Sitting down on the edge of the sofa, Clarisse picked up her drink from the coffee table and took a long sip of her champagne as her husband stood next to her and slipped off his jacket. "Getting a bit warm?" She asked and placed her glass back down before looking up at him.
"Something like that, yes," he smiled down at her before laying his jacket over the arm of the sofa and sitting down next to her. "As silly as it sounds, I actually forgot that I can remove it and be comfortable now. I no longer have to be so official."
"No you don't my love," Clarisse smiled as she put one hand down on his thigh and turned her legs towards him before crossing them. "You can be as comfortable as you like."
"Well, not as comfortable as I would like, not when we have company," he smiled mischievously and they both laughed.
"No, maybe not that comfortable, not yet at least anyway," she smiled and put her other hand down, pushing her shoe from her heel, so it was dangling from her toes, and began rubbing the back of her heel.
"Are you okay?" He asked, watching her as she nodded.
"Yes, just the back of my foot is starting to hurt now," Clarisse said and looked down at her foot as she continued rubbing her heel.
"Let me go and get your slippers for you, that way you can be comfortable too," he said as she looked back up at him.
"No please don't worry, it won't be long until they have gone off to bed and I can take them off," Clarisse replied and slowly slipped her shoe back on over her heel. "It's because I didn't break them in before wearing them tonight. But I'll be fine," she said and bit her lip as she looked down at her foot.
"Is it that bad?" He asked and watched as she nodded while looking back up at him. "Right, you need to be comfortable so I'm going to go and get your slippers for you," he said and leant closer to give her a quick kiss. "I'll be right back."
"No, it's okay," Clarisse said as she put her hand up onto his chest, to stop him from going anywhere, and shook her head. "I'll just take them off and go barefoot."
"Are you sure? Because I don't mind going and getting them for you," he said, his arm wrapping around her back as he twisted his body to hers. "I want you to be comfortable."
"Of course I'm sure," she smiled and looked down at her foot as she slowly removed her shoe, letting out a contented sigh before uncrossing her legs and removing her other shoe. "Ooh," she moaned quietly.
"Better?" He asked with a chuckle as she tipped her head back a little and closed her eyes at the sheer relief of removing the shoes.
"Oh much better, yes," she smiled and lifted her head back up to look at him. "That'll teach me to wear them without breaking them in first."
"Yes it will," Joseph laughed and watched as she leant forward, placing her shoes together under the coffee table. "I would offer you a foot massage, but I remember how you was when I touched your feet out at the pavilion."
Sitting back up, Clarisse laughed and looked back at her husband. "No, that's not a good idea," she smiled and reached forward for her drink. "Maybe one day. But not tonight."
"Yes, maybe," he said, smiling happily and kissing her shoulder as she took a sip of her champagne. His hand slowly smoothing up and down her back.
"Oh, I just remembered I have something to tell you. Pierre and I had a little chat about things earlier," Clarisse said as she leant forward and placed her drink back down on the coffee table before sitting back and looking at her husband. "I apologised for not telling him about us before yesterday, then we talked a little about how much you were there for me and how you have been my rock over the years, and after speaking about his memories he told me that he isn't going to call you padrastro, but would like to call you padre instead."
"No," Joseph replied in shock, his hand coming to a slow stop on her lower back as he glanced over at Pierre dancing with Mia. "But how come he changed his mind?" He asked as he looked back at Clarisse.
"Because he could think of only a handful of memories with his father, the rest are with you, or the both of us together," Clarisse said and studied her husband's face as he looked back over at her son.
"Oh," he said and looked back at Clarisse a moment later. "I wasn't ever trying to replace his father in any way. That certainly wasn't my intention. I simply enjoyed spending time with him and his brother, making sure they were kept busy while you and Rupert were busy."
"I know and I told him that," Clarisse said with a nod of her head, "and he already knew that you weren't trying to replace his father, but Joseph, he sees you more than a father figure than his own father because of all the memories he has with you. The fun memories he and his brother should have had with Rupert, are with you."
"Really?" He said quietly and watched as Clarisse nodded with a smile. "How do you feel about what he's said about his father?"
"Well firstly I wish I could say that things were different, but what he said is all true. Rupert was to busy for the boys, he needed an heir to continue his family legacy but he couldn't be bothered with spending any time with them, was always too much of an inconvenience," Clarisse said as she looked away for a brief moment before looking back up at her husband. "You were busy too, but you still made time for them, gave them lots of fun adventures on your days off, even helping them with their homework, and you never once made them feel like it was too much hassle. You were always happy to help and spend time with them."
"I enjoyed every minute that I spent with them and I wouldn't change it for anything," he nodded, studying her a moment. "But how do you feel about him calling me padre? Tell me honestly."
