Page 136 of Penny For Your Thoughts
Diem got his hands under my shoes and heaved me higher. I warbled, but he steadied me. For a fleeting moment, I wondered what kind of weight he used for overhead presses because this was fucking insane. I wasn’t a big guy, but the last time I stood on a scale, I tipped one forty-five.
“Oh my god, don’t drop me.”
“Get up, Tallus.” The strain in his voice told me I wasn’t as light as he hoped, and this wasn’t as easy as he made it look.
“I’m trying.” I groped for a higher handhold and swung a leg as he instructed, trying to catch the edge of my shoe on the platform.
I banged my ankle on the first attempt, then thought I was going to fall when I couldn’t find Diem’s makeshift hand perch, and my leg swung free. He grasped the sole of my swinging shoe and alleviated some of the weight off my arms.
The second time I swung a leg, my stupid Converse slipped. I kicked Diem in the face, lost my grip on the railing, and landed heavily in his arms. The momentum sent us off balance, and we crashed to the ground, both of us laughing.
“This isn’t working.”
His chest bounced, arms squeezing me tight. “Again.”
I groaned. “You are having too much fun at my expense.”
Diem got me to his shoulders, and I grasped the rail. He heaved me higher, bracing each foot. My hands ached. Muscles I didn’t know I owned burned. When I swung a leg, I didn’t come close to reaching the platform.
“This is ridiculous. I can’t do it.”
“If you don’t, you’re getting a fucking gym membership, and I will wake you at five a.m. every day to work out.”
“That’s not fair.” I whimpered, even though I’d been contemplating the same thing lately. “How am I this weak?”
“Lattes and peanut butter cookies.”
I kicked him in the face again—accidentally on purpose.
The third time I angled for the platform, my shoe caught. Somehow, through sheer force of will, I managed to get over the rail with only a few scrapes and bruises and collapsed on theother side with a groan.
“That was quite the acrobatic feat for someone whose idea of cardio is running to the bathroom during commercial breaks,” Diem called from below.
“I hate cable TV. We should only stream. That way I can pause it.” I lay still, unable to move as I caught my breath and dreamed of feather beds and manservants.
“Did you pass out?”
“No. I can’t feel my arms. Give me a sec.” When I finally got to my feet, the jerk applauded.
I peered down at my smug boyfriend and stuck out my tongue. “You’re an asshole.”
“And you’re as graceful as a cow on roller skates.”
“Screw you. That was perfectly graceful. In fact, I’m going to audition for Cirque du Soleil.”
He snorted. “That I’d like to see.”
“What part? The audition or me in a leotard?”
The bear in his chest awoke as he readjusted his junk.
“Too easy.”
“You’re fucking trouble. Go do your job. Meet me at the front door.”
The apartment where I landed was empty. No signs of renovation. The door to the hallway was unlocked. The unlit corridor beyond was swamped in impenetrable darkness. No emergency lights guided me to a stairwell. Nothing but an abyss.
When I reached for my phone and found my pocket empty, I cursed. Diem hadn’t returned it, so I didn’t have a flashlight either. The one I’d used at the storage unit was in the Jeep. With one hand on the wall, I inched along, testing doors as I passed them, looking for a stairwell. I found numerous empty apartments.
