Thank you all so much for reading and to those leaving a review, I really really appreciate it! I'm also super happy that you are all still following this story. Been working hard to get it posted for you all and I honestly can't thank you enough for all your support. Thank you a million times over!
Here's the next chapter for you, a bit of 'calm before the storm', as they say.
Fun At The Lake - Part 3.
Later that day, long after they had returned from being out on the boat, Clarisse sat uncharacteristically slumped in one of the armchairs, with her arms resting either side of her on the armrests and her legs stretched out in front of her, crossed at the ankle, and her shoes kicked off by the coffee table. She was in a world of her own, looking out of the windows at the lake when Joseph came through the door.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Joseph said, walking slowly over to her sitting in the armchair as she lifted her head and looked up at him.
"Hello you," she said and smiled as she bent her arms up, turning her hands inwards and placing them on the wing parts of the chair either side of her.
"You were a million miles away," he said while sitting on the edge of the coffee table in front of her, and moving his feet on the floor either side of her feet. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, of course," she smiled up at him, "I was just getting lost in the view."
"Are you sure that's all it is?" Joseph asked. "You've been really quiet since we got back from being out on the boat, and I'm worried about you."
"Please don't be, I'm fine," she nodded while lowering her arms back onto the armrests and smiled at him. "I promise."
"Alright," he smiled and glanced around the room before looking back at her as she uncrossed her ankles and pulled her legs in closer to the armchair, "where are Harry and Sabrina?"
"Oh they went down to sit by the lake for a little while," Clarisse said and slowly sat up. "What about you, are you okay?"
"Oh yes, I'm feeling wonderful," he said, smiling at her as she put her hands together and tucked them between her knees. "Looking forward to having the place to ourselves later."
"Me too," she smiled and tilted her head slightly, "anyway, what have you been up too?"
"I have been preparing a few things for our dinner tonight," he smiled, a twinkle in his eye, as he leant forward and rested his elbows on his knees while clasping his hands together in front of him.
"Sounds ominous," she smiled as she studied his face, "are you going to tell me?"
"Nope," Joseph laughed and shook his head. "I'm afraid you'll have to wait until later to find out."
"Alright," she laughed and tipped her head down slightly a moment before looking back up at him. "Do you want to know the truth?"
"The truth about what?" Joseph asked while raising his eyebrow.
"The truth about what I was thinking when I was a million miles away," she said enthusiastically.
"Go on," Joseph chuckled.
"Well," she said, reaching her hands out and taking hold of his hands, "I was imagining us moving here when our time comes, you know once I am free and we are possibly married."
"Really?" Joseph said in surprise just as Harry and Sabrina walked through the french doors.
"Oh good, you're still here and awake," Sabrina smiled as she removed her coat and watched as both Clarisse and Joseph looked over at her, "we better go and start getting you ready for your romantic dinner."
"Oh," Clarisse said as she pulled her hands back from Joseph's hands and checked the time on her watch. "Oh goodness yes, I didn't realise what the time was."
"But you still have three hours?" Joseph laughed as Clarisse stood to her feet and stepped closer to him still sitting on the edge of the coffee table. "Surely it shouldn't take that long?"
"Oh come on Joseph, do you not know Clarisse at all?" Sabrina said and laughed while looking at her husband as Clarisse framed Joseph's face in her hands, tilted her head to the side slightly and bent forward to kiss him a couple times. "We are going to make her look sexy," she said while looking back over at them.
"Oh, but she doesn't need three hours to make her look sexy," Joseph smirked, a mischievous glint in his eye, as he watched Clarisse walking over to the door, where Sabrina was stood waiting, before stopping and turning back to look over at him, "she's already sexy," he said and Clarisse smiled.
"Touché," Sabrina smiled and waved to the men while walking out the door with Clarisse, "see you later."
"Okay," Sabrina said as she made her way down the stairs towards her husband and Joseph talking in the foyer later that evening. "Clarisse is ready and will be down in a minute," she smiled, "so we are going to go and leave you both to enjoy your night."
"Thank you, Sabrina," Joseph smiled at her as she stepped from the last step and walked over to him and Harry.
"Oh don't mention it," Sabrina smiled as she stood next to them and wrapped her shawl around her shoulders. "I just wish I could be a fly on the wall though to see your face when you see her," she said and stepped closer to Joseph as he laughed. "But enjoy your night and we will see you in the morning."
"You will," Joseph smiled and put his hand on her upper arm as she reached up to kiss his cheek. "You two have fun too."
