If It Takes A Scandal (Marriage by Bargain Book 4) Read online

  Corin studied the parchment and was surprised by how well Reuben did. “I had no idea you were so talented.”

  “He’s just as good as your great-grandfather and his brother,” Candace said.

  His mother nodded appreciatively. “Reuben, if you can do this well at eight, imagine how much better you will be when you’re an adult.”

  Reuben’s eyes lit up. Corin couldn’t help but chuckle at his brother’s enthusiasm. It was good the lad had something he was passionate about, something he could devote his entire energy into. And somehow, someway, he hoped he could talk Reuben into letting him have the drawing because he did a marvelous job of capturing her beauty.

  “Who’s next?” Reuben asked, glancing from Corin to his mother.

  “I don’t think it matters,” Corin replied. “You’re going to do all of us at some point. Just pick the person you want to do.”

  Reuben thought about it for a moment and then pointed to Corin. “I want to do you next.”

  “Then, by all means, go ahead,” Corin said.

  Not that Reuben needed the encouragement. He was already going to the next parchment before Corin even finished the sentence. Then, with great enthusiasm, he began to draw him.

  ***

  Three days later, Corin and Reuben took Candace on a walk to the lake. Reuben was eager to fish, but Corin decided he would rather sit and watch. Candace suspected it was because Corin wanted to spend more time talking to her than waiting for a fish to nibble on his hook. She hadn’t been at the lake to sit and enjoy the day up to now, so she was looking forward to it.

  When they got to the lake, Corin set out a blanket on the grass while Reuben put a worm on the hook of his fishing pole.

  “Thankfully, today isn’t as hot as it was yesterday,” Corin said. “That will make being out here a lot more comfortable.”

  “The shade from the trees also helps,” Candace replied. “We could not have asked for a better day.”

  “No, we couldn’t.” Corin finished laying out the blanket, but instead of sitting on it, he gestured to the boardwalk that led to the center of the lake. “Let’s sit over there for a while. Putting your feet in cool water is one of life’s simplest pleasures.”

  Her eyes grew wide. “You expect me to put my feet in the lake?”

  “There’s no one out here but us. You’re not going to risk doing anything that will embarrass you.”

  Reuben finished putting the worm on his hook and looked up at them. “It’s fun. I like feeling the water between my toes.”

  As if to demonstrate he was telling the truth, he took his shoes off and began to roll up his breeches.

  Candace was about to ask him how he was going to take off his stockings without taking off his breeches, but then he started to unbutton his stockings.

  Corin turned his gaze to her. “Mother put buttons in his stockings so that he could easily pull them up if he ever wanted to dip his feet into the lake.”

  “She knows how much I love coming here,” Reuben explained.

  Candace smiled. “Your mother thinks of everything.”

  “While he has buttons in his stockings,” Corin began, “I don’t. And since I do like to dip my feet into the lake, I’ll need to remove my breeches so I can take off my stockings. You might want to turn around unless you want to watch.”

  Candace couldn’t tell if he was joking with her, but he started to unbutton his breeches. Heat rising up to her face, she quickly turned her back to him.

  “When it’s just me and Reuben, I don’t think anything of it,” Corin told her. “As I said, this place is private. No one is going to catch us here.”

  “Are you going to dip your feet in the water?” Reuben asked her.

  Candace shook her head. “I can’t. I’d be much too exposed.” It was bad enough that Corin was going to be showing his bare legs from the knees down.

  “We’re just dipping our feet into the water,” Corin said. “And we’re doing it out here where no one can see us. It’s not like we’re in London.”

  “You should join us,” Reuben added. “Part of the fun of being out here is putting our feet in the water.”

  “We won’t watch while you remove your stockings,” Corin said. “We will turn our backs. Then you can use the gown to cover your legs. We will be showing a lot more of our bodies than you will.”

  Candace detected the amusement in Corin’s voice. He probably thought she was silly to be worried so much about taking off her stockings when it was just the three of them. Reuben, being so young, wouldn’t think anything of it. And Corin was her husband. It wasn’t like he was a stranger. They had gotten to know each other pretty well over the past few weeks. No gentleman had ever been her friend before. She bit her lower lip. She supposed she shouldn’t feel shy about joining them.

  “All right,” she decided. “I’ll join you, but I want you both to turn around while I take my stockings off.”

  “We’ll be on our best behavior,” Corin teased.

  Would he really? Or would he take the opportunity to sneak a peek at her? And, the question that most alarmed her: did she want him to? She had never considered herself to be a flirt. She certainly had never encouraged Ian to touch her. Nor had she wanted any of his friends to do so. But the thought of Corin taking liberties with her didn’t fill her with the same kind of dread it had with them. With Corin, she just might like it.

  “I’m done,” Corin said. “You may turn around.”

  She fully expected him to have his breeches on and rolled up to his knees in the same manner that his brother did. But Corin had chosen to leave his stockings and his breeches next to his boots beside the blanket. Even though his shirt went halfway down his thigh, it didn’t cover him nearly enough. Without saying a word, Corin went over to the wooden boardwalk that went out to the middle of the lake and sat down. The water reached up to his ankles.

