Sam "Slam-Dunk" Cherio is wounded on his last mission for the Army, so he heads to his friend's Montana ranch to recuperate through the Christmas season. The bliss of family life is hard to swallow, but when he meets Mika Slovinika, she intrigues him, and he wants to know more about her.Mika is struggling in this strange new place in America. Her boss is mean. She has nothing to call her own, and she might be sent home. Running into Slam-Dunk at the grocery store gives her hope. Slam-Dunk might be in love, but is Mika free to reciprocate? Something is holding her back. His military training might be needed again to fight a different battle. Maybe Christmas will involve the best gift of all-freedom.