"We will," Harry smiled as he and Sabrina walked over to the door and opened it for her before looking back over at his friend stood in the middle of the foyer. "See you tomorrow."
Nodding, Joseph watched them walk out and close the door behind them before glancing up the stairs. He had been dreaming about this night ever since he mentioned it all those weeks ago, a private romantic meal between them and he couldn't quite believe that it was finally here. Smiling to himself, he walked through into the dining room and began humming along to the song playing softly in the background while lighting the candles on the table, completely unaware that Clarisse was making her way as quietly as she could down the stairs.
Pressing a hand to her stomach in anticipation of what lay ahead, Clarisse stepped quietly into the doorway of the dining room and watched as the man she loved poured wine into a glass. "Do you realise that this will be our first candlelit dinner together?" She said softly and watched as he lifted his head to look over at her.
"My god," he exclaimed, making her laugh as she slowly walked into the room. She looked breathtakingly beautiful in her chosen dress and her hair twisted up into a french twist, a style he loved on her. "You look incredible," he said while putting the wine bottle back in the ice bucket and walked to meet her halfway.
"You look pretty good too, very handsome," she smiled and closed her eyes as he leant in close and pressed his lips to hers. Pulling apart a moment later, she looked up into his eyes. "Do you like the dress?" She asked with a mischievous smile.
"I do," he nodded while averting his gaze down to look at it. The white and turquoise knee length dress she had worn all those years ago. "I feel that I have seen it before though," he said, suddenly realising where from. "Ooh I know, it's the dress that you wore on our first date?"
"Yes, it is," Clarisse smiled as she looked down between them.
"And again on the night we first…. slept together?" He smiled at the memory and reached his hands out onto her sides as she looked back up at him.
"Yes," Clarisse nodded as a blush crept over her features. "It was a halter neck dress then, but I had Sabrina turn it into a strapless dress for me. And, I know you said to get a new dress, but I thought this one was perfect for tonight."
"Oh it is, it's more than perfect," he smiled as she raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck, "you look irresistibly delicious," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist as she laughed and looked up into his eyes.
"Thank you," she said softly and kissed him a couple times before looking over at the table. "This all looks so lovely."
"All for you of course," Joseph smiled as Clarisse lowered her arms and turned to the table. "I even borrowed the record player from your sister and Lyle, so that we would have some music to enjoy and dance to."
"But you have a record player in your suite at the palace," Clarisse said and looked back up at him as he took hold of her hand.
"I do yes, but if I had tried to sneak that out of the palace yesterday, I would have been risking you seeing me with it," Joseph said and raised their hands up to his mouth, "but bringing Elaina and Lyle's you wouldn't have seen me sneaking out with it." He said and kissed the back of her hand.
"That's true," Clarisse smiled as she watched him.
"Come on, let's get you seated so we can eat," Joseph smiled and turned while still holding onto her hand and led her to where they would be sitting at the end of the dining table.
"What are we having?" Clarisse asked as he stopped and pulled out her chair for her, "thank you," she said and took a seat.
"You'll see," he smiled and moved to stand beside her as she looked up at him. "Enjoy your wine and I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Okay," Clarisse said and bit her bottom lip as she watched him disappear out the door. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the table settings and picked up her glass of wine to take a sip or two while waiting for Joseph to return.
"Here we go," Joseph said as he came back into the room a few minutes later and walked over to the table. "Our starters, king prawns in garlic butter."
"Oh lovely," Clarisse said as he placed her plate down on the table in front of her. "One of my favourite dishes."
"And for the main meal, I have done us fish puttanesca," Joseph smiled, knowing that was another favourite of hers, as he placed his plate down on the table and sat down. "With green salad and fresh baked olive bread."
"Well it all sounds, and looks, so delicious," Clarisse smiled as she picked up her napkin and unfolded it to lay in her lap. "Thank you."
Smiling, Joseph watched her a moment. "You know, I can't get over the fact you still have this dress after all these years," he said, his eyes full of desire.
"Of course I do, it's special to me," Clarisse smiled at him as he nodded and picked up his glass, taking a sip of his wine. "and it has sentimental value for reasons only you know, so of course I am going to keep it."
"Mmm," Joseph nodded while putting his glass back down on the table and leant closer to her, "well I'm glad you did," he smiled and kissed her while putting his hand up, gently cupping her chin.
"Here we are," Joseph said as he entered the master suite with the record player in his arms later that night and placed it down on the sideboard just inside the door.