  He waved for her and Reuben to join him. “The water feels great.”

  Reuben picked up his fishing pole and ran out to the boardwalk and sat next to Corin.

  Corin called out, “We’ll turn our backs to you, and we won’t look at you until you tell us it’s safe.”

  Then the two turned away from her.

  Making sure the place really was private, she scanned the area. There was no one else around, and there were a lot of trees giving her adequate privacy. She chose one of the trees to go behind and made haste in slipping off her boots and stockings. She quickly lowered the chemise and gown so that she was only showing her bare feet.

  She peered around the tree, and sure enough, Corin and Reuben still had their backs turned to her. She picked up her clothing, carried them to the blanket, and put them next to Corin’s things. After that, she made her way over to where the two waited for her. Only when she was very young had she gone outside barefoot, so it was strange to feel the uneven earth beneath her feet.

  In many ways, it reminded her of the newfound relationship she had with Corin. The terrain was unpredictable. She didn’t know what to expect. And while part of the uncertainty frightened her, there was also a thrill to it.

  Pushing the thought away, she went down the boardwalk. Aware Corin was watching her, she lifted the hem of her gown as little as she could then sat down next to him.

  “Go on and put your feet in the water,” Corin encouraged.

  Well, she came this far. She might as well do it. She wiggled closer to the edge of the boardwalk and then put her feet into the cool water.

  “What do you think?” Corin asked.

  She wiggled her toes in the water and smiled. “I like it.”

  “I thought you might,” he replied. “I forgot how nice it was to come out here, sit down with my feet in the water, and just enjoy the day. It’s easy to lose track of things that really matter when you’re in London.”

  “I’ve been thinking the same thing. It’s easy to get caught up in social activities when there’s so much to do.”

  “This is fun, is
n’t it?” Reuben asked.

  “Yes, I admit that this is fun,” she replied.

  “Catching fish is part of the fun,” Corin said. “But we also like just sitting here and talking. I think that’s the biggest appeal to fishing. It’s taking time away from everything that keeps us busy, so we can appreciate the time we have while we’re alive.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Reuben replied. “My favorite part is catching fish.”

  Candace chuckled.

  Corin shook his head in amusement then glanced at her. “Children have a lot to learn.”

  His joke only made her laugh harder.

  “What’s so funny?” Reuben asked.

  “You are,” Corin teased, wrapping his arm around Reuben’s shoulders and ruffling his hair.

  From there, the three fell into a comfortable silence. Once in a while, someone would say something. But for the most part, they were content to enjoy the silence.

  Reuben ended up catching two fish. One was eight inches long, and the other was ten inches long.

  “Not bad,” Corin said. “This will be a good addition to dinner tonight.”

  “I’m going to take these in,” Reuben said. “I want to give them to Cook while they’re still fresh. Are you two coming with me?”

  Corin glanced over at Candace, as if asking if she wanted to do that or stay there and spend some time alone with him. Since they hadn’t had much time alone together, she decided that she would stay.

  “I’d like to stay here for a while longer,” she said.

  Corin turned back to Reuben and told him, “We’ll go back to the manor in a little bit. You go on ahead.”

  While Reuben ran off toward the manor, Corin helped Candace up, and the two went over to the blanket.

  “Our feet are all wrinkly because of all the time we spent at the lake,” Corin said as they sat down. “Sometimes I forget how long I’m over there. Our feet will get back to normal soon enough.”

  “I don’t mind,” she replied. “It’s a lovely day, and it was fun to put my feet in the water.”

  “Well, it was certainly more fun having you here than when it’s just me and Reuben. Don’t tell him I said that. I do enjoy spending time with him. It’s just that the scenery is better when you’re around.”

  Pleased, she smiled. “You think so?”

  “I do.” Corin brushed her hair over her shoulder and leaned toward her. “I want you to know that I enjoy my time with you. I never thought that I could enjoy a lady’s company as much as I enjoy yours.”

  “I enjoy being with you, too.”

  He brought his head closer to hers in a way that indicated he was about to kiss her. Her heart gave an unfamiliar flutter as she closed her eyes. His lips touched hers for a brief moment, and then he hesitated as if he didn’t know what to do next.

  He pulled away from her and asked, “Do you mind if I kiss you again?”

  “No,” she whispered. Then, on impulse, she brought her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her. “You may do whatever you want. I trust you.”

  His gaze lingered on hers for a moment. “I’ll never do anything to betray that trust.”

  Then he brought his mouth back to hers and was kissing her again. This time, he didn’t seem so hesitant.

  He didn’t reach for her breasts right away. He held her in his arms, and he continued to kiss her. This was nice. It was nice not to be rushed. It was nice that he was taking his time.

  After a minute, he traced her lower lip with his tongue, seeking her permission to deepen the kiss. Since she was enjoying what he had been doing up to now, she allowed him into her mouth. Ian didn’t kiss her this way. In fact he didn’t kiss her much at all, which was probably why she was enjoying being kissed so much. This was new. It was something she could associate with Corin. As his tongue interlaced with hers, he wasn’t the least bit demanding. He was gentle and deliberate. He was taking the time to fully explore her.

