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The scent of his cologne was intoxicating and Clarisse had completely lost the ability to think. The only thing that really mattered was his lips ... the warmth of his hands on her neck and back ... But this was wrong. She was not like Rupert. Besides, Joseph was her best friend and he was suffering because of the divorce... Very slowly, Clarisse started to move away, and Joseph dropped his hands immediately.
"I'm sorry, Clarisse. I don't know what I was thinking ... I crossed the line, forgive me." Joseph was truly embarrassed. What the hell was he thinking? His best friend came to offer him help and he took advantage of the situation and kissed her ?
"Joseph, please do not apologize. I wanted it too ..." Now it was Joseph's turn to be amazed. Did she want the kiss? Did Clarisse want the kiss? Is it possible that ...
"This can't happen again! And I'm sorry. You are suffering ..."
"Because of the divorce? No, I'm not!"
"You mean ... you don't love her?" Joseph lowered his eyes and turned away from Clarisse.
"I don't! If I loved her, I didn't feel this anger that burns inside me every time I remember her. I really wanted to be a father and when we started to date, she said it was what she wanted most in life ... She deceived me! But love ... No, I do not. I know it's not pretty what I'm going to say, but it's the truth: My heart belongs to someone else. My biggest mistake was have married. Because, and as Capt. Von Trapp once said, 'You can't marry someone when you're in love with someone else, can you?'" Clarisse felt as if she had a knife in her chest. "But she doesn't know and most likely, I'll never tell her. She is married. Very well married."
Clarisse took a few seconds to compose herself.
"That's sad, Joseph. And do you know if she feels the same way about you? "
"No, she doesn't! I had that hope until very recently, but not anymore."
"So that woman is a fool. Letting a man like you go away... She can only be crazy!" Joseph smiled. How he wanted to have the courage to tell her that it was she, Clarisse, who reigned in his heart!
Clarisse composed her clothes and hair. She wanted to run away from there. She had to get out of there. Her head was spinning. His scent, the dark, warm ambiance of the room, the warm, seductive voice, the hands, the lips ... She was almost losing control. And why was it so painful to know he was in love with another woman? Clarisse, calm down! She thought.
"Well, Joseph, I have to go back ... I have some things ... Charlotte is waiting for me and I ... Well, I have already seen that you are well, my friend. I have to go now." And without waiting for an answer, she turned and went to the door. Joseph felt a chill on his spine. She was the woman he loved more than life itself and she was leaving. And maybe he never had such a good opportunity to tell her how much he loved her.
"Clarisse, wait! Don't go..." She stopped near the door but didn't turn around. She was afraid that, if she look into those beautiful eyes of Joseph, she would ask him to kiss her again…
"Joseph, I have many things to do ..."
"I love you! I love you more than my life! " He said approaching her. Clarisse felt her legs tremble. Was she the one he loved? Was she the woman in his heart? This couldn't be happening. She was a married woman. And her husband was not a 'normal' man ... He was the King. And Joseph was also married ... At least for now ... But that was not important. What was important was that she was the Queen. She had a position to defend! But she was also made of flesh and blood ... And Joseph had been in her heart for so long ...
"Clarisse, please say something. I beg your pardon. I should not have said that. It seems that lately I have only made a fool of myself. Forgive me. Forget what I told you..." Clarisse turned slowly and stared at him in silence. Joseph was visibly uncomfortable. If he were another type of man, he probably would have passed out at that point.
"You mean to say you were wrong?" Clarisse asked quietly.
"What? I was wrong? What do you mean? " And now, beyond being nervous, Joseph was confused.
"Shall I then forget what you told me?"
"Yes ... No ... I mean ... Wait! You're making me confused! I love you, Clarisse. But I don't want what I feel for you to make you feel uncomfortable close to me. I don't want to jeopardize our friendship, for nothing in this world. You are my life and you will always be! The only thing I want is to see you happy! " Clarisse put her hand on his cheek and Joseph put his hand on her and kissed her palm.
"You will hardly see me truly happy ..."
"Why?" Clarisse approached him and kissed him lightly on the lips.
"Because I can't have you and I need you so much!" She turned and left, leaving a Joseph unable to react and happy as a child.
"She needs me too…" He murmured, closing the door and leaning against it. " She also has feelings for me ..." And he cried. Of anguish, of joy, of despair? He didn't know!
When Clarisse entered the office, Charlotte was getting ready to leave.
"Your Majesty, are you feeling good? You're so pale ... "
"Yes of course. I'm just tired, dear."
"Do you want a tea?"
"No, dear. Thank you so much. It's time for you to go to bed too, Charlotte. But before you leave, ask Joseph to come over as soon as he can, please. And then you'll rest. You work too hard! "Charlotte smiled.
"Thank you, Ma'am. I'll drop by the security office and ask Joseph to came here. "
Clarisse needed to clear the atmosphere between them. She didn't want things to be misunderstood or to give rise to misunderstandings. And she didn't want to risk losing a friend either. Her best friend. Fifteen minutes later Joseph knocked on the door.
"Did you send for me, Your Majesty?" Clarisse motioned for him to sit in the chair opposite the desk.
