Returning Shadows

(7) Peter Pan, Actually

CHAPTER 7

Peter Pan, Actually.

“Two pints, and whatever she wants,” Danny told the barmaid, who was well into her forties and giving both Shawn and Danny the glad eye. Not that I could blame her.

“Um, a Coke, please,” I said, a pang of self-consciousness coming over me. They were both old enough to buy alcohol, and I was just basically a silly kid who had somehow managed to tag along with them.

Shawn scoffed from beside me.

“Yeah, stick some rum in that.” Danny winked at the barmaid, who visibly reddened and tittered like a schoolgirl before she turned to get the drinks.

I leaned in closer to him. “I’m not old enough to drink!” I whispered. Not that it had stopped me from drinking with my brother, but this was different.

He smirked. “It doesn’t matter as long as you look and act old enough.”

I sighed in defeat and just hoped that I wouldn’t smell of alcohol when I got home.

Shawn grabbed my elbow and tugged me off the barstool. “Let’s go grab a seat,” he said as he pulled me towards an empty table at the back of the pub. It was relatively empty, with only a few people sitting around drinking and talking.

A few seconds later, Danny came into view, bringing our drinks. “Hey-up!” he said, placing our drinks on the table in front of us before sitting down on the bench next to me, sitting impossibly close so that our thighs were touching. Conveniently, I couldn’t put any space between us because I was sitting on the end against the wall. He slid my coke towards me before taking a large drink of his pint and wiping his gorgeous mouth on the back of his hand.

Wait, did I really just say gorgeous?

“Drink up, Kitty,” he whispered, snapping me out of my reverie.

Shawn snorted, obviously noticing my staring.

Warily, I picked up my glass and took a small sip before choking on it, not because of the strong taste of rum assaulting my taste buds, but because of my self-consciousness taking over at having two pairs of eyes watching my every move.

Shawn and Danny both laughed as I blushed furiously.

“Bit strong, was it?” Shawn scoffed.

“No,” I said blandly, scowling at him. “I just don’t like being stared at. It makes me nervous.”

Danny leaned in closer to me. “Get used to it, Kitty,” he whispered, his voice attractively low and husky, making my blush deepen.

I took a bigger drink, in an attempt to cool down my burning cheeks.

“Come on, Lexi. Help me get the pool set up,” Shawn said, standing from the opposite side of the table.

I looked at Danny, as if to ask permission to leave the tight space in which I was sitting. He slid back into the seat a little more, which I guessed was him making room for me to pass. I stood and slid past him uncomfortably, the backs of my thighs rubbing against his knees as I squeezed between him and the table. Before I got anywhere though, he tugged me sharply by the wrist so that I landed on his lap with a squeal.

“Oops,” He said with a smirk. “Be careful, love.”

Really? He was making out that it was my fault?

Before I could argue, he slid both hands under my sweater. I stiffened as his cool hands glided up my bare flesh, sending goose bumps all over my body. He stopped at my waist as he stood up, pulling me to my feet with him. My back pressed against his hard chest as he left his hands linger on my waist.