Smitten
Authors: Lacey Weatherford
Rave Reviews for CRUSH and Smitten
“
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
“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, Bestselling Author of The Mystic Wolves
“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
“
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
“
Smitten
, the sequel to
Crush
, was definitely worth the wait! The way that Lacey Weatherford is able to capture the love between Hunter and Cami is magical. No wonder Lacey has been named The Queen of Hearts!”
~Lisa Markson Reviews
“Ms. Weatherford has done what I thought impossible and given us a sequel that is just as enjoyable, if not
more
enjoyable than the first book. With
Smitten
, Lacey Weatherford has cemented her place among my favorite authors. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!”
~Melissa Simmons, Girls Heart Books
“Find a comfy place on the carpet, because the romance will leave you a melted puddle on the floor, and while you're down there, the next scene will have you rolling around in laughter.”
~Irene Hunt, Third Eye Tight Editing
Other books by
Lacey Weatherford
Of Witches and Warlocks series:
The Trouble with Spells
The Demon Kiss
Blood of the White Witch
The Dark Rising
Possession of Souls
Chasing Nikki series:
Chasing Nikki
Finding Chase
Crush Series:
Crush
Smitten
Anthology:
A Midsummer Night’s Fling
Faery Kissed
SMITTEN Copyright © 2012 Moonstruck Media
and Lacey Weatherford
Edited by Irene Hunt, Third Eye Tight Editing Services
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Published by
Moonstruck Media
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.
Chapters:
This book was written for my readers after they read Crush and begged for more. I hope you will love it too. I know I do!
This book got way behind schedule due to a myriad of horrible life-threatening health issue. I’d like to thank my friends and family for all their support during this trying time. You took good care of me, let me cry on your shoulders, and helped me make my way back into the land of the living again. I love you all so much! I’m blessed to have such an amazing support system.
I’d also like to thank my agent, Jane Dystel, for her patience in getting this book from me, and for her encouragement to concentrate on getting better too. I appreciated your kind words and taking the time to check in on me. I hope we can get together again soon!
Most of all, I’d like to thank my editor, Irene Hunt. She puts in tireless hours helping to polish these stories. Sometimes I have an immediate hit, and other times I have to do a little rewriting to hit the mark just right. I appreciate knowing I can hand you a manuscript, and you’ll give an honest, straightforward opinion. Thank you for all you do and for “squeeing” excitedly with me when amazing things happen. (Please don’t hit my shoulder anymore when you’re excited. I have to explain the bruises to other people! Haha Love you!)
I hope everyone will have as much fun reading this book as I did writing it. Hunter, Cami, and Russ always manage to leave me with a big grin on my face! I hope there will be one on yours as well!
Thanks so much,
Lacey
For Jace.
Thanks for dropping everything, at any given moment, to discuss plot lines. I love you so much! It’s an honor to have such a wonderful son!
SMITTEN
By
Lacey Weatherford
Cami-
Watching from my dorm room window, I couldn’t help staring dreamily as Hunter got out of his Camaro and jogged along the sidewalk below. His body never ceased to impress me, his quick lithe actions causing his sinewy muscles to ripple underneath his clothes—muscles I loved to run my fingers over all the time.
As if he heard my thoughts, he
glanced up, catching me spying on him, and that thousand-watt grin of his made an appearance. His dark hair rippled slightly in the breeze, and he tapped the watch he was wearing. Instantly, the butterflies, which had temporarily gone missing, were back in my stomach. For a moment, I’d forgotten where he was taking me tonight—to meet his parents.
I gave a little wave of acknowledgement and signaled I’d be right down. Going to my bed, I grabbed my handbag before checking my appearance in the full-length mirror one last time. I hoped I was dressed okay. My thin
, white blouse with short-capped sleeves hugged my figure nicely and overlapped the top of my gray trousers. I’d paired gray sandals that showed off my nice summer pedicure, complete with my French tipped toenails.
S
ighing, I appraised my thick red hair I’d left hanging in the naturally curly waves Hunter liked so much. A knock at the door interrupted me, and I hurried to open it.
“Hey there
, gorgeous,” Hunter said, eyeing me appreciatively before he entered the room and swept me into his arms. “You look amazing!”
I blushed, laughing before I realized he was holding me in
both
his arms. “Hunter! Err . . . Dylan, you’re not wearing your sling!”
He grinned as I traced over his bicep to his shoulder, resting my hand gently there—the memories of him being shot still too fresh in my mind.
“I went to the doctor today. I don’t have to wear it anymore. Everything is healed nicely.” He bent to lightly kiss my forehead. “And I told you before . . . , call me Hunter if you want. It’s still my middle name, and it doesn’t bother me one bit.”
