Smitten

by Lacey Weatherford

  Pulling the gown away from my shoulders, he paused to kiss each one. “Your skin is so beautiful. It feels like silk. I love rubbing my lips against it.”

  I gave a light laugh. “I can barely think when your lips are anywhere near me.”

  He chuckled. “That’s good to know for the future.”

  “Planning future ambushes already?” I teased.

  “Absolutely. I promise there’ll be lots of them.” His gaze traveled from my head to my toes. He laughed when he got to the bottom. “Nice shoes,” he commented with a wink.

  I glanced down at my tennis shoes. “It’s the latest fashion for brides on the run. Didn’t you know?”

  He pulled me closer, kissing the top of head. “I’m so sorry we didn’t have time to get you the right shoes—or anything for that matter.”

  “I’m not. If it wasn’t for the crazy circumstances, we wouldn’t be here right now.” I ran my fingers lightly up and down his back, resting my head on his chest. “I don’t want to be anywhere else but here—with you.”

  He reached down and scooped me off my feet. “I neglected to carry my bride over the threshold,” he said. “Can I make it up by carrying you to bed?”

  “I’ll think about it,” I replied with a grin.

  “Think fast. It’s only gonna take me two seconds to get there.”

  “Oh all right. I guess,” I relented, unable to wipe the smile from my face.

  He carried me around to the side and then paused.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “I didn’t think this through very well. Reach down there and pull back the covers.”

  I giggled and did as he requested, and he carefully laid me down on the sheets before going around to the other side and climbing in, scooting quickly over. He ran his fingers through my hair, spreading it out beside me.

  “One of my biggest fantasies has been imagining your red hair spread out on the pillow while you’re lying in my bed.”

  “Really?” I found that interesting.

  He nodded. “The color is so striking. I’ve been imagining what it would be like to wake up and see it every morning.”

  “Let me help your imagination—it will most likely be a massive tangled mess.”

  “Good.” He grinned.

  “Why good?”

  “Because if it isn’t, then it means I haven’t been doing my job properly.”

  My mouth formed an “oh” as his meaning sunk in, but there wasn’t any chance for sound to come out. His lips covered mine, followed by the rest of his strong body as he kissed me deeply, passionately.

  Sparks quickly lit between us and, what had previously begun as slow and gentle, suddenly escalated into something much more frantic and needy. Every part of me felt as if it were on fire, my skin made molten by his touch. The rest of our clothing disappeared in a blur of sensuality, small gasps, fevered breaths, touching, and more kissing. I thought I might explode.

  “Say my name, Cami. Say it now,” Hunter commanded his face a mask of love, need, and concentration.

  “Dylan, please!” I called out, unsure of what I was asking him for. My world suddenly burst into bright colors, and I clung to him, nails digging into his skin as I held on for dear life. My heart was pounding out of my chest and my emotions swirled out of control as I realized how truly desperately I was in love with him. He was my world, my life, my everything—and staring into his eyes, I saw those same emotions mirrored back at me. He was part of me now, and I a part of him, two halves that made a whole.

  I noticed the slight sheen of perspiration on his brow and he smiled at me. “You called me Dylan,” he stated, slightly out of breath.

  I bit my lip and nodded as I stared into his warm chocolate eyes. “Is that okay? I mean it is your name.”

  “It was perfect,” he replied. “Everything about it—about you—was absolutely perfect.”

  Tears welled in my eyes and slid softly over the rims.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked, reaching with his thumb to wipe them carefully away.

  I shook my head. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I’m just happy I could please you too.”

  He chuckled and rolled to the side of me before gathering me in his arms. “Goody, don’t you ever worry about pleasing me. You please me all the time—more than you’ll ever know.”

  I snuggled against him, loving the feel of our bodies pressed so intimately together. “This seems like a dream. I can’t believe I really belong to you now.”

  “Well, then I guess I’ll have to keep proving it to you, repeatedly.”

  I sighed against his chest. “Sounds fun.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, it sure does.” He squeezed me tighter. “I love you, Camilla Noelle Wilcock.”

  My heart felt like it would burst, I was so content and happy. “I love you too, Dylan.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Hunter-

  The tiny crack in between the hotel curtains gave enough light that I could silently observe the beauty of my pretty wife while she slept. Nothing could’ve prepared me for how I felt at waking and seeing her there. I’d never known real love until I met Cami. The rest of my life seemed somewhat hollow by comparison, and I knew I’d do anything for her.

  Memories of her tangled in my arms flitted through my mind, causing my body to respond instantly to the enticement. I couldn’t allow myself to be greedy enough to wake her, though, especially knowing how long into the night I’d kept her busy. There had been some time spent sleeping or comfortably dozing, but most of it was spent exploring and re-exploring one another.

  The pre-paid phone started vibrating on the nightstand, and I quickly answered it. “Just a minute,” I whispered. Carefully, I slipped from the bed, determined not to disturb Cami and let her rest as long as she could. “Sorry,” I apologized to Chris after closing the bathroom door. “Cami’s still sleeping. I didn’t want to wake her. She’s worn out.”

  “Is she okay?” Chris asked, sounding concerned.

