by Posh & Stoneygem
"Sometimes foreplay can last a little too long "
Joseph stood aside and held the door ajar for Clarisse, he waited for her to slide into the back of the car before closing the door and going to the other side and climbing in next to her. He didn't usually ride in the back but with a driver and extra security in the front it worked fine. Add to this the fact they had been growing ever more intimate since the events in San Francisco and it had become custom for him to sit in the back with her. Today, however, he would have preferred the front seat for he could sense the tension in the back even before he actually climbed in.
They had just attended the Annual banquet of the Genovian Disaster Relief Foundation, a dull event by anyone's standards, made even worse by the fact she hadn't spoken to him the entire evening and whenever he'd caught her eye he'd been on the receiving end of a famous Clarisse glare.
He closed the partition so they were in privacy and turned his head towards her. The regal poise remained and she folded her gloves in her hand unwilling to join in any kind of conversation with him.
"Am I to assume I've upset you somehow... your majesty?"
He knew that they were in murky waters right now, but what had actually caused her to give him such treatment, he could not fathom. He pressed on regardless, determined this air of unease wouldn't go any further. She looked far too alluring in that dress for him to argue with her.
"Your majesty.... does this," he shook his head, "Does this silent treatment mean I am to assume you are angry with me over something?"
Clarisse stubbornly kept her mouth shut. Angry wasn't even the beginning of it. She wasn't angry, oh no. She was seething? Mad as hell? Willing to strangle him on the spot? All of the above and then some.
Stubborn! He could do stubborn! Fine, if she didn't want to talk, fine, he could be silent too. He folded his arms resolutely and turned his head to the window staring out at the passing lights. Sure was going to be a long drive home. She didn't look that good in the dress anyhow... not really...
She kept her eyes consistently trained on the world outside. So, now he decided to be not only infuriating, but a boor as well. Fine! She could do that too. Fine! And to think that all the effort she had put in her appearance tonight was actually wasted! That dress had taken hours to choose she was sure the colour was perfect, the silk material clung in just the right places, the embedded diamonds shone, the material swayed, and that extremely low back... she was sure that would have swung it. Usually she wouldn't wear something so daring, so low cut. And she could have sworn she heard his sharp in take of breath when she removed her cape.
It must have been her imagination though. He hadn't commented on it at all. Maybe he had not really seen it at all and his gasp had been directed at the blonde woman on the far wall. So fine, she had lost his interest as well. She always knew she wasn't that alluring, but to go to such lengths and then - nothing. Well it hurt, badly.
Damn woman, she tightened her grip on her gloves imagining the girl�s neck. For she couldn�t even be described as a woman, a girl, a mere girl. Thin, blonde, huge blue eyes, small breasts though� she mused looking down at her own ample chest, at least she had her beat there.
"You do realise this is just childish, how are we supposed to work this out if you won't even talk to me?" Joseph said without turning to look at her.
Not that it seemed to matter...What did he say? "I beg your pardon?"
"I said, stop being childish... this huffy behaviour, it doesn't wash with me, I've known you far too long."
Her eyes widened and her jaw clenched almost painfully, if he�d been looking at her instead of out of the window he would have seen the danger he was in.
"Huffy?"
"Yes huffy... you know, like this, like when you don't get your own way. I seem to be getting even less attention than usual so I must have done something really terrible... So come on your highness, do inform me." He didn't intend to be so short with her but hell she was infuriating.
"Well, it seems to me as if the lack of my attention has not bothered you that much. You seemed to be quite content tonight. Well attended to." She replied coldly, letting her last words rest in the air. Inside her anger was burning brighter and more painful than ever.
"Well attended to - what the hell is that supposed to mean?" He dared to look over to her now, she may have been seething but so was he.
She�d had it now. How dare he speak to her like that? How dare he deny the obvious? She shot around in her seat as quickly as her dress and cape allowed. "Oh, you cannot really complain about a lack of attention I'd say. With receiving so much from the assembled women at the banquet. They were all over you! And don't you deny that you encouraged it!"
"Encouraged it... I don't even know what you're talking about. All I know is that I'm fine for an hour or two in the bedroom and then I'm sent away like a good little boy." he swallowed but there was no turning back now, might as well press on.
