Naughty Marietta — Nan Ryan

Marietta Stone had big dreams -- to sing opera, to be famous, to see the world. And if her rich gentleman benefactor was a tad overprotective, well, it was a small price to pay. She had a glorious future ahead.

But it did not include being kidnapped by Cole Heflin, who seemed to be the only man on earth she couldn't wrap around her delicate finger. He was a ruthless, conniving scoundrel who'd literally been unstrung from the gallows and paid to bring her back to the one place she'd vowed never to set foot again -- home.

Cole had never met a woman he didn't like, nor one he wasn't happy to love. Until now. Sure, Marietta was a little wildcat who drove him crazy with desire, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing it. They had a lot of miles to cross on the way back to Texas, with her benefactor's hired gunmen on their trail and a dangerous frontier ahead. But the trip home was not nearly as dangerous as the temptation naughty Marietta inspired....