Jasper De Vere doesn't do sad. Ever since the death of his parents, he's devoted himself to life's many pleasures - while making sure to avoid attachments. It's difficult to avoid your own grandfather though, especially when you're the heir to his Dukedom. Unable to sit by and watch one of the few people he cares about wither away, Jasper flees to his friend Nicholas's country estate.Julia Bishop leads a life of glorious excitement - in her head. The spinal injury she was born with makes her a permanent pariah in society, so despite being the daughter of an earl, she's spent her life in the country with just her family to keep her company. When her brother-in-law's flirtatious - and devilishly handsome - friend mistakes her for an untroubled debutante, Julia isn't about to let an opportunity for some real, live adventure slip away.Delicious distraction and flirtation turn into an all-out affair, and slips dangerously close to something more when family intrudes. Can Jasper and Julia return to their separate lives in isolation, or will they take a risk and choose each other?