"As if I should be grateful for getting at least some of the Queen's attention... however limited that might be." He slumped back in his seat. That was it; he'd done it now.
She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath at his remark. And then a second and a third. But the knot that had formed in her stomach would not ease. His words stung. How could he be so cruel? "Why do you say that?" she whispered brokenly, keeping her eyes firmly shut.
"Because it's how you make me feel Clarisse,� he said gently. "It's how you make me feel."
So that was it, then, the final blow to their fifteen months of happiness? A few cruel words in the back of a car coming back from an exceptionally dull banquet?
She couldn�t decide what she wanted to do now - scream, slap him, throw herself at his feet begging him to rethink?
But she didn't have long to decide because Joseph spoke first, his voice seemed edgy, dull. "I'm not sure what else you want me to say Clarisse. I have no idea where this idea about my wandering eye is coming from."
"Because I saw it, Joseph! I saw you with this woman! I heard you calling her, flirting with her. You withdrew from me. You...you...." Her words that had started unusually loud for her had come to a broken whisper. "You have found something with her you cannot find with me obviously."
"What..." He was staring at her open mouthed. It wasn't often Clarisse lost her temper in such a fashion and to be perfectly honest it shocked him. "Which woman are we actually talking about?" She opened her mouth to interrupt but he held his hand up and carried on. "Which woman could ever be more..." he shook his head completely at a loss for words.
Clarisse opened her mouth to tell him exactly which woman she meant, but then she closed it without saying a word. Where was the sense in telling him and making herself look even more like a fool than she already did? She was a fool, she could see it now. A fool for believing that finally a man loved her - her, the woman, not the queen. But that was probably only one of those little-girl dreams, one that was unlikely to ever come true.
"You think after waiting all those years... following you around like some lost puppy. It's me who looks foolish Clarisse," he sighed and leant back in his seat folding his arms. "If anything it�s me who has always looked foolish."
He took a deep shuddering breath. "But if that's what you want to believe, that I'd throw it all away on some whim, well fine. Fine."
"What do you mean following me around like a puppy? I never asked anything of you. Never anything else than understanding that their are bounds I have to respect every single day of my life!" She was shouting again, her voice echoing eerily in the confines of the front of the limousine. "And what exactly do you mean with a whim? A whim? Don't you dare tell me that you are a whim for me, Joseph, don�t you ever dare tell me that!"
�Stop shouting at me for god�s sake! If we're going to talk about this then fine let's talk, talk all you like. Whatever is it that I've got so wrong tell me now and I'll answer the charges. But don't keep ranting at me like I don't have any feelings because heaven knows I do. You should know how much I..."
He shook his head watching the anger flit across her face. "I really don't know what to say to you anymore Clarisse. You've been like this with me for days so don't pretend it's something that's taken place tonight because it isn't. There's more, but as usual it's far too difficult for you to open up and talk it through with me."
She couldn't answer. She just couldn't. There were no words and those that were he could never hear. He mustn't hear. Oh Joseph, how had loving you gone from the easiest and most logical thing in the world to the most difficult? The look on his face told her that she wouldn�t get out of this without answering him. Thus she braced herself and went into the attack.
"Oh my dear, my mood has most certainly something to do with tonight. Do you really need me to spell it out for you? Half a child, green dress, blue eyes, blonde, almost no chest and hanging all over you the whole night!"
"Good god Clarisse, why would I ever even look at another woman. Even for a second. Why would I? Has there ever been another face in my dreams every night but yours since the day we met?" His voice was gentle and soft, honest. He took a deep breath and crept on. "I'm a security guard, I stand guard at the edge and watch. If some spoilt brat girl flirts with me I stand back and smile because if I don't then Daddy might find out and I won't be standing at the next ball. It's something I've learnt over the years my dear, I'm expendable."
Her eyes widened. That was not what she had wanted to say and that was certainly not what she had meant. "Joseph," she said slowly taking his hand, "this is not about you being expendable if you don�t do what is expected of you. It never was. You are not expendable to me." She smiled tentatively. "You are absolutely not expendable for me. I do need you."
