Beautiful Meridian Hunter craves the touch of a strong, masterful man. She wants to experience the bliss of surrender, the feel of chains on her wrists and ankles, the sting of a flogger, and the sweet pleasure of being ordered to please.

Her search leads her online, where she discovers the Master of her dreams. What she has no way of knowing is that her new Master Nightshade is really Marshall Wilder, the gorgeous, exasperating new CEO of the company where she works.

Marshall Wilder is a born Dominant, but has given up the search for his perfect slave. All of his D/s relationships have ended in disaster and disillusion. He has decided that a true D/s relationship is impossible to find in his day to day life.

Wilder discovers Meridian's secret, and poses as Nightshade in order to prove to her how easily one can be fooled online. Wilder still hopes to dissuade Meridian from living the BDSM lifestyle, though he is torn by his desire to possess her, and his own dark fantasies.

He takes her away to his remote cabin to give her a taste of temporary slavery. The lesson soon becomes complicated as the pair end up in bed, living out their mutual fantasies of Dominance and submission. When he forces her to submit to his every whim, instead of being discouraged, she wants more and more.

The pair must resolve their differences and find their place as Master and slave or they will be destined to remain mere players in a game neither can win.