It has been prophesied that four men, raised as brothers, will bring Scotland back to her rightful glory. It is time for the second to take up his sword. When a Highland warrior fights, he fights for honor. And when Reeve MacAlpin sees a beautiful stranger surrounded by bandits, he does not hesitate to do the honorable thing and dispatch her would-be assailants. But at her first grateful touch, his instinct to keep her safe is surpassed by a longing to keep her close . . . and to fulfill her every desire. For as long as Tara can remember, she has lost the people she loves most—a curse that is sure to doom anyone who shows her kindness. She can never love without bringing death—and though her powerful Highlander champion tempts her beyond imagining, she fears that to give herself to him means his downfall. And yet she knows she must tempt Fate . . . for to resist him would be just as unthinkable.