To all my wonderful readers, what an amazing journey we've been on with our couple. I can't thank you enough for all the wonderful reviews, comments, private messages and fun we've shared. Please know this isn't truly good-bye - more of a "Until later..."
Know that I couldn't and wouldn't have made the journey to becoming a published author without the love and support you've shown me over the years. Our wonderful Queen Clarisse has written a letter to help recap some of those memories and to ask you a favor on my behalf (because I'm too shy to do so on my own!)
*hugs*
Shakayla (Nicole)
"A Letter From The Queen"
Joseph walked into the suite he now shared with his wife, former Queen of Genovia, Clarisse Mignonette Renaldi Romero—the most beautiful woman in the entire world. And he—he was the luckiest man ever to have walked the face of the earth. He now shared her heart, her life and her bed. Did it get any better than that?
He smiled at the look of concentration on her regal features. Glasses perched on the edge of her nose, posture straight, clothing immaculate, pen held properly and, of course, ankles crossed under the chair. Even a year after their marriage and her turning over the reins to her granddaughter, Amelia Mignonette Thermompalis Renaldi Deveraux, old habits were hard to break.
Closing the distance, she sensed his presence and looked up. Her smile nearly melted him where he stood. "Hello, beautiful. What are you up to?"
"Writing a letter."
He moved to stand behind her, his lips finding their way to the curve of her neck. Softly, he inhaled. The scent, Chanel, drove him mad with desire for her. Unable to resist, he nuzzled into the curve, her murmurs of pleasure music to his ears. "Mmmm, Joseph?"
Reluctantly, he pulled away enough to answer. "Yes, my love?"
"As much as I'm enjoying your attention, I really must finish this letter. Time is of the essence."
Her choice of words got his attention. As Dowager Queen, most of her role now rested in public relations and making appearances while Amelia handled the running of the country. "Do you have an appearance later today?"
"No."
"Tell me of this urgent matter then. Perhaps I can be of assistance." He moved away from her and pulled up a chair beside the desk.
"I'm writing a letter to Shakayla's readers."
Joseph rubbed his chin for a moment. "I've heard that name before…talk amongst the palace. She's been responsible for quite a bit of angst and mayhem around here. No one has been safe from her tales as I recall."
Clarisse smiled, "And quite a bit of love, laughter and happiness as I recall. Do you remember her first story for the readers?"
Joseph stared off into space for a few moments and then smiled. "Flashback, wasn't it? I remember getting to pour a pitcher of cold water on you in that one."
She involuntarily shivered as she recalled that particular scene. "Yes, well I suppose she had good reason for having you do so and since I got payback later, I can't complain too much."
He laughed at the look of satisfaction on his wife's face. "Yes, well, we did have some fun in that story, but she also threw the world of fanfic some pretty significant curve balls."
"You mean when I thought you had slept with Charlotte?"
His gaze cut to hers, the hurt still flashed in her eyes when this subject came up. "Might I remind you dear that I was at her whim? It was her first story and she was looking to make an impression."
Clarisse's eyes narrowed. "Indeed she did."
Joseph's eyebrows waggled in amusement. "I remember the first time she made you jealous—really jealous. The story was 'Jealousy in Unspoken Love' as I recall."
Her arms crossed. "I was not jealous."
He took her by the hand and pulled her into a standing position. Taking a dancer's pose, he began to lead her around their bedroom. "You most certainly were…of Senorita Gabriella from Spain. Do you have any idea how turned on I was at the thought of you being jealous for me?"
Hot breath whispered across his ear. "I believe you demonstrated that to me on my desk later that evening." She stopped following his lead for a moment, cocking her head to one side and offering a disapproving glare. "Seriously, Joseph? On the desk?"
The sensual moment fled as he laughed. "I blame her! She seemed to want us to do it everywhere but the bed."
"Not as much as that other author, RevSue. She had us in the gazebo, the closet, in a carwash. I mean seriously, did they think we were in our twenties?"
