Living Sands by Celia Kyle

A mate and family is all she wants…
Abandoned as a young child, scientist Veda has always longed for the family she never had. And when she climbed aboard a ship bound for the stars, she was determined to find that perfect mate. One crash landing later and everything has gone a bit… off course.
He’s not worthy of a mate if he can’t save his people…
Traze, Warlord of the Living Sands, has put duty above all else. But a terrible sickness is now plaguing his tribe and if Traze can’t fix it he’ll be ousted from his position and unfit for a mate. He has no time to keep a woman, no time to be tempted by her touch.
But Veda refuses to be cast aside, and her experience as a biologist makes her the perfect woman for a man—er, alien—trying to solve a biological crisis. As they journey deep into the sands, the bond between Veda and Traze grows even stronger. But can they solve the problem plaguing his people before its too late?