Delicate and reclusive Shay Baird had a charmed childhood on a rural Florida farm complete with a picture-perfect family. Her youth was spent adventuring with the boy next door. Life was sweet and simple until Pax was removed from his home and her own life turned inside out. Shay now lives a solitary existence, with only her memories to keep her company. Navy SEAL Paxton Pearsal is no longer the little boy who barely survived his abusive parents. He's a defender and protector, no trace of the victim he once was. When Pax returns home to claim his family's land, he's shocked to find a beautiful woman in the place of his childhood friend. Shay is in trouble and as much as he wants to be the one to save her, he enlists help from his friends at Sunset Security to keep her safe while he's deployed.The illusion of living a sheltered and quiet life is shattered by secrets from the past, leaving her vulnerable. When Pax returns from his final mission, he finds that everything has changed... except the way he feels for Shay.**Please note this story was previously released in the anthology The Hero's Journey Home. This version has new content.