Rave Reviews for CRUSH
“Crush is my absolute favorite book that Lacey has written to date. She has weaved into the pages betrayal, deception, obsession, love, secrets, suspense, drama, twist and turns around every corner. This is not your typical high school crush book—it is a coming of age book that mixes jealousy, drug use, conformity, and love. I highly recommend purchasing this book!”
~Lisa Markson, Mommy Reads Too Much
“Crush is an unforgettable, stimulating romance that will have you reeling in astonishment when the unthinkable strikes in Cami's world! Which of these characters will come out of this deceitful web carefully designed by this wonderfully talented author, Lacey Weatherford! I give this book my thumbs up!”
~Jessica Johnson, Book End 2 Book End
“Wow, what an amazing story. Once again Lacey Weatherford has done it. I would rate this as a must read book.”
~Becky Warnick, Avid Reader
“Once again, Lacey Weatherford has delivered a romance so exhilarating, you’ll be left in a puddle of swoony sighs. Crush has it all – romance, suspense, angst, humor . . . not to mention amazing one liners from a guy so deliciously sexy, it’ll leave you breathless and blushing for hours to come! I don't just have a crush . . . I have an addiction!”
~Belinda Boring, The Bookish Snob
“I absolutely loved, loved, loved, this book! Lacey takes us on an electrifying ride—there were so many times I could feel my heart beat faster in anticipation wondering what was going to happen next! Crush is a 5 star page turner full of passion, secrets and intrigue...A MUST read!!!”
~Holly Malgieri, I Love Indie Books
“I love the cover for Crush by Lacey Weatherford and I went into reading it with the idea that it was going to be a hot, contemporary romance. I’m happy to tell you that whilst this is indeed the case, the book is about so much more. The romance was present but there was also something else going on and this made for one of the best books I’ve seen from Lacey. It’s a great story and one that needs to be read. I dare you to fall in love with Crush.”
~Lynsey Newton, Narratively Speaking
“I love a good romantic novel laced with suspense and danger and Crush is all that and more. Perfectly paced and plotted, there was no lull in the action. Weatherford has crafted what I consider to be the perfect book and I am looking forward to many re-reads in the future.”
~Melissa Simmons, Girls Heart Books
“Crush is AH-MAY-ZING. Sparks were flying off the pages throughout the entire book. The romance isn't the only thing going on, it has many different levels to it. I absolutely loved the plot—I was amazed once all the pieces started coming together. I soooo did not want this book to end!”
~Tishia Mackey, Paranormal Opinion
“Jenny: What a delicious and engrossing read this was! I really did enjoy it! The anticipation kept me eagerly flicking the pages and it kept me riveted until the end! Gitte: Lacey absolutely has a knack for creating storylines with depth and her characters are real, credible and relevant. I got sucked in right away again and couldn’t put it down. This was a FAB YA story!”
~Jenny & Gitte, Totally Booked
“Weatherford has a distinctive writing style with the ability to create storylines with depth and realism; her characters are real, believable and relatable. If her name is on a book I immediately want to read it, regardless! Crush is yet another success for the amazing author!”
~Tammy Middleton, Tam’s Two Cents
“So far I've loved everything Lacey's ever written, but I generally prefer fantasy to contemporary. So, I expected to love it, just not quite as much. Hah. I was wrong. This is probably Lacey's best novel yet. Whether or not you like contemporary YA, you'll like Crush. It was fun, serious and adventurous all at once.”
~Natalie Richards, Songs and Stories
“Lacey has a way of creating stories that speak to your heart. She really knows how to capture her readers with every story she writes. It's real, it flows perfectly and flawlessly and I really feel like I'm there experiencing the journey along with the characters. If I could give Crush more than FIVE stars, I would no questions asked, but alas I can only give it FIVE so that would have to suffice!”
~ Anne Brewer, YA Romance Author
“Wow, what an amazing story. Once again Lacey Weatherford has done it. I would rate this as a must read book.”
~Becky Warnick, Avid Reader
CRUSH
Moonstruck Media - Arizona
Copyright © 2012 Lacey Weatherford
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Published by
Moonstruck Media
Edited by Irene Hunt, Third Eye Tight Editing Services
Arizona
Kindle Edition
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
This book is available in print and ebook format.
