Try as she might, Lady Octavia Vaux-Daventry cannot make herself fall in love with her groom-to-be. But a marriage to one of society's wealthiest noblemen will provide her a life so unlike her impoverished London childhood, and fulfill the promise she made to her grandfather so long ago. So it is more than inconvenient when the man who once possessed her heart bursts back into her world -- at the request of her betrothed -- and restarts a fire she thought was extinguished.

Having earned a reputation as society's favorite criminal investigator, former Bow Street Runner North Sheffield cannot believe Octavia is the woman he's been hired to protect. If anything, she is more desirable than the day they were forced to separate -- and even more unwilling to let the passion that still flares between them break the promises she must keep. But North is determined -- not only will he do anything to keep his lost love safe, but he will risk it all to get her back into his arms again.