"I'm not kissing you to get it over with. When I kiss you for the first time, you're going to want that kiss more than your next breath." Montana girl Kristine Stone was strong enough to break out of an abusive marriage, but is she strong enough for the road that lies ahead? For the first time in her life, Kristine finds she has some control over her life. Haunted by her ex-husband and a newly acquired stalker, she leaves Montana to work in the U.S. Senate. Kristine issues a moratorium on dating. This hardly deters Kadyn Rand, the Air Force Captain who threatens to tear down every wall she's ever built. Still, someone from her dark past refuses to be ignored, and Kristine finds herself in yet another fight for her life. Tall, dark, and determined are the words that best describe Kadyn Rand. He is too stoic to be swept away by much of anything, but a vulnerable woman from Montana manages to do just that when she finds herself alone and in danger in DC. Kadyn is intelligent, resourceful, and a fiercely devoted friend. His sense of humor runs on the sarcastic side. He's also the kind of guy who likes to keep people guessing about what's going on inside his head, which is why he makes a conscious effort not to smile. That is until he meets Kristine Stone. Her missteps regularly get a smile out of him. Her moratorium on dating intrigues him, while her vulnerability calls to his protective side. Kadyn tries to earn Kristine's love and her trust but soon learns it will take much more than that to save her from her past.