Frozen (I Need to Be Thawed)

---Mac’s P.O.V---
Carey had me ride in Burrows’ car because he needed to check-in our reservations at Outback Steakhouse, and get it done before we got there.

It was silent during the car ride to the restaurant. Once Burrows parked his car, we got out and began to walk, occasionally kicking up the little bit of snow on the ground; and more snow was falling.

I zipped up my hoodless jacket as far as it would go to keep the bitter weather from tearing at my skin. I kicked myself for not remembering my hat, because now my ears were bright red.

All of a sudden, a hat surrounded the top of my head and covered my ears. Startled, I stopped and looked at Alexandre Burrows, who was not hatless and stopped next to me. “You didn’t have to do that.” I informed him.

“Yeah, I know. But I wanted to.” Alex stared ahead of him, as he continued to walk on the snow dusted pavement.

I smiled softly, “Well, thanks.” I walked next to him, tracing the outline of his masculine figure with my eyes, God, why did he have to be so damn handsome?

Burrows looked down at me, and smiled shyly as we walked inside the restaurant.

Price sighed, “There you guys are! I thought you’d NEVER get here!!” He glanced at Alex’s bare head, and the hat on mine. He gave an “I told you so” smirk.

I returned a “Shut the hell up” glare. I felt Alex’s arm brush against me as the hostess showed us to our secluded booth. I swore my heart skipped a beat.

Alexandre looked back at me, “Are you alright?” his face was blanketed with concern.

I nodded, “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just cold, that’s all.” Why did I have to lie to him?

Burrows frowned. He walked next to me, draping his warm arms around my shoulders. He rubbed them, hoping the friction would warm me up. “I can’t do much, but I can try to warm you up…”

My body relaxed, but my mind was screaming, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” when Burrows’ arm was around me. I felt a sense of security with him.

Which was strange since I barely even knew this guy, let alone like him. Besides, he’s a Canuck. They’re mean and selfish. Even if he was an exception, it’s not likely that I would ever see him again personally like this, let alone him even remember me after he leaves tomorrow.

Our hostess sat us down in out seats and hurried off to fetch our waitress.

Alex removed his arm from my shoulders, “You feeling warmer now?”

“Yes, thank-you. I owe you.” I glanced down at the menu, unsure of what I wanted to eat.

“I’ll hold that to you.” He whispered.

Noticing that Carey had been pretty quiet, I looked up. He was gone. What the---?

“Restroom. Price is in the restroom.” Alex answered reading my puzzled expression.

“Oh…I thought he ditched us.” I blushed lightly.

Alex chuckled, throwing my stomach into a fit of butterflies, “You don’t need to worry about that. He knows that you aren’t quite comfortable with me yet.”

Our waitress showed up, and took our drink orders. We all got water, including Carey, since he wasn’t here, and that’s what he’d normally get...unless there was Gatorade served here, which it isn’t. A couple minutes after Dana, our waitress, left, Carey came back from the ‘restroom.’

He was grinning pretty widely, “So, did you guys get to know each other well while I was gone?”

Alex and I looked at each other, and then at Carey, “Not too much. I think the whole time we discussed how you smelled up the bathroom.” Alex teased.

Carey huffed, “I did not make the bathroom smell! I was watching you love birds the whole time. I was trying to let you bond.”

I rolled me eyes, which is a habit of mine, “Carey, we aren’t love birds. We hardly even know each other.”

Burrows nodded silently, in agreement.

Carey shrugged, not believing what we said.

Dana came back to deliver our water, and take our order for food; we all ended up getting ribs.

After a good meal, Burrows, Carey, and I headed to the ice rink. Carey and Burrows had to be at the rink two hours early before every game, since Burrows drove me to lunch, I had to go with him to the rink; and then he’ll take me back to Carey’s place after the game.

When the Canucks’ turn on the ice started, I caught Burrows glancing up at me; which made me think of his hat still on my head. We discussed his hat while walking back to his car from Outback.

