a few bites in silence. Mina knew she had to say something.

"Not all schools are like your average college," she said and took a sip of her juice. "I think Carter's looking in a different direction."

Drew stared at her. "What makes you say that?"

Mina sucked in a deep breath and set her fork down. "Because he told me."

"What? When? What did he tell you?"

"We had lunch a few weeks ago, before my dad's birthday dinner."

Drew's eyes widened. "That long ago?"

Mina nodded. "He asked me about Baltimore International and what he'd have to do to go there."

Drew stared at her. "He did? Cooking school?"

"Yeah. He's really into the idea of being a chef. I told him about my experiences and I suggested he contact the admissions office to see what he needed to do. He said he would and I haven't talked to him about it since." Mina paused and cocked her head to one side. "You're surprised."

"You could say that."

Neither of them spoke for a minute. Mina felt her stomach clench in apprehension at the tension rising in Drew. He closed his mouth and clenched his jaw while his eyes narrowed. He dropped his fork on the plate with a clang and pushed away from the table.

"Drew--"

"When were you going to tell me about all this?"

Mina sighed. "Carter asked me not to say anything. He didn't seem sure about it and maybe he wanted to look into it a bit more before he brought it up."

Drew paced the kitchen floor and scowled at her words. "That little coward. He couldn't man up to tell me himself that he was planning to move to a different city again and live on his own?"

Mina let out a light laugh. "He'd hardly be on his own. Baltimore International has dorms."

"Oh yeah, because he did so damn well in residence at Boston College."

"He also learned from his mistakes, Drew. There's no reason to think he'd do the same thing, especially if he was actually interested in school."

Drew barked out a harsh laugh and stopped pacing to face her. "You don't know my brother at all. What makes you so sure?"

Mina bristled at his accusatory tone. "For starters, he came to me and told me what he wants to do."

"Yeah. And you kept it from me."

"I'm sorry for not telling you but Carter asked me not to. I didn't want to give away his secret if he was planning to surprise you."

"This is definitely a surprise. Mission accomplished."

Mina sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Sit down. You're overreacting."

"Don't tell me what I am," he snapped and started pacing again. "I can't believe this. I can't believe he thinks he can get away with just taking off and not telling anyone."

"I don't think he was planning to just take off again."

"Well, he sure isn't being up front about it."

Mina frowned. "Why are you so upset by all this? You should be glad that Carter's figured out what he wants."

"He's nineteen! He doesn't know what he wants." Drew threw his hands up in the air. "It's not going to last and he'll quit again or be kicked out or whatever."

"You don't know that."

"Neither do you. Carter is my brother."

Mina stood up. She didn't like the way Drew was looming over her. "I know that. That doesn't change the fact that he felt more comfortable talking to me about school."

"Yeah, he talked to you, someone he hardly knows."

Mina blew out a noisy breath and crossed her arms over her chest. "And how well does he know you? You're his brother, but you're also ten years older. Don't you remember when you first went off to college? Carter would have been all of eight years old."

"What's your point? He didn't stop being my brother because I left home."

"No. You have to understand that you don't know him as well as you might think you do."

"And you think you know him better?"

"I didn't say that." Mina narrowed her eyes. "Stop trying to twist this around. What is really wrong here?"

"I can't believe you think there's nothing wrong with him keeping this from me."

Mina shut her eyes for a brief moment. "He didn't do anything wrong, Drew. Carter was so intimidated by you that he didn't feel like he could talk to you about his future. He talked to me because I'm a chef, that's why. Not because he wanted to piss you off or go behind your back."

"But that's exactly what he did!"

"And with good reason too, it seems," Mina shot back.

They scowled at each other for a long moment.

"I can't believe you kept this from me," Drew said.

Mina blinked. "What?"

"You lied to me."

"I didn't--"

"What else aren't you telling me?"

Mina gaped. What had gotten into him? Had he spiked his omelet? "I'm not keeping anything from you. It wasn't like I lied about Carter. He just asked me not to say anything."

"You may as well have lied."

Mina threw her hands up in the air. "You're not making any sense."

"Why didn't you tell me about it before?"

Mina stifled a frustrated groan. They were going around in circles. "Because it didn't come up in conversation."

"Every time I told you about Carter and how I was worried about him doesn't count as 'coming up in conversation?'" Drew snapped. "Why did you lie to me about him?"

"I never lied, you jackass!" Mina whirled away and paced across the kitchen. "I can't believe you're twisting this all around. Do you hear yourself? Do you realize what you're saying to me?"

Drew didn't move from his spot. "You tell my brother's thinking of leaving Arlington right after he ran away from home to come here." He scoffed. "He wants to become a cook, of all things. He could do anything with his life but he chose cooking?"

Mina stopped and stared at Drew. She couldn't believe he'd just said that and even worse, that he didn't seem to think he'd said anything wrong.

Drew didn't notice her expression or her silence. "It's just like him to pick some half-assed job that he can waste time on, crushing my parent's spirits again in the process."

Through his tirade, Mina didn't say anything. She felt the hurt and anger welling up inside and knew she wouldn't be able to brush this away.

Drew met her gaze and lifted his chin. "What?"

"'Half-assed job?'" she repeated. "You think becoming a chef is a waste of time?"

Drew's eyes grew wide and he started to shake his head. But the damage was done.

"You are a stubborn, narrow-minded piece of work." She straightened her shoulders, no longer feeling like she was about to cry. "I think you should go."

"Mina, I didn't--"

"I don't want to hear it. Just go. I think you...I think we've both said enough for now." With that, she turned away and didn't say another word.

She heard Drew take a step towards her and then he let out a noisy sigh and left the kitchen. A few minutes later, she heard him return and glanced over her shoulder to see him standing in the kitchen entrance, fully clothed.

"Mina..."

"Don't. I'm so mad right now, I can't even see straight."

Drew frowned but Mina didn't relent. A few weeks ago, she might have. She probably would have apologized and accepted blame for all of it.

Drew didn't say anything else. He left the apartment, slamming the door behind him. Mina winced at the noise and collapsed in her chair. She dropped her head in her hands and sucked in a shaky breath.

Well, for a first fight, that was a whopper, she thought and let out a weak laugh that turned into a sob. Then the sniffles started and she rested her head on the table to let it out. Strong or not, that was a lot to deal with first thing in the morning.



Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 10



Thanks for coming along for the ride. I loved writing it and I hope you loved reading it.

It's a long chapter, settle in and enjoy!

Take care and happy reading.

M. ;)

****

Drew didn't go home right after that awful fight with Mina. He sat in his car for about a half hour first, then he drove around in ever-widening circles through Arlington. When he found himself close to the exits for the Beltway, he headed home. His mood remained foul as he got home and it was lucky for Carter, Drew thought, that his little brother was out. The way he was feeling, he'd have torn a strip off Carter.

Drew grimaced when he recalled what he'd said to Mina. He knew he'd crossed a line and hated himself for it. I'd promised myself I'd never hurt her like that. Then at the first unpleasant thing she tells me, I snap.

