Guarded Desires. Uniform Encounters, #4

A National Guardsman, a snarky DEA Agent, and a vicious drug cartel. Someone's going to be sorry. Special Agent Stephen Morris thought his home life had settled into a pleasantly dull routine. Being assigned to a main border crossing in Arizona keeps him busy enough at work, so he doesn't have time to worry about love. However, that doesn't mean he's not lonely. PFC Guardsman, Joseph Pirelli, is on an active-duty-for-training mission to help support border patrol and the DEA.
The Vasquez drug cartel has become more ruthless than ever by targeting civilians on both sides of the border. Love isn't on Joseph's radar at all, either-especially not after being horribly abused by an ex. Joseph and Stephen are thrown together in a direct conflict with the cartel and bullets fly with a startling outcome. Through it all, Joseph is drawn to Stephen, yet can't let go of his terrifying past.
The idea of becoming close to a man who could physically harm him brings up fears that may ruin his chances at a relationship with the big teddy bear agent. When shocking truths are revealed, both men fear they might lose the other. Can they escape the gruesome fate the cartel has in store for them? Note: Guarded Desires is the fourth novel in the steamy and exciting Uniform Encounters series but can be read as a standalone.
It was previously published under the same title with a different publisher. This second edition has been revised and re-edited, but the story remains the same. You can expect an age gap, hurt/comfort romance between a hunky older DEA agent, a Guardsman aching for affection, and a dose of humor along with mystery and suspense. Triggers include on-page, graphic violence, and domestic abuse.