Mississippi River, 1879. Delta Jarrett is desperate to end the recurring dreams that haunt her: disturbing, passionate dreams about her ancestor, pirate Anne Bonny, and Anne's lover, Calico Jack. In need of distraction, Delta agrees to serve as a reporter for her brother-in-law Hollis's newspaper, the St. Louis Sun. She'll cover stories onboard a Louisiana showboat, the Mississippi Princess, at each port of call as it makes its way to New Orleans.
 
Brett Reall, on the run from a murder he did not commit, is back in the bayous of Louisiana after a decade, disguised and on the lookout for bounty hunters and the law. His enemies could be anywhere, but after boarding the Mississippi Princess, he has a new fear: that his unquenchable desire for Delta will put her in harm's way.
 
Delta can sense the danger that surrounds Brett, but her vivid dreams and growing love for this real-life pirate only draw her closer to him—and to disaster.