Smuggling gave him the revenge he needed.... To no one's surprise, McKee Baird never fought in the War Between the States. His fiercely independent nature made it impossible for him to take orders, and his close friendship with a black man stopped him from fighting for his father's South. But he's found his own way to rebel against the new government the United States has imposed on him... and right now, the only thing standing in the way of his smuggling business is the intriguingly uninhibited Becks Middleton. Their chance meeting gave her the excitement she'd been craving... Becks has a life of freedom away from Charleston society's rules. So of course she can't help but be drawn to the stimulating renegade her mother invites to visit Beckett Plantation, even if she doesn't approve of his profession. When the opportunity to seduce Mac arises, Becks takes that chance, planning on one night of passion before the dangerous smuggler leaves. But when she accidentally becomes part of his schemes, she can't reveal the truth without risking his freedom. Joining him on his ship, Becks will face not just her growing love for Mac but a confrontation with authorities that will threaten their very lives. Can the two of them reconcile their differences before their future is stolen away?