See Me (See Me #1)(26)

“Rock, you little jerk! Where are our clothes?”

“Aargh! You’re squeezing the life outta me bits and pieces!” he cried.

I did not loosen my hold.

“If you don’t tell me where my clothes are I’m going to crush your tiny bits and pieces.”

A sudden burst of magic caught me in the chest and violently forced my hands apart. I blinked, and found myself unsteady, sprawled on top of full-grown Rock, who lay back on the grass with his hands behind his head, giving me a lazy grin.

“What’s that ye were saying about tiny?” he asked.

“Oh! You perv!” I struggled to roll off of him, but he grabbed me around the waist, chuckling. When I pushed him he grabbed my wrists instead.

So, funny guy wanted to wrestle, huh? No problem. All of my athletic skills surfaced and I twisted my arms hard toward his thumbs, breaking his hold on my wrists. We were sitting up now and I swiftly brought my legs up between us, giving him a kangaroo-kick to the chest that sent him backward before I swung my legs under myself and crouched, ready. Rock was still laughing in between spurts of coughing as he rolled around, clutching his chest.

“Blimey, what the blazes?” The voice came from the trees.

I glanced up and saw a flash of red hair. McKale stood there staring back and forth between the two of us. Oh, no. This probably looked bad.

Cassidy’s soft footfalls came running up the bank. “You found him! And I found these.” She held up our clothes, out of breath but happy, and then looked over where I kept glancing. “Oh, hey, McKale!”

He sputtered something incoherent and covered his eyes to shield against her near-nakedness.

“Rock stole our clothes when we were swimming!” I pointed to the rascal Clourichaun, who was still on the ground, enjoying the view. McKale lowered the hand from his eyes and glared hard at his friend.

“And aren’t ye glad I did, Kale, m’boy?” Rock nodded his head toward me.

McKale’s eyes traveled over to mine, and then slid slowly downward, landing with an abrupt halt on my boobs. He looked like a child who’d just accidentally discovered his Christmas gift. I allowed him two more seconds of gawking before crossing my arms and breaking the spell. I wanted to be flattered, but I was too busy being angry.

I stomped to Cassidy and began pulling my clothes on. She and Rock were making silly eyes at one another.

“Get your clothes on,” I told her.

“Would you relax? It’s the same as a bathing suit.” She cocked her hip in defiance and Rock cocked an eyebrow.

“Now,” I said to her. She sighed and begrudgingly began pulling on her clothes.

Without looking back at Cassidy and Rock, I headed toward the path where McKale stood. He took up silent residence beside me as I speed-walked. It took five minutes for me to slow down and relax.

“Sorry about Rock,” McKale said. “Bit of a gobshite, that one.”

“You don’t have to apologize for him. He’s annoying, but I know he’s harmless.”

“Eh, mostly. Yer sister should still take heed. Rock is like a brother to me, but he’s unpredictable an’ self-serving.”

“Cass doesn’t heed warnings very well. Not when she’s got her mind made up about something.”

“Perhaps they’ll enjoy one another, then.”

He glanced over at me as we walked, and I felt the warmth of him. I looked away, feeling self-conscious as I remembered his heated look at my chest earlier. We walked in silence for a few minutes.

“Do you have any brothers?” I asked. He didn’t answer right away.

“Nay. I’m the only child from my father’s binding to survive.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. How about your mother? Is she here?” I knew the answer the moment the question left my mouth. If she were here, I obviously would have met her.

“They believe something tore internally during my birth and she bled for days before passing. I was too large for her.”

“Oh, McKale,” I said softly. Again with his size.

On impulse, I reached over and took his hand, twining our fingers together. The feel of it must have taken him by surprise because his steps faltered a second. From the corner of my eye I caught him peering down at our hands. My heart was beating way too fast. I’d never held hands with a boy.

I cleared my throat. “Are you on a break from work right now?”

“Aye. Mid-day meal. Leilah saw me and told me she’d sent ye to the falls.”

We walked in silence, holding hands the rest of the way until the thick forest opened up into the bright clearing and we stopped.

“I must return to work,” he said. I heard reluctance there, and it made me smile shyly. I watched his eyes explore my face. In the sunlight the hazel colors were a mix of sea green and light caramel.

Just then an obnoxious kissy noise sounded from behind us, followed by excessive girly cackling. McKale and I broke apart, turning to see Cassidy and Rock coming up the path.

“That was mean!” Cassidy gave Rock a shove. His dark curls bounced around his face and he started tickling her ribs. As they carried on, McKale and I caught each other’s eyes again.

“I guess I’ll see you tonight,” I told him.

He tilted his head down toward me and I melted a little when he replied, “’Til then.”