Who is the mysterious Varya? On the surface she's a woman who tempts men beyond reason, but no one has touched the heart of the elusive creature...that is, until now Miles Christian, the Marquess of Wynter, never expected to be abducted at gunpoint and accused of murder — and certainly not by a woman! When he discovers his would-be kidnapper is the elusive Varya, a beauty courted — and desired — by most of the men in London society, he is doubly shocked ... and enthralled. Obsessed with this seductress, Miles is determined to keep her by his side as they hunt for the true culprit, even if it means putting them both in danger. For Varya the danger lies in Miles's very touch, and though she's far from ready to trust the dashing rogue, she cannot deny the attraction that flares between them. But when they are caught in a compromising position, Varya reluctantly agrees to pose as Miles's mistress, even as she resists his potent efforts to woo her into his bed. For none could guess that her bloodlines are as pure as any English aristocrat's or that behind her public mask lies a woman determined not to relinquish her hard-won independence to a man's desire — unless she ensnares his heart as well.