The wind is picking up. The leaves in the trees rustling to the beat of my thumping heart in my throat, in my ears and in my fingertips.
"Could you come up here and push me? I need a little nudge." I opt for sarcasm, but part of me thinks the only way I’m getting in that water is if I’m pushed or if I somehow slip and fall.
"I would never push you, Herring. Do you want me to come hold your hand?" He offers, trying to help, but I shake my head.
I need to do this alone, but I feel safe knowing he’s ready and waiting below.
"I’ll be right here waiting. I have all night."
Patient.
"My feet are turning into prunes though, Herring. So maybe I’ll get out until you’re actually ready so my toes don’t fall off." He laughs, clearly amusing himself. I roll my eyes.
Sarcasm is not what I need right now, even if I’m the one who started it.
"Okay.Okay! I’m going to jump. Can you count me down from ten?" I ask, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, running my hands down my arms to keep me warm.
"I will count down from ten."
Silence fills the air, but only for a moment, and then the countdown begins. My legs feel like jelly.
"Ten. Nine. Eight—" he starts, my stomach churns.
Please don’t be sick.
"Seven. Six. Five—"
"Do you promise to catch me?" I interrupt his countdown, hovering over the edge.
"I promise. Four. Three. Two—" And before he can get to one, I leap off the rock, letting out a not-so-subtle scream, his voice cheering me on from below.
I did it.
As my body crashes against the ice cold water, his arm grips around my waist, pulling me up for air.
"I knew you could do it," his excited voice sounds over the crashing waves my body caused, and I don’t miss the pride in it.
To steady myself and catch my breath, I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs follow suit instinctively, wrapping around his waist. The moment they do, I regret it.
I’m taken aback by what I can feel.
I know I’m not imagining this.
I’m not imagining the sensation of his cock growing harder against me. My body shudders at the simple touch, swimsuit fabric the only thing separating us.
We remain completely still, knowing how it’ll end if either of us even moves slightly. If we were naked, it would be so easy to just slide down and have him fill me up and right now, I’m craving nothing more.
But I’m not ready.
My breathing quickens. I close my eyes, resting my forehead against his before I place a soft, almost missable kiss on his lips before quickly pulling away, knowing we can’t go back if we cross that line.
Knowing such a simple movement can ruin everything we’ve built in such a short amount of time.
Unwrapping my legs from around his waist, I use his hard chest as leverage to push myself away, swimming to the edge of the water and climbing out.
"I’m sorry about that," he whispers, drying himself off with a towel.
"You have nothing to be sorry for",I whisper back. We’re alone here. No one can hear us, but it feels wrong to have this conversation in any other way. "I’m not ready for—" I begin, but he cuts me off before I can finish my sentence.
