Chapter 10.

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10. Evening drinks

"Do you prefer white or red?" she asked while facing the table with a wide range of choice for drinks. Joseph was here for a minute or two now and she offered to pour some whine. Having a maid around was not what she liked in her own rooms all the time, and especially this evening with Joseph she preferred privacy. Arranging the drinks also was a perfect excuse to create some distance. When she got no reply she turned around, gave him a questioning look and asked "Joseph? White or red?"

"Oh…excuse me…white maybe? I would like to have something cold" Joseph answered while he sat himself down at the sofa at what usually was her own favourite spot. His right-hand stroking one of the cushions. He looked a little distracted and so very calm with the whole situation.

She noticed that he wore the same as he did at lunchtime, a black attire with white shirt. But he had taken the jacket off and probably left it somewhere in his own rooms. He looked smart, very smart dressed like this. She felt a blush spreading her face. Stop it Clarisse! She reprimanded herself quietly inside her head. You act like a teenage girl on her first date! What must he think! Reaching for a chilled bottle of white whine she tried to suppress her rising nervousness.

When she wanted to grab the opener, she realized that it wasn't in its usual place. Searching for it her mind rambled on. We've had this comfortable friendship for years. There is no need to be nervous, the both of us have this under control.

There it was, apparently it had fallen to the ground. She bent and grabbed the opener. God, he is very attractive, isn't he? She looked over her shoulder to find him starting at her. Quickly she focussed on her task at hand while reprimanding herself again. You are the queen for heaven's sake. He's always lovely, it's going to be great.

In the meantime, she tried to pull the cork out of the bottle. A first attempt, a second a third. But the cork would not give way. During a small pause in which she gathered energy for another try a warm hand covered hers.

"Let me assist" Joseph softly said next to her ear. He had approached her without her noticing. Her nervousness even rose a little more, but she nodded in response. Joseph stood close, his stomach resting against her back. His arm circling her with his right hand covering the hand that she held the opener in. His left hand helped her left hand to hold the bottle of wine in place.

She felt that he started to pull, and she moved along with him. Finally, the cork gave way and the bottle opened with a soft plop. "Thank you" she said with a treble in her voice.

"Sweetheart look at me?" his tone caring.

While honouring his request she couldn't keep herself from smiling and thinking he called me sweetheart… With the opener still in her hand she turned and looked Joseph in the eye.

Up close she realised that he was Joseph, just the same as he was yesterday, then why was she holding back? Then he said, "Don't think that I am not nervous about this."

"You really are?"

"Of course, I am. I doesn't happen every day that I get the change to spend time with you the way I want to." His voice was a little hoarse. "Holding you close like this," he pulled her close and moved his hands around her lower back. "is a good start."

Standing close indeed was a good start. Feeling the warmth, soft material of clothes pressed together… "Well, I am equally nervous I guess." She replied honesty.

Joseph took the opener plus cork from her hand and placed it on the table. "Yes, I know. It makes you even more attractive."

Her attraction to Joseph won over her nerves. So, she leaned forward and stroked his lips with hers. A soft touch at first. But he responded eagerly so she put more pressure in the kiss and covered his lips with hers completely. She heard him moan into her mouth. He broke the kiss, stroked her hair out of her face and whispered her name "Clarisse".

Joseph heard himself whisper her name "Clarisse".

She rested her head against his shoulder, face into his neck. For a while they just stood like that in a tight embrace.

She was so lovely tonight. The rumbling with the opener to hide her nerves was very endearing. After this first kiss, he felt his own body relax and het noticed that Clarisse was relaxing in his arms also.

He tilted her head and kissed her again, light on the corner of her mouth. "I find myself" another kiss at the other corner "completely" a kiss on her cheek "head over heels" a kiss on her left ear "in love with you" he whispered.

He felt her shudder in his arms and she kissed him on his mouth, a deep kiss, more demanding with more desire building. He felt his own desire rising in his lower body. God this was…why did they postpone their feelings for so damn long. Kiss her was good and she really opened to him now, asking for more.

"If feel like a teenager in love with the most popular boy from school" she giggled in between kisses that became better and hotter with every passing kiss.

"Hardly. I am not the most popular amongst staff I can assure you" he replied equally chuckling. "But we are two people in love then."

"Yes, I believe we are." With the clear confession about their feelings the air cleared even more.

Joseph decided to finally give some attention to the wine. He found two glasses and poured the wine. Handing one glass to Clarisse they both tried it.

"The wine is good, but not as good as you" he said after another sip. He bowed forward and kissed her again. He used his tongue to gain entrance and he tasted the still cold wine. They stopped when they were in need for air.

"You can't say that to a lady" she reprimanded him. She pretended not to like his comment and actions, but she still laughed. "Are you flirting with me?" She untangled herself from him and sat down on the sofa.

Joseph joined her and said, "I definitely believe I am, hoping that I can kiss you again." And they did so, glasses of wine disregarded on a nearby table.

Within a few minutes they were exploring each other with kisses. Clarisse let her kisses wander all over Joseph's face. She found his earlobe and took it into her mouth.

"Clarisse" he turned his head away "I don't really like that." His voice harsher than he meant to.

"Oh, I…I am sorry." She withdrew a little and suddenly looked insecure. "Did I ruin the mood now?"

Joseph stroked her face and her lips with his thumb. He shook his head in order to answer no. "It's good to learn what the other finds nice, it's an exploring game."

He continued whispering. "For instance, I found out today that you like to be kissed at the spot just below your ear." His actions matching his words kissing her lightly at the soft spot just mentioned.

Clarisse moaned a little and said, "How did you know?"

"By your reaction. Every time my kisses wandered around there you sighted. So, I made a mental note to kiss you there again because you like to be kissed there."

Leaning into the backseat of the sofa and into each other Clarisse let her hands wander over his shoulders. "Where do you like to be kissed most?"

Joseph pushed Clarisse back into the sofa gently and covered her upper body with his. Stroking trough her hear and holding her head with two hands he whispered to her lips "I like to be kissed full on the mouth, a deep kiss where our tongues taste and find each other."

Clarisse offered her lips order to allow him such a kiss, but Joseph said, "Tell me if I do anything that you don't like?" She nodded and then they started kissing again.

But Joseph felt insecure and broke the kiss again "Really Clarisse, I don't hold back normally while…uhm…I don't want to…well you know…I mean, please tell me, what do you want?"

The complete answer was a long an complicated story and they both knew they had to work it out together. What was their relationship exactly? For a moment Clarisse doubted if she wanted to address how to move forward after tonight. But she dreaded that conversation, so she made up her mind.

"For tonight sitting on the sofa with you, talking and sharing kisses is all I need." She placed a kiss on his forehead and after that they spent the rest of the evening practicing and learning their favourite kisses.