Having his heart ripped out and stomped on years earlier convinces Aiden Tanner that love is not a valid reason to marry. It might be right for others but not him. The right woman will possess the temperament to handle the large family he's planning. The oldest of seven brothers, he returns home from a tour of duty to find his father unable to manage the family ranch. Thrust into the new role, Aiden devises a plan: run the ranch, improve the cattle and horse herds, and find a wife.
Broke and desperate, Beth McNamara struggles with choosing between independence or moving in with her parents. Her sex life has been nonexistent since an abusive lover destroyed her confidence. Unable to make ends meet and unwilling to trust, Beth only wants the best life and future for her daughter.
After a stalker threatens her and her child, sanctuary comes in the form of an old crush. The sexy cowboy is overbearing and gruff but she remembers the gentle and compassionate man from before. Her body sizzles from his kisses and caresses. When he proposes marriage as a business deal, she's desperate enough to accept. As he wrestles with admitting his growing love, she battles her inability to trust.
