In Her Majesty's Secret Service

By Shakyala
Summary: This is a story from Joseph's POV regarding a special service he provided to his Queen.
Rating: MA Adult material. If you are underage, you should go read another story.
Disclaimer: The owners of these characters would NEVER allow them the fun that I do, and I do it all for FREE!!

A couple notes regarding special thanks:

1) To the amazing beta, RevSue - The Queen of tenses and quick turn arounds....You rock!!!

2) To a very special friend of mine who provided the male perspective on the events that occurred in this chapter. I must admit it was an interesting discussion and education on what's going through the male mind when all of this is occurring...*grin*

And finally, I did break my rule about the story being entirely from Joseph's perspective; but I felt it was important to tell the whole story this time...I hope you agree!

So without further ado...


Chapter 5: As no one else has…

Joseph found that his body was alert and awake after remembering that night he had made love to ‘mi zorra’. He smiled to himself as he realized that, after that night, their relationship had been steadily climbing to a new level. Their lives had gotten a little crazy after that, thanks to the Princess. The beach party had turned out to be a real fiasco. Her Majesty had been less than pleased with the turn of events that had taken place that night.

His heart grew warm as he remembered her seeking comfort and reassurance from him as she worried about Amelia and the future of Genovia. He remembered her crying in his arms after she had visited Mia to give her the birthday gift from her father and advising her that she needed to formally renounce her title to the press. They had started to make love that afternoon; but she had been so distraught over the thought that the Von Trokens were going to take the throne of Genovia away from the Renaldi family that he had ended up just holding her while she grieved.

Charlotte told him how she had been poised and put on a brave face earlier in the evening of the ball as the press was pushing for a statement. Fortunately for everyone but the Von Trokens, he had located Amelia and gotten her back just in time to formally and publicly accept the destiny which had been awaiting her since her birth almost sixteen years earlier. Amelia’s declaration that night had been a catalyst that had changed the future of Genovia forever. What transpired between the Queen and himself that night had served as a catalyst that would change the nature of their relationship forever…

They had left the party a little earlier than usual.

“Amelia has things well in hand. She can see our guests are taken care of and then bid a proper good night.”

He readily agreed as he was most anxious to be alone with her tonight. He had tried to get her out to the garden earlier; but Mia and Michael had acted on that thought before he could.

After she said her good nights, they walked, side by side, towards her suite. He waved the security away and then took her gloved hand and brought it to his lips.

Her smile almost melted his heart where he stood. She seemed truly at peace for the first time in a long time. While they both were under no illusions that Genovia’s future and the Renaldi rule was guaranteed, with Mia’s declaration tonight they had at least bought some additional time to work out the remaining details.

He guided her into an empty side room and pulled her into an embrace, claiming her lips in a hungry manner. She melted into his embrace, her arms snaking around his neck as his went lower to cup her bottom and hold her tightly to him. When they finally broke the kiss, both were breathing heavily. “I have wanted to do that all night!” he exclaimed.

She smiled, “What took you so long then? We should have left after the first dance.”

He laughed, “Oh, if I only believed that you would have agreed to that!”

She kissed him again and pressed her soft curves even further into his body. She whispered into his ear, “Make love to me, Joseph.”

His body responded of its own accord and he let her feel how badly he wanted to do just that. “It would be my pleasure to be of service, your Majesty.” He felt her stiffen slightly at his use of her title.

She started to say something, but opted against it. She smiled a slight smile, took his hand and said, “Shall we?”

Clarisse was heartbroken. She was falling in love with Joseph and thought, after all they had shared, he loved her as well. She had even tried to tell him the other night before they had fallen asleep in front of the fire. She had only gotten the ‘I’ out before the lump lodged in her throat. He had mistakenly thought she was trying to apologize again and had shushed her before she could find the courage to finish.

How could she love someone who refused to even speak her name? Perhaps he only saw this as his duty…a service to perform. No! She reassured herself…that couldn’t be true. What they had shared, the life he had brought to the surface…she knew he cared about her deeply; but, for some reason, would not cross that final boundary to put them both on the same level. She wanted to be his friend, his lover, his…she couldn’t finish the thought as they had reached her suite. She brought herself from her thoughts to hear him telling the security personnel and her ladies’ maids that Queen needed her rest and should not be disturbed. He continued on saying that if anyone needed her that they should come to his suite and alert him and he would make the decision whether or not Her Majesty should be bothered.

