Chapter 72

Isabelle sighed. Her gaze not leaving the sight of the two new glass containers on the kitchen counter. She still couldn't believe Corey convinced her to get them for the sugar and salt. Although not totally unnecessary, they couldn't buy things so lightly.

Just like she did…

She ended up spending 8 coins for the two containers. Plus the supplies…

She sighed again.

Calloused palms slid up her soapy back, putting a bit of pressure to massage the area. The palms moved to her shoulders, down her arms, then up again to her shoulders and down her back until they reached her hips. 

The moves made her feel good and itchy. She squirmed, making the man behind her grunt. "Don't move." He ordered, clamping his hands on her hips to stop her moving.

Isabelle once again became aware of the erection nestled between her butt cheeks. 

That night's lesson had extended because Lucas had shared his experience of reading a menu with Felix. The teen, like the human-shaped sponge he was, he eagerly absorbed and asked for more information from his brother.

Joseph was not as enthusiastic, but he still paid attention to what his brothers did.

So, when Ethan finally arrived home, they were barely putting away the blackboard and were ready to wash. The eldest brother didn't miss the chance to bath with Isabelle after days of washing with cold water and just lay beside her.

He readily prepared the bath and called her. Contrary to what she expected due to his eagerness, like wildly strip her or even tear her clothes, he just waited for her inside the tub. 

"Undress and join me." Long hair untied and with a lazy attitude, he beckoned at her. Isabelle was enraptured by the scene of sensual indolence. She didn't rile him up as much as she would have liked back in the restaurant.

So, why had he turned into such a man?

And, well, she thought he was not so eager, yet as soon as she made herself comfortable between his legs, her back to his chest, she immediately felt the hard-on. However, he was keen on ignoring it and wash first. 

They did, giving her the chance to daydream about her slip when doing the shopping.

"Do you not want me to do something about it?" She turned to look at him. 

He embraced her and kissed her shoulder. "No."

"Really?" She asked surprised.

"Really." He sighed. "If we keep doing this, just tempting, I don't think I can hold back until we get married." He confessed.

"Should we?" She softly asked.

"Hm?" 

Isabelle stood, turned and sank back into the water. "Should we really wait until we get married?" She inquired. Because it seemed he and Joseph had done it with their previous lovers and they were not married. 

Was marriage really stopping them?

Ethan widened his eyes at her serious question. He didn't reply and just pulled her to his arms, his lips capturing hers in a hungry kiss, with teeth clattering and tongue brushing. She inevitably started rocking her hips, looking for contact, but his hands once again stopped her.

She whined.

"No, Isabelle." He breathed in her pouting lips. "I want to make it right with you. I want to give you a name, status, my everything. I can be yours when we are officially married. Only then you won't be able to get rid of me." He smirked.

Isabelle huffed, biting her lips to stop herself from smiling at his words that obviously made her extremely happy. Ethan noticed the gesture. With half-lidded eyes, he once again got a taste from her lips, this time with a slow kiss.

"Soon, Isabelle." He promised, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Soon." She agreed, pecking his lips.

In the end, his member turned soft out of sheer will, and the two finished their bath. Isabelle did tell him about what happened at the fabric shop of Mrs. Attile. Ethan also thought it was best to fully know first what Mrs. Attile was planning and then give her a response.

When Isabelle mentioned the event at the restaurant and that Jean wanted her to make some tablecloths, Ethan took advantage of telling Isabelle that he was aiming to be in that event. 

According to him, serving on the second floor was not a sure ticket to serve at special occasions like that lunch. It was actually decided by Iniko. As the older and head of the waiters, he knew what kind of waiters were necessary for each event.

And, Iniko had confided that Ethan was perfect for it. He just needed to see how he performed before the special day. 

"I did not ruin your chances with what I did today, right?" Isabelle worriedly asked.

"No." Ethan smiled, which turned a bit weird the next second. "Actually, Iniko told me not to ruin my relationship with you." Ethan felt it strange, to receive advice from the older man as Iniko was a very serious person that talked mostly about work.

"Did he, now?" Isabelle also felt it weird. She only talked a few sentences with the man, nothing that could make him form an opinion with her. So, she didn't understand the reason for the advice. 

Ethan nodded. "Though, that's a given. I would be the stupidest person around if I let you go." He grabbed her hand and took her back to the house once he had cleaned everything in the kitchen. 

He had noticed the new acquisitions but said nothing as he thought every purchase Isabelle did for the house was a sure way to let him know she was definitely staying with them.

He was sure his brothers felt and thought the same.

Next day, Isabelle and Ethan were woken up by Felix, telling them to eat breakfast. They both startled awake, not having reacted even while the others got ready. Isabelle didn't have to worry that much because she actually had no embroidery work to do. Ethan was another story.

He almost jumped out of the bed and went to give himself a quick wash. When he was done with his ablutions, Isabelle had just finished getting ready for the day. The other brothers had already eaten, so it was just the two of them at the table. 

Ethan still wolfed down his breakfast, leaving Isabelle alone to eat, and went to change into his working clothes. 

"Where are Lucas and Joseph?" Isabelle asked Felix, who was feeding the chickens.

"Gone for firewood and see if they could get some fruit trees from the mountains." Felix replied. 

"Are there, really?" She asked in wonder. She had come to realize that mountains seemed magical, one could find almost everything there.

"No idea." Felix shrugged. "I've never gone." He wistfully sighed. 

"It's too dangerous for you." Ethan said, coming out of the house all prim and proper. "I'm leaving." He said, kissing Isabelle's lips and patting Felix's shoulder on his way out. 

Isabelle called out to Felix and beckoned at him to approach her when she got her attention. Once he was close enough to her, she pulled him down and kissed him. 

"One day, we will both go to the mountains. Even if it is just the skirts of the mountain." She smiled at him. 

Felix beamed at her. "We sure will!"

In the meantime, Lucas and Joseph were in a dilemma. 

"Should we take both?" Joseph asked. Lucas just stared.

They had found two small plum trees. Small in comparison to the bigger ones around. They were doubting in taking them because they had small fruits already forming. It was hard to transplant a tree like that, yet they wanted to take them back and sell the plums that were already forming.

Another issue was the soil. Soil in the mountains was very fertile due to the years upon years of mulch the ground had. Their patch was not the same. And, even if they had mildly prepared it by adding some mulch, it was not comparable to the soil in mountains.

The chance of the trees not surviving was high. 

But, again, they wanted the plum trees in their patch. 

"Let's" Lucas nodded.

"Fuck it, if they don't survive, at least we tried." Encouraged by his brother, Joseph started digging around. It took a while before they were able to unroot the trees without damaging them too much and rushed down the mountains towards their patch.

They even took a shortcut to not stop by the house and get directly to the patch.

Once there, they quickly dug two holes and put the trees there. They took care the fruits were not too jostled, and the roots were spread out so they could grow in the new soil. 

"Let's go back home and get some baskets to pick the lemons." Joseph suggested, seeing the lemons he had patiently waited to pick. 

It was finally time.