And a passion like a storm that could not be calmed.
If Evelyn Markham entertained any aspirations of escaping an unwanted betrothal contract without a fine, she'd have to do more than break a few rules. She'd need to ignite the ton with scandalous gossip or be spotted in the company of a man whose mere name could set tongues wagging. Dalton Rochester was just that man. From the moment she laid down a daring wager during a game of billiards, her fascination with the dashing rogue burgeoned into something heart-poundingly real.
The shilling Miss Markham surreptitiously slipped into Rochester's pocket now lay snug in his boot, a constant reminder that even the tiniest pebble could feel like a boulder under the right circumstances. This was especially true when faced with the pull of his best friend's sister, whose mere gaze could set his pulse racing. When she whispered her challenge, "Make the shot, and I'll make your day," he found himself permanently ensnared. But now, he must steel himself against her charm because, for the past three months, the woman has been persistently requesting a private rendezvous. At this rate, his friendship with her brother, whom he owed a great deal, would not survive. Nor, with her persistence, would her virtue.
She started as a pebble in his shoe but quickly became his rock.