See Me (See Me #1)(13)
“Sure, yeah.” I slipped one off and he picked it up, turning it round and round to see the specimen from every angle.
“Have you ever seen flip-flops before?” Cassidy asked. McKale shook his head, feeling the strap. Then he held it on his outstretched hand and wrist, appearing to measure it. I worried that he’d scoff at the size nine, but he showed no reaction. He ran a finger over the imprint my foot made in the squishy sole, and I began to feel tingly from the indirect attention. I wiggled my toes absently.
“Go ahead then, mate!” shouted Rock. “Give the shoe a snog—ye know ye want to!”
I blushed and McKale blanched, slipping the flip-flop back on my foot and crossing his arms.
“Git,” he mumbled toward our wee companion. Rock was undeterred by the insult.
After that, we sort of kept our attention on Cass and Rock who were quite the silly pair. He had to holler to make his voice heard over the raucous laughter and music around us.
“So you can get big, like us?” she asked her tiny admirer. He nodded. “Can you do it now?”
“Only for another kiss!”
Cassidy laughed, a glint in her eye. “My lips are too big. I almost suffocated you last time.”
“Kiss me when I’m big!”
“My parents are standing right over there.” But when we looked, they weren’t there anymore. “Hey, where’d they go?” Cassidy and I both stood up and searched with our eyes. They were nowhere in the crowd. A short blast of tingling magic hit us at our backs and we spun around. There on the top of the table sat Rock, full-sized, limber legs crossed. Cass let out a little scream in surprise.
“Ladies,” he said, inclining his curly head and flashing a cute grin.
I looked at McKale and caught him studying my face again. I gave him a small smile. To my surprise he flashed me a quick one in return before looking away again. It was the first time he’d smiled at me and it sent a buzz of warmth through my body.
Rock stepped nimbly down from the table, past McKale. The Clourichaun was my height, I couldn’t help but notice. Rock bowed to me first before turning to my sister. He took Cassidy’s hand and kissed her fingertips. Definitely a charmer. Then without asking, he leaned down and kissed her on the lips. She did not pull away. Instead she went up on her toes. Thankfully the kiss ended before I started to feel embarrassed, but it left Cassidy with a dreamy look on her face.
Her dream-state was quickly shattered when Brogan broke through the crowd, swinging his arms at Rock, who jumped back. Brogan’s assault kept coming, landing punches anywhere he could on the Clourichaun. Rock cupped his hands over his crotch, laughing as he begged Brogan to take it easy. McKale shook his head and chuckled as his friend climbed up and over the table, escaping Brogan’s wrath.
“What are you on about, old man?” Rock asked, extending his arms in question from the safety of the other side of the table. He had a mock-pained expression on his smooth face, underscored with amusement. McKale’s father was pink in the cheeks and had his small hands balled into fists.
“Our guests have hardly been ‘ere an hour and yer already making advances at their youngest? I think not! Keep your no-good hands to yerself and don’t be causing trouble among us. Do ye hear?”
“Aye, crystal clear. I’ll be a good lad. Promise.”
Brogan gave a deep, barrel laugh. “You don’t know how ta be good. Gather yer troublesome clan and leave us be. Go on!”
“All right then,” Rock said with an easy shrug. Brogan eyed him with distrust and put his fists on his hips.
“I’d best be off, then. Night everyone.” Rock bowed to us and put two fingers between his lips, ripping an ear-shattering whistle. With a wave of his arm the tiny Clourichaun came bounding over from their various places. All of them but Rock had stayed small. They climbed him, some going up to his shoulders and others swinging on handfuls of his tunic. He gave Cass a stealthy wink before ghosting away into the field with the others. Once satisfied, Brogan turned to us.
“Please forgive his indiscretion. Their ways are not our own. ‘Tis getting late and I know yer both travel-weary. I’ve shown yer folks to their rooms, and I’ll show the two of ya to yers as well. We’ll be having more festivities on the morrow. Everyone’s itchin’ to meet ye.”
“Thank you,” I said.
McKale stood, rubbing his palms down his pants again.
“Good night, McKale,” I said.
“G’night, then, Robyn.” He watched my face.
I liked when he really looked at me, as if he didn’t want to stare, but his eyes would get stuck against his will. When he became aware he tore his gaze away and scratched his cheek self-consciously.
As Cassidy and I left to follow Brogan, clan eyes turned toward us. I realized then that nobody approached us while we sat with McKale, out of respect. I smiled and nodded at the people as we passed, excited to find our room and return tomorrow to meet them.
I peeked back at the shy guy who was staring at the ground, deep in thought. Lots of girls didn’t care for the quiet type. Even Cassidy, who was a smart girl in so many ways, often lost all proof of intelligence when it came to guys. Most girls I knew wanted boys like Rock: the confident and outgoing “bad” boys. But there was something endearing to me about McKale’s quiet, introverted demeanor.