Joe smiled, returning her kiss, murmuring against her lips, "Well if you will make these outlandish requests for late-night cocoa when the kitchen staff have all gone home…It took me quite a while to track down the jar in question."
"Second cupboard on the left, first shelf up from the bottom, on the right." She teased, rubbing her hands casually up and down his arms.
"You're unbearable, you know?" he retorted playful, feigning mock irritation.
"I know", she replied, as smugly as she could, a huge grin spreading across her face. She raised her hands and started to unravel his tie.
The look of concentration on her face, as she carefully eased the tie pin from the delicate silk was so adorable that Joseph couldn't help but wrap his arms around her, stroking his hand through her hair.
"Hey…just let me…" he kissed her forehead, then her eyebrows, "…let me take this…", her eyelids, the bridge of her nose, "…out. There." She leant down to place it on the table, smiling up at him coyly. "I thought we were going to drink cocoa and be exhausted?"
"Indeed we were…so…Madam?" He raised an eyebrow provocatively. Issuing a challenge.
He reached out and wrapped his arms tightly around her, and as she relaxed into him, dropping light kisses on her forehead, "Ready?", he whispered into her ear.
"For what?"
"Bed." With that, he bent slightly and swooped her up into his arms, stepped out of her dressing room, strode across the bedroom and softly deposited her on the bed. Patting her on the head, he passed her a mug of now slightly lukewarm cocoa, "Your Majesty…"
Desperately trying not to laugh so as not to spill the drink, Clarisse put on her most stern face. "And about time too…one really cannot get the staff these days!"
With a wink and a smile Joseph stood and walked in the direction of the bathroom. "I won't be long, my dear…unless you wish to join me, that is?", he added with a cheeky grin.
For that he was rewarded with a throaty "Don't you just wish", as she leaned back into the soft pillows.
Shaking his head, still laughing, he went for a shower.
A/N OK, ok, I know that this is obscenely short – sorry – but I just wanted to get something up quickly to thank you guys for all the lovely reviews!! :o) Am very busy at the moment, but will try my very best to update by the end of the week. The next chapter will be Joe's thoughts in the shower (get your minds out of the gutter!!), reminiscing about another event in his and Clarisse's shared history.