Prudhoe Rison relaxed in the booth seat of the diner. Sipping the last of his coffee, he stared out the window. His thoughts swirled through his mind.

Five weeks.

That was how long Prudhoe had been ignoring his duties as an elite fae enforcer. All because for a fleeting moment in a restaurant bathroom, he’d caught a faint smell that had caused a pull in his gut. After that, every time he’d even entertained the idea of leaving, his stomach had clenched.

His chest ached ever-so-mildly, even now.

Rubbing absently, Prudhoe swept his gaze over the quiet streets. A car would occasionally drive past, and he stared at the occupant. After so long searching the area, he knew most people by sight, if not by name.

Gotta fix that. Gotta meet the rest of those living in the area.

Prudhoe sure hoped that whoever he’d sensed at the restaurant hadn’t been a tourist. If he was, he would never have a chance at meeting him.

Four realms, I sure hope it’s a guy.

While Prudhoe didn’t have a problem bedding the occasional woman, he’d never felt truly comfortable with it. He always had to be careful, mindful of his size and strength. With men, he could relax that control…at least, a little bit.

Having always been bigger and broader than most fae, it had made sense for Prudhoe to go into the military. He’d had an aptitude for hand-to-hand combat, which had drawn the attention of his superiors. They had quickly guided him toward the specialized training needed for him to become one of the fae king’s specialized, elite warriors.

Prudhoe was strong for a fae, which meant he constantly had to be mindful of his strength while dealing with humans. Having the opportunity to interact with shifters and other paranormals had been a welcome change. They’d also helped him locate Lord Elron Paxton, the fae prince who’d been missing.

His disappearance had been the whole point of Prudhoe traveling to the human plane.

“Hey, Prudhoe.”

Hearing the waitress’s voice pulled Prudhoe out of his thoughts. He turned and smiled up at her—Katie. Having visited the diner nearly every day for a mid-day meal, she knew him by name.

Katie’s smile slipped from her lips, and her brows furrowed. “Uh, oh. That chicken fried steak you love so much hasn’t given you heartburn, has it?”

Realizing he still rubbed his chest in discomfort, Prudhoe lowered his palm to the table. “No, I’m fine,” he assured, offering her a small smile. She’d grown friendlier over the past week, and he feared his return visits were giving her the wrong idea. Gods, I sure hope not. “I’ll take the check when you get a minute.”

Even though her brows furrowed, Katie still nodded. “Coming right up.”

Prudhoe stared into his empty mug vacantly as he brought up a mental map of the town. Recalling where everything was, he tried to decide if there were any streets or places he’d missed. Other than the street with the small town hall and community center buildings, there wasn’t much.

“What excuse do I have to go to the community buildings?” Prudhoe muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe pretend I’m interested in starting a business.”

“Oh, did you say you’re starting a business? What kind?” Katie had returned while Prudhoe wasn’t paying attention. “If it’s a motorcycle repair shop, you’ll be in for a lot of competition, because everyone knows that Jethro’s is the best around here.” She placed the ticket on the table as her look turned coy. “Of course, I’d always be happy to steer business your way instead. Sure you don’t want another cup of coffee?”

Prudhoe realized he still clutched his empty mug. Shaking his head, he pushed the cup away, then reached for the ticket. He thought quickly, then talked out of his ass.

“Naw, I was thinking guided motorcycle tours.” Prudhoe began sliding to the edge of the booth seat so he could rise as he added, “You know. Rent bikes to those with motorcycle licenses, then lead them on a tour of the area. Show them the sites.”

“You mean like Mount Rushmore?”

Prudhoe nodded as he stood. “Yeah.” He knew the national monument with the presidents’ faces etched in the cliffs wasn’t too far away from the town. “Plus some good picnic areas and view areas.”

Having spent a few weeks riding with the now-virtually disbanded Diamondbacks biker gang, Prudhoe had come to know the area well. In fact, if he managed to find his paramour, it would mean he would need to stay on the human plane. As a fae, he could easily magick money into existence, but he would need to keep up appearances.

A seasonal job would be just the thing…and Prudhoe did love riding his motorcycle.

Hope my paramour likes to ride.

Gotta find him first.

“Wow!” Katie gushed. “Well, once you get up and running, I’ll totally be your first customer.” She finished that line by offering a blushing smile while peering at him from beneath her lashes.

Yep. Time to stop coming here.

Prudhoe still returned her smile while giving a curt nod. “I saw the restaurant’s information board.” He picked up the ticket and took a step toward the front. “So you’ll definitely know about it.”

Fortunately, there was already another waitress standing at the counter ringing up another customer, so Katie had no reason to follow him.

After paying for his meal, Prudhoe headed to his bike. He swung his leg over his big Harley Kingpin. After a glance around to determine direction, he fired it up and started out of the parking space.

Prudhoe slowly rumbled along the street, watching for the one he needed. Spotting the sign for City Hall, he flipped on his blinker and headed left. He saw the building ahead and on the left and flipped on his blinker again.

Just as Prudhoe was about to turn, he scented something…something that made his mouth water and his gut clench. He slammed on his brakes and froze. The sensation eased, so he glanced behind him to confirm the road was clear, then backed up a little.