What would you do if you were kissed by the most handsome stranger
you'd ever seen? And what if that man was a Cynster?
Every girl--even convent-educated ones--dreams of forbidden kisses. So
when a man literally falls at Helena's feet as she's walking through the
courtyard one moonlit Christmas Eve, the pretty, young comtesse d'Lisle
knows he's up to no good. He's clearly a bit dangerous... and obviously
caught in the middle of a clandestine rendezvous. Why else would he have
risked his neck and jumped out of a window into the snow?
It's wrong, it's outlandish . . . and it's the most utterly romantic
gesture she's ever seen. So when the good sisters rush up, demanding to
know ifshe has seen a man on the grounds, Helena ignores the years of
strict upbringing that insist she reveal his presence.
To lie would be a sin, but 'no one can be good all the time.
As a reward for her silence, the stranger takes her in his arms and
enticingly, unforgettably kisses her--and then departs, leaving a
lingering if unspoken promise of all that might be, should fate decree
that they meet again. Although Helena doesn't know it, her wild
Englishman is Sebastian Cynster, Duke of St. Ives, a nobleman who will
prove to be her destiny.
Seven years later, Helena has been transformed from a pretty schoolgirl
to an aristocratic beauty. Her sparkling wit has made her sought after
by London's hostesses; her considerable dowry has made winning her hand
the aim of many a gentleman . . . but she is deadeningly aware of how
boring so many ofthese gentlemen are.
Her manipulative guardian has unexpectedly allowed her to find a husband
of her own choosing, and she has no intention of marrying any man who
tries to tame her. There must be someone perfect for her . . . someone
who can live up to the promise ofthat long-ago kiss.
Then, at a ball, fate strikes. Once again, it is the Christmas season,
and across the crowded room Helena stands transfixed . . . for there is
the man whose kiss she has never forgotten, the man of her memory whom
no other has ever been able to supplant. Her wild, mysterious
Englishman, Sebastian Cynster, Duke of St. Ives.
One look, and he's determined to reclaim her . . . .
