Joe motioned for Maria to sit down, she took the seat opposite him. "So have you missed me Maria?" "Would you be offended if I said no?" She didn't expect his reaction, he burst out laughing. He shook his head at her. "Ah Maria. There's something about you. You're not like the others, they always give in without a fight and never talk back at me. Though I still haven't forgotten about the knee job you did on me." "I haven't forgotten either, I still get great satisfaction from that memory." Her words wiped the smile off his face. "Be careful Maria, don't push me too far." He got up and walked around the desk, he stopped in front of her and perched on the edge. He reached out his hand towards her, she forced herself to stay still. He tucked her hand back behind her ear. His eyes narrowed. "Seems to me like you've caught the sun a little. I wonder how, seeing as you've no windows in you're room and you weren't allowed to go into the grounds. I'll have to have words with Craig." "It wasn't his fault, I made him let me go out." "Yeah right, and how did you manage that?" "I can be very persuasive when I put my mind to it." He ran his finger down her cheek. "I bet you are." He moved away from her heading for the door. He looked back at her and motioned for her to follow. "Where are we going?" "My room." Maria shook her head. "No." He put his hand out towards her. "Yes." "NO...Please, I don't even know you." "I promise you will soon, intimately." "Can't we....I don't know, talk or something?" "Talk? I'd rather do the something." "Yeah talk, get to know each other better." "Hmm, I don't know, I know everything I need to know about you." It was her turn to narrow her eyes. "How? Oh wait let me guess, my father." "Smart cookie aren't we?" "Okay so you know about me, but I know nothing about you." He sighed and closed the door, heading back into the room and sat down on the sofa stretching his arms across the back. "So what do you want to talk about?" Maria took a deep breath, she sat down next to him. She turned towards him her leg brushing against him. He looked down at her bare leg then back up to her face when she spoke. "I want to know everything." "That might take some time." "I've got plenty of that." "Yeah at least for now. Okay then I'll start at the beginning....." TBC

Part 12