They stepped inside her suite and he picked her up and swirled her around, causing her to laugh out, “So now that I’ve taken care of the proverbial parents, perhaps we can play?” He lowered her down slowly, letting her body slide along his until they were fit together perfectly. His arms slid around to hold her close as he placed gentle kisses along her neck line. His lips could feel her pulse beat wildly just below the surface of her skin. “Have you noticed that our bodies are perfect for each other?” he asked as he continued to kiss his way lower.

Her back arched as she pressed herself further into his mouth, her head resting against the wall, “The thought had occurred to me.” She gasped as his mouth closed around the material covering one of her nipples. “Oh god, Joseph, yes.” Her hands rested gently on his head; her caresses changing from light to frantic as his mouth continued to work its magic.

He would have continued in that course; but he had other plans for the night. He gave one last tug on the sensitive nipple before raising his head to look into her eyes. “Will you join me in my suite? I have a surprise for you.”

She caught her breath and willed her heart rate to slow a bit, “I would love to but it appears that the front of my dress is rather…well, wet…and I’m not sure how I could explain to your ever diligent security men why I need to go to your suite.”

“Which is why we will enter my suite without them ever being the wiser.” He grinned as he took her hand and led her back to her bedroom. He moved to the bookcase and directed his attention to the video section. He pulled out her copy of “The Sound of Music”. Before he inserted it into a slot at the side of the shelf, he said, “I love this movie. The lead actress bears a striking resemblance to you, don’t you think?”

She laughed, “You think I resemble a nun AND a nanny? You’ve been watching too many fairytales, Joseph! Besides, I think what’s been going on between us behind closed doors would NEVER be allowed in a movie like that.” She chuckled.

He inserted the DVD and then turned to grab her as the bookcase began to retract slightly from the rest of the wall. He kissed her fully before answering, “Well, I only have eyes for you. So perhaps everyone I see reminds me of you! Besides, I like fairytales; they always end up living happily ever after. That’s not so bad, is it?”

Her smile was tinged with just a hint of sadness as she followed him into the passage. She responded quietly so that he wouldn’t hear, “Ah, but that only happens in fairy tales…”

She took in the view as she emerged from the dimly lit hall. She realized that she had never actually been in Joseph’s room before, either here or at the palace, and she was enjoying this brief glimpse into his inner sanctum. The room was filled with warm colors. The furniture was made from a rich, dark mahogany wood and the accents were in earth tones. Her attention was drawn, however, to the large four-poster bed that was the focal point of the room. There was actually a small footstool resting at the side of the bed that could be used to make getting on the bed easier. Dark burgundy satin pillows covered the top portion of the bed.

He watched and waited as she assessed his living quarters, “So does it meet with Her Majesty’s approval?” he asked as he moved in behind her and circled her waist – nibbling slightly on her ear as she leaned into him.

“Mmm – yes - fit for a king...” She turned in his embrace and finished, “and a queen.” He smiled in response and she placed her head on his shoulder as they began to sway to music that only they could hear.

After a few moments, Joseph pulled back. “I want to dance with you tonight…unlike we’ve danced before.”

She pulled back slightly so she could look at him, “And what type of dancing would you like to do that we’ve not yet experienced?” Her mind was flitting back to all of the times they had danced at diplomatic functions and balls – she couldn’t think of any ballroom dance that they hadn’t shared.

He kissed her forehead and turned to pick up a large box that was sitting next to his dresser. Her admiration for his bed had resulted in her missing this on her initial inspection. “A gift...for you - to celebrate; and…”

She removed the top of the box to find a beautiful, but rather skimpy, dress.

“And…to dance in.” He smiled as he watched her face when she held up the dress. The dark blue of the short dress had slashes of vibrant, royal blue which he knew would make her eyes even more piercing. The front neckline plunged in a “V” shape that would definitely display a good deal of her cleavage; and the back dipped dangerously low and had spaghetti-type straps that criss-crossed to provide some additional support for the dress. The length would just cover her beautiful bottom.

He inwardly chuckled as he remembered everything he had had to go through to convince her dressmaker that Her Majesty wanted the dress…and – no – she hadn’t said what it was for. He still wasn’t sure that she had believed him; but she had made the dress nonetheless.

Having completed her inspection, she cut him one of her devilish grins, “And what type of dancing did you have in mind…the horizontal mambo?”

