AUTUMN LEAVES

“Yup that’s me and about 23 others in here, including Mario by the way”, He said with a wink. She shook her head with fake disappointment. “Well then I don’t have a choice but go on that stage and show you guys the way about living a more fulfilling life”. Suddenly, Autumn face flashed between surprise and excitement. She turned to Tiffany mouthing something about the song that just started. Sidney took the hint and welcomed it. Any excuse to touch her he contemplated. Without saying another word, he took her hand in his and drag her towards him effortlessly. Surprised, she looked him in the eye with some sort of disbelief.

“Yes, I am better at ice skating but I can dance” Sidney answer her silent question. As they walked hand in hand towards the dancing floor, her hand felt incredibly small in his. Her soft skin contrasted his rough touch. But she relished in the feeling. The dancing floor was somewhat busy for an Ed Sheeran song she thought. Sidney found a more private corner in the direction of the stage, somehow isolated from other dancers, where fewer eyes can watch them.

He took her in his arms, one hand linked with hers while the other snaked around her waist, resting his large paw on her lower back, pushing her further into him. It was a very intimate position that allowed very little space between their bodies. But who was she to complain? She felt the heat emitting from every part of his large body. She was a tall woman, yet next to his bulky form she felt tiny. But he made her feel protected, shielded from the world.

As they started swaying to Ed Sheeran’s Perfect, Sidney felt the need to explain his choice of spot. “I’m not a creep I promise, I just don’t like people staring”, he whispered in her ear. “Hold it, are you telling me, you, the guy that has been in front of cameras since he was like 3 years old, is not used to people staring?” she asked incredulously trying not to be too distracted by his hot breath on her neck.

He smiled shaking his head. “A long story for another time”, he said with a wink, again using her own words against her. If her arms weren’t trapped with and between his, she would have fanned her heated face. Luckily, she had him for support, one hand resting on his shoulder and the other in his tight grip.

Baby, I'm dancing in the dark with you between my arms
Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song

Then Sidney twirled her like she weighed nothing and she followed so gracefully, taking the lead on more twirls, sending her long golden waves into a spiral. The man could dance she thought.

When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath
But you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight

Then he got close, really close. His lips tickling her neck, she couldn’t breathe. “you look spectacular tonight, every man in the room is envying me right now”. Her mind was clouded with his closeness, his body, his woodsy cologne, his fiery touch and then those words. When he looked back at her, his face only an inch away from hers, all she could do was stare into his hazel eyes and wish he would just kiss her right there and then. Sidney saw the anticipation in her eyes. Her green eyes that reflected the gold shimmer of the dark dancing floor. He wanted her as much as she wanted him, if not more. And just like that he closed off. He was spooked by his own desires. What was he doing? In front of all these people? Teammates, sponsors, shareholders and all of Pittsburgh’s royalties. People who knew him, respected him and above all, had certain expectations of him.

Autumn was confused by the obvious change in his demeanor. She couldn’t read his facial expression but she could tell something was wrong. Before she could ask the question, she felt him drop her hand as if it was burning him. She felt cold as he removed himself all too soon from her. “Sorry to cut this short but people are watching us”, he uttered flatly with a shake of his head.

Is he mad? She didn’t do anything wrong? did she? No one seemed to notice them. He wanted to dance with her. He touched her first. He whispered sweet nothings in her ear. He said she looked spectacular. She was so puzzled that she didn’t realize that, not only did he stop in the middle of their dance, but that he walked away altogether, leaving her standing all alone like an idiot, to the side of the dancing floor.

Then she felt mad. She was fuming. Who does he think he is?! With all the dignity she could muster, she walked towards the nearest exit. She needed some fresh air. She ended up on a terrace that had a view of the PPG paint hockey arena. She felt like an idiot all over again. Taking few cleansing breaths, she decided that she’s not going to let some guy ruin her rare night out. He was not worth it.

As she was heading back inside, she came face to face with another hockey player. A retired one. “Autumn, are you ok? I saw you heading this way, are you lost or something?” Mario said a little worried. “No, I just wanted some fresh air, you know ironically hospital air isn’t great for one’s health” she joked half-heartedly, but Mario laughed all the same, not noticing her discomfort. “Well in that case let me show you the best fresh air that our fine city has to offer. Maybe after Sidney’s speech though”, he quickly added laughing at forgetting this detail. She felt uneasy at the mention of his name but covered it well and walked back inside with Mario.

