Cade Byron returned from his work for the foreign service and buries himself in work at his country estate. Wounded in body and spirit, Cade turns his back on both friends and family, preferring to grieve his losses in solitude. But when a snowstorm strands a beautiful young woman on his doorstep, all of Cade's carefully crafted defenses will be put to the test. Meg Amberley is determined to make the best of her snowbound time with the cranky Lord Byron. Drawing him out of his seclusion, Meg soon discovers a man she wants to spend more and more time with. But when a passionate encounter uncovers dark secrets from Cade's past, Meg must decide if she's willing to risk her heart on a man believed to be incapable of love. Forced to pretend an engagement, will Meg be able to break down the walls around Cade's heart, or will the scars of his past prove too much?