Chapter 16

O ctavia breathed in Atticus's warm male scent as he set her on her feet in her bedroom. An awkward sensation sped through her, holding her stiff as Atticus moved to stoke the fire until it was a steady blaze. When he turned around, his eyes narrowed at her, and Octavia averted her eyes. Dark shoes came into view a few seconds later, and a firm hand lifted her chin so she was forced to look at him.

"Are you having second thoughts, Aphrodite? If so, I'll leave you to your rest and see you in the morning."

The soft question was accompanied by an emotion that flashed in his gaze for a brief moment, then disappeared. It was almost as if he was afraid to hear her answer. She swallowed the knot of uncertainty that had formed in her throat. Was she having second thoughts? She mentally shook her head. No, she wanted Atticus. Her desire for him was stronger now than it ever had been.

What troubled her was the uncertainty of what tomorrow would bring when they returned to Stapleton Hall. The thought alarmed her, because something deep inside said her father would approve of her marrying Atticus. When that happened, she would have to abide by her agreement to marry him.

The thought made her nibble at her lip. But what troubled her was the question of how long the desire burning between them would last? And when Atticus's desire for her faded, what would happen then? The answer wasn't a pleasant one, and Octavia pushed the thought aside. Tonight she would live in the moment. Tomorrow would bring whatever it chose to bring.

"No, I'm not having second thoughts," she whispered.

Stepping forward, she reached out and began to undo the buttons of his shirt. Atticus inhaled a small breath as she parted the garment, while tugging it out of his trousers. A second later, her fingers glided across his chest, her touch tentative as she explored his hard muscles. He didn't stir at her touch, but she could feel the tension flowing through him. Steely muscles flexed against the pads of her fingers, his breathing accelerating as she mapped the hard contours of his upper body.

She darted a brief glance up at him. Eyes closed, his features were taut with pleasure. The instant she paused in her exploration of him, his gaze met hers. Desire had turned his eyes a dark stormy blue, and her heart skipped a beat.

Spice mixed with bergamot created a scent that emphasized the tantalizing maleness of him. It wafted beneath her nose, and she dragged in a deep breath, pulling him into her senses. God, he smelled heavenly. Her breathing became as uneven as his, and she rolled his shirt off his shoulders, removing it with his help. Suddenly feeling daring, she bent her head to press a kiss to his chest, following it with another before her tongue flicked across his nipple. At her caress, a low, primal noise echoed out of him.

The sound sent pleasure rushing through her as she realized he liked the way she was caressing him. Long male fingers moved through her hair, pulling it free of its upswept coiffure until it tumbled down her back as she continued her exploration of his body.

Sliding her hands up over his arms, she marveled at his well-toned muscles. The tight, corded muscles beneath her fingertips emphasized his strength. Every part of him was glorious. Dear Lord, how could this beautiful man want her above all others? Almost as if he could read her mind, his fingers dug into her waist, and he pulled her into him to press his forehead against hers.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are, Aphrodite? There's a raw sensuality about you that drives every rational thought from my head the moment you enter a room."

His voice was rough with an emotion that sent a frisson dancing across her skin. There was something stronger than desire in his words, but she didn't dare consider what it represented. He dragged in a harsh breath as his mouth brushed across her temple to glide downward to her ear.

"Ever since that night in the garden, I've dreamed about exploring every sweet, fragrant inch of you."

Bending his head, his mouth set her skin on fire as he kissed his way down the side of her neck. With each passionate caress, his kisses dragged her into a whirlpool of ever-increasing delight. Beneath her fingertips, she could feel the rapid beat of his heart, and it sent elation sailing through her. She excited him.

It was a heady sensation, and as her thumb rubbed over his nipple, a wicked sound rumbled in his chest. The sudden touch of his warm fingers running across her bare back made her draw in a quick breath at the realization he'd undone her gown. A second later, the dress pooled at her feet, leaving only her corset covering her.