“I worry it
’ll be awkward around your family. They won’t know who I’m talking about.” I gave a small laugh and shook my head. “I’ve been trying to retrain myself, but it’s been difficult.”
Ever since I’d found out my boyfriend was actually an undercover cop posing as a student at my high school, I’d struggled to switch from using his alias, Hunter Wilder, to his given name, Dylan Wilcock. The problem was
, my mind had firmly implanted him as Hunter. He continued to reassure me it was okay to call him that, but I felt a little weird since no one else did. Well, no one else besides Hunter’s best friend, Russ, that is.
Russ had thankfully made a full recovery after being nearly poisoned to death by my previous best friend, Clay. He was very grateful to Hunter and the role he’d played in saving his life. It seemed he was almost Hunter’s shadow now
—moving here, to Tucson, for school as well and continuing their friendship as if nothing between them had changed.
I liked having him here too. Granted, we’d only been at U of A for a week and had spent most of that time settling in to our new places, but it was still nice to have a familiar face on campus to hang around with occasionally.
“Don’t worry about it, Cami. Relax and be yourself tonight. My family is going to love you.” Hunter leaned in closer, quickly placing a soft kiss against my cheek, and I gave him a questioning look. “What?” he asked with a laugh.
“A kiss on the cheek? Really? I must be losing my touch.”
He flashed me another incredible grin. “I didn’t want to mess up your makeup. Besides, there will be plenty of kissing later on tonight.” He winked at me.
“You seem pretty sure about that,” I teased back, running my index finger over his amazing
lips. He grabbed my wrist, stilling it, and sucked my finger into his mouth. Laughter escaped, and I bit my lower lip.
S
lowly he released my finger, and the grin was back as he bent toward the side of my head, his warm breath brushing against my ear. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I have something special planned for you later at my place.”
Goose bumps flared over my skin. “Special?” I managed to squeak out.
He nuzzled his face into my hair. “I’m finally out of that damn sling, and my muscles are feeling good after therapy. I figured you and I could celebrate together. What do you think? Maybe cuddle on the couch and watch a movie?” He paused, pulling away to look at me. “Or we could skip the movie and make out instead.” He grinned.
Mental images of the two of us tangled in each other
’s arms flashed through my mind, and my heart rate kicked to about a thousand. “Why do I get the idea you’re hoping I’ll choose the second option?” I smiled, loving the excited look on his face.
“Am I that obvious,” he replied with a laugh.
I nodded. “Pretty much, yeah.”
“And that’s why I love you. You know me so well.” He lifted his hands and cupped my face stroking my cheeks with his thumbs. “My family is going to love you too.” He leaned forward and lightly kissed me. His chocolate
-colored eyes, with their flecks of honey, looked warm and caring as he locked gazes with me. I didn’t doubt his love. I could see it shining there.
The butterflies resurfaced at the mention of his family. “I’m worried they’ll think I’m too young for you.”
“They already know how old you are, Goody,” he said, using his pet name for me. “I’ve explained everything to them. My mom didn’t even bat an eyelash. She thinks it’s all terribly romantic.”
“Really?” Hearing that made me feel better.
Hunter chuckled. “Really. They’re very excited to meet you. Chris has told them how wonderful you are too. He and my sister will be there as well. You have allies.”
I had fond memories of the few times I’d been able to visit with Hunter’s brother-in-law, Chris. Not to mention he’d saved both our lives during the incident with Clay, so that gave him huge brownie points in my book.
“Are we good?” he asked. “No more nerves.”
I gave a short laugh. “Oh, I still have plenty of those. I don’t want to screw anything up.”
“You’ll be perfect. Don’t worry.”
“How can you know? Have you added
psychic abilities to your impressive resume?” I teased him. “Because unless you’ve suddenly become all-knowing, I don’t see how you can predict something like that.”
“I know because you’re perfect. Everyone who meets you loves you. Why would my family be any different?”
“I bet Gabby would beg to differ with you.” An image of the gorgeous brunette from high school popped into my head. “She was very clear about wanting me out of the way so she could have you.”
Hunter groaned. “Please don’t ruin our nice evening by mentioning her. I’ve quite enjoyed leav
ing her in the past—where she belongs.”
“Really? That’s too bad. I was thinking of dying my hair dark
-brown and purchasing a much sluttier wardrobe. I thought you might like it.” I bit my lip in anticipation of his reaction.
“Don’t you dare touch your hair. Ever. It’s perfect like it is.” He picked
up one of the lose curls and twisted it around his finger.
