A Solid Lean

The polished floor of the hallway was too inviting to pass up. I rocked my weight forward, letting my round frame tip into a slow, smooth glide. My broad belly met the edge of a thick hardcover book resting near the wall. Instead of toppling, the heavy volume skated forward an inch across the varnished wood with a dry, satisfying scrape before locking firmly in place. I paused right there, leaning into its sturdy spine and letting my chin rest on the embossed cover. Rrr... good. A low, vibrating hum rolled through my chest and rippled right through the floorboards.