His laughter joined hers and filled the room. He invaded her personal space, removed the dress from her hands and caught her in a passionate kiss as his hands wandered over her back and came to rest in her hair as the kiss deepened and their passion mounted. “Oh I plan to do that dance tonight, too; however, this dress is for a little Latin dancing. I’d rather not deal with the yards of material that are customary with your ball gowns for this type of dancing.” He gestured to the volumous material that currently surrounded her lower half.

She laughed in return, “It is rather cumbersome, isn’t it?”

“Very!”

“All right, I’ll go change and you select the music. We shall attempt to dance as we have never danced before.” She turned her back to him and stood, waiting patiently.

He turned from the CD player to notice her standing there. “Is everything alright, your Majesty?”

She turned her head to smile at him, batting her eyelashes in a playful mood, “You don’t seriously think I can remove these...yards of material…as you refer to them, by myself, do you? And since you dismissed my ladies’ maids for the evening, you will have to assist me.”

He closed the distance between them and began placing feather-light kisses on the back of her neck. His hands created the same effect on her shoulders and back as they slowly glided down to where the zipper started. He smiled into her back as he felt the goose bumps arise on her skin everywhere he was touching.

Clarisse tried to control her breathing as his hands and mouth made their way down her back. She smiled as she heard his sharp intake of air as the zipper lowered and the material moved away to reveal the black lingerie she was wearing. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she said, “As I recall, this was one of your favorites?”

His hands slipped under her dress and around the front to cup her satin and lace clad breasts. Clarisse leaned back into him and moaned as his hands teased through the lacy material. She felt a surge of adrenalin spiral through her body, centering at her very core in response to his touch. Somewhere in her haze, she found her voice, “Joseph?”

“Hmmm?” he murmured into her neck.

“If you want me to put this dress on and dance with you, you’re going to have to stop that. If you continue, I fear I won’t be able to stand.”

Joseph reluctantly released her. He wanted nothing more than to guide her to the bed and make love to her. However, he had plans that would serve a greater purpose tonight; so he needed to put his carnal desires on hold for just a while longer. “Don’t be long.”

She held her dress in place with one arm as she carried the box with the other. She simply nodded her head to indicate her agreement.

A few moments later, a strong rhythmic song filled the air. The music of Stella Soleil’s “Kiss Kiss” infused the passion charged atmosphere in the room. He undid his tie and loosened the top few buttons of his tuxedo shirt, revealing a few whispers of graying hair. He looked in the mirror, took a deep breath and thought to himself, ‘You gotta get this right tonight, ol’ man. It will set the stage for the future that you want with her.’

He smiled as he realized he was tempted to proverbially run his fingers through his hair…but opted for another deep breath before he caught sight of her reflection behind him in the mirror. At once he knew that it was the best reflection his mirror had ever experienced. He had been right about the dress, it fit her perfectly. He followed her reflection starting at the top. Her hair was slightly tousled; no doubt from quickly removing one dress and putting another on. Of course, he had been partly responsible for the errant strands as his fingers had combed through her hair during some of their kisses. He chuckled to himself as he realized she had probably been in search of a comb or brush in the bathroom and had been unsuccessful as he had little need for one.

His eyes continued downward to her beautiful neckline that was accented by the cut of the dress. Her ample breasts were properly covered; but still displayed enough to be highly erotic. The slashes of royal blue through the dress emphasized all of her curves. The slight flare at the bottom hinted at the treasure that resided beneath and served as an introduction to those sexy, long legs. The black high heels were a perfect compliment to the dress and her legs.

“I believe you promised me a dance, sir, or would you prefer to just stand there and look at me all night.” she teased quietly.

He turned and closed the distance between. His hands cradled her face and he kissed her deeply. “I believe that is an acceptable way to pass the time. However, you are correct, I promised you a dance.”

They both extended their arms to the traditional ballroom dance pose and locked their hands. Joseph’s hand went to the small of her back and hers to his shoulder. This time, though, he used the hand on her back to pull her closer so her body was touching his. “Shall we tango?”

They found the beat and began to move their bodies in time with the music. Each step and twist led them closer to a world where only their souls existed. They always danced well together – their friendship and close relationship allowing their bodies to move as one. There was an added element this time. Their mutual exploration into their sexuality found them more attuned to the subtle nuances of the other’s body. Joseph found himself noticing each time her breasts would graze against his body – even if it was just a brush. Clarisse found that her skin tingled everywhere his body came into contact with hers. Many of their movements mimicked the love making they knew would soon follow.

