Rhys Wielde, is the CEO of Genoreach Technology, Inc., a Memphis (TN) based company that specializes in both research and development of Bioinformatics possibilities (the mating of Biology and Information Systems) and serves as a philanthropic foundation. He is notified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Justice that certain members of his staff had contracted with Latin American drug lords to create a product which will increase the drug trade. Genoreach has been identified as the originator of an artificial gene which annihilates all withdrawal and rehabilitative brain functions of drug users; creating incurable addicts once ingested. The artificial gene's code name is Omega. In the DEA's investigation of Rhys' company, they enlist the help of Rhys in identifying and bringing to justice these criminals. Rhys next finds himself in the mountains of southern Colorado in a DEA operation to draw out the criminals. Unknown to him, he is surrounded by DEA security teams and his personal bodyguard, Skye Mathews. His bodyguard is a beautiful biracial woman (African-American and Spanish) who is a pilot, consummate actress, and has been a DEA agent for 10 years. Further, she has recently returned from an assignment in Ecuador. Prior to the violence which signals the arrival of Rhys' criminal staff members and several Latin American mercenaries in Colorado, Skye becomes acquainted with Rhys as Sierra, one of the Colorado mountain town residents. In so doing, they both discover their fierce mutual attraction and she is able to protect him, without his knowledge, during the carnage and subsequent arrest resultant from the sting operation.

The next day Rhys awakens in a military hospital with no memory of his arrival. The DEA agents assure him his memory loss can be attributed to his being a novice in the excitement of the Colorado operation in which several of his former staff members had been arrested. Further, Rhys' inquiries as to the well being of Sierra was met with the briefest of interest by the DEA who claimed little knowledge of the local woman. The arrests of Rhys' former colleagues result in the discovery that the crime further extended to buyers in Lima, Peru. Rhys is enlisted to continue his role with the DEA in Peru; unknown to him, Skye would once again be his bodyguard.

This time Skye's role, Mara, is an old haggard domestic servant in the American Embassy in Peru where Rhys is residing for his task of confiscating Omega computer programs as evidence. Upon his introduction to Mara he is instantly attracted to something in the grotesque servant but is hard pressed as to why. At the prescribed time he enters into the office where the evidence is purportedly secreted and retrieves the computer disks. Upon his departure from the office, he is discovered by the Embassy guards and, to his surprise, is rescued by Mara. Escaping the guards, they race through the underground labyrinth of the embassy where they stop briefly to change clothing before continuing their escape from the embassy. It is then that Rhys witnesses the shedding of Mara, reacquaints with Sierra, and identifies his bodyguard, Skye. With no time for explanations, they continue their escape from the embassy and into the Andes jungle. It is there that they uncover a DEA single engine aircraft and Skye pilots their flight to Ecuador. After landing, Rhys requires explanations, reluctantly provided by Skye, before they continue their hike and bus ride (from a local village) into Quito, Ecuador.

Skye had established an identity as a Ecuadorian night club singer, Masquela, months earlier and had returned to follow up on the Columbian drug trade in that identity. Further, Rhys has the task of analyzing the software evidence taken from Peru in strengthening the DEA's case. After their arrival in Quito, Ambala, a native DEA agent, shelters them until Skye can reestablish her identity.

Dressing the part of the tempestuous diva, Skye (as Masquela) leaves Rhys with Ambala before appealing to her patron, the powerful Senora Hermasura, to allow her and her American lover to stay at her estate. The venerable matriarch is aghast at such a request and demands they marry. As marriage undertaken in the course of a DEA operation is treated as a twisted form of diplomatic immunity, Skye and Rhys find themselves married during their four days in Quito, Ecuador. The lavish ceremony is joyously planned and executed by Senora Hermasura. Rhys is indignant that a union he values so highly can be denigrated in such a way by the DEA. Skye is anxious to complete the operation and escape her uncharacteristic attraction to Rhys in returning to the safer ground of America.

