Arya and Eric dawdled a bit before leaving Millcote, enjoying a lovely outdoor breakfast in the inn's garden patio, then strolling the main street and looking into shop windows. Arya had little money with her, having relied on her aunt and uncle's financial support while in Veras, but Eric proved to be a generous guide. He bought her sweets, a new pair of soft, kid gloves, and a dainty pair of low heeled black boots.
The latter was, truthfully, a gift for himself rather than Arya, since he made her promise that one night this week she would wear the heels for him and nothing else.
Eric flirted with her outrageously the entire morning, often leaning over to pinch or grope her when no one was looking, enjoying her squeals of protest and flushed cheeks.
He left her on her own once, requesting that she choose some food items to bring back to Claire for their evening meal. He left her with a large sum of money, far more than she needed, but when he returned from his mysterious errand he refused to accept the change. Arya began to feel uncomfortable as he shamelessly spoiled her, wondering if he was paying her for her sexual services, or whether the gestures were affectionate and selfless. Knowing what she did of Eric, she assumed the latter. But a little voice in her mind continued to doubt him, and herself. It was all just so... unconventional.
What are we doing
, she worried as she perused the general store.
Acting like a couple on their honeymoon, making asses of ourselves in public! This is the sort of behavior I was warned about by the Masters... but he's so sweet, so considerate... and I can't refuse a nice gift,
she admitted ruefully. The small act of him buying her gifts made her feel loved, even more than his words of affection. Though his touch trumped everything. His hand stroking her hair, even his groping fingers against her ass, those little gestures meant everything to her.
But she also liked gifts, truth be told! So she made no move to stop him or express her concerns; instead she controlled herself, not replying in kind when he flirted and made suggestive comments, despite how wet his teasing made her. She could tell that her demure responses and self-control seemed to spur him on, which she hoped indicated that he was turned on by her behavior.
Which he was. He was at half-mast all morning, watching her blush and unconsciously wriggle everytime he said something that brought an uncontrollable flush of arousal to her pale features, her dark eyes dilating and soft bottom lip turning a cherry red as she nervously bit and nibbled it.
Noontime was nearing and they returned to the inn. Their horses were quickly tacked and ready to go, and the two rode out of Millcote and back to Eric's estate in Langton. It was a quiet ride, each lost in their own thoughts. Arya's were worried and elated all at once, while Eric's were filled with schemes for tonight.
By the time they arrived back at Langton, Claire had grown truly concerned for their welfare. The two of them had been expected back the night prior, and though she had received no bad news, Eric had forgotten to send a messenger to inform her of their delay. So it was with chagrin that Eric greeted his sister and explained their predicament with the horse, a made up problem that had ostensibly forced the couple to stay the night in Millcote. She seemed to accept his excuse, though her eyes were narrowed suspiciously. But the food Eric and Arya had brought appeased her, since Claire was a "foodie", and she was soon rushing off to consult with the cook regarding the menu they would now revise.
Roy greeted them calmly and graciously, though when asked about his evening with Claire he grew unaccountably flustered. His responses were vague, polite, and left no room for follow up conversation. Sensing Arya's growing irritation, Eric felt inclined to spare her the inane small talk and come up with a reason to let the poor girl go read or whatever she wished to do. And, in truth, Eric did have business he wanted to discuss with Roy, so the two of them left to survey several properties in the surrounding land. He left instructions for Gavin to bring the ladies to the grove once Claire had finished her business, telling them that he and Roy would meet them there for a late afternoon picnic.
The ladies set off in a flurry of flouncing skirts and excited chatter. It was the most animated Arya had ever seen Claire, and she was astounded by the change in her. The normally serious woman was bubbly and curious, wanting to hear all about Arya's time in Millcote and oohing and aahing girlishly over the gifts Eric had bought her. Though Claire herself shared little about her own evening the night before, which to Arya's increasingly keen mind indicated that some hanky panky had occurred.
Good for her,
Arya thought with a smile.
She seems so relaxed and happy now. She clearly needed it.
Still, she had a hard time imagining Roy sweeping Claire off her feet and making her feel as good as Eric made Arya feel.
