After being shamelessly seduced by a married man, Zelah Pentewan finds her reputation is in tatters. Determined to rise above the gossipmongers, Zelah knows she can rely on no one but herself. But her independence takes a knock when a terrifying stranger must come to her aid. Major Dominic Coale's formidable manner is notorious, but Zelah shows no signs of fear. She doesn't cower at his touch as she begins to get a glimpse of the man behind the scars….

"So what do you say to the wager, Miss Prentess? A diamond worth thousands against a night with me?" No London beauty has managed to tame the incorrigible Jasper Coale, though many have lost their reputations trying. In sedate Bath on a family errand, the viscount expects to find little in terms of entertainment—certainly no female company to tempt him. Miss Susannah Prentess' discreet card parties in Royal Crescent offer a welcome distraction. And the glint in Susannah's hazel eyes tells Jasper he's met his match at last. But is she game enough to accept the most outrageous wager of all?