He grumbled to himself as he walked into the house and headed upstairs to shower and change. After that, he couldn't sit still. He ended up going for a jog and then coming back and working out in his makeshift gym in the basement. He stopped when he heard Carter come into the house but stayed downstairs. He was still too worked up and he knew if he started talking to his brother, he'd get mad and drive him away.

Just like I did to Mina.

A sick feeling settled in the pit of Drew's stomach and he sat on the weight bench with his hands on his knees for a long minute. He couldn't believe he'd lost it on her. He wasn't like that. He wasn't that guy, on or off the ice.

He groaned and rubbed his hands over his sweaty face. He pushed up from the bench and grabbed a towel off the nearby equipment rack. Then he walked upstairs, figuring he'd have to talk to Carter sooner or later. Maybe his little brother could explain why he'd gone to Mina instead of him.

"Carter?"

"In the kitchen," came the response.

Drew wiped his face and head as he walked down the hall. "How was work?"

Carter stood by the fridge, making a sandwich. "I was at an interview for a new job."

Drew stopped just inside the doorway. "What? Why?"

Carter shrugged and finished up with the mustard before putting it back in the fridge. "The Verizon Center is all right but I need to start making more if I'm going to be able to move out."

Drew shook his head. "What are you talking about? You don't have to move out."

Carter tossed a grin over his shoulder. "I know you're not kicking me out, bro, but I can't stay here forever." He turned and pulled a plate out from the cupboard. "You and Mina aren't going to want me underfoot every time you're here."

Drew scowled. Carter laughed at his expression as he slapped the sandwich on the plate and carried it to the table.

"Actually, I was thinking of moving out in the fall. Maybe earlier." Carter winked at Drew as he bit into his sandwich.

Drew clenched his hands into fists. "Cut the crap. When were you going to tell me about your plans to go to cooking school?"

Carter's eyes popped open wide and he swallowed his bite before speaking. "Mina told you?"

"You should have told me."

"I was going to."

Drew raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? When? The day you graduated?"

Carter snorted. "No. Before that. I'd want to make sure you could come to the ceremony."

Drew threw his sweaty towel at Carter. It hit Carter in the face and he yelped before chucking it back with a scowl.

"Don't be an ass, Carter. Tell me now what's going on and don't make jokes."

Carter eyed him and ate another bite of his sandwich before responding. "I've always liked to cook, I guess. I never really thought about doing it, like, as a job or anything but then you started going out with Mina. I saw how cool it was, everything she does. I wanted to learn more." He shrugged. "So I asked if she'd meet with me and tell me what she had to go through and all that."

Drew moved over to sit across from Carter. "Were you going to do all this without telling me?"

"I was going to tell you."

Drew sighed. "Carter..."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep it from you for this long."

"Why'd you feel the need to keep it from me at all?"

Carter shrugged and looked away.

Drew waited but Carter remained silent. "Come on, Carter, tell me why you were lying. You made Mina lie to me too."

Carter shot to his feet and pointed a finger at him. "Don't do that. Don't make this out to be something else. I asked Mina not to say anything. This has nothing to do with her. And anyway, she'd never do anything to hurt you."

Drew grimaced at Carter's words. His brother was right; Mina would never have hurt him. Not like he'd done to her earlier. God, I am the world's biggest ass. He sighed and rested his elbows on the table.

"Wait a second." Carter sat down again. "What did you say to Mina when she told you?"

Drew couldn't meet his eyes.

"Oh man, what did you say? Were you a jerk?"

"That's one way of putting it."

Carter stared at him. "What's the big deal?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, sure, I should have told you and I definitely shouldn't have put Mina in that position, but it's really not that big a deal."

Drew looked at him for a long second and then nodded. "It's not a big deal to you. I guess...I don't know. I guess I was ticked that you felt like you couldn't tell me about it."

"You haven't exactly been easy to talk to lately." Carter took another big bite of his sandwich before speaking again. "Every time I've come close to telling you, you've bitten my head off for something."

"I have? Like what?"

"Like going for lunch with my friends. Not coming home right after work. Not telling you what I'm doing every second of every day." Carter paused and gave Drew a look. "You're not Dad, you know. You don't have to "

Drew frowned. "I'm not like that, am I?"

"You weren't. I don't know what's been eating at you lately but you're not as laid back as you were."

"Maybe it has something to with the fact that my brother quit college and ran away from home."

Carter snorted and shook his head. "I'm nineteen. It's not running away, it's 'moving out.'"

Drew chuckled, some of his tension easing. Carter was a smartass but he was also just plain smart. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was getting that bad."

"Didn't you?"

Drew shook his head and stared out the window over the sink for a few minutes. Carter finished his sandwich and carried his plate to the sink. As the silence stretched on, Carter poured himself a drink and looked at Drew as he downed half of it.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about it." Drew sat back in his seat and returned Carter's narrow look. "You made me think you were sneaking around, finding parties, being an idiot again."

"No, you chose to think that about me."

"What else was I supposed to think?"

"You were supposed to give me the benefit of the doubt." Carter set his drink on the counter and glared at Drew. "You're my brother, not my father. Why couldn't you trust me to not repeat my mistakes? Why did you always automatically assume the worst?"

Drew had no response. Did he do that?

"You wonder why I don't tell you what I want to do?" Carter shrugged. "I guess because I think you won't take me seriously. You'll say it's stupid or that I'm not old enough to make an informed decision."

"No, I wouldn't." Drew's protest was automatic.

Carter's eyebrows shot up. "Yeah, right." He sighed and rubbed the side of his neck. "Look, the main reason why I didn't say anything was because I didn't see the point until I was sure I could do it. I wanted to be accepted first and have all the plans in place before I told you. That way you'd be impressed."

Drew straightened in his chair and stared at his brother. He was dumbfounded that Carter had been planning and thinking this through. "Oh wow, I really am a gigantic ass."

Carter laughed and shook his head. "Not a gigantic one."

"Thanks." Drew ran his knuckles over his chin, thinking about how badly he'd screwed everything up. "God, I wish you'd just told me."

"If I'd known you'd be a jerk to Mina, I'd have brought it up ages ago." Carter sat down across from Drew again. "What did you say anyway?"

"Nothing worth repeating, believe me." Drew closed his eyes and sighed. "I can't believe how badly I overreacted."

"I can."

"Bite me."

Carter chuckled. "Seriously, what's the deal? We've been going around in circles for weeks."

Drew sighed and scrubbed his hand up and down his face. "I just... I don't know. I felt so helpless all the time when Mom would call and tell me what trouble you'd been getting into. I wanted to help. Then you showed up here and I know I was a jerk at first but I really thought I could help you."

"You did."

"Did I? Then how come you ran to Mina when you had your great idea? Why didn't you say anything after Mina made us dinner that night?"

"I don't know. I didn't want to bother you with it. You were so busy with the end of the season and Mina and all..." He shrugged one shoulder and let his sentence hang in the air.

"You're my brother. I would have made time for you."

Silence fell between them and they both considered each other's side of things. Carter toyed with one corner of the towel while Drew drummed his fingers on the table.