Unfortunately, their mutual magnetism, started in Westcliffe CO, has become a torrid passion and in quick order their pretense of a marriage becomes a reality and both find themselves irrevocably lovers. Complications arise as Rhys is under the assumption that Skye's affections are feigned for her Ecuadorian audience both at the lodging house and nightly as she performs at the local club gathering information from her underworld contacts. Having eavesdropped on part of Rhys' conversation, Skye is certain that his amorous avowals and lovemaking are part of his plan for avenging himself of being deceived by Skye as both Sierra and Mara and in causing him to compromise his high ideals of marriage. Thrown into the fray is a renegade double agent from the DEA Caribbean office who has been contracted to retrieve the evidence Rhys has confiscated before killing him. Fortunately, the double agent does not recognize Masquela as his DEA colleague. Rhys' feelings grow stronger and he suddenly finds he can no longer accept the fact that Skye would give her life for him in the capacity of her job. He also cannot understand why she won't accept that he loves her.

Airline tickets in hand and their mission complete, they leave the lodging house for a waiting taxi only to be accosted by the double agent. Skye immediately positions herself to take the bullet, but is foiled by Rhys who forcibly shields her body with his in accepting the assassin's violence. Before succumbing to unconsciousness, Rhys manages to voice his approval of his wife's display of true emotions in her near hysteria at the sight of her wounded husband. Rhys finally has the assurance that Skye loves him, however, Skye is now convinced that Rhys had reaped his final vengeance from his gloating comment regarding her heart wrenching misery. While at the local hospital, a host of American doctors (many are disguised DEA agents) eventually arrive and take the unconscious Rhys and the grief stricken Skye back to America. Skye has been assured that Rhys had only suffered severe muscle damage from the single bullet wound through his chest.

Still gripped in despair, Skye tells her mentor and boss, Gabe, to annul the marriage and mask her data from all DEA and networking databases as she insists on having no further contact with Rhys. Gabe protests her decision as she so obviously loves him but in the end he complies with her request. Arriving in Florida, Gabe accompanies a weary Skye on a flight back to her home in Greenwood, Mississippi. Skye tries to piece her life back together with various activities to include teaching at the local university, immersing herself in flying, and theater communities. Gabe periodically updates her on Rhys' recovery, his insistence on knowing her location, and his testimony against his colleagues in the upcoming trial. Gabe also tells her he could not annul the marriage as Rhys had registered it in the Public Records of both countries the day following the ceremony. This revelation sickens Skye, which is further complicated by the discovery of her pregnancy. Eventually, she accepts the fact that the man she loves can never love her and she is content with having his child while now serving in an advisory capacity with the DEA in anticipation of motherhood responsibilities.

Rhys is livid when Gabe is not forthcoming about his wife's location. He is a computer prodigy and begins to surf the internet and associated databases in attempting to discover her location. He is busy with physical therapy and providing testimony for the prosecution against his former colleagues and, so, enlists the help of his staff in finding his wife. Despite the enormity of their surprise at their leader's short notice nuptials, they retrieve the completed marriage certificate by employing subterfuge, and have now armed Rhys with Skye's maiden name. A chance remark by Gabe completes the evidence Rhys needs to finally narrow the search and eventually locate his wife. In the course of reviewing Skye Mathews' activities in Greenwood, courtesy of cyberspace, he discovers she has had two successive visits with an obstetrician.

With great excitement and trepidation he immediately departs Memphis for Greenwood. His arrival in the city is at first met with a series of complications in finding her address. After finally securing the information he arrives at the grandeur of her antebellum mansion. She is both dismayed and happy to see him and the misunderstandings which have plagued their relationship is brought to a climax when Rhys apologizes for testifying against his colleagues. Skye queries his apology and finally learns that the vengeance she mistakenly thought he had directed at her was directed at his colleagues. They clear the misunderstandings and Rhys vows never to leave his wife and child in doubt as to how much he loves them.

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