A half-breed wanted for murder among his own native Shoshoni, Rider is bitter from the injustice that has sealed his fate. Now, his only goal is survival. But when he sees lovely, vulnerable Emma Trent, a woman heartlessly denied passage on a wagon train bound for the Oregon trail, he offers to lead the train—but only if she is permitted to come along. And though he plans only to sate his lust with her, Rider soon finds that the spirited beauty has challenged him to love. Emma invested all her life savings in the wagon train, only to be cruelly cast out by a greedy bunch of greenhorns. Then the dark, powerful half-breed came to her rescue, demanding an impossible price: she will share his bed. Desperate to make it to Oregon, she surrenders to his touch, while secretly vowing to seek revenge. Yet as the train moves through the treacherous territory, as hate softens in the sensual embrace of a skilled lover, and tender intimacy replaces false pride, Emma discovers a love she cannot deny.