Drew stopped tapping his fingers and sighed. "Late as I am with figuring all this out, I am sorry."

Carter lifted his head and smiled. "I know. I know you never try to be a jackass, it just seems to work out that way."

As they shared a laugh, Drew felt better having resolved at least part of this issue with Carter. Now if only he could take back the boneheaded things he'd said to Mina.

"Are you really planning to go?" he asked.

Carter shrugged. "If I can get accepted for the fall program."

"And if not?"

"Then I'll keep working, save as much as I can, learn what I can on my own, and be ready for the next semester."

Drew blinked, surprised that his brother had thought so far ahead. "I'm impressed."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't always a mindless party animal, you know."

Drew laughed. "I never thought you were." At Carter's pointed look, Drew laughed again. "Seriously. You were just a kid on his own for the first time making some bad choices."

Carter chuckled. "That's the simple explanation, I guess."

Drew smiled. "I've always wondered what happened. You did so well in school and then six weeks into your first semester at Boston College, you start to struggle. So, what was it?"

Carter sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I don't know. It wasn't any one thing that happened. It was great to be on my own at the dorm and I didn't always put homework first but I thought I still thought I could handle things. My first couple assignments were really tough and I was frustrated that I couldn't make the same grades right away."

He paused and Drew remained silent, waiting for Carter to collect his thoughts.

"The professors I talked to didn't really seem to care when I asked for advice so I stopped caring too. I didn't complete a couple more assignments and stopped going to every class. I started to spend more time with my friends and I found every party to go to that I could. I didn't want to tell Mom and Dad, and they probably would have just said something like they'd paid for it, so I needed to stick with it." Carter shifted in his seat and gave Drew a weak smile. "It wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done but I didn't know what else to do."

Drew nodded. "What classes were so awful? I thought you were going to major in economics?"

Carter rolled his eyes. "Have you ever studied economics? I'd rather watch the Golf Channel for a week straight."

Drew laughed. "Oh, come on. Math was always your favorite subject in high school, wasn't it?"

"I know, that's why I took the math and economics courses. I thought there'd be some way to make that into an interesting career. I was so wrong."

Drew studied his brother, listened the way he talked about his schooling, and realized that that's how he would have sounded if he'd decided to become a history teacher or something.

I love hockey and lucky for me, my family supported my decision.

Drew leaned forward with a smile. "Carter, if you could really get into this chef thing, and really make a career out of it, then I support you, one hundred percent."

His brother looked up with a surprised smile. "Really?"

"Of course. I was being stupid, thinking I knew better than you." Drew sighed and shook his head, hearing Mina's voice in his head telling him almost the same thing. "If you really want to be a chef and you have a plan all worked out, then I want to help."

"I don't need help. Just knowing you're not going to be a jerk about it is enough."

"Nice." Drew swatted Carter with his towel as his brother laughed. "I'm serious. I don't want you struggling to make rent or tuition when you need to focus on your studies."

"What are you talking about?"

Drew took a deep breath. "I'm talking about your plan. You say you're going to work all summer then hopefully make it into the fall program?"

Carter nodded.

"Make sure you get into the school, then I'll help you make all your payments."

Carter's eyes just about bugged out of his head. "Drew, I...that's not...I mean...You don't have to do that."

"I know. I want to. And anyway, it's not a gift, it's a loan. Interest free." He grinned. "You can have the errant family member discount."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. I told you, I want to be supportive."

Carter stared at him and Drew stared back. Then Carter let out a whoop and almost leapt across the table to hug Drew. Drew laughed and pushed him off.

"I'm going to call Mom and Dad right now," Carter said. "They'll be so excited."

Drew watched him run from the kitchen, glad he'd been able to make things all right with him.

Now if only I hadn't completely screwed up with Mina.

He groaned and dropped his head to the table with a thump.

****

Mina was hesitant to say anything to Hilary or Lena about her fight with Drew. Mostly because she was still so confused about what happened, but also because she was afraid they might say something to Mark or Obie. She didn't want them to say anything to Drew or throw off their team spirit. With the playoffs coming up, Mina didn't want to have any part in ruining the team's chemistry.

That's assuming I have that kind of effect on Drew, she thought as she stared at the blank TV.

It was midmorning four days after Drew had made all those asinine assumptions and accusations. She was off for the day, the first day off she'd had in a while when she wouldn't see or speak to Drew.

She bit her lip as she considered. She could call him. Then she shook her head and steeled her resolve. She'd done nothing wrong and the olive branch should come from him. At least, that's what she told herself. In the late hours when she couldn't sleep, she was reminded of how she'd kept Carter's secret from Drew and how she had yet to tell him about Lawrence's visit.

The door to the apartment opened and Hilary called out as she walked in.

"Hi, Hilary." Mina dragged her pajama-clothed butt off the couch for the first time all morning. "You want some coffee? I was just going to make a pot."

Hilary nodded as she took her jacket and shoes off. "Sounds great. I'm just going to change."

Mina went into the kitchen as Hilary disappeared down the hallway to her bedroom. Mina stood at the counter, watching the dark liquid drip into the pot when Hilary walked in.

"Whoa, Mina, haven't you ever heard that expression about the boiling pot?"

Mina smiled. "It's the water in the pot that boils and this is coffee anyway."

Hilary raised an eyebrow and Mina sighed. She knew she wasn't fooling her friend. Hilary hadn't pressed for details but Mina knew she was curious. Mina moved to sit down at the table and Hilary sat across from her.

"Drew and I had a fight the other day."

Hilary nodded. "I figured as much. What was it about?"

Mina sucked in a breath and shook her head, wondering where to begin. She still didn't know how it had gone bad so quickly. Then she recounted the argument and how it had ended with Drew's harsh assessment of her career choice.

"Oh, Mina." Hilary reached across the table to clasp her hand. "I'm sure he didn't mean that. You know he's always been supportive of your career. Look at how he planned that night out and sent you those flowers when you got the job at the club."

Mina shrugged. "Maybe he was just doing all that to get me in bed."

Hilary scoffed. "You know him better than that. Drew's not that type of guy."

"You're right. I don't know why he did all that and then called my career a waste of time as soon as his brother decided he wanted to be a chef."

"Drew's always been overprotective of his brother. He was probably hoping Carter would decide to be an accountant or lawyer or something."

Mina frowned. "What's wrong with being a chef?"

"Nothing, but you have to admit it's a tough job and not everyone who enters the field finds real success."

Mina couldn't argue with that. She supposed if she looked at it objectively, an accountant or lawyer might have a better chance at a stable, long-term career. It still stung, what he'd said, along with everything else. She sighed and stood up to get their coffee. Again they sat across from each other, holding their warm mugs and thinking.

"I'm assuming he hasn't called since then?" Hilary asked after a minute or two.

"No. The playoffs start in a couple days so I don't know if he'll call at all."

Hilary smiled and patted her hand. "He'll call. Once he realizes what an ass he was, he'll call to apologize and you guys can talk it all out."