As she turned into him at the end of song, he held her close as they allowed their breathing and pulse to slow to a normal rate. He moved his hands lower to cup her bottom; both moaned at the sensation of being so close, yet separated by their clothing. She initiated the kiss this time as she pulled his head down to meet her lips. Their tongues began dancing the same sensual dance their bodies had just experienced.

Joseph finally broke the kiss, “Let me make love to you as you’ve never been loved before.” To ensure she knew what he meant, he captured her mouth gently and let his tongue graze over her lips. As she opened to him again, his tongue continued its sensual assault. He pulled away slightly, “As no one else has…”

She inwardly sighed. She didn’t want to ruin what was promising to be such a wonderful night; but they had been down this road before. As far as she was concerned, nothing had happened to change her position on this matter. “I’m sorry, Joseph. I can’t…I won’t.” She lowered her head to his shoulder – waiting to see what would happen next.

He stepped back a little and used his finger to raise her chin so he could look in her eyes. “Please, Clarisse.”

Her heart skipped a beat. Had she just heard him right? Did he say her name? “I’m sorry. What did you say?” she asked quietly wanting to hear him say it again.

He kissed her forehead and then whispered right by her ear, “Clarisse – I’m asking permission to love you as no one else ever has. Please?”

His warm breath on her neck sent chills down her spine as she contemplated the many meanings his statement could have. In an attempt to lighten the mood, she asked, “You’re not just saying my name so you can have your way with me, are you?”

He smiled in return, “Yes…but it’s not just about tonight. It’s about the future. I have cared about you for as long as I can remember. I find myself being drawn deeper into you each and every day. I have no idea what the future may hold, but I know that as long as Clarisse Renaldi is a part of it…all will be well.”

He hadn’t said he loved her…at least not directly…but he had moved a step closer to acknowledging what they both knew was there. He waited for her reaction.

She closed the distance between them and this time it was her turn to whisper, “Make love to me, Joseph…as no one else ever has.”

At her words, the passion erupted between them and they sought each other hungrily. Clarisse felt his lips everywhere on her exposed skin, all of his desire, passion, and love being conveyed through the simple act of touch. She moaned as his hands slid inside her dress to cup her breasts. He teased the nipples until they were hard and she arched against him, her body silently begging for more.

They stumbled toward the bed, hands working to discard their clothing during the short trip. Clarisse started to lower her panties, but he stopped her.

“Allow me, please?”

She nodded and rested her hands on his shoulders as he sat on the footstool in front of her. His hands lovingly caressed her body before hooking his thumbs in the waistband and sliding them lower to reveal her golden curls mere inches in front of him. She stepped out and let her hands comb through his fringe of hair and then move lower to his neck and shoulders. He kissed her abdomen, twirling his tongue in her belly button as his hands splayed across her bottom.

He stood and gently lifted her to a sitting position on the edge of the bed. He moved some of the throw pillows to provide a comfortable place for her to recline. His lips sought hers again – he wanted to make sure she was completely at ease before he proceeded. As the kiss deepened, he gently moved between her knees. She responded by wrapping her legs around his waist as he moved in closer to her. “Mi zorra, Lentamente. Confíeme en por favor.”

She pulled back a bit, her eyes filled with desire, “I do trust you, Joseph. Let me show you how much…” With her words, she slowly lowered herself to a reclining position on the pillows and separated her legs enough to allow him access to her inner sanctum.

His breath caught in his lungs as he took in the erotic sight before him. Her lips were slightly swollen from their ardent kisses and her breath was shallow. Her creamy skin had an ethereal glow from the moonlight streaming in from the window. Her knees were bent and slightly separated as she waited for him to make the next move. He caught her licking her lips and he leaned forward to kiss her gently. He spoke in low tones to her in an effort to reassure her, “Let’s make music together. Just imagine I’m the concert violinist and you are a rare Stradivarius. You relax and let me learn the best way to elicit the sound of music from you. Alright?”

She kissed him gently and nodded her head. Using the footstool for support, he lowered himself slightly so his head was even with her knees. He began to place gentle kisses on the inside of her leg as his hands lightly skimmed over the tops and outside of her thighs. As his kisses moved closer to their final destination, his hands moved to the inside and began massaging the tight leg muscles urging her to relax to his touch.

