Pampered, beautiful, and clever enough to outsmart her matchmaking father, Kate McGillacutty coyly agrees to marry a man of the lumberjack baron's standards: a "real" man unafraid of hard work. Daring to call his bluff, Kate picks her candidate from the dregs of Virginia City's rough-hewn timber men, certain she can convince the ruggedly suitable, undeniably charming Peter O'Rourke to play along for a price, until she can get her annulment, her freedom, and a one way ticket back to the civilized world. A down on his luck Irish actor, Peter is no stranger to hard work, nor the ways of the world, and happens to be more than captivated by the spoiled hellcat who thinks she can beat men at their own games. He's not above conspiring with Kate's father to gain steady employment even if it means wedding, bedding, and taming his wilful daughter. Soon, Peter has dreams of his own for his beautiful bride, and they don't include letting her out of his sight. Because he's never met a woman like Kate, and he's determined to claim her heart - no matter how elusive it may seem.