Breathing hard, he stepped back from her, and she watched in fascination as he removed the remainder of his clothing to stand naked in front of her. Her mouth went dry as her gaze swept over his tall frame, before her eyes focused on the size and thickness of his erection. Earlier, when she'd watched him stroke himself, she'd not seen how splendid he truly was.

Unfamiliar sensations spun their way across her skin and down to the apex of her thighs. A small shudder rippled its way through her, and she jerked her gaze up to his. Had he seen her reaction? Blue eyes met hers, and she saw a tic in his cheek as his jaw was a hard line. He had seen her tremble. A look of fiery hunger darkened his gaze. It stole her breath away, making it difficult to breathe as his gaze fixated on her corset for a few seconds before their gazes locked again.

"I want to see all of you, Aphrodite," he said in a voice hoarse with need.

Yielding to his demand, she reached behind her back and undid the ribbons of the corset until it was open, and she had to press the silk-covered whalebone into her chest to hold it in place . Hesitant to reveal herself completely, she watched his throat bob with what she was certain was excitement. He stretched out his hand to pull the confining undergarment away from her with a gentle tug. The dark groan that escaped him made her cheeks burn.

"My God, I knew you would be exquisite, but you take my breath away, sweetheart."

A warmth spread its way through her as she heard sincerity mixed with raw passion in his words. He didn't move, his eyes studying her with an intensity that sent a rush of excitement through her veins until she was hot everywhere. As his gaze caressed her, she studied him with equal fascination.

Everywhere she looked, he was the essence of steely male prowess. Only God could have created such an incredible male form of perfection, and she wished she could paint him as he was now. As she continued her detailed examination of his tall frame, her gaze took in his erection for a second time.

The memory of how he'd pleasured her aroused a desire to do the same for him. Did she have the daring to let go of all her inhibitions to perform such an act? Mouth dry at the audacious idea, she cast every argument aside and closed the distance between them. Head bowed, she brushed her mouth downward across his chest.

Spice and sandalwood filled her nose as she drank in his masculine scent. With each breath she drew in, her body reacted to him with increased awareness. As her mouth reached his waist, she glanced up at his face. Eyes closed, his handsome features reflected intense pleasure. It was obvious he was enjoying her exploration of his body.

The moment she sank to her knees, his eyes flew open to look down at her in surprise. Fingers gripping his hips to steady herself, she heard a low growl of amazement escape him. She looked up to see him shake his head hard.

"Sweetheart…"

Whatever he'd intended to say remained unspoken as her mouth slid over the tip of him. Instead, a shout of gratification poured out of his throat, and he jerked hard as she took more of him into her mouth. His skin was velvety smooth over his hard length, and he tasted hot against her tongue.

Above her head, a deep groan of pleasure rumbled out of his chest the instant she swirled her tongue around him. Elated he was enjoying her mouth on him, she tightened her lips around his hard length, his hands clasped her head in a snug grip.

"Sweet Jesus, Aphrodite…" Another groan escaped him. "God, that feels good. Tighten your mouth on me just a little—"

She complied before he finished speaking, and a raw, fierce shout of passion poured out of him. Her hands still gripping his hips, she was startled when he began to rock his body back and forth in her mouth. Tightening her lips around him, happiness raced through her blood as another groan poured out of him. With a hard jerk, he pulled away from her. Chest rising and falling rapidly, it was obvious he was fighting powerful emotions. In a quick move, he tugged her to her feet and lifted her up into his arms. Carrying her to the bed, he laid her down on the mattress, then joined her, his hard body pressing deep into hers. One hand brushing aside a lock of hair off her face, he shook his head.

"You don't play fair, Aphrodite. Tonight is about me pleasuring you . Not the other way around." The gruff words made her smile.

"Are you saying you didn't like it?"

"No, I enjoyed it far more than you could possibly imagine, but at the moment, I want to experience the heat of your core a lot more than the warmth of your mouth."

