Page 51 of Claiming His Christmas Angel

Atticus’s heart pounded a fierce rhythm in his chest as her mouth clung to his. God, he wanted to strip her and feast on every inch of her right now. He lifted his head to stare down at her. Eyes closed, Octavia’s mouth beckoned him to continue kissing her. With great reluctance, he released her, then turned her toward the door and kissed the nape of her neck.

“I believe you mentioned something about a holiday meal?” he said with a chuckle as she released a sound of frustration. “I’ll help you as soon as I’ve brought up more firewood.”

She shot him a baleful glance over her shoulder as he gave her a gentle push forward, and when he laughed, she uttered a sound of annoyance before disappearing through the door. As she vanished from sight, Atticus drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes. Tonight, he would gain entry into heaven. The question was whether or not he’d fall from grace tomorrow, just as Lucifer had.

Chapter 15

As he set the ham on the table, Octavia moved to sit down, but Atticus stopped her. Pulling her chair out from under the table, he turned it sideways and gestured for her to sit. A puzzled frown furrowed her brow as she studied him for a long moment. Atticus nodded toward the chair.

“Sit down, Octavia.” Despite the flash of annoyed confusion in his soft command, her eyes widened as he knelt in front of her. “Now, extend your foot.”

“What?” Octavia stared down at him in confusion.

With a smile, Atticus leaned forward and reached under her skirt to pull her foot out from underneath her skirts. His fingers quickly undid the laces of her shoe, then pulled it off her foot and set it aside. One hand cradling the heel of her foot, his fingers explored the shape of her firm calf with slow, deliberate strokes.

His gaze locked with hers, Atticus’s hand slid underneath the skirt of her gown and up over a stocking-clad leg. The instant his fingers touched the back of her knee, she jumped, and he smiled with satisfaction.

“Are you all right?” he murmured with a low laugh.

“Ye…yes.”

Octavia’s reply was almost inaudible, but when he resumed his leisurely path upward, she inhaled a breathy gasp of surprise. Atticus arched an eyebrow, then grinned as his hand reached her upper thigh and another gasp escaped her. Fingers curled around the edges of her seat, Octavia sat immobile as his fingers played with the ends of the ribbon that held her stocking in place for several seconds.

Lips slightly parted, her breathing was ragged and anticipation sparkled in her gray eyes. In a lazy gesture, he drew a small circle on her skin at the top of her thigh. A small shudder rippled through her and vibrated against his fingertips. Pleased with her reaction, he gave the ribbon a small tug and untied the small bow it had been knotted closed with. Octavia made an incoherent sound the moment Atticus pulled the silk ribbon out from under her skirt.

The ribbon drifted down onto the tabletop before he slid his hands back under her skirt to slowly roll her stocking down to a shapely ankle, then off her foot. Atticus took his time removing the hose from her leg, his fingers lightly caressing her silky smooth skin. With one stocking removed, he turned his attention to the other. When he finished removing her hosiery, he pushed her skirts up over her knees. Another tremor rippled through Octavia, and Atticus’s hands stilled against her hips. Leaning forward, he nibbled at her ear.

“Are you cold, sweetheart?”

“No,” she whispered with a shake of her head.

“Good, because I don’t want you to be cold.”

Atticus’s mouth brushed over hers in a light kiss before he reached behind her waist to undo the tapes holding her underskirt and bloomers in place. In seconds, he’d pulled both garments down past her hips and thighs until she was bare beneath the skirts of her gown.

“There now, doesn’t that feel better?” he murmured, his mouth twitching at her shocked expression.

“I…it’s hedonistic…to have nothing…nothing on underneath my gown.” The breathless sound of her voice made Atticus bow his head to kiss the inside of one knee, before he pulled her skirt down over her legs.

“But it gives me the ability to pleasure you so much more easily.” He leaned forward and kissed her gently. “In fact, I’ve already decided what I want for dessert.”

“Let me guess, gingerbread cookies?” Octavia smiled at him.

“No, I want something much more delicious, but you’ll have to wait and see.” Atticus rose to his feet. The sight of her brow furrowed with frustration and puzzlement made him grin. Her lovely mouth twisted with annoyance, she uttered a noise of irritation.

“You are a terrible tease,” Octavia huffed.

“Am I?”

“Yes, and I find it incredibly vexing.” The fractious note in her voice made Atticus’s grin widen.

“Well, we can’t have that, can we?”

Without any warning, Atticus lifted her out of her seat, then sank down into his chair to hold Octavia in his lap. The moment her plump bottom pressed into his thigh, his body reacted. In seconds, his cock grew hard as iron. She shifted her bottom as if to make herself more comfortable, but grew still a split-second later as a soft gasp escaped her.

Eyes wide with surprise, it was obvious she was keenly aware the hard pressure against her thigh was his cock. Pink color flooded her cheeks before her startled expression faded, and awareness mixed with a burgeoning desire flickered in her gaze. As her mouth softened, her eyes took on a sultry slant, and Atticus’s body hardened even more.

Octavia slid an arm around his neck, then with her palm cupping his cheek, she bent her head to kiss him. In one blinding second, every muscle in his body was taut with desire, and his cock ached to be buried inside her. Hot and enticing, her mouth against his aroused a carnal lust to have her beneath him. It was difficult to control the savage urges flooding his body, but he forced himself to focus on pleasing her.