Chapter Two

Thanks to RevSue for being my wonderful beta and thanks also to I luv Julie Andrews, OSUSprinks, and snippoptak for your wonderful feedback! Not sure if I will continue with this unless you guys let me know that you'd like for me to! Enjoy and as always, please review! Gina

Joseph stood there for a moment studying the closed car door before snapping back into motion. Knowing from past experiences that now would not be the time to confront Clarisse on what had just happened, he decided to go ahead and get everybody back into the car and on their way. He could tell that the longer they stood outside, even though the rain had mostly ceased, it made both he and Shades a little nervous. After all, the number one priority as it always had been was for the protection of the royal family. It must come first.

Just as he was about to open the car door for Mia, she spoke. "Joe, are you sure that maybe you shouldn't try to talk to her first? I mean, you always know what to say to her."

Joseph couldn't help chuckling to himself a little at the look on Mia's face. Here she was a Queen and she looked about as nervous as she had that day as a girl in San Francisco when she was about to take her first princess lesson. "Why, your majesty?" He teased. "Little nervous, are we, about getting back into the car?"

Mia scowled at him and playfully stuck out her tongue. "I am not nervous, Joe." Then squaring her shoulders and closing her eyes for just a moment, she said very calmly. "Besides, Grandma always says Queens are never nervous but are the calm in every storm."

Joseph coughed and cleared his throat to cover the laugh he was trying very hard to suppress. Shades however was not so successful, but as Mia turned and gave him one of her grandmother's famous glares she had learned so well in the course of the last five years, her new head of security quickly sobered and immediately came to attention.

"Humph!" Was all that Mia said in response as Joseph opened the door for her to climb inside.

As Charlotte moved to quickly follow Mia, she caught Joseph's eyes, both of them realizing just how much granddaughter was becoming like grandmother at times.

Finally after having retrieved a dry shirt from a bag he kept in the trunk of the limo, Joseph slid into place beside his wife. He had seriously debated with himself about whether he could just slip up front with Shades in his old spot, knowing the kind of mood he could expect his wife to be in. Instead, in the end he figured it best that he take his place beside Clarisse and just offer her what silent comfort he could until they were alone.

The remainder of their trip into Pyrus was somewhat subdued and uneventful. Shades did the driving while the others sat in the back talking about upcoming events and anything that seemed safe to talk about. Joseph and Clarisse sat across from Mia and Charlotte. To anyone else, it would have seemed that everything was normal and completely at ease in the limo, but everyone inside the limo knew that that was certainly not the case. Shades was busy thanking his lucky stars that he had not had to ride back there with the rest of them as they came to a halt in front of a gate that led to a private residence. Charlotte was carefully trying to keep the conversations light as possible and ease the tension that seemed to fill the air. Mia giggled nervously time and again, deeply fighting the urge to chew on her nails or at least play with her hair as she had always done growing up, and watched her grandmother anxiously. Clarisse had plastered a smile onto her face, willing herself to not think about Mia's comment or the fact that Joseph's thigh was pressed up firmly against her own. Every part of her body screamed at her to just throw herself into his arms. Even now, as embarrassed as she was about the comment Mia had made, she wanted the man at her side. She desperately needed him, her body craved him. She had to fight hard to keep her breathing even and her thoughts on the conversations around her or who knew what she was capable of doing? However, he was not making it easy for her to do this.

Joseph knew Clarisse was embarrassed and maybe even a little angry about the comment Mia had made, but he had seriously thought that with a little gentle reassurance from him, she would soon be able to let this go. He had found the situation a bit humorous himself, but could certainly understand why it had made his wife so uncomfortable. She had spent her entire life living up to everyone else's standards, always so refined, elegant, and completely in control when it came to her image in the public eye. Yet this wasn't the public that had witnessed anything, it was only those people who were closest to them both. As he listened to her converse with Mia and Charlotte about upcoming events and such, he could almost feel the underlying tension with every breath she took. Hoping to calm his wife a little and let her know he was there for her, he scooted closer so that their thighs were no longer merely touching, but pressed very firmly together.

Clarisse took a sudden sharp intake of breath and closed her eyes, fighting to gain control of her emotions. She could feel his warmth as his thigh pressed into hers, making the blood pump feverishly through her veins. What was he doing? Oh no, had she just stopped speaking mid-sentence? She couldn't remember any more. What must Mia and Charlotte be thinking of her? She opened her eyes and breathed a quiet sigh of relief when she realized that neither of them were paying any attention to her but were engrossed in a hushed conversation between themselves. Suddenly catching her granddaughter's eye, she smiled nervously and watched as Mia returned to her conversation with Charlotte.

"I think I have really done it now!" Mia whispered nervously, barely loud enough for her aide to hear. "I have never seen Grandma this mad and believe me, I have seen her pretty darn mad at me before!"

"I know." Charlotte whispered back uncomfortably. She had never witnessed the former Queen so angry that she just quit speaking to anyone, especially mid-sentence like that.

"Okay, now I am really nervous!" Mia whispered again as she caught her grandmother's strange smile.

The moment Joseph had scooted closer to Clarisse, instead of feeling her relax as he had expected her to do; he felt her tense up even more. Then it was like she was almost trying to move away from him. She must be really angry, he thought to himself. Wanting her to feel his love and support, he slipped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against himself, wrapping her securely in his warm embrace.

Clarisse froze. Oh God, what was he doing to her? She felt every nerve-ending in her body come alive as he pulled her to him and gently stroked her upper arm. If that were not enough to set her body afire, then she felt his other arm suddenly brush against the underside of her breast as he joined his hands together, holding her in such a way that she had no choice but to lay her head in the crook of his neck. She closed her eyes as she felt a shudder go through her entire body.

At that moment, the car stopped in front of a very elegant and beautiful old house. As Shades came around to open the car door and both Mia and Charlotte hastened out, Joseph took the time to pull Clarisse's face to his so he could look into her eyes. No words were spoken as she opened them and stared deeply into his, all coherent thought gone from her. He could scarcely breathe at what he saw in them. She had such an intense look of love, desire, and pure lust that it made his heart stop and his pulse race out of control. Joseph barely noticed the car door slam shut as he took complete possession of her mouth, his body suddenly so hungry for hers.

To Be Continued………………………….