Page 12 of On the Ropes of Scandal (With Love in Their Corner #3)

Emotions lodged in her throat, for it was all a lie.

None of what she’d told him was real; their relationship wasn’t real, yet the feeling of security she had each time she laid down next to him in the narrow bed was.

As was the sensation of happiness whenever he kissed her.

“It is certainly interesting to contemplate.”

They walked in silence for a bit on the country lane that led away from the village.

“Tell me about you,” he said abruptly, breaking the companionable quiet.

“What do you mean?” The knots of worry in her belly pulled once more.

William shrugged. “I can’t remember anything about you or our history together, so since we’re having a romantic walk, I thought it might be lovely to get to know you, as if I’m courting you all over again.”

A flutter went around her heart. “What a good idea.” How would he have courted her to begin with? Of course, that assumed a man like him who have ever picked her out of a crowd for such an intention. They would never move in the same circles in reality.

“I thought so.” Amusement twinkled in his light brown eyes, and the grin that curved his sensual lips sent matching flutters through her lower belly. “How did you and I meet?”

It would seem there was even more lying in her immediate future.

If there came a time for the truth, would he be as enamored with her as he seemed to be now?

Afraid of knowing the answer, Phoebe softly cleared her throat.

“Uh, Auntie and I were up in London last year for the Christmastide season and to take in the sights. We happened to attend the same rout where you were at, and I accidentally bumped into you, spilling a bit of Maderia on your tailcoat.” It was entirely plausible, because being in society made her extremely nervous.

“I trust I wasn’t an arse in my reaction.”

She chuckled. “Not completely, but you weren’t pleased.” If she were to invent a meeting, it might as well amuse her. “You were charming, however, and when I asked how I could make it up to you, a dance was your answer.”

“That sounds about right. I think.” When he laughed, the warm, rich tones of the sound sent shivers down her spine. “But I wish I would have remembered what it felt like to dance with you.”

“Oh? Do you enjoy that exercise?”

He shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine, but somehow, I feel like I might. Don’t you enjoy it?”

“I do, but here in Cranleigh, there aren’t many opportunities unless the assembly rooms are open or there is a private event a someone’s country home.

” The solid feel of his body at her side was quite thrilling, and made her remember how much she missed her fiancés.

In William, though, she’d found an easy companionship and a vibrant partner she could envision spending time with in the future.

If fate would allow it.

“Clearly, you need to use your imagination, love. Dancing doesn’t need any of that and can take the exercise in any flat place. Take that meadow, in fact. Do you fancy a waltz?”

Her pulse accelerated. “Perhaps another time.”

“Fair enough.” He nodded. “Have you always lived in Cranleigh?”

“I have. My parents were both born here, as were me and my siblings.”

“And yet you lost all of them, I assume?”

Swallowing heavily, Phoebe nodded. “Either through the war or another of fate’s cutting of threads. Life hasn’t been kind, I’m afraid.” Then she shrugged. “Before you came along, I’d been engaged to two men, and both perished. I had given up hope of ever finding anyone again.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m glad to be here for you.” When he squeezed her fingers, tears welled in her eyes. “You have told me that my family lives in London. Do they regularly come to visit?”

“They haven’t come for ages, probably because they don’t think I’m good enough for you.” That wouldn’t be far from the truth if his memory returned and he went back to the life he’d led before in Town.

“Then they are idiots, for you are everything lovely in this world, and I couldn’t imagine going through life with anyone else at my side.”

The words were sweet and romantic, of course, but she doubted he truly meant them, for he only thought himself in love with her because she’d told him they were married. Why couldn’t this life become real? Then she paid attention to their location and sucked in a breath.

Immediately on alert, he tugged her to a halt. “What?”

“Nothing, really, but see that meadow?” She pointed to the space where she’d first seen him on the day of the fight. “Sometimes, they hold bare knuckle boxing matches there.”