"Sometimes I wonder Clarisse. You make it so damn difficult at times. I've loved you for as long as I can remember and now... now I can't get enough of telling you." He shrugged. "I know it may sound childish but I can't even recall a time when you said the words to me, and so I wonder, just what is it she wants from me. I mean let�s face it I am nothing but a lowly worker in the eyes of the country... what can I offer you, besides the obvious." His voice was shaking no matter how hard he tried to keep it level. Her hand gripped his yet he didn't return the hold, not entirely, he couldn't, and suddenly he felt very weak.
Tears stung in the back of her throat. Gods, no, that was not what she had intended. She had never wanted to give him the feeling that he was...well...only good for one thing. Not that he wasn't good at it, of course.
She cupped his cheek with her hand in the same intimate gesture that was by now almost their trademark. "Gods no, Joseph, don�t ever believe it. You are all I have. All I need. You make my days," she rolled her eyes a bit at his starting, "and yes you make my nights - so very beautiful. So very alive. You make ME."
"And yet, you push me away, when I am inconvenient." he replied quietly but still with force. �You have no idea how much it hurts me Clarisse. I feel like you reel me in only to suddenly shut yourself off when I get too close and push me away from you. And then gradually... gradually, you pull me back in and we start over again. And then this... this comment about my flirting with somebody else. I just don't understand it... I would give everything to you. I have given everything up for you.�
�You do know that there are certain precautions to be kept, Joseph. My God, you were the one who listed each and every horrible scenario for me. How the staff would react, how the press would react, how my people would react if they ever found out. What do you want, Joseph?"
"I just want to know that you love me, that I'm not alone in this. You know sometimes it would be reassuring if you just asked me for a little help. If you occasionally let me into that inner wall you build up and share with me... and don't look at me like that. I don't mean the mundane things of life, of course I want that too, but I also need to know what's going on in here every now and then." he placed his hand on her chest. "That I'm not some lap dog, that at some point in the future I will have this family I keep dreaming of."
"But you do have that. I trust you more than anybody else. Sometimes I feel you are the only person in the world I can trust."
"And yet you accuse me of being with some other woman Clarisse!" He raised his hands to the ceiling. "Good lord woman, this is why you drive me insane. You trust me yet you think I took this girl off and screwed her behind the scenes. What the hell am I supposed to do with that?"
Exhaustion settled over her. This led to nothing. They could argue about this until the end of time and still, he would not understand. "Joseph, I'm so tired of this. I can't do it anymore. I saw you tonight with this woman. She has everything you could possibly ever want from a woman, all the things I could never give you. Why should you not be interested? I know you want a family, marriage. And we both know that I can�t give you either. Why should you waste your time on a relationship that leads to nothing as you say, when there is a perfect - young - woman waiting for you?"
"Ohhh damn it Clarisse." Frustration settled in his stomach. She was right, they could argue about this forever. "I don't want children, fuck having children, I'm too old. I want you. I want to know that we have a future, that you believe in that as much as I do." He took a few deep breaths trying to keep his anger under control.
"And as for some young pretty girl," he looked over at her, leant in the corner of the car watching him, her dress spread over the seat, her eyes sparkling, those jewels around her throat. "You are by far the most beautiful woman I have ever known or met, everything I've ever wanted, I don't want anybody else. Do you think the passion we share isn't real?" he longed to reach for her hand but knew if he did that would lead to an embrace, to a kiss, and this discussion would be out the window.
"I know it is real. Damn it Joseph, it's the only thing I know is still real. It's all I want. Joseph, I need you so much that it frightens me. I'm afraid I lose my sanity if you ever leave me. I cannot go without you any other day and yet I know that if I were fair to you, I would let you go."
"Then why doubt my attraction to you, why doubt your obvious beauty?"
"Beauty?" she snorted. "Beauty. The beauty of a marble statue. Cold, unfeeling. Beautiful yes, but dead. Dead and buried. And didn�t we see it tonight. What is my so-called beauty? Where is it? Marble statue, that�s all. No life, no passion, no attraction. Not even to you... No, especially not to you."
