Smitten (5 page)

“Nice to meet you. Thank
s for your help.”

I briefly glanced around to see if anyone was looking at us. I wrapped my arm around her, dragging her the rest of the way against me. “Nice to meet you too. Sorry about the switch
-up tonight. Johnson had an emergency.”

“So I heard. It all worked out okay
, though. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

She slipped her arms loosely around my neck
, and we began swaying back and forth even though the music was fast, and the heavy beat made the floor vibrate beneath us. We looked like two people who were really into each other, and this made it much easier for us to talk.

“Fill me in on what I need to know—starting with your real age. I hav
e a hard time believing you’re twenty one.” I leaned back and arched an eyebrow at her.

She gave me a wide innocent stare. “That’s what it says on my
ID Would you like to see it?”

“I know all about fake
IDs and how easy they are to get.” I wasn’t falling for her routine.

She sighed and gave me
a slight grimace and a short laugh. “Yeah, I guess you would, wouldn’t you? I’m actually twenty.”

I stared at her again, pursing my lips.

“Okay, okay. I’m nineteen, but I’ll be twenty in four months, and that’s the truth.” She watched me closely, waiting for my reaction.

“I believe you. The first thing you need to know is I have to be able to trust you. We both need to have each other’s backs in case things get dangerous. I don’t want any surprises thrown at me.”

She glanced away before nodding. “All right, but the street goes both ways.”

“I’ll tell you everything I’m able,” I replied seriously.

“What does that mean?” she asked, looking a little put out.

“It means that when it comes to information I get from the department
, you’re on a ‘need-to-know’ basis. That’s all I can promise. I won’t compromise the investigation.”

She pondered this for a moment before giving me a slight nod.

“Who is this guy, Roberta? Is he bothering you?” A male voice broke in, and a pair of hands shoved of us apart.

“Calm down, Ripper,” Roberta said, pushing him away and cuddling back up next to me. “I told you I was dating someone new and he was meeting me here tonight. He’s not bothering me.”

Great
, I was hoping Roberta would have a chance to fill me in on things better before I came face to face with this guy. I’d have to do my best winging it.

“You looked upset,” Ripper said, glaring at me. He was a couple inches shorter than I was and leanly muscled, his dark hair shaved into a very short buzz cut. He wore a folded
, gray bandana around his forehead, and a black t-shirt with skulls that ran from his stomach over his shoulder. I didn’t pay much attention to his baggy pants or shoes, deciding it was wiser to keep my eyes on him while I judged his aggression level.

“She was mad because I told her she should change her top.” I glanced at Roberta appreciatively before turning back. “I mean I love it and all, but I don’t really like the way every guy in the place is ogling her.”

Ripper’s attention was successfully diverted away from me to his sister. “Roberta, what the hell are you wearing? It looks like a damn napkin or something!”

She looked extremely frustrated. “I keep telling you I’m not a little girl anymore. You have no say in what I wear.”

Uh-oh. It seemed as if I’d managed to hit on an already touchy subject.

Ripper stepped closer. “It is when you’re out flaunting the goods for anyone to see. You want to end up in some alley on your back? You’re gonna get labeled a slut by every guy in here.”

I wasn’t sure if Ripper had any idea about how active his sister might be, but I certainly didn’t judge her as an innocent by any standard. She might only be nineteen, but it was obvious, even after a few short minutes, she was used to getting what she wanted when it came to men. I could already tell by the way she handled me.

“Oh blow it out your ear!” she continued. “I’m sick and tired of the overprotective act. Now lay off. We both know you don’t give a damn about my reputation.”

Ripper made a move to get even more in her face. I needed to diffuse the situation.

“Hey, man. I got this.” I shrugged out of my plaid shirt and
offered it to Roberta. “Why don’t you wear this?”

Roberta glanced back and forth between Ripper and me. I could see the hesitation before she finally sighed. “Fine,” she spat, grabbing the shirt out of my hand. She headed toward the large hallway with a sign point
ing to the restrooms.

Ripper chuckled as he turned back toward me. “She’s saucy, isn’t she? You sure you want to date her?”