Mina couldn't return her friend's smile. Something about the whole argument still ate at her. She couldn't help but think she might have overreacted, which led to Drew's temper rising. She shook her head to lose the thought. It was always what she'd done when she was with Lawrence. She'd turned everything around so that she was always accepting blame, even when she'd done nothing wrong.

"What?" Hilary frowned. "You have a strange look on your face."

"I was just thinking about when I used to fight with Lawrence."

Hilary's eyebrows shot up. "Tell me you're not still comparing him to Drew."

"Not exactly." Mina shifted in her seat and lifted her mug to her lips. "I was thinking about how I would have just shut up and agreed with him when Lawrence and I argued."

"You shouldn't have." Hilary pushed her hair over her shoulder. "And you don't need to feel bad about your fight with Drew. Yeah, you both said things you maybe shouldn't have but it'll work out in the end. You'll see."

Mina did smile then. "When did you become such an optimist?"

Hilary flushed, her fair skin going rosy pink in an instant. "Uh, I think it was around the time Mark asked me to move in with him and I said yes."

Mina gaped for a second before jumping out of her chair and embracing her friend. "Oh my God! That's awesome, Hil!"

Hilary laughed and returned her hug. "Thanks. I'm pretty excited."

Mina pulled back with a grin. "You should be. What a milestone. We should go out and celebrate."

"Oh, we don't have to." Hilary's smile slipped. "I wasn't going to tell you right away."

"Why? Because I'm nowhere close to living with a man?" Mina waved off Hilary's protests. "Don't worry about it. I'm not so selfish I can't be happy for my best friend."

Hilary smiled and hugged her again. They moved to the living room where Hilary told her how Mark had broached the subject. Mina was happy for her friend and thought it might be good for her to live on her own. She hadn't since having her own room at Baltimore International but that hardly counted. Five feet from her door in any direction had been other students.




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 10



"So when are you going to move in with him?" Mina asked after Hilary was done with her story.

"After the playoffs." Hilary smiled into her coffee mug. "He wanted me to move right away but I said there was no reason to hurry."

Mina laughed. "He probably thinks you're going to change your mind."

"Probably. But I won't." Her gaze turned inward and Mina knew her friend was two seconds away from spending the rest of her life with Mark. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life. He makes me feel...like me. Does that make any sense at all?"

Mina nodded. "More sense than any of your rants over men in the past."

Hilary laughed and their conversation turned to reminiscing over their past heartaches. In a short while, they circled back to Mina's fight with Drew. Mina wondered again if she should have told Drew about Lawrence right away.

"I still can't believe Lawrence showed up at my work." Mina shook her head. "What could he have been thinking?"

"That you were the same meek woman you'd been when you were together?" Hilary shrugged. "He probably thought you'd fall all over yourself to get back together with him. Obviously he didn't have a clue that you'd moved on."

Mina frowned as she recalled what he'd said to her. "Except that he did. Alexis told him I had."

Hilary narrowed her eyes. "I'll never understand your sister, not in a million years. Why would she ever say anything to him about where you were or who you were seeing?"

"I don't have a clue." Mina shrugged. "Maybe she was just trying to be a good sister and take my side. It's not like she'd care if that backfired."

"I just can't imagine your sister bragging about your new boyfriend to Lawrence."

Mina let her breath out and nodded. "You have a point."

They fell silent a moment. Mina thought about it, the conversation with her ex-fiancé rolling over and over in her head until she was scowling and ticked off.

"There's only one way to find out."

Hilary blinked in surprise when Mina shot to her feet. "Find out what?"

"Find out what Alexis said to him. I have to talk to her."

"What makes you think she'll tell you the truth?"

Mina smiled. "For all her faults, Alexis has always been honest. She's not nice or tactful but she doesn't lie."

Hilary nodded. "If you say so. Does this mean you need to borrow my car?"

"Yeah. Is that all right?"

"Sure."

"Thanks." With that, Mina darted down the hall to shower and get dressed.

A little while later, she was well on her way to Baltimore. Another hour after that, she was searching for parking near her sister's gallery. She wasn't even sure if Alexis was working today but it was a starting point.

She walked into the gallery, went to the front desk and asked for Alexis. Her sister was just walking out from the back room and Mina turned to face her.

"Mina, what a surprise." Alexis stepped close to the desk, an insincere smile spreading across her face.

"I'm sure it is, Lexi." Mina crossed her arms over her chest. "We need to talk."

Alexis' perfectly shaped brows rose an inch. "Do we?" She glanced at the narrow watch on her wrist. "I'm afraid I don't have a break for another hour..."

"I think you should make time for this. It's important. Let's go get a coffee."

"Well, since you sound so serious, I suppose I can make an exception." Alexis turned to the woman behind the desk. "Laura, you can handle things for a bit, right?"

Laura smiled and nodded. "No worries. I'll call you if anything comes up."

"Thank you." To Mina, she said, "Let me just grab my bag and we can walk up the block. There's a nice little cafe I like to go to."

Mina nodded and waited as Alexis went to get her purse. Alexis reappeared in a minute and they walked out of the gallery together. They made token small talk about the weather as they walked to the cafe. Once inside and seated, they faced each other in silence.

"I think this is the first time you've ever surprised me at work." Alexis twisted her water glass around and around as they waited for their coffees. "Are you going to tell me what all this is about?"

"Lawrence dropped by the club a few days ago to see me." Mina jumped right into it. She narrowed her eyes when Alexis stiffened, her fingers freezing on the water glass. "He said you'd talked."

Alexis opened her mouth to respond but the waitress appeared and set their coffees down in front of them.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" she asked.

Mina and Alexis declined and the waitress moved on with a smile. Alexis reached for her coffee instead of answering Mina.

"Tell me what you and Lawrence talked about, Lexi"

"He stopped into the gallery a couple weeks ago." Alexis shrugged. "He wasn't alone."

Mina raised an eyebrow. "So? He showed up with his girlfriend and then what? How does that translate to him finding out where I was?"

Alexis sniffed and pushed her sleek, dark hair over her shoulder. "He introduced me to his girlfriend. Did you ever know her name?"

Mina shrugged. "I did, only because he'd introduced us when we went for our engagement photos."

"You never thought it was strange that your photographer didn't know who Ansel Adams was?"

Mina blinked, taken aback by the question. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"She's a complete ditz, Mina. How you never realized that when you met is beyond me." Alexis made a dismissive gesture with one hand. "It's no wonder you didn't know they were screwing around until you saw them actually screwing."

Mina couldn't remember the last time her sister had used anything less than perfect English. She held up her hands to stop Alexis' snarky comments. "Whoa, whoa. Until I walked in on them, I'd had no reason to think Lawrence would ever cheat on me."

Alexis raised her eyebrows. "Really? You never had any idea?"

"No, of course not. We were living together and planning a wedding. Why would I think anything of it?"

"I knew from the beginning that he wasn't good for you."

Alexis may as well have told Mina she was really a man. Mina didn't think she could be any more shocked. "What are you talking about?"

With a sigh, Alexis leaned forward. "I don't think I want to talk about this anymore."

"Too bad." Mina leaned over the table. "I want to know what you meant by that and you still have to tell me what the hell happened when Lawrence and his girlfriend came to the gallery."

