Charlotte Arkendale knew all there was to know about men. After all, she'd made a career out of steering marriage-minded women away from the untrustworthy members of the opposite sex. Yet nothing could have prepared her for Baxter St. Ives -- an arresting stranger too daring, too determined, too dangerous to be her new man-of-affairs.

Still, perhaps he was the perfect person to help Charlotte investigate the recent murder of one of her clients. So she game him a chance, never realizing that Baxter, a gifted scientist, would soon conduct a risky exploration into the alchemy of desire, with Charlotte as his subject. But even as he sets out to seduce Charlotte, a twisted killer lies in wait, ready to part the lovers... or see them joined together forever -- in death.