I'm not even supposed to be here.

The Christmas Ball at Farcliff Castle is meant for proper royals... not families who are hanging on to their titles by a thread.

Families whose daughters need to marry well, else they'll lose their standing in society.

Families like mine.

You know who else shouldn't be here?

The Duke of Blythe.

Brooding, mysterious, with a gaze that makes my whole body ignite.

When the Duke steals me away from the ball, he shows me what it means to be a woman.

Makes me think that my future could involve something more than a loveless marriage to an old, well-titled man.

Treats my body with reverence, and shows me E-X-A-C-T-L-Y what I've been missing in my prim and proper life.

But the Duke has secrets he's not ready to share, and my time is running out...

...and that's before I find out I'm pregnant.

Now I need to decide-do I pursue a life with a reclusive duke, or turn my back on love to make sure my baby has a stable future?