Today's The Day - Part 3.
Arriving at their destination a couple hours later, Joseph pulled into the drive and parked outside an impressive architectural stone lake house. With the surrounding trees turning their spectacular colours for autumn, it looked beautiful and truly picturesque. "Wait until you see the inside," Joseph laughed as Clarisse, Harry and Sabrina all sat staring out the window at the place they were calling home for the weekend. Climbing from the car, he walked around and opened Clarisse's door and gave her his hand, helping her out before moving to open the trunk.
"This place looks divine," Sabrina said as she climbed from the car and moved to stand beside Clarisse on the drive.
"I couldn't agree more," Harry agreed, following his wife from the car and shut the door behind him before moving around the back to help Joseph with the bags, taking two each. "I don't know about the ladies, but I can't wait to see inside."
Taking the bags he had in one hand, Joseph shut the trunk and locked the car before turning to the ladies still staring up at the house. Chuckling, he shook his head and walked over to stand beside Clarisse. "Shall we go inside?" He asked while placing his hand on her back and watched as she turned her head to look at him.
"Yes, please," Clarisse nodded and smiled as he began to lead the way over to the double door entrance.
"How'd you find this place, Joe?" Sabrina asked as she and Harry followed behind Clarisse.
"A friend of a friend owns it, who just so happens to be away, so I pulled some strings and managed to snag it for the weekend," Joseph said as he turned to them and took a few steps backwards before turning back to the front door.
"I love how secluded it is," Harry said as Joseph unlocked the front door and pushed it open for them to enter.
"Me too," Sabrina nodded, "just what we need, especially with Royalty staying," she said as Clarisse glanced back at her and they smiled at one another.
Stepping into the entrance hall, Joseph and Harry placed the bags down at the bottom of the stairs before turning back to the ladies. "That's what drew me in, the privacy." Joseph smiled and walked over to stand next to Clarisse. "Ready for a tour?"
"I am," Clarisse smiled and nodded as she placed her handbag down on the sideboard next to the staircase before turning back to Joseph.
"Us too," Harry smiled as he stood beside Sabrina.
"Then please follow me," Joseph smiled, showing them first the dining room where many dinner parties had been hosted over the years, and the main sitting room, before leading them through to the back. A huge room spanning the width of the house. On one side was the kitchen with a giant island counter sat in the middle and a breakfast table situated in the bay window. And on the other side, a smaller living room area consisting of two armchairs either side of a beautiful stone fireplace, a coffee table and a settee, with it's back towards the kitchen.
"This place really is inviting, cozy," Sabrina smiled as she walked across the living room towards a pair of french doors that lead out to a stone sheltered veranda, a lush green lawn with several lounger chairs down by the shoreline of the lake and a dock, with a boat. "And just look at that view," she said, seeing it through the glass door as she unlocked and opened it.
"It has a boat?" Harry exclaimed in surprise upon seeing it as he stepped outside onto the veranda with Sabrina.
"It does, and I thought that we could all go out on it tomorrow," Joseph said as he followed Clarisse outside onto the veranda, where they stood a few feet behind their friends, and put his hand on her lower back as she turned her head to look at him.
"Absolutely," Harry said as he glanced back at Clarisse and Joseph, who was now standing closely together, smiling and whispering to one another. Smiling, he looked back out at the view, to give them their moment of privacy, and couldn't get over how breathtakingly beautiful the place was.
"If we aren't hungover, that is," Sabrina smiled back at them, to see them how Harry saw them just a moment ago. Looking at her husband, who was now looking at her, they both shrugged happily and looked back out the view together. "It's magnificent, and so quiet."
"Shall I show you the upstairs now?" Joseph asked a moment later and watched as both Harry and Sabrina turned to them.
"Absolutely," Sabrina nodded.
"Please, I can't wait to freshen up and get changed," Clarisse said as she and Joseph turned to follow Sabrina and Harry back inside and was surprised when Joseph smiled back at her while reaching out to take hold of her hand, entwining his fingers with hers as a breath hitched in her throat at the thought of them being able to openly hold hands.
After showing Sabrina and Harry their suite, Joseph lead Clarisse across the landing to the master suite, where they would be sleeping. Together. For the whole weekend they will be able to relax together, fall asleep together, and wake up, in each other's arm's without having to worry about being up by a certain time to go back to his own suite, and where they would be able to make love, without the worry of being caught, or heard, by a member of staff.
Walking into the room, Clarisse couldn't get over how beautiful it looked. It was a nice and spacious room, with a great big beautiful antique bed, with delicate hand carved details on the legs and headboard, and matching furniture. And the decor was luxurious, very intimate and inviting. "Do you like it?" Joseph asked as he placed her suitcase down by the dresser and watched as she turned to him.
