Wyoming, 1895 She fled civilized Virginia for the windy plains of Wyoming, but the hard work of renovating her old family ranch was exactly how Elise Vickerson planned to find solace. She had spent too long as her husband's punching bag. Striking out on her own shows her how strong she is...she doesn't need a man! Except the cowboy next door has her thinking... Cody Campbell has proof that the dilapidated Vickerson ranch belongs to him, but he'll have to wait until his father's return to show his prickly neighbor that she's wasting her time fixing up a ranch house that he planned to level. Elise would do best to ignore her handsome neighbor, but in his arms she feels something new: safe. Knowing that her past would eventually catch up to her, safety and security with Cody was a dream she couldn't afford to entertain.