So as I was combing through an old archive looking for a particular story for a friend of mine, I ran across this story that I had originally written back in 2009. I had completely forgotten about it! LOL So, because I know it's still going to be a bit before the next chapter of 24 Hours is up for your viewing pleasure, I wanted to give you a short story to read to help keep you warm while you wait.

Enjoy!

Title: The Alternative
Summary: It's basically a PWP, but if you must know something...Clarisse knows she can't have a physical relationship with Joseph, so she considers her alternatives (hehe)
Rating: M
Disclaimer: No way would Meg Cabot or Disney let her do this.

Clarisse stepped off of Genovia One with mixed emotions. She was very happy to be home but she also missed San Francisco. While it was certainly a beautiful city, it wasn't the landscape that she would miss. Genovia was, to her, the most beautiful place on earth. No, it was something far more intangible she would miss. Simply put, it was freedom - freedom to be more of herself than she could be here in Genovia. While people were still watching her in America, they didn't watchher like they did at home. She had been able to spend the days with her granddaughter and her evenings with…Joseph.

Joseph. Just the thought of her handsome head of security caused tingles to spread throughout her body originating at the base of her spine and radiating outward. They had laughed and touched more in the past week than the past several years. It had awakened a side of her that she had thought buried years ago. That side was reasserting itself in a strong, demanding way.

Clarisse made it through the rest of the day. She truly had no idea how. Every time he was near, she couldn't think. His scent surrounded her and the fragrance was pure male and pure Joseph. It was maddening. How was she going to be able to run a country when his very presence made her forget her own name?

She tried a warm bath filled with the scent of lavender to relax her. Unfortunately, that did not even begin to ease her heightened nerves. Every part of her body was attuned to the need that had been slowly surfacing all day and it was now threatening to consume her. She had to do something…

Anything…

Anything?

She thought about the alternatives. She couldn't invite Joseph to share her bed…not yet anyway. As much as she wanted to feel his lips and hands all over her body, the risk was too great. Clarisse let out a large sigh. No there was only one alternative that would work at the present moment. She hadn't done that in years. She laughed out loud…she hadn't NEEDED to as her focus was elsewhere and not on her baser desires. Desires that now begged for fulfillment. After all, they had been ignored for years. She considered other options for a few minutes and came to the conclusion that there were no other viable options.

Having made her decision, she stood and untied her robe, letting it fall to the floor. The cooler air in her room causing goose bumps to arise all over her flesh. She slid between the satin sheets and turned off the light. She took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart then closed her eyes and focused on the man in black that had haunted her days and would now haunt her nights. As her hands began to smooth over her body, she imagined him beside her. In her mind's eye, his hands replaced hers as she carefully traced her lips. She drew a finger into the warm depths and saw his look of surprise and yearning at her boldness. She drew the digit into her mouth several times, teasing it slightly with her tongue, mimicking another far more intimate act which resulted in a slight blush to cover her body as she imagined what it would be like to do that for Joseph.

Moving on, she let her finger tips trace her jaw line and down her throat, circling a couple of times the small indentation at the base. Her breasts felt heavy and were demanding attention so she continued lower. She started with a light touch, drawing a pattern starting at the gentle swell and moving towards the hardened nub. At her first touch of the engorged tip, a small cry escaped her lips. Shards of pleasure coursed through her body at the tentative touch. She bit her bottom lip and continued her ministrations. Her thumb and forefinger rolled the tip sending another wave throughout her body. This time she allowed his name to pass through her lips in a breathy moan…"Joseph…"

Her hands moved lower…she hoped that if Joseph ever were to see her and touch her, he would be pleased with what she had to offer. While her body wasn't the same as it was in her younger years, a lifetime in the public eye had meant she had taken reasonable care of her body. Her legs spread wide to accommodate the illusion of the body that would be… or should be…nestled there. She thought of his strong muscular legs pressing against her softer inner thighs as his weight pressed her delightfully into the mattress below her.

Nimble fingers threaded into the golden curls seeking out the sensitive, warm flesh that lay hidden beneath. Her back arched slightly as a heated flush spread throughout her body at the unfamiliar feel of a touch in her most private area. One hand continued to slowly stroke as the other caressed her inner thigh.

Her thoughts focused once again on Joseph. While she had never witnessed him in all his glory, her imagination assured her that he was well endowed and a confident lover. There was something about the way he walked…no, it was more than that. There was just an aura about him that exuded confidence. She knew he loved her and knew that when they finally did make love, it would be an experience unlike anything she had ever had before.

At that thought, her fingers slipped into the moist depths before retreating once again to circle the tiny bundle of nerves. The stimulation was increasing her heart rate, her breathing and her need. She planted her feet on the bed and began to move her lower body in counterpoint to the movements of her hand. The other hand moved to caress her breasts that were demanding equal attention. Her verbalization of her pleasure was growing with each pass of her hand and fingers over the sensitive flesh. The coil wound tighter and tighter until the rest of the world was covered in darkness and nothing existed but her touch and the image of her would-be lover in her mind. The image of him thrusting into her welcoming body again and again until she could feel nothing but him worked its magic and, with a small amount of pressure placed at just the spot in her center, a million points of light shattered into the darkness and sent her to the heavens. "Oh god…yes, yes, Yes! Joseph!"

…
Outside the door of the royal suite, Joseph adjusted himself for the…he had lost count of how many times. He was thankful he had relieved the night guard as he had wanted to be the one to watch over her their first night back in Genovia. When he heard her cry HIS name out in pleasure…and he had absolutely no doubt that she was, in fact, pleasuring herself, he vowed that he would never give up his pursuit of her. Someday and someday very soon, she would accept no substitute – no alternatives to the pleasure he knew that only he could give her.

The End.