"I do," she smiled, noticing a huge bouquet of red and white roses sitting on top of the dresser. "You even got roses too?" She asked as she walked over to them.
"I did," he nodded and turned to her as she leant in, to smell the roses. "To make up for not being able to give you your rose a day for the last few weeks."
"Oh, you didn't have to get me this many," she laughed while turning to him and put her arms up, draping them over his shoulders, "but thank you," she said and reached up to kiss him.
"Yes, of course I did," he smiled while snaking his arm's around her waist. "Did you remember to pack your bikini?"
"I did, yes, but if you think I'm going swimming with you out in the lake, then you have another thing coming," she said and they both laughed.
"Oh god no, not at this time of year," he smirked mischievously and glanced towards the french doors leading out to the balcony before looking back into her twinkling blue eyes. "But if you come with me, I'll show you why I wanted you to bring it."
"Ok," she nodded and lowered her arm's as he took a step back and took hold of one of her hands.
"You'll like it, I promise," Joseph smiled as he lead her over to the french doors and opened them up.
"Goodness me, look at that view from here," Clarisse said, mesmerised with the view as she stepped out onto the balcony and over to the railings. It was the same view as it was from the veranda downstairs, but some how it felt more intimate from the balcony and it caused her heart to skip a beat.
Staying by the doors, Joseph slipped his hands into his pants pockets and watched her a moment as she put her hands up onto the railings. She looked so gorgeous standing there with the lake in the distance. "The sunsets from here are heaven," he smiled and watched as she slowly turned to him. "I can't wait to share them with you."
"I can't wait either," she smiled and turned her head slightly, looking at the two loungers under the window, and then at the reason he requested her to bring her bikini at the end of the balcony. "There's a hot tub," she exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes there is," Joseph smiled and watched as she walked over to it, having a closer look before turning back to him still standing by the balcony doors.
"It makes sense now," she laughed while walking over to him and put her arm's up to frame his face in her hands, "now that I could be tempted to go in."
"Oh, I hope so," he smiled while putting his hands out onto her side's and lowered his head to kiss her slowly a couple times as she snaked her arm's around his neck.
"I'm going to go have a quick shower and get changed," she smiled a moment later as she pulled her head back to look back up into his eyes. "I won't be long."
"Take your time," Joseph smiled and watched her making her way back inside before he turned back to the view. Stepping closer to the railing, he put his hands up on the top of it and inhaled a deep breath, slowly exhaling it a moment later as his mind began to wander when he realised that he felt complete being back in her presence after being apart for the last two weeks.
"Who wants another drink?" Joseph asked as he made his way over to the fridge after they'd all had dinner together later that day, and cleaned up the kitchen after them.
"Oh me please, Joe," Sabrina smiled as she took a seat in one of the comfortable armchairs by the fireplace and rested both her arm's down on the armrests.
"Me too, please," Clarisse said as she sat sideways on the settee and tucked her legs up in front of her while looking at him standing beside the kitchen counter with a bottle of wine in his hand.
"Coming right up," Joseph smiled over at them and grabbed a couple glasses. "Are you having one, Harry?"
"No, I'm going to have a scotch," Harry said while grabbing a couple whiskey tumblers from the cupboard.
"I'll have one of those too," Joseph said as he glanced across the kitchen at him then back down at the two wine glasses on the counter in front of him, to finish pouring the ladies their wine.
"Thought you might," Harry laughed and walked over to the freezer for ice as Joseph put the bottle down on the counter and picked up the two glasses of wine.
"Dinner was lovely tonight," Sabrina smiled and looked up at Joseph as he walked towards her chair. "Thank you Joe," she smiled as he handed her one of the glasses.
"You're welcome," he smiled and walked around behind the settee where Clarisse was sitting with her arm resting along the back of the cushions. "Here you go, my love."
"Thank you," Clarisse smiled while reaching her other hand up to take the glass from him.
"Would you be alright if Harry and I went out for a cigar?" Joseph asked while resting one of his hands gently down on her arm that was laid along the cushions, and his other hand on her shoulder, as she took a quick sip of her wine.
"Of course," Clarisse said and tilted her head back to look up at him with a smile. "You don't need to ask."
"Of course I do, but thank you," Joseph smiled while bending over and kissed her a couple times before whispering, "we won't be long," against her lips and giving her another quick kiss before standing back up straight.
"Don't rush, take as long as you want," Clarisse smiled and glanced towards Sabrina before looking back up at Joseph, "it'll give us chance to talk."
