She’s playing for freedom; he’s playing for survival. Who will come out on top? Emmaline Brooks wants nothing more than to get out from under the strict influence of her aunt and uncle, even if that involves gambling at the card tables from time to time. As a woman in a man's game, her quick wit and beauty give her an edge few can compete with. But her plans all go awry when she loses to a stranger in town, whose good looks and combating wit and charm only manage to rankle her further. After her family demands she give up the uncomely game completely, she takes drastic measures and answers a mail-order bride ad, following in her cousin Hailey’s footsteps to secure her freedom.But after only traveling a short distance on her journey toward an unknown future, Emmaline's stagecoach gets stopped by a tall highwayman, whose distinct voice sounds all too familiar. Harrison Grey is desperate. He’s resorted to gambling and thievery as his last means to keep his farm running and daughter fed. But he never expected to find the only woman who’d been able to capture his attention since the death of his wife to be standing on the other end of his pistol.