"Then why don't you?" she whispered in what she hoped was a sultry voice. Something sinful flashed in his eyes as a wicked smile tipped the corners of his mouth upward.

"I want you to be delirious with need when I do. I want to hear you pleading with me to fill that sweet, fiery core of yours," he murmured as he lowered his head to take one nipple into his mouth to stroke and tease the hard peak with his tongue.

The caress tugged a soft cry from her as a burning sweetness streaked through her limbs. The fiery sensation was enhanced by a large, warm hand sliding downward to her hip. Arching her back, she pressed her body up into his in a silent plea for him to assuage the ache inside her that was reaching a feverish pitch.

He shifted positions with a slight twist of his body, exposing her from the waist down. The room's cool temperature only emphasized the fire engulfing her with each flick of his tongue or caress of his lips on her skin. With an inarticulate murmur of need, she wordlessly begged him to ease her suffering.

As if pleased by her incoherent plea, he bit down gently on the tip of her breast. Startled by the hedonistic act, her body jerked, and the instant she cried out with pleasure, he slid two fingers inside her. She'd barely had time to drag in a breath of delight when he found the part of her that made her feel as if she would come out of her skin.

The touch set off a wild ripple of ecstasy inside her that fanned out to send shock waves of mind-numbing bliss into every part of her body. Unable to stop herself, her mouth parted in a keening cry of ecstasy. In response, a primal sound rumbled in his chest, and it vibrated against her as he applied more pressure to the spot inside her.

Delirious and mindless of anything except the tempest of pleasure rising inside her, she writhed and sobbed against his hard flesh at the ever increasing, yet oh so delicious, wave of rapture that sent her upward with a hard thrust against his hand. Shuddering, her body tried to escape his unrelenting touch.

It was a vain attempt as he continued to stroke and tease her until the sensations inside her rose upward and crested at a peak of sheer bliss. As she tumbled downward, she sobbed his name, her fingers digging into the flexible corded muscles of his shoulders.

A dark growl filled her ears as she shuddered and his body settled on top of hers. The weight of him was a warm sensation, and she gasped as the velvety hardness of his arousal pressed into her. He paused at the sound, and frustration spiraled through her. Hands grabbing at his hips, she pushed herself up into him, causing him to slide into her a little further. He lowered his head to swirl his tongue around first one nipple and then the other.

"Oh dear God," she breathed in a fervent whisper. "Please…I need…I want to be a part of you."

Her plea seemed to unleash something inside him, as his face darkened with a hunger that startled and excited her at the same time. Hard, masculine lips crushed hers, and he kissed her with a passion she'd only ever experienced in her dreams.

Fingers spiking through his hair, she returned his kiss with equal fervor, then jerked as his thumb rubbed over the stiff, sensitive peak of her breast. He easily suppressed her cry of pleasure, his tongue slipping past her lips to tangle with hers in a dance of seduction that blinded her to everything but his touch. His fingers played with her nipple once more, when he suddenly tweaked it hard. He swallowed her cry of surprise with his mouth, and in the next breath, he thrust deep inside her.

Startled by his abrupt, unexpected possession of her body, she experienced a split-second of pain as he deepened their kiss. Hard and thick, he remained still inside her, his harsh breathing heating her skin as he buried his face in the side of her neck.

She was the first to move, and a soft groan reverberated out of him. The sound made her quiver, and she arched her back slightly, welcoming his body into hers as he withdrew, then slid back into her even deeper than before. Every part of her seemed to come alive with sensation as his body melded with hers.

As his hips began to rock against hers at a leisurely pace, she became keenly aware of each frenetic beat of her heart, each uneven breath they shared, and every stroke of his body against hers. Driven solely by instinct, her hands clutched at him, urging him to increase the tempo of his thrusts. With a deep-throated growl of raw passion, he answered her silent demand.