"Never..." he lifted her hand and kissed her fingertips. "Never, never. The way you are when we're together... I can't even find the words. The way you look at me." He stroked her face. "The shape of your mouth, when you smile..." he smiled in recognition. "I could list forever, the way you walk, the way you dance. The sound of your voice, the love you have for your country and your children. The way you guide Mia. I love every single thing, even when you're huffy. Your beauty isn't cold Clarisse, it's alive, it flows around me, it proves to me there is a reason for life."
He noticed how her breath caught in her throat, her lips formed to say something but then she stopped herself. He mentally saw the barriers going up, why couldn't she just let him in, for once, after all he'd said. Sighing he dropped his hand from her face and moved back to the other side of the car staring out at the rain sliding down the windowpane.
God, why did he have to say that? Why did he have to say something like that? And why could she not just throw everything out of the window and fall into his arms? It would be so easy. It would be so wonderful. And so wrong.
She turned completely towards to car window, turned her back to him. Maybe this was the best moment to end it. Did it matter that it would tear her apart to send him away? Did it matter that she was breaking her own heart if she sent him away? Would it matter that she would hurt him? The one thing she thought more unbearable than hurting herself. No, it didn't matter, because it could not matter. Because it must not matter.
After staring unseeingly at her reflection in the car window, Clarisse suddenly became aware of what her eyes actually beheld. The coldness of the lights, the eeriness of the streetlights reflecting in the rain drops. How fitting she thought, heavy rain. It seemed to be coming down as if on cue and it complemented her perfectly. Even though she was actually in a warm and dry place she felt unbearably cold. As if she had been standing in the rain for hours - outside a happy place staring in, but not allowed to enter.
Why was it always like this? Why did she always feel left outside? She had thought that finally, finally she had found a niche to be, a niche just for her alone. For her and him. But it was not to be. She should have known. She stared at her reflection in the window...
Joseph coughed to clear his throat yet still his voice was cloudy when he interrupted her lonely musings. "They've changed the route, we should have been almost home by now. Would you mind if I made enquiries?"
She started at his words and shot around to face him. Joseph started as well, when he saw the mix of utter terror and incredible pain on her face.
�Yes...yes...you may." she managed to stutter.
"Thank you." His voice faltered only a little. Oh lord if she was feeling this pain half as much as he was then why was she turning away from him? Why now, after everything they'd faced? His hand hovered over the intercom and he paused for a second to gather his thoughts, coughing again before he spoke to them.
"Dansen, we seem to have deviated from our normal route, is everything okay?" He was fighting to keep his voice as level as possible, knowing very well the pair in the front must have heard at least some of their exchange, the partition wasn't that good.
It was not the voice of the driver, but of the security guard that responded. "I am sorry sir, we received a warning about 15 minutes into our trip that we should sidestep our planned route. Apparently, some unaccounted construction site was opened up tonight on our planned route. We didn't want to take a risk, thus we chose another route. However, due to the weather, we have to move more carefully."
A movement caught his eye and he glanced down at the seat as Clarisse placed her hand on it, stretching her fingers out. Looking to her face he knew she hadn't done it on purpose, she wasn't offering a lifeline. It was a simple natural act, one he couldn't reciprocate for fear of crossing the line she'd so clearly drawn. He shook his head to clear the mood and quickly responded to the security guard, Samuel, was that his name? Right now he couldn't even think straight.
"All right, I er... understand. Thank you."
He should have said more, it hardly sounded professional now did it, and what must they think of them, bickering like children?
She drew a deep breath. She had all but forgotten about the other occupants of the car. What if they had heard? She would have loved to scream, if she could have brought the energy up. She only wanted to curl up on the seat and cry. It was too much, she couldn�t do it anymore. More than that she didn�t want to do it anymore.
The voice of the security guard cut into her depressed thoughts: "Do you have any specific orders how to proceed, sir?"
Joseph answered evenly and the coldness in his voice cut her even more. "Inform me of anything out of the ordinary. Other than that proceed as usual."
He closed his eyes breathing in her scent; it lingered in his head, flowed through the air and intoxicated his senses. How could this be it, a few harsh words and they were finished? No, that wasn't what relationships were about, you got through the arguments, they made you stronger... at least that's what he'd been led to believe.
"Clarisse." His voice was softer than usual, questioning, probing.
