A hedonistic rake is in danger of losing his heart when he sets out to seduce a reclusive historian.

Studious and socially awkward, Desdemona Littlefield is devoted to researching her family's extensive history in the seclusion of her moorland estate. When the arrival of her negligent brother and his London guests disrupts her quiet and orderly routine, the dangerous smile of a scandalous rogue threatens to turn her world upside down.

Bored with the pleasures of London, Count Leander Vittori joins the country party in search of diversions to satisfy his pleasure-seeking nature. He is intrigued by Miss Littlefield's forthright manner while her oddly assessing gaze sparks an intense desire and her innocence triggers a protective instinct he wasn't aware he possessed.

When Leander uncovers a plot to compromise the young woman and force her into marriage, he realizes he wants her for himself. Can a man who has lived his life for pleasure alone win the heart and mind of a scholarly recluse?