"Well I love that he feels that way, that he's comfortable enough to call you padre, but I love that him calling you padre means he has accepted us and our marriage," Clarisse said and watched as her husband nodded. "And that makes me so so happy."
"You're right," he smiled and smoothed his hand up her back before coming to rest on the back of her shoulder as she leant forward a little, to be closer to him, and rested her elbows down on her knees. "Makes me happy too."
"What about you, how do you feel about it?" Clarisse asked as she once again studied his face. "Being called padre is such a huge thing."
"Oh it is, definitely," Joseph nodded and smiled. "But I'm honoured that he wants to."
"Good," Clarisse smiled as Joseph tilted his head slightly and leant closer to kiss her. Pulling back a moment later, before the kiss became too heated with the desire they both felt for one another still so strong, Clarisse raised her hand and pressed her forefinger to his lips. "Behave you," she whispered and averted her gaze down to his mouth, biting her bottom lip in anticipation as he kissed her finger before leaning closer to her, to whisper in her ear.
"How can I behave when you are so irresistible," he whispered, her hand going to the side of his neck as he kissed her jaw, neck then her shoulder. "It's getting harder and harder not to behave."
"I know it is, but it won't be long," she whispered and watched as he lifted his head to gaze into her beautiful, desire-filled eyes. His hand going to rest on the top of her thigh, right on the spot where the garter sat on her leg.
"Can you do something for me?" He asked, averting his gaze down to her lips before lifting it back up into her eyes and smoothing his hand to the side of her thigh.
"Of course," she smiled and nodded. "What would you like me to do?"
Smiling, he leant closer to whisper in her ear once again. "When everyone has gone and we can finally continue what we started earlier on," he began, a mischievous smirk spreading across his face as a breath hitched in her throat. "Will you keep the garter on?"
Closing her eyes at his request, she imagined them making love, the thought of her legs wrapped around his strong frame pressing her deliciously into the mattress, with her still wearing the garter on her leg, aroused her more than she thought it would. Smiling, she opened her eyes to find her husband looking at her so intently. So full of love. "Okay, I will leave it on for you." She smiled and glanced down at his oh-so delicious lips.
"Thank you," he smiled and pressed his lips to hers for a brief moment before pulling back just enough to look back into her eyes.
Smiling, she raised her hand up to cup his cheek and smoothed her thumb over his lips, removing the remnants of her lipstick from them before lowering her hand and turning her head, to look back over at everyone dancing, to find Pierre standing the other side of the coffee table, having a drink of his champagne. "Oh hello," she said, surprised, and sat back up straight.
"Hello," Pierre chuckled as he held his glass close to his mouth, "did I make you jump?" He asked and took another sip of his champagne.
"You did, yes," Clarisse chuckled as she looked up at him, then at Joseph laughing beside her. "We were in our own little world, we didn't even notice you were there."
"I could tell, yes," Pierre smirked and placed his glass back down on the coffee table as Clarisse and Joseph glanced at one another. "Well, I'll leave you to it. You can get back to what you were doing now," he laughed and went to turn, to head back over to continue dancing with his niece.
"Actually Pierre, do you have a minute?" Joseph asked and watched as he turned back to them. "There's something I need to talk to you about?"
"Of course," Pierre nodded and averted his gaze to his mother as she looked at Joseph.
"I'll give you both a minute," Clarisse said as she rose to her feet and straightened out the skirt of her dress before making her way over to dance with her granddaughter and her friends.
"What would you like to talk to me about?" Pierre asked as he moved around the coffee table and sat down on the edge of the sofa next to Joseph.
"Your mother told me that you had a chat, and that you would like to call me padre instead of padrastro?" Joseph asked as he rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together in front of him.
"Yes that's right," Pierre nodded as he turned his head to look at him. "I mean if you're alright with it, of course, then I would like to call you padre if you'd allow me to."
"I'm more than alright with it Pierre, I'm very happy and honoured that you would like to," Joseph nodded, "and I know it means a lot to your mother too."
"I know it does," Pierre nodded and they both looked over at her dancing with her granddaughter for a moment. "You will look after her, won't you?" He asked quietly and turned his head to look back at his stepfather with a chuckle. "I know it's a silly question, especially after all the years you have been here."
Turning his head to look at Pierre, Joseph nodded. "Always have, and I always will. You have my word."
"Thank you," Pierre said sincerely, holding out his hand for him and shaking it when Joseph took hold of it. "I know it was a shock for me yesterday to find out about you both the way I did, but I'm so glad that she could finally put her past behind her and move on. She deserves it."
"She certainly does," Joseph agreed and let go of his hand as they both looked back over at them all dancing together.
Smiling, Pierre turned his head back to his stepfather a moment later. "And I'm glad that it's with you she finally found her happily ever after with."
Turning back to look at him, Joseph smiled. "Me too."