Barbarian's Prize

On an ice planet where human women are rare, one of them has more admirers than she can count. The alien men compete to impress her, each hoping to be invited into her furs. She smiles at all of them and privately wishes they would leave her alone.

She keeps secrets that none of them know. None of the suitors has her interest. The one she wants is a blue-skinned male with large horns and an intense stare, and he is the only person who knows the truth about her.

With him she might finally work through the fears she carries from her past. Friendship is what she can offer, and she suspects it will not satisfy him.

He is looking for a lasting bond, a permanent mate for life. She is unsure she has that to give. This is an alien romance narrated in the first person by the heroine, and it turns on whether trust can outlast old fear.