A Regency enemies to friends to lovers romance, with a touch of brother's best friend and a whole lot of banter and steamy scenes.

Miss Gina Bains just needs to avoid marriage until Christmas—and her birthday. When she's one-and-twenty she'll receive inheritance from her father and be free to travel the world. In the meantime, she's stuck with faking the accomplishments her mother insists on and "accidentally" stepping on the toes of her would-be beau.

Dancing with his best friend's sister is Emmett Stanton's duty to fulfill, like choosing a wife to keep the Earldom going. When Miss Bains inadvertently reveals her ploy to remain single, Emmett realizes a fake engagement can solve both their problems. Though given how alluring Gina is, he's not sure it should be temporary. The condition that he can't kiss her creates a challenge, but he can tempt her into kissing him...

Gina resist's Emmett's charm for months, but when Christmas and freedom are just days away a kiss under the mistletoe is irresistible. One kiss turns into Emmett educating her in the ways of love, and suddenly the future—without Emmett—looks gray. But how can she give up her travel dreams when he must settle down and produce an heir?