<p>Her sister might be the law and her brothers the brawn, but Riley Kingston is definitely the brains of the family. She&rsquo;s a talented botanist well on her way to a PhD&mdash;so why does she feel like a failure? Fired from a dream project in Costa Rica, Riley&rsquo;s stuck back in her hometown. Cataloguing plants on Steele land keeps her busy, but it&rsquo;s far from compelling work. Until she discovers a fascinating new specimen. One with a body made for pleasure . . . and eyes filled with a pain she longs to understand.</p><p>Delta Force operator Coen Monroe doesn&rsquo;t want to be studied. Not even by the sexy scientist whose inquisitive glances stir up desires he isn&rsquo;t ready to handle. He came to Steele Ridge to be alone, to battle his nightmares and the memories triggering them. But Riley&rsquo;s gentle seduction is as relentless as her curiosity. She soothes his wounded soul . . . and fires up his defensive instincts. But when her research sparks a deadly conspiracy, Coen is exactly what she needs.</p><p>When Riley is targeted by a sociopath bent on silencing her forever, Coen will do anything to protect her. But can he save the woman he loves without losing himself in the process?</p>