Again he tried, waiting for her reaction. "Clarisse?"
She battled with herself, knew that if she turned now, there was no going back. If she turned now, she would throw herself into his arms and beg him to love her, love her no matter what, love her forever, love her despite the fact that it was a sin as she had been told, love her no matter that she was scared, love her despite the young woman who had offered herself to him... just love her.
The battle in her mind grew fiercer and fiercer. Should she turn? Could she face the consequences? If she did could she face the gossip? The jealousy? The fear of losing? It was hard...so incredibly hard. But could she live with the thought of losing him, of giving him up completely, once and for all? It was selfish of her she knew, but could she give him up?
"Oh Clarisse, I really don't know what else to say to you. You know I love you, that I'm devoted to you, I always have been." He shrugged watching her face. "What else is there to say, that I want to be with you, yes. That I want to marry you..."
She glanced up at him sharply.
"Yes, I do, however I'm not a fool and I know it's highly unlikely that will ever be. I can live with that, if I have to then I will, I can. But you've got to give something to me, whatever this fear is that holds you back, share it with me... let me help, let me... just..." He tentatively reached out across the seat, touching her fingertips with his, half expecting her to flinch and pull away.
The touch of his fingertips felt like lightening against her skin. She tingled all over. Oh heavens, how could she make a sensible decision, any decision, if such small contact was giving her such a feeling? It was impossible. She could not, would not...
He felt the tingling sensation go through her arm, looked to her face and noted the flush rising there. All right, so she wasn't turning away, she wasn't proclaiming her undying love neither but it was a start. Lifting her hand to his lips he tenderly kissed her palm, she smelt of something warm and comforting. He thought she would pull away but she didn't.
"Clarisse, it's easy you know... in the end, all I really want to know is that you love me... Clarisse." He continued watching her face, saw the way she closed her eyes fighting back her emotions. "My darling, do you love me?"
A little voice inside her head screamed itself hoarse telling her that yes; she should finally tell him that she loved him. It was long overdue and she knew it, felt it. She did love him. More than anything. More than her life.
But there was another voice insistently and quite annoyingly reminding her that she had never said those three words to anybody in her entire life. Not ever.
"Joseph, I..."
She saw it in his eyes, he knew that she would withdraw, that she didn�t have the guts to continue.
�Joseph, I...I..."
His face tightened. "Forget it, Clarisse. I don't think any more words are necessary. You have made your position quite clear." If he looked the way he felt, he would probably look like a pile of ashes, ready to be blown into nothingness by the winds.
So, that was really it. After all they'd said, after all the promises they'd made. She watched his face, turned away from her, staring blankly out of the window. He suddenly looked so lonely, so isolated, had she really done this to him?
Was it entirely possible that the loss and emptiness she felt inside was reciprocated? Did she truly have the same power over him that he had over her? She smiled to herself, oh goodness what a pair they were. Neither young enough to claim irresponsible spontaneous behaviour was the reason for this, yet neither brave enough to cross that final barrier. He was just the same as her; they shared the same soul, that's why it was so good despite being so damned difficult.
Suddenly, everything was so easy. She couldn�t help the giddy smile that threatened to break out. She probably couldn't even stop the giggles.
"Oh Joseph," she breathed, "you are just as bad as I am." Her smile turned into laughter that echoed through the car.
"To everybody you present the picture of the man in charge. The man who cannot be thrown out of his way by anything, and yet you are just as self-conscious as I am. We do make such a fine pair." Tears were rolling down her face, though he could not really discern if they were tears of resignation, joy or mirth.
"I never thought it could be so complicated to speak three words. Three simple words. I'm used to making speeches at every occasion. Hell, I made a speech tonight. I'm used to this and yet I am not able to deliver three simple words."
She settled herself squarely in front of him and placed both of her hands on his face. "Joseph, my dear Joseph. Dearest Joseph."
It was now that the corners of his mouth couldn�t keep from twitching either.
�I do love you.� She couldn�t prevent the joyous smile from appearing as she said the words. �Oh goodness I absolutely adore you.� It was now that she almost threw herself into his arms kissing his face repeatedly and touching as much of his body as possible.
