a little nervous, yes. I'm not eighteen anymore," I say and back away from him.
"I'll say. You're what? A whopping twenty-three now, like over-the-hill," he teases and laughs.
"Shut up you young whipper-snapper," I say. It's a big joke between us with him being a couple of years younger than me. Actually, I’ve never given our age difference much of a thought because he always seemed older to me.
"Okay, I tell you what, I'll hold your hand while we jump in together," he says and narrows his eyes as he glances at me. "God, you're beautiful. Your blue eyes reflect the sky and water."
I blush to the core. Suddenly I feel naked knowing Judah thinks such things of me. "You're not so bad yourself. Your, uh, brown eyes reflect the rocks beautifully," I say chuckling nervously.
"Oh sure, my brown eyes sparkle out here." He rolls his eyes and waves me off.
"They actually do. You have beautiful warm eyes." I smile at him as I step closer.
"Let's just jump." The daredevil is always ready for adventure and action.
"Okay." I step up and place my small hand in his large hand and swallow hard. The first jump of the summer is always the doozy for me. I take a few deep breaths in preparation.
"One...two...three," he says and we shove off the ledge and plunge to the dark blue water below. The exhilaration I feel as the fresh water envelopes my body takes my breath away as we slip deep into the coolness. I let go and frantically swim back to the surface. Once I make the first jump, I’m good to keep going.
"Woo! That's great!" Judah says as he shakes his head casting water everywhere after he surfaces.
I laugh as I tread water. "Yes, it is," I say and Judah disappears under the water. I swim around trying to find him. Suddenly he grabs my feet and yanks. I go under but pop right back.
I squeal and kick frantically and look down, but I can't see him. He bursts up right behind me and swings his muscled arms around me as he laughs in my ears. "Judah!" I yell as I try to turn, but his grip is tight.
"Come on, again. This time we move back and run and jump," he says as he scurries up the side of the bluff, climbing like a monkey. I swim to the ledge and hoist myself to the first rock.
I follow Judah up the bluff climbing slower and not looking back. I have a fear of heights, but I know if I fall I'll be okay because the water will catch me. We meet at the top and this time we back up about twenty feet so we can run and jump. He has to push me to do more each time.
Judah grins at me and holds out his hand. I tentatively place my small hand in his. Still, my nerves jangle as I peer over the edge. "Don't run too fast, I have shorter legs than you."
"Shapely legs too." He winks at me.
I punch his arm. "Let's go." And we're off and run and jump. This time we push out farther and let go in the air. I flail letting go of his hand before we hit the surface of the lake.
"Yee haw!" he yells before he hits the water.
I just scream as I make a big splash with my feet first. Again the cool water welcomes me as I plunge deeper and then swim back to the surface as fast as I can.
"Invigorating!" Judah says. "This time I jump first, then you. We go it alone." There he goes again, wanting me to do more than I’m comfortable.
I frown. I don't like jumping alone. I’ve seen too many horror movies. "Do I have to?" I ask as I dog paddle back to the bluffs.
"Yes, we have to add to our adventure. You're a big girl; you can do this," Judah says and laughs uncontrollably at my reluctance.
And so we spent the rest of the day jumping and swimming and enjoying each other's company. I am grateful for the preoccupation and a reason to take my mind away from Blaine's absence. Judah proves over and over his loyalty and friendship.
Chapter Five
Judah is my lifesaver. He comes by on his days off, and we head back to the lake and jump in the cool water together. He keeps my mind from going crazy with missing Blaine. However, Judah is working the next two
"I'll say. You're what? A whopping twenty-three now, like over-the-hill," he teases and laughs.
"Shut up you young whipper-snapper," I say. It's a big joke between us with him being a couple of years younger than me. Actually, I’ve never given our age difference much of a thought because he always seemed older to me.
"Okay, I tell you what, I'll hold your hand while we jump in together," he says and narrows his eyes as he glances at me. "God, you're beautiful. Your blue eyes reflect the sky and water."
I blush to the core. Suddenly I feel naked knowing Judah thinks such things of me. "You're not so bad yourself. Your, uh, brown eyes reflect the rocks beautifully," I say chuckling nervously.
"Oh sure, my brown eyes sparkle out here." He rolls his eyes and waves me off.
"They actually do. You have beautiful warm eyes." I smile at him as I step closer.
"Let's just jump." The daredevil is always ready for adventure and action.
"Okay." I step up and place my small hand in his large hand and swallow hard. The first jump of the summer is always the doozy for me. I take a few deep breaths in preparation.
"One...two...three," he says and we shove off the ledge and plunge to the dark blue water below. The exhilaration I feel as the fresh water envelopes my body takes my breath away as we slip deep into the coolness. I let go and frantically swim back to the surface. Once I make the first jump, I’m good to keep going.
"Woo! That's great!" Judah says as he shakes his head casting water everywhere after he surfaces.
I laugh as I tread water. "Yes, it is," I say and Judah disappears under the water. I swim around trying to find him. Suddenly he grabs my feet and yanks. I go under but pop right back.
I squeal and kick frantically and look down, but I can't see him. He bursts up right behind me and swings his muscled arms around me as he laughs in my ears. "Judah!" I yell as I try to turn, but his grip is tight.
"Come on, again. This time we move back and run and jump," he says as he scurries up the side of the bluff, climbing like a monkey. I swim to the ledge and hoist myself to the first rock.
I follow Judah up the bluff climbing slower and not looking back. I have a fear of heights, but I know if I fall I'll be okay because the water will catch me. We meet at the top and this time we back up about twenty feet so we can run and jump. He has to push me to do more each time.
Judah grins at me and holds out his hand. I tentatively place my small hand in his. Still, my nerves jangle as I peer over the edge. "Don't run too fast, I have shorter legs than you."
"Shapely legs too." He winks at me.
I punch his arm. "Let's go." And we're off and run and jump. This time we push out farther and let go in the air. I flail letting go of his hand before we hit the surface of the lake.
"Yee haw!" he yells before he hits the water.
I just scream as I make a big splash with my feet first. Again the cool water welcomes me as I plunge deeper and then swim back to the surface as fast as I can.
"Invigorating!" Judah says. "This time I jump first, then you. We go it alone." There he goes again, wanting me to do more than I’m comfortable.
I frown. I don't like jumping alone. I’ve seen too many horror movies. "Do I have to?" I ask as I dog paddle back to the bluffs.
"Yes, we have to add to our adventure. You're a big girl; you can do this," Judah says and laughs uncontrollably at my reluctance.
And so we spent the rest of the day jumping and swimming and enjoying each other's company. I am grateful for the preoccupation and a reason to take my mind away from Blaine's absence. Judah proves over and over his loyalty and friendship.
Chapter Five
Judah is my lifesaver. He comes by on his days off, and we head back to the lake and jump in the cool water together. He keeps my mind from going crazy with missing Blaine. However, Judah is working the next two
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