Cinderfella 2: A New Life - 1. Chapter 1 One Year Passes

A year! Seth and I were approaching a year! Time was flying by. The first weeks had been hectic, but now that we lived in The Royal Valley, it had calmed down. Seth was very happy to be in the vineyard. That was what he’d done for almost twenty years. He seemed to be at peace, most of the time. I was doing the business portion. Ledgers and inventory. The wine we produced was top quality and a proud people in The Royal Valley were a very important part of what we did here. Our wine was the town’s export. It was a bit difficult for some to realize that Seth and I had married, not because of the political alliance, but that we were truly in love. Why? What was the big deal? That we were both men didn’t really matter. Seth was an amazing man. People got to know me and seemed to like me just fine. Once that was taken care of, we met little further resistance. When they saw us together, they saw our love was real. If you had told me that love grew, I would have said, I knew that. But I had no idea. I loved Seth more now than when I fell in love with him a year ago. And he didn’t hide the fact that he loved me. We adored each other.

So a year was passing and I was about to turn nineteen. Seth was now twenty-six. Then was our one year anniversary. I returned to the house after doing some inventory on the wines we were shipping out. Keeping the books up to date was important. Seth could do it, but why? He enjoyed the work outdoors. I was fine with that. I entered the count I had in the book to keep up. It was getting late, the sun would be down soon and we shared our meal in the evening then.

“Where are you?” I heard Seth call from inside the house.

I chuckled. “I’ve run off with this very masculine hunter that passed through.” I wrote quickly. “Where do you think?”

Seth came in. I knew he enjoyed the work, but he was filthy! My eyes told him I was shocked. “Hey, it’s dirty work!”

I nodded. “Did you leave any soil in the vineyard?” I laughed.

“Ha, ha.” Seth was about to sit in the comfortable chair I had in the office I used.

“Don’t!” I said urgently. “Grace will kill you.” I looked at his feet where he had removed his boots. “At least you didn’t track in the house.”

Seth sighed. “I’m tired. I just want to sit.” Then he turned to the door. “I’m taking a bath before dinner.” Then he looked at me with a grin. “Want to join me?”

I rose, walking to him. “I’d love to.” Kissing him now was so natural for me. He was a good kisser. I stepped away a bit. “But you may have to rinse off before you even get in the tub.”

He chuckled. “I will, I will.” Then he kissed me back tenderly. “Then you can help wash me off.”

I took his hand. “Let’s go. I’ll have to start the coals before under the tank.”

Seth shook his head. “Nope, I already asked Grace to do that.”

“Smart man.”

We were the first family in Blethos to have hot water heaters. This was our favorite luxury. That and the toilet. Not having to use a chamber pot was wonderful. Having access to hot water was miraculous. This cut down on the need for so many staff. The tub was big enough for the two of us, which we used several times a week together. Treasuring our time alone and just to catch up with each other’s day.

Seth began unbuttoning his shirt as I let the water in the tub and the glorious steam was rising. “I’ve been working on the irrigation system for the vineyard.”

I listened as he spoke of what he did. He was so proud of those grapes and what they meant. Not for just him and me, but for the town of Royal Valley. The vineyard was his, even before Arthur died. He tended the vines and grounds. I sat removing my shoes.

“I was thinking of putting in heaters.” Seth further explained. “We don’t want to worry about frost like last year.” He reasoned as he began unbuttoning his trousers. “We’d have to manually light them, but…”

I nodded. “Frost can kill a grape.” Quoting what he’d said many times to me. “That’s great. I’ll even help.”

Seth’s smile grew as he pulled his pants down. He was better looking each time I saw him. If there was a more perfect man, I didn’t know of him. Christian, my brother was very good looking and the source of heartthrobs all over A’Dore. But he was my brother. Seth’s masculine ways was nothing he really did. It was just who he was. In my book, he was gorgeous. I grinned as I pulled my pants off. I watched as his manhood was responding to what he saw, stiffening and rising.

“Before we do anything.” I began, holding my hand up. “We need to rinse you off.” I pointed to the tub. “In you go.”

Seth’s grin faded a second. “But the dirt will still be in the tub.”

“We’ll clean it before I get in,” I said. “Now in.”

He did and that’s what we did. I rinsed him off using the hot water and cold. Once he was pretty clean, I cleaned the dirt from the tub and filled it again, getting in with him. We washed, as in I washed his and my hair, then slowly washed his body.

“We should have a party,” Seth suggested.

“We are,” I told him. “For my birthday and our anniversary.”

Seth nodded. “I know. I look forward to seeing Samuel and Terry here for that….and Dad. but I was thinking we need to have one for the town.” He waved toward the outdoors. “None of this would be possible if it weren’t for them. In the vineyard, the winery.”

I grinned from behind Seth. “I think that’s a great idea.”

Then Seth got a little quieter. “He’s getting weaker.”

He was speaking about his father. “I know.” I pulled Seth back against my chest, his back resting against me. “Whatever he has is killing him. But he has his family back.” I chuckled lightly. “He loves that grandson.”

Seth chuckled. “He does.” He nodded. “And Michael loves his grandfather. They are like two peas in a pod.”

“Well, the idea of a party for the people is great. Do we have it here?” I asked. “The house is big, but I don’t know if it’s big enough for the employees and their families.”

Seth thought. “We could have it in town. There’s a large square. We could have it there.”

I nodded as I washed him, my hand moving over his manhood which stiffened again.

“You keep that up and I’ll send my manseed into the water.”

“And?” I asked as I continued. “It’ll wash. The water, I mean. And us.” His manhood was now rock hard.

“I love you, Erik.”

Hearing him say that always made me smile. “I know. I love you.”

He grunted and I felt him release his seed. “I know.”