Page 124 of Hunters and Prey

She tensed at feeling his hand on her body as he led her into the room.

She stepped away from him, his hand slipped down her bottom. A glance caught him smirking before folding his hands before him.

Inside the sunroom were some of the most beautiful flowers Cailyn had ever seen in one place. Lush greenery and vibrant colors mixed to create a sight worthy of being immortalized in a painting. Caged birds chirped and sang from their perches, making the room feel like a fascinating exhibit at a zoo.

“Fit for a king, huh? You really think highly of yourself,” Cailyn said.

“Why shouldn’t I? Do you not feel the same about yourself?”

Cailyn stopped and faced him. “No. I really don’t think I’m better than anyone else.”

He nodded, dropping his hands to his sides as he took a step toward her.

Cailyn didn’t back down. She tightened her jaw as she glared up at him, her chest pressed against his abdomen. Cailyn didn’t flinch; she wanted him to know exactly how she felt about the entire arrangement.

The green in his eyes was especially ethereal in the bright sunlight. She didn’t like how enchanting they were, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to look away.

“I sense you don’t want to be here.”

He lowered his voice as he spoke to her, the smell of mint escaping with each elegantly spoken word. The thickness of his accent was incredibly sexy, but she refused to let her expression betray her.

Cailyn swallowed.

“I want you to understand something, Cailyn. I know you probably think I’m a terrible person for coming here to claim what our fathers arranged. I’m not sure if that makes me an awful person, but I know the importance of keeping the peace. Aside from that, I find you mesmerizing. It won’t be hard to fall in love with you, and I can only hope you can do the same with me.”

Cailyn was surprised by his words. She pursed her lips, and searched his eyes.

“You may think I’m just an overprivileged Scot without any morals, but the mayor is actually honoring me because not only did I donate enough money to build a second elementary school, but I funded the cancer research center at the hospital.”

Her face softened. “You did?”

“Yes,” he said. He looked past her, his smile fading. “My mother died of cancer. I know that her chances were faint, but I want to do what I can to help others survive her fate.”

Cailyn swallowed, her resolve faltering further. Her shoulders lost their hardness, her face relaxing from her frown.

She wanted to hate him, but he was making it hard. She kept her face blank.

“I still don’t know what you want from me.”

They walked over to a small table next to the floor to ceiling windows.

“Sit.”

She sat in the brass chair that he held out for her. She folded her hands in her lap and watched as two servers walked over with trays of food and a bottle of red wine.

Her stomach grumbled as she looked at the tray of roasted potatoes, vegetables, and steak.

“I hope you’re hungry,” he said, as the servers put white cloths over their laps.

“Answer my question.”

He raised a brow and smirked.

“Fine.” He sipped his wine.

She watched him, folding her legs.

“It’s simple, Cailyn. The remaining dragon clans are enjoying the longest stretch of peace they’ve ever had. We can keep it going.” He leaned across the table, reaching for her hand.

Cailyn didn’t know what to do. She felt awkward holding her hand to him, but she needed to know his motives. The last thing she wanted was to upset him.

“I like you,” he said, stroking her knuckles.

The sincerity in his eyes startled her. She hadn’t expected that. She found herself unable to look away from his beautiful green eyes. Seeing him up that close revealed hazel around the center. The longer she looked, the more she could actually see the magic inside of him.

“What I want from you is simple.”

Cailyn held her breath when he kissed the back of her hand.

“I just want you to give me a chance at winning your heart.”

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