"You don't have to use that kind of language."

"I'll damn well use whatever language I want, Lexi. Stop stalling and tell me everything, now."

Alexis stared at her, her green eyes flashing. "Fine. I'll tell you but you won't like it."

"That doesn't matter." Mina sat back and crossed her arms over her chest.

"They came into the gallery and that...woman wanted to look for something to put up in their new house." Alexis paused, eyeing Mina. When Mina remained silent, she continued. "Lawrence started to talk to me, asked me about dad and Adam, as if we were still close. What a joke." Alexis scoffed. "I never liked him. Pompous ass."

"What are you talking about?"

"He was too smooth, too fake and he was a total manipulator. I could see it right away. You didn't though." Alexis shot her a frustrated look. "You were too swept away, I guess."

Mina shook her head, trying to wrap her mind around everything. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"I knew you loved him so I never said anything to you. You wouldn't have listened anyway. I tried to talk to Adam about it but he just thought I was jealous. I tried to tell Lawrence to leave you alone but he'd just brush me off, as if I was no one important. Eventually, he just avoided me." Alexis looked up and gave Mina a tight smile. "I noticed right away when he stopped coming to family dinners."

Mina nodded. He'd started begging off early on in their relationship, and continued even after they'd moved in together. "So how did you end up telling him about my new job?"

Alexis took a sip of her coffee before continuing. "That day at the gallery, Lawrence asked me how you were doing. I told him you were practically running the kitchen at the country club and that you'd been dating a new guy for a month." She paused and looked up at Mina, a pained expression on her face. "I told him I'd never seen you so happy."

Mina hadn't expected that, especially not after what Lawrence had told her. And yet, it made a strange kind of sense. Like she'd told Hilary, Lawrence was the liar, not Alexis.

"You don't believe me." Alexis gave a short laugh and shook her head. "I knew you wouldn't which is why I never said anything before."

Mina blinked, surprised by her sister's defensive tone. "I might, if I ever knew when you were being straight with me."

"Whatever you day. You can just go tell your new boyfriend and then he'll yell at me again."

"Lexi..." Mina shook her head. "Drew didn't yell at you."

"Well, he was hardly civil." Alexis raised an eyebrow. "What would you call it?"

"I'd say that you insulted me in front of my boyfriend, and he called you on it, and I should have done it myself a long time ago. Not to mention you insulted him, as well."

Alexis sipped at her drink. "You would see it that way."

Mina was getting tired of this. Her sister was talking in circles and none of their conversation was making sense. She couldn't reconcile her snob of a sister with the woman before her, claiming she'd rubbed Mina's newfound happiness in her ex's face.

"What's really going on here?" Mina asked. "I don't understand why seeing Lawrence would make you exaggerate about my new job."

"You wouldn't. God, you're so naive, Mina, it's beyond frustrating."

"I'm naive? Because I never knew Lawrence was cheating on me? Or because I broke up with him and moved on?"

"No. Leaving him was the best decision you've ever made."

"Then why did you tell him where to find me?"

"I didn't mean to," Alexis snapped. "Lawrence was going on and on about their new house and his job and how you leaving showed how immature you were."

"He really said that?" Mina shook her head. It didn't surprise her. Lawrence had his way of viewing things that was nowhere near reality.

"Yes, he said that. So I got upset and started to tell him about your move and the chance you took in finding a new job in a new city. Before I knew it, I was telling him all about you and Drew, and how different he was and how happy you were." Alexis shook her head. "I guess somewhere in there I mentioned the country club and he looked up the address himself. They left a little later, once the bimbo was done looking at the pictures."

Mina rested her chin in her hand, studying her sister's face. Alexis was sitting upright again, her spine straight and her hands folded on the table before her. She met Mina's look with a haughty one of her own, as if daring Mina to refute everything she'd said.

They hadn't always been at odds, Mina recalled. There'd been a time when Alexis had taken Mina with her everywhere. To the park to play games, to the family room to watch the newest Disney movie while Alexis painted Mina's toenails, to the kitchen to bake cookies with their mother. It had been a long time since they'd been that close and an even longer time since Mina had thought they had anything in common.

Except they were still sisters and Mina believed everything Alexis had just told her. It didn't fit with her ice queen exterior but Mina knew it was all true. She just didn't understand why.

"When did you stop liking me, Alexis?"

Alexis' lips parted in surprise. Mina smiled, amused that she'd caught her sister unawares.

"I love you, and I'm sure underneath it all, you love me too." Mina leaned forward. "But somewhere along the line, you stopped liking me and started...to compete with me, or something."

Mina kept her eyes on Alexis' face and was shocked to see color spread over her sister's pale cheeks.

"Alexis--"

"I don't know why you're getting so sentimental because I defended you against Lawrence."

"I'm not being sentimental. I just want to know if I did something to make you stop...wanting to be around me."

Alexis met her gaze and shook her head.

"Then what happened? We used to be friends, Alexis."

"We're sisters, not friends."

"We could be both."

Mina waited while Alexis fell silent. Mina sighed and sat back. "If you don't want to tell me--"

"Why does it matter?"

Mina looked up. "Because I care. I don't want us to keep fighting and making snide comments to each other every time the family has dinner. I want to get along and I want us to want to spend time together."

"You do?"

"Of course." Mina smiled. "You're my sister. It's not like I can get rid of you."

That got a laugh out of Alexis, who looked surprised at the sound. Mina sat back and waited for Alexis to gather her thoughts.

"I was always frustrated at how easily everything came to you."

"What? Easy?" Mina let out a short laugh. "Are you kidding me?"

"No. Even when we were kids, you could do anything, whether it was helping Mom with dinner or playing basketball with Adam in the driveway."

"Alexis, I suck at sports. You can't use that as an example."

"But you never stopped trying." Alexis brushed her hair over her shoulder. "I was jealous that everyone admired you for your tenacity and willingness to try everything. All my friends, even though they were older than you, commented about how bright and fun you were."

"I...I didn't know that."

"Well, I wasn't about to tell you." Alexis reached for her coffee. After another sip, she went on. "I thought once I got to university, I could finally be the one to stand out but every time something good happened to me, something better happened to you. I got accepted to the university of my dreams, and you won that academic award. I graduated early, with honors, and you got into Maryland. I got my first job managing a gallery and you switched to Baltimore International."

Mina's mouth fell open. She knew all those things had coincided, but she'd always thought Alexis' accomplishments upstaged hers. She'd had no idea Alexis felt the same way.

"Then I was about to bring my first serious boyfriend home to meet all of you and that was when you and Lawrence got together."

"Yeah, but you got engaged right away." Mina struggled to wrap her mind around all these revelations. "That's bigger news than me dating someone."

Alexis averted her gaze and took another sip of coffee. "Yes, well, I may have stretched the truth."

Mina gaped. "You lied about being engaged?"

"Keep your voice down. I'd rather not have the entire world knowing all my foolish choices."

Mina glanced around and stifled a laugh. "Alexis, I can't believe all this. Do you know, all this time, I've been jealous of you?"