�I love you, I love you.� Her mouth brushed his momentarily before she stared into his shocked eyes. �Oh Joseph I am very much in love with you. You are my day and my night. You are my rock and you are my blanket. You are everywhere. In my thoughts every second, in my heart, even in my dreams.� She smiled as his arms circled her waist.
"Yes Joseph, I, Clarisse Renaldi do love you. And if that sends me straight to hell, then so be it."
Joseph smiled, bit down on his lip to suppress his laughter. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't quite hear you. Could you repeat that for me - please?"
She stared at him incredulously. "The whole speech?" She playfully swatted him across the chest. "I'll give you a repeat."
"Ahhh," he held his hands up to defend himself. "Alright, I�m sorry, I'm sorry." He caught her wrists and pressed his mouth against hers. Gently at first, until she melted against him and her hands wound around his neck. Then the kiss deepened until she moaned into his mouth. He pulled back just enough to speak. "I love you too."
She leant into him with a wide smile on her face. Just before their lips met again in what would quickly become a heated kiss, she muttered. "Now you say that. Men these days!"
He couldn't help but laugh as she kissed him. They would be home soon; he had no doubt about that. And what a way to spend the evening, all this time trapped on the back of a limousine, all that privacy, and they wasted it arguing. He slid his hand up her back and her wrap slipped to the floor leaving her bare back for his hands to roam over. "Did I tell you how incredibly beautiful you look tonight?" He whispered in between kisses.
Kissing him was heaven and his hands on her back sent tingles up and down her spine. Then his words registered and she pulled back abruptly. "What did you say?"
He smiled, stroking her flushed face with his fingers. "How beautiful you look." He grabbed her waist to emphasise his next point, before tantalisingly stroking his fingers along the low edge of her dress. "How incredibly sexy, and alluring... and..." she was kissing him again. ".... How amazing."
Between ever more frenzied kisses, Clarisse managed to choke out "No. No... I� I thought you didn't." He held her at arms length for a second.
"What did I not?"
She blushed deeply. "Notice me. Or more to the point notice me in this dress. I..." she blushed even more and sheepishly averted her eyes from him. "I chose it specifically for you. I wanted it to be especially..." her voice faded in embarrassment.
Joseph couldn�t help but laugh... "Oh my dear, I never imagined the day would come when you would dress for me. I dreamt it, I hoped for it. I never believed it would actually happen..." he sighed deeply. "When you think of the situation we're in, how absolutely bizarre it is." He shrugged. "You often hear of members of staff finding their way to the upper classes bedroom, you never hear of them falling in love, not like this."
"I know. Love never seems to come to those 'upper classes bedrooms'. Joseph, what we have is not like anything others have. We have something that is just ours." She sighed and leant against his chest for a moment. "I know, I don�t make it easy for you. I know, I am not easy to be with. But Joseph, I never did this before. I never knew love� what it could be. There are moments when my feelings for you terrify me so much I just want to run away and hide from them. And yet, whenever I don�t see you for more than a few minutes, I feel like I am missing a piece of myself."
She laughed and moved against his chest, he stroked her neck as he listened. "Listen to me, I sound so awfully melodramatic." She lifted her head up to his face. "I'm sorry, I was trying to be honest, it came across as a little crass." She shrugged.
"No Clarisse, it was beautiful, thank you. I needed to hear that."
She kissed him lightly on the mouth. "Tell them to stop the car."
"Sorry?" He held her upper arms watching her face, her eyes sparkling, an idea forming.
"We're in the grounds, five minutes drive from the palace, tell them to stop the car and we can walk back."
"Sweetheart it's pouring out."
"I know, I don't mind."
"You'll catch a chill."
"No I won't..." she traced a hand across his chest feeling his warmth through his shirt. "Because when we get back we're going to sit in front of the fire in my room and sip brandy, and end the evening as it should be."
He smiled ready to argue his point again but in his mind he'd already agreed to the plan. "How much Champagne did you drink this evening?"
"Not enough, dear. Not enough." Her smile was enigmatic during those words and he felt a jolt of nervousness shoot through him for a second. This could turn out to be quite interesting.
