Page 105 of Hunters and Prey

“A few minutes.”

“Great. I’ll just chat you up until you’re a free woman. If that’s okay.”

Cailyn pursed her lips. She looked past him, knowing that Asher would soon arrive. She didn’t need him questioning her about the new guy in town.

“Of course. My boyfriend will be here to pick me up soon, though.”

“Boyfriend?”

Cailyn nodded.

Connor clasped his hands before him as he stepped closer to the front register where Cailyn stood.

He leaned against the front counter, staring her down with those enchanting green eyes of his. “I was hoping to take you up on your offer for a tour of the city.”

She couldn’t move when he looked at her like that. The intensity was thinly veiled behind a look of admiration as he held her gaze.

“We can go another time. I have plans for today.”

“That’s too bad,” he said, fingering through the stack of clearance books on the counter.

She swallowed, still unable to move. “Why is that?”

He shrugged and stood directly in front of her. The only thing that separated her from him was the counter.

Cailyn gripped the counter. Her heart rate seemed to rise, and her entire body felt warm.

She tried to keep her face clear of emotion, but she knew what he was doing. He was trying to work magic on her.

The idea frightened her beyond anything she’d feared. He was good. It would have worked if she hadn’t sensed it in time and countered the act by shielding her thoughts.

Cailyn tried to replace her true thoughts with those that were boring, plain, and wouldn’t reveal anything of importance.

“Because I have something for you. A gift.”

“What kind of gift?”

“It’s a surprise. You’ll have to come with me to find out.”

“I see.” She looked around the store. She wasn’t sure if she liked surprises, especially those that came from a strange man from her dreams.

Nina, the owner of the store, came in from the back and dusted a few crumbs off the front of her floral dress. She glanced from Cailyn to Connor, her eyes brightening.

“Can I help you with something, sir?”

He put his hands in his pockets. “I’m just waiting for the young lady to get off so I can take her out.”

Cailyn felt her cheeks flush. Now Nina would think she was cheating on Asher.

“He’s a friend of my brother’s,” Cailyn quickly added. She looked to Connor. “He just needed directions. Asher will be here to get me in a minute.”

“Oh,” Nina said, nodding. “Are you new in town?”

“Not quite,” Connor said. He reached a hand out. “Connor Prince.”

Nina’s eyes widened. “Harrington’s son?”

He nodded. “Aye.”

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