Hello dear reader. I wanted to try my luck writing a Romantic (watch the capital) story and this is as Harlequin-ish as I can master. I hope you will enjoy it and leave me a review.

The aftermath

´I'm so happy you've returned home safely Your Majesty!´ exclaimed Charlotte, ´Are you all right?´

´I'm fine dear and I'm very glad that no one got hurt,´ said the queen. As if nothing had happened she smiled at her aid and then walked to her suite to retire for the night.

Queen Clarisse's car had been attacked by two shooters. They'd been shooting at cars before, just for the fun of it. Today they'd picked the wrong vehicles. Her Majesty was glad they'd been caught: she dearly loved her people and the region around Pyrus had suffered under their 'pranks' for too long already.

Though she acted calmly, she wouldn't soon forget the attack: there had been a loud BANG (the first of many) and then Joseph had jumped from his seat next to the driver to her, closing the safety screen and moving her to the floor where he'd protected her with his body. At first she'd been frightened, not merely for herself, but for her guards too.

The shooters were caught and no one got hurt: a minute had seen the beginning and the end of the attack.

She blushed to admit it, but she'd wished it had lasted longer...

Feeling Joseph's athletic body covering her had made her recall certain dreams. Dreams she felt a widowed queen in her early sixties shouldn't have. She'd hoped that Joseph had attributed her shallow breathing to the attack. And then, just before Joseph had spoken into his microphone (´Eagle fine´) she'd felt it: he too was excited.

On entering her suite she poured herself a glass of cool water.

What had happened next was that Joseph had helped her up and checked her for injuries. Before she knew it he had moved to the front seat and they had resumed their journey to Pyrus. Had it been a dream, than he wouldn't have left her: he would have whispered that he loved her and he would have asked her permission to kiss her. Wordlessly she would have granted him, right there on the floor of her limousine. What did she care? She'd kept her feelings to herself for years, but when she'd inhaled Joseph's odour all she'd wanted was to dig her nails into his back and have him take her.

She pressed the cold glass against her forehead. Oh Joseph! She reminded herself that he was more than a bedroom fantasy: he was her friend. The moments when she didn't have to be Her Majesty, the queen regent of Genovia, were rare and most of those moments she experienced in Joseph's company. He could make her laugh, he could -

´Your Majesty? Are you alright?´

With a cute shriek the queen turned to see her bodyguard stand near her.

After a short debriefing session Joseph had wanted to check if his queen was alright, even though he feared that she would fire him: surely she'd felt him pressing against her thigh? The attack had frightened her and she must have thought that he was taking advantage of the situation!

What was he to do when he couldn't be near her? Having to leave her would destroy him...

´Are your men alright?´ asked the queen, though she already knew the answer.

´Yes they are ma'am. Are you?´

Clarisse put down her glass and cleared her throat. Whether it was appropriate or not, she would confront him!

´I'm glad everything went well. It must have been an exciting training for you.´

Joseph didn't know what to say.

´I suppose the adrenaline was responsible?´ inquired Clarisse. She was quite sure that she was right. Why would her friend be interested in her in a romantic way?

Possible answers raced through Joseph's mind. The queen seemed to have given a matter of fact comment, understanding that in times of danger certain bodily reactions might occur. It would be best if she believed her idea to be valid, for telling her that it had been her generous bosom pillowing his chest and his leg between her long graceful legs that had generated his response would surely mean the end of him. He was about to reply affirmatively when he realised that she wasn't looking at him and that her silk blouse couldn't hide the fact that her nipples were hard. He recalled her shallow breathing. Dios mio! He closed his eyes for a moment.

´No,´ said he, ´No Clarisse.´

She looked up. He didn't often use her name.

´It wasn't adrenaline.´

She inhaled sharply.

´It was you. My body called to yours,´ stated Joseph.

Clarisse's heart skipped a beat. Could it be true?

Sinking weakly down on a chair, she tried to calm her rejoicing heart.

Seeing her reaction and the blush on her cheeks made Joseph smile.

