Clarisse sighs as she sits at her desk, in her yellow brocade suit. She is bored to the core of her being. If she has to read one more boring correspondence she will simply burst. She decides to take a break and steps out onto the terrace with her hot cup of tea. She knows Joseph, her head of security, is watching her and for once she really doesn't care at all. In fact she wants Joseph to notice her. She puts her head in her hand and places her elbow on the railing of the terrace balcony. Standing this way Clarisse knows makes her "butt", as Mia so eloquently puts it, stick out, but it isn't bothering her; she is happy with her body. She knows she looks good for her age and she wants someone, namely Joseph to notice that. Joseph already knows Clarisse is beautiful; she doesn't need to be overt for him to notice. He notices her beauty every moment of every day.
Joseph is very conscious of the fact that his Queen's rear is very close to him; it makes him very self-conscious as his black pants tighten quickly across the front. He holds his hands carefully in front of him trying to make everything inconspicuous. He's been in love with his queen from the moment he met her, but he knows they could never be together. Now here he is standing on the terrace staring at her ass. It's a perfect ass too, he thinks, just like the rest of her. She's just perfect. Stop that, you're on duty.
If Clarisse had been aware of what Joseph is thinking she would have been mortified and thrilled all at the same time. Clarisse sighs again and Joseph wonders if he should say something but Clarisse speaks up first, "Joseph, are you aware you're staring?"
"No, ma'am," Joseph says quickly. Of course he is aware he is staring! He could stare at her all day long; she is so beautiful!
"You're not a very good liar, Joseph. Your eyes seem to bore into me. I always know when you're watching me; you have very possessive eyes." Clarisse smirks though Joseph can't see her face from his vantage point. She always seems to know when Joseph is watching her even if she doesn't know he is in the room.
"I didn't know you'd noticed, ma'am. I've never been a particularly good liar; my mother caught me every time." Joseph winces. This is the first time he's mentioned his family and he is sure she'll have noticed. She did, after all, notice everything else. He thinks not continuing to talk of his family would be suspicious and so he says, "You remind me a lot of my mother, actually."
"I hope that's a good thing, Joseph. I hope I remind you of the good things in your mother and not the horrid things. I'd hate to remind you of the things you don't want to remember about your childhood." Clarisse says sarcastically.
"I assure you I only meant good things when I compared you to my mother. You remind me of her beauty, her love, kindness, and compassion that she bestowed on everyone just as you do, Clarisse." Joseph says quietly putting his hands on her shoulders and he walks up behind her rather than keeping his distance and standing by the door.
"That's very sweet, Joseph. But you praise me too highly. I really don't deserve all the praise you give me." Clarisse whispers softly. Although she is confident with her body she finds it difficult to receive compliments towards her. She has never been complimented as sweetly as she is by Joseph.
"But you do, Clarisse. You've been a better queen than anyone could ever be; you actually listen to every complaint and every request, even Rupert didn't do that." Joseph tries to make it sound plausible without giving away the fact that he worships the ground she walks on. It is difficult. She is so perfect that he often has trouble concealing his affection.
Clarisse on the other hand has just picked up on something Joseph had said earlier and she carefully broaches the subject. "Joseph, did you say that I remind you of the way your mother loved people?"
"Yes, Clarisse, I did." Joseph says very quietly. In his head he is thinking damn, she's caught on. Okay calm down, if she has: confess, and if she hasn't it's fine and you don't have to do anything at all.
"Is there anyone that I love that reminds you of your mother in particular Joseph?" Clarisse has known for awhile that Joseph loves her, but she wants to hear him say it so she could say something in response rather than initiating such a conversation. It is not proper etiquette for her to be so bold.
Damn, Joseph thinks, she has me. Now I have to confess. "Just me and your granddaughter Clarisse. I love you as much as I loved my mother and I thought I saw a spark in you too, but maybe I'm wrong. I thought you perhaps loved me as much as my mother loved me. You tell me."
"No, Joseph, you're right. You've been right all along. I do love you, but I couldn't say anything until you did or at least that was what I told myself. There's never been anyone more important to me than you and if we do start a relationship as I want to we're going to have to be careful. I don't want to become tabloid fodder; we both deserve better than that for this relationship." Clarisse speaks very quickly, but she is afraid she will chicken out before she finishes saying what she needs to say.
Joseph finds it hard to breathe for the first time in his whole life. He takes another step towards Clarisse and she takes a step back. She steps so far back that she nearly falls over the terrace balcony, but Joseph always watchful catches her as she slips. She gasps at the feeling of his arms around her waist. They've been there many times, but only when they'd been dancing in front of many people. When Clarisse looks up at Joseph they are so close to each other she can feel his breath on her face. She takes the initiative and kisses him. Joseph is taken aback but doesn't miss the chance to deepen the kiss; Clarisse's hand slips up behind Joseph's head and pulls him closer to her.