2.
As Stella entered O'Malley's at 8:00 that night, she tried to concentrate on something other than the rapidly changing relationship between her and Mac. She was doing a good job, choosing instead to focus on plans she and Lindsey had made earlier to go shopping this weekend.
She looked around the crowded bar and spotted her group across the room, sitting at a large corner booth with green beer and Irish coffee scattered across the tabletop. Stella began the journey through the large green crowd. Halfway there, she felt a hand slide around her waist, tugging her.
"You look beautiful, Stel," Mac's voice made her head spin as he pulled her close to him.
"You scared me!" she laughed. She looked at his face, and then let her eyes take him in up and down. She noticed he wore the same suit and shirt he had been wearing at work today, and he looked damn good in it. She smiled at him. "I only changed into jeans, Mac. I look the same."
He chuckled. She had done the same to him, so he gave in and let his eyes roam, just for a moment over her beautiful body. He leaned in to her ear and let her know what he thought of the change. "They're seriously working for you, though," he growled.
And with that, he placed his hand at the small of her back and led her to the table.
"Look who I found, guys," he announced as they approached.
Her teammates said hi as she and Mac sat down next to each other. They sank into a hilarious conversation about the odd cases they had seen earlier that day; almost all of them had alcohol in common. The waitress walked by and Mac kept his word– he ordered drinks for both he and Stella and shushed her when she turned to him to protest.
"I don't want to hear it, Stel. Happy St. Patrick's Day," he smiled. She stuck her tongue out at him and then turned back to the conversation. She felt his hand fall gently to her lower back again as she leaned forward to the table. When he started tracing patterns there, she zoned out of the conversation and struggled to at least look like she was semi-interested.
"What about you, Stella?" She heard Danny's voice and snapped back to reality.
"Hmm?"
"Any weird green beer cases for you today?"
"No, actually I did paperwork all day. I missed out on the action." She was relieved no one had seemed to notice her inattention.
She downed her first beer when it came, and Mac ordered another one for her. His fingers were still playing at her back, but every now and then she felt them toy with the hem of her shirt, as if he wanted to touch her underneath it. They would both be in trouble if that happened, she thought. She wasn't sure if she could resist the urge to jump on him if his hand got adventurous.
She drank the second beer slower, knowing that her lightweight tendencies would cause trouble for her tomorrow morning if she didn't pace herself.
"Dance with me?" Mac's hot breath against her ear and neck made her dizzy. When his words sunk in she turned and smiled at him.
"You dance?" She asked teasingly.
"I don't know. Come see for yourself," he teased right back, offering her a hand and helping her up from the booth. "We'll be back," he told the team. They walked away, ignoring their raised eyebrows.
Flack was the first to say it.
"I think the luck of the Irish might just be what they needed."
Danny ordered another round to celebrate.