Who is learning more - the novice? Or the master? Countess Meredith du Chevalier, a widow with a reputation for being sexually adventurous, is intrigued when she is approached by a gentleman who wishes her to "make a man" of his son. Sensing a passionate man beneath Christopher Whitby's reserved exterior, Meredith takes on the challenge, inviting the botanist to her country home to revitalize her abandoned greenhouse. Chris finds people to be a chaotic, animalistic species, and has chosen to devote his life to the study of plants. One kiss from the vivacious countess, however, and his inner animal is aroused. But lust is only a fraction of what he feels for the vulnerable woman hiding behind a brittle fa?ade. He resolves to coax her to grow until her petals unfurl in a glorious bloom. To her surprise, Meredith finds Chris brings much more to life than just fallow soil. But just as their love begins to thrive, he learns about the secret arrangement. Meredith must risk her heart for the most dangerous lesson of all?love. Warning - This title contains the following: Swinging from the vines sex, graphic language, light bondage.

This Christmas story is set between my books The Countess Takes a Lover and The Countess Lends a Hand. It's a romantic holiday encounter between lead characters Meredith and Christopher.

The man of her dreams is a nobleman. What’s a poor ladies’ maid to do? Reinvent herself, of course. For the first time in her life, reserved ladies’ maid Cecile Lambeaux has fallen madly in love…with Sir Nathaniel Covington, a man so far across the social chasm there’s not even an echo. Her only hope to gain his attention is her mistress, the Countess, who offers to help her pass as a gentlewoman. Cecile agrees, even if it means only a brief affair with the man whose haunted face touches her heart. Many burdens and secrets weigh down Nathaniel’s lonely soul. The Countess’s house party is a welcome respite from his troubles, especially when he finds a woman there who stirs him deeply. Cecile is an alluring woman of the world—but with an appealing innocence behind her flirting. Before he knows it, he is completely caught up in her charms. Their connection grows stronger than Cecile ever dreamed possible, but her deception hangs over her head. Meanwhile, Meredith and her lover, Chris, work through their own relationship issues regarding trust. Will both women learn their lessons about keeping secrets—before they ruin their chance for love?