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“I’ve gotta get a ladder for me…” she explained. “I’ll be right back.”
“Hang on…”
Kyle dropped back down a few steps, then hung from the bottom of the ladder with one hand, extending the other towards her.
“You’re kidding me…” she gaped in disbelief.
“C’mon,” he urged. “I don’t want you walking around back here in the shadows. Just take my hand and shimmy upwards.”
“I don’t… shimmy…” she muttered, feeling her cheeks blush as he smiled at her.
“Put your hand in mine, then you can put your foot on my leg, climb up on the ladder, and I’ll follow you. Next time, we can bring a ladder – or better yet? We can put in an attic access that works.”
“I’ll add it to my list,” she began nervously and put her hand in his – only to feel him pull her upwards bodily. Kyle might not be as brawny as some of the other men, but he obviously worked out – A LOT.
Scrambling nervously to get purchase, she indeed put her foot on him – only to feel them both drop as they hit the ground a second later… painfully.
Kyle groaned painfully and sucked in a deep breath before letting out another whimper of pain – just before he turned his head and spat out blood.
“I thought you said that you ‘had this’…” she hissed, and clenched at her head where it bumped into his jaw painfully. Her ears were ringing, and she was feeling a sharp pain from where her elbow contacted something.
“I did… until someone decided to use my groin to stand on – and not my thigh,” he wheezed painfully. “Are you okay?”
Reyna hesitated – and then realized that she was lying almost on top of Kyle there in the alley. He broke her fall? She scrambled off him and groaned audibly as she extended her arm, her elbow smarting painfully.
He slowly got to his feet, shaking his head… and then walked a few steps towards her.
“Let me see you…” he uttered softly. “Are you hurt?”
He gingerly examined her elbow, wrist, and arm before nodding.
“I think you are okay,” he began. “You might have a bruise, but I don’t think anything is broken. How about we try this again… but with a ladder?”
“Agreed. Did you bite your tongue?”
“My cheek,” he admitted. “I’m fine and really glad it wasn’t my tongue, or I might be missing part of it. I hit the ground pretty hard.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he countered. “It was an accident, you know? Let’s get the ladder and try this again so I can get the light wired in before it’s pitch dark outside.”
Nodding, she followed him back to the door of the café and held the door for him as he grabbed the ladder, folding it, and hefting it over his shoulder. They walked back out towards the fire escape and slowly climbed up with Reyna, trying to ignore the fact that he was directly above her. As she got to the platform, he held out his hand and helped her up.
Reyna turned, put both hands on the window sash and moved it slowly upwards, before looking at him.
“You go first then you can hold it open for me…” she instructed.
She fought back a smile as Kyle looked at her warily and then peered inside. He slid a foot in, then moved his body through the window opening before standing inside, holding it for her.
Reyna climbed in awkwardly and then hesitated by the window. Kyle was standing there, looking at her with this strange look on his face… and she understood.
The way the sunlight was hitting the window that was just above the roof next door was still illuminated with a glow that shone as if it was nothing, a normal everyday occurrence. The dust motes around them floated like little sparkles in the air as everything seemed to be paused… frozen like a timeless portal that they’d crossed into together.
They stood there, looking at each other silently… until Reyna swallowed nervously, the movement audible and echoing in the room.
“I… uh…” she began, unsure of what to say in that moment that wouldn’t be taken the wrong way if he wasn’t interested in her. His hazel eyes seemed to glow in the sunlight and the dark blonde hair was breathtaking to behold in the shadows, giving rise to streaks of gold before her eyes.
“I’m going to put up the light… then I’m going to buff the counters with the wax. Let’s tackle the toilet tomorrow,” Kyle said quietly, and it took her a moment to realize that he wasn’t saying ‘sweet nothings’ to her – but rather making a statement, period… about work to be done.
