Haunted by war, Darius Cantwell is convinced everything around him is false, a mere pretense of innocence — especially the Scottish beauty who claims to be the wife of his best friend. Searching for her husband who abandoned her, Claire McFarlane has come to London penniless, desperate and still a virgin. Or so she says. But how could any man have left such a delectable bride untouched? Darius himself can barely keep his hands off her.

Lord Cantwell is Claire's last hope of discovering her husband's fate — but no man has ever made her burn the way Darius does. And it's obvious he believes her a liar. There's only one way she can prove her honesty — surrender her innocence to this grim, angry lord.