His Touch for Christmas: A Protective Alpha Male, Ex-military, Grumpy, Small Town Short Story Romance (Love is Back in Mistwood Hollow #2)

This Christmas in Mistwood Hollow, grumpy ex-military Brett Thompson is blindsided by the one woman who’s always been off-limits—his childhood crush, Natalie. She’s back, and she’s not the shy girl he remembers. Now, with the tension between them crackling hotter than ever, Brett’s faced with a claim her as his and finally give in to the desire that’s been simmering for years, or risk losing her forever.

Natalie
Brett Thompson is everything I never let myself want, until now.
He looks at me like he wants to devour me, and I’d let him.
But I’ve been burned before.
I can’t just fall into his bed and expect it to mean more, right?
Still, every time he’s near, I can’t think straight.
The way he makes me feel—it’s dangerous, overwhelming.
I’m falling fast, and it scares the hell out of me. But I can’t stop.
I want him. I crave him.
And even though I know it might break me, I’m willing to risk it all just to feel his hands on me again.

Brett
She’s everything I shouldn’t want, but I can’t help it.
Every time Natalie walks in, I feel my control slip.
I want to pull her close, feel her body against mine, and show her what she’s doing to me.
I try to hold back, to be careful, but I’m losing it.
The way she touched me the other night... damn, it still has me hard.
She has no idea how close I am to taking her right there and then, showing her she’s not just a passing thought.
But I can’t rush it.
If she gives me the signal, though, I won’t hold back. Not anymore.

This is the second in the “Love is Back in Mistwood Hollow” series, where each book features a fierce, rugged hero falling hard for the woman who steals his heart. Standalone/HEA