Sidney was never nervous to give a speech. As the captain of his team, he found himself often giving all kind of speeches. Tonight, it was different. Hiding in a backstage room where no one could see him or require his attention, he dreaded his speech knowing she will be there in the crowd. He ran his finger through his neatly gelled hair as he paced the small space, breathing heavily and scolding himself for his rare lack of self-control. He prided himself on his on- and off-ice self-control. Tonight, he failed himself. She’s just another woman, he told himself over and again. Another easy fuck, maybe.

She was into him and he thought he could’ve easily dragged her in this room and had his way with her. Maybe this would have stopped him from obsessing with Dr. Autumn Scott. But no, he had to complement her, make her feel how attracted to her he was. He embarrassed himself and people likely noticed.

He heard his name being called and knew it was his cue to go on stage.
Sidney put on his poker face, a confident, friendly but serious media face as he appeared on the stage. He welcomed everyone and expressed the honor to speak in the name of the Penguins organization and all the boring political speech he often parroted followed. People loved him. He was adored by his peers, his superiors and simply every person in the room thought of him as the hero and idol. He refrained his vision from going towards Autumn’s table.

But as he addressed and thanked the UPMC, one of their major sponsors, he had no choice but to look at her table. She looked as if nothing has happened. He expected her to be mad and maybe even give him a “go to hell” look of some sort. But she smiled like everyone else on her table and applauded when needed.

As he thought more about it as he went to his table, he realized that she may not have been this much into him after all. This thought upset him. He was Sidney Crosby. Every woman wanted him, even the married ones for fuck sakes, he thought angrily.

Sidney so immaturely wanted to show her that he too did not like her that much. As the first random girl approached him to chat his ears off and likely try to get into his pants, he let her. He did not touch her nor dance with her, but he made it clear that they were not talking about the weather.

Autumn saw the scene unfold few tables away and was strangely thankful for it as it helped her realize how much she should not want that man. He was a player who thought with his dick. Finishing her second drink, Autumn felt her usual confident self. She told Tiffany that she’d be right back. Tiffany seemed to be hitting it off with some guy she just met and did not seem to mind.

Autumn walked deliberately towards Mario as he was saying his goodbyes to some guests. “So about that fresh air you promised?” She said somewhat seductively. Mario’s smile was as bright as daylight. “Thought you’d never ask”. He offered her his arm and she gladly accepted it linking it with hers.

“Lead the way, hopefully it isn’t too far, because let me tell you, beauty comes at an expensive price” she said jokingly pointing to her sandals.

“I don’t think you need these to look gorgeous Autumn, believe me”, he complimented. She said a quite thank you as she followed him on one set of secluded stairs. “Are you kidnaping me Mr. Lemieux? Don’t forget, us doctors have pagers on us at all times” Autumn joked.

He raised both hands laughing. “May I point out that you don’t have your purse and maybe, just maybe, you don’t have a phone or a pager. I can easily kidnap you”.

“Well I could be hiding it somewhere? Have you ever watched any action movies Mr. Lemieux? According to Hollywood, us women always hide a gun under our sexy garters” Autumn said sarcastically.

“So you’re telling me that you don’t have a pager on you but a gun instead?” He asked. “In a garter?” he asked with a lower voice this time. Autumn laughed at his expression and the way he said “garter”, his French accent still there after all his years in Pittsburgh. Mario was very easy to talk to. He was so transparent, unlike his cagey protégé.

Autumn’s thoughts were no longer on Mario as she took in the view from the roof he took her on. It was breathtaking, the small jungle of buildings in the Hill District, the bridges connecting different sides of the city were charmingly lit at night, PPG Paint arena and the neighboring Church of Epiphany. “You were right, it is better up here, so beautiful and peaceful”, she said turning towards Mario. “Even metal bridges in this lighting seem like an art work”. You look like a rare art work, Mario thought. The way she described things was almost poetic.

The subtle breeze made her hair gently caress her cheeks. Mario contemplated her to gage her reactions. He took his time admiring her delicate beauty as he softly spoke giving her some history about the building that the Penguins called home. She was genuinely interested and asked the right questions. She was a mix of frisky and intelligent. She could joke but knows when to be serious. She was mature beyond her years. Mario thought that it was obvious why Autumn was a brilliant doctor.

They talked for an hour and a half about anything and everything. The gala and Sidney both long-forgotten.

Notes