A resolute spinster at twenty-five, Abigail Weston is nonetheless determined to see her cherished younger sister wed to a man of Quality. But Abigail's lack of experience with the opposite sex menas that she cannot allay her sister's fears about the marriage bed-unless she takes bold steps to learn what the intimacy between a man and a woman entails. Yet the one man in London qualified to teach her awakens temptation Abigail never anticipated-to experience each whispered pleasure for herself...

James Stevens-wealthy, dissolute, and wholeheartedly bored by London society-believes nothing can shock him. While Abigails' request for a verbal explanation of the pleasures of the flesh is mildly surprising, what amazes James is his powerful reaction to her innocence and lush beauty. A sexual dalliance between them may bring untold carnal bliss, but anything more would ruin Abigail forever. And for the first time in his life, James suspects that mere physical intimacy pales in the face of true love...