Painfully shy Lady Sophie is happy to blend in among the other shepherdesses at her friend’s Twelfth Night ball, at least until she gets lost in the corridors and a laughing stranger sweeps her into his arms and kisses her. Horrified, she runs away, enticed back to the ball only by a change of costume. But there’s something in her new costume that has her feeling as confident as the heroine of her favorite play, giving her the bravery to experience yet another kiss from the full-of-life Lord Tamworth. Unfortunately, the next morning, she must hide from him and return to her life at school.

Lord Tamworth has vowed not to wed until after he turns thirty, as he has secret plans that must be in place before he can settle on a wife. So when he kisses an innocent shepherdess, he’s driven to apologize, only to end up committing yet another faux pas. Determined to start his new life free of encumbrances, and to once again see the lady with the softest lips and keenest intelligence, he takes extraordinary measures.

Upon returning to the Belinda School for Curious Ladies, Sophie’s shocked to learn Lord Tamworth will be a guest teacher. Determined to avoid him, she’s surprised when he seeks her out again and again for advice. The more she’s in his company, the more she can read between the lines, and it’s clear to her, if not to him, that there can be no happy ending to her story.

Note: This series is part of Dragonblade's Flame line, so this is a scorching-hot read with open-door steam.