Page 112 of Hunters and Prey

Chapter 9

Morning brought suchhope that when Cailyn got out of bed and made breakfast, she had a smile on her face.

It’s going to be all right,she thought as she flipped pancakes. She caught herself humming like her mother and shook her head, laughing. Soon Asher would wake up to breakfast in bed and they would head out to his parent’s house.

Cailyn’s smile faded when she got a text from Tessa.

Meet up for coffee later?

She looked at the question, her stomach sinking. She put the phone away and let out a long breath. Leaving Tessa behind was going to be more difficult than she thought. She didn’t even think saying goodbye to her family would be so hard.

She poured two cups of coffee and sipped hers while the bacon finished crisping in the oven. She’d learned that technique from Asher’s dad. Apparently it was how the restaurants did it. The smell was incredible, and yet she no longer had an appetite.

She sucked her teeth when Asher came down the hallway in nothing but a pair of black basketball shorts. He yawned, waving at her.

Cailyn quickly took out two plates from the cabinet.

“You weren’t supposed to wake up yet!”

He grinned at her, his eyes scanning the chopped fruit, pancakes, and coffee. “You made bacon too?”

She smirked, grabbing his oven mitt so she could take the pan of bacon out of the oven. “I did. But I wanted to make you breakfast in bed.”

He stepped up to her, gathering her in his arms. Placing a soft kiss on her forehead, he rubbed her back. “I think my body sensed that you were gone, and I had to find you.”

“I’m never leaving you again,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist as she looked up at him.

Asher looked even more attractive when his blond hair was messy in the morning. Cailyn ran her hands through his hair, letting the strands slip through her fingers.

“Good. Because I’d find you,” he said, tickling her.

With a laugh, she pulled away. She smacked his hands. “You know I hate being tickled,” she said.

She put bacon on their plates and they sat together at his breakfast bar.

“How did you sleep? Any nightmares?”

Cailyn shrugged. “I’ve had crazy dreams and nightmares since childhood.”

“Don’t you write them down?”

She took a bite of bacon and nodded. “I have since middle school.”

“That’s right. I remember stealing that journal once.”

“I remember that too,” she said with a grin. “You were such a pest back then.”

“You were so easy to annoy.” He laughed. He drank a gulp of his coffee and closed his eyes in bliss. “God, this is all so good. Thanks, baby,” he said and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.

“I was pretty spoiled back then.”

He raised a brow. “And you aren’t now?”

She laughed.

“Wait. I remember reading some of your nightmares. It was some pretty sick stuff for a little girl to be dreaming about.”

Cailyn chewed a chunk of pineapple, her smile fading.

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