"Half an hour ago, you kissed me and now, even though we're alone, you treat me for Your Majesty ..." Joseph sat down without ever looking into her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Clarisse. The truth is, I'm not sure what to do, or what you're going to do. And if you think that you should fire me, I understand perfectly. "
Clarisse leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. She had to confess she was finding it amusing, Joseph's embarrassment.
"Fire you?"
"Yes of course. After all, you're the queen. What the Law says is that I must be condemned to death, but I sincerely hope that you will not be so radical. "
"Joseph, please stop. Are we teenagers? You kissed me because I left and I kissed you again because I wanted to. Now, if you are somehow regretting what you did, then I beg you to tell me ... "
"I'm just sorry I did not kiss you more! But I can't deny that I fear your reaction. "
"Joseph, my feelings for you are stronger than I ever thought. I don't know how but the truth is that I'm in love with you there's nothing I can do about it. But unfortunately, I can't do more than this ... Love you in secret, without anyone knowing. If Rupert knew how I feel about you, he'd probably have you arrested ... Or worse. "
"The only thing that keeps me from kissing you right now is these damn security cameras." He smiled.
"My dear, unfortunately, you do not need security cameras. There's always someone to look at. " And she let out a laugh. " But I asked you to come here for two reasons: The first is that I want to make sure that despite what has happened and that it can't happen again, everything is fine between us."
"Of course, Clarisse. I am a patient man and I will wait for you until the end of my life! "
"My Joseph ... Well, the second is because I want to tell you about my 'vacations' ..." Joseph raised a suspicious eyebrow. Clarisse told him what was going on with Philippe and her intention of traveling incognito to the USA, staying in a hotel without anyone knowing, attending her son's wedding and getting to know the future daughter-in-law a little. And above all, feel normal! Joseph was silent for a few minutes, which was already making Clarisse too nervous. Then he got up, picked up his cell phone, and went to the window.
"Jonas? Good evening, I'm sorry to bother you at this hour but I need you, your co-pilot and a trusted hostess, to be Genovia II's crew between 10 and 15 January. Tomorrow we'll talk better and I'll give you the details." When Joseph turned, there was a VERY angry Clarisse looking at him.
"I said I did not want ANYONE, Joseph. Incognito! Cancel Genovia II immediately! "
Joseph wanted to smile but thought it was best to keep quiet. Clarisse was not happy at all...
"Before you get more mad at me, please listen to my plan. Jonas has been my personal friend for many years and I know I can trust him. My idea is to let the staff hear that the Queen is going to have a five-day holiday retreat in any country in Northern Europe. On day 09, at the beginning of the night, the limousine leaves the palace and stops at the airport, but on the other side of the plane, so that it is almost impossible to know who is going to board the plane. A woman and a man will be leaving the car, who will be the hostess and co-pilot of Jonas. At the same time as the limousine leaves the palace, there is also a private car with a man, me, and a woman, you, with a cap and sunglasses. This car will travel to Barcelona, Spain, where we will pick up a plane that will take two European citizens to North America! "
Clarisse had passed from fury to happiness, and if it wasn't for the cameras, , she would have thrown herself at his neck.
"What a magnificent idea, Joseph! Brilliant! Talk to your friend and you can give the orders that you want. As for the hotel, we look for it when we get there. Thank you for everything, Joseph. Today will be a day that will be marked forever in my memory. You gave me hope that one day I might be truly happy. " Joseph took her hand and mimicked a gesture that he had already made perhaps thousands of times, kissing her hand. When he looked into her eyes, Clarisse took a deep breath and said.
"Joseph ... I love you!" And Joseph's eyes filled with tears.
"Clarisse, you made me the happiest man in the world. I love you too, my dear. " He bowed and left, wiping away his tears before reaching the door. He grabbed the doorknob and, before opening it, turned to Clarisse and smiled.
"Thank you, my queen!" And left.
The next morning, under the pretext that he was indisposed, Rupert was replaced in Parliament by Clarisse. As soon as she and Joseph left, Rupert went to town to meet Sandra. She had rented an apartment outside the city, in a quiet area. Rupert was in the private car of his bodyguard and went completely unnoticed. When he entered the apartment, Sandra was still lying down.
"Sandra?" He said leaving the keys on the living room table.
"I'm in the bedroom, my love. I preferred to wait for you here ... It's warmer ... " When Rupert entered the room, he had already taken almost half of his clothes. Sandra smiled and pushed the sheet down provocatively and in the next half hour Rupert didn't even remember telling her the news.
"Rupert, you're such a fiery lover!" She said, pretending to be tired.
"That's very nice of you, but I'm not sure what's going on with me. It's all so fast ... It must be because you're such a beautiful and sensual woman. "
"My dear, my king, You are magical!" And kissed him. " But what do I owe this visit in the morning?" Rupert sat on the bed.
"First of all, I could not bear to stay away from you another day, and secondly, I have great news ... Clarisse is going to spend five days in Norway and your husband has to go with her. And you're going to spend those five days with me in the palace! " Sandra didn't want to believe it.
"Seriously? Are you really serious? Will I be with you at the palace for five days? "
"Yes darling. Between the 10th and the 15th, you will be my queen. "
"But ... And they will not tell your wife?"
"Of course not. No one dares to face me! " Sandra was in the clouds. "But now I have to go. Clarisse replaced me in Parliament but it will not be long. It's just a few more days, my dear. "
A few days that passed very quickly...
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Kisses
Maria