Hope MacGowan is a city girl but reeling from a break-up on top of a layoff has her determined to have a weekend away in the North Carolina mountains-even if all her friends have bailed at the last minute. Hope's life is one big train-wreck and getting kidnapped by a tall, blond alien-even a gorgeous one-sure isn't helping. R'har crossed the galaxy to seek a mate on this newly discovered world and this delicate red-haired female is everything he's dreamed of-except happy to find herself mated to him. R'har knows in his heart he's her true mate, even if he's not human. But taking her doesn't mean he can keep her and somehow he has to convince Hope to choose him before time runs out . . .