Ellen Oldsmere, believing she'd killed an overly amorous suitor, agreed to become a mail order bride for a complete stranger in the Montana Territory in order to flee Minneapolis and avoid prosecution. When she arrives in August Point, her husband is all that she'd imagined, and then some. Besides being handsome and virile, he's also the town sheriff. How can she be married to a man who would surely arrest her if he found out her secret?. Ryder Graves would not fall prey to small town mothers and their eligible daughters. He demanded a wife that met certain criteria, traits women in town did not fulfill, so he sought out help from an expert--a madame with a skill for matchmaking. When Eleanor arrives from Minnesota, she meets all of his expectations. She's also headstrong and defiant, requiring a stern spanking or two to teach her, as the lawman of August Point, it is his job to keep her safe. It comes down to a matter of right from wrong. But his wife is not all she seems. Will he still want her when he learns the truth, or will his passion for the law make her face the consequences of her actions?