"Perfect," Clarisse said as she looked over at him plugging it in and setting it up for them, "I have poured us some champagne."
"Thank you," Joseph smiled while putting a record on to play before turning to her standing in the middle of the room.
Pressing a hand to her stomach as it filled with butterflies, Clarisse tilted her head slightly and smiled as he slowly made his way over to stand in front of her. "It's our song."
"It is," he smiled as he stepped closer and wrapped one arm around her waist, placing his hand on her back, while taking hold of her hand, holding it at their sides. "We couldn't go the night without hearing it."
Smiling, Clarisse wrapped her free arm around his shoulder and placed her hand lovingly on the back of his head as they began to sway slowly together in time to their song playing. "This night has been so wonderful, I don't want it to end."
"It doesn't have to end yet," Joseph said as Clarisse tilted her head slightly once again, "we could continue our evening out in the hot tub?"
"Oh yes, I had forgotten about that," Clarisse said as she looked over at the french doors leading out onto the balcony and started laughing as Joseph carefully dipped her.
"Shall we?" He smiled while looking down into her eyes.
"Yes, let's do it," she smiled and lifted her head to give him a quick kiss before he stood her back up properly, so they could finish dancing to their song.
"Why don't you go and get changed into your bikini, while I set it up for us," Joseph said a few moments later as the song changed to another one.
"Alright," Clarisse smiled as they stepped apart and she began to walk across the room to the bedroom door, "I'll be as quick as I can."
"Oh don't rush, we have all night," Joseph smiled and looked over at her as she stopped at the door to look back over at him before disappearing inside the bedroom.
Just a short time later, they were both changed and in the hot tub. "This is so nice and relaxing," Joseph smiled and watched Clarisse a moment. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can," Clarisse smiled as she moved her arms around freely under the water. "You don't need to ask."
Smiling, Joseph studied her a moment before asking. "Did you mean what you said earlier? About imagining us moving here?"
"Yes, absolutely," Clarisse nodded, flashing him her gorgeous smile. "I see us sitting down in the loungers by the shore of the lake, with our arms reached out to one another, holding hands. I also see us reading together in front of the fire, cooking together in our kitchen and having many many romantic dinners," she smiled. "You know, all the things married couples do."
"It sounds perfect, I can imagine all that too," he smiled, watching as she turned her back to him while reaching one hand out for her glass of champagne sitting on the side of the hot tub and took a couple sips. "And more, of course."
"Me too," she said, putting her glass back down and folding her arms on the edge of the hot tub a moment before raising one arm up, slipping her hand over her shoulder and around to the back of her neck, to untie the strap of her bikini top. "Especially doing things like this."
Smiling, Joseph watched as she removed her bikini top and threw it onto the floor of the balcony before resting her arms back on the edge of the hot tub. "I love how adventurous you are when we're together," Joseph said as he slowly moved closer to her back and put his hands out onto the edge of the hot tub either side of her arms.
"You bring it out in me," she said, a breath hitching in her throat as Joseph began to place slow, soft kisses across the back of her freckled shoulders. Smiling, she bit her bottom lip and tipped her head forward, resting it on her arms.
"I'll happily take full blame," he said softly against the back of her shoulder while snaking an arm around her waist under the water. "I love you so so much, Clarisse. I'm crazy for you. I can't get enough of you."
"Prove it," Clarisse teased as he laughed against the back of her neck, "shout it to the world that you love me."
"I would love to tell the world that I love you, but how do you suppose I do that when we have to keep our relationship a secret," Joseph smiled and watched as Clarisse slowly turned to face him.
"You can shout it out here, we are in a secluded area and if anyone down the lake does happen to hear you, they won't know it's you declaring your love for me," Clarisse smiled as she studied his face.
"Alright," Joseph smiled as he studied her face for the briefest of moments before putting one hand up onto the side of her neck, his thumb resting against her jaw while leaving his other hand on the edge of the hot tub next to her shoulder and leaning closer to whisper in her ear. "I love you, Clarisse Renaldi."
"Why did you whisper it in my ear?" Clarisse asked as Joseph slowly pulled back to look into her eyes, "I thought you wanted to tell the world?"
"I did," Joseph smiled, "you are my world," he said and leant in to kiss her slowly a moment as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"Shall we move this inside?" Clarisse asked a moment later as they pulled back just enough to gaze into each other's eyes.
"Yes, I think we should," he said and laughed before they shared another kiss.
Thoughts? Please do let me know :) it's very much appreciated!