And there was no way that Arya could have known that it was in fact Claire who had swept Roy off
his
feet.
They reached the grove by mid-afternoon and Gavin laid out blankets and picnic baskets, then took care of the horses for them. It took about two hours for the gentlemen to join them, but Arya and Claire enjoyed their time together. Their relationship was slowly developing into a sister-like dynamic, Arya falling easily into the role of younger sister as she listened to Claire and did her best to emulate the graceful and shrewd older woman.
The next few days passed uneventfully. Eric's plans had come undone, as plans tend to do, and it was difficult for him to arrange the time with Arya that he so desperately wanted. Something always seemed to come up to hinder their coupling, though they were able to sneak stolen kisses throughout the day that left both of them panting for more, but unable to pursue their desire. It was therefore a tense few days for both of them, their bodies overflowing with hormones and sexual tension as they tried to hold themselves in check.
Arya, who had always enjoyed teasing him, found that this was the perfect opportunity to hone her skills. It was a blessing, really, that Eric was unable to enact his plans, because Arya found that she loved teasing him almost as much as she loved the results of it.
Surprisingly, some of her tricks she picked up from Claire, who seemed equally as driven to tease Roy as Arya was to tease Eric. Poor Roy handled it with far less composure than Eric did, though, being prone to blushing, stammering, and losing his train of thought anytime Claire so much as bent over or licked her lips.
Arya frequently asked to go for rides so that she could wear tighter, more revealing clothing and, as she had in her youth, took to riding her horse with an outrageous humping motion whenever she and Eric were alone. She would writhe in the saddle, meeting his eye and letting her gaze widen with the innocent look of arousal he so loved. She would pretend that it was accidental, letting him "catch" her and looking down in embarrassment as he grinned or wiggled his eyebrows.
She requested food such as cherries and strawberries, anything that was red and could be sucked on sensually. They stained her lips and she would make little moaning sounds of pleasure as she sucked them into her mouth, licking her fingers afterwards as she held his hungry gaze with a smirk.
She always walked in front of him up the stairs, exaggerating her movements. She would "drop" things so that she had to bend over in front of him to pick them up. She would make innocuous though suggestive comments and then stare at his groin as though she knew how hard she was making him. Any small thing she could do to remind him that she was a sexual being, she did.
Driven mad by her continued teasing, Eric was persistent in his efforts to separate the couples. To his frustration, while there were many natural impediments that hindered him, Arya contributed to the undoing of his plans as well. She loved the way his eyes went hungry, the way the beast rose up in him and clawed and screamed to be released whenever he was thwarted. It hadn't taken long for him to realize that her behavior was less innocent than she tried to pretend it was, and Arya had a feeling that he would punish her as soon as he had the chance; in fact, she was counting on it. She wanted the tension in him to build until he exploded, until he came to her room and ravished her the way she needed him to.
It took about four days for him to break, and they were four of the longest four days he could remember. Eric had endured her glinting eyes and flashing smile all day long as she flaunted what he couldn't have, and he had lost all patience. As they separated for the evening, Eric once again slipped a note into Arya's hand as he kissed it goodnight.
"Wear the boots and nothing else. I will be there soon," it read.
Arya shivered in anticipation and did as he asked. Well, almost. She kept a robe on over her nakedness just in case someone else, a servant or otherwise, knocked at her door first.
Then he made her wait.
And wait.
And wait.
It was 2 in the morning when Eric finally opened her door, not bothering to knock. Arya had been dozing on and off in an armchair as she waited, but at the sound of his entrance her head jerked up and a look of annoyance crossed her face as she glanced at the clock on the mantle.
"Soon?" she quoted acidly.
Eric shrugged carelessly. "You made me wait for days."
Arya struggled with that. She couldn't argue, but was still peeved that he had turned the tables on her. "Hmph," she finally replied, standing from her chair and stretching, yawning widely as her arms rose above her head and the robe slipped open slightly.
"You've been a naughty tease, haven't you little Arya?" Eric growled, stepping towards her with aggression in his eyes. "And now you stand here with clothes on, after I told you to wear nothing? You really like to push me, don't you?"