"Please." Alexis scoffed.

"It's true. Dad always talked about how you were going to run a big, classy museum one day and everyone would know your name. I'd sit there and think that all I could do was bake cakes and pies."

Now it was Alexis who looked floored. "But...he used to talk all the time about how you were going to open some world-class restaurant one day and they'd do profiles of you on the Food Network."

The sisters stared at each other and Mina started to laugh. Alexis looked put out for a second and then she couldn't hold it in either. They both laughed, trying at first to keep quiet and then letting it all out. After a few minutes, they quieted down and Mina grinned.

"I can't believe this."

"I know." Alexis shook her head. "I can't believe we ever thought Dad was more proud of one of us over the other."

"No, I meant I can't believe you can laugh." Mina added a wink to her words and Alexis narrowed her eyes, but the smile stayed on her face.

They fell silent a moment, finishing their coffees before either of them spoke again.

"I'm really glad you've stopped calling me Mini."

Alexis nodded. "I'm sorry."

"And thank you for trying to help me, with Lawrence."

"God, he is such a creep." Alexis rolled her eyes.

Mina giggled. "He is."

"I have to ask, what's going on with you and Drew?"

Mina's smile disappeared. "What do you mean?"

"You can have any man in the world, Mina. Why are you settling for a hockey player?" She wrinkled her nose. "God, they sweat and fight and play a game for a living, Mina."

Mina sighed. Her sister was what she was, in spite of what they'd shared. "He's a professional athlete, Lexi. It's a good job and he's good at it. He's more than just a hockey player and you'd see what a nice guy he is if you'd give him a chance."

"If you say so."

Mina shrugged it off. "I don't know, Alexis. You may not have to worry about him anyway."

"What do you mean?"

Mina pondered sharing for a moment and wondered what her sister's reaction would be to their fight. She decided to share, hoping maybe her sister would have a different view to offer. Other than 'he's just a hockey player, and you can do better,' Mina thought and started to tell Alexis everything.

After she was done, Alexis shocked her again by reaching over and patting her hand. "You're a smart woman. I'm sure you'll figure something out."

"What?" Mina stared at her. "You just told me I could do better."

"Obviously I don't know him that well. You guys are obviously in love and you're not the kind of person to let one fight ruin everything."

Mina wondered if she'd need a forklift to pick her jaw up from the floor. Love advice from Alexis, the ice queen? Was the world about to end too?

Alexis smiled at her expression. "What? I may not agree with your choices but that doesn't make me unobservant."

Mina laughed and nodded. They changed the subject after that and another hour passed before Mina even noticed the time. The sisters said their good-byes and Alexis promised to call more often and to try harder to be a better sister. Mina had her doubts about how it would all work out but she was pleased that Alexis was willing to make an effort.

On the drive back to Arlington, Mina thought about everything her sister had said. She replayed the arguments with Lawrence and Drew over and over in her head and wondered if she could have done anything differently to keep things from blowing up like they had.

If she was being honest, she didn't think she'd done anything wrong. Her first inclination was always to smooth things over, to be the peacekeeper. It's why she'd allowed things with Lawrence and Alexis to go on for as long as they had.

"And what did that get me?" she muttered, her fingers clenching on the wheel.

She reminded herself that she couldn't change the past but she could make different decisions for her future. Starting with Drew.

****

Drew and the team finished the regular season with their last game in Florida, a 1-0 loss, and he tried to turn his focus to the playoffs. Their first round was against the New York Rangers and they only had four days to get in the right mindset. Drew wanted the playoffs to be the only thing on his mind but he couldn't stop thinking about Mina.

The team captain, Cole Janizak, called him on his distraction during practice the day before the opening game of the first round.

Drew was standing near the boards, staring at the ice in the far corner, and not the action of the drill the coach was running.

"What's with the face, Drew?" Cole nudged him with an elbow.

Drew looked over at Cole and shrugged. "What? I'm just watching the play."

"No, you're staring at the Viagra ad across the way."

Drew chuckled. "Only because I was thinking about what to get you for Christmas."

"Bite me."

They watched the drill and Drew let his mind wander again. When Cole nudged him a second time, he turned to his captain with a frown. "What?"

"Don't give me attitude, Stams." Cole matched his frown with one of his own. "This isn't the time to be distracted with whatever you've got going on in your head."




Breaking Through The Ice Ch. 10



"You don't need to tell me that."

"No? I'll remember you said that when you're lying on the ice tomorrow night after taking a blindside hit because you're not paying attention."

"Sure, go ahead and jinx me, why don't you?" Drew pushed the thought aside and skated into the fray.

He ran through the drill with his teammates, his mind on the puck and his stick and his skates on the ice. He would show Cole and the rest of the team that he was fine, his head was definitely in the game.

The next night, he cursed himself out when he looked up at the rafters of the Verizon Center from flat on his back.

Fucking dirty hit, he thought and scowled as the trainer leaned over his face.

"You all right, Stams?" the man asked.

No. I'm on the ice because that asshole blindsided me. But he couldn't lay all the blame on Ranger Sidney Abbot. He'd been distracted, just like Cole had warned him. With a groan, he started to sit up.

"Easy, take it slow." The trainer put a hand under Drew's arm and helped him to his knees. "Did you hit your head? How's your back?"

Drew shook his head. "I'm all right. Just winded."

"You ready to get up to your feet?"

With a nod, Drew put his stick against his upraised thigh and pushed to his feet. The trainer kept his hold on him and a teammate skated close to Drew's other side. The crowd roared its approval to see him upright and he headed straight to the bench. Lucky for him, the period was forty-five seconds from ending and he headed to the locker room.

A few minutes later, the team filed into the room and Cole made a beeline for Drew's side.

"What did I tell you, man?"

Drew scowled at the captain. "I know. I'm not stupid."

"Could have fooled me. Don't let it happen again. We need everyone to make it to the final."

"Ease up, Cole." Mark sat down on Drew's other side. "He won't have his head down again. Right, Drew?"

Drew nodded and bent over to loosen his pads.

Cole moved on and Anatoli took his spot on the bench beside Drew. He bumped his elbow against Drew's arm. "You OK?"

Drew glanced up and nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, Tolya."

The Russian smiled. "You no get hit again."

Drew snorted with laughter. "Good tip."

"Mina not like it."

"No. I don't think she would."

So far, Drew hadn't told anyone about his fight with Mina. Every time he thought about it, which was too often, judging from the ache in his side from that fall, he felt embarrassed. He didn't know how he'd let his annoyance over Carter's secret translate to insulting Mina and making her so angry with him.

It's going to take something big to make it up to her, he thought but drew a blank on exactly what. Mina wasn't the type of woman to be swayed with expensive gifts or elaborate gestures.

The coach came into the room to talk to everyone and Drew pushed Mina from his mind. Yes, he needed to grovel a little -- or a lot -- and he would. For now, tonight, he needed to focus.

The team was fired up to start the second period. They were scoreless as both teams took the ice again and Drew skated an extra lap around the zone before heading to the bench. He eyed the far goal, visualizing how he'd get there with the puck on his stick.