Clarisse’s mind was anything but relaxed. With each kiss, with each caress, he moved her closer to a new, exciting, and scary experience. She wasn’t scared in the normal sense of the word, for she did trust Joseph with her entire being; however, she knew that once this bridge was crossed, there would be no going back for her. With this gift, she was giving all that she had to give. She couldn’t give herself completely…fate had destined that not to be…at least not at this time. Perhaps some day, once Mia was crowned Queen and her role was relegated to a more private working in the monarchy of Genovia, she would be free to love him as he deserved to be loved. Until then, she hoped that being secret lovers would be enough. Her thoughts refocused as she felt his lips scant inches away from her pulsating core.

Joseph took a deep breath, inhaling her unique scent. Using his fingers, he gently combed through the slightly damp curls. Breathing warm air on her slightly exposed flesh, he could feel tiny goose bumps pop up along her inner thighs. Finally, he could wait no longer. Just barely touching her with the tip of his tongue, his senses reeled as smell and taste combined in that one poignant moment. He heard the sharp intake of her breath as well when his tongue first made contact. His hands continued their gentle massage as his tongue lightly grazed across the edges as the master began to warm up his priceless instrument.

He continued the slight tasting with his tongue and the massaging until her body relaxed and then started to slightly tense. A few moments later, Clarisse felt a warm, tingling sensation course throughout her entire body. It wasn’t as intense as she had experienced in the past with Joseph, but it was pleasant. It reminded her of a Vishi shower – warm rain cascading over her entire body, covering it in a way that blocked out all other thoughts and outside interruptions, leaving her at one with her body. She lifted her head up slightly to observe Joseph as he had moved to place open mouthed kisses on her inner thigh while she took the short trip back down.

She watched as he sensed her descent was complete and then gasped as his arms circled around her legs, his hands coming to rest near pulse points on her thighs. He stopped just a moment to look up at her, their eyes locked in a sensual gaze. He smiled and spoke quietly, his breath feeling warm on her damp curls, “That was just the warm up, love. Now we tune the instrument so beautiful music can be made.”

Her head fell back as his tongue dove deeper this time, pushing its way past the outer layer to the jewel that lay hidden below. This time his tasting was more thorough, more methodic. He was learning her reactions and what caused her pulse to race, her body to twitch, her breath to catch with each lick, tug, or flick of his tongue. While her body began to spiral more and more out of control, his thought process continued to be very analytical. He was learning exactly how to “play” his instrument. His arms helped control her movements as her body started to move of its own accord. He noted that flattening his tongue against her clit caused her hips to begin undulating under his mouth; he found that highly intoxicating. Quick flicks on either side, caused her legs to jerk slightly and as his ministrations continued, her movements were becoming more pronounced and erratic. He found that there was no greater goal in life than bringing her intense, shattering pleasure.

If Clarisse had thought that the first orgasm she had experienced only a few minutes ago was the highlight of her evening, she couldn’t have been more incorrect. She had started to work out in her mind how she was going to encourage Joseph and let him know it had been wonderful, when she heard him say that it was just the warm up and now he was going to begin to “tune” her. Not long after those words, her ability to think coherently had left in a whoosh of air that she expelled deep from her lungs as his tongue touched her in a most intimate way. His movements varied and each one brought out an involuntary response from her traitorous body. She had wanted to appear in control of this situation; but all illusion of that was quickly fading. Her world was reduced to the feel of his tongue on her sensitive flesh.

She felt his tongue flatten against her clit and her hips began to move against his mouth. She felt like she should be ashamed of her responses, but knew that if she had done anything untoward, Joseph would have let her known. He asked her to trust him…that she could do. She gave herself up to the sensations thrumming throughout her veins. As the blood coursed faster towards the center of her core, her legs began to move and she fought to raise her hips off the bed; Joseph’s hold on her remained constant though as his assault continued. Every nerve ending in her body became a conduit for the electricity surging on a predestined course towards the center of her being.

With a final slow, drawn out movement of his tongue, his instrument came into tune and her cries of release were music to his ears. He gently massaged her legs and placed kisses, once again, along her inner thigh. He found that he enjoyed being so close to her center that he could feel every vibration, smell every scent and taste the very essence of her being.

“Oh Joseph…that was…” She found that were no words to adequately describe the experience she had just enjoyed.

“Shall we play a concerto now?” He asked as his mouth moved in towards her center again.

