CountryCore Series: Sweet Lavender (WLW)

Not Hungry For That...

Aster hadn't ever cried so much in her life. Over the last few days, she'd shed so many tears that it felt like she was a completely different person, but that was just the effect Cricket had on her. She brought out her innermost emotions when no one else could and for that she was so very grateful, though tonight wasn't for tears. Hers were dry and she was at peace as she slipped on her dress and reached around her back to pull up the zipper. With a grunt, she spun in a circle and ceased her attempt with a huff.

"Dammit..." She had to wear this dress! The last time she had, she remembered the look on Nora and Lyle's faces and she needed to see the same in Cricket. In fact, Aster wanted to see even more when she revealed what she was wearing to their dinner with her parents who would be arriving any minute, so she hadn't the time to spare. A knock came at her door and she hurriedly latched into her robe. "Give me one moment."

"Take all the time you need. We still have about ten minutes, but we do need to touch base about our...um, re-relationship." Cricket's voice became more meek the longer she spoke and Aster cracked a grin, then walked to the door after securing the sides of her robe along her sides.

As she opened the door, she kept her eyes down and fussed, "I'd be done already, but I'm struggling to get the..." Aster lifted her head and what she faced sent a thrill layered shiver down her spine. Cricket was gorgeous, that much she already knew, but she hadn't seen her dressed to the nine in literal years. She was such a sight. "You...look... Wow..."

Cricket wore a three piece suit. The blazer and trousers of it were black, but her double breasted vest was a lavender hue with black buttons. Her pants were hemmed to just above her ankles and she wore a pair of brown leather oxfords on her feet. Just over where her heart would rest in her blazer rested a lavender spike and a cream colored, silk pocket square. It had been entirely too long since she'd also seen the final sight that made her skin feel scorched. Cricket had her hair down from its typical ponytail and she tilted her head to the side with a crooked but timid grin.

"Too much? I just thought that if we were in a relationship, I'd want to impress your parents. So..." Cricket's cheeks turned bright red as she looked down at her feet with a gulp. "I mean, hy-hypothetically, o-of course."

Aster snickered into the back of her hand and Cricket sheepishly lifted her head. "I think you look perfect, but I'm another story altogether."

"What's wrong?"

"I can't seem to get my zipper up on my back and--" Aster began explaining, but Cricket reached over and turned her around with her hands on her waist.

This was something else she was still having to get used to occurring more often than not. Cricket was being more physical with her lately and Aster couldn't fight the wide grin stretching across her face as she helped her out of her robe.

"I've got you. You don't mind, do you?" She cooed just behind her head and she felt goosebumps rising on the back of her neck.

"No, not at all." She watched her robe fly through the air and land on the chair in the closest corner of the room to the door, then waited as Cricket zipped up her dress. Her knuckles brushed along the skin between her shoulder blades and when Aster involuntarily quaked, Cricket released another of her audible gulps. She finished zipping up her dress and pat her hip, prompting her to turn around. Once she had, Cricket ran her eyes up along her dress until she met her gaze with a heat in her eyes. "Thank you."

Seeing the flare in her gaze, Aster decided to take pity on Cricket and herself and turned back around. She made her way over to her dresser and grabbed the pair of flats resting on its tabletop, then walked to the bed. Taking up her perch there, she peeked over at Cricket to find her still watching her every move as she walked into the room. She leaned along one of the bed posts and crossed her arms as she sucked in a sharp breath.