Free Forever Yours by Nicole Salmond

never let herself feel any kind of excitement and happiness with the fear of what it might do to her.
    “Come on Stella. It’ll be fun. All we have to do is jump. Just trust me.”
    Stella coughed and looked at him like he must be joking. “And break my neck? No I don’t think so,” she said shaking her head.
    He tilted his head to the side, thinking about how melodramatic she was being. “You won’t break your neck. I’ve done it a hundred times before, it’s a lot deeper than you think.”
    Stella looked at him, and then leaned forward peering over the edge of the rock to the drop below.
     “ Pleeease ,” Tristan begged Stella, doing his best to pull a sad face.
    She looked at him in disbelief. “You’re trying puppy eyes on me? Seriously Tristan?” Stella rolled her eyes while he kept pulling his face, determined to convince to her to go with him.
    “Pretty, pretty please, with sugar on top.”
    He watched as Stella considered his offer, playing it over in her head. He would never force her to do anything she didn’t want to do, but he desperately wanted her to take a risk.
    After a long minute of contemplating his offer Stella finally agreed. “Fine,” she grunted. “But if anything happens to me...”
    Tristan couldn’t hide his smile. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you Stella.”
    “Promise me you won’t do that face to me again?”
    Tristan laughed at her comment, “I can’t promise you that.”
    She shook her head at him, and then quickly started undressing herself.
    Tristan watched as she pulled her clothing and shoes off, leaving her exposed with all but the tiny fabric covering her most desirable attributes. He didn’t think he could ever get enough of Stella’s body. She was perfectly proportioned with radiant skin. Her posture said she wasn’t shy of her body and yet she wasn’t overly confident either. He hadn’t realised he’d been staring until he heard Stella’s comment.
    “Finished? Maybe you should take a picture, lasts longer.”
    Tristan raised his eyebrow, grinning at her. “Maybe I should, so I’ll always remember your stunning figure, although I doubt I’ll ever be able to forget.” He pulled her closer, kissing her gently on the lips.
    Stella pulled herself from his grasp. “ Please , I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of better looking bodies than mine.”
    Tristan shook his head, “None have been as beautiful as yours.”
    Stella coughed in her mouth, “HA HA !”
    Tristan shrugged. “Think what you want. But right now, I’m ready to go swimming.” He grabbed her hand and led her to the edge of the rock, his pulse racing. He tried to hide his excitement, it was one thing doing it by yourself the thrill of the drop, but it was another knowing she had just agreed to trust him.
     “Ready?” he asked with playful smile, squeezing her hand tightly, reassuring her it will be ok.
    She kept her head down, and nodded. Tristan could feel her hand shaking in his.
    “On the count of three. One, two, three!” he yelled as they both leaped of the rock’s edge flying through the air.
    Tristan heard Stella’s scream for a split second, gripping her tightly, just before they hit the icy water with force.
    They both emerged from the water, gasping for air as the coldness pressed against their skin. “It’s freezing!” Tristan exclaimed, suddenly regretting his actions. The last thing he wanted to do was freeze Stella to death.
    Stella turned to him with a wide smile on her lips. “That was unreal! Let’s do it again!” Stella exclaimed full of adrenaline. She pulled Tristan close to her wrapping her legs around his waist.
    “That was defiantly not the reaction I’d thought you’d give. I’m freezing!” Tristan said in surprise.
    Stella tilted her back and laughed. Tristan knew in that moment after hearing that sound out of her mouth, the pure joy she felt, the way her laugh warmed his heart, he would do everything in his power to make her feel like that