´It wasn't just because you're a gorgeous woman,´ said Joseph, slowly and deliberately walking toward her. ´I love so many things about you that I could talk about that for hours. But right now...´

Suddenly she felt his strong arms around her, protecting her and claiming her as well. Oh, how she loved him!

´Clarisse,´ he whispered huskily, ´look at me mi amor.´

She swallowed hard at the sight of his piercing eyes, shining with love. No, it wasn't just love. Her heartbeat accelerated knowing that he truly lusted after her. She licked her lips.

Joseph couldn't control himself any longer. Her gesture would have been any man's undoing! He growled ´Ti amo´ before ravishing her mouth.

Clarisse was not used to kiss a man who loved her passionately. In a way she responded to Joseph's expert caresses like a virgin. Joseph noticed this and it made his dreams come through.

´Let's tango,´ he suggested, inspired by his fantasies. Clarisse made a throatily sound.

Naturally Joseph didn't dance a ballroom tango. His tango was the wild passionate dance from the kind of café where a queen would never set foot. Clarisse was an excellent dancer though and willing to let him take charge. They moved like one being to music that was humming through their veins.

´I want to tango horizontally my love,´ said Joseph when he had Clarisse leaning backwards. She shivered. His breath teased her nipples.

´Oh!´ she whimpered.

He grinned mischievously before pulling her up.

´Do you?´ inquired he.

She looked at his shoulder, feeling too shy to eye him.

´We've only just kissed Joseph,´ said she, barely audible.

´But it left you wanting for more, didn't it?´ replied he knowingly.

She swallowed.

´Do you know how jealous it always made me to see His Majesty enter your suite?´

His words made her look at him. He caressed her silky cheek.

´He and I, we didn't -´

She stopped talking, mostly because the way Joseph glanced at her made her body ache with want.

´What about you and I mi amor? I want you. I want to worship every inch of you, for you deserve that,´ said he tenderly.

Clarisse felt herself drift away. His voice was so seductive! His eyes captured hers and she felt she was like a rabbit looking at a fox, unable to move and ready to surrender to the inevitable. Without being aware of it she moved closer into Joseph's embrace.

´Yes,´ whispered she.

Joseph didn't waste time. He cupped her buttocks and pulled her against him.

They both moaned at the feeling of their hips pressed against each other. Joseph did his utmost best to keep his breathing even, but Clarisse didn't hide the fact that the proof of his arousal excited her.

´Unbutton your blouse mi vida,´ ordered Joseph.

She swallowed hard, not used to his tone of voice, but she couldn't hide the need in her eyes. Slowly, teasingly, she raised her hands to her collar. Joseph's fingers stilled as the love of his life opened one button, then another one.

At the third button Joseph turned them around to push Clarisse against a wall. He firmly placed his hands on her hips and showered her neck and the bared skin below it with kisses. Her melodious moans of approval made him feel more masculine than he'd ever felt. When she opened another button and the lace of her bra was revealed, Joseph's control shattered. He swayed her in his arms, causing her to gasp, and headed for her bedroom.

...Some hours later on...

´How now corazón?´ whispered Joseph when he found himself capable of speech again.

Clarisse didn't need him to explain. She realised that though their bodies hadn't joined until today, their souls had been connected for many years already. The tenderness she felt for him was nearly overwhelming her.

´I love you,´ she said as she lazily caressed his muscled upper leg. After their love making they were still moist with sweat. She sleepily inhaled his intoxicating scent.

´And I'm yours Joseph, no matter what others will say or do.´

´Para siempre,´ said Joseph and he kissed the back of her head.

´Forever,´ she confirmed happily and with a sigh she nestled herself against her lover's firm upper body. Joseph had worn her out and she was sated. It didn't take long before she slept.

Joseph held her lovingly as if she were the most precious being in the universe, and to him, she was. A tear of joy made its way down his cheek. Then he too fell asleep, his arms folded protectively around his Queen of Hearts.

~ The end ~