Non of these characters belong to me, they belong to Meg Cabot and Disney.

Clarisse felt Joseph kissing her neck as she woke late next morning. Her head was reeling from whatever wine he had fed her last night! What his hands were doing, she didn't know- only that he was clearly intent on keeping her awake. God! She needed some pain killers. She groaned as her head started to spin.

"god!", she moaned, " what did we drink last night?".

he laughed as she opened her eyes wearily, clearly trying to fight off a headache.

"anything I offered you, my dear!", he answered, pulling on the bed covers, so he could get nearer her.

"you're trying to take advantage of me because I'm what is it Mia says, "hung over"?", she moaned in mock resistance as his hand moved further up her leg.

"you'd be right but you're not putting up much of a fight, your drunkenness", he teased.

"you got me drunk!", she laughed.

"I'm a man, I take advantage of these situations, especially when it's someone as gorgeous as you", he charmed, pulling her on top of him.

"ok fine but I'll tell you something, if I'm ill I've only got you too blame", she laughed, stroking her hand over his chest, "you know, you've got a seriously nice chest according to my granddaughter and her best friend", she continued teasingly.

"wonder if they'd say the same things about yours…..I would", he laughed. She blushed fervently and nipped his chest with her teeth.

"ow! Clarisse!", he moaned, rubbing his chest.

"that'll teach you not to be so disrespectful to a lady, or your queen!", she joked. He dipped his head and hung it in false remorse with puppy dog eyes, his gaze teasing her lovingly.

"you're most defiantly my queen", he smiled, " and best of all you're my wife".

"mmm, I like being your wife, especially when we are able to be like this", she mused, rubbing his chest idly.

"are you looking forward to this evening?", he questioned, bringing his head to her chest and resting on her.

"yes I am actually, does that surprise you ?", she questioned, raising a perfectly plucked eyebrow.

"No", he sighed, " I just don't want you playing queen Clarisse, the hostess. I want you to be you.".

"oh right, I will be, what do you expect that of me for?", she admonished, " I can be me".

"I know, I know", he soothed quickly, " I just want you to be relaxed, not tense and not on edge".

"I wont be, but perhaps you should force me to drink whatever I did last night", she moaned, her head-ache conveniently returning.

"that would be interesting, though I do hope you don't try to seduce one of my brothers!", he teased, knowingly. Her face turned red immediately and she groaned.

"what did I actually do last night?", she questioned sighing and pushing her off of him.

"oh if I told you that, you'd simply die", he laughed, moving him hand under the sheet.

"oh , you're intolerable!" she moaned, preventing his hand from moving any further up her leg.

"you wouldn't have said that last night", he smirked, raising an eyebrow. She turned bright red, he was starting to aggravate her now.

"trust me, my dear. We really enjoyed ourselves- the pool was very handy", he cooed, watching as her face brightened further.

"stop it!", she laughed, hitting him on the head with the pillow. He grabbed her sides and began tickling her mercilessly. He was rewarded with her rich laugh ringing in his ears as he kissed her neck.

"if you must know, we made wild passionate love and I enjoyed every moment", he whispered in her ear breathlessly. She shivered, as much as they had been married for what seemed like an eternity she still couldn't get used to how much he adored her.

"would you like to re-enact last night when I'm not intoxicated?", she suggested playfully.

"mmm, this morning I can assure you, my dear- the only thing you will be intoxicated with…..is me".

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Clarisse smoothed out another invisible crease from her dress. She felt terribly nervous, she wasn't quite sure why- she just did. Her family, she smiled at that, trying to reassure herself. Slipping on her shoes she clicked down the hallway, and looking herself over one last time made her way down stairs.

She stopped at the kitchen door and leaning on the door frame, watched him. He was looking unusually colourful in a red shirt, something she had never seen him wear. He was still damn attractive. He was humming along to the C. D. player, jazz music she presumed. He was so engrossed in cooking, something she wasn't even remotely interested in or able to do, that he didn't notice her watching him for a good few minutes.