  I chuckled. “Yeah, she’s fine. I, uh, kept her pretty busy last night is all.”

  There was moment of silence. “This information surprises me, since I’m normally the guy you’re telling to butt out and mind his own business.”

  I grinned. “True, but there’s something else you need to know. I neglected to mention it when we spoke earlier.”

  “Really? What’s that?”

  “Cami and I got married last night.”

  I heard him choke. “You’re kidding me!”

  “Not even a little.” I couldn’t stop grinning. It was nice to share the news with someone who’d be happy for us.

  “You realize your parents and sister are going to kill you, right? Her parents too, most likely.”

  “Probably, but before anyone goes all crazy on us, they need to hear the story of how it came about. It certainly wasn’t planned, and it definitely saved us from being caught.”

  “So, regardless of how it happened, I’m assuming neither of you want to put an end to this arrangement?”

  “None whatsoever. I’m never letting this girl go. I love her too much.”

  “Well, in that case, I’m very happy for you, bro. Congratulations!”

  “Thank you. What’s the news this morning? I’m slightly anxious to get this bride of mine to a safer location.”

  “I can help you with that. I’m here in Las Vegas now with a couple of other officers who are going to help escort you safely home. We’ve already booked your flights, and we’ll pick you up from your hotel at ten this morning to go to the airport.”

  “What’s happening with the case and Ripper? Any news there?”

  “Vegas PD is working on their end to plug their leak, and Seth and Nick have already been caught. Apparently, Ripper didn’t inform them of what had taken place. The police apprehended them when they returned to the Venetian last night. The cars had already been dropped or moved. They’re no longer in the parking garage. According to the valet service, all the t
ags were turned in, and the vehicle reclaimed by their owners.”

  “It sounds like they successfully made the switch then.”

  “That’s what we’re thinking.”

  “Which means Ripper got paid, and he has Seth’s and Nick’s money as well.”

  “Yes. We’ve had officers from Vegas PD running through the security tapes, but we haven’t found any footage of him yet. We don’t know where he’s headed for sure, but we have officers staking out the Tucson location.”

  I snorted. “There’s no way in hell he’s going to return there. He knows that’s the first place we’ll be looking for him.”

  “We figured as much but decided to watch just in case. His car is still there. We thought perhaps he might return for it.”

  “I doubt it. He can steal another one easily enough, and he should have plenty of money stashed away somewhere. He could easily leave and start again anywhere. I’m thinking he’ll lay low for a while. Try targeting Roberta. She’s the one who tipped me off. If she’s with him, or knows where he is, I’m sure she’d tell us. After all, it was her involvement that led us to him in the first place. She wants to bring him down for killing Manny.”

  “Has she tried to contact you again?” Chris asked.

  “I have no idea. Cami and I turned our cell phones off immediately after she texted. I didn’t want anyone to trace us with the signal.”

  “Maybe you should check your phone—try texting her, and see if she answers.”

  “I don’t want to do that while I’m here with Cami. If the mob is involved, they could get to us easily. Once I know she’s safe, then I’ll check.”

  “Time is of the essence, Dylan. The longer we wait, the better chance he has of getting away.”

  “So come get us now, then. I want him arrested too, but I won’t risk Cami getting caught in the crossfire again.” I hated to put things off when I knew they needed answers, but I was adamant about keeping Cami protected. She was my wife now. My first duty would always be to her.

  “How long do you need to get ready?” Chris asked.

  “Give us an hour.”

  “I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

  “Fine, we’ll meet you in the lobby in an hour.”

  Chris laughed. “Boy, you sure are stubborn this morning.”

  “Give me a break. It’s my first morning with my wife. I’d like to wake her nicely instead of starting our marriage by dragging her off to a new hiding place.”

  Chris sighed. “Take your cell phone to the lobby and ask for an envelope. Leave it for me at the front desk. I’ll be by to get it in a few minutes. The guys and I will try to contact Roberta from a different location and see what we can find out. We’ll come get you when it’s time to go to the airport unless something new develops.”

  I grinned. “Thanks, man.”

  “You owe me big time,” Chris replied. “Now go drop off the phone and enjoy your wife.”

  I quietly slipped out of the bathroom—pausing briefly to make sure Cami was still resting peacefully. She was so beautiful. Smiling, I carefully grasped the bag with my clothes in it from yesterday, trying not to rustle it too much as I carried it back to the bathroom. I quickly dressed and grabbed the key card so I could go down to the lobby.

  “Good morning. Can I help you?” the smiling receptionist spoke.

  “Yes. Do you have an envelope that can hold this cell phone? My brother-in-law accidentally left it in my pocket yesterday. He’s coming here for it in a couple of minutes.”

  “Sure. No problem.” She sifted through a drawer before handing me an envelope and a pen. “Write his name on there for me. I’ll have him show his ID when he claims it.”

  I smiled as I wrote his name down. “Ask to see his badge too.”

  She looked puzzled. “His badge.”

  “Yeah.” I grinned, as I tucked the phone inside. “He’s a cop.”

  “Oh, I see. Is there a reason I need to see his badge?” she asked, still appearing confused.

