The prodigal lover Lydie had grown up too close to Marius Benedict to remain immune to her step cousin's fatal charm. But Marius had merely seduced and abandoned her, leaving town under a cloud of scandal. Five long years and, no doubt, a dozen meaningless affairs later, Marius had walked back into her life, looking for all the world as if he owned it The trouble was, he did. As far as Marius was concerned, it was Lydie who was the deceiver. He had been away a long time just long enough to have planned his revenge on Lydie Benedict down to the first quiver of her lips . Forbidden when passion knows no reason