A woman running a prestigious London auction house? Preposterous! But that is exactly what Emma Fairbourne intends to do when her father dies, leaving her the reins of this fabulous enterprise. Of course, she is not addlepated enough to do this openly and scare away her wealthy collectors. So she and her friend concoct a deception, hiring a handsome and charming front man who will do her bidding...

All would have proceeded smoothly—if it weren’t for the maddening interference of Darius, the arrogant Earl of Southwaite, who has been her father’s “silent partner” and now shares ownership of Fairbourne’s. An earl, of course, has no interest in running an auction house—and Darius is certainly not interested in allowing Miss Fairbourne to run it either, her ludicrous scheme notwithstanding. Clearly the business must be sold, especially since Darius suspects that Fairbourne’s has been involved in shady activities that could embroil everyone associated with it in crime and scandal.

But the headstrong Emma is like no other lady he has ever encountered, refusing to follow his dictates. He finds her infuriating, but her direct speaking and lack of artifice create a powerful attraction as well, one that that has him following his inclinations to seduce her into surrendering to him about Fairbourne’s, and in every other way imaginable.

“. . .imbued with a deliciously dry sense of humor and graced with a striking cast of characters, . . . impeccably researched . . .a masterpiece of wit and passion.” —Booklist, starred review