Clarisse had in the meantime opened communication to the front of the limousine. "Dansen, would you please stop the car. Joseph and I will walk the final steps to the palace."
"Erm...your Majesty, it is raining outside. Heavily."
"And your point is?"
The driver cringed a little at the harshness in his Queen�s voice. Fine, let her have her own way. If Joseph cannot stop her from catching her death and leaving the country unattended for several years, who am I to try, he thought. "As you wish, your Majesty."
"Thank you." she sighed ending the communication. "They now think I'm old and insane."
"Ah well." Joseph reached for her wrap. "Here, put this on, at least keep your back dry."
Her smile turned a little saucy. "But if my back got wet, wouldn't you dry it off for me?"
"Oh absolutely... anything in the call of duty."
"Oh thank you, dear. I am so glad that you never forget your duty...to your Queen."
"As if I'd ever be allowed to..." he murmured as the car came to a halt.
Dansen watched and waited as Joseph exited the car and waited for the Queen to join him. He noted his boss lift the collar on his jacket to shelter himself from the rain but his eyes nearly fell out of his head when her majesty stepped out with no coat, not even that flimsy silk wrap to cover her shoulders. That dress dipped right down...... if that woman didn't get flu he'd eat his hat. Joe nodded to him and shaking his head he drove off in the direction of the garages.
"You do realize, my dear that they will believe we have gone completely insane. And I would say they are right. It is freezing. And wet." Joseph said while trying to adjust his collar just so that only minimal amount of rain would get in. It was a futile task he quickly realized for the rain seem to have picked up more than not.
"And of course, you do know that we will catch our death before we reach the palace."
Clarisse only laughed. �And I thought you were the optimist of the couple.� She looked up to the sky allowing the rain to slide down her face. "Oh but don't you think there's something awfully romantic about walking in the rain." She said lightly looping her arm through his.
He couldn�t help but allow himself a slight smile; she said �couple.� �No my darling I can�t deny it is romantic. Walking arm in arm with you in floodlit grounds, all this privacy, having you to myself, being able to do this�� he kissed her nose, "and this," her right cheek, "or this", her left cheek. "And nobody will see me doing this..." He lowered his mouth to hers and within seconds their playfulness disappeared completely.
He crushed her body to his, possessively stroking her wet, naked back.
She shuddered against him, a smile coming to her face, she suddenly felt incredibly sexy standing there with him. The rain streaming down her skin, her clothes now clung to her every curve, she would have to peel them off... or he would. Teasingly she turned in his arms and closed her eyes as she held her face up accepting the coolness of the rain, the freshness it offered to her skin. His arms circled her waist and she smiled as he kissed her neck, then to her surprise he licked down her spine.
"Ahhh Joseph..." she giggled.
"You taste of childhood... playing in the rain, swimming in the local lake.�
She grinned, feeling very wicked. Slowly, she moved her hips against his lower body, making sure that she touched a certain sensitive area. "So, I taste of childhood. Do I feel like childhood too?" She asked innocently.
He groaned resting his face against her bare skin. "Perhaps teenage adolescence."
She laughed and ran a hand through her soaking hair. "Oh I've never done anything like this, I feel quite reckless."
"How often do you think I've 'danced' in the rain with a beautiful woman? My life hasn't been that exciting my dear."
�So," she turned suddenly searching his eyes and asking earnestly, "does that mean you have not yet 'danced' with a woman in the rain before?"
He grinned. "No I have not danced with a woman in the rain at all."
Clarisse slowly licked her lips entirely for his benefit. "Good. Then this will be your first time."
He couldn't help but reach out and stroke her face. "You're so incredibly beautiful..."
"Joseph..." She grabbed his hand and kissed it. "You make me self-conscious."
"How, it's true, you must know it."
"Women don't think that way about themselves." She started to sway against him, imagining the music in her head.
"Ahh because they would rather list their faults than their attributes. And you my precious..." He kissed the top of her head. "Your face is perfection."
She laughed. "You're an old romantic flatterer. But contrary to the old adage, it will indeed get you everywhere."
He smiled down at her. "Will it indeed?"
"It will..." She lifted her head and caught his lips with hers in a gentle tender kiss. "I'm sorry we argued earlier." She whispered.
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