Joseph always had a way of intuitively knowing where I was and what I was thinking – it's what made him so good at his job. So he knew that I was preparing to cross a line. I had just offered my version of "bait" and now the choice was his whether to "bite" or not.

I felt a thrill run through my body as he slightly tightened our embrace and whispered his reply. "You don't hear me complaining, do you?"

I could feel his smile against my neck and I experienced a rush of affection for the man who had been the guardian and protector of both my body and my soul. I pulled back slightly and then leaned in to kiss him.

His lips felt soft against mine and had a silky texture to them. He slanted his mouth over mine and took control of the kiss as his hands moved in slow circles over my bare back. Even though, comparatively, it was a very gentle kiss, it created a connection between us that I could feel to the very depths of my soul. As my hands tightened slightly on his upper arms in response, I experienced that spark that had been painfully absent in my relationship with Rupert.

We mutually broke the kiss and I looked up to meet his smiling face. "Thank you…that was…" I couldn't find the words to adequately express the gift he had just given me.

He saved me from having to try to explain as he replied, "For me too."

I then had to utter the words that I knew could potentially ruin the moment; but nonetheless had to be said. "Unfortunately, we can't act any further on this until the succession of the Renaldi rule has been preserved. I'm sorry…"

His face was softly illuminated from the rays of the now rising sun streaming through the window of his room. I could see many emotions crossing his face; but nothing could have prepared me for what happened next:

His hands moved away from my back and he brought one hand up to cup my cheek as he had done on the night Rupert died. He then whispered, "Then perhaps I should do something to ensure that Princess Amelia's ascension to the throne is as expeditious as possible."

He used the hand holding my cheek to angle my head so the line of my neck was extended and available to his touch. He lowered his head and I inhaled sharply as his tongue flicked across a pulse point in my neck before he placed an open mouthed kiss on the same spot. My heart rate increased and the blood thrummed through my veins at this intimate touch. All of the electricity in the air seemed to localize and center at the point where his mouth touched my neck. My entire body responded to his touch as it never had done so for anyone before. As he gently adjusted the angle of my head to lavish the same attention to the other side, I expelled the breath I hadn't realized I was holding, freeing the electric currents to course through my body causing my nipples to harden. An unfamiliar but not unpleasant feeling, similar to the fluttering of butterflies, emerged in the pit of my stomach. With the last bit of my exhaled breath I muttered, "Oh Joseph…"

When his lips moved away, he pulled me back into his warm embrace. I could feel his heart beating solidly against the wall of his chest, matching the rhythm of my own. I was relieved and pleased that he had been as affected by this encounter as I had. I allowed myself a few more minutes in his arms before I pulled back and teased, "So what are we standing around here for? Let's get started!"

His laughter was music to my ears. He released me and held out his arm to escort me back to my suite. "May I suggest that Her Majesty clothe herself a little more appropriately and allow me to do the same before we frighten the night watch as we make our way to my office to begin the search for Genovia's missing Princess?"

"Your suggestion is noted and accepted." I returned his laughter. "I'll meet you in an hour in the security office and I will bring Amelia's last known address."

We walked the short distance to my suite in companionable silence. I turned to him before stepping inside and returned his earlier gesture by cupping his cheek with my hand. His eyes closed in response as though he were memorizing the feel of my hand against his flesh. "Joseph…I…"

Before I could say anything further, he brought his hand up to cover mine and softly responded. "I know…me too."

OoOoOo

As it turned out finding Amelia was the easy part; convincing her to embrace her destiny – a little harder; and transforming her into the princess that I knew deep in my heart that she was…almost impossible!

After Paulo worked his magic, my heart softened considerably towards the young woman who was my granddaughter – not because her outer beauty was more clearly displayed; but because of the inner beauty that emerged as she handled the reactions to her transformation from those closest to her. The "princess lessons" as she called them were progressing nicely. She had even managed to spin without hurting anyone at the end of her dance lesson. My heart swelled a bit as she informed me of just that fact with such pride in her voice. What happened next, though, almost made my heart stop beating.