"Mmm, I'm sure it will," he chuckled as Harry appeared beside him with two scotch on the rocks. "I know what you two are like when you get together," he said and both women giggled.
"You gonna grab the cigars?" Harry asked as he began to walk over to the french doors leading down to the lake, where the seating area was.
"You bet I am," Joseph smiled at him then at the ladies before following Harry over to the door, grabbing the cigars from the table as he passed by, "we won't be long."
"Have fun," Sabrina smiled and took another sip of her wine as the men walked out the door. Resting her glass down on the armrest of her chair, Sabrina looked over at Clarisse as she took a sip of her wine. "I love how so in love you both still are, and how crazy you are for one another," she said as Clarisse looked over at her.
"Yes we are, very much so," Clarisse said, a breath hitching in her throat at the mere thought of them being still very much in to one another, "and I gotta say, it really does feel good to be fussed over, and cared for by a man I truly love. I feel alive when we are together, I feel young and I simply can't get enough of him."
"I can tell, I can see it in both of your faces, especially when you're looking at one another," Sabrina smiled and took another sip of her wine. "You really are both suited for each other, it's a shame you can't get married. But maybe one day."
"Yes, maybe one day," Clarisse nodded, "I know how he feels about wanting to marry me and if I'm honest I feel the same way, I would marry him in a heartbeat if we could, but unfortunately we can't. And I don't know how long it'll be until we can," she said sadly as she looked across the room at her friend, "it may be a year, five, or even ten or twenty years until I'm free. We just don't know, and during that time he may grow bored of waiting and find someone else."
"Bored of you? Never!" Sabrina exclaimed as she shook her head. "Clarisse he waited 25 years to be this far with you, he's still just as crazy about you now as he was when we first met him, if not more, and we both know he would wait a lifetime if he had too."
"You're right, I know you are, it's just sometimes," Clarisse stopped and shook her head.
"What is it?" Sabrina asked.
"Sometimes I just feel starting this relationship was a bad idea, I mean don't get me wrong I love him, I love being with him and how we are together, I love how he treats me-,"
"You love the sex," Sabrina said, interrupting her friend to try and lighten the mood.
"Yes, oh god yes I absolutely do love the sex," Clarisse blushed as she nodded and looked over at her friend to find her smirking, "but I feel maybe because I can't give him the commitment, that I'm holding him back."
"Can I remind you of something?" Sabrina asked and watched as Clarisse nodded. "During the 25 years it took to get this far with you, did he not have relationships and even get married at one point?"
"Yes, he did," Clarisse nodded.
"All while being madly in love with you?" Sabrina said and again Clarisse nodded.
"But this is different, we are together now, but I need to stay married to someone else, I can't commit fully to him when I know that's what he wants," Clarisse said sadly.
"It may be what he wants, what you both want, and one day in the future Clarisse it will happen, but he knows the deal. He knows how it is and trust me when I say, him being with you finally after all this time is enough for him. If it wasn't, he would have left a long long time ago and you know it," Sabrina said as she studied her friend a moment. "Now, that's enough about that. The man loves you, we all know that."
"And I love him, immensely," Clarisse beamed, her tummy filling with butterflies at the mere thought of being with him and how happy he makes her.
"Good," Sabrina smiled, "and I can see from the way you have both been behaving today that it's been sometime since, you know, slept together."
"Yes, it's been nine or ten weeks," Clarisse said and drank some of her wine before resting her glass down on her thigh.
"Because of his accident?" Sabrina asked.
"Yes, and then he was away in Italy for the last two weeks," Clarisse said, thinking briefly about how much she missed him when he was away, and how much she was looking forward to them going to bed together later that night.
"Well that's certainly a long time to go, you both have shown great restraint today," Sabrina smiled, "well done."
"Thank you," Clarisse smiled and took another drink of her wine. "It has been really hard, let me tell you."
"I bet it has, I'm actually surprised that he hasn't already carried you off to bed," she said and they both laughed, "when he does though, with it being so long since your last time together you'll be in a hurry to get down to it I'm sure, so make sure to use protection when you do."
"Oh Sabrina," Clarisse laughed with a shake of her head.
"I'm serious, we don't want any accidents do we?" She said and studied her friend a moment. "Because it could still happen you know, even at our age. Especially since we still have our, you know what."
Nodding, Clarisse contemplated what she had said. Because yes she was right, even at their age it could still happen and she had been so careful for the last two and a half years, she really didn't want to slip up now in a moment of weakness.
"Anyway," Sabrina said, distracting her friend from her thoughts. "Shall we go out and join the men?"
"Yes, come on," Clarisse smiled as she rose to her feet.