Fun At The Lake - The Next Day.
Awaking the next morning and seeing that Clarisse was still fast asleep beside him, and not wanting to disturb her, even though he could have stayed there all morning simply watching her sleep, Joseph climbed from the bed, slipped on his robe and made his way out the door, to head downstairs to make himself a cup of coffee.
But walking through the kitchen door moments later, he was surprised to see Harry was up early too. "Good morning," he said cheerfully and tied the sash of his robe as Harry looked up. "You're up early, couldn't you sleep?"
"No, my back was giving me a bit of trouble," Harry said with a shake of his head while gesturing to the coffee pot. "I've not long made a fresh pot of coffee, if that's what you came down for."
"Oh yes perfect, thanks," Joseph said and grabbed a mug from the cupboard. "Have you taken anything for your back?"
"Oh yes, the medication the doctor gave me. I'm just waiting for it to take effect," Harry said as Joseph nodded while pouring himself a mug of coffee, "but what are you doing up early, couldn't you sleep either?"
"Oh I was asleep, but because I'm so use to getting up at this time my body clock told me it was time to wake up, and because I didn't want to wake Clarisse, I decided to get up and come down here so she can sleep," Joseph said and raised the coffee pot slightly, "do you want a top up?" He asked and watched as Harry looked into his cup.
"Yes please," Harry nodded as he looked back over at his friend walking over to the table. "Thank you."
"No problem," Joseph smiled while pouring some coffee into Harry's cup before putting the pot down on the table. "I'll leave that there as we are sure to need more soon," he said and sat down at the table as they both laughed.
"Probably," Harry said and took a sip of his coffee before putting his mug back down on the table. "Remind me, did you say yesterday that we were going out on the boat today?"
"I did yes," Joseph nodded, "after breakfast, providing the weather stays nice and the ladies are well and not hungover of course."
"Ah yes, they might be especially with how many shots we all had last night," Harry smiled as he thought back to the night before and how much fun they all had together.
"Yes, I think we certainly had a fair few between us," Joseph said and took a sip of his coffee.
"But that's what it's all about, having fun with your friends," Harry said and they both laughed.
"True, and that's something we haven't had all together in such a long," Joseph said while placing his cup back down on the table. "Well not properly anyway."
"Mm, indeed," Harry said as he looked out the window at the lake a moment before looking back at his friend, "Clarisse looked happy and relaxed yesterday."
"Of course she was," Joseph smiled, "we are here for the weekend," he said and Harry smiled.
"Talking about being here, I wanted to ask. Were you serious about what we talked about last night?" Harry said. "I remember parts of our conversation, so I just wanted to make sure I didn't dream it."
"Yes, absolutely," Joseph nodded, "it's in a great location, I love it, and Clarisse loves it, so why not."
"We love it too, and I'll speak to Sabrina about it tonight when we are out at dinner," Harry said as Joseph took another sip of his coffee.
"Ok," Joseph said and nodded a moment, "but not a word in front of Clarisse, not yet at least."
"Alright, I won't say anything," Harry smiled and they both sat looking out the window at the view a few moments.
"Good morning," Sabrina smiled as she entered the kitchen and watched as both men looked over at her.
"Morning," Joseph smiled and took another sip of his coffee.
"Good morning," Harry smiled, "I'm surprised you are up this early."
"I know, me too. But I had to get up as I needed the loo," Sabrina said as she walked over to the table and stood beside her husband, "and was surprised to find that you weren't there when I came back out."
"I'm sorry, do you want me to make you some tea," Harry asked while wrapping his arm around Sabrina's waist.
"No I'm ok, I'm going back to bed in a minute," she said and slipped into his lap while wrapping her arm around his shoulders. "Last night was fun wasn't it," she smiled while looking across the table at Joseph.
"It was, it was certainly needed that's for sure," Joseph smiled back. "But I thought we would all be suffering this morning with the amount we all drank."
"I know, me too," Sabrina nodded with a laugh. "Is Clarisse still asleep?"
"Yes she is," Joseph said and watched as Sabrina nodded. "Well she was when I left her earlier."
"Well after your antics last night, I'm not surprised she's still asleep," Sabrina teased and they all laughed as Joseph looked down at his coffee cup and slightly shook his head. "You tired her out."
"Something like that, yes," Joseph chuckled and lifted his head to look back out the window.
"Anyway," Sabrina said and looked at her husband, "I think I am going to go back up to bed. Are you coming?"
Smiling, Harry studied her face and nodded. "Come on then."
"Yay," Sabrina exclaimed happily as she stood to her feet and stepped out the way for him to stand up.
"We will see you later," Harry said while taking Sabrina's hand in his.
"You will," Joseph nodded and watched as Sabrina lead Harry out of the kitchen before standing to his feet and making his way outside, standing out on the veranda looking out at the view of the lake while drinking the rest of his coffee.
Returning to the suite a little later, Joseph crept over to the bed to find Clarisse now asleep on her front on the bed with her arms tucked up under her pillow and the sheets pulled half way up her bare back. She looked absolutely gorgeous laying there, in the bed they shared last night. Smiling, he placed the cup of tea he had brought up for her on the bedside table before removing his robe and climbing back into bed beside her.
Slowly opening her eyes, Clarisse watched as he turned onto his side to face her and leant against his pillows before speaking. "Good morning," she said, her voice raspy, as Joseph looked at her.