“Alexandre, here’s you hat back.” I slid the hat of my head, and stuck my hand out for Burrows to take the hat.”

He smiled lightly, putting his hand over mine, “Keep it. I want you know that after tonight, I’m going to remember you, and this won’t be our first and last night together.”

So I still had the hat. My thoughts were interrupted when I noticed a puck flying towards me. My instincts took over, and I caught the puck with my hand, inches from my face. I heard some impressed whistles coming from some of the Canucks. Then I saw Burrows comment to his teammates, “See? I told you she was quick.”

I also noticed Luongo shrug and say, “She’s alright, I guess.” His teammates pushed and shoved his shoulders a bit, howling some more nonsense, such as “Oooohhh, Bobby Lou, you’re jealous!”

Their goalie laughed with them, and they resumed their practice. Soon, the rink was empty besides Burrows; who beckoned for me to come by him.

I made my way across the benches, “You called for me?”

He nodded, “It’s lonely out here on my own. Come skate with me.”

Looking down at my skates (They were required to be able to sit on the benches as a visitor.) I said, “Sure.”

Alex took my hand and led me onto the ice; He had this stupid smile on his face.

“What are you smiling about? You’re a Canuck, that’s not something to be happy about.” I said with a scowl.

By now, we had made it to center ice.

“I’m not smiling about that. I’m just happy I’m here,” You’ve got to be kidding, With you.” Me?

I stopped skating, “Well, you better stop smiling about it. It’s creeping me out.”

Alex pressed his lips together to stop smiling, but he kept getting close to my face, so I backed away and he kept doing that until I started to skate away. He chased after me.

After a couple minutes of Alex chasing me around the ice rink, I stopped to catch my breath, and calm my laughter.

As my breathing was regulating, Burrows came up behind me, and put his arms around my waist,” “I gotcha!”

I jumped, surprised, turned too fast and fell down, but as I was falling, I grabbed Burrows’ jersey, so he fell on top of me, which caused us to go into another fit of laughter.

As our laughter subsided, we caught each other’s eye, and Alex smiled softly.

“Hey Mac?”

“Yes, Alexandre?”

“Kiss me.”

This request completely shocked me, but I planted my hand softly on the side of his face, and traced his bottom lip with my thumb. We brought our faces closer together, the moment growing more intimate. When our lips met, I felt an unreal amount of butterflies and fireworks burst from my gut. And my mind was still screaming, “STOP!!” the pleading of my mind grew too intense, so I ended the kiss, almost as quickly as it happened. “I’m sorry.” I pushed Burrows off of me, stood up and skated away with my hands pounding my head. “Stupid, stupid, stupid. He’s a Canuck. You can’t fall for him.”

--------Alexandre Burrows’ p.o.v--------

I watched as Mac skated off the ice. I was disappointed. That kiss was too short. Any kiss from her was going to be too short. I really hoped I got the chance to talk to her again after the game…but I’m not sure if she would want to see me after this.

I stood up and headed into my locker room, where my teammates were always wrestling after our pre-game skate. As soon as I walked in, everyone started hooting, and howling, and making all sorts of miscellaneous noises.

Lapierre greeted me by wrapping his arm around my neck, “There’s the lover boy!” He made kissing noises by my cheek as I pushed his face away.

“Get outta here, Lapierre.” I rolled my eyes and headed to my place in the visitor’s locker room next to Raffi Torres. I began taping my stick.

“So, what happened out der, Burrs? You look a bit flustered.” Torres asked. His accent sucked; sometimes it was easy to understand what he was saying, other times, not so much.

The locker room fell silent so they could hear what I had to say about Mac.

I thought about everything that happened today. I thought about how I ‘broke’ into Carey’s apartment, met Mac, went to lunch with Carey and Mac, went to practice, and then skated with Mac. I especially thought about how we kissed. I finished taping my stick, and set it down.

I let out a small, shy smile, “I think I’m falling in love with someone who hates the Canucks.”