She tried to move, but his grasp around her thighs was solid, “Oh no, Joseph, I couldn’t take any more, please…”

Her pleas fell to small whimpers as his mouth came in contact with her now very hot and wet core. This time, he moved lower, using his tongue to invade her innermost canal. The intimacy of the act was overwhelming. The combined sensation of the tip of his nose massaging her highly sensitized nub while his tongue mimicking the thrusting of lovemaking sent Clarisse to heights that surpassed any known reality. “Oh god…Joseph…ahhh…”

The pillows were being tossed asunder and she grasped at the comforter for something to hold on to as her emotions reeled wildly out of control. “Please stop, Joseph….please….oh yes…more…” Even as she begged him to stop, she found herself opening further to his masterful touch.

He would have smiled and teased her about her conflicting requests; but his mind was starting to lose rational thought as well. Her movements and cries mixed with the intoxicating taste and scent of her juices flooding into his senses caused his body to begin to respond, as well, on its own. His hips began to thrust against the side of the bed in tandem with the thrusting of his tongue. He caught her knees with a quick movement of his hands as they began to close in on him in response to her excitement. He knew it wouldn’t be much longer until her climax would erupt like a volcano.

Nothing in life could have prepared her for what she was experiencing. Her world had gone dark…she could see nothing...she could only feel. And the only thing she could feel was Joseph’s touch. As she felt his tongue move in and out of her, a lifetime of suppressed emotions, feelings, and responses came hurtling to the surface of her psyche, threatening to erupt. She tried to get away…God help her, she did. It was the sweetest torture…the desire to escape the maddening sensations that threatened to overtake her…coupled with the desire to never have it end. She couldn’t decide…so she left the decision to him. It didn’t stop her from begging for both; but ultimately she succumbed to his wishes regarding this erotic excursion.

She felt his tongue withdraw and a few well placed strokes caused an eruption within her that rivaled that of Mt. Saint Helens many years ago. She saw bright lights interspersed throughout the darkness and her mind came out of its haze into a sharp focus that keyed in on every emotion and feeling swirling through her body at that one moment in time. She cried out the only thing that made sense of all the chaos exploding within her, “Joseph!”

He heard her call his name as she climaxed. It had taken a great deal of physical strength to contain her erratic movements as she exploded over the edge; but it had been a sight to behold. She had displayed such passion, such eroticism, such emotion…he had been taken by surprise. He had called upon all of his emotional and mental strength to prevent himself from toppling over the edge with her. He had wanted to continue to drive her to madness, making love to her with his mouth, but decided that the release his body cried out for could no longer be denied. He waited for her float back down into his reality before he gently moved her to the center of his bed.

Her eyes were still glazed over in a sexual haze, but he found that it only served to intensify their blue depths. He captured her mouth in a kiss as his hands gently teased her highly sensitive nipples.

She tasted herself on his mouth and felt his hands began to move over her body. She realized, belatedly, that he had moved her to the center of his bed…even though she did not remember him doing so. His arousal was rock hard against her thigh as he kissed her. In retrospect, she had no idea from where she summoned the strength to do what she did next….

She pushed him so he was lying on his back and she straddled him. Her eyes never left his as she lifted herself and then quickly lowered until she was fully seated on his member. “Oh god…Clarisse…!” The feel of her slick, wet heat almost made him come instantly; where he summoned the strength to hold on, he had no idea…

They began to move, creating a rhythm that matched the silent song they held for each other deep within their souls - the song that connected them as soul mates – the one that only they could hear.

Each time Clarisse would raise up and then lower herself, Joseph would thrust upwards as well. Each time the response was a simple spoken word…though the timbre and feeling changed each time:

“Clarisse!”

“Joseph!”

The waves of pleasure ignited from the point where they were joined to traverse the nerves until the sensations erupted and rained over their bodies. Clarisse collapsed onto Joseph and held on tightly as they floated slowly back to reality.

Joseph was the first to speak, “Clarisse?”

“Hmm…”

“Thank you for letting me love you…as no one else has.”

She rose up enough to place a gentle kiss on his lips, “To say the pleasure was all mine would not even begin to do it justice.”

He brought her head back down to nestle in the crook of his neck as he continued to hold her – not wanting this night to end. “Stay with me for awhile?”

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be…I can’t stay all night, though…I’m sorry…”

“I know…I promise to have you back before daybreak.”

“Someday…”

He kissed the top of her head and spoke quietly before drifting off to sleep, “Someday…”

tbc