He looked up from the table and smiled as he noticed her across the humid kitchen. She was looking gorgeous but he could see how worried she was. She returned his smile and he moved towards her, taking her hand.

"hello, darling", he whispered, kissing her cheek, " you look entirely beautiful".

"thank you", she blushed, smiling shyly. He lifted up her hand entwined in his and kissed it lightly, she closed her eyes, enjoying his worshipping. Pulling her hips nearer him, he rested there entwined hands on his chest and he began to sway slowly to the crackly jazz music.

"I sense tension, Clarisse", he said, pulling back and raising an eye-brow. She smiled guiltily, he sensed right.

"yes I am, why?", she questioned, looking away.

"shouldn't I be asking that, darling?", he laughed, lightly.

"I think you know why!", she answered flatly.

"Clarisse, my family love you! Please don't be so scared! Be yourself, the wonderful, passionate Clarisse I know is lurking somewhere behind that queenly manner", he said gently.

She nodded and sighed. Things like this had never been easy, her insecurity had been a big barrier to overcome when they were first married.

"I'll be right beside you, I promise", he continued, kissing her forehead. She smiled at his reassurance and lifting her head kissed his lips lightly.

"now madam", he laughed, pulling away, " will you let me continue my cooking?". he motioned towards the rather hectic kitchen.

"can I help?", she questioned, leaning on the wall.

"yes, stay well away from everything!", he teased, shaking a wooden spoon at her.

"cad! Are you picking fun at my cooking skills, or lack thereof?", she laughed, slapping his back playfully.

"you have no cooking skills whatsoever and I'm glad. Hands as beautiful as yours were not made for cooking, they were made for getting me a glass of wine", he commanded handing her an empty wine glass covered in flour.

"err, thanks", she laughed, wiping the white powder on his shirt. He twisted round and kissed her cheek. This is what he liked, when they could act like a normal couple with no obligation in the way.

She noted him with happiness, he was a dab-hand at cooking, she wondered how he required the skills.

"where did you learn to cook so wonderfully?", she questioned, handing him the glass of wine.

"mama, and my sisters I suppose. Because of the number of us being equal there was never any gender bias in our home, I'm also very good at cleaning", he laughed, walking over to the oven.

"mmm, quite the domestic", she smiled, sipping her wine.

"I suppose so, though I feel I'm more of the mysterious security guard", he added, loading up the dishwasher.

"I'm glad you decided to become a security guard and not a chef", she smiled, handing him a plate.

"so am I, primarily because I met my wife", he said gently, taking it from her.

She wasn't sure how to answer that one, It was a little awkward. She had made him wait so long for time they both held so precious. He noticed her reserved manner and standing up straight, pulled her to him.

"No regrets, your Majesty", he stated, rubbing her back.

"none", she smiled, assured by his actions and love.

"good, no time for regrets but the years before this, I'd never go back", he smiled, reassuringly.

"I would", she stated sadly. Lifting up their entwined hands and studying how perfectly they fit together ; like fate.

"I-", he was going to try and comfort her when the doorbell rang. He looked at her, staring into her watery blue eyes;

"Clarisse My darling. Please don't kill yourself with regret, we've got everything we ever wanted", he said quickly, kissing her forehead, " let's be happy with what we have, each other and family".

She nodded and squeezed him tighter. Letting go she recomposed her façade and he watched her become completely different before him. She suddenly became taller, brighter, more proper. Her breathing evened and her smile slipped into place, leaving her with a severe sense of dignity.

"I'll go answer the door", she offered nervously.

"we could always do it together", he smiled, throwing his apron over the chair and taking her hand.

"good idea", she laughed, taking the flour covered hand.

"god Joseph I love you", she whispered, as they reached the front door.

"I love you too".

Hope you liked, only a few chapters too go. Lol

Yours,

M