Frederick Palmer knows his dukedom depends on filling the fertile widow with his seed, but Tessa Blair's presence turns the required act into an obsession he cannot control. Her bold spirit masks a wound that echoes his own terror of failure, drawing the authoritative duke into a hunger that blurs the line between duty and the desperate need to be chosen by her.

In the library as light fades, he has her on the table with documents beneath her, his hand working inside her to prepare for the breeding that will bind their fates. The council papers remain sealed nearby, yet Frederick stands at the point where claiming her body might demand he surrender the emotional distance that has always protected his legacy.