Mia ran out of the room after I excused her and I was just thanking Joseph for his help when he crossed into my personal space.

"You've been wearing black too long." He huskily proclaimed as his arm crossed in front of me to restart the music. We had both been so busy in our activities with Amelia that we had had precious little time to be alone. Because quality time together had been such an important part of our routine, we were both feeling the void. Fortunately for me, Joseph was never one to miss an opportunity.

I felt intense affection for him as he took my hand and led me out to the dance floor. I had danced this dance a thousand times; but this time, with him, it was different. Every movement – every touch seemed magnified and filled with meaning. My eyes locked with his and the intensity and passion I saw there caused the sleeping butterflies in my stomach to awaken with renewed energy.

As the music stopped, we found ourselves at the back of the ballroom. I couldn't bring myself to let go of his hand or move away from his embrace. The only sound in the room was our slightly labored breathing. How long we stood there – I do not know. I just know that there was no other place I'd rather be at that moment in time. I finally broke the silence. "So you don't think I look good in black?" I teased.

He smiled. "I think you look incredible in black. I just think it's time you sent a signal to the country that their Queen is moving on and is preparing for a new era and they should as well. Besides, as I recall, you look amazing in a plethora of other colors as well."

I closed the small distance between us and gently kissed him. Again, nothing that would go down in any record books; we were both acutely aware that we still had a long time before anything significant could really happen between us. As a result, it was important that we pace ourselves.

As I moved back a bit, I said, "Well then, for the good of our country and for your personal viewing pleasure, I shall see if I can add some variety to my wardrobe."

"You are most gracious, my Queen." He replied with that twinkle in his eyes. He kissed my forehead with a tenderness that melted my heart before he slowly pulled away.

The very next day, I kept my promise and started wearing colors that would show the world that life did…indeed…go on.

Though no one could tell, my heart was racing as I tried to stall for time. Amelia had yet to make an appearance and now Joseph was gone and out of contact as well. This night was NOT going as I had intended. "If she's not here in ten minutes, I'll make the announcement." I advised to a very nervous Prime Minister Motaz and my aide, Charlotte.

The press continued to hound my staff prompting them to ask me, yet again, for an interview. I had to fight to keep from losing my patience. I couldn't believe that I, no we…Joseph and I…had gotten this far only to have it all fall apart at the last moment. It seemed that history would repeat itself and my life would once again be changed for the worse by circumstances that, apparently, were outside my control.

When it became evident that neither Joseph nor Amelia were going to return in time, I swallowed my fear, took a deep breath and placed a smile that I most definitely was not feeling on my face. I gave one final look to Charlotte and Sebastian and then advised, "Then it's time." With those words, I went to confront a room full of people. Some who wanted very much for this night to end with the Renaldi rule secured and some who did not. I had never backed down from anything in my life and tonight would be no exception.

Fortunately, rather than the night finishing poorly for the Renaldi family tree, my knight in shining armor arrived just in time with my granddaughter. I cannot even begin to describe the feeling of euphoria that soared through my body as I heard those precious words spoken by my only grandchild:

"So this morning when I woke up, I was Mia Thermopolis; but now I choose to be, forevermore, Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi – Princess of Genovia."

The tears glistened in my eyes as I realized that I had just kept my promise: to my duty, to my husband's family, to myself. I had done what was needed in order to secure the future of the Renaldi rule. It was a defining moment in my life as I placed the crown on Amelia's rain soaked head. I felt the Ice Queen softening a bit as I answered her question. "Because I recognized the same spirit in you as someone else I know."

"Who?" she asked.

"Me." Our eyes briefly locked and I realized that I was peering into the eyes of my future…of my country's future. I could not have been more proud as I watched Joseph place the royal cloak over her shoulders. I offered my hand and we moved in front of the podium as she was presented, for the first time, as her royal highness, Amelia, Princess of Genovia.

I watched with an air of satisfaction as the Von Trokens hastily made their retreat. Their attempt to wrestle the throne away from the Renaldis had been sufficiently stalled…for the moment anyway. I was under no illusion that they would not try again. I was not going to let anyone ruin my evening, though, so I took the Prime Minister's hand as we began to dance. I silently hoped that Joseph would find his way to me so I could end this night perfectly…in his arms on the dance floor.