Books by Lacey Weatherford
Of Witches and Warlocks
The Trouble With Spells
The Demon Kiss
Blood of the White Witch
The Dark Rising
Possession of Souls
Book of Shadows
Fire & Ice
Of Witches and Demons Series
Coven
Craft
Chasing Nikki Series
Chasing Nikki
Finding Chase
Chased Dreams
Crush Series
Crush
Smitten
Love
Smolder
Fringe Series
Suicide Notes
Leather’s Novels
Allure
The Story of Us Series
Angel Kissed
A Celebrity Novel
Mr. Hollywood
Novellas
Faery Kissed
Over The River and Through The Woods
Anthology
A Midsummer Night’s Fling
Acknowledgments
Crush was a story that popped into my head suddenly and took over. After continuously struggling to put it on the back burner so that I could finish the projects scheduled ahead of it, I finally gave in and listened to the advice of my business partners, Bels, and Kam. They said if the story was eating at me that badly, then I should just write it.
I’m glad I listened to them! This tale literally poured out of me in a matter of days and was sent off to my editor a whole month ahead of schedule. So thanks to them, thanks to my family for not growling at me while I wrote on our vacation, and of course, thanks to my editor, Irene, for all her help and amazing suggestions.
Another one bites the dust!
Love,
Lacey
Dedication
For my “besties” from high school:
Barbara, Kim, and Deanna.
Here’s to the memories of all the awesome crushes we had!
***
For my cousin, Chris Napier.
You are missed!
Get book two in the CRUSH series, SMITTEN, for FREE!
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www.laceyweatherfordbooks.com
CRUSH
By Lacey Weatherford
Prologue
Cami-
It was magical. We danced and swayed to the music as fake snow fell from above, catching the glitter of the giant silver disco ball as it spread the flickering mood lighting around the gym. Despite the Winter Formal’s snowflake theme, the room was hot from the crush of bodies, but no one, including me, seemed to care. It was beautiful, and I was thoroughly enjoying this night out with Clay, my best friend in the whole world.
There was a small commotion off to my right, and I saw Jordan Henley stagger toward me. My first thought was to wonder who spiked his punch. He abruptly lurched forward, falling against me.
“Cami, help me. Please,” he said in a desperate sounding whisper, spitting on me as he spoke.
“Get off her!” Clay yelled in disgust, shoving him.
Jordan fell—his head hit the floor with a resounding crack that vibrated under my feet. My loud, horrified scream pierced the air. The dancing teens stopped and scattered outward in cries of disbelief, forming a wide circle around the twitching boy in the center. I was frozen to the spot until Clay grabbed me, yanking me backward as well.
Teachers rushed forward, pushing through the packed crowd trying to discover what was wrong with the school’s champion running back. He was foaming from the mouth, his eyes rolled back into his head.
“Somebody help him!” I screeched out.
“Call an ambulance!” one of the teachers yelled, and several students produced their cell phones all at once.
Jordan suddenly gurgled and gagged then quit moving. The teacher, Mr. Russo, laid his head near Jordan’s mouth before quickly straightening and checking for a pulse.
“Get these kids out of here!” he ordered the rest of the faculty as he ripped open the buttons of Jordan’s shirt.
Several girls started crying as he placed his hands on Jordan’s chest and started doing compressions . . . but I could tell it was too late. Jordan Henley was already dead.
Chapter One
Cami- Three months later
“Can someone please tell me the ruling for comma placements in this particular sentence?” Mrs. Stuart tapped the board with her old-fashioned, stick pointer as she peered over the top of her small, gold wire-rimmed glasses. Her gaze floated around the classroom, looking for a volunteer as she absently reached up to pat her French twisted gray hair.
I raised my hand from the back of the classroom and she stopped on me, smiling.
“Anyone besides Miss Wimberley?” she amended.
I lowered my arm quickly, accidentally hitting the edge of my binder, which was hanging off my desk. The action caused it to pop up and fall to the floor. The three rings burst open, and papers scattered everywhere.
Laughter twittered through the previously silent classroom, and my face flushed in embarrassment as I slid to my knees, hurriedly trying to gather the mess.
“Attention! Please!” Mrs. Stuart’s voice snapped, directing everyone to look back at her. “Mr. Wilder, please help Cami pick up her things.”
I groaned internally. Not Hunter, I thought.
My humiliation was complete. It was bad enough almost all my classes were seated alphabetically, bad enough the computer had somehow managed to put him in four of my seven periods when he’d moved in a few weeks ago, bad enough he’d risen to immediate ‘in’ status and was now considered the hottest, coolest—and maybe the worst—partier in school. Despite the two of us being from entirely different social classes, him the king of stoners, me the queen of nerdy chic, I still managed to have a crush on him—a crush I did my absolute best to hide from everyone . . . especially him.
“That was a sleek move you did there, Cami,” Hunter whispered as he knelt down next to me and began to gather papers. “I didn’t think notebooks could fly like that. Did you have to get special training?” He glanced up at the board where Mrs. Stuart was continuing with the lesson. “Too bad it didn’t work.”