“Ever?” I asked, faking confusion. “It’s going to be awful messy if I can’t touch it
ever
.”
He laughed and gently tweaked my nose. “You know what I mean, Miss Smarty Pants.”
“Smarty Pants? Is that an upgrade or a down grade from Goody-Two-Shoes?”
His eyes were positively sparkling with mirth. “Neither. You’ll always be my Goody.” He leaned in and lightly kissed my lips, before giving me a half-cocked grin. “Do you know how good you make me feel?”
I slid my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “You make me feel good too.” Popping higher on my tiptoes, I kissed him—lip-gloss forgotten. A soft moan escaped him and he wrapped an arm around my waist, his other hand slipping to my neck, tangling into my hair.
I sighed happily at the contact, loving the feelings his touch evoked inside me. He made me feel
the craziest things. I’d never experienced this kind of intense emotion for another person before.
He suddenly broke away with a heavy sigh, leaning his forehead against mine. “We better get going I think, or I might be tempted to skip dinner. My mom wouldn’t be too happy about that I’m afraid. She’s been very anxious to meet you.”
The ball of nerves bounced back into my stomach. “Okay. Let’s get this over with.”
He laughed heartily. “I’m not taking you to be executed, you know
. I really do think you’ll like them.”
“I’m sure I will
. . . especially if they’re anything like you.” I was doing my best to be positive. I wasn’t sure why the idea of meeting his parents was so terrifying. Of course, I’d never been in love before. Hunter . . . Dylan . . . was my first love. Making a good impression was a must for me. It was obvious he was close to his family by the way he lit up when talking about them. What if they felt I wasn’t good enough for their son? Horror stories of relationships ending because the family didn’t get along with the newcomer floated in my mind. That couldn’t happen to us. I couldn’t lose him.
Hunter grabbed my hand
, leading me out of my dorm room, downstairs, and to the parking lot. He opened the passenger door of the Camaro, and I slid inside. I dug through my purse to find my lip-gloss while he went around to get in his side. He climbed in beside me and watched for a second as I leaned forward to look into the visor’s mirror.
“You don’t really need to wear that
, you know.”
I glanced over at him. “What do you mean?”
“I mean you might as well save yourself the trouble because I plan on kissing you all evening. You’re going to be constantly reapplying.” He winked at me.
“You’re incorrigible,” I replied with a small smile and a shake of my head before I finished
.
He shrugged. “Just trying to help you out.”
I recapped my makeup and dropped it into my bag, leaning back against the seat. “At least let me make introductions first. Then you may kiss to your heart’s content.”
“
Is that a promise?” He grinned as he started the car. “I’m going to hold you to it.”
“Does it really matter? You know you’re going to do what you want anyway.”
He chuckled as he backed out of the space. “Yeah, I am. You really do know me too well.”
I smiled. “So how far away is your parent
’s house?”
“It’s not too far. About fifteen minutes from here
, if we hit all the lights right.” After he had merged out onto the road, he reached over to take my hand in his, squeezing it gently. “I can’t wait for them to meet you.”
A small time later
, we pulled through the open gates of a private drive. My jaw fell open. “This is where you grew up?” I asked in amazement.
“Yep. Pretty, huh?”
I didn’t know what to say, but pretty wasn’t the word I would’ve chosen—opulent, maybe, or astounding. The house was an incredible Spanish styled mansion with cream walls and a red tiled roof. It stood, towering three stories high, at the end of the driveway. Tall Sycamore trees bordered the drive and disappeared around behind the structure. At the end of the drive, a large, russet concrete fountain sprayed water about two feet into the air from the top tier, before falling and running into a small, sparkling pool around the bottom. A well-manicured patch of lawn, edged with beds full of riotous-colored flowers, surrounded the pool, spreading out to create a little island in the middle of the brick-laid driveway.
My nerves
skyrocketed. “I didn’t know you were related to Donald Trump.” I was joking, but there was suddenly a lump in my throat I couldn’t seem to swallow.
Hunter laughed loudly as he parked the Camaro. “This place would be a quaint cottage for Donald.” He eyed me, flashing
his perfect grin again. “Relax, Cami. I’d never take you anywhere that’d make you uncomfortable.”
My voice didn’t seem capable of making any sound at the moment, so I merely nodded. He hopped out of the car and jogged around to my door. I could tell he was excited as he held his hand out
and pulled me from the car.
I followed
him up the red tiled steps, which led to the massive double front doors. Hunter pushed one side open, practically dragging me into the house behind him.
It was time to meet the family.