And it would.

As soon as the memories of Zar’s tongue on her body faded. As soon as her lips stopped tingling from his kiss. As soon as she could walk without feeling him stroking her, common sense would come roaring back and stick close this time.

Hopefully.

She pushed the thought aside and blinked slowly. “Zar…”

He brushed her cheek and asked her something in a low, concerned voice. Simone assumed he was asking if she was okay and she wondered how she should answer.

His lips had stolen her breath.

His touch had torched her skin.

He hadn’t just kissed her.

He branded her. Claimed her.

If Zar managed to drive her wild with only his fingers and mouth, what would he do if she allowed him to haveallof her?

Simone’s heart bucked in fear and anticipation. She’d known she would probably die on this alien planet. Simone’s eyes dropped to Zar’s pants. But what a way to go…

Zar stood and helped her to her feet. He pointed to the zapten and nodded. “Si-Moon.”

“I know. I know. We have to leave.” She brushed her dress down, wishing she could clean up. Every time she walked, her thighs smeared moisture all over her legs and tunic. “Where exactlyarewe going?”

Zar’s head lifted suddenly. His eyes scanned the perimeter and a wrinkle formed between his eyebrow nubs. She’d seen that look of concentration enough to know that he had heard something in the bushes.

Fear tightened her throat, chasing away the hazy lust. The last time her alien protector had gotten that concentrated gleam in his eye, they’d been attacked by lion aliens.

What would it be this time? What horror did this crazy planet have lined up for them next? Alien rhinos? Crazy birds that pecked their victims to death? Sentient killer vines?

Her heart flogged her ribcage. Simone pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and whispered, “Zar?”

The bush to their right started to sway. The sound of the leaves rustling was loud enough to get evenherattention. She didn’t need alien ears to figure out that something was coming.

Simone’s instinct was to draw back, but she forced herself to remain calm and stay by Zar’s side. She still had her modified laser sword. There wasn’t enough time to get it right now but, if the threat was warranted, she’d grab it and use it.

How far I’ve come.

She’d grown up in a violent home and, as an adult, swore off violence to the degree that she didn’t watch the fight scenes in Disney movies. Now, here she was strategizing about grabbing her weapon and doing some damage.

Should she laugh or cry about that?

Before she could decide, Simone saw a head emerging from the grass. Zar’s spine dagger pulsed through the back of his neck. His scowl was menacing and, for a moment, Simone shivered.

Zar had not been tender when he’d kissed her, but she realized that he had shown restraint. The alien warrior was more lethal than anything she’d ever met. She had to remember that.

Zar’s tense shoulders fell in a swoop. He tilted his head and stared at the bush, taking a step forward as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. Curious, Simone looked at the strange creature slipping out of the foliage.

It had thin, green legs and a scrawny, near-boneless torso. A mask adorned its small face and it was trembling so hard that it seemed to be caught in an invisible hurricane.

Her jaw dropped and her mind whirred in confusion.

Wait. This alien looked like a miniature version of her captors from the dungeon.

He wasn’t fully formed yet.

A kid?