Beast by Jason Collins

CAMPBELL:

Love and secrets don’t mix, but I’m already in too deep.

Ever since the war, I’ve been too hardened to feel desire—until Brent appears. He gets my pulse up, and he’s twice as passionate as anyone I’ve ever met. He’s not trying to be my therapist, either; he’s taking me for the man I am, and that makes me want him even more.

It all feels too good to be true.

But my PTSD and night terrors make it difficult to have a love life. Who wants a boyfriend they can’t share a bed with? If I can’t even stay one night, I’ll never get what I most want: Brent’s body against mine, every night.

I don’t know if I can keep Brent safe and keep him close at the same time.

BRENT:

I’m falling for him, but I know he’s keeping a secret.

Campbell and I don’t just connect, we collide. I invite him to my place, but I’m stunned when he’s gone the next morning. He thinks his past makes him hard to love, but I’m not afraid of his demons—or his touch. Campbell’s a medic whose hands do more good than harm.

The problem? He doesn’t trust himself.

I want to change that, but I don’t know if I can get through to him. With any other guy I’d just move on—but not Campbell. The connection between us is too powerful to let go. I want a future with him; we just have to make it through our first night together.

If he fought through a war, I can fight through his past.