In a world where women hold all the power, a titled man can do little but accept his fate--that his sole purpose is to secure a good match--and hope his "bed price" is high enough. Jorlan Reynard has every trait necessary for that price -- he is staggeringly handsome. Irresistible. Wildly sensual. But he is also impossibly willful. The brash male refuses to be taken by just any woman merely because she can afford him.

Only one--the Marquelle Green Tamryn--can claim him. In a bold move, the powerful aristocrat marries him, offering him the security of her name and position. But there are forces conspiring against her, and the Marquelle must summon all her considerable influence to fight for their survival. However, he is not only a passionate lover, but an unexpectedly powerful ally ... and soon, the full truth of his remarkable abilities will begin to be revealed to all--in the Ritual of Proof.