A few minutes later, he came close and someone from the Rangers gave him a hard shove from behind that the officials missed. Drew clenched his jaw and maneuvered around the Ranger. He heard a shout from Jimmy Schwartz and dropped his stick just as the puck came hurtling towards him. His deflection was turned aside and the Rangers iced it.

At the whistle, Drew skated back to the bench. He passed Cole on the way and the captain nodded at him. His teammates took their places around the circle to the left of Hayden Lindgren, the Rangers' goalie. Leaning forward, Drew watched as the puck smacked the ice once again.

Control of the puck went back and forth between the teams, there was a lot of jostling on both sides and when the buzzer sounded again, they remained scoreless.

The third period started and both teams had a determined look about them. Neither side gave the puck up without a fight and hits got a lot harder. Drew was jostled more than once on rushes to the net but he kept his temper in check. It wouldn't help his team to get a penalty on some retaliatory move.

The game went into overtime with the score tied at one apiece. In overtime, the teams played with the same urgency and intensity. At one point, Drew was afraid the game would go for another three periods.

Lucky for the Capitals, it didn't. Drew launched to his feet with his teammates to cheer as Tolya scored with a little more than a minute remaining. The crowd went wild, screaming as if it had been the Cup-winning goal. The team filed back into the locker with loud cheers and jubilant laughter.

Once the merriment died down as guys changed and showered, Drew's mind turned back to Mina. He walked out of the locker room and headed for the parking garage, his expression sober. A few guys called out to him and he smiled and waved before getting in his car.

As he left the arena, he didn't head right home. He didn't mean to, he knew he should call first, but somehow, he drove himself through Arlington to Mina's street. He parked, shut the engine off and looked up at the apartment building. The thought that he should give her more time warred with his plain desire to see Mina. If his behavior of late was any indication, he wasn't so good with impulse control.

With a smile, he got out of the car. He paused at the entrance to the building and stared at the buttons next to the apartment listing. He had no idea if Mina would even let him in but he was here now. He pressed the button for her apartment.

"Yes?"

"It's me."

Silence.

Drew shoved his hands in his pockets as he waited for her to respond.

"Come on up."

The buzzer unlocking the door went off and Drew let out the breath he'd been holding. He hurried inside and across the lobby to the elevator.

Mina opened the door at his first knock and he stopped in the doorway. They stared at each other for a long moment.

She wore sweat pants and her well-used cardigan that Drew had seen a dozen times before. Her hair was loose around her face, his favorite look, and even though her expression was wary, Drew hoped that was warmth he saw in her eyes.

He opened his mouth to speak but Mina beat him to it.

"It's late."

Drew nodded. "I know. Did I wake you?"

"No."

More silence.

Drew rubbed a hand over his face and into his hair, wondering what to say now that he was here. 'I'm sorry' just didn't seem like enough.

"Mina, I--"

She didn't let him finish. With an inarticulate sound, she launched herself at him, knocking the wind from his chest.

"Oof!" He closed his arms around her and held on as she clung to him.

"God, Drew, are you all right?"

"What? Of course I am."

She pulled her head back so she could look into his face. "You were thrown to the ice in the first period and you didn't get up."

Drew smiled, his heart leaping at the way she worried about him. Maybe it all wasn't a lost cause if she was this concerned. "I got up, it just took a minute."

Mina shook her head. "That was so scary. I couldn't stand watching you just hit the ice like that and not being able to do anything."

"I'm sorry you were so worried, but I'm OK. Really. I was winded and I think I've got a nice bruise forming on my side but I'm fine."

Mina's eyes searched his before she buried her face back against his neck. Drew sighed and let his head fall so he could nuzzle her wild curls. For a long minute, they didn't move. Drew kept his hold on Mina, afraid to let go and she seemed content to hang from his grasp.

Then the moment passed and he could feel her tense up to draw away. He wouldn't let her.

"Drew..."

"Mina, I'm so sorry." He tightened his arms around her. "I'm sorry for accusing you of lying to me. I'm sorry for saying all those awful things."

When she pulled away this time, Drew let her go. She straightened but left her hands on his chest. He grasped her hands in his and brought her fingers to his mouth. As he kissed each and every finger, her face softened.

"Well, there's no sense in standing in the doorway, letting the neighbors listen in." She stepped back and Drew walked inside. Mina shut and locked the door behind him.

****

Once Mina got over the surprise of Drew showing up at her door, she felt uncertain. She clasped her hands together to keep from reaching for him again as they walked to the living room and sat down on the couch. She hadn't meant to just throw herself at him but she'd been worried after watching the game and seeing that hit he'd taken. It didn't seem to matter how many games she watched, she couldn't get used to the harsh contact.

Neither of them spoke for a long moment after they sat down. Mina glanced at Drew, saw him watching her with an intent expression and when their eyes met, he smiled. Heat warmed her cheeks and she looked away.

Drew chuckled and the couch creaked as he shifted closer. "Mina, you have to look at me."

"Do I?" She tangled her fingers together. "It might be easier not to grab you if I don't look at you."

"I don't mind if you grab me."

Mina laughed at Drew's quick words, said almost before she was done speaking. "Drew--"

"I get it if you're still mad at me, I do."

Mina glanced over at him and raised her eyebrows.

He met her gaze with a small smile. "Are you still mad?"

"Yes."

His face fell.

"Drew, you really hurt me."

"I know. I was such an idiot. I shouldn't have said any of what I did."

"Then why did you?"

He dragged a hand back through his hair and let out a noisy sigh. "I don't know. I don't think I can tell you how sorry I am."

"You can try."

He nodded. "That's why I'm here."

They fell silent again and just stared at each other. Drew wore such a serious, repentant expression that Mina had to tell herself not to reach for him. Every fiber of her being wanted to crawl into his lap and wrap herself in his arms. She knew he would take her and make her feel all the wonderful, lightheaded sensations he always had.

She just couldn't yet. He needed to make things right and she wasn't so weak she couldn't rein in her desires.

"I'm sorry, Mina. I'm so sorry. I was stupid and I shouldn't have lashed out at you when it was Carter I was pissed at."

"I don't know why you were so mad."

"I didn't either, at first." Drew shook his head. "I drove around after leaving here that morning and I didn't even care why I was so mad anymore. I just couldn't stop thinking about how I hurt you."

Mina blinked and looked down at her hands. She hadn't considered that he might have been as broken up about the fight as she had.

"I got home and talked to Carter, told him how upset I was," Drew went on. "He apologized for not telling me but he was mad at me for yelling at you, too."

"He was?"

Drew nodded. "Oh yeah. Probably madder than I've ever seen him."

Mina smiled.

"And he asked me why I was so bothered by the whole thing." Drew met her eyes and Mina melted a little at the angst she saw there. "I told him I was upset because he hadn't told me on his own and then I was mad at myself because I made him feel like he couldn't tell me."

"He wanted to. He just didn't know how you'd react." Mina bit her lip.

He smiled and nodded. "I know. He explained it to me. He said he'd wanted to get himself organized before he came to me. You were right about that, too."

