Page 27 of Trigger

“A bitpresumptuous, don’t you think?”

“I’mall for sexual innuendos, but can we leave the cuddling for later? I kinda wantto get out of here.”

Carterrolled his eyes and stood up.

“Ifyou get hurt by this, don’t blame me,” he said, taking off his shoes.

“Dulynoted.”

“Andkeep your hands away from my ass.”

“I’lltry to restrain myself.”

Whenhe climbed on my shoulders, I stood up, holding his knees so we wouldn’t toppleover.

“Impressive,Thorsen,” he said, resting his hands on my head for balance. “You didn’t evenlose a breath, did you?”

Notfrom lifting him, but his hands on my head made me think all kinds of crazyshit. Most of it would, under normal circumstances, leave me with my pantstented.

“Nowstand on my shoulders,” I instructed him. “Can you do that?”

“I wasa semi-professional gymnast before I joined the academy. Does that answer yourquestion?”

Whenhis fingers yanked at my hair, I hissed more from shock than pain because,goddamn.Goddamn.

“Fuck,”Carter muttered, sounding equally alarmed. “Sorry. I thought I was going tofall. By the way, I think I messed up your bun.”

“Ithought you were a pro gymnast,” I said through my teeth, trying to ignore hispackage that I could feel against the back of my neck. No wonder he was sococky, all pun intended.

“Isaid I was a semi-pro. And stop touching my ass.”

In mydefense, I had to touch his ass to shift him into a more stable position,although it made my heart race as if I was competing at the Olympics. It was aMona Lisa of asses, after all.

“Ready,partner?” I asked him, trying to concentrate on the task at hand.

“AsI’ll ever be. Don’t drop me.”

“Don’tfall.”

I felthis hands on my shoulders, and then his feet replaced them when he stood up,holding onto the wall for balance. When we were both confident enough to move,I took a step toward the hole in the ceiling. Then another one. Then anotherone.

“Stop,”Carter said, his voice strained.

“Canyou reach it?”

“No,and I’m not trying because I will lose my balance.”

“Whatif you jump? Could you reach it then?”

“Idon’t think so, and besides, there’s a locked padlock on it which we can’topen.”

“Fuck.”

“I’mcoming down. Ready?”

“Yeah.”

Ilowered my knees, careful not to fuck up my back, but he already jumped down.

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