“How interesting.” He released her hand and then wandered off the lane toward the meadow, while she followed at a slower pace. “Bare knuckle boxing.” With a glance at her over his shoulder, William moved into the meadow. “I’ll wager those attract large crowds, hmm?”

“So they say. I attended one for only a quarter of an hour, and even then, I had on a cloak, so I’d be partially hidden.” An image of him shirtless and stripped to his breeches floated into her mind. “No doubt it’s a brutal sport.”

“So I’ve heard.” He swept his gaze over the long, sweet-smelling grasses and flowers. “I would have enjoyed watching that.” The hand not holding the basket curled into a fist. “I’ve heard a few people talking about such things in passing and can only imagine how thrilling a raw sport like that is.”

“Have you ever seen a bout before?” she asked, as she drew abreast of him.

“Obviously, I don’t remember if I did.”

“Yet you said something about a Young Thomas to me before.”

Confusion reflected in his eyes. “I don’t remember saying that, but something about those words is familiar to me.

” The man glanced at her with a slight smile.

“I can almost understand what it feels like to land a punch into another’s man’s gut, to know the rush of satisfaction of clipping some man’s chin with a fast uppercut. ”

How did he know the language? Did that mean he was remembering?

He’d certainly been bloodied and battered when he’d come stumbling out to the bakery, and that mean he’d probably come straight from this very meadow after his bout.

But seeing him cleaned up and fully clothed now instead of half-naked was a far sight better than the mess he’d been.

“Just make sure you don’t go around the village picking fights, hmm?”

“Of course I won’t, especially with a child on the way.

” Then he took her hand once more and pulled her away from the meadow.

“Even if I had the skill, fighting for coin is a risk. Each man only has half a chance of winning, but both have every chance of being seriously injured enough that it would affect their daily lives.”

At a grouping of oak trees, he found a spot he liked then sat with his back against the trunk of a wide tree with his legs encased in tight-fitting trousers in a brown color stretched out in front of him.

Once he rested the basket beside him, William gestured to her, patted his lap.

“Come. I’m of a mood to spend some scandalous time with my wife. ”

“Oh?” Tingles zipped up and down her spine, but when he lifted an eyebrow, there was nowhere else to go except to join him. “What… uh, what do you have in mind?” This could either go very, very good or very, very wrong.

“Come closer and we’ll find out together.” He tapped the basket’s lid. “And I brought a Gothic novel I found shoved in between the cushions of the sofa in our common room. I don’t mind reading you a couple of chapters if that is the sort of literature you enjoy.”

Good heavens. She must have left that book behind years ago when she’d visited her aunt before all the grief entered her life.

“Sounds intriguing.” And why shouldn’t she explore this man?

She’d invented a marriage, didn’t she? And if was already in the midst of scandal, she might as well enjoy it.

With a grin, Phoebe took her skirts in hand and crawled over to his location. “What made you bring the book?”

He shrugged as he removed his gloves, then threw them toward the basket.

“I took a chance, thinking the book might belong to you, one that you didn’t want your aunt to know you liked to read.

” One hand rested on the lid of the picnic basket.

“In case you think your aunt has no knowledge of this outing, it was on her suggestion I bring the basket. She packed it herself, said I should go flirt with my wife. There is even a carafe of tea, though I rather doubt it has retained its warmth, but even cold tea is preferable to none.”

“What a lovely idea.” Needing to see where this interlude would lead, Phoebe climbed into his lap, straddling him with her skirts bunched between them. Dear heavens, the feelings that welled within her from this wicked position caught her by surprise. “Oh!”

“Ha. I knew you weren’t immune to my advances, so it must be your aunt’s censure you’re trying to mitigate for some reason.

” Immediately, his arms went around her, and daring much, she relieved him of his top hat, tossing it to the side.

“Why are you at odds with her? I know you argued with her this morning, even though I couldn’t hear what you talked about. ”

Heat went through Phoebe’s cheeks. “I don’t wish to discuss that.” How could she even form words when she was pressed so intimately against him?

