Brownwood, Texas, 1883

Two years ago, Hazel Rutherford fled from her lying, greedy fiancé. Now, her young cousin is within his sights, and Hazel must return and rescue her. Which means facing a manipulative villain.

But her uncle won't let her go alone...

Kit Kirby is the man tasked with escorting her and protecting her while she's in Brownwood.

Kit Kirby. Saloon owner. Hell raiser. The man that all the ladies—from five to eighty—swoon over. All except Hazel, that is. Since the day she met him, they've done nothing but fight.

He calls her prudish. She calls him irresponsible. He calls her prickly. She calls him a conceited hell-trap. There's no way she'll make it to Brownwood with her sanity intact.

But when Kit changes the game and kisses her, she'll be lucky if she gets through the ordeal still the owner of her heart.