Lily Hart had been a widow for three months, long enough for Sheridan to forget her name—but not long enough to heal from her husband’s death. When she rode to Eli McCrae’s ranch with her dress torn and hands shaking, she wasn’t seeking pity. She needed protection.
Eli, a man who feared nothing, assessed the damage at her foothills ranch—cut fences, rocks in her well, and signs someone wanted her gone. On her porch, a bale of hay hid a rattlesnake, placed deliberately to harm her. Eli saved her with a single shot and discovered the snake had been tied there—evidence of Harland Voss’s trap.
That night, Lily and Eli prepared a counter: psychological warfare and vigilance. By morning, Lily feigned weakness in town, baiting Voss while Eli watched. Together, they reclaimed the Hart Ranch. Threats were met with courage and precision. Sheridan learned that “soil and steel” and unwavering resolve could withstand even the most ruthless greed.