I grinned. “I like ‘em with some fire.” I stuck my fist out. “Hunter Wilder.”

Ripper stared at it for a moment before he reached out and bumped it. “Ripper Rivera. Thanks for looking out for my sister tonight, man. Sometimes I wonder what the hell she’s thinking.”

I laughed. “If you figure that out, then clue me in. It might be helpful.”

Ripper gave me a half smile. “You’re new around here?”

“Yeah, I moved here with my foster brother a couple weeks ago. He supposedly has a lead on a new job. Maybe he’ll be able to keep this one too . . . if he can stop snorting everything he earns up his nose.”

Ripper chuckled. “You’re not a fan of the powder, huh?” he asked.

I shrugged. “I like partying as much as the next guy, but I don’t think it needs to happen twenty four/seven like my brother does. I’d be hard-pressed to remember a time he wasn’t high. It gets a little old when he keeps crawling to me for money.”

“What do you do for a living?”

“I’m a mechanic. I like cars—building, restoring, or doing pretty much anything with them. My boss at my last place let me use his tools and stuff to soup up my Camaro. I’m still looking for a garage or something that’s hiring around here. I haven’t found one yet.”

Ripper looked me
over. “You like cars, huh? Come on. You can come hang at our table. I’ll introduce you to Seth and Nick. Then maybe you can take us out and show us this car of yours.”

I tried not to grin as I followed after him. Hook, line, and sinker—I was in.

Chapter Five

Cami-

My hair and makeup had been properly fixed and my clothes changed after dropping by my dorm on the way to Hunter’s. Call it vanity, but I wanted to look good for him when he arrived. I was looking forward to spending the evening cuddled in his arms.

I’d let myself into his apartment and was surprised by what I found. There were fresh red rose petals scattered through the apartment, from the front door to the small dining table. More petals were
scattered around several unlit candles of all shapes and sizes grouped together on the tablecloth. A silver tray held an ice bucket with a bottle of sparkling cider chilling inside, and two crystal wine glasses sitting next to it.

I noticed a folded piece of paper on the table with my name on it. I picked it up, wondering if I should read it now or wait until he got home. My curiosity got the better of me
, and I peeked at it, recognizing his handwriting immediately.

“Cami, I love you more than you’ll ever know. Thanks for being part of my life. Hunter.”

I smiled as I replaced the note and glanced around, noticing more candles on other surfaces around the living room. There were several movies laying out on the coffee table—all romantic comedies from the looks of it. I laughed to myself. He’d certainly pulled out all the stops. I loved that he’d gone through all this trouble to create a special evening for the two of us. He made me feel things I’d never felt before. Every time I’d glance up and see him staring at me, my stomach would do little flip-flops of excitement. I couldn’t believe he’d chosen me.

Remembering the plastic bag I had in my hand, I made my way into the hall and opened the folding closet doors that hid the washer and dryer. I emptied our wet clothes from the pool into the washer and gathered more dirty clothes from his hamper in the bathroom to complete the load. I added the soap and started it, closing the cupboard and wonder
ing what to do next.

The rest of the apartment, which I now knew was decorated in the same tastes of his bedroom at his parent’s house, looked pretty clean. I was sure he’d straightened everything up for tonight. Having missed dinner with his family
, though, I was hungry, so I went into the small kitchen to search for some food.

There was a delicious
-looking strawberry cheesecake in the refrigerator, and I was positive it was a dessert he planned on sharing with me later. He knew strawberries were one of my favorite things. I sighed, biting my lip as I smiled. I loved him.

A short time later
, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a small plate and was curled up on the couch with my e-reader. I browsed through my books, looking for something to read while I waited. I needed to occupy my mind with something besides checking the clock every thirty seconds to see how much time had passed.

About thirty minutes later, I was a few chapters into my novel when I heard a knock at the door. My pulse rate instantly shot up
. I briefly wondered who could be here until I spied Hunter’s keys lying on the table. I forgot I had them.

I
set my e-reader on the coffee table and stood, self-consciously running my hands over myself to smooth my clothes and check for crumbs. I silently cursed myself for not bringing my toothbrush with me. I was sure I had peanut butter breath now. I hurried to my purse and grabbed a mint before going to the door and opening it.