“Fair enough.” William nodded. “Then if you don’t want to talk, would you like to make inroads into tea?”

“Not just yet.” When she met his gaze, she nearly tumbled into those darkening brown depths. In the sunlight, and this close to him, she discerned tiny golden flecks in those pools. “This is hardly proper, though it feels all too good.” Would he laugh at her for the admission?

He chuckled. “Proper is far too overrated,” he murmured and slipped a hand up her spine to tangle in her hair. “And I can’t explain to you why I feel as if I was a rogue at one time.”

“Mmm, perhaps you were, for you are certainly quite charming.” This time, she initiated the kiss between them, and all too soon the embrace grew heated.

How could it not when there was a strong connection there even if he was much a stranger?

Without knowing exactly what she was doing, Phoebe plundered his mouth, sought out his tongue with hers, for that tangle of tongues, the exchanging of thrusts that he’d taught her was a sensation she craved.

William broke the kiss to drag his lips down the side of her neck.

When he followed the simple line of her bodice, she trembled in his hold, and with a smug chuckle, he took one of her taut nipples into his mouth and worried it through the thin fabric of her dress.

The other he rubbed and rolled until her back arched and she writhed from his erotic attentions.

Dear heavens.

She never felt as if she might explode before, since both of her fiancés had been away to war, and their few meetings hadn’t been conducted by themselves.

And thank goodness her dress was of a lightweight wool blend so no one would see the wetness his mouth left behind.

“Oh, goodness,” she managed to gasp out as her head lolled onto one shoulder.

The evidence of his desire rubbed against her center, and it was a marvelous feeling.

Would she be able to see his member soon?

“You have no idea how much I want you, but this isn’t the time or place.” Yet he delved a hand beneath her skirting and seconds later, those questing fingers were between her splayed thighs to play at the sensitive button at her center.

“Dear heavens, what are you doing?” Not of her own volition, her fingers dug into his shoulders.

“The next best thing Mrs….” He frowned. “Damn. I can’t remember my surname.”

Fear twisted down her spine, for she’d forgotten that within her network of lies. “Harris,” she managed to force out from a tight throat. “William Harris.”

“Of course. That sounds right.” A chuckle left his throat when she uttered a moan mixed with a sigh and one of her hands slipped down his chest. “And to answer your question, I’m pleasuring my wife, so you can be as loud as you wish.”

“Oh.” I’m in a fair amount of trouble, I think. Confused about what to do, Phoebe claimed his mouth in a hard kiss while he continued to tease that nubbin for all he was worth. The strum of his fingers against the sensitive flesh had the power to see her undone, and she rather liked it. “William…”

“Shh. Give into the feelings, Phoebe.”

“But…” How? But her body took control, and instinctively, she moved against his fingers and hand, which put her into his keeping much better.

At the new angle, it took next to no time for her to fall over the edge into bliss with a sound that was halfway between a cry and a scream.

Did it speak to his skill that she’d achieved that so quickly?

As waves of hot sensation rushed over her, she squirmed on his lap, moved her hips against his hand.

He was only too happy to oblige her and continued to bedevil that button until she lost the last vestiges of control and went over again.

Exhausted, Phoebe sagged into his chest, and as his arms once more went around her, he held her close.

“Merciful heavens. That was… There are no words.”

“Have you never achieved release in all the times we’ve been together?” Confusion threaded through his voice as it rumbled in her ear.

“Yes, of course, but this time was particularly powerful.” How was she to remember her lies when his play could make her forget everything?

As her heartbeat regulated, she nestled herself against his chest and sighed.

For the first time in her life, she’d been sent flying, and what was more, she couldn’t wait to experience that again.

“Then I must be doing something right.” He pressed his lips to her temple. “Now, let us investigate the contents of that basket. I’m famished.”

Was it horrid of her to pray that his memories never returned?