A National Park Service Ranger in Fairbanks, Alaska, Kay Westmore has all the drama she can handle right now. In addition to escalating problems within her own family, she has become the target of a series of harassing letters and phone calls that she suspects are the work of her abusive ex-lover.

To complicate matters, she's about to embark on a dangerous survival mission to Northern Alaska at the worst time of the year with her new boss, Grace Perry. Grace is an ambitious (but very attractive) government official, who seems to take pleasure in making Kay's life even more miserable by being intent on constantly running the show -an act which could get them both killed.

Leaving behind the only thing that seems to bring her peace, Kay wonders if she's making the worst mistake of her life. Letting go of Stef Kramer, a beautiful, alluring woman determined to win Kay's heart, plagues her thoughts. Should it matter that Stef is still in college and 10 years Kays junior? What could someone that young possibly know about love?