Fatal Heat — Lisa Marie Rice

Former Navy SEAL Max Wright is out of the Special Ops division forever after being almost killed by an Afghani RPG. He retreats to his former XO's beach house to lick his wounds. He wants to snarl at the world but finds it hard to snarl at his new neighbor, his XO's beautiful goddaughter, Paige Waring, who comes with a ridiculously likable, totally undisciplined dog.

As a plant geneticist, Paige has always been focused on her work, but when she and her dog run into Max, she recognizes the lonely, shattered man behind the rugged exterior. To her mind, sexiness always comes with a white lab coat, not with acres of tannedmuscle and a military attitude.

When Paige's work makes her the target of criminals and she's abducted, Max springs into action. Though still terribly wounded, this tough- as-nails SEAL goes on his last mission -- stopping at nothing to save the woman he loves.