Protecting Sam

They thought it was safe to lose their hearts. But the past is a dangerous stalker.

A smart SEAL knows when it's time to pack it in. After 12 years on the teams, and a horrific mission that stretched him to the breaking point, Steve "Smoke" Tannen is transitioning to civilian life and a new job helping other vets who've forgotten how to see the world in shades of grey.

One spot of color is his pretty next-door neighbor. Delicate features, chestnut hair—and a fight-or-flight wariness in her grey-green eyes that triggers his protective instincts.

Samantha Applehoff would be laser focused on her goal of owning a coffee and bake shop—if she wasn't always looking over her shoulder. She can't shake the feeling she's being watched, and now a secret admirer's leaving gifts in her locked apartment.

To make matters worse, she's not sure if her eerily quiet, unfailingly courteous, undeniably hot new neighbor is making her less anxious… or more.

The attraction is instant and their connection is real. But when Sam's fears strike in real life, Smoke has only one shot to save her. And it could cost them their own happy ending.