Destiny of the Heart (Viking Destiny)

Kristen Ashby isn't your typical London debutante, and she certainly has no interest in getting married and settling down. But, when her mother dies and leaves her in the care of her lecherous stepfather, Kristen decides marriage is a much better option. Of course, the dangerously attractive Derrick Shane isn't making that particularly easy for her. After refusing to marry her, Kristen writes him off as a lost cause only to be repeatedly confronted by him, and the passion he brings with each interaction. When her family's past begins to catch up to her, Kristen must choose between the love she feels and the need to keep Derrick safe.

Derrick Shane doesn't want anything to do with the marriage mart or the young hopefuls who put themselves on display each year. Experience has taught him that when women learn the truth about his family, rejection soon follows. But, when he meets the fiery Kristen Ashby, Derrick finds himself wishing that his life was different. She fights like a man, swears like a pirate, and has a mysterious past that she refuses to discuss, all of which makes him want her more. With secrets of his own, Derrick can hardly blame her, but the need to possess her consumes him even as he tries to keep her at arms length.