The Wager — Diana Bold

Captain Dylan Blake has spent the last decade fighting for his country. Desperate for a little peace, he sells his commission and returns to England, but soon finds himself angry and adrift in London society, searching for something to fill his empty days. When an old nemesis challenges Dylan to a wager - he must get Lady Natalia Sinclair to dance with him twice in one evening - he is willing to play along. Lady Natalia Sinclair fears her enormous dowry is the only thing that draws her many suitors. But heroic Captain Dylan Blake seems different. Unfortunately, she soon realizes his smile is false, his interest superficial. Dylan sees Natalia's rejection as a challenge and the stakes increase when he discovers his father has ordered his older brother, Michael, to win Natalia's hand. Passed over for Michael far too many times, Dylan needs to prove he can be first in someone's heart. As the lines between the wager and attraction blur, can Dylan and Natalia find the courage to take the biggest gamble of all - love?