Touching him was heaven and hell. Brenda had never been more drawn to a man in her life. Why couldn’t they have met under other circumstances? If he wasn’t bound already she’d beg him to keep her, to make her his.

Rever was such a wonderful man. If her husband on Earth had been a hundredth of the man that Rever was she never would have left him the first place. No matter what Tina did Rever never lost his temper and hurt her. It broke Brenda’s heart that he was too damn good for the bitch he ended up with.

“Will you kiss me goodbye? I want the memory of what it’s like to kiss you at least once to get me through the hell I’m facing. I can survive anything if I can just have that from you, Rever. Please? For just one damn minute let’s forget we can’t be together and say to hell with the law for just that tiny moment.” She was worried he’d say no, afraid he’d jerk away from her touching him when her hands caressed his jawline and her thumbs rubbed his cheeks, feeling how warm his skin was. He was so handsome to her in his wildly rugged way. His gaze was locked with hers as she got lost in the breathtaking depths of his eyes, seeing emotions flashing in the windows of his soul until he blinked, moving closer to her.

Relief hit her that he didn’t distance himself but instead inched closer, his wide hips brushing her knees, and instantly Brenda spread them to allow him to get nearer to her.

He stepped between her thighs, the material of his pants scratched a little on her tender skin but she barely noticed. He went chest to chest with her and two large arms wrapped around her waist while his face inched closer as he lowered his head. Their gazes remained locked until Brenda lowered her focus on his full lips that slightly parted, revealing sharp teeth that didn’t frighten her. She opened her own mouth anticipating he was going to kiss her.

Shutting her eyes at the last second, she felt him hold her a little tighter a second before gentle lips brushed over hers, his breath warm on her skin. It stunned her that someone so damn strong could be so tender. His lips left hers as their breath mingled and then his lips returned.

Brenda opened her mouth to his fully when their tongues met. Her hands slid from his cheeks into his hair so she could pull him closer as his arms tightened around her body, drawing her into him. A sweet kiss quickly blazed out of control between them.

He tasted so good to her, something sweet—similar to sugar—making her wonder why the guy always tasted candylike. Her curiosity dissipated when she felt the sharp tips of his teeth touch her lower lip but they didn’t cut her as she explored his mouth. He groaned softly as the kiss intensified. Her ass left the counter when he lifted her higher up his body.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, she clung to him desperately, her body flaring to life under his mouth. The rough material of his pants brought awareness to her spread sex tightly pressed against him, making her ache with need for more than a kiss.

Brenda moaned into his mouth, encouraging his arms to tighten around her even more until he held her so close that she could barely breathe but she didn’t care. He was kissing her and he was holding her in his arms.

Rever tore his mouth away, breaking the kiss. A soft cry escaped her lips in protest.

Brenda’s eyes snapped open, just staring up at him, mere inches separating them, seeing torment in his blue eyes. They both were breathing hard.

“I want you so much it hurts,” he said softly.

“Take me.”

Pain flashed in his eyes. “We can’t. Don’t tempt me, Brenda.”

“Do you love Tina?”

The pain in his eyes turned to rage in an instant. “No.” The word was a snarl. “I can’t stand her. It’s you I want.”

Pain flashed through her. “I hate this. I want to be with you and you want to be with me. I do not like your world right now with its damn rules.” Rever lowered his head to nuzzle her neck, hiding his face on her shoulder while his arms held her tightly, just standing in the middle of the bathroom with her naked and wrapped around him. He took deep breaths, his chest moving against hers.

Brenda clung to Rever knowing this was probably the last chance she’d ever get to memorize everything about him. He just held her as if she didn’t weigh anything in his arms. Their gazes locked when he finally lifted his head and she saw something flicker in his eyes, an emotion she couldn’t read but the tender look was gone. He slowly moved, walking the few steps to the sink.

It nearly broke her heart when Brenda felt Rever withdrawing from her both physically and emotionally. He eased her down until her ass touched the sink and then his hold on her loosened until he completely released her. Rever stepped back a foot and then another but his gaze remained locked on her. She was never going to see him again but she could at least take the memory of him and that kiss with her wherever she went. They were both trapped in what fate had handed them.

“There’s only one thing to do.”

“I know I have to go with him and you’ve made it clear that we have no choice.” His mouth tightened. “I don’t want another male to claim you and you don’t want Volder to touch your body. You should be mine.”

Shock hit her at his words but then so did sadness. She totally agreed but they had no way to stop Volder from taking her. Rever’s look hardened even more, a chilling coldness creeping into his eyes.

“I am a good warrior and an excellent fighter.”

“You’re going to challenge him?” Fear hit her. “You can’t. You said you have no right to do that and it’s against your laws. Won’t you get arrested or something?” He gave a jerk of a nod. “Yes. I would be punished severely and it is our way that I would be sent to a work camp for years.”

She moved off the sink, her feet hitting the floor as she stood. “As much as I want to be with you that won’t work. You’d be sent away, we still couldn’t be together and I won’t let you do that for me, to sacrifice yourself that way.” Rever hesitated. “I will return in a minute after I get your clothing.” He slowly looked down her body, a soft growl rumbling from his throat. “I want you too much to look at you like this. You are going to make me break my control again and I can’t do that right now.”

Brenda watched Rever spin on his heel to storm out of the bathroom. She turned, gripping the sink, and lowered her head in defeat. She was going to have no choice but to go with Volder. She sighed.