A/N: Don't own them or make money off them. Small spoilers for "Death House." Hope you enjoy!
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Mac smiled to himself as he felt the electricity spark between them as he placed his hand over Stella's while she held up her phone. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her eyes light up and felt her shift slightly closer as the smell of her invaded his senses. It was a dangerous game they were playing but one of necessity. He couldn't help it. He knew what he was doing was risky, dangerous even, but he couldn't stop himself. After she had almost been impaled by that damn booby-trap, he once again felt his reserve crumble. It seemed to be doing that a lot around her lately. Maybe because she seemed to be getting into harm's way a lot more frequently over the past few years; what with Frankie, the AIDS scare, the fire in her apartment, the Diakos/Greece debacle, then the shooting at the bar. It seemed like each event they managed to survive made it harder and harder for him to stay away from her, from her touch, from her reassurance.
Later as he and Stella were driving back to the lab, he could feel the pull of her in every cell of his body. They were like magnets, always drawn to each other. He slowed down as they came to a red light, glancing over at his partner as she took in the Christmas decorations at the Plaza. It struck him how beautiful she looked, the twinkling lights dancing in her eyes. Every argument, every excuse he had made to himself as to why they were better off as just friends seemed to vanish. He realized that if he waited too long to let her know how he felt, it might be too late. Taking a deep breath he reached across the middle console and threaded his fingers with hers, giving her hand a squeeze. Surprised she looked up at him. For a moment they just gazed at each other until an impatient honk from behind them broke them out of their trance. With a nervous cough Mac turned his attention back to the road as he sped off, her hand still held tightly in his. He quickly glanced back over to her, pleased with the wide grin she didn't try to hide as she continued to gaze at the passing streets.
"So," he said, finally breaking the silence. "Want to get some dinner?"