Fast and frantic, his body pounded against hers as she surrendered to him with an abandon she'd never believed herself capable of. Silently, she cried out her love for him as she soared upward with each blissful sensation that spiraled through her. Delirious with an ecstasy that threatened to undo her completely, she cried out his name, her fingers digging into the solid muscles of his back as she matched his thrusts with equal strength.

The instant she reached the peak he'd taken her to, she hovered on the edge of the abyss, her body trembling with one vibration of pleasure after another. Just as she tumbled off the high peak, a shout of savage delight poured out of him. A moment later, with her name on his lips, his body throbbed inside hers. Behind her eyelids, she saw vivid flashes of color as they fell downward into a state of quiet fulfillment.

They lay still against each other for several long moments, their breathing harsh and ragged between them. As her euphoria ebbed away, Atticus pressed his forehead against hers, and she reached up to cup his face.

"That was heavenly," she whispered. "I understand now what you meant when you said dessert was an appetizer."

"I found it immensely pleasurable too." Amusement rumbled out of him in a quiet chuckle before he kissed her. There was a gentle tenderness to the caress that made her heart leap. He lifted his head, his mouth curved in a wicked, sinful smile. "In fact, I'm certain I'll never grow tired of hearing you call out my name with such wild abandon, my sweet Aphrodite."

His words made her heart leap. He'd said that with the confidence of a man who firmly believed she would be his wife. But it was more than that. There was a conviction echoing in his voice that said he was certain they would have a marriage with many more nights like this.

Was he right? Could two people have a strong marriage based only on passion and friendship? Did it mean he might already be fond of her? If so, then if her father encouraged her to marry Atticus, perhaps that fondness might strengthen into something deeper. A small bud of hope unfurled inside her. She crushed the emotion the instant it threatened to take hold of her heart. Even daring to dream of such a possibility was dangerous. If she was wrong, her heart wouldn't just break, it would shatter into a million pieces, never to be mended.

When Atticus rolled over to lie on his back next to her, the room's cool air caused her to shiver from the loss of his warmth. In a swift move, he tugged the covers from under them and pulled them up over their naked bodies before he turned onto his side to study her. feeling as awkward as a young debutante at her first ball, Octavia closed her eyes unable to look at him for fear her expression would reveal her heart to him.

A strong male hand captured hers, and he carried it to his mouth to kiss her fingertips. Just as when he'd kissed her a moment ago, his touch was tender. It made her heart beat rapidly in her chest, and a knot formed in her throat. This man would be her undoing. Octavia was convinced of it. Warm fingers brushed a lock of hair away from her cheek.

"Tell me what you're thinking."

The soft demand caught her off guard, and the muscles in her limbs grew taut. Eyes still closed, she remained silent, uncertain how to answer him. When he nibbled almost playfully at the tips of her fingers, the feathery touch made her laugh, and she turned her head toward him.

"I was thinking how wonderful I feel right now." It was the truth. She did feel marvelous despite her fear of what the future might hold. A rakish grin twisted his lips.

"Then I can assume you won't object to me having my way with you several more times before dawn?" Atticus arched an eyebrow at her, and she laughed again.

"No, I won't object at all."

"Good," he murmured. "Because I cannot get enough of you, and I'm determined to have dessert all night long."

"All night?" she smiled. "I cannot go without sleep. Otherwise, you'll discover just how sharp my tongue can be."

"Hmm, then I'll consider allowing you to nap every hour or so. The rest of the time, I intend to indulge myself with your sweet mouth and tantalizing body."

Atticus followed up on his words as he bowed his head to nibble at her bare shoulder. It sent a delicious warmth pulsing through her, and she released a soft sigh of pleasure. A low chuckle reverberated against her skin, but he didn't stop his exploration of her neck and shoulder.

