Tempest rolled her eyes at him. “You’re a trip.”
“No, you’re a trip,” Geren came right back at her.
“Fine. You want to see some serious blading.” Tempest took off to the door, huffing and puffing along the way. “I’ll show you some serious blading.”
• • •
Once they got out in the parking garage, Tempest was determined to prove Geren wrong. After all, Fred had given her a lesson, and she only fell a few times. Nothing major.
They had their skates strapped on and were standing on the top of one of the ramps of the garage on the third level.
“You ready?” Geren glanced over at her standing beside him and giggled. She looked scared shitless.
“Not only am I ready,” Tempest responded, elbowing him. “I’m going first.”
“Umm, maybe we should go together, Tempest. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”
“Hurt?” Tempest hissed at him. “Nucca, please. Watch my smoke.”
Geren reluctantly let her go ahead of him, even though he had a bad feeling. He realized he was right by the time Tempest got to the first turn. Her legs started wobbling and shaking.
Geren took off as fast as he could to try to catch up to her, but she’d gained speed and was temporarily out of his sight. The next thing he heard was Tempest screaming, “Oh, shit!”
Geren got to the bottom of the garage and didn’t see Tempest anywhere. “Tempest!” he yelled out. “Where are you?”
“I’m over here.”
“Over where?” Geren asked in a panic, looking around for her among the few parked cars that were scattered around.
“Over here, dammit!”
Geren finally realized where her voice was coming from and rushed over to the Dumpster on the rear wall. He climbed up on one of the metal handles and looked over the top. It was all he could do not to double over in laughter when he spotted Tempest sitting there, surrounded by garbage.
“How in the hell did you get in there?” he inquired, absolutely amazed at her predicament.
“I came down the ramp too fast and flipped in here,” Tempest confessed, ashamed and embarrassed. “Could you please help me get out? My back hurts, and I don’t think I can get up by myself.”
“Awwwwwww, poor baby,” Geren said, mocking her. “Give me your hand, Miss Rollerblade Queen, and I’ll pull you out.”
Tempest managed to reach up to him, and he pulled her up and over the side.
Before Geren could get a word in edgewise, Tempest snapped at him. “Don’t say one word! Not one damn word!”
Geren snickered while Tempest half-walked and half-skated to his car, holding her back with one hand and pulling trash out of her hair with the other.
• • •
“If you say one smart thing, I swear I will go upside your head.” Tempest was holding on to Geren’s neck tightly while he carried her into his house.
“I’m not saying a thing.”
“Good.”
Geren placed her down on the sofa in his living room. Once again, Tempest was in awe of his taste. His house was laid.
“Let me get you a pillow to prop your legs up.”
Geren grabbed a toss pillow and elevated Tempest’s legs.