Declan James lost his last ounce of trust the day his wife walked out the door, leaving him to save the restaurant they built together. Throwing himself into his work, Declan swears off womenor at least, women who expect him to stick around in the morning. But when he discovers a skittish beauty scrounging through the Firesides trash to feed her dog, Declan offers her a job and a place to rest her head. Theres just something about her that awakens his protective side. And soon, not even that mangy mutt can stop Declan from caring for her. After one too many trips to the ER, Trina Wilson finally gathered the courage to leave her husband, taking only her car and hyperactive boxer. Unfortunately, life on the run proves harder than she anticipateduntil Declan takes a leap of faith on her. But even as Trina starts to see beyond his gruff exterior, she cant relax, even for a moment. Not with her husband still tracking her down. What Trina doesnt know is that in Declan, she has a powerful allyand, if she would only follow her heart, a devoted lover.