Content to remain still and simply revel in his caresses, Octavia closed her eyes. A smile tilted her lips as his mouth and teeth nipped at her. Giving herself to him tonight had been the best and worst thing she'd ever done. She loved him so much, and no matter what choice she made tomorrow, she was doomed to a hellish existence. The only question to be answered was whether or not that state of being would be immediate or in the future.

As his duchess, she'd be a slave to his every request, remanded to hell the moment he tired of her. The opposite scenario might be worse. If she ignored whatever her father said and walked away from Atticus, her pain would be immediate. At least as the Duchess of Ashurst, any pain she experienced would be delayed. She would also have more pleasurable nights like this.

Octavia's throat threatened to close with tears, and she quickly swallowed them. Worrying about the future was pointless. It only ate away at the happiness she experienced being in Atticus's arms. And she was happy—happier than she'd ever been in her life.

That was the memory she wanted to take away with her in the morning. She wanted to remember how deliriously happy she was in his arms for these few hours. A large hand cupped her breast, jerking her out of her thoughts. Octavia released a soft gasp of delight the instant his thumb rubbed across a nipple that was already stiff and hard. Her eyes flew open to stare up into dark blue eyes glittering with amusement.

"I wanted to make sure you were still awake." His light-hearted teasing made her laugh.

"I am most definitely awake, and if I hadn't been, I would be now."

Grinning at her amused reply, Atticus lowered his head to take the hard peak of her breast into his mouth. His tongue swirled around the hard tip, then administered a sharp bite to her sensitive flesh.

She cried out in surprise, the discomfort fleeting as his tongue laved her flesh in a soothing stroke. It was a hedonistic sensation, and her body cried out for more of the same. Without thought, she arched upward. Low laughter rumbled up out of his chest with what was obvious satisfaction.

"You like that, don't you, Aphrodite," he murmured.

"Dear God, yes," she whispered, then gasped again as he tweaked her opposite nipple with his fingers. Heat pooled between her thighs, and her hips shifted beneath him.

"Tell me what else you like."

"All of it," she breathed. I feel alive when you touch me, and I never want to leave your arms.

Drawing in a deep breath, the warm male scent of bergamot and spice filled her nose. He was hot, desirable male against her senses, and she jumped as he lowered his head to flick his tongue across the tip of her again, then blew a gentle breeze across it. The instant she inhaled a sharp breath of delight, wicked laughter reverberated out of his chest. Atticus lifted his head and smiled at her.

The teasing smile made her heart skip a beat. Dear God, when he looked at her like that, she was little more than clay for him to manipulate however he wished. Reaching upward, she brushed her fingers over his firm, sensual lips in a gentle caress. It was a beautiful, well-defined male mouth. Her gaze drifted down across his hard, well-toned shoulder muscles, then on to his bare chest before her eyes met his.

Atticus's smile vanished, and his gaze darkened with an emotion that made her heart leap. Without hesitating, she buried the hope trying to push its way outward. As much as Octavia wanted to believe the emotion reflected in his eyes was real, she knew she didn't dare allow herself to even hope for such a possibility.

For a brief second, she considered asking him if he had any feelings for her. The instant the thought flitted through her head, fear sent her heart slamming into her chest. Frightened that she might betray herself, Octavia reached up to pull Atticus's head down to kiss him.

It was a sweet caress, and for a second time tonight, there was a tenderness in his response that reignited the small ray of hope inside her. Ever so slowly, their kiss deepened into something more passionate, and when he lifted his head to stare down at her, desire blazed in his dark blue eyes.

"You go to my head, Aphrodite."

"Do I?" she replied as a giddy sensation fluttered through her. She offered him a teasing smile, while an odd look swept across his face. It was almost as if he wanted to say something, but was uncertain about doing so.

"I think the best way to answer that question is to show you," Atticus said in a husky voice.

His head dropped downward, and he kissed her again. This time, his caress was hot and demanding. It lit a matching hunger in Octavia, and she responded to him with her entire being, each kiss she shared with him a silent declaration of love.