Single Heart, Single Love — Patt Mihailoff

When her indentureship is bought out by Cole McCayne, Jade, a woman of questionable ethnicity, finds herself pressured into marrying him and traveling up to the high country in the Salida Mountains of Colorado. He seems a hard, secretive man. Jade questions him relentlessly about his intentions and is tersely informed that the only thing he wants from her is to be a caregiver to his young son and keep house at his ranch. Jade begins to move Cole in ways he's wanted to forget, and when he finally acts on his feelings, they are both left confused and trying to ignore the love that has gripped them. There is much he doesn't tell her, but little clues about his past begin to surface. Why won't he talk about his dead wife? And what has Nakoa, the powerful Sioux chief, to do with any of them?