CountryCore Series: Sweet Lavender (WLW)

Haven't Done This in Years

Aster held out her hand toward Cricket, though she just stared at it with a gruff expression. Her eyes darted toward the door of the dance hall and she took a step to her left, but Aster followed. Cricket grunted and side stepped to her right this time. Again, Aster cut off her stride and jutted her hand out even further until the tips of her fingers were touching her upper belly. Cricket chewed on the inside of her cheek and if Aster didn't know any better, she might have thought she was on the verge of a grin by the way the corners of her mouth twitched.

"Let me pass, Aster. Please." Her mellow tones called and Aster took another step closer. She challenged her just like Lyle and Nora told her to do and stood her ground. They reminded her that the real Cricket could never turn down a true challenge and she'd be using that to her advantage in full. She tried to step around her this time, but Aster took a step backward and latched onto her arm. At this, Cricket finally peered back into her eyes and those twitches along her lips turned into a crooked grin that slowly worked its way up her left cheek. "What are you doing?"

"Basically dancing with you already, I guess. Might as well make it official." Aster ran her hand down her arm and grasped her wrist. As she brought her hand to her waist, she watched so many emotions coasting across Cricket's face until her palm and fingers were clasped around her hip. She shivered with a shuddered breath as she dropped her gaze toward their connection and Aster tempted fate. "Let me have your other hand. I dare you."

At this Cricket lifted her eyes and met her gaze with a wide stare. "Aster, I..."

"You what? Don't tell me you've changed so much that you don't accept every dare any more." Aster took hold of her other hand and brought it around her back. She felt her instinctively wrapping her arm around her and hummed as they became snug against one another. As hard as she tried to focus, Aster's eyelids involuntarily fluttered as Cricket's roving hand drifted up the arch of her back to rest between her shoulder blades. She shook her head loose from the clouds and glanced into Cricket's eyes. Hers had softened beyond comparison and she released quick, heated breaths along her cheeks. "I dare you to dance with me, Cricket."

She stared straight faced into her eyes and Aster felt her hand on her hip traipsing the length of her waist. It drifted up the curve of her waist until she met her arm. Each tantalizing bit of skin her hand traversed was littered with goosebumps and she trembled in her arms. Nothing had ever felt like this and Aster didn't want it to stop now. Perhaps, she never desired it ending. Cricket's hand eventually met hers and she felt her leg parting hers. Recalling the stance of Cricket's favorite form of dance, Aster arched herself back away from her and she followed. Their noses brushed and Aster released a shaky breath as the Otello Profazio sang toward them from the surround sound speakers in every corner of the room.

As she ran her eyes over her face, she smiled and challenged her once more. "I dare you..."

Cricket's mouth lethargically turned upward again and she nibbled on the inside of her bottom lip. "Give me a second." Cricket detached herself from her and walked over to the stereo. Aster watched from afar as she changed the vinyl and classical guitar playing a song she recognized, yet couldn't name came playing toward her. She kept herself between the door and Cricket just in case, though once she turned around, she didn't hesitate to walk over to her once more. She took her into her arms and raised a single eyebrow. "You dare me, huh? You asked for it. Promenade."

Cricket pulled her tightly along her front, but didn't have her arch quite as far. Instead, they stepped to the side as Aster slowly remembered how she was meant to move. Then again, Cricket had always been such a good leader that she needn't recall precisely how she should move. Cricket stepped forward and with her foot on the same side, Aster stepped back. They did the same as they stepped to the side and Cricket spun them about eighty degrees, then led Aster to their left twice. As she moved, she kept her eyes with Aster's all the while and slightly arched back. She interlaced their fingers and ushered Aster slightly to her right hip until their legs were somewhat straddled, then fell into a hover corte.