Joseph moved them until she was pressed against the wall, her body cushioning his. "I don't know but I've been enjoying the fact she let us be more…active."
His lips found the curve of her neck again. "Mmm, yes very active."
Clarisse pushed against his chest. "Time, Joseph. I need to finish this. What was next?"
His mind scrambled…ah yes—Defining Moments. "That was a difficult one."
His wife's expression darkened. "Yes."
"At least we know it wasn't just us she tormented from time to time, she enjoyed using Rupert in many different ways." Joseph remembered many of the run-ins he'd had with the King himself. Some went well, others not as much. The worst, of course, being the last tale she shared. But, he chose not to think too long about that particular scenario.
"There is something to be said for spreading the angst around. She did try to make it up to us though if one story was particularly challenging, the next would be more lighthearted and fun."
Clarisse sat back down at her desk and continued to write. She wanted to hide the red flush of embarrassment as she recalled another story: The Desk. That time she'd definitely wanted to be taken on the desk. Of course, the readers didn't get to see when Joseph escorted her back to her suite and then made beautiful love for most of the night. She smiled as the memories surfaced. Oh yes, the readers didn't need to see everything. Though, she confessed, there wasn't much Shakayla didn't show them.
"Do you remember the first time she brought Amelia in to a key role in the story?" She needed to change the subject and stop thinking about all of those moments before she stopped writing and invited Joseph into bed…or against the wall…maybe even the desk.
Joseph started pacing. "I remember. She also gave me a twin brother in that one."
Clarisse shuddered. "He may have looked like you, but he was nothing like you."
"Let's jump ahead to Hidden Moments. Now that story was pretty good. There was some angst, but nothing too terrible." Joseph wanted to direct Clarisse's attention away from some of the more darker roles they'd had to play at this woman's whim.
"Yes, readers seemed to enjoy that story. I recall a lot of sexual tension between us."
Joseph laughed, "That's an understatement. I think she went from the Queen of M to the Queen of Tease for that story. Merde, I wanted you so badly and then when she finally let me have you…"
Clarisse sighed, "Yes, I remember. Not one of our finer moments."
"We had a happily ever after." Joseph reminded her.
"She always delivers on that promise, without fail."
"Make sure the readers know that." He paused, "Why are you writing the readers? I mean we know they're there, but other than reviewing, they don't get involved other than to…well, read?"
Clarisse stood and shook her head, "That's not entirely true, my love. Many readers have followed Shakayla over to another website called Facebook."
"Facebook?" Joseph scrunched his forehead. These youngsters and their technology.
"Amelia tells me it's a social media site where people connect and share information about their lives. Shakayla, or Nicole Leiren, as she's known over there, tells about other stories and characters she writes on her Author Page."
Joseph's eyes widened. "You mean we're not her only couple?"
Clarisse laughed, "I'm afraid not, though until recently, she's given the greatest deal of her time to us and her fanfic readers. But we've never been her only one. In the early years, she wrote of another couple somewhat similar to us, Kathryn Janeway and a Chakotay."
"What an odd name. Ironic that their initials are the same as ours. CJ."
"Well apparently the women always go first because that couple is referred to as JC." Clarisse smiled, "Would you like to hear about the new characters?"
"Yes. Yes, I would." Joseph motioned for Clarisse to come sit on his lap. "I prefer you be here, snuggled close as you tell me."
Never able to resist him, she put the pen down and moved to be near him. Once safely in his arms, she started. "Well the hero in the story was a military man, just like you. He served his country for many years, both in the army and then as a private contractor."
"Body guard for a beautiful woman?"
She nodded her head, "Nothing so glamourous. His job was to use his knowledge of enemy territory to carry out high risk missions. He made it home physically in one piece, but something happened to him while he was there that made him believe he no longer deserved happiness."
Joseph's heart went out to the chap. "In 24 Hours, I felt the same way, having lost Alexandra. I worried about trying to love again. Does he find someone to love? I would be lost in my life without you to love."