“Hey, Cami. You look nice tonight,” Russ drawled as he glanced over me, a knowing grin
which revealed the cute dimples in his cheeks, plastered across his face.

“Oh
. Hi, Russ,” I replied, surprised to see him. I leaned my head out the door, looking for Hunter.

“If you’re looking for Romeo, he’s not here. Can I come in?”

I faltered, not knowing what he’d think of seeing all the rose petals scattered everywhere.

“I know about your plans tonight. I helped Hunter set things up
, and I was supposed to come light all the candles before you two got here. But then your plans changed.”

“Ah,” I said, stepping back so he could enter. Hunter had definitely thought this out.

Russ went and plopped himself down on the couch. He stretched before running his fingers through his short brown hair and then locking his hands behind his head. It made his biceps pop out, and I could tell the results of working out with Hunter were already starting to show. He was staring at me now, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously. He was up to something.

I closed the door. “So what brings you over?”

His grin widened. “I’m here to date you.”

I choked a
little as I searched for words. “Uh . . . excuse me?”

He laughed and patted the space next to him. “Come sit down and relax. I won’t bite. I promise to take it easy on you.”

I shook my head. “Not until you tell me what you’re talking about.” I folded my arms and stared at him.

He chuckled again. “Your superhero called me with some bad news. Apparently
, he’s been detained and will be unable to join you this evening. He asked me to order a pizza and see that you got something to eat since you missed dinner at his parents. He wants me to fill you in on what’s going on.”

My heart fell in disappointment. “You don’t have to order a pizza. I made a sandwich,” I replied as I walked over and sat down dejectedly next to him.

“Too late. I already ordered it and some wings before I came over. It should be here any minute.”

I nodded absently. “So did Hun
 . . . Dylan say when he’d be back?”

He shook his head. “No. He doesn’t know. Cami, he said to tell you he’s really sorry, but he’s been called undercover again. They needed him and Chris right away. He doesn’t know how long the assignment will last, but due to
its dangerous nature, he’s been told not to contact any of his friends or family. He said it’s for our protection, so no one can trace him back to us.”

I suddenly felt the urge to cry. I didn’t like the idea of him being placed in that kind of danger. “Do you know where they sent him?”

“He’s here in Tucson somewhere, but he didn’t say where he was going. He did say, if for some reason we ever do happen to run into him, we need to pretend we don’t know him. He said he doubts that will happen, but just in case, he wanted us to know.”

“Did he tell you anything else?”

Russ sighed. “Yeah, he said to let you know that his contact is a girl, and he has to pose as her boyfriend. I’m to reassure you he’ll only be thinking of you the entire time he’s away, though.”

I wrung my hands together nervously. I didn’t like any of this. “Did he know about this beforehand? It seems awful sudden for them to throw him in the middle of all this without any warning.”

“No. I guess another officer was supposed to handle the case, but he had to have emergency surgery or something. They sent Dylan, uh, Hunter in this case, in his place. Apparently, he’s still using his same alias.”

I stood and paced toward the kitchen, feeling completely helpless. I wished there was something I could do
, and I hated not knowing when I’d see him again. How was I supposed to sleep, or even function normally, knowing he was in a dangerous situation? I was still having the occasional nightmare about Hunter being shot. This wasn’t going to help.

“Don’t worry, Cami. Chris is with him. You know he’ll have his back. He’s a smart cop
, and he’s good at what he does. He’s been undercover before, so he knows what he’s doing.”

“That’s what scares me. He got shot trying to save my life last time. No one had any clue how dangerous Clay was. Now he’s saying
, up front, that this situation is worse. It’s kind of putting me into panic mode.”

Russ got up and came over, placing both hands on my arms and stilling me. “You’re gonna have to get use to stuff like this, Cam. It’s the nature of his business. He’s a cop. He could get shot giving a traffic ticket.”

I blew out a frustrated breath. “You aren’t helping things.”

