The sexy secret operative gave her unforgettable pleasure, but will he return to kiss her under the mistletoe? When Rose Abbott took the position as a nurse at a charitable clinic abroad, she imagined she'd be saving lives, but instead she's running for her life as a surprise insurgent uprising at the American embassy throws the country into chaos. In order to save a patient, she misses the last of the evacuation transports and has to make her own way to find her brother. She's only prevented from walking into a trap by the massive soldier who rises out of the sand like a sexy specter. T.J. Browning, known as Hook to his select special ops crew, has been growing jaded, so that each new sensitive, dangerous mission has become just another day at the office. When he sees a lovely young woman clutching her American passport as she tries to sneak across the open landscape, he knows he shouldn't risk revealing himself, but he can't help but save her. Passion ignites between them as they shelter overnight in a small cave, but T.J. has secrets and responsibilities. He can't make any promises, but he leaves her with the hope that he will be able to meet her for Christmas. Doubts creep in for both of them in the months of separation, and the road to a potential reunion is made even rockier by circumstances beyond their control. Still, T.J. remains determined to be Rose's secret Santa...if she'll still have him.