Sarven's Oath

All I wanted was a job. Instead, I got a desert planet, a low-grade fever, and a seven-foot alien shadow I call "Stabby."

Life in the caves is simple: Don't die of planet sickness, try to make alien lizard meat taste like chicken, and ignore the massive, golden-skinned warrior sharpening his blade in the corner.

His name is Sarven. I call him Stabby McGoldy.

He doesn't speak English, and I don't speak "Growl."

But he watches me. Constantly. With red eyes that are terrifyingly intense and a lack of personal space that is frankly alarming.

I'm determined to stay independent. I can fetch my own water, thank you very much. I don't need a mate. I need a life that's less complicated and a way off this rock.

But when our clan's only water source turns toxic, survival goes from difficult to impossible.

Suddenly, my independence isn't enough. I need a hunter who can track the source of the poison before the desert claims us all. Now Stabby is stepping out of the shadows to help, and as the heat rises, I'm starting to realize that the only thing more dangerous than the water might be falling for the alien who's decided I'm his.

(First-contact sci-fi romance with forced proximity, survival stakes, and a possessive but devoted alien hero.)