West Texas 1885 A hidden letter inspires Charity Brown to leave New York City and search for the father she never knew... A celebrated author and illustrator for Century magazine, Charity travels to the bustling West Texas cow town of Colorado City to write a series of articles and to look for her father. She doesn't know what she'll do if she actually finds him. Hopefully, he'll be happy to learn he has a daughter. But what if he isn't? Given that possibility, she decides not to tell anyone there about her search. Charity quickly discovers that keeping her secret from the deputy sheriff will be difficult. Not only is the man much too observant, their instant attraction plays havoc with her heart, making her long for love. The minute Deputy Morgan Kaine spots Charity, he knows she'll be trouble... And not just because the lady practically causes a riot when she steps off the train. Charity stirs a yearning he didn't expect, doesn't want, and can't put aside. Assigned to protect her, he would fulfill the role even if it wasn't his job. But he soon suspects she's there for more than writing about his town, and that it's a quest that could lead to a lot of heartache. Will they find love and lasting happiness? Or will she unwittingly destroy everyone and everything he holds dear?