It only took a few minutes before I felt his warm hands guiding me in a dance. We watched as Amelia and her date, Michael, made their way out to the gardens. Joseph surprised me by saying, "He had the same idea I had; but now the garden is occupado!"

I smiled and blushed fiercely at the meaning behind his words. The room now seemed very crowded and I was mentally calculating how quickly we could tastefully exit the ball without drawing any unwanted attention. I wanted to celebrate our victory privately with the man who I could not imagine living my life without.

Fortunately, Mia and Michael returned shortly and the party began to sway towards the younger generation. I gracefully made my exit with Joseph at my side. I watched from the corner of my eye as he dismissed the other guards and felt my excitement rise as he lifted my gloved hand and gently kissed it. My feelings of euphoria were still present and I found that I didn't want this night to end. As we rounded the corner to head towards my suite, I softly offered. "Would you have a night cap with me, Joseph? I feel the need to celebrate and I'd rather not do that alone."

He squeezed my hand softly in reply; I took that as an affirmative response. We made the remainder of the trip in silence. The only exchange that occurred during the walk was his thumb making gentle circles on the back of my hand. I found it to be a highly comforting gesture.

Once inside my suite, my nerves reasserted themselves slightly. I tried not to notice his eyes on me as I slowly removed one of my gloves. He moved to stand in front of me and whispered, "Mind if I help you?" he asked.

I swallowed hard and found my voice had left me as his fingers gently touched my upper arm at the point where my glove started. His fingers left a trail of heat as they slowly removed the garment. Once my fingers were exposed, he kissed the tip of each one. My only response was to lick my now incredibly dry lips. Once he kissed the last one, he asked, "So do I still get that night cap?"

I found my voice…where at – I'm not sure. "Certainly, scotch?"

"Please."

My hands trembled slightly as I poured the drinks. I would be grateful once the warm liquid found its way inside to provide me with a little courage to follow through on my wish to spend some alone time with Joseph. I sat next to him on the couch and offered him a glass. He raised it and said, "To initial success and to the future of Genovia."

I smiled and touched my glass to his. "Here, here!"

We both took a long sip of the amber liquid. I don't normally drink scotch; but tonight it seemed the perfect choice to celebrate with as it was Joseph's favorite; and, without him, this night would not have been possible.

"I want to say thank you, Joseph, for all of your help and support over the past several weeks and especially tonight. If you had not brought Mia in when you did, well…the night would have turned out much differently."

I watched as he emptied the remnants from his glass; I was mesmerized by his lips and couldn't help but remember how soft they had felt against my skin. The sound of his voice brought me from my reverie. "You did well tonight, too. You demonstrated extreme courage in the face of a pending disaster; and when I saw your eyes brim with unshed tears at Amelia's words, I was extremely touched. I enjoy seeing that side of you."

"I have many sides, Joseph."

"And I look forward to getting to know each and every one of them." He smiled as he moved a bit closer to me. "I like to think of you as a beautiful rose, made up of many different petals; each one, while beautiful by itself, is part of a much greater and magnificent whole."

My smile was a bit sad as I replied, "Not to sound too cliché, but even roses have their thorns."

His hand cupped my cheek as he leaned forward to whisper in my ear. "True. However, if a rose is not held too tightly or mishandled, the thorns do not present any threat. I am willing to risk a few scratches to experience your full beauty." He inhaled softly, right behind my ear where my perfume had been applied earlier that evening. His voice was very deep as he made his next statement. "Mmm- smells wonderful so far. May I?"

I wasn't certain what he was asking permission to do; but decided it didn't matter as I could not have denied him anything at that moment. I nodded my head, almost imperceptibly, and closed my eyes as I felt his fingers trace along my jaw line, down my neck and around to just under my hairline. The rest of the world faded away; my senses were attuned to only him – the clean, masculine smell of his cologne; the smooth feel of his cheek resting against mine; the sound of his breath in my ear.

