Rita always envisioned living in a southern state. When she moves to Beaufort, South Carolina she instantly feels like home. She befriends a shop owner with mystical powers including foretelling the future. With a naughty gleam in his eye, he convinces her to buy a portrait known by him to be cursed. 
Lord Dirk comes to life. Being stuck in a portrait able to watch but not to react, he is lustful after Rita. He is devilish, charming, and playful and shows up at the wrong places. 
What's a lady to do when a portrait comes to life? How does she explain to him to Philip, the new man in her life? Can she find a way to break the curse and send him back? Does she want to?