“What?” I sighed in exasperation, trying to figure out what he was talking about. He flashed a bright smile, and my gaze settled first on his perfect, white teeth, then on those deliciously plump lips of his.
I bet he’s fun to kiss. I blinked. Whoa! Where did that come from?
“Are you saying this whole knocking of the binder was truly an accident?” he spoke.
I jerked my attention from his mouth back to the floor and the task in front of me.
“And here I thought you were trying to save the rest of the class from answering the question,” he continued.
I paused to stare at him. “Really? You did?”
He leaned past me, reaching to grab some papers under a vacant desk, and I caught a whiff of his cool scented aftershave, mixed with the faint smell of cigarettes.
“No.” He chuckled quietly, and a lock of his black hair tumbled over his tanned forehead. He straightened and handed me the papers. “I was trying to give you an out so you didn’t feel quite so humiliated.” He winked, and I couldn’t help but notice his chocolate colored eyes looked like they had little drops of caramel scattered through them. I’d never been this close to his face before.
“Oh.” I suddenly felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny. “Thanks . . . I think.”
His smile widened. “Anytime. I may have only been here a short while, but I’m sure I’ve been in enough of your classes to have you pegged.”
“Is that so?” I began arranging things in my binder so I wouldn’t have to look at him or his tight, black t-shirt stretched across his perfectly muscled physique. It should be a sin for a guy in high school to have a body that good. Besides, I was pretty sure he was messing with me.
“I do. It didn’t take me long to figure out you’re sweet, probably the smartest girl in school, maybe the most talented as well, and you’re definitely every teacher’s pet. You always pay attention and do your work like a good student should.” He shook his head, as he stared. “Little-Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes. Do you have a life outside of class? I haven’t seen you around. I bet you’ve never even been to a party before, have you? I just can’t picture you kickin’ back with the homies.”
He was baiting me—and it was working. “Of course I have,” I snapped under my breath, not knowing why I cared whether or not he thought I was cool. “My mom throws the most amazing parties, and I hang out with my best friend, Clay, all the time.”
“I don’t think birthday parties count. And Clay? Now there’s a nerd for you—pocket protector and everything. Someone told me he has a girlfriend.” He snorted a little too loudly. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Hurry up you two,” Mrs. Stuart called out before turning to her desk.
I snapped my binder back together. “Thanks for your help, even if it was required of you.” I got into my seat feeling irritated.
He slid into his beside me, slouching and stretching his long frame into the aisle. I could tell he was still looking at me, so I stared straight ahead, determined to ignore him. He was such a punk.
“You need a partner for the next part of this lesson, so buddy up please,” Mrs. Stuart said as she started passing out a worksheet.
There was a bunch of noise as everyone hurried to find whom they wanted to work with. Hunter promptly slid his desk over next to mine before I had a chance to move.
“Hey buddy.” He smiled.
My eyes widened. “Back to degrade me some more?” I grumbled.
He looked surprised. “What do you mean?”
“Isn’t that what you were doing a minute ago? Telling me what a nerd I am and how I have no social life?”
“Is that what you thought?” He leaned forward, placing his arms on his desk and turned to stare at me.
I didn’t answer. He was so close he seemed intimidating, like he noticed everything about me with just one glance. It made me feel self-conscious.
Mrs. Stuart paused at our
desks and handed us a piece of paper before she returned to the front of the room. “As you can see, there are several paragraphs on this. All but one are punctuated incorrectly. You’re to take turns reading aloud to each other. In the space below each paragraph, rewrite it the way you think it should be. When you find the correct one, circle it. Put both your names in the top corner, and turn it in before the bell please. You may begin.”
Hunter grabbed the paper and penciled his name in before sliding it over. “I’m glad I picked you as a partner. Maybe I’ll get a good grade on this now.”
“Why? Because I’ll do all the work?” I hissed. I knew guys like him. They sucked up to you until they got what they wanted and then acted like you were no one the next time you were around. There was no way I’d let him do that.
He looked at me funny. “Did I do something to piss you off? You seem mad.”
“Never mind.” I picked up the paper to begin reading, but he placed his hand on it, flattening it against the desk.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I wouldn’t look at him. I wasn’t sure why I was getting so upset. It shouldn’t matter if some party boy thought I was a nerd. It’s not like I would ever go out with him even if he didn’t. I was positive he was into the whole drug and alcohol scene, just from the friends he’d made already. I’d seen him smoking in the parking lot a couple of times, trying to hide his cigarette in the curl of his hand so no one would notice. I always wondered why the kids in this school were still stupid enough to party after Jordan Henley’s overdose on meth three months ago. You think they’d learn, but no, everyone seemed content to keep on using. “Can we do this please?” I gestured to the assignment.
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