As far as her illustrious old California family is concerned, no man is good enough for beautiful Catarina Moreno. She’s been obedient through all the years of waiting, but now she wants a little excitement before her inevitable spinsterhood. When a handsome American cowboy rides onto her father’s rancho, Catarina sees her chance—as long as she doesn’t get caught and dishonor her family.

Jace Merrill’s worked thirteen years to earn a ranch of his own and prove his all-too-respectable father wrong. He only needs to work a little longer on Señor Moreno’s ranch for his hard work to pay off—as long as the Señor never learns his real name, or just how hard it is for Jace to resist his alluring daughter.

When Catarina and Jace finally give in to temptation, her father catches them, and they’re marched to the altar for a shotgun wedding. But ancient vendettas run deep in old California. There’s unfinished business between the two families, business neither Jace nor Catarina know anything about until it’s too late. Now they’re battling against a blood feud, and each other, to save a marriage neither of them wanted.