Rozzy Pender has a dream. Only marriage stands in her way.

Marrying for love holds no appeal for Rozzy Pender. As she’s seen with her parents, giving someone her heart only means giving them the power to hurt her. Besides, she can only inherit the ranch she loves if she marries—which means losing it to her husband anyway. So she comes up with a plan. She won’t marry Rafe, the man she loves, but rather the furthest thing from a rancher she can find—a gentleman from Denver. Conveniently, he’s also the last person she can ever have feelings for, which makes him perfectly safe.  

Rafe Adams has spent his life at Rozzy’s side, planning for the happily-ever-after that Rozzy can’t seem to see. All he wants is for them to ride the range together on the land she loves. But when she helps him rescue a litter of puppies in his barn overnight and puts both their reputations in jeopardy, Rozzy’s mother forces him to propose before he’s ready, exposing Rozzy’s plot. 

Can Rozzy choose between her beloved ranch and the man who holds her fragile heart?