Stella remains silent when hearing my great revelation. I feel her stiffen in my back.

"Do you really want us to go swimming?" she asks. "In this water... which must be frozen!"

I can't help but laugh at this failed attempt at evasion.

"Is that really what scares you?" I ask her by turning her head. In any case, you can't escape!

I tighten my grip on her thighs, which makes her giggle. Of course, she is uncomfortable, which I understand, but I am so convinced that she will like it. Several times, she alluded to this lack that eats her. But I know Stella: she prefers to back off to jump better. She proved it to me many times. Otherwise, she would not be hanging around my neck tonight under this beautiful starry sky.

"You're  really crazy, you know that?" she says, laughing.

"Maybe, but you, are you crazy enough to follow me in this?" I ask her by showing the ocean a nod of the head.

A silence settles between us, filled by the sound of the waves.

"If I told you that I am... would that surprise you?" she answers me with another question.

I love her playful tone. A huge smile appears on my face. She's really ready to dive in this cold water with me.

"At the same time, we live in a madhouse, so...

Stella's laughter is doubling. I never tire of hearing that melodious sound. I begin to move towards the shore.

- Wait, wait... We're going... dressed? she asks me in a hesitant tone.

The question crossed my mind, but I didn't think for a second that she would agree to strip. I'm a little caught off guard.

"Uh... I don't know... if you want to... well, you don't have to, if you don't want to..."

"Brody," says my friend, with a smile in her voice, putting her hand on my mouth to shut me up, "put me down, please."

I do it immediately. I gently slide her off my back. Carefully, she first lays her valid foot on the sand, keeping on my shoulder, the ground being soft. I support her with my other hand at the waist. I guide her to a rock where she sits.

"Are you okay?" I ask her, a little worried.

She must have felt the stress in my voice. I am not used to this kind of situation and I do not know how to act best.

"Everything is fine," she says, smiling.

She stoops down to untie the laces of her Converse. Once the shoe is removed, she asks me to help her get back on her feet. I extend one hand to her and pass my other arm to her waist. As my second hand joins the first on either side of her hips, she starts to undo the button on her sport grey shorts. She makes it slide until it hits the ground.

"Can you lift me up, please?" she asks me, turning her gaze to the ground.

I do it again, until the piece of cloth rests on the sand. All she wears is her vest and underwear. But I have no desire to let her go. Her hands are on my shoulders and her body is glued to mine. I can't get my eyes off her face. She's so beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen a girl as gorgeous as her. His ocean-coloured eyes are anchored in mine. We contemplate each other, without saying anything. I am troubled. And Stella seems to be just as bad as me.

"You... you can let go", she stutters.

What I'm doing here.

"I'm going to need your help again," she says.

Her hands leave my shoulders to unbutton his vest, while holding it. I am completely fascinated by his gestures, by his thin fingers grabbing each button to slide them out of their hole. She quickly gets rid of her clothes and there is only a T-shirt with a huge mouth pulling the tongue, emblematic of the Rolling Stones.

"Now you're going to have to put my shirt over my head, and one by one I'll do the same with my arms, okay?"

I'm shaking my head. I cannot believe what is going on between us: a few days ago, she pushed me away because of her leg and, tonight, she asks me to undress her. Yeah, she's really full of surprises.

Slowly, from her waist, my hands are moving towards the hem of her shirt. I grab it and pull it up gently. My fingers feel her skin shivering on my touch. Or maybe it's the wind that keeps blowing... She breathes a slight sigh when I reach her breast region. My heart is racing and, listening to her breathing, I guess she's as nervous as I am. Gently, I take off her T-shirt, which joins her shorts on the sand. I have never shared such an intimate moment with anyone. There she is, in front of me, wearing only a bra and a pair of panties. I am so breathless, she is so beautiful. In spite of the darkness, I see her blushing. She lowers her head.

"You certainly didn't expect that," she begins to say by staring at her bruised leg, with a touch of sadness in her voice.

I know she's ashamed of this handicap, but for me, she's perfect as she is. I put my hand under her chin to make her look at me.

"You look beautiful, Stella."

Her redness redoubles and she lets out a small laugh. She bites her lower lip, betraying her excitement. Quickly, she grabs the hem of my sweater to remove it. In order not to let go of it, I first pass one arm, then the other, which is the puzzle, causing our hilarity. My sweater is half off, with my head stuck in the hole in the sleeve.

"Lean on my hips," I say.

She puts her cold hands on my burning body, which makes me flinch. As I get rid of my suit, I can feel her fingers running through my chest. This soft and delicate contact causes me a new series of shivers.

"You too... you are... very handsome," she ends up saying, embarrassed, raising her head towards me.

Clearly, she is not used to such intimate exchanges, which makes me smile. This time, I am the one blushing. Never before had the compliment of a girl provoked such a reaction in me. During my glory days, being praised for my physique was my daily life. The girls thought I was beautiful, fantasized about me, and I liked being that object of lust. But those same words coming out of Stella's mouth mean something completely different to me.

I also take the opportunity to take off my black jeans before straightening up. I make her sit down on the rock so that she climbs on my back again. This time, our gestures are more fluid than the first time and here we are, facing the sea. She puts her chin close to my neck. The wind has calmed and I can feel her breath in my neck.

- Ready?

- Ready.

******