I realized after a moment that he was not kissing me; rather, he was unhooking the clasp of my necklace. I felt him move back slightly and I forced my eyes open. This was not an easy task as they felt very heavy with desire and another emotion which I couldn't quite put my finger on. I whispered. "Joseph?"

"As beautiful as the necklace is…I find it covers my favorite spot on your neck. We can't have that; now can we?" He asked as his mouth moved towards the delicate spot on my neck that he had kissed that night in his room.

I angled my head to allow him the access he desired and responded. "No. We certainly…" I couldn't finish my sentence as my voice left me when his lips made contact with my skin. His lips were as soft as the rose petals he had mentioned only minutes earlier as they moved skillfully across my skin, eliciting small sounds of pleasure from my mouth. I could feel a pleasant warm flush beginning to surface all over my body.

I wanted very much to return the pleasant feelings he was bestowing upon me. I adjusted our position slightly so I could capture his face in my hands and guide his mouth to mine. Our lips met with intensity, focusing all of our shared sensations in a very physical way. Unlike our previous kisses that conveyed promise, admiration, and deep friendship, this one was filled with the baser primal instincts of longing, passion, and desire. I knew I should fight against these sensations as we were a long way from being able to make our relationship public; but there was a part of me that wanted…for just a few moments…to allow myself to do nothing but feel.

I deepened the kiss, probing gently with my tongue. I heard him moan as he opened his mouth to welcome me. Our tongues began a mating dance that our bodies wanted desperately to follow. My hands held the back of his head and shoulder as his held my waist. Our seated position on the couch did not allow for a great deal of movement; Joseph broke the kiss and grabbed a quick breath before moving lower to pay homage to his favorite spot along my neck. His hands guided me gently back against the cushions as he started to kiss his way down the exposed skin of my front.

As he leaned against me, I felt a twinge deep within my psyche; it wasn't the level of fear and panic that usually occurred when my intimate activities reached a certain level, but it was enough to send warning bells to the forefront of my mind. I ceased my movement and whispered, "Joseph" just as his lips reached the swell of my breast. He looked up at me with questioning eyes. My hand caressed his face as I stated, "We should stop before things get out of control."

He sat up, pulling me with him. His forehead was resting against mine as we both fought to gain control of our rapid breathing. "I'm sorry." I offered. "It wasn't my intention to lead you on and then stop so abruptly."

I could hear the smile in his voice even though I couldn't see it. "You didn't take me anywhere I didn't want to go. Perhaps I even went further down the road than you were prepared to. It is I who am sorry, Clarisse." Even as he spoke his apology, his next action demonstrated that he was anything but sorry. He would later confess to having no idea where his boldness came from as he let his hand slide from my shoulder downward.

My sharp intake of breath at this intimate caress expressed exactly how aroused and far down that road I had journeyed with him. Somehow I found my voice and explained. "Make no mistake, just because I cannot go there with you tonight…doesn't mean I don't want to go there with you, and only you, someday."

His kiss was gentle this time, conveying the promise of things to come. He stood and extended his hand to assist me. "I shall look forward then - to someday."

I put my arms around his neck and pulled him close; the nearness almost undoing my resolve to wait. He stepped away with a groan. "Clarisse, if you keep doing that, I will have to spend the entire night under a cold shower."

I smiled and cupped his cheek. "You won't be the only one, darling." Before I could say anything further, there was a knock on the door signaling the arrival of my ladies' maids. He kissed my hand and said, "Until next time then…" and quietly slipped through the private corridor to his room.

I asked my maids to return in a few minutes. I needed time to compose myself. I caught sight of my appearance in the mirror. My skin was flushed; my lips swollen from our kisses; my hair mussed; and my nipples were still taut and proudly straining against the material of my bodice. I most certainly needed a few minutes to set myself back into sorts.

While I tried to focus on the pleasantness of the evening, in the back of my mind I remembered that old feelings had started to surface…feelings I thought long buried and gone. I really believed Joseph was different – that he was the one that I could finally experience all the pleasure that an intimate relationship had to offer. I was afraid, though, that the demons of my past would never free me from the bonds that apparently still held me captive…