Emma Van Court, frisch verwitwet und Lehrerin in einem schottischen Dorf, muss zahlreiche Verehrer abwehren. Ihr verstorbener Mannes Cousin, der Earl of Denham, bietet sich als "vorübergehender" Ehemann an, in der Hoffnung, ihr Herz zu gewinnen, während er von einem starken Verlangen nach ihr geplagt wird.
In the second book in #1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown’s beloved Texas! trilogy, readers meet another son of the troubled Tyler clan—Chase Tyler, a man hardened by life and desperately trying to outrun the sorrows of his past. Chase Tyler has been the object of Marcie Johns’s desire since grade school. But when it came time to settle down, the handsome, laconic cowboy chose another woman to be his bride. Life was good for Chase—until things took an abrupt and tragic turn. Ravaged by grief, Chase has become a lost and embittered soul, a man without purpose, compassion, or hope. Then fate intercedes, reuniting Chase and Marcie, who was an unwitting player in Chase’s unfathomable family tragedy. Guilt weighs heavily on Marcie, but she’s also convinced that only the strength of her love can pull Chase back from the abyss. She’s willing to risk everything on a daring plan to rescue his business, save his life, and bring them together at last.