Gunnery Sergeant Jason Scott considers himself unshockable. Part of a two man specialist team, he and his partner are called in for the jobs no one else can handle. The latest is no exception. Rescuing damsels in distress is part of the job description, but Jason's never looked twice at any of the rescuees. When they find their latest mission objective tied to an overhead pipe, his hitherto unknown protective instincts come rushing to the fore. Delicate and full of curves that make his mouth water, he only sees a woman he wants to carry off and keep safe. To make her his. But things are never as simple as they are and when he finds out who she really is, his world is rocked to the core. Arita Rhade is as tough as they come. A hybrid of two species, she's used to people underestimating her because of her delicate appearance. The handsome new addition to her elite team is no exception. He's a soldier under her command, but she can't stop the thoughts of what it would be like... Thoughts she can't act on. Shouldn't act on. But a shuttle crash and her heat phase have other ideas and his touch ignites a fire that won't be ignored. When a mission goes disastrously wrong, will their survival be the only thing put to the test?