  “No. I just like to hassle him.” I winked at her and she laughed.

  “Got it.”

  “Thanks for your help.” I turned away and headed back toward my room.

  “Anytime,” she called after me.

  I quietly slipped back inside and quickly undressed again before sliding into bed beside Cami. She gave a little moan and rolled toward me, stretching out her arm and draping it across my waist. She stiffened and opened her eyes, blinking rapidly.

  “Hey gorgeous,” I whispered.

  She gave a half smile and relaxed. “Mmm. So I wasn’t dreaming then. I was worried I’d wake up and find out this had all been some crazy thing my mind concocted.”

  “Nope. It’s real.” I ran my hand through her wild curls. “I hope that’s okay with you.”

  “It’s better than okay,” she muttered with a yawn, cuddling even closer. “I love you.”

  I’d never get tired of hearing her say those words. “I love you too.”

  “Do you think we can stay in bed all day together?” She ran her hand lightly over me, causing every nerve to snap to attention.

  “As much as I would love that, Chris will be here at ten. He has tickets to fly us home.”

  She poked her bottom lip out slightly in a pout. “Well, that stinks.”

  “Tell you what—you let me get you somewhere safe, and I promise to spend a whole day in bed with you.”

  She giggled. “Gee, I really had to twist your arm, didn’t I?”

  I laughed and kissed her forehead. “But as for right now, we’re operating on limited time this morning. I’m sorry.”

  “Well, then I guess we better hurry and get with it. Huh?” She smiled as she pushed herself up so she could reach my lips, draping herself across the top of me.

  I couldn’t stop grinning. What a fantastic way to start the day.

  Cami and I were ready and waiting in the lobby when the car carrying Chris and the two other plainclothes officers pulled up. They quickly hopped out and helped us get our wedding attire loaded into the trunk before we all climbed back in and headed toward the airport.

  “Cami, this is Officer Vincent and Officer Johnson,” I introduced. “Officer Johnson was initially supposed to be the undercover guy on this case.”

  “Nice to meet you,” he said with a nod toward her.

  “I’m sorry to hear about your appendix. I hope you’re feeling better now,” she said politely.

  “I’m doing much better, thank you.” He smiled in a friendly fashion at her.

  “Cami is my wife,” I added springing the news on them.

  Vincent and Johnson both laughed. “We already heard the news. Congratulations. I don’t think I’ve ever seen ole Napier that surprised before,” Johnson spoke up.

  I eyed Chris. “Who else have you told?”

  He raised his hands. “No one. I swear. They were in the room when I was talking to you this morning.”

  “Well, don’t spread it around to anyone else. That’s the last thing I need is for our parents to hear it through the grapevine. It wouldn’t be pretty.”

  “No it wouldn’t,” Chris agreed. “I’ve already been imagining the talking down your mom is going to give you. She won’t be very happy about missing the wedding.”

  “We’ll have another one for all our family and friends,” Cami said. “It’s true, things didn’t go the way we planned, but we still want to be able to celebrate with everyone who’s close to us.”

  “I’m sure they’ll appreciate that,” Chris agreed smiling as he glanced at me.

  “Any news with the phone?” I asked.

  “Yes. You had a text from Roberta asking if you were okay. I responded as you and told her you were fine and in a safe place. I asked if she was okay and if she knew where Ripper was.”

  “Did she reply?”

  He nodded. “She said she was with him, driving back to Arizona in a rental car. Ripper apparently has some money stashed somewhere, which he needs to ge
t so they can leave. She said she would text more later, when they stopped. I told her you would be flying back to Tucson today, so if there was a delay in the response, it was because you were in the air.”

  “Sounds good. Is there any other news?”

  “Not really, other than Seth and Nick both backed up Roberta’s story about how Ripper and Manny fought on the night Manny disappeared. They’ve also confessed to the car thefts and have agreed to testify against Ripper in exchange for a lighter sentence. They’ll be extradited back to Arizona and face charges there.”

  “Perfect. Now if we can just catch Ripper, we can put all of this behind us.”

  “What will happen to Roberta?” Cami asked.

  “She was given immunity in the beginning for coming forward voluntarily and agreeing to testify against her brother. She wants him put away as bad as we do,” Chris explained.

  “I hope she’s okay while she’s with Ripper.”

  I glanced over at her. “I was under the impression you didn’t care for her much.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t really—but only because I was sure she was after you. I don’t want anything bad to happen to her.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure she’ll be fine,” I replied, trying to reassure her. “Ripper has no reason to suspect her.”

  “I hope you’re right. It sounds like he’s a very bad person.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Hunter-

  “Hi, Mom.” I smiled widely and silently prayed for strength from above when she opened the door.

  “What a surprise!” she exclaimed, stepping aside to allow Chris, Cami, and me to enter. “I wasn’t expecting to see the three of you anytime soon. Does this mean your case is finally finished?” She stepped next to me and grabbed my face in her hands, turning it carefully from side to side. “What are these bruises and scratches from?” she demanded with a frown before turning to face Chris with her hands on her hips. “Have you dragged my boy into trouble again?”