Joss and the Countess, Paperback/S. M. LaViolette

After two loveless marriages to older men, widowed countess Alicia Selwood is more than ready to find a competent lover. But her late night adventures will require her to take on a bodyguard with a proven track record of professionalism and discretion. Joss Gormley is perfect for the job. Imagine Alicia's surprise when she discovers Joss's other qualifications-qualifications that might make him the ideal man to satisfy ALL her needs... Joss never intended to be anything but Lady Selwood's faithful servant. But the more time he spends with the delectable countess, the more he longs to love and possess her. He knows they are separated by a vast, unbridgeable social gap and that she'll use him and discard him. But none of those worries can stop Joss from serving her by day... and dominating her by night. When a ghost from Alicia's past threatens all she holds dear, she's forced to choose between the only family she has left, and the man who has come to mean everything to her. Can Joss and Alicia stand together and fight for their happily-ever-after-no matter how taboo? Or will society's pressures and expectations tear the two lovers apart?