Smitten (22 page)

“Well,” Hunter replied with a sigh. “This was kind of a spur of the moment decision, so I don’t actually have a reservation anywhere. How about one of the nice resorts—somewhere else, though? We’d like a place a bit more peaceful than the strip.”

“I’d recommend Green Valley Ranch Resort and Spa,” the driver said. “It’s out of the way, but still close enough to the attractions you might want to see.”

“That sounds perfect,” Hunter agreed. “Let’s see if we can get a room there.”

“Would you like me to call ahead and find out for you
, sir?”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

The privacy window closed, and Hunter turned to look out the darkened glass as we pulled away from the curb. I did the same, and we watched the traffic patterns of all the vehicles around us. It didn’t appear anyone was following us.

We arrived at the prettily lit resort, the glow
highlighting its very beautiful Mediterranean style structure and sculpted grounds. The driver opened the door for us. “They’re waiting for you inside. There are rooms available as well as a special honeymoon package.”

“Thanks so much for your help. How much do I owe you?”

The man quoted his price, and I noticed Hunter tipped him generously too as he handed him the cash.

“Have a wonderful evening,” he spoke again.

Hunter ushered me quickly into the fancy building. We were safe—for the moment.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Cami-

Hunter tossed the pre-paid phone down on the nightstand next to the king bed in our room. The only light on was a dim lamp, which cast his face in shadow as he ran a hand through his hair.

I was still wearing the wedding dress, but I’d pulled off my wig and veil. Tossing them next to Hunter’s Elvis wig and our honeymoon goody basket in the chair, I sat on the edge of the bed. Hunter sank down beside me and loosened his tie, pulling it off and opening the top button of his collar.

“So what’s the verdict?” I asked, concerned.

“Chris says to lay low where we are. He isn’t going to share our location with anybody, just to be safe. The department there is going to try and get in touch with the Vegas PD superiors and let them know the case has been compromised due to a leak in their staff.”

“Ripper and his gang are going to be long gone.”

Hunter nodded and sighed. “You’re most likely correct.”

“Maybe we should catch a flight and go home.”

“Chris is afraid they might be watching the airport for us. He said to hang tight. He’ll be here to get us in the morning.”

I could tell he felt defeated. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what? You aren’t responsible for any of this. Who knows—you may have even saved my life tonight.”

“How so?”

“If I’d gone with them, I would’ve been there when they found out who I was. The chance of escaping would have been practically none.”

The mere
thought of him coming to harm made me feel nauseated. “I’m glad you were with me.”

“Me too.” He lifted his hand and stroked my chin. “I love you,” he said softly. “I’m so sorry about this evening. That definitely wasn’t the way I imagined us getting married.”

I laughed. “Don’t worry about it. People will get a big laugh out of our sham wedding story someday.”

Surprise flickered in his eyes. “Cami, you do realize we actually got married—for real.”

“Wha—what?” I stammered. “No.”

He gave a wry laugh. “Yes, we did. I gave them my real name to protect us from anyone looking for someone with my alias. We signed the license—there were witnesses. We just got married.”

I closed my eyes, my mind frantically replaying everything that had happened this evening. I’d been so absorbed in the guy at the door, that I’d missed my own wedding. “Please tell me we didn’t tie the knot dressed in Elvis and Priscilla costumes.” I was mortified. I stared up at him, searching for another answer in his eyes, but there wasn’t one.

He took my face in his hands. “Listen, you were clearly married under duress. Vegas weddings happen all the time—and so do Vegas annulments and divorces. We can easily end this.”

My lips trembled and unshed tears suddenly blurred my vision. “Is that what you want to do?”

He studied my features carefully. “Goody, I was going to officially ask you to marry me after th
is assignment was done. You know how much I want to be with you. It’s all I want.”

I swallowed thickly, my heart full of love for him. “Then I don’t want an annulment. This may not have been our ideal wedding, but we can have another one with our family.”

“Are you sure?” His thumbs stroked my cheeks.

I nodded. “I’m sure. I love you.”

“I love you too, Mrs. Wilcock.”

He smiled softly, leaning forward until his lips gently touched mine
, and I closed my eyes as the realization rushed through me. Hunter . . . Dylan, was really my husband! He was mine, and he wanted it to stay that way! Joy rushed through me. He pulled me closer, lifting me so I was on his lap, and I slid my arms around his neck, kissing him deeply.

His tongue slipped into my mouth, tangling with mine
, and I pressed harder against him. A small moan of pleasure escaped his mouth, and I loved knowing I was the one responsible for it.

“Stand up,” he ordered gently
, and I did as he requested. He turned me so I was facing away from him, looking at both of us in the large wall mirror. He gently lifted my hair, draping it over my shoulder, before skimming his fingers across my skin. He stared at me through the glass, his eyes locking with mine. “So beautiful, my wife.”

Goose bumps flared at his words. I couldn’t help the smile that crept
onto my face. “Say it again,” I responded.

He leaned
closer, his mouth very close to my ear as his hands slid down my arms. “My wife,” he whispered again, his fingertips gripping me as he emphasized the words. His lips touched my neck as he placed a tender kiss there before replacing it with his tongue, trailing it lightly on the surface. Watching his actions in the mirror was like seeing a long-wished-for dream coming true before my eyes.

His hands released me
, and there was a tug on the zipper of my dress a moment before the air brushed against my skin. He straightened, removing his jacket and tossing it toward the chair, then started on the buttons of his shirt.

Suddenly I was very nervous. “Wait,” I interrupted, turning and placing my hand on his to stop him.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, immediately looking concerned. “If you’re not ready still, I’ll wait. It’ll be hard, but I’ll do it.”

I smiled, butterflies whipping about madly in my stomach. “Thank you for being concerned about me. I’m
well . . . a little . . . unprepared for this.”

I could see the disappointment in his eyes. “That’s totally understandable. We can wait.” He didn’t understand my meaning.

“You’re so sweet, but you don’t understand. I
want
to. I’m just nervous.”

I reached for the top button of his shirt and began unfastening, my hands shaking so badly I felt like a bumbling idiot. His stare never left me, heating my skin.
There was nothing to stop us this time—it was really going to happen. Hunter had wanted it to be something special between us. How could we get more special than our honeymoon?

One button open—I moved onto the next one, but Hunter reached up and grabbed my hands.

“You’re shaking.” He lifted them to his mouth and kissed the back of each one. “You don’t need to be afraid. I promise I’ll be as gentle as possible.”

I blushed, unable to help it. It was so strange to be openly talking about this. “I’m not afraid of you. I’m excited.”

He grinned and cocked an eyebrow at me. “Excited is good.”

“Yes, it is,” I replied, turning my hands so I could kiss his in the same fashion before I gingerly continued my previous task—even undoing the buttons at his wrists. When I was finished, I pushed the shirt from his shoulders, and he let it slide the rest of the way down his arms until it fell to the floor.
His eyes never left me, watching as I placed my palms flat against his chest and trailed my fingers down the ridges of his stomach. His abs tightened even more, and I heard his breath catch.

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.”