Rachel will do anything to escape her stepfather's abuse, but as an unmarried woman, her options are pitiable. When the reclusive Earl of Braven saves her from drowning, she wonders if perhaps he's the answer to her prayers. Putting herself in another man's power isn't what she wants, but at least the earl seems kind, if not somewhat... tortured. When he suggests they marry, she knows it isn't real. He's just providing an escape for Rachel and possibly her mother, but her heart cannot help but hope that the passion simmering between them might be more than temporary.
Requires Desperate Measures
Brave keeps his heart locked away after a terrible tragedy that robbed him of the woman he loved -- the woman he couldn't save. But, fate has delivered him absolution in the most beautiful and delectable form. Honor demands that he do right by Rachel. His mind dictates that he keep his distance for the good of them all, but his heart won't be satisfied until Rachel is his in every sense of the word.