"Hello you," he smiled, his eyes twinkling and his pulse quickening over how gorgeous she looked this morning. She was positively glowing. "How did you sleep?"
"Oh, I slept wonderfully," Clarisse smiled, stretching her arms out under the pillows, "how about you?"
"Wonderfully too," Joseph smiled. "I brought you a cup of tea."
"Thank you, I'll drink it in a minute," Clarisse smiled as she pushed herself up onto her arms and stayed there a moment. "Have you been awake long?"
"Since five, my usual time for waking," he said, watching as she took hold of the sheets, holding them against her chest as she turned onto her back and looked up at him. "Harry and Sabrina were up too, but they've gone back to bed."
"Ok," Clarisse nodded as she folded her hands together on top of the sheets resting on her chest.
"How's your head this morning?" Joseph asked as he moved his arm to rest along the pillow above her head and began to brush her hair back.
"Not to bad, I thought I would have a headache, but I haven't," Clarisse said and closed her eyes.
"That's good," Joseph smiled as he continued brushing her hair back while watching her a moment. He could tell it was relaxing her.
"Can I ask you something?" Clarisse asked after a few moments silence.
"Of course," Joseph nodded and watched as she opened her beautiful eyes and looked back up at him. "What would you like to ask me?"
"Have you noticed that there's something odd about this place?" Clarisse asked and watched as he averted his gaze across the room a moment before looking back down at her.
"No, I can't say I have," Joseph said, wondering if she was on to him and his plan. But how?
"I noticed it yesterday, but didn't want to say anything," Clarisse said and while holding the sheets against her chest, she pushed herself up to rest back against her pillows.
"You noticed what?" Joseph asked, watching her nervously. She was definitely on to him.
"You said yesterday when we arrived that this beautiful house belonged to a friend of a friend, who just so happened to be away this weekend," Clarisse said and Joseph nodded. "But there's no real evidence that anybody actually lives here," she said while waving her hand slowly around the bedroom. "Apart from several pieces of furniture in each room, there's no photos, belongings, or even clothes in the bedroom."
Nodding, he looked down a moment. She had busted him and he knew it was now time to come clean. "That's because no one actually lives here, well they did, but the place is for sale now."
"It is?" Clarisse said in surprise. "So, wait, if it's for sale.. does it actually belong to a friend of a friend?"
"Oh yes it does," Joseph nodded while looking back up at her, "I fell in love with the place when I visited a long long time ago, and because I showed some interest in buying it when I found out it was for sale they allowed us to stay here for the weekend. I done it in the hope that you would fall in love with it too."
"But why?" Clarisse said with a small shake of her head while raising her eyebrow suspiciously at him as he sat up and moved to sit on the edge of the bed with his back to her. "Why did you want me to fall in love with it too?"
"Because I want to buy it for us to use as a get away home, a holiday home," Joseph said and turned his head to the side as Clarisse gasped. "Somewhere we could both come and spend time together alone, away from the palace."
"Oh Joseph," Clarisse said as she shuffled across the bed to sit behind him and wrapped her arms around his body while resting her chin against the back of his shoulder. "That's a lovely idea, but I can't just take off every weekend."
"I know, and it doesn't have to be every weekend," Joseph said and turned to face her as she placed one hand on the bed and used her other to hold the sheets up against her chest. "It doesn't even matter if it's not once a month, I know that your busy and rarely get free time to escape, but at least we will know we will have somewhere secluded to go to so we could be together privately."
"That's true," Clarisse nodded and studied his face as he put his hand up to brush her hair back behind her ear before cupping her cheek. "But are you sure about this? Buying a house is a big commitment."
"I am sure yes," Joseph nodded, "being off for the last couple months after my accident has given me plenty of time to think and I want to do this for us, in the hope that when that time does come when you are free then we will have a place that we both love and can come too," he said softly as she looked down between them, "a place that we can call our own."
"Joseph," Clarisse said as she looked back up into his eyes, the conversation she had with Sabrina the night before at the forefront of her mind. "I don't know how long it's going to be until I am free, and I don't want you to rush into something that you might later regret."
"How can I regret purchasing this house, you said yourself it's beautiful," Joseph said and smiled as Clarisse looked across the bedroom.
"I did, and it certainly is beautiful," she said while nodding and looking back up into his eyes, "just promise me that you won't rush into anything, wait a few weeks and give it some serious thought before you make your final decision. Please?"
"Alright, I won't rush into anything," he nodded and leant closer to kiss her a couple times before resting his forehead against hers. "I promise."
"Thank you," she said and gave him a small smile before they shared another kiss.
"Alright, you better drink your tea before it gets cold," Joseph said while sitting back up straight and picked up the teacup as Clarisse settled back against the pillows.
"Thank you," Clarisse said while taking the cup from him with one hand.
"I'm going to have a quick shower while you are drinking that," Joseph smiled as he stood to his feet and watched her sip her tea, "would you like me to run you a bubble bath afterwards?"
"Oh yes please," Clarisse smiled as she tipped her head back to look up at him.
"Alright, I won't be long," he said while bending over and giving her a quick kiss before disappearing into the bathroom.
Taking a deep breath, Clarisse looked down at the teacup in her hands. She couldn't believe that Joseph actually wanted to buy the place so that they would have somewhere to escape too when they wanted to get away from the palace but could she actually allow him to go ahead and purchase it? Sure it was tempting, but she really didn't want him to regret it later on down the line.
Thoughts? Please do let me know what you think, it's much appreciated.
Thank you!