She kissed him with tenderness and love. Her kisses were so addicting. He would never tire of holding her, touching her and feeling her lips against his. "Eventually he does, but their road to happiness had many challenges as well."
"Was she a queen?"
Clarisse laughed, "Not exactly. I don't think Americans have royalty in their country, that's reserved for, as they say, people across the pond."
"Tell me about her. I always love hearing about the heroines in a story, especially when it's you." Joseph's hand slid lower to cup her bottom. He didn't know how long it would take him to convince her, but whether she finished the letter now or later, she would be his before this day was done.
"A children's librarian who has some serious family issues she must deal with along with the loss of someone very close to her."
He squeezed her tightly, "That we can relate to."
She thought of Rupert and Philippe and even Alexandra. "Indeed we can."
Joseph smiled. "Well we know they'll end up with a happily ever after because that's how Shakayla…I mean Nicole, does things. Did she give him some good lines to use? I know I've benefited from having her help me know just what to say to you over the years."
"Cheater! But yes, I saw an early version of the story and in one scene, Daniel tells Melodie that he intends to take her so high, she has to look down to see heaven."
Joseph's blood heated at the words Clarisse spoke. He slid his hand from her thigh, up to her waist and finally to hold the curves he'd come to admire so much over the years. He loved the way her eyes closed in response to his touch. "That's a very good line," he whispered. "Do you believe I can take you so high, you must look down to see heaven?"
The letter momentarily forgotten, Clarisse slid off Joseph's lap, took his hand and guided him to the bed. As she slowly undressed under his watchful eye, she kissed him gently. "Indeed, I do."
Joseph kissed Clarisse's damp forehead. Personally, he was thankful this particular scene hadn't been shared with the readers…though, he didn't doubt Shakayla would most likely give them a sneak peek at it at some point in the future. "I'm so glad we not only found each other, my dear, but have been able to overcome so much on the road to our happily ever after. Will the readers find the same type of journey in Nicole's story…what is it named?"
Clarisse locked her ankles around Joseph's body, holding him close, not wanting to lose the intimacy of the moments they'd just shared. "Not exactly the same as ours, but the same elements are there. Moments of laughter and happiness, angst and sadness. I understand there are even some children in the story."
Joseph smiled. "Remember Joey and Julie?"
"The most adorable great grandchildren ever."
"Well, they took after their great grandparents."
Clarisse smiled, "Indeed they did. In this story, there's a little girl named Anastasia and a little boy, Jason, who become fast friends. Annie plays an important part in helping her dad and Melodie find their way to each other."
Joseph kissed the swell of her breast, losing himself in the beauty of her perfection yet again. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell the readers, my love, before I distract you?"
She cupped his cheek and whispered, "I would tell them that even though Shakayla won't be in Genovia for awhile, they can find her new story, More Than One Night, at all major e-retailers. She shared privately with me that she appreciates all the fanfic world and its readers have done to support her by reading and reviewing her stories and she hopes they'll come find her outside our world. Her first story releases on September 29."
"Are you going to buy the book?" Joseph nibbled on her ear as he began to show her, yet again, how much he loved her.
"Of course, it's my way of saying thank you for the years of happiness she brought you and me, even with the angst. I may even buy one for Amelia and Charlotte. I wish her much success in her endeavors and hope she'll come to visit us again sometime soon."
Joseph leaned up and kissed her. "As do I, my love. As do I."
The End.
From Shakayla - Thank you, Your Majesty, for sharing about our journey together and for forgiving me all the angst and suffering I brought to you and your very handsome husband! I adore all my readers and have appreciated sharing my stories with you in the fanfic world over the past 7 plus years. I would love to share with you outside this world as well. So if you love contemporary romance, please check out my author page on Amazon or Goodreads and all the book info will be there.
*hugs*
In her Majesty's service always… Nicole