Mina didn't know what to say. She did let Drew pick up her hand in his and willed her body not to react.

"You were also right about Carter being my brother, and me acting like a father."

"I didn't say that."

"Not those exact words but you told me something like that." Drew leaned closer. "You were right."

She felt warmth rush to her face and wanted to look away but couldn't.

"I was upset and I took out all my frustrations on you. I shouldn't have done that and I'm so sorry." With every word, Drew moved closer, sliding his arm across the couch behind her and pressing their leg together from knee to hip. "I was miserable after that and not talking to you for the last week almost killed me. I was so distracted tonight that Abbot was able to blindside me."

Mina felt her stomach flip at the mention of the game. She wobbled back and forth between feeling flattered over his consideration and guilt for leading him to such distraction.

"This whole thing made me realize that I don't want to spend any more time away from you." Drew lifted her hand to his mouth and lowered his eyes as he pressed warm kisses to her knuckles. "I can't. I need you in my life to tell me that I'm stupid and stubborn. I need your smile and your laugh and your pink cheeks."

Mina stared at him, sucking in a breath when his grey-blue eyes lifted to her face. There was a glint in his eye that she'd never seen before. Then he moved closer and his hand lifted from the couch to cup the back of her head.

His next words were a warm breath across her lips. "I love you, Mina."

Mina blinked back instant tears and swallowed, her mouth gone dry. Drew kissed her, just the barest touch of his lips to hers and she drew in a shaky breath.

"And I'm not saying that to get you to forgive me." Drew started to talk faster. "I've loved you for a while now and I've just been too scared to say anything."

"Scared?" Mina swallowed when her voice came out high and squeaky.

"Yeah." Drew smiled and brushed another kiss over her lips before moving back. "You're so great and after the way I treated you, I'm just glad you're talking to me." He sighed and rubbed a hand over his hair, messing it up even more. "I didn't say it to make you say it back, either. I just...I couldn't not say it any more."

Mina stared at him. There were so many thoughts tumbling in her mind and she didn't even know where to begin to express herself. Drew tensed up with each passing moment and when he was about to move away, Mina reached for his hands. She lifted them to her neck and left them there as she shimmied closer to him. His responding smile was dazzling.

"I do accept your apology and I guess I understand why you went off the deep end." She paused and tilted her head to one side. "You shouldn't have and if this is how you react to everything to do with your brother, we may need to discuss it some more."

Drew's eyes flicked back and forth across her face and another handsome smile spread across his face. Before he could say anything, Mina continued.

"You still haven't explained why you called my career a waste of time."

Drew looked down. "I wasn't thinking when I said those things. God, I was so...insensitive, I never even thought about you being a chef at that point."

Mina's heart skipped a beat when Drew's hands moved down her body.

"And I guess I didn't take his interest in cooking seriously," he went on. "I thought it would be a waste of time -- not because I think being a chef is a waste -- but because I didn't think he was serious about it."

Mina nodded.

"I love that you're a chef and not just because you can cook those awesome meals." Drew grinned. "It makes you happy and I will always respect your choices when it comes to your career."

"Thank you."

"I mean it. I got mad at you because Carter wasn't there for me to be mad at. That sounds lame and it was and I'm so sorry."

"I know."

"Do you?" Drew bent his head to look her straight in the eye. "I know you already said you accept my apology but I want you to know it's not just empty words. I wish I knew what to do to make it up to you."

Mina smiled and shook her head. "You don't have to do anything. I'm not one of those girls who needs a big gesture or fancy gifts to know you're sorry."

Drew laughed and pulled her close. They hugged for a long minute, neither pushing for more. They just felt each other's heartbeat and relaxed against the couch.

"You know, I spent most of my day wondering how to apologize."

Mina grinned as she pulled back to look into his face. "You mean, other than what you did? Coming here and talking to me like an adult?"

He tickled her side until she giggled and batted his hand away. "I was brainstorming on a big gesture, as you called it."

Mina's eyebrows rose. "Oh yeah? What did you come up with?"

"I thought about getting a plane message, you know, where the plane carries the banner behind it?"

"What would it have said?"

"'Mina, I'm sorry for being such a dick and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me and I love you and I'm sorry.'" Drew smiled as she laughed. "But it probably wouldn't have fit on one banner."

"What else did you think of?"

"Flowers for every day we've known each other, but your apartment is kind of small and I didn't know how you'd react if I had them sent to your work."

"They might have been in my way in the kitchen."

Drew chuckled. "Probably. Then I was going to try to get Hilary to bring you to a game and I'd have a message put on the big screen during intermission or a commercial break."

Mina's eyes widened. "That would have been something."

Drew blinked. "What? You would have gone for that?"

"It would have been fun to see."

"Hmm. Something to keep in mind, I guess."

Mina laughed and rested her head on Drew's shoulder. His hands ran up and down her back and she let out a sigh.

"Are you OK, Mina? Really?"

"Yeah. I am."

"I was so worried I'd lost you."

"You didn't. We had a fight, that's all. I hope we'll be together long enough for many more fights and many more resolutions and a hell of a lot more make-up sex."
Drew's laughter rumbled in his chest. "We haven't had make-up sex yet."

Mina leaned back to look at him. "You planning on going anywhere tonight?"

He shook his head.

"Well, there you go."

They fell silent again and Mina rested her cheek on his chest. She listened to the patter of his heart and the rasp of his breathing and felt more relaxed than she had in days. She hadn't felt so good since before Lawrence's unexpected arrival.

"Oh, I can't believe I haven't told you!" she exclaimed, sitting up and startling Drew.

"What? Has Carter decided to become a drag queen instead of a chef?"

Mina laughed and gave him a light punch in the arm. "No. You'll never guess who stopped by the club last week."

"Carter in drag?"

"Stop!" She punched him again and gave him a mock-scowl. "This has nothing to do with Carter."

Drew chuckled as he rubbed the spot she'd hit. "All right, I'm sorry. Who?"

"Lawrence."

Drew's face registered shock and a moment later, his jaw clenched. "What the hell was he doing at the club?"

Mina smiled and explained everything that had happened. Drew's expression went from murderous to surprised as she went on.

"It felt so good to tell him off, I can't even tell you."

"I bet." Drew nodded. "What an asshole."

"I know." Mina looked at him, saw the wheels turning in his head and gave him a nudge. "What's that look? What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking me and the guys should head to Baltimore to teach that shithead a lesson."

Mina giggled at the image of Drew and several of his teammates surrounding Lawrence. She imagined he'd beg and probably cry before they were through with him. "As much as I'd love to see that, he's not even worth the gas money."

Drew's eyes focused on her again and he smiled. "I don't know how you can say that but I'm not going to argue. All I can say is good riddance."

"Me, too."

"And if he ever comes within twenty feet of you again, I'm going to skate over his balls."

Mina busted out laughing and Drew joined her in a few seconds. They settled back into the couch again, sliding down to recline in a more comfortable position. Mina closed her eyes as Drew continued to stroke her back, her arms and her sides. When he spoke again, she blinked a few times, almost lulled right to sleep