Chapter 4. I have ten or more ideas about how this should continue in next chapters. But in this one I decided to move their relationship a little more towards a romance.

4. After the Independence Day ball.

They just walked out of the ballroom together. Both silent and in their own thoughts.

Clarisse on the one hand wanted to reprimand Joseph. Both for his remark about the garden where Amelia went with her friend, as well about the fact the he just sent his men away so that he could grab her hand and hiss the back of it.

On the other hand, she liked the feeling of holding hands with Joseph. She had registered that a few times now. So why denying it? On a normal day she would probably tell herself that she was a Queen, that she had to keep decorum. But it was not a normal day. Amelia just agreed to become Genovia's princess. Which was very good news. Both to the Queen of the same country, but also very much for Clarisse in her role as grandmother.

She sighted while Joseph led her trough the dark palace halls. She realised that she really came to like her granddaughter. She was looking forward to her visits, Christmases and even to more and more 'princess lessons' the would surely follow. She felt so happy in her core that she forgot to think about what was in her head. Duty, decorum, being a wise woman.

While drowning in the feeling of joy she looked sideways at Joseph. She realised that she wanted to know tonight. That she wanted to give room to the romantic feeling. She wanted to know if he felt the same. Suddenly she hated playing safe. Her happiness temporarily took away her fear. The feeling grew and when Joseph finally came to a halt in front of the library door, she started to feel brave and adventurous.

Joseph released her hand and opened the door so that she could walk in first. While she moved to site at the couch, she looked at him closing and locking the door and walking towards her. She released that he suddenly looked a bit shy.

"Clarisse, I… I realise that it's a bold move from me to take you out here" Joseph started.

He looked at her to decide if she was in a good mood. But he found no evidence on her face for approval nor disapproval. So, he continued.

"I think, I feel… The last weeks I have been quite confused about.. well about us".

He had been pacing but he came to a hold now. Standing in front of her, but not daring to come closer. She still did not respond. Not with words, not with facial expression. And he started to worry.

Since the moment in her suite after the car incident he had been thinking about his feelings. And the moments where he felt that their friendship might turn into something more. He doubted, well, almost everything. His inability to keep long term romantic relations. Facts like her being a queen, her being his employer. But that were all long-term questions and potential issues. What he doubted the very most at this moment was if she felt the same.

He did not know yet if he was in love with her or if he wanted a relationship or something alike with her. But what he knew was that there was some electric spark between them. At least, he felt it. And he had to know, he just had to know, if he was the only one who felt it.

If the answer was no, he had to continue with his life and just set it aside. But if the answer was yes, he wanted to address it. Discuss whatever it was and acknowledge that it was there. He felt that only if they both acknowledged the feeling, only then, there would be room for the 'how to continue with this' discussion.

"Clarisse, please say something?"

She kept silent. But she smiled brightly at him. Which encouraged him to continue. To confess to her what had been in his mind for weeks now.

"I just want to let you know that I… I feel something when I am with you. I don't know what it is exactly. But I…I can't…I wanted to ask… if, if, well... If you feel something as well."

Clarisse chuckled at his words and patted the couch next to her as to ask him to come over and sit next to her.

Joseph moved over and sat down next to Clarisse. They were quite close, but not touching.

Clarisse turned a little on the couch so that she was facing Joseph. She stared taking off her gloves and draped them over the backrest. Then she reached over to him to grasp his both hands and moved towards him so that they were now really close. Then, finally she stared talking.

"I think we have to test the theory we are both having."

She felt bolt and decided to make the best of it. She wanted to kiss Joseph now that he confessed that he felt the spark as well.

So, she leant over to him. In her mind she wanted to do it slow, in order to give him time to stop her from doing it. But in reality, she moved fast and determined. When her lips toughed his she felt the now familiar feeling in her body. This felt right. After a few seconds she felt his surprise turn into passion.

Joseph was completely caught out of guard. He was still considering her statement 'test the theory' one moment, and the next second Clarisse came very close and pressed her lips onto his. After his first moment of surprise he spurs into action. Opening his mouth a little and moving his lips in order to meet with hers. Letting her have her way with the kiss entirely.

He moved his hand from the position in between their bodies in order to pull her closer. He could feel her body warmth trough the fabric of her dress. She was leaning heavily into him now. He started to stroke her back and shoulders. He could smell her familiar scent very good now that she was almost sitting in his lap. Because of the element of surprise he had his eyes open, and because hers were closed he had to opportunity to look at her unrestricted from this very close point of view. She had two little freckles around her nose that he hadn't noticed before.

They interrupted the kiss to gasp for breath. Their foreheads rested against each other.

Joseph let out a small laugh and said: "You keep surprising me. I just wanted to talk about it. Really. Granted, I wanted to kiss you. But I would never have done it. The initiation I mean."

"The best way to move forward with something is to bring it into practice" she replied.

There was a short silence and then Joseph asked "Would you allow me to kiss you again?"

She nodded and offer her mouth to him by tilting her head a little towards him.

Joseph did not let the opportunity pass. Moments before he had allowed her to dictate. Her kiss was good and tender, but he wanted more. He kissed a lot of different woman in his life. And for sure he had a lot more experience with the acts of love then Clarisse had. He wanted to let her feel that he was good at this, that there was more to this.

Joseph moved one of his hands so that he cupped Clarisse's head from the back. With his other hand resting on the small of her back he pulled her very close and held her tight. He pressed his mouth somewhat forcefully against hers and he granted himself access into her mouth with his tongue. She let him in and enjoyed the amount of passion that she now learned could be in a kiss.

Clarisse became anxious at some point and she tried to take over the lead. She enjoyed the feeling of the intimacy, but it was also very much and very intimate for a second kiss. She enjoyed it, but it also confused her a lot. But Joseph wouldn't give in. He just kept kissing her with his lips and tongue and the only thing she could do was to let the warm feeling spread her body.

When Joseph felt her protest against his dominance at some point he decided that he wouldn't let her take over the lead again. He wanted to unchain her passion. He kept her close and this time he leant over her so that she was resting with her back against the couch and he was covering her with his upper body. Her hands in between them resting on his collarbone.

While kissing they both knew that they had to stop at some point. To talk about it. To go to their separate rooms. To get some sleep. But they both wanted to continue for an extra second, an extra small moment, just a little while longer. And to face the issues and all the difficulties later, tomorrow, next year.