Darcy Higgins thinks herself doomed to spend the rest of her life in the plush mansion that is her prison. She is thrilled when her smothering husband purchases her passage on a paddle wheeler to Memphis. Intoxicated by the taste of freedom, she has no idea what life changing events await her. When Cole Evans isn't winning at the gaming tables, he has no difficulty winning a woman to warm his bed, but he vows to never allow his feelings for a female extend above his waist. That is, until a breathtaking, redheaded Irish lass catches his eye. Can Cole's vows to remain unattached withstand the barrage of sparks that fly whenever Darcy is near? With her husband mysteriously murdered, will Darcy be able to put her sordid past behind her and allow herself to be truly loved?