  When he finally brought his hands to her breasts, she noted there was a slight trembling in his touch. Perhaps the touch wasn’t meant to be erotic, but it excited her all the same because Corin was the one touching her.

  With a moan, she ran her fingers through his hair as he continued to give his full attention to her breasts. Now that his shyness was slipping away, he was becoming bolder in his actions, and there was something about the way he fondled her that made her ache between her legs. She had abhorred her time so much with Ian that she had never received any pleasure from it. But things were different with Corin. She was actually enjoying herself, and because of this, her body was receptive to him in ways she’d never thought possible.

  Eager to find out what else Corin could make her feel, she encouraged him to roll on top of her. But he stopped her. “The ground isn’t all that comfortable. I should be the one on the bottom.” His cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. “That is, unless you prefer me to be on top. I’ll do it anyway you wish.”

  Pleased that he should be so considerate of her comfort, she decided not to let his chivalrous act go unrewarded. She gave him a kiss. “I’ll be on top.”

  She lifted her gown and straddled him. Then, taking his shaft, she guided him inside of her. At once, he filled her core. Usually, she hated this moment, but with him, she found an unfamiliar wave of pleasure sweep over her. She groaned and closed her eyes.

  “Am I hurting you?” he whispered, his voice strained.

  “No,” she hurried to assure him. “You make me feel good. It’s never felt good before.”

  And then, because her body was prompting her to move, she began rocking her hips so that he was sliding in and out of her. This felt even better. She hadn’t been prepared for that. The ache that had been building up in her core was being stroked very nicely by his penis. More than that, when she leaned forward, she realized her sensitive nub was rubbing right up against him in a way that brought her even greater pleasure.

  Before she could figure out where her body was taking her, Corin grew still and cried out. Right away, she knew he’d found his release. His body was tense and there was the familiar throbbing inside of her as his seed went into her. She tried not to be disappointed. This was the first time she had been able to enjoy this act. She should at least be thankful she had enjoyed it at all. It was better than fighting back the urge to vomit.

  When Corin relaxed, he opened his eyes and looked up at her. “I’m sorry. I tried to wait. I held off for as long as I could.” He blushed and cleared his throat. “It’s just that I’ve never done this before. I wasn’t prepared for how good it felt. If you’re willing to wait for a bit, I’ll be ready to continue. Maybe next time, I won’t be so fast.”

  Her heart warmed at his concern for her. With a smile, she leaned forward and kissed him. “Are you saying that I should stay in this position?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Seeming to overcome his embarrassment, he smiled. “If you keep kissing me, it shouldn’t take too long before I’m hard again.”

  “Oh, well, if that’s the case…”

  She kissed him again, and he slid his hands under her gown. Once more he was exploring her breasts, cupping them at times and tracing her nipples at others. She knew he was working himself up so he could get erect again, but his actions were arousing her further. On their own accord, her hips started moving once more. He didn’t stop her. If anything, he encouraged her by placing his thumb over her sensitive nub and stroking it in circular motions. The simple action intensified her pleasure to the point where she needed to find her release. In fact, she had never needed anything as much as this in her entire life.

  By the time she was nearing the peak of her arousal, he was fully erect and thrusting inside of her. This time she climaxed first, and her core tightened around him as each wave of pleasure crashed into her. She had never experienced anything as wonderful as this. She closed her eyes and focused on it in an effort to prolong her state of bliss for as long as possible.

  Just
as she descended from the heights of heaven, she felt him tense again as he reached his peak. She opened her eyes and watched him, finding a sense of completion in knowing what he looked like when he received pleasure from her body.

  “There,” he said once he relaxed. “That was better. I didn’t lose control too soon.”

  She chuckled. “The important thing is that you were willing to help bring me pleasure. Some gentlemen won’t do that.”

  “I never want to be like those gentlemen.” Putting his arms around her waist, he sat up and kissed her. “You’re an important part of my life, and I will always treat you that way. I love you.”

  She cupped his face with her hands. “I love you, too.” Then, she lowered her head to his and kissed him in return.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The next morning when Corin woke up, he turned to face Candace. She had chosen to come to his bed last night. He suspected it gave her a measure of control to be in here instead of waiting for him to come to her, and he wanted to give her as much control as she needed so that she would feel comfortable with him.

  He studied her in the morning light. She was a beautiful lady. If she hadn’t upset Lady Cadwalader in her first Season, her reputation would not have suffered, and she wouldn’t have had to marry Lord Hedwrett. She would have been able to marry someone more deserving of her. He didn’t think he would ever understand just how miserable of a husband Lord Hedwrett had been, but he could endeavor to be the best husband he could be.

  Fortunately, he had the book to lead him in the right direction. Ever since he had been following its advice, things had been much better between them. Though he wasn’t sure he wanted to thank Lord Erandon for giving him the book, he was glad the gentleman had thought to leave it with him. When Reuben married someday, he would sneak a copy of the book from White’s and give it to his brother as a wedding gift. It was probably to every gentleman’s advantage to have one.

  Candace stirred in her sleep, drawing his attention back to her. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and looked over at him. He smiled at her, brought her hand to his lips, and kissed it.