Knight and Sleigh: An Erotic Lucien Knight Christmas Novella by Kitty French Page A

she said.  
    His gaze raked her face when she lifted her head, and she could practically hear his gears changing up from sentimental to carnal. His breathing pattern shifted, becoming infinitesimally faster, and the pulse in his neck notched up beneath her hand.  
    ‘It’s going to be a pretty fucking x-rated book,’ he said, standing up, pulling her to her feet in front of him. He grasped the bottom of the shirt she was still wearing and ripped it open from bottom to top, sending buttons pinging around the room in all directions.  
    ‘Heathcliff never did that,’ she said, as he discarded his ruined shirt on the floor with a flourish.  
    ‘He didn’t know what he was missing,’ Lucien said, sweeping her into his arms. ‘Come on. It’s time for your present.’  
     
    Lucien kicked the bedroom door open and laid Sophie down on top of the dove grey, down-filled silk comforter, then shed his own clothes and joined her on the bed with a gift-wrapped package in his hand. She propped herself up against the cushions as he placed the small but substantial gift in her lap.  
    ‘Another present? And I’m to open it now?’  
    ‘Right now. Open your legs too.’  
    Sophie swallowed, parted her thighs, then tugged on the red silk ribbon around the parcel. It fell away, and the expensive paper followed suit to reveal a lacquered square wooden box, looking for all the world like a jewellery box.  
    Curious, she lifted the lid and saw two compartments with lift-up covers.  
    ‘Does it matter which one I look inside first?’ she said, flicking her eyes towards Lucien.  
    He shook his head, his hand warm and distracting on the inside of her knee.  
    Opening the first hinged lid Sophie found a black velvet box, which snapped open to reveal a white gold and diamond snowflake pendant. She gasped softly, lifting the glittering necklace out to examine it, the diamonds flashing like the aurora skies.  
    ‘To remind you of Norway,’ he said, securing it around her neck.  
    ‘I love it,’ she said, touching her fingers to where it rested, cool against the skin between her collarbones.  
    Lucien studied it for a second, and then nodded towards the wooden box again.  
    Sophie flipped the lid on the other compartment and dipped her fingers inside to discover its hidden treasure. Whatever was in there was spherical, about the size of a golf ball. Sophie lifted the glittering golden filigree and emerald-set orb out and placed it on her palm. It was the most incredibly beautiful sleigh-bell, one of the prettiest things she’d ever seen.  
    Reaching out, Lucien pressed a discreet clasp on the side of the sleigh-bell and it opened to reveal a small glass vial. She looked up at him, fascinated.  
    ‘Personalised arousal oil, blended in Paris just for you,’ he said. ‘Frankincense and myrrh, mixed with other scents that make me think of you.’  
    Sophie’s pulse shot up.  
    ‘Apples,’ he said, stroking her hair. The clean scent of her shampoo did it for him every time.  
    ‘And fresh, ripe peaches.’ He didn’t need to elaborate for Sophie to know why he’d included that fruit in his line-up.  
    ‘Flower extracts, from both your country and mine,’ he added. ‘I asked that they should make it subtle and unique, because you are, and that they should make it sexy as fuck, because you are.’  
    He took the small bottle from inside the sleigh bell and unscrewed the cap.  
    ‘Lie back,’ he said, taking the sleigh bell from her and setting the gift’s box on the bedside table.  
    Sophie watched him kneel between her spread legs, and when she was still he held the bottle over her body and tipped it until droplets of oil fell onto her skin; iridescent raindrops on her breasts, her stomach, her mound.  
    Placing the vial safely down beside the box, Lucien touched one finger into the oil on her stomach and then raised his hand to her face for her to smell.  
    ‘It reminded me of you as soon as it