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. He's handsome, virile and sexually skilled. But there's a problem for this new bride; her new husband is also the town sheriff. How can she be married to a man who would surely arrest her if he found out her secret?

As the most eligible bachelor in town, Ryder Graves is determined to not fall prey small town mothers eager to match him with their marriage- hungry daughters. He wants more than what is available in August Point. His needs demand a wife meeting certain criteria women in town do not possess, so he seeks the help of 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 that - 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?