“I’m
only trying to be practical. You love someone who has a dangerous job. It’s a job he loves too. If you can’t handle that, you might need to reevaluate your relationship.”

“I don’t need to reevaluate. He’s everything to me. I may not have known who he really was when I fell in love with him, but I still thought he was involved in a dangerous lifestyle. I was willing to accept that to be with him. I didn’t like it, but I did it. There’s no way I’m backing out now.”

“Good girl.” Russ smiled and gave me a quick hug. “Hunter wasn’t happy about the interruption at all. He’s crazy about you, and I know he’ll do his best to hurry and get back to you. But until then, you’re gonna eat pizza and watch a movie with me. Relax and let me take care of you until he gets back.”

I snorted and gave a half smile. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’m a big girl.”

“I know you are, but I gave my bro my word that I’d watch out for you, and I intend to keep it. I owe him you know.”

“You know he doesn’t think you owe him anything. He feels your
 . . . overdose . . . was all his fault. If he hadn’t been around, you wouldn’t have been accidentally poisoned by a drink meant for him.”

“All I know is that it isn’t his fault Clay was a screwed up
, crazy bastard, and if it hadn’t been for Hunter’s quick actions, I wouldn’t be here now with you talking about it.” He let go of my arms and went back to the couch. “I owe him my life.”

I went to sit beside him, placing my hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry about what Clay did to you.”

He stared hard at me. “Would you quit apologizing for that freak, Cami? You’re not responsible for his behavior.”

I sighed. “I feel like I am. He was my friend, and he was obsessed with me. If I hadn’t been in the picture none of this would’ve happened.”

“If you hadn’t been in the picture, he’d have been fixated on some other girl. Look, I know you two were friends most of your life, but I can’t say I’m sorry he died. He’s the kind of guy who could’ve come to school and killed everybody. He was a ticking time bomb. I know you’ve got to see that now.”

“I do.” I slouched down
onto the couch beside him. “I wish I’d seen that side of him sooner, though. Maybe I could’ve done something to help him before he got as bad as he did.”

“You’re too sweet. I know Hunter loves that about you, but it kinda scares me. You trust people to
o easily.” He gave me a pointed look.

“I’ve never had a reason to not trust anyone until this whole thing with Clay blew up in
my face. Honestly, I still think I’m in shock over it all. Sure, it’s made me more nervous around people, but I’d like to think most of the world is inherently good.”

Russ laughed loudly. “Girl, I can’t believe you
, and I even grew up in the same town and went to the same school. Your world sounds completely different than mine.”

There was a knock at the door, interrupting us.

“Pizza’s here,” Russ said, hopping up. He opened the door and paid the delivery guy. “Come get some more to eat.” He carried the box into the kitchen. “Should I light the candles still?”

I snorted, knowing he was trying to lighten the mood. “Sure, why not? Might as well have a romantic night with somebody.”

He laughed. “So you know—I draw the line at the candles. I may have promised Hunter I’d make sure you were taken care of, but there will be no cuddling or making out.”

I opened my mouth to reply
, and he raised his hands to halt me. “Stop right there. You should know that no amount of begging is going to get me to change my mind.”

I grinned, folding my arms as I gave him a pointed look.

“I see I’ve made you speechless,” he continued as he grabbed some plates from the cupboard. He set them on the counter and glanced at me again. “Don’t worry. It happens to most females that meet me. They can’t seem to handle all of . . . this.” He made a wide sweeping gesture over his body and then paused to flex his arms in different poses.

I burst into laughter and punched him in the shoulder. “You’re such a dork!” It was impossible to
stay unhappy when Russ was around.

“That’s why you love me,” he said with smile. He slapped two slices of pizza on a plate and handed it to me with a bow. “May I present your dinner, milady?”

I shook my head as I took the plate. “Thank you.”

He grinned. “Happy to come to your rescue
, fair maiden. Now eat up. When we’re finished, you and I will clean up all these rose petals and watch a movie together. You can pick it.”

“Sounds great
.” I gave a sigh as I turned toward the table, still wishing Hunter would reappear, but I was glad he’d sent Russ in his place. It sounded like he was going to be a big part of my life for the next little while.