Hey everyone, to all those reading and leaving reviews on this story, thank you :) I really really appreciate it.
Here's some of day 2 for you all :) please enjoy and remember any feedback/reviews are, and always will be, much appreciated :) thank you.
Day 2 - Part 1.
"Here we are," Joseph smiled as he pulled off a main road and onto a long drive with trees lining up either side.
Looking out of the window, Clarisse looked at the fields as they passed, noting a couple horses playing around before her eyes fell on the house in the distance. It was a huge Tudor style mansion hidden amongst the towering trees, with beautiful decorative half-timbering and diamond shaped window panes. There was flower boxes on each window, colourful flowers lining the pathway leading to the arched front door and a water fountain in the middle of the drive outside the front of the house.
"Welcome to my family home," Joseph smiled as they pulled up outside the house and looked at her while shutting of the engine before climbing from the car.
Shocked, Clarisse unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed from the car. Staring up at the beautiful house in awe, she shut the car door and walked around to the back of the car as Joseph grabbed their luggage from the boot. "You mean this beautiful house belongs to you?"
"Yes, well my parents actually," he smiled as he closed the boot up and looked at her. "This is my free time retreat, me, my parents and my sister and her family often gather here whenever we get a chance."
"Oh, and are they here now?" She asked as he locked the car and they began walking to the front door.
"Oh no," Joseph answered with a shake of his head and pulled the house keys from his pants pocket, "I was meant to be meeting my parents here this weekend, but when I told them that I wanted to bring you here because you needed a break they said that they would stay home and meet me here another weekend."
"Oh Joseph, that's naughty of you cancelling your weekend with them just to bring me here," she said, shocked. "I could have stayed at the palace."
"Honestly they don't mind, they have always said I should bring you here because you would like it," he said unlocking the front door and looked back at her, "in fact they felt rather honoured that you are coming to stay in their home."
"Oh well that's nice of them, and yes I do like it from what I have seen so far, but it's still naughty of you," she said and watched as he turned back to her.
"Are we going to argue about this the whole time we are here?" He teased and watched as her mouth gaped open in surprise. "Or would you like me to give you a personal tour?" He smirked and watched as she smiled in return, realising he was teasing.
"A tour would be perfect," she smiled.
"Right this way then please," he smiled and turned back to the front door.
Early Afternoon.
Walking into the kitchen after she had unpacked her belongings and freshened up after the drive this morning, Clarisse smiled and watched Joseph standing at the island, making a fresh pot of tea.
"This place is so beautiful, are you sure that your parents don't mind me staying here?" She asked as she walked over and sat up on one of the stools at the counter.
"Absolutely sure," he smiled at her and leant forward, placing a cup and saucer down on the counter in front of her. "Now will you please stop worrying and start relaxing?" He smiled and their eyes met a moment before he looked down at the teapot.
"Alright, I will stop worrying and will try my best to relax," she said with a smile and watched as he poured them both a cup of tea.
"Good," he smiled and placed the teapot down.
"I wanted to ask, if all this land belongs to your parents, does that mean the horses out in the field belong to you too?" She asked.
"No, they belong to a family friend who rent that field from my parents for their horses," he smiled, "but we are free to ride them whenever we like."
"Oh that's nice, they look like beautiful horses," she nodded and took a sip of her tea.
"They are beautiful and so chilled out around people," he nodded and watched her as she placed her teacup back down, "perhaps we can go that way later when we go for a walk? I know how much you love horses."
"That would be lovely," Clarisse smiled and looked back up at him before looking around the kitchen.
"I hope that your room is alright?" He asked and watched as she looked back at him and nodded.
"It is just right, thank you," she smiled, "and I love the view from my window too."
"I thought you would like it, that's why I put you in that room," he chuckled.
"Well it would appear you know me really well, but you know what I realised while I was unpacking? That I hardly know you at all, so while we are here, staying in your family home, why don't you tell me a bit more about yourself?" She smiled and rested back in her chair.
"Of course I'm going to know you, I am your head of security and have been for quite a long time you know," he smiled while putting his hands out on the counter in front of him and put all his weight onto one leg.
"Touché," she laughed and sat forward, resting her elbows on the counter in front of her, "but go on tell me something about you I don't know."
"Um.. let's see," he said and thought while looking over at the kitchen window as Clarisse studied him a moment before looking down at her cup. "I was married once," he said and averted his gaze back to her as she gasped, "to a beautiful lady called Elizabeth. Unfortunately it didn't work out between us and we separated the year after I came to work at the palace."
"Oh, I had no idea," Clarisse said softly and watched as he looked down at his cup, "what happened, if you don't mind me asking?"
"There was differences between us, she wanted one thing and I wanted another, and there was someone else too you see," he said and looked up at her a long moment before turning to walk over to the fridge.
"For you, or for her?" She asked, the many rumours swirling around her mind once again.
"For me, I realised I loved someone else and I didn't think it was fair staying married to Beth when I didn't love her the way a husband should," he answered, his head buried in the fridge, looking for something to cook them for dinner later on that day.
"Oh I see," she said and watched him a moment, "did you cheat on her?"
"Oh god no, I would never do that," he said and finally looked over at her.
"I see," she nodded, "and what happened after you separated, did you and the one you fell in love with get together?" She asked, feeling sure that she was the one he was talking about but didn't like to admit to him that she already knew how he felt about her, just in case there was actually someone else back then.
"No," he said and watched as she looked down at her cup, "she was already married and never knew how I felt about her."
"Oh that is sad," Clarisse said and slowly looked back up at him. "Has there been anyone else?" She asked, why? She didn't know.
"Oh I have had one or two girlfriends over the years, but nothing to serious," he said and nodded, "my family say that I'm married to my job now."
"Well you are a hard worker, so I can see their point," she smiled and they both chuckled together.
"I suppose you are right," he nodded and looked back at the fridge, "anyway, what do you fancy for dinner later?"
"May I come and have a look?" She asked and watched as he looked back over at her.
"Of course," he nodded and watched as she stepped from the stool and walked over to him. "There's plenty in there."
"Yes there is," she laughed upon seeing inside and stepped in front of him to look in the fridge as he put his hand on her back, out of habit.
Stepping back, Joseph removed his hand from her back and watched her as she moved a couple things about, trying to find something for dinner before averting his gaze to her bare arms. She was wearing a sleeveless blouse which showed the tops of her arms and her beautiful freckled skin. Something he had always loved and admired about her, among other things.
Feeling his eyes on her as she looked in the fridge, Clarisse could feel her heart began to beat a little bit faster and her tummy fill with butterflies at the thought of them standing so close. Sure it was a daily occurrence between them but this time it felt different somehow. Pulling a tray of chicken out a moment later, Clarisse smiled and turned to him. "What about this?" She asked and watched as he looked down at the tray in her hands.
"That is a good plan, I love chicken," he smiled and took the tray from her.
"Me too," she smiled and moved to sit back at the counter. "I can cook us dinner if you like, being Queen I never really get a chance to cook anything at the palace and I do love to cook."
"Oh really?" He asked and turned back to her as she climbed up on the stool and took a sip of her tea. "You want to cook our dinner?"
"Yes, I can cook you know," she laughed and placed her teacup back down before looking over at him.
"I wouldn't doubt that for a minute," he said and watched her a moment before nodding, "alright, you can cook." He smiled.
"Great," she smiled as their gaze met once again.