A Desperate Deal Goes South Ch. 02

On the next morning's ride, neither Esther nor Grant spoke. This suited Esther well since she'd always been shy, especially around most men.

It was nearing the end of Summer and the woods and grasses looked thirsty. The Coles took this journey at the height of Summer when the woods were bursting with color. Esther tried to imagine what Rob, the father of her child, would have seen on his journey.

"You thinking about the father?" Grant's voice cut into her fantasy.

How did he know?

"Yes." she quietly answered.

"So why'd you spread your legs for him anyway? You seem like quite the conservative girl."

Esther squirmed at the way he shamelessly talked about her mistake.

"I don't know. I liked him... I love him, I think. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You're going to have to be more specific than that."

Oddly, it almost felt good to be able to talk about Rob. She'd been holding in so much and since the worst of it was already out in the air, Esther realized she had nothing to lose by being honest. Maybe he'd even see how much love was between them and respect Rob enough not to touch her.

"He was nice to me. He noticed me. And he's so clever. We got along and even our parents encouraged the friendship."

"Yeah," he snorted, "The friendship. So a man gives you an ounce of attention and that's that? How did friendship lead to you getting pregnant?"

"Well, we sometimes spent time alone so we could speak freely. Our parents didn't know this of course. I guess I had feelings for him but I didn't take them all that seriously. I figured if we got married then I would be very happy, but if it didn't work out I didn't want my heart to be shattered so I didn't let myself hope too much."

"Sounds sensible. I'm still confused."

"Well, a few weeks ago we were in his barn, I was supposed to be gathering mushrooms, when he said he had a secret. He told me that he loved me. That he'd always loved me from when we'd met at fourteen." She took a shaky breath before continuing. "But that wasn't actually the secret."

"What was the secret?"

"That his family was moving to Branden to marry him off to some rich snob. But his parents wanted my parents to think they were leaving for better job opportunities and bigger land plots because my parents were so set on me marrying him. But I didn't cry. I wouldn't let myself and I didn't want him to think I was weak. He asked if he could kiss me because he'd always wanted to but now was his last chance. I told him he could give me one kiss-my first. And then I guess it all sort of just happened."

"Bullshit."

Esther winced at the cuss word. She realized he didn't view her as a proper woman anymore and could talk as freely as he liked.

"That's just bullshit. Tell me what actually happened after the kiss. In detail."

Had he just set a trap? All he really wanted was to hear her talk about her sleeping with someone?

"Well," she resumed, resigned to finishing her story, "I thought the kiss would be quick. But once his lips were on mine he didn't stop. He was putting his tongue in my mouth and it felt strange but since I have no exper"

"Had"

"Since I had no experience with these things I didn't know there's different types of kisses and I should have realized that's what he meant."

"Perhaps, perhaps not. But continue."

"While he was kissing me he was holding my face or touching my hair when he suddenly reach down and...and touched between my legs over my skirt. I drew back. I never meant for it to go that far. He apologized and became quite sad. He asked why I loved hurting him so much and I was so confused. I told him I never meant to hurt him and asked what he meant. And you know what he told me?"

"What?"

"He said all that time, he knew I knew he fancied me and enjoyed hanging it over him, teasing him and always getting him alone. He knew I wanted him too and was always trying to tempt him but since he was the man, he had to be strong and protect my honor even if I was so careless with it myself."

She took a deep breath to compose herself. "I felt horrible. I had no idea I was doing any of that. I tried to tell him I cared about him more than anyone. He asked why I was lying about knowing when it was so clear my body desperately wanted him so I told him I didn't even know what that felt like because it had never been explained. I didn't even know what making love looked like and what it felt like to want to make love. I thought I just cared about him in my mind. I really had no idea my body wanted him and he could sense it and I apologized profusely for all the hurt and confusion I had caused. He seemed to cheer up a bit and then he said he had an idea. He wanted our first time sleeping with someone to be with each other. Then we would always remember each other every time we made love with our future spouses and we would never forget the bond we shared.

Grant just grunted.

"Of course I protested. I'm not, well I'm not what you think I am. He told me not even God would be able to understand our love so we might as well give up trying to be pure which I thought was blasphemous but strangely made sense in the moment. I was so scared but he held me and reassured me. He told me I didn't even need to take my clothes off and he would be very gentle and it would be easy."

"Alright, get it to it. I'm getting impatient."

"Um, I laid down on my back in some hay, and he got on top of me. I felt his fingers move my underwear aside and then, his thing"

"His dick?"

"Yes, his dick move up and down between my legs. He tried to push into me but apparently I was too anxious to get wet on my own so he spit on his hand and rubbed it on his dick. He used his fingers to spread me and started pushing himself inside of me. It was so painful I cried but he reassured me and told me it was supposed to hurt and it meant I really was a virgin. It gradually because less painful the longer we made love. After a few minutes he tensed up, and then it was over."

"Wow. That is quite the story. Did he just leave you like that filled with his semen in his barn?"

"No, of course not. He picked me up and brushed the hay off my dress and told me our bond could now never be broken.

"Did you forget the part of your story where he left because he'd getting married? How is that going to work?

"He's going to court her for a year. The wedding would be in Spring. There is time."

"Did you even enjoy it?"

"I enjoyed how much he found pleasure in it. And I enjoyed knowing what it symbolized to us."

"And you don't regret it?"

"Of course I regret it. But this is my life. I made that choice and I have to live with it now and make sure my child is taken care of."

"Just like you have to live with me for now?"

"I suppose."

"Are you not afraid of me, Esther?"

"Of course I'm afraid of you. But I'm more afraid being turned out of my house once I start showing."

"And how is, uh, the pregnancy doing?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't felt that different but of course I can't go to a doctor."

Esther lapsed into silence, ashamed of how much she'd shared with the stranger who'd already proven his untrustworthiness.

When the sun started melting, basking the woods in deep orange Grant halted Sunshine. He dismounted and turned to help Esther down but she was already sliding back down the earth by herself.

They hadn't eaten anything since the beginning of the ride and Esther was starving. She started looking around for dead branches to start a fire but Grant interrupted her.

"Go freshen up at the creek. You need to stay hygienic for your baby," he said handing her a cake of soap.

She walked to the thin stream of water some thirty yards away where she wouldn't be visible to Grant. She undressed completely but took her underthings into the water with her to wash as well. After scrubbing herself and the clothes with soap in the pleasantly tempered water, she laid them and herself out to dry in what was left of the day's sunlight.

The lingerie wasn't quite dry when she redressed and returned to the campsite. They left wet spots on and breasts and ass areas of her dress.

Grant gave a smirk when he saw them but he didn't say anything.

In the time she took to wash, he'd unpacked Sunshine, started a fire, got food cooking, and had laid down burlap sacks on the ground.

"I told you the one condition I would escort you under," he said when he saw fear on her face over all the finished chores. "You're the one who mentioned all the other stuff."

Relieved, Esther sat down on one of the sacks. Grant scooped some beans onto a plate and handed it to her and then served himself. They ate in silence. The beans were over salted but Esther was too hungry to care.

After they finished eating, Grant took the dishes with him while he took his turn to wash.

When he returned, he grabbed a bag and sat next to Esther before pulling out a large pocket knife.

Her heart rate shot up until he pulled out a piece of wood and she realized he was just going to whittle.

"Take off your dress," he said without looking at her.

When she didn't respond he said it again, this time staring her down. "Take off your dress, now."

Reluctantly she unbuttoned and removed her dress, leaving her cross legged in just lingerie and stockings.

Once again Grant reached into the bag and tossed her a tin box.

"What's this?" she asked.

"It's a sewing kit. You're going to alter your dress so it's skin tight around your chest and arms and the bottom is up to your knees. Also, cut off that horrific collar. I want that lace peaking out of the top of your dress.

"I can't wear that in civilization."

"I know you have another dress. You can wear that. But when we're alone you wear this one."

For a couple hours they worked in silence. Grant was whittling a sort of cylinder shape, but Esther wasn't sure what it was supposed to be.

"I've finished," she was finally able to say, fingers pricked and sore.

"Try it on."

She gingerly pulled the dress over her head and buttoned it. The bodice was so tight it was practically digging into her skin. When she looked down she could see her breasts clearly on display with her bralette sticking out just like Grant wanted.

What was almost worse was the skirt. She'd accidentally sewn it shorter than intended so it hung above her knees. She reached down to undo the seam.

"Stop, I see what you're doing. Leave it that short. Clearly part of you wants to show off those legs."

She couldn't tell if was joking or not.

"Change into your nightclothes. Nothing underneath. It's time to sleep."

Esther changed and unrolled a thin blanket. She faced away from Grant who slept across from her with the fire between them.

She wasn't sure if she could trust him enough to fall asleep but since all he seemed to be interested in so far was seeing her